One Movie A Day Remix

rufnek scares me, mark. Please don't.

But what did you want? The final boss on the last level of a videogame? I know what you mean now about Kurtz being "disappointing", but just because he was subdued and his environment subdued, doesn't mean that the scene was not still the most intense and clearly climactic of the entire film. The key here is the populace and the celebration in opposition to the "sane" army celebration with the Playboy girls. Totally opposing color palette and central figure of worship. Visually, without sound, the ending clearly stands out with its warm, rainbow hues and ultra-contrast. I don't know if you wanted Kurtz himself to come out of the shadows more or for his death to be more akin to falling down an infinite metal shaft with force lightening sparking around him, but the music, lighting, and editing more than made up for whatever kind of letdown Kurtz's limited physical presence may have been.

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

Day 93: August 1st, 2010

XII



Interesting premise is ruined by filmmakers cutting corners.

A man gets out of prison and goes on a killing rampage of those who were on the jury. 12 jury members, 12 people to kill.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this film. I think if done right, it would make for a very good thriller/horror film. A killer killing off those who put him away. Those 12 jury members. I'm sure it was probably done before since the idea isn't original, but I haven't seen any films based on that idea. So when I saw XII was about just that, I thought why not, let's give it a chance. It's a shame though because this film lacks anything that would make it interesting or entertaining.

The killer is in prison for apparently having sexual relations with a minor. There is only one bit of dialogue that supports this. Other than that, we have no idea who this guy is, why he went to prison or anything else. The film doesn't really set events up well, the opening credit sequence is horribly shot and edited that you don't really know what you're watching until the 5 years later text pops up.

All of the cast are bland and boring with the exception of Mercedes McNab of Buffy The Vampire Slayer fame. She played Harmony. She seems like the only one who knows that she is in a horror film. She plays the blonde bitchy type friend of the supposed heroine well enough to make this not an entire travesty.

The kills are non existent. The film starts off with a kill near Vegas where one guy gets his head blown off with a shot gun. Then it is all downhill from there. The killer rips the skin off of his victims face, sometimes while they are still alive. This should make for some gruesome scenes but non of it scares, excites or interests the viewer. The killer is a lame Ed Gein wannabe who wears the skin of his victims as well.

Low rent horror this is, but not even the good kind. I can't help but feel what I could have done with this story and budget. Or anyone else for that matter. The guy who directed this played Jim Morrison in Wayne's World 2. Yeah...you read that correctly.

Oh, and it is only an hour and fifteen minutes long.

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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 94: August 2nd, 2010

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace



The Saga Begins....Again.

The most anticipated film of our generation? Before the release of what is now considered the worst film out of all six Star Wars films, everyone was going mad over Star Wars. I was in elementary school, grade 5 or 6 when this came out and even I knew that after watching it in the theatres that I could have directed a better Episode I. Why is it that so many people hated this film when it first came out, then came to simply dislike it years later? Well, this one reviewer goes into great detail about it all, as he did with Avatar, Star Trek and other Star Wars films.



Well, even though it is long, it pin points obvious flaws in the film that not only fans of the series, but average movie goers will have with it.

The biggest problem I have with this film is that it's too complicated for it's own good. What the original had was a plot that was easy to follow, good guys versus bad guys. The Phantom Menace has Trade Federations, Tax Talk and they inexcusably try to explain the force.

When I was a kid I loved the pod racing scene, now it bores me to death. George Lucas seems to have forfeited any sense of a good story with characters we like and try to create a film that would be marketable for toys and kids. The Phantom Menace out of all three films is the most kid friendly one, despite the plot that would normally go over their heads.

Darth Maul is one of my favourite characters in the series and it was disappointing to see him die at the end of this film. Other than Palpatine, this film needed a more central villain. Darth Maul should have filled this role. His light saber duel with Obi-Wan is one of the best in the series, it's fast paced and well choreographed. How many people had a smile on their face when the double edged light saber came out? I did. That's when the film became entertaining, the Duel of Fates. The rest of it is a jumbled mess of ideas that go nowhere.

