Tag: 2005

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Miss Congeniality 2 Armed & Fabulous (2005) Movie Review

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous – ABC Film Challenge – Sequels/Remakes – M – Miss Congeniality 2 – Movie Review

Miss Congeniality 2

Director: John Pasquin

Writer: Marc Lawrence (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Sandra Bullock (Speed)
  • Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk)
  • Enrique Murciano (Black Hawk Down)
  • William Shatner (Star Trek)
  • Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters)

Plot: Gracie Hart abandons the life of a field agent to become the public face of FBI. Yet when Cheryl Frasier and Stan Fields are kidnapped, she is determined to rescue them, along with her reluctant partner.

Runtime: 1 Hour 55 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous starts as Gracie (Bullock) finds her field career a problem after her newfound fame. She has been offered a role as the new face of the FBI, handling the press. When working on this case, the winner of Miss America Cheryl (Burns) and Stan Fields (Shatner) gets kidnapped.

Gracie starts looking to investigate the case to find her friend, she finds herself needing to go against the FBI. Turning to the few people that can trust her, with a new agent Sam Fuller (King) being the person she can trust.

Verdict on Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous brings Gracie back for her latest case. However, this time she has embraced her feminine side more. She must lead an investigation to discover who has kidnapped her friends from the pageant.

This movie changes everything about Gracie, but it maintains her determination to solve a crime. She shows that working with others becomes a strength for her. The mystery sees the pair going through Las Vegas as they look to find bumbling criminals. This is a weakness in the movie, we learn who the criminals are early on, and they have no real threat to anyone involved. The movie feels like a solid sequel, that gets the basic right without being ground breaking. Despite this, Sandra Bullock and Regina King are excellent together.

Final Thoughts –Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous is a solid sequel that is carried by Sandra Bullock and Regina King’s chemistry.

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Movie Review

Dracula III: Legacy (2005) Movie Review

Dracula III: Legacy – ABC Film Challenge – Sequels/Reboots – D – Dracula III Legacy – Movie Review

Dracula III

Director: Patrick Lussier

Writer: Joel Soisson, Patrick Lussier (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Jason Scott Lee (Mulan)
  • Jason London (Daze and Confused)
  • Stephen Billington (Resident Evil)
  • Diane Neal (Law & Order Special Victims Unit)
  • Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner)

Plot: In the near future, Uffizi and Luke travel to the remote reaches of war-torn Romania to rescue Elizabeth and finish the vampire once and for all. Along the way, they encounter a TV news journalist and a corps of rebels trying to fight the vampire uprising which plagues their country.

Runtime: 1 Hour 26 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Dracula III: Legacy starts as Father Uffizi (Lee) and Luke (London) work together now. They are searching for Elizabeth (Neal) in hopes of saving her from the curse, as Dracula (Billington) returns to Europe.

As they travel, they find themselves in the middle of a civil war. One that will test their own beliefs and a final showdown with a fully reformed Dracula (Hauer).

Verdict on Dracula III: Legacy

Dracula III: Legacy picks up where the last movie finished off, showing Father Uffizi needing to regroup. It sees him heading to Europe to take on Dracula again after he returned to his homeland. Only this time he gets involved in a civil war.

To think this sequel came out two years after the last movie, you would think there would be a major conclusion to the story. However, it has such a big break in the story, a jump to the ‘near future’ it makes little sense to leave us with a cliff hanger before. This time everything feels more contained with Europe and doesn’t bring enough to the table. The previous movie had an interesting conversation, one that doesn’t get carried forward.

Final Thoughts – Dracula III: Legacy feels like a generic vampire movie.

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Movie Review

Premonition (2005) Movie Review

Premonition – ABC Film Challenge – Mystery – Q (Jonas Quastel) – Premonition – Movie Review

Premonition – ABC Film Challenge – Mystery – Q (Jonas Quastel) – Premonition - Movie Review

Director: Jonas Quastel

Writer: Will Stewart (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: After a violent car wreck nearly takes his life, Jack Barnes begins having inexplicable and terrifying premonitions of horrible disasters. As his premonitions start coming true, Jack is soon wanted by the FBI for questioning.

Runtime: 1 Hour 26 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Premonition starts when Detective Jack Barnes (Van Dien) is involved in a violent car wreck. His partner is killed and he is lucky to survive. However, as Jack starts trying to recover, he starts having disturbing visions.

As Jack starts investigating the visions, he learns that he can see into the future. He starts using his painful new ability to save lives. However, terrorists look to eliminate Jack before he can expose their plan for destruction in the city.

