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U-Turn
(1997)
Dir. Oliver Stone
Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Lopez, Nick Nolte


I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be taking this film seriously or not, but it was really hard not to laugh at the ridiculous events on screen. Some of the comedy I found in the film didn't seem intentional, but I like to think that Oliver Stone knew what he was doing and that
U-Turn was supposed to have a comedic (although dark) nature to it. I found Sean Penn to be really entertaining, however Jennifer Lopez was absolutely horrible, but unfortunately not in a “so bad it's funny” kind of way.

Halfway through the film, when some more noir elements of the plot started to come into play, I started to loose interest. It was trying to be tense, but I just wasn't really buying it (probably because I was laughing too much at the start of the film and the tone difference seemed abrupt). I found myself constantly checking how much longer was left, which is never a good thing. However, the lacklustre final act really redeems itself for me with an ending that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The film started with a smile, and ended with one. I appreciated the almost cyclical nature of the plot, and for most of it, I was entertained. The supporting cast was really good, and really help make up for the few grievances I have with the film as a whole.
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I unexpectedly had just enough time this evening to watch U-Turn and finish my write-up.

I'll have to double check, but I think I just have Hiroshima mon Amour and Joe left to watch now, plus a review for Casablanca. I might be able to finish those this weekend, however I am going to go see Split on Friday, and we might be getting a snow storm this weekend, so unfortunately I might have to spent my time shovelling instead of watching movies haha.



Wow. Think we disagreed on U Turn quite a bit while probably coming out liking about the same there, Cosmic.

I'm not sure which parts were supposed to be intentionally funny or not but i didn't really care i laughed alot. Some of it was definitely supposed to be absurd like everything with the mechanic and TNT which both started early in the film.



I thought she was solid; she was supposed to be seductive and untrustworthy, i think she pulled both off well. And i'm no fan of hers; i remember i read how she was good in Out of Sight then i watched it and she was terrible.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
Haven't seen U-Turn since it first came out and I remember enjoying JLo's character. Will have to see when I rewatch it if I still do.
__________________
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~Mr Minio



The thing isolated becomes incomprehensible
Jesus!!! Why people finish these things so quickly now? Not long ago, we we used to need extra weeks and half of the people were out before the thing finished! Not that I am complaining but something really changed!



FYI for everyone, I don't think this has been mentioned...but this time around there's more movies and less overall time to watch them, with a total length of 69 days. So at 10 weeks from when it started, with 14 movies to watch, that averages 1.4 movie a week. So get watching



Tyler isn't here! Tyler went away! Tyler's gone!
Jesus!!! Why people finish these things so quickly now? Not long ago, we we used to need extra weeks and half of the people were out before the thing finished! Not that I am complaining but something really changed!
Guess as long as people finish in time it doesn't matter. I also noticed a few ppl are doing multiple tournaments at once, so some probably finished quickly to get this out of the way....



I picked up Casablanca, Withnail & I, and City of Lost Children from the library. I also still have The Man from Nowhere from my last library trip. Hopefully I'll get at least a couple of these watched this weekend.



Let the night air cool you off
Y Tu Mamá También


WARNING: spoilers below
I was very curious about what all the spoilers were about before hand, because this didn't seem like a "twisty" movie. I stopped thinking about the spoilers as I became further and further engrossed. Then the two boys started kissing, and I realized at the moment what the spoilers were all about. I definitely wasn't expecting it, but perhaps I should have with how often the boys kept saying "queer" (that's what my subtitles said, but I've seen others say they were saying "******" or "homo"). Not that I think all young guys who use those words are closeted homosexuals. Those lines weren't in there just to make them seem realistic, they served a purpose. I have a friend who is Mexican, and she tells me that Mexico is a place where homosexuality very frowned upon. She says she knows this from conversations with relatives who live there still. I can only take her word for it, but it would make sense at that moment that these young men who have grown up thinking this way would not be able to stomach being around each other after that moment. Whether or not they were actually gay is beside the point. They were in a high tension and angry position with each other, and perhaps this was just how those feelings wound up manifesting themselves. Or with Luisa as a conduit it is possible that they both allowed themselves to release their true feelings for one another.

The Luisa spoiler, which has received less mention, is equally important. It was a little more obvious because people aren't shown going to the doctor unless they are going to die soon or they can no longer have children. When the woman was talking to Luisa about her being the right age to have children, I began to think that was the case. But when the conversation with the two boys about living forever took place, I knew I was wrong.


It might not seem totally realistic that a very attractive older woman would want to go on a road trip with a couple of punk boys who she knows only really want to sleep with her, but then again maybe it is if she can see in those boys what they can not see in themselves. The camera work is never flashy, and it feels quite real. Mexico is the perfect setting for this movie, as the terrain is very gritty, and it's not a polished place. As far as movie settings go, it makes it feel real. The sexually explicit nature of this film also strongly lends itself to the realism. The sex isn't glamorized. It's real. This film is real. And this film is really good. Good nomination, Camo.



Joe (Avildsen, 1970)

Not a fan of this one, though Peter Boyle was real good and his character interesting. This seemed like one of those cheesy 1970s black exploitation films, only it's more like hippie exploitation. I thought the first 30 minutes with the silly caricature dope dealer was meant to be comical. He was kind of funny, reminded me of Huggy Bear from the old Starsky and Hutch TV show.

The production was low budget, but far worse was some of the actors were horrible. You can literally hear them reading their lines, they're that flat.

I had to laugh when the two nice blonde girls are buying heroin from the jive talking drug dealer....and they're so upbeat about it! I liked their negotiation skills! Actually that might have been the best part of the movie.



Jesus!!! Why people finish these things so quickly now? Not long ago, we we used to need extra weeks and half of the people were out before the thing finished! Not that I am complaining but something really changed!
Some of us have no lives and nothing better to do.



Tyler isn't here! Tyler went away! Tyler's gone!
Jesus!!! Why people finish these things so quickly now? Not long ago, we we used to need extra weeks and half of the people were out before the thing finished! Not that I am complaining but something really changed!
Some of us have no lives and nothing better to do.
I concur..... With regret