One Movie A Day Remix

Day 75: July 14th, 2010

Big Trouble In Little China



Feel pretty good. I'm not, uh, I'm not scared at all. I just feel kind of... feel kind of invincible...

...and boy did Kurt Russell feel invincible during that scene. A quick listen to the commentary track on the dvd is a pleasant surprise.

Truck driver Jack Burton, played by long time friend and collaborator of Carpenter, Kurt Russell, arrives in Chinatown and agrees to help out an old friend. But his old friend's fiancee is kidnapped, and this leads the pair down a mythical and dangerous road.

This isn't my favourite John Carpenter film, nor is it my favourite John Carpenter/Kurt Russell collaboration. Yet, it is still one hell of a fun and entertaining film. The film moves at an incredible pace and is never short on action. John Carpenter is responsible for the better half of the cheesy 80's. Mostly in his horror genre, which I am a fan of. After all, he is the master of terror, right? Yet, Big Trouble In Little China is such an odd film for him to take on that it makes a perfect fit. Does that make sense? No? Oh well.

Russell and Carpenter are great together, you can feel the chemistry between the two, even though one is always behind the camera. Russell gives us his wise ass shtick as Burton and the dialogue is great for this character. Russell makes one bad ass character here to go along with his Snake Plissken, another character that involves Carpenter.

Big Trouble In Little China is funny, action packed and is a joy to watch. It's absurdity adds to the level of cheese and awesomeness. Iro threw this on my list to watch when I did this last time, better late than never right?

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"A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have."

Suspect's Reviews

Day 76: July 15th, 2010

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind



Best film of 2004 and a personal favourite of mine.

Yes, I love this film. It grabbed me in such a way that I cannot really describe. For a film about love and loss, it had me from the start. The fact that it is unconventional makes me smile with glee. Eternal Sunshine is a beautiful and heartfelt film that is depressing as hell and a marvel to watch. I cannot heap enough praise on this film.

After a bad break up, Clementine decides to erase the memory of Joel, completely. This is possible at Lacuna, Inc. Joel finds this out, which is an uncommon thing for the company and he wants to same procedure. They agree to do so and we enter the surreal world of Joel's mind as he lives the good and bad memories of his time with Clementine.

Written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Michel Gondry, this is a match made in heaven. The filming style of Gondry flows beautifully with the writing and the weird and quirky story here. Very few instances of the use of CGI, Gondry shows us the imagination and creativity are always a way to get things done. The film is an inspiration in ways to look outside the box and find solutions to problems. The indie way he made this film gives it a feel as if you are there with them. As I mentioned before, Kaufman wrote the script, it's a beautiful mess. Joel's memory is being erased, but he finds himself wanting to keep certain ones, the good ones. He fights for his chance to remember and this is where the film gets strange...-r.

Jim Carrey gives his best performance to date and Kate Winslet is on top of her game as the ever changing Clementine. For a film that is emotionally draining at times, I find myself wanting to watch it again as soon as it's over. Don't get me started on the music, it's serene and eerie. A beautifully constructed emotional piece to accompany a strong story and visuals. The film gets me thinking of what I would do if this technology existed, or what my girlfriend would do. I ask her and others exactly what the tagline does....Would you erase me?

This film was made, marketing and watched because of one thing and one thing only, Pamela Anderson. This was her naked sci/fi Hollywood film, the opening of the movie shows her stripping, showing her breasts and getting hit with water. Ooooh, so sexy. This was probably the one scene many kids watched over and over. The film itself is regarded as one of those, it's so bad it's good. I can totally see that and once I got pass Anderson's wooden acting, I actually enjoyed myself. Guilty as charged.

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We must be the change we want to see

Have tomorrow off to post a week and a bit worth of reviews.

Need to catch up.

Certainly do ..............................................................

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Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha

Day 77: July 16th, 2010

Taxi Driver



On every street in every city, there's a nobody who dreams of being a somebody.

Scorsese has numerous films that I love and adore, Taxi Driver is one of them, not surprisingly. Is there any other lonely psychopathic character quite like Travis Bickle? I don't think so. It's easy to use words like brilliant, powerful and classic for this flick, so let's use those.

