These are movies that hold a special place in my viewing history. While they
didn't make it to the cream of the crop, they are very good movies and I do not
hesitate to recommend these.
| Movies (ones w/out reviews are prior to 2002 when I
began to write somethings about them) |
Movie Rating |
Nutshell |
Genre |
Sound Rating |
Violence
Meter |
| Nothern Exposure - 1st
season,1987 - I taped over 5 years of this series on VHS and I haven't
watched a one since I did this, but when the DVD came out, I was all over
this. Now I can't wait for Seasons 2 thru 5 to hit DVD. |
8 |
Small town of Cicely Alaska |
Left Brain |
 |
 |
| Spiderman 2,2004 - All in all,
I think this was on par or even a smidgeon better than the original
Spiderman. Alfred Molina is a wonderful Doc Oc...he really lets you see the
inner turmoil. The constant self-guessing Spidey does did get tiring, but I
think it was a good adaptation and accurate for what someone who is a
superhero could go through. |
8 |
To quit or not to quit |
Hollywood |
|
 |
| Sea Biscuit,2003 - This is a
thrilling, pounding action of a movie that has a great story of a great
horse and the people who believed in that horse. Our family stood up &
cheered at one of the climatic races we got so much into it. |
8 |
Twenty's racing star |
Family
Historical |
|
|
| Mystic River,2003 - This is a
good movie that's pretty fast paced, starting out as kids and then jumping 30 years
into the future. Prejudices and
behaviors are very well played out here and it just goes to show that you
can't take everything at face value because you can't take some things back. |
8 |
Blinded by revenge |
Date |
|
|
| The Stone Reader,2002 - This is
a very intriguing story of a man and his quest to find out what happened to
the one-hit wonder who wrote it. This movie covers a lot of ground and if
you're into books and authors, this will give you a lot of food for thought,
not to mention new lists to seek out at the library. However, upon reading
some of the reviews of the book in mention, I decided to skip it. Not my cup
of tea. |
8 |
In search of the one-hit wonder |
Documentary |
|
|
| The Kid Stays in the Picture,2002
- this is the swan song of Robert Evans - he looks back on his life in the
movie industry. As I'm into movies, it was fascinating to see / hear a lot
of the history of the movie studios and some of the more powerful movies of
the 70's and 80's. Obviously it's one-sided as it's done by Robert Evans
himself, but hey, a pretty good way to reminisce & let others in on it. |
8 |
Movie Moguls and their movies |
Documentary |
|
|
| 21 Grams,2003 - This is a dark
film that has an indie feel to it. It's an unstructured and chaotic film
that is told in from both the beginning (moving forward thru time) and
ending (moving backward in time) and is not always linear. It's like pieces
of a puzzle. It's really an intriguing movie and I wonder how it would
have played if it had not had the burden of it's unstructured nature. The
characters really are fleshed out and you feel a lot for them. Good Movie. |
8 |
Chances & Opportunities |
Left Brain |
|
|
| The Station Agent,2003 - This
is really a very quiet and laid back movie that kept me going for the entire
movie. It's not so much a story as a slice out of life for 3 individuals and
demonstrates that friendships can be made in the strangest ways between some
of the most recluse people. |
8 |
Friendship at the tracks |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Love Actually,2003 - I went
into this very apprehensively and put this in my queue on the request of my
wife. I was surprised to see it's high ratings on IMDB and in all honesty, it's quite
justified. This is a lively movie that lets us look into a number of
different relationships that are sometimes linked in one way or another.
It's really just a fun romantic comedy that everyone should enjoy.
Warning: Some explicit sexual scenes (although all
are humorous / tongue in cheek) |
8 |
Love, European style |
Date |
|
|
| Freaky Friday,2003 - This was
one of those family movies that I rented but was not hopeful and was
completely blown away. This is a refreshing and updated look at a mom and
daughter who trade places. The music is good, and the comedy was spot on.
Very fun movie for the family! |
8 |
Who's got the keys now? |
Family |
|
|
| Capturing the Friedman's,2003 -
This is a very disturbing look at a man and son who were arrested & charged
with indecency with minors. It uses home movies of the family in question &
includes many interviews with neighbors, friends and "victims". The director
doesn't try to sway you one way or another, but lets you choose for yourself
if you think it was justified or not. Very interesting movie. |
8 |
Guilty or Not Guilty? |
Documentary |
|
|
| The Last Seduction, 1994 - This
is a movie of just how much of a bitch this woman can be. Beyond Ruthless,
Beyond conniving, this is almost beyond belief to what this chick will do.
It kept both my wife and myself glued to our chairs and we really enjoyed
this. |
8 |
The ride of a lifetime |
Date, Left Brain |
|
|
| Bend it like Beckham, 2002 - this is really an uplifting
movie and thought it was a great family movie. It gives you a smidgeon of
what an Indian culture is about - albeit in London and the soccer is fun,
though I wish they would have shown more. The premise that you should follow
your dreams has been played out ad-nauseum before, but perhaps the subject
matter, and the innocence here keeps it fresh. |
8 |
Soccer Dream |
Family |
|
|
| Whale Rider, 2003 - A wonderful
story of Maori tradition and how they are keeping the tradition alive. Yet,
much relies on the eldest son bearing a son, and when that does not happen,
can tradition still live? This really is a good movie, although the New
Zealand dialects can be hard to hear at times. While rated PG-13, I think
that there were only two small instances and very brief at that, and think
it should have been rated PG instead. |
8 |
Maori Tradition |
Family |
|
|
| Sleepy Hollow, 1999 - What a
fantastic adaptation of Ichabod Crane!! Here we take a children's story &
adapt it to a full feature movie. We're all familiar with the story of the
headless horseman and the dopey Ichabod, but with Johnny Depp as Ichabod and
a rounding out of the movie with some supernatural seasonings and you have a
cauldron of wicked and glorious entertainment. Very good! |
8 |
Sleepy, Wicked Hollow |
Date, Hollywood |
|
|
| Holes, 2003 - Another family treat that everyone will enjoy.
