What Tony mentioned about ITMOM's Lovecraft sensibilities I have to really agree with. As another fan of the author I really feel this is a love letter from Carpenter. Strangely enough, The Thing and Sutter Cane both rank in my upper echelon. Youse guys have great taste!
Last film for me was Peter Hunt's Shout At The Devil and I really enjoyed this WW1 caper.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited March 2008
"The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid"
...continuing on my own 'Jesse James' theme
Interesting, in that this film (at 91 minutes) seemed much longer, to me, than the 2 3/4-hour "Assassination of Jesse James" I watched last week; I think this is due to the cinema verite-style narrative flow of "Northfield," where director Philip ("The Right Stuff") Kaufmann must have been exorcising some film school demons. Whatever it was, it didn't work for me.
Robert Duvall's Jesse James was interesting, Cliff Robertson's Cole Younger was quirky and odd, and the action was good when it happened...but overall this strikes me as a missed opportunity. A half-hearted recommendation, for curiosity's sake.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Okay-ish remake of Romero's weakest Dead movie. Mena Suvari is an attractive, if unlikely action hero.
One Missed Call
Moronic remake of Miike Takashi's Japanese original. There's lots of stupid dialogue, in the "hey, this can't be happening," or "this is really weird," mode. Somebody actually got paid for writing this drivel. I hope the strike left them broke.
The Orphanage
Exec-produced by Guillermo Del Toro, an orphanage is haunted by events that occured some years earlier, when a vulnerable young boy drowned. It's familiar stuff if you've seen Del Toros The Devil's Backbone, or other tales of ghostly children, but the ending is genuinely moving.
Gabriel
Low-budget Oz movie with the Archangel Gabriel kung-fu kicking Gods will into his opponents. I was hoping it would be as much fun as The Prophecy movies, in which Angels carry out a war amongst humanity, but it turned out to be more like that dreadful Kate Beckinsale movie, Underworld. All rainy gothic and bombast.
A batch of horror films. The Orphanage
Exec-produced by Guillermo Del Toro, an orphanage is haunted by events that occured some years earlier, when a vulnerable young boy drowned. It's familiar stuff if you've seen Del Toros The Devil's Backbone, or othet tales of ghostly children, but the ending is genuinely moving.
AWESOME movie. my friend dragged me to the Cinemark to see it a few weeks ago. I've been a fan of DelTorro's stuff for quite some time, and this one surely didn't fall short! I actually awwed at the ending
You've probably already seen it, but just in case you haven't there was a version of Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror made back in 1970 with Dean Stockwell and Sandra Dee. All in all, not a bad little film with some decent chills and an ending that was very faithful to the short story.
You've probably already seen it, but just in case you haven't there was a version of Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror made back in 1970 with Dean Stockwell and Sandra Dee. All in all, not a bad little film with some decent chills and an ending that was very faithful to the short story.
Yeah, I've seen it. Talia Shire pre-Rocky had a chilling scene.Not a bad little movie,
Also recommend The Haunted Palace with Uncle Vinnie and Debra Paget, loosely based on Charles Dexter Ward.
Underrated action thriller with Arnold and James Belushi. Always liked this one a lot.
Favorite scene, hands down: Arnold slamming a prisoner against the cell wall, "Vere is Viktar!?"
In fact, you could have a drinking game whenever that name is spoken.
I love Red Heat. I consider it to be among the very best of the cop buddy action films, and it also serves as a measurement of how much I truly love Arnie. That is, I don't consider Red Heat to be among Arnie's best films (it's definitely in my top ten though; probably seventh or eighth) and yet I think it's a great film. Arnie is one of my gods and this film is just one of many reasons, and a fantastic reason at that, why I truly revere him! Alex, a very good choice. -{
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
...I truly love Arnie... Arnie is one of my gods ...I truly revere him!
You know he's a Republican, don't you, Dan? He'll be looking for your endorsement come election day.
Back on topic...
I watched 10,000 BC over the weekend. I had a free movie pass to burn and it looked interesting. But like all of Roland Emmerich's movies, you scratch the surface and find that there's not a whole lot there. There's nothing inventive about the story, and by the end, Roland dusts off his Stargate props just to make sure we understand that this has all been done before.
You know he's a Republican, don't you, Dan? He'll be looking for your endorsement come election day.
