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Film Reviews
The Machinist (2004)

Director: Brad Anderson
Cast: Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, John Shari
Christian Bale reportedly lost around 4 and a half stone for his
role in The Machinist, apparently surviving on little more than
apples, chewing gum, cigarettes and coffee. Not a diet I would recommend,
and I’m surprised he had any energy for actually filming after
that. But he must have found some somewhere, because his performance
in The Machinist is arguably the best in his career. Bale plays
Trevor Reznik, a machine operator in an industrial factory who hasn’t
eaten or slept for over a year. When he accidentally cut off a co-workers
arm, his life that was only hanging by a thread, completely disintegrates.
And no-one seems to know who the strange man is who keeps following
him. The film follows Reznic as he falls further and further into
a spiral of despair as he tries to put together the pieces of the
puzzle as to what happened a year ago to result in his life falling
apart.
Director Brad Anderson presents the viewer with a bleak landscape
of a barely-there existence. A life held together by desperation.
And the cast play the parts brilliantly. Bale is spectacular as
Reznik, a man who is so thin and tired he almost seems to be disappearing
from existence; and Jennifer Jason Leigh gives an excellent performance
as the prostitute who is Reznik’s only friend and confidant.
The film constatnly flashes back and forward between past and future
leaving the viewer to piece everything together like a puzzle in
an manner not dissimilar to Memento. I’ve heard the Machinist
described as a cross between Memento and Fight Club, and that description
is not far wrong.
There isn’t one single thing wrong with this film. Perfect
filming, perfect casting, perfect direction. The machinist is a
film that will have you gripped from the very moment you begin watching.
You’ll be constantly trying to figure out all the twists and
turns and the ending won’t disappoint you. This is a truly
thrilling, stunning masterpiece.
Superman Returns

Director: Bryan Singer
Staring: Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Boswell, Parker Posey
At last, the long awaited new Superman film has arrived. 15 years
after Superman 4 it seemed that the Superman films had perhaps had
their day. But always popular, it was only a matter of time before
the man in the blue tights would be back on the big screen. This
was a good time to release the new film. An new generation of fans
had been enjoying Smallville: Superman the early years on TV, a
generation who had perhaps been two young to remember the original
Superman movies, but even the golden oldies amongst us waited eagerly
to see what the new film would be like. There are of course so many
questions and controversies surrounding the making of this film.
Who would play Superman? How can you replace Christopher Reeve?
Would it be a remake? Would they do it justice? In the end Superman
Returns managed to hit all the right notes with minimal controversy.
Superman was played by unknown American Soap actor Brandon Routh
who bears a striking resemblance to a young Christopher Reeve, someone
which works very well considering director Bryan Singer’s
decision o stick very closely to the format of the original films
and to Reeve’s portrayal of the super hero. Rather than being
a remake, Superman Returns is set five years after we last saw him
on the big screen. He has been away in search if the remains of
his home planet Krypton, but now he’s back at his old job
at the Daily Planet looking to rekindle his love for old flame Lois
lane who is in a relationship with another man and has a young son.
Kevin Spacey gives a brilliant performance as Lex Luther. His scenes
with girlfriend Kitty played by Parker Posey inject well played
humour into the film. Overall, Superman Returns is a good effort
to revive an old favourite. It may not live up to some fans expectations
as there seems to be something miss from it (although I’m
not sure what), but it’s a very good, enjoyable film.
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Brokeback Mountain

Director: Ang Lee
Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhall, Michelle Williams
It’s not surprising that Brokeback Mountain was nominated
for so many Oscars. What is surprising however is that it didn’t
win more. It is hard to imagine a film more emotionally wrought.
Ang Lee directs it perfectly drawing the audience in, really making
you feel for the characters. Heath Ledger really comes of age as
an actor playing Ennis Del Mar, a simple cowboy who struggles with
his love for another man while trying to do the right thing by his
wife and children. He gives an amazing believable performance which
should have won him the best actor Oscar. You’re right there
with him the whole way feeling his pain, agony and struggles. Jake
Gyllenhall plays Jack Twist, a dreamer who can’t understand
why their love has to be so complicated. The two actors compliment
each other perfectly; they have the right amount of chemistry and
give very believable performances. Brokeback Mountain is a very
beautiful movie filmed against a stunning landscape. It is a simple
love story with a twist. The performances and direction are perfect
and you’ll find it impossible not to shed a tear.
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House Of Flying Daggers

