jbaccy's Reviews

Bumfights: Cause for Concern (2002 Video)

Understandably controversial, morally dubious, but immensely entertaining

6 June 2003

I can understand why this film gets slandered alot, and whilst you're watching homeless people fight each other for dollars (and probably laughing your ass off at some of the stunts) you can't help but think what kind of a sick society produces this, but morals etc aside, as a piece of Jackass-esque film, this like it or not is the logical next step, and a very funny one. To the film maker's credit, this is very well edited, and they apparently paid for all the medical bills and expenses incurred to the stars of the show, and are also last I heard in the process of getting their asses sued off of them by Roofus et al.

I never found Jackass funny, but I thought this was hillarious, especially the bumhunter segments and the "duckie!" guy. Bling bling just stole the show for me though, seriously, that guy should get his own chat show!

I think for most people, the moral dubiousness will obstruct their viewing of what is essentially a very funny movie. If you are one of these however, I don't think that you can laugh at jackass, yet complain when something like this comes along off of the back of Jackass' success. If you supported Jackass, then like it or not, you are partly responsible for this as anyone else.

It is the product of a sick society, but as a member of that society with enough truth about himself to admit he finds this funny, I think the bottom line is that this is a hillarious piece of film.

Ultimately, we are supposed to be judging the film on IMDB, not the film makers themselves and their methods no matter how dubious.

"BFK for life, FOREVER! We never bottle-out!"

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The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

6/10

Imagine the first film, but without it's anti-establishmentarian soul, and with a cold hard hollywood black heart replacing it.

26 May 2003

Now don't get me wrong, this isn't an awful film by any means, and it does have some cool action scenes as well as a deep plot, but it just comes off in the same way that Merovingian does - Smug and pretentious. I liked the first film, so don't think I'm a hater of the series or anything, but what narks me off about sci-fi sequels in general, is that instead of leaving aspects to the film to your imagination, the film's reality is shoved down your throat. Places and scenes that would have been better left out (EG Morpheus' speech in zion) are done, and they just come off as being there for the sake of it. Big words are used for the sake of making the film sound smarter than it actually is, proved when neo later condenses reams of someone's philosophical garbage into a single sentence.

This film's very different to the last, which some might like, but others such of myself find off-putting. The first was alot more inventive and had an infinitly more interesting storyline. For number two, expect more of the same, but overkilled bullet-time, over-complicated plot, over-extravagant effects.

Although with all this said, there are some brilliant fight scenes, and the car chase scene is filmed nicely, but these few gleams of brilliance don't make up for the pretension that is the rest of the film.

I understood it, just didn't like it. It takes more than this film's glossy exterior to fool me into thinking the film's as polished underneath as it is on the surface.

Nice try.

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15 Storeys High (2002–2004)

Innovative stuff

15 May 2003

I only managed to catch one episode so far but what an episode! It's one of those underrated comedies you hear nothing about, but the script is hillarious, and the straighter-than-straight acting just suits it to a T. Stylistically, it's a cross between league of gentlemen, the office, and something else all of it's own. From what I can tell, it charters the lives of the inhabitants of a block of flats in anytown UK. Watch if you're after something different.

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Black Books (2000–2004)

Kegger

15 May 2003

This series is about as entertaining as friends, except quite possibly less so. (Yeah, I really didn't think it was possible either) It's one of those comedies that just tries too hard, highlighting even more blatantly how poor this series is. For this done well (or at least better), actually what am I talking about? This kind of thing is never done well. It has a poor script, poor acting, an awful canned audience (even as far as canned audiences go) and just has nothing going for it. Stay away, or you'll be greatly, greatly disappointed. It really is a crime that whilst turd like this gets the primetime spot, real gems such as Mr Hell and 15 Storeys are stuck with the graveyard shift.

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Fist of Fun (1995–1996)

Comedy genius

9 May 2003

This was a hugely underrated show when I was a kid, and although alot of brilliant comedies have come and passed, fist of fun remains the best of the bunch. In the same vein of the smell of Reeves and Mortimer, this is a British comedy show that plays off as a variety show, with filmed sketches and many regulars, involving a mock up of Rod Hull with a fake arm, and the hobby master. I think it is quite possibly the only series to feature the recipe for "chicken lollies."

A gem of the sketch show age that spawned such greats as "the fast show" and "The smell of reeves and Mortimer," this can't be missed as a relic of British comedy before it lost it's way. (oh shame on you "my hero!")

