bilgerat99

A modern "Heist" caper, starring Bruce Willis?

Should be good, uh-huh...

I'm legally deaf and far-sighted and I have an IQ that would probably qualify me to be marked down 30% at your local 99-cent store. I only completed two years of high school and when people start talking about things like "character arcs", "long shots", "cutaway", "out-takes", "dailies", etc., regarding the art of film-making, I really have no idea as to what they're talking about.

But even I could make a better movie than this one.

(I do understand what "plot holes" are though - so in addition to those *many* already mentioned, I'll add one more):

Let's do the surreptitious "hot diamonds for money swap" in an out-of-the-way place - like a rooftop parking area - so nobody can watch and get suspicious, OK? Best if we choose one *without* a minimum of 180 windows overlooking it from directly across the street, (yes, I counted), as we saunter around outside the getaway vehicle, dressed in our identical dark coveralls and knit watch-caps while carrying the big black bag of booty and clutching our machine guns. Ya think?

I read the reviews on-site and many off-site before watching this and saw they were very polarized, so I even went through some European reviews, which treated it quite a bit nicer but which were also pretty polarized. I did notice that, as of this writing, 20% of the people voting here on IMDb gave it a 10, which is significantly higher than even George Clooney's latest film, "The American" received, although it has a somewhat higher overall score. The major complaint I read amongst all the reviews was about the ongoing narration but, I thought, it's only a dollar rental and if it's too intrusive I can always watch something else. So, I decided to give it a spin.

Imagine you are watching a young man in a room, alone with the open casket of his mother, who had just passed away from cancer. He's thinking that the wig the undertaker put on her, to hide her hair loss from the therapy, was unbecoming. He would rather see her for the last time as she really was at the end of her days, bald-headed. This is an important thought of his, which sets up a subsequent scene that would otherwise be totally inexplicable.

How can a film-maker express this thought? By introducing someone into the room with which the young man can have a conversation about this? No, that destroys the solitude of the moment. By having him speak this thought aloud to his mother's remains? Not very likely. By creating a completely new scene where someone is present and then create an artifice to have a conversation about it? No, that adds unnecessary complexity and bulk to wade through, confusing the storyline.

What Schumacher does is to use a narrator to give the viewer a short-cut directly into the minds of his characters at times - many times. This makes the film somewhat more like a visual book than a movie. It wouldn't do for most movies but it was effective here. (I got a good chuckle from the vapidity of the last thought of Sara's that we are exposed to.) It is a different approach but I, for one, enjoyed it. I most probably would not of enjoyed the book this film is based on, as I don't think there was enough plot substance here to make an enjoyable book for me but I do think there was sufficient substance for a film. 6.5 out of 10.

Imagine you're having a dream about driving a souped-to-the-max dune buggy in the Baja 500 race, you're zooming along but, hello?, people are passing you left and right - something's wrong. You look down and instead of your custom racer, you find that you're driving a vehicle haphazardly slapped together from parts of all descriptions, a piece of Ford Anglia here, a piece of 1942 Willys there, some skateboard here and a little bit of Volvo there, ala Beyond Thunderdome. Everything holds together and you do finish the race, limp across the finish line and pull off your helmet, wipe the sweat and dirt from your brow and think: I made it! Just barely, but I made it...

This movie had everything, great actors, great locations, a tidy, suspenseful plot and great cinematography, a hunted assassin, a kind-hearted hooker, a mysterious assassinette, a perceptive and garrulous clergyman, a suspicious character as the assassin's controller, a couple of chases and several gunfights but the George Clooney in this movie seemed somnambulistic throughout, compared to, say, the George Clooney in Three Kings or O Brother, Where Art Thou. Then again, an assassin who is becoming introspective might be a bit daunted by the feeling, who knows? Yet the priest, played by Paolo Bonacelli, out-charisma-ed George and he was followed by the hooker, played by Violante Placido; they both portrayed more of George's trademark impishness than he did. Okay, maybe it was: "don't upstage your hosts".

The movie's plot itself was like a compendium of a lot of movies instead of an original, yet Kick-Ass was a compendium also but it was highly original. This ultimately was a very strong film that just never really flexed it's muscles, it was more like a good Rolex copy - perfect in every detail except with a quartz movement going: tick - tick - tick instead of a self-winding Swiss precision movement going: tickety-tickety-tickety-tickety - it got the job done - but a with certain lack of panache.

