four out of ten
It seems all the movies I avidly awaited are one by one disappointing. Last night I watched Pride and Prejudice featuring Keira Knightley. I expected good things since I a) Loved the book b) Loved the BBC Version c) and heard raving reviews. I was terribly disappointed. I understood they'd be edited parts from the book since its only a 2 hour film but I felt I was watching it in fast forward. Everyone seemed to be acting. In the BBC Version I felt Colin Firth was Mr. Darcy, and Lizzie was truly Lizzie but here I was watching a period peice. I knew they were acting, they knew they were acting. She was ridiculously young to play Lizzie whose supposed to be around 26-28... Kate Winslet would have blown her out of the water and the only reason I can presume they picked Keira was her star power to bring in the big bucks in the box office. Perhaps I'm watching this as miniexpert on the book but I felt if someone came in with no background knowledge of the movie they'd be pretty puzzled by what was going on. All in all, way overhyped. If you want to watch a good Pride and Prejduice movie, invest 6 hours and watch the BBC version.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Brokeback Mountain
I dont know what to rate this...
I dont know if a summary is necessary for this movie since if you haven't heard of it, it can only mean you live under a rock, and if you perchance live under one, odds are you arent reading this anyhow :). I was very eager for this movie to come out on DVD and I ordered it from netflix as soon as it was available. I am not sure what I was expecting. The acting was great but there was so much I didnt understand.
Did Jack die of a flat tire or was he beaten to death for being gay? I know that Ennis said he saw a gay man laying dead on the road as a child so I wasn't sure if Ennis was just having a flashback of what he feared happened, or if it really happened?
Did Jack's parents know he was gay and accept it?
The ending just didnt give me closure, and the way they got together didn't give me a full fledged belief in it. I guess I thought they'd develop an emotional closeness that would lead ot other things, not the other way around.
Why did his wife say nothing when she saw her husband cheating on her? Why was she silent all those years, even after the divorce?
The movie ended with me feeling sort of incomplete. There was a lot more I didn't get to understand I guess.
I dont know if a summary is necessary for this movie since if you haven't heard of it, it can only mean you live under a rock, and if you perchance live under one, odds are you arent reading this anyhow :). I was very eager for this movie to come out on DVD and I ordered it from netflix as soon as it was available. I am not sure what I was expecting. The acting was great but there was so much I didnt understand.
Did Jack die of a flat tire or was he beaten to death for being gay? I know that Ennis said he saw a gay man laying dead on the road as a child so I wasn't sure if Ennis was just having a flashback of what he feared happened, or if it really happened?
Did Jack's parents know he was gay and accept it?
The ending just didnt give me closure, and the way they got together didn't give me a full fledged belief in it. I guess I thought they'd develop an emotional closeness that would lead ot other things, not the other way around.
Why did his wife say nothing when she saw her husband cheating on her? Why was she silent all those years, even after the divorce?
The movie ended with me feeling sort of incomplete. There was a lot more I didn't get to understand I guess.
Just Friends
four out of ten
Okay I thought the beginning was funny with the guy from "Two guys a girl and a pizza kitchen" in a fat suit, and I thought it was great that he ended up makign it big in hollywood, and yes there were some funny scenes. But it was dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. If you want a cheap giggle and some slapstick watch it. Personally- I'd wait till it came on TBS on a Saturday afternon when its raining and there is absolutely nothing else you could be doing instead.
Okay I thought the beginning was funny with the guy from "Two guys a girl and a pizza kitchen" in a fat suit, and I thought it was great that he ended up makign it big in hollywood, and yes there were some funny scenes. But it was dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. If you want a cheap giggle and some slapstick watch it. Personally- I'd wait till it came on TBS on a Saturday afternon when its raining and there is absolutely nothing else you could be doing instead.
Paradise Now
ten out of ten
This movie has an almost documentary feel. It follows two boys who work at an auto shop and go about their day. One of the boys is starting to like a worldly traveled daughter of a "martyr" who is back in Palestine to live. Despite the fact that they do not appear especially angry, political, or even religious in the film, when they are called to become suicide bombers they accept it with the casualness of agreeing to cover someone else's shift at work. Perhaps even more so. One boy asks if his picture will be displayed on the streets like a hero's. In the middle of his dramatic "martyr film" send off, he interrupts his solemn patriotic pledge with a shopping reminder for his mother. It shows clearly that they are they are simply that, they are boys.
