Cobpyth's Film Reviews

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There are three reasons why I didn't care about her.

1) Her stupidity
2) I wanted a stronger performance
3) I wanted somebody more beautiful. I didn't find her attractive at all.

Imo, the movie's biggest flaw is Nancy Allen.
Well, that's exactly why I disagree.
I personally think Sally's character wouldn't have worked without the stupidity or with a stronger performance. She's supposed to be weak and stupid and that's why I sympathize with her.

She may not be the most beautiful girl ever, but I sure think she's handsome enough. I guess it's a matter of taste.



I absolutely love both Brazil and Blow Out. Allen gets a lot of stick for her performance and even though I don't think it's particularly great, Travolta and Lithgow are stronger for me, I still didn't mind it and like you said I think it works well because of the innocence of her character.
__________________



Blow Out is a remake or, as it's De Palma, an "homage" to Blow Up. I didn't like either of them.
I have to disagree. It's nowhere near a remake. The only similarity between both movies was the fact that both the main characters discover a murder because of their creative job (in Blowup a photographer and in Blow Out a sound recordist).

Besides that the story is COMPLETELY different. In Blowup we get a nihilistic, arty erotic tale and in Blow Out we get a dramatic conspiracy thriller. So it's nowhere near a remake, in my opinion.



OK, according to IMDB, it's a reinterpretation of Blow Up. However, when that gimmick is the film, I don't see a great deal of difference. One is a dull, tedious film, so defined by its time that it probably looked dated 2 or 3 years later, let alone 20 or 30 and more. While the other is De Palma. So, it tries to be more than it is and, in this case, fails, IMO.

Don't worry, I'm more than aware that I'm in the minority on this one.



OK, according to IMDB, it's a reinterpretation of Blow Up. However, when that gimmick is the film, I don't see a great deal of difference. One is a dull, tedious film, so defined by its time that it probably looked dated 2 or 3 years later, let alone 20 or 30 and more. While the other is De Palma. So, it tries to be more than it is and, in this case, fails, IMO.

Don't worry, I'm more than aware that I'm in the minority on this one.
But not alone....I like Antonioni and appreciate much of Blow Up, but it does get wearisome.

The last time I tried to watch Blow Out I stopped because I found it to be awful - acting, plot, just about everything.

I've liked a few of De Palma's movies, but I feel he is overrated as a director.



Reviews of the day:

Anything Else (2003)

I don't think I'll ever find a movie made by Woody Allen that I completely dislike. This is the nineteenth Allen picture I watched and once again it was a funny film with some good dialogue and some hilarious moments. It is, however, nowhere near his best work.

The plot revolves around a guy, named Jerry Falk (played by Jason Biggs), who is a comedy writer. He is extremely in love with a girl, Amanda (Christina Ricci) and he tells us a little about his life by regularly breaking the fourth wall.
While his relationship with Amanda is getting worse, he tells us a little about the history of the relationship in flashbacks and also about the other problems in his life.
David Dobel (Woody Allen), also a comedy writer, becomes a kind of crazy mentor for Jerry during the course of the movie and together they talk about life while walking through Central Park. Dobel gives Jerry advice and helps him to do some necessities so Jerry can turn around his degrading (love and career) life.

Because the film is filled with clever comedy and a 'full' storyline, the film holds your attention the whole time. In my opinion, however, it lacked some real and serious drama to support the comic scenes. Allen tried to put some elements of drama in it, but he refuses to actually deal with them. I like Allen's work better when he's a little more cynical or darker.
In this film he couldn't strike me because I didn't really care about the characters' faith. This was mainly due to the fact that the characters don't really care about themselves either (or so it seems).

I still was able to like the movie because of the dialogue. Allen's character, for example, constantly nails conversations with funny jokes. It's actually the only character that really appealed to me in this whole movie, mainly because he's the only one that delivers some insightful, Allen-like one liners (although he's absurdly crazy at some other points).
It was all in all a pretty enjoyable watch, but without the real magic that Allen is capable of creating.
I rate this movie:

+














Reviews of the day:

Swingers (1996)

I liked this stylish cult film. It's a pretty realistic comedy/drama with some good laughs and a few deeper moments. It's a story about lifestyle, friendship, broken relationships and picking up girls.

The main character is Mike (Jon Favreau). He broke up with his longterm girlfriend (they were together for 6 years) and after 6 months, he's still not over her. His friends, Trent (Vince Vaughn), Rob and Sue, try to help him and take him out to some parties, so he can get 'back in the game'.
First he goes on a trip to Las Vegas with Trent. There he's still too depressed about his former girlfriend, so he can't 'close' the girl he was about to sleep with.
After that we get to see several nights out with them. They visit some stylish, neo-lounge nightclubs and bars and they have a good time (and a little bit drama). Only Mike seems not to fit in completely. He tries to find his own personality and style back during the period of the movie, so he can start his life over again...

