Iron Man (2008) I saw it for the first last weekend. Robert Downey Jr. was good as Tony Stark, but the lack of action in the movie really bore me. The last 20 minutes or so were great, but I just didn't care about the story that led up to it. By the standards of comic book movies it was good. I don't think I'll see the sequel though. 75/100 Keith This is an independent film that I watched off of Netflix. Jesse McCartney plays a high school student who displays strange social behavior. He requests to be lab partners with a smart, hot girl. They end up spending time together, and even though he does weird things she ends up falling for him, and eventually finds out why he does the things he does. It's not your typical high school film. I recommend seeing it. 86/100 Dazed and Confused This was one of those that I had heard everybody rave about but never got around to seeing. It was a letdown, to say the least. The characters annoyed me to no end, and the plot basically went nowhere. Maybe you had to be alive in the '60s to appreciate it, but I did not enjoy it at all. 56/100
I usually avoid children-oriented films like the plague, Pixar included. I disliked most of them when I was little (The Sound of Music, The Lion King), so why would anything change fifteen plus years later? However, the glowing praise and promise of something different lured me to watch Coraline (2009) Stop-motion animation about a young girl who moves to a new house and gets ignored by her parents. At night, she goes through a portal to a magical world with nicer, better versions of them, except with buttons sewn over their eyes. The story and characters aren't bad, but present nothing special or especially interesting. However, the movie is one of the most visually amazing spectacles I have ever seen. The insane level detail, color, and transformation sequences of the dolls is incredible. Everything looks vibrant and alive. Furthermore, there is a genuine eerie and adventurous atmosphere throughout the whole picture. Basically, you can think of "Coraline" as "Avatar" (another children's movie!) with better plot and atmosphere, and slightly worse visuals. A genuinely good movie, especially if you have kids. 72/100
The Thing (1982) Before it comes out again in 2011 and no doubt is trampled into shit chowder, lets all take in John Carpenter's variation on the chilling short story Who Goes There?, which is a repulsive visual spectacle and one of the scariest movies ever made. A colossal failure in the USA (due to its disgusting nature), it gained its cult momentum with the VCR rental boom of the mid 80's and what a following it achieved. As far as horror goes, never will you see a film get so quickly recomended as this film does once somebody sees it for the first time, which is pretty much unforgettable. Rob Bottin's hideously gruesome make-up effects are a sight to behold. He lets his twisted mind run wild on a creature that can consume and take the form of anything it touches, yet has no real shape of its own. As far as violence and gore go, The Thing is just about as gross as a mainstream Hollywood movies gets. It also will make the hair stand on the back of your neck for 100 straight minutes. The Antarctic setting. The brilliant "Who IS the Thing?" paranoia amongst the men at the outpost. The brilliant shocks and OH MY FUCKING GOD the notorious "blood test" scene that will have you climbing up the walls. Kurt Russell anchors the film with a great ensemble of familiar character actors. This is not a perfect film (the not stop freak show can get tiresome here and there and there are unexplained plot holes like all horror films have), but it demands to be seen (only late at night) and squeamish folks wouldn't dare watch this one alone. 7.5/10
Extract (2009) From IMDB... I didn't really have high hopes for this movie, but gave it a chance based on a decent cast (at least in name) and the fact that it was written and directed by Mike Judge. This movie failed on almost all fronts. I can remember laughing only one time throughout the movie, and was generally disinterested the entire time. The only high-points were Mila Kunis looking great as always, and Ben Affleck playing a long-haired, hippy bartender. Final Grade: D
Girl with The Dragon Tattoo The film adaption is very honest to its literary source. The scene where Lisbeth is sexually abused is very confronting. The acting is good throughout the movie; however I don’t understand why Lisbeth starts randomly fucking Blomvkist, although I did appreciate seeing her tits. Score: 71/100
