Gudhjem Reviews

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

Disappointing

[3/10 · 24 July 2001]

I went to see this this movie with only one expectation. To see a lot of scenes with Angelina Jolie - and I got what I wanted. Still I was disappointed.

I have to make it clear that I'm not a fan of the computer games. I don't have a special relation to the Lara Croft character. All I know is that she is supposed to be sexy and she is - in the film at least. It's always enjoyable to see a movie with Angelina Jolie but Lara Croft: Tomb Raider doesn't reach her usual standard.

While sitting in the cinema I felt that I was watching a movie made of leftovers. The Story reminded me of Indiana Jones but I think the Tomb Raider script is

made up of some the scenes that were not good enough to be in any of the

three Indiana Jones movies. The attacking statues in the temple in Cambodia

made me think of The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. I think the statues in

Tomb Raider were fired from The Mummy set for being unconvincing. When

they find the first half of the triangle the fluid reminded me of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. It was made i 1991 yet the effects are still better.

By now it should be obvious that I don't like Tomb Raider very much. After an hour I was waiting for it to finish and I wasn't sad when it did. I will give three stars. One goes to Christopher Barrie who plays Lara's butler Hillary. The I give one star to each of Angelina Jolies legs.

She is the only reason to go see Tomb Raider.

Hotellet (2000–2002)

Really Entertaining

[2 November 2000]

"Hotellet" is a very entertaining tv-show about a family hotel in a Danish town. In the first episode the father, Erik Faber, commits suicide by hanging himself and the rest of the family tries to find out what drove him to it. The cast is brilliant and the storyline is a mix of family drama and super natural thriller. It is obvious that the director, Morten Arnfred, has worked with Lars von Trier over the years. The style of "Hotellet" is similar to "The Kingdom" by von Trier. A show worth watching.

The Matrix (1999)

It's out of this world

[10/10 · 18 August 1999]

With this movie the Wachowski brothers pushed me over the edge of my imagination. During the nineties many films have been called a revolution within the industry but The Matrix is just that.

Our hero Neo is perfectly played by Keanu Reeves in, what I consider to be his best performance till this day. And Laurence Fishburne is just as excellent as Morpheus.

The visual effects are awesome without removing focus from a very good plot. And a good plot is a rarity in effect films like this one.

I surely hope a sequel is on the way. Primarily because it is obvious because of the way the film ends but also because I want more of this.

It's great.

The Rock (1996)

It will rock you.

[17 August 1999]

If you have ever had a weakness for action movies this is a gem. If you think action is a waste of time this is not for you.

With a trio like Connery, Cage and Harris I knew the acting would be good. And with Jerry Bruckheimer as the producer I knew it would be like taking a ride on a roller coaster. And it was. If you spend your money on a Bruckheimer production it is of no importance who the director is. They are all made from the same formula. And that is not such a bad idea when you look at the guy's track record.

And with this track record in mind I have to say that this is one of, if not the, best Bruckheimer production I have ever seen. In total I counted two sequences I could have been without. That is very descent for this kind of movie.

It is not an all-round classic. But it is an action classic.

The Usual Suspects (1995)

Suspiciously unusual

[16 August 1999]

This film is fantastic. Normally an American movie is as foreseeable as an infomercial but this one is nothing like anything else.

During the running time I was positive that I had figured out the plot.- at least three times. But I was SO wrong.

With a brilliant script from and superb directing by Brian Singer this movie takes us to the edge and back. I will comment on the plot as such, as it would be a shame for future viewers, but I have to say that this is one of the most original movies I have ever seen.

As this was the film witch put Kevin Spacey in the big league, with the Oscar winning performance as Verbal Kint, it is not filled with big-name actors. Next to Spacey, Gabriel Byrne is the most notable one. Still, all of the usual suspects perform well as does Chazz Palmateri as agent Kujan.

If you have not seen this movie, and I cannot imagine that to be the case, you should rather have done it yesterday than today. It is that good.

Heat (1995)

Masters go one on one

[16 August 1999]

Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. I could have ended this comment right here. If any actors have been a guaranty for quality during my career as a moviegoer these are the ones. And I think it is safe to assume that I was not the only one who had been looking forward to seeing then in the same movie again.

On top of that, they are brought together by Mr. Miami Vice – Michael Mann. Some people will argue that he is not an A-list director, and they are right. But if you can create a success with Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas, there should be no limit to what you could do with the acting material available in this movie.

