One Movie A Day Remix

I'm one of the few people who like A.I. And I like the ending more so than the rest of it (I know, I'm also in the minority here). It did make me shed a tear -- and still does. The beautiful John Williams song For Always helps jerk the tears. And I felt sad for little loyal Teddy, left there on his own at the end.

Day 116: August 24th, 2010

The Devil's Rejects



Rob Zombie's best film to date.

That's not saying much, but The Devil's Rejects is pure trashy goodness. It pushes the boundaries of what's acceptable in Hollywood and unlike A Serbian Film, it actually has something to say and not simply shock. IT HAS STORY.

Rob Zombie is famous for his music and he is bringing his horror side to the movie industry. This is his second feature film and a sequel to his first film. House of 1,000 Corpses had people in the horror community giddy with excitement...until it was released. It wasn't as shocking, or horrific as it was billed to be. It's throwback to the days of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre were admirable, but ultimately flat. With The Devil's Rejects, he has redeemed himself.

Not so much horror as it is a road film with lots of realistic violence. There are shootouts the open and close the film and no real moments of scary horror. The realism of the film is what brings it into the horror territory. The film is more realistic than it's predecessor, which makes it all the more frightening.

Rejects has a great soundtrack to accompany the visuals. It adds to the western feel Zombie was going for. This family is deranged and sick. I never rooted for them, but it was fun watching them on the screen. The Devil's Rejects is a great film with memorable performances from classic actors in the horror genre. If you were disappointed with House of 1,000 Corpses and decided to skip this. Do yourself a favour and give it a look.

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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 117: August 25th, 2010

Seven Samurai



A Masterpiece.

If you were to watch this film for the first time right now, it might not seem like much, but at the time it was something that would turn out to be a magnificent achievement in filmmaking.

A small village is constantly under attack by well armed bandits. They find a man who will help them and he rounds up 6 samurai to help.

If you could only watch one film in your lifetime, this one is it.

I said that when I first reviewed this film and I stand by that. Seven Samurai is unprecedented. It's a must see for anyone who would call themselves a fan of film. So many elements that are employed in today's movies were first put together here, in this epic tale.

Each samurai has their own arc to them, Kurosawa takes his time to develop each character and it works. The film is indeed long and that epic battle doesn't happen till the end, but the film is intergrading the viewer into the life os these warriors. We care who lives and dies. For anyone to get this emotional response with one character is an achievement....but seven? Extraordinary.

Samurai has one of if not the most amazing battle put to screen. The samurai turn the village into a fortress and use the surroundings to their benefit. The battle is so massive it spawns roughly 30 some odd minutes. It has influenced all the films we see today, The Return of The King, The Magnificent Seven, Narnia. Please don't see this film expecting Braveheart, because there will be no limbs flying off the screen. The action is beautifully filmed and shows early use of slow-motion.

Samurai packs an emotional punch at the end, as it shows how the samurai are honorable, we have been on this journey with them since their beginning to their end and we cannot help but feel sorrow for the ones lost in the battle.

Seven Samurai is a landmark film that has it's place in history as one of the greatest. For those that can't comprehend it, think of it as Japan's Citizen Kane....only better. For a film that has inspired so many and given us so much, there is only praise to be said. For if it were not for this film, we may not be where we are today in cinema.

I certainly agree with your assessment of Seven Samurai, but The Devil's Rejects being worth that high? I have to really think about what I want to say about that.

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

Say whatever comes to your mind.

Zombie hits the nail on the head in this tale of depravity.

Day 118: August 26th, 2010

Couples Retreat



It may be paradise... but it's no vacation

The problem with this film is that it's not funny. The script is poorly thrown together to get some good looking females and some comedic guys in some tropical island paradise. That would be one of two reasons why I think so many funny people are in this flick, they get the chance to spent time in such a gorgeous place. The second would be that thing called a pay cheque.

The casting works and it doesn't. The male actors get most of the laughs...or I should say chuckles....wait, I mean smirks. I attribute this to their comedic talents, not the script. Favreau stands out in my opinion and it's nice to see him get some screen time, since his life has been dedicated to some kind of iron man. Vaughn does his usual thing, which grows tiresome at points, but at others he shows why people love him. His fast paced dialogue works here for the most part. Faizon Love and Jason Bateman also play the roles as they usually do, so serious forms of effort.

The women on the other hand, with the exception of Kristin Davis suffer tremendously. The script seems to favour the men for the funny bits and the women are left with nothing. Malin Akerman has been in some funny films, but here she plays the role straight and isn't a match for Vaughn. Kristen Bell is cute and adorable, here she is the wife of Jason Bateman...what? Who the hell decided that this pairing was a good choice? They are the least believable of all the couples.

