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Casey_Moriarty
My favorite movie is 2001: A Space Odyssey, because it's a deep, philosophical search for Man's meaning, and it has cool special effects. It is the movie that my signature, which you will see on my posts, comes from: "It can only be attributable to human error."
My favorite director ever is Stanley Kubrick. Yes, the very same Stanley Kubrick who directed my favorite movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey. He also directed the brilliant movies A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove, Paths of Glory, Full Metal Jacket, Barry Lyndon, the Shining, and the Killing, all favorites of mine.
My favorite director who is alive today is six-time Academy Award� screwee, Martin Scorsese. Why? Mostly for Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, The Last Temptation of Christ, and my favorite film of 2002, Gangs of New York.
My favorite actor of all time is that fabulous Oscar� winning song and dance man/psychotic gangster James Cagney, who starred in such fabulous motion pictures as White Heat, Love Me Or Leave Me, The Strawberry Blonde and of course Yankee Doodle Dandy.
My favorite actor that hasn't to my knowledge yet croaked is two time Academy Award� winner Robert DeNiro, star of such brilliant classics as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas and The Godfather: Part II.
My favorite actress is Oscar� Winner Jodie Foster, mostly 'cause of Taxi Driver, The Silence of the Lambs, and The Accused.
My favorite TV show is The Simpsons. Hell, it's the only TV show that isn't despicable, contrived, soppy bullsh*t. Well, I like Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Tales From the Crypt, too.
Speaking of Mystery Science Theater 3000, the worst movie I have ever seen was featured on it in its best episode, Manos: The Hands of Fate. Ugh- how horrid! Great stuff.
The quote in a movie that most sums up my filmbuffery is from A Clockwork Orange:
"It's funny how the colors of the real world only seem really real when you viddy them on the screen."
It's so true!
Reviews
Genesis (1998)
Entrancing, poetic film
This film is an interesting one- I'll start by saying I rented the DVD out of curiosity to see Aftermath, but I'm very glad this was included too. It's a haunting short film, and to see Pep Tosar in this role right after I watched his depraved Aftermath character is certainly interesting- this guy's a damn good actor. The film itself speaks about a man's obsession with his deceased wife- and it tells the story with no dialogue of any kind, just a series of images, many of which are very powerful and well structured. I particularly like the one where Tosar's character is midway through the transformation he undergoes in this movie and is staring across the room at the statue of his wife. Really a beautiful image. It's interesting because I was recently in a discussion where the proposition was put forth that the only way to immortality is to obsess over your work. In 'Genesis' the sculptor definitely obsesses... and as a result he is able to see his wife in the land of the living again, just before the last of his own flesh and blood hardens to stone. A very interesting motion picture.
The Kid (2000)
Pretty good
This is a Disney movie about a man who is too adult that rediscovers youth through unusual circumstances. That's the plot of a great many films, but those films happen to be guilty pleasures for me. And this movie is no exception, it's an enjoyable film with a wonderful cast. Spencer Breslin, the actor playing 'the Kid' does a great job- and I've always been a Bruce Willis fan. The rest of the supporting cast also does some good work- Lily Tomlin is particularly fun. The movie gets you thinking about what you would think if you met yourself as a child- and what that child would think of you. And it shows you that just because you're an adult doesn't mean that you're ever done growing up. Good movie.
Aftermath (1994)
So powerful
Just watched this movie. Can't say much about it, except, WOW. This film is only half an hour long, but had it been any longer I don't know if I would be able to get through it. And I am not disturbed by movies... I have seen some pretty gruesome ones. But it's not the gore that makes this movie disturbing. And it's not even the necrophilia. We've all seen more graphic movies than this by far. It may not seem to be so upon first watching this movie, but there's actually not as much as it feels like there is. So I guess what makes this film so disturbing it is is the sterility of it; the coldness of the morgue; the fact that the victim has no idea she is the victim and the perpetrator of the crime shows no guilt towards his crime. The purely casual way this depraved character, excellently portrayed by Pep Tosar in a performance that hides half of his face most of the time, commits his indecent acts. That MIGHT be what makes this film a disturbing one- but it's hard to put your finger on it. Either way, you can't tear your eyes off of this thing once you've started watching.
