Movie Reviews

[Mynx]

Something Weird

 

Click here for a RT review

 

I don't even know what to say about this movie. Classic HGH, I suppose. Interesting, some good moments, but at times too much dull conversation and an almost throwaway ending.

Some guy gets his face badly burnt and psychic powers as a result. An ugly witch offers him his pretty face back if he'll bed her. Something about a serial killer...that's all I really remember I'm afraid...

 

It did have entertaining moments though, it was just...very aptly named.

[Mynx]

Stigmata

 

RT Review here

 

I've never been much of a fan of religious films, to be honest. Especially the horror kind. My own opinions aside, while I concede it is occasionally done well (The Omen) or justifyably creepy (The Exorcist), most of the time it just seems to be the director trying to come up with as many religious ideas and shock moments to squick those that have any beliefs. And most of the time they're too busy trying to squick their target audience that they screw up the facts.

This film, I have to say, wasn't much better. Random girl starts experiencing Stigmata, priest investigates, creepy stuff happens, etc etc etc. Some okay cinematography, average acting, fairly decent gore, but a pretty weak story overall.

So I guess I'd have to say my overall rating is...eh.

[Snypiuer]

Snypiuer is NOT a critic or good movie reviewer. But, he knows what he likes when he sees it.

 

That being said:

 

Lucky to get to see advanced showing of Iron Man. Being a biased Marvel fanboy aside, liked it. Kind of slow towards end, but did advance story line. Robert Downey Jr. made a good Tony Stark and the story, itself, stayed relatively true to the Marvel mythos (aside from the whole 'origin' which was changed to be more contemporary). Jon Favreau was an EXCELLENT choice to direct. All in all, a very good movie. Would not surprise me if it becomes Marvels highest grossing.

[Wyvern]

Got dragged by relatives into checking out a couple of dramas recently:

 

"The Visitor" - A flick about an aging college professor who has kind of given up on life since his wife's death, but who becomes revitalized after meeting a group of illegal immigrants who are illegally subletting his New York apartment. The film starts off with a lighthearted comic tone, but gradually becomes a more dramatic critique of the US's immigration policies. Richard Jenkins does a good job as the college professor, and the way the film deals with airports and unobtainable long distance love interests definitely hit a soft spot with me. On the down side, there were certain multi-cultural elements of the film that felt a bit forced to me, and they incorporated way too many images related to 9/11 which added an unecessary level of bluntness to the whole affair. Still, a fairly good film overall.

 

"The Ice Storm" - An Ang Lee film from several years back starring Toby Maguire, Christina Ricci, Sigourney Weaver, Elijah Wood, Kevin Kline and Joan Allen amongst others. The film definitely takes its cue from "Magnolia" and "Little Children" by taking a large cast of flawed characters and painting a broad picture of American suburbia with them... in this case, a Nixon-era American suburbia. There may have been a few too many metaphors for war and politics in the film, but for the most part it succeeds through its quirky characters and details, putting itself on par with other movies of its type. Interesting portrayal of adults who are ultimately less mature then their children, well done film.

 

"Iron Man" - Good superhero movie. The whole Afghanastan approach had me a little worried that the film would go all American patriot on me, but Tony Starks' change of heart made things really interesting. Robert Downey Jr. and Jeff Bridges were nice in their respective roles, and I particularly liked Gwyneth Paltrow as Tony Starks' secretary. The special effects were great throughout, and Ghostface Killah's music video cameo was a nice touch as well. Enjoyable flick.

 

Also checked out one on my own:

 

"Teeth" - Very original horror-comedy flick about a girl named Dawn who fulfills the myth of vagina dentata. What makes the whole spectacle really entertaining is the way that the town that Dawn lives in seems to place a strong emphasis on chastity, to the point where pictures of female genitalia have been censored from sex ed textbooks. That, and the fact that all of the men who get their privates chomped off are assholes that fully deserve it. Jess Weixler is also an excellent casting for Dawn, as she has just the right mixture of innocence and confusion in her facial expressions and also knows how to flip them into a more cunning look come the end of the film. Not quite as gory or action-packed as I thought it would be, though there are some pretty nasty images of bloody penis stumps. Thoroughly entertaining and funny film, overall.