There, now I've gone and said it - they'll hate me for it but I've said it...

This film, while not Oscar material, is a very solid sci-fi/crime thriller. It may seem to weaken itself slightly because it never really sets foot solidly in either camp but instead treads the line carefully between a quite plausible sci-fi plot and a crime/action story. Nonetheless, it is several cuts above the normal indy fare and rises even above some of Hollywood's efforts.

It has fine acting, outstanding sets, great action sequences and editing. The dualistic nature of the plot is well conceived and revealed sparingly; there are some nice twists and surprises along the route and it never bogs down. (Of course, for myself, I would have been content spending the entire 94 minutes happily watching only Mélanie Thierry's face but that's just me... ;-)

Seriously, give it a spin - you won't consider it a wasted 90 minutes if you like crime/sci-fi and great art direction in an intimate setting without loads of CGI; just be aware it's not a major undertaking like the Terminator or Matrix series - but if you don't need quite that much excitement to be entertained - it's very satisfying .

With no other reviews of this film at present, I guess I'm working without a net but I'll give it a try. I'll let the pre-provided summary above handle the plot description and move directly into the film itself, which I could best describe as a somewhat "artsy" crime drama, (and I mean that in a good way.)

Filmed mostly in Tijuana, it takes wonderful advantage of the various atmospheres and the smaller sets were also extremely well chosen for realism and visual interest. There are some action sequences but the film is not particularly violent nor "action" oriented, there are numerous personality conflicts and those are what mainly propels the story through the urban Mexican landscape, providing tensions which are occasionally punctuated by violent confrontations.

The players put forth a fine effort in delivering a multi-layered plot which is interesting enough to hold our attention but only barely, it's that type of movie that if you wander away from it for a few minutes, you may not care if you return to finish it. The story-line is littered with implausibilities which in themselves are not deal-breakers, for instance: the quandary of how to arm a foreign hit-squad traveling over the border is beautifully handled by the artifice of having the weapons cached in a pit in a field for them before they arrive but when recovering them, the squad parks about eighty feet away and unnecessarily carries the weapons back to their van in plain view of the surrounding buildings instead of parking right next to the pit and blocking the view of the transfer with the van.

But if it's not going to be uber-realistic like Traffic or testosterone driven like Die Hard or mentally intense like The Usual Suspects or absolutely drip atmosphere like The Godfather or Once Upon a Time in New York or be over-the-top like Kill Bill, it does need something to hook us into it and really hold us there. For me, ultimately that turned out to be the scenery but I don't think that they were actually trying to make a travelogue.

As a kiosk/netflix rental there is enough to recommend here, some great scenery and vignettes, very solid acting, some very good twists and a great score and while the whole may not quite be the sum of the parts it is still a decent enough crime flick.

Looking over reviews of the writer/director's few earlier works it appears he is quickly maturing and there is a lot of potential here, to be certain. His eye is excellent but the story is just a little too clichéd, I'd really like to see his considerable talents utilized in a better story. I would like to see what he, the cast and crew could do with a story that has more impetus, like Man on Fire. I may seem a little harsh because there are no other reviews and I'm trying to cover everything alone; so do your duty - go out and rent it and write an accompanying review.

This is not a typical "war movie" as depicted on the cover art. As others have already pointed out, this is a Romeo and Juliet story - set in the backdrop of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The film fleshes out the main characters with considerable subtlety in the first few minutes, (perhaps missed by some viewers); a Jewish-American man who is apathetic towards Judaism and a liberated "Palestinian"-Arab woman who is disenchanted with the leadership of her own cause and who idolized her Christian-Arab doctor mother. While these qualities are hammered home a little later in the movie, it is they that allow the protagonists, like many in real life, to ultimately step outside the supposed stereotypes of their respective cultures and seek a solution there to their dilemmas. The film also assumes that the viewer will be conversant with some of the history of the conflict and able to recognize major players, issues and themes without help from the movie itself.

