Been on a neo-noir kick lately. Here's a few that I kicked myself for not having seen earlier. Mulholland Drive - Genius. David Lynch at his weird and freaky best. About a gorgeous amnesiac named Rita who survives a car accident and Naomi Watts playing a doe eyed amateur actress who attempts to help her figure out who she is. Set in LA, the first 2 acts seem over the top. The city is just too vibrant, the characters too impossibly strange. It's only when you watch the last 30 minutes that it will make sense. You must see it more than twice. Plus it includes a boner inducing lesbian scene that was a pleasant surprise. Brick - A 2005, low budget indie flick that pays homage to the pulp fiction of yore. A kid gets a call from his exgirlfriend about a "bad brick" and some angry drug dealers, begging him to help her. Shortly after she is murdered. Set in a modern day SoCal high school, all the noir characters are embodied perfectly by "regular" students. There's the loner snoop, the femme fatale, rich socialites, drug dealers, and thugs. Not at all realistic but completely enjoyable and efficiently shot. You can watch it streaming on netflix. Chinatown - Finally got around to seeing this classic who-dunnit, and it deserves the praise it gets. Jack Nicholson is the perfect private eye. Set, as usual, in LA during the 30's, J. J. Gittes investigates a water engineer's murder and uncovers a plot that includes sex, rape, bribery, and vast amounts of money. Great writing and stellar performances by every lead, not to mention its technical flourish. "Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown."
Do The Right Thing: Saw this for the first time about four days ago and i must say I was impressed, but just a little disappointed since it's the freshest on RottenTomatoes. Story is about the hottest days In Harlem 89'.Spike Lee plays a character named Mookie who tries to stear clear of responsibility as much as possible,from delivering pizzas to raising his kid. I heard from one review that this movie tends to bring out the racist in people. I can only say that statemnt is completely DEAD ON. I watched it with my mom and she just couldn't shut the fuck up about how all the black people in the community were terrible and how only they were responsible for all the troubles that go on in the film. She plays them as the "perpetrators" and Sal the pizzeria owner the "victim" as if he didn't do wrong. Like forgetting that Sal planted karma seeds all over the course of the movie, like working while his son is being completely racist to the all black customers as if nothing is happening(Racist son played perfectly by John Turturro), not putting a black person on the wall of fame to shut a guy the fuck up, beating up Radio's radio instead of calling the cops, causing a fight and a riot outside which ends with his pizziaria and a block of the street to burn down, etc. Point is, the movie points out that we're all responsible for our reality and that as long as we take charge into acceptance of diffrences, racism is always going to be around. The film ends with two quotes, one from Luther King and one from X. One says for peace, the other for violence(for self defense, but still violence). Utterly awesome film Barton Fink: Heard it was the most nderrated Coen Brothers film other than Miller's Crossing so I had to check it out. Just another shed of genious from the Coens. barton Fink(John turturro) is a successful play writer who gets a deal to write a wrestling movie for a major motion picture company. He moves out to Hollywood and finds out the buisness is a real shithole and that it's filled with cold sharks and hack writers. He befrinds his neighbor( John Goodman) and a lover of his favorite author who he finds out acutally just took all the ideas the woman gave to him and credited as his. Like any other Cohen movie the stroy takes a major downturn every minute with Fink not being able to write the story, the woman turning up dead after Fink had just had sex with her no more than an hour ago, Goodman turning out to be a serial killer. The ending just leaves you guessing whether it was all real or not.
Just watched this based on your guys' recommendations and wow...That was definitely a shitstorm. Definitely worth a watch.
