An incredible "black box theatre" production of Macbeth featuring some of the finest Shakespearean actors England had to offer. The stripped-down production involves the actors stepping out of a circle of chairs to perform their scenes in the center of the "stage". Both McKellan & Judi Dench are amazing -- in particular, watch McKellan's stunning moment when he acts out the scene where Macbeth sees his murdered friend Banquo: McKellan turns into a truly horrified, snarling, drooling animal & it's chilling! A must for any fan of Shakespeare, the play & a must see for anyone thinking of going into theatre directing or production -- shows what a great cast can do with almost nothing!
Reviews
8 Reviews
Quantum of Solace
(2008)
If you're a Bond fan, you'll know it's great; if you're not, give it a chance...
14 February 2011
QoS is the most misunderstood Bond film. Of course, those who hate it will complain about that statement & about my use of the word "misunderstood", but people write Roger Ebert all the time saying he missed the point about films he slagged, like Scooby-Doo or Kick Ass & others that really didn't deserve to get a wide release. They've based their opinions on having watched this film only a single time & dismissing it as a clone of the Bourne series. What they fail to see is a complex story, which is what the Bond series is ultimately supposed to be. What they also fail to see is an excellent performance by Daniel Craig, who returns to the character with conviction; I've been reading Fleming's original novels & the Bond presented in those stories was a cold-blooded, calculating killer. So, maybe Marc Forster borrowed a bit heavily from the fast-cutting, blurry-moving action sequences of Bourne & perhaps we've overdosed on them. However, I found the story to be solidly told; we're talking about a *developing* character here, NOT a continuation of the character that'd become too tongue/cheeky thru the Moore years & had grown obnoxious by the time Die Another Day was released, one of the worst films in the series.
Die Another Day
(2002)
One of the lesser Bonds...
10 December 2002
I'm not impressed. I've been a fan of the series since I was 15 & I think Pierce Brosnan has done very well up to now (he's the suavest Bond since Connery & he's also a good actor!) but this one is weak. Seems the emphasis is mostly on producing costly FX that don't really look that good to begin with. This is also at the expense of a stronger, more original story. Ok, I admit that the series has been eye-candy for 40 years but most of the other stories (Dr No, Goldfinger, The Spy Who Loved Me, TWINE, etc.) had WEIGHT to them. Some of the action sequences are fun & a visit to Q's lab is always a joy but this time the improbable romance (Bond & Jinx) is underdeveloped & comes off as implausible, the villains aren't very menacing, & the jet that serves as the Graves' base of operations LOOKS like a CGI fake. I know that they can do much better than this.
Spider-Man
(2002)
I wasn't very impressed...
17 July 2002
I have to say that I was not at all moved by Spider-Man. For a concept that was over 20 yrs in the making & heavily anticipated by millions of fans, the final product is a vast disappointment. The producers do very little to enhance the classic story of Peter Parker & his transformation into Marvel Comic's most popular hero. I found the CGI to be substandard, most of the time our hero LOOKS like a rubbery computer-generated puppet akin to JarJar Binks. The battle sequences are uninspired & many elements are stolen from countless other FX-driven films. The Goblin's costume looks like a plastic horror, why not simply stick with the classic fabric version from the comic books? The acting is mostly average to dull with the exception of Tobey Maguire who does his best despite a mediocre script. The plot is choppy & frenetically paced with little explanation of the sequence of events. Calling this the best superhero film is an overstatement considering the better job done with X-Men two years ago.
Miller's Crossing
(1990)
The best film the Coens have done.
26 January 2001
Now, here's something that never made any sense: How come Fargo got all the accolades & this film was largely ignored? In terms of dialogue, scriptwriting, and character development this film is far & beyond Fargo. Here it's more important to LISTEN.
Now, when the hell will it be released on DVD?? If there was ever a film that's screaming out to be put on disc this is it!
Now, when the hell will it be released on DVD?? If there was ever a film that's screaming out to be put on disc this is it!
Night of the Living Dead
(1968)
A total classic!!
31 October 2000
The perfect film for Halloween night. Sure, it's tame by today's standards but horror flicks have been influenced by this one for over 30 years. My favorite scene has to be when Ben gives Cooper a fisticuffing & says "I oughta drag you out there & FEED you to those things!!"
By the way, does anyone else chuckle whenever somebody refers to the ghouls as "those things"? Somebody ought to count how many times the phrase is repeated during the movie. I think the answer would be surprising.
By the way, does anyone else chuckle whenever somebody refers to the ghouls as "those things"? Somebody ought to count how many times the phrase is repeated during the movie. I think the answer would be surprising.
True Lies
(1994)
A few flaws but a great action picture.
18 August 2000
This would've been a perfect entry in the action genre if it weren't for one almost fatal flaw: Cameron spends a full third of the film (45 mins) showing how Harry deals with Helen's infidelity. If this sequence had been streamlined (IE, shortened) then I probably wouldn't skip over it every time I watch it. Fortunately Cameron makes up for it with some of his greatest action work yet. Both Harrier sequences are still pretty stunning!
Dead Poets Society
(1989)
Overrated
18 July 2000
Yes, Robin Williams is fine in this film. However, the film as a whole is highly overrated when you consider that the remainder of the characters are underdeveloped & the story is nothing more than a cliched commentary on free thought & expression. The only student who really stands out is Robert Sean Leonard's character, Neil. BUT, to call this Robin William's best performance is crazy when you compare the character to Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting. Also, I can't forgive the screenwriters for deliberately misquoting Walt Whitman.
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