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Duplicity, a review by goodguy

Duplicity (2009) Written & Directed by: Tony Gilroy Starring: Julia Roberts, Clive Owen DVD: R1-US Universal (Aug 15, 2009) My rating:

Cover blurb: Oscar winner Julia Roberts and Clive Owen star as two sexy spies-turned-corporate operatives in the midst of a clandestine love affair. When they find themselves on either side of an all-out corporate war, they'll put everything on the line to remain one double-cross ahead in a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse. From writer/director Tony Gilroy (seven-time Oscar-nominated Michael Clayton) comes the film critics are raving about: "Roberts and Owen have sizzling chemistry in this instant classic."(Lou Lumenick, NEW YORK POST)

No they don't. Have "sizzling chemistry", I mean. In fact, I'm hard-pressed to think of a movie pairing with less chemistry (*1). That Roberts and Owen can do much better even with somewhat detached characters playing games with each other, they both demonstrated in Closer a few years ago. Here, about the only scene that works between them is one that gets repeated a few times throughout the movie under different circumstances; the first repetition also cleverly clueing you into what's really going on, plotwise.

The plot, of course, is all clever scheming and double-crossing in a corporate spy game. For all its cleverness, it is surprisingly pedestrian and dragged quite a bit during the two hour running time. It has a final twist, I didn't see coming. Maybe I would have, if I cared enough about it in the first place. But I'm the guy who prefers Ocean's 12 over Ocean's 11, so spending too much time on supposedly intricate plotting and twisting is a surefire way to get me bored.

The highlight of the movie is Carrie Preston as a travel agent who gets caught in the crossfire. She has a separate scene with each of the leads, and with her, even Clive Owen gets a chance to shine.


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(*1) Maybe Kate Beckinsale and the Michael character in the Underworld movies, but there the romance angle wasn't that important anyway.


(From goodguy's Watch Log on October 4th, 2009)

Groundhog Day, a review by Jon

Groundhog Day
5 out of 5

Bill Murray is Phil, a cynical weatherman forced to report on Groundhog Day with his cheery producer (Andie McDowell). They're unable to return home because of a blizzard, but the next morning, Phil has bigger problems. He's not only trapped in the town, he's trapped in the same day.

February 2nd? What the hell, I thought! This is a fantastic film that is strong enough to be counted alongside It's A Wonderful Life. It's sold as a romantic comedy, but delivers so much more. But importantly, it works as well as any modern rom-com, with Bill Murray possibly at his best; he delivers all the one-liners and convinces in the many emotions Phil encounters on his years in the town. Probably years anyway. It's never explained or detailed, an important trait shared with Capra's fantasy. The reason and the conclusion are the important things, not the how. Certainly the character seems tailor made for him while Andie MacDowell is effortless in the role, which is amazing as she's done very little else.

It's a brilliant premise that allows all sorts of interpretations, from comic to romantic, via depression and suicide! And Bill is right there in every one, pitch perfect. Apparently the original script started in the middle, with Phil already underway in his nightmare, but here Hollywood convention and starting at the... well, start, is the far better idea. Gorgeous film.

(From Jon's Random Reviews on February 3rd, 2009)

Tom's Random Reviews, a review by Tom

Title: Crime Traveller
Year: 1997
Director:
Rating: PG
Length: 197 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Plot:
Meet the most unconventional investigative duo of any time - JEFF SLADE and HOLLY TURNER, in the mystery adventure series Crime Traveller.

Sleuths come and go, working on intuition, luck and clues, but Slade and his science officer colleague Holly are armed with something extra in their fight against crime - their very own Time Machine.

Invented and developed over the years by Holly's father, quantum physicist Professor Fredrick Turner, the Time Machine is a bizarre mixture of DIY technology, but it works. Unfortunately the Professor disappeared during one of his time travel experiments, leaving his daughter convinced that he is still out there somewhere, stuck in another dimension.

Holly is now in charge of the Professor's extraordinary legacy, which is kept hidden in her apartment. When Slade, a charming maverick detective, discovers the Time Machine's existence, he convinces Holly to use it in order to solve major crimes. The scene is set for a rollercoaster ride, through the present and the past.

High speed chases and intriguing puzzles are solved with the aid of their unreliable Time Machine, in this stylish, fast-paced drama.

Extras:
Episode Guide and Synopsis'
Interviews
Production Notes
Scene Access
Trailers

I have watched the first series now and I must say, that even though I was sceptical after the first episode, I quite enjoyed it. I didn't have a problem with how the machine looked. It was built by her father after all over a period of many years. Its material is from different times. E.g. some vacuum tubes are still used. As for closing the curtains: As I understood it, that the closing of the wooden curtains also closes a special circuit. And everyone inside that circuit (i.e. inside the room) travels through time.
I had a problem with the huge wrist-watch though. Luckily it was hardly seen.
What I liked about this series is, that they sticked to their established time-travel principle, that nothing can be changed in the past. Everything you see always happened this way. Some stuff you see before the time-travel happened, but we later find out, that they were caused by the time-travellers themselves.
To summarize: This is an average crime-solving TV series with a little time-travel twist. The first episode is rather weak, but I enjoyed the other three episodes of this first series. Especially the last one.

#	Episode	Rating
01	Jeff Slade & The Loop of Infinity
02	A Death in the Family
03	Fashion Shoot
04	The Revenge of the Chronology Protection Hypothesis

(From Tom's Random Reviews on October 25th, 2009)