Ferpect Crime (2004)

Review:
aka Crimen ferpecto (yes it's Spanish movie) I've seen many black comedy movies such as Heart Breaker, Good Girl, etc. But so far only ONE that kept in my mind, it is A Fish Called Wanda ... until I watch this movie. I must say, this movie is much better (or should I say "not comparable") than normal Hollywood movies. It's about MACHO world.. it's ferPect but not Perfect yet!
Below is review from James Mc Nelly A wickedly funny and original black comedy/thriller I saw this film at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival. I knew I was going to enjoy this film from the moment a large rumpled man in a Misfits t-shirt lumbered onto the stage to introduce himself. "Hola, amigos. The person who is supposed to introduce me is not here. I am here but she is not here. She is in the bathroom." Director Álex de la Iglesia had us laughing even before the first frame of his film. While admitting that Ferpect Crime was just about the worst title for a film ever, he told us that this film was about a man who was so obsessed with living a perfect life that it was bound to cause problems. It's no surprise to learn that the director has a degree in philosophy. Rafael works as a salesman in the ladies' wear section of an upscale department store. He's very popular at work, especially with the ladies, and he's very very good at his job. So good, in fact, that he considers himself a lock for the position of floor manager. But after losing the promotion to his hated rival Don Antonio, things take a turn for the worse and pretty soon Rafael has a dead body on his hands. His only help comes from the one woman he hasn't already bedded, the unattractive Lourdes. Before long, Lourdes has Rafael wrapped around her finger and his life is far from the model of perfection he has always pursued. As the plot thickens, the comedy becomes much darker and the film almost turns into a thriller. There is also a strong element of satire, making this much more substantial than the laughs would indicate. The conclusion ("lesson" seems too strong a word here) is that it's only after we give up our unrealistic expectations of living a perfect life that we can really begin to live at all. But if that's too heavy for you, then go just to see the scene where Rafael goes to meet Lourdes' parents. This film makes me want to see every other film by this warm and wickedly funny director.
Synopsis:
-

In Good Company (2004)

Well it's not so special story plot here. But hey, it portrays our daily life here, isn't it? I mean, for those who still live in E-quadrant and think that your job is a comfort safety zone, then this movie is a satire for you. Though, don't take it too hard...at least get a good laugh before return to your real life :-)

My Rating: 7/10 Recomended

Below is another great review from Eliason A

Leftovers never tasted any better

With 2004 behind us, theatres will fill up space with leftover '04 films until the new 2005's push them out of the way. But with In Good Company, it is solely counted as a 2004 only because NY and LA got to see it two days before the New Year. Now what the hell were they smoking when they thought of that? With the quality delivered in In Good Company, it's a shame it can't be considered as an '05 because it would have started the year off pretty damn greatly. In Good Company is one of the most pleasant surprises of 2004.

From the director of American Pie, Down to Earth, and About A Boy (sounds like a pretty bad track record so far), comes In Good Company. Written and directed by Paul Weitz, In Good Company is a realistic story set in today's business, corporate world. It's a mature, feel good film filled with comedy, drama, and much business shown in corporate offices, companies, etc. This film is mature as in the humor. It's not adult, it's jokes people over 30 or 40 would enjoy the most because the film's angle is aimed at older audiences so it would appeal to them. It's for appeal so older couples or any mature person could enjoy. For example, I went to see it tonight (January 15, 2005); it was sold out and there were 5 people tops under 20. All of the others went for Elektra...

The film is grazed with an amazing cast. The casting is perfect with Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, Scarlett Johansson, Marg Helgenberger (CSI) and more. What makes the film amazing is the "odd couple effect" established with Quaid and Topher Grace. Dennis Quaid has had a sensational 2004 with The Alamo, The Day After Tomorrow, Flight of the Phoenix, and now Company. Meanwhile, That 70's Show star Topher Grace is well known to his fans yet wasn't known to the rest of the world before Company. With his breakthrough performance in Company, Topher Grace now has his name known yet a lot of his fans can't stop thinking it's Eric Foreman on screen.

