mrgray83 Reviews

The Grudge (2004)

Japanese Horror meets Memento.

[6/10 · 5 May 2005]

The Grudge is a story about how a house holds on to the murders of it's past and manifests them in the murdered soul of a cat, a little boy, and a young girl. The acting was pretty good. The script is where the problems are. There are numerous flashbacks to explain scenes that we've just witnessed. You have to pay close attention to the flashbacks or you'll get lost in things in quite a hurry because a lot is going on. The Grudge has a feel about it that suggests that it's really nothing but an attempt, albeit a pretty decent attempt, to cash in on the fame of The Ring, ie cash in on the idea of remaking Japanese horror films. At the end there's some allusion to a sequel that to me seemed ludicrous and clichéd. The jolt scares in the film were average as well. The monster jumps up suddenly and there's a loud echoing crash heard on the soundtrack. Pretty standard stuff. Nothing to write home about. The CGI and the cinematography were great.

6/10 I'd recommend it if you're just a die hard horror fan. I'm a fan of horror but I prefer the psychological stuff.

House of the Dead (2003)

Redefining bad movies......Uwe Boll style.

[3/10 · 5 May 2005]

House of the Dead is based on the Sega game of the same name. I have never played the game myself but this movie doesn't do very much in the way of persuading one to give it a chance. The story is as follows. A group sets out to go to a Rave party on an isolated island and in their first but not last act of stupidity during the course of the film they miss the boat that was to take them. They coax a cigar smuggling boat owner to give them a ride to the island by giving him $1000. 500 to get there and 500 to get back. With all that cash floating around, the group should have skipped the Rave and went and brought some brains. Well, they get to the island and to sum the rest of the film up, there is a lot of running around, screaming, breasts jiggling, tired and I do mean tired stereotypes of every character, especially the Asian character. That was just ridiculous. Uwe Boll must think that the Matrix is the greatest movie of all time because he uses the camera tricks from that film all throughout the battle sequences, which mind you dragged on way too long. And if all of that wasn't bad enough, Uwe Boll has spliced actual game-play action into the movie. He seemed to think it added to the film, even if the scenes from the game didn't always match up with the live action. I don't even have to mention awful dialog and acting because I can forgive those nuances. They can almost be so bad they're entertaining, but some things I just can't forgive. How Uwe Boll ever got anyone to support him in this film is beyond my comprehension.

3/10 Don't waste your time. I'd recommend it to hardcore B movie fans like myself. But if you don't appreciate making fun of movies then don't submit yourself to this torture.

Spartacus (1960)

The most unKubrickian Kubrick project......but it still delivers.

[10/10 · 1 May 2005]

Spartacus follows the time of the rebel Spartacus' life starting with his life as a slave, then gladiator, then rebel, and finally leading up to his crucifixion. This film was directed by Stanley Kubrick, but if you're a hardcore Kubrick film like myself, you'll have a hard time believing it. Is it beautiful? Yes, the photography of the film is pretty top notch. Is the camera work Kubrick? To a certain degree. It's not full force Kubrick. I interpreted this as a laid back Kubrick style of filming. And the fact that he didn't write the screenplay had a lot to do with it I'm sure. Can I praise Kirk Douglas enough for his portrayal of Spartacus? I don't think so. Kirk gives one of the best performances of his career that I've seen. I still can't place his acting here above his acting in Paths of Glory though. Another great actor here is Jean Simmons, who is a hottie for real. She is absolutely beautiful. Another thing about the movie is that even though, it's over 3 hours long, I found the pacing very well done. I never found myself bored because the film has powerful dialog, which is another big plus.

10/10 Highly recommended.

Spider-Man (2002)

Big Budget B Movie

[6/10 · 30 April 2005]

This film has raked in a truckload of cash and a score of great reviews. Well, it seems that I'll have to be the exception. I didn't contribute one cent to this film's theatrical release and I am not about to write a glowing review of it.

