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Ross16
Reviews
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
A Brilliant Classic Gets Even Better Over the Years!
When I was a child, I wasn't fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to watch this classic cartoon as it just wasn't a tradition as it is in the U.S. to view this every Christmas time and so I only got to watch this as an adult while I was studying in your fine country and yet I was blown away. I had read Seuss as a child in the public libraries but this was the first time I had a chance to see the animated versions. The picture quality has been restored very well here on this DVD however the sound quality while is good at Dolby Digital Stereo quality is not remastered well enough coming without any DTS with THX or Dolby 5.1 option although whose of you with Pro Logic would have it a little better. This becomes apparent especially for the second great feature: "Horton Hears a Who" where the volume levels alternate from just right to too soft at various points of the cartoon. The special features here are very, very good with documentaries featuring great interviews with the voice talents and the composer Albert Hague who wrote the great music for the songs on the Grinch. Overall, this is a very good DVD of great value for money and I can only anticipate what a better restored version with enhanced sound quality perhaps on Blu-ray would look like and I await such a DVD with bated breath. In the meantime though, this DVD is still a very good tribute to that great classic, the original and still the best version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" Highly recommended.
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Beautiful Movie
The movie is not a very accurate biography of Nash's life. Nash's life was very painful according to the book. The movie only touches the outskirts of the pain his schizophrenia caused. The biggest problem of the movie is that Crowe portrays Nash probably far more likable than Nash actually was durng his illness. Crowe has a charisma that the real Nash probably does not have. The movie is a Hollywood movie. It is glitzy and stylish. However, I think Howard has done an admirable job in storytelling. Crowe portrayed Nash well. Nash was althletic looking and handsome when he was younger. Howard had synthesize the whole story in a couple hours and I think he told the story in a very powerful way. Schizophrenics are delusional partly because their view of the universe makes them the center of the universe. Their role in their universe is very important to them. The movie also reveals the torment of the treatment and the drugs they used back then to treat schizophrenia. Connelly was beautiful and very convincing as the wife. I enjoyed the movie immensely. The movie touches on the nature of reality and our dreams. The DVD extras are good as well. There is an interesting interview with Howard talking to Nash. Pretty cool.
Meet the Fockers (2004)
A Few Precious Laughs Thanks to the 'Fockers,' Hoffman and Streisand
'Meet the Fockers' means meeting Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand. That's all you have to know, and that's the best part of the film, of which script is utterly lame, and of which set-pieces are not as funny as they should be. But the Fockers, I mean, the husband and wife played by Hoffman and Streisand are so lovable, silly, and most of all, believable that you can forget all the unnecessary part of the film, and enjoy yourself watching the vintage comic acting from the couple. Greg, no, Gaylord (Ben Stiller) and Pam (Teri Polo) come back as the lovers who are going to marry soon. This time, they have a bigger problem than before, and that is that they have to introduce the uptight father of the future bride, ex-CIA agent Jack to the parents of the Fockers. And the two Fockers house husband Bernie and sex therapist Roz (Hoffman and Streisand) are far from ordinary parents, who can casually talk about the 'first time' of their much, much beloved son at the dinner. And to Greg's dismay, they are truly enjoying the embarrassing conversations. And it is only natural that Jack find them a lot more embarrassing and even rude when ex-hippie Bernie makes fun of CLIA (L stands for 'lack of') right before the proud Jack. The ice never breaks between the two families when they pretend it does, and the awkward relations, which get more and more awkward as the story goes on, are seen in the center of the comedy. Unfortunately however, the script never gels. It has sparks sometimes, but clearly we see misfires oftener. There are several reasons for that ineffectiveness. Ben Stiller and Teri Polo do not look like a couple loving each other, and there are too many familiar kinds of gags involving toilet, dirty words, and a baby. To me, the greatest problem is that all the set-pieces are tired retread of 'Meet the Parents.' Instead of volleyball in the original, you see football. If a cat is not good enough, there is a dog. And I admit Robert DeNiro is good, and I can say he is as good as in the first one, but don't you think that he is doing too many comedies these days? But the couple of Hoffman and Streisand is a different thing, special gift from these veterans. They almost single-handedly save the film from the uninspired mess with their hilarious comic acting. The actors themselves may not be your favorite, but you should forget your liking or disliking for now, because these parents are so charming and credible. Especially Dustin Hoffman does one of his best performances in recent years. Probably the character of Bernie is so close to his own that some seem to say that the way Hoffman keeps on bubbling funny nonsense is exactly the impression we have about him during his interviews, and you can believe their words simply by watching the extraordinary but likable character he plays. Obviously Hoffman is in his element. Despite the weak script and the weaker husband-wife descriptions of Robert DeNiro and Blythe Danner, 'Meet the Fockers' is better than I expected. Of course, that does not mean very much when I usually don't expect much from the sequels. But the family of 'The Fockers' of the film's title are genuinely fun to see, and I am ready to revisit their home, even if I didn't find the film itself particularly great.
