YeahYou! JM RECOMMENDS!

Hugo - Dir: Martin Scorsese

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:36:00 +0000

Really looking forward to this but ultimately disappointing. Solidly made and sumptuous looking but a snore a second story that only seems to ramp up in the last third. To be fair, I watched it in 2D - and am told that it is a lot better in 3D - but still can't see it myself. Story is story after all. Lots of good references for silent movie film buffs but overall this has to be a JM THUMBS DOWN.

Knocked Up - Dir: Judd Apatow

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:58:00 +0000

Interesting one this. I'd assumed from the trailers and hype that this is the funniest comedy of the year. It's not. It's more a drama with some humourous moments sprinkled throughout. That's no bad thing, but as a comedy I found it slightly disappointing. It's well written nonetheless and directed pretty competently. Lead Seth Rogan is perfect, as is Katherine Heigl. The supporting cast also seems to compliment well throughout. For a movie about babies, it's actually not sickening to watch and a whole deal more realistic than Three Men and a Baby! This is a JM SUCK IT AND SEE.

Dexter - Season Two

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:14:00 +0000

Dexter is back! Last season he was chasing down the Ice Truck Killer. This time the police are chasing the Bay Harbour Butcher, the man responsible for dumping many bodies in the sea i.e Dexter himself! Yet another series where the temperature is turned up to the max with a great script examining the fine line between good, evil and insanity. Michael C Hall is excellent as ever. This for me was the show of the year last season, better than Heroes and Lost. This year's new intakes are going to be hard pushed to beat it. This is a JM RECOMMENDS.

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada - Dir: Tommy Lee Jones

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:40:00 +0000

This one was slightly disappointing after all the previous hype I had seen for the film. The performances are good from Tommy Lee Jones and Julio Cedillo as the eponymous Melquiades Estrada. All supporting cast is spot on and the direction by Tommy Lee Jones is also competent. The film really captures that dusty barren way of life along the Texan/Mexico border. So what's disappointing? Guillermo Arriaga the writer of Babel and 21 Grams wrote this script but for me left it a little bit light, maybe missing something. Maybe it's a film that needs a repeated watch but this is a JM SUCK IT AND SEE for me.

Zodiac - Dir: David Fincher

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 07:55:00 +0000

This is a superlative film in every area. As you would expect from David Fincher, the film looks great giving the audience an extra filthy look to every scene. The script is also great and even though this has a 2h 30 mins running time, you are hooked by the twists and turns in the story. Based on true events surrounding the infamous Zodiac killer in America in the 1960s and 1970s, Jake Gyllenhaal plays a cartoonist on the San Francisco Chronicle who doggedly keeps on the case when others fall by the wayside over the years. Some excellent performances from Robert Downey Jr and Mark Ruffalo make this an essential watch this year. This is a JM RECOMMENDS.

The Good Shepherd - Dir: Robert De Niro

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:34:00 +0000

This film is really disappointing just because it never really goes anywhere and is too flabby to make any real impact. Famed actor Robert De Niro puts his director hat on for only the second time. His first movie A Bronx Tale was critically acclaimed so it is a shame his sophomore effort misses so much. The cast of Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, William Hurt, Alec Baldwin and John Turturro are as good as an ensemble cast as you could get. The production values are fantastic and got nominated for an Oscar. If this was re-edited down to something more tight (it has a 2h 40min running time currently) and given more focus it would have been so much better. This is a JM THUMBS DOWN.

Norbit - Dir: Brian Robbins

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 08:54:00 +0000

Eddie Murphy takes one step closer to reclaiming the comedy king mantle that he squarely held in the 1980s. Some of the highlights in his Nutty Professor movies were the disguises he wore when he played members of his family. He takes that one step further here and it definitely works in most part. Thandie Newton and Cuba Gooding Jr are good support but the story tends to ramble and feels flabby in places. However when the movie is funny it hits it squarely. This is a JM SUCK IT AND SEE.

