Reviews

I don't remember exactly when I first saw this film, but for a long time I thought that the second of the series was my favorite. Well, I recently bought the DVD box-set and after I watched the first movie again I knew that it was definitely the best in the series, and also one of the best movies ever made. Rocky is very much more than just a boxing movie. It's a movie about the unbreakable human spirit, determination, and the will to "go the distance." Rocky(Sylvester Stallone) is a second rate club-fighter and a debt collector for a loan shark(Joe Spinnell). He becomes involved with a shy girl working in a petshop named Adrian(Talia Shire), and also becomes friends with her brother Paulie(Burt Young). Rocky's life really isn't anything of interest - until the World Heavyweight Champion Apollo Creed(Carl Weathers) gives him an unexpected shot at the title. An old boxer-turned-trainer named Mick(Burgess Meredith) offers to be Rocky's manager. Although the whole film is outstanding, what follows are some of the greatest and most memorable movie moments of all time. Rocky striving to go the distance in the training scene, the final fight, and the closing moments of the film are so emotional and inspiring that they perfectly demonstrate the human spirit and can bring out the will to win in anybody. Add to this an excellent music score and you have a classic and unforgettable movie. Without a doubt deserved the Best Picture award in 1976. Exceptional performances by all the cast members, notably Burgess Meredith and Sylvester Stallone. **** out of ****

James Bond is back in the 20th installment of the James Bond series, and Pierce Brosnan, in his fourth Bond movie, does not disappoint. The movie kicks off when Bond, while in the de-militarised zone between North and South Korea posing as a Mr. Van Beerk and trying to stop a plan involving deadly hovercrafts, is set up by an unknown enemy. The man spearheading the hovercraft production, Colonel Moon(Will Yun Lee), finds out who Bond really is and what ensues is a high speed hovercraft chase trough a minefield. Bond comes out alive, but a Korean General captures Bond and keeps him in Korea for 14 months, trying to get him to give up Moon's western ally(the same person who set Bond up). He does not give them a name, but MI6 gets Bond out of Korea by trading him for a Korean fugitive by the name of Zao(Rick Yune), who was there on the day that Bond was set up. What we see next is Bond being disavowed and imprisoned by MI6. But he doesn't stay that way for long, with a stylish escape he's back out doing his job again, only this time without orders from M, but for his own personal revenge. MI6 soon asks for his help again, and before you know it, Bond is back in a cool new car chasing crazy villains and encountering Bond girls. Jinx(Halle Berry) and Miranda Frost(Rosamund Pike) are the 2 Bond girls in this one. Awesome action sequences and GREAT special effects make this a Bond classic and one of my favorite Bond movies. Go see it. ***1/2 out of ****.

I saw Star Wars Episode II - Attack of the Clones the first day, first showing at the closest theatre, I had reserved tickets 2 weeks in advance and I was one of the 4 first people in the theatre. Why? Because I knew that Episode II would much better than Episode I. Many people including me, did not think Episode I lived up to it's expectations. The special effects were great, but it was too childish for me. Although I liked the movie enough, it lacked the bang and the excitement of the original films, save for the podrace and final lightsaber duel. But Episode II definitely made up for all that, with a more serious plot filled with excitement all the way through.

The story begins when Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker are assigned by the Jedi council to protect the now-senator Padme Amidala after an assassination attempt on her life. When Obi-Wan recieves strange information about a planet called Geonosis, he is sent to investigate while Anakin stays to protect Padme. As Obi-Wan's search leads him to a startling discovery, Anakin's relationship with Padme becomes more serious. Meanwhile Count Dooku, an ex-Jedi, is assembling a large army of seperatists, and the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic is taking actions that will determine the fate of the galaxy...