Nominally a republican. :v The truth is, he's quite liberal on social issues and when Warren Beatty joked that he had convinced Arnie to become a democrat, he wasn't too far from the mark. However, yes, I will definitely endorese him, especially since he's more of a democratic than many democrats.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
You know he's a Republican, don't you, Dan? He'll be looking for your endorsement come election day.
Nominally a republican. :v The truth is, he's quite liberal on social issues and when Warren Beatty joked that he had convinced Arnie to become a democrat, he wasn't too far from the mark. However, yes, I will definitely endorese him, especially since he's more of a democratic than many democrats.
I knew it. Deep inside every liberal is a gun-loving, muscle-man worshipping, right-wing lunatic, just lurking under the surface. :v
I recently saw Irreversible, which got great reviews because it was made by a Frenchman, but this is one of the dumbest films I've ever seen. It's got a very simple message; revenge is bad, and leads to more violence. But I've seen that dealt with more thoughtfully in an episode of Buffy. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Just because some poncey Euro-git takes himself seriously, it doesn't mean we should. Especially if his films say something very obvious, but think they are profound.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited March 2008
"The Spiderwick Chronicles"
Took the boys to this one tonight. What a great time at the movies! I'd never read the books, so I came to it fresh...and I loved it. Good performances all round (I've always enjoyed David Strathairn) and very emotionally satisfying. It might be a cliche these days, but there really is some genuine movie magic to be had from time to time. Highly recommended for all but the smallest kids, who might be freaked out by the goblins, etc. What fun!
"Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream"
A documentary by Peter Bogdanovich; great stuff here. Extremely long (4 hours!), but packed with great home movie footage, and interviews with everyone in the band, those who used to be, friends, collaborators, etc. The documentary is on two discs, the third disc contains their entire 30-Year Anniversary show in Gainesville, Florida (their home town), and the fourth disc (a CD) contains rare tracks.
I bought the four-disc set at Best Buy for $29.99, and it's worth every penny if you're a fan. One thing I'd never known (among hundreds) is that the band's first major success occurred in the U.K. in the mid-Seventies B-)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited March 2008
SMALL TIME CROOKS
This is classic NYC Woody Allen for the new millineum. I absolutely love this film which weirdly enough is a movie of two parts within the same story that are smartly woven together well enough.
Tracey Ullman being a Brit does a sensational Brooklyn accent and doesn't look bad in a short skirt either IMO.
Allen's films can run hot or cold with many but this one hits the mark with me because it's more reminiscent to some of his 70s classics like Annie Hall & Manhattan.
Best line in the movie is from Ullman to a totally vacuous-looking Tony Darrow:
"All that's missing from this guy is a piece of velvet and a pet mouse."
Completely over some people's heads and totally random. )
Then I saw:
TAKE THE MONEY & RUN
The mockumentary/film in which I began to be a Woody Allen fan as a child. One of the funniest parts for me was anytime that they interviewed Virgil Starkwell's parents, they were in these ridiculous disguises. Also as Starkwell tries to rob the pet shop and seconds later is being chased by an intentionally fake gorilla after his failed attempt. )
This picture also has a rather beautiful & sometimes haunting score to it. Allen seems to be good at arranging that in his cinematic endeavors.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Somewhat overrated comedy imo. It specialises in that p1sstaking that's so central to the British psyche and which I'm tiring of. V similar to The Office really, it's all sneering at people lacking in self-awareness.
Somewhat overrated comedy imo. It specialises in that p1sstaking that's so central to the British psyche and which I'm tiring of. V similar to The Office really, it's all sneering at people lacking in self-awareness.
I sort of enjoyed it, but it's a bit one note.
Spinal Tap's a movie I never tire of. Though it must be rationed in small doses. Too much of a good thing gets wearsome after a time. I also own both cds and their 94 concert.
Guess the last movie for me was the Comancheros on AMC. Despite the channel's descent into commercial and edited for television purgatory, this one pulls me in most of the time. What can I say, I like John Wayne. Especially the older Duke.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I actually had the pleasure of seeing Spinal Tap in concert in St. Louis...what an experience!
Love those guys {[]
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited March 2008
"Sunshine"
Wow. Incredibly smart and well-made sci-fi picture by Danny Boyle, starring Cillian (BB's Scarecrow) Murphy, Michelle (TND) Yeoh, Chris (FF) Evans and Rose (almost Vesper in CR) Byrne...
The premise: 50 years from now, the Sun is dying out, a second mission to revitalize it is nearing its destination---and (of course) all doesn't go according to plan: a distress signal, a critical error, madness...sacrifice and heroism ensue...
