Movie reviews

Best Foreign Film

I finally saw "The Lives of Others" (4/5) which beat Pan's Labyrinth (5/5) for best foreign flick and there really is no good explanation. Why would jewish dominated Hollywood have nominated an (excellent) nazi flick over a far superior frenzy of creativity like Pan's Labyrinth? Reverse rascism? Others is yet another straight forward, relatively linear account of the sidebar horrors of war while Pan breaks every mold in the book combining Spanish Civil war history with blazing flights of fantasy! It's no competition...go see Pan.

Oscar predictions

Decent year for movies and I like most of the nominees! Best of all was Borat (5/5) which was not nominated. All of the categories have obvious winners except best movie which is tricky. My underdog pick for best movie Little Miss Sunshine (5/5) but I think The Queen (4/5) and Babel (4/5) have a chance. Forest will win best actor for King, Mirren best actress for Queen, Scorcese best Director for Departed (2/5) as an apology for past oversight, wonderful Hudson wins best supporting actress for the terrible Dreamgirls(2/5), Arkin best supporting actor for Little Miss Sunshine, Happy Feet (3/5) for cartoon and Inconvenient Truth (5/5) for best Documentary and Pan's Labrynth for a brillian foreign flick.

Screamgirls

Dreamgirls (2/5) is a hopelessly bad movie with a terrible plot and excruciating dialogue which has now won the Golden Globe for best picture. It is true that Jennifer Nelson is exceptional and that her voice and 7 minute solo are a knock out…but it is still a bad movie.

Pursuitof Smithyness

Pursuit of Happyness is a hidden gem (5/5) based on a true story. The downward spiral is as good as any horror movie and the recovery is..well…true. This deserved a globe over Dreamgirls (2/5).

Forest stomps O’Toole

Venus (1/5) is unwatchable although Peter O’Toole is quite good. The movie is about a bunch of sad losers which we do not need to see. There is nothing to learn…nothing to enjoy. Last King of Scotland (4/5) on the other hand provides a virtual one man master-class on acting. No-one else in the movie actually needed to show up. He could have done it all by himself and totally deserves the Oscar.

Great year for movies

1. Borat 5/5 - Funniest movie since Monty Python and the Holy Grail

2. Love & Hate 5/5 - UK Romeo and Juliet / anti-racism flick

3. Little Miss Sunshine 5/5 - Super freaky from Sundance

4. Pan's labryinth 5/5 - Spanish civil war fairy tale (huh?)

5. James Bond 4/5 - 1st good Bond film in years

6. Three Burials 5/5 - Has Tommy Lee ever made a bad movie?

7. Thank you for smoking 5/5 - Mockumentary

8. United 93 5/5 - Shockumentary

9. Secuestro Express 5/5 - Scratch Venezuela for a vacation

Borat - Our saviour

The movie of the year competition has ended 3 months early with Borat (5/5) running away with the prize and winning best comedy of the decade with 4 years to go. I suppose some people will hate it. If you are unsure here is a test. If you find this Borat quote funny - go see the movie: "you mean to tell me that the man who put the rubber fist up my ass last night was gay?".

Babel On

This guy is a wizard having made Y Tu Mama Tambien 4/5, a Harry Potter movie 3/5 and now a movie which is hard to characterize - Babel 4/5. It's three sories in one that seems to be about teen angst (Japan)terrorism and gun control (Morrocco) and immigration (Mexico). In the end, it seems to be about the importance of family and education. Each mini-movie had children in need (without mothers) and the bad effects of well intentioned ignorance. In the middle is a mystery about what Brad Pitt said on the phone to his maid as you hear two different versions. Also...what did the Japanese girl write in the note to the cop? Mysteries for no reason. Who cares? It's a great movie (nice job by Brad Pitt).

Departed almost arrives

Well Hollywood tried. One of the best directors in history with one of the best casts in history and an ending like the independent film REsevoir Dogs (Go Sundance!). Departed (3/5) is fun to watch although it is extra long, you will not notice. It tries so hard to get nominated for an Oscar it hurts. It might get the nod, but it won't get the win as it is too forced. An A effort anyway.

Little Miss Sunshine Shines

Sundance has done it again as one of the prized selections has hit it big on general release. Little Miss Sunshine (4/5) is the kind of “small” independent film that Sundance invented many years ago when the Mexican art-house hit El Norte (5/5) stormed the USA. Since then Sundance has kept independent film alive discovering and nurturing directors like Quentin Tarrentino and producing a string of wonderful movies like Hustle and Flow (4/5). May Robert Redford and his Sundance films burn brightly forever.

Watch the Little Miss Sunshine Trailer Here

Jennifer Anniston: Whaaaat?

I must say…no I can’t say it….well ok….no….alright: Jennifer Anniston movies are all good. There, I said it. Good Girl, Along Comes Polly, Break Up and Friends with Money are rated 3/3 and are all worth seeing. They wont win awards, they wont be at the top of the list although I could even give break up 4/5 if pressed. Hey. It’s summer…go see one.

See United 93 but not Lake House

U93 (5/5) continues the dominance of documentaries. This one is based on fact although know one knows the exact details, one can bet that this is about 90% there. This should make this years top 5 movie list. Unmissable! In order to avoid a separate entry, I will crap on Keanu Reeves Lake House (2/5) which wastes a great cast and a decent idea (back to the future) and trips up up in a clumsy romance. Pass.