serf9 Reviews

Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009)

An important film

[7/10 · 15 May 2010]

Glancing at the subject line of this post, many of you are bound to think I'm about to make a sarcastic remark. But no – I will go out on a limb here, and explain why this really is an important film ... and I can almost hear you gritting your teeth in anticipative reaction.

I feel that the majority of voters give it 4/10 mainly because it's not what they were expecting: they expected/wanted to see a romantic comedy that sticks to the tried-and-true formula of good film-making ... yes, I am saying that these days whenever a film doesn't stick to the rules, the masses will gripe about it. You may believe that this is only fair, especially if you're one of those extremely critical types who convince yourselves each time that the best films have the fewest mistakes. It would seem that some of us forget that we're human sometimes and not heartless calculating machines. Are flaws the only yardstick by which a film's worth is measured? It's almost like every time a flaw comes up, the critic in you jolts you out of what would otherwise be a happily immersed state to decry, "look, a fault – that's another point off!" This attitude only distances the viewer from the story. To really appreciate the essence of some films what we need to do is throw the bitter judge's hat away.

Now why am I even bothering to rant on like this? Well, my point is that life itself (which films like this are attempting to emulate) is like that!!! Sometimes, in life we have to put up with annoying people like Jessica-Parker for a full hour and a half. Maybe that's the whole reason why Grant's character broke up with her in the first place! So in my mind, her awfully miscast character (that's my mistaken film-critic devil-on-the- shoulder talking again), actually made the film work all the more!

I applaud the filmmakers for -- unabashedly -- not sticking to the 'what pleases' formula. For the first half hour or so, I noticed many of its flaws too, and then I decided to sit back and ignore them. The pleasing result of this change in attitude was that I became captivated and touched by all of its human elements and believable, real-life characters (mainly the townsfolk from Wyoming) and their laid-back friendliness. The story although slow at times (like life again) flowed pretty well. Its simplicity was a breath of fresh air – unlike the vast majority of other films these days which try (and fail) ever so hard to be the next Best Picture.

Another flaw that worked for me (haha, yes flaws CAN be good!) but only once the film was over was the relationship between Grant's character and the owner of the restaurant. Grant said something like "so I guess we're friends now" at the end, and the guy scowled back at him. As viewers, we didn't really care about their relationship because up until that point we didn't see what had happened between them since they first met, BUT some relationships are like that –- and while most editors would have cut that scene all together, sometimes trivial relationships do make up one's cherished recollections of time out in the country.

Anyway, in a nutshell, I thought it was a very good film, as it wasn't rushed, didn't care about getting everything perfect, and the portrayal of life in Wyoming (whether it's really like that or not) was charming. The film is a window into the world that is Wyoming, and made for a great escape into a life quite unlike my own. At the film's end I actually missed some of its many lovable characters, and learnt a few lessons about what's really important – lead a simple country life, and your city worries will fade away.

The Fog (2005)

Messy structure, awful directing and too much overblown filler

[4/10 · 14 July 2006]

Keep it Simple Stupid is my message to the filmmakers.

This film doesn't work. Sure, it pieces together at the end and makes sense, but it's one of those films with too many scenes that achieve nothing but bloat.

Why add another death? We know the ghosts are coming to take out whoever gets in their path, but the message is clear after a few of those. Cut the bulk of the uninventive scenes out -- like cars (yes, plural!) not starting when a zombie is on your tail. Focus on making the good ones better by drawing them out a bit, injecting some suspense and asking yourself, "Is this scary?" If it's not, then modify it until it is.

So after wading through a hundred more scenes of watching zombies and fog kill people, the film finally draws to a close and we get to learn what is going on. Personally, I think this film would have been more effective had we been given the background at the beginning of the film. Instead, we're left wondering what the hell is going on right until the end by which point we no longer care.

A script with more err ... script would have helped made the point of the film clearer too. We shouldn't have to scratch our heads all the time. I'm not advocating dumbing it down, just telling the story more effectively by adding a few realistic conversations -- then it's a win-win situation: by watching the characters communicate, we care for them more, and we follow the story better.

The pacing was another issue. There weren't enough slow/quiet scenes, so like most modern horror, it felt rushed, which is the director's fault. If you want something to be scary, a buildup can work wonders to frighten someone -- see What Lies Beneath (Zemeckis knows Hitchcock had it right).

