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Reviews
Shrek the Third (2007)
Not as good as the others ... but when is that ever the case?
Shrek, Princess Fiona, Donkey and Puss in Boots are such common words among children they are starting to learn them before mummy and daddy. Now if a franchise is that popular, world wide acclaim, rocketing DVD sales, Academy Awards, they have a serious lot to live up to. Shrek the Third was DreamWorks's challenge. Shrek and Fiona are living a perfectly peaceful life spending a week filling in for the king, with obvious disasters while the Toad King is sick. But the Toad King is not only sick, he is on his death bed. Shrek is the next in line for the throne and is not ready to undertake this burden so he fares off with Donkey and Puss in Boots to find Arthur (or Artie) the only other heir to the throne. Fiona is getting ready to bring some more ogres into the world while Shrek is not sure if he would make a good father. Prince Charming meanwhile believes he is the rightful heir to the throne and plans to turn Far Far Away Land on its head to get his way. The entire original cast returns for this funnier than average animated film. Eddie Murphy rants and raves to create an ever likable donkey, Mike Myers finds the grumpy side of Shrek and Rupert Everett and Antonio Banderas are good as always. Minor characters Pinocchio, the Gingerbread Man and the Three Little Pigs provide the best moments as always. Justin Timberlake also brings his vocal, um, talents to the unpopular Artie. The wizard Merlin does though become a bit grinding at times. Animation gets better ever Shrek and this is no exception. This is a kids movie with more than a few adult references but the kids will enjoy this one. Not as good as the first two, but really when does the third ever surpass the previous two.
Blades of Glory (2007)
Good Belly Laughs all round
Next to Anchorman this is by far the funniest of Wil Ferrels comedies. It is constantly quotable, holds its humor from start to finish which is thanks to the screenwriters. The director's won't allow Heder to let Napoleon go but it works for the most part none the less. The characterization of MacElroy and Michaels creates true rounded humorous characters. The ice skating sequences are a crack up and even at times tense. Josh Gordon and Wil Speck keep Ferrell under control which the director couldn't do in his previous dismal effort of Talladega Nights. It's a fun way to spend an hour and a half, and all though you can explain the plot in thirty seconds this film doesn't ask for much more. What you see if what you get, and what you get is a really good belly laugh.
Saw III (2006)
Horrible (in more ways than one)
Horribly Boring. Horribly Horrific. Horribly Bloody. Horribly Grotesque. Horribly Acted. Horribly Directed. Horribly Scored. Horribly Filmed. Horribly Long. Horribly Graphic. Horribly Written. Horribly Staged. Horribly Horrible.
Possibly one of the worst films I have ever seen in my entire life. That is coming from someone who considers Saw (the original) one of my favorite films of all time. Saw 3 is not for even a millisecond clever, original or creative. People who can bear to see this have serious problems and how this is not on IMDb's Bottom 100 I don't know (I would expect it to be at number one.) Do yourself a favour and NEVER see this film, they might make a fourth one ... wait a minute THEY ARE! That's fair scarier than any moment of this terrible film.
Horribly Bad.
Bra Boys (2007)
Entertaining, Insightful but Biased.
"Bra Boys" is set in the Sydney beach side suburb of Maroubra and it focuses on the culture that Maroubra Beach has created. "Bra Boys" is a tribe they don't like to be thought of as a gang that have each others back in the financial struggle that some of the families have. The story is centered around the Abberton family, as Russ said, with the film being written and directed by famous surfer brother Sunny Abberton. Their alcoholic mother and her violent boyfriend brought up the brothers, which resulted in the brothers congregating at their Nan's house. The brothers were brought up not only as brothers but as best friends who used the beach as an escapism from their less than prefect life. The film also follows the murder of Anthony Hines and the involvement and trail of Jai and Koby Abberton. But Sunny does not only concentrate on just his own family, but how Maroubra and the "Bra Boys" came to be, as well as introducing other people important to him like his apprentice surfer. Like any surfer needs to Sonny inserts a lot of amazing surfing footage, some quite dangerous and tense, which ultimately is the most riveting part of the film. Though the film is not without its fault, you could imagine a man proud to announce he would never divulge information about his brother, couldn't write, direct and most likely produce a film that wasn't biased. The background behind the murder of Anthony Hines seems to be extremely selective, they of course never initiated any violence and they appear to almost be a very peaceful and passive surf tribe. This seems highly unlikely and I think the brother makes a movie that he would want to see. Often the cinematography, if you could call it that was a bit rough, sometimes only with half faces on camera. But it does set the mood for the rough tribe that is the bra boys. The folky surf music and often interesting interviews provide an entertaining and insightful window into the lives of these bra boys, even if it is a very blurred window. I highly recommend it.