roland-sinn Reviews

Tattoo (1981)

A Skin flick starring Bruce Dern, Maud Adams and her breasts

[6/10 · 3 May 2005]

Tattoo is very beautiful and stylish looking, as is Maud Adams. Below the cinematographic beauty is a core of exploitation.

Maud Adams is not a great actress, but she and her breasts have wonderful personality which comes through on screen. Bruce Dern, a very good actor, lends gravity to his performance and does much more justice to the screenplay than it deserves.

The story of Tattoo is pretty silly, the screenplay amateurish and many scenes are poorly executed. But despite it's many faults, I found Tattoo genuinely engrossing. The film is a visual delight and the music score meshes very nicely.

Be warned that Tattoo is psychologically as well as physically exploitative so sensitives should steer clear, though really it's very mild compared with some more recent flicks.

If you're a hetero guy, you'll love it. 6/10

Saigon: Year of the Cat (1983 TV Movie)

Solid Telemovie about an uncomfortable subject

[6/10 · 3 May 2005]

Judy Dench plays a secretive English lady who observes the chaos of the final days of democratic government in Saigon. The subject matter is uncomfortable to watch; perhaps more so today than when the film was released, as parallels can be drawn between Vietnam and Iraq. The films begs the question: Has the US and it's allies learned anything in 30 years about international relations.

As a film Saigon is solid more so due to the subject matter being strong than the direction and script, which are pretty bland. The story moves at a decent pace and the climax is both powerful and pathetic as bewildered and semi drunk characters are suddenly forced from apathetic complacency to action.

One of the central problems with the film is that it doesn't feel like it has a strong emotional soul. Judy's character feels too detached to her surroundings, and life in general. She's a woman of mysterious yes, but there isn't any real attempt to dig beneath her cool exterior. I also felt like I didn't get a true inside account of what actually happened in the lead up to that fateful day in 1975. I needed more information about what was happening at the time politically and socially to both the Vietnamese and the Americans in and around Saigon.

It's a story that should be re-made with better production values, but it held my interest throughout. 6/10

The Final Cut (2004)

Nice Direction, Inadequate Story

[6/10 · 3 May 2005]

I'm not a great fan of Robin Williams in straight roles because I enjoy his humour too much. In Final Cut, he does a very good job with his role, but I just couldn't accept him as the protagonist in this rather down beat drama.

The style and look of Final Cut feels very similar to Gattaca, which is okay because there are few films that have employed that particular style of retro-techno look. But the story itself I found to be rather banal and the science fiction elements too sparse. This is a shame because I think the premise (recordable memory) is certainly fascinating and deserves a lot more exploration as a theme.

The direction of Final Cut feels sharp and clean and the story flows at a comfortable pace. I'm looking forward to seeing Omar Naïm's next venture. For a first feature film, he's done very well.

Not enough sci-fi for this sci-fi fan, but enjoyable enough. 6/10

28 Days Later (2002)

Good sub-sub genre Horror, but the `Tricked up' story borrows a lot

[7/10 · 15 September 2003]

In regards to a film borrowing from other films, I suppose it's near impossible to create a story which is completely original, especially when a story belongs to a sub-sub genre. The sub-sub genre which I refer to, I call: ‘Post Apocalyptic, Last Normals Alive in an Urban Environment Ravaged by Psychotic Blood-Sucking Freaks!' Phew!!

Although there is nothing really new in 28DL, I was entertained and generally satisfied mainly because I find the Post Apocalyptic, Last Normals Alive etc sub-sub genre really fascinating and frightening. I think the world of 28DL, The Omega Man and Night of the Comet (1984) represent the most terrifying circumstances a protagonist could find themselves in.

28DL is tightly and expertly edited, however I did find the story a little too manufactured in places. Without putting any Spoilers into this review, there are scenes in the film where characters unnecessarily walk into dangerous situations. In other words there's forced interactions between the protagonist Normals and the Infecteds. Forced interactions between characters means lazy writing.

I'm a bit unconvinced about some of the characters and their motivations. For example, human beings by their very nature are heavily addicted to structured society. In 28DL however there are some uninfected Normals whose basic drive is for short term pleasure and cruelty rather than doing constructive stuff. I know this is a debatable point, but I believe that given a circumstance which is highly stressful, ‘Normals' are going to be motivated to stick together, co-operate and get things done.

