Reviews

We are meant to believe that the L.A.P.D. is the most professional Police Force in the world. If this is the case, then this movie must be a spoof. If not, the real members of the L.A.P.D. would be very disappointed in the way they are portrayed in this film. From the very first scene the movie showed signs of being pathetic. Hordes of LA's finest turned up to an armed hold up and then took turns standing up to be shot by the offenders who amazingly were able to just stand there blazing away. The direction and editing of this scene was poor and unfortunately didn't improve as the movie progressed. Some well known and credentialed actors were in this film but they were not able to save it. Don't waste your time with this one, especially if you are a cop and want to see a decent cop movie.

Jet Li shines in this full on action thriller. Be warned though, it is very violent with bodies going everywhere. The basic story line surrounds an assassination where Jet Li's character is laid out as the patsy by the French Police involved. Tcheky Karyo plays the corrupt French Detective passionately. You can't help but hate him and the way he freely disposes of anyone in his way. You realise that there is no way this sort of thing could really happen but you put that aside once Jet Li gets into full flight. I can't help compare Jet Li's style with that of Steven Seagal. Cool in appearance but capable of dishing out treatment to anyone. One scene was way over the top but was a delight to watch. Jet Li in his attempt to locate the evil Detective, enters the Police H.Q. only to walk into a room full of black belted police practicing karate. Bridget Fonda plays the prostitute trying to get her daughter back. She magically crosses path with Jet Li. Unfortunately for Bridget, if she's not careful she may become type cast in this role. Overall, this movie gets and "8/10" from me.

The Others is a brilliant thriller with excellent performances by all involved. Nicole Kidman brought us into her tormented world very quickly as did her children. The three members of the house staff were the icing on the cake, keeping us guessing as to their real intentions. The presence of the intruders in the house was pure 'Hitchcock' suspense. This movie was well presented, without the need for huge amounts of blood and gore allowing us to let our imaginations run free. Eight of us (variety of ages from 16-52) watched this movie together and all gave it a 10.

This is a pleasant enough movie about a small town full of unmarried guys. They advertise to encourage single girls to visit the town but are overwhelmed by the number who turn up. The movie contains some interesting character studies, but to the average movie goer, it probably paints a poor picture of country folk, especially the men. The is a warts and all look at the town, especially the guys. They seem to be a sorry lot even when the bus loads of women arrive. There is some irony depicted and perhaps we should all look closer at the things we have before looking elsewhere.

As a person who has visited Universal Studios, a keen movie goer and one who enjoys putting together my own short films, this documentary on the beginning and development of Universal Studios, was excellent. If you have any interest in the movie industry, this documentary is for you.

C.S.I. - Crime Scene Investigation is a "must not miss" television series. Set in Las Vegas, several forensic experts led by Gil Grissom (William Petersen) investigate suspicious deaths using the latest Sci-Fi procedures. This series is extremely well made and rivals any feature length crime thriller. This series is a 10 for me.

I don't think I have heard a bad comment from anyone who has seen this movie. My wife and I sat in the theatre absolutely spell bound by the sheer grandeur and magnificence of this masterpiece. Never having read the book, it took a little time to associate with the characters, but once I had time to piece it together I was hooked. Parents of younger children be warned; there are quite a few frightening looking characters who try to do their worst to our heroes. Teenagers up would be the suitable and appropriate ages to see this movie. It is a lengthy film and is of course the first in a trilogy, so be prepared to be left hanging in midair at the end. Hurry up episode 2!

It has taken me over a year to see Moulin Rouge since it has been released. I am sorry it has taken so long. This movie was marvelous. Well done to all involved, from the writer/director Baz Luhrmann and co-writer Craig Pearce, through to the stars, Nicole Kidman and Ewan MacGregor and the rest of the cast. From start to finish this musical was rich and vibrant and showed a fresh approach to a musical presentation. I was unsure how I would react to the heavy use of colour and frequent close ups, but they brought me into the action. There has been some criticism of Nicole and Ewan's singing. I thought they did a great job. Jim Broadbent and Richard Roxburgh were well cast and represented their roles very well. All round this was a 10 in my book.

Love Song was a pleasant love story. It was easy to follow but predictable. That however, doesn't prevent you from relaxing with the family and enjoying this movie. The story line relates to a `spoken for' African/American girl from a wealthy background, who has had her whole life planned out. While celebrating her birthday with her two best friends she pulls into a gas station for fuel. A white guy fills her car, and for him it is love at first sight. She rejects his advances but their paths cross again later. She becomes torn between her obedience to the relationship she is in, her future, and her inner feelings about this white guy. Set in jazz land New Orleans, the score is great, with a mix of jazz, blues and soul. This movie is a good one for a quiet night at home or a rainy afternoon.

