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slackergirl42
Reviews
Today's Special (2009)
Relevant, witty, and uplifting.
This is a heartfelt, amusing film starring Aasif Mandvi, mostly known for his work as a Daily Show correspondent. It's not quite as funny as I expected from a comedian of his caliber; not because he tried and failed, but because it's more of a quirky story of a personal journey. But there were definitely a good number of lines that were so funny I had to repeat them out loud to myself. It's a bit slow in the beginning (could have used some tighter editing), but give it some time to build. Naseeruddin Shah is magic, as always. If you know his work, nothing more needs to be said. If not, watch this and enjoy. (And I gotta say, I think he looks damn good for his age!) It is not a coincidence that the song Akbar (Shah) is listening to when Samir (Mandvi) first meets him is from a classic Hindi film in which the character says that although all his clothes come from other countries, his heart is still Indian. Samir has tried to cut himself off from Indian traditions, even while his parents are attempting to shove them down his throat; the more they push, the more he pulls away, and vise versa. Throughout the film, with help from unexpected places, he learns to reconcile his western life with his heritage, and appreciate where he came from.
Bollywood Hero (2009)
Pleasantly Surprised to the Extreme
I was really expecting this to be some canned crap, another western take on the glory that is Bollywood (ala slumdog). But this miniseries really has a heart and soul of its own. I do agree with those who have stated that it would have been nice if they had examined certain aspects of Indian culture such as the caste system more closely, but one does have to keep in mind the time constraints and the target audience. I would not say that this is a series for people who watch primarily Bollywood movies. This is because it is very westernized in terms of the language use, some minor raunchiness, and the type of humor in general. It is, however, absolutely wonderful for those of us who appreciate American humor and at the same time absolutely adore masala films. I'm just worried that there might not be enough of us. I also agree that the English language songs were at least a little painful, but only at first. They will grow on you. And how could I possibly not love something that includes Bachna Ae Haseeno and Dhoom Taana? I was really annoyed at people calling slumdog a Bollywood movie, because it really wasn't. You can make a movie in India and throw in a song during the end credits with sub-par dancing, but that does not make it Bollywood. This show, however, really has that special something that makes it worthy of the Bollywood name. If you don't like Bollywood, you probably won't like this. If you only like Bollywood and don't want to see anything new and different, you probably won't like this. But if you like Bollywood and you'd like to see something new and different, you might just love this.
The Great Conspiracy: The 9/11 News Special You Never Saw (2005)
You need to see this.
I was a skeptic about the whole 9/11 conspiracy idea until i saw this special. i actually just happened to come upon it on google video and thought, "why not?" i expected to get a few more details on information the president had or should have had, and the same old "america wants oil" story. i was wrong. Barrie Zwicker has put together a logical, informative, and surprisingly easy to follow account of this "alleged" conspiracy. i'm not going to say that i believe it 100%, but i will say that i find it very hard to argue with, and i'm very glad that i watched it. i don't care if you are a republican or a democrat, or if you believe that bush responded well or that he planned it himself; everyone should see this report.
The Exorcist III (1990)
What were they doing?!
As anyone could probably guess, this was not a good movie. George C. Scott seemed a little... I don't know... gassy? Random shouting and yelling at people; I still don't get it (listen for "We're fine!" and "It is not in the file! It is NOT!!"). There was some dialog about a carp at the beginning that you can find under the memorable quotes section that seemed to have some relevance, but not enough to keep it from sounding very silly. The entire movie was boring and slow, except the gross parts and the scenes with Brad Dourif as the Gemini Killer. Dourif is brilliant in this film, however impossible it may seem. I love him. If you're a fan, this movie is a must-see. If not, look for him in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "Eyes of Laura Mars," "Wise Blood," "Ragtime," "Blue Velvet," "Mississippi Burning," the upcoming "Lord of the Rings" movies, and many, many more. "Gracious me. Was I raving? Please forgive me... I'm mad."
Tom Jones (1963)
awful
My english teacher is forcing my class to watch this and I hate it because we didn't even read it. I hate it. The music is ridiculous and makes no sense. Our favorite part is when Sophie's father gets really mad and wakes up his pig and it makes no sense. I hate it.
Child's Play (1988)
Brad Dourif Has Lost His Mind
After being nominated for best supporting actor in 1976 for his role in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Brad Dourif decides to take the role of... Chucky, a Killer Doll!!! This is actually the main reason I watch this movie. Chris Sarandon is also good fun, although I don't know what is going on with his voice. Considering how funny I find it (especially that hammer to the head scene), the suspense built up in this film is incredible. I always check under my bed and leave the lights on all night after watching it or one of its sequels. Check out the third one; it's probably on TNT right now.
Memento (2000)
Most interesting movie of the year
(Note: This is only my opinion, so don't get offended if you disagree.) "Memento" is so good, I don't know I don't know where to start. The only people who dislike it are those who aren't smart enough to understand what's happening (it really isn't hard at all), or want movies that allow them to sit like blobs of jelly and be happy without any intellectual stimulation. Do you like interesting movies, movies that challenge you perception of reality, new ideas, or REALLY good acting? If you answered "Yes!" to any part of the list above, you should see "Memento." It would be worth it for Guy Pearce alone, but the genius of Christopher Nolan's screenplay is not to be missed. It is NOT just a gimmick, or whatever those crazy people are calling it. But don't take MY word for it... Go see it!!!!!
Space Mutiny (1988)
Hold on, I'm still laughing
Oh wow, was that bad. This is one of my Personal MST3K Favorites. I've seen it many times so far and will probably see it more in the future, but never without Mike and his robot friends. If you missed the episode, that's too bad, but it's easy to make up your own jokes with this one. Here's some from the show that I loved: Chunk Hardcheese! Hey look! It's Sting, Debbie Reynolds, and God! No, wait, it's Santa Claus! But what of the little children and their toys?! Okay, everybody, look alive... Oh, sorry Susan. I'm sitting in something wet!!!
Newsies (1992)
Yes, I am obsessed.
I love this movie. I mean, teenage guys dancing and singing and doing acrobatics (PELVIC THRUST FOREVER!!!): what more can you ask for? The acting, choreography, and especially the music are all fantastic, making it a great film for families OR teenage girls' slumber parties. Go see it now.