Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

I truly enjoyed the first three half hour movies, were the latter two was nothing short of excellent. Taking Wallace and Gromit into a feature film length causes some problems. Firstly the story have to be built a different way, and Park lose out on his touch stretching it 85 minutes.

It's still a lot of interesting small details throughout, the humor works and the interactions between the two main characters stays interesting and true to their priors. Still some of the charm is lost as they go on, and I still prefer the half hour productions.

Bicycle Thieves (1948)

Ladri di biciclette

One of those movies that seem to appear on every list from here to Moscow and back again, so there's little doubt there were some expectations finally visiting it. Simplistic, real and emotional are amongst the most used reasons for its fame, and it sure is simplistic.

A man finally gets work in post WWII-Italy, but depends on having a bicycle. Getting it back from the pawn shop thanks to giving up the sheets, getting it stolen is the worst that could happen to his new found happiness. Then we'll follow his Sunday search to get it back.

It's emotional, but the real part I got a little trouble with. Not only are some of the acting terrible (thankfully not amongst the main characters), but some of the scenes go between ridiculous and forced.

It's in my opinion a good movie, but far from the masterpiece many speak of it as.

Star Wars (1977)

Star Wars

The beginning of a franchise I've never got to, until now. I've obviously known quite a lot about the Star Wars universe thanks to numerous references in never pop culture, but I've never really been that enthusiastic about getting to know it my self.

For an introduction to a new universe it works quite well, but as a movie seen on its own merits it lacks a little. It doesn't have neither the necessary charm nor the action or adventurous needed to come over the top. There's obviously also something to be said for the lack of hitting easy targets with those laser weapons of the stormtroopers.

It's more than good enough I'll be looking forward to dip further into Lucas' universe, and I might even have this growing on me in time. Just now it doesn't quite make up for the legend, acclaims and hype.

Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010)

Tomorrow, When the War Began

I've never read the novels of John Marsden this is based on, and haven't even seen Red Dawn which is a similar 80's movie, so my review is based solely on the experience of this movie. I've come to understand it's considered some kind of an Australian classic novel-series and commonly introduced in schools there, and this movie is also Australian made with quite unknown actors and actresses for us Hollywood fed.

While the story have both serious flaws and unrealistic parts, it's saved thanks to some charm and youthful optimism. It's probably best considered, and at least enjoyed, as a teen-movie, and then we'll forgive its flaws much easier.

The acting is in most parts good, even though several characters are very cliched. Don't expect to be blown away, but as light popcorn entertainment it kind of works. I'll at least give the next installment a chance as well.

Nude Nuns with Big Guns (2010)

Nude Nuns with Big Guns

Robert Rodriguez' Machete might get all the 2010-fuzz and audience, but Guzman and Hayes II have delivered a more entertaining and true to Rodriguez movie.

Yes. It's sexploitation, nunsploitation and b-movie all the way, but the first half is really good and entertaining. Sadly they drop the tempo, when they should have upped it. There's also the fact half the actors can't act for shit, and half the dialogue doesn't make the cut. A lot of nudity helps, of course, but there's still parts of the script that should be worked over.

It feels like Rodriguez' first work, El Mariachi. An omen of even greater things to come from the duo behind this. Throw in some stars, like Rodriguez got for Desperado thanks to his first work, and they might have a huge success on their hand next time around.

Anything for Her (2008)

Pour elle

This is a classic three acts thriller, changing direction for each act. While it might not stand out on either one, that's also what makes it stand out enough as a whole. It feels real, it doesn't hand the protagonist remarkable skills or odd abilities to avoid feelings and pain.

Diane Kruger was the main reason I got to this before checking out the remake with Crowe and Banks, and Kruger is as usually brilliant. Still. This is more about Vincent Lindon's character than anything else, and he does a great job coming across as the teacher going to lengths for his love.