Corn--2004 I was browsing in the horror section at the video store and saw this on the shelf; it had a demonic looking sheep behind a barbed wire fence, and the "O" in corn was a biohazard symbol. The writeup on the back of the case was pretty vague, implying that sheep were eating genetically modified food and bad things were happening. Judging by that evil looking lamb, I figured that the sheep go on a rampage and turn carnivorous or something; ought to be good for a laugh. What happens is this: a girl gets pregnant, returns to her home on the farm where they raise sheep, she finds out that there is some experimental corn being grown right next to them, and a strange weed is growing alongside it. The sheep have been eating some of it and they are exhibitting strange behavior, like cutting their throats open on the barbed wire fence to get to it. Then she finds out that there have been a lot of miscarriages in the area, she puts these two pieces of evidence together and tries to get everyone to stop eating mutton in the area. Kind of like Erin Brockovich, only about sheep. That was about it. Fuck the spoiler tags, because there isn't anything to spoil really; we don't even find out what happens to the baby she is carrying. Oh, we also find out that her father (her mom is dead) is really her stepfather, and he wants them to raise the baby together--you know, like husband and wife. And for the record, the star, Jena Malone, appears to actually be pregnant in the movie. Combine that with the way that I found her hot in a plain kind of way, and you have an actress I would plow into next week. That was the best part of the whole movie, at least for me. It was well edited, the camera work and other technical aspects were good, the acting good, but the script must have been missing a few pages.
Che- This is the 2 film Steven Soderbergh biopic of Cuban Revolutionary Che Guevara. It is very stripped down and not as hyper stylized as some of his other big budget films. The meticulous nature of the films retelling of the two parts of Che's life (the Cuban revolution and his failed Bolivian revolution) kept everything long and drawn out without creating much personality for the film as a whole. I had always wondered why all those angsty teenagers went gaga for this guy but the film really didn't do much to stir any wonder in me to learn any more about him. I only wish I had rented/watched it on Blu-Ray with a good HDtv since the settings and cinematography looked like they would be amazing when properly displayed.
So I just saw the latest Star Trek movie. The newest one, where it followed the young James T. Kirk. And I have to say, I'm disappointed. All I heard were rave reviews about this film. "It's great even if you're not a Trekkie!" "Such good drama!" "Huge ticket sales!" Ugh. The film lost my interest in its first chapter, with all the melodramatic dialogue as the attack went down on Kirk's father's ship. No one would speak like that in a crisis. People who want to know how to script good, battle-scene scifi should watch Battlestar Galactica and then try again. Beyond that, I just found it cliched. And I agree with cracked.com's point about the Great Intergalactic Coincidence. Of all the caves in all the galaxy, he winds up in the one with Spock. All in all, 2 stars out of 4.
Pan's Labyrinth I've heard there are two versions of this, one by David Bowie back in the 70's and one by Guillermo del Torro. I'm recommending the latter one. It may sound like a children's movie, but it is rated 'R' for a very good reason. I would never show this movie to a child...there are some horribly violent scenes that I personally feel the movie could of done without. Unless you're fluent in Spanish you're going to have to read sub titles, but the movie is worth it. The movie is set during the Spanish Civil War and a young girl goes with her mother to live with her evil step father who is an officer in the Spanish army. The little girl loves fairy tales and becomes involved in one. Over the past year or so it's become one of my favorite movies even though I have to read the dialog. It's one of those movies that will stick with you for a while after watching it.
