dan2058 Reviews

Chase Me (2003 Video)

Holy disingenuous waste of potential, Batman!

[4/10 · 16 September 2007]

'Chase Me' is absolute proof that a decent soundtrack can make a film. Unfortunately this is not a positive comment in regards to this Batman short, where the laid back jazz track does its utmost to derail a silent tale that has the potential to be brilliant. Credit to the production team for attempting a new approach to the scoring of a Batman film and taking a step away from the orchestral Gothic that has become a staple of all recent efforts, but this misses the mark by a long way.

The story itself is quite brilliantly told, remaining not only coherent but very watchable despite the score's attempt to wring it of all tension. The superb imagery that we have come to expect from the Batman cartoons is the reason I give this 4 stars rather than 1. Never has a cartoon series used shadow, blacks and reds as well as this. Here is a short that could have had real gravitas and could have been a memorable entry into the Batman cannon, if only for a decent tune!

Big Fish (2003)

The secret to good story-telling; build up slow and then reel'em in

[12 February 2004]

We all know Tim Burton's work. He is possibly one of the few contemporary directors to whom you can attribute a definite style. The wildly immaginative approach to most Burton films would appear to be a perfect match for a film which takes place largely in a fairy tale world.

Burton does not disappoint, delivering a tale which catches you by the imagination and dangles the unbelievable in front of your eyes in such a warm and gentle manner that you have no choice but to be entertained.

The film itself explores the dynamics of storytelling, demonstrating the simple fact that the subject matter doesn't matter a single bit, it's the way that a story is told that determines a classic from the Kurt Russell film, Soldier. (A nice idea for a story but very badly handled.)

This is possibly where I can draw the only fault of the film. The non-linear editing of the beginning of the film may seem like a clever idea in other films but here it seems a bit confused and slightly muddled. Once the film gets into full flow, jumping from present day to the 'reality-enhanced' world of Edward Bloom's past, it is highly enjoyable.

Albert Finney is good as the older Bloom but Ewan McGregor completely outshines him and i'm delighted to report that his Alabama accent is spot on throughout the movie and in no way as irritating as I had assumed it would be.

The supporting cast is fantastic as well with Danny De Vito and Steve Buscemi really standing out.

Big Fish is a film that is well worth the admission fee and will leave you with a great sense of satisfaction. The imaginative plot and creative characters bring you right into Burton's fictional world and you will leave much happier.

Big Fish reels in a whopping 8/10

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)

How to liven up a dull life story

[12 February 2004]

Fact is often stranger than fiction but is this actually fact or... well I'm confused.

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is the film adaptation of Chuck Barris' "Unauthorised" Autobiography in which we follow the life of the man who masterminded the cheesy American game shows of the 60s and 70s.

Well that sounds like a barrel of laughs and possibly the most interesting autobiography ever written. Oh yeah, forgot to mention that he was also an assassin for the CIA. That's one way to spice up your life story.

As implausible as it may sound we are never asked to question this in the film. Basically it makes a pretty good story whether true or not and with Adaptation scribe, Charlie Kaufman, on screenplay duty, we're guaranteed a plot with more twists than a spaghetti factory.

It has to be said that the story is effectively told with George Clooney making an accomplished foray into the world of directing. He himself admits that he has copied various styles from his favourite directors but that is not entirely a bad thing. In fact it means that we get a heavily stylised film, which is a joy to watch.

Although he isn't given top billing, Sam Rockwell is superb in the role that in my opinion should have earned him an Oscar nomination at the very least. Drew Barrymore is as watchable as ever and George Clooney puts his megaphone to one side to come in and steal the show as CIA recruitment officer, Jim Byrd. Julia Roberts, Rutger Hauer and Maggie Gyllenhal both make notable appearances (I swear that she is in every recent film of any note) and keep your minces open for cameos from Matt Damon and Brad Pitt. (I'd best add that although ‘Minces', as in mince pies, is rhyming slang in that sentence, ‘Brad Pitt' isn't)

Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind is a hidden gem in the coal shed that is Hollywood cinema, a truly entertaining mix of style and substance. Not only that but just imagine the debates that you can have at the bar over whether or not the story is true.

