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The Million Dollar Hotel

The Million Dollar Hotel

List Price: $9.98
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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Davies' performance worth the purchase.
Review: All through this I kept trying to remember where I'd seen Jeremy Davies' face before. He's the geeky kid in "Saving Private Ryan." I read one reviewer's thought that most everything that's in this has been done, and specifically points out Brad Pitt's performance in "12 Monkeys"--I guess he hasn't seen any movies made before "12 Monkeys" or he'd know that Brad Pitt's performance was ripped off from Dennis Hopper in "Apocalypse Now." My point being: maybe nothing is original any more but it shouldn't stop you from seeing this movie. Davies' performance is sweet and touching as a retarded kid in love with a hooker?/tramp? (you decide). Milla Jovavich can't act to save her life. In fact hardly any other cast member in this flick is going to be collecting an Oscar any time soon--except for Mr. Gibson, of couse who gives an interesting performance as a *stiff* law enforcement type trying to find a suspect in a murder case. This is not your ordinary hollywood film--thank god--but if you like Wim Wenders' films, you'll love this..

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Million dollar hotel
Review: Keep away. Absolute self indulgent garbage. Pretentious tosh. The main character mumbles throught the film. "nutters" are all portrayed as people scratching their heads whilst staring at the floor with a pained expression all their other attributes are copied off crazys portrayed in other films (Brad Pitt-12 monkeys for example). It tries SO hard to be original and clever and fails on both counts. There are a couple of humorous lines in it but thats it. The DVD commentary is equally dull. Highlights include Bono pointing HIMSELF out when the credits roll. The interviews seem like an extension of the film. The cast, director and co writer (Bono) are SOO intense. They take the film SOO seriously. Mel Gibson says of his character, a cop "hes investigating a case and he doesnt ask any questions" this sentence is followed by an embarrased confused look. Probably thinking to himself "so why the hell did I agree to do the film?" Completely dreadful!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Every Once In Awhile ...
Review: you see a movie that escapes classification or definition. I don't even know if it is a good movie or a bad movie; certainly it is a creative, imaginative work that is full of life. It defines itself completely on it's own terms. It isn't a movie so much as an experience. It's a poem. It's a quirky little film. It is a song with classy tidbits of wit, political/social commentary, art farce, and human insight just tossed off as incidental. Certainly, the movie haunts you. The pace is slow, it's true. Skinner is a complete mystery. The lines that annoy some of the professional reviewers are my favorites: "Izzy". "Izzy what?", just so cool ! or TomTom saying: "I'd like to read a book but I can't decide which one." Offbeat humor at its finest. Maybe you hate it, maybe you love it. See it for yourself - don't let anybody make up your mind for you. The people who live in The Million Dollar Hotel don't.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Please do not watch this film
Review: Whilst flicking through the new releases listings I noticed that this film had received cracking reviews and ratings from other Amazon shoppers, this alarmed me so much that I felt my opinion should be heard (something I don't usually do).

I believe that everybody has their "Do not, no matter what, go and see this film" story, which you will tell your friends and colleagues and even have a bit of a chuckle about it. I went to see Million Dollar Hotel during its theatrical release here in the UK.

A film requires characters that are slightly likeable... This film sadly has none. I also believe that a film requires a screenplay that has some substance to it, hell it might even overpower the terrible characters, but again this film is incredibly lacking in this facet.

So a film which has characters and a story that are both neither interesting nor attractive, I then continue to tell you why you should not see this film. I believe that a film can be very stylised and very cool, I love the Coen Bros., Gilliam and Kubrick, all who perform their stylising very well, sadly I felt that this film tried too hard and it looked poo, the dirtiness annoyed me, Jovovich's character was sooo flaky it was untrue, the lead character Tom-Tom (Jeremy Davies) was intensely irritating, believe it or not Gibson was the only actor that provided some clean relief and I hope that this is a film that Roth will never admit that he was ever involved in.

A film of such poor substance is generally forgivable if it has loads of explosions, special effects, fighting etc. but, you guessed it, it doesn't, just a crappy film that will please such a small minority of Wim Wenders fans it really shouldn't have been made.

Other than all of the above shortcomings it has more, YES MORE, reasons why you shouldn't see this movie, from the opening credits it was obvious that Bono had been significantly involved in this movies production, from score to cameo's, all of this gave the film a feel of a Bono music video, a crap music video, with a poor story behind it. 15 minutes into themovie and any intelligent person will be able to tell that this film is not going to get any better.

Please, for your own sake do not watch this film, to quote Delroy Lindo in get shorty "I have seen better film on teeth."

