After Hours

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To me, this film felt like a nightmare. and I mean that in the best way possible. You know that dream you have, when you're late for the bus, and no matter what you do you can't catch up, that's what this film felt like to me, and I loved it.

After Hours follows average office worker Paul Hackett after he struggles to find his way home during a very long ad crazy night. This film is defiantly the outlier of Martin Scorsese's works, and it was a very interesting stray from the normal. This movie was different to Scorsese's epics like Goodfellas, Casino, or The Wolf of Wall Street because it had a much more condensed story on a much smaller scale. During the entire film, the main character only had one true goal, to get home. Much like in a nightmare, no matter what Paul Hackett, did, something went wrong, and he ended up right back where he started.

One of my favorite things about the film was the very unique and interesting cast of characters. There were so many great characters, that I can't really pick a favorite. They all stood out so well, and were incredibly different. Some of the decisions made by the characters were illogical at times, but then again, I don't think this movie was logical at all. There were plenty of unanswered questions and unexplained actions, that it ends up working in the films favor. All of these confusing actions and events allow for the film to feel like a dream, and I think that was exactly what Scorsese was going for.

Another thing that was very effective in this film was the fast paced and at some points insane editing. This was especially evident in the beginning of the film, but also appeared constantly during the end. The film also had Cheech and Chong, what more could you want!

Overall this was a fantastic movie. The acting, directing, editing, and screenplay were all fantastic. This was a fun watch, and defiantly deserved to be praised as highly if not better than some or Scorsese's other works.

Re: Nope's Movie Reviews
 

After Hours sounds intriguing, and such a high rating...

I wasn't much of a fan when I saw After Hours at the movies, but I was only 14. I watched it again for the first time since about 2 years ago and loved it. It's a fantastic dark comedy, and like you said, it has a brilliant array of characters.

You should definitely check it out. It was one of the most unique films I've ever seen.

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Ace in the Hole stars Kirk Douglas as a journalist who capitalizes on the unfortunate state of a man trapped in a mineshaft. This film's message about corruption in journalism might have been one of the strongest morals I have seen in any film. If this movie came out today, I think it's message would be just as strong if not stronger. The word I would use to really describe this film would be gripping. Twenty minutes into this film and I couldn't turn it off. The characters were all fantastic, and Kirk Douglas gives possibly the best performance of his entire career. Jan Sterling is also fantastic as the wife of the man trapped in the cave. Her character was unlikable in every single way, and she was fantastic at playing one of the most despicable characters ever put to film.

Another thing I loved about this film was the pacing. Everything was set up in such a way that my heart was pounding during the incredible climax. Even during a simple conversation between two characters I was on the edge of my seat. My biggest and only complaint about the movie was the ending. I thought that it was far too anticlimactic and unrealistic. Something I thought was great about this film was that even though the main character was an absolute scumbag, I still liked him, and at some points, ever rooted for him.

Everything in this movie was just so well done. I haven't seen too many Billy Wilder films, but I want to go on a marathon after watching this. The only other Kirk Douglas film I have seen is Paths of Glory, but after this performance, he might be one of my favorite actors.

This film was fantastic, and it was only held back by a disappointing ending. Everything leading up to that point however was absolutely incredible, and I would recommend this film to pretty much everyone.

Vertigo

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I remember when I wrote my Rear Window review, I shamefully admitted that I had only seen three Hitchcock films. Oh how times have changed. Ten months ago, before I had ever even heard of Movie Forums, I probably thought I was a film snob when I watched a film from the 70s. Now, even though I am still one of the lesser prolific members on this site, I have vastly expanded my film library. As of today I have seen 9 Hitchcock films! My 10-month-younger self would be gasping with jealousy of my incredible film prowess. Joking aside, I watched Vertigo recently, and it was ok.

This film has been on the top of my watch list for over a year. I even bought it on Blu-Ray. Then I received the Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece collection (which included Vertigo), and I gave the Blu-Ray away to a friend. About 4 months after that I finally sat down and watched the damn thing. I started out very intrigued with a great opening sequence and title credits, but slowly the film caused me to lose interest. I don't know what it was. The film started out so strong, but then at a certain point, it just got kind of boring. The point I really started to lose interest was when a new (or half-new rather) character was introduced. I thought the love story was disconnected, and I never really cared about the main character.

I had heard many times that this film had a great twist ending, but to be honest, it didn't wow me too much. I won't spoil anything, but I could predict the twist from a mile away, and the presentation of it fell flat. I was very surprised when some people claimed this watch Hitch's magnum opus. I can't even compare this film to North by Northwest or Rear Window.

I know I've been saying all this bad stuff, but I didn't really hate the film, it just wasn't for me. There were many scenes I enjoy, and the first 40 minutes or so were very entertaining. If it's lucky, this film will probably wind up towards the bottom of my 50s list.

I haven't seen Vertigo in many years. I have to watch it again for the 50's countdown.

That was the main reason I finally decided to watch it, as I said in my review though, it most likely won't make my cut. It will probably break the top 10 on the countdown though.

