Cloud20 Reviews

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

"This could be the end of Spider-Man." - I hope.

[5/10 · 12 May 2007]

Spider-Man 3 (2006)- 2.5/5.

Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, Bryce Dallas Howard, Dylan Baker, Bill Nunn, James Cromwell, Bruce Campbell, Cliff Robertson. Directed by Sam Raimi.

Possible spoilers.

Terribly disappointing sequel that had been highly anticipating since the release of the impressive "Spider-Man 2" in 2004. Peter Parker's life is going well in New York City. He's the on top of his classes in College and he is also still in a strong relationship with his high school sweetheart Mary Jane Watson. His former best friend, Harry Osborn, still holds a grudge against Peter about being revealed of who his father's real "murderer" was. Following in his father's footsteps, Harry has now become the New Goblin and will stop at nothing to kill Spider-Man. This time, Spider-Man must also deal with two more villains, one of which coincidentally is responsible for his Uncle's death (Sandman) and the other who is a photographer also working for the Daily Bugle (Venom). The meanest villain of all is one that isn't even human - the black symboite that takes Peter's costume over and leaves him in a change of personality that he must fight. So much expectation from many fans of the series thinking it would be the strongest part of the series like "Return of the King" was for "Lord of the Rings" and "Revenge of the Sith" was for the new Star Wars trilogy. Problems with the storyline and characters are really what makes the film go down. Everything seems so rushed and sloppy compared to the first two films. Maguire's performance is less than impressive, as all he seems to do on the screen is either to act like a jerk or cry over Mary Jane. James Franco is really the only performance I actually enjoyed, but even he can't make up for all of the other performers. Sam Raimi must really have a tough time thinking of new ideas for the film because we still have the same sub-story lines regarding Uncle Ben's death or Peter and Mary Jane's on-and-off relationship. The second film was fresh because there was a completely different villain and Peter's personality was very understanding for him not wanting to be Spider-Man in order to live an every day life. Here, watching Peter is about as likable as hanging out with Rush Limbaugh for a day. The "dancing" scenes are especially stupid, and his "new look" is just painful to look at. That being said, the special effects are at least decent and there are a few funny scenes and enjoyable action sequences. Overall, I just think that it could have been a great film had the director put in the effort to develop it. In the end it just looks like he wrapped it up like a teenager working on a high school book report at the last minute.

Forrest Gump (1994)

Probably the most enjoyable film made in the 90's...

[10/10 · 16 April 2007]

Forrest Gump (1994)- 5/5

Tom Hanks, Robin Wright Penn, Gary Sinise, Sally Field, Mykelti Williamson, Haley Joel Osment. Directed by Robert Zemeckis.

Possible spoilers.

Fantastic Best Picture winner of 1994 that is heartwarming and hilarious, "Forrest Gump" is a perfect example of a film to watch on a bad day. The titled character is just so likable and understanding that I don't know how anyone could give a negative comment about the movie. Many dislike it merely because it won the Oscar over films like "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Pulp Fiction." Don't get me wrong, those two are great films, but there are some qualities in "Forrest Gump" that are simply superior. The main character, played as an adult by Hanks, is... "different." He grows up in the small town of Greenbow, Alabama with his mother (Field) and the love of his life, Jenny Curran (Wright), but manages to leave the town and go to college to play football due to his incredible speed. After college, he enlists in the marine corps and is taken to Vietnam. After enlisting in the war, he returns to America to find Jenny and to see where his life takes him, and it's an amazing journey to say the least. Robert Zemeckis' direction is excellent and probably the best of his long career. Tom Hanks never ceases to amaze me in this; it may very well be one of the best performances in an American film I've ever seen. Wright, Sinise, Williamson and Field all do great in their supporting roles. The editing and cinematography are just perfect. A great blend of both comedy and drama, "Forrest Gump" is a truly unforgettable film that is just about for everyone.

True Romance (1993)

Gotta Love It.

[12 April 2007]

True Romance (1993)- 4.5/5

Possible Spoilers.

One more impressive outing from the writing of Quentin Tarantino and a long list of credible actors. The dialog and performances really make the film entertaining and engaging. The storyline involves movie geek Clarence Worley (Slater) who meets a hooker named Alabama (Arquette) and falls in love with her. Clarence has trouble with her pimp, Drexl (Oldman), but ends up killing him after a fight. Instead of picking up Alabama's belongings at Drexl's apartment, Clarence picks up a briefcase filled with half a million dollars worth of cocaine by accident. The two plan to travel to Los Angeles to sell all of it and move away with the money, but a group of mobsters and the LAPD are both informed on the situation and try to reclaim it. Slater, who I don't particularly care for, does his best here and I was not let down with his performance. Tarantino's script is just great - using far more talk rather than violence to make the movie work. The cameos and supporting cast do very well in their roles, most notably Walken and Pitt. Tony Scott's direction is pretty impressive, as he provides us with a film far superior than the list of mediocre flicks the director has made. Maybe not one of the top films from the year, but definitely enjoyable and the best movie by Tony Scott.

Cast: Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Michael Rapaport, Gary Oldman, Bronson Pinchot, Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken, Saul Rubinek, Val Kilmer, Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore, James Gandolfini, Samuel L. Jackson.

Grindhouse (2007)

Sublimely Entertaining...

[8/10 · 11 April 2007]

Grindhouse (2007)- 4/5

Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Kurt Russell, Marley Shelton, Rosario Dawson, Tracie Thomas, Zoe Bell, Josh Brolin, Michael Biehn, Bruce Willis, Vanessa Ferlito, Michael Parks.

Possible Spoilers.

"Grindhouse" could very well be the craziest experience I've ever had in a movie theater. Films like "Kill Bill" are quite great cinematic experiences, but "Grindhouse" takes everything to a new level. Bad acting, editing, directing, music and special effects are used, but never have those elements made such an enjoyable film. The film is a double feature: the first film, "Planet Terror" by Robert Rodriguez, has a "Dawn of the Dead"-like plot about flesh-eating zombies terrorizing a town, with the survivors fighting for their lives. The second film is quite different. "Death Proof", directed by Quentin Tarantino, has a psychotic macho man stalking women on the road. People seeing this film should not expect the film to be over after "Planet Terror" ends. The film is not for everyone; it's mostly for fans of the two directors and understanding that they are intentionally making bad movies. The trailers at the beginning and in between the films are clever, disgusting, and hilarious. Tarantino and Rodriguez have really payed homage to B-movie exploitation films, and they actually make a bad movie seem so fun to watch.

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Noir Excellence.

[9/10 · 11 April 2007]

Reservoir Dogs (1992)- 4.5/5

Possible Spoilers.

Superbly entertaining and exciting fare that is definitely rewatchable. Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs is a stunning debut film - one where the director is not ashamed to depict realistic dialog and violence. Told in mixed chronology, a crime boss named Joe Cabot (Tierney) hires five men to pull off a difficult job - to rob a jewelery store and bring the diamonds back. When the job goes bad with the police disrupting the heist, the remaining men, Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) and Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), meet in a warehouse and discuss what went wrong. They come to the conclusion that one of them could be a police informant. The story has flashbacks giving clues to who it could possibly be, leading up to the surprising climax. Reservoir Dogs is definitely a credible film, with the success inspiring him to write the even more brilliant "Pulp Fiction." Tarantino's first film really does out with a bang, but the dialog and cleverly-scripted characters are what really make the film work. Probably the best film of 1992.

Cast: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Lawrence Tierney, Eddie Bunker, Quentin Tarantino, Kirk Baltz, Randy Brooks.

The Beach (I) (2000)

Ignored and underrated.

