Change Your Image
kurt120
Reviews
Fovou tous Ellines... (2000)
a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.
European and Australian movie values mix in Beware of Greeks Bearing Guns, a subtle comedy about love and pride. Lakis Lazopoulus, revered in his home country as the 'Greek Seinfeld', makes his feature film debut alongside experienced Australian actress Zoe Carides. Lazopoulos plays a Greek school teacher expected to avenge the murder of his grandfather 57 years ago. Growing up with the expectation that he would clear his Yiayia's (grandmother's) vendetta has proved tough for gun shy Manos, but making it worse is the fact his more volatile twin brother George (also cleverly played by Lazopoulos) is keen to take destiny into his own hands. However, tradition decrees that the oldest son must do the honurs and when the long missing murderer is discovered in Melbourne, Manos must face his demons, leaving George behind to stew in his own juices. In Melbourne he is tutored in the art of assassination by old family friend Stephanos (John Bluthal) and is reunited with his hostile former fiancee Nicki (Carides). Only when George arrives in Australia to take control of the job is the truth of the vendetta revealed. Clocking in at a short 82 minutes, Beware of Greeks.doesn't waste any time. Director John Tatoulis works to a tight schedule and succeeds in telling a good story without the unnecessary embellishment experienced in Let's Get Skase, his last major outing. Also worth noting is the film debut of striking Claudia Buttazzoni who graces the screen as Nicki's daughter. Buttazzoni, who has had guest appearances in Home and Away, Neighbours and Blue Heelers, gives a great performance as a teenager looking for her identity, reminiscent of Pia Miranda in Looking For Alibrandi.
The Hard Word (2002)
Lock Stock and Aussie?
Big time Hollywood star Guy Pearce returns to his old stomping grounds in Australia to headline crime thriller The Hard Word. Straight out of the pages of a Robert G Barrett or Gary Disher novel, The Hard Word has plenty of p(l)ot holes, making for an occasionally bumpy ride. But it does the job as a gritty Australian crime story. Also owes something to the direction of Guy Ritchie as several times I felt like I was watching an Australian version of Lock Stock. Pearce heads a trio of bank robbing brothers stuck in jail, waiting to be released by their employers high profile members of the police force and their lawyer. Upon their release they become involved in a new scam, developed by their crooked lawyer, which could make them very rich. The old criminal traps of sex and greed rear their head however, producing a cataclysmic reaction. Joining Pearce in a quality Australian cast are Golden Globe winner Rachel Griffiths, Joel Edgerton (The Secret Life of Us), Damien Richardson, Vince Colosimo and Kym Gyngell. The real beauty of this film is that it' obviously Australian. So many Aussie films these days pander to the American market by reducing the Australian identity. However, in The Hard Word we see the back streets of Melbourne and Sydney, the tarmac entrances to the cities and even our nation's obsession with big objects gets a run. There's been no attempt to make the cities and other backdrops more glamorous and therefore less identifiably Australian. The crims in this film live on the edge of their seats, like real criminals everywhere. They are hard men, but with personalities like you and me. Not like the characters we are served in American movies who drive around in flash vehicles, live in mansions and take great delight in getting involved in car chases with police. These guys live in the shade, avoiding confrontation and identification where able. It is this respect for Australia and the determination of the film makers to give The Hard Way some substantive local grit that makes it a successful film, proving that not all Australian movies have to be quirky. Weekly recommended movie: Two Hands (1999) starring Heath Ledger, Bryan Brown, Rose Byrne and Tom Long. If you loved The Hard Word, then this is certainly the movie for you.
Summer Catch (2001)
hmmmm
With the school holidays coming up, Summer Catch will be the ideal flick to keep the kids occupied. Based around the United States' national past-time, baseball, Summer Catch is a predictable tale about a young up and comer Ryan Dunne, played by Freddie Prinz Jr., wanting to take his chance and head to the big time. Dunne is a star pitcher with a past (sounds like Charlie Sheen's character in Major League) who is wracked with self doubt, mostly caused by his fiery temper. Adding to Dunne's issues' is his relationship with beautiful Tenley Parish (Jessica Biel), a rich girl whose dad doesn't want her involved with a boy from the wrong side of tracks (anyone remember Karate Kid?). Scooby Doo's Matthew Lillard also features in Summer Catch as a fellow baseballer in the middle of hitting crisis. Veteran actors Brian Dennehy and Frank Ward round out the cast. The baseball action plays second fiddle to Dunne's emotional issues and this is to the detriment of the film. Another problem is the wide variety of sub plots that side-track the movie. Prinz has limited acting skills, Biel (who?) just plays the pretty face, while Lillard, who can be a good comic actor, becomes overbearing due to the lack of balance in the rest of the cast. Summer Catch is directed at the same audience that enjoyed Road Trip and the American Pie movies, but has little of the same great humour that made those films successful. Not a total waste of a film but definitely one for a slow day during the school holidays. Weekly recommended rental: Karate Kid (1984) starring Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elizabeth Shue. Similar story to Summer Catch, but different sport and better acting.
