CommanderVimes

Michael Ende didn't write as many books as others, but most of his books became instant classics. The tale of "Jim Knopf und Lukas, der Lokomotivführer" ist his best known, next to "Neverending story", which has become a classic both as a book and a film. While the latter aims for adults as well as for older kids, "Jim Knopf" is a great children's story - although it contains elements that will ring more with grown ups.

The book is great in it's detail, and the pictures are fantastic on their own account. Then there's the marionette-version, made for TV by the "Augsburger Puppenkiste", in the 1970s.

Now, Jim finally and well deservingly hits the big screen - and the makers did really, really well! They took lots of inspiration from the beloved TV-Version and didn't change a lot of the story: Jim being brought to the island of Lummerland with only a few habitants and a train engine as a baby, later sailing away (on the engine!) with his fatherly friend Lukas, to explore the secret of his heritage, trying to save princess Li Si from the dragon's city on the way, meeting lots of curious people on their journey...

The director tells the story very straight, the action is well paced, and there are hardly any important parts missing. The visuals are fine, except for Nepomuk, the half dragon, who REALLY looks animated! No 3D, thankfully! The actors are doing a great job, especially both leads, but also all the secondary characters.

A minor annoyance to me was the unnecessary change of the fact that Jim can't read or write at the beginning. That's why he has to DRAW a letter to Mrs. Waas when he's leaving. They kept the drawings in the movie but ADDED additional writing!

Apart from that there's hardly anything to criticise. I rate this fantastic adaption 9/10 and look forward to the sequel "Die Wilde 13"!

"HP and the Deathly Hallows" was obviously written with the big screen in mind, so hopes were high that Yates would manage to NOT ruin this movie.

He did it anyway.

Who would ever have thought that the first two movies would remain the best by far?! Starting with III the movie makers took over and any soul out of the story.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is no difference.

Here are the worst missed chances and screwed up scenes:

1.) Departure of the Dursleys - no nice words from Dudley for Harry whatsoever, they just pack and leave.

2.) Scrimgeours reading of the last will: it is indeed more of a grandfatherly reading, no confrontation whatsoever. Very important scene in the book.

3.) Harrys kiss with Ginny - No guilty feelings for Harry, no Ron, no confrontation, instead Fred with a toothbrush in his ear.

4.) The wedding - too short, no emotions, no glamour. Aunt Muriel?? Doesn't really happen.

5.) Kingsleys Patronus - no dramatic effect whatsoever.

6.) Suddenly the kids are at the Ministry. Way too suddenly.

7.) The new monument in the ministry, which sends an important message can not be seen completely.

8.) The interrogation scene is not nearly dramatic or frightening enough. And it's good to know that lift doors stop dementors...

9.) WHY, God, WHY didn't Ron say "I see, you chose him" instead of that lame "I saw you two the other day"?!

10.) Harry and Hermione dancing - totally pointless and ridiculous, wasted time that could have been used for important other scenes.

11.) Bathilda Bagshots transformation was ridiculous, and if Harry had come that close to her in the book, he would have realized there was something wrong. And where the hell was Voldemort?!

12.) Harry realizes his wand is broken, his wand that worked on his own account against Voldi and used to be his most powerful weapon against the Dark Lord, providing the unique connection. You'd think Harry'd be at least a LITTLE desperate or devastated. But not in this movie. He just spits out: "It's done, get some sleep!"

13.) Ron saves Harry - well, you'd think that Harry would be a LITTLE more surprised, or thankful, or overwhelmed - so many emotions to pick from. Yates tells Daniel to show - nothing.

14.) I missed Lovegoods "Of course none of you has ever seen such a cloak". The whole Deathly Hallows were apparently nothing important, just something mentioned somewhere in the movie.

15.) Instead of getting killed by his artificial hand for showing mercy Wormtails get's pinched with a wand, squeaks "Ouch!" and falls over. Dramatic!!

16.) Last scene: Voldi blasting some flames up to the sky after taking Dumbledores tomb. No tension like in the book - will he get there before Harry, must Harry stop him, will Harry chose the Hallows over the Horcruxes, is Voldi aware of Harry existing at all?!

The book is filled with close escapes, and the book manages to take the drama and tension almost completely out of the story, or what remains of it.

As mentioned, the Deathly Hallows and their impact is not handled well.

Everyone looks great, especially the three kids.

But this film, like most of his predecessors, has no heart, no soul and gives a sh.. about the books and the compelling and masterful story.

4/10

I won't write down with many words here what Ebert and Berardinelli described very precisely: this is a movie that could have been great, if it wouldn't be for the last third.

Check out their reviews, they took the words right out of my mouth.