[8/10 · 13 May 2006]

The Beach (2000)- 4/5

Leonardo DiCaprio, Virginie Ledoyen, Tilda Swinton, Robert Carlyle, Guillaume Canet, Paterson Joseph. Directed by Danny Boyle.

Spoilers herein.

People often bash "The Beach" because of either two reasons: it is under-developed, or Leonardo DiCaprio "sucked" in it. I highly think differently on both counts. It is a film with an exhilarating direction by Danny Boyle with an interesting concept and characters.

A young, curious, nicotine-addicted man named Richard travels to Thailand in search of something new. He meets a crazy hotel neighbor named Daffy who tells him about a secret island that he refers to as paradise. Daffy kills himself shortly after and leaves a map for Richard. Curious on whether the island exists, he invites two French friends from the hotel to come with him on a journey to the island. They meet others on the island who have very similar interests to Richard about escaping the real world to paradise, but all of that can soon change.

"The Beach" shouldn't really have as much negative feedback as it often gets. DiCaprio gives a good post-"Titanic" performance, where he would later have even better roles ("Gangs of New York", "The Aviator"). Boyle's direction is solid and very crazy at times. The cinematography is stunning, and gives both a visceral blue and gritty picture.

There are only a few flaws, and the high majority of them are in the last 1/3 or so of the film. Richard's descent into madness happens way too quickly, and some of his hallucinations and thoughts are rather confusing. His character undergoes changes and is able to recover; I didn't really understand what the director was trying to say in that aside of giving references to films like "Apocalypse Now" and novels like "Lord of the Flies." Overall, "The Beach" is a movie that I can highly recommend to anyone who is need for something different, like the protagonist in the film. It gets better on each very, but isn't ever a perfect piece. While not a great movie, "The Beach" was an overlooked visual piece that deserves more respect than it gets.

The NeverEnding Story (1984)

It's too bad that it had to end...

[8/10 · 11 February 2006]

The NeverEnding Story (1984)

Barret Oliver, Noah Hathaway, Gerald McRaney, Tami Stronach, Alan Oppenheimer, Thomas Hill.

Spoilers herein.

"The NeverEnding Story" is a pleasing and often exciting children's story that is especially good for kids. I first watched it when I was about seven, it instantly became one of my favorite films. Of course, now that I've grown up I've found interest in much better movies, but I still consider "The NeverEnding Story" to be a very strong film, and I prefer it to the vastly overpraised "Lord of the Rings" or "The Princess Bride" any day. I can hardly believe it's been over twenty years since it released!

Bastian is a young boy who is picked on and misunderstood for having a wild and visual imagination. While hiding from school bullies in a library, he comes across a book called The NeverEnding Story that the bookstore owner warns him about. Bastian ignores the warning and borrows the book. He decides to skip school to read it, so he hides in the attic. Bastian tunes into the story taking place in Fantasia, a fantasy land that is being consumed by a "nothing", wiping out anything that it passes. The Childlike Empress, "queen" of Fantasia, is becoming sick and a warrior named Atreyu is on a quest to find what has caused the "nothing" and what he can do to stop it.

What makes "The NeverEnding Story" succeed is the likable characters (aside of the villains) that you can always care for and root for. Bastian's character has the imagination and heart of a hero, but in reality he cannot face his fears, whereas Atreyu is the opposite in the story. Kids will enjoy the twists of the book as Fantasia falls apart more and more as time goes on.

Wolfgang Petersen's direction is very good for this material where he adds in good humor and dark suspense, even for a children's movie. Oliver plays his part well about the cowardly side of the story, while Hathaway does good playing the character that Bastian would like to become. While I dislike most of his other work, Giorgio Moroder actually does quite well with the musical score. The special effects are obviously dated when compared to films like "Terminator 2" or "Lord of the Rings", but for an 80's film it is still enjoyable.

This film spawned two terrible sequels that almost ruin the original's message about courage and standing up for what you believe. Overall, "The NeverEnding Story" has been dated in many ways and almost forgotten by now, since most children have started watching films like "Toy Story" or "Finding Nemo" now, but this movie is still one that I won't forget from my childhood and it's actually one of the only fantasy films that I actually enjoy. 4 stars out of 5.

Saw (2004)

Sawing Saw Up.

[7/10 · 11 February 2006]

Saw (2004)

Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannel, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Ken Leung, Michael Emerson, Dina Meyer, Tobin Bell.

Newcomer director James Wan presents us with a shock-fest that makes Michael Mann's Collateral looks like a purely calm drive down the street. Saw is a hell of a thrill ride, but not without its flaws. It does have holes throughout and parts that I didn't care for, but makes up for them in suspense and tension in certain scenes.

Two men wake up in a dirty bathroom, with no idea knowing how they got there. One is a married doctor, and the other a young photographer. In between them lies a man who just shot himself in the head, and a tape player in his hand. They each find tapes in their pockets, and play them both with the tape player. They find out that they both have just a few hours until "the jigsaw killer" threatens to hurt the doctor's family, unless he follows the rules of the Jigsaw's "game". Meanwhile, a cop is hot on Jigsaw's tail after the murder of his friend.

From the giving of the plot, you would think that "Saw" would be an unoriginal tripe piece of cinema trash. But you are quite wrong. I thought that the trailer looked very good, and figured I would give it a try. After seeing it about a year ago and then just a few days ago again, I felt very entertained the whole time through and didn't feel copped out in the end. However, from the flaws that this film has, it's mostly from the script and the acting.

Most predictable thrillers and carbon copies from classic noirs use the basic "from the cop's point-of-view" scenario. But from Saw, it is given a much more terrifying view, from the victims. Considering that I'm not much of a fan of the Horror genre, "Saw" is one of 2004's biggest thrill surprises and ones that I actually liked, along with the "Dawn of the Dead" remake.

The acting is one of my biggest complaints, however. Cary Elwes tries very hard to succeed in a dynamic performance, but he goes a bit too over-the-top in the film's most gruesome scene. Whannell is OK for a first timer major role, but isn't really convincing once you've been with him for a while in the film. Danny Glover gives probably the best performance in the film as a retired cop (opposed to the one who always planned to retire in "Lethal Weapon") out for revenge.

The direction is good as is the cinematography, editing, and music. The script is good, but tries a bit too hard to act original, and some of Jigsaw's lines are too similar to that of John Doe (Kevin Spacey) from Seven. With all of the hype from the trailer, it was inevitable that this would be compared to similar thrillers, two main ones being Seven and The Silence of the Lambs.

The killer uses the same moral excuse as John Doe, or even Mickey Knox from Natural Born Killers. Ridding people from the world because they don't give "living" any real purpose, or because they really give no thought about their own lives. In the other films, the killer murdered them in different ways, but here the victims murder themselves in the toughest ways possible, and if they make it out alive, they really want to live.

The DVD is pretty fair among the New Releases, nothing that special. We get a featurette, a couple of trailers, and a music video of the song "Bite the Hand that Bleeds You" by Fear Factory, a "Making of" the song, and a short photo gallery. It's just a basic, average DVD that did need more features, and if they sometime make a Special Edition of it, it'll be sucking away my money most likely.

Overall, this is a very effective thriller in the end. The twist, if not very realistic, was very surprising and had me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend Saw for a fun flick to watch on a Friday night, but it isn't nearly on the same scale as "Se7en" or "The Usual Suspects". 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Black Hawk Down (2001)

Saving Your Personal Private Ryan.

[9/10 · 11 February 2006]

Black Hawk Down (2001)

Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Eric Bana, Tom Sizemore, Sam Shepard, William Fichtner, Jason Isaacs, Ewen Bremner, Charlie Hofheimer, Tom Guiry, Ron Eldard, Orlando Bloom.

