Change Your Image
TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews
Reviews
Squish, Splat, Sploosh: The Stellar Sounds of 'Men in Black II' (2002)
Examples of foley
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 8 minutes long. This is found on the double disc DVD of Men in Black II. It spoils a lot of the film, and so will this review, so that I can go into more detail.
They talk about having to split up the tasks. First they have to determine what they have to get, by isolating every single thing that makes a sound. Including ones such as Jeebs' head being shot and the splatter of the parts landing. The reveal of the actual face of the alien that grabs Jay when he's on the ground, or, rather, when his mask lands. They have to become the character they do sound for, even for something as small as footsteps.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
Design in Motion: The Look of 'Men in Black II' (2002)
Literally, it became a toilet bowl
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 9 minutes long. This is found on the double disc DVD of Men in Black II. It spoils a lot of the film, and so will this review, so that I can go into more detail.
They talk about the substantial extent of the job of the production designer. That it's funnier if the headquarters is full of corporations. The logic behind the various sets. Pondering if the people working in the shops and such in the terminal are extra-terrestrial, or just "normal-". Bo's very proud of the Worm Guys' bachelor pad. The guns getting increasingly large over the course of the film. Everyone gets the same stuff as each other, except Smith, the renegade, gets slightly cooler versions.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
Rick Baker: Alien Maker (2002)
The first generation who grew up in front of the TV
This consists of an interview with Rick Baker, who has something compelling since it's his area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what he's working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 10 minutes long. This is found on the double disc DVD of Men in Black II.
He talks about deciding as a child that he wanted to design creatures, due to the ones he saw on TV. These aliens not being cartoony. The process of making them. Bird ones. Not all use actors, so they can have as many arms or legs as they want. That more time and money mean better end result.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
Barry Sonnenfeld's Intergalactic Guide to Comedy (2002)
This time, they're paying me a lot of money
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 6 minutes long. This is found on the double disc DVD of Men in Black II.
They talk about the titular rules. Shoot it low and wide, actors talk fast and flat. Don't try to be funny. The concept and the flavor of the comedy is very distinct. Dry. Ironic. Lee Jones' reaction shot is better than Smith's joke. Create absurd situations that fit within the story and just let them play.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
Full Throttle Jukebox (2003)
Big Dr. Dre fan. He's not really a doctor
This consists of interviews(with director McG and music supervisor John Houlihan) and clips from the movie. Both guys have something compelling to add within their area of expertise. There is a very clear love of what they're working on.
It's 36 and a half minutes long. This is found on the DVD of Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle.
This is divided into 11 short segments, one for each song. First they talk about it. Then it plays the scenes, or, rather, the portions of them where the songs play. They discuss the various pieces of music, why the different ones were chosen, what effect they hoped to accomplish. It's very clear they put a lot of thought and effort into their picks. This also really highlights just how many, and how distinct, styles there are in the picture itself.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
Dream Duds (2003)
It's all in the outfit
This consists of clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and artwork. Every so often there'll be a name for a particular sequence or set. Through these, we're shown the dozens of clothes the trio wear throughout. It really gets across the wide variety found in the costumes, and increases your appreciation for all the time and effort was put into it.
It's 4 minutes long. This is found on the DVD of Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
'Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle': XXX-Treme Angels (2003)
They're capable of anything! They can do anything!
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 9 minutes long. This is found on the DVD of Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle.
They talk about the motocross scenes. Getting the best involved. Staging it as an underground event due to the number of people there and the expense if using studio. Getting as much hangtime, etc. as possible, making sure the jumps look as good as they possibly could. The stuntmen are male, with the body types that fit the three stars(which Lucy Liu calls scary). Training. Meeting the titular angels, doing autographs, and the like.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
'Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle': Rolling with the Punches (2003)
You get to act like you know what you're doing
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 6 minutes long. This is found on the DVD of Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. It spoils a lot of the film, and so will this review, so that I can go into more detail.
They talk about that the three do nearly all of their own stunts, and how it makes it more real. The choreography. Going away from the gravity-defying. Surviving what you couldn't in the real world. Going close to an R-rating before cutting back to get a PG-13. The sexual element to the battles between the exes.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
Metamorphosis of 'Men in Black' (2000)
If there are aliens, they would feel most comfortable in New York
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 23 minutes long. This is found on the DVD of Men In Black. It spoils a lot of the film, and so will this review, so that I can go into more detail.
They talk about the difference between the script and the finished product. Jones knew talented people would be attracted to it, so signed on immediately. Sonnenfeld's wife suggested Smith. How it's like French Connection, except you're shaking down an alien, not a regular guy. Mikey could do a ton, and they could make an entire series centered on him. Although when he runs, he is CG. And they made sure he was horrifying right before being shot, so the audience wouldn't feel bad. Originally, the end had a long exposition dump... by the Edgar Bug. The bit where it roundhouse punches Will, would be debated every week for 8 months, before they settled on it. Since the organization was started in the 60's, the design of their headquarters is based on that. It was described as "an Ellis Island for space beings". The subplot of the extraterrestrials firing on Earth was hugely changed: originally, there were two warring factions, in conflicts over the Galaxy, and the giant cockroaches wanted this to keep going, so it didn't want them to be able to handle that diplomatically, hence the theft. Fortunately, there were only a few scenes that referenced this, so it was very easy to fix. Some was Frank, whose mouth was just reanimated. Other stuff was subtitled, made-up language conversation, so that was easy.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
T3: Making of the Video Game (2003)
Two bulldozers going at it
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie and the game, behind-the-scenes footage also on both, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 9 minutes long. This is found on the 2 disc DVD of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
They talk about whether it will do the flick justice, and adding sequences that happened off-screen. How much it uses of it. T-X compared to the T850, and hand-to-hand combat between them, including all the work that it required to pull that off, the types of moves they use. The chance to explore different timelines.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
T3: Toys in Action (2003)
Remember when he had the bazooka?
This consists of an interview with Todd McFarlane where he talks about the craft(his enthusiasm is infectious. He imitates stuff from the film, making sound effects with his mouth, so in love with all this stuff), clips from the movie, promo photos, behind-the-scenes footage and shots of people molding and otherwise working on the creations.
It's 7 minutes long. This is found on the 2 disc DVD of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
They talk about picking the scenes that people will want toys of. The incredible level of detail. How useful stills are. The process.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
T3: Dressed to Kill (2003)
I just turned around and told everyone "now we're making a Terminator movie"
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 2 minutes long. This is found on the 2 disc DVD of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
They talk about the first night Arnie was in full costume. He loves the strip bar scene. Danes talks about how her clothes went through a lot of stages of distress.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
Legacy of Despair: The Real Struggle in Burma (2008)
Nobody's asking for great wealth. Just to be free from this terrible regime. They deserve to go home
This consists of interviews with experts, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise, real life footage from Burma, and clips from the movie.
It's 10 and a half minutes long. This is found on the Rambo 4: Legends Never Die (John Rambo) DVD of the 2008 Rambo.
They talk about the 300.000 child soldiers. 1900 political prisoners. Spending a lot of money on weapons that are used on their own people. The military finding new ways to be cruel to the people. How challenging it is to get rice. Depicting what truly happens to the Karen. The authenticity of the film. How it can help spread awareness. The rebels using phrases like "live for something or die for nothing" as rallying cries.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
A Hero's Welcome: Release & Reaction (2008)
A flashpoint. A rallying cry
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 9 and a half minutes long. This is found on the Rambo 4: Legends Never Die (John Rambo) DVD of, you guessed it, the 2008 Rambo.
They talk about the premiere of the picture. Arnie celebrated the success. Julie Benz' mom loved the viewing. Fan reaction. There's an estimate that this lost 2 and a half million in box office, because underage kids would buy a ticket for Meet the Spartans and then sneak into this. Marsden gave a poster for this to troops. Watching this in Burma gives you 10 years in prison, and selling it puts you away for life, but it's so important that a number of them still risk it.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
The Weaponry of Rambo (2008)
If you're not bringing any weapons, you're not changing anything
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie and behind-the-scenes footage.
It's 14 and a half minutes long. This is found on the Rambo 4: Legends Never Die (John Rambo) DVD of, you guessed it, the 2008 Rambo. It spoils a lot of the film, and so will this review, so that I can go into more detail.
