Change Your Image
canadianguy62
Reviews
Elle s'appelait Sarah (2010)
Very good book ... not such a great movie.
The movie fairly true to the book in that the telling of the story was done with flash-backs and flash-forwards and things pretty well followed the same plot. However, where the book was a compelling read, the movie was far less so.
I hate to be picky, but I have to say that the single most frustrating thing about the movie was the very poor quality of the subtitles. Since this movie starred an Anglo actress (Kristin Scott Thomas) and some of the dialogue was in English, the subtitles should have been decent ... unfortunately no.
Here are a few examples.
"That's what I said yesterday al Normally he should be." (Huh? al? and why is normally capitalized? and exactly what the hell are you trying to say?).
"You never reacts, Julia. I have three ties left a message" I think what is meant here is, "You never answer, Julia. I have left three messages."
And another, "Bertrand I have spoken. He said you write an article about ..." How about, "Bertrand and I have spoken. He said you are writing (or you wrote) and article about ..."
It was very distracting having to read these dreadful translations and it took a lot away from the movie. Surely, they could have asked Kristin Scott Thomas - or anyone else with basic English skills - to give them a once over and make them readable. It's mind-blowing how awful they were (and the examples I gave were all from about one five- minute stretch in the movie ... there are dozens more just like them).
Kickoff (2011)
Simply put ... awful!
Where to start? I did not give a rat's ass about any of the characters; they we so poorly-developed that I knew so little about them I could not.
I admit that I don't know a whole lot about soccer, but for a group of guys that supposedly had (potentially) a star candidate (Danny) on the pitch, it was pretty poor-quality play.
The idea that the other team would not know that the gay team was, indeed, gay is laughable at best, and a complete insult to the viewer's intelligence at worst.
Near the end, when there was a shoot-out, the drug addict (Jensen) is finally chosen to kick the ball; he misses (that was the only surprise in this movie ... aside from it being a total piece of crap ... I expected him to be somewhat heroic in that kick). Anyway, the girl on the sidelines (Alexandria, a supporter of the "straight" team) rips up the papers in her hand in (seeming) disgust ... the only thing is, from the expression on her face, one would think that she is actually smiling or laughing about it. It's called acting, Ms. Frost ... try it some time.
The real kicker (no pun intended) came when the ref called time after the shoot-out ended with things still tied. I could understand the opposing teams being ticked off about that, but why in the name of all that is good and holy would either of the teams that have been waiting to takeover the field also be protesting to the ref? That made absolutely no sense whatsoever! (But what can one expect from such an utter waste of celluloid.)
I've heard it said that it is hard to get a script produced ... I'd have to say that it is not hard enough!
Searching for Sugar Man (2012)
A beautiful movie about a beautiful human being!
I honestly had no idea what I was going into when I went to see this movie. I hadn't read anything about it, but had heard rumblings about how good it was. I knew it was about music (simply from the guitar logo) but, for some reason, assumed that it was about a blues legend.
The story unfolded beautifully ... initially, we hear that the singer Rodriguez was dead (a couple of tragic scenarios were presented). When we find out that he is alive and well ... well, I cannot describe the overwhelmingly pleasant feeling that I had about that ... I choked up and wiped away a tear, I have to admit.
My only regret about this movie is that I waited too late to see it. I went about one or two weeks after Rodriguez appeared here in Vancouver, BC. Had I seen the movie and known the beauty of his music, I might have been more aware and gone to see him in concert. (In any event, I bought his CDs and the movie soundtrack after, so I am all set.)
I cannot recommend this movie enough; I cannot imagine anyone not having a heart-warming feeling after seeing it.
Avatar (2009)
An entertaining movie, but certainly not worthy of Best Picture
The plot was weak and the acting sub-par, so it really is not worthy of the Academy Award for Best Picture. If I hadn't seen it in 3D, I don 't know if I'd have given it a vote of 5. It is worthy of some technical Oscars, but that's about it. I'm not saying it won't win the top honours, as I'm sure it will. There's no accounting for taste in Hollywood - just look at the outfits they wear at awards' shows.
It's truly unfortunate that some good movies were overlooked, and that, of the 10 nominated, 9 don't stand a snowball's chance. The Oscars were supposed to be above the blockbuster box office movies and recognise gems; I guess those days, sadly, are behind us.
Time After Time (1979)
Weak premise ... even weaker execution - part one
Wouldn't it have been easier for Wells to go back in time 15-20 minutes and ensure that Dr. Stevenson/the Ripper didn't escape the police? Yes, it would have ruined the whole premise, but that proves just how weak the premise was.
H G Wells would have been 22 when Jack-the-Ripper was on his killing spree; his last known victim was killed in November 1888 and Wells was born in 1866. Malcolm McDowell, who plays Wells, was 36 when he made this film and David Warner, who plays Dr. Stevenson/the Ripper, was 38. Stevenson was, "approximately 37"; the actors playing these characters are two years apart in age, yet we're to believe that they're 15 years apart in the film?