As I said, the locale is gorgeous and it makes you sit there and cry at the fact that you're not there, instead your sitting at home jealous of these people and the fun they get to have. The script lacks the comedic touch, it also follows the path that every other comedy that deals with couples set before it. Couple have problems, throw them in unknown situation, they have a big fight over something, then come to realize they do love each other. Uninspired and coupled with the fact that the film is suppose to be funny but isn't, only hurts it more.

Couples Retreat is a film you can miss and be happy that you did. Not even the man himself, Jean Reno, can save this disaster.

Day 119: August 27th, 2010

Kick Ass



I can't read your mind. But I can kick your ass.

Kick Ass, based on the comic series of the same name, takes the super hero genre and makes it more relatable to those who want to see them. We are exactly like our lead character, normal. He dreams of something bigger, of being a super hero, the problem is that he has no super powers, but that doesn't stop him. After a freak accident, he ends up with a rebuilt skeletal structure and some nerves are damaged making him feel next to no pain. Whoops, looks like he gets some kind of 'superpower' after all.

Kick Ass is vibrant, violent and doesn't care if it plays with fire and gets burned. The controversy over the film is in regards to the little girl, playing hit Girl. She uses foul language and shoots a lot of people (let's not forget the slice and dice scene). To hell with these people, that includes Mr. Roger Ebert. Kick Ass is exactly what the title suggests, it kicks ass. The film is popcorn entertainment that is shot with the slick talent of Matthew Vaughn.

True to the source material with some changes here and there to accommodate a film, Kick Ass looks, feels and sounds like a comic book. The bright colours, the cheesy dialogue, the corrupt bad guys and the flash violence. This is a comic book world and we live in it.

The film treads in both comedy and action. The comedic bits are here and there but the film never is laugh out loud funny. The sprinkled bits work with the overall theme of the film and the violence, which isn't that bad, playfully is cartoonish. There is even one cartoon scene that is shot like a motion comic, it works extremely well.

The father-daughter relationship was the most interesting to me and Nic Cage does his best Adam West impression with ease. It may just be me, but I like him as an actor and he does a great job here. Christopher Mintz-Plasse seems to be trying to break free of his McLovin role, yet he still has that linger in this character and I think always will be.

The villain could use a bit more to beef up the role, but Mark Strong knows his evilness. As he does with Sherlock Holmes, he plays bad, very well. Expect to see him in more villain roles in the near future.

Check out Kick Ass, recommended.

Day 120: August 28th, 2010

Dagon



Gordon's most approachable film.

Two couples on a boat get shipwrecked on some rocks. One couple goes looking for help while the other stay with the boat. Bad idea...the town the couple goes to looking for help, is full of mutated fish people. Yup, Dagon is a horror film that dives into the world of the sea...on land.

The film has it's fair share of problems, one too many chase scenes for my liking, but the film is well made and has the Gordon stamp on it. The aspect of the film that drew me in was the fact that these people on this island were fish people for crying out loud. I was waiting for Kevin Costner from Waterworld to pop up in a scene, but he never did. The human characters weren't in the least bit interesting but neither were the fish people. Much of the film consists of them chasing the one character around town.

This character they are chasing, he suffers from nightmares about a fish lady, whom he later meets. She thinks they are destined to be together, he is of course freaked out and wants to get off this damn rock. So more chasing!!!

What is Dagon you ask? Well, it's a God that all the fish people worship. In a flashback sequence, we see that a fisherman comes to the island and preaches the word of Dagon. He throws this object into the water and Dagon pops up. Later, while the people are fishing, the find gold in the water and they reject God and the church and praise their new lord, Dagon.

Some of the film is a tad confusing, plot details that are left out in the open with no explanation. I can get pass this little details enough so to like the film. It helps me liking the film with the fact that there are two memorable scenes, one involving a face ripping scene and the other is basically the entire climax right to the end.

Despite the repetitive nature of Dagon, the film is enjoyable enough for me to recommend to horror enthusiasts. Most of Stuart Gordon's work isn't for everyone though and those looking for his style in the genre can be happy with the result of this one. It's no Re-Animator, but I think it's his most approachable one.

Day 121: August 29th, 2010

Ghosts of Mars



The film that ended Carpenter's career.

Was this the film that pretty much killed John Carpenter's film career? If it weren't for the Masters of Horror series, would we ever see a film from thus guy again? His most recent films, including this one, have taken a lot of heat from critics and fans alike, but I'm one of the people who loved Vampires and thought that Ghosts of Mars (upon first viewing) was pretty decent.

A mix of Assault on Precinct 13 and pretty much any sci/fi or horror, Ghosts of Mars tries to be too many things in one. It tries action, it tries science fiction, it tries horror. The results are a mixed bag of interesting ideas that are executed poorly, from a guy who should know better. Ghosts of Mars (except for his additions in the Masters series) is Carpenter's only film past the year 2000. I hope his return to the genre (The Ward) will get him back on the right tracks.

