Red Cliff (2008)
Based on the historic battle of the same name this Chinese film from director John Woo stars Tony Leung and a host of other Chinese stars. Two rebel fractions unite to take on a power grabbing Prime Minister in 208 AD.
In Asia this film was released in two parts with a total run time of 280 minutes but this is a review of the Western release which is a cut down 148 minutes. While it does feel like there may be some scenes missing this does not have a very large negative impact on the film but when it comes to the plot it does seem that history has been jettisoned in favour of legend. Of course the style of John Woo is all over this film but it does detract from the realism when you have generals of the army fighting like super heroes. Certainly this film is lovely to watch but does lack something more beyond that.
3/5
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Monday, 6 February 2012
Lies, damn lies and Adam Sandler films
Just Go With It (2011)
Directed by Dennis Dugan this film is based on a film based on a play based on a French play and stars Adam Sandlar, Jennifer Aniston, Brooklyn Decker and Nicole Kidman. A plastic surgeon lies about being married to a horrid wife to pick up women then finds a woman he wants to stay with and has to convince her he is getting divorced.
You could consider this film a massive triumph in that it is not as bad as the vast majority of Adam Sandler films but only just. The plot is fairly predictable, the protagonist is a bit of an arse hole and a lot of the humour is juvenile at best but at least the film manages the odd funny moment. I am not really sure what Nicole Kidman is doing taking a small part in a film like this and casting Jennifer Aniston as the “plain” one of of the lover triangle (because she wears glasses!) is not overly believable.
2/5
Directed by Dennis Dugan this film is based on a film based on a play based on a French play and stars Adam Sandlar, Jennifer Aniston, Brooklyn Decker and Nicole Kidman. A plastic surgeon lies about being married to a horrid wife to pick up women then finds a woman he wants to stay with and has to convince her he is getting divorced.
You could consider this film a massive triumph in that it is not as bad as the vast majority of Adam Sandler films but only just. The plot is fairly predictable, the protagonist is a bit of an arse hole and a lot of the humour is juvenile at best but at least the film manages the odd funny moment. I am not really sure what Nicole Kidman is doing taking a small part in a film like this and casting Jennifer Aniston as the “plain” one of of the lover triangle (because she wears glasses!) is not overly believable.
2/5
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Priest vs Vampire
Priest (2011)
Based on a Korean comic this film is directed by Scott Stewart and stars Paul Bettany, Karl Urban and Maggie Q. In a dark future the church rules the world and a priest (a church super soldier) has to rescue a girl from vampires.
Seemingly departing pretty heavily from it's source material this is a kind of sci-fi western with elements of The Searchers (1956), although only on a fairly superficial level. The plot itself is nothing particularly impressive which is a shame as it has plenty of elements that contain potential and the direction tends towards chaos in the action sequences without being as bad as you will see in some instances. In the end the film manages to neither be as good as it could be or as bad as lot of similar films.
3/5
Based on a Korean comic this film is directed by Scott Stewart and stars Paul Bettany, Karl Urban and Maggie Q. In a dark future the church rules the world and a priest (a church super soldier) has to rescue a girl from vampires.
Seemingly departing pretty heavily from it's source material this is a kind of sci-fi western with elements of The Searchers (1956), although only on a fairly superficial level. The plot itself is nothing particularly impressive which is a shame as it has plenty of elements that contain potential and the direction tends towards chaos in the action sequences without being as bad as you will see in some instances. In the end the film manages to neither be as good as it could be or as bad as lot of similar films.
3/5
Saturday, 4 February 2012
Foretold
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010)
Woody Allen makes yet another comedy drama with a large cast this time staring Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Freida Pinto and Naomi Watts. A family struggle with their respective relationships and do not always get what they wanted.
This is fairly common fair for Allen and has several humours moments but the plot does have a lot of predictability about it as well as common ground with his many previous films. What the film does do a good job of is looking at how the various characters delusions and faiths affect their happiness and is really the point of the film. I am not really a fan of Woody Allen's films but this is certainly one of the better efforts of late.
4/5
Woody Allen makes yet another comedy drama with a large cast this time staring Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Freida Pinto and Naomi Watts. A family struggle with their respective relationships and do not always get what they wanted.
This is fairly common fair for Allen and has several humours moments but the plot does have a lot of predictability about it as well as common ground with his many previous films. What the film does do a good job of is looking at how the various characters delusions and faiths affect their happiness and is really the point of the film. I am not really a fan of Woody Allen's films but this is certainly one of the better efforts of late.
4/5
Friday, 3 February 2012
Sitting bull?
Bugles in the Afternoon (1952)
This Western is directed by Roy Rowland and stars Ray Milland and Helena Carter. After being stripped of his commission a man re-enlists in the US cavalry only to run into former friends and enemies.
There is not a huge amount of originality in this film and the plot unfolds pretty much as you would expect. The image quality is not great like many early technicolour films but it is not terrible either and the treatment of Indians in the plot is not the worst you will see in the genre. Overall this is a standard genre entry that has little for or against it.
3/5
This Western is directed by Roy Rowland and stars Ray Milland and Helena Carter. After being stripped of his commission a man re-enlists in the US cavalry only to run into former friends and enemies.
There is not a huge amount of originality in this film and the plot unfolds pretty much as you would expect. The image quality is not great like many early technicolour films but it is not terrible either and the treatment of Indians in the plot is not the worst you will see in the genre. Overall this is a standard genre entry that has little for or against it.
3/5
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Blitz spirit
Hope and Glory (1987)
Based on his own childhood experiences John Boorman wrote, directed and produced this film. A young boy and his family experience World War 2 in London.
What this film does really well is balance not only the hard ships of the situation but also show how children not really understanding what war is reacted. There is a lot of humour in the film, particularly from the eccentricities of some of the characters but also from the situations they find themselves in. While the film certainly has plenty of personality it is definitely more of a memoir than a deep narrative but is well worth a watch.
4/5
Based on his own childhood experiences John Boorman wrote, directed and produced this film. A young boy and his family experience World War 2 in London.
What this film does really well is balance not only the hard ships of the situation but also show how children not really understanding what war is reacted. There is a lot of humour in the film, particularly from the eccentricities of some of the characters but also from the situations they find themselves in. While the film certainly has plenty of personality it is definitely more of a memoir than a deep narrative but is well worth a watch.
4/5
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Mountain fish
Shoot to Kill (1988)
Also known as Deadly Pursuit this thriller set in the wilds stars Sidney Poitier, Tom Berenger and Kirstie Alley. An FBI agent from the city and a woodsman hunt down a killer in the mountains.
This is a fairly basic fish out of water, buddy cop film that does little in the way of having original content. Some of the mountain scenery is really nice but the film really fails to convey the dangerous nature of the landscape despite the events it portrays. Overall this is probably a solid genre entry but little more than that.
3/5
Also known as Deadly Pursuit this thriller set in the wilds stars Sidney Poitier, Tom Berenger and Kirstie Alley. An FBI agent from the city and a woodsman hunt down a killer in the mountains.
This is a fairly basic fish out of water, buddy cop film that does little in the way of having original content. Some of the mountain scenery is really nice but the film really fails to convey the dangerous nature of the landscape despite the events it portrays. Overall this is probably a solid genre entry but little more than that.
3/5
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)