All my Movies

Saw it recently: Here's a list of movies I've seen this year (2004). The list contains a short review, synopsis, commentary on each movie. Something like that. Up until November of 2004, I used to rate movies on a scale of 1 - 7 (See my movies page for more about what I like/don't like and my rating system), but I've recently switched over to the "Industry Standard" 5 Star rating system. I subscribe to NetFlix, watch movies from my own collection, and sometimes get out to the theater. The movies from my collection are titled in italics. The rest (unless noted otherwise) are NetFlix rentals. I update this listing throughout the month. Hopefully you'll find a movie or two to watch after perusing my reviews.

(Monthly numbers in parenthesis indicate sources as: NetFlix, my movies, seen in theater (in that order). If there's only one number it's probably all NetFlix. Only two numbers? I probably didn't see any movies at the theater)

Oct (17/9)

• Star Trek - Nemesis: A next generation movie. Hmmm, I had mixed feelings about this movie. I do believe that the cast of TNG is superior in its acting capabilities (for the most part) - when compared to the cast of the original series, and the writing is definitely better. But I wasn't ecstatic about this movie. The best thing about it was the music. The acting was o.k. The plot was far too easy to follow, it fell into place too easily. There was no challenge here. The crew is called to Romulus to meet the newest Praetor. He's human! He's a clone of Picard! Why is he a clone of Picard? What's this about a disease? Why is he dying in a couple of hours? Why does he want to destroy Earth? Come on already, give the Romulans some better motivation. The acting by Ron Perlman, hidden under all that make up (as the Praetor's viceroy), was excellent. The acting by the supporting cast in general was great. The rest of the acting still smelled of one-ups-manship stage acting from the 'William Shatner' school of acting. Part of that feel is created by direction, framing, and transitions. I liked the fact that they weren't afraid to actually damage the Enterprise. In the end, this would have made a better two-part television episode than it did a movie. It gets a 4 outof 5.
• Drugstore Cowboy: Another drug culture movie. Why? Can't we find anything better to make movies about? I despise Hollywood's predilection to produce drug culture movies. It's some sort of ridiculous glorification of the drug culture, and I can't figure out why. What's this movie about? A charismatic leader (who could easily make a go of it outside his life of crime) and his 'gang' of junkies. Robbing drug stores to support their habit, this group of misfit junkies form a twisted family with a superstitious leader. A hex falls onto the group, and things start to go bad. Just when you think the leader is about to pull it off and go straight... Yeah, you can figure out the rest. The acting was great. The sets, and locations were great. The costumes; not so good. Come on, the seventies weren't that crazy. I give it a 4 out of 5.
• The Alien saga: (Documentary) An excellent production. This documentary presents an outstanding treatise on the series of movies that compromise the Alien saga. Not just the first movie, but all four. With interviews with cast, crew, and production staff. This film goes behind the scenes, presents clips from the movies, behind the scenes footage, and plenty of technical discussion regarding the making of the movies. I give it a 5 out of 5.
• Envy: A recent purchase. Unfortunately, I bought this movie before watching it. I purchased it on the weight of its principles and a few clips. This film is horribly produced, there are video and sound problems, and the editing was... rushed? Staring Jack Black, Ben Stiller, and Christopher Walken; I had high hopes for this comedy. The only redeeming feature was Christopher Walken as 'the J man'. I kept waiting for the laughs, but they never materialized. The ending was horrible! This movie gets a 2 out of 5.
• All the presidents men: Starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford. This was an awesome movie. Based on a book written by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. For the youngins out there, this is a true story. Some shady characters are hired by members of president Nixon's staff. They break into the Democratic party's national headquarters, and the get caught by the cops. Two diligent writers for the Washington Post stay on the story, track down all the leads, and eventually bust the story open for the entire nation to see. Great acting, excellent directing, and a fantastic story. This one gets a 5 out of 5.
• Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind: Another recent purchase. This one was a winner. In the future? you can have bad memories erased. Two lovers (Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet) have the procedure performed after a fight. During and after the procedure, they wish that they hadn't undergone the procedure. With several twists and turns, this quirky and original love story is fantastic. The acting and direction were superb. The cinematic work is sublime and the music is brilliant. I give it a 5 out of 5. I'm glad I bought this one!
• Aparajito: (Indian) Directed by Satyajit Ray, this black and white movie, made in 1957 was visually compelling, but as boring as a piece of anthracite. In this movie a woman leaves her dying?/extremely ill husband for the country. Taking their son with her, the two leave the city to work for a wealthy couple. The boy grows older, goes to school and eventually leaves for college. Towards the end of the film, the boys mother dies while he is away at college. A dark movie about the harsh realities of life. Good acting, fine directing, but this movie was as extremely slow. I give it a 4 out of 5.
• The man without a past: (Finland - Mies vailla menneisyyttä) Directed by Aki Kaurismäki, this movie is filmed in the same style as many Swedish and Finnish films. With an incredibly stiff acting style and a very morose sense of humor. A romantic drama with a great story. Unfortunately, the acting style is so stiff and unadorned, that it draws attention to itself, and detracts from the movie. Having never been to Finland, I'm starting to think that the Finn's themselves are like the characters in Kaurismäki's movies. In this movie a factory worker travels to Helsinki, where he is mugged and viciously beaten. As a result of the beating, he loses his memory. He begins an entirely new life, discovering new talents, developing new relationships, discovering humanity and his own soul. Eventually, his past is revealed and he breaks from it. Choosing instead to become his new life. Great acting, even though its a very strange style, fantastic direction, music and locations make this an really good movie. It gets a 4 out of 5.
• Together: (Chinese - He ni zai yi qi) A marvelous movie. Great cinematography, fine directing and some pretty good acting. Stock characters all around, and typed acting to go with the stereotyped characters. Despite the character flaws, there's a good story here. A young boys father does everything he can to encourage and promote his sons ability with the violin. The boy is growing up, he's doing his best to excel and make his father proud. It's a good family movie. The music, costumes, and locations are great. This one gets a 4 out of 5.
• Red Beard: (Japanese - Akahige) subtitled in english. Produced in 1965, this black and white movie tells the story of a brash young intern who is apprenticed to a seasoned veteran at a backwater free clinic. This movie, directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa, starring Toshirô Mifune and Yuzo Kayama, is an incredible piece of work. The story was absolutely riveting. Believable, moving, truthful and honest. The acting was excellent, the message was sterling, the telling worthy of applause. This movie was on my 'Buy' list, and I give it a rating of 5 out of 5.
• The Closet: (French - Placard, Le) A great movie. Reminiscent of 'Office Space'. This was a terrific spoof/comedic parody on political correctness, prejudice, bigotry and office life. An office worker is about to lose his job because he's dull. A new friend helps him re-invent himself as a gay man, and his job is saved. The results are hilarious! Great characters, excellent casting, and an absolutely smashing story. This movie was on my 'Buy' list, and I give it a rating of 5 out of 5.
• House of fools: (Russian - Dom durakov) This movie is based on a true story. Unfortunately, it's proof that not every true story is a good story. While there were some good parts to the movie; in particular the segments with the Chechen guerillas, this movie was so boring/bad that I stopped watching it about half way through. An insane asylum is abandoned by the medical staff, as the war moves in. The segments with Bryan Adams were bizarre cut-aways to some sort of music video, produced and directed by someone else. The acting was marginal, and the cast was - Well, let's just say they seemed authentic. I give this movie a 1 out of 5.
• Bend it like Beckham: (English/Indian) Delightful! An Indian girl is growing up in England. Trying to please her parents and follow her dream is a difficult task for this soccer/football phoneme. The characters and acting were great, the casting superb, the costumes were colorful, the sets and locations just right. The music was awesome, the camera work and directing were flawless. The best part about this movie? It's positive message. I give it a 5 out of 5.
• The dinner game: (French - Dîner de cons, Le) Each week Pierre and his friends organize a dinner where the participants invite an 'Idiot' as a guest. This week Pierre's plans go awry, and he spends the evening with his 'Idiot'. The results are catastrophic (for Pierre). The 'Idiot' ends up destroying Pierre's well ordered life. I really enjoyed this movie. The acting, the music, the directing, the casting. They were all good. I give it a 4 out of 5.
• 8 1/2: (Italian) Directed by Federico Fellini, this movie was strange. A chaotic introverted introspective of a film director. Internal struggle, external drama, chaotic story line. The music was good, Marcello Mastroianni's acting as Guido Anselmi was excellent. I almost gave up on this movie. It was torturous to watch. Incredibly chaotic, contorted and confusing. I give this movie a 2 out of 5.
• One flew over the cuckoo's nest: A masterpiece. Based on a novel (of the same name) by Ken Kesey, this movie was brilliantly adapted by Bo Goldman and Lawrence Hauben. Shot at an actual mental health institute, the cast of relative unknowns (aside from Jack Nicholson) did an absolute fantastic job. This is one of my favorite movies. It's been on my must 'buy' list for a long time. I give it a 5 of 5.
• Bad(der) Santa: A friend loaned me this DVD (I counted it in the NetFlix category). The Unrated version of course. I can't imagine what the rated version was like. This movie is an adult daydream gone awry. Profanity, sex, murder, vulgarity in the extreme and plenty of social stereotyping and racial bigotry. Self indulgent crap. Oh, they added a suitably pathetic soft character in a half-hearted attempt to humanize the story. This lame excuse for vanity out of control is a waste of time. Don't bother watching it. I wish I hadn't. It gets a 1 out of 5.
• The Devil's brigade: Now here's a movie worth watching. A group of American and Canadian soldiers are thrown together to form the first Special Service Force. The American misfits and Canadian crack troops form an anvil against which the Germans are crushed. A great WWII movie. Not as good as the Dirty Dozen, but exceedingly well done. Outstanding music, fantastic cast, great casting, terrific locations and costumes. A riveting story based on historical fact. This movie is worth watching again and again. I first learned about this movie when I was in the Air Force's NCO academy. It's been on my must 'Buy' list since then. I finally got a copy, and boy am I glad I did. This one gets a 5 out of 5.
• Star Wars: Epsiode V - The Empire strikes back: A classic tale of love, betrayal, good & evil. The second movie in the trilogy. This is one of my favorites. The music is awesome, the acting is o.k., the special effects (for their time) were special. The story (the writting) and the characters are memorable icons. Luke trains with Yoda, while his friends are pursued by Vader in an attemtpt to capture and convert the young Jedi. This one gets a 5 out of 5.
• The Iron Giant: An animated movie. A kids movie really. I thoroughly enjoyed it though... A giant robot with emotions, and the boy who 'discovers' him. Satirical, cautionary, moralistic story. For animation it was pretty good. I liked the fact that physical anatomy was not depicted in a distorted, exagerated manner. Great voice casting. This movie gets a 4 out of 5.
• Wild Strawberries: (Swedish - Smultronstället) Written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. Shot in black and white, this movie tells the tale of a man near the end of his life. Haunted by visions and dreams, his sentimental journey (physical and spiritual) brings him to a turning point in his life. Great acting, fantastic casting, excellent directing. A little bit dark but not as bad as some of Bergman's stuff. This movie had a dorrible ending. I give this one a 4 out of 5.
• The cabinet of Dr. Caligari: (German - Kabinett des Doktor Caligari, Das) Black & white, silent movie from 1919 or 1920? This movie was remastered in 1996. The black & white has been colorized in sepia tones of yellow, blue and green. A great movie, the music was great, the story was a little bit difficult to follow, but it was good. A doctor travels the countryside, attending carnivals and fairs where he unleashes his 'Somnambulist'; a sleepwalking murderer who terrorizes the citizenry. The Dr. covers for the Somnambulist and deflects investigative inquiries with a lifelike, lifesize manequin. This movie gets a 3 out of 5.
• When we were kings: A very well done documentary about Muhammad Ali and George Foreman's world championship fight in Kinshasa Zaire. Excellent, all the real people, and the actual footage. This movie captured everything that was Muhammad Ali and what he meant to a black America. A role model in the making. I give it a 5 out of 5.
• Mystic river: Directed by Clint Eastwood. This is one fantastic movie. I thought I knew who did it. This murder mystery drama is a splendid piece of work, with actual character development, the acting in this movie was way above par. Unexpectedly good. Plausible plot twists left me realizing that even in a movie, things are sometimes more complicated than they appear. Despite the stellar cast (Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon and Laurence Fishburne) I didn't see much competition for the klieg light. This movie gets a 5 out of 5.
• On the waterfront: Black & White movie from 1954. A fantastic cast; Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Lee Cobb, Rod Steiger, and Eva Marie Saint. A gripping and powerful drama about union corruption on the docks. Ex-prizefighter turned dock worker (Marlon Brando) sticks up for the workers when the gang kills his brother. The oustanding music in this movie was an original score, by Leonard Bernstein. The music alone is worth a 4 star rating. This movie gets a 5 out of 5. Definitely worth watching.
• Dawn of the dead: (2004) A remake of George Romero's classic. The director this time around is Zack Snyder. While the acting could have been a little better, the casting was great, and the script was excellent. The camera work was spot-on, and the zombies were extremely disgusting. Zombie movies seem to be the in-thing these days, and this one doesn't disappoint. With an ending that's different from the original, the action never relents in this gore-fest roller-coaster of a horror flick. Splendid fare for Halloween's eve. I give it a 5 out of 5. By the way, this one was on my must 'watch' list. Buying it was a risk, but I couldn't resist the temptation on Halloween eve.

