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Saving Private Ryan
***
Much lauded 2nd World War film about
the attempt to retrieve and send home a private, lost in the field, whose 3 brothers have all been killed. There's some interesting
comment on the politics of war and the famous first 40 minutes, which gruesomely shows the Allies landing in Normandy to heavy
bombardment, is effective. However, this is essentially a "good ole US of A" action film and the characters of the party sent
out to save Private Ryan are almost non-existent except for the nervous, sensitive translator. Not really my sort of film
at all and quite disappointing.
Released - 1998
Seen by me: 15.9.02
School Of Rock
*****
Excellent, entertaining film starring Jack Black as an ageing wannabe rock star who cons his
way into a temporary teaching job. Getting bored of the curriculum very quickly,
he gets a flash of inspiration and forms a class rock band with the aim of entering the local battle of the bands. All is meticulously planned including soundproofing, CCTV security so they can revert to normal lessons
when another teacher is approaching and most excellently, listening to classic rock albums for homework. The kids and teacher are inspired and after some major hiccups (the Head and parents finding out about
what’s been going on) they still get to enter the competition. The film
probably jumps too fast towards this climactic scene which resolves itself all too conveniently for real life though hey,
this doesn’t really matter when it is after all a comedy…
School of Rock is an excellent, gonzoid film which
is even better on second viewing. It’s a feel-good film - not to be taken
seriously yet also quite inspiring in that it provides a creative outlet for the talented kids and a sense of fulfilment
for Black’s ageing rocker whose chances of making it big are now all but gone.
School Of Rock features a suitably
over the top performance by Black and fine acting and playing (yes, the kids really do play their instruments) by the
supporting band. Even better, the DVD also includes Black’s hilarious begging
video to Led Zeppelin, pleading with them to allow permission for the Immigrant’s Song to be used in the movie. Great stuff.
Released - 2004
Seen by me:
3.8.04 & 2.9.06
Serendipity
****
Romantic
comedy about fate starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale as a couple who meet for just a few hours. They
have to go their separate ways but she is very superstitious and offers clues such as signing a dollar bill with her phone
number which she then gives away to see if they are destined to meet again and be together. Cue forward
a few years when she is co-habiting with a hilarious singer and he is about to get married…
Serendipity is a good
if far-fetched romantic comedy which is given an extra half star in my review for Cusack and his exquisite taste in music. Not just one but two Nick Drake songs are included.
Released
– 2002
Seen by me: 30.12.04 (with Naomi)
Shaun Of The Dead
****
A dark comedy written by and starring Simon Pegg which satirises Dawn of The Dead. The
people of North London are being murdered and turned into blank-staring killer zombies. It’s tempting
to quip about who can tell the difference but the zombie plague soon becomes an epidemic. Pegg (Shaun)
and his motley crew of family and friends go into hiding to avoid the mob. Some of them ultimately survive
– some don’t. Shaun Of The Dead includes many of the UK’s top rising comic actors as
well as a few established
names and is a good film with some funny and clever touches. It was a bit bizarre seeing such a Brit flick
in Times Square but it was well worth seeing.
Released – 2004
Seen by me: 26.10.04 (with Naomi)
Shawshank
Redemption
****1/2
Superb film starring Tim Robbins
as a mild mannered banker who is sent to the brutal Shawshank Prison for life in the mid 20th century after supposedly
killing his wife and her lover. After bravely standing up to his captors, he
gradually earns the respect of his fellow inmates and the guards who
utilise his financial skills to save taxes and operate several much more serious illegal scams. All is going well till he hears of a confession which proves his innocence.
He sees the Prison Chief about this whose reaction is savage and brutal. After
a horrendous period in solitary confinement, he gets supreme revenge on his captors and is movingly reunited with Red, his
best friend in prison a the end of the film. Red is a genial “lifer”
played by Morgan Freeman who “did something terrible in his youth”
and “can get things from outside" for his fellow inmates. Both Freeman
and Robbins are superb in this horrible and disturbing yet deeply moving film.
Released:
1994
Seen by me: 8.04 (with Naomi)
Shrek
****1/2
An
excellent fast-moving computer animated film starring an ogre who along with his sidekick donkey, is forced to go to a castle
to free a sleeping princess. Shrek feels quite nonchalant about this fairy tale
rescue till he falls in love with the uncharacteristic princess who is not all she seems…
Shrek is a superb innovative
film with humour for children and adults. Eddie Murphy is particularly excellent
as the voice of the fast-talking annoying donkey in a film which demands more than one viewing to take it all in.
