Change Your Image
zarg78
Reviews
Stark Raving Mad (2002)
A bank heist with beats
'Stark Raving Mad' is one of those late-night, mid-week, B-movie feel movies that uses a recognisable face (Seann William Scott) to front a cast of lesser-knows talent (although I did recognise Patrick Breen from 'Men in Black' and 'Galaxy Quest'). Even so, this movie is a pleasing take on the usual bank heist concept and a nice little gem in a movie collection.
It may not be anything special to rave about, but the script is none-the-less fairly well-written. It certainly keeps everything moving at a decent pace without getting you loss and the dialogue has a nice straight-forward flow to it, so you can kick back and enjoy without having to think.
Some might say that the characters are obvious -- crime lords, cops, nightclub owner, the main man, etc., etc. I say that they're varied and eclectic, giving rise a range of amusing on-screen chemistries and antics. They're acted well enough, so I can't complain.
The movie also boasts some pleasingly creative (and if not creative, then definitely interesting) film-making. I particularly liked the way they presented narration/exposition.
The one thing, however, that I really like about this movie is the soundtrack. It's an original score (By DJ John Digweed) of nice pounding beat-y bassy techno dance music that gets you bopping every time. I will sit with this movie playing repeatedly in the background just to hear the music.
All in all, 'Stark Raving Mad' is an entertaining, light-hearted movie that probably deserves a bit more credit than it gets. I give this movie 8/10, not so much because there's anything spectacular about it, but just because I really like this movie.
The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)
An Enjoyable Watch for All the Family
'The Forbidden Kingdom' is an excellent martial arts fantasy that entertains from start to finish.
Based on ancient Chinese literature, folklore, and religion, the story and script for this movie are well-constructed. Flowing seamlessly from scene to scene, they keep it easy to follow, giving the audience plenty of time to sit back and enjoy a feast of action sprinkled with a good dose of light-hearted humour.
Alongside more well-known actors like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Collin Chou, a host of perhaps lesser-known (to Hollywood audiences if not Asian), yet none-the-less talented cast members (including Michael Angarano, Li Bing Bing and Liu Yifei) gives rise to a delightful array of authentic, colourful, and highly-varied characters.
The action in this movie is a joy to watch. Boasting excellent work from the talented Yuen Wu Ping (he worked on stuff like 'The Matrix' and 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'), every fight scene is not only filmed really well but feels fresh, fast, furious, and keeps you wanting more. Even the 7-foot leaps don't seem ridiculous or out of place.
The locations are superb too -- alive and gritty, bold and colourful, or grand and palatial, each one is beautifully atmospheric and perfectly suited to its scene.
This movie is definitely an excellent addition to anyone's collection and even my one tiny criticism (that ending was just ever-so-slightly vomit-inducingly corny, but, hey, come on, they had to put it in) can't stop me from giving it top marks. A thoroughly well-deserved 9/10 for 'The Forbidden Kingdom'.
Hard Candy (2005)
Very Clever Movie
OK. So I saw this movie for sale and thought: "Hmm. Hard Candy. I've heard of that movie it's supposed to be pretty good." Read the summary on the back of the DVD case and though: "This should be a delightful watch." Went home. Watched it.
Well, this movie was not what I was expecting. I'd maybe been expecting some sort of bloody vigilante torture revenge type thing. Instead, I was treated to a unique and very clever psychological thriller that keeps you uncertain as to exactly which character you're rooting for.
Right from the off, the movie has a decidedly uncomfortable, something's-not-right feel. Then it hits you with a twist and suddenly the movie becomes a whole lot more interesting and engaging.
So what is it that makes this movie? A new and original film idea presented through a very well-written script, delivered by two very talented actors, and backed up by fantastic film-making.
I don't know if it's a movie I'd watch again in a hurry (the subject matter is just slightly too... *shivers* ... for me) but it was definitely a worthwhile addition to my collection and one that I'll certainly watch again at some point.
Serbuan maut (2011)
Action, action, action
OK. So there's not that much of a storyline to this movie. It's pretty much just 90 minutes of non-stop action, however....
