Ian-Hart Movie Reviews

In December B. Harnden wrote a warning about buying the 4 video set expressing his disappointment that it did not include the first 2-hour segment which appeared on PBS. I have just had the same experience. Harnden indicated that he was going to order the "first" tape with the hope that it is the tape of the first segment. I wonder if he or anyone knows what the answer to this conundrum is. Like Harnden, I would like to see the whole series.
John

I thoroughly enjoyed the series when it played on PBS. If you buy the four-cassette package, I think it gives you the whole series (not sure). The single cassette is the first cassette of the package. Confusing yes. Get the package. Unfortunately Amazon is out of stock indefinitely, but I was able to get it elsewhere.

The exploits of Sidney Reilly based on the book by Lockhart "Reilly Ace of Spies." There is a second book by Lockhart that supposedly corrects the first book. Reilly is truly the man of mystery, a single, double, triple ... agent, who knows? The major mystery about him is whether he perished in Russia or was turned. The series succeeds brilliantly on all levels. A must buy for any spy buff along with "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and "Smiley's People."

This one of my all time PBS favorites. However the Amazon posting does not make it clear as to haow many tapes gets it all. Why is Episode i called out separately from the four video set ?

My band (EXIT) has two songs in the movie, and we even performed at the Marco Island Film Fest where it was premiered. We all thought it was a well written and well acted movie. The movie is mostly geared for children but the plot is fun and upbeat and will be suitable for all ages.

This movie is recommendable. Though I think its G rating is a bit too lenient because of Gwen's bikini scenes, aside from that the movie is really clean. It portrays a typical younger-brother/elder-brother struggle: Mitch, 11, discovers his new neighbor's 16-year-old beautiful and cute daughter: Gwen. He is determined to ask her out on a date, but his elder brother Sean, almost 17, is also interested and obviously much better suited for Gwen. The bitter struggle between the two brothers begins....

The movie is light and humorous, with some action and a little suspense. An all-happy end crowns the movie. Nice!

Leary gives a grand and different styled performance. Billy Crudup gets killed by Colm Meaney and Crudup was Leary's cousin because Crudup did a bad thing to Meaney. Martin Sheen is the corrupt cop in the movie and Famke Janssen is the woman who is in a relationship with Meaney but pints over Leary. its story is good but it lags here and there. the end where Leary goes to see Meaney then pulls out a gun, shoots his guys and then him was surprising and is the highlight. other actors like Janeane Tripplehorn, Jason Barry, Noah Emmerich and John Diehl contribute supporting roles.

This movie is one of these small gems that manage to slip by everybody in the theatres. But fortunately, it's now available on DVD and for rental. Monument Ave. is pretty cliched in terms of it's story line about a criminal who must choose between his loyalty to his friends or that of his boss. However, the true ingenuity of the film is the dialogue. It flows off the screen in a current of truth and harsh realities that rivals that of Tarantino. Listen to it carefully. The performances are very good, especially that of Denis Leary. The way he balances comedy, which is his forte, and drama is very good. I was truly impressed with this breakout performance by him and hope to see him in more dramatic roles. Colm Meany, who plays the Irish crime boss is equally effective as a character who will be your best friend and stab you in the back at the same time. This film was directed by Ted Demme, yonger brother of Jonathan Demme, the dude that directed the Silence of the Lambs. With this film, Ted Demme again proves that he is a distinct talent, seperate from his brother.

This is an unjustly neglected film. Director Ted Demme died far too young, leaving behind a solid list of films that suggested great possiblities from the mature filmmaker we will never get to see. One of the significant things about his work is that he is the only person who really understood how to use Dennis Leary. In a word, Leary is great here. His conflicted emotions about escaping the narrow confines of his violent world and the actions he takes that only ensure his failure power a character that rivals Micheal Corleone (without the operatic granduer) or John Garfield in Force of Evil. The harsh locations, the sub-culture within a subculture, the suddenness of the violence, the twadriness of the criminal enterprise are all vividly captured in a film justly called "the Irish Mean Streets".

This movie tries to be an introspective, thought-provoking indy film about two guys from different generations growing together as friends. Doesn't work, sorry. It tries to be something it isn't. Slowwwww moving, boring diatribe with no real show of connection between the two main characters - just [bad]. I see what they were trying to do, but they don't pull it off. Don't waste your time.

This film is wonderful and I found myself stopping the movie at times because I wanted to savor and digest what I had just seen and because underneath it all, I simply did not want to see it end.It is what a movie should be.

I rented this movie because Ned Beatty's acting is wonderful and I have become a fan of Liev Schreiber's. These two actors really compliment each other in this very touching movie. You believe that they work together every day even though this movie was shot a few weeks every season. Frankly, it could've been a little longer. I would like to have learned more about Murphy's drinking problem and Paul's earlier years. This is a gem and I have become a believer in independent films. this is where you will find satisfying art well worth your dollars. I hope Liev Schreiber continues to choose wonderful roles such as this rather than the "big studion" lure of "big money". Great movie.

