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Reviews
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
Yes, it was Fast and Yes, it was furious
Lets be honest here, if you arrive at the cinema expecting an intelligent meaningful storyline you will be sorely disappointed. Tokyo Drift was produced for those among us who are car fanatics or adrenaline junkies. This sequel has thrown the most impressively modified cars to date and it has not disappointed its loyal fans. I was impressed to see the mistakes from the 2nd sequel have not been repeated. For the most part, the driving stunts were actually done by the professional drifting team from Japan, not so much computer generated junk. For those of us who were eagerly awaiting the next level of customized cars, the 350Z and the RX-7 lived up to expectations. The only aspect of the film that bothered me was the southern accent of the American. It was just too blatant...
So for those who needed to see a film surrounding some incredible driving techniques it was a masterpiece! If however you were seeking to be enlightened by the storyline you should have stayed in the parking lot.
The Fast and the Furious (2001)
Looking back
When the Fast and the Furious first appeared it was an awesome film to watch. The cars and street racing scenes were new and exciting. After watching Tokyo Drift and Torque a couple of years later it is clear that the original spawned an entire new genre of action film. The new genre clearly plays on the clichéd teenagers dream of racing fast cars through busy streets. Street racing in real life is sadly lacking compared to these films and fatal accidents seem to happen a lot more frequently. While the original and Tokyo Drift have upped the ante, the other films such as Biker Boyz and Torque are very disappointing. We should probably be used to that now though because its the ultimate Hollywood cliché...
The Village (2004)
The Containment
M. Night Shyamalan has produced a decent film in The Village. It is interesting how he has used the village and its people as a metaphor to show how fear can keep us imprisoned, contained and controlled. It takes a rebellious mind to break free. It is also striking to see that people could theoretically be contained within a time period. We see the village living in medi-evil times while a few short kilometers away the rest of the world lives in the 21st century. It is an intriguing film to watch and attempts reasonably to get the audience to feel the fear of the villagers. It is a worthwhile film for those who like twists and turns. M. Night Shyamalan has become somewhat of an Alfred Hitchcock with his cameo appearances, and with films like The Sixth Sense he is not too far off.
Man on Fire (2004)
The Reluctant Hero
To begin with, this is an incredible movie! We have come to expect extremely high standards of Denzel Washington and once again he delivers all that and more. His amazing performance is coupled with that of Dakota. The film has employed unusual cinematography with flashbacks and memories which conveys Creasy's emotions very well. I especially enjoyed the ending with the image of the mountain as this is echoed first very early in the film. I think the viewer is drawn to Creasy because of his vigilantism and ultimately his sacrifice. We have to admire his pure determination at the retrieval of Dakota by any means possible.
It is amazing how people prefer to follow a hero with a major weakness or flaw. In this case Creasy's drinking is his vice and this is somewhat relevant to many people. We enjoy watching how he overcomes his weakness and perhaps imagine us doing the same. The 'fallen hero' theme is among the most popular in film-making and this film is a perfect example. To those who have yet to see this movie, it comes very highly recommended!
"He'll deliver more justice in a weekend than ten years of your courts and tribunals." - Rayburn
The Butterfly Effect (2004)
Cause and Effect
"In the next 30 seconds you're gonna open 1 of 2 doors. The first door will forever traumatize your own flesh and blood."
This dark and brooding film is incredibly well presented with some superb performances. The theme can be summarized easily with the metaphor of throwing a stone in a pond. The ripples spread far and wide as a result of that small stone. The universal concept of time is a complex and difficult one to understand, it is however based entirely on cause and effect. Evan began to understand this after his first flashback. It is incredible to note that a tiny detail such as a whisper in someones ear can alter the present to such an incredible degree. The viewer is given a taste of the frustration of Evan as he is unable to produce the happy ending he craves so desperately. Addiction also plays a subtle role in the film as the powers of this butterfly effect are as seductive as the powers of God. Perhaps this makes it easier for the viewer to relate to Evan's emotions?
