Change Your Image
Uxbridge
Reviews
Alexander (2004)
Why So Much Bad Press...?
I never saw this film at the cinema, so I had to settle for renting the DVD. I'd heard how drawn out it was and how muddled some of the historical data was and didn't really find either situation to be true. Colin Farrell is one hell of an actor (if people can separate the boozing, womanising guy he is in reality from his craft) who doesn't always get the respect he deserves. I was a little sketchy on the idea of Angelina Jolie playing his mother but she came through brilliantly, chewing up the role and making it her own. After awhile, it wasn't Jolie PLAYING a part, she BECAME the part. She's another good actor who's personal life often overshadows her ability. Val Kilmer is always good, and it was wonderfully refreshing to see both Anthony Hopkins and Christopher Plummer on screen again. Jared Leto also was a pleasant surprise in the role of Hephaistion, bringing a cool, low key presence to the part. I'd read a comment somewhere that having the actors use an Irish accent was silly but I didn't notice it after awhile. It seems that when North American accents are used or even English accents, it's more accepted. Again, after awhile, you don't really notice it and it DOES keep some continuity amongst the characters and their nations of origin and so forth. Good film, good action, great acting.
Threshold (2005)
Cool New Show
Just when science fiction-type shows were all but dead (save for Stargate SG-1 on sci-fi...good show, too), CBS pull this one out of it's crappy hat. I thought this one was really good, from storyline on down to the casting of characters. It's wonderful to see Brent Spiner back in the line-up of any show, since he's a talented actor that tends to get overlooked as the "android guy from Trek". Carla Gugino is well cast and believable as Dr. Caffrey, who heads the Red Team. Peter Dinklage (of the Station Agent) is great as a wry-humoured mathematical genius who lightens the often dark premise of the show. The rest of the cast (Van Holt, Benedict, and Dutton) are excellent as well and round out the team fantastically. This show does have the same feel as the famed "X-Files" but it doesn't try to duplicate it. Love this show. I'll definitely be tuning in in the future.
The Surreal Life (2003)
Funnier Than Most Scripted Sitcoms
Like an earlier poster commented, I didn't give this a show a chance until accidentally tuning into it one night. From then on, I found it funny (in an ironic way). I first watched the series with Corey Feldman, Trisha from Real World, Ron Jeremy, et al. I give these people a lot of credit (or guts) for doing this. The camera isn't always kind and the crew records EVERYTHING these folks say. What's amusing about this show is that there's always the "strange one" (Chyna Doll, Verne Troyer, or Vanilla Ice, for example) who wig out or go off on some sort of inexplicable bender...the "what-the-hell-love-match" (Adrianne Curry and Chris Knight or Flavor Flav and Brigitte Nielsen) which is hilarious to watch, though you kind of root them on, too...then the "obnoxious ones" (Feldman, Jerry Manthey, Ryan Starr, Omarosa, etc.) who seem to have checked their manners and sensitivity at the door. Janice Dickinson (in the latest one) is a whole other ball game, given that she's just plain mean to the bone and bitter (apparently she has some horrible and serious past issues she hasn't dealt with yet). I hate to say it but I dig this show and it's worth a peek. You may find yourself laughing at some of the most hair-brained things that are said or done by these poor celebs!
Love Is in the Heir (2004)
Garbage
I have to agree with Sharbaug-1....this is such crap! Alleged "princess" Ann Claire is so completely unlikable that it's not even funny. She whines about every single little thing and truly believes that she is, A)a talented singer (she's NOT), and B)never fails to remind the lowly world round her that she is indeed A PRINCESS (read: better than you and I ever shall be). What irks me further is her complete lack of respect for her assistant. She whines, snipes, gripes, and has mini-tantrums when she can't get her way. This type of attitude is not charming on a 5 year old, and even more hideous on a mature woman of some breeding. If I wanted to listen to someone bitch and complain how unfair life is (whilst living in splendour), I'd watch fictional crap like The O.C. (where at least the people in that show have talent). Skip this BIG TIME.
