More change?!

Yes! I will be switching over to a much more simple review system, as I don't have enough time during the school year to type out full fleshed reviews! Also, many of you may have noticed that recently I've rated most of my films five out of five. And that's because I rarley see less than average films and when I do I neglect to review them. So here's how this new thing will work. I've set up an account on flickr, which is a website where you can post pictures and a small caption. I will be writing shorrt one or two sentence reviews with a score, with a picture of the disc of the film I am writing about. I will still be posting here, but not as frequently due to all of the school work I have to do. So, here's where top go: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ejrmoviereviews
If you have any questions or comments shoot me an email at ethan.rosenberg@hotmail.com

Review of Fight Club. I am Jack's movie review.

The biggest and best part about Fight Club, at least for me, was the end. I sat there through the credits just thinking. Many films are given the label,"Thought-Provoking." But the only thoughts I thought during most of those films were how much better the story could have been if not for the misplaced symbolism. No, this isn't a story of misplaced symbolism, nor is it a mindless grunge fest full of fists and blood galore. Well, there are fists. A lot of fists. And a lot of blood. But these fists and that blood had something that all the other gallons upon gallons of corn starch didn't. Meaning. Yes, meaning. It seams as though the Narrator, played gracefully by Edward Norton, was looking for meaning his whole life. Now that's a deep movie. When I start thinking of characters as a whole, and not just ideas sprung off of a piece of paper, then someone is doing their job right. The whole film has amazing symbolism. Some of it more recognizable than others. I would even go as far as to say that Fight Club is a fantastic character study. The conflict between the two leads seems as if it is a very real one, and that's another aspect of the thought-provoking premise. I was given many plot summaries and while I either heard them or read them, I was intrigued. If you can, try to avoid that stray synopsis or plot summary, because the less you know about Fight Club, the better the experience will be. But anyways, I was curious as to how such an interesting idea would transfer to the screen. In comes David Fincher, who is one of the greatest directors ever. Not sure? How's The Game, or Seven? How about Zodiac or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button? That should be enough. All of those films are fantastic, but this was his swan song. He put so much effort into making this film. You can tell just by watching it. The grit, the realism, the shots. Oh, the shots. This is, without a doubt, the most beautifully shot film I have ever seen. Bold words, I know. You'll just have to see it for yourself. Brad Pitt provides his greatest performance yet, as the rebel soap salesman Tyler Durden, opposite Norton's Narrator. Speaking of narration, this film also has the best, most razor sharp dialogue I have ever seen in a film. Black humor runs rampant throughout the script, as long as you're willing to catch it.
The Verdict: This film provides everything I've wanted in a movie but never got in one package. Style, grit, urban backdrop, cerebral overtone, black humor, snappy narration, unforgettable dialouge, twisty plot structure, symbolism and meaning, and a dollop of hearty violence. That's my near perfect film. And this is the result. This movie is remarkable. I give Fight Club five bloody knuckles and bruised brains out of five. 5/5

Review of Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. Tarantino at the top of his form!

The Kill Bill Saga is many things, but there are two things it is not. Dull, and stupid. Sure, it's not much more than a simple revenge story, but when Quentin Tarantino is behind the camera, it doesn't need to be. In the first volume, story takes a back seat for crazy fighting and intense kung-fu style filmmaking, with a little western thrown in. In the second volume, action takes a back seat for storytelling and the fantastic characters and acting that Tarantino is known for. This time around the Japanese kung-fu steps back for the spaghetti western style, and I loved how Tarantino blended the two styles in both films. Although in the second part the action was less emphasized, what action there was was intense and realistic and gritty. Not as much dismemberment either, sorry to disappoint. If that's your thing. Now with such of the second film being in rooted with westerns of old, I half expected to hear an Ennio Morricone score. Alas, about thirty minutes in, I hear none other than the score for A Fistful of Dollars in the background. Perfect fit. What could have been a mere better than average revenge flick was transformed into an epic of gargantuan porprtion. Tarantino is a literary and cinematic genius, and this is one of his best. I give Kill Bill five flying legs and arms and heads and stomachs out of five. 5/5

Review of Young Frankenstein. Frau Blucher!

Young Frankenstein is the funniest movie I've ever seen. I was laughing out loud the entire time and trust me, I'm a hard man to please when it comes to comedy. Most of the time if I find something even mildly comic, I'll probably just chuckle a bit and move on. Not here. I think this one will be hard to top on my list of favorite comedies. I'm usually more into black humor and if that's more your forte as well, make an exception, because I know almost everyone can appreciate the humor, although it wouldn't hurt to know a little about 70s culture. Also, it can't kill you to watch the original Frankenstein, the one with Boris Karloff. It's a great film and should be checked out anyways and you'll understand the premise a bit more. Starring a fantastic cast, Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, and Cloris Leachman. They all do a fabulous job in their roles, but my favorite was Marty Feldman as Igor, because he's just they funniest guy around. Now while the story is obviously a parody of the original Frankenstien film, it isn't afraid to throw in a little heart every now and again, and I genuinley felt a connection wtih the characters by the end. And that's the best thing about Mel Brooks. He made parodying an art, but he was smart enough to know to not insult the source material, but to embrace it and make it all of his own. This film has to be seen to be believed, and after the film is over, you still won't believe it. Mel Brooks, I salute you!
The Verdict: NOTE TO ALL CURRENT PARODY FILM MAKERS-
MEL BROOKS DID IT FIRST, AND HE DID IT BETTER THAN YOU'LL EVER DO IT. THAT IS ALL. Neigh! Winny! Neigh! 5/5

Review of The Fisher King and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It's official, Terry Gilliam is crazy.

After unintentionally watching two Terry Gilliam films in one day my mind feels a bit warped, but these films proved for a comedic, heartfelt, and psychedelically great time.