Released – 2001
Seen by me: 9.2.05 (with
Naomi)
Shrek 2
****
An excellent
sequel in which the Princess who Shrek and Donkey rescued is stolen back by the ghastly Prince for whom they originally freed
her. The dynamic duo must save her before they are married and are helped in
their quest by the brilliant Puss In Boots, another superb cartoon creation. Like
its predecessor Shrek 2 is very fast moving, clever and funny. It has a good
story with some clever twists. An excellent sequel which again demands further
viewings.
Released – 2004
Seen by me: 16.2.05 (with Naomi)
Silver Linings Playbook
*****
Silver Linings Playbook is a (post) modern romantic comedy with a twist in that its
main two characters are visibly recovering from breakdowns following the contrasting ends to their marriages. Despite their
often seriously disturbed conditions, the film-makers succeed in making potentially distressing scenes funny without being
insulting. Just one of many successes for this excellent film.
Silver
Linings Playbook has an excellent cast from Bradley Cooper and the Academy Award winning Jennifer Lawrence as leads with fine
support throughout though especially by Jacki Weaver and Robert De Niro in the best role I've seen him in for several years.
It's also superbly edited in a slick, contemporary way. A romantic comedy with a twist which, unusually for its genre, received
several further Academy Award nominations, Silver Linings Playbook is a superb movie and is very highly recommended.
Seen by me: 4.13 (with Naomi)
Skyfall
****1/2
Lauded by many critics as the best Bond film ever, Skyfall is less action-packed and
more profound than most of 007's other adventures. A much simpler story too - the main plot features a former MI6 spy Tiago
Rodriguez (a.k.a. Silva played by Javier Bardem) betrayed by M (Dame Judi Dench) who returns years later to avenge his former
boss with 007 (Daniel Craig) trying to protect her. In fact, the last quarter of the film contains little more than the three
leads at a remote Scottish location in an excellent climax.
The previous
quarter of the film, refreshingly, features an inventive, contemporary chase around London rather than the more exotic locations
of yore. More traditional Bond fans aren't forgotten however with much of the first half containing the old fashioned spy
charming and risking his way around the world.
Something for everyone
then though a much more cohesive plot than most of the other films in the franchise and fine performances by the now fully
established Craig, Dench and Bardem in the lead roles.
Action-packed
and intelligent. The best Bond movie ever? - the critics may be right!
Seen
by me: 8.6.13 (with Naomi)
Sleepless In Seattle
***
Touching
though possibly over-sentimental, old-Hollywood-style romantic comedy starring Tom Hanks (with a ridiculous haircut) as a
widowed father whose 8 year old son goes to extraordinary lengths to help, him meet the woman of his dreams (played by Meg
Ryan). Worth seeing though it’s pretty average and not particularly memorable.
Released
– 1993
Seen by me: 21.10.04 (with Naomi)
Something’s
Gotta Give
****
Thought provoking comedy about the unlikely romance between Harry Sanborn (Jack
Nicholson), a lecherous though quite charming serial-romancer who has never settled down and
Erica Berry (Diane Keaton) a prim, divorced author. Harry is dating Erica’s
daughter when he has a heart attack and is forced to recuperate in her house. Erica
finds this invasion of her privacy unbearable at first though the two gradually become friends…then more than friends. Both experience a change - Harry, aware
of his immortality for the first time wants to settle down whereas Erica is liberated by her first sexual experience in years
with her attractions divided between Harry and his doctor (Keanu Reeves) a big
fan of her novels. With the recovered Harry being seen out with another woman,
Erica plumps for the doctor…but there is a further twist in the tale yet. Something’s
Gotta Give is a clever, perceptive romantic comedy with fine performances by Nicholson and Keaton (though it could be argued
that they are both playing caricatures of themselves). An excellent film.
Released: 2003
Seen by me: 19.3.05
Spellbound
****1/2
Fascinating docu-film about eight children from widely different backgrounds who get
to the final of the National Spelling Bee Competition. The film simply introduces
us to each child and family then goes to the competition – all done with brilliant editing. It succeeds in its attempts not to stereotype the families involved and is a gentle, life-affirming celebration
of cultural diversity and the powers of education. Spellbound brilliantly shows
how capturing a real event really well can be more engrossing and nerve-wracking than the most far-fetched fictional blockbuster.
Released: 2003
Seen by me: 4.05 (with Naomi)
Spiderman
****¼
An excellent blockbuster movie which was praised by critics as well as cinema goers. Unlike most superhero blockbusters,
the emphasis on Spiderman is on a good story with strong characters rather than special effects and fantastic settings. It
is also updated to the present day rather than kept in the past or moved to the future which gives it a contemporary feel
lacking in other similar blockbusters. Spiderman also has some clever subtle humour and is an excellent, entertaining
film only hampered by some awful, blatant product placement.