I think Alex Garland should have spent more effort shading some characters and this would have made 28DL more effective. There are characters in the film who are a little too 'one track minded' to be convincing. I also think there should have been a bit more time spent on explaining the Infecteds and their disease. I'm still confused as to whether they become entirely cannibalistic, or whether they just bite victims and spread infection.

But overall, a good sub-sub genre effort. 7/10

Dead Ringers (1988)

Horrific, Disgusting, Grotesque, Riveting

[7/10 · 20 August 2003]

Cronenberg consistently makes technically well crafted films. His subject matter however and the way he displays his subject matter (ie – his love of gore and perverse creations), often divides opinion of his works.

I think what makes DR a remarkably strong film is that Cronenberg tones down his use of trademark gore. There is a little, but it's used sparingly and non-gratuitously. This shows that Cronenberg can exercise self-control when he wants to.

The overall look of the film is beautiful: Ultra modern and austere. The twins apartment looks like the perfect abode for socially detached souls.

But the most extraordinary aspect of DR is Jeremy Iron's performance as both Mantle Twins. He shades each of the twin brothers amazingly and makes them both terrifying and sympathetic characters. Geneviève Bujold also delivers a faultless performance, looks fantastic as a more mature woman and proves the fact that women over 40 can be very sexy; a fact which Hollywood (very insultingly) continues to ignore.

The film's subject matter is very unsettling and controversial. As a man, I found a lot of scenes difficult to watch. But to be fair, Cronenberg never pushes the film into the cheap and tasteless territories of gratuitousness and exploitation.

Overall, DR is a very heavy experience. As one reviewer noted: ‘Do not watch if you are feeling depressed.' I agree totally with this point. But it is a film which is guaranteed to remain in the mind a long, long time afterwards. Ultimately, I like films which I can remember in detail years after I've seen them.

7/10

The Tracker (2002)

Deserved winner of Australian Film Institute Best Actor category 2002

[19 August 2003]

We Australians have a lot of issues to deal with, especially when it comes to reconciliation between the Aboriginal owners of Australia and Anglo settlers. The issues are difficult to come to terms with because there's been so much blood spilt in the past.

On the outset of The Tracker, my viewing partner commented: ‘This film is going to be very difficult to watch.' He said this because it was obvious that there were going to be depictions of Aboriginals being mistreated by white folk. Yes, abuse and slaughter were depicted, but in an exceptionally sensitive manner that was non-confronting yet extremely effective.

The Tracker is a very unusual film. It is languid and leisurely paced, very reminiscent of 70's Australian cinema. A modern musical score features strongly throughout the story and constantly pushes the film towards the brink of ‘Musical', though fortunately Tracker doesn't cross that brink.

After the first 30 minutes, I grew bored. After 40 minutes however, I felt in tune with the film and began to find it beautiful. After a slow start, Tracker becomes a well crafted character study of men from another age with very different perspectives to modern Australians.

I don't know how North American audiences will take to The Tracker because it is a film made for Australians to teach us about aspects of our past which are uncomfortable to face up to, let alone deal with.

David Gulpilil , who plays the title role, deservedly won the 2002 AFI best actor award. He gives a tightly controlled performance of a sympathetic yet mysterious character who suffers from the same human flaws as the rest of us.

7/10

The Jupiter Menace (1982)

My eyes grew wider, my jaw dropped lower

[6/10 · 19 August 2003]

Dear George, why did you star in this … production? What were you on? What did the producers have on you?

I saw JM for sale for $5 at my local discount DVD store weeks ago and avoided purchasing it for fear that it would be utter @&$#. Last week I relented and purchased it instead of a Big Mac ™ and Fries ™. I am so glad I did!

George Kennedy narrates this quazi documentary with a look of perpetual horror on his face. Understandably he would have been terrified of family members and friends viewing him making an idiot out of himself.

JM is an astounding mix of religious rantings and questionable scientific evidence. Strange psychics, gun-tottin' survivalists and neo-christian lunatics are all interviewed about their ‘theories' about the end of the world. Some of these ‘people' are seriously insane.

For lovers of the truly bizarre, I highly recommend JM. It is one of the strangest shows I have ever seen. I'm actually wondering whether the film is actually a serious documentary or a clever and convincing spoof about the lunatic fringe.

JM is a fantastic film to watch with friends. Guaranteed to make you laugh, make you gasp, make you cry: What the?!

