brygos Reviews

The Virgin Suicides (1999)

They say blondes have more fun ...

[3/10 · 22 September 2001]

Perhaps, but not in this movie. Rather the lovely, light-haired Lisbon sisters suffer from bad parenting, bad boyfriends, bad boulevard trees, bad writing and, above all, bad direction, resulting in terminal ennui for both the young ladies and the audience.

In more capable hands this material might have produced an interesting, original film instead of another entry in the seemingly endless ‘losing virginity genre' currently so popular in American cinema.

Cousin Bette (1998)

Boring Balzac

[3/10 · 22 September 2001]

and just about everyone else. Who knew that deception, treachery, and revenge could be this tedious.

Although the period production design is reasonable, this film suffers from lax direction and the presence of an `international cast', with the resultant mix of accents and acting styles. Of the better known thespians, Geraldine Chaplin again demonstrates that she inherited her mother's looks but not her father's talent, whereas the best that can be said of Americans Elizabeth Shue and Jessica Lange is that they are woefully miscast.

As a courtesan, Ms. Shue exhibits about as much ability to drive men to ruin as a stale baguette, while a rosy-cheeked, unwrinkled Ms. Lange delivers a studied, monotone performance relieved only by occasional lapses into a southern accent.

This Gallic debacle left this reviewer wondering if the final musical sequence was indicative of a certain regard for the audience, and firmly convinced that bringing French literature to the screen is best left to the French.

Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Deja woo

[3/10 · 26 August 2001]

Almost everything in this big-budget borer has been done before and done better, in such as the moribund James Bond franchise, the original MI TV series and action/adventure films too numerous to mention.

Neither Mr. Cruise nor Ms. Newton are convincing in their roles, screenwriter Towne et al. presumably suffered an acute case of writers block, and director Woo recycles his bag of now-familiar violent action tricks and clever camera angles. The only bright note here is a cameo by Anthony Hopkins, who in reference to Ms. Newton's need for training, has the best line in the film.

While one may wonder why actors of the calibre of Hopkins, Derek Jacobi and Judi Dench appear in such trash, presumably it is for the same reason that this vacuous socky-choppy flick was made - money, money, money!

Not One Less (1999)

A Delightful Film.

[8/10 · 19 June 2001]

A delightful coming-of-age tale, nicely realized by Zhang Yimou and all involved, which not only provides an informative look at certain aspects of life in rural areas of the People's Republic of China but also demonstrates that there is so much more to growing up than the loss of one's virginity - with or without an assist from mom's baking.