Sep (15/9/2)

• The missing: Tommy Lee Jones plays opposite Cate Blanchett in a sappy western drama. While the writing was good, the plot lacked depth. Directed by Ron Howard, this movie focused solely on the characters, leaving a weak 'abduction, pursuit, confrontation' plot as the framework for the story. There really are no surprises here. While the acting is o.k. I wasn't convinced. Tommy Lee Jones played Tommy Lee Jones playing someone who was playing at being an American Indian. I give this one a 3 out of 5. Ron Howard can do better.
• Lakeboat: Why? That's what I want to know. Why was this movie made? Yes it was interesting in the same way that an hour and a half long story about something that happened to me one summer is just as amusing. This movie was all characters. Great characters, with nowhere to go. This should have stayed a play. Some self indulgent writer decided that his life was special enough to deserve a book, a play and a movie. In the end it looks like some self-indulgent waste of time. The acting, sets, and locations were great. Former actor turned director, Joe Mantegna, did a great job directing this film. I hope I see more of his work in the future. Good dialog, delivered with some good acting, no plot, no reason, poor music, slow pacing. All these things eventually led to a movie which was — boring. 2 out of 5.
• Ronin: Directed by John Frankenheimer, this action flick has a surprisingly deep plot. Starring Robert De Niro and Michael Lonsdale, this movie is well paced, contains excellent music, some great car chases, good acting, and a thoughtful plot. Someone wants 'the case'. We never find out what's inside the case, and that's the whole point of this movie. Although 'the case' is the focus for the characters, it's not the focus of this movie. By the time the movie ends, you can't even remember that there was a case. The characters, their motivations, deceptions, betrayals and loyalties are all that matter. This one gets a 5 out of 5.
• Paycheck: Another movie from my 'watch list'. Yet another spy thriller, secret agent action flick. Patterned after 'the Bourne Identity'. This movie didn't hold up to that movie. The casting was terrible. Ben Afleck and Uma Thurman had no chemistry at all, and Ben Afleck was miscast in this role. The character itself was unbelievable as well. An engineer who becomes a reluctant spy. The plot itself was excellent, probably because it was based on a short story by Phillip K. Dick. The directing by John Woo was pretty good, it's just that he hadn't picked such a poor cast. This one gets a 3 out of 5.
• Intolerable cruelty: Starring George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones and directed by Joel Coen. This movie proves that two Coen brothers are better than one. George Clooney was humorous and endearing in his role. Catherine Zeta-Jones on the other hand was lacking in emotion acting skills and devotion. Did someone force her to do this movie? A romantic comedy. Catherine Zeta-Jones plays a gold-digging upper class snob (herself?), looking for a rich sap to sucker. George Clooney plays a jaded high-powered divorce lawyer who becomes the sap. The ending was anti-climatic. While the movie had a few humorous moments, overall it was boring. I give it a 2 out of 5.
• Modern Times: Charlie Chaplin directed, wrote, and acted in this fantastic black & white movie. With the help of a homeless orphan, the tramp tries to survive in a modern industrial society where his humanity is challenged by a variety of dehumanizing sources. Supposedly this was to be Charles Chaplin's first full sound film, but instead, sound is used in a unique way: We hear spoken voices only when they come from mechanical devices, a symbol of the film's theme of technology and dehumanization. Then in a tribute to humanity and the arts, we hear Charlie Chaplin singing as a waiter in a bistro, where the words are gibberish, but the words don't really matter do they?. What a voice! What an actor, what a comedian! A black & white early talky with Charlie Chaplin. The movie was very funny, thoughtful and entertaining. Charlie Chaplin was definitely a talent unlike any other. I give this movie a 5 out of 5.
• George Washington: My god, what a horrible film. I saw no reason for this movie. It wasn't funny. It wasn't entertaining. It wasn't dramatic. It wasn't scary. It didn't make me go 'Hmmm'. It made me go 'Ho-hum'. As boring as they come. This movie lacked direction, acting, plot, rhyme, reason. The music sucked. The sound production was poor. The acting was atrocious. I have no idea whether there was a story or point to the movie. I quit watching it after 30 minutes. It gets a 1 out of 7.
• Exorcist - The beginning: I was scared shitless! Kim and I went to see this at the movie theater. We were the only ones in the audience, so that set me in a mood. The soundtrack, sound production, and sound effects were awesome. Stellan Skarsgård as Father Merrin was an excellent casting choice, but the acting in this movie wasn't all that good. The best performance came from Alan Ford as the ill-fated Jeffries. Directed by Renny Harlin, this movie was well executed. The writing for this movie was pretty good; If you overlooked the obviously 'added-for-shock-value' parts. This movie had a lot of production problems. The original choice for director (John Frankenheimer), died during pre-production, and the first choice to play Mirren (Liam Neeson), balked at the last moment necessitating re-casting. Despite the critics bemoaning the fact that this isn't the Exorcist resurrected, I thought it was a very scary movie worthy of a 5 out of 5, and entry into my must 'buy' list.
• Repo Man: A cult classic. Young punk becomes a repo man after losing his job stacking cans. A great movie. Funny, cynical, biting, and telling. A sci-fi punk flick. I don't know how many times I've seen this movie, and I'm still trying to figure it out. Absolutely fantastic soundtrack. The crazy characters in this movie just don't stop, ever... Repo Man's got all night, every night. I give it a 5 out of 5.
• Exorcist, the: Classic throat quivering primal fear. This version of William Blatty's 'The Exorcist' contains 11 minutes worth of previous cut footage. Directed by William Friedkin, this is one very scary movie. Excellent acting, great sound track and sound production. Great characters, fantastic sets and locations. An innocent little girl is possessed by 'The Devil'. Conventional doctors completely fail the desperate mother, who finally turns to the Catholic church for an exorcism. This movie spawned an entire string of 'look-a-likes'. I give it a 5 out of 5.
• Sharpe's rifles: (British) This movie recounts the adventures of a British Sergeant who receives a field promotion to lieutenant. Britain battles against Napoleon in France and Spain. Sharpe is put in charge of a group of expert rifle-men. The men have very little respect for Sharpe because he's not a proper officer. Not only does Sharpe have to fight the French, he also does battle against mutinous enlisted men, politically motivated officers and secretive allies. Starring Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe, Brian Cox as Maj. Hogan, and Asumpta Serna as Teresa, the cast was very well selected, and the acting was top notch. Combined with a great story, costumes, sets and locations, this historical serialized movie gets off to a great start and keeps your attention all the way to the somewhat open ending. I give it a 5 out of 5.
• Sanjuro: (Japanese - Tsubaki Sanjûrô) Directed by one of my favorites: Akira Kurosawa, and starring Kurosawa's golden child: Toshirô Mifune. This film is loaded with comic representations of Japanese Samurai and culture. A seasoned samurai arrives at an Inn and overhears the dilemma of a group of young Samurai. Moved by their pathetic naivete, he decides to help them. The result is a fantastic film. Great music, very good acting, and a terrific story. This one gets a 5 out of 5.
• Irréversible: (French) This movie was incredibly violent, highly confrontational, and cinematically disturbing. Shot from beginning to end (that's becoming a somewhat abused technique), this movie tells a very dark and disturbing tale about a woman who is raped and the incredible acts of violence her boyfriend perpetrates in vengeance. I had to stop watching this movie about three quarters of the way through. I couldn't see any reason why I should keep watching it. It was well produced and directed. The acting was top notch, but I couldn't stand the story or the unsettling camera work. "Spinning out of control" is a term that best describes this movie. I give it a 3 out of 5. The director and producer should choose a less violent theme for their next project. No wonder this movie was unrated!
• No man's land: (France/Italy/Slovenia - Nikogarsnja zemlja) This movie is a European production. Written and directed by Dannis Tanovic, this movie has a consistent feel throughout. Exceedingly well done. Excellent acting, a great cast, fantastic sets, locations and costumes. A war film? Two soldiers from opposing camps, one Bosnian - one Serbian, end up in a trench together, in 'No man's land'. Wounded and trapped between enemy lines, the only way they can survive is through cooperation. This movie has a lot of underlying content and truth. A fantastic tale. The characters define concepts bigger than themselves, and their acting reveals many bitter truths. The ending is tragic and telling. A definite must own. I give this one a 5 out of 5.
• The Duelists: Made in 1977, this movie starred Keith Carradine (a marginally talented actor) and Harvey Keitel (one of my favorites). Directed by Ridley Scott (one of my favorite producers/directors), this movie was pretty good. A period piece set in Napolean's France. Two officers in the cavalry develop a rivalry marked by repeated duels. From this rivalry, each uses the renown gained to enhance and further their own personal goals. A strange love/hate relationship which eventually culminates with a less than expected, yet still satisfying ending. The directing was good, the acting good, the sets and locations excellent. The costumes were too shiny/new. The music was pretty good, but the sound production was flat. I give this movie a 5 out of 7.
• The Graduate: Directed by Mike Nichols, starring Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman. In a movie about sex, lies, seduction, and young love, this movie contains surprisingly little nudity. This movie (with a PG rating (in the US)), this movie is ripe for an 'R' rated remake. The acting was really good. Dustin Hoffman is very convincing as the conflicted and confused college graduate. Anne Bancroft plays a jaded and unsatisfied middle aged woman in search of a physical escape from her emotionally famished platonic marriage. This classic has some great visuals, but the direction is too rigid. The music was great, the sets and costumes are fantastic. I give this movie a 5 out of 7.
• The wedding singer: A very funny movie. Starring Adam Sandler, and Drew Barrymore, this sappy romantic comedy is great. Adam Saddler cannot sing, but his efforts are genuine and heart moving. This movie is a great date movie. Kim loves it, and I must admit, so do I. It brings back fond memories of the 80's, and I can't say no when she says "Let's watch 'The wedding singer'". Great music, throwback props and costumes, and a fantastic love story. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• Off limits: Starring Willem Dafoe and Gregory Hines. A ho-hum movie. Dafoe and Hines play undercover investigators for the Army's CID (Criminal Investigations Division). They're stationed in Saigon during the height of the Vietnam war (1968). Their job is anything but easy. With the world falling apart around them, they're trying to solve a murder mystery. Great costumes, sets and locations. A pretty good soundtrack and sound production. Directing was not worth noting. Acting wasn't the best, but the supporting cast was great. The problem with this movie was the very shallow and predictable plot combined with the cardboard cutout characters. Not much to the mystery. Nothing to see here, move along now. It gets a 3 out of 7.
• Easy rider: Starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper (Jack Nicholson appears as well) . This classic counterculture movie is a journey across the American landscape. Two bikers set out for 'Mardi Gras' after concluding a big (for two people) drug deal. With money, drugs, and no cares, these two are free spirits. There are some fantastic lines in this movie. The acting by Fonda and Nicholson was something to watch. Dennis Hopper seemed to be a buffoon adding little more than a comic distraction to the other characters in the movie. The music was good, the locations were spectacular, but there was no real plot. Just a journey. Two bikers going nowhere. I give this movie a 4 out of 7. It lacked direction.
• Akira: (Japanese - Anime) This movie had nothing to do with Akira Kurosawa... It's just another reason why I despise anime and animation in general. There is no humanity in it. I can't feel the emotions that the story is trying to evoke. In this stereotypical anime movie, the characters are bitter punks, fed up with their materialistic lives, looking for some sort of satisfying existence. Add in some crazy plot involving aliens, flashy motorcycles, bright oil base colors, technology, some techno beat music, genetic manipulation, a big-brother/corrupt government agency/agents, enhanced evolutionary themes, sappy love hate romance. Shake thoroughly and call it a masterpiece. Excuse me while I clear the phlegm in the back of my throat... A hollywood blockbuster done in anime style. A waste of my time. I give it a 2 out of 7.
• Along came Polly: Another sappy formula flick. Romantic comedy starring Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston. These two are completely typecast. Perhaps they haven't the ability to play anything other than the recycled characters that they play in this movie. The writing was flat, the plot predictable, and the laughs were ho-hum ordinary. I laughed a couple of times. The Pathetisad character played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman was worth a laugh or two. Unimpressive yawner. I give it a 3 out of 7.
• Flirting: (Australian) Here's a good movie. Hollywood could learn a thing or two from this one. Teenage boys and girls, attending a private school, falling in love, taking risks, flaunting societies norms. A great story, fantastic acting, a great cast, spectacular location and sets, great costumes, pretty good music. An all around excellent production. A powerful drama. Not overwhelming, no explosions, no special effects. Explores interracial relationships in a austere boarding school setting. This one gets a 6 out of 7.
• Laws of attraction: Slightly better than your usual Hollywood romantic comedy. A good story, fair direction, a very good soundtrack, some good acting. There's no real need to tell you anything about the story line. If you've seen the cover of the DVD or any commercial for the movie, you've got as much info as you need. It's a formula romantic comedy. The main characters are opposing attorneys. Starring Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore. Pierce Brosnan must have been playing a dead fish in this movie, because he did a really good job at that. Julianne Moore, on the other hand, did a very good job. She was somewhat believable in her role. This 'Chick Flick' gets a 4 out of 7.
• Shaun of the dead: (British) A spoof on zombie flicks. Hugely hillarious. Kim and I went and saw this one at the theater. It was quite humorous. Shaun and his friends are so wrapped up in their own personal little dramas, that they fail to see the bigger picture. It takes a 'Dawn of the Dead' to wake them from their suburban stupor. A comic, horror, drama. Great music, a fantastic cast, and a great story. This one gets a 5 out of 7, and I've added it to my must 'buy' list.
• 39 steps, the: (British) An Alfred Hitchcock espionage thriller. Produced in 1939, this black and white movie is a great spy thriller. If only the sound production was better. The acting was pretty good (for the time). With Robert Donat and Madelline Carroll playing in the lead roles. These two complemented each other nicely, and they played more than one role in the movie. Robert Donat actually played four different characters! The story begins in a somewhat contrived manner, but I think that this movie could be remade with little money. The man with the indelible memory is being used to smuggle a secret out of the country. I give this movie a 5 out of 7.
• Southpark - Season 2, Disc 1: The animated adult cartoon on DVD. Straight from Comedy Central. This cartoon sucks! I've seen snippets here and there, and I thought that the movie was mildly humorous. Well, recently I've had a couple of friends recommend that I watch the South Park cartoon. I did, it blows. Totally lacking in content, serious issues are masked by fart jokes, rude behavior, foul language, and piss poor animation. It was sort of like watching a bad sitcom drama. I ordered all three DVD's (for season 2), and I've watched part of the first one. After about 90 minutes I gave up completely. I won't be watching the rest. This disc, and the entire series (in my opinion) gets a 1 out of 7. I despise animation, I dislike bad animation, and I abhor the crude, vulgar, profane style of this series.
• eXistenZ: Wow! Mind blowing, reality twisting sci-fi. The first time I saw this movie (back in 1999), I was a bit put-off by the incredibly twisted plot. This time around I loved it. Starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Ian Holm and Willem Dafoe. This movie was written and directed by David Cronenberg. Cronenberg has directed some of my favorite movies: Naked Lunch, The dead zone, Videodrome, and Scanners. This movie reminded me a lot of Naked Lunch. What was it about? Try this out for starters. Video games that are living, weapons made out of organic material, teeth for bullets, games inside of games, revolutions and alternate reality. The casting was absolutely fantastic. The acting was intentionally stage like. The music was great; it really evoked an other-worldly feel. The props, costumes and sets were great. This movie gets a 6 out of 7. I'm glad I bought a copy.