The strength of this very good crime story is that Michael Mann gives us time to get to know the main characters. Therefore I felt like I had been watching two separate movies at one time. One of them starring Pacino and the other one starring De Niro. And that is this movie's strength.

The most powerful scene is the one in the coffee shop where the leading characters meet for the first time eye to eye. The only other time we see them together is in the all too obvious final scene. And in container area (if that is Pacino on the ground). Even though Pacino and De Niro are the big-names on the acting side, there are several good performances in supporting roles. Of course big parts like Val Kilmer's and Tom Sisemore's draw some attention I really like Jon Voight – even though it is a very small part.

This is by all means a powerful crime movie and I can warmly recommend it to everyone especially fans of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro – if they haven't already seen it.

Pizza King (1999)

A much needed film

[7/10 · 17 June 1999]

It would be untrue to call this film a masterpiece but never the less it is a film with a lot of qualities. A story about four friends with an Islamic background living in Copenhagen. We follow them through ups and downs, mostly downs, and get an insight into their enviroment. The main characters all act brilliantly but Janus Nabil Bakrawi and Ali Kazim stand out. I do have one small problem with the film. I think it is sad that we have to see so many stereotypes, both among the Islamic characters as well as the Caucasian. Still I think this film should be included as teaching material in the Danish school system. Especially with the rising racial tensions in our society.

Elizabeth (1998)

Costume drama or political thriller? I don't know.

[6/10 · 9 June 1999]

One part of this movie is really good while another part of it is rather boring and uninteresting.

It looks like a typical British costume drama and as such it is very beautiful and equally boring. It seems as if the director was afraid to make a movie that might actually be exciting all the way through.

During the parts of the movie where focus is on the political situation in Britain during Elizabeth's reign it gains a lot and becomes one of the best historical dramas of the nineties. During these sequences the film gains strength and tells us that political back stabbing is not a modern tool.

The film's real gem is Cate Blanchett as Queen Elizabeth. Every time she enters the screen she owns it. Her acting is reason enough to see the film. And she is not the only one. Christopher Eccleston and Geoffrey Rush have supporting roles which bring something to the movie. Eccleston's character is a primary player in the political part of the movie. That is why I like it so much. Because the political battle is what makes this film interesting.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

A Masterpiece A Masterpiece

[10/10 · 9 June 1999]

This is a rare kind of movie. A movie about the development of a friendship under the hardest conditions.

Being a huge fan of Stephen King's original novella, and considering past attempts to make his stories into movies, I was very sceptical when entering the theatre. But I have never seen an adaptation of his work which moved me in the way this one did. Director Darabont even get away with turning Red into an African American. Actually I think the movie is superior to the written version.

The main reason for this movie's strength is the two leading characters, brilliantly brought to life by Tim Robbins, (should have been Academy Award winner) Morgan Freeman. Together with the director they make this into a universal story and the American movie of the decade.

The only drawback is the ending. In my opinion it should have ended with Red getting on the bus. In that way each of us could create the ending we preferred. Most of us would have chosen the same one as the director but as it is presented I think it is a bit over the top. And that is sad for a movie of this kind.

Still, if I had to go to a deserted island bringing only one American movie from the nineties this would be it.

Pet Sematary (1989)

This movie will be back to haunt you

[1/10 · 9 June 1999]

If you liked the novel you will hate the film. And if you did not like or do not know the novel I wish you the best of luck. You will need it when you try to figure out why anybody would put money into a project like this one.

One of Stephen King's best books has been turned into one of the three worst adaptations of all times. King himself is responsible for the script and has a cameo but it is beyond my comprehension why he would want anything to do with this production.

The acting does not help anything. It is embarrassing and the characters seem to be made of card board. And worst of all, this is a horror movie without a single scare.

This movie is yet another proof that movie makers do not need to do good in order to make a box office hit.

Firestarter (1984)

A good story but a bad film

[3/10 · 9 June 1999]

Once again Hollywood has made a good and exciting novel into a very bad and almost embarrassing film. Good actors like George C Scott and Martin Sheen waste their talents in this waste of time. And childhood star Barrymore will most likely look back on this job as one she could have done without.

As the title might indicate, the film has a lot of pyrotechnic effects but they are not very well made and seem like an attempt to remove focus from a far from convincing story line. That is to be expected from a Stephen King adaptation but in this case the director does not seem interested in putting his personal touch on the plot.

Actually this seems like one of many films where the producers, and maybe the director, have told themselves that Stephen King's name on the poster will guarantee a box office hit. Unfortunately it does not guarantee a good film. Even by Stephen King standards it is below average.