The Fisher King- I went into The Fisher King with the expectation that it would be riotously funny and silly. It was, to an extent, but it was quite dismal given the premise. A radio talk show host, played by Jeff Bridges, unintentionally convinces an already crazed man to go on a homicidal rampage killing several people, including the wife of Robin Williams character, who also becomes a bit deranged after his wife's sudden death. Through a twist of fate, the two meet and in order to feel better about himself, Jeff Bridges feels obligated to help him out. Williams really gets into his role here, one of his more zany, but better roles. Bridges does great too, but he seemed a little strained. The biggest drawback for me was the drama. Without a doubt, this film is much more sad than happy. It's a meaningful story, that ends up being one of Gilliam's best, but most realistic directorial endeavors. 4.5/5

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas- Now this is a totally different story. This movie is INSANE. There really isn't much to say, but it looks great and it's a fun joy ride through the underbelly of Vegas. See it. That's all I have to say about that. 5/5

Review of Get Him to the Greek. This year's The Hangover, only better.

Get Him to the Greek is a spiritual sequel to the surprisingly funny and heartfelt comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, with just about all of the original cast and crew in tow. The biggest draw to the film was obviously the two leads, Jonah Hill and Russel Brand. And while Brand plays the same character as he did in the first film, Hill has been swapped to a lowly music producer but still a huge fan of Infant Sorrow, as in the first film. Brand was born to play his role in the film, completely nailing the caricature of a strung out, down on his luck rock star. He makes a great switch from the supporting role to the leading role, keeping the same humor everybody came to love without getting annoying or boring. But Brand wouldn't be able to get by without a little help from his friends. If it weren't for the stylish cinematography or the snappy dialogue, Get Him to the Greek would have been a total flop. I won't spoil too much of the fun for you but rest assured, Get Him to the Greek will be one of the most fun films to be released in the year 2010. I give it four subtle Beatles homages out of five. 4/5

Change?!

Evening all! As you'll obviously see, my blog has been reconstructed in a way. Just about everything is in it's same place, but I thought that since We're nearing the one year anniversary of my reviews, I figured that the black and white was pretty boring. Nothing else is being changed, just the look and feel of the blog has been improved!

Review of Inception. It's a paradox.

Inception, written and directed by the acclaimed Christopher Nolan, and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page, is a completely mind blowing and amazing experience. The first forty five minutes or so are part espionage thriller, and the last two hours are contained within the mind, making it a sci-fi thriller. At first it came across my mind that this had a little too much to do with The Matrix, but this is actually much better and the only similarity they share is going under through a machine to go to the dream world. Nolan, who loves to add twists and turns to his plots, certainly has room to play here, with a few things you wouldn't expect thrown in here or there. Christopher Nolan definitely took his time with this one, it took him eight years to write it. Well, his hard work and dedication have paid off because this is his best film yet. Some may argue the The Dark Knight is better, but that would only be so because they couldn't understand the depth to this film. Although the trailers seem mysterious and any and all plot details were kept under wraps during production, it's actually a very simple, easy to follow tale of lost love, subconscious theft, and paradoxes. Also not without an underlying theme and meaning behind it, and I dare you to find it. The acting is phenomenal on DiCaprio's part, you can tell he was working hard on this one. I personally think he's great in every role, but I'm not going to let that get in the way of judgement. All of the supporting actors a great as well, boasting the likes of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Wantabe, and Tom Hardy, they all fit so well into their respective roles and they communicate so well with each other with some of the best dialouge ever written in a summer blockbuster.
The Verdict:
You must see Inception, one of the greatest summer blockbusters ever made, and it looks fantastic. Low-gravity shots, sideways rain, slow-motion scenes. They're all perfect additions to the mind-bending extravaganza that is Inception. Nolan is one of the greatest filmmakers of this generation. I give it five kicks ouit out of five. 5/5

Review of Crash. A day in the life.

Crash, directed by Paul Haggis and starring a bunch of A-list actors, is an amazing ensamble piece that tells a tale of friendship, family, love, hate, or pretty much any other emotion you can think of. The story is based off of chain reactions, in which each character is affected in their own personal way. The story is much better than the film Babel, which puts the viewer under the impression that the story is based off of chain reactions, but is really just four stories told together in one film. Crash is told in a much better fashion, with much more believable characters and better division between the stories. Also, the film is much more relevant to life as a whole than most films, discussing racial intolerances, faith, and after pitting the characters in difficult situations, showing how good may or may not triumph over evil. Believe me, this film is no amusement park ride, rather a brutal picture of reality and a testament to what people feel. The acting, although there were not any stand-out performances, was great. Realistic, that's all they needed to be. Also, the score adds a surreal overtone to the whole experience.
The Verdict:
By now, you've got to be certain that I'll give this film a high score, and I will. It's hard to explain this film, it's very surreal, unlike any other before it. Five out of five.

Review of The Book of Eli. The case of the mistaken indentity film.

The Book of Eli directed by The Hughes Brothers and starring Denzel Washington, as about a man who has his dedicated his entire life to relocating the last Bible on earth to a safe place. Although it sounds boring on paper, and I gave you a terrible synopsis, but it transferred much better to the screen. The setting is a post-apocalyptic wasteland in which Washington attempts to travel to the west. The post-apocalyptic setting is a bit worn, but the Hughes Brothers do what they do best and apply it to this situation. What they do is this: Violence, gore, and style, all mixed together beautifully in films like Menace II Society and From Hell, works just as well here. Although they do borrow a little from previous films of the same genre, they make it their own here and a mistake that can easily be forgiven. One problem I did have with the film was not the film itself but they way it was marketed. A high-octane thriller that is so one-dimensional it's just like every other film out there. That is definitely not the case, because the Hughes Brothers make action all their own. Sure, they make it look unrealistic, but that comes with the genre. The acting is done well by all of the supporters, but the big draw is obviously Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman. Oldman, playing the antagonist, does a fairly good job as the bad guy, a role he doesn't choose very often. Washington does a great job doing what he was hired to do. Be a bad ass. Plain and simple. He plays the role with so much emotion and grit that it would be hard not to sympathize with any problems he had in the film. His relationship with the main female, Mila Kunis, seemed a bit false and they rushed from being unfriendly to friendly. The film also gets very religious and Christian-faith oriented in the last fifteen minutes or so, so two things could come from this film for non-Christians. Either they'll dismiss whatever massage may be presented to them, or they might take something from the experience. It's up to you.
The Verdict:
Typical action film, no way. Typical post-apocalyptic story, no way. Typical Hughes Brothers neo-noir film style, definitely. I give The Book of Eli five cats for dinner out of five. 5/5

Review of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. If you work for a living, why do you kill yourself working?

