AvidClimber Reviews

Traffic (2000)

Gritty drama and action with a star studded cast

[9/10 · 22 July 2013]

Traffic is a solid drama by Steven Soderbergh that's all about the drug war an its real life futility. The scenario is a nice mesh of stories that are captivating with lots of drama, some excellent action, a bit of intrigue, and some suspense.

The acting is uniformly great for this star studded cast. Here are those that truly distinguished themselves: Benicio Del Toro, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Erika Christensen, and Don Cheadle. They admirably portrayed the main characters.

In secondary roles, I also liked Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, and Luis Guzmán. In an uncredited and very small part, you can briefly see the beautiful Salma Hayek.

A must see, unless you don't like tough movies.

Runaway Jury (2003)

A movie not to miss

[9/10 · 20 July 2013]

Runaway Jury is not well known by the general public, but a gem nonetheless.

The good. Engrossing story with nice twists to the plot. Great suspense with a slow developing intrigue. Imaginative and smart scenario. The main characters have a lot of depth. Solid photography, camera work, editing, and score.

The actors. John Cusack and Rachel Weisz both are just right as the young intelligent and dedicated puppeteers. Gene Hackman once again plays a despicable persona and manages not to over do it making the result very believable. Dustin Hoffman plays brilliantly the lawyer with a social conscience, one of his best, if very simple, role. Playing secondary characters, Bruce McGill, Jeremy Piven, and Bruce Davison have given us very commendable performance.

The bad. One or two minor logical flaws, but that's it.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. A surprisingly entertaining legal battle. For everyone.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

A sci-fi masterpiece with action and suspense

[10/10 · 18 July 2013]

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is the superb sequel by James Cameron of the original cyberpunk movie, The Terminator.

The good. Slick polish to the production. Tons of superb action. Great liquid metal special effect. Gripping score. Riveting story that just won't let you go. Imaginative background and settings, just like the first one. Tight suspense. Attention grabbing intro with some laughs. Absolutely perfect ending. A few funny scenes, with the best line of the film being: "I need a vacation." Hilarious. Great acting on the part of all the cast.

The actors. By that time, Arnold Schwarzenegger had acquired enough polish to really give some dimension to his machine role, especially one who can learn. Linda Hamilton shed off some of her beauty to better portray an action role, and she did great being finally mature as an actress. Edward Furlong was perfect and very natural as the young John Connor even if it wasn't probably very far from who he was at the time. Robert Patrick played his role so well, that it took years for him to shake it up and play any other with credibility.

The bad. A few minor logical flaws and awkward projection screen, but that's it!

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. A sci-fi masterpiece. A must for everyone.

Personal note. I went to see it without knowing any details of the plot. It was quite a surprise.

The Terminator (1984)

The birth of many things

[9/10 · 18 July 2013]

The Terminator is the father of cyberpunk and is one of the very first movie directed by James Cameron where he really started to build his name. He showed his talent with this small budget independent production. The star rating of this film is mainly due to the fact that its a landmark in the industry.

The good. Very imaginative background and setting. Well paced scenario. Interesting characters. Captivating story. Solid suspense. Nice action.

The actors. The machine is a good role for Arnold Schwarzenegger at the beginning of his career since it doesn't require much pronunciation. I've always loved Michael Biehn and even if he's not at his best, he did great with what he was given. Linda Hamilton hadn't yet bloomed and her limitations are showing a little bit, yet she gave us a great portrayal.

The bad. A few overly simple dialogs. The stop motion animation is good, but nowadays, it's an old technology. The mechanical puppet doesn't have human fluidity it should have. The latex stand-in is pitiful by today's standard.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. Everyone should see it because it's a landmark, especially sci-fi fans.

The Lone Ranger (2013)

The western hero in full action and fun

[7/10 · 11 July 2013]

The Lone Ranger is an action hero movie mixed with a western.

The good. Lots of intense action. Spectacular photography. Solid special effects. Very funny. Interesting story. Very detailed sets, costumes, and scenes. Well paced scenario.

