Musicals
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- DirectorLloyd BaconStarsWarner BaxterBebe DanielsGeorge BrentWhen the leading lady of a Broadway musical breaks her ankle, she is replaced by a young unknown actress, who becomes the star of the show.Awesome title song
The song "42nd Street" by Lloyd Bacon is the single great thing about this movie. Everything else is so damn boring. I'll never understand how it got nominated for the Academy Award for the best movie. But the song is so catchy.
5/10 - DirectorMark SandrichStarsFred AstaireGinger RogersEdward Everett HortonAn American dancer comes to Britain and falls for a model whom he initially annoyed, but she mistakes him for his goofy producer.Magical
If you are a fan of comedy, but tired of vulgar humor we see on big screen these days, tired of retarded grimaces like Jim Carrey's or laughing to other people’s misfortune, take a look on comedies from the first half of 20th century. Nowadays comedies are nowhere close to their level in any possible way. Fred Aster and beautiful Ginger Rogers in a romantic comedy of mistaken identity. Of course, when you see Aster in the leading role it is obvious that it is musical. But even if you do not like musicals, and I certainly do not, amount of hilarious misunderstandings and twists, and the way this movie causes roars of benevolent laughter and improves mood even on depressive rainy days, will be more than enough for you to disregard your bigotry towards musicals, and even boring scenes of dancing and singing will pass you by unnoticed. And they are not boring at all, believe me, because chemistry between Fred and Ginger is magical.
10/10 - DirectorVincente MinnelliStarsGene KellyLeslie CaronOscar LevantThree friends struggle to find work in Paris. Things become more complicated when two of them fall in love with the same woman.I wanted to rate it 10/10 so bad, but...
I watched this without a single blink, it was pure 10/10. And then, when the storyline was near its natural end, an endless train of dancing acts with no sense nor connection to the story (at least I did not get it) started and lasted for about 20 minutes. The feeling was the same as when a TV station breaks the movie at its peak to annoy you with a long set of commercials. I caught myself thinking about other things while checking my nails and taking a look at the clock for the first time since the movie started. It completely destroyed the magic. And then in some review, I saw this: "One of the film's highlights is its impressive finale - an ambitious, colorful, imaginative, 13-minute avant-garde "dream ballet" costing a half-million dollars to produce." - they could spend that money smarter. "The pretentious sequence, featuring an Impressionistic period daydream in the style of various painters, is one of the longest uninterrupted dance sequences of any Hollywood film." - and with this one I completely agree. If I ever decide to watch this again, I'll find the version with this crap cut off. I bet someone already did it and posted it somewhere.
8/10 - DirectorStanley DonenGene KellyStarsGene KellyDonald O'ConnorDebbie ReynoldsA silent film star falls for a chorus girl just as he and his delusionally jealous screen partner are trying to make the difficult transition to talking pictures in 1920s Hollywood.Fantastic Gene Kelly in one of the best musical scenes in history of cinematography. Movie has its place on all lists of the best movies of all time. It's interesting that neither Kelly or Debbie Reynolds didn't win any awards for this movie, while Donald O'Connor got Golden Globe. I love this movie very much, but I wouldn't say it's one of the best movies ever made, not even within the genre.
- DirectorGeorge CukorStarsJudy GarlandJames MasonJack CarsonA film star helps a young singer and actress find fame, even as age and alcoholism send his own career on a downward spiral.Unnecessarily long
I have nothing against musicals. The story can be told by regular acting or through singing and dancing and both ways have their own charm. But when you make regular 90 minutes movie and then add the same length of musical numbers that contribute to story only by extending the movie twice, you end up with 3 hours of agony. Although the movie is great, I barely held until the end. It is a remake of 1937. movie of the same name with added musical numbers and if we cut out all of them it would have no impact on the story, but we would be deprived of fantastic singing. So, in my opinion, they should have interpreted the original story through singing and dancing instead of adding musical numbers to a regular movie. They should have made 90 minutes or real musical that would keep our attention from beginning to the end. Like "Moulin Rouge" was done, for example...
7/10 - DirectorJohn WatersStarsJohnny DeppRicki LakeAmy LocaneIn 1950s Baltimore, a bad boy with a heart of gold wins the love of a good girl, whose boyfriend sets out for revenge.There's nothing the matter with my face. I got character!
I wanted to see this movie because of Johnny Depp, but when I realized it was made by the author of the unwatchable "Pink Flamingos" I almost gave up. Fortunately, these two movies have nothing else in common. "Cry-Baby" is comedy musical that parodies movies about juvenile delinquency and teens in the fifties, like "Grease" or "Rebel Without a Cause". It has an entertaining story, great music, and choreography, and well-developed characters, played by charismatic actors, among which are Johnny Depp, Iggy Pop, Tracy Lords, and Willem Dafoe. A film that will never get old.
10/10 - DirectorTim BurtonMike JohnsonStarsJohnny DeppHelena Bonham CarterEmily WatsonWhen a shy groom practices his wedding vows in the inadvertent presence of a deceased young woman, she rises from the grave assuming he has married her.What a story it is. A tragic tale of romance, passion, and murder most foul.
While he was practicing vows in a forest night before the wedding, clumsy Victor accidentally proposes to a corpse of a girl brutally murdered by her fiancé. Corpse wakes up, pronounces that fateful "I do" and takes Victor to the underworld. He is trying to escape and get back to the girl he loves. One of Barton's best movies. Plot, emotion, acting, music... beautiful.
9/10 - DirectorJerome RobbinsRobert WiseStarsNatalie WoodGeorge ChakirisRichard BeymerTwo youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.Love-hated it...
This movie drove me crazy. I barely forced myself to see it through because it is extremely annoyingly done and I rate such movies 2/10 (1/10 is for those I gave up on), but when it finally ended I was under such an amazing impression that I wanted to rate it 10/10.
The story is inspired by "Romeo and Juliet", but placed in NY in the mid-20th century, where two members of opponent teenage gangs fall in love. Acting, directing and music are great. The movie is extremely emotional and possesses strength and atmosphere of a theater. It has all prerequisites for excellence. And it won 10 Oscars. But...- Everything in this movie is overemphasized and I hate that. However, if I observe it as a theatrical play on canvas, I can get over it.
- The movie starts with an instrumental intro with a frozen screen. It lasts around five minutes. At first, I thought my movie player was stuck, then I tried to find another version online and I almost gave up on watching this movie, when I finally realized it is supposed to be that way. Why would anyone do such thing I really have no idea, and that's the first minus.
- It's a damn musical. And one of those needlessly stretched to two and a half hours by completely redundant musical numbers. The first half of the movie is almost unwatchable and I was at the edge of giving up several times. But curiosity about how the story will go kept me going on. The story is great and some musical numbers tell parts of the story, but a good part of them just have no purpose in the movie. They are just for enjoying the music (which I did not) and to double the length of the film. That's the second minus.
