Die Film Besprechungen der four-penguins von Juli 2002 bis xx

The Movies are listed according to their Release Dates in Germany from July 2002 until December 2002

Sweet Home Alabama

Reese Witherspoon plays a career-woman, who is a famous designer in New York. One day, she is being asked in a very romatic way by her boy-friend to marry her. She says 'yes', but before actually getting married, she has to be divorced from her current husband, whom she hasn't seen in years. Therefore she travels bacl to Alabama.
It is a real ice any funny movie, with many laughs, especially the part when she is coming back to Alabama is great. (p1)
p1-short-rating: Germany:
Dec.19th

The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers

For more go to: The must-see-movie of the moment.
p1 & p2-short-rating: Worldwide:
Dec.18th

Bowling for Columbine

For more go to: The must-see-movie of the moment.
p1 & p2-short-rating: Germany:
Nov.21st

Spurwechsel (Changing Lanes)

(shown a long time ago in the Sneak Preview - therefore only in German - sorry)
Bei einem Spurwechsel kracht der Anwalt (Ben Affleck) in den Arbeiter (Samuel L. Jackson). Danach ist bei den Beiden nichts mehr, wie es einmal war, da sich deren beiden Leben an diesem Freitag tragisch verändert. Der Anwalt verliert eine Akte bei diesem Unfall, die der Arbeiter findet. Diese Akte sollte bei einem Prozess das entscheidende Beweismittel sein und ihn vor dem Gefängnis retten. Die Akte hat jedoch der Arbeiter, der allerdings durch diesen Unfall zu spät zu einem Gerichtstermin kommt, bei dem er seine Frau und seine Kinder zum Verbleib in NY überzeugen will, da er ein Haus auf Kredit gekauft hat. Und jetzt beginnt ein 'wie-Du-mir-so-ich-Dir-Spiel' der Beiden, das immer absurder wird.
Dies ist ein durchaus gut gemachter Film, bei dem sich der Verlauf immer wieder ändert und zwar in Richtungen, die man nicht erwartet. Aber es fällt einem schon etwas schwer, sich vorzustellen, das es so etwas geben soll - wobei man dies nie ausschliessen soll. Ben Affleck fehlt etwas die Überzeugungskraft. Aber alles in allem hätte man drei Filme aus der Handlung machen können. (p1)
Eine gut besetzte Mischung aus Anwaltsthriller und Milieu-Studie ueber einen Oberklasse-Mensch (Der Anwalt) und einen Unterklasse-Mensch (Ein Ex-Alkoholiker), die sich gegenseitig mit Ihren Mitteln niederzuringen versuchen. Gut gespielt trotz einiger Laengen und einem klischeehaften Ende. (p2)
p1 & p2-short-rating: Germany:
Nov.7th

Buffalo Soldiers - Army go home (Filmfest Munich)

West-Germany 1989 – shortly before the Berlin Wall fell: In an American Army Base several soldiers, leaded by Joaquin Phoenix, are dealing with drugs and also weapons. But one new lieutenant is beginning to investigate what’s going on and makes life very hard for them, especially after the leader fell in love with his daughter (Anna Paquin). It is a highly interesting movies which has some fun (the scene with the tank), but it is also very shocking, if you imagine, that guys like this would have gone into a war. A movie to think about! (p1)
p1-short-rating:
Germany:
Oct.31st

The Divine Secrets of Ya-Ya-Sisterhood

Four Girls are founding during a secret ceremony the ‘Ya-Ya-Sisterhood’. Several Years later, the daughter (Sandra Bullock) of one of this girls, is having a fight with her mother, because in an interview in the ‘Time Magazine’ she is saying some not so nice things about her. So the other three of the Ya-Ya’s are ‘kidnapping’ the daughter and tell her the divine secrets of the ya-Ya’s.
Actually I would say, this is more a woman’s movie (keep your paper-tissues ready), but it is a beautiful told story, which jumps back and forward in time and tells the story with a lot of love. (p1)
p1-short-rating: Germany:
Oct.31st

Red Dragon

Hannibal Lector is back...well this is a prequal to the 'Silence of the Lambs' and also a Remake, because this book of Thomas Harris is already known under the title 'Manhunt'. But due to the big success of 'Lambs' and 'Hannibal', it was decided, that Anthony Hopkins should also play the beginning, to make the Hannibal-Trilogy complete. The movie is quite o.k. - it starts with the capture of Hannibal and the 'retirement' of the cop (Edward Norton), who got him. But after some time, this cop is needed for a new case, where somebody (Ralph Fiennes) is killing people at full moon. And the cop is needed to talk to Hannibal for a profile of the new killer.
As I said, the movie is o.k. with some nice shock effects, but no as good as 'Silence of the Lambs', but better than 'Hannibal'. (p1)
p1-short-rating: Germany:
Oct.31st

