Reviews by Vix

This is a tale of four Chinese women and their struggles in dealing with their mothers. Through a series of flashbacks, the Joy Luck Club asks the question: Can mothers and daughters truly understand one another when their cultures are literally oceans apart?
By the end of the movie, hanky in hand, the answer is a resounding yes.

I preferred the mothers' stories about life in China - luscious visuals with tales of tragedy, hope and determination. While at times the daughters come off as clueless brats, I could still relate with their disconnect with their mothers.

As a child I wanted to be Indiana Jones, going off on some adventure, saving the day from evil forces. Back then I preferred Temple of Doom but having re-watched the series as an adult, nothing can beat Raiders of the Lost Ark in terms of story, humor, score and outrageous stunts.

From the opening sequence of the Paramount logo turning into an actual mountain to the closing credits, Raiders takes you on an action-packed ride. I love the way this film was shot - the use of silhouettes (the sequence in Nepal is one highlight) gives me shivers each time I see it. It's plain to see that all involved brought their talent to the table in this movie.

A classic for all time.

All you need to know about the plot of Independence Day is: "Aliens come to destroy humans. Humanity kicks ass (after near devastation)".

This is a summer blockbuster in the purest sense. The acting is decent (Judd Hirsch is a stand out as Jeff Goldblum's straight talking father), the action is over the top and some of the plot devices are cliched.

But still, Independence Day doesn't try to be anything more than a fun, thrilling, popcorn movie - just sit back and enjoy the ride!

On the surface Catch Me If You Can feels like one of those fun caper movies. It's interesting seeing how Frank Abagnale Jr (DiCaprio) executes his cons.

But this also a story of a family breaking apart and the lengths that this young man goes to in order to get his family back.

Great cast - the performances are outstanding and sets are delicious - the attention to detail to create the ideal of the 1960s is superb.

My main problem with Catch Me If You Can is that it starts to drag. The multiple endings (the movie could have finished off in France) left me feeling let down instead of uplifted.

This documentary follows heavy metal band, Metallica as they head into the studio to record their album, St. Anger. For the better part of two years, the film crew captures the growing rift between members and uncertainty over the band's future, James Hetfield's departure to deal with substance abuse, their intense therapy sessions, and their eventual coming together to finish the album.

Some Kind of Monster is not one of those tour diary documentaries that you come to expect from rock bands. It's a real, in your face look at a band in crisis. Though often times uncomfortable to watch, this documentary is a fascinating look at the men behind the behemoth that is Metallica.

Live Free or Die Hard (what a stupid title) is a popcorn roller coaster ride - fun while you're there but forgettable soon afterwards.

The action is soooo over the top that you might find your eyes permanently rolled at the back of your head from all the unbelievable action and "plot twists". Plus, Timothy Olyphant as Thomas Gabriel is one of the weakest villians EVER! There was absolutely no tension between him and John McClane. I can put up with convenient story lines in an action movie but give me a halfway decent villain to match wits with my good guy.

Still it was great to see Bruce Willis as John McClane and Justin Long is a real find.

...but you'll probably need motion sickness pills to watch this on the big screen.

Picking up where The Bourne Supremacy left off, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is still trying to come to terms with his past. As his search for the truth continues to put him at odds with the CIA, senior officials (including David Strathairn) spare no effort to try and kill him.

Fast paced and tense, The Bourne Ultimatum never lets up. It's a whirlwind of action that just sweeps you along for the ride. Matt Damon is brilliant in this - he embodies Bourne's calculating, emotionally wounded nature perfectly. You really see his desire for a different life. Joan Allen too is great as the only top CIA official willing to give Bourne a chance. The only wasted character here is Julia Stiles. She reprises her role as Nicki, a tech from the Treadstone Project, but really this role could have been given to anyone else.

The Bourne Ultimatum is an intelligent, high caliber action movie.
So why just 6/10?

Well as with The Bourne Supremacy, Paul Greengrass' insistence on overusing the shaky cam detracts from the action on screen. Instead of putting me in the action, at times I had to look away because of the sick feeling from trying to follow (unsuccessfully) what was happening on screen. The Bourne Ultimatum ought to get an 8 1/2 out of 10 but I'm deducting 2 1/2 points for the stupid shaky cam.

Even with the improvement in camera movement over The Bourne Supremacy, if your stomach can't handle it, I suggest you wait for The Bourne Ultimatum to come out on DVD so you can enjoy it on a smaller screen.

A spin-off of Doctor Who which revolves around a secret agency dealing with alien technology and supernatural activities in Cardiff, Wales.

If you come to this looking for a Doctor Who-type show you'll be severely disappointed. It's more adult, more violent but frankly, not as good as Doctor Who. While the story concepts are interesting, much of the plot execution happens as a result of convenience. There were a number of times when I couldn't help but roll my eyes at how an episode unfolded.

Also at times the show comes across as disjointed. The early episodes have different styles that makes it hard to follow. Is it scary?, is it action?, is it funny? All of the above?

In terms of character development, the only people we really get to know is the team newcomer, Gwen and Captain Jack Harkness. Even though the other team members, Owen, Tosh and Ianto all get their own episodes, I don't have a real feel for them, as though they are after thoughts with motivations that change to suit the story. This leads to some clunkers for episodes like Cyberwoman or Combat.

But it's not all doom and gloom because Torchwood starts to improve in the latter part of the season. In particular I enjoyed "They Keep Killing Suzie", "Random Shoes", "Out of Time" and "Captain Jack Harkness" which mixes good character pieces with really well-developed stories.

What I've noticed with most episodes is that things start off interesting but then taper to this "Oh, is that it then?" type of endings. Hopefully things improve in season 2.

I had my doubts about this movie but I have to hand it to Kevin Costner - he made me believe in Mr. Brooks - a complex character. There were times when I couldn't believe I was actually rooting for him.

Costner's interactions with William Hurt were superb - the two characters have an easy going relationship that shows the intimacy of being together for years.

Full of angst and with a darker tone from other installments, Harry has really grown up. Excellent performances from all the characters, Radcliffe especially.

Though the movie gets off to a slow start, it picks up pace setting the scene for a terrific standoff. The Order of the Phoenix is easily my favorite of the whole series.