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Reviews
Hitch (2005)
Will Smith should do more romantic comedies!
'Hitch' is a romantic comedy based around the life of a 'love doctor' called Alex 'Hitch' Hitchens and his clients; many different men who all suffer from the same problem, of being unable to capture the hearts of their chosen lady. Hitch, played by Will Smith, is a charismatic character and was perfectly cast for the role. He uses lessons learnt in his own private life in order to help his customers achieve their desired goal basically educating men in what women really want and how to go about fulfilling those needs, while opening their eyes up to the many ways in which they could mess things up. I can imagine that Will Smith has portrayed the character in such a way that he is admired and respected by men, adored and chased by women. Although you cannot help but cringe where things go disastrously wrong concerning his own love life with Sara, a gossip columnist he falls for while out in a bar one night. In particular, his second date with her when he suffers an allergic reaction was one of horror and I felt so sorry for both parties at the time, although it was as a result of this freak accident that the barrier between them was finally taken down and they admitted their feelings towards each other.
It must be difficult to make a good romantic comedy without cheesiness, as there are many soppy movies around but very few that pull off the classic story of girl meets guy and after a struggle they end up together. However, Hitch masters the basic theme wonderfully. It inspired genuine reactions from me, and I found myself squirming in my seat at times, curious about how the characters would react, laughing out loud at original comic scenes, and finally leaving the cinema with a warm feeling inside me. I think that is the key to a good rom-com being able to entertain people while providing them with a believable romantic tale, so that they go away either feeling grateful for their own relationships, or if single are left optimistic with the belief that no matter how bad things may seem to be in the past or present there is always a chance that true love could be just around the corner.
The sub-plot which centres around Hitch's most challenging project, an overweight accountant called Albert who fancies a celebrity, is just as compelling to watch as the main relationship between Hitch and Sara. I loved how events were fabricated in a way that was both realistic considering the characters which they involved and the manner in which obstacles were overcome. The best part though had to be when this client's life began taking a toll on Hitch's personal relations, yet he realised his responsibility to Albert as a professional consultant meant that his priority was to fix that problem first.
This was an excellent movie, which banishes the preconceived idea of romantic comedies being 'chick flicks', as both men and will enjoy it. The characters, acting and situations are top-notch and hope that more movies of this standard are made.
Finding Neverland (2004)
Heart-warming escape from reality
I was pleasantly surprised by this movie, as even though it turned out to be entirely different from what the title suggested to me, it was an amazing story of fantasy blended with a degree of reality. The movie is based around the idea that a brilliant man, Sir James Barrie played by Johnny Depp, brought his failing career as a playwright back to life with a children's play inspired by a family he meets by chance one day in the park. The beginning drags a little as everything seems cheery and there is no conflict at all, but luckily Depp's acting is so great that he holds the interest of the audience until the story moves onto more exciting events and revelations.
I was slightly disappointed in the way that many of the characters had been written and can only assume that the stereotypical traits they displayed were incorporated so that young children could more easily follow the story without being distracted by complex characters. However, this assumption goes against the fact that 'Finding Neverland' is a fairytale for grownups. The issues it deals with are more suited to a mature audience: dealing with heartbreak and loss, the notion of 'growing up' and being expected to shoulder responsibility rather than enjoy a carefree life, as well as the idea that the mind is a powerful tool and imagination limited only to each individual.
Johnny Depp stands out as the star of the show, and was the perfect choice for the role of a grown man who remains a passionate child at heart. I was also very impressed with the final 'production' of Peter Pan within the movie. The sets were astonishing and really made you believe that what you were seeing was real, in a way similar to the effect created by earlier scenes where we saw through the eyes of the main character. I have high praise for the young girl who played the role of Peter Pan within the play, as her belief in what she was saying came through convincingly without the overdone acting so common with inexperienced actors/actresses.
Overall this film was charming with the innocence of a childlike mind and I found myself in tears during the final few scenes as my emotions, which had been subtly manipulated over the course of the film, rose to such a level that I felt pain as if I were one of the characters in the story myself.
