Change Your Image
MacBalthus
Reviews
Wolf (1994)
Under-appreciated take on the werewolf theme
There are quite a lot of werewolf movies out there and most of them just repeat the old pattern: Guy gets bitten, guy changes, guy turns, were guy goes postal, were guy gets killed. Wolf is a heck of a lot more. It's the tale of a struggling man of a temper a little to mild for his own good, who finds through the bane a new chance of standing his ground and eventually meets the special lady. We also have a great adversary who you really can hate. A spineless, backstabbing rat with an aggravating Yuppie face. And Michelle Pfeiffer in her prime, giving a fine performance. She looks truly stunning in this one.
The fights are well choreographed and nicely executed. Along with the chase sequences they give a good animal look at the whole process and give the movie a richer look.
It's a good story with great actors and a satisfying conclusion.
88 Minutes (2007)
Al is carrying this one
It's a well-written piece of work but it doesn't feel natural at any time. The characters are very shallow and never appear like human beings. They're simple figures in a game of chess. The plot is constructed and just lacks the sense of cause and effect. The actors do a decent job but fail to give memorable performances which is also due to the stiff and lifeless writing.
But there's of course the Pacino charisma that makes up for much of it. Hardly another actor can fill a screen like Al Pacino and he does it here with some routine but he still does it. If it wasn't for him in the main part, the movie would have been released directly on TV probably. With him in the lead, it becomes somewhat enjoyable.
No big impact is made but one can watch it anyway. Popcorn in, brains out.
Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)
Not my cup of tea
About the aspects of handcraft in this movie I can't say much negative. It's photography is fitting, the mood is well adapted by the shots, all actors do a great job and the background works at all time.
I just can't appreciate the story. There is no tension or a real drive through the events. The only conflict is between Scott and Poppy, but it's handled so briefly and lightly just like any other event in the movie. Nothing seems to matter.
And so this flick doesn't matter to me either. I was bored throughout.
But I can see how people can enjoy the very images that made me yawn. It's a fine piece. Just not for me.
Chasing Amy (1997)
I hate Ben Affleck
...and I'll probably always hate him. But not in this movie. In this movie, I feel for him and his lady. I'm truly not the usual sucker for romantic comedies such as P.S. I love You or Made of Honor. But Chasing Amy really got me going and more than once I almost jumped off my couch screaming "Just kiss each other, for Christ's sake!"
It's so romantic without getting too cheesy. Some lines are so beautifully written that I felt a yank within my chest.
The only thing I seriously dislike is what happens with Banky towards the end of the movie. That seemed a little bit too forced for my taste. But the rest...especially the ending...original, emotional, beautiful.
I rate movies mostly by how they effect me. This one really redefined romantic comedy for me in a very good way.
But Ben Affleck is still a pansy.
Californication (2007)
That was made for ME!
I love it, even tough I've only just seen the pilot. In Switzerland they just aired it like one hour ago. I love it! It has exactly the right amount of dry humor, nudity, awkwardness and pure male filth. I can look at Hank and I feel like him. Sweaty, greasy, nasty and with some body fluids of the last girlfriend of the second on the face: Brilliant! His daughter, his ex, his agent (Harry not so nice and Jewish anymore) and most of all Hank's mouth...it's all exactly my cup of tea. I hope the rest of the series is as great as the pilot. I really hope. because if the whole series is such a feast for my soul, I'm gonna have a season of it on DVD buried with me after my death - I really like it!
That's why I gave it a 10! Because it's Two and half Men mixed with House MD on coke! Even more cynical, nasty, messed up and...well, it's just Californication. Makes me wanna be a failing author and father.
Hard Candy (2005)
Terror, not horror - but great anyways!
Yeah, Juno wasn't always cute and nice.
This is a really great movie. The topic is bravely chosen and interesting throughout. The twists and turns in the story, the fading masks of the characters, it all comes together in a beautifully done showdown. It's a unique picture and flawless delivered by very talented actors, leading lady is, of course, Ellen Page. While Lohan is too busy getting off the drugs and Knightley fights off the food that's wandering towards her stomach, this short young lady is becoming the next Hepurn. She finds a capable opposite in Patrick Wilson. Their duel is dripping of tension! I hate Sandra Oh but that's not her fault.
