Passable but ultimately repetitive cringe-fest. Sacha Baron Cohen really is a talented guy but Bruno is far too OTT to sustain interest. In the few moments we are treated to a glimpse of Bruno's 'true' feelings (what feelings???) the audience gets an opportunity to bond with the leading character. When we're being exposed to the extreme but funny sexual fetishes and thoughts of the uber Austrian celeb-pop-trash TV host's antics, it is less funny than hard to swallow - I'm sure he'd have something to say about that.
More to come...
Viewed 15th July 09
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Tuesday, 7 July 2009
Public Enemies ~~~
Michael Mann sure does like to blow things up and shoot things down.
Passable action-thriller chronicling the latter life of 'Robin Hood'-type American gangster John Dillinger and his not-so-merry band of hoodlums.
Neither Johnny Depp nor Christian Bale do anything to drag this rather lack-lustre adventure-romp film out of the doldrums. It's just such a dull-fest really and such a shame. This type of flick is usually right up my alley - men, cars, women, politics, violence, social comment, period drama etc etc but frankly, I'd rather watch the decade-plus old Mark Harmon version of Dillinger's story which in itself was flawed to say the least.
It doesn't help that Mann insists on using hand-held cameras or that it's filmed, I think, in digital - the format just doesn't work. It's hardly Bonnie and Clyde stylistically just plain headache inducing.
Marion Cotillard was totally under-used - either make it a love story or don't, whilst other random actors such as Giovanni Ribisi, Emilie de Ravin, Rory Cochrane and Billy Crudup - all very good at what they do - are whisked in and out before they're given half a chance to act at all. I loved the idea of Crudup being a young J. Edgar Hoover and of getting a view of the newly formed FBI etc but the opportunity seemed really wasted. Instead, Mann seemed to concentrate on the bravado of it all - very manly indeed...
Depp, gorgeous and talented Depp - please explain why I felt nothing? Were you meant to be portraying Dillinger as a gung-ho adventurer or a man caught up in the moment of living? I really couldn't tell and by the end, of what is a rather long film, I didn't care. Mr Mann, next time you want to make a film which potentially could appeal to a large audience, sort out the genre first. I don't mean to be prescriptive but with a biographical film like this, an audience generally appreciates some guidance as to the main themes of the story and the thoughts and FEELINGS of the main characters involved.
I will watch this again when it comes out on DVD firstly with the hope that I can watch it without feeling sea-sick and secondly to reappraise whether or not I missed the point of the film the first time around. It's not often I give a flick a second chance but what with the great cast, interesting characters and political/historical perspective I will allow it this time... be warned, Mr Mann, next time you might not be so lucky.
Viewed: 3rd July 09
Passable action-thriller chronicling the latter life of 'Robin Hood'-type American gangster John Dillinger and his not-so-merry band of hoodlums.
Neither Johnny Depp nor Christian Bale do anything to drag this rather lack-lustre adventure-romp film out of the doldrums. It's just such a dull-fest really and such a shame. This type of flick is usually right up my alley - men, cars, women, politics, violence, social comment, period drama etc etc but frankly, I'd rather watch the decade-plus old Mark Harmon version of Dillinger's story which in itself was flawed to say the least.
It doesn't help that Mann insists on using hand-held cameras or that it's filmed, I think, in digital - the format just doesn't work. It's hardly Bonnie and Clyde stylistically just plain headache inducing.
Marion Cotillard was totally under-used - either make it a love story or don't, whilst other random actors such as Giovanni Ribisi, Emilie de Ravin, Rory Cochrane and Billy Crudup - all very good at what they do - are whisked in and out before they're given half a chance to act at all. I loved the idea of Crudup being a young J. Edgar Hoover and of getting a view of the newly formed FBI etc but the opportunity seemed really wasted. Instead, Mann seemed to concentrate on the bravado of it all - very manly indeed...
Depp, gorgeous and talented Depp - please explain why I felt nothing? Were you meant to be portraying Dillinger as a gung-ho adventurer or a man caught up in the moment of living? I really couldn't tell and by the end, of what is a rather long film, I didn't care. Mr Mann, next time you want to make a film which potentially could appeal to a large audience, sort out the genre first. I don't mean to be prescriptive but with a biographical film like this, an audience generally appreciates some guidance as to the main themes of the story and the thoughts and FEELINGS of the main characters involved.
I will watch this again when it comes out on DVD firstly with the hope that I can watch it without feeling sea-sick and secondly to reappraise whether or not I missed the point of the film the first time around. It's not often I give a flick a second chance but what with the great cast, interesting characters and political/historical perspective I will allow it this time... be warned, Mr Mann, next time you might not be so lucky.
Viewed: 3rd July 09
Last Chance Harvey ~~~
Passable, romantic softie - but mainly because Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman know what they're doing and the character's are pretty much made for them. Otherwise, a rather forgettable and overtly sentimental bit of fluff.
Viewed 17/06/09
Viewed 17/06/09
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