Aug (17/9)

• Senseless: Stupid. Stupid funny. Starring Marlon Wayans (as Daryl Witherspoon) and David Spade (as Scott Thorpe). I own this film. I've seen it several times. It doesn't get any better, but it doesn't have to. This movie is inane, there's no big surprises in the plot. College student Witherspoon needs money to support single mom and his siblings. He agrees to participate in a drug trial that gives him super senses. He uses the benefits to help his chances in a post college placement program. He gets cocky, exceeds the dosage, and the side effects just about destroy him. Very funny. I gave it a 5 out of 7.
• A beautiful mind: Directed by Ron Howard. Starring Russel Crowe, Ed Harris and Jennifer Connelly. A remarkable movie. A brilliant but autistic mathematician (played by Russel Crowe) accepts work breaking codes and his life becomes a nightmare as madness overtakes him. The directing, acting, and casting were exceptional. The costumes and makeup were great. Especially the aging effects. This movie was a portrayal of a real-life scientist - John Nash. The acting by Russel Crowe was flawless. I give this movie a 6 out of 7.
• Below: This movie was co-written by one of my favorite writer/directors; Darren Aronofsky. The crew of an American submarine pick up some British survivors from a Hospital ship. Pursued by a German Destroyer, the crew desperately tries to salvage the lives of everyone on board. Unfortunately, not everyone on board is alive! Something wants them to 'Go Back'. A scary movie that lacked from acting and direction. Bruce Greenwood as the Captain of the sub did a horrible job. I've seen better acting in the 'Blair Witch Project'. Not enough pause to build fear, very little use of music. Good use of sound effects. This movie gets a 3 out of 7.
• The world according to Garp: Very funny movie. Moving and insightful. Dramatic social commentary on the world of the late sixties early seventies. Based on a novel by John Irving, directed by George Roy Hill, and starring Robin Williams (T. S. Garp), Mary Beth Hurt (Helen Holm), Glenn Close (Jenny Fields ), John Lithgow (Roberta Muldoon). The characters in this movie are fantastic, and the acting was top notch. A well told story filled with a range of emotions and full of laughs. A terrific treatise on life's ups and downs. I give it a 6 out of 7.
• Read my lips: (French - Sur mes Lèvres) A great character based drama. Two people. One is a deaf secretary who works in an office. The other is an ex-con who didn't want a 'shit' job. As a team, they work together to get a little pay-back. Unfortunately things get out of control, and the movie ends tragically for some. The writing was excellent, just enough subtlety to make the characters come alive. I found myself reading innuendo into every action. The acting was superb. It brought the characters alive, and allowed me to escape for a couple hours. I give this one a 6 out of 7.
• Rosemary's baby: Written and directed by Roman Polanski, this movie has a great cast (Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy, Victoria Vetri, Terry Gionoffrio and others) and a great story. The 70's acting was - as usual - poor. The story was very scary. A couple move into a new home. The apartment building is rumored to be the site of witchcraft and unexplained deaths. The old couple across the hall seem to take an unwholesome interest in the new couple. Soon a baby is expected. Rosemary begins to suspect something sinister. Does someone want her child? For what purpose? Some rather interesting dream sequences, and a suggestive ending make for a good story. This slow burner is ripe for a remake! I give it a 5 out of 7.
• Captain Corelli's mandolin: I actually liked this movie. I must be a romantic sap. I don't really care for Nicolas Cage and his over dramatic stage style of acting was a bit out of place in this movie. Penélope Cruz did an excellent job, and John Hurt was perfectly cast as the wizened village elder. The story/writing were excellent, as was the directing. The locations, sets, and costumes were great. The music was fantastic. Overall this war-torn romantic drama is a pretty good chick flick. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• Dogtown and Z-Boys: A documentary about surfers turned skaters. The revolutionary Zephyr team and how they created the Skate culture in America. A great documentary. Well directed, great narration, excellent music, and a visual style that complements the rebellious nature of the subject. Very well done. I give this documentary a 6 out of 7.
• The man who wasn't there: A Coen brothers (Joel and Ethan) film. Co-directed, co-authored. This movie is filmed in 'Film noir' style, shot on color film in black & white with narration from the principle character. Starring Billy Bob Thornton (Edward 'Ed' Crane), Frances McDormand (Doris Crane), Michael Badalucco (Frank) and James Gandolfini (David 'Big Dave' Brewster). An excellent story. Ed cuts hair. He suspects that his wife is cheating on him, and he decides to blackmail her lover in order to better his station in life. Things don't go exactly as planned (do they ever?), and Ed ends up at the center of a poignant tragedy. Three problems with this movie. The pacing was too slow, Billy Bob's acting was lackluster and the black & white didn't help the movie at all. I give it a 4 out of 7.
• Nine queens: (Argentinian - Nueve reinas) A con game, a drama, a mystery, a thriller. This movie about two con-men kept me guessing. It kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were precise but stiff. The acting (by a great cast) was a bit dry and methodical, but the writing was very good. The music was good as well. Two con-men attempt to swindle a collector by selling him a counterfeit set of rare stamps. The ending left me dizzy with delight. I was completely wrong in all my presumptions. A very well executed movie. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• And your mother too: (Mexican - Y tu mamá también) A very dramatic tale. No special effects. A drama about three people. Two teenage boys are discovering sex, having a good time, and enjoying life to the fullest. A young woman is running away from the lies of adulthood. Together the three of them enjoy an unforgettable trip to a fairy tale beach called "Heaven's Mouth". This movie is packed with raw emotions, sex, lies, truth, friendship and the realities of life. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• Kill Bill - Volume 2: The second part of the genre fusing film, Kill Bill - Volume 1. This second Kill Bill film contained more story than the original. Less action, more talking. Considering the fact that Quentin Tarantino isn't all that good at writing dialog, he should have stuck with the action. This movie is not as good as the first volume. The acting is the same as Volume 1. The only difference is that this time we have to put up with David Carradine's lack of acting. All his lines are delivered with the same amount of conviction. He has no emotional range. The music was great, the locations and sets were awesome, and the movie was pretty good overall. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• Hellboy: A little demon finds its way to our world after Nazi's open a portal to Hell. American GI's thwart the Nazi plan, slamming the portal shut, and routing the masterminds behind the scheme. The little demon that stumbled into our world is adopted by the FBI and helps fight and banish paranormal creatures. Years later Rasputin and his side-kicks return in an attempt to open that portal again. Hellboy and his buddies rally to thwart the plan that would bring armageddon to life. The movie was o.k. A pretty good action/adventure/sci-fi flick. It could have been better written. The plot was a bit pedantic and predictable. Aside from Ron Perlman as Hellboy, there wasn't much in the way of acting. The music was good. The costumes and sets were fantastic. The effects were - blase. Unfortunately, I bought a copy. I should have resisted the urge. The movie gets a 4 out of 7.
• Monsoon wedding: Brilliant. An exuberant celebration of life. This is a great movie. Think 'My big fat Greek wedding' in Delhi, India. This movie takes five different character based plots, and intertwines them seamlessly into one story. Very well written. It's funny, it's sad, it's romantic. It's great. The acting by Vijay Raaz as P.K. Dubey the event coordinator was awesome. The sets, the costumes, the Music! This one gets a 6 out of 7.
• Taking lives: A serial killer is on the loose in Canada. The FBI is called in to help with the investigation. If I didn't know better, I'd bet that the FBI's field agents are predominantly white females between the ages of 20 and 35, and all good looking. The premise of the murderer is pretty cool. He can't stand how evil he is so he kills people and assumes their identity. Unfortunately, the movie didn't focus on that aspect of the story. Instead it was your usual cat and mouse serial killer movie. The casting was half-baked. It's like someone started out with a really good cast, and then someone else stepped in and said, 'We've got to have big hollywood names in the lead roles'. The movie suffered as a result. Starring: Angelina Jolie as the busty female FBI agent (working alone outside the U.S.?), Ethan Hawke as the obvious serial killer, Kiefer Sutherland as a disposable red herring, Gena Rowlands as the serial killers abusive? mother, Olivier Martinez as the bitter and resentful local detective, Tchéky Karyo as the chief of police who worked with Angelina Jolie in the past, and finally Jean-Hugues Anglade as the steadfast but tragically slain local detective (partner to the resentful local detective). The acting by Angelina Jolie, Ethan Hawke and Keifer Sutherland was less than convincing, but the acting by the supporting cast was better than anticipated. Here's a clue for the director: Close-ups of Angelina Jolie's eyes do not equal good acting (or even much suspense for that matter). I spotted the serial killer as soon as he was brought in under the guise of a good Samaritan. There was an amazingly gratuitous sex scene involving Angelina Jolie and what I'm assuming was Ethan Hawke. In it Angelina Jolie is nearly completely nude, but Ethan Hawke is fully clothed? This movie had a lot of problems, including the incredibly stupid twist ending. I rate it a 3 out of 7.
• Tuvalu: (German) A silent movie (sort of), an art film, a fairy tale, something that hollywood couldn't possibly produce. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Shot in black & white, partial color, and tinted at times in sepia and blue. The story revolves around a place, a family business , a swimming pool in a run down dilapidated building in a run down dilapidated country. There is no dialog in this movie. There is some speaking, a couple words here and there, in various different languages, but the story is told with actions, acting, and pictures. An enchanting tale, a love story, a drama, a comedy. The characters were very charming and the story takes you away. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• What about Bob?: A comedy with Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfus. Bill Murray at his understated best. Murray plays a therapy patient who just can't cope. He ends up following Dreyfus (his psychiatrist) and his family on a family vacation. Eventually, Dreyfus ends up needing 'help'. This laugh a minute movie gets a 6 out of 7.
• Ghostworld: A movie based on a comic book. Not that good of a movie. The acting was pretty good, but this movie lacked purpose. It was a character based movie, but the characters didn't go anywhere. A tale of two girls just out of high school. They have absolutely no idea what to do. They're good at cynicism, I'm sure there must be a market for that somewhere, Not! These two are just learning that they're part of the world, not just some outside observers. It was quirky, charming, depressing. I give it a 4 out of 7.
• Amelie: (French - Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le) A really good movie. A charming romance. A naive young woman is alone in Paris. She reaches a turning point in her life and decides to help those around her. In helping others she helps herself and falls in love. Great characters, great casting, excellent direction and splendid camera work. The traveling Gnome thread was great. The ending was terrific. This movie gets a 6 out of 7.
• The lost skeleton of Cadavra: I finally got my own copy. A spoof on 1950's sci-fi movies. This little gem had me rolling on the floor. It was incredibly funny. The lines! Oh my god. Whoever wrote this knew what they were doing. The cast were complete unknowns, but that was a good thing. The set and locations were perfect. The film style was also well done. A scientist and his 'scientists wife' are investigating a meteorite. An evil-scientist is trying to revive the lost skeleton of Cadavra, and a pair of stranded aliens must refuel their space-ship and recover their mutant. Put all these characters together for dinner and watch what happens! It wasn't just a funny movie, it was also a well crafted parody/homage. Incorporating time tested B (for Bad) movie film techniques, and directing style, this one was well worth the watching. Days later I find myself describing the movie to friends, and falling over with laughter at the comic genius of this movie. I give it a 7 out of 7.
• Lumumba: (French - Lumumba, retour au Congo) A true story about the independence of the Belgian Congo. I wasn't there, and haven't studied the situation closely enough to make an intelligent comment one way or the other, as to who was behind the violence that followed/sorrounded the transfer of power in the early days of the Congo. This was a great movie. Well acted, with Eriq Ebouaney providing a stellar performance as Patrice Lumumba . The directing and camera work was also fantastic, the pacing was exciting and the music was above my expectations. I give this movie a 5 out of 7.
• The deep end: A murder mystery/drama. Two lovers, and accidental death, a presummed murder, a mothers protective instints, a cover-up, blackmail, a complicated situation spinning rapidly out of control, all of this moakes for a great movie. Some fantastic writting, direction, acting and locations. This tightly wound plot kept me guessing despite the fact that I've seen it before. No wonder it showed up in my recommendations. This one gets a 6 out of 7.
• Divided we fall: (Czechoslovakian - Musíme si pomáhat) In Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia, a childless couple decide to shelter a young jewish man. As the movie progresses, the decision they've made creates incredible concessions, tension, compromises, and sacrifices in the days that follow. A great movie. Very well written, excellent direction. Great casting and fantastic sets and locations. This movie is at times sad, humorous, tense, and dramatic. Above all it was great. It gets a 7 out of 7.
• Jay and silent Bob strike back: What a waste of a movie. Two stoners (Jay and Silent Bob), become irate when they find out that hollywood is producing a movie based on the comic charachters Bluntman & Chronic. Since the comic and characters are based on them, they want their cut of the action. When they discover that the vast majority of internet users are abusive shits, they want to stop the movie so that those abuseive shits will stop slandering them. With a premise like that it's no wonder this movie sucked. Filled with lowest common denominator humor, this movie lacked a plot, any actual reason for existence, any actual acting, a real story, direction and purpose. It made me laugh a couple of times... For that it gets a 2 out of 7.
• City Heat: A transparent gangster flick. WithBurt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood, the dichotomy was vivid. Reynolds was out to make his usual funny man movie, and Eastwood was out to make this a serious gunslinger movie. Paired together as two detectives (Private/Reynolds and Police/Eastwood), these two tear up the town solving a murder mystery extortion scheme. Every cliche in the book is thrown in for good measure, and this period piece (1930's Prohibition gangster flick) becomes a sad excuse to put two big names in a block buster hollywood production. It made me laugh a couple of times, the supporting cast (Jane Alexander, Madeline Kahn, Rip Torn, Irene Cara, Richard Roundtree, Tony Lo Bianco, William Sanderson) did a good job, the music was great, the sets and costumes were boiler-plate basic, and I give the movie a 3 out of 7.
• Matchstick men: Directed by Ridley Scott, this was a great con-man movie. Nicholis Cage plays a higly phobic con-man who's just getting by, training his protege and coping with his day-to-day problems. Suddenly, a daughter he never knew shows up to stir up his life. It seems she's interested in learning the trade. When he gets his daughter involved in the con, things start to fall apart. A fantastic bait-and-switch ending left me dizzy with dis-belief. 23 year old (at the time of the debut) Alison Lohman does a great job of playing Cage's 14 year old daughter. Unfortunately the movie is a bit formulaic, the acting/characters are a bit stiff and lacking in emotion. This one gets a 5 out of 7.

