Topic: Michael's random reviews

[Tom]

Tom, I believe has at least the first 2 of the films.

I have all three (I buy almost anything if it has to do with time-travel  ). Though I have to admit that I don't remember anything from the second one. Just that it was not something special. I quite enjoyed the third one though. Here my review.

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Chiko  

Summary:
The two friends Chiko (Denis Moschito) and Tibet (Volkan Özcan) don't have any illusions about their future. That's why Chiko is going for a career as drug dealer. Therefore he contacts Brownie (Moritz Bleibtreu) the boss of a cocaine cartel. One day Chiko has to ask himself whom he owes loyalty, his friend or his boss...

My Thoughts:
This was nearly a blind-buy, never heard of this film until I saw the trailer. I bought it because it was shot in my hometown and the concept looked very promising.
The film is a classical Buddy-Thriller with not too much surprises, it still gives this genre some new perspectives.
What makes this film special is the extremely good and intense acting, which is virtuously supported by a highly ambitioned photography.
A great piece of German cinema, that shows that not all good flicks from here have to be comedies.
An enthralling movie which deserves much more attention.

My Rating: (out of possible 5)

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

La Linea - The Line  

Summary:
While the old boss (Andy Garcia) is terminally ill, the new kingpin (Esai Morales) of a Tijuana drug cartel is trying to open a new supply chain from the Taliban. The CIA gets to know this and sends an assassin for elimination.

My Thoughts:
The movie is as confusing as the summary promises.
For about the first half of the movie I was wondering where it wanted to take me, the other half I wasn't interested anymore.
It seems to be a crude mix-up of pseudo-intellectual post-traumatic-stress-recovery, thriller, action, whatever ...
The shoot-out sequences at least have a nice choreography but they don't fit in, the characters are thrown into the story without any background (except for the character of Ray Liotta), the script gives them implausible activities. The whole plot has holes as wide as Minnesota.

Avoid this

My Rating: (out of possible 5)

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

The Shipping News

Summary:
An inksetter in New York, Quoyle (Kevin Spacey) returns to his family's longtime home, a small fishing town in Newfoundland. Though Quoyle has had little success thus far in life, his shipping news column in the newspaper "The Gammy Bird" finds an audience, and his experiences in the town change his life.

My Thoughts:
This is one of my all-time favourites.
Robert Nelson Jacobs did a great job in adapting the novel of E. Annie Proulx. Hallström did a hell of a job when he directed it.
This movie perfectly catches the melancholic optimism of the book and even adds something to it.
Kevin Spacey, Judi Dench, Julianne Moore and Cate Blanchett, this noble cast (and all in their best moods) is one of the main reasons for the high quality of this movie.
Director Lasse Hallström once more made a touching, beautiful picture on human weakness and strength, love, life and friendship.
I could go on for (p)ages with this ...
If you love movies that have a story to tell and do so at their own (and needed) pace: Watch it, you won't regret it.
If you don't: Watch it anyhow, it's highly likely that you get to love this movie via the characters.

My Rating: (out of possible 5)

[Antares]

I've always shied away from this film, and I don't know why. But after reading this, I'm going to give it a shot.

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Amsterdamned (Uncut)  

Summary:
A mysterious diver hiding in Amsterdam's canal system embarks on a rampage of gruesome murders, terrifying city officials and leaving few clues for the city's best detective...

My Thoughts:
Bought this because it showed up as #2 on my Amazon recommendations and I was open for experimenting with a Dutch movie.
The question for me now is: How to write a review on a thriller, without saying too much?
Let me try:

This Thriller leaves the viewer as clueless as the detective.
It has a well constructed plot which keeps your attention until the very end. The not to often seen scenery of Amsterdam adds beautifully to the atmosphere, in fact I cannot think of another city where this movie might have worked that well.
Very nicely integrated are the director's kowtows to "Jaws" and "James Bond".
The director (Dick Maas) is a talented story teller with a very good feeling for timing. Huub Stapel is giving one of the best detectives I've ever seen (even though in many passages he reminds me of Jean Reno)
I actually like it, and if it wasn't for the annoying presentation of the murderer I would have awarded 4 stars.
Not necessarily a "Must Watch" but enjoyable and enthralling.

My Rating: (out of possible 5)

[Critter]

I've always shied away from this film, and I don't know why. But after reading this, I'm going to give it a shot.