6/10

Tremors (1990)

Very Well Made Formulaic Horror

[8/10 · 19 August 2003]

Tremors is a film which mixes equal amounts of horror and comedy. Although the story is pretty standard fare, the production more than makes up for any plot predictability.

Of course, as Tremors does follow formula, there is a level of predictability. As an example, the fates of certain characters are obvious from the moment these characters are introduced to the screen.

But what makes Tremors refreshing is it doesn't take itself too seriously, and it makes certain not to resort to cheap shocks or gratuitous violence. It sets out to provide light fun and delivers solidly.

Both script and direction are extremely good. The characters are warm, quirky and well drawn. I found it easy to feel a level of sympathy for them – even the gun totting survivalists.

As true to most genres, there's a love interest sub plot. I'm not particularly fond of romance in films, but Tremors handles these scenes between two of the lead characters with a healthy dose of humour and a dash of perceptive poignancy.

Overall, an excellent example of the horror genre. Tremors 2 is also equally enjoyable.

8/10

Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

The first Bond film where JB really started to have fun.

[8/10 · 19 August 2003]

I don't think it's any surprise why Diamonds is a favourite Bond film of so many people (it's certainly achieved considerable cult status in Australia). The first entry for 007 in the 70s was very different from all of the 60s Bond films. It had to be. The 60s were dead and the Bond franchise had to update fast to remain in step with society.

In all of the 60s Bond flicks there's a distinct element of darkness below the surface of quip dialogue, fast cars, gadgets and pretty bikinied bodies. Diamonds set out to entertain in a light and fluffy yet more risque manner than any of the previous Bond films.

Sean Connery left the Bond franchise behind in 1967 to pursue a serious acting career. But when Australia's own George Lasenbury decided not to do another Bond film after ‘On Her Majesty's Secret Service' (big, big mistake on George's part) Sean had to be brought back in to save the production of Diamonds.

Throughout the film, Sean wears a sardonic smile. His whole demeanor says: ‘Look, I'm only back because I'm being paid a million dollars'. Frankly, this works on screen very well. Sean looks older, rougher, more world weary and ready to take the role with a good pinch of salt.

Jill St John makes for a fantastic heroin. She plays a vastly different leading lady role to the Bond chicks of the 60s. She's a smart alec, wise cracking, hard nosed so and so. Her relationship with Sean is great – more brother/sister than romantic. It's great to see a woman busy with her own strong agenda; she's more interested in getting what she wants rather than submitting to Bond's ‘incomparable charm'.

As for the hired killers – they rank as the best villainous henchmen of the entire franchise on par with ‘Odd Job' from Gold Finger. They are a seriously camp and disturbed pair.

The producers of Diamonds were either extremely intelligent or just damned lucky that they decided to use and abuse dozens of cars in a variety of smash'em'up chases and stunts. The Moon buggy chase through the desert and the police chase through Downtown Las Vegas are two of the funnest ever filmed and certainly inspired numerous copies throughout the 70s.

On a final note, if you are a person who hasn't ever seen a Bond film before (and I've met first hand a couple of these unfortunate souls), Diamonds is probably the best of the 20 to start with.

8/10

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957)

Bumbling Aliens first 8 plans fail, will plan 9 succeed? I think not

[6/10 · 19 August 2003]

Ed Wood must have been a fascinating man. He had a burning drive and ambition to succeed in the film industry, yet his creative and directorial talents were infantile.

Plan 9 is his most famous film and has become a cult favourite. The film is an example of extreme amateurism which creates an assortment of unintentionally funny scenes. It's truly amazing this film managed to be funded and released to the public (then again, The Swarm was too …).

Within Plan 9's ridiculous and convoluted story are a number of silly subplots due to the fact that Ed had such a variety of interesting an un-related footage which he really, really wanted to use in the one film. One needs to pay close attention to understand everything that's going on in this mess (although, when you do understand everything that's going on, you may wish you'd have remained ignorant!)

Plan 9 has heaps of priceless quirks: hub-cap flying saucers, idiotic dialogue, the last gasp of the great Bella Lugosi, and the luscious Vampira (who apparently would have breached an existing contract if she uttered a word in Plan 9).

One of the most interesting aspects of Plan 9 is the great variation in performance techniques by the actors. Some speak their lines like they know the script is idiotic while some speak their lines like they don't understand them (which is possible because some of the dialogue uttered by the bumbling aliens doesn't make any sense). But my favourite character is the airline captain played by Gregory Walcott.