In the end however it becomes clear that a person's life is far too complex and variable to change successfully. This film reminds us that a small wrench thrown into a large machine can still be enough to damage it irreparably.
Batman Begins (2005)
Batman vs. Spiderman vs. Superman
When asked who your favourite superhero was, these 3 are some of the biggest household names. We have now seen all of them portrayed in a recent movie (or 3 in spiderman's case) and we are confronted once again with the burning question of who is the greatest...
To compare all of them, batman is the most human with no extreme alien qualities such as web or superhuman strength. Batman relies on technology and his incredible fighting techniques to destroy his enemy. It is impossible to relate to any of these superheroes yet the human factor of Batman makes him a far more interesting character. That and his car...
Spiderman is of course a legend, he needs to keep up the much more difficult facade of Peter Parker compared to the other 2 heroes. The popularity of spiderman is noteworthy and the 3rd movie is a testament to this.
Superman is the least imaginative of all the superheroes mainly because his superpowers are clichéd and unimaginative. The latest superman movie was by far the biggest waste of film in the last 50 years. Never before have I hated a movie so passionately. Smallville however is a different story, it has all the makings of an awesome beginning to superman. Except.... As with so many series, if it takes off in its first season, the writers crave a bigger paycheck and in their endless greed the storyline goes straight to hell. Sad but true.
So, in conclusion Batman is the clear winner in this skirmish with Spiderman in a close second! Unfortunately superman falls way back, and as they say, "Those who fall behind, stay behind".
The Prestige (2006)
A Masterpiece of Originality
It is not often that we are given the privilege to see a truly original story, not a remake with different faces and effects but instead a unique tale. It is a regular complaint by movie enthusiasts that the business is dominated by copied or reworked story lines. This film has consistently pushed the boundaries just as the Matrix did when it was first released. Not many movies can boast such a debate over the tiny details or the implications of the actions of each character. When the machine is first seen in its detail, the ruthlessness of Angier is truly discovered. While movies such as the Sixth Day attempt to debate the ethics of such a device, The Prestige simply uses it to highlight the greed and burning ambition of a man. This movie is very complex in its themes and plot and it is encouraging to see a film that forces the viewer to think and review the storyline again and again to try and determine the truth. Is it not also ironic that while we the viewers are attempting to seek the truth, so the characters are seeking to disillusion us, just like a magic act. We are forced, in a sense, into volunteering for the magician which shows us in the end how incredibly well thought out this storyline really is. Cutter seems to sum it all up for us - 'Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it because you're not really looking. You don't really want to know the secret... You want to be fooled.'
The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
The field
It is amazing that a movie seemingly centered around golf can be so inspiring! When we do however look closer at the movie we see the major theme of Faith begin to arise. In the scene where Junnah is hitting golf balls into the dark and Bagger seemingly appears out of the darkness, the viewer is given a picture of Junnah's metaphorical blindness. He appears to be aimless and in desperate need of guidance. It is from here that faith takes a major role in the film. Numerous references to God appear in the narration, and this may be linked to the perception of Bagger as somewhat of an angel. 'The Field' is easily interpreted as life and Hardy's comment at the end of the film - ' ... as Bagger once said, golf is a game that can't be won, only played' seems to justify his search for his place in the field. This movie has most definitely been overlooked as one of the best films of the last few years. It is an incredible movie and does not require the viewer to be an avid golfer!
Cry, the Beloved Country (1995)
Inspiration?
Since i am South African, this movie has significant meaning. while it is not many viewers' drama of choice, it does show the result of extreme contrasts. Alan Paton was heavily criticized for this novel simply because they believed the change in Jarvis was so drastic that it did not have much realism. We do however have to ask ourselves whether 'realism' was a more significant theme than 'change'. I think it is probable that the novel and movie were designed to inspire 'change' rather than document it. To those who have yet to see it i encourage you to do so. If you are able to view it from a South African perspective (who i might add are among the most patriotic on the planet) it is an excellent film.