Date watched: December 16
Review: Going in, the cool premise could only disappoint. Whenever you get these cool premises, it is so hard to live up to them. Though it's hard to tell what else could be done with the premise, it seems like it could have had more. Nonetheless, this movie was thoroughly enjoyable. Will Smith puts on his best acting face for this one. Yes, there are the jokes that is expected from him, but it works well in this film, for this character. The ending is brilliant.
Rating: 8.8/10.0
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
The Fan (1996)
Date watched: December 14
Review: This movie is quite enjoyable. The only thing special is watching Robert De Niro's decent into madness, alongside Wesley Snipes and Ellen Barkin. Benicio del Toro and John Leguizamo add some good laughs as well. The best parts of this movie are in the first thirty minutes. It has some drop dead funny moments. After that, it dies down until the ending. Baseball fans are creepy.
Rating: 7.7/10.0
Review: This movie is quite enjoyable. The only thing special is watching Robert De Niro's decent into madness, alongside Wesley Snipes and Ellen Barkin. Benicio del Toro and John Leguizamo add some good laughs as well. The best parts of this movie are in the first thirty minutes. It has some drop dead funny moments. After that, it dies down until the ending. Baseball fans are creepy.
Rating: 7.7/10.0
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Casino Royale (1967)
Date watched: December 11
Review: Bond, James Bond. Wait a second, you say. What is this? I thought I've seen all the James Bond movies. Nope, you haven't. This is an unofficial James Bond film. Not that 2006 film with some blond dude pretending to be James Bond. At first, it seems like another piece of garbage, like Never Say Never Again. That terrible Thunderball remake, you know, the one with Sean Connery and Kim Basinger. The one that makes you cringe because of its wretched direction. After about twenty minutes though, we find out something. This movie isn't meant to be taken seriously. Just watch the movie, and it will become apparent when you realize they've stopped trying. Peter Sellars is the best James Bond. Ursula Andress is a sexy James Bond. David Niven is the worst James Bond, but the real one nonetheless. Woody Allen as Mr. Bond is quite ingenious. Orson Welles is magnificent as the villain. The first twenty minutes makes you think this movie is trying to be serious, or trying to be funny in a terrible way. Once the ice is broken with the stuttering, then it becomes apparent. Some of the dialog is very freaking clever. Some is so corny and stupid, that laughing is the only option. The movie becomes the biggest camp fest movie ever. The events get crazier exponentially. Just when you thought you saw it all in film, this movie will show you know nothing. The movie is extremely dumb in its essence, and follows no kind of logic. And in that, is its brilliance. Don't believe me, think I'm crazy as a loon? Watch it and be amazed by clever stupidity.
Rating: 8.8/10.0
PS: This movie is definitely the inspiration for Austin Powers.
Review: Bond, James Bond. Wait a second, you say. What is this? I thought I've seen all the James Bond movies. Nope, you haven't. This is an unofficial James Bond film. Not that 2006 film with some blond dude pretending to be James Bond. At first, it seems like another piece of garbage, like Never Say Never Again. That terrible Thunderball remake, you know, the one with Sean Connery and Kim Basinger. The one that makes you cringe because of its wretched direction. After about twenty minutes though, we find out something. This movie isn't meant to be taken seriously. Just watch the movie, and it will become apparent when you realize they've stopped trying. Peter Sellars is the best James Bond. Ursula Andress is a sexy James Bond. David Niven is the worst James Bond, but the real one nonetheless. Woody Allen as Mr. Bond is quite ingenious. Orson Welles is magnificent as the villain. The first twenty minutes makes you think this movie is trying to be serious, or trying to be funny in a terrible way. Once the ice is broken with the stuttering, then it becomes apparent. Some of the dialog is very freaking clever. Some is so corny and stupid, that laughing is the only option. The movie becomes the biggest camp fest movie ever. The events get crazier exponentially. Just when you thought you saw it all in film, this movie will show you know nothing. The movie is extremely dumb in its essence, and follows no kind of logic. And in that, is its brilliance. Don't believe me, think I'm crazy as a loon? Watch it and be amazed by clever stupidity.
Rating: 8.8/10.0
PS: This movie is definitely the inspiration for Austin Powers.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Twelve Monkeys (1995)
Date watched: December 6
Review: My head hurts. Brad Pitt may have put on the best performance I've ever seen. This movie is phenomenal. One of the five greatest films I've ever seen. From the very beginning of the movie I was in complete awe. During half of the movie my hands were clenched to the chair I was sitting in. I didn't watch this movie, I was inside the movie. The suspense is unrelenting. Once the credits started rolling, I finally realized that I was watching a movie. Now that is proof of greatness.
Rating: 10.0/10.0
Review: My head hurts. Brad Pitt may have put on the best performance I've ever seen. This movie is phenomenal. One of the five greatest films I've ever seen. From the very beginning of the movie I was in complete awe. During half of the movie my hands were clenched to the chair I was sitting in. I didn't watch this movie, I was inside the movie. The suspense is unrelenting. Once the credits started rolling, I finally realized that I was watching a movie. Now that is proof of greatness.
Rating: 10.0/10.0
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)
Date watched: November 26
Review: Sidney Lumet, is he back? Director of great films such as; Dog Day Afternoon, Network, 12 Angry Men, Serpico, and Murder on the Orient Express, has convinced me he is a talented director. Though one of his newer movies, Find Me Guilty, is one of the most terrible movies I've ever watched. Was it just the terrible actors? Or has Lumet lost it? After being talked into watching this film, I expected some pretty nice direction. The innovative storytelling fell flat though. The out of sequence film hurt the pacing terribly. You can't blame it on terrible actors this time, with Ethan Hawke, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Albert Finney, and scene stealing Marisa Tomei. One of the major problems with the film is that none of the characters are likable. Even Tomei being nude in over half her screen time couldn't save this film. It was nice to top the somewhat entertaining movie off with a terrible ending.
Rating: 7.0/10.0
Review: Sidney Lumet, is he back? Director of great films such as; Dog Day Afternoon, Network, 12 Angry Men, Serpico, and Murder on the Orient Express, has convinced me he is a talented director. Though one of his newer movies, Find Me Guilty, is one of the most terrible movies I've ever watched. Was it just the terrible actors? Or has Lumet lost it? After being talked into watching this film, I expected some pretty nice direction. The innovative storytelling fell flat though. The out of sequence film hurt the pacing terribly. You can't blame it on terrible actors this time, with Ethan Hawke, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Albert Finney, and scene stealing Marisa Tomei. One of the major problems with the film is that none of the characters are likable. Even Tomei being nude in over half her screen time couldn't save this film. It was nice to top the somewhat entertaining movie off with a terrible ending.
Rating: 7.0/10.0
Friday, November 23, 2007
The Princess Bride (1987)
Date watched: November 23
Review: It's official, William Goldman is the best screenplay writer ever. I was going to post some quotes from the movie, but there are too many to choose from. This is a very clever story and funny. It's not just clever though, it's a really good story. Intriguing characters in a great world.
Rating: 9.9/10.0
Review: It's official, William Goldman is the best screenplay writer ever. I was going to post some quotes from the movie, but there are too many to choose from. This is a very clever story and funny. It's not just clever though, it's a really good story. Intriguing characters in a great world.
Rating: 9.9/10.0
Thursday, November 22, 2007
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Date watched: November 22
Review: This is a quite funny cult classic mockumentary of the rock and roll era moving on into the post disco era. The ignorances of the band members are what make this movie the most enjoyable. The movie is full of classic rock feeling songs. This is not bad compared to new music, but still not quite classic. Spontaneous combustion is definitely the best part.
Rating: 7.8/10.0
Review: This is a quite funny cult classic mockumentary of the rock and roll era moving on into the post disco era. The ignorances of the band members are what make this movie the most enjoyable. The movie is full of classic rock feeling songs. This is not bad compared to new music, but still not quite classic. Spontaneous combustion is definitely the best part.
Rating: 7.8/10.0
No Country For Old Men (2007)
Date watched: November 21
Review: The Coen brothers darkest, most suspenseful movie. The casting is superb, while the accents are terrible. Anton is one of the best villains in film history. Also some of the best dialog. The ending messed a great movie up in this case. It's different. Sometimes that's good, sometimes not.
Rating: 8.8/10.0
Review: The Coen brothers darkest, most suspenseful movie. The casting is superb, while the accents are terrible. Anton is one of the best villains in film history. Also some of the best dialog. The ending messed a great movie up in this case. It's different. Sometimes that's good, sometimes not.
Rating: 8.8/10.0
Sunday, November 18, 2007
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Date watched: November 18
Review: Even though they spelled happiness wrong in the title, it is still a smart movie. Very depressing. Very moving. Will Smith is always great, and his little kid is so cute and funny.
The ending had me in tears. The five dollars really put me over the top. Powerful.
