This is the section of the site where I will post movie reviews. The first section has my recent reviews, with a rating system being from to , with 5 being the best. The second section has my all-time favorite movies.
Recent Reviews
Death Sentence (2007)
This movie stars Kevin Bacon as Nick Hume, a seemingly regular guy living the American dream (good job, nice house, beautiful wife – played by Kelly Preston, and two sons).However that dream is shattered one night at a gas station where he sees his oldest son get killed by gang members as part of an initiation ritual.The killer is caught by the police but Nick is crushed to learn (if he’s found guilty) that he will only receive a minimal sentence since nobody else witnessed the attack.At the trial, Nick surprises everyone and does not finger the accused, instead formulating his own plan of revenge.This set-up sounds exciting, but probably the major problem with the movie is that Bacon’s character is not developed enough to make us believe that he is capable of executing his own revenge.The movie becomes more and more laughable as Nick plunges deeper into his insane obsession.I think if more time had been spent on Nick’s character (for example a military background), the movie would have been much more believable. However, if you’re not looking for a believable action-drama, then I would recommend this movie.How many action movies are believable anyway?Despite its flaws it was an enjoyable movie, even if it wasn’t realistic.Also, it’s from the director of Saw, and so as expected the action scenes are extra bloody and gory (if that’s something you’re into).
A Simple Plan (1998)
This movie stars Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton as Hank & Jacob Mitchell, brothers who with a friend find a downed plane out in the woods on New Years Eve day.Upon investigating they find that it contains a duffel bag filled with money - $4.4 million to be exact.They come to a decision that they will tell nobody about what they found (not even their wives), and that Hank will hold onto the bag until the spring, and then if nobody has turned up looking for it by then they will split the money evenly.Upon returning home that night Hank immediately tells his wife, played by Bridget Fonda.From there things get worse for the three men, as greed and paranoia begin to fester inside them.One thing after another spirals out of control, and we find out how far these men are willing to go to protect their “treasure”.This movie reminded me a bit of Fargo, which used a similar idea.The actors give good performances, and even though as viewers we might disagree with the characters’ actions, we don’t really know what we would do in that situation.Overall it was a decent movie; it wasn’t incredible, but it’s probably worth a viewing.
Secret Window (2004)
This movie is based on a short story by none other than Stephen King.It stars Johnny Depp as Mort Rainey, a reclusive writer who is going through a somewhat bitter divorce.He lives in a secluded wooded area with his dog, where he spends most of his day sleeping and the rest of it attempting to write.He is approached and stalked by a mysterious man named John Shooter (played by John Turturro), who claims that Mort plagiarized his story some years back.John is very angry and wants Mort to “fix it”, and threatens violence against him and people he knows if he doesn’t cooperate. Mort must struggle to deal with not only Shooter, but eventually himself as well.I wasn’t expecting much going into this movie, and I felt like I got what I expected.The movie brought nothing new to the table; even its “twist ending” has been done before (in 1999, to be exact).Overall, if you need a time-waster on a rainy day, then I guess this wouldn’t be a horrible choice, but hopefully you find yourself with other options.
Apocalypto (2006)
This movie was directed by Mel Gibson, a person who has been a somewhat controversial figure as of late for his alleged anti-Semitic remarks.The last movie he directed, The Passion of the Christ, was also controversial since it focused solely on the suffering of Jesus.All of this might keep some viewers away from Apocalypto, but I feel like I can give an unbiased review of it since I was not offended by either of the two instances I mentioned.This movie is about the decline of the Mayan civilization (in what would today be Mexico or South America), focusing specifically on Jaguar Paw and his entire family.One morning a group of invaders comes into the camp and captures most of its inhabitants; a few were killed, including Jaguar Paw’s father in a cruel death.However, Jaguar Paw was able to lower his pregnant wife and young son into a well right before he was captured.Unaware of their destination, the captives are led on a dangerous trek through forest, river, and desert until they arrive at a huge temple, where the women are sold and the men are to be sacrificed to the gods.The movie centers on Jaguar Paw’s seemingly hopeless struggle to survive and return to his wife and son.In this film I didn’t feel that the story was anything special; in fact most of it has been done before.However its setting was unique and was done very well; the clothes, the language, and the sometimes brutal nature of the Mayan culture all seemed completely authentic.This culture, which is completely foreign to modern-day society, was brought to life in such a way that seemed totally natural; a very ironic moment at the end of the movie drives home this point.Overall I would recommend this movie, assuming some brutal violence doesn’t bother you.
Waiting… (2005)
This comedy is about a day in the life of waiters at a restaurant called Shenaniganz (which looked very similar to one of the Bennigan’s restaurants).It stars Ryan Reynolds, Anna Faris, and David Koechner among others (notably Dane Cook, who is really funny as part of the kitchen staff).With definite shades of Clerks, the movie takes us through what a day in the restaurant is like, namely the colorful array of customers, the goofing off that goes on behind the scenes by the employees, and all the little quirks that come with working at a restaurant such as Shenaniganz (like when waiters come to the table and memorize everyone’s order instead of writing it down).I watched the unrated version which did have a few raunchy scenes and which also made me realize even more that when you eat out, you are at the total mercy of the staff (which is why I never send back my food).Overall I felt that the movie offered a pretty realistic portrayal of what it would be like to work in a restaurant, and that’s what made this comedy work for me.One of the reasons why I’m not a big comedy fan is that most comedies are just too unrealistic.Watching this movie was refreshing for me, because it made me laugh at things that probably occur in restaurants all over the country.I feel that this movie is underrated, and can hold its own against more popular comedies like Old School and Wedding Crashers.
Blood Diamond (2006)
This movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou (who you may remember from Gladiator), and Jennifer Connelly.In Sierra Leone, Solomon’s family has been taken and he has been forced to dig for diamonds by the evil revolutionaries that are taking over his country.He comes upon a huge diamond, which he buries right before the government’s army attacks the camp where he is working.Danny Archer (DiCaprio), a South African diamond smuggler working for one of the biggest diamond distributors in Europe, comes across Solomon and tells him that he will bring him to his family if Solomon leads him to the hidden diamond.Jennifer Connelly plays Maddy Bowen, a journalist in search of a story on these so-called “conflict diamonds”, which Archer knows a lot about.The unlikely trio join up, each of them in pursuit of their own treasure.I didn’t really know what to expect from this movie as the previews didn’t appeal to me (especially seeing DiCaprio trying to pull off a South African accent), but I had heard great things about it.I must say I was fully entertained by the movie and pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it so much.The balance of drama and action worked perfectly, as well as some horrific scenes of life in these diamond camps, run by heartless rebels.Best of all, I couldn’t help but feel for Solomon’s situation, and hoped that Archer would be able to put aside his monetary pursuits to help a fellow human being.Directed by Edward Zwick, who also directed my favorite movie of all time, Glory, this movie should not be missed.
Spider-man 3 (2007)
This is the third installment to the wildly successful series of films devoted to Spider-man.Unlike the first two films however, this film deals with multiple storylines at the same time.One of them is the mysterious black ooze which has come from outer space and, upon attaching itself to a person, brings out his inner evil; this leads to the creation of one villain, Venom (it also creates an alternate Spider-man).Another storyline is Spider-man’s battle with Sandman, who is the main villain of the film.Yet another storyline is Peter Parker’s struggle with his friend Harry, who is convinced that Spider-man killed his father; this results in the creation of a third villain, New Goblin.And just when we thought Peter and Mary Jane were going to live happily ever after, relationship issues develop and create yet another storyline.I felt like there was a little too much going on in this film compared to the previous two films; part of what made the previous films great is that the storylines were simple.Another thing that bothered me was that the black ooze, a major plot point, was never explained.Throughout the film series there has been an explanation of everything else (i.e., the creation of Spider-man and his villains), but for some reason the writers chose not to explain the ooze.I also feel that at this point in the series too many people know that Peter Parker is Spider-man; part of a superhero’s allure is that his/her identity is a secret.So overall, the movie was pretty good, but definitely not as good as the previous two.If there is a fourth movie I think the writers should go back to the basics, which is what made the series so popular in the first place.