I liked the editing of the film because it kept going without one checking the watch. I liked Suha's character who pointed out the error in their logic. She was born and raised in a more western culture and she tries to affect these boys and their thought process.
It's a good movie but its sad. Very sad because it portrays a real life situation. Can't help but think of Steve Earle's song, I believe that one fine day all the children of Abraham will lay down their swords in peace in Jerusalem. Looking at the world today I dont know if I believe that will ever happen... but I pray for it anyways.
This movie has an almost documentary feel. It follows two boys who work at an auto shop and go about their day. One of the boys is starting to like a worldly traveled daughter of a "martyr" who is back in Palestine to live. Despite the fact that they do not appear especially angry, political, or even religious in the film, when they are called to become suicide bombers they accept it with the casualness of agreeing to cover someone else's shift at work. Perhaps even more so. One boy asks if his picture will be displayed on the streets like a hero's. In the middle of his dramatic "martyr film" send off, he interrupts his solemn patriotic pledge with a shopping reminder for his mother. It shows clearly that they are they are simply that, they are boys.
I liked the editing of the film because it kept going without one checking the watch. I liked Suha's character who pointed out the error in their logic. She was born and raised in a more western culture and she tries to affect these boys and their thought process.
It's a good movie but its sad. Very sad because it portrays a real life situation. Can't help but think of Steve Earle's song, I believe that one fine day all the children of Abraham will lay down their swords in peace in Jerusalem. Looking at the world today I dont know if I believe that will ever happen... but I pray for it anyways.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
A History of Violence
nine out of ten
A movie about violence and all the different ways we experience it...
If I were to judge the greatness of a movie by how it leaves me thinking of the story or its characters this movie is one of the best movies of the year.
warning: spoilers throughout
A movie about violence and all the different ways we experience it...
If I were to judge the greatness of a movie by how it leaves me thinking of the story or its characters this movie is one of the best movies of the year.
warning: spoilers throughout
I had no idea what this movie was about going into it and I think that is the best way to watch it so you can keep guessing to what is going on. The way the movie is directed if you watch it without knowing that Tom is Joey you see and feel the confusion of Edie his wife along with her. If you know that Tom truly is Joey there is a different perspective to the movie. My opinion is watching it first from her eyes is special because the confusion can only happen once, the second time around knowing what you know you see the Joey perspective.
This is a mob movie but not like the typical mob movie. This is a character driven rather than plot driven movie about a man who was born into the mob and did some nasty things in his day but chose to escape, change his identity and build a quiet life filled with simple pleasures and a family. "Tom" who once was "Joey" has lived his second life as long as he lived his first and life was going fine until he had the misfortune of having two evil men come into his store who, despite Tom urging them to take his money, and all efforts at peace, refused to listen. In that moment Tom does some instinctual maneuvering thanks to the "Joey" he once was and kills both would be murderers. His hero status catapults his picture onto the front page of newspapers bringing attention to his former mobsters in Philly, his former haunt who decide to come resolve unfinished business. That's when the movie gets interesting and the characters blossom.
You see the pull between Tom and his son Jack. With Jack you see his son who was raised by peaceful Tom but who still has his father's "Joey" inside of him. His son I feel represented what Joey/Tom would have been had he been born into a different family. I found the father-son connection fascinating as you saw what a peace loving child Jack was but how he had a violent side inside of him.... his father was the opposite a man who grew up in violence but was a peaceful man in his heart of hearts.
The scene between the two brothers is also powerful. If you watch it, on the dvd the director does some commentary there that sheds a great deal of depth to the scene when they sit across from one another and talk.
Things I didnt like:
The ending I felt could have been better I felt it just ENDED with no resolution.
The little girl Sarah could not act to save her life! She killed any scene she was in.
That's about it! The movie was great and I recommend it.
