Reviews

I watched Manhattan recently because i had never seen Woody Allen's films and heard this was one of his best.

I can see why people love this film, it certainly is quite original and a convincing snapshot of a group of friends in New York, but I found Woody's character just too excruciating self-possessed and irritating to enjoy the film overall.

I guess you either love him or hate him, but he reminded me of George Costanza on Seinfeld - i just wanted to shake him and say 'get over yourself!'.

As for the humor, there were a lot of attempted wit there but nothing that made me laugh out loud. I won't be a hurry to see any of his other films.

The Corporation is quite a skillfully made documentary, but if you've any of read the books of the main authorities interviewed for the film - Naomi Klein, Noam chomsky and Michael moore, then a lot of the depressing subject matter of this documentary will already be pretty familiar to you.

For example, most people already know that corporations are destroying the environment, exploiting third world workers and controlling too much of our culture, for example.

Even though 'The Corporation' is rather long, i felt it ended up spreading itself too thinly - not surprising since the subject is so vast and complex. I think it might have been better to concentrate on more constructive aspects, such as what legal avenues could be available to us to reduce corporate power.

The film is a good primer and wake up call for people who are still oblivious to the out-of-control nature of corporate power, but doesn't add anything novel to what's already out there.

The Wicker Man is a rather eccentric film based on the story of a police man who visits a remote Scottish island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl and gets caught up in the Spring festival of village of Pagan-god worshippers.

The film remains remarkable refreshing and original even 30 years on. Part of this may come from it eschewing all convention of genre. The only film vaguely similar i've seen might be 'Lair of the White Worm' - both films are ostensibly horror films that are really more funny than scary, the sheer amount of camp and silliness in some scenes wonder if the film makers were considerably more tongue-in-cheek than some of the fans out there who laud it as a profound psychological thriller.

The film isn't a 'great' movie by any stretch but is highly original, has some great characters and acting and is a good laugh.

I went to see this film and was rather disturbed, both by it's violence and inherent contradictions.

In short Mel Gibson has made a violent and angry film supposedly in the name of peace and forgiveness.

For example, you are meant to believe Jesus died to save man BUT at the same time everyone as sinners are responsible for what happened to him.

It's horrible double-barbed message, one of love AND guilt at the same time. It puts the believer in a horrible debt to Jesus that there is no way of every repaying.

Another example is that Jesus supposed expresses compassion and love for his torturers but after he is resurrected the Jewish temple is destroyed (presumably out of God's vengence) and Judas who betrays Jesus is tormented by devils and ends up killing himself! Where is the forgiveness here?

Christians say Jesus's message is about forgiveness, but in the background they know the people who tortured and killed Jesus were doomed to burn in hell afterwards.

It's just all so twisted and sick. Please stop teaching your kids this jumbled up spirituality! No wonder there are so many messed up Christians around.

Surely this movie is going to drive more people away from Christianity than attract them!

This is a very disturbing film - it focuses on the torture and murder of a man in the most gruesome and relentless way (far in excess of anything mentioned in the four gospels).

The main premise of the story is that the viewer through their sins somehow bear responsibility for what happened. At the screening i was at, some people obviously felt guilty for each and every blow inflicted on Jesus.

What an absolutely outrageous message to send our children. A great way to make people guilt-ridden and messed up for life.