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georgec-9
Reviews
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Among the worst movies I've seen
Before going further, it's necessary to say that there has been past climate change, there will be climate change in the future, and some of that may well be induced by the actions of humanity and of government policies. So, to the extent it raises awareness that there is an issue, it warrants the one point I have allocated to it.
Unfortunately, this film adds nothing to intelligent discussion of the issues. Rather, it does for meteorology and climatology what Jurassic Park did for biology and palaeontology.
If we then add the clichéd story line, the ham acting, and the mawkish and utterly irrelevant 'human interest' to the pseudo-scientific stupidity, the other nine points disappear like Los Angeles in a tornado. If you have about two hours to spare, find some other way to fill them.
Somersault (2004)
Tedium
I choose my movie-going on the basis of critical reviews: rarely am I let down. This was one of those occasions, for rarely have I sat through such an exercise in tedium.
Other viewers have outlined the paper thin story of a vacuous young lady who runs away from home after making a pass at her mother's boyfriend. But, although it has been described as "Australian incorrectness", I would suggest it is just the opposite: a feminist shot at supposed male shallowness, per medium of a few stereotypes. This is accompanied by the parallel proposition that the "masculine" types probably are closet gays.
Much has been made of the lyrical photography of the landscape around Jindabyne. The camera panning slowly through long lingering landscapes does indeed extend the movie considerably, but this is supposedly a drama, not a documentary. Let's have one or the other!
Well, that doesn't leave much. Somehow I lasted the distance, suffering from a mixture of irritation at the slightness of the story and tedium at the way it was presented. Profundity? Maybe we were given the long lingering (etc) so that we could meditate on why we were there: I know I did.
Avoid!
Planet der Kannibalen (2001)
Curiously enjoyable B grade sci-fi satire.
This is a curiously enjoyable "1950s-style B grade sci-fi thriller" set in Germany in the mid-21st century. Just to add to the 1950s effect, it's shot in glorious old-fashioned black and white.
It seems the government wishes to cut the two TV channels down to one, leading to a "ratings" battle. One station has a quiz show "gold or grave": get the big question wrong and..... The other has a Hannibal Lecter type cannibal, safely behind bars, who answers inane questions from the audience: usually by making suitably threatening displays.
Our heroine works as a market analyst for one of the TV stations, but during a meeting the head of the station is mysteriously assassinated. She flees, only to find that she is blamed for the assassination, as shown clearly on the security camera tape which is shown to the world.
In hiding, she meets the leader of a resistance group. She also meets an astrophysicist who is convinced there are aliens on the loose.
All pretty much normal, isn't it? From there, it all rattles along with various unlikely twists and turns - and no, I'm not about to give the details, suffice to say there is finally a successful resolution of the whole exercise.
Not only does the movie not take itself seriously, it parodies both the 1950s B grade sci-fi film and, through that, the values of popular television programming. All in all, curiously enjoyable if not aspiring to be one of the "greats".
Fucking Åmål (1998)
Best if you're young
This movie found its way to TV last night, under the sanitised title of "Show Me Love".
It's about teenagers growing up in Sweden, though the story is not really place-specific and it could equally be set in most western countries. The film is well produced, with excellent acting and some interesting and unexpected twists to the plot.
Normally I avoid "teenage" films like the plague because those few I've managed to stay watching throughout have been uniformly irritating with second rate production values, dishonest story lines and so on. As I'm also in the "over 45" age group, I also tend to find little in common with the attitudes of the teenagers in the films.
Much as the "teenage attitude" problem still irked me (especially some of the emotional rollercoaster, especially from Agnes), the overall filmic quality compensated. And yes, I found myself cheering the two girls at the end. But as a film it is most likely to appeal to younger viewers, and I note the viewer ratings reflect that perspective.
So, at the bottom line, a generally satisfying film, which will appeal most to the young.
Søndagsengler (1996)
Deserves more recognition
I'd not heard of this film before it appeared on our TV and, going by the extent of feedback to IMDB, it has not been widely seen or appreciated.
The storyline is simple. It concerns a teenage girl growing up in late 1950s Norway, in a strict religious household, with her father the local pastor. She begins to realise that there is more in the world than strict orthodox Christianity. This leads to increasing tensions and her gradual rebellion.
The film is warm and human, and there is enough wit and humour to prevent it becoming tedious, dry, or just another "teenage rebellion" movie. Having had a relatively similar upbringing, I found a great deal of honesty in this film.
The photography, acting, late 1950s musical background and overall quality are excellent, with possibly a nod of recognition to Bergman. As I said in my one-line summary, this film really does deserve more recognition.
Notting Hill (1999)
Harmless trivia
I first saw this film about a year ago and wanted to dislike it: I couldn't. When it came on TV again, another viewing seemed better than the alternatives: that proved more a comment on the merit of the alternatives!
Overall, there is a feeling that this is little more than "Four Weddings" revisited. Gormless main lead bumbles through life. Standard storyline of "boy/girl meet, fall in love, split, then finally reunite".
The difference from "Four Weddings" is more romance, less comedy. Hugh Grant plays standard Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts appears to play, well... probably Julia Roberts. The overall acting standard is uninspiring, the best moments come from the zany supporting cast.
So what does all that leave us? A rather ordinary film which, while not unlikeable, ultimately is of little merit apart from being harmless trivial entertainment. Turn off your critical faculties when you turn it on. It gains a pass mark - just.
Herzog (1997)
Not a great film, but watchable
A curious little film.
It begins with a verse about a plane which goes down at the end of WW11. It then cuts to a scuba diver driving along a country road who meets and picks up a stylish looking lady who is travelling on roller skates and wearing a black leather mini-skirt outfit(presumably this happens all the time in Slovenia).
From there it moves to a series of other curious "mysteries" involving a former pilot in a wheelchair, etc. To say more would be to reveal too much of the relatively thin plot.
The production values are adequate, if not brilliant, and the film overall is watchable if not a likely award winner.
Strategic Air Command (1955)
Lands with a duller thud than a B36
This is a low grade cold war propaganda film crossed with a soapie. It may have some long-term significance as a snapshot of 1950s US thinking, but there is little else to commend in the mawkish storyline, wooden acting and grating style. There are some interesting photos of long-gone aircraft, but that was not enough for even this aircraft enthusiast to leave it on the screen for the full length.