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DAN'S MOVIE DIGEST 2 0 0 3 R e t r o s p e c t i v e
P a r t T w o
FREDDY VS JASON
It's been a long time coming, but horror nerds finally got to see two of the
genre's biggest stars battling it out in a film many thought would remain a
silly idea.
That FvsJ was actually quite entertaining and occasionally
rather exciting was an unexpected treat. But it didn't stop the movie only
really finding its niche in the US of A.
GANGS OF NEW YORK
Months late it may have been, but Martin Scorsese's epic period piece wasn't
a total disaster. The production values were high, the acting generally good
(particularly from standout Daniel Day Lewis as Bill The Butcher) and the
thrust of the narrative quite pleasing.
I'm sure there's a Director's Cut
just waiting to make this a truly great film, but for now it remains a very
interesting misfire.
HULK
One of the greatest shocks of 2003 was the relative underachievement of
Hulk. Director Ang Lee was a strange choice to helm the film, but his
credentials and insistence on intelligence seemed sound enough. So what went
wrong?
The movie has some fabulous action sequences (particularly the
extended Desert Base escape), but is constantly being choked by a screenplay
that tries to pack too much story and intellect into what should really have
been a far more fun piece of popcorn entertainment. It sounds crazy to say
this, but Hulk just wasn't dumb enough to find a receptive audience. Did you
hear the kids snoring...?
After a six year absence, Quentin Tarantino finally returned to our silver
screens with the first half of his kung fu epic Kill Bill. To almost
universal praise, Kill Bill became one of the most awesome spectacles in
cinemas, fuelled by kinetic fight scenes and wild camera tricks.
Uma Thurman
put the ghost of The Avengers firmly behind her and became one of the most
iconic female action stars of the 21st Century. And we still have Volume II
to come in February...
LARA CROFT - TOMB RAIDER: THE CRADLE OF LIFE
Second chance for Lara Croft... and she blew it. Angelina Jolie may be
perfect casting, and the premise of combining Indiana Jones with James Bond
fuelled by Girl Power remains alluring... but it's just not working.
Thanks to some ropey direction (courtesy of Jan De Bont, he of Speed 2) and a
2-dimensional script full of idiocy, Tomb Raider 2 was released to universal
apathy. It just seemed so 1997...
LOVE ACTUALLY
Richard Curtis (a.k.a The British Film Industry) gave the world another dose
of quaint English humour, following on from the successes of Four Weddings &
A Funeral and Notting Hill.
Love Actually was another picture postcard
London wrapped in gooey sentimentality and leisurely laughs, boosted by some
fine Brit acting talent from newcomer Keira Knightley, old hand Hugh Grant,
older hand Emma Thompson, breakout soap star Martine McCutcheon, the
obligatory Rowan Atkinson cameo and even some US "talent" in the form of
Denise Richards. Yes, it may be a chick flick that so obviously tugs at your
heart strings - but it was still a dependably sweet-natured comedy with some
good moments.
MASTER & COMMANDER - THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
This year's Gladiator? Perhaps not - owing to a less expansive canvas, but
Peter Weir's seafaring adventure starring Russell Crowe is certainly one of
the best ship-based movies in years.
Full of fabulous attention to detail,
impressive stunts and excellent CGI work, Master & Commander has the raw
adult punch Pirates Of The Caribbean lacked and some memorable sequences.
Undoubtedly a movie that will grow in stature and prestige.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO
That Robert Rodriguez is a busy boy. In 2003 he completed two trilogies
(beat that Lucas!) First his sappy Spy Kids franchise ground to a halt in
3-D and then Once Upon A Time In Mexico ended his unofficial trilogy (El
Mariachi and Desperado - more a remake to be totally fair).
Some solid
action and another wonderful turn from Johnny Depp, but sadly nothing more.
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN - THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
Johnny Depp is a God. He just never fails to impress and his Captain Sparrow
became one of cinemas most beloved characters - a slurring, somewhat
effeminate and rebellious pirate. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley may have
basked in similar glory post-Pirates, but Depp eclipses them both.
A rousing
children's film packed full of gorgeous scenery and stunning effects - but
just a tad too long and slightly repetitive...
SPIRITED AWAY
A Japanese anime movie that finds mainstream success? Well, Spirited Away is
certainly a success story (particularly in its native Japan) and it scooped
the Best Animated Movie Oscar, too, remember!
But don't be disheartened if
you've never even heard of it - just get the DVD and enjoy one of the most
imaginative animated films ever made, and expertly dubbed into English by
John "Toy Story" Lassetter's team. A lyrical and magical movie that will
change your opinion of "foreign animation" forever.
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