Movie Tab II

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Hilarious, Meaty. That movie is SO bad...

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Wait a minute what is he doing to that girl ?

Exactly what you think he is doing.

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"Travis Bickle: Loneliness has followed me my whole life, everywhere. In bars, in cars, sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There's no escape. I'm God's lonely man."

The Graduate
Mike Nichols, 1967

This is one of those movies that I've always heard talk about, but it never really seemed to interest me that much. For some reason, though, I decided to buy it this past weekend and I'm really glad I did. I ended up loving it, and it seemed like something I wasn't going to like, so I'm happy about that. Actually I didn't like the first part of the movie that much, and I thought I was going to like it that much, but then once he decides to leave Mrs. Robinson, it gets a whole lot better. I already knew that I was going to like it some because the opening credits were played over 'Sound Of Silence' which is one of my favorite movies, but I think that whoever did the song choices must have loved that song, because it was used another 3 times throughout the movie. I actually think they had some great song choices in this.

Dustin Hoffman was near amazing in this, and it's pretty impressive because this was like his debut role. I've seen some of his newer stuff, but he never really impressed me all that much, but after seeing this I want to see some more of his older movies. This is just one of those feel-good movies that I think you have to see. If you're like me, then you won't end up being disappointed by it.

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace -

Perhaps my least favorite of the Superman saga (meaning, in this case, the four Christover Reeve Superman films and Superman Returns), but I still found it enjoyable and a somewhat worthy addition to the series. The villain that Lex Luthor created from Superman's DNA--the yellow and black guy whose weakness was the sun--was an interesting concept for an opponent for the Man of Steel, but I found the actor's performance of him somewhat cheesy and/or "over-the-top." There were other quirky little things throughout the film I didn't like, but this film centers around my absolute favorite comic book superhero: it deserves that 3/5 rating.

Superman Returns -

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After finishing off the Superman saga, I can now say that, while The Quest for Peace is my least favorite of the series, Superman Returns may very well be my most favorite. I may need more time to re-evaluate those feelings, but after just seeing it today, I'm on the verge of being blown away.

First off, I watched the movie on Blu-ray, and the effects were astounding. The airplane scene was particularly mesmorizing, and was a pure visual splendor to watch. Also, I loved each and every one of the major performances, from Brandon Routh's potrayal of the Man of Steel, to Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, to Kevin Spacey's portrayal of the insidious Lex Luthor. The acting was all top-notch.

On top of all that, I also found a lot of profound meaning strewn throughout the movie. For example, the scene in which Superman lifts the mountain of Kryptonite. This shows not only his true strength, but his great willpower to do what he thinks is right: save Earth and all the people in it.

I understand that Superman Returns gets a fair amount of flack, but I absolutely loved it. Hell, I may consider it Top 100 material for me upon a second viewing.

The Cat in the Hat -

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Eh, what can I say? I actually liked it quite a bit, but then again, I'm a huge fan of Mike Myers. I found the story pretty entertaining and found myself laughing out loud more often than I had remembered (I'd seen The Cat and the Hat once before, a while ago). It's an all-around decent wacky comedy.

Transylvania Twist -

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A hilarious, clever spoof of all the big-time horror movies like Dracula, The Exorcist, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Friday the 13th to name a few. The story is entertainingly wacky and the script is very, very funny. It was a real pleasure to watch. Plus, the lead actress (Teri Copley) is smoking-freakin'-hot.

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"The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven."
John Milton, Paradise Lost

My Movie Review Thread | My Top 100

In the past week I watched few movies here are those that I can remember

Gladiator(Ridley Scott 2000)-Sometimes I wonder what makes a good movie really good is it the story or is it the actors or just the entertainment.What Ridley Scott did with Gladiator is that he combined all that in to a movie with well told story,high class cast and outstanding vision and representation of ancient Rome.This movie has something for everyone-entertainment(the bloody battles)great performances by Russel Crowe for which he was awarded,the late Richard Harris who was in the movie for 20 minutes but made two great speaches that are worthy of our attention as an audince and Oliver Reed.The Camerawork was outstanding with huge landscapes and montages that make it look a little sureal.