Ice Cube is a convict named Desolation Williams. I can only think of one man who could possibly try to fight this guy with a better name and that would be John Matrix. He is with people behind the badge, including Jason Statham, Natasha Henstridge and Pam Grier. This film could follow anyone of these characters and they would be the main star. Yet we are suppose to follow Henstridge's character, who is addicted to this drug. She is boring.

The horror is shallow and the sci/fi is pretty much the fact that they are on mars. The film is more action oriented than anything else. Some of the deaths are horrific, but that's it. These ghosts are lame and not scary.

The film isn't bad enough to end someone's career, which this did until recently. It's just misguided. I can see it having some fans and those who like the good because their bad style movies. If the flick is on late at night and I'm at home alone with nothing else to do, I can see myself watching this.

I knew Couples Retreat would be yuck

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

Day 122: August 30th, 2010

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada



Nobody is beyond redemption.

As the title suggests, Estrada dies. He is shot by accident and his friend (Tommy Lee Jones) decides to take matters into his own hands. He wants to keep his promise to him by burying him in his homeland. Jones takes the killer (Barry Pepper) hostage and together they take a long journey to bury Estrada.

Jones is yet another actor turned director, he actually does a good job behidn the camera and I wouldn't mind seeing him turn out more films. Jones gives us a beautifully filmed piece with good characters and an interesting story. I still find the film to be a little slow in places which hurt the overall flow of an otherwise great film.

Jones really gives it to Pepper in the film, he gets the snot beaten out of him on a regular basis. A journey through hell to put it lightly. Pepper doesn't show his acting chops until later in the film when he prays for forgiveness, usually he's just playing 'get hit in the face' a lot. Jones, who not only directs but acts here as well plays the role on the edge of insanity, in my opinion. Sometimes when actors take on dual roles of director and actor, one might suffer because their attention is on one more than the other. Jones doesn't make this mistake, he is the highlight of the film from this cast. I still didn't find January Jones having much use. Last time I reviewed this film I said she was nothing more than eye candy. While I see more progress with her character now than before, I still think she could have used more screen time to flesh out her problems and solutions.

The film ranges from deserted plains to high mountain tops. You get the sense of the journey they embark on is not a trek in the backyard. Unfortunately, the film ends a little too abruptly for me, leaving the viewer with questions that should have more than likely been answered. You can image that with the title The Three Burials, that there will be three of them. The film is told in four parts, the first two chapters are the first two burials, which set up the rest of the film. The emotional weigh of the film rests on the third and final burial.

I know there are people here who love this film *cough*Holden*cough*

I think she's a bit of a one-trick poney. It's been a while since I watched this film, but I remember thinking that she was just duplicating a lot of the facial expressions of her Mad Men character, Betty Draper. It bothered me quite a lot and I thought her casting was a bit of a letdown in an otherwise good film.

I agree with you ranking and I too thought that the ending was a bit abrupt. It left me with too many questions, as you say. Films like Mulholland Drive also do this, but I don't mind that much if I still have a sense of being able to answer these questions. I didn't really get that in The Three Burials as it plays more on a psychological level.

Day 123: August 31st, 2010

Sublime



Maybe... if you spend your life worrying... then the only way that your life will have meaning is if what you fear becomes real.

The problem with Sublime, is that the most interesting and best executed part of the film is the last 10 to 15 minutes. This last bit of the film is suppose to be a big reveal, have the core bits of emotion and leave the viewer asking questions. It does have all these elements, only it's the wrong ending for this type of film. The ending that Sublime gives us belongs in dramatic pieces and this is where this film really dropped the ball. It should have been a dramatic piece, not a so called horror film.

I use the term horror loosely because there is nothing of the sort in here, except one little scene that makes no sense and belongs in the Hostel films instead. The film goes between two different story lines. The present and the past. In the present we follow George as he goes to the hospital for a routine colonoscopy. Bad news for George, the docs did the wrong surgery on the wrong man and not he has some issues. We follow George as he tries to figure out why he was given the wrong surgery and tries to solve the mystery behind the East Wing. The other story line that is in the past is George's 40th birthday. These flashbacks are scattered throughout, usually when George goes to sleep because he is always feeling tired (or is someone drugging him?) These scenes try their best to develop character, but they end up being distracting time fillers.

This is not a horror film, it is actually a psychological piece, a poorly written, acted and directed one I might add. George is constantly yelling at people, his sexy nurse is just that, and we have no sympathy for him. We need to care about this guy is we are stuck with him and want to see him escape this bizarre place. As I mentioned earlier, the best parts of this film are near the end. The reveal of what really is going on doesn't add much to the film, but the elements that play out after it does. I was actually interested now, I wanted to know what was going to happen, but damn this film was more than an hour late in that department.