Dan Foreman (Quaid) has been in the ads and sales business for "Sports America" (Sports Illustrated I guess...), a popular sports magazine, for 25 years. When the company's owner takes an irresponsible spending spree (or whatever the movie calls it), a new, greedier, corporation buys out the company and Dan worries about him and his employees' future. As the film starts out slow, his world is described. Next thing Dan knows, he's working for a 26-year-old businessman named Carter Duryea (Topher Grace) as he loses his job as boss. When Carter starts to sink down with his new attention, he divorces his wife (Selma Blair), and buys a brand spanking new Porsche, which gets strongly dented as he pulls out of the dealership's driveway. Dan starts to sink as well as he got demoted and his fiery, redheaded wife (Helgenberger) gets a very late pregnancy. As they interchange with each other at work, they start to get to know more about each other as Carter is lonely and wants a family like Dan's. (Think of Frank Grimes and his envy for Homer). Then Carter secretly starts a relationship with Dan's oldest daughter, Alex (Scarlett Johansson) and when they are revealed, Dan reaches his breaking point.

(What a coincidence as I write this review, Topher Grace is starring in this weekend's Saturday Night Live)

Dennis Quaid surprisingly does an amazing job as Dan. I knew he'd be good but I didn't think he'd play this character so damn well. Topher Grace is another story. With this breakthrough performance, I'm sure many will believe that Topher as potential in major films in the near future. Marg Helgenberger brings a delightful, fiery zing needed for the film and Scarlett Johansson is not only eye candy but does a great performance, and I mean great. Smaller other roles from actors like David Paymer (one of Dan's oldest friends and employees), Clark Gregg (the "bad guy" if you will), and Philip Baker Hall (the owner of a sister company of Sports America) bring hearty, older comedy to the film.

Paul Weitz now has 4 films under his cap. In Good Company is the one that definitely stands out. His direction seems perfect throughout and his screenplay is one of the most original of 2004, in my opinion. Kudos to him as his hard work is shown in IGC. There's one funny editing mistake in the film too. During an intimate scene between Carter and Alex, a microphone dangles down to break the sexual atmosphere as my whole theatre burst into major laughter. As some explained on the message board though, it was probably a projecting error in my theatre.

Overall, In Good Company is the comedy/drama version of The Bourne Supremacy this year. It's a film for older audiences or people mature enough, as it is not kid-licious material that can be appreciated by all. It depicts the corporate world filled with greedy bastards, hardships, and synergies. The performances are top-notch as Dennis Quaid is at his best and Topher Grace finally breaks through. Weitz' calm, funny direction makes the film easy to get into and has a very comfortable atmosphere and the screenplay is superb.

However, the ending is pro-longed as it has originality, yet it isn't original enough. The movie is predictable but enjoyable that way. I strongly recommend IGC to many adults and people under 18 mature enough to absorb the story. In Good Company is a very enjoyable film and is a great way to put most of 2004 behind us. As we all know, it's Mr. Oscar's job to conclude a year.

My Rating: 8.5/10 (A Low 8.5)
Eliason A.

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

I watched this movie during my alone-flight from Singapore to Istanbul, May 2005. All I can say is; this movie is a masterpice, a must watch movie!

Believe me, unless you loss your deep sense and heart, you will find this movie really touchy. You will find a real tragedy for any mankind. It's like talking about me, about you and all of us. When it comes to diversity, where are we to stand?

I have to confess, I couldn't hold my tears from rolling off my eyes when watching this movie.

My rate 9/10 - Highly Recomended

Below is the amazing review from Eliason A., enjoy!

A stunning picture about the real life story of a man who accomplished the extraordinary

Rwanda 1994. The genocide of the Hutus and the Tutsis sadly commenced. The Hutu militia broke the peace of the country as they started killing any Tutsis in their sight as they called them "cockroaches". This all goes back to when Belgium took the country and sorted out the Rwandan people by shades of colour, nose size and more as it is briefly explained at the beginning of the film.

Hotel Rwanda however does not focus on the graphicness of the wars or the humanity that occurred. It focuses on the true-life story of Paul Rusesabagina and his amazing, heroic struggle. Don Cheadle plays Paul Rusesabagina magnificently as a hotel manager who housed over 1000 Tutsis in the Hotel Des Milles Collines. When all hell broke loose on Rwandan soil, he was there to shelter people in need.