[Mynx]

Hollow Man 2 <--RT Movie Review

 

Sequel to the 2000 flick starring Kevin Bacon.

I...no. Just no.

[Mynx]

Van Helsing <-- RT Movie Review with Special Guest Blade.

 

I think this movie's already been ragged enough in this thread, but when it started playing on tv late last night it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up hassling it...

So many myths destroyed. So much fail. So many bunnies...

[AuroraAoD]

Well the last two movies I was able to see were "Iron Man" and "Prince Caspian"

 

Iron Man - two thumbs up! I agree with Wyvern on the Afghan approach, but I think they did a pretty good job with it. I was also a bit surprised they got Robert Downing Jr, of all people, to play a super hero, but after seeing it...twice, I think he did an outstanding job. The visual effects were amazing and they hit dead on with the soundtrack score.

 

Prince Caspian - ...well what can I say, for the serious they did a very nice job. The graphic effects were nice but some of the makeup designs were ok. Costume wise very well reseached and designed, and all the kids did a great job with their characters.

 

Movies Im wanting to see: Indiana Jones (already out I know, but cant make it to the theaters yet), Dont mess with the Zohan, and Twilight. Im sure there are more...*shrugs* Ill remember them later. hehe.

[Wyvern]

Two flicks I watched online recently that stood out in one way or another were "The Machinist" and "Funny Games."

 

"The Machinist" is a film starring Christian Bale about a factory worker who hasn't slept in years, and who is driven to paranoia and insanity through his insomnia. Mynx recommended this one to me after scolding me for not being a huge Christian Bale fan, and while he's still not my favorite actor, I acknowledge that he put on a pretty great performance in this... particularly through the second half of the movie, after the insanity really kicks in. Watching this film in the wee hours of the morning was a pretty eery experience given the subject matter, and I found it a pretty creepy and atmospheric movie in general. The twist and psychological unfolding of the story were nicely incorporated as well. Good movie, glad I checked it out.

 

I generally tend to avoid torture films, but the theatrical trailers for "Funny Games U.S" seemed interesting and I'm a big fan of Naomi Watts so I decided to check it out. I gotta say, this film seriously pissed me off! To its credit, it has some interesting ideas and the psychological games that the villains play with the family to invade their home held my interest and attention for about the first third of the film. Aside from the sadistic nature of the film, the thing that really got me riled was the attempt at self-consciousness that the film tried to achieve, which honestly must have been put in there with the intention of getting the audience angry. The couple of moments where the psychos directly address the audience were tolerable albeit a bit too tongue-in-cheek for their own good, but the remote control scene (which I won't spoil here) was really the last straw and just a blatant way of rubbing people the wrong way. Despite Naomi Watts doing a typically great job with her character, I don't recommend this movie due to its self-conscious choice of direction and inevitable pointlessness... It is a film that I'll remember due to the way that it pissed me off, but not very much else.

 

I also caught "Indiana Jones" and "Prince Caspian" recently, both of which I found decent and sorta fun. I had very low expectations for both of them and there were elements of both that I found a bit corny (the nuke and monkey swinging in Indiana Jones come to mind), but I didn't think they completely sucked and that was enough to make my day. Pretty fun flicks.

[The Portrait of Zool]

A show I recently saw wasn't a movie at all - well, it WAS a movie, but now it's a show... but/and having no where else to talk about it I thought I'd review it here.

 

I'm talking, of course, about Spamalot. Yes, my wanderings recently brought me to Las Vegas, where my loving and adoring wife bought Spamalot tickets for my B-day! Being a die-hard Monty Python fan, I was very much looking forward to it. That said, you might want to keep in mind my bias as you read the review.

 

SPOILER ALERT! Though I don't intend to give away major plot points, if you seriously intend to enjoy the show at some point with as little foreknowledge as possible, you should skip right now to the last paragraph, and ignore all the rest.

 

Okay... First of all, I can see why it has traveled as far as it hasn't, it has a VERY elaborate set that includes nearly every trick in the book, from trap doors to spinning stage sets, from fog to rocket powered feet. Bordering both sides of the stage are two castle towers which reach all the way to the top of the curtains, and are used too, for a couple of scenes where the scene demands an actor converse with someone in a tower.