This is a mob movie but not like the typical mob movie. This is a character driven rather than plot driven movie about a man who was born into the mob and did some nasty things in his day but chose to escape, change his identity and build a quiet life filled with simple pleasures and a family. "Tom" who once was "Joey" has lived his second life as long as he lived his first and life was going fine until he had the misfortune of having two evil men come into his store who, despite Tom urging them to take his money, and all efforts at peace, refused to listen. In that moment Tom does some instinctual maneuvering thanks to the "Joey" he once was and kills both would be murderers. His hero status catapults his picture onto the front page of newspapers bringing attention to his former mobsters in Philly, his former haunt who decide to come resolve unfinished business. That's when the movie gets interesting and the characters blossom.
You see the pull between Tom and his son Jack. With Jack you see his son who was raised by peaceful Tom but who still has his father's "Joey" inside of him. His son I feel represented what Joey/Tom would have been had he been born into a different family. I found the father-son connection fascinating as you saw what a peace loving child Jack was but how he had a violent side inside of him.... his father was the opposite a man who grew up in violence but was a peaceful man in his heart of hearts.
The scene between the two brothers is also powerful. If you watch it, on the dvd the director does some commentary there that sheds a great deal of depth to the scene when they sit across from one another and talk.
Things I didnt like:
The ending I felt could have been better I felt it just ENDED with no resolution.
The little girl Sarah could not act to save her life! She killed any scene she was in.
That's about it! The movie was great and I recommend it.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Hustle & Flow- art within art
nine out of ten
Wow. I just finished this movie. Very powerful. The story revolves around a pimp who is looking at his life and wondering where its going. Happenstance leads him to an old middle school friend who could help him record music. In their ghetto they build a makeshift studio and begin recording on a hope that "Skinny Black" a now famous rapper from their hood who returns every year to a particular bar on the fourth of july might listen to his demo tape. Every single hope of this man and his "family" (so to speak) rides upon this hope. This one shot in the dark.
I love movies with depth and character development. Where not everything is all black and white. The movie was about art, and how art can transport you out of your circumstances and give you hope and joy. And on another level I saw some amazing actors showing how beautiful an art acting itself can be.
What was different about this movie that I havent seen in a long time is that it spoke to me. A movie about a hopeful criminal rapper in the hood spoke directly to me and my life which is so different from his. I have dreams too. For me they are as shot in the dark like him. It's hard to realize dreams. Today I was talking to my brother and it hit me, so many people go into law or medicine or X, Y, Z because they can't think of something else they'd rather be doing. I have a few dreams that I have cradled in my heart like DJay but I'm scared like him to make it work, because the odds seem so against you. This movie is inspiring because though a shot at success is not guarunteed for you, on the flip side, a guaruntee of staying on the bottom is not guarunteed either.
I heard a lot of discussion about the fact that the theme song for this movie "Hard out here for a pimp" won an Oscar and how ironic it was that upon the acceptance of the song they said "Thank you Jesus." Thank you Jesus for accepting a song about how difficult life is for a pimp everyone said shaking their heads.... Then I saw the movie and I understood.
"Some people just talk the talk. Others, they walk the walk. Every now and then you'll find someone who walks the walk, and can talk the talk too." - Hustle & Flow
Wow. I just finished this movie. Very powerful. The story revolves around a pimp who is looking at his life and wondering where its going. Happenstance leads him to an old middle school friend who could help him record music. In their ghetto they build a makeshift studio and begin recording on a hope that "Skinny Black" a now famous rapper from their hood who returns every year to a particular bar on the fourth of july might listen to his demo tape. Every single hope of this man and his "family" (so to speak) rides upon this hope. This one shot in the dark.
I love movies with depth and character development. Where not everything is all black and white. The movie was about art, and how art can transport you out of your circumstances and give you hope and joy. And on another level I saw some amazing actors showing how beautiful an art acting itself can be.