- Just when I decided to stick it out or simply fast forward redundant parts and watch this movie till the end, the ultimate deal breaker happened that left me shocked. The scene where two gangs are closing to "battlefield" and mass brawl/rumble itself are shown in the form of ballet. BALLET?! Even if I didn't hate ballet, which I really do, I mean, really?! Teenage mass fight as a ballet... wtf?! The ultimately stupidest thing I saw on a big screen. Instant embarrassment transfer. Huge minus, I mean really really big.
- And then, in the middle of the movie, there's one more musical intermezzo with a frozen screen. That was too much for my nerves and I turned it off.
But, later it bothered me how the story ends and I decided to see another half too, the very next day. The second half had more story and action and less redundancy, and musical numbers are a structural part of the plot. And the ending made me cry. And how should I rate it now...
8/10
Natalie Wood is so beautiful in this movie. Like an angel. - DirectorJohn LandisStarsJohn BelushiDan AykroydCab CallowayJake Blues rejoins with his brother Elwood after being released from prison, but the duo has just days to reunite their old R&B band and save the Catholic home where the two were raised, outrunning the police as they tear through Chicago.Elwood - "It's a hundred and six miles to Chicago. We got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses."
Jake – "Hit it."
Those who still didn't see this movie (at least 10 times) should do it immediately, cause life is too short and you may lack time to see it a few hundred times. And those who saw it and did not like it... nope, that kind does not exist, at least for me. The one and only - Blues Brothers. There wasn't anything like this before or after this gem, not even close. This movie has everything - prison, drama, action, awesome car chases, one of the most exciting love stories ever shown on big screen, comedy, mass shooters, flamethrowers and explosions. And on top of that, it has legendary casting - Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, John Candy, Twiggy, Frank Oz (Yoda), even Steven Spielberg - and without competition, THE VERY BEST SOUNDTRACK IN HISTORY. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd are heavily supported by James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Steve Cropper, Matt Murphy, Chaka Khan, John Lee Hooker. For this movie 10/10 simply isn't enough.
10/10 for the movie
∞/∞ for the soundtrack - DirectorMichael CurtizStarsJames CagneyJoan LeslieWalter HustonThe life of the renowned musical composer, playwright, actor, dancer, and singer George M. Cohan.Better than I expected
This biographical musical drama, that displays life and work of versatile Broadway author and performer George M. Cohan, deservedly won three Oscars out of eight nominations and it is considered to be one of the best movies of all time. It is not kind of musical where a story is told through song and dance, but a regular movie with some theatrical musical scenes that are needed to represent his career. So this movie could be acceptable and enjoyable even for those who hate musicals. Personally, I am not a fan of musicals and I am strongly irritated by any type of pro-American or any other patriotic propaganda, which this movie certainly is, but it has so many other qualities that it left really strong positive impression on me and I really enjoyed it.
8/10 - CreatorTommy BlachaBrendon SmallStarsBrendon SmallTommy BlachaMark HamillThe epic and over-the-top adventures of Dethklok, the world's most successful death metal band.I just finished the first season of the animated series Metalocalypse. It has 63 episodes in a total duration of around 12 hours. Episodes last only for about ten minutes, but I think it's better not to watch them too many at once. I watch one per day, usually during a morning coffee, so that my day starts with metal and laughter.
Series follows the adventures of the band Dethklok, the most popular death metal band of all time, a band that is so popular that it is one of the strongest economies in the world and has such an army of fans that it has a serious impact on world politics. Members of this band are five completely different personalities representing caricatures of "typical" rock stars. As much as they are successful as a band, that much everything they touch goes berserk and ends with a total disaster from which only the band gets out without major consequences. Show is satire of western civilization, modern politics and consumer society, as well as the prejudice of metalheads.
The animation is pretty good, the music and lyrics are excellent, story has a fast pace, a lot of black humor and it's extremely brutal and gore. And the opening theme has immediately entered the very top of my favorites and is one of the few that I do not skip even though I saw it so many times that I know it by heart.
8/10 - DirectorGeorge StevensStarsFred AstaireGinger RogersVictor MooreRoguish gambler/dancer "Lucky" Garnett is challenged by his fiance's father to come up with $25,000 to prove he's worthy of her hand. But after he falls in love with a dance instructor, Lucky'll do anything to keep from earning the bucks.Have you ever seen a bad romantic musical comedy from the first half of the twentieth century ?! I haven't. Although many resemble one another, and after a while they melt together in my memory, they all carry joy of life that in the decades that follow slowly disappears from movies, and today it's almost nowhere to find. Among them stand out mutual films of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. Ginger's beauty is breathtaking and their mutual chemistry is magical. Story is light and fun, music and dance as always great, but although I really liked it, it did not particularly stand out from the masses of similar ones, and it's far below, for example, Top Hat. I have yet to mention, in my opinion, the best scene in the movie, where Astaire is followed by three huge dancing shadows. Joyful recommendation.
7/10 - DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerStarsJodi BensonSamuel E. WrightRene AuberjonoisA mermaid princess makes a Faustian bargain in an attempt to become human and win a prince's love.Almost three decades ago, when I saw this movie for the first time, it's excellent music made it number one on my list of Disney favorites, and it stayed there to this day. "Under the Sea" is, without a competition, the most catchy Disney song ever and it totally deserved Oscar it won. "Kiss the Girl" was also nominated, and when two songs from the same movie compete for the same Oscar it's clear how great this soundtrack is. The most beautiful and the most romantic Disney animated flick, with the most singable and catchy songs. Every time I see it I feel like teenager in love.
10/10 - DirectorJohn HustonStarsAileen QuinnAlbert FinneyCarol BurnettA spunky young orphan is taken in by a rich eccentric, much to the chagrin of the cantankerous woman who runs the orphanage.I was honestly surprised to learn that "Annie" is not a Disney movie. So I watched it again after many years and again I was under the impression that I was watching Disney. Anyway, this is a movie adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name, which is based on the comic book "Little Orphan Annie" from 1924. Critics weren't nice to it and ratings on movie sites are quite offensive, but it had two Oscar nominations and was 10th highest grossing movie of 1982.
Annie is ten-year-old orphan girl, with good heart and smile in spite of cruel circumstances she lives in, who gets a chance to spend a week in the home of billionaire. Good acting, great songs and dancing and exciting adventures, under the baton of John Houston. Rarely cheerful and positive movie, to which I can not give less than
<3 8/10 <3 - 2006–201346mTV-MA8.6 (146)TV EpisodeStarsJack BlackVictor BrandtGeorge FisherIn METALOCALYPSE: the DOOMSTAR REQUIEM A KLOK OPERA, we pick up directly after the abduction of Dethklok guitarist Toki Wartooth in the season 4 finale. With his life in danger, his only salvation can come from the four most selfish human celebrities on earth-his bandmates, extreme metal band DETHKLOK. Will they be able to get past their own egos to help someone besides themselves? Find out in this one-hour heavy metal rock opera special with a completely original score.After four excellent seasons, fifth season consists of just one, final episode, which rounds and closes the series. With duration of four regular episodes, "The Doomstar Requiem" is rock opera, where complete story, with all dialogues, is shown through songs. Music is great, genre diverse and very fun. I suppose the series was canceled and they made this just to avoid leaving the story unfinished, but that doesn't make it any less awesome. I enjoyed all 63 episodes and I'll miss it.