Saw III (2006)
For those of you who did not like the original Saw, you probably didn't bother with Saw II or this third installment. However, if you enjoyed the original then you should have seen (and probably did see) both sequels. This trilogy as a whole is different from the typical horror movie series in that these stories are so intertwined that you have to see them all in order to understand what is going on. As an example, look at the Scream movies, which are pretty much only connected by the main character (played by Neve Campbell); other than that the three stories are pretty much independent of each other. On the other hand, the Saw movies go well above and beyond this, and it is very obvious that the writers did a lot more than just string some gory scenes together. They spent time working on the overall story of the series, which results in a much more interesting experience. Saw III picks up right where the second movie left off, which of course leads into more victims being trapped in different "death devices." The lead character is Lynn, played by the beautiful Bahar Soomekh (previously seen in Crash), who does a great job in her role. I still have to say that the original Saw is my favorite of the three, but overall I think the whole trilogy is great, and I do not consider myself a horror fan; it is the ever-developing story that keeps me going back for more. Rumor has it that a fourth movie is in the works, and I can't wait!
Rocky Balboa (2006)
As most people are aware, this is the sixth Rocky movie, which concludes a film series that has spanned 30 years (which is longer than I've been around). The movie seems to pick up several years after the time period of Rocky V. Rocky's wife Adrian died of cancer about 3 years ago, and Rocky now owns a restaurant named in the memory of his late wife. His son Robert has some kind of accounting job in downtown Philadelphia and does not have much of a relationship with his father. Rocky spends lots of time at Adrian's gravestone and generally seems to be missing her deeply. Because of a simulated boxing match that ESPN puts together between Rocky and the current heavyweight champion Mason "The Line" Dixon, Rocky realizes he still has some fire left inside him and wants to box in some small local fights. Soon Mason's promoters get wind of this and approach Rocky about an exhibition match with the current champ, which Rocky accepts after much thought. When I first heard about this movie I wasn't expecting much from it; I mean, how good of a story can be made about the character of Rocky after five previous films, and with Rocky approaching senior citizen status? However, after hearing all the recent praise for this film I considered that maybe Sylvester Stallone had written an ingenious plot after all. And so finally I saw the movie for myself, and I have to say that for the most part I disagree with the critics' praise. On a positive note it IS a better finish to the series than Rocky V would have been; however Rocky V was much more realisitc than this sixth installment. There is no way this fight between Rocky and Mason Dixon would have taken place in real life, and even if it had, would the result of the fight be the same as in the movie (which I won't give away)? Also, apparently Stallone felt he needed to insert a new female lead character into the story. So he introduced Marie, who Rocky knew as a little girl, who now has a son of her own, Steps. For me these two characters were awkward and unnecessary, except for the fact that they created drama in the story. Rocky treats them like his own family, but we don't really know why. He gives both of them jobs at his restaurant, and they also travel with him to Las Vegas for his big fight (which is just odd). Also, Rocky's relationship with his son improves by the end of the movie, thanks in part to the son QUITTING HIS JOB to spend more time with his father (talk about a forced plot resolution). So overall, I thought the movie was ok, but definitely nothing to get too excited about. It is a decent ending to the film series, but by itself I don't think it's that great of a movie.
Running Scared (2006)
This movie stars Paul Walker as Joey Gazelle, a low-level criminal involved in a botched deal where supposedly dirty cops were killed. Joey's partners give him the murder weapons and tell him to dispose of them, but instead Joey hides them in his basement. Oleg, his son's friend who lives next door, ends up stealing one of the guns and using it on his abusive step-father. Now, with two of his gang members and one of the dirty cops on his tail (played by Chazz Palminteri), Joey must race to find Oleg and the gun before they do. Going into this movie I didn't really know what it was about, but I was told by a couple people that it was good. Unfortunately I think those couple of people were on some kind of drug, because I thought this movie was absolutely ridiculous. The story was completely absurd, especially when the major twist is revealed. I did think some of the individual scenes were creative, but put together it just wasn't a believable movie. Also, at some points the style of filming was a bit over the top, with flashes of light and scenes being shown in reverse after they had just happened. Because of the incredible suspension of disbelief required to enjoy this movie, as well as the nonsensical filming techniques used, after a while I lost interest in what was going to happen to Joey and Oleg. I could have easily stopped the movie in the middle, but I had nothing better to do so I finished it. For some reason this movie is rated a 7.5 out of 10 on IMDb.com, so maybe it is just me that missed something, but my take is that all the elements were there to make a good movie, and some of the individual scenes were very good, but the sum total just didn't work.
United 93 (2006)
I believe this film was the first major motion picture to be released concerning the events of 9/11. Starring an unknown cast, the drama unfolds at various air traffic control facilities, as well as on the doomed United Airlines flight 93. Of course, what happened on the airplane will probably never be known for sure, but the film attempts to reconstruct what likely happened, based in part on phone calls made from the passengers to their loved ones. The movie shows how air traffic controllers slowly began to realize what was happening that day after the World Trade Center towers were hit. We also see the passengers aboard flight 93 learn about the WTC and Pentagon bombings, and how this information drove them to take action. All in all I thought this movie was very well done; I feel that it was not over-dramaticized and that it did justice to everyone involved in that day's events. The style of filming added to the realism, putting the viewer right there on the plane with all the terrified passengers. The final scenes of the movie are probably some of the most chillingly intense I've ever seen. There are conspiracy theorists out there that suggest the plane was shot down by the U.S. military, and I'm in no position to say if they are correct. However, based on taped phone calls between the passengers and their loved ones on the ground, it does seem likely that the passengers did take some kind of action against the terrorists, which seems to be more than enough reason to make a film such as this one.
American Dreamz (2006)
This movie stars Mandy Moore as Sally Kendoo, a hopeful contestant on the wildly popular tv singing contest "American Dreamz". She tries to dump her boyfriend William (played by Chris Klein) but is advised by her agent that it will help with her "story" if she's with him. The host of the show, Martin Tweed (played by Hugh Grant), is tired of his job and wants some real excitement for the upcoming season. He tells the producers to find him "an Iraqi and a Jew". The Iraqi ends up being a failed terrorist who was kicked out of Iraq and sent to live with relatives in CA. Also starring in the movie are Dennis Quaid as President Staton, and Willem Dafoe playing his Chief of Staff. The President has just won re-election but is in a funk, tired of always being told what to do and what to say. His advisors suggest that he make an appearance on "American Dreamz" to boost his image. This movie was a complete parody of real life in America: the show was obviously based on "American Idol", and Martin Tweed was a combination of Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell (complete with implementing cliffhanger commercial breaks and giving contestants rude critiques). President Staton played a satirical George Bush, and his Chief of Staff looked a lot like Dick Cheney. Overall the movie was ok; I appreciate what it attempted to do, and I think it's good that we can make fun of ourselves, even if the fun is poked at some very serious topics. But I can see how some people might not find this movie funny, especially the scenes in the terrorist training camps. I didn't find the movie that funny, but I'm not one to laugh easily. I am also not offended easily, but I know lots of other people are and may not see the film for what it is: a satire.