 

The play doesn't follow the events of the movie (Monty Python and the Holy Grail, for those not in the know) so much as repeat certain popular scenes. Along about the middle of the 'HELP HELP I'M BEING OPPRESSED' scene the Lady of the Lake is introduced, and in the play she has an actual part as an actual actor, and for the Las Vegas show the Lady of the Lake is played by none other than Erica Ash, whose last gig was Nala on the Broadway show Lion King! She is a formidable talent with a heavenly singing voice, probably the most talented actor out there - and they were all stellar, with the exception of some of the bit parts. Anywho, this is the single biggest departure from the original, which leads to many comedic ventures not possible in the movie.

 

John O'Hurley played King Arthur, and though I found his rendition rather reserved, in point of fact Graham Chapman's was also reserved, though had a certain edge to it that O'Hurley lacked. That said, O'Hurley, seemed to play it a hair less straight, with impeccable timing and a lighthearted gravitas that somehow seemed to make his bearing even more regal than Chapman - or perhaps it was his silver hair? In any case, very commendable performance!

 

There were some other major changes in the outcome, but I can't give too much away now, can I? Suffice it to say there is a lot of fun and dancing, sword fighting, romance, and questing, all accomplished in the hilarious Monty Python tradition. The show was not inexpensive, but WELL worth it, ESPECIALLY if you are any kind of Monty Python fan.

[Patrick]

I saw Memento recently. Very well acted film and a very interesting concept. Three thumbs up...wait I only have two...

[Patrick]

So it was the hottest part of the day in Miami and I needed to get off the streets...and went in a cinema to watch The Dark Knight. The reviews were hyping about it, and justifiably. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a posthumous Oscar given out for this one...and Heath Ledger isn't the only one to put in a good performance (although he does thoroughly outclass everyone).

 

Go. See. It.

[Elvina]

Psycho

 

I'm talking the Alfred Hitchcock version, of course. I have no interest in seeing any of the remakes, especially not now. Hitchcock is a master of suspense, and Psycho certainly wasn't lacking in that regard. Norman, I thought, was creepy, while I liked Marion (Janet Leigh). The shower scene must have been gory for its time, but I found the suspense of this movie far more interesting than the gore (not a gore fan anyway). I sort of figured out what was happening as it got nearer to the end and we learn about Bate's mother and father and the weirdness going on there. The ending was great - full creepiness in that look Bates gives right at the camera... "I wouldn't even hurt a fly". Nicely done, Hitch! Five crazy madmen out of five.

 

 

The Birds

 

Ah, another classic Hitchcock. Due to the recommendations of my friend who is a Hitchcock fan, I'm making my way through the master's repertoire. Rear Window is next on my list. Like the beginning of Psycho, The Birds started out far removed from the memorable movies scenes (which was all I knew of them hitherto). Opening in a menagerie and being introduced to Melanie had me watching closely. I wasn't sure when the birds started getting... peckish (). With most movies I can do other things while watching, but during Hitchcock's I've found that I can't look away from the screen. His movies always get my undivided attention because I don't want to miss anything. So we have 'Tippi' Hedren as Melanie, following an eligible bachelor up to Bodega Bay. On her way to meet him she gets attacked by a seagull. Odd, yes, but oh, well, what can you do... So on they go, their romance striving to spark from the kindling amid some familial tension with the mother (Jessica Tandy from Cocoon!) and an old flame, but then a whole flock of seagulls attacks a children's birthday party... and it gets worse from there. Birds are flocking into Bodega Bay by the tens of hundreds. I don't want to give anything else away but for those who don't care if I reveal something about the ending:

I was kind of disappointed that the reason for the birds going mad was never revealed. We hear that they hit some of the nearby towns as well, but why? On the other hand, this is a tale of nature gone berserk - it's not about the why, only the what - what happens when it does.

Thrilling I would call this movie, in the true sense of the word. Five plunging seagulls out of five.

 

I definitely recommend Hitchcock to anyone who can appreciate the classics!