9/10 - DirectorRob ReinerStarsRob ReinerMichael McKeanChristopher GuestSpinal Tap, one of England's loudest bands, is chronicled by film director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour."Have a good time all the time"
That basically sums it up. This is the fake rocumentary about the fake English band touring USA. It presents most of rock documentary cliches and it's trying to be funny, but to me, it was just plain boring, except for few slightly funny scenes and pretty emotional ending. I suppose it could be good for people who are in the rock bands, but otherwise I do not recommend it.
5/10 - DirectorDamien ChazelleStarsMiles TellerJ.K. SimmonsMelissa BenoistA promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.Quite my tempo :D
"To be honest, I liked the music in the book better." :D
Out of story that can be told in five sentences they made two hours long movie. And not only that it isn't boring, but it pulls you in, blows you away and leaves you with goosebumps for hours after it's over.
9/10 - DirectorLiam LynchStarsJack BlackKyle GassJR ReedTo become the greatest band of all time, two slacker, wannabe-rockers set out on a quest to steal a legendary guitar pick that gives its holders incredible guitar skills, from a maximum security Rock and Roll museum.Better than "Citizen Kane" :D
"Cause it's the Pick of Destiny, child
You know we will be rockin' cause it's fucking insane
It's just the Pick of Destiny, child
More precious than a diamond on a platinum chain
In Venice Beach, there was a man named Kage
When he was buskin' he was all the rage
He met Jables and he taught him well
All the techniques that were developed in Hell
Cock pushups and the power slide
Gig simulation, now there's nowhere to hide
They formed a band they named Tenacious D
And then they got the Pick of Destiny
Cause it's the Pick of Destiny, child
You know we will be rockin' cause it's fucking insane
It's just the Pick of Destiny, child
Our tasty grooves are better than a chicken chow mein
Cause he who is sleazy is easy to pleasy
And she who is juicy must be loosy-goosey
And he who is groovy will be in my movie
So come on
The wizard and the demon had a battle royal
The demon almost killed him with an evil kapow
But then he broke his tooth and thus the demon said "OW"
Cause it's the Pick of Destiny, child
You know we will be rockin' cause it's fucking insane
It's just the Pick of Destiny, child
You know our movie's better than Citizen Kane
Cause he who's a geezer must live in my freezer
And she who is starkey is full of mularkey
And he who is groovy must be in my movie
So come on
Cause if you're a diva, then go to Geneva
And if you're a crony, then suck on my bony
And if you are groovy, then get in my movie
It's called the Pick of Destiny"
7/10 - DirectorWalt DohrnRaman HuiStarsMike MyersEddie MurphyAntonio BanderasChristmas is underway, and Donkey and his friends have a Christmas sing along.I don't like Christmas specials, but this is Shrek we are talking about, so I had to see it. But after watching I realized I really didn't have to. It's not boring only because it's 5 minutes long, so it has no time to bore you. Not even mediocre.
4,5/10 - DirectorWalter HillStarsRalph MacchioJoe SenecaJami GertzA wannabe blues-guitar virtuoso finds an old blues player and hopes he can teach him a long-lost song by legendary musician Robert Johnson.Blues ain't nothing but a good man feelin' bad...
A young student of a classical guitar dreams of becoming a recognized blues musician. He meets harmonica legend Willie Brown, played by Joe Seneca, and together they start a journey from New York to Mississippi Delta, a kid hoping to learn the lost song of the legendary Robert Johnson and Willie in order to cancel his contract with the Devil. On the way, they meet various characters and they experience interesting adventures, through which the naive boy slowly mature into a real blues player.
I refuse to analyze and objectively evaluate this film. In movies with a soul like this objective quality is essentially irrelevant. I will only mention the good acting and superb music, for which are most responsible Ry Cooder and Steve Vai.
I can not rate it ten, because I would not go so far as to place it among the best movies of all time, but, considering how many times I saw it, how many more times I will watch it in the future and the emotions it awakes in me every time, I can not rate it lower than
9/10 - DirectorBaz LuhrmannStarsNicole KidmanEwan McGregorJohn LeguizamoA poor Bohemian poet in 1890s Paris falls for a beautiful courtesan and nightclub star coveted by a jealous duke."You're gonna be bad for business, I can tell..."
I do not like musicals. I really don't. But "Moulin Rouge!" is something special. Story is based on "La bohème" by Giacomo Puccini, "La traviata" by Giuseppe Verdi and "Orpheus in the Underworld" by Jacques Offenbach. Although it is a tragic love drama, the film is full of quality humor, positive energy and good entertainment. From great actors (if these are not the best roles of Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, they are certainly my favorite), through catchy music and excellent choreography, to camera, directing and editing, this film has no flaws. The range of the emotions that this movie awakens is incredible. And the end, which is both happy and tragic at the same time, I welcomed laughing through tears.
10/10
Here are some of the most remarkable authors and performers whose hits go through the film: Marc Bolan, Kylie Minogue, Ozzy Osbourne, Christina Aguilera, Nirvana, David Bowie, Beck, Elthon John, U2, Beatles, Phil Collins, Dolly Parton, Sting, Queen, Kiss, Massive Attack, Fatboy Slim ,... - DirectorNimród AntalStarsDane DeHaanJames HetfieldLars UlrichTrip, a young roadie for Metallica, is sent on an urgent mission during the band's show. But what seems like a simple assignment turns into a surreal adventure.I just finished this "movie" and I have divided impressions.
If I look at this as a concert DVD:- I would give anything to see such a production live at least once in a lifetime.
- Stage, props, production, visual appearance... awesome.
- Lars is worse than on "St. Anger" tour in 2004, but better than on "Black" tour in 2012.
- That gambol, even after more than a decade, has not become an integral part of Metallica for me, and I continue to regard him as a foreign body and a temporary replacement.
- Overall impression of this concert is about 8/10.
If I look at this as a movie or a music video:- Good production and editing.
- Over-the-top, meaningless, confusing story.
- What does this have to do with Metallica or the concert?
- Painfully boring. I was about to give up on it after just half an hour, and I barely forced myself to endure. The last third or less was slightly better, but music alone stopped me from giving up on it.
- WTF is in the bag?!
- Overall movie impression is about 3/10.
- DirectorJohn BadhamStarsJohn TravoltaKaren Lynn GorneyBarry MillerAnxious about his future after high school, a 19-year-old Italian-American from Brooklyn tries to escape the harsh reality of his bleak family life by dominating the dance floor at the local disco."I'm goin' nowhere, somebody, help me."