The Break-Up (2006)
This movie stars two of Hollywood's hottest actors, Vince Vaughn & Jennifer Aniston. Also with supporting roles are Vincent D'Onofrio, Jon Favreau, Joey Lauren Adams, and Jason Bateman. Considering the talent that this movie is stacked with, I was pretty confident that it was going to be an enjoyable movie. It basically follows the dating relationship of Gary & Brooke, from when they meet to when they break-up, but mostly the breaking up part. The problem is that they jointly own a condo, and neither one of them wants to give it up. As you can imagine, it is one struggle after another as they are constantly trying to one-up each other. All of this sounds like a great movie, but it didn't really amount to much. This was the second movie I've seen recently that was advertised as a comedy but really wasn't one; Click was the first one (scroll down for my review). And I don't think it was supposed to be funny either; it seemed like half the movie showed Gary and Brooke arguing, but not even in a comedic way. Have you ever been with a couple who is arguing, and you feel uncomfortable and maybe like you shouldn't be there? Well if so, this is EXACTLY how this movie made me feel. Unlike Click, which in my opinion was a pretty good movie even without the laughs, The Break-Up was awkward and not really an interesting movie. Unfortunately I can't really recommend this one, unless you're REALLY desperate.
A History Of Violence (2005)
This movie stars Viggo Mortensen as Tom Stall, a small town diner owner living in Indiana with his wife and son. One night two gunmen enter the diner, threatening Tom and two other workers. Tom reacts and ends up killing the two men, and he is soon hailed as the town hero. The much-publicized story grabs the attention of Carl Fogarty (played by Ed Harris), a mobster from Philadelphia who swears he knows Tom as Joey Cusack. Suddenly Tom's quiet life is turned upside-down, as he must now deal with this new-found fame and a very persistent Carl, who will not leave the town without taking Tom with him. I thought this movie was pretty decent. It kept me guessing throughout, and there weren't really any slow moments. Without giving too much away though, I felt that more scenes could have been added to give the movie more depth; it was a very quick 96-minute movie. References were made by the characters that I think deserved much more screen time. Also, we see that the son has a problem with a bully at school, but this storyline didn't really contribute to the main story. I think the movie would have worked just as well as it did without this side story. Overall though, I guess I would recommend the movie; I wasn't disappointed, I just felt it could have been even better.
Click (2006)
This movie stars Adam Sandler as Michael Newman, a man who has let his job as an architect completely take over his life, and as a result he has no time for his wife and kids. One night he goes to the store looking to buy a universal remote control because he is sick of never being able to turn on the tv. He meets a weird store clerk played by Christopher Walken, who takes him into the bowels of the store and presents him with a remote control free of charge, and the clerk tells Michael that it is a nonreturnable item. Michael soon realizes that this "universal" remote does a lot more than control his tv, and at first he has lots of fun with his new toy as he fast forwards through all the boring or painful moments in his life. Eventually though, the remote starts to have a mind of its own, skipping over moments that Michael does not want to skip. Overall I thought this was a decent movie, but I don't think it should have been advertised as a comedy. I would imagine that many Adam Sandler fans were disappointed with this one, because it turned into kind of a dark drama about halfway through. Going in I wasn't expecting to laugh (as usual) so I was not disappointed; in fact, it was the storyline that drew me to watch. The movie probably would have worked better if someone other than Sandler played the main character, because there would have been fewer forced comedy scenes, which would have resulted in a better quality movie overall. So if you haven't seen it yet, just don't expect to laugh too much, and you will probably enjoy it.
The Professional (1994)
Also known under the title Leon, this movie was directed by Luc Besson, who also wrote Kiss of the Dragon and both installments of The Transporter, both top-notch action movies in my opinion. This movie stars Jean Reno as Leon, a professional hit man whose life outside of the job is almost the complete opposite of what you would expect: he enjoys musicals, milk, and his plant. A little girl named Mathilda (played by Natalie Portman in her film debut) is suddenly thrust into his life after her whole family is gunned down by drug dealers; this creates a huge conflict with Leon's lifestyle, as he is used to being alone. He is forced to choose between his life of solitude and life with Mathilda. I thought this movie was very well done, probably the best out of the ones I mentioned earlier. 13-year-old Natalie Portman delivers an unbelievable performance as a young teenager forced to deal with her horrible situation in life. Gary Oldman is also fantastic as Stansfield, the man responsible for the murder of Mathilda's family. Jean Reno, who I haven't seen much of, plays his role perfectly as an emotional hit man. Danny Aiello also has a supporting role as Leon's employer, who I also enjoyed watching. The action AND story in this movie were both great, a rarity in the action film genre; I highly recommend The Professional to anyone looking for such a movie.
Snakes On A Plane (2006)
This is the kind of movie that you wouldn't expect much from, and sometimes it is this kind of movie that pleasantly surprises you. Samuel L. Jackson stars as Neville Flynn, a law enforcement agent escorting a murder witness aboard a plane from Hawaii to Los Angeles so that he may testify in court. The ruthless murderer however is very clever, and plants a "bomb" on the plane: a huge container filled with aggressive, poisonous snakes. His hope is that one way or another, the witness will not make it off the plane alive. I went into this movie not expecting much, especially with a premise like this one. However, I was very intrigued by all of the internet buzz on this film, and in the end I really enjoyed the movie. I didn't feel like it got cheesy at all, which I was totally expecting. I felt it was clever at times, tense at other times, and exciting all over. The movie will make you cringe and laugh at the same time, if that's at all possible. It's definitely the best "animals vs. people" movie in a while. If I had to compare it to something else I've seen, I'd liken it to Gremlins. So overall, if you're looking to have a good time seeing a movie, and if you don't have a really weak stomach, I recommend this movie.
Firewall (2006)
This movie stars Harrison Ford as Jack Stanfield, who heads a security system for a large bank. His wife and two children are held as prisoners in their home by a group of thieves, the leader of which is Bill Cox (played by Paul Bettany). They want Jack to find a way through the security system that he designed and transfer a large amount of cash to their offshore accounts. They watch Jack's every move at work by outfitting him with a hidden microphone and camera, and even Bill himself poses as a potential investor to gain access to the building. At first Jack and his family try to resist, but they soon find out that these thieves are dead serious and are perfectly capable of killing. Overall I thought the movie was pretty exciting, but I felt like it didn't bring anything new to the table. If you've seen other "family-held-hostage" movies, then you've seen this one. There were no surprises and no plot twists; basically what you expect to happen, does happen. On the brighter side we have not seen Harrison Ford play this sort of role in a long time, so if you're a fan then you should definitely check this one out.
The Night Listener (2006)
This movie stars Robin Williams in one of his few serious roles. He plays Gabriel Noone, the host of a nighttime radio show, on which he tells stories based on true events. He begins talking to one of his fans via telephone, a teenage boy named Pete, who is dying of AIDS as a result of a long history of being molested. Pete has written a book about his experiences, which Gabriel finds very intriguing. He develops quite a bond with Pete and Donna, Pete's caretaker, which is in part due to Gabriel's own failing relationship with Jess, his partner. However suspicion soon arises as to the truthfulness of Pete's whole situation, and Gabriel travels to Wisconsin to find out what is really going on, becoming more and more obsessed along the way. Going into the movie I didn't really know anything about it; I did think I was going to see a drama, but I ended up with a psychological thriller (not a bad thing by the way). I do enjoy watching Robin Williams in serious roles, such as this one and his role in One Hour Photo. The movie did move a little slow, but I think psychological thrillers tend to do that; they are not typical Hollywood action thrillers, and thus do not require the same fuel. Also, I didn't quite understand Gabriel's intense motivation for finding out the truth; there were a few points along his journey where I wondered why he didn't just cut his losses and return home. All in all though, it was pretty good. It did keep me guessing at the whole story, and I didn't really know how it would end. I wouldn't say this movie is for everyone, but if you liked One Hour Photo then I'd give this one a shot too.