It's a simple movie and the switching from the future to past & back again
really ties the movie together. I never read the book, but hear it's great.
I would think that it would be, with so many interesting characters and the
history lessen boot camp made it fun. |
8 |
History lesson boot camp |
Family |
|
|
| The Corner, 2000 - This is a
HBO "documentary" n six parts, with each part being 1 hr long. It's a very
REAL look at "the corner", as in where drug dealers and users live their
lives. While not technically a documentary (they use actors instead of the
real people), it does give you a glimpse into the hell-hole that some of the
less fortunate find themselves trapped in - and the inner struggles they
fight while in the hole. Very graphic & sickening drug use, but very light
on the violence end of the meter. |
8 |
The whirlpool drug culture |
Left Brain |
|
|
| Taxi Driver, 1976 - I hadn't seen this in a long time & it
was refreshing to go back again. This is a story of a slightly delusional
taxi driver that slowly slips over the edge of reality. Here is a guy that
can't sleep, driving a taxi at night and watching pornos during the day. He
really is a nice guy, but his ideas on what is appropriate are whacked out
and you can literally see him slipping over the edge, one day at a time. |
8 |
Sleep deprivation drives you nuts |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Abres Los Ojos, 1997 (open your eyes...Original Spanish version)
- I thought this was much better and yet weirder, if that can be, of the
"Vanilla Sky" remake version. This version of the movie explains more in the
first part, so you don't feel so lost, yet it takes a turn at the end which
I found perplexing and didn't recall from Vanilla Sky (I'd hate to have to
re-watch that just to see if they're the same). Anyway, it's a good story
and engaging. I think it brings out more emotion and feeling for the
characters than Vanilla Sky. |
8 |
To live like a dream |
Left Brain |
|
|
| Castle in the Sky, 1986 - Another amazing republishing of Hayao Miyazaki's work. It's a great family film, with dastardly pirates,
villains, a young hero and heroine, but about a time and place that does not
exist. Vast airships control the skies and a lost world is finally found
after many eons. |
8 |
Ancient Flight |
Family |
|
|
| Full Metal Jacket, 1987 - I
hadn't seen this in ages & just had to see it again. The scene of R Lee
Emery as the drill seargent, marching around, chewing the young recruits'
asses off all in a single take is worth the price of rental alone! This is a
story of not only how bad war is, but how bad it can make people behave.
There are a few that try to take the high ground, but in the end, it is kill
or be killed. |
8 |
War & Peace |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Platoon, 1986 - Perhaps one of
the very best Vietnam movies prior to "We were soldiers, once and young"
tells the story of a green recruit who learns that war can turn us against
each other. Only by our own internal strength, can we keep the beasts of war
at bay. Very graphic at times and shows the struggle of a platoon as two
sergeants vie for leadership and how people in their platoon take sides. |
8 |
Turmoil at war |
HollyWood |
|
|
| Snatch - What a wonderful
follow-up to Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels. I easily watched this 3
times without ever getting bored. It sure was nice to put on sub-titles
when Brad Pitt was speaking! Guy Ritchie does a wonderful job tying
multiple story lines together. While somewhat violent, this shows how
gypsies can in out-think and outfight even the mob. |
8 |
The Con, Gypsy style |
Left Brain, Date |
|
|
| Down by Law - Not only is this
a nice and interesting movie about 3 guys who end up in jail when they
really shouldn't have, it's an artform in how to make a movie. This is a
three act play, one of freedom and setup, one of boredom and friendship
building, and one of escape. What impressed me the most, however, was the
long and lingering takes. Most camera shots are at least a minute long,
with some getting close to two or even three minutes. This pacing demands
more from the actors, where editing will not save them. |
8 |
The ties that bind |
Left Brain |
|
|
| Ran. Classic Kurowasa movie
set in the feudal times of Japan. The tribulations & politics of a
powerful clan family. Great sweeping shots of the countryside, powerful
music and dialogue. |
8 |
Fuedal Fueding Family |
Classic |
|
|
| Rashomon - Now
this movie succeeded in it's ability to completely drag me in. The setup
was perfect, as a couple of men wait out a ferocious rainstorm in feudal
Japan and go about retelling a recent trail in which witness testimonies
are not totally consistent. Defining parts for me was the superior acting,
the long & lingering camera shots, and even one that appears to be on
an elaborate catwalk as it is shooting down through the trees. The
writing, the buildup of "confusion", and the best part of not
giving a concrete answer and allowing me, the viewer, to interpret it as I
saw it. |
8 |
Rationalizing witness testimonies |
Left Brain, Date |
|
|
| Monsters Inc - Very good Pixar
story. Engaging, funny and for the entire family. The out-takes & the
"bird on a wire" are worth the price of this DVD alone!!! |
8 |
It's tough being a monster |
Family |
|
|
| Super Troopers - What a
rip-roaring riot. Perhaps my prediction will hold and those who like the
Royal Tennebaums will hate this movie with a passion & think it was
boring. Be interesting to find out, but I laughed my butt off in this
movie. The cool thing was the entire movie is filled with real dry-wit
one-liners and it's easy to miss them (watch it twice!) if you're not
paying attention because the actors dead-pan the delivery just perfectly. |
8 |
Vermont state troopers make life interesting in a boring
town. |
Date, Left Brain |
|
|
| Eat Man, Drink Woman - This is
a very nice movie about a Taiwanese family of a father and 3 daughters.