This is a movie that reminds us of the old meaning of terror, far away from guys with long beards and a sight smell of camel. A really great exhibit of the probably darkest sides of humanity.
Hellraiser (1987)
True, original and brilliant HORROR
Clive Barker gave the world a great flick when he realized HELLRAISER. The story is totally unique, original and interesting. It's more than enough to entertain throughout the running time. The effects are fantastic too (except maybe the sparkles from time to time, but hell, it was 1987...), especially the sequence of Frank's return. It's nearly perfect and done without the pansy CGI of today. This was done in good old fashioned handcraft and it's beautifully horrible. The actors don't have to do much (and they don't) to make their figures fascinating since all the leading characters are unsurpassed in their complexity, at least in the horror genre. They are all pretty crazy and somewhat insane but the way they interact is utterly believable and keeps the viewer on the edge. The cinematic look of HELLRAISER sent more chills down my spine than any other horror flick so far. The Cenobites and their "hound" are impressive designs and pieces of art themselves. Pinhead definitely deserves his place next to Freddy, Jason and Michael. His iconic look hasn't been surpassed by another creature in my knowledge and this is a rare thing in the age of the "guy with a long knife and a messed-up family".
HELLRAISER is great. It's the HEAT of horror. A neat, slick and fine story, matching look and memorable creatures.
Forget about crap like HOSTEL or HOUSE OF WAX and watch this jewel!
Hostel (2005)
Nothing special
I don't see all the noise around this little flick. Ultra-brutal? Hell no. Funny in a trash sort of way maybe. And since it was basically only advertised by its failing gore, the rest, as I expected, isn't worth any attention. The story is just nonsense. Maybe someone should have told Eli Roth that to feel and fear with and for the main character, the main character should have a character. Here we have somebody who's about as interesting as an AXE TV model, minus the abs. Two eastern European babes, one sex addict from Iceland and of course the villains...it's just not enough for a full length feature. The settings are pretty decent and probably the only believable thing. The cinematography has a fresh look since movies aren't shot that frequent in this area but that's about it.
Hostel is boring, lame, not even especially gruesome and it does never justice to its hype. But for kiddies who haven't seen somebody's finger getting cut off: Enjoy it while your parents are out for anniversary dinner, you little punks.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
Another legend has been spoiled
I love the first 3 Indy flicks. They are the best adventure movies I can think of. The action is great, the humor is witty and there's hardly one boring minute in three films.
19 years it took the creators George Lucas and Steven Spielberg to launch the fourth adventure. It should have been started earlier, but it's stated they weren't happy with the script.
Now what the heck is there to be happy with in the script of this one?! It's a pile of disgraceful nonsense! There were two good moments in this movie: One would be the barroom brawl, two the chase in the jungle right until the damn ants appeared. Everything else, literally every last bit of the film, was a pure insult to the mythology.
I'm gonna spoil big time right here so if you really wanna watch this accident, stop reading.
BIG SPOILER!!!
Indy vs. Alien? What the hell were they thinking? It was such a nice trilogy with great artifacts as keys to the story. Terrestrial artifacts. Now we have a very very very poorly animated alien that can split up itself into 13 crystal skeletons. I haven't seen such a cheap story in any of the known TV series.
End of the BIG SPOILER!!
Besides this horrible mistake, the rest was boring. Really boring. The attempts of escapes were not even close as entertaining and creative as in the earlier films. The characters, even Indy himself, are lame! Steven Spielberg, who clearly lost his skills and maybe his mind too, has stated they weren't gonna use too many digital effects in this one. Rubbish! Basically every shot includes some CGI, but that's not enough: All of the CGI in this movie is just ridiculously bad.
Pleae, fans of Indiana Jones: Stay with the trilogy and don't spoil it by watching this shame.
Shoot 'Em Up (2007)
Shoot 'em up - That's the whole screenplay
I don't understand the people complaining about the weak story, the non-stop action and so on. It's a movie called Shoot 'em up. What the hell did you people expect? I expected a roller-coaster and I got it. I admire Clive Owen as well as Paul Giamatti. I won't start commenting Monica Belucci or I won't be able to stop for a few days. And I like shootings. This movie isn't much else than around 90 minutes of shooting. When Braveheart had a smaller, faster, funnier and freakier sibling, it had to be 300. Shoot 'em up is that for Die Hard.
