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Reviews
Eagle Eye (2008)
This film is not particularly good
Unfortunately -10 isn't an option on the star rating scale, because that's what this film is deserving of. If you want a full summary of the stupidity of this film find any review with a 1 star rating and read it.
I only want to point out two issues with this film because they're enough, on their own, to send this thing to the bottom faster than the Titanic. Both of these are spoilers, in the sense that they spoil this films tenuous link with reality, and in the sense that they spoil the plot, such as it is.
1. Part way through the film the all-controlling all-powerful sentient computer antagonist uses its elaborate computer skills to control... not a traffic light, or a cellphone, or a computer, or a robotic crane, but a car's airbag.
Yes. Air bag. That thing that inflates when you crash.
2. The entire premise behind the hero being recruited as a pawn in the above-mentioned super computer's nefarious plot is that the hero has an identical twin brother who worked with said computer, realised what it was up to, and used some sort of voice override command. Thus the hero is now needed to come in and unlock the voice override.
Problem is, near as I can tell the voice override has the function of overriding exactly nothing. Every single phenomenal controlling trick the computer pulls, including setting up the entire elaborate assassination plot, takes place BEFORE the lock is removed.
What was the point? Right there, from the very opening, the entire plot just fell into the bottomless pit of logic.
Well done Hollywood. You have redefined stupid. By an order of magnitude.
Spectres of the Spectrum (1999)
Speechless
That's how I was when I walked (staggered) out of this "film". I couldn't leave, because it was at a film festival and the cinema was full of people. I was stuck in the middle. Trapped.
The tiny fragment of original footage which attempted to bind this film together features some of the worst acting ever to grace the big screen. The daughter was a stand out performance - stand out in the bad sense.
Thge cinematography was hideous, consisting of disjointed framing and some of the oddest lighting I've witnessed.
As for the stock footage... well at first one...
Wait.
Why am I reviewing this film? Why do I acknowledge its existence? Please, don't watch it. Do something useful with two hours of your life and go watch some paint dry.
Le Cinquième Élément (1997)
style
I have one word. Style. On the page, and even with the principal cast "star" list, "The Fifth Element" is one of those summer blockbusters designed to make the studios a big buck and then vanish. But like "Seven", when in the hands of a master director something else happens. They apply style, and suddenly you have something stunning.
Every facet of this film fits with every other facet. You take take a single frame from the film and you just "know" it's "The Fifth Element".
That's style. And style matters more than character OR plot. What do compelling characters or intricate plots matter if you can unify them in the style of the story-telling?
When "The Matrix" came out die hard anime fans rejoiced that this film had managed to bring the comic book into real life. But they seem to have forgotten "The Fifth Element". Because "The Fifth Element" is exactly that, with it's plots, characters, production design, and framing, it's editing, everything about it screams comic book. Once again it all comes back to style.
It's just a pity that when audiences see a film that has one of those "blockbuster" actors in it they automatically and instantly class the film as a mere "blockbuster" bit of mindless entertainment and are then unable to ever see the film for its real worth.
Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl (1919)
A glimpse at the future of cinema
In a time when cinema meant bad overacting with arms waving and silly make-up is hidden this rare gem. The true amazement of this film is Richard Barthelmess' performance as Cheng Huan. I had to watch this film as part of my film studies. I HATE old silent films with their slow pace and horrific acting. But this film was different.
Despite the fact that Barthelmess isn't even the same race as his character, he presents a performance that has a sensivity and grounded reality to it that goes far beyond performances of other actors of the time.
This may very well have been the first time filmmakers realised that genuine, real emotions could be created by actors and captured on celluloid. That discovery changed the face of the entertainment industry - not just cinema.
Though it is the quiet Chinaman that is the stand-out of this film, Lillian Gish's performance also deserves strong mention. During shooting of the film's climax her screams of terror sent chills down the crew's spine - despite the fact that it was a silent film.
Snakeskin (2001)
Finally! We make something good!
It's a bit stunning to watch a film made in New Zealand, by New Zealanders, and not want to cringe. This is a fantastic piece of work. Kudos to the production team - when I think "road movie" made with a measly NZ budget I shudder to think of the result, especially when shot in a lightning fast 28 days. Yet this film looks like it cost three or four times as much to make. The visuals are stunning, and its cinematography award was well deserved. The story takes a nice big swipe and New Zealanders and their obsession with the USA. It may look on the surface to be your average american road film, and therefore a bit of a typical, stolen idea... but in truth this story rings sound as a uniquely New Zealand piece of work. It immediately promises to get quite dark... and then does... slowly sliding its way into that grim genre that New Zealand has created for itself that Sam Neill dubbed the "Cinema of Unease". This is a great New Zealand film, but better still, it's just a great film full stop. Great work to Gillian and Vanessa and all their team.
Being Eve (2001)
To look in the mirror and be able to laugh
What a nice change it is to watch a programme from New Zealand that didn't take itself (or its country) too seriously. A deserved Gold Medal award at the New York Festivals Television Programming and Promotion Competition for the "teen programme" category. Especially liked the little broadside shot at "The Piano"... very well done. Good job all round team! Good on ya, mate.