Back to the Future (1985)
buy and own
The second movie is my favorite, where the gang goes into the future and experiences a world quite different from the mid 80's. I was a child from the 80's, and remember these movies well, and I also remember back in the day everyone thinking that the future would be exactly like this movie portrayed it to be like. It wasn't, at least not *yet* in the year 2007 (in the movie, they go to the year 2015, so unless some major changes happen in the next eight years, all those flying vehicles and life-like television screens will probably not be happening in our reality any time soon). It was just a lot of fun to sit there and think that back in the 80's, people really thought our world was going to change THAT drastically. Lots of fun scenes. Anyway, I haven't seen the second movie in quite a long time, and was surprised that the quality of the storytelling has held up extremely well through the years, and the movie doesn't look like your typical 80's film either (you know, with lots of dated-sounding loud saxophone playing, yuck!) I was also surprised that the characters actually went back to the year 1955 for quite a long time. Talk about telling a story with lots of twists and turns. Awesome! These are seriously some of the most exciting movies that have ever existed. The first movie is a classic, and the third one is really good as well, even though many people point to the third movie as being the obvious weakpoint in the series. Maybe, maybe not. I don't really know. I just know I love these films and wanted to comment on how well they've held up after all this time. A series of movies that are worth watching over and over again, and I normally only watch movies once or twice. Not in this case.
Rush Hour 2 (2001)
Terrific High energy sequel is GREEN!
Not satisfied to just build on the personalities and chemistry created in Rush Hour -RH1, this action movie delivers an inventive script and great action. I would have given 5 stars but I down grade for language. Chris Tucker delivers another high energy, comedic performance. Since Chris first caught my attention in the Bruce Willis vehicle, Fifth Element. He has proved himself to be a real comedy - action star. This movie might have worked with a different actor playing chans part, but jackie chan is the genius that created these incredible films and may now be our top action star. Highly recommended, but only partially family friendly.
Brotherhood of Blood (2007)
Not the usual vampire movie
I will not give away ANY plot details in this review. If you get even the inkling of what happens in the plot, it tends to make you "wait" through the entire movie for that particular twist or turn to happen. It is so much better to watch the movie all the way through the first time, plot unknown, to watch how it unfolds. That's what makes the film noir movies so great for watching and re watching. The first time you see it, you are caught up in how the mystery elements are linked together and unraveled. In subsequent watchings, you know what the end game is, and you now enjoy all the clues and hints that are laid out for you along the way. Where most movies can get boring after a viewing or two, I've seen many of my film noir movies quite a large number of times.
The beauty of Brotherhood Of Blood is the cast involved - Every one of these actors does a god job. There are so many quotes, so many specific lines of dialog, so many tiny eye movements and looks that just bring incredible depth to this story. Again, I don't want to give away the details of the plot for you to "watch for". Once you've seen the movie, there will undoubtedly be moments that stand out for you. You realize the context of the situation. It is a multi-layered adventure and each time you take a look, something else unfolds for you.
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Jeff bridges at his best
Jeff bridges at his best ever, i think, it is so funny this man the dude should be everyone's hero. the movie is also about peace in his own intrinsically and curiously unusual way. Looking at it after now 10 years after it was made is not only still a great laugh, but also inspiring. It's good now and then to get back in to rock and roll. I think the movie tackles important questions about life, in an intensely comical and intelligent way. I live in Europe and it might just be that people who are not so familiar with the American culture would not be able to catch the great humor, but I feel blessed to be able to understand the hero that the dude is playing. i truly wish i was like him. Detailed in every scene, rich characterization, diverse soundtrack, witty real life dialogue. This movie is God. I feel that it takes a lot from a movie to make me leave with a sense of satiation, but this movie does it for me. Wonderfully written and directed by the Coen brothers, it is yet another masterpiece from them. Another thing is, that this movie never tries to be funny. It doesn't have random quirky characters or punch lines, it all comes from the scenes, very naturally. And how cool is the scene when the sheriff throws and hits The Dude in the forehead with the mug, and the mug doesn't turn while it's in the air! So many great scenes.