So don't hate this movie. Read the title (now that really isn't asking too much) and you know what you need to know.
There are guys who ask first and shoot later.
There are guys who shoot first and ask later.
And there's Mr. Smith who shoots. Period.
Raging Bull (1980)
Now I really know, why Scorsese is called "one of the greatest"
Really now, I've seen "Gangs of New York" and was like "Huh? And what's the big deal about this guy?" I've lately bought "Raging Bull" and watched it a few times ever since. And I start to understand.
As I read in the booklet (God bless the Gold Editions!) Martin Scorsese was very sick before and during the shooting of this movie and also wasn't excited about the material at all. Robert DeNiro literally had to persuade him of taking a deeper look at it. After discovering his own self-destructive side during some time in the hospital, Scorses finally found his relation to Jake LaMotta and started to shoot. Or at least tried, because they had to force the producers into paying them, they used "Rocky II" to put pressure on them, but anyway, "Raging Bull" started. Maybe this is one of the big difficulties and one of the reasons, why many people don't get this movie. Even Scorsese didn't get it for a long time.
I don't know if I'm the only one who does it like that, but I start to judge a film already by its opening credits and damn, "Raging Bull" has surely some Top 5 opening credits of all times! It's absolutely hypnotic to see DeNiro jump and punch in the ring, all in slow motion with this beautiful music in the back. Ties you to the seat from the beginning. And it's necessary to tie the viewer to the seat with all these horrible scenes that come afterward. Horrible in the sense of the desired horror of a horrible person. The whole movie analyzes Jake's life. He treated his ex-wife, his brother and almost everybody else close to him very bad. Only in the ring he was at home and wanted the way he was. And so it feels in the movie. The boxing scenes are artistic, stylistic, even iconic. The rest is the filth of a bad life. Fights and beatings, arguments, destruction, torment. Jake LaMotta. And the audience must feel just like Jake LaMotta must feel while watching this movie: Uncomfortable. Bad. Just what the film makers wanted.
It is surely no secret that DeNiro delivers one of his absolutely greatest performances ever here. Most people only know about the 60 pounds he gained. But that's only the easiest aspect of his preparations for this role. He also trained about the year with Jake LaMotta and even fought 3 real fights in Brooklyn. And won two of them. He was in the shape to become a contender! He talks like LaMotta too. There is this interview where for only one second the young LaMotta comes back and Jake talks like in the old days. You feel strange because it seems, he's acting like DeNiro. Of course Joe Pesci and everybody else are terrific too but DeNiro is just a giant.
As a last aspect the artistic structure of some scenes: The third fight against Sugar Ray is shot in a bigger ring with fires burning under the camera to create this blurring and the smoky heat you can almost smell. The breath of Sugar Ray is a lion or a tiger. The shot of LaMotta's weak legs was made with DeNiro carrying another guy on his shoulders. Sorry but how much more creativity and brilliance can a director develop to make scenes like this??? Maybe some people first don't get the idea of self-destruction and second can't enjoy the uncomfortable feeling while watching this flick and give it bad rates because of this. It would flatter the movie when it really is like that.
I love the movie. It is a huge picture and will probably never be forgotten.
Snatch (2000)
Highly entertaining!
SNATCH is one of those movies, I can watch over and over again without getting tired of it. It's just such a great plot with extremely amusing characters.
Ever last little character has its own amusing tic and none of them is really sane. Turkish is named after a plane crash. Nobody understands Mickey. Brick Top is simply furious all the time. Tony switches rage on and off like the light. Frankie is as lucky in crime as he is unlucky in gambling. Sol, Vinny and Tyrone try to be gangsters. Avi can't stand England. Doug is dying to be Jewish. Thommy does what he can to support Turkish. And nobody likes the guys who live in the camp side.
Now put all of them in a pond, throw in a 84 carat diamond and you bet, the result is gonna be one hell of entertainment. Guy Ritchie really proved his ability to make unusual, funny, fast and original films with this one. Above all, this is one of the few films, I can't find a single flaw. Everything matches, nothing is too much or too little in it.
Wonderful!
Big Fish (2003)
Inspiring feel-good movie
BIG FISH is a terrific tale, illustrated by the very best of Tim Burton's incomparable style and carried by two of the finest actors of Hollywood.
