filmcontents

Pirates of the Caribbean.

Reviewer: Geoff
One of the most entertaining and enjoyable films in a very long while. It's almost as good as Raiders of the Lost Ark - and that is saying something.
The actors are clearly having the time of their lives and is shows. Johnny Depp is hysterical as the mincing, slurring Tommy Cooper/ Keith Richards pirate - he really is a joy to watch. The effects are fantastic and the whole thing just reeks of quality. Well done them!

Spy Kids

Reviewer: Geoff
You can imagine the meeting at the studio. 'Ok, so we've got a kids' film and its about some spies who have kids and some bad guys who are trying to create an army of robot kids which are to be used as spies and when the good spies are kidnapped their kids have to become spies to rescue the day.........if only we had a name for it. '
All cynicism aside for a moment. I saw this film having read very little about it. It could have been pants or it could have been enjoyable pants but it I was certain that it would have some element of pants. It didn't look like it would be anything else. But how wrong I was.
This was one of the most deliriously original films I've seen in a very long time. Imagine a cross between 'True Lies' and 'Charlie and the Chocolate factory' and you're somewhere in the right direction.
It could have been yet another slice of American Cheese with two dimensional characters and a couple of child actors you want to slap (Young Anekin Skywalker, anybody?) but it was the total opposite. This was a high quality production. For the Director, Writer and Editor Robert Rodriguez, this had obviously been a pet project for him. He has created a child's fantasy which works on almost every conceivable level. Children will love its energy and characters, adults will love its style, subtle humour and top celebrities making fools of themselves.

I especially liked the film's Mexican flavour - it added an extra dimension, which raised it above the usual 'run of the mill' stuff coming out of America.

GO AND SEE THIS FILM.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

www.crouchingtiger.com

Reviewer: Geoff
Simple words just wouldn't do this film justice. Even really complicated words wouldn't do this film justice either. It is one of the most fantastic films I have ever seen and my mission is to try to convince as many people to go and see it.
Now, for those of you who nothing about this film, a basic description would probably put you off seeing it for life. It is Chinese, it is a martial arts/ arthouse film, its all to do with legendary swordsmen, an evil witch and a mystical sword and most of the plot is fairly incomprehensible. However, none of this matters when you are watching it as you breath is continually taken away by the fabulous scenery, great acting and the most stunning fight choreography ever performed.
Being a fan of Chinese martial arts films I was always going to love this film, but with every movie magazine I've seen giving it top marks it is clear that this is a quality film. It is guaranteed to win the best foreign language film at the next Oscars and it is even being tipped to win the Best Picture award. It is that good!
A mention has to be made to the three stars Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Zi Yi. They were just brilliant.
GO AND SEE IT!

Unbreakable

Reviewer: Geoff
A weird one this! Usually when a film has finished I know whether I liked or not, but when the credits started rolling at the end of this one, I was left with contrasting opinions. Before I saw it, I had read one review which slated the film and another which praised it. As I left the cinema, I could appreciate both points of view.
Unbreakable is from the man who brought us The Sixth Sense (which I loved) and this film is very similar in style and content. But it is different in terms of story. It also has a great sting in its tail, which I shall not mention.
After giving it a while to ponder, I have to say that I liked it a lot. The thing is, I love films that play on my mind and this one has certainly done that.
It is well worth seeing but don't expect it to be anything like The Sixth Sense.

Charlie's Angels

Reviewer: Geoff
Cheesier than great big lumps of smelly stilton sandwiched between extra-mature cheese slices all stacked up inside Cheddar Gorge.
If this was supposed to be a normal action movie, I would feel obliged to slate it in a million and one different ways, but this film was not meant to be taken seriously. It is meant to be dumb, it is meant to be tongue-in-cheek, it is meant to be a self-parody (or at least I hope it is supposed to be those things!). The truth of the matter is that this film is rubbish but it is enjoyable rubbish nevertheless.
It's worth seeing for the action scenes, which are hilariously over-the-top and some fight scenes, which make those in The Matrix look mundane.
(Wow, a whole review without mentioning the three female stars and their impressive parts!)

Saving Private Ryan

Reviewer: Geoff
A truly outstanding film proving once again that Steven Spielberg is a genius.
I have always had a great appreciation for films that stay in my memory and force me to think about what I have seen. This is certainly one such movie. For a number of years I taught the facts of WW2 without ever having a real appreciation of what our soldiers went through and the sacrifices that were made. After witnessing the graphic horrors of the D-Day landing in the first half hour, I have a much greater understanding of what the war must have been like. For a generation becoming evermore distant from the Second World War, the importance of this film should not be overlooked - it is as educational as it is visually stunning.
Even if you have no interest in the war - I believe that you still need to see this film.

Fight Club

Reviewer: Geoff
Quite possibly the best film I seen in recent years. Directed with true style by David Fincher and acting superbly by Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham-Carter. Deeply subversive and hilariously dark this is one movie that stays long in the memory once the credits start to roll.

Les Visiteurs

Reviewer - Paul
OK most of you have stopped reading after realising that this is a French
film. Fear not, it has English subtitles. Fear not (again), it is VERY
funny. Once you forget that they are speaking French and mentally insert the
subtitles it becomes easy. 99% of the population have probably never heard
of this film and hence why I thought I'd review it. It stars Jean Reno (ah!
now you're thinking about it) and is about two mediaeval characters who get
transported through time to modern day France (I really wanted to add "with
hilarious consequences" but I'll start to sound like Barry Norman). Anyway
it IS funny, but you'll probably struggle to find it on video. If you do I
think you'll agree it's worth the search.

Monty Python's Life of Brian

Reviewer - Paul
Possibly the funniest film of all time? You've probably heard some of the
jokes even if you haven't realised it. You don't need to be a Python fan to
enjoy this. It's funny from beginning to end and full of quality moments
worth repeating again and again. And if nothing else you'll get to find out
exactly what the Romans ever did for us.

Shanghai Noon

Reviewer: Geoff
Jackie Chan kicks cowboy butt in a new take on the traditional western. This film is pretty much what you'd expect: light on plot, low on A-list stars but high on action and comedy.
I loved it but that was probably because I'm a fan of Kung-Fu action comedy films (strange that!).