The trouble with this film, like so many others, is that the budgets are too big. Directors make the mistake of putting special effects everywhere they can, instead of where they're needed. Look at some of the 70s horror classics and learn: Keep it Simple (Stupid!) and refrain from making the objective to cram as much crap down our throats as possible, or face the consequence: sensory overload and glazed eyes.

Take the Lead (2006)

Disappointing

[5/10 · 29 June 2006]

I was really looking forward to this film but came out highly disappointed.

Everything was good about this film except the editing, screenplay, character development, clichés, mediocre direction ... oh, and there wasn't much of a story.

I know it's 'based on a true story' but let's emphasise _based_: it could have been dramatized better than this. Instead, in true Hollywood fashion, we end up with yet another could-have-been. Obviously, the producers made it because the concept sells. They couldn't have cared less whether the movie was any good. Without mincing my words, this film is a diabolically formulaic, string of familiar scenes joined together with plot devices.

Right from the beginning we know we've seen countless films like it and this feeling continues right through. I think we call that feeling boredom, or is it, disappointment? Boredom throughout and then disappointment at the end because our hopes are dashed. Put it this way, I was waiting for plot development, a buildup to a climax and gripping drama. Unfortunately, that never happened. That's why I was left disappointed.

Anybody who liked this film just doesn't see what it could have been.

Equilibrium (2002)

Very good but has flaws (spoilers)

[8/10 · 28 September 2004]

"Nothing is creative, only its sources are well hidden"

In this case, the sources were not so well-hidden (at least to me) so it came across as derivative. More than one idea was quite plainly _stolen_ -- not that this really matters, but it does take away from so-called 'creativity'. I'm not hounding the film; I think it's quite brilliant, but my gripe is that the sources could have been _better_ hidden.

Some more obvious idea theft included an adaptation of elements of 1984 and A Brave New World (if you've read those books, their influences will stare you in the face). Additionally, there was a symbol that looked like the Swastika (it's obvious similarity plainly intentional) and the fight choreography was clearly influenced by the Matrix ... and I knew there was something familiar about the way Christian Bale walked and looked and I finally picked it when he put on the white uniform -- Being somewhat of a Bruce Lee fan, I recognized the uniform. That's when Bale became the Bruce Lee of Guns: taking out hundreds and yet receiving nothing but a mere scratch on his face in return.

As for the notion of a society without emotion, I noticed several people had them: I caught a smirk from a couple of characters and a couple got angry.

Lastly, the ending was a bit abrupt -- I think it would have been more effective had it too conveyed emotion, given that the people with emotions eventually reigned. After all the message of the film was emotions are important.

Metro (1997)

Very good Cop Flick

[8/10 · 5 March 2004]

Metro isn't really a movie that would make you feel you got your money's worth if you saw it at the cinema, because it doesn't have enough explosions but I just saw it on TV and the well-developed plot made it very satisfying.

The street car scene is quite riveting although a bit unconvincing, with Murphy jumping back and forth from a moving car to the street car -- the criminal points a gun at him once he's made it to the street car but doesn't shoot him (even though he's just killed some other people in the car). The street car minus the driver has built up so much speed that the brakes won't work so Murphy jumps acroos to land in his cop car to steer it in front of the moving street car to stop it that way -- showing how both cops are willing to risk their own lives using the car as a brake. Of course the street car comes to a halt JUST before the street car comes to the end of its line, where it would have taken out a crowd of people who just scream, refusing to move -- so yeah unconvincing but fun.

I believe this is one of Eddie Murphy's strongest performances ever but unfortunately he's in a movie that albeit very good, screams made-for-TV.

Twin Dragons (1992)

Twin Dragons is a uplifting extravaganza of fun and beauty

[9/10 · 14 February 2002]

Twins separated at birth meet again blah blah

But it's fun to watch and you get to see Jackie Chan's hilariously imaginative fight scenes!

With a couple of babes thrown in and the inadvertent swapping of partners from one twin to the other, you can but tempt to imagine the glorious fun that results. This is Jackie at his silly best, a dignified world-famous conductor in one role whilst a bumbling bad-ass mechanic in the other, we get to see how versatile, if unique, an actor he is.

For much of the film, both twins keep meddling in each other's lives causing havoc and confusion without knowing the cause until finally they come face to face...

I saw it 10 years ago, several times because of its watchability. The soundtrack was excellent -- I still remember some of the tunes now.

Feeling down, need a lift? This flick will rejuvenate your spirit for open-hearted fun living.

9/10