As I don't update my blog as much as I should. I will continue to review movies in brief as it's easier to watch more flicks, the reviews will be too the point and less rambling and I can fit them all into one blog entry and concentrate on other things. So with out further to do.....
Quantum of Solace (2008):
Synopsis
Credits
The second rebooted bond is lighter on plot than it's predecessor but works incredibly well as a revenge film. Daniel Craig's brooding performance is one of small subtle nuances that display a more complex Bond than before. The script once again throws away the terrible one liners and replaces them with exchanges of actual wit. The action suffers slightly due to it's uber quick editing but the film still gives you more bangs for your buck than other lesser action films.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008):
Synopsis
Credits
As a Kevin Smith fan, my expectations of his movies are always quite high. However his first feature since the wildly amusing Clerks 2 is severely lacking. Leads Seth Rogan and Elizabeth Banks don't display the chemistry so desperately needed for a film such as this and their relationship comes off false. Smith's film also suffers from poor stock characters and only serves us one brilliant set piece moment. With this said, while the incessant swearing almost becomes a turn off, Smith can still turn a phrase as his one liners demonstrate. I do hope his story editing skills improve however, as the films climax is so weak it's almost non existent.
W. (2008)
Synopsis ,
Credits
Oliver Stone's W is not as controversial as it should be. In fact It's one of the tamest of his films. This stems from the film being incredibly rushed to come out just in time for the election and to try and give the exiting president one last kick before he leaves. More research and time would have made the impact of the film hit so much harder. Also Stone film neglects the second term. The war still on going, America's financial difficulties and of course Katrina would portray Bush as what Stone feels he was...the wrong man for the job. However W. is very entertaining, with my hat going off to the performances of Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney and Josh Brolin who is almost unrecognizable as Dubya
Tropic Thunder (2008)
Synopsis
Credits
Satires don't seem to be as biting as they once were. However Ben Stiller's movie is a very hilarious send up of egos and actors that borders gleefully on the right side of bad taste. Much was said about the black face and the use of the word "retard" however those who complained may have missed the point. In making fun of such taboo subjects, Stiller's film also brings certain things to light. It's more on point than a of those "serious" films that appear around this time. The highlight of the film is Robert Downley jr's performance as Kirk Lazarus, who must be a fantastic piss take of Russell Crowe.
Babylon A.D (2008)
Synopsis
Credits
Worst film I've seen this year? Most probably. A film so bad that even it's director dislikes it. A story cut by executives in such a way that the "guts" of the film is left on the cutting wood floor, leaving us only poorly executed action sequences. Every actor in the film sleepwalks through their role and tries not to laugh at the dialogue they have to vomit up. This is Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever bad, This is American Psycho 2: All American Girl Bad, This is Cube 2: Hypercube bad. I don't try and tell people what to watch when i write this blog....but don't watch this movie.
All credits and synopsis pages care of imdb.com (beware of spoilers)
I left my review of The Assassination of Jesse James review elsewhere and will post that hopfully next week.
Monday, 8 December 2008
Sunday, 12 October 2008
Unborn Trailer
This trailer has already told me that the end of this film will be hidiously excessive and ruin what might be an ok horror film. However, that old man with the twisted body......WTF?!!! Could have it's moments.
W. Second Trailer
New trailer for W. can't wait to see it:
As someone who doesn't really love or hate George Bush, Stone's portrayal isn't likely to make me think any differen.t However, it looks like it gives him a fairer shot then what people thought they'd get from the outspoken director. Good times!
As someone who doesn't really love or hate George Bush, Stone's portrayal isn't likely to make me think any differen.t However, it looks like it gives him a fairer shot then what people thought they'd get from the outspoken director. Good times!
Sunday, 5 October 2008
Some News
I haven’t been posting for a little while because there hasn't been anything I’ve wanted to invest any interest in. However lately has been filled with a truckload of things:
First we have the sad passing of one of the movie greats:
A sad farewell to Paul Newman (1925 – 2008). There will never be another like him.
Empire Magazine’s Website has given up some interesting/bizarre treats such as:
Kenneth Brannegh to direct Thor! Read the crazy news here!
The New York Times prints a short and sweet article about Micheal Cera. Click here for something written better than my tripe!
The Green Lantern has been green lighted! Once again Empire give us the news here
I've spent this morning posting my opinions of many films up too, so have a gender!
First we have the sad passing of one of the movie greats:
A sad farewell to Paul Newman (1925 – 2