What Did You Watch Today?

[Timmoru Suzuki]

Layer Cake 6.5/10

The kinda film I could easily sit through, without ever being 'engaged' or really immersed at all. Pretty passable

[therockbox]

Billy Elliot: 6/10

Edited March 28, 2005 by The Rock Box

[ROC]

Bride & Prejudice - ***1/2 (7/10)

"Bride & Prejudice" is the classic Jane Austen novel "Pride & Prejudice" retold on screen by Gurinder Chadha ("Bend It Like Beckham"). Instead of rehashing the old story and old setting, Chadha takes the story from 19th century England to 21st century India, and injects comedy, music and dance to make something fresh out of a story that has been done to death. Leading the cast is the enigmatic Aishwarya Rai, an enrapturing beauty who, while unknown to American audiences, may be the most popular actress in the world as the Bollywood industry's most bankable star. She has been rewarded many times for her work in the Indian equivalent to the Oscars, and once again gives a memorable and refreshing take on the Elizabeth Bennet character (renamed Lalita Bakshi for this film). Martin Henderson ("Torque") gives a surprisingly likeable performance considering some of the stars who have played the Darcy role before him (Colin Firth, Laurence Olivier), but the real star here is the director. Gurinder Chadha is absolutely wonderful at mixing cultures without any bigotry or one dimensional racial humour. In a way, she has the ability to do justice to both cultures instead of one, and the themes she explores make her work accessible to anyone. This is such a bright, new take on a classic story that it's hard not to love. Thumbs up, the first really good movie of 2005.

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Edited March 29, 2005 by TheROC-Revolt

[Ananas]

Of course, this film might slightly annoy me like Bend It Like Beckham did.

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[ROC]

Houseguest - 6/10

With the storyline it is set up with, one would expect Houseguest to just be a meh famly comedy...and they would be half-right. You see, the film does work on a good entertaining level because of the work of Sinbad and Hartman, who do provide good comic levity between each other. While there are all of the cliches and gags of family comedy, it does the smart thing at letting Hartman and Sinbad shine. Overall, if you go in to the film open-minded, you might just be entertained.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Titanic - 10/10

Another reason right here as to why Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio are downright amazing. Leonardo is certainly my favourite actor of all time and Winslet is creeping up to my favourite actress nearly. This is by far the most emotional film I have ever seen as well. I'll be honest, I cried like three times. The main soundtrack is just brilliant, hat off to Celine Dion for the amazing song. The sex scene in the car is just amazing lighting and a beautiful scene all around. So many amazing scenes in this film, I love the colouring of the scenes right at the end with Leo/Kate in the water. The story is just amazing and well I cant say much more than that. Kate Winslet looks stunning throughout the entire movie too. Leo has still failed to make a single bad film in my eyes, actually every film of his that I've seen I have rated 10/10, although that's only this and The Beach from what I remember.

Overall my number two film, with The Beach just closing it out.

[ROC]

No Good Deed - 3/10

This may be one of the dullest thrillers ever to be witnessed to man. The tedium of No Good Deed is so dull as to make the semi-interesting things that happen feel even more duller. As you can see, the film stars Sam Jackson and Milla Jovovich, both used far outside of their purposes (Jackson's being a cool supporting or starring player and Jovovich's being an energetic free-spirit or a bad-ass). It also stars Stellan Skarsgaard, whose entire purpose seems to be to just beat people up while saying bad dialogue during his course in the picture. Overall, a weak concept, terrible acting by those outside of the mis-cast leads, and an overall dull tedium just makes No Good Deed bad. Just stay away, even if you like Milla Jovovich's body.

[Summers]

The Last Samurai. 9. Love it.

[BlackFlagg]

Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle - 8/10

[BlackFlagg]

High Plains Drifter - 9/10

[Timmoru Suzuki]

Valiant 5.5/10

It was a valiant effort (sorry), but this is not a good film. The story is rushed (Its one of the shortest film's I've seen in ages, and the love sub-plot compromises three thirty second scene's, so you dont care about it at all, and its the ONLY subplot). The script isn't good, and it seems they didnt have an ending for many scenes, so they end quickly and clumsily with no real 'end' if that makes sense.

Ricky Gervias is the best thing about this, but in his desire to make EVERY line a witty one-liner, he can get a bit over-bearing and annoying at times, but still is the best thing about the film, and provides 99.9% of the few laughs. Serously, I laughed maybe 3/4 times, and only once was it not from his character.

For whats mainly a childrens film, I'm sure there are many other films (and many other animated ones for that matter) that children will enjoy more, and many others that can appeal to adults (Shrek, Toy Story, The Incredibles), that this just doesn't do, aside from the aforementioned occasional giggle from Gervais's character.

And BTW, ALL, ALL, ALL the other 'jokes' are birds either A) Flying into each other, B) Flying into a hard object and slumping down to the ground c) Being thrown into another bird/hard object and slumping down to the ground.

There is no other kind of joke in here at all. And talk about over-kill.