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)
Mind numbing
Loved the cartoon as a kid. Big, stupid dog with 4 dorky kids investigating spooky things. It works when you're 7 because you don't know any better. I went to this film with my niece and fell asleep. That didn't happen in Shrek or Shrek 2 (which were both funny and entertaining, unlike this junk). Cardellini, Lillard, Prinze and Gellar all good actors stuck with an asinine storyline that's neither fun nor funny. It's like some made for the Disney channel movie that happened to have the good fortune to be released in theatres to make a bit of cash. If you truely in need of a fix of amusing family type movie, see Shrek 2 again. This dud was a waste of time.
Catwoman (2004)
Better Than Critics Say
Why critics trashed this film is beyond me. It's actually quite entertaining. Berry pulls off the role very nicely, and Stone portrays the villainess with a nice, icey edge. Bratt is good as the hero/cop as well. The soundtrack is kicking and the story line is never boring. The most unfortunate thing I can think of saying about this film is that it had the misfortune of opening up against bigger blockbuster films like the Bourne Supremacy and I, Robot, while Spiderman 2 was still going strong also. This is a good little action-type movie that should be given a chance. Ignore the critics (I ALWAYS do) and check it out for yourself. Though this film is no comparison to Star Wars in any way shape or form, I read somewhere that critics (as usual) trashed that too. See it and then decide for yourself.
Ella Enchanted (2004)
Better Than Expected
First of all, this film has decent cast in various roles. Hathaway proves that she is no mistake as an actress, and she broadens her talents by showing that she can sing as well. It's nice to see good actors like Bergin and Elwes on screen again (particularly Elwes, who revels in his villainry). As a fan of Lumley's, she was awesome and bitchy in her role as the stepmother, while Punch was perfectly cast as her daughter in an "acorn doesn't fall far from the tree" personality display. McArdle and Fox are funny as the smart-alec elf and collision-prone fairy, and there's an amusing cameo with supermodel Heidi Klum as well. Nice touches include modernish conveniences in a clearly medieval world and a fairly good soundtrack. It's lighthearted and fun and worth the trip to the cinemas to see, and it's not just for kids either.
Hellboy (2004)
Decent Comic Book Tribute Film
I wasn't sure what to expect from this film but it turned out to be a rather fun ride. Perlman delivered his lines as Hellboy with a dry wit that made watching this movie even better. It holds the interest through out and doesn't rely too heavily on the bang-up action sequences to carry it, which is a nice trick for actioners these days. Hurt and Blair provide good back up as well. There is some silliness in between when Hellboy jealously stalks Liz (Blair) because he thinks she might be interested in the young agent-dude but it doesn't detract from this flick. Hats off to the special effects people as well, who pulled off some nice eye-popping work here. See it.
Spooks (2002)
Check this show out
This series is just plain good. Nice character development (especially Firth as the prickly boss) and it moves along at decent pace. Nice to see Agutter again, long after she made Logan's Run so long ago. The only annoyance is waiting for new episodes to air. Very good show!
Paycheck (2003)
Not too bad
Reading all the criticism for this film almost made me pass it by. I'm glad I didn't. Though it's not any where near the scale of Lord Of The Rings in greatness, it's still an enjoyable night out at the cinema. Affleck was pretty good in the role and Thurman was cast well too. I really thought Eckhart had the best part as the bad-guy and he worked the role decently. Too bad it's become too costly to film anything in America (such as this film) because the bland and boring Canadian cities that film makers use as their backdrops all just run together without enhancing the movie whatsoever. At least this trend to film elsewhere cheaply hasn't spawned in the U.K. (thank God).
The O.C. (2003)
I don't think so
For every supposed drama the networks try to foist off on to viewers, there may be one in one hundred that is okay. This isn't one of them. I just don't get the hype. The actors are a very attractive bunch and they've got some talent amongst them (particularly Gallagher and Clarke, to name two) but the story lines are mind numbingly dumb.Maybe teenyboppers find this sort of stuff great. I'm not sure. A friend from the REAL Orange County said this show does not portray the place anywhere near what it's really like, so it makes me wonder what the hell the writers and producers of this show are trying to convey in the first place. Bottom Line? Looks nice, good talent in the cast, but BORING!
Kid Notorious (2003)
Funny, funny, funny!
