Change Your Image
at7000
Reviews
Whiplash (2014)
Full Metal Jacket In Band Class
Holy cow, this movie works, but only as a comedy. I was in stitches throughout the film. Full Metal Jacket Drill Instructor decides to run a music school and to teach band class. Absolutely hilarious. More blood than Full Metal Jacket as well, mostly soaking up and covering drum kits.
The ironic bit is that it is not supposed to be a comedy. Perhaps a satire of some sort? On that level it works and delivers.
I'm a jazz musician and attended arguably the best Jazz school in the country, Berklee, and this movie's treatment of jazz and its musicianship is nothing but comedic. Under the tutelage of a vengeful, demeaning, sadistic, sociopath, who makes them practice until their fingers bleed and have nervous breakdowns, and calls the Jewish student Hymie, insults his mother, calls out gay students, etc... Totally over the top.
On a sadder note, the movie does not have the first clue about what jazz really is, much less what it is like studying jazz and learning to play it proficiently. The only explanation for anyone being in that particular school band, is low self esteem and a masochism complex. The father form the movie Juno, plays the perfect bald, Nazzi-like sadist. You have to see this film to believe it. Highly recommended.
The Beatles Anthology (1995)
True Beatles Historians Would Laugh At This Effort
This is at best, an over-long, tedious, exploration of the Beatles which barely scratched the surface. It's much more appropriate for newcomers to the Beatles- People totally new to the band's history. Fans who know about Beatles history will be disappointed in it, as it offers nothing new, and just glosses over many things.
I was hoping for an edgy documentary that would show "warts and all." But I guess with Yoko as a major backer, this would never happen. (Note- She did not have anything to do with the breakup, that is total B.S.) However, she is the type of person who would never reveal anything negative or too inflammatory. So in a nutshell, that is what we are left with- Somewhat of a light, politically correct, squeaky clean, watered-down, version of the band, that completely ignores many of the more interesting bits about the band.
Un coupable idéal (2001)
Year 2000 Jacksonville = 1920 Selma Alabama
Excellent documentary that totally exposes the racist US Police and entire corrupt, racist judicial system.
People think about Florida being a diverse and somewhat progressive state and all, but I will tell this-
Racist, red-necks have a stranglehold on state/county/govt jobs, police, and the judicial system. These are the inbred, red-neck decedents of the original "Florida Crackers" and very much have the mentality of 1920s Selma, Alabama.
The "tourists" in this film might have been from another state, but I don't consider them tourists at all, they are from the same in-bred, racist, white stock. All of them knew the score quite well- 1. Grab the first black man you see 2. Give a positive ID that he is the culprit. "Yep, dem niggras all look the same." 3. Proceed to beat, threaten and intimidate said black male into confessing.
4. Bring case before racist, corrupt, truth-be-damned, DAs Office to prosecute.
5. Attend your all white church on Sunday and congratulate yourself on what a great Christian you are.
But sure, I guess this is progress, in 1920s Selma it would have been- 1. 1. Grab the first black man you see.
2. Fasten rope around neck, tie to nearest tree branch, and invite the entire town to watch him die in agony.
3. Attend your all white church on Sunday and congratulate yourself on what a great Christian you are.
If it were not for Pat McGuinness, the teens court appointed public defender, this youth would probably be rotting in prison at this moment.
Albatross (2011)
Seventeen year old girl, wears a conservative, repressed wardrobe
Summary- Seventeen year old girl, wears a conservative, repressed wardrobe which is indicative of her personality and demeanor.
Said teen, meets a 'rebel without a clue type,' provocatively dressing, teen girl-friend, who is related to Arthur Conan Doyle and wants to be a writer. Said teen girl, much to the chagrin of her mother, and pleasure of her father, adopts a similar slutty wardrobe. Father proceeds to have an affair with slutty friend. Said teen proceeds to have terrible falling out with slutty friend over heretofore mentioned affair.
The "earth shattering ending" involves said teen wearing an "I Put Out" tee-shirt, with a small, female, firefighter beneath that banner. Sad.
I was really disappointed in this film- It had moments and brief sparks, but overall it's an abysmal failure.
Des hommes et des dieux (2010)
Excellent Film
I did not want to like this film- I have little sympathy or respect for the remnants of brutal Colonial system, and I think little of the Catholic Church in general. (I am myself, a former Catholic). In any case, I was shockingly surprised that I very much enjoyed the film. I did wind up infinitely respecting the Monks as portrayed. They were not in a remote region of Algeria to do any evil whatsoever, or to try to convert anyone, or teach the locals anything about Catholicism.
They lived in a strange, peaceful, respectful, symbiotic. harmonious relationship with the local Muslim population who were overwhelming supportive and respecting of them. The Monks were absolutely selfless to the point of obsessing in their pursuit/quest of helping the local villagers with everything from free footwear, to free prescription drugs and medical treatment. Apparently at least one of the Brothers was a medical Doctor. The meager, paltry, few cents of coins they made by selling honey from their bee-hive, at local outdoor markets, virtually was all given back to the community in one form or another. The leader (Monsignor?) of the Monk group, even won the respect and protection of one leader from the terrorist groups who had arrived in the area, by going 'toe to toe' with the him in quoting Koranic passages and verses.
