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Reviews
The Happening (2008)
One of the biggest bombs I have ever seen!
Okay, so I am giving this a 1. It was absolutely horrendous. Would I recommend this movie to people? Absolutely. Why? Because it was probably the most entertaining bomb-of-a-movie I've ever seen. Trust me, you will laugh-out-loud.
It was so bad that I am still waiting for Mark Wahlberg and M. Night Shamalyan to say, "just joking, guys!" But no. I've seen interviews with both the actor and director - on separate occasions, and it turns out that what the movie was marketed as and from what these two discuss in interviews, we can gather that "The Happening" was and is an earnest attempt at making a thriller. Both Wahlberg and Shamalyan talk about the premise and the seriousness of the story, and so on. But I kid you not, a thriller is not what you get. It's a comedy because we recognize how earnest this attempt was at making a thriller. And our realization of this while watching the absurd film makes it all the more entertaining and funny. Oh I definitely smell Razzies.
The premise isn't even that bad, I have to say. Plants/nature turning on humans because of our destruction/lack-of-respect, etc. But the delivery... oh my! The acting is something to behold. It will have you believing that these actors may have in fact been lobotomized or invaded by kindergarten students during the filming. Particularly Mark Wahlberg. Okay, now some people might say that he is supposed to be a an innocent/naive-type character. Umm, no. His delivery of lines is on par with Keanu Reeves on a bad day. Is this the same actor that did 'The Departed'? Might not be Mark Wahlberg's fault. Perhaps it was the writing, directing, or editing: which, when combined, leaves the audience on several occasions in absolute hysterics. And I'm specifically talking about the parts that were supposed to be scary or suspenseful. So what gives? My guess is that M. Night lost his mojo a bit. He couldn't step up to the plate or knock down a three when called upon. If he was trying to make a comedy, however, I give him full credit. My uncontrollable laughter throughout was worth the full price of admission.
Now, I have to say that I've been a fan of M Night Shamalyan for quite a while now. Obviously the "Sixth Sense" was genius. By industry standards M. Night was pulling off an Orson Welles for the most part when he brought it out. By word-of-mouth, that movie made a mint. And for good reason. It featured multi-layered writing and flawless directing and people took notice. Then he followed it up with "Unbreakable", an even better film in my opinion. Sheer genius actually. His take on the "superhero/comic-book" genre was of the highest quality; it was original, sharp, and he got the best out of his actors. The problem is, his writing and directing at times is so ridiculously good that you think he can do no wrong. "Signs" was a bit of a letdown. I felt he was relying on the special effects and the alien a bit too much in the third act. "The Village" was unbelievably good. He took a slice of the time (post 9/11 world) and created an allegory of American society. I know I'm in the minority here with regard to that movie, but I felt he nailed it. So he is highly gifted in his craft, no doubt. Again it's the expectations. This happens with all great directors. "Lady in the Water" was an embarrassment to say the least. I don't know what happened there, it was just plain boring and nothing seemed to happen. The editing, the acting, the writing, all bad. Was he, perhaps, a bit too self-involved? I think so. Now we get "The Happening", which is the strangest movie of the bunch because it doesn't know what it is or what it wants to be. Is it a comedy? Is it a thriller? What is it?
Do watch the movie, though. I am telling you, it is the best "worse" movie you will ever see. Heck, I may give it a 10 after my next viewing. If I can just figure out what the hell I watched.
Freedom Writers (2007)
Uplifting and Inspiring
On the surface this movie looks like your typical formulaic school film. Don't be fooled. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.
The acting, led by Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey, not to mention the other dozen or so actors (Particularly April Hernandez) who play the students, really make the characters authentic and their plight believable. The movie takes place in Long Beach, California, during the aftermath of the L.A. riots, where the tensions among the four main racial groups (Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Whites) in the L.A. districts, are at an all time high. This fact coupled by the emergence of inclusion in the public school system no doubt made for an extremely difficult challenge for any teacher.
What we see here is an inexperienced, beginner teacher come into this difficult situation and flourish; a woman, perhaps a bit too idealistic, perhaps a bit too naive at first, but through perseverance, dedication, and kindness, steps up and helps guide a group of at risk teenagers into a more positive direction, and more importantly, helps them find out who they are. How could one deny such a positive film?
Being a teacher myself, I can honestly say that many of the issues that take place throughout the film with regard to the teaching profession are realistic - the issue of being underpaid (quite simply a sad fact in North America), an administrator or tenured teachers resentment or bullying of a new teacher (the majority are good but some aren't), how teaching is a lot more than a 9-5 job (it cuts into your social life very much). You really get the feeling that those involved in making the film took great respect and did their research. Credit goes out to the screenwriter, Richard LaGravanese and the teacher herself, Erin Gruwell.
My only complaint about the movie would be how it portrays the area of Long Beach, California. Viewers will get an image of the area being an extremely violent place to live, where drive-by shootings and gang wars are as common as the mail being delivered to your door. This simply is not true. I've spent some time in Long Beach and I can honestly say it seemed like a really safe place to live. Also, the people there were very friendly. At no time did I feel I was out of place, mistreated, or discriminated against by any other ethnic groups there. Although these problems may arise from time to time, you have to understand it is not the norm. To the credit of the director, it was probably used to affect plot and such.
