remember, remember the fifth of november...
V for Vendetta *****
I will have to say that this is the best film I have seen this year. Possibly the best film I have seen in a long time. With a lot of attention placed on films like Brokeback Mountain and Crash, V for Vendetta seemed to disappear from the spotlight. And yet, it is an incredibly well shot film with great acting and a story that should be introduced to every film lover.
The hero/villian of the movie is V, a masked terrorist played by Hugo Weaving, who spouts off poetry and lines from Shakespeare at every turn. This separates V from just about every hero or villian that has been seen in recent films, who tend to either swear a lot, use a ton of catchphrases, or just sound stupid. Natalie Portman is good in her role as Evey, and John Hurt as Chancellor Sutler is great (as usual). But the star of the show has to be Roger Allam as Lewis Prothero, "the voice of London", who has an almost Rush Limbaugh/Bill O'Reilly quality about him that one wishes they could slap his face through the screen when he talks.
V for Vendetta is probably the most scathing critique of ultra-Conservative governments in recent cinema. One who stays aware of current political philosophies in the western world will be drawing many parallels between this film and real life. And one should. This is not only a film designed to entertain, it is made to make one think.
This film will not be remembered as the best or most famous film of Andy and Larry Wachowski. It doesn't need to be. But it should be remembered as their most important work, unless they provide us with something better in the future. What is important is that this film did what Fahrenheit 9/11 attempted to do without having to come right out and proclaim what it was. It gave the audience something to think about instead of telling the audience what to think. Is V a hero? Is V a villian? Is V a terrorist? That is a decision left for us to make.
Final Destination 3 **
If you've seen the first two, you pretty much know where this one is going to go. Something bad is going to happen, someone will have a premonition and save a few others from their deaths, and then Death will stalk them in the order in which they were supposed to die. It was cool the first time, a little less cool the second time (although the highway scene was very good), but this one just doesn't do it. And we've seen most of the deaths in other films.
The Pink Panther *
Do yourself a favour here. If you want the Pink Panther, rent the Peter Sellers version. If you're a fan of Steve Martin, rent The Jerk. You'll be much happier and better off. This film relies too much on tired jokes. And what are you thinking Jean Reno...you are much better than this. Go back to being the brooding terrorist character and keep away from roles like this.
I will have to say that this is the best film I have seen this year. Possibly the best film I have seen in a long time. With a lot of attention placed on films like Brokeback Mountain and Crash, V for Vendetta seemed to disappear from the spotlight. And yet, it is an incredibly well shot film with great acting and a story that should be introduced to every film lover.
The hero/villian of the movie is V, a masked terrorist played by Hugo Weaving, who spouts off poetry and lines from Shakespeare at every turn. This separates V from just about every hero or villian that has been seen in recent films, who tend to either swear a lot, use a ton of catchphrases, or just sound stupid. Natalie Portman is good in her role as Evey, and John Hurt as Chancellor Sutler is great (as usual). But the star of the show has to be Roger Allam as Lewis Prothero, "the voice of London", who has an almost Rush Limbaugh/Bill O'Reilly quality about him that one wishes they could slap his face through the screen when he talks.
V for Vendetta is probably the most scathing critique of ultra-Conservative governments in recent cinema. One who stays aware of current political philosophies in the western world will be drawing many parallels between this film and real life. And one should. This is not only a film designed to entertain, it is made to make one think.
This film will not be remembered as the best or most famous film of Andy and Larry Wachowski. It doesn't need to be. But it should be remembered as their most important work, unless they provide us with something better in the future. What is important is that this film did what Fahrenheit 9/11 attempted to do without having to come right out and proclaim what it was. It gave the audience something to think about instead of telling the audience what to think. Is V a hero? Is V a villian? Is V a terrorist? That is a decision left for us to make.
Final Destination 3 **
If you've seen the first two, you pretty much know where this one is going to go. Something bad is going to happen, someone will have a premonition and save a few others from their deaths, and then Death will stalk them in the order in which they were supposed to die. It was cool the first time, a little less cool the second time (although the highway scene was very good), but this one just doesn't do it. And we've seen most of the deaths in other films.
The Pink Panther *
Do yourself a favour here. If you want the Pink Panther, rent the Peter Sellers version. If you're a fan of Steve Martin, rent The Jerk. You'll be much happier and better off. This film relies too much on tired jokes. And what are you thinking Jean Reno...you are much better than this. Go back to being the brooding terrorist character and keep away from roles like this.
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