Movie Tab II

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Anyone who loves a good love story should see this one. Audrey Hepburn is perfect as one of the most memorable movie characters. The movie is just good fun at times, but it beautifully switches to a drama. The script and supporting cast great too.

Out of Time

This one started off sorta slow, but when the mystery finally got started, the suspense was pretty good. Denzel and the rest of the cast turn in good performances. Usually with this sort of plot, there are lots of holes, but I think this one steers clear of that. Plenty of tense moments.

Live Free or Die Hard

One of the things I like about a series is the development of a character, but this film didn't really do that. There was plenty of opportunity to give McClane a little more depth in this one, but instead it just tries to out-do the stunts in the previous film. While all the movies in the series were pretty far-fetched, this one takes the cake and even comes off kind of silly. Other than that, there is some good dialouge and acting. If you're a Die Hard fan, this one isn't a bad watch.

The Shawshank Redemption

This is not just a movie, but a film. Excellent performances for terrific characters. A great storyline and dialouge. The ending was perfect. A must-see selection.

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The Quick and the Dead (1995) (Rewatch)

Yeah, yeah - this movie is not at all historically accurate and is way over the top, but who gives a ****? It is so much fun - Gunfights, cool outfits, fun characters, great cast - and you have to expect over-the-top from the guy behind The Evil Dead trilogy. Russell Crowe looks awesome (and hot) as outlaw-badass-turned-preacher-turned-badass in chains Cort (as opposed to his equally hot Bible-quoting-outlaw-badass in chains Ben Wade in his other Western, 3:10 to Yuma). Little baby Leonardo DiCaprio is so adorable as The Kid. Gene Hackman is wonderfully hateable as John Herrod. And Sharon Stone is sexy and surprisingly believable as the woman on a mission for revenge. This is the movie I recommend to anybody who says they don't like Westerns or, really, anybody who likes fun movies.

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Inglourious Basterds

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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

Get Real (1998)

Although there aren't many surprises here, this is a very well done coming out story that centers around a high school boy named Steven. Out only to his best friend, Linda (though the other students have their suspicions and many of the jocks take pleasure in tormenting him), Steven's only real sexual experiences have been with random strangers he's picked up in a public bathroom. That changes when - on the lookout for the next random stranger - he ends up with the school's star athlete. But the other boy, John, is very confused about his sexuality and uncertain how to deal with it - leading him to hurt Steven emotionally and even physically.

Well acted (particularly by the young man who play John) and engaging all around - with a nice mix of humor and heartache - this is definitely worth watching.

Inglourious Basterds



Once Upon A Time....In Nazi Occupied France opens the film in the first chapter (a signature Tarantino style) of this WWII film in which Jewish American soldiers, who've deemed themselves "The Basterds", ambush and scalp Nazi's. Their story intertwines with another in which a Jewish girl survives an attack on her family and lives among the Germans as a French theatre owner. The theatre in which numerous high ranking German officials will be at, a theatre that "The Basterds" will be at.

Tarantino is a favourite director of mine, not the top, but he's up there. Many people complain he simply rips off older, better films. I say nay. He is inspired by them because he loves cinema so much. Any interview with the guy will prove his vast film knowledge, a knowledge that he has used in his film-making, giving us some of the best films of the 90's. He doesn't have many films under his belt, but the ones their are all highly praised and one even earned him an Oscar. He is able to mix different genres well and is competent in each one. His last 3 films were a throwback to grindhouse features, a two part revenge story that mixes the spaghetti western and the Asian martial arts and finally a novel adaptation. Yet his praise is mostly in his writing, which is why he has an Oscar in the first place.

Inglorious Basterds is yet another film from Tarantino in which he mixes violence with characters who seem too cool for school. Brad Pitt plays Aldo Raine, the leader of the Basterds and one who can speak almost fluent Italian. He has a scar around his neck, yet it is never answered as to why, and he seems to be having too good a time here, killing Nazi's. He enlists 8 men to be apart of his squad of Basterds, along with his 2nd in command (I'm assuming) Donny Donowitz, played by Eli Roth. Who for once does not annoy me. His best scene involves the most brutal part of the film, reminiscent of Pesci's scene in Casino. Two more men join the Basterds, one is Til Schweiger, who is famous for killing 13 Nazi's in cruel and inhuman ways. The second is Michael Fassbender, a Scottish soldier posing as a German to initiate Operation Kino. A secret mission that will involve explosions and death. Seems like a lot of "Basterds" to keep track of, and it was. Tarantino loses half of them half way through. Missing scenes from trailers would indicate there was more story for each of them, but for the film as it stands now, it's incomplete. These characters are forgettable faces, this film needed more time with it's title characters.