They talk about Kent Johnson being extremely detailed and thorough, earning him the nickname of Eager Beaver Overachiever(Eboa). He handled thousands of artefacts. They discuss several of the weapons themselves. Sly being careful to make sure no one gets hurt. The training they went through. The Tallboy left there for 60 years. Making the new knife, including literally burning through 11 pairs of gloves. The massive, 120 pound, mounted machine-gun, which tore the floor out of the jeep the first time..
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
Art of War: Completing Rambo (2008)
Sean... needs friends
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie and behind-the-scenes footage.
It's 10 minutes long. This is found on the Rambo 4: Legends Never Die (John Rambo) DVD of, you guessed it, the 2008 Rambo.
They talk about the editing on Rocky Balboa in this - amusingly, Sly starts out joking that he didn't use Sean Albertson, but did it all by himself. There would be 8 cameras running on dialogue scenes alone, so it led to an insane amount of raw footage. The secondary cutter Paul Harb would take over a lot of material which helped a lot. Stallone listens to everyone since they all have different ideas and you never know what will work the best until you see it. They went for a hard R rating and the studios supported them in that. The theatrical version is the Director's Cut, and they actually expected it would get an NC-17. They tried watching the full thing without music, and it was too real, genuinely not fun to watch.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
A Score to Settle: The Music of Rambo (2008)
He did Aliens. I'm doing the new one
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 6 minutes long. This is found on the Rambo 4: Legends Never Die (John Rambo) DVD of, you guessed it, the 2008 Rambo.
They talk about Goldsmith's 3 signature scores for the titular character, and that since Brian Tyler is a student of his, he's the perfect choice to take over for the series. Why they can't use the Rambo theme for the scenes of atrocities committed against the Burmese people. They talk about the various pieces of music that he composed specifically for this.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
It's a Long Road: Resurrection of an Icon (2008)
The camera's never steady, but it's not overly active either
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 19 and a half minutes long. This is found on the Rambo 4: Legends Never Die (John Rambo) DVD of, you guessed it, the 2008 Rambo.
They talk about that they weren't sure what the story was going to be about for the fourth entry, and Stallone did not want it to be just a standard caper, he wanted to make sure it would matter. Also, they actually talk about what sounds like the plot of the fifth one, turning that down for this one. They talk about the reasons for choosing Burma. It helped show that Sly was still a relevant filmmaker. The difficult environment to work in, with Stallone helpfully stating degrees both in Celsius and Fahrenheit. One of the actors actually was a freedom fighter, and he did it knowing he was risking his family being put in prison back home. Sylvester worked extremely hard, expected everyone else to, and rewrote the script daily. They wanted to show what was really going on in this part of the world few people were paying attention to.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
Rambo III: Behind the Scenes (1988)
They've lived, fought and seen death together
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and incomplete effects shots.
It's 6 minutes long. This is found on the Rambo Trilogy dvd of Rambo III.
They talk about how vast the production is. At its center, it's the story of him saving his comrade. Abandoned castles being used as Soviet forts. They shot it in the Middle East for the sake of authenticity. Trautman is in a sense a surrogate father for the titular lead.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
Without a Trace Season 1: Fingerprints (2004)
Most crime shows, there's a dead body at the beginning; ours is a missing person
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage.
It's 10 minutes long. This is found on the season 1 DVD of Without A Trace. It spoils a lot of the season, and so will this review, so that I can go into more detail.
They talk about Jerry Bruckheimer telling them that even if you were channel hopping with the sound down, the show would be visually arresting. Spending a lot of time dressing extras. Giving each lead a distinct look that fits their personality. The disappearing toddler. The set design of the FBI office, and its lighting setup, and how they're able to do Steadicam shots without worrying about accidentally showing where the illusion ends. Research.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
Without a Trace Season 1: The Motive (2004)
Samantha gets to show her colors, because she's in an extreme situation
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage.
It's 15 minutes long. This is found on the season 1 DVD of Without A Trace. It spoils a lot of the season, and so will this review, so that I can go into more detail.
They talk about how the show can develop the missing person of an episode, and the agents themselves. Casting the leads, with some fun stories. The violence done to some of the leads, personally. Spalding and Jack on the backseat of the car. Amber Tamblyn and her tremendous talent. The main stars' favorite eps. Inviting the audience to try to solve the mystery along with the show.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
First Blood Part II: How to Become Rambo Part 2 (2008)
You too can look like if a tank attained human form
"Starring" Dr. Franco Columbo, this opens with about 4 minutes(and closes with another 45 seconds) of him retelling what he told Sly during production, paired with clips of the film, and for the rest of its duration, a series of exercises that are supposed to help you achieve the physique of the titular icon. I could not tell you if it gets results, as it's simply above my own level of workout. Honestly, I'm quite happy to just stay in good shape. But it does all seem like great advice. Keeping in mind you should respect what your body is capable of, when you start, and not continue if you injure yourself.