Dragonball:Evolution(James Wong 2009)-I don't know I have never been fan of the animated show it seemed just boring with all those flying and I have never imagined that there would be a live action movie I wonder what's next-Naruto .The script was alwful and when you expect an epic battle in the end the movie ends the only thing that was kind of Ok were the efects and mostly the slow motion it was done pretty well,but that doesn't excuse the movie of beign stupid.


My Bloody Valentine:3D(Patrick Lussier 2009)-Well I didn't watch it in 3D and probably that's the main reason I didn't like this film that much.I guess it was the 3D that this movie relied on because we've seen the scenario in Halloween Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street and we all know how it's going to end and that the girl is going to save the day,however there was a little headbanging about who the killer really was.I can't say I didn't enjoy this movie couse I certanly did it was really well made the murders were pretty stunning and seeng Jensen Ackels in something other than Supernatural was really refreshing.


FanBoys(Kyle Newman 2008)-comedies about road trip are always funny except maybe Eurotrip(or I don't know I've seen it only once)and it's not just about the characters but the people who they meet on the road and movies like those always invite some big names from the industry(or not so big but atleast famous)-you have Seth Rogen,William Shatner,Danny McBride,Kevin Smith(I would've be surprised if he wasn't in this one)and half of the cast of the Star Wars episodes.And exactly those guys make the movie really good and Kristen Bell mayby


Far Cry(Uwe Boll 2008)-I don't know how did that happen I swear I never gave money for it it was there in the internet I just wanted to check it and how he ruined my favorite game but I watched insted I was hoping maybe for some T&A but there was none(what happend usually bad action movies from the 90's relied on that)so I might have saved you.Well it was horrible no doubt nothing like the game only the hawain shirt was the same and a few of the characters names.And why the hell would he wear a Hawain Shirt if there is no tropical island but just an old wood mill probably situated somewhere in Oregon.Man it was nasty


Blade 2(Guillermo Del Toro 2002)-lately from watching trilogies I realised that the second part is always the best-Spiderman 2,X-2,some other trilogy that I can't remember right now.So this goes for Blade 2,not that the first and the third part were any bad but this one was a bit darker bloodier exactly the way Vampire movies should be.Guillermo Del Toro has proven himself really to be a visionary director by choosing the Czech Republic with its dark and gothic look


Push(Paul McGuigan 2009)-interesting thing is that usually some directors even trying to make different movies they use technique from their previous movies like McGuigan's last movie Lucky Nimber Slevin with his typical Guy Ritchie spin-off and this time this techique is used in a science fiction movie(I won't tell you what you'll sense it when you watch it).And why put a Ferrari in the poster if you are not going to throw it with your mind.I have always enjoyed watching Chris Evans and his smart ass characters and seeing Dakota Fanning drunk makes it even better it sends a great message to 13 year olds out there


Crank 2(Neveldine/Taylor 2009)-I believe that the writers when they wrote the first one thought that it was a serious action movie and it didn't turned out like that and with the second one they went with the hardcore fun and violence and insanity.Again like the first movie the action is to the fullest and the adrenaline is pumping and Jason Statham is kicking ass like crazy.

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I'm in movie heaven

On The Waterfront
Elia Kazan, 1954

This is one of those movies that I've been hesitant on watching for a couple of weeks now. I knew that it was very high on AFI's top 100, but I always looked at the cover on amazon and for some reason it always came off as it looked like a soap opera. I don't know how exactly when I looked at it again a few minutes ago, though. I'm very glad that I decided to watch it, though, because I ended up really loving it I must say. The last 10 minutes of the movie may be one of the most inspirational movie scenes that I've ever seen. It wouldn't have been the same without Marlon Brando. This is what I would call a true gangster movie, because it actually portrays gangsters in how they would actually appear in real life. Yeah it'd be a little different for today's time, but still pretty real.

Marlon Brando is an amazing actor, and it's funny because I always hear talk about him, but I've never really thought about it. One of the reasons for that because the only other film I've seen him in besides this one is The Godfather. Hell, I'd say that he did better in this than he did in The Godfather. I want to see some more of his movies now. I'd definitely recommend this one to anyone, because it's a film that I think everyone could love.