My favorite character was Trent. I like Vince Vaughn very much. I think he has a certain charisma and it doesn't seem like he tries to be funny when doing comedy. Here he also has one of the most awkwardly funny scenes I've ever seen (the final scene).
Jon Favreau also did a good job, but I couldn't really connect that much with his character. I thought he was being a total softy and a weeper unti the moment he finally discovered his normal personality again. He was still a friendly guy, though.
I also liked two scenes in particular in this movie. We see the friends often talk to eachother about movies and the filmmakers of this movie actually copied two very famous scenes they talk about! First they did the Reservoir Dogs walking scene and a little bit later they copied the famous steadicam shot in Goodfellas, while entering a nightclub through the kitchen. I like that kind of stuff! The movie had was full of these little film jokes. Another funny thing was that the Jaws theme song plays whenever someone wants to approach a girl. Hilarious stuff!
It was an enjoyable flick overall and it had its good moments, so I rate it:

+

















City Lights (1931)

WONDERFUL! This is the third Chaplin movie I've seen (I already saw The Circus and The Great Dictator) and this may be his best yet. It's a brilliant mix between slapstick humor and romantic drama with one of the most famous movie characters of all time, Charlie Chaplin's 'The Tramp'.

The Tramp is walking around in the city and suddenly he sees a blind girl selling flowers. He gives her his last money, because she's so beautiful and so sweet and he immediately falls in love with her.
After this meeting, in the evening, he sees a drunk man trying to commit suicide by throwing himself in the water with a rope connected to a rock. He saves the man and he gets invited to the man's home. He seems to be an eccentric millionaire and when The Tramp convinces the millionaire that life is worth living for, they go to a night club and get drunk.
When they arrive back at the house, early in the morning, The Tramp sees the blind girl again and he decides to buy all her flowers with some cash he gets from the extremely drunk millionaire.
During the story, the girl also falls in love with him and The Tramp decides to help her, so she can pay an operation for her eyes. There are some complexities, though. The millionaire only seems to know The Tramp when he's drunk and the flower girl thinks The Tramp is actually a very rich man. She also has to pay the rent for her apartment very quickly or she and her grandmother will land on the street...

This wonderful tale is brought to us in a funny, yet very charming way with some wonderful (sometimes touching) acting by everyone who's involved in the movie and of course the famous, pefectly fitting music, composed by Charlie Chaplin himself.
This film is the result of great filmmaking and it shows us how much of a genius Chaplin was directing-, writing- and acting-wise. This film is a silent masterpiece.
I rate it:

-




















Reviews of the day:

Mission: Impossible (1996)

This was a pretty enjoyable popcorn flick. It's well directed by De Palma and Cruise gives a solid performance as Ethan Hunt. It's mainly an action movie with a lot of twists.

Jim Phelps (Jon Voight) and his secret agent team are planning an operation to uncover a criminal organisation who wants to steal the NOC list with all the identities of the secret agents.
During the operation, something goes wrong and everyone seems to get killed, except for Ethan. After that, he meets the CIA officer, Eugene Kittridge, and he tells Ethan the whole operation was actually a test to find a mole inside the secret agent service. Because Ethan is the only one who survived, he suddenly becomes the main suspect. Ethan escapes from being arrested and from that moment on, he has to find the real mole to clear his own name...

The film was a little confusing at times and the characters don't always act in the smartest way, but there is plenty of entertainment to make up for that. My favorite scene was when Ethan tries to break into the CIA vault to get the real list with the help of two other disavowed agents. It's a scene with a lot of suspense and I was literally nail biting during that whole moment.
Besides some good action moments and some enjoyable twists in the story, there wasn't too much substance in this movie, though. The characters are extremely flat and so is the story, to be honest.
It was still a pretty entertaining flick, so I rate it:

+



















Duck Soup (1933)

This is a classic, acclaimed comedy featuring the Marx Brothers.
If you're looking for some good laughs in the form of slapstick comedy and a script full of hilarious puns, this is THE movie for you. This film is literally one big compilation of jokes and sketches with a supordinate main story to hold everything together.

The story is pretty simple.
Mrs. Teasdale (played by Margaret Dumont, known as the ultimate straight lady) is a rich and powerful woman, who is called to finance the bankrupt state of Freedonia. She dethrones the current government and she appoints the rude Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx) as the new leader of the nation, because she seems to have a big crush on him.
The ambassador of the neigbouring Sylvania tries to win the heart of Mrs. Teasdale so he can rule over both countries and he hires two (extremely stupid and funny) 'spies' to infiltrate in Freedonia's powerful circles.
When Firefly offends the ambassador at a party, the two states declare war to eachother.