Jul (19/12/2)

• Godfather, the: The masterful work of Maria Puzo made into a magnificent cinema by Francis Ford Copola. A Sicilian Don's son becomes exactly what he does not wish. An absolutely thrilling movie. This drama has the casting, music, direction, and story to make it an American classic. This movie gets a 7 out of 7. Some would argue that this is the best American movie ever made.
• Godfather part II, the: A remake that lives up to the original. This movie, written by Maria Puzo and directed by one of my favorite directors: Francis Ford Copola, disproves the sequel stereotype. The storytelling is superb. The acting career making, and the story gets even better. This story gives us more background into the Michael Corleone's 'Famiglia'. These two films create a gangster template that will last for centuries. Another 7 out of 7.
• Dog day afternoon: Directed by Francis Ford Copola, this movie is based upon an actual event (Sep 22, 1972). A bank robbery gone awry. The acting (by Al Pacino) was absolutely riveting. This high tension drama is unforgettable. Three men decide to rob a bank, the cops call them on the phone during the robbery, and the rest is cinematic history. Another 7 out of 7.
• Last Samurai, The: A magnificent masterpiece. A tribute to a culture overwhelmed by change. Superbly directed by Edward Zwick, this movie was an epic drama filled with action, nuance and substance. Starring Ken Watanabe as Katsumoto (Samurai lord) and Tom Cruise as Nathan Algren (Captain in US Army). Cruise's character is fed up with the heavy handed immoral tactics practiced in campaigns against the American Indians. Working on a lifetime of despair and alcoholism, he takes the first job that gets him the hell out of Job. He's sent to Japan to train the Japanese military. He's captured during a skirmish, and learns the way of the Samurai. Soon he is ally not foe. This is an absolutely must see movie. I'm sure I'll watch it over and over. The acting was sublime, everything in this movie was worth watching. A 7 out of 7.
• Risky business: Starring Tom Cruise, this movie brings back memories of high school, first dates, and teen rebellion. Sometimes you have to say 'What the F*ck!'. A weekend with the parents away turns from teen freedom into complete disaster in a very short amount of time. This classic gets a 6 out of 7.
• Independence day: (aka iD4) This holly-wood block-buster was an actors showcase. The story was a cutesy tongue-in-cheek action/sci-fi mockery. Containing recycled plot lines and mechanisms, the writers wouldn't know original if it fell in their laps. The costumes were good, special effects were good. The acting was a mediocre display of unabashed one-upsmanship. The music was kitschy current crap. It was listed as 5 of 7 in my database, but I downgraded it to 3 of 7, and it might go lower if I think about it long enough.
• Gettysburg: Based on the novel: The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, This movie is a momentous tale of American history. One land, two different visions. A tale of the 'civil war'. The casting was fantastic (Tom Berenger (great acting), Martin Sheen, Stephen Lang and Jeff Daniels), the characters unforgettable, the settings and costumes superb, but the over-acting and egotism was a bit much at times. Martin Sheen can't really act. Keep him on a stage please, he sucks on screen. The story was great, the screen writing a bit pompous, but no-where nearly as bad as 'God's and Generals'. I give it a 6 out of 7.
• Mystic river: Directed by Clint Eastwood. This is one fantastic movie. I thought I knew who did it. This murder mystery drama is a splendid piece of work, with actual character development, the acting in this movie was way above par. Unexpectedly good. Plausible plot twists left me realizing that even in a movie, things are sometimes more complicated than they appear. Despite the stellar cast (Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon and Laurence Fishburne) I didn't see much competition for the klieg light. This movie gets a 7 out of 7.
• Story of Seabiscuit, the: Crap! This movie contained some of the worst acting I've seen in a long time. Although the movie was produced in color, there were a few scenes that transitioned from black & white to color. I'm pretty sure the transitions were intentional, but they were poorly done and didn't contribute to the story. On the other hand, maybe they were just the result of poor production. Starring Shirley Temple, Barry Fitzgerald and Lon McCallister) the acting was abysmal. Aside from the poor acting, there were quite a few horrible instances of racial stereotyping in the movie. All the non-white characters in the movie were treated like ignorant servants who deserved nothing more than laughable disdain and presumptory subservient roles. I give this movie a 2 out of 7.
• Seabiscuit - The lost documentary: Yuck! This documentary was narrated by a horse race announcer. The acting, directing and production quality was terrible. Restored from a film that was believed lost, this documentary would have been better off if it had remained lost. Seabiscuit - American experience (A PBS documentary) was much better. I give it a 2 out of 7.
• The Closet: (French: Placard, Le) A great movie. Reminiscent of 'Office Space'. This was a terrific spoof/comedic parody on political correctness, prejudice, bigotry and office life. An office worker is about to lose his job because he's dull. A new friend helps him re-invent himself as a gay man, and his job is saved. The results are hilarious! Great characters, excellent casting, and an absolutely smashing story. This movie gets a 6 out of 7 and I've added it to my 'buy' list.
• Suddenly: 1954 - Black & White. Frank Sinatra as a Villain! It's a secret. The president is going to arrive in a little whistle stop called 'Suddenly'. It may be a secret to everyone in town. Everyone but a group of out of town gangsters that is. This group of thugs is led by John Baron (Played by Frank Sinatra). Baron and his gang show up unexpectedly with a sinister plan. Long range assassination using a rifle. This movie, pre-dated president John F. Kennedy's assassination by several years, and some would say it foreshadowed his death. The acting, aside from that of Frank Sinatra, was absolutely horrible, the directing was lacking, the music very poorly scored. The story was suspenseful and taught and the writing was pretty good. One can't help but appreciate the way this movie paints the post war era of McCarthyism in America. This one gets a 4 out of 7, primarily on the strength of Sinatra's acting.
• Get Carter: A remake. Originally filmed in 1971, starring Michael Caine. This remake stars Sylvester Stallone . I didn't see the original, so I won't make any comparisons to it. Considering the fact that someone made a remake of it, it must have had some merit. In either case, this movie was pretty good. I like Sly, so I guess that makes me a bit prejudiced. I thought he played a splendid thug thinking about his family, his life, and the things he's done. I liked the direction, music, costumes, lines and cinematography. I thought it was a fine movie. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• S.W.A.T.: As far as plots go, this one was paper thin. Two converging plot lines. Good guys and bad guys. Good guys (a mixed bag of hard luck, no-nonsense street cops (oh yeah, don't forget to add in the 'Tough Chick')) come together, train, and get ready to kick ass. Bad guy enters country illegally, murders someone, attempts to flee and is caught. Bad guy offers $100 Million "to whoever gets me out of here." The rest of the movie is a joke. Transport bad guy to prison. The antagonist characters are so predictable that it's laughable, and if I see Michele Rodriguez in another 'Tough Chick' role, I'll probably vomit. The casting disappointed me, apparently the only consideration was looks. I was disappointed to see that Samuel L. Jackson took the role of squad leader. Any movie based on a T.V. series should be avoided. i.e. Charlie's Angels, Beverly Hillbillies, S.W.A.T., etc... I give this one a 2 out of 7.
• The butterfly effect: The cast was too young. Overall poor casting, Ashton Kutcher didn't do very well in this role. His acting was unconvincing, and I didn't believe in his character. Amy Smart was much better. Some of the child actors did a very good job. The plot wasn't the greatest. Boy blacks out, starts keeping a journal. Later he discovers that reading the journal can allow him to re-live the black outs. Not only does he remember what happened, he can change what happened. It's a time travel movie. I liked the chaos theory and time travel aspects of the movie, I just wish the acting was better. This one gets a 5 out of 7.
• Ringu: (Japanese) This is the original version of the movie based on the novel (of the same name) by Kôji Suzuki. After Dreamworks acquired permission to make the movie 'The Ring' in English, they bought the rights to this movie, then they locked it away until after the American debut of 'The Ring'. This is an excellent movie. Some really good casting, a well written script, and a story that creeps you out. The beginning of the movie is very suspenseful, and the ending is shocking. This one gets a 5 out of 7. The Ring 2 is in production now.
• The Ring: Far creepier than the Japanese version . A very scary movie. Sublime direction by Gore Verbinski. A director who hasn't done many films, or at least I hadn't noticed him until now. He directed Pirates of the Caribbean - The curse of the black pearl, and received credit for filmography on The time machine. This movie is incredibly creepy. Visually stunning, excellent witting and a great cast. An investigative reporter is personally moved to investigate the death of her teenage niece. She discovers a video tape that kills the people who watch it. With seven days left to live, she must discover the reasons why, and prevent the death of her and the people she loves. The music in this movie was an outstanding match for the creepy video effects. This one gets a 7 out of 7.
• The lost skeleton of Cadavra: A spoof on 1950's sci-fi movies. This little gem had me rolling on the floor. It was incredibly funny. The lines! Oh my god. Whoever wrote this knew what they were doing. The cast were complete unknowns, but that was a good thing. The set and locations were perfect. The film style was also well done. A scientist and his 'scientists wife' are investigating a meteorite. An evil-scientist is trying to revive the lost skeleton of Cadavra, and a pair of stranded aliens must refuel their space-ship and recover their mutant. Put all these characters together for dinner and watch what happens! It wasn't just a funny movie, it was also a well crafted parody. Incorporating time tested B (for Bad) movie film techniques, and directing style, this one was well worth the watching. Days later I find myself describing the movie to friends, and falling over with laughter at the comic genius of this movie. I give it a 7 out of 7, and I've added it to my 'buy' list.
