HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
Watchable. No film is capable of giving the books justice. This one, just like all the predecessors, has extracted the most important events skipping all the rest. Luckily it has retained the humour of the book (e.g. Ron Weasley in love or Hermione remarking: "Excuse me, I have to vomit."). Emma Watson as Hermione and Rupert Grint as Ron are getting better and better from one movie to next. Special effects disappointed just as much as in the previous movies althought the opening disasters in London are mind-blowing. The fairy-tale music score which matched the first film well, sounds terribly incongruous in this serious and grim tale. The whole film would have been scripted and acted better if it had been unaware of its expected greatness.
THE PROPOSAL
Recommended. Hilarious from the very beginning (e.g. Andrew bumping into people in the lift: "Is everyone OK? Me too." or staff emails about the boss: "It's here." and "The witch is on the broom."), later on transits into a weepy melodrama with some laughs thrown in here and there (e.g. the granny in the helicopter ambulance). Brilliantly acted and shot.
THE INFORMERS
Recommended. Based on a novel by Bret Easton Ellis - the author of "American Psycho". Good 80s music, lots of good-looking naked bodies. Feels light and entertaining until deep moral dilemmas see through the superficial, happy-go-lucky lives of people who have everything (e.g. Graham realising he can't tell the right from the wrong). Powerful stuff.
THE BLUES BROTHERS
Watchable. Even if some of the music isn't exactly to my taste, this comedy never gets old.
ANTICHRIST (ANTYCHRYST)
Watchable. The trailer was scarier, more mysterious and had scenes missing from the movie (!). It's a lengthy, slow tale leading to a "Hostel"- torture-style climax. Lots of graphic sex. If it weren't so boringly artistic, it could be easily classified as sado porn. Certificate 18.
MOON
Recommended. Feels like old good science-fiction, back to the core of the genre. Gripping, mysterious, scarish, well acted. With music by Clint Mansell.
THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123
Watchable. Fast action, well acted, especially by Denzel Washington. The beginning is about as interesting as a Tube breakdown but it gets really good when it's revealed who the two players actually are.
PUBLIC ENEMIES
Walked out. The typical bandits with typical robberies, a typical interest in brothels and having a typical affair shown in desultory scenes are bad enough but what really ruins this movie is the incongruos soundtrack. It sounds as if the composer had never seen the film or even had any idea what it was about.
LUCK
Recommended. It's as good as "Race" with good as ever Imran Khan. Films about rich people playing others' lives ("Trading Places", "Hostel", "Surviving the Game") are a good bet. This one is one of the kind, with top-notch Bollywood music and superb scenes (e.g. "bringing betting to such levels that even death seems inferior").
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