Spiderman is without a doubt one of the funniest unintentional comedies I have ever come across. This film has some of the most unbelievable dialog that has ever been put to film. It doesn't quite border on Ed Wood quality but it's the thing that keeps me laughing through the whole thing.

The acting was so so but I don't blame the actors too much. With dialog that bad, the script couldn't have been much to jump up and down about.

I wouldn't recommend this unless you like the 'so bad it's good' films like I do. And also there are some nice shots of Kirsten Dunce scattered throughout.

6/10

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Stanley Kubrick takes on the Vietnam War and the duality of man.

[10/10 · 30 April 2005]

This film will endlessly be compared to Oliver Stone's Platton which was released the year before it. I place Full Metal Jacket above Platoon only marginally. There's something about the way Stanley Kubrick shot that makes it stand above other films based during war times. One scene that sticks out in my mind is the one where the platoon is standing around the dead bodies of two of their fallen comrades in a circle. Kubrick places the camera in the middle of them so that it shoots a low angle shot looking into their faces. He then has them to say a single farewell statement to the fallen soldiers. The beauty in this is that the statements express each soldiers personification. I'm reminded of Citizen Kane, where the entire dialog of that film reflects each person's personification. Every time a word is uttered it reflects their personality and yet the dialog is as believable as they come. What Kubrick did in the scene I just mentioned is a simplified version of that method but it works wonderfully. He proves that it it possible to develop characters with few words and with even fewer actions.

This film is magnificent. Is it Kubrick's best? No. Is it his most beautiful? No. 2001 will always have that spot in my heart. Is it a classic? You'd better believe it.

10/10 Highly recommended.

Get on the Bus (1996)

I'm almost willing to say it's Spike Lee's best film.

[9/10 · 16 April 2005]

I can't forget about the extraordinary Do The Right Thing though.

Get On The Bus follows the bus trip of a group of brothers on their way to the Million Man March. The acting is top of the line. The actor playing Evan Junior is a perfect match for his character. He turns in one of the greatest performances. The script is perfect and it only proves to be stronger when you remember that the film was shot in sequence. Which leads me to another point. Anyone with even a small amount of film-making understanding knows that it would have been hell to shoot this film in 35mm, so Spike Lee recorded in a smaller print and had it blown up. The result is a film that's almost documentary style but works perfectly.

Throughout the course of the film, Spike Lee introduces us to various personifications of the black man. Notice I used the word personifications, not stereotypes. We have a self hating brother, who is picked up halfway through the trip, who puts down on black schools and colleges. We have a highly homophobic brother who's loud and arrogant at the same time. We have a Muslim brother who has no lines but is integral even without lines. There are black republicans along on the trip. Two black homosexuals. And to top it off it's filmed entirely on a bus trip except for a few scenes which Spike Lee stated were on a sound stage.

Great film. 9/10

Holiday Heart (2000 TV Movie)

Ten out of Ten. Without a doubt.

[10/10 · 14 April 2005]

Holiday Heart is the tale of Holiday, a talented drag queen and how his life intertwines with the lives of a young girl named Nikki and her mother, who tries to kick a drug habit during the course of the film. Holiday is at first accepted by the mother and child after he saves them from an abusive relationship, only to be rejected by them when a new love enters the mother's life. The new love is a drug dealer, but does not approve of the mother using drugs. She eventually goes back to the drugs and he cuts her loose. After she disappears Holiday has to step back in to help take care of Nikki, which he does, even though he has dreams of getting away to Paris to start a new life since he recently lost the love of his life.

Where do I start with this film? The acting is TOP NOTCH. Ving Rhames, who plays Holiday, gives one of the best performances I have ever seen in my lifetime. Alfre Woodard, who plays the mother, just steals the show though. Her portrayal of an addicted mother is so great that words can do it no justice. It really has to be seen. The child actor turns in an outstanding performance as the child distraught over her mother's problems. I was extremely impressed at how she was so adult in many scenes, due to the fact that such a life will cause a child to grow up very quickly.