The movie is infused and is tied to cooking, you will be VERY HUNGRY at
the end of this movie! Tortilla Soup is the remake of this movie and while
several parallels exist, they are different, particularly in the
representation of the different races. This is a great movie, that I would
be surprised if most did not enjoy! |
8 |
Cooking, Dating and escaping |
Left Brain, Date |
|
|
| ClockWork Orange - Another
Kubrik classic that I saw a long time ago & decided to watch again so
I could rate it appropriately. This is definitely one weird movie about
how society shapes people and how you decide to discipline or not
discipline can have an effect. The camerawork & images were simply
amazing. |
8 |
Redemption is not guaranteed |
Left Brain |
|
|
| Amelie -
A wonderful entertaining story about a single girl in France who has
dreams and fantasies and just enough gumption to act on them. She's
cautious but has a onery streak in her that unbeknownst to her has a
profound impact on many people's lives. |
8 |
Ripples in the sea of life |
Date |
Na |
|
| Man who wasn't there. Ok, this
is for you people who want an honest to good movie. Nothing spectacular,
but in the same vein as Cookie's Fortune (small town that isn't as perfect
as some would believe) but told in black & white. Billy Bob does
it again. The first person narrative really works on this one. |
8 |
How am I ever going to explain this! |
Date |
|
|
| Perfect Blue. Fairly old
anime. Simply an outstanding movie if you can get by the first 15 mintues
(which my wife did not..she left)...I now know where Kubrik got the eery
piano music for Eyes Wide Shut. ..and I see where they stole the idea
from for Vanilla Sky. Much better in my opinion than Vanilla Sky. |
8 |
Movie of a movie of a movie |
Left Brain |
|
|
| American History X - This is
one of those movies that you need to go back & search out. It went
from the new releases to the racks too fast. Awesome tension & acting.
Ed Norton is such a great actor, I've seen a lot of his other works &
was glad I finally went back and saw this. Gritty, down to earth movie of
the impact on the family when the children are in gangs. Was this the
movie that sent Ed Furlong over the deepend & why don't they want to
re-cast him in Terminator 3?? |
8 |
Family, Gangs & Consequences |
|
|
|
| Angel Heart - This is what you
get when you start searching for "older" movies that you missed
years ago. You get a DAMN GOOD MOVIE. This was one weird movie, but one
that you "get" near the end. I was starting to get a tingle
about 2/3's the way through on who Dinero really was and what the heck was
going on. Just enough clues and hints dropped to keep you on the edge of
your seat. Warning: This movie is not for the faint of heart or christian
of mind. |
8 |
Devils revenge |
|
|
|
| Hedwig & the Angry Inch -
Oh nelly, what a movie! I was totally unprepared for this movie. It had
received very good reviews & the critics did a great job in not
setting me up so I knew too much. Awesome story of one man's life told
through a musical. The music is sooooo original and GREAT! The
interspersing of life now & life that was, made a great movie
experience! For those fans of Rockie Horror or Priscilla Queen of the
Desert this is a must watch. |
8 |
Trans-sexual life story told by musical |
|
|
|
| Todo sobre mi madre (all
about my mother) -
What a movie! I was so blown away by this. The acting and story drew me in
hook, line & sinker. This is not a happy movie, so be in the mood for
a somewhat sad, thoughtful and engrossing flick! |
8 |
Revisitting roots |
|
|
|
| Get Shorty - Fun story of a mob guy who, while
chasing down a chit owed to him, runs into some Hollywood types &
decides to make a career change. Early shot of James Goldolfini before he
hit the big time! |
8 |
Mob guy makes a movie |
|
|
|
| Men in Black |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| October Sky |
8 |
|
Family |
|
|
| Wallace & Grommit - A
close Shave, The Wrong Trousers & A Grand Day Out |
8 |
|
Family |
|
|
| The Big Lebowski |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Bringing out the Dead |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Simon Birch |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Galaxy Quest |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Grave of the fireflies |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Supersize Me, 2004 - Watch,
listen and learn as a man decides to eat nothing but McDonald's food for 30
days straight. He decided to do this after a recent court verdict where fat
people were trying to sue McDonalds and lost - the judge said they didn't
prove the food was bad for you. So this guy in this documentary figures,
"why not find out" and thus goes the movie. Fascinating & revolting at the
same time as I can't stand McDonalds and haven't ate there in at least 15
years. |
8 |
Vein popper |
Documentary |
|
|
| 50 First Dates, 2004 - When I
saw that Adam Sandler was in this movie, I kind of cringed, but ceded to my
wifes request and watched it. This movie blew me away. It's kind of like
ground-hog day, but reversed, where everyone is aware that this gal is
reliving the same day over & over again (except for her). This was a really
great movie. I can't recommend it enough. |
8 |
To know tommorrow |
Date, Left Brain |
|
|
| Control Room, 2003 - During the
Iraq War, many American's were outraged by Al Jazeera, the major Arab
network, when it showed gruesome footage. This is a look behind the scenes
at Al Jazeera. It's a very fascinating documentary, listening to these
well-spoken people who work there and their thoughts on how & why they
operate. I don't agree with them, just as I don't agree with the way FoxNews
shows a slant to their broadcasts - but I enjoyed this a lot. |
8 |
Fox News Arabic style |
Documentary |
|
|
| OutFoxed, 2004 - Fox News
channel has become an overnight sensation since the first Iraq War. While some may compare this to
Control Room, OutFoxed was created by people who can't stand Fox News. They
taped over 6 months, 24 hours a day and use a lot of the footage
interspersed with interviews of former and current Fox News employees to
try & show how this "news" channel attempts to manipulate it's viewership. |
8 |
What's behind the curtain Dorothy? |
Documentary |
|
|
| Trainspotting, 1996 - Yet
another drug induced movie showing what happens when friends get hooked
on Heroin. This, along with Requiem for a Dream, and The Corner, continue to
highlight the inner turmoils and tribulations that people who are hooked on
drugs can go through and the damage drugs can wraught. This is
somewhat different in that it follows some buddies through a short period in
their life. |
8 |
Get out when you can |
Left Brain |
|
|
| City of God, 2004 - This is a
movie about kids who grow up in the slums of Rio De Janeiro - and follows
them for 10 or so years. This is a true story of one person who lived
through it and was able to get out. It is a gritty movie that doesn't pull
any punches and gives you an insight into the gang activity that controls the slums. Incredibly moving movie. The extras on the DVD go into
much more detail with actual footage and interviews with both gang & police. |
8 |
A view from the inside |
Foreign |
|
|
| 61*,2001 - This movie and the
companion information on the DVD was simply awe-inspiring. I'm not a
baseball fan by any measurement, but the love of the game that Billy Crystal
has and the way he has told this story impacted me a great deal. This is THE
story, of when Roger Marris and Micky Mantle are in a chase for the all-time
home run record. I want to thank Billy for putting this up on the screen and
