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charmkat
Reviews
Marple: A Murder Is Announced (2005)
Ghastly Adaptation, give it a miss!
Don't bother with it! Geraldine McEwan is an awful Miss Marple, and the acting in this is so ham its unbelievable, the choice of actors for the roles completely wrong too, especially the role of Miss Blacklock, she was too young, as was Bunny! I could not understand why it was felt necessary to create whole new story lines either. And the whole lesbian thing so unnecessary, Agatha Christie must be turning in her grave. Don't know who came up with this but based on this would never bother with another Geraldine McEwan Marple again. Joan Hickson without doubt the best Miss Marple ever, the rest are just pale imitations (Margaret Rutherford was a unique character all her own, I'm talking in modern terms).
Armageddon (1998)
Bruce's last line should have been...!
I know I'm going to be totally cried down here (because yes, I know he plays a different character when he says it), but they really should have let Brucie's last words be "Yippeekayay Motherfu**er". "We win Gracie" just didn't do it for me! However, I genuinely really loved this movie, despite all the improbables (why do the "scientists" have to get involved in something that is only pure Hollywood?). Loved the way you could laugh and cry, the characters each had their own traits that endeared them to you, the special effects are really awesome, and the music is great (bought the CD)!!!! This movie is great entertainment - and thats what a movie is meant to be!
Goodnight Sweetheart (1993)
Worth Watching!
Great series worth watching, although for me I preferred the earlier episodes when Dervla Kirwin played Phoebe. The actress who played her in the later episodes was much harder - Phoebe was a tough little cockney girl, but there was still an appealing softness about her which was lacking after the changeover, whereas both actresses who played Yvonne were great. Nick Lyndhurst as Gary was brilliant, and loved his sidekick, Ron. The only thing I really felt towards the end was that the plot had grown somewhat exaggerated... probably hence my preference for the earlier series which were more convincing. But I have all of them on DVD and thoroughly enjoying revisting the series after originally seeing it on TV.
Poseidon (2006)
Disappointing
Creating everything with computers is causing total lack of authenticity. Boat looked so fake and so did the "tidal" wave, not to mention a bunch of other "special effects" were so obviously nothing more than computer generated. As to storyline... er, where was the liner heading? What caused freak wave? Would have been more convincing with them sailing into major storm. How far from land were they and where did the helicopters magically come from? I honestly think the original version was better and that's saying something. Everyone entitled to own opinion, but I think its time Hollywood pulled something original out of the hat, and stopped with the re-makes. And as far a computer technology goes, its a great thing to have but it doesn't always work up there on the big screen.
War Party (1988)
Powerful
J-Thomas2 from Atlanta is entitled to his opinion but clearly he missed the opportunity to realise the in-depth racial message behind this very powerful and thought evoking movie. I have a number of Native American friends who felt that the message was very strongly delivered, and who could themselves relate to the racial tensions between White men and Native Americans as depicted in this film. The Native American actors provide excellent realism, although the film could well do without Matt Dillon playing a Native American as this is unconvincing. While the background of the re-enactment battle provides somewhat of a cliché storyline, the vicious racial tensions that are the result are portrayed with frightening realism. The story builds to a stunning climax and the final frames of this movie are as shocking as the message they portray.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
We enjoyed it!
The trouble with "remakes" is that it inevitably brings comparisons with the previous version rather than the film being allowed to stand on its own merits. However, I took two 11yr old boys to see Charlie & The Chocolate Factory today, and they both came out saying they thought it was great, and definitely wanted to see it again
and want it when it comes out on DVD. From them, that's top praise. For me, a film is entertainment and escapism, and I think both are achieved in this movie as far as that goes.
I thought Depp played the role of Wonka really well, and seemed to capture far more of the weirder essence present in Dahl's character, than his predecessor (Gene Wilder). The kids were as I expected, irritating
just as they are in the books. Great copy of characterisation from the book! And young Freddie Highmore also seemed to produce the wholesome good boy, beloved of his family, as characterised in the Dahl novel, although what the movie didn't manage to reproduce, was the closeness of Charlie's relationship with "Grandpa Joe", which was a shame because it is such an essential ingredient of the original story.
My only real criticism was where the makers chose to take a divert from the book with the invention of Wonka's past. I felt it was totally unnecessary, and feel that they could have used that time more wisely, to develop Charlie and Grandpa Joe's relationship, and given them a bit more talk time as they toured the factory, rather than have them, more observers, at times, than central participants. And by the way, great to see David Kelly (Grandpa Joe) on the big screen, I remember him as "Alfred" all those years ago in Robin's Nest!!! Overall, I'd say Tim Burton did a great job and my young critics tell me they think it deserves an 8/10 rating
well kids can't be wrong, can they?!!!