This cult disco movie, which made Travolta a star, talks about growing up in the working class and attempts to escape from mediocrity and pointlessness of everyday life, even if only on a Saturday night. The main character finds sanctuary in a discotheque, where he's undisputed king of the dance floor. Through film permeate many of the problems typical of the lower middle class, as well as disturbed relations between the sexes that are particularly noticeable in this environment. Although music and dance occupy a large part of the film, the "Saturday Night Fever" exudes the atmosphere of hopelessness. Travolta gave an excellent performance, and the soundtrack is one of the best ever, but the overall impression is relatively weak. The film is good, but not nearly up to its reputation.
7/10 - DirectorSam WoodEdmund GouldingStarsGroucho MarxChico MarxHarpo MarxA sly business manager and the wacky friends of two opera singers in Italy help them achieve success in America while humiliating their stuffy and snobbish enemies.The show must go on
8/10 - DirectorJuuso LaatioJukka VidgrenStarsJohannes HolopainenSamuli JaskioAntti Tuomas HeikkinenAfter years of playing songs by other artists, the opportunity of a concert in Norway encourages a metal band to compose their own material, but not before overcoming some unexpected difficulties."It is better to shit yourself than to be forever constipated."
This sentence perfectly summarizes the Finnish comedy "Heavy Trip". In some backwoods in Finland, four metalheads have been practicing other people's songs for twelve years, without having one of their own, nor have they ever performed before the audience. By chance, they encounter one of the organizers of the biggest Norwegian metal festival and give him their demo tape. On one occasion, it was convenient to frontman to lie that they were invited to participate in the festival, but then the lie spread and situation got completely out of control. The band decides to write an original song and appear at the festival uninvited, come what may. Of course, anything that can go wrong will go wrong and the guys will find themselves in the wildest adventure of their lives.
I can not say that the movie is objectively particularly good, but as a metalhead myself, I really enjoyed the ride. The story is original, and adventure is, although totally over-the-top, essentially very realistic and full of life. The humor is mostly mediocre, but there are some hilarious moments, and there's some touching drama too. The acting is good and dialogues I can not judge because I do not speak Finnish and I do not trust subtitles nearly enough to evaluate based solely on them. And of course, the metal sound is something I'm always happy to hear in the movie, even if it's a subgenre that I do not normally listen to. If you do not have too high expectations, you will surely have good fun.
7/10 - DirectorJames AlgarSamuel ArmstrongFord Beebe Jr.StarsLeopold StokowskiDeems TaylorThe Philadelphia OrchestraA series of eight famous pieces of classical music, conducted by Leopold Stokowski and interpreted in animation by Walt Disney's team of artists.Childhood memories
When I see the cartoons that kids watch on TV these days I'm really worried about what they'll grow up into. All the fairy-tale imagination disappeared from kid's channels, and beautiful animations are replaced with modern ugly-simplified and mostly stupid characters. It is up to us, 20th-century generations, to show today's kids all the magic of old Disney and preserve it from fading into oblivion. "Fantasia" is Disney's approach to classical music and, I must admit, it's not one of my favorites. I always loved the animation part, but the music was quite boring for me as a kid. Still, its quality and worth are undisputable. If nothing else, this is the best way to try and bring Bach, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Beethoven, Mussorgsky, closer to kids and let them decide for themselves. "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" by Paul Dukas was and still is my favorite part of this legendary musical. Some parts are fantastic, others I didn't like at all, and my average rating would be about
7/10 - DirectorBryan SingerStarsRami MalekLucy BoyntonGwilym LeeThe story of the legendary British rock band Queen and lead singer Freddie Mercury, leading up to their famous performance at Live Aid (1985).Beautiful experience
I'm not a fan of Queen. I like a few songs but rarely listen to them. In addition, I do not like biographical films about bands. A few hours ago I left the theater completely dismembered. I would not go so far as to place "Bohemian Rhapsody" among the best films of all time, and I can not rate it a straight ten because it has its flaws, but I do not want to analyze it, because this time the technicalities are completely irrelevant. Although one part around the middle was quite boring, it could not spoil the overall impression. The great selection of actors and their even better performances, excellent music and some of the best songs ever written, and perfect balance of touching drama and good humor completely hypnotized me, so I spent most of the film either in tears or loudly laughing, and often both simultaneously. A little more than two hours flew by in a flash and left the impression that will hold me for days. Do not miss the opportunity to see this film at the cinema, unless you have a really superb sound system at home.
9/10 - DirectorSteve BinderDavid AcombaStarsMickey MortonPatty MaloneyPaul GaleChewbacca and Han Solo try to get to the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk to celebrate Life Day, but are impeded by an Imperial blockade. Chewie's family passes the time with various forms of entertainment."It is so awful it makes an Ed Wood film look like Casablanca."
Although it gathers the original cast, "The Star Wars Holiday Special" concentrates on Chewbacca and his family, a great part of the film is in the Wookiee language without subtitles, and the boring "story" and horrible production leave the impression of lousy parody rather than an addition or homage to the legendary franchise. I will take the liberty to go a step further and compare this garbage with "Teletubbies". If you truly love "Star Wars", this ass of a movie will abundantly crap onto your heart and soul, so I advise you to avoid two hours of agony and spend that time reading IMDb reviews, which are mostly quite original, imaginative and occasionally hilarious. Here are some examples:- Do not watch this alone! Like any other emotional trauma, the support of friends is crucial to survival. By the end, you will either want to climb a steeple with a rifle, or go into the garage and start the car.
- It has to be seen to be believed, but do you really even want to?
- It isn't a train wreck- it moves too slowly.
- Don't talk to me about Episode I until you've seen this unholy mess.
- George Lucas has been quoted as saying: If he had the time, he would break every existing VHS-copy of this movie.
- "I felt a great disturbance in The Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened." Yes, Obi-Wan, we all felt it.
- Oh Harrison, oh Mark, oh Carrie... how could you?
- I watched most of the program with my mouth hanging wide open in utter disbelief. I still recommend watching the film if only to say that you have.
- Took me a whole day as well, because it's hard to watch more than 5 minutes at a time.
- Those that have looked into the abyss that is the "Star Wars Holiday Special" are brave indeed.
- The opening scene...in which we watch Chewbacca's family shamble about aimlessly making unintelligible Wookie noises...lasts for seventeen and a half hours. The clock may say fifteen minutes; the clock lies.
- It goes on...and on...and on...and, at some point, you discover that you're weeping uncontrollably and can't stop.
- In the name of all that's holy: turn back before it's too late.
- CBS could have beamed this program to Alderaan and destroyed said planet just as easily as Vader destroyed it with the Death Star.
- May the force be with you if you're watching this, because you're going to need all the strength you can get.
- Your perception of the Star Wars Universe will never be the same!