Director: Zhang Yimou
Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Aiyi Zhang, Andy Lau
From the Director of Hero and the Producer of Crouching Tiger Hidden
Dragon, comes yet another masterpiece of chinese cinema. Being very
much in the same vein as the previous two films, you almost know
what to expect before watching it. But 'House Of Flying Daggers'
differs from 'Hero' and 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' in several
ways. It is a much shorter and less complex film than both of its
predecessors, favouring simplicity and intesnsity. . With a very
simple story, the essense of the film comes from the beauty of the
landscape and cinematography and the the wonderfully choreographed
martial arts scenes. The story is simple and familar. The Chinese
Army have been instructed to kill the new leader of revolutionary
faction 'The House of Flying Daggers'. Tipped off that the blind
daughter of the now dead old leader is working under cover at the
brothel frequented by army captains, they hatch a plan to send one
of their sodiers on an undercover mission to gain her trust and
follow her back to the Flying Daggers and uncover the new leaders
identity. With twists and turns along the way and a passionate love
triangle, this film cannot fail to suck you in making you watch
intently to every second. Filmed against beautiful backdrops of
Chinese countryside, it really is a very sensual film, and it contain
some of the most amazing martial arts scenes ever filmed. 'House
Of Flying Daggers' really is a work of art that has to be seen to
be believed, and you won't be disaapointed.
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RAQUEL WELCH DVD COLLECTION

"Americans have always had sex symbols. It's a time-honored
tradition, and I'm flattered to have been one. But it's hard to
have a long, fruitful career once you've been stereotyped that way.
That's why I'm proud to say I've endured."-Raquel Welch
To many, Raquel Welch remains the ultimate pin-up girl and one
of the dominant sex symbols of the 1960s. Her talents, however,
more than match her statuesque bearing and timeless beauty. In recent
interviews, Welch reveals a self-deprecating sense of humor, a shrewd
grasp of business, and a commitment to social issues. Determined
and resourceful, she has carefully crafted a career that defies
expectations. In honour of Welch's unmatched and brilliant career,
Fox have released a specialdvd collection featuring five of her
most memorable movies - 'One Million Years B.C.'; 'Bandolero!';
'Myra Breckenridge'; 'Mother, Jugs & Speed'; and 'Fathom'. For
further information and to purchase the collection, just click on
the link below.
Raquel Welch DVD Collection
KILL BILL (2003)

Why do people think a film like Kill Bill is violent?
By: Guest Reviewer Christopher McGuicken
Picture the scene. A young man in his early twenties has just walked
out of the most recent film by a now cult director. His movies are
known for their violence, humour, and imaginative story telling.
His movies have had violence in the past, and the movie that started
hiscareer to where it is today breed on the violent talk about his
film. I am talking about Quentin Tarintino. The young man is of
course happy that the movie lived up to its potential in his eyes,
but he is deeply troubled by the mass media turning against this
film in same way the media helped his previous films to success.
The violence!
When I saw Kill Bill, it was hyped, but not hyped like the films
are nowadays of the matrix or star wars. I knew a little about the
film, and avoided contact with any other information. A control
of the information I presume from Tarintoino’s end helped.
In the very first scene I jumped to the thud of a bullet going through
someone’s head. I said to myself, “wow, this is going
to be violent…yes!”
However, this was not the case. The director has made a movie (although
part one of a movie – it is still a movie on its own right),
which is the opposite of the violence of his past movies, and the
realism of his past movies. The opening credits read, “The
fourth film by Quentin Tarinto”, and looking back at his other
three movies, ‘Reservoir Dogs’, ‘Pulp Fiction’,
‘Jackie Brown’, and his bit directing and involved moviesof
‘From Dusk Till Dawn’, ‘Four Rooms’, and
his writing to ‘Natural Born Killers’ and ‘True
Romance’ are all very violent films. However there is something
different from these past films to Kill Bill. They all are real
films. They exist all in our own space and time. Although they are
a work of fiction, there is an element of through in the movies,
the broken people, the violence, and the bad situations that made
us all laugh. That all could and does happen. However Kill Bill,
like the genres he is trying to emulate, are not real. When people’s
head are cut off, they do not bleed like they have 55 gallons of
blood in their body, and it doesn’t squirt out like a fountain.
It does however, in comic books, anime animation and fictional stories,
because it simply cant happen in real life. Like the movies before
Kill Bill, it is where should be made. Movies set in a world that
does not exist, and thus is why we are watching it. The desire to
see another world, and this is Kill Bill. Sure there are elements
of more realistic fiction in it, however those are heavily taken
apart by mixture of black and white, colour, and animation. All
used previously in Natural Born Killers, and showed the mind of
a serial killer in a whole new fashion, a serial killer in the form
of media, that of course did not exist.
For instance, the use of animation to show the young life of Oren
Ishii, it was a terrible youth, as well as a very violent past.
So it was done by animation, and shows exactly how brutal her life
is and was, but it is don’t by animation, thus not as violent
as it could have been.
Maybe I don’t think kill bill is violent because I’ve
grown up watching violence all my life in movies. I accept that
might be an answer. But the fact that I consider that type of movie
to be not real, and I’m a pacifist, then I believe the latter
has nothing to do with it. Kill Bill is not a violent movie
But don’t let me decide for you. Watch it a second, third
time and make that decision.
I think it is a pretty damn cool film. And a film I’d watch
again and again, or maybe just treasure it every 2 years or so.
Either way, its going straight into my DVD collection, and I might
just burn away the disc with this one!
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Memento (2000) *****

Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Guy Pierce, Carrie-Ann Moss, Joe Pantiliano
The premise is simple. A man with no short term memory attempts
to track down his wife’s killer and avenge her death. The
last thing he can remember is her brutal rape and murder, and with
the inability to form new memories, the movie follows his growing
obsession with his task as he takes photographs, writes down evidence,
and even tattoos the facts on his body. It may sound simple in theory,
but ‘Memento’ is one of the most complex psychological
thrillers ever made. Director Christopher Nolan takes this simple
plot and using a circular narrative, flashbacks, and a storyline
that weaves in and out of itself to create a sense of confusion,
of memory loss, and the struggle to regain it. Just as Leonard has
to piece together the evidence of his wife’s murder so must
the audience piece together the plot, shown in a jumbled order as
if to convey the leading character’s growing confusion. Throughout
the film Nolan employs a really effective tool of showing a scene
only to re-show the very same scene again from a different viewpoint
or starting the action just a few minutes before the previous time,
to show the audience that what they thought they were watching was
completely different to what they are actually witnessing.
Guy Pierce is remarkable in the lead, convincingly conveying a
man so desperate to avenge his wife’s death that he takes
advantage of his own disability to believe only what he wants to
believe. Carrie-Ann Moss also puts in a great performance as the
woman who manipulates him for her own ends. The entire film is remarkably
put together, well acted and directed. The most remarkable thing
about ‘Memento’ is the fact that it’s one of those
films that you can watch again and again without getting bored with
it. In fact, it’s a film that NEEDS to be seen again and again
in order to gain some sort of real understanding, and each time
you watch it you’ll end up drawing a different conclusion
that you did before, but one thing’s for certain, each viewing
will only increase your awe and admiration for the film itself as
well as for the actors and director.
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My Little Eye (2002) ****
Director: Marc Evans
Staring: Jennifer Skye, Laura Regan, Sean C. W. Johnson, Steven
O’Reilly
‘My Little Eye’ is probably one of the best psychological
horrors films to be released in recent years. It is a dark, thrilling
masterpiece of a film that comes across as a mixture of’ Big
Brother’ and ‘The Blair Witch Project’. Five young
Americans are chosen to live together in a deserted house in the
middle of nowhere for six months with a prize of $1 million dollars
to be shared between them, the only rule being that if someone leaves
before the end, everyone loses. Their actions are filmed 24 hours
a day and broadcast on the Internet, but with the production company
determined not to pay the $1million prize, there are a few nasty
surprises in store for the contestants.
British director, Marc Evans is very successful in creating a real
low-budget style movie, which really gives the effect of a reality
TV show. complete with camera clicking sound effects that creates
an eerie atmosphere which builds up throughout the film until its
shocking climax. ‘My Little Eye’ examines the nature
of reality TV, pushing the idea to it’s very limits, and displaying
themes of voyeurism, competition and consumerism. A tense thriller
that keeps you on the edge of your seat for the entire duration
of the film and with one of the most graphic scenes I have ever
witnessed in a film it is intelligently acted and directed and definitely
worth seeing. But be warned, if you’re anything like me you
might have to sleep with the light on for about a week afterwards.
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GHOST WORLD (2002) ****