I liked Jackson very much, and the music was good.

Being a teacher myself I was interested in how he was dealing with the situation, if there would be some kind of message for teachers and/or the kids.

Well, unfortunately there was none.

So I can't really recommend this film, though I liked the first half very much.

Best thing first: No one will ever have to make again a scene in a movie where a monstrous Kraken attacks a ship. This is as good and spectacular as it gets! Well done, ILM!

Unfortunately this ain't enough to save Captain Jack and his sequel. Jonny Depp is funny as ever, but the whole story does not work, in no part. Keira Knightley is breathtakingly beautiful, but her role makes no sense, compared to her performance in the first movie. So are all the other characters: Nothing fits together, nothing makes sense. So it's a loud and long movie with an ending that makes you wonder: Do I really care about what happens next? Well, maybe, maybe not... This is not what a cliffhanger should be like.

Sad, that most IMDb-users seem to lack the courage to admit that this is a bad movie, just because they want it to be good (very same thing with Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith).

I'm a big fantasy and animation fan, so this movie seemed to be a safe choice, with all the "cult" around it.

So my expectations maybe were a bit too high. I found many scenes visually interesting and touching, but I agree with the (too few) critics on this board, that the story does not keep it's promises. Too less interesting is the main character, too less is told about the connection between the good ones and the bad ones, too predictable is the whole plot.

I also agree that many scenes are really scary (that Chamberlain guy with his "Mmmmmmmm" can give you the creeps!) especially for children, though I find it amusing when some grown ups put it in the same league with "The Ring" or even "The grudge".

I felt annoyed at times, also bored, and only my expectations made me sit through it. This movie tries to have an "epic" feeling, which it does not live up to in many ways.

So, sorry fans, but though this COULD have been a masterpiece in every way, it is just visually stunning and interesting to watch.

I just read the critical comment on "Rhythm is it" and simply had the need to say that this guy didn't understand neither the movie's intention nor the message.

Obviously he is a big Stravinsky fan, so maybe this kept his focus on the musical part. The choreographer, on the other hand, was, as he pointed out to the worried teacher, more interested in education than in art. This is not a Stravinsky musical, it's about working with frustrated young people, giving them more self confidence, a feeling for the need of discipline and hard work, a feeling of what "real" fun is about, making them feel comfortable with their body, with themselves, and so with other people.

I'm a primary school teacher for music, and I found so many of my thoughts in this movie. That Norwegian guy is obviously more interested in art than in education, so he watched many touching and honest moments of this film with pure cynicism. "It's all fake!" I don't think so.

"The children didn't change at all". Not true either. You can literally watch the spots on the girl's face disappear through the movie, because she begins to feel better about herself, and so begins to look more healthy on the outside.

Martin, who never liked touching anyone and didn't feel at home inside his body, now wants to become a dancer or an acrobat.

And the black boy was not a cliché in any way. I never had the feeling that anybody told him anything of what he said. It was just his hard way of life that brought him his wisdom and his need for more learning. It's not his fault that he is a contrast to many German children, who don't like to learn and work hard anymore (sad but true, trust me). And I think he is perfectly right when he says that most Germans (Europeans) don't care about their culture. And if he wants to stay in contact to his roots by dancing with a friend, what's so wrong about that?!

All in all it's a great movie with a very important message: Find out what you want and work hard for it. Believe in yourself and never be satisfied with what you already achieved, you can always learn more. Just when you feel good with yourself you can have good relationships with other people. And people who laugh at you while you are learning, are probably not your friends.

It's always funny to read the comments of the Bush fans on this movie or anything Mr. Moore is doing. No wonder these people love a president who's actively ignoring the truth and twisting the facts as much as this one.

"If you are into hate, this is your movie" OK, so Mr. Bush, who started a war without a reason (lying about connections between Saddam and Osama, WMD and so on), is so much into love?? Also I find the comments of the Michael Moore haters much more filled with loath than the peace loving people's comments. But that's typical behaviors from these people. Look at FOX, the "un-biased" media! It's always the other one's fault! These people ignore the truth and their own state of mind. We should feel sorry for them.

"Michael Moore makes his point: He doesn't like Mr. Bush as a person. This is getting boring!" Let's see: About 98 % of the comments on Mr. Moore's work refer not to his work, but to his weight: "He is fat and dumb!" OK, so this is fair??

"Michael Moore makes a lot of money" It's great how much these people care about some million dollars this man makes, who obviously is not interested (yet) in just being rich. There was even a site on his homepage: "Spend Mike's tax cut for a good thing". And it's quite disturbing that the same people don't care AT ALL about the HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS of taxmoney being spent by their administration for a war that was not necessary, for the benefit of Halliburton & Co, nice move Mr. Cheney!