Taxi Driver is indeed a classic, it's hard hitting New York underbelly is dirty and raw. The film grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until the explosive ending. No neat trick here, no special effects to heighten the tension, just like the city it is depicted in, the violence is raw and real. Travis Bickle unleashes terror in the climax and guess what, bullet don't fly off of him. He's not some lone gunman hero that is un-killable. He's no Terminator or Rambo. He's a man.

DeNiro, teaming up with Scorsese, is a powerhouse. This lonely and depressed man has dark thoughts, he is one person in a city of millions. The script paints the picture vividly, so well that Scorsese is easily able to paint that picture onto film. This movie needed to be filmed on film, if it were done today and were done with digital, it would never get the same feeling.

It is indeed an American classic and is still talked about to this day. It's Scorsese most depressing film. It also gave us that memorable line in the mirror that is parodied time and time again. Do yourself a favour, if you love film and want to experience it. Taxi Driver is a good place to start.

Day 78: July 17th, 2010

The Rocky Horror Picture Show



Another Kind Of Rocky.

If you'd had said that I would love a film that involved song and dance numbers, a character who cross dresses and Susan Sarandon, I'd call you crazy. Yet here I am, reviewing the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The craziest film that gets you singing along. I had the great opportunity to see this in the theatre once for a midnight showing. It was a blast.

Brad (*******) and Janet (slut) have car trouble and take refuge in the Frankenstein Castle. While there, they run into some Transylvanians and a mad doctor, Dr. Frank-n-Futer. He is creating his masterpiece, Rocky. The film blends horror, sci/fi, comedy, musical, camp, and thrills in one unforgettable package. The moment those lips appeared on the screen singing the opening number, Science Fiction + Double Feature, I knew I would like this film.

I was wrong, I loved this film.

Riff Raff, my favourite character, is played by Richard O'Brien. Half of the creative team behind this piece. The most iconic character in musical films, in my opinion, is played by Tim Curry. In an unforgettable role as Frank-n-Futer. The film has catchy songs, every single number I seem to like. Of course I have my favourite, but there is not one song that I can't stand. A rare thing for me and musicals.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a hard film to sell to people. It might make them uncomfortable to watch, but I love it every time I see it. It's campy for sure and it knows it. People didn't get that back when it was released, but they did once it played to the midnight crowd. It holds the record for longest film release for theatres, because it's still going.

Day 79: July 18th, 2010

Unrivaled



The best fighter in the world works two jobs. The only problem... he doesn't know he's the best

Wait, what? That's the tagline?

If no one here has heard of this film, I don't blame you. It's a direct to dvd flick that scrapes the bottom of the barrel. There is not one shred of originality in this crap and it's sad. Why is it sad? Why did I watch it? These questions can be answered with these three words. I'm In It.

Oh sweet Matt, you're in this movie? Yes I am, but don't go out rushing to rent or buy this film. First of all, it's not worth the price tag and second, I'm only an extra in the background of the main fight. You see me when you see a cut away to the crowd. If you didn't know me, you wouldn't notice. If I were to point myself out to you, you'd see me in glimpses here and there because of my white shirt and sunglasses on my head.

I would honestly rather tell you about my time there then try to review this film. So I will. It was shot in my hometown, we got free pizza and a t-shirt that we were suppose to return and no, we did not get paid. I would honestly point you to view the trailer before I ever say see the film. I'm in the trailer too. In fact, if that is too much, I'll post a screen cap of it. Save everyone the headache.



So I'm the guy in the light shirt on the far left side of the picture. My right arm in a slight, pumping of the fist motion. Brilliant right?

So the film, yeah, unrivaled. It's crap. The director's other film that I have seen Ham & Cheese, is barely watchable as well. That film only got noticed because of the comedians attached. This one has UFC fighters, who cannot act for the life of them. The lead male and the lead bad guy are the two stand outs who should stick to being beaten in the head rather than mugging for the camera.

Pointless nudity in the first 20 minutes, left right and centre. For what purpose? Who knows. He works at a strip club. The guy owes money to some dangerous guys, wow, original there. He can't pay and is threatened. Boom, time for opportunity to come up. The champ is giving an unknown fighter the chance to be discovered. Is it his time to rise up and silence all the nay-sayers? Can a nobody defeat a somebody? Have I seen this film before, but with boxing? Unrivaled is a poor mash-up of Rocky and The Wrestler.

