House of Flying Daggers

Being a fan of the Wuxia genre (loosely translated as martial arts chivalry) and director Zhang Yimou’s previous foray into the world of stylized kung-fu, I had high hopes for “House of Flying Daggers” and midway through the film I had not been disappointed. Its gorgeous cinematography and outstanding cast (led by Takeshi Kaneshiro and the beautiful Ziyi Zhang) elicited obvious comparisons to “Hero” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”. Unfortunately these comparisons soon faded from memory as “House of Flying Daggers” outstanding production values and Zhang’s brilliant use of color were rapidly overshadowed by a plot that rang hollow and an ending that defined the word ridiculous.

5/10

Wait, you feel that Resident Evil: Apocalypse was better than After Hours?

I was wondering if anyone was reading these :)

I can't imagine myself ever arguing that a Paul Anderson movie has better production values than a Scorsese flick, but it's certainly within the realm of possibility that one of his films could be more entertaining, which is the case here. In general I try to rate films based on how entertained I was, not how well made the film was.

Does that make any sense?

So you're saying Apocalypse was more entertaining than After Hours... :nope:

Yup... I didn't really care for After Hours and am getting some slack for it in the Worst Scorsese flick thread. I've resigned myself to watching it again though b/c I was in a crappy mood when I watched it the first time :)

Apocalypse was cheesy film making at its finest... Not to mention the unbelievably hot Sienna Guillory... a lady who single handedly made the film worth watching :)

Oh man, I've been staring at your avatar for like 20 minutes...

Hmmm... typically I only have that affect on women :)

Bad I know, I just couldn't resist!

No it's good, just a little bit odd.

Yeah... it's been messin' with my head as well. My toddler was showing me how to type the other day and stared at it for a few seconds. Miraculously he didn't want to type anymore, but he did go hit the dog... coincidence?

The Manchurian Candidate (2004) 7/10

Proving once again that a boy’s best friend is his mother, Jonathan Demme and team score a surprising hit by remaking the 1962 classic, The Manchurian Candidate. Starring Liev Schreiber and Denzel Washington, this well paced, character driven thriller is meant to be savored like fine wine as a series of strange events and conflicting memories surrounding a “Lost Patrol” in 1991’s Operation Desert Storm unfold. And while the social and political commentary oftentimes feels forced and/or silly, I’m confident in saying Jonathan Demme’s remake has adroitly stepped outside the shadow of its predecessor and into the realm of respectability, something which most remakes are not able to do.

The Iron Giant 9/10

Director Brad Bird’s beautiful parable of friendship and the power of personal choice tells the moving story of a young boy and an Iron Giant from unknown origins. Bird’s conscious decision to use traditional two dimensional animation works splendidly and gives the film a more realistic and classic feel given it takes place in the late 1950’s. Filled with both heart and message, The Iron Giant is one of the best animated films in recent years and one that families can watch together, over and over and over again… at least if the youngsters have their way!

Friday Night Lights 6/10

This above average sports drama overcomes its innate Billy Bob Thorntonness and cliché ridden plot to provide a gritty glimpse into the life of football obsessed Odessa Texas as Coach Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) attempts to lead his team to the State Championship game. Solid performances from a relatively unknown cast and Peter Berg’s directing highlight the film, but it’s the final thirty minutes, which the crew over at NFL films filmed that elevate the film above its contemporaries.

Face/Off 7/10

An exercise in the wonderfully excessive stylized violence director John Woo is known for, Face/Off overcomes its biggest failing, the ridiculously miscast John Travolta and delivers a fun story of two men, one an FBI agent, the other a terrorist for hire who trade identities and blow a lot of things up. Throw in some beautiful women and an incredibly implausible, though thoroughly entertaining and surprisingly involved story and you have yourself a fun way to kill a few hours.

The Village 6/10

Yet again people have been so blinded by their need for another Sixth Sense they have completely missed the point of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village. This tale of an isolated village and the truths that lay beyond its borders is more concerned with a message of not being able to hide from pain under the guise of clinging to an innocence that never existed. And while I will be the first to admit that The Village was not a great film, Shyamalan’s directorial eye is able to capture a convincing and well acted world filled with genuine moments of suspense without relying on fancy computer aided effects, something most directors today seem unable to do.

Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle 9/10

Updating the traditional stoner fairytale made famous by Cheech and Chong, John Cho and Kal Penn go on an inspired adventure comprised of various sketch comedy pieces in search of the only thing that can satisfy their weed induced munchies, White Castle burgers. Their self-awareness and intelligence raise the ante on the traditional racial and stoner jokes prevalent throughout the film, as does the greatest cameo in the history of cinema, courtesy of Mr. Doogie Howser himself, Neil Patrick Harris. Let’s just hope that director David Leiner continues to make this type of low brow comedy so those of us who, like Harold and Kumar, don’t take ourselves too seriously can always have a guilty pleasure or two to fall back on in times of boredom.