The Andromeda Strain (1971)
Amazing find on a movie back shelf
Based on a science-fiction book by Michael Crighton, this movie shows the potential threat that biological weapons pose. The book was written in the late 1960's and turned into a movie soon after, however the themes are still relevant to the modern world. I was amazed at the technology used and the imagination of the author of this book which was way ahead of its time. The film crew (in particular the special effects team) would have had to work hard and creatively in order to achieve the fantastic results they did. It goes to show that technology is not always best the way in which buildings and diagrams were filmed using projectors and scaled-down models made for more believable effects than modern computers could probably have done. I will admit that some people may feel that the story lags a little in places, as the movie is definitely Science Fiction and would not appeal to everyone with its highly detailed account and industry lingo. However I was kept intrigued throughout; curious and fascinated by scientific and medical procedures which must have required lengthy research, as well as a 'who dunnit' quality where I kept trying to solve the mystery from all the clues which I had been given. I also highly enjoyed the dialogue between various characters and their attitudes. To bring a sense of irony and sarcastic wit into this serious situation lightened the mood in essential parts and made the characters more approachable to the general public in my eyes.
The final action sequence where everyone is saved in a nick of time bordered on cheesy however. I appreciate the need to increase the suspense before releasing it completely, but the way in which the hero was kept from his mission was unbelievable to the point of irritating and I almost fast forwarded the movie to the end because it was very obvious that he would overcome his obstacles yet these delays were not impressive. The characters were cast very well, using good actors but no large Hollywood names. This made it easier to slip into this fictional world and entertain the possibility that perhaps the situation could manifest itself in reality. My favourite part was the final scene where the scientist is speaking with a senator, giving him news that the virus has been stopped. He then says how without new knowledge there is no guarantee that a "biological crisis" won't occur again. The senator asks "what do we do about that?" The professor replies simply "precisely". It makes the audience stop and think, and hopefully even question what the government gets up to in the name of National Security. This movie is a cleverly written eye-opener and I am surprised that it has been relegated to the back shelf where very few people will ever find it.
Angela's Ashes (1999)
Vivid and compelling true-life story
This is a screen version of the award-winning biography by Frank McCourt. Set in the Irish town of Limerick during the depression it realistically portrays the life of a young Catholic boy growing up in a family stricken by poverty and misfortune. I found the story compelling in the way that it was told through the eyes of a child at various stages of his life, and the use of voice-overs was highly effective for this style of film. The casting of various main characters was perfect, right down to the authenticity of the accents. In particular I greatly admired the child actors who brought the combined sense of innocence and intelligence to the part of Frank. This was an important part of his character and came through nicely. The majority of the movie was filmed on a custom-built set focusing mainly on the small, dirty lane where the McCourt family lived for a time, however I only became aware that this was a set after I had watched the 'bonus material' at the end of the DVD. That demonstrates how realistically the movie makers depicted the grim, squalid conditions which so many people were forced to live in at this time. The movie is fairly lengthy at almost 2.5 hours, however the time passed quickly as the story kept a good pace and there was never a dull moment. The script writer has done an excellent job in re-writing the original book so that it translates well to the big screen, and managed to work together with the director and crew so that certain scenes are no longer needed to be written or spoken, but merely shown visually instead. It seems inhumane to take pleasure and enjoyment from watching another's misery but I feel that in this case the movie works to provide education to us all about life in the first half of last century. And although we may feel pity for Frank, at his misfortune for being born poor and with an unreliable father, we have to admire the way in which he refuses to be beaten down. He always clings to the smallest glimmer of hope that he will succeed if he uses his mind and this is a point reinforced by one of his school professors. I was warmed by this story and extremely delighted when he achieved his goal, mostly through hard work and sacrifice but also with a small change in luck at the end. I would recommend this book to everyone but in particular to those of us who have not been born to privilege. It reminds us all that not only are there people out there in a worse position than yourself, but that you should never give up on your dreams.