I highly recommend this to anyone - whether you like baseball or not, I
can't imagine that anyone could watch this movie and not enjoy the heck out
of it! It's almost a family movie - but kind of heavy on some of the swear
words. |
8 |
The story behind the record |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Nothern Exposure - 2nd
season,1988 - In this season, we're given a chance to see a lot more
depth of the characters and I think this is when Chris really comes out to
shine. This is the kind of DVD you want to savor - and it's hard not to
watch as many episodes as you can. Simply the best network TV show I've
watched - and most likely the reason I stopped watching so much TV as so
little compares. |
8 |
Small town of Cicely Alaska |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Short Cuts,1993 - Yet another
masterpiece by Robert Altman. This movie takes 8 seemingly seperate lives &
families and intersperses their stories amongst each other. Many of these
stories are heartfelt and you feel their pain. Others present anger, and yet
others present love. This is life, or the best one could do in presenting it
in what is really a 3hr movie that feels like 2 hrs.
NOTE: Some pretty graphic full-frontal nudity is present here. |
8 |
Trial by life |
Left Brain |
|
|
| Ninja Scroll |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Clay Pigeons |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Natural Born Killers |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Elizabeth |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Powder |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Forest Gump |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Waking Ned Devine |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Twelve Monkeys |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Dark City |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Apollo 13 |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Dogma |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Clerks |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Jackie Brown |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Jurassic Park |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Terminator |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Predator |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Blade Runner |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Indiana Jones |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| The Ice Storm |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Frequency |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Sea of Love |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| The Cook, The Thief, The
Wife and the Lover |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Strange Days |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Akira |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Iron Monkey |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| The Iron Giant |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Out of Africa |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Eyes Wide Shut |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Shakespeare in Love |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Star Wars: 5 |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| LA Confidential |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| The Straight Story |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Deliverance |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Blade Runner |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Unforgiven |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| The Mexican - This kind of
reminds me of a Hollywood story that is trying to emulate Guy Ritchie and
not being far off. In truth, I rated this a "6" the first time I
watched it, and then by chance watched it again. It grew on me. The
substory of the gun really drew me in. It's something that you might miss
the first time around, but is really intriguing the 2nd time around. It's
actually quite charming and kept my attention. Plenty of coincidences keep 'ole Brad Pitt
wondering what the heck he got himself into and how in the heck he's going
to get out. Kind of weird seeing Tony the Mob boss in his earlier dayz.
Check out True Romance for an even earlier view ;-) |
8 |
Trying to make things right |
Date |
|
|
| Sling Blade |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Ed Wood |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Frailty - What if
God had servants who would dole out His punishment? How would He do this?
This is a movie on just that and it does it pretty darn well. The violence
is a little over the edge, especially as it involves kids. I thought the
premise excellent, the story very good, but the execution just a little
lacking. For example, I believe the twist is a cheat. When the twist
comes, it's a shocker, but if it is true, then the rest of the movie is
false. Watch this & see if you agree with me.
Warning: This might offend those with
strong religion or those with weak stomachs. |
8 |
Vengeance of the Lord |
Date |
|
|
| Starship Troopers |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Time Bandits |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| The Player |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| MASH |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| The Killing Fields |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Nightmare before christmas |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Bread & Tulips
- This is a charming Italian movie about a woman who decides to try
something new by literally going to Venice to escape her family - a city
she lives only hours away from, but has never visited her entire
life. |
8 |
Take the road not travelled |
Date |
|
|
| Good Morning Vietnam |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Titan A.E.
- This is an excellent attempt at Disney going anime with a story of
how mankind tries to survive after Earth is annilihated. The story,
the music and the animation are really excellent. It really hits on a number
of levels, although it will appeal to the grown-ups far more than the kids.
In fact, this is really a PG / PG-13 type of movie & not recommended for the
8 & under crowd. |
8 |
In search of Genesis |
Family |
|
|
| Traffic |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Crumb - |
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Fast Cheap & Out of
Control - This is an absolutely
astounding documentary of four very diverse and interesting fields of study
- naked mole rats, computer ai, a lion tamer and a topiary gardner. The
stories are inter-juxtaposed into a cognitive and entertaining look at some
things you just haven't really given much thought to, and engages you to the
end. |
8 |
Naked Mole Rats, Lion Tamers, AI, Topiary who
could ask for anything more? |
Family, Date, Left Brain |
|
|
| Pi
- When "A Beautiful Mind" came out, I kept wondering if Pi might have
been a better attempt at describing the torture one puts themself through
when they're mentally deranged. This is a very tough and chaotic look at a
genius losing their mind. It's not a happy movie and definitely not for most
viewers. |
8 |
Suicidal Obsession |
Left Brain |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Project Greenlight, 2001 - This is a simply amazing look at
a first-time film-maker, making his film - an insider documetary if you will. Matt Damon and Ben Afleck, along with their studio
sponsored a contest looking for the best screen play and gave the winner $1
Million bucks to film and direct it, while supplying all the other talent.