Perfume - Dir: Tom Tykwer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:26:00 +0000

From the director of acclaimed Run Lola Run comes this extravagant movie based on the best selling book by Patrick Suskind and one of the most expensive German movies ever. It tells the tale of a man in search of the perfect scent and what he will do to get there. Exquisitely shot and played nicely by lead Ben Whishaw. Feels very different from many period dramas and is gripping from the beginning. There is a slightly stretched out section in the middle but the wonderful denouement more than plays off for this. Supporting cast includes Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman who add even more class to the surroundings. This is a JM RECOMMENDS.

Bobby - Dir: Emilio Estevez

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:44:00 +0000

Amazing really for coming from 80s heartthrob Emilio Estevez. Not only did he direct this great ensemble piece, he also wrote it. Not known for either, he really shows a great deal of class in both departments. The story revolves around a bunch of characters that flow in and around the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5th 1968, the date and location of the assassination of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Some great performances from Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, William H Macy, Laurence Fishburne, Christian Slater, Sharon Stone and even Lindsay Lohan make this strong in all departments. That we know how it all ends and still keeps the momentum is another not easy thing to pull off. This is a JM RECOMMENDS.

The Fountain - Dir: Darren Aronofsky

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 09:02:00 +0000

Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett were attached to this film before creative differences between them and the director forced the whole movie to close down. The director has a great pedigree (Requiem for a Dream and Pi) and this film was highly anticipated. The result however is an utter disappointment, an incomprehensible mess of a story that leaves you wondering what the hell went on. Now stars Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weitz who aren't bad actors at all, but seem to be acting into nothing. Really poor, this is a JM THUMBS DOWN.

Breaking and Entering - Dir: Anthony Minghella

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 08:56:00 +0000

It'a another Jude Law relationship movie, but who would have thought that this one could have been so turgid. Oscar winning director Anthony Minghella (The English Patient) wrote and directed this movie which also stars decent enough actresses Robin Wright Penn and Juliette Binoche. The problem is it never really goes anywhere and doesn't really tread any new ground. It's all too predictable really and no one really gets past first gear. From such a lauded Oscar winning director this is disappointingly average. This is a JM THUMBS DOWN.

Perfect Stranger - Dir: James Foley

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 09:01:00 +0000

This is an interesting one. Halle Berry and Bruce Willis are always watchable if they have the right material. It seems here that they just about do. Halle Berry plays a journalist that is trying to snair the killer of one of her friends. The main suspect is Bruce Willis' ad agency head character who is known to have met her online and subsequently had an affair. It's a slow burner but not in a boring way, more in a purring Halle Berry way, which is ironic considering the terrible Cat Woman movie she was in. Bruce Willis is also okay and reminds us how before he was John Maclane, he was the romantic guy in the TV series Moonlighting. It has a great ending. This is a JM RECOMMENDS.

Bourne Ultimatum - Dir: Paul Greengrass

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 13:36:00 +0000

This is another of the must see movies of the year and may even be movie of the year so far. Not a great fan of the first two, this one absolutely blew me away. Intense non stop action doesn't let you breathe for a second. Matt Damon is excellent and the direction by Paul Greengrass (United 93) is fantastic. There's a fight scene when Damon is one on one that shows up the recent back to basics James Bond for what it was - overhyped. A good tight script by Tony Gilroy keeps everything moving and the resolution is pulsating. This is a JM RECOMMENDS.

The Sentinel - Dir: Clark Johnson

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:15:00 +0000

You certainly can't complain about the cast on paper of Kiefer Sutherland and Michael Douglas. Unfortunately they both seem a bit wrong for the roles they are playing. Kiefer plays some kind of FBI agent and does his Jack Bauer impression all the way through. Douglas is such a great actor but never really gets out of second gear here as the secret service agent framed for an assasination attempt on the President. Direction and editing is a bit weird in places and feels like you've missed something sometimes. Kim Basinger and Eva Longoria is a bit wishy washy. Overall it never quite comes together. Not truly awful and does ramp up towards the end but only a JM SUCK IT AND SEE.