For some it might feel to slow in the beginning, but it lays the groundwork for what's to come. It allows us to get to know these characters and their pain. I for one appreciate the way it's done.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Tim Burton's animated alternative Christmas story have become legendary, but I don't find it all it's been hyped to be. The animations are quite well done for the time it was made, but there's just too many scenes throughout the movie that doesn't manage to hold your attention.

At its best it's marvelous. There's some really genial scenes, both funny, dark and almost heartbreaking. Underneath it all there's a lot of hope, and as such it works very well this time of year. I'll definitely return to it again, and maybe then it'll get a tighter grip on me as well.

A Christmas Carol (2009)

A Christmas Carol

Another re-telling of the famous Dickens' story. This time animated, and with Jim Carrey all over the place.

It still works quite well, but it's hard not to with such a story. Carrey isn't as bad as I feared, Zemeckis seems to have a decent grip on the story and at Christmas it works quite well. Doubt I'll be re-watching it next year though.

Somewhere (2010)

Somewhere

If you've ever watched the stunningly beautiful masterpiece Lost in Translation, it's impossible to not recognize that this is as well a Sofia Coppola movie. However. Stephen Dorff is no Bill Murphy, and the relationship between him and his daughter is nowhere as fascinating and intriguing as the one between Murphy and Johansson 7 years ago.

There's still a lot of good in this movie as well. The slow building, the scenes where words are unnecessary to portray feelings and the gentle touches and glimpses. Coppola has her own style, and executes it very well. The story still lacks the sparks and direction to come close to her famous one.

Dorff is good, but not great. Fanning is however doing a marvelous job as his daughter. The supports are also well cast throughout.

Buried (2010)

Buried

Simple and efficient. This movie combines classic themes like kidnapping, US in Iraq and the ancient fear of being buried alive, into a movie that works really well.

Reynolds does really well in the lead, director Cortés pulls off an impressive movie from Sparling's script and the camerawork is also well worth noting.

It would have served it well to be a little more claustrophobic, and in a world of cell phones some of the called people should really have been easier to get in touch with. Still overall well worth your time, and a strong 7 from me.

Dinner for Schmucks (2010)

Dinner for Schmucks

It's way too long, and there's just too few laughs to be had. While the dead mice are kind of awesome, the rest kind of sucks.

Animal Kingdom (2010)

Animal Kingdom

Acclaimed Australian movie digging into a crime family. 17 year old J have been estranged from his mother's family, but as she dies to an overdose J has nowhere else to go. He soon finds himself tied up in their everyday world of crime.

With police in war mode, bodies soon starts dropping, and J will have to decide what life he wants for himself. Heard it before? Yeah, it's not exactly original.

A lot of the acting is good though, but the weakness is the story which never engage. While debut feature film writer and director David Michôd show some great promise in creating real life situations, the gritty isn't gritty enough, the characters are too shallow and with such an uninteresting story I've got no idea how people so easily have fallen in love with it.

A Boyfriend for Christmas (2004)(TV)

A Boyfriend for Christmas

Made for TV movies rarely excel, but like everything else they usually have their use. Counting down to Christmas, it's nice to watch movies that work within the spirit of the time. That's very much the case here as well.

Sadly there's one major mistake in this movie. The second guy is both an awful cast, as well as an unbelievable character to create the suspense and/or tension they're looking for. It would have worked a lot better with a more believable friction, and then this could actually have been pretty good. Now it's forgettable, at best.

Ip Man 2 (2010)

Yip Man 2

Not nearly as good as the first, but this sequel is molded the same way. The fight scenes are good here as well, but the story is a lot weaker than last time around.

A lot of the acting is good, but there are quite many weak ones as well. Thankfully the important roles are well cast, so we can live with some supporting roles annoying us.

Robin Hood (2010)(DC)

Robin Hood

This isn't the story of Robin Hood as I've also known, but rather the story of Robin Langshire and the what lies behind the legend. In all fairness to Ridley Scott, I'm not that fond of these kind of battle scenes and royal pains. While there's most definitely a story worth telling, it doesn't compete with the legendary one of the prince of thieves and his merry men of Sherwood.