Edited March 30, 2005 by timmayy

[ROC]

Heavyweights - 7/10

Taking all the better elements of gag-filled comedy and inducing it with a biting attack on the "lose weight quick" men of the mid-90s, Heavyweights actually manages to be smart and yet funny at the same time. Of course, part of that is the solid schtick of Ben Stiller as Tony Perkins, which would be used again with a minor drop in intelligence in 2004's Dodgeball. Of course, the gags range from laugh-out-loud to cliche material, but it's obvious writer Steven Brill knows what he's talking about throughout the picture. All in all, it's a Disney movie that isn't all that bad in perspective.

[Benji]

Ring 9/10

I forgot why this film was so much better than the original, now I remember, creepier, cooler and it explains it all. Fuck Hollywood, this is the REAL version.

[ROC]

X2: X-Men United - 8/10

This Matthew Vaughn cat better be good if we have a chance in hell of making X3 as good as this. Phenomenal effects, great story, great direction, and good acting (for the most part), make this flick a very awesome comic book movie.

[BlackFlagg]

Ring 9/10

I forgot why this film was so much better than the original, now I remember, creepier, cooler and it explains it all. Fuck Hollywood, this is the REAL version.

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[BlackFlagg]

Judgement at Nuremberg - 9/10

[Benji]

Ring 9/10

I forgot why this film was so much better than the original, now I remember, creepier, cooler and it explains it all. Fuck Hollywood, this is the REAL version.

←

Which version is it? it's not the original, and by the fuck hollywood part I'm guessing it's not the American version either, so that leaves?

←

Ring, Ringu, Japanese version, I meant to say that it, as the original was better, I was tired and scared Sadako would come for me when I wrote it

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

The Machinist 9/10

A real slow burning thriller. Genuinely unnerving and uncomfortable viewing in parts. Extremely clever. It gets all the news for Christian Bale slimming down to a skeletal 8 stone for the part but his acting puts his size in the shade. A real haunted and on-the-edge performance. The muted interior colours, everything coming together near the end, the film leaving the conclusion to you rather than spelling everything out...This is one great film and definitely one to watch.

Dr. Strangelove: Or How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb 8/10

I think this'll need another viewing. It's blatant yet it's subtle. Kubrick directs with his usual flair, Peter Sellers plays each of his three parts to perfection and the pretense is worryingly possible (namely, who exactly has their finger on the nuclear button and what if it's a loon?)

It's black black black, features an aeroplane pilot straddling a nuclear bomb as it's dropped onto it's target, yeehawing and having his cowboy hat, severely racist and untrusting generals, brilliant phone conversation between the US president and the unheard Russian presient (Sergei) and US soldiers attacking a US base to take it back from other US soldiers to the backdrop of the sign "Peace Is Our Profession".

Rightly announced as one of the greatest films ever, I need to watch it again, on my own.

Layer Cake 8/10

I really liked it. Daniel Craig is quickly becoming the top English actor of the moment. It's a real grown-up English 'gangster flick' and about time too. Craig's character is realistic, intelligent and drawn into the central danger of the film due to the stupidity and viciousness of those around him. If you look at it, everyone in the film is a 'bag guy' but you want Craig to win because he's INTELLIGENT and ENDEARING. His conversation on the phone with the hitman "Well f*** off then" is brilliant and it doesn't over-complicate itself or twist itself backwards and forwards into circles as much as the Lock Stocks or Snatches of this world. Better than both of those.

Edited March 31, 2005 by ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster

[ROC]

Men In Black - 7/10

Complete with tongue-in-cheek storyline, Men In Black is simply a solid popcorn action comedy that gains major assistance from the cool leads in Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Of course, it makes sure to follow the formula of every good buddy movie by throwing in the attractive woman (Linda Fiorentino, looking quite the beauty here). While some of the stuff might feel cliche, the film feels oddly original and utterly harmless, with nothing big being a problem in it. Overall, even if it feels like just another action comedy, the fresh twist and good stuff from the leads make it entertaining.

Alien Resurrection - 6/10

The key to liking any bit of Alien Resurrection is to step back and think of the feature as a popcorn actioner rather than a film in the Alien series. Trying to take this seriously as an installment of the franchise has seemingly only made its fans more disappointed that it couldn’t fill shoes that were far too big to ever be filled by anything (kinda like how the Matrix sequels and even the Back to the Future sequels ended up not being as good as the originals). In fact according rumoredly to interviews, it was reported that director Jean Pierre Jeunet actually used the feature as a satire on the cliches of the action flick. Still, even with that in mind, the film is cleverly laced with writer Joss Whedon’s signature humor and with solid action sequences. Winona Ryder is also an interesting addition and provides some good pep to the feature. Overall, I liked Alien Resurrection as a good entertaining action flick.

[lazy_arse]

The Incredibles - 9/10

Originally bought it as a birthday present for my god daughter, but ended up sitting with her and watched it. Very entertaining and light hearted, definitely worth a watch if you can.

Edited April 1, 2005 by lazy_arse