Greg's a real trooper and attempts to take his role very, very seriously despite the constant lunacy around him. How did he remain so professional? Did he imagine his role in Plan 9 would lead to greater things?

Although Ed Wood has been voted by the US film industry as the worst director in history, he lives on as a kind of cult anti-hero. As a director then, he has achieved a level of lasting success.

6/10 – For fun value.

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

Oh Boy I wish I could scream like Carolyn Craig!

[6/10 · 19 August 2003]

Well, actually no I don't, but the lovely Carolyn has a scream to be reckoned with: Shrill, piercing and guaranteed to send shivers down anyone's spine! If there were such an Oscar category as a ‘Best Scream', she'd surely be a strong contender.

Haunted Hill is great Sunday afternoon fun – a light fright flick with Vincent Price superb as a dashing and deliciously wicked villain.

The film is pretty light on scares (although one little scene made me and my viewing partner nearly jump out of our skins) and the story pretty thin and silly, but there's loads to enjoy in this 75 minute feature. The house itself looks great in black and white – surreal, foreboding and sumptuous

My biggest annoyance with Haunted Hill is that it starts out with a tantalizing premise and an assortment of shifty-eyed, odd ball characters (the middle aged female columnist and gambling addict is my personal favourite), but the ensuing plot doesn't make use of the premise as much as it should and the characters aren't fleshed out anywhere near as much as they could have been. Still, we're talking William Castle here, not Stanley Kubric so one can't complain too much.

Overall, Haunted Hill is great fun for a rainy weekend afternoon. Thin, yet satisfying.

6/10

Rollerball (2002)

Well Meaning but Messily Directed

[3/10 · 11 August 2003]

Gosh this film ends up being a mess. I can see what the director was attempting to achieve and there's some merit in his attempt – a remake of a very good 1975 film with updated politics. Unfortunately the updated politics are too shallow to take seriously.

One central trouble is there's too much frenetically paced action and not enough time spent on explaining the story or the society in which Rollerball is set. The original Rollerball by comparison is a very intelligent piece of speculative fiction which films its ‘Rollerball' sequences expertly and a lot more cohesively than the updated version.

A specific annoyance for me was an extended scene shot at night which uses military night view technology. Suddenly the picture on my TV went monotone and grainy. I thought my trusty 1983 Sony was finally giving up the ghost. I smacked it's side repeatedly until I realised it wasn't my dear TV's fault, it was bloody Rollerballs!

Towards the end, the film becomes disgustingly violent. I was going to give Rollerball 4/10 but the ridiculously overt violence makes me subtract a point.

Despite my harsh words, I will say that I enjoyed Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (what a mouth full!) declading out of her robust costume to reveal two of the most formidable and juicy looking breasts I've ever seen. If only she had spent more screen time naked, I'd raise my score a couple of notches.

3/10

The Hole (2001)

Above Average Teen Thriller with Genuine Horror

[6/10 · 11 August 2003]

The Hole begins slowly and very standardly, but unlike most genre films, it picks up pace after 40 minutes then accelerates towards a smashing ending. Well okay, the ending itself wasn't a great surprise, but I found it satisfying in a B-grade kind of way.

The premise of Hole is pretty mundane. The idea of a group of teenagers going into an old abandoned building or structure for a lark is a stock standard story opener for hundreds of B-grade horror flicks. But then Hole becomes interesting by the re-telling of events from different characters' individual points of view in a manner reminiscent of the 1950 British gem ‘The Woman in Question'. Just who is telling the truth?

The final third of Hole rockets along and the film becomes genuinely frightening. I was especially impressed with the way repercussion of actions and in-actions are graphically shown and not glossed over as so many genre films have a habit of doing.

Hole is not a great film. The acting from the five teenagers is a cut above average, but the direction is pretty heavy handed and not very imaginative. Overall I found Hole a nicely satisfying and genuinely frightening B-grade experience which proves the old adage that says the worst monsters are human beings. It also shows that modern thriller/horror genre films doesn't always have to rely on lashings of special effects and supernaturalism to tell a story effectively.

6/10

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Intensely Haunting and Creepy. Brilliant Stuff!

[10/10 · 11 August 2003]

David Lynch makes beautiful films and with each successive film his craftsmanship becomes more and more refined.

