Keith-35 Reviews

Absentia (2017–2020)

Riveting, but contrived

[4/10 · 14 August 2020]

The story begins with finding a missing female FBI agent after 6 years. In that time, a lot has changed. There is the inevitable question of what happened to her.

And so, almost immediately, an investigation of what happened to her and why begins. Along the way many leads arrive, but like an adventure game, they're mostly ignored in favour of the story that's being told. It's very annoying.

So the story cannot be taken too seriously, as it's not logical. It's difficult to invest in a story that doesn't follow it's own path. Despite that, the production it top quality.

The Arrival (1996)

Has the makings of a good story

[5/10 · 9 August 2020]

The Arrival has talented actors, reasonable special effects, good locations, an apparently sufficient budget, and a plausible story line. It has all the making of a good Sci-Fi movie, but it isn't.

A dedicated SETI observer detects a signal in space. Excitedly, he approaches his manager with the details, but surprisingly is fired. This begins a set of events, drawing to the typical Holywood style ending.

Throughout the telling of this story, we encounter beautiful locations, talented actors and good special effects. I can't work out why, if the budget is available for all this, why wasn't more time spent polishing the story.

The forced acting in places, the emotions of the characters throughout, something's not quite right.

The movie seemed to have all the resources to tell a good story a riveting way, but it missed that mark.

Mermaids: The Body Found (2011 TV Movie)

Ed Woods meets The X-Files

[4/10 · 25 January 2020]

Do you consider conspiracy theories? Did you like 'Safety Not Guaranteed" or watch "Plan 9 From Outer Space"? If you did, you'll tolerate this movie.

It begins with the narrator making it clear he doesn't believe in conspiracy theories, then proceeds to tell a story with parts and footage pulled from the corners of non-mainstream accepted theories; I loved the inventiveness.

The part that spilled it form me was the shadowy military official who made several appearances. This was so badly done that it broke the illusion created, and brought you bsck to realizing you're watching a bad mockumentary.

That aside, it was very good. But it shouldn't be screened alongside real/serious documentaries.

The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

Painted into a corner

[7/10 · 12 January 2006]

The Manchurian Candidate is a story of conspiracy and intrigue. It is long and riveting, you just want the good guy to win, you want justice. But it happens Hollywood style. You're left feeling, "But that doesn't make any sense!".

The clever and powerful conspirators are up to something again. The threat is real and great. The politicians are portrayed as fools, and in this respect, so is the audience. There's only one man who suspects that all is not as it seems. But can he overcome the forces of injustice and save the US Presidency, save the world?

I'm sure the story was written with failure in mind, but was changed later on. The end just doesn't stand to reason, even with liberal sprinklings of the suspension of disbelief.

Despite the hurried and abrupt ending, I really enjoyed this movie.

Proof (2005)

Utterly pointless

[3/10 · 12 January 2006]

Proof is the beginning of a story. It's useful to compare it to the first half hour of A Beautiful Mind; consider it background for something else.

A genius professional mathematician goes out of his mind and is cared for by a loving family member. There's one little bit more of story line and that's it.

The movie is all anticipation, and then ... nothing.

The little that is told, is told beautifully and professionally. The actors/actresses do a good job, as do the production team. But there simply isn't a story to be told here. It reminds me of Postcard From the Edge, except it's even lighter.

The Last Run (1971)

Is there life after death?

[9/10 · 5 March 2005]

Last Run tells the story of a retired get-away driver who come to think of retirement as slow death. And so takes one last job.

He retired to Portugal, bought a house and a boat, to live happily ever after. But it doesn't work out that way. His 3 year old son died, his new wife left for another lover, he rented his boat to a real fisherman on realising he's a hopeless fisherman; he leads a lonely life.

He takes a job nine years later to prove to himself that he's still capable, that he's not dead. He wishes more than ever to do the job well; and he does.

This movie touches on the meaning of death and what it takes to be alive. Its a personal journey an sums up middle aged life.

I particularly liked the use of the car. It was filmed beautifully with authentic sound and driving: no special effects, just an honest representation as the last love in his life. It was refreshing to see the driver fighting the live rear axle as he negotiated mountainous bends at speed. Now there's something missing from modern movies.

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Well worth watching

[10/10 · 13 February 2005]

Million Dollar Baby is of the classical zero to hero format, but with a difference. Clint Eastwood's character is the typical ageing hero that we came to know in Unforgiven. Morgan Freeman's is also similar, the voice of reason and the only one old enough and experienced enough to make an impact.

All credit to Clint Eastwood and his evident clout in the business to be allowed to pull of a movie that did not have your typical happy Hollywood ending that has ruined so many otherwise excellent movies.

As a result, watching this movie is time well spent. The movie lingers on in my thoughts and it's not easy to forget the dilemma posed.

More impressive however, is the real life achievements of Lucia Rijker. It's a pity that with all that behind her, she had to settle for playing the bad guy.

Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

A tribute to good action movies.

[10/10 · 5 July 2004]

The story is simple. An assassin walks on on her trade. Her ex-colleagues find her some months later at her wedding and slaughter everyone, but she survives and this movie is about her revenge.