Nonetheless, this is a wonderful film. Funny, warm-hearted, and inspiring. A movie that is certainly worth your eleven dollars. Great job!
9 Stars.
The Devil's Rejects (2005)
Plain Garbage
I can't believe this film was actually allowed to be released!! My God, what kind of crack are the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) smoking anyway?? I consider myself to be very liberal when it comes to all forms of art and/or entertainment - even when it oversteps the bounds for "art" sake (some good examples would be 'A Clockwork Orange' and 'Natural Born Killers'). This movie, however , was a senseless, pointless, gratuitous, morally degenerate piece of crap-waist of my time. And talk about BORING. Not one scary scene in the whole goddamn film! As I said, just disturbing, claustrophobic material. Movies like this, Hostel, and A Texas Chainsaw Massacre (these two I have not seen) are the movies that make it in mass media. C'Mon. They are all aimed at the 13-20 something market (perhaps the most impressionable age in our society), and that is disconcerting. Stop paying money to these hacks, people! They are mocking you. They have it in their head that this is what you want to see. It's all for the purpose of making money ($). Do your job MPAA! Understand that you have a duty to society. Movies like this should be banned for two reasons: they SUCK! And they are CRASS.
People, if you want to see a real horror film and be scared, watch 'Halloween', 'A Nightmare on Elm Street', 'Psycho' or 'The Shining'. All of these movies serve its purpose in art & entertainment, they are scary, original, but also have a moral compass; the directors and writers all have or had respect for its viewers.
Not Zombie, the moral degenerate bore. Hey Zombie, aim a bit higher buddy! Show more frigging respect for your audience. Sit down and write a real script. You're a B-movie hack!
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
A Brilliant Piece of Art
Words would not do this film enough justice. It is a masterpiece for so many reasons.
First and foremost, the attention and detail with every scene and every frame of the movie is absolutely stunning. An excellent example would be the scene where the four hoodlums are in the restaurant/club after they have committed society's worst crimes. Whether it is the demeanor of the criminals, the decor of the restaurant, the patrons inside, or the dialogue, you get an understanding as to the type of director we are dealing with. This is what "Art" is all about: from start to finish it is relentless non-linear poetry. Something that goes beyond analysis and simply is.
'A Clockwork Orange' is both profound and simple at the same time. It's indeed a social statement, a political statement, a statement on human nature, and many of those other things. Yet it does not judge or categorize its politics in neat little boxes or dichotomies - of left and right or right and wrong. It does not give thanks or offer solutions to any of those things either. That is why it is so brilliant. It simply breathes with its own breath. You watch this and easily understand why Stanley Kubrick is mentioned as one of the top 5 directors of all time. This film would have to be in the top 10 films of all time.
Put this film into context (as you would all great films). If you were to watch this film in the 1950's (even though it wasn't made then), or 2050, it would have the exact same relevance. It's a timeless masterpiece. Definitely one of the finest films of all time!
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The biggest Hoax in Film History!
This was a painful experience. Argh! After watching a bunch of foul mouthed twenty something students walk around the woods with their camcorders, SUPPOSEDLY in search of a Witch, all we get is some running, screaming, and swearing. Where was the witch??? No witch. No witch? No witch. And the students are SUPPOSEDLY lost, walking in circles, unable to get out. Yeah... okay....how about following that damn river genius! Water flows out into a lake, perhaps? And then the ending. A boy is standing with his back turned, staring into the wall? The camera drops. Hahahhahahah.... So funny.
Can I have my money back please? I was told that this movie was good. Why did I buy into this hoax.
Please, save your money! This was one of the worst movies you'll ever see. Argh, I say!
Jackie Brown (1997)
Oh My God!
I was so angry when I saw this one in the theater. Now I can just laugh at it. By and large, just overkill for Tarantino. Way too self absorbed. Perhaps he was over-thinking it? Perhaps he did way too much coke before doing this? I dunno. He had some good ideas, but he just couldn't deliver. There was one scene that worked for me. The exchange between Samuel Jackson and Chris Tucker. That was nice. It had some edgy realism that took you to another level. Some pure American street jive that portrayed hoods or gangsters, showing the gritty underbelly of America. And if Tarantino went that harsh realistic route it may have been a good movie; an interesting departure for Tarantino. But unfortunately after that scene it simply fell apart. He tried to do too much. The worst scene was the one in the mall where you had three different takes on one scene. A complete waste of time because it was a useless scene to begin with. If that isn't self gratuitous I don't know what is. And DeNiro. Man was he embarrassing! I don't think that was his fault. What the hell kind of character was that?? For such an accomplished actor too. On the other hand you give Pam Grier the lead? Bad choice QT.
