Movie Tab II

I was referring to the net in general, a lot of people are giving this one good scores and saying it's got a great message. I reviewed it here specifically because no-one is talking about it.

I beg to differ, Eden Lake was clearly going for that ultra realism vibe, so why were there so many unlikely decisions from Steve and Jenny? Plus I can forgive one small contrivance in a script, but this baby was riddled with them. Re it being impossible to enjoy every genre movie based on my conclusions here; I really think it depends on the type of horror/thriller you're watching and whether it's portrayed as gritty realism or merely comic book action. For example Wolf Creek has the same gritty style as Eden Lake, but nowhere near the stupidity hence me saying I think it's a much better film. If I was watching The Howling, I would absolutely be a little more forgiving, it's a different kind of movie.

I assure you PW I haven't got a vendetta against British movies, just British movies that insult my intelligence (which is minimal) like Eden Lake did. I went into the movie with an open mind wanting to like it and be entertained, instead I was repulsed. I assure you my opinions have been formed impartially.

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100 Favourites From The Future: REWIRED

To be honest with you I haven't completely recovered from how well done the torture/gore was. And I don't know yet if that means its good or not. My wife agrees with you. She loves movies like this and she thought they were so damn stupid she actually quit watching and she watches bad movies like nobodies business. So, you may very well be onto something.

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We are both the source of the problem and the solution, yet we do not see ourselves in this light...

Brokeback Mountain (Lee, 2005) -

If there's one observation that tends to cement how good I reckon a movie is, it's when I make the wish that I'd seen it in cinemas. The often picturesque look of Brokeback Mountain is certainly enough to warrant that alone, as does the score that see-saws between acoustic guitars and conventional orchestra scores. Granted, this wouldn't mean so much if the underlying story was weak, but of course, it wasn't. The acting was handled well, especially the two leads in what are rather surprisingly multi-dimensional performances.

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Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

Australia (Baz Luhrmann-2008)



I'll sing you to me indeed. Now I know where Mrs. Darcy got that from.

This was spectacular! It's no secret that I'm in the bag for Baz Luhrmann, I also love most things Australian. I find the country enchanting and mysterious. I'd love to go there and disappear on 'walkabout' and perhaps never return to the real world.

I'm a big fan of movies like this to say the least. It captured a large amount of what I find so intriguing about the country. Sadly, the film got panned pretty much across the board. But I'm here to tell you that we need movies like this. It's epic without being over the top. It's got a lot of CGI, which I know a lot of people can't stand but I thought the film looked really nice. At times I couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't. That's a good thing yeah?

Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman both played their parts very well but the real star was little Brandon Walters who plays 'Nullah' a half white, half aborigine child that does a lot of narrating throughout the film. He came across as so innocent and pure and magical that I was just swept away.

Do see it won't you?

I really liked Australia. It really had some amazing visuals though.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park -

I really don't get all the hate that this one gets, I mean this comes nowhere close to the original, but it's still a very enjoyable movie. My main problem with this is that it basically looses all of the magic the first one had. I think it also relied to much on CGI, I mean I don't think the first had barely any CGI in it, but this one had a lot, at least it still didn't focus on it as much as the third one did. Ian Malcolm has always been my favorite character from the trilogy, but he changed a lot in this one, what made his character so special was the crazy and quirky feel he had, he just seemed paranoid in this one, which is actually probably because all of what he went through during the first movie. I really felt that it had a useless ending, they could've cut that whole thing dealing with San Diago out of the movie, it was just pointless, it should've ended like the first with them in a helicopter leaving the island. The only reason it really got such a high rating from me, even though I still did like it, it because og how nostalgic it is for me, it's been so long since I last watched it that I forgot how nostalgic it is for me.

PAUL BLART: MALL COP


Didn't care much for this one. I was hoping for it to be surprisingly enjoyable and IT WAS for the first thirty to forty minutes but the magic (probably not the right word in this case) wears off and the laughs come to a complete halt until the film gets its act together for one last hurrah in a really fun showdown, unfortunately that showdown is not the end of the movie and the story limps on for another half hour.

The story could have been spat out of a machine customized to create mindless popcorn cinema: Paul Blart, an overweight single father, can't make it onto the actual police force and settles for a life consisting mostly of tedium and ridicule as a mall security officer. The humor in the movie relies almost entirely on the bulk of Kevin James or the rock bottom regard we have for mall security. Sometimes it works... maybe 5% of the time and there are healthy supply of solid chuckles to be had in the first half of the movie but like I already said: the entertainment level of the film drops fast around the 30-40 minute mark.

