Nonfictionguy's Movies > Movie reviews by Nonfictionguy

OK but not great

Posted : 2 months, 3 weeks ago on 10 September 2009 03:58 (A review of District 9)

Missed ‘Alien Nation’ and its arrival of an Alien slave ship on Earth the first time round? Well the good news is that this is almost a remake, that is if the Aliens landed in South Africa and were more insectoid in appearance. District 9 is partially filmed in that terrible Cloverfield/documentary style, so you learn from the start that key figures survive and life doesn’t change too much in the future – like the perfect episode of a TV series (always end the way you start). This slow start and documentary style lessons the potential tension, but does make the story a little more believable.

In this movie Aliens come to Earth and instead of making us think about our place in the universe, or changing the world for the better, nothing changes and we treat them terribly, putting them into refugee camps that quickly deteriorate and then move them on to the inhabitable suburbs.

As it’s filmed as a documentary for a major part, and no one shows any glimmer of humanity, it’s hard to feel anything for the lead character, even when circumstances forces the lead to confront his prejudices.

There is a little bit of action and a large fire-fight for those that like their science fiction hollow and full of explosions, but don’t expect too much of that either. If this film was made during apartheid, it would have been impressive, but now its just depressing. A very predictable and lacklustre movie, but it still rates higher than most, simply because so much poor quality sci-fi has been produced!

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Mufti Mob

Posted : 4 months, 1 week ago on 25 July 2009 09:34 (A review of The League of Gentlemen)

When I first began to write a review of this movie, I compared it to The Italian Job and other 'lovable criminal' type of movies that have been made since. At first I thought this wasn’t fair on such an old film, but then I discovered that even back in the sixties, when this movie was first released, this was already considered an overworked genre.

So how does it compare, well being so dated certainly gives it an advantage in some respects. It has a stellar cast – even Oliver Reed makes an uncredited appearance, as an effeminate chorus boy. Acting is superb for the period and characters are well developed, if a little stereotypical. The script is also an absolute joy, there are a few humorous moments too, but none of them are played just for laughs. The humour is very subtle and sharp. One in-joke is about the Bank that co-funded this film; when contemplating the bank robbery ex-Major Race worries, "I do hope he hasn't the National Provincial in mind. They're being awfully decent to me at the moment."

As with many bank robbery movies, it starts with the gang members being brought together, each with his own unique skill set, all gained in Army Service. Their individual invitations are attached to a mystery novel and half of a £5 note, to appeal to the sense of greed (£5 back then was worth something)! So the league of gentlemen consists entirely of ex-servicemen, each with his own chequered past, making them a formidable team. It is an ingenious start and gets you quickly into the movie. Does the Bank Raid happen? What becomes of the "league of gentlemen"? Well you’ll have to watch the movie to find out.


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Telling Stories

Posted : 4 months, 1 week ago on 25 July 2009 08:11 (A review of The Night Listener)

If you’re into action movies, or expect Robin Williams to be in any way funny, then please give this one a miss. If however you like serious movies and aren’t ignorant/homophobic, this is a thriller well worth watching in the dark.

This film focuses on Gabriel Noone (Robin Williams), a storyteller with a national late-night radio show, who is suffering from writers block. Trying to provide the spark Gabriel needs, his literary agent provides him with a manuscript that will be published shortly. Its not easy reading, the manuscript is a detailed account of the prolonged sexual abuse a young boy suffered at the hands of his own parents and their friends. Wanting to know more Gabriel develops a friendly phone relationship with the fourteen-year-old boy now suffering from AIDs, but all is not what it seems.

This is an old fashioned thriller in the truest sense, not a horror or action flick. Sadly the trailer is far too fast paced to do this movie justice, and I cannot give anything away or it will ruin the movie experience for you.

If you liked One Hour Photo, this won’t disappoint. The whole movie is a slow burner, very dark and atmospheric, and as such it really needs to be viewed in the dark to be appreciated.