Final Destination 3 (2006)
This is the third installment from the popular film series. All three movies have the same storyline: a person has a premonition of a horrible accident right before it happens, and manages to save himself/herself and a few other people before it actually happens. The force of death then sets out to kill them, using very creative means, in the order they would have died in the accident; all while the "psychic" tries to get to them and convince them of what is going on and to help them cheat death in any way possible. The subsequent death scenes happen in such ridiculously coincidental ways that they are almost funny. As far as the accident scenes go, the first film featured a plane exploding in mid-air, the second film featured a multi-car highway accident, and this film features a rollercoaster disaster. One addition to this film were the photographs that were taken by our psychic, Wendy, right before the rollercoaster accident, which provided clues as to how each person would meet their fate. I felt that this movie was slightly less impressive than the first two movies. The initial accident scene was not as disturbing to me (granted I've never ridden on a rollercoaster in my life, so I couldn't personally relate to the victims), and I felt like the death scenes were not as fun. Overall though, I was not disappointed and I don't think it will disappoint fans of the movie series. If you've never seen any of the movies but are curious, I would start with the original, which is referenced in both sequels.
Clerks II (2006)
This is a sequel to the 1994 cult hit Clerks, which showed us a day in the life of two twenty-something convenience store clerks, Dante and Randall (one of my favorite movies - see further down on this page). Clerks II takes place about a decade later, and Dante and Randall's life is pretty much the same. But instead of working at the convenience store, which has burned down, they now work at a fast food restaurant. Dante is also engaged to a beautiful but controlling woman, and is set to move away with her to Florida and leave his best friend Randall behind. The situation is further complicated by their boss, Becky (played by Rosario Dawson), who Dante seems to have a special relationship with. Going into this movie I tried to view it as a separate entity, since sequels are usually inferior to their predecessors. Part of this was my suspicion of a sequel made 12 years after the original movie. As a stand-alone comedy, I thought it was pretty bad; as a sequel, I thought it was alright. Unlike the original movie, which was verbally colorful and witty, this movie relied a little more on physical humor. Also, most of the "jokes" in the movie weren't really jokes, unless you consider graphic descriptions of sex acts to be jokes. In other words, sex was talked about in the original, but that itself was not the joke; however in this movie the graphicness of the conversations WAS the joke. There was also a scene where the characters debated on racial slurs, which could have been really funny but instead was just uncomfortable. Of course Jay and Silent Bob were back (no pun intended), but it seemed like they were used more for shock value than anything else; in the original movie they really gave the impression that they were losers, but in this one it seemed a lot more forced. Ben Affleck and Jason Lee make cameo appearances in this one, but they were nothing to write home about. I did think Rosario Dawson was pretty good in her role, and also Dante and Randall's nerdy co-worker Elias was pretty funny. But overall, I am disappointed with this sequel. The original movie was great because it kept it real. The grittiness of the film really made you feel like you were watching the real thing, and the extremely small budget was used to the fullest extent. Not so in this one, where it seemed it was made (again, 12 years later) more out of desperation than anything else.
Superman Returns (2006)
I guess it was only a matter of time before Superman was given a 21st century update. I have never seen any of the other movies in the series, but I didn't feel like I was lost when I saw this movie; it did seem like somewhat of a sequel though. In this one, Superman/Clark Kent is played by the previously unknown Brandon Routh, who actually bears a striking resemblance to a young Christopher Reeve. The story begins as Superman/Clark Kent has just returned from a trip; we learn that Superman went off in search of any remnants of his home planet (Clark never actually gets around to saying where he has been). Superman seems to pick up where he left off as far as saving the day; Clark on the other hand is disappointed to find out that the love of his life Lois Lane (played by Kate Bosworth) has married and had a son. Lex Luthor (played by Kevin Spacey) is still Superman's nemesis; his plan is to basically sink most of the United States and claim the remaining part as his own. And so the movie goes for 2.5 hours. All in all I was pretty happy with the film. I didn't feel that it dragged at any point, and I was impressed with Spacey's performance as Lex Luthor; he played a villain who was intelligent AND funny, something I feel we don't see too much of in movies. In fact he was almost a likeable villain. I definitely could see additional Superman movies being made, but I'm not sure how well this one is doing at the box office. I personally saw it in IMAX 3-D, which wasn't really necessary. I think I would have enjoyed it just as much in a regular movie theater. So I guess I recommend seeing it; it was not as good as either of the Spiderman movies, but it's better than a lot of the other comic book-turned-movies.
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
This is the movie based on the best-selling and controversial book by Dan Brown (which I have not read - keep this in mind while reading this review). Set in France, the basic story is that a religious history professor, Robert Langdon (played by Tom Hanks), and a government agent, Sophie Neveu (played by Audrey Tautou of Amelie fame), are dragged into solving a mysterious murder that took place at the Louvre (home of the "Mona Lisa" painting). As they begin to piece together what really happened, they are plunged deeper and deeper into a dark religious underworld, made up of secret factions and extremists who will murder in order to keep secret "one of the greatest cover-ups in human history". At the same time Langdon and Neveu are being pursued by French authorities, as Langdon is considered a prime suspect in the murder. All of this sounds like a very exciting movie, but unfortunately it definitely had its dull moments. I also felt that there was a little too much going on in the movie, and certain scenes I just didn't follow. I'm sure the book was better at giving detailed explanations of everything that was happening, whereas the movie kind of had to cram everything into 2.5 hours. Maybe it's the type of movie that needs to be first experienced in book form to be fully appreciated, or maybe I'm just a dense moviegoer (which is certainly possible). I can definitely see how this movie would be seen as controversial by many viewers, as it brings into question religious values that have been held for over 2,000 years; this part of the movie I actually enjoyed, because even if it is fiction, it forces you to think about and maybe even reevaluate your own religious beliefs. Overall the movie was pretty good, but I don't think I would tell anyone to run out and see it. My impression right after seeing it was that it's a more boring version of the movie National Treasure.
16 Blocks (2006)
This movie stars Bruce Willis playing Jack Mosley, an alcoholic cop assigned to transport a witness named Eddie (played by Mos Def) 16 blocks to the courthouse. What Jack thinks will be an ordinary task turns into a life-or-death struggle to protect Eddie. He soon realizes that there are people after Eddie and him who do not want them to make it to the courthouse by 10am, which is when the jury will be released. I wasn't expecting this movie to be as good as it was. Mos Def surprised me the most as I felt he gave an awesome performance for a rapper-turned-actor. What I also enjoyed was that the movie took time out from the action to show us the emotional side of the situation, and what Jack and Eddie were feeling as they went through the day. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone looking for a good action/drama.