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice

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What a hunk of garbage. The worst thing a movie can be is boring, and god damn is this movie unbearable. I saw this movie about three weeks ago, and I honestly can't remember a single scene besides that anti-climactic and somehow boring fight. Writing this review might be a challenge in itself.

I can't say that this movie disappointed me, because my expectations were far from high. After watching the train-wreck that was Man of Steel I knew this film would be a disaster. I'm trying to think of a starting off point of why I hated this movie, so I guess I'll start with the characters. When did Superman become an a••hole? Remember when Superman was fun? Watching Superman in this film honestly made me depressed. He hardly showed any emotion throughout the entire film besides one point in the very end. Batman wasn't terrible, but there wasn't enough cool billionaire Bruce Wayne. There was just grumpy Batman. Another large problem I had with the film was each characters lack of motivation. Why was Lex Luthor trying to destroy the world? Why does Superman hate Batman? None of it made any sense.

Superhero films used to make me happy. Spiderman 2, Superman: The Movie, and Iron Man still put a smile on my face, no matter how campy they are. At least there's no scene in the Spiderman trilogy where Peter Parker rips a sink out of the wall and viciously smashes his enemy over the head with it in a dark and depressing way that removes and fun and excitement from the scene.

I honestly blame Zach Snyder. I think Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and everyone else involved did a fine job, Zach Snyder just had to ruin all of it. This was more of a rant than a review, but until Aquaman, this is my least favorite superhero movie of all time.

I'll probably watch that on DVD, but as fast as I got into superhero movies, that's how fast I'm losing interest.

Re: Nope's Movie Reviews
 

I think that Batman V. Superman is, for better or for worst, the most interesting film-related topic at the moment. A more divisive blockbuster may have never been released before.

People said the same thing about Man of Steel. That film seems to be more universally hated though.

If you want a movie that will put you in a depressed mood, then watch it.

Re: Nope's Movie Reviews
 

Is it just me, or does Snyder continuously ripoff Christopher Nolan's style in both BVS and Man of Steel? Aside from the more realistic take.

I just looked up Snyder, and the only movie I've actually seen from him is the Dawn of the Dead remake. I thought that was quite good, but of course that was a while ago now.

Re: Nope's Movie Reviews
 

Whoever decided that Synder should direct the big DC films needs to be fired immediately. Divisive filmmakers shouldn't direct your tent pole films. Save him for your smaller movies.

I agree, Snyder was trying to imitate Nolan and failed miserably. If you make a Batman v Superman movie, it can't be serious, it has to be fun! Snyder can make fun movies, but he can't make serious ones.

Re: Nope's Movie Reviews
 

Don't worry about Vertigo. It is boring. :yup:

Glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks so.

Re: Nope's Movie Reviews
 

After Hours is such a great under appreciated Scorsese film.

Dracula

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I've been extremely interested in the Universal Monster Collection ever since I bought on blu-ray, so I decided to start with the first of the collection. Dracula is the original film about everyone's favorite blood-sucking vampire. Say whatever you want about this film, but it is iconic. Bela Lugosi's performance along made Dracula a household name, and a horror icon. This film forever cemented Dracula's look, accent, and legacy into our brains and pop culture history.

Now onto the film itself. Honestly, it was just kind of alright. I can see how audiences were shocked and amazed by what they saw, but since most people are now desensitized to everything, it wasn't that exciting. I still very much appreciate the film, both for it's legacy, and its technicality. The highlight of the film by far was the brilliant performances. Bela Lugosi and Dwight Frye are both fantastic. Renfield was by far the highlight of the film, I was delighted whenever he showed up on screen.

I much more preferred the beginning of the film rather than the end. I wish we saw more of Dracula's Transylvanian castle, and not just the two rooms we were shown in the film. I think the film would have been much more interesting, and even scarier, if Dracula had given Renfield a much more in depth tour. The parts with Mina Harker were interesting, but also confusing at time as Dracula's actual powers were never fully explained.

Overall, it's a fun classic horror flick, and a pretty good start to the Universal Monster Movie collection that I hope to complete soon.

Frankenstein

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Frankenstein, the second film in the Universal Monster Collection, seemed like a must watch after Dracula. I had read in sources everywhere that Frankenstein was a superior film, so I was excited to see what I would get. It was pretty much the same reaction.

I'm not going to go through the whole pop culture shtick that I did with Dracula again, but this film had a very similar impact. This film created the look of Frankenstein's Monster that would become a staple in pop culture. I had previously read the Frankenstein novel in school, and I couldn't stop picturing the monster from this movie, despite never seeing it, and the fact that this film came out over a century later. That proves how much of an impact this film has had on pop culture.

Most of my comments on this film are very similar to those of Dracula. I was never really scared, and I wish they had explored the character more. There was only one scene in particular where I really felt that the character of the monster was being really explored, and that is the scene with the girl and the pond. I'm sure most people would agree that is the best scene in the film by far. I also enjoyed all of the beginning scenes in the lab, but after the monster escaped, it all sort got pretty predictable and boring. I know it's a fantasy movie, but how the did the monster find Frankenstein? It wasn't that big of an issue, but it took me out of the movie for a little.

