sutcal Reviews

Paper Soldiers (2002)

FLAME ME NOW for this comment - Use of F&** and Nig***

[3/10 · 23 February 2006]

I would be interested in anyone elses view of the frequency of profanity in this movie.

I found it difficult to enjoy purely due to the excessive use of language.

I do not recall (and have rated close to 1500 movies on here) any movie where the F word or the Nig*** word has been used so frequently. I would not be kidding if I said each would have to have been used close to 100 times during the movie.

Realising that the movie is a gheto movie (comedy they call it here), I did not find it amusing at all.

Behind Enemy Lines (2001)

Run Owen Run - Enjoyable but unrealistic

[27 March 2004]

I enjoyed the movie, but having said that I had to ignore the silliness of the plot and recognise that this was not a realistic action movie (just an enjoyable low intelligence flick).

A sad part of the movie was Gene Hackman, the movie looked like a paycheck only for him.

In relation to the action sequences, it was well filmed, but I still cant get over (spoilers coming), how Serbian military with machine guns can miss Owen Wilson from 50 yards, or how when faced with massacre, Serbian soldiers stand and face rocket helicopters like a mexican standoff...or how Owen can be on the other side of a hill being shot at yet the bullets still hit near his feet......

If you take all of this out of the equation, its not a bad movie.

But as long as you dont take it seriously.

If any one wants to comment or send a message on this movie, please message me.

Married 2 Malcolm (2000)

Absolute Crap

[3/10 · 31 December 2002]

Well other than seeing some good images of the Blackpool Tower, this movie is tedious, certainly not funny and does nothing to enhance the reputation of English Comedy (if Comedy is what it is supposed to be).

My recommendation is to avoid this movie at all costs. Its 90 minutes of your life you will be wasting.

Tomcats (2001)

Gutter Humour - Romantic Comedy....Not too bad

[12 November 2002]

Audiences are becoming accustomed to gutter humour as a pre-requisite for some American Romantic Comedies and this movie is no exception to the rule.

Jake Busey as an actor can be a little annoying (maybe its his Dad's teeth that have manifested themselves into his mouth) Jerry O'Connel who plays the lad Michael is not too bad as the comic romantic lead. Shannon Elizabeth is the eye candy in this movie (and what lovely Candy she is). The plot is predictable, the humour on the guttery side ..SPOILER....the runaway testical is the lowpoint of humour in the movie as is the girlfriend and the golf cart....Look at for the Bondage Grandma as well.

What is becoming sad is that despite all of this, I sat and watched the movie and was entertained (it got me on the right day).

The movie is the mould of the Farelly brothers (which I don;t usually like).

Check it out...definently a stag movie

Snow Day (2000)

Snow Day - Bring on school

[3/10 · 27 May 2002]

What a disappointment this movie turned out to be.

I have never been a Chevy Chase fan and maybe I am way too old, but was this movie supposed to be funny? Appeal to kids? Not sure.

The plot is pedestrean at best, the plot with so many ridiculous holes it is sad.

There are much better movies for kids out there.

Avoid like the plague

The Naked Jungle (1954)

Back when Charlton was the B Grade Star

[1/10 · 2 December 2001]

This movie was pretty ordinary. I am not sure if it was supposed to be a horror or some romantic adventure. It fails dismally at both.

Can never quite figure out how Chuckie made it big time with movies like this/

The Match (1999)

Pleasant movie but nothing special

[6/10 · 31 July 2001]

This was actually an enjoyable movie to watch, but nothing I would recommend to anyone as a "stand out". The entire movie centres around the pending soccer match between rival pub customers with the winner vanquishing the losers pub for ever.

The central character is the ultimate hero with the customary love interest that bears fruit at the very end of the movie. There are a couple of Cameo appearances from Alan Shearer and James Bond himself to carry some weight to the cast.

Sometimes these sort of movies can be a very enjoyable experience and I probably saw this one on the wrong day (was looking for something more meaty in plot).

It's sort of like a Full Monty crossed with Notting Hill type movie but not as good as either and certainly not as funny.

That said, passes the time when nothing else to do.

