DVD Collectors Online

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, a review by Jon

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
4 out of 5

Robert Downey Jr. is Harry, a petty thief who winds up in L.A. as an accidental actor with a chance of a detective role. He teams up with Val Kilmer, a P.I. called "Gay" Perry, for experience, but ends up in a very real murder case involving his childhood sweetheart (a gorgeous Michelle Monaghan) and the hard-boiled pulp novels she used to love. The story is narrated by Harry, which is great fun as he forgets things and has to rewind, or berates the audience for missing the key plot points.

Written by Shane Black, this has much of the throwaway Jazz cool style of the Lethal Weapon films, if a little exagerrated. The plot works pretty well as pulp noir, but can take some keeping up with (definitely the point!). It is never less than thoroughly entertaining. Downey is just about the coolest actor around, while Kilmer is brilliant as Perry. The fact he is gay is frequently played for laughs, but never cheaply or at his expense; more the opposite as he is always the intelligent confident half always clearing up after Harry's mess.

What with actors playing against type as characters who just seem to keep wandering into accidents (except Perry), silly narration, childish flippant twists (missing finger; tit grabbing; Russian roulette going very wrong), you might get the wrong idea. This really is a very cool film with a couple of serious moments and great stunts to keep it the right side of a thriller, just like Black's Lethal Weapons. It's also set at Christmas and has a jazzy soundtrack.

Well recommended. 



Now, can anyone tell me why the bloody hell this great film seems to be pretty unheard of? Everyone who sees it loves it, but must keep it as some great secret; Downey has long been seen as one of the best actors of his generation; and Kilmer should have blown away any and all of his critics with his confident, well judged performance. There should have been a sequel by now! Look, when Iron Man came out, it should have been getting a mention as a past hit. But nothing. It came, it conquered, it went. No-one ever talks about it... 

(From Kiss Kiss Bang Bang on July 29th, 2008)

Lawrence of Arabia, a review by Jon

1962
Lawrence of Arabia
5 out of 5





(From Jon's Best Picture Oscar Marathon on February 13th, 2009)

The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

What's the show about?
Three sisters doing spells and stuff. Fighting evil. Looking gorgeous. That's all I know.

"Something Wicca This Way Comes"
After her mother has died the Halliwell sisters Prue, Piper and Phoebe move back into their family house and discover that they are witches and that they are destined to fight evil. Prue can move things with her mind, Piper can see the future and Phoebe can stop time and they have to defend themselves against an evil warlock who wants their powers.

My Opinion
Sorry, I tried, I really did. This is the third time I watched the pilot and I believe I once watched the second episode. This was a blind buy because I thought "What can go wrong: three beautiful ladies, witchcraft, battling evil - cool.". But it wasn't. The way they simply accepted their fate and never really questioned what has happened to them? Not freaking out? Sure, they toyed with a spirit board in their youth but they never even knew that there actually were paranormal events in the world. And yet "Cool, we're witches, let's fight evil!" - no sorry, can't accept that premise.

(From The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon on September 24th, 2009)