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Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Written by: Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, Kenneth Lonergan, story by Jay Cocks
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Jim Broadbent, John C. Reilly
Review: Brilliant but flawed epic picture from director Martin Scorsese, Gangs of New York is for the most part a beautiful, sweeping and emotional triumph from the brutal opening titles to the poignant closing scene. When the film finished, I felt I had watched something really amazing, I think you can feel the love and the effort that Scorsese put into this, a film he's wanted to make for thirty years. This is an overly ambitious film and it doesn't always work; while sometimes it feels like a masterpiece, at other points it fails. The plot is a bit confusing - some of the history is not explained well enough. Adding a personal story to the draft riots/civil war background gives the film depth yet also leaves some things not fully resolved or explained on both sides. In terms of the performances, Daniel Day-Lewis is riveting, and DiCaprio and Diaz give solid performances (and their accents aren't too bad either), although Amsterdam Vallon (DiCaprio's character) is not fully developed. An intriguing aspect to his relationship with Bill the Butcher is that while he is out to avenge his father's death, he cannot help but grow to admire the Butcher.
Despite its failings, I really enjoyed this film. Visually, it is astoundingly good, and I was swept up by this and probably have overlooked some of its flaws because of this. Due to some not-so-good reviews I was not expecting too much from this movie, so I was pleasantly surprised more than disappointed.
My rating: * * * * 1/2
D, R, W, Cr
Directed by: Zach Braff
Written by: Zach Braff
Starring: Zach Braff, Natalie Portman, Ian Holm, Peter Sarsgaard
Review: I really liked this movie and I�m trying to put into words why I did. I guess I really connected with it, however far removed I am from the situation, I connected with the characters in a way I rarely do in a film. That may be because I watch too many action movies or something, where plot is often thin or at any rate characters are under-developed. Or maybe it�s about what some people have been saying � that this movie really speaks to the current generation of 20-something movie-goers. The movie comprised of a lot of talk, but it was never boring. There were some really funny moments, and touches of genuine originality; yet there were also clich�s and a tendency to be quirky for the sake of being quirky. The self-deprecating humour, however, felt real � real people do silly and embarrassing things so there�s no reason why people in movies shouldn�t either. The movie is not a masterpiece or flawless, it�s just a simple movie with characters that feel real (particularly Sam, played wonderfully by Natalie Portman). For a first movie from 27-year-old writer and director Zach Braff, it is seriously impressive.
My rating: * * * *
D, C, R
Directed by: Andrew Niccol
Written by: Andrew Niccol
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law
My rating: * * * *
SF, D, R
Directed by: Mamoru Oshii
Written by: Kazunori Ito, based on comic by Masamune Shirow
Starring: voices of Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Otsuka
My rating: * * * *
SF, An, FL, M, A
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Written by: David Franzoni, John Logan, William Nicholson
Starring: Russell Crowe, Connie Nielsen, Joaquin Phoenix
My rating: * * * * 1/2
A, D, R, O
Directed by: Miguel Arteta
Written by: Mike White
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal, John C. Reilly, Tim Blake Nelson
My rating: * * * 1/2
D
Directed by: Frank Darabont
Written by: Frank Darabont based on the novel by Stephen King
Starring: Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt
My rating: * * * * 1/2
D, Cr, F
Directed by: Daisy von Scherler Mayer
Written by: Tracey Jackson
Starring: Heather Graham, Jimi Mistry, Marisa Tomei
Review: -
My rating: * *
C, R
(USA: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)
Directed by: Chris Columbus
Written by: Steven Kloves, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling
Starring: Daniel Radcliff, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Richard Harris, Robbie Coltrane
My rating: * * * *
A, M, F
Directed by: Chris Columbus
Written by: Steven Kloves, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling
Starring: Daniel Radcliff, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Richard Harris, Robbie Coltrane, Kenneth Branagh, Jason Isaacs
My rating: * * * *
A, M, F
Directed by: Alfonso Cuaron
Written by: Steven Kloves, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling
Starring: Daniel Radcliff, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, David Thewlis, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, Emma Thompson, Michael Gambon
Review: This third instalment, directed by newcomer to the Harry Potter world, Alfonso Cuaron, is noticeably different to the first two, and definitely darker. This reflects the tone of the third book well and it�s nice to see the series moving into more murky territory. The film speeds along at a mad pace, needing to get through a lot of material in a short time, and consequently leaves a lot out and changes some things. As a reader of the book I didn�t find it hard to follow but others may be lost without some explanations. I also didn�t feel that there was too much left out, because the story flowed quite smoothly. While I think it was probably the best yet of the Harry Potter movies, there is something nice about the slower pace of the first two, with room left for character development and including those little magical moments that the fans of the book look forward to. The Prisoner of Azkaban isn�t without its magical moments however, with the Marauders Map and the Boggart and the Patronus�oh and those Dementors were damn scary!