It's the story about a boy, who was simply too big for his little hometown and according to this sets out for a never ending adventure through the whole world. But what of his stories is true and what sprang off his huge imagination? Everybody loves Edward Bloom, except his son. He is always standing in the shadow of his father. Just until he learns how much reality really was in his fathers tales.
I always get this big smile when I've watched this movie. It just makes me happy to see it, every single time. All the odds in it make it amazingly charming and the end is a new kind of happy ending.
Salute to you, Mister Burton!
Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)
Funny in every moment
The first one was great but the sequel is even better. It is one of many comedies that try to combine slapstick with dialog jokes but I think, this movie is one of the best in that discipline.
My favorite quote? "War...it's fantastic!" I wonder what kind of people can call this the bottom of the pile and so on. I know movies with far less taste.
HOT SHOTS! 2 continues where the first ended and puts it even more over the top. The dialogs, the settings, the action, the enemy...it's more at every corner. Martin Sheen in the boat from APOCALYPSE NOW REDUX, the MacGyver knife, the fusion of Saddam and his dog.
A twisted, absurd and hilarious movie.
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Too much for its own good
After the first 20 minutes, you have had quite an impression of how the rest of the movie is gonna be. What works in a novel is not automatically right for a movie. I've read the novel and it was the only one ever to bring me nightmares, just with its sophisticated way of telling and explaining. The horror is hidden, crouching, spiteful. In a nutshell, quite amazing.
But the movie is a poor piece of trying but not achieving. Coppola made THE GODFATHER, one of the two 9.1 of this website. But this here is a great disappointment.
Why? Because they try to stay close to the book. Fine. Dracula is described as an old but strong man with hairy hands and a big nose. They did this here. But at this point it seems they've stopped to stay by the book and started to do their own flick. I can't recall that Dracula had some kind of a relationship with Mina others than his desire to drink her blood and make her his slave. Then this crap with Renfield. In the book, he escapes and fights with the strength of five man, just to have his spine snapped like a twig by Dracula a few pages later. Here, we see a whole different type. He also only eats one fly. If you start with it, you should go with it and not just drop it, because the movie gets to long even without this feature of it.
Lucy, the charming, beautiful and truly happy Lady Westenra appears here as a man-eating slut. Abraham Van Helsing, the sophisticated, strong, dauntless scientist is a crazy, weird and jumpy old fart, who can't even keep himself from kissing obsessed Mina. The three men in Lucy's life appear as shallow punks, hard to distinguish by their appearances or by their behaviors, but never to be taken as full breathing and feeling beings. Mina Harker, the good heart in the story, whose loyalty to her beloved Jonathan can't be shaken by evil powers is here the reincarnation of Dracula's old bride and actually in love with him! With him! If that's not crap, what is?
Last but not least, Dracula. It is true that Gary Oldman can fill a cinema screen with his charisma as the deep and bad villain. But here, he is not a former butcher, who killed whoever stood into his path, here he is the disenchanted lover, who lost his bride and can't bear loving a faith anymore, which bans his one love into eternal damnation just because she took her own life. This is just not the way it is in the book! Fine, do your own thing but don't claim to stick with something and just don't do it then. That's not the way to make things.
There's no horror in this movie, if you don't consider a poorly made wannabe-werewolf, a guy in a spandex-bat-suit, ridiculously green smoke and stupidly obvious shadow-plays to be horror. The scene with the wolf was a bit creepy, so was the man of rats and Renfield had the potential to be a scary character but they didn't make anything out of that.
Coppola tried to create horror by showing everything instead of just leaving hints like for example in HALLOWEEN, but he failed to show really scary images and so the whole movie appears like a colorful children's birthday. It simply doesn't work at all. It's not even especially nice styled or designed. They tried to copy Tim Burton throughout but never reached his class. The castle is a mistaken effort to build a memorable building, the Westenra Mansion is an annoying piece of architecture and, sorry to say so, but the costumes, which earned several awards, look like they were taken from the local Halloween spooky shop. It's more of a Scooby-Doo film than a true Dracula movie.
It's waste of talent, time and money.
Stick with HORROR OF Dracula with the incomparable Christopher Lee, THE GODFATHER trilogy and APOCALYPSE NOW REDUX. Forget this embarrassment.
