JURASSIC PARK III (2001)

Featuring: Sam Neill; William H Macy; Tea Leoni

Director: Joe Johnston

Sam Neill is back as paleontologist Dr Alan Grant in this third edition of the Jurassic Park series. And with him comes an entire new cast. But the storyline remains more or less the same. 

Paul Kirby (William H Macy) is a small town businessman. When his son got lost on Isla Sona (the second island which featured in the previous film) he cons Dr Alan Grant (Neill) into accompanying him and his wife, Amanda (Tea Leoni) to the island to search for their lost child. From there on it is basically the same old story all over again: man playing hide and seek with ferocious monstrosities and desperately trying not to become its meal in the process.

The problem the film makers had by this time was no longer to convince audiences that their extinct prehistoric dinosaurs are real but to keep the story interesting enough to still draw those audiences in droves back to the theaters. And it is just here where many critics felt they failed. If this is in fact so, I suggest you watch this movie (again?) and decide for yourself.

However, I enjoyed it enough to give it another 3 out of 5 stars.

Trailer link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9NHyBIT32w

 

Sam Neill in a serious predicament...  

   

THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK (1997)

Featuring: Jeff Goldblum; Julianne Moore; Richard Attenborough

Director: Steven Spielberg

After the massive success of the original film at the box office, a sequel was almost inevitable. This time the script was done by David Koepp who loosely based it on Michael Crichton's 1995 novel called only The Lost World. From the original cast, only Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough return. The two 'grandchildren' (again portrayed by Joseph Mazzello and Ariana Richards) also appear but so briefly it is hardly worth mentioning.

In the first movie Dr Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) remarks that the reason why dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago is because man would most probably not have been able to co-exist with them. So when John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) informs him there is a second island full of these prehistoric monsters, he foresees a whole new recipe for disaster. And before long our hero again finds himself knee-deep in all sorts of trouble.

Although the story becomes a bit contrived towards the end there are enough elements left over from the original concept to keep it interesting. It is not quite as good as the first movie but still very watchable.

I therefor also give it a descent 3 out of 5 stars.

Trailer link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxrvaneULkE

Are these images from The Lost World: Jurassic Park reminiscent of scenes from Godzilla or what?

JURASSIC PARK (1993)

Featuring: Sam Neill; Laura Dern; Jeff Goldblum; Richard Attenborough

Director: Steven Spielberg

This film was a technical breakthrough in as far as it was the first to make fully use of computer generated images or CGI. Previously these type of animated special effects was usually done through stop motion. This is the technique whereby a figure or object is physically manipulated while filmed one frame at a time so that it appears to move on its own. However, the problem Steven Spielberg had with this is that the movement of the final product always seems to be somewhat woody. And he wanted his dinosaurs to move fluently, more gracefully. Although this was a big gamble for Spielberg and team of animators (at one stage the film studio almost pulled the plug on the whole project) they persevered and, as they say, the rest was history.

Dr Alan Grant (Sam Neill) is a paleontologist who is invited to assess and endorse a new theme park resort with a difference. Situated on a private island off the coast of Costa Rica, the owner of the resort, John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) managed to genetically engineer and populate the entire island with real life dinosaurs. However, things go very wrong very quickly...

Scripted by Michael Crichton from his even named novel, there is plenty of action and special effects to behold; enough to keep you at the edge of your seat throughout. But what makes this movie special further is that, not only did it go on to become one of the most successful at the box office ever, it also won no less than three Oscars. And this makes it another must for any serious DVD collection.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Trailer link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc0UehYemQA

 Ariana Richards, Laura Dern, Sam Neill and Joseph Mazzello

GOODFELLAS (1990)

Featuring: Ray Liotta; Robert De Niro; Joe Pesci

Director: Martin Scorsese

Like The Godfather, Goodfellas is also based on a book about organized crime. But whereas Mario Puzo's novel, THE GODFATHER (which inspired the movie series) is mostly fictional, WISEGUY, the book by Nicholas Pileggi and on which Goodfellas is based, is a true story.

Ray Liotta is Henry Hill, the New York mobster who turned FBI informant and ended up testifying against the Lucchese crime family in the early 1980's. This movie tells of his rise and fall in the organization and the events that ultimately led him to turn against his erstwhile friends.

Although the film contains some graphically violent scenes, Martin Scorsese manages to present it in such a way that it doesn't become gratuitous. And that is what makes him such a master at his craft. Many regard this film still to be one of his best to date. It has been nominated for six Academy Awards, among others for Best Picture and Best Director. It did, however, earn Joe Pesci an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role

I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Trailer link:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo5jJpHtI1Y

Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Paul Sorvino, Martin Scorsese and Joe Pesci