Reviews

So I have to be brutally honest here, I was mainly looking forward to see "Lakeview Terrace" because I really thought it was going to be awful. And it did look that way to me by the trailers. So I went to laugh at it, but when it started to keep getting better and better, I couldn't really laugh at it anymore. Now not saying that this movie does not have flaws, because IT DOES. But it surprised me with its thematic elements, and really suspenseful scenes. But the cons are that it is a really heavy PG-13 film, and I personally thought they could have made it 10 times better if they had crossed the line into 'R'(which wouldn't have taken much more) and really fleshed out some things that are just hinted at because of their content. And the main con to the film for me was that there was no message at the end of the movie. It just ended, no theme or statement about the story. Just ended without saying "Now the moral of the story is..." So overall I'd recommend this movie to you. The good out-weighs the bad and its really a lot of fun.

The Dark Knight was by far the most hyped movie of the summer. And I walked into the midnight premiere expecting a masterpiece, which depending on how you look at it could be a good or bad thing. I walked out a lengthly 2 and a half hours later absolutely stunned. Not has there EVER been a summer blockbuster movie like this. This was a super-hero movie that breaks all the rules a superhero movie has. And it didn't matter one bit to me, because the way I see the Dark Knight, its not a Batman Movie, its a Crime Drama that happens to have Batman in it. Now let me tell you right off the bat, This movie is not typical crash-bang-boom action movie. Its a movie you may have to see a few times to completely comprehend. What sets it apart from the rest of the (mostly) disappointing summer blockbusters this year is that it has a plot that you care about, characters that are believable and the moral choices presented are truly deep. Now lets just talk about the one thing people walked in to the theater for in the first place, not for Batman, not for Gotham, but for the Joker. Here is my one word to describe Heath Ledger's performance: Incredible. He made Jack Nicolson's Joker look like a grumpy Ronald McDonald. It was disturbing yet funny. Half the things he does on screen are truly horrific yet you laugh. And you wonder, "Why am I laughing? This is disturbing behavior!" My advice, "Why So serious?". Overall, the Dark Knight is not a movie, but a film. It breaks all the right rules and pulls all the right strings. I tell you its the quickest 2 and a Half Hours I've spent in the theater in a LONG time! I recommend this film to anyone, but I do warn parents that it is not a film for younger children, since some scenes are disturbing. I hope this sets the bar for all movies to come, but there will never be a film like it again.

When I first heard that they will be making a fourth Indiana Jones film, I could not contain my excitement. It was a dream come true! Now, its been 4 days since i've seen the film, and I've had enough time to digest the movie. "Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull" is the most different film of the series. First of all, it takes place in a different decade, the 50's. And with that comes the 50's problems, which the movie portrays excellently; Communism, Aliens, Atomic Bombs, etc. There are also many new faces to the new Indy film; Shia LeBueff, Cate Blanchett, John Hurt, etc.

The Films PROS: Harisson Ford looks as good as he was in the first 3 movies, The return of Marion Ravenwood was a delight, and some of the action sequences were spectacular and genuinely entertaining!

The Films CONS: The film seems like it is trying WAY too hard to be a blockbuster, the special effects are as abundant as the bad story line that the movie runs on; and Indiana Jones did not become famous because of the special effects they used. To elaborate on the plot, there seemed no REAL motivation for this movie, yeah there was one, but it seemed really forced and tired. It also seems like they brought Marion Ravenwood back into the picture because they needed someone to be a cab-driver for Indy and his side-kick Mutt Williams (Shia). There was really no scene where Indy and Ravenwood really fleshed out their relationship. And most people will agree that the ending was the most ridiculous ending a movie could have, its an excuse to add mother loads of special effects, I think George Lucas is to blame for that.

Overall Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was very disappointing, not awful; there were some really entertaining scenes, but not what you would expect from a Spielberg/Lucas film that was 19 years in the making.

I had never heard of 'Funny Games' before I saw the trailer for the re-make of the German Original. I was really just expecting a run-of-the-mill horror/thriller movie that entertains, but is forgettable. When I finally saw the film my first reaction afterwords was, "What on earth just happened?". The film's style is almost like you're looking through a window into the house where the 'Funny Games' are taking place. The camera makes little movement, and sometimes there are lengthly scenes where it doesn't cut at all. The film is definitely an art film and may be confusing to people expecting a big budget Hollywood blockbuster. The films PROS: There is an EXCELLENT message sent through the movie, about America's growing love for watching gruesome torture and gore on the big screen nowadays. You don't pick up on it the first time you watch it, but you notice that its not so much a movie about a story than it is a statement. There are also brilliant performances from Naomi Watts and the other co-stars. And some scenes are really suspenseful! The Films CONS: For people who are not prone to understanding the hidden meaning underneath art films immediately (like me) you will feel confused, and somewhat frustrated. There are times where it feels like you have to suffer through a 7-minute static shot of the living room and its wounded occupants lying there sobbing until you can get to an interesting situation. Overall 'Funny Games' was an original experience, but one that fails to really deliver a suspense filled 'Mainstream' performance.