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Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
Attack of the Bores
Something is really wrong when a video game has more interesting characters and a more intriguing storyline than a film version of the same setting. This actually happened last year when a Star Wars game called, 'Knights of the Old Republic' was released for the Xbox.
I recently rented the DVD version of 'Attack of the Clones' and I was surprised at how bored I was watching this film again. I saw it in the theater when it was first released and I thought it was just OK back then. It was better than the very disappointing "Phantom Menace" but not by much.
It seems like most people here have the same thoughts that I do: There is too much focus on special effects, the dialog is awful and the plot is boring.
There are a few bright spots: Seeing Jango Fett was cool and so are the Clone troopers
but the characters in this film have all the depth of paper.
What is with the plot here? Why should we be concerned? So some planets want to break away from a large, bureaucratic Republic and want to be independent. Why is this bad? Why should we care? And apparently they want free trade too. Oh, no! This is not an intriguing plot for a Star Wars film.
George Lucas does not seem to have a feel for character or plot development nor does he seem to know how to direct his actors. There is no real chemistry between Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen and their love story is awkward to watch. In addition, there is no suggestion of the friendship between young Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi that Ben Kenobi spoke of in the first Star Wars film in 1977.
Sadly, Lucas seems to think that special effects alone are enough to tell a story.
Lucas could have given "Attack of the Clones" a great start and set a new tone with the death of Jar Jar. Can you imagine the applause that scene would have generated? But no, Lucas brings back this worthless and annoying CGI thing back. At least with the DVD, I was able to fast forward those parts. All in all, "Attack of the Clones" is strike two for Lucas.
I am not optimistic about the next Star Wars film, "Revenge of the Sith".
The Village (2004)
Disappointing but I think I'll see it again.
I have enjoyed M. Night Shyamalan's films and he is one of the very few Directors today whose films I'll watch based on his name alone.
SPOILERS HERE:
I decided not to read any reviews before seeing the Village last night. I had expected to see a horror/thriller film about creatures in the woods threatening the people living in a small village in the 1890s. I thought this was a good premise for a film and it's the kind of story I like.
I'm disappointed because `The Village' turned out to be something very different. The fact that they were NO creatures at all really disheartened me. And then the film becomes some sort of social commentary of the perils of modern day life.
The use of the actors here is odd. I thought Joaquin Phoenix was going to be a central character to follow throughout the film but he is only seen in the first half. The William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver roles could have been played by anyone
they really didn't come alive for me in the story. Bryce Dallas Howard however, is really special in this film.
I am somewhat confused as to what Adrien Brody's character was supposed to be about. I felt that his actions happened without any specific purpose with regard to the plot. It is never explained why he tries to kill Lucius or chases Ivy.
Given what happens at the end, I found it very difficult to believe that a man would send his blind daughter out to the woods to fetch some medicine from a world she has no knowledge of. Especially when Hurt's character simply could have done the job himself and created fewer problems for his friends and family. This is a very weak plot element in the story.
Also towards the end of the film, when Ivy is being pursued by the `creature' I was wondering why this scene was shot in broad daylight. It looked like she was being chased by a guy in a chicken outfit wearing a robe. You could clearly see this was a man in a costume. Had Shyamalan filmed this at night, it would have been much more effective. I'm amazed that he made this oversight.
The Village is a complex film and Shyamalan is certainly being ambitious with this one. I think I will see it again to give it a second chance. Maybe I'll feel differently. There are SO FEW good films coming out of Hollywood these days that even Shyamalan's worst films are going to be far better than your typical movie today.
The Village is not a bad film. It's interesting with some good spooky moments but I had hoped for a different kind of film.
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
Michael Moore hates America
"Fahrenheit 9/11" is a propaganda film. It is not a documentary as it is not an impartial documentation of facts. It is a deceitful and vicious attack on the United States of America.
Michael Moore has a long and public record of hating America. He frequently travels abroad and makes statements callings the U.S. an `evil empire' and the American people `ignorant' and `stupid'. This hatred is reflected throughout "Fahrenheit 9/11" as it is filled with distorted facts and lies.
The film begins with the 2000 U.S. presidential elections and Moore repeats the falsehood that President Bush `stole' the election despite the fact it has been proven again and again that President Bush always won the majority of votes in Florida. The only efforts to stop votes from being counted actually came from Al Gore who tried to exclude votes from overseas U.S. military personnel. Michael Moore of course, ignores this inconvenient fact.
Moore takes cheap-shots at people as well. For example, when people appear on television it is common practice that they put on make-up or otherwise get prepared so they can look their best. But Moore shows footage of Bush administration officials doing this as if it was something sinister.