0/10 - DirectorSam DunnScot McFadyenJessica Joy WiseStarsTom ArayaGavin BaddeleyBlasphemerAn examination of the heavy metal music subculture that tries to explain why, despite the longevity and popularity of the genre, fans are marginalized and ridiculed for their passion."Metal confronts what we'd rather ignore. It celebrates what we often deny. It indulges in what we fear most." - Sam Dunn
As a teenager, I was a metalhead. As I grew up I was exploring all kinds of different music genres and I was spending less and less time listening to metal. After some time I almost completely stopped going to metal events and, at some point, I began to think of myself as a former metalhead. Then I saw this documentary and realized I was still a teenage metalhead trapped in a body of forty years old guy who thinks of himself as a former metalhead. Essentially, there's no such thing as a former metalhead. You are either metalhead forever or you have never really been one. Simple as that.
10/10
"My answer now is that you either feel it or you don't. If metal doesn't give that overwhelming surge of power that makes the hair stand up at the back of your neck, you might never get it, and you know what? That's okay, because judging by the 40,000 metalheads around me we're doing just fine without you." - Sam Dunn - DirectorStan WinstonStarsMichael JacksonPat DadeAmy SmallmanThe mayor of a nameless town gathers a mob to confront a hermit living in a "haunted house," but when the mob arrives, the man has a few tricks up his sleeve to convince them that he's not that bad."You're weird. You're strange. I don't like you."
This forty-minute film by Michael Jackson holds the Guinness World Record as the longest music video. The film includes three songs: "2 Bad", "Is It Scary" and "Ghosts". Songs are written and performed by Jackson, the script is written by horror legends Stephen King and Mick Garris, and director is Stan Winston. It was originally conceived as a promotional film for "Addams Family Values" (1993). That was dropped, but Jackson finished it a few years later. If you like Michael Jackson you will surely like this. The story is nicely done, music and dance numbers are great, and the effects are on the level of high-budget films of the time.
7,5/10 - DirectorBob FosseStarsLiza MinnelliMichael YorkHelmut GriemA female girlie club entertainer in Weimar Republic era Berlin romances two men while the Nazi Party rises to power around them."Life is a cabaret ol' chum, so come to the Cabaret"
And once again I am in the situation that I did not particularly like the film that is considered one of the best of all time. Although I do not lay much on the Oscars, this time the Oscars "Cabaret" won, as well as those it lost, perfectly reflect my own impression of this film. Liza Minnelli was perfect in the leading role, Joel Grey is the carrier of the most remarkable supporting role, directing and cinematography are excellent, and the music is legendary. However, the film lost the race for the best scenario and the best film.
8/10 - DirectorRoger AllersRob MinkoffStarsMatthew BroderickJeremy IronsJames Earl JonesLion prince Simba and his father are targeted by his bitter uncle, who wants to ascend the throne himself."What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?"
"The Lion King" is one of the best known and most respected Disney movies. On IMDb it's in top 50, Metascore 83, 93% on Rotten Tomatoes... I don't know... it seems a bit too much to me. The film is very good and I do not have any specific objections, but it did not delight me. To animated characters voices are lent by the pretty powerful cast, which includes Rowan Atkinson, Jeremy Irons, Whoopi Goldberg, James Earl Jones, Cheech Marin, and others, and several songs from the movie were deservedly nominated for an Oscar, from which one won it. Still, from today's perspective, I would rate it seven, but when it came out, and I was a kid, I was thrilled, and for 1994, it has an enviable animation, so I will give it a compromise eight.
8/10 - DirectorMichael John WarrenStarsBrian d'Arcy JamesSutton FosterChristopher SieberMake room for ogre-sized family fun as the greatest fairy tale never told comes to life in a whole new way in this breathtaking Broadway musical adaptation of the hit movie Shrek!Shrek live!
Already cult animated film by DreamWorks company and, in my opinion, one of the best cartoons of all time, "Shrek", has been adapted into a Broadway musical. I do not need to comment on the story itself, because it is almost the same as in the original, with the addition of pretty good music and dance numbers. While the cartoon from 2001 was designed as a witty and amusing parody of the Disney Princesses, the musical version also parodies some famous musicals. The acting is good, some of the performers really have great voices, and the atmosphere of the entire show is casual and cheerful. Even if you are not a fan of musicals, if you liked the cartoon you'll probably enjoy this adaptation too. It made my day.
8/10 - DirectorRandal KleiserStarsJohn TravoltaOlivia Newton-JohnStockard ChanningGood girl Sandy Olsson and greaser Danny Zuko fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?You're the One That I Want
The story of this romantic musical is quite a cliché, but charismatic actors and legendary soundtrack make it an evergreen classic. I do not want to analyze it so I would not risk lowering my rating. I love it too much.
9/10 - CreatorJim HensonJack BurnsStarsJim HensonFrank OzRichard HuntKermit the Frog and his fellow Muppets put on a vaudeville show at their theatre, bringing in a famous celebrity to help out for each episode.Not my cup of tea...
As a child I liked Muppets, but now it's quite tedious and tiring to me. Musical and dance numbers are inexpressibly boring, guests are uninteresting (exceptions can be listed on the fingers), here and there I smile at some joke, and that's it. Considering the ratings on the sites, the cult status and reviews among which it is hard to find any with a score below ten, I conclude that the problem is in me and not in the Muppets, but with all goodwill and many re-attempts to like them, this show simply does not work for me.
6/10 - DirectorGeorge MillerWarren ColemanJudy MorrisStarsElijah WoodBrittany MurphyHugh JackmanInto the world of the Emperor Penguins, who find their soul mates through song, a penguin is born who cannot sing. But he can tap dance something fierce!"I do not want to live in a world without Penguins!"
During the mating season, male and female Emperor penguins seduce each other with song. Until one day a penguin came into the world completely unable to sing, but an incredible talent for tap-dancing.
The script is somewhat original, but it essentially delivers the good old story of growing up, of sticking out, of seeking your true self and the need to be accepted and loved. A story of genuine friendship, courage, and true love. Nothing new, but it doesn't make it any less wonderful. The powerful emotion this movie conveys from the start is complemented by good animation, a strong cast that gives voices to cartoon characters (Robin Williams, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, ...) and a superb soundtrack (John Lennon, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Lionel Richie, ZZ Top, Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury,...).
The film won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year and brought Prince the only Golden Globe of his career. But even if all this means nothing to you, can you really resist a movie about Penguins?!
8/10 - DirectorGyörgy PálfiStarsIsabelle AdjaniAnouk AiméeWoody AllenA simple yet timeless love story between a man and a woman, told using scenes edited together from hundreds of other films."Umro je drug Tito"
One of the most original films I've ever seen is composed entirely of scenes stolen from other films. Hungarian director György Pálfi has made a universal romantic drama, skillfully and humorously combining clips from several hundred films, so black and white and color scenes, different genres and shooting techniques, actors, locations and epochs, rapidly alternate before our eyes, all followed by nicely blended music, also borrowed from other films and series. Clips were reportedly downloaded from torrent sites and, in order to avoid copyright lawsuits, the film was published as educational material by the Hungarian University of Film and Theater. It may seem confusing and even unwatchable at first, but do not let it deter you, because you will get used to it very quickly and after a few minutes you will no longer need extra concentration. The idea is ingenious, a realization hypnotizing, and I am afraid to even speculate how extensive his knowledge of world cinema is, as well as how much time and patience it took to assemble and edit this madness. Even if we disregard all the other qualities, the effort itself deserves a maximum rating. Bravo!
