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herb2000
Reviews
Ngo joh ngan gin do gwai (2002)
Comedic film with excellent story and script
Just seeing the title one might think this is a horror move or worse. It is actually very funny with may twists and turns. The characters unfold and find depth as the movie progresses. Also there is much sentimentality and sincerity that builds as the film progresses. Though just barely a notch below, My Left Eye Sees Ghosts is comparable in quality and comedic style to My Sassy Girl. So far have referred it to half a dozen people, each of whom watched and thoroughly enjoyed. It is worth finding this gem and gathering friends to watch. There twist and turns and I don't want to say anymore for fear I would give anything away.
People I Know (2002)
Awful at best
I rented this movie thinking it had possibilities given the cast. I thought it should be reasonably good but I was wrong. If I had visited IMDb before I rented this I would have realized why it quickly went to DVD and grossed less than a million in the theaters. The plot is not at all believable nor convincing. The storyline requires the viewer to believe that various groups -- Jewish, African American, etc. -- are organized like mafias and have hit men that execute like Israeli assassins. The various characters are also either not believable or enter the movie not fully developed or left hanging in the wings. Kim Bassinger is brought in as Al Pacino's late brother's wife with some romantic flavor but doesn't go anywhere. It is mentioned that his brother committed suicide but that goes no where. I watched the entire movie hoping that in the end something would come together, but it did not. If you want to see a day in the life story of someone in NYC, Bringing Out The Dead with Nicolas Cage is a much better choice. If you want something long and drawn out with loose ends choose a foreign movie like What Time Is It There. At least it is artistic and believable, and it has better locations.
The Big Bounce (2004)
All too good an example of a very bad movie
I like the actors, especially Wilson dating back to Bottle Rocket, but this movie was down right awful. There is a plot that could be the basis of a good movie but it was like a heart beat that went flat line during the opening credits. No real suspense, no real comedy and no drama. It had a great set of actors, a great location and a good basic plot but never really got anywhere. Everything in the trailer was what the move was not. Even the highlights of surfing were not in the movie except for the DVD extras which had some neat surfing features. Only worth watching if on TV. Not even worth the risk of losing a few dollars on a rental as it is all too likely you will not be interested.
Xing fu shi guang (2000)
Great Movie
Being brief, I found this to be a wonderful movie and story line. It is subtle throughout and has a simple but uplifting story. Some parts are funny, some just walk through the story and some are touching. It does have an unexpected ending that at first blush may appear to not be very positive but it is truly enriching.
Shiqi sui de dan che (2001)
Interesting movie, well done
For a very simple perspective, this as an interesting story that shows the changing society in China and contrasts that urban and rural cultures. It is well done though may not be for everyone (not content but the plot).The cover discusses that this is a coming of age movie though I did not find much of the story having to do with that. Very good story but do not plan on what you would typically expect from a coming of age story.
Ni na bian ji dian (2001)
OK
"Terrible" has a reasonably good handle on describing the pace of this movie. I watch it and did found its lack of dialogue disturbing at first but had a level of curiosity high enough to enjoy it. It is a conversation piece since how many movies can you discuss where you basically remember each and every line (there are so few).
The movie leaves enough open, and sometimes pointless, scenes to leave a great amount of room for interpretation. Reading the Director's comments helped a bit and I feel a great need to watch Truffaut's "400 Blows" given the numerous references in the movie and commentary. Then again there is enough that I have chalked up certain scenes to being meaningless. My take - Death happens, Celebrate the living.