Tri orísky pro Popelku (1973)
Immortal Christmas tale
Here in Switzerland, this movie is shown by several channels every Christmas. Since it was shot, it returns on the TV screen every year. It's like DINNER FOR ONE and new years eve.
My mother loves this movie, so does my aunt. And I happen to like it at lot by myself. It's just so sweet and easy and beautifully shot. Perfect for Christmas time.
The actors do what's necessary to create the fairy tale atmosphere but the real stars are the costumes, the settings and the incredibly haunting music.
The costumes are terrific handcrafts, each and every one with it's own appearance and a great compromise between actual medieval and fantasy.
The settings of the castle, the farmer village and, of course, the endless white landscape create a wonderfully innocent and sweet tone and make you wanna ride across them just like the happy couple.
The score by the world famous symphony orchestra of Prague is one of the sweetest and nicest sounds ever heard and it's hard to get it out of the head. In fact, you recognize it within one second, once you've heard it. Just one of a kind.
The charming humor and the really evil villains make it even more enjoyable to see, how they find together, the Prince and Aschenbroedel, how we call her.
I gave it a 9, just to increase the average grade a bit. This movie deserves more attention.
Casablanca (1942)
THE Hollywood romance itself!
This movie can compete with the most famous and timeless love stories in history, like Romeo & Julia, the beauty and the beast, Julia Roberts and Richard Geere.
Always remember while you watch it: 1942. Not such a nice time for the world! Not such a nice time for romance. Not such a nice time to stand up against something. It must have been quite an effort to shoot this film during such harsh times. I mean, it's quite a political movie and the scene with the Marseillaise must have been a punch in the face of every fascist.
But all the political quarrels are combined with an amazing love story that hasn't lost a single ounce of its attraction or beauty throughout the years.
But what really made a classic out of the picture is, in my opinion, Humphrey Bogart. I consider him the man of the millennium, a guy with so much masculine attitude and yet so much feeling. It's just an eye-catching experience to see him walk and talk and, most impressive, drink. Any other actor drinks quite ordinary. It's not a big deal to empty a glass of booze. But when Bogie does it, you can feel his pain. You can feel his grief and his anger. You can feel the person behind the scene. If you ask me for the man I respect the most in movie history, it has to be Humphrey Bogart.
Sure, the rest of the cast does a great job as well, Ignrid Bergmann is responsible for half of the chemistry between Rick and Ilsa but well, I can only see them in the shadow of Bogie.
This is one of those movies, you hear so much talking about and you begin to ask what's so great about a dusty old flick, but after you've watched it, you realize what everybody was talking about. At least, that's how I did.
A truly timeless tale about romance with the perfect cast and probably the most memorable quotes in history. Terrific!
Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (1966)
The very best out of the spaghetti westerns
3 hours of film are a lot, no matter what genre but especially for a western. There are two kinds of filling 3 hours: Long, stylish scenes and lots of twists in the plot. This movie here has both.
After watching it, I felt like I was on a roller-coaster. So much happens throughout, it is hard to remember every last bit of it, which doesn't mean you wouldn't feel it. I'm always in fever when Tuco runs around on the cemetery, with Morricone's unique music in the back. A truly haunting moment.
It was a smart way Leone let Blondie develop. He's starting of as a great gunfighter and always shows a little bit of different sides coming up on his harsh surface. And in the end, he gets his poncho. What a moment! And it makes sense. After having seen all this, it is clear, why he is so cool in the other two DOLLARS: This one here was just way much more of a challenge.
Lee van Cleef does a terrific job, especially after having played the hard but good colonel in the movie before. It shows some great quality as an actor to create so much sympathy in one movie and so much horror in the next.
Eli Wallach brings up a character, you can compare with Jack Sparrow. You never know, what he really is up to, but everything he does is a circus and you love to watch him being the greedy underdog of this trio.
The plot is the greatest quality in this movie, if you ask me. So many twists, settings, side characters and events are unique in the western genre, probably in every one.
It is impressive to compare ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST and THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. Since Leone was forced by the studio to make ONCE UPON according to the great success of the first three western movies, it is surprising that he didn't produce another one of his "Nameless" tales but the epic itself within the westerns. When you don't know that, you could easily think the two movies were shot by different directors. I like ONCE UPON better, just because I felt more emotions watching it.