10/10 - DirectorJohn LandisStarsDan AykroydJohn GoodmanWalter LevineElwood must reunite the old band, with a few new members, and go on another "Mission from God."A guilty pleasure with great music
"Blues Brothers 2000" recycles the original 1980 movie and acts more like a remake than a sequel. Almost the same cast performs variations on the scenes and jokes from the first film which, though technically not far behind the original, no longer have the edge and do not achieve the effect. The only major difference in the scenario is the over-the-top finale. This excursion into voodoo fantasy is somewhat entertaining, but it in no way fits in with the rest of the movie and turns it into a bad parody. Seen only from the angle of the script, the movie is redundant rubbish, but the movie is not just a screenplay. John Goodman, who "replaced" the late John Belushi, did a great job and his charisma is a big plus to this movie. Also, the sequel brings together a lot more top musicians than the original and delivers great tracks, so I simply can not bury it. While this soundtrack will always be overshadowed by the one from the first movie, the mere fact that the film brings together greats like B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley, Isaac Hayes, Dr. John, Billy Preston, KoKo Taylor, Jimmie Vaughan, Steve Winwood, and others adds a few stars to my rating.
7/10 - DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJohn TravoltaUma ThurmanSamuel L. JacksonThe lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption."Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go home and have a heart attack."
Last night I watched it again for the umpteenth time. And it never gets old. The movie is simply perfect. I still haven't seen Jackie and Hollywood, and all the other Tarantino's films are nines and tens, but this one will always hold a special place. It won an Oscar for the screenplay, has an awesome cast that plays rarely impressionable characters, ingenious dialogues and monologues, and legendary soundtrack. The perfect balance of drama, action and twisted humor that guarantees top entertainment and impressions that never fade.
10/10 - DirectorGeorge MillerGary EckDavid PeersStarsElijah WoodRobin WilliamsPinkMumble's son, Erik, is struggling to realize his talents in the Emperor Penguin world. Meanwhile, Mumble and his family and friends discover a new threat their home -- one that will take everyone working together to save them."If you want it, you must will it. If you will it, it will be yours."
I sincerely hope that the insistence on this sentence is a mockery and not a tribute to the life-coach craze. There is also unavoidable environmental propaganda, also taken from the first film. In fact, the whole movie gives the impression of recycling the first one. Talented animators and high budgets allow studios to endlessly string sequels to popular films that, at first glance, seem fantastic. The movie is more diverse and visually perhaps even better than the first, with slightly weaker but still excellent music, a superb cast, and decent humor, but it's somehow hollow. It lacks the emotional strength by which the first one took me out of my shoes. I have nothing specific to complain about, but it left me quite indifferent. And Will and Bill, however entertaining at times, are an obvious rip-off of the "Ice Age" squirrel.
6/10 - DirectorDrew BarrymoreStarsChloë Grace MoretzTyler PoseyAlia ShawkatTwo gangs. One ruled the streets by day. The other by night. It was only a matter of time before their paths crossed."Two gangs. One ruled the streets by day. The other by night. It was only a matter of time before their paths crossed."
Drew Barrymore has directed a video for the band Best Coast as a ten-minute film, which bears a suspicious resemblance to "West Side Story". Whether it's a rip-off or a homage, judge for yourself. The roles of lovers from warring gangs are entrusted to Chloë Grace Moretz and the star of "Teen Wolf" Tyler Posey. The song is quite good, the video beautifully shot, but the story is an unoriginal pathetic cliché.
6/10 - DirectorAlan CroslandStarsAl JolsonMay McAvoyWarner OlandThe son of a Jewish Cantor must defy the traditions of his religious father in order to pursue his dream of becoming a jazz singer.Silent musical
Although "The Jazz Singer" is the first musical, this film is for the most part still a silent film, with synchronized sound only in music performance scenes. It is significant as a turning point in the history of cinema and has a quite emotional ending, but the overall impression it left on me is rather weak and there is no chance that I could force myself to watch it again.
5/10 - DirectorTim BurtonStarsJohnny DeppHelena Bonham CarterAlan RickmanThe legendary tale of a barber who returns from wrongful imprisonment to 1840s London, bent on revenge for the rape and death of his wife, and resumes his trade while forming a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett."At last! My arm is complete again."
Tim Barton's "Sweeney Todd" is a horror musical set in Victorian London, the story of a barber who returns home after years of exile to take revenge on a man who broke up his family and ruined his life. Although extremely dark and foul, the film is visually beautifully done. It possesses typically Barton's mesmerizing atmosphere and a phenomenal cast, also typically Barton's. Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Ed Sanders, all fit perfectly into their roles and perform their own music tracks. The film is an adaptation of the famous Broadway musical by Stephen Sondheim, and the only adaptation of any of his works that this composer has approved and supported. However, for me, music is the only reason why I will not give this film the highest rate. Although the lyrics of the songs perfectly guide us through this story and the mental states of its characters, the compositions themselves do not fit into this film in any way. The music was too intrusive and not dark enough and all the time it was diluting otherwise magical atmosphere.
8/10 - DirectorGeorge CukorStarsAudrey HepburnRex HarrisonStanley HollowayIn 1910s London, snobbish phonetics professor Henry Higgins agrees to a wager that he can make crude flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, presentable in high society."What the girl does here is our affair. Your affair is to get her back so she can continue doing it."
In this legendary film adaptation of the famous London and Broadway musical, Rex Harrison reprises the role of pompous professor of phonetics, who, for a bet, brings home a poor street flower girl in order to re-educate her into a lady. The film was nominated for twelve Oscars, of which it won eight. Interestingly, Audrey Hepburn was not even nominated for the role of Eliza Doolittle, while her theatrical predecessor, Julie Andrews, won an Oscar the same year for the role of Mary Poppins. I do not dispute the absolutely deserved Julie's Oscar, but I think that Audrey deserved at least a nomination, for the transformation she showed in this film and the strong emotions she conveyed on the screen. And I think there is no need to spend words on her charm and charisma. I'm not a fan of musicals, let alone three-hour movies, but this three-hour musical is definitely worth paying attention to, regardless of your film taste. A simple but interesting story, intelligent and witty dialogues, unpretentious music tracks, scenography and directing that leave the impression of watching a theater play but give it epic proportions, a fairytale atmosphere, and a great cast make this musical one of the most impressive achievements of the sixties' cinema. Mandatory for every film buff, if there are any who haven't seen it yet at all.