Hotel Rwanda is not only an amazingly done drama but is also educational. It shows the real life events with all the details showing how France, England, Canada, and the U.N helped during the disaster. Nick Nolte plays Colonel Oliver, a Canadian soldier from the U.N who is there at the beginning of the film to help with the peace agreement. Later on, him and other Canadian soldiers are relied to help Paul and the rest of the people during the wars. His character is roughly based on the Canadian war hero Romeo Dallaire who wrote his award winning book, Shaking Hands with the Devil. Nick Nolte's performance is fabulous as he brings Colonel Oliver to life.

Sophie Okonedo superbly plays Tatiana, Paul's wife as she gives a stunning performance. She truly did a magnificent job with her stellar, dramatic talent revealed from this film. Joaquin Phoenix gives a gratifying, exceptional performance as an American cameraman there to visually capture the wars on film.

The real story here is Don Cheadle. With his absolutely extraordinary role, he carries the film on his shoulders. Definitely an astonishing, breathtaking performance, which is one of the best of the year. Don Cheadle's performance is so moving, emotional and so remarkable that he is at his absolute best ever.

The film's flaws are hardly noticed. During the intro, it has the documentary feel and seems hard to get into but after only 5 minutes, you get inside Rwanda and live the strong story of survival and heroic, epic events. Also, from a film like this, I expected more inspirational speeches from Paul Rusesabagina, but his actions and his emotions displayed are more than enough to compensate.

The film's cinematography and editing are well down. The direction Terry George brings to the screen is a calm but strong feel that sternly keeps you in the film as there is no place in the film without a small slight of suspense or tension. Even at some parts of this film, the constant, building tension is relieved with some nice jokes that fit right in. Terry George and his partner Keir Pearson cleverly do this as they beautifully bring their screenplay to life. One thing I loved about this film was during the most emotional times, the songs with the African children singers added to an already perfect atmosphere of sadness or emotional struggle. It was truly beautiful when these songs played as we watched the actions of Paul and his wife at the same time.

This film currently sits at #8 on my Best of the 2000's chart, as it is truly that good. One thing that absolutely got me furious was that this film was not nominated for Best Picture for this year's Oscars. With filth like Finding Neverland in the category, I really wonder how the Academy snubbed this one out. This film will never be forgotten, as I will undoubtedly buy this film on the first day its DVD is released.

Overall, Hotel Rwanda is a truly moving, stunning and inspirational masterpiece. The acting is some of the best this year and Terry George does a superb direction job. As for Oscars, Don Cheadle got a nomination for this role and I'm truly proud for saying that. Even more so for Sophie Okonedo as she truly did a magnificent job for a supporting role. This year, I hope either Don Cheadle or Jamie Foxx (for his absolutely extraordinary role for Ray) win Best Actor and I hope Sophie Okonedo takes the Best Supporting Actress statue. As for Best Original Screenplay, Hotel Rwanda can easily take it if it can beat Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. On a closing note, I must say that I strongly recommend that all should view this masterpiece as it educates everyone on the disasters that occurred back in '94. If you truly believe and have faith, the extraordinary can be accomplished and Paul Rusesabagina proved this to us.

My Rating: 9/10 (A High 9)
Eliason A.
Ottawa, Canada - 2 February 2005

The Others (2001)

An interesting 'twisted' movie, a smart mind games. The picture setting is very romantic and at the same time so grey!

My rate 7/10 - recomended

-----------------------Casts
Nicole Kidman (as Grace), Fionnula Flanagan (as Mrs. Mills), Christopher Eccleston (as Charles), Alakina Mann (as Anne), James Bentley (as Nicholas), Eric Sykes (as Mr. Tuttle), Elaine Cassidy (as Lydia), Renée Asherson (as Old Lady), Gordon Reid (as Assistant), Keith Allen (as Mr. Marlish), Michelle Fairley (as Mrs. Marlish), Alexander Vince (as Victor), Ricardo López (as 2nd Assistant), Aldo Grilo (as Gardener)

A review from Linkin65000

"The Others" is a suspenseful horror film unlike many these days. Most are concerned with blood and gore, teenage girls getting naked, body count, and not scary. "The Others" is atmospheric, spooky, bloodless, and carried by strong acting and fleshed out characters. Yet, it takes too long to make an impact and the final payoff is not as shocking as it should be.

