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Scary Movie 4 (2006)
Oh well...
Not what I was hoping for, but pretty much what I expected. I loved the first one, enjoyed the other two, so I kinda figured this one would be a let down, and it was. Not nearly as creative as the others, not nearly as many films parodied. It did have its moments, but for the most part a let down. Of course, most of the best jokes were released in the previews either in part, or altogether.
It was more fun than cleaning house, which was my other option for today. Worth watching, but don't expect the clever humor and multiple horror film references you've come to expect for the Scary Movie series. They stay pretty focused on War of the Worlds, The Forgotten, The Grudge and Saw 2. I only liked 2 out of those 4 movies, so maybe that explains the 5/10 rating!
Domino (2005)
Almost as good as True Romance
Based on a true story...sort of. What a great movie. Soundtrack is perfect, plot is good, direction interesting, but let's face it what really matters are the characters. It's all about the characters and this movie is packed full of fully developed, incredibly intriguing characters who are expertly portrayed by a flawless cast. Not saying there are no plot holes, it's not as perfectly polished as Momento (another great movie) but close enough. The truth is I could have just watched these characters take a walk through a mall and been entertained. Edger Ramirez is an actor I'll be looking forward to seeing again. I can't believe I missed this one on big screen!! 10/10, this is a must see and I can't wait for the deleted/alternate scenes on the DVD (already out, but I don't have it yet!)
Doom (2005)
I didn't hate it...
I have to say for a movie based on a video game it was not bad. Acting is pretty much what you'd expect, special effects are a little better than the actual game :/ Surprisingly though they did manage to come up with some semblance of a plot, so it wasn't a complete waste of time. Interesting direction, and if you've played the game before you can't help but laugh at how well cast the main character is, the resemblance is undeniable. Whatever, any excuse to look at The Rock for awhile will do. The gore was not at all believable (what did I expect?)a good movie for younger teen boys though, as they kept the content appropriate for their target market. I wouldn't watch it again, but it was alright.
Memento (2000)
Wow! Just...wow.
What a great movie, I hate to include spoilers BUT, how do you review this movie without praising the incredible direction that seamlessly begins you at the end without you knowing it? This movie is put together so that you have no choice but to sympathize with the main character, since you are trying just as hard as he is to figure out what's going on! Acting is brilliant, plot twists are incredible and unexpected. We watched this movie and the moment it ended, watched it again. Try this out, we taped the movie onto VHS, starting with the last scene and watched it forward. Just amazing, they didn't take a single shortcut, you won't find any holes in this plot which is far more complex than most. See it...see it soon and see it often. 10/10
Groundhog Day (1993)
Good stuff.
One of the best Bill Murray movies I've ever seen. The premise is a pessimistic weatherman is locked into reliving the same day until he gets it right. Some unforgettable one-liners and a really good love story. I don't generally like the romantic/comedy genre, but this movie is an exception.
Great character development throughout, solid plot, good casting, great acting and truly original ideas. I loved the variety of ways the main character chooses to live, or rather re-live each day. Bill was very convincing and I think this is one of his best roles, second only to his performance in Mad Dog and Glory. Don't bother renting this one, buy it, trust me you'll watch it again.
Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)
Very, very funny.
This is probably one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Kirstie Alley, Ellen Barkin, Kirsten Dunst and Denise Richards are all perfectly cast. Not your ordinary comedy, much more akin to the humor in Very Bad Things.
As good as the whole cast is, Ellen Barkin really steals the show in this movie playing a beer guzzling, trailer park, hairdressing single mother with faults aplenty-but a heart of gold. I own this one, and every time I watch it I find something else that makes me laugh. Well written, incredibly well cast and exceptionally well acted. 10/10 for this one, highly recommend (unless you're easily offended.)
Dreamcatcher (2003)
Wild stuff
All around a pretty good movie. All the cheesy/bizarre characters we've come to expect from Stephen King. The horror aspect of it is solid, with a plot that makes sense and some scenes that had me on the edge of my seat, and feeling a little queasy.