Please do not watch it to see how bad it is, it really, really sucks! then again you will always need something bad to compare the good to I suppose.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The First Thing I Realized After I Jumped...
Review: I feel happy to be alive after seeing this film. If you, like me, have heard rumors of Mel Gibson's harsh dismissal of this film I suggest you ignore them other than to understand that great actors can apparently be small men.) I am interested in both U2 and Wim Wenders, so I knew of this project for over a year, and it has surpassed my highest hopes in every regard. Bono said he "wanted to break peoples' hearts" with this film. Wim Wenders said "I feel more like a mender of hearts. I'd like people to feel lighter after having seen this film." Both have fulfilled their wishes. Great music, (buy the stk) beautiful Wenders, as always, to look at, excellent ensemble cast! Thank you for a very funny and beautiful film.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: 5 well earned stars!
Review: The Million Dollar Hotel is off-beat, and by no means Wenders' best work, but still worth viewing on a rainy day! Its a bit melancholy, quite quirky, sometimes surreal, yet very sweet. Jeremy Davies delivers a fine performance as Tom-Tom. Milla Jovavich is stunning. The script is slightly odd, but not distracting, and there are moments of pure poetry, like Tom-Tom's fall. What helps the movie immensely is the really fantastic soundtrack (minus one song -- the Spanish version of Anarchy in the UK is awful). The music is either jazzy or U2/Brian Eno-esque which makes it perfect for grey days.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Soul movie and time road
Review: Wenders should have lived in the dark and larmoyant 19th century. His last movie demonstrates he does not belong to the century of aggressive competition and individualism which is ours. He tells THE Love Story of the millenium, dressed in funky glam and surounded by the wispering last productions of U2. His sensibilty allows us a glimse at what should have been, if we were not those who we are, if we had not forgotten that love passes merely through the 'stomach', and not through the catodic tubes. Certainly the most troubling movie of the year 2000. Giulia Dobre

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: beautiful, silly and memorable
Review: So this isn't vintage Wenders but the nothing has been seen 1986's 'Wings of Desire'. Even 'Beuna Vista Social Club' (1998) was not up to the intense visionary experimenting of his best documentaries i.e 'Tokyo-Ga' and 'Notebook on Cities and Clothes'. Yet this is a film by Wim Wenders a man who understands images and music more than maybe any other film maker alive or dead. The trouble is that the idea behind the film is deeply flawed and the script is populated by characters so pretencious to make over acting impossible to avoid. Only Mel Gibson, suprisingly, gets away without a dent. So why watch this film? Simple, compared to many other movies out this year it's still great. It's photography is stunning, it's combination of dialouge, images and great music (courtesy of U2, Brian Eno, Jon Hassell and Daniel Lanois) is spellbinding, and Wenders cannot make a bad film, he's too intresting! Wenders is principly a director of road movies and this is his first since possibly his second film ('The Scarlet Letter' also his worst) that does not work in this genre. See it - but - see his others as well, watch a master at work.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Beautiful journey into the souls of madmen
Review: There's been a lot of debating over whether or not this film deserves its Berlin Silver Bear award. In my mind it deserves more than that, for this is truly a remarkable film.

The Million Dollar Hotel is a home for outcasts and mentally unstable people. Once it was probably a high-class place, but time has taken its toll and it is now merely a parody of itself. Inhabitants include a mad Indian Chief wannabe (played by Jimmy Smits), a guy who thinks he's a member of the Beatles (hilariously played by Peter Stormare) the retarded "hero" of the story Tom Tom (Jeremy Davies) and the shadowy, silent Elouise (Milla Jovovich) who he has a serious crush on. One day Tom Tom's nearest friend fall off the roof of the hotel, and foul play is suspected. It is then up to an FBI Special Agent (Mel Gibson) to find the murderer. This is no easy task indeed!

What sets this movie apart from the mainstream is that it oozes atmosphere and that is dares to be *different*. Director Wim Wenders has taken the story by none other than Bono from U2 and worked his magic on it. The result is a visually stunning film with some of the most intense moments I've ever seen. Add the amazing soundtrack, also by Bono, and the excellent performances by all actors and the result should be obvious: an instant classic.

Bear in mind, though, that this is my opinion of the movie. It is shared by a couple of my friends, but other reviewers have strongly criticised the film. I fail to see why, but it just seems to be one of those movies that people either love or hate. In any case I strongly recommend seeing it, if only to experience its intense, sad beauty. This is indeed no cheerful film, but it does have its fair share of funny quirky moments.

The Million Dollar Hotel is one of those rare movies that touch something deep inside me, and leaves me speechless. What can I possibly say other than: see it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Dreams and Hopes
Review: I have seen "The Million Dollar Hotel" in a German movie theater. The German producer Wim Wenders and frontman Bono from U 2 are the two men who created this movie. It is a romantic thriller which plays in downtown Los Angeles in the year 2001. The junkie Izzy Goldkiss, son of a media mogul, is found dead. FBI Agent Skinner (Mel Gibson) starts his investigation in the hotel, where Izzy had lived. The hotel is a shelter for the poor with no medical insurance. The prostitute Eloise (Milla Jovovich) and the dreamer Tom Tom (Jeremy Davies) are only two of the people who Skinner is questioning. It is a story about friendship, trust, betrayal and the powerful strength of an unconditional love in front of a criminal investigation ... and at the end even Skinner does not know who is guilty or not guilty, insane or not insane. Great movie, unfortunately not played in every movie theater in the United States. Not available on VHS or DVD yet.


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