chris_1256
Lifetime Total
10+
Lifetime Filmo
5+
Lifetime Title
1+
IMDb Member
22 years
Reviews
Monkeybone (2001)
Visually stunning, but slightly lacking - good fun nonetheless.
"Monkeybone" brings together Brendan Fraser, Bridget Fonda, Chris Kattan, Whoopi Goldberg and a whole lot of assorted animated and costumed 'figments' - plus the rather sexy Rose McGowan as the feline femme fatale, Kitty - in a darkly comic fantasy that owes much of its style to Tim Burton and his "Nightmare Before Christmas". Unsurprising, since director Henry Selick has worked with Burton on two prior occasions.
The film's visuals are top-notch - the Downtown area features an eclectic mix of stop-motion, CG animation and Jim Henson-esqué costuming, and excellent set-pieces, like the CG'd head of Abe Lincoln descending from the clouds. I can't fault it there.
However - and you knew this was coming - "Monkeybone", to me, seems disjointed. Barely ten minutes of screen time has passed since Stu entered Downtown, and already, a month has gone by? The aforementioned Kitty isn't even given an introduction - she's just there, and Stu suddenly knows her for no apparent reason.
The actors give great performances - including Whoopi Goldberg as Death, one of whose scenes harks back to "Men In Black", and Chris Kattan as the decomposing corpse of a star gymnast, being chased by a gang of red-cloaked doctors who are out for his organs.
Nonetheless, "Monkeybone" is enjoyable. While not the box-office smash that everyone hopes their movies will be, it serves its purpose and provides an entertaining - if sometimes perplexing - hour and a half.
The film's visuals are top-notch - the Downtown area features an eclectic mix of stop-motion, CG animation and Jim Henson-esqué costuming, and excellent set-pieces, like the CG'd head of Abe Lincoln descending from the clouds. I can't fault it there.
However - and you knew this was coming - "Monkeybone", to me, seems disjointed. Barely ten minutes of screen time has passed since Stu entered Downtown, and already, a month has gone by? The aforementioned Kitty isn't even given an introduction - she's just there, and Stu suddenly knows her for no apparent reason.
The actors give great performances - including Whoopi Goldberg as Death, one of whose scenes harks back to "Men In Black", and Chris Kattan as the decomposing corpse of a star gymnast, being chased by a gang of red-cloaked doctors who are out for his organs.
Nonetheless, "Monkeybone" is enjoyable. While not the box-office smash that everyone hopes their movies will be, it serves its purpose and provides an entertaining - if sometimes perplexing - hour and a half.
Taking Lives (2004)
Insomniacs, this one's for you!
Taking Lives remains my worst movie of all time. It almost put me to sleep - I was fighting off tiredness in case of some actual plot development, but I was sadly disappointed.
The movie is about a detective (Jolie) who has to solve a murder mystery in Canada, where the killer assumes his victim's identity after every murder.
Firstly, the character development. There is none. Jolie's character is one-sided and wooden, and we never discover anything crucial about her personality for the entire duration of the movie. Her two police sidekicks remain boring and unlikeable - well, until one of them is shot. I liked him then. Ethan Hawke's character is painfully mundane.
Despite the fact that everyone's guessed who the murderer is within the first half hour, the movie drags on just long enough to put Jolie and her Dynamic Duo through seemingly endless wild goose chases and red herrings, most of which are unnecessary.
As a last-ditch effort, Jolie removes her top and sleeps with Hawke. The scene adds nothing to the movie - in fact, it has the opposite effect. Sex appeal for the sake of sex appeal is not clever, and viewers lining up merely to see Jolie's breasts will be disappointed.
Finally, the director throws in a "twist". A hideously obvious twist. Despite an interesting fight/struggle sequence, the ending is lackluster.
There's an advertising banner to the right, advertising the "Unrated Version" on DVD. Perhaps the director made the movie better somehow - I'll never know, as I won't even be renting it. No matter what version, I'd advise you to avoid Taking Lives - unless, of course, you suffer from insomnia.
The movie is about a detective (Jolie) who has to solve a murder mystery in Canada, where the killer assumes his victim's identity after every murder.
Firstly, the character development. There is none. Jolie's character is one-sided and wooden, and we never discover anything crucial about her personality for the entire duration of the movie. Her two police sidekicks remain boring and unlikeable - well, until one of them is shot. I liked him then. Ethan Hawke's character is painfully mundane.
Despite the fact that everyone's guessed who the murderer is within the first half hour, the movie drags on just long enough to put Jolie and her Dynamic Duo through seemingly endless wild goose chases and red herrings, most of which are unnecessary.
As a last-ditch effort, Jolie removes her top and sleeps with Hawke. The scene adds nothing to the movie - in fact, it has the opposite effect. Sex appeal for the sake of sex appeal is not clever, and viewers lining up merely to see Jolie's breasts will be disappointed.
Finally, the director throws in a "twist". A hideously obvious twist. Despite an interesting fight/struggle sequence, the ending is lackluster.
There's an advertising banner to the right, advertising the "Unrated Version" on DVD. Perhaps the director made the movie better somehow - I'll never know, as I won't even be renting it. No matter what version, I'd advise you to avoid Taking Lives - unless, of course, you suffer from insomnia.
Sonic the Hedgehog (1993)
A throwback to my youth.
When I was a mere slip of a lad at 10 years of age, I came across "Sonic The Hedgehog" on Channel 4. Needless to say, I was hooked. My pre-teen mind just lapped up the endless slapstick adventures of Sonic and Tails battling Robotnik. The fact that I was a fan of the game series too also factored into my enjoyment of this cartoon.
Then, the first season ended, and we were presented with a much darker, more dramatic Sonic cartoon. I took an instant dislike to it - it felt like I'd been betrayed! They'd taken away a show I'd loved and replaced it with what was in my mind a new show, catering to teenagers instead of pre-teens. It was not until last year, when I was 16, that I finally came to appreciate this show. I'd rediscovered it lurking on the back shelf of my friend's video collection. I borrowed it, and was hooked once more.
The point I'm making is that transforming the show from goofy to serious may not have been the best way to attract viewers, and may have contributed to it's decline. Teenagers knew this show as 'goofy' and didn't watch it, so how were they to know it had been changed? As I recall, Channel 4 didn't advertise it particularly well.
Still, both seasons were great. I, too, think they would benefit from a re-show.
Then, the first season ended, and we were presented with a much darker, more dramatic Sonic cartoon. I took an instant dislike to it - it felt like I'd been betrayed! They'd taken away a show I'd loved and replaced it with what was in my mind a new show, catering to teenagers instead of pre-teens. It was not until last year, when I was 16, that I finally came to appreciate this show. I'd rediscovered it lurking on the back shelf of my friend's video collection. I borrowed it, and was hooked once more.
The point I'm making is that transforming the show from goofy to serious may not have been the best way to attract viewers, and may have contributed to it's decline. Teenagers knew this show as 'goofy' and didn't watch it, so how were they to know it had been changed? As I recall, Channel 4 didn't advertise it particularly well.
Still, both seasons were great. I, too, think they would benefit from a re-show.