I rate this a solid 10 out of 10. One of the greatest films I've ever seen.

The Shining (1997)

Even as a standalone film it's lackluster.

[5/10 · 7 April 2005]

Let's just stop for a minute and assume that Stanley Kubrick's version of The Shining was never made and that this was the only adaption that was ever created. Would you still love it/hate it? I wouldn't say I hate this adaption, but it falls short all over the place. I'm not about to recant the whole story here. I'll just get right to the point.

Dialog - More laughable than anything. I recognized a lot of dialog from the actual book. It's fine in the book, but is a joke when put to film.

Acting - Actually pretty good, except for the child actor, who is beyond annoying. However, most actors are only as good as their script and their director. So I lay a lot of blame on those 2.

Length - It's just too long. It drags. Drags and drags. I'm a fan of Stephen King and while the book doesn't drag, this film does. It tries to fit everything possible from the book. Everything. This detracts from the film IMO. It opens the film up for plot holes.

The special effects are nice and the cinematography is nothing short of amazing.

5/10

Armageddon (1998)

Mindless Summer Blockbuser. But still entertaining.

[7/10 · 7 April 2005]

Armageddon is the story of a team of oil drillers who end up becoming a space crew that must destroy an asteroid the size of Texas which will destroy the earth. There, I just gave you the whole film synopsis in a nutshell. This is one of those flicks where you just have to sick back and enjoy it. You have to throw some of the things you expect from serious filming to the curve because it is obvious that the directors did the same thing.

The film defines what a summer film should be. Mindless and more mindless while making the audience laugh and cry. There is a saying that the majority of the nation's moviegoers go to the movies to get a break from reality. Moviegoers want to be shocked. They want to laugh. To cry. To have their life changed. But I digress. On with the review. We have explosions. Explosions. And in case you missed it the first time, more explosions. There are plenty of laughs, witty lines, and funny situations. And unless you're some stone hearted person, the ending of the film will get a tear or two from you. I thought the montage of Harry Stamper's daughter's life(which is in turn his life in a way) flashing before his eyes before he blows up the asteroid(and gives his life as a result) is one of the most touching moments of film I've ever seen. It always makes me emotional. I highly regret not seeing this film in theaters.

7/10

The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Five out of Ten and I'm being generous.

[5/10 · 4 April 2005]

Night Of The Hunter is the tale of a very disturbed guy who masquerades as a preacher but in actuality is a murdering psychopath. After being put in prison, he crosses paths with a father who stole $10,000 because he wanted his wife and kids to live better. The father is set to be executed and the psychopath hears him talking about the stolen money in his sleep. He just mentions the cash though. He never says where it is exactly. So the psychopath gets out of jail and marries the imprisoned guys wife(who is a complete dunce), and attempts to get the guy's kids(who were sworn to secrecy by their father) to show him where the money is hidden.

I was led to believe that this film was supposed to be a classic. I mean I had heard really great things about it. So I decided to come into my viewing with a very clear mind, and I have never been so disappointed with a 'classic' in my life. When I wasn't laughing at how bad the dialog was at times, I was laughing at the editing, which is a step by step tutorial on how not to edit a film. Continuity is thrown to the curve on a quite a few occasion. Every film suffers from continuity errors but this was just ridiculous. Some of the errors in this film could have been corrected.

I see why it was bashed so horribly when it was released. It's not that audiences weren't ready for this type of film, it's because the film is just not good...end of story. Definitely not a classic if you ask me.

5 out of 10 because of the photography is top notch and Mitchum's performance.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

A Beautiful Film, Story, you name it.....