Donnie Wahlberg IMO was miscast here. He really missed the mark and made a mess of one of the main characters of the film. His bumbling around trying to create this character awful to a distraction. I like Donnie, but this part just never came together for him, to the detriment of the whole of the movie. I found myself cringing as he clumsily delivered his lines in an almost insulting attempt to portray a mentally disabled man.
7/10 though overall. I was entertained, the plot was good, characters bizarre and interesting and some very classic King scenes.
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Mildly entertaining
It wasn't horrible, it wasn't great. There is definitely an effort to make a statement about the evils "caused" by religion (rather than carried out in the name of religion) a lot of non factual implied public opinion of the times and dialog to support that point of view.
Despite that at times it was interesting and, Liam is great, of course. Therest of the cast is okay. Not memorable though, at all. The characters never really fully develop as the story wavers back and forth never really settling on a plot. Not a movie I would watch again or own, but I wouldn't advise anyone not to watch it. I was hoping for more. 5 is probably higher than it deserves, but the cast and direction are nice to look at. Well filmed, just not well written.
Cabin Fever (2002)
Scary, bizarre, disturbing and funny, what a great combo!
Suffice to say that although I loved this movie I'm not all surprised to see the low rating it received, it's not for everyone. It seems to be specifically written and directed for those of us inclined to appreciate the nuances of the old fashioned cheesy/horror/gore flicks.
Don't get me wrong, it is a good horror film. The plot though not complex, is solid and once the gore begins it doesn't stop. The dark comedy spliced throughout will not be lost on the fans of it's genre, but will probably go entirely unnoticed and unappreciated by someone looking for a movie like The Excorcist...but if you're the kind of movie goer that had to see Evil Dead 2 more than once, you'll enjoy this movie. I know I did.
Fahrenhype 9/11 (2004)
Michael Moore must have cried when he saw this movie.
Should be required viewing after watching Moore's anti-American mockumentary. Like washing your hands after you use the bathroom. If you're going to, as so many have, base your opinions and more importantly your votes on the assertions put forth in Ferenheit 9/11, at the very least take the time to educate yourself about the way Michael Moore, the great Misdirector obtains his "facts." More like the way he invents them. Bravo to the makers of this much needed film, though somehow I doubt the "open-minded" hardcore lefties will bother watching this documentary before flaming it with their reviews.
The sad fact is there is a growing number of Americans who are willing to cast their precious votes based on the distorted opinions of a proved liar, or the candidate of their favorite Hollywood star or rock band, and get their news for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, (who continually discloses to them that he is not a real journalist) rather than truly taking the time to educate themselves about the issues, and the facts. They place so little value on their right to cast a vote it's no wonder they fail to see the immense contribution our brave soldiers have made to so many in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some giving their limbs or very lives to bestow that precious right to people who have never known the freedom to choose their leaders, their governments or their futures.
Team America: World Police (2004)
Funny stuff
F.A.G (film actors guild) alone makes this movie worth watching. After listening to uninformed Hollywood stars shoving their obnoxious, nowhere near middle ground views down our throats since the first Bush v. Gore election it was sickeningly satisfying to see them portrayed as the self important, arrogant know-it-alls they are in puppet form. Ahhh, then the finale to see them all die little puppet deaths. Of course I would never wish such a fate on any of them, a puppet effigy is a harmless way to release a little frustration though.
The best is Michael Moore exploding...fabulous. The gratuitous puppet sex is so gross you can't help but admire the brilliance it takes to make you blush watching dolls hump. Good clean (maybe not so clean, wait maybe filthy) fun. Not for the kids for sure, but what from these guys is? If you like South Park, and you're not spastic ally attached to your political views (be they right or be they left, nobody is safe here) then you'll enjoy this bizarre piece of...whatever it is. Note: This gives a more accurate depiction of the war on terror than Michael Moores Farenheit 9/11
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
Moore used to be a much better liar
At least in Bowling for Columbine and Roger & Me the fat man made some effort to lie cleverly, and provide some entertainment. There are plenty of true complaints and real criticisms he could have focused on here. Instead he chose not to bother with trivial things, like the truth and facts and lazily opted to instead cater to those who are willing to believe without question whatever he shows them.