Michelle Yeoh is just as lovely as she was 10 years ago for TND, and Rose Byrne---sans any 'glamour' make-up---looks quite a lot like Eva Green here (minus the boobs ) and gives a standout performance; indeed, this picture is well-done in pretty much every respect.
If you like sci-fi, you owe yourself a treat B-) My advice would be to not try to watch this one late at night, if you're tired, as it really doesn't 'kick in' until Act 2. I tried a few days ago, after a full day at work, and fell asleep ;% If you're well-rested, though, you won't be disappointed. Highly recommended.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
This is the adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel, starring Daniel Craig. Gotta say, you'd never think from watching this that Craig could have been Bond, he's scrubbed up a lot since then.
It's a Strangers on a Train type film, in which two characters meet in the aftermath of a balloon accident in Oxfordshire. Craig is hit on by this oddball, played by Rhys Ifans very well. However, as time goes on we start to wonder if Craig isn't going a bit nuts too.
That said, the film never made it quite clear and I think maybe Craig, though very good, is a bit miscast. He's supposed to be a neurotic character but Craig is more the sort of guy who'd just say, "P1ss off, weirdo!" Which he does, but never very convincingly. I guess we're meant to infer that Craig has some homosexual feelings repressed, but I don't know, it's never quite resolved. Possibly I missed the point.
The woman who played Cherie Blair in The Queen pops up as the deceased man's wife.
Prison drama reconstructing a murder from various angles. It's seriously weird with a set that owes much to German Expressionism; lots of odd angles and skewed designs. Ryo Ishibashi (from Miike's Audition) gives a chilling performance as the governor of the prison, with a terrifying fixed grin and his dead wife's spirit appearing behind him every so often. But it's a little too experimental and it quickly becomes tiresome.
Better is The Great Yokai War, a kids movie, but you wouldn't know it from the amount of gore. A young boy finds himself in another realm leading a small band of strange creatures in a rebellion against the forces of darkness. He's helped by a magical sword and a furry little rodent who only children can see. The ending is rather sad,
with the hero now grown up and unable to see his childhood companion, who still follows after him calling his name
But best of all is Zebraman, a superhero movie in which a shy teacher invents a costume and creates the character of Zebraman. Later he finds out from one of his pupils that there was once an obscure TV show actually called Zebraman, and it was set in 2008. It told of a future when the world would need a special kind of hero, and the teacher realises he is Zebraman and sets out to fight the forces of darkness. It is inspired, deranged, and very funny. Please let Miike direct the Superman sequel. )
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited March 2008
"Brokeback Mountain"
I'm glad I finally saw this one. A remarkable film by Ang Lee, with outstanding work all round. Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway are great. Jake Gyllenhaal is also quite good...but (IMO) the picture really belongs to the late Heath Ledger, whose internalized conflict is fascinating to watch---his performance is brilliant.
He was an incredible young actor, and I suddenly mourn his passing anew.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Becoming Jane. Pretty much on the level of The Secret Life of Ian Fleming--i.e., a dumb movie that posits that an author (in this case Jane Austen, played with an it'll-work English accent by Anne Hathaway) really LIVED the novel she wrote. Meet the real Mr. Darcy! See that Lady Catherine De Burgh really existed! Understand that Jane Austen really was Elizabeth Bennett! Be bored to tears by the pretty-pretty Heritage film trappings and the Hampshire Tourism Board photography! Wonder what the hell you were thinking when you put this in your Netflix queue!
Okayish action flick with Clive Owen in fine form as a gun-toting loner protecting a baby from a hitman and his team of thugs. The twisted humour isn't actually that funny, and the endless shoot-outs become quite repetitive after a while.
Actually, JD, I really got a kick out of Shoot 'Em Up, mainly because it seemed to be an all-out parody of action movies, even going so far as lampooning America's love affair with guns. Or maybe it's just me. . .
Actually, JD, I really got a kick out of Shoot 'Em Up, mainly because it seemed to be an all-out parody of action movies, even going so far as lampooning America's love affair with guns. Or maybe it's just me. . .
I thought it was a parody too, but after watching the director, Micheal Davis interviewed on the DVD, I'm really not that sure anymore. ) He's like Tom Hanks in Big, a 14 year-old in a grown-up's body.