What was different about this movie that I havent seen in a long time is that it spoke to me. A movie about a hopeful criminal rapper in the hood spoke directly to me and my life which is so different from his. I have dreams too. For me they are as shot in the dark like him. It's hard to realize dreams. Today I was talking to my brother and it hit me, so many people go into law or medicine or X, Y, Z because they can't think of something else they'd rather be doing. I have a few dreams that I have cradled in my heart like DJay but I'm scared like him to make it work, because the odds seem so against you. This movie is inspiring because though a shot at success is not guarunteed for you, on the flip side, a guaruntee of staying on the bottom is not guarunteed either.
I heard a lot of discussion about the fact that the theme song for this movie "Hard out here for a pimp" won an Oscar and how ironic it was that upon the acceptance of the song they said "Thank you Jesus." Thank you Jesus for accepting a song about how difficult life is for a pimp everyone said shaking their heads.... Then I saw the movie and I understood.
"Some people just talk the talk. Others, they walk the walk. Every now and then you'll find someone who walks the walk, and can talk the talk too." - Hustle & Flow
Monday, March 20, 2006
Dave Chappell's Block Party
8 out of 10
If you love hip hop you will love this movie. Well it's not really a movie, its a documentary that follows Dave Chappell as he wanders through Ohio and New York recruiting people to attend a block party he is hosting with great artists like Eykah Badu, Mos Def, Dead Prez, Roots, Jill Smith, and the FUGEES. YES! The Fugees. The fugees reunite in this movie and sing "Killing me softly" Just that moment of watching them all up on stage together with Lauryn Hill's soulful performance is worth every penny of the movie ticket. The hip hop is powerful and you walk out of the theatre feeling like you went to a block part yourself!
My recomendation is if you love hip hop shell out the bucks and watch this in theatres where you get the best sound to listen to the fabulous music of amazing artists.
If you love hip hop you will love this movie. Well it's not really a movie, its a documentary that follows Dave Chappell as he wanders through Ohio and New York recruiting people to attend a block party he is hosting with great artists like Eykah Badu, Mos Def, Dead Prez, Roots, Jill Smith, and the FUGEES. YES! The Fugees. The fugees reunite in this movie and sing "Killing me softly" Just that moment of watching them all up on stage together with Lauryn Hill's soulful performance is worth every penny of the movie ticket. The hip hop is powerful and you walk out of the theatre feeling like you went to a block part yourself!
My recomendation is if you love hip hop shell out the bucks and watch this in theatres where you get the best sound to listen to the fabulous music of amazing artists.
16 Blocks
Six out of ten
This movie centers around a stagnant cop (Bruce Willis) whose told to pick up an inmate (Mos Def) to take him to the courthouse to testify at a Grand Jury trial where many crooked cops will be named. The trip to the courthouse is deterred 16 blocks short by said crooked cops and the movie centers around Bruce Willis determined to take him to the courthouse.
***warning- spoiler alert****
The movie was interesting, very very suspensful but I felt the writer/director/SOMEBODY took a few too many liberties with the movie with "easy out" shortcuts. For example, the bus scene where its Mos Def and Willis in the bus and they're careening through the city. How did they get the bus "just so" coincidentally right behind the court house considering they didnt choose for it to end up there. The police shot the tires and it ended up sliding there on flats. Very implausible. Another example was the ambulance scene. One minute they're in the ambulance, the next minute they're in a totally different ambulance. I thought I missed something but when I read Roger Ebert's review he found the same issue.
It's no secret, I adore Mos Def. I think he's adorable and funny and he's a fabulous hip hop artist. But I was ready to kill him in this movie. I don't blame him at all but the director or SOMEBODY decided not only would he have a highly nasal voice in the movie they'd have him talk continously throughout the entire movie. I kid you not. Again love Mos Def but this movie was proof that too much of a good thing can be bad.
This movie centers around a stagnant cop (Bruce Willis) whose told to pick up an inmate (Mos Def) to take him to the courthouse to testify at a Grand Jury trial where many crooked cops will be named. The trip to the courthouse is deterred 16 blocks short by said crooked cops and the movie centers around Bruce Willis determined to take him to the courthouse.***warning- spoiler alert****
The movie was interesting, very very suspensful but I felt the writer/director/SOMEBODY took a few too many liberties with the movie with "easy out" shortcuts. For example, the bus scene where its Mos Def and Willis in the bus and they're careening through the city. How did they get the bus "just so" coincidentally right behind the court house considering they didnt choose for it to end up there. The police shot the tires and it ended up sliding there on flats. Very implausible. Another example was the ambulance scene. One minute they're in the ambulance, the next minute they're in a totally different ambulance. I thought I missed something but when I read Roger Ebert's review he found the same issue.