In a Tarantino flick you can guarantee a couple things and getting good performances from his actors is definitely one of them. Brad Pitt is hilarious as Aldo and Roth is menacing as Donowitz. The short scenes with the Basterds are good, good enough to want more and feel disappointed when you don't get it. Krueger, from National Treasure fame, plays a famous actress working for the English, posing as a German. She has a thick accent and pulls off her scenes quite well. I didn't find her annoying at all, and even though Mélanie Laurent does a decent job as the Jewish girl posing as a French woman, her subplot with a German Private is boring and almost forgettable. It's not till the ending of this sub plot does it become remotely interesting, but it seems too late. The stand out is without a doubt is Christoph Waltz, playing a German who is nicknamed "The Jew Hunter". He plays the guy with enough kindness to make him creepy and enough crazy to make him fearful.

This film tells two different stories that meet up at the end. Each one has their own fair share of subplots, that seem to distract from more time with the Basterds. There are numerous scenes that are quite shocking and will leave you with a big smile, or a disgusted look of disdain. The violence here is more gritty and real, thus it feels more involving. Kill Bill has limbs flying and gallons of blood, but it was too over the top and comical to be taken seriously. Here it has that gritty feel to it that it just makes you wince when it happens.

Not Tarantino's best work, but then again will he ever top Pulp Fiction? Instead it's a welcome addition to his resume of films that I can say I enjoy. The length of this one is a little long and it may drag in some places, but the overall feel at the end is enjoyment. He takes his characters and lets them takeover the story, which is why the historical facts in this film are more interesting than others. There are countless war films that are plagued with people already knowing the outcome. Valkyrie is an example of a film that the audience knew how it was going to end. This one throws it all out the window.

A tighter running time and more time spent with the people who want to see would have made this film even more fun for me, but I'll take what I can get.

3-4-1?

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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page

Watched The Time Traveler's Wife. Now I read the book ages ago, and loved it, but wasn't particularly inspired by the trailers for the film, it looked schmaltzy. It was, a bit, but still better than I'd expected it to be. Perhaps I didn't remember the book as well as I thought, because there were a few things which seemed different but I couldn't quite remember how, and it would be difficult to explain without spoiling both the book and the film anyway. But it's a lot less subtle.

So, I'll make a few non-spoilery comments: Rachel MacAdam looks worryingly thin, you can see the bones in her back. For a time travel film it doesn't do a good enough job of making the times he travels to look different. Love Will Tear Us Apart is an unusual choice for a wedding song.

3/5

What can I say... I absolutely love this movie and definitely need to move it into the top 20 on my list...

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Message in a Bottle

Actually, I saw this one awhile back and forgot to add it here. It was very good, so I wanted to include it. Kevin Costner and Robin Wright Penn have beautiful chemistry in this touching love story. I even managed to watch it through commercials on AMC. I particularly like Paul Newman's character. He and Costner worked well as father and son I thought. The end had me in tears.

Open Range

This is probably one of my new favorite westerns. Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner have good chemistry and I liked Annette Benning's performance too. The shootout scene was great. Usually at my house, there's plenty of talking scattered throughout a movie, but it was complete silence during the last half of this one. The plot isn't terribly original, but script is good.

12 Monkeys

As far as sci-fi goes, this should probably be a higher rating. This is probably one of Bruce Willis' best performances, and the rest of the cast is very good in their roles. The storyline is one last provides excitement and curiosity. I didn't care much for Madeleine Stowe's character. She annoyed me, but that aside a great sci-fi watch.

The Left-Handed Gun

Paul Newman is great as the spirited, Billy the Kid. Western fans will enjoy this movie a lot, otherwise. It's not as entertaining. A fair amount of suspense, but I have to say that I was ready for the end when it came. Quite a few quirky and memorable moments though.

Strangers on a Train

Just couldn't get into this one. Usually I love Hitchcock, but I wasn't impressed. The beginning pace seemed much too slow, and by the time a little tension broke though, I didn't care. Plus, I think that the plot was something of a weak one and not much to say for the dialouge. This movie just didn't impress me.