Love Exposure (2008)- A four-hour long Japanese love story unlike any film I have ever seen. It begins like a conventional and sweet-hearted romance; 11 year-old Yu's angelic, pious, and beautiful mother dies of a disease, and he promises to introduce her to the woman he marries, his Virgin "Maria", someday. His kind father then becomes a Catholic priest and Yu becomes a withdrawn but good-hearted 17 year-old student. From here, only 10 minutes in, the film breaks apart into an increasingly hilarious, completely insane, and unpredictable series of events and characters. The level of sex and blood is mind-boggling, and most of the time, completely unexpected. Half the time, it is also hysterically funny, weird, and mixed with dream sequences and surrealist images. None of this would work so well if the film weren't also well-written and damn funny, with a great core story. While I was skeptical at the prospect of a 4 hour movie, it is blisteringly-paced and jam packed with events, making something like Avatar seem like 2001 by comparison. The only downside is that I watched it in two parts, and the first 80 minutes made it a real threat to crack my top 10-15 films ever. The last 150 minutes were great, but not quite on that same level. Still, it's an all-time great movie. 85/100
Hunger 2008 I vaguely remember watching this drunk sometime last year, so decided to watch it properly this afternoon. For those who don't know, it's about Bobby Sands and the PIRA hunger strike during the 1980's. A very slow paced film, almost boring at times but with a strong dignity and neutrality which I wasn't expecting. For me the two most memorable scenes was the prison officer fighting back tears hiding around a corner when the prisoners were being beaten and when Bobby Sands's parents are coming to visit him on his death bed and the brutal, snarling "Name" the prison officers barks at both of his parents. It's a film that made me angry and then quite sad, what was the point in all the violence?
Frost/Nixon I recorded this a couple of months ago and finally got around to watching it last night and thought it was excellent. Very well paced, provided a good backdrop, and quickly established the characters (I love Oliver Platt). When it was released, I really wasn't sure about Langella playing Nixon, but he hit the character (if not the voice) beautifully. Babylon A.D. Holy crap, what a colossal waste of time. This movie could have been so much more. Vin Diesel, a mercenary, is hired to transport a young girl from a post-apocalyptic Russia to NYC. Suffice it to say, the film is comprised of lethargic action scenes in getting her from there to here, followed by some lethargic action scenes of saving her from some nefarious powers. A plot so thin it could tear in a summer breeze. Cringe-worthy. Summer TV fare sucks.
Guess I can't get enough of those 4 hour films; A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995) Pretentious title aside, this was a damn entertaining and instructive work. It consists of Scorsese talking about films, directors, and genres that he felt were noteworthy, with the relevant clips being played. Some attention is also paid to the business side of movies, the control exerted by the producers and studios, and the style each one forced upon its filmmakers. There are also short vignettes with other famous directors (Capra, Wilder, Ford, etc.) which are used rarely but very effectively. Like any great director, Scorsese's film selection and appraisal is light years ahead of any fucking critic, and he has the type of voice one can listen to for a long time sans irritation. If you couldn't care less about older works, and aren't much of a fan of movies, it's nothing special. But if you do, you'll love it, and probably get a few dozen further recommendations in the process. 77/100 Available on Youtube, starting here; <a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTbNv-P_9fg&feature=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTbNv-P_ ... re=related</a>
Zombieland My wife put it on our NetFlix queue, so put it on tonight. I wasn't really expected much, but I found it hilarious. A funny two hours, and the Bill Murray bit was great. Either I missed it or they never explained it: the relevance of him paint "3" on each of the trucks? Anyway, good way to pass a couple hours with some laughs.
Streetcar Named Desire-1951. This was the last showing of a handful of classic movies, and I'm pretty happy I saw it. Marlon Brando's accent was a little hard to understand at times, and a lot of the sexual stuff going on in the play was unclear, due to it being made in 1951. This movie is vivid and rich, it has a little bit of everything (it was funny, scary, sad and uplifting sometimes within 10 minutes.). It's worth the time, and it is definitely a classic. The good: Vivien fuckin Leigh. She might be one of the most superb actresses ever. Marlon fuckin Brando. You can't imagine a better portrayal of this "common" guy, who is just raw. His character in this is rich to watch, because you never know what to expect. The bad: I had no idea what the movie was about walking in and I feel like that took away from it. Also, this is one of those films that has consistently been made fun of (STELLLA!!) and even though I didn't know what it was about, some of the more inconic lines and scenes were familiar from parodies. Also, some of the effects have now become cliche's (walking through steam in the train station, echoing voices in one's head).