This is classic Tarrantino. For me, this is his best work yet. It is a real tribute to story telling and a tribute to Hong Kong Kung Fu movies, Japanese Anime and the all time great, Shogun Assasin. I loved the inclusion of Shogun Assassin at the end of Part 2. O'ren ends in the same was as the Masters of Death.

Authenticity was preserved in the use of Chinese and Japanese artists and it showed. From the story of O'ren in Part 1 to the final death blow in Part 2, the telling of this story rests on the pedigree of the action best story tellers.

I loved it.

The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

Don't waste your time

[2/10 · 6 November 2003]

After such a brilliant start, The Matrix trilogy has descended into nonsense. So much for the promise of exploring dualism, or AI (or any sort of intelligence). The only thing that could possibly be worse would be the John Connor turning up at the end to lead humanity to freedom.

The only saving act was Jada Pinkett. It was sad to see Morpheus rendered impotent.

If we look at it from the point of the story, these remain unanswered.

* What was the Oracle's goal?

* What happened to the Oracle anyway?

* What was the Oracle's relationship with the Architect?

* If the Oracle didn't create the Matrix, who did?

* How come Smith defeated Neo but lost anyway?

* What happened to Neo, after all, he still needs to eat.

* Why is Neo always smooching Trinity when she's dying?

* How come the sentinels can't hear a 50 ton hovercraft, but can hear a single piece of metal fall?

* Now the humans are to be released from the Matrix, how will the machines survive?

And then there is a whole other set of questions like:

* What's up with the useless minders who fight from the ceiling?

The list is in fact endless but should probably end with:

* What was going thru their minds when they made this movie?

Hulk (2003)

Limited action, action movie

[3/10 · 21 July 2003]

I did not enjoy this movie. The seat began to feel uncomfortable half way through, and that's not good. There were a number of problems with this movie.

It simply took too long to start. The story leading to the action was just too long. Hulk, the comic hero! I expected an action movie with some supporting story. This was a story with some supporting action.

The story was implausible. It is not clear why there was hostility against the father. And even when the truth was finally revealed, why it intensified.

His father wasn't evil, well not initially anyway. It is not clear why he became evil. It seemed out of character for him to send the dogs or even possible to mutate the dogs to that state. (Isn't a generation needed?)

During the Hulk's great escape, it was said that fighting made him more angry and made him fight more. The to catch him was to calm him down. `The Girl' was used to this effect. When this father became a ball of energy, supplying more energy seemed to destroy him, not make him stronger. And the whole fight between the Hulk and father made no sense. It was nonsense, and that was the good part of the movie.

In short, this was a waste of my Friday evening.

Dune (2000)

Good production, poor interpretation

[2/10 · 15 December 2002]

The good first. I thought the costumes and scenes were very good. In many ways, the artificial desert seemed more "realistic" than the real one in Lynch's '84 production.

I had a real problem with the interpretation. It didn't sit well that the main character, Paul Atreides, was portrayed as an arrogant (and ignorant) undisiplined hier who became more than he could otherwise be due to circumstance. He didn't have the moral credibility to do justice to his eventual role of Kwisatz Haderach.

Tracking the book incident by incident is not good enough if you tell a different story. All in all, quite disappointing and a squandered opportunity.

Blade II (2002)

Nonstop big screen action

[10/10 · 14 October 2002]

You've seen Blade. You know the story. Now sit back and immerse yourself in this non-stop action movie.

The pace at the beginning is Guyver, with a little Fist of the North Star and Tenchi thrown in. I think it was inspired from Anime.

I missed the Tai Chi sword forms in Blade, but we've got some Wing Chun instead. It's all good.

There's no time for romance, or humor, just friendship, moral courage and action. The lighting, background music, visual and audio effects are all excellent.

I've seen this movie on DVD but the effects are diminished. You really need to see this movie on the big screen preferably with DTS sound.

Formula 51 (2001)

A good fun movie

[7/10 · 12 December 2001]

Just sit back and be entertained. There's no hard thinking to be done, just a bit of "suspension of disbelief" which is needed by most movies these days.

I really enjoyed this movie and found it very funny. I really didn't need exposure to the nude thing at the end though.

Akira (1988)

You really need to see the DVD.

[9/10 · 11 December 2001]

I've seen Akira on TV and video in the UK. Having seen the (US) DVD it's clear that many clips were removed from the versions I saw. The DVD version's story is much clearer with these "missing" clips and retranslation.

The DVD does omit some scenes that appear on the (UK) VHS version, but I only noticed one missing one.

Akira tells the story of quantitative western science's mishandling of something metaphysical and the disastrous consequences. The story is set in the future.

The moral? We don't learn from our mistakes.

I believe this was the first movie marketed by Manga in the UK. An excellent introduction to Anime.

Fight Club (1999)

Very good movie with a twist.

[8/10 · 30 November 1999]

This is a very good movie where the main character finds himself getting more and more into his "escape". He only realises the truth at the end.

A very good and credible movie that is spoiled by a happy ending that isn't credible.

Wild Wild West (1999)

A children's movie with a teenage rating.

[2/10 · 30 November 1999]

The movie is action packed with excellent and seamless special effects, excellent music video, but a poor story.

Children would enjoy this movie, but it had a 15 rating in the UK. Pity.