For what it sought to do, I've always thought that Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid was close to perfection. When you look at that film and The Sting (plus a number of decent to very good movies) I wonder if it's fair to say that George Roy Hill has been under-appreciated in recent years?

Heck, he even managed to get a performance out of Robin Williams that didn't end with you wanting to punch him in the face.

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"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan

Open Range is a great movie

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100 Favourites From The Future: REWIRED

Pulp Fiction (1994)- A



Finally watched this movie, for the first time. Impressive and unique way of story telling, that loops back to where it started. A lot of the scenes were familiar becuase of the episode from The Simpsons titled "22 Short Films About Springfield". Which made the scenes much more enjoyable, like the burger dialogue between Vincent and Jules, and "Looks like the spider, caught a ccoulpe flies", and where the two men were tied up in the weapons shop. The ending was pretty great and probably my favorite scene of the movie, just a lot of memorable dialogue from this movie. I wouldn't call it one of the best movies ever, but still a very engaging format and good acting makes this a 90's classic. Obviously, needs a rewatch, though. You can't really finalize an opinion about a movie after one viewing.


Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)- B+



Funny, entertaining, and just an overall fun movie. Ferris Bueller is highly charismatic and he pulls you into this movie from the beginning with his slick moves he pulls on his parents. Definitely had the John Hughes-movie feel to it like all of his movies, which is a good thing. I think everyone can and should enjoy this movie and maybe even relate to high school or having fun in their teen years.

Inglourious Basterds

I was wanting to watch something with a lot of people getting killed and s*** getting blown up and boy did this movie deliver - with a great deal of humor thrown in. Top that off with Tarantino's typically memorable characters and you've got one hell of a fun movie. History buffs keep away, because you'll hate this one but -considering that my first and second favorite films also rewrite history - I really couldn't care less. I'll dock it half a popcorn for the sometimes slow pacing, but otherwise I really loved it.

Inside -



This was a bat ***** crazy film, i'd say this years [rec] except it wasn't made this year. It's a small, simple concept film yet is a brutal, taut exercise that not only shows up the torture porn nonsense polluting horror but firmly puts France as the current horror hot point. Basically, the it's set in a house with a pregnant woman and someone trying to steal her baby. It's graphic, violent and one of the very few films that's had me flinching. It's a marvellously crafted film, taking create care with spatial awareness in the confined setting, slick productions and some genuinely great moments. There are lapses in character logic but they serve to continue the film which was enjoying too much to care about.


Mirrors -



Similar to the above film, in it's helmed by a French horror director, only this being a remake of a Korean flick- which i actually reviewed a long time ago and stated doubt on it get the remake treatment. Anyway, this is Aja's second Hollywood outing and also another remake (his third also being a remake of Piranha). It's not a patch on the excellent Hills Have Eyes and is a rather disjointed film with minimal killing and a weak explanation. Aja's handling is good enough and the final act is pretty effective but i'm sure there could have easily been a better film made. Good to see Jack Bauer


Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete



Basically an 'improved' version of the first release, the plot is padded out to make more sense and some more scenes thrown in for added cohesion. Can't really say it's a massive improvement on the first version, that i adored as it was despite flaws, so meant the additions didn't really make it any better. They've spiced it up with some blood and bruising as well but wouldn't have said it was particularly necessary. Hard to justify added expense if you don't already own it but if you haven't seen, this be best version to catch


Serpent and the Rainbow -



Craven doesn't really get mentioned in the same breath of other horror directors which is a shame as this under-seen flick is pretty solid. It's more a voodoo thriller on the zombie mythos than outright horror. A pretty original take with a cool ending and some nice dream sequences. Solid film, high recommendation for genre fans looking for something different

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Wonderland (2003)

Interesting enough to keep me watching, and it had its moments, but with a group of characters as devoid of redeeming qualities (either good or bad) as this, it was hard for me to actually care what happened to them. As a result, I watched with a sort of distance that prevented me from truly enjoying the film. Not terrible, but certainly not something I care to watch again.

The Last Frontier (1955)

Victor Mature hams it up in this cheesy 1950s Western, playing a cocky trapper turned civilian scout who falls for a colonel’s wife. Though this sort of character is how I usually like my Mature served up, something about this movie just doesn’t quite work for me and I don’t think I’ll be watching it again.