My rating: * * * *
A, F, D
Directed by: Geoff Bennett
Written by: Chris Anastassiades and Christine Madafferi,based on the novel by Robin Klein
Starring: Delta Goodrem, Saskia Burmeister, Jean Kittson, Tracy Mann, Craig McLachlan, Richard Carter
My rating: * * *
C, D
Directed by: Michael Mann
Written by: Michael Mann
Starring: Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Jon Voight, Ashley Judd
My rating: * * * * 1/2
Cr, D
Directed by: Michael Lehmann
Written by: Daniel Waters
Starring: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk, Kim Walker
My rating: * * * *
C, D
Directed by: Yimou Zhang
Written by: Feng Li, Bin Wang, Yimou Zhang
Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Ziyi Zhang, Donnie Yen, Daoming Chen
Review: This film took two years to reach cinemas in the west, and I really can�t understand why. Especially coming after the success of such films as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or being nominated for Best Foreign Film at last year's Oscars. It�s a great thing that Quentin Tarantino convinced Miramax to distribute this film in the west, but he shouldn�t have had to!
This film is reminiscent of the aforementioned Crouching Tiger, in that is uses some of the same gravity-defying sword-play sequences, yet its greater focus in terms of visual elements is colour rather than choreography. This film is quite stunning. The locations range from the dry, windy desert to the most picturesque lake, but it is not just these locations that provide the beauty of the film. The use of colour and movement in this film is breath-taking, with brilliant hues of red and orange, jade and emerald green, deepest aqua and blue, combined with spiralling autumn leaves, billowing curtains and fluttering garments worn by the main characters. If you just let go and enjoy the film, (without thinking about things like gravity), this will likely be one of the most beautiful films you�ve seen.
Now a bit about the plot. Jet Li plays a nameless assassin who is called upon by the King of Qin to tell him how he managed to defeat three of the king�s greatest threats. What follows is a series of flashbacks (similar to Akira Kurosawa�s Rashomon) as Nameless recounts how he defeated his opponents, with many different versions of the story surfacing. Two of his opponents Broken Sword (Tony Leung) and Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung) provide much of the heart of the story, giving the film emotional depth beyond the martial arts/vengeance/assassination plots.
My rating: * * * * 1/2
D, FL, A, R
Directed by: Andy Tennant
Written by: Kevin Bisch
Starring: Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James, Amber Valletta
My rating: * * *
C, R
Directed by: Andrew Davis
Written by: Louis Sachar, based on his novel of the same name
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, John Voight, Tim Blake Nelson, Shia LeBeouf, Khleo Thomas
My rating: * * * *
C, M, D, A
Directed by: Steven Daldry
Written by: David Hare, based on the book by Michael Cunningham
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Ed Harris, John C. Reilly
My comments: a moving, intelligent, riveting, and shocking film with superb performances from every actor, lead and supporting alike.
My rating: * * * * *
O, D
Directed by: Yimou Zhang
Written by: Feng Li, Binn Wang, Yimou Zhang
Starring: Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Ziyi Zhang
My rating: * * * *
D, R, T, FL
Directed by: Ang Lee
Written by: John Turman, Michael France and James Schamus, based on the comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Starring: Eric Bana, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Connelly, Josh Lucas
My rating: * * * 1/2
D, SF
Directed by: Alex Proyas
Written by: Jeff Vintar and Akiva Goldsman, suggested by the book I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
Starring: Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, James Cromwell, Bruce Greenwood, Alan Tudyk, Chi McBride
Review: I, Robot is an entertaining sci-fi action film, but the most it really derives from Isaac Asimov's book of the same name, is its title and the 3 Laws of Robotics. However, the new story, about police detective Del Spooner (Will Smith), robot psychologist Dr. Calvin (Bridget Moynahan) and a wayward robot with a mind of its own, Sonny (voiced by Alan Tudyk) is still a fairly intelligent and thoughtful one. The best thing about this movie is probably the special effects and production design that create the future of 2035 and the robots than inhabit it. In these things the film reaches quite beautiful heights, and I actually forgot that Sonny was a special effect not a real robot, or even a real person, considering the humanity he is given. This movie is well-made and enjoyable, with moments of depth, but overall didn't blow me away, and there were a few cheesy moments at the end that perhaps didn't serve it well. But it's still slick, intelligent fun and worth watching if you're a fan of the genre.