I just watched the movie this past weekend. I also read the book, twice, for reasons I'll come to later. So what's the problem with Choke as a movie? Well, pretty much everything. Sam Rockwell was great, as was Angelica Houston. But herein lies the problem: Choke isn't a very good book. It sold largely on the success of Fight Club, which is a VERY good book, so I won't go into it anymore. I know, it's sacrilege to say that a 'Saint Chuck' book isn't good, but that's the truth. The movie is even worse because it exposes the flaws in the book, and when it doesn't, creates more. The movie plays up the whole sex addict thing, the the detriment of his primary role, way too much. Maybe it was to put more asses in the seat, etc. but the story (what there is of it) just gets lost in all the sexual noise. The flashbacks do come out of nowhere, and are meant to offer the explanation for his behavior in the current time. I will also say that the climatic scene that 'resolves' the stories is one of the most ham handed scenes in a book or a movie that I've ever read, to wit: Spoiler While attempting to determine what his background actually is, the main 'anti-hero' is busy feeding pudding (or is it the chick) to his mom, who finally 'fesses' up that she took him from a couple in Iowa, and that he wasn't derived from some relic of Jesus - like anyone over the age of six couldn't have figured that out - and then, boom, mom dies. The 'Dr.' is a patient, and the movies basically ends. One of the huge problems in the book is the fact that the character is completely unlikeable - to the point where he is literally 'full of shit' - yet another ham handed scene - and the story just isn't good. I certainly wasn't expecting Saint Chuck to come up with a believable story, but it would have been nice to have given a shit either about the outcome of the 'story/mystery' - which no one cares about, the friend - who is as big an idiot in the end as he was in the start, the redemption of Angelica Houston - totally out of character and a cheap ending - and the main character's development - or complete lack thereof. In short, the movie suffers the same problem as the book: it takes you on a trip to nowhere to find nothing and does it in a cheap fashion. Pahalniuk has done much better, and hopefully will do so in the future. But Choke, both as a novel and a movie, is not worth your time.
All the President's Men--1976 Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman This movie was BORING. Not nearly as boring as Gerry, but pretty bad nonetheless. That assbag Leonard Maltin gave it 4 stars. EAT A DICK, MALTIN. YOUR TASTE IN MOVIES SUCKS, AND SO DO YOU. This movie was about these two newspaper reporters who blew the lid off the Watergate scandal. If you want to see how a couple of reporters did their jobs back before the internet and back when people would give you almost any information you wanted over the phone, it's a good movie. Otherwise, I would rather have been masturbating.
Where the Buffalo Roam The first Hunter S. Thompson movie, came out in 1980, starring Bill Murray as Thompson and Peter Boyle as Lazlo (the attorney). As a film, it can't really compete against Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, it lacks a cohesive plot, and frankly feels like a bunch of sketches slapped together. This is probably because it isn't just based on one HST novel, more of a hodge podge of a few different works and articles of his. Not to mention bad scriptwriting. What it is lacking in the structural department though, it more than makes up for in funny. Bill Murray is absolutely spot on as Dr. Gonzo, and is fucking hilarious like always. He rants on like a madman quite often, but on the whole seems more controlled than Depp's version. More of Thompson the journalist comes through, rather than Thompson the drug abuser (though there are plenty of drugs in this version). Peter Boyle plays the attorney, Lazlo, against the wall searching for justice in the currupt legal system during the Nixon reign. He does a great job and is very funny in his own right. The movie is told in flashback mode as Thompson hides out at his home attempting to meet a deadline on a story. The movie itself is the article he is writing, one centered around Lazlo and his failings and breakdowns (and eventual disappearance) and Thompson's interactions with him during these times. Definitely worth a watch, especially with the help of some weed. The first time I watched it I was stoned and I don't know if I ever stopped laughing. Funny quote, monologue style: HST(Murray): He became a man the day of the greatest game he ever played. Everything he ever knew about common decency and morality he learned that day in December from Alan "The Horse" Ameche; and today in the Superbowl he would earn his wings. The crowd had assembled; a crowd of America's elite. Toyata salesmen from all around the country -- orientals and even those suspected of being orientals -- stacked on the thirty yard line watching him sweat and wipe caked blood from his face. The Gallow brothers -- Ernest and Julio -- party guys who had skinned a few Mexicans and forced them to carry them on their shoulders down to the pre-game tailgate parties at the colosseum. The Pepsi and Coka Cola bottlers of America -- Coke adds life; It's the real thing -- bombarded by missiles; flying flaming matchbook covers. The waterheads from General Motors up in the top seats where they belong; getting the worst of the pollution. All sorts of weird motherfuckers were at the game.