The whole idea of the film 'Black Hawk Down' could easily have been avoided. It was a war that didn't need to be fought, and a victory that didn't need to be hailed. Only 19 soldiers lost their lives that day, but for the men who were lucky enough to survive, will never forget it.

'Black Hawk Down' is inspired by a true story in October of 1993 about American soldiers who give food to Somalia to prevent starvation. The warlords, led by Mohamed Aidad, take the food away and give it to the soldiers fighting for Somalia. America plans to make a quick attack by eliminating Aidad, but it ends up as a long battle (17 hours) for their lives once the American helicopters are shot down by heavily armed Somalians.

Ridley Scott is a quite talented director. He's given us the amazing 'Blade Runner',the disappointing 'Hannibal', and the thrilling 'Alien'. And now, 'Black Hawk Down' is, in my opinion, his best work. He does a brilliant portrayal of war and the horrors that it resembles.

Though the Somalian war was for not very long at all, it was still very brutal and non-stop. It is visually dazzling and very long. Throughout, we see soldiers helping other soldiers and risking their own lives in order to save others. That is one of the bravest things that anyone could do, and this film shows exactly that.

There was very little conversation going on throughout the fighting. We didn't really get to know the characters very well, but then again, there were many of the soldiers to know, and I think Scott didn't want to make the film overlong by doing so.

Even though we don't get to know the characters very well, director Scott still delivers dramatic and tragic scenes throughout, for both the Americans and Somalians. There is one scene involving an American soldier (Yurek; Thomas Guiry) who is almost shot by a young Somalian boy, who instead shoots his father on accident. The boy hugs his father and tries to help, and Yurek aims his gun away because he can't shoot a young kid.

Many people didn't like this film because of it's overuse of war scenes, little character development, and thought that it was trying to "rip-off" of 'Saving Private Ryan'. The acting was very good from about everyone. Josh Hartnett soars in the lead role, doing much better than the other War film he was in that year (Pearl Harbor, 2001). Tom Sizemore, Ewan McGregor, Eric Bana, and Sam Shepard do very well in the supporting roles. This film does remind me of 'Saving Private Ryan', but just with much more combat and a better message. If people thought that 'Private Ryan' was a slap in the face to moviegoers, then 'Black Hawk Down' is like a punch to the gut.

'Black Hawk Down' gives one of the greatest messages about war that I have ever seen. It is everything that 'Pearl Harbor' should have been. If a child were to see this, I recommend for a parent to see it with them. Not because the child may not be mature enough. So the parent can guide the child into not thinking that the war is "cool", but instead describing the horrors of war and explaining to them why it is wrong. War is the biggest fear nowadays, that sometimes may never be confronted. One of the best films of 2001 and quite objectively excellent with it's direction, acting and cinematography. 4.5 stars out of 5.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

One of the Best to Come out of the 90's Decade.

[10/10 · 11 February 2006]

Pulp Fiction (1994)

John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Harvey Keitel, Maria De Medeiros, Eric Stolz, Rosanna Arquette, Christopher Walken.

'Pulp Fiction' is the thrill-ride of cinema . It is like watching a real life comic book on the big screen. It's wild, chaotic, fun, entertaining, and thrilling from beginning to end as it is told from different segments.

The plot of about redemption. Jules and Vincent are two hit men who are sent to retrieve a briefcase for their boss, Marsellus Wallace. Ringo and Honey Bunny are two bandits who plan to rob a diner. Wallace's wife, Mia, goes out with Vincent and unfortunately has an overuse of drugs. Butch Coolidge is a boxer who is out of luck and ditches a fight with Marsellus' money filled in his pockets, and plans to escape with the money.

All of the stories are divided into different segments told at different times. Quentin Tarantino had his directorial debut with 1992' 'Reservoir Dogs', and wrote Tony Scott's 'True Romance'. Here, he writes and directs 'Pulp Fiction' with everything he's got, and it never fails. Ever.

Everything about this film is absolutely nothing that you would expect from a mob film, which is exactly one of the reasons that it succeeds. The dialog is classic to say the least, in which it should be required for movie-goer to read that script, and definitely see the movie.

There is one very talked about and mysterious scene, when Vincent opens the briefcase. No one knows what is in it, at least no fans of the movie. Many people take guesses but at times are never close. Quentin does this to make us think in our own minds of what it is. Some say that it is the jewels from 'Reservoir Dogs' but some go as far as to say that it is Marsellus' soul (Briefcase case code: 666; The band-aid on his neck is supposed to cover the "thorn" sign). It's highly doubtful in my opinion, but it is one again thought-provoking and interesting.

The dialog is great. The film never runs on empty for the script or even the characters. The characters all have lines at some point, and each of them are successful, whereas in 'Reservoir Dogs' the pace did drag a bit during the background character development. Here's an example of the dialog in the film:

Vincent: You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris? Jules: They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with cheese? Vincent: No man, they got the metric system. They wouldn't know what a Quarter Pounder is. Jules: What do they call it? Vincent: They call it a "Royale" with cheese. Jules: A Royale with cheese. What do they call a Big Mac? Vincent: Well, a Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it "Le" Big Mac. Jules: "Le Big-Mac". (Laughs) What do they call a Whopper? Vincent: I don't know, I didn't go into Burger King.

The dialog is very comically funny in some of the scenes, and at the same time is suspenseful in some ways. Tarantino's direction is fabulous, as was his in his debut. Both this is something different. In his first film, it seemed much more independent and there was much controversy of the style from 'Reservoir Dogs'. Here, his style is much more clear and the writing makes it succeed more than any other indie film I've ever seen.

The cast is great, once again. Samuel L. Jackson gives one of his best, if not the best, performances of his career. Travolta, Thurman, Willis, Rhames, Roth, and Keitel give very memorable performances and quotes. Also, Christopher Walken gives a great comic cameo. Each segment tells most about one of the main characters. You get to know each of them one-by-one. In the end, you don't really know which character to root for, because you like all of them.

One of the most controversial things about this film that came across the critics was it's violence and excessive language. Now that I have seen Tarantino's latest film, 'Kill Bill', I now think that 'Pulp Fiction' isn't nearly as violent as many people would think nowadays. The language is heavily used, but Tarantino blends it in with the script very easily that it isn't really much of a problem.

'Pulp Fiction' has gotten many excellent reviews and great ratings from fans and critics alike. It is definitely a fan that no movie-goer can't miss out on, and Tarantino proves to be one of my favorite directors ever, along on the list with Hitchcock, Kubrick, Scorsese, and Spielberg. This is easily the best of Quentin's career, and a landmark for films to come. 5 stars out of 5.

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Kubrick's War.

[9/10 · 11 February 2006]

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Matthew Modine, Vincent D'Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey, Arliss Howard, Adam Baldwin, Dorian Harewood.

There is one scene in 'Full Metal Jacket' that I want to talk about first. It is the scene near the very beginning with Leonard Lawrence and Gunnery Sgt. Hartman. Lawrence thinks that Hartman is very funny, but as the film goes on, he starts to hate him more and more.

'Full Metal Jacket' is really a different type of war film. It doesn't deal with war battles between Vietnam and America, but battles against ourselves. I don't mean like gun battles, I mean the way that we might feel when we see this film, we realize that we basically fought each other.

Soldiers are trained by a mean drill instructor to begin killers, then you actually witness them doing it. The film is divided into two halves. The first half revolves mostly around Pvt. Joker, Pvt. Lawrence (Gomer Pyle), and Drill Instructor Hartman. The soldiers go through training at a South Carolina Marine Corps camp. Joker is the second leader in the group, and Pyle is ranked lower in the platoon because Hartman dislikes him and believes that he cannot do anything. Pyle doesn't have any friends on the squad and only is good at one thing, combat training.