It's a long, engaging journey, seeing what the inside of the film industry
is like. Again, this is a 3-disc set, with the disc 2-3 being the "making"
of, while disc 1 is the actual film. While the story of the film-making is
interesting, I didn't have a craving to actually see the movie they created
- which I will do at some point, but not now. |
7 |
Ins & Outs of Hollywood |
Left Brain |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| The Matrix Revolutions - The
story finally ends and what are we left with? A major disapointment. I spent
far too much time after Reloaded trying to guess where this movie was going
to go and now that it's done, I felt betrayed. It isn't that Revolutions is
that bad - it's an better than average fair - but what it left on the table
and what it could have done to become on par with the LOTR series just
pisses me off to no end. I haven't even purchased the DVD for this yet -
that's how mad I am at Larry & Andy Wachowski. |
7 |
Say WHAT? |
Hollywood |
n/a |
|
| Secret Window, 2000 - A
gripping tale, that is not what it appears. You follow a writer who is in
turmoil, but can't admit it. This has a
decent twist at the end which will have you reaching for the remote to
rewind to previous chapters.
Note: IMO, this should have been rated R |
7 |
Through the looking glas |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Spellbound, 2000 - When I read
the newspapers or watch the news about how these kids make it through the
National Spelling Bee, I'm always amazed. This movie follows eight or so
hopefuls from their local and state competitions to the National event. It
gives you an inside view into what these kids do to prepare and through some
stroke of luck, one of them is actually the winner. Amazing & true. |
7 |
Study, Study, Study |
Documentary |
|
|
| The Ring, 2002 - This is quite
the little suspenseful horror flick, pulling you deeper & deeper into the
darkness. It's also kind of like a detective story as a woman reporter
searches for the truth behind the rumors and deaths. What she finds out will
touch your heart & open up your fears. |
7 |
Secrets and betrayal |
Hollywood |
|
|
| When will I be loved?,2004 -
This is really a quirky story about what seems to be a sex crazed
nymphomaniac, and some of the crazy stuff that goes on her life as she
attempts to stay independent from her boyfriend and parents. The beginning
of the movie is kind of chaotic as we're introduced to many of the players -
and then the story tightens like a noose - and we're greatful that we've
been given more depth to the characters. The writing is superb, with witty,
smart banter delivered right on cue. And this little girl is not all sugar &
spice, as we get a glimpse early on and know for certain at the end.
|
7 |
Inner Passions |
Date |
|
|
| Elf, 2003 - This was really a
fun little gem of a movie and it even evoked a fair amount of emotion at the
end. It's just a wholesome, sweet movie about an elf who learns he is not an
elf and goes in search of his father - and never forgets the christmas
spirit - ever. This guy just oozes christmas spirit. |
7 |
Santa's Adopted Helper |
Family
Popcorn |
|
|
| Maria full of grace,2004 - How
does one exactly become a "mule", carrying drugs to the US in their stomach?
This movie follows one such candidate in Columbia, giving a glimpse on how easily one
can be pulled into this world - and it doesn't pull any punches in showing
the bad side of this life.
|
7 |
Risk everything |
Foreign
Left Brain
|
|
|
| Sky Captain and the world tommorrow,2004 -
Filmed completely in front of a green screen, this movie takes you back to a
fantasy of what the 40's could have been - with Flash Gordon appeal. It's a
very decent movie, the acting and story are very good and the "look" of the
movies makes you feel like you're in the 30's. |
7 |
Indiana Jones meets the Aviator |
Family
Popcorn |
n/a |
|
| Shaolin Soccer, 2001 - While
this has an english language track, avoid it. Stick with the Cantonese
track. This is really a "hollywoodized" bad-news bears type of movie, but
with monks who decide to play soccer and it's not regular soccer. This is a
very humorous and exciting movie that even manages to dip into love. The
ending 20 minute sequence is just a jaw-dropping "soccer" match (I use that
loosely) filled with all sorts of special effects. |
7 |
Shazaaam Soccer |
Foreign
Popcorn |
|
|
| The Endurance, 2000 - When
Shackleton didn't reach the South Pole, what he does to save
his crew is an even more awe-inspiring movie. This was a fascinating look at
what his crew had to do after they abandoned their ship which was locked in
the ice - thousands of miles from nowhere and with no chance of help. They
did it themselves and they survived. Gripping & Masterful presentation. |
7 |
A leader & the men who survived by following his lead |
Documentary |
|
|
| The Transporter, 2002 - For a
man who delivers packages for a price, what price does he pay when he
decides to take the package away from the recipients? This is a
by-the-numbers, but well executed story that will leave you more than
satisfied by the end. |
7 |
Return to Sender |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Big Fish,2003 - Tim Burton's
whopper of a tail, as told in flashback. This is a pretty enjoyable movie,
but it was missing something - not quite sure what it was, but mostly
pacing. You're up when you're in flashback mode, and down when you're in the
present. |
7 |
A whopper of a tail |
Left Brain |
|
|
| Road to Perdition,2002 - This
was a dark movie that fortells it's ending in the first two minute dialogue.
