Morpheus-20 Reviews

Natural Born Killers (1994)

*** THIS COMMENT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT THEIR SHORTCOMINGS POINTED OUT***

[22 July 2001]

I saw this movie back in 1995, and I loved it. (I've seen it 4-5 times) It told a story that had not been told before. At least not that I knew of. I really didn't want to comment on this movie, but after reading some of the comments here I feel I should.

There are a couple of comments about how Oliver Stone "has made a movie about glorification of violence by the media, that glorifies violence in itself." (not an actual quote) This is the whole point of the movie!!! Media has desensetized you! I know I thought some of the gory scenes were cool, though slowly but surely I was getting more and more disgusted by the things Micky and Mallory did. I took a LONG hard look at myself and found that I was one of the people that Stone is trying to reach with this movie. Clearly there are a lot of us here.

Stone breaks down doors that people thought were open. Yes, people know that watching too much TV is bad for you. How many of those people put their kids in front of the TV when they get tired of playing? How many of them let the kids have their own TV? How many of them hire a babysitter that lets the kids watch TV? These are valid questions. Natural Born Killers shows a possible future for those kinds of kids.

We all know violence is bad. Still we accept that the good guys beat the living snot out of the bad guys. Why? Natural Born Killers shows the bad guys beating the living snot out of the good guys, and suddenly it's "glorification of violence." Anyone else see the logic in that? I don't.

Actually, the people who think that this movie glorifies violence just have not understood it at all. (No, I'm not calling them stupid, just naïve.) It has done quite the opposite to a lot of people around the world.

People who say that this movie is saying something that "I've said for twenty years", just don't get it!!! You may have said it, but: Did you say it out loud? Did you go to any trouble trying to make sure that people knew that you had this insight? If people had done this, this movie would probably not have become what it became. (According to the collectors version of the movie) This movie was supposed to be a "Summer action movie." Somewhere along the way it started to say what most people who are aware of their surroundings had thought "for twenty years." The key word here is "thought."

This movie is one of the most thought-provoking of the 20th century!!! Do yourself a favor and go see it / rent it! Make sure you see it more than once though... The first time, the violence can be a bit too much if you're sensitive. The second time, you go beneath the layer of violence (the shock value is gone, the nastiness isn't) and find an important movie.

The Ninth Gate (1999)

A splendid movie.

[19 June 2000]

This is one of the best movies I have seen. I touches all the bases: comedy, romance, action, drama, thriller and horror. There is no real way of describing it without spoiling it, suffice it to say that you will not be disappointed. Especially if you like to leave a movie thinking.

The actors deliver some of their greatest performances. Lena Olin is incredible, Frank Langella is ominously spooky and Johnny Depp, well... let's just say that you forget that he is an actor playing Corso. He IS Corso. In my opinion: Depp is one of the greatest, now living, actors in the world.

Bravo, Mr Polanski!!!

Titanic (1997)

Good... But not great.

[8/10 · 10 May 2000]

This is a good movie -- there's no doubt about that. However, it is not all it's cracked up to be. I saw it about a week after it opened in Sweden.

There are some magnificent performances, for instance the oft forgotten Billy Zane, playing the jealous would-be husband of Rose, 'Cal' Hockley. I must confess that I have something against Leonardo DiCaprio, but there are a few performances in which he shines! These are: "Luke" in the series Growing Pains, "Arnie" in What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and "Jack" in Titanic. Kate Winslet, however, delivers a very stereotypical "rich-girl-getting-a-taste-of-the-wild-life" performance, which I soon put out of my mind. The best female performances are instead Kathy Bates as "'Unsinkable' Molly Brown and Frances Fisher as "Ruth DeWitt Butaker".

A final note: The saddest moment of the movie is not the one people usually thinks about, but rather the fate of "Tommy Ryan" (Jason Barry)... watch it again, and see what I mean. I don't usually cry at movies, but during that scene, I was close to tears.

Mission to Mars (2000)

HOLY S**T! This movie SUCKS!

[1/10 · 15 April 2000]

This was one of the worst movies I have ever seen... My heart goes out to Tim Robbins and Gary Sinise, two of my favourite actors. Okay, the first half is not a total loss, but when the second mission to mars comes along... phew!!! Stink-city! One major point: The parts of a DNA-helix are NOT called chromosomes!!! Chromosomes are made up of DNA!!! A good description of the second part: "Vulgo-Disney". (A friend of mine who saw the movie at the same time...)

Don't see this movie! Instead see 2001 and/or Contact. You'll feel better for it!!!

Soul Music (1997)

Actually, I was disappointed...