But still, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY is a terrific achievement. They had almost ten different languages being spoken on the set. The bridge was first blown to ribbons accidentally with no camera rolling. Eastwood and Leone had their conflicts. Leone couldn't speak more English than "Look" and act what he wanted. It must have been a mess.
And yet, such a fine picture came out.
It also wins the price for the most haunting melody ever created. People who haven't seen nor heard about the movie whistle the theme. I wouldn't know of any other piece of music being honored like this. Maybe Beethoven's 5.
Wild Things (1998)
Sexiest scene I've seen!
Wohohow! Pool plus Neve Campell plus Denise Richards equals exploded pants! Truly impressive! The rest? Well, some twists in the story, a decent work by the other actors, Bill Murray is in it too. But most of the movie is just like most of its characters driven by lust. Which isn't bad. It's just quite shallow.
Story to forget, characters to amuse and a scene to...well guys, you know, what I mean.
Decent movie. Nothing big but alright. And a record for the number of strange twists.
And for the ladies: Yes, you can see Kevin "Footloose" Bacon's member. Even tough I liked him better in TREMORS. Kevin, not his thing.
Adams æbler (2005)
Insane but genius
What a movie. It is pretty sick and ruthless but amazingly entertaining and often hilariously funny. Original at all times.
Well, I haven't laughed this much when somebody or something was shot since EVIL DEAD 2. But this one here actually has a deeper meaning. It's about how good one can be and still remain a living human being.
But that's something you have to want to see. On the surface it's just a truly insane circus of actions and characters how you won't find them again so easily.
All actors are believable and do a great job, above all of course Ulrich Thomsen and Mads Mikkelsen. It seems, Casino Royale didn't make Craig such a big star, but Mads - hell yeah! Anyway, a funny movie and it feels like a new drug. Try it out.
Shichinin no samurai (1954)
A dream from east
I was one of the lucky bastards who went to watch THE SEVEN SAMURAI at our small local movie theater a few months ago. Lucky because it was shown in the director's cut version. More than 200 minutes. And boy, what 200 minutes was that now...
You have to get used to the rhythm of this movie. It goes the way it wants to go, which means: Carefully. Slowly. Treebeard-style. Which is unique and great in one. Other movies about raids and battles transfer the impression, warriors were just running through one battle after the other and the war was just one hell of a rush. Not this one here. This one takes it's time to develop the different characters, the whole style and it loves to play with the Japanese environment and background. I'm fond of ancient Japan so I enjoyed the long takes.
Because everything evolves so steadily you suddenly find yourself in big tension, when the fighting starts. And you actually feel sad for every one who falls in battle. You can relate to the villagers. You know the plan of the town. And most of all, you wanna fight amongst the seven Samurai.
And when the credits start rolling over the screen, I just didn't want to stand up. I wanted to go on with the guys. I was in a totally different world. Ever since I'm waiting for the director's cut on DVD but in Switzerland, it doesn't seem to exist. But I won't give up! This masterpiece is a sure investment, for your time as well.
And if you liked this one, check out RAN as well. Also Kurosawa but in colour.
C'era una volta il West (1968)
Much more than a movie
I MUST MOST CLEARLY INSIST YOU DO NOT READ THIS COMMENT UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE! I WROTE ABOUT DETAILS YOU HAVE TO WATCH, NOT TO READ ABOUT!
I consider Ennio Morricone far the best composer for film scores. Everyone who doubts that should get himself the theme from "El Mercenario" and listen to it with his eyes closed.
And Sergio Leone knew like only few others how to create a picture, frame by frame, position by position, action by action, face by face.
It is clear that when these two masterminds come together in a almost unique way, the result has to be breathtaking. The fact that Morricone wrote the music before Leone started shooting the film fortifies my opinion that this movie had two directors, working like one.
But even the best painter is powerless without paint. Luckily, Henry Fonda, Claudia Cardinale and, above all others, Charles Bronson had the specific look Leone needed to create this epic.
It is a simple and yet impressive way, Morricone and Leone cook up the tension in this tale. First, the main characters are presented in a breathtaking way. Cheyenne freezes with his appearance a whole cowboy stop. Frank exposes some of the most devastating cruelties ever to be carried by a villain. Jill, the flower in the wilderness. And then of course Harmonica, starting with killing three western legends and going on by mocking even scary Cheyenne.
