non-review review | the m0vie blog

Non-Review Review: True Romance

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Darren

True Romance is one of those films I’m surprised never found a stronger audience, even retroactively. It features a screenplay from Quentin Tarantino which really put the future director on the map, but it also features a huge number of pre-stardom appearances from actors as diverse as James Gandolfini, Brad Pitt and Chris Penn. The movie holds together fantastically, but perhaps it works better as a collection of scenes than as a fully-realised movie – but, when the scenes are this good, that’s not necessarily a heavy criticism.

It's Whirley ride...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: brad pitt, Chris Penn, Christian Slater, christopher walken, dennis hopper, elvis, elvis presley, ensemble, films, james gandolfini, Movie, non-review review, Patricia Arquette, quentin tarantino, review, tarantino, tony scott, true romance, true romance (film) | 4 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Ronin

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Darren

Ronin is the perfect example of a movie that knows exactly what it is. It’s a high-octane thriller which bends and curves and uncertainties and all manner of similar complications. There’s no tangential elements to the plot, like an awkwardly-inserted love-story or an attempt to humanise any of the people involved. It’s just a well-made thriller with fantastic locations and wonderfully-staged action. At one stage, the grizzled French mercenary Vincent remarks, “No questions, no answers. That’s the business we’re in.” It’s refreshing and honest, and frank.

DeNiro's the big gun here...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: action movie, david mamet, europe, films, Jean Reno, John Frankenheimer, MacGuffin, Michael Lonsdale, Movies, Natascha McElhone, non-review review, review, robert deniro, ronin | 2 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Thunderbirds Are Go!

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Darren

I happened to be flicking through the channels when I stumbled across Thunderbirds Are Go! For those unfamiliar with the concept, Thunderbirds is basically the television series that Trey Parker and Matt stone affectionately spoofed when making Team America: World Police (in fact, it was really the only “affectionate” part of the production). Anyway, Thunderbirds Are Go! was the series’ first attempt at a theatrical motion picture, shortly after the first season finished and shot back-to-back with the second. As far as “movies based on television shows” go, the film is essentially a feature-length regular episode. However, in this case, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.

"They'll never see through my cunning disguise!"

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: alan tracy, Cliff Richard, films, Gerry Anderson, Movies, non-review review, puppets, review, Royal Mail, stingray, Supermarionation, Television, Television program, Thunderbird, thunderbirds, Thunderbirds are go, Tracy Island, Trey Parker | Leave a comment »

Non-Review Review: The Matrix Revolutions

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Darren

Today I’m taking a look at the Matrix trilogy. All three films, all watched and reviewed in one day. Join us for the fun! All three reviews will be going on-line today.

I remarked in my earlier review of The Matrix Reloaded that I feel I’m in the minority in regarding the final part of the trilogy as a much stronger film than the second film in the cycle. I mean, if you look at the Rotten Tomatoes score, the second film is almost regarded as highly as the first (higher among top critics), while the third is very clearly “rotten.” On the IMDb, the second film scores higher among audiences than the third. However, while neither sequel comes close to matching the impact of the original, I do have a fondness for the third over the second. Perhaps my preference derives from the same reason many find it weaker – the fact that the only way to enjoy it is to really disengage from the underlying philosophical questions posed by the second film.

Whoa...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: existential philosophy, existentialism, film, films, free will, hugo weaving, Ian Bliss, Keanu Reeves, Matrix, Matrix Reloaded, Movie, Mr. Kennedy, Neo, non-review review, philosophy, review, revolutions, rotten tomatoes, sentinels, the matrix revolutions, the matrix trilogy, Wachowski Brothers, Zion | 3 Comments »

Non-Review Review: The Matrix Reloaded

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Darren

Today I’m taking a look at the Matrix trilogy. All three films, all watched and reviewed in one day. Join us for the fun! All three reviews will be going on-line today.

No, what happened happened and couldn’t have happened any other way.

How do you know?

We are still alive.

– Morpheus and Neo have one of the least obtuse conversations in the film

The reaction to the second and third films in The Matrix series has always somewhat surprised me. I don’t mean that I can’t see the criticism typically levelled at the films – I can see it and I agree with most of it. I mean that most viewers regard the second film as stronger than the third, while I always considered it the other way around. Rewatching all three films in one day just cemented that opinion – but I’m still curious about why cinema fans tend to favour the middle instalment over the last. Neither is as efficient or effective as the first film, but while I appreciate the sense of closure (and action) of the third film, I find myself regarding a significant portion of the second film as just idle padding – the franchise positioning itself for a final film, which would then go on to ignore a lot of what was suggested here.