This is a 30's movie showing what happens when the mob pisses off one of
it's own. This is a dark and slowly paced movie. Enjoyable. |
7 |
Payback time |
Hollywood |
|
|
| The Last Samurai,2003 - This
movie was actually pretty good. It didn't scream "look at me I'm Tom Cruise"
the entire movie, so it's pleasurable after misses such as Mission
Impossible. I really enjoyed the movie except for the ending, which is the
kind of ending that just doesn't fit with the rest of the movie. |
7 |
Know thy enemy, be thy enemy |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Noises Off,1992 - I rented this
as a recommendation for a very funny comedy. It mostly lived up to it's
bill, with charming "performances" throughout. Funny seeing Christopher
Reeves walking again & without the cape. This is really kind of slapstick
humor and reviews the trials & tribulations of a touring play. It kind of
reminds me of the saying that a duck looks so smooth on top of the water but
it's legs are frantically going beneath. In this movie, the play that is
shown to the audience is one thing, but what goes on behind the curtains is
quite another one altogether. |
7 |
Pandemonium behind the curtain |
Date |
|
|
| Red Dragon,2002 - I was
hesitant at first in watching this, because basically it's a total remake of
the outstanding "Manhunter" (1986). Overall, this was an interesting
adaptation, although I still prefer the characters in Manhunter. It was
fun seeing a different ending & some additional scenes in this
version and I would still recommend it for those who want a tense and
gripping tale - but please go and watch Man Hunter as well. |
7 |
The Tooth Fairy redux |
Hollywood |
|
|
| School of Rock,2003 - I was
really excited to see this and while I think it was good - it didn't quite
meet my expectations. Oh, there were some great scenes between Jack Black &
the kids and the music was good - but it wasn't quite as funny as I'd hoped
and the profanity really pushed the PG-13 rating, which kind of disappointed
me, because my kids are 9 & 11 and I was squirming quite a bit. |
7 |
Rock History, elementary style |
Family |
|
|
| Blow Out,1981 - This is a
really "old" John Travolta movie that was really quite a good story, but
lacked in places. The John Lithgow creepy guy part really didn't fit IMO and
the girl, Sally, was just dead weight. She is a poor actress. Anyway, it was
an intriguing enough story & should be picked up & reshot with a better cast
- although I dare say I do enjoy Travolta and it'd be great if he repraised
his role. |
7 |
Soundman |
Hollywood |
|
|
| MatchStick Men,2003 - Sigh. I
should probably watch this again & see if is truly only average. This is
really quite a caper/con artist movie and Nicholas Cage once again
dons the twitchy psychologically "bent" persona - In the end I think the
ending disappointed me because quite frankly you're rooting for the main
character, but to each his/her own. |
7 |
The games con people play |
Hollywood |
|
|
| The Italian Job,2003 - this was
a good movie, but unremarkable, unless you count the creative use of
mini-coopers. This is really a run by the numbers typical Hollywood movie -
fun and painless - definitely worth a rental. |
7 |
Revenge of the Thieves |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Butterfly Effect,2004 - OK,
this is one movie that I really, really want to sit down and write a 4 page
critique of. When directors tackle time travel, they need to pay inscrutable
detail to all the consequences and paradoxes of time travel. In this movie
there are several glaring mistakes, which for me at least really just ruined
it for me. At one point, about 1/2 to 2/3 the way through, I was like "WHAT
THE FUCK?? THAT CAN'T HAPPEN!" and then the ending, IMO, could have been
done so much cooler. The thing is this movie was highly entertaining at
times & it kept me to my seat, wanting to see what would happen next. I
would love an opportunity to do this movie over again & really nail it. |
7 |
Time travel consequences. |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Dopamine,2003 - This is a
somewhat eclectic movie about love, but using a computer nerds and a
sexually neurotic school teacher with a past. If that isn't enough for you
to go rent this movie, I don't know what else is. Overall, it was a good
rental - although kind of a bland movie, with no remarkable remembrances
other than KiKo. |
7 |
What is love |
Left Brain |
|
|
| Terminator 3, 2003 - What a
fantastic Summer popcorn movie!! Action, plenty of humor and a decent follow
up to a franchise on it's last leg. It will be interesting to see if a T4 is
ever made with Ahnold being the 'Gov now ;-) Anyway, this is one of the best
popcorn movies to sit back, unplug your brain and have a rompin good time! |
7 |
John Connor isn't everything |
PopCorn |
N/A |
N/A |
| X-Men 2, 2003 - A follow up
sequel that is more fun, more action packed than it's predecessor. The
effects of NightCrawler are worth the price of admission alone. The action
sequences when the school is invaded was eye-candy at it's best. While the
story is good, at it's root, it's still good vs evil and fits it's comic
book genre nicely. Very good popcorn movie |
7 |
The truth behind the legend |
HollyWood |
N/A |
N/A |
| Talk to Her,2002 - This is a
very moving film about caregivers of comatose people. Really, it's about two
girls and the guys that watch over them. It was a very interesting movie,
until Almodore went haywire with a 10' high hairy vagina scene, and while I
had to shake my noodle, the rest was still very engaging. The question of
whether someone in a coma hears you is not answered at the end and I was
really hoping for 5 minutes more of movie! |
7 |
Talking fantasy |
Left Brain |
|
|
| Panic Room, 2002 - This is a pretty gripping movie of a
woman and daughter trapped in a "safe room" in their house with crooks that
will stop at nothing to get into the room. It's got suspense and terror,
you'll be at the edge of your seat. There are a few things from keeping this
great, hard to put my finger on, but overall a very satisfying movie. |
7 |
Locked in a safe |
Date |
|
|
| Signs, 2002 - This is the story
of an alien invasion, but through the eyes of a single family out on a farm
somewhere in the midwest. Old prejudices come to light, family secrets are
revealed and the world almost comes to an end. The suspense is palpable and
the portrayal of a family facing a desperate time and hanging together is a
great story. This is a very cool way of showing what would happen if aliens
did try to invade - not the payoff of an Independence Day action fest, but a
riveting and suspensful look at ourselves. I didn't let my 8 & 9 year old
boys watch this one - it really is more mature subject matter to digest. |
7 |
Private Invasion |
HollyWood |
|
|
| Adaptation, 2002 - What does a
writer do, when assigned to adapt a screen-play of a book with little story?