It's been a long time coming. I've been so looking forward top seeing this film after such a long break from Westerns, and I am a big Western fan, I've just been to afraid to admit it until I saw The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. This film is many things, so the best way to put it is as if it were a human body. A chase to 200,00 dollars in gold with a partnership that has more backstabbing than Benedict Arnold's evening stroll against another man who is just as good a marksman as these two are. The Good is Clint Eastwood, The Bad is Lee Van Cleef, and The Ugly is Eli Wallach. This fact is obviously shown in the beginning and the end as the screen pauses on each character and gives them their title. It's a really cool addition to the film and adds a little flair to all of the excitement. So all of that would be the body itself and the blood and organs. But what runs through the veins is what really matters. If it were just a simple race to the finish ti would be no good. Instead, this movie throws in Civil War battles, an army of two taking out five in in five minutes, and so many other amazing things that it would take me days to count them all. That's the adrenaline. This film definitely packs a big punch with it's intimidating time of three hours and four minutes, but I loved every second of it. That's the brain and the muscle of the whole film. But it's where the heart lies where this film is at it's best. The fantastic direction and acting pull this film together with excellent performances by all three leads and believable performances by all the supporters as well, this may be Sergio Leone's masterpiece. His form of direction and his ability to engross the audience in his film with all of the style that he does it in with this film is unforgettable.
The Verdict:
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly will go down in histiory as one of the greatest Westerns ever made, and one of the best films ever made. This film is near perfect, I can't pick out any flaw to it. But if I do I'll let you know. I give The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly five cigar chomping, squinty-eyed bounty hunters out for the deal of a lifetime out of five. 5/5

Second Opinion: Every Pixar Movie Ever Made.

Time for another second opinion! This time it's a film studio's entire collection that I promoted as the best films ever made. I'm just going to say what I need to say. I was wrong. I let nostalgia get the better of me and my judgement was a tad bit clouded. Although not completley clouded. I did knock Every Pixar Movie Ever Made from the list but I replaced it with Toy Story 3 in my #3 spot. All of the Pixar films are still fantastic but I wanted to get off my chest the fact that I was wrong.

Review of Whatever Works. Whatever works.

Whatever Works, written and directed by Woody Allen, stars Larry David as me, but personified to fit into a film. I'll start off with that. My favorite part of the film was how much I was reminded of myself in this film through Larry David's character. To the last little complaint about the human race, it's as id this movie was made for me. And I'm sure there are other films for other people that seem as though it was tailored to match their lives. So, if you see this film and you really know me, you'll see. But enough about me, let's move on to the film. Woody Allen is known for quirky romantic comedies and comedies about the human condition and what the world is coming to. Although it seemed like a goofy hybrid between the two, it was still good. Funny and clever, but a little too religiously focused. It seemed as though every few minutes someone had something to say about religion or atheism. It got repetitive and even though one or two gay jokes were sprinkled in at the end as well, it didn't harm the experience all that much. also, three times in the film, Larry David pulls the camera aside and acknowledges it as if he were talking to an audience. It's a cute little addition, and I laughed a few times because of it.
Also co-starring Evan Rachel Wood as a southern girl who knows very little about anything and is also very oblivious to the world around her, is taken in by David and taught about his beliefs. They shared an interesting chemistry and I enjoyed her naive reactions to what he would say. The romance factor in the film really isn't stressed as much as it should have been, given the context. It seemed as though the romance was withheld until the very end, just to wrap things up.
The Verdict:
Whatever Works has flaws, stiff direction pops up every now and again, some of the supporting actors fall flat, and the focus on religion became a bit boring. But through the flame and smoke emerged a good quirky comedy about life and what's in store for us. I give Whatever Works five of the catchphrases that I'm going to use a lot out of five. 5/5.

Review of Saving Private Ryan. Not only one of the best war movies ever made, It's one of the best movies ever made.

Saving Private Ryan, boasting superb directing from Steven Spielberg and an all-star cast featuring Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Vin Diesel among others, is a captivating masterpiece of film that keeps the audience on it's toes from the climactic and bloody opening on the beaches of Normandy, to the explosive finale in the ruins of a french town, Spielberg captivates the audience by vividly detailing the trials and horrors of war in a realistic way. Not only is this a document of war, it is also a message of warning to all who aren't aware of what happens in battle. War isn't worth it. It isn't worth the millions of lives that are spent on it. That main theme is shown throughout, but not in a sense where it takes away from the experience. Actually, it adds to the grit and the realism that are the foundations of this film. And boy this movie is very dark. Not for the faint of heart or queasy of stomach, even I, someone who doesn't mind some violence here or there, got upset while watching so many people die in so many gruesome ways. But Spielberg wanted to recreate those utterly terrible moments, and he did it with much vigor and great strength. The acting is great, with every character and supporting character giving it their all. But the standout performance for me was Barry Pepper as Private Daniel Jackson, who, while toting a deadly sniper rifle and the God-given talent of accuracy, would say a prayer for those he was about to kill. He played the role so well that I really had to pick him out of the crowd. If I were to detail every character and their personalities, this review would be ten pages long. And that was another great part about the film. Every character was developed so well and you don't even really get a formal introduction. You're just thrown into war with each of them learning about them as they learn about each other.
The Verdict:
The story was amazing, cinematography was awfully beautiful, direction was dark and gritty, and the actors never miss a step. I won't go as far to say Saving Private Ryan is THE best war movie ever, but it is one of the best, and one of the best movies period. 5/5

Review of Toy Story 3. I love your leg warmers! Nice ascot!