It's All Gone Pete Tong (2004)
Let me start by clearing up any confusion this movie may cause: it is not a true story. It does make you feel like it is though, because it is shot in a partly mockumentary style, with interview clips from some of the biggest DJs in the world. The story is about Frankie Wilde (played by British actor Paul Kaye), a very successful nightclub DJ at the top of his game. His life is a 24-hour party: he is constantly drinking, using drugs, or partying. He has a beautiful house in Ibiza, and a beautiful wife who he met on a video shoot. His entire world falls apart when he starts to go deaf, caused by years of exposure to extremely loud music. His wife soon leaves him, and so does his foul-mouthed promoter. After closing himself off from the world for about a year, he re-emerges in a way that nobody saw coming. I really enjoyed this movie, and was very surprised at how good it was. It is definitely not for everyone though, as some of the drug use scenes are pretty graphic. I also think you kinda need to be into the club/dance music scene to enjoy this movie or you will miss certain references that are made. And finally it is a British movie, and they have their own terms and expressions that are different from those of Americans. I have trouble understanding some British accents so I watched this movie with subtitles, just to make sure I didn't miss anything. However if you are into dance music or the club scene, this is a must-see movie. The story is great, and Paul Kaye is totally convincing playing the role of a DJ.
King Kong (2005)
Seeing this film was my first experience with the legend of King Kong; I have not seen the original or the 1970s remake. This fact coupled with all of the hype this new version has created made me very excited to see it. Going in I knew it was a three-hour film, but I figured it had to be a good three hours. For those of you who don't know the story, it takes place in the 1930s when America's economy was in a depression. People were doing just about anything for food and/or money. This helps motivate moviemaker Carl Denham (played by Jack Black) to seek out the unchartered Skull Island, where supposedly there are strange creatures, creatures that he'd love to capture on film. He cons a film crew and a couple actors to go with him, including actress Ann Darrow (played by Naomi Watts) and writer Jack Driscoll (played by Adrien Brody). Upon arriving at the island they do in fact encounter strange creatures, namely a giant ape who they name Kong. Kong takes a liking to Ann, and after a while she comes to care for him also. Kong does not like any of the others, and they are all scared of him. Carl decides that they can all become rich if they take Kong back to New York City and show him off. Of course, this idea does not go exactly according to plan. Surprisingly for me, this movie was nothing special. I truly believe its success is being driven by hype. The special effects were good, but really nothing we haven't seen before. Three hours was too long for this story; scenes definitely could have been cut. It is also not a movie for kids despite the PG-13 rating (which was probably given to attract the largest possible audience). There were many small children in attendance when I saw the movie (including the child sitting behind me who would not be quiet), and hopefully they don't have nightmares tonight about some of the dinosaurs or giant insects. All in all, I'd say King Kong was probably due for an update, but I think the biggest problem is that moviegoers in 2005 simply are not fazed by seeing a giant ape running rampant around New York City.
Flightplan (2005)
This movie stars Jodie Foster as Kyle, an airplane engineer who has just lost her husband due to a fall. She is taking a flight with her 6-year-old daughter to transport her husband's body to New York. Co-starring in the film playing Carson is Peter Sarsgaard, who has been in movies such as Kinsey and Jarhead. During the flight Kyle awakens from a nap to find that her daughter is missing, and nobody on the flight even remembers seeing her. Kyle searches frantically for her, involving the whole crew and some passengers, with no luck. This movie pretty much had no surprises for me. It was a standard suspense movie with a "twist ending" that wasn't really a twist. The climax of the movie was far-fetched as well. If I were you I would watch "the other airplane suspense movie", Red Eye.
Lost In Translation (2003)
In this movie we see Bill Murray act in a somewhat serious movie, which is something we are not used to seeing. He plays Bob Harris, an actor who is unhappy with his life. He is in Tokyo to endorse a brand of whiskey, but also to escape from his home life for a little while. We are also introduced to Charlotte, played by the lovely Scarlett Johansson, a young newlywed who is in Tokyo to be with her photographer husband John on one of his jobs. John is out working pretty much the whole time and Charlotte is left to entertain herself. She sits in the hotel room and wanders the streets of Tokyo, wondering where she is supposed to be in life. Bob's and Charlotte's paths cross a couple times and finally they begin talking and get to know each other, and ultimately form an unbreakable bond. Back in America these two would probably never have spoken to each other, but given their situation they are just what the other needs. Even though it was nominated for best picture, this movie is definitely not for everyone; it is slow-paced and probably hard to get into if you're not in the right mood. There really isn't any kind of resolution to the problems that Bob and Charlotte are facing; the movie is pretty much about how they deal with their time in Tokyo. Bill Murray does a great job in his role though, being funny or serious when he needs to be. Overall I enjoyed the film, and I would probably even watch it again sometime. I think it's a story that everyone can relate to on some level, and the idea of finding happiness in the unlikeliest of places is certainly a warming one.
Jarhead (2005)
This movie was directed by Sam Mendes, who previously gave us the fantastic American Beauty and very good Road To Perdition; needless to say, I was very curious about this film. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Swofford, a young man who joins the Marines in part to get away from his horrible home life. He goes through ups and downs while being enlisted, from his time in boot camp to his time in the Middle East during Operation Desert Storm. Jamie Foxx stars as Staff Sergeant Sykes, who Swofford reports to; Sykes is sometimes laid back but sometimes very strict, which has a direct impact on how Swofford and his peers handle their time in the desert. The endless training, endless heat, and endless waiting make some of the mens' patience run thin; they go through each day missing loved ones, while waiting for that day to finally come when they will see some action. This movie, based on a best-selling book about a Marine's time in Desert Storm, attempted to realistically portray those experiences. I cannot say for sure that the movie was successful; for the sake of argument though, I will say it was. However, as true to life as it may have been, the movie didn't do too much for me. Overall I was bored with the film; like the soldiers, I too was expecting them to see some action at some point (why else make a movie about the military?), but this never happened. Maybe if I had been in the Armed Forces I could have related more to the story and enjoyed the movie more, but I could not relate. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with me and say that this was an outstanding movie, but for me realism did not equal entertainment.
Four Brothers (2005)
From the director of Boyz N The Hood comes this film starring Mark Wahlberg as Bobby, who returns home upon the murder of his adoptive mother. He meets up with his three brothers, who were also adopted, and together they look into what really happened to their mother. All four of them have troubled pasts, and although they seem to have become better citizens in some way, nothing stops them from taking the law into their own hands to avenge their mother's death. Through their investigation they discover that their mother's murder was anything but random, and this takes them further and further up the food chain. This movie wasn't really anything we haven't seen before; it was a typical revenge movie with typical plot twists. I didn't find myself sympathizing with any of the characters, probably because there wasn't really any character development. The action scenes were ok, but not nearly enough to make me recommend this movie.
Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005)
This movie stars Kurt Russell playing Ben Crane, an uninspired racehorse trainer and somewhat distant father and husband. His daughter Cale, played by Dakota Fanning, has all the hopes and dreams that any little girl should have. The story revolves around Cale and her undying faith in an injured horse named Soñador (which means "dreamer"). Everyone tells her that the horse will never race again, and maybe not even walk. Cale does not give in though, and slowly she rallies everyone around her to believe in Soña the way she does. Soña's health improves, so much so that the idea of getting back on the racetrack is not out of the question. This was one of those feel-good movies that you can take the whole family to, although I don't really think it would interest kids too much; there is no draw for children other than Dakota Fanning and horses (but maybe that's enough for kids). I think if I was a child though, I would have been bored watching this. But I'd say it would be a pretty good movie for a first date or for a couple that has been together forever. It probably won't become a classic and there isn't really anything memorable about it, but it still holds its own as a decent family film.
