Garrick's Reviews

Where do I start? Occasionally, during the film, there were moments of amusement, but they were very, very occasional. The script was super-poor, even though there was no pretense to be "realistic", aided by dreadful acting, it was only mildly enjoyable. Avoid it if possible.

I was keen to see this film, especially having lived in Germany for a long time, and knowing the von Stauffenberg legend well. I thought that Tom Cruise did rather well in this, but was too "heroic" in his portrayal to make it always credible. The myriad of excellent British actors in supporting roles outshone him. The movie was very beautifully filmed, although credibility in historical recreation began to slip with the coup in place. This is where I felt it became a bit "slick" and over focused on Cruise at the expense of good writing and direction, it gave me the impression that there could have been some directing of the director in these scenes :-) To my mind, Cruise was at his best in the remake of War of the Worlds and Lions for Lambs, movies in which he does not play a stereotypical action man figure (WotW slightly excepted). The man can act, why don't we get to see much of his ability in so many of his films?

I am still in shock after watching most of this movie. It actually got worse from an abysmal start. The script seemed like it was written by a 4 year old, accompanied by an over-orchestrated and inappropriate music score. I can only guess the casting director was on crack cocaine and the actual director must have been absent for most of the shoot :-( This is the only reason I can think of for appalling acting by well known and competent performers. I actually laughed out loud when a large contingent of ninjas (in black with martial art movie whirlwinds) appeared out of the forest in an otherwise medieval fantasy movie. 1/2 a star for splendid scenery....oh and did I mention it looked as if it were costumed by a drag queen...what a bomb!!!

If you are looking for a Hollywood treatment of a fairy story, then this movie is not for you. It is rather a horror story woven around the inner story that a young girl, caught up in the turmoil of Fascist Spain in 1944, creates in her own mind as an escape from the brutality around her. The movie skilfully weaves in and out of fantasy and real life events, many of which are gruesome in the extreme. It is, however, beautifully filmed with a haunting score. It is a genre that US movie makers are loathe to approach as it sits neither in the horror genre, fantasy nor real life war drama. My first film noir fantasy movie, and I loved it.

This has to be one of the cleverest scripts ever to be exposed to film in recent years. I know many will quibble with my opinion, but unless you are very familiar with theatre, film and music many of the hidden jokes in the dialogue will escape you. Such a jewel of a movie, made me very sad to know that the only performances of the play in my country were not only sold out, but thousands of kilometers from where I live. I LOVED IT! Funny, charming and totally captivating, it's a must see in my books

Comparing this version to the BBC mini-series is like comparing apples and pears. The BBC version had the advantage of being able to draw out the story more completely over several episodes. However, I loved this version, basically because I could relate to the manner in which the characters were portrayed. I felt Mr. Darcy's inner turmoil, his shyness in the company of strangers, and his awkwardness of manner in emotionally confronting situations. Besides this, the film was exquisitely shot, such beauty in the images and wonderful casting.

I have read the book of this movie several times, so when I was about to watch it I was fearful that the wonder of the book would be destroyed in the translation to film. Happily, I really enjoyed the movie version. Christian Bale is outstanding, the story is cleverly told, and as for Spielberg's direction....what more could one want?

Exceptional acting is the star of this movie. Both Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver are powerful, one in underplaying his role, the other in the extraordinary capture of a less than ordinary woman. In the version that I watched, key scenes were relegated to the "deleted scenes" feature of the video. I found their omission, in hindsight, a grave error, fleshing out not only the relationship between the main protagonists, but embuing them with a humanity that made the entire story more of a journey that I wish I had shared with them. It was very moving.

I cannot believe I actually sat through this crap movie to the end. A totally improbable scenario (which is ok sometimes for sci-fi) but enormous leaps of logic and faith that made me laugh out loud. Don't bother even renting this.

Any movie that makes me feel uncomfortable is a good one in my books. There were many performances that were outstanding and the story was gripping....I knew nothing of this movie before seeing it. I will definitely revisit this in a while. Great stuff!

This movie was one I had missed even hearing about when it was released. Very powerful story, undoubtedly with much truth behind it. Jake Gyllenhaal seemed somewhat at a loss throughout the film, not sure whether due to editing or lack of firm direction. His internal struggle did not read true. He is a very capable actor, something went wrong in the process from the script to the screen. It was nice to see how the disparate parts of the story came together towards the end. Is Meryl Streep being slotted into the hard-faced-bitch category a bit too much? She does do it very well. Enoyable experience, although quite confronting

I have to say that I thought that I might not like this. However, the direction and screenplay were so excellent that I was hypnotised throughout the movie. Such clever writing and, despite the expected denouement, the ending was satisfying. I really liked the linked strands of the two protagonists' lives, this was a very clever movie indeed. Matt Damon was outstanding and now that Leonardo is rather less epicene than many of his earlier films, also was very good.