The second half is set in Vietnam. It revolves around Joker, Animal Mother, Eightball, and Cowboy, one of Joker's old buddies from training. They go off to fight as gunmen in the war, but also must save their fellow soldiers. Joker believes that war is a living hell, but at the same time, he believes that after fighting there will soon be peace.

'Full Metal Jacket' probably isn't the best war film ever made, but it is a great film. It has a good story, another brilliant direction by Stanley Kubrick, and interesting characters. The acting in the movie is just almost perfect. Lee Ermey gives his best and very memorable performance as Sgt. Hartman, mostly because he was a drill instructor in real life. Modine and D'Onofrio were also very good. Dorian Harewood and Adam Baldwin deliver clever lines, and are interesting characters. There are much humor in the film, and it actually is funny. Some of Ermey's line are very clever. It's interesting how he they thought up all of his lines.

At times, the film doesn't really fit together. It shows some unrelated material to the story. It loses its pace near the beginning of the second half, but recovers a little later in the movie. Joker's (Modine) narration throughout the movie goes no where. It's horribly told. I'm not saying that Modine was a bad actor, because he wasn't, but the narration sounds like he read it off of flashcards. The first scene that I mentioned really made feel bad for Pvt. Pyle, and it got worse later in the film. Pyle seems like he is Hartman's main victim, mostly because he seems worthless.

'Full Metal Jacket' is a really good movie and almost a classic. I don't know how it could have been better, but it is fine the way it is. It is one of the best from Kubrick, and is underrated by some people, but is loved by others. Overall the first half is one of the most effective pieces of film I've ever seen, whereas the second is more or less just good. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

From a Fruit to a Vegetable.

[10/10 · 11 February 2006]

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Anthony Sharp, Warren Clarke, James Marcus, Godfrey Quigley, Michael Bates, Philip Stone, Carl Duering.

'A Clockwork Orange' is, without a doubt, one of the strangest films I have ever seen, and will ever see. It is twisted, disturbing, and ultimately haunting. It is a masterpiece that shows us a look inside the mind of an intelligent, yet disturbed youth.

The plot is about an older teen named Alex who enjoys listening to Beethoven, skipping school, and hanging out with his friends during the evening in a not too distant future. He is obsessed with sex/rape ("the old in-out") and "ultra violence" so much that he thinks about it almost all the time. During the nights, he and his "droogs" either hang out at a milk bar, terrorize bums on the street, or get into brawls. They get into a gang fight, steal a car, break into a writer's house, beat up the writer and rape his wife right in front of his eyes.

The next night, Alex accidentally kills a woman inside her home. When he leaves, his friends betray him and leave him for the police. Alex is sent to prison for years because of his crime. In prison, he hears of something that can cure people from their problems. The doctors decide to test it on Alex by flashing images onto a screen, images that Alex is obsessed with. When Alex is released, his former victims and friends plot revenge on him.

'A Clockwork Orange' is a thought-provoking piece of film that still delivers after over 30 years. It had a powerful impact on me by the film's finale. Content wise, I don't recommend it to everyone. It is extremely graphic with strong use of sexuality and nudity. If that doesn't bother you then you should see this. It really isn't as disturbing as it sounds.

Stanley Kubrick, once again, gives a wonderful direction. I love the way that he directed his movies, almost all of them are great. The soundtrack is very great with Beethoven's Ninth and the film's original score. The composer of the original score, Wendy Carlos, does an excellent job of giving a haunting score.

The words to describe Alex De Large are sick, perverted, twisted, and despicable. I'd be surprised if anyone couldn't tell that already, even after the grin he gives to the camera after the opening credits. Alex has a wide imagination, even if his thoughts are somewhat disturbing. Malcolm McDowell plays him masterfully. I really didn't expect the movie to be like this. I expected it to be some sort of Cyber-Thriller, but it turned out to be a powerful experience.

This movie was adapted from the novel by Anthony Burgess. I admit, I never read the novel, but I really understood the movie. Although it is a Science Fiction movie, it never does have what most others of that genre do: which is lasers, flying objects, and epic battles. This is much different from those, and much more original.

'A Clockwork Orange' is one of Kubrick's best films, definitely his most thought provoking. He is one of the greatest directors in the history of film, and has given magnificent movies. I can't decide if I like this or 'Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (quite possibly THE Sci-Fi film). I will never forget the impact that 'A Clockwork Orange' had on me. 5 stars out of 5.

The Longest Yard (1974)

Go Deep.

[7/10 · 5 February 2006]

The Longest Yard (1974)

Burt Reynolds, Ed Lauter, Eddie Albert, Michael Conrad, James Hampton, Richard Kiel, Harry Caesar, John Steadman.

Spoilers herein.

"The Longest Yard" has been classified as one of the greatest sports comedies ever made. There is just one thing I don't understand - is it really meant to be that funny? The only comedy I found in the movie was just dark humor during the prison scenes, but that couldn't add another whole genre to the film, could it?

Former pro quarterback Paul Crewehas been arrested for grand theft auto and assault on a police officer and has been sentenced to do time prison. Warden Hazen of the prison wants to give Crewe a chance to help his guards in football, and is inspired by Crewe's idea of getting a team of inmates to face off against the guards. Crewe accepts the offer and becomes the quarterback of the team that he knows he cannot let down.

Burt Reynolds does good as the rebel against the guards, though his character isn't particularly likable. This worked in films like "Raging Bull", because the film wasn't supposed to be sweet or funny at all. In comedies, main characters are supposed to have something to like about them, and Paul Crewe isn't a character that you can have much sympathy for, which is one of elements that fails in "The Longest Yard". He does play a much more convincing Paul Crewe than Adam Sandler does, however.

This film does have something that the original was missing though- it was much fresher. The script does a lot better here than it did in the silly remake, which added in too many dumb references to McDonald's and homosexuality. The rest of the cast is pretty good, and I especially enjoyed Richard Kiel's role as the giant Samson. "I think I broke his f****'in neck!" Overall, I just felt like this film was somewhat dated and runs at a pretty slow pace. But the final half hour of the movie, like the remake, is entertaining enough to be watched at least once for fun. I found this slightly better than the new one because it has a much more real feel to it, and it just succeeds for being a good film. If you want a great film about the teamwork of football, see "Friday Night Lights". 3.5 stars out of 5.

The Longest Yard (2005)

Average Remake of a Good Football Film that Barely Succeeds.

[6/10 · 5 February 2006]

The Longest Yard (2005)

Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds, Nelly, Michael Irvin, James Cromwell, William Fichtner, Bill Goldberg, Steve Austin, Nicholas Tururro, Cloris Leachman, Chris Berman, Rob Schneider.

Spoilers herein.

Paul Crewe is a washed-up pro quarterback suspended from the NFL for purposely losing his game. After a high speed, drunk driving chase with the police, he is sent to prison. The warden wants Crewe to help his football team consisting of the prison guards, but instead decides that Crewe needs to round up a team of inmates to play the guards.

While I did not think that the original "The Longest Yard" was a great or funny movie, it was certainly not stupid or boring. The remake, however, is both stupid and funny in some areas. I'd even say that it is funnier than the original, but some parts of it bring the film down. Sandler is OK in his role with some funny moments, but Chris Rock's enthusiasm is what really keeps the film from being average. Burt Reynolds does a surprisingly good job and doesn't make a fool out of himself like he did with "The Dukes of Hazzard". The rest of the cast either isn't very good or wasted in their roles. Overall, the film is worth seeing mostly for Chris Rock's hysterical performance and the final 30 or so minute football scene is very nicely redone. Other than that, there isn't very much else to recommend. Teenagers will find interest in this, but most adults will stick to the original. 3 stars out of 5.

