The Movies are listed according
to their Release Dates in Germany in the Year 2003
movies shown at festivals - without release
date yet - are at the bottom of this page
The Movies are listed according
to their Release Dates in Germany in the Year 2003
movies shown at festivals - without release
date yet - are at the bottom of this page
Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl (Fluch der Karibik)
 |
For more go to: The must-see-movie of the
moment
p1-short-rating: |
Sept.2nd |
Lara Croft - Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (Die Wiege des Lebens)
 |
First I must say, I don't like the computer game, the first movie was
somehow o.k. and I am also not a big fan of Angelina Jolie. But I tried
to watch the movie from a neutral point of view - and it didn't help. No
story - you know after five minutes how it will end and the different locations
somehow doesn't fit together. Bad and really unrealistic Action Sequences.
Sorry, but this movies sucks!!! (p1)
p1-short-rating: NO RATING - not even Zero!!! |
Aug.14th |
Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines
 |
This is a sequal I was really looking for and from all the sequals
this year, this is the best I have seen. Fantastic Action and somehow a
story which really fits to the first parts. What I really like, is that
the movie doesn't take itself too serious and has some very nice jokes
inside. The female Terminator is kinda cool and Arnie is as always a real
'Action-Star.' (p1)
p1-short-rating:  |
July,31st |
Charlies Angels - Full Throttle
 |
Due to the first Charlies Angels Movie we created the 'Must
See Movie of the Moment', because it was an excellent piece. And now
the sequal, which I have almost no words for.....a poor story, too much
slow-motion-action and just not worth spending the money for. It is just
bubble-gum cinema, which you have forgotten after you went of the theatre.
Ony 2 pinguins, due to the excellent soundtrack. (p1)
p1-short-rating:  |
July,10th |
Igby goes down
 |
Very, very dark humor is to be found in this story about a 17 year
old boy (Igby), who is kind of a black sheep in his rich and wannabe successful
family. His mother and godfather try to shape him as they like him to be,
while he refuses to be what everybody expects him to be. All this is commented
by Igby himself with a lot of irony and much more intelligence than everybody
around him shows. (p2)
p2-short-rating:  |
May,1st |
How to lose a Guy in 10 days? (Wie werde ich ihn los - in 10 Tagen?)
 |
'... proves sometimes more difficult than you would think. Another
very nice comedy about men, women and the most common misunderstandings.
(p2)
p2-short-rating: |
April,17th |
Dreamcatcher
 |
Another adaption of a Stephen King novel, that starts with a very interesting
thriller plot, but lacks the ability to combine all the different characters
and story lines, a writer like King presents in his books, into a 120 minute
movie. The potential is there, but it wasn't made use of. (p2)
p2-short-rating: |
April,10th |
The Rules of Attraction
 |
It starts with the end of the world party. A few people are watched
closely, what they are doing at this party, then rewind to somebody else
at the party and their moves are being watched. Then the complete story-line
until the party is being told. It is all about relations, friendship and
sex between all sexes and how everyting works, functions or not.
It is a very well done movie which reminds me a little on 'Memento', because it starts with the end. Biu the story is very well told and it makes fun, or is somehow extremly shocking, to watch the different characters. (p1) I cannot really make up my mind about a movie like that - but maybe I just don't understand the plot and what the director wants to show. So anybody interested: You just have to see for yourself. But take some good nerves with you: You'll see a guy throwing up and a girl committing suicide in the bathroom. All closeup and till the very end. (p2) p1 & p2-short-rating: |
April,24th |
Prozac Nation (Filmfest Munich)
 |
A girl (fantastic performance by Christina Ricci) is moving to the
university and is beginning to start her own life as a writer. But her
childhood was not easy and after some success writing a story for the Rolling
Stone about Iggy Pop, the life as a student is getting more and more a
disaster. Also the problems with her parents are going on and she has to
see a psychiatric, who is giving her, after some time, the anti-depressive-medicine
Prozac, so that she can ‘survive’ and have a ‘normal life’.. Based on a
bestseller, this movie shows, that some people, even very young, have to
take medicine, because otherwise they cannot stand themselves – and this
is actually very shocking. (p1)
p1-short-rating: |
Festivals USA: March,14th |
The Life of David Gale
 |
Another fantastic and very well told story by Alan Parker (The Wall,
Angel Heart, Mississippi Butning, Evita). Kevin Spacey plays David Gale,
a teacher, who is fighting against the 'Electric Chair'. But one day he
is sentenced to death, because he is found guilty of killing. Four days
before the before his schedule death, the reporter Bitsey Bloom (very good:
Kate Winslet) is allowed to interview him and they are going through his
life and actually she finds something out, which is, that .......see the
movie!!!!! A movie fantastic und surprising until the last minute. (p1)
p1-short-rating:  |
Berlinale Germany: March,13th |
Maid in Manhatten (Manhatten Love Story)
 |
Hmmm, another movie-love-story-romance-with-an-happy-end-what-is-actually-no-surprise.
Jennifer Lopez is a miad in manhattan, which falls in love with one of
her guests, but she is pretending to be somebody else, rich. Sound familiar?