And of course it's all based on a true story. I'm a misanthrope as well as a person who is totally down on organized religion. However, a small percentage of my faith in humanity, as being capable for doing any good whatsoever, was restored after viewing this film. But to phrase it in somewhat religious terms- Ultimately human ignorance, violent brutality, and evil once again prevailed. I think everyone knows the ending of this film. But yes, this is an intelligent film, with many uplifting moments. I highly recommend it.
Emergo (2011)
Garbage. In fact, absolute garbage on a scale, heretofore, unknown to mankind.
This film makes 'The Blair Witch Project,' look as artistic as Citizen Kane.
Enough said. Except I am compelled to write since I believe there is a minimum text requirement. Okay, let me also state this- Even by horror standards, which are 98% of the time, lower than the low, this film kicks it down a notch. Acting was hilarious, plot was ludicrous, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. I feel totally ripped off and 90 minutes of my life wasted. I am going to start a movement, to warn people away from this tripe, whoops, I mean film.
Normally I am very verbose on the rare occasions when I feel compelled to rip a film to shreds. In this case, there is absolutely nothing to say.
I would recommend students of film and real cinema, actually watch this sad attempt, to experience an example of "cinema gone wrong." Every painful second is something to be learned from, and never repeated.
My Week with Marilyn (2011)
Kenneth Branagh is a Sad Joke
Kenneth Branagh-> I don't care who this individual is, yet I will state, he personally destroyed the film. In way over his head to begin with, he makes a mockery of Olivier. The real Olivier was svelte. Tall, thin and a distinguished English Gentleman. This, this, Kenneth Branagh, is a fat, stocky, short, individual, lacking in all acting and artistic talent. This is the worst mis-cast in cinema history. Everything else in the film was perfect and spot on, he single-handedly destroyed it.
Everything else about the film was brilliant. He was just thrown in there, without logic or reason. Also, Judy Dench resembled a dried up prune of a woman. Sad, but I cast all the blame of a ruined film, squarely on Kenneth Branagh and whoever cast him for this role. Ultimately, we must blame the film's director, who approved of this casting monstrosity.
Mal día para pescar (2009)
Excellent Film
First off, I take issue with the description of the film, where it states- "Jacob van Oppen, the former strongest man on earth, and his manager Orsini, who calls himself "the Prince", make a good living by traveling around small South American towns and organizing wrestling exhibitions." Wrong. They do not make a good living. They are living a precarious existence. Jacob, a shadow of his former self and Orsini, a con-man who does not even have the 'mil dolares' to back up and finance his bets. They are leading a terrible life, are both alcoholics, and both know it. Orsini is a self-described Italian Prince, but no one dare ask what he is doing, taking seedy bus trips, promoting a washed-up wrestler, all over South and Central America.
In any case, it's an excellent film. Jacob has become brain damaged from his years of wrestling and self abuse, he has reverted back to the mental state of a child. Not only that, he is bi-polar or has other mental issues which he takes medication for. As if that were not sad enough, Jacob also has some serious health issues. Although it has many comedic moments, it is nonetheless a sad film. It takes place in a fictional, back-water, town in Uruguay, in 1962. The acting and cinematography are all top notch. Jacob is somewhat devastated when he finds out the Orsini has been "fixing matches for him" and hand-picking opponents that insure Jacob wins the matches every time. The ending is brilliant and everything leads up to the final match at the end, where due to events in the town of Santa maria, Jacob must face a very tough opponent.
Le fils (2002)
Fascinating FIlm
This movie has the barest of plots, and the barest of dialog, and no music or soundtrack. I have always believed, that a great film director, can film a man walking along the side of the road, kicking a Coke can, and mesmerize the audience, into watching it in total fascination, as if such a mundane act was as interesting as the formation of the entire universe. This is just such a film. The ending of the film, is one of the most simple, minimalist, and best ending of any film I have seen.
Any lessor director would have thrown in the standard, worn-out, clichéd, and cheezy emotional ending. But the ending winds up being ten times as emotion, via its simplicity and understated realism.
We watch Olivier, at work in his school's wood-shop, teaching basic carpentry skills, observing his student's work, driving home, listening to messages on his answering machine, doing sit-ups in his kitchen, blowing his work clothes off with an air machine, mending his leather waist-belt, eating a sub sandwich, dipping a 3/4 eaten, apple-turnover, into black coffee, playing table-soccer, picking out lumber, etc. And it's all a sublime, interesting, human, neo-realist, experience for the viewer.
An amazing film, shot with understated style and substance, that is all I can really say.
127 Hours (2010)
I could barely watch this. However, it is a great film.
