Feng Shui - 2004 - Philippines

Feng Shui - 2004 - 6/10 

 
Joy finds a mirror on the bus, left behind by a passenger.
The mirror is a bagua design, meant to bring good luck to the possessor.
And indeed, Joy’s luck soars.  Job promotion, husband gets a bonus, the new house.
Alas, there is no free lunch; for each fortune, there is a death.
The bagua is a cursed thing, with a deeply ugly history.
Film mixes greed, Daoism and supernatural elements.

Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster - 2004 - USA

Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster - 2004 - 7/10

 
Penetrating documentary of a band in crisis.
Fighting file-sharing, they have alienated fans.
Bassist Newsted quits because he wants to do his own thing.
The remaining trio hire a motivational guy, trying to get them to “open up”.
Uncomfortable and engrossing at the same time.
Whereas other bands might have collapsed, Metallica’s dedication and work ethic was unbreakable.

Koma - 2004 - Hong Kong

Koma - 2004 - 5/10
AKA - Jiu Ming // 救命

 
Ching drunkenly grabs the bridal bouquet at a lavish wedding.
While above, Ling watches with resentment, jealousy, envy, greed?  We don’t know.
Scattered thriller of threats, paranoia, violence.
Police are indifferent as they are preoccupied with a body parts harvester.
The two ladies are frenemies.  One poor with a dying mother, the other rich with a failing kidney.
Misses Cat III as it tries too hard with too many disconnected plots.
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3371181

Bride & Prejudice - 2004 - UK

Bride & Prejudice - 2004 - 6/10

 
Another Austen adaptation, Bollywood style (expect musical numbers).
The unmarried Bakshi sisters are in a dither over the arrival of rich American Will Darcy.
Eldest daughter Lalita immediately takes a dislike to the snobbish newcomer.
Rather than a clash of class, this is more a clash of cultures.
Purists should back off, for the rest, fairly entertaining.
I found “Darcy” miscast, although I appear to be in a minority.

The Hotel In Amsterdam - 2004 - UK

The Hotel In Amsterdam - 2004 - 5/10

 
Three couples on winter holiday share a large suite.
Before even getting settled, they order the drinks.
And thus, they drink, and drink, then talk, voicing their scorning opinions.
Foremost is Laurie (a brilliant Tom Hollander), dominating the room.
He is bilious throughout.  In fact, I tired of him long before the others did.
His character is a more refined version of Jimmy from Look Back In Anger.
Set in 1968, there is nary a hint of Swinging London or the Sixties.

Hotel - 2004 - Austria

Hotel - 2004 - 5/10

 
Irene hires on as desk clerk at Hotel Waldhaus, replacing Eva, who went missing.
Staff is cliquey and cut her out.  Many are too old, a few religious, her own group disdain her.
Adjoining woods bear a sinister, if rumored, history.
Witches and disappearances.
Irene works midnight shift, which includes patrolling the basement areas.
The hotel is not a character, but a powerful liminal presence.
Irene is not a good fit for the environment, she knows this, yet shadows beckon.

Premonition - 2004 - Japan

Premonition - 2004 - 6/10
AKA - Yogan // 予言

 
Select individuals, like our male protagonist, catch the odd newspaper clipping.
Or it flat lands on their desk or windowpane.
Foretelling upcoming death.  Solo or multiple.  Of course, he is skeptical.
First casualty, his own young daughter.
Slow boil, J-Horror, similar in tone and style with other of this era, eg: Ringu, Pulse.
Guilt and grief permeate the first two-thirds.
Then, timeslips and alternate possibilities shift at an increasingly giddy pace.
Glad I hung with this, although the slow build might put some off.

Survive Style 5+ - 2004 - Japan

Survive Style 5+ - 2004 - 6/10

 
"What's your function in life?"
A birdman, an ineffective murderer, a British assassin, burglars.
Random stories that barely connect, linked by Vinnie Jones’ menacing character..
None are particularly compelling, and the interest factor declines right quick.
All feel like improvised sketches.
As for comedy, this was too silly for me.
I never laughed, just wondered why I bought this one.

The Village - 2004 - USA

The Village - 2004 - 6/10

 
Might as well say, the village of M. Night Shyamalan.
Don’t venture into the Wild Wood as there are creatures that will kill you.
Every generation is warned by village Elders.
Until one child sickens, needs medicine from another village, through the woods.
As usual with this director, there is tense buildup, suffocating atmosphere.
With a payoff, sometimes potent, or not.
Depends on how much of a fan of his you are, I guess.

Beyond The Sea - 2004 - UK

Beyond The Sea - 2004 - 6/10

 
Curious biopic of Bobby Darin was labor-of-love for Kevin Spacey.
He is the strength, and the liability.
Singing, dancing, fully committed, and yet, his version is NOT Bobby Darin.
Chronology is rags to riches to yesterday’s man to resurrection.
Fantasy sequences, which many disliked, truly underpin the “musical” aspect.
Enjoyment may hinge on your thoughts on Spacey.
Most of us have screened biopics with actors who did not remotely resemble their famous character. 

