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myrrth_sicopath
Reviews
Auto Focus (2002)
True or not, this movie is extremely entertaining
I know nothing about Bob Crane, his life, his work, his relationships. That being said, I can honestly say that this film is very well done. If it was intentionally fictional, I think it would have gone over mush better than it did. If you watch this movie, from what I've heard and read, don't believe its depiction of Bob Crane, but please watch this film anyway, because it is the most entertaining biography I've ever seen.
Taking a nod from Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, and Breast Men, Auto Focus is a biographical film about an important figure from the previous generation in the media. Willem Dafoe plays his character flawlessly, Greg Kinnear plays his character flawlessly.
While I'm sure this is a very one-sided biography of the real Bob Crane, that shouldn't exclude this movie from being viewed. It's very well made, plays with a good pace, tells a compelling story, and leaves the audience wanting to actually know more (which is why I now know that it isn't entirely true).
If you have an open mind, and you're looking for a mature, well-told story about a man in the eye of the media, or if you enjoyed either of the other movies I mentioned, then you will love Auto Focus. I was shocked how much I enjoyed this film. Outside of its inaccuracies, I could find nothing wrong with this picture at all.
Auto Focus gets an A+.
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Good movie, but Redux had a hard time keeping my interest
What is clearly one of the greatest war epics on film, and an adaptation of Joseph Conrad's book Heart of Darkness, Apocalypse Now Redux has a gripping story, very inspired acting, and deep characters. The only problem, if any, is the length. Redux, you see, is wonderful and fast-paced for the entire first hour, after which seems to drop off. I realize that the mood of the movie is intended to make this shift, as the story gets darker, but it doesn't seem as exciting. The movie begins with such promise of the satire and dark comedy of war films, and then becomes straight-faced drama. Still, this is a wonderful movie, with amazing acting and a compelling story, just don't expect it to be the same throughout.
If you've read Heart of Darkness, or are supposed to read it, don't expect this movie to follow it any further than general plot.
Apocalypse Now Redux gets an A for being an amazing movie, with many parts that stick in the viewer's mind.
American Movie (1999)
The Untold Story, Here For The Telling!
What gives this movie its personality is the knowledge, in the end, that it is all true. While it is a compelling and humorous documentary that does border on mockumentary in some parts (are they staged or is it really happening humorously?), it does seem to get a bit long towards the end.
This movie is funny in places it needs to be, and flows relatively well. Reminiscent of Christopher Guest's movies, if you liked those or Adaptation then I recommend you keep a look out for this one.
B+
American History X (1998)
The 'X' is in reference to a perfect 10
American History X is the most provocative film ever made. It will make you think, it will make you cringe, it will make you cry. Dealing bravely with issues of supremacy and racism, American History X goes where few films ever attempt to go, and it does it perfectly.
Edward Norton gives his strongest dramatic performance, playing a very believable, supremacist older brother reformed by experiences in prison. His character is one of the many in this movie that are brutally convincing and real. Edward Furlong plays an equally realistic, impressionable younger brother.
If you can see past the swearing and violence, which is SUPPOSED to leave you feeling dirty, then you can see the real message of this fantastic film. I cannot stress enough how important this movie is to modern day America.
A+
Spellbound (1945)
Sets the standard for modern-day psychological suspense films
Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound is a classic, suitable for all ages, that will keep any viewer surprisingly close to the edge of their seat for a film so tame by today's standards. Spellbound has all the action beats in the right places, and plays along at a good pace after picking up very close to the beginning. Each suspenseful moment is relevant both to the plot, and to the audience.
The acting is dead-on for every character; their performances blend together very nicely and the setup is perfect. The writing is where this movie, like most classics, shine: I didn't expect to be so drawn in to a movie nearing 60 years of age.
If you're looking for a pleasant surprise of a movie, with elements of mystery, romance, drama, and a lot of suspense, then you will greatly enjoy Spellbound. It was clearly the inspiration for many modern thrillers, such as Identity and The Bone Collector.
12 Monkeys (1995)
Terry Gilliam is a master storyteller
Twelve Monkeys is perhaps Terry Gilliam's best picture, and it's easy to see why. While most, if not all, of his movies maintain similar disjointedness (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) to them, Twelve Monkeys integrates all parts of the story into one satisfying moviegoing experience. Each part of the film is integrated into the gratifying whole.
The characters of Twelve Monkeys never stray outside of their rationale; while they do change and grow, the writing and the acting never betrays them, and by the end of the movie you don't feel like you're watching Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt, because you aren't. You're seeing their characters in a world they cannot control.
The scenery is amazing in its consistency and believability. The futuristic setting is very Gilliamesque (for anyone who has seen Brazil), and the rest was shot on location in Baltimore and Philadelphia.
I really can't express how wonderfully complex a story has been crafted, told from all angles, yet still leaves me feeling like I haven't been played to, that the story is, in and of itself, both a work of art and a complete story.
According to the DVD, chapter 42 is called "Full Circle". And that's really what this movie does. If you're looking for a film that will make you feel for the characters, make you wonder about their circumstances, and leave you with something, that lesson that most movies strive to give, then Twelve Monkeys is beyond worth seeing.
Gilliam's Best- 10/10
American Beauty (1999)
Kevin Spacey brings humor to a self-obsessed world
I remember when this movie came out, it got acknowledgment from nearly all of my friends as an amazing movie, and then went on to win Best Picture. Due to some twist of fate I didn't see it until a few months ago, and I think that helps to give my opinion a more unbiased light; I'm not caught up in the rush.
I watched this movie with my best friend, and I'll be honest, we thought it was hilarious. Both of us thoroughly enjoyed Kevin Spacey and his very acerbic realism, because we felt he was the only realistic character, and had been stuck in the middle of a crazy, neurotic world where he was the only one looking at the world through the eyes of sardonic humor and intelligence. Let me explain.
*SPOILERS*
The scene wherein Kevin Spacey ruins his wife's first impression with someone she thoroughly admires, The King (of real estate), is absolutely hilarious. It really shows how much he doesn't belong in what is otherwise, a boring and predictable soap opera.
The scene wherein the neighbor's son is showing Thora Birch a video of a plastic bag, and claiming it holds such life and beauty, is hilarious. That he focuses on this inanimate bag in a gust of wind for SO LONG is very funny; it isn't deep, it isn't meaningful, it is a PLASTIC BAG! I really hope that wasn't supposed to be serious, because I felt that it implied how little people understood about what life was. If he spent this much time admiring a plastic bag, he wouldn't have ever found his way home.
The scene wherein Kevin Spacey pictures Mena Suvari dancing alone for him is hilarious. Such artistry is given to a scene that implies pedophilia; the true humor is in the obvious fact that she had no idea what he was thinking. Reminiscent of the scene in Pulp Fiction where Lucius Wallace pictures Tarantino's wife as black just because he is.
*END SPOILERS*
I couldn't fathom how people thought this movie was anything more than a sardonic comedy about Kevin Spacey being a character, obviously out of place, in a soap opera drama. He is what brings life to this movie, and he casts a more unrealistic and silly light over some of the other bizarre and ultimately pointless events.
Don't think that this is a BAD movie... but just consider that, in my opinion, it isn't deep at all. But for what it is, it's very, very enjoyable. 7/10