Catwoman 1/10

Director Pitof’s arrogance at believing himself worthy of a single moniker is exceeded only by the dumbness of his feature film debut. Catwoman’s insipid story of revenge is populated by annoying characters, ridiculous plot points, and the same type of meaningless female empowerment crap spewed by today’s mindless pop divas. This exploration into the dark underworld of home beauty products is so bad it somehow manages to make one of the world’s most beautiful women seem unattractive, a big no no in my book. I can think of only one place for a movie this bad, and that’s downstairs in the kitty-litter, though I don’t think I’d subject Harvey (our cat) to this type of cruel and unusual punishment!

The Forgotten 4/10

Julianne Moore stars as a delusional mother unable to let go of her possibly non-existent eight-year-old son’s death. What begins as an intriguing thriller soon erodes into a repetitive series of “Ah, they’re after us, let’s run down this dark alley and hope they are too slow to catch us” chase scenes and a plot twist so contrived it stinks of being written by someone who wrote himself into a corner and couldn’t find any plausible way out. Its ridiculous story does a disservice to both the actors and the audience, though we shouldn’t be too surprised given the crap being released nowadays.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 10/10

Frank Capra’s picturesque view of America has never shone brighter as Jimmy Stewart plays an idealistic young Senator who must filibuster against a corrupt political machine to clear his name. And while Stewart is excellent, it’s his secretary (played by the lovely Jean Arthur) who steals the film. Her quick witted charm and jaded nature highlight the corruption enveloping Washington and prove her to be a brilliant comedic actress. As relevant today as when it was created, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a true classic, meant to viewed by all who love cinema and appreciate the mediums ability stir the emotions within us.

Hey mose where is your forum?

Don't have one... I did on previous versions of my site and some of the folks here were even kind enough to help me out (Holden, SB, etc), but at this point in my life I really can't justify the time required to start up a board... especially not when there's a great board like MOFO available.

Same here but I finall have a little atraction on mine. Maybe three people you, I and someone else. :p

Mean Girls 6/10

Written by Saturday Night Live’s Tina Fey, this surprisingly amusing film stars Lindsey Lohan as a home school student raised in Africa yet unprepared for the wilds of America’s high schools. Fey’s script, while entertaining, lacks the fortitude necessary to go for the jugular (like the teen angst classic Heathers) and is content to wrap things up in a cute manner, one that most of Ms. Lohan’s fans will find acceptable. Fortunately enough mean spirited fun remains to make the film worth watching by those of us outside her typical target demographic, aka teenage girls.

This is Spinal Tap 9/10

The original and perhaps greatest mockumentary film, This is Spinal Tap chronicles the disastrous exploits of Britain’s loudest band as they attempt a comeback tour of the United States in the fall of 1983. With an obvious tongue-in-cheek nod to Scorsese’s masterpiece The Last Waltz, director Marti DiBergi, (Rob Reiner) uses back-stage scenes, archival footage and interviews with the three principle members of the band: lead singer David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), guitarist Nigel Tufnel (Christoper Guest), and bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) to paint a gentle, though scathing picture of what it means to be a geriatric rock star. Surprisingly relevant today, This is Spinal Tap created a formula that has often been imitated, though never equaled.

:yup: :cool: :yup:

The Color of Money 6/10

It’s been 25 years since Fast Eddie Felson (Paul Newman), one of the screen’s greatest characters, last picked up a pool cue. Now retired from the game he earns his living selling liquor to various pool halls and investing in talent, such as a brash youngster named Vincent (Tom Cruise). The two form a rocky partnership and hit the road hustling their way to a nine-ball tournament in Atlantic City.

Arguably director Martin Scorsese’s most commercial picture, The Color of Money exhibits very little of his trademark style and comes across as being a necessary stepping stone to bigger and more personally important projects for Marty. And while Scorsese, along with current box-office superstar Tom Cruise may get the name recognition in today’s ‘what have you done for me lately world’, its Paul Newman proving he’s still one of the coolest cats around who steals this clichéd, though entertaining 80’s film.

Uncle Buck 6/10

One of John Candy’s better films, Uncle Buck has the portly comedian playing a childless bachelor forced to baby-sit his brother’s children for “no more than a week” during a family emergency. Light hearted comedy ensues as the affable Candy learns the ropes of home and child management, the latter involving most of the film’s best comedic bits. Featuring giant pancakes, a phallic power drill, and a not-yet-annoying Macaulay Culkin, Uncle Buck is another in a long line of solid John Hughes comedies and helps to remind us just how much fun it was to watch John Candy.



I'm trying to go back to work tomorrow so the pace of reviews should slow down :)

Damn! I queued up Rush this morning and am having a terrible time listening to them without laughing after watching Christopher Guest and Co. sing Stonehenge yesterday :)