G
Worst piece of crap I think I have ever seen! I was really appalled.
There is nothing good about this film at all. It's about nasty,
unpleasant, rather stupid French kids screaming at one another almost
constantly and manipulating one another and being, for the most part,
nasty, unpleasant and stupid. I actively hated this movie. I've been
told that what makes this film interesting and impressive is that it
presents a populace in France that is normally given short shrift and is
ignored and eschewed - that of the diaspora from others areas of the
world such as the middle east that have settled in France. Be that as it
may, I could have easily gone back to my old high school or middle
school if I wanted to experience the exact same level of foul-mouthed,
nasty-minded, and inarticulate verbal abuse if that was what I wanted.
Probably would have been more interesting too. Bah.
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This was a strange little film, narrated by an African man (in French)
and told in the tradition of an oral storyteller. It's a story about the
creation of the universe, earth, and the creatures that are upon it.
Though it's based on Darwin's theories and scientific study of how the
earth began, it is told in manner that is more poetry than science.
Science Poetry I suppose would be a good way to describe it. It's
visually beautiful, creating analogies and comparisons and metaphors
between different forms and patterns found in nature from the
microcosmic to the galactic.
I wasn't so sure about it when it started,
but in the end the film charmed me. At times it's almost like watching
the more nature-loving moments of Koyaanisqatsi and
Powaqqatsi but with narration as well as music. At other times
it's like watching a not very scientific episode of Animal Planet
or Nature or
something of that ilk. But there are some beautiful images and ideas
expressed through this film. My favorite one is when the narrator
compares himself to a river, describing how even though the cells in his
body are constantly dying and constantly being regenerated by new cells,
that he is still himself. He notes that like a river, we are not forms
made of matter but forms irrigated by matter. That really struck me.
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GODZILLA RULES! This movie is twenty pounds of fun in a 5 pound bag! And
you have to understand, I am not a big Godzilla fan. I've actually seen
very few of the Godzilla movies. I only know a few of his enemies by
name and even fewer can I match name with face. I probably recognize
more of them from playing Destroy All Monsters than seeing the
movies.
So for those who actually love Godzilla and have seen all the movies,
this would be the extra-wicked-cool-excellent movie to see. It's kind of
a great Who's Who of Godzilla, with nearly every enemy and ally making
an appearance. The villians are great, with the arch enemy being an
excellent mix of threatening and evil looking as well as utterly
hilarious and funny. Cute hero doesn't suck either. I think, for a
Godzilla movie, it even has a pretty decent plot! And there's one
American character who practically steals the show, cause he's a total
macho commander type and as such is the totally perfect foil for the
rest of them, adding excellent humor value. I don't think I'll give any
synopsis - it would give too much away. This is a must see for Godzilla
fans!
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Is it possible to have a Jackie Chan film that a) doesn't really have
any villains in it, b) does have good fight scenes in it, c) is a
romantic comedy with Jackie as the romantic lead and d) is still good?
Why yes! Gorgeous is by no means to be compared with the
bulk of Chan's movies, but in comparison to most of his later films,
this is actually
one of the better ones. It is strange to have all of those components in
a Jackie Chan film, which are usually filled with villains and dangerous
fights and little to no romance, but somehow it works out just fine.
Bu is a young woman from Taiwan who finds a bottle with a message in it
saying "I love you" from a man in Hong Kong. But when she gets there
the fantasy quickly ends, leaving her uncertain as to what to do. She
meets Chan, a single businessman who spends more time working than
living, and becomes quickly fond of him. Young, impetuous, silly, and
full of life, she injects a breath of fresh air into his stale world and
reminds him of the worth of a smile, play, and simple pleasures. It's
light, fluffy, and charming for the most part, with only a few moments
that are a bit dull here and there. Nothing to get super excited about,
but the fight scenes, which are more a question of comparing skill than
expressing any malice or urge to maim, are still great even if Jackie
has lost some of his speed with age. Low on angst, high on perky. Take a
break from the usual fare if you're looking for something on the light
side.
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A Moroccan father living in France decides that he must go to Mecca
before he dies. Since he does not drive he forces his youngest son (18)
to drive him across 7 countries in order to get there. During the trip
father and son struggle with cultural, religious, and personal
differences as well as deal with a variety of strange and often
undesireable passengers.
In short, I wanted to enjoy this film more than
I did. It wasn't bad, but it was a bit of a one note movie. I felt like
the son grew and made accomodations during the film far more than the
father, and the father was annoying hard-assed about a lot of things
that I felt were dumb or unfair. There was also moments of lies and
deceptions that I didn't understand the point of. Parts of the film were
interesting or charming, but it felt a bit long and rambling. Then end,
however, was unexpected, and quite powerful and moving. When they show
Mecca, it's astonishing. You think, "Wow, what an huge number of people!
That's amazing!" and then the camera just keeps pulling back and pulling
back, revealing terrace after terrace, filled with what must be
thousands upon thousands of people. I just had no idea.
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