[Wyvern]

Like Patrick, I managed to squeeze my way into a showing of the uber-sold out "Dark Knight" this evening. I thought it was a good, solid movie with some memorable characters and scenarios... not utterly mindblowing, but one of the more intelligent and dramatic super hero movies to date. The storyline was loaded with twists and, though I felt it was a little too fast-paced at times, it remained interesting and engaging throughout the film. I have somewhat of a problem with Christian Bale as Batman, as the way he deepens his voice when in costume sounds forced to me and I don't think he quite has the look for it. I can't complain, though, since the characters were definitely a strong point of this film... Aaron Eckhart delivers a pretty great performance as Harvey Dent, and Maggie Gyllenhall really outshines Katie Holmes from "Batman Begins" as Dent's love interest and Bruce Wayne's old friend/crush. And then there's Ledger. I must say, I was skeptical when I heard Christopher Nolan cast him as the Joker, but like Patrick I think he nailed the role and really delivered the villain I envisioned when reading the comics. What's great is that, aside from Ledger's mannerisms (a perfect mixture of comical and menacing), the plans that the Joker hatches in the film are insane yet ingenious simultaneously... exactly the types of plans I could see the Joker executing. With all due respect to Jack Nicholson, who did a very nice job with the Joker in Tim Burton's original "Batman," I think Heath's version is more along the lines of what I imagined the Joker being like.

 

Good film overall. Not essential viewing, but recommended.

[troubled sleep]

Dark Knight sounds so awesome!! I really want to go, but I don't want to go by myself and it's really not many of my friends around here's style...

 

Mamma Mia, however, *is* more their style, so I went to go see it with some people tonight. I'll level with you--I am not an Abba fan. I was sort of an A*teens fan, but that's just because I watched TRL. And I was 10. And I liked a lot of weird music when I was 10. However, thanks to the A*teens, I know every word to every song and was able to do some hard-core singing during the movie. I made friends with the people next to us and the people in front of us and we all started clapping and singing and dancing in our seats and just generally having a fun time during all the major numbers. We all got really into some of the songs--I pretty much sang myself hoarse and it didn't matter that I couldn't carry a tune if I tried, because no one else could, either. Incidentally, many of the songs were shortened and the instruments changed to give it a more mainstream pop music feel which I liked, but could be a turn-off if you're a big Abba person. Also, Meryl Streep is pretty much amazing--I don't want to say she carried the movie, but without her it wouldn't have been the same. She is just an amazing actress, even in something as fluffy as Mamma Mia. I had some trouble wrapping my head around Pierce Brosnan singing and I'm choosing to pretend that Harry Bright was played by a guy who looked like, but wasn't really Colin Firth. It's just easier that way. My one real complaint was that there were about 50 million characters and very few of them *did* anything--Sophie's friends, for example. They made a big deal about them coming to the island...and then they basically disappeared until the big dance numbers where they'd show up(along with all the island's pretty girls and ridiculously buff guys--Sophie isn't friends with normal sized people, apparently), sing backup and then go back to hiding. Also, the scenery was breathtaking...it's supposed to be an island near Greece, though I'm not sure where it was actually filmed. Wherever it is, though, I'm going to have to go there one day.

 

I'm not saying that it's a movie you should run out and see immediately...I think it's one of those you have to be in the right mood for, but I had a lot of fun. Being familiar with the music and being with lots of people helps. It doesn't take itself too seriously and is proud of being silly and hokey. It's a good, happy, fluffy, feel-good movie that made me smile

[Wyvern]

I recently caught "Vicky Christina Barcelona" and "Ne le Dis a Personne" in theatres with some relatives of mine.

 

"Vicky Christina Barcelona" is the latest Woody Allen flick, and deviates from his recent contemplations of murder ("Match Point," "Cassandra's Dream") into a more traditional romantic comedy territory. The film boasts an interesting cast with Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz, and Javier Bardem (fresh off of his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in "No Country for Old Men") all starring in it. I found the film pretty enjoyable, though not excellent by any means... there were certainly some interesting dynamics between characters, but it was not without its flaws. Scarlett and Penelope were both good and Rebecca Hall deserves credit for her contributions to the film. Javier Bardem was the most likeable character to me, though, and stole the show with his portrayal of an ultra-suave painter. On the negative side of things, the narrator was a bit annoying to me and the film dragged a little at points. Pretty good movie though, worth a DVD rental if you feel like watching something about the dynamics and complications of relationships.