Any Given Sunday (1999)

Of Sharks and Men.

[8/10 · 5 February 2006]

Any Given Sunday (1999)

Al Pacino, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, LL Cool J, James Woods, Matthew Modine, Lawrence Taylor, Jim Brown, John C. McGinley, Aaron Eckhart, Charlton Heston, Oliver Stone, Elizabeth Berkley. Directed by Oliver Stone. Spoilers herein.

"Any Given Sunday" is a film that is a feast for the eyes, but not the mind. Stone does a great job for creating a dizzying direction, eye-opening visuals, and extremely loud sound, and he does all of this with the 2 and a half+ hours that he has to spare with the film but never does go deep into detail on the characters.

The story consists of a professional football team struggling with their season. The film opens with a quote from football legend Vince Lombardi, and then fades into a football game, where the starting quarterback for the Sharks, Jack Rooney is hurt in the middle of a game, unknown third string quarterback Willie Beaman is sent in for the rest of the season. As Beaman starts rising to fame, aging Coach D'Amato and Rooney begin to question if Beaman is worth risking the rest of the season and their chance for the championship as he is trying to make the team win by himself.

The performances are pretty good and powerful. Al Pacino and Jamie Foxx do great with the lead characters, and other familiar faces such as Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, James Woods, LL Cool J, Matthew Modine and John C. McGinley in the supporting performances.

One thing I did really like about "Any Given Sunday" is how the action during the games is very realistic, gritty, and fast. It ultimately captures the intensity and hard work from the sport of Football. But like "Natural Born Killers" and "U Turn", the sound is so unbearably loud and images are so fast and dizzying that the film could give some viewers a headache. Stone has been known to cause controversy among his films, and this is a way that he seems to do it, but it didn't bother me so much as haters of the film. Despite of some of the strengths, "Any Given Sunday" does have a few flaws. The film is unnecessarily overlong, overly stylish, and underdeveloped. Stone really could have made the film about 20-30 minutes shorter, and with most of the time the characters are either playing on the game field or yelling at each other. Some scenes showing Willie's rise are no more interesting than a Nike Gridiron commercial or a Michael Bay film. Another thing Stone forgets to do is add emotion to the film, and he replaces that with mostly sports action.

Overall I really did enjoy this film a lot, for it's realistic football scenes and the living hell that the players go through in order to win. But at times it really does try too hard, especially when it's absent with a great script and follows clichés of older Football (or even gladiator) films. But I would recommend it to Stone fans and football fans especially. A very considerate 4 stars out of 5.

The Godfather (1972)

The Father of Cinema.

[10/10 · 5 February 2006]

The Godfather (1972)

Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Richard S. Castellano, John Cazale, Sterling Hayden, Al Lettieri, Abe Vigoda, Gianni Russo, John Marley. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Spoilers herein.

I don't think in all my viewings of movies have I seen such excellent direction, acting and writing. "The Godfather" is so brilliant in almost every way that I don't see how anyone could NOT call it a masterpiece. Michael Corleone, one of three sons of his mob boss father Don Vito, returns home from the war for his sister's wedding. Soon after his return, Don Corleone is wounded in a mob hit and Michael wants to strike back. Michael eliminates a corrupt cop and a competing mafioso in public, and escapes to Sicily. While Michael is gone, the Corleone family begins to fall apart.

Marlon Brando gives a powerful and influential performance that is the best of his career with the exception of "Last Tango in Paris". Al Pacino also does very well, and he continues to do so in the later two installments of the trilogy. James Caan, Robert Duvall and Diane Keaton also give great performances for the supporting characters. Coppola is smart with the directing as he doesn't make the film necessarily about shootouts or pure murders, though there is a big amount of violence, but instead he shows how it affects the people who have something to do with them. It is a series of "family" events that build up to a devastating ending. Nino Rota's eerie score highly adds to the atmosphere of the film.

This film, it's sequel and "Apocalypse Now" were the only true modern classics that Coppola made, and launched the careers of Al Pacino and Diane Keaton, two of Hollywood's finest actors and two of my favorites. It is everything that films like "Scarface (1983)" tried to be and should have been, and without this film I doubt that "Once Upon a Time in America", "Goodfellas", "The Untouchables" and many others would have ever been made. "The Godfather" is the definite great film that should be viewed by anyone who calls themselves a cinematic movie buff. 5 stars out of 5.

Pearl Harbor (2001)

This Sleeping Giant Never Really Awakens.

[5/10 · 4 February 2006]

How could one possibly describe Pearl Harbor in one sentence? For me, it's saying this: it's a completely difficult one to judge. I really cannot say whether it's a bad film or a good one – it's neither. It was obviously made for big bucks at the box-office, but it is quite hard to tell if Bay was interested in creating a good movie or not.

Pilots Rafe (Ben Affleck) and Danny (Josh Hartnett) have been best friends since childhood. Soon, Rafe finds out that he has to leave for England to fight with the RAF during pre-WWII for America. He soon says goodbye to Danny, and his loving girlfriend, Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale). When Rafe is supposedly shot down in France, Danny tells Evelyn. Soon, the two fall in love and turn to one another after the tragedy. But, months later, it turns out that Rafe is still alive and comes to visit Evelyn and Danny at their new base in Hawaii. Though the three are held in a tough situation, it gets even worse the next day when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, drawing America into World War II.

I don't know whether I should begin stating the strengths or weaknesses – so I'm going to do both. I'll start with the main relation to the title- the attack sequence. The special effects are stunning. The scene would have been an achievement in cinematic action scenes if it weren't for the film's bad reputation. Not including the beginning or aftermath, the attack lasts over half an hour. That means, as exhilarating as it is, it's very hard to watch soldiers and innocent people being shot and blown up. It is very depressing, and not very fun to watch.

Michael Bay is best known for making loud action pictures ("The Rock", "Bad Boys"), and many label this as his worst film. I really do think that this is one of his harder works, but I would not call this a good movie either, and nor did I not enjoy it much. It seems like Bay would rather concentrate on the action and effects rather than the characters and their emotions (with a good screenplay).

The script in the film seems completely rushed and written without much thought. "Pearl Harbor" has very weak comedy, tedious love exchanges between the characters, and a clichéd, predictable outcome. I think Bay has tried too hard to create a Hollywood, love-story action masterpiece, but since it comes off as both a 'guy movie' and a 'chick flick' with such strong manner, it probably won't appeal to either sex.

The love sequence is probably the film's main weakness. Like the script, the love story has been recycled in many other films, mainly reminding us of "Titanic". "Titanic" had a fresh love story, great visuals, wonderful acting, and a terrific script. "Pearl Harbor" is missing over half of these qualities. "Pearl Harbor" was meant to portray America as a tough nation during WWII, but Bay belabors the point, and almost makes it Anti-Japanese (especially by giving us an unnecessary last 1/3 of the film showing a revenge attack).

I admit, the acting is not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Affleck is pretty bad, yes, but he has done worse. Hartnett actually isn't too bad, but was better in Ridley Scott's "Black Hawk Down". The supporting performances are pretty poor, aside of familiar faces such as Cuba Gooding Jr., Jon Voight, Alec Baldwin and Tom Sizemore.

Overall, I would say that "Pearl Harbor" is an epic cinematic disappointment. A movie that could have been so much more than it is. However, it is a prime example of today's movie-making – how some films are made strictly for money, and not good criticism. I would say that I don't recommend "Pearl Harbor", but if you are a hardcore action movie fan, who can stand a long running length and a cheesy script, then go for it. Not really a bad film, just one that could have made itself so much more. 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Scarface (1983)

Very exceptional gangster film with some flaws.