Strong acting from a solid cast including the wonderful F. Murray Abraham, excellent camera-work and some stunning scenery. Actual events are woven into the story; there is even some real-life action footage seamlessly entwined in the film and the considerable amount of action footage created by the filmmaker is very realistic and assured. Likewise, there are many memorable scenes of a more philosophical nature and much food for thought, all in addition to the love story that propels us through the scenery of conflict. (I actually coughed up an extra dollar to keep it an extra night in order to review some of them, like: the customs scene, the funeral rally and my favorite: grandfather and Romi going through the checkpoint.)

The scene of the father and child sheltering behind a barrier is actual footage but the subsequent death of the child has been found to be a hoax, it is known as the "Muhammad al-Durrah incident".

Those who see this based on the "Action" cover art will probably be sorely disappointed and might call it "cheesy" but for those with an interest in the issues - there are a considerable number of visual treats and much meat enclosed is within.

Well worth a watch if you're interested in getting past the normal rhetoric and propaganda in the news and seeing some of the interior of the package.

With depressing regularity, the behavior of humans on this planet devolves into something so far removed from those qualities which are supposed to set us apart from the other species that it truly boggles the mind. This movie is an attempt to portray one of those instances of inexplicable behavior, the Darfur Genocide, and it does an excellent job of it.

The cover art on the Video release is deceiving, you will not see Billy Zane as an action hero, ala Bruce Willis in Tears of the Sun or Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamond - there is more than enough "action" in the second half, however.

This is also not The Killing Fields or Hotel Rwanda; it is somewhat more creative and poignant than those classics because it relies on unscripted dialogue, many actual survivors as actors and because this occurrence in the Sudan is still underway at the present time, unlike the Cambodian and Rwandan instances which were brought to the screen 10 years afterwords.

What you have here instead is a somewhat raw microcosm of genocide and the confusion of the world to deal with it; brought to you in a manner which is both immersive and which raises many legitimate questions. You could close your eyes for some parts or leave it out of your DVD player altogether - but you'll be somewhat less of a human for having done so.

Having read so many negative reviews, I approached this film with some trepidation but I found it actually very enjoyable.

If you can accept the premise of rodent heroes, in the same way as you might accept mutants or convicts in the same fashion, (in X-Men or the Dirty Dozen), then you're halfway there. The excellent animations, seamlessly blended with film are superb, as is the pacing. The humor and dialogue are a combination of slapstick and subtlety and therein I think lies a problem for many viewers, maybe too much subtlety...

Youngsters will appreciate the slapstick, tweens will get what they can from it, teens may find it lacking and adults, well, we all bring different viewpoints to our seats in the cinema, do we not? While it does not have anywhere near the emotional impact of the first part of Up, it is a quite polished and sophisticated undertaking and I consider myself fortunate to have ignored the other reviews and taken a chance with it.

I would give it a very solid 7 but considering the beating it's been taking, I will give it an 9 in an attempt to counteract that - and I don't feel guilty in the least for doing so.

It's hard for me to categorize this movie; it's unlike most films although it has elements of mystery, drama, comedy, tragedy and angst. The story revolves around a priest who is attempting to locate a confessor in the Minneapolis underworld while simultaneously confronting some of his personal demons but it is not nearly as trite as that sounds, the whole presentation feels remarkably unique and fresh. It does not present itself like a major studio treatment nor like the usual independent effort.

All aspects of the film's production are convincing and very assured. While most of the plot's elements have been explored elsewhere, this particular combination of excellent screenplay and considerable talent is somewhat like being exposed to an entirely new cuisine - and a welcome change that is. It is clever, poignant, buoyant, gritty and witty but it is not your normal fare.

Try it, you might like it.

I approached this film with a totally open mind, (there were no comments or reviews that I could find ;-). The opening scene was, to me, slightly marred by the obviously too modern barn architecture in the background but I let it go - until the obligatory bar-fight scene, when the fighters spilled out into the "street".

In the background here was a neat row of about a dozen dark green, 35 foot tall Italian Cypresses, standing out in stark contrast to the tan scrub hillsides and framed beneath 6 power lines. None of these would have been in the "old west" and it would have taken 25 years or so for the Cypresses to obtain that height once they arrived. OK, I will ignore them (and ignore the composition shingle roofing on these buildings).

In the next major scene, however, where the villain is abusing the damsel-in-distress, I couldn't possibly ignore the 8-foot high chain-link fence in that background; mercifully it was mostly covered in overgrowth but still unmistakable and peeking out over it's top was a modern building, sporting new-styled Spanish cement tiles and if that weren't enough - a satellite dish on it's front.