Shameless exploitation of the tragic events of 9/11 and the families of the veterans he purposely misrepresented with his infamous creative splicing of clips to create from real people the characters and events he wants to portray. Real people, who have since been trying desperately to condemn this mockumentary and fight the giant (both in power and girth) who has used them to express a point of view they do not share.
I actually enjoyed Bowling for Columbine, and Roger & Me, even while disagreeing with the majority of what both films expressed. After this though I feel nothing but disgust and absolute disdain for Michael Moore, who has needlessly caused further suffering to people who have most certainly been through enough. I'm sure, if he had taken the time he could have found more family members of veterans who actually agreed with his point of view, but he instead chose to hack and splice his opinions and express them through those who do not, thereby victimizing them further.
Luckily, I saw a news program with just a few of these people and after hearing what they had to say I didn't purchase a ticket, or rent this movie. I saw it on a free HBO preview event. If you must see it, I would suggest you see it for free like I did. No matter what your political positions are, there is just no justifying what he did to those people for the sake of making a few bucks to stuff into his already fat wallet. I for one won't be contributing to his fortune.
Tombstone (1993)
The best western film ever made, one of the best movies.
If you saw the dull...never ending, insanely boring Wyatt Earp with Kevin Costner, I could see being skeptical about Tombstone. Don't be.
Tombstone is a horse of a different color. Is it historically accurate? I have no idea, who cares? Tombstone is just straight up entertaining. The movie starts off with a bang, and there isn't a dull moment until they roll the credits. Val Kilmar as Doc Holliday alone is enough to make this movie worth watching, but it doesn't stop there. Kurt Russel is an amazing Wyatt Earp, Sam Elliot an incredible Virgil Earp and even Bill Paxton gives a great performance and Morgan Earp.
Powers Booth, a great Curly Bill, no matter how evil he is you have to love him! Micheal Biehn as Johnny Ringo is as intense a character as I've seen any actor play. Great story line, beautiful cinematography, amazing script, colorful characters, masterful direction and perfect casting come together to make without a doubt the best western I've ever seen, and one of the best movies.
The Village (2004)
Surprising, touching, endearing and thought provoking without being sappy
This movie fell victim to another case of mistaken identity. Marketed as a horror movie, which is not at all what it is. Sadly I think that had it been accurately marketed more people would have gone to see it, and more importantly the type of people this movie would appeal to would have been sitting in the audience, instead of a theater full of people looking for a scare.
I am a huge horror fan, and thought that's what I was going to see. For me, this movie was good enough to more than make up for that. I was thoroughly entertained throughout the entire film. The characters were remarkably real and believable and the acting was second to none. It's an amazing ride through a gripping mystery with an ending that really delivers.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
Not what I expected, but not bad.
Very different movie. The trailer for this movie does not at all represent the actual movie. It is not packed full of possession, and I think they showed most, if not all of the disturbing scenes in the preview.
I wouldn't classify this movie as horror at all. It was for the most part a court room drama, and as far as court room dramas go it was good. It is based on a true story, and they have done a good job here at presenting both sides of what may have happened, leaving you to decide for yourself which version you believe. Worth seeing, if for no other reason but the way they spliced the two genres together.
The Skeleton Key (2005)
Great movie!
Character development was great, acting was excellent, well written, well directed and just an all around well put together movie.
A health care worker decides she can't provide the kind of care to her patients she wants to provide within the cold confines of the nursing home she's working in. She opts then to take a job caring for the husband of a very strange woman in their even stranger home. She soon discovers that this couple seemingly has a strong belief in hoodoo (a variant of voodoo), and as she investigates further the ailment afflicting her new patient, and the disturbing behavior of his wife, a series of terrifying events unfold. Great plot twists, and an unexpectedly original surprise ending. Highly recommended!
Wolf Creek (2005)
Wolf Creek...it's Australlian for LAME!
The first thing that comes to mind is "NOT SCARY, NOT SCARY, NOT SCARY."
They stole a car chase scene from Mad Max (and ruined it), and a one liner from Crocodile Dundee...the sad part is those were the most enjoyable scenes. This movie was advertised as a "horror" film, and it's not, has been reviewed as a "gore" film, and it's not...and on this site has been defended as a true story, and it's not (more on that below where the spoilers begin.) So what is this movie? Is there a "crap" genre?