[10/10 · 3 April 2005]

A Beautiful Mind covers the life of master mathematician John Nash starting with his tenure in college and ends with his winning of the Nobel Prize in 1994. I almost didn't watch the whole film, I'll admit. The beginning seemed a bit too slow to me and the story was almost on the brink of boring. So I just rewound it and put another flick in. I had no intention of watching it again because I didn't see what the big fuss was, except for Jennifer Connely. But after a while I decided to watch the whole movie all the way through. This is one of the greatest movies I've ever seen. Jennifer Connely and Russell Crowe turn in some truly outstanding performances. This movie was the first time that I saw Crowe in a movie and he did a brilliant job. Connely is always great(she was the real reason I decided to watch the film in the first place. Without giving too much away, John Nash suffers from some truly disturbing schizophrenic hallucinations.

He does some decoding work for the government and then afterwards thinks he's being followed by a guy in a suit and tie(played by Ed Harris in another of the film's outstanding performances), a roommate who moves in with him, and the roommate's niece. All of which are figments of his imagination. The hallucinations never leave him throughout his life, but he learns to deal with them, due in part to the patience and love that his wife(played by Connely) for him. She stood her ground and held out when a lot of wives would have thrown the deuces.

Amazing film. If you haven't seen it, SEE IT.

10/10

The Blues Brothers (1980)

Not as great as you would be led to believe.

[7/10 · 31 March 2005]

The blues brothers picks up with Jake Blues being released from prison and being picked up by his brother Elwood Blues. They visit the old orphanage where they were raised and learn that $5,000 is needed or the government will shut it down. They decide that the best way to get the cash is by legal means, that is by gigging with their band. But first they must reassemble the band. And so begins John Landis' The Blues Brothers. The primary problem that I had with the film was that it overdid itself as a musical. There was too much music. Did we really need to listen to the band play entire selections? Other than that, it's pretty great. The late great John Belushi is priceless as usual. I liked him better in Animal House.

7/10 Cons : Too much music and the train going by the window every few seconds was annoying.

Pros : Too many to list. They definitely outweigh the cons by a mile.

School Daze (1988)

Great film. The best look at HBCU life that has been put to film.

[8/10 · 30 March 2005]

School Daze takes us through the homecoming weekend of the fictional Historically Black College Mission College. Spike Lee has gone out of his way very successfully to recreate the events that surround an HBCU homecoming. We have the parade. The Homecoming Dances and Pageants. The football game. Even a crossing over of a fraternity. This is the best film I have ever seen that features HBCU college life and gives an inside look at it. Various issues that were a big deal on college campuses then are discussed such as light skinned vs dark skinned, almost obsessive interest in the apartheid situation in Africa. The film covers some good ground. Most of the movie, however, revolves around the character Half Pint, whom Spike Lee himself portrays. He is online for the fictional fraternity Gamma Phi Gamma and if he lasts the weekend through, will be joining the G Phi G family. I won't say that Half Pint is a nerd, but he isn't the most popular guy on campus. After he crosses over, we see a definite change in him though. A change that a big majority of people can relate to if they have ever known someone close who has pledged a frat or sorority.

I had a few problems with the movie though. I just found Laurence Fishburne unconvincing in this role. This is not his best performance and since he didn't really have a role to challenge his true acting ability until What's Love Got To Do With It, I can't really be surprised. Another problem is the ending. Spike Lee goes from reality to something that looks like it's right out a dream. It's so unique that it jumps from interesting right into the realm of ridiculous.

Be on the lookout for some absolutely stunning musical pieces. Especially a performance by Tisha Campbell and three other sisters titled I Don't Wanna Be Alone Tonight. Another great number is Straight and Nappy. You'll know it when you hear it.

Another thing, the wanna be's were like a thousand times finer than the jigaboos. I'm sorry. The wanna be's couldn't hold a flame to em. They couldn't even hold an unlit match to em. And it ain't got nothing to do with their skin color.

I would recommend this film highly. It has flaws but they are few and in-between. And when you look at the fact that it is Spike Lee's second feature, you'll have even more respect for it.

8/10

Jason X (2001)

This film isn't even laughably bad.