 

"Ne le Dis a Personne" ("Tell No One") is a French film that was apparently released in 2006 but only just made its way over here. The film deals with a man whose wife is murdered during a camping trip, which all seems very linear and tragic until he receives an e-mail from her 8 years later. One slight problem that I had with this film is that it seemed like it couldn't quite decide on what sort of film it wanted to be... it started off looking like a thriller, then swerved into police detective territory, then started seeming like a spy flick, then a ghetto streets picture, etc. To the film's credit, there were parts that were filmed very stylishly and the music was surprisingly excellent throughout it... from the Otis Redding number to an excellent scene involving an internet cafe while a U2 track plays in the background, I thought the soundtrack was very well put together. This movie is not too bad overall, though for all its complicated twists and turns I found the ending extremely cliched and predictable in an unforgivable way.

 

Looking forward to checking out the new Coen brothers film "Burn After Reading" next month... they're not my favorite directors and can be a little hit or miss to me, but I still acknowledge that their films are always a little more interesting than your average blockbuster!

[Wyvern]

This is a rather belated review, but I saw "Burn After Reading" in theaters recently and kinda loved it! I found it more enjoyable than "No Country for Old Men" overall, and think that the Coens are at their best when handling more light-hearted comic affairs. Though then again, "light-hearted" might not be the right adjective to capture the borderline tragic humor depicted throughout this film. One very admirable quality of "Burn After Reading" is the cast, who are all terrific and really bring the quirky Coen characters to life. George Clooney plays a neurotic and slightly paranoid womanizer and bodyguard in one of the best performances I've seen from him in a while, John Malkovich plays a disgruntled ex-CIA agent and really conveys the frustration of being one of the only intelligent characters in the film well, Tilda Swinton plays the ex-CIA man's wife with a brilliantly cold and calculated demeanor, and Frances McDormand plays a down-to-earth homely gym employee with her typical charm. While all of the actors are great, Brad Pitt may have been a bit of a show stealer in the end with his awesome and almost cartoon-ish portrayal of a complete and utter buffoon... think over-enthusiastic iPod-jocking gym instructor who is hilariously naive. JK Simmons and David Rasche also deserve credit for their brief exchanges as CIA agents trying to figure out the increasingly complicated situation between the characters, as their deadpan expressions and timing got quite a bit of laughter out of me. All in all, the characters are quirky and original, the acting is great, the plot has plenty of odd twists to keep you interested and the humor is dark and sophisticated. Definitely a high-grade movie in my book, well worth seeing.

 

Anyway, next film on my must-see list is Charlie Kaufman's "Synecdoche, New York" next month. A movie about a playwright who constructs a replica of downtown Manhattan in a warehouse in Manhattan, which includes a replica of the warehouse which includes another replica of Manhattan in it and so forth? And multiple actors getting hired to play the role of the playwright himself in each of the different Manhattans? Apparently, this film's so ambitious that it's pissed quite a few early film critics off with its extremely complicated and layered metaphors... sounds exciting! Plus, it stars Phillip Seymour Hoffman! Wooooo...

[Wyvern]

So lately, I've been laying off my nightly movie watching in order to catch up on a few anime series that I've been missing out on. It started when a friend of mine convinced me to check out "Trigun," and I've worked my way through a couple more series since then. Here are some of my thoughts:

 

"Trigun" - A great series, partially responsible for my recent trend of anime binging. It's loaded with redundantly over-the-top battles and the animation is not very good, but the series is saved through its extra-cool protagonists and its interesting mixtures of comedy and drama. Vash the Stampede is definitely a shoe-in for one of the most likeable anime heroes I've seen to date, and Meryl, Wolfwood, and Millie are all excellent supporting characters that really make the series a pleasure to watch. I also like how the series begins on a very comical note and then merges into something far more serious and dramatic in the second half... it allowed for a broad range of hilarious and heartwrenching moments, both of which I found effective. I wasn't quite as big a fan of the villains in the series, as Knives is introduced a bit late and doesn't have enough of a presence while Legatto and the Gun-Ho Guns felt kinda stereotypical to me. I also think they could have used a bit more space to tie up the relationships between characters at the end of the series, but overall I certainly can't complain as the interactions between the main characters were a big highlight of the anime. I'd certainly recommend this series, overall (and yes, I liked the lil' cat that randomly showed up in every episode).