+

I haven't tabbed in a while! Warning, gargantuan post ahead!

In a lonely place (1950) - Nicholas Ray
Very good noir (although it's much less about murder mysteries than about abusive relationships). I felt Grahame's character went through an odd change (from femme fatale to "battered wife") and the whole murder case seemed a little out of place/underdeveloped. I'm thinking it could hold up to repeated viewings though (especially on account of Bogart's performance).

Tokyo twilight (1957) - Yasujiro Ozu
Started watching this about a year ago, fell asleep after about 40 minutes. Tried it again in the morning, started falling asleep again, but was determined to finish it because I can't stand to look at it collecting dust anymore. I took 3 breaks but I finally did it. Extremely slow paced (2h 20 min.), stiff acting, not a particularly interesting story, nothing particularly inventive in the directing or visuals and a pretty problematic message (as I saw it at least): single parents raise troubled children, therefore, it's best to give an abusive relationship another go than to risk raising a wayward child? Yah, I don't think so Mr. Ozu. I suppose it says something about the slow decay of traditionalist Japan but I didn't really care... :\

Pitfall (1962) - Hiroshi Teshigahara
I guess I'm just not a fan of absurdist, abstract(ish?) cinema. I'm pretty sure I understand what it wanted to say, and appreciate all the technical aspects (and especially acting which, after the Ozu debacle, was a blessing), but I was still mostly uninterested. I'll watch his other stuff though...

Nights of Cabiria (1957) - Federico Fellini
Obviously much closer to my kind of mentality/sensibilities. I liked La Strada better and thought it was much better suited for Masina's face and gesticulations (some of the clownishness was seeping out in Cabiria too which I could have gone without) but she's still pretty spectacular and carries the entire film really well. I love the host of characters, the street life and atmosphere of Fellini's Italy and particularly the ending. Definitely adding it to my collection. -

The cranes are flying (1957) - Mikhail Kalatozov
Ok, the first half hour of this one is extraordinary. I can't remember if I've ever seen any pre-1960s film which managed to show such incredible intimacy and genuine tenderness between a love couple. A lot of this is probably due to the casting, especially with Tatyana Samojlova who has a very Audrey Hepburn-like charm. But as soon as the boyfriend gets sent off to war the flow is lost, the characters start behaving oddly and the story is underdeveloped. In that sense it's kind of similar to Atonement which was brilliant until the shift to the front when it loses all its momentum. I would have preferred it had they kept the focus on their relationship ..alas...:\

The African Queen (1951) - John Huston - It's just a treat to see two of the greatest and most lovable actors of the last century doing their thing. Everything else is secondary (but the story is pretty good too ).

The Killing (1956) - Stanley Kubrick - The ending really ruined it for me (I mean, c'mon!) but pretty good heist/noir/somethingorother nonetheless. Sterling Hayden is pretty great, I've been intrigued by this man ever since I saw The long goodbye (he's fantastic in it), I've read up a bit about his life and wow...respect.

Paths of glory (1957) - Stanley Kubrick - One of the best (anti-)war films out there. Outstandingly realistic performances from the cast (especially the scene in the holding place). I couldn't believe this was filmed only a year after The Killing. It's an entirely different sort of film.

The Shining (1980) - Stanley Kubrick - Loved some bits, but the downside to watching such pop-culture classics is that you know a lot of the scenes already which takes away some of their power. Other than that, horror just isn't my genre of choice so this film probably has the least replay value of all of his films I've seen so far. :\

The graduate (1967) - Mike Nichols - Great fun. Laughed my ass of at certain scenes. Hoffman was absolutely perfectly cast, the soundtrack was great and my God, Ann Bancroft has an amazingly commanding presence doesn't she? Dayum...Will add to my library a-sap. (:

Battle of Algiers (1966) - Gillo Pontecorvo - Pretty spectacular considering when it was made (documentary style years ahead of its time methinks). And surprisingly enough, given that it was financed by Algeria, it's very even handed in that none of the sides come out looking particularly good. You also get a great insight into their struggle. I don't think it has much replay value for me though...:\

Persona (1966) - Ingmar Bergman - I liked and understood most of it, which is why I like his brand of art film, he does actually try and spell it out for you. I didn't understand the opening or closing sequences though but it doesn't matter much I figure. Very good idea, but spectacular performances from the two leads. It was a pleasure to watch great acting...

