Reviews

I plodded toward the multiplex against my will, my girlfriend dragging me along as we went. '...but whyyy???' I moaned. 'Shut up with ya, we're going to see it, ya big ejit!' my girlfriend snapped. My reluctance to see 'About Adam' was based on previous experiences of experiencing Irish-made films, they were all the same - poor little, thatched cottage family living in repressed little ol' Ireland in the midst of poverty - boring! However, I actually really enjoyed 'About Adam' - with proper distribution and promotion - this could be a huge hit across Europe and the USA. 'About Adam', for a thankful change, shows Ireland how it really is - modern, stylish and prosperous. The people in the film aren't weeping throughout the entire film because their potato patch is unproductive, they are just like ordinary, modern Irish people - well, we don't all go sh**ging our fiance's entire family - but other than that it's real. The film is very witty and entertaining, if only a little slow at some parts. Kate Hudson has a surprisingly good Irish accent and Stuart Townsend is a well-cast star with a bright film throughout the film industry, here and abroad. 'About Adam' is a very positive and encouraging leap forward for the Irish film industry and is an example of how more Irish films should be made in the future - we're sick of dwelling in the past - it's the positive present and bright future people want to see. 'About Adam' bears more of a resemblance to 'American Pie' and 'Road Trip' than to 'The Field' and other such films. All in all, a good show. I encourage all, European, American, Australian etc, to see this film - not just because I'm Irish, but because it is a genuinely enjoyable, funny movie.

'Twas the eve of before Christmas. I sat down by the open-fire and opened a box of sweets to share with my little sister (5). We turned on the the tv and on came Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story. Aww that Jungle Book - that's gotta be cute, right? Only 5 minutes into this film I was frozen in fear - not because it was scary, but because films could actually made this bad! Ham acting would be a compliment, it's way cheaper than that...maybe Spam acting. I was cringing in embarrassment for the actor who was forced to produce the WORST Irish accent EVER in motion picture history and cringing even more for the director, due to the fact such as film was now on his CV. I could sum this film up in 3 words - Cheap, cheap, cheap - but I won't, I'll use 5 - cheap, cheap, cheap, boring, pathetic. Even my 5 year old sister was begging me to change over to a documentary on grains of sand. 'nuff said!

(PS. I chose to comment on this movie in an effort to spare others from enduring the same punishment I received whilst viewing this "movie")

Granted, the idea of a volcano in the middle of LA is kinda silly, but still, the idea is kinda cool and makes it possible to portray some almighty action scenes but Mick Jackson's attempt at a disaster movie really is...a disaster! There's something sinister running through this movie, you can just feel it and it unsettles you throughout the entire film. Unlike other disaster movies like 'Twister' or 'Deep Impact', the sense of humanity and 'when we unite we can doing anything' feel just isn't there and you do miss it! I believe if you're gonna make a disaster movie, no matter how ridiculous the concept, it's nice to have a 'well, if that really did happen, how could we deal with it' vibe to it. Volcano does not have this vibe. It makes the ridiculous even more ridiculous. Such an example is when a rescue jumps off a subway train after rescuing a victim and falls into magma. We watch the helpless worker melt before his colleagues. That's not realistic or action, that's just disgusting and disturbing. It's a shame to see Tommy Lee Jones in such a poor attempt at box-office glory. Volcano, unlike the far-superior Dante's Peak, truly is a disaster!

X-Men achieves what so many other films of it's genre fail, intelligence, style and a sense of morality, yet the film always manages to retain an essential humour. The cast is well placed, especially Hugh Jackman as a moody yet likeable Wolverine and Patrick Stewart as the sensible, Martin Luther King Jr.of the mutant world - Dr. Charles Xavier. The film stays true to the original comics & cartoons, the general story is relevant, the cinematography is beautifully executed by Newton Thomas Sigel and both cast and direction strong, but there is something missing. The script builds the film up & up, the audience wait in teeth-grinding anticipation as the big finale rolls on upon the Statue of Liberty, NY, but the big finale ain't so big and leads to somewhat of an anti-climax, that leaves film-goers asking 'What the h**l???'. Also, the story is very much centred around Wolverine & Rogue and leaves little for the other mutants to display. Sure the film is generally good but it lacks spectacularism. However, the one thing that left me hunting for Bryan Singer is the very ending where we find that Magneto has lived and a movie that screams "Sequel Ahoy!" I hate when they do that!