The script is amateur, as is everything else that accompanies this film. The film looks like a music video, so it's not all cheap. There are some nice cinematography spots, but as a whole the film never leaps out at you. The best feature this film has going for it is the soundtrack, which is surprisingly good. Yet there is the problem, I don't go to movies to listen to music.

<-because I'm in it.

Day 80: July 19th, 2010

Who Framed Roger Rabbit



It's the story of a man, a woman, and a rabbit in a triangle of trouble.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit mixes the world of animation and live action effortlessly, what makes it even more respectable is how well it holds up compared to recent flicks like Looney Tunes: Back in Action.

Zemeckis pushes the envelope and continues to today, or at least tries to. His films seem to lack the heart and soul of his earlier works. With Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Zemeckis blends old school film noir detective stories with a looney stylized world in which the character live.

Bob Hoskins is the alcoholic detective who must solve the case of....who framed roger rabbit. He does a wonderful job in the role and acts opposite an imaginary character with ease. Roger Rabbit himself is a zany character that is in love with Jessica Rabbit, a busty bombshell of a character with flowing red hair. She is of course the femme fatale. What's a film without a villain? Christopher Lloyd as Judge Doom is creepy and effective. Without a doubt he will give chills to your bones. His distaste for toons is about as villainous as you can get.

Their are numerous winks and nods to old school cartoon characters. What other film can you see Daffy and Donald duck battle each other? The toon world is a great way to show creativity and the crew make sure they use their opportunity to do so. This film is great for both kids and adults and is to this day, a classic.

I highly recommend Who Framed Roger Rabbit to anyone looking for a good story, interesting characters and great entertainment. The film is not only funny, but a great mystery waiting to be unraveled. Check it out.

Day 81: July 20th, 2010

Inception



Your mind is the scene of the crime.

In trying not to give too many plot details away, I'll sum up the story of Inception with this. A team of people use a device to go into another person's dream. While there they can do things such as extract information, or even plant ideas. That's about as far as I will go; it's the basic plot of the film that most people already know. Much like District 9 and Avatar (at least for me) the less you know about the film, the better.

Christopher Nolan, with Inception, has created a masterpiece. It's hard for me to heap such praise on the guy who has a small film resume under his name, but he has, in my opinion, 3 films that will never be forgotten. Memento, The Dark Knight and now Inception are all films that I hold in high regard. It's funny, right after The Dark Knight, I heard Nolan was planning on making Inception, instead of a third Batman film, I was a little ticked off. I wanted another Batman film, not some side project. It's ironic that I enjoyed Inception more than The Dark Knight.

Inception is a multi-layered film that has so much going on that it might seem intimidating. Yet, you never lose sense of where you are. Nolan is able to pull off this feat remarkably. People go into multiple dreams and different levels and the viewer never loses a sense of where. Nolan shows nothing but confidence and creativity in this film. It's not afraid to challenge you a little bit. I'm not saying it dives into deep philosophical issues here, but it is enough juice to get people thinking.

Inception had me giddy and smiling all the way through. It's very hard for a film to do that. There was one scene in particular, where I was not only in amazement in how utterly and ridiculously awesome it was, but how simple it was to achieve. The scene is the hallway fight sequence in which gravity no loner seems to be an issue. The simplest form is used, moving and twisting the set, and Nolan makes it look ten times better than anything else we've seen in recent years.

Nolan creates films that people really need to wrap their heads around. He is the next big thing. Hell, he is the big thing. He is the hottest director right now that has yet misstep. Nolan and his brother have created an original piece of art here, a crime caper if you will, that involves going into the subconscious. The creativity is off limits, as seen by the section of the city overlapping itself. I loved how they have taken things that you feel and think about while dreaming and incorporated it in to the film. In order to wake up you need a kick, that feeling that you're falling. I've felt it and I love that they have incorporated things like that.

There is a lot to talk about with Inception, even the ending, which in my mind was Nolan having a little bit of fun. Obviously that question would pop up sometime in the film, but Nolan knows not to go that route. I think it's there simply to get people talking while he laughs at his own little joke. In any event, I'll through my two cents in by simply saying I'm an optimist.