• The return of Martin Guerre: (French - Le retour de Martin Guerre) A story about identity theft? After betrothal in a less than satisfactory arranged marriage, the main character (played by Gérard Depardieu) leaves his home, family, and wife without a word. Years later, as the veteran of nine years in military service, he returns home, or has he? This true story about love, families, and greed was an excellent drama. Set in medieval France, the sets and costumes were excellent. The acting was good, the story was very good, and the casting was well done. The directing and pacing (too slow) could use some help, but overall it was a good movie. I rate it 4 out of 7.
• I, Robot: Starring Will smith, this sci-fi murder mystery was 'suggested' by the book (of the same name) by Isaac Asimov. What exactly does 'suggested' mean? I've never read the novel, but I've read Isaac Asimov. I can't imagine the novelist coming up with the script of this movie. If only the casting had left Will Smith out of the picture. This movie should not have been a comedy. All the characters were wooden cutouts. Everyone except Will Smith, playing a technophobe detective. If the writers lacked in giving the characters any life, Will smith made up for it by playing himself. The 'effects' were excellent, if unbelievable at times. This movie could have been much deeper. It failed to live up to my expectations, and I'm rating it 3 out of 7.
• Medea: (Italian). Based on a 5th-Century B.C. Greek play by Euripides. In this story, Jason must steal the Golden Fleece in order to win back his kingdom from his uncle. Jason's wife, Medea is scorned and gains revenge by killing their children to spite Jason. This movie was very disappointing. At times lacking in dialog, this movie was at times very slow and lacking in direction. The writing was poor, and the film directing was abysmal. The costumes were terrible, the music strident and harsh. This movie gets a 2 out of 7.
• Full metal jacket: The greatest war movie ever made. Directed by Stanley Kubrick. This is really two movies the first half is character development. A basic training nightmare where the trainees are subjected to inhuman and demoralizing treatment. The result is marines who are willing to kill at the drop of the hat. The second half of the movie shows the inhumanity of war, and what it does to the people exposed to war. Some excellent lines, awesome costumes, pretty good acting, fantastic locations, sets, lighting, etc, etc, etc. A great movie. This movie gets a 7 out of 7.
• The wild bunch: A group of outlaws is out to make one final score before the world catches up with them. The wild west is disappearing, and these guys aren't getting any younger. A very graphic movie, with good acting, great locations, excellent costumes, and spectacular casting. Who exactly are the good guys in this movie? Well worth watching, some really good characters, and excellent writing There's a lot of subtlety to the characters and their interactions with each other. I give it a 6 out of 7.
• S.I.C.K.: Serial Insane Clown Killer - A horrible waste of 90 minutes. This movie should have been named S.U.C.K., as in it sucked badly. The acting was poor, the story was laughable, and they spared no expense on location and effects. Literally, 'No expense'. People go to a cabin in the woods and a clown kills them, oh the surprise? The plot twist? Are you ready for this? Who cares, no plot twist could possibly make up for this embarrassingly bad movie. There was some nudity, and for that it gets a 1 out of seven as the female actors were good looking.
• Presumed innocent: A murder mystery court-room drama starring Harrison Ford. It's your typical human drama, the person investigating a murder had an affair with the murder victim. Suspicion turns to the investigator, who is of course 'Innocent'. The ending is a bit of a surprise, but the plot is unoriginal. The movie lacked passion, and I fell asleep at one point. To slow for my tastes, and far to predictable. I give this movie a 4 out of 7.
• Lawrence of Arabia: An epic adventure. The story was fantastic. A timeless film, as relevant today as it ever was, if not more so. The true life story of the warrior-poet T.E. Lawrence. A young lieutenant in the British Empire is bored by the mediocrity of his life, he pushes himself beyond the limits of common sense. Personally leading the Arabs in a revolt against Turkish forces, Lawrence becomes a legend himself. Good acting, fantastic story, great music, gorgeous locations, costumes and props. I give it a 6 out of 7.
• Westworld: A 1970's sci-fi. Some would say a B-Movie. Written and directed by Michael Crichton. This movie is definitely a precursor in many ways to Jurasic Park, both the book and the movie. With a very thin plot, the characters are attacked by robots run amok at an amusement park. The acting was horrible, except for that of Yul Brynner, who plays a rogue gunslinger who just can't seem to get enough of one of the two cowboy guests. It's a good sci-fi thriller, and some of the concepts are cutting edge. Robot's and machines that seem to have a mind of their own. There's even some talk around a 'computer virus'. Almost as if the machines were infected with a disease. I wouldn't be surprised if a remake would be in the make. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• Gigantic - A tale of two Johns: A documentary about the band 'They Might Be Giants'. A fairly done documentary. A bit presumptuous and slanted. No one in the film says anything bad about the band?... Seems a bit more like an advertisement or ego stroke for two aging actors. If this film had been a little more critical, I might have liked it better. As it is, as it was. I left me with the taste of lemonade that's just a little bit too sour. I liked some of the bands songs, but as a documentary, this movie was pretty good. It was far too long! I give it a 3 out of 7.
• The Bourne supremacy: Directed by Paul Greengrass and starring Matt Damon as Jason Bourne. Unfortunately, Franka Potente's character dies early in the film. She did a fantastic job in the first movie, and it's a shame that she gets very little time in this movie. I'm not as impressed with Paul Greengrass' direction as I was with Doug Liman's in the Bourne identity. Matt Damon reprises his role, and the acting is excellent. Jason Bourne is framed for a murder, and must return to his old ways in order to clear his name. The story was pretty good, the music was good, the locations fantastic. There were two problems with this movie. One serious, one minor. First the serious problem: The camera work. I couldn't see what was happening half the time. Some really good action scenes, fighting and car chases, were ruined by this 'seizure cam' technique. Hopefully they'll buy a tripod before they film the third movie in this trilogy. The first movie had a kinetic feel to it. The action shots were tight, well focused, and energetic. In this movie, the action scenes are a blur of uncertainty, unfocused and careening out of control. I imagine it was done to imply an unharnessed energy and out of control feeling to the action scenes. In my opinion, they overplayed it. It ended up hurting the story. The minor problem? This movie lacked any explanation didn't do a very good job of explaining what was going on, and there were some plot flaws. If I hadn't seen the first movie, I'd have some serious problems following the plot in this movie. Despite the disappointing direction/camera work, I give it a 5 out of 7.
• Crouching Tiger, hidden Dragon: (Chinese - Wo hu cang long) A cinematic masterpiece. The acting, the casting, the story, the sets, the locations. This movie is absolutely fantastic. A dramatic action flick. A love story. An epic adventure. A kung-fu flick. This movie has it all. A foreign language film that plays out better than most Hollywood Blockbusters. I bought this movie soon after I saw it. You should buy a copy too. I give it a 7 out of 7.
• Russian Ark: (Russian - Russkij kovcheg) A film directed by Aleksandr Sukurov. This was a work of art in a work of art about Russia. A strange voyage through Russia's Hermitage museum. Narrated and guided through the maze of rooms, a critical european Marquis takes us on a journey through Russia's past. A technically impressive movie. This 90 minute film was shot in one continuous take inside the Hermitage museum with a cast of nearly a thousand. The story lacked substance in the telling, but the technical and logistic achievement of the film are remarkable. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• Bubba Ho-Tep: Starring Bruce Campbell as Elvis Presley? and Ossie Davis as John (Jack) Kennedy? A soul-sucking Egyptian mummy is praying on the inhabitants of a retirement home in East Texas. What a ridiculous plot. It made for a pretty good movie. It could have been better though. The direction was definitely lacking. It got some good laughs out of me, but the writing wasn't very well done. The director didn't take advantage of Bruce Campbell's ability to deliver lines. I give this movie a 5 out of 7. Don't let the 'R' rating scare you.
• City of ghosts: Written, directed, and starring - Matt Dillon. A fine film. Engrossing, a bit slow, and very tragic. Executive of a large insurance firm is investigated following the collapse of the company. He travels to Cambodia in order to find out what happened to his 'business partner' and is soon caught up in some very dangerous events. Great casting, great music, fantastic locations and some good acting. This movie kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• Lost in La Mancha: A documentary about a movie that never was. This movie chronicles Terry Gilliam's attempted making of a movie about Don Quixote'. The challenges were overwhelming and even though I knew the outcome going in, I somehow felt that Terry would pull it out, rescue the film, and complete the project. As far as documentaries go, this was a pretty good film. If you're at all interested in how movies are made, check out this chronicle of one that didn't make it. 4 out of 7.