MM's just plowing through these classics, great to see. On the Waterfront is one of my favourites, no question about that. I still remember how much it affected me the first time I saw it, a true classic.

"You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, Charley."

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"Don't be so gloomy. After all it's not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

Along Came a Spider (2001)


What I deciphered from this was mainly just another flick put out to gain some money. It differs from the novel quite a bit (most likely to try fitting a sensible plot into an average run time). It is an unintelligent, yet fun thriller.

The film starts out rather well, and starts becoming more preposterous as the minutes add up. It contains a pretty poor script with some laughably unbelievable moments (notably the highly advanced computer tricks they use). Though, I did think the movie was a joy to watch. Along Came a Spider is a high quality b-movie with some fun, nicely tuned suspense moments.

The always reliable Morgan Freeman turns out a great performance, and the criminally underrated Michael Wincott (many may know as Top Dollar from The Crow) shines as Gary Soneji. Other than those two, the acting is pretty sloppy. The score was an unexpected pleasure; a mix between classic style suspense and modern thriller music.

Overall, the film has too many flaws to label as good, but is a fun little suspense flick. I believe having read the novel beforehand added a bit to my understanding, and possibly even to my enjoyment of the film; and I would recommend reading it before watching it.

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Killer of Sheep (1977, Charles Burnett)

MM your really rattling off these classics at quite some pace. Good job my man.

And Harry Lime, Killer of Sheep is one of the forgotten ones. It has a little bit of Sembene about it. Considering how vital the film is, both in terms of Independent American Cinema and black culture, it remains largely unseen, at least in popular avenues anyway. I'm delighted you enjoyed it and I hope a few others can see it soon.

Superman 3 & 4 are no longer recognized as part of the "official" Superman Saga, at least according to the creators and the studio. Actually, neither is the theatrical release of Superman II (Richard Lester version) with the Paris nonsense in it. That has all been stricken from the mythos, with the "official" story containing:

Superman : The Movie
Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut
Superman Returns


They had to do this in order to make some sort of sense out of the continuity. Bogart may always have Paris, but Superman does not, as those events now never happened.



Personally, I abhor Lester's Superman II, with all its silly site gags and the goofball Paris sequence. Donner's film, although technically rough, as some of the scenes and effects were never fully completed, is a much better film, in my opinion. The savior storyline is intact, the disco skaters getting ice cream cones in the face are gone, and that terrible scene with Lex and the tree poem is nowhere to be found. Another example of studio meddling in the 80s, that has now been corrected by the original creators of the project, restoring the mythos to their orginal intended state.

I had some considerably more in depth write ups on these ones , but I lost them by being dumb



Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade

Only recently have I realized how different Temple of Doom is from the rest of them , Raiders and Crusade both share in common a more adventure/mystery approach. They also share Jones as a professor who introduces the artifacts he will pursue , both have a wide variety of inventive puzzles and beautiful action scenes. Although I will say I slightly prefer Raiders now , they're both exciting films going harder and farther than anything of similar nature.





Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

The only one that doesn't get better every time I see it , introducing a much seasoned Jones into the Cold War era - his position from Last Crusade is swapped now , with him playing the wise knowledgeable one and Shia Labouf the more curious one. Same great music , different but still awesome visual style , but the story is a bit behind the rest.

It's half-departure from it's serial roots , make it feel less of an addition to the series than a very respectful nod.





JCVD

A semi-autobiographical film about Jean Claude's troubles with landing decent roles and his custody case. Your introduced with an amazing action packed tracking shot set to Baby Huey's Hard Times , but unfortunately the rest of the film is not quite as engaging. It unexpectedly turns into a bank hostage crisis and Claude himself doesn't take center stage until much later in the movie - but when he does it starts turning around.





Goodfellas

Brilliant chemistry between the hundreds of characters , their sense of family allow the picture to carry a heavy handed sense of realism and the giant musical soundtrack fill whatever air is left in this fast paced , genuinely human tale of respect , tradition , and everything else.