From that point on, it was a matter of earning back respect and in many regards, that was accomplished. Interior scenes were much better as were the field scenes, the major offense to the optic nerve here was caused by the choice of the "town" it was filmed in (did I mention the modern milled-plywood siding?) and the subsequent lack of concise post-editing to at least try to ameliorate these errors.

The actors and lead actress put on a good show. My own feeling is that the origins of the maiden's plight needed some additional clarity. There were also many "dissolve to blacks", which sort of left one waiting for a commercial occasionally. Camera work was pretty solid as was direction. Gunfights were surprisingly good. The score, however, was outstanding.

Not a bad first effort.

I watched this tonight and enjoyed it thoroughly. It is a Canadian Broadcasting Company docu-drama, made for television but has extremely high production values and is both well directed and acted.

The story, based on a true climb of Everest, tells the bittersweet tale of the 1982 Canadian expedition. While I have climbed a few hills, I am not really a mountain climber or big fan of the sport so I cannot comment on the technical aspects or historical accuracy depicted in the film but I saw nothing to argue with.

The screenplay was also very well done and ensured that there was an air of underlying suspense and humor throughout; it was entertaining and engrossing.

While William Shatner is prominently depicted on the cover art he really has a cameo role while the rest of the cast carries it off splendidly. At no time did I feel I was watching something made for television and wouldn't even have thought of it or commented had someone else not already mentioned it.

If you find the subject matter interesting, by all means give it a watch.

This movie's plot revolves around a small gang as it prepares itself to take on the Casinos. As a counterpoint, a simultaneous plot evolves involving a very difficult father-son relationship. The two interwoven plots, like a piece of contrapuntal baroque music, result in a rich textured film that never bogs down.

Where "Ocean's 11" may epitomize the star-studded Hollywood con movie and "21", the real-life story adaptation, this wonderful Indie film carves out it's own territory. Believable, informative and very enjoyable.

A fine and successful effort by all involved, with special kudos to Tom Guiry for a truly remarkable performance.

Having seen almost everything in my local video stores, I'm now reduced to re-watching some old favorites and trying some obscure titles while awaiting new releases. The obscure titles are usually a large gamble but every now and then you find a diamond. This is a diamond...

Rabbit Proof Fence is about a fence. An actual real, physical fence and it's also about a social fence, about a society's plan to keep out an "undesirable" element and about the indefatigable human spirit that, in the final analysis, usually shows such plans to be absurd.

This is a quite amazing true story about an event that occurred between the Australian government and the Jigalong area Aborigines in the 1930's outback. It is not a glamorous, "Made in Hollywood" type production; there might actually be a dozen or so people in this film. There are a handful of animals, a couple of cars, the occasional building, some laundry, a rifle. And a fence.

Still here? Good. If you were a little less than totally fulfilled by Steven Segal's last few films you are probably going to love this movie. As the story unfolds, you may wonder, as I did: what is going to happen to these children if they actually manage to reach the intended end of their journey? And you will continue to wonder, right to the very end. And then you will be amazed and then angered and then amazed again and angered again and amazed yet again, then angered yet again and finally - amazed.

Do yourself a favor, watch it. A real gem.

Very pleasantly surprised at this $1 rental; I really knew absolutely nothing about it prior to renting but while watching it I distinctly felt similarities to "The Professional" (Leon) and while totally different in plot, indeed it is another Luc Besson written film.

Liam Neeson was excellent as a father who was ill at ease in normal society but who was very comfortable when plying his trade. The supporting cast was completely up to the task but it was Neeson's embodiment of Besson's central character which made the film. The action was mostly believable and almost non-stop.

I feel that while it was not quite on the level of "The Fifth Element" or "The Professional", it was far better than any of the "Transporter" trilogy and that Luc Besson has somehow found his center again. May he continue on around there forever...

Wow. Vampires and werewolves, humans and lycans, an overbearing overlord with a headstrong daughter who loves a rebellious slave. An illicit affair and an uprising. A dark and forbidding coven castle filmed entirely on dark and foreboding nights. Dungeons and tortures. Almost epic battles.

Filmed mainly in monotonous monochromatic blue, gray and black, highlighted periodically with only brighter-than-life red blood. The sun does make a couple of cameo appearances, mostly for the purpose of frying vampires.

