Now, don't get me wrong. I thought Independence Day was an incredibly stupid, pointless movie, and also ridiculously patriotic, although this director is actually German, not American!! But my main problem with The Day after Tomorrow, is that, although the main premise of sudden climate changes due to the effects of global warming may be grossly exaggerated and therefore maybe not entirely true, at least this was a serious, existent subject. And Emmerich took this subject and turned it into Independence Day, damn him! When I think of all the interviews he gave before the movie premiered in Germany, stating his deep concern for our environment and especially the American attitude towards steps to protect it, like the Kyoto protocol, I really believed him! And there he was, on the DVD in an interview, stating he originally wasn't attracted to TDAT, "because I thought it was just like Independence Day. But then I thought, no, this story is different, because I never really believed in aliens attacking Earth." Duh! That must be the dumbest thing I've ever heard a director say, and it ruined this film for me completely. However, despite my issues with Roland Emmerich, I must say Jake Gyllenhaal did a really good job with his role, Dennis Quaid tried to rise above the cheesy dialogue (scriptwriting just isn't R.E.'s forte), and the CGI are fantastic! Both the tornado storms in LA as well as New York first drowning, then freezing over, were really well executed, and very impressive. So, I guess, if you are looking for a great visual to sudden climate change, this is your movie. If you're interested in the human development during major catastrophes, any other movie will deliver more credible stories.
Reviews
8 Reviews
Down with Love
(2003)
Great Movie with terrific acting and production design
6 November 2003
Eye candy, that it what this movie is, for sure!! Although I must say I'm not a big fan of Renee Zellweggers' (please, Chicago was a hit, yes, but not only because of her and she did work hard to at least look credible while singing and dancing.), I immensely enjoyed this movie. Ewan MacGregor is quickly reaching the top of my favorite-actor-list, he's so versatile!! And so suave and sexy here, when I would have been the last to think him suave or sexy before. Renee Z. is miscast, sorry. She has great comedic talent and verve, but she doesn't look the part (Doris Day never looked like she worked out 5 hours a day). Anyway, enough griping, this movie is very funny, also thanks in large part to Sarah Paulson and David Hyde Pierce, and up-lifting, colourful and a heart-felt homage to Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall and the wonderful films of the late 50's and early 60's. Well done.
Sex and the City
(1998–2004)
Excellent
16 July 2003
I first saw this show on German TV, translated fairly well but no terrific. After zapping into a few episodes here and there (mainly 3rd and 4th season) I decided not to bother, it was seemingly always about the same old themes: some sexual problems, mostly relationship problems. Then I decided to give it one last shot, I rented season 1 on DVD and watched it in its original English version. Wow! It was succint, funny, on-the-spot and so original. I have NEVER seen the like on any show. Ok, if you tend to be judgemental about people (and who isn't), at first the characters will seem to have loose morals, to say the least. But honestly, I must agree with other reviewers here that all 4 of the ladies have been in meaningful relationships (even Samantha!) by now, showing the true struggle and hard work that relationships can be. And the term "slut" seems so over-used these days. What does that mean? That they have indiscriminate sex? I can't remember many episodes where they didn't have at least a few dates with guys to determine whether they want to have sex with this person, except for Samantha and hey- if she were a man, noone would be putting her down. All in all, I think the actresses (all of them) have done a fine job showing that life for women who didn't find the love of their life immediately, or even in their 20s, can be difficult, but also immensely appealing and independent. And yes, I think they are role models to many, because even if you don't share their sexual exploits, you CAN share their sense of style (on any pocketbook), their love of their friends, and their independence and professional success. What a relief to see that you may start out as a FRIEND, but imagine if you could become a woman in SEX and THE CITY? Life could be swell.
The Matrix Reloaded
(2003)
Not the icon that "Matrix" was, but very entertaining
27 May 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Well, what was to be expected? It is impossible to re-gain the element of surprise that was the Matrix' existence in the first film. It was challenging enough to think up new uses for known special effects (very effective bullet-time scene with Carrie-Ann Moss aka Trinity), and new twists to the fight scenes which were already stunningly choreographed and displayed in "The Matrix". "Reloaded" is like two different mediums: a fast-paced, visually stunning video game (complete with the music in the background...) and a deep discussion of religious, mythical and ethical beliefs mixed with thoughts on causal chains and the power of decisions. All-in-all, I found myself looking at my watch quite often, which I find is already a bad sign, alternating between exasperation at yet another fight scene (like seeing "you have reached Level 3, please choose your weapon") and confusion at some rather long-winded monologue on different subjects which may or may not be relevant to the action in the film. I think I enjoyed "Reloaded" and am certainly looking forward to "Revolutions", but it didn't blow me away as did the "Matrix". SPOILER: By the way, did you know resuscitation by heart massage also works in the digital world?
