Reviews

That's all it is - sticks and stones. What the hell is so scary (or creepy) about that?

Get over it already. It's not scary. It's not creepy. It's not good. I'll give you the last five minutes (out of fairness) but there's nothing else except leaves, feet and yelling (someone kill Heather already).

And to the BWP lovers who attack all detractors by simply repeating the mantra "You didn't like it because all you want is special fx, you uneducated/unhip masses" - that's not why. The film isn't good.

Also, it's okay not to like this film. No one's going to hold it against you.

Woody's early comedies rank up there with the classics. Some of his later efforts were spellbinding (Crimes & Misdemeanors) and at times hilarious (Bullets Over Broadway and Everyone Says I Love You). However, his latest tome is a sad, pathetic and thoughtless film.

Over the last 15 years of his career, Woody has introduced us to the flawed world of the affluent and neurotic New York upperclass. However, the more we are reintroduced to these people the less we can relate to them. These characters were fascinating in early Allen drama/comedies; however, now they have become so fake and predictable that frankly they just aren't interesting anymore (therapists, pills, infidelity, neuroses, blah blah blah). The hollowness of their dialogue and their formulaic interaction has become annoying. It's time for a departure, Woody. Where is the ambition to take a risk (remember Zelig and Purple Rose of Cairo)?

Branagh as the Woody clone seems so uncomfortable in his skin that he becomes hard to watch. Judy Davis is so manic and breathy that she crawls on you. Joe Mantegna does his best. Winona is a non-factor. Bebe Neuwirth is wasted on a lame scene. Famke Jansen is very good. But the scene stealer is Leo - he is amazing.

I know the first rule of writing is write what you know but that shouldn't apply to someone as prolific as Woody Allen. It's time to take risks and explore another world. This one is tired.

HELP

Everybody from 6 to 60 is musing and dishing over this film - enough already. It's not scripture - it's Star Wars. There's no story, it relies heavily on special effects to fill in the holes, the dialogue is hokey, Jar Jar sucks and it's a little flat - but so what. It's a movie and it was enjoyable to watch. In fact, it was very entertaining. Unlike the majority of Star Wars faithfuls I didn't love it or hate it, I honestly didn't feel that strongly about it. It's a movie aimed at a younger generation and us old guys have to admit to ourselves that the reason we love Star Wars (and still do) is because we were in grammar school when it came out. We either have to remember what it was like to be a kid again or go see more mature films.

This film does everything right for its genre and target audience and if you want to see it - you should.

It certainly isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be.

I absolutely agree with the majority of the critics that say the first half of FMJ is brilliant and the second half is a let down. The first half of the film is probably one of the most intelligent, well acted and horrifying war dramas as we get an inside look at the hell of Paris Island. Then we move to the hell of Vietnam for the second half which is far bleaker and less excessable. Here is where the film begins to stall for most people.

However, to me, this film really begins to complete itself in the second half. Instead, we begin to learn how the affects of rigorous training (to become a killing machine) has affected characters we've known from the first half and characters we meet in the second. Each of these characters has been affected in one way or another by their experiences in the jungle but Kubrick has allowed us a look into the days before the jungle to see the seed that was planted. Most Vietnam films have focused on the insanity that was brought about from the war itself but never focused on the characters pasts. Here is where we get to see what kind of soldier Joker has become. Here is where we get to the see madness of war and the desensitization of violence.

The movie would have always remained incomplete if we didn't see the characters "survive" and move onward. In a strange way, you were rooting for the privates to make it out of Paris Island - but for what? To go to Vietnam?

As with all of Kubrick's films, the messages are never easily summed up in three or four paragraphs; but the notion of showing two seperate wars that when combined became one very complicated one was a bold statement.

This is one surreal film.

Nilson's music is not very melodic with non-sensical, Lewis Carol jibberish lyrics to complete the score. The acting (by all) is broad. The sets are dreary. The costuming is bizarre. The dialogue is stilted. The movie is just plain weird.

But that's what makes it so cool. This movie is not short on style and entertaining moments. POPEYE could have gone the standard Hollywood cartoon adaptation route and been a big budget bore (ie. The Flintstones). But instead it has provided many thought provoking late night dorm screenings and continued repeated viewings.

Believe me, the music actually begins to grow on you. Not a disaster at all - give it a chance.

This is the peak of perfection and satire for Monty Python.

Although "The Holy Grail" is their claim to fame and truly defines the troupe's absurdity - "Life of Brian" defines their caustic wit and their penchant for scathing satire. The troupe hasn't been this brilliant since the days of The Flying Circus.

Every scene is a winner. From Michael Palin's lisping Pontius Pilate, to Eric Idle's acerbic "take that big nose" character, to Terry Jones' portrayal of Brian's mother, to any one of John Cleese's characters (the best straight man in comedy), to the surprisingly sympathetic performance of Graham Chapman as Brian.

From start to finish this film never disappoints and consistently surprises. A very subtle film that injects the classic Python absurdity in all the right places. Silly and inspired.