Jun (14/7/1)4

• Thirteen: A dark and cautionary tale for parents. If you have a teenage child, you should watch this movie. The plot/story was not that of a typical family. The acting was pretty good. Two girls test the limits of their hands-off divorced mothers. Not the greatest entertainment, but definitely worth watching. Well done, current, and well paced. The directing and camera work were excellent. This movie gets a 4 out of 7.
• Don't look now: There are some who claim that this was a spectacular movie, a ground breaker. Then their are those like me, who almost fell asleep watching it. This parapsychological, horror, murder-mystery, drama, tried to be too many things, and failed to convince that it was any one of those things. The pacing was incredibly slow and the musical score was 'missing in action'. As a matter of fact, the sound editing was horrible all around. It sounded like this English language movie was 'dubbed' in English. The characters lacked depth or conviction, and the acting was lukewarm. One thing that marks this movie is it's incredibly long, highly erotic, love scene. Unfortunately, this highly sexual segment is completely wasted on this movie. It had virtually nothing to do with the plot. This movie gets a 2 out of 7.
• Heist: A masterpiece of twists and turns and double-crosses. This movie is directed like a three ring circus, the casting is ironclad, the plot is full of more twists than a roller coaster, and the camera work was flawless. This movie deserves a 6 out of 7 on my list. I've added it to my must 'buy' list. Starring Gene Hackman and Danny DeVito. This heist movie is full of great acting and terrific lines. 'Love makes the world go round - Love of money', 'He's so cool, sheep count him'.
• Ghost ship: A relatively limited plot. The pacing was good. The acting was mediocre, lacking in conviction. The bad guy wasn't bad enough. It had some scary scenes. The sound mixing in this movie was so bad, I had to turn on the English subtitles in order to follow the lines. Why do producers and directors insist on torturing us! We want to hear the lines! I don't care if they're at an airport, I don't care if they're standing beside a cement truck. The cement truck isn't critical to the plot! Speaking of the plot there were a few times when I was forced to suspend my disbelief in order to continue watching. This ghost ship is adrift in the Bearing Straits, but the water is warm? The characters think nothing of diving into arctic Atlantic waters? The best part of this movie is the first 10 minutes or so, as we see what killed the majority of this ships ghostly passenger list. This movie gets a 2 out of 7.
• Drowning Mona: An absolute riot. This comical murder mystery takes place in the podunk little town of Verplanck New York, where everyone knows everyone, everyone drives a Yugo, and everyone hates Mona. So who killed the wicked witch of the west? Tune in to find out. They movie has a brilliant cast, and fantastic characters. Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Neve Campbell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Casey Affleck, and more. This movie is worth every minute. Even the tongue in cheek gags are great. A solid 6 out of 7. Gut check... A week later and I'm still talking about this movie. I'm moving it up to a 7 out of 7. I'll update the database to match the new score.
• Citizen Kane: Some have called this the greatest American film ever made. I guess I'm not smart enough to see that? I give the movie very high marks. There is a lot of deep meaning in the movie, a lot of great camera work, some really good acting. The pacing is absolutely perfect. The music is pretty good. The lighting and costumes are sensational. I don't care for the broken narrative style of the film. I give it a 6 of 7.
• Igby goes down: An excellent character based drama. The characters and casting are the best. The story is great. Unfortunately, it's a story we've seen a thousand times before. It's unoriginal and stereotypical in a Hollywood way. More sound problems! It's a shame that the story was so patterned. The directing was excellent. A domineering mommie dearest mother dotes on her 'bad son', trying desperately to do what's right for him. The perfect son who's done no wrong. A rebellious son who wants no part of his mothers overbearing attention. A father who's absent and a god-father who's all about himself. Finally a smattering of the women in their lives. This movie was a very good character based drama. It gets a 5 out of 7.
• Shallow grave: (British) Starring: Kerry Fox, Christopher Eccleston and Ewan McGregor. Directed by Danny Boyle. This is a scary little flick. A character based drama. The casting was excellent, and the acting super. Only one flaw in the plot. They didn't think anyone would miss all that money? Three room mates rent the spare room to a fourth. He moves in and dies almost immediately; leaving behind a suit case full of cash, these characters let there greed get the better part of them. Well, if you're going to keep the money, you've got to dispose of the bodies. It's a splendid film. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• Don Juan DeMarco: A definite chick flick. Excruciatingly painful to watch. Sappy, romance. If the cast hadn’t been so good, I would have barfed. Marlon Brando, Faye Dunaway (Is she some sort of undead vampire? Doesn’t she ever age?) and Johnny Depp. I wasn't really happy with Johnny Depp as 'Don Juan'. This movie had a very ‘Princess Bride’ feel to it. The story was a story. Psychiatrist tries to convince a young man that he is not Don Juan. The young man ends up convincing the psychiatrist that 'he' is Don Juan. More bad sound production! This one gets a 3 out of 7. Just a little bit too much cheese. This movie came free when I bought a pizza at Papa Johns!
• Hope floats: Another chick flick. Sappy romance. A pretty good cast. Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick Jr., Gena Rowlands and Mae Whitman. Child actor Mae Whitman did a great job as a little girl who's world is turned upside down by the divorce of her parents. She definitely showed more range and emotion than the two leads. A movie about love, divorce, selfishness, family and hope. The sound production was horrible. Once again I had to turn on English subtitles in order to catch all the dialog. At some places, you couldn't even hear part of the dialog. The music was blaring, and the subtitles kept insisting that someone was speaking. It was atrocious. The directing by Forest Whitaker showed promise. I give it a 3 out of 7.
• The chronicles of Riddick: I've seen, I own, I love Pitch Black. A masterpiece of Sci-Fi. I went to see Riddick based on the character and the actors portrayal. As an action flick, Riddick rises above the tide. A cinematic masterpiece, music that enhances the visual expression, costumes that speak of a deeper vision, sets and special effects worthy of a cinema. There are action scenes unlike any other movie. Combat that is a blur, a montage, a transmogrified visual representation of pain and fury. Unfortunately, the characters that cry out for development are swept up in a fast paced story that leaves this audience wishing for more. More background, better acting, and a deeper meaning. Hopefully the DVD release will contain an extended version. This film was definitely missing something. A short film similar to the one used in Fast and the Furious 2 would also be a great boon. I give this movie (which Kim and I went and saw at the theater) a 5 out of 7.
• Lantana: (British) Love, sex, and deception. A character based drama, and a murder mystery. This movie is a bit slow. It doesn't get going until the last quarter of the movie. It teases you with romantic involvements and lives on the verge of exploding . At any second these characters could go over the deep end. People with messed up lives are trying to make it through the day. The casting in this movie was excellent. The directing was fantastic. The music was pretty good. Once again the mixing was done in a style that left me no recourse but subtitles. This one gets a 5 out of 7.
• Morvern Callar: (Scottish) Boring! This movie was completely pointless, and difficult to pronounce. I don't think I could make a film this lame if I were trying. Doped out girlies boy friend commits suicide. He leaves her his novel, which she then mails off to a publishing house. She cuts up his body, buries it out in the wilderness, and then skips off to Spain with her girl friend. The acting was o.k. The music was good. What was the point of this movie? It gets a 1 out of 7.
• Monsters Inc.: (Borrowed from a friend) Splendid. Not what I expected at all. I figured the story would be horrible, that the movie would just be a show case for Pixar Studios special effects/animation. It wasn't, it was a fantastic movie. The story was great. The 'acting' (or voiced roles if you will) was very well done, and the music was great. Monsters generate power for their world by scaring children. An evil monster plans to overturn the normal paradigm by actually sucking the souls directly out of helpless children. Our heroes must stop these nefarious nere-do-wellers. I give this movie a 5 out of 7.
• Chain Reaction: Starring Keanu Reeves, Morgan Freeman, Rachel Weisz and Brian Cox. This movie is a gem in the rough. An HBO production that was never released theatrically (I think), this movie is a fantastic technology thriller. A thinker that kept moving from beginning to end. Reeves and his coworkers discover a clean source of limitless energy. Government agents quickly move to suppress the technology. They murder one of the scientists, kidnap others, and frame the ones who get away. The story isn't the greatest, but the casting was favorable, the locations well chosen, the characters worth watching and the pacing was done just right. Very well directed. This movie is a sleeper surprise. I liked it. I gave it a 6 out of 7 and bought a copy.
• Shrek: (Borrowed from a friend) Another pleasant surprise. I thought this would be a kids movie. Some sappy fairy tale for kids. I was wrong. Like Monsters Inc. This was an original story with some great lines. I really liked the fact that some of the lines were intended for an adult audience. Especially the bit when the Gingerbread man spits crumbs at the Prince and says, "Eat Me!". ROTFL. A fantastic work of digital animation. I gave it a 6 out of 7 and I'm seriously close to putting it on my must buy list.
• Throne of blood: (Japanese: Kumonosu jô) Black & White movie from 1957. Another Akira Kurosawa film. Director Akira Kurosawa's take on Shakespeare's tragic "Macbeth". A dark drama set in feudal Japan. Starring Toshiro Mifune, two Samurai warrior encounter a witch? during an intense storm. The witch foretells their future. Eager to advance their personal positions, the two Samurai follow a dark path that leads to destruction. 4 out of 7.
• Seabiscuit: A triumphant story. A great humanizing experience. Excellent acting. Great camera work, fantastic music, and flawless directing. I really liked the way they brought the characters together. Granted the story moved a little slowly at first, but the reward was well worth the wait. A true story of champions. Seabiscuit was an underdog winner who brought a lot of people out of the depression era. I give this film a 6 out of 7.
• Finding Nemo: Another fantastic Pixar flick. Great graphics, great lines and a overall excellent effort. Ellen DeGeneres did a fantastic job as Dory, better than all the other characters combined. This movie gets a 4 out of 7.
• Seabiscuit - American Experience: A PBS documentary. Very well done. Follows the Jockey more so than the horse. A horse that brought americans an unbridled amount of joy and pride. At a time in our history when everyone could sympathize with an underdog, seabiscuit made us feel like champions. This documentary did an excellent job of focusing on that aspect of this great american prize fighters story. This one gets a 5 out of 7.
• Brother from another planet, the: This movie was odd. A sci-fi film about the social condition in America. This goofy movie was about an alien, who looks just like a human. Oh yeah, this alien is black! That's somewhat original. This alien crash lands in Harlem. Despite the fact that he's a black alien, he looks just like the rest of the inhabitants. Still, he has a hard time getting along with the other 'humans'. What follows is a charming sci-fi, pseudo comedic look at the human condition. If it hadn't been for the ridiculous anti-drug message, this movie might have rated higher. I give it a 4 out of 7.
• Harold and Maude: A great flick. A character based drama. A spoiled boy is growing up. Rebelling against his controlling mother, he tries his best to shock and rebel. His mother insists on a 'normal' upbringing, but Harold will have none of it. Through a morbid infatuation with death, he soon meets Maude, and they quickly fall in love. What follows is a taboo romance. Younger man, older woman, laughs, and great dialog. Ruth Gordon is fantastic as Maude. This movie had some really good music (Cat Stevens), and the directing was well done as well. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• Kill Bill - Volume I: A smashing action flick. A genre fusing high drama action packed mixed media masterpiece. This Quentin Tarantino production (Written and directed) is an audacious gore fest. Starring Uma Thurman (as the bride), Lucy Liu (as O-Ren Ishii), Vivica A. Fox (as Vernita Green), Daryl Hannah (as Elle Driver) and David Carradine (as the enigmatic Bill); this movie contains a lot of gory combat, blood spurting corpses litter the screen in a fusion of many various genres. An excellent movie, well written, great characters, outstanding music, fabulous costumes, everything you need to make a cult movie. The powerful female leads are superbly written and executed. Pregnant bride is left for dead at the alter, she recovers, returning from the dead to deliver vengeance unto those who 'murdered' her. I give this movie a 7 out of 7. I look forward to volume II.
• Last Samurai, The: A magnificent masterpiece. A tribute to a culture overwhelmed by change. Superbly directed by Edward Zwick, this movie was an epic drama filled with action, nuance and substance. Starring Ken Watanabe as Katsumoto (Samurai lord) and Tom Cruise as Nathan Algren (Captain in US Army). Cruise's character is fed up with the heavy handed immoral tactics practiced in campaigns against the American Indians. Working on a lifetime of despair and alcoholism, he takes the first job that gets him the hell out of Job. He's sent to Japan to train the Japanese military. He's captured during a skirmish, and learns the way of the Samurai. Soon he is ally not foe. This is an absolutely must see movie. I'm sure I'll watch it over and over. The acting was sublime, everything in this movie was worth watching. A 7 out of 7.
• Conversation, the: Starring Gene Hackman, Harrison Ford, and an uncredited appearance by Robert Duvall. This movie is a conspiracy buffs dream. A murder mystery in the making. Gene Hackman plays a surveillance specialist who's reached a point in his career where he can no longer remain disinterested in the subjects he spies on. A great cast, superb writing and direction (by Francis Ford Copola), music that fit the movie like a glove, and a thoroughly engrossing story. This one gets a 7 out of 7.
• Lord of the rings - The return of the King: The final movie in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. An epic unlike any other. This trilogy has set a standard likely to last a hundred years. Grand in scale, cinematic, moving, and breathtaking. The telling of Tolkein's tale is unlike any other movie. This final chapter caps the series with a brilliant gem. The only problem with this movie was the incredibly long ending. A 6 out of 7.

