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The King's Speech (2010)
Fantastic
The King's Speech is one of the best films of the last year. Brilliantly acted, in particular by Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush, and directed by Tom Hooper.
After the death of his father King George V (Michael Gambon) and the scandalous abdication of King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), Bertie (Colin Firth) who has suffered from a debilitating speech impediment all his life, is suddenly crowned King George VI of England. With his country on the brink of war and in desperate need of a leader, his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), the future Queen Mother, arranges for her husband to see an eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). After a rough start, the two delve into an unorthodox course of treatment and eventually form an unbreakable bond. With the support of Logue, his family, his government and Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall), the King will overcome his stammer and deliver a radio-address that inspires his people and unites them in battle.
As I already said the acting is brilliant. Geoffrey Rush is at his best since Shine and Colin Firth brings a heartbreaking realism to Bertie but it also is a subtle performance. Every time he tries to speak but chokes on his words you feel a great compassion and pity for him. Every stammer is a stumble on his road to finding his voice.
I loved the cinematography of the film. Director of Photography Danny Cohen places the camera in such interesting places without getting in the way of the emotional investment created by the actors. He frames the actors off to the left or right instead of in the center of the screen
In short I would highly recommend this film
True Grit (2010)
One of the best films of 2010
This is not the 1969 classic starring John Wayne. Much like the Tim Burton version of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory it is it's own film Everyone in the film is at the top of their game. There is not a single bad performance in the film.
Jeff Bridges shines as Rooster Cogburn. In the original we could tell it was Wayne. Here, we see nothing of Bridges.
For it being Hallie Steinfield's first film she is phenomenal and has just as much screen presence as Bridges.
After he got away from the Bourne films Matt Damon has consistently impressed me. His performance in this film is no exception playing the exact 180 of Rooster Cogburn.
Josh Brolin, despite only appearing in about ten minutes of the film, gives a great interpretation of the film's villain. More of a wet dog than an immediately noticeable threat but is just as willing to kill Mattie Ross as he is anyone else The cinematography is, in many ways, exquisite. There is one shot in particular where Cogburn, trying to show his skills at shooting throws a biscuit in the air and fires. The angle chosen is a highly interesting one The film is rich in humor and smart dialogue. Exactly what one would expect from a Coen Brothers film.
Try to remember that the original will always be there. This film does not change that
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
One of the best in the history of American film
Naive and idealistic Jefferson Smith (James Stewart), leader of the Boy Rangers, is appointed on a lark by the spineless governor of his state. He is reunited with the state's senior senator--presidential hopeful and childhood hero, Senator Joseph Paine (Claude Rains). In Washington, however, Smith discovers many of the shortcomings of the political process as his earnest goal of a national boys' camp leads to a conflict with the state political boss, Jim Taylor. Taylor first tries to corrupt Smith and then later attempts to destroy Smith through a scandal.
Stewart is heart-wrenchingly real as Jefferson. He never gave a finer more honest performance. There is a final scene in which Jefferson, hoarse from talking for over twenty-two hours, talks about lost causes in a way that causes the entire audience to silence as much as the characters in the senate. The supporting actors are forced to pull up to the quality of Stewart's deliveries and they step up to the challenge. Rains in particular shows perfect guilt at having to betray his colleague yet at the same time is willing to do so.
In my life I have been to very few films which receive applause at the end. Any person with a love of film must view this exquisite film as an example of what film can be.
Obsessed (2009)
A MTV-generation knock-off of Fatal Attraction and Play Misty for Me
Save yourself the aggravation and don't view this tripe. The "film" hardly functions as anything but boring and clichéd. The story has been seen so many times before. From Play Misty For Me to Fatal Attraction the stalker and wealthy business man has, let's face it, been done to death and has always been far more superior to this piece of trite.
The screenplay feels more like a first draft of a Slyvester Stallone movie then a Hollywood script with characters screaming lines such as "I'm gonna wipe the floor with her skinny ass". Since the screenplay is so flawed the acting suffers as well. The performances seem to be right out of a high school play filled with cheerleaders and jocks whom don't have any real talent but are only doing the play so that they might have enough extracurricular activities to get into Harvard.
I strongly suggest that if you do need to watch this movie do so with limited expectations and only if there is nothing else available
Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)
An excellent animated film
Batman: Under The Red Hood is one of the better DCU animated films.
The film is dark, violent, emotional, and gripping...It has the same feel as a live-action film and works on so many different levels...
There is so much fluidity to the animation that you want to watch it in slow motion just to see how it's done The voice acting (as is often in the DCU films) is perfect. Bruce Greenwood reminds the viewer of Kevin Conroy's voice that you almost think it's the same person...John Dimaggio takes The Joker in a different direction than Mark Hamill and at first seems the wrong way to go about the character but as time continues it is obvious that, at least for this film, it was the right choice...
