Kaneda_red Reviews

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Night of The Living Dead Sequel - Hmmmmmmmmm??

[6/10 · 29 June 2006]

After a horrific apartment evacuation a band of rebels attempt to escape the zombie hordes from eating their livers, in doing so they embark upon a deserted shopping mall. Despite the luxury of the mall, nothing lasts forever and as tensions run high their excessive consumerism is in jeopardy from a group of biker bandits and of course our old friends........the walking dead.

Dawn of The Dead is a story about survival and social function. The vicar who feeds the basement zombies highlights this theme. Romero brings out the life of his film in the mall even if it is a long time coming. When it comes its pleasantly enjoyable. But Nothing more. The awe factor comes when teeth sinks into flesh. Its unedited, raw and innovative. Zombies chewing chunks out of their victims torsos will effect even todays desensitised generation.

Poor acting causes the film to suffer. In fact crap acting makes the film suffer. Its not even the camp enjoyable B-moviesque acting its just awful acting. It has become very dated in style and substance despite its subject and this is all dragged out by the running time.

Those with an interest in Zombie flicks should know this is essential viewing but not a timeless piece of film. I would recommend Night of The Living Dead instead.

A History of Violence (2005)

Above Average Yet Very Misleading!!

[6/10 · 20 March 2006]

I rarely make a serious comment on a film but after seeing this last night I am left with no alternative.

In the UK this film was advertised in trailers in a way that completely and unfairly reflected a dark, stylish action film with an almost supernatural element to it.

To my shock, rather than disappointment, its another contemporary 'message' film about the effect of violence in media on society and more specifically it frictating powers on the All-American family.

The scene of violence are quite unrealistic and it feels as though we are watching part Mafia-action part family drama.

Overall I felt the film indermimed my intelligence leaving me searching for a strong hidden message after realising this wasn't going to be a no-brainer action film.

Bowling for Columbine (2002)

The Evolution of Documentary

[6/10 · 3 February 2005]

There once was a time when an issue would arise, a film-crew would seek the answer and thus a documentary be born. Things have changed.

Micheal Moore's highly animated, informative and quirky film on the effects of guns and media is less of a documentary and more like Socio-Propaganda. Moore portrays himself as the suffering yet witty philosopher and Moore uses viewer empathy to be the vehicle on his completely, one-sided journey. This is evident from the start when he decides to begin with a montage of daily life to show that he too is the Everyman.

The real problem is the issue (guns/media), is too big to summarise without taking a viewpoint. Bowling for Columbine has made it mind up where its going before it gets there.

matt

The Lord of the Rings (1978)

In time it will usurp Jacksons installment!!!

[9/10 · 6 August 2004]

At the end of the day, when all is said and done, as the sun sets, the smoke clears and the dust settles. What shall remain............... Ralph Bakashi's Lord of the Rings.

Now i've done my Power Speech its time to back it up and justify. I am aware of the importance to explain why it is a great movie as apposed to why it better than Jacksons Lord-of-the-Rings-for-idiots. But seeing as IL' Pete is topping best ever film lists with his LOTR I feel Tolkeins beckoning from the grave and am gonna do it anyhow.

OK, so, lots of you must be thinking 'no way would I want to watch the animated version instead of the rubber-nosed goblin/midgets jumping around a CGI landscape in the Summer Blockbuster version'. Of course you wouldn't and thats why you've got a couple of tickets in your pocket to watch Garfield.

The 1978 version is dark, the voices are stern and driving to their characters. The feel of realism is strong with the mixture of animation and live shooting. The book is all about atmosphere and thats why Tolkien thought it'd be a great idea spending chapters explaining a tree or a bit of a rock next to a bit of a tree. So Jacksons shows us 10 mins footage of New Zealand. Nice one, twat! Here Jackson excellently wastes my money and my time. In an ideal world he would have made the film shorter, in a perfect world he would be pea farmer.

The elemental beauty Bakashi's masterpiece is the music, its grainy and shadowed view of Middle Earth and the fact i near wet myself at everything that moves out of Mordor. But what stands out for me is that it is unfinished. And as much as i love the film i like it even more because of that.

Matt

8/10