Sublime is a film marketed to one genre audience and it is made for another. The old switcharoo. This could be the reason why a lot of people did not like it, but it doesn't help when the film is simply poorly thrown together. Skip Sublime, because it's just the opposite of that.

Day 124: September 1st , 2010

Awake



Every year, one in 700 people wake up during surgery.

From one medical themed film to another. AWAKE is a thriller that deals with the main character lying on a table knocked out for almost the entire film. How thrilling and suspenseful can that be? We need to make it exciting. Okay, he is actually AWAKE We'll call it....AWAKE.

Brilliant mate, who are we going to cast in this film? It has to be someone with strong acting range, people have to believe he is asleep on the table, but with voice over will also believe he is actually AWAKE. Hmm, how about Hayden Christensen? Who? Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars? That little kid? No, the other one, the older one. Yeah, he can act. He was the best thing about those movies right? Hmm, he needs a girlfriend though, someone he tries to contact while asleep, but he's really AWAKE. We need another actor with strong emotional depth that knows no bound. Hmm, how about that stripper from that movie about sin and cities. The one that refuses to take her clothes off? Yeah, what's her name? Alba? Jessica Alba. She can act. She was the best thing about Fantastic Four, right?

We are missing something though, we need an antagonist. Someone who is doing something....wait, what's the something. What is this film really about? Shh, it's a secret and a twist that will have a big reveal at the end. Oh, hell, whatever, it's about money. But who do we cast as the guy performing the surgery. We need someone who has some street cred. Like a former pimp or something, cause it's hard out there for a pimp right? I've got it, we'll cast the whitest black guy in Hollywood. Terrence Howard? Yeah, that's him. He's got street cred right? What's this film called again? AWAKE

We still need more characters dammit, like a drunk guy who is also in the surgical room...but he won't be in on it. He'll inadvertently ruin their plan, we need to stall as much as possible to keep the running time going. He can only be asleep and AWAKE for so long before that gets boring. Throw some obstacles in their way. What the hell, who needs money these days? Christopher McDonald does right? He'll do it. We also need a strong old school female actress to be his mother. The one who won't give up hope in the face of darkness. Someone with amazing talent. We should get that woman from Bang Bang Orangutang. Lena Olin? Throw her in too.

WAIT, brilliant thought just now. While he is asleep, but actually AWAKE we can have the mother OD on drugs, just enough to knock her unconscious where she can meet up with her son in limbo world and she can talk to him get the truth about what's happening, and solve some family problems while they're at it. That's legit right? Legit? That's brilliant, throw it in the script. We should also have the girlfriend be in on it right? What a twist!!!

Awesome, we have a great 90 minutes film here. Oh wait, it's only 84 minutes? Well, who cares. The trailers and advertisements in the theatres before the movie will make it seem longer.

AWAKE.

Throw in some abrupt shifts in font size and colour and that could've been a Sexy Celebrity review.

I was thinking that after I wrote it.

I fell asleep less than ten minutes into Seven Samurai. Masterpiece my ass.

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

Day 125: September 2nd , 2010

On The Waterfront



The Man Lived by the Jungle Law of the Docks!

Marlon Brando, what a guy, what an actor. A great performance here and a great film as well. Think of your favourite actor....he wishes he was Brando (if you didn't think of Brando )

On The Waterfront is a powerful film that has Brando as an ex-prize fighter, standing up to the union bosses after he is unknowingly involved in a murder. Brando shines as the torn, uneducated man who decides to take these crooked ego inflated men on. He apparently hated the term method acting, but he brought it out in full force and brought something out in him that graced the screen. People try to reproduce that same style, dedication and pure raw talent today.

A gripping story that is more engaging to the viewer due to the strong performances. On The Waterfront in a classic in all the sense. Two men sitting the backseat of a taxi talking, is such a memorable scene, such an emotional scene and scene that is still quoted today. Bravo to everyone involved in making this film.

I would advise people, specifically the young ones of this generation, to stop for a moment and simply watch this film. Put down the iPod, turn off the computer and watch what classic film is like. What a powerful performance is like, what a emotional gripping story is like. On The Waterfront has all these and more.

But the best part is at eleven minutes.

It's 1:00 AM, going to bed.

Hopefully if I get this new job, it will give me more time to post some reviews. I got a backlog here.

I currently wake up at 5:00AM, travel to work, get there are 6:50AM, start work at 7:00AM. Do mindless warehouse crap, in which it is hard to breath because of the fumes and thick air and dust and crap. I finish at 3:30PM and do not get home until 5:00PM. 5 in the morning till 5 in the afternoon? 12 hour days? Not good man.