Heroes Series 2 Episode 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 09:11:00 +0000

The Heroes gang are back for their second series. Tim Kring's show was without doubt the biggest success story of last seasons shows but can it fight off all contenders this year? It will definitely give it a shot going on the first episode of the second series. All of our favourite characters are back including cheerleader Claire Bennet and Hiro Nakamura, but are coming to grip with the side-effects of what happened at the end of series one. There are some new characters introduced carefully and just as you think the show is plodding along there are some nice twists and turns to mix it all up. The worry I've always had with Heroes is that for some reason the emotional attachment to all of the characters is pretty low. It's nice eye candy and a freak show, but do we really care if they live or die? That's the big challenge that the second series of Heroes must work on. This is a JM RECOMMENDS for now.

World Trade Center - Dir: Oliver Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:10:00 +0000

Oliver Stone really does know how to direct a movie well and with this theme matter you sure do need someone with steady and focussed hands. The script is pretty good and handles the September 11th tragedy with true respect without making it in to a circus show or high octane action movie. Nicolas Cage is a slight weakness but although not reknowned for his truly heavyweight performances still manages to muster up a good enough performance to not let everything else down. The scenes of the people trapped amidst the rubble and the tower coming down are extremely well done and portray the sense of claustrophobia and fear amazingly well. Good performances from all the supporting cast including Maria Bello. This is a JM RECOMMENDS.

Snakes On A Plane - Dir: David L Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 08:43:00 +0000

The internet hype of this movie was so massive before it came out that they went back for reshoots for a week to make it even better. They shouldn't have really bothered. It's very easy to see quickly why this movie didn't explode at the box office the way it was expected. The direction is immediately very poor reminiscent of some ultra low budget action movie with z-rate actors. The only thing that really drags this through to the climax is Samuel L Jackson. The snake SFX are a mixture of good to very bad and the action was all a bit messy. That said, you certainly get what you see on the tin and if you are after a couple of hours of extremely light distraction then it's okayish. This is a JM SUCK IT AND SEE.

Death Proof - Dir: Quentin Tarantino

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 08:42:00 +0000

This was a massive disappointment. There were problems with audiences not going to see Grindhouse but I'd assumed that was merely down to massive running time. I didn't ever think that it would be because of the extreme poorness of Tarantino's movie. He is reknowned for his witty culture referenced filled dialogue but here it was bland and just seemed to drag on forever. It just seemed really over indulgent and flabby. The two great scenes involving the Death Proof car and its driver Stuntman Mike played by Kurt Russell literally steal the show. It's not hard though to be honest to steal this show. One of the stunt girls, Zoe Bell is so gratingly bad it makes you want to walk out. She is a stunt woman in real life and should have stuck to it. This is a JM THUMBS DOWN.

Ghosts - Dir: Nick Broomfield

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 09:40:00 +0000

From the director of the reknowned documentaries Kurt and Courtney, Tupac and Biggie, and Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer comes this harrowing drama portraying the story of 24 chinese immigrants that lost their lives whilst cockle farming in Morecambe Bay, UK. Fascinating and disturbing at the same time, we see the dreams of the immigrants turn in to nightmares when they reach the UK after a journey that lasts six months. The promises of large salaries and nice houses are immediately seen to be far from the truth. Everyone seems to take advantage of them, even their own kind. We learn that after their deaths that the families still owe their debt to the collectors back home. At the end we find that the lead girl, Ai Qin Li, is actually played by one of the survivors. A fantastic performance. This is a JM RECOMMENDS.

