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Reviews
Watchmen (2009)
If you have or had not read the book this film is boring.
I enjoyed parts of this movie. Having read the book there were parts that I had anticipated seeing on the big screen. In most cases the movie totally succeeded with a faithful jump from comic book page to movie screen. Even the changes that were made were understandable given that giant tentacled vagina monsters may not have mass appeal.
The book is not an action adventure story but more of a detective story filled with complex symbolism and detailed character development. The film is stripped of much of the complexity that makes the book worth revisiting time and again.
Action scenes from the book are given more importance than the story. This is pretty weird too because there aren't that many action sequences in either. The action sequences are given a strange and contrived feel as they are bogged down by heavy use of unnecessary slow motion and constant snap shot style posing by the characters.
The Villain came off as more villainy than I expected or than he appeared in the book. I mean I know he was cold in the book but he was a little sympathetic and approachable in the book. In this I pretty sure my buddies picked up on who the bad guy was pretty early on in the film. Probably as soon as he stood with facing away with his arms behind his back in James Bond villain fashion. \ The story crawls pretty slowly. The guy next to me fell asleep for most of the three hours. My friends who had not read the book expected more action. Also they were thrown by the amount of penis in the movie. Which is pretty faithful to the book.
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
Touching and hilarious
I had not read anything or watched anything about this movie before I watched it. I had no expectations or doubts heading into watching this film. I loved it. It had a quite subdued tone and allowed me to see the joke myself or see the acts of kindness myself. I wasn't beaten over the head with slapstick comedy. I appreciate that. Every character in the movie seems rich with history. Even the side characters that you only see once or twice for a moment are presented has whole characters instead of shallow plot devices to move the picture along.
I would recommend this movie to anyone who liked Little Miss Sunshine as that movie and this move produced the same feelings in me.
Ghoulies II (1987)
This movie is bad.
You don't have to see this movie. Unless you have been convicted of a violent crime. Then you should probably be forced to watch this movie.
I remembered liking this movie. So I bought it and the first one together on DVD. I watched them, both of them, and they were both bad. I must have been thinking of some other movie. Anyway, I put the time in so you don't have to go through what I did.
This movie is a lot like The Garbage Pail Kids movie but without any of the redeeming qualities. There is no humor to be found here. This movie is a lot like gremlins, except that I'm sure Gremlins was supposed to emulate and parody bad movies like this. This movie emulates and parodies Ghoulies, the first one I mean.
Seriously though don't waste your time with this movie. I mean, you could be dead tomorrow then how you feel about that wasted time. Also I felt kinda sick after watching this movie. It may have given me a rectal cyst. You don't want that.
Ghost Rider (2007)
Could have been better
Honestly I enjoyed this movie but only because I didn't expect it to be any good. It was funny in the same way as the Evil Dead movies.
On the good side, Eva Mendes is enjoyable to watch and Nick cage was funny. Beyond that the film is lacking.
On the bad side, none of the fight scenes are interesting at all. The Ghost Rider creature looks bad and his powers are never well defined nor is his purpose. I did enjoy watching Ghost Rider doing silly unnecessary crap. Oh, I almost forgot the voice of Ghost Rider was so bad it made me feel embarrassed. The villains are all pretty fruity and not frightening at all except Peter Fonda who passable.
Don't spend money to see this movie. You should wait until it is on TNT or TBS who I'm sure will show the crap out of this movie.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
One of the Funniest and Smartest Movies Ever.
This film is hilarious. By the end I nearly rolled out of my seat laughing. It isn't idiotic dick and fart jokes either. The comedy of this film is of a dark style that comes from the character's different perspectives on life and the types of pain that comes with the ups and downs of life. It is about living up to the expectations of others, and what happens when you put your whole life out there for everyone to see and get hurt. Don't be put off by the fact that it is intelligent comedy there will not be any math problems.
Also if you are going to post comments there is a ten line limit. So even though the information needed to decide to see or not see this film is above, I have to type a few more lines.
Hakkyousuru kuchibiru (2000)
Save your time, money and dignity
This movie is awful. The Plot is impossible to follow. Even if you got rid of the sickening and confusing visuals, there is no natural progression of events in this movie. None of the character's motivations are clear. So things happen and there is absolutely no explanation for these events, now or later.
There are things that happen in this movie that are bad and no one would want to see these things. This movie is like a traffic accident except that unlike a horrifying traffic accident, it is very easy to look away from this movie.
I am by no standard a prude or a radical Christian Conservative, but this movie sickened my sensibilities. I must warn you if you like gore, then you will not like this movie. If you like mysteries, then you will not like this movie.
I'm pretty sure that the people involved in making this movie were all working with a different idea of what the finished product would look like. I don't think that any one person could work to make something this bad.
This movie does not even have the redeeming value of being so bad that it could be considered funny.
I came to own this movie. I will not say that I actually purchased it, but I can't deny that I did. I had to give it away and make the poor sap who took it promise not to tell anyone where he got it. He then gave it away under a similar contract. The movie ended up back on his doorstep like a sick and unwanted cat.
Lady in the Water (2006)
Super Entertaining Without Any Gimmicks
Lady in the Water is a children's story with some creepy adult elements. The movie is very fun. The film is full of odd moments and quirky characters that made me chuckle and completely laugh out loud.
There is a feeling of excitement and tension in the movie that comes from the characters working towards their goal.
Don't expect to have the whole thing to flip upside down at the end. This film is essentially different than previous Shyamalan films and because of this I look forward watching this movie again. The film is very well fleshed out piece where no one single part carries the movie.
Over all I liked the movie. It has a very hopeful and optimistic vision. It is an original and relies on the type of story telling rarely scene in major motion pictures. Definitely see this movie.