Category Archives: 3 stars

Films that scored 3 out of 5.

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)

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2007 #28
Tommy Lee Jones | 116 mins | DVD | 15 / R

The Three Burials of Melquiades EstradaEmpire gave this film one of their five-star reviews, immediately making me want to see it. Shame they overrated it then.

A confused first act (which jumps about in chronology for no discernible reason) gives way to a more linear second two that, while more pleasing, seem to do away with major characters for no reason other than the plot ran out of things for them to do.

The film has its moments, and some pretty views, but five-star it ain’t.

3 out of 5

Johnny English (2003)

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2007 #21
Peter Howitt | 84 mins | DVD | PG / PG

Johnny EnglishAlmost the flip-side of Hot Fuzz’s coin. Johnny English doesn’t quite manage the action sequence thing (though the car chase is quite good), and the humour is a lot gentler. Every joke is sign-posted at least a good few seconds in advance, sometimes several minutes, yet that’s half the fun — you know what’s about to go wrong and that nothing can stop English doing it anyway.

Not brilliant, then, but an entertaining enough bit of nothing.

3 out of 5

Nosferatu (1922)

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aka Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens / Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror

Nosferatu2007 #18
F.W. Murnau | 81 mins | DVD | PG

One of the earliest and most-referenced horror films, and the first screen adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula (faithfully, albeit unofficially).

With such a weight bearing down upon it I found it quite hard to watch it objectively, and so was mainly left with the sense that I didn’t enjoy it as much as Sunrise and that I’d rather like to see a fully restored version. Perhaps Masters of Cinema shall treat us to one soon.*

Whatever one’s thoughts on it, it really is a must see for anyone into sci-fi/fantasy, horror, or (again) the history of film.

3 out of 5

* In the years since this review was written, they have. ^

Romance & Cigarettes (2005)

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2007 #13
John Turturro | 102 mins | DVD | 15 / R

Romance and CigarettesI was attracted to this because it was billed as a modern musical, with an impressive cast. Tsk.

Some people are put off by the musical tag — well, don’t be. The characters occasionally sing along to some popular songs (and sometimes to ones you’ve never heard in your life), and sometimes do fun dance routines. This sits at odds with the gritty-ish melodrama of the plot, but that’s the fun.

It’s worth a punt, but expect to dislike it.

3 out of 5

South Pacific (1958)

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2007 #12
Joshua Logan | 151 mins | DVD | U

South PacificI like a good musical. I wouldn’t say I was a fan of the genre on the whole, but I do enjoy good ones. South Pacific, to my mind, is not one of the very best, but it has its moments (and its songs!) and there are some fair points underlining the plot. If you don’t like musicals this one probably won’t convert you; if you’re a musical fan… well, you’ve probably already seen it.

4 out of 5

It (1927)

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It2007 #10
Clarence G. Badger | 72 mins | VHS

Proof if it were needed that the format of the rom-com has gone largely unchanged for at least 80 years! In that respect It makes for a fairly entertaining film, with some story elements that modern audiences might find surprisingly, well, modern.

Entertaining but not essential.

3 out of 5

A Cock and Bull Story (2005)

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aka Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story

2007 #5
Michael Winterbottom | 90 mins | DVD | 15 / R

A Cock and Bull Story
I forget which British paper described this as “the best film ever, ever, ever”. It may’ve been The Guardian.* They’re not right, of course, but it has its moments — most of them courtesy of the excellent Rob Brydon, who far outshines Steve Coogan. It’s worth watching for the former alone.

3 out of 5

* It was.