Mean Creek - I'd heard a lot of comparisons to Deliverance before I saw this. While it's true that there's trouble on a river outing, nobody ends up squealing like a pig.
There's an impending sense of doom right up until what happens actually happens. I ended up feeling very sorry for all the characters. You might wonder why they didn't just go for help but I suppose no one thinks rationally when calamity strikes. Especially a bunch of kids.
Zoolander - A lot funnier than I thought it was going to be. There were still some hit and miss bits but it was very entertaining and enjoyable. Will Ferrrell was ace as Mugatu. My favourite bits were the walk-off and the break-dance fighting.
Downfall - This has to be in my top 10 of the year. Thoroughly engrossing account of the last days of World War Two down in Hitler's bunker. I've studied the period a lot and was never disappointed.
It's easy to portray Hitler and his cronies as monsters, it's harder to accept them as people (really bloody screwed up people). This film does not demonise them nor does it try to get your sympathy.
It was fascinating to see how much they all believed in Hitler and his philosophies right up until the end. One of the worst scenes in the film sees Frau Goebbels murder her 6 children because she can't bear for them to grow up in a world without National Socialism.
It's a long film but never boring. I highly recommend it.
One Night At McCool's - I remember thinking this film was ok when I watched it but now I can't remember a thing about it. Which perhaps says more than anything.
Infernal Affairs 3 - I had to watch this a couple of times to get it. I saw the first one ages ago and was advised to avoid the second so this was very confusing for me. It follows on immediately from the end of the first film. I wish I had watched the second before this though because a lot of stuff was alluded to.
It is as slick and twisty-turny as the first but I would advise you to watch all 3 in quick succession.
Constantine - I wanted to like this film but the whole enterprise had a feeling of being under done. The characters weren't rounded out enough, the film wasn't long enough and there was some miscasting going on. Keanu Reeves was Keanu Reeves but he put in a good effort. Rachel Weisz was annoying and the sidekick was totally unnecessary. There was also an embarrassingly bad cameo from Gavin Rossdale. This man should not be allowed in front of a camera again. This film could have been a lot better.
Life Is A Miracle - I was hoping for good things from this as I am a fan of Emir Kusturica but I was to be disappointed. This film feels like a pale imitation of his earlier work. It starts off well enough but then goes off on tangents and ended up being a good 20 minutes too long. With better editing it could have been a very good film. All this nuttiness has now become predictable; the mental wife, the suicidal donkey, dodgy officials, I felt like I'd seen it all before.
The film isn't without merits though. The scenery is stunning and there are some laughs to be had.
The Life Aquatic - A very pleasant surprise. I'd read some pretty negative stuff about this film and wasn't expecting to like it at all. I thought it was wonderful. Very quirky and with a brilliant cast. The stand out being Willem Dafoe in little more than a cameo. Angelica Houston was fab as always.
The ending was unexpectedly sad but it did suit the film. I enjoyed it a lot more than The Royal Tennenbaums.
The Aviator - Not rubbish but not great. Great costumes and sets that all add up to nothing. Glossy but empty. One of the the problems is Leonardo DiCaprio. I just cannot take him seriously at all.
The film is very long but you don't really get into who this man was. He was supposed to be remarkable but why ?
We don't know why he developed OCD except for a very short scene at the beginning where his mother is washing him.
How did he go from being a boy who inherited millions to a movie mogul ? I ended up getting very bored. The documentary on the extras was a lot more interesting and informative.
2046 - This follows on from In The Mood For Love but isn't anywhere near the quality of that film. There is much to enjoy here. Some good performances and it's very good to look at. But it doesn't really go anywhere and it is very repetitive and confusing. A shame.
Forza Milan
Champions of Europe 2007
too.
