Kaka

So let's summarize: agent Jason Bourne speaks several world languages perfectly and without hesitation, he drives better than a professional Formula One pilot, he can handle four highly trained agents on a few square meters without batting an eye, he knows all possible places and locations perfectly, so not only does he never get lost, but he is always several thousand steps ahead of the local police and the entire FBI and CIA combined (Moscow, London, Berlin, Turin, unspecified places in India, New York, Tangier, among others). Nothing ever catches him off guard, and he always thinks with a cool head, even when there are thousand of people with guns behind him, and he can sneak into the office of the CIA Deputy Director without being seen – don’t forget that it is a high-rise building where one office is next to another, and there are about 165,811,877 people everywhere. And on top of all that, he dares to make bold and ironic remarks. This is just a rough list of all the qualities of this elite agent. So where is the realism in that? And yet they say Bond and Hunt are over-the-top.

Cruelly below my personal expectations. Jack Nicholson is an exceptional actor, whether he plays a wolf or anything else, that’s a fact no one can deny, and in this case, he literally saved what could be saved; his performance is excellent. Mike Nichols manages to create something resembling an atmosphere, but the suspense is nothing special, the make-up effects are downright tragic, and the overall visual execution is terribly television-like. Is this supposed to be a famous and brilliantly shot horror film? It doesn't seem like it to me. A heavily average affair with an overacting James Spader, whose wolf eyes were so unbelievable that it led to a smile. Mediocre overall, primarily thanks to Jack.

The film essentially relies only on the interesting period in which it takes place, with the issues of racial segregation, harassment, and oppression of minorities. Alan Parker focuses primarily on the driving force behind this conflict: the Ku Klux Klan and its representatives. Some scenes are impressive, while others are unnecessarily drawn out. If you're expecting Gene Hackman to be his typical tough guy, you will be disappointed. He has a few such scenes, but otherwise, he is more like a witty old bachelor with a lot of sly remarks. The atmosphere of the small town and the fact that something is happening is solid, and fortunately, they didn't completely close the doors to brutality, so there is definitely something to watch, without embellishments or tricks. But it's not really worth watching a second time, the screenplay is simple and uncomfortably straightforward.

At its core, it’s an utterly simple story in an interesting package with a touch of the 1940s, with captivating performances by Michael Douglas and the feisty translator played by Melanie Griffith, as well as the very impersonal view of a multiple-year military conflict that changed the whole world. Very sober, very realistic in terms of facts and settings, and the ending is slightly tearful and overly romantic, but otherwise it probably couldn't have ended any other way. There are several scenes that suspenseful and incredibly strong, especially the ones of Melanie Griffith behind enemy lines. This whole part of the film can be enjoyed in one breath, just like the gripping ending, which was so brutally disrupted by that shockingly obvious and yet important white line.

An accomplished piece full of love, strong romance, and a pleasant feeling of intimacy and personal experience. Anthony Hopkins is captivating, Brad Pitt is merely average, but it was nothing unexpected. The plot is cleverly put together, and above all, the theme is interesting and original. It’s something that probably had never been done before, and Brest managed the uncharted waters exceedingly well. The running time is not an issue, and after the film ends, it leaves you with a pleasant feeling in your heart from three hours well spent watching this film. But you do need to accept certain rules of nobility, a slow pace, and intense emotions in advance. Only then is there a chance that this film about love and death will be enjoyed and leave the right impact.

A decent classic of the genre with a riveting acting duo that takes the rating up a notch. Steve McQueen in particular is absolutely brilliant, a guy you can't help but root for. Impressive visual effects (the large model of the building was especially well-made), skilled directing, and one suspenseful scene after another – that's how it should always be. However, I wouldn't go overboard with lamenting about its unsurpassed pinnacle in its genre. It is indeed high-quality, but also the first, hence a considerable bonus on top.

A triple portion of moralizing nonsense, tastelessly worn-out sentiment, and the fact that all good people will live a happy life, while all the bad ones will burn in hell. Sam Raimi must have had a fever during filming if he thought that this transparent, boring, and worn-out nonsense would satisfy the viewers who were expecting a golden peak after the original first film and its action-packed sequel. Instead of a peak, there is a tragic downfall, Spider-Man has become an idiot pointing finger-guns at passers-by, wearing a dreadful hairstyle, Mary Jane throws wisdom around like a shaman of an ancient African tribe in her twenties, and Harry Osborne sees his deceased father in the mirror. Some of the supporting roles may have been decent, but the rest is an annoying, dull, and visually repulsive (incredibly obvious presence of computers) ride where the beginning fizzles out of your head before you even see the end.

Adrian Lyne knows how to create a suffocating erotic atmosphere, but that is far from enough for the whole film. We practically learn nothing about the psychopath Glenn Close, her motives, her past, the reason why she acts this way – nothing at all. Her character is flat, like an airport runway, not to mention that she is visually repulsive, so Michael Douglas's infatuation seems very hard to believe, and it’s not really a question of taste. The dialogues are solid, Michael's acting is more than above average, he is fantastic in these “suit and tie” roles and his voice work is captivating. Unfortunately, the psychological connection of the film is somewhat lacking, and when Lyne doesn't know where to go, he throws a white rabbit or an amusement park in our way. The final scene, as traditionally hyped as it is in these types of films, is not exactly good.

It starts as solid-looking, smart science fiction with elements of drama, but it gradually turns into a wannabe philosophical nonsense that not even the the relatively decent visuals, the highly talented cast, and the suspense of the plot can save. The closer we get to the end, the more senseless this endeavor becomes. It opens with a monumental raising of the flag, continues with the survivor of a shipwreck, and the powerful ending can be seen in the form of a face and the fact that “they are us and we are them”. Stupid. Brian De Palma completely off the rails, or this is what happens when someone lets their imagination run wild and doesn't stick to what they do best.

Wesley Snipes surprisingly stepped away from his typically action-packed roles, and his detective from the murder department, facing eviction, was a refreshing change. If we overlook some unnecessary flashy escapades (the opening scene with a madman, the ending with the president), it is a solidly written and directed crime film, with a decently complicated screenplay, with just the right amount of action, which is, by the way, excellently filmed. There are some logical flaws and script deficiencies that disappoint, but not so many. Another relatively routine and average crime film, but it is definitely not a bad choice to kill two hours.