Mickey Haller is an irreplaceable hero of Michael Connelly brought to life very well by Matthew Mconaughey whose charisma fit him perfectly. The authenticity and heart of the book were kind of lost and stripped away but even when you strip away the greater elements of a Michael Connelly book to the bones you still have a skeleton that is much better than most movies these days so the main story, minus the witty and introspective first person narration and the back-story of each ex wife and character that it told, it was still great enough to keep everyone in the theater on the edge of their seats. The dialog and the cockiness of Haller shines through with Matthew, although Mariso Tomei was wasted as Maggie Mcfierce whose part was greatly reduced in the transition from novel to film by the clearly inept screen writer but even the crap writer who gave us cop rock and the director that gave us trash like Takers couldn't ruin the tale weaved by Connelly and the character come alive via Mconaughey . I give this movie on its own merit an 8/10 but a six if you've read the book. It all came together well, if you want to root for the questionable lawyer with a sharp wit and a heart of gold then this is the film for you.
Reviews
7 Reviews
Valentine's Day
(I) (2010)
Went in expecting the worst
15 February 2010
I went into this movie thinking it was just a juggernaut of a cast brought together purely to throw together a film to capitalize on V-day but i ate my words after watching it.
The movie is lovey-dubby to say the least but keeps track of each story arch very well and the twists that weave them all together are a lot better than you'd expect. The ensemble cast really shines in this light romantic movie, especially Ashton Kutcher, whose been absent from the limelight for a bit, makes a pleasant return as the florist who is as much of romantic as they come, and George Lopez is also great in his role of the family man with all the right views on love.
This review would go on forever if I broke down the whole cast but they all play their parts very well and portray the many types of love you see, young love, mature love, new relationships, and the also the type of love for someone you didn't realize you had. Love story as it may be its very entertaining and greatly portrays the randomness of love and how in its truest form is more important than anything else.
I don't make a habit of seeing chick flicks and had this movie shot down before I even saw it and was joking the whole time before how it would be awful, but here Im willing to say I judged to soon. I give the movie 3 out of four stars
The movie is lovey-dubby to say the least but keeps track of each story arch very well and the twists that weave them all together are a lot better than you'd expect. The ensemble cast really shines in this light romantic movie, especially Ashton Kutcher, whose been absent from the limelight for a bit, makes a pleasant return as the florist who is as much of romantic as they come, and George Lopez is also great in his role of the family man with all the right views on love.
This review would go on forever if I broke down the whole cast but they all play their parts very well and portray the many types of love you see, young love, mature love, new relationships, and the also the type of love for someone you didn't realize you had. Love story as it may be its very entertaining and greatly portrays the randomness of love and how in its truest form is more important than anything else.
I don't make a habit of seeing chick flicks and had this movie shot down before I even saw it and was joking the whole time before how it would be awful, but here Im willing to say I judged to soon. I give the movie 3 out of four stars
Dear John
(I) (2010)
Mis-cast ruins the whole thing
6 February 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This movie had the potential to be a very good movie in my eyes, Nicholas Sparks is a great romance author and this movie had every chance to be just as great as The Notebook but whats sets the two apart is the notebook had a dream team of leads in McAdams and Gosling but here the balance is thrown miserably off by the inept acting of Channing Tatum
I felt a lot of the scenes were uneven purely because of his performance, a lot of the emotion in various scenes is lost because he cant act, leaving an awkward and uneven situation, Amanda Seyfried given a great performance only to have Tatum drop the ball and the mood is lost and the scene cant recover.
This story deserved to be cast right, but what it got was a pretty boy who cant act. Tatum should stick to what hes good at, movies that are more about his physical ability, albeit horrible, like GI JOE, step up, and Fighting. The less he talks the better.