The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)
This golf movie is based on the true story of Francis Ouimet, and how he beat the odds to play the sport he truly loved. Francis, played by Shia LaBeouf, is a poor Boston boy who grew up idolizing golf great Harry Vardon. Upon meeting Harry at a demonstration one day, Francis knows that golf is his destiny. One problem though is his social status; he is told that golf is a game for "gentlemen" and not for people like him. For this reason his father is totally against Francis wanting to pursue golf, but Francis cannot help but be drawn to the game. At the age of 20 he becomes good enough to qualify for the 1913 U.S. Open, and along with his caddy Eddie (a boy probably 10 years old or so) Francis sets out to do the impossible: face off against and defeat his idol, Hary Vardon. This movie was made by Disney so it was free of any really intense language or situations. For example, I think in a movie not made by Disney, Francis's opponents in the U.S. Open would have been at least somewhat hostile toward him. But perhaps back in 1913 athletes really were civil to each other. The movie was suspenseful but probably a little too dramatic; there were many close-up shots of people's eyes. And it was definitely a sports movie; a good chunk of the movie took place on the golf course. I am not a golf fan at all but I was still very involved in the film. Overall, I have to applaud this film. I think Shia LaBeouf is a fantastic actor, and I'm sure he has a long movie career ahead of him. I would definitely recommend this movie to all ages.
The Jacket (2005)
This movie stars Adrien Brody, playing a Gulf War vet who ends up at the wrong place at the wrong time. He is a witness to the murder of a police officer, but he can't remember exactly what happened and subsequently is found guilty. He is deemed insane and is sent to a mental facility, where he is given questionable treatments, which involves being drugged up, put in a straight jacket, and placed into a morgue drawer. While he lies there alone in the dark, his mind takes him on a journey, transporting him 15 years into the future, where he learns of his impending death in just four days. He realizes the only way to possibly save himself is to work backwards, and get to the bottom of how exactly he died. The movie co-stars Keira Knightley, who played a great part as a messed up young woman, which is different from any other role I've seen her play. She also put on a great American accent for this movie. The movie as a whole was very good, though probably unrealistic. Jack Starks' treatments somehow unlock a psychic ability within him, and if looked at in this way makes the plot of the movie more credible. The film really makes you care about what happens to Jack; he was innocent of the crime and does not belong in a mental institution. We want Jack to somehow free himself, even though it seems impossible. I wouldn't say this movie is for everyone; in fact I see people either loving it or hating it. But I think it could appeal to most people who have a taste for science fiction/dramas.
The Transporter (2002)
This was an above-average action flick from the makers of Jet Li's Kiss of the Dragon. It stars Jason Statham as Frank Martin, an ex-military hero who now pays his way transporting packages. He is very detailed and precise about his job, asking no questions about what he's delivering or why. Problems arise when one of his jobs involves transporting a human being; his conscience takes over and he decides to rescue her. Of course this angers his employers, who set out to finish him and the job. Though completely unrealistic, this movie had great action scenes. It had just the right blend of martial arts, car chases, and gun fights. Any lover of action movies should definitely check out this one and its recent sequel.
Fever Pitch (2005)
This movie stars Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon, and takes place in my hometown of Boston. The story is about Ben and Lindsay, who meet and fall in love. The only potential problem is Ben's severe obsession with the Boston Red Sox (which includes his not missing a game in eleven years). This obsession has kept him from having any kind of meaningful long-term relationship with a woman. But Lindsay decides she will give him a try anyway. She has a good job (and is good AT her job) but pushes it aside somewhat to accompany Ben to baseball games. Soon enough, however, this catches up with her, and her work becomes more and more neglected. Lindsay realizes that she must choose between her job and Ben, unless she can change him. It is hard for me to give an unbiased review of this movie since I am from Boston and grew up a Red Sox fan. I'd even go so far as to say that it is a film geared toward Bostonians and/or Red Sox fans; I can't imagine someone with no ties to Boston enjoying this movie, but of course it's possible. The story is not that great, and the comedy was ok; the physical comedy did not even get me to smile, but some of the more subtle jokes got some chuckles out of me. For me, some of the funniest moments were inside jokes that only Red Sox followers would understand ("Stanley screwed him, he didn't cover 1st"); the movie is filled with Red Sox video clips and Red Sox references. This is why I say that I don't see how the movie could appeal to a wide audience. Also, it is always great to see Boston on the big screen, because it does not happen that often. Ben's apartment is in the North End, the neighborhood where I grew up (I even spotted the dirty old lady who sells lemonade on that corner). Only someone familiar with Boston would know that he lived in "Little Italy", a fact not mentioned in the movie. So overall, I would see this movie if you are a Red Sox fan and/or you are familiar with the city of Boston. For everyone else, I think it's just another predictable romantic comedy.
Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
From the makers of Shaolin Soccer comes this action/comedy. This movie takes place in 1930s Shanghai, a place where organized gangs run the show. The only places they don't bother with are the nearby rundown villages, which are not worth the effort in their eyes. One such gang, the powerful Axe Gang, has caught the attention of Sing, a resident of impoverished Pig Sty Alley. Sing is convinced that nice guys never win and aspires to become a member of the Axe Gang. He eventually proves himself worthy of membership, and ironically discovers his true calling while doing the Axe Gang's dirty work. This film was different as it had a little bit of everything: action, comedy, romance, suspense, and even some cartoon-like special effects. It had its own unique style, which was kind of silly and intense at the same time. For all of this however, I was not blown away by the film. Personally I do not thoroughly enjoy reading subtitles for 99 minutes, but of course this is not a fault of the film. However, I do think it takes away from the movie-watching experience. Some people prefer subtitles over dubbing, but I prefer the latter as it requires less work. Also, all the different elements of the film did not make a really interesting product. It definitely sounds good on paper, but for me it was a different story on the screen. I realize that this is probably a biased review, and I know the movie was a smash hit in Asia, so I guess I don't know what I'm talking about. I recommend seeing it if you're looking for something fresh and original, but do not get your hopes up.
Before Sunset (2004)
This is the sequel to the 1995 movie Before Sunrise, which I've recently reviewed. The format of this one is very similar to that of the first installment: Jesse (played by Ethan Hawke) and Celine (played by Julie Delpy) walk around a European town talking. This time they are in Paris, nine years after that one night they spent together. Jesse, now a bestselling writer, is in Paris for his book tour when he runs into Celine, who of course lives in Paris. The two talk about what they've done the past nine years. I don't want to give too much else away, but basically if you liked the first movie, then you should see the second movie; if you hated the first movie, do not see this movie. In the movie industry most sequels are nothing compared to the original; Before Sunset is an exception to that. The dialogue between Celine and Jesse is not as in depth as it was nine years ago, but this makes sense considering that they've already gone down that road. This is more about where their lives have gone since their last meeting, and in some ways where their lives are going.
Wedding Crashers (2005)
Usually I'm not too fond of comedies, but I read and heard good things about this one, plus I do find Vince Vaughn funny when he's given the right role, so I decided to give this one a try. It's about two single guys, Jeremy (Vaughn) and John (played by Owen Wilson), who have their fun and meet women by showing up at strangers' weddings. They do research beforehand so that they are ready for questions as to who they are. After a series of successful crashes they decide to get daring and show up at the wedding of Secretary Cleary (played by Christopher Walken), a high-profile politician. While there John falls for one of his daughters, Claire (played by Rachel McAdams), and is determined to get her even though she has a boyfriend of 3.5 years. As with most comedies the audience in the theater laughed way more than they should have; I doubt that they would have laughed as much if they were in the privacy of their own homes. But even looking past all that, this was an above average comedy. Both Vaughn and Wilson shine throughout the entire movie. At two hours it did seem a bit long for a comedy, but there weren't really any slow moments in the film. I think what made it great is the R rating; Vaughn and Wilson weren't required to hold back, and they didn't. I recommend this movie to anyone looking for a good laugh.