Toy story 3 is one of the greatest films ever made. Hands down. A fantastic and classic third film in the Toy Story franchise. It was everything I wanted it to be and more! I was terrified and anxious, I laughed and I cried! Boy, did I cry! I cried more seeing this film than any other film I've ever seen. But that's the magic of Pixar, they make you feel honest emotions for toys. Toys! They have geniuses working at the Pixar company. Absolute genius shines through every aspect of this film. I'm not saying it's perfect, no film is perfect. But this may be the closest you'll get. One of the things I like best of the Pixar films are the allusions to other films. There are many prison break film references here, and one was a very recognizable hint to Escape From Alcatraz. This film was also a step away from what the traditional Toy Story films were focused on. Rather than having the antagonist be a human like in the first two, the problems come from a different source. It was a perfectly executed idea, one that I hope they repeat in the future if Pixar chooses to continue the franchise. But that was one of the biggest problems. The fact that everything was wrapped up so well in the end, I fear for the inevitable. Toy Story 3 may be the final film in the series. Although all of my favorite animate toys have found their place in history, there were many new additions to the cast. One of my favorites was Mr. Pricklepants, a posh British porcupine wearing laderhosen. But no matter how small the role, every single new toy was a joy to see on screen. Some are only seen for one or two scenes, but those scenes are amazing. Heck, every scene was amazing!
The Verdict:
Toy Story 3 is a beautiful, almost necessary piece of cinema. Although, as I previously mentioned, a step away from the traditional Toy Story films, it was a step in the right direction. A emotionally moving masterpiece. If I saw someone from Pixar right now I would hug them like the newly iconic Lots-O-Hugging bear, and say,"Is now the time to be hysterical?!" I give Toy Story 3 five of the most stylish dolls of all time out of five. 5/5. I would give it a six if I could!

WHAT?! HE CHANGED HIS NUMBER 1?!

Yes, I did. I changed my number one spot to Every Pixar Movie Ever Made. It's hard knocking a film out of the number one spot, because, at least for me, It is a prestigious reward and award for excellence in film making. But that's why I picked Pixar as a whole. I love every single one of their films, and never do I get so excited to see the newest one on opening day and then buying it the day it comes out on DVD than any other films. Every time my heart is captured. I laugh, I cry, and I am honestly thrilled to have them on my number one spot. You may be thinking that since Toy Story 3 is coming out in a few days as of publishing this post, I may have softened up to Pixar and just throwing them acclaim. That is 100% false. I've always loved Pixar, and I figured now was as good a time as any to show that love. I really couldn't pick one, nor could I really review one specifically, because I would be sayoing the same thing over and over agani about all of them. I will be writing a Toy Story 3 review, though. I know, I really made a surprise play here, but every word I said is true. I hope you enjoy the Pixar films as much as a do. And that's a LOT!

Second Opinion: Precious: Based on the Story Push by Sapphire

Rarely will I ever release a second opinion on a film, mostly because my opinion probably won't change drastically. But, unfortunately, that's not the case for the film Precious. After much deliberation and thought as to why I might release a second opinion, I decided there were a few things that needed to be addressed. I reviewed Precious back when it came out on DVD towards the middle of March, 2010. I gave it high acclaim because of the great acting, interesting characters, and fascinating plot. I still believe the acting a character development were great, but I have doubts about the story. I had thought it was a testament to all of the poor people out there who need help, and while I still do, I suppose I had taken myself too seriously with that statement. Finally, I have decided that Precious presents so many sad and dismal situations, that it's a film just for the sake of being sad. Maybe the filmmakers didn't even realize that fact, but the sadness factor was too evident here. So there you have it, my second opinion of Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire. My new score is three out of five. 3/5.

Review of Hannah Montana: The Movie. Let's face it, this movie sucks.

Hannah Montana: The Movie. Here we go... Directed by Who Cares and starring That Pretty Girl and Her Friends, this movie is an absolute abomination. Terrible story, music, acting, anything to do with this film is horrible! You might say,"Oh, it's for kids, give them a break!" NO! I can't! Take your kids to see Up or Toy Story. Those films are amazing! Children and adults love them! I think I might start a group to get rid of every single copy of this "movie" in existence. This is one of two films that I've seen that I think are complete wastes of time and money. The Unborn is in second place, but only because no one breaks out singing every five minutes! I want my 102 mintes back! Gaah!!!! One star out of five! Bleh!

Review of Shutter Island. Wait, what?

Shutter Island, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, in their fourth film endeavor, is about a WWII veteran turned U.S. Marshall who was called to Shutter Island, a remote island for the criminally insane, to catch an escaped patient. Wow. This is a movie that begs to be seen more than once. There are so many little details in the plot, it's almost impossible to catch them all. But that's a good thing. It's a film that requires you to pay close attention and messes with your mind in the process. Never in my life have I seen a film that makes me think I might be insane. Even hours after the film was over I kept on pondering what happened. If a film can make someone think that much about it, you've definitely hit your mark. And I would have trusted almost no one else other than Martin Scorsese to helm such a masterpiece. Each little detail is presented with so much vigor and intensity, Scorsese is probably at his best here. Scorsese and DiCaprio have certainly been friends for a while, being DiCaprio's fourth film under Scorsese, you would have thought he might miss a step or two. But this may be one of DiCaprio's best roles. He fits the character so well and shares such great emotion towards all of the other characters. Of course, while he may be the stand-out performance, there are plenty of other actors that chew the scenery as well. Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, even Jackie Earl Haley is here. They all do great in their respective roles.
The Verdict:
Shutter Island is a highly original, beautifully shot masterpiece of cinema. I loved every second of it. Scorsese is an amazing director, DiCaprio is an amazing actor, and the plot i;s one for the ages. Some of my favorite films are complex mysteries, and this one tops the list in that genre. I give Shutter Island five rats in the sea out of five. 5/5.

Review of Apocalypse Now. The horror... The horror...

Martin Sheen has a mission. A mission that doesn't exist. Directed by Francis Ford Copolla, Apocalypse Now is a masterpiece. Set in the middle of the Vietnam War, Martin Sheen is sent out to kill a corporal gone rouge and insane, played by Marlon Brando. Marlon Brando does a terrifyingly great job here but unfortunatley only gets about fifteen minutes of screen time, and it's all at towards the end. So we have to settle with Sheen and his crew for most of the film, which isn't entirely bad, either. There were many scenes that were glorious pieces of Sheen but most of the time he's very quiet. Unfortunatley for him, the supporting cast completely outshines him. With Robert Duvall, Fredric Forrest, and even a young Laurence Fishburne among others, Sheen can't compare. The overall atmosphere of the film is amazing, I could even tell by the dialouge how much effort was put into crafting the story. The audio and video are superb, especially for it's time. The intense gun fights, the eerie narration, and the orange filter that I noticed throughout completley set the bar for almost all films to come after it.