Verdict on Premonition

Premonition is a mystery sci-fi thriller following a detective that survives a car wreck with a new gift. He can see disasters happening and sets out on a mission to warn people before disaster strikes.

This is a movie that gets to play into the idea that people wouldn’t understand seeing the future. It gets to show how hard people try to prevent disaster from happening and the people around them might consider them unstable. However, it does seem to focus more on the ability being used to battle terrorists, rather than stop natural disasters. Which takes away the unsure nature involved. In the end, the action is entertaining and the story does flow well. We could have easily gone down the same direction as ‘Knowing’ but things are kept grounded.

Final Thoughts – Premonition is an entertaining mystery thriller.

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Movie Review

Revolver (2005) Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Action – G – Revolver. This is under G because of director Guy Ritchie.

Revolver Poster

Director: Guy Ritchie

Writer: Guy Ritchie (Screenplay)

Starring: Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Andre Benjamin, Vincent Pastore, Terence Maynard, Andrew Howard, Mark Strong

Plot: Gambler Jake Green enters a game with potentially deadly consequences.

Runtime: 1 Hour 51 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Revolver starts as gambler Jake Green (Statham) looks to get money off his former crime boss Dorothy Macha (Liotta). He finds himself poisoned, given a short time to live, where rival gangster Avi (Benjamin) approaches him with an offer. Meanwhile, Macha wants Jake dead, sending his hitman Sorter (Strong) to get the job done.

As Jake starts being a muscle man for Avi, he sees the bigger plan unfolding. Although he needs to keep his role in the game if he is ever going to make the final move.

Thoughts on Revolver

Revolver is Guy Ritchie’s action crime thriller. Following the conman that is looking to get revenge on the people that took everything from him. Allowing him to understand what is going on within his own mind.

This is a story that will look to test the audience with how everything unfolds. Never letting us have what seems like an easy path to follow. Turning the scenes into something much bigger going on. With a final third that will leave you scratching your head more than anything else, you see in the movie. Making us wonder what we just saw.

Jason Statham brings a different type of performance because he feels like he fades into the background by the end of the movie. Rely in on the other cast members to take centre stage. Andre Benjamin and Ray Liotta are both great with what they must do.

Final Thoughts – Revolver is a confusing movie, one that will leave you with more questions than answers.

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Movie Review

Tsotsi (2005) Movie Review

Tsotsi – ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nominations – G – Gavin Hood’s Tsotsi – Movie Review

Tsotsi

Director: Gavin Hood

Writer: Gavin Hood (Screenplay)

Writer: Athol Fugard (Novel)

Cast

  • Presley Chweneyagae
  • Mothusi Magano
  • Israel Matseke-Zulu
  • Terry Pheto
  • Kenneth Nkosi

Plot: Six days in the violent life of a young Johannesburg gang leader.

Runtime: 1 Hour 35 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Tsotsi starts as a gang running around Johannesburg causing trouble and sees them go too far. They leave a man dead, and Tsotsi (Cheweneyagae) goes off to reflect and steals a car from a lady. He is unaware there is a baby in the backseat and he can’t return the baby without being caught.

Tsotsi is forced to care for the baby he isn’t prepared to care for. Turning to a local woman Miriam (Pheto) with a new-born baby. In the next few days, Tsotsi must learn what it is to be responsible for more than just himself and decide if he wants to clean up his act or not.

Verdict on Tsotsi

Tsotsi is an Oscar-winning crime drama following a member of a gang who needs to learn to grow up after being left in possession of a baby. It is an amazing coming-of-age tale that shows the struggles in the South African areas. How poverty often leads to children needing to fight for themselves to survive, explains why they fall into the wrong gangs.

The performances are brilliant, with Presley Chweneyagae shining in the leading role of the movie. It leaves you wondering why people are placed into such horrendous living conditions but shows the big heart of the people who learn to change.

Final Thoughts – Tsotsi is a brilliant drama that fully deserved the Oscar it won.

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Movie Review

V for Vendetta (2005) Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – 2000s Movies – V – V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta Poster

Director: James McTeigue

Writer: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski (Screenplay) David Lloyd (Graphic Novel)

Starring: Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Rupert Graves, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, John Hurt

Plot: In a future British dystopian society, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of “V”, plots to overthrow the tyrannical government – with the help of a young woman.

Runtime: 2 Hours 12 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: V for Vendetta starts in the dystopian society of England. V (Weaving) rescues Evey (Portman). Letting her have a front-row seat for his destruction of the Old Bailey. Councillor Sutler (Hurt) wants V captured while covering up the story to keep the public in line.

