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MichaelCorleone2002
Reviews
28 Days Later... (2002)
Two Thirds of a Great Movie
Unfortunately that two thirds in the first two thirds of the movie. The film, which follows a band of people who have survived an outbreak which renders its victims into deranged killers, starts off superbly. It also helps that the film was filmed with homemade cameras on a low budget. That helped make the film much rawer and intense than if it used a more polished film. The sense of isolation is also portrayed well, such as when the survivors are driving around through the empty streets of London, which is covered in trash and ruin. Unfortunately, during the film's final act, the story falls apart and becomes excessively confusing and leaves us with no one to root for. The twist towards the end also doesn't seem to have the reaction the filmmakers were expecting from us. A shame that a bad ending happened to an otherwise good movie.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
A Masterpiece That Gets Better With Time.
When looking at many films dealing with the Cold War fears, they come off as extremely dated, cheesy, thinly veiled propaganda. Not so with Dr. Strangelove, in fact it seems to get better with repeated viewings. Released during the peak years of the Cold War, Strangelove tackled a doomsday scenario and made us laugh at it. Peter Sellers, comic genius, plays three different parts, all perfectly. Co-stars Slim Pickens, George C. Scott and Sterling Hayden are all superb as well. At 93 minutes, the film moves quickly and leaves practically no filler. Even though we aren't battling the Russians anymore, the scenario could be applied to our world's current condition. During my first viewing I was uncomfortable, but after that I started to laugh at the jokes and the performances and it became one of my favorite films.
The Rules of Attraction (2002)
An Unredeemable Mess of a Movie (Mild Spoilers)
Every so often a film comes out which reaffirms my distrust in humanity and makes me want to consider becoming a hermit. Rules of Attraction is that movie. Chronicling a year in a college populated by well-off children, the film focuses on four kids (Somerhalder, a poor man's Wes Bentley, Sossaman, the one decent thing in the movie, Van Der Beek and Biel, both in "my mom thinks I'm edgy" performances) who have little interest in anything outside of sex, drugs and rock and roll.
All these characters are about as vile as can be. Perhaps the film would've been better if a serial killer had walked in in the beginning and shot all of them in the head twice, making sure there was no chance of them perpetuating this trash. The characters are not much more than stockpiles of the worst in every human being. The hypocritical, the sadistic and the corrupt. One time we see a sympathetic character, but this one dies soon after we meet. Lucky her, anything to get out of this movie.
It's hard to believe that Avary, who co-wrote one of the best movies of the last decade, Pulp Fiction, would be stooping to such an amateurish effort. The camera work and effects come off as something that an over eager film student that discovered these techniques would use ("Hey let's use backwards motion through the whole movie, it's brilliant!" "Oh no it's not".) The opening scene over does backward filming that at one point you're left thinking "Enough of this, let's start the movie!" If you don't wish the movie to go ahead, you just wonder what these techniques have to do with anything.
The script that some consider as brilliant satire on wasted youth I see as not much more than sour grapes from the filmmakers, who apparently didn't get anywhere near as much sex as the four protagonists did in college. Even as a satire, it isn't funny, at all. The story leaves nothing but ugly impressions with very little incentive to keep you watching, aside to see just how absurd and befuddling the plot twists are.
Annie Hall (1977)
Woody's Masterpiece, One of My All-Time Favorites (Mild Spoilers)
Annie Hall is the semiautobiographical tale recounting the real life relationship of its stars, Allen and Academy Award winner Diane Keaton (who started a fashion craze after the film's release.) During the course of the film Allen reflects on the relationships he's had and what exactly went wrong. Allen intermixes comic routines, breaking of the fourth wall, a little animation and some actual scenes, ranging from the comic (Christopher Walken playing Annie's brother in a cameo) the serious (most of his fights) to both. Annie Hall goes up in my top ten movies I've ever seen. No other Woody film (and not too many other films) I've seen have as much heart or laughs as Annie Hall. Whereas most romantic comedies are usually tired formulas of beautiful actresses and handsome men bickering even though they're crazy about each other, Annie Hall forgets every formula to these films and makes something much more genuine and gives the audience an unforgetable film.
Finding Nemo (2003)
Heartwarming and Funny, Another Disney Classic
SOME SPOILERS FOR THE EARLY SECTION OF THE MOVIE.
Finding Nemo, the latest in the Disney/Pixar collaborative efforts, is probably one of the best Disney films in a long time. The film tells the tale of Marlin, a widowed Clown fish who is overly protective of his lone surviving son, Nemo. Nemo is growing up and resents his father's control. He rebels and ends up being taken by some deep seas divers who are collecting fish to be domesticated. Marlin is devastated and tries to keep up with the boat. On his way he meets Dory, a forgetful but kind fish, who agrees to help him in his search for his son. Together they embark on an odyssey to find Marlin's son, encountering a colorful cast of sea creatures and places.
This film combines both excellent production values and effective storytelling. The digital effects are beautiful eye candy. They've come a long way since Toy Story. Most of the things featured in the movie look real (or like a realistic prosthesis.) The story combines both hilarious humor and touching drama. You don't have to be a kid to feel moved by Finding Nemo.
Grade: A
2gether (2000)
best made for tv movie ever!
when i first saw 2gether, i wasn't all that impressed, some cute kids, funny songs, but other than that i didn't really like it. but then i re-watched it w/ one of my friends, and we fell in love with this movie. it's one of those movies that the more you watch it, the more scenes and dialogue are more appealing to you. very funny stuff -i can't be perfect every time out, i'm not ozzy osbourne! -doug
Men in Black II (2002)
Another Example on What NOT to Do When Making a Sequel.
I saw this movie, aware of all the bad reviews, with the optimism that it may be enjoyable. Unfortunately it wasn't. There were good visuals, but that was what they put more time into, as opposed to story and characters.
The basic plot involves Jay (Smith) bringing back Kay (Jones) to help investigate Serlena (Boyle,) who is out to get the Light of Zartha. Good luck trying to decipher more than this. It's bogged down with clumsy dialogue and an over-emphasis on Frank the Pug. In the original, Jones' straight man played greatly off Smith's flamboyant character. Now it feels like they're squeezing the last drops out of these characters. MIB2's script isn't nearly as clever as the original, aside from one cameo, but this cameo could be declared obvious by some. The major twist at the end doesn't make any sense either.
This is the kind of movie made to make money off of a familiar name. Unfortunately they decided that was all they needed for this movie.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Overrated
When I first saw this movie I was looking forward to having a good time and laughing a lot. Through the course of this movie I laughed only once. This movie is a mostly routine "wedding/Ugly Duckling/wacky relatives" movie. A cliche or two is cut, but overall this movie is very boring. * 1/2 out of 4.
Interceptors (1999)
One of the worst movies ever.
I saw this movie on late night Sci-Fi. This movie sucked. It's hilarious, but it's not a comedy. The leader of this group has the most laughable accent changes. First he has a German accent, then an American accent and the surprise twist, he's from FRANCE! And the actor who is supposed to be French can't even muster a good accent of his birth country. And then there's the guy who yelled in order to portray a Mexican accent and shot people for the hell of it. And they had the "hot chick programmer" who wasn't hot. The black dude who's dead before he's even seen on the screen (another insult.) And the most random ending ever. Jumping into a well is the best way to avoid being hit in a nuclear blast.
Red Dragon (2002)
A well-made thriller
*** 1/2 stars. I haven't seen Hannibal, but I have seen Lambs many times. I don't think I can compare them until I see them on the same level, but this adaptation is well done. The suspense and threat of violence looming over the picture is what helps make this piece work so well. I'm very happy I got to see this on a free pre-screening.