[10 April 2000]

Well I WAS! The book is FAR superior!!! The series is more like a children's comic. ´The animation was shoddy, and a lot of the voice acting sounded forced. The only real laugh I got was when Death speeds toward a cliff edge and shouts: "Oh, BUGGER!" Christopher Lee (Death) was the only really good actor. His voice is as close as a mortal can get.

On a brighter note: The music was very good indeed. Especially the sixties, hippie track.

The Commitments (1991)

A beautiful movie!

[9/10 · 10 April 2000]

When I saw it back in 1993, this movie touched me. Deeply! Since then I have seen it about 15 times. It is the tale of a young working-class Dubliner who starts a band. Simple enough, but that's only the beginning. Then the characters, and the well-laid story comes into play. The acting is top-notch all the way. The characters are simultaneously funny and sad. The music is incredible, and the story is beautiful.

All in all, a beautiful movie.

Can't Buy Me Love (1987)

Damn it! I liked it...

[10 April 2000]

Ordinarily I don't like this kind of American high-school movie, but I actually enjoyed this one. It is -- in the end -- really sweet. My only objection: The moral is supposed to be something along the lines of "be yourself and all will turn out well." But if Ronald had stayed himself, Cindy would still have thought him a nerd, and totally ignored him. A minor point, because the movie is sheer entertainment, and it delivers quite a number of chuckles.

Neverwhere (1996)

My God! It's Neil Gaiman!

[10/10 · 4 April 2000]

This is simply incredible. At the same time dark and brooding, funny and silly, and outright weird. In a nutshell: True Neil Gaiman.

I did not read the book before I saw the series, but now I have read the book and I was struck by how well made the series is. It feels the same way as the book -- and I don't think I need to say how rare that is... Very Neil Gaiman! Now I just wait for the adaptation of The Sandman...

End of Days (1999)

It's not THAT bad...

[9 February 2000]

Okay, so this is not a master-piece. There are some good performances in it though, Gabriel (irony?) Byrne as Satan being the best one. The premise of the movie is not wrong. Arnold Schwarzenegger is cast as a drunk, who has all but given up on life. This may seem trite -- "down-and-out man saves the world", but in my opinion this is entirely valid. Look at the world today. Schwarzenegger's character becomes the archetype of the fin de siecle human -- the person who is in a very dark place, because he/she can't see why things are how they are. In this version, the person finds his answer in faith, because this is a spiritual movie, action and F/X aside. The movie is in fact a powerful message: Don't give up!

Dogma (1999)

This is a great movie.

[10/10 · 31 January 2000]

At the same time as being funny -- downright wacky at times -- this movie is thought-provoking and existential. It asks some very relevant questions and many religious people would do well to see this. I have a feeling that it could be perceived as blasphemous, but read the introductory disclaimer, and you will see that this is, first and foremost, Entertainment. It has some of all genres: drama, thriller, action and especially comedy. There are some first rate performances. Indeed, there are few that are below "good", no bad, a couple of averages. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are chilling in their going from warm-hearted and humane to coldly distanced. Linda Fiorentino is great as the woman who gets all this shoved in her face. A very nice detail is that, for all View Askew-fans, Jay and Silent Bob are back! Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith (also the director) take their characters to new highs and lows (in the good sense). Alan Rickman, one of my favorite actors of all time, is inspired as the Metatron. In conclusion: This is a great movie, whether you are in it for the plot and the idea or simply the great entertainment.

Cats (1998 Video)

On the whole very good.

[8/10 · 8 January 2000]

This is a very good adaption of my favourite musical. The only real drawbacks were the removal of Growltiger's Last Stand, and the rewriting of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. The latter is incredible with the original tune (the best song, IMHO), so I don't understand why they rewrote it...

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Kubrick!

[9/10 · 13 September 1999]

What better one line summary can one come up with than "Kubrick"? Even beyond the grave he challenges people and creates dissension. This is not new when it comes to Kubrick. This latest piece of work is nothing less than a masterpiece. Yet again the focus is, somehow, not on the acting as such, but rather the plot. The plot is the real main character in this movie. As for the actors... Well I guess that most actors could have pulled off what Cruise and Kidman achieved. These are not the best actors in Hollywood. They are not bad, but there are better. But as I said: In this movie, it does not matter.

I can not remember the last time I heard music that was as haunting as the score for this movie. It gave the movie an ethereal, supernatural quality that almost made you wish that something supernatural would happen in the movie -- not so much consciously as subconsciously. The eerie piano playing its strange melody, accompanying Cruise in that weird mask, just standing there, saying nothing. It kept me at the edge of my seat.