My rating: * * * 1/2
A, SF
Directed by: Paul Weitz
Written by: Paul Weitz
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Scarlett Johansson, Topher Grace
Review: In Good Company gives us a glimpse of what it�s like in the modern corporate world with its mergers, downsizing and �laying off� of the people who actually know what they�re doing. Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid) is a middle-aged family man and an advertising exec for magazine Sports America. When the company merges with mega corporation Globecom, fifty-one year old Dan finds himself playing �wingman� to his new boss, twenty-six year old hotshot Carter Duryea (Topher Grace). But not only does Carter invade Dan�s work life, he also starts dating his daughter Alex (Scarlett Johansson). What follows are many laughs and some genuine drama. This movie struck me as a bit more original than the average comedy; a bit less predictable. Also, Topher Grace�s comic touch makes any movie more enjoyable; he really should be getting more movie roles.
Watch it for some light entertainment, and you�ll leave the cinema with more than you expected.
My rating: * * * *
C, D
Directed by: Todd Field
Written by: Robert Festinger and Todd Field, based on the story 'Killings' by Andre Dubus
Starring: Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, Nick Stahl, Marisa Tomei
My rating: * * * 1/2
D, Cr
Directed by: Brad Bird
Written by: Brad Bird
Starring: the voices of Holly Hunter, Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Lee
Review: The Incredibles improved with a second viewing. The first time I watched it I enjoyed it but I didn�t quite get what all the fuss was about; I preferred Finding Nemo. It seemed a little too long, a bit disjointed, perhaps. But now I realise more clearly that the genius of The Incredibles lies in the small things, the one-liners, the offhand comments, the familial bickering�and it makes sense doesn�t it? That�s the genius of The Simpsons too, of which director Brad Bird was a long-time writer for. Don�t get me wrong, the CG action scenes are excellent, but it�s the humour and the comical references that really sold it for me. The Incredibles works as both a parody and homage to the comic-book movie genre. The most obvious influence is the Fantastic Four, from which they get stretchy wife Helen Parr, invisible, force-field creating daughter Violet, and flaming baby Jack Jack. And on the subject of Jack Jack, a note on the DVD special features - look out particularly for the short film �Jack Jack Attack�. Find out what actually happened when he was left with the babysitter�it�s hilarious!
The Incredibles is a clever and very funny movie, and it's worth watching more that once; you'll pick up things you may have missed the first time!
My rating: * * * *
O, C, D, A, An
Directed by: Neil Jordan
Written by: Anne Rice, based upon her novel
Starring: Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater
My rating: * * * 1/2
D, H, O
Directed by: Joel Coen
Written by: Robert Ramsay & Matthew Stone and Joel & Ethan Coen
Starring: George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones
My rating: * * *
C, R
Directed by: F. Gary Gray
Written by: Donna Powers and Wayne Powers, based on the 1969 screenplay by Troy Kennedy-Martin
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton, Donald Sutherland, Jason Statham, Seth Green, Mos Deaf
Review: Let me begin by saying that I haven�t seen the Michael Caine original, so I am judging this on its own merits, not in comparison. I found it to be a funny, clever, thrilling movie, with a refreshing absence of excessive swearing, sex or violence. I didn�t have particularly high expectations so I was pleasantly surprised by it. It doesn�t try to be a masterpiece, just an entertaining film, which it succeeds at. Purists may not like it, but it has its own merits and makes a fine contemporary update, helping to bring The Italian Job to a new audience. However, it is quite different as well; the same car chase is there, the same gold heist, the same Charlie Croker, but it's basically a different story and works on its own without the original. Maybe it was just my mood when I saw it but I really enjoyed it; the film is unpretentious and funny, and the action scenes are well-executed.
My rating: * * * *
C, A, Cr