Never mad about this film when it came out, though Connery is in tougher, more shoot-em-up Bond form than in Never Say Never Again. His character is a bit too charmless, and Nicolas Cage may as well be David Schwimmer, he winges and whines throughout. Slightly find Connery'sh accshent a distraction, still don't know how that came about. It's not like that in the Bond films, save his last one.
A violent, hard-hitting film by David Cronenberg which is definitely not for young or squeamish viewers. Some good performances all round, particularly Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts in the leads.
3.5/5
"Well, he certainly left with his tails between his legs."
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,703MI6 Agent
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
What can I say about this. Just a fun movie to sit back and watch. I hope that KOTCS will be this much fun.
5 stars out of 5 stars.
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
I saw this for the second time. The best thing Tim Burton has done in years. Johnny Depp is wonderful as Sweeney, (and I say that as somebody who loathed him in POTC), while Bonham-Carter more than matches him as his partner-in-crime, Mrs Lovett. There's a hilarious sequence when Lovett dreams of a life by the seaside with a morose Sweeney that is pure genuis.
An insufferable Australian comedy about a young Jewish girl struggling to fit in. The cast (which includes Toni Collette and Keisha Castle-Hughes) is quite good, but the film is only remotely funny and is often excruciating. I kept waiting for the film to improve, and while there are a few pleasant moments, generally speaking it never ceased to be a massive disappointment.
I was also a bit confused as to why prawns would be served at a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. ?:) ) Anyway, I wouldn't recommend it to anybody unless you have a desperate need to see all of the films of Toni Collette or Keisha Castle-Hughes.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I finally saw Demons, Lamberto Bava's entertaining movie about a cinema in which events on the screen begin to infect the audience. The movie showing in the cinema is a perfect parody of the dumb teens-in-peril horror film. Exec produced by Dario Argento, it's a must-see for fans of Italian horror.
Sadly Argento's latest, Mother of Tears, a follow-on from Suspiria, and Inferno, is a pale shadow of the earlier films. Asia Argento is as beguiling as ever, as a student battling the the last of the three witches. But this is not one of Argento's best efforts.
Comments
What Tony mentioned about ITMOM's Lovecraft sensibilities I have to really agree with. As another fan of the author I really feel this is a love letter from Carpenter. Strangely enough, The Thing and Sutter Cane both rank in my upper echelon. Youse guys have great taste!
Last film for me was Peter Hunt's Shout At The Devil and I really enjoyed this WW1 caper.
...continuing on my own 'Jesse James' theme
Interesting, in that this film (at 91 minutes) seemed much longer, to me, than the 2 3/4-hour "Assassination of Jesse James" I watched last week; I think this is due to the cinema verite-style narrative flow of "Northfield," where director Philip ("The Right Stuff") Kaufmann must have been exorcising some film school demons. Whatever it was, it didn't work for me.
Robert Duvall's Jesse James was interesting, Cliff Robertson's Cole Younger was quirky and odd, and the action was good when it happened...but overall this strikes me as a missed opportunity. A half-hearted recommendation, for curiosity's sake.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Day of the Dead
Okay-ish remake of Romero's weakest Dead movie. Mena Suvari is an attractive, if unlikely action hero.
One Missed Call
Moronic remake of Miike Takashi's Japanese original. There's lots of stupid dialogue, in the "hey, this can't be happening," or "this is really weird," mode. Somebody actually got paid for writing this drivel. I hope the strike left them broke.
The Orphanage
Exec-produced by Guillermo Del Toro, an orphanage is haunted by events that occured some years earlier, when a vulnerable young boy drowned. It's familiar stuff if you've seen Del Toros The Devil's Backbone, or other tales of ghostly children, but the ending is genuinely moving.
Gabriel
Low-budget Oz movie with the Archangel Gabriel kung-fu kicking Gods will into his opponents. I was hoping it would be as much fun as The Prophecy movies, in which Angels carry out a war amongst humanity, but it turned out to be more like that dreadful Kate Beckinsale movie, Underworld. All rainy gothic and bombast.
AWESOME movie. my friend dragged me to the Cinemark to see it a few weeks ago. I've been a fan of DelTorro's stuff for quite some time, and this one surely didn't fall short! I actually awwed at the ending
~Pen -{
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
You've probably already seen it, but just in case you haven't there was a version of Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror made back in 1970 with Dean Stockwell and Sandra Dee. All in all, not a bad little film with some decent chills and an ending that was very faithful to the short story.