Released - 2002
Seen by me: 10.8.03 (with Naomi)
Spider-man
2
****
Excellent adventure film which, like its predecessor, relies on more
than just action. This time round the slightly nerdy Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire)
is more angst-ridden about his super-hero gifts. He even refuses to wear the
Spider-man outfit for quite a while then, on relenting, faces the terrible dilemma facing superheroes from Batman to Harry
Potter – should he stay with the girl he loves endangering her safety with the “burden” of his incredible
gifts or let her go…
Although more serious than its predecessor, Spider-man 2 is not without humour – not least
from a terrible busker playing the theme to the late 60s Spidey TV series. The
first film probably has the edge but this is still a superior superhero adventure which is well worth seeing.
Released: 2004
Seen by me: 3.9.05 (with Naomi)
Spinal Tap, This Is
****
Classic
spoof rockumentary of an ageing, fading rock band on the road in the United States. Spinal Tap feels strangely
like a period piece now but is still funny, clever and quite telling. One of the main band members Christopher
Guest has gone on to make further spoof film such as the brilliant Best In Show and The Mighty Wind.
Released – 1984
Seen
by me: 16.1.05 (with Naomi)
Star Trek
*****
The
prequel film, showing the formative years of well known characters, has been increasingly popular in recent years. It's fascinating
to speculate and see how a character is shaped and, hot on the heals of Star Wars and Batman Begins, the crew of the US Enterprise
get the before-they-were-famous treatment.
What we learn is that, far from being born as the natural inspirational leader
he became, the young James T Kirk was something of a delinquent brat. Even more surprising, Spock and Uhuru had something
of a thing for each other...
Glib comments aside, this tale of the coming together of the seven main characters is thoughtful
and interesting as well as a great adventure as the young Kirk shows great bravery to ultimately display his potential and
secure his position after a fierce rivalry with Spock. The original TV Spock, Leonard Nimoy, touchingly makes an appearance
to endorse the new Star Trek in the sort of time travel scenario which only science fiction can get away with.
A more common
cinematic mode of time travel today is the prequel. Star Trek manages this with an excellent, fascinating movie which shows
great respect for the legendary TV Series which followed. "To boldly go...".
Seen by me - 4.8.13 (with Naomi)
Starsky & Hutch
****
Eagerly awaited film version if the classic 70s TV cop series starring Ben Stiller as the by-the-book
officer David Starsky and Owen Wilson as his more free-spirited partner Ken Hutchinson.
With greater contrasting personalities than I can remember form the series, the film begins the two cops being very
unwillingly brought together as partners but ends with them respecting each other and well on the way to a good friendship.
Stiller and Wilson are excellently cast, not least because they look so much like
the original Starsky and Hutch, and Snoop Doggy Dog is also excellent as Huggy Bear.
The original S&H also make an appearance with Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul being quite touchingly “reunited”
with their younger selves.
Starsky & Hutch is a good remake which, not
surprisingly, is mainly played for laughs. One quite unusual criticism is that
it could have been longer, allowing more time to develop the main characters and their relationship. Never mind though as it’s all nicely poised for a sequel. A
highly entertaining film which is well worth seeing.
Released: 2004
Seen by me:
21.1.06 (with Naomi)
Starter For Ten
****1/2
A highly entertaining comedy following the romantic entanglements and
University Challenge appearance of Brian Jackson (James McAvoy) during his first two terms at Bristol in 1985.
The promising
and versatile McAvoy is excellent as the likeable, small-town Brian. Catherine Tate is also very good as his Mum with her
"serious" acting now eclipsing her rather tired comedy TV show.
McAvoy and Tate are supported with some fine performances
of strong well-defined characters in this excellent, heart-warming, quintessentially British film with a fine 80s soundtrack
to boot.
Released: 2006
Seen by me: 21.1.07 (with Naomi)
Sylvia
***1/2
Film charting the turbulent relationship between Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes
with superb central performances by Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig and an excellent cameo by Michael Gambon. Sylvia
is almost purely about Plath and Hughes' relationship and doesn't really use flashbacks nor investigate the seeds of Plath's
mental instability. It is unremittingly depressing with hardly any redeeming humour and is a very good film though not
as imaginitive as other films I have seen in a similar genre such as The Hours and Hilary & Jackie. Even so, it
is still very much worth seeing.
Released - 2004
Seen by me: 30.3.04 (with Naomi)
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