With regard to the war in Iraq, More portrays American soldiers as bloodthirsty killers and implies that U.S. troops intentionally kill innocent men, women and children. Moore does not mention that Saddam Hussein murdered as many as one million people during his brutal rule or that the terrorists in Iraq currently blow up car bombs on Iraqi streets filled with people or cut off the heads of their victims.
Moore also promotes the lie that President Bush is a pawn of the Saudi Arabian government. Moore shows a former associate of Bush named James Bath who had become the money manager for the bin Laden family, saying, "James Bath himself in turn invested in George W. Bush." The implication is that Bath invested the bin Laden family's money in Bush's failed energy company, Arbusto. He doesn't mention that Bath has said that he had invested his own money, not the bin Ladens', in Bush's company.
The bin Laden family was quickly shuttled away after 9/11, back to Saudi Arabia. Moore finds it suspicious, which is fine. But is was Richard Clarke, Bush's former counterterrorism adviser and holdover from the Clinton administration (and the new patron saint of Bush-bashers.)who allowed their departure.
What is especially deplorable about "Fahrenheit 9/11" is that it was deliberately made and released while America is waging war against terrorists who are given aid and comfort by the likes of Michael Moore. People like him want President Bush out of the White House so badly they are willing to see America lose the war against terrorism if that's what it takes.
During World War II, Hollywood supported America and the cause of freedom. It is truly shame that Hollywood today cannot live up to that honorable history.
Moore's books and films have always played fast and loose with the truth, but "Fahrenheit 9/11" is the most reprehensible piece of anti-America propaganda so far from this man. He has not a kind word for the nation that has given him the freedom and opportunity to be rich and famous.
Michael Moore hates America and that's what "Fahrenheit 9/11" is really about.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
A Masterpiece!
Master and Commander is a great film. What makes it especially remarkable is that this is a big-budget Hollywood film that offers fine acting, an engrossing story, action and subtle, brilliant moments
the kind of film that Hollywood has seemed to have forgotten how to make.
Russell Crowe is perfectly cast as Captain Jack Aubrey and he deserves to be considered for his fourth Academy Award nomination for his performance as the fictional 19th-century naval warrior. He is supported by a fine cast with outstanding performances by Paul Bettany and fourteen year old, Max Pirkis.
I'm somewhat amazed that some people here have commented that `Master and Commander' is `boring'. Nothing could be further from the truth. I suspect these people have become so jaded by the usual trash that comes from Hollywood that they do not recognize a good film when they see it. It is rare these days that a film comes out which doesn't feature blaring music and explosions every other minute. Some people think that such things are story-telling and that is sad.
Unlike many of today's films, `Master and Commander does not insult the intelligence of its viewers. Its actually has meaningful dialogue and its characters tell a story which provides a rare glimpse of a time past. But these characters are worthy of our present as they exemplify honor, duty and courage. Virtues that many in Hollywood today know nothing about.
See this film!
Enterprise (2001)
Should be better
Like Voyager before it, `Enterprise' starts off with a good premise and with the promise of interesting characters and storylines. Unfortunately also like Voyager, Enterprise is moving away from its good start and is dissolving into bland episodes, characters and no plot direction.
There are lots of things to grip about this show: The technology presented is way too advanced and is closer to Deep Space Nine than the original series. The show has already brought in the Klingons and even the Ferengi at a time when humans weren't supposed to have any contact with them. The transporter was used (in the first episode!) to save someone so the whole plot device about the transporter being unsafe for humans has been removed.
My big complaint is the lack of direction of the series so far. There's been little connection between the stories and there's no sense of where this show is heading. The storylines for each episode are random. For example, in one episode Trip becomes the first human to be impregnated by an alien species. He is greatly embarrassed and goes through a unique medical experience yet in the following episodes his character shows no evidence of what happened and there's no mentioned of his experience. In another episode, the Ferengi take over the ship and nearly kidnapped the female crew members. You would think Captain Archer and the crew would be more wary of aliens and implement new security protocols but no, in the following episodes all is well again and nothing has changed. No growth, no logical progression of plot or character.
Another problem is that you really don't get the sense that that this is humanity's first years of real space exploration. Enterprise seems to encounter new alien species all the time (Aliens never seen before in the Star Trek universe) and even comes across an old Earth colony established decades before which would be just several decades from now. Space travel seems easy and routine for this crew.
