This page lists films I've watched recently, with brief comments and my IMDb ratings (scores out of 10).
You may also want to look at my recent reading page, or my list of films I watched before I started this list.
Watched
Aug 2004: Pirates of the Caribbean. DVD 5017188888882. Fine as far as it goes, but about 47 minutes too long, and fairly predictable. A good illustration of the way fencing has become devalued in recent cinema - the first fight (of many) was just ten minutes or so in! I enjoyed watching for continuity errors, though: note Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) is brunette in all the indoor scenes, and blonde in the outdoor; switches between natural and bright red lipstick; and at times of shock or stress is liable to suddenly acquire eyeshadow. (Other more traditional errors particularly centred on cannonfire: cannon ball impacts exploding and/or showing bursts of flame, cannon shot at shallow angle into water causing a vertical water spout). Despite these, I enjoyed it up until the big fight sequence at the end, in which I just yawned and itched to press the fast-forward button. [5]
Aug 2004: Shrek 2. Vue.
Apr 2004: Pretty in Pink. DVD.
Mar 2004: Four Weddings and a Funeral. VHS.
Feb 2004: Down With Love. DVD.
Jan 2004: Lord of the Rings III: Return of the King. Warner.
Jan 2004: Monty Python and the Holy Grail. DVD.
Jan 2004: Monsoon Wedding. DVD.
May 2003: The Matrix Reloaded. Cambridge Arts Picturehouse. Wow! I was very impressed. I expected the sequel to The Matrix to have amazing special effects and action scenes but not much else. Instead, it has great special effects and action scenes and some fair dollops of philosophy (which was what made The Matrix convincing in the first place). Reloaded is all about choice - free will vs. determinism. Pity there was no bullet-time camera work; it was all done with CGI. But I loved the perfectly-choreographed action scenes, even set to music. I didn't like the rather grotesquely physical resuscitation at the end, especially in comparison with the mystical resurrection in The Matrix. Ah well. Spot the references to, at least, Tron and 2001 (it's full of stars, again...). [9].
Feb 2003: Two Weeks Notice. Warner Village Cambridge. Light but great fun comedy. Sandra Bullock (good comedy stuff), Hugh Grant. [7].
Feb 2003: Chicago. Warner Village Cambridge. Very good job of turning the musical into a movie - the medium is used very well. Lots of great scenes, great casting, etc. However, it seemed a little flat at points. [7].
Jan 2003: Nine Months. Borrowed video. Hugh Grant. Extremely cringeworthy first half, bearable second half. Not really worth the pain, although there was a Hollywood candyfloss rush at the end that lasted a few minutes for me. Don't bother; or if you do, start from halfway. Fun Robin Williams rôle. [4].
Jan 2003: Lord of the Rings II: The Two Towers. Cambridge Arts Picturehouse. Everything I expected - wow! I really enjoyed this one, and can't wait for the third. Recommend seeing LotR:I immediately before. A few changes wrt the book, but as always, Peter Jackson has remained well within the spirit of the book and I objected to nothing (other than perhaps to Gimli being made to look a bit more comic/foolish than he should have been, but I can see why it was needed). Also enjoyed spotting film references (very obviously 2001: A Space Odyssey, but surely many more). [10].
Nov 2002: Grease. Own video.
Nov 2002: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Warner Village Cambridge. Pretty good, I thought. (Caveat: I haven't seen the first one). Technically well done, plenty going on, plenty of interest. A little too much gratuitous violence/horror, though. And definitely not a film for children: blood on the walls, dead cats, an army of spiders, deadly snakes, not to mention the rather dodgy morals: "if you know something, don't tell the authorities" is not really the message we want our children to hear, is it? However, as an adult film, I enjoyed it. [7].
Sep 2002: My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Warner Village Cambridge. Any film that thinks replacing all the `E's with Greek `S's is cute is sadly mistaken. Fun in a candy-floss kind of way, but nothing remains afterwards. Lots of "Hollywood moments" of "wise advice" and great sentimentality. Complete lack of characterisation; the characters are all just cardboard cutouts. Jarring implausibility of the two-week transformation of Toula-the-Greek-wallflower into Toula-the-all-American-sensual-woman. Tired old rendition of a very traditional plot. On the up side, it was enjoyable, and it co-stars Aidan from Sex and the City. Go see Bend It Like Beckham (2002) instead. [5].
Jul 2002: The Princess Diaries (2001). Video rental. Good fun, but very Disney. [6].
Jul 2002: Get Over It (2001). Video rental. Pretty bad high-school flick; plenty of gratuitous gutter humour. [4].
Jul 2002: Bend It Like Beckham (2002). Cambridge Arts Picturehouse. Indian girl plays football, family don't approve. Hounslow. Wonderful fun, and sometimes moving. Loved the repeated theme of aeroplanes flying overhead, colour, vibrancy, keen observation, and the dad. [8].
Jun 2002: High Society (1956). Cambridge Arts Picturehouse. Grace Kelly, Louis Armstrong, Technicolor, pastel blue. [8].
Jun 2002: Spider-Man (2002). Warner Village Cambridge. Fun, shallow. All the swinging-through-the-city scenes were indistiguishable. I thought he was rather mean at the end. Given the violence, the 12 certificate was definitely merited - if they were aiming at kids, what were they thinking?? [6].
Jun 2002: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). Warner Village Cambridge. Temuera Morrison (first Maori in space?). Dreadful love-scene acting by Anakin. Much better than Star Wars I. [7].