Love Actually -
February 23, 2004
I always maintain that the "gold standard" romantic comedy is "When harry Met Sally" and that all others must be compared to this.
Love actually stays within the genre, but creates a new class of its own. With its multiple subplots, and mixture of humour and pathos it is a departure from the usual "boy gets girl/girl gets boy via amusing story".
It also avoids many other hollywood cliches - somtimes the girl doesn't get the boy. Or the boy chooses the less pretty girl. A standout is Colin the "British sex god" who gets, amazingly, every boys wet dream in real life. Clever and well put together, it gives WHMS a run for its money.
The Beast -
February 10, 2004
AKA "The Beast of War" this film was strongly recommended to me by a good friend. Set in Afghanistan in the 1980's it opens with a brutal scene not unlike the first reel of Saving Private Ryan - here is war at is horrible worst. The Russians destroy a village, kill everyone and poison their water, revenge against local muhajadeen rebels. One of the tanks then gets lost in the desert, to be hunted down by the muhajadeen. Each side is shown to have its stengths and foibles, weaknesses and nobilities in a savage conflict.
November 2004
October 2004
February 2004
December 2003
November 2003
September 2003
July 2003
July 2001
May 2001
October 1999
June 1999