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8MM (1999)

8/10

It's meant to be dark and disgusting you morons!

22 April 2003

Warning: Spoilers

Honestly! I can't believe the sheer stupidity of alot of the people who have commented on this film. It's a brilliant film, but like Blair witch, people are looking at it through the wrong viewscope. Although this film obviously does have some of the conventions of mystery and noir films, it just isn't supposed to be a genre film, it's a film in it's own merit which is what sets it apart. Now for everyone who's complaining about how dark and sick the film is, would you honestly much rather that the world of snuff films was shown in a positive happy light as though it isn't a bad thing, downplaying the whole sick world?!? You idiots! You'd be the first to shout out if that was done, saying that it was glorifying the world, you people just don't know what you want! Although the film I felt messed itself up towards the end

(spoiler alert)

when Cage gets caught by the makers of the films, and makes his lucky escape, the statement that the killer makes at the end by saying that he is what he is because of who he is, not because what was done to him, was done in such a way to really make a statement against the whole arguement of whether killers and weirdos are the products of themselves or of their environments. A very important issue in society, that I felt was addressed very well.

The film has balls, and like the director said, too many directors wouldn't do a film like that, because they want everyone to love them, so you have to give him credit for that, even if you don't have the intestinal fortitude or intelligence to appreciate the film.

Despite how well shot it was however, I still didn't like some lame attempts that were made to make the film a noir/mystery/cop film hybrid, if he'd have stayed true to the film instead of the conventions, and the acting all round was more solid, this film would have gained a 10, but as it stands, i think only an 8 is fair. It's a brilliant film though, but obviously not for the squeamish given it's content.

Accept it for what it is, not what it tries to be.

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Higher Learning (1995)

Thought provoking stuff

5 March 2003

Warning: Spoilers

*POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT*

I think alot of the people who seem to be writing reviews for this movie do have a point about how cliched this movie may seem, and it did have some downers, (was laurence fishbourne's character jamacian?!? I really couldn't tell myself)but I'm afriad that when people talk about the ending being unrealistic, as much as this may seem, just look at columbine. This film isn't out to answer any questions as much as it is to make the viewer aware of them. The single word ending I think goes some way to answer the questions posed about our prejudices that we all have. Personally I liked the film, but if cliches really get to you, then you probably won't like it as much. Like someone else said, this film wasn't exactly gonna win any oscars, but it does make you think. Despite what some people here seem to think, I found I could identify with the tensions posed here, and I didn't personally find the film's portrayal of different people one-sided. We were made to feel sympathetic with Remy as much as we were with Epps through his being outcast by the other stundents, and the guy trying to get off with Kirsty Swanson was obviously feeling as rejected by her as much as she felt by men. If I was gonna watch a movie with my girl, this would be ideal, but I'd recommend it to anyone with an open mind.

Peace.

PS: Did anyone else find a creepy similarity with columbine? The closeness of the names, the outcast nazi shooting up the school? Creeped me out anyway.

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All About My Mother (1999)

3/10

Has it's moments, but unfortunatly falls into the pap category.

4 March 2003

I've seen this film many a time seeing as i'm studying it for educational purposes, and although it does make me laugh in places, it does little else. I'm sorry, but it's damn near impossible to feel any emotion for a guy in a wig and some mascarre other than amusement. The film removes any emotion it may have had by obviously trying to get us to accept transvestites as normal, but it just winds up comming off as a pretentious freak show. Fans of Almodovar will probably be able to appreciate this chick flick more than I can, and don't get me wrong, I don't mind chick flicks terribly, but this one in my view is just tosh. Very well shot tosh, but unfortunatly still just tosh.

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Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (1998 TV Movie)

10/10

Impressive

4 March 2003

I thought it was a brilliant film, it was well shot, and very suspenseful. Although the actual aliens themselves were very crappy, they compensated for this by only shooting them with he camera out of focus, or in darkness. A minor triumph in independant cinema, for a tv film, I was thoroughly entertained, and even scared on occasion, which I don't think I actually have been before when watching a movie. (and i've seen ALOT of movies)

Late night gold :)

Watch it if you catch it, but i wouldn't buy it personally. Not to knock it ro anything, just not the kind of thing i like to watch over and over. Mistakes are numerous, but quite frankly I don't give a damn, this is a cracking film.

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