PAST RATINGS
Before Sunrise (1995)
War Of The Worlds (2005)
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Elektra (2005)
BASEketball (1998)
American Splendor (2003)
The Amityville Horror (2005)
50 First Dates (2004)
Philadelphia (1993)
My Life (1993)
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Garden State (2004)
My Favorite Movies
MY TOP 3
1) GLORY - a movie about the Civil War, made in 1989. This was the first movie I ever saw about the Civil War and it sparked such an interest in me that today I can safely call myself a Civil War "buff". This movie tells the true story of Robert Gould Shaw (played by Matthew Broderick), who was given the responsibility of commanding one of the first Black regiments in the Civil War. At the time Shaw was only in his mid-twenties, and I can't even begin to imagine how hard it was for him to not only lead a group of men (mostly older than him), but to lead a group of Black men in a time when they would have been seen as unequals. Throughout the movie we hear excerpts from Shaw's letters that he wrote home, showing the personal and inexperienced side of the young man. The movie score perfectly captures the mood of Shaw and his men as they fight against not only the South, but also slavery itself. Also starring in the movie are Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, & Morgan Freeman.
2) A BRONX TALE - The reason I like this movie so much, other than the fact that it's very good, is the fact that I can relate to it. It was Robert DeNiro's debut as a director, and he should be very proud of himself to have directed such a fine film. Made in 1993, it tells the story of a boy, Calogero (called "C" by some) growing up in the 1960s in a close-knit Italian neighborhood, very much like the North End of Boston used to be, where I grew up. C is torn between his home life and hard-working father Lorenzo, played by DeNiro, and the mobster life that he sees all around him. The local mob boss Sonny, played by Chazz Palminteri, takes C under his wing and exposes him to his world, which is more appealing to C than his father's way of life. Another storyline in this movie is racism. C's friends are completely against Black people riding through their neighborhood, or having anything to do with Blacks. However C does not share their views, and he actually becomes interested in a Black girl, which he tells nobody about except Sonny. People who watch this movie may not realize that neighborhoods like this actually existed years ago. I know that the North End was very much like this when my parents were growing up there. The local mob served as a kind of neighborhood security, keeping out all outsiders. So for me, it was great to see this portrayed in a movie. Even if you're not from such a neighborhood I think this movie is still very enjoyable, as it is simply about a boy growing up in the middle of two very different worlds.
3) THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION - made in 1994, a movie about a man wrongly accused of murder and how he deals with being in prison under a corrupt warden. Someone once described this movie to me perfectly, saying "it ends just the way you want it to" (watch it yourself to see what I mean!!!). Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins) is an intelligent mild-mannered man who comes home one night to find his wife murdered, and is subsequently convicted of the crime. Once in prison it doesn't take long for him to realize that the warden isn't as holy as he would like everyone to think. However, the warden takes a liking to Andy and has him help out with the books for the prison. This is where Andy sees the corruption with his own eyes, giving him the information he needs to ultimately expose the warden for who he really is. This movie is great because it is an example of ultimate justice. Andy goes from one extreme to the other, from being in solitary confinement for a month to ending up living the good life.
HONORABLE MENTION
BACK TO THE FUTURE - made in 1985, this movie is about Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox), who, through his friendship with Doc (a scientist) and some unfortunate events one fateful night, ends up travelling back in time 30 years to 1955, when his parents were just teenagers. Marty unknowingly disrupts past events between his parents and has to work throughout the movie to bring them back together. Meanwhile he finds the 1955 Doc and together they figure out how to get Marty back home. It ends up that their only hope is the power from a lightning bolt that Marty knows will strike a clock tower at exactly 10:04pm on a particular night. Doc gets to work and amazingly figures out a way to make it happen. The part in the movie where it's time for Marty to go back to 1985 is the most suspenseful scene in any movie I've ever seen. Faced with a seemingly impossible situation, Marty somehow gets his parents back together and manages to get back to 1985, where he is pleasantly surprised by the results of his adventures in time.
NICK OF TIME - This movie, made in 1995, is not too well known to my knowledge, but in my opinion is 90 minutes of pure suspense (well, maybe 85 minutes). Starring Johnny Depp and Christopher Walken, the movie takes place in real time (meaning that time elapses in the movie the same way it does in real life) which makes it even better. Posing as a detective, Walken's character blackmails Gene Watson (Depp) and kidnaps his daughter, and tells Mr. Watson that if he doesn't kill the governor in the next 90 minutes, he will kill his daughter. This movie does a great job of putting you right there with Depp's character and making you feel what Mr. Watson is feeling.
AMERICAN BEAUTY - Made in 1999, this movie won Best Picture Award. Kevin Spacey is Lester Burnham, who is going through a mid-life crisis, which among other things involves having a crush on his teen daughter's best friend. He is unhappy in his marriage and his daughter hates him, and so he makes some changes in his life. Meanwhile his wife (Annette Bening) is having an affair, and his goth-looking daughter is interested in the boy who has just moved next door, Ricky, who gets her attention by eerily filming her from the shadows and writing her name on the lawn in lighter fluid and setting it ablaze. Ricky's father is a military man who physically abuses his son, and Ricky's mother is always off in space. The two families in this movie sort of symbolize everything that is wrong in all American families today, namely infidelity and abuse; ironically the only relationship that seems to work in this movie is that of the gay couple that live next door to Lester. The movie is narrated here and there by Lester, who tells us right at the beginning: "...in less than a year, I'll be dead." The movie ends sadly as you might expect, just as Lester's life is beginning to make sense again.
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL - Made in 1998, this is my favorite foreign film (not that I've seen too many). Made in Italy, its star Roberto Benigni won an Oscar here in America for his role in it. Taking place in the late 1930s, the beginning of the movie shows how Guido (Benigni's character) and his wife Dora met. It then fast forwards a few years later when they are now married and have a son Joshua. Soon their happiness turns to tragedy when they are taken by Nazi soldiers and put on a crowded train headed for a concentration camp. Guido and Dora end up on separate trains, and they actually never see each other again. Guido decides to shield his son from the horrors at the camp, and tells Joshua that everyone is there playing a game. He creates elaborate rules and tells him that the grand prize is a tank. Joshua is somewhat skeptical, but is only about 4 years old and believes his father. He hides out in their bunker during the day, while Guido and the other men are made to do inhumane work. This movie is very touching, as we see what lengths Guido goes to in order to protect his son and to let his wife know they're still alive. He puts his life on the line, just so his son won't feel one ounce of fright. Even though the movie is about a very dark piece of history, it keeps a pretty light atmosphere. You WILL actually laugh and cry in the same two hours watching this movie.
CLERKS (1994) - I don't like too many comedy films, but this one is great. It took me a few times of watching to fully get it just cuz there's so much going on, and it's definitely not for everyone. It is the first of the Kevin Smith series of films, but this one is so different from the rest. It is shot in black & white with that home movie kind of look to it, and it really has no stars in it. The whole movie is about one crazy day in the life of Dante, a convenience store worker, and his friend Randal, who works a couple doors down at a video store (who's actually in the convenience store more than the video store). Everything goes wrong for Dante on this day, from being called in on his day off to an anti-smoking protest to a man dying in the bathroom. This movie is not too exciting to the eyes; it's all about the dialogue. Quick one-liners back and forth between Dante and his friends fill the movie, and you will not get all of them from watching it once. The dialogue is also very graphic at some points, but it just adds to the comedy. The movie was almost given an NC-17 rating actually, which was later changed to R. But again it's all dialogue; there is no nudity or anything else visually graphic. Another great thing about this movie are just the ordinary scenes of Dante and Randal dealing with customers, mostly annoying ones. The scenes are pretty true-to-life as far as all the crazy things that a store clerk encounters on an average day. Probably the most famous thing from this movie are the characters Jay & Silent Bob, who I believe are in all of Kevin Smith's movies.
