Snapvine's Talk

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Limp. Weak in story, humour & chemistry. Tatted Maria Bello too trailer trash-lookin to play Rachel Weisz' high nose Brit role though she tries - list goes on. Bury this franchise in a tomb somewhere (along with Jet-Li's previous resolution of wantin to stop actin in movies like these)

The Dark Knight

When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object - this is the best blockbuster I've seen in the past 8 years. Engagin and idealistic but almost academic, never before has due process, justice and power been discussed this well in a comic hero movie. Ledger's immortal now, while men like me will continue to watch everythin burn. Joker's right you know - people are pathetic.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D)

Very lackin in 3D - drama, dinosaurs and decency. This will never be Jumanji. The Icelandic bird (the woman, not the animal) looks nice though... sorta like a young Nicole Kidman. Anyway, Verne turns in his grave... art is dead and 3D glasses rule the world.

Zombie Strippers

You don't have a right to complain if you read the film title. Get over yourself and stop ratin movies bad because you're too damn sophisticated to enjoy well-constructed rubbish! This was 94mins of fake tits (mostly) and fancy G-strings sandwiching semi-brilliant, tongue-in-cheek philosophical discourses. Honest!

Alone with Her

another first person shot, using camcorders and hidden cameras, as colin hanks is a strange young man who after picking a victim played by alex boling, sets up hidden cameras in her house, and through knowledge of her, gets to know her, but with first inpressions looking good, he has to work a bit harder to get her afections, interesting use of shots, of victim at work and home, but also hanks as he films himself, and a film bringing up issues with todays society, and the perfectly legal business of home survelence and spy products on offer, all performances are good to watch, and style never gets boring, a interesting look at the crazy world of today

Made

swingers co stars, vince vaughn, and john faverou, team up again in faverous directorial debut, faerou plays a wuld be boxer wanting to settle down, his pal, played by vaughn, is a wannabee mafia hotshot. mobboss max, peter falk offers the 2 guys a chance, all they gotta do is go to newyork, for a simple job, they jump at the chance, but when they get there things arnt as simple as they imagined, as dealing with newyork types, does not come easy, fareau and aughn are great here repeating the comedy pairing you saw in swingers, a sharp and witty script seeing the pair bumbling there way out of situations, remember the scene in swingers, faverou trying phone the girl, here see vaughn in 1st class on plane doing the same sortof thing, great supporting cast as well, and mr columbo, himself, being really good, and puff daddy him self putting in a great performance as a n.y hoodlum, a great watch.

Elsker dig for evigt (Open Hearts)

a dogme 95 film, a young couples lives are damaged when the man is paralised in a road acident, through atwist of fate, the women responsible is marrried with a child to a doctor at hospital, where the injured man is taken, and through guilt the mother lets her doctor husband get close and to help the girlfriend of patient, where after awhile a bond developes, and a eventual affair, a well handled drama, with great performances all round, as its the dogma mannifesto, which means all natural settings, and various rules, its a very gritty and, grounded, a great look at relationships, from both sides, the husband and wife,, and the paralised guy and girlfriend., and everything that happens, a niced little debut from susan bier, who also made thre exellent after the wedding

The Incredible Hulk

more a typical summer blockbuster than the 2003 ang lee version, with some great set pieces, but another average c.g,i version of the hulk on show, edward norton makes a great bruce banner, giving him some depth, and was a good choice, but tim roth steals the show here, in the scenes hes in, just acting people ofthe screen, and a fanboys dream at the end, which will eventually result in a crap film, if it ever gets made

Hors de Prix (Priceless)

another charming performance from audrey tautau, even though shes a money grabbing man seducing schemer, but lets face it, its tautau, i wouldent say no, she works the south of france getting the rich older man, until a encounter witrh barman played by jean, played bygad elmaleh, turns bad, and the older guy dumps her, but jean is smitten with her, and she doesent like him as hes pennyless, so he plays her at her own game, and becomes a younger man for a rich women, and with her help, get as much as he can, while she does the same, but are they suited together. a well crafted french film, with 2 charming main leads, the story a typical french farce, with lots of ducking in and out of rooms, is funny, and great to watch, tautau, again has star quality,