Papertrail (1998)

This is a trail I would avoid if I were you

[6/10 · 31 July 2001]

This is a low budget serial killer movie that is low budget and not the best quality acting either. In most serial killer movies, there is a twist or the killer is one of the characters you get to know. I won't give the ending away other than the "who is the killer" at the end of the movie is badly done (overworked) and leaves you pretty disappointed. I am also continually amazed at the stamina shown from gun shot victims (observe Mr Penn towards the end).

I am not sure what role Michael Marsden is playing in this movie. His character has no real bearing on the plot and fades in and out (and disappears before the end).

Its not big budget, has no big names and really is a TV/Video movie at best. Expect nothing flash and you won't be disappointed. There is a slight story there for the viewing, but its nothing that hasn;t been seen and done over and over and over (and much better as well)

Not worth the effort

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Not a bad period horror flick

[7/10 · 30 July 2001]

The problem with horror movies with blood and gore involved is that the audience is so used to the special effects these days that the shock value is no longer there. Therefore the strength of the plot becomes more important to retain the audiences attention for the duration of the movie.

To this end Sleepy Hollow is a novel way of turning a "slasher" movie into a period slasher movie. The problem with this is that the villain "or the suspense" associated with the Headless horsemen loses its scare factor after about 20 mins into the film. After than it is the inevitable ending that you come to expect with the hero saving the day.

Thats the problem I have with this movie, it promises so much yet you feel a little disappointed in the end that it never quite achieved what it set out to do.

Johnny Depp is a little annoying as the bumbmling constable whislt Chrisina Ricci's characted is not developed enough. She seems to fit the bill perfectly for her character, but we never get to see that enough in the movie.

As far as horror flicks go its not too bad. Maybe I have just come to expect more in a storyline these days.

The Love Letter (1999)

A Sad attempt at a love story - comedy/drama or neither

[5/10 · 29 July 2001]

I was very disappointed in this movie. The potential to build a compelling story around the anonymous love letter was certainly there, but somehow this movie has not capitalised on this opporutunity and what you are left with is a movie which can't seem to decide if it is a comedy or a drama.

Kate Capshaw's character is not developed enough and Tom Selleck seems to be stuck with the likeable oafs these days in the characters he portrays.

This movie is certainly forgetable and if you haven't seen yet, do yourself a favour and avoid.

The President's Man (2000 TV Movie)

Oh no Chucky what have you done here

[4/10 · 16 July 2001]

Well. I remember seeing MIA with Chuck...back in the early 80's that was Action (but if you see it now it is not the best :))). Then I saw this attempt at a movie and thought its actually worse than MIA. I am not sure what has made Chuck Norris such a long lived success in the USA. He has never really made a "blockbuster" box office smash like Van Damme or Seagal. Yet he is a likeable actor and seems to have a legend of fans out there.

This movie however is pretty poor. The stunts are choreographed and noticable. The story line is week (it looks like a tv show pilot). Some of the special effects are atrocious (you just have to see the parachuting out of a stealth bomber). Apart from the fact that you would not be able to do that, take a look at the cartoon image coming out of the plane..its really B grade in so many ways (even C grade).

Its a poor telemovie and not worth the effort of watching, so do yourself a favour and don't make the mistake that I did.

The World Is Not Enough (1999)

James Bond..the 19th installment and much of a muchness really

[7/10 · 16 July 2001]

I have always been an avid James Bond Fan from my younger years so I I haven't quite figured out why the movie did not appeal to me as much. It has the ladies, the action, the totally unrealistic plot like any other Bond movie..Brosnan is a good Bond (but not in the class of Connery or Moore). Maybe that's it. Modern technology makes the Bond stunts not as stand outish as they used to be.

Maybe its the female M...or John Cleese coming into the fray as the "replacement Q". Or maybe, just maybe after 19 Bond movies the novelty has worn off.

That said this is still a good Bond movie as far as Bond movies go, and the James Bond in this movie is a little more ruthless and callous in nature (watch to see as he doesn't always have to kill in this movie but does).

For those of you that watch this movie, don't expect a Bond classic, but it is one of the better Bond movies of recent times.

The Incident (1990 TV Movie)

Pleasant surprise

[7/10 · 13 July 2001]

I was pleasantly suprised by this made for TV murder movie.