The actors. Johnny Depp is once again absolutely amazing in this cooky character. William Fichtner as the evil Butch Cavendish gives us a great performance. In a lesser role, Helena Bonham Carter has a surprising presence.

The bad. Unbelievable action since we're not talking about super heroes here.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. If you like westerns with improbable action or if you're a fan of Depp, this is for you.

This Is the End (2013)

Brain off, fun on

[7/10 · 11 July 2013]

This Is the End is a slapstick comedy where fun is based on basest human behaviors.

The good. Incredible special effects. Constant ridicule for maximum laughter. Interesting story with an awesome end and some twists. Well paced scenario.

The actors. Although I like Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel a lot, I think James Franco here has the best performance.

The bad. Very simple and linear story. No smart jokes.

The ugly. Danny McBride as his character is incredibly annoying.

The result. Don't expect anything intelligent and you'll have fun.

Match Point (2005)

Solid drama to capture your attention

[9/10 · 10 July 2013]

Match Point is a drama by Woody Allen, but personally I think it has only very few things that makes it Allen. You can see his style in the score, camera work, and pacing of the story. However, the rest doesn't feel enough like him to put off his detractors. Very refreshing.

The good. Slow developing and riveting story filled with details. Tight scenario with an excellent pace. Lush decor. Beautiful photography. Superb acting.

The actors. I love Scarlett Johansson and she's great in that very emotional and sexy role, but I have to hand it to Jonathan Rhys Meyers for his portrayal, even though his character is despicable. On a different level, Brian Cox gives a great if subtle performance.

The bad. That dream scene is a bit awkward, but it still works.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. A Woody Allen that anybody can appreciate. It's a bit dark and can be emotionally difficult, but it's a great piece.

Monsters University (2013)

A must see prequel

[8/10 · 9 July 2013]

Monsters University is the prequel to Monsters inc., a wildly popular animation by Pixar. It's basically a college movie set in the monster world, but with a nice deviation from the standard.

The good. Still the same incredibly interesting world with all its colors, fantastic creatures, and quirks. Interesting story, especially for the twist. Great animation, as usual. Easily enjoyable by adults. Perfect ending. Excellent voice acting.

The bad. Lots of college movie, underdogs, and jocks versus nerds clichés.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. If you liked the first one, you'll like this one too.

Pieces of April (2003)

Get a dose of reality and oddity to think a little

[9/10 · 8 July 2013]

Pieces of April is about being the black sheep. It's a critique of family life.

The good. A sweet, yet starkly realistic, family story, sometime touching, often surprising, with a few laughs and oddity to soften the drama. A solidly paced scenario well rendered by the editing and the camera work. Soft music and score. Complex and very varied characters with nice depth. Hard hitting dialogs that reflect the harshness that sometime life can have. Great acting on the part of all the cast.

The actors. The most notables are definitively Katie Holmes, Oliver Platt, and Patricia Clarkson.

The bad. Nothing.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. Not everyone will appreciate this film, but I still recommend it to those willing to see life for what it is.

Sideways (2004)

A few laughters with serious matters worth your time

[9/10 · 7 July 2013]

Sideways is truly looking at relationship sideways, and from two different point of view, a romantic one and a philandering one. The issues are not taken straight on, they are viewed from afar, judged by indirect actions and their consequences.

The good. Well built, realistic, almost down to earth, and interesting story with lots of psychological details and some laughs. Excellent camera work and editing giving you a nice emotional perspective. Characters with depth. Perfect ending. Great panoramas. Solid acting.

The actors. Paul Giamatti is in one of his best role, suits him admirably. I can't judge Thomas Haden Church, because I don't know him enough, but his performance was right on the dot. Virginia Madsen is great as the understated perfect chance. My favorite of the bunch, though, is Sandra Oh who serves us another one of her great interpretation, this time with a flair for very hot yet realistic sexiness.

The bad. The neurotic behavior and a few extreme reactions to some events can get a bit much at time.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. Everyone should see this. Perfect for those who are not looking for romance, but a relationship. You'll smile, you'll frown, you'll shake you head, but you'll appreciate.

Closer (I) (2004)

A razor sharp look at relationships

[9/10 · 6 July 2013]

Closer is about the key wrong move you can make in an intimate relationship.

