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Reviews
Iron Maiden: Flight 666 (2009)
a must have on DVD/ blue-ray
This is a review of the DVD release, as I was not one of the lucky ones near the limited release screening of the movie.
If you are a longtime maiden fan, the film is a love letter to you and your brethren, shot by documentary crew consisting of fans. Not surprisingly, the band is shown in an almost reverent regard. Nothing controversial to see here, folks. For people that have more than a passing interest in the band, unfortunately, there is not much here that you don't already know or have already seen. If you own or have seen the "Death on the Road" documentary disc you will not gain any new insights to the band and what makes them tick. If not, you will be in for a treat if you have an interest in maiden and/or what it takes to bring off an audaciously planned and executed world tour to thousands of dedicated and psyched fans.
Shot with high-def cameras and lots of them, the concert scenes are great (more on this later). The fan scenes and band/crew interview scenes are entertaining and well edited. You really get an idea what an undertaking this tour was and how much the fans appreciated the effort. Compared to the dedication shown by some of these fans, my own interest seems trivial, though I have been a fan since I first heard "somewhere in time" back when I was a sophomore in high school. You can tell the band is at times awed of, bemused, frustrated by, and proud of this loyalty they inspire.
By the time we make the trip with them from India, through Australia, North and South America, you are exhausted. I can't imagine how Steve and the boys felt after suffering jet lag, food illness, hangovers and sleep deprivation. Yet they still managed to put on kick-ass, crowd pleasing shows. This is why they have the live following and the pro rep they do.
As for the bonus concert disc, it alone justifies the price of the DVD purchase. This, friends, in my opinion is their best live concert release yet. Better than the legendary Live After Death you say? Hell yes, I say. High def camera work. Wonderfully captured and mastered 5.1 surround in Dolby and DTS. Consistently great performances from Bruce and the boys. Great crowds. A killer set list. The edits are quick but not dizzying like on Rock in Rio or Death on the Road. Honestly, what's not to like?
Overall a must have for maiden fans, and even of hard rock fans in general, if you ask me.
Hulk (2003)
bold, unique, intense
I debated with myself somewhat on whether or not I wanted to pay to see this in the theater due to the mixed reviews. Now that I have actually watched it, I'm glad I didn't listen to the naysayers. I can see why this is not some people's cup of tea, but I really got into it. It is one of the most interesting moviegoing experiences I've had in some time.
The movie IS somewhat schizophrenic, the first half being broodingly intense and character driven, while the second half focuses more on straight action with even a little bit of humor thrown in. I for one enjoyed both sides of its personality. I think Danny Elfman's musical style, which I sometimes find somewhat annoying as in "Men in Black" fit extremely well in "Hulk". Ang Lee gets great performances from his lead actors as well. I liked "Crouching Tiger" but didn't really see what all the fuss was about. With this film, I can see why he is hailed as a visionary director. The film itself is beautifully shot. Lee's decisions and fingerprints are present and evident in every scene, but the techniques he employs are never overtly intrusive. He obviously experiments somewhat in this film, to good result in my opinion. Love or hate what he does here, but you've got to admit to and admire the vision, determination, and just plain guts it took to make this film the way he did.
As for the green guy, he is hit or miss. In some scenes he feels so real you can almost feel his breath. Others are laughable. For the most part, however, I was able to accept the result and suspend my disbelief. I felt for the big guy, and that's what counts in the end.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
fly, you fools! fly to the theater, that is
I saw this film a day ago, and I am still sorting out my feelings for it. Whew! With a year to build up anticipation and expectation, it had a lot to live up to. Exactly like my reaction to The Fellowship of the Rings when I first saw it, I left the theater with my expectations both rewarded and dashed. I have read the novel several times, and again the the week before The Two Towers opened nationwide. I kept thinking, "wow! that's incredible!" followed by "wait a minute--- that's not right!" due to my own vision of what should have been left alone and what should have been changed for the theatrical version. Any 1000+ page epic like the Lord of the Rings novel leaves each person with their own interpretation, focus, and feel for what they read. Peter Jackson took on the un-envious task of creating a CINEMATIC vision that would appeal to hard core and casual readers of the novel as well as those who have never picked it up. I'm sure some hard core fans that can't let go of their own vision will be disappointed or even angry, while some non-readers will be befuddled or uninterested. So be it. I myself left the theater dazed and amazed, and with a positive yet somewhat jumbled opinion due to the changes made. Now that I've had some time to adjust to the changes and contemplate the film, however, Jackson's vision is growing on me. I was vaguely disappointed with "Fellowship" at first, also, but that initial disappointment has given way to great admiration for Fellowship. I now love the first film for it's own sake, separate from the novel. I think the same is going to apply for me with The Two Towers, especially if the altered story arc comes to a unified and satisfying end in the next part.
