DaViD´82

"Shoe Issue! “ A magically playful narrative piece that is full of surprises at every turn. And I should add that the surprises are highly pleasant and original, although sometimes they are “at all costs". From the very first shots after the opening credits when the scene quoted above like something out of The Draughtsman’s Contract happens, it is obvious that Tristram Shandy and the story of his conception is not going to be too serious. However, the shower of intelligent make-believe fun afterward in places borders on genius. Especially the author of the screenplay, Frank C. Boyle, and the director, Michael Winterbottom, absolutely excel. A prime example of how to adapt an un-filmable book... In its own special way, mind you.

James Wan is one neat filmmaker. After his feature-film debut which kicked off an endless tidal wave of R-rated horrors filmed like music videos, he decided to take a break and now he’s back with another horror. Surprisingly, this time he chose to build the atmosphere like in the old days. And he does well at it too. Dead Silence is inventive, a quality production, gorgeous music and everything a good horror should have. But still it is some way short of perfection. Mainly because Wan as a director failed to learn a lesson from his last movie and again cast actors who lack the slightest hint of charisma or acting talent. But in Dead Silence this matters much more than in Saw, where it was still just about bearable. On the other hand, Wan learned a lesson as a screenwriter. Again he didn’t refrain from giving us a moral, but at least it’s not so superficial as Saw’s moral. It true that it isn’t the most shocking of revelations, but in the context of the entire movie it makes sort of sense. And that’s worth something too.

When a screenplay for an action movie is written by Besson, you don’t expect to be drawn into the story at all. Usually his scripts are concerned with guys beating up on each other or shooting each other to bits in various stylish ways... This makes it even more surprising that various talking and wannabe story-making interludes take up a good two-thirds of the running time. The action sequences are pretty well done and, thanks to the parkour antics, gobsmacking, but they lack originality and are rather forgettable. Simply a solid, cheap B-movie that tries to be cool in all respects, but doesn’t manage even for an instant. On the other hand, it is neither lame nor ridiculous, so it’s quite a success.

A cult classic of the exploitation genre. Considering the reputation of this picture I would expect loads of scenes where a sadistic doctor played by Pam Grier is torturing everybody, loads of naked beauties behind bars and maybe elsewhere... Instead of that, this is chaste through and through and a sort of regular B-movie. It even has a story. Women in Cages is entertaining and surprisingly it isn’t ridiculous even at the moments when maidens in miniskirts are running around the jungle with machine guns. It’s not at all bad, not relying on just a couple of good scenes, but overall its shamefully mediocre. We’ve seen so many B-movies like it and more are bound to follow.

If this is meant seriously, it is a very bad joke. Sanctuary is such an unimaginative, boring and amateurish mess that the opening episode already gives you a hard time. And if it was a deliberate joke by the creators, then they should have invited someone with at least a sense of humour to join the team.

A B-movie with all the trimmings. I have to give Anderson credit for being entertaining, though. Basically, for a long time, the only, within reason, successful adaptation of a computer game.

A (non)movie that is the embodiment of the term “controversial". Cannibal Holocaust is a hard movie to rate. It has no story, no actors either and the only thing that Cannibal Holocaust stands on is its “behind the scenes legend" about how (un)realistic the scenes are. It achieves its aim - to disgust - indisputably excellently, but at the same time it is a boring hundred minutes of tasteless masturbation about nothing. But still you learn something from it. Perhaps that nobody has the right to kill live animals for any kind of movie. But what if that wasn’t the point after all? You don’t know? Well nor do I. Perhaps you will uncover that proclaimed supposed philosophical side of it. Or perhaps not.

Almost a typical King movie that paradoxically has nothing whatsoever to do with Stephen King. An awesome idea with great potential about a motel room where something happened and ordinary things in it that you use everyday gain “weird" powers. From absolutely unusable ones, through humorous ones, to highly useful ones... This three-part miniseries has just three points that drain its credit. One of them is fundamental for the resulting quality. Firstly, the story is rather fragmented in the first half. Secondly, despite it being full of original ideas, much, really so much more could have been got out of this theme. And thirdly the production design looks exceedingly poor, which is rather surprising at a time when so many series look like movies. But these blemishes on its beauty are made up for by good actors, a perfect screenplay, the unarguable interest value of the topic and, last but not least, a great soundtrack.

An adaptation of a comic book that was a little before its time. It was one of the first to favor psychological aspects over action. Both elements are here and both great, although the low-key part is central point and the pillar carrying all of Hulk's weight. Eric Bana made the most of his opportunity, Jennifer Connelly is enchanting as usual and the rest of the cast fits its roles too. The only downside is that it is so strictly divided into a long psychological section at the beginning and pure action at the end. Better balanced blending might have improved things.

It starts very good, it continues mediocrely and ends very badly. Wasted potential translated into a completely mediocre and uninteresting film.