Under The Red Hood is a great movie that is a great companion piece to "The Dark Knight" as well as "Batman The Animated Series" For fans of dark, mature Batman
Red Dead Redemption (2010)
One of the best games I have ever played....What Gun should have been
Five years ago I purchased "Gun" under the confusion that I was buying the western I had seen commercials for on TV. The game I wanted was "Red Dead Revolver" which turned out to be a major disappointment. "Gun" on the other hand was immense fun and I have enjoyed it every time I have played it.
"Red Dead Redemption" is what Gun should have been and so far superior to "...Revolver". The level of detail is gargantuan (such as smoke rising from gun barrels or shadows under every character). The scenery is ridiculously gorgeous for a video game and the sheer size of the world is inconceivable. I have yet to explore even twenty percent of it.
The story is progressing slowly but it has only just begun for me.
I recommend this game to anyone with a love for action/adventure westerns and easily would get my vote as the best game of year.
Iron Man 2 (2010)
An excellent sequel
This is one of the few sequels that certainly meets up with if not surpasses the original...
Iron Man was the origin story. Now that that is out of the way the story focuses more on Tony facing the consequences of being Iron Man which is great. Robert Downey Jr. is great at delivering those sarcastic lines while remaining completely stone faced. Mickey Rourke as Ivon Vanko/Whiplash is one of the high points of the movie. His Russian accent at times is hard to understand but let's face it he himself is at times hard to understand...There is a great scene in which he ends up being held by two guards. Later he talks on the phone and all we see is blood on his hands and the two guards hanging from the ceiling....Even his death scene was great
The visual effects are some of the best. During the flying sequences you feel like you are flying as well...The CGI characters have weight which is so often the downfall of CGI..
This sequel comes in a close second to The Dark Knight
I highly recommend it
The Wolfman (2010)
An updated review
This is not a factory werewolf movie. It's so much better than that.
By far the greatest things were the technical achievements in the movie (for example the cinematography, costumes, art direction, and makeup effects)
Benicio Del Toro is tragic as the iconic monster and Anthony Hopkins is especially creepy
I enjoyed it more the second time I saw it because I realized it is an homage to the classic "B" horror films of the 30's and 40's. It does not try to be a reboot in any way and that is one of it's strengths
The extended cut is even more superior to the theatrical version. There are more scenes of dialogue then originally...It is obvious that the edits of only about seventeen minutes have a large difference on the overall feel of the film and the way characters interact...The cuts were a bad idea and I believe the studio should have left the extra footage there
Theatrical Cut 7/10 Extended Cut 9/10
The Dark Knight (2008)
Wish I'd written this sooner
This film is in a word, "Amazing". Batman Begins was a great movie that I enjoyed immensely but The Dark Knight blows that one out of the water and obliterates any other comic book movie ever made period.
Let's go right to what everyone has been talking about. I have never seen another performance like that of Heath Ledger's. He inhabited the character of The Joker to the point that he is unrecognizable as anything but. He became The Joker. I don't feel it was Heath Ledger playing The Joker as much as it was The Joker playing himself. I left the theatre bloody well speechless. Nothing against Nicholson's Joker but Ledger's Joker is so far superior
This isn't hype...It's just the best
Australia (2008)
Too many climaxes and far too long
This film was a big letdown for me. I watched it expecting so much more than what it was....
I lost count of all the different story lines (there were at least five). Because of the fact that there was so many they all required a climax. Too many climaxes is anti-climatic. The REAL movie doesn't start until WWII does.
The beginning is far longer than the end where the best story is The film's only saving grace was a heart-wrenching scene with Hugh Jackman giving probably one of the best deliveries I have seen in a long time...
300 (2006)
Terribly disappointing...I went expecting more
There is absolutely no character development or for that matter plot line...people try to change my mind by saying that it's based on a true story. It's not. It's based on a graphic novel which is loosely based on a true story (I love comics and thought Sin City was great). The only good thing is the visuals and fight scenes (however inaccurate). Here's the basic "plot"...boy grows up...goes and fights...talks with people...fights some more...talks some more...eats an apple...then dies. That's not storytelling (in other words the basis of film-making) that's wasting money trying to make people grow physically sick from boredom and gain bruises from uncomfortable seats while sitting through an hour and a half of garbage...
Lena Headey's character having a huge influence over other characters was ignorant. She would have been butchered in reality. Not be the one who does the butchering.
I was so severely disappointed in the film I would have left if I wasn't surrounded by others in the theater
The Prince of Egypt (1998)
One of the best animated films of all time
This movie is one of the best and most affecting films (not necessarily animated) of all time. It's animation surpasses any other film before it. I feel it is one of the best adaptations of the Exodus story...I love the music...Everything about it is wonderful (from the music to the message right on to the voice cast)...Spectacular The film is also one of the most controversial films of the '90s and definitely in my top ten...Don't miss it!!
