Critics & Current Film 8/8: LORD OF WAR, ELEVATOR

I have heard many differing views on The Grudge and am keen to see it mainly because I have worked with the director while he wore his producer hat and want to know how he handles calling the shots behind the camera.

If it gets an international release beyond Australia I would heartily recommend Somersault, a beautifully crafted film shot in the snow fields of NSW.

Also look out for Wolf Creek, a small horror film shot in Western Australia based loosely on this country's spate of semi-recent backpacker murders. Its going to be a cracker.

Welcome to A2K, Greedo -- sounds like you're in the business!

There's a "Somersault" from this year written and directed by Cate Shortland. Would that be the one you're referring to? There's also a film from 1999 under the same title.

"Wolf Creek" is in pre-production for 2005 with Greg McClean as writer/director. -- if I didn't know better...

Spot on with Somersault Lightwizard - Kate Shortland it is. It has polarised opinion in Melbourne at least where if you beleive the rumours the producers are taking one of the best know critics in the city to court because of the venemous review he wrote of it. They are sueing for lost earnings... I don't like the idea but I agree with their frustration - it is just so damn hard to get a film of any quality off the ground in this country.

Yes Greg Mclean wrote shot and co-produced Wolf Creek. I have seen a near finished cut and have to tip my hat to him. It steers away from the yokel Aussie trap so many Australian films fall into and instead concentrates on getting the genre right. I have my fingers crossed for him.

The Sunday Times (Australia) gives it a good review:

http://www.sundaytimes.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,10797266%255E14580,00.html

I don't know if your libel laws and freedom of speech is the same as it is in the states but I don't see how they have grounds for a lawsuit. The above review alludes to the good reception and there are a few good reviews stateside on www.rottentomatoes.com but I haven't checked www.mrqe.com yet.

Ebert gives "The Polar Express" a glowing review:

LINK TO EBERT REVIEW OF "THE POLAR EXPRESS"

There is also an essay on "Donny Darko" on the Front Page.

"National Treasure" is not garnering good reviews but "Kinsey" is possibly the best reviewed movie of the year. It looks likely that it will be one of the Best Picture nominees with Neeson as Best Actor.

LINK TO EBERT's 4 STAR REVIEW

"Finding Neverland" is a close follower but I haven't check Rotten Tomatoes to see what the Meter tells us.

National Treasure <shudder>
Saw it in pre-release <shudder>

I like Nic Cage - he makes interesting acting choices - I wish this had been a better movie choice.

Looks like a weak aping of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." You can't do that one twice.

Wolf Creek
I saw an advance screening of Greg McLean's first picture 'Wolf Creek' here in Melbourne last night.

I'm predicting it will be the best performing Australian movie of the last 10 years in terms of return for investors.

It was an utterly terrifying experience. Add this to the topical nature of the recent 'backpacker' murders in Australia and I believe it will generate a huge word of mouth ground swell.

An excellent movie, brilliantly made - one to look out for in early 2005.

Thanks for the tip, Captain Porks, and welcome to A2K and the film forum.

The great reviews that KINSEY got are an absolute mystery to me. The movie is a bore, Liam Nedeson is woefully
miscast, and the script is so fuzzy that it never states what
Kinsey's findings were that proved to shocking in postwar America. Making sex dull is not easy, but this movie succeeds. The opposite mistake was made by the critics with
ALEXANDER, a first-rate movie that was inexplicably denigrated. If KINSEY and SIDEWAYS arew what the critics reward, we are all in for a slew of bad-to-mediocre movies down the road.

I'm interested in what you loved about "Alexander," which is not just getting a trouncing by the critics. It finished sixth at the box office with around 21M. If it can maintain a steady 20M each weekend, it may come out alive. I'm afraid a blond Colin Farrell "Alexander" is about as plausible as a blond Richard Burton. The bi-sexuality is getting some Italian attorneys all riled up when, in fact, the Greeks never did give Alexander as prominant a place in history as American historians do. Roeper gave "Alexander" a thumbs-up as a campy historical epic. Did he see the same movie?

Haven't taken the trip out to see "Kinsey" yet but despite the good reviews, I'm not sure I'd make a special trip to the cineplex. It's generating some Oscar buzz, perhaps ill-rewarded.

Saw them both. Don't know what you loved in Alexander either. I thought it was quite, well, bad. I did get a review of long lost forgotten history. Kinsey was quite good. I too think Liam Neeson was the wrong man. Laura Linney however was, as usual, missed by most critics...I forgot it was her, doesn't that say something.
Have you seen Eternal Sunshine...WOW!

Welcome to A2K and the film forum, lago. We're getting input on "Alexander" in the thread specifically about the movie. I'm not sure what actor could pull off as close a physical resemblance to Kinsey himself.

I've got passes to go see a Canajun preview of Phantom of the Opera. Is it really going to be this dreadful?



link

No reviews yet from the major reviewers in the states but this doesn't speak well, does it? The reviewer misses one aspect of the musical "Phantom," it was never meant to mimic the Lon Cheney horror version. Like Copolla's "Dracula," the monster turns out to have a heart. There's nothing directly said about the quality of the singing and orchestral soundtrack. It could be this opus works well on stage but not on film unlike the recent "Chicago" which actually works better as a film.

I'm not encouraged. I'm hoping we'll get more passes to independent films, as I seem to be liking them a lot more than any of the 'biggies'.

ehBeth, I saw a preview of Phantom weeks (months?) ago. The look of it appealed to me, but I'm not a fan of the score, so I don't think I'll be seeing it.

I wouldn't have chosen to go, maxisoneinamillion. Not my kind of music, production, anything.

This is sort of a neighbourly duty. <sigh> Lovely lady, most of her friends are in their 80's and don't go out after dark, her boss gives her all these passes, "please, Beth". <sigh>

Well, then, bethie, there'll be more stars in your crown, as my mom says.