Overall, I thought this film was very similar to Dracula both in pop culture status, and in quality. I guess if I had to choose won, this one was the superior film.

Re: Nope's Movie Reviews
 

I don't really have an interest in watching Dracula or Frankenstien, but I like your approach. I feel similarly about The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Godzilla. They are classics I really want to see. Learning about the roots of these iconic symbols is interesting.

Re: Nope's Movie Reviews
 

Nope, very nicely written, straight forward reviews of Dracula and Frankenstein. I enjoyed reading them and would agree with you totally on Dracula and mostly on Frankenstein. I would just add my observation that we're not suppose to really be scared of the monster but have empathy for it.

What other films will you be watching from the Universal Monster Collection?

That was the criticism I made about Frankenstein. Besides the scene with the girl, there were no time that I really sympathized with the monster. I honestly thought that the mob against him was for the most part justified, what would you do if an insane creature murdered your daughter?

The Mummy review is coming later tonight. I will also be watching The Invisible Man, Bride of Frankenstein,The Wolf Man, Phantom of the Opera, and Creature of the Black Lagoon. I will not be at home until mid July, so that is when I will watch and review them.

Cool, I've never seen The Mummy but I'd like to. I really enjoyed The Invisible Man and Phantom of the Opera. I haven't seen the rest. I look for your reviews.:)

I enjoy seeing that these old, dusty classics occasionally get some attention. They're both on my "immortal classics" list, in spite of the fact that they are missing a lot of what makes movies work today. Both of them were shot in the early days of sound. Sound production just meant that there was a microphone hanging over the set and the cast had to gather in the middle of the scene and yell really loud. It was all "real time", with no voice-overs.

Yeah, the acting was melodramatic and wooden (nobody know how to act for sound yet) and the plot line was thin, but they were inventing a medium. Actually, my favorite part of both films is the thinly veiled imitation of the look of the German Expressionists. Both of these movies still look and behave like silent films. I love that stark, contrasty black and white look. It's worth noting that for Dracula, the cinematography was done by Karl Freund, who shot one of the benchmarks of expressionism, Fritz Lang's epic Metropolis. Freund did oodles of German silents before coming to the US and ended his career shooting the I Love Lucy TV show. Frankenstein was done by an American, Arthur Edeson, but he was clearly mimicking the German look of movies like the Cabinet of Dr Caligari with all those oblique, stark, dramatic, high contrast shots.

I got to see Hell or High Water early, and I was planning on doing a review for it before it came out. However, I am very laze, so I waited until now to write the review.

The movie follows two brothers as they rob banks in order to get money to save their parent's farm. If you think the plot sounds a bit clichéd, it's because it is. The movie follows a pretty simple formula, with stereotypical characters. Ben Foster plays the ex-con, who only robs banks because it's fun. Chris Pine plays the "good guy" brother. Who doesn't want to commit crimes, but does it because he wants to save the farm. Jeff Bridges also plays the "headed for retirement" cop who's on his last mission.

The movie suffers from being far too preachy at times. There is a whole scene where one of the characters describes how banks taking land is similar to people taking land from Native Americans. It was a pretty eye-rolling scene. Something I appreciate about the film is that it did not glorify violence. The small amount of violence in the film was messy and unpleasant. There were some strange plot things that happened at the end, but I'll won't spoil anything. If anyone has seen the film, I'll be glad to spoiler talk it with you in the thread.

The highlight of this film was the heist scenes. They were just fun. The second heist was especially entertaining, and I really enjoyed some of the banter between the two brothers. The cinematography was also very well done. Overall, pretty average film that I would recommend seeing. Especially considering that every other movie that has come out this summer has been utter garbage.

I was supposed to write this review about 2 months ago, but better late then never. The Mummy is my personal favorite out of all of the Universal Monster Movies I have seen, and that surprised me a lot. I expected to love films like Dracula and Frankenstein much more, but to me, this is just the superior film.

Unlike what most people assume, The Mummy is not about a bumbling corpse wrapped in toilet-paper terrorizing people. Instead, the "monster" in the film is a wise, smart spoken, and slightly off-putting man named Imhotep. Something I always love about the Universal Horror films is how they focus more on an looming threat, instead of focusing on what's scary right now. What I mean by this is that The Mummy never has any jump-scares or chases, but it manages to maintain suspense by having an overbearing, and seemingly unstoppable threat.

There are many scenes that I love in this film, but my favorite is probably the opening. Something about the slow moving nature of it makes it really tense, and i love the reveal of Imhotep. I actually think that the reason I like this film more that the other Universal Monster Movies is because of how much I love the monster. Imhotep is such a good villain. He is manipulative, smart, and always seems to have the upper hand, unlike other monsters, who are just, well, monsters. Another thing I love about Imhotep is that in the end, his intentions aren't really that bad.

Overall, really great classic horror film, and my personal favorite Universal Monster movie. (Not by that much though)...