Walter Matthau plays his part well and the storyline has enough twists and turns to keep your attention up. Added to this is that there is a strong storyline that doesn't insult the intelligence too much and has elements of realism to it (although not quite sure how German POW's managed to make it to the USA from Germany)

Worth a look 7/10

Holy Smoke (1999)

Very disappointing movie

[3/10 · 5 July 2001]

I was very disappointed in this movie. I am not quite sure whether it was supposed to be a drama or a black comedy. Clearly elements of the movie have the makings of a complex and enjoyable storyline, however this all gets lost in a storyline with characters that are quite simply annoying.

Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel are both accomplished actors, and despite their talents the movie drags on. There is some nudity and a much talked about "peeing" scene, but that seems to be the only "rememberable" moments in the movie.

Some may call it clever and enjoyable, but sorry it;s just ordinary to me.

Making it worse is the fact that it seems to portray Austrlians as somewhat DIPPY. I have a problem with that :))

The Corruptor (1999)

A times it hits the mark.....at times

[7/10 · 2 July 2001]

Yun-Fat Chow and Mark Wahlberg star in the latest offerings in the genre of "action police" movies.

Early on the scenes seem to jump like a cross between NYPD and a John Woo action flick. This is extremely annoyong at takes some time to get into the swing of the movie as a whole.

I am not a big fan of Mark Wahlberg whose character seems to be a little annoying for my liking. Without giving the plot away, the ending is predictable and the development of the characters and the "respect" for each other, is not really convicing.

The action in the movie is really frantic at times and so unrealistic it becomes detrimental to the movie. If I see machine gun fired at close range into a car whilst missing the hero's one more time in a movie I'll scream. Some gangsters couldn't hit the GoodYear Blimp at 5 feet.

Maybe I am getting over the action movie, or maybe I have seen enough good ones to pick a bad one early on in the peace.

See for yourself

The Hound of the Baskervilles (2000 TV Movie)

Not the Greatest Sherlock Holmes movie

[7/10 · 16 June 2001]

This is a fairly pleasant television movie, but nothin spectacular either.

For those familiar with Sherlock Holmes and this famous story, the ending is known from the beginning. For those who haven't read the book, the plot has some nice twists and changes along the way, before coming to the inevitable ending with Holmes saving the day.

If you like low budget murder mystery's give this one a look, but don't expect a gripping version of this story.

Simply Irresistible (1999)

Easily Irresistible

[3/10 · 29 December 2000]

Unfortunately this is not what I consider a good movie.

I don't quite see the purpose of the movie. The plot was thin, predictable and right from the outset was unrealistic. A magic Crab (not sure what the crab was supposed to be). The usual happy ending occurs and in between is 1.5 hrs of silly storyine and shallow characters.

Avoid it as its not worth the effort

Blackjack (1998 TV Movie)

Boo Hoo a shocking Woo

[3/10 · 2 August 2000]

I have read many of the users comments regarding this so called action movie. Having seen this movie last night on cable TV here, I have to comment on how poor the movie was.

Some users comment that as a John Woo movie it has good action sequences....I disagree. The acting is bordering on C grade and the plot....well what plot...

If this was ever seriously considered as a TV series then US TV must be in a very sad state of affair.

I have never been a Dolf fan and hus acting has not improved in the 15 or so years since he played Drago in Rocky. In fact it looks like he is trying to come across as a serious actor in his movies. A lesson here, look at Jean Claude Van Damme....stick to action only.

I think it is evident that I think the movie was poor. Woo made Face Off.....how did he manage to make this crap then?

When Danger Follows You Home (1997 TV Movie)

Ok to watch...but on video only

[6/10 · 21 July 2000]

This movie has some interesting twists, but ultimately is predicatble as to the outcome. It has all the hallmarks of a Mary Higgins Clark mystery novel in the the heroine in this movie solves the case and bags the baddie. There is also the obligatory "cop love interest" who seems to be likeable but totally inept as a detective...This sounds too familiar with many movies I have seen.

It's a tv movie, with no major stars...so you can't expect a big budget thriller...It was too predicatble for my liking but watchable nonetheless.

Give it a go and form your own view.

The Piano Lesson (1995 TV Movie)

A movie you will either like or hate

[4/10 · 11 July 2000]

I must confess I always have difficulty with some of the made for TV movies that I get to watch on my pay tv channels here in Australia.

The Piano lesson is once such movie.