I hear that people aren't that big a fan of Ellen Page. I think she did fine holding her own against DiCaprio, who shines yet again much like his tortured role in Shutter Island. My one complaint about her is that she was a bit intrusive of characters and their dreams. The film feels a little bit like a Batman reunion. Michael Cain has a small role, but Cillian Murphy and Ken Watanabe both have integral parts to the story. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who I couldn't stand on 3rd Rock From The Sun, is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. Marion Cotillard has an interesting role and her performance, other than DiCaprio, has the most emotional depth to it. Every single addition to the cast is a perfect mold for this world.

I really loved this film, for it's running time, it never drags. It's always interesting and engaging the viewer. It doesn't slow down to explain things, and doesn't really need to. It might seem confusing at first, but like Ellen Page's character, the viewer is a quick learner. Inception is the best film of this year and another achievement that Nolan can be extremely proud of. I like that it's an original idea and it seems to be doing well, we need more films like Inception.

Day 82: July 21st, 2010

The Aviator



For some men, the sky was the limit. For him, it was just the beginning.

The Aviator is in one word "Fantastic". It details the life of Howard Hughes, his bizarre obsessions and his love for planes. Leonardo DiCaprio gives a great performances in one of his roles that told us how dedicated he was to his craft. It's when I really started to take notice of him and what he will be giving us in the future. The second film in which Scorsese has used him, and the most dedicated to the role.

Cate Blanchett earns herself a much deserved Academy Award for her performance and the rest of the supporting cast is fleshed out by the likes of John C. Reilly, Kate Beckinsale, Alec Baldwin, Alan Alda, Jude Law and Ian Holm. Just to name a few. Scorsese directs the film with confidence and skill. The film is very ambitious and an interesting film to complete after Gang of New York, probably his most ambitious film to date.

The music, the cinematography, everything is on a grand scale. A very solid effort from everyone involved and Scorsese's attention to detail and his dedication to the craft is marvelous. The film is a little on the long side and seems to go through predictable stages in Hughes life, even for those unfamiliar with him. The Aviator is indeed a great film, but seems to be in the shadows of Scorsese's greater films.

Nice reviews Sussy Thanks

Day 83: July 22nd, 2010

Rear Window



So Simple and Yet So Effective.

Bart Simpson breaks his leg when the family gets a new swimming pool. He is stuck in his room with a cast on his leg and he is bored out of his mind....oops wrong synopsis. Sub Jimmy Stewart for Bart Simpson and you have your story of Rear Window. L.B. 'Jeff' Jeffries suspects his neighbour has killed his own wife and tries to solve the mystery while stuck in his wheelchair. The premise is pretty simple, yet Hitchcock gives us something more with this film, he gives us exactly what our society craves voyeurism. Even to this day we can't go by without thinking or wanting or actually trying to peak into the lives of others.

Rear Window marks my fourth Hitchcock film I've seen, yet it sneaks into my favourite spot. Is it boring for someone to say that one of the more popular Hitchcock films is currently his favourite? I don't care, I know a good film when I see one and Rear Window is just that. More than 50 years later this film manages to still be relevant today and hold up successfully well in the suspense department. The recent Shia LaBeouf remake Distrubia, while a good thriller, suffers from the technology syndrome. Years from now the film will be dated with that ankle bracelet technology holding Shia in, just like the giant cell phone Zack Morris carries with him everywhere. Rear Window doesn't feel dated and this is credited to Hitchcock and his attention to detail.

I absolutely love, adore and cherish the art direction in this film. How beautiful is the set design? Knowing that they used the basement as part of the set design only heightens my enjoyment of it. The second floor of the apartments was actually the stage floor. Stunning in my opinion. The opening scene giving us a glimpse into the lives of the people who live in the apartments around Stewart is marvelous. We never go into their lives, we just see it from Stewarts (and our) viewpoint. We never leave his room, save for the ending and a scene that involves the death of a dog. Those close ups of the people listening to the lady yelling seem out of place because we immediately jump out of Stewart's room and into the open area. It's alarmingly jarring and seems out of place for no apparent reason.