I agree. For some reason I have never seen this film either, despite reading the book about 7 times. In my High School literature class two years ago I had to study The Shipping News and read it over and over again, I absolutely loved the book and still plan on picking it up more times in the future. I honestly don't know why I haven't seen the film yet.

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Natural Born Killers (Director's Cut)  

Summary:
They kill 52 people in only 3 weeks, Mickey (Woody Harrelson) & Mallory (Juliette Lewis). Everytime they leave one survivor to tell about the "M&M"-murders. The massmedia sense a profitable story and make them famous...

My Thoughts:
Another one of my all-time favourites.
Based on the same script as "True Romance" we get a completely different film:
One of the best Oliver Stone has ever made.
Uncompromising, disturbing, surprising, innovative... or... sick, NBK polarizes its viewers. Hate it or love it, for this movie there's no inbetween.
But no matter if you love or hate it, it keeps you glued to your seat with eyes and mouth wide open.
The effect starts with the opening sequence and isn't over when the screen goes black, as is true for many good movies this one too makes you think.
Oliver Stone is using a quite unusual mix of photographic styles here, which always support the intent of the movie and cleared the way for later films like Kill Bill Vol. 1.

Great to watch and definitely a "Must See", but not necessarily a "Must Like"

My Rating: (out of possible 5)

[Antares]

NBK polarizes it's viewers. Hate it or love it, for this movie there's no inbetween.

This

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

True Romance  

Summary:
Clarence (Christian Slater) and Alabama (Patricia Arquette) are newlyweds who acquire an unexpected wedding present. Unknown to the blissfully happy couple, ruthless gangsters are on their tail, determined to reclaim their lost property.

My Thoughts:
As said before: I love "Natural Born Killers" and since this is based on the same script by Quentin Tarantino, it was merely a question of time until I got this too.

Now this wasn't quite what I expected.
It's a good movie, but nevertheless something's missing.
Tony Scott was very ambitioned to fill this script with life and seems to have lost it on the way. I can't really put my finger on what went wrong: The acting is great, the photography is OK, the editing is very good ... nevertheless this whole film seems ... hollow, with a bit too much "mainstream" than needed. Or in other words: What comes around as "ironic" in NBK is "pathetic" here.
It's worth watching though, and if it's only for the great appearances of Gary Oldman, Christopher Walken and Tom Sizemore.

An enjoyable flick and by far better than average.
It only has the problem (for me) that I will always compare it to the other one (and Christian Slater is not nearly as charismatic as Woody Harrelson).


My Rating: (out of possible 5)

[Achim]

I have always liked True Romance better than NBK (seen only once thus far). It's just more of the style I enjoy, whereas NBK came across as a incongruent mess when I saw it (theatrical cut; I was much younger then, maybe my opinion will be different when I see it again soon, as Kathybsent me the Director's Cut). 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Black Hawk Down  

Summary:
123 elite U.S. soldiers drop into Mogadishu (Somalia) to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord and find themselves in a desperate battle with a large force of heavily-armed Somalis.

My Thoughts:
One of the very few films with Jerry Bruckheimer involved that actually need some brains, possibly that happened because Ridley Scott was involved too.
I watch this film frequently about once a year, simply because I really like it.
Put the Hollywood-bullshit about bravery aside and you get a quite realistic movie on how a military operation can go horribly wrong.
Ridley Scott did it almost all correct again. The characters are well introduced and have a sufficiently lighted background. The photography puts you in the middle of the scenery and more than once you get the feeling that you're actually participating and not just observing. The actors are all giving their very best to give life to the characters. The sound is simply amazing.
In this movie you can see what happens if stupidity rules because of hierarchy. It's not the obvious kind of stupidity, but the one that results from underestimating the enemy's capabilities, overestimating the own capabilities and the pressure to succeed.
Great script, great directing, great acting, great post-production = great movie!
A gripping movie that will keep your mind working for hours.

My Rating: (out of possible 5)

[KinkyCyborg]

I watch this film frequently about once a year, simply because I really like it.

Me too!    I think it is a dynamo combat film. I recently picked up the bluray and will have to write a review for it after my next viewing.

[dfmorgan]

Have you read the book by Mark Bowden? It's very interesting and much less gung-ho than the film. It still does illustrate the stupidity of the commanders though.

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Have you read the book by Mark Bowden? It's very interesting and much less gung-ho than the film. It still does illustrate the stupidity of the commanders though.

No, haven't done this yet.
But for some reason it shows up on my "to-do"-list now