Rat Race (2001)
not funny
Rat Race
If life is a rat race, the new release video sharing that name is running stone cold, motherless last. Starring a host of big names including John Cleese, Rowan Atkinson, Seth Green, Whoopi Goldberg and blah blah blah, Rat Race is an absolute dog. The concept is not all that bad, kind of like a movie version of the old cartoon The Wacky Races, but the script is just not funny and the characters are totally unlikeable. Nine people are brought together when they receive tokens entitling them to enter a race for $2 million. Little do they realise that the race has been organised by a casino manager for the entertainment of some of the world's richest men. The scenes with the rich spectators are the funniest in this very disappointing film. There are so many annoying parts in this very wayward screw-ball comedy that I would have to watch Rat Race all over again just so that I could list them all off. Atkinson's character was plain annoying, while Goldberg and Cuba Gooding Jr, both goods comedy actors, were disappointing. The most annoying characters though were those played by John Lovitz and Kathy Najimy.
Watching so many credible actors, including Oscar winners, wade through this debacle of a film is embarrassing. Rat Race was meant to be a comedy, but has a completely hokey' feel good finish that goes against what the movie started out as throwing it further into the mire. Do yourself a favour and save the money you would pay to rent this and spend it on something else. Recommended weekly rental: It's A Mad, Mad, Mad Mad World (1963). Starring Milton Berle, Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney and a host of others, this film is something that Rat Race is not
funny.
American Pie 2 (2001)
second slice not as tasty
American Pie 2
American Pie 2 has more of the same from the producers who brought you the world's most popular teen movie since Porky's.
Unlike the original American Pie, which was just hot, hot, hot, the response to the second slice of US pastry has been lukewarm.
The entire cast returns and this time it's their first summer break after a year at college.
While they left their virginity behind in the first movie, the cast is now looking to move on with their lives - now they generally just want sex more regularly.
Jim still has his sexual hang-ups, not helped by his dad's embarrassing but well meant pieces of advice, Stifler has lust permanently on the brain, Finch is hung-up by his favourite conquest, Stifler's Mum, Oz' has found true love but is alone for the summer while Heather is in Europe, and Kevin continues to pine for the one that got away.
Each of the lads have to overcome their challenges whilst embarking on enjoying the first summer of the rest of their life. Kevin's obsessive nature comes to the fore again; aiming to host the most talked about party of the summer.
Without exception director James Rogers has changed none of the formula from the first successful movie, virtually cutting and pasting scenarios and changing the script to suit.
Prime examples of this are the broadcast sex' scene (trade the internet for a walkie talkie), Jim's experiment with super glue and his relationship with lovely exchange student Nadia, again played by the lovely (but recently married) Shannon Elizabeth.
Elizabeth, along with fellow female cast members Alyson Hannigan and Mena Suvari, doesn't have much to do here, but that's to be expected in a story where the boys are the focus.
The second taste of American Pie is not as funny as the first, but that's probably because we know what to expect. There are few surprises.
With the storyline spread across such a big cast, the ending is far more concerned with tying up loose ends than actually giving us a satisfying finish.
Enjoy this film and hope they don't make a third, as is rumoured to be on the agenda, otherwise it could become as tragic as Beverly Hills, 90210 where the characters grew up, but didn't progress with their lives.
Weekly recommended rental: Porky's (1981) starring Dan Monahan and Sex In The City's Kim Cattrall. The most popular teen film ever.