The Verdict: Apocalypse Now, running at an astounding 153 minutes, can be hard to watch at times, but in the end, you get one of the most exciting and horrific films you'll ever see. I give it five surfers in a warzone out of five. 5/5.

Review of A Beautiful Mind. The mind is a dangerous place.

A Beautiful Mind, directed by Ron Howard and starring Russel Crowe, is a biopic about the famous John Forbes Nash Jr. and his life. I was glad that finally someone was able to create a biopic that wasn't too short not giving enough information or too long to the point of boredom. Clocking in at two hours and sixteen minutes, A Beautiful Mind was the perfect length, keeping viewers interested with a thick and complex plot and good dialouge. Ron Howard was obviously at the top of his game here with fantastic direction, almost as good as Apollo 13, which was one of his best films. Oh, Russel Crowe, we can't forget about him either. He gives a powerhouse performance here, his absolute best. Better than Gladiator, better than American Gangster, anything you could think of, I could fight back with something from here. He takes on the character of John Nash so well that by the end it would be believable to think that he was Nash. Just fantastic. Alongside him were Jennifer Connely and Ed Harris, who both fill their roles well too.
The Verdict:
A Beautiful Mind is not for the weak minded. It is a complex film that takes many twists and turns. But if you can understand it you'll have a great time watching a great film. I give it five super cool British roommates out of five. 5/5.

Review of Pulp Fiction. What?! Say what again!

Pulp Fiction, directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, among others, has an interesting premise. Take a few different sub-movies, each lasting about 45 minutes, and have them all intertwine with each other. It works. It's a little in your face, but it works. But that's Tarantino's style, and it's a style that shouldn't be forgotten. The acting is surprisingly good, with a very decent all-star cast. With the heavyweights I motioned earlier, there's Uma Thurman, Ving Rhames, Christopher Walken, and even Quentin Tarantino himself appears at one point. The narrative, plot and dialogue are all very clever, too. It seemed to me that almost every line that came out of Samuel L. Jackson's mouth was a one-liner that would go down in history. My personal favorite was the Ezekiel 25:7 quote. Jackson's character is full of glorious Biblical knowledge. Like knowing that a 9MM is actually a shepherd in the valley of the shadow of death. Though the plot was interesting and keeps you thinking, It isn't perfect. There are a few things that aren't explained in the end. Whether or not these plot holes were intentional or not I don't know. But it's forgivable since the movie as a whole is just so... Cool... It's just fun and cool. And I think that's what it was meant to be. In classic Tarantino style, Pulp Fiction is a goreapalooza full of fun.
The Verdict:
Pulp Fiction is funny, cool, interesting, violent, anything you could name is pushed to the limit in a sometimes adrenaline filled time that absolutely should not be missed. Fantastic direction, acting, plot, and dialogue, Pulp Fiction has it all. I give it five ways to think you'll never look at a hillbilly the same way again out of five. 5/5

Review of The Godfather Part I and Part II. I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse.

Do I really have to review this? I mean, it's The Godfather. Everybody's seen it, everybody loves it. Obviously I'm no different. These two films are works of art, blah,blah,blah. If you haven't seen them, see them. Simple as that. I give The Godfather Part I and part II five fat men sleeping with the fishes out of five. 5/5. Duh.

Seriously I thought both of these films were fantastically and definitely are instant classics.

Review of The Deer Hunter. One shot. One shot.

The Deer Hunter is an epic masterpiece. And that's an understatement. In fact, and I never say this, The Deer Hunter may have a permanent place on my top ten list. It was directed by Michael Cimino and starring Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, and John Cazale in his last role, and I was utterly amazed at the quality of this movie. It follows six friends in a small industrial town somewhere in Pittsburgh, three of which go to Vietnam to fight the war there. Going in thinking that it'll be easy and they'll come out of Nam as veteran heroes, De Niro, Walken, and Savage are sadly mistaken and when they are captured, they are forced to play a gruesome game called Russian Roulette, in which a single bullet is placed into a revolver and each person is to pull the trigger on the gun to see if they live or die and this game plays a heavy influence on the rest of the film. Really, this film is split into three parts, the moments leading up to when the pals go to war, the war itself, and then what goes on after Michael returns from the war. Almost all of the time the film is intensely shot with amazing cinematography and special effects, mostly saved for the total of twenty minutes of war violence. While the film is quite long, clocking in at a little longer than three hours, it gives the viewer the opportunity to get an emotional attachment to each of the characters and how they act before and after the war. Meryl Streep is also an important character, serving as the love interest. Go figure.
The Verdict:
The Deer Hunter is a masterful piece of art that should not be missed. There is a great meaning behind the film that is shown throughout about friendship and relationships and that is something in these present times is barely shown. Acting is phenomenal by everyone, especially the leads. Direction is fantastic as well, the score is great. Everything is amazing. And I'm not going to lie, I cried at the end. That's how attached I got. I give The Deer Hunter five clicks and one POW out of five. 5/5.

Review of The Big Lebowski. The quest for a clean rug.

Now there's a man I want to tell you about. His name is Jeffery Lebowski but he likes to be referred to as "The Dude." He's a deadbeat stoner played gloriously by Jeff Bridges and when some loan sharks mistake him for a different Lebowski and urinate on his carpet, he tries to go to the "Big Lebowski" to get a new one but ends up getting entangled in a kidnapping conspiracy with his crazed Vietnam war vet friend played by John Goodman. This is one of the Cohen brothers best films but it got snubbed at almost all awards shows and with such an amzing cast, great cinematography, and an original, funny plot I am baffled as to why. I really don't need to say much more. One of the funniest movies I've ever seen if not THE funniest. It was just so cool. I give it five of the best stoners out of five. 5/5.

Review of The Informant! What's the exclamation point for?