Blade of glory?

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: agent smith, arts, coen brothers, destiny, determinism, fauxlosophy, film, films, free will, hugo weaving, Matrix, morpheus, Movies, Neo, non-review review, philosophy, review, star wars, the matrix reloaded, the matrix trilogy, the wachowski brothers | 2 Comments »

Non-Review Review: The Matrix

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Darren

Today I’m taking a look at the Matrix trilogy. All three films, all watched and reviewed in one day. Join us for the fun! All three reviews will be going on-line today.

Part of me wonders if The Matrix has been somewhat tarnished by its two sequels and countless spin-offs, video-games, tie-ins and “expanded universe” material. I mean, you can pick any number of iconic pop culture moments from the original film (from “I know kung-fu” to “whoa” to “stop trying to hit me and hit me”), but you’re left with a third film in the trilogy that ultimately grossed less than the original. Watching the entire trilogy back-to-back helps the later films seem much stronger, but it also perhaps helps illuminate what was missing from the following two films that made the original such a classic.

Bending over backwards to make a good movie...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: cinema, existentialism, films, Keanu Reeves, laurence fishburne, Matrix, morpheus, non-review review, Philip K. Dick, philosophy, reality, review, the matrix, the matrix trilogy, Thirteenth Floor, trinity, truman show, Wachowski Brothers, zack snyder | 1 Comment »

Non-Review Review: Stone

Posted on March 13, 2011 by Darren

Stone began its life as a play. You get a sense of that watching the film – the only points during which it seems to come especially alive is when its two leads, Robert deNiro and Edward Norton, are playing off against each other. Both actors are genuinely great performers who have faded from the spotlight in recent years and, while the film isn’t consistent enough to put either back on the map, it does demonstrate some of the talent involved.

A Stone-cold killer?

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: christianity, Corrections officer, edward norton, film, John Curran, milla jovovich, Movie, non-review review, Probation officer, review, robert deniro, Stone | Leave a comment »

Non-Review Review: Battle – Los Angeles

Posted on March 12, 2011 by Darren

Battle: Los Angeles is a movie we’ve all seen countless times, only with a different name. It’s perhaps the most generic and cliché-filled alien invasion movie that I have ever seen, and I think I’ve seen a lot of them. Part of the problem with the film is that it does a lot functionally, but does nothing especially well – but it’s also that it’s so mundanely bogged down in formula that it’s hard to ever engage with what’s going on.

Facing a completely alien foe...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: Alien invasion, battle los angeles, Battle: L.A., Battle: LA, British Empire, film, h.g. wells, Middle East, Movies, non-review review, review, Staff Sergeant, war of the worlds, World Invasion | 4 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Piranha 3D

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Darren

You know, I wanted to like Piranha 3D. I really did. I like a certain level of schlock and self-awareness which a film like this really just promises. Hell, I’ll normally even acknowledge that a one-note film can strike that one note particularly well. Unfortunately, Piranha 3D is just… well, let’s just say I’d probably enjoy skinny-dipping with the eponymous monsters more than watching them.

Fish out of water...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: Adam Scott, Christopher Lloyd, Elisabeth Shue, Girls Gone Wild, monster movie, Movie, non-review review, piranha 3d, review, Richard Dreyfuss, schlock, ving rhames | 3 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Ed Wood

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Darren

One gets a sense that Tim Burton is one of those people who feels a deep connection with famously awful director Edward D. Wood Jr. His bio-pic on the (in)famous director is saturated with a sense of deep nostalgia and almost earnest respect for the man, who it paints as an enthusiastic and inoffensive loon. In fact, coming out of the film, it’s really hard to feel that describing the master of schlock as “the worst director of all time” is actually an insult – but rather an endearing little nickname, a half-joke half-serious remark amongst friends. The movie does share an odd laugh at the expensive of its protagonist, but it also can’t help but admire a visionary who just wouldn’t compromise with the studio system. Even if it didn’t always (or ever) work out, you get the sense that Burton admires the actor/producer/writer/director for that.