Acting *** out of *****, Music **** out of *****, Animation ***** out of *****, Story *** out of *****, All in all on a scale of one to twenty five this film gets a fifteen
The Doors (1991)
Fantastic performances but lacks any real plot and is too slow to develop
I watched this film because of Val Kilmer. His performance is one of the best I have seen in my whole life. Automatically I had no problem believing that he was Jim Morrison.
That aside the film is tedious and redundant. It takes way too long to develop and when it does finally start to become entertaining the film ends. Did Jim Morrison really live that boring of a life or is Oliver Stone change facts to suit his film? I'm gonna go with the latter.
I was constantly looking at my watch wondering when the movie would end. That's not a good thing.
The thing that saves this film is the fantastic performances. All of them award-worthy portrayals.
*** out of ****
House Arrest (1996)
Stupid premise...At least it was entertaining
This film has quite possibly one of the most unrealistic premises on the face of the earth. Two kids lock up their parents in the basement and when other kids hear of it they too lock their parents in the same basement. Stupid. The film is rancid with clichés of the worst kind. For example the main kid is picked on unmercifully by a bully who then becomes a good friend or the neighbor who thinks of himself as the mayor interferes with the kids' plan.
The thing that bugs me the most is the kids, after kidnapping their parents, spend one count 'em one day in juvenile hall and then get off Scot free. In fact two of them get to go to Hawaii. The police in the film are as unrealistic as a car with wings.
Nevertheless I find myself continuing to watch it when it comes on TV. It's entertaining at best.
I give it ** out of ****
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
The best since Beauty And The Beast
This film has the same basic idea and moral as 1991's Beauty and The Beast. Adapted from the classic by Victor Hugo it tells the tale of Quasimodo (Voiced by Academy Award Nominee, Tom Hulce), The deformed bell ringer who has been locked away in the bell tower of Notre Dame by his cruel master Judge Claude Frollo (Tony Jay). Frollo tells Quasi that he is a monster not a man and that the world would never accept him as anything more. Urged on by his friends the Gargoyles, Victor (Charles Kimbrough), Hugo (Jason Alexander), and Laverne (Mary Wickes with additional dialog by Jane Withers). Quasi disobeys his evil guardian and ventures into the city on the day of The Festival Of Fools. The crowd rejects him and tortures him because of the way he looks. After being disgraced and mistreated Quasi meets Esmeralda, the beautiful kind gypsy girl voiced by Demi Moore, and the heroic and often humorous Captain Phoebus (Academy Award Winner Kevin Kline).
Quasimodo finds himself battling his master (and his band of guards) to save the city and the people he loves and through all of this he finds out the truth about his past and is able to rise above evil and Judge Claude Frollo is destroyed in the fiery pit.
This film is a masterpiece. Alan Menken's original score sets the mood for the film while Stephen Schwartz's lyrics always tell the story that needs to be told.
It is at times darker and more violent than it's thirty-three predecessors. Still children of all ages will adore the songs and hilarious characters and parents will love the uplifting and thrilling story with a heart touching message that emerges from the film's dark undertone.
The Lion King (1994)
The Greatest Animated Film I Have Ever Seen
In 1989 Disney released The Little Mermaid and reinvented it's animation department. The peak of that reinvention seemed to end with Aladdin. But then in 1994 they released the highest grossing and most commercially successful animated film of that time. I have seen Beauty And The Beast, Aladdin, and Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs. This one leaves them all in the dust. I first saw it in theaters at the age of six. My uncle whom I was extremely close to died a couple months before the movie came out. I had to be taken out of the theater. It took me six years before I was able to watch it without breaking down at Mufasa's death scene. Now I simply break down and cry throughout the rest of the movie. The film is incredibly deep, has an all star voice cast, and blends splendid animation with Oscar winning songs and compulsive storyline. You can't help but enjoy it.
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Funny, Frightening, and Powerful....Oscar Worthy In Every Way....You Too Will Fall Instantly Under The Spell Of This Beautiful Story
This is Disney's greatest achievement. From the first shot of the castle right on to the end view of the stain glass window it is funny, frightening, and powerful. Every shot is even more enchanting and fantastic than the last. Walt Disney would be very proud of this film.
Howard Ashman and Alan Menken have done what most composers can only dream of. To create a "script" in every lyric and every note that is heard. This film is nothing short of spectacular.
Every voice is flawless. Robby Benson in particular reminds us all that you do not have to be in front of the camera to give off a believable and touching performance.
The film is Oscar worthy in every way. The viewer would be well advised to bring a box of tissues during some of the films more tender moments. The ballroom scene is an example of how seamless the animation really is. Other tearjerker moments include a fight between Belle and The Beast which ends with the Beast leaving the protection of his castle to rescue the one who could break the spell from a pack of savagely monstrous wolves, the transformation of a monster into a man, and a dedication to the late Howard Ashman. You too will fall instantly under the spell of this beautiful story. If there is ever anything you will miss out on don't let this movie be it.