captainpervert

IMDb member since June 2003
    Lifetime Total
    5+
    IMDb Member
    20 years

Reviews

Mask of the Ninja
(2008)

Back to the 80s ninja craze
Just when you thought the cheesy "touch me and I die" ninjas were something from your childhood, you come across this flick. When I was 10, I watched the American Ninja movies over and over again, even constructed my own ninja weapons in my dad's shed. Being 27 now, I somehow could't resist watching it. And an instant flashback it was. The wooden acting, the predictable plot, all there, and more. The editing is a bit more flashy and incorporates many closeups, but other than that, it's all the same. Perhaps a little more blood.

It's not all that bad, though, I'd day it's better than the average Seagal movie, but that's not saying much.

Bottom line: just as bad as the other ninjamovies, but ideal stuff for todays 10-year olds.

Pistol Whipped
(2008)

Better than most of his recent films, but...
Compared to other recent Seagal films this one is OK, but it is nowhere near as good as his early movies (Under Siege, Above The Law, Hard To Kill, all of which have an honorary place in my DVD collection).

On the plus side, they don't even bother hiding the fact that Steven has become old and fat. However, he doesn't take himself too serious, by playing a down-on-his-luck drunk. The film itself is alright. Roel Reiné, the Dutch director who recently stated that his goal to make Blade Runner-like movies in the future, made the best out of it he could. He pursued Seagal to do more of his own fighting, talking and... well everything (since he has stand-ins for almost everything in other recent movies, even stepping out of a car). The plot is decent and the camera work is entertaining.

But then there's a protagonist who just doesn't want to be there. Sorry Steven, each time I try to like your films, but you just don't like making them anymore, and it shows. It is nice to see Steven do his own fighting again (or at least not with the obvious use of stunt doubles all the time), but a real comeback is still far, far away.

Der Schattenmann
(1996)

Decent mafia drama
Although I'm not particularly into German television, this miniseries caught my attention when it was first aired in 1996. It had a lot of cliches and a strong resemblance with 1997's "Donnie Brasco".

Undercover cop infiltrates criminal organisation and then feels bad about selling out his new friends. That's basically it.

So if you like this setting and are able to get a hold of this series (that is, if you are able to receive German television, you speak German and you have the luck that it is aired again), it's well worth your time. The acting is good (the cast includes some of Germany's finest actors) and so is the plot. 7/10

Mr. Bean: The Animated Series
(2002)

Simply not funny
I always liked the original series, but this animated version is simply not funny. Not even if it had no relation with he Atkinson character at all, but now you can't help thinking of how good the original show was and this cartoon simply does not work.

The new-age simplified drawing style is ugly as well. I'd rather watch a cartoon with animated matchstick men.

I'm glad it's over, it was aired last year on Dutch television. I hope I never have to see it again. It didn't even make me giggle, smile, and I am an outgoing person who likes a laugh. Nuff said.

Derrick
(1974)

Started out good, but ended up boring
A true classic and without doubt one of the best known German 'Krimis'. I like the episodes from the 70's and early 80's best. Not only because of the sometimes hilarious nostalgia, but the episodes were - in relation to to the later episodes, that is! - fast-paced, and much less boring.

In the 90's, almost every episode concluded in philosophical chatter and most killers were obsessed with "the beauty of death". The series moved away from the whodunnit genre, simply because viewers could no longer guess who was the killer. Even the least obvious characters turned out to have a dark side. The nicest, least suspicious people suddenly turned out to be killing lunatics with no motive but some philosophical crap, and Derrick seemed more of a shrink than an "Oberinspektor". Also, the series moved from the people-next-door environment, mostly in the 70's, to the rich people exclusively in the 90's, which made it sometimes repetitive.

Nevertheless, if you like detective series, whodunnits, and last but not least the German "Krimis", I can recommend this, along with "Tatort" and the "Der Alte" series as a close second. These three were the most popular German cop shows in the 80's and early 90's.

Vanilla Sky
(2001)

Great, original, though provoking movie.
*SPOILERS*

I guess you could compare this movie to the Matrix trilogy and perhaps even to Last Action Hero. It's about finding out that your life is just imaginary, in one way or another.

The best thing about this movie that it eventually got at a point where everything could happen. Somewhere around the point where David Aames tries to kill the woman he is in bed with. It had me guessing about what could happen.

But even then, some parts were a bit boring. A BIT. I rate this movie a good 7.5 and well worth to check out. If you like this one, I can also recommend Donnie Darko.

Rapid Exchange
(2003)

Rapid, yes. Rapidly forgotten.
As a fan of Henriksen (I liked him in the "Millennium" series) and of course Lorenzo "Renegade" Lamas, I had expected at least SOMETHING from this film. Sadly, the plot is predictable, the acting is bad and the computergraphics used for most stunts don't work out. Sometimes it even looks like they've captured some shots from Microsoft Flight Simulator.

The cinematography sucks as well. Unnecessary funky camerawork in the beginning only detracts (from the cheesy dialogue) and gives the film a cheap, made-for-video-look. It works in hiphop-movies and Jet Li movies, but seems out of place in this flick.

I would have liked this film 10 years ago. I was 11 then.

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