michaelcorleone's Movie Reviews

Well, it certainly is a right. To oppress any view is wrong, I suppose, but I don't want to understand the mindset at all. I can see what you mean.

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Rhinoceros Eyes – 2003, Aaron Woodley

Stars: Michael Pitt, Paige Turco


Michael Pitt is an extremely promising young actor, and if there’s anything that prevents this mild mess from being a complete failure, it’s him. The story is very appealing, and Aaron Woodley clearly had a beautiful vision in mind when bringing it to life, but there are a lot of directorial mistakes here, as well as some problems in the writing. An interesting plotline and a solid performance aren’t enough to carry a film, and Rhinoceros Eyes is good proof of that fact.

The story revolves around Chep (Pitt), an introverted recluse who has built his entire existence inside of a rarely visited prop-store. One day, a pretty set designer comes in asking him to help her acquire props for her film. Chep is more than eager to help her, because he thinks it will be best for his romantic interest.

Up to this point, the film is superb. It’s stylishly shot, the atmosphere is strong and Michael Pitt’s performance still carries a strong novelty. The story has a sort of compelling otherness to it, and there’s genuine interest built around Chep’s motives. However, the film takes a disappointing turn, and it develops into somewhat of an artistic mess.



Chep goes on a number of dangerous hunts for the attractive set designer to hunt down her props, and they become more and more ludicrous as the story progresses. He wears a goofy rubber mask to hide his identity, and stumbles into various buildings occupied by what appear to be send-ups to cartoon characters. Narrowly escaping a vengeful (and very energetic) old woman, an angry porno movie director, and much more, he brings the lady every prop she could possibly ask for.

By this point the film has steered its sub-genre completely astray. It begins as a somewhat surreal character drama, and attempts at a Lynchian tale full of perverse weirdness… but Woodley doesn’t understand the riveting aspect of the bizarre, and ends up bringing us scenes and images that are more silly than anything.

Despite the flawed script and questionable direction, the movie keeps our attention in a strange way. Pitt’s acting remains original and unpredictable, and when he’s unmasked we can’t take our eyes off of him. There is also some fantastic animation to take into account, used to bring about the ominous prop characters in Chep’s mind. This is a picture full of ideas, semi-formed and fully-formed, but the use of animation was one of the most well-nurtured and fascinating concepts.

Regardless of the cloudiness of the ideas executed, there is definitely some merit in its uniqueness, but ultimately it falters too badly to be a credible film experience. I didn’t necessarily dislike Rhinoceros Eyes, but I was certainly disappointed. I was expecting an indie gem of some sort, and I was surprised at the sloppy little oddity I was given instead.

Not highly recommended, but it’s nothing to steer clear of. It’s worth a look for the lead performance. I still believe that Michael Pitt could become something big, and I’ll be sure to keep up with his work.



MY RATING: 3/5

This is interesting, because:

1- I agree

2- It violates one of my most cherished beliefs; for a person to truly understand another person, they must be able to set aside their own views in order to really try to understand the other person's perspective.

And yet...

I have such a strong deterministic view on racism in my very core that I do not wish to entertain the idea in a supportive mindset, at all.

I guess every rule has exceptions...

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Good thread, Don Corleone! I really liked your review of The Fountain, and your Birth of a Nation review was great. Keep 'um comin'!

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The Beach – 2000, Danny Boyle


Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tilda Swinton

The first time I saw this film, I completely despised it. After seeing Danny Boyle’s masterpiece, Trainspotting and reading the source novel (by Alex Garland), I decided to give it another chance. A second viewing was a good idea. By no means is this a masterpiece, but it’s not the bomb it’s made out to be either. The dialogue is the most damaging aspect, and it is undoubtedly weak. However, the story is compelling and the leading man (Leonardo DiCaprio) is as brilliant as ever.

