SmilingRon Reviews

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Take one great performance, two dozen great scenes and blow it all with a juvenile plot

[4/10 · 13 September 2009]

Maybe the film was born like this.. 1) Tarantino had written some great scenes he was excited about that would be set in occupied Europe in WWII 2) He saw Christoph Waltz in a German language film who would fit the bill perfectly as an SS officer 3) He decided to start his film with a Leone-esquire build up of tension

So far so good.. I would have loved him then to have made something dark and magnificent, something to really excite you.

Unfortunately he then decided to tie it all together in such a juvenile stupid way. The band of Nazi-scalpers and the scenes in cinema / end of the film was just crass pandering to the American video-game culture. Very disappointing, it just made the whole thing a sick joke.

This film had so much to offer. Some of the scenes were of the highest drawer, the dialogue was some of Tarantino's best and Christoph Waltz put in one of the best performances you'll see. He was extraordinary.

Damn you Quentin. You could have made a truly great film. Very disappointed.

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Dead good!

[10/10 · 4 September 2006]

Every year, despite a lot of rubbish being shown at the average Multiplex, if you look hard enough there are plenty of excellent films to inspire you. However it is rare than any of these gems are comedies. Original comedies I though were a dying art form. But joy of joys, this popped up to give me hope that all is not dead (ahem). The film is smart, hilarious, excellently paced, and does not fade with repeated viewings.

I have to take issue with some comments that it should have tried to be funny all the way through. I'm sorry but if you want a gag a minute, go and watch Scary Movie 4. Poignancy and drama have every place in comedies. You need to build scenes, not go headlong into weak gags because someone hasn't said something funny for 40 seconds.

Anyway, Pegg & Co, great film fellas!

10/10

PS - For our US cousins, its not a paddle its a cricket bat!! Look up Ashes 2005 for truly great sporting theatre.

Life of Brian (1979)

Friends, Romans & ex-lepers

[10/10 · 16 August 2006]

The greatest satire on film? Well IMO its between this and Dr Strangelove. The films are in any case linked by the two most influential irreverent British comedy teams - The Goon Show and Monty Python.

Python's previous film, The Holy Grail, was exceptionally funny. But with this film, the team stuck its neck out. A much bigger budget, more of a film than series of scenes/sketches and a very controversial social commentary and satire. It could have blew up in their faces, but of course became a triumph.

Actually it was never going to fail... Python had a great winning formula. They had 6 very talented people, and between them they knew how to get the best out of each of them individually, in front of and behind the camera. The casting as always was spot on, every character memorable. For bewildered & sensitive - get Chapman, for shouty & demonstrative - get Cleese, cheeky chappy - get Idle, big nose - erm..Chapman again, effeminate & snooty - get Palin... As well as roles in front of the camera, Jones and Gilliam did a great job in bringing the Holy Land 2000 years ago to life. and to top it off they had the had one of the best team of comedy script-writers going.

I could focus on a particular part of this film, but what's the point its all good. It maintains the its charm throughout and ends perfectly.

I would recommend this to everyone, even Romans..

Goodfellas (1990)

A masterpiece exposing misguided loyalties and greed

[10/10 · 5 September 2005]

Scorcese & Pileggi's masterpiece on the life of Henry Hill as a Brooklyn NY mob wise-guy.

As much as the true events of Henry's life have more than likely been dramatised and glamourised to a certain extent, the essence of this film IMO is that it is still a brilliantly damning portrayal of the characters and lifestyle of mobsters.

The sham of the mafiosi is exposed - preaching loyalty, respect & principles - but when it comes down to it they are just two-bit criminals that'll stab each other in the back for money or power over others. Each of them has an inflated sense of self-worth and stature that comes with being a "wiseguy", breeding with it paranoia that others are not giving them the respect they deserve.

An example is De Niro's portrayal of Jimmy Conway. His outward persona is that of a calm and reasonable nature. But really he is a paranoid killer who at the drop of a hat would kill even his closest associates for money. I use associates rather than friends, as their relationships are of tolerance rather than kinship. Distrust, hate and jealousy through the forced smiles.

Interesting that given this, certain people envy their life-style and would have loved to have been a wiseguy. I personally couldn't think of anything worse that being tied for life with having to keep the likes of Tommy company, but whatever rocks your boat. Some people have actually paid to see The Dukes of Hazzard film, so I shouldn't be surprised.