Oh well, you can forgive Tarantino for this one. Every director has a stink bomb. And considering he has done 'Resevoir Dogs', 'Pulp Fiction', 'Kill Bill vol. 1 & 2', and wrote 'Natural Born Killers' and 'True Romance' (all brilliant films), he has plenty of room to mess up.
The Proposition (2005)
For pure realism, no Western can compare!
After watching this film, I would argue that no other Western has conveyed the loneliness or natural setting that this one has. Nor has any other Western shown its outlaws and lawmen in such an impartial or objective light as this one has. And considering the company of films this would include, 'The Unforgiven' being at the top, also 'The Outlaw Josey Wales', 'The Good, the bad, and the ugly', 'A Fistful of Dollars' and such, that is saying a lot.
Many people on this site talk about the violence. Well, they are right. It is VERY real. However, it is not glorified in any way. And that is the key.
The violence is justified. There is one common theme in all Western films: violence. America and Australia are unique in this way; although different, historically and culturally, they both had very violent settlements. This was mainly due to the vast geography, the climate, the harsh conditions, and the clashing of its inhabitants.
So violence was the result of this mix. But don't be put off by this. There is much more going on in this movie than just violence.Whether it is the loneliness - the raw, beautiful, unforgiving nature of the Outback, or the question of class, race, mortality or family, we as an audience are privy to what it was probably like in the mid to late 1800's Australia. We are shown various groups involved; the aboriginals, the Irish, and the English to name a few.
After watching this film, I simply want to know more. For that I give it a 10. Period.
In addition to that. The acting is sublime. The direction and the cinematography are tops. The musical score cannot be more suitable. And the writing is supreme.
Pound for pound, the best Western I've ever seen.
Breathless (1983)
An Underrated American Classic!
It is a remake of a French film, sure. But watch this film and you will have insight and understanding of the American male pathos and the American male soul.
Richard Gere plays Jesse Lujack, a petty criminal and wanderer, who becomes caught up in a harsh set of circumstances that leave him running from the authorities. Jesse is the type of guy who is always in search of excitement or action because that is who he is; he is your typical handsome, good natured male, transplanted in the American underbelly. And because of this, tragedy is never far behind.
On the run, Jesse meets up with Monica, a beautiful, French exchange student, played by the lovely Valerie Kaprisky, whom we might assume has met in some bar or shopping mall. Jesse and Monica are both beautiful people, so we understand how they probably met: vis a vis - the natural way: through physical attraction. There is a problem, however. Jesse is from a different world than Monica. She is a college student who appears to come from money and privilege, and appears to be more comfortable with stability and therefore is respected in society. While Jesse is, well, the other kind.
This movie is brilliant. One of the gems from the 80's. It has a wonderful pace, thanks to director Jim McBride. The music is fantastic; various pop songs and surfer jams are placed throughout. The writing by Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut is excellent because it is very accurate to how real people communicate; this is true with not only the lead actors but with the small roles as well.
Yet, when it's all said and done, this is Richard Gere's movie. He is an absolute tour de force. He embodies Jesse; he knows how he thinks, how he acts and how he moves. It is quite the achievement. Arguably the best of Gere's career.
There are many sequences that highlight the film. My personal favorite is the scene in the pool between the two leads. Gere and Kaprisky are young, in their prime, and playing off each other; attracted, repelled, and attracted again. There are reasons for this and I will not elaborate... you have to see it. It's a brilliant scene.
Just see this movie. You will not be disappointed. 10 stars.
Miami Vice (2006)
Amazing Cinema Experience!
The best cinema experiences are the ones that take you in and pull you along for the ride. That's how I felt as I sat through "Miami Vice": this summer's best movie. A feeling that stayed with me long after I left the theater.
If you're the type of person that wants a constant snap snap snap action movie with overdone dialogue, you might want to go elsewhere. Michael Mann has taken a classic 80's TV drama and made it into a modern, smart, beautiful film with great respect for the idea behind the show he produced back in the day.
There is none of that absurd campy crap we've seen in recent movies made from other TV shows (Dukes of Hazzard, Starsky & Hutch, Charlies Angels, etc). Nope. Remember, this was a groundbreaking show far ahead of its time when it came out in 1984, portraying the gritty underground world of Miami's drug cartels and undercover cops that had to sometimes walk the line, and Michael Mann does not disappoint. Wow is all I can say! Here we get the best paced movie Mann has ever done. So nuanced and tight with its filming and editing. Perfect Pace throughout. Top notch cinematography. Wonderful colors - dark, sublime;classic pastels and neon shades throughout. A great musical arrangement, as was done back in the original show. Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx are excellent as Crockett and Tubbs. A great supporting cast too, with Barry Henley as Lt. Castillo, Elizabeth Rodriguez as Gina, and the beautiful Gong Li as Isabella , just to name a few. Mann does not give you any background information of these men,nor does he dumb down his pace or plot for you to catch up. He hits it at the gut level - the classic visceral Michael Mann we've seen in movies such as Heat and Collateral and brings you into the dangerous world of the drug war. Let go of expectations or preconceived notions, and get taken along for the ride. You will see why Michael Mann is the best action movie director today. Brilliant movie!