I found MD similar in vein to Lost Highway, but even richer in beauty. Like Lost Highway, MD is a story told in three acts. There are also similar mysterious characters who populate the worlds of both Lost Highway and MD.

The first time I viewed MD around 12 months ago, I was very confused when the end credits rolled. After viewing it for the second time last night, the film made a lot more sense.

David Lynch has his own distinct view of the world and how it works, and how events can be inter-linked and inter-related in order to tell a story. What he creates is films that skillfully mesh together mystery, beauty, horror and the mundane. The results are challenging, but oh so satisfying.

I know that Lynch's film are not to everyone's tastes, but I say to anyone who has viewed MD once and found it confusing and convoluted, try viewing it again and you may well see a lot more logic the second time. I certainly did.

And thank you David for showing most of the world their first glimpse of Australian raised Naomi Watts in a staring role. She's come of age and deserves to grace important films.

On a final note, apparently MD was going to be a TV series but plans were dropped. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing because MD is a very tightly edited film (even though it's 146 minutes long!). Even with brilliant concepts and direction, a TV series can drag stories out too long as Twin Peaks eventually did.

10/10

S1m0ne (2002)

Intelligent Comedy Drama Provides Satisfying Entertainment.

[5 August 2003]

Simone is an interesting and entertaining film but I can see why it bombed in the box office. In my opinion, it's an intelligent Comedy Drama whose style may have been more suited 70s, when Comedy Dramas were more in vogue.

I think today's films are made and marketed as being either All Comedy or All Action or All Romance or All Heart Wrenching Drama. Simone attempts to use different levels of comedy, drama and farce and doesn't slot into any of today's marketing plans. I think it's a damn shame that films today have to fit themselves to a marketing plan and not the other way around.

I found Simone quirky, well acted and fun. In some respects, it's like an updated version of Tootsie. There were some scenes where myself and my viewing partner laughed out loud. But there were other scenes that dragged the film down a few notches. I really didn't like Al Pacino's frequent monologue – these scenes were a bit too morose and introspective for the overall tone of the film.

What I appreciated most was that a lot of events and scenes followed a sense of logic and plausibility. The most grating point of the film was the climax – too obvious and simplistic, however the final scene was satirically satisfying.

Overall, Simone required stronger and more original direction to grade it up from good to great, but I certainly enjoyed myself. 7/10

Thir13en Ghosts (2001)

A film I wish I hadn't seen on the big screen.

[5 August 2003]

I think it's a great idea of Dark Castle Entertainment to bring back the 50s and 60s films of William Castle, which are fun filled fright romps that deserve to be remade with today's special effects and budgets. What disappoints me about the new 13G however is the complete lack of plot and character development. I actually got the feeling that when in production, the director and producers were saying: `Today's audiences are too stupid to understand anything more than loud noises and flashy imagery.'

My intelligence was severely insulted. How dare young producers and directors presume that people today are too stupid to understand a film which has a plot and characters!

I must make the point that I really enjoyed Steve Beck's Ghost Ship because it had such a ridiculous story and idiotic dialogue that made me howl with laughter. But unlike Ghost Ship, 13G injects lots of really moronic humour and relies far too heavily on simplistic gore to entertain. I watched with genuine relief each cast member being slaughtered as each progressive kill signified another step towards the film's end.

As the end credits rolled I felt ripped off. I really enjoy the Horror genre but films like 13G give Horror a bad name by stating really loudly: `Horror's all about the gore, man!' Well to this statement, I say: `Hey, people with brains enjoy watching horror too, you know.'

Lastly I'll say that I will be catching the next Steve Beck film (on video; never again on the big screen) because he does direct visuals beautifully. But next time when he signs up for a production I really hope there's a writer on the team!

3/10

Lost Highway (1997)

AS MYSTERIOUS AS LIFE ITSELF

[9/10 · 5 August 2003]

I intentionally missed LHW on the big screen because at the time of its release I was not a David Lynch fan and although the trailer was intriguing, the film seemed too weird for my tastes.

Over the years my mind has broadened and I now consider Lynch to be a genius. I found LHW on DVD recently in a local shop for $20 (Australian) and bought it because I suspected I'd want to watch the film at least twice. After viewing LHW the other week for the very first time, I know I will be watching the film again and again because it is a masterpiece of horror, paranoia and bizarreness. Purchasing LHW for $20 was an absolute bargain in my opinion!