The acting is generally good and the fight scenes decent enough, but we've seen it all better before elsewhere. Left without suspense, the story doesn't have the necessary sting to keep my interest fully throughout.

Despicable Me (2010)

Despicable Me

From my point of view this is the incarnation of mediocrity. It doesn't stand out in story, humor, animations or anything else. It's not original, doesn't last long on your mind and hardly ever amuses like others within the genre.

While I do fancy the idea of super villain done right, Gru is far from done right. Not even the girls manage to light your heart.

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Where the Wild Things Are

Boring. The fantasy world could probably have been done equally well 20 years ago, the story sucks in its morality preaching ways and the lead was a horribly wrong cast.

East Is East (1999)

East Is East

The opening scene is bloody brilliant and the end scene is good, but everything in between feels like a semi-decent mixture of comedic attempts and predictable dramatic attempts.

It does introduce Archie Panjabi, and that's something I guess. Hopefully director O'Donnell came closer to his level at Inside I'm Dancing in his next project, Heartlands.

A Swedish Love Story (1970)

En kärlekshistoria

Roy Andersson's debut feature film of two worlds colliding. First love surrounded by bitterness, regrets, and lost hope as well as faith.

The complexity of this simple story is almost heartbreaking. Andersson knew exactly what he wanted, and seized it for the rest of us to ponder.

There's small details in it that impressed me a great deal from a debut. Shy glimpses and heartwarming touches which reminded me of other great directors managing to get that feel through the screen. In contrast the bitterness of the world is remarkable, and makes the youngsters even more adorable.

Catch That Kid (2004)

Catch That Kid

More than anything, this is a children movie who sometimes forget it's a children movie. To make matters worse, it's almost impossible the lead actress is the same as in Speak which arrived the very same year.

A lot more heart than vision and a couple of scenes making it bearable. I'd like to think the original, Klatretøsen, is better, because this is a very weak 3/10 in my eyes.

The Slaughter Rule (2002)

The Slaughter Rule

Both Morse and Gosling acts very well throughout, but the story isn't worth the paper the script was written on. Clea DuVall is also as always enchanting in her own way.

It's not as much a sport-movie as it's a drama, but the drama spends a little too much time with the sport. Throughout one of the most annoying things about it then, is the fact neither we nor the directors seems to care about the game at all.

In some ways a coming of age story, but it most ways an uninteresting tale of a rather uninteresting main character.

In America (2002)

In America

Jim Sheridan's story on an Irish immigrant family starts out promising and charming, but the last half hour Sheridan seems to have forgot all about Ireland going all Hollywood on us.

Considine, Morton, Hounsou and the Bolger girls all act well throughout, and I can only wish Jim Sheridan and his Sheridan co-writers had managed to also keep the same level.

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Spider-Man 3

In the third installment of the Raimi-franchise, he finally manage to forget what Spidey is all about. The super-villains sucks, the drama and action is unbalanced and large parts of the movie are dull and uninteresting.

While Peter Parker's personal problems always have been an important part of the universe, they've missed out awfully on his touch with his own dark side in this one.

Thankfully the franchise is getting rebooted after this, because Raimi have definitely lost grip on his own superhero.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Spider-Man 2

In the second installment of Raimi's vision of Spidey, he's again troubled by his personal life as much as the super-villains. MJ, Harry, studies and work. Add in Doctor Octopus as the villain, and you got yourself a pretty decent ride again.

No legendary scenes to mention, but overall the CGI-effects are well taken care of, the drama doesn't manage to kill the viewers mood and our friendly neighborhood spider manage to hold our attention.

Spider-Man (2002)

Spider-Man

We get to experience the creation of Spider-Man, according to Sam Raimi, quite in the mold of Stan Lee. A lot of it deals with Peter Parker's inner struggle, but there's still room for MJ and Green Goblin.

It can't compete with Nolan's vision for Batman, but it's still quite entertaining and atmospheric. Some of the shots of Spidey over New York are quite remarkable, there's a legendary rain scene and the combination of action and drama are dealt with quite well.