Prison Break Series 3 Episode 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 08:59:00 +0000

Prison Break is back for a third season and is seemingly set inside a prison unlike the second series! This isn't any old prison like before though, this is SONA in deepest Panama where it's got so bad the guards have left and only secure the perimeter. This time Lincoln is outside and must help Michael who is banged up with his three worst enemies T-Bag, Bellick and Mahone. The twist is they must all work together if they are to escape. This first episode is a nice introduction back in to the PB world and it soon becomes evident they are all in it for the long ride. My only concern is how they are going to spin it out considering the first series had pretty much every prison escape twist and turn you could have. This is a JM RECOMMENDS.

The Hitcher - Dir: Robert Harmon

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 08:48:00 +0000

A remake of this movie has just appeared at the cinemas and has been universally panned. Did the original need remaking? The answer is...possibly. The original Hitcher movie starring Rutger Hauer and C Thomas Howell is quite revered in the thriller chiller genre but certainly on a recent rewatch I felt it had lost some of its intensity. In places it feels ballsy and in others it feels messy and cheap. Back in the 1980s it was pretty horrific but in this age of near no holds barred cinema, it doesn't retain the same power. Interestingly the director never really went on to do anything else of note. Still very watchable but only a JM SUCK IT AND SEE.

Last King of Scotland - Dir: Kevin Macdonald

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 09:08:00 +0000

The critical and awards buzz surrounding this film has been pretty big and in some parts it truly deserves it. The movie meshes fact and fiction regarding the meeting of a fresh Scottish doctor played by James McAvoy and Ugandan dictator Idi Amin played by Forrest Whitaker. The latter is truly exceptional and deserved his Oscar for Best Performance. After seeing it, you wonder how he ever had to audition for the role, but he did! McAvoy is ok but his performances are becoming a bit samey with that constant pissed off steeley eyed looked he does. The screenplay is the biggest let down in that it all seems quite thin and never really digs deeper than the surface. It's watchable because of Whitaker's virtuosu performance, but the film around it isn't engrossing enough. This a JM SUCK IT AND SEE.

Planet of the Apes - Dir: Franklin J Schaffner

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 09:07:00 +0000

It's time for a classic revisit. Tim Burton's remake of Planet of the Apes was pretty much panned, and it's easy to see now why it had such a hard time in comparison to the original movie. Even though it was filmed in 1968 it still feels fresh and thrilling as it must have done back then. The direction by Franklin J Schaffner is extremely stylistic and perfectly aligned. He showed his great directing skill again in his future films Patton and Papillon. Charlton Heston doesn't give the best performance as the spaceman landing on a future planet, but is arrogant and edgy enough to carry it off. This really deserves the classic label and is a JM RECOMMENDS.

Destricted - Dir: Larry Clark, Marco Brambilla, Sam Taylor Wood, Gaspar Noe etc

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 10:10:00 +0000

Yet another extremely sexually explicit offering that dresses itself up as serious art. This collection of short movies is directed by various culture alumini including Kids director Larry Clark, artist Sam Taylor Wood, Irreversible's director Gaspar Noe, and most surprisingly Demolition Man director Marco Brambilla. Unlike the recently reviewed Shortbus, there rarely seems little point to any of the movies. They've tried to melt sex and art but just end up with a pretentious collection of images. This is a JM THUMBS DOWN.

Smokin' Aces - Dir: Joe Carnahan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 08:45:00 +0000

This is a really interesting one. When it originally came out at the cinema, the vibe was pretty mixed. Subsequently it has become a huge hit on DVD. I thought the film was pretty good and can't see where any mixed reviews would have come from. The director Joe Carnahan showed some promise in his previous movie Narc and here takes that forward even more here in all the right areas. The story also written by the director regards a mob snitch played excellently by Jeremy Piven being hunted down at the same time by several hitmen and hitwoman all for a $1m reward. Ben Affleck turns in a half decent performance although his moustache still acts him off the screen. Support from singer Alicia Keys, Ray Liotta, Common, and Andy Garcia compliments everything well. This is a JM RECOMMENDS.