This movie tries to be an introspective, thought-provoking indy film about two guys from different generations growing together as friends. Doesn't work, sorry. It tries to be something it isn't. Slowwwww moving, boring diatribe with no real show of connection between the two main characters - just [bad]. I see what they were trying to do, but they don't pull it off. Don't waste your time.

This film is wonderful and I found myself stopping the movie at times because I wanted to savor and digest what I had just seen and because underneath it all, I simply did not want to see it end.It is what a movie should be.

I rented this movie because Ned Beatty's acting is wonderful and I have become a fan of Liev Schreiber's. These two actors really compliment each other in this very touching movie. You believe that they work together every day even though this movie was shot a few weeks every season. Frankly, it could've been a little longer. I would like to have learned more about Murphy's drinking problem and Paul's earlier years. This is a gem and I have become a believer in independent films. this is where you will find satisfying art well worth your dollars. I hope Liev Schreiber continues to choose wonderful roles such as this rather than the "big studion" lure of "big money". Great movie.

This film explores and scores, the concept behind what is a good roll model. A Father who is in every aspect a good and responsable parent living with his lover, is considered less fit that an abusive home where the child is harmed by the boyfriend of his Mother. The acting is exceptional and the script credible. It is not an uplifting film but it is one of the better films that removes a few typical cliches and allows you to see a better example of a gay man and his lover. A good movie that most should enjoy and an excellant movie to show for some one wanting to better understand differant perspectives. A good film for those getting comfortable with themselves.

Warm and touching,proving that gay fathers do have many fears in countries that are bigotted against them, but the strenth of this father overcomes the fears and makes him a stonger person for protecting his son. It is a postive look at gay life you won't regret seeing it

It is astonishing what a good script, good acting and good all-round moviemaking can do. On paper this film looks like one of those awful made for TV "based on a true story" tear jerkers, with two exceptions: the mother isn't the hero and the father is gay. Another potential giveaway as to the film's quality might be that the leads are not played by Melissa Gilbert or Susan Dey. It is, in fact, a British film made for Channel Four and, like this sender's "Beautiful Thing", it is a high-quality affair.

It would have been very easy to turn this film into another cliche. The fact that it isn't one is, in fact, almost unbelievable. The script is largely to thank for this, avoiding stereotyping as far as possible (some degree is inevitable) and not dividing characters into "goodies" and "baddies". Sure, you'd have to be dead not to love Martin Donovan's character (he sports a very convincing British accent for the role), but even the horrible, child-battering, evil boyfriend (Ian Hart) has various aspects to his character, which allow one to to swallow the fact that the mother (a brilliantly restrained performance from Joely Richardson) is willing to give him a second chance.

Maybe the most refreshing aspect about the film is that it does not for a moment try to preach. It is far from politically correct and shows that gay men can be childish and insufferable, as much as they can be normal run-of-the-mill type fellows. We are spared the "gym queen health freak" image as well as the camp image of gays by Donovan and Jason Flemyng (although the latter does get to show off a rather cute butt). The child, played by remarkable youngster Sam Bould, is neither cute and precocious, nor too obviously traumatised; another saving grace.

The film is about various things: child abuse, divorce, sexual fulfilment, sexual identity (both straight and gay), relationships, commitment; the list is long. It is complex, intelligent and features one of the most convincing trial scenes I have ever seen on film. A superb achievement by director Angela Pope and her (perhaps surprisingly) largely female supporting crew.

This is a quaint and charming little comedy about life and love in rural northwestern Ireland. The question remains, how many rural Irish comedies can we watch before the material starts to get stale. The story begins with the single men of this little town complaining that the women are substandard and there are no marriage prospects. After downing far too many pints, they decide to place an advertisement in the Miami Herald to see if they can induce some American women to come to Ireland to the big town dance. When the townswomen get wind of the scheme, they invite some Spanish fishermen to the same dance. The result is a succession of comical situations where everyone makes fools of themselves in anticipation of the big day. The net result of all this is the lesson Dorothy learned when she left Kansas; that when you are looking for your heart's desire, you don't have to look any further than your own backyard.

Aileen Ritchie's directorial debut was marked by some nice photography of well-selected locations and an alluring portrayal of the local color and appeal. The characters all seemed very genuine and unaffected; the way country folks generally are regardless of national origin. The scenes leading up to the dance work well, but the film bogs down after the dance as the tone changes from mirthful to dramatic.

The acting was generally good with a couple of standouts. Ian Hart stole the show as Kieran the headstrong town butcher. He was simultaneously affable and obnoxious. His character's complete obliviousness to how ridiculous he was gave Hart ample opportunity to become a laugh magnet. Niahm Cusack was also enchanting as Kate, mixing mischievousness with romantic appeal to create a delightful character.