Why he adapts it of course! This is the story of adapting the book "the
orchid theif" and Nicholas Cage does a decent job of playing himself & his
twin brother. Really engaging movie with plenty of flashbacks and an
interesting follow-up by the director who brought you "Being John Malcovich". |
7 |
How to write a screenplay |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Undercover brother,2002- This
is a real phun look at the stereotypes through revisiting the blaxploitation
movies of the 70's. We got da brothers who are fighten' the MAN and it's a
real fun time watching all the stereotypes laid out like a glob of mayo on
piece of bread. You've got style, funk and a little bit of skin and loads of
humor. Real fun! |
7 |
Funkadelic |
PopCorn |
|
|
| Minority Report, 2002 - This is
a futuristic thriller that involves psychics that can see into the future
and see people commit crimes & the police stop them before it happens.
Interesting and wonderful special effects, but I'm growing tired of Tom
Cruise and his leading role. He struts with such bravado and when he's
fingered, of course he has to win the day - with some plot contrivances
strictly for coincidence sake. Not a bad flick by any stretch, but it had a
lot more potential - perhaps with Liam Neeson cast in the lead role |
7 |
The crimes we may commit |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Princess and the Warrior, 2000
- This is a German film that explores the search a girl goes through to find
the man who saved her from a horrible accident. When she finds him, what
will happen? Is he the savior prince on the horse, or perhaps something
else? It's a good movie, slightly slower paced that most other films, but it
works well. |
7 |
In search of the savior |
Date |
|
|
| Bourne Identity, 2002 - This is
fun hollywood action. A agent who has amnesia fights to figure out who is is
and in the process, helps another person who is lost. I loved Franka Potente
in "Run Lola Run" and wished she could have had a more aggressive role
here in this movie.
Overall, a good flick that you can watch & enjoy. |
7 |
Amnesiatic Agent |
Hollywood, Date |
|
|
| The Good Girl, 2002 - Very
interesting and "indie" feeling movie. Jennifer Aniston shows another side
that you don't see in Friends. The story of a girl who feels in a rut and
starts an affair with a teenager, 10 years her junior, tempting fate. Good
date movie. |
7 |
The grass is not greener on the other side of the fence |
Date |
|
|
| Diggstown |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| The Sixth Sense |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Star Wars 1: The Phantom Menace |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Back to the Future |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Changing Lanes -
This is a movie that tries to be both a thriller and a rich guy / poor guy
story. It's an entertaining movie that just misses on both accounts. The
two characters continuing escalation over a petty matter brings out the
worst in each other. "Addicted to Chaos" is the best description
of this movie. |
7 |
Escalating non-forgiveness |
|
|
|
| Fifth Element |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Lost Boys |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Predator 2 |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| The Mummy |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Election |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| 3 days in the valley |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Gattaca |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Armageddon |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Dead Again |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Erin Brokovitch |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Being John Malkovitch |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Castle of Calistigro |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Chicken Run |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Magnolia |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| American Beauty |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| U571 |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| High Fidelity |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| The Last of the Mohicans |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Beavers: IMAX |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Stir of echoes |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| The thin red line |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Brazil |
7 |
|
|
|
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| A bugs' life |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| A simple plan |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Star Wars: 6 Return of the Jedi |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Good Will Hunting |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Finding Forrester |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Almost famous |
7 |
|
|
|
|
| Shipping News - This is a
delightful movie. Pacing was just like life in Nova Scotia, slow but
rewarding. The message to me about this movie is that everyone needs to
find their roots. If you find your roots, you'll grow. If you haven't
found your roots, you're floundering. And that goes for houses as
well as people ;-) |
7 |
Family Roots |
Date |
|
|
| Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (JSBSB).
I thought this was one of the funniest
"in-jokes" I've ever seen. Funny as all get-out if you can let
the cussing and groping go by. HILARIOUS!!!
DISCLAIMER: if you are at all offended by swearing or bad taste,
avoid this movie. This is part of the "New Jersey
5", and if you haven't seen any of these, you MUST watch JSBSB LAST,
or watch Clerks and if you enjoy Clerks, then you will like JSBSB. The
"New Jersey 5" is movies directed by Kevin Smith - the same
director that brought you Clerks, Chasing Amy,
MallRats and Dogma.
|
7 |
@#%&*! Riot |
PopCorn |
|
|
| Y Tu Mama Tambien - Critics
and audiences have hailed this movie as a great movie. Two very close
teen-age friends go on a trip to the Beach that will forever change their
lives and their relationship. The movie was a pretty good road-trip,
and the directors' interleaving of bad accidents & news
stories "passing death by without knowing it" is kind of a
subtext of the entire film. |
7 |
Menage a Trois, Teenage style |
Left Brain, Date |
|
|
| The Rookie - I followed this
for a bit because Mike Rich, the screen-writer, is here in Portland, Oregon
& found out months before it was released it was a "G"
movie. I actually had dinner with Mike after he wrote Finding Forrester
and he is such a nice guy. It is so refreshing to see someone be able to
make wholesome movies that are simply outstanding. I thought this was a
great story of a person who took a challenge on later in life &
succeeded. Great family fun! My 9 yr old watched it again the next day by
himself he liked it so much! |
7 |
When you keep reaching for that dream |
Family |
|
|
| The Others. I figured it out
1/3 of the way in, but it was still a very good movie. The kids really
steal the show. Nicole Kidman was very convincing. |
7 |
Close the drapes |
Date |
|
|
| Ice Age. Charming. Great kids
flick. I think popcorn came out of my nose a few times I was laughing so
hard. I love it when kids movies have adult humor! |
7 |
Stone age |
Family |
|
|
| Evolution. This the the real
X-files with David Duchovny. Simply an outstanding concept. You'll never
think of Aliens the same ever again. I'm pinching myself this was so
unanticipated and was not expecting much. Really fun movie! |
7 |
24 hour evolution |
Comedy, Date |
|
|
| The Last StarFighter - I
hadn't watched this in ages. I had good memories & rented the
Collectors Edition. It was just as charming as I remember it! It's a cute
little space drama. A kid in a trailer park gets to save the world, just
because he had the high score on a video arcade game! What I didn't know
then that I know now I must thank the DVD, as the making of documentary
was astounding! I never realized that Computer Imagery was used for the
FIRST time EVER in movies. While this was a few years after Star Wars,
Star Wars was done with models. This was all computer generated ships
& planets. It was really cool listening to the documentary. For
computer and movie geeks, it's a must rent DVD just for the comentary
alone! |
7 |
Trailer Park Jedi Warrior |
Family |
|
|
| Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. Pretty good
movie. I haven't read the books, so it went over pretty good. Humor was
ever present by the staff of Hogwarts . My only real complaint is the
movie was monotonous, no real buildup of tension. It just walks along with
the same pacing for the entire movie. Perhaps it was mimicking the
monotonous Harry. The kid doesn't have any
emotion! |
7 |
Wizard school |
Family |
|
|
| Social Intercourse. Witty, extreme low budget
indy film
about a house party. The movie was just like a party...somewhat corny and
unpleasant at the beginning and by the end, you don't want it to be over.