The story line seems to have no real purpose other than a sibling squabble over a family piano. And I am not sure as to what the "supernatural" element to the movie is supposed to do in relation to enhancing the story. Without the absurdity of this, it may have passed as an acceptable "Afro american" period movie.

I am not a big Charles Dutton fan and I feel there is an element of overacting at times with his character who I dislike more and more as the movie goes on.

For me a 4/10 and that was being kind

Sarafina! (1992)

What was this movie suppoased to be

[2/10 · 9 June 2000]

I just didn't get this movie...Was it a musical? no..but there were choreographed songs and dancing in it...

Was it a serious drama....no the acting was not good enough for that.

Is Whoopi Goldberg a quality serious Actor..Definently not.

I had difficulty staying awake through this disjointed movie. The message on apartheid and the "tribute" to the students who died during a student uprosing is noted. But as entertainment this was very poor and as a documentary style movie it was worse.

See for yourself, but in fairness I hated it

Wishmaster (1997)

This was awful

[3/10 · 19 May 2000]

How I managed to sit through the whole movie is a mystery to me as it was awful...no it was CRAP.

For those of you that watched this sad excuse for a horror movie, my sympathy goes out to you all.

It is ironic that the premise of the movie is that by having a wish granted to you by a demon...horrible things would happen to you (slow painful death etc). During the movie I wished I was no longer watching it....My pain was to have to sit through it.

This movie actually makes "Grandmothers House" look like a plausible horror movie and that movie I rated 1/10.

Do yourself a favour. avoid this rubbish at all costs

Sub Down (1997 TV Movie)

Sub Down, Thumbs Up

[7/10 · 5 January 2000]

This isn't a bad movie at all. If you allow for some fairly "reality check plot gaps" and lack of special effects (compared to other genre movies), the movie is a pretty good suspense thriller.

I am slowly warming to Stephen Baldwin and Gabrielle Anwar I could watch all day. Tom Conti is also good.

Take a look at this one, you may be pleasantly suprised

Photographing Fairies (1997)

A thinking man's fairy movie

[7/10 · 4 January 2000]

Occasionaly I am pleasantly suprised by the quality of a movie that I had never heard of prior to watching it. Photographing Fairies (or Apparition as it was tagged by our local Pay TV provider) is on such movie.

Toby Stephens plays Charles Castle (Stephens to me has some strikingly similar traits to Hugh Grant), who tragically lost his wife on the Swiss Alps. The movie chronicles his struggles to come to grips with her death and how the possibility of an afterlife (I don't wish to give the story away)makes him obsessed to prove that there is such an afterlife.

I was impressed by Stephens in this movie and am sure that bigger things will come his way. I was also impressed with Emily Woof who plays the romantic (if that can be said) support to Stephens. Woof was very good in the Woodlanders and continues her fine form here.

Ben Kingsley is also commanding in the movie and his counternance to Stephens desire to prove the existence of the fairies is the keystone of the movie's conclusion.

I tend to like movies that have story lines that I have not come across before. This is one such movie. The pleasing aspect is that the acting supports the plot which leads to a pleasant viewing experience.

This movie gets my thumbs up 7/10

Wrongfully Accused (1998)

Leslie Nielsen - Wearing thin in these types of rolls

[6/10 · 2 January 2000]

When I first saw Naked Gun, I laughed myself almost to tears. Numerous sequels and similar type movies later, one has to question why they are still made. Yes there are some funny momements, but overall the movie is a tired attempt at humour that really offers nothing new to the audience.

This time Leslie Nielsen plays Ryan Harrison who has been wrongfully accused of a murder he did not commit. The basis of the script is to parody the Fugitive. This it does effectively at times.

Richard Crenna as Lt Fergus Falls plays the Tommy Lee Jones role here. I find Crenna to be somewhat annoying (I suppose this is exactly what he is supposed to be). Unfortunatley I didn't find it funny.

Kelly LeBrock remains a true beauty (the cigar scene would make Bill Clinton recall some moments best forgotten). Her role is that of the scheming adultress who orchestrates her husband's (Michael York)murder.

Leslie Nielsen fans will undoubtedly love this movie. I actually like Nielsen, however too many movies of the same vain have now stereotyped him in to these type of roles on a permanent basis. If you are tired of this type of movie, do yourself a favour and avoid it.