May (16/7/1)

• Secretary : Strange, sexy, sadomasochistic. Slow moving at the start. Young woman is released from mental hospital and applies for a job as a secretary. The boss is very demanding, and the employee submissive. The relationship is not 'normal?' but it is loving. All the characters are somewhat off center. A compelling movie. Good acting, excellent direction. This one gets a 5 out of 7.
• Picnic at hanging rock: (Australian) Boring! This period piece (1900) is the dullest movie I've seen in ages. The behavior of the characters was absolutely ridiculous. The story recounts the unexplained disappearance of three girls from a picnic outing at hanging rock. The story was boring, the music horrid, and the acting was unremarkable. I give this movie a 2 out of 7.
• Fitcarraldo: (German) An obsessed Irishman (who speaks German?) has a plan to build a grand opera house in the middle of the jungle. He needs to raise money to do it. So what's his plan? That's the story. A drama set in the Jungle's of Peru? Does the Amazon run all the way to Peru? Directed by Werner Herzog. This film is a grand adventure. With a steamboat as a launching point, the characters are in for quite a trip. This movie reminds me of "The Mosquito Coast" with Harrison Ford. This movie gets a 4 out of 7.
• Record of Lodoss war: (Japanese animation - Japanese title: Lodoss to Senki) I watched this monster with English subtitles. I'm not a fan of anime. I can't stand the big eyes, little mouth characters. But, I have to admit, this 13 part series was pretty good. A classic D&D campaign brought to life in a Japanese anime film. 2 DVD's, over 290 minutes long. The story was your typical good versus evil world domination story. Throw in some character development, a few romantic entanglements, and a few dragons. Stir thoroughly, and you've got a good recipe for success. While the anime was horrible, the music was egregious, and the production quality poor, the voiceovers (even though I couldn't understand 95% of it) was very well done. This one gets a 4 out of 7. This was a loaner from a friend of mine.
• Yojimbo: (Japanese) Produced in 1961, this black and white movie is another fantastic film by Akira Kurosawa. The story is exceptional. A classic which has been remade as Sergio Leone's - Per un pugno di dollari (otherwise known as A Fistful of dollars and Walter Hill's - Last Man Standing. A Ronin (Samurai without a master) wanders the countryside looking for employment. He comes upon a town in the midst of a two-way gang war. Pitting both sides against each other, the samurai nearly loses his life when his deception is uncovered. In the end the town is nearly destroyed, and both sides have been decimated leaving the town eerily 'Quiet again'. Outstanding direction, acting by Toshiro Mifune as the Ronin, a great musical score. An all around excellent movie. 7 out of 7! Added to my 'buy' list.
• A better tomorrow II: (Chinese (Hong Kong) Chinese title: Yinghung bunsik II) Produced in 1987. I can't quite remember how this movie got on my list. It was terrible. A sequel which leaves you out in the cold. I had no idea why some of the characters were introduced, or who they were for that matter. A typical Hong Kong gangster movie. Counterfeit money, undercover cops, a brother who cooperates with the cops is released from prison. Revenge, vendetta, incredibly ridiculous gun fights. This movie goes where every bad gangster movie has gone before. Directed by John Woo, who's done some good work. This movie was a disappointment. Horribly cliched, the best part of the movie were the laughable ending sequences. A massive shootout, where gallons of fake blood is sprayed everywhere, and the three heroes(?) end up sitting in chairs overlooking a room filled with corpses when the cops finally arrive. The music was bad, the acting was poor, the story a joke, the sound quality horrid, sub-titles were laughable, and the overall production value stank. Overall, the whole movie stank. I give it a 2 out of 7.
• Seven: (Sometimes referred to as: Se7en. Released in 1995) Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey. Seven 'deadly' sins. Serial killer murder mystery. Kevin Spacey plays a murderer who's punishing sinners. Sending a message to others. Trying to improve humanity. Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt play the seasoned and hopeful detectives close on the heels of the psychopath. This is a very well done movie. A tight script, excellent acting, splendid sound track, perfect pacing and decisive direction. This one gets a 6 out of 7. I'll have to update my movies list.
• Purple Noon: (French: French title: Plein Sliel) Released in 1960, this French film was produced from the book 'The talented Mr. Ripley'. The same book also inspired the American movie: The talented Mr. Ripley with Matt Damon. The French movie was excellent. Somewhat slow, but tense and thrilling. René Clément directs a splendid movie about a psychopathic murderer who almost gets away with it. Dripping with drama, the movie takes you on a roller-coaster rider of emotions. The acting was fantastic. Although the movie was made in 1960, the production quality was flawless. I actually though it was a period piece. I liked it better than 'The talented Mr. Ripley'. This one gets a 6 out of 7.
• Rebecca: Released in 1940, this black and white movie was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Starring Lawrence Olivier and Joan Fontaine (aka: Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland), this mysterious drama is based on a novel by Daphney du Maurier. Although this was the only Hitchcock film to win an Oscar for Best Picture, it's not my best Hitchcock work. It's a damn good movie though. An excellent plot, with engrossing characters. The evil Mrs. Danvers (Played by Dame Judith Anderson) is chilling. Joan Fontaine is incredibly beautiful, and her acting was truly stellar. The movie moved a bit slow, and the movie ran a bit long, but it was well worth it. This one gets a 5 out of 7.
• Legally blonde 2 - Red, White & Blonde: I had to stop watching it. Couldn't stomach the movie. Stopped watching after the first thirty minutes or so. I nearly expectorated in a highly violent manner. I'd prefer not to say anything more about this movie. It gets a 1 out of 7.
• Troy: As expected, the criticism begins. The movie is highly inaccurate. Not true to the facts. Etc, etc, etc. The facts? Most of the facts of the Hellenic age are based on conjecture and sparse journalism of the age. The movie was good. The characters were heroic. The action was mesmerizing, especially the personal combat. It was very well choreographed. The acting was excellent. The only problem was the accents. Hearing the Irish and English accents coming out of Greeks and Trojans was a bit disconcerting. A worthy summer treat. I give it a 5 out of 7.
• Fargo: An excellent movie. Splendid characters and stellar acting. This movie is more deserving than I've given it credit for. I'm raising my rating from a 5 to a 6 out of 7. If you haven't seen this movie, you're missing a fantastic example of what makes a good movie. The woodchipper scene alone is worth the money.
• Terminator 2 - Judgement day: If you're not already familiar with this film, you need to get out of the basement more often. Killing machine (Schwartzeneger) follows T-1000 (Robert Patrick) back into the past. While the T-1000 is relentless in it's quest to slay mankinds savior, the Terminator learns something about being human. Must see for all Schwartzeneger fans. Linda Hamilton as Sarah Conner is unstoppable. Excellent acting, great story, fantastic special effects, Semi chases dirt bike in LA's drainage system. An awesome action flick. This one gets a 7 out of 7.
• Heavenly creatures: (New Zealand) A strange tale. Based on a true story. Two teenage girls form a mutually reinforcing relationship. An 'unhealthy' relationship. Obsessed with each other, they live in their own fantasy world, and fall in love with each other. The two girls are slightly unstable when they're alone. Together they go over the edge. When the actions of their parents force the separation of the girls, they commit murder. Not a happy tale. The strangest part of the movie is the living clay models. Very odd, but very well done. This one gets a 3 out of 7.
• American Splendor: Something unexpected and truly splendid. A movie about the man behind the character in a comic book. Auto-biographical, documentary, drama. This movie was excellent. The cast are the characters. The acting was understated. The story original. This movie is definitely worth the time. This one gets a 6 out of 7.
• Big Fish: Absoultely brilliant. Based on a Novel, Tim Burton directs a tale as big as it can be. A man's father is dying, and the son is searching for the 'Truth' behind his father and the tall tales he's told his whole life. The acting was true to the style of the movie. The characters were dramatic, the settings sureal, the costumes revealing, and the music was outstanding. This touching family drama is a wonderful movie. This one gets a 7 out of 7. I'm glad I bought it!
• Withnail and I: What a horrible movie. It made me laugh a couple of times, but it was just another one of those drug culture glorification movies. Oh aren't we so funny? We're always drunk or high. That makes us funny, right? The acting was o.k., and the story was original, but oh how I detest such movies. I give it a 3 out of 7. Stop making movies that glorify the drug culture!
• Paycheck: Another movie from my 'watch list'. Yet another spy thriller, secret agent action flick. Patterned after 'the Bourne Identity'. This movie didn't hold up to that movie. The casting was terrible. Ben Afleck and Uma Thurman had no chemistry at all, and Ben Afleck was miscast in this role. The character itself was unbelievable as well. An engineer who becomes a reluctant spy. The plot itself was excellent, and the directing was pretty good. This one gets a 4 out of 7. I wish I hadn't bought this one.
• Master and Commander - The far side of the world: This movie was on my 'buy list'. It's a terrific movie. Victorian naval warfare, and high seas adventure. Starring Russell Crowe, and directed by Peter Weir. This movie is well worth the money. Outstanding acting, powerful directing, a gripping musical score, and edge of your seat action. This movie gets a 6 out of 7. This movie is well worth the money.
• Divine secrets of the Ya-Ya sisterhood: A pretty good movie. One of Kim's picks. This character based drama is a story that has been told many times. Mother Daughter relationship movie. Daughter said something to offend dominating mother. Mother gets upset, there's a tif. Friends and family are called in to fix things. Directing was great. Acting was great. Casting was so-so. Story was very limited in scope, but it was well told. The music was good, but the sound mixing was horrible. Music was way too loud during parts of the movie. A good chick flick. Pacing was a little fast, and the story suffered because the predictably certain ending took forever to get to. This one gets a 4 out of 7.
• And now for something completely different: A best of DVD. Best skits from Monty Python's first and second series. Not as good as the movies, but full of hysterical stuff. I especially liked the 'Upper class twit olympics'. A skit that had me rolling on the floor! Also the 'Self defense against fruits', Not to be forgotten; the now famous 'Lumberjack Song'. Yes, some very funny stuff. I give it a 5 of 7.
• Affliction: Based on a novel, this movie is a character based drama, disguised as a murder mystery. My problem with this film was me. I was thinking it was a murder mystery. It's not, not really anyway. It's a character drama. This movie has some fantastic acting, especially the acting by James Coburn, who plays the alcoholic, abusive father. Nick Nolte did a great job as the son who is desparately trying to 'Not' end up like his father. The directing and acting in this movie was excellent. Unfortunately, it's a rather dark and depressing movie. This one gets a 4 out of 7.
• Tomorrow never dies: Dull - Incredibly cliche’, and dull. The action scenes are pretty good. But the bad guy in this movie (A Bill Gates/Ted Turner type) is so very much like Dr. Evil that it’s laughable. I’m begining to think that this movie was supposed to be a ‘tongue in cheek’ comedy. There was plenty of action, inter-character drama, and car chases, but isn’t this supposed to be a spy flick? The acting from some of the cast was off. I liked the plot points, but the pacing was a bit too fast. One of the worst Bronson Bond movies. Kim and I own this one, but we saw this on TV on this occassion. Based on my reactions during this viewing, I downgraded it on my list.
• The whole nine yards: A splendid comedy. The two leads, Mathew Perry and Bruce Willis, work well against each other. Mathew Perry does an excellent job as the neurotic dentist who gets caught up in this hit-man drama. Bruce Willis plays a surprisingly well done role as a calm and collected hit-man. This movie had me laughing many times. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed it so much that I added it to my must buy list. Lots of plot twists, very funny movie, with some well done writting. The sound mixing in this movie was so bad, I had to turn on the English subtitles in order to follow the lines. Why do producers and directors insist on tortuing us! We want to hear the lines! I don't care if they're at an airport, I don't care if they're standing beside a cement truck. The cement truck isn't critical to the plot! This one gets a 6 out of 7, it would have got a 7 if it wasn't for the half ass mixing!