Hitchcock ones again proves us that a good story (he most certainly had his hand in crafting the story) trumps everything else. How suspenseful can a film be when our hero never leaves his room, hell he never really leaves his wheelchair. Hitchcock manages to pull it off gracefully. It's nice to see where films today get their inspiration from. When the lights in the hallway go out at Stewart's apartment, I thought of No Country For Old Men. Hitchcock truly was the master of suspense.

Grace Kelly is absolutely stunning. I never really cared for the looks of the actresses of the old 50's or 60's. None of them caught my eye, Grace Kelly think is the first one to do so. I don't even think Marilyn Monroe did. Her introduction shot is graceful and most certainly memorable. I can't finish this review without mentioning Thelma Ritter. She was hilarious and everything she did felt so natural. I absolutely loved her character.

Rear Window is more suspenseful today than most thrillers that come to theatres. The little glimpses into the lives of the people around the setting is what really drew me in though, the song writer, Miss Torso, Miss Hearing Aid, and the balcony couple. These are nice little addition from the master himself, Alfred Hitchcock.

I wish I could give you ten points instead of just one for your review on Inception.

You only praise Rear Window and offer no criticisms. Yet you knocked off 2 points (on a 10 point scale). I can't go as low as an 8. That, as I see it, means that 20% of the film was bad. No. Absolutely not. I'd say maybe 5% of the film. Because it's definitely not as in depth as some other Hitchcock's I'd shave off an additional 5% for discretion. Can't believe you thought Inception was better.

__________________
"Loves them? They need them, like they need the air."

When I rate films I don't rate them on a comparative scale to others. I rate them based on their own limitations.

For example: I find The 40 Year Old Virgin hilarious, one of the funniest movies I've seen and thus rate it highly.

This is the same ratings as Rear Window, but I would never in my life compare the two films simple because they have the same rating, or think one is essentially better than the other. I laughed my ass off in Virgin, so I felt more entertained by it, but Rear Window accomplishes what few films do, keep me on the edge of my seat. Are they both films? Sure, but that doesn't mean that they are just as good as each other. Each rating I give is for that film and that film alone.

I take into account not only the story and entertainment value of the film, but the aesthetics and achievement of it as well. Star Wars was innovative and changed filmmaking, as was The Matrix. I rated 2001 A Space Odyssey a and Club Dread a . I love Club Dread, people hate it. People love 2001, yet I find it overrated and nonsensical. Yet I do know that 2001 is the 'better' film. I had a 'better' time with Club Dread. Does any of that make some sense, or have I lost all credibility.

As for criticism, I did state how Hitchcock leaving the viewpoint of Stewart during the dead dog scene was unneeded and jarring to the viewer. It in some small way tells the viewer, "yes this is a movie you are watching" and not just be another character in the room with Stewart.

You also mention I knock off two points on a ten point scale. This isn't a ten point scale, it's a 5 point scale, so it is one point. What would be the point of rating something on a 5 point scale if you should be thinking like a ten point scale? For the record, I would rate it an 8.5 on a ten point scale. Depending on how strongly I feel about certain ratings, a 7.5 for me can turn into an 8 or kept as a 7 on an IMDB rating scale for my review.

Day 84: July 23rd, 2010

2012



We Were Warned.....About How Crappy This Movie Is.

2012 is a jumbled mess of a film. Roland Emmerich stated that for his last disaster flick he wanted to make it so that no other disaster flick could come after it. Well, mission accomplished because I don't want to see anymore. Upping the disaster scale to the entire world might do well for the special effects guys, buy not the paying viewer.

2012 has a very thin plot. People must survive. Is that a plot? It's more of a story. John Cusack is one of those people and he is with his ex-wife, his two kids and their step father, whom he hates. He gets the word that disaster is going to strike when a crazy old hippie guy, Woody Harrelson (big stretch) tells him about the world crumbling beneath our feet. This happens and the poop hits the fan. It seems that every single person in California dies, except for this one group. Why might you ask? Apparently Cusack, who is not only a writer, but a limo driver, has the skills and the vehicle power (a limo) to outrun global destruction.