The Lion King (1994)
The Lion King
The Lion King The Lion King is a spectacular movie. It teaches a valuable lesson. There is a lion cub born, named Simba. The father's name is Mufassa. When Simba is still just a cub his father is killed in a stampede. His uncle Scar makes Simba believe that it was his fault. Then Scar tells Simba that he needs to run away and never come back. So simba runs away, and Scar sends some hyenas after Simba to kill him. Simba gets away from them, of course. Simba meets Timone and Puumba who take care of him. Simba grows up and meets an old baboon named Rafiki. Rafiki tells Simba that he knows his father. Simba doesn't believe him because his father is dead. There is a scene where the clouds take the shape of Simba's father and it says to him "In forgetting me you have forgotten who you are." Or something along those lines. After that Simba meets Nala, one of his old friends. She asks him to come back to Pride Rock with her. He says no. This movie is appropriate for all age groups. I really enjoy watching this movie. If you haven't already seen this movie, I would recommend that you rent the movie and watch it. Fenna Marsh
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
The best Harry Potter film yet!
I remember seeing the all of the Harry Potter films in theaters. The first one I saw twice in the theater, the fifth one I saw only once. The rest I saw three times, however, the third Harry Potter film is the only one that I saw in the IMAX theater. And not to say is that because I saw it in IMAX, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" remains my favorite of the Harry Potter series. And while at that, I thought the series has gotten better as the time goes along. Harry Potter and all of his friends are on their third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This time around, Harry Potter hears that a deadly prisoner escapee has escaped from Azkaban prison and Harry Potter is afraid that Sirius Black (that's the name of the escapee) wants to kill him. But as soon as Harry Potter meets Sirius Black, he actually turns out to be his godfather. Sure, the story was short to explain, but on the other hand, I actually didn't mind that at all. However, be warned a lot of stuff gets left out of the book. What I would say is the worst change of all is that Harry Potter gets his broomstick at the very end. But for some reason, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" did manage to not follow-up from the book but made it in a way where it can be turned into a great movie. Overall, I thought "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" was the best Harry Potter film. But that's just my honest opinion.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
I hate it then I like it then I go back again
Sequels as most anyone can tell you are tricky businesses. Either filmmakers try to repeat the success of the first one by just giving the same thing but on that "bigger and better" scale but it just doesn't have the magic as the first. Or you get into rare sequels like Terminator 2 and my favorite Aliens which surpass the original. Here, it's likable but then you find reasons to hate it. Ian Malcolm has spent the last 4 years telling people who will listen the horrors that happened at Isla Nublar but no one will believe him, including when some big conglomerate bigwigs step in. He meets with Jurassic Park founder and former Ingen boss John Hammond who informs him of Site B, a kind of pre-breeding ground before being shipped to the park. But in order to not have Ingen take the dinosaurs away from the island, he sends a reluctant-but-then-determined Malcolm to the island, especially when news that his girlfriend Sarah is on the island alone. So coming along with Malcolm is Nick, a photographer and Eddie, a field equipment expert and Malcolm's stowaway adopted daughter Kelly. Only they run into Ingen's team who wants to take the dinosaurs away back to the States. After a rather harrowing(and suspenseful) incident, they team up to try to escape the island, which then leads to dinosaur vs. city at the end. Steven Spielberg when he does blockbuster films is best when it gets your heart pounding and gets the suspense going. The raptor in the kitchen scene or when T-Rex escapes are some of the better suspenseful moments from the first one. Oddly enough, there's 2 here. Inside a trailer that's being tipped over a cliff, Sarah falls but hits a sheet of glass which is steadily cracking. The other is when T-Rex pokes its head through a tent cause it smelled dried blood. But oddly enough they're just not that suspenseful as the first. Another thing is that you start to question certain actions. Like when the trailer tips over, all of Ingen's men are there despite the fact 2 T-Rex's were just there. T-Rex's can't hear apparently? There's many others in the film but then you just forget about them afterwards. In terms of CG it's still impressive. Unlike CG "father" George Lucas, Spielberg knows how to blend CG with live action unlike Lucas who goes really overboard with CG. Many of the dinosaur shots are actually big ass puppets. But then the next cut will be a CG and you wouldn't even notice the difference. It's more complex then the first but it doesn't have that "wow" factor. One of Steven's lesser titles like Amistad or the Terminal but it's still entertaining in certain respects.
