smoothw's reviews

I can see how this could work as a novel, but as a film it is basically a lot of sex in bad lighting and a study in dull people feeling bad. A throwback to films made in the 60's or 70's, but then again I don't think people really liked those kind of movies back then anymore than they do now.

Basically the handsome star of Star Wars Episode 1 and Tilda Swinton have sex a lot, and Ewan feels bad for murdering his former gf. I didn't really get any revelations about human nature from this movie, and I didn't exactly connect with any of the characters as 3-d human beings. I still applaud big time actors for taking of their trousers on screen.

I picked up this movie expecting another slow intense tale of urban alienation in Taipei, and I guess i got it, Of course i also got a wacky comedy and a dopey yet sweet love story. The only real problem with the movie is some awful english language performances, but those people don't appear as often in the second half. Best moment-when the women Hong Kong is trying to mess with bring her own gang of female predators, and they are dressed and act like his own gang! 7/10

The same film footage is played four or five times with a different audio background each time. I liked it personally because it was a good example of how we react to film through both audio and visual cues, and as an example of how rythms can be imposed on anything. There's is also some amusing bits in there too. Not essential greenaway, but worth seeing if you can find it.

After watching the deadly dull and self important road to perdition, my friend and I needed a movie to cleanse our system. Shoalin Soccer is the perfect movie for that purpose. I dare anyone to actually hate this movie. The special effects are great, all the performances are great, and the movie doesn't take itself at all seriously. I think the horrible translated subtitles actually improved the experience. GO EVIL TEAM!!! Stephen Chow is definitely a talent to watch.

Miramax, please don't mess with this movie too much if you ever release this in america.

This movie is truly horrendous, and doubly so because the premise and cast had such promise. Let's start with what was good. NOTHING. Let's run down what was wrong. First of all, the score was awful, and made the numerous and truly baffling montage sequences border on unbearable. All drama, tension, and real guts disappears the second the sappy music kicks in. And the fact that the whole thing is told from the perspective of a naive, all-American twelve-year old kid takes away almost all true potential the film has. Plot is ignored for a ridiculously horrible father-son subplot. Get this, while the two are on the run there actually is a dumb, stock, sequence in which the son learns to drive, which becomes a running gag throughout the movie. Since when do mobster flicks have running gags? They don't, and this isn't one. Road To Perdition could have been good. There were one or two good scenes. I give it that. Paul Newman is the best thing in this movie. Tom Hanks reeks in comparison, and the movie plays more like Forrest Gump. The whole bad guy buzz is totally untrue, and for maybe only ten minutes of the film do you even inch near fearing him. This film misses everything that makes a gangster movie good. Most essentially a spine, and a sense of the darkness and violence that plagues us. And the previews of the film try desperately to play up this very aspect. Please, for God's sake, do not be fooled. This movie is not the classic that they are telling us it is. It may win best picture, and Tom Hanks may get an Oscar nod, and I guess at least he's trying something different (which is noteworthy in itself, right?) But if you want a genuinely good movie about the mafia, rent Miller's Crossing. Or The Godfather. Or anything, please. This movie made me squirm in the isle. Stinkeroo.