Rating: 8.7/10.0
Review: Even though they spelled happiness wrong in the title, it is still a smart movie. Very depressing. Very moving. Will Smith is always great, and his little kid is so cute and funny.
The ending had me in tears. The five dollars really put me over the top. Powerful.
Rating: 8.7/10.0
Friday, November 09, 2007
A Few Good Men (1992)
Kaffee: Is the colonel's underwear a matter of national security?
Col. Jessep: I would appreciate it if he would address me as Colonel or Sir. I believe I've earned it.
Kaffee: No, no problem. I'm just not that crazy about boats, that's all.
Galloway: Kaffee, you're in the Navy for crying out loud.
Capt. West: Commander Galloway, why don't you get yourself a cup of coffee.
Galloway: Thank you, sir, I'm fine
Capt. West: Commander, I'd like you to leave the room so we can talk about you behind your back
Galloway: Certainly, sir.
Col. Jessep: I eat breakfast 300 yards from 4000 Cubans who are trained to kill me, so don't think for one second that you can come down here, flash a badge, and make me nervous.
Col. Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee: I think I'm entitled.
Col. Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee: I want the truth.
Col. Jessep: You can't handle the truth.
Date watched: November 9
Review: I hate that I have to give this movie a good rating. It's entertaining. It has good court room drama. Blah blah blah I don't feel like writing a review.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
Col. Jessep: I would appreciate it if he would address me as Colonel or Sir. I believe I've earned it.
Kaffee: No, no problem. I'm just not that crazy about boats, that's all.
Galloway: Kaffee, you're in the Navy for crying out loud.
Capt. West: Commander Galloway, why don't you get yourself a cup of coffee.
Galloway: Thank you, sir, I'm fine
Capt. West: Commander, I'd like you to leave the room so we can talk about you behind your back
Galloway: Certainly, sir.
Col. Jessep: I eat breakfast 300 yards from 4000 Cubans who are trained to kill me, so don't think for one second that you can come down here, flash a badge, and make me nervous.
Col. Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee: I think I'm entitled.
Col. Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee: I want the truth.
Col. Jessep: You can't handle the truth.
Date watched: November 9
Review: I hate that I have to give this movie a good rating. It's entertaining. It has good court room drama. Blah blah blah I don't feel like writing a review.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Amadeus (1984)
"They're all so beautiful. Why don't I have three heads?" -Mozart
Date watched: November 7
Review: Sublime acting! Tom Hulce is brilliant as Mozart. His laugh is to die for. Elizabeth Berridge is superb. She can be forgiven for being in that mess of a movie The Funhouse. Milos Forman is one of the best directors with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Man on the Moon, and now this. The People vs. Larry Flint wasn't great, but still well directed. Wolfgang's music has been great to listen to these past months, and seeing his inspiration come to life like this only makes it more appreciable. What a life!
Rating: 9.5/10.0
Date watched: November 7
Review: Sublime acting! Tom Hulce is brilliant as Mozart. His laugh is to die for. Elizabeth Berridge is superb. She can be forgiven for being in that mess of a movie The Funhouse. Milos Forman is one of the best directors with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Man on the Moon, and now this. The People vs. Larry Flint wasn't great, but still well directed. Wolfgang's music has been great to listen to these past months, and seeing his inspiration come to life like this only makes it more appreciable. What a life!
Rating: 9.5/10.0
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
I'm walking here! I'm walking here!
Date watched: October 27
Review: I should hate this movie on principle, but it was too fun to hate. Hoffman and Voight do some of the best acting on screen as eccentric characters. Not for one second did I even think of them as acting, I thought of them as the characters. Adroit characterization. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid should have beat it for Best Picture though.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Date watched: October 27
Review: I should hate this movie on principle, but it was too fun to hate. Hoffman and Voight do some of the best acting on screen as eccentric characters. Not for one second did I even think of them as acting, I thought of them as the characters. Adroit characterization. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid should have beat it for Best Picture though.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Friday, October 26, 2007
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Date watched: October 25
Review: Redford and Newman turn this movie into complete fun. It's easy to tell that someone talented like William Goldman was at the helm of this movie. Great screenplay. Sundance is my favorite character. One of the best films I've watched this year. It would have been better if my friends didn't make ignorant comments throughout the whole movie.
Rating: 9.7/10.0
Review: Redford and Newman turn this movie into complete fun. It's easy to tell that someone talented like William Goldman was at the helm of this movie. Great screenplay. Sundance is my favorite character. One of the best films I've watched this year. It would have been better if my friends didn't make ignorant comments throughout the whole movie.
Rating: 9.7/10.0
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Once Upon a Time in the West (1969)
Date watched: October 20
Review: One of the all time great Westerns. Leone creates amazing western characters. An explosive beginning/ending. Each scene is unique. The four main characters are unforgettable. Charles Bronson as Harmonica is the best.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
Review: One of the all time great Westerns. Leone creates amazing western characters. An explosive beginning/ending. Each scene is unique. The four main characters are unforgettable. Charles Bronson as Harmonica is the best.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Date watched: October 18
Review: After Chinatown I loathed Faye Dunaway. After Network I was immensely impressed with her. After Bonnie and Clyde, she has become a goddess. It's as if a cameraman decided to become invisible and follow some people around and record them. That is how real the movie was, and all the actors in it. Even with recognizable face Gene Hackman and Gene Wilder, it felt completely real. From the Corner of His Eye told me the ending, but it was still powerful. It seemed a bit excessive, but it worked.
Rating: 8.9/10.0
Review: After Chinatown I loathed Faye Dunaway. After Network I was immensely impressed with her. After Bonnie and Clyde, she has become a goddess. It's as if a cameraman decided to become invisible and follow some people around and record them. That is how real the movie was, and all the actors in it. Even with recognizable face Gene Hackman and Gene Wilder, it felt completely real. From the Corner of His Eye told me the ending, but it was still powerful. It seemed a bit excessive, but it worked.
Rating: 8.9/10.0
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The Sting (1973)
Date watched: October 16
Review: Great performances attacking from all directions. Robert Shaw stole the show away from Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Almost all the scenes are unique and highly entertaining. A fun film and a must watch for film lovers.
Rating: 8.8/10.0
Review: Great performances attacking from all directions. Robert Shaw stole the show away from Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Almost all the scenes are unique and highly entertaining. A fun film and a must watch for film lovers.
Rating: 8.8/10.0
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Unbreakable (2000)
Date watched: October 12
Review: Willis and Sam Jackson should work together often, as they are brought together they provide automatic great films. This is M. Night's true masterpiece. Any other director would have taken this idea too over the top. A perfectly executed thriller.
Rating: 9.6/10.0
Review: Willis and Sam Jackson should work together often, as they are brought together they provide automatic great films. This is M. Night's true masterpiece. Any other director would have taken this idea too over the top. A perfectly executed thriller.
Rating: 9.6/10.0
We Own the Night (2007)
Date watched: October 12
Review: Great performances all around. Phoenix steals the show. The movie is very good, but not great. It is not a rip-off of The Departed. Though it lacks memorable scenes, the car chase in the rain scene is one of the greatest scenes ever brought to film.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
Review: Great performances all around. Phoenix steals the show. The movie is very good, but not great. It is not a rip-off of The Departed. Though it lacks memorable scenes, the car chase in the rain scene is one of the greatest scenes ever brought to film.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
Friday, September 28, 2007
The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
Date watched: September 27
Review: The Coen brothers can do no wrong. Frances McDormand is a goddess in the acting department. The movie had boring moments. The movie had more silly moments though, so silly that you'll be shaking your head while laughing. Eccentric characters as always on par with the directors.
Rating: 8.5/10.0
Review: The Coen brothers can do no wrong. Frances McDormand is a goddess in the acting department. The movie had boring moments. The movie had more silly moments though, so silly that you'll be shaking your head while laughing. Eccentric characters as always on par with the directors.
Rating: 8.5/10.0
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Date watched: September 26
Review: Brilliant film. It was only great until the climax, where it elevated to brilliance. This movie allows for some of the best acting in modern movies. This will probably be the last great western, at least for a long time, so watch it if you long for the days of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. Excellent excellent excellent story and storytelling.
Rating: 9.4/10.0
Review: Brilliant film. It was only great until the climax, where it elevated to brilliance. This movie allows for some of the best acting in modern movies. This will probably be the last great western, at least for a long time, so watch it if you long for the days of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. Excellent excellent excellent story and storytelling.
Rating: 9.4/10.0
Saturday, September 22, 2007
S1m0ne (2002)
Date watched: September 22
Review: A very entertaining movie. Al Pacino is wonderful. Simone's lines are cringe worthy, though meant to be. This movie wasn't really sure what it was, but it still worked out okay. An interesting concept brought to you by the guy who worked on Gattaca, The Truman Show, The Terminal, and Lord of War.
Rating: 8.2/10.0
Review: A very entertaining movie. Al Pacino is wonderful. Simone's lines are cringe worthy, though meant to be. This movie wasn't really sure what it was, but it still worked out okay. An interesting concept brought to you by the guy who worked on Gattaca, The Truman Show, The Terminal, and Lord of War.