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We are going to need a bigger boat!

Posted : 7 months, 1 week ago on 27 April 2009 03:25 (A review of Jaws)

Today Great White Sharks are on the endangered species list. We now know that even the humble toaster in your kitchen is far more dangerous to mankind than these wondrous creatures, which have changed so little since prehistoric times. But in 1975 the world was a different place and for anyone watching this movie the sea quickly became a fearful place with sharks the hidden killer of the deep.

‘Jaws’ tells the story of the Island town of Amity and its cheerful inhabitants, most of which rely heavily on the seasonal tourist trade and are hesitant to acknowledge anything that may tarnish the islands idyllic reputation. When a body is washed ashore, its down to Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) to do his duty to serve and protect, even if he does hate the water!

What makes this movie so special is that, just like its victims, you rarely see the killer shark. John Williams' memorable score also makes this film stand out, that ‘da dum, da dum’ gives you goosebumps when you hear it and really enhances the sense of impending terror. The absence of those notes can also lull you into relaxing at precisely the wrong moment, making you jump, a trick repeated by many subsequent horror movies. But this movie isn’t just about a single killer shark or the soundtrack, it’s also about Chief Brody and the men he brings in to hunt down the Great White Shark. Spoilt rich kid and shark expert Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) is the complete opposite of the Old Seadog and Survivor of an infamous shark attack Quint (Robert Shaw), one appreciates sharks, the other prefers them dead! Together the three disparate men bond, in a very masculine way, before finally chasing after and attempting to capture and kill the very smart beast.

Given the high standards of film making and tension, the end of this movie can be a little disappointing, with us seeing far too much of the killer shark and the obviously animatronic head (good for its time). But the pleasure that is the original Jaws movie will stay with you for quite some time.

This is a wonderful movie, just don’t watch it before going into the water!

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Severe job cuts ahead!

Posted : 7 months, 1 week ago on 24 April 2009 09:03 (A review of Severance)

The release that comes from a comedy moment can be made all the more potent by previously building up tension and suspense in a good horror movie. I like a good chuckle from a horror movie, so I had very high hopes for this movie, perhaps too high! Also watching it alone and on TV wasn’t the best way to enjoy this movie, but it wasn’t bad. Some lines are extremely funny, but the horror/comedy mix just didn’t work for me.

When it was all about tension, this film is very near to perfection. Camera angles change so you never know if someone is really approaching or not. Famous last words are banded about and you do expect each character to die at any moment.

The horror however isn’t horrific, there is implied cannibalism at one point, but this isn’t taken any further than finding a tooth in a pie . When limbs are lost, it is always followed with a comedy moment, which actually lessened the impact of each scene for me. What weakened this film further was the killers being too human, too visible, too numerous and far too easily despatched to be really scary.

The comedy comes almost entirely from the excellent characters lines and two visual gags. You won’t wet yourself laughing with this movie, but you will find yourself repeating some very funny lines with your mates, or even using phrases in future conversations, such as “you've got more chance of getting shit from a rocking horse”.

I’d really recommend this movie to any group of teenagers who want to rent a DVD and have a night in, get spooked and have a laugh at each other’s reactions. There is even the obligatory ‘women topless’ scene for teenage viewers to get all excited about and the classic last word of ‘Foursome?’


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Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape

Posted : 7 months, 2 weeks ago on 21 April 2009 04:38 (A review of Bat*21)

Having previously been so dismissive of the movie ‘Behind Enemy Lines’, I thought it only right and proper to review the 1988 movie ‘Bat*21’, which I highly recommend as a much better alternative.

This film is supposed to be loosely based on the real-life rescue of Lt. Col. Hambleton by U.S. Navy SEAL Thomas R. Norris and team member Nguyen Van Kiet, a South Vietnamese SEAL. It isn’t, but don’t let that fact spoil your enjoyment of this entertaining escape and evasion movie.