Lynch creates mysteries which may be difficult to comprehend, but are so beautifully surreal and brilliantly compelling that whether or not you get the story doesn't really matter. He creates scenes, dialogue and visuals which linger in the mind for weeks and months afterwards.

Of course, Lynch's work is not to everyone's tastes so it's certainly okay to dislike LHW. It is a film where the plot and story jump between different realities and later, different realities start to clash together – weird, weird stuff. It's definitely not `big bucket of pop-corn with extra butter' entertainment.

Interestingly, I viewed LHW with a friend who is 15 years older and twice as intelligent as me. He actually doesn't really care for Lynch films because he believes that Lynch uses a lot of style, character and plot tricks to cover up rather mundane stories. In regards to the story of LHW, after the credits rolled he stated that the plot and story were actually very simplistic. He gave me his interpretation of the story which he said revolved around schizophrenia.

I asked my friend about specific characters and specific events in the film (some of which went totally over my head), and he gave me logical and plausible explanations which I found both fascinating and disappointing at the same time. Why disappointing? Because one of the main reasons I love Lynch films is the fact that they are so mysterious and leave a lot of questions running around in my brain afterwards – the same way events in my life and the world in general do.

9/10

Solaris (2002)

Very poor remake of Russian intellectual masterpiece

[5/10 · 28 July 2003]

Actually, I'm being a little harsh. Solaris is not a very bad film, but I was expecting a lot more. I really wanted to see an expansion of the ideas and concepts presented in the original Russian Solyaris. I also wanted more action, more special effects and I wanted to see the people from the space station fly down to the planet and explore the alien sea.

Basically speaking, I was disappointed that Solaris was a very perfunctory remake yet it managed to exclude all the intellectualisms which made Solyaris fascinating and compelling. I think a lot of film makers today need to work harder at creating stories and telling them effectively. I also believe there's too much reliance on the use of existing material as a basis for new films and this results in the creation of re-warmed, soulless products.

Much of the acting left me cold. I thought Clooney was terribly wooden and spoke his lines at an excruciatingly slow pace while Jeremy Davies' ‘quirky' character was extremely annoying. Natascha McElhone however was very good. Her portrayal of a fragile personality was genuinely haunting.

The biggest problem with Solaris in my opinion is that although it does make an attempt to emulate and explore many of the intellectualisms presented in Solyaris, these intellectualisms don't translate into the Hollywood version. I believe the film makers should have realised that a Westernised version of Solyaris needed to be entirely different from the original in order to be successful.

Of course a director like Kubric (God rest his soul), should have been able to pull off a new version of Solyaris effortlessly.

As a general interest note, I was one of only two people in the cinema when I viewed Solaris. I felt like a VIP at a private screening … Although after 30 minutes, I wished I wasn't at the private screening. 5/10.

Titanic (1997)

I love Titanic. Absolutely love it!

[9/10 · 28 July 2003]

I love Titanic. Absolutely love it!

It's a film about a magnificent machine; a triumph of human technology over environment that goes horrifically wrong when the masters of the machine become too prideful. Perfect film-making material!

In some respects I'm surprised that it's taken so long to make a block buster film about the Titanic (I'm not counting the 1958's 'A Night to Remember' which was a fine film but hardly a big budget production). But with today's digital technology, it's been well worth the wait.

The faithful creation of the Titanic is the most intricately beautiful machine brought to the cinema screen, and James Cameron uses the film's human characters as camera guides to weave the audience through all the grand rooms and all the nooks and crannies of the immense ship. Brilliant, brilliant stuff!!

As for the characters in the story – Handsome Jack, Lovely Rose, her brittle mother, her insidious fiancé, I love them all. Yes they are all representatives of class cliche from the era, but every single actor injects considerable life and genuine personality.

As my tag line states: I'm a guy and I cried.

It's very, very rare for me to cry during a film, but Titanic swept me off my feet. I've seen it twice on the big screen, twice on video, and caught it on TV two nights ago. Even though I had the intention of channel surfing, my heart and full attention were captured yet again by this magnificent, lavish film and I couldn't switch channels even during the ad breaks.

Yes Titanic deserved every Oscar it won (and yet I'm as cynical about the Oscars as the next generation X dude). 9/10

Aliens (1986)

Rambo in Space

[9/10 · 28 July 2003]

I saw Aliens first on the big screen when I was 14. I did like it, yet even as a kid I had a cynical heart. My first reaction after viewing the film was: Aliens is `Rambo in Space'. I also felt strongly that the climactic scene was no different to Alien.

