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Reviews
Hendrix (2000)
Awful; a disservice to Hendrix's memory
This movie completely misrepresents Jimi Hendrix and is disrespectful to his memory. Besides the fact that the acting by Wood Harris was abysmal and made James Hendrix look like a fool, there are other deeper flaws. The writing is terribly lazy. It picks out certain moments from Jimi's life and incorporates them into the script without any true insight on the background of the experiences. And once it's in the script, it barely casts any real insight on James's life or true character. For example, Jimmy had a very rocky relationship with his father, and got very little support from him. The writing didn't even bother to touch on this at all. The writer seemed to be stricken by a severely one-dimensional view of James's life, or at least may chosen one. In the last of the two or three scenes that briefly elaborate on James's relation to his father, the script consisted of mere small-talk, and then Al stating his mother would be proud. It doesn't even bother to touch on the true-life familial instability. It seems as if this would've been "too hard" for the writers. Hendrix barely interacts with anybody besides his lawyer and managers. Hendrix actually had real relationships with other people, including his fellow musicians, who didn't merely whine at him when he did too many takes. After the Experience breaks up, the plot doesn't even touch on the relationships he had with his new band members, the arrangement of the Band of Gypsys, and the final band mixture of the Experience and Band of Gypsys which combined Billy Cox and Mitch Mitchell. In a sense, all of these arguments have to do with the technical and literary aspects of the film-making. Sure, this type of representation of Jimi Hendrix is good for the average complacent viewer, but for anyone who is genuinely wanting to know something about Hendrix's life, the tragic thing is how much of a misrepresentation this film is. The real problem is that the people in charge of this film actually had the disrespect to even make this movie after getting denied the rights by the Hendrix estate to actually use his original music. The filmmakers decided it would be okay to make a film about Jimi Hendrix, even if they would have to substitute Jimi Hendrix's playing with covers by an anonymous guitarist whose playing did not even come close to conveying Hendrix's true musical genius. That, and all of the songs "played" in the film are songs that he had performed that weren't even his own compositions (Wild Thing, Like a Rolling Stone). The fact that they had the audacity and the disrespect to just go along and make the film under these conditions is staggering. Essentially, they made a film about Jimi Hendrix, yet his music was in the background of the plot while his LEGAL TROUBLES took the foreground. I would say one of the primary fascinating aspects about Jimi Hendrix is his music, considering that is what he is so famous for. His musicianship was incredible. His playing was certainly along the lines of a virtuoso. Not only that, but a very powerful aspect of Jimi Hendrix's music that is often taken for granted these days is that before him, NOBODY PLAYED LIKE HE DID. Nobody at all. His style was absolutely unheard of and original. Neither this aspect of his music or his original songwriting were touched on at all in this film. Instead, this film focused on half-truths about Hendrix's so-called deterioration. Something the film failed to touch on, yet was a big part of his life in 1970 - he was working on a brand-new double album with all-new material, First Rays of the New Rising Sun. He didn't just become a big hopeless baby of a wreck, as the film portrayed him to be. His death is shrouded in mystery and it can't just be displayed as an intentional overdose. A very false picture of his life is presented: that Jimi Hendrix overdosed on drugs due to immaturity and an inability to cope with fame like a reasonable human being. It is such a disservice to his memory that he was portrayed like this. If you want to really know Hendrix, read about him. Not just a brief mini-biography, read a book about him. Or two. And above all, listen to his music. Peace out.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
A vast improvement over 1 and 2 (WARNING MAJOR SPOILERS)
This film actually engrossed me in the story. It completely dwarfs Episodes 1 and 2 in story, action, acting. First of all, let me just point out that Hayden Christensen has greatly improved his acting skills. His performance was thoroughly believable, and though clunky at some bits, he impressed me. As usual, Ewan McGregor's performance was great, as was Yoda's. Natalie Portman seemed less wooden in this film, and showed emotion that was believable. Samuel L. Jackson didn't impress me, because his acting was more involved in 1 and 2 than in this one. Up until his death scene, which was powerful (after having his hand cut off by Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine lightning-blasts him out a window into Coruscant's traffic), his character was quite wooden. General Grievous, the cyborg villain who didn't last very long in the movie, wasn't particularly entertaining, though the short-but-sweet lightsaber duel between him and Obi-Wan was fun for what it was. The story was more entertaining and easier to follow than the political jibber-jabber of 1 and 2. One of the most emotionally intense sequences of the movie is when Order 66 is carried out. Obviously a plan long in the making, Palpatine contacts all of his clone leaders and tells them to "Execute Order 66." Subsequently, clone troopers all across the galaxy turn on the Jedi they had been fighting alongside with, mercilessly blasting them to death. The montage of this sequence shocked and saddened me. Anakin's turn to the Dark Side is riveting and disturbing. The clones aren't the only ones executing the Jedi. A particularly shocking scene is when Anakin, amidst all of the Jedi extermination, walks into the Jedi Council room with his hood up, looking sinister. Remember the Jedi younglings from Episode 2? They come out from hiding behind chairs and one of them says something to Anakin along the lines of, "What should we do, Master Anakin? There are too many clones!" Anakin ignites his lightsaber. The next time we see these younglings is when Yoda and Obi-Wan are inspecting their dead bodies on the floor. The long-awaited fight between Anakin and Obi-Wan is up to par with expectations. Anakin is dismembered by Obi-Wan (loses both his legs and left arm), and lies immobile on the shore of a lava river. Obi-Wan tells him how he was the chosen one. As he begins to walk away, Anakin screams venomously, "I hate you!" (great acting job) and catches on fire. Very powerful. There are some minor downsides to SITH - more cheesy, nonsensical love dialogue, though there is a lot less than in Episode 2. On a good note, Hayden's acting managed to make the lines seem somewhat decent. Also, some parts seemed rushed (Mace vs. Palpatine, the ending). One major gripe is that the wipe-transitions George Lucas uses almost always takes away the effect of the scene because it doesn't leave any dramatic pause i.e. when Vader is told that he killed Padme, he screams "Noooo!" The scene abruptly ends, quite awkwardly, by wiping quickly from this scene to the next. Revenge of the Sith: 9 out of 10. Incredible improvement.
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
(Arguably) the best of the original trilogy
The Empire Strikes Back is a rare gem in that it, in many eyes, surpasses the original. From the very beginning, showing the improved special FX of the probe droids crashing down onto the ice planet of Hoth, the audience is hooked. The beginning of the movie continues to amaze, with the Imperial vs. Rebel battle in the snowy plains, and, more importantly, showing an array of character development. For example, Luke's recklessness and determination to become a Jedi, Han Solo and Princess Leia's wonderfully-crafted love story, (which far surpasses the new prequel trilogy's heart-on-your-sleeve awkward love story), and the main characters being divided into several different stories and places. Overall, a brilliant, fun film. 9/10