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Reviews
Airborne (1998)
Not all bad
OK.. I'll admit, it's not exactly Oscar worthy, but I thought this film was a great escape for an hour and a half! The plot was fairly predictable, but I tend to have a soft spot for cheesy films, especially cheesy action films, so that didn't bother me...
Steve Guttenberg is unfortunately unconvincing as an action hero, and for me personally, there were a few too many shots of him bare chested! Torri Higginson acted her socks off (as always) and her, and the rest of the cast, did an amazing job in salvaging the film from being a turkey... If the supporting cast hadn't been as strong, this film could have ended up being fairly unbearable.
If you go to watch this film expecting a work of genius, you'll be sorely disappointed... If you take it a face value (i.e. as a good old fashioned mindless action flick) you'll enjoy it...
Stargate: The Lowdown (2003)
Witty and Original
I am already a fan of Stargate and was looking forward to seeing this documentary... it didn't let me down.
It offered a fun look behind the scenes, and also offered a "catch-up" for anyone not familiar with the show. All of the cast and crew were generally funny, and there were even a few laugh out loud moments.
Overall I thought this documentary was entertaining throughout, and an insightful look at the making of a series. Well worth a look!
Wit (2001)
Not as good as the stage version
Although this was a compelling film, I found that it didn't quite live up to the standard seen when the film was performed by Judith Light on stage. Emma Thompson's college professor who discovers that she has ovarian cancer, is good, but lacks the fully fledged emotion that Judith Light brought to the role.
The film was still strong, and very emotional, and I would still recommend it to anyone, but if there's anyone who watches it, and feels let down, they would have thoroughly enjoyed in the stage version. It just had that little bit more...
Mr. Rice's Secret (1999)
A deep exploration of a difficult topic
Death is not an easy topic to deal with in movies. But Mr Rice's secret manages to pull it off, with no problems. The film is centered around a boy, who while coming to terms with the death of his friend (the 400 year old Mr Rice) is led on a kind of treasure hunt. When he reaches the end he finds a potion of life, and learns an important lesson. The boy (played brilliantly by Billy Switzer) is the star of the film (despite it being pushed as a David Bowie film). The character of his mother (played by Teryl Rothery) could have been explored a little more and been more involved with the plot, but apart from that, it felt well cast and acted. A must see for when you want to ponder things like the meaning of life.
The Brainiacs.com (2000)
A cool all round family comedy.
This is a funny, well acted film, that provides family viewing, brought right up to date with an internet based plot line. This film is perfect to while away a rainy Sunday afternoon with the whole family.
The cast (although a little surprising) gel together perfectly. Kevin Kilner (previously seen in Earth: Final Conflict) is truly believable as the business oriented father, who needs to spend more time with his family, Alexandra Paul manages to look pretty (which is about all this role allows her to do... but if it ain't broke...) and Michael Angarano is fabulously funny as the kid who just wants his dad to love him.
Pure Schmultz, but we love it anyway!
The Sex Monster (1999)
Girl power reinvented!
What is every man's fantasy? To have a menage-a-trois with their wives and another woman? This film shows what happens when one man gets his fantasy!
Mike Binder is hilarious as the husband who manages to make his fantasy become a reality, only to have to face up to the consequences, but the real star of this movie is Mariel Hemmingway, as the wife who would do anything for her husband... and I do mean anything! Her on screen chemistry with Mike Binder (and the females that she plays opposite) is amazing to watch!
This is the ultimate reality bites movie and a good warning to men everywhere... fantasy should be kept as fantasy!
Hilarious!
The Mighty (1998)
A surprising success...
I only picked up this film from the video library as they didn't have another film I was looking for, but was pleasantly surprised by it.
It instantly strikes you that the film isn't your standard Kid's film. It's about smart kids, who don't play computer games, but read books. It deals with disability, and really delivers a message.
The acting on all fronts is fantastic, Kieran Culkin and Elden Henson are fantastic as the two leads, and the stellar supporting cast are perfectly understated, and don't overpower the 2 young leads. Sharon Stone is convincing as the mother of Kevin, the boy with a spinal defect, and Gillian Anderson stands out in an unconventional role as Loretta Lee, the "hooker with a heart".
All in all, it's a real tearjerker at the end and is definitely worth a watch. If Miramax hadn't tried to make it a word of mouth success, and put some money into marketing it, this film would have been an enormous box-office hit.