Well it is and it is just a simple popcorn-nothing-to-think-about-movie.
Jennifer, you have seen better times. (p1)
An important Senator falls in love with a room maid in a NY Hotel - unfortunately he takes her for a wealthy guest of the house. A plot well known during the history of movies, to which even Jennifer Lopez has not much to add. Only the part of her around nine years old son makes the movie a little new and different. All in all a typical rainy sunday afternoon movie. No more, but also no less. (p2)' p1 & p2-short-rating: |
March,6th |
Chicago
 |
A successful Broadway-Musical comes to the big screen and I just can
see, you gotta see it. The one, who wants to be a start (excellent: Renée
Zellweger) and the other one, who is a star (great: Catherine Zeta-Jones)
meet in prison, after they murdered someone. Then the fight for the best
lawyer (surprising : Richard Gere) starts and how he can bail them out.
All three are doing a fantastic singing and dancing performance and the
musical is shown in a very modern way, even it plays in the Chicago of
the Thirties. (p1)
Perfect - Zellweger, Zeta-Jones and Gere in one of their best performances. (p2) p1 & p2-short-rating: |
Feb,27th |
Boat Trip
 |
Well, a movie, which I actually wouldn't have seen, if it hadn't seen
it in the Sneak Preview. Two Guys (one of them Cuba Gooding jr.) want to
go on a cruise on a boat with many women. But due to some circumstances,
they are booked on a gay cruise. What is happening then, you can imagine!
Old and boaring jokes about how they are coming along with the gays! Only
a few funny moments are inside. (p1)
The descriptions of (p1) make every comment superfluous. For me, there is only one question left: How or why was somebody able, to talk Cuba Gooding Jr. into taking one of the leading parts in this ... plot ? Only one little ray of light helps this movie to at least one penguin: Roger Moore's part as a gay ex-General. (p2) p1 & p2-short-rating:  |
Feb20th |
The Ring
 |
People are dying seven days after the have seen a Special Video Tape.
A young woman also sees it and wants to know, why this happens and how
to stop it, especially when her son watches the Tape one day after her.
This is a Horror Movie with some fine horror and not too many drasic shock effects. At the end, many questions are not being answered. Maybe therefore important to know, that this movie is a remake of the Japan-Original 'Ringu' (Director: Hideo Nakata), which was followed by a sequel and a prequel, in which open questions are being answered. For real Horror-Movie-Fans maybe too soft - all others will be scared! Have Fun :-) (p1) p1-short-rating: |
Germany:
Feb.13th |
Two Weeks Notice (Ein Chef zum Verlieben)
 |
A fantastic and very funny movie. Actually when I saw the Trailer,
I thought, that this movie might be not so good. But the movie is far better!
Sandra Bullock is trying to prevent the de-construction of old building,
which is being done by Hugh Grant. And one day, when they meet each other,
Hugh is hiring Sandra, because she is actually a lawyer. And she really
needs the money and has the hope, to save old buildings when she is working
inside. But her boss is using her day and night for shopping and helping
him out of situations. I think, you can imagine, what might happen.
A great movie with Super-Fantastic Expressions by Hugh Grant. Sandra and Hugh make a great couple and you gotta see it! (p1) p1-short-rating: |
Feb.13th |
Deuces Wild - Wild in den Straßen
 |
(shown a long time ago at the Filmfest Munich - therefore only in German
- sorry)
In den 50er gibt es diverse Banden in New York, die sich gegenseitig bekäpfen und Rache nehmen für den Tod guter Freunde. Hört sich alles bekannt an? Richtig, aber die tollen jungen Schauspieler und die Tiefe der Erzählung machen den Film durchaus sehenswert. Ist aber trotzdem Geschmackssache. (p1) Eine schöne Verfilmung der "West Side Story" Thematik. (p2) p1 & p2-short-rating:  |
Feb.8th USA:
|
The Banger Sisters (Groupies forever)
 |
Goldie Hawn plays a Groupie, which wants to meet her former Groupie-Friend,
played by Susan Sarandon, after they haven't seen for 20 years. While Goldie
Hawn is still working in a Bar and living the Rock-n-Roll-Life, Susan Sarandon
became a mother and business woman. Therefore she actually has some problems,
when Goldie Hawn shows up. With the mental help of Geoffrey Rush, who plays
a strange writer, Goldie is trying to bring her friend out of the boaring
life!
This movie is a lot of fun and especially Goldie Hawn and Geoffrey Rush are playing excellent. Even it is one of those typical comedies, where one part has to be convinced to someting un-normal and how the family reacts on it. (p1) A very nice comedy, which could be the (40 years later) sequel to 'Almost Famous'. Especially because Goldie Hawn, Susan Sarandon and Geoffrey Rush all try to come to terms with their own past since that times. You'll have fun along with some fine moments of insight into the values of family and friendship. (p2) p1 & p2-short-rating: |
Feb.6th |
My big fat greek wedding
 |
A daughter of a greek family living in Chicago is not married yet,
which is a big headache for her family. But one day she sees a guy and
falls in love with him and is trying to conquer him.