The Beach is about an American explorer named Richard (DiCaprio). He is a hedonist, an outsider, but he's a fun-loving kind of guy. When he hears about a secret island paradise from a strange Scottish madman, he jumps on the opportunity to go there. He invites a French couple he has met in his travels, with the possible hope of getting somewhere romantically with the woman.

This is vastly different from the Richard that Alex Garland wrote in the source material. Garland’s Richard is a polite, borderline selfless British traveler with dark hair. In other words, he’s the polar opposite of Leonardo DiCaprio’s self-involved adulterer. This isn’t a drawback. Too many people draw novel-to-film comparisons, when the two mediums are far too different to be doing so. The Beach is a brilliant novel, and justifiably a cult classic. The film adaptation is compelling in its own respect.



The introduction is marvelous – a frenzied, gorgeously shot exploration of Bangkok on New Year’s Eve, accompanied by Richard’s introductory narration. Leonardo DiCaprio is the master of voice-overs, and The Beach is no exception. He captures the enthusiasm and wonderment of this character perfectly, and his voice is as interesting and expressive as any great piece of music.

When the opening titles are complete, we are under the impression that we’re in for something great. The relationship between Richard and his new-found friends (the French couple) is very badly written, and a lot of the dialogue comes across awkwardly. The meat of this film is heavily flawed, as John Hodge didn’t quite seem to know how to structure the story.

The weak second act builds up to a conclusion that’s as strong as the introduction. Richard is overcome by an addiction to compulsive lies, and he is eventually forced into isolation. His mind has been twisted as a result of his obsession with video games and Vietnam War films, and he begins to lose his mind. Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance is the most riveting here… after the heroic artist he played in Titanic (1997), it’s surprising to witness his portrait of this pot-smoking brat.

Although the script overall is the weakest link here, Richard is an intriguing character. He is completely immersed in the bliss of his own world, and he is seemingly ignorant to the effect he has on others. He likes smoking lots of weed, playing lots of Game Boy, and pretending that problems don’t exist. Only an actor as talented as DiCaprio could keep us interested in this man.

Thanks to the outstanding lead and Danny Boyle’s directorial finesse, this movie ends up being a fascinating mess. The soundtrack is memorable, the photography is beautiful, and some of the vaguely examined themes are chilling. This should have been a masterpiece, but the screenplay is lacking where many of the other elements are not. I would certainly recommend watching it with an open mind, but it’s far from a great film.




MY RATING: 3.5/5

Absolutely... I think the exploration of certain ideals is just unnecessary as a whole. Ultimately, who benefits from racism?

Don’s Plum – 2001, R.D. Robb


Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire

This unseen, micro-budget ensemble piece has sadly been swept under the rug, partially for justifiable reasons. Apparently, there was a dispute involving rights to the film between the director and Leonardo DiCaprio. Although it was filmed before Titanic (1997), its limited release took place four years later. The movie shows a side of Mr. DiCaprio that he didn’t want people to see, and to this day he says that he’s embarrassed about the whole thing.

I can understand where he’s coming from, but I do think he’s underestimating his work here. The dialogue in the film is almost entirely improvised, and his performance is the sharpest and most full-bodied out of everyone.

The story revolves around four male friends (Leonardo DiCaprio, a squeaky-voiced Tobey Maguire, Scott Bloom and Kevin Connolly). The four buddies meet up at a crummy diner every week, and they’re all supposed to bring a girl with them. Once there, they discuss the mishaps and humors of their seemingly insignificant lives.

Maguire’s character brings an attractive girl named Juliet (Meadow Sisto) from an acid jazz club. Scott Bloom’s character, an introverted bisexual, brings a woman he has been sleeping with (Jenny Lewis), and Connolly’s character brings a hippie hitchhiker. DiCaprio doesn’t luck out with the ladies on this particular night, and struts into the diner alone. When his friends ask him why he doesn’t have a date, he says that he had a great situation with two bisexual girls, but it didn’t work out.

“In other words you were beating off,” Jeremy (Kevin Connolly) says.