The story is obviously not the most important thing in this movie. It's just a vehicle for the comedy and it doesn't really contribute that much substance to the film. Nevertheless, Duck Soup got banned in Italy under Mussolini, because of the supposed satiric comments this movie has to offer.
The movie is also very fast paced. The brothers really throw their lines at the audience and perform their slaptick jokes in a very fluent way.

This was my second Marx Brothers movie and I have to say that I'm a bigger fan of A Night at the Opera. This movie may be funnier in a certain way, but for me it didn't have the charm of my first Marx Brothers experience. I know some people may not like cheesy, romantic scenes or songs between the hilarious jokes, but I feel like I need some small intermissions between the load of sketches, because otherwise it gets a little too much.
Luckily there were a few musical moments (for instance the wonderful courtroom music scene) in Duck Soup to make everything a little lighter, but I wanted two or three more of these moments to make this movie ideal for my preferences. These small intermezzi are the reason why I liked A Night at the Opera a tiny bit more.
This classic comedy still was a great and memorable experience and I think I will even like it better after a second watch. For the present, I rate this movie:

+
















I think Duck Soup is my favourite Marx Brothers movie, but I often speed through the musical bits.

I'd recommend Horse Feathers or A Day At The Races for your next Marx Brothers experience. That said, you should check out Everyone Says I Love You, as I saw you had that up next.



I'd recommend Horse Feathers or A Day At The Races for your next Marx Brothers experience. That said, you should check out Everyone Says I Love You, as I saw you had that up next.
I'm watching it tonight. Thanks for the recommendations!



Reviews of the day:

Modern Times (1936)

Chaplin once again pleased me with an incredibly charming comedy! This film has some of the most entertaining comedy scenes I've ever witnessed and just like his other movies, it has a large portion of pathos.
Chaplin is the big star, but his leading girl, Paulette Goddard (who became his wife), also gives an exciting performance as the poor orphan girl. She certainly has one of the sweetest smiles in the history of cinema.

The movie starts with two stories. First of all there is the story of The Tramp character. He works in a factory, but he's affected by a mental breakdown, because of all the hard work and the pressure of his job. He goes completely nuts and they bring him to the madhouse.
When he's out, the police mistakes him for a communist leader, because he's accidentally running in front of a rebellion with a red flag and he ends up in jail.
In prison, he saves the guards from an assault, while he's accidentally on coke and after that, his stay in jail becomes rather pleasant. When he has to leave, he's unhappy, and he decides to get back into prison.
Meanwhile there is a young girl, who has to steal to survive. When her father is killed during a strike, her younger sisters are brought to an institution, but she escapes from the law.
A little bit later in the movie, the two stories come together and both the characters try to face the modern world together as a team...

This film has some of the best slapstick humor I've ever seen and some remarkable stunts. One of the best scenes is when The Tramp is rollerskating in the department store. It's amazing how much control Chaplin has over his own moving. This man was unbelievably talented! There where plenty of other great comedy scenes to enjoy in this film (The Tramp even sings at the end)!
The story of two outlaws trying to fit in the modern world, also grabs me. The film shows every person as a part of the machine that is society (sheeps). The two main characters are the only two looking for something more and are obviously not made for this emotionless and mechanical life. Their creativity and real talents surface at the end, but the law prevents them from living the life they want.
I loved every single bit of this movie and after much consideration I decided that it's equal to City Lights. I can't decide what's my absolute favorite Chaplin movie so far. I also rate this film:

-























I've watched a few movies since my last review, but I didn't have the time to write about them yet, because of some family celebrations and because I have to study for my finals. So my reviews will be a lot shorter and without all the images for the next two months. I'll just give my short opinion and rating for each new movie I watch.

These are the short reviews of the new movies I've seen since my last post:

It Happened One Night (1934)



I liked this classic comedy! It's funny and charming and the performances of the two main characters are great. The story has its flaws, but the sweetness of the movie makes up for it. It's in no ways a masterpiece in my book, but it's easy to see why it has remained such a classic. I rate this movie:

(-)

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Everyone Says I Love You (1996)



This is a classic Woody Allen movie, but in a musical form. I liked it! It's hilarious and sweet with some slightly dark edges and that's the way it should be. Some parts of the story may seem a little absurd or out of place, but they add to the humoristic effectiveness of the whole, so I didn't mind. The movie also contains a few memorable songs. I rate this movie:

-

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The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)



This is one of the Coen Brothers' least acclaimed films, but I liked it! It's a stylish comedy full of twists and turns. It has an ingenious script and some great characters. Paul Newman steals the show with an awesome performance as the cigar smoking villain. Tim Robbins is also pretty good, but I can see why some people would think that his character is sometimes a little annoying and stupid. Jennifer Jason Leigh also does a wonderful job as the fast talking female lead. "Sure, sure", this is a great movie!