America's Sweethearts (2001)
better than average comedy
America's Sweethearts received all sorts of critics' acclaim when it was released and I can understand why. A satire about the cult of celebrity and the Hollywood machine, America's Sweethearts hits the mark with all of the big name stars putting in creditable performances. Was this film written with our' Nicole Kidman and Australia's former favourite son in law' Tom Cruise in mind? Film publicist Lee Phillips (Billy Crystal) must get dream couple Eddie (John Cusack) and Gwen (Catherine Zeta-Jones) back together for one last performance as they try to sell a film to critics at a media junket. Problem is the film hasn't yet been produced by the director, setting in train a course of events that turns the show into a debacle as Lee grabs hold of every scrap of publicity he can. I've never been a big fan of Julia Roberts but her performance in this film, as the sister/assistant of Gwen, made me actually like her. Cusack, as always, is understated, enjoying the opportunity to play yet another savvy and cool character with contradictory mental problems. Zeta Jones has a fine turn as a comedienne, while Crystal is also great as the time and movie poor' publicity consultant. Christopher Walken, Hank Azaria (although not as good as the others), Allan Alda and Seth Green make up an exceptionally talented supporting cast. No it doesn't break new ground and maybe not all of the jokes are funny, but it's gotta be better than most of the new comedies that we've been subjected to in the past year, remember The Animal? Weekly recommended rental: Eyes Wide Shut (1999) because it's the last film in which Tom and Nicole starred together.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
a worthy movie version
Having not read any of the books, or previously seen the film at the cinema, the wonderous world of Harry Potter was a real revelation. For those that don't know Harry is an orphaned child destined, once removed from the horrible life forced on him by his aunt and uncle, to become a great wizard. But first he must get through Sorcery School. Director Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Mrs Doubtfire) hasn't gone overboard with his scene setting, but has used his imagination to great effect, bringing beautifully to life the scenes at Hogwarts School. At various times Columbus has delved into Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Willow, Star Wars and even the Indiana Jones series of films for inspiration. Young shooting star Daniel Radcliffe fits the persona of Harry perfectly and seems to have an understanding of the importance of getting his role right. If Harry weren't perfect, the film would've been a disappointment for the many fans of JK Rowling's adventure. Even his young sidekicks, the wonderfully expressive Rupert Grint, as Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson (a young Britney Spears lookalike), as Hermione Granger, are great. The best performances are reserved for the adults, in particular Robbie Coltrane, who plays Hagrid, and veteran Richard Harris, who stars as the revered Albus Dumbledore, while Alan Rickman as Professor Snape is, as usual, the perfect villain. It's easy to get lost in the world of Hogwarts where stairs change direction at the drop of the hat, ghosts walk through the halls and trolls spell trouble. The movie was a little long and many scenes could have been cut, but to do so may have rendered some damage to the fabric of Rowling's rich tale. What Harry Potter is, is a magnificent children's tale that also enraptures older audiences, leaving them spellbound as the story washes over them. While there's nothing particularly new about the direction of the movie and it certainly isn't flawless, it will remain a classic - even if it is only because Harry Potter popularised reading among young people again. Weekly rental tip: Willow (1998) starring Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley and Warwick Davis. A reluctant dwarf protects a special baby from an evil queen.
Let's Get Skase (2001)
bad, bad, bad - worse than 80s clothing
In the last 10 years the only Australian comedy which really appears to have hit the mark is The Castle. Let's Get Skase attempts to tap into the Working Dog humour that has made the former D-Gen/ Late Show creators so successful - but fails dismally.
Australian comedy, once the backbone of our movie industry, appears to be plumbing a dry well at the moment. Let's Get Skase joins The Wog Boy and the disastrous Reckless Kelly among recent Oz films that provide you with one laugh for every half hour that it lasts. The problem is probably further reflected by the dearth of quality sitcoms on Australian telly at the moment. Sadly the best Oz sitcom of recent times is Hey Dad, a show that has been off the air for around seven years now and wasn't even all that funny. Greed was good in the 1980s and Christopher Skase lived by Gordon Gecko's creed, accruing wealth through his company Qintrex and then deserting the investors when the going got tough, heading to Spain.
This film focuses on the Australian public's outrage at his low act and the doomed attempts by the Australian public to bring him back.