"Michael Moore makes propaganda" This is my favourite. OK, so everything Mr. Bush and his preachers on FOX news is telling is nothing but the sweet and pure truth?? It's hard to imagine that anyone can be ignorant and stupid enough to believe that! Most of the comments have been written in 2004. Much more facts we do know today, how the administration fixed the facts to fit THEIR propaganda. And remember how George landed on that ship they had to turn around before so you couldn't see in was in the harbour? The fake plastic turkey at the first war Thanksgiving? You people make fools out of yourselves, really.

About the film: I found it a bit too long and complicated, and most of the facts I read in "Stupid white men". But it was still great to watch Mr. Bush, maybe the dumbest person ever to reign over a superpower. Thank god America seems to be waking up now, when just 37 % of the people support him.

Thank you, Mr. Moore, for keeping on the good work!

I get a smile on my face everytime I watch this movie.

As I child I loved Terence Hill/ Bud Spencer, and especially Hill's solo western films. It's really funny, though not too short, and has some unforgettable moments (my favourite: Hill and the guy from the locomotive taking a piss - at least trying to...). It reminds very strongly of the work of Sergio Leone (who is mentioned in the opening credits) with it's look, characters and of course the music. The title track won't leave your ear quite soon, I promise! Henry Fonda is also very good in this, playing the tired hero very convincing and effectively.

I enjoy watching it everytime, so I can recommend it warmly! Avoid the second one, though, it's not as near as charming as this one!

9/10

Hi, heretics everywhere! I won´t repeat all the great stuff bir-2 wrote a few comments before, because that´s exactly what I think about this movie.

It is not AT ALL making fun of God or Jesus but of the stupidity of "the people".

Lots of unforgettable scenes and all-time-classic-oneliners. Maybe the best Python Movie.

Watch and learn something!

(even some Latin-lessons are in there!)

10/10

I saw this in a sneak preview for the first time and thought it was one of the best, funniest and most entertaining movies of the year. The humor is (almost) never flat or stupid but often very ironic, as it has to be in this kind of parody.

I won´t repeat the whole story again, but the idea of confronting an aging crew of a scifi-show with all the alien-stuff in REAL life is as simple as effective. One wonders why it´s never been done before.

The special effects are also state-of-the-art and some of the most convincing I ever saw in a scifi-movie.

The cast is great, lots of fantastic actors having fun to fill their very own part in the "crew" - with all the necessary cliches...

All in all a movie that is a MUST see for every fan of scifi/star trek/parody/action/humor...

9/10

I haven´t read other comments by now, so I´m just startled about the low rating this film gets. For me it´s one of the movies I saw most often and still find amusing every time. Akroyd and Hanks (then always playing lighthearted funny charakters) are great together. I have never seen Akroyd as funny as in this one and - of course - Blues Brothers.

The plot is completely nuts, but that doesn´t really count in this kind of movie!

It´s often hilarious and contains some great comedy acting and slapstick. If you don´t expect too much, you will have a good time watching it.

8/10

Like all Hanks comedies from the eighties, this movie looks very eighties-like.

But that doesn´t matter much to me, I still have a good time watching it.

There are so many unforgettable scenes in this movie: The scene, where they put that plank away and Hanks starts silently falling through the entire house, or when he pees on the small tree in the garden and it falls down.

My favourite scene (and some other people´s, too, as I read) is the one in which the bathtub is breaking through the floor and Hanks is starting this hysterical laughter! IT still brings tears of laughter to my eyes. That was already Oscar-stuff!!

It surely has it´s flaws, but the film is funny and entertaining and contains some wonderful scenes which will stay in your mind for a long time.

8/10

I hated this movie. I saw it in a sneak preview and everybody was a bit confused if this one was bad or fantastic and pro or against death penalty. Most of the people didn´t understand the movie and thought "Wow, Kevin Spacey is in it, it must be great!"

I think this movie is a big failure. It is false and hypocritical. It tries to be important, but it is not. The ending is not as shocking and surprising and making you think as you would wish, it is (really!) predictable (Listen to the trailer! "How far would you go??" Please!).

Spoiler! The most interesting part was when the teacher´s life gets destroyed by the public opinion without any proof of his guilt. These things happen.

Kate Winslet is surprisingly less annoying than the rest of the cast. Her character, on the other hand, is so stupid that it doesn´t really matter.

All in all not a movie about the death penalty discussion to recommend. The one and only is still "Dead man walking".

Besides: I don´t think any civilized country in the 21st century should kill people on behalf of law and order. A country which is sick enough to do this, will always give birth to people as sick as that.

Peace, Michael