The characters are sufficiently developed with a couple of twists in the story to keep it interesting....
But let's keep it real -- you're watching this movie because it's a simple, straight-forward, feast of totally immense and very well-made ACTION that's so good that you just don't want this movie to end. I could hardly believe I'd just been sitting in a cinema for 2 hours when this movie ended.
'The Raid' is by far one of, if not THE best action movies I have ever seen and is a definite MUST for anyone's movie collection!
Blood Relic (2005)
Hmm
Erm... OK.... So this is a... C movie, D movie. Let's be honest, this movie isn't that great and feels like a porno gone wrong most of the time.
The idea's nothing new, the script isn't terribly strong, and the acting is quite lame at points. It looks amateur, it feels amateur, and any sense of horror or suspense just seem to get lost along the way.
On the upside however (certainly for the male audience), most of the female cast end up in various states of undress or show 'things' and *spoiler* everybody dies. Still, when you stagger in at 3am, completely drunk, this movie will do quite nicely and it isn't too unbearable when your sober.
The Mummy (1999)
Entertaining and Mildly Amusing
'The Mummy' is a pleasing movie that combines light-hearted humour and elements of horror to give an entertaining watch. An excellent cast and decent script gives an entertaining array of believable characters that enjoy some excellent on-screen chemistry, particularly between the characters portrayed by Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weiss. The locations/sets are well-chosen/designed and look very realistic, and input from real-life experts lends a pleasing reality to when the actors are speaking in ancient Egyptian. The plot is fairly straight-forward, but still contains enough suspense to keep you interested and it retains plenty of light-hearted humour to keep from getting too serious. All-in-all, I really like this movie and will watch it many times again.
Sphere (1998)
Gripping, Chilling
'Sphere' is gripping, chilling watch that presents an interesting idea laced with dark dread.
The movie's setting 1000ft below sea level immediately gives it an otherworldly feel and a eerie foreboding. The film-making compliments and enhances the feel of the movie and an excellent main cast present a set of believable characters. Given that the movie is based on a book, ('Sphere' by Michael Crichton) the script is decent and it would interesting to see how the movie compares to the book, particularly with other decent adaptations of Crichtons books, e.g. Jurassic Park, in the ether.
Pleasingly, initial impressions of alien encounters and time travel are squashed as the movie develops into a psychological thriller/horror that presents the ever-interesting investigation into the human psyche. The slightly more faint of heart may just find themselves switching on lights, locking doors, and cuddling up with a child-hood comfort after watching this and some will definitely be unnerved. I must confess that even after a few viewings I still come away from this feeling slightly edgy and that almost never happens with me.
This gripping and chilling movie is a worthy addition to the ranks of other sci-fi horrors like 'Event Horizon' that I personally feel has been under-rated. It keeps you thoroughly interested and firmly in your seat throughout and for a few minutes after for fear of your own fears.
It is a definite watch for all those who like their moves tense, eerie, and chilling.
Battleship (2012)
A Good Watch
Battleship is a pleasing watch and was definitely worth the trip to the cinema. The use of the ocean as the primary setting for the movie is delightfully refreshing in amongst the more traditional sci-fi settings of alien planets, remote parts of the globe, alternate dimensions/timelines, dystopic/utopic futures, and over-run laboratories. The story itself is reasonably straightforward and predicable; however, not having to think through a convoluted plot with numerous twists and turns gives one an excellent chance to simply sit back and enjoy some excellent visuals effects. In some respects, this movie could be likened to Transformers -- machines attempting to beat each other up (in this case, alien spacecraft vs earth battleships) -- and Independence Day -- technologically inferior humans battle technologically superior aliens; however, the movie isn't aiming to be anything new or original and similarities with elements of other movies are to be expected. The movie is a decent running time and well-paced -- you never get bored or find yourself wondering when the movie will end. The love story is kept to a pleasing minimum and the character development, or maybe lack of, isn't an issue either -- this movie is about the visuals, not the characters. All in all, the movie is good for its simplicity, excellent visuals, and the chance to just kick back and enjoy something that doesn't require any thought but still entertains.