Black Dynamite (2009) Shame on me for missing out of this hidden treasure for so long. At times, it is a gaspingly hilarious satire. It's so good at being bad just like the 70's blaxploitation movies, but also injects it's own brand of ridiculous humour and style. And of all the fucking actors in the world, Michael Jai White gives a deadpan and dead-perfect performance as the title character with outrageous dialogue that will leave you spinning. One of the funniest comic performances in the last ten years, make no mistake. His monologue about killing all "The Chinese" in the Vietnam War is unforgettable, the dojo fight is absolutely hysterical and his first line in the film is a blast. That's in the first 15 minutes of the film. It throws in everything: horrible one-liners, boom mics falling into view, fight choreography fuck-ups, actors screwing up their lines, cheap-ass stock footage car chases, etc. but also hilarious original jokes. Not for all tastes, but if you are tuned into it then it's a scream. "I was the best CIA guy the CIA ever had." 8/10
Wall-E I am quite angry with myself for not seeing this sooner. It is one of the ten best films I have ever had the privilege of watching, which I did not expect going into it. Obviously the star of the story is a robot named Wall-E. His original and only objective was to clean up the Earth, which has become a barren wasteland of garbage and filth. All the people of Earth have been sent away on a gigantic ship, as the Earth could not sustain life. Wall-E has apparently been alone (save a cockroach) for most of his almost 700 years on Earth, so when a probe sent from the ship arrives to scan for plant-life, Wall-E becomes quite fond of it. Wall-E shows Eve, as the probe is named, his treasures he's picked up over the years (like a spork... or VHS tapes of people dancing), and they become quite the item. Then Wall-E shows Eve the plant he found, and she is taken away by the mother ship. The remainder of the film follows Wall-E as he tries reconnecting with Eve, and the people of the ship try making it back to Earth. The movie was thoughtful, beautiful (almost artistic), and hilarious. It does a fantastic job of anthropomorphizing the robots, and it actually becomes extremely easy to forget they're robots with an objective to complete. I'm very, very critical of movies and have no problem finding faults in the majority of them. I can't think of a single thing I would change in Wall-E. If you haven't seen this film, you're doing yourself a disservice. 91/100
Ichi The Killer (2001) Whooooo boy......Takeshi Miike, as prolific of a filmmaker he is does not let his viewers off the hook easily. The normal is the abnormal and vice-versa in his strange films and his version of the norm always takes centre camera, never hiding shame or doubt. HIs previous film Audition was as shocking, unsettling and unforgettable as a horror film could possibly be. With this he gives the viewers the ultimate litmus test in deliberate extreme violence and sadism, a thoroughly unpredictable and sometimes hard to follow gorefest about a psychotic violence-addicted wrecking ball and the S & M superfreak mob interrogator trying to find him and experience his deadly skills. Miike takes the viewer on a woefully misogynistic and disgustingly gruesome journey through gory martial arts mayhem and torture scenes that will make ANYBODY wince heavily. It is about people with turn-ons that don't exist on the surface, or anywhere. Heavily stylish (in the comic book sense), packed with gallows humour and some of the bloodiest set pieces since Dead Alive, you'd think only a horror film could achieve such extremes. Such is not the case of Ichi The Killer. Whether you drink in it's audacity and originality, or you are fleeing for the exit in the first 5 minutes you will not forget what you see in this film easily. I'm on the fence on this film simply because it is impossible to review as a whole (you'll have to see it to know what I mean by that). 6.5/10
I decided to watch what was supposedly the first great crime film, and hyped up by Scorsese in his documentary; The Public Enemy (1931) A young hoodlum grows up to become a vicious career criminal, as we see his interactions with his family, and growing prominence in the underworld over time. The first ten minutes are a total waste, complete with awful child acting and pointless scenery. A short while later, we witness an unarmed thief being shot to death from behind by a cop. Seriously? Things get marginally better about 15 minutes in. (A fourth of its runtime) James Cagney is great in the main role; just the right blend of humor, arrogance, and vulnerability, while the performances of the other actors range from good to simply atrocious. Still, the rest of the movie is filled with thin, often pointless scenes, and a primitive representation of criminals and their activities. It's almost like a cartoon sometimes. You can safely skip this supposed "classic"; it's aged as badly as any non-silent film I have ever seen. 34/100
Most High A "based on a true story" indie about a man's descent into crystal meth addiction. While the run time was less than 1.5 hours, it seemed to drag forever. Maybe it was meant to be viewed while on a meth high, but the blend of really poor pacing, an uninspired script and, at best, marginal acting all combined to make my hair hurt. Not worth your time.