Han Solo, that is what this film and all three prequels needed. Not that character, but a Han Solo type. Instead we got Qui Gon Jinn, who is more boring than a plank of wood. Jake Lloyd is just as annoying, if not more, than Jar Jar Binks. A character that created such controversy that he was excessively trimmed down for the two films to follow. Darth Vader is this little kid? No, it's not a harrowing story of a child deluded and brought to the dark side, it's a sad pathetic attempt to give more humanity to one of the greatest villain ever. He got that in Jedi, here he is annoying. As far as I'm concerned, Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker are not related in anyway what so ever.

The Phantom Menace is more fancy than fun, more colourful than bright and boring than entertaining. It's a weak and slow start to some prequels that (to some) ruined a great trilogy.

Day 95: August 3rd, 2010

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones



A Jedi Shall Not Know Anger. Nor Hatred. Nor Love.

Can Mr. Lucas redeem himself from the horrid attempt at re-starting a trilogy that should have been left alone? The answer is awkwardly yes and no. Attack of the Clones is better than The Phantom Menace, but it has some of the worst written dialogue I have ever heard, even for a Star Wars film.

Attack of the Clones first suffers from a lame title and it hypes itself up to be the big battle film. Well, the battle sequence are really on the gentle side and never really engage the viewer in any sense of danger for the characters. We see more jedi use their weapon of choice and it's exciting at first, but it quickly fades away.

Anakin has transformed from an annoying Jake Lloyd, to a wooden Hayden Christensen. He of course looks totally different, but Portman of course appears the same. smile gripe but one I always had. Ewan McGregor seems more confident in his role, it helps that he is no longer the Padawan and instead has taken Anakin under his wing. The troubled dynamic between the two of them isn't that troubled. Anakin just acts like a whiney little brat.

The apparent love between Anakin and Padme is totally forced. Lucas tries to take his time in exploring the relationship that is forbidden, but it strains the viewer in useless scenes of wanting to kiss but not. The biggest problem with this film is the poorly written complicated relationship between Anakin and Padme.

Dooku versus Yoda was something that many people wanted to see. Yoda finally in a fight scene? That's awesome and it pleased the dreams of many fans. I still dig it to this day as I did in the theatre. AOTC has few highlights and many detractors. It gave some people hopes that the series could get better, but crushed others as their favourite little film series was slowly dying.

Day 96: August 4th, 2010

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith



The saga is complete.

The final Star Wars film to hit theatres (or at least we thought). The one that showed us the fall of the Jedi, the rise of the Empire and the creation of Darth Vader. It had a lot to deliver, people had high expectations, even after two lackluster and disappointing films before it. Revenge of the Sith is the best of the prequels, but just how much does that say about the films in general?

Revenge of the Sith has the best visual effects, the best story and the best acting of the three films. It has the most emotion, the more impressive fight sequences and a lot more connection with the original trilogy than the others. That's not to say that the film has some pretty cringe worthy moments. The introduction of the useless character General Grievous was a waste of time. His four lightsaber dual was not exciting in the least. Vader's Frankenstein like scream and movements after hearing the about the death of Padme is more humourous than anything.

Anakin and Obi-Wan's final fight is impressive and the most emotionally fueled battle any of the prequels have, it lived up to the expectations of those waiting to see the two duke it out. It's interesting to see Episode I play delightfully to the kids and then have Episode III be so dark and brooding.

Sith has it's problems, it far from perfect. Yet finally it's assets outweigh the problems. Christensen is still wooden, but this time he shows that he has some bit of emotion in him. The role called for something he couldn't really deliver, but here he tries more than ever. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith delivers to the fans.

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

Day 97: August 5th, 2010

The Glass House



Be Careful Who You Trust.

A house made out of glass...ooooo, so scary. Actually, the only thing scary about the film is the fact that it was made into a movie. The Glass House is devoid of any tension, something that thrillers are apparently suppose to have. Instead we are stuck with two kids we couldn't give two craps about and a climactic scene that doesn't even involve our protagonists. Pretty lame.