The Simpsons Ride (2008)
An entertaining ride
I miss the old Back to the Future ride at Universal Studios Hollywood, but this ride is an enjoyable one. You take on the role of tourists at Krustyland, which is under attack by the evil Sideshow Bob, who has sworn to kill the Simpsons. The ride is full of plenty of classic Simpsons humor and features the voice cast from the show. This also happens to be the only ride I've ever been on in which I wish I'd spent more time waiting in line, because there's plenty of funny new Simpsons clips to watch in line and I didn't get to see them all. Overall a pretty enjoyable experience that pokes fun at Universal Studios itself and at theme parks and rides in general. A good time!
End of Days (1999)
A decent flick
We all remember how disappointed we were when the year 2000 rolled around and nothing interesting happened. No devastating Y2K virus, no second coming of Jesus. No Satan returning to rule/destroy the world. This movie explains why; because when the Devil did show up, Arnold fought him off with a collection of machine guns and rocket launchers.
That's the premise of this film, anyway, and it depicts the Devil escaping Hell per a prophecy that says he will be free at the end of 1000 years. Satan inhabits the body of actor Gabriel Byrne, a good choice because the man is indeed talented and plays the character with a certain smugness that I imagine the Devil would have. The cast overall is very good, including Arnold as the stereotypical "lost his faith" cop and Robin Tunney as Satan's virgin sacrifice.
The movie never really makes clear what will happen if Gabriel Byrne manages to 'consumate' his relationship with Robin Tunney; just a few vague references to a lot of people dying and what the Devil calls a 'New Beginning.' Needless to say, this is not a movie you should see for the plot.
If you do see it, see it to watch some reasonably entertaining good-versus-evil action with Arnold in full action hero mode; if you take it as that and not too much else you're in for a good enough time.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
This movie is ridiculous- but still fun
This is one of the silliest things I've ever seen- not to say it isn't entertaining, it certainly can be, but wow. WOW. The other Indiana Jones movies are over the top, no doubt, but this seems excessive somehow. I don't know where the line was crossed, but it might have been somewhere between Shia LaBeouf becoming King of the Monkeys and the kingdom ruled by magical extra-dimensional aliens. Nevertheless, it's still far ahead of all the Indy imitators that have popped up over the years, like the National Treasure and the Mummy movies. I must admit I've missed Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford does return in top form. My worries about Shia LaBeouf were unjustified because he did a fine job as well. Karen Allen returning for a happy ending with Indy was a great idea for my money; and Cate Blanchett, who is always awesome, does very well considering the stereotypical "Kill Moose and Squirrel" character that she is given. The plot is absolutely ridiculous and the final scene doesn't really give you any closure; I was left wondering what the point was of all that. But the movie is still good fun, with some very creative action sequences. Overall certainly worth a watch and a decent addition to the mythology.
Return of the Living Dead: Part II (1988)
'80s horror is the greatest thing ever
I don't know what it is that makes the horror films of the 1980s so much fun. Maybe it's the fact that the sophistication of special effects in films probably peaked somewhere around here, before CGI came along in the 90s and took all the fun out of them. Maybe it's the fact that a little humor was necessary after all the brutal and nihilistic horror films of the '70s. Or maybe it's the over-the-top quality that pervaded everything produced in this decade. I don't know. But this movie is a blast. It reminds me more of a Warner Brothers cartoon than a George Romero-style zombie film; because it's a slapstick movie but unlike in other films of this kind from this time period, the humor doesn't come from extreme gross-out moments. It comes from the attention to details such as a zombie needing to put its glasses on when it rises from the grave; or from a zombie walking around with a jar of brains like it's a glass of beer. It comes from the pause between asking a zombie who the president is and his gruff, "Harry Truman?" I loved it. If you have any sense of giddiness when you are channel surfing and come across one of the '80s beloved horror comedies, you will too.
Shrek 4-D (2003)
A fun ride
This ride isn't half bad. Though it tends to reuse jokes from the film, it's still got cool fx and you feel the action (when Donkey sneezes, for example, the audience is sprayed). It's not the best ride at Universal- that's of course Spider-Man. But it's fun if you can avoid the long lines.
Tell It to the Marines (1926)
Excellent film
Lon Chaney is one of my top 3 actors ever, so naturally I watched this movie because of him. It's amazing how he managed to make gruff characters so likeable-- even under layers of makeup as the Hunchback of Notre Dame or the Phantom of the Opera. Here he's not buried under a few layers of makeup, but his character is no less memorable. William Haynes is quite good in his role as the goofy recruit that Chaney swears to make into a Marine. The movie can be quite funny, quite touching and often exciting, as well. Highly recommended.