Emmerich is not that bad of a director. He is often compared to Michael Bay for choosing big scale productions and not caring about story or characters. 2012 is the perfect example of this. In his earlier film, Independence Day, he gave us big explosions and aliens to shoot. Characters were lacking but the charisma of Will Smith, the character actor of Jeff Goldblum and Randy Frickin Quaid gave us something to smile at. John Cusack is wooden, Amanda Peet cries and a big Russian guy speaks with a thick accent. We are given zero, nadda, not even an inch of anything interesting to care about these characters. Why do I care if they live? Why do I want to spend the next 90 plus minutes with them. The answer is you don't. I wanted to spend my time with Woody I'm higher than a kite right now Harrelson.

The film is really just an excuse for the special effects guys to do their thing. Yet this is also a hit or miss. Sometimes it's actually entertaining and interesting to see the world fall beneath your feet. Other times it's painfully obvious how fake everything is. Check out the grocery store scene when the entire store literally splits in half. It's like the green screen was done in the 80's. The big event happens while Cusack and co and driving through the thick of it. They drive through buildings, jump obstacles, get covered in human feces. You read that right.

The children cry and are annoying. The older son doesn't seem to respect his dad, he calls him by his first name and not dad. Yet of course, because the world is about to end, he re- evaluates his outlook on his flawed hero of a father and calls him dad. He even risks his life to be with him. The daughter just tries to not wet her bed. The step father is a nice guy, yet for some reason who are told to hate him. The conclusion of his character is sad and a pathetic excuse to get the torn family back together. Am I really ruining anything for you?

Danny Glover is the president...remember the last time Hollywood had a black president, I think there was a giant asteroid heading towards the earth. Is Hollywood trying to tell us that we are doomed the day a black man becomes president. I wonder when that day will come...oops.

A side plot involving rich people being the ones who will be saved is tiresome. The film tries to villainize a rational man. 2012 tries to make you believe that it's a small world, all these people who meet at one point will meet again. This is suppose to be WORLD DESTRUCTION. There is another problem, too many characters to not care about. Are we really suppose to care about George Segal and the conflict with his son that lasts all about 3 minutes?

2012 is a blunder, a disaster of a disaster film. Bigger is not always better. It lacks the science, logic and intelligence it needs to be taken with any credibility. Universal Soldier, Stargate and Independence Day are all entertaining flicks in my mind. Everything since has been crap, let's just name those films off shall we? Godzilla? The Patriot? The Day After Tomorrow? 10,000 B.C. God, I forgot that film even existed. 2012 was a film to see in the theatres for the loud sound and big screen special effects. Now that the theatre time has passed, there is no point in seeing it.

Day 85: July 24th, 2010

The Score



There are no partners in crime.

DeNiro is a thief and a very good one at that. He gets jobs thrown his way from Marlon Brando, but he wants out. Isn't that always the case? Brando says he has one more job for him, DeNiro agrees to do one last job. Again, isn't that always the case? Ed Norton is also in on the plan, much to the dislike of DeNiro. They have to steal a scepter that is worth a lot of money. But can they trust each other?

The Score was an interesting film because it brought together 4 generations of actors. Brando, DeNiro and Norton. All three very talented and gifted actors in one film? Must be a recipe for success. Frank Oz, most famous for his business with the Muppets was directing. Now, the film isn't bad, but it isn't great either. The biggest problem is that the film doesn't try to be anything more than a simple crime caper flick.

Again, it has 3 great actors from different generations. All of them are pretty intense and serious about their craft, yet non of them are used to their full potential. Brando sits around and shows up to chat up with DeNiro here and there and DeNiro himself doesn't make a very believable thief. He has that no nonsense attitude down, but we've seen that before when he was on the run from Pacino in Heat. Norton is given a little bit to work with as he plays two roles, the other is one of a mentally challenged cover act who works the place they plan to steal the scepter from. Norton is the one out of the three given the most interesting character with the biggest struggle.

Frank Oz directs it with no special flare. It could have been anyone behind that lens and I wouldn't have cared. There was no stamp of originality or sense of ownership. It was pretty much like Deniro's character traits. Safe and simple. Nothing fancy, nothing risky. The scenes with suspense seem to be mildly interesting and you never feel the threat of danger. Oz was able to handle to 3 actors fine, but again, could have done so much more. I can't fault the script because that was the story going into it. He had the chance to make it special and beef it up, but chose not to.