 

"Wolf's Rain" - I was a little skeptical of this series when I started to watch it, with the premise of wolves as the main characters not immediately settling well, but I must say that I loved it in the end and think it's one of the finest examples of mature anime in recent memory. This show has a ton of admirable qualities that I could gush over... the wide cast of characters, comprised of both humans and wolves (who, for the most part, disguise themselves as humans anyway), is brilliant and very well-developed. The interactions between the various characters and the ways that they change and grow over the series is excellent, and there are a number of seriously dramatic scenes scattered throughout it. The story and setting of the anime are also interesting, incorporating futuristic science fiction woven together with strange mythology and story arches of love and loss. And if the characters and story weren't enough, "Wolf's Rain" also has excellent animation and great music, combining the talent of Bones (the studio that animated "Cowboy Bebop" amongst other things) with the music of Yoko Kanno ("Ghost in the Shell," etc.) to great effect. It's a very sad series, with the second-to-last episode squeezing more tears out of me than any anime I can remember. If you like your anime dramatic with lots of great characters than this is definitely one to check. Highly recommended.

 

"Gungrave" - This anime... kinda sucked. I'm actually sorta surprised that I stuck with it all the way to the end. Maybe it's because I trusted that the guy who directed "Trigun" would make a better series than this, or maybe it's just because I'm a complete-ist and refuse to label a series as "bad" until I watch the whole thing. Anyway, "Gungrave" is part mafia crime-drama and part Dragonball Z style battle-fest, and neither of the styles really works. The crime drama was the better part of the anime, but never really engaged me with its characters or relationships. The friendship between Brandon Heat and Harry McDowell was likeable enough, but the character of Maria was an incredibly annoying "good housewife" stereotype that had me rooting for her demise. The extremely over-the-top battles are where this series really went off the deep end, though... they could have set up something dramatic between Brandon and the people who betrayed him, but instead all of the characters we've followed over the course of the series randomly turn into super-mutants and start blowing up cities, etc. Unforgiveable. The one thing I will give this series credit for is a nice twist in the last episode, but I'd say two thumbs down to this one overall.

 

"Elfen Lied" - I found this anime decent, but think that it's a bit overrated. The first episode definitely captured my interest with its graphic violence/nudity, edgy dialogue and oddly hilarious comic timing. I really enjoyed how they continued incorporating these edgy qualities throughout the series, and think that they set it apart from a lot of other anime. The animation was also great and the story was nicely woven, but I couldn't help but feel that the characters did little more than drive the plot. The dramatic moment between Lucy and Koutu at the end of the series didn't have the emotional impact I felt it should have had for this reason, though neither of them were dislikeable characters or anything. I don't know, the series was short and I guess there's only so much you can do in the span of 14 episodes, but I did feel that it was a bit lacking in the character development department. The tone and edgy approach of the series are too original to dismiss it outright, though... I'd probably give it about three stars in the end.

[Canid]

The Fall Rated R :Fuzzy::Fuzzy:

This film is visually striking, but its real winning point is the acting. Romanian actress Catinca Untaru's performance as 5 year old, Alexandria was unerringly genuine.

The story is a simple one, set in a Los Angeles hospital in the 1920s. Alexandria, who broke her arm picking oranges in the groves is persuaded to come and listen to a story told by Roy (Lee Pace) an injured and suicidal stunt man. The story, as imagined by Alexandria, changes with the girl's input and Roy's mood, but is filmed beautifully and with a dream-like quality to the visuals.

The film bears a visual resemblance to The Cell, and shares the same director and several producers. The story, however is superior. Filmed in 29 locations around the globe and using no CGI, it is worth watching just for the visuals (Can anyone say "swimming elephant"?) and the visuals are trumped by Catinca Untaru.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

The Purple Fuzzy Rating Scale

= No redeeming features.

1 = Had potential. Ruined it.

2 = Average entertainment level. Mediocre.

3 = Worth renting. Solid movie.