George Clooney has created a masterpiece on his first directorial outing so here's to whatever he does next!

Possibly the best film of 2003 (when it was released in the UK) and without a doubt my favourite of that year, Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind scores a gong-tastic 10/10

Chronicle of a Summer (1961)

Sacre bleau

[12 February 2004]

I stepped on a box of upturned cocktail sticks once, and would happily do it again if it would get me out of ever having to see this again. The art of watching paint dry seems like a spectator sport in comparison. At the mid point of this movie i seriously considered gauging my eyes out with a rusty spoon but i had been drained of the energy that would enable me to do so. This film was intended to explore 'life' however it made me question whether or not i wanted to keep living mine. On a serious note, in the screening i was in, i spotted 7 people sleeping and half the audience simply walked out. Do not operate heavy machinery while watching or thinking about this so called film, i call it a video that allows real people to experience the monotony of manic depression. Watch Stuart Little instead.

The Ring (2002)

The reason that I now buy DVDs

[9 March 2003]

A killer video tape that kills you after you watch it? Sounds oddly oriental. Not surprisingly The Ring is an American remake of the cult Japanese horror, Ringu.

I've seen many a movie that I wish would have killed me after watching them but i'm stepping away from the point as The Ring isn't one of these films.

After the grisly and unexplained death of her neice, a young reporter and her ex-lover follow up the rumour that the girl, like many others had watched a mysterious video tape and then received a phone call telling her that she was going to die.

As with most horror stories our heroes decide to dive in at the deep end and watch this tape. From here another story unravels as the couple try to fit together clues that might save them.

The mood of The Ring is just right for a horror film and is well complimented by the dull colourisation which really creates an unclean and edgy atmosphere.

Being a horror that relies heavily on visual impact there were the inevitable 'boo-scares' that not only sent a shiver down my spine but through my legs and into the seat in front of me. Some scenes were chilling enough to send the rather large woman sitting in front of me to start blubbering and hiding her face.

Once again the children are the stars of the show with some very mature performances but the unsung heroes are the special effects team who created some wonderful illusions. I still can't fathom how they managed to pluck a fly from inside the TV screen.

All in all The Ring does promise a chilling slice of horror although I have heard that the japanese original is superior. However if, like me, you haven't seen the original and you're looking for a fright (why you would be looking for that I have no idea but hey, each to his own) The Ring is worth a view but not really memorable.

Be warned; I haven't been able to watch a video since and I have suddenly become very suspicious of little girls.

A chilling, though not underwear ruining, 7/10

Jackass: The Movie (2002)

More of an experience than a movie

[10/10 · 3 March 2003]

Yes, I know. Movies have directors, actors, scripts and usually some sort of storyline but this is Jackass so who cares.

Basically Jackass: The movie is an extended version of the popular TV series though slightly more extreme. Those of you who haven't heard of the show, Where have you been?

The basic concept of Jackass is that Johnny Knoxville and his band of merry hell-makers film themselves doing the stupidest stunts imaginable, pulling the most outrageous pranks and causing themselves unbelievable pain. Hardly the most ingenious concept but you've got to hand it to them, their form of extreme slapstick is absolutely hilarious as well as totally cringe-worthy.

It is so hard to review this film on technical merit because it doesn't strictly follow the definition of a movie however it does demonstrate what movies are about. The level of reaction to every stunt was clearly audible throughout the cinema and nobody left without an enormous grin, for me this just shows why people got to the cinema; to be entertained. This is what movies are all about.

The opening scene and the end scene are well worth mentioning as they were absolutely perfect in matching the mood of the film.

Jackass never takes itself too seriously and creates a great atmosphere within the audience. I was left giggling for about an hour after the film had finished and I had no idea why.

Jackass fans make it your mission in life to see this film. Anyone else should go just to see wee-man kick himself in the head, although I strongly advise against taking food into this one.