It's no secret, I adore Mos Def. I think he's adorable and funny and he's a fabulous hip hop artist. But I was ready to kill him in this movie. I don't blame him at all but the director or SOMEBODY decided not only would he have a highly nasal voice in the movie they'd have him talk continously throughout the entire movie. I kid you not. Again love Mos Def but this movie was proof that too much of a good thing can be bad.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Movies from my rotten tomatoes website
I thought I'd combine the movies I wrote about from this site, to here. Enjoy!
Monday, April 11, 2005
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Monday, April 11, 2005
 | Terminal [ Mainstream ]
Basic story plotline, a man from a fictional land gets stranded at the JFK airport for about 9 months where he befriends the staff, learns English, pisses the airport comission chief off, and eventually has a happily ever after tale.... The idea of the story is very good particulary since its the story based on a real life situation Merhan Karimi Nasseri whoendured living in the Charles De Gualle Paris airport for ten years because he had no choice, and now over 20 years later still endures because he knows nothing else at this point... Unlike Tom Hank's character, Nasserri has slowly gone from a psychologist to crossing the brink of insanity as he sits in the airport for over 20 years... I guess this story is Merhan Nasseri's "daydreams-coming-true" movie. Things happen that can only happen in fantasy land such as the entry guard gets an engagement ring from a man she doesnt know and they run off (this guy she doesnt know) to the airport chapel and get married, and somehow she has a wedding dress on hand and they run through the terminal in an airport cart. It's these sorts of utter rifts with reality that really hurt the movie for me. http://www.geektimes.com/michael/cu...i/stranded.html 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink | 07:53 PM |
| | Office Space [ Mainstream ]
This movie ROCKS. It's the type of movie you buy so you can watch certain scenes over and over again because those jokes will never get old. Very Very Very Funny! 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink | 04:34 PM |
10/10 | | Spanglish [ Mainstream ]
For the record, if perhaps Tea Leoni had not played Adam Sandler's wife I would give this movie at least an 8, but she was so terrible, it was enough to drop it a point.... It's usually the movies with no expectations that I typically end up liking the most, this movie was no exception. I loved it enough to forgive it its faults. The movie centers around two families whose lives converge. One, a Mexican single mother who speaks no English and her young daughter whom she lives for, The other a complete little family with mom, dad, a boy and a girl and a grandmother who all live for themselves. Their lives converge and the drama unfolds. The movie deals with temptation, childhood and adult insecurity. But most particulary the movie discusses how different cultures view child rearing particularly the pull of assimilation versus the desire to keep your child true to their culture.. Perhaps because I'm a minority this particular story line affected me more than it may others. I also liked the story line dealing with infidelity. I dont know how else to describe it except that its probably something many people deal with, and so it was very touching, very real. I may be wrong because (alhamdullilah) I havent dealt with this, but the motives and the choices all seemed very realistic. All in all, worth a rent! 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink | 03:22 PM |
Thursday, April 07, 2005
| | Sideways
I was pretty excited about Sideways since it looked like "The little Indie Flick that Could" becaues it got itself nominated for five Academy Awards. Plus I adore character driven movies.  But boy was I surprised....Now yes, I'll give you this: 1. The last thirty minutes were WONDERFUL. Particularly the part at the wedding and saw Victoria and found out she was pregnant. He displayed such good emotions that I was moved.... so can't balme the acting. 2. The analogies of him to a Pino Wine was very nice and tender. But STILLLLL1. SLOW SLOW SLOW 2. I didn't feel for the playboy character. When he burst into tears cuz he couldnt lose Kristen, I kept thinking, HOW did he get nominated for best supporting actor/actor? 3. And once again SLOW SLOW SLOW... how much wine sipping can one take? Monday, April 04, 2005
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Thursday, March 31, 2005
|
5/10 
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