Failing restauranteur Peter Dellasandro (co-writer Lachy Hulme) stars as the man destined to free hundreds of mum and dad investors from the debt yoke of Qintrex by bringing Our Man in Majorca back to face the music. Strangely the creditors are happy to ask a con man to retrieve a con man. Hulme's dress sense and facial hair should be condemned - he looks like Don Johnson in Miami Vice. The usually commendable Alex Dimitriadis also features, suffering at the hand of a dud script, while his co-stars (a cast of nobodies), to be very basic, suck. Let's Get Skase is like a beginner's archery class with most of the jokes missing the target. In the end Christopher Skase has the last laugh. He died several months before this audio visual obscenity was released, plunging Let's Get Skase into further mediocrity. For me, the best part of the film was the footage of Malcolm Blight booting that long distance goal to steal victory for North Melbourne in a football match in the late 1970s. The moment acts as inspiration for our head Skase chaser but makes the rest of us wish we were watching something near as exciting. Weekly recommended rental: The Castle (1997). Starring Bill Caton, Stephen Curry, Anne Tenney, Eric Bana, 'Bud' Tingwell and Sophie Lee. Just to remind you that Australian movies can be funny.
Lantana (2001)
Good Aussie drama
Like the plant that it derives its name from, the film Lantana twists in many different directions. The highly acclaimed Australian film was recognised as something fresh and uninhibited by tired Hollywood cliches. The tale of four couples drawn inexorably together by coincidence is a film that could not have been constructed in such sophisticated and confrontational fashion if it was made in the US of A. Even by Australian terms, the emotional content of the film has rarely been approached. The triumph of Lantana is that it pursues an avenue rarely explored in modern film the complexity of the male of the species. It's what makes it such uncomfortable viewing at times. The stereotypical Australian male is not used to confronting their emotional failings and Lantana does so with gusto. Viewers are taken into uncomfortable territory as we peek into the lives of others. Head On, featuring Alex Dimitriadis, was the last Australian film to confront us in this way. However, it is what the characters say that has the most impact. Lantana confronts without resorting to cheap titillation. Not only is the film a ripper, but the cast features internationally recognised box office drawcards such as Anthony LaPaglia and Geoffrey Rush, mixing with American guest star Barbara Hershey, to give Lantana real credibility. Other members of this great Australian ensemble cast include Kerry Armstrong (SeaChange), sassy Rachael Blake (Wildside), Vince Colosimo (The Wog Boy), Glenn Robins (The Comedy Company) and original Baywatch cast member Peter Phelps. Lantana is a film dealing with adult situations that is aimed purely at adults. Recommended weekly rental: Head On (1998) stars Alex Dimitriadis in one of the toughest roles of his career. This film is definitely for adults and features Dimitriadis as a Greek teenager confronting his sexuality and his cultural inhibitions.
The Others (2001)
a thriller worth watching
Since the teen horror flick genre was revived in the mid 90s by the success of Scream and its many imitators, Hollywood has in turn again found a market for the sophisticated horror thriller. The Others fits into the sophisticated horror thriller category that brought instant success to The Sixth Sense writer and director M. Night Shyamalan.
Nicole Kidman stars as Grace Stewart, a lady of leisure in a big estate house in Jersey, England, who has two children suffering a disease which makes them ultra sensitive to sunlight. Her husband has gone off to fight the war and her domestic staff has deserted her. The children live under strict supervision and must not be touched by sunlight, otherwise they will die. When new domestic staff arrives, the threesome find strange things occurring in their house and their day to day regime is threatened. The story unfolds slowly but with enough tension to keep you wondering about the varying motives of Grace Stewart and the domestic staff. The late great director Alfred Hitchcock would have been delighted with the dark set pieces and the visual nuances, including the swirling fog that constantly enshrouds the country house. However, it is also highly likely the master film maker would have tied up a few of the loose ends that do take a little bit away from The Others. Kidman is great as the seemingly neurotic mother, while Alakina Mann and James Bentley, who play Anne and Nicholas Stewart, make good feature film debuts as the scared young children. Bentley in particular looks authentically frightened during the entire film. Outstanding British actor Eric Sykes, who plays the gardener, gives an excellently understated performance as the working partner to nanny Bertha Mills (played by Fionnula Flannigan). The Others has been compared, sometimes unfavourably, to The Sixth Sense, and in many ways it is very similar as the story unwinds and the characters come to terms with their fate. Maybe it's not as good as The Sixth Sense, as predictability and a number of indifferent scenes remove some of the drama, but this does not take away from the wonderfully eerie aspect created by the old British tradition of a haunted country house. Definitely one to watch on a cold, dark night.