Kevin James is a funny guy. King of Queens was a decent show and he does an alright job here and I hope he can continue being in movies as the lead and I don't see any reason for that not to happen considering the strong showing of Mall Cop at the box office. I just hope he can move past the fat jokes and just be plain ole funny because I remember a brief period of time while his show was still on the air when he was actually fit and it was actually one of the funnier points in the sitcom's history. Can't recommend this though despite my respect for the lead. It's a comedy and the laughs just aren't there on a consistent enough basis and the story and characters certainly don't make up for that.

Love your user name. You're not a maid are you?

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"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan

Somers Town

Wonderful out of popcorn.

La Haine (Kassovitz, 1995) -

Surprisingly, I wasn't quite as impressed with La Haine as I was expecting to be. It's yet another one of those films where I can appreciate just how well-made it is, yet on a personal level I just don't connect with the subject matter enough to truly like the film. The film's about a day in the lives of a trio of disparate French youths as they wander around Paris - both the ghettos they live in and the more well-to-do parts of the inner city. For the most part, the film is episodic as the leads travel from place to place, having volatile exchanges about everything as they do. Much of the underlying tension is derived from the atmosphere of the city in the wake of a riot that's left another young man in a coma, in response to which one of the group (Vincent Cassel) has found a pistol and vows to use it in case the coma patient dies.

What's good about La Haine? The stark black-and-white photography. The realistic portrayals of Paris and the various types of people that inhabit it. The subtlety of the film's storyline and plot points and the meanings thereof. The shocking conclusion. Quite a bit to recommend, but in the end it did leave me feeling rather unfazed. Considering what the film is going for, that's definitely a weakness, but eh, I guess that's just my opinion.

I wanted Nullah to die. He evaded death sooo many times and caused more problems than he was worth, lol but that's just me, a childless loveless 17 year old :P


Gran Torino (2008) -



The more i sit on this movie the more i like it, i saw it a while ago but just haven't been on here lately. A lot of what did it for me was the humor i thought Eastwood was hilarious and still the only 78 year old who can manage to be intimidating with a 'hand' gun. I really liked how the story progressed it was actually believable that somebody who's that stubborn and solid in his values and way of life could actually change and my god i learned so many racial slurs that i never knew existed. The one thing that seems to differ from other people's opinions about this movie was about the Hmong actors. I know they're inexperienced and what not but i thought they were kind of...bland, just the main two. They seem to have been getting a lot of praise but eh i dunno, i thought it was obvious that they were inexperienced their emotions seemed really candid sometimes.

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) -



Henry Fonda was awesome as a bad guy for once, the face-off was amazing as usual in Leone's films i was just completely happy the entire movie as i always am while watching his movies i just feel overwhelming happiness because they're so...i dunno, those who have seen them know what i mean

Clue (1985) -

Suuuper funny i love Tim Curry. I actually have a fun fact, my friend's grandfather was Bill Carlson which probably doesn't mean much to anybody other than minnesotans because he was a famous newscaster but anyway, so my friend has all these connections to all these celebrities and stuff but she's sooo...moviedumb she can't even begin to fathom how important some of the people she has had opportunities to meet are. An example is John Goodman carried her around the set of Flinstones when she was a toddler..How awesome would that be!? anyway, so Tim Curry would always write her mom love letters and i didn't believe her when she told me that at first because she kind of embellishes stories but i actually saw one, he sent her a picture of himself and wrote a little note on it and it was SO cool so yeah that was my fun fact. I'd take a picture of it but i kinda don't like...that friend anymore...she's psycho but i won't go into that. Becca knows!! So yeah Clue was hilarious, Tim Curry is a favorite even if he sent love letters to my friends psychotic mother, i swear her family is ****ed up. Google Bill Carlson btw.

A History of Violence (2005) -



I've seen this movie a couple times now and i really like it William Hurt is THE best part even though he's barely in it, the last 20 minutes is awesome and i love the action, there isn't that much action in it but when there is it's pretty badass

Death Becomes Her (1992) -



A funny dark comedy, i really liked Meryl Streep of course and Goldie Hawn in a fat suit.

Taxi Driver(1976)-it was the main discussion on the seminar today so we had to watch it, I remember watching it a long time ago hardly remember it,the second viewing cleared everything great movie on the whole well written, not to mention only for 5 days

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I'm in movie heaven

i was really underwhelmed with this, actually. not because of Sandler per se, though.

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letterboxd

La Haine is the worst kind of pretentious bollocks. It's terrible.

The biggest flaw with the film is the fact that he was playing Shadow of the Colossus as a 'high-score' game, which is complete and utter rubbish and a depressing depiction of gaming.

Has Caitlyn seen Punch-Drunk Love, I wonder? Far-and-away his best film.

I don't hate Sandler, really. I do hate most of his films.

