http://ambival.net/movies/man-on-fire Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:38:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://ambival.net/movies/man-on-fire#comment-9809 Ambival.net » Movie Reviews » Domino Wed, 02 May 2007 22:39:11 +0000 http://ambival.net/?p=250#comment-9809 [...] I was afraid that this would be all the negative things I avoided it for in the first place – basically, the general criticism it’s received, that Tony Scott in general has often (unfairly in my opinion, though it stands here) received: that classic poison arrow of critics – all style, no substance. The first 10 minutes didn’t do much to convince me otherwise. But for the most part, I think this movie, though vastly overlong, definitely errs on the good side of all that criticism implies. Sometimes the MTV edits and, err, for want of a better word, sh*t become just ridiculous – but it never entirely makes me lose my newfound love of Tony Scott (let’s face it, with Man on Fire and Deja Vu, it’d take a lot) It’s manic in its business, so manic I probably couldn’t really relate the story to you at all right now if you asked – but it’s admirable in its own way just for being so manic. It’s one of those movies where you get the impression the film makers knew exactly what was going on in the frame at all times, even if you never quite latch on yourself. It’s certainly Keira Knightley’s best role outside of the original Pirates movie, that I’ve seen at least, that’s for sure, even if her voiceover stuff gets a little annoying at times.. It comes together really well in the end and for now I guess all I want to really say is it deserves a second viewing, and I’ll certainly give it that. [...] [...] I was afraid that this would be all the negative things I avoided it for in the first place – basically, the general criticism it’s received, that Tony Scott in general has often (unfairly in my opinion, though it stands here) received: that classic poison arrow of critics – all style, no substance. The first 10 minutes didn’t do much to convince me otherwise. But for the most part, I think this movie, though vastly overlong, definitely errs on the good side of all that criticism implies. Sometimes the MTV edits and, err, for want of a better word, sh*t become just ridiculous – but it never entirely makes me lose my newfound love of Tony Scott (let’s face it, with Man on Fire and Deja Vu, it’d take a lot) It’s manic in its business, so manic I probably couldn’t really relate the story to you at all right now if you asked – but it’s admirable in its own way just for being so manic. It’s one of those movies where you get the impression the film makers knew exactly what was going on in the frame at all times, even if you never quite latch on yourself. It’s certainly Keira Knightley’s best role outside of the original Pirates movie, that I’ve seen at least, that’s for sure, even if her voiceover stuff gets a little annoying at times.. It comes together really well in the end and for now I guess all I want to really say is it deserves a second viewing, and I’ll certainly give it that. [...]

]]> http://ambival.net/movies/man-on-fire#comment-7166 Ambival.net » Movie Reviews » Deja Vu [2006] Thu, 19 Apr 2007 01:51:21 +0000 http://ambival.net/?p=250#comment-7166 [...] There’s hints early on at the brilliant potential for this movie to address love that transcends even time itself – and that’s the only reason, ultimately, it takes a slight downturn for me when Denzel goes back in time. It kind of breaks that whole potential. Don’t get me wrong, this moment is done as brilliantly as the rest, I completely accepted it and it doesn’t come over as too bizarre a turn, not even the way some people (not me) find The Prestige stuff does … but for me, the idea of someone falling in love, even just getting close, getting a connection to a person, without ever having met them, that deserves more and those shots where it looks like the girl “feels” Denzel watching her early on are just too tantalising for the rest of the movie to live up to. And, I know, I know, it’s not that kind of movie, it’s “just” a thriller, but if you’ve seen Man on Fire, or even True Romance you’ll know Tony Scott is capable of making a thriller so much more than a thriller, and it could’ve been both. The ending pulls this feeling back big time, I for one did not see it coming at all and when I realised what was going to happen, I primed myself for tears and they came on cue. [...] [...] There’s hints early on at the brilliant potential for this movie to address love that transcends even time itself – and that’s the only reason, ultimately, it takes a slight downturn for me when Denzel goes back in time. It kind of breaks that whole potential. Don’t get me wrong, this moment is done as brilliantly as the rest, I completely accepted it and it doesn’t come over as too bizarre a turn, not even the way some people (not me) find The Prestige stuff does … but for me, the idea of someone falling in love, even just getting close, getting a connection to a person, without ever having met them, that deserves more and those shots where it looks like the girl “feels” Denzel watching her early on are just too tantalising for the rest of the movie to live up to. And, I know, I know, it’s not that kind of movie, it’s “just” a thriller, but if you’ve seen Man on Fire, or even True Romance you’ll know Tony Scott is capable of making a thriller so much more than a thriller, and it could’ve been both. The ending pulls this feeling back big time, I for one did not see it coming at all and when I realised what was going to happen, I primed myself for tears and they came on cue. [...]

]]> http://ambival.net/movies/man-on-fire#comment-1520 Ambival.net » Movies » My Top 100 Movies [current] Mon, 29 Jan 2007 23:51:18 +0000 http://ambival.net/?p=250#comment-1520 [...] Man on Fire Tony Scott [...] [...] Man on Fire Tony Scott [...]

]]> http://ambival.net/movies/man-on-fire#comment-401 Ambival.net » Movies » Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story Tue, 20 Jun 2006 22:39:38 +0000 http://ambival.net/?p=250#comment-401 [...] There’s little to say about this except it’s exactly what I was expecting from the trailers and basic set-up. It’s as much a shameless crowd-pleaser as Cinderella Man was earlier in the year with the added bonus of Dakota Fanning brightening every frame she’s in – despite the fact she seems to be eating for 90% of her screen time, lol. I don’t know if she deserves an Oscar nomination for the part as some are suggesting … much as I’d love to see that happen, I think her chances, though equally slim, are greater for her supporting role in War of the Worlds and she was better in I Am Sam and Man on Fire anyway. Elisabeth Shue is well cast as her mom, and the father/son pairing of Kris Kristofferson and Kurt Russell is perfect too. John Debney’s score is usual soaring stuff you get in this kind of movie, but, like everything else, it works perfectly for me. [...] [...] There’s little to say about this except it’s exactly what I was expecting from the trailers and basic set-up. It’s as much a shameless crowd-pleaser as Cinderella Man was earlier in the year with the added bonus of Dakota Fanning brightening every frame she’s in – despite the fact she seems to be eating for 90% of her screen time, lol. I don’t know if she deserves an Oscar nomination for the part as some are suggesting … much as I’d love to see that happen, I think her chances, though equally slim, are greater for her supporting role in War of the Worlds and she was better in I Am Sam and Man on Fire anyway. Elisabeth Shue is well cast as her mom, and the father/son pairing of Kris Kristofferson and Kurt Russell is perfect too. John Debney’s score is usual soaring stuff you get in this kind of movie, but, like everything else, it works perfectly for me. [...]

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