Reviews

This movie is total crap. Sure -visually, it's stunning. But any movie can be stunning with a ton of money, and people who know how to do their job. Other than that, this is an over-the-top, too slick for its own good, wannabe film noir, but it misses the mark by a mile. Some of it was passable, for example the Mickey Rourke sequence I thought was well done, well acted, and the dialog was clever. But I felt that the acting by most of the woman character's was weak, almost sounded like line readings. Perhaps these women ( Gugino, Murphy,Alba, Dawson) are just nice to look at, and not much else. I have never fancied Rodriquez, he's a bit of a schmuck. His films are terrible, his writing is terrible, and he's an obnoxious creep, much like his pal Tarantino. I got an idea for a film, Tarantino & Rodriquez should hold a big love fest, where they do nothing but compliment each other, then at the very end, they blow each others brains out. I think that would be a great movie, and it would get rid of some waste in the business. Now if they'd only toss in Affleck, Damon, Edward Burns and Kevin Smith, I'd pay to see the sequel. If you have any taste in cinema, avoid this lame duck at all costs.

Perhaps the last reviewer simply didn't get this deep emotional film. This won top awards at Cannes. Simply a great piece of art, with incredible acting, beautifully detailed direction, and glorious photography. Shame on shallow reviewers who need to school themselves in the fine art of filmmaking.

This was an excellent character study about an aging cop, who can't seem to let go of his job. Nicholson has rarely been better, and Sean Penn's eye for detail adds to this somber yet meaningful film. The film is deliberately paced, and lacks your typical Hollywood ending (Thank God!), and this is probably why your typical dumb movie going audience won't take to it. It is an intelligent, well thought out film, with many familiar faces. A gem of a film, and lets hope we see Penn behind the camera more often.

Soderbergh's self-indulgent opus to the drug war. Big deal. Overrated, tries to be too slick, and a cliche'-ridden joke. Sure, the acting is good. With over 100 people in the cast, you're bound to have some good acting somewhere. Poorly written, and the grainy look Soderbergh was going for with the scenes in Mexico, look silly and cheap. Yea...yea, it's going to win some awards, because like they say, "There's a sucker born every minute". Not this one folks, I snuck in.

This film absolutely blew me away. Don't get me wrong, I was no fan of "PI", but this flick is a whole other story. This director may be a wunderkind, or he may flop after this. Who knows. Ellen Burstyn plays the pill-addicted Mother perfectly, and Jared Leto steps out from his normal prettyboy roles. The jaw-dropping digital effects are the real reason behind the success of this film however. This is an important, disturbing film, that should not be missed. Ellen Burstyn deserves the Oscar now!!

Christopher Walken plays a loser auto mechanic in Queens, New York whose life is hitting rock bottom. His checks are bouncing all over the place, and his relationship with his girl friend, nicely played by Cyndi Lauper is heading nowhere fast. He becomes involved in a heist, with some bumbling locals. The film works well enough, but the writing is a bit weak, and it could have been directed a little better. But well worth a look. By the way, Walken is excellent.

Rip Torn is very good as Bill, a Psychiatrist whose life is literally "coming apart". And what's worse, he's filming it. Shot mostly from one static vantage point, the entire film takes place in a New York City high rise. We watch as Bill's life unfolds in front of us. His dysfunctional marriage, his trysts with women patients, and so on. Truly a fascinating little film, perhaps way before it's time, and unjustly ignored.

One big horrible waste of time. This annoying Jew wanders around LA, supposedly filming himself on 20 dates. It turns out to be an unfunny, thoughtless waste of time. The best thing that could possibly come of this, would be if this loser never makes another movie again.

Nicely directed character study by Mike Hodges, about a young British writer suffering from a case of writer's block, and dealing somewhat with an identity crisis. He takes a job at a London casino as a table dealer (see: "Croupier"). The job takes over his life, but he is somehow able to turn it into a brilliant novel.

I don't know if it's the best British film ever made, I can think of a few that may top it, but it's a good little film about a hitman (played brilliantly by Michael Caine) , who comes back to his home town in search of his brother's killers. Gritty, well shot, nicely directed. A real keeper of a film.

This dreamy little film is well acted (especially by Crudup), and nicely filmed, but it really goes nowhere, and does so for a very long time. It follows "FH", played by Crudup. A drug induced loser, and his failed relationship with his girlfriend, played by the talented Samantha Morton. Simply put, it's pretty to look at, but it's dull and nothing new.

Chuck Workman did a fantastic job recreating the beat generation, via old footage, and vignettes involving Johnny Depp as Jack Kerouac, and Dennis Hopper as William Burroughs. This is truly a "must see" little gem of a film.

