Reviews

What a strange little boy Dexter is, with his funny accent and labcoat. Dexter's Laboratory is far more watchable than other Cartoon Network creations like "2 stupid dogs" and "cow and chicken" - being ridiculously stupid to the point of cold boredom and just too satirical and adult, respectively. With its imaginative storylines and his hugely annoying but funny older sister Dee-dee, it makes for good morning viewing.

What would you like me to say about this film? It's not the goriest film ever made but the very ideas and in its schlocky detail, it has to be said that it is quite sick. Having said this it did make for an interesting if not disturbing viewing - you learn why films like this are banned. The documentary style was innovative and worked wonders in giving the film a more realistic edge. Credit has to be given for the fact that the film was well made.

heh heh! This is just one of those films which invariably pops up and has to be seen when you're busy...er... partying... heh. Many screenings are required to watch this film, in the way that it was meant to be watched - battered!!! I only wish I could remember the ending.... oh well. This film rocks. In similar vein check out the Cheech and Chong films. When bonged... I mean monged, they'll have you in tears.

Legalize cannabis!!

Expectant of a film with a theme out to bash the church, I was slightly apprehensive of the motives of this film since I am a believer, with ideas, no church. But the films even states that it shouldn't be taken seriously. Simply put - Even God has a sense of humour. Inevitably this is never the case. Dealing with a touchy subject like religion, even the slightest variation of the holy text may cause mass hysteria. Even those that tend to intelligently "dissect" the film fall flat on their faces by the very virtue that this is not a history lesson, but live action comic-style "adaptation" loosely based around Christian faith. Bollocks to Theological research and the history lesson, this is entertainment.

Ironically, it's now well-known that Kevin Smith is a devout Catholic, and the film whilst it distorts the bible in that "Kevin Smith" comic book kind of way, is just paying respect to its subject matter in a weird kind of way. Ironic again that Smith should infiltrate the ranks of protestors outside his own house and join in. That's one way of marketing your movie.

Once again, and thankfully, Jay and Silent Bob, return doing their usual hilarious thing. Silent Bob easily being the funniest character in the film. Do you think Smith had something to do with that? With some rousing performances from buddies Ben and Matt (Affleck and Damon, otherwise known as) and a typically "cold" humoured, Linda Fiorentino, I felt that Alan Rickman was a strange choice for the "Voice of God", Metatron. Chris Tucker was at his usual loudmouth, in-your-face humour and let's just say Selma was good at doing her Latino thing(s) in a breasty performance. Two hoots for a funny cast and magnificent script with razor-sharp dialogue.

Foul language and bags of dirty jokes apart, this film is a contemporary look at the Good Book. Throughout the film there is always an underlying message and the film ends typical Hollywood style - everyone's happy and faith is restored. A not-so-subtle subliminal message. Entertainment big style, after all, who goes to see a Kevin Smith film and then compares it an Elmore Leonard script and Alfred Hitchcock movie. Duh!?

P.s. Hint: WOW! = OW!

A fast, unique piece playing with time-lines with a so-so cast of performers. The beautiful waif Franke Potente plays the title "character" in a mixture of strange European style anime and futuro post-modern feminist dress-code (which is totally unique, odd.) The "repeated" story has holes, and undoubtly the style is different which makes for some, maybe, a bit difficult to digest. And it is VERY European, noticeably so.

For a German film, the budget must have been stretched, probably the greatest production costs of any German film, for while, if not ever. The mix of a brilliantly fast and intense euro-techno soundtrack and fast pacey shooting make for "beautiful" film... exciting as well. The script is on the edge and very intriguing, I only wish I could have understood the German better then relying on subtitles for the half the film.

A highly energetic modern piece, that sets itself high above the movie-machine celluloid pieces from the US. Definately a high score with 8/10.

In total agreement with Geckodude, I have to say that the film seems to totally underrated by people who want to see a recycled idea (Clerks). This film is fun. I'd even say that Clerks is way overrated by some - in that it "cool" to like, whilst undoubtedly being a good film, so is this. Don't let Claire Forlani swing your opinion but go watch this film in neutral light and without the general consensus that out of all his (now) four films, this is the worst, by far. Nicht so. I mean, it's got Jason Lee, its got to be said... he's a funny guy.

And someone asked "Why do we need Jay and Silent Bob in every film?" because these are Kevin Smith movies... which planet has this person been living on? They're also funny guys.

Have a sense of humour!

I don't know whether underrated is the word to use because this film scores very highly anyway. I was shocked to see a film of this quality being aired on BBC2 during the daytime, amongst daytime TV trash. An inspiring performance by Jesse Bradford and short appearances by young and upcoming faces such as Katherine Heigl and the great Lauryn Hill.