I rated this film a 7/10. It is very light fare, silly enough that it will get a chuckle or two out of almost everyone.

I thought this movie was cute and charming. Worth renting or buying (once the price drops from 103.00!) If you love all things Irish try this one.

The Closer You Get- the harder it is to see the things that are staring you in the face- as the boys in this small Irish village find out. No matter where you live- you can relate to what the people of this small village feel (and do). The humor in this movie is light and refreshing. The music is just as fun (I recommend the soundtrack as well). This movie ranks up in my top 10 of the year.

Just because you have a camera and a credit card does not mean that you're a trendy independent filmmaker. There are those that gush over these little low budget films - instant 5 star review because it was made without studio backing. There are indie films that are amazing - Reservoir Dogs, Donnie Darko, etc. that worthy of praise. However, Wonderland is pure boredom coupled with that grainy look and a shaky hand-held camera - it looks cheap, the acting is poor and the story goes nowhere and stays there.

At the beginning , Wonderland doesn't seem to have the right elements in order to fascinate the viewer . It's characters are ordinary , unappealing people : a woman who is so bitter about everything that led her own son away from home , a t.v-salesman who has isolated himself from all the people which surround him that even his own mother can't help but confessing that " ... It feels like i have a stranger in my own house " , a divorced hairdresser with a teenage boy and an imature ex-husband she has to put up with . All of them are inperfect , all of them have insecurities and all of them face various kinds of troubles everyday . As minutes go by though something strange happends . Remember those unappealing people we were talking about ? Well , slowly as we get to know them we start to like them . They all feel so familiar to us , they could easily be our next door neighbours . Winterbottom studies his heroes very carefully and manages to capture the feeling of the daily mess we all have faced before . His movie is set in Southern London , a place he presents like it's some kind of a secret garden with lost souls in it trying to find their peace of mind . What makes Wonderland work so well is also the fact that it's being carried by an unfamiliar to most of us yet highly talented group of actors . Some of them had small parts in relatively more known pictures ( N.Hill , Shooting Fish ) , most of them we meet for the first time . Finally the music is absolutely brilliant , especially those wonderfull pianno parts that it's almost impossible to the viewer to imagine Wonderland withought this particular soundtrack .

I avoid the "grade inflation" so prevalent at this site. There are few movies I rate "5", but this one certainly deserves it. It has the feel of Magnolia, but with more subtlety. Wonderland depicts modern urban alienation, but with tremendous human compassion and artfullness instead of cold philosophy or polemics. The directing and photography are both top-notch. The occasional visual gimmick works because it is employed only where appropriate. Unlike Magnolia, the several characters intermix throughout the movie. Our understanding of the them is established with impressive economy. The only criticisms I have are the several instances of indistinct dialogue (I'm thankful for subtitles) and the lack of extras on the DVD.

Just because you have a camera and a credit card does not mean that you're a trendy independent filmmaker. There are those that gush over these little low budget films - instant 5 star review because it was made without studio backing. There are indie films that are amazing - Reservoir Dogs, Donnie Darko, etc. that worthy of praise. However, Wonderland is pure boredom coupled with that grainy look and a shaky hand-held camera - it looks cheap, the acting is poor and the story goes nowhere and stays there.

At the beginning , Wonderland doesn't seem to have the right elements in order to fascinate the viewer . It's characters are ordinary , unappealing people : a woman who is so bitter about everything that led her own son away from home , a t.v-salesman who has isolated himself from all the people which surround him that even his own mother can't help but confessing that " ... It feels like i have a stranger in my own house " , a divorced hairdresser with a teenage boy and an imature ex-husband she has to put up with . All of them are inperfect , all of them have insecurities and all of them face various kinds of troubles everyday . As minutes go by though something strange happends . Remember those unappealing people we were talking about ? Well , slowly as we get to know them we start to like them . They all feel so familiar to us , they could easily be our next door neighbours . Winterbottom studies his heroes very carefully and manages to capture the feeling of the daily mess we all have faced before . His movie is set in Southern London , a place he presents like it's some kind of a secret garden with lost souls in it trying to find their peace of mind . What makes Wonderland work so well is also the fact that it's being carried by an unfamiliar to most of us yet highly talented group of actors . Some of them had small parts in relatively more known pictures ( N.Hill , Shooting Fish ) , most of them we meet for the first time . Finally the music is absolutely brilliant , especially those wonderfull pianno parts that it's almost impossible to the viewer to imagine Wonderland withought this particular soundtrack .