I would have given this visually impressive movie three stars, had it not been for the jarring, inappropriate sound track. Whatever was the director thinking? Despite an awkward self-indulgent treatment, there were moments of merit, beautifully captured on film....I can never forgive the disgusting rendition of "Fools Rush In". Did they ask the cleaner ad hoc to jump in to the recording studio?

There is some rather glib new-age philosophy that runs throughout this film, tethered to "wanderlust", as the protagonists goes through an inner journey whilst at the same time journeying through the physical world. I was in a really receptive mood for this story, and even though the metaphysics and quotes were nothing new, somehow they hit a special nerve, so I really enjoyed this film. It stayed with me for days

I absolutely loved this movie. Such an intriguing, cleverly written script, wonderfully acted and engrossing from the first moments of the film. Ewan McGregor is a truly gifted actor, and this role is a showcase for his exceptional talents. The purposeful confusion of this depiction only heightens the sense of the surreal border between sanity and loss of mind. I take my hat off to the editor and to the director's visual cleverness with their outstanding scene transitions, a symbol of what is real one moment and something completely different the next sums up this whole experience in itself.

OMG, how can a fine director get the ending of a movie so wrong? It is fine to suspend belief in any fiction genre, but not to the extent that the depiction makes no sense at all. The idea behind the film is excellent, although in this version the script leaves holes in the plotline that Blind Freddy could see. Such a shame as this is almost a really very good movie...saved by the outstanding contributions of Hugh Jackman and Ewan McGregor who saved it for me.

People who know me are going to say that I am prejudiced in favour of British made films. This is not the case, but I really did like this film. Wonderfully acted and meticulously filmed. I was living in London at the time and remember the bank job well as it was so prominent in the news. What I did not expect was that the film so wonderfully recreated the period and the times, that I was transported back and felt like I was reliving the period. An American friend of mine always says that British television and movies are an opportunity for ugly people to work....but my rejoinder is "at least they can act" !! :-)

Very equivocal over this version. Can't make up my mind whether I loved or loathed it. I could not like either Sebastian nor Charles, who I actually disliked by the end of the film. It is such a long time since I read the book and I can't remember Charles evoking such a feeling. The Jeremy Irons character was more likeable, but less believable. Emma Thompson was amazing. Blenheim Palace looked sumptuous, appropriate, but not believable to anyone who knows their history....still vacillating over this one.

Five men and sexual tension in the snow.....not really. Pastiche, cliche followed by cliche. However, David Hewlett was outstanding, the rest of the cast went through the motions. Did I care about the characters in the film? No. Sad, really, could have been better. This sort of "confinement causing angst" plot needs stronger and more believable scenarios. The obligatory female (ostensibly to attract a wider audience) led to the most implausible situation in the film......once more, get a better script!!

Anything Edward Norton has been in of late has been a "must see" for me. This actor has it all in my books, focussed and talented acting skills, casual good looks and ability to undertake an inner journey that translates through the lens. I thought that the cinematography was stunning, the visual impact mirrored that of the unfolding of the story and the development of the characters.... such an achievement.

Despite the best will in the world, I could not give this movie more than 1.5 starts...it is really sub-standard Bond. The worst so far. Plot? What plot? Perhaps the scenes that held the story together and explained what was going on ended up on the cutting room floor. Did I or did I not see M get shot under Siena? WTF was going on when they put this together? Sorry, I can't see Daniel Craig, despite his excellent acting skills, being suave enough and handsome enough, even in a beau-brut sort of way, to really knock all those women off their feet. Pierce Brosnan, yes, Roger Moore, yes, but sadly this Bond doesn't measure up.

ased on true adventures.....hmmm, based yes, but extremely loosely. This film version ignored the more significant issues of the story and indeed the major character who not only was in the orphanage when Hogg arrived, but travelled with him and kept the orphanage running after his death. Could it be that the real life character, Rewi Alley, who was both a Communist and gay, did not fit in with Chinese nor US financial backing? I knew George Hogg's story well before seeing the film, so was understandably annoyed to see this poor treatment of a truly wonderful real life story. The film looks amazing however, and there are some moments that are truly moving. Johathan Rhys Meyes, despite some very courageous moments, does not have the experience to pull of this demanding role...that is only my opinion, as easy as he is on the eye. I also found the directing/editing clumsy....this was more astounding to me in fact than the mistreatment of true history. Spottiswoode has been one of my favourite directors. What went wrong?.....this movie is really "the parson's egg" :-(