The extreme escapades of the Jackass crew deserve an extreme (and I don't give these often) 10/10

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Jury's out on this one

[28 February 2003]

Having read and enjoyed the book I had high expectations for this film. I hadn't seen any other adaptations either, so I would have nothing but the book to compare it to. So I ordered the DVD. I know you shouldn't judge a DVD by it's cover but when I saw the tagline, "Love never dies," alarm bells started reverberating through my skull.

I don't remember this in the book but what the hey, i'll give it a go anyway. From the first scene I saw exactly what Coppola had done. He had taken Dracula away from it's traditional horror roots and slapped a love story on top of it, for a blood-thirsty bloke this was a little hard to handle. With so much artistic license, could Coppola really claim that this was Bram Stoker's Dracula?

There were elements of the film that I was pleased with though. I was very impressed with the frequent reference to the characters' diaries, the writing covering half of the screen was a very clever visual technique.

The plot had been a bit mashed up in order to fit it into two hours but this meant that the characters do not grow as close as they do in the text. To be honest there is very little character interaction in the film. Gary Oldman, Sadie Frost and Anthony Hopkins all put in strong performances but i'm a little bewildered as to how Keanu Reeves got cast. He was so sure he was the one, I wonder whatever happened to him?

This film uses a lot of strong imagery and in places is visually entertaining. Some of the techniques employed are very clever and pretty unique. However some of the special effects looked a little on the lame side. The make-up department had a field day on Oldman's many guises and it's much to their credit.

Dracula lacked the tension to make it a true horror and as a fan of the book I wasn't really impressed by the romantic dimension that had been added. Romance fans and followers of artistic films will enjoy, fans of the book might want to avoid.

Dracula bites the dust with 6/10

I Spy (2002)

Uninsulting, good-natured fun, but in no way memorable.

[7/10 · 5 February 2003]

Owen Wilson is building up quite a reputation for his 'stoned-out' and completely chilled persona. It's amazing really that with the variety of characters he's played, he is always Owen Wilson. Yet his act is at least original and for Wilson fans this film delivers more of the same.

Eddie Murphy hasn't really achieved much in recent years apart from being the voice of Donkey in Shrek, so this conversion of a 70s TV show could prove to be the platform that lifts him back into form.

However neither Wilson or Murphy are particularly inspiring but yet do deliver a few laughs. The heart-to-heart in the sewer is great comedy. Yet it's all still a bit lightweight and won't leave an everlasting impression.

To be fair it never sets out to, comedies of this nature never do. As far as buddy movies go, I-Spy is above average and delivers all that it promises but nothing more.

Enjoyable spy-romp but instantly forgettable. 7/10

8 Mile (2002)

Rocky Vs Eminem?

[9/10 · 24 January 2003]

I won't admit to being a fan of Eminem and when I heard that he was making a movie, i thought instinctively of Vanilla Ice (saying that, 'Marky' Mark Whalberg and Will Smith don't seem to be doing too badly).

Though I will admit to having been impressed my the trailer and various previews and so I was looking forward to this after I was left disappointed and disillusioned with films by Gangs Of New York the previous week.

Certain reviewers compared 8 Mile to Rocky but then I like Rocky so thats not really a big thing. In fact it gave 8 mile standards to meet.

Thankfully I wasn't left disappointed by an inspiring tale set in a gritty and painful backdrop.

The cast didn't over-perform and certainly didn't under-perform as they carried out some real and meaningful scenes. Eminem proved that he can act though it is difficult to see him in any other role, the story of Rabbit is practically biographical. The only slight doubt in casting was Kim Basinger. Not that her performance was bad, in fact she was fantastic as Rabbit's trashy mother, however she seemed a little too glamorous for the part.

I have never really been a big fan of rap but I sat in open-mouthed amazement as Eminem did his stuff in the various battles throughout the film. The final battle is an immense build up of emotion and leaves you on a real high.

There is nothing to say other than this film delivers in a big way. It was everything that I hoped it would be and I was hugely impressed and entertained.

So Eminem does meet the levels of Rocky in terms of the film but I still know who I'd back in a fight.

8 Mile deserves a street-wise 9/10

Gangs of New York (2002)

So close to being the greatest film ever made.