The Shock (1923)
One of my favorites
Lon Chaney is brilliant (as always) in this very moving and uplifting drama about a crippled thug with a heart of gold. As Wilse Dilling, Chaney is immensely likeable and we root for him all the way. He is sent to San Francisco by the evil crime boss Queen Ann as part of a scheme to expose a banker who has been blackmailed into robbing his own bank. However, he falls in love with the daughter of the person he's supposed to expose. I think a title card says it best; he is 'torn between to woman he loved and the woman he feared.' What will he do? See this movie to find out; it is highly recommended.
Tora no o wo fumu otoko-tachi (1945)
I love this movie!
Akira Kurosawa was, well, a genius.
This early film is only further proof.
Before he made Rashomon, the Seven Samurai and Ran he made this and it's great.
The cast is fantastic. Kenichi Enomoto is especially great as the porter. That character is brilliant comic relief, which is especially evident in the scene where he attempts to dance.
Jason Biggs doing a stupid dance in American Pie is not funny. Kenichi Enomoto doing a stupid dance in Tora no o wo fumu otokotachi is.
The rest of the cast is great, too.
The characters are wonderful. There's of course the cowardly porter, and the clever character who, pretending to be a monk, has to think quickly and it's fun to watch.
Not only that, there is some very fine music and dialogue in this.
Only problem: Too short. . . but then again, I could say the same about the Seven Samurai and Ran. A great movie is always too short.
Highly recommended.
One Hour Photo (2002)
Robin Williams' brilliant performance is what carries this film. . .
Williams- wow. This movie is one very well done character study- it shows a very
lonely man, a very disturbed man, Sy the Photo Guy (Robin
Williams) who lives vicariously through his customers- specifically
the Yorkin family. Sy sees the Yorkins as the perfect family- he has
no friends or family himself, and he'd love to be a part of theirs.
Every time he develops a roll of pictures for the Yorkins, he prints
an extra set for himself- creepy. Then, when he discovers that Mr.
Yorkin is having an affair, his fantasy of being part of the 'perfect
family' crumbles, and he snaps. The film lacks action- but that's
not what it's about. It echoes Taxi Driver and 2001: A Space
Odyssey. The best part of the film is Robin Williams in a truly great
performance. The man was very much ignored at Oscar time- I say
it's the second best performance of the year, behind only Daniel
Day-Lewis' Gangs of New York role. I enjoyed very much listening
to Sy's philosophy of why photos are so important- with that voice
Williams uses, it's really creepy. I love it. Recommended! 8/10.
The Quiet American (2002)
Good, excellently acted thriller. . .
The best part of this film is Michael Caine, in one of his best
performances as Thomas Fowler. Fowler is a reporter living in
Vietnam to report on the war. But he has fallen in love with a
woman half his age- he can't marry her because his wife won't
give him a divorce. This isn't really a problem until he meets 'the
Quiet American'- Brendan Fraser in one of the best performances
of his career. Fraser's character of Alden Pyle falls in love with
Fowler's girlfriend- and then we find that Pyle is not who he
seems. Suspense and thrills abound in this wonderful film.
Recommended- see it for Caine alone. 8/10!
Road to Perdition (2002)
One of the best films of 2002!
This film is a masterpiece. Wonderful acting- from Tom Hanks,
who plays against type as a murderer, Paul Newman as a mob
boss, and Jude Law as a creepy hitman. The late Conrad L. Hall's
cinematography is nothing short of perfect. And the story- these
elements combine to make it one of the best mob films of recent
times. It's a tale of corruption and redemption. Tom Hanks plays
Michael Sullivan, a mobster who has chosen his path in life and
cannot turn back- but he can save his son. And that's what this
story is about. Is Sullivan a good guy, or is he evil? Who can say.
Jude Law steals his scenes as a truly creepy hitman/ photographer named Maguire. Paul Newman's performance as
Hanks' boss Mr. Rooney, is more subtle but equally brilliant.
Hanks is also great when he plays against type. No more Mr. Nice
Guy! I give this film a nine out of ten- the year's second best film,
behind only that other great mob movie, Gangs of New York.
Highly recommended!
Die Another Day (2002)
A good one. . .
I liked it enough to see it a few times, and I'll be buying the DVD.
Brosnan shows us another side of Bond (He has a beard at one
point, but not willingly). The villain, Gustav Graves, is a fun evil
genius. Some great stunts and action make this a movie to see. I
hated Halle Berry as Jinx, because she was a huge cliché, and I
loathed Madonna's theme song. Other than that and some very
hokey science fiction elements, it was a good movie. Rosamund
Pike is the anti-Jinx as a terrific Bond girl. See this! 7/10.
