MRC-10

Love the soundtrack. And that makes or breaks a film. But what ultimately carries The Mexican to excellence is the sneaky way in which the story unfolds. Leading the watcher along a humorous trail of misfortune of the leading characters, it concludes in epic quality and a nicely tied up romantic finale. Oh yeah, Pitt is great to watch.

A simple no-go for these guys. What could have been the next 'Bill & Ted' simply lacks in the funny tickles department. Maybe it's just personal, but that's where a comedy should excel: making the humor personal so you'll love it. Death (of Bill & Ted fame) is spinning in his grave.

Let's be honest: Disney has never really challenged the cliche horizon. Since Aladdin we even haven't been treated to non-digital brilliance anymore. Well, it seems with the competition (read: Dreamworks) leering around the corner Disney is upping the ante. David Spade shows his ultimate performance like Williams once did for that cooky blue genie. As the arrogant, sarcastic lama he steals the show and the fact that ancient Peru is merely used as canvas without depth for once is not a hindrance. The humor is simply too brilliant. Definitely for adults as for kids, this one. Even for people, who would steer away from Disney.

The Cell. Weak points: Jennifer's acting (I mean is this the woman from Out of Sight?) and some of the finer plot points. Strong points: The sometimes funky, sometimes disturbing, sometimes simply beautiful surrealistic imagery. The truly horrific scene elements (the fantasy women of the serial killer). Don't forget some pretty hairy stuff with morphing innocent-to-monster faces and other "anything-can-happen-in-a-dreamscape" moments. Truly freightening.

Normally I don't scare easily. Slashers, aliens, King/Barker/Craven stories or serial killers. I laugh at them before turning in for the night. But this flick truly wigged me out.

Oh man, does this movie ever bite! If you were ever afraid of seeing a rehash of the slasher genre, done as cheap as possible and as cautious at the same time (pc-friendly, means no nudity, a classic element of slasher films) Cut is it. Every cliche is retread without a hint of self-awareness and the acting. Oh, the acting redefines the word horror. I should have known better as the direct Dutch translation of the title would have tipped me off.

A pleasant surprise! I expected a further downgrade along the line: The Rock (9)-->Con Air (7)-->Armaggeddon (4). Especially for such an overhyped film. Perhaps that's the reason so few approved of this new type of Bruckheimer fare. Clever dialogue instead of snappy one-liners, decent background/motivation instead of shake-n-bake stereotypes and when the chase came you really thirsted for it. Fanboys expecting an Armageddon rollercoaster: stay away. This is one for the more intelligent action fans. It didn't even bother me Jolie appeared so little.

Magnolia excels in the off-beat, but very recognizable characters. Movies like 'The Big Lebowski' and in fact any Coen Brothers film come to mind. Especially the slightly freakish twist at the end comes as an unexpected, yet welcome refreshment. The only downside? At least half an hour could have been cut out what otherwise makes up for excellent editing.

A mutant among superhero films, X-Men excels in the story department. Not truly amazing with Singer at the helm and over 30 years of continuity. Everything feels right enough for a movie adaption, but their could have been a little more 'Wow'-factor for my taste. Being capped from $100 million to $70 million may have been the reason this film clocks in at around 90 minutes, but why the fast editing? Why the semi-climax? Why do we have to wait a few years for more? Well, Y is the sequel of X, so lets hope a sequel will improve on these points.

One can only wonder how Back to the Future would have looked like if morphing techniques were available back then. In this retro feeling movie, the viewer is no longer bored with explanations how it is possible to alter history. It's done with such feeling and sense of wonder, one can only anticipate how son and father will work out the problem they face. Great stuff for all sons and fathers who feel they've lost touch with each other.

How come each Asian superstar (be it Jackie, Jet, Chow-Yun or John in this case) who makes a Hollywood movie ends up being more watered down than a cheap wine in a bad motel? John Woo really missed the boat here. An uninspiring action/romance, mixed with inappropriate slow-mo shots and a few sprinkles of Woo trademarks (doves and a set of guns anyone?) which fails to thrill. Ironically it does hit the spot for a lot of couples out there wanting to see something more romantic than seamen hanging on ears and abused apple pies...

Unpretentious in plot, Supernova supports great visuals and a serious acting effort. Although this film has switched in directors an actual switch in the film is not visible. Great fun, especially after a series of 'meaningful-must-make-you-think' sci-fi flicks.