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Reviews
Les triplettes de Belleville (2003)
Stunning
This film is perhaps the most perfect fusion of traditional cell animation and modern computer animation that I have seen in cinemas to date. The characters are rich and delightful, each one beautifully stylized and uniquely personified. The story is highly entertaining and easy to understand due to the sparing use of dialog... if any. Highly recommended for fans of animation and anyone else.
They (2002)
What's wrong with you people?
While this movie was not brilliant or perfect, I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't just fall into total cliche. Many people have ragged on it for it's plodding pace, it's lack of masturbatory monster reveal and poor acting. While some of the characters were a bit forced the lead actress was quite good for the genre, and I think that she shows a lot of promise given the material she had to work with on this film.
Regarding the pacing, as some others have pointed out, this was more of a psychological thriller. If you are looking for tons of blood and gore go see Dead Alive. One person even had the gall to say that this film along with others like Halloween were a part of the grand decline of of horror films, while Halloween was one of the best of the genre!
Lastly, concerning the lack of monster-reveal, I consider this to be well considered and key to a good horror/monster film! The best films of the genre do not immediately give away the monster, it is slowly revealed over the course of the film, with small bits still left in the dark.
I found this film to be a decent entry in the genre with some semi-original twists. Worth a rental on a dark night to watch with a few friends. Regardless of what many of these genre-buff-wannabes write about it. If anything see it for the cool monster effects and the mirror scene (you'll know it when you see it).
Rating: Recommended.
Joe Somebody (2001)
I liked it
This film was a light-hearted comedy about a man who starts as a nobody and must find out how to become a somebody. While not the best film of this sort made, it is far from the worst. The acting is easy and fun and doesn't need to be taken totally seriously and Jim Belushi is great at the fighting instructor. I've been a fan of Tim Allen since his stand-up comedy days and while he hasn't been given a chance to make any really dynamite movies this one isn't as bad as some will tell you. Don't expect to go in and see a moving piece of drama or a hilarious slaptick comedy. This is light, feel-good entertainment that doesn't require a lot of thought, but doesn't preach to you either. It's something the family can enjoy and I think this is exactly what Tim Allen, Julie Bowen, Kelly Lunch and the entire crew involved were shooting for when they made this.
Freddie as F.R.O.7. (1992)
Hard to Recall
I remember seeing this film in theatres as a child. I don't remember much about it except that I did enjoy it. It's a good watch for the kiddies, probably not as watchable for the parents. Since I can't remember much I'd say take a chance on a $.99 kids' rental and then get Spy Kids for the whole family to watch.
House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
Dreadful
While usually I'm pretty objective about films, and I'm very unlikely to call a movie horrible, I'd have to say that this was the worst piece of cinema I've ever watched. Perhaps the super-slasher just isn't my genre, but watching a film in which I was actually HOPING for the 'protagonists' to die just so that the film would end really left an awful spot on my night. And I think it speaks worlds about the film. If you want to see four people tortured and mutilated, then I guess this is the film you should see. If you're a decent human being who would rather not see heinous acts performed on your fellow humanity then take your viewership elsewhere. Some might call this art... but I'm thinking that you'd have to be pretty disturbed to call this beautiful, and you're probably on the wrong side of sane if that's the case. At least I can watch Charlie's Angels : Full Throttle now and not have to worry about cringing. Heck, Tomb Raider II might even be tame compared to this nonsense. You want scary, go watch Jacob's Ladder.
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Just shy of First Contact
I can't believe some of the reviews I am reading of this film! Did a lot of people end up seeing an 'earlier' release than I saw on opening night? The action sequences were not too short, the opening not too long, and certainly the effects not rehashed and awful! Of course there were a few bits that needed tightening up, and some of the 'coincidental' plot points could have been illustrated a bit more to not feel obvious, but Star Trek movies are not meant to be Oscar material, and the sticky bits were not so distracting that they couldn't just be ignored.
I felt that the story for this film tho a little bit like Wrath of Khan in it's overall arc was extremely divergent in some crucial areas. There is no 'unknown' family element, tho they do explore the idea of having a double, something that was NOT touched in Wrath of Khan. And the villain (Shinzon) was nothing like Khan at all! Khan was a megalomaniacal super-human, while Shinzon was a dark, desperate villain who wanted to step out of the shadow of Picard and become something greater than a failed project turned slave. He used his likeness of Picard to stir the plot and cast many dark moments across the screen. And his ultimate demise was fantastic!
I can see the broad strokes that make this film very similar to Wrath of Khan (considered the best Original film to my knowledge) but I also see the many details that set it apart from Khan. I think that this was a wonderful film, just a hair behind First Contact (the best Next Gen movie), with a lot of heart, a lot of action, many a funny moment, and a solid way to herald the beginning of the end for the Next Generation films (or so the rumor goes).
Whether you're a Trekkie or just a casual liker of science-fiction, check the film out.