Set during the Vietnam War, Bat*21 tells the tale of Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton [Gene Hackman], a weapons expert whose aircraft is shot down whilst travelling over enemy territory. With no ground combat experience, Hambleton must evade the People's Liberation Armed Forces using his wits alone, until American Forces can safely extract him from danger.

Because of Hambleton’s knowledge, it is crucial that he be rescued before the Vietcong get their hands on him, so it’s not long before American eyes are in the sky desperately searching for Hambleton. He is spotted by reconnaissance flyer Captain Bartholomew Clark [Danny Glover], however the task of getting Hambleton to safety is made all the harder because the enemy is listening to Hambleton's radio transmissions, and he knows it. With restricted radio contact between Clark & Hambleton, the daring pilot attempts to assist Hambleton to safety before the area is carpet-bombed.

Racing against both the clock and the enemy, this is an edge of the seat viewing experience. Gene Hackman gives an excellent performance and even Danny Glover is believable. There aren’t any plot twists or surprises, but at the same time this isn’t your typical gung-ho war movie either, enemies are not dehumanised beyond all recognition and killing isn’t glorified. An example of this comes when an air strike is called in by Hambleton and he sees for himself the result, which the character has never seen close-up and he is clearly affected by the tragic loss of life and human suffering.

At times this movie can make you hold your breath with suspense and then get your heart pounding with excitement. Even the now slightly dated cinematography doesn’t let this movie down, if anything it actually helps place this movie in the recent past and builds on the already strong atmosphere that it successfully creates.

This is not a date movie, but a recommended war movie, and far superior alternative to the drivel that is ‘behind enemy lines’.


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God Bless The USAF & America

Posted : 7 months, 2 weeks ago on 19 April 2009 06:03 (A review of Behind Enemy Lines)

If you’ve seen BAT-21 (which I do recommend as an alternative), you may have very high hopes for this movie, which is on a similar theme and also staring Gene Hackman. Sadly however all hopes for a decent movie are quickly dashed as the completely fictional and highly predictable tale unfolds.

The story is about an American Navy Pilot who has become disillusioned with the United States Air Force/Navy, is later shot down in Serbian controlled territory, must struggle to survive as he tries to avoid hostile pursuers, get back to the fleet and have a complete change of heart. The movie is so predictable and so full of errors that it is almost laughable, but not quite.

The worst scene for me is when the hero stuck behind enemy lines makes it to the pick-up point and confirms such by radio, however the Admiral isn’t politically enabled to extract the pilot at that time, so all he can do is ask one of his subordinates to "triangulate [the pilots] position" – lol, why?! He’s at the pick-up point were you told him to be! You know this he just confirmed such! Why try to work out where that is or have you already forgotten?! There are many more instances when logic fails, I won't bore you with them all, watch this movie if that's your thing.

It is interesting to note that none of the actors playing Serbians were actually Serbians; the producers could not find any Serbians willing to work on this film. I wonder was this due to the really polarised anti-Serbian message of this movie? Or did they simply spot a bad script from a mile off and not want to be part of it?!

This really is just made for an American audience; you are not required to think, just be proud to be an American and enjoy the explosions. For all viewers that like this type of drivel, you'll be pleased to know that this film was followed by two direct to DVD sequels; Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil, and Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia.


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Convenient lies

Posted : 7 months, 3 weeks ago on 14 April 2009 06:11 (A review of An Inconvenient Truth)

An Inconvenient Truth is really weird. It’s not a drama or even a documentary in the traditional sense, it's more of a slide show, delivered to a live audience, on the subject of the environment. To make this work you should need a great presenter, so who was chosen to tackle this huge task, Bono from U2? David Attenborough? Nope, it’s Al Gore the former American Vice President – well we all trust what politicians tell us! Don’t we?