The film has a great script, and a moving if not gripping storyline set in Depression-era St.Louis. A largely unseen but good piece of celluloid. A great turn by Stephen Soderbergh.

One to watch.

Kids IS a shocking movie representing an underground youth culture of excess and liberty to the extreme in an inner-city urban habitat. It represents a shocking reality, which not many of us will, hopefully, ever encounter. Fair enough, it does not represent a sizeable part of any population, but the subjects covered do happen. I am a teenager myself and from personal experience you can only be naive in believing this doesn't happen. It is unbelievable due to its complete and utter excessive depiction in every sociopath youth cliche this pseudo-documentary tries to deal with, from the perverse deflowerment of sub-teens to dealing with HIV.

What am I to think of a film, which makes me hate the two main stars from the word go, two perverse freaks - Telly and Casper? Jennie, portrayed by Chloe Sevigny, was the only character I could possibly feel for, who also had the most noticeable performance.

The style of the film was the only thing going for it. I found the script was funny in a "I'm laughing at you bunch of no-hopers, not with you" way. At some points, a mate and I even thought there was an element ad-lib. Either that or there some talent there. The film is not "positively" entertaining. Whether or not you take this film seriously reflects your apathy to society because this is horribly realistic. But there are only a few films not worth a viewing and this is film that should be viewed purely for its controversial subject matters. From the rest of comments, you can see this film is meant to shock.

People saying this is a great party film is almost as annoying as people who give the plot away in the comments section. (Did you know there was a plot summary section?)

I will never forget the first time I saw this movie. BOOM - this is a real party movie and the sounds are so great. Then there are the haircuts. You gotta check out the haircuts! And the wicked funny script. Boys and girls..... This is entertainment.

Jeunet and Caro direct a visually stunning piece which, to me, had projected the entire atmosphere out of the screen. The film had a presence all of its own and had some quite brilliant performance especially from the young Judith Vittet. What people might not appreciate is its detraction from the Hollywood world of characteristic effects. What this has is European style... specifically French ( although produced in collaboration with a German TV production company with other French companies).

A pity about Ron Perlman's French though!

An interview with Anne Parillaud, in the Evening Standard, 24.8.90, it was said that the message of Nikita is not one of violence but the idea is that people who are full of despair and missing love are not alone.

This idea continues in Léon. Léon was Besson's first foray into international film production. The similarities, or parallels, between Nikita and Léon are undoubted. Both the central protagonists attempt to come to terms with their dysfunctionality, to society, against a background of violence, which they both continue to act upon as the agent of someone else. There is no clean difference (we may also include Le Dernier Combat for comparison.) The only difference is gender.

I always found that until obtaining the "Version Integral" there was a character hole in the plot. The original cut released for US audiences was felt, by Besson, had an "offending" scene cut which ruined later scenes. The American test audiences hated it, seeing it as perverse and paedophiliac. The film was still panned by US critics as quasi-child pornography on general release. What it to be understood about this film, and this is what infuriated Besson, is that the film is about pure love. Not sex, which is all the Americans, could see.

And so we have ascertained that the characters in Besson's films are, simply, great. Then there is the action which is all the grace and style of Nikita. Typical of Besson's style with fast action-shooting and violent characterisation. This has to be one of Jean Reno's and by far Natalie Portman's best screen performance. To me, Gary Oldman plays his part to the tee, said by some magazines to be the best screen bad guy - it is one of his best performances.

Stylisation and excess are hallmarks of Besson's work. Characters are larger than life. Décors are in excess of realism. Besson's characters lack psychological depth. "The sumptuous and the ornate cohabit with the violent or the vulgar." Besson's use of excess is also extremely playful mixing violence with humour. Besson's work appeals to the tastes of popular culture and may not please that of the elite - arguably a reason for the rejection of his work by many intellectual film journals.

I have yet to hear of a person putting a bad word against this film. There is nothing I can personally fault so I give this film 10/10, a score only two other somewhat different films hold in my IMDb list of 345 films - "The Wizard of Oz" and "La Cité des Enfants perdu". If you like French Cinema or consider yourself a cinephile you must see the latter.

Admittedly I used to like this film.... Kill me. I was 9 though. I just found in my collection of old videos and tried to rekindle that something. Rekindle what? It's cheap and not cheerful. The whole things blows and makes the idea of wallowing in your faeces a good idea. Please don't watch this, for I fear of insanity.

ps.: anyone want to buy a copy?