I hated this movie so much. The script was awful - Americans please note that no one in England actually talks like this. Jonathan Rhys Meyers couldn't even get the accent right ("arse-prin" anyone?). *Massive* plot holes, and hateful or unbelievable characters, basically a dog's dinner. Allen's best of the 21st Century? Oh dear.
Strange film, but very watchable. The Shakespeare link seems to have been tagged in later, perhaps when Van Sant realised there wasn't enough going on in the story with River passing out every two seconds. Keanu's very good, surprisingly, and any film with Phoenix is fascinating now, sadly.
I may be the sole voice of dissent - all that kitsch, Mancini scored, 60s high-jinx left me a bit nauseous. I'm glad I didn't turn it off as I warmed up to it, but I didn't find it thrilling, or funny, or especially romantic (Hepburn is beautiful but she can't do sexy at all, and Grant is handsome but he's also mannered and smug and very long in the tooth here) so as a romantic comedy mystery thriller it didn't really work for me. I get why people love it, but I didn't.
Having now seen the 50s Glenn Ford / Van Heflin version it makes this remake even more redundant... in brief Christian Bale is utterly miscast, and the moral message of the film is made total nonsense by the altered downbeat ending. I didn't think much of it when I first saw it, I like it even less now. Watch the original.
I didn't expect too much, maybe because of the rubbish title, but damn! - a really, really funny movie and one of the best animated films of the last couple of years. I loved it.
What were they thinking when they wrote this? The writing is so bad the entire plot caves in on itself in the last third, by which point it's hard to care less. Such a dreadful film, not even saved by seeing Nicholas Cage barbequed.
Christmas Story is still there George, unless it left and came back in the last eight hours... :)
Saw The Passion of Joan of Arc yesterday (excellent) - got Duck Soup, It Happened One Night and Modern Times lined up here... and then... 13 to go. 13! I'm definitely going to crack this list this year.
I thought this film was terrible. Far worse, probably, because it's considered a "classic". I rate Deborah Kerr - she's brilliant - but watching this was akin to sentimental torture. An affair to forget.
The dumbest thing is that after the first attempt to land someone on the roof of the train they didn't automatically try again and end the whole thing in two minutes. Stupid film.
Very disappointing. There's absolutely no doubt that this is a fabulous looking film- practically every shot is designed to look like a Vermeer painting, the art direction and cinematography are first rate. Problem is this is a film not a series of paintings and the story couldn't be thinner. Like the novel it's based on it's entirely speculative and lacks dramatic drive and purpose. The characters are paper thin, their actions and behaviour seemingly unconnected. It's all very worthy, but it just isn't interesting. The mystery of the gorgeous painting that gives the film its name is far more interesting than the fiction presented here.
I've been looking forward to watching this movie for some time having read James's excellent short story- and it was finally shown on TV last night after who knows how long. It's such a shame that studio pressure famously forced the director to show the demon not only because it looks so silly that it defuses some of the tension right from the start, but also because it contradicts the central concept of Holden's scepticism. How much more frightening to not know for certain how the cursed really died? Holden's closing thought that sometimes it's better not knowing applies to the audience better off not seeing. Other than that it's a great little film; I think with a decent director and sensitive screenwriter this film could justifiably and successfully be remade.
I love this film - it totally opened my eyes to what cinema can do. It's got to be one of the best films ever made. It's cheaply made, badly dubbed and utterly bonkers but it's just brilliant. The last scene with Kinski on the raft with his "subjects" would be hard to top for the best end to a film ever.