All is not bad: Scott Bakula makes a good captain and Trip comes across a modern day McCoy character in a very natural way. The character of Hoshi Sato however needs some backbone and can Mayweather be anymore underdeveloped? T'Pol is I do like Dr. Phlox and T'Pol is a convincing Vulcan. It's not too late for Enterprise to get itself back on the right course. Star Trek: The Next Generation went through a weak first season so maybe we'll see a better Enterprise in the future.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Perhaps the dumbest & most overrated film ever made
Spike Lee's `Do the Right Thing' is a vastly overrated film and a deeply unfortunate exercise of self-denial and a promotion of violence without reason.
Consider this: This film supposedly is about how a black community in Brooklyn is being oppressed by the `power'. And their `oppression' is made unbearable by a summer heat wave. Spike Lee totally ignores the fact that these characters can simply move somewhere else or heaven-forbid, actually work and do something meaningful with their lives.
Mookie as played by Spike Lee is ingrate and a poor excuse for a father. His girlfriend is a foul-mouth character played by Rosie Perez. As this charming couple uses one curse word after another in the presence of their child you really have to wonder why we should even begin to care about them. These characters are without any class or sense of responsibility.
The death of Radio Raheem (who spends his days walking around listening to his boombox and nothing else) sparks a riot against the only people (besides the Korean grocers) who actually work and provide a service to the community. And on top of that, Raheem only dies because he resists arrest by the police officers trying to stop a riot. This is no hero worth weeping over.
And what sparks this riot? Sal the Pizzeria owner (Danny Aiello) who runs and owns his own business has the audacity as a free citizen in a free country to display photos of his personal heroes who happened fellow Italian-Americans. Late one night as he is closing up shop, he nicely lets in some customers (when he has every right not to) to serve them pizza. With gratitude, these customers start verbally and physically attacking Sal. Mookie (whose only source is income is Sal) throws a garbage can through Sal's window.
Perhaps it's proper since this film is complete garbage.
Signs (2002)
One of this year's best films!
"Signs" is one of this year's best films. I saw it on its opening night and everyone in the packed theater seemed to have enjoyed "Signs". This may be the year's best film.
I am truly amazed at some of the negative comments posted here on the IMDB site. The only reason I can think of why someone may not like this film is that audiences have been so bombarded and saturated with bad films & special effects is that some people can't tell when they see something of quality.
`Signs' is a well-crafted film with tension, plot, mystery, and good amount of humor which I didn't expect but was welcomed. `Signs' also has characters you care about and makes you think about the unknown and the role of faith in our lives. Can you think of ANY film that has come out this year that you can describe this way?
One reason `Signs' works so well is that M. Night Shyamalan knows as much about what NOT to show as to what should be seen. To make a film that is truly scary or tense, the suggestion of what is out there is often much more effective than revealing all the details. Yes, this film involves aliens but the worst thing Shyamalan could have done here would be to have shown lots of scenes showing alien spacecraft and aliens chasing after people etc. Go see the idiotic "Independence Day" or "Men In Black 2" if that's what you want. You won't have to strain a single brain cell to watch those flicks.
That's not what "Signs" is about and some people who saw `Signs' are probably just confused as to why they didn't see special-effects in every scene. `Signs' requires you to follow what going on in the story unlike your typical big-budgeted Hollywood special effects show which only requires that you buy a ticket and watch the screen with satisfied numbness.
People who appreciate intelligent films are thankful that M. Night Shyamalan is making films and we look forward to his next one.
The Train (1964)
Great film from a Great Director
With the recent passing of John Frankenheimer I went out and purchased the DVD version of The Train.
One of the great pleasures for anyone who loves great films and cares about the art of film-making is listening to John Frankenheimer's commentary on the DVD's of his films. The Train is no exception.
Frankenheimer as usual got a great performance out of Burt Lancaster and the rest of the cast. And the plot is a somewhat unusual premise for a World War II film: members of the French Resistance attempt to stop the Nazi's from stealing via train a large and invaluable collection of art. The Train has a blend of plot, action, character, and intelligent story-telling that keeps your attention and is all too rare these days in movies.
For anyone who especially likes classic black & white films, see The Train and see a film as films should be made. John Frankenheimer will be missed greatly. Thank you for your great films, I know I will be watching them for many years to come. RIP.
Bad Company (2002)
Pure Garbage
"Bad Company" is bad indeed. It is mindless, boring, and painful to watch.
It still amazes me that Hollywood is so willing & able to spend millions of dollars for films that clearly that no intention to be thoughtful or really even entertaining in any sense of the word. I can make a better film for a fraction of the budget needed to make this stinker.
What is truly strange is why did Anthony Hopkins agree to star in this thing? I doubt he needed the money and I'm he must of known this was beneath his talents.