8,5/10 - DirectorMichael PowellEmeric PressburgerStarsAnton WalbrookMarius GoringMoira ShearerA young ballet dancer is torn between the man she loves and her pursuit to become a prima ballerina.The music is all that matters. Nothing but the music.
I don't like ballet. I really don't. To me, it is boring to death. Nevertheless, the film, which is not only about ballet, but for a good part also ballet itself, left a very strong impression on me. True, at times it was almost boring and the ending is overly melodramatic to me, but the overall impression is certainly positive.
It is inspired by Andersen's fairy tale of the same name about a girl in enchanted red shoes, cursed to dance until her death. This fairy tale was transferred to the film with a ballet performed by our protagonists, but metaphorically also to their lives off stage.
For a little over two hours, we follow the life of a young dancer, torn between love for her chosen one and her ambition to become a prima ballerina, that is, love for ballet. The girl's life story in itself did not leave a special impression on me, but the film does not concentrate only on her, but along the way realistically presents life in a "backstage" in quite a detail. The turbulent process of creating a theatrical play through the symbiosis of a large number of people, from composers and choreographers, set designers, through hard training of performers, to the ballet director who coordinates the whole process, often in cold-blooded and even cruel ways, combined with masterful camera and direction, especially during the surreal and mesmerizing title number, predominates over the melodrama and makes this film really noteworthy.
8/10 - DirectorRobert WiseStarsJulie AndrewsChristopher PlummerEleanor ParkerA young novice is sent by her convent in 1930s Austria to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed naval officer.Mary Poppins II
In 1964, Julie Andrews played the role of the magical governess Mary in the cult musical "Mary Poppins", for which she won an Oscar. The following, 1965, she starred in "The Sound of Music", also a musical, and again in the role of a governess, Maria, but this time she remained on the nomination. Although "Mary Poppins" is a fairy tale, and "The Sound of Music" is realistic, the stories essentially have many similarities. The same goes for the characters, especially for the main role, which is why I decided on this title. Both films have excellent cinematography and directing and cheerful, upbeat music full of life. However, as much as they are similar, they won't bore you even if you watch them one after the other. The streets of London and the imaginary landscapes here have been replaced by the endless pastures of the Eastern Alps and the stone of old Salzburg, over which the threat of the Third Reich looms. But don't worry, this is still a feel-good musical and love conquers all, so if you embark on this adventure, expect three hours of positive emotions and pure children's joy captured on film just for your enjoyment.
9/10 - DirectorMilos FormanStarsF. Murray AbrahamTom HulceElizabeth BerridgeThe life, success and troubles of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as told by Antonio Salieri, the contemporaneous composer who was deeply jealous of Mozart's talent and claimed to have murdered him."That was Mozart. That! That giggling dirty-minded creature I had just seen, crawling on the floor!"
"Unprincipled, spoiled, conceited brat" and at the same time one of the greatest composers in history - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Milos Forman's film "Amadeus" on IMDb is classified as a historical biographical drama. It is debatable whether we can consider this film a historical biography, considering that it is mostly fiction. The characters are historical, but their lives and relationships are mostly the fruit of imagination and artistic freedoms. Drama it is, and yet, I don't remember the last time I laughed so much watching a drama. Although essentially tragic, this story was conceived and realized in an incredibly entertaining way, full of humor and gags.
Mozart's fictional biography is presented from the point of view of Antonio Salieri, the court composer of the Austrian emperor. Salieri, one of the key figures of the late eighteenth-century opera, is presented here as a musical mediocrity. He longs to touch the divine through his music, lives in celibacy (in reality he had a pack of children), and is completely dedicated to his work, but he lacks talent. On the other hand, Mozart is a spoiled, vulgar, irresponsible, and self-absorbed brat, who lives a bohemian life, and is adorned with an unprecedented talent for music. He composes divine masterpieces as if he were writing them at the dictation of God himself. Salieri perceives this as God's injustice. Consumed by complexes and jealousy, he renounces God and decides to take revenge on him in the only way that seems available - by sabotaging and destroying Mozart. As he plays a devoted friend and benefactor to him, he intrigues behind his back until he drives him to premature death.
This idea originated during his lifetime. A short time before Salieri's death, it was rumored in Vienna that he had poisoned Mozart, which Pushkin used in 1830 as the basis for the play "Mozart and Salieri". Later, Rimsky-Korsakov turned this play by Pushkin into a short opera, and in 1979, this story took its present form in the play "Amadeus", by Peter Shaffer. Five years later, he adapted it into a screenplay, for which he won an Oscar, one of the eight that this film got.
I can't comment on the Oscar for the best picture, because I haven't seen any of the remaining nominees. Forman's Oscar-winning direction is flawless, and if you've seen the film, the Oscars for set design, costumes, and makeup go without saying. There are two more left.
The music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in itself guarantees the nomination. And when it is so skillfully incorporated into the film, the Oscar is guaranteed. It is interesting that the performers in the film really play what we hear. When Tom Hulce, who plays Mozart, performs his compositions on the piano, his fingers accurately hit exactly those tones we hear in the film, even in the scene when he plays lying on his back, with arms crossed over his head. This actor spent half a year rehearsing Mozart's compositions on the piano, in order to perform them flawlessly on film. However, he only remained in the nominees for the best actor in a leading role, and I must admit that I didn't particularly like him with his Jim Carrey-ish performance.
Although Tom Hulce plays Mozart, he essentially isn't the main character in this film. The main character is the character of Salieri, who was magnificently portrayed by F. Murray Abraham. Salieri is a man who drowns in complexes, jealousy, and injured ego, completely dedicated to his "revenge", but at the same time he is the biggest and most sincere admirer of Mozart, in whom he sees the greatest musical genius and whose compositions he sees as the embodiment of divine beauty. Torn between these two impulses, he slowly sinks into madness and, after Mozart's death and own failed suicide attempt, ends up in a madhouse. Decades later, a priest comes to the sanatorium and the whole movie is actually the confession of a dying man, torn between remorse for the injustice he did to Mozart and the feeling that he himself was a victim of God's injustice. Although Tom Hulce bounces before the eyes of the audience, trying to keep the spotlight on himself, the way Abraham presented his, essentially tragic character, is the most powerful of all the impressions that this film has left on me.
9/10 - DirectorLloyd BaconStarsJames CagneyJoan BlondellRuby KeelerChester Kent struggles against time, romance, and a rival's spy to produce spectacular live "prologues" for movie houses."It can't be done."
James Cagney is a producer of theatrical musical comedies who, with the arrival and growing popularity of "talkies", loses his job. That is why he came up with the idea to start making short musical comedies, which would be performed as a prologue before the screening of the film. But when he gets into this business, his ordeal is just beginning.
This romantic musical comedy was very popular and financially successful in its time, and it represented a small revolution in the world of the seventh art. Essentially, this film is just an excuse for three superbly produced sing and dance numbers, three prologues that make up the last third of the film. Although these numbers were superbly designed, performed, shot, and directed, the film overall is lame and I could give up on it at any moment and never wonder what happened next.