The Informant, directed by Stephen Soderberg and starring Matt Damon, follows real-life Mark Whitacre, as he works for a corn company and becomes a corporate whistle blower once he accuses his company of price-fixing. Really, this movie could have ended up being overly dramatic or overly comedic, but it ends up resting in the middle, with an odd, mixed overtone throughout. On one hand you've got Matt Damon who's thinking about how steam rises up from indoor pools in the winter, and on the other you've got Joel McHale trying to stop a multi-million dollar theft. It's just weird. But the movie does has its moments, when Matt Damon does his voice overs they really are funny and, in a way, cute. They provide most of the comedy in the movie, and it also lets you get into the character's head a little bit but not enough to destroy the plot. I was surprised how everything was kept concealed well and not unintentionally given away at indefinable moments. The score was a nice touch, it gives you the feeling that this is a crime caper, like how Damon's character feels it is, when it really isn't.
The Verdict:
The Informant! was good, but not great. At times it dragged on and parts that were supposed to be entertaining really weren't. Damon gives a nice performance and the suspense is able to silently build up while keeping things joyous. All in all, The Informant is a bit, dare I say, corny?
I give it 3.5 stupid puns at the end of a review out of 5. 3.5/5

Dual Review- A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More. Naturally.

I've got a dual review for you, folks. I don't usually do two reviews combined but unusual circumstances call for unusual measures. A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More are directed by Sergio Leone and star Clint Eastwood, two of the three films in the "Man With No Name" trilogy. So I'll give a review of both and then give a score of both of them at the end.

A Fistful of Dollars- The first film in the trilogy, A Fistful of Dollars is also a remake of the film Yojimbo, which was a Japanese film. So Clint Eastwood winds up in a town somewhere near the Mexican-American border. Of course, who isn't looking for money? Clint meets with the owner of the bar in town and finds out that there are two factions fighting against each other. He decides to work for both sides and ultimately pinning each one against each other all while making some money in the process. It's a very good story, more or less original. The better mark was cinematography and special effects, amazing for the time and still blew me away. Even better was the amazing score from Ennio Morricone, making some of the best scores of all time, and this was no exception. Altogether, A Fistful of Dollars was a great film, but I could still tell that Leone still had some improvements to make. I'd give this movie, individually, a 4.5/5.

For a Few Dollars More- Definitely the better of the two, For a Few Dollars More gave the illusion that it was a direct sequel to the first movie in the trilogy. That isn't true, in fact, there is no allusion to the first film at all. Weird, huh? Nevertheless, the story is even better than the first, following a lone bounty killer, Clint Eastwood, who decides to take out the wildest man in Texas, Indio, played fantastically by Gian Maria Volonte, for a hefty ten-thousand dollars. But he isn't the only one. Lee Van Cleef, another master killer, is out for Indio too. They decide to work together and share the bounty. Also, this film takes place all over Texas and New Mexico instead of just one town, like in the first. The shootouts are amazing, swift but action-packed. The score is better here as well, yet another from Ennio Morricone, but provides a more haunting undertone to go with the wild moments. Leone definitely learned from his mistakes and put in more tight angles, and better cinematography. I'd give this movie, individually, a 5/5.

The Verdict:
Leone and Eastwood both knew what they were doing, kings of the cinematic west. But with a few missteps here and there in A Fistful of Dollars it's not a must-see, but a should-see. For a Few Dollars More is much better and improvements were made, making it a better experience. Together, these two great films earned themselves a perfect 5/5.

I know what else you were thinking. Where's the review for The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly? Well, I'm saving that one for a special review and I'm just as excited to see it as you are to read the review, right?

Quick Reviews!

I've been sick these past couple of days so I obviously watched a lot of movies. So I'm just going to name the movies and give a one sentence review and a score.

The Ugly Truth- Funny, and a charismatic performance from Gerard Butler, but fails to deliver in the story category. 3/5

The Boondock Saints- Bloody, violent, and sarcastically funny, The Boondock Saints is a good St. Patrick's Day watch. 4/5

Pineapple Express- A hilarious romp full of cannabis. 5/5

Dirty Harry- With a fantastic leading role from Clint Eastwood and an interesting story to boot, Dirty Harry is a real romp to watch. 5/5.

Magnum Force- One of the many sequels to come from the Dirty Harry franchise, Magnum Force loses its step a bit but still manages to entertain. 4/5

Review of Law Abiding Citizen. It's gonna be Biblical. Really? No, not really...

Law Abiding Citizen, directed by F. Gary Gray, and starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler, follows the story of a man whose wife and daughter were murdered and raped so when he finds out that only one of them gets officially nabbed, he decides to wait ten years and then give everything he's got to bring the corrupt justice system down on a stupid assistant district attorney's head. Well, Jamie, you've finally done it. You've given the most boring performance of your career. And you know what? I honestly don't care because Gerard Butler actually did a decent job in his role! The supporting cast is also boring, all giving performances that could have been done better by amateurs. The plot is a bit messy as well, but it's easy enough to follow along so that you don't get tangled up in any conspiracies. The dialogue was good too and Butler's ability to deliver it well helped. But we both know why you're here and it's because you want to know how sickeningly cool it looks. It looks sickeningly cool. Hey, you may not like gore, but I sure do.
The Verdict:
LAw Abiding Citizen suffers from generally flat acting, a pat plot but suspenseful pacing, predictablity. But if you can get past the weak points you'll find a darkly humorous, gross, but good filmmaking. And, even when I popped in the DVD, I knew, It's like a game of Clue, only you know in the beginning that the Butler did it. I give it 3.5 T-bone steaks out of five. 3.5/5.

A One Sentence Review of Our Family Wedding.

Don't see it. 2/5.

Review of Precious. What can I say, I'm a sucker for New York sob stories.

Precious got a few Oscar nominations this year, and for good reason. Directed by Lee Daniels and starring Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique, they turned Precious, what could have been just another generic sob story, into the most emotionally moving film of 2009. Precious has been beaten all of her life, sexually abused most of her life, and had one of her father's children and pregnant with another. And living in Harlem doesn't help much either. The direction is good, and the cinematography is great. To my knowledge, there was only one male character that actually got more than twenty seconds of screen time but even without almost any male characters, the actresses who portray are all amazingly casted, especially Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique. As an abusive mother and helpless daughter, they work so well together, and Mo'Niuqe turns out the best female role I've ever seen. Mariah Carey is here too, but after her film Glitter, I was extremely skeptical, she was able to break the barrier as her role as a social worker, barley.
The Verdict:
Precious, in the end, was a great film about real life trials and tribulations, and sending a message that if you were in a position like Precious was, then you aren't alone. All you really have to do is watch the news and you'll know the story of Precious, but watching it can help you get an understanding of all of the nameless "Preciuos" girls out there who don't have a voice.
I give it five stolen buckets of fried chicken out of five. 5/5.