Sound and video are poor quality (there is a guy in the movie who has a
camcorder & you can jump to him (aka white rabbit from the Matrix)
and see the image he was filming while the scene was being filmed. The
video quality during these times was 10x better than the movie in
general. |
7 |
House Party with 30 somethings |
Left Brain, Date |
|
|
| Black Hawk Down - Brutal
depiction of the result when you have no contingency planning. Was it
really like this I kept asking myself? Reminded me of A Bugs life when the
grasshoppers are talking & they say that if the ants figured it out,
their sheer numbers could overwhelm the grasshoppers. |
7 |
When things go wrong |
Date |
|
|
| The Majestic. I went into this
with trepidation and was surprised that it was so charming. It's in the
same vein as the Truman Show in that has a sweet small town in it &
you can predict what will happen to the characters pretty easily, but in
the end, you're happy with it. |
7 |
Small town wonders |
Date |
|
|
| Cat's Meow. Good 1920's period piece.
Shows how they could get away with so much more before CSI came
along. It's refreshing to see this & also Gosford Park. They are
remarkable in detail & really let you get a feeling for how life was
in the past. |
7 |
20's tycoon |
Date |
|
|
| Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid.
A somewhat interesting look what it might have been like to shadow this
notorius bunch around for a while. The wild bunch doesn't play as much as
the relationship between Butch & Sundance. After watching, I'm always
asking myself "if they just would have saved some, they could have
quit years earlier". |
7 |
One version of the Truth |
Date |
|
|
| In the Bedroom - This is a
story about parents who think better of butting in on their young son's
life & live to think twice about their decision. My only complaint on
this movie is that when the term "in the bedroom" is explained,
I thought it was intended to foreshadow what was to come when in fact what
does happen has nothing to do with "in the bedroom". Oh well,
still a fairly good movie. |
7 |
A Parents lament |
Date |
|
|
| Perfect Storm - After watching
this movie, I read the book because while I thought it was a good
"guess" at what happened, I wanted to know a little bit more of
why they thought it happened that way. Even after reading the book, which
I thought was still pretty inconclusive, I think the depiction of a crew
& skipper doing everything to survive against nature was simply
awe-inspiring. For that alone, this movie gets a recommendation, but
there's a bonus in that the movie itself is pretty darn good! |
7 |
Lost at Sea |
Date
Historical |
|
|
| Life as a House - This is
another just plain good movie. It takes it own sweet time telling a
wonderful story & finished with just the right amount of heart-tugging
at the end. This is NOT a family nor kid movie because of some of the
mature content. |
7 |
Tie up loose ends |
Date |
|
|
| The Frighteners - I picked
this up because Peter Jackson directed it. It was a pretty fun movie that
was pleasant and good-natured. Decent comedy & the pacing was pretty
good. The only thing that bugged me is that the beginning of the movie
made no sense once you get to the end. |
7 |
Good Ghosts vs Bad Ghosts |
Date, PopCorn |
|
|
| Barbershop - This is a really
interesting and entertaining movie of the goings' on in a 2nd generation
black barbershop. It not only illustrates how barbershops can be the
cornerstone of the community, but also invokes in you a desire for the old
days when we didn't have all the "Great Clips" franchises that
simply cut hair. |
7 |
It's just not for cutting hair |
Date |
|
|
| Jin Roh - This is a pretty
decent Anime for those wanting to get an introduction into Anime - good
action, above average story & excellent anime. This is one of the few
movies where the police state is featured as "good" and the
anarchists / revolutionaries as "not as good". Interesting
story. Some extreme violent scenes. |
7 |
The gate of deception |
Left Brain |
|
|
| AI: Artificial Intelligence -
I only watched this once and after a bit, I'm inclined to watch it again,
because I feel like I missed something. This is strange movie that doesn't
really follow the formula you might expect. It's a view of the future that
is sometimes difficult to agree with and perhaps that is why some
audiences panned this. While I can't heartily recommend it, I'm open to
watching it again. |
7 |
Do robots think and does it matter? |
Left Brain |
|
|
| The tastes of others - Take an
affluent man, with no education, with a wife who thinks she's an interior
decorator, but actually has taste so outlandish, it's comical and mix it
with actors and actresses from a local theater, and you get a fairly
intriguing movie. Tastes evolve and how do people who have different
tastes get along? What are their desires? |
7 |
Wanting what others have without having anything to trade in
return |
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Beautiful Mind should have played it. A wonderful artist who was years
ahead of his time. It was once said by mathematicians that Pollack's art
had more fractals than any other painter. I really enjoyed how the movie
showed him growing & his art changing. |
7 |
The story behind Blue |
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