Training Day (2001)
An Oscar for Denzel?
Denzel Washington was finally acclaimed as one of the greatest actors of his generation when he won this year's best male Oscar for Training Day. The question is would he have preferred this to be the role for which he was acknowledged with the greatest of all acting awards? Malcolm X, Glory or Philadelphia are probably the films that the actor himself would have an asterix by as defining roles in his filmography. Yes his performance is great, but the character is one that could have been played equally as well by Laurence Fishburne or Samuel L. Jackson, either of whom have enough suitable menace to be a winner as a narcotics cop gone bad. Detective Alonzo Harris (Washington) is playing out of type as the beanie wearing bad narcotics cop who takes Officer Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) on his training day. Unlike the majority of characters Washington plays, Harris has no redeeming roles. It is a day that is supposed to define whether Hoyt will make it as a rookie narc. Instead it defines the young police officer's desire to do the right thing, seeking firm but fair justice for the good of the community. From meeting his new take no prisoners tutor to toking marijuana laced with PCP, drinking on duty, destroying evidence and ignoring petty crime it is a day that tests the faith of the young cop. The ending is a little loose, leaving you to wonder if Hoyt remains true to character as the police officer his high ideals would wish him to be. A strong performance from both major actors keeps this film moving at breakneck pace, maintaining your attention as the sordid tale winds to its breathtaking, gunshot filled conclusion. Also features guest appearances from hip hoppers Dr Dre and Coolio, along with songstress Macy Gray. Weekly recommended rental: LA Confidential (1997). The best tough guy cop film of recent times. Stars Russell Crowe, Guy Pierce, Danny DeVito, Kim Basinger, James Cromwell and Kevin Spacey. Written by outstanding detective noir writer James Ellroy.
The Score (2001)
a clcihed heist flick that has a good enough cast to keep you interested.
The Score could be regarded as a 'sleeper' hit. Filmed in 'nouveau Hollywood' Montreal The Score slipped under the radar of moviegoers world wide with its unpretentious setting and release, giving it reasonable impact as an almost straight to video (well it was here in Australia) crime thriller. Featuring Robert De Niro, Marlon Brando and Edward Norton The Score wracks up enough points to make it a winner. Outstanding lead cast, okay script, tension and excellent twists. De Niro stars as a gentleman burglar who is trying to engineer an exit from his night time activities so that he can concentrate on running his Montreal jazz club. `One last job' is his catch cry as his fence, Brando, and young cat burglar Norton suck him into pulling off an 'easy' job to crown his criminal career. De Niro gives a solid performance, but probably the stand out is Norton's dual role as burglar/gimp janitor. Reminiscent of Kevin Spacey's Oscar winning role in The Usual Suspects, Norton shows his versatility with effortless character transfers.
Brando wallows a little, having some very limited scenes but it was just a treat to see him and De Niro at work together. Although highlighting the many cliches of the crime thriller genre, The Score has a great feel to it. No overdone action scenes, enough tense moments to keep you wondering what will happen next and a fairly impressive twist towards the end. Oh yeah the love interest barely intruded on the movie, Angela Bassett was hardly worth paying for the few scenes she appeared in. It's not a blockbuster but definitely worth your while to watch.
Our Man in Havana (1959)
humourous
Simple: Read the book. Graham Greene's novel was a treat when I discovered it at the library recently. To me it was a fresh spy novel, reflecting the lunacy of it all and giving a different view than your average James Bond pap. Shades of Our Man In Havana can be found in the Tailor of Panama, at first I thought I was watching a re-write of that venerable novel when I recently saw the Brosnan/Rush thriller.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
i enjoyed the film
A very humorous movie based on Homer's Odyssey.
Three depression era convicts escape their Mississippi chain gang on the promise of sharing $1 million in cash left over from a bank job.
As they head toward their big pay off, the convicts come across an assorted mysterious and quirky range of characters who sometimes confuse you but whose purpose knits together by the end.
George Clooney (acting scarily like a young Jack Nicholson) stars as the hair cream obsessed escapee leader, while John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson feature as good ol'boys.
Big bad John Goodman has a star turn as a cyclopic Bible salesman while Holly Hunter also appears.
A fantastic film about friendship and redemption, among other things, with some surprisingly great country and western music that will have you laughing until the soggy bottomed end.