The visuals, sets, musical score, and costuming are beyond reproach. The pacing is perfect in my opinion. The acting is superb once again. The dialog itself is a mixed bag, but serves its purpose, and is spoken with authority. You can nitpick a few things, such as blue screen lines being visible in some scenes, but for me they never distracted from the overall look of and feel of the film at all. Overall, it is an incredibly crafted film, and superior to most of the so called "blockbuster" films of late. It is full of action, drama, humor,love, hate, beauty, ugliness, hope, and despair. It's all wrapped up in a visual treat that is compressed into 3 hours of movie magic that if anything feels too short. Unless they have no interest whatsoever in the action/fantasy genre or are Tolkien purists, I can't see anyone outright disliking what the Two Towers gives.
I, for one, am really looking forward to how Jackson is going to wrap up his vision in the third installment. Bring on The Return of the King! Now another year of anticipation and expectation.....
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
pure hearted film
My Fat Greek Wedding is one of those anomalies that seem to come out of nowhere. There are no large name actors to be seen (though there are a few familiar faces). It has a simple script and plot. No strong cursing, no overt sex scenes. The writing and acting are at times a little flat, and the editing could be a little tighter. Despite all this, the film works beautifully, due to the fact that it is so PURE. It's hard to explain. The gags and jokes are simple, but they are genuinely funny. Even fairly minor characters manage stand out from one another and have their own identities that connect with the audience, and remain true to themselves throughout. You can tell they are based on real people, and the script came from the experiences of a person who lived in the world portrayed. Not every scene was over-analyzed by Hollywood movie execs trying to push a formulaic movie with cut and paste supporting characters starring the latest leading lady. It's refreshing, and that's what makes it so special. This movie manages to get it just right in tone and heart, so that you end up just having a good time.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
extended version dvd review
To those who are here wondering if it is worth buying the 4 dvd disc extended version of the film, my recommendation is to buy it now with no hesitation! Renting it will not give enough time to appreciate all this set has to offer. This is truly one of the best dvd packages I've yet seen. Every part of the set, from the packaging to the extras to the film itself show extreme attention to detail, and is truly remarkable for the package's consumer friendly price. The picture quality is phenomenal, and justifies splitting the film onto two discs. But as wonderful to behold the transfer is, the DTS 6.1 soundtrack blows you away. This has replaced Star Wars Ep. 1 and Gladiator as my "show off" film for what my system is capable of. Even if you are not in love with the film itself, you should have this set in your library just to show off your audio/visual home theater setup. Top notch!
And for those who love the movie, you're in for a treat. I can see why some scenes were chosen to be left out, especially some of the "shire" scenes that give a different feel to one of the lead characters or that became unecessary after the choice to include a prologue in the theatrical version was made. Some of the restored footage is pure treasure, though--it is amazing how a few seconds here or there flesh out some of the familiar scenes, and how some of the restored scenes add to the storyline and scope of the film. In the theater these extensions would definately add up to (more) of a sore butt, but they are a pleasure to watch in a home setting, where you can pause at any time.
The extras add up to somewhat of an overkill, what with 2 discs full of documentary footage, interviews, and interactive features, not to mention the 4(!) commentary tracks. Just about everything is covered, but there is some repetition. One annoyance I had was that in the cast commentary track, they obviously had the actors in the same room together where they were free to interact with each other while they recorded...but sometimes they edit in pieces of interviews found on the extras discs where the actors talk about their fellow actors who were not present during the interview...to kind of a disconcerting effect. All in all, though, not much to complain about. Hidden features include the theatrical preview of The Two Towers, and MTV's hilarious spoof of the Council of Elrond from the music video awards.
I am not going to say the extended version is superior to the theatrical release version, but it is certainly a worthy reinterpretation of the available footage that I enjoyed immensely. Kudos to New Line for going all out with this, and Peter Jackson and all the other people involved for taking the time and attention involved in such a release. I think even Tolkien may have been grudgingly impressed.
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
pretty
Voice acting- Excellent....the best casting and acting you could hope for the characters as presented in the film
Animation- Wow... What else would you expect from Pixar? Beautiful color scheme, great imagination, spot-on characterization. "Sully"'s hair is, in a word, incredible, as are many of the minute details Pixar pays attention to. In my opinion, Pixar again sets the standard for a living, breathing, stylized 3D animated world.
Plot- Good..... Paced well and wildly imaginative.
With all the above accolades, you would think I rated this movie a 10, like I did Toy Story 2. I love individual components of this film. But I couldn't bring myself to. Something's missing. When I go to see a movie in this genre, I want to be transported back 20 years (I'm currently 29) and walk out of the theater with a stupid grin on my face. The somewhat complex plot (for this kind of film) and some scenes only an adult would get the subtext to keep me from rating it higher. Don't get me wrong... I enjoyed the movie, but I just didn't have the stupid grin on my face after seeing it. Kids will love it for the characters, action, and color, but I just can't see a kid under 10 being fully engaged in what's going on. Too simplistic for adults, too complex for younger kids, it's heart is pulled in different directions. Still, I give it an 8/10 because it is a great movie despite my quibbles and it has tremendous production values. If you're going to see it, do so on the big screen.