April (17/5/1)

• Mr. Show - Season 3 - Disc 1: Mediocre comedy. Mr. Show was (is?) a comedy series on HBO. The comedy was extremely sarcastic, downright insulting and lacked much in the way of funiness. There were a few yucks, but the dripping sarcasm just didn't do it for me. Making fun of disadvantaged people is not my idea of funny. I'd rather watch a Seinfeld re-run. This disc/series gets a 3 of 7.
• Dark Blue: With Kurt Russel. It's hard to make a good cop movie these days. All the good stuff has already been done. Good cop goes bad has been done over and over. How they managed to pull this one off is a testament to good writting. The characters in this movie are more than cookie cutter cliche's. The white cop is the bad cop, the black cop is the good cop. The acting suffered some. It was a bit stiff and lacking in conviction, but the writting and directing were stellar. This one gets a 4 out of 7.
• Mr. Show - Season 3 - Disc 2: Mediocre comedy. Mr. Show was (is?) a comedy series on HBO. The comedy was extremely sarcastic, downright insulting, and lacked much in the way of funiness. There were a few yucks, but the dripping sarcasm just didn't do it for me. Making fun of disadvantaged people is not my idea of funny. I'd rather watch a Seinfeld re-run. This disc/series gets a 3 of 7.
• Spy Game: With Brad Pitt and Robert Redford. Ah yes, one of my favorites. Good drama, good acting, good story. Somewhat predictable. A thinking mans action flick. A good mix of drama and action. A spy thriller where the real deception takes place at CIA headquarters. Well done. This one gets a 6 of 7.
• Cold Creek Manor: Somewhat disappointing. Not as scary as I had hoped for. It avoids the haunted mansion in the woods stereotype (thankfully). A solid production. The directing was good, the musical score was well done, the story was o.k. The climax and ending being predictable. The best acting came from Stephan Dorff as Dale Massie (The bad guy). This one gets a 4 out of 7
• Touch of evil: 1958 movie, black and white. Directed and written by Orson Welles. Based on a novel by Whit Masterson. A film Noire classic with a great cast: Orson Welles, Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh. A crime thriller that kept me riveted. Charlton Heston as a Mexican lawyer was a bit difficult to believe, but this movie was really good. I gave it a 5 of 7.
• Cries and Whispers: (Swedish: Swedish title: Viskningar och rop). A 1972 film, brought over to the U.S. and won one academy award, nominated for four others. Unfortunately, this movie sucked! Boring with a capital B. The cinematography was really good, but the rest of it was terrible. This movie moved very slowly. I spent ninety one minutes waiting for some terminally ill Swedish woman to die. There were some serious lesbian overtones in this movie. Maybe that's why it got anyones attention? This movie gets a 2 of 7.
• The passion of the Christ: Kim and I went to see this on Easter Sunday. A very powerful film. Moving, touching, and inspirational. Excellent acting, superb directing and cinemetography. Yes, it was bloody gory. This movie gets a 6 out of 7.
• The adventures of Joe Dirt: Either you like those really Dumb movies or you don't. I liked this one. Joe Dirt is a character who deserves your pitty. A story which will keep you watching, despite the poor acting and corny gags. A SNL comedy with heart. Christopher Walken even makes an appearance as a dancing janitor in the witness protection program. It makes me laugh. It gets a 4 out of 7.
• The Omen: The Anti-Christ is coming. This Exorcist rip-off is a damn good movie. The music is awesome, the cast (Gregory Peck and Lee Remick) outstanding, the story is chilling, the cinematography was above par, the pacing and directing excellent. All around damn good. This one gets a 7 out of 7.
• Romper Stomper: (Australian) Superb directing, pacing, and characters. The music was a pulse-pounding adrenelin chaser to a movie already in overdrive. It's impossible to avoid violence in a movie about skinheads, but this was a movie about the characters. It wasn't about the politics of skinheads, it was about the skinheads themselves. An excellent drama with some great acting. Russel Crowe's breakout role (in Autralia). 7 of 7.
• The Kid Stays In the Picture: A documentary. Technically very well done. Excellent direction and narration. The story of Robert Evans. An insider look at the movie industry. Autobiography made into a movie. Narrated by Robert Evans. Contains piles of archive footage, and some excellent writting but it felt superficial; sort of like an 'I love me' montage. Not very critical, all gloss and no criticism. It gets a 4 out of 7.
• Breaker Morant: (Australian) An excellent story. South Africa in the 1900's. The Boer war. British regulars fighting Dutch Comandos. Three Australian soldiers are brought up on charges of murder! Political intrigue, courtroom drama at its best. This movie based on a true story, and adapted from a play, is a great movie. The acting was lackluster though. There was something lacking in the characters convictions. This movie gets a 5 of 7.
• Donnie Darko: Wow! Talk about a mind bender. Here's a twisted horror, drama, sci-fi flick. The hero is a sleep walking teenager, who's visited by a giant evil bunny from some other dimension. Is it just a dream? Perhaps it's all in his head? Perhaps, perhaps it's a movie about time travel? The acting was pretty good. I had no idea what was going to happen next, and the casting was well done. The only flaw? Too dark. I gave it a 5 out of 7, and placed it on my 'buy' list.
• Matrix - Revolutions: The end of the trilogy. Everything has a beginning and an end. This movie was about death and endings. Excellent acting. Hugo Weaving steals the show as Agent Smith. Once again the movie feels rushed. The 2nd and 3rd movies feel rushed when compared to the first movie. This movie feels much more like the 2nd movie than the first. The action was spectacular, but it was too much. Too much action, too much dialog. I liked the dialog. It explained a lot about the relationships between man and the machine. The Oracle, the Architect, the Frenchman, the Trainmaster, etc. The only flaw in this movie; the pacing. Excellent all around. This one gets a 6 out of 7.
• Kissing Jessica Stein: A romantic comedy. Not my usual fare, I'm sure it was the risque nature of the movie that attracted me. Two women decide that they're going to try love on the other side of the tracks. Their side that is! Lesbian themed, but worthless as a romantic comedy. The lead actors <rant>I refuse to use the gender classifying term 'Actress'. In my opinion, anyone who acts is an actor. English isn't German, I hate words with gender.</rant> were unbelievable. They had no gusto for their roles. It was just bad acting, nothing more complicated than that. Perhaps the girl-girl kissing wasn't their thing? "Nothing to see here, move along now." Nothing special about this movie. With the lesbian theme, I thought I might get to see some nudity; Not! How prudish. A romantic comedy about lesbians, and there's no nudity? Where did the 'R' rating come from? Comedy? Not that good there either. I think I laughed twice. If this had been a hetero-sexual romantic comedy, it would've had nothing going for it. Save your money. This one gets a 2 of 7. The only good part of the movie is the scene where Jessica's mother reveals her knowledge of her daughters sexual choice in a tender and endearing manner.
• The sea is watching: (Japanese - Japanese title: Umi wa miteita) Screenplay by Akira Kurasawa. Based on a novel by Shugoro Yamomoto. A stunning movie. Visually compelling, faultless acting, powerful directing (by Kei Kumai), and some excellent music. This character based drama follows the lives of two women who work in a brothel. It's a bittersweet tale of love and duty. With a fantastic ending, this movie easily earned a 7 out of 7. The pastoral snapshots as plot transitions were beautiful and purposeful.
• Lain #4: Reset: (Japanese Anime) I begin with a distatste for animation and more specifically, Japanese Anime. This movie showed up on my recommendations list. I'm not quite sure why, but it did. So I decided to give it a try. The lesson here would be: Never watch the 4th part of a series without watching the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd parts first. The first twently minutes were some sort of drug induced collage of people with very large eyes, and very small noses. Oh how I detest the anatomically grotesque anime! People were whispering, flashing images, horrible music, and no dialog! Thirty minutes went by before I had any idea what was going on. Pathetic, absolutely pathetic. I couldn't force myself to watch any more of this existensialist clone crap. Is Lain a person? a robot?, a clone? Oh, she's software!? Yeah that makes sense. I could care less. Starting at part four, I have no idea who Lain is, and I could care less. This one gets a one out of 7 because it wasted thirty minutes of my life. I'm sure there was a plot in there somewhere, maybe it was in part 1? You may think the rating harsh; tough, it's my rating, not yours. NetFlix should no better than to offer me part four of a series as a recommendation. The end result, I watered down the rating on what some may have considered an excellent series/movie.
• Cinema Paradiso: (Italian: Italian title: Nuovo cinema Paradiso) I watched this movie with subtitles, but I was surprised to find that I could still understand a lot of the dialog without the subtitles. Kim and I enjoyed seven years in Southern Italy, and this movie certainly brought back a lot of memories. Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, an unknown director (to Americans) until this movie came out. This movie is long, something like 170 minutes. I watched the directors cut. It's a journey through childhood. A famous film producer grows up in his village's movie theater, where he falls in love with a father figure, the movies, and a beautiful girl who breaks his heart. A touching and wonderful film. A character based drama about the big screen, and how it influenced one little boys life. This one gets a 6 out of 7. Splendid directing, good acting, and a touching story.
• Alex and Emma: Kim's pick. A romantic comedy. A character based drama. A writer must complete a novel in 30 days in order to pay the loansharks. He hires a 'stenographer' in order to dictate his tale. They fall in love? An absurd tale, unconvincing acting, and ridiculous characters. This movie was terrible. I give it a 2 out of 7.
• Network: Released in 1976, this movie is a classic. With a stellar cast and original story, this drama has a lot going for it. Starring: Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch and Robert Duvall. The story is gripping and believable. Peter Finch plays a network anchor who's fed-up with all the bull-shit. One of my favorite movie lines: "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!". This movie easily gets a 6 out of 7.
• The Vanishing: (Netherlands: Dutch title: Spoorloos) This movie was made in France by a Dutch production company. The actors are Dutch and French. Yes there is an American film named 'The Vanishing'. Both movies are based on a book by Tim Krabbé. Although I haven't seen the American version, it's received lower ratings than this version. What did I think? I thought this movie was an excellent drama. The characters were believable, the acting was good, the plot was somewhat lacking, but the ending was worth the wait. Shocking! A boyfriend who never gives up on his missing girl and a serial killer who's a loving family man? This one gets a 5 out of 7.

Movies seen/reviewed this year (2004)
[ Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec ]

March (14/7/1)

February (15/5)

January (10/2)

Author: Robert L. Vaessen e-mail:
Last updated: 31 Dec 2004