Full Frontal
(2002)
Very pretentious and supremely boring
22 May 2003
Just watched this with a friend on NTSC VHS (interestingly enough, despite star potential and director, it has taken this movie very long to find a distributor in Germany until now).
I have seldom seen a movie so in love with itself. Pretentious, boring, lacking in story, meaning or any other aim a film might have. Not that I was expecting that much more from anyone in this movie. Julia Roberts has done better work than this, but it is clearly not expected of her here. Whether she is actually playing herself or a caricature of herself isn't really the point, she is "the star" in the movie AND in the movie (yes, tedious over-complicated interwoven movie-in-movie plot). And Soderbergh, despite some respectable directing in Erin Brockovich and - maybe - Traffic, is up to his old "different story-line means different colour on the screen" tricks, which became boring some time ago. The "quasi-amateur" camera-work with (we are told in reviews) digital hand-held camera, is Soderbergh's handiwork as in almost all his films. In the end, it's neither beneficial to the story as in Blair Witch or charmingly "home-made" as in Clerks, but simply tedious to watch.
I don't think I cared about any of the characters in the beginning, middle and by the end I was looking at my watch a lot. It figures that the only people to give this positive reviews in Germany such as "complex, non-Hollywood story" would be those would-be intellectual journalists who either haven't actually seen the movie or won't admit it's impossible to understand. And why would anyone bother?
I have seldom seen a movie so in love with itself. Pretentious, boring, lacking in story, meaning or any other aim a film might have. Not that I was expecting that much more from anyone in this movie. Julia Roberts has done better work than this, but it is clearly not expected of her here. Whether she is actually playing herself or a caricature of herself isn't really the point, she is "the star" in the movie AND in the movie (yes, tedious over-complicated interwoven movie-in-movie plot). And Soderbergh, despite some respectable directing in Erin Brockovich and - maybe - Traffic, is up to his old "different story-line means different colour on the screen" tricks, which became boring some time ago. The "quasi-amateur" camera-work with (we are told in reviews) digital hand-held camera, is Soderbergh's handiwork as in almost all his films. In the end, it's neither beneficial to the story as in Blair Witch or charmingly "home-made" as in Clerks, but simply tedious to watch.
I don't think I cared about any of the characters in the beginning, middle and by the end I was looking at my watch a lot. It figures that the only people to give this positive reviews in Germany such as "complex, non-Hollywood story" would be those would-be intellectual journalists who either haven't actually seen the movie or won't admit it's impossible to understand. And why would anyone bother?
Sweet Home Alabama
(2002)
Corny music, corny movie
5 January 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Spoiler Alert I must say that I read many of the IMdB reviews of this movie before going to watch it (one of the only advantages of living in Germany and having to wait a few weeks to see movies). And I went in thinking it would be contrived and corny and very ... schmaltz. In fact, it was supremely boring, even for an avowed lover of romantic plot as myself. So here goes:
- The story is so contrived that you can already imagine the ending scene (wedding dress on the beach in a storm and all) right after the beginning scene. Even romantic movies can be at least a little suspenseful. - Josh Lucas is a great actor, but he should be careful about being too cute. Movies like this pay the rent, but I doubt they are very interesting to make. - The supporting cast (Ethan Embry and Melanie Lysky) were really good, especially Ethan's in-the-closet Bobbie Ray, very fine acting - So, to my real bone of contention: Reese Witherspoon. I have been a fan of her's since SFW centuries ago and I'm really pleased for her that she is emerging as one of the top future actresses. But she is slowly sliding into the J.Lo trap of doing cute movies, where she talks cute, smiles cute, acts cute and always looks so groomed she may as well be a poster. While that is nice watching, that polished image (and the refusal to get your hands dirty with any story) eventually smothers all credibility as an actress and she's well on the way of doing that. Where is the Reese from Pleasantville and Election? Cute ain't the ticket, good stories are.