Psycho (1960) - Albert Hitchcock - It was all pretty good, but as I mentioned in The Shining, too much of it has been exploited indefinitely in the last 50 years so pretty much all of the initial impact is gone since I knew what happens in the end. Still worth watching, I guess...

Vertigo (1958) - Alfred Hitchcock - Probably the most languid of the films I've seen by him. It does force the psychological issues too much, but Hitch has had that problem in many a film (remember Spellbound? *shudders*)...in any case, enjoyable...

Breaking away (1979) - Peter Yates - Pretty average post high school- feel good- small time America- teen drama. But dayum, Dennis Quaid was RIPPED in his younger days...

The treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) - John Huston - I'm a bit ambiguous about this one, on the one hand it was very engaging and I found myself completely suckered into taking sides and rooting for the good guys. I liked its ancient Greek idea of fatalism but on the other hand, intellectually I find it's not a very credible case of character development (I'm sorry, I've never been sold on sudden changes in personality unless the change is triggered by severe trauma. Bogie's transformation therefore struck me as somewhat silly, almost cartoonish near the end, complete with the maniacal laughter). It's also a very frustrating watch so I'm not sure what its replay value is, but let's compromise and give it a +

Best boy (1979) - Ira Wohl - Not much to say, obviously given the subject matter (a retarded 50-something year old is being prepared for independent life) it's a given that it's going to be a very emotional documentary. I was on the verge of tears several times. Extremely melancholic viewing.

It happened one night (1934) - Frank Capra - Very charming (and apparently very influential and innovative) romantic comedy which actually made me laugh a few times (not common for older films), but the concept is a little too familiar by now (Roman holiday anyone?). Was pleasantly surprised by Clark Gable's performance (haven't seen many of his films though).

Umberto D (1952) - Vittorio de Sica - Not nearly as good as The Bicycle thieves (which for me is one of those very rare perfect 10s) but a very solid and moving neo-realist movie nonetheless. The far too obvious amateurishness of the main actor was its only major flaw for me.

In the heat of the night (1967) - Norman Jewison - Electrifying thriller with an amazing ensemble cast. But the scene stealer wasn't Poitier (whom I'm not a big fan of), but Rob Steiger. -

A night at the opera (1935) - Sam Wood - My first Marx brothers film, EVER *le shock*. I didn't particularly care for it, even though some lines were funny. -

Amadeus (1984) - Miloš Forman - Spectacular "costume drama" (I think that's a genre) with spectacular costumes and even better drama (I know, right?). I wish I was more familiar with the music so I could giggle and point at the soundtrack and the placement of particular pieces. Even so, I was much impressed. Although it is a bit of a commitment with a running time of just under 3 hours.

The Killing Fields (1984) - Roland Joffé - Been meaning to watch this ever since I saw Withnail and I (which I wasn't much impressed by, if you'll recall). This didn't really change my opinion of Robinson as a mediocre writer. I guess all films that deal with large scale human suffering inevitably get the attention of the Academy but I wasn't much impressed (with the film, mind you, it's based on a true story and that certainly is impressive). I felt as though I was thrown into the middle of the story so I never really got any sense of the relationship between the two main characters. I felt it was anything but close (Shanberg actually shows a great deal of impatience towards Pran in the beginning) so when the actual...poo starts hitting the fan I was not a little surprised to see them all start to bend over backwards to help what I assumed was an insignificant character. So the whole middle of the film seemed rather unbelievable. The last third, which focuses solely on Pran and his attempts to escape the death camps, though featuring very little dialog, is actually the most intriguing.

Oh and I also resented its cheap sentimentality. I mean the ending actually features Lennon's Give peace a chance. I mean, c'mon....

Oh and I managed to endure about 2/3 of Being there but decided staring at the ceiling might be more interesting.

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http://www.last.fm/user/diezelpower/

michael jackson's moonwalker. i need to watch something really good and weird soon. i'm feeling kind of dried up, movie-watching-wise. i need an amazing spectacle. solid writing, plot, deep characters aren't going to be enough to shake off this malaise. maybe i'll just pop prospero's books in when i go home tonight, seek refuge while i wait to find some awesome new thing.

Haha...Harry informs me it's actually Imagine playing at the end of The Killing fields...those tree hugging, peace loving, hippy anthems apparently all sound alike to me...

Sergei Bondarchuk's War and Peace is about as spectacular as films get.