V rescues Evey from his attack on a news station. Offering her shelter until he finishes his plan. Detective Finch (Rea) and Dominic (Graves) are investigating the crimes. Doing this for the right reason, no matter what Sutler wants. They will act professionally in discovering the truth.

Thoughts on V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta is an action sci-fi movie. One that will take us through a dystopian society that has taken over England. Where the government control everything the media releases. A rebel is looking to bring the corruption down while exacting his own revenge.

The plan for revenge takes place, seeing him take out everyone he wants to. Evey goes down another path, where she accidentally gets caught up in the middle of everything. It shows how the world can fold in with the wrong control, with no freedoms being given to anyone involved. The good mystery about V’s motives works wonders for the story.

The movie has become iconic for its rebellious nature and iconic figure in V. It is one of the last dystopian movies that stand out from the rest, never letting anything stand in its way. The performances help with Hugo Weaving being mesmerising behind the mask. Natalie Portman shines in the supporting role too. John Hurt as the demanding leader shows him going full circle after 1984.

Final Thoughts – V for Vendetta is an iconic movie that stands the test of time.

V for Vendetta Rating
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ABC Film Challenge – 2000s Movies – C – Coach Carter (2005) Movie Review

Director: Thomas Carter

Writer: Mark Schwahn, John Gatins (Screenplay)

Starring: Samuel L Jackson, Rick Gonzalez, Robert Ri’chard, Rob Brown, Nana Gbewonyo, Antwon Tanner, Channing Tatum, Ashanti

Plot: Controversy surrounds high school basketball coach Ken Carter after he benches his entire team for breaking their academic contract with him.

Runtime: 2 Hours 16 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Coach Carter starts when coach Ken Carter (Jackson) accepts the role of basketball coach at a rough school Richmond. Coach carter brings a new strict contract for the players to sign, keep the standards high in school, wearing short and tie to games and improve attitude, meaning the former star player Timo Cruz (Gonzalez) gets axed.

As Coach Carter looks to improve the standards in his team, he teams the players about discipline, with Kenyon Stone (Brown), Junior Battle (Gbewonyo), Worm (Tanner) Jason Lyle (Tatum) and his own son Damien (Ri’chard) needing to accept they need to improve in school to remain in the team. This new discipline will see the team turn their form around this season, preparing the young men for real world after school.

Thoughts on Coach Carter

Thoughts – Coach Carter is the true story behind the controversial decision by a high school coach of a basketball to close the gym until his team had high enough grades to get into college. Like, most sports dramas, we get an important message about an adult figure trying to get the message across to a younger team about doing the right thing for their own futures, at the end of the day it is only a game, one you can be brilliant at, but one that can lead you down paths to a future you might not see available to you. It plays out with the idea that the street kids will need to start moving away from a world which would see them likely end up in jail or even dead, to live a life waiting for them, all with focus. It is important with how everything unfolds, where Samuel L Jackson gives a marvellous performance in the leading role. The younger cast all shine too, each with their characters facing their own problems in life, that this sport gives them an out on.

Final Thoughts – Coach Carter is an inspirational sports drama.

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Movie Review

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) Movie Review

The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a terrifying exorcism mystery, searching for the truth for a trial.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose Poster

Director: Scott Derrickson

Writer: Scott Derrickson, Paul Harris Boardman (Screenplay)

Starring: Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Campbell Scott, Jennifer Carpenter, Colm Feore

Plot: A lawyer takes on a negligent homicide case involving a priest who performed an exorcism on a young girl.

Runtime: 1 Hour 59 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Exorcism of Emily Rose starts as ambitious lawyer Erin Bruner (Linney) gets the case. Defending Father Moore (Wilkinson) who performed the exorcism of Emily (Carpenter). leading to her mysterious death.

The court trial starts with prosecutor Ethan Thomas (Scott) showing the horrific outcome of the exorcism. With the trial underway, the story of what happened to Emily is slowly revealed.

Thoughts on The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Characters

Erin Bruner is the lawyer assigned to defend Father Moore. She claims she is doesn’t believe in any of the religious side of things. This is reason, she took the case. She is using this case to advance her own career. Holding herself in the courtroom. She finds herself suffering the unexplained around her home.

Father Moore is the priest that performed the exorcism, locked up awaiting trial. He knows he did the right thing for the young woman. Waiting to tell his side to the story. He warns Erin of the dangers that might come her way in this case.