It may have caused a stir at the time, but to me, this was a completely redundant film experience, although, I admit, pleasing to the eye.
6/10 - DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsJack BlackMike WhiteJoan CusackAfter being kicked out of his rock band, Dewey Finn becomes a substitute teacher of an uptight elementary private school, only to try and turn his class into a rock band."My name is Dewey Finn. And no, I'm not a licensed teacher, but I have been touched by your kids. And I'm pretty sure that I've touched them."
Jack Black is an unaffirmed rocker with no prospect of achieving anything on or off the music scene. With no money in his pocket, he lives on the backs of his roommate Ned (Mike White), who retired from the band and started working as a teacher. When he is kicked out of his own band, and his roommate gives him an ultimatum to pay off debts or leave the apartment, Jack makes a desperate move. Posing as Ned, he is employed as a substitute teacher in a prestigious private elementary school, in order to get the money to pay the rent. But, in the music class, he realizes that his students know how to play various instruments and comes up with the idea to form a rock band, that could win the local "Battle of the Bands" competition for a prize of 20,000 dollars.
An elite private school with a principal (Joan Cusack) behind whose strict exterior hides a completely different nature, a diverse bunch of typical ten-year-olds (a rebel, a nerd, a tattletale, an overweight child, shy one,...), rich parents that expect perfection from their successors and an eccentric substitute teacher who will turn their routine upside down, ... this film unsparingly strings cliché after cliché, and yet, I have to recommend it.
Why...? Because director Richard Linklater, screenwriter Mike White, and charismatic fatso Jack Black managed to compile those clichés into a very watchable and entertaining feel-good film, which, although not hilarious, will keep your attention and a constant smile on your face. When you add a soundtrack composed of cult rock classics, plus a couple of original songs, and as icing on the cake the fact that their gigs are not on playback, but adorable kids really play their instruments, I simply can not go below...
7/10
"Here's a useful lesson for you: give up. Just quit. Because in this life, you can't win. Yeah, you can try. But in the end, you're just gonna lose, big time. Because the world is run by the Man. The Man. Oh, you don't know the Man? He's everywhere. In the White House, down the hall, Miss Mullins, she's the Man. And the Man ruined the ozone, and he's burning down the Amazon, and he kidnapped Shamu and put her in a chlorine tank! Okay? And there used to be a way to stick it to the Man, it was called rock 'n roll. But guess what? Oh no. The Man ruined that, too, with a little thing called MTV! So don't waste your time trying to make anything cool, or pure, or awesome, 'cause the Man is just gonna call you a fat washed up loser and crush your soul. So do yourselves a favor and just GIVE UP!" - DirectorPeter SollettStarsJaeden MartellAdrian GreensmithIsis HainsworthTwo friends try to form a heavy metal band with a cellist for a Battle of the Bands."I am talking to a girl. I'm not even afraid of her. Beer is amazing."
Standard teen drama/comedy, feel-good flick, about high school friends who form a metal band and enter the Battle of the Bands competition. Friendship, first love, boyish fantasies, and adolescent outbursts, a 'coming-of-age' story, typical of a Netflix production. Nothing new and original, nothing spectacular, but quite cute and watchable. An hour and a half just flew by.
The main asset of the film is a good cross-section of metal classics, nicely blended with the current events in the film. When "Whiplash" (Metallica) started, I got goosebumps. And there are also Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Mastodon, Motorhead, Pantera, as well as cameo appearances by Scott Ian (Anthrax), Tom Morrello (RATM), Kirk Hammett (Metallica) and Rob Halford (Judas Priest) and the culmination of the story with "Machinery of Torment," which Tom Morello wrote for the film.
7/10 - DirectorRobert BudreauStarsEthan HawkeCarmen EjogoCallum Keith RennieA re-imagining of jazz legend Chet Baker's musical comeback in the late '60s."A re-imagining of jazz legend Chet Baker's musical comeback in the late '60s"...
...says IMDb and that's quite a sufficient description of the plot of this film. It is important to emphasize that the film is not a true biography, but a fictional melodrama only roughly based on the life of this jazz legend.
The story of a former music star who tries to break free from his addiction and return to the stage, despite many difficulties, is a topic that has been filmed many times and this movie does not bring anything new or particularly interesting in the field of script. The music is ok, but they could have made a better soundtrack if they hadn't blindly stuck to only the most famous jazz standards. All in all, there's not much to complain about, but there's not much to praise either. What pulls it slightly above mediocrity is the overall atmosphere and the performance of Ethan Hawke in the lead role (although Willem Dafoe might be a better fit).
6/10 - DirectorJohn TurturroStarsJames GandolfiniSusan SarandonKate WinsletThis down-and-dirty musical set in the world of working-class New York tells the story of a husband's journey into infidelity and redemption when he must choose between his seductive mistress and his beleaguered wife."You two must think I'm the cucumber in the gardener's ass"
A middle-aged, working-class couple's marriage falls apart because the husband cheats. Three grown-up daughters support their mother, while the father is torn between his wife and his mistress. A story about ordinary people, everyday sins and redemptions, told in an unusual way, through a movie that is and is not musical.
James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Steve Buscemi, and Christopher Walken are the names that pushed me to watch this movie. But "Romance & Cigarettes" is not even close to the level I expected from a movie with such a cast.
The theme does not stand out, the characters are mostly uninteresting, and the story is too silly for drama and too pathetic for comedy. Everything is kind of messed up, even though nothing seems to be happening. Vulgar, an unimpressive movie that will ambush you with random musical sequences. I think Turturro tried to be original under the strong influence of the Coen brothers. It's quite original, and it's somewhat Coen-esque, it's not boring, but even though I watched it last night, I don't remember half of it already. However, I should probably mention that I don't like the Coen brothers, and that this movie might leave a stronger impression on their fans.
On the plus side, the cast alone is worth the time, there are some really funny moments and crazy dialogue, and the soundtrack is good too. For me, the musical sequence for the track "Delilah" is by far the most impressive part of this film, and I also liked the emotional "A Man Without Love". Good, but not great. Worth a look.
6,5/10 - DirectorBrendon SmallStarsTommy BlachaVictor BrandtThundercatCan Dethklok choose between their egos and the greater good of the world to embark on a gauntlet of dangers that will try their very souls and finally write the song that will be their salvation?People of the Earth! This is NOT Dethklok!
Ten years after the phenomenal "The Doomstar Requiem" comes the sequel "Army of the Doomstar", this time as a feature-length animated film. All the technical aspects of the series we loved are here again, everything is apparently the same as it was, except for the most important - humor. Not that this isn't hilariously funny, but it's not even mildly entertaining. One big nothing dragged out for almost an hour and a half, with characters rendered pathetic, rare and failed attempts at humor, and without a single catchy track. Not only is there nothing memorable, but it is so boring that I did not manage to watch it all at once. Shame.
5/10