The Sum of All Fears (2002)
Insulting, Lame and Politically Correct
The film version of `The Sum of All Fears' is a watered-down and politically correct version of the Tom Clancy novel. It is a major disappointment from Hollywood especially in light of what happened on 9/11/01.
You would think that the filmmakers would stay faithful to a book that accurately foreshadows the threat that the Western World faces from militant Islam. But instead they have given us a film that insults our intelligence with an absurd & improbable plot about neo-Nazis trying to start a war between the U.S. & Russia.
The film is lame with Ben Affleck now playing the character of Jack Ryan. Not only is Affleck too young for this role, he's not even an actor. He's just some guy who appears in film with speaking parts.
The novel by Tom Clancy is excellent. It has a complex plot with characters brought to life by Clancy and it is a real page turner. Obviously, it wouldn't have been possible to include everything in the book in the film. But virtually nothing from the book is brought to the film except for the bare bones summary: `a bomb goes off in an American city'. The film doesn't even keep the action in Denver as the book does. For some reason, Baltimore is a better place to destroy on film.
Film audiences and especially Americans deserved better. We know that neo-Nazis are not the threat we currently face and Hollywood could have at least tried to have made a film that accurately mirrors the times we live in. A good start would have been to make a faithful film version of `The Sum of All Fears'.
Davey and Goliath (1960)
Wonderful program for children & adults alike
Watching "Davey and Goliath" today is almost sad because it's the type of decent and moral program that today's "entertainment industry" wouldn't bother to create. Indeed, it would probably be scorned because it is decent and tells a moral with each story. We can't have that today thanks to political correctness.
The soft drink, Mountain Dew, of all things reminded me of this show as they are currently running ads featuring characters from this series. As a kid in the mid to late 70s, I watched "Davey and Goliath" on Saturday afternoons and I'm glad I did. The stories were entertaining and made me understand the value of friendship, community and faith.
Thankfully, you can buy "Davey and Goliath" on DVD & VHS and I am looking forward to watching this fine program with my kids. The best thing about it is that you don't have to hesitate to do so unlike with many of today's programs on TV.
Enterprise (2001)
Should be better
Like Voyager before it, `Enterprise' starts off with a good premise and with the promise of interesting characters and storylines. Unfortunately also like Voyager, Enterprise is moving away from its good start and is dissolving into bland episodes, characters and no plot direction.
There are lots of things to grip about this show: The technology presented is way too advanced and is closer to Deep Space Nine than the original series. The show has already brought in the Klingons and even the Ferengi at a time when humans weren't supposed to have any contact with them. The transporter was used (in the first episode!) to save someone so the whole plot device about the transporter being unsafe for humans has been removed.
My big complaint is the lack of direction of the series so far. There's been little connection between the stories and there's no sense of where this show is heading. The storylines for each episode are random. For example, in one episode Trip becomes the first human to be impregnated by an alien species. He is greatly embarrassed and goes through a unique medical experience yet in the following episodes his character shows no evidence of what happened and there's no mentioned of his experience. In another episode, the Ferengi take over the ship and nearly kidnapped the female crew members. You would think Captain Archer and the crew would be more wary of aliens and implement new security protocols but no, in the following episodes all is well again and nothing has changed. No growth, no logical progression of plot or character.
Another problem is that you really don't get the sense that that this is humanity's first years of real space exploration. Enterprise seems to encounter new alien species all the time (Aliens never seen before in the Star Trek universe) and even comes across an old Earth colony established decades before which would be just several decades from now. Space travel seems easy and routine for this crew.
All is not bad: Scott Bakula makes a good captain and Trip comes across a modern day McCoy character in a very natural way. The character of Hoshi Sato however needs some backbone and can Mayweather be anymore underdeveloped? T'Pol is I do like Dr. Phlox and T'Pol is a convincing Vulcan. It's not too late for Enterprise to get itself back on the right course. Star Trek: The Next Generation went through a weak first season so maybe we'll see a better Enterprise in the future.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Big & Bland & not worth seeing again
What a disappointment this film was! I watched this in New York the day it opened and within an hour or so you could feel the vibe in the audience go from excited anticipation to various shades of letdown.
What's wrong with the film? There's a lack of interesting characters and too much emphasis of special effects for one. There's the eternally annoying Jar Jar and the bland plot. Natalie Portman, a fine actress, is ice-cold and very unlikable as Queen Amibdala and Jake Lloyd as the young Anakin Skywalker gives no hint of what his character to suppose to eventually become. He's just a kid who happens to be in a Star Wars film and it's not enough to have Yoda say he's got `anger in him.' You would think George Lucas would have gotten someone who could act. He brought nothing to the film.
