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Reviews
Ultraviolet (2006)
Beautiful and vapid
I made the mistake of looking forward to this film, since I enjoyed Kurt Wimmer's earlier film, Equilibrium. I was very disappointed, since Ultraviolet is so bad, it cannot even be enjoyed as a guilty pleasure.
From the opening sequence with its expositional monologue that really doesn't do a very good job of setting up the premise, to the outlandish fights and gun battles (and there are a lot of 'em) that make even the acrobatic exploits of the lovely Milla Jovovich tiresome, there is pretty much nothing about this movie that actually works. The dialog alternates between awkwardly stiff and howlingly stupid - at no point do you actually believe that real people would say these lines. The main plot, involving what is essentially a McGuffin, doesn't appear to be understood by anyone in the film, and maybe not by the writer/director, either.
There isn't a single scene or plot in this that is the least bit original, a crime which could be mitigated by creating a good movie, but this is so far from that mark that it's just pathetic.
Is there anything good about it? Well, the cinematography, art direction, set design, and production design are actually pretty good. The opening credits sequence is wonderful (which unfortunately makes the actual film seem worse in comparison). Milla is fun to watch in her first few fight sequences, and William Fichtner attempts to bring a little dimension to a character that is on-screen very little.
Should you pay to see it? No, I'd suggest you wait for it to air some Saturday evening on Sci-Fi in a little while, where it might seem like a breath of fresh air after several weeks of bug movies.
Saving Silverman (2001)
utterly terrible
One of the worst films ever.
The dialogue is awful, the plot is stupid, the acting is wooden and unfunny (and this is from performers who have done much better work, so I can't put all the blame on them), and the direction is plodding.
There is no reason to waste your time with this stinking pile of cinematic excrement.
Josie and the Pussycats (2001)
In defense of an unfairly maligned film...
I am perplexed by the venom I see aimed at this movie, and I suspect that more than a few of the harsh reviews are from the "If I don't get it, it must be bad" school of film criticism. I've seen comments attacking the product placement (an inherent part of the satire), the attractiveness of the film's stars, attacking the music, and suggesting that anyone who doesn't also hate the movie is a moron.
Hogwash! The satire may be a bit thin, but it is the main point of the plot (yes, I am admitting the plot is rather thin). The boy band DuJour (how that phrase goes together!) is quite funny in their brief appearance, and the lyrics to "Backdoor Lover" really have to be listened to to appreciate.
The performances range from wonderful (Alan Cummings) to awful (Carson Daly), but the Pussycats are just fine, and as far as their attractiveness goes... well, I fear for the social life of a young man for whom not one of these beautiful young women meets his standards.
The best "Josie" song is "Three Small Words", and while none of the others reaches that height of exuberance and immediacy, the others are still pretty good and catchy.
I'm not a moron, I'm not a studio hack, and I enjoyed it.