It's 14 and a half minutes long. This is found on the Uncut Blu-Ray of First Blood: Part II.
It consists entirely of different uses of dumbbells, and can be done at home as the only other thing required is a bench, or something that has the same properties as it.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
First Blood Part II: Action in the Jungle (1985)
I thought the first one was difficult, but it was practically Alice In Wonderland compared to this place
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage.
It's 7 and a half minutes long. This is found on the Uncut Blu-Ray of First Blood: Part II. It spoils a lot of the film, and so will this review, so that I can go into more detail.
They talk about being educational through entertainment. Rambo representing the entire fighting forces, a character who's bigger than life. Filming in the untamed nature of Mexico. The cameras and crew float along with the actors. The heat, the long hours, the mosquitos, the snakes, the scorpions(who don't have SAG cards), etc. Sly doing 8 hours of 4-hours-a-day training, archery, survivalist, etc. When destroying the command center, they could only do a single take.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
We Get to Win This Time (2002)
This time, it's up to you
This consists of interviews with the cast and crew, all of whom have something compelling to add within their area of expertise(and there is a very clear love of what they're working on), clips from the movie, behind-the-scenes footage.
It's 20 minutes long. This is found on the Uncut Blu-Ray of First Blood: Part II. It spoils a lot of the film, and so will this review, so that I can go into more detail.
They talk about Rambo's chance for redemption. He is the one who goes after the aggressors, not the other way around. A lot of those who came out of Vietnam cheered for the response to "do we get to win this time?". James Cameron wanted it to start out in a mental institution. The perspective that it was the politicians who should have acted differently. A more flamboyant lead. Charles Napier as the despicable villain that viewers hate. Getting the full Vietnamese flavor. The problems from filming in Mexico, including weather, animals and locals. Sly's training regimen, and him going through mud and diseased water. "Arrow fly time". Keeping the numerous kills varied so it doesn't get tedious. Flying helicopters low. Stallone's love story, "no" scream, monologue on "what he wants". Box office. Everyone copying the flick when making other ones.
I recommend this to any fan of the property. 8/10
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)
Like many fairy tales, there is a conflict between the good and the bad
In addition to feeling like this was made in 1969, it's set in a perfect recreation of Hollywood in that year. In this, careers have highs and lows, sometimes due to circumstance, sometimes due to mistakes made.
There's a lot of great stuff here. It is absolutely true that Tarantino continues his self-indulgent streak of recent years, but he does still master the craft. I do find some key choices made to be very frustrating. It wasn't necessary to yet again center the story on straight white men, and their fears of being replaced by other Caucasian dudes. We know Quentin is very capable of focusing on women. He's even been able to tell stories that focus on something is relatable as money problems, rather than merely having them be the lead in a movie that may as well have had a y chromosome star. So why does, what is in part a love letter to Sharon Tate(RIP), present her in such a superficial way? It's an insult to both her memory and to a ridiculously overqualified Margot Robbie(who of course nails it). We see her happy about her films being well received, hanging out with friends and the like. Why is she not given real plot, something to do, granted three dimensions?
When she's in this, what we're seeing is basically what it looks like when you close your eyes and focus on a person you're deeply enamored with: there are no flaws. Why not let her go through what the fictitious Rick Dalton(played to hacking, coughing, ranting perfection by DiCaprio) does? That would be more of a tribute. The only real reason that she appears in this, especially as much as she does, is for it to go with the numerous appearances of Manson family members: it inspires a sense of dread in the viewer. As some worried when they first heard this project announced, we spend a lot of time scared we will ultimately be subjected to the director, infamous for plentiful depictions of extreme violence, carefully recreating the grisly murders. I won't give away whether that is what we get or not, and like many things about this, it is polarizing. However, as others have noted, it is deeply misjudged by QT.
There is a lot of strong language and bloody, intense gore in this. I recommend this purely to the biggest devotees. 7/10