The time machine is set for 11:15, and, when comparing his pocket watch to the clock in the museum, notes that it is "8 hours off". The clock showed 2:28, suggesting that he arrived at about 2:15 or so. Either he did not arrive at 11:15 (London time) as he set the time machine to do, or the setting of the clock on the museum wall was wrong. If the former, it was not explained; if the latter, it was a serious lapse in continuity. Either way, this was a glaring error, unfortunately typical of this poor production. I thought it possible that this was due to the autumn time change, but Britain and the US both changed their clocks on 28 October of 1979, so it could not have been from that. Nor is it GMT as there is 8 hours' difference between GMT and PST when the autumn time change is made.
Stevenson must have been carrying a crap-load of British pounds or precious metal of some sort or another. Had he hidden anything in his doctor's bag, it would have been useless, as he left the bag at Wells' place. Later on we see that he still has the musical locket; surely he could have commanded a very high price for that!
Certainly Stevenson did not have a credit card which allowed him to book a room at a nice hotel. As for the British Pounds (from 1888 or earlier) that Wells converted at the bank
that simply would not have happened; they would have been taken out of circulation years before and would not be convertible at a currency exchange/bank. The value in those bills would have been found at a coin dealer. The fact that the banker even advised Wells of that makes me wonder why they didn't simply send Wells to a coin dealer to get (quite likely) much more US money for his bills. Very poor script-writing!
The letterhead upon which Stevenson writes a note for Wells, is from St. Bartholomew Hospital (where the Dr. practiced in 19th-century London). Even though Dr. Stevenson ditched his clothes to look more modern, we're to believe he held onto a piece of letterhead that might have been in the pockets?
When Wells shows the time machine to his "girlfriend", he sets "point of origin" as the 7th of November; he only arrived on the 5th. We're to believe that all of the stuff that had taken place to that point happened in just two days?! Come on!
Also, she read a headline in the "future" newspaper that showed her as having been killed; if she were alive when she went in the time machine, how could she have been killed? Would she not have been "nowhere to be found" between the date when they went into the time machine and when they arrived in the future? I don't purport to understand the whole quantum theory thing, but even that seems a stretch.
They were talking about the murders that the Ripper has committed in SF and Wells said that they were too late to prevent the murder of the 3rd victim, but could prevent the 4th. Couldn't he simply travel back in time and prevent all four murders? Again, that pesky back-in-time thing!
Finally, he removes the "vapourising equaliser" at the end and Stevenson is sent into infinity? Not only did it appear that Stevenson hadn't done anything to set the dials to any alternate time, but how come he travelled initially without the equaliser, and simply ended up at a point-in-time with no machine for time travel, yet this time he's gone to infinity? Maybe I missed something, but that seems a rather convenient plot element (delivered completely from left field).
I know one is supposed to suspend belief, but that doesn't mean throw out all common sense.
Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild! (2008)
Total crap
A total piece of s#@t! Save yourself two hours of your life and do something meaningful, like watch paint dry!
I really enjoyed the first one and was anxious to see the sequel. I cannot recall if I laughed once. I certainly squirmed a lot, groaned and shook my head.
I have often heard that it is difficult to get a move from script to the screen; too bad that adage did not hold true in this instance.
Ru Paul and Perez Hilton were absolutely awful! The worst of a bad lot (and that is say a great deal!). Brent Corrigan's butt was very nice to look at, but I can find that on-line, along with the rest of his naked body!
Seriously, save yourself and watch something else.
Face/Off (1997)
Very poor
Great concept, but poorly executed!
According to the chronology of the film, John Travolta's character morphed into Nicholas Cage's, and was fully-functioning before the reverse happened. So, we're to believe that not only one, but two consecutive face transplants can occur, and the patients fully recover within a 9 day period?! Since this is the whole premise of the film, it falls completely apart at that point.
Also, were their penises also transplanted, or did the wife/girlfriend not see the husband/boyfriend naked? Surely they would have noticed!
What about the FBI agents who were in on the initial operation? How come they would not have been made aware when the switchback was, supposedly, done? When Cage came in looking like Travolta, shouldn't they have known something was up?!
I fell asleep on and off throughout it, so maybe I missed a couple of things. I suspect, though, that all I missed out on were those two wasted hours of my life that I won't get back!
Ethan Mao (2004)
Worst movie I have seen in years ... perhaps ever!!!
I'm sorry, but I cannot understand what people were smoking when they wrote how great they thought "Ethan Mao" was. I have seen better acting, character and plot development in pornos! WARNING: I am going to give away a key element to the "plot". After holding his family hostage overnight, Ethan lets his vile, evil, hated step-mom go to the bank - ALONE!!! - to retrieve the piece of his late mom's jewellery which he so desperately wants. Guess what? She calls the cops! Wow ... what a twist! I couldn't see that coming at all.
The only good thing about this movie was that it was less than 90 minutes.
Pure, unadulterated rubbish!