The good. Nice music and score. Beautiful photography. Solid characters with great depth. Excellent scenario construction which tells a long story in a very short time while making us understand what really makes or breaks a relationship. It mostly follows chronology or otherwise makes it easy to understand, but never shows any time stamp. That makes the viewer's mind work and thus plunges us into the story rather quickly, a fascinating tale of change and turnabout.

The actors. Natalie Portman gives a great performance, and shows her talent with a complex yet subtle role. Clive Owen as the clever bastard definitively gave the performance of a lifetime, it's by far his best one. Jude Law as the neurotic romantic indecisive love lorn control freak certainly gave us one of his best. Julia Roberts gave a nice performance, but it just not on par with the others.

The bad. Nothing.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. Not for everyone, but should be watched by everyone.

Top Gun (1986)

See what an 80s pop movie looked like without the quirks

[6/10 · 5 July 2013]

Top Gun is a 80s classic.

The good. Interesting academy rivalry. Nice choice of music and score. Great footage of fighter planes. Beautiful San Diego photography. Funny scenes.

The actors. Tom Cruise plays the hothead excellently. Val Kilmer as his ice cool competitor is just perfect. However, the best and smoothest work is done by Meg Ryan. On the other hand, Kelly McGillis is unfortunately performed poorly and wasn't given much to work with. The rest of the cast does a pretty solid job. I'll just mention the better ones: Anthony Edwards, Tom Skerritt, and Michael Ironside. We can also see a small cameo by Tim Robbins.

The bad. Easy dialogs. Poor romance plot with lots of cliché and a weak female lead. A few continuity problems. Cockpit filming, lighting conditions mainly, doesn't correspond to fighter plane footage.

The ugly. Very awkward stick handling that looks ridiculous.

The result. A classic, mainly for those interested in seeing what really launched Cruise's career.

Romeo + Juliet (1996)

To perfection from tragedy

[10/10 · 4 July 2013]

Romeo + Juliet by Baz Luhrmann a perfect modern transposition of Shakespeare's timeless tragic romance.

The good. It's perfect, I could list everything, but I'll concentrate on what makes it special. Superb designs, very colorful, for all the sets and costumes that are the result of great ideas demonstrating a lot of imagination. That alone is worth the watch. Imagination was also present in large amount in the translation to modern time. Luhrmann used all kind of artifice to enact the scenario for our delight, but also to make us understand that piece of dramatic literature. Excellent music and score, entrancing, irresistible.

The actors. I feel like I have to name them all... even the boys from each family performed exceedingly well. I'll try to be brief and go for the gold. The young Leonardo DiCaprio and the young Claire Danes are the dream protagonist, simple, eager, sincere, emotional... Of the others, I'd say the most striking play came from Harold Perrineau as the energetic Mercutio, and John Leguizamo as the vengeful Tybalt. Of the lesser roles, I have to mention Pete Postlethwaite as Father Laurence, Paul Rudd as the suave Dave Paris, Dash Mihok as Romeo's cousin, and M. Emmet Walsh as the apothecary. Of course all four parents were also excellent.

The bad. I would only remove the flashbacks just after the final death scene. It's very minor.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. A must for all. Easily enjoyable by men and women, from teen and onward.

World War Z (2013)

Strap in tightly because you're in for a hell of a ride!

[10/10 · 3 July 2013]

World War Z is a zombie movie that mixes a number of sub-genres together. It's global war mixed with survival, gun-ho fights, local low-tech thrill ride, and cure hunting. You'd think that with such a mix, you'd get a mess, but no, Marc Forster pulled it off.

The good. Almost everything. I'll just name the best parts. Very realistic approach, nothing is easy, and characters die. Extremely solid tension, your teeth might ache from all the jaw clenching you'll probably do. Very intense and well made action with eye-popping special effects. Lots of attention to details. A tight scenario that gives the ride of a lifetime. A riveting story that avoids a number of zombie clichés. Great score. Very attaching characters. Finally an American movie with a global event that gives more than just a passing nod to other nations.

