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Reviews
Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Overrated
Not a bad movie, but you know, I didn't really feel much for the characters in this film. While the story is reasonably compelling, you see the leads sipping wine by candle light after all the tension occurs and they're left in the hotel to manage the chaos. I mean, come on. What's that all about?
Way too Hollywood to actually produce compassion for the true story at hand. Everyone seems to go nuts over this film, both at IMDb and other sites (such as rental), and it's yet another film I feel is overrated by at least 2 out of 10 stars. I gave it a 6. It doesn't suck, but it's not all that great either.
I didn't find the acting all that supreme to be honest, and while the story was important to be told, it wasn't told in a way that provides one with feeling for the actors or whom they''re portraying. I didn't feel as sorry for the characters as I did in many other movies, such as Salvador, The Killing Fields, etc. They were far better films, in my humble opinion.
While this movie had its moments of sadness, it would often spoil the true story with these displays of 'wine by candle light', which I found to be complete nonsense and totally unrealistic given the circumstances. Tantamount to drivel. I didn't really think the movie got going till around 50 minutes into the film. Sorry, but I'm a huge movie person and I simply can't agree with the majority here.
The Riverman (2004)
Not too bad, though not all that intense
This was decent, though not all that great. I thought some of the acting was good, by Greenwood and Elwes. The cinematography was well done. Conceptually the story was decent, but not all that intense. You learn some new things about Bundy, if you're interested in the serial killer (which seems to be primarily an American phenomenon).
I thought the story was a bit disjointed though. You go from the introduction of the kilings, to Greenwood, the ex-detective/ cop, to Bundy; but there's this Green River Killer, whom, to me, was sort of left in the background, with Bundy apparently attempting to assist in the investigation.
I thought the story was more telling of how many additional people Bundy killed, or what his thoughts and background was, rather than concentrating on the Green River Killer.
Yes, they reveal, briefly, in the end, who The Green River Killer is, and how many he killed, etc., but it didn't do all that much for me. I thought there'd be some real connection there other than people or serial killers and 'going inside the mind of a killer'.
I'd almost have rather they left the entire Bundy thing out of it, or at least not concentrated on it so much. It's an interesting point of view, but I believe they relied too heavily on it. I'd have rather seen more about the actual serial killer and his story, perhaps with an additional half hour of material (but this is a TV movie, hard to do with all those commercials).
I'm fascinated by serial killers in general, not sure why exactly. Just find the American thing interesting (not that they don't exist elsewhere, but the fact that our media covers them so widely, it's like they become movie-stars, and famous for 15 minutes, just as Warhol predicted; how our pop society seems to want fame over anything else). I find that sickening personally. Therein I guess lies the fascination, odd as it may seem.
I only partially enjoyed this film. Some good talent, reasonably well done, but a bit lacking in intensity I think. I didn't really feel all that creeped out by it, as others may have suggested. Intriguing but not intense.
I gave it a 5/10. Almost deserves a 6/10, which seems to be the average so far.
Phase IV (1974)
It's okay, not great.
Saul Bass, ah, yes. I don't know, this is an okay movie. I"m a huge movie fan, have seen well over 5k movies and this one is just okay. If you're a fan of 70's sci-fi or Saul Bass, see it, by all means. It does have some originality, and some decent photography and editing, especially for the 70's. The plot is reasonably original, but it's overall a pretty boring and slow paced film that doesn't really do all that much for me personally. There are some hilarious flaws in it, such as the ending, when Michael Murphy goes to hunt and kill the Queen ant. How convenient that the access and tunnel of the ants accommodates a human. I wouldn't even consider this as realistic. The film vaguely reminds me of such memorable movies as THX 1138 or Soylent Green, but is nowhere near as good. It visually sits on par with these films, but doesn't hang with their plots. THX moves pretty slow for a lot of people, but this film is quite a bit more boring. I think THX is so experimental, and the end result is much more conceptual and satisfying. Lynne Frederick was pretty cute in the movie at the time; I guess that's part of what kept me going. I gave it a 5//10. The interest in the cult film is worth seeing if you must see the first and last Saul Bass directed full length feature film. Don't be surprised if you're disappointed. The acting is dull and nearly terrible, which may be your biggest problem with the film.