Rating: 8.2/10.0
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Wild Hogs (2007)
Date watched: September 14
Review: Wild Hogs is a wild ride. It's just a fun movie. No remake or sequel that I'm aware of. The second best comedy of the year. Nice cast despite finding half of them annoying in other works.
Rating: 8.4/10.0
Review: Wild Hogs is a wild ride. It's just a fun movie. No remake or sequel that I'm aware of. The second best comedy of the year. Nice cast despite finding half of them annoying in other works.
Rating: 8.4/10.0
Friday, September 14, 2007
Rushmore (1998)
Date watched: September 13-14
Review: Bill Murray is the only real reason to watch this film. He is funny. Other then that, the only enjoyment really is listening to the British and Scottish accents of two of the characters. It has more class than most teen comedies.
Rating: 7.1/10.0
Review: Bill Murray is the only real reason to watch this film. He is funny. Other then that, the only enjoyment really is listening to the British and Scottish accents of two of the characters. It has more class than most teen comedies.
Rating: 7.1/10.0
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Commando (1985)
Date watched: September 11
Review: Awesome movie. Just some fun 1980's classic action with Arnold. Hilarious.
Rating: 8.5/10.0
Review: Awesome movie. Just some fun 1980's classic action with Arnold. Hilarious.
Rating: 8.5/10.0
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
High Noon (1952)
Date watched: September 3
Review: Gary Cooper in an anti-American movie! An enjoyable movie of the western genre with nothing special to it. Grace Kelly is beautiful as always.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Review: Gary Cooper in an anti-American movie! An enjoyable movie of the western genre with nothing special to it. Grace Kelly is beautiful as always.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Suicide Kings (1997)
Date watched: September 1
Review: An excellent film. The director didn't try to be flashy, or serious. When watching this film you know that everyone was having great fun. This is probably the most fun I've had watching Christopher Walken. Not his best performance, by far, but fun. Electrically charged excitement with original characters.
Rating: 9.1/10.0
Review: An excellent film. The director didn't try to be flashy, or serious. When watching this film you know that everyone was having great fun. This is probably the most fun I've had watching Christopher Walken. Not his best performance, by far, but fun. Electrically charged excitement with original characters.
Rating: 9.1/10.0
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Balls of Fury (2007)
Date watched: August 29
Review: What a terrible movie. If Walken and Maggie Q weren't in this, it would have lost three points on my rating. The main character does some of the most annoying things, reminiscent of Napoleon Dynamite. It's like they took one joke from every good comedy, and used that joke for this one, except that they took the one joke from that comedy that was just terrible. There were about four, out of one-hundred, actually funny jokes. The delivery of the jokes was a major problem. The jokes were obvious to the point of some random non-funny person making them up. Stating the obvious about something crazy happening doesn't make it funny. Not enough ping pong. The ending was actually very good. The last twenty minutes about, that is. Probably the best part of the movie is the soundtrack. Def Leppard throughout, including their best song, Rock of Ages.
Rating: 6.2/10.0
Review: What a terrible movie. If Walken and Maggie Q weren't in this, it would have lost three points on my rating. The main character does some of the most annoying things, reminiscent of Napoleon Dynamite. It's like they took one joke from every good comedy, and used that joke for this one, except that they took the one joke from that comedy that was just terrible. There were about four, out of one-hundred, actually funny jokes. The delivery of the jokes was a major problem. The jokes were obvious to the point of some random non-funny person making them up. Stating the obvious about something crazy happening doesn't make it funny. Not enough ping pong. The ending was actually very good. The last twenty minutes about, that is. Probably the best part of the movie is the soundtrack. Def Leppard throughout, including their best song, Rock of Ages.
Rating: 6.2/10.0
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
25th Hour (2002)
Date watched: August 28
Review: My third Spike Lee movie, and my least favorite. Although I didn't care much about the characters, when they got together some real fun scenes occur. The epilogue was horrible. Some very lame themes. Maybe all that was just the rogue eyelash poking me.
Rating: 7.7/10.0
Review: My third Spike Lee movie, and my least favorite. Although I didn't care much about the characters, when they got together some real fun scenes occur. The epilogue was horrible. Some very lame themes. Maybe all that was just the rogue eyelash poking me.
Rating: 7.7/10.0
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Death to Smoochy (2002)
Date watched: August 22
Review: An alright comedy. It has all the stuff seen in cheap comedies, but is still okay to watch. Ed Norton shows his prolificness in this movie.
Rating: 8.1/10.0
Review: An alright comedy. It has all the stuff seen in cheap comedies, but is still okay to watch. Ed Norton shows his prolificness in this movie.
Rating: 8.1/10.0
Primal Fear (1996)
Date watched: August 21
Review: A not so smart Lincoln Lawyer. It was entertaining. It has plenty of enjoyable characters and great acting. Edward Norton and Laura Linney are not to be missed. Frances McDormand is in this movie. Of course all the overused Hollywood themes are present. Evil church and entrepreneur.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Review: A not so smart Lincoln Lawyer. It was entertaining. It has plenty of enjoyable characters and great acting. Edward Norton and Laura Linney are not to be missed. Frances McDormand is in this movie. Of course all the overused Hollywood themes are present. Evil church and entrepreneur.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Saturday, August 18, 2007
The Seventh Seal (1957)
Date watched: August 18
Review: The celebrated Ingmar Bergman, Swedish director, accomplished something great with this film. It was fairly funny and philosophical near the beginning. It seemed to have lost track soon after that though, but it's probably better appreciated in it's own time.
Rating: 7.8/10.0
Review: The celebrated Ingmar Bergman, Swedish director, accomplished something great with this film. It was fairly funny and philosophical near the beginning. It seemed to have lost track soon after that though, but it's probably better appreciated in it's own time.
Rating: 7.8/10.0
Dirty Work (1998)
Date watched: August 17
Review: A classic comedy. There is something about Norm MacDonald that is hilarious. Bob Saget has a wonderful sense of humor. It wasn't as funny near the end of the movie, lucky it ended early and kept this from falling short of being great.
Rating: 8.9/10.0
Review: A classic comedy. There is something about Norm MacDonald that is hilarious. Bob Saget has a wonderful sense of humor. It wasn't as funny near the end of the movie, lucky it ended early and kept this from falling short of being great.
Rating: 8.9/10.0
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Gone with the Wind (1939)
"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" -Rhett Butler
"After all, tomorrow is another day!" -Scarlett O'Hara
"As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again" -Scarlett O'Hara
Date watched: August 16
Review: Vivien Leigh, wow, one of the best performances ever. Clark Gable was amazing as well. Everyone in this movie performed professionally. The movie was shot beautifully and brilliantly. It was surprisingly entertaining. Being close to four hours, this movie does have periods of about twenty minutes which are completely boring though. A classic worth seeing, even if just to say you've seen it.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
"After all, tomorrow is another day!" -Scarlett O'Hara
"As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again" -Scarlett O'Hara
Date watched: August 16
Review: Vivien Leigh, wow, one of the best performances ever. Clark Gable was amazing as well. Everyone in this movie performed professionally. The movie was shot beautifully and brilliantly. It was surprisingly entertaining. Being close to four hours, this movie does have periods of about twenty minutes which are completely boring though. A classic worth seeing, even if just to say you've seen it.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
Date watched: August 15-16
Review: Milos Forman is a genius. It just doesn't show in this film. He definitely wasn't responsible for the great performance by Woody Harrelson, who is now a genius because of this film. At first it seemed that everyone was dumb, but the movie wised up as it went. Edward Norton was okay. If it weren't for Woody, who is laugh out loud funny as Flynt, this movie would be nothing.
Rating: 7.1/10.0
Review: Milos Forman is a genius. It just doesn't show in this film. He definitely wasn't responsible for the great performance by Woody Harrelson, who is now a genius because of this film. At first it seemed that everyone was dumb, but the movie wised up as it went. Edward Norton was okay. If it weren't for Woody, who is laugh out loud funny as Flynt, this movie would be nothing.
Rating: 7.1/10.0
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Frantic (1988)
Date watched: August 15
Review: A fairly good movie, far superior to Roman Polanski's other work, Chinatown. Harrison Ford delivers a good emotional performance. The French babe is smokin' hot. The story, despite being plain, is intriguing and funny.
Rating: 8.2/10.0
Review: A fairly good movie, far superior to Roman Polanski's other work, Chinatown. Harrison Ford delivers a good emotional performance. The French babe is smokin' hot. The story, despite being plain, is intriguing and funny.
Rating: 8.2/10.0
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Wag the Dog (1997)
"Why does a dog wag its tail? Because a dog is smarter than its tail. If the tail were smarter, the tail would wag the dog."
Why change horses in midstream?