[9/10 · 4 February 2006]

Scarface (1983) Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantino, Robert Loggia, Harris Yulin, F. Murray Abraham.

Spoilers herein.

Tony Montana (Pacino) is a Cuban Refugee who arrives in America in 1980. As he lives in Miami, he notices that money, greed and women are all around him, and he makes a decision to rise above all others in the city.

"Scarface" is quite simply one hell of a movie, especially such an epic example of its genre. About every time I watch it, by the end, it leaves a huge impact on me. It is controversial among both movie fans and critics. The main reasons are because the film contains much excessive violence and has become a sort of inspiration for "gangstas". I think both are wrong, because the miss the message that it tries to give out. If these people didn't just skip to the final 10 (is it even that long?) minute shootout, then they would realize what the film really says.

Tony Montana is a character in which you feel for at first and then, when it comes to the actions he makes, you begin to dislike his character. I found this several times in Scorsese's 'Raging Bull', where the main character is so despicable where you just have to feel sorry for the guy. Pacino well acts his character, but at times he plays him so villainously (and this may be the film's only flaw) that it gets a bit too over-the-top and his character becomes overblown.

Brian De Palma (The Untouchables, Casualties of War) is a good director, but sometimes his angles confuse me. This is probably his best-directed movie though, along with "Carlito's Way". "The Untouchables" was by far the most enjoyable of them all, but here he creates tension inside the characters, mainly Tony, to where the suspense rises within them. It's a pretty smart move. The acting in the film is good. Stated above, Pacino is good in his role, and Bauer and Mastrantino give good supporting performances. Oliver Stone (JFK, Platoon) wrote the screenplay, and is a great start for his early work.

Overall, if you are a fan of crime/drama or action films, this one is definitely for you. "Scarface" comes off the screen so powerfully stylish that you can't stop watching. But while you are viewing the film, please don't judge it for the action or violence, there is more to the film. It is actually an intense character study of a guy who tries to make it to the top, and once he realizes he's lost everything that it's impossible. I wish people would just learn from that. 4.5 stars out of 5.

Man on Fire (2004)

Quite Cold.

[8/10 · 4 February 2006]

Man on Fire (2004)

Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Radha Mitchell, Christopher Walken, Marc Anthony, Giancarlo Giannini, Mickey Rourke, Gustavo Sanchez Parra. Directed by Tony Scott.

Spoilers herein.

Former Marine/CIA operative and depressed alcoholic John Creasy is sent to Mexico to help protect the daughter of an industrialist after a series of kidnappings occur in Mexico City. At first Creasy just wants to do stick to his job and nothing else, but he slow starts to befriend young Pita. Pita is suddenly kidnapped out of nowhere and Creasy is badly wounded, but he vows revenge on those who took her and anyone who gets in his way.

'Man on Fire' really could have been another typical, dumbed-down thriller, but it ends up being intense and very different from most in some areas. The plot of course does not sound original at all, and it isn't, but the directing and editing are the main parts that are different.

Denzel Washington is simply amazing in his role – he actually gives one of his very best here. I wasn't too big on 'John Q', but I still thought he did great in that film as well and saved it from being below average, and that convinces me that Washington is still one of the best actors working today. Dakota Fanning is very good for her age as Pita, and I think she will probably go on to a higher acting career, as she gets older. The rest of the supporting cast is pretty good too, for those whose faces are familiar.

The real only main flaw here is too much of Scott's visual style running wild. The editing and camera work do get very irritating after a while, though they do work strong in some scenes. I really expected this to be a typical Michael Bay-like blockbuster, but I actually think of it as one of the most underrated films of 2004, and it definitely works as both an action film and a character study. 4 stars out of 5.

Apocalypse Now (1979)

An ugly, uncompromisingly brilliant look inside of mankind and the war within themselves...

[4 February 2006]

Apocalypse Now (1979, 2001)

Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest, Sam Bottoms, Laurence Fishburne, Albert Hall, Dennis Hopper, Harrison Ford.

Twenty-five years ago, Francis Ford Coppola had created a ground-breaking masterpiece. It was called 'Apocalypse Now'. It was based on the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, which was written in the late 1800's. It obviously wasn't about the Vietnam War, but instead was about a man named Kurtz in the jungles of Cambodia. Now that was a great example of film-making. Three years ago, they released an extended version called 'Apocalypse Now: Redux'.

Captain Benjamin Willard is a man just waiting and urging for a mission. He is assigned one: To terminate (...with extreme prejudice) Kurtz, a former Colonel who is a leader of a tribe in a Cambodian jungle. Willard travels with a group of soldiers: Chef, Chief, Lance, and Clean. He meets surf-crazed Lt. Col. Kilgore, who leads the military during an island attack. When Willard arrives on Kurtz's island, he finds that Kurtz has set up his own army. While learning about why Kurtz despises the war, Willard drifts further and further from reality.

'Apocalypse Now: Redux' gives us a version of the original with more detail. I thought that the original was outstanding, but adding almost an hour (49 minutes to be exact) of more footage made the film drag a bit.

The acting is very good, especially from Sheen and Duvall. Brando gives a good performance. This wasn't his best performance (Last Tango in Paris and The Godfather come to mind),but it was very chilling. Other familiar faces include a very young Laurence Fishburne (18 years old!), Dennis Hopper, a younger Harrison Ford, and a cameo by R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket) as a helicopter pilot. Duvall and Hopper give good comic relief. Coppola's direction is very good. Probably his best.

The picture on 'Redux' is restored and looks better than ever. At times, I don't really consider it a war film because it doesn't focus on the Vietnam War. My favorite is the original, but watching 'Redux' was interesting. Fans of the original won't be disappointed by the film, even though we get no special features on the DVD but a trailer.

'Redux' only has a few scenes added in. But they are long scenes. They don't really add much to the story, and don't have much meaning. However, it is good that they made a new version, to remind us of how good the original version was twenty-two years before.

'Apocalypse Now' was one of the best films made about war. It is more like an anti-war film. It is like a personal journey to hell. It shows the power of a man, and how it effects others. It is one of the most unusual, brilliant, and yet bizarre films that I have ever seen. 'Redux' gives us a better look through Willard's adventure to keep his sanity. An excellent achievement (for both versions). 5 stars out of 5.

Natural Born Killers (1994)

The turn-point of "F"-ed up film-making...

[8/10 · 4 February 2006]

Natural Born Killers (1994)

Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Robert Downey Jr., Tommy Lee Jones, Tom Sizemore, Rodney Dangerfield, Arliss Howard, Edie McClurg, Kirk Baltz, Balthazar Getty.

Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers" is one of the hardest films to sit through and review. It definitely makes a case for one of the most talked-about, hyped up, and controversial films of the 1990's. It is a masterpiece of film-making, but I would not necessarily call the film a favorite of mine.

The story is about two mass murderers who go on a killing spree across America. It started as a murder out of rage from their pasts, but they are influenced to kill again from the media's coverage for them, and their fame across the nation, and even the world. After killing dozens of people, they are finally caught by Officer Scagnetti (brother of a character mentioned in "Reservoir Dogs"). In prison, Reporter Wayne Gale offers Mickey to express his feelings on TV and what made and makes him a murderer.

Now, the storyline may not sound very interesting, but you have to see it to believe it. When I first saw the film (I saw the Director's Cut first), I didn't like it at all, and thought that the overuse of style and violence totally killed the film. But after watching the theatrical version months after seeing the Special edition, I have different thoughts on the film.