Review of Memento. What movie did I just review?

Memento is the Psychological Thriller starring Guy Pearce and directed by Christopher Nolan, who you may better know as the director of The Dark Knight, adapted his brother's short story, and the outcome is a fantastic mystery. Guy Pearce has a condition that makes it so he can't remember anything that happened after his wife's death. This film combines mind-blowing twists and turns by shifting through time, starting at the end and ending at the beginning, also providing noir-esque scenes describing someone he knew before his memory loss. There really isn't much of a supporting cast, mostly just Guy Pearce, "That Chick From the Matrix," and Joe Pantoloiano, they provide good chemistry considering almost every time Pearce interacts with them it's as if it was the first time he had met them, and that was a bold move, but one worth taking.
The Verdict:
Think of Memento as a puzzle. Throughout, you think you know what pieces fit, but you find out that that they don't. So you have to search for them until... What was I saying?
I give Memento five indestructible photographs out of five. 5/5.

Review of Dog Day Afternoon. Al Pacino is a bisexual?!

Dog Day Afternoon dramatizes the events that happened on August 22, 1972. Al Pacino portrays John Wortzik, who in the films is named Sonny, as well as other characters that are renamed. So Al Pacino decides one afternoon that he needs money, so he and two of his friends go to rob a bank. But almost immediately one of them drops out. So, It's down to Al Pacino and his pal John Cazale trying to rob said bank. After about fifteen minutes of screen time trying to get money, Al sets a fire on some bank records and the police are notified. After that it all goes downhill for everybody as Sonny tries to figure out what to do. Al Pacino does a great job portraying this character and he interacts well with the supporting cast. Probably one of his best roles. Now I could easily see how this film could have gone in a totally different direction and make a complicated storyline with several points of view on the same event. Thankfully, though, the filmmakers kept it basic and there were no complications with the plot. Also, I went into the film knowing what the motivation for the robbery, but as a viewer, it would have been better to not know because it is all told gradually through individual scenes. The whole film is basically conversations between Pacino and his hostages or the police outside of the bank. If it weren't for the amazing dialogue besides the acting, this movie would have failed miserably. But it didn't. In fact, to me at least, Dog Day Afternoon was a complete success.
The Verdict:
Dog Day Afternoon is great. Great dialogue, great acting, direction, you name it. I wasn't there in Brooklyn on that faithful day in August of 1972, but after seeing this movie, I felt like I was right in the middle of it. I give it five gallons of sweat out of five. 5/5.

Review of The Hurt Locker. Kathryn Bigelow has balls.

The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, documents what most
filmmakers are afraid to document. A story about the Iraq War. I
really haven't seen a film about this controversial current event ever
since I started watching movies. Focusing mainly on one company,
Bravo. Jeremy Renner stars as the cocky, rude, and adrenaline-pumped
bomb squad member in Iraq who does everything the wrong way but gets
it done. His squad leader is usually uptight and by the book, so
obviously you'll see some sparks fly. Renner's character is addicted to
the life or death situations and really draws the audience in with his
believable performance. But the real draw for me wasn't the acting but
the fantastic cinematography and directing. Almost every moment was
intense and exciting and I was always at the edge of my seat.

The Verdict: With violence, drama, and even little comedy sprinkled
in, there's enough for everybody here. It even raises a few questions
about the war itself. All in all, The Hurt Locker is a movie that you
really need to see to believe. I give it 4.5 game show sniper kills out of five. 4.5/5.

Review of Black Dynamite. The good ol' days.

Black Dynamite, directed by Scott Sanders and written by and starring
Michael Jai White, is an amazing tribute to all of the Blaxploitation
films from the 70s. Fake facial hair, obnoxious camera angles, and
lots of hilarious over-acting, all form together into a purposefully
generic romp for those who are unfamiliar with the source materials or
just want to revisit the time when filmmaking was much more simple.
I give it 3.5 presidential
scandals behind a presidential scandal out of five. 3.5/5.

Review of Watchmen. Who watches the Watchmen?

Watchmen, directed by Zack Snyder, tells the almost three hour tale of a band of masked vigilantes and their origins. With naked blue nuclear guys, a crazy guy with a cool voice, and a lot of flashbacks, this movie wasn't half bad. A bit long at times but in the end, Zack Snyder crafted a good production. Sometimes, though, there were flashbacks right after an important event happened and I wouldn't know that it actually was a flashback. Taking place during the cold war in an alternate 1980s America where Nixon was elected for three terms, vigilantes were part of society, and it's okay for a giant nuclear blue man not to where any clothing. I mean, seriously. Was it really necessary for a giant blue wang to be hanging out for two and a half hours? Somebody get that guy some boxers.
The Verdict:
Watchmen dragged on for a few hours and it was hard to follow at times, but in the end it was a good experience and there are even a few things that you'll be able to catch that you couldn't if you've only seen it once. I give it four GIANT BLUE WANGS out of five. 4/5.

Review of Mystic River. Looking for a great feel-good film? Good. Now go look somewhere else.

Mystic River, directed by Clint Eastwood, is a sad, but thought provoking film. It was about friendship, and going through tough times. Most of the time while I was watching it i was thinking how this could have been a real story because of the things that I hear on the news. Sean Penn plays a rough and tough guy who's daughter is brutally murdered and his two friends, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon, who try to cope with the murder and find the killer. Penn, Robbins, and Bacon all do a great job here, but Tim Robbins stood pout for me because of the way he portrayed such a disturbed character. Eastwood also does well in setting the right mood for each scene, shot entirely on location in Boston, was able to put everything together nicely with the lighting, effects, and lack of music. The lack of music especially hit a mark for me because most of the time a director would put in dramatic music or a sad score for parts where they needed to strike an emotion in the viewer. I like that Eastwood didn't put in a lot of music because it made the movie seem even more real and as if the viewer was experiencing the events themselves.
The Verdict:
With great direction, great jobs done by the leading roles, and even a little bit of an emotional attachment that came along with it, Mystic River was a good, feel-sad film that's worth seeing if you want to make someone rethink their lives or just play a really mean practical joke. I give it four oddly picked names for a person out of five, 4/5.