Date watched: August 14
Review: Brilliant! Not intelligent, but brilliant nonetheless. The way it was filmed, it was like an action packed movie, except it doesn't have any action, it is just fast paced always something happening satire. It contains a wide cast of incredibly fun characters. Woody Harrelson does the best, even in his small role. Every actor/actress was spot on perfectly casted. Just a fun and entertaining film.
Rating: 9.4/10.0
Why change horses in midstream?
Date watched: August 14
Review: Brilliant! Not intelligent, but brilliant nonetheless. The way it was filmed, it was like an action packed movie, except it doesn't have any action, it is just fast paced always something happening satire. It contains a wide cast of incredibly fun characters. Woody Harrelson does the best, even in his small role. Every actor/actress was spot on perfectly casted. Just a fun and entertaining film.
Rating: 9.4/10.0
Strangers on a Train (1951)
Date watched: August 13-14
Review: Delightful fun. This is another Hitchcock film in which all of the characters came to life. Hitch really knows how to blend wit with intelligent film making, while still leaving room for suspenseful scenes. Herein lies the craziest climax ever brought to the screen.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Review: Delightful fun. This is another Hitchcock film in which all of the characters came to life. Hitch really knows how to blend wit with intelligent film making, while still leaving room for suspenseful scenes. Herein lies the craziest climax ever brought to the screen.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Monday, August 06, 2007
Amistad (1997)
Date watched: August 5
Review: An enjoyable, sometimes drawn out, sometime emotionally jarring, and sometimes boring Spielberg movie. Queen Isabella II was annoying. Djimon Hounsou stole the show once again. Matthew McConaughey didn't annoy, not that he ever does. It just seems that he should. Movies like this usually have more of an impact on me, but seeing over 60 movies this summer has hurt some of the enjoyment of watching films.
Rating: 8.5/10.0
Review: An enjoyable, sometimes drawn out, sometime emotionally jarring, and sometimes boring Spielberg movie. Queen Isabella II was annoying. Djimon Hounsou stole the show once again. Matthew McConaughey didn't annoy, not that he ever does. It just seems that he should. Movies like this usually have more of an impact on me, but seeing over 60 movies this summer has hurt some of the enjoyment of watching films.
Rating: 8.5/10.0
Friday, August 03, 2007
Hot Fuzz (2007)
Date watched: August 2
Review: Hilarious, riot of a movie in the likes of Shaun of the Dead. This is the funniest movie in a long time. It has originality. It has character. And it sure as hell doesn't have any class! It falls a little bit short of Shaun of the Dead though. It's hard to beat zombies.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Review: Hilarious, riot of a movie in the likes of Shaun of the Dead. This is the funniest movie in a long time. It has originality. It has character. And it sure as hell doesn't have any class! It falls a little bit short of Shaun of the Dead though. It's hard to beat zombies.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
"I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that." HAL
Date watched: August 2
Review: This movie puts Citizen Kane to shame. In the overrated department, that is. The first 25 minutes, absolutely nothing happens. Sure the monolith is an alien craft that advanced evolution. Showing monkeys doing random things for 20 minutes is completely boring. Showing random space stations and ships for another ten minutes is boring as well. If I wanted to see this stuff, I would watch the NASA channel. That isn't even the end of it though. The story finally starts, but it doesn't last long. A bunch of might as well be slow motion scenes ensue, leaving a total of five minutes of actual story. Stanley Kubrick, you are off your freaking rocker, you crazy man. People will say I do not understand the art of this film, and they are correct. Even after my friend explained a few things to me, that doesn't make up for the lack of any fun I had watching this film, except for the character HAL 9000, who is rarely in the film by the way.
Rating: 2.1/10.0
Date watched: August 2
Review: This movie puts Citizen Kane to shame. In the overrated department, that is. The first 25 minutes, absolutely nothing happens. Sure the monolith is an alien craft that advanced evolution. Showing monkeys doing random things for 20 minutes is completely boring. Showing random space stations and ships for another ten minutes is boring as well. If I wanted to see this stuff, I would watch the NASA channel. That isn't even the end of it though. The story finally starts, but it doesn't last long. A bunch of might as well be slow motion scenes ensue, leaving a total of five minutes of actual story. Stanley Kubrick, you are off your freaking rocker, you crazy man. People will say I do not understand the art of this film, and they are correct. Even after my friend explained a few things to me, that doesn't make up for the lack of any fun I had watching this film, except for the character HAL 9000, who is rarely in the film by the way.
Rating: 2.1/10.0
Notorious (1946)
Date watched: August 2
Review: Cary Grant was likable, but it is still hard to see his greatness in this film. Ingrid Bergman on the other hand, was brilliant. She made this film. The plot just didn't interest me, and a lot of the characters could have used some eccentricity. Not one of Hitchcock's better films, at least in the enjoyment department. It is very well made, extremely well made. But what is the point of that if you don't enjoy it?
Rating: 7.8/10.0
Review: Cary Grant was likable, but it is still hard to see his greatness in this film. Ingrid Bergman on the other hand, was brilliant. She made this film. The plot just didn't interest me, and a lot of the characters could have used some eccentricity. Not one of Hitchcock's better films, at least in the enjoyment department. It is very well made, extremely well made. But what is the point of that if you don't enjoy it?
Rating: 7.8/10.0
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
The Score (2001)
Date watched: July 31 - August 1
Review: Three of the best method actors of their respective ages all in one movie. Ed Norton actually stole the show from Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando. This is Brando's most enjoyable movie. Though the plot was trite, it moved along nicely.
Rating: 8.4/10.0
Review: Three of the best method actors of their respective ages all in one movie. Ed Norton actually stole the show from Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando. This is Brando's most enjoyable movie. Though the plot was trite, it moved along nicely.
Rating: 8.4/10.0
Monday, July 30, 2007
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Date watched: July 28
Review: James Stewart and Katharine Hepburn were so good, that they made this bore fest interesting enough to watch. Cary Grant still hasn't proven himself though. The first half of the movie he seemed to be delivering the lines as if from memory, rather then acting and living them. That was really annoying. It seemed to improve about half way through the movie though. Boring plot, that probably started the cliches that are used in it.
Rating: 6.9/10.0
Review: James Stewart and Katharine Hepburn were so good, that they made this bore fest interesting enough to watch. Cary Grant still hasn't proven himself though. The first half of the movie he seemed to be delivering the lines as if from memory, rather then acting and living them. That was really annoying. It seemed to improve about half way through the movie though. Boring plot, that probably started the cliches that are used in it.
Rating: 6.9/10.0
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Date watched: July 27
Review: Wow, this movie was just a rehash of all the old jokes. They just took every joke they ever told, and told it again. I thought the movie would be spectacular, I thought that was why their recent episodes have been horrible, because they were spending time with this movie. No, they have just lost it, ever since Conan O'Brien left the show. They even pulled a gag that South Park already used. I liked the rock and hard place joke, the Grand Theft Walrus joke, and there were a few other moments that were good. Maybe it was the drugs I was on while watching the movie. The major highlight of the movie is that the EPA were the bad guys.
Rating: 7.0/10.0
Review: Wow, this movie was just a rehash of all the old jokes. They just took every joke they ever told, and told it again. I thought the movie would be spectacular, I thought that was why their recent episodes have been horrible, because they were spending time with this movie. No, they have just lost it, ever since Conan O'Brien left the show. They even pulled a gag that South Park already used. I liked the rock and hard place joke, the Grand Theft Walrus joke, and there were a few other moments that were good. Maybe it was the drugs I was on while watching the movie. The major highlight of the movie is that the EPA were the bad guys.
Rating: 7.0/10.0
Monday, July 23, 2007
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007)
Date watched: July 20
Review: The vulgar sex comedy is getting to be a bit annoying these days. It seems that is the only kind of humor prevalent in movies now. What happened to the good days where it was more subtle, or just less vulgar, as in Austin Powers movies, and the Wayne's World movie? As an Adam Sandler movie though, it did have moments of great hilarity. The wedding scene in the middle of the movie had me in tears, mainly due to my outrageous friend's laughter. It had a decent message at the end, like all Sandler movies do, but it was too stereotypical.
Rating: 8.1/10.0
Review: The vulgar sex comedy is getting to be a bit annoying these days. It seems that is the only kind of humor prevalent in movies now. What happened to the good days where it was more subtle, or just less vulgar, as in Austin Powers movies, and the Wayne's World movie? As an Adam Sandler movie though, it did have moments of great hilarity. The wedding scene in the middle of the movie had me in tears, mainly due to my outrageous friend's laughter. It had a decent message at the end, like all Sandler movies do, but it was too stereotypical.
Rating: 8.1/10.0
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Date watched: July 19
Review: An amazingly amusing film. You will be surprised at how crazy this film is for it's time. The main character is so bizarre, and great to watch. Stanley Kubrick is a genius, in his own way, that is for sure. Great music really brings this film to life. Van Wig is just perfect during the scenes of violence. A bone chilling character and society study!
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Review: An amazingly amusing film. You will be surprised at how crazy this film is for it's time. The main character is so bizarre, and great to watch. Stanley Kubrick is a genius, in his own way, that is for sure. Great music really brings this film to life. Van Wig is just perfect during the scenes of violence. A bone chilling character and society study!
Rating: 9.2/10.0
American Psycho (2000)
Date watched: July 18
Review: Christian Bale's best performance. The ending was a complete letdown, but everything else about the movie rocked enough to make up for that. Some of my favorite actress' are in this movie as well, and they were splendid. If it weren't for the sex stuff, this would be a great villain movie, similar in style to Koontz villains.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Review: Christian Bale's best performance. The ending was a complete letdown, but everything else about the movie rocked enough to make up for that. Some of my favorite actress' are in this movie as well, and they were splendid. If it weren't for the sex stuff, this would be a great villain movie, similar in style to Koontz villains.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
The Machinist (2004)
Date watched: July 17
Review: Yet another psychological thriller. A bit overdone, but this one actually was quite good. Christian Bale and Jennifer Jason Leigh are the two main reasons. You can't go wrong with Bale. Method acting at it's best. A bit creepy at times, and highly entertaining at other times.
Rating: 8.2/10.0
Review: Yet another psychological thriller. A bit overdone, but this one actually was quite good. Christian Bale and Jennifer Jason Leigh are the two main reasons. You can't go wrong with Bale. Method acting at it's best. A bit creepy at times, and highly entertaining at other times.
Rating: 8.2/10.0
Breach (2007)
Date watched: July 16
Review: Some of the actors seemed to have dumbed the movie down a bit, but it did follow the real life events fairly well. Not great acting, except for Chris Cooper. The same old cliches get applied, but do fit and work in this situation. If this weren't a true story, it wouldn't have worked well at all. And surprisingly, the movie was quite funny.
Rating: 8.3/10.0
Review: Some of the actors seemed to have dumbed the movie down a bit, but it did follow the real life events fairly well. Not great acting, except for Chris Cooper. The same old cliches get applied, but do fit and work in this situation. If this weren't a true story, it wouldn't have worked well at all. And surprisingly, the movie was quite funny.
Rating: 8.3/10.0
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Date watched: July 14
Review: An OK comedy, but a very good crime movie. Snatch was better because of the way it handled the comedy aspect. The different clans were enjoyable to watch. Hard to keep up with everything, but overall a decent film.
Rating: 7.8/10.0
Review: An OK comedy, but a very good crime movie. Snatch was better because of the way it handled the comedy aspect. The different clans were enjoyable to watch. Hard to keep up with everything, but overall a decent film.
Rating: 7.8/10.0
To Catch a Thief (1955)
Date watched: July 14
Review: Middle of the Hitch line. Grace Kelly is wonderful as usual. Cary Grant isn't as annoying. A decent plot to keep you interested. Not much else though.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Review: Middle of the Hitch line. Grace Kelly is wonderful as usual. Cary Grant isn't as annoying. A decent plot to keep you interested. Not much else though.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Dial M for Murder (1954)
Date watched: July 13
Review: Another classic Hitchcock film. Grace Kelly is a beautiful actress in every way. It has a gripping plot, but not very suspenseful. No characters that you can love, but interesting characters nonetheless.
Rating: 9.1/10.0
Review: Another classic Hitchcock film. Grace Kelly is a beautiful actress in every way. It has a gripping plot, but not very suspenseful. No characters that you can love, but interesting characters nonetheless.
Rating: 9.1/10.0
Harsh Times (2005)
Date watched: July 13
Review: Christian Bale is amazing in this movie. Other then that, a somewhat enjoyable film Bale's performance really does make it worth watching though.
Rating: 8.1/10.0
Review: Christian Bale is amazing in this movie. Other then that, a somewhat enjoyable film Bale's performance really does make it worth watching though.
Rating: 8.1/10.0
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
In the Heat of the Night (1967)
Date watched: July 10
Review: A superb film. Good acting, good subject, and good entertainment. The idea for the plotting is what made this film unique.
Rating: 8.4/10.0
Review: A superb film. Good acting, good subject, and good entertainment. The idea for the plotting is what made this film unique.
Rating: 8.4/10.0
Monday, July 09, 2007
Empire of the Sun (1987)
Date watched: July 9
Review: Christian Bale as a kid is so annoying. John Malkovich was the best part of this movie. It was an interesting idea for a movie, and Spielberg is usually good at executing those good ideas, but this one fell short. Bale's breakthrough role annoyed me so much that it ruined the entire movie. It was interesting seeing Ben Stiller at such a young age.
Rating: 7.6/10.0
Review: Christian Bale as a kid is so annoying. John Malkovich was the best part of this movie. It was an interesting idea for a movie, and Spielberg is usually good at executing those good ideas, but this one fell short. Bale's breakthrough role annoyed me so much that it ruined the entire movie. It was interesting seeing Ben Stiller at such a young age.
Rating: 7.6/10.0
Shooter (2007)
Date watched: July 9
Review: Very good action film. A little too many cliched lines though. It also seemed like a cheap mixture of Dark Rivers of the Heart by Dean Koontz and Empire by Orson Scott Card. I am a sucker for movies in which the good guy can beat out the bad guys, one against many. Mark Wahlberg is cool.
Rating: 8.5/10.0
Review: Very good action film. A little too many cliched lines though. It also seemed like a cheap mixture of Dark Rivers of the Heart by Dean Koontz and Empire by Orson Scott Card. I am a sucker for movies in which the good guy can beat out the bad guys, one against many. Mark Wahlberg is cool.
Rating: 8.5/10.0
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
Date watched: July 8
Review: Dirty is a classic PG comedy. Not much vulgar humor, which makes it a breath of fresh air these days. Steve Martin and Michael Caine are fun to watch. The plot twist seemed easy to predict, but surprisingly I was surprised. Though I must say, if I payed attention rather than just let myself loose to enjoy the movie, it would have been more obvious. Let's just say that watching con artists is fun.
Rating: 8.1/10.0
Review: Dirty is a classic PG comedy. Not much vulgar humor, which makes it a breath of fresh air these days. Steve Martin and Michael Caine are fun to watch. The plot twist seemed easy to predict, but surprisingly I was surprised. Though I must say, if I payed attention rather than just let myself loose to enjoy the movie, it would have been more obvious. Let's just say that watching con artists is fun.
Rating: 8.1/10.0
Friday, July 06, 2007
Top 10 of 2007: Midpoint
1. Life is Beautiful (1997) 10.0
2. Bringing Out the Dead (1999) 9.8
3. Donnie Brasco (1997) 9.5
4. Miller's Crossing (1990) 9.4
5. Family Plot (1976) 9.4
6. Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995) 9.3
7. Live Free or Die Hard (2007) 9.3
8. Marathon Man (1976) 9.3
9. Grindhouse (2007) 9.3
10. Deliverance (1972) 9.3
2. Bringing Out the Dead (1999) 9.8
3. Donnie Brasco (1997) 9.5
4. Miller's Crossing (1990) 9.4
5. Family Plot (1976) 9.4
6. Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995) 9.3
7. Live Free or Die Hard (2007) 9.3
8. Marathon Man (1976) 9.3
9. Grindhouse (2007) 9.3
10. Deliverance (1972) 9.3
Monday, July 02, 2007
Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
Date watched: June 29
Review: Superb action film. Bruce Willis is back as John McClane, and he's still one bad mother. The comedy is gold, the best in the series. The action scenes are over the top. The character of McClane is spot on great from the other films. The PG-13 rating allowed for a different kind of comedy from the McClane, and that made it all the funnier. After 12 years without a Die Hard movie, this one doesn't come off as rusty whatsoever. And now McClane has a hot daughter to the mix, and has to deal with new age criminals, called cyber-terrorists. The female villain is amazing, and the comedic events surrounding her and McClane is comedy in it's greatest form. The only Die Hard movie this does not surpass is the third one.
Rating: 9.3/10.0
Review: Superb action film. Bruce Willis is back as John McClane, and he's still one bad mother. The comedy is gold, the best in the series. The action scenes are over the top. The character of McClane is spot on great from the other films. The PG-13 rating allowed for a different kind of comedy from the McClane, and that made it all the funnier. After 12 years without a Die Hard movie, this one doesn't come off as rusty whatsoever. And now McClane has a hot daughter to the mix, and has to deal with new age criminals, called cyber-terrorists. The female villain is amazing, and the comedic events surrounding her and McClane is comedy in it's greatest form. The only Die Hard movie this does not surpass is the third one.
Rating: 9.3/10.0
Friday, June 29, 2007
Lucky # Slevin (2006)
Date watched: June 28
Review: This movie was a big surprise. Bruce Willis just knows how to be a bad-ass. While Lucy Liu's character is too fun to watch. Good action and plot twists, and none too lovable people. One of the ending scenes is very hard to watch. Oh, and Lucy Liu is in this film.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Review: This movie was a big surprise. Bruce Willis just knows how to be a bad-ass. While Lucy Liu's character is too fun to watch. Good action and plot twists, and none too lovable people. One of the ending scenes is very hard to watch. Oh, and Lucy Liu is in this film.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
North by Northwest (1959)
Date watched: June 27
Review: Not as great as the critics hail, but most definitely a classic. Great acting and some good suspense. The suspense was as good as Hitch can make it though. Grant isn't as easy to enjoy as Stewart. The witty dialog is top notch. Though it is a bit formulaic for the director.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
Review: Not as great as the critics hail, but most definitely a classic. Great acting and some good suspense. The suspense was as good as Hitch can make it though. Grant isn't as easy to enjoy as Stewart. The witty dialog is top notch. Though it is a bit formulaic for the director.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
The Trouble With Harry (1955)
Date watched: June 26
Review: From the synopsis, I expected some great Hitchcock fun. What I got was a movie that was most disappointing. The acting was horrible. The characters weren't as charming as usual. Perhaps Hitch's worst film.
Rating: 6.6/10.0
Review: From the synopsis, I expected some great Hitchcock fun. What I got was a movie that was most disappointing. The acting was horrible. The characters weren't as charming as usual. Perhaps Hitch's worst film.
Rating: 6.6/10.0
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Saboteur (1942)
Date watched: June 25
Review: A solid Hitch movie. It is a little bit formulaic for him though. It reminded me of his other movie 'The 39 Steps' a bunch. This was a major improvement though. The sound was better. Full of lovable characters as always. It's just not up to standards with what you expect from the master of suspense.
Rating: 7.7/10.0
Review: A solid Hitch movie. It is a little bit formulaic for him though. It reminded me of his other movie 'The 39 Steps' a bunch. This was a major improvement though. The sound was better. Full of lovable characters as always. It's just not up to standards with what you expect from the master of suspense.
Rating: 7.7/10.0
Monday, June 25, 2007
La Vita è Bella (1997)
Date watched: June 24
Review: One of the greatest movies ever made. Is it the best movie ever? It might have been if I hadn't already seen The Matrix or It's a Wonderful Life. This movie has so much charm that it is a heart-warming master piece. Although the amusement of the movie dropped off at about the midpoint, it still maintained a beautiful story that leads to the last words of the movie that make you cry. Some of the best dialog ever put onto the movie screen. Perfectly scripted! At least half of the scenes make you want to scream with joy. This has to be one of the ten best films ever made.
Rating: 10.0/10.0
Review: One of the greatest movies ever made. Is it the best movie ever? It might have been if I hadn't already seen The Matrix or It's a Wonderful Life. This movie has so much charm that it is a heart-warming master piece. Although the amusement of the movie dropped off at about the midpoint, it still maintained a beautiful story that leads to the last words of the movie that make you cry. Some of the best dialog ever put onto the movie screen. Perfectly scripted! At least half of the scenes make you want to scream with joy. This has to be one of the ten best films ever made.
Rating: 10.0/10.0
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Patton (1970)
Date watched: June 23
Review: The battle scenes were not that fun to watch. An overall boring movie. Though what really made up for that, is the authenticity of the movie. It felt as if you were watching actual footage, that is how good George C. Scott and all the actors around him were. The music went pretty well with the movie. A pretty fair take on one of the greatest generals of our time, General George S. Patton.
Rating: 7.4/10.0
Review: The battle scenes were not that fun to watch. An overall boring movie. Though what really made up for that, is the authenticity of the movie. It felt as if you were watching actual footage, that is how good George C. Scott and all the actors around him were. The music went pretty well with the movie. A pretty fair take on one of the greatest generals of our time, General George S. Patton.
Rating: 7.4/10.0
Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
Date watched: June 23
Review: Better than the first movie in every way except for the villain. The comedy was better delivered. The running all over New York part was some of the best fun a film can deliver. Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis paired is pure brilliance.
Rating: 9.3/10.0
Review: Better than the first movie in every way except for the villain. The comedy was better delivered. The running all over New York part was some of the best fun a film can deliver. Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis paired is pure brilliance.
Rating: 9.3/10.0
Die Hard 2 (1990)
Date watched: June 22
Review: A very funny action-comedy with the great Bruce Willis. Plenty of plot twists, but not as much action as the first. The worst of the Die Hard movies.
Rating: 8.9/10.0
Review: A very funny action-comedy with the great Bruce Willis. Plenty of plot twists, but not as much action as the first. The worst of the Die Hard movies.
Rating: 8.9/10.0
Narc (2002)
Date watched: June 22
Review: A very good movie for an independent movie of a first time director. Jason Patric and Ray Liotta put on great performances. A pretty straight forward, well shot, drug thriller.
Rating: 8.8/10.0
Review: A very good movie for an independent movie of a first time director. Jason Patric and Ray Liotta put on great performances. A pretty straight forward, well shot, drug thriller.
Rating: 8.8/10.0
Friday, June 22, 2007
Blood Simple (1984)
Date watched: June 21
Review: The Coen brothers first go is simply brilliant. I'm glad Frances McDormand married Joel Coen, for than she got a spot in this movie. She is my all time favorite actress. This is her first performance and it was fantastic, making it the best part of the movie, followed by the classic humor that accompanies Coen movies.
Rating: 9.1/10.0
Review: The Coen brothers first go is simply brilliant. I'm glad Frances McDormand married Joel Coen, for than she got a spot in this movie. She is my all time favorite actress. This is her first performance and it was fantastic, making it the best part of the movie, followed by the classic humor that accompanies Coen movies.
Rating: 9.1/10.0
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Die Hard (1988)
Date watched: June 21
Review: Bruce Willis' breakthrough movie, is a bloody fun action movie. Incredible fight scenes for it's time. Chocked full of one-liners in the style of James Bond, but with more wit, and full of great triumphs to make the viewer happy about the good guy beating out the bad guy. A classic action movie, probably the best of the 80's.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
Review: Bruce Willis' breakthrough movie, is a bloody fun action movie. Incredible fight scenes for it's time. Chocked full of one-liners in the style of James Bond, but with more wit, and full of great triumphs to make the viewer happy about the good guy beating out the bad guy. A classic action movie, probably the best of the 80's.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
Frenzy (1972)
Date watched: June 20
Review: Alfred Hitchcock presents his first R rated movie. Of course it's another nail-biter filled with the usual distinct characters. The movie was a lot more brutal than his other movies. The return to Britain and the serial killer plot topped off a great movie.
Rating: 8.6/10.0
Review: Alfred Hitchcock presents his first R rated movie. Of course it's another nail-biter filled with the usual distinct characters. The movie was a lot more brutal than his other movies. The return to Britain and the serial killer plot topped off a great movie.
Rating: 8.6/10.0
Monday, June 18, 2007
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Date watched: June 18
Review: This movie didn't capture me as much as the James Stewart movies usually do. Though it was probably one of his best performances in his prolific life. Jean Arthur, first billed, and the leading actress, really amazed me, despite never hearing about her. The plot didn't intrigue enough. Frank Capra's other masterpiece, It's a Wonderful Life, is far superior.
Rating: 8.6/10.0
Review: This movie didn't capture me as much as the James Stewart movies usually do. Though it was probably one of his best performances in his prolific life. Jean Arthur, first billed, and the leading actress, really amazed me, despite never hearing about her. The plot didn't intrigue enough. Frank Capra's other masterpiece, It's a Wonderful Life, is far superior.
Rating: 8.6/10.0
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
Date watched: June 18
Review: James Stewart reaffirms why he is the greatest actor of all time. For the first time ever, I witnessed a John Wayne performance. He was easily right up there with Stewart in acting skill. In the beginning the movie was boring, but at about 20 minutes in, it turned into a real fun movie. Plenty of great quirky characters and a fast moving plot.
Rating: 9.1/10.0
Review: James Stewart reaffirms why he is the greatest actor of all time. For the first time ever, I witnessed a John Wayne performance. He was easily right up there with Stewart in acting skill. In the beginning the movie was boring, but at about 20 minutes in, it turned into a real fun movie. Plenty of great quirky characters and a fast moving plot.
Rating: 9.1/10.0
Barton Fink (1991)
Date watched: June 17
Review: Great performances all around. My least favorite of the Coen brother movies so far. It was boring at points, entertaining at points, and hilarious at points. Recommended for hardcore Coen brothers fans; the directors of Fargo, The Big Lebowski, The Ladykillers, O Brother, Where Art Thou, Raising Arizona, and Miller's Crossing. They wrote this movie when they got writers block from writing Miller's Crossing, and it's about writers block.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Review: Great performances all around. My least favorite of the Coen brother movies so far. It was boring at points, entertaining at points, and hilarious at points. Recommended for hardcore Coen brothers fans; the directors of Fargo, The Big Lebowski, The Ladykillers, O Brother, Where Art Thou, Raising Arizona, and Miller's Crossing. They wrote this movie when they got writers block from writing Miller's Crossing, and it's about writers block.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Scarecrow (1973)
Date watched: June 17
Review: Despite having the incredible actors Al Pacino and Gene Hackman, this movie was a big bomb for me. Keep your eyelids nailed open if you plan on watching this one.
Rating: 4.2/10.0
Review: Despite having the incredible actors Al Pacino and Gene Hackman, this movie was a big bomb for me. Keep your eyelids nailed open if you plan on watching this one.
Rating: 4.2/10.0
Friday, June 15, 2007
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
Date watched: June 15
Review: A hilarious hidden gem. Tim Robbins shines funny. Jennifer Jason Leigh's accent was so annoying, which is why I loved it. This movie is classic Coen Brothers. Crazy storytelling elements to tell the story about the invention of the hula hoop. The way the brothers shot the movie was different from what you'll normally see. All-in-all a pretty fun comedy with some rusty out of date jokes.
Rating: 8.4/10.0
Review: A hilarious hidden gem. Tim Robbins shines funny. Jennifer Jason Leigh's accent was so annoying, which is why I loved it. This movie is classic Coen Brothers. Crazy storytelling elements to tell the story about the invention of the hula hoop. The way the brothers shot the movie was different from what you'll normally see. All-in-all a pretty fun comedy with some rusty out of date jokes.
Rating: 8.4/10.0
Bringing Out the Dead (1999)
Date watched: June 15Review: Genius. Pure brilliance. Martin Scorsese is a master of film. This film is one that is unforgettable. In it's performances, it's story, and direction, it shines to the top of my list. A must see hilarious riot of a movie with well meaning. The lack of praise for this movie is astounding. Nicholas Cage, John Goodman, Tom Sizemore, and especially Ving Rhames put on the most deftly funny shows ever. You must watch this movie if you are a fan of good films. Wonderful ambulance driving in New York spectacular!
Rating: 9.8/10.0
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The Freshman (1990)
Date watched: June 12
Review: Marlon Brando at his best. Matthew Broderick was amazing. The story was brilliant. I did laugh some.
Rating: 6.2/10.0
Review: Marlon Brando at his best. Matthew Broderick was amazing. The story was brilliant. I did laugh some.
Rating: 6.2/10.0
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Carlito's Way (1993)
Date watched: June 7-8
Review: Far superior to Scarface. Pacino and Penn have great chemistry. A rare gangster movie in which you can route for a character. I was on the edge of my seat the whole movie hoping the best for Carlito. This movie has some very good action scenes, which usually isn't the case in serious crime films.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Review: Far superior to Scarface. Pacino and Penn have great chemistry. A rare gangster movie in which you can route for a character. I was on the edge of my seat the whole movie hoping the best for Carlito. This movie has some very good action scenes, which usually isn't the case in serious crime films.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Mississippi Burning (1988)
Date watched: June 7Review: Gene Hackman is always easy to watch. His acting seems to never falter from near flawlessness. It was interesting seeing Willem Dafoe in this earlier role. Frances McDormand is easily my favorite actress, and I just realized this. This is an interesting movie about racism, though a bit stereotypical. What made the movie good was the character performances.
Rating: 8.7
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
American Graffiti (1973)
Date watched: June 4Review: George Lucas' early masterpiece. Full of colorful characters and young actors. Entertaining in a bizarre fashion. Endearing in it's trivialities. One of the better soundtracks for a movie ever, which was easily done because of the message of the time.
Rating: 9.1/10.0
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Donnie Brasco (1997)
Date watched: June 2
Review: The best movie I've seen in a long time. Great acting all around. Al Pacino is at his usual stylistic perfection. Michael Madsen plays one messed up character.
Rating: 9.5/10.0
Review: The best movie I've seen in a long time. Great acting all around. Al Pacino is at his usual stylistic perfection. Michael Madsen plays one messed up character.
Rating: 9.5/10.0
Saturday, June 02, 2007
New York, New York (1977)
Date watched: May 31Review: Another Scorsese classic. Part musical, part drama, part fantastic fun. Liza Minnelli stole the show. Robert de Niro was wonderful as always though. The first song that Liza sang gave me chills. She is true talent. The final song, the main theme, proved to be the second best part of the movie. Though there was plenty of fantastic fun, it was riddled with boring parts, which were acted well though. Martin Scorsese is the master of film.
Rating: 8.8/10.0
Marathon Man (1976)
Date watched: May 30Review: An amazing movie. Great acting on all parts. William Devane is the best. The screenplay was great, and is to be expected with William Goldman at the helm. There isn't a boring moment in this film.
Rating: 9.3/10.0
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Raising Arizona (1987)
Date watched: May 29
Review: Hilarious movie. Perfect casting. Not the best that the Coen brothers have to offer though.
Rating: 8.3/10.0
Review: Hilarious movie. Perfect casting. Not the best that the Coen brothers have to offer though.
Rating: 8.3/10.0
Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)
Date watched: May 29
Review: It's just another war movie. It was interesting seeing it from the Japanese point of view. Other then that, it was boring.
Rating: 7.8/10.0
Review: It's just another war movie. It was interesting seeing it from the Japanese point of view. Other then that, it was boring.
Rating: 7.8/10.0
Man on Fire (2005)
Date watched: May 28
Review: Good acting and some interesting scenes. The flashy filming was garbage.
Rating: 7.9/10.0
Review: Good acting and some interesting scenes. The flashy filming was garbage.
Rating: 7.9/10.0
Monday, May 28, 2007
Léon (1994)
Date watched: May 27-28
Review: Fun action-packed ride. Gary Oldman was brilliant. It was weird seeing Natalie Portman at such a young age.
Rating: 8.5/10.0
Thursday, May 24, 2007
The Age of Innocence (1993)
Date watched: May 23
Review: Scorsese's romance piece. High society, great acting, superb film making, and extremely boring. Robert Sean Leonard's short appearance almost saved the film from complete disaster.
Rating: 6.7/10.0
Review: Scorsese's romance piece. High society, great acting, superb film making, and extremely boring. Robert Sean Leonard's short appearance almost saved the film from complete disaster.
Rating: 6.7/10.0
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Family Plot (1976)
Date watched: May 22
Review: Alfred Hitchcock is unstoppable. He always has the ability to make enjoyable characters. This one is full of them. The four main characters have some very fun scenes together. This is another fast paced ride from the master of suspense. Though he does save the suspense for the last twenty minutes of the movie, which is usual.
Rating: 9.4/10.0
Review: Alfred Hitchcock is unstoppable. He always has the ability to make enjoyable characters. This one is full of them. The four main characters have some very fun scenes together. This is another fast paced ride from the master of suspense. Though he does save the suspense for the last twenty minutes of the movie, which is usual.
Rating: 9.4/10.0
Deliverance (1972)
Date watched: May 21
Review: Supreme acting. A must see movie for all movie people, even if just for the Dueling Banjos scene. Though there isn't much to the story, it has got a lot of thought in it. Jon Voight was young and his talent was with him this early in his career. Burt Reynolds proved so as well. In simplicity shines its brilliance.
Rating: 9.3/10.0
Review: Supreme acting. A must see movie for all movie people, even if just for the Dueling Banjos scene. Though there isn't much to the story, it has got a lot of thought in it. Jon Voight was young and his talent was with him this early in his career. Burt Reynolds proved so as well. In simplicity shines its brilliance.
Rating: 9.3/10.0
Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
Date watched: May 21
Review: Excellent acting by Albert Finney. For a lot of the movie I was disappointed. I kept thinking there are too many coincidences for me to actually like this. Even Charles Dickens isn't that bad. It all gets cleared up nicely though. The ending basically saved the movie, though it was weird. It was hard to understand some of the accents. Other then that, no complaints.
Rating: 8.1/10.0
Review: Excellent acting by Albert Finney. For a lot of the movie I was disappointed. I kept thinking there are too many coincidences for me to actually like this. Even Charles Dickens isn't that bad. It all gets cleared up nicely though. The ending basically saved the movie, though it was weird. It was hard to understand some of the accents. Other then that, no complaints.
Rating: 8.1/10.0
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
Date watched: May 15
Review: A beautiful movie. The actors seemed good enough. It is harder to tell when the movie is in a completely different language though(Spanish). What really made the movie was the fantasy elements. The other part of the story was important, and good, but it is something that has been done before. The fantasy added a whole new view. A movie really shines when the viewer pulls for a certain character to survive, and there are plenty of times when cringing and tensing of the muscles occur because of the fate of the characters. Only seeing two foreign films unofficially, this one is the best of the two. Film making that is actually worthy of the name "art."
Rating: 8.7/10.0
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Date watched: May 12"I love the smell of napalm in the morning." -Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore
Review: Finally, a movie worthy of the praise that Francis Ford Coppola garners. Perhaps the longest movie I've ever seen, at about twenty minutes over three hours. Robert Duvall is my favorite in the movie, with the famous quote. Martin Sheen's performance was amazing, and he looks so young, you could mistake him for Charlie Sheen, and his voice sounds like Emilio Estevez's. He fathered them, so it makes sense. The story drags a bit, and the anti-war sentiments do get overplayed. It was strange seeing Laurence(Larry) Fishburne at such an early age.
Rating: 8.4/10.0
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Date watched: May 12Review: My second Stanley Kubrick movie, and easily my favorite. Though Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is still a masterpiece. Kubrick is said to be a perfectionist, and it bleeds through the screen in this movie. The first hour of the movie was pure entertainment. After this, there were some boring parts, but still enough comic relief to keep it interesting. The low expectations for this movie made it an epic experience. Mickey Mouse.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Smokin' Aces (2007)
Date watched: May 10Review: Ryan Reynolds wasn't annoying. The action scenes were decent. The blood and gore went overboard. The characters were interesting. The overall plot wasn't good. The fun outweighed the annoyances. Not a bad movie.
Rating: 8.1/10.0
Monday, May 07, 2007
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Date watched: May 4Review: Not being a fan of superhero/comic movies makes the movie automatically a non-favorite. That's why reviewing them I try my best not to take into account other great movies comparatively. The actors were good for their parts. The Sandman shouldn't have been in the movie. Venom could have had more screen time. The symbiote spidey was fun, except for the look they gave Parker. The movie was very enjoyable despite all of it's flaws. The fight scenes were too plenty. The movie tried to be too fancy with the choreographed fights. Even though while I was growing up, Spider-Man was my least favorite superhero, these movies have been the best movies of all the comic movies, barring X-Men.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Grindhouse (2007)
Date watched: April 23Review: Besides the boring dialog in Death Proof, the movie was one of the best theater experiences. Too much gore and over the edge everything to make this movie the way it was supposed to be. The chase scene in the final movie was easily the best part of the movie. Rodriguez beats Tarantino overall though.
Rating: 9.3/10.0
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Election (1999)
Date watched: April 10Review: A very fun movie. Witty dialog, and quirky characters to boot. Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick were perfect. It doesn't try to hard to be the best movie or comedy ever, which makes it a good movie. Satire at it's second best.
Rating: 8.7/10.0
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Reign Over Me (2007)
Date watched: April 2
Review: All around good acting from Don Cheadle, Adam Sandler, Saffron Burrows, Liv Tyler, and Jada Pinkett Smith. Sandler's character's idiosyncrasies made up for his change in his usual character. Though the overall story was serious, it came packed with plenty of chuckles to make it a feel good movie. What really stood out was the non-criminal part of city life and the good music.
Rating: 9.1/10.0
Review: All around good acting from Don Cheadle, Adam Sandler, Saffron Burrows, Liv Tyler, and Jada Pinkett Smith. Sandler's character's idiosyncrasies made up for his change in his usual character. Though the overall story was serious, it came packed with plenty of chuckles to make it a feel good movie. What really stood out was the non-criminal part of city life and the good music.
Rating: 9.1/10.0
Saturday, March 31, 2007
300 (2007)
Date watched: March 30
Review: Overall a fun movie, good meaning, but enough slow motion to make me nautious. Though the acting wasn't brilliant, I enjoyed Gerard Butler and Lena Headey. The best part of the movie was the color schemes and how the movie was shot. The mythological approach was fun, but a few parts went overboard.
Rating: 8.2/10.0
Review: Overall a fun movie, good meaning, but enough slow motion to make me nautious. Though the acting wasn't brilliant, I enjoyed Gerard Butler and Lena Headey. The best part of the movie was the color schemes and how the movie was shot. The mythological approach was fun, but a few parts went overboard.
Rating: 8.2/10.0
Saturday, March 10, 2007
The Illusionist (2006)
Date watched: March 9Review: Pretty good acting from Norton, Biel, and Giamatti, but nothing spectacular. The plot was very intriguing from the start. Overall it was a fun movie, but the ending was a let down. A little bit of an explanation would have been great, rather than some flashes. Everything that was flashed was understandable enough, but there were questions that the viewer doesn't get to know while the narrator does. The movie is too fun to rate it low though.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
Saturday, February 24, 2007
The Number 23 (2007)
Date watched: February 23Review: A tale of a man's obsession, an obsession that has many mysteries behind it. The acting was pretty nifty, and the story started off with many great possibilities. About halfway through the movie, the movie did one of those horrible belly flops right into the water. The pace doesn't change dramatically, but the reasons behind the events start to unfold, and this movie becomes just another Hollyweird movie with barely a possibility to redeem itself. And of course, it didn't redeem. Jim Carrey being in the movie actually almost saved the movie. He added comedic elements to what became a tragic comedy because of the lameness of the climax. Laughing at what is going on in the movie is essential, but not because it is funny, though it did have it's hilarious moments which were meant to be funny. If you circle every 23rd letter in this review, you will get a secret message.
Rating: 7.3/10.0
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Children of Men (2007)
Date watched: January 9
Review: Children of Men is a very interesting idea, and also believable even without much focus on the science of why everything was happening. The imagery made everything believable. Michael Caine was the most enjoyable to watch, while Julianne Moore had a very small role despite her being high billed. It is nice to take a departure from reality once in a while, and step through that crazy door that separates reality and fiction. Telling the difference between both can be hard sometimes, and that is how to tell whether fiction is good, if that door becomes diaphanous. This movie does that from the very beginning with it's believably eccentric characters and rugged action scenes.
Rating: 8.8/10.0
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Miller's Crossing (1990)
Date watched: January 7Review: The Coen Brothers have got to be some of the best movie-makers in Hollywood. With great movies such as The Ladykillers, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, it's hard to go wrong with these guys. Miller's Crossing sounds like one of their more obscure movies, but it's their best work barring Fargo. The acting is top notch, and best of all, comedy is inserted perfectly as the Coen brothers do best. It's a mobster movie from the Depression era. Pointing out individual performances would be wrong, because it's impossible to point out flaws in the acting. With all the plots, counterplots, subplots, and whatever plots going on, it seems like it would be hard to discern what is going on in the movie, but the movie is perfectly scripted and well explained.
Rating: 9.4/10.0
On the Waterfront (1954)
"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." -Terry MalloyDate watched: January 6
Review: Marlon Brando gives the performance of a lifetime. While that is what many critics say about his role as confused mob cronie Terry Malloy, and while it was a great performance, it just wasn't the best performance of even his own lifetime. Brando's acting was the movie's best offer, but the most enjoyable character was Father Barry played by Karl Malden. The movie lacked a little in the entertainment department though.
Rating: 8.7/10.0
Network (1976)
Date watched: January 5Review: Wonderfully superb. Very fun movie, a movie that doesn't need action, because it has a splendid screenplay and the acting power to back up that screenplay. Faye Dunaway was easily the best performance, and she played the best character, though not a very good role model. This was surprising after her abysmal overrated performance in Chinatown. Peter Finch, William Holden, and Robert Duvall all delivered to perfect the acting portion of the movie. Finch's Howard Beale was a joy to watch, being a very different character, very eccentric, rather then the boring characters that usually go along with movies with no action.
Rating: 9.2/10.0
Friday, January 05, 2007
Blood Diamond (2006)
Date watched: January 4Review: First seeing the previews, the Leonardo DiCaprio accent seemed horrible. After watching the entire movie though, it was astonishingly a perfect fit. Jennifer Connelly was too beautiful, and her acting was pretty good as well. Djimon Housou stole the show though. It was interesting to see a different side of the diamond smuggling business. The movie overall was good, but the tediousness I was forced into hurt the experience.
Rating: 8.5/10.0
The French Connection (1971)
Date watched: January 2Review: Being a movie about something that's been done plenty of times, it needed something extra. It was driven by some wonderful acting, especially from Gene Hackman. The French Connection doesn't score too high on the interesting list, though it had its moments, and even funny moments at that. Did it deserve Best Picture? Maybe for that year, but it isn't championship caliber.
Rating: 8.1/10.0
Top 10 of 2006: Since Blogger
- Memento (2000) 10.0
- The Departed (2006) 10.0
- The Prestige (2006) 9.7
- Rope (1948) 9.5
- The Birds (1963) 9.3
- Casino Royale (2006) 9.1
- Shadow of a Doubt (1943) 8.9
- The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) 8.5
- The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005) 8.5
- Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) 8.3
Rocky Balboa (2006)
Date watched: December 30Review: Not the greatest acting, easily not the best Rocky movie. Quite cheesy at some points. But who cares, it's Rocky! The ending really redeemed the movie as well. Mike Tyson didn't need an appearance.
Rating: 7.3/10.0
The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
Date watched: December 30Review: Some great laugh out loud scenes, some overly cliched scenes, and an overall laugh fest if you are with friends. Steve Carell is a pretty funny guy, though not one of the best comedians.
Rating: 8.5/10.0
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