Rating: 
Summary: Increase to 4 stars for Asia!
Review: *
My personal technical review:Picture - 3.5, Sound - 3.0, Sound/Jazz - 4.5 This is quite an ususual little movie with unusual colors, good use of sky (in shots), and I suppose it's a bit of a love story. The overall picture is dark but clear. It is not true 16x9 but is a nice widescreen presentation. You will probably have to watch this movie at night or in a very dark room. With that, the weird blues will jump out at you. This film will *make* fans for Asia Argento. For those of us who have enjoyed watching her since "The Church", she has matured and looks great. No doubt as you collect DVD's of her father Dario Argento, you will also buy everything Asia Argento appears in. Both of them are quite addicting. A male lead has a part-time or volunteer job as a DJ and plays jazz LP's. Sometimes in the soundtrack you will hear clicks and pops -- as vinyl records must have been used. It was an interesting effect. Other than that, the jazz background music is excellent and never lasts long enough. Enjoy the Peggy Lee song at the end! Actually, the movie is fairly entertaining, but Ms. Lee's song for the closing credits is the best part of film, since that song is used as a theme throughout. The case includes a Chapter List and duplication of the cover on one sheet.
*
Rating:
Summary: Unfortunately Titled Thriller Has Super Hot Babe.....
Review: ...I've got to put Asia Argento on my list of Much Watch Actresses: she puts to mind a combination of Angeliina Jolie and Thora Birch, but with way more fire than Jolie ever goes for...Jolie is kinda 'mellow', y'know? But, I caught this on one of my cable stations one Sat. evening 'cause I'm a big fan of heist cine, and this *is* one, albeit wrapped in a rather odd love story. Tawk about opposites attracting! The grade school teacher trails live wire Beatrice one day and asks her out for a drink. What follows is one of the most passionate and interesting court ships I've ever seen on film. They go to Paris to find their love. I thought that was a rather nice touch. But, always, always, one muddy alley away, one warehouse loft away, one scummy tavern away are the boosters and druggies threatening to pull her back in the mire. Beatrice does one more job out of a since of obligation to her ex-partners and to help her pallie (played with greatness by Rupert) pay some drug bills. The heist at the jewelry shoppe nearly gets botched when her companion loses nerve: they are saved when the driver slaps a man with a car lug wrench. And Beatrice comes away with a 'well, I did get a rush from this, but I can't afford this type of rush anymore. They are 'way too risky'. So she and the teacher find a way to get a house in the country side. And one day, in a break of monotony and ennui, Beatrice calls up Rupert from a road side phone...just to check up on her pallie, you know? You can just about guess what happens next, but by the time this part of the film happens, if you are anything like me, you find yourself into the story so deeply that you let the obvious cliches run their course. That's what I did. Also, this is one of the most attractive of the modern British gangster/heist cines I've seen. Many of them have that dark or greyness as if the directors were trying to capture years of sooty, foggy decadence on film. My overall opinion is that if you see this, it will entertain you....
Rating: 
Summary: Metamorphisis of a bad girl
Review: B. Monkey - the story of a bad girl turned good after she meets the love of her life: a quiet unasssuming school teacher played by Jared Harris. B., who turns into Beatrice (played by Asia Argento) captures the essence of the bad, leather clad, cigarette smoking, hip outlaw, but does it with incredible class. But what else could you expect from Asia Argento? She presents a character you almost hate to love, but hey, you do it anyway. Also watch for convincing performances by Jared Harris and Rupert Everett.EVERYONE MUST WATCH THIS!
Rating:
Summary: really quite lovely
Review: B. Monkey is a movie that has its flaws, but it's entertaining nonetheless. The director was replaced halfway through filming, and although Michael Radford (the credited replacement) does well, the movie does have the certain vague feel of, well, a film whose director was replaced halfway through filming. There are also a few scenes that go on too long, one or two shots that are inconsistent (for example, the title character walking somewhere in a red dress, only to be at work in a black dress in the next shot), and some dialogue that sounds distinctly written, rather than natural. However, I still really enjoyed this movie. The performances (not to mention the great cinematography) are what really sell it. Asia Argento as B. (Beatrice) is beautiful, charismatic, and a strong screen presence. I expect she will only get better as her career progresses. Jared Harris does a fine job, although (and this is not his fault, just an annoyance of mine) I found his character rather unfeeling in how quickly and completely he expects B. to drop her old life and friends. Those friends/partners-in-crime are played by Rupert Everett, sleazy and clearly having a high time of it as Paul, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, very effective as temperamental, nearly desperate Bruno. The one thing this movie really left me wishing for was a more in-depth look at the relationship between these two and Beatrice. It's an unusual dynamic--Paul and Bruno are lovers, but Bruno is clearly also in love (or at least obsessed) with B., who is the only person to ever truly care about him. Overall, yes, it does have shortcomings and it's not the greatest thing I've seen, but B. Monkey is still a fine movie, plenty of fun, and worth checking out.
Rating:
Summary: mmmmmmmmmm... Asia...