Julietta
(2001)
Very controversial story-line, acted well
13 November 2002
Warning: Spoilers
***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** The basis to this movie is the classic novel "Die Marquise von O." by Heinrich v. Kleist, as all reviews in Germany relentlessly touted. Story: Young woman gets raped while unconscious, but in a twist of irony, falls in love with the perpetrator, not knowing he did it. Even when she finds out, she decides to forgive him. In this modern version, the girl (Julietta, played by Lavinia Wilson) is visiting her boyfriend in Berlin during the legendary techno-event Love Parade. She loses sight of him, goes off on a drug-induced trip and finally collapses. She is rescued from drowning by Max (Barnaby Metschurat), who stays with her while she is unconscious, and "in an unreal, almost dream-like moment" (this is from the hype-text on the back of the DVD), he sleeps with her. So, ok, we hate him. What a total jerk. She, meanwhile, wakes up, knows nothing, goes back home and discovers later that she is pregnant. She goes back to Berlin to tell her boyfriend the good nows, meets Max again along the way and falls in love. Then she finds out... What is an admittedly perverse premise is a solid foundation for a movie about conflicting emotions, guilt trips, anger and - ultimately for Julietta - forgivenness and coming of age. But the movie falls short of the mark by allowing a truly incredible happy ending. What sympathy Julietta acquires along the way is lost by her decisions in the final sequence of the movie. Lavinia Wilson does a very good job of portraying the emotional roller-coaster any girl in her situation would be experiencing. Also, she has tremendous screen presence and good credibility playing a 17 year old. Barnaby Metschurat manages to win over viewers with great charm and helplessness and a sense of his hating himself - which everyone is expecting. I don't mention the boyfriend because he didn't add anything except providing dialogue. All in all a good attempt to make this story believable, but not successful and honestly - who would buy it?
Solino
(2002)
Great treatment of an important subject
11 November 2002
I adored this movie. Not only because I am a big fan of Moritz Bleibtreu, although he is in practically all German movies that count. But also because he is NOT the main actor. The lead is taken over by Barnaby Metschurat, who was the only reason to watch 2001's Julietta, and who really carries this movie on his shoulders.
A family moves from Italy to Germany seeking "the German dream" (this is my own invention and ironic...) of cheap labor in steel and coal industries. However, they end up opening a restaurant and the journey the movie takes to this point alone is so poetic and at the same time funny and charming. From this point onward, the story told is mainly that of the two brothers of this family, Giancarlo (Bleibtreu) and Gigi (Metschurat). Gigi's dream to become a filmmaker is threatened by rivalry with his brother and his mother's determination to return to Italy. What follows is a great - and totally neutral - look at what life can become formed by the choices you make.
In the end, this movie doesn't say which life (Gigi's or Giancarlo's) was more successful or fuller or more interesting. It merely gives us a rewarding glimpse at what it must be like to search for identity when two countries and mentalities are involved. and this look is not driven by bitterness or disdain to either country, which makes it such a great film for any and every country dealing with the tensions resulting from immigration. The fact that director Fatih Akin's moved to Germany from Turkey in the 70s also lends this movie a large measure of its credibility and emotional accuracy. The icing on the cake are fantastic performances by the entire cast, especially Metschurat and - this I really need to stress - the little boy who plays young Gigi. That kid's performance would be a hard act to follow by just about anyone! Great movie, go see it.
A family moves from Italy to Germany seeking "the German dream" (this is my own invention and ironic...) of cheap labor in steel and coal industries. However, they end up opening a restaurant and the journey the movie takes to this point alone is so poetic and at the same time funny and charming. From this point onward, the story told is mainly that of the two brothers of this family, Giancarlo (Bleibtreu) and Gigi (Metschurat). Gigi's dream to become a filmmaker is threatened by rivalry with his brother and his mother's determination to return to Italy. What follows is a great - and totally neutral - look at what life can become formed by the choices you make.
In the end, this movie doesn't say which life (Gigi's or Giancarlo's) was more successful or fuller or more interesting. It merely gives us a rewarding glimpse at what it must be like to search for identity when two countries and mentalities are involved. and this look is not driven by bitterness or disdain to either country, which makes it such a great film for any and every country dealing with the tensions resulting from immigration. The fact that director Fatih Akin's moved to Germany from Turkey in the 70s also lends this movie a large measure of its credibility and emotional accuracy. The icing on the cake are fantastic performances by the entire cast, especially Metschurat and - this I really need to stress - the little boy who plays young Gigi. That kid's performance would be a hard act to follow by just about anyone! Great movie, go see it.
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