So Leelee Sobieski and her little brother are orphaned when their parents car drives off a cliff. It was an accident. In their will it is stated that the kids be taken care of by their friends, Terry and Erin Glass, who just so happen to live in a glass house. But things suddenly go bad when the two taking care of them become a little less than helpful.

Basically they are bad people looking to get a lot of money out of this whole ordeal. Oh, and it wasn't an accident, but I guess you could already tell that. The Glass family is played by Dian Lane and Stellan Skarsgård. Obviously these two actors have more talent than anyone else in this film and are the only saving grace for a film that is a complete bore.

Leelee Sobieski is annoying, she mopes around and is a bitch all the time. It's hard to connect to someone like this. It doesn't help that she can't really carry the film, we look to the two antagonists for anything remotely good to see on screen. Her little brother has too little screen time to really mention anything about him.

The Glass House is a completely forgettable 'thriller'. I put that word in quotations because it's anything but. Skip it and watch something else, anything else really.

Day 98: August 6th, 2010

She's Out Of My League



How can a 10 go for a 5?

Kirk works at an airport and is a 5. Molly is boarding a plane and she is a 10. She accidentally leaves her cell phone back in the terminal and he picks it up. As a thank you, she asks him out, sparks fly. But how can a 10 go for a 5?

Well, I wouldn't call Jay Baruchel a 5 nor would I call Alice Eve a 10, but the characters in the film do, so let's go with it. She's Out Of My League is a date movie, not a raunchy comedy that some people expect. Except, there are two out of the ordinary scenes that seem to actually belong in a raunchy comedy film. Our lead ejaculates in his pants and a dog licks it, second he decides to shave his testicles, but gets a friend to do it. These bits seem straight out of an American Pie film and while they are funny, seem out of place here.

Kirk's own insecurities are his downfall and that is what the antagonist is. Not the guy who tries to win her back, which is the way the film is advertised. This character is almost useless, he should have been more of a wedge between the two characters and create more conflict than what he did. The film suffers from no real conflict. The disputes they have in the film are easily fixable and seem way too minimal to really be used as a conflict in the relationship.

The writing is funny at times, it mostly plays things safe. Which is why those two scenes still stick out like a sore thumb. Of course there is something that splits them up and then they have to race against time to get back together. He works at an airport, so I'll give you one guess as to what they are racing for.

T.J. Miller, an unknown until that little film called Cloverfield came along, is the funniest part of this film. The guy has been in so many things since then and he really does have nice timing for comedy. He plays the friend of Kirk, one of three. The other two have smaller roles, but use their spotlighted time efficiently.

She's Out Of My League is a mediocrely funny film. I didn't love it, nor did I really hate it. It's the kind of film that you have a good time while watching it, then almost forget about it the next day.

Day 99: August 7th, 2010

Leon: The Professional



If you want a job done well hire a professional.

Now, I've seen Leon a dozen times before, so why does it make it on this list? Well, it was the director's cut, which I have never seen before. Something like 20 minutes was added to the film which dives deeper into the creepy relationship between Leon and Mathilda.

The problem is that the film seriously halts to a drag during these scenes. It was interesting to see what I hadn't before and to see him take her on some 'practice' missions, but it all was seriously not really needed. The relationship between the two of them plays out nicely in the theatrical film, her getting drunk and professing her love to him was apparently too much for American audiences and it was cut. No real loss, you still feel uneasy about the relationship when she calls him her lover to the hotel manager. The other scenes are a little too much for this film and puts a driving stall in the narrative pace.

Oldman is fantastic as the antagonist, his over the top performance really lends itself to the evil that is his corrupted character. Reno is still as bad ass today as he was when I first saw the film. Leon is truly a professional who takes on a fatherly role to a kid who has no family. His love for her is merely that of a father looking after his daughter, even if there was no blood relation. Her love for him is pure crush. She has a strong man in her life now, one that invokes positive messages to her, even though he does evil things.

Besson directs the film nicely, he moves the story at a good pace. The added scenes in this directors cut were nice to see, but I would rather watch the theatrical film. Usually I do prefer director's cuts over the theatrical one, but here I find that is just slows everything down too much. It adds nothing really new, we know he teaches her, we know she loves him. It's just more of the same.