Austin Powers in Goldmember

Yeah Baby! Mr. Shag-Well is back! The beginning of the Movie is really excellent and I don't want to tell anything about this. After that the movie slows down and you will find many things, which you already know from the first two parts. But there are some good ideas inside and the end is surprising, which could actually be continued in another movie, where some really new things might happen. If you are an Austin Powers Fan, you will like this movie, otherwise you shouldn't go. (p1)
p1-short-rating: Germany:
Oct.24th

High Crimes - Im Netz der Lügen

She (Ashley Judd) is a successful lawyer, but during one evening her husband is all of a sudden arrested and brought in front of a military court. He is accused of murdering several innocent people during a mission. She wants to defend her husband, but therefore she needs help from somebody (Morgan Freeman), who knows how the military court works.
A very well done suspense thriller, even you may have seen this plot in some other movies already. Morgan Freeman is doing a great performance a an old lawyer, who just became sober, but who has some tricks. (p1)
p1-short-rating: Germany:
Oct.24th

K-Pax

Prot (Kevin Spacey) is coming out of the Nowhere and his brought to a clinic, after some mess at Central Station. There he meets Dr. Powell (Jeff Bridges) and explains him, that he is coming from the planet K-Pax. Nobody believes him, even after he demonstrates some very detailled knowledge about the star system. And the time to go back has come.
The Actors show an excellent performance and the story is good and interesting, but a little bit too long. (p1)
p1-short-rating:
Germany:
Oct.17th

Black Hawk Down

Zu Beginn war ich schon etwas skeptisch: das wird wahrscheinlich wieder ein uebermaessig patriotischer Kriegsfilm. Aber ich wurde eines Besseren belehrt. Der Regisseur Ridley Scott (u.a. Aliens) findet hier eine Erzählweise, welche die Ereignisse in Somalia (Absturz eines Hubschraubers im Krisengebiet und anschliessende Befreiung der Soldaten) relativ neutral erzählt und dabei auch das Vorgehen der Amerikaner bei solchen Einsätzen belichtet. Durchaus sehenswert, aber auch sehr 'hart' gefilmt. (p1)
Somalia 1993: Amerikanische Delta-Forces und Army-Ranger-Einheiten versuchen den Warlord Aidid und seine Fuehrungscrew festzunehmen. Was als Blitz-Kommandounternehmen beginnt, endet mit einer blutigen Strassenschlacht, bei der fuer die Soldaten am Ende nur noch das eigene (Ueber-)Leben und das der Kameraden zaehlt. Ridley Scott schafft es dabei, dem Zuseher die Geschehnisse dieser Tage brutal und dennoch so neutral zu erzaehlen, dass sich jeder sein Urteil selbst bilden kann (und auch muss). Kein Film fuer jemand, der kein Blut sehen kann. (p2)
p1 & p2-short-rating: Germany:
Oct.10th

Insomnia

A detective (Al Pacino) and his colleague are flying to the north of Alaska to help the local team investigating in a murder case. During hunting a local suspect (Robin Williams) in the woods, Pacino is unfortunately shooting at his colleague. During the next days, Pacino has his ups and dows and is getting mad, because in this area is 24h daylight – he can’t get no sleep.
Pacino is fantastic in this interesting and very intelligent plot; especially the situation of getting no sleep and how somebody can change, makes the story a real hit. (p1)
p1-short-rating: Germany:
Oct.10th

The Guru

A guy is moving from India to the Big City of New York to become a star. Actually he is starting as a waiter, but during one party he has to stand in as a Guru and finds out, how important it is for New York Women to learn about Sex. So he is trying to learn this from a Porn-Star (Heather Graham) and passing it to women. Again a very funny movie with some india touch, but not as good as ‘Kick it like Beckham’, because it is more a simple, not intelligent, comedy. (p1)
A young actor/dancer leaves India to find his American dream. Shortly after his arrival in New York, its bored and neurotic High Society finds in him and through him their dream of a live without the limitations of their own society. A comedy about different livestyles in different cultures, but also about love, trust and how to find one's own way in live. No big (American) stars but a lot of fun. (p2)
p1-& p2-short-rating: Germany:
Oct.10th