The Boondock Saints (1999)
Not very good at all
Checking another major site the reviews (not written) aren't very good (barely over 2 stars). I saw a 7.7 average on IMDb, which I've always trusted as a reasonably accurate site. How this movie got the votes it received I have yet to figure out. It's not the movie the IMDb voting would have you believe. Acting isn't that great, plot is ridiculously filled with Hollywood hype and it's not very likely anything like this would ever happen in our lifetime. Aside from that there are technical flaws that are so far beyond belief, it leads me to believe a few amateurs were behind the scenes in fitting the story to the director's vision. Mechanical ductwork from elevator shafts leading above an occupied hotel room? Get real. Isn't reality in any sense of the word. Ductwork other than exhaust ducts from the top of elevator shafts do not penetrate elevators, and no ductwork I know of can support the weight of two men inside of it, let alone be large enough to fit two men, but I guess that's how the two stars dropped into the ceiling of the room and killed 9 people. Hollywood really needs to drop the duct technique for sneaking around buildings. It's utterly ridiculous (ever notice how clean these ducts are?) and laughable at best. Totally unbelievable and trite Hollywood movie with little to redeem itself. I'm a huge movie fan, have rated over 3300 movies on other sites and have seen them all, plus more. Don't believe this rating as anything short of a testerone filled waste of time with pipe dreams filling the cracks.
Signs (2002)
Why do people think this is such a great movie?
I'm a huge movie fan. I've seen well over 3k movies, if not more, and I just don't get it. Shyamalan is really bombing here. He was reaching on Unbreakable, though I can understand some of the intrigue there. I was still disappointed in Unbreakable after seeing his first major film success, The Sixth Sense, and in looking back I can see that he seems to be trying to be the next Spielberg in the age when Stephen was stuck on children's stories and fantasy movies. But Signs is really not all that good. Okay, it's got some okay acting, some nice photography, decent editing, reasonable sound work, but sheesh, it isn't all that. It moves relatively slowly, even for a 98 minute film, it fails to build all that much suspense, until the end, when some of the shots are quasi-unique, but it's just too family like for this type of really suspenseful subject matter and I was quite disappointed after seeing two sources, including all the people at imdb.com recommend it so highly. It's not that great a movie people. I once held M. Night in high regard, but now I plan on staying away from any future projects he might undertake. Sorry, M. Night, but please find a different direction. This one's not working. About the best I can give it is a 4/10.
Birdy (1984)
Still a great film.
I haven't read through all the comments of others on this film, but most of them are pretty much right on cue, with a few exceptions. I feel compelled to express my opinions of the movie, since it has always been one of my favorite Alan Parker films, along with The Wall, and a few other notably good films of his mentioned by others. This movie, along with The Wall, have had a huge impact on more than one person's life in this world, and that says a great deal on its own. It had been one of my favorites nearly 20 years ago when I was beginning college, and the quest toward independent life, searching for your place in the world, your identity and your own personal meaning in life. This is what the movie (story) is about to me. There is a lot of generalization about insanity, mental illness, the war, the human bonding of two friends; and they're all true; but there's so much more here. The symbolism of searching for yourself, flight equaling freedom; authoritarian symbols, from war, to the military, from your parents to just about everything else we question in life. Birdy is different because he (and those who identify with him) yearn to be free, not just in the literal sense, but as a free spirit, an individual in a world full of normalcy. Parker does an excellent job of direction, cinematography is in many respects still ahead of its time and acting is top notch. Parker's use of film as character memory in this film is among the first I encountered and I still find it equal to many other great directors who have used it to tell a story to this day. I can hardly find better performances by Modine or Cage anywhere in their vast catalog. Cage comes close in many films and probably equals it in others, but for as early as this was on his career, put in context, it's nearly impossible to beat. It's too bad Cage hasn't had a decent role in many years. As for Modine, nothing comes close to this performance that I've witnessed. I find it interesting that I didn't read anyone's comments about the soundtrack by Peter Gabriel, which was borrowed a great deal from his 'Security' release, probably one of his finest, and is easily on par with his work for Last Temptation of Christ, The Rabbit Proof Fence and others. This is what partly drew me into the film so many years ago, and I'm sure his having worked on it is no coincidence, as he typically only gets involved in projects which say a great deal about humanity. Highly recommended, a very conservative 7/10 vote.