[3/10 · 19 March 2005]

This is easily in my top 5 of worst movies ever made. If Ed Wood were alive today and had a lot of money to spend on special effects, then he would be making films like Jason X. The dialog is bad. The acting is hilarious. Looks like they couldn't possibly have done more than 2 takes on average for every scene of the film.

A quick rundown of the story. It seems Jason Vorhees is held in custody on some ship somewhere in space and when some real geniuses release him he goes on a short killing spree that is prematurely ended when he gets cryogenically frozen. Some 400 or so years later, he is thawed out and goes on another killing spree on the ship. It seems some people can never leave well enough alone. What ensues is easily the worst film of the new century and has no real redeeming qualities except for 2 nearly nude girls expressing their love for premarital sex. In other words, avoid this one. Think I haven't been clear enough? You won't get much more from the film, trust me.

3/10

Animaniacs: Wakko's Wish (1999 Video)

Should have been called Animaniacs : Almost New Jokes

[6/10 · 16 March 2005]

Wakko's Wish is the full length gift to us from Animaniacs. 75% of the jokes try to hard. The good thing is that there are some pretty good musical numbers in the beginning of the film, but even they diminish in quality throughout the film. They made Pinky a lot stupider than he was during the show, and made Brain a lot less tolerant towards him. And as with any musical, everyone from the show is singing, but we could have went without some of the solos, particularly from Aunt Slappy's little nephew, who mumbles all his singing lines. I guess that was supposed to be cute but for the most part, it sucks. With all that said, this is still pretty funny. The 25% of the jokes and stunts that kick tale are pretty good. I wouldn't recommend more than one viewing though. Go watch the show instead.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The number one Stephen king adaption of all time.

[10/10 · 15 March 2005]

Filmmakers that plan to make use of Stephen King's writings in the future need to pull an Orson Welles and watch this about 40 times before they get into it. And read the short story just as many times. This is the best transfer of a Stephen King story I've ever seen. I would give it to Kubrick's The Shining, but it's more like Kubrick took the story idea and did his own movie on it. In other words, while it's a classic, it's not that great of an adaption. Andy Dufresne is wrongly imprisoned for murdering his philanderous wife and while in prison befriends a prisoner named Red, who is great at getting outside products to the inmates. The message of the film is strong and clear : Hope Hope Hope is a beautiful thing. The film is about triumph. About friendship. It's also about some knockout acting. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are at the top of their game. A Must see. Especially if you are a fan of Stephen King's short story.

Constantine (2005)

A Rambling Mess of a film.

[4/10 · 15 March 2005]

Constantine is my new candidate for the worst film of 2005 until someone comes along and takes its place. Hopefully no one will come along any time soon. This film suffers from pitiful character development for one. We don't even really care for the hero. His job seems to be something in the line of battling demons and satiring The Exorcist(1974). Though I was happy to see him in a film, Pruit Taylor Vince's character didn't serve any purpose. I was laughing at his death scene and I was happy when it was over. The other problem with the film is that there are plot holes everywhere. I guess the movie was aimed at fans of the comics and no one else because there are a lot of things that aren't quite explained.

My synopsis. 4/10 This film is a complete and total mess with some cgi thrown in.

The only reason it got a 4 from me was because of the direction and the cinematography, both of which were pretty impressive. Everything else on the other hand, nada!!!

Rear Window (1954)

You could tell Hitchcock was missing from the screenplay, but other than that....

[9/10 · 14 March 2005]

this film is still top notch. Hitchcock isn't missing from the directing chair for one second. A man is bound to a wheelchair after a runway accident and spends the better part of his days viewing the many happenings of his neighbors across the way from him, thanks to his rear window. It's a perfect view of everyone their. There's a very attractive young lady who's very much into dancing. An older couple who have developed a simple little system so that they can allow their pet dog to be 'let out' so to speak from the 3rd floor balcony, and there is a couple who constantly seems to be arguing about something. This is the couple that become intricate to the story. Eventually the wife disappears and the wheelchair bound man becomes obsessed with the idea that the wife has been murdered. What follows is a buildup which is Hitchcock all the way. Nobody builds suspense like him, and even though I was disappointed by the ending because I was kind of hoping for more of a twist, it's still pretty powerful. I highly recommend. It was pretty obvious to me that Hitchcock didn't write the screenplay, and I kind of wish he had, although what we have is still one of the best ever written. Highly recommend this film.