(-)

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Ponyo (2008)



This is yet again a sweet, magical and abstract movie by Miyazaki. The visuals are also incredible. Sometimes it wasn't completely clear what actually was going on, though. Especially the motives of the character Fujimoto were a little ambiguous, in my opinion. In the end, however, there is enough closure for me to grab the complete picture. It's by no means Miyazaki's best film, but it's still a very interesting trip!

+

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Kick-Ass (2010)



Well, this movie was just plain badass. The Hit-Girl character, for instance, is one of the coolest I've seen in quite a while. It's mainly a pseudo-realistic comic crime movie. The action sequences are top notch and I loved the mix between more comical subplots and the more dramatic ones. I enjoyed the overall concept of the film and I think it was all very well executed. I was entertained throughout the whole picture and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

(-)



+ rep for liking an HK 100 film.

I can't say I'm much of a fan of The Hudsucker Proxy, though it's an ok film. However, while I've not seen it for a long time, I'm not a fan of the screwball comedy.



Ghostbusters (1984)



I finally saw this comedy classic and it was indeed a funny movie. Some scenes in this movie are absolutely hilarious. Especially Bill Murray's character steals the show, but also the transformed Sigourney Weaver character was a screamer. The story is original and the script is really brave. They even dared to put a giant marshmallow man in the movie (which became a very famous scene). Ghostbusters is great popcorn fun, without any real substance (and it doesn't need it).

+

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Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001)



This is a very well made sci-fi picture by Steven Spielberg. I love the created futuristic world and I like some small ideas in it, like for example the robotic Gigolo Joe (Jude Law) playing romantic old songs while seducing a female client.
The film itself is pretty melodramatic, but it is sweet and kind and (for me) certainly not over the top. It works because it's quite logical that a robotic child, created only to love his mother, can only have one purpose in his existence, so his quest for love feels real and is perfectly fitting.
You get an original new world, some interesting characters (even if they're only robots) and a touching story about a 'child' looking for love and acceptance. I think it's a wonderful film, so I rate it:

(-)

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American History X (1998)



I liked this movie. There were a few first class scenes in it (the opening scene for example) and the story was interesting enough to keep my attention. Edward Norton's performance was also brilliant and in particular his black and white scenes were absolutely top notch. The hate of his character could practically be read in his eyes.
The themes of the movie were, however, brought out a little bit too excessive sometimes, in my opinion. There were nazi tattoos, a very large group of extreme racists, etc. that made the message of 'hate/racism is bad' a little bit too obvious. In particular the scene where Derek's former fat best friend is ready to shoot him and his former girlfriend screams for his death, after Derek wants to leave his old life behind, was a little bit over the top and perhaps unrealistic (certainly because he was seen as a 'legend' several minutes prior to that scene). I was looking for a little bit more nuance there. That would have been more interesting and real to me.
It was still a very good film with a lot of great scenes, though! I'm giving it a well deserved:

(-)

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Iron Man (2008)



I never saw a Marvel superhero film before this one (if you don't count the Spiderman Trilogy), because I always found the characters less appealing (again, besides Spiderman) than the DC characters. I decided to give it a try and I have mixed feelings.
I liked the main characters and the performances in this film. Tony Stark (played by the charismatic Robert Downey Jr.) is very likable; Pepper Potts (played by the extremely cute Gwyneth Paltrow) is gorgeous; and Jeff Bridges' character is also pretty cool.
I didn't think it was always entertaining, though. We had Tony Stark building himself a suit for the first act of the film in a cave in Afghanistan. This part was kinda dragging and not really interesting to me. After that it became bit better. The best moments of the film were the 'electric' scenes between Downey Jr. and Paltrow, who have great chemistry together! Iron Manalso has some interesting action scenes and some good laughs. It's a brainless movie, but because of the likable characters, we still care for what happens next, so my rating is:



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Gangster Squad (2013)



Besides the great scenery and some entertaining moments, this movie doesn't really have that much to offer. The story was pretty weak, the dialogue was cheesy most of the time, the acting of the all star cast was pretty empty, apart maybe from Penn, who tried to create a threatening villain, but fell flat and seemed over the topbecause of the weak script. I can't really say I was bored, though, because there were plenty of stylish things to look at, but it all lacked substance. I rate it:

(-)

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Miller's Crossing (1990)




This was my fourteenth Coen film (I only have to see The Ladykillers now) and it's one of their most serious films. I liked it a lot. The film is mainly a mix between film noir and the gangster genre. It puts a film noir kind of character, Tom Reagan (very well played by Gabriel Byrne), in the middle of an (approaching) gang war.
It worked perfectly! There were a lot of interesting twists and the script and dialogue are first rate (what else did you expect from the Coen Brothers?). Hell, I even got a few dark laughs during this predominantly dramatic story.
Besides the story itself, there are of course the fantastic visuals which contribute to the lugubrious atmosphere of the film. A great piece of directing.
I rate this film: