"All everything that I understand, I understand only because I love." -Leo Tolstoy
#111 Dredd 3D (9/23/12)
Dir. Pete Travis
2012
I am a big fan of the Judge Dredd series probably because it deals with a dystopian society, and that the main protagonist is not far from Batman. First off, the main character Joseph Dredd or "Judge Dredd" played by Karl Urban gave a tremendous performance that was not over the top at all. Unlike Stallone's version of Dredd, Karl gives an alluring persona similar to Christian Bale's Dark Knight Batman. I felt that it worked very well in portraying the seriousness and loyalty the protagonist had for serving the system. As we all know, the main difference between him and Batman is that one plays an executioner while the other does not believe in killing under any circumstance. I must say this, both characters receive my respect because they never compromise their beliefs even at the face of death. Another character that was my favorite was Judge Anderson a.k.a. The Telepathic Judge played by Olivia Thirlby. I was so thrilled to see her character was in the film because mutants and telepathy in general are amazing. She is such a significant character that compares differences in views that Judge Dredd can be seen as flawed in his system. Speaking of Batman earlier, in the comic Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgement on Gotham, she was a significant figure in revealing the truth and saving Batman's butt! Besides digressing with so many tangents, I found the telepathy scenes quite humorous and her character shined throughout the film as she developed into a strong assertive character. Early in the film, I just love the visuals of the turmoil and the graphic corpses everywhere. It really made this film a worthwhile "R" rated experience that was a necessity for me. The Slow-Mo drug was a brilliant idea that experiments with great visuals in slow motion adding to the thrill of the 3D experience. The spiffy gadgets Dredd uses made such great effects and the kills were so bad-ass during the action scenes. The story is quite simple, and easy to follow. On with a sequel!!!
9.5/10
2012
I am a big fan of the Judge Dredd series probably because it deals with a dystopian society, and that the main protagonist is not far from Batman. First off, the main character Joseph Dredd or "Judge Dredd" played by Karl Urban gave a tremendous performance that was not over the top at all. Unlike Stallone's version of Dredd, Karl gives an alluring persona similar to Christian Bale's Dark Knight Batman. I felt that it worked very well in portraying the seriousness and loyalty the protagonist had for serving the system. As we all know, the main difference between him and Batman is that one plays an executioner while the other does not believe in killing under any circumstance. I must say this, both characters receive my respect because they never compromise their beliefs even at the face of death. Another character that was my favorite was Judge Anderson a.k.a. The Telepathic Judge played by Olivia Thirlby. I was so thrilled to see her character was in the film because mutants and telepathy in general are amazing. She is such a significant character that compares differences in views that Judge Dredd can be seen as flawed in his system. Speaking of Batman earlier, in the comic Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgement on Gotham, she was a significant figure in revealing the truth and saving Batman's butt! Besides digressing with so many tangents, I found the telepathy scenes quite humorous and her character shined throughout the film as she developed into a strong assertive character. Early in the film, I just love the visuals of the turmoil and the graphic corpses everywhere. It really made this film a worthwhile "R" rated experience that was a necessity for me. The Slow-Mo drug was a brilliant idea that experiments with great visuals in slow motion adding to the thrill of the 3D experience. The spiffy gadgets Dredd uses made such great effects and the kills were so bad-ass during the action scenes. The story is quite simple, and easy to follow. On with a sequel!!!
9.5/10
#110 I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang (9/22/12)
Dir. Mervyn LeRoy
1932
I believe Paul Muni's performance was splendid, and not over the top at all. It was well acted in ensuring the audience is engaged with the character James Allen. In life, misfortunes occur to just about everyone and it does not matter what class or social status you are in. It would be awful to any person who had honesty and integrity to lose a clean reputation. Being able to relate to Paul Muni's character gives us a reason to care and hope for him to succeed. The way Allen makes decisions on life is similar to a lot of people in reality because people want to all live a self-fulfilling life, but are prisoners working a job that makes them miserable. He acted very believable from wanting to change professions, but receiving very little support. The dialogue between him and Pete about the hamburger was a unique example in conveying a humorous personality of Allen that seemed natural. Every action from fleeing in fear during the robbery to being mentally shocked in prison are normal responses from ordinary people. The theme social injustice works for me completely in regards to the film. Paul Muni's character James Allen was wrongly accused and shows that the system is blind when serving justice. The film indeed challenges the morality of society. The prison guards depicted in the film mistreated all of the workers by abusing them to do labor which is shown to be too much for Allen that he passes out. They seemed quite adamant and sure that James Allen was not innocent. It seemed like a witch hunt that had no reasoning or logic but heavily influenced by society labeling. Humans are not perfect but in society it is essential to be the ones who are always right. When Allen is wrongfully labeled as a fugitive, it destroyed his way of life to do any of the things he wanted to pursue passionately. Allen was an innocent man who was treated badly in prison, but the film makes a point that no human deserves to be punished to a bloody mess.
8/10
1932
I believe Paul Muni's performance was splendid, and not over the top at all. It was well acted in ensuring the audience is engaged with the character James Allen. In life, misfortunes occur to just about everyone and it does not matter what class or social status you are in. It would be awful to any person who had honesty and integrity to lose a clean reputation. Being able to relate to Paul Muni's character gives us a reason to care and hope for him to succeed. The way Allen makes decisions on life is similar to a lot of people in reality because people want to all live a self-fulfilling life, but are prisoners working a job that makes them miserable. He acted very believable from wanting to change professions, but receiving very little support. The dialogue between him and Pete about the hamburger was a unique example in conveying a humorous personality of Allen that seemed natural. Every action from fleeing in fear during the robbery to being mentally shocked in prison are normal responses from ordinary people. The theme social injustice works for me completely in regards to the film. Paul Muni's character James Allen was wrongly accused and shows that the system is blind when serving justice. The film indeed challenges the morality of society. The prison guards depicted in the film mistreated all of the workers by abusing them to do labor which is shown to be too much for Allen that he passes out. They seemed quite adamant and sure that James Allen was not innocent. It seemed like a witch hunt that had no reasoning or logic but heavily influenced by society labeling. Humans are not perfect but in society it is essential to be the ones who are always right. When Allen is wrongfully labeled as a fugitive, it destroyed his way of life to do any of the things he wanted to pursue passionately. Allen was an innocent man who was treated badly in prison, but the film makes a point that no human deserves to be punished to a bloody mess.
8/10
#109 Children of Paradise (9/18/12)
Dir. Marcel Carné
1945
Act 1: Boulevard of Crime
I want to start off by saying that this film is my all-time favorite for its ability to capture a serene melancholy with tight dramatic structure, themes of doomed love, and evocative studio reconstructions of the real world. The initial scenes have one of the best coordinated cinematography I have ever seen. A lot of work went into this film hiring the right amount of short and tall people to fit in the proper shots. Frédérick Lemaître is shown to meet the pure hearted innocent Garance who he quickly falls in love with but is swiftly rejected. The first act really shines for my favorite character Baptiste played by Jean-Lous Barrault who is a mime that saves a wrongfully accused Garance of stealing a gold watch with his artistic genius. That key scene is very symbolic throughout the whole film pointing out that the "truth" will help bring justice against the wicked. For his silent heroism in revealing the truth with his pantomime skill, Garance thanks him by throwing a rose to him which symbolizes that her love will only be for Baptiste. Many characters such as Lacenaire and Nathalie are all characters with a particular goal that add to the dramatic action of the story.
Act 2: The Man in White
Part 2 of the film takes place several years later and shows Baptise and Frédérick as very famous actors. Ironically, Baptiste who is a mime that is suppose to make the audience laugh performs in shows that are very serious and Frédérick partakes in comedic dramas. Baptiste is not very happy, and the scene when he explains that his psychiatrist told him to go see Baptiste perform to cheer him up was sweet but somber at the same time. Many scenes include a witty display of death and murders revolving around Lacenaire. I have been completely awestruck by this film that there is too much to talk about, and it is a must see for diehard cinephiles.
10/10
1945
Act 1: Boulevard of Crime
I want to start off by saying that this film is my all-time favorite for its ability to capture a serene melancholy with tight dramatic structure, themes of doomed love, and evocative studio reconstructions of the real world. The initial scenes have one of the best coordinated cinematography I have ever seen. A lot of work went into this film hiring the right amount of short and tall people to fit in the proper shots. Frédérick Lemaître is shown to meet the pure hearted innocent Garance who he quickly falls in love with but is swiftly rejected. The first act really shines for my favorite character Baptiste played by Jean-Lous Barrault who is a mime that saves a wrongfully accused Garance of stealing a gold watch with his artistic genius. That key scene is very symbolic throughout the whole film pointing out that the "truth" will help bring justice against the wicked. For his silent heroism in revealing the truth with his pantomime skill, Garance thanks him by throwing a rose to him which symbolizes that her love will only be for Baptiste. Many characters such as Lacenaire and Nathalie are all characters with a particular goal that add to the dramatic action of the story.
Act 2: The Man in White
Part 2 of the film takes place several years later and shows Baptise and Frédérick as very famous actors. Ironically, Baptiste who is a mime that is suppose to make the audience laugh performs in shows that are very serious and Frédérick partakes in comedic dramas. Baptiste is not very happy, and the scene when he explains that his psychiatrist told him to go see Baptiste perform to cheer him up was sweet but somber at the same time. Many scenes include a witty display of death and murders revolving around Lacenaire. I have been completely awestruck by this film that there is too much to talk about, and it is a must see for diehard cinephiles.
10/10
#108 End of St. Petersburg (9/18/12)
Dir. Vsevolod Pudovkin & Mikhail Doller
1927
The more I see of these "classic" Russian films, I get a sense of appreciation learning about what the directors wants us to see that is inside his head. Pretty much all movies are just propaganda that the directors artistically portray to an audience. Pudovkin seemed to have experimented with montage in a way that scientifically appeals to the audience. For instance, separate shots consisting of a person smiling transition to a coffin of a dead baby then back to the smiling person and to an image of food or an attractive women. Basically, the desires of individuals shown in ambiguous ways will stimulate how people view a film. How I perceive the film will be much different from what other people think and perhaps the film's intention. The film constructs its own reality to the viewing audience with so many chosen images serving as pieces to a puzzle. An interesting observation made by my professor was that every time any character was on the telephone, bad events happen. This may be due to the obsession of new technology affecting society as a whole. One major difference from the previous old Russian films I have seen was that it had more main characters which I would see as a huge improvement. This may have been done because Pudovkin wanted to make films that were like from Hollywood, but better.
7/10
1927
The more I see of these "classic" Russian films, I get a sense of appreciation learning about what the directors wants us to see that is inside his head. Pretty much all movies are just propaganda that the directors artistically portray to an audience. Pudovkin seemed to have experimented with montage in a way that scientifically appeals to the audience. For instance, separate shots consisting of a person smiling transition to a coffin of a dead baby then back to the smiling person and to an image of food or an attractive women. Basically, the desires of individuals shown in ambiguous ways will stimulate how people view a film. How I perceive the film will be much different from what other people think and perhaps the film's intention. The film constructs its own reality to the viewing audience with so many chosen images serving as pieces to a puzzle. An interesting observation made by my professor was that every time any character was on the telephone, bad events happen. This may be due to the obsession of new technology affecting society as a whole. One major difference from the previous old Russian films I have seen was that it had more main characters which I would see as a huge improvement. This may have been done because Pudovkin wanted to make films that were like from Hollywood, but better.
7/10
#107 Rashomon (9/17/12)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
1950
I always pondered how old Japanese films were like, because filmmakers from the West have a different way of thinking compared to people of the East. Kurosawa utilized Eastern philosophy that was "free-flowing". The first shot he takes is a view directly facing the sun which is symbolic to them as seen on the Japanese flag. It represents their god and all life begins with it. This shot was a breakthrough in film because cameras back in the day would have difficulty capturing it. Even the rain had to be improvised by literally coloring the rain in the film stock to be seen. The film specifically explores human morality. The ending scene symbolizes having faith in humanity despite there being selfishness and greed. The characters are depicted being capable of evils motivated by desire. Whether it be money, lust, or keeping their reputation clean. Many will respond by being contradictory to their beliefs. Unlike American films like Last Samurai, the samurai is depicted cowardly and sloppy adding to its realism. They seemed much weaker and had a lot of docile movements that can be taken as being a normal human. The four story-lines were revolutionary for its time, and the acting style was quite vivid. Director Kurosawa studied American films and wanted to appeal to an American audience which may be a reason why Japanese people did not prefer his work. I personally enjoyed how the flow of the film was because I could follow four characters and have a subjective opinion on which story I believed.
8/10
1950
I always pondered how old Japanese films were like, because filmmakers from the West have a different way of thinking compared to people of the East. Kurosawa utilized Eastern philosophy that was "free-flowing". The first shot he takes is a view directly facing the sun which is symbolic to them as seen on the Japanese flag. It represents their god and all life begins with it. This shot was a breakthrough in film because cameras back in the day would have difficulty capturing it. Even the rain had to be improvised by literally coloring the rain in the film stock to be seen. The film specifically explores human morality. The ending scene symbolizes having faith in humanity despite there being selfishness and greed. The characters are depicted being capable of evils motivated by desire. Whether it be money, lust, or keeping their reputation clean. Many will respond by being contradictory to their beliefs. Unlike American films like Last Samurai, the samurai is depicted cowardly and sloppy adding to its realism. They seemed much weaker and had a lot of docile movements that can be taken as being a normal human. The four story-lines were revolutionary for its time, and the acting style was quite vivid. Director Kurosawa studied American films and wanted to appeal to an American audience which may be a reason why Japanese people did not prefer his work. I personally enjoyed how the flow of the film was because I could follow four characters and have a subjective opinion on which story I believed.
8/10
#106 Metropolis (9/15/12)
Dir. Fritz Lang
1927
I was so excited to see this. At first, it made me think of Superman. Sadly, I believe I had my hopes up for something entirely different. Well, the film is supposedly a classic, but I do not find anything intellectual. The only thing I found interesting was the futuristic environment, and all the aesthetics of each setting. Looking pretty will only get you so far though. I did not really follow the story quite well, and the characters were very black and white. (Figuratively speaking...) I can see the influences that may have inspired director Lang to come up with this. During his time, social disparities regarding economic class was a huge deal back in his day. This film in a way reminds me of a tone down version of Titanic pertaining to the love story and class differences.
7/10
1927
I was so excited to see this. At first, it made me think of Superman. Sadly, I believe I had my hopes up for something entirely different. Well, the film is supposedly a classic, but I do not find anything intellectual. The only thing I found interesting was the futuristic environment, and all the aesthetics of each setting. Looking pretty will only get you so far though. I did not really follow the story quite well, and the characters were very black and white. (Figuratively speaking...) I can see the influences that may have inspired director Lang to come up with this. During his time, social disparities regarding economic class was a huge deal back in his day. This film in a way reminds me of a tone down version of Titanic pertaining to the love story and class differences.
7/10
#105 Chasing Amy (9/9/12)
Dir. Kevin Smith
1997
I was only 7 years old when this film released, but events shown in the film reoccur time and time again. If I had to compare this to another film most would recognize today, it would probably be 500 Day of Summer. We get a sense of that perfect woman that our protagonist is longing for in the initial scenes that introduce her. Alyssa played by Joey Lauren Adams is very outspoken and when she has a little conversation with Holden played by Ben Affleck, they share a "moment". To Holden, he has fallen for a special someone that he feels to be the only one for him. I don't want to ruin any surprises, but the movie is very sad. (In a good way that I like a lot.) The atmosphere of the film was just a breath of nostalgia to me. The comic book convention was a nice scene you really don't get to see a lot. The gay black dude who masks his true personality with a "Strong Black Brother" personality was just hilarious to me. It proves a good point about social respect being the image of stereotypes. Hooper X played by Dwight Ewell was an entertaining extra character and personality that sort of guides the film. A key scene at the diner with Jay and Silent Bob was purely amazing and unexpected for me. The direction and dialogue for the film made it very enjoyable for me. Be warned that this film is not for everyone and can be sensitive because it deals with touchy subject matter.
10/10
1997
I was only 7 years old when this film released, but events shown in the film reoccur time and time again. If I had to compare this to another film most would recognize today, it would probably be 500 Day of Summer. We get a sense of that perfect woman that our protagonist is longing for in the initial scenes that introduce her. Alyssa played by Joey Lauren Adams is very outspoken and when she has a little conversation with Holden played by Ben Affleck, they share a "moment". To Holden, he has fallen for a special someone that he feels to be the only one for him. I don't want to ruin any surprises, but the movie is very sad. (In a good way that I like a lot.) The atmosphere of the film was just a breath of nostalgia to me. The comic book convention was a nice scene you really don't get to see a lot. The gay black dude who masks his true personality with a "Strong Black Brother" personality was just hilarious to me. It proves a good point about social respect being the image of stereotypes. Hooper X played by Dwight Ewell was an entertaining extra character and personality that sort of guides the film. A key scene at the diner with Jay and Silent Bob was purely amazing and unexpected for me. The direction and dialogue for the film made it very enjoyable for me. Be warned that this film is not for everyone and can be sensitive because it deals with touchy subject matter.
10/10
#104 ParaNorman (9/6/12)
Dir. Chris Butler & Dir. Sam Fell
2012
ParaNorman has got to be my favorite animated film for this year. I knew by just the name of the animation company being "Laika" that this may be an intriguing film. The story and characters definitely set a new direction that I feel is beneficial for the younger generation to go and see. The main character Norman is a character anyone can plainly notice is out of the ordinary, but can sympathize for him for his honesty, integrity, and good-willed nature. Norman is viewed as a social outcast for being able to communicate with the dead. The film explores societies fear of the unknown or "xenophobia". When people do not know the answer for weird occurrences, they get scared and have to blame someone as a witch. Like with the animated film Nightmare Before Christmas, it deals a lot with perspective. I must say that if either films were not animated, it would probably look like a horror movie. Kids have such a great imagination that I think when they imagine the Boogeyman, he looks vividly detailed to the point nightmares could kill. (Of course, I am just exaggerating...). The variety of unique characters make the film diverse and gives insight to different beliefs and goals for living life. I love films that are character oriented, because most of the time you get to see a kooky old man that everyone dislikes in the film. (Great character, drives the story). Although, it depicts humanity as being very evil in this film. I do think it teaches the audience to love, and that hate for everyone will only lead to regret.
10/10
2012
ParaNorman has got to be my favorite animated film for this year. I knew by just the name of the animation company being "Laika" that this may be an intriguing film. The story and characters definitely set a new direction that I feel is beneficial for the younger generation to go and see. The main character Norman is a character anyone can plainly notice is out of the ordinary, but can sympathize for him for his honesty, integrity, and good-willed nature. Norman is viewed as a social outcast for being able to communicate with the dead. The film explores societies fear of the unknown or "xenophobia". When people do not know the answer for weird occurrences, they get scared and have to blame someone as a witch. Like with the animated film Nightmare Before Christmas, it deals a lot with perspective. I must say that if either films were not animated, it would probably look like a horror movie. Kids have such a great imagination that I think when they imagine the Boogeyman, he looks vividly detailed to the point nightmares could kill. (Of course, I am just exaggerating...). The variety of unique characters make the film diverse and gives insight to different beliefs and goals for living life. I love films that are character oriented, because most of the time you get to see a kooky old man that everyone dislikes in the film. (Great character, drives the story). Although, it depicts humanity as being very evil in this film. I do think it teaches the audience to love, and that hate for everyone will only lead to regret.
10/10
#103 Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter (9/5/12)
Dir. Timur Bekmambetov
2012
Lately, vampires have been getting a bad reputation with the whole "shiny" Twilight propaganda. Fortunately, I believe there is no way it could get any worse than that. I actually studied about Abraham Lincoln and respect him a lot with what he has done for this country. America would not be where it is today if he did not make such radical decisions that the people did not agree upon such as suspending the writ of habeas corpus. Not to sound too biased, but I FREAKING ENJOYED THIS MOVIE! I have not felt this excited for an action packed vampire movie since the first Blade was released. Yes, the film tries hard to keep the historic time relevant with the whole slavery bit. The added seriousness should not deter the fact of how bad-ass it is to be killing vampires. The story was quite simple, really reminded me of a sort of Batman theme regarding parents, vengeance, and justice. I got what I would expect from a vampire hunter who hunts at night. There is a lot of twists with trust in this film that kept it rather suspenseful and to my liking. The cinematography is just superb if you are into the olden days when people dressed properly and actually knew how to dance. What I really enjoyed was how well the action scenes flowed. There is nothing better for an action movie to keep the audience on the edge of their seats by adding so much opposition preventing the main character from reaching his goal.
8.5/10
2012
Lately, vampires have been getting a bad reputation with the whole "shiny" Twilight propaganda. Fortunately, I believe there is no way it could get any worse than that. I actually studied about Abraham Lincoln and respect him a lot with what he has done for this country. America would not be where it is today if he did not make such radical decisions that the people did not agree upon such as suspending the writ of habeas corpus. Not to sound too biased, but I FREAKING ENJOYED THIS MOVIE! I have not felt this excited for an action packed vampire movie since the first Blade was released. Yes, the film tries hard to keep the historic time relevant with the whole slavery bit. The added seriousness should not deter the fact of how bad-ass it is to be killing vampires. The story was quite simple, really reminded me of a sort of Batman theme regarding parents, vengeance, and justice. I got what I would expect from a vampire hunter who hunts at night. There is a lot of twists with trust in this film that kept it rather suspenseful and to my liking. The cinematography is just superb if you are into the olden days when people dressed properly and actually knew how to dance. What I really enjoyed was how well the action scenes flowed. There is nothing better for an action movie to keep the audience on the edge of their seats by adding so much opposition preventing the main character from reaching his goal.
8.5/10
#102 The General (9/5/12)
Dir. Clyde Bruckman & Dir. Buster Keaton
1926
The main character was an individual that I respected a lot. Many of his actions were quite admiral, and he was very persistent. Tastefully, the story fits so well in incorporating slapstick comedy in a way that makes sense with a serious story that was going on during the times of The Civil War. The main character Johnnie wishes to enlist in the military but is denied because he is more of an asset as an engineer for them. The girl Annabelle does not wish to speak to him because he is not in uniform and believes he is a coward despite trying to enlist. I just do not understand why certain honest people fall for unlikeable dimwitted individuals. Well, I do realize that it is just a movie but it does happen in real life. Apparently, all that matters is that it motivates the protagonist to take action to a particular goal. (Good enough excuse for me). Mr. Keaton had to perform many stunts, one of them being very dangerous which was the scene when his character Johnnie was sitting on the connecting rods of his engine. He was ignorant of the fact he was moving up and down because he was so miserable that his lover did not want to see him. In short, Keaton added so many contributions to film for slapstick humor and stunts in this action packed intriguing movie. Interestingly, the shot with the crash of a real train cost $42,000 which was the highest expense for a silent film.
8/10
1926
The main character was an individual that I respected a lot. Many of his actions were quite admiral, and he was very persistent. Tastefully, the story fits so well in incorporating slapstick comedy in a way that makes sense with a serious story that was going on during the times of The Civil War. The main character Johnnie wishes to enlist in the military but is denied because he is more of an asset as an engineer for them. The girl Annabelle does not wish to speak to him because he is not in uniform and believes he is a coward despite trying to enlist. I just do not understand why certain honest people fall for unlikeable dimwitted individuals. Well, I do realize that it is just a movie but it does happen in real life. Apparently, all that matters is that it motivates the protagonist to take action to a particular goal. (Good enough excuse for me). Mr. Keaton had to perform many stunts, one of them being very dangerous which was the scene when his character Johnnie was sitting on the connecting rods of his engine. He was ignorant of the fact he was moving up and down because he was so miserable that his lover did not want to see him. In short, Keaton added so many contributions to film for slapstick humor and stunts in this action packed intriguing movie. Interestingly, the shot with the crash of a real train cost $42,000 which was the highest expense for a silent film.
8/10
#101 Cops (9/5/12)
Dir. Edward F. Kline & Dir. Buster Keaton
1922
The main character of the film was rather random, but quite hilarious. I followed and sympathized for him because of his misfortune. The shots with the carriage being pulled by his horse was funny to me. His obliviousness to the people around him accusing him of being a terrorist with the random bomb that flies into his hand got really intriguing as he lights his cigarette with the lit fuse. I am not really sure why moments can be so funny when the innocent are preyed on by ignorance. Maybe it is due to the fact I have faith that good things happen to good people in the end. There are numerous memorable scenes like the balancing ladder that gives a trademark slapstick comedy in many of Keaton's films. The quick wit and use of many tools never gets old when the protagonist needs to outsmart countless odds that are against him.
7.5/10
1922
The main character of the film was rather random, but quite hilarious. I followed and sympathized for him because of his misfortune. The shots with the carriage being pulled by his horse was funny to me. His obliviousness to the people around him accusing him of being a terrorist with the random bomb that flies into his hand got really intriguing as he lights his cigarette with the lit fuse. I am not really sure why moments can be so funny when the innocent are preyed on by ignorance. Maybe it is due to the fact I have faith that good things happen to good people in the end. There are numerous memorable scenes like the balancing ladder that gives a trademark slapstick comedy in many of Keaton's films. The quick wit and use of many tools never gets old when the protagonist needs to outsmart countless odds that are against him.
7.5/10
#100 The Immigrant (9/5/12)
Dir. Charles Chaplin
1917
Who would have known that the simplest humor with the use of body language during hiccup, gambling scenes, etc. turn out to be prevalent comedy. I found the film easy to follow especially with how they transition the scenes with the black screen labels. I really enjoyed the scene when Charlie Chaplin's character is accused of pickpocketing, but later revealed in doing an honest good deed with helping the daughter of the mother who lost her money. Maybe it's me, or I have a soft spot for compassionate characters who help strangers without expecting anything in return. I like the way how when someone gets beat up for being 10 cents short for his meal, it looks comical. Although in reality, there would be blood and screaming while the six people are pummeling the man. Another interesting film by Mr. Chaplin, it depicts maturely the harsh realities being an immigrant traveling to the land of the free America.
7.5/10
1917
Who would have known that the simplest humor with the use of body language during hiccup, gambling scenes, etc. turn out to be prevalent comedy. I found the film easy to follow especially with how they transition the scenes with the black screen labels. I really enjoyed the scene when Charlie Chaplin's character is accused of pickpocketing, but later revealed in doing an honest good deed with helping the daughter of the mother who lost her money. Maybe it's me, or I have a soft spot for compassionate characters who help strangers without expecting anything in return. I like the way how when someone gets beat up for being 10 cents short for his meal, it looks comical. Although in reality, there would be blood and screaming while the six people are pummeling the man. Another interesting film by Mr. Chaplin, it depicts maturely the harsh realities being an immigrant traveling to the land of the free America.
7.5/10
#99 Easy Street (9/5/12)
Dir. Charles Chaplin
1917
Charlie Chaplin does not disappoint when it comes to the original "slapstick" comedy. The use of wit to outsmart foes is still seen in so many future films that take homage to Chaplin's films. If you know me, I am not the greatest when viewing silent films in general. Although, this film proves that you do not need much special effects or dialogue to be effective in entertaining the audience. The film is simply fun and enjoyable to watch for those who like comedies, but there is more to this than just laughs. There are very mature concepts included in the film that were quite advanced for people of that time. (i.e. doper's needle scene). The story starts off with the main character being a tramp, but then decides to turn a new leaf because of a women and joins the police force. He is assigned to protect the people of a street who is massacred by a big bully. The whole hero saves the day and they live happily ever after obviously follows, but it is expected of films as a standard to be linear during this time.
8/10
1917
Charlie Chaplin does not disappoint when it comes to the original "slapstick" comedy. The use of wit to outsmart foes is still seen in so many future films that take homage to Chaplin's films. If you know me, I am not the greatest when viewing silent films in general. Although, this film proves that you do not need much special effects or dialogue to be effective in entertaining the audience. The film is simply fun and enjoyable to watch for those who like comedies, but there is more to this than just laughs. There are very mature concepts included in the film that were quite advanced for people of that time. (i.e. doper's needle scene). The story starts off with the main character being a tramp, but then decides to turn a new leaf because of a women and joins the police force. He is assigned to protect the people of a street who is massacred by a big bully. The whole hero saves the day and they live happily ever after obviously follows, but it is expected of films as a standard to be linear during this time.
8/10
#98 Boudu Saved From Drowning (9/4/12)
Dir. Jean Renoir
1932
Yet again, actor Michael Simon who stars as Priape Boudu does it again with his convincing weird character. I truly am fascinated with how his character looks at the world because it is completely outrageous to others. His character is actually portrayed to be very real and not fictional which I do believe. For instance, the scene where he approaches a rich dressed gentleman and gives him money. The rich gentleman is extremely offended because he feels the tramp Boudu is making fun of him. I see it as that he is a suicide risk, which becomes apparent with him trying to drown himself. Simply, he is just a man who knows what he wants and does not complicate things. Although Boudu's life is saved he does what no man would do to the savior which is be ungrateful and sleep with his wife. At times, I just don't understand certain scenes but I just roll with it. I think I see rape, but oddly enough the girl turns out to be just a slut. This film just has so much randomness that I don't know where it is heading and the ending shows just that. It just seems all hopeless!!!
7.5/10
1932
Yet again, actor Michael Simon who stars as Priape Boudu does it again with his convincing weird character. I truly am fascinated with how his character looks at the world because it is completely outrageous to others. His character is actually portrayed to be very real and not fictional which I do believe. For instance, the scene where he approaches a rich dressed gentleman and gives him money. The rich gentleman is extremely offended because he feels the tramp Boudu is making fun of him. I see it as that he is a suicide risk, which becomes apparent with him trying to drown himself. Simply, he is just a man who knows what he wants and does not complicate things. Although Boudu's life is saved he does what no man would do to the savior which is be ungrateful and sleep with his wife. At times, I just don't understand certain scenes but I just roll with it. I think I see rape, but oddly enough the girl turns out to be just a slut. This film just has so much randomness that I don't know where it is heading and the ending shows just that. It just seems all hopeless!!!
7.5/10
#97 Battleship Potemkin (9/4/12)
Dir. Sergei M. Eisenstein
1925
What to say about Battleship Potemkin? I felt it was a much tolerable film, or a step up from Eisenstein's Strike. The propaganda definitely is still there, but the main character is still the people as a whole who are oppressed. Sadly, without an individual main character who we can follow, it becomes quite difficult to follow what is going on especially if there really is no story. It is to of no surprise how vicious the government reprimands people for their disobedience, and show how rebellion is futile. I hate to say it, but it was quite graphic seeing babies and mothers getting hurt by the militia even when they beg for mercy. On a bright note, they did a good job coordinating the numerous actors who were stampeding in the city which made the visuals amazing. This film is memorable alright, but it is not quite the type of movie I would like to see.
7/10
1925
What to say about Battleship Potemkin? I felt it was a much tolerable film, or a step up from Eisenstein's Strike. The propaganda definitely is still there, but the main character is still the people as a whole who are oppressed. Sadly, without an individual main character who we can follow, it becomes quite difficult to follow what is going on especially if there really is no story. It is to of no surprise how vicious the government reprimands people for their disobedience, and show how rebellion is futile. I hate to say it, but it was quite graphic seeing babies and mothers getting hurt by the militia even when they beg for mercy. On a bright note, they did a good job coordinating the numerous actors who were stampeding in the city which made the visuals amazing. This film is memorable alright, but it is not quite the type of movie I would like to see.
7/10
#96 Ted (9/2/12)
Dir. Seth Macfarlane
2012
When it comes to memorable allusions, I believe Seth Macfarlane is a favorite of mine with his use of so many great references. He establishes the rules of the universe very early on in the film that magic plays a big part in personifying an inanimate stuffed teddy bear. The structure of the film was well done and easy to follow. Where MacFarlane shines is through the vast humorous dialogue in his script. A lot of the humor would usually come off as highly inappropriate, but it was in good taste for developing Ted as a character. I thought it was awesome that Seth Macfarlane himself actually did all of Ted's movements with motion capture along with doing his voice. This is a sort of film that if you like previous works of Macfarlane's such as Family Guy and American Dad then you will probably enjoy this rather than get offended. This film does take editing techniques reminiscent to D.W. Griffith's style. (*Spoiler: The address given by the two stalker people.) The film does try to be very serious near the end which people may find not very consistent with the raunchy comedy displayed. For me, I loathe sick characters who act like Ted, but it is a stuffed teddy bear and not an actual person. The whole idea was to have all the characters hate him, but the motto "Thunder Buddies" forever will always mean something. Ted did change as a character with him offering to do anything to make his best friend happy.
8/10
2012
When it comes to memorable allusions, I believe Seth Macfarlane is a favorite of mine with his use of so many great references. He establishes the rules of the universe very early on in the film that magic plays a big part in personifying an inanimate stuffed teddy bear. The structure of the film was well done and easy to follow. Where MacFarlane shines is through the vast humorous dialogue in his script. A lot of the humor would usually come off as highly inappropriate, but it was in good taste for developing Ted as a character. I thought it was awesome that Seth Macfarlane himself actually did all of Ted's movements with motion capture along with doing his voice. This is a sort of film that if you like previous works of Macfarlane's such as Family Guy and American Dad then you will probably enjoy this rather than get offended. This film does take editing techniques reminiscent to D.W. Griffith's style. (*Spoiler: The address given by the two stalker people.) The film does try to be very serious near the end which people may find not very consistent with the raunchy comedy displayed. For me, I loathe sick characters who act like Ted, but it is a stuffed teddy bear and not an actual person. The whole idea was to have all the characters hate him, but the motto "Thunder Buddies" forever will always mean something. Ted did change as a character with him offering to do anything to make his best friend happy.
8/10
#95 The Deaths of Ian Stone (8/31/12)
Dir. Dario Piana
2007
Horror stories like these are very interesting, but are very complex in its own way. A person watching may not tolerate or be patient enough to see this movie through if they are expecting a scary film as promised in the poster. Although, the film is good and entertained me with its innovative story. Personally, I really enjoy anything that is different because it can give us all ideas for a new concept that works in film. The acting was quite alright from the start, but I did feel the film started to get rushed and lazy near the end. It pretty much started to look just a little bit corny, and Jaime Murray who play Medea ended with a poorer performance than what she started initially at the start of the film in my opinion. So just what the title says, it is about the deaths of Ian Stone. The answers to why it is deaths and not death lies heavily on actually viewing the film. Not going to spoil it, definitely see it for yourself if you dare!
7/10
2007
Horror stories like these are very interesting, but are very complex in its own way. A person watching may not tolerate or be patient enough to see this movie through if they are expecting a scary film as promised in the poster. Although, the film is good and entertained me with its innovative story. Personally, I really enjoy anything that is different because it can give us all ideas for a new concept that works in film. The acting was quite alright from the start, but I did feel the film started to get rushed and lazy near the end. It pretty much started to look just a little bit corny, and Jaime Murray who play Medea ended with a poorer performance than what she started initially at the start of the film in my opinion. So just what the title says, it is about the deaths of Ian Stone. The answers to why it is deaths and not death lies heavily on actually viewing the film. Not going to spoil it, definitely see it for yourself if you dare!
7/10
#94 L' Atalante (8/28/12)
Dir. Jean Vigo
1934
This French film oddly enough was quite entertaining for me with such a simple story of a couple living on a ship after they get married. I must say that human emotion can seem like a weakness at times because it causes a lot of problems within relationships. We all want to feel in control and never be jealous, but that is just unavoidable when the world is so vast. Juliette played by Dita Parlo becomes rather bored of the sea life, and ventures off into Paris. This upsets her husband Jean played by Jean Dasté so he gets the bright idea of just ditching her. It later becomes a drama of human emotion which sounds really sappy, but love in this story eventually finds each other. I just loved the characters in this film. My favorite being Le père Jules played by Michel Simon who is the weird second mate on the ship. They go in depth with his story through the dialogue, and he interested me with his strange personality and humor.
8/10
1934
This French film oddly enough was quite entertaining for me with such a simple story of a couple living on a ship after they get married. I must say that human emotion can seem like a weakness at times because it causes a lot of problems within relationships. We all want to feel in control and never be jealous, but that is just unavoidable when the world is so vast. Juliette played by Dita Parlo becomes rather bored of the sea life, and ventures off into Paris. This upsets her husband Jean played by Jean Dasté so he gets the bright idea of just ditching her. It later becomes a drama of human emotion which sounds really sappy, but love in this story eventually finds each other. I just loved the characters in this film. My favorite being Le père Jules played by Michel Simon who is the weird second mate on the ship. They go in depth with his story through the dialogue, and he interested me with his strange personality and humor.
8/10
#93 Strike (8/28/12)
Dir. Sergei M. Eisenstein
1925
A Russian silent film which in my opinion carries the stereotypical qualities Americans would expect of the culture itself being ruled under Communist rule. Portrays the harsh working conditions blue-collar factory workers had to endure, and of course the retaliation of a strike. I just want to start off by saying that silent films in general are my weakest when I view them. I know I am not the only one when I say that color and sound is just amazing. Strike truly has no interesting characters, which is a HUGE thing for me. Despite that, one can appreciate the numerous imagery Eisenstein uses to paint the big picture. It is very uncommon with what is shown in this film like the gutting of a real animal to people throwing babies...pretty disturbing images perhaps? This is a really early film and is worth watching. We really get a piece of Russian culture during the times of the Soviet Union. It is good to compare the differences among how everyone around the world filmed because you will soon find out that we all think differently. Films in Russia are funded by the government so they have full access to a lot of resources American filmmakers did not have the courtesy of having. For instance, they could request military soldiers for assistance and use battlefield areas to help make the film.
7/10
1925
A Russian silent film which in my opinion carries the stereotypical qualities Americans would expect of the culture itself being ruled under Communist rule. Portrays the harsh working conditions blue-collar factory workers had to endure, and of course the retaliation of a strike. I just want to start off by saying that silent films in general are my weakest when I view them. I know I am not the only one when I say that color and sound is just amazing. Strike truly has no interesting characters, which is a HUGE thing for me. Despite that, one can appreciate the numerous imagery Eisenstein uses to paint the big picture. It is very uncommon with what is shown in this film like the gutting of a real animal to people throwing babies...pretty disturbing images perhaps? This is a really early film and is worth watching. We really get a piece of Russian culture during the times of the Soviet Union. It is good to compare the differences among how everyone around the world filmed because you will soon find out that we all think differently. Films in Russia are funded by the government so they have full access to a lot of resources American filmmakers did not have the courtesy of having. For instance, they could request military soldiers for assistance and use battlefield areas to help make the film.
7/10
#92 All About Eve (8/27/12)
Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz
1950
Being hard-working, humble, and quiet at most times will reward you with the admiration of all. Those traits really get you to the success you desire when you are also young, talented, and full of energy. Eve played by Anne Baxter is a youth aspiring to be her role-model Margo played by Bette Davis. Margo who is a successful stage actress was once young and full of energy. Now, she is problematic to her circle of theater friends because of her negativity and worries of aging. Eve is given a dream opportunity to fill the role of her idol, and ulterior motives are discovered within the deceptive. The film was well done in capturing the emotion within character's selfishness. I felt awe struck discovering the true nature of the characters. I was really convinced by Eve's character and despised her so much. The acting as a whole was tremendously amazing, and it should not disappoint. What I loved about the film was that this film really entices the audience to think while getting your attention with its entertaining qualities. Personally for me, intense soap operas usually do not interest me a whole lot.
8/10
1950
Being hard-working, humble, and quiet at most times will reward you with the admiration of all. Those traits really get you to the success you desire when you are also young, talented, and full of energy. Eve played by Anne Baxter is a youth aspiring to be her role-model Margo played by Bette Davis. Margo who is a successful stage actress was once young and full of energy. Now, she is problematic to her circle of theater friends because of her negativity and worries of aging. Eve is given a dream opportunity to fill the role of her idol, and ulterior motives are discovered within the deceptive. The film was well done in capturing the emotion within character's selfishness. I felt awe struck discovering the true nature of the characters. I was really convinced by Eve's character and despised her so much. The acting as a whole was tremendously amazing, and it should not disappoint. What I loved about the film was that this film really entices the audience to think while getting your attention with its entertaining qualities. Personally for me, intense soap operas usually do not interest me a whole lot.
8/10
#91 The Great Train Robbery (8/27/12)
Dir. Edwin S. Porter
1903
The film had great narrative effectiveness because it follows the storyline continuance that is simple to follow. We see where the four bandits are heading off to from start to finish. When they go from robbing the people in the train, it transitions to them running off to where the horses await for their escape. The audience is able to keep up with the action and suspense of the four bandits in every scene. For its time, it created a lot of innovative techniques with the use of a stationary camera. It employs many of the cinematic techniques that have since become commonplace such as cross-cutting, the chase, the shootout, and many more forms of editing contributing to the superb linear storyline. The beginning is clear, and depicts bandits subduing a station agent. The shot as the two bandits are tying up the station agent includes a glimpse of a train pulling up to the station through a window. This helps the narrative move along nicely as it tells the audience that the train has arrived on schedule for the bandit’s sinister plot. Two of the bandits proceed to the inside of the train, kill the agent, and make off with the loot. The special smoke effects accompanying the explosion to open the chest were a breakthrough in film. This early film was a pioneer for supplementing new ideas for future films especially action films like the next Westerns to come after. The other bandits take care of the engineer, and his fireman outside on-board the train. The cross-cutting was done brilliantly for an early film, and it may have been shocking to the audience at the time to see someone get violently beaten then thrown off of a moving train. The middle would have to be when the bandits have all the passengers exit the train with their hands up, and they rob all of them. One of the bandits takes the wallets and purses, and one holds a bag to carry them all. The other bandit keeps the passengers under control by sticking them up with his gun so they don’t pull a fast one. Even then, one of the passengers attempts to run away but is shot down cold-heartedly. The acting looked very over-dramatic, but at the time it was generally accepted because theater was a dominant domain for entertainment. The ending is when the shootout between the bandits and posse of “good guys” come to a final showdown. The bandits are shown getting shot and killed for their treachery. After, it ends with George Barnes’s character shooting at the camera which may have been the equivalent exciting feeling of a three-dimensional display for people of that time.
7/10
1903
The film had great narrative effectiveness because it follows the storyline continuance that is simple to follow. We see where the four bandits are heading off to from start to finish. When they go from robbing the people in the train, it transitions to them running off to where the horses await for their escape. The audience is able to keep up with the action and suspense of the four bandits in every scene. For its time, it created a lot of innovative techniques with the use of a stationary camera. It employs many of the cinematic techniques that have since become commonplace such as cross-cutting, the chase, the shootout, and many more forms of editing contributing to the superb linear storyline. The beginning is clear, and depicts bandits subduing a station agent. The shot as the two bandits are tying up the station agent includes a glimpse of a train pulling up to the station through a window. This helps the narrative move along nicely as it tells the audience that the train has arrived on schedule for the bandit’s sinister plot. Two of the bandits proceed to the inside of the train, kill the agent, and make off with the loot. The special smoke effects accompanying the explosion to open the chest were a breakthrough in film. This early film was a pioneer for supplementing new ideas for future films especially action films like the next Westerns to come after. The other bandits take care of the engineer, and his fireman outside on-board the train. The cross-cutting was done brilliantly for an early film, and it may have been shocking to the audience at the time to see someone get violently beaten then thrown off of a moving train. The middle would have to be when the bandits have all the passengers exit the train with their hands up, and they rob all of them. One of the bandits takes the wallets and purses, and one holds a bag to carry them all. The other bandit keeps the passengers under control by sticking them up with his gun so they don’t pull a fast one. Even then, one of the passengers attempts to run away but is shot down cold-heartedly. The acting looked very over-dramatic, but at the time it was generally accepted because theater was a dominant domain for entertainment. The ending is when the shootout between the bandits and posse of “good guys” come to a final showdown. The bandits are shown getting shot and killed for their treachery. After, it ends with George Barnes’s character shooting at the camera which may have been the equivalent exciting feeling of a three-dimensional display for people of that time.
7/10
#90 Bourne Legacy (8/25/12)
Dir. Tony Gilroy
2012
To start off, I liked the fact that the majority of the film was shot in the Philippines and the movie dealt a lot about spies. Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) is a celebrity to the Filipino people, because I hear it all over the news in that country a lot. I honestly could not get out of my head that he is Hawkeye, but that is pretty minor. I never really got into the Bourne series, but this film seemed pretty decent and it explained pretty well what was going on. In this case, the abundance of exposition Edward Norton was involved in at those C.I.A. meetings proved useful. The movie is pretty action packed and filled with the right ingredients for a spy/espionage film. I really liked the spy tricks used in the film to get some pretty awesome kill shots, and the motorcycle scene kept me pretty entertained while I was watching like a zombie. This film started pretty well, and introduced the characters fairly well. As for the ending, there really wasn't any satisfaction to it, but a huge question mark of what happens next. I get a really sour face when a film becomes inconclusive. Nonetheless, I appreciated the character development of the two main characters and believe it or not, I grew a rooting interest for them both to make it through their ordeal.
7.5/10
2012
To start off, I liked the fact that the majority of the film was shot in the Philippines and the movie dealt a lot about spies. Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) is a celebrity to the Filipino people, because I hear it all over the news in that country a lot. I honestly could not get out of my head that he is Hawkeye, but that is pretty minor. I never really got into the Bourne series, but this film seemed pretty decent and it explained pretty well what was going on. In this case, the abundance of exposition Edward Norton was involved in at those C.I.A. meetings proved useful. The movie is pretty action packed and filled with the right ingredients for a spy/espionage film. I really liked the spy tricks used in the film to get some pretty awesome kill shots, and the motorcycle scene kept me pretty entertained while I was watching like a zombie. This film started pretty well, and introduced the characters fairly well. As for the ending, there really wasn't any satisfaction to it, but a huge question mark of what happens next. I get a really sour face when a film becomes inconclusive. Nonetheless, I appreciated the character development of the two main characters and believe it or not, I grew a rooting interest for them both to make it through their ordeal.
7.5/10
#89 Superman vs. The Elite (8/20/12)
Dir. Michael Chang
2012
Watching this made me really think about Superman, and how he is not much different from Batman belief wise. Most would agree that killing villains would be the easiest solution to ensuring that they do not come back and cause problems again. It really is much harder to let the bad guys live and face judgement the right way. The human and moral issues touched in this film challenge a gray area that exist even in today's society concerning the death penalty. The Elite hold a different idealism from Superman which would be great if life was just clear cut or "black and white." People still do not understand that there is no clear "enemy" or "villain" because people make choices that the majority does not agree on. We all know that just because the majority agree or disagree on a matter does not necessarily mean it is true. (World is flat, Gingers have no souls, etc.) Enough on political issues, the film delivered quite well and I really enjoyed the well done voice acting. I don't really want to point out the racist humor with the character Hat, but they could have given him dialogue that wasn't stereotypical. Other than racial stereotypes, I believe this film had a positive message, and it was quite entertaining for me.
8/10
2012
Watching this made me really think about Superman, and how he is not much different from Batman belief wise. Most would agree that killing villains would be the easiest solution to ensuring that they do not come back and cause problems again. It really is much harder to let the bad guys live and face judgement the right way. The human and moral issues touched in this film challenge a gray area that exist even in today's society concerning the death penalty. The Elite hold a different idealism from Superman which would be great if life was just clear cut or "black and white." People still do not understand that there is no clear "enemy" or "villain" because people make choices that the majority does not agree on. We all know that just because the majority agree or disagree on a matter does not necessarily mean it is true. (World is flat, Gingers have no souls, etc.) Enough on political issues, the film delivered quite well and I really enjoyed the well done voice acting. I don't really want to point out the racist humor with the character Hat, but they could have given him dialogue that wasn't stereotypical. Other than racial stereotypes, I believe this film had a positive message, and it was quite entertaining for me.
8/10
#88 Lo (8/16/12)
Dir. Travis Betz
2009
This was a very pleasing film to me in general, because it attracted me in a weird sort of way. Before I talk about the film, you may need to have the right sense of humor to actually understand the film and like it. At first, the film starts off all creepy and cultist-like. Then right away as the demon Lo is summoned, we understand the film takes on a campy feel through the comedic dialogue. (Lots of profanity if I am not mistaken, but in good taste.) I just loved the monsters shown, because it reminded me of Little Monsters when creatures actually looked real and not cgi. What I loved most about the film is that it challenges the main character's beliefs, and genuinely becomes philosophical. The question is, "Would he go to hell and back literally to save the one he loves after discovering her dark past?" Personally for me, love really does make an individual do the craziest things so this reasserts that love has no reasoning but it doesn't make the feeling any wrong. The way it was presented looked like a stage-play, and it worked very well for the film considering it was shot only in one location. For the budget the film had, I was kept quite entertained all the way through with the random humorous scenes. The film is very intriguing, and I would highly recommend it to those into cult classics. Just don't go trying to expect a horror film, because it really isn't.
9/10
2009
This was a very pleasing film to me in general, because it attracted me in a weird sort of way. Before I talk about the film, you may need to have the right sense of humor to actually understand the film and like it. At first, the film starts off all creepy and cultist-like. Then right away as the demon Lo is summoned, we understand the film takes on a campy feel through the comedic dialogue. (Lots of profanity if I am not mistaken, but in good taste.) I just loved the monsters shown, because it reminded me of Little Monsters when creatures actually looked real and not cgi. What I loved most about the film is that it challenges the main character's beliefs, and genuinely becomes philosophical. The question is, "Would he go to hell and back literally to save the one he loves after discovering her dark past?" Personally for me, love really does make an individual do the craziest things so this reasserts that love has no reasoning but it doesn't make the feeling any wrong. The way it was presented looked like a stage-play, and it worked very well for the film considering it was shot only in one location. For the budget the film had, I was kept quite entertained all the way through with the random humorous scenes. The film is very intriguing, and I would highly recommend it to those into cult classics. Just don't go trying to expect a horror film, because it really isn't.
9/10
#87 Drive (8/12/12)
Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn
2011
Ryan Gosling was very impressive in this film, and I give him a lot of props for giving a great performance. His character was perfect for the pace of the film. I was just mesmerized of how he handles himself in dozens of scenarios making me want to keep watching. This action flick was well done with a great twist , and I felt it was such a really cool movie. I did not expect the film to go towards the direction that it did. I was kept entertained all the way through, maybe because I like characters who fit a certain style I like. Gosling's character Driver is so mysterious and quiet. It really makes me want to know more about his character, because he is not like every action protagonist who is a blabbering idiot. I have strong opinions about actions speaking louder than words, and his character does deliver. I love the cinematography, and the film is just so visually appealing to me. The music was awesome, and complimented the film very well. If you are into films with that noir feeling, and some pretty brutal killing scenes. This film will make you feel good, and maybe make you a better person.
8.5/10
2011
Ryan Gosling was very impressive in this film, and I give him a lot of props for giving a great performance. His character was perfect for the pace of the film. I was just mesmerized of how he handles himself in dozens of scenarios making me want to keep watching. This action flick was well done with a great twist , and I felt it was such a really cool movie. I did not expect the film to go towards the direction that it did. I was kept entertained all the way through, maybe because I like characters who fit a certain style I like. Gosling's character Driver is so mysterious and quiet. It really makes me want to know more about his character, because he is not like every action protagonist who is a blabbering idiot. I have strong opinions about actions speaking louder than words, and his character does deliver. I love the cinematography, and the film is just so visually appealing to me. The music was awesome, and complimented the film very well. If you are into films with that noir feeling, and some pretty brutal killing scenes. This film will make you feel good, and maybe make you a better person.
8.5/10
#86 Batman:Under the Red Hood (8/11/12)
Dir. Brandon Vietti
2010
I much rather prefer this dark-tale over Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" any day. Yes, Heath Ledger and Nolan's version of Batman was dark and depressing but this film offers great character development for all. It felt very thorough and nicely paced for me, because it had such an awesome script to work with. The Joker is amazing like he is in the "Killing Joke". He is so violent and twisted with no fear or care. This film really gets in depth with Batman showing he is a conflicted, and torn human being. This is definitely one of the best Batman films out there that really feels satisfying. You will get intense action, dark comedy, and tear jerking drama all in this film. From the start to finish, the story flowed smoothly and had appropriate flashbacks to fill us in just enough to understand what was going on. I personally enjoyed the conflicting beliefs between the characters and how the epic finale ended. I can't lie, it made me laugh when Red Hood was questioning Batman why Joker is still alive. The Joker played by John Di Maggio sounded perfect with great acting , and it made the film so much better with a comedic dark twist. I highly recommend this film to anyone and not just Batman fans, because it is a superb film of a comic book adaptation.
9/10
2010
I much rather prefer this dark-tale over Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" any day. Yes, Heath Ledger and Nolan's version of Batman was dark and depressing but this film offers great character development for all. It felt very thorough and nicely paced for me, because it had such an awesome script to work with. The Joker is amazing like he is in the "Killing Joke". He is so violent and twisted with no fear or care. This film really gets in depth with Batman showing he is a conflicted, and torn human being. This is definitely one of the best Batman films out there that really feels satisfying. You will get intense action, dark comedy, and tear jerking drama all in this film. From the start to finish, the story flowed smoothly and had appropriate flashbacks to fill us in just enough to understand what was going on. I personally enjoyed the conflicting beliefs between the characters and how the epic finale ended. I can't lie, it made me laugh when Red Hood was questioning Batman why Joker is still alive. The Joker played by John Di Maggio sounded perfect with great acting , and it made the film so much better with a comedic dark twist. I highly recommend this film to anyone and not just Batman fans, because it is a superb film of a comic book adaptation.
9/10
#85 Safety Not Guaranteed (8/8/12)
Dir. Colin Trevorrow
2012
Mark Duplass directing, writing, producing, acting...and now singing. This guy just seizes to amaze me. I really enjoyed his screen write of the indie film Jeff Who Lives At Home that I saw for free courtesy of UNLV Film. Aubrey Plaza is an amazing deadpan comedian, but she really didn't stick out to me until this film. (I freaking love deadpan humor!). She was in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and several other indie films/shows. Her acting was so perfect for this role that it helped contribute to the film significantly, but despite her being the main character, the movie was about a lot more than just her. While watching this, it brought so many dormant feelings that really hit the spot. Perspective wise, a typical audience would generally believe the main characters to be social outcasts who are depressed or crazy. Acknowledging that, the film does a superb job in making you want to root for them to exceed and get what they want. I personally was thinking in my head the whole time that this was not going to end well. To my surprise, I was awed and felt satisfied with how the film concluded that I just felt amazing for the remainder of the day.
10/10
2012
Mark Duplass directing, writing, producing, acting...and now singing. This guy just seizes to amaze me. I really enjoyed his screen write of the indie film Jeff Who Lives At Home that I saw for free courtesy of UNLV Film. Aubrey Plaza is an amazing deadpan comedian, but she really didn't stick out to me until this film. (I freaking love deadpan humor!). She was in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and several other indie films/shows. Her acting was so perfect for this role that it helped contribute to the film significantly, but despite her being the main character, the movie was about a lot more than just her. While watching this, it brought so many dormant feelings that really hit the spot. Perspective wise, a typical audience would generally believe the main characters to be social outcasts who are depressed or crazy. Acknowledging that, the film does a superb job in making you want to root for them to exceed and get what they want. I personally was thinking in my head the whole time that this was not going to end well. To my surprise, I was awed and felt satisfied with how the film concluded that I just felt amazing for the remainder of the day.
10/10
#84 Prometheus (8/7/12)
Dir. Ridley Scott
2012
When I heard they were releasing a prequel to "Alien", of course I became quite excited. I figured I would have all my questions answered, and maybe get scared. What I got was a bunched up pile of ideas that were very vague. It did seem like the movie was trying so hard to be kick-ass awesome by having multitudes. Points I did like in the film was the technology that was shown, and certain special effects. Thinking about the film too hard will not help in making this film seem any better. I was able to watch it all the way through, and I like the beginning of the film.
7/10
2012
When I heard they were releasing a prequel to "Alien", of course I became quite excited. I figured I would have all my questions answered, and maybe get scared. What I got was a bunched up pile of ideas that were very vague. It did seem like the movie was trying so hard to be kick-ass awesome by having multitudes. Points I did like in the film was the technology that was shown, and certain special effects. Thinking about the film too hard will not help in making this film seem any better. I was able to watch it all the way through, and I like the beginning of the film.
7/10
#83 Total Recall (8/5/12)
Dir. Len Wiseman
2012
As a kid growing up, Sci-Fi and big man Arnold was always a good mix when it came to deciding what films to watch. When I heard they were considering creating a re-make of such a terrific film, I wondered what reasons did they have for doing so. I thoroughly looked into the film, and right away got the sense they were starting the film with all the same dialogue word for word. I suppose they anticipated this and switched it up by confusing the audience looking for every similar detail like when Colin Ferrel was disguised as an Asian guy rather than like Arnold who was an obese lady. My advice when watching this film would be to view it as if the original never existed, and that this film is completely independent from it. The movie was decent, and it had a very nice futuristic environment that looked fresh. The story was quite alright. I particularly enjoy double spy espionage stories that are action packed. This film had a good run for me, but I probably would not watch it again.
6.5/10
2012
As a kid growing up, Sci-Fi and big man Arnold was always a good mix when it came to deciding what films to watch. When I heard they were considering creating a re-make of such a terrific film, I wondered what reasons did they have for doing so. I thoroughly looked into the film, and right away got the sense they were starting the film with all the same dialogue word for word. I suppose they anticipated this and switched it up by confusing the audience looking for every similar detail like when Colin Ferrel was disguised as an Asian guy rather than like Arnold who was an obese lady. My advice when watching this film would be to view it as if the original never existed, and that this film is completely independent from it. The movie was decent, and it had a very nice futuristic environment that looked fresh. The story was quite alright. I particularly enjoy double spy espionage stories that are action packed. This film had a good run for me, but I probably would not watch it again.
6.5/10
#82 Moonrise Kingdom (8/4/12)
Dir. Wes Anderson
2012
I am absolutely positive that no one would know of, or go see this film if they were not already a fan of his work to begin with. I love weird and quirky films with such fresh faces as the two main protagonists supported by veterans like Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Harvey Keitel, and Bill Murray. The idea of the film was ingenious, and could only be pulled off by a director like Wes Anderson. This film had a lot of deadpan humor that I really enjoyed in many of the dialogue. Creativity wise, the film has a lot to offer. Directors like Tarantino prefer to create fictional locations. This eliminates stereotypes that the audience may be keenly influenced by. In Moonrise Kingdom, the island of New Penzance was completely made up but believable. How they depicted both main characters in unison with the split screen was clever in capturing the young weird romance between the two. The film for me satisfied my interest in learning more about the melancholic lives all the characters were living. Anderson was very subtle in shooting scenes describing the characters as not to exploit them into the spotlight, but reveal just enough information to understand the character. The symbolism from the start of the film describing a family of instruments by use of soliloquy was amazing. This set the tone for what the whole film was to be about which was being part of a family. It reminds me of another Wes Anderson film, "The Royal Tenenbaums", which also dealt with family. Family is where you choose to be a part of as a whole, and it does not matter if you are related by blood, or were adopted.
9/10
2012
I am absolutely positive that no one would know of, or go see this film if they were not already a fan of his work to begin with. I love weird and quirky films with such fresh faces as the two main protagonists supported by veterans like Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Harvey Keitel, and Bill Murray. The idea of the film was ingenious, and could only be pulled off by a director like Wes Anderson. This film had a lot of deadpan humor that I really enjoyed in many of the dialogue. Creativity wise, the film has a lot to offer. Directors like Tarantino prefer to create fictional locations. This eliminates stereotypes that the audience may be keenly influenced by. In Moonrise Kingdom, the island of New Penzance was completely made up but believable. How they depicted both main characters in unison with the split screen was clever in capturing the young weird romance between the two. The film for me satisfied my interest in learning more about the melancholic lives all the characters were living. Anderson was very subtle in shooting scenes describing the characters as not to exploit them into the spotlight, but reveal just enough information to understand the character. The symbolism from the start of the film describing a family of instruments by use of soliloquy was amazing. This set the tone for what the whole film was to be about which was being part of a family. It reminds me of another Wes Anderson film, "The Royal Tenenbaums", which also dealt with family. Family is where you choose to be a part of as a whole, and it does not matter if you are related by blood, or were adopted.
9/10
#81 The Raven (8/4/12)
Dir. James McTeigue
2012
John Cusack was an interesting actor that I admired in the films Being in John Malkovich and Say Anything... I suppose it was interesting to see him in Hot Tub Time Machine as well. In my opinion, he is pretty versatile with his acting career that I was pretty competent with him playing Edgar Allen Poe in this film. The main character Edgar played by Cusack gets involved in a hunt for a serial killer who is bringing Edgar's stories to life. My favorite line when Edgar is blamed by the police for inspiring a killer, "Is imagination now a felony?" The driving force for the main character is that he wishes to rescue his fiancé from the serial killer who kidnapped her. It was interesting how Poe is used to compare and refer to his works to every detail on the murders. This film to be exact is a thrill ride mystery to find out who is responsible for all the killings. If your a fan of Scooby-Doo, the villain who always says, "I would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for those meddling kids!" There is surprisingly a lot of blood and gore in this film which may not be good for the squeamish. If you are into films with solving puzzles, and horror, this could be the film you may want to see.
7.5/10
2012
John Cusack was an interesting actor that I admired in the films Being in John Malkovich and Say Anything... I suppose it was interesting to see him in Hot Tub Time Machine as well. In my opinion, he is pretty versatile with his acting career that I was pretty competent with him playing Edgar Allen Poe in this film. The main character Edgar played by Cusack gets involved in a hunt for a serial killer who is bringing Edgar's stories to life. My favorite line when Edgar is blamed by the police for inspiring a killer, "Is imagination now a felony?" The driving force for the main character is that he wishes to rescue his fiancé from the serial killer who kidnapped her. It was interesting how Poe is used to compare and refer to his works to every detail on the murders. This film to be exact is a thrill ride mystery to find out who is responsible for all the killings. If your a fan of Scooby-Doo, the villain who always says, "I would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for those meddling kids!" There is surprisingly a lot of blood and gore in this film which may not be good for the squeamish. If you are into films with solving puzzles, and horror, this could be the film you may want to see.
7.5/10
#80 The Dark Knight Rises (7/20/12)
Dir. Christopher Nolan
2012
Nananananananana BATMAN! The wait was over, and I finally got to see this. Maybe I was excited, but I made sure to lower my expectations because the second film over exceeded my expectations and that is not fair to this film of the cursed final trilogy. Mr. Nolan stayed true to his psychological "Inception" feel with this film and gave the majority audience what they wanted to stay satisfied. I know people may not want to know what Batman or Bruce Wayne was doing for the void of 8 years, but I certainly would not have mind. A span of 8 years is a long time, and he could have been doing something interesting or see what the people were thinking about the missing Batman. The story initially may have been aggravating to die hard Batman fans especially when the story is altered radically. When we are informed that Bane is the son of Ra's al Ghul, which fans of the comics would know he is not...people who know would just get upset that the film did not stay true to the story. Without ruining anything further of the story, the film does try to maintain its epic prowess with the use of heart pumping music combined with action packed struggles. Personally, I enjoyed the dialogue within the film. Alfred expressing his feelings for Bruce really touches on how much he cares for him and why he has been supportive for so long. Surprisingly, Anne Hathaway playing Catwoman was respectable to me. I really loved her in the film Get Smart and I really felt her confidence showed in the film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing the police officer Blake felt a little weird. I just have to mention that it felt like everyone in the city of Gotham knew Batman's real identity or the select few who did actually had a significant role near the end? I can't really talk much more without spoiling the film so just go see it for yourself.
*Update 7/24/12
After reviewing the film critically, the film really doesn't give me what I wanted as a true Batman fan. The hype was too much that I neglected the fact that the film only really showed Batman about 3 times. Our protagonist Bruce Wayne/Batman was so damn passive in this film it actually pissed me off to think they would write him out like that. The film definitely was on autopilot unfortunately, which may be due to the fact it wanted to attract a wider audience who at most times will be left confused. There was so much exposition in the film that repeated the plot several times in case we did not catch it the first time which made me feel that this film was a little less thought provoking than the previous Dark Knight films or Christopher Nolan films in general. Okay, a lot less thought provoking but what was up with all the unfeasible moments in the film that attempted to make itself waste time by looking badass? Batman did not just fly up a building to spread oil all around so he can light up a Batman logo...Did he really just vandalize a building and set it on fire? Not really sure if the real Batman would do that, but I prefer the days when they would put up the bat signal up in the sky. Is there anything wrong with staying true to the original, or we have to keep everything sort of realistic. Don't get me wrong, this is a good or decent film but it definitely does not live up to the hype that everyone is really giving it.
7/10
2012
Nananananananana BATMAN! The wait was over, and I finally got to see this. Maybe I was excited, but I made sure to lower my expectations because the second film over exceeded my expectations and that is not fair to this film of the cursed final trilogy. Mr. Nolan stayed true to his psychological "Inception" feel with this film and gave the majority audience what they wanted to stay satisfied. I know people may not want to know what Batman or Bruce Wayne was doing for the void of 8 years, but I certainly would not have mind. A span of 8 years is a long time, and he could have been doing something interesting or see what the people were thinking about the missing Batman. The story initially may have been aggravating to die hard Batman fans especially when the story is altered radically. When we are informed that Bane is the son of Ra's al Ghul, which fans of the comics would know he is not...people who know would just get upset that the film did not stay true to the story. Without ruining anything further of the story, the film does try to maintain its epic prowess with the use of heart pumping music combined with action packed struggles. Personally, I enjoyed the dialogue within the film. Alfred expressing his feelings for Bruce really touches on how much he cares for him and why he has been supportive for so long. Surprisingly, Anne Hathaway playing Catwoman was respectable to me. I really loved her in the film Get Smart and I really felt her confidence showed in the film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing the police officer Blake felt a little weird. I just have to mention that it felt like everyone in the city of Gotham knew Batman's real identity or the select few who did actually had a significant role near the end? I can't really talk much more without spoiling the film so just go see it for yourself.
*Update 7/24/12
After reviewing the film critically, the film really doesn't give me what I wanted as a true Batman fan. The hype was too much that I neglected the fact that the film only really showed Batman about 3 times. Our protagonist Bruce Wayne/Batman was so damn passive in this film it actually pissed me off to think they would write him out like that. The film definitely was on autopilot unfortunately, which may be due to the fact it wanted to attract a wider audience who at most times will be left confused. There was so much exposition in the film that repeated the plot several times in case we did not catch it the first time which made me feel that this film was a little less thought provoking than the previous Dark Knight films or Christopher Nolan films in general. Okay, a lot less thought provoking but what was up with all the unfeasible moments in the film that attempted to make itself waste time by looking badass? Batman did not just fly up a building to spread oil all around so he can light up a Batman logo...Did he really just vandalize a building and set it on fire? Not really sure if the real Batman would do that, but I prefer the days when they would put up the bat signal up in the sky. Is there anything wrong with staying true to the original, or we have to keep everything sort of realistic. Don't get me wrong, this is a good or decent film but it definitely does not live up to the hype that everyone is really giving it.
7/10
#79 The Royal Tenenbaums (7/14/12)
Dir. Wes Anderson
2001
What is not to like when you have such an all-star cast of Bill Murray, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, and many more. The aspects of social problems from each individual develops a lot of interesting characters and makes me feel empathetic for them. All of them were interesting to me, but I found Luke Wilson's problem the most interesting. It felt so tragic to me, but at the same time made a lot of sense. In the end, everyone in the family has a problem that they hide because society would not approve. This is definitely one of my top Wes Anderson films, and I just can't wait to see his new film Moonrise Kingdom. I don't want to give away too much about the film because I would highly recommend this for anyone who still has not seen it. I am the type who loves weird characters, intelligent comedy, and struggles in humanity which this films offers on point. Here's an awesome quote from the scene with Luke Wilson's character struggling in a tennis match.
Tennis Announcer 1: "That's 72 unforced errors for Richie Tenebaum. He's playing the worst tennis of his life. What's he feeling right now?"
Tennis Announcer 2: "I don't know, Jim. There's obviously something wrong with him. He's taken off his shoes and one of his socks and... actually, I think he's crying."
10/10
2001
What is not to like when you have such an all-star cast of Bill Murray, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, and many more. The aspects of social problems from each individual develops a lot of interesting characters and makes me feel empathetic for them. All of them were interesting to me, but I found Luke Wilson's problem the most interesting. It felt so tragic to me, but at the same time made a lot of sense. In the end, everyone in the family has a problem that they hide because society would not approve. This is definitely one of my top Wes Anderson films, and I just can't wait to see his new film Moonrise Kingdom. I don't want to give away too much about the film because I would highly recommend this for anyone who still has not seen it. I am the type who loves weird characters, intelligent comedy, and struggles in humanity which this films offers on point. Here's an awesome quote from the scene with Luke Wilson's character struggling in a tennis match.
Tennis Announcer 1: "That's 72 unforced errors for Richie Tenebaum. He's playing the worst tennis of his life. What's he feeling right now?"
Tennis Announcer 2: "I don't know, Jim. There's obviously something wrong with him. He's taken off his shoes and one of his socks and... actually, I think he's crying."
10/10
#78 The Call of Cthulhu (7/11/12)
Dir. Andrew Leman
2005
I am pretty sure I made a bold move watching a black and white film with no talking, and just a black screen to read the dialogue. Honestly, I did not care because I was more interested in the story so that is exactly what I got. The use of music is prevalent in the film. For example, the use of crash cymbals were heard a lot when there was fight scenes of people getting pummeled. Sometimes I feel like it would help to be able to read lip, because at times there is no subtitles to explain what the characters are mumbling. I definitely much rather read the comic because the film feels slow paced, but it is enjoyable at times because of the suspense. Story wise, they did a tremendous job making a film adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's story. The story actually fits well together as a silent film. The scenes as it was going through was spot on with what I have read so I have no complaints.
7/10
2005
I am pretty sure I made a bold move watching a black and white film with no talking, and just a black screen to read the dialogue. Honestly, I did not care because I was more interested in the story so that is exactly what I got. The use of music is prevalent in the film. For example, the use of crash cymbals were heard a lot when there was fight scenes of people getting pummeled. Sometimes I feel like it would help to be able to read lip, because at times there is no subtitles to explain what the characters are mumbling. I definitely much rather read the comic because the film feels slow paced, but it is enjoyable at times because of the suspense. Story wise, they did a tremendous job making a film adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's story. The story actually fits well together as a silent film. The scenes as it was going through was spot on with what I have read so I have no complaints.
7/10
#77 Wrath Of The Titans (7/8/12)
Dir. Jonathan Liebesman
2012
I don't know why I torture myself sometimes, but I have to say that I wasn't a big fan of "Clash of the Titans." It really makes me wonder who is paying for this garbage and encouraging filmmakers to make more of this. The film felt so rushed, and it was apparent that they bombard you with non-stop action packed scenes that make no sense. Why the heck are some of the most random mythical creatures appearing out of nowhere for Perseus to kill? The film got so bad that I was actually rooting for the antagonists the whole time. It was irritating to watch Ares waste time, and be the typical villain. The flow of the film was so cliche, and not in good taste either. They made this film so predictable that it makes me regret not leaving after the first act. I really tried to enjoy this film, but nothing about it was satisfying. I love mythology, but it felt like this film took a wretched dump on everything that I loved about it and used it for target practice.
4/10
2012
I don't know why I torture myself sometimes, but I have to say that I wasn't a big fan of "Clash of the Titans." It really makes me wonder who is paying for this garbage and encouraging filmmakers to make more of this. The film felt so rushed, and it was apparent that they bombard you with non-stop action packed scenes that make no sense. Why the heck are some of the most random mythical creatures appearing out of nowhere for Perseus to kill? The film got so bad that I was actually rooting for the antagonists the whole time. It was irritating to watch Ares waste time, and be the typical villain. The flow of the film was so cliche, and not in good taste either. They made this film so predictable that it makes me regret not leaving after the first act. I really tried to enjoy this film, but nothing about it was satisfying. I love mythology, but it felt like this film took a wretched dump on everything that I loved about it and used it for target practice.
4/10
#76 The Amazing Spider-Man (7/3/12)
Dir. Marc Webb
2012
I hate being biased especially when I am the biggest fan of the 1990's Spider-Man that I grew up with. The change in story for me is not too bad for me personally, because you are asking for an opinion from a guy who constantly loves reading alternate realities. Heck! I am writing a fan-fiction story with my favorite characters in Marvel that have nothing to do with the original story. Besides that, they did preserve key moments in the film such as gaining the powers, Uncle Ben dying, and becoming a symbol of justice with a mask. I thought it was interesting how they placed scenes that made Spider-Man look much more vulnerable which I liked. The webbing finally is being shown correctly with that he has to make it, and that he does not have freaking infinite webbing under the skin of his wrists!!! Now with the actors like Andrew Garfield, I can only respect the guy for being a true fan of Spider-Man in real life. I thought he did a pretty decent job depicting Peter Parker in this film. Now with Emma Stone playing Gwen Stacy...I don't know...it is just a little bit harder to convince me she is a genius when I am so use to her in not-so-smart roles. Don't get me wrong I like her as an actor, but don't you think casting her in this role was a bit radical? Just give me time, and I may change my opinion. All I have to say is this film is definitely not the end, and they have a lot of potential to make this series work.
7.5/10
2012
I hate being biased especially when I am the biggest fan of the 1990's Spider-Man that I grew up with. The change in story for me is not too bad for me personally, because you are asking for an opinion from a guy who constantly loves reading alternate realities. Heck! I am writing a fan-fiction story with my favorite characters in Marvel that have nothing to do with the original story. Besides that, they did preserve key moments in the film such as gaining the powers, Uncle Ben dying, and becoming a symbol of justice with a mask. I thought it was interesting how they placed scenes that made Spider-Man look much more vulnerable which I liked. The webbing finally is being shown correctly with that he has to make it, and that he does not have freaking infinite webbing under the skin of his wrists!!! Now with the actors like Andrew Garfield, I can only respect the guy for being a true fan of Spider-Man in real life. I thought he did a pretty decent job depicting Peter Parker in this film. Now with Emma Stone playing Gwen Stacy...I don't know...it is just a little bit harder to convince me she is a genius when I am so use to her in not-so-smart roles. Don't get me wrong I like her as an actor, but don't you think casting her in this role was a bit radical? Just give me time, and I may change my opinion. All I have to say is this film is definitely not the end, and they have a lot of potential to make this series work.
7.5/10
#75 It's Kind Of A Funny Story (6/30/12)
Dir. Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
2010
It's kind of a funny story how I found this movie. I went to Chinatown just to eat a sandwich, and this movie was playing. Obviously, it was quite loud and I would have to read the subtitles due to the noise of so many people talking. I noticed the film was taking place in a psychiatric clinic which made me all excited because I like to see character development in interesting people. I love movies like Fight Club and Girl, Interrupted because everyone is so unique and out of the norms. It definitely caught my attention because it had Zach Galifianakis which made me think the movie was going to be a great comedy. It turned out to be a great movie that was funny, heartfelt, and really makes you think more about life and how fortunate we really are than others. First off, this film brings up a serious topic about life involving suicide that is very real in today's society. Every individual is under pressure in life from family, school, and friends. Everyone has problems that are unavoidable, and it can just tear your soul out sometimes. People always look to the future and are worried not everything will go right as planned. In this film. it pretty much makes you appreciate each character because they all have their own set of problems they need to face. In the end, we are all just people just trying to live and be happy in a world that demands a lot from us. I absolutely love the message this film gives in the end, because it pertains to what everyone has the potential to do in life without stressing out on goals that we are not passionate about. This film has oddly made it to the top of my favorite films that I have seen and appreciated. I really thought voice-over worked pretty well in this film, and I really hate the use of voice-over to explain scenes usually. I would highly recommend this film if you are a nutcase like me.
10/10
2010
It's kind of a funny story how I found this movie. I went to Chinatown just to eat a sandwich, and this movie was playing. Obviously, it was quite loud and I would have to read the subtitles due to the noise of so many people talking. I noticed the film was taking place in a psychiatric clinic which made me all excited because I like to see character development in interesting people. I love movies like Fight Club and Girl, Interrupted because everyone is so unique and out of the norms. It definitely caught my attention because it had Zach Galifianakis which made me think the movie was going to be a great comedy. It turned out to be a great movie that was funny, heartfelt, and really makes you think more about life and how fortunate we really are than others. First off, this film brings up a serious topic about life involving suicide that is very real in today's society. Every individual is under pressure in life from family, school, and friends. Everyone has problems that are unavoidable, and it can just tear your soul out sometimes. People always look to the future and are worried not everything will go right as planned. In this film. it pretty much makes you appreciate each character because they all have their own set of problems they need to face. In the end, we are all just people just trying to live and be happy in a world that demands a lot from us. I absolutely love the message this film gives in the end, because it pertains to what everyone has the potential to do in life without stressing out on goals that we are not passionate about. This film has oddly made it to the top of my favorite films that I have seen and appreciated. I really thought voice-over worked pretty well in this film, and I really hate the use of voice-over to explain scenes usually. I would highly recommend this film if you are a nutcase like me.
10/10
#74 Wedding Crashers (6/22/12)
Dir. David Dobkin
2005
I did not know what to expect from this film, and I was quite pleased by the performance of Wilson and Vaghn. I must say that Owen Wilson's acting for people is you either love him or hate him. I do note that he basically plays the same character in every movie, but that is fine. It is not the end of the world when not everybody is a Johnny Depp or Robert Downey Jr. because one dimensional actors like Michael Cera and Christian Bale play their part well. I would say this film had many slopes of emotion that did not feel very consistent with the film, but that did not really bother me. Owen Wilson's character going through depression was believable to me. I can see heartbroken people reading those Don't Kill Yourself books. I thought it was really funny when he said to a bunch of little kids, "I don't believe in love. And I'm not hating on love because i dont believe friendship exists either." It shows his character struggling inside, because he has lost hope in what he believed in. There are moments in the film that may not be humorous to some like the scene with the homosexual brother. The screenplay for that after the psycho girl was finished with torturing Vaghn's character may have been over the top and seem a little homophobic. I felt the homosexual brother could have been removed, but I suppose it added to the random funny. Will Ferrell's cameo I guess was appropriate to enforce that the Wedding Crashing lifestyle is not the way to go because Owen Wilson's character witness's first hand how ridiculous it is when he is invited to crash a funeral. The film did entertain me, and I got the laughs that I came for with a bit of a serious tone towards the end.
7.5/10
2005
I did not know what to expect from this film, and I was quite pleased by the performance of Wilson and Vaghn. I must say that Owen Wilson's acting for people is you either love him or hate him. I do note that he basically plays the same character in every movie, but that is fine. It is not the end of the world when not everybody is a Johnny Depp or Robert Downey Jr. because one dimensional actors like Michael Cera and Christian Bale play their part well. I would say this film had many slopes of emotion that did not feel very consistent with the film, but that did not really bother me. Owen Wilson's character going through depression was believable to me. I can see heartbroken people reading those Don't Kill Yourself books. I thought it was really funny when he said to a bunch of little kids, "I don't believe in love. And I'm not hating on love because i dont believe friendship exists either." It shows his character struggling inside, because he has lost hope in what he believed in. There are moments in the film that may not be humorous to some like the scene with the homosexual brother. The screenplay for that after the psycho girl was finished with torturing Vaghn's character may have been over the top and seem a little homophobic. I felt the homosexual brother could have been removed, but I suppose it added to the random funny. Will Ferrell's cameo I guess was appropriate to enforce that the Wedding Crashing lifestyle is not the way to go because Owen Wilson's character witness's first hand how ridiculous it is when he is invited to crash a funeral. The film did entertain me, and I got the laughs that I came for with a bit of a serious tone towards the end.
7.5/10
#73 That's My Boy (6/19/12)
Dir. Sean Anders
2012
Now I really had mixed feelings about going into seeing this film. After having to see Jack and Jill, I did not know what to expect from Adam Sandler. I believe it was pretty gutsy creating a satirical piece about young kids having children of their own. This is still a hot topic currently with heated debates about abortion, and teacher's having sexual relation's with a student. This is a film you cannot take too seriously, or you will just get so upset that your I.Q. has dropped in half. I start to appreciate the film towards the end, but every joke after the other seemed to be done to satisfy our low attention spans. Well, I can speak for myself when I say that I am really dumb. This film does have its moments that were quite hilarious, and it brings up a lot of dysfunctional norms in society that people criticize. The film is like opposite land where the role-model good in America is not what it seems, and the ghetto America can be appreciated at times for livening things up.
7/10
2012
Now I really had mixed feelings about going into seeing this film. After having to see Jack and Jill, I did not know what to expect from Adam Sandler. I believe it was pretty gutsy creating a satirical piece about young kids having children of their own. This is still a hot topic currently with heated debates about abortion, and teacher's having sexual relation's with a student. This is a film you cannot take too seriously, or you will just get so upset that your I.Q. has dropped in half. I start to appreciate the film towards the end, but every joke after the other seemed to be done to satisfy our low attention spans. Well, I can speak for myself when I say that I am really dumb. This film does have its moments that were quite hilarious, and it brings up a lot of dysfunctional norms in society that people criticize. The film is like opposite land where the role-model good in America is not what it seems, and the ghetto America can be appreciated at times for livening things up.
7/10
#72 In Time (6/19/12)
Dir. Andrew Niccol
2011
I love ideas with a dystopian society, and this film delivered a fantastic experience for me. I loved how the film described the "rules of the universe" at the start of the film so the audience would not be confused during the middle. People are genetically altered to always be in their prime at the age of 25 so they are healthy all the time. They can only die if they are killed, or run out of their currency genetically developed within their bodies which is time. I am a huge fan of the film "Gattaca" so I was very surprised to find out the same director made both of the films. Now that the film establishes that time is the new form of currency, it shows how greed and corruption moves its way into capitalizing people's lives. Yet again, there is no equality when it comes to capitalism with the rich being immortal and the poor dying. The quote. "For one man to be immortal, many must die." is a very significant quote with how unfair the system is. I got a few giggles every now and then when the puns with time came up. This would have to be one of the perfect films where in this universe puns are actually meant in the literal sense. The story was not bad at all, and the suspense and chase kept the film going. I am a sucker for sci-fi and fantasy, so a film such as this really inspires me to think outside the box but make the idea pertinent to life itself. Going off on a tangent, they have character's in the film that are tremendous actors who appear in some of my favorite shows like Big Bang Theory and White Collar. Surprisingly, Justin Timberlake's acting was pretty decent in this film and fit the role nicely. I would say this film is one of the many where I admire the soundtrack for captivating the emotion of particular scenes involving life or death.
8/10
2011
I love ideas with a dystopian society, and this film delivered a fantastic experience for me. I loved how the film described the "rules of the universe" at the start of the film so the audience would not be confused during the middle. People are genetically altered to always be in their prime at the age of 25 so they are healthy all the time. They can only die if they are killed, or run out of their currency genetically developed within their bodies which is time. I am a huge fan of the film "Gattaca" so I was very surprised to find out the same director made both of the films. Now that the film establishes that time is the new form of currency, it shows how greed and corruption moves its way into capitalizing people's lives. Yet again, there is no equality when it comes to capitalism with the rich being immortal and the poor dying. The quote. "For one man to be immortal, many must die." is a very significant quote with how unfair the system is. I got a few giggles every now and then when the puns with time came up. This would have to be one of the perfect films where in this universe puns are actually meant in the literal sense. The story was not bad at all, and the suspense and chase kept the film going. I am a sucker for sci-fi and fantasy, so a film such as this really inspires me to think outside the box but make the idea pertinent to life itself. Going off on a tangent, they have character's in the film that are tremendous actors who appear in some of my favorite shows like Big Bang Theory and White Collar. Surprisingly, Justin Timberlake's acting was pretty decent in this film and fit the role nicely. I would say this film is one of the many where I admire the soundtrack for captivating the emotion of particular scenes involving life or death.
8/10
#71 Like Crazy (6/10/12)
Dir. Doremus
2011
This film flowed very well, and the acting was just so convincing to making me feel the emotions running through their heads. None of the dialogue was over the top, and it felt all natural with everything from the problems to each event that takes place. The music for this film was very fitting especially for the montages in expressing the time that has gone by. It felt all real, and believable compared to actual relationships going through bumpy roads and getting lost. The characters expressed human emotion to knowing what exactly they felt they wanted, but forget to think in the process. The main character Jacob is an American who majors in college to be a furniture designer. He meets Anna a girl from England in an L.A. University who is majoring in writing. They fall in love, but do not know what to do with each other after they graduate from college. Anna creates major problems by overstaying her student visa which causes the two to be separated. The story rests on Jacob's shoulder to decide how important his relationship with Anna is and is it worth the hardship with leaving his steady job in L.A. for her. I was satisfied with how the story moved on, and how they met other people while they were not together. This film shows the struggles and commitment involved with young love. I highly recommend this for anyone who wish to see a pretty good romance film.
9/10
2011
This film flowed very well, and the acting was just so convincing to making me feel the emotions running through their heads. None of the dialogue was over the top, and it felt all natural with everything from the problems to each event that takes place. The music for this film was very fitting especially for the montages in expressing the time that has gone by. It felt all real, and believable compared to actual relationships going through bumpy roads and getting lost. The characters expressed human emotion to knowing what exactly they felt they wanted, but forget to think in the process. The main character Jacob is an American who majors in college to be a furniture designer. He meets Anna a girl from England in an L.A. University who is majoring in writing. They fall in love, but do not know what to do with each other after they graduate from college. Anna creates major problems by overstaying her student visa which causes the two to be separated. The story rests on Jacob's shoulder to decide how important his relationship with Anna is and is it worth the hardship with leaving his steady job in L.A. for her. I was satisfied with how the story moved on, and how they met other people while they were not together. This film shows the struggles and commitment involved with young love. I highly recommend this for anyone who wish to see a pretty good romance film.
9/10
#70 Love and Other Drugs (6/8/12)
Dir. Edward Zwick
2010
This film stars your typical ladies man who works for a pharmaceutical company that falls in love with a girl who has Parkinson's disease. Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway give a splendid performance to discover the complexity of their characters. The movie is rated R for a lot of sexual nudity, drugs, and adult content. I liked how the film seemed like it was going to be your typical romantic comedy, but it gets into an issue about a neurological disease (Parkinson's disease) which is quite serious in the real world. The beginning starts off slow, but picks up and becomes quite entertaining towards the end. Jake's character Jamie Randall fights for the girl he loves who has the disease because he is truly in "love." I thought it was really sweet when he just could not stop seeing her, and how she helped him feel more confident about himself. Love will really make you do some crazy stuff to stay with the one that matters most to you.
7.5/10
2010
This film stars your typical ladies man who works for a pharmaceutical company that falls in love with a girl who has Parkinson's disease. Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway give a splendid performance to discover the complexity of their characters. The movie is rated R for a lot of sexual nudity, drugs, and adult content. I liked how the film seemed like it was going to be your typical romantic comedy, but it gets into an issue about a neurological disease (Parkinson's disease) which is quite serious in the real world. The beginning starts off slow, but picks up and becomes quite entertaining towards the end. Jake's character Jamie Randall fights for the girl he loves who has the disease because he is truly in "love." I thought it was really sweet when he just could not stop seeing her, and how she helped him feel more confident about himself. Love will really make you do some crazy stuff to stay with the one that matters most to you.
7.5/10
#69 Warrior (6/8/12)
Dir. Gavin O' Connor
2011
I get quite weary when it comes to watching MMA films because the real thing is actually quite difficult to depict without making it look too corny. This film does quite a decent job with providing a story and two characters with internal conflicts against each other. They make it very Shakespearean and tragic for a Physics teacher and his family with past grudges. The two brothers fighting for two different goals, one to provide for his family and the other to prove himself a man. Outside the story, the action was quite satisfying and it did the fighting world justice in how it should look. This film could be compared to the same genre of Rocky with having the warrior spirit and fighting for respect. The characters like the dad who was a dysfunctional alcoholic and the brother who felt betrayed by his other brother for leaving were all fictional but felt believable like it could happen.
7/10
2011
I get quite weary when it comes to watching MMA films because the real thing is actually quite difficult to depict without making it look too corny. This film does quite a decent job with providing a story and two characters with internal conflicts against each other. They make it very Shakespearean and tragic for a Physics teacher and his family with past grudges. The two brothers fighting for two different goals, one to provide for his family and the other to prove himself a man. Outside the story, the action was quite satisfying and it did the fighting world justice in how it should look. This film could be compared to the same genre of Rocky with having the warrior spirit and fighting for respect. The characters like the dad who was a dysfunctional alcoholic and the brother who felt betrayed by his other brother for leaving were all fictional but felt believable like it could happen.
7/10
#68 Chernobyl Diaries (6/4/12)
Dir. Bradley Parker
2012
It is just one of those days when you go to see a movie, and you start to have high expectations when you know you shouldn't. Obviously, I was quite excited this film takes place in Mother Russia. If you do not already know, I am pretty much a Russophile so leave me alone. The film right away upset me with how they depicted interactions with Russians being hostile and unwelcoming. Heck! The tour guide who I thought was amazing literally was singled out to being a crazy kook who got everyone stranded. I have one thing to say...y'all knew the place was dangerous, and their was freaking military blocking the way...freaking bad idea to continue and yet you peer pressure the guide to finding an alternate route inside. They should have just gotten a refund and call it a day , but it is so hard to find stupid people nowadays. I actually found the scenes with the mutated animals quite interesting and wanted to see more. This film is another example of an interesting idea that went to shit. I felt the film was prolonged for too long, and should have just ended...
5/10
2012
It is just one of those days when you go to see a movie, and you start to have high expectations when you know you shouldn't. Obviously, I was quite excited this film takes place in Mother Russia. If you do not already know, I am pretty much a Russophile so leave me alone. The film right away upset me with how they depicted interactions with Russians being hostile and unwelcoming. Heck! The tour guide who I thought was amazing literally was singled out to being a crazy kook who got everyone stranded. I have one thing to say...y'all knew the place was dangerous, and their was freaking military blocking the way...freaking bad idea to continue and yet you peer pressure the guide to finding an alternate route inside. They should have just gotten a refund and call it a day , but it is so hard to find stupid people nowadays. I actually found the scenes with the mutated animals quite interesting and wanted to see more. This film is another example of an interesting idea that went to shit. I felt the film was prolonged for too long, and should have just ended...
5/10
#67 21 Jump Street (6/2/12)
Dir. Phil Lord & Chris Miller
2012
I must say this film was worth the one dollar and fifty cents I payed. Comedies like these are geared towards a youthful audience expecting good laughs progressively. This film offers tons of outrageous comedy outside the norms in society like the scene when they get their first bust and start doing the fps ownage dance. Many scenes shows drugs and violence being awesomely cool. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill were perfect and fitting for these roles. You do see their brotherly bonding and chemistry with each other. The stereotypes, idiotic teenage humor, and action badassery compile together to make a pretty decent film for good laughs. Do not get me wrong! The premise of the movie was pretty much shit, but I definitely enjoyed my evening with this film.
7.5/10
2012
I must say this film was worth the one dollar and fifty cents I payed. Comedies like these are geared towards a youthful audience expecting good laughs progressively. This film offers tons of outrageous comedy outside the norms in society like the scene when they get their first bust and start doing the fps ownage dance. Many scenes shows drugs and violence being awesomely cool. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill were perfect and fitting for these roles. You do see their brotherly bonding and chemistry with each other. The stereotypes, idiotic teenage humor, and action badassery compile together to make a pretty decent film for good laughs. Do not get me wrong! The premise of the movie was pretty much shit, but I definitely enjoyed my evening with this film.
7.5/10
#66 Watchmen: Motion Comic (5/29/12)
Dir. Jake Strider Hughes
2008
I have seen the live action adaptation of this graphic novel and loved it. Watching this series of animation was quite amazing, and seeing the illustrations come to life brought out the graphic novel's true spirit. It feels a lot less rushed compared to the film, and I love the voice acting from the narrator. Just one small thing...I kinda wish they had a girl to do the girl characters. Although, the narrator nonetheless still did a splendid job to convey them the best a male narrator could ever hope to do. Rorschach's story was the most intriguing for me because everyone thinks he is a madman, but in truth was the one who sees the truth. The stories he vividly, yet darkly describes shows how he turned misanthropic. You really cannot blame him for the way he thinks, and he was a good kid who got shoved around until he finally chose to become a symbol of justice. The illustrations portraying each character really gets out the full back story we miss in the feature length film. The story in general is still one of my favorites, and I need to read the actual graphic novel one day when time permits. My best friend was right, the two scenes she told me about were powerful in displaying a message that was really deep. When Rorschach kills himself, and the dialogue between Dr. Manhattan and Laurie on Mars. Alan Moore said he did not foresee the death of Rorschach until the fourth issue when he realized that his refusal to compromise would result in him not surviving the story. The dialogue seemed so appealing to me with the debate of the "destiny of the world." It seems events are already destined to happen. Like the saying goes, "Everything happens for a reason." When Laurie found out about who her father was, it always makes me feel to appreciate any life. No matter the circumstance, life and experiences are a precious concept for me. I love thermodynamic miracles because they are the rarest sights to see. I know even clearer why I am pro-life, because behind all the terror and evils...something beautiful comes to life.
10/10
2008
I have seen the live action adaptation of this graphic novel and loved it. Watching this series of animation was quite amazing, and seeing the illustrations come to life brought out the graphic novel's true spirit. It feels a lot less rushed compared to the film, and I love the voice acting from the narrator. Just one small thing...I kinda wish they had a girl to do the girl characters. Although, the narrator nonetheless still did a splendid job to convey them the best a male narrator could ever hope to do. Rorschach's story was the most intriguing for me because everyone thinks he is a madman, but in truth was the one who sees the truth. The stories he vividly, yet darkly describes shows how he turned misanthropic. You really cannot blame him for the way he thinks, and he was a good kid who got shoved around until he finally chose to become a symbol of justice. The illustrations portraying each character really gets out the full back story we miss in the feature length film. The story in general is still one of my favorites, and I need to read the actual graphic novel one day when time permits. My best friend was right, the two scenes she told me about were powerful in displaying a message that was really deep. When Rorschach kills himself, and the dialogue between Dr. Manhattan and Laurie on Mars. Alan Moore said he did not foresee the death of Rorschach until the fourth issue when he realized that his refusal to compromise would result in him not surviving the story. The dialogue seemed so appealing to me with the debate of the "destiny of the world." It seems events are already destined to happen. Like the saying goes, "Everything happens for a reason." When Laurie found out about who her father was, it always makes me feel to appreciate any life. No matter the circumstance, life and experiences are a precious concept for me. I love thermodynamic miracles because they are the rarest sights to see. I know even clearer why I am pro-life, because behind all the terror and evils...something beautiful comes to life.
10/10
#65 Troll Hunter (5/24/12)
Dir. André Øvredal
2010
The title of the movie just sounds so ridiculous to be a good movie. People may even have the wrong idea of confusing it with the movie "Troll" which was just so horrible. This is a Norwegian film that generally fits the same style as "The Blair Witch Project" and "Paranormal Activity." Although the characters play an active role in this film running from a Troll which you get to see head on. The troll does not look corny at all, and the sound effects they used really make it feel you are being chased by a T-Rex. I don't really know how to explain the film other than it feels like a roller coaster ride, or as if you were in a haunted house running with your camera. The concept is so original, and I definitely have never seen anything like it before. Apparently, Summit Entertainment bought the rights to produce an American remake before this film's initial release.He saw the film, and loved it so much right away. I am actually excited to see this turned into a motion picture film in the U.S. The dialogue was rather interesting, because the troll hunter explains the science of trolls. I am not really advocating that they truly exist, but it sounds so convincing and serious like the Discovery Channel. The troll hunter reminds me of the main character from "The Grey" because he is the only one in the story that specializes in understanding what he hunts.
8/10
2010
The title of the movie just sounds so ridiculous to be a good movie. People may even have the wrong idea of confusing it with the movie "Troll" which was just so horrible. This is a Norwegian film that generally fits the same style as "The Blair Witch Project" and "Paranormal Activity." Although the characters play an active role in this film running from a Troll which you get to see head on. The troll does not look corny at all, and the sound effects they used really make it feel you are being chased by a T-Rex. I don't really know how to explain the film other than it feels like a roller coaster ride, or as if you were in a haunted house running with your camera. The concept is so original, and I definitely have never seen anything like it before. Apparently, Summit Entertainment bought the rights to produce an American remake before this film's initial release.He saw the film, and loved it so much right away. I am actually excited to see this turned into a motion picture film in the U.S. The dialogue was rather interesting, because the troll hunter explains the science of trolls. I am not really advocating that they truly exist, but it sounds so convincing and serious like the Discovery Channel. The troll hunter reminds me of the main character from "The Grey" because he is the only one in the story that specializes in understanding what he hunts.
8/10
#64 Dark Shadows (5/22/12)
Dir. Tim Burton
2012
From the start of the film, the cinematography was very pleasing with the combination of great music and lovely visuals. It is also a plus when I get to see Johnny Depp's acting into action, but the film seemed to drag quite a bit towards the middle. I have never seen the soap opera or the original television series so I do not have much to compare this to. Although, I do believe this is one of the weaker films I have seen from Tim Burton and I love his movies so much. I see why the tone of a film, especially if it is a motion picture, must be consistent in all levels or the audience starts to get really upset. It starts off dark and serious, but all of a sudden very comedic in a poor way. I actually love campy films that are well done, but this movie does not give me that same feeling. Let us talk about the story, Johnny Depp's character Barnabass Collins is cursed by an ex-lover who is a witch and buried until the 1970's. When he returns to his rich home, his objective is to protect his dysfunctional descendants. I do not know what to say except that I was wishing I would get scared...or maybe get that one good laugh.
4.5/10
2012
From the start of the film, the cinematography was very pleasing with the combination of great music and lovely visuals. It is also a plus when I get to see Johnny Depp's acting into action, but the film seemed to drag quite a bit towards the middle. I have never seen the soap opera or the original television series so I do not have much to compare this to. Although, I do believe this is one of the weaker films I have seen from Tim Burton and I love his movies so much. I see why the tone of a film, especially if it is a motion picture, must be consistent in all levels or the audience starts to get really upset. It starts off dark and serious, but all of a sudden very comedic in a poor way. I actually love campy films that are well done, but this movie does not give me that same feeling. Let us talk about the story, Johnny Depp's character Barnabass Collins is cursed by an ex-lover who is a witch and buried until the 1970's. When he returns to his rich home, his objective is to protect his dysfunctional descendants. I do not know what to say except that I was wishing I would get scared...or maybe get that one good laugh.
4.5/10
#63 Repo! The Genetic Opera (5/21/12)
Dir. Darren Lynn Bousman
2008
The story of this film is just so original, and I enjoyed every bit of learning about each character. The relationships in this film are quite intriguing, and they are explained eloquently through singing. I am a sucker when it comes to musicals, it enlightens me so very much. I would say it is much more easier to follow than crass dialogue, and at the same time fun to watch. The music was rocking awesome, and I felt the horror was in good taste. All the music was so fitting for every scene that the pace of the film moved so smoothly for me. The scene when Luigi Largo says, "Luigi don't take shit from anyone." and stabs the girl who spilled brain blood on him was funny for me. Especially when she starts squirming on the ground while the brothers continue to sing. (I am a sick fuck). The use of comic strips was very effective in giving the audience insight of the story, and each character's past. It was a great way for me to build a rooting interest for the characters. I am not against the mainstream of film-making, it is just I am a ginormous supporter of originality and freshness. I have never heard of this film, and I am happy I met a wonderful person who shared this with me along with other great experiences.
9/10
2008
The story of this film is just so original, and I enjoyed every bit of learning about each character. The relationships in this film are quite intriguing, and they are explained eloquently through singing. I am a sucker when it comes to musicals, it enlightens me so very much. I would say it is much more easier to follow than crass dialogue, and at the same time fun to watch. The music was rocking awesome, and I felt the horror was in good taste. All the music was so fitting for every scene that the pace of the film moved so smoothly for me. The scene when Luigi Largo says, "Luigi don't take shit from anyone." and stabs the girl who spilled brain blood on him was funny for me. Especially when she starts squirming on the ground while the brothers continue to sing. (I am a sick fuck). The use of comic strips was very effective in giving the audience insight of the story, and each character's past. It was a great way for me to build a rooting interest for the characters. I am not against the mainstream of film-making, it is just I am a ginormous supporter of originality and freshness. I have never heard of this film, and I am happy I met a wonderful person who shared this with me along with other great experiences.
9/10
#62 The Dictator (5/19/12)
Dir. Larry Charles
2012
A nice satirical film in the memory of Kim Jong-il. I must say that when I first saw the trailer for this film that I had to watch this. Some may feel this is poor taste in humor, or straight up racist but it does not stop anyone from having different perceptions on people. The creation of a film like this truly shows how free of people we are in being able to express ourselves freely. If this were any other country, you would be looked at as a heretic or traitor and possibly face the death penalty. Sacha Baron Cohen who plays Aladeen does a superb job in playing an ignorant dictator who signals to chop anyone's head off if they do not agree with him. I must say it takes a lot of courage to be part of the development team for this film, because not everyone will appreciate it and you risk facing scrutiny. Heck, I remember some people like the creator's of South Park were threatened to be killed if they showed Allah in one of their episodes. Outside the politics, this film will surely make you laugh. It is a new wave of comedic appeal along the lines of Borat and Bruno. The jokes were done in a timely manner, and I thought the scene in the plane was quite hilarious. The use of the decapitated head was funny, but it came close to overusing it.
8/10
2012
A nice satirical film in the memory of Kim Jong-il. I must say that when I first saw the trailer for this film that I had to watch this. Some may feel this is poor taste in humor, or straight up racist but it does not stop anyone from having different perceptions on people. The creation of a film like this truly shows how free of people we are in being able to express ourselves freely. If this were any other country, you would be looked at as a heretic or traitor and possibly face the death penalty. Sacha Baron Cohen who plays Aladeen does a superb job in playing an ignorant dictator who signals to chop anyone's head off if they do not agree with him. I must say it takes a lot of courage to be part of the development team for this film, because not everyone will appreciate it and you risk facing scrutiny. Heck, I remember some people like the creator's of South Park were threatened to be killed if they showed Allah in one of their episodes. Outside the politics, this film will surely make you laugh. It is a new wave of comedic appeal along the lines of Borat and Bruno. The jokes were done in a timely manner, and I thought the scene in the plane was quite hilarious. The use of the decapitated head was funny, but it came close to overusing it.
8/10
#61 Battleship (5/18/12)
Dir. Peter Berg
2012
I was not totally sure what to expect from this film other than watching the trailer. When I saw the film in the start, it seemed like I was watching a romantic comedy which then transitioned to a war hero movie. I suppose it was a great way to develop the main character, and also make him a rooting interest because he is so spontaneous and active. The way the script was written is typical "Hollywood" with the high budget effects and Good vs. Evil. It literally reminded me of the board game with social disparities, romance, and shit blowing up. I know with this type of film, it virtually requires no solid acting. Rihanna though seemed to just take up space in the film. Every bit of dialogue she had was okay, but it definitely played a weak part in the film's acting. The film does not really offer any depth in explaining the alien perspective, but it has its moments. I did like a bit of the quirky moments, especially in the end. I know for a lot of film critics, they will extremely abhor the inconsistency of this film. It was not that great, but it isn't unwatchable.
5.5/10
2012
I was not totally sure what to expect from this film other than watching the trailer. When I saw the film in the start, it seemed like I was watching a romantic comedy which then transitioned to a war hero movie. I suppose it was a great way to develop the main character, and also make him a rooting interest because he is so spontaneous and active. The way the script was written is typical "Hollywood" with the high budget effects and Good vs. Evil. It literally reminded me of the board game with social disparities, romance, and shit blowing up. I know with this type of film, it virtually requires no solid acting. Rihanna though seemed to just take up space in the film. Every bit of dialogue she had was okay, but it definitely played a weak part in the film's acting. The film does not really offer any depth in explaining the alien perspective, but it has its moments. I did like a bit of the quirky moments, especially in the end. I know for a lot of film critics, they will extremely abhor the inconsistency of this film. It was not that great, but it isn't unwatchable.
5.5/10
#60 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (5/16/12)
Dir. David Fincher
2011
I have heard pretty positive reviews about this film for both the Swedish, and American version. The film is really dialogue heavy, but it did a tremendous job pulling scenes that describe the characters rather well in the beginning. The dark theme was very consistent throughout which made it it feel eerie the whole time. This film raises awareness of the abusive treatment women experience. The rape scene was just very disturbing, following a twisted revenge scene that really gets the blood pumping. By the interactions between Rooney Mara's character Lisbeth Salander, it depicts a dark tone of a girl who is emotionally disturbed. I continued to see more development for the character by seeing her lifestyle choices, and her autistic personality to people. Daniel Craig's character Mikael Blomkvist investigates Henry Vanger's niece who has gone missing for 40 years, and gets Lisbeth as her assistant computer hacker. The two figure out the dark secrets of the Vanger family causing much conflict in their investigation. To be honest, this film required a lot of attention and no distraction in order to properly enjoy this film. I was most intrigued by the relationship between Lisbeth and Mikael and the actors portrayed them flawlessly. I personally love character driven films in sad stories because I am weird....and like to watch people.
8.5/10
2011
I have heard pretty positive reviews about this film for both the Swedish, and American version. The film is really dialogue heavy, but it did a tremendous job pulling scenes that describe the characters rather well in the beginning. The dark theme was very consistent throughout which made it it feel eerie the whole time. This film raises awareness of the abusive treatment women experience. The rape scene was just very disturbing, following a twisted revenge scene that really gets the blood pumping. By the interactions between Rooney Mara's character Lisbeth Salander, it depicts a dark tone of a girl who is emotionally disturbed. I continued to see more development for the character by seeing her lifestyle choices, and her autistic personality to people. Daniel Craig's character Mikael Blomkvist investigates Henry Vanger's niece who has gone missing for 40 years, and gets Lisbeth as her assistant computer hacker. The two figure out the dark secrets of the Vanger family causing much conflict in their investigation. To be honest, this film required a lot of attention and no distraction in order to properly enjoy this film. I was most intrigued by the relationship between Lisbeth and Mikael and the actors portrayed them flawlessly. I personally love character driven films in sad stories because I am weird....and like to watch people.
8.5/10
#59 In the Mouth of Madness (5/13/12)
Dir. John Carpenter
1994
This film is not your everyday hack and slash horror movie. The main character John Trent played by Sam Neill is shown to be a flawless Insurance Investigator who can spot a scam or a fake claim. Trent is asked to investigate the disappearance of a famous writer named Sutter Cane. He believes that the writer is just hyping up the novel as a marketing scheme, and is not really missing. So he then ventures off searching for him at a fictional place called Hobb's End from the story (which he finds!) with Cane's editor Linda Styles played by Julie Carmen. I would say the scene when they are driving to the place creeped me out a lot...because that biker would just not stop! The expression from the biker when he is on the ground kind of reminded me of a person suffering like in the book "Dante's Inferno". The fun begins when reality is not what it seems after he reads the book which says in the front, "If this one doesn't scare you, you're already dead!". I would be scared to read any more books if this were true...Well, the dream sequences seemed quite horrifying in a good way for me with how they used the lighting and makeup. I would say the scariest, but also funniest scene for me (I laugh a lot when I am scared...) would be when the little girl with the deformed face has a close-up on camera and says, "You're my mommy. Know what today is? Today is Mommy's Day." Coincidentally, I did watch this on mothers day shockingly enough...All in all I would highly recommend this film, and I thank my co-worker for letting me borrow the DVD. I did not know John Carpenter had any other great films besides "Halloween" which he was well known for.
9/10
1994
This film is not your everyday hack and slash horror movie. The main character John Trent played by Sam Neill is shown to be a flawless Insurance Investigator who can spot a scam or a fake claim. Trent is asked to investigate the disappearance of a famous writer named Sutter Cane. He believes that the writer is just hyping up the novel as a marketing scheme, and is not really missing. So he then ventures off searching for him at a fictional place called Hobb's End from the story (which he finds!) with Cane's editor Linda Styles played by Julie Carmen. I would say the scene when they are driving to the place creeped me out a lot...because that biker would just not stop! The expression from the biker when he is on the ground kind of reminded me of a person suffering like in the book "Dante's Inferno". The fun begins when reality is not what it seems after he reads the book which says in the front, "If this one doesn't scare you, you're already dead!". I would be scared to read any more books if this were true...Well, the dream sequences seemed quite horrifying in a good way for me with how they used the lighting and makeup. I would say the scariest, but also funniest scene for me (I laugh a lot when I am scared...) would be when the little girl with the deformed face has a close-up on camera and says, "You're my mommy. Know what today is? Today is Mommy's Day." Coincidentally, I did watch this on mothers day shockingly enough...All in all I would highly recommend this film, and I thank my co-worker for letting me borrow the DVD. I did not know John Carpenter had any other great films besides "Halloween" which he was well known for.
9/10
#58 Conversations With Other Women (5/9/12)
Dir. Hans Canosa
2005
This film was actually quite uncomfortable for me to watch in the first fifteen minutes due to the split screen. When I did follow along after those minutes, the story seemed to connect and I caught on to the ambiguity. First time I saw a similar split screen was in the film "500 Day of Summer" but that movie only had it for one scene. I feel sympathetic to films like this because it touches on the realities of relationships just not working. The world is not perfect, and everything does not always go the way you want it to. I already know this film probably made quite a lot of people angry, because the decision's these characters choose may be unethical to a majority. That is enough of my "follow your heart" rant, but this film really makes a good point that you can really have a movie with just two characters. Well, there was guest appearances of the cameraman, and the girl in the elevator but in my opinion the film could do without those scenes. The split-screen enabled the use of flashback without interrupting a scene. We see what is going on in the present, while observing the past which relates in each scene. I personally enjoyed the dialogue especially with the Romeo and Juliet reference. The characters are both sad, and unstable people. As much as I would like to see them back together (sarcasm), this is another film with no happy ending. In the end, I feel I was happy that we get a sense that they still care about each other, but we all need to live in our own box away from the one we love at times. Life is very complicated so just live it, and be glad you did.
8/10
2005
This film was actually quite uncomfortable for me to watch in the first fifteen minutes due to the split screen. When I did follow along after those minutes, the story seemed to connect and I caught on to the ambiguity. First time I saw a similar split screen was in the film "500 Day of Summer" but that movie only had it for one scene. I feel sympathetic to films like this because it touches on the realities of relationships just not working. The world is not perfect, and everything does not always go the way you want it to. I already know this film probably made quite a lot of people angry, because the decision's these characters choose may be unethical to a majority. That is enough of my "follow your heart" rant, but this film really makes a good point that you can really have a movie with just two characters. Well, there was guest appearances of the cameraman, and the girl in the elevator but in my opinion the film could do without those scenes. The split-screen enabled the use of flashback without interrupting a scene. We see what is going on in the present, while observing the past which relates in each scene. I personally enjoyed the dialogue especially with the Romeo and Juliet reference. The characters are both sad, and unstable people. As much as I would like to see them back together (sarcasm), this is another film with no happy ending. In the end, I feel I was happy that we get a sense that they still care about each other, but we all need to live in our own box away from the one we love at times. Life is very complicated so just live it, and be glad you did.
8/10
#57 Hanna (5/7/12)
Dir. Joe Wright
2011
I get really intrigued following the story of a child who was taught to be relentless, and never had the opportunity to experience an actual care-free childhood. The historical references brought up in the film through voice-over and dialogue seemed really fitting in describing moments. It is as if it was in the perspective of a child learning through reading books, and listening to stories. The main character Hanna was raised to be multilingual, and only know mostly necessities for her given mission. The scene where she is scared of the unknown (eg. electricity, technology, etc.) portrays her ignorance for normal living. The scenes where the obnoxious little girl with her little brother is constantly talking about irrelevant social implications just seemed so not needed. Hanna obviously does not understand what any of the people are talking about, but when the lady asked, "What did your mother die of?" and Hanna nonchalantly responds, "Three Bullets" made me grin a little. The soundtrack for the film was amazing. The film had many holes, but a lot of potential. I felt the objective could have been more clearer as to what the antagonist and protagonist was looking for. The life of a child assassin is harsh, and I can only feel such sympathy with such a great performance from Saoirse Ronan.
7.5/10
2011
I get really intrigued following the story of a child who was taught to be relentless, and never had the opportunity to experience an actual care-free childhood. The historical references brought up in the film through voice-over and dialogue seemed really fitting in describing moments. It is as if it was in the perspective of a child learning through reading books, and listening to stories. The main character Hanna was raised to be multilingual, and only know mostly necessities for her given mission. The scene where she is scared of the unknown (eg. electricity, technology, etc.) portrays her ignorance for normal living. The scenes where the obnoxious little girl with her little brother is constantly talking about irrelevant social implications just seemed so not needed. Hanna obviously does not understand what any of the people are talking about, but when the lady asked, "What did your mother die of?" and Hanna nonchalantly responds, "Three Bullets" made me grin a little. The soundtrack for the film was amazing. The film had many holes, but a lot of potential. I felt the objective could have been more clearer as to what the antagonist and protagonist was looking for. The life of a child assassin is harsh, and I can only feel such sympathy with such a great performance from Saoirse Ronan.
7.5/10
#56 Avengers (5/3/12)
Dir. Joss Whedon
2012
I usually look for depth when I review films, but I make an exception for a film such as the Avengers because it is modeled after the comic book series. The pace of the film is expected to feed our action craves with objects blowing up, and being smashed. I suppose it is already implied that the back story is done and over with for the main character's who had their own movie. The dialogue to me was perfect, because when I read comic books that is how I would imagine it. The cinematography was delightful to watch, and I enjoyed each character's significance in the film. Honestly, Tony Stark played by Robert Downey Jr. really boosted the film with his humor. That being said, it only added to the film because even characters like Black Widow played by Scarlett Johansson shined rather well for a quick back story in the film. It is everything a Marvel fan would like to see, and in my opinion an audience who really is not into superhero films may still enjoy this. I must admit that the hype before watching this film really made me anxious, and the film was not disappointing at all. I am happy to report that this film is my favorite comic book adaptation yet.
9/10
2012
I usually look for depth when I review films, but I make an exception for a film such as the Avengers because it is modeled after the comic book series. The pace of the film is expected to feed our action craves with objects blowing up, and being smashed. I suppose it is already implied that the back story is done and over with for the main character's who had their own movie. The dialogue to me was perfect, because when I read comic books that is how I would imagine it. The cinematography was delightful to watch, and I enjoyed each character's significance in the film. Honestly, Tony Stark played by Robert Downey Jr. really boosted the film with his humor. That being said, it only added to the film because even characters like Black Widow played by Scarlett Johansson shined rather well for a quick back story in the film. It is everything a Marvel fan would like to see, and in my opinion an audience who really is not into superhero films may still enjoy this. I must admit that the hype before watching this film really made me anxious, and the film was not disappointing at all. I am happy to report that this film is my favorite comic book adaptation yet.
9/10
#55 Adaptation. (4/30/12)
Dir. Spike Jonze
2002
With all jokes aside, Nicolas Cage takes on so many different roles in films. It's the same acting so he is no Johnny Depp or Robert Downey Jr. when it comes to roles. This film was quite interesting, because it pertains to screenwriting which I am in. Cage's character Charlie Kaufman has an objective to make Meryl Streep's character Susan Orlean's book into a movie. The problem is that her book is about flowers which really does not fit well into making a successful film or screenplay. The movie is basically the screenplay going on in the life of Charlie Kaufman who is writing a screenplay so it may become just a little confusing to understanding where the story is going. I personally was thrilled to see this type of film, and I got all the references pertaining to the do's and don'ts of writing a script. One of them being voice-over which the character Charlie Kaufman utilizes a lot. In my opinion, the use of the parallel construction between Charlie Kaufman to Donald Kaufman and Susan Orlean to John Laroche was brilliant. It depicted the powerful similarities of what these character's desires are, and how they envy their "passionate other." To be honest, this film had a lot going on and it would take seeing the film twice to really appreciate all the chunks. My favorite quote was by the weird flower guy Laroche who said, "By simply doing what they're designed to do, something large and magnificent happens. In this sense they show us how to live - how the only barometer you have is your heart. How, when you spot your flower, you can't let anything get in your way."
8.5/10
2002
With all jokes aside, Nicolas Cage takes on so many different roles in films. It's the same acting so he is no Johnny Depp or Robert Downey Jr. when it comes to roles. This film was quite interesting, because it pertains to screenwriting which I am in. Cage's character Charlie Kaufman has an objective to make Meryl Streep's character Susan Orlean's book into a movie. The problem is that her book is about flowers which really does not fit well into making a successful film or screenplay. The movie is basically the screenplay going on in the life of Charlie Kaufman who is writing a screenplay so it may become just a little confusing to understanding where the story is going. I personally was thrilled to see this type of film, and I got all the references pertaining to the do's and don'ts of writing a script. One of them being voice-over which the character Charlie Kaufman utilizes a lot. In my opinion, the use of the parallel construction between Charlie Kaufman to Donald Kaufman and Susan Orlean to John Laroche was brilliant. It depicted the powerful similarities of what these character's desires are, and how they envy their "passionate other." To be honest, this film had a lot going on and it would take seeing the film twice to really appreciate all the chunks. My favorite quote was by the weird flower guy Laroche who said, "By simply doing what they're designed to do, something large and magnificent happens. In this sense they show us how to live - how the only barometer you have is your heart. How, when you spot your flower, you can't let anything get in your way."
8.5/10
#54 We Bought A Zoo (4/26/12)
Dir. Cameron Crowe
2011
I would say I was a little excited to see Matt Damon, and Scarlett Johansson act in the same movie. Also, I am a big lover of animals and my experiences at a zoo makes me want to see a zoo movie. Right from the get go, I tried to analyze the best I could the catalyst for why these characters might buy a zoo. We learn dozens of times through references that "Matt Damon's" character Benjamin Mee is an adventurer. He lost his wife and has to take care of his two kids with the money he inherits from his father because he quits his job. Benjamin decides to move into a zoo because he feels it is destiny. He discusses with his brother Duncan Mee played by "Thomas Haden Church" about buying the zoo, and figures he can make a profit over the summertime by running the zoo. I would just like to add that Duncan would have to be my favorite character in the film because he plays the antagonizing force early in the film. I found his dialogue quite entertaining, and it shows a lot about his character. He is what you would call a realist, not in an artistic way but for a financial viewpoint in life. Two quotes he says while he and Benjamin are fixing the zoo, "It's great, I get it. This whole spiritual journey. We're all in cages, man. I love it. But uh...at the risk of stating the obvious, you're insane. Okay? You're drilling yourself into insane debt." The two then see "Scarlett Johansson's" character Kelly and Duncan excitedly says, "Holy shit! Okay, here's the revised Duncan plan. Dump the animals, keep Kelly. That's true joy." The zoo eventually becomes too costly, and places Benjamin in debt. The film's soundtrack was very fitting, and it captured a lot of powerful emotion in significant scenes with relationships. Since this film is based on a true story, I do appreciate it more and understand how difficult running a zoo can be. The people running the zoo don't do it for profit, but do it because they love it and want to save the animals. I am probably biased liking this movie, but I support zoos along with the people who work passionately to keep them up and running. I recommend this for people looking for a great "feel good" movie that promotes taking risks and having courage.
8.5/10
2011
I would say I was a little excited to see Matt Damon, and Scarlett Johansson act in the same movie. Also, I am a big lover of animals and my experiences at a zoo makes me want to see a zoo movie. Right from the get go, I tried to analyze the best I could the catalyst for why these characters might buy a zoo. We learn dozens of times through references that "Matt Damon's" character Benjamin Mee is an adventurer. He lost his wife and has to take care of his two kids with the money he inherits from his father because he quits his job. Benjamin decides to move into a zoo because he feels it is destiny. He discusses with his brother Duncan Mee played by "Thomas Haden Church" about buying the zoo, and figures he can make a profit over the summertime by running the zoo. I would just like to add that Duncan would have to be my favorite character in the film because he plays the antagonizing force early in the film. I found his dialogue quite entertaining, and it shows a lot about his character. He is what you would call a realist, not in an artistic way but for a financial viewpoint in life. Two quotes he says while he and Benjamin are fixing the zoo, "It's great, I get it. This whole spiritual journey. We're all in cages, man. I love it. But uh...at the risk of stating the obvious, you're insane. Okay? You're drilling yourself into insane debt." The two then see "Scarlett Johansson's" character Kelly and Duncan excitedly says, "Holy shit! Okay, here's the revised Duncan plan. Dump the animals, keep Kelly. That's true joy." The zoo eventually becomes too costly, and places Benjamin in debt. The film's soundtrack was very fitting, and it captured a lot of powerful emotion in significant scenes with relationships. Since this film is based on a true story, I do appreciate it more and understand how difficult running a zoo can be. The people running the zoo don't do it for profit, but do it because they love it and want to save the animals. I am probably biased liking this movie, but I support zoos along with the people who work passionately to keep them up and running. I recommend this for people looking for a great "feel good" movie that promotes taking risks and having courage.
8.5/10
#53 Hulk vs Thor/Wolverine (4/22/12)
Dir. Sam Liu & Dir. Frank Paur
2009
More Hulk means more Hulk smash so to speak. I actually enjoy seeing Hulk smashing any superheroes face in. The first movie with Thor did not feel so entertaining to me, but it did address the question of what if Bruce Banner and the Hulk were separate entities. Obviously, the Hulk would be extremely pissed and Bruce Banner would not be there to calm him down. Other than that, Norse Gods and Hulk just seemed like such a forced idea. With the second film with Wolverine, I personally love the X-Men and all its unique characters. I was happy to see Deadpool, Omega Red, and even Sabretooth in this one. Not very many times we see Hulk in front of X-Men villains so that seemed very interesting. I see what they did in showing the parallels of Hulk and Wolverine which I felt conveyed that your not the only one who gets angry and singled out as an outcast. The dialogue by Deadpool was still my favorite which depicts his comedic talkative nature that everyone he is around hates. Seeing Hulk so much just makes me a little tired of the jolly green giant.
7/10
2009
More Hulk means more Hulk smash so to speak. I actually enjoy seeing Hulk smashing any superheroes face in. The first movie with Thor did not feel so entertaining to me, but it did address the question of what if Bruce Banner and the Hulk were separate entities. Obviously, the Hulk would be extremely pissed and Bruce Banner would not be there to calm him down. Other than that, Norse Gods and Hulk just seemed like such a forced idea. With the second film with Wolverine, I personally love the X-Men and all its unique characters. I was happy to see Deadpool, Omega Red, and even Sabretooth in this one. Not very many times we see Hulk in front of X-Men villains so that seemed very interesting. I see what they did in showing the parallels of Hulk and Wolverine which I felt conveyed that your not the only one who gets angry and singled out as an outcast. The dialogue by Deadpool was still my favorite which depicts his comedic talkative nature that everyone he is around hates. Seeing Hulk so much just makes me a little tired of the jolly green giant.
7/10
#52 Planet Hulk (4/21/12)
Dir. Sam Liu
2010
In preparation to hype myself for the "Avengers" premiere, I decided to watch some animated Marvel films starting with the Hulk. I saw a lot of motion comics of world war Hulk and Hulk vs. the world. It is just insane how broken he is that there are so many questions raised by people on how to beat the hulk. Well, the smart superheroes like Tony Stark "Iron Man" knew he would be too much to control. The combined brains thought up of a plan to just remove him from Earth because it sounded like the best idea at the time. Now, when Bruce Banner is turned into "Nerd Hulk" by Iron Man, he is also sent through a portal to a world where natives are able to harm him. The beginning actually really irritated me because weapons should not be able to penetrate the Hulk at all. I believe the makers wanted to add a nice background story to Hulk which had a lot of symbolism such as the green blood he possessed. If you want my honest opinion, I felt this movie clearly had identical ideas to the film "Gladiator" which took me awhile to adjust to this new type of Hulk who uses a sword. Still, for comic book fans this is still a worthwhile watch to seeing a different type of universe which actually will help in understanding what happened before "World War Hulk."
7/10
2010
In preparation to hype myself for the "Avengers" premiere, I decided to watch some animated Marvel films starting with the Hulk. I saw a lot of motion comics of world war Hulk and Hulk vs. the world. It is just insane how broken he is that there are so many questions raised by people on how to beat the hulk. Well, the smart superheroes like Tony Stark "Iron Man" knew he would be too much to control. The combined brains thought up of a plan to just remove him from Earth because it sounded like the best idea at the time. Now, when Bruce Banner is turned into "Nerd Hulk" by Iron Man, he is also sent through a portal to a world where natives are able to harm him. The beginning actually really irritated me because weapons should not be able to penetrate the Hulk at all. I believe the makers wanted to add a nice background story to Hulk which had a lot of symbolism such as the green blood he possessed. If you want my honest opinion, I felt this movie clearly had identical ideas to the film "Gladiator" which took me awhile to adjust to this new type of Hulk who uses a sword. Still, for comic book fans this is still a worthwhile watch to seeing a different type of universe which actually will help in understanding what happened before "World War Hulk."
7/10
#51 The Cabin in the Woods (4/17/12)
Dir. Drew Goddard
2012
I remember watching the trailer a long while ago and wondered why they used one of my favorite songs "Young Blood" by TNATF, and now that I have seen this film it fits so nicely. At first, how the film developed the characters felt like an American Pie type of approach, but later it has a lot of significance because each character has a purpose which you will find out if you watch this film. I have been itching for a great horror film for 2012 and this exceeded my expectations proudly. If you go into this film expecting a linear storyline, be ready to be completely disappointed because this film surprisingly had a lot of thought put into it. In a way, this film contains similar traits to the popular "Hunger Games." *SPOILERS* A group of people manipulating kids in an environment for a desired outcome. In horror films, I do appreciate comedic moments that give us a sense of comic relief while maintaining the seriousness of the events. That one scene when all the workers were celebrating was too hilarious, and the scene in Japan with the ghost was a great spoof. I haven't had this much fun watching a film since the Evil Dead series, like seriously. Each character seemed quite interesting, and served a purpose in progressing the story. I am extremely satisfied with watching this, and feel I need to watch this film again to really absorb the brilliance I felt I have seen in this well done horror film. So if you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend it if you are into horror flicks.
10/10
2012
I remember watching the trailer a long while ago and wondered why they used one of my favorite songs "Young Blood" by TNATF, and now that I have seen this film it fits so nicely. At first, how the film developed the characters felt like an American Pie type of approach, but later it has a lot of significance because each character has a purpose which you will find out if you watch this film. I have been itching for a great horror film for 2012 and this exceeded my expectations proudly. If you go into this film expecting a linear storyline, be ready to be completely disappointed because this film surprisingly had a lot of thought put into it. In a way, this film contains similar traits to the popular "Hunger Games." *SPOILERS* A group of people manipulating kids in an environment for a desired outcome. In horror films, I do appreciate comedic moments that give us a sense of comic relief while maintaining the seriousness of the events. That one scene when all the workers were celebrating was too hilarious, and the scene in Japan with the ghost was a great spoof. I haven't had this much fun watching a film since the Evil Dead series, like seriously. Each character seemed quite interesting, and served a purpose in progressing the story. I am extremely satisfied with watching this, and feel I need to watch this film again to really absorb the brilliance I felt I have seen in this well done horror film. So if you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend it if you are into horror flicks.
10/10
#50 Ken Park (4/16/12)
Dir. Larry Clark & Dir. Edward Lachman
2002
First off, I just want to mention how sexually explicit the poster looks. By just viewing the one of many sexually explicit posters out there for Ken Park, people should get an idea why distributors did not want to touch this film. My film professor actually knows Mr. Clark personally, and he says that he loves to push taboos to the limit if there is any. I would say that this film brings up every taboo I can think of. From adultery between a wife and her daughter's boyfriend, incest between father and son or daughter, polygamy between three characters, and murder fetishes. The movie was just extremely shocking to say the least, and the character the film is named after is only mentioned in the beginning and end. Other than that, the film is about the dysfunctional lives of teenagers revolving around guilty pleasures. The film has an abundance of sexually explicit activities involving minors which is not a surprise as to why distributors are avoiding this like the plague. Since we are just talking about a film, it is just a film and nothing more. We have independent filmmakers who have guts to release a film that pushes boundaries, and may even cause an outraged group of people. People are not told what to feel, but they can choose to experience a film and think whatever they like. I speak for myself when I conclude that I would not like to make films that are too "on the edge" like this.
6/10
2002
First off, I just want to mention how sexually explicit the poster looks. By just viewing the one of many sexually explicit posters out there for Ken Park, people should get an idea why distributors did not want to touch this film. My film professor actually knows Mr. Clark personally, and he says that he loves to push taboos to the limit if there is any. I would say that this film brings up every taboo I can think of. From adultery between a wife and her daughter's boyfriend, incest between father and son or daughter, polygamy between three characters, and murder fetishes. The movie was just extremely shocking to say the least, and the character the film is named after is only mentioned in the beginning and end. Other than that, the film is about the dysfunctional lives of teenagers revolving around guilty pleasures. The film has an abundance of sexually explicit activities involving minors which is not a surprise as to why distributors are avoiding this like the plague. Since we are just talking about a film, it is just a film and nothing more. We have independent filmmakers who have guts to release a film that pushes boundaries, and may even cause an outraged group of people. People are not told what to feel, but they can choose to experience a film and think whatever they like. I speak for myself when I conclude that I would not like to make films that are too "on the edge" like this.
6/10
#49 American Pie Reunion (4/13/12)
Dir. Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg
2012
I must say this film became very nostalgic and really grew on me. For the people that keep up with the series since the beginning, you get a sense that we all need to grow but we should never change to someone we do not want to be. First thing I noticed with the film was its awkwardness with the main character. We see conflict every second of the film which makes it flow comically. I found the film very appealing because it really focuses on each character and what their perspectives on life are. Jim's dad was just so hilarious in this film, and the matchmaking done felt very satisfying and right. I like the new twists and creative hurdles they had to overcome like their careers, high school kids, and love life. If you are looking for a comedy to keep you up at night, this film certainly did the trick and so far the best comedy I have seen in 2012 thus far.
9/10
2012
I must say this film became very nostalgic and really grew on me. For the people that keep up with the series since the beginning, you get a sense that we all need to grow but we should never change to someone we do not want to be. First thing I noticed with the film was its awkwardness with the main character. We see conflict every second of the film which makes it flow comically. I found the film very appealing because it really focuses on each character and what their perspectives on life are. Jim's dad was just so hilarious in this film, and the matchmaking done felt very satisfying and right. I like the new twists and creative hurdles they had to overcome like their careers, high school kids, and love life. If you are looking for a comedy to keep you up at night, this film certainly did the trick and so far the best comedy I have seen in 2012 thus far.
9/10
#48 Twin Falls Idaho (4/9/12)
Dir. Michael Polish
1999
The idea of writing a screenplay about conjoined "siamese" twins is an interesting topic to me. It is also a topic not very many bring up at all. The last time I heard about siamese twins was in the movie stuck on you that starred Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear. This film is very unique in my opinion because it discusses the social problems and health risks conjoined twins face. People can joke around and come up with as many sexual innuendos for the two, but at the end of the day they are just regular people who share the same heart. Sibling relationships really interest me a lot, because I can relate to it. There are many concepts such as sibling rivalry, brotherly/sisterly love, and differences that make a good story to tell. It is always interesting to note that just because siblings look the same does not mean they will act the same. The brothers in "Twin Falls Idaho" show a distinct difference in an initial scene when one of them gets sick. Blake is the main twin who share his organs with his dependent brother Francis. It is revealed Francis always gets sick, and it becomes a struggle when a love interest between Michelle Hicks character Penny and Blake build up. I felt the film was strong with its imagery and tremendous acting by the Polish Brothers.
8/10
1999
The idea of writing a screenplay about conjoined "siamese" twins is an interesting topic to me. It is also a topic not very many bring up at all. The last time I heard about siamese twins was in the movie stuck on you that starred Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear. This film is very unique in my opinion because it discusses the social problems and health risks conjoined twins face. People can joke around and come up with as many sexual innuendos for the two, but at the end of the day they are just regular people who share the same heart. Sibling relationships really interest me a lot, because I can relate to it. There are many concepts such as sibling rivalry, brotherly/sisterly love, and differences that make a good story to tell. It is always interesting to note that just because siblings look the same does not mean they will act the same. The brothers in "Twin Falls Idaho" show a distinct difference in an initial scene when one of them gets sick. Blake is the main twin who share his organs with his dependent brother Francis. It is revealed Francis always gets sick, and it becomes a struggle when a love interest between Michelle Hicks character Penny and Blake build up. I felt the film was strong with its imagery and tremendous acting by the Polish Brothers.
8/10
#47 The Foot Fist Way (4/8/12)
Dir. Jody Hill
2006
Danny McBride in the role of a Tae Kwon Doe instructor named Fred Simmons reminds me of Rex from Napoleon Dynamite. Fred Simmons is a character who has problems with his marriage, and an unhealthy obsession with his idol Chuck "the Truck" Wallace. The film had its moments, but there was a lot of crude humor that for me seems distasteful considering we have the comedic talent coming from Danny McBride. A lot of the fecal jokes and sex jokes seemed out of the blue and random. I guess what this film tries to show is to follow your passion, but it does show evidence in hypocrisy. Fred Simmons may not be able to follow his passion probably because of his marriage but that is a lame way to cause struggle for the main character. It also felt cliché when he had to do a final battle with his idol. It was interesting how he connects with his students, but you do not really see too much except for short interrupted montages. The only consistent relationship is probably with his wife which for me was not that interesting. This film for me felt like a one time watch, because the comedy for me was either a hit or miss.
7/10
2006
Danny McBride in the role of a Tae Kwon Doe instructor named Fred Simmons reminds me of Rex from Napoleon Dynamite. Fred Simmons is a character who has problems with his marriage, and an unhealthy obsession with his idol Chuck "the Truck" Wallace. The film had its moments, but there was a lot of crude humor that for me seems distasteful considering we have the comedic talent coming from Danny McBride. A lot of the fecal jokes and sex jokes seemed out of the blue and random. I guess what this film tries to show is to follow your passion, but it does show evidence in hypocrisy. Fred Simmons may not be able to follow his passion probably because of his marriage but that is a lame way to cause struggle for the main character. It also felt cliché when he had to do a final battle with his idol. It was interesting how he connects with his students, but you do not really see too much except for short interrupted montages. The only consistent relationship is probably with his wife which for me was not that interesting. This film for me felt like a one time watch, because the comedy for me was either a hit or miss.
7/10
#46 Jackie Brown (4/4/12)
Dir. Quentin Tarantino
1997
Surprisingly, this film is one of Tarantino's less violent films and one that he did not write. Samuel L. Jackson was funny to watch because he played the jerk role with the weird hairdo nicely. Despite people claiming Tarantino is a jerk for using the "N" word various times in his films, he portrays a strong middle-aged black independent woman in this film. Honestly, I believe Tarantino is doing a great job with making films that he likes without persuasion of public opinion. If people were always told what to do and what was right, everything would look so linear and crass. The soundtrack and cinematography was so delightful to watch. I value presentation a lot, so I will be more interested in a film if the hook is great. The conflict and trust issues keep the film active and intense for Jackie Brown which moves the story along. We see the perspectives of the crackheads with a great cast consisting of Robert De Niro and Bridget Fonda. Blaxploitation star Pam Grier was an excellent actress in playing cool under heated conditions. I felt this film was a relaxing shift to the usual Tarantino.
8/10
1997
Surprisingly, this film is one of Tarantino's less violent films and one that he did not write. Samuel L. Jackson was funny to watch because he played the jerk role with the weird hairdo nicely. Despite people claiming Tarantino is a jerk for using the "N" word various times in his films, he portrays a strong middle-aged black independent woman in this film. Honestly, I believe Tarantino is doing a great job with making films that he likes without persuasion of public opinion. If people were always told what to do and what was right, everything would look so linear and crass. The soundtrack and cinematography was so delightful to watch. I value presentation a lot, so I will be more interested in a film if the hook is great. The conflict and trust issues keep the film active and intense for Jackie Brown which moves the story along. We see the perspectives of the crackheads with a great cast consisting of Robert De Niro and Bridget Fonda. Blaxploitation star Pam Grier was an excellent actress in playing cool under heated conditions. I felt this film was a relaxing shift to the usual Tarantino.
8/10
#45 Reservoir Dogs (4/4/12)
Dir. Quentin Tarantino
1992
Quentin Tarantino makes some great films, and "Reservoir Dogs" being up there with introducing to everyone his genius. The actors were a great compilation, even Tarantino himself played the minor part role rather well. I loved the storytelling device he used of retrospect to capture a character's perspective. Tarantino's films consist of a lot of unique styles that generally are not seen in any other films. Mr. White or Harvey Keitel's performance was great, but I think it is funny seeing him using the same cry that he used in Bad Lieutenant which both was released in the same year. Steve Buscemi played his part well, and I like his exaggerated story of running from the cops and shooting them with a limitless amount of bullets. Speaking of Mr. Pink running from cops, you can hear the "Wilhelm Scream" as Buscemi slaps a citizen walking on the sidewalk with his metal briefcase. Mr. Orange played by Tim Roth was so convincing in his acting. He had to act like he was acting which is quite interesting because he had me fooled from the beginning but you see his true colors in his back story. As always, this film infamously shows Tarantino's adamant behavior in the constant use of the "N" word. The dialogue between Mr. Blonde and Eddy when they are in the bosses office uses strong language, and also references insulting homosexual remarks. Tarantino is true to his work, and in his eyes he sets a realistic tone for this culture of people in the gangster world. I personally hate when ideas are sugarcoated because in the real world people probably are racist and discriminate others.
8.5/10
1992
Quentin Tarantino makes some great films, and "Reservoir Dogs" being up there with introducing to everyone his genius. The actors were a great compilation, even Tarantino himself played the minor part role rather well. I loved the storytelling device he used of retrospect to capture a character's perspective. Tarantino's films consist of a lot of unique styles that generally are not seen in any other films. Mr. White or Harvey Keitel's performance was great, but I think it is funny seeing him using the same cry that he used in Bad Lieutenant which both was released in the same year. Steve Buscemi played his part well, and I like his exaggerated story of running from the cops and shooting them with a limitless amount of bullets. Speaking of Mr. Pink running from cops, you can hear the "Wilhelm Scream" as Buscemi slaps a citizen walking on the sidewalk with his metal briefcase. Mr. Orange played by Tim Roth was so convincing in his acting. He had to act like he was acting which is quite interesting because he had me fooled from the beginning but you see his true colors in his back story. As always, this film infamously shows Tarantino's adamant behavior in the constant use of the "N" word. The dialogue between Mr. Blonde and Eddy when they are in the bosses office uses strong language, and also references insulting homosexual remarks. Tarantino is true to his work, and in his eyes he sets a realistic tone for this culture of people in the gangster world. I personally hate when ideas are sugarcoated because in the real world people probably are racist and discriminate others.
8.5/10
#44 Pet Sematary (4/3/12)
Dir. Mary Lambert
1989
I had a friend from work recommend me this film, and I was surprised to find out it was adapted from Stephen King's novel. It is hard to believe that this was filmed at Stephen King's childhood home which actually inspired him to write about this. He also makes a cameo appearance within the movie at the funeral. While watching this film, I just felt the main character was not very bright and could not believe he was a doctor....Apparently what makes him make all these bad decisions is that he is gone crazy after losing what he cherished the most. Still, the film seemed quite frightening because of the creepiness of the voice and look of certain characters. Specifically, that lady in the movie was what I would call a memory that will forever be embedded in the souls of poor young kids. Seriously, certain scenes I can imagine giving a lot of kids nightmares for a week. I remember having nightmares as kid watching Children of the Corn 3, but I am pretty sure I am all over it now. Now that I mention it, that film was also written by Stephen King. Even that film called "It" which also was written by Stephen King...I was frightened to watch scary movies as a kid because of Stephen King, and I did not even realize it. Best quote ever, "Life sucks, and then you die." I always wondered where I heard that from and here it is in this film. Personally, I am into the more campy horror thrillers like "Dead Alive", "The Evil Dead", and "Army of Darkness".
7.5/10
1989
I had a friend from work recommend me this film, and I was surprised to find out it was adapted from Stephen King's novel. It is hard to believe that this was filmed at Stephen King's childhood home which actually inspired him to write about this. He also makes a cameo appearance within the movie at the funeral. While watching this film, I just felt the main character was not very bright and could not believe he was a doctor....Apparently what makes him make all these bad decisions is that he is gone crazy after losing what he cherished the most. Still, the film seemed quite frightening because of the creepiness of the voice and look of certain characters. Specifically, that lady in the movie was what I would call a memory that will forever be embedded in the souls of poor young kids. Seriously, certain scenes I can imagine giving a lot of kids nightmares for a week. I remember having nightmares as kid watching Children of the Corn 3, but I am pretty sure I am all over it now. Now that I mention it, that film was also written by Stephen King. Even that film called "It" which also was written by Stephen King...I was frightened to watch scary movies as a kid because of Stephen King, and I did not even realize it. Best quote ever, "Life sucks, and then you die." I always wondered where I heard that from and here it is in this film. Personally, I am into the more campy horror thrillers like "Dead Alive", "The Evil Dead", and "Army of Darkness".
7.5/10
#43 The Grey (4/2/12)
Dir. Joe Carnahan
2012
Liam Neeson is a great actor, but he always seems to play the same part and is one dimensional. I usually try and analyze a film to see basic plots of why the main character is put into the situation at the time and place. We really do not understand what Neeson's character is looking for or his desire to live. We always see the flashback that repeats the same thing every time. I guess the director wanted to save it all the way to the last. The film did a great job portraying the lives of all the workers who were with Neeson's character with as little screen time as possible. You pretty much can get an idea of how a character is like through pictures. Although in the beginning, they introduce the loads of characters in the bar fight scene. We get a hint that the individual beating everyone up is very aggressive, and later in the film becomes the omega male of the group. Symbolically, the omega male from the wolf group appears to try and kill the omega in Neeson's group when they are fighting. So the director tried to make parallels which were interesting, because it implies that we are all animals. Personally, I do like the effort in references but the movie still drags. Most likely because the objective is unclear for a majority of the film. It isn't until near the end that we see each character's loved one who they will miss back home. Also, the main characters purpose just makes me feel melancholy because you will find out why he was aiming the barrel of his gun in his mouth. Creatively, I guess I still believe people can choose to do things without a true purpose but for the heat of the moment.
7/10
2012
Liam Neeson is a great actor, but he always seems to play the same part and is one dimensional. I usually try and analyze a film to see basic plots of why the main character is put into the situation at the time and place. We really do not understand what Neeson's character is looking for or his desire to live. We always see the flashback that repeats the same thing every time. I guess the director wanted to save it all the way to the last. The film did a great job portraying the lives of all the workers who were with Neeson's character with as little screen time as possible. You pretty much can get an idea of how a character is like through pictures. Although in the beginning, they introduce the loads of characters in the bar fight scene. We get a hint that the individual beating everyone up is very aggressive, and later in the film becomes the omega male of the group. Symbolically, the omega male from the wolf group appears to try and kill the omega in Neeson's group when they are fighting. So the director tried to make parallels which were interesting, because it implies that we are all animals. Personally, I do like the effort in references but the movie still drags. Most likely because the objective is unclear for a majority of the film. It isn't until near the end that we see each character's loved one who they will miss back home. Also, the main characters purpose just makes me feel melancholy because you will find out why he was aiming the barrel of his gun in his mouth. Creatively, I guess I still believe people can choose to do things without a true purpose but for the heat of the moment.
7/10
#42 The Beaver (3/27/12)
Dir. Jodie Foster
2011
First off, I don't care what people say about Mel Gibson because he is a great actor. If you think I am anti-Semitic for supporting him then so be it. I felt a lot of real tense human emotion in this film that maybe a lot of people who are not happy with their lives may experience. Everyone has their own ways of hiding or coping with their problems and Mel Gibson's character Walter does it through a Beaver puppet. Walter goes through an identity crisis which was suppose to be his solution but ends up being his biggest problem. An interesting fact when you are arguing with yourself is that you will never win. In the end, it is you who will be hurt and you will see what I mean if you watch this film. Surprisingly I was intrigued with Jennifer Lawrence's character which is making me feel that I have a soft spot for her in my heart. Her character is struggling with the loss of her brother who she is still struggling to cope with. The son of Walter is not happy because his father is not the same and he is missing something in his life. The wife just wants her husband back because he was never the same after having a deep depression. So in many ways we see dramatic action because all the main characters have a particular objective they want to achieve. The ending with the graduation just seemed to make me think of the movie "Say Anything" with John Cusack but in all seriousness, Jennifer Lawrence along with Jodie Foster, and Mel Gibson carried the film pretty hard with their splendid performance. Watch if you are into films involving psychological struggle and human emotion.
8/10
2011
First off, I don't care what people say about Mel Gibson because he is a great actor. If you think I am anti-Semitic for supporting him then so be it. I felt a lot of real tense human emotion in this film that maybe a lot of people who are not happy with their lives may experience. Everyone has their own ways of hiding or coping with their problems and Mel Gibson's character Walter does it through a Beaver puppet. Walter goes through an identity crisis which was suppose to be his solution but ends up being his biggest problem. An interesting fact when you are arguing with yourself is that you will never win. In the end, it is you who will be hurt and you will see what I mean if you watch this film. Surprisingly I was intrigued with Jennifer Lawrence's character which is making me feel that I have a soft spot for her in my heart. Her character is struggling with the loss of her brother who she is still struggling to cope with. The son of Walter is not happy because his father is not the same and he is missing something in his life. The wife just wants her husband back because he was never the same after having a deep depression. So in many ways we see dramatic action because all the main characters have a particular objective they want to achieve. The ending with the graduation just seemed to make me think of the movie "Say Anything" with John Cusack but in all seriousness, Jennifer Lawrence along with Jodie Foster, and Mel Gibson carried the film pretty hard with their splendid performance. Watch if you are into films involving psychological struggle and human emotion.
8/10
#41 Living in Oblivion (3/26/12)
Dir. Tom DiCillo
1995
I never thought I would see Steve Buscemi in any role except for the junkie who randomly bothers Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider for food. He plays a major role in this movie of playing a director who is directing a movie. This film seems to feel like inception because a lot of the times it appears it is occurring within a dream. For an indie film, this shows that this style can be interesting and not have to copy a Hollywood format. I remember watching an interview of Director Tom DiCillo being asked that his ending seemed "a little too Hollywood." For the most part, he answered that he is gonna make his film the way he wants it and any other way would have just been depressing and not interesting to him. A lot of times people are not gonna like the way you run things, but like what is said in the movie "you should just role with it." Interestingly, the director says the acting was not an improvisation and the script was written word for word. I guess an actors interpretation can change the way a scene looks. Steve Buscemi who plays the director Nick has had real previous experience directing films so he knows the complications and heartache that goes on stage. For those interested in film-making, this movie is a great watch because it shows a great tribute to independent film-making.
8/10
1995
I never thought I would see Steve Buscemi in any role except for the junkie who randomly bothers Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider for food. He plays a major role in this movie of playing a director who is directing a movie. This film seems to feel like inception because a lot of the times it appears it is occurring within a dream. For an indie film, this shows that this style can be interesting and not have to copy a Hollywood format. I remember watching an interview of Director Tom DiCillo being asked that his ending seemed "a little too Hollywood." For the most part, he answered that he is gonna make his film the way he wants it and any other way would have just been depressing and not interesting to him. A lot of times people are not gonna like the way you run things, but like what is said in the movie "you should just role with it." Interestingly, the director says the acting was not an improvisation and the script was written word for word. I guess an actors interpretation can change the way a scene looks. Steve Buscemi who plays the director Nick has had real previous experience directing films so he knows the complications and heartache that goes on stage. For those interested in film-making, this movie is a great watch because it shows a great tribute to independent film-making.
8/10
#40 Hunger Games (3/25/12)
Dir. Gary Ross
2012
I have to admit that I have never read the novel, and heard people claiming it is similar to Battle Royale. Regardless, I am quite pleased to watch any movie not influenced from outside sources and take it for what I think. Personally, this film was just so fascinating to me from start to finish and I actually cannot wait to read the novel. The intensity of emotion in a lot of scenes made me feel lame and fragile because the acting I thought was compelling from the main characters. I feel at home when watching movies with a dystopian society or utopian just to see that they both have flaws. The film elegantly depicts how entertainment can blind the "upper class" with the government getting away with the exploitation of "working class" people. I just love the scene when the little girl was laid to rest holding flowers which triggered the riot of her district. I felt it was about time rebellious action from the people finally hit. An interesting fact I learned from my Law teacher back in high school he said, "If you want to be in control of a group of people, you keep them uneducated, entertained, and poor." I really do not want to get into politics, but for the sake of the movie the dictators did exactly that which we see all the districts adhering to this law for the prize of food for their district. I loved the scenery and camera angles of the whole arena. It gets a little shaky within the action intense scenes, but for the most part it is steady cam with reality series audience viewing touch. Jennifer Lawrence who played the main character Katniss Everdeen really caught my eye in this one. I mean I have seen her in X-Men First Class but this movie makes me look forward to seeing her in other major roles. Well, I did see some similarities such as when a kid dies and an event triggers a.k.a. the cannon but I do not take away from Suzanne Collins original work. She did state she was ignorant of the fact Battle Royale ever existed, but it should not matter other than that this series is created and has done its job in entertaining me. If people went on a witch hunt for cases like these, we would lose people like Bill Gates, the Wright Brothers, and Elvis Presley because it was not their original work...
10/10
2012
I have to admit that I have never read the novel, and heard people claiming it is similar to Battle Royale. Regardless, I am quite pleased to watch any movie not influenced from outside sources and take it for what I think. Personally, this film was just so fascinating to me from start to finish and I actually cannot wait to read the novel. The intensity of emotion in a lot of scenes made me feel lame and fragile because the acting I thought was compelling from the main characters. I feel at home when watching movies with a dystopian society or utopian just to see that they both have flaws. The film elegantly depicts how entertainment can blind the "upper class" with the government getting away with the exploitation of "working class" people. I just love the scene when the little girl was laid to rest holding flowers which triggered the riot of her district. I felt it was about time rebellious action from the people finally hit. An interesting fact I learned from my Law teacher back in high school he said, "If you want to be in control of a group of people, you keep them uneducated, entertained, and poor." I really do not want to get into politics, but for the sake of the movie the dictators did exactly that which we see all the districts adhering to this law for the prize of food for their district. I loved the scenery and camera angles of the whole arena. It gets a little shaky within the action intense scenes, but for the most part it is steady cam with reality series audience viewing touch. Jennifer Lawrence who played the main character Katniss Everdeen really caught my eye in this one. I mean I have seen her in X-Men First Class but this movie makes me look forward to seeing her in other major roles. Well, I did see some similarities such as when a kid dies and an event triggers a.k.a. the cannon but I do not take away from Suzanne Collins original work. She did state she was ignorant of the fact Battle Royale ever existed, but it should not matter other than that this series is created and has done its job in entertaining me. If people went on a witch hunt for cases like these, we would lose people like Bill Gates, the Wright Brothers, and Elvis Presley because it was not their original work...
10/10
#39 Bad Lieutenant (3/19/12)
Dir. Abel Ferrara
1992
I just wanted to mention how amazing Harvey Keitel's performance was in this film. Even with short roles like "Winston the Wolfe" he seems to carry a captivating persona. This film is NC-17 so it gives the audience an idea that it may be sexually explicit, intense drug use, and yes strong language your mother would not like. I personally do not mind to see films that are "on the edge" because fortunately my stomach seems to handle it just fine. It does not keep me from thinking what the director was thinking. A movie generally comes off the ideas of its creators possibly from past experiences or beliefs. The scene where he takes advantage of his status as a cop was just so incredibly awkward, and I say that lightly. Keitel's character struggles with his problems of gambling, drugs, and unethical practices in his lifestyle while maintaining his status as a Catholic cop. I noticed Ferrara made connections parallel to the raped nun and Jesus. That scene where Keitel's character could not fathom the idea of being violated and forgiving the ones who violated you was a great scene. Him crying in front of who he thinks is Jesus I can see may bring up some controversy with many religious figures, but indie filmmakers are use to pissing a lot of people off because it is an art. I would say my favorite shot of the film was the end where you see cars passing by like you were watching from the window of a parked car.
7.5/10
1992
I just wanted to mention how amazing Harvey Keitel's performance was in this film. Even with short roles like "Winston the Wolfe" he seems to carry a captivating persona. This film is NC-17 so it gives the audience an idea that it may be sexually explicit, intense drug use, and yes strong language your mother would not like. I personally do not mind to see films that are "on the edge" because fortunately my stomach seems to handle it just fine. It does not keep me from thinking what the director was thinking. A movie generally comes off the ideas of its creators possibly from past experiences or beliefs. The scene where he takes advantage of his status as a cop was just so incredibly awkward, and I say that lightly. Keitel's character struggles with his problems of gambling, drugs, and unethical practices in his lifestyle while maintaining his status as a Catholic cop. I noticed Ferrara made connections parallel to the raped nun and Jesus. That scene where Keitel's character could not fathom the idea of being violated and forgiving the ones who violated you was a great scene. Him crying in front of who he thinks is Jesus I can see may bring up some controversy with many religious figures, but indie filmmakers are use to pissing a lot of people off because it is an art. I would say my favorite shot of the film was the end where you see cars passing by like you were watching from the window of a parked car.
7.5/10
#38 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (3/19/12)
Dir. Robert Zemeckis
1988
I remember watching this when I was so little so I really did not comprehend a lot of the dark undertones this movie had. I was actually so surprised to find out that the comic strip to this film was a lot more violent because it looks like a kids movie. So to refresh, this films brings together the live and animated characters. The detective who vowed he would never take cases in helping animated characters ends up persuaded by a rabbit by the name of Roger who is framed in the murder of a live character. The film later gets in to detail with why the detective Eddie Valiant has a hostile disposition towards animated characters. I would like to say as a child I never really appreciated the fact the Disney characters and Warner Bros. characters were on the same movie at the same time. I believe it was completely innovative with crossing cartoons and people into a world of order and chaos. The film did spice up the story with giving animated characters a weakness since they are unable to die. The crazy antics are just so nostalgic despite today's generation loving superhero cartoons that are overplayed and remade. I considered this film great when I was growing up, but now I feel a higher appreciation and can say this film actually was good.
9/10
1988
I remember watching this when I was so little so I really did not comprehend a lot of the dark undertones this movie had. I was actually so surprised to find out that the comic strip to this film was a lot more violent because it looks like a kids movie. So to refresh, this films brings together the live and animated characters. The detective who vowed he would never take cases in helping animated characters ends up persuaded by a rabbit by the name of Roger who is framed in the murder of a live character. The film later gets in to detail with why the detective Eddie Valiant has a hostile disposition towards animated characters. I would like to say as a child I never really appreciated the fact the Disney characters and Warner Bros. characters were on the same movie at the same time. I believe it was completely innovative with crossing cartoons and people into a world of order and chaos. The film did spice up the story with giving animated characters a weakness since they are unable to die. The crazy antics are just so nostalgic despite today's generation loving superhero cartoons that are overplayed and remade. I considered this film great when I was growing up, but now I feel a higher appreciation and can say this film actually was good.
9/10
#37 Jeff Who Lives At Home (3/14/12)
Dir. Jay Duplass & Dir. Mark Duplass
2012
Before I actually started thinking what the movie was about I was feeling really excited that it had two actors from separate sitcoms that I really love. As I was watching the movie, their personalities fit the roles so perfectly and I felt like I was watching both the sitcoms in one. Besides my obsession with sitcoms, this movie proved to be excellent in so many ways of developing a purpose. Jeff who really believes in fate and that everything happens for a reason develops the story contingently. We do not know what he wants except to follow the name "Kevin" because he received an unknown call requesting for him. I found this very interesting because Jason Segel who plays Jeff helps us to understand him with his gentle nature without coming off as creepy and crazy. Ed Helms played his character Pat very well as being the successful individual who is too much of himself and does not give the quality time his wife wants. I feel he depicted the hubris a lot of men have nowadays that make them blind in appreciating what really matters in life. This film was quite humorous but it has many serious undertones that are very dramatic. Heck, I even thought the movie became heartfelt showing life and death with certain scenes. I really appreciate the style of the camerawork the Duplass brothers present with such pleasant music to compliment it. I really feel we got to see an interesting array of characters such as the mom who is struggling with love after the loss of her husband or the conflict of stability Pat has with just trying to keep his marriage with his wife. Then we have Jeff who is not looking for anything in particular but to find a true higher purpose in life.
9.5/10
2012
Before I actually started thinking what the movie was about I was feeling really excited that it had two actors from separate sitcoms that I really love. As I was watching the movie, their personalities fit the roles so perfectly and I felt like I was watching both the sitcoms in one. Besides my obsession with sitcoms, this movie proved to be excellent in so many ways of developing a purpose. Jeff who really believes in fate and that everything happens for a reason develops the story contingently. We do not know what he wants except to follow the name "Kevin" because he received an unknown call requesting for him. I found this very interesting because Jason Segel who plays Jeff helps us to understand him with his gentle nature without coming off as creepy and crazy. Ed Helms played his character Pat very well as being the successful individual who is too much of himself and does not give the quality time his wife wants. I feel he depicted the hubris a lot of men have nowadays that make them blind in appreciating what really matters in life. This film was quite humorous but it has many serious undertones that are very dramatic. Heck, I even thought the movie became heartfelt showing life and death with certain scenes. I really appreciate the style of the camerawork the Duplass brothers present with such pleasant music to compliment it. I really feel we got to see an interesting array of characters such as the mom who is struggling with love after the loss of her husband or the conflict of stability Pat has with just trying to keep his marriage with his wife. Then we have Jeff who is not looking for anything in particular but to find a true higher purpose in life.
9.5/10
#36 My Own Private Idaho (3/12/12)
Dir. Gus Van Sant
1991
If I had to say one thing I thought was interesting while I was watching this film would have to be the dialogue. It just seemed oddly familiar and theatrically expressed that made it seem not consistent with current day speech. Then I look on IMDB and it says the script was written by William Shakespeare. It kind of reminds me of the remake of Romeo and Juliet starring Leonardo Dicaprio which was okay to say the least. Also, I thought Keanu Reeves played his part rather well and the way he was depicted made him look like a BOSS. The film's transitions with the use of the main character's narcolepsy was brilliant in being able to advance to the next scene without it looking too sloppy. This film depicted a rebellious youth to maturity, struggles of love, and many tragic events you would expect in a Shakespearean play. The main character played by River Phoenix had an interesting role trying to find his mother but ends up reaching several conflicts. It is sad to see him sell his body for money but it is actually the reality of individuals who live in the lowest of the low. I found this movie interesting because it was made in the 90's which makes it feel pretty advanced for its time. It makes me think at the time how difficult it was for homosexuals to find love because it was frowned upon or the individual they loved did not feel the same way. The director did a terrific job in showing and not telling to describe characters.
8/10
1991
If I had to say one thing I thought was interesting while I was watching this film would have to be the dialogue. It just seemed oddly familiar and theatrically expressed that made it seem not consistent with current day speech. Then I look on IMDB and it says the script was written by William Shakespeare. It kind of reminds me of the remake of Romeo and Juliet starring Leonardo Dicaprio which was okay to say the least. Also, I thought Keanu Reeves played his part rather well and the way he was depicted made him look like a BOSS. The film's transitions with the use of the main character's narcolepsy was brilliant in being able to advance to the next scene without it looking too sloppy. This film depicted a rebellious youth to maturity, struggles of love, and many tragic events you would expect in a Shakespearean play. The main character played by River Phoenix had an interesting role trying to find his mother but ends up reaching several conflicts. It is sad to see him sell his body for money but it is actually the reality of individuals who live in the lowest of the low. I found this movie interesting because it was made in the 90's which makes it feel pretty advanced for its time. It makes me think at the time how difficult it was for homosexuals to find love because it was frowned upon or the individual they loved did not feel the same way. The director did a terrific job in showing and not telling to describe characters.
8/10
#35 Brother from Another Planet (3/9/12)
Dir. John Sayles
1984
I was taught in my screenwriting class that you should never make the main character passive. This film definitely does exactly that, but that is why this film is an indie film because they never follow the mainstream. One of my favorite classics with a silent character would have to be Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands so it proves that it can be done. The film is generally about a black three toed alien running from two white bounty hunters while experiencing the hardships of being an immigrant in New York City. Besides the story, it captures the significance of how important it is to be able to communicate with others. We see miscegenation in this film which gives us an idea of the tolerance of the mixing of races in that place. A white woman was literally acting black because she may have acquired that habit through marrying her black husband. There are a variety of races such as Spanish, Asian, Black, and of course alien. I think it was hilarious watching the parallels of races looking like "illegal aliens" or immigrants because they do not fit the social norms due to their lack of proper communication. You see a reference of Harriet Tubman which implies escape for freedom from the south, and a picture of Muhammad Ali which was a progression of acceptance for blacks in history of boxing. With regards to camera techniques and lighting, they really got creative to show the paranormal such as body regeneration, supernatural feats, removal of body parts without actually showing how but implies it. The music used was great, and I found the ending satisfying because it shows what needs to happen to escape from being hunted down like an animal in society.
7/10
1984
I was taught in my screenwriting class that you should never make the main character passive. This film definitely does exactly that, but that is why this film is an indie film because they never follow the mainstream. One of my favorite classics with a silent character would have to be Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands so it proves that it can be done. The film is generally about a black three toed alien running from two white bounty hunters while experiencing the hardships of being an immigrant in New York City. Besides the story, it captures the significance of how important it is to be able to communicate with others. We see miscegenation in this film which gives us an idea of the tolerance of the mixing of races in that place. A white woman was literally acting black because she may have acquired that habit through marrying her black husband. There are a variety of races such as Spanish, Asian, Black, and of course alien. I think it was hilarious watching the parallels of races looking like "illegal aliens" or immigrants because they do not fit the social norms due to their lack of proper communication. You see a reference of Harriet Tubman which implies escape for freedom from the south, and a picture of Muhammad Ali which was a progression of acceptance for blacks in history of boxing. With regards to camera techniques and lighting, they really got creative to show the paranormal such as body regeneration, supernatural feats, removal of body parts without actually showing how but implies it. The music used was great, and I found the ending satisfying because it shows what needs to happen to escape from being hunted down like an animal in society.
7/10
#34 The Lorax (3/6/12)
Dir. Chris Renaud & Dir. Kyle Baulda
2012
I am a big Dr. Seuss fan, and I also believe he was ahead in his way of thinking at his time and even now. This film showed a lot of adult concepts for a kids movie, but they cleverly added a sarcastic humor behind it which I found funny in a good way. I loved how they portrayed the reality of ignorance as not being evil, but the disasters it can lead to such as manipulation for profit. People may say I have over analyzed the film, but I take it for what I see. I really respected the themes throughout the film such as respecting the elderly and the wise because they have years of experience. This applies to real life when the youth choose to ignore their elders when they are just trying to help because they use to be young at one point and make those mistakes. This goes back to one of my favorite quotes that favorite actors of mine like Ossie Davis would agree, "When an old person dies, a library is lost." I learned many basic skills such as riding a bike, swimming, and driving all from my old man. He taught me fundamentals by telling it as a story through his experiences in his life like when his dad would carry him on his back while swimming to the deep end in the middle of the ocean to learn how to swim or when life was hard just trying to survive in war but getting through it with encouragement and friendship. All I have to say was that the grandma in the Lorax is the best. This film was original and fun with its creativity, but at the same time relevant to being able to compare and learn a fun lesson. I would highly recommend this film for everyone to see if they are looking to relax and have fun. GO GREEN!
10/10
2012
I am a big Dr. Seuss fan, and I also believe he was ahead in his way of thinking at his time and even now. This film showed a lot of adult concepts for a kids movie, but they cleverly added a sarcastic humor behind it which I found funny in a good way. I loved how they portrayed the reality of ignorance as not being evil, but the disasters it can lead to such as manipulation for profit. People may say I have over analyzed the film, but I take it for what I see. I really respected the themes throughout the film such as respecting the elderly and the wise because they have years of experience. This applies to real life when the youth choose to ignore their elders when they are just trying to help because they use to be young at one point and make those mistakes. This goes back to one of my favorite quotes that favorite actors of mine like Ossie Davis would agree, "When an old person dies, a library is lost." I learned many basic skills such as riding a bike, swimming, and driving all from my old man. He taught me fundamentals by telling it as a story through his experiences in his life like when his dad would carry him on his back while swimming to the deep end in the middle of the ocean to learn how to swim or when life was hard just trying to survive in war but getting through it with encouragement and friendship. All I have to say was that the grandma in the Lorax is the best. This film was original and fun with its creativity, but at the same time relevant to being able to compare and learn a fun lesson. I would highly recommend this film for everyone to see if they are looking to relax and have fun. GO GREEN!
10/10
#33 Act of Valor (3/3/12)
Dir. Mike McCoy & Dir. Scott Waugh
2012
The Navy Seals have always been a great hero to me with the dedication and sacrifice they have given for our country. In this film, you get to see them sky dive, dive underwater, and move through rough terrain. The guns used were very powerful as I have seen demonstrated by FPS Russia, and the effects were action packed as usual. The movie may have been over the top, and the acting between the Chief and Lieutenant sounded a bit corny. The screenwriting for the film really wanted to get the information about missing family at home and not just about killing terrorists. Although I hate a lot of exposition, I can be nice and support the film's motive of honoring our troops. It did not surprise me that they used actual U.S. Navy Seal missions, and revealed that terrorism is everywhere. We see it in Russia, Philippines, and Mexico. Stereotypically people will label terrorists as being in the Middle East and Muslim. It was sad, but true to see Filipino people brainwashed and turned into bombers to take out places like Las Vegas which is where I live. I thought it was funny that I could understand the terrorists speaking Tagalog, and that there was no subtitles to help the audience know what is going on. On another note, you actually do see "acts of valor" displayed in the film that can make you really appreciate the work that these people do. Some people may not like this motion picture, but I do hope it gets people in America to think and feel more grateful for their freedoms living in this country.
8/10
2012
The Navy Seals have always been a great hero to me with the dedication and sacrifice they have given for our country. In this film, you get to see them sky dive, dive underwater, and move through rough terrain. The guns used were very powerful as I have seen demonstrated by FPS Russia, and the effects were action packed as usual. The movie may have been over the top, and the acting between the Chief and Lieutenant sounded a bit corny. The screenwriting for the film really wanted to get the information about missing family at home and not just about killing terrorists. Although I hate a lot of exposition, I can be nice and support the film's motive of honoring our troops. It did not surprise me that they used actual U.S. Navy Seal missions, and revealed that terrorism is everywhere. We see it in Russia, Philippines, and Mexico. Stereotypically people will label terrorists as being in the Middle East and Muslim. It was sad, but true to see Filipino people brainwashed and turned into bombers to take out places like Las Vegas which is where I live. I thought it was funny that I could understand the terrorists speaking Tagalog, and that there was no subtitles to help the audience know what is going on. On another note, you actually do see "acts of valor" displayed in the film that can make you really appreciate the work that these people do. Some people may not like this motion picture, but I do hope it gets people in America to think and feel more grateful for their freedoms living in this country.
8/10
#32 Tyson (3/3/12)
Dir. James Toback
2008
This film was a great pleasure to watch, because it really highlights the spot on moments of Tyson's career and downfall. It reveals very rare footage of interviews that captures how Tyson thinks. I just loved the cinematography, and it was just very relaxing to watch. I have watched other documentaries such as Spike Lee's: Mike Tyson and Don King. That documentary does not truly focus on Tyson, but about black progression in history. Mike Tyson's performance was also genuine and true to the heart. I always looked up to Tyson as a fighter, but I feel great sympathy for him as a person. It is unfortunate to say that great people like Mike Tyson are taken advantage of when he has given those people all of his trust. Mike himself even stated, if he could have something else besides his successful career would be to have intelligence. If his early trainer Cus D' Amato had not passed away, Tyson would never have ruined his future because he would not have listened to anyone else who manipulated him like Don King. Other than about boxing, Tyson speaks about life and being a positive representative of humanity. He explains that it is easy to get caught up in the mix of life, and forget why we are living in the first place. For anyone interested in learning about one of the greatest fighters of history, this is definitely a must see documentary.
10/10
2008
This film was a great pleasure to watch, because it really highlights the spot on moments of Tyson's career and downfall. It reveals very rare footage of interviews that captures how Tyson thinks. I just loved the cinematography, and it was just very relaxing to watch. I have watched other documentaries such as Spike Lee's: Mike Tyson and Don King. That documentary does not truly focus on Tyson, but about black progression in history. Mike Tyson's performance was also genuine and true to the heart. I always looked up to Tyson as a fighter, but I feel great sympathy for him as a person. It is unfortunate to say that great people like Mike Tyson are taken advantage of when he has given those people all of his trust. Mike himself even stated, if he could have something else besides his successful career would be to have intelligence. If his early trainer Cus D' Amato had not passed away, Tyson would never have ruined his future because he would not have listened to anyone else who manipulated him like Don King. Other than about boxing, Tyson speaks about life and being a positive representative of humanity. He explains that it is easy to get caught up in the mix of life, and forget why we are living in the first place. For anyone interested in learning about one of the greatest fighters of history, this is definitely a must see documentary.
10/10
#31 Down by Law (2/27/12)
Dir. Jim Jarmusch
1986
Movies with three characters is a great way to have a balance whenever a disagreement within the group arises. I kind of got the sense the film was going to be like Spike Lee's "Defiant Ones" because a significant theme was escape. We have characters who at first disagree with each other, but learn to work it out at the end. Jim Jarmusch's style in film shows scenes that we normally would not see, or not think about seeing because it usually is backstage. It is very interesting how entertaining it could be to watch the perspectives of three very different people diverge and meet. I noticed a trend in nature of how Jarmusch likes to visualize how he sees everything acting "natural". He is quite a successful independent artist, and really stays loyal to making the films he wants while staying away from the mainstream. While watching this film, the simple scenes tell a bigger story and you can really tell how much he appreciates the landscape and nature with the amazing camera angles. This film really hits on life symbolically at the end with the crossroads. People will meet, but in the end we all take our own separate paths with how we decide to live. I was also really intrigued with the miscommunication the French character had with the Americans because of his accent. The other two characters did not take him seriously until they really got to get to know him. Jarmusch's style has a more realistic approach to viewing the lives of individuals.
9/10
1986
Movies with three characters is a great way to have a balance whenever a disagreement within the group arises. I kind of got the sense the film was going to be like Spike Lee's "Defiant Ones" because a significant theme was escape. We have characters who at first disagree with each other, but learn to work it out at the end. Jim Jarmusch's style in film shows scenes that we normally would not see, or not think about seeing because it usually is backstage. It is very interesting how entertaining it could be to watch the perspectives of three very different people diverge and meet. I noticed a trend in nature of how Jarmusch likes to visualize how he sees everything acting "natural". He is quite a successful independent artist, and really stays loyal to making the films he wants while staying away from the mainstream. While watching this film, the simple scenes tell a bigger story and you can really tell how much he appreciates the landscape and nature with the amazing camera angles. This film really hits on life symbolically at the end with the crossroads. People will meet, but in the end we all take our own separate paths with how we decide to live. I was also really intrigued with the miscommunication the French character had with the Americans because of his accent. The other two characters did not take him seriously until they really got to get to know him. Jarmusch's style has a more realistic approach to viewing the lives of individuals.
9/10
#30 Safe House (2/19/12)
Dir. Daniel Espinosa
2012
Lets make this pretty clear, I grew up loving Denzel Washington's movies and still love them. The only skeptical performance I had my doubts on was Ryan Reynolds. It is sad to say I remember him as the dude who plays the non-serious roles for "Waiting". It was even a surprise to see him be the "Green Lantern." I can only respect him for his persistence to diversify his acting roles, he did a great job to keep up with the pace of legendary Denzel Washington. This movie really tries to challenge an individual's set beliefs, and teach them that not everything is what it seems. Just about everyone grows up being able identify the villain with the hero. With this film, we see a countless amount of times where we assume and judge characters based on their first impressions. The best villains are the ones who are capable of manipulating innocent people by making them believe whatever they want them to believe. This is a reason why I do not take kindly to politicians. They only show us one side of the argument, and ignorant people are not well educated enough to think for themselves to do their research. I really believe this movie was a great eye-opener that not all people have bad ulterior motives, but power will always corrupt if given to the wrong hands. Personally, I would highly recommend this movie if you are a fan of movies like "Man on Fire" or "Leon the Professional" , but I am not saying this film is better in any way to those two.
8.5/10
2012
Lets make this pretty clear, I grew up loving Denzel Washington's movies and still love them. The only skeptical performance I had my doubts on was Ryan Reynolds. It is sad to say I remember him as the dude who plays the non-serious roles for "Waiting". It was even a surprise to see him be the "Green Lantern." I can only respect him for his persistence to diversify his acting roles, he did a great job to keep up with the pace of legendary Denzel Washington. This movie really tries to challenge an individual's set beliefs, and teach them that not everything is what it seems. Just about everyone grows up being able identify the villain with the hero. With this film, we see a countless amount of times where we assume and judge characters based on their first impressions. The best villains are the ones who are capable of manipulating innocent people by making them believe whatever they want them to believe. This is a reason why I do not take kindly to politicians. They only show us one side of the argument, and ignorant people are not well educated enough to think for themselves to do their research. I really believe this movie was a great eye-opener that not all people have bad ulterior motives, but power will always corrupt if given to the wrong hands. Personally, I would highly recommend this movie if you are a fan of movies like "Man on Fire" or "Leon the Professional" , but I am not saying this film is better in any way to those two.
8.5/10
#29 Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2/17/12)
Dir. Mark Neveldine & Dir. Brian Taylor
2012
I am going to be honest, I have never read or watched the cartoon series of this Marvel comic. Although, I have seen the first movie that was released before this one. It was not really one of the many movies I would be anxious to see again. First off, I like Nicholas Cage as an actor but this just did not seem to fit. There are many scenes he was suppose to look insane and losing control, but to me he looked like he was stuttering or constipated. They did add quite a bit of back story involving religion and crazy angels. I even found it quite humorous when Nicholas Cage was receiving "Eucharist" to relieve him of all sin. (Mainly the Ghost Rider curse.) I may have found the movie not that interesting because the Ghost Rider is just too good. There is no antagonist that can really match him because the curse makes him immortal. I was so disappointed to find out the main enemy was a dude with the power of decay. I almost left the theater out of rage, but I have a lot of patience so I saw the movie through. The villain apparently decays every food group that is healthy such as fruits, but when it comes to "Twinkies" it becomes perfectly fine for him to eat. It is like they were advertising freaking creme filled treats in a movie of hell. Well, this movie is probably great for those who want to see the Ghost Rider smite people into ashes. Pretty much the whole movie you see Nicholas Cage swinging his chain around, and screaming at bad people so they can go to hell. Honestly, I would too if my curse would make me go ape shit because somebody downloaded porn or is against S.O.P.A.
5/10
2012
I am going to be honest, I have never read or watched the cartoon series of this Marvel comic. Although, I have seen the first movie that was released before this one. It was not really one of the many movies I would be anxious to see again. First off, I like Nicholas Cage as an actor but this just did not seem to fit. There are many scenes he was suppose to look insane and losing control, but to me he looked like he was stuttering or constipated. They did add quite a bit of back story involving religion and crazy angels. I even found it quite humorous when Nicholas Cage was receiving "Eucharist" to relieve him of all sin. (Mainly the Ghost Rider curse.) I may have found the movie not that interesting because the Ghost Rider is just too good. There is no antagonist that can really match him because the curse makes him immortal. I was so disappointed to find out the main enemy was a dude with the power of decay. I almost left the theater out of rage, but I have a lot of patience so I saw the movie through. The villain apparently decays every food group that is healthy such as fruits, but when it comes to "Twinkies" it becomes perfectly fine for him to eat. It is like they were advertising freaking creme filled treats in a movie of hell. Well, this movie is probably great for those who want to see the Ghost Rider smite people into ashes. Pretty much the whole movie you see Nicholas Cage swinging his chain around, and screaming at bad people so they can go to hell. Honestly, I would too if my curse would make me go ape shit because somebody downloaded porn or is against S.O.P.A.
5/10
#28 Flatland (2/17/12)
Dir. Dano Johnson & Dir. Jeffrey Travis
2007
I have been holding out on watching this for the second time, because I thought it gave such a great first impression when I first saw it. I wanted to see how my friends respond to the film, and it is always that this film was simple and yet complex with helping comprehend the whole main idea which is the dimensions. I would definitely show this to my kid so it could inspire him, and entertain him at the same time. People should not be fooled that this short film looks like it was just for kids, because it contains ingenious concepts of math and science mostly adults could comprehend. I love making analogies when I see inspirational ideas, because it just gets my thought process thinking. It does not matter what universe you come from, I am pretty sure discrimination and a hierarchy of power generally exists within any community. The music was just so fitting, and the world of flatland depicted many roles that could be compared to a normal society. I do not really want to get into much detail about the movie, because it is too short. If you want to see an enlightening movie which is really short, and to the point. I would highly recommend watching this even if you are not really into math or the sophisticated type.
9/10
2007
I have been holding out on watching this for the second time, because I thought it gave such a great first impression when I first saw it. I wanted to see how my friends respond to the film, and it is always that this film was simple and yet complex with helping comprehend the whole main idea which is the dimensions. I would definitely show this to my kid so it could inspire him, and entertain him at the same time. People should not be fooled that this short film looks like it was just for kids, because it contains ingenious concepts of math and science mostly adults could comprehend. I love making analogies when I see inspirational ideas, because it just gets my thought process thinking. It does not matter what universe you come from, I am pretty sure discrimination and a hierarchy of power generally exists within any community. The music was just so fitting, and the world of flatland depicted many roles that could be compared to a normal society. I do not really want to get into much detail about the movie, because it is too short. If you want to see an enlightening movie which is really short, and to the point. I would highly recommend watching this even if you are not really into math or the sophisticated type.
9/10
#27 Chan is Missing (2/13/12)
Dir. Wayne Wang
1982
This film actually caught my eye, because I honestly do not watch much films involving Asian Americans living in the States especially made in the 1980's. The movie takes place in San Francisco, and is about a father and son who is of Chinese descent looking for a missing friend named Chan. I kind of see where the direction of the film was going with the noir tone. Do not get me wrong, I love detective films, but it just felt the movie was prolonging for too long. The main character did not seem to be in any danger until he gets a phone call to stop looking for his friend Chan. Even then, we do not see any threat but feel worried for him as if someone is following him. Besides the story, I was born and lived in San Francisco in my early years. They took some great shots of the city which added that feel as if you were walking around Chinatown. The acting felt very natural, and I can vouch for that because I have met and spoken to a lot of the community. When it comes to historical and sociological films, I really look for social disparities in different races and cultures. This movie shows how difficult it is to make a living in the place we call "The American Dream". It takes me back when my dad was working hard as a chef at Pier 39, but what gets any group of people through any situation is family. The individual missing in the film you will find out was just homesick and missed being high-class in China. Overall, the movie seemed decent and portrayed the life of Asians in San Francisco pretty convincingly.
7/10
1982
This film actually caught my eye, because I honestly do not watch much films involving Asian Americans living in the States especially made in the 1980's. The movie takes place in San Francisco, and is about a father and son who is of Chinese descent looking for a missing friend named Chan. I kind of see where the direction of the film was going with the noir tone. Do not get me wrong, I love detective films, but it just felt the movie was prolonging for too long. The main character did not seem to be in any danger until he gets a phone call to stop looking for his friend Chan. Even then, we do not see any threat but feel worried for him as if someone is following him. Besides the story, I was born and lived in San Francisco in my early years. They took some great shots of the city which added that feel as if you were walking around Chinatown. The acting felt very natural, and I can vouch for that because I have met and spoken to a lot of the community. When it comes to historical and sociological films, I really look for social disparities in different races and cultures. This movie shows how difficult it is to make a living in the place we call "The American Dream". It takes me back when my dad was working hard as a chef at Pier 39, but what gets any group of people through any situation is family. The individual missing in the film you will find out was just homesick and missed being high-class in China. Overall, the movie seemed decent and portrayed the life of Asians in San Francisco pretty convincingly.
7/10
#26 She's Gotta Have It (2/13/12)
Dir. Spike Lee
1986
It is always a pleasure to see Spike Lee's work, and also see him act in his own films. He is one my favorite directors that brings up social problems in his films that raise a lot of questions. Around this time of year when this film was created, it was actually very rare to see African American actors playing roles other than those of servitude. With the movie "She's Gotta Have It", it has its own way to entertain the audience by means of sex and comedic appeal. I really liked the unique qualities of every character that really push on different methodologies. The main character Nola Darling is a sexually appealing African American who is very picky in her choice in men. She ends up liking three different men who are completely different in looks and personality. I noticed in a lot of Spike Lee's films he has the camera on characters talking to the audience sort of like a soliloquy, and pulls it off pretty nicely to get some story on characters. This film might have been shocking to some viewers, because it was pretty loose in the topic of multiple sex partners. Society back in the day would look down on these types of women and call them whores. Biologically, people at times cannot control their hormones and just need a release. It sheds light on a good point of people mixing sexual intercourse with love. This film progresses quite nicely, and I found it enjoyable but at the same time confusing because I felt some scenes and characters were spontaneous or just randomly awkward which is not always a bad thing.
8/10
1986
It is always a pleasure to see Spike Lee's work, and also see him act in his own films. He is one my favorite directors that brings up social problems in his films that raise a lot of questions. Around this time of year when this film was created, it was actually very rare to see African American actors playing roles other than those of servitude. With the movie "She's Gotta Have It", it has its own way to entertain the audience by means of sex and comedic appeal. I really liked the unique qualities of every character that really push on different methodologies. The main character Nola Darling is a sexually appealing African American who is very picky in her choice in men. She ends up liking three different men who are completely different in looks and personality. I noticed in a lot of Spike Lee's films he has the camera on characters talking to the audience sort of like a soliloquy, and pulls it off pretty nicely to get some story on characters. This film might have been shocking to some viewers, because it was pretty loose in the topic of multiple sex partners. Society back in the day would look down on these types of women and call them whores. Biologically, people at times cannot control their hormones and just need a release. It sheds light on a good point of people mixing sexual intercourse with love. This film progresses quite nicely, and I found it enjoyable but at the same time confusing because I felt some scenes and characters were spontaneous or just randomly awkward which is not always a bad thing.
8/10
#25 Chronicle (2/10/12)
Dir. Josh Trank
2012
Movies of this coming generation seems to be experimenting a lot with the "found-footage" flick style. It has lately been a growing success in captivating the audience, and pulling them out of their seats and right into the action. I must note that the idea with using telekinesis to keep the camera afloat and steady was pure genius! I always felt uneasy with the shaky camera in "Blair Witch" and "Cloverfield." This movie in a way gave me the same feeling as in the movie "Skyline" where the two can be looked at as great intros, but lack a story. It all depends on the audience if the director will continue with a sequel, and actually give us the story we may want to hear. Other than that, this movie is about three average high school teenagers who discover and share telekinesis powers. The actual objective is unclear, but the opposing force is one of the three who becomes out of control and wreaks havoc. It was interesting watching the three discover the potential in their powers, and the camera work involved in capturing a sense of it in multiple settings. I might add that it showed a lot of emotional tension, and psychological destruction that you can see within Andrew (Dane DeeHan) during the scene with the spider. If I had to be honest, this movie did give me a rush but it did not satisfy my craving for a back story. We are limited to only seeing the view of cameras to understand a short amount of the lives of the teens. With that said, I am hoping they decide to make a sequel.
8/10
2012
Movies of this coming generation seems to be experimenting a lot with the "found-footage" flick style. It has lately been a growing success in captivating the audience, and pulling them out of their seats and right into the action. I must note that the idea with using telekinesis to keep the camera afloat and steady was pure genius! I always felt uneasy with the shaky camera in "Blair Witch" and "Cloverfield." This movie in a way gave me the same feeling as in the movie "Skyline" where the two can be looked at as great intros, but lack a story. It all depends on the audience if the director will continue with a sequel, and actually give us the story we may want to hear. Other than that, this movie is about three average high school teenagers who discover and share telekinesis powers. The actual objective is unclear, but the opposing force is one of the three who becomes out of control and wreaks havoc. It was interesting watching the three discover the potential in their powers, and the camera work involved in capturing a sense of it in multiple settings. I might add that it showed a lot of emotional tension, and psychological destruction that you can see within Andrew (Dane DeeHan) during the scene with the spider. If I had to be honest, this movie did give me a rush but it did not satisfy my craving for a back story. We are limited to only seeing the view of cameras to understand a short amount of the lives of the teens. With that said, I am hoping they decide to make a sequel.
8/10
#24 Groundhog Day (2/7/12)
Dir. Harold Ramis
1993
I just have to say that I miss watching movies that star Bill Murray in them. He was one of the comedians that I grew up appreciating for his unique style of acting. It is interesting to note that his earlier roles were a loud, sarcastic, and often rude type of characters in movies like "Caddyshack" and "Ghostbusters." It wouldn't be until later I would see him in a complete shift in roles that I feel made him legendary in my favorite style of acting which is "deadpan expression." His characters were depicted as depressed, but his use of deadpan was effective in catching a different kind of humor that an audience such as my self finds genuinely hilarious. Just talking about all of Bill Murray's great movies have made me decide to start a marathon so I can review them all. Besides all of that, "Groundhog Day" was still delightful to watch even though the years have gone by so quickly. This movie is definitely one of Bill Murray's best works and truly a memorable classic. I found the movie so intriguing, and difficult not to laugh. The alarm ringing at 6 everyday became so funny when Bill Murray's character could not stand it any longer. Speaking of the alarm, my phone ringtone is set to ring at 6 with the song "I Got You Babe." Although my day is not exactly the same everyday like in the movie, I do feel some repetition. This movie is still one of my favorites, and I would be willing to watch it with anyone that has never seen it.
10/10
1993
I just have to say that I miss watching movies that star Bill Murray in them. He was one of the comedians that I grew up appreciating for his unique style of acting. It is interesting to note that his earlier roles were a loud, sarcastic, and often rude type of characters in movies like "Caddyshack" and "Ghostbusters." It wouldn't be until later I would see him in a complete shift in roles that I feel made him legendary in my favorite style of acting which is "deadpan expression." His characters were depicted as depressed, but his use of deadpan was effective in catching a different kind of humor that an audience such as my self finds genuinely hilarious. Just talking about all of Bill Murray's great movies have made me decide to start a marathon so I can review them all. Besides all of that, "Groundhog Day" was still delightful to watch even though the years have gone by so quickly. This movie is definitely one of Bill Murray's best works and truly a memorable classic. I found the movie so intriguing, and difficult not to laugh. The alarm ringing at 6 everyday became so funny when Bill Murray's character could not stand it any longer. Speaking of the alarm, my phone ringtone is set to ring at 6 with the song "I Got You Babe." Although my day is not exactly the same everyday like in the movie, I do feel some repetition. This movie is still one of my favorites, and I would be willing to watch it with anyone that has never seen it.
10/10
#23 The Dead Girl (2/6/12)
Dir. Karen Moncrieff
2006
This movie was pretty precise in showing, rather then telling the audience about each character. There are 5 characters that this movie goes in to detail with, because they all revolve around the "dead girl." This movie was really sad, and it shows all the physical, mental, and emotional problems each character lives with. First, we have Arden who is the girl that found the "dead girl." Pretty much her story is that she is manipulated by her mother,and her goal is to be free of her mother and make her own decisions. The Second character shown is the sister of the Dead Girl Leah (Rose Byrne) who is conflicted with her sister missing so she is on anti-psychotics, and all she wants to do is move on but her mother will not admit her daughter is dead. The third character is the wife of the killer, Ruth, is an unhappy woman who does not necessarily love her husband Carl, but feels that she need him in order to live. She protects her husband by burning all the evidence in their house. The fourth character depicted is the mom of the dead girl, Melora, and she just wants to find closure with Krista (Brittany Murphy) who is the dead girl. The fifth and final character Krista or the dead girl we find out is a runaway daughter who grew up and had a child. She bought a stuffed animal for her daughter, and wanted to get it for her on her birthday but her ways to get to her failed. This movie was quite depressing, but interesting in a psychological kind of way. James Franco looks so young in this movie, and the cast of actors were pretty amazing. Brittany Murphy is such a great actor for playing a convincing slut. I would recommend this film for those who are craving a sad psychological film.
7/10
2006
This movie was pretty precise in showing, rather then telling the audience about each character. There are 5 characters that this movie goes in to detail with, because they all revolve around the "dead girl." This movie was really sad, and it shows all the physical, mental, and emotional problems each character lives with. First, we have Arden who is the girl that found the "dead girl." Pretty much her story is that she is manipulated by her mother,and her goal is to be free of her mother and make her own decisions. The Second character shown is the sister of the Dead Girl Leah (Rose Byrne) who is conflicted with her sister missing so she is on anti-psychotics, and all she wants to do is move on but her mother will not admit her daughter is dead. The third character is the wife of the killer, Ruth, is an unhappy woman who does not necessarily love her husband Carl, but feels that she need him in order to live. She protects her husband by burning all the evidence in their house. The fourth character depicted is the mom of the dead girl, Melora, and she just wants to find closure with Krista (Brittany Murphy) who is the dead girl. The fifth and final character Krista or the dead girl we find out is a runaway daughter who grew up and had a child. She bought a stuffed animal for her daughter, and wanted to get it for her on her birthday but her ways to get to her failed. This movie was quite depressing, but interesting in a psychological kind of way. James Franco looks so young in this movie, and the cast of actors were pretty amazing. Brittany Murphy is such a great actor for playing a convincing slut. I would recommend this film for those who are craving a sad psychological film.
7/10
#22 The Woman In Black (2/3/12)
Dir. James Watkins
2012
Attended the midnight premiere on short notice, and was actually indecisive if I wanted to watch this or "Chronicle." I think this poster of the movie is much better than the others which feature good old Daniel Radcliffe. Every time I see him, I just want him to scream, "Expecto Patronum!" Anyways, it is kind of nice to see him battling a different kind of evil this time. This movie starts out pretty strong in the start depicting how powerful the Black Woman can be. Then, when it shows the background story for the main character Arthur (Daniel Radcliffe), the movie becomes really slow and dark. Not sure if it was because I felt really tired, but the movie did not really pick up until it gets really creepy and Arthur actually sees the Black Women. Basically, if anyone sees her she will kill your kid or someone's kid but it has to be a kid. Also, the kid has to be in the remote area or she will not be able to manipulate them to killing themselves. Apparently, she is doing this because she lost her child and nobody helped her kid from drowning in a muddy marsh. Cinema these days have always portrayed horror movies with kids and their toys because they can be really scary. For me, being helpless in saving a kid can probably be scarier than saving yourself. Sad to say, but people would give up living when they lose a loved one which is the best revenge for someone who is cynical and looking for it. The ending to me seemed very interesting, it was new and bittersweet.
7/10
2012
Attended the midnight premiere on short notice, and was actually indecisive if I wanted to watch this or "Chronicle." I think this poster of the movie is much better than the others which feature good old Daniel Radcliffe. Every time I see him, I just want him to scream, "Expecto Patronum!" Anyways, it is kind of nice to see him battling a different kind of evil this time. This movie starts out pretty strong in the start depicting how powerful the Black Woman can be. Then, when it shows the background story for the main character Arthur (Daniel Radcliffe), the movie becomes really slow and dark. Not sure if it was because I felt really tired, but the movie did not really pick up until it gets really creepy and Arthur actually sees the Black Women. Basically, if anyone sees her she will kill your kid or someone's kid but it has to be a kid. Also, the kid has to be in the remote area or she will not be able to manipulate them to killing themselves. Apparently, she is doing this because she lost her child and nobody helped her kid from drowning in a muddy marsh. Cinema these days have always portrayed horror movies with kids and their toys because they can be really scary. For me, being helpless in saving a kid can probably be scarier than saving yourself. Sad to say, but people would give up living when they lose a loved one which is the best revenge for someone who is cynical and looking for it. The ending to me seemed very interesting, it was new and bittersweet.
7/10
#21 The Warriors (2/2/12)
Dir. Walter Hill
1979
I remember when I first watched this film back in the day, and it became one of my favorite movies of all time. Living in the most ghetto side of town, and attending a school where violence was just an everyday thing made this movie inspiring to be tough. This movie to me did not promote gang activity, but showed the troubles that anyone can face if they are falsely accused. My favorite character would have to be Swan, and it was great he was chosen as "Warchief" rather than Ajax because they have two completely different leadership views and styles. Instead of fighting problems head on he would use his intelligence, but Ajax was just a stubborn brute who wanted to muscle his way through to Coney Island. Not to say Swan was not tough, he could throw down better than anyone. I liked the variety of characters which displayed interesting acting roles and status. If I had to judge this film with its consistency using Aristotle's Poetics. I would say it passed pretty well the three unities. (Action, Time, Space.) The action seemed necessary as they passed checkpoint areas within New York City as like a game reaching to the final boss. The unity of time to me seemed urgent enough because people were chasing after them so they had to get to Coney as quickly as possible. The environment which is New York City as a whole was easy to follow, and there were no random places that would make you think it was not New York City. If any of these three unities are not met, the movie most of the times would end up being boring. I found the movie thrilling, but I just had one criticism of the re-mastered version of this film. It skipped some great scenes substituting it with a comic strip.
9/10
1979
I remember when I first watched this film back in the day, and it became one of my favorite movies of all time. Living in the most ghetto side of town, and attending a school where violence was just an everyday thing made this movie inspiring to be tough. This movie to me did not promote gang activity, but showed the troubles that anyone can face if they are falsely accused. My favorite character would have to be Swan, and it was great he was chosen as "Warchief" rather than Ajax because they have two completely different leadership views and styles. Instead of fighting problems head on he would use his intelligence, but Ajax was just a stubborn brute who wanted to muscle his way through to Coney Island. Not to say Swan was not tough, he could throw down better than anyone. I liked the variety of characters which displayed interesting acting roles and status. If I had to judge this film with its consistency using Aristotle's Poetics. I would say it passed pretty well the three unities. (Action, Time, Space.) The action seemed necessary as they passed checkpoint areas within New York City as like a game reaching to the final boss. The unity of time to me seemed urgent enough because people were chasing after them so they had to get to Coney as quickly as possible. The environment which is New York City as a whole was easy to follow, and there were no random places that would make you think it was not New York City. If any of these three unities are not met, the movie most of the times would end up being boring. I found the movie thrilling, but I just had one criticism of the re-mastered version of this film. It skipped some great scenes substituting it with a comic strip.
9/10
#20 Trash (1/30/12)
Dir. Andy Warhol
1970
Saw this in my Film class today, and I must say that this has to be the most shocking movie I have seen thus far making it way up there next to "Clockwork Orange." This film definitely broke the ice when it came to taboos in the 70's and even now. Nothing is censored, so I will say right now to be ready for everything you would not expect. The film is about junkies, drugs, and sex to put it lightly. To be honest, I would say it qualifies as soft porn and the title is extremely relevant. I was amazed Andy Warhol hired a real transvestite named Holly Woodlawn who actually was pretty good at acting for this particular film. She was paid $25 a day and actually used the last payment to buy heroin to celebrate as stated on IMDB. I take my hat off to this director for being rebellious to societies norms with this underground film. I firmly believe that the best directors take the biggest risks to revolutionizing the filming industry because without a doubt people will find the movie distasteful, but others will look at it as an art form. Now personally, I had times in the movie where I wanted to strangle a bitch and other times I can relate to because I lived in a similar environment that had junkies. People can be ignorant of what is going on, but that does not hide the fact that problems like this do exist in society where drugs end up becoming an individual's purpose for living. Heck, even greats like Mike Tyson will tell you what he had to go through losing everything.
7/10
1970
Saw this in my Film class today, and I must say that this has to be the most shocking movie I have seen thus far making it way up there next to "Clockwork Orange." This film definitely broke the ice when it came to taboos in the 70's and even now. Nothing is censored, so I will say right now to be ready for everything you would not expect. The film is about junkies, drugs, and sex to put it lightly. To be honest, I would say it qualifies as soft porn and the title is extremely relevant. I was amazed Andy Warhol hired a real transvestite named Holly Woodlawn who actually was pretty good at acting for this particular film. She was paid $25 a day and actually used the last payment to buy heroin to celebrate as stated on IMDB. I take my hat off to this director for being rebellious to societies norms with this underground film. I firmly believe that the best directors take the biggest risks to revolutionizing the filming industry because without a doubt people will find the movie distasteful, but others will look at it as an art form. Now personally, I had times in the movie where I wanted to strangle a bitch and other times I can relate to because I lived in a similar environment that had junkies. People can be ignorant of what is going on, but that does not hide the fact that problems like this do exist in society where drugs end up becoming an individual's purpose for living. Heck, even greats like Mike Tyson will tell you what he had to go through losing everything.
7/10
#19 Gantz 2 - Perfect Answer (1/27/12)
Dir. Shinsuke Sato
2011
I know there is a rage of hatred towards films created from a manga/anime/game, because a lot of times the film either strays from the main story or the acting is just complete fail. For me, I would have to say Japan does a better job to alleviate this belief, because the effort does show. For instance, Battle Royale and Death Note were satisfying to me unlike America killing Street Fighter and Dragon Ball for me. Despite me thinking this way, I do know fans of Gantz will still hate that their favorite manga/anime was made into a live action film. So on to the review, this film stays true to the actual story and I am quite pleased. This sequel actually did not have as much action as the first, but it does an excellent job to answer all the questions that came unanswered to the previous movie. I must say this, the epic action that does come along beats all the action combined in the first. It had a lot of suspense, and twists that kept me excited for the finale. It is just sad to say that their will not be a sequel, but I feel the story concluded very well. I do not want to spoil the movie for anyone, so I will highly recommend this film if you are a fan of the series.
8/10
2011
I know there is a rage of hatred towards films created from a manga/anime/game, because a lot of times the film either strays from the main story or the acting is just complete fail. For me, I would have to say Japan does a better job to alleviate this belief, because the effort does show. For instance, Battle Royale and Death Note were satisfying to me unlike America killing Street Fighter and Dragon Ball for me. Despite me thinking this way, I do know fans of Gantz will still hate that their favorite manga/anime was made into a live action film. So on to the review, this film stays true to the actual story and I am quite pleased. This sequel actually did not have as much action as the first, but it does an excellent job to answer all the questions that came unanswered to the previous movie. I must say this, the epic action that does come along beats all the action combined in the first. It had a lot of suspense, and twists that kept me excited for the finale. It is just sad to say that their will not be a sequel, but I feel the story concluded very well. I do not want to spoil the movie for anyone, so I will highly recommend this film if you are a fan of the series.
8/10
#18 Jack and Jill (1/26/12)
Dir. Dennis Dugan
2011
I am sick and tired of reading reviews from people who compare family movies of great actors like this movie and "Mr. Poppers Penguins" to some great works like "Eternal Sunshine" or "Godfather." I will say people are either clinically insane, bored, or have not even seen the movie to begin with and feel they should just vent about it. Let me explain how I feel about film, and how it is important to be different so the audience does not become robots expecting every movie to be just like the last one. I noticed a trend with movies nowadays because of the money flow in the box office so other movies will copy successful high budget films like "Inception" or "Avatar" because that is what many are looking for. Yes, I do not like the lame cgi but other people do so it will be done. If Adam Sandler wants to experiment with making a family movie, then it is his decision but I don't believe it will ruin his career and I actually encourage him to do so and make that risk because others will not. I personally thought the movie had a great sense of humor, and the main character kept being active in every scene. Of course, Adam Sandler has his hands full with two roles but he is constantly on the move if you pay attention which keeps the pace of the film entertaining. I certainly enjoyed references bombarded all over this film. It was so hilarious when Rob Schneider, the Shamwow guy, Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, and many names appeared throughout the movie. For me, I can only watch so many serious films from great actors and not be tempted to pull up a comedy here and there.
7/10
2011
I am sick and tired of reading reviews from people who compare family movies of great actors like this movie and "Mr. Poppers Penguins" to some great works like "Eternal Sunshine" or "Godfather." I will say people are either clinically insane, bored, or have not even seen the movie to begin with and feel they should just vent about it. Let me explain how I feel about film, and how it is important to be different so the audience does not become robots expecting every movie to be just like the last one. I noticed a trend with movies nowadays because of the money flow in the box office so other movies will copy successful high budget films like "Inception" or "Avatar" because that is what many are looking for. Yes, I do not like the lame cgi but other people do so it will be done. If Adam Sandler wants to experiment with making a family movie, then it is his decision but I don't believe it will ruin his career and I actually encourage him to do so and make that risk because others will not. I personally thought the movie had a great sense of humor, and the main character kept being active in every scene. Of course, Adam Sandler has his hands full with two roles but he is constantly on the move if you pay attention which keeps the pace of the film entertaining. I certainly enjoyed references bombarded all over this film. It was so hilarious when Rob Schneider, the Shamwow guy, Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, and many names appeared throughout the movie. For me, I can only watch so many serious films from great actors and not be tempted to pull up a comedy here and there.
7/10
#17 Red Tails (1/24/12)
Dir. Anothony Hemingway
2012
When it comes to historical war movies, I not only feel patriotism but respect for the lives who fought for this country. The quote, "Freedom is not Free" is taken for granted all the time but people should not have to worry about the harsh truths and unbearable burdens of reality. That being said, this movie depicted very well another stepping stone for African American human rights. It is ridiculous to believe that the White Americans would treat "colored people" as if they were brainless animals and incapable of performing complex tasks. It truly is a wonder that the first African American Air Force Unit had the best kill count and successful escorts for missions. The scene where it showed the Whites being extremely grateful to them for saving their lives made me happy. I would say the acting seemed so flawless, and each character seemed so important especially since we see from the start they acted as a family. The effects were just so great, maybe rivaling the epic ship battles of Star Wars. The way the Germans were depicted might be the only questionable thing in my mind, but from the perspective for Americans it is reasonable. This movie does a great job in showing the struggles for each character and how it affects them. I literally felt the emotion in this movie which makes me believe this movie to be one of the tops for 2012.
8/10
2012
When it comes to historical war movies, I not only feel patriotism but respect for the lives who fought for this country. The quote, "Freedom is not Free" is taken for granted all the time but people should not have to worry about the harsh truths and unbearable burdens of reality. That being said, this movie depicted very well another stepping stone for African American human rights. It is ridiculous to believe that the White Americans would treat "colored people" as if they were brainless animals and incapable of performing complex tasks. It truly is a wonder that the first African American Air Force Unit had the best kill count and successful escorts for missions. The scene where it showed the Whites being extremely grateful to them for saving their lives made me happy. I would say the acting seemed so flawless, and each character seemed so important especially since we see from the start they acted as a family. The effects were just so great, maybe rivaling the epic ship battles of Star Wars. The way the Germans were depicted might be the only questionable thing in my mind, but from the perspective for Americans it is reasonable. This movie does a great job in showing the struggles for each character and how it affects them. I literally felt the emotion in this movie which makes me believe this movie to be one of the tops for 2012.
8/10
#16 Black Rock Shooter (1/24/12)
Dir. Shinobu Yoshioka
2010
I have never heard of this anime until now, and I must say it was an okay experience. The movie was a bit hard to follow, because of the random scenes in school to action gun slinging. I do get the point of what Mr. Yoshioka was trying to do by postponing to getting to the main story. It did get me guessing, and wondering so I did not get too bored. I personally just feel it was me, it was not very interesting to me because if I wanted to watch school girl drama I would watch K-On or Bleach for epic fights. It just felt like everything was mashed together to come up with an interesting concept. This movie did not seem so original to me, maybe I should just stick to the good old Miyazaki films I love so much.
6/10
2010
I have never heard of this anime until now, and I must say it was an okay experience. The movie was a bit hard to follow, because of the random scenes in school to action gun slinging. I do get the point of what Mr. Yoshioka was trying to do by postponing to getting to the main story. It did get me guessing, and wondering so I did not get too bored. I personally just feel it was me, it was not very interesting to me because if I wanted to watch school girl drama I would watch K-On or Bleach for epic fights. It just felt like everything was mashed together to come up with an interesting concept. This movie did not seem so original to me, maybe I should just stick to the good old Miyazaki films I love so much.
6/10
#15 Shadows (1/23/12)
Dir. John Cassavetes
1959
Watched this in my film class, and was quite excited to see how this film revolutionized the filming industry. This film gave me so many ideas, and hopes if I ever decided to create a short film of my own. Well, if you are curious of why this film became legendary to many film experts, and forgotten by everyone else. This whole movie was actually an improvisation, but it included a wide array of film techniques to keep the audience entertained. The film starts out with getting to know this hipster named Benny who is pretty reckless in his choices of what he does. Later, we see the perspective of his sister Lelia who falls in love with a white man, but the man becomes uncomfortable to find out she is African American. Also, they have an older brother who has problems with his singing career. I would say that this movie did a good job in leading me on to wanting to find out more of the story without putting me to boredom. You basically feel the experience of Manhattan, and the jazz scene through three characters. I must say I am impressed they only had to use a $40,000 budget to create this which again gives hope to aspiring filmmakers that they can do well without spending as much as the movie "Jaws" did.
8/10
1959
Watched this in my film class, and was quite excited to see how this film revolutionized the filming industry. This film gave me so many ideas, and hopes if I ever decided to create a short film of my own. Well, if you are curious of why this film became legendary to many film experts, and forgotten by everyone else. This whole movie was actually an improvisation, but it included a wide array of film techniques to keep the audience entertained. The film starts out with getting to know this hipster named Benny who is pretty reckless in his choices of what he does. Later, we see the perspective of his sister Lelia who falls in love with a white man, but the man becomes uncomfortable to find out she is African American. Also, they have an older brother who has problems with his singing career. I would say that this movie did a good job in leading me on to wanting to find out more of the story without putting me to boredom. You basically feel the experience of Manhattan, and the jazz scene through three characters. I must say I am impressed they only had to use a $40,000 budget to create this which again gives hope to aspiring filmmakers that they can do well without spending as much as the movie "Jaws" did.
8/10
#14 Midnight in Paris (1/15/12)
Dir. Woody Allen
2011
I must say, this film was quite splendid to watch and I understood almost all the allusions. Woody Allen just amazes me so much with the cast of actors he used to portray people like T.S. Elliot, Hemmingway, and Picasso. They all looked very convincing to me based on the works I have seen and read from them. It makes me glad I took World Literature in college, otherwise, I may be watching this clueless all the way through. These historic figures were so consistent all the way through, and Adrien Brody playing as Dalí was perfect. I loved the scene when Gil (Owen Wilson) offered valium to Zelda Fitzgerald and said it was a pill from the future, it just cracked me up so much. I almost felt like it was going through a loop like inception with the past, but it made a great point about living in the present. I found this film witty and brilliant with all the clever dialogues mixed in with the fitting music. It is everything you want to see within a Parisian setting. The movie was great all around, it is just I felt Owen Wilson's character could have been played a little different. On a side note, Woody Allen in his young days would have been the perfect actor for this role.
8/10
2011
I must say, this film was quite splendid to watch and I understood almost all the allusions. Woody Allen just amazes me so much with the cast of actors he used to portray people like T.S. Elliot, Hemmingway, and Picasso. They all looked very convincing to me based on the works I have seen and read from them. It makes me glad I took World Literature in college, otherwise, I may be watching this clueless all the way through. These historic figures were so consistent all the way through, and Adrien Brody playing as Dalí was perfect. I loved the scene when Gil (Owen Wilson) offered valium to Zelda Fitzgerald and said it was a pill from the future, it just cracked me up so much. I almost felt like it was going through a loop like inception with the past, but it made a great point about living in the present. I found this film witty and brilliant with all the clever dialogues mixed in with the fitting music. It is everything you want to see within a Parisian setting. The movie was great all around, it is just I felt Owen Wilson's character could have been played a little different. On a side note, Woody Allen in his young days would have been the perfect actor for this role.
8/10
#13 Cowboys vs. Aliens (1/14/12)
Dir. Jon Favreau
2011
I think trailers for movies nowadays are either getting lazy, or cynical for revealing almost the first 30 minutes of the film to us like this movie did. But that is not really reviewing the film, I just should not watch trailers because they are irrelevant in catching my interest. Heck No! If the trailer is going to do what it just did, then maybe there really is not anything interesting to make us care. It is a good thing I watched this at home, because I may as well go to the ticket booth and throw my money at them out of boredom. I mean some of the supporting actors are just useless, as useless as the one guy who dies early in the movie so we do not have to know his story. Thank goodness for killing off actors so we can see some blood, but keeping them alive so they can be on camera...waste of a corpse. As an audience, we seek that glimmer of why we should care. In this movie, you can change the word cowboys and add just about anything to go with aliens and the movie would still be the same story. Let me try...Ninjas and Aliens...Homies from the Hood and Aliens... well...you get my point!
6/10
2011
I think trailers for movies nowadays are either getting lazy, or cynical for revealing almost the first 30 minutes of the film to us like this movie did. But that is not really reviewing the film, I just should not watch trailers because they are irrelevant in catching my interest. Heck No! If the trailer is going to do what it just did, then maybe there really is not anything interesting to make us care. It is a good thing I watched this at home, because I may as well go to the ticket booth and throw my money at them out of boredom. I mean some of the supporting actors are just useless, as useless as the one guy who dies early in the movie so we do not have to know his story. Thank goodness for killing off actors so we can see some blood, but keeping them alive so they can be on camera...waste of a corpse. As an audience, we seek that glimmer of why we should care. In this movie, you can change the word cowboys and add just about anything to go with aliens and the movie would still be the same story. Let me try...Ninjas and Aliens...Homies from the Hood and Aliens... well...you get my point!
6/10
_#12 Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (1/13/12)
Dir. Brad Bird
2011
Lets get this straight, I think Tom Cruise is a very awful person to put it politely. But besides him being 49 and insane, he puts on a pretty good show. I don't really keep up with the Mission Impossible franchises, but I found this movie quite delightful as with any action film I think is great. The story is extremely clear, and not difficult to follow. In fact, I was able to anticipate what was going to happen next which followed my expectations all the way to the end. Simply, the story is about this Russian antagonist who is bent on setting off nuclear warheads in order to start a nuclear war with America. Why? Because SCIENCE, nothing makes sense unless it is about evolution, or I think he is just plain evil. Well anyways, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his awesome team were chosen to stop this madman, but for some odd reason gets set up during their mission causing the Russian police to believe they are the terrorists, and chase them during the whole movie. They get an extra member of the team William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) who secretly is an agent, and has a secret involving Hunt's wife. (Good way to explain why they could not hire Julia Meade (Michelle Monaghan), better yet, Tom Cruise is just such an expensive actor to hire.) Film was fast paced and had all the fancy gadgetry we wished we had making the scenes entertaining and fresh. It did not make the movie too flashy as they did a great job with Tom Cruise's character development as the film progressed.
8/10
2011
Lets get this straight, I think Tom Cruise is a very awful person to put it politely. But besides him being 49 and insane, he puts on a pretty good show. I don't really keep up with the Mission Impossible franchises, but I found this movie quite delightful as with any action film I think is great. The story is extremely clear, and not difficult to follow. In fact, I was able to anticipate what was going to happen next which followed my expectations all the way to the end. Simply, the story is about this Russian antagonist who is bent on setting off nuclear warheads in order to start a nuclear war with America. Why? Because SCIENCE, nothing makes sense unless it is about evolution, or I think he is just plain evil. Well anyways, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his awesome team were chosen to stop this madman, but for some odd reason gets set up during their mission causing the Russian police to believe they are the terrorists, and chase them during the whole movie. They get an extra member of the team William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) who secretly is an agent, and has a secret involving Hunt's wife. (Good way to explain why they could not hire Julia Meade (Michelle Monaghan), better yet, Tom Cruise is just such an expensive actor to hire.) Film was fast paced and had all the fancy gadgetry we wished we had making the scenes entertaining and fresh. It did not make the movie too flashy as they did a great job with Tom Cruise's character development as the film progressed.
8/10
#11 A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (1/8/12)
Dir. Todd Strauss-Schulson
2011
This movie played at the dollar theater, and I actually felt excited to see it even though Christmas is already over. I do hate certain movies like "Scary Movie" where they ripoff every movie reference instead of creating their own original ideas. On the other hand, I am a huge fan when movies include witty references on the side, but the movie remains preserved with its own originality. It was hilarious to see a reference from my favorite Christmas movie "A Christmas Story." This movie is certain to offend a lot of people with the stereotypes, drugs, and over the top violence. This movie definitely stays true to its comedic appeal with weed and nudity. What more can you ask for from a movie of this caliber? This movie stays funny while having a plot, and has memorable experiences that will leave you dying of laughter. I freaking love the waffle bot and wished I could have one, just saying. It was a little disappointing seeing Neil Patrick Harris with so little appearances, but he executed his role amazingly and I still found him entertaining. Shall I say more? This movie was Legen...wait for it... DAIRY.
8.5/10
2011
This movie played at the dollar theater, and I actually felt excited to see it even though Christmas is already over. I do hate certain movies like "Scary Movie" where they ripoff every movie reference instead of creating their own original ideas. On the other hand, I am a huge fan when movies include witty references on the side, but the movie remains preserved with its own originality. It was hilarious to see a reference from my favorite Christmas movie "A Christmas Story." This movie is certain to offend a lot of people with the stereotypes, drugs, and over the top violence. This movie definitely stays true to its comedic appeal with weed and nudity. What more can you ask for from a movie of this caliber? This movie stays funny while having a plot, and has memorable experiences that will leave you dying of laughter. I freaking love the waffle bot and wished I could have one, just saying. It was a little disappointing seeing Neil Patrick Harris with so little appearances, but he executed his role amazingly and I still found him entertaining. Shall I say more? This movie was Legen...wait for it... DAIRY.
8.5/10
#10 The Devil Inside (1/7/12)
Dir. William Brent Bell
2012
Decided I was in the mood to watch a horror film with a friend this weekend. This film had a lot of hype, I was standing outside a club in front of the cinemas which had a really long line the day of the premiere. I am not a big fan of the documentary style cheap budget movies, but was willing to give this a shot. The movie is about this girl who is curious to find out what happened to her mom that made her want to kill three religious people. She flys all the way to Italy, and learns a lot about exorcism only to find out it is illegal to practice it without permission from the Vatican. She finds two rebel exorcists who perform it anyway, and show her that they are successful most of the time. Obviously, she asks for their help to free her mom only to find out her mom is a special case. This movie has great camera work, and spot on creepy thrills that may get the teenage girls to scream. The movie honestly was too short, and some scenes seemed so rushed like the baptism scene. I felt they wanted to build the suspense, and ran out of ideas to keep the ride moving so intensely. Maybe, the ending was just a reality of how pissed evil can get. Anyways, the lack of effort to satisfy the audience all the way to the end probably will leave a bunch wanting their money back and time.
6/10
2012
Decided I was in the mood to watch a horror film with a friend this weekend. This film had a lot of hype, I was standing outside a club in front of the cinemas which had a really long line the day of the premiere. I am not a big fan of the documentary style cheap budget movies, but was willing to give this a shot. The movie is about this girl who is curious to find out what happened to her mom that made her want to kill three religious people. She flys all the way to Italy, and learns a lot about exorcism only to find out it is illegal to practice it without permission from the Vatican. She finds two rebel exorcists who perform it anyway, and show her that they are successful most of the time. Obviously, she asks for their help to free her mom only to find out her mom is a special case. This movie has great camera work, and spot on creepy thrills that may get the teenage girls to scream. The movie honestly was too short, and some scenes seemed so rushed like the baptism scene. I felt they wanted to build the suspense, and ran out of ideas to keep the ride moving so intensely. Maybe, the ending was just a reality of how pissed evil can get. Anyways, the lack of effort to satisfy the audience all the way to the end probably will leave a bunch wanting their money back and time.
6/10
#9 Garden State (1/1/12)
Dir. Zach Braff
2004
What better way to end this year, and start the new with such an amazing film. The beginning of the movie caught my interest so quickly, but I just have to say Zach Braff and Natalie Portman are an awesome cast to begin with. Natalie was so goofy in this movie in a cute random way. The scene where she put her headphones on Zach made me smile when I heard The Shins. I just love how they depicted the different types of cultures in New Jersey, it opens the variety of lifestyles and choices people make to live their lives. The story was simple, and yet powerful in showing an individual having to find himself coming back to a home he was sent away from. The whole point of him coming back was because his mother died, but amazingly he meets a girl that changes his life. The ending was really smooth, because I have actually watched other films that do not turn out that way. (Friends get really pissed, fortunately this film satisfies the majority.) Not much else I can say except why haven't I seen this film before.
10/10
2004
What better way to end this year, and start the new with such an amazing film. The beginning of the movie caught my interest so quickly, but I just have to say Zach Braff and Natalie Portman are an awesome cast to begin with. Natalie was so goofy in this movie in a cute random way. The scene where she put her headphones on Zach made me smile when I heard The Shins. I just love how they depicted the different types of cultures in New Jersey, it opens the variety of lifestyles and choices people make to live their lives. The story was simple, and yet powerful in showing an individual having to find himself coming back to a home he was sent away from. The whole point of him coming back was because his mother died, but amazingly he meets a girl that changes his life. The ending was really smooth, because I have actually watched other films that do not turn out that way. (Friends get really pissed, fortunately this film satisfies the majority.) Not much else I can say except why haven't I seen this film before.
10/10
#8 Mr. Popper's Penguins (12/26/11)
Dir. Mark Waters
2011
Not one of Jim Carrey's best works, but I just had to see this movie for myself. I have been forever haunted with the fact that my friends remember me having a Mr. Popper's Penguins poster I got for free hanging on my wall. It was hilarious how South Park depicted this film being covered with fecal matter. I did not let that influence me while watching this, so anyways, this film actually was not too bad. If I can say it was bad at all, the movie had an interesting plot that I felt Jim Carrey was the man for the job. This movie definitely fits for a young audience, but I think adults can get some laughs and stay entertained throughout. In today's society, I feel family is taken for granted and people just get lost in their ambitions forgetting to spend quality time with them. People do not realize that their loved ones will not always be there forever (ha! makes me think of the song by the Flaming Lips "Do You Realize.), I would love to go into a rant about this but that is besides the point of the film. This film does an excellent job to show family being important and everything, but what about the freaking penguins? The penguins were real, but the cooler stuff was just cgi. Overall, I would recommend this movie if you are watching with family.
7.5/10
2011
Not one of Jim Carrey's best works, but I just had to see this movie for myself. I have been forever haunted with the fact that my friends remember me having a Mr. Popper's Penguins poster I got for free hanging on my wall. It was hilarious how South Park depicted this film being covered with fecal matter. I did not let that influence me while watching this, so anyways, this film actually was not too bad. If I can say it was bad at all, the movie had an interesting plot that I felt Jim Carrey was the man for the job. This movie definitely fits for a young audience, but I think adults can get some laughs and stay entertained throughout. In today's society, I feel family is taken for granted and people just get lost in their ambitions forgetting to spend quality time with them. People do not realize that their loved ones will not always be there forever (ha! makes me think of the song by the Flaming Lips "Do You Realize.), I would love to go into a rant about this but that is besides the point of the film. This film does an excellent job to show family being important and everything, but what about the freaking penguins? The penguins were real, but the cooler stuff was just cgi. Overall, I would recommend this movie if you are watching with family.
7.5/10
#7 Fist 2 Fist (12/25/11)
Dir. Jino Kang
2011
I have seen some pretty bad mma movies, and when I stumbled into this one it was no surprise. Do not get me wrong, Bill Duff was interesting to watch on the "Human Weapon." He knows his mma and is a humble guy. The acting on the other hand may be questionable, lets face it some people were not meant to be charismatic on the camera but without a doubt can fight. The fight scenes just made me burst out laughing, with the slow paced unrealistic street fighting. (Literally a lot of unnecessary slow motion scenes) I do like the idea of the story though, the main character facing off with an old friend and unsettling images of the past. If anything, I do appreciate the actual technique shown in the fights and how they train. It does not mask the horrible acting, so please do not watch this unless you have nothing better to do. I think it is safe to say the Jackie Chan and Jet Li movies have more elegantly entertaining action fights that will not disappoint fans within that genre. Sorry fisting movie, you are bad all around in more ways than just your name.
4/10
2011
I have seen some pretty bad mma movies, and when I stumbled into this one it was no surprise. Do not get me wrong, Bill Duff was interesting to watch on the "Human Weapon." He knows his mma and is a humble guy. The acting on the other hand may be questionable, lets face it some people were not meant to be charismatic on the camera but without a doubt can fight. The fight scenes just made me burst out laughing, with the slow paced unrealistic street fighting. (Literally a lot of unnecessary slow motion scenes) I do like the idea of the story though, the main character facing off with an old friend and unsettling images of the past. If anything, I do appreciate the actual technique shown in the fights and how they train. It does not mask the horrible acting, so please do not watch this unless you have nothing better to do. I think it is safe to say the Jackie Chan and Jet Li movies have more elegantly entertaining action fights that will not disappoint fans within that genre. Sorry fisting movie, you are bad all around in more ways than just your name.
4/10
#6 Fantastic Mr. Fox (12/22/11)
Dir. Wes Anderson
2009
I just have to say wow when I watched this movie. The all-star cast of actors was just "Fantastic." George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, FREAKING Bill Murray. Movies based on books always get me excited. I personally enjoyed how they personified the animals, and gave them unique personalities. If you try to make sense of everything, you may end up feeling like you are on something. The characters themselves even question why they made a letter with cutouts. This movie was hilarious, and it even had its touching moments. There may be something wrong with me, but I love saying Kristofferson. That character would have to be my favorite as well. The music went so well with all the scenes, and I liked the way everything looked. If you watch this movie more than once, you may notice things in the background that you did not realize before. When it comes to movie criticism, I think it's important to keep in mind that certain movies are meant for certain audiences and it should be viewed and critiqued in a way that was intended towards that particular range of people. I really liked this film, and people may see me as weird but that is why there are other movies that people can watch.
9/10
2009
I just have to say wow when I watched this movie. The all-star cast of actors was just "Fantastic." George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, FREAKING Bill Murray. Movies based on books always get me excited. I personally enjoyed how they personified the animals, and gave them unique personalities. If you try to make sense of everything, you may end up feeling like you are on something. The characters themselves even question why they made a letter with cutouts. This movie was hilarious, and it even had its touching moments. There may be something wrong with me, but I love saying Kristofferson. That character would have to be my favorite as well. The music went so well with all the scenes, and I liked the way everything looked. If you watch this movie more than once, you may notice things in the background that you did not realize before. When it comes to movie criticism, I think it's important to keep in mind that certain movies are meant for certain audiences and it should be viewed and critiqued in a way that was intended towards that particular range of people. I really liked this film, and people may see me as weird but that is why there are other movies that people can watch.
9/10
#5 Rise of the Planet of the Apes (12/21/11)
Dir. Rupert Wyatt
2011
I was not the biggest fan of the first movie, and going into a huge debate of why Mighty Joe Young is in a police outfit can be tiresome. This movie got really scientific in explaining the origin of how it all started, which I found quite interesting. The cast of actors felt right, James Franco played a serious role in this movie. (Although it was funny seeing him smoking weed and fighting minotaurs.) Freida Pinto, who people will remember from "Slumdog Millionaire" played the stereotypical Indian doctor rather well. I just love love loved the part when Tom Felton appears in the movie harassing monkeys. Oh I hate that guy even more, but could not get the image of him as Draco Malfoy like he is torturing Harry in the cell. He definitely fits the role well of being the bully in this movie. I probably would not want to watch this movie again, but it is pretty good if you want an idea of what happened before the first movie.
7/10
2011
I was not the biggest fan of the first movie, and going into a huge debate of why Mighty Joe Young is in a police outfit can be tiresome. This movie got really scientific in explaining the origin of how it all started, which I found quite interesting. The cast of actors felt right, James Franco played a serious role in this movie. (Although it was funny seeing him smoking weed and fighting minotaurs.) Freida Pinto, who people will remember from "Slumdog Millionaire" played the stereotypical Indian doctor rather well. I just love love loved the part when Tom Felton appears in the movie harassing monkeys. Oh I hate that guy even more, but could not get the image of him as Draco Malfoy like he is torturing Harry in the cell. He definitely fits the role well of being the bully in this movie. I probably would not want to watch this movie again, but it is pretty good if you want an idea of what happened before the first movie.
7/10
#4 Crazy, Stupid, Love (12/17/11)
_Dir. Glenn Ficarra & John Requa
2011
People who know me will know that I am a huge fan of Steve Carell, and "The Office." Contrary to popular belief with film lovers tending to dislike romantic comedies, I also embrace romcom. It is a shame really, girls can get away with loving any genre of movie, but if a guy likes a romantic comedy they are just plain...well...weird. According to what society says nowadays. Any who, this movie starts off a little slow in its hook factor, but picks up towards the middle with a huge twist near the end. I am just loving the cast, fresh faces like Emma Stone and veterans Kevin Bacon give this film a great mixture. Steve Carell does a great job in fitting the role from "boring" dad to hip ladies man. The witty comedic humor will not disappoint in this film, especially if you are into allusions or "The Office." There would be a few things I would change that made me feel a bit uncomfortable like the 13-year old boy's love for the babysitter who is in love with Steve Carell. That might just be me, but I felt the film could do without. It was also a bit cliché to say the least with Ryan Gosling's character becoming a changed man after meeting the one, but what can you do.
7.5/10
2011
People who know me will know that I am a huge fan of Steve Carell, and "The Office." Contrary to popular belief with film lovers tending to dislike romantic comedies, I also embrace romcom. It is a shame really, girls can get away with loving any genre of movie, but if a guy likes a romantic comedy they are just plain...well...weird. According to what society says nowadays. Any who, this movie starts off a little slow in its hook factor, but picks up towards the middle with a huge twist near the end. I am just loving the cast, fresh faces like Emma Stone and veterans Kevin Bacon give this film a great mixture. Steve Carell does a great job in fitting the role from "boring" dad to hip ladies man. The witty comedic humor will not disappoint in this film, especially if you are into allusions or "The Office." There would be a few things I would change that made me feel a bit uncomfortable like the 13-year old boy's love for the babysitter who is in love with Steve Carell. That might just be me, but I felt the film could do without. It was also a bit cliché to say the least with Ryan Gosling's character becoming a changed man after meeting the one, but what can you do.
7.5/10
#3 The Fall (12/14/11)
Dir. Tarsem Singh
2006
I have not the slightest clue why I never heard of this movie before until now. I am not the biggest fan of that gut wrenching butterfly feeling in my stomach, but this film did not disappoint. The story starts out in the 1920's, with this young innocent European girl who has a broken arm. While wandering around the hospital, she meets a man who is stuck in a hospital bed because he is unable to move his legs due to some stunt accident. The man tells an adventurous tale to the young girl, in return she would steal some morphine from the hospital so he can commit suicide. The young girl played by Catinca Untaru does not know about his ulterior motive, so she plays along as being a bandit like in the story. I would say the young actress impressed me the most, because she is only like 6 and is capable of playing such a mature emotional role while at the same time a naive child. This would be difficult even for adults to pull off. Besides that, I just loved the cinematography and how it captivated my mood like a book you could not stop reading. For a film like this, I do not have much to criticize about, because I felt it was made so well.
10/10
_
2006
I have not the slightest clue why I never heard of this movie before until now. I am not the biggest fan of that gut wrenching butterfly feeling in my stomach, but this film did not disappoint. The story starts out in the 1920's, with this young innocent European girl who has a broken arm. While wandering around the hospital, she meets a man who is stuck in a hospital bed because he is unable to move his legs due to some stunt accident. The man tells an adventurous tale to the young girl, in return she would steal some morphine from the hospital so he can commit suicide. The young girl played by Catinca Untaru does not know about his ulterior motive, so she plays along as being a bandit like in the story. I would say the young actress impressed me the most, because she is only like 6 and is capable of playing such a mature emotional role while at the same time a naive child. This would be difficult even for adults to pull off. Besides that, I just loved the cinematography and how it captivated my mood like a book you could not stop reading. For a film like this, I do not have much to criticize about, because I felt it was made so well.
10/10
_
#2 Anonymous (12/12/11)
Dir. Roland Emmerich
2011
I was looking forward to actually watching "The Skin I Live In," but this movie came to mind since I missed the last showing in the only theater that was playing it...Well, what can I say except I like movies with that renaissance feel to it. The movie is quite sophisticated with references that I could not even comprehend before I took classes in English Literature. The dialogue is Old English so the literal meaning of things may be confusing to some. The flash back past scenes took some time getting use to because the transitions were completely spontaneous. The movie was well written, and very witty. It was also a breath of fresh air to see all of the old plays such as "Hamlet" and "Romeo and Juliet". It makes me so nostalgic of my high school year when I had to memorize the "To Be or Not To Be" soliloquy. The power of words came to mind as I was watching this, and the film does a great job to depict to the audience how effective writing can be to public opinion. This movie may not be for the faint of heart, but I highly recommend it. I feel not many people where I live gave this movie a chance. When I went to watch this inside the theater, it was me sitting behind an elderly couple. Oh woe is me to take a risk of watching a movie I may not like, but I was glad to see a fine piece.
9/10
2011
I was looking forward to actually watching "The Skin I Live In," but this movie came to mind since I missed the last showing in the only theater that was playing it...Well, what can I say except I like movies with that renaissance feel to it. The movie is quite sophisticated with references that I could not even comprehend before I took classes in English Literature. The dialogue is Old English so the literal meaning of things may be confusing to some. The flash back past scenes took some time getting use to because the transitions were completely spontaneous. The movie was well written, and very witty. It was also a breath of fresh air to see all of the old plays such as "Hamlet" and "Romeo and Juliet". It makes me so nostalgic of my high school year when I had to memorize the "To Be or Not To Be" soliloquy. The power of words came to mind as I was watching this, and the film does a great job to depict to the audience how effective writing can be to public opinion. This movie may not be for the faint of heart, but I highly recommend it. I feel not many people where I live gave this movie a chance. When I went to watch this inside the theater, it was me sitting behind an elderly couple. Oh woe is me to take a risk of watching a movie I may not like, but I was glad to see a fine piece.
9/10
#1 A Clockwork Orange (12/11/11)
Dir. Stanley Kubrick
1971
My mind was so ready for this movie, but the first 30 minutes maybe not. I watched this movie at night and had to look back at my door just to make sure none of my family thought I was watching porn. The protagonist depicted by Malcolm McDowell was just captivating. The perspective of his character shows a lot of sociological, and psychological problems in today's society. This movie intrigued me very much with all the sophisticated references, and comparisons that still pertain to present day. The fragility of individuals, and how prone they are to sexual attacks depicts the power struggle that can be seen all over the world. I am just awed that this film was created about 4 decades ago. I give Kubrick many props for being ahead of his time. The many angles, scenes, and shots were just so good even with the camera technology that was present at the time. I cannot praise him enough for how well he me made this movie. It does the film no justice to just talk about it, go and see the dystopia for yourself.
9/10
1971
My mind was so ready for this movie, but the first 30 minutes maybe not. I watched this movie at night and had to look back at my door just to make sure none of my family thought I was watching porn. The protagonist depicted by Malcolm McDowell was just captivating. The perspective of his character shows a lot of sociological, and psychological problems in today's society. This movie intrigued me very much with all the sophisticated references, and comparisons that still pertain to present day. The fragility of individuals, and how prone they are to sexual attacks depicts the power struggle that can be seen all over the world. I am just awed that this film was created about 4 decades ago. I give Kubrick many props for being ahead of his time. The many angles, scenes, and shots were just so good even with the camera technology that was present at the time. I cannot praise him enough for how well he me made this movie. It does the film no justice to just talk about it, go and see the dystopia for yourself.
9/10