One of the main reasons that this film was controversial was because of the violence. In the theatrical version, I had no objection to the use of it. Knowing that I was purposely viewed it and saw the media's coverage of the killers in a sick way, I didn't take it as seriously. In the Director's Cut, there was an overkill of violence that didn't make me find much else.

Another reason could be what goes on inside the killer's minds (The demon). When I first saw it, I thought "What is this???" to myself. I found it very messed up, bizarre, and the weakest and most horrible part of the movie. But now I understand what everything means. This isn't a motive for serial killers, but what went on inside the minds had to do with the mood that they were in. And that didn't only happen with the killers, but other characters in the film that do crazy things.

"Natural Born Killers" is a scary film. But it isn't scary because of just Mickey and Mallory's actions, but how everyone reacts to them. The rest of the world encourages them to keep on what they are doing. One random teenager being asked about them says "Not that I believe in all these killing, but if I were a mass murderer, I'd be Mickey and Mallory." The film is much scarier where you realize that Mickey and Mallory are not only the crazy ones, but everyone else is too in a somewhat corrupt and twisted society. However, the dark comedy is unexpected, but does good with its presence.

I can't really say that I recommend the Director's Cut of the film, but some might find it better. The extra bit that is added in is mostly more violence that kind of draws the film away from the message. The deleted scenes aren't good at all, in my opinion. However, we do get to see prison inmate Denis Leary much crazier than everyone else, which was somewhat interesting. The alternate ending may be worth a look.

This is arguably Oliver Stone's most daring film. Stone, not new to controversy, gives us probably his most mixed and stylish film to date. "Platoon", "Born on the Fourth of July", and "JFK" being three of my all time favorite films, Stone is one of the best directors of modern cinema.

In the end, "Natural Born Killers" does come off as a powerful and unforgettable experience in movies that I may never see again. It is bizarre, strange, chaotic, and brilliantly made. It isn't for all tastes, and not for the squeamish. See it at your own risk as this film varies different opinions. 4 out of 5 stars.

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

Leone's Esstential Swan-Song...

[10/10 · 4 February 2006]

Once Upon a Time in America (1984) Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Tuesday Weld, Treat Williams, William Forsythe, James Hayden, Danny Aiello, Larry Rapp, Burt Young, Joe Pesci, Scott Tiler, Jennifer Connelly, Rusty Jacobs.

Spoilers herein.

At the start of the 80's decade, cinema had already gotten a strong start for making great films. Surrounded by tons of mindless and idiotic films from the Comedy and Horror genre that nearly ruined the decade, films like Raging Bull (my favorite of the 1980's), The Empire Strikes Back, Ordinary People and The Elephant Man were some of the best to come out of 1980. Throughout the years, others like Platoon, Rain Man, and Do the Right Thing have been hailed as some of the best of the decade. With one of the best films that has ever been brought to the screen, Once Upon a Time in America, has been constantly ignored and forgotten.

Like Midnight Cowboy, The Wild Bunch, and A Clockwork Orange, Once Upon a Time in America is a turning point in its genre. It's the only film that I've seen that captures the atmosphere and tells the story so differently from others. Sergio Leone's final film, Once Upon a Time in America is actually one of the hardest films I've ever critiqued. It is all around astonishing in the sense that the film is extremely well made by Leone, in the longest film of his career.

The story begins as a mystery, with several men on the search for Noodles, a Jewish gangster on the run from the men for ratting out his "friends". As he escapes the city, we forward to thirty-five years later to him as a senior. There, he comes back to visit a friend and look back on the regrets from his past, from his childhood to him as a younger adult, where he and his best friends rise together in the mob ranks.

Leone, a perfectionist, took many years to write the screenplay. He went through script changes and re-writes many times, and never could get it exactly as he wanted it. When he was finally finished, he acted the film out himself. Objectively, Once Upon a Time in America is possibly the greatest gangster film I've ever seen along with The Godfather and Goodfellas. And it is that reason why I give him credit for giving one of the best directions in a film. His techniques obviously inspired Tarantino to go on making Pulp Fiction, and somewhat even for Martin Scorsese with Goodfellas.

Leone is probably most famous for making films such as the Dollars trilogy (Fistful of Dollars; For a Few Dollars More; The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and Once Upon a Time in the West. Here, he uses a similar storytelling like "West" did, except here it is far more personal into the depths of the characters. The cast is fantastic. De Niro seems rather different in this role, but is still very good. James Woods, Tuesday Weld and Elizabeth McGovern give their best roles to date.

A 139-minute version was brought to the United States for a theatrical release, and was found disappointing by many critics and Leone fans in general. This version showed the film in chronological order, with many important (if intense) character pieces cut out. Ennio Morricone's (who also did the score for the Dollars trilogy) musical score is among his greatest. It is performed in haunting and beautiful ways, and it perfectly matches the film.

The scenes with De Niro's behavior toward women are the ones that give the film a disturbing feel. The scenes with rape may offend some, but you have to understand why he does it before you can go on with the film. I think he did it because he never grew up learning how to treat a woman with love, and after raping the woman who he did love, he looks at the ground with guilt, and wondering to himself, what had he done wrong? Also, the character development in the film is horribly unappreciated. This is a film I just adored from the very beginning- one to expand my imagination on the characters as I did in Cinema Paradiso and City of God.

I won't lie. The content in Once Upon a Time in America is extremely brutal. There are several scenes with shootings, beatings, stabbings- some even involving kids. If you can endure violence and some language- great acting, amazing directing, terrific writing, stunning cinematography, beautiful music. What more could you ask for in a great film? In the end, I would call it the greatest film of the 1980's along with Raging Bull and The Empire Strikes Back. It is an incredible cinematic masterpiece that's greatness within every year that passes. This is Leone's greatest, and sadly last, film. 5 stars out of 5.

Fight Club (1999)

It's a mad world...

[9/10 · 4 February 2006]

Fight Club (1999)

Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter, Jared Leto, Meat Loaf, Zach Grenier.

Directed by David Fincher.

Spoilers herein.

I admit, when I first rented Fight Club about two years ago, I was pretty disappointed. But the reason I probably was is because it was a very different film that I had seen from others. Friends had recommended it to me saying that I would either love or hate it, but I found myself stuck in the middle. Considering that it had a high rating on the IMDb's Top 250 movies, and all of the hype that was surrounding it, I knew that I had to see it.

One of the things that I didn't care for in Fight Club the first time I saw it was that I missed most of the satire and black-comedy behind the violence. However, the whole movie did have an interesting yet strange feel to it. About a year ago, I re-watched the film to see if I would find anything different about it. While watching it, I liked it much more than I did the second time. I caught more of the black humor, and it was hypnotically entertaining.

The story begins with an executive (Edward Norton, playing a character without a name 'Narrator') whose bored with his life and can't sleep during the nights. He begins going to testicular cancer groups so it would make him feel better, but he can't sleep while a lady who fakes her cancer (Helena Bonham Carter playing Marla Singer) remains at the group. After his condo explodes, he is taken in by a mysterious soap salesman (Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden) who shows him a bizarre form of therapy which they call the "Fight Club".

'Fight Club' isn't an easy movie to talk about, write about or forget about. It works in such brilliant ways that other films don't, and in the end the movie works on almost every level. In the sense of storytelling, it definitely succeeds. It was probably the most talked about movie of 1999, and there was much to say about it.

One could say that 'Fight Club' is laughably over-the-top, or to say that the film itself doesn't make sense. I began to think that until it all caught up with me in the end. I will not give any spoilers why it did, but I wasn't really expecting a surprise. It could be compared to the bizarre style of films like Stanley Kubrick's 'Clockwork Orange', Oliver Stone's 'Natural Born Killers' and Terry Gilliam's 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'. But there's so much chemistry and psychological attitude put to this movie that you may not be able to "get" it the first time around. It's a social satire that has almost everything I'd look for in one.