Aliens

Some strong acting performances and character design make this one of the more interesting sci-fi pictures in a desolate genre , but it's an action movie at heart and doesn't look good enough to contend with the best. There are some really great shots throughout , like the opening one - but most of it takes place in very small settings and it's camera-work is decent at best.





Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

A work of genius , as Joel is erasing his former girlfriend Clementine from his memory he realizes how perfect she is for him - as everything does in the movie it works in multiple ways. As his bad memories of her are deleted from his mind , his image of her becomes more flawless - at the same time he seems aware of her deep need to explore and be free , which totally contradicts his shy changeless personality.

The structure of this movie does take multiple forms , there is Joel who is sleeping and his reality is that of your regular dream and then there is the narrative of those doing the erasing. Both are very convincing and explore important questions. Lots of fun comes from the senseless antics of surreal dream state , many things that happen make complete sense to me on a level no other films have touched - because my dreams are like this. Kate Winslet probably has the toughest role to play as she not only plays her own character , but Joel's character as well and his interpretation of her - she does an excellent job.

Dialogue is simple and universal , it's one of the few amazing movies that tries to find the heart of love and what it is to love someone or something. It's a film that confirms that reality is not pure , but we try our best to find purity and even if it doesn't last forever it's great.

[Rec](Juame Balaguero Paco Plaza 2007)-when a friend of mine told me about this movie he never mentioned the American Remake-Quarantine and to tell you the Americans didn't even bother to change something in the script I think they just translated it in English.So if you've seen Quarantine you know what exactly this movie is all about and how it ends.However it still creeps you at moments

The Battle of Algiers



This is an increadible movie. I'm a big history nut, but I know little of the history behind the Algerian revolution, nor had I ever heard of this movie until recently (in the historical movies thread ). I came know that this movie wasn't a documentary, but I found myself questioning myself greatly (to the point of convincing myself) that there was no way at least some of the footage was stock or filmed at the actual events. Lo and behold, I found out on Wikipedia that it was all filmed for the movie. This in itself is a testement to the amazing production that this movie is, especially for the time. The actors were fine around the board, but I thought the man who played Colonel Mathieu did an excellent job. Another thing that amazes me about the movie is that it never romantacizes or is biased in its storytelling. Sure, at times I thought it would be leaning one way, but then a later scene would negate the lean. Overall, if your into historically based movies, or just want to see a very well-done and intriuging movie, see The Battle of Algiers.

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The General
Clyde Buckman and Buster Keaton, 1927

I think it's pretty much offical now, that I can basically watch any kind of movie there is. I'm now pretty much alright with silent films now. This was actually pretty good, but one of the main things I'm relieved about is I was able to keep up with the story, which I was afraid that I wasn't going to be able to do. One of my main problems with this is that the story gets sort of tedious in the movie. Well maybe that wasn't the right word for it, but it seemed that the same exact thing was happening throughout the whole movie. I guess I shouldn't be complaining that much because I'm sure they weren't able to do a whole lot with silent movies.

Buster Keaton was actually very funny in this, even though he seemed to be incredibly stupid at times. For anyone looking to start watching silent movies, I think this would be a pretty good start. I plan on continuing with some Charlie Chaplin movies next.

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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
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Just wait until you see Murnau's Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927). Simply one of the greatest visual accomplishments ever comitted to celluloid. Try Eisenstein's Potemkin and his theoretically outmoded compatriot Vertov's Man with a Movie Camera. You may want to look at D.W.Griffith as well, although I wouldnt start with Intolerance or Birth of a Nation (Broken Blossoms would be my suggestion).

You're sensible starting with Keaton, although I dont like The General as much as Sherlock Jnr. which is sheer genius for its time. Its clear your working off the AFI lists at the moment so i'm sure you'll see all the Chaplin favourites, City Lights, Modern Times and what not.

They could do everything with silent movies, after all there was a greater emphasis on the properties of the filmic image. Some find silents richer and more rewarding than the sound films of today.

I'll have to check those out, Fenwick. I'll probably see City Lights next because I'm trying to work my way through AFI's Top 100 right now.