The Human Stain (2003)
Mind-opening psychological thriller
This movie is based around the life of a classics professor (Coleman), who is currently living in a small New England town. He has harboured a dark secret for 50 years which slowly starts coming out and causes his life to unravel painfully. When he loses his job after being wrongfully charged of racism, his wife dies leaving this man who is near retirement, with nothing. He embarks on an affair with a young cleaning lady from the college which quickly turns into a relationship as they reveal intimate secrets to each other and finally find the release and trust they've each been searching for. I quite enjoyed this movie there was some excellent acting from some top actors, and the sense of intrigue and suspense was maintained throughout. The characters were well-written and the complexities which lingered within their personalities original yet believable. There were moments where I held my breath waiting for the tension to subside and others where I found myself wishing that everything could work out nicely for the people in this story, and remove the arguments and misunderstandings which threatened to ruin what good things they had. It is a truly great movie which can inspire this level of emotion in its audience. The main downside was the fact that it did not seem to flow very well between flashback sequences and the present. Of course I could clearly make out which scenes were of a younger Coleman and memories of the past, however at times failed to recognise their significance at that particular point. It may have been a better idea to insert several shorter flashback clips instead of the lengthy scenes used so that the connection with the present was not lost. There were also sections where the story lagged slightly and I questioned the need for these scenes. In some parts the use of visual without dialogue was extremely effective, but in other parts I felt that the scenes existed solely for the sake of art. In particular, scenes such as the lingering shot of Coleman cradling his wife as she died, froze time and really made me feel the incredible and very sudden loss he suffered. But in comparison, a sequence where the professor's young lady is dancing erotically for him seemed clumsily done as I felt it existed purely for the sake of displaying a sex scene. It did not have the effect of deepening our understanding of the emotions the two main characters felt, which I think it should have done. I was amazed at the end when the terrible secret was revealed through the investigations of a writer who the professor had befriended. To me it would seem wrong to live such a deception your entire life but the movie helped me to understand the character's motives and how he felt that he had no other choice. I was left feeling saddened that someone would have to deny their heritage to such an extent in order to achieve their goals. While it takes a bit of patience to get through the movie (which could have been 20mins shorter), I would highly recommend this movie to anyone. With any luck the more people who watch this movie, the more open-minded society will become and hopefully this type of prejudice will disappear.
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Yet another Hollywood disaster film!
This movie begins by showing the growing awareness of global warming and the urgency of responding to the effects it is causing, as scientists working in the Arctic Circle witness a massive piece of ice 'the size of Rhode Island' break away from the polar cap. This latest report is presented to The Whitehouse and recent changes in weather compared to those which led to the first ice-age millions of years ago. The scientists' attempt to gain support for action to be taken in an effort to reverse this damage done to the Earth's atmosphere falls well short of that which is required as they have predicted 'ice-age' like conditions occurring in the next hundreds or thousands of years. The risk is not seen as an immediate threat, however the president proposes a plan of action to the people of North America so that their grandchildrens' children will have a better chance of survival. Events speed up as around the world extreme weather conditions are reported and the main character, the scientist who provided the initial estimate, is forced to admit that he was wrong and it now appears that the next ice-age is upon them. The movie attempts to turn into a disaster film at this point, but the overdone effects and computer imagery fail to produce a realistic portrayal of tsunamis and tornadoes. Probably the only scenes which I could honestly believe possible were the ones where Japan was bombarded with softball sized hailstones. While the main idea behind this movie was great and definitely very topical, the script has been written to a Hollywood formula and crisis points occur purely to add a complication to the story rather than as a believable situation where the characters overcome obstacles. The dialogue was predictable and I did not think much effort had gone into the various motivational speeches and emotional exchanges in fact, at several key vocal points where the audience should have felt pain, shock or admiration, I found myself laughing at how ridiculous and forced the words sounded. Several of the main characters were poorly cast and I had difficulty in taking the actors/actresses seriously in their roles. Their overdone acting would have been more appropriate in a soap opera than in a tragic film aiming to demonstrate how ordinary people react in a crisis. I was disappointed with the ending as nothing was resolved. The people of this world had not acted in any way to bring about the sudden change back in weather and I still cannot understand why the climate's conditions eased in this instance when they had previously destroyed the planet. The director has created a politically correct length of film with the very direct lesson that we need to take 'caring for the environment' more seriously, however if he had marketed it as the 'general public documentary' which it is, my guess is that no-one would have gone to see it. Watch 'The Day After Tomorrow' if you are after 'light' entertainment based closely around the formula of movies such as Independence Day and Godzilla, but I would not recommend it to those viewers who desire a clever, well-made film.