Shadows on the Wall: READER REVIEWS 2002-2003

Reader Reviews 2002-2003

Reviews are listed alphabetically.
Most reader reviews appear on the regular review pages...
the ones on this page are all films Rich hasn't seen yet.

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last update 18.Jun.04

BEYOND BORDERS

dir Martin Campbell; with Angelina Jolie, Clive Owen, Linus Roache, Teri Polo, Noah Emmerich, Yorick van Wageningen, Elizabeth Whitmere 03/US • release US 24.Oct.03; UK 26.Dec.03

Laurie T, Minneapolis: "I really wanted to see this movie. All that I have read about Angelina -- her divorce, her adopted son from Cambodia, building a house in Cambodia so her son can learn his heritage, wanting to adopt more orphans and giving a third of her salary to charities -- wow, she is sorta becoming the new Princess Dianna ... okay, maybe not quite. Anyway, this movie is about people being homeless, without food, caught between soldiers fighting. And it really made me feel it. My country has the highest obesity rate, and these people are starving. All I can say about this movie, really, is that it hit home, and made me really glad there are people out there who will sacrifice everything to help a truly noble cause. I recommend this movie -- it will make you appreciate what you have. What can I say? I am becoming a fan of Angelina." (25.Oct.03)

THE JUNGLE BOOK 2

dir Steve Trenbirth; voices Haley Joel Osment, John Goodman, Jim Cummings, John Rhys-Davies, Phil Collins, Anders Bystrom, Connor Funk, Tony Jay, Bob Joles, Mae Whitman 03/US • release US 14.Feb.03; UK 11.Apr.03

Jo Caswell, West Sussex: "Groovy music and a very sweet storyline, with all the old characters except Louie. I really enjoyed it, definitely a match with the first Jungle Book film." (22.Apr.03)

POWER AND TERROR: Noam Chomsky in Our Times

dir John Junkerman; with Noam Chomsky 02/US-Japan • release US 22.Nov.02; UK tbc

Gawain McLachlan, Melbourne: 4 out of 5 stars

"Timely release just as the mad American warmongers are about to set off and kill thousands more human beings and feed their industrial war machines. Chomsky (The Noam) yet again exposes American hypocrisy for what it is and sifts through the political lies. No surprises here however for people who already keep themselves properly informed (from alternative sources) but ultimately quite a depressing documentary despite Chomsky's optimism. In the 21st century mankind really hasn't learnt anything!" (Filmnet 14.Mar.03)

SERVING SARA

dir Reginald Hudlin; with Matthew Perry, Elizabeth Hurley, Bruce Campbell, Amy Adams, Vincent Pastore, Cedric the Entertainer, Jerry Stiller 02/US • release US 23.Aug.02; UK straight-to-dvd

Laurie T, Minneapolis: "This looked like a silly movie - Perry is just a silly guy on Friends - witty, always ready with a oneliner and this movie fits him just fine. Hurley looks awesome. Perry plays a process server who has been having trouble performing his duties. His boss is mad at him because he is taking too long, so he is given an easy job to serve divorce papers on Sara (Hurley), whose husband wants to dump her for the new blonde. Sara learns she can get more money if she files first, so she offers Perry $1 million of her divorce settlement to serve her cheating husband first. The fun is on!. There is a lot of slapstick comedy going on - a bull scene that is totally hilarious! It is just a fun, silly movie, lots of laughs - and I highly recommend seeing it it." (14.Sep.02)

WHO IS CLETIS TOUT?

getting the alias was only half the battle

dir Chris Ver Wiel; with Christian Slater, Tim Allen, Richard Dreyfuss, Portia de Rossi, Billy Connolly, Peter MacNeil, Elias Zarou, RuPaul 02/US • release US 26.Jul.02; UK tbc

Frank Ochieng, Massachusetts: 2 out of 5 stars

"As a general rule, most comedy crime capers are convoluted in nature, but there's also a certain charm to them. Writer-director Ver Wiel's weak-legged underworld farce deals in gangsters and mistaken identity. We certainly experience the convolution, but there's something more false to this criminal cut-up of a flick besides the lead character brandishing a phony moniker. Ver Wiel accomplishes nothing more than serving up the same trademark cliches in an exhausted genre that peters out because of familiar devices. Slater plays a mischievous escaped convict named who agrees to take on the persona of Cletis Tout. Borrowing the name has grave consequences since this now-deceased guy has had a colorful past. And now thanks to a spunky coroner (Connolly), both Finch and his sidekick Micah (Dreyfuss) have identities that could be more harmful than helpful as they must avoid a star-struck hitman (Tim Allen). It feels awfully strained and the quirky tone simply doesn't register because the material is slight and spiritless. Basically, this film is ponderous and ridiculously disposable." (22.Aug.02)

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