9/10

The Exorcist III (1990)

Blatty's Masterpiece, and the only TRUE Exorcist entry.

[10/10 · 13 March 2005]

The Exorcist III is based on William Peter Blatty's novel Legion. It picks up 15 years after the possession detailed in the first. We have an all star cast consisting of George C Scott, Ed Flanders, and Brad Dourif. They are at the top of their game. Particularly Scott and Dourif. A young boy is murdered in a quite disturbing manner out on a sea dock and Lt. Bill Kinderman, played wonderfully by George C Scott, sets out to investigate. The murders continue, but have stranger and stranger settings and circumstances. A priest is murdered in his confession booth. A man is murdered in his hospital room. A young lady is murdered while at her post in the same hospital. After a few dead ends for Kinderman, including but not limited to questioning a catatonic patient who is physically unable to commit the murder but whose fingerprints were found at a crime scene, Kinderman encounters a patient in the hospital's disturbed ward who closely resembles his dead friend Damien Karras. But things are not exactly as they seem.

Exorcist III is everything a true horror fan could ask for. It has some extreme studio tampering which actually makes the film confusing at a few points, but these can be overlooked when you view how well acted, directed, and photographed this film is. It's absolutely beautiful. Some of the best camera-work in a film I've seen, particularly a sequence where Kinderman is dreaming. This film isn't very well known for some reason, and I was actually surprised when I saw it a video store a few years ago because I had no idea there was a 3rd exorcist. I almost decided not to buy it, but I did and I'm grateful, because this installment is much better than the original(2 and 4 are cash-ins!!!) and is one of the greatest horror films of all time.

10/10 Definitely needs to be in your collection.

Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)

Quite possibly the worst film of 2005

[1/10 · 11 March 2005]

And we haven't even seen what the summer films have to offer. That's a bad sign. The first 15 minutes of the film introduce us to what we think will be a great film. Kimberly Elise has evolved into quite an actress. I can't wait to see some of her future endeavors. Of course after those 15 minutes we are introduced to Madea. And from there the movie goes all to hell. I'm reminded of what happens when you introduce a bad apple to a good apple. Elise is the only character we can come to care about and unsurprisingly the only actor still giving a damn about what she's doing. Even as a comedy this film fails horribly. How anyone can be a fan of the plays as well as this film boggles my mind. Give me the plays any day. The screen translation leaves something to be desired. Well, it leaves a lot to desire. There are far too many clichés and stereotypes in the humor. That puts the *quote* comedy *end quote* in this film on about the same level of You Got Served. But I don't blame Tyler Perry. It's obvious there is an amazing story here because the scenes that are built around Elise are fantastic. But the studios must have had their say in this too much. It's just so so obvious. I would love to see Tyler Perry do an independent flick based on his plays. Maybe the sequel will be better.

5/10 This film could have been so much more. The studios obviously wanted another Big Momma's House, but Perry is no Martin Lawrence. At least it grossed well. Hope the sequel improves over this.

American History X (1998)

Strong Subject. Strong Film.

[10/10 · 24 February 2005]

American History X follows the life of a man who becomes a nazi skinhead after his father is murdered while putting out a fire in a run down black neighborhood, so you can see where he develops his prejudice. I don't think he is justifiable in his prejudice, but that's what caused it. He has a younger brother who looks up to him very much and hangs on to his every word. The older brother is sent to jail for murdering two blacks who were attempting to steal his vehicle and while in jail he learns the error of his ways and how much heartbreak he has caused his family. Upon returning back home, he finds out that his little brother is following in his footsteps.

