This is a pretty good movie. It's really intense and disturbing. The pairing of Freddy Rodreiguez and Christian Bale definitely covers the wide range of emotions that the duo go through during the film. I won't be too specific, but Bale really pulls off a haunting portrayal of a guy who is really messed up, but never fails when he needs to expose what little shred of humanity that still remains. Rodreiguez plays opposite Bale and plays well off of him and vice versa. Eva Longoria makes an appearance in this film and that's always something to look forward to. I recommend this movie, but it isn't for the squeamish. It's a lot like Training Day, (also written by director David Ayer) and I'll go as far as to say that it's actually better.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Rent
(2005)
A film based on the popular 1980's Broadway musical.
20 November 2005
Chris Columbus has nothing on Baz Luhrmann or Rob Marshall. This movie is terrible! First of all, the show itself is not terribly brilliant. In fact, the music is quite monotonous and painfully tacky. They all sound the same! The story is pretty melodramatic (not to make light of the aids epidemic) and very unoriginal. (I do however give props to the writer of the original play for tackling something that may, even by todays standards, be considered taboo. But that doesn't change the fact that this movie sucks.
Chris Colombus, although having impressed me with his work on the first Harry Potter films has just tossed any respect that I had for him right out the window. You might as well go see the terrible play live, rather than having to deal with the terrible story, music AND compositions of Chris Colombus! Colombus really doesn't tackle the fact that this is a film and he is inherently given the freedom to move the camera (and the audiences point of view) wherever he wants. All of the choreography and camera work is designed in the same way that a person would choreograph a stage version of the show. It lacks depth and dimension as a result.
My most important point is that when a director creates a musical film, it should be more than just a MUSICAL THAT IS FILMED. He should be interested in the fact that it is it's own work of art placed on a different, more culturally effective medium for the purposes of more than just alternate forms of distribution and exhibition. But in all fairness to Columbus, he probably got paid for it and that's probably all that he is after.
Chris Colombus, although having impressed me with his work on the first Harry Potter films has just tossed any respect that I had for him right out the window. You might as well go see the terrible play live, rather than having to deal with the terrible story, music AND compositions of Chris Colombus! Colombus really doesn't tackle the fact that this is a film and he is inherently given the freedom to move the camera (and the audiences point of view) wherever he wants. All of the choreography and camera work is designed in the same way that a person would choreograph a stage version of the show. It lacks depth and dimension as a result.
My most important point is that when a director creates a musical film, it should be more than just a MUSICAL THAT IS FILMED. He should be interested in the fact that it is it's own work of art placed on a different, more culturally effective medium for the purposes of more than just alternate forms of distribution and exhibition. But in all fairness to Columbus, he probably got paid for it and that's probably all that he is after.
The Red Shoes
(2005)
A Pair of Pink shoes found on a subway car by a lonely single mother turns her life into a horrible blood bath!
17 November 2005
I saw this film at the AFI fest and Loved it. The shots were stunning. Beautiful composition and cinematography
I did however give this film a mere 7, and the reason for that is the extensive use of orchestra hits used as a gimmick to startle the audience. This was fine for the first five minutes, but after the twentieth time, I was getting kind of annoyed. THERE ARE TOO MANY!! Honestly i believe that the images are intense enough and the excessive use of music is unnecessary. If you're going to watch this movie, watch it on mute. The images are the best part of it. But as my world cinema instructor would say, "That's all that matters."
I did however give this film a mere 7, and the reason for that is the extensive use of orchestra hits used as a gimmick to startle the audience. This was fine for the first five minutes, but after the twentieth time, I was getting kind of annoyed. THERE ARE TOO MANY!! Honestly i believe that the images are intense enough and the excessive use of music is unnecessary. If you're going to watch this movie, watch it on mute. The images are the best part of it. But as my world cinema instructor would say, "That's all that matters."
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