The group is all middle-class kids in their twenties, and they don’t seem to care about tact or manners. They discuss sex, masturbation, drugs, and homosexuality in great detail. The editing is frequent and jumpy, with plenty of camera movement, and the film is shot in hazy black-and-white. For a large portion of the film, it seems as if we’ll just be listening to these people talking about whatever comes to mind.

Things do get interesting. Derek (DiCaprio) is an angry punk, and he curses out Jeremy’s date until she runs out of the restaurant in tears. He excuses himself by saying “it’s just the way I am”. He continues on his verbally aggressive assaults for the entire film, insulting friends and strangers alike with merciless incessancy. The group discusses what they have and haven’t done, and what traits about each other are most unappealing. They exchange flirtatious glances, and a lesbian friend of Jenny Lewis’ character arrives onto the scene.

The dialogue remains lively and real, and there are fantastic cut-scenes where the characters talk to themselves in the reflection of a grimy restroom mirror.

Eventually, the film switches tone. Derek becomes very somber and very distant, and we learn that his father committed suicide as a result of his mom. “Up since then I don’t know about women,” he says. He leaves the table, and one of the girls goes to try and comfort him. He becomes violent and mean, and we learn more heartbreaking secrets about several other characters.

There’s a fistfight, there is some heavy sobbing, and in the end they all walk away smiling. Don’s Plum isn’t the trivial piece of garbage that it’s made out to be. It’s about the ultimate lack of meaning that exists in a group like these people. Almost everything that can happen to them happens on this night, and none of it amounts to anything. It’s about failed relationships, unfilled voids and the brutal truth of modern-day youths. It’s vulgar, the structure is practically nonexistent, but the content is as honest as films get.

This story struck a chord with me. Being a huge fan of Leonardo DiCaprio’s work, I was astonished to see him top himself with this deep, enraged and captivating piece of acting. He’s got a look about him and a way of delivering lines that’s undoubtedly special, and I still stand by the belief that he is one of the greatest actors to ever grace the screen.

Many people may be offended by this film, and many more might not want to provide the patience it requires. However, I’m not afraid to admit that it’s a personal favorite. If you can get your hands on it, give it a chance. You may be as taken aback by its reality as I was.



MY RATING: 5/5

Me too so that is why i have never watched it again, sorry Leo wasn't able to keep me interested in his Character

Thanks for both reviews, I have never heard of Don's Plum but i will keep my eye out for it

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Well, good luck with that. It's illegal in North America.

Oh, what about here in Australia?

You're in luck - that's one of the placest where its DVDs are printed.

I will see if I can find it

Why is it illegal in North America? hmm makes me wanna go get it now hahaha
hooray for me I live in Australia!

lol...because apparently, Leo and Tobey Maguire only acted in the film as an exercise of sorts, and they didn't intend for it to be commercially released. There was a whole ordeal surrounding it, and a few lawsuits too. You should definitely check it out.

Brokeback Mountain - 2005, Ang Lee



Brokeback Mountain is a love story, but it's not about "movie love". It's about true love. Not the true love with a corny, unrealistic definition. It's true love because it's painful, inescapable, passionate and almost primal. We've seen in a different kind of love depicted in various classic romance pictures. From Casablanca (1942), Humphrey Bogart's "Here's looking at you kid" is the line most of us know. From Titanic (1997), it's Kate Winslet's flamboyant exclamation: "I'm flying!" to her lover (Leonardo DiCaprio). Brokeback Mountain, however, is famous for the very sorrowful quote "I wish I knew how to quit you." In other words, Titanic and Casablanca are great films, but Brokeback is a different one.

The story takes place in Wyoming, and begins in the year 1963. Two ranch hands meet for a mutual job: a low-pay, partially illegitimate piece of work for a despicable employer (played fantastically by Randy Quaid). The ranch hands are Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger). They're young, masculine and quiet. They have an instant, slightly restrained connection. Jack shows immediate sexual attraction towards Ennis, but he isn't given any signs of reciprocation.