This is one of the most intense films I have ever watched. I'm not squeamish, but had my eyes averted perhaps during 10% of the film. I almost quit watching it and thought about turning off the DVD several times during the film. I can say this about many films that I have disliked, but this it the first time I can say that about a film I really thought was great.
It is so real, almost like a documentary. They wanted to cast Cillian Murphy for their first choice as the lead. All I can say is thank god for that failing, and Franco taking the part. Nothing against Murphy, but this is one of those films where the lead just nails it perfectly. I could not imagine any other actor doing as well as Franco in this role. There are quite a few films where the first choice fell through, and the second or third choice just nailed it. Brando was second choice for The Godfather! They wanted Lawrence Olivier, but he was too old and sick to commit to it.
In any case, this film could not have been done any more brilliantly, honestly and accurately. The first scene with the two girls was "Hollywoodized" but the rest of the film is dead on accurate. Ralston said so himself. The Southwest is amazing, I have lived there and hiked a fair amount of it. The scene with the electrical storm was perfect. I have seen week after week, month after month, of nothing but sunshine, cloudless skies, and beautiful, consistently dry, sunny weather- And then an electrical storm from hell, will form out of nowhere, and hit brutally hard in less than 20 minute's time. Often with golf-ball size hail. It's one of the best scenes in the film.
Der Räuber (2010)
Portrait of a Psychopath Without a Human Conscience
Another reviewer here wrote that "He never hurt anyone." I guess bashing in the brains of, and murdering in cold blood, someone who cared for him and was actually trying to help him gets a free pass? I would rather state that this psychopath hurt any decent human being that he ever came into contact with.
99.9% of the time, I support the "bad guys" over the police in films, but in this film, I could not wait for the Police, or any other dutiful citizen, to put a bullet in this character's head. I have never seen a more evil, less likable, or less sympathetic protagonist, in 40 years of watching films. If the director was aiming to be 'provocative' he achieved that goal in spades. Not at all a bad film, it was wonderfully shot, and I would give it perhaps 3 out of 5 stars. Better than an average film to be sure, but at the same time, it did not really go anywhere. The man and his insane motivations, remain a mystery.
Amexicano (2007)
Excellent Film
Italian Neo-Realism coming out of Queens! Excellent film. See it.
A classic case of: No Production Budget = Excellent Film.
It is a pretty basic story line about and friendship and loyalty. The acting was great and the minimalist approach worked well in this case.
A desperate-for-work, forth-generation, Italian American, living in Queens, befriends a Mexican day laborer(jornalero).
The film portrays the difficulties of everyday life for illegal workers in this country. I wish this film had more exposure and wider distribution. It seems like it was filmed on a cheap digital cam-corder, but this does not detract from the film, and might actually add something to its gritty realism. It basically could have been shot on home video.
The Departed (2006)
Great movie (With an interesting plot hole)
Great movie, no doubt about that. But wait a minute, did the Matt Damon character really believe he could "delete Costigan's existence" without Marky-Mark Wahlberg's character coming back to ream his butt? Tjis just did not make sense to me.
Spoiler warning****
The fact that Marky_Mark's character winds up wasting him in cold blood, just back up my thesis.
Usually I just see a film and go along for the ride, I can 'suspend disbelief' and all that other cool stuff. Just seemed to me this was a huge plot-hole and there were several other minor ones in the mix as well. Okay, some minor flaws in a very very good film.
Crank (2006)
Why did Verona Poison Chev???
If you read a lot of online critics, they always raise that question as a plot hole. See Mr. Cranky for example- http://www.mrcranky.com/movies/crank.html My theory is this- Verona was mad about the hit that Chev was supposed to do on that Chinese guy. The one whom he let live and get out of town. Am I right here people??? Chev told Verona he still did the hit and took the money for the hit, but maybe Verona had known Chev had burned him for the money.
The other question they raise is "Why the slow acting poison instead of a bullet to the head?" This one is very obvious, the poison was designed to be a "cruel and unusual" punishment and then death. Basically a way of torturing the guy more. A bullet would have been too quick and easy, this way, Chev gets to suffer in slow agony for his remaining hours. That is why Verona did the video and all, to rub it into Chev, get revenge on him, make him suffer.
Closet Land (1991)
Bold, audacious, film making effort.
I have always been fascinated by the potential strength of the human mind. In this case, a woman has developed somewhat unique coping techniques/mechanisms as a result of her being beaten and sexually molested as a child. As an abused child, her mind created a fantasy land of sorts that offered her much needed mental escapism. This would come back into play in her adult life, as she is abused and tortured by "the state," and resurrects those same coping skills.
I am surprised no one has mentioned Orwell's Animal Farm, an obvious similarity to the woman's book. Only in her case, she appears innocent and it is only the state's paranoia that sees her writings as an "Animal Farm" type allegory. I consider it a brilliant but flawed film, and no doubt a testament to what the human mind can withstand.
With the Bushes and Ashcrofts of the world thriving, and others who would stifle political dissent at any cost, this movie is not all that far fetched.