What a mix-up of a movie. It had the distinct impression of "too many cooks", and after watching the extras on the DVD, I began to understand the plight of the poor writer coping with Hollywood stardom and the wish to make the film more "violent". The original intent of Klaatu was not a punishing, destructive force, he was benevolent, a victim of human suspicion of the unknown and panic. This version could have been very successful, good director, good cast, but someone needed to take control, step back from the movie and actually see what they were turning out. They managed to make a really good remake of War of the Worlds, this had the possibility of the same result, such a pity it was a real mish-mash.

This is not your usual cops and robbers movie. Quite the contrary, the plot is not discernible from the opening credits on, despite falling into cliche at the end. Joachim Phoenix is outstanding in this role, I was really moved by his story. The plot is well written (hallelujah), gritty and realistic. I could quite easily believe that this is the stuff of real life, unlike some of the more recent Bruce Willis sci-fi-esque attempts at pseudo-realism. I imagine that most of the negative comments come from movie--goers who love the Hollywood touch. There were risks in the film-making, directing and editing that really paid off. Unconventional police drama it may be, but give me more of it please!

I thought I must have been alone in really disliking this film, but after watching it and then double checking against critics who I trust and admire, came to the conclusion that I was just not having an "anti-hollywood" spasm as usual. The plot is ludicrous !! One coincidence is extremely believable, two acceptable, three suspicious, but when the whole movie revolves around coincidence I can no longer suspend belief. The plot has more contrivance than La Gioconda by Ponchielli, the heroine in which happens to stumble into a room in a mansion during a party to which she has not been invited and miraculously find the antidote to the poison that threatens to kill her lover.....Taken had even more unbelievable situations. Liam Neeson is an extraordinary actor and it was obvious that he had to invest a large amount of preparation to do all the action sequences, I just hope he got paid a huge amount of money....I had to watch the end just to make sure it finished the way I predicted...ho hum. And by the way, just how did they both get back to the USA? Silly question, no one was writing any script so they just did.

Despite some problems with pace, this was not a bad movie. Very well cast, with some unexpected (and predictable) twists and turns in the plot. For once I did not feel that the cameraman, editor, director and cast were on speed. There were times that it really needed some get up and go, but the casual attitude most of the characters portrayed was somewhat more like real life people in normal circumstances. This had the makings of being a really good film. Tighten up the script, give some humanity (which was lacking to me) to the Islamic extremists, and then the story would have provided a true conundrum, something that we Westerners would probably have never really understood, but that is beside the point. The extra half a star is for Guy Pierce who not only looks taut and terrific, but is developing a strong independent acting style that is truly appealing.

Half a star because Hugh Jackman is in it and the other half a star because I feel patriotic. Come on, Baz! This was a shocker. I was so miserably disappointed that I feel like protesting somewhere. What was this mish-mash epic? I can tell you what it was not, it was neither fish nor fowl, not a comedy romance, not a drama. Truly awful.:-(

Despite many shortcomings, I couldn't help comparing Jason Statham with Daniel Craig in the latest Bond movie.....Statham won, hands down. He made no pretense to be suave, sophisticated or a secret agent.He was just an action figure in a movie. Some of the one-liners are amazing "You have 10 seconds to change your mind.....etc". The female interest was incredibly dull, I don't know why the hero didn't kick the rude bitch out of the door right at the start. Kaboom! Problem solved....but I guess the rest of the movie would have died in the bum (if that were possible). Still, I gave it an extra star due to Mr Statham (half for not being a Yank, and another half for being....well, I dunno, more enjoyable in this than Quantum of Solace was for me.

Sigh....Cloverfield meets The Loonies. So many holes in the story that it resembled a cheese grater. The cinema of "anxiety" lives on in this movie. Make enough people run around aimlessly, while all the time screaming and panting, drop the camera several times, dim the lights and you will create tension in the audience. Whether its the type of tension that the director intended is another thing. Jennifer Carpenter has a place in my heart, mainly due to her lovely performance as Debs, Dexter's sister in the series of the same name. I can only assume that everyone's acting was a result of poor and aimless direction, as most of the cast have been good in other things. Cloverfield was great, this was the opposite.