I've matured and mellowed somewhat over the past decade and a half and have grown to appreciate Aliens more and more. It is such a finely turned creation that mixes perfect amounts of action, horror, science fiction, feminism and (dare I say it), anti-capitalism.

I viewed the extended 148 Aliens on DVD yesterday and I love the extra scenes. The shorter length cinema version by comparison is excellent, but in my opinion just a little too frenetically paced. I love the extra information about Ripley and the god-awful future society she's forced to exist in.

It's very rare for a sequel to equal or better it's predecessor, yet Aliens easily equals the brilliant Alien. The central reason Aliens is so successful as a film is that it uses lashings of originality which carries on neatly from where the previous film ended. If only more directors and writers felt the need to create an original story when they're hired to create a sequel.

There are so many strong and plausible barriers for the characters to work against during their adventure. And the characters themselves are all well drawn and quirky which creates great scene dynamics. There are so many times when I felt like slapping Bill Paxton across the face and shouting: ‘Deal with the situation man!' Fortunately I didn't have to do this because Ripley put the bugger into line.

Even though I've seen Aliens 15 times, I could watch it again tomorrow. 9/10

Space: 1999 (1975–1977)

My Favourite Sci-fi TV series of all time

[28 July 2003]

I know it's not the best sci-fi TV series of all time, but I love it so much because it was the first TV series I became addicted to.

When I was a wee lad of six, I'd race home from junior school and be home just in time for the opening credits. I was in love with Maya – I thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. That was in the late 70s.

In 1991, I taped every single Space 1999 episode (except for Child of Alpha due to technical difficulties with my VCR), when they were being screened at 4.30am on weekdays on ATN 7, Sydney. Last week I brought all the videos over to my flat from my parents place, and have started immersing myself in my very own Beer and Space 1999 fest. I've died and gone to Heaven!!

Of course as an adult, I'm viewing the series and it's two seasons (series 1 – 1974, series 2 – 1976), from a very different perspective, and I'm noticing a lot of interesting thing's which flew over my head when I was a kid. For instance, I never realised Maya (the sexy shape shifting alien from series 2), has a really strong cockney accent, or that Doctor Helena Russell changed hair stylists between 1974 and 1976 (both hair stylists obviously hated the good doctor), or that Aussie knock-about Eagle pilot Alan Carter had trouble keeping his shirt on in a number of episodes (I suppose if I had a body like his I'd have trouble keeping my shirt on as well).

The differences between series 1 and series 2 are so immense, that they can almost be described as being two different productions. In 1974, the production values were lower, but the mood was deliciously dark and creepy. Even today, there are a lot of episodes which give me little chills.

In 1976 a lot of the computer props were up-graded but dark creepiness gave way to silly, Charlie's Angel style action sequences and men in rubber monster suits. Even though I still think that Catherine von Schell (who played Maya in series 2) is one of the most striking and beautiful women ever to grace TV, I have to admit that the producers of series 2 decided to plunge Space 1999 towards total idiocy.

I believe that anyone who has any interest in sci-fi should watch Space 1999 because it's an excellent example of TV sci-fi from a period when there wasn't much of that type of material produced. There are so many great episodes from series 1 and I'll just name four of my favourites: `Another Time, Another Place', `The Dragon's Domain', `The Infernal Machine', `The Darians'. The Darians is TV perfection because it features a 40 year old Joan Collins in a blue ultra mini skirt and blond, bum length wig. Yummie!

I give series 1 8/10, series 2 6/10.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

Good continuation of the saga

[27 July 2003]

I found Terminator 3 thoroughly entertaining. I was expecting a decent amount of action and suspense and the film delivered solidly. It was very easy to suspend disbelief and let myself get swept on the frenetically paced journey.

Arold looks excellent for 55. He appears to revel in this role and delivers his lines faultlessly. He probably won't be playing a Terminator again, so it's great to see him go out on a high.

Nick Stahl makes an interesting and sympathetic John Conner while Claire Danes is given a good strong female role definitely reminiscent of Linda Hamilton's Sarah Conner from the first Terminator. As for Kristanna Loken – she's cool, pretty and nasty.

There are heaps of excellent effects and stunts. Once street chase action sequence involving heavy commercial vehicles threatens to take focus away from the story, but ends just before it starts to outlast its welcome.