I'm giving this film a three because the actors all managed to keep a straight face while playing their parts, however, unlike "Van Helsing", they did not seem to be enjoying themselves. Maybe that's it: sort of a poor mini-hybrid of "Van Helsing" and "300".

Well, it was only a buck to rent but to think, for free I could have watched my computer as it ran a de-frag - and enjoyed it more.

I first saw this movie on a flight to Hawaii in 1966 and have watched it many times since, showing it to friends and family who were unaware of it - all of whom enjoyed it immensely. Although slightly dated by today's (2009) standards, don't let that dissuade you from seeing this film, it holds up to the test of time like very few movies do and surpasses most, at that.

So, what's it all about? Khartoum depicts the last chapter in the remarkable life of Gen. Charles "Chinese" Gordon; another one of those larger-than-life-personages seemingly produced uniquely by Victorian England; such as Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) or T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia). To that last personage is the best probable comparison, as they were both considered the best commanders of "irregular" forces of their respective times and like Lawrence of Arabia, this movie barely scrapes the surface of the man's life (but it would take a 6 hour movie in either case to do them justice).

Set in 1884, in what was the Sudanese portion of then Egypt, this is an epic historical movie that succeeds on every level. The conflict centers around an uprising to Egyptian rule, led by the Mahdi and the subsequent attempt to evacuate foreigners from the besieged Sudan's main city, Khartoum, by Gordon. It is epic in scope and production, detailed, believable and almost completely accurate. Political intrigue, minor and major battles, beautiful scenery, top notch acting, this movie has it all. I would place it smack dab between Lawrence of Arabia and Zulu (and much closer to Lawrence because of it's epic nature).

This is one of my absolute favorite movies of all time (and I was at the opening of Ben Hur at the Coronet Theater in San Francisco, which was a lot of movies ago ;-) and watching this film has led me to read several books on this event, including Gordon's own diary written at the time.

Unfortunately, they don't make too many like this anymore.

This movie is an adaptation of a graphic novel which itself was loosely based on the Jack the Ripper crime spree which took place in late 19th century London. Production values are quite high; it does a wonderful job of attempting to recreate the feel of both the place and era. The acting likewise is above par, with solid performances by a gifted cast. Because of the subject, the movie is filmed almost entirely at night, ala The Crow or Darkman, which may be slightly disturbing to some.

The movie encompasses conflict on many levels, which in itself is a valid description of Victorian England. Perhaps that's why it succeeds, by not getting bogged down into the somewhat gruesome basic plot-line. The gore itself is held to a minimum and the movie simultaneously goes on to explore many aspects of the class relationships of the time, while never getting far afield of the story. All in all, a pretty cute movie.

Imagine you took a Riddick movie and combined it with the movies The Transporter and The Fifth Element, put them in a blender and hit "Blend". What results is an eminently watchable action flick with several original plot twists, quite high production values, nice scenery and good acting. If this plot synopsis seems remotely interesting to you, you probably will not be disappointed.

It's hard to fault a film with so few pretensions, (other than to distract and to entertain), when it is executed so nicely. This is escapist entertainment and needs no other excuse. If it did, it might be this: No healthy guy should really need any excuse to watch the unbelievably gorgeous Mélanie Thierry.

In a word: Outstanding.

Do not dismiss this as a "Kiddie Movie", it is both a tour de force of animation and a wonderful sci-fi/romance movie in it's own right (and suitable for all viewers.) The incredibly good animation, plot complexities and scene details belie this as being targeted to the youngsters only - but perhaps to the young at heart.

I generally am attracted to more serious fare but after viewing Ratatouille and now this and having thoroughly enjoyed them both on many levels, I'm hooked...

Kudos to the folks across the bay at Pixar and please, keep 'em coming!

Actually, (and this from someone who doesn't usually like comedies), I thought this film was excellent but it is probably not for the young or squeamish.

Although it is a parody of war movies in general and also of actors and Hollywood at large, it contains considerable extremely graphic violence of the theatrical kind but is well worth watching for most audiences nonetheless.

The first sequences are somewhat less mature than the body of the movie, (I almost pulled it's plug - I'm glad I didn't), wait until all of it's levels are revealed - there's some really great and very funny stuff therein.