Also recommend The Haunted Palace with Uncle Vinnie and Debra Paget, loosely based on Charles Dexter Ward.
Underrated action thriller with Arnold and James Belushi. Always liked this one a lot.
Favorite scene, hands down: Arnold slamming a prisoner against the cell wall, "Vere is Viktar!?"
In fact, you could have a drinking game whenever that name is spoken.
You know he's a Republican, don't you, Dan? He'll be looking for your endorsement come election day.
Back on topic...
I watched 10,000 BC over the weekend. I had a free movie pass to burn and it looked interesting. But like all of Roland Emmerich's movies, you scratch the surface and find that there's not a whole lot there. There's nothing inventive about the story, and by the end, Roland dusts off his Stargate props just to make sure we understand that this has all been done before.
I knew it. Deep inside every liberal is a gun-loving, muscle-man worshipping, right-wing lunatic, just lurking under the surface. :v
I recently saw Irreversible, which got great reviews because it was made by a Frenchman, but this is one of the dumbest films I've ever seen. It's got a very simple message; revenge is bad, and leads to more violence. But I've seen that dealt with more thoughtfully in an episode of Buffy. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Just because some poncey Euro-git takes himself seriously, it doesn't mean we should. Especially if his films say something very obvious, but think they are profound.
Took the boys to this one tonight. What a great time at the movies! I'd never read the books, so I came to it fresh...and I loved it. Good performances all round (I've always enjoyed David Strathairn) and very emotionally satisfying. It might be a cliche these days, but there really is some genuine movie magic to be had from time to time. Highly recommended for all but the smallest kids, who might be freaked out by the goblins, etc. What fun!
"Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream"
A documentary by Peter Bogdanovich; great stuff here. Extremely long (4 hours!), but packed with great home movie footage, and interviews with everyone in the band, those who used to be, friends, collaborators, etc. The documentary is on two discs, the third disc contains their entire 30-Year Anniversary show in Gainesville, Florida (their home town), and the fourth disc (a CD) contains rare tracks.
I bought the four-disc set at Best Buy for $29.99, and it's worth every penny if you're a fan. One thing I'd never known (among hundreds) is that the band's first major success occurred in the U.K. in the mid-Seventies B-)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
This is classic NYC Woody Allen for the new millineum. I absolutely love this film which weirdly enough is a movie of two parts within the same story that are smartly woven together well enough.
Tracey Ullman being a Brit does a sensational Brooklyn accent and doesn't look bad in a short skirt either IMO.
Allen's films can run hot or cold with many but this one hits the mark with me because it's more reminiscent to some of his 70s classics like Annie Hall & Manhattan.
Best line in the movie is from Ullman to a totally vacuous-looking Tony Darrow:
"All that's missing from this guy is a piece of velvet and a pet mouse."
Completely over some people's heads and totally random.
Then I saw:
TAKE THE MONEY & RUN
The mockumentary/film in which I began to be a Woody Allen fan as a child. One of the funniest parts for me was anytime that they interviewed Virgil Starkwell's parents, they were in these ridiculous disguises. Also as Starkwell tries to rob the pet shop and seconds later is being chased by an intentionally fake gorilla after his failed attempt.
This picture also has a rather beautiful & sometimes haunting score to it. Allen seems to be good at arranging that in his cinematic endeavors.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Somewhat overrated comedy imo. It specialises in that p1sstaking that's so central to the British psyche and which I'm tiring of. V similar to The Office really, it's all sneering at people lacking in self-awareness.
I sort of enjoyed it, but it's a bit one note.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Guess the last movie for me was the Comancheros on AMC. Despite the channel's descent into commercial and edited for television purgatory, this one pulls me in most of the time. What can I say, I like John Wayne. Especially the older Duke.
Love those guys {[]
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Wow. Incredibly smart and well-made sci-fi picture by Danny Boyle, starring Cillian (BB's Scarecrow) Murphy, Michelle (TND) Yeoh, Chris (FF) Evans and Rose (almost Vesper in CR) Byrne...
The premise: 50 years from now, the Sun is dying out, a second mission to revitalize it is nearing its destination---and (of course) all doesn't go according to plan: a distress signal, a critical error, madness...sacrifice and heroism ensue...