Frankenstein (1931) -
(FIRST VIEWING)



My very first viewing, and what a cinematic viewing experience it was. This being my new record for the oldest movie I've ever seen, the sets had me nearly giggling--at first--at how unreal they looked (the graveyard and the "sky," heh), but once I got used to them, this movie was a pure thrill-ride. The Frankenstein monster was awesome, how he never talked; only grunted and shrieked, and how his eyes showed all the emotion in the world, for something commonly thought of as hideous by the townsfolk.

The acting was extremely good throughout, especially that of Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, and John Boles. The story was touching, and although the movie ended rather abruptly, almost without any warning at all, the closure that was provided was fantastic (the windmill scene).

In a film filled with memorable scenes, my favorite is when the monster encounters the little girl by the lake. The tranquility was all set and we really start to "feel" for the monster for the first time, and then BAM! Wow. But even after that, we still understand him.

Shrek 3 -

Ehh...I didn't like it very much. Its execution at humor was poor and the story seemed to move too quickly. The first two are much superior, but even those I'm not a huge fan of.

Honey -

I was pretty surprised with Honey. I was expecting a dull, even non-existant story with poor acting but what I got was a decent "dance drama" with a great performance by Jessica Alba. She left me spell-bound with her beauty (and skimpy outfits in the film that left her entire stomach exposed) and the supporting cast was actually pretty good. Also, some pretty deep themes were discovered here (you can do anything if you set your mind to it) and the ending showed that well.

A couple awkward spots and not-so-interesting moments, but this movie ended up being better than I thought it would be.

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"The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven."
John Milton, Paradise Lost

My Movie Review Thread | My Top 100

Hey DOMINATOR, check out the Bride of Frankenstein 1932. A lot of people consider it superior, give it a look its a great movie. Love Frankenstein, did you watch it on DVD or an original version on VHS?

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Undercoverlovers 100 REDUX

Black Christmas (2006) -

Not a very good film at all. The girls were all whiny slobs and did nothing for me, unlike the awesome group of females from the original film. The killing were outrageously stupid, and not in a good way. Instead of being fun and creative (and maybe a little unrealistic), they were just stupid and, well... stupid. Sticking a candy cane through a guy's neck? Seriously?!

Memento (2001) -

I had a sudden impulse to watch this recently and I am glad I did. It was SO much better than my first viewing. I was captivated throughout and I stayed interested in the story a day after watching it.

But... as I think about the film, it seems to be sort of delicate. What I mean is the way it is edited contributes to pretty much every single emotion you get from the film. It may rely a little too much on this particular editing style. That being said, Christopher Nolan was very smart to use it because it does help us connect to Guy Pearce's character and in fact allows you to pretty much completely enter his mind.

The Philadelphia Story (1940) -

A very enjoyable film with a fantastic cast. Katharine Hepburn was amazingly beautiful and James Stewart, one of my favorite actors of all-time anyway, was funnier than I'd ever seen him. Cary Grant was pretty good too; one of the biggest laughs in the film was by him.

Little Big Man (1970) -

Fantastic. I loved every single second of this film. I didn't get a Western feel from it, even though by definition it is one (not that I know what I'm talking about here since I've seen very few Westerns), but that didn't worsen the film at all. I don't think it would have been better or even as good if it felt like a Western.

Dustin Hoffman has really been growing on me. After his performance in Midnight Cowboy basically skyrocketed him to the top of my 'favorite actors' list, I've been looking back at some of his films and watching some new ones (like Little Big Man). He gives such great performances and I can't think of one that isn't tip top.

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD


Didn't quite walk out of this one full of that warm and fuzzy feeling that some movies give me but that doesn't change the fact that Revolutionary Road is a very good flick. I was immediately drawn in thanks to the excellent performances from Kate and Leo (rarely have I seen two people wage such brilliant shouting matches) and the subject of the film is remains very contemporary and I'm almost sure the creator of the source material, Richard Yates, was an overwhelmingly gloomy man.

The director, Sam Mendes, who is no stranger to the subject of suburban unrest, takes what he did in American Beauty and actually improves upon it, in my opinion. The material he's dealing with here is much more serious but really made me feel this picture was superior was the lack of any feeling of contrivance. The film felt very natural to me which made the tragic degradation of the central marriage all the more affecting. Kate and Leo take the sobering material with no winks at the camera and even though they both have their fair share of opportunities to showboat, neither goes over the top and instead choose to accurately portray their characters as the story progress on its downward slope.

One performance that I guess I have to mention now that it's been nominated for an Oscar is Michael Shannon's. He plays a border-line nutcase who calls things like he sees them and though I enjoyed the scenes that included him I thought that really had more to do with how awesome the character was than how good he was. Which is not to say he was bad, he was definitely good.

Even though the movie left me in a somewhat dreary state, I definitely have to recommend it. The story, the characters, the acting, and the awesome visuals (Roger Deakins deserves that Academy Award) are all top notch and well worth the look-see.