[14 January 2003]

I'll admit that I couldn't wait to see this film. The hype made me believe that this would be the most complete movie-experience of my life. Even without the hype I was expecting something huge due to the names involved, Di Caprio, Diaz, Broadbent, Day-Lewis and of course Scorsese. For a young sprog like me, what better way to attract me to a period drama (although if Tarantino did one it would take it a step further). From the opening scene I felt that my faith would be rewarded as Scorsese orchestrated a wonderful battle and laid the foundations of the story. Fantastically filmed and choreographed, it was exactly what I wanted from the film. However it couldn't keep up the standard that it had set so early on and the film began to drag at around the mid-point. It took far too long for Leo to be found out by Day-Lewis and even when it happened it wasn't used to it's greatest possible potential. I personally would have to liked to have seen Leo trying to live up to his father's legacy or hating himself for becoming to close to the man that killed him but it never happened. Yet even when things started to go well, I still believed that Scorsese wouldn't let me down and that I would leave the cinema on a high. It felt like it was all falling into place when Di Caprio hangs the dead rabbit on the fence, it was almost like Rocky going back into training. At this point I was sure that I would get the climatactic ending that I wanted and when the two gangs finally(it did take longer than was really necessary) marched into the streets I was on the edge of my seat. Yet I was left completely disappointed by a real sell-out ending. It had all the right ingredients to finish with the most epic ending in film history but it was more than slightly anti-climactic. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy the movie, it is well worth seeing if only for Daniel Day-Lewis' breath-taking perfomance. If he doesn't pick up an oscar it will be the greatest miscarriage of justice in the history of the planet. I was also very impressed by the end time-lapse which very cleverly brought us up-to-date and credit must be given to the set-builders who created an amazing recreation of New York. I was also overwhelmed by the amount of extras in each shot. Every shot was busy and filled with things to see. Overall Gangs of New York is still better than your average film and well worth a look but I was left empty and disappointed by the finale. I feel that it is a real shame to have wasted such potential so Gangs of New York gets itself 7/10

Hannibal (2001)

The silence is broken but was Hannibal more chilling whilst in captivity?

[7/10 · 3 November 2002]

First things first, you have to give credit to Anthony Hopkins for making the part of Hannibal his own. In 'The silence of the lambs' he managed to scare his audience from behind a plastic screen and strike fear into us all through his beautifully delivered speeches and piercing stare. 'Hannibal' had the chance to build on this as Lecter is now roaming free around Italy. Unfortunately the film doesn't make the most of this and Hannibal Lecter seems for the most part to be more mellow than deceptively calm. Lecter walked freely through the streets but there was no real indication of him being an evil threat to the public, he had no menace about him. There was scope to really build Hannibal into film's most notorious monster but there were only glimpses of how dangerous the character is.

The ending to the book that the film is based on is completely different to the film, yet this is understandable as the book's ending is quite unfilmable. This does not excuse the weak ending to the film. Although Lecter cutting his hand off shows his affection for Starling, I got the feeling that she didn't realise this and for me this heavily emotional point of the film was a little flat. In the book Clarice actually responds to Hannibal's feelings and they end up together but to do this the film would have had to have played more heavily on Starling's missing father and Hannibal's dead sister, which is skipped completely in the film. The book sees the characters missing their close relationships and then realising that they don't need the other to fill that place.

The direction is fantastically well done and the film beautifully photographed as we've come to expect from Ridley Scott. Gary Oldman is great as the deformed and depraved Mason Verger while Ray Liotta and Giancarlo Giannini do justice to the characters of the book. Whilst Julianne Moore's portrayal of Starling isn't quite as good as Jodie Foster's, she does give a good effort to carrying on a character that was already well known and established.

Credit must be given for changing the style of the movie and not trying to cash-in on the already popular predecessor.

As a follow-on film to 'The silence of the lambs' this doesn't really work but as a stand-alone film it does quite well. I recommend seeing it if you haven't already done so, as it is quite an enjoyable movie and although Lecter's character seems almost diluted he is still quite capable of delivering a classic line or two (I'm giving great thought to eating your wife).

