Posted on October 3rd, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Rendition – Gavin Hood Coup-de-Cinema is the only term I can think of to describe the quite extraordinary twist that ends this otherwise workmanlike, enjoyable but unremarkable political thriller. The practice of political ‘rendition’ is new enough not to appear in the dictionary as a separate meaning from one of its literal senses of […]
Filed under: 3 star, Drama, Gavin Hood, General, Hollywood, Philosophical, Political, War | No Comments »
Posted on October 2nd, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet The Kingdom – Peter Berg It’s the sub-text that sucks. On a superficial level this is just an averagely competent action movie with performances better than it deserves. The only difference is the Saudi Arabian setting of the title. The film opens with a well choreographed, strongly edited, only-too-real atrocity committed in one of […]
Filed under: 2 star, Action, Drama, General, Hollywood, Humorous, Peter Berg, War | No Comments »
Posted on October 1st, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Lions For Lambs – Robert Redford Lion For Lambs fails its own ethic. Its central message is that a better future than the appalling post-9/11 mess of US foreign and domestic politics, requires its brightest and best young people to become engaged in social and political affairs and not to evade the deep challenges […]
Filed under: 3 star, Drama, General, Hollywood, Philosophical, Political, Robert Redford, War | No Comments »
Posted on September 29th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Syriana – Stephen Gaghan Pascal’s wager: we can’t know whether God exists so we should weigh the benefits of belief. If we assume He does exist and act virtuously, then even if He doesn’t we have lost nothing. However if we assume He doesn’t and act badly then eternal punishment is the penalty. For […]
Filed under: 2 star, Action, Drama, General, Hollywood, Philosophical, Political, Stephen Gaghan, War | No Comments »
Posted on September 25th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
TweetLord Of War (LOW) – Director Andrew Niccol Philosophy distinguishes between the mention and use of a word. “‘Love’ is a four-letter word” is mention; “I love you deeply” is use. Roughly: mentioning a word is to make a trivial observation about language; using a word is to connect, engage with reality. This meretricious, cynical, […]
Filed under: 0 stars, Action, Andrew Niccol, Drama, General, Hollywood, Humorous, Philosophical, Political, War | No Comments »
Posted on September 24th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Iron Man – Jon Favreau As techno-fascist movies go, this is a good one: a well-paced narrative, above average acting for this genre, and an at times distinctive, stylish, visually witty tone. Favreau, making the most of Robert Downey Junior’s trademark insouciant, self-deprecating acting style, tongue-in-cheeks the preposterous goings-on well enough to induce you […]
Filed under: 3 star, Action, Comedy, Fantasy, General, Hollywood, Humorous, Jon Favreau, Sci-Fi, War | No Comments »
Posted on September 23rd, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
TweetThe Happening – M Night Shyamalan Bad Night at the movies. M Night Shyamalan has produced a first: the only movie ever where the trailer is actually better than the movie. We are familiar with ‘comedies’ where the only funny bits are all the in the trail, but MNS has gone one better – not […]
Filed under: 0 stars, Action, Drama, Fantasy, General, Hollywood, Humorous, M Night Shyamalan, Philosophical, Political, Sci-Fi, War | No Comments »
Posted on September 21st, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet The Hero – Zhang Yimou It is rare that one can recommend a film simply because of its stunning visual style. The cinematography (Christopher Doyle), editing and especially vibrant colour throughout create a movie that, irrespective of anything else, is always fascinating to watch. I have not seen a film before where a different […]
Filed under: 4 stars, Action, Drama, Europe/World cinema, General, Humorous, Philosophical, Political, Romance, War, Zhang Yimou | No Comments »
Posted on September 6th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Charlie Wilson’s War – Mike Nichols February 3rd 1959 – Buddy Holly perished in a plane crash – immortalised in Don MacLean’s American Pie as “the day the music died.” November 22nd 1963; September 3rd 1964; April 4th 1968: the Kennedy brothers and Martin Luther King died – all assassinated. What I would call […]
Filed under: 3 star, Drama, General, Hollywood, Mike Nicholls, Philosophical, Political, War | No Comments »
Posted on September 4th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Downfall (Der Untergang) – Director Oliver Hirschbiegel Hitler and the Holocaust occupy a unique moral space. The man and his deeds are somehow off the scale of our normal judgement of right and wrong. Even beyond the grave, his charismatic spirit exercises in equal measure both a terrible fascination and deep repugnance in us. […]
Filed under: 4 stars, Drama, Europe/World cinema, General, Oliver Hirshcbiegel, Philosophical, Political, War | No Comments »