Highly recommend this film, the theatrical one of course. It's story of love is unusual of course, but it works because the child doesn't really know what she wants in life. The action is great, specifically the final stand off and the performances are better than most action oriented films. The Professional is a winner.

Director's Cut
Theatrical Cut

Thanks will give the Glass House a miss

Day 100: August 8th, 2010

Gangs of New York



America was born in the streets.

Martin Scorsese is probably my favourite director, he has the utmost respect for the art behind film, it's history and its future. He loves it to death and the man makes damn fine cinema. Not every picture he does is great, but every Scorsese film has something to say. The problem with filmmakers today, is they have nothing to say.

Gangs of New York was Scorsese's dream project and the film is grand, the set designs, the costumes, everything is detailed to the last drop. Scorsese's dream has come to life in this period piece that brings a legend out of the shadows and begins a director - actor relationship with another.

The film is full of great performances lead by DiCaprio but it's Day Lewis who steals the show as the scene chewing over the top performance of Bill the Butcher. He does the role with a delicious side of crazy and respect. The man is insane with violent rage. DiCaprio has moments of trouble where he loses sight of the role and is just Leonardo DiCaprio on screen, but for the most part he goes a formidable job playing against Lewis. Diaz does an alright job of not becoming annoying or dopey, which she usually does.

The violence is raw and restrained. We are thrown into a bloodshed in the opening act and the film plays out leading up to a bloody revenge. The climax is actually anti-climactic. Scorsese did this on purpose and it frustrated me when I first saw the film. I wanted the big grand fight. This viewing it didn't bother me too much and it made the cat and mouse style fight more heightened.

Gangs of New York went home empty handed on Oscar night, which is a disappointment because the set design is beautiful. Scorsese has a great film here that many people seem to dismiss. It's length is something to endure, but the revenge story could have been a huge disaster, if it weren't for that man behind the camera.

Day 101: August 9th, 2010

Eight Legged Freaks



Giant spiders eating people? It has to be fun right?

Eight Legged Freaks, how I wanted to like you so much more than I did. I wanted to have a good fun b-horror movie time, yet I was left with a film that doesn't really know what it wants to be. You have a poor lead actor and comedic scenes that fall flat. I thought an attack from giant spiders would be more entertaining than this.

For a movie down right that involves a town overrun by some kind of monster see Slither. It was funny, well directed and had Nathan Fillion. David Arquette needs to stick to supporting roles. He doesn't have the comedic timing, nor the charisma to lead a film like this. The supporting characters need to be more characteristic. The town sheriff was as close as this film got.

I suppose if you go into this film simply wanting people to get attacked by spiders then you'll like it. I don't really know what I wanted out of it, I just know that I didn't really get anything from it. It had some elements rights, but the whole package left me feeling empty inside. I was never cheering, never laughing or seeming to care about what happens to people.

Day 102: August 10th, 2010

John Q



Give a father no options and you leave him no choice.

Being a Canadian, I can't really relate to the problem at the centre of this film. Affording health care is not a problem for me, but John Q somehow struck a cord with me. I'm not surprised that many people pick on this film, but I will strongly defend it. It's a good film, there I said it.

Let's look at the cast, Denzel Washington, James Woods, Anne Heche, Kevin Connolly, Ethan Suplee, Eddie Griffin, Robert Duvall, Ray Liotta. Sure some of these names mean nothing, but I'm surprised at the well rounded cast here. Denzel gives a strong personal and heartfelt performance as John Q. He's back into a corner regarding the life of his son and he's out of his league here. How far would a father go to save the life of his child. People criticize the film because everyone has problems and he has no right to endanger the lives of others, blah, blah. It's a father's love for his son. The greatest fear of parents is to outlive their children.

One scene that gave me goosebumps is when John is willing to kill himself to give his kid a heart. The moment he puts that gun in his mouth, a great scene. Cassavetes is quite the interesting person. Acting in Face/Off directing this and The Notebook and even Alpha Dog. He seems to have such a dangerous side, as well as being a big softy.