They develop a bond as time passes and they loosen up a little, comforted by the fact that they're alone in the mountains. One night they have drunk, violent sex. It's an unplanned, aggressively impulsive act. The scene is extremely powerful. The two men clearly want to make love to each other, but they are repelled by the idea of what they're doing. The next day, they agree that it was a "one-shot thing", but their agreement doesn't last long. Through much resistance on Ennis's part and unsure physical connection, they fall in love with each other. However, Ennis has already proposed to a woman named Alma (Michelle Williams) and he tells Jack that he completely intends on following through with the proposal.

Their job is completed eventually, and they're forced to part ways. This little moment is among the film's most unsettling and tragic ones. As Jack drives away, Ennis retreats into a tunnel and begins to vomit, his body shaking with sobs. He pounds his fist on the cement wall. He realizes that what his mind knows and what his heart wants are two opposing things, and the idea of that literally makes him sick.



The men both become involved with women they don't love, and eventually (perhaps inevitably), Jack and Ennis connect again. They share a secretive, even delusional love affair, composed of passionate "fishing trips" spaced out over long periods of time. Needless to say, a homosexual relationship between two cowboys would not have been openly embraced in 1963, so they can't allow anyone to find out about their relationship.

Tragedy unfolds in numerous ways that I'm not going to reveal here, and the story becomes an unflinching look at the contradictory beauty and danger of love. The screenplay (adapted from a short story by Annie Proulx) is enormously complex. This is an examination of various conflicting and connecting characters who hide behind guises and stifle their true emotions in almost every scene. It's a movie full of anguish and rage and lost romance, and it's downright heartwrenching. To study love with this much honesty and detail is a brave, daunting task, and Brokeback Mountain fully succeeds with its depiction.

Ang Lee's direction has as much feeling as the script itself. The visual aspect of the picture is lovingly composed, and the narrative structure is remarkably strong. The photography has a gorgeous, sort of grandiose quality to it, presumably intended to conflict with the sadness of the story. It was a bold and admirable move for Lee to direct this film, and his top-notch work on is masterfully precise.

The doomed, tortured lovers could not have been cast more wisely. Jake Gyllenhaal has consistently impressed me with his unique acting style - full of sensitivity and angst, his portrayals contain a moving amount of feeling. This was particularly evident in Donnie Darko (2001), and it's even clearer with Brokeback Mountain. This is his best performance. Jack is a loving, free-spirited person who has been internally brutalised to the point of losing his empathy. Gyllenhaal's performance is extraordinarily textured; we see the dreamy, romantic side of this man, and we also see his furious bitterness. Heath Ledger is just as good (if not better) as the explosively violent and emotionally damaged Ennis Del Mar.

These elements are fused strongly together with masterful film editing, a cast of incredible supporting performances, and an amazingly memorable musical score.

I think this movie is extremely underappreciated and misunderstood. It's not a gay cowboy movie. It's a classic depiction of love itself, and an absolute artistic triumph. Crash is an outstanding piece of work, but Brokeback Mountain is better. I feel it was robbed of Best Picture at the Academy Awards. This is the best film of 2005, and my personal favorite. Anyone who truly has a passion for movies should see this. Who knows? Maybe they'll learn something about love.



MY RATING: 5/5

Great review Mikey i like you, love this movie

Thank you.
I'm glad to hear it. It really does deserve to be taken more seriously. Every time I watch it, it's just as powerful.

I didn't realise it wasn't taken seriously! It definitely deserves to be. I love this film and I love it more every time I watch it.

I'm sorry but I just can't take a movie like brokeback mountain seriously seeing its subject matter. call me ignorant but i just can't take that film seriously.

Reservoir Dogs you can take seriously; that's fine. What other movies can't you take seriously because of their subject matter? I'm not attacking you. You have the right to your opinion. I'm just trying to understand you.

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