The actors. Brad Pitt offers us his action hero type with a coating of realism. The other solid performance, beside the two daughter (and to a lesser degree the wife), is given to us by Daniella Kertesz. The rest of the cast performed well, but nothing distinctive.

The bad. The "I need credentials before I talk to you" is kind of a little bit much, but easily forgivable.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. The best zombie movie ever. Also highly recommended to thrill seekers and action lovers.

Much Ado About Nothing (I) (2012)

Nicely done transposition

[8/10 · 2 July 2013]

Much Ado About Nothing by Joss Whedon is the latest adaptation of the Shakespeare's comedy.

The good. Excellent ideas. Very funny settings and actions. Nice choice of actors. With visual, it's always possible to add non spoken actions to original dialogs and Whedon made some clever extensions. Great photography.

The actors. My favorite performance were by Nathan Fillion, Sean Maher, and Tom Lenk, although I came to appreciate those of Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof a lot.

The bad. The concept of war as spoken in the piece doesn't translate well in modern time.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. Solid entertainment for those who like modern transposition of Shakespeare's work, A must for any Whedon fan.

All the Right Moves (1983)

It's nice, but getting old

[6/10 · 1 July 2013]

All the Right Moves is about how a simple mistake, made because as a youth you didn't know better, can change your future radically, and how your arrogance can crush your life or someone else's.

The good. Excellent 80s small steel town period piece. Very nice acting. Well built scenario with an interesting story.

The bad. The music is also very much 80s and pushed on the viewer a little bit much.

The ugly. It's getting old.

The result. If you're a Tom Cruise fan, it's a chance for you to see him at the beginning of his career. If you like 80s movies, this is a nice one. The others might want to abstain.

Rain Man (1988)

A very touching journey

[9/10 · 30 June 2013]

Rain Man is about breaking out of your prison and seeing who you can be.

The good. Interesting and very touching story. A scenario that takes you easily from one point to an other without rushing through any of the step. You get to really understand the journey. The main character has lots of depth and a solid background. Great ending, very logical, nothing rosy.

The actors. Excellent acting on the part of Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise.

The bad. A single very slight continuity mistake.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. The tale might not interest everybody, but everybody should see this movie.

Now You See Me (I) (2013)

A great show for the masses

[8/10 · 28 June 2013]

Now You See Me is about imagination and what you can make out of life if you're willing to take risks.

The good. Beautiful. Really makes you smile. Great tricks. Captivating intrigue with good distractions. Solid suspense. Very funny situations and dialogs. Nice slick finish to the production. Excellent special effects. Most entertaining. Love all the choices of actors, they were excellent and well cast.

The actors. Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, and Isla Fisher are the top actors. To a lesser degree, but still very much appreciable: Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine.

The bad. Too quick an intro. The end lacks some punch. The bridge accident was a bit much. If you pay attention you can predict a thing or two.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. See it, you won't regret it.

Man of Steel (2013)

Astounding with weaker moments

[8/10 · 28 June 2013]

Man of Steel is a great new beginning for this super hero.

The good. Incredible intro on Krypton with superb concepts on technology, society, and design. I love all the special effects related to Krypton. Solid score with very deep bass. Nice explosive action. Well done 3D, if not necessary for enjoyment. Interesting story. The making of superman is well handled. You can understand how came to be how he is. Lois Lane is finally a real character with nice depth and a good role in the tale, well incorporated within the story. Excellent choices of mothers and fathers. Zod is magnificent and really annoying. Nice acting.

The actors. Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, and Diane Lane are just perfect for their role. On the other hand, Henry Cavill was better at acting Kent before he became Superman, although I have to hand it to him for not making the stalwart figure dull and boring.

The bad. When the explanation is given to the child, it is done too quickly. It's just off by a bit, but with a little better timing, they would have pulled it off. Lousy take on the breathing and the atmospheric conditions. Dull way to handle super being versus super being.

The ugly. Just a few token shots are given to the nations outside the US. It would have been better just not to talk about them.

The result. Excellent entertainment. You should see it, if super heroes do not bore you. A must see on IMAX for the image, but the sound as well.