4 = Faultless. An excellent watch.

5 = An all time great.

Edited October 20, 2008 by Canid

[Ran Yoko]

kay, after reading several of the earlier posts, decided to be harsh about movies if I wanna be. also need to vent, so I'll be ranting on, so if you haven't seen these movies and want to, sorry if there's any spoilers. first off ---

 

Next- I liked Nicolas Cage in "National Treasure" and "Ghost Rider", so I bought "Next" without really thinking it through. not really sure if I regret it or not. I mean, it's a fast paced movie with lots of cool scenes, interesting storyplot, and hey! they had an elderly Peter Fawk (I think that's his name, you know, the guy from "Columbo"). but I didn't really like the ending so much, I mean, to find out it's all a dream and he can't be with the girl he loves until he straightens out this whole stinking mess!? boo! overall, pretty good.

 

Pirates of the Caribbean 1, 2 & 3- okay, loved Captain Jack Sparrow's character! he's like weird all the time, but it's really funny. I'm also a semi-fan of Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, so I liked their characters too. The first movie "Curse of the Black Pearl", I think, would have done good as a stand-alone! They tied up some of the loose ends, Will Turner shows up and swoops Elizabeth Swann away after saving Jack's neck (again) and it would have been fine. "Dead Man's Chest" ehhh, was good, Johnny Depp did good as the slightly-off-in-the-head captain again. But why did the bad guy with the white wig (can't remember his name for the life of me) have to interrupt Will and Elizabeth's wedding! So unfair, jerk! And somehow, Will gets yanked into helping Jack out just because he needed his compass to get Elizabeth out! I won't spoil the part about Will's dad, but Barbosa showing up right at the end of the movie, alive and well, I'm like "What in blazes is he doing here!? He's dead, for Pete's sake!!" And Elizabeth really changed there, trying to seduce Jack just to chain him up on the ship to get swallowed by the Kraken! "At World's End" was about the same, except I was laughing quite a bit at the part past the end of the world, when there's all the Jack's aboad the stranded Black Pearl. But the end sucked! Will gets stuck doing Davy Jones' job, and can't go on land except for every 10 years!? where does that leave Elizabeth!? despite all that, pretty good movies!

 

the rest of my rants will have to wait. I have to leave. sigh

[Wyvern]

Thanks for the recent movie reviews, Canid and Sora. :-) I actually saw "The Fall" whilst browsing at my DVD rental spot the other day and noticed that Spike Jonze is one of the folks who directed it, so not surprised to hear that it was filmed beautifully... may have to check it out at some point. And in response to Sora's post, I have to say that my respect for Nicolas Cage has sunken quite a bit over the years, though he's had a few great roles like his character in "Wild at Heart." Not a big fan of his acting on the whole, though... Johnny Depp, on the other hand, is another story. :-)

 

Today, I went and saw Charlie Kaufman's much-anticipated new film "Synecdoche, New York," and after my initial viewing I have pretty mixed feelings about it. There were some truly great scenes in it that definitely stand out in my mind, but the film is quite scattered plot-wise and I'm not sure if it had as great an impact as I was hoping it would on the whole. I'm a huge fan of non-linear, extremely complicated films that abandon a plot in order to deliver an emotional imprint of sorts, but somehow there was a part of "Synecdoche" that almost felt like it was trying too hard to be deep. Now, on the positive side of things, this is still undeniably a film written by Kaufman. It's unabashedly original and bizarre, with plenty of unconventional witty dialogue between characters and some very odd story arches. The acting should also be commended, as the brilliant Phillip Seymour Hoffman does an excellent job as the lead protagonist while the supporting cast of mostly female actresses also deliver great performances. Like I mentioned, there are great scenes in the movie, with standouts including a scene where Caden searches for his real daughter in a strip club and an interesting soliloquy from a stage actor playing a priest during a rehearsal of a funeral meant to mimic the funeral of one of the actual actors in Caden's grand play. There are quite a few things to praise in this movie... yet at the same time, I just can't help but feel that it could have added up to a bit more. Overall, it's a good movie and an interesting brain-turner, but not as essential as something like "Inland Empire" as far as that category of film is concerned.