I watched this show on accident and found myself laughing out loud more often than not. Evans is so slick and "Hollywood-ish" that it works like a charm. The supporting characters of Tollie Mae, Puss-Puss, and English are hilarious and the outlandish stories and adventures just keep getting better. Animated or not, this show is funnier than most of the sitcoms out there right now. Worth watching.
Cold Mountain (2003)
Good acting, story so-so
Civil War movies are not my forte but I saw this because of the sheer force of the talent in it. Well, the talented actors lived up to the hype but the film's story just never interested me deeply. Law and Kidman are the real deal in the acting world but I was truly impressed with Zellwegger, who carried it to the end for me. There were a boatload of great actors in smaller roles in this film, which helped it along but I always seemed to feel that it was trying too hard to be "arty" and haunting. The battle scenes were typical of any Civil War movie (God knows there are too many of them out there already) so I just don't understand the hype surrounding this one. It's not a bad film at all, just not one that I would recommend to people who ask about it.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
Entertaining
This was a pretty good film. Never boring. It reminded me of an old fashion action-type film, kind of like the way the "Indiana Jones" trilogy was made. Connery was excellent (as always) as stoic leader of his band of good guy crusaders, while Curran added a nice touch of humour here and there. Liked the cast, liked the flick. I recommend it for one of those nights when you feel like hanging out, eating junk food and watching a good action flick that's not too heavy on the gore.
Line of Fire (2003)
Pass on this one
I tried to like this show but I just couldn't get into it. It's not for a lack of talent (Paymer and Bibb in particular are VERY good). It's just the same old mob family versus the Feds stuff that has been played 7 ways to Sunday by other shows. The scene where the FBI agent/Soccer Mom jumps out of her car to threaten an angry motorist (who's P.O.ed after getting into a fender-bender with Agent Mom's hubby) was a bit too much. Flashing her badge and screeching "FBI!" as she forces the motorist's face into the dirt to quell the situation was kind of an abuse of the badge and my believability. Strong female character? Yes! Over-the-top macho chick? Doesn't do any favours for anyone.Making her hubby feel like an impotent toad who can't even stand up for himself was sort of lame in itself.
The cast is great but this premise already feels old and worn. Wish I could get into it but that's just not going to happen.
Stuck on You (2003)
Funny Flick
I thought this might be amusing but I was surprised to find this movie even funnier than my expectations. I kind of figured that Greg Kinnear could pull off the comedy-ham routine with little effort, but who would have thought serious, brooding Matt Damon could hold his own? While this film doesn't have all the hilarious gross-out schtick that "Something About Mary" had, it's still pretty funny. Cher nearly stole the show in her role. See it.
Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Different, but not in a bad way at all.
I remember watching to original series when I was little, and though I can't recall too many details of each and every episode, I thought it rocked. So I watched this mini-series with trepidation, not entirely pleased with the blatant recasting of so many characters. Despite reservations, the story line was actually pretty good. This version went a little deeper in to what happened during the initial cylon attack, such as having to make the decision to leave people behind despite the imminent doom of destruction coming. It also made the Baltar character a little more 3-dimensional, rather than just having him as the token "bad-guy buffoon". I still like the old series, but I recommend people give this new version a shot because it's still pretty good.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Good, old-fashioned, adventure-at-sea flick
Good film. Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany really pulled it off nicely and rather convincingly. I've read some of the O'Brian books and this picture molds a couple of the stories together seemlessly. For any fans of seafaring adventures, this movie is a must-see. You won't be bored.
Mystic River (2003)
Amazing film, amazing performances
One of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Sean Penn's performance, not to mention the entire cast's, is spellbinding. If he doesn't get the Oscar for this one, that will be a tragedy indeed. I found the whole story engrossing, disturbing, and incredibly thought-provoking, long after I left the theatre. Worth the price of admission.
Cats & Dogs (2001)
Simply not a very funny animal film
The only good thing about this film is Jeff Goldblum. Too bad his talent is wasted here. The movie tries way too hard to be funny, yet it comes across as forced and idiotic. As a pet owner, it's much funnier watching your cats and dogs act like cats and dogs, rather than sitting through this moronic "humanization" of characters they portray in this film. Save yourself a buck and tune in to the Animal Planet channel if you really need to see animals at their funniest.