Seriously the worst movie I've ever seen, and I've seen some stinkers. These actors really short changed themselves when they agreed to do this movie. Some of the reviews here flame the acting, but I think if you take into consideration the glaring lack of realistic dialog in this God awful script they had to work with, they actually did a pretty good job. As far as character development, in my opinion even with the first hour of the film entirely dedicated to that end, it is the script, not the actors that fail. I have never seen an entire theater stand up so fast the moment the credits started to roll, or heard more disappointed sighs of absolute and complete boredom. Honestly, I have not one good thing to say about this movie. Don't waste your time or your money. Awful.
Now the spoilers.
To those touting this movie as a "based on a true story" that only Aussies familiar with the outback lore can relate to, have you asked yourselves who's story it is? The only surviving witness claims to have been hanging in a cave by his hands with menacing dogs after drinking what he believes to have been water laced with some sort of sedative. Thereby making the entire "action" (if you can call it that) sequence of this film a complete fabrication. That can make for a great movie, however the writers of this particular film are sadly lacking imagination and creativity. There was no suspense at all, which made what little gore there was in this film unrealistic and ineffective. The combination of the actual story told by the "hero" of this movie (the facts of this case point pretty clearly to him being suspect number 1) and the ridiculous artistic license additions from the lousy writers trump entirely the premise that this film is even loosely "based on a true story."
Now for the gaping wholes in the never developed plot. They are too many to number, and more than I care to write about so I'll just point out a few. During the "character development" phase of the movie we hear a story about aliens, later in the film they arrive at Wolfe Creek, and while there this theme seems to pick up again with a discussion of the origin of the crater. The alien theme is furthered when they return to their car only to realize that all of their watches have stopped working, at which point the car inexplicably will not start. Then, much like the car the alien theme comes to a complete halt. It is never mentioned again. What does that do for the story? Makes it worse at a point when it would seem impossible to do so.
Prior to the trio's unfortunate trip to the crater they are at a gas station where there is a very strange exchange with some patrons inside. A Chainsaw Massacre, or Deliverance moment that seemed as though it may hold some promise at the time. Our hero uses the video camera outside the station, seemingly setting the plot for something that will tie in later on in the movie. No such luck. Though we do later see that the killer was parked in that very parking lot as one of the girls stands around watching videos and looking at pictures while on the run from a savage lunatic instead of getting in one of the many cars in front of her to escape, there is never a link established or even implied to the strange characters inside. Is this an insinuation that the killer followed them from the gas station and then disabled their car while they were smoking weed in the crater? Maybe...but did he also disable their watches? A serial killer with EMP technology? No, more like a movie with no discernible plot.
The sniping scene...don't get me started. No explanation at all as to how he finds her once she escapes, but somehow he is positioned perfectly to snipe the good Samaritan at the precise moment he stops to pick her up. Then, instead of offing her as she's hysterically flopping around Mr. Dead Driver, he puts the gun away and hops in his car for the poorly copied Mad Max car chase. Lame, lame and lame.
While escaping at one point the girls are at the top of a cliff with the killers jeep, while he is at the bottom searching for them. They however opt to escape on foot, of course predictably separating from each other in the process. They escape to where? Well right back to the killer's lair of course, as that makes perfect sense.
Enough of my rambling. Let me sum up by saying, this movie tries to be too many things at once. Instead of being a great horror film, or a good gore flick (Cabin Fever style, loves it), or a serious film based on a true story, they try and fail to mash the three together. Not sure why Quinton gave this movie the review he did, but let's not forget this is the same guy that thought Rikki Lake was hot in hairspray.
True Romance (1993)
Awesome!
One of the best movies I've seen. Somewhere between what you expect from a Tarantino film and Momento. Brilliant acting, awesome characters...even the bit players are memorable and entertaining. Definitely a film you'll want to watch more than once to appreciate it completely.
Dark humor, but definitely not a "spoof" or "tongue in cheek" film. Just an amazing combination of an action film, with a complete storyline from beginning to end, and an all out roll on the floor laughing comedy. In my opinion there's not a scene in the movie that could be cut out.