The plot is simple and not especially innovative (your average ghost story), but it seems fresh thanks to strong acting and a well-crafted, eerie atmosphere that rivals that of a Tim Burton film. Nicole Kidman is Grace, a beautiful young married mother who must raise her two children, Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley) alone in their gigantic (actually, ridiculously large) mansion on a British isle, around the end of WWII. They are alone, for the husband and father has been at war and has not returned, and their housekeepers mysteriously vanished. Suddenly, a trio of friendly caretakers arrive one day. Mrs. Mills (Fionnula Flanagan) is the amiable old lady, Lydia (Elaine Cassidy) is a mute young girl, and Mr. Tuttle (Eric Sykes) is the not-so-social gardener. However, there is a strange, arcane facet to the trio; they have little background and had no way of knowing that Grace was offering positions at her manor. Aside from this, Grace must deal with her children, who have a deadly allergy to light, which means that the house must be dark all the time, allowing for a spooky dark, shadowy ambience. Anna and Nicholas, most importantly, have been visited - by a family of ghosts. Noises - crying, piano music, and running - have been heard. And curtains that stop light from entering the house are opening and closing by themselves. The film is based around Grace's efforts to solve the enigma.

I love the atmosphere of "The Others," set in a nostalgic and ominous 1940's estate. Snowy mist blankets the grass and crisp fall leaves. Murky waters of a lake border the chateau. Elegant furniture, polished marble and wood floors, neatly-woven blankets, tautly fabricated furnishings of wood and olive green cloth, coal black German sedans, lightly wrinkled sweaters and jackets are all seemingly authentic from the era. One spectacular and tense scene has Grace haplessly stumbling through an impenetrably thick ocean of milky fog that weaves through overhanging trees and a ground of crunchy bronze and russet leaves.

The action takes a while to get started up, which is a major negative. This is due to the director, Amenabar, spending time to develop an involving plot, 3-D characters, and the aforementioned décor. While Amenabar succeeds in those respects, we find ourselves wishing something would happen. Many people will easily become bored, feel tempted to sleep or leave, etc., but I, while not exactly enthralled by that point in the film, was still enjoying it.

When we finally are treated to doses of suspense and chills (not so much horror and terror), it is satisfying. You most likely will find yourself on the edge of your seat or huddled in a ball anxiously awaiting the potentially fatal results of Grace's investigation. This is not so much because you care about her character, but really because you expect a sudden scream and heart-stopping outburst of maniacal ghosts. Most scenes are chilling, including the door shutting in the piano room, the old lady in the white dress, and the final chaotic conclusion. However, I can not say that I was truly horrified and paranoid from this film, unlike "The Sixth Sense," where I was freaked out for months. I was still very entertained.

I must commend all the actors in the film, especially Nicole Kidman. The acting was down to earth and realistic, despite Nicole Kidman forced into saying some foolish lines ("Something.. Diabolical!). The two child actors, Mann and Bentley, were excellent in a fairly difficult role for children.

Another important downside to the film was the "shocking" conclusion. While I must admit that I found it brilliant, it lacked the powerful punch I wish it had. I don't know why this is, it just isn't. I am disappointed at how much potential the ending could have packed and how little it did.Overall, I found "The Others" a highly entertaining thriller with magnetic milieus and plenty of startles.

Flubber (1997)

Synopsis:
Professor Phillip Brainard, an absent minded professor, works with his assistant Weebo, trying to create a substance that's a new source of energy and that will save Medfield College where his sweetheart Sara is the president. He has missed his wedding twice, and on the afternoon of his third wedding, Professor Brainard creates flubber, which allows objects to fly through the air. I looks like rubber, so he calls it flubber. This film is based on the 1961 Disney classic, "The Absent-Minded Professor.
Review:
In this remake the absent minded college professor Philip Brainard (Williams), employed at a near bankrupt university, creates the formula for Flubber, yet he can't remember to show up for his own wedding to school President Sara Jean Reynolds (Marcia Gay Harden). His rival, Wilson Croft (Christopher McDonald), plots to steal her away and the Flubber from Brainard. A corrupt businessman Chester Hoenicker (Raymond Barry) tries to force Brainard to pass his failing son Bennett (Wil Wheaton), but he soon takes an interest in Flubber after hearing about it from his flunkies (Clancy Brown, Ted Levine). After using Flubber to fly over clouds in his 1963 T-Bird, Brainard realizes Flubber can also improve the performance of the school's pathetic basketball team. I laughed at some parts of this remake, but I don't think you should mess with the originals. Flubber isn't one of Robin Williams' better roles.