Try not to think of me as a jaded hater of Channing Tatum I went in to this movie with an open mind, because I've been surprised many a time by the likes of Adam Sandler in Reign over Me. I gave the same chance to Tatum I didn't view him here as the sum of his past roles, purely just by his performance in this movie, which sadly was a letdown
I felt a lot of the scenes were uneven purely because of his performance, a lot of the emotion in various scenes is lost because he cant act, leaving an awkward and uneven situation, Amanda Seyfried given a great performance only to have Tatum drop the ball and the mood is lost and the scene cant recover.
This story deserved to be cast right, but what it got was a pretty boy who cant act. Tatum should stick to what hes good at, movies that are more about his physical ability, albeit horrible, like GI JOE, step up, and Fighting. The less he talks the better.
Try not to think of me as a jaded hater of Channing Tatum I went in to this movie with an open mind, because I've been surprised many a time by the likes of Adam Sandler in Reign over Me. I gave the same chance to Tatum I didn't view him here as the sum of his past roles, purely just by his performance in this movie, which sadly was a letdown
It's Complicated
(2009)
Good but inconsistent at times
6 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I give this movie an eight for watchability but have to bump it down to a 7 after taking the writing's sketchiness into consideration. Which is two things. The intentions of Meryl streeps character and those of her children.
The movie itself flowed really well, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin both have good on screen chemistry with streep, Alec Baldwin as the very charming ex-husband, who is remembering what he's lost resenting his current marriage,wants to reconnect with his wife and family, and Steve Martin as the likable newly divorcée who is competing with Baldwin for the affection of Streep who is finally enjoying life and feeling normal since her divorce and is experimenting with the new feelings she feels for both men.
The inconsistencies come firstly in Streep when she is enjoying the affair but then flips like a coin and the explanation is weak at best, which makes her relationship with Baldwin come off as what I'm pretty is different than the writers original intent. You end up sympathizing more with the ex-husband while he futilely tries to win her back than with her as she pursues her other love interest. This sympathy misdirection messes with the overall effect of the film and makes the ending awkward, as Baldwin is left out in the cold and everything works out fine for Streep
Secondly, The kids are all over the place in this,In the beginning the kids keep talking about how great it is having thefamily together then in the second half completely get weirded out at the idea and break down crying, which cuts to a very awkward scene with streep and her kids where she apologizes for confusing them. Furthering that awkaward shift in the movie, the kids who once supported the idea flip adding to how alone Baldwin is in his feelings to get back with his wife and family. Which in the end leaves you more sorry for Baldwin than Streep
The movie itself was very watchable and entertaining, the on screen chemistry is very enjoyable to watch. Its a very good movie, but the ending leaves something to be desire.
Its a good movie to see regardless
The movie itself flowed really well, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin both have good on screen chemistry with streep, Alec Baldwin as the very charming ex-husband, who is remembering what he's lost resenting his current marriage,wants to reconnect with his wife and family, and Steve Martin as the likable newly divorcée who is competing with Baldwin for the affection of Streep who is finally enjoying life and feeling normal since her divorce and is experimenting with the new feelings she feels for both men.
The inconsistencies come firstly in Streep when she is enjoying the affair but then flips like a coin and the explanation is weak at best, which makes her relationship with Baldwin come off as what I'm pretty is different than the writers original intent. You end up sympathizing more with the ex-husband while he futilely tries to win her back than with her as she pursues her other love interest. This sympathy misdirection messes with the overall effect of the film and makes the ending awkward, as Baldwin is left out in the cold and everything works out fine for Streep
Secondly, The kids are all over the place in this,In the beginning the kids keep talking about how great it is having thefamily together then in the second half completely get weirded out at the idea and break down crying, which cuts to a very awkward scene with streep and her kids where she apologizes for confusing them. Furthering that awkaward shift in the movie, the kids who once supported the idea flip adding to how alone Baldwin is in his feelings to get back with his wife and family. Which in the end leaves you more sorry for Baldwin than Streep
The movie itself was very watchable and entertaining, the on screen chemistry is very enjoyable to watch. Its a very good movie, but the ending leaves something to be desire.