The Machinist - 2004 - Spain

The Machinist - 2004 - 7/10  

 
Trevor suffers insomnia, a year long bout of it.
Profound weight loss is apparent, and his attention to work seems slipping.
The hallucinations are powerful distractions.
Not without reason, as he is pursued, he is haunted.
No one else sees these “ghosts” nor does anyone believe him.
Christian Bale frightening in this slow boil thriller
Not remotely feel-good or energizing, a draining experience.

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind - 2004 - USA

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind - 2004 - 7/10

 
A somewhat indescribable film of a tempestuous couple.
Clementine has already gone to the clinic and had all memories of Joel purged.
Afterward, reluctantly, Joel decides on the same.
Erasure proceeds from most recent (angry, hateful) to older.
Earlier memories are romantic, poignant, and Joel wants to hang onto them.
Chronology shifts wildly and abruptly.  Camera techniques and styles vary.
Perplexing at times, likewise depressing, story of love, memory and Fate.
Also the only Jim Carrey film I ever liked.

Elizabeth Rex - 2004 - Canada

Elizabeth Rex - 2004 - 7/10

 
Essex is to be executed for treason at dawn.
Ex-lover Elizabeth, monarch, spends the night awake.
Not with courtiers or politicians, but with other professional deceivers.
Actors and writers, in this case, William Shakespeare and members of the troupe.
Heady drama compares the privileges of love versus the obligation of rule.
Limitations of being a man, or a woman. Speaking one’s mind, or speaking too freely.
Experience akin to the fly in the room, observing.  A remarkable show.
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3352639

Finding Neverland - 2004 - UK

Finding Neverland - 2004 - 7/10  

 
James Barrie, enduring another theatrical flop, wonders about his career … and marriage.
He strikes up a friendship with a youngish widow and especially her four children.
Observing the children at play, he is inspired to write “Peter Pan”.
Low-key story benefits from quiet performances by Depp and Winslet.
Later, I chatted with a few Barrie fans who were appalled at the historical inaccuracies.
Perhaps the less one knows, the better the enjoyment.
Endearing family film.

Siren: Erotic Ghost - 2004 - Japan

Siren: Erotic Ghost - 2004 - 5/10
AKA - Shin Yôjo Densetsu: Seirên // サイレン：エロティックゴースト

The heist went better than planned, with a sweet haul.
Enroute to the hideaway, the men rendezvous for supplies, except the female sees the cash.
They kidnap her.  She’s cute, and will provide jollies while they wait.

 
Until the thieves begin dropping dead.
And cute or not, she can drain the wick from the stick.
Cheap V-film is predictable, spotty acting, shoddy photography.
English subs = https://subscene.cam/subtitle/3351082

Starship Troopers 2: Hero Federation - 2004 - USA

Starship Troopers 2: Hero Federation - 2004 - 5/10

 
Pale followup to the 1997 flawed original is even more maligned, yet not without interest.
Here, a small Federation detachment is stranded at an abandoned outpost.
Completely surrounded by Klendathu warriors.
Dwindling supplies, armaments, power, food, no hope of reinforcements.
This lacks the budget, scope and characters of the original.
The atmosphere is claustrophobic, and one is left with a gloomy outlook regarding the long outcome of humanity.
In many ways, this is more kindred to Aliens.

The Business - 2004 - UK

The Business - 2004 - 6/10

 
Frankie is handed a courier assignment, carrying a package to Spain.
Deliver to “wanted by British authorities” Charlie, owner of a trendy nightclub.
Charlie takes a shine to the lad, hires him as a driver, and soon enough he meets the gang.
Including the ferocious, murderous Sammy, the planner of the crew.
For Frankie, it’s sex, drugs and plenty of sunshine.
Fast moving spree revels in the heady 1980’s, the brash era of cocaine.
Propulsive soundtrack lays down hit after hit.

Hidalgo - 2004 - USA

Hidalgo - 2004 - 6/10

 
Washed up wrangler, now working with Buffalo Bill’s troupe, Frank accepts a challenge.
Long distance horse / rider endurance race in the Arabian desert.
Wily competitors, searing heat, minimal water, sandstorms.
Plot is somewhat a cross between Bite The Bullet and Iron Will.
Predictable, old fashioned oater boasts remarkable photography.
If the cowboy premise (with expected tropes) does not put you off, this is rousing adventure.

Alien vs. Predator - 2004 - Czech Republic

Alien vs. Predator - 2004 - 6/10

 
Coulda, shoulda, or maybe shouldn’t have.
Viewed outside the chronological canon, this remains a spotty actioner.
Weyland Corp. heads to the frozen wastes, then deep into a hitherto unknown underground environment.
Why?  OK, forget that it’s a little vague here
With the party are armed mercenary types … whom Mick Taylor could snuff with a chuckle.
Once the two main characters get going (A & P), then this is solid hunt or kill mayhem.
The human representative is OK, and having Lance Henriksen is a shrewd nod.
Enjoyable, for me, although I realize none of the installments after Aliens has ever measured up.

Shaun Of The Dead - 2004 - UK

Shaun Of The Dead - 2004 - 6/10

 
I don’t know.  Maybe during a zombie apocalypse, I might want military protection.
Maybe not.  Armed troops might could shoot me, making me an unhappy meal distraction to aid a retreat.
So instead, slackers to the rescue?  Brains fried from too much reefer?
Funny, gory, reverent to zombie rules,
For most Stateside, this was the first encounter with Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg.