[REVIEWS] Films: Miscellaneous
Feb. 1st, 2011 09:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thewlisian_aferLooking through my movie review sets, I realized that I had enough for a post if I mixed and matched a few of the sets that didn't have any kind of theme going. I can barely even remember a couple of these, it's been so long since I watched them... Oops.
Scenes of a Sexual Nature (2006)
The aspects of love play out against the splendor of Hampstead Heath in this provocative meditation on sex and relationships from BAFTA-nominated director Ed Blum. On a perfectly sunny afternoon, seven couples go through the motions of everyday living and loving, including two gay men grappling with fatherhood and an aging husband and wife reflecting on their past loves. Ewan McGregor and Eileen Atkins head a star-studded ensemble cast.
There were a fair few bits that made me laugh out loud and Tom Hardy's character was kind of adorable. My mind wandered often, though, and overall I found this movie really forgettable. [Rating: 2.5 stars]
2081 (2009)
A short film adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron, 2081 depicts a dystopian future in which, thanks to the 212th Amendment to the Constitution and the unceasing vigilance of the United States Handicapper General, everyone is "finally equal...." The strong wear weights, the beautiful wear masks and the intelligent wear earpieces that fire off loud noises to keep them from taking unfair advantage of their brains. It is a poetic tale of triumph and tragedy about a broken family, a brutal government, and an act of defiance that changes everything.
This little film actually had about the same impact on me as the story did, which is really saying something. And that's ... all I can really say about it. It was a great piece of filmmaking and a wonderful adaptation from a piece of literature that had a profound effect on me as a kid. ♥ [Rating: 4 stars]
Havoc (2005)
The elegant Anne Hathaway takes off her Princess Diaries crown to play a wealthy Los Angeles teen who, along with her superficial friends, wants to break out of suburbia and experience Southern California's "gansta" lifestyle. But problems arise when the preppies get in over their heads and provoke the wrath of a violent Latino gang. Suddenly, their role-playing seems a little too real. Bijou Phillips, Freddy Rodriguez and Michael Biehn co-star.
This is exactly what it says on the tin. Rich, privileged white kids who think everything's a game and the hand they have is boring. There's barely a character who shows up on the screen that you won't want to slap silly. But Anne Hathaway is excellent (and often in appealing states of undress). So is Bijou Phillips, who I've seen in very few things and never taken notice of before. All in all, though, it was pretty typical fare and I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it unless you're a fan of someone who's in it. [Rating: 3 stars]
Shadowboxer (2005)
In this audacious thriller, a nasty crime lord (Stephen Dorff) hires Rose (Helen Mirren) and her stepson Mikey (Cuba Gooding Jr.) -- assassin partners and longtime lovers -- to off his spouse, Vickie (Vanessa Ferlito). But Rose, ill with cancer and on her last job, spares her mark when she learns Vickie's with child. The unexpected twist forces Mikey, Rose and their charges to flee to life in suburbia, until the past catches up with them.
Helen Mirren was really good. So was Cuba Gooding Jr.'s butt. And Stephen Dorff plays an excellent psychopath. Overall, though, I wasn't impressed. Something just didn't sit right with me. I don't know if it was miscasting or just a lack of chemistry in the general cast or what, but it just felt kind of ... off. [Rating: 2 stars]
La herencia Valdemar (2010)
Nicholas Tramel is hired to investigate the dissapearance of a girl from a victorian mansion. He finds the house has secrets and a legend built on tragedy. Based on a tale by H.P Lovecraft.
There was nothing especially appealing about this movie in a technical sense. It's standard fare, not particularly well-written, no outstanding acting or music or effects... But it kept my attention and entertained me. Also, there were some really lovely Spanish men to look at! Heh. It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and the second film was only just released in Spain a couple of days ago, so who knows how long it'll be before I can see the conclusion. Argh! If you can't handle waits like that, don't watch this movie yet! [Rating: 3 stars]
Scenes of a Sexual Nature (2006)
The aspects of love play out against the splendor of Hampstead Heath in this provocative meditation on sex and relationships from BAFTA-nominated director Ed Blum. On a perfectly sunny afternoon, seven couples go through the motions of everyday living and loving, including two gay men grappling with fatherhood and an aging husband and wife reflecting on their past loves. Ewan McGregor and Eileen Atkins head a star-studded ensemble cast.
There were a fair few bits that made me laugh out loud and Tom Hardy's character was kind of adorable. My mind wandered often, though, and overall I found this movie really forgettable. [Rating: 2.5 stars]
2081 (2009)
A short film adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron, 2081 depicts a dystopian future in which, thanks to the 212th Amendment to the Constitution and the unceasing vigilance of the United States Handicapper General, everyone is "finally equal...." The strong wear weights, the beautiful wear masks and the intelligent wear earpieces that fire off loud noises to keep them from taking unfair advantage of their brains. It is a poetic tale of triumph and tragedy about a broken family, a brutal government, and an act of defiance that changes everything.
This little film actually had about the same impact on me as the story did, which is really saying something. And that's ... all I can really say about it. It was a great piece of filmmaking and a wonderful adaptation from a piece of literature that had a profound effect on me as a kid. ♥ [Rating: 4 stars]
Havoc (2005)
The elegant Anne Hathaway takes off her Princess Diaries crown to play a wealthy Los Angeles teen who, along with her superficial friends, wants to break out of suburbia and experience Southern California's "gansta" lifestyle. But problems arise when the preppies get in over their heads and provoke the wrath of a violent Latino gang. Suddenly, their role-playing seems a little too real. Bijou Phillips, Freddy Rodriguez and Michael Biehn co-star.
This is exactly what it says on the tin. Rich, privileged white kids who think everything's a game and the hand they have is boring. There's barely a character who shows up on the screen that you won't want to slap silly. But Anne Hathaway is excellent (and often in appealing states of undress). So is Bijou Phillips, who I've seen in very few things and never taken notice of before. All in all, though, it was pretty typical fare and I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it unless you're a fan of someone who's in it. [Rating: 3 stars]
Shadowboxer (2005)
In this audacious thriller, a nasty crime lord (Stephen Dorff) hires Rose (Helen Mirren) and her stepson Mikey (Cuba Gooding Jr.) -- assassin partners and longtime lovers -- to off his spouse, Vickie (Vanessa Ferlito). But Rose, ill with cancer and on her last job, spares her mark when she learns Vickie's with child. The unexpected twist forces Mikey, Rose and their charges to flee to life in suburbia, until the past catches up with them.
Helen Mirren was really good. So was Cuba Gooding Jr.'s butt. And Stephen Dorff plays an excellent psychopath. Overall, though, I wasn't impressed. Something just didn't sit right with me. I don't know if it was miscasting or just a lack of chemistry in the general cast or what, but it just felt kind of ... off. [Rating: 2 stars]
La herencia Valdemar (2010)
Nicholas Tramel is hired to investigate the dissapearance of a girl from a victorian mansion. He finds the house has secrets and a legend built on tragedy. Based on a tale by H.P Lovecraft.
There was nothing especially appealing about this movie in a technical sense. It's standard fare, not particularly well-written, no outstanding acting or music or effects... But it kept my attention and entertained me. Also, there were some really lovely Spanish men to look at! Heh. It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and the second film was only just released in Spain a couple of days ago, so who knows how long it'll be before I can see the conclusion. Argh! If you can't handle waits like that, don't watch this movie yet! [Rating: 3 stars]