I watched Mongol (2007) and seriously enjoyed it. The good: the scenery is awesome, the images are haunting, it was like what 300 tried to be. The music wasn't overdone (think Gladiator toned down a notch). The bad: the action scenes were not that great, but I don't think they were the focal point of the movie. Also, not a lot of explanation, so you need to do a little reading about Genghis Khan, or the Mongol lifestyle beforehand to really see why all of this matters. Something I said about Inglorious Basterds made my friends giggle: "The ending to that movie was the most satisfying violence since my last rape fantasy."
So I think this is supposed to go here, and I didn't see anyone else who's posted it. This 70 minute review of the Phantom Menace is probably one of the greatest things I've ever seen. Here's part 1: There's 7 parts, and they're all as good as the next. This is must see.
Recently, I watched King of Kong, an acclaimed documentary about the classic arcade game Donkey Kong. The entire thing has been uploaded to Youtube, if any of you want to check it out. Throughout the film, there was a distinct Michael Moore vibe to the piece. That is, it was just too simple and one-sided; a boneheaded Hollywood good versus evil story. On the one hand, you have Steve Weibe, a family guy shown extensively with his wife and kids, Rocky theme playing in the background, with his "hardships" and "difficulties" in life built up. On the other hand, you have Billy Mitchell, a successful, cocky businessman, always shown alone, on his phone, plotting evil schemes. It all smelled like bullshit by the time I got to the end, and sure enough, that's precisely what it was. <a class="postlink" href="http://ascii.textfiles.com/archives/1303" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://ascii.textfiles.com/archives/1303</a> <a class="postlink" href="http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1560691/20070529/story.jhtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles ... tory.jhtml</a> The main subplot, Steve trying to take down Billy's 20+ year old record, wasn't even accurate, considering a third guy had the record since 2000, and Steve had it since 2003, 2 years before the documentary began. It's an absolute fabrication, and perhaps most disappointingly of all, the fiction was nowhere near as interesting as a genuine story about these personalities would have been. Unfortunately, most people watching it, from reviews, have come away with the impression that one guy is a saint, and another is Satan. Check it out for a good example of Michael Moore style film-making applied to other documentaries, but other than that, don't waste your time. 10/100 on my movie list account, bottom 10%.
If you're into history I'd highly suggest watching Downfall. It about Hitler's final days in the bunker and an amazing movie. It's a German film so you'll have to read the subtitles, but it's well worth it. And just for fun, if you want to see Claudette Colbert's tits watch Cecil B. DeMille's Sign of the Cross (1932). It's a so-so movie, but Claudette and her boobies in that milk bath are well worth the price of admission. I've always had a thing for Claudette Colbert. Oh if only I was born 60 years earlier...Yeah, who am I kidding? If I was born 60 years earlier I would've been staring wide eyed in a movie theater trying to get that glimpse of her and imprint it in my mind's eye for later.