JFK (1991)

The conspiracy of the millennium

[10/10 · 4 June 1999]

For people with an interest in the assassination of President Kennedy this film is a very good alternative to the far from perfect Warren report. With excellent performances from the entire cast, this movie combines the thoughts and theories of Jim Garrison and those presented in Jim Marrs' book.

Still this is basically Oliver Stone's own ideas as to what happened that day in Dallas and in the period leading up to it. Most people know Stone for his passion for the Vietnam War and even in this film we get a sub plot about this subject. But above all, this is a movie about a lost innocence. The political innocence and a hope for a better future both on political and racial issues. It's the story of a country with big problems and a refusal to deal with these.

One could argue that the JFK we are presented to is far to perfect considering the knowledge we have today. But he shall not be seen as a person but as the personification of new dreams for America. In this light the assassination was a terrible thing and as I see it that is what this film is all about. And of cause one man's quest for the truth. Jim Garrison, who is brilliantly portrayed by Costner. And it is a nice touch to have Garrison himself appear as Earl Warren.

The film is a must for everyone fascinated by the myth known as JFK and for those who like movies with a message.

8MM (1999)

A waste of talent

[2/10 · 3 June 1999]

I went to the theater with high hopes for this movie. I could not imagine that the combined talents of Nicolas Cage, Joel Schumacher and Andrew Kevin Walker would result in such a complete waste of time. Seeing Cage's acting in this movie made me see that he is not the kind of actor from which you are sure to get a top performance. And that made me sad especially considering his towering performances in Face/Off and Leaving Las Vegas. I don't really know who or what ruined this movie. The story is good, in a really bad way, so I don't think that it's Walker's fault. As for the actors they just do what they're told and that leaves me with the director. Joel Schumacher ruined the Batman series and now he ruined a good story. Up until this movie he alone could get me to buy a ticket but that time has passed. I hope it will return again but he has to pull himself together. My advice to my fellow film buffs is to avoid this film. It's a waste of time and money.

Unforgiven (1992)

A great western

[10/10 · 27 May 1999]

Unforgiven is the best western ever since the John Ford - John Wayne trilogy. A fantastic cast headed by Eastwood and Hackman gives us a story which crawls under the skin. It really shows us what can happen if you are unable to escape your past. It is a must see for all western lovers and even for my generation for whom westerns are just another kind of action movies like the Young Guns films.

The Lion King (1994)

Disney delight

[9/10 · 12 April 1999]

Now that's what I call entertainment. Disney has outdone themselves once more. Following great films like The Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, they pull a stunt like this. A very likable story and some great comical reliefs, like Timon, Pumba and Zazu. It's a fable of the old sort, where diferent generations can see it on diferent levels. I've seen both the original American version and in the Danish dubbed version and they both entertained me. I can really recommend it to all ages.

Dune (1984)

A master's disaster

[4/10 · 12 April 1999]

This film is a great example of what can happen when studio executives interfere in the work of great film makers. Every time I see it, I have to remind myself that it is not a work of David Lynch alone. Still it hurts to see what a mess they made of the combined talents of David Lynch and Frank Herbert. The best thing about the film is that Lynch introduces us to his star to be Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atrides. If you are a Lynch fanatic it is a must. If you are a Herbert fanatic it is painful. And you just enjoy a good film every now and then, it is a waste of time. Go for Blue Velvet or 2001: A Space Odyssey depending on the reason for considering this film.

The Untouchables (1987)

Great stuff

[10/10 · 29 March 1999]

An absolute classic. These three words describe this masterpiece. De Palma and his supreme cast give us what we want. An intense drama about good and bad. A towering performance by Connery as an Irish-American cop with a Scottish accent stand out but Costner, De Niro and the rest of the cast, down to the baby in the Potemkin inspired scene at the train station, deliver great performances. Another reason for loving this movie is, that it is full of really bad editing mistakes. The best one being the roof top scene, where Ness helps Niiti to his car. If you haven't seen it I feel sorry for you. Whether you rent it, or buy doesn't matter. But it is a MUST SEE!

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998 Video)

Another mindless sequal

[2/10 · 23 March 1999]

Here we go again. Just as it happened with Aladdin, the Disney studios has taken advantage of the massive box-office appeal of one of their feature length animated films. And just as it happened with Aladdin, it is awful and a downright waste of time. If you want to be reunited with Simba and the others, buy the original.