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Brosnan's best Bond film. . .
This has it all. The villains, Elektra and Renard, are the best
villains to appear in a Brosnan Bond. The girls. . . Well, the villain
is terrific. The Bond girl is Denise Richards. She's not exactly the
most talented actress in the world, but I didn't come to see her act.
Fun action, fun gadgets. . . The best Bond movie since The Living
Daylights. 8/10.
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Some great action. . .
There is some great action in this movie, but other than that it's
nothing special. It's not got the level of suspense or sheer fun that
most of the best Bond films do. Brosnan is great as Bond, and the
villain is interesting if kind of dorky, and it's good. Michelle Yeoh is
a terrific new character, and the film was fun to watch. I give it a 7/ 10.
GoldenEye (1995)
A good bit of fun. . .
Brosnan is still learning in this film, but he brings back the humor
of Bond that Dalton didn't have. Not as silly as Moore, either. The
villain is played excellently by Sean Bean, though the character of
006 has some stupid motives for his evil deeds. . . his parents. . .
peh! There are some good Bond girls. . . Xenia Onatopp, played by
Famke Janssen, is quite a good henchwoman. Great stunts,
gadgets and the funniest scene with the great Desmond Llewelyn
as Q. A good Bond. . . 7/10.
Licence to Kill (1989)
I enjoyed this film a lot, but Dalton needed some humor. . .
Dalton didn't have to be Roger Moore comical. He just needed to
be a little humorous. Like this, he makes a good action hero but
he isn't how Bond should be. Despite this, it's a good Bond film
that I enjoyed. It's really the first entry in the series since On Her
Majesty's Secret Service to show that Bond's life isn't all fun and
games. Sure, he gets all the women, and he gets to gamble and
party. Yes, he is immortal despite all the drinking. Who wouldn't
want to be this guy? But here, as we saw in OHMSS, we see there
is a down side to being Bond- he can't really have close friends.
Dalton helps make Bond a human being- that's good. And the
movie has some great action and is a good time. But a little humor
would not have killed them. . . 8/10.
A View to a Kill (1985)
Having one of the best villains of the series can't save this film. . .
Christopher Walken is an acting genius. There is not one film he's
in- not one- where I haven't thought he was the best part of that
film. Pulp Fiction, the Deer Hunter and yes, this too. Roger Moore
was an old geezer by this time. He should have left one film ago.
The movie itself is a ripoff of Goldfinger and it's predictable. Some
of it is fun, but Walken is the only real special quality this lousy
Bond film has. 6/10.
Octopussy (1983)
A lot of fun! One of Moore's best!
This is a pretty entertaining installment. . . It has one of the best
Bond girls, some good gadgets and it is great fun. Moore is my
second favorite Bond, behind only Connery, and he's at his best in
this film. He's funny and we all have a great time. See it! 8/10.
For Your Eyes Only (1981)
One of Moore's better ones. . .
This movie has some great action. If you don't like the absurd stuff
they make you buy in things like 'Moonraker,' and 'Die Another Day,'
you'll probably like this one more. It's not got much in the way of
fantastic elements. Most of it, like On Her Majesty's Secret Service,
From Russia With Love and License to Kill, could actually happen.
I like absurdity but this is good too. Still some great action,
gadgets and women. The villain, unfortunately, is no Goldfinger. A
good one. 8/10.
Moonraker (1979)
Real entertaining! I had fun!
Yeah, it's campy, far fetched and hokey. But I like that. A good villain, and Jaws, who gets some character depth, help the entertainment value. Technically, it isn't very good, but it's entertaining and that what counts. 7/10!
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Moore's best. . .
This movie has one of the best henchmen of all time in Richard Kiel's Jaws. Great. A bit campy at times, this movie is still darn good. Women, cars, gadgets, it has it all. First rate! 8/10.
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
It's predictable, but I love the camp value. . .
Nothing happens in this movie that you don't see coming a mile
away. The Bond girl is as dumb as a post, and Sheriff Pepper, the
annoying Jar Jar Binks character from the previous movie, returns
worse than ever. It would be a pretty bad film if it wasn't for three
things: 1. Christopher Lee, in his brilliant performance as the film's title
character. Without him, the film would be nothing. But he is perfect.
2. Nick Nack, the evil French midget. Got to love this little guy.
3. The camp value. It can be darn funny at times. As such, it's
worth a couple viewings. 7/10.