Match Point
Mission Impossible III
The Tiger And The Snow
Match Point
Chris (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) works as a tennis instructor for the wealthy Hewett family. Infatuated by the rich and beautiful he marries the daughter, gets a top position in the father's firm and life seems great. The problem is just that the fiance of his brother-in-law, Nola (Scarlett Johansson), is irresistibly attractive. Woody Allen's transition from his beloved Manhattan to London is not a flawless one, and there is just a little too much tourist video in the way he chooses to portray London. That aside, "Match Point" is a clever and well-made feature that grabs your attention and doesn't let go. Boasting some sophisticated storytelling, the feature is unexpectedly frightening and unsettling and the psychological finesse of the narrative makes way for a particularly effective ending.
1/2 ( Julie Vinten )
I've always found Woody Allen's films thoroughly overrated and "Match Point" is a perfect case in point. Chris (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) is an ex-tennis player from a poor background who marries into a wealthy family. But an affair with Nola (Scarlett Johansson) threatens to ruin everything he achieves. "Match Point" was heaped with critical praise, especially in the U.S.A., but I found it downright embarrassing. Allen's London is that of a first-time tourist. His characters are crude caricatures whose clunky dialogue is reminiscent of bad theater. And his allusions to Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment" are an insult to that great author. The film does keep you watching, however, and the end is very strong, although we've been there before with "Crimes and Misdemeanors." Woody Allen is an utterly mediocre film-maker. End of story.
1/2 ( Tim Ochser )
Mission Impossible III
One always gets a thrill just hearing the "Mission: Impossible" theme 's you know it means action, entertainment and fun. This third installment definitely lives up to all those expectations. It's action-packed explosion-heaven. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has retired from the Impossible Missions Force and is looking forward to a quiet, normal life with his fiance who is unaware of his secret agent status. But when one of Ethan's former pupils is captured by The Bad Guy (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), Ethan simply has to take action. "M:I III" is an incredibly effective popcorn movie, fast-paced and bursting at the seams with nail-biting tension. The ending is surprisingly lame, but that's something you can forgive because the rest of the movie makes up for it.
( Julie Vinten )
"Mission: Impossible III" sees Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) trying to give up his career as a secret agent and settle down to a normal life with newfound love Julia (Michelle Monaghan). But he can't resist the call of work for long and ends up racing to get hold of the "rabbit's foot," which arms dealer Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is desperate to get hold of. It's an entertaining film for what it is and is probably the slickest of the franchise. The action sequences are well-done and the story has all the requisite twists and turns to keep your attention. But watching Tom Cruise is the real fun to be had here. He goes through his entire repertoire of facial expressions, from the see-how-intense-I-am frown, to the see-how-happy-I-am grin. Go get 'em Tom.
( Tim Ochser )
The Tiger And The Snow
Oscar'swinning Italian director Roberto Benigni returns with a comedy about love, poetry and war set against the backdrop of the invasion of Iraq. Attilio (Benigni) dreams about his beloved Vittoria (Nicoletta Braschi) every night, but in reality Vittoria isn't interested in him at all. He stalks her around Rome and will follow her everywhere 's even to Iraq. The narrative of "The Tiger and the Snow" echoes that of Benigni's earlier feature "Life is Beautiful," set in a concentration camp during World War II. Comedy and laughter is the director's way of dealing with utterly tragic circumstances 's and I don't see why he shouldn't be allowed this approach. Without ever becoming entirely engaging, "Tiger" still has some charmingly funny moments and the vast optimism and love-conquers'sall message go down well.
1/2 ( Julie Vinten )
Director Roberto Benigni combines war, poetry, romance and whimsy in this good-hearted but vapid film. Acclaimed Italian poet Attilio De Giovanni (Benigni) falls madly in love with literary researcher Vittoria (Nicoletta Braschi), who's writing a book on an Iraqi poet named Fuad (Jean Reno). After going to Iraq to interview Fuad, Vittoria is seriously hurt in an explosion and Attilio bluffs and bullshits his way to her hospital bedside. "The Tiger and the Snow" is an endearing film in some ways, not least for its naive belief that the pen is mightier than the laser-guided missile. But Benigni is on extremely delicate ground in Baghdad. He's careful not to criticize anyone or to show the situation for the almighty mess it really is. It will probably be a minor hit, at least in Europe.
( Tim Ochser )