Director: Terry Zwigoff
Staring: Thora Birch, Scarlet Johanson, Steve Buscemi
Based on a comic strip by Daniel Clowes, ‘Ghost World’
tells the story of two teenage girls who graduate from high school
amidst a sense of disillusionment about their future. Instead of
getting a job or going to college, they spend their days sitting
in cafes playing practical jokes on the freaks and weirdoes who
inhabit their town. Steve Buscemi is fabulous as Seymour, a hapless
40-something who fills up his lonely existence collecting rare records
and antiques. He is initially a seen as a pitiful figure and ideal
candidate for Enid (Thora Birch) to poke fun at, but before long
an intense and emotionally affecting relationship develops between
them; each of them being totally differentpeople with different
personalities, but both of them struggling with the same problems
in life.
In many ways ‘Ghost World’ is a teen movie, but it
is not a teen movie in any traditional sense of the term. It charts
the rights of passage between childhood and adulthood, but it does
so in an original, dry, individual way. The general feel of the
film is sadness and hopelessness, the idea that nothing is going
to happen, that there’s nothing to look forward to in life.
Staying true to its comic strip origins, ‘Ghost World’
is filmed in a quirky manner, with a strong visual style and many
strange eccentric moments. It is a film that is at once funny, original,
sad and moving, and is definitely the one of the best films to be
released within the last couple of years.
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FIGHT CLUB (2000) *****

Director: David Fincher
Staring: Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham-Carter, Jared Leto,
Meatloaf Aday
When it was first released ‘Fight Club’ was a film
that managed to pass me by completely. I didn’t read any reviews
of it, didn’t see any trailers for it at the cinema or watch
any of the actors being interviewed. I vaguely knew of its existence,
but nothing about it whatsoever enticed me to hand over my precious
cash at the cinema to watch it. Therefore, when I noticed it in
the t.v listing over the Christmas period, I almost didn’t
watch it at all, but realizing I had nothing better to do, I thought
I’d give it a go. Sitting down to watch a film that I had
assumed to be about I boxing club, I got the shock of my life. I
was utterly blown away. Instead of seeing a film about fighting,
violence and men’s clubs, I saw a film about the nature of
self destruction, a film about the darker side of the human psyche,
a film about what happens when people have enough of the mundane,
hopelessness of life, and decide to rebel. Not only was I completely
taken aback by ‘Fight Club’, but even as I was still
watching it, I knew I had just discovered my new favourite film
of all time. How did I manage to miss this first time around?
The amazing Edward plays Jack, a man who has everything - an executive
job, a penthouse apartment, designer furniture, all the money he
could wish for - but he’s depressed, he can’t sleep,
he knows there is something missing from his life. A chance meeting
with soap salesman Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) changes his life completely.
Tyler Durden is everything Jack is not – good looking, charismatic,
good with women, charming – and together they eschew the values
and pressures of modern life. They give up their materialist possessions,
chosing to live in a hovel, and vent their anger and frustration
with their lives through bare knuckle, no rules fighting.
Fight Club is a film that challenges the viewers every moral and
opinion of life. It makes you think twice about every decision you
have ever made, every item of clothing or cd or book you have ever
purchased. Fight Club rages against the American Dream, it questions
the nature of a society that promises that everyone can be famous
and beautiful if only we drive the right car, and buy the rightwashing
powder.
Anyone who has ever thought deeply about the meaning of their life
will love Fight Club. Anyone who has ever questioned the point of
it all will be glued to their television screens for every second
of this film. Anyone who has ever hoped that there has to be something
more that what you see in front of you has got to see this film.
YOU have got to see this film.
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Comment from Dave Peters - 01/11/03 "I agree with your review of
'Fight Club'. It's a great film, totally original and ground-breaking
and Edward Norton is spectacular in it." |
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