A few bright spots: Ewan McGregor is perfectly cast as the young Obi-Wan and Liam Nessson does a fine turn as a Jedi himself. I wish more time had been spent developing them as characters. Watching CGI effects like Watto is not interesting after a few minutes and neither are robots because they can't act. And why didn't we see more of Samuel L. Jackson?! Star Wars fans have been waiting for years to learn more about the Jedi but we see mostly droids, computer-created creatures and more droids.
The only cool part of the film is watching Darth Maul and the fight scene at the end. Too bad Jar Jar wasn't killed there. I like George Lucas but he has limits as a director. He seems more comfortable with special effects & robots than working with actors. For example, it would have better to have Watto, the slave-owner played by an actor. Wouldn't you rather have watched Christopher Walkin for instance as opposed to some flying green thing with a big nose?
It's hard to believe that Lucas directed American Graffiti and its worth pointing out that he didn't direct the best Star Wars film, the Empire Strikes Back.
Hopefully, Attack of the Clones will focus more on human characters and plot.
The X Files (1993)
Will someone please pull the plug?
Will someone please pull the plug on this once interesting TV series that use to be worth an hour of our time?
I don't think there has ever been a TV show that has gone on for so long after peaking as the X Files. The show basically went sour after they moved the production to LA and even before then it was showing some wear & tear.
Besides with everything that is going on in the world now, shouldn't these FBI agents be going after terrorists instead of aliens, people hiding the existence of aliens, children of aliens? And when you think about it, Scully, Mulder, Dogett, etc. must be the worse law enforcement agents of all time. They have never caught anyone or solved any case!
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)
Still afraid!
Like many of the people commenting here on "Don't be Afraid of the Dark", I remember watching this TV film many years ago as a kid being left with some creepy memories.
Before I say anything else, if there is anyone is out there reading this who can make this happen - please, please release this film on DVD! Some commentary and/or features such as ABC promos would be absolutely priceless. Just look at all the bids for this film on online auctions. A lot of people want to see this. Please.
Last year I was able to obtain a VHS copy of Don't be Afraid of the Dark. I was struck by how this film was still able to spook me, especially the ending.
Granted the film is somewhat dated. The clothing worn by the actors is early 70'a horror fashion show in itself. And Sally's husband really seems like a self-centered jerk for the most part. But the film still scares. No, it's chilling, is perhaps a better term.
I think it succeeds so well because it doesn't reveal too much too soon. You don't really get a good look at the creatures tormenting Sally (Kim Darby) until near the end of the film and they are really freaky looking in a very believable way. They look exactly the way you would imagine some creatures living in the basement of your house would look like.
It also plays on the basic, primal fears of monsters living under your bed or in your closet. What would they do if they catch you? Don't Be Afraid of the Dark doesn't quite answer that but the question itself is chilling enough.
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
A film that should be seen!
Ghost Dog features a subtle yet compelling performance by Forrest Whitaker and some very creative directing from Jim Jarmusch. Whitaker is very convincing as a modern- day Samurai. He also manages to play a character who does bad things yet he is likeable and is actually the one character in the plot who has a sense of honor & decency. It also features a number of memorable performances by Henry Silva, Cliff Gorman, John Tormey and pretty much everyone else who appears in this film.
The interchange and release between Ghost Dog and the little girl and the ice cream vendor are touching and seems natural. And despite the dark subject matter there are some truly funny moments in this film (Passenger Pigeon!)
Ghost Dog is a film that deserves to be seen and talked about. It is much better than the usual muck from Hollywood these days, see it! Its probably better than whatever film won best picture that year.
Titanic (1997)
LA Confidential was the best film of 1997
Some day there will be commission of people consisting of film critics, movie fans, and of people with good taste & intelligence. They will investigate the crime that was "Titanic" winning the Oscar for best picture for 1997. It was bad enough that Titanic won anything at all but for it to be named Best Picture over LA Confidential (or any other good film that came out in 1997) is a crime against anyone who values well-acted, intelligent and well-crafted films.
Titanic is basically an overblown soap opera featuring a man-boy hero (Leo DiCaprio), a cartoonish bad-guy (Zane), and an inaccurate portrayal of life in 1912 and of events that took place that terrible night. Women in those days did not flip the bird. No Titanic officers or crewmen killed anyone or committed suicide with a gun.
What is worst is that Titanic is simply a banal film. Yes, it has very impressive special effects and looks quite real but it's boring to sit through it a second or third viewing. It has no more depth than an episode of BayWatch.