The Heat (I) (2013)

Lots of rivalries, conflict and swearing for lots of fun

[7/10 · 28 June 2013]

The Heat is an odd couple comedy, but with two women enforcing the law.

The good. Lots of funny scenes, dialogs, and action. The two main characters are very well built.

The actors. Sandra Bullock gives us a solid performance, she makes us laugh with a very straight face. Comedy is what she does best. Melissa McCarthy is stellar as this irreverent persona.

The bad. Some elements were funnier in the trailer because the editing was tighter. Weak story, because the criminal activities are almost an after thought, with no polish whatsoever.

The ugly. The dance floor club scene is terribly awkward.

The result. It mostly delivers what it promises, a solid slap-stick comedy. Any Bullock fans will be pleased.

Cocktail (1988)

A good tale of romance and conflicting ideas

[7/10 · 28 June 2013]

Cocktail is about understanding that what everybody wants might not be what you want. If you try to make it, make it your own.

The good. Interesting story with a few novel ideas. Well paced-scenario. Great behind the bar juggling. Nice acting.

The actors. Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown offer us solid performances, if nothing brilliant.

The bad. Some easy clichés. Lots of 80s hairdos.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. It's not a stupendous movie, but it will make you think and it will make for a nice evening.

The Beach (I) (2000)

Very intense and gut wrenching at time

[9/10 · 26 June 2013]

The Beach is about paradise, what we'll do for it and the consequences. Nothing is perfect, everything has a cost.

The good. Intensely dramatic scenes. A modern phantasmagoric mix. Superbly paced scenario with great cohesion and editing. Solid characters, very realistic actions and reactions. Nice score. Superb acting.

The actors. I'll just mention the two best ones: Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert Carlyle.

The bad. That video game overlay. It's not necessarily a faux pas, because it's well tailored to the persona and his psychosis, but it just doesn't fit very nicely with the rest of the movie style.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. A must see. Sensible souls should avoid for the drama, and a very gory scene.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

A disappointment for all

[5/10 · 25 June 2013]

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is not what the fan of the video games where looking for the visual of the flesh.

The good. Lots of action. A sexy strong female lead.

The actors. Subpar performance at best for all the cast, including Angelina Jolie and Daniel Craig.

The bad. Almost uncountable number of logical problems in the scenario. Simplistic story with lots of clichés. Bad fight scenes. Lousy dialogs. Very shallow characters.

The ugly. The end, in all its different parts is pathetic.

The result. The entertainment value is minimal, only recommended to those who want to see the ever sexy Jolie.

The Kings of Summer (2013)

A simple story, but a meaningful one

[8/10 · 25 June 2013]

The Kings of Summer is a tale of friendship and exploration of youth.

The good. Very interesting story. Sound characters. Well paced scenario, with nice story telling ploys. Great, yet simple, score. Beautiful photography. Solid choice in editing. Realistic dialogs and interactions.

The actors. The boys are excellently played, but I have to tip my hat to Moises Arias for pulling off his hilarious and peculiar portrayal. You'll see what I mean. The parent are great too.

The bad. It is highly unlikely that three boys would have been able to build that house, as simple as it is, or get the material for it, but I guess this is where suspension of disbelief comes in. The end is just a tiny bit quick, but it's still well made.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. A great tale, should be seen by everyone.

Ocean's Twelve (2004)

The interest lies mainly in continuing the story

[6/10 · 24 June 2013]

Ocean's Twelve is the sequel to Ocean's Eleven, but doesn't stand up to its predecessor in terms of quality.

The good. Interesting story and capers. Nice action and dialogs.

The actors. Pretty much the same performance as the first installment except that the script didn't give them parts that were as solid. Simply add Catherine Zeta-Jones to the party with a well played part, and a cameo by Bruce Willis.

The bad. Not telling the story doesn't make an intrigue. An intrigue is built by revealing the facts but not the connections. Plus, there's a number of logical flaws in the scenario.

The ugly. The whole Roberts and Willis encounter is totally ridiculous and occupies way too much time.

The result. Basic entertainment that would interest mainly those who liked the original and wanted to know what happens next.