Its a good movie to see regardless
Better Luck Tomorrow
(2002)
Very realistic portrayal of over-achieving and the accompanying boredoms and temptations
24 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This story is a very true character study that I can attest to of the freedom that everyone grants you when you maintain a scholarly and overachieving front, maybe not as to the extremes of the murder as shown in this movie but still very real. This shows the lesser characterized side of intellect, how you use it when your bored and you realize you can outsmart everyone around you and expand into drugs, scams, etc. Operate with impunity and because your keeping grades and appearances up no one suspects a thing. I'm not saying its true for everyone but this movie is a very real look when your bored, stuck in suburbia , and decide to make the rash jump into more "interesting" pursuits and figure your smart enough to get away with.
The film itself never leaves you bored even though its not flashy. The characters themselves are very believable and conceited in their own greatness. The story is well paced and shows the gradual progression into the dark underbelly when temptations meet brains that think they are beyond limitation. And despite what others try to slap on as a detractor to this film, race really doesn't have anything to do with it, its just the group of kids portrayed in the film. Their grades, immorality and decisions they make have nothing to do with race
The film itself never leaves you bored even though its not flashy. The characters themselves are very believable and conceited in their own greatness. The story is well paced and shows the gradual progression into the dark underbelly when temptations meet brains that think they are beyond limitation. And despite what others try to slap on as a detractor to this film, race really doesn't have anything to do with it, its just the group of kids portrayed in the film. Their grades, immorality and decisions they make have nothing to do with race
Inglourious Basterds
(2009)
Great In any language
19 August 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is just another great example of Quentin Tarantino's cinematic ability. Inglorious Basterd is a great movie from start to finish, the story line which was reminiscent of guy Ritchie in the way the ending was the culmination of three different story lines, the Germans, the basterds and the Jewish theater owner. The movie apart from its obvious humor, did a very good job of building suspense in its scenes particularly the movies opening scene and the bar scene, it isn't just a straight forward shoot em up movie which I'm sure lots of movie goers will be expecting, there is lots of suspense, gripping dialogue, as is to be expected from Quentin Tarantino, and a great blend of gruesome war violence made all the more casual and comically gruesome by the basterds yet acceptable given its wartime context.
This movie is going to turn of the average movie goer who goes in looking for a shoot-em up movie and get this foreign language masterpiece, be that as it may the movie is great from beginning to end. Tarantino in top form once more
This movie is going to turn of the average movie goer who goes in looking for a shoot-em up movie and get this foreign language masterpiece, be that as it may the movie is great from beginning to end. Tarantino in top form once more
Really Not Getting Everyones Low Ratings
16 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Just like all movies of this kind they are meant to be fun and thats exactly what this movie does. This movie has lots of CGI action and effects with a fun sci-fi story line. It has the same formula that the first movie had and is a good movie in its own right yet everybody seems to be trashing it with a low rating which is beyond me seeing as as far as quality goes its as good if not better than the first one.
Im seeing lots of peoples comments complaining that this movie is all effects and no plot which is completely false as it gives a whole lot more back story on the auto-bots and decepticons and picks where the last movie left off, its funny, lots of great effects, and good plot line, so I'm really not seeing where these bad ratings are coming from my only complaint if i had to make one is that the desert battle scene gets to be a bit muddled but other than that the movie is really good. I'd recommend seeing it for yourself and ignoring the critics because in my opinion there wrong on this one and people should see this one and decide for themselves instead of being misled and missing out on a fun movie
Im seeing lots of peoples comments complaining that this movie is all effects and no plot which is completely false as it gives a whole lot more back story on the auto-bots and decepticons and picks where the last movie left off, its funny, lots of great effects, and good plot line, so I'm really not seeing where these bad ratings are coming from my only complaint if i had to make one is that the desert battle scene gets to be a bit muddled but other than that the movie is really good. I'd recommend seeing it for yourself and ignoring the critics because in my opinion there wrong on this one and people should see this one and decide for themselves instead of being misled and missing out on a fun movie
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