Michelle Yeoh is just as lovely as she was 10 years ago for TND, and Rose Byrne---sans any 'glamour' make-up---looks quite a lot like Eva Green here (minus the boobs
If you like sci-fi, you owe yourself a treat B-) My advice would be to not try to watch this one late at night, if you're tired, as it really doesn't 'kick in' until Act 2. I tried a few days ago, after a full day at work, and fell asleep ;% If you're well-rested, though, you won't be disappointed. Highly recommended.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
This is the adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel, starring Daniel Craig. Gotta say, you'd never think from watching this that Craig could have been Bond, he's scrubbed up a lot since then.
It's a Strangers on a Train type film, in which two characters meet in the aftermath of a balloon accident in Oxfordshire. Craig is hit on by this oddball, played by Rhys Ifans very well. However, as time goes on we start to wonder if Craig isn't going a bit nuts too.
That said, the film never made it quite clear and I think maybe Craig, though very good, is a bit miscast. He's supposed to be a neurotic character but Craig is more the sort of guy who'd just say, "P1ss off, weirdo!" Which he does, but never very convincingly. I guess we're meant to infer that Craig has some homosexual feelings repressed, but I don't know, it's never quite resolved. Possibly I missed the point.
The woman who played Cherie Blair in The Queen pops up as the deceased man's wife.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Big Bang Love: Juvenile A
Prison drama reconstructing a murder from various angles. It's seriously weird with a set that owes much to German Expressionism; lots of odd angles and skewed designs. Ryo Ishibashi (from Miike's Audition) gives a chilling performance as the governor of the prison, with a terrifying fixed grin and his dead wife's spirit appearing behind him every so often. But it's a little too experimental and it quickly becomes tiresome.
Better is The Great Yokai War, a kids movie, but you wouldn't know it from the amount of gore. A young boy finds himself in another realm leading a small band of strange creatures in a rebellion against the forces of darkness. He's helped by a magical sword and a furry little rodent who only children can see. The ending is rather sad,
But best of all is Zebraman, a superhero movie in which a shy teacher invents a costume and creates the character of Zebraman. Later he finds out from one of his pupils that there was once an obscure TV show actually called Zebraman, and it was set in 2008. It told of a future when the world would need a special kind of hero, and the teacher realises he is Zebraman and sets out to fight the forces of darkness. It is inspired, deranged, and very funny. Please let Miike direct the Superman sequel.
I'm glad I finally saw this one. A remarkable film by Ang Lee, with outstanding work all round. Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway are great. Jake Gyllenhaal is also quite good...but (IMO) the picture really belongs to the late Heath Ledger, whose internalized conflict is fascinating to watch---his performance is brilliant.
He was an incredible young actor, and I suddenly mourn his passing anew.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Okayish action flick with Clive Owen in fine form as a gun-toting loner protecting a baby from a hitman and his team of thugs. The twisted humour isn't actually that funny, and the endless shoot-outs become quite repetitive after a while.
I thought it was a parody too, but after watching the director, Micheal Davis interviewed on the DVD, I'm really not that sure anymore.
Never mad about this film when it came out, though Connery is in tougher, more shoot-em-up Bond form than in Never Say Never Again. His character is a bit too charmless, and Nicolas Cage may as well be David Schwimmer, he winges and whines throughout. Slightly find Connery'sh accshent a distraction, still don't know how that came about. It's not like that in the Bond films, save his last one.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
A violent, hard-hitting film by David Cronenberg which is definitely not for young or squeamish viewers. Some good performances all round, particularly Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts in the leads.
3.5/5
What can I say about this. Just a fun movie to sit back and watch. I hope that KOTCS will be this much fun.
5 stars out of 5 stars.
I saw this for the second time. The best thing Tim Burton has done in years. Johnny Depp is wonderful as Sweeney, (and I say that as somebody who loathed him in POTC), while Bonham-Carter more than matches him as his partner-in-crime, Mrs Lovett. There's a hilarious sequence when Lovett dreams of a life by the seaside with a morose Sweeney that is pure genuis.
An insufferable Australian comedy about a young Jewish girl struggling to fit in. The cast (which includes Toni Collette and Keisha Castle-Hughes) is quite good, but the film is only remotely funny and is often excruciating. I kept waiting for the film to improve, and while there are a few pleasant moments, generally speaking it never ceased to be a massive disappointment.
I was also a bit confused as to why prawns would be served at a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. ?:)
Sadly Argento's latest, Mother of Tears, a follow-on from Suspiria, and Inferno, is a pale shadow of the earlier films. Asia Argento is as beguiling as ever, as a student battling the the last of the three witches. But this is not one of Argento's best efforts.