What follows is a very moving account of why we should firstly trust Al Gore, why his family were willing to change their opinion of pushing tobacco on the public when it hit close to home and then Al Gore gives us key figures, charts and even diagrams on how CO2 (Carbon dioxide) is really the biggest threat against humanity and the World today. All details are presented as facts, not theories, with no counter argument.

For example, Al Gore claims that Himalayan glaciers are shrinking and global warming is to blame. However the September 2006 Issue of the American Meteorological Society's Journal of Climate reported, "Glaciers are growing in the Himalayan Mountains, confounding global warming alarmists who recently claimed the glaciers were shrinking and that global warming was to blame."

What is also never discussed is that the rise in carbon dioxide levels actually lags behind temperature rise by quite a few years. So carbon dioxide rises aren’t the cause of global warming, but the outcome of rises! This movie in effect puts it that ‘the cart pushes the horse along’, despite this lunacy, everyone agrees, the movie is a success and the world changes.

Joe Public is now working harder for the environment and trying to recycle more, which isn’t a bad thing. There are however many negative sides of this movies global success, such as the renewed push towards nuclear power, carbon trading (which is nonsense), third-world countries are no longer able to use their vast natural resources and enjoy their own industrial revolutions, and scientists who attempt to obtain grants for research that may contradict the man-made explanation are shunned by the political establishment and often vilified.

Do watch this movie to see what its all about, it will hopefully move you to become more aware of your environment, but please do also use your own grey matter to think about the real causes and effects around us. Oh and don’t always trust what a politician tells you!


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End of the Line

Posted : 7 months, 3 weeks ago on 11 April 2009 03:26 (A review of Final Destination)

Death as a sentient entity is a concept that has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, death is often given the name the "Grim Reaper", it is also given the name of the "Angel of Death" stemming from the Bible. In some cases, the Grim Reaper is able to actually cause the victim's death, leading to tales that he (she in some countries) can be bribed, tricked, or outwitted in order to retain one's life. This movie runs with that idea and creates a wonderful roller-coaster of a ride, as we watch a group of teenagers being stalked by the Grim Reaper, as death comes calling for those he/she missed the first time around!

This movie is aimed squarely at teenagers and is rated 15 accordingly. But for anyone 15-20 years old who wants a movie to make them jump, this movie will fit the bill perfectly.

Why do I rate this movie so highly? This movie ticked all my boxes when it was first released. I was the characters age, I had premonitions, I had escaped death in a similar manner and I had read enough fables and seen the Storyteller on TV to appreciate death as an entity. Its also a good scary movie!





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In 3D IMAX

Posted : 7 months, 3 weeks ago on 10 April 2009 05:59 (A review of Monsters vs Aliens)

Firstly watching this movie in IMAX 3D was a true movie experience, there were numerous times when I was so pleased with how this movie was presented. Once immersed, everything was as if you were watching the movie from the director’s chair – 3D wasn’t just a gimmick, it was used creatively. Ok, there are a couple of instances where it was just for fun, such as the bat and ball scene, but that was also there for comic effect. I appreciated just how well it was made in 3D when an on-screen character stands up into view, and for a split second I thought it was actually someone in the cinema.

However for all the delights of the 3D IMAX experience, the movie was just average, the laughs too few and far between, and movie references far too nerdy. You need both a good knowledge and appreciation of Science fiction movies from the past sixty years to get every reference.

Monsters Vs Aliens is also weirdly balanced in terms of characters. Unlike ‘The Incredibles’, which had a 2.4 children family arrangement, this movie wants you to like, well whom would you empathise with from the following list… A young woman who doesn’t initially value herself? A man-made brainless blob? A muscle-bound monster from the '50s that is now out of shape? A mad scientist?

I’m glad I saw this movie in 3D IMAX, it bodes well for the future use of 3D as a medium. But I certainly won’t be rushing out to buy the DVD. Now where did I put my copy of ‘The Incredibles’?!

NOTE: There is a scene after the credits, so do stay around to watch the entire film! The last clip certainly prevents a sequel, which isn't a bad thing!

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