Review: b.Monkey (Michael Radford, 1998) Michael Radford is one of those directors whose work gets a lot of press, but no one ever thiks to ask who the guy behind the camera was. From the 1984 version (starring John Hurt) of _Nineteen Eighty-Four_ to the Oscar-winning Il Postino, Radford has quietly built an impressive body of work. Radford's follow-up to Il Postino is B. Monkey, a crime-drama-...-romance based on Andrew Davies' amusing novel about a young criminal lass (played here by the delectable Asia Argento) who tries to break free of her small-time criminal pals (rising stars Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Rupert Everett) after meeting, and being wooed by, a primary school teacher (the ubiquitous Jared Harris) who is the very essence of stolid middle-class morality. Don't get me wrong-- the main reason to watch this movie is Asia Argento, who (as I've said before) has since turning eighteen adopted the "early Helen Mirren" style of acting-- wear nothing but a come-hither glower and look really good. But if you can get your tongue off the floor, both Everett and Rhys-Meyers give us performances that show exactly why they're becoming two of the hottest properties on the British film scene. Everett is charming and urbane, even while being tracked down by a psychotic crime boss; Rhys-Meyers throw temper tantrums with the best of them, but slides into a cool professionalism when it's time to pull off a heist. A gorgeous (if somewhat slow halfway through-- it does pick up, honest) way to kill an hour and a half. *** 1/2
Rating:
Summary: Watch out America, here comes Asia!!
Review: Better move on over Angelina Jolie, Asia Argento is here!! This woman is not only sexy, beautiful, vulnerable and innocent all at the same time, but oh so talented. She seems to just pour herself right into the part. I have seen some of her other performances and this is definitely not a one movie or one character wonder. If she can get a commercially viable project then Oscar's got a new leading lady. Aside from Asia, B. Monkey is a superb movie with a splendidly developed love story. It was bloody wonderful to watch the characters change, become exposed and draw close to one another. Passion, sensitivity, discovery, growth, intensity, tragedy, and love, what more can one want? Oh yea, did I mention Asia?
Rating:
Summary: a love story that inspires instead of inducing vomitting
Review: I usually avoid "Love Stories" like the plague.Especially the groan inducing by the numbers Hollywood type.Theres's no reason to give an example,i'm positive you know what i mean.So i had reservations about this film.Fortunately i was pleasantly surprised and impressed with this well made import.At it's core it's a love story,but with enough twists and credible performances to give it high marks.Asia Argento gives a gritty,charismatic,erotic performance as an unrepentant criminal.Somehow she holds the whole film together.Ruppert Everret as the father figure/mentor does a great job with his limited screen time.Jarred Harris is engaging as the shy schoolteacher and the chemistry between him and Asia is sizzling.Very rare in American cinema.The director shows that he's multitalented,with the ability to shift from action to romance with a deft touch.He's definitely someone i will be watching for in the future.I highly reccomend this film,i actually shed some tears at the end,tears of joy.
Rating:
Summary: a love story that inspires instead of inducing vomitting
Review: I usually avoid "Love Stories" like the plague.Especially the groan inducing by the numbers Hollywood type.Theres's no reason to give an example,i'm positive you know what i mean.So i had reservations about this film.Fortunately i was pleasantly surprised and impressed with this well made import.At it's core it's a love story,but with enough twists and credible performances to give it high marks.Asia Argento gives a gritty,charismatic,erotic performance as an unrepentant criminal.Somehow she holds the whole film together.Ruppert Everret as the father figure/mentor does a great job with his limited screen time.Jarred Harris is engaging as the shy schoolteacher and the chemistry between him and Asia is sizzling.Very rare in American cinema.The director shows that he's multitalented,with the ability to shift from action to romance with a deft touch.He's definitely someone i will be watching for in the future.I highly reccomend this film,i actually shed some tears at the end,tears of joy.
Rating:
Summary: Asia Argento is , god is she good
Review: its about a mild-mannered british schoolteacher who falls for a bank robber trying to leaver her criminal past behind. good story and it plays out well. Asia Argento(Triple X, New Rose Hotel) is a woman in the making and shes the daughter of Dario Argento the director. costars Jared Harris(Igby Goes Down, Lost In Space1998), Jonathan Rhys Meyers(Maker, Ride With The Devil), Tom Woodward and the excellent Rupert Everett(My Best Friends Wedding, Inspector Gadget#1). I loved this movie just to see Argento do her thing, I mean yeah baby.
Rating:
Summary: Love hurts
Review: This film, directed by Michael ("Il Postino") Radford, goes to show that you can't always pick those you love. Beatrice (Asia Argento), the B Monkey of the title, falls for a mild-mannered grade school teacher (Richard Harris' son, Jared) and must choose between her new love and the "family" of criminals that have nurtured her career as a jewel thief. If you can swallow the premise, this one sits pretty sweetly on the pallet of a Eurofilm junkie. While neither as stylish as "Diva" nor as violent as "La Femme Nikita," it owes something to both, being most at home in scenes that feature its supporting cast of unsavory characters, which includes Rupert Everett, as a Fagin-esque thief with a drug habit that gets him into trouble with his suppliers; John Rhys Meyers, as his punk lover, who proves once again that love is a hurtin' thing; and Julie T. Wallace, as an abusive mom, who gets a visit from Argento and Meyers that sets her on the path to righteousness. With Peggy Lee, Portishead, Cassandra Wilson, and the above-mentioned Reinhardt along for musical atmosphere, I'd like to know where to get the soundtrack.
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