Kick it like Beckham

This is an absolut fanastic comedy from UK. A girl from india, born and grown up in U.K. is playing soccer with her friends, but her parents don’t know that. A british girl is playing soccer in a womens soccer team, but her parents don’t like that. The british girl is asking the girl from india to join her team and the problems and conflicts are starting.
A really great comedy, which shows social conflicts within two different families and cultures and how they can work together. U gotta see it!!!!! (p1)
p1-short-rating: Germany:
Oct.3rd

Minority Report

For more go to: The must-see-movie of the moment.
p1-short-rating: Germany:
Oct.3rd

The Bourne Identity

A boat finds during a storm an unconsciousness man (Matt Damon – Good Will Hunting), who has no idea who he is. So he is beginning the search for his past during Europe and he finds out, that he must be some kind of Agent or something like that, because he discovers also, that he has some special skills like fighting. During his search has to use a girl as a hostage (Franka Potente – Run Lola Run) to get out of a embassy and they become friends. In the mean time, other people begin to search for him. The first half of the movie is a good and thrilling Agent Movie, but in the second half it is very easy to guess, how it will end. It is o.k. to see, but don’t expect too much suspense. (p1)
p1-short-rating:
Germany
Sept.26th

Rat Race

Eight People are choosen in a Casino in Las Vegas to go on a Road Trip to a city New Mexico, where they will find a million US-Dollars in a locker in a station. And of course, the one who gets there first can keep the money. So this funny and crazy race starts with Whoppi Goldberg, Rowan Atkinson, Cuby Gooding Jr. and others. But what they don't know, that the owner of the Casino (John Clesse) and some other rich people are betting money on them, who will reach there first.
It is a very funny movie, with some great moments, because you can't imagine on what rich people will bet also. You can enjoy yourself and have many laughs. (p1)
p1-short-rating: Germany:
Aug.29th

About a Boy

A man in its end thirties (Hugh Grant) is searching for something new and he joins the club for single parents. All are women with kids and he is the only man, who of course has no kid, but he is acting like he has one. Actually he doesn’t like kids, but after some time he is becoming the friend of a more and less lonesome boy. Hugh Grant is playing here in a good comedy and it is really fun to watch and has many laughs. But it looks like, that Hugh Grant is sticking to these rolls and I am really wondering if he will play something different in the future. (p1)
p1-short-rating:
Germany:
Aug.22nd

Bad Company

Two twin brothers are seperated after they are born. One is becoming a smart CIA-Agent, the other one a ticker-dealer on the streets. After the CIA-brother is killed, the other one has to take his place and is being trained to act as his brother, because they have to finish an importnmat deal about an atomic device. The story itself is not new and you can guess, who it ends, but please don’t take too much note about logial failures. The characters are played well from Chris Rock as twin-brother, who brings some fun to this movie and Anthony Hopkins as the ‘CIA-Teacher’. It is o.k. to see, but not a must. Sorry, Jerry Bruckheimer, you have done much better movies. (p1)
p1-short-rating:
Germany:
Aug.22nd

Mr. Deeds

After the death of a Multi-Millionaire the search for his heirs begins. Finally the find somebody (Adam Sandler) from a very small and local town, how never left the village in his whole life. He is now going to the big city New York and has to learn, that not everybody is very friendly to him. And even the girl (Winona Ryder), he falls in love with, is plying games with him – at least in the beginning. A very funny film and Adam Sandler is really good in the role, but which is also kind of typical for him. It is a good Popcorn Movie with good characters, but a story line known very well from other movies. (p1)
p1-short-rating:
Germany:
Aug.1st

Der Schuh des Manitu - Extra Large

The most successful German-Movie with Comedy-Super-Star Bully is back with 10min of additional scenes.
For more see (only in German): The must-see-movie of the moment.
p1-short-rating: Germany:
July11th

Lilo & Stich

Ein gezüchtetes Monster wird von seinem Heimatplaneten verbannt und findet auf der Erde in Lilo ein Mädchen, welches sehr einsam ist und im Streit mit der Schwester liegt. Das Monster gibt sich als Hund aus und wird von Lilo gekauft und auf den Namen Stich getauft. Hier hat Disney einen sehr schönen und lustigen Film geschaffen, der irgendwo auch sehr nachdenklich stimmt. Ist auf jeden Fall zu empfehlen und macht sicherlich jedem Spass, da die Film witzige Dialoge und Einfälle hat ('bedrohte Tierart Moskitos!!!!!', etc.) (p1)
p1-short-rating: Germany:
July4th

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