I can't really say that I thought this was directed David Fincher's best film (I enjoyed Se7en (1995) more), but this definitely makes a case as his most visual and daring film. He gives a great direction once again, gives the whole movie a very vivid feel.

One of the only bad things that I can actually say about this film is some of the very strong violence (one scene in particular involving Norton and Jared Leto's character fighting) and a lot of people might think that it would lead to a pointless ending and the average viewer would be left with a negative message. But that isn't the way that it's supposed to end. You really do have to think beyond the movie, no matter how much it doesn't seem real.

Since I loved Edward Norton's performance in 'American History X', he once again gives a great performance and background narration. Brad Pitt gives possibly his best performance to date, and the supporting roles are also good.

The violence is probably the most controversial part of the movie. While I didn't find it too extreme, I thought that others who hadn't seen it should be aware of it. I found a lot of Fight Club quite amusing and funny, but it does get more effective toward the end. The anti-socialism in the film isn't told in a mean-spirited or hated way, the people fighting each other to released energy and power out on one another. But after its all over, you begin to realize how scary the film really is, and apocalyptic it would be in real-life. But the film is still humorous and isn't meant to be as serious as it is.

I never read the book with the same title by Chuck Palahnuik, but after seeing the movie I am interested in reading it. Definitely one of the best films of 1999 along with 'American Beauty' and 'Magnolia'. To sum it all up, 'Fight Club' is one of the best viewing experiences I've ever had in my life, and one of the rare films that kept me entertained on several repeated viewings. It's a riveting, dazzling and completely original story that didn't leave my mind for a while. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Elephant (2003)

The Highlight of Gus Van Sant.

[10/10 · 10 August 2005]

Elephant (2003)

John Robinson, Alex Frost, Elias McConnell, Eric Deulen, Timothy Bottoms, Nathan Tyson, Carrie Finklea, Kristen Hicks, Bennie Dixon. Directed by Gus Van Sant.

Spoilers herein.

In Gus Van Sant's (Director of "Finding Forrester" and "Good Will Hunting") newest film, "Elephant", everything happens with a purpose and a meaning. Even though it is somewhat unanswered, you are left to fill in the unanswered questions. It is one of those films that you watched, and it stays with you for a long time.

I can still recall when I was younger and first heard about the Columbine incident later on in the day it happened, April 20, 1999. No one really knew what really did cause all of the shooting and explosions that happened in the high school, except that they were picked-on and played violent video games. In the story of the Columbine massacre, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold had a hit list, but they targeted anyone in the school, even the ones who had nothing to do with them. The two boys in Elephant are no different, and the director didn't want to exaggerate any further details of their lives.

The story is told in different segments (think 21 Grams), and in the point-of-view of many students of different stereotypes. Elias took photos around the school. Nathan and Carrie are a couple walking around in the school. Michelle is a girl who is embarrassed to wear shorts in P.E. class. Alex and Eric are two kids who are constantly picked on in school. And John is a blond-haired kid who is tardy for school, who is first to stumble upon a plan, which will change the lives of the students at school forever.

Elephant wasn't meant to show the deep backgrounds of all of the students, it simply just gives the audience of one day at the school, and then the results in the end. Gus Van Sant is not new to violent or controversial films. I don't think that Van Sant knew all of the answers for the incidents at Columbine, so I don't think he wanted to answer them if the characters and the incident itself was fact-based. After watching this film for the second time, I noticed much more to the movie. The first time I saw it, I was expecting something bad to happen at any second. In it's artistic value, Elephant is a beautifully made film, reminding me of the vivid structure of Sam Mendes's American Beauty (1999), and the dark atmosphere of Tim Roth's The War Zone (1999).

One scene in particular is controversial in this film. It's where a kid (Deulen) is at his friend's (Frost) house and since neither of them have kissed before, they decide to. Why was this controversial? Just because the critics might have thought that Van Sant was trying to say the killers from Columbine were *gasps in sarcasm* gay. It isn't trying to say that at all, it just gives meaning that the killers actually had emotional feelings, too. But then again, would it really matter if they were? They didn't really love or listen to anyone else, and for that I felt sympathy for them, no matter what awful incidents occurred later on. They are no different from normal people, even though they are picked by others in the film.

I admit, I liked a lot of the acting. Mostly because the actors and actresses are brand-new, they have almost no skills, and it's not like the normal "25-year old playing a teenager" movie. This is the real deal, teens playing teens. Most of them have probably witnessed the social activity and bullying at their school, one time or another. It was a good idea for director Van Sant to get unprofessional actors. The pace in the film was slow, but it didn't bother me at all. The Kubrickian direction (not a bad thing) made it easier to watch, and the POV scenes of the characters were ultimately impressive (with the directing and the acting).

I had mixed opinions about the director before I first saw this. He made Finding Forrester and Good Will Hunting, which I thought were good but not great films. And he made Psycho (1998), one of my all-time least favorite movies (considering the original Psycho (1960) is one of my favorites). Here, he gives a near flawless film that focuses an important matter.

Watching it the first time, it left a chilled, disturbing and powerful impact. Even if we don't have a long time to "know" the characters, Mr. Van Sant still creates a movie where I still cared for them. It shows social problems and issues that all of the characters have at one point or another in the film, and those who were lucky enough to make it or not, and I'd imagine that it was the same way as the last living day of Columbine High. In Elephant, Van Sant wants you to understand all of the characters' problems and motions. And give a sort of way that you can answer for yourself.

What really scares me about Elephant is that these things in the movie can really happen. High schoolers pushing others too far, and the bullied high schooler taking out all of their rage on the people who tormented them. Elephant is an important and honest film that a lot of teenagers should watch, and no matter how boring they might think it is, it still has a great message in the end. 5 stars out of 5.

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Lynch's Definite Film.

[10/10 · 15 July 2005]

Mulholland Dr. (2001)

Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Justin Theroux, Ann Miller, Dan Hedaya, Mark Pellegrino, Monty Montgomery, Robert Forster. Directed by David Lynch.

Spoilers herein.

Thrillers, for the most part, have been part of a successful genre in Hollywood. Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo", "Psycho", and "Rear Window" are key classics from the genre. And finally we have a film that can be compared to them. Mulholland Dr. has just about everything I look for in a film. Great acting, incredible directing, strange script, beautiful cinematography, and most of all, it's weird and fun to figure out. In other words, this is one of the greatest and most brilliant films I have ever seen, and this is Lynch's definite film.

Betty Elms is a woman who comes to Los Angeles prepared to become a famous actress. As she stays in her aunt's house, she is surprised to see a woman with amnesia hiding there. She doesn't remember her name or how she got there, but the last thing she does remember is a car accident on Mulholland Drive. Meanwhile, director Adam Kesher is threatened by ruthless assassins for a woman to star in his film, but if he rejects it, he is in for major consequences.

There are many short stories in "Mulholland Dr." that won't always make much sense, but in the end they will all come together. Knowing that many of Lynch's films usually don't give an explanation ("Lost Highway" being one), he lets the audience come up with a solution on their own. All involved do an outstanding job – mainly Lynch, Watts and Harring, for taking such risks in the production.

For the many people who are looking for a typical thriller, this is not one. It is one to create perfect atmosphere and clues throughout for the plot twist. On top of that, there is a structured dramatic storyline. There are many words to describe "Mulholland Dr.", and some in which I haven't even figured out for myself. 5 stars out of 5.