I think the below comment is bit harsh. I actually thought this is better film in many ways than the supposedly classic Universal horrors of the 30s which benefit from nostalgia but are very creaky now - the acting is better in CftBL for a start. The underwater photography was excellent... the creature suits well executed... the environmental theme surprisingly subtle for the era... and Julie Adams extremely easy on the eye... :)
Comments 401 - 425 of 429
Movie comment on Match Point
dombrewer
I hated this movie so much. The script was awful - Americans please note that no one in England actually talks like this. Jonathan Rhys Meyers couldn't even get the accent right ("arse-prin" anyone?). *Massive* plot holes, and hateful or unbelievable characters, basically a dog's dinner. Allen's best of the 21st Century? Oh dear.Movie comment on My Own Private Idaho
dombrewer
Strange film, but very watchable. The Shakespeare link seems to have been tagged in later, perhaps when Van Sant realised there wasn't enough going on in the story with River passing out every two seconds. Keanu's very good, surprisingly, and any film with Phoenix is fascinating now, sadly.Movie comment on Charade
dombrewer
I may be the sole voice of dissent - all that kitsch, Mancini scored, 60s high-jinx left me a bit nauseous. I'm glad I didn't turn it off as I warmed up to it, but I didn't find it thrilling, or funny, or especially romantic (Hepburn is beautiful but she can't do sexy at all, and Grant is handsome but he's also mannered and smug and very long in the tooth here) so as a romantic comedy mystery thriller it didn't really work for me. I get why people love it, but I didn't.Movie comment on 3:10 to Yuma
dombrewer
It's frustrating that the remake is currently ranked higher on IMDB, but there we go. An excellent film and a justified classic.Movie comment on 3:10 to Yuma
dombrewer
Having now seen the 50s Glenn Ford / Van Heflin version it makes this remake even more redundant... in brief Christian Bale is utterly miscast, and the moral message of the film is made total nonsense by the altered downbeat ending. I didn't think much of it when I first saw it, I like it even less now. Watch the original.Movie comment on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
dombrewer
I didn't expect too much, maybe because of the rubbish title, but damn! - a really, really funny movie and one of the best animated films of the last couple of years. I loved it.Movie comment on Knowing
dombrewer
What were they thinking when they wrote this? The writing is so bad the entire plot caves in on itself in the last third, by which point it's hard to care less. Such a dreadful film, not even saved by seeing Nicholas Cage barbequed.Movie comment on Encounters at the End of the World
dombrewer
Another great Herzog documentary. The mad penguin running to his doom is another memorable moment in a career of great cinema.Movie comment on Zapruder Film of Kennedy Assassination
dombrewer
This must be 26 seconds that everybody has seen at some point in their lives. Compulsive viewing and very disturbing.Toplist comment on IMDb's 2010s Top 50
dombrewer
Machete is a great movie! A spot on mexplotation homage and totally hilarious.Movie comment on Monsters vs. Aliens
dombrewer
Dreadful script.Movie comment on 9
dombrewer
Such a lovely looking movie - shame they didn't spend a bit more time working out the story beforehand.Movie comment on Duck Soup
dombrewer
I'm with the negatives. An almost entirely laugh free experience. My first Marx Brothers movie - and very likely my last.Toplist comment on IMDb's Top 250
dombrewer
Result. :)And thanks CHL - looking forward to them all.
Toplist comment on IMDb's Top 250
dombrewer
Christmas Story is still there George, unless it left and came back in the last eight hours... :)Saw The Passion of Joan of Arc yesterday (excellent) - got Duck Soup, It Happened One Night and Modern Times lined up here... and then... 13 to go. 13! I'm definitely going to crack this list this year.
Movie comment on An Affair to Remember
dombrewer
I thought this film was terrible. Far worse, probably, because it's considered a "classic". I rate Deborah Kerr - she's brilliant - but watching this was akin to sentimental torture. An affair to forget.Movie comment on The Punisher
dombrewer
What a truly punishing movie to sit through. Utterly, utterly shit.Movie comment on Unstoppable
dombrewer
The dumbest thing is that after the first attempt to land someone on the roof of the train they didn't automatically try again and end the whole thing in two minutes. Stupid film.Movie comment on Girl with a Pearl Earring
dombrewer
Very disappointing. There's absolutely no doubt that this is a fabulous looking film- practically every shot is designed to look like a Vermeer painting, the art direction and cinematography are first rate. Problem is this is a film not a series of paintings and the story couldn't be thinner. Like the novel it's based on it's entirely speculative and lacks dramatic drive and purpose. The characters are paper thin, their actions and behaviour seemingly unconnected. It's all very worthy, but it just isn't interesting. The mystery of the gorgeous painting that gives the film its name is far more interesting than the fiction presented here.Toplist comment on IMDb's Top 250
dombrewer
Just 18 to go. I wonder if I can crack this list in 2011? :)Movie comment on The Sound of Music
dombrewer
No wonder the Nazis lost the war... they couldn't catch a bunch of singing kids and a nun. Useless.Movie comment on Night of the Demon
dombrewer
I've been looking forward to watching this movie for some time having read James's excellent short story- and it was finally shown on TV last night after who knows how long. It's such a shame that studio pressure famously forced the director to show the demon not only because it looks so silly that it defuses some of the tension right from the start, but also because it contradicts the central concept of Holden's scepticism. How much more frightening to not know for certain how the cursed really died? Holden's closing thought that sometimes it's better not knowing applies to the audience better off not seeing. Other than that it's a great little film; I think with a decent director and sensitive screenwriter this film could justifiably and successfully be remade.Movie comment on Piranha 3D
dombrewer
"An Alexandre Aja classic" - ha ha, that's the first and last time you'll ever see those words written anywhere... :pMovie comment on Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes
dombrewer
I love this film - it totally opened my eyes to what cinema can do. It's got to be one of the best films ever made. It's cheaply made, badly dubbed and utterly bonkers but it's just brilliant. The last scene with Kinski on the raft with his "subjects" would be hard to top for the best end to a film ever.Movie comment on Creature from the Black Lagoon
dombrewer
I think the below comment is bit harsh. I actually thought this is better film in many ways than the supposedly classic Universal horrors of the 30s which benefit from nostalgia but are very creaky now - the acting is better in CftBL for a start. The underwater photography was excellent... the creature suits well executed... the environmental theme surprisingly subtle for the era... and Julie Adams extremely easy on the eye... :)Showing items 401 – 425 of 429