I had expected this long awaited adaptation to be a lot worse than it really was. Although it is obviously not for all tastes, I think it succeeds on many levels. First off, Christian Bale's performance as yuppie killer Patrick Bateman deserves high praise. Secondly, the detail and photography is very good. The story lags in some parts, and obviously some of the more graphic scenes had to be deleted. But as a whole, I think the director was very faithful to Bret Easton Ellis' novel. I only wish he had written the screenplay as well. Than perhaps it would have been better. Overall, not half bad.

This first reviewer obviously didn't get the point of this film. You're supposed to feel like you're eavesdropping on these people's lives. Cassavetes' "FACES" is a monument of a film. It is the landmark of all independent films that have followed. It laid all the ground work. But besides that, it is an excellent character study of various assorted lives in LA in the 1960's. Gena Rowlands is very good, as is John Marley. But a young Seymour Cassel, a Cassavetes regular is the real standout here.

I don't know who financed it, or why, but this "want to be" vampire flick is really awful. It tries to be hip, and appeal to the young MTV-generation audience, but it is just downright laughable. The acting is horrible, and the directing is horrendous. I heard the budget was $600,000. I want to know where all the money went?

The previous commenter simply has poor taste in movies. This movie is for the birds. I wouldn't say it sucks, but it is neither good nor bad. Depp does what is asked of him, however the film is hokey, and goes on far too long. The special effects appear outdated, and below par. Polanski usually familiar with this sort of theme appears very unsure of himself here. Red flags appear when one witnesses that five writers worked on the script (never a good sign) and that the film was shot nearly 3 years ago, and is just getting released.

Definitely an odd little time killer about Edie Sedgwick, an Andy Warhol fledgling who has fallen on hard times, and is living in a swimming pool in Beverly Hills. Very trippy strange little flick, more so pasted together with old clips of Edie in some early Warhol films. Would have served a better purpose as a documentary, but definitely worth checking out. Obviously this is not for all tastes.

Director Robert Altman was at his all time best here, directing the then "hot" Elliot Gould. Small-time Private Eye, Marlowe, tracks down a missing persons case in modern day Los Angeles. Altman's revisionist take on the old Raymond Chandler mysteries is both funny and very well done. Lots of cameos, and excellent music score. Altman followed this with the excellent "California Split" (with Gould again) and the dream-like "3 Women".

Very good little character study about a young man who drops out of college in the late 60's, at the height of political and emotional turmoil. Problems arise in the young man's home life, and subsequently he is drafted to Vietnam. The film follows his journey from college life to home life, highlighting in a trip to the army base aboard a bus. The ending is simply unforgettable! Excellent use of period music.

Made during his in-between years. After his success with "Chinatown", and before his self-exile from the US. Creepy little story about a tenant, played beautifully by Polanski, an underrated actor in his own right. He moves into a small apartment, manifested by a group of weirdos (not unlike the one in "Rosemary's Baby"). What follows is your typical Polanski psychological fare, and excellent photography by Sven Nykvist. Definitely not for all tastes, much like his underrated "Fearless Vampire Killers".

George C. Scott, excellent as usual, stars in this brutally honest portrayal of Midwestern business man, who loses his daughter to the sleazy business of pornography. He sets out on a nightmarish journey to the netherworld of LA in an attempt to locate her. Good movie, a bit bogged down towards the end, but also a very memorable ending. Peter Boyle is excellent as a two-bit private investigator.

And what a stupid comment by a previous viewer. "Are all jazz musicians heroin attacks?" C'mon, there isn't a trend here, and perhaps you don't like jazz because you have no taste in music. Anyway, Shirley Clarke's cinema verite'style is put to the test , as we witness some sleazed-out New Yorkers in their subterranean dwelling, as they await their heroin "connection" -the mysterious Cowboy, played by Clarke's real-life lover, Carl Lee.

And you're right, nobody even knows about it. A film that's content was way before its time. Ron Leibman has never been better, as a conniving fast talker, who has had enough with society, and decides it is his turn to get even. Beau Bridges does a nice job as well, but it's Leibman who steals the show.

Sean Penn is excellent in this slight little comedy, about a womanizing jazz musician circa 1930's. Samantha Morton is equally as good as his mute girlfriend, Hattie. Very good jazz score, yet the film is so short and sweet, it flies by before you even knew what happened.

Good little film, about the ins & outs of a group of cops in LA in the early 70's. Good eye for detail, and another fine performance by George C. Scott. This guy was on a roll back then. Having finished up the 60's w/ "Petulia", then "Patton", followed by the excellent gem "The Hospital", it was almost a couldn't miss. True to life depiction, bogged down just a bit by melodrama & cliche'-ridden script. Stacy Keach fine in this as well.