opiemar Reviews

Fracture (2007)

Extremely Satisfying and Very Clever

[9/10 · 22 April 2007]

Maybe I'm too demanding, but I seldom walk out of a theater being truly satisfied with the film I had just watched. I left the theater last night after watching "Fracture" and I had a smile on my face, a big one.

This was a smart film; extremely satisfying and well worth the time and money. The plot was intelligent, suspenseful, intriguing and totally unpredictable. The film was well paced and even included a few humorous moments, which were very well placed. This casting was excellent and the acting was flawless. Anthony Hopkins shares a unique trait with a very select group of actors, such a Jack Nicholson. In most of their films, the viewer looks back and concludes that no one could have replaced them in their role. This film was certainly no exception. Ryan Gosling presented a convincing performance as the cocky young attorney who learns the lesson "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before the fall". He's had many good performances so I wasn't at all surprised at his showing here. Hoblit showed remarkable directing ability, and I will certainly be looking forward to his future works.

Great thriller, don't miss it.

Snakes on a Plane (2006)

Decent jump scare flick, but hardly worthy of the rating it is receiving

[5/10 · 22 August 2006]

Decent jump flick, but hardly deserves the rating it's getting here First let me say, Samuel S Jackson is awesome in just about any film he's in, including this one. Secondly, this is a good film, for what it is, a jump scare, snake movie. It is far better than any other snake movie I've seen. However, i can hardly see it deserving the rating it is receiving here. I mean, 10's are perfect to nearly perfect films. How can anyone justify giving this movie the same 10 of 10 that one would give The Godfather, or Lord of the Rings. Of course, there will always be those who truly feel a film deserves a 10, and to each there own. But I believe the only reason this has a cumulative score of 8+, after 14,000 votes, is because the mainstream moviegoer won't ever go see a film about snakes, much less one with this title. If they don't go, they don't vote. This in turn leaves the voting to be done only by the fans of this type of film. Again, good film for what it is, but there is no way it deserves this rating.

Van Helsing (2004)

Onslaught of special effects can't rescue this nightmare

[5/10 · 29 May 2004]

Van Helsing is not a movie, but rather a conglomeration of special effects attempting to be held together by B rate acting and virtually no plot. Granted, while a few of the special effects are cheesy and unrealistic, most are quite impressive, as are the computer graphics. It is easy for the viewer to be drawn into the movie by any of the action scenes. However, while the special effects are convincing, the acting is equally unconvincing. Like a huge splash of ice water to the face, someone has to speak and we're brought right back into reality. While there, it doesn't take much to notice the weak, hole-riddled plot. If the viewer is looking for anything at all more than eye candy, he or she would be advised to pass it by.

Ju-on: The Curse (2000 Video)

Horrifying, relentless, and unbelievable

[9/10 · 17 May 2004]

Ju-on: the Curse is absolutely the scariest movie ever made. I found myself gasping out loud at times. Forget cheap scares, forget the need for special effects. Forget even the need for a dark setting. Most of the scenes are in broad daylight, yet they will nearly scare you to death. I've seen a lot of horror movies, but I can easily say that nothing compares to this one. Takashi Shimizu has mastered the art of bringing terror to the screen. If there really were such a thing as ghost, really mean, really vengeful ghost, this is what they would be like. I should note that Ju-on the Curse is really two movies, Curse I and II. The second has some overlapping material, but adequately compliments the first. If you want to be frightened, really really frightened, this is the one to watch.

The Eye (2002)

Will make the hair crawl right off of your skin!

[10/10 · 17 May 2004]

An excellent horror film, The Eye quickly develops a chilling atmosphere, creating a constant sense of dread and fear that just doesn't let up. Though the plot is fairly straight forward, the movie is really well done, and the Pang brothers have done a masterful job of directing it. The Eye, or Jian gui, has a way of letting you know a frightening scene is coming, slowly leading you into it - as if to say 'Get ready, here it comes', yet still scaring you senseless. Angelica Lee does a wonderful job in the lead role, causing one to actually feel what she is feeling. She even brought me to tears in one scene. I've watched this movie several times, and it still gives me chills. Highly recommended.

A Knight's Tale (2001)

Unique and very fun to watch

[9/10 · 17 May 2004]

Its not often a film comes along that's totally unlike any other. A Knight's Tale is one of those rare pleasures. Tastefully done, this medieval tale rocks…..Literally! Twentieth Century music and fashion set in the 14th century, and it worked very well. The dance hall scene transformed by David Bowie's 'Golden Years' is one of my all time favorite movie scenes; you will love it! Heath Ledger plays a knight in wanting, who must overcome an evil count, a beautiful but frustrating maiden, and a ruthless code of social hierarchy. I found myself cheering for him on all three battlegrounds. This film is very fun to watch. Though I've seen it many times, I never fail to enjoy it.

A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

Psychological Thriller, Horror, and Drama, all at their best

[10/10 · 2 May 2004]

'A Tale of Two Sisters', or 'Janghwa, Hongryeon', is a true masterpiece. Brilliant psychological thriller, heart-wrenching drama, and gripping horror all wrapped up in one beautifully orchestrated package. From the intricate plot, to the beautiful cinematography, to the absolutely perfect casting, every aspect of this film is extraordinary.

For fear of revealing too much concerning the plot, I will just say it is very satisfying. While it may appear to be a little difficult to understand at first, it does a good job of explaining things in the end. And whether you prefer psychological thriller, drama, or horror, I promise you will not be disappointed.

From a technical standpoint, its nearly flawless. The set, the cinematography, lighting, and especially the soundtrack, all are captivating. The waltz seemed an odd choice at first, but proved to be an ingenious choice.

As for the casting, we're talking absolute perfection. I'm Su-jeong is totally convincing as the defiant, yet troubled Su-mi. Mun Keun- yeong is equally convincing as her emotionally traumatized sister Su-yeon. These two girls were magical on the screen. I will certainly be looking into their other films. Yeom Jeong-ah is deceitfully cheerful and hauntingly evil as the stepmother. Finally, Kap-su Kim gives an excellent performance as the weary, broken father.

I truly love this film. If you have yet to see 'A Tale Of Two Sisters', I strongly recommend locating a copy. It is a real gem, worthy of anyone's collection.

(10/10)