GLORY 1989, directed by Edward Zwick. This film is about the 54th Massachusetts regiment in the Union Army during the Civil War. This volunteer regiment was made up of all black soldiers, so right there you have a great story. The film is superbly acted, starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes and Morgan Freeman. Broderick who is seldom praised for his acting was more or less cast perfectly for this movie. The character he is portraying wasn't a strong bravado soldier but a man of very high moral integrity, and Broderick did a good job of capturing that. Denzel Washington of course stole the show, he also won an oscar for best supporting actor. He gives a very powerful performance as a free slave who signed up to fight mainly because of his hatred of the white man. Every time he is on the screen he has your full attention and refuses to let it go. Morgan Freeman also does an excellent job playing a NCO for the regiment and show's another reason why these men volunteered to fight for the union. Remember the movie was made in 1989 so the battle scenes are not going to knock you out of your seat. They do suffice however and give you the action you want out of a war film. The Cinematography is excellent, it gives an authentic look on how blacks were treated even by the union army, the army supposedly fighting for their cause. The movie was based on a true story. <a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/54th_Massachusetts_Volunteer_Infantry" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/54th_Massa ... r_Infantry</a>
The Good: Paper Moon - The 70's film about a crooked bible salesman and his 9 year old foul mouthed companion who may or may not be his daughter as they con their way across midwestern America in the 1930's. It's a comedy but there aren't very many LOLZ moments in this one. In fact the humor is pretty overshadowed in parts by the depression era images, made more real by the fact that the film is shot in black and white. The two lead actors are actually played by a real life father and daughter pair, and she was the youngest actress to win an oscar for best supporting. The Bad: The Hunt for Red October - They took what was a pretty gripping book, took out all the dialog, and replaced it with overwritten, screenwriting 101 amateur bullshit. Don't watch this looking for a realistic military drama. I turned it off before it was over. The Ugly: Face/Off - Holyyy shit is this movie bad. It's what happens when you cram in every shitty action movie cliche you can think of, make the running time 2 1/2 hours, and then hire two of the doucheiest actors ever (Travolta and Cage) and challenge them to a cheeze-off contest. The plot of the movie is that John Travolta gets his face taken off and Nic Cage's face put on, in an effort to go undercover and avenge the murder of his 3 year old son. I was amazed as I watched John Travolta play Nicholas Cage playing a character played by John Travolta. And then Nic Cage playing a character played by John Travolta It truly is a masterpiece of shit. Get wasted and settle in for the duration of this epic suck-fest and try to figure out what the hell John Woo was thinking.
The Hammer- Rented this while on vacation with my family. It is Adam Carolla's independently made boxing comedy. The thing that surprised me, and disappointed me just a bit, was how standard and safe the main story lines were. The two main plot lines involve him trying out for the Olympics as a mid 40's boxer and him romancing a boxing student. Both are pretty basic and the simplicity almost makes it feel like every dime a dozen romantic comedy. I wish he'd have gotten out of his comfort zone a bit or had an edgier story. He sticks with what he knows, he plays a construction worker/boxing instructor who dreams of bigger things, basically Carolla's life before he made it big. This is what separates it from other RomComs. If you listen to his podcast you know he's deeply passionate about home build and boxing. So he injected a lot of technical stuff in the movie in a comedic way.The scene where the gym's heavy weight knocks the bag out of the ceiling is a great example of this. 8/10
Feast: Let’s get the fact it’s not the best monster movie ever made out of the way for a start, the characters do a number of “horrormoviestupid” things and it gets a little clunky at times. But fuckenhell, I liked it. It's slightly reminiscent of *Tremors but with more claret splashed about the place and less Kevin Bacon. Sometimes you just want a good honest monster movie with a few scares, a few laughs and a few people getting their face de-gloved, Feast provided. 6.5/10 *Tremors is brilliant, if you haven’t seen it punch yourself it the face & then immediately remedy this faggy situation you’ve found yourself in.
Coogan's Bluff--1968 Clint Eastwood In this movie, Eastwood departs from the western roles he played in the '60s to be a modern day law man, in this case, an Arizona sheriff's deputy. He's a cop on the edge who doesn't play by the rules (surprise!). He gets sent to New York City to extradite a New York cop who did some bad stuff while he was tripping on acid. Once there, it is like a classic "Country mouse in the city" story as he deals with an uncooperative New York police force. He bangs a couple of cute girls while he is there, a black woman shows her boobs, and he gets his fugitive. There were some things that bothered me because they were unrealistic: When he arrives at the NYC police station (which evidently doubled as a probabtion office), a punk who is on probation squeezes his cute probation officer's tit and she doesn't do anything. When I was on probation, I would love to have done that to my PO (and a whole lot more; I DID ask her out as soon as my probation was over, but she shot me down), but I would have gotten arrested. Later that day, Eastwood invites himself over to her house and comes onto her so strongly that most women would scream rape and call the cops these days. There was also a cool motorcycle chase through a park in the end. Not bad if you just want to see Eastwood doing his squinty-eyed face.