[AuroraAoD]

Max Payne - Dont even waste your time folks! Aside from the nice visual effects and some cinematography, there was no plot, no story, and no direction. We were pretty much waiting for the movie to end as soon as it started, talk about a major dissapointment. Now granted all I had to go on was what I saw in the previews, which made it look like a Constantine-type movie, which at least would have been mildly entertaining. No...nothing like it!

 

SPOILER There was no apocalyptic Good vs. Evil, there were no wicked looking flying "angel/demons" (they were simply hallucinations caused by a drug), the story is about a guy whose family is killed, so he spends his life trying to solve it. It turns out his fathers best friend (and his mentor) killed his family because his wife, who worked at the company where the "illegal" and highly"uncontrollable" drug was be produced got nosey and was going to expose his "side enterprise" without even knowing it. The drug in question, called Valkryn, was suppose to help soldies perform better without fear, but it turns out they became highly addicted to it and the drug caused halluccinations. They make a few references to Norse Gods and Goddesses trying to make the story more mythical but fails!

 

The Secret Life of Bees - Now here is a movie that lived up to expectation as well as the book that it is based on. For a movie that touches on South Carolina during the Terbulent 60's, it touches on Racial Conflicts, Family troubles, and the idea that with a little faith, people can come through the worst of times. Definitely recommend! The directing and Acting was very well done, along the lines of "The Color Purple" and "Friend Green Tomatoes".

 

Synopsis Sue Monk Kidd's ravishing debut novel has stolen the hearts of reviewers and readers alike with its strong, assured voice. Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the town's fiercest racists, Lily decides they should both escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. There they are taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters who introduce Lily to a mesmerizing world of bees, honey, and the Black Madonna who presides over their household. This is a remarkable story about divine female power and the transforming power of love--a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.

[Mardrax]

The drug is called Valkyr, actually, after the valkyries

But yeah, that sums up the story of the first game. I've yet to see that movie, just because I loved the games, but I'm highly doubtful as to wether it can live up to anything, even with having played the games through a dozen times. Movified games just don't seem to work

[AuroraAoD]

The drug is called Valkyr, actually, after the valkyries

But yeah, that sums up the story of the first game. I've yet to see that movie, just because I loved the games, but I'm highly doubtful as to wether it can live up to anything, even with having played the games through a dozen times. Movified games just don't seem to work

Hahaha! Ok....so Mardrax is now my personal Spellcheck!

 

Currently on my list of "Want To See's" :

Role Models

Madagascar 2

Quantum Of Solace

Twilight

Four Christmases

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

 

*SIGH* So many movies and so little time......and $. *Grins*

[AuroraAoD]

Alright, well I just got back from watching "Quantum Of Solace", the newest movie in the James Bond Collection and it was wonderful! Lots Lots Lots of Action and Visual FX and it picks up in story from where the last one left off. Some nice character progression from Bond and M and the acting and directing was very nice. Daniel Craig makes an excellent James Bond!

 

4 1/2 Stars

 

Synopsis: Following the death of Vesper Lynd, James Bond makes his next mission personal. The hunt for those who blackmailed his lover leads him to ruthless businessman Dominic Greene, a key player in the organization which coerced Vesper. Bond learns that Greene is plotting to gain total control of a vital natural resource, and he must navigate a minefield of danger and treachery to foil the plan.

[AuroraAoD]

Well someone was bound to write about it...

 

Twilight: The Movie

 

First off, was the movie anything like the book? Yes

Second, was it better than the book? No, but then I didnt expect it to be.

 

As far as the movie is concerned, it tells the basic storyline of the first book, and that alone was 1 hour and 30-ish minutes long. The effects themselves were pretty simple, but then why go completely overboard when you dont have to? The directing was well done and the acting was very good as well. What adds to this particular movie experience was the cinematography of the film. Even though its set in Washington...and Portland , the colors were all very lush and vivid and you really got a beautiful sense of the environment around which the book is set. Especially since the weather seems to be a character in the novel itself. Would I recommend someone who hasnt read the book to see it? Sure, but if you want to know why the die hards giggle at certain points in the movie where you dont notice anything out of the ordinary, youll have to read the book for more in depth background.

Edited November 23, 2008 by AuroraAoD