The ONE PARAGRAPH Film Review Thread

[Zak33]

Hi guys.

Come join in..... post a ONE PARAGRAPH review of any NON box office film that you see on DVD, Video etc. with a small picture if possible to help people find it/recognise it

For Example:
I recently saw

MAN ON FIRE: Denzel Washington

A good, different role for Denzel, as a none-too-lovely bloke with a drink problem, who is hired to look after a little girl in Mexico City. It's well made, not too cheesy, and as it progressed I realised that Iliked Denzel more and more in it. He's hard, not nice, and I'd rate this as a film to borrow from your mate if it's on his video shelf. It prolly isn't worth buyng unless it's £2 but it's well worth seeing once. Good acting in parts too. Some very scared people Bloody in places, not for your kids. At all


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or

The Da Vinci Code: Tom Hanks


So badly made, so lacking in the tension that I enjoyed while reading the book, that this is THE reason that people say "it wasn't as good as the book". That phrase was removed from my vocab when I saw Fellowship of the Ring, but Da Vinci Code brings the phrase back into my life, with headlights on full beam. Aweful, dull, lacking tension and boring. A waste of my life to watch. I let it run to the end in case it improved..and it didn't. Never been so pleased to have NOT gone to the cinema in my life. Avoid like the plague. I saw a more exciting LoveJoy episode the day after, and I was more gripped. Seriously.




OK....your go guys And remember this thread is here...come back and load it with films. But NOT from memory....ONLY post when you've just seen it.

Ready......go watch, and review.

[Ferral]

Next : Nicolas Cage

After seeing Deja Vu with previously mentioned Denzel was expecting another gripping time travelling romp. This had no back story particularly except he can only see ahead if he is involved with a particular person. Just another blow up America plot but this time they want to see 2 minutes into the future to save the day (Yep, 120 seconds can mean stopping a nuke from going off). After watching it you feel you have lost nearly 2 hours of your life with the twist at the end which is quite transparent and makes no sense with the 2 minute scenario. I really like Nicolas Cage but this one wants putting to one side and forgetting. Also just what is it with male actors growing their hair and getting it permed like Van Damme did in Hard Target?!

[DevilMayCry42]

Cloverfield:

A group of friends celebrating a friend's promotion and job shift to Japan have their party rudely interrupted by a Monster attack on the city. It follows their attempt of survival through the eyes of their handy-cam, which adds greatly to the overall atmosphere of the film. In a word = Amazing

[reldavidson]

10,000bc:

Prehistoric "epic" from the Roland ID4 Emer. Follows hunters trekking all over the world (desert, mountains, jungle etc) to go and rescue a nice looking lady that was taken from their camp. Was a waste of my time, very boring, rubbish acting and poor script (as well as having major historical inconsitences). 1/5

Street Kings:

poor acting from keanu reeves doesnt (much) dent the quality of the film. About underworld policing and has a few twists and turns along the way so quite interesting and entertaining. perhaps a rental. 3/5

[greenalien]

Lord of War - Nicholas Cage

Arms dealer Yuri Orlov (Cage) doesn't care who buys his deadly merchandise, but as pursuit from the forces of law and order gets closer, he's forced to decide between money and family loyalties, and question his own morality. Excellent special effects, such as the opening sequence that follows the life of a bullet from manufacture to final victim and the wonderful time-lapse episode that shows what may happen if you are forced to leave an unguarded aircraft in the middle of Africa make this movie more memorable than most, and the ending will please the most cynical conspiracy theorist. Recommended.

[Zak33]

thanks guys....good work. I'll have more please.

Cloverfield looks like good good news

[Salazaar]

Alien Vs Predator: Requiem

I thought I'd write this up cos I've seen quite a few bad reviews but I watched it anyway and was pleasently surprised.

It's pretty much exactly what you'd expect when you throw aliens, predators (and a few marines) into a big fight out in back woods America. The acting isn't amazing but it's good enough for this sort of film, nor does the plot hold any astonising twists (you can see how the ending's going to pan out from halfway through the film) but it does hold up as a good solid, gun-ho action flick. It pretty much covers all the classic alien and predator moments without getting any crazy ideas and compromising the established fiction, and it does so at a pretty decent pace. I wouldn't rush out and buy a full price copy now but rent it or grab a copy in the bargain bins in a few months time and you'll get a fun movie.

[Lee @ SCAN]

[Rec] :

A great spanish movie about a TV crew following various people who work while others are in bed. The title of the slot is aptly called "while you were sleeping". The film follows what happens the the fire-crew, the TV crew and various residents when they are called out to what seems like a normal "shout" which then descends into chaos when they are locked down in the apartments what they think is a bioharzard outbreak. Cue blood, guts and lots of screaming while running with cameras

[MSIC]

Alien Vs Predator: Requiem.
==================
(Sorry Salazaar, i politely disagree). Loved the other films, even really quite liked the first Alien v Predator movie. But AVP2 is basically Aliens... set in a 'Freddy' or 'Final destination' type scenario ie chasing teenagers down corridors. The costumes and sound effects were all good, but then these have been laid down in stone for 20 years already. I don't want a group of school age teens being chased by (and mostly escaping from) a pack of Aliens, it makes me cringe.

Brokeback Mountain
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LOVE the music, beautiful scenery, a little slow in pace. Maybe could have had more 'on screen action'?? (Was on TV last night)

PS Just realised it should be Non Box Office. Will post back shortly...

[Barakka]

Run Lola Run (Lola Rennt):



Low budget German film with Franka Potente (Jason Bourne's g/f in the 1st Bourne movie) as Lola who has 20 mins to find 100,000 marks to save her boyfriend who has lost said amount of gang money on the subway. A bit Sliding Doors for blokes, feels a bit arthousey, and a bit Tarantino-esque - well worth a watch and the subtitles are never tiring.

[Salazaar]

Originally Posted by DevilMayCry42

Cloverfield:

A group of friends celebrating a friend's promotion and job shift to Japan have their party rudely interrupted by a Monster attack on the city. It follows their attempt of survival through the eyes of their handy-cam, which adds greatly to the overall atmosphere of the film. In a word = Amazing

Having just seen the DVD I have to add something to this... I'll give it due credit, what it does, it does very well. The monster smashing up New York looks amazing and the DV cam look adds an interesting look and feel to it. Unfortunately it doesn't do much else, there's virtually no characterisation, almost to the extent that you really don't give a damn what happens to the bland protagonists which probably explains why the horror elements left me feeling so bored. And just like Lost before it (damn you J J Abrams), it doesn't bother trying to explain any of the interesting questions arising from the story at all. I know some people will argue that you're not meant to really know what's going on but this isn't Bladerunner, there's no fascinating insight into the nature of being so only telling half the story smacks of either being hugely pretentious or just incompetent.

Anyone want to buy a Cloverfield DVD? Only watched once