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Reviews
Texas Killing Fields (2011)
Fails to realise it's potential
To start on a very positive note, this film is beautifully set and shot; grimy streets, tatty houses and drizzly crime scenes. Then, as the synopsis implies, mutilated bodies are discovered in boggy bayous by frustrated cops, and you feel as if you may be drawn into a fascinating and tragic true story of grisly brutal unsolvable murders. Disappointingly, you are mostly left to guess from this point on, and what morsels of the story you are given does not do the real story justice.
Ultimately, it feels like the makers of this film were not sure of which aspect of the story they really wanted to convey; whether the murders, the suspects, the setting itself or the detectives attempting to solve them. The acting is sufficient, the script and details plausible, but from the start it confusingly plunges you into the story with no background to the characters and fails to provide much context into the case.
Although most of the characters develop well, the end leaves you feeling that the rest were developed for no reason at all. Perhaps just to keep you guessing as to the identity of the real killers, which seems a little unnecessary when some earlier scenes have already suggested their true identity. Its almost as insultingly obvious as a 50/50 choice for the viewer.
Worst of all, at the end of the film you will probably find that more questions are left unanswered than you began with. You are left craving that little bit more; what was the killers' motivation for the killing? Why were the police unable to trace them sooner? And so on. When the credits abruptly rolled, I couldn't help feeling as if some terrible accident had occurred and the second half of the film had been mistakenly left on the editing room floor.
To summarise; well set, acted and filmed, but just felt as though it could have been so much better.
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Bleak, but brilliant
I think it is fair to say that this is a film that unquestionably does not take its subject matter lightly. When approached with an open mind, this film will suck you in, and give you insight into the most foulest depths of depravity and denial that addiction can bring.
The casting, cinematography and editing are excellent, and allow you a perspective into a world that most us have no understanding of, and in parts make you honestly despair as you are drawn into the whirlpool of desperation the characters inevitably slip into. Its almost harrowing to watch, but worth every second of the runtime. Although not it's intention, nothing else could portray the destructive effects of drugs better.
Tunnel Rats (2008)
Don't bother
Make no bones about it, this film is TERRIBLE. Everything about the making and production of this film has been shockingly misjudged.
For the first 30 minutes of this Boll tries to make you fell empathy for the character's bleak situation for what lies ahead, but instead it just irritates you as the characters are all paper-thin and the dialogue is terrible. As the film progresses it becomes more and more silly, and is riddled with historical and tactical inaccuracies, which really make you think he should have read a bit more into the background of the actual tunnel rat units in Vietnam. At some point it almost borders on insult towards Americans in its ridiculous and unsentimental portrayal of its fighting men.
If like me, you watched this film hoping for insight into this fascinating aspect of fighting in the Vietnam war, I suggest instead you read Mangold & Penycate's Tunnels of CuChi, its what Boll should have done.
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Don't believe the hype
I love Tarantino movies. In the past all his movies have had razor sharp dialogue, brilliant set pieces, great pace and plenty to keep you compelled. And for this reason, I gave two hours and thirty three minutes of my life to watch it. I really wish I hadn't. With the exception of Waltz and Kruger, the acting is pure ham. Tarantino should definitely give up casting Hollywood "buddies". I didn't get any sense of perspective from the story - was there a point to any of it at all?! Rambling scenes followed, and the general pace of the film was slow and limp, asides from the occasional abrupt burst of violence which often simply stopped characters from developing further. I found it very hard to feel anything for the antagonist in the movie and Brad Pitt's constant over the top accent and overacting just made me want to watch his scenes with the sound muted. Definitely Tarantino's worst film to date...a far cry from the directorial skill behind Pulp Fiction.
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Outstanding
As as moderate newcomer to noir, and beginning working through the IMDb top 250, this is probably the best way to start. It is a terrible shame films are not often written this well anymore, and have such excellent acting talent. Despite being raised on modern cinema myself, this easily outshines anything made recently in pretty much every way. Everything is good about it, a story with good twists to keep you guessing, great dialogue, great acting (Bogart and Lorre are both amazing) and great atmosphere and mood. If like I did at first, you have any misconceptions about older B&W movies, after watching this you will certainly change your mind. Its nothing short of outstanding.