As for the plot: It is a stroke of genius. Such a simple story as that of a couple who are in a rut. Nothing particularly exciting happens in their life. That is to say, before the movie truly begins. Then it becomes a fascinating look into emotional life, sexuality and psyche. The audience feels compelled both to loathe Cruise and to love him. All the while he explores his world, the world changes.

My hat off and a deep bow to one of the greatest directors that ever livéd in the tide of times. You will be forever in our hearts, Stanley Kubrick.

Pleasantville (1998)

Very good.

[8/10 · 8 September 1999]

Okay, now I understand what the fuss was about this movie. It is very good. The idea is good, the acting is good... the whole atmosphere is good. The only thing that bothers me a bit is the fact that it emphasizes so much on sex. Don't get me wrong, sex is nice, but it seems -- toward the end -- that the makers of this movie realized that they had only used sex as the thing that would "wake people up" ie. give them color. But once they realized it, they came up with some very good ideas.

The Avengers (1998)

Well that sucked!

[2 September 1999]

Why did they make this film? Why? The acting is okay, sometimes. Other times it sucks! The "sexual" tension between Thurman and Fiennes is the most pathetic display I have seen in a LONG time. The interaction between Fiennes and Connery, however, is good, but that is not enough to save it from being an almost total disaster.

Uma Thurman is, as always, beautiful but she is so much better than what she shows here. Fiennes showed that he is a very accomplished actor, e.g. in The English Patient, but he is dragged down by poor direction and a terrible plot. The same goes for Mr. Connery who is the one I pity the most. He is, normally, incredible. Here he is, at best, good. He deserves so much more than this.

The Sixth Sense (1999)

I doesn't get much better than this.

[10/10 · 1 September 1999]

This movie was incredible. I don't think I have ever seen Bruce Willis better and young Haley Joel Osment has an incredible future ahead, if he keeps this up. He already had Forrest Gump on his record, in which he was very good as the young Forrest.

On to the movie itself: It scared the living hell out of me! I have lately been complaining that there has not been enough really good mystery/supernatural/horror movies lately. This one came along at just the right time. The suspense that is built up is phenomenal. It's all the little things that do it. Just little details -- that are hard to define. And the interplay between the characters is great. I actually lost track of time, and the fact that I was "just" watching a movie... I am going to see this one at least twice more.

Beowulf (1999)

Not very good...

[23 June 1999]

Ok, so this movie wasn't very good. But I would just like to comment about the plot:

It is almost 1400 years old. It is one of the greatest hero-stories in the world. Too bad they had to wreck it this way. But don't knock the plot!

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Why a children's movie?

[5/10 · 27 May 1999]

This movie is a children's movie. The desire to make it appeal to the largest audience possible, makes this movie average -- at best -- with the F/X being the only thing that is truly impressive. Some nice performances, though, such as Pernilla August and Ewan McGregor.

Show Me Love (1998)

Leaves you all warm inside.

[8/10 · 10 January 1999]

This movie is one of the best I have ever seen. It is fantastic. The acting is great and the story is beautiful. It is one of those movies where you leave the theater feeling all warm inside after seeing. The story is that of the small town of Åmål, but it could be any small town. I think all who have grown up in such a small place will recognize it. Just view it!

The Truman Show (1998)

Thank you, Mr Weir

[9/10 · 10 January 1999]

All I can say is: Thank you, Mr Weir.

Thank you for letting Jim Carrey show more of his register. Thank you for making this movie.

The Prince (I) (1996)

Machiavellian plot

[8/10 · 10 January 1999]

This movie is very good. For the lovers of intrigue and corporate in-fighting it is an absolute must. The references to Machiavelli are obvious (they even show the book and the characters refer to him a couple of times). Though the actual words are updated to a modern style of talking, the thoughts are still the same. So if you like plotting, scheming and intrigue, like me, then you just have to see it.

The Storyteller (1987–1989)

Incredible series!

[31 December 1998]

Man, oh man... This series is one of the best I have seen. John Hurt is simply incredible as the storyteller. Here in Sweden I don't think it got enough attention, because it was called "Sagor för stora barn" which translates roughly into "Stories for big children". Sucks, huh?

There are some beautifully designed creatures and, of course, the stories are timeless.

Down Periscope (1996)

Actually quite clever

[15 December 1998]

This was a movie that actually took me by surprise. I am into the kind of zany comedy found in Hot Shots and The Naked Gun, but I don't think that they are good movies. They are just entertainment. This movie on the other hand is an example of the fact that there can be a modicum of intelligence in a crazy comedy.