Been ages since i saw this straight to late night cable movie, absolutely awful movie - however it's one the most beautifully photographed movies I've seen. The cinematography of the new orleans backdrop is well worth a look on it's own.
Reviews
6 Reviews
Out of Sight
(1998)
What a waste
4 May 2002
The most over-rated director on hollywood shows the world how to butcher a half-decent script in this film. Clooney and Lopez are excellent, the script (with the exception of the last 20 minutes/detriot segment) is really superb - but Holloywoods most over-rated director shows the world that he simply has no idea what he's doing when asked to deal with something that can't be shot around a few swanky pans/zooms/cuts/tracking shots etc.
After reading the script (with the aforementioned awful last 20 minutes), i have to admit I was expecting a masterpeice or at least a tour de force. What i got was ......well, a let down. Shot selection is dubious, direction pitiful, outside of clooney and lopez casting is truly lousy, i could go on - but why bother? I can't tell you how good the script for this movie is, almost fool-proof,.....almost. Alas, the director saw fit to proceed shooting with no real understanding of the characters or the script or the book, an awful secondary cast (albert brooks? The hispanic lead? Ving rhames?....purrrrrrrleaseeeeeeeeeee!) and a bag of half-baked, seen it all before tricks. In the hands of even a run of the mill a-list hollywood director this movie would have escaped intact and highly, highly watchable, what a shame, what a waste.
After reading the script (with the aforementioned awful last 20 minutes), i have to admit I was expecting a masterpeice or at least a tour de force. What i got was ......well, a let down. Shot selection is dubious, direction pitiful, outside of clooney and lopez casting is truly lousy, i could go on - but why bother? I can't tell you how good the script for this movie is, almost fool-proof,.....almost. Alas, the director saw fit to proceed shooting with no real understanding of the characters or the script or the book, an awful secondary cast (albert brooks? The hispanic lead? Ving rhames?....purrrrrrrleaseeeeeeeeeee!) and a bag of half-baked, seen it all before tricks. In the hands of even a run of the mill a-list hollywood director this movie would have escaped intact and highly, highly watchable, what a shame, what a waste.
The Boxer
(1997)
What a howler!!
4 May 2002
I didn't have much time for jim sheridan before i saw this movie, after seeing it i had none. This movie is pitiful. The script, direction and acting are simply woefull, it has a perspective of irish politics as viewed from a subway tunnel. it's an absolute howler of a movie with a rather nasty plot straight out of the joesph goebbels school of poltical dishonesty.
It's insidious, deceitful and downright dishonest. this movie is an insult to people in belfast and derry. I'd never thought particularly highly of jim sheridan before seeing this but after seeing it i thought even less.
It's insidious, deceitful and downright dishonest. this movie is an insult to people in belfast and derry. I'd never thought particularly highly of jim sheridan before seeing this but after seeing it i thought even less.
The Doors
(1991)
Bodyswerve territory
4 May 2002
I've seen this flick a few times - it's a pretty poor offering.
Stone sleep-walked thru this one, basically it's a 2 hour mtv pop video that has the standard 'self-indulgent pretty boy with an opedial complex' tacked on for a plot:-) I understand that the families of the morrison and his girlfriend managed to wrangle some script control in pre-production stages and perhaps it's for that reason the movie is so tedious, however, I like generally like oliver stone movies and i still was expecting a lot more than this.
The only thing i liked about the movie were the credits opening with 'riders on the storm' and the camera sweeping out over the hills and out into the desert, there were a few other odd touches but not enough to hold the intrest.
Beyond an incredibly uncanny stunning resemblance to jim morrison (and some nice make-up) kilmer's characterisation is virtually zero and meg ryan is (as usual) awful - in fairness though neither is helped by an absolute dog of a script.
Stone sleep-walked thru this one, basically it's a 2 hour mtv pop video that has the standard 'self-indulgent pretty boy with an opedial complex' tacked on for a plot:-) I understand that the families of the morrison and his girlfriend managed to wrangle some script control in pre-production stages and perhaps it's for that reason the movie is so tedious, however, I like generally like oliver stone movies and i still was expecting a lot more than this.