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Beautiful Cinematography
Barry Lyndon is a film often overlooked within the Kubrick filmography due to its serious and slow-paced undertones. It is these undertones, however that help to build up the film into a work of art that inspires possibly only the most devoted of film enthusiasts. This film should be viewed as many have suggested as such, an artistic portrayal of a period long romanticised, yet scarcely interpreted with such loyalty and devotion to the screen. Whilst Barry Lyndon remains among the greatest works of modern cinema, it is one, whose viewing must only be conquered by the most passionate of film-goers, if it is ever to be truly appreciated. It accomplishes that which few films are capable of, in bringing pure life onto the screen. Perhaps only rivalled by the select few other masterpieces of cinema, Kubrick's Barry Lyndon is a life epic, which leaves the viewer shaken and inspired. It is a film with the power to leave the viewer standing upon a whole new perspective of life, one which told through the neutral story of Redmond Barry provokes pure sorrow and depression within the heart of the viewer. This is not a movie to watch when you want to see a "Shining" or "Full Metal Jacket" type of action.....Barry Lyndon is a very detailed period story featuring all the peaks and setting pace of a book. This is a perfect movie to have an intermission with, to help you regroup and be engrossed in the story. THe dramatic highs (Jonathan Quinn duel, War, Gambling, Fight, and later duels) feature some of the finest work (Acting, camera work, directing) ever put on film. This movie took me 2 viewings or so to get, and I've seen it maybe 5-6 times now, and I can tell you, Barry Lyndon quickly moved up to the top of my movie list. It's a must see (at least twice). The acting is phenomenal, the movie is a labor of love, the cinematography is beautiful, the sets/lighting is amazing. It's hard to believe this movie is 30+ yrs old and is virtually unknown except to the Kubrick faithful. This is a MUST SEE!
Heat (1995)
Breathtaking
DeNiro's Neil McCaulley is so cool and crisp. Tom Noonan is great. The movie has tons of style and the best shoot out scene of all time. Sizemore and Kilmer are excellent as always. As are Diane Verona and Ashley Judd. Watching McCaulley's crew work was one of the great cinematic pleasures of the 90's. As Lt. Hanna says, "Their M.O. is that they're good."(in Pacino's sole bright moment) The only rough spot is Pacino, who hasn't been able to act his way out of a wet paper bag is almost twenty years. The sad thing is that all the lamest dialogue got handed to him as well. The music reminds you of Mann's days with Miami Vice; ultra-modern yet understated and elegant. The sound editing is appropriate; when you have a dozen different types of weapons all being fired simultaneously, you appreciate not having to listen yet again to a foleyed-in Hollywood "pow!" A full metric tonne of supporting actors all lend their little bits (Watch Hank Azaria as the mouthy Vegas paramour-Pacino has fun slapping him down to size). The ending does seem to a drag a little in my opinion-reminding us a little of the Mexican standoff in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly". After a while you're ready to scream "Shoot already!" Heat is hands-down the best LA crime drama to come out in a long, long while and along with LA Confidential, stands to be one of the best of all time.
Snatch (2000)
The coolest movie of the decade
The story starts off with Franky Four Fingers stealing one of the biggest diamonds i have ever seen. It leads to the intertwined and ironic lives of Turkish & Tommy; Sol, Vincent and Tyrone; Brick Top; Doug 'The Head' & Franky; Boris as well as Mickey & his gang of gypsies. The characters are linked in a witty farce satirical triangle. For instance Mickey > Turkish > Brick Top. The movie also plays out a series of unfortunate events that seem to plague the characters making this show astoundingly entertainment and humorous. Be warned. The slapstick humour will catch you when you least expect it and before you know it you will not be able to control your laughter. A personal note : you will absolutely love how the show ends! The plot is brilliant and throws you in lots of directions that makes you want to watch the film to see what happens next. Watch this film, you will love it.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Great Movie
This is one of the best movies i've seen in a long time. Each actor did a great job. But the one that really stands out it is good old Johnny D not to mention he's hot but he has a lot of talent. his portrayol of capt. jack sparrow is what makes this such a great movie to watch he's funny charming and witty. my suggestion is to go out and buy the DVD. it has a whole CD of special fetures that are just as good as the film. I rate this movie 9/10. The extras on DVD are fantasticE to get it, it will be WELL worth the money, you will not be disappointed one bit. I have seen it MANY MANY times and I still find it funny, it REALLY is a must see film. The only problem with this movie is Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightley. Too much screen time for such unimportant story lines. Pirates should have just been more on Captain Jack Sparrow and less on the sickly love birds. It doesn't add much to the story.