There's nothing brain challenging in T3, and there are a couple of scenes which just don't make perfect logical sense. But the central focus of T3 is not to create high art, it's to create good, slick entertainment. T3 moves at such a fast pace I didn't think about any faults or logic problems until after the final credits. Very smart direction.

The only flat bit for me occurred when a character from the previous Terminator films was discussed by Claire and Nick. Too saccharine for my tastes.

T3 leaves more than enough room for at least one more sequel (I only hope we don't have to wait another decade). But although the ending is very, very open, I left the cinema feeling greatly satisfied and exhilarated rather than ripped off, as I have felt after viewing some other episodic movies.

Best viewed whilst munching on a huge bucket of extra buttered popcorn. 8/10

Don't Look Now (1973)

On the third viewing, I loved it.

[27 July 2003]

I'll give a film a second or third try if I can't make a decision about it on the first viewing. In regards to DLN, my opinion of the film shifted with each subsequent viewing. At first I considered DLN murky and indistinct. Now I consider the film a moody masterpiece. I've come to the decision that Nicolas Roeg is a brilliant director and master craftsman of film.

On DVD, DLN looks so beautiful. There are scenes and images so rich they look like paintings. One image in particular of tableware and food being knocked over in a restaurant is very reminiscent of 17th century Flemish Still Lifes.

Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland make a lovely screen couple as there appears to be genuine chemistry between them. Julie Christie – my all time favourite actress – manages to look beautiful, sexy, sympathetic, maternal and fragile all at the same time.

There's a famous lengthy love scene between them which some reviewers have said doesn't add to the film. But I do think it's such a beautifully tender scene that it adds dimension to the relationship of Julie and Donald's characters. I find it amazing that such a strongly visual love scene doesn't in any way feel pornographic or vicarious.

To me, DLN is more a film study of paranoia and confusion than a horror story. There's a murky quality to some events and some characters. After my third viewing, I still can't decide all the motivation of the old sisters. But the confusion and paranoia of Donald's character comes across beautifully.

Overall, DLN is beautifully moody and eerie; Venice looks both exquisite and foreboding. The film's score is enchanting and haunting (I still have it playing in my head). Damn! Why can't they make films like DLN any more? 8/10

The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)

Murky and often uncomfortable

[23 July 2003]

I originally watched this film when I was 16 and didn't understand much about it at all.

I viewed TMWFTE again a couple of nights ago to see if I'd understand more about it as an adult.

I was surprised to find I feel almost exactly the same about the film now as I did when I viewed it 15 years ago. I found the film murky and uncomfortable. There were a lot of times when I felt that I wasn't really intelligent enough to ‘get' exactly what the film is saying. I say this because I've read reviews in various publications which have stated that the film is extremely good.

There are a number of scenes which are visually masterful and some of the music score has a hypnotic quality, but overall I found the film uneven, confusing and un-enlightening. Maybe it's just that I find Nicholas Roeg's work difficult to relate to; I feel similarly about ‘Don't Look Now.'

I don't think I'd like to revisit TMWFTE a third time. 6/10

Bowling for Columbine (2002)

Terrified Americans, Happy Canadians

[22 July 2003]

Very, very interesting documentary. Very well deserved Oscar.

The documentary focuses on the central question: Why do Americans kill more people with guns (per head of population) than any other Western country in the world?

But the documentary also raises two more key questions:

1. Why are African Americans and Hispanics demonised in American media?

2. Why are Canadians so easy going that they don't even lock the doors of their homes?

Moore proposes an answer which I found both surprising and fascinating.

I believe BFC should be compulsory viewing for all human beings. Yes Michael Moore has an agenda and he pushes it. Yes not everyone will agree with everything he has to say. But he makes a lot of strong points very, very well and he is extremely good at getting people to reveal a lot of interesting information about themselves.

SLIGHT SPOILER:

The only point about the BFC which I wasn't so happy with was the way Moore conducted his interview with Charlton Heston. I think Moore was too emotive and aggressive. I got the feeling that Moore would have been able to glean more material from Heston if he hadn't been so aggressive. And that's probably the most important thing about interviewing subjects – getting them to talk and reveal as much interesting stuff about themselves as possible. If a subject becomes upset or annoyed, they'll stand up and walk out just like Mr Heston did.

Overall 9/10