The Score is decent and as far as heist films go, it was manageable. The film basically no violence in it whatsoever, which was interesting to see, specifically in this era. It tried to rely on character, performance and story to intrigue. It works to a certain point, but when you have so much going for you, it's hard to live up to that expectation. The Score fails to dazzle and it decides to work on a more moderate level.

Day 86: July 25th, 2010

Jurassic Park



Classic Filmmaking And Entertainment.

What? Dinosaurs are cloned and are running amok in an amusement park? Well, that can't be good. Something must go wrong. Well, something does go wrong, thanks a lot Newman. Know the guests who are at the park before it opens to the public are fresh meat for the so called extinct species.

Spielberg in his hey day, cranking out a film that defined a generation and changed the way special effects are used in films. Jurassic Park is a nail biting, amazement that dazzles and makes you smile with glee. If Superman made you believe a man can fly, then Jurassic Park made you believe we can re-create dinosaurs. Never before have dinosaurs looked so life like and realistic on the screen. Say whatever you want about the special effects today, I still like them, in 1993 it gave audiences and Hollywood something to gawk at.

Three doctors are invited to the preview tour of the park. Sam Neil, Laura Dern and of course the one guy you want to play a doctor/scientist, Jeff Glodblum. While on the tour, a major storm hits and the power goes down. It doesn't help that Wayne Knight is trying to steal the embryos to make some ca-ching. Well, those dinosaurs who eat meat eventually escape and we are in for a thrilling ride. Our first introduction to the T-REX stands as one of the best introductions and visual film achievements to this day.

The cast do well together and the kids aren't AS ANNOYING as they use to be. They still make me grind my teeth though. As a kid, this film was all about the raptor chase sequence. Others seemed to like everything with the T-REX. Either or, every scene that has a dinosaurs is indeed spectacular. A giant leap forward in filmmaking, from a technical standpoint.

A great theme song to tie things up and we have ourself a blockbuster film that doesn't disappoint on repeat viewings. It is still today, as good as it was back in the day. It might seem a bit dated when our little heroine decides to use the computer and we see how freaking basic everything is, but Jurassic Park is a flick that should be seen by everyone looking for a good time at the movies.

Day 87: July 26th, 2010

The Lost World: Jurassic Park



Something has survived.

Think we saw the last of those pesky dinosaurs from the original Jurassic Park? Think again. This time around we are going to another island, called Site B. It's here where the dinosaurs actually run free, no cages. Which means that the filmmakers have up the ante a bit. Our humans are stuck on this island while another group of humans decide to go hunting. For some strange reason the film finishes with the T-REX running around San Diego.

How can a film live up to the original? The first was such a huge moment in blockbuster history. Well we are giving no Sam Neil and more Jeff Goldblum. The sequel, is a little too ambitious that it loses itself in all of its grandeur. How could they raise the stakes in this film? Well, for one they thrown the characters into a world that they have absolutely no control over. No cages, no wires or buildings. This is a natural and free environment, this is the dino-environment. Second, we have a freaking T-REX run around San Diego. Yup, to raise the stakes they needed to bring one of those guys back. In a way it feels like a failed King Kong experiment.

The Lost World gives fans what they wanted, more raptors. Yet these raptors are different, more deadly apparently. Velociraptors, yippie, yet they can be taken out by a little girl because she is also a gymnast. Yes, people still moan about that scene and there is a good reason for it. It is utterly ridiculous. I can forgive a character being scared of a snake and getting killed by the Rex, but not that damn gymnastic scene.

Vince Vaughn is in this flick and I think after this and Psycho, he decided that comedy was his one and only place to be. Sure he tried again with The Cell and Domestic Disturbance, but both films failed. He's not bad here, but he also seems out of his element. I wouldn't mind seeing him in another film like this though, give him another chance, but his strong elements are clearly comedy.

Lost World is not as great as the original, but it's also not the travesty people make it out to be. There are many parts in the film that don't live up to the expectations it sets out for itself. The San Diego sequence is insane and you either love it or hate it. I remember seeing this film in the theatres when I was a kid, my opinion of it has lessened since then. I was 10 then, I'm 22 now. It almost feels like the Temple of Doom of the series. It's something kids love but adults seem to roll their eyes at. But that would have to make Jurassic Park III good, when it's just like this one, mediocre.