A very funny movie - the surprise box office hit from the USA. It shows in an excellent way, who people from Greece live in the USA and how they see this country. This movie reminds me of 'Four weedings and a funeral'. You should see it! (p1) p1-short-rating: |
Jan.23rd |
Analyze that (Reine Nervensache 2)
 |
This is the follow-up of 'Analyze this' - this movie starts, that Mafia-Boss
Paul Vitti (Robert DeNiro) is in prison and wants to get out, because somebody
is trying to kill him. So he starts singing songs from 'West-Side-Story'
and simulates, that he is crazy. So his psychatrist Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal)
is called and he is being forced to take Paul under his custodity. But
Paul is not so happy about this, because he has new plans.
It is a good sequal with a nice story, which has many laughs, but not so many as the first part. But Robert DeNiro any Billy Crystal are great playing toghether. (p1) p1-short-rating: |
Jan.9th |
Killing me softy
 |
This is the worst movie I have seen for a long time.
A girl (Heather Graham) falls in love with a mountain climber (who smokes a lot in this movie) and is getting married with him. But there are some secrets behind him and somebody wants to destroy this. If you want to see Heather Graham very often naked - you should see this movie. All others: Stay away! The story would be too worse, even for a B-Movie not good enough. (p1) p1-short-rating: NO Rating - not even Zero! |
Jan.9th |
One Hour Photo
 |
Robin Williams in working in a Photo-Laboratory in a Super-Market.
He plays a strange guy who is kind of fixed to one family. He is collecting
all the pictures, which they develop, by himself and one day he fids out
someting, which is making him mad and he is planning a revenge.
Robin Williams plays here a role, which is very unusual for him, because he never changes his face. He plays the role of a lonesome guy, who really has a problem, very good but somehow you are waiting for the big bang, which is not happening. If you expect a second Hannibal Lector of 'Silence of the Lambs' you might be disappointed. The Story is anyhow interesting, but nothing too special. (p1) p1-short-rating: |
Germany:
|
Reign of Fire - Die Herrschaft des Feuers
 |
At the turn of the century a Dragon is being discovered below London.
Several years later, the Dragons rule the world and have almost destroyed
the whole surface of the earth by a Reign of Fire. At that time some American
Outlaws come to the surroundings of London and team up with some British,
to kill 'the' Dragon, which is the Father of all others.
Well, somehow a nice Action-Movie. That's it. Something like Mad Max with Dragons. Unfortunately the Americans are shown in the movie as THE savers of the world..... (p1) p1-short-rating: |
Jan.9th |
Bark (Filmfest Munich)
 |
The story is simple, but crazy: a lady stops talking and is starting
to bark, because she loves dogs son much. It is shown, who her family,
friends and the people surrounding here are reacting to this. Actually
it is very hard to give some comment to this, because it is very hard to
imagine, that this happens, but the director did a good job and perhaps
this movie should show, who you can life and survive in the society, when
you are different. Judge yourself! (p1)
p1-short-rating: |
at Festivals |
Pipe Dream (Filmfest Munich)
 |
A plumper is searching for new girlfriends. And a friend of his is
working for a casting agency. So he has the idea to act as a director and
is making a casting for a fictive movie to get in contact with girls. But
all of a sudden some rumours are coming up in the movie-industry and he
is kind of forced to do this movie. Lucky wise his neighbour is writing
a script and he is ‘stealing’ to get it from her, but she finds out and
is getting involved in the movie, which is really being filmed. It is a
fantastic movie, which one the one hand is a love story, but on the other
hand a ‘hello to Hollywood’, because it is shown, that everybody can make
a movie even he has absolutely no idea of it. Go, see and enjoy! (p1)
p1-short-rating: |
at Festivals |
Shoujyo – An Adolescent ((Filmfest Munich)
|
In Japan a school girl is asking an older police officer to spend a
night with here. The next morning, she is gone and he is desperately searching
for her, because he fell in love. After some time, he finds out, that the
girl was choosing him by purpose, but he still is crazy for here, even
other people are attacking him heavily. And one, better two, tattoos are
playing a big part. It is a very critical movie, because in Japan this
young girl and old guy relations are happening, but nobody wants to talk
about these. Normally these are one night stands, but the director wanted
to show, that there is also Real Love happening. This is the first time
for the actually famous actor from Japan (Eiji Okuda) to direct a movie
and he did an excellent job to catch the vibes and the mood in this story
and bring it to the screen. (p1)
|
at Festivals |
Thirteen Conversations about one thing (Filmfest Munich)
 |
Thirteen Scenes are told in this movie connected in various ways to
each other., but not told chronologically. The life of a lawyer is changing
after an accident – the cleaning woman, who is in love with his boss –
the boss, who has to fire an employee – a teacher, who is betraying his
wife. The stories are told very nice, but this was also shown better in
other movies. The actors and actresses are playing very well and in the
end, who will ask you self, what is the ‘one thing’ out of the title –
life, love, destiny? (p1)
p1-short-rating: |
at Festivals |