GO - Another one of my favorite comedies, this 1999 movie is shot in a Pulp Fiction-type style. We see 3 different stories and then how they all come together at the end. It's like a Pulp Fiction for kids in a way. The first story is about Ronna (Sarah Polley), a depressed supermarket clerk looking to make some money off a drug sale. The second story is about Simon, a horny Brit who has quite an adventure in Las Vegas. The third story is about Adam & Zach (Scott Wolf & Jay Mohr), two actors helping out the police in exchange for a reduced or erased sentence. Katie Holmes is also in it, playing Ronna's good friend. The three stories somewhat overlap but we don't know to what extent until the end, and this is what makes the movie interesting. Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf are great together. This is another movie that took me a few times before I really got into it; now I think it's hilarious. Not that "Clerks" is the same type of movie, but they are both atypical comedies (e.g. not Adam Sandler-type films): probably not for everyone. But I highly recommend it if you're tired of the same old comedies.
RESERVOIR DOGS (1992) - Quentin Tarantino’s first major motion picture was also his best in my opinion.The movie’s story is simple: six strangers are brought together to pull off a major robbery, but something goes wrong and they suspect that one of them may be a rat.The format of the film is fresh, original, and intriguing.Basically all of the present-time drama unfolds at a warehouse, the planned meeting place of the thieves after the robbery.Throughout the movie we see flashbacks of how the thieves were recruited, which give us a sense of the characters in detail.A shocking revelation midway through and a really crazy ending put the icing on the cake for this film.The cast is great (which includes Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, & Michael Madsen), the dialog is fantastic (which is almost as exciting as the action), certain scenes are fantastically gory (even a little too much for my father who thrives on “blood & guts” movies), and the whole warehouse setting is so simplistic yet so exciting.Being well over a decade old I believe this movie was ahead of its time, and is to this day considered a cult classic.
THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999) - This is definitely my favorite horror movie. It is original, unconventional, and really spooky. It stars three unknown actors and was filmed mostly in black-and-white with handheld cameras. Also, the dialogue for the most part was improvised, or maybe even completely improvised. All of these characteristics gave the movie a very real feel to it, which is what added to the suspense and eeriness. Nothing scary is actually shown (you do hear some sounds), but by the end of the movie I was completely frozen. The basic plot is that three student filmmakers in Maryland are doing a documentary on the local legend of the Blair Witch, who supposedly haunts some nearby woods. They interview some local townspeople and then go into the woods for a weekend trip to get some video footage of allegedly haunted sites. While they are out in the woods they become helplessly lost, and strange things that they can't explain start happening all around them. Their weekend trip soon becomes a struggle for sanity, and a struggle to survive. These three people never returned from their trip, but one year later their video footage was found, and this is what makes up the movie. This film was a huge hit when it was released, thanks in big part to the huge buzz on the internet it created; some people actually believed that it was a true story, and that they were seeing actual footage. Despite all this there are a lot of people that don't really care for this movie too much. As I mentioned before it is unlike other horror movies, and I think this is what throws people off. For myself though, I was completely blown away when I first saw it in the theater, and it still gives me chills everytime I watch it.
Martial Arts Movies - This is my favorite genre of movie. I think they are better than regular action movies because of the hand-to-hand combat involved, which is more interesting than just a bunch of gunfights and car chases. If you can look beyond the punching and kicking, martial arts IS actually an art form. Bruce Lee is the father of martial arts movies, and since him there have been many other actors to follow in his footsteps, namely Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li. Bruce Lee's son Brandon probably would have also been in this list if not for his untimely death a few years ago. Steven Seagal is my personal favorite because his fighting style is unique to any other major movie star's style. He is a master of Aikido, which seems to focus on using the arms and hands to attack, block, and throw your assailant; it is rare to see Seagal use his legs when fighting. These are some of my favorite martial arts movies:
Steven Seagal
OUT FOR JUSTICE (1991) - Seagal is Gino Felino, a cop who seeks revenge from the local wiseguy and his crew for murdering his good friend.
UNDER SIEGE 2: DARK TERRITORY (1995) - Seagal is Casey Ryback, a former SEAL who stops a group of terrorists after they take over the train he and his niece are on.
THE GLIMMER MAN (1996) - Seagal is Jack Cole, who is a cop investigating a string of murders, one of them being his ex-wife. Keenan Ivory-Wayans also stars and gives the movie a comedic edge.
EXIT WOUNDS (2001) - Seagal is Orin Boyd, a cop in a rough neighborhood who learns that some of his co-workers are corrupt, and he seeks to filter out the corruption. This movie is also funny thanks to Tom Arnold and Anthony Anderson.
Jean-Claude Van Damme
BLOODSPORT(1988) - This movie is a classic in my opinion, telling the true story of Frank Dux, who is the first Westerner to win the Kumite, a secret full-contact fighting tournament held in Hong Kong. This movie is all about the fighting; about half the movie takes place at the Kumite.
NOWHERE TO RUN (1993) - Van Damme is Sam Gillen, a criminal on the run who takes refuge with a woman (Clydie) and her two kids, who are unaware of his past. Sam learns that some crooked developers want the land Clydie's home is on, and he sticks around to protect her and her kids.
TIMECOP (1994) - This movie has a great storyline in my opinion. Van Damme is Max Walker, a widowed cop from the year 2004 who is part of the TEC, an agency that fights crime through time travel. Tracing a corrupt senator through time Walker ends up back in 1994, where he realizes he's also able to save his wife who was killed that year.
THE QUEST (1996) - Also a good story, this movie has similar tournament scenes to Bloodsport, but not nearly as good. Van Damme is Christopher Dubois, who ends up as part of an American fighter's entourage in a scheme to steal the Golden Dragon, a huge gold statue that is given to the winner of the Ghang-gheng tournament. Dubois ends up fighting in the tournament himself when the American champion realizes that Dubois is a better fighter than he is.
Jet Li
KISS OF THE DRAGON (2001) - Li plays Liu Jiuan, a Chinese operative sent on a secret mission on which he is set up. After escaping the trap he comes in contact with an unlikely person, an American woman who has been forced into prostitution (Jessica, played by Bridget Fonda). After learning that it's the same man (Richard) who set Liu up and who is holding Jessica's daughter captive, Liu sets out to destroy Richard and his crew. This movie has a couple of great fight scenes, namely when Li takes on a dojo full of karate students.
Tony Jaa
ONG BAK: THE THAI WARRIOR (2003) - For me this movie brought the martial arts genre back to life, and gave me the hope of better things to come. I saw it when it was released in the U.S. in 2005, and I was completely blown away. Jaa uses no wires, no stunt doubles, and no fancy editing work; everything you see him do is real. The result is a martial arts movie the likes of which have never been seen before. The fact that 99% of the movie isn't in English should not deter anyone from seeing this movie. In it, Ting (Jaa) goes on a quest to retrieve the stolen head of a very sacred statue for his village.
TOM YUM GOONG (2005) - Being released in the U.S. under the title The Protector, Jaa features more of his brand of martial arts film. In this one Kham must travel to Australia to find his stolen elephants, which he grew up with. Elephants are very respected in his culture, and Jaa stops at nothing to get them back. The fact that a good part of the movie takes place in Australia means that a good portion of it is in English, which was nice for me. Also, two noteworthy scenes in this one: 1) a fight scene lasting over four minutes done all in one take, in which Kham starts at the entrance of a building and literally fights his way up floor after floor; and 2) the somewhat brutal bone-breaking scene (no need to elaborate ).
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