After the characters are portrayed, the interaction starts. And step by step, more relations are exposed or created. Just the first meeting of Cheyenne, Jill and Harmonica is the most thrilling moment I have experienced with a movie so far. The bouncing shadow of Bronson's hat, covering and revealing his unique face while he plays, silent and calm as a monk, his harmonica always snatches me like the freezing squall of a blizzard.
One thing, everyone in the film loses just in the right moment: The mystery. You never know, why Harmonica chases Frank, just until the end. You never know, why Cheyenne becomes a noble guy, just until the end. But be aware: When the curtain falls down, thunder hits you and a storm is blowing when Frank and Harmonica finally have their showdown.
This is film-making up to perfection, when the movie is an experience. An adventure. An epic.
I haven't felt anything like the emotions I had in ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST after or before I watched it. I'd say, this is the best motion picture I have seen so far and I'm pretty sure, nothing is gonna replace it.
Pearl Harbor (2001)
Michael Bay and a serious topic...hum...something's not right!
I'll try to keep it short. I don't want to keep you up for long with my hymns about how distasteful and dumb this movie is. I'll try to keep it all in a nutshell.
Let's start with the actors. One-face Affleck meets pretty-boy Hartnett. I kinda miss the part where these two show a believable performance as soldiers. They are kids on a playground! They don't deliver any drama or horror. They are what they are: Third class actors.
The plot. Oh my god, the plot...not ending garbage about romance, friendship, loyalty and so on. And then, oh dear Lord, war comes to Hawaii. And you feel pretty comfortable watching the action on the screen. I don't want to feel happy when I watch a movie about a war! I wanna feel thrilled, disgusted, touched! This isn't BAD BOYS! Michael Bay is a great director for shallow, entertaining and funny action films. BAD BOYS II is marvelous. But this here? No way. This is an insult. Shame on everyone, who worked on this movie! They showed a big lack of sensibility or even sanity.
Army of Darkness (1992)
Incredibly funny and entertaining
Sam Raimi is at least as cool as Quentin Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez. Why's that? Well, they share some similarities in their career, especially Rodriguez and Raimi. Both had basically no money to shoot their first film but did it anyway. With what result? Both made fine movies, far from the usual and the known. They just shot their vision. Ain't that an awesome thing to watch? Well, EVIL DEAD is past, ARMY OF DARKNESS is the subject under discussion. And damn, of all three movies about the eternal unlucky fellow Ash, who always reminds me of full-time victim of life Al Bundy, I like ARMY OR DARKNESS the best. Finally Sam Raimi had enough money to create a movie with lots of amusing special effects. Just look at the rise of Evil Ash out of his grave. You must have issues if you don't laugh when you see that.
In the end, it's a comedy but a truly original one. Bruce Campell is just the man for this role and he is one great actor. ARMY OF DARKNESS is at least in the Top 5 of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Just the first dialog between Ash and Henry the Red..."Well hello Mister fancy pants!" This movie didn't give a damn about anybody's opinion. They just made what they liked and that's a wonderful act of courage. I'm not getting tired of hoping they make a number 4. The end of ARMY is open for some more adventures for poor Ash.
"Yoh, Shebitch!"
Rocky (1976)
Say what you want - It just works!
Yeah, you can come along with deep, dramatic and artistic films. Movies about true life. Movies with the greatest special effects ever shown. Stories, written by the best-payed screen writers ever to be. Bring in Kubrick. Send me Scorsese. Come on, Kurosawa. Don't be shy, Coppola. Hurry, Leone. Bring'em all in. I will just sit calm on the fancy couch with my shoes on the fancy couch table and tell them that the script and the performance of a young, broke Italian guy touched and moved me more than all of them ever did.
Yes, I call ROCKY one of the best movies ever.
Yes, I call the training sequence one of the most inspiring moments in history.
Yes, I call Rocky Balboa one of the greatest guys I ever got to know.
ROCKY is a religion. ROCKY's there for you, if you don't feel like doing, trying anything anymore. When you're plain crap on the floor, then ROCKY is the thing to lift you up. The story of this naive bum from Philadelphia, who had a miserable life with one little sparkle in the darkness, which he took and turned into a big fire.
The will is the most powerful force in the world, Rocky Balboa showed us. And damn, every time he does it again, I feel the old shiver running down my spine and I say quietly "Go and get them, Rock!"