Gone Baby Gone

a fasinating look at boston and a case where a little girl goes missing, and the involvment of a private detective played by casey afleck, getting hired to find her, amounst the hysteria of media, and police, a confident and really good first directing efort from big brother ben afleck, showing, he may hve gone bad in his acting career, but has something special, when it comes to directing, boston natives, the aflecks have from what has been said captured the spirit of the city and its people, see also the exellent good wil hunting, the story is fasinating, and moves along nicely, moving on to the next piece in story, bringing in a new bit f story that adds freshness, some genuin, shocks along the way, and a last act and ending, which will bring up a interesting debate, as to wether this should be done, and certainly got me thinking, from the author of the similer mystic river, a well crafted film, with great acting all round, along with afleck, lets not forget, ed harris, who brings in another great supporting performance, looking forward to bens next efort, if he decides this is what he wants to do

The French Connection

one of the best films of the 70s,and a showcase for hackman, as real life newyork cop popeye doyle, who was involved with the french connection drugs bust of late 60s, which was a major thing. william friedkin directs with a great eye for the gritty, with a authentic newyork as a location, a great pace and a terrific look at a real life case and procedur, is popeye doyle a good man, hes flawed, but very interesting

Jimmy and Judy

edward furlong and racheal bella, are two lovers living there life, going through the highs and lows, they love each other, and will do things for each other that really tests relationship, whats special about this is, its all shot through a hand held camera controlled by either two leads, so unlike other films of this nature, blair witch project, cloverfield, a indie drama, has been made, which is very interesting, furlong and bella are good to watch with finally some nice acting moments for furlong, showing he can actually act, story and events are done in a realistic way, and watching, you know things can turn out really bad for them

Scream

wes craven brings teen horror back into fashion in the 90s, a shame a lot of crap had to follow, including its own sequels, but this stands up very well, a great who done it that keeps you guessing, while knowingly acknowleding films that its been inspired by, halloween, friday the 13th, and others,

A Nightmare on Elm Street

the original and best nightmare film, a boogeyman born in freddy kruger, killing the kids of elm street, a horror but very tounge in cheek, but also quite scary, especially as it plays on a dark place, your dreams, have you ever dreamed of freddy kruger,,,i have and let me tell you i was so relieved when i woke up, and then i thought, maybe its like the film, a dream in a dream, thats what this film does, yea basicaly gives you nightmares, it does lok dated in a 80s way, and acting is quite poor, even from a young johnnny depp, but the violence and horror is inventive, and gruesome, this is wes cravens calling card even though hed been in industry for over 10 years, many sequels followed, never capturing the classic status this film gives, maybe part 3, goes some way, watch this with the lights on, and maybe in the daytime

The Lookout

a great film noir again following young actor joseph gordon levitt, after the exellent brick, here he plays a long suffering young man with no prospects after a car crash while in high school, and now 4 years later trying to cope with issues in his life,cleans the local bank, and a oportunity arises as he befriends some people wanting to take advantage of his situation in bank, very stylish, great performances all round especially gordon levitt, lots to play with, interesting story, leading to a conclusion, seen many times before, but bringing something a little fresh,

The Contender

good political film following a womens atempts to run for vice president, when the current one dies and various atempts to dicredit her along the way, notable for great performances, slater, allen and bridges all good, but gary oldman is a fasinating watch as the guy out to put her down, a entertaining political thriler, looking at washington as cut throat career to be in, and the politics involved

The Backwoods

a good teaming of two great english actors, gary oldman, and paddy considine, as two guys with there wives/girl friends off to see oldmans cabin in the woods in rural spain, and get in a spot of bother when they discover something, and the local men, dont like it, and pay them a visit, its not hard to see what film this is inspired by, straw dogs starring dustin hoffman, both films are a foreigner in another county, both about, locals doing things there own way, and, a women being part problem, and violence and revenge in mind, it is slickly directed, with a nifty opening, bringing us in, it doesent hang around in getting set up started, and with the two leads , a great watch, some interesting situations coming into play, great to see oldman back, apart from when hes helping batman out of course