Review of The Royal Tenenbaums. And I thought my family was messed up!

The Royal Tenenbaums, directed by Wes Anderson, follows Gene Hackman's character, Royal Tenenbaum and his quest to get his dysfunctional family back together after almost twenty years of separation from each other. With an all-star cast including Luke Wilson, Gweneth Paltrow, Owen Wilson, Anglica Huston, Danny Glover, Ben Stiller, and, of course, Gene Hackman. They all do well confusing themselves almost to the point where I could believe this as a true family. I personally thought that Luke Wilson was the best out of the bunch, playing a somewhat demented ex-Tennis Player in love with his (adopted) sister. Gene Hackman did great as well, being acting as if his character were a rebel to his own family, trying to teach themn to have a bit of fun every once and a while. No film is without flaw, though. At times this film felt a bit too melodramatic for its own good. Gweneth Paltrow over-acted her role a bit, being too depressing for the character's personality. I could go on and on naming the pros and cons of this film, but why bother?
The Verdict:
The Royal Tenenbaums, Had a few problems. That, I won't deny. But Wes Anderson puts enough charm into the sadness that seems to overpower the movie to make it a decent dramedy worth a look. I give it 3.5 grandpas riding on a garbage truck out of 5. 3.5/5.

Review of The Usual Suspects. How dare you trick me!

It took a lot of thinking to figure this one out. Directed by Bryan Singer, The Usual Suspects starts by jumping through two periods of time. The present day, and the six weeks leading up to the present day. Don't be discouraged, it fits together nicely and there aren't many plot holes involved. Mostly following Gabriel Byrne in the past and narrated by Kevin Spacey in the present, who does a fantastic job playing a cripple named Verbal in the past and present, has five guys lined up one night and when they're locked away for the evening, decide to pull off one more heist but stick with it for a few more. This is one of the most thrilling and tense film I've ever seen. I was guessing the entire time and when I thought a problem was resolved something else came up and pushed the intensity even higher every time. Acting was phenomenal, especially on Spacey's part. There's Stephen Baldwin, Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Pollack, among others including Spacey and Byrne both of whom I mentioned before, who do a great job communicating with each other and each adding their own flair into the mix. Direction is great, Bryan Singer did an amazing job on keeping things discreet and with a little tilt of the camera, was able to change the whole film. And this films is very, very heavy on small details, and very light on just giving away the things here that mattered most. Even at the end, I had to sit and think for a few minutes to understand what had happened at the very end.
The Verdict:
I know that "ever seen" is a strong phrase to use in a movie critic's vocabulary, but it truly did apply here. This was probably the most gripping, thrilling, intense film I have ever seen. But enough with the adjectives, I'll just get to the point. If you're looking for a good thriller that will keep you at the edge of your seat, look no further, this movie is just for you. With an original script, great dialouge, amazing direction, fantastic acting, you can't go wrong with The Usual Suspects. I give it five I ALMOST CRAPPED MY PANTS! moments out of five. 5/5.

Review of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. Two films, one director, one amazing weekend.

Ah, it's good to be back. I've got two reviews for you guys today, both directed by Frank Darabont, both on my top ten list. Let's start of with the newest of the two, The Green Mile. The Green Mile is about Tom Hanks working on death row and Michael Clarke Duncan being a Jesus-type figure. Now, I know that may seem a bit odd, but it worked well and although at times the idea became a bit farfetched, became necessary for the good part of the plot to move forward. What is the good part of the plot, you ask? The parts with the inmates and seeing their characters develop as well as the authorities on duty amongst Tom Hanks. Sam Rockwell does a great job playing the most demented of the inmates, Wild Bill. Wild Bill made many inappropriate and stark comments that made even the most dismal moments relatively funny. And this films was surprisingly funny. I laughed more here than many recent self-proclaimed "comedies." This movie can be funny, sad, shocking, and sometimes a little weird, but part of what makes it so good is the amazing character development that is involved. By the end of the extensive three hour ten minute run time, I didn't feel like someone watching these events happen on a screen, rather a character myself, engrossed in what was going on inside the film. If a movie can make ME do that, then the filmmakers have hit their mark, at least in my book.

Next we have The Shawshank Redemption, the epic of Tim Robbins following his life convicted to a double life sentence in prison. Also starring Morgan Freeman, who narrates the story as well as plays a major role in it, is also sentenced to life in prison. They both do an absolutely fantastic job together on screen and have some of the best chemistry in a film I've ever seen. Not to say that the supporting cast didn't do great either. When there is a movie about prison, you have to have a great supporting cast to back up the leads, and it's definatley pulled off here. The story is great, coming from A Stephen King novel, as well as The Green Mile, but we can get to that in a minute. I've never read the source material but as a standalone experience, the screenwriters nailed it. There were no plot holes, the story proceeded at a steady pace, and it was interesting as well. Not once did I think,"How did that happen?" Very well done.

Unfortunaltley, friends, we've come to the end of my reviews. I'm sure you'll want to know the scores, but first, my final comments.
The Verdict:
Both The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile are fantastic films that were both adapted by Stephen King novels, and both were directed by Frank Darabont, making it a perfect double feature. Acting is great, stories are both fantastic, directing is prestine, and the overall time spent watching these films, was very well spent for me. About five hours and thirty minutes total. It's a long haul, but one worth taking. I think it's safe to say that Frank Darabont is the "King" of adapted films.

The Shawshank Redemption- Five posters of women out of five. 5/5
The Green Mile- Five magical mice out of five. 5/5

New Reviews Soon!

I'll be putting new reviews up soon but in the mean time check out my NEW top ten list and tell me yours!

Sorry!

Hey guys I'm sorry I haven't posted a review in over a month, I plan on starting back up A.S.A.P.