Domestic Disturbance (2001)

Avoid this film at all costs

[1/10 · 14 September 2002]

I walked into this movie without a clue about the story or even what genre it was. I still wasn't sure of either when i left. A completely uneventful action film where the bigger 'stunts' included Travolta stumbling and falling into a shallow puddle (In True Lies Arnie dives head first into the ocean and escapes an inferno, just a little something for comparison.) For a change Travolta wasn't to blame for this turkey, Vaughn was much worse as the 'deranged' yet slightly unthreatening bad guy. In fact the only person he intimidated was the kid. Yet Vaughn did have some quality comedy moments, setting his arm alight and then electrocuting himself, pure comedy. I had never laughed so hard yet the comedy was completely unintentional. The only plus point to the movie, Steve Buschemi of course.

Tutto l'amore che c'è (2000)

A useful insight into 70s Italia

[12 September 2002]

As a student of Italian I found this film useful in showing Italy in the 70s.

Thanks to Hollywood I am well aware of 70s life in America so seeing this film made a welcome change and reminds us that history doesn't only happen in the States.

The film depicts the lives of a group of Italian youths who are going through a cultural revolution, which means they are looking to have as much fun (and sex) as possible.

The way in which the older people in the film (notably a cameo from Gerard Depardieu) appear to be oppressive towards the teens is somewhat similar to British and American films that were made in the 60s, possibly indicating that this cultural evolution actually happened later in Italy.

From a filmmakers point of view it is very well put together with some lighting effects which seem only to be achieved by European filmmakers. The young actors also put in good performances and it should be noted how the cast went to considerable lengths to look like they were children of the 70s, especially the guy sporting the Brian May hairdo.

In conclusion this film is great for those who want to see something a little different from the American stuff that we are fed on mass, though thats not to say that all American films are rubbish, just the major part.

Die Hard (1988)

The ultimate action movie

[10/10 · 8 September 2002]

I looked up action movie in my dictionary and it just said Die Hard. Die Hard is quit possibly the only movie i can watch over and over again, even though its not a movie geared at making your brain work, it is nonetheless a masterpiece. The storyline is quite simple, terrorists take over building to nick a shed lad of cash, end of story. Yet the way the story is crafted is a true work of genius and has yet to be matched by director Tierney. Yet who can blame him, Die Had set amazingly high standards.

What are the elements of Die Hard that make it successful? I think its the way that this particular action film is very similar to a western in its approach. Just think about it, a lone law enforcer (New York cop) turns up to single-handedly to save a village (skyscraper) from outside forces (terrorists) who threaten to disturb the peace (kill everyone). Add to this mix explosions, one on one gunfights and some killer wise-cracks from the hero, and you've got yourself the ultimate action film with the ultimate action hero. even the villain is great.

Die Hard is quite possibly my favourite action movie, nothing comes near it, not even the sequels! A 10/10, 5 star, 2 thumbs up film!

Pearl Harbor (2001)

An attack on the most blatant overly patriotic tripe ever made

[1/10 · 9 July 2002]

I can't believe that I wasted 3 hours of my life watching this terrible propagandarist rubbish. Not only was it about an hour and a half too long but it is the most shamefully over-patriotic film i have ever seen. The American producers obviously couldn't bare to show an American loss so an American attack on Japan is tacked onto the end,lengthening the film and forcing me to endure even more pain. The script is terrible, changing from love story to goofy comedy to supposed drama. The biggest chunk of the budget had obviously been spent on special fx (which were the only plus point of the film) which is why the script was lacking and wooden actors were hired. By the end of the film I could tell that one of the leading males was going to die but i was so mind-numbingly bored i couldn't have cared about which one became worm food. Yet seeing as Ben Affleck wouldn't stay dead earlier in the movie and had been jilted it became more obvious that the other guy would croak. And what was that bit with Cuba Gooding Jr all about? He had no importance in the storyline and seemed to be there so that the movie could be sold by the names of those in it, even if there is no point in them being there. Pearl Harbor was obviously trying to emulate Titanic yet only goes on to be a lesson to future film-makers; Big-budget effects and pointless cameos do not make a good movie.

Pearl Harbor should be seen as in insult to those who lost their lives in the actual event.