John Q is not ground breaking, but it's a film that spoke to me. Most of the film is unrealistic and narrow minded in it's message, but I dig it enough to recommend it to people. Hopefully people will put political views aside and watch a film about a father and his love for his dying son.

Day 103: August 11th, 2010

Identity



Identity is a secret. Identity is a mystery. Identity is a killer.

A whodunnit mystery that revolves around a group of people who are stranded at a motel after a storm hits. Identity is a strong film that just when you think you know everything, it throws another curveball. The film is surprising in it's predictability. Does that make sense? As the film progresses, it's obvious what the spin will be, yet it takes it a step further.

The film is wet and dark, it adds to the creep factor that is already there because it's set at a motel. Thank you Psycho. The film has Hitchcock and Agatha Christie written all over it. Ten Little Indians meets Psycho would be a good way to pitch the film.

Liotta plays his hot tempered role again and Cusack gives us the everyman who must take control of the situation. The chemistry between everyone is great and the mystery adds to the tension and uneasy tension that everyone has. Can they trust each other? Is everyone who they say they are? Why are they all here and what do they have in common?

Identity is a good addition to this genre of films and it serves it purpose. It gets things right and gives you a twist that's actually worth talking about. Recommended.

Some of the ratings seem a little high but not enough for me to off on a rant...

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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
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Day 104: August 12th, 2010

Precious



Life is hard. Life is short. Life is painful. Life is rich. Life is....Precious.

This is a film that might make some people a little uneasy. It deals with family abuse in the form of rape, physical and verbal violence. The one character it follows is Precious, an overweight illiterate teenage girl who is pregnant with her second child from her biological father. She is kicked out of her school because of her pregnancy and is enrolled in another educational institution called each one teach one. She wants to do better things, but doesn't have the will or motivation because of the constant abuse at the hands of her mother. She day dreams about being a big star and getting out of the hellish life she lives.

The film is raw with the material and doesn't really hold any punches. Lee Daniels second feature film shows vast improvement over the messy Shadowboxer starring Cuba good Jr. His grasp of the material and dedication to have the story be told is evident in his attention to translate the novel to screen. Daniels has put together a cast that care about the subject matter and the story as much as he does and is surrounded by the talent that is needed to pull it off.

Gabourey Sidibe is Precious, the troubled teen wanting more out of life. She shines in her first starring role and it's no walk in the park for her. The role demanded talent and Sidibe delivers what is needed. Of course the one who stands out the most is Mo'Nique earning herself a much deserved Oscar for her role as the abusive and sloth ridden mother. Her confrontation with her daughter after the birth of the second child is intense and will have you holding your breath in fear for the safety of the child.

Precious is a film that is driven by a strong story and an emotional cast that cares about the work they are doing. It's a glimmer of hope that keeps the story moving in a world that is hard edged and usually leads nowhere. It's not a relatively long film, but I did find myself checking my watch every now and then and some bits in the film happen without much clarification. Where did that one white boy come from in her Each One Teach One class? In any event, the final product is a good film with a message about hope and Tyler Perry finally has his name attached to something good in his career (Star Trek not included).

Day 105: August 13th, 2010

Rope



Sometimes those who have nothing find each other.

Rope, no not the classic Alfredy Hitchcock film, but a short about a man who must make a life changing decision with a piece of rope, is a mere 4 minutes long. Is that enough time to engage the audience, tell a good story and let the viewer be absorbed in the filmmaking aspect of it?

Rope is done very well for a film shot, directed and written by the same man, Ian Clay. The film has a rough and tough vibe to it that in some strange way connects with the character who is at a crossroad in his life. It's dark subject matter and the film doesn't look clean and pretty. It works for it rather than against it.

Great music that heightens the tension and pulls the viewer in. You can have a crappy looking film and people will still enjoy it, but if it sounds like crap, people will hate it. The music does it's job of creating a sense of emotion in the viewer as well as hide some obvious dodgy voice over recordings. The voice over is done in a room, it's obvious and should have been hidden better.