Emily Rose is the teenage college student that finds herself with an unexplained problem. The medical people claim it to be a treatable illness. Father Moore sees the evil possessing her body. Emily does through a string of horrific experiences as the possession gets worse.

The supporting cast includes the prosecutor lawyer looking for a quick conviction. Family and friends who were around Emily during the struggles she was going through. The doctors who each give a different medical story about what could have happened.

Performances

Laura Linney in the leading role is brilliant. Channelling her courtroom dominance she has in ‘Primal Fear’. Tom Wilkinson as the priest is perfect casting, with his calm delivery of every single line. Jennifer Carpenter is the star of the show here. Giving an incredible physical performance.

Story

The story follows the courtroom case following the death of a teenager following an exorcism. Courtroom investigation into the incident brings a compelling side to the story. We look at both a potential medical or supernatural solutions causing the incidents. This side to the story makes this standout from the rest of the exorcism stories, the ones we see too often. The ones that are focusing on scares over the compelling story behind it. We do get an outcome that leaves the truth unknown. Which only plays into the world of the unknown.

Themes

The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a horror mystery that dives into the legal court case behind an exorcism death. We do get to see both the horror side and the mystery side to the potential truth. Running certain scenes back twice, with both potentials being shown. When we get into the horror side of things, we get some horrific injuries that Emily goes through. Where this movie could stand out more, is by the fact we move locations with the possession following.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose Rating
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Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – World Cinema – J – A Bittersweet Life (2005) Movie Review

This is under J because of director Jee-woon Kim.

Director: Jee-woon Kim

Writer: Jee-woon Kim (Screenplay) Dong-Cheol Kim (Character)

Starring: Byung-hun Lee, Min-a Shin, Yeong-cheol Kim, Jung-min Whang, Roe-ha Kim

Plot: Things go wrong for a high ranking mobster when he doesn’t proceed by his boss’s orders.


Tagline – When doing right goes very, very wrong.

Runtime: 1 Hour 59 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Brutal

Story: A Bittersweet Life starts when one of Mr Kang’s (Kim) best enforcers Sun-woo (Lee) is assigned to watch over a young woman Hee-soo (Shin) to make sure she is dating other men, to which Sun-woo discovers, given them a warning never see each other again, going against his boss’s orders.

When Mr Kang learns the truth that Sun-woo has disobeyed him, he treats him like anyone else who has crossed him, leaving him for dead, forcing Sun-woo to look for his own revenge.

Thoughts on A Bittersweet Life

Characters – Sun-woo is one of the most loyal enforcers for Mr Kang, he will always get the job done, demands quiet respect for his work too, he is given a strange assignment to watch over a young woman and deal with any problems, which he doesn’t, leading to him coming face to face with his boss, who wants him to suffer for breaking the promise. Hee-soo is a beautiful young woman that Mr Kang wants for his own, she is trying to live her own life, she doesn’t want Mr Kang in it and when Sun-woo shows her mercy she looks to leave the life behind. Mr Kang is the ruthless mod boss that is using the enforcers to control the city, he has the best men in place, but his vices are women which will see him wanting to keep them for himself, turning on anyone that crosses him or fails to follow orders.

Performances – Byung-hun Lee is brilliant in the leading role, he shows the outsider figure he has created, while showing the deadly side when pushed to the limits. Min-a Sin is great as the woman trapped in this world, while Yeong-cheol Kim is great as the ruthless mob boss that won’t accept anything but the best from his men.

Story – The story here follows an enforcer that is forced into a job that he doesn’t follow through on, which sees him boss turn on him, wanting to torture and kill him, only for him to escape and extract his own form of revenge. This is a brutal revenge story that shows that if you cross the one person you trust the most, you will pay the consequences, even if you were to throw everyone at the person you want to stop. While we could imagine just how this story will unfold, it is the relentless nature of the revenge side of it that keeps us glued to what will happened next.

Action – The action for the second half of the film, does feel relentless, with the pure number of fights, shoot outs and battles Sun-woo goes through to get his own revenge for what has happened to him.

Settings – The film does use the settings to show how the highest members of the mob will be in the penthouse areas, looking down on the people of the world, while the small duties happen in the shadows.


Scene of the Movie – The escape.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not having enough time with Hee-soo’s life.

Final Thoughts – This is a hard hitting brutal action film that never holds back in the bloodshed of the battles. Byung-hun Lee is excellent in the leading role, carrying everything in the fights and emotional stakes of the film too.

Overall: Hard-Hitting.