The only thing i liked about the movie were the credits opening with 'riders on the storm' and the camera sweeping out over the hills and out into the desert, there were a few other odd touches but not enough to hold the intrest.
Beyond an incredibly uncanny stunning resemblance to jim morrison (and some nice make-up) kilmer's characterisation is virtually zero and meg ryan is (as usual) awful - in fairness though neither is helped by an absolute dog of a script.
Teachers
(2001–2004)
Top of the class but more Ballykissangel than This Life
23 February 2002
Teachers is your own playground years - every dilemma, cock-up and confusion is reflected in the life of the eponymous hero, thoughtless new to the game teacher simon (25 going on 15), who breezes through life wrapped in a cloud of his so-called problems (does his girlfreind have more sexual expereince than him? if doesn't shower will he get an extra 10 minutes in bed?? - lifes a bitch, eh? lol)
Folowing Simon during his first year in teaching, teachers has an easy warm charm carried off by dint of the keystone cops portrayal of simon and his colleagues who are, if possible, even more irresponsible than the kids they are supposed to be educating. Simon's half-baked attempts to graduate to adulthood and his antics at school and home keep the attention and the laughs coming. On a disturbing note though I must confess i found his policewoman girlfriend strangely attractive!
Teachers isn't battleship potemkin but it's elevated above the normal tv fare by good writing, good direction and a fine cast - it took me a few episodes to really tune in it to its wavelength but it's now a never miss.
Ps. a second series is in the post - take a tip and set the video
Folowing Simon during his first year in teaching, teachers has an easy warm charm carried off by dint of the keystone cops portrayal of simon and his colleagues who are, if possible, even more irresponsible than the kids they are supposed to be educating. Simon's half-baked attempts to graduate to adulthood and his antics at school and home keep the attention and the laughs coming. On a disturbing note though I must confess i found his policewoman girlfriend strangely attractive!
Teachers isn't battleship potemkin but it's elevated above the normal tv fare by good writing, good direction and a fine cast - it took me a few episodes to really tune in it to its wavelength but it's now a never miss.
Ps. a second series is in the post - take a tip and set the video
Tinsel Town
(2000–2001)
Turgid Town
23 February 2002
Tinsel Town is a menagarie of ripped off seen it all before plot-lines (trainspotting/irvine welsh, queer as folk, pulp fiction, blah blah). Tinsel Town is, bar none, the worst written TV i've had the misfortune to encounter. The characters are about as well drawn as a helen keller landscape, the plot-lines are so mind-numbingly dull i thought i would pass out. I was astonished just how technically poor the quality of the script was. It is a textbook example of how to make a really, really bad TV series. If this was handed in a first year film student it would be a poor effort.
I was so embarresed watching thinking a) that someone had read the script and thought 'yeah, this'll be quite good' and b)that people outside scotland would see this and think this is the best we can come up with.
People deal drugs in Glasgow (gasp), gay people taking drugs (god golly miss molly), people in nightclubs taking drugs (sensation) - big deal. If there is follow up what might it be - people drink alcohol in bar? Goal scored at football match?
If there is anyone with any sense at the BBC the negative will burned and the ashes buried at a secret location!
Phewwwwwwwwwwww, this one is a stinker!!
I was so embarresed watching thinking a) that someone had read the script and thought 'yeah, this'll be quite good' and b)that people outside scotland would see this and think this is the best we can come up with.
People deal drugs in Glasgow (gasp), gay people taking drugs (god golly miss molly), people in nightclubs taking drugs (sensation) - big deal. If there is follow up what might it be - people drink alcohol in bar? Goal scored at football match?
If there is anyone with any sense at the BBC the negative will burned and the ashes buried at a secret location!
Phewwwwwwwwwwww, this one is a stinker!!
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