The dialogue is repetitive, some of it works some of it doesn't. It's hard to tell a story in under 5 minutes, Clay does it in 4. We get the basic idea of what is going on and why within the dialogue of this guy's head. His constant rambling is nonsensical and at times might make irritate you, but the overall message and theme are all present.

The film is not nicely tight up in a bow, it is left ambiguous. The question you must ask yourself at the end of the film is if you care whether or not this man decides to take his own life or not. If you don't care, the film has failed. If you do care, then it is a success. If you even make a conscience choice of whether or not he dies makes the film a success. When watching the film, you assume it will be left open ended and it is.

For a film on such a small budget and super small crew, I can't really fault it for anything that doesn't look great. The film actually does look good. The writing is good despite some lazy/nonsensical parts and the film is only 4 minutes, so give it a watch. You can spare 4 minutes of your time.

Day 106: August 14th, 2010

The Other Guys




Meet The Other Guys

This comedy film puts Will Ferrell back in the right direction. He still has some ways to go before becoming actually funny again, but with the help of his long time collaborator and new comer Marky Mark Wahlberg, we have a slightly funnier comedy than one would expect.

The Other Guys is in the vein of Hot Fuzz, only with less jazz and more stupid Ferrell humour. It takes the buddy cop action film genre and parodies it. Sam 'The Man' Jackson & Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson are two egocentric big time cops who will do more than millions of dollars in damages to the city just to bust some people running dope. Tango & Cash on steroids. Their untimely exit (you knew it happened, come on) gives the others guys a chance to shine. The other guys are of course Ferrell and Wahlberg. Two polar opposites that when together make for some laughs.

Wahlberg plays up on his bad boy rep as he berates Ferrell every chance he gets. This is a fish out of water style of film for Wahlberg who finally just seems to have found his footing in comedy. Specifically this style of comedy. Ferrell tones it down a notch, but does his typical long winded comedic bits at others. His backstory involving hoes and pimps was a huge misfire in my opinion.

Eva Mendes is the sexy wife who gets nothing to do but be the good looking woman of the film. Her role is minute and her talents are kind of wasted, she does the best she can with the material. I really dug Michael Keaton as the Captain. With this film and Toy Story 3, I hope he has the comeback his so deserves.

The comedy is really hit and miss. I expected it to be a lot worse. As far as McKay and Ferrell comedies go, it's pretty light. It's more grounded than their previous efforts and actually has a bit of plot to give the viewer. The Other Guys is a rental.

This movie for me is a must for all social welfare students, my friend who is a social welfare teacher has shown this to her students as she felt they needed to know the worst they may encounter when they get out into the field

Thanks for your great review

Day 107: August 15th, 2010

Captivity




I'll give credit where credit is due. I like the poster.

Captivity is the story and I use that term loosely, about a young female model who is abducted and tortured. She finds out she is not the only one being tortured and along with her new friend, try to escape. In a nutshell, it's a poor imitation of a Saw film.

Captivity suffers from many things, one being a lack of interest. Nothing interesting happens in this film. We are introduced to a character who seems to care about no one but herself and her little princess dog. She is abducted before we even really get a chance to see what kind of person she is. We are thrown into this situation too quickly and the gimmick runs short pretty quick. The repetitiveness of this film is ridiculous. Scene after scene is one torture/game after another. Thus the film becomes predictable before it should be.

Enter the second character who is captured. We never see his capture, so really, we can't trust him. As soon as we see this character I had my suspicions about him. Will the film surprise me in anyway? Of course not, it follows the predictable path it lays out from the beginning. The twists and turns are so obvious a blind man can see it coming from a mile away. Oh and the reasoning behind the torture is beyond pathetic. If you even call what they give us a reason.

This is worse than Hostel, and I didn't like that film at all. At least Eli Roth knows the genre he is playing with and his love of it helps create the much needed atmosphere. This film is devoid of everything it should have. No thrills, or suspense, no moment of giving up or breaking down. Captivity is nothing more than a film that you pass on a shelf and shouldn't think twice of looking at.