This is a wonderful film with strong acting, primarily Edward Norton as the lead. Highly recommend it.

10/10 obviously

Angels in the Outfield (1994)

Sometimes you can forget how enjoyable a film is if you don't watch it enough.

[8/10 · 21 February 2005]

That was definitely the case with Angels in the Outfield. It was on TV last night and I believe I hadn't seen the film since my sophomore year in high school and I'm now in my 4th year of college. Although the film has many flaws, it is just so touching that you can't help but sit down, watch it, and enjoy yourself. It is also hilarious. Danny Glover's ranting is just so over the top that you can't help but laugh out loud at him at most time. It adds to the film and I'm sure it's exactly what the director wanted. You actually feel for the characters in the film even though the development isn't the best. A must see. I highly recommend.

8/10

I, Robot (2004)

How can the amazing cgi of a film be it's primary saving grace?

[6/10 · 19 February 2005]

When the film in question is I, Robot starring Will Smith. I'm inclined quite heavily to compare it to Terminator 3 at times. Both T3 and I, Robot have something dear in common. They are both summer movies. While entertaining and sometimes visually captivating, summer movies tend to suffer greatly from subpar acting and laugh-out-loud bad dialog. I, Robot is no exception. Let's look at Will Smith, who basically plays the same character here that he played in The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. I really saw no difference. If you hadn't seen Ali, you would think this guy had no acting range at all. Of course he has his usual overuse of bad jokes and the director feels the need to get a close up shot of him delivering them. The movie seems to almost depend on Will Smith, as if the writers and directors knew it was a less than substantial movie, but it didn't matter because they were getting Will Smith to be the lead, and let's face it, Will Smith draws crowds. Another thing, the only character I really felt for was the robot that dr lanning had created and programmed real feelings into. Everybody else was so busy spitting moronic dialog and telling lame jokes to even care what happened to them.

On a high note, the CGI here is very impressive. Now when you're praising a film's CGI more than you're praising it's actors, Hollywood is in serious trouble. *snicker*

I give it a 6/10

IMO it's good to see once but no more than that. Will Smith does his usual routine. There are some nice special effects done with the cgi, but that's the highlight of the film.

Psycho (1960)

Hitchcock has yet to disappoint me.

[10/10 · 19 February 2005]

I consider myself relatively new to Hitchcock's films. Before Psycho, it was The Birds and Vertigo. Vertigo got me hooked, so I decided to give the 1960 Psycho a day in court after seeing the 1998 remake. I now see why a remake was such an infamous move, at least remaking it word for word and scene for scene. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho stands rightfully so as one of the greatest horror/psychological flicks of all time. Alfred Hitchcock's direction as always is on point and the acting is wonderful, especially the Norman Bates character. A truly deranged individual. If you pay enough attention, you can piece together the ending before it actually happens, but even then it's still shocking based on Hitchcock's amazing shooting style. I give this a 10/10. A definite classic in my book.

Casablanca (1942)

Here's looking at YOU kid.

[10/10 · 19 February 2005]

I had heard that phrase quoted on countless warner bros cartoons for countless years, but I never knew it came from Casablanca. And I've made it almost to 22 years old without seeing it. Now that I have I wonder what I was thinking putting it off for so long. Casablanca is a story about a club owner named Rick. He at one time had a love thing going on with a woman who thought that her husband was dead. Upon learning that he is alive she leaves Rick abruptly and tells him that he can never see him again. I'm not gonna go on and on with the story because it just spoils it and plus this is a review not a plot summary. The story is spellbinding, and we have some of the best dialog in the world displayed here for your listening pleasure. I'm a sucker for a film with just overly exceptional dialog.

10/10(What else?) If you haven't seen this film, stop kidding around and go give it a look see. If you have seen it, go see it again.

A Kiss is but a kiss..........