I avoid the "grade inflation" so prevalent at this site. There are few movies I rate "5", but this one certainly deserves it. It has the feel of Magnolia, but with more subtlety. Wonderland depicts modern urban alienation, but with tremendous human compassion and artfullness instead of cold philosophy or polemics. The directing and photography are both top-notch. The occasional visual gimmick works because it is employed only where appropriate. Unlike Magnolia, the several characters intermix throughout the movie. Our understanding of the them is established with impressive economy. The only criticisms I have are the several instances of indistinct dialogue (I'm thankful for subtitles) and the lack of extras on the DVD.

B. Monkey is a movie that has its flaws, but it's entertaining nonetheless. The director was replaced halfway through filming, and although Michael Radford (the credited replacement) does well, the movie does have the certain vague feel of, well, a film whose director was replaced halfway through filming. There are also a few scenes that go on too long, one or two shots that are inconsistent (for example, the title character walking somewhere in a red dress, only to be at work in a black dress in the next shot), and some dialogue that sounds distinctly written, rather than natural. However, I still really enjoyed this movie. The performances (not to mention the great cinematography) are what really sell it. Asia Argento as B. (Beatrice) is beautiful, charismatic, and a strong screen presence. I expect she will only get better as her career progresses. Jared Harris does a fine job, although (and this is not his fault, just an annoyance of mine) I found his character rather unfeeling in how quickly and completely he expects B. to drop her old life and friends. Those friends/partners-in-crime are played by Rupert Everett, sleazy and clearly having a high time of it as Paul, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, very effective as temperamental, nearly desperate Bruno. The one thing this movie really left me wishing for was a more in-depth look at the relationship between these two and Beatrice. It's an unusual dynamic--Paul and Bruno are lovers, but Bruno is clearly also in love (or at least obsessed) with B., who is the only person to ever truly care about him. Overall, yes, it does have shortcomings and it's not the greatest thing I've seen, but B. Monkey is still a fine movie, plenty of fun, and worth checking out.

b.Monkey (Michael Radford, 1998)

Michael Radford is one of those directors whose work gets a lot of press, but no one ever thiks to ask who the guy behind the camera was. From the 1984 version (starring John Hurt) of _Nineteen Eighty-Four_ to the Oscar-winning Il Postino, Radford has quietly built an impressive body of work.

Radford's follow-up to Il Postino is B. Monkey, a crime-drama-...-romance based on Andrew Davies' amusing novel about a young criminal lass (played here

by the delectable Asia Argento) who tries to break free of her small-time criminal pals (rising stars Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Rupert Everett) after meeting, and being wooed by, a primary school teacher (the ubiquitous Jared Harris) who is the very essence of stolid middle-class morality.

Don't get me wrong-- the main reason to watch this movie is Asia Argento, who (as I've said before) has since turning eighteen adopted the "early Helen Mirren" style of acting-- wear nothing but a come-hither glower and look really good. But if you can get your tongue off the floor, both Everett and Rhys-Meyers give us performances that show exactly why they're becoming two of the hottest properties on the British film scene. Everett is charming and urbane, even while being tracked down by a psychotic crime boss; Rhys-Meyers throw temper tantrums with the best of them, but slides into a cool professionalism when it's time to pull off a heist.

A gorgeous (if somewhat slow halfway through-- it does pick up, honest) way to kill an hour and a half. *** 1/2

...I've got to put Asia Argento on my list of Much Watch Actresses: she puts to mind a combination of Angeliina Jolie and Thora Birch, but with way more fire than Jolie ever goes for...Jolie is kinda 'mellow', y'know?

But, I caught this on one of my cable stations one Sat. evening 'cause I'm a big fan of heist cine, and this *is* one, albeit wrapped in a rather odd love story. Tawk about opposites attracting! The grade school teacher trails live wire Beatrice one day and asks her out for a drink. What follows is one of the most passionate and interesting court ships I've ever seen on film. They go to Paris to find their love. I thought that was a rather nice touch. But, always, always, one muddy alley away, one warehouse loft away, one scummy tavern away are the boosters and druggies threatening to pull her back in the mire. Beatrice does one more job out of a since of obligation to her ex-partners and to help her pallie (played with greatness by Rupert) pay some drug bills.

The heist at the jewelry shoppe nearly gets botched when her companion loses nerve: they are saved when the driver slaps a man with a car lug wrench. And Beatrice comes away with a 'well, I did get a rush from this, but I can't afford this type of rush anymore. They are 'way too risky'. So she and the teacher find a way to get a house in the country side. And one day, in a break of monotony and ennui, Beatrice calls up Rupert from a road side phone...just to check up on her pallie, you know?

You can just about guess what happens next, but by the time this part of the film happens, if you are anything like me, you find yourself into the story so deeply that you let the obvious cliches run their course. That's what I did.

Also, this is one of the most attractive of the modern British gangster/heist cines I've seen. Many of them have that dark or greyness as if the directors were trying to capture years of sooty, foggy decadence on film. My overall opinion is that if you see this, it will entertain you....