I decided to watch a really unusual film directed by Sidney Lumet; The Wiz (1978) An all-black, New York City interpretation of "The Wizard of Oz", starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, with music composed by Quincey Jones. Now, I'm not one for musicals, but this is WAY better than the original. Much better direction, amazing songs (Michael Jackson, Diana Ross vs. Judy Garland, seriously?), expensive sets and elaborately choreographed dances, superior acting (also stars Richard Pryor), and a cooler, more original story. There are crazy, visually bizarre characters and scenes throughout, with flamboyant costumes and bright colors. Very good for its genre, and worth checking out if you want to see something weird and unique. 70/100
Legion: 2010 This movie was absolutely awful. I certainly didn't think it was going to be anything special but I wasn't prepared for just how awful it was. It may have been one of the worst written movies ever. The film star's Paul Bettany as the angel Michael, who is going against God's will to protect a baby that can save the world from ending. The girl who is pregnant with the savior works at some hick diner in the middle of nowhere. Of course she doesn't want the child, there is some nice guy doofus (Lucas Black) who wants to take care of her and the baby even though it isn't his and so on. Dennis Quaid is the owner of the diner and the guy who delivers the "we are not doing anything until somebody tells me the fuck what is going on" line as well as the extra cheesy "we are out of business" before he blows up the diner. They try and have the characters develop themselves with heartfelt dialogue before the demons (angels??) attack. It is pathetically predictable even to the point of picking which character will die and when. The only have decent scene in the entire film was some action provided by Kevin Durand, who plays the angel Gabriel. .875/ 10.
Taboo (1999)- Famed director Nagisa Oshima's last film, about the rigid moral standards and intrigues of a mid 19th century Japanese militia...or a movie about gay samurai. Tomaytoes, Tommatoes. The movie, coming out several years before "Brokeback Mountain", is anything but a love story, and is highly dark and negative in nature. The gay love affairs, all centered around an 18 year old, beautiful samurai, Kano, cause jealousy and dissension, and eventually, betrayal and murder. In the context of the military, it is seen as a highly corrupting and evil entity. Still, despite the great acting (Takeshi Kitano plays a top-ranking officer who must decide how to handle the murders), superlative directing, and an interesting and realistic interpretation of that time period, it's merely decent. However, there just isn't enough of a point to most of the work. Parts of it, like the Captain Inoue subplot, seem completely irrelevant. This could partially be forgiven if there was deep psychological insight or a major emotional impact, but there wasn't. As a result, despite all the good things about the movie, I often felt disengaged. Still, worth a watch. 66/100
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.starwarsuncut.com/watch" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.starwarsuncut.com/watch</a> This is hilariously awesome. Fans from all over the world re-made Star Wars and then voted on which scenes should be put in the "final cut". This is funny as hell, due to the construction of the scenes. From a laundry basket R2D2, to a "pew pew pow" sound effect, the cheap and cheesy effects make this worth watching.