Posted on October 18th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet The Motorcycle Diaries – Walter Salles Friendship, self-awakening, and indignation at injustice, are at the heart of this empathic and deeply felt film. The real journey through fifties South America of Ernesto, later ‘Che’, Guevara and his friend Alberto Grenado is engaging, funny, moving and redolent of a rare sense of humanity. The film […]
Filed under: 4 stars, Documentary, Drama, Europe/World cinema, General, Political, Walter Salles | No Comments »
Posted on October 18th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet The Village – M Night Shyamalan The biggest twist in Village is the way it’s filmed. Cinematically dishonest, it cheats the audience by misusing the ‘grammar’ of film. A ‘cry wolf’ movie: music, shot selection, editing, constantly threatens a fright……then nothing. By the time it does make you jump your adrenaline’s sluggish from false […]
Filed under: 1 star, General, Hollywood, M Night Shyamalan, Thriller | No Comments »
Posted on October 18th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet The Terminal – Stephen Spielberg Consciously or not, this is Spielberg’s homage to Frank Capra, with all the mixed responses that engenders. It is deftly made, with wit, heart-warming humour and charm. It offers a 40’s soft-hearted idealism in a modern setting. The good guys are very good and the bad guys are really […]
Filed under: 3 star, Comedy, Drama, General, Hollywood, Political, Steven Spielberg | No Comments »
Posted on October 18th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Collateral – Michael Mann Michael Mann (Heat, The Insider) can’t make a bad movie: but with Collateral he spoils a good one. His claustrophobic, intense style is there but he’s ‘blockbustered’ it with a pounding rock score which underlines most dramatic moments into oblivion. After the absorbing, atmospheric opening it’s a hack job. Neat […]
Filed under: 3 star, Action, Detective, Drama, Gangster, General, Hollywood, Michael Mann | No Comments »
Posted on October 18th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
TweetDialogues with God (2) (written 24th December 2004) Happy birthday ALG. Frankly, I’ve been feeling about 2,000 years-old myself lately so I sympathise. I don’t have birthdays any more as I have begun to feel my mortality pretty keenly. There now, I’ve already got one up on you: for all your omnipotence and omniscience that’s […]
Filed under: Humour | No Comments »
Posted on October 17th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Ray – Director Taylor Hackforth London. Astoria Theatre, Finsbury Park. 1960. A young, white, Suffolk teenager sits, front row circle, with a 20 year-old ‘chaperoning’ mate, having somehow wangled a couple of tickets from the promoters of Ray Charles’s first ever London gig before they even went on sale. Two white sore thumbs in […]
Filed under: 4 stars, Drama, General, Hollywood, Musical, Oscar Winner, Taylor Hackforth | No Comments »
Posted on October 17th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Where The Truth Lies – Director Atom Egoyan Casting? How hard can that be? I used to think in my blissful ignorance. Then you compare say Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with this not dissimilar noirish mystery movie and it hits you. Kilmer/Downey was high risk but inspired. Shouldn’t have worked but it did. Bacon/Firth […]
Filed under: 3 star, Atom Egoyan, Comedy, Detective, Drama, General, Hollywood | No Comments »
Posted on October 16th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Nights In Rodanthe – George C Wolfe Women aren’t romantic. That’s why they love romantic men. Women are far too sensible to believe either that love ‘conquers all’, or is “all you need.” It’s genetic and evolutionary: being responsible for bearing, giving birth, protecting, nurturing and raising the children of the next generation, gives […]
Filed under: 2 star, Drama, General, George C Wolfe, Hollywood, Humorous, Romance | No Comments »
Posted on October 15th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet The Savages – Tamara Jenkins Dylan Thomas wrote perhaps the best words ever written about age and death: Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Dylan’s words have everything Tamara Jenkins’ over-hyped movie lacks: respect […]
Filed under: 1 star, Drama, General, Hollywood, Philosophical, Tamara Jenkins | No Comments »
Posted on October 15th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Remembrance Day Etched in unforgiving stone The Glorious Dead implacable stands alone washed in rain and bitter tears blood red poppies do not atone across the bitter years the sadness and the loss As each November nears we mourn our honoured dead with military pomp and facile prayers power privilege and marching bands through […]
Filed under: Emotions, Loss, Philosophical, Political | No Comments »
