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Being John Malkovich (1999)
Being John Malkovich (1999)
1999 | Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi

"This movie is such a strange little treasure. It is brilliantly bizarre, from the main conceit to the fact that Cameron Diaz (at her very best; I miss her) plays a terribly coiffed chimpanzee enthusiast. Admit it, right now you’re thinking about that scene where John Malkovich enters the portal into his own brain, and all anyone can say is the word “Malkovich.” A masterpiece of unapologetic, creative weirdness."

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The Holiday (2006)
The Holiday (2006)
2006 | Comedy, Romance
Kate WInslet and Jack Black (0 more)
This film is saved by Kate Winslet and Jack Black, I just love their understated relationship and how it develops, their characters seem genuine and I root for them every time! Cameron Diaz overacts her role, I am not a lover of Jude Law and the scenes with his children are twee. Nevertheless in the UK this film is on every Christmas and I watch it every Christmas!
  
My Sister's Keeper
My Sister's Keeper
Jodi Picoult | 2009 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.1 (52 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have read the majority of Jodi Picoult books. She knows how to write a good controversial book, making you see both sides to the story. The characters, in their own rights, are very likeable. My sister's keeper is a very powerful write, and it makes you realise just how fragile life can be. The film with Cameron Diaz was a bit poor, and there was a lot that was missing, and added that was not in the book.
  
The Mask (1994)
The Mask (1994)
1994 | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
"S.. S... Smokin'!"

Mid 90s mix of CGI and live action, that is perfectly suited to it's main star (Jim Carrey, then just coming off his success in Ace Ventura) rubber faced antics, and that also had an acting credit 'introducing Cameron Diaz' in what was her breakout role as Tina Carlyle, the club singer who bored bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey) falls for at roughly the same time he discovers the Mask, that transforms him into - basically - a 'real life' Tex Avery cartoon character!
  
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David McK (3169 KP) rated Knight and Day (2010) in Movies

Aug 23, 2020 (Updated Feb 5, 2023)  
Knight and Day (2010)
Knight and Day (2010)
2010 | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Light hearted action rom com spy caper (*phew* that's a mouthful!) starring Tom Cruise and a pre-retirement Cameron Diaz, with the former as a spy on the run having been framed for stealing the McGuffin, and with the latter as the woman he initially uses as a mule, in a manufactured 'meet cute' at an airport.

This is light and frothy (enjoyable) stuff and, yes, Tom Cruise does spend part of the film sprinting on his own: is that in his contract? "Must get at least one running scene"??
  
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AJaneClark (3962 KP) Aug 24, 2020

This film made me laugh, even if it is very unrealistic

Knight and Day (2010)
Knight and Day (2010)
2010 | Action, Adventure, Comedy
You’d be forgiven for thinking that a spy film with the likes of Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz could do no wrong, and indeed that’s the view I had, how wrong I was. Despite a fantastic performance from Diaz, Knight & Day falls well short.

There have been numerous comedy spy capers over the years, some of which have been fantastic, like Johnny English and Get Smart for example and others which have been less than stellar; Mr. & Mrs. Smith comes to mind. Unfortunately Knight & Day fits in between the good and the bad and comes out distinctly average.

Problems blight the film from the off stemming from wobbly CGI to ridiculous stunts and lazy direction choices, it seems like director James Mangold went into this project a little half-heartedly.

Tom Cruise plays spy Roy Miller and the film follows his adventures across the globe protecting the elusive ‘Zephyr’ battery which apparently never runs out of power. Needless to say Cameron Diaz plays the ditzy blonde who later becomes the love interest for the film. Whilst Diaz provides a fun and exciting performance, providing many of the movie’s best comedic moments, Cruise feels seriously miscast in a humorous role and he becomes tiresome to watch.

Alas, the issues don’t stop there. For an action film, it’s distinctly lacking in action and the set pieces that are there are lazily choreographed or rendered in shoddy CGI. Considering its less than modest budget (£120m), Knight & Day should’ve been a joy to watch, instead it’s like looking at a TV programme for 109 minutes.

Meanwhile the villains in the film are simply cardboard cut-outs as the writers haven’t given enough thought to fleshing out their characters. Cruise simply points and shoots and bang, they’re dead.

However, all of these problems could’ve been forgiven if the film had some great storytelling – it doesn’t. What should’ve been the best parts of the film are blacked out. The escapes, the fighting and even some of the ending are lost as Mangold decides to get around inexplicable plot events by drugging the main characters. Again, this is a lazy technique which doesn’t work.

It’s a shame, as there are many reasons why this film should’ve been at least a good summer action flick. In reality, Knight & Day simply becomes passable at best with some inexcusably lazy direction choices, dreadful CGI, bad casting and flimsy characters which all add up to a film which is left hanging on the merits of Cameron Diaz.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2011/09/13/knight-day-2011/