Dr Dolittle 2 follows the life of Dr. John Dolittle who by now is well known for his gift of being able to speak to animals. He is visited by a forest dweller from the pine forests north of San Francisco who are desperate to save their homes from being destroyed by a logging company. To prevent this, the courts give Dr.D. and family one month to re-locate a domesticated circus bear to the forest and have it mate with the last wild female bear of its kind there. It sounds a little risque' but it is okay for all age groups. The animals all have their own persona and their dialogue is very humorous, especially the beaver and his ‘mob'. Worth watching.

My first introduction to Rodney Dangerfield was `CaddyShack'. He was hilarious and witty. My 5 Wives is a watchable movie but does tend to be a stage for Rodney's old ‘one liners'. I had the occasional chuckles, but overall this one may get flack from some quarters for its subject matter. Rodney (twice divorced) moves to `Poligomyville' Utah to buy land to build a ski resort. On purchasing the land he finds himself the proud owner of 5 new wives also. That's right, the proud owner. When the original owner of the land died, the new owner gets his wives as part of the deal. Fortunately for Rodney (now well into his later years), all of his new wives are gorgeous 20 somethings. If you like risque', slapstick boy/girl gags, this one is for you. If you're looking for something with a little more to it. Leave it.

This movie will not be everyones cup of tea. You will know after the first 10 minutes whether you want to continue to watch it or not. It depicts the struggles experienced by aboriginal boys coming into manhood and is set in Gove, an isolated area of Northern Australia. The movie explores the pressures of living in such an isolated place combined with the desire to follow a cultural background vrs joining modern society. After seeing this film, one can understand the difficulty people like our three characters have, trying to find their way in life. The movie is not your zillion dollar hollywood production, but it is extremely well made and makes you feel like you are going through the trials with them. For a movie I could easily have not bothered with, I am glad it did. Highly recommended.

The Terence Hill movies of the 1970's were fun. This movie was a typical Terence Hill, Bud Spencer movie of that era with just a few things missing. 1: Bud Spencer - replaced by Marvin Hagler, 2: Spaghetti western - replaced by spaghetti Miami vice, 3: Clever humor - replaced by poorly given and written dialogue, ridiculous situations, unfunny attempts at doing or saying something funny. I had trouble sitting through this movie to the end. I wish I had left poor old Terence back in the 70's.

When a mobster is in trouble with other mobsters for turning prosecution witness against them, the FBI need to step in and provide protection. This is the case for Stephen Baldwin and his wife and son in this movie. Baldwin plays an excellent role as the bad guy needing protection. He is well supported by Peter Gallagher, his new found business partner and neighbor when they are relocated in another city. Unfortunately for Baldwin's character, trying to live a normal life without using his gangster attitude is not easy. This movie is worth a look.

¡°Ripper¡± is for die hard slasher fans only, and even they will feel cheated. It does commence with promise, but quickly degenerates. The story centers around a young woman with a traumatic and horrific past. At university she becomes part of a group studying the crimes of serial killers, ¡°Jack the Ripper¡± in particular. Their lecturer presents a chilling introduction to the course, which gives us the hope that this might be a thinker¡¯s horror movie instead of just another ¡°cut ¡®em up¡± slasher. Unfortunately, it does not take long before we are seeing the knife wielded with gusto and the potential for real suspense departing. From here on it is a case of, which one of them will do something stupid and become the next victim. The main characters, who by now have become major crime investigators, are wooden and shallow and at times seem to be taking turns to say their dialogue with no spontaneity at all. I enjoy a good thriller but for me, ¡°Ripper¡± was annoyingly predictable.

¡°Code Red: Rubican¡± is about a soldier forced into exile due to ¡°psychological¡± disorders resulting from a failed mission in the past. When a commando mission in the jungle goes horribly wrong, he is called in to help lead the next team. When they enter the jungle and discover the mutilated bodies of the previous team, they quickly realize that there is more to this mission than they were told. While watching this movie I found it hard not to compare it with another very well known movie of a similar nature. (Predator)

Those who like movies where people wander through the jungle and are preyed upon by unknown forces, should enjoy this movie. I was not that thrilled. Late night television only.