The Mexican (2001)
forrest gumps its way along
An uneven mess that's hard to care about. Cheesy psycho-babble, token characters and situations, and a poorly handled mix of comedy and bad situations. NOT what was expected by the marketing. There were some cute scenes, but not enough to save the movie. Julia Roberts tries to be winning, but ends up being annoying. Pitt's character is just plain annoying throughout. I had to laugh how guns are so casually waved around in Mexico, where they are illegal. Want to smuggle a loaded handgun on an international flight? Just wrap it in tin foil and put it in a lunch box or wrap it in a shirt. Yeah. No problem. Just an example of the leaps of faith this movie takes to move its plot along. Anyone ever notice how much Pitt's and Robert's nostrils look alike? I found myself noticing these things at about the 90 minute mark. Not a terrible movie, but it has many problems. Find something else to spend your date money on.
Bring It On (2000)
good satire
I went to this movie not because I was really interested, but because my wife went to high school with Tsianina Joelson and she wanted to check out her work. That being said, I was pleasently surprised. I was expecting fluff from what I knew going in, but from the wicked opening sequence I realized it was going to have some sharp, barbed satire as well. When I think about it, I should have known, since Kirsten Dunst usually does more sharp edged type movies. My only complaint is that the movie was a little schizophrenic. It seemed strange to mix the over the top satire of the opening scene and others with a fairly conventional and politically correct plot. Overall the acting was very good and fit the mood of the film, though it was obvious the actors were not high-schoolers anymore. My vote was a 7.
Three Kings (1999)
compelling mix of humor, drama, and action
I believe Three Kings to be one of the better movies I have seen about modern warfare to date, and works on many levels. It is a compelling mix of absurdity of war humor, drama, and action that is handled well.
Characters are not evil or heroic... as in real life, their actions vary depending on the circumstance at the time and the perception of others. This film goes farther than any other Hollywood film I can think of into how other cultures are perplexed by America, and how world culture, which is dominated by American culture, has in many ways melded together with sometimes absurd and unpredictable results.
In my mind, the title "Three Kings" is not a reference to the Christmas song... it is a reference to the interrogation referencing Michael Jackson in the film. Jackson is known as the "King" of pop, and is used as a metaphor for America's seeming confusion and contradictions with itself. Another king...Rodney King... is shown briefly, and is used to illustrate the racism present in America always resting in the background, ready to be brought to a violent head with little provocation. This theme colors the interrelationship between the American soldiers themselves, as well as between them and the Iraqis. The interrogator earnestly asks one of the bewildered kings, "What the f*** is wrong with Michael Jackson?" This film may make you think about what is wrong, indeed.
The film is a journey of the American soldier "kings" to a better understanding of themselves and others, with some interestingly shot action sequences and humorous situations thrown in to boot. The characters start out as cliche's, and become 3 dimensional in their journey (ok..about 2 1/2 dimensional, anyway..the film doesn't get that deep, because it is at it's heart an action film).
I will admit the film is somewhat uneven in some parts, and some scenes are not as effective as others. It is well cast and acted, but some characters go nowhere or were not even needed. I, for one, could have done without the cheesy inside the body scenes, which I felt added nothing to the film and were laughably done--I can't believe some reporter actually believed they used an actual cadaver for the filming (shows you the gullibility of some entertainment reporters). Overall, though, I think the director skillfully juggles humor, action, and political commentary without overdoing it on any front. Maybe that's what some people dislike about it...it doesn't go full bore in any one direction and they're not used to that. I think it was original and highly entertaining, and worth the DVD rental (TWO commentary tracks and other bonus features--wow!). 8/10 for me.
Toy Story 2 (1999)
flawless
My wife and I loved the original toy story, and for good reason. In my opinion, it is a modern classic that upped the ante for animated films. Toy Story 2 ups the ante again. The animation is breathtaking, the storyline wonderful, the music sweet, the humor funny, the message timeless. Need I go on? If this film isn't a 10, then I don't know what is. Everyone I saw, adults and children alike, left the theater with a smile on their face. If you see it and think it isn't a top notch example of its genre, you should have your head examined. 'Nuff said.
Mystery Men (1999)
oh, the horror
With the awesome cast collection and novel idea, I was expecting a fun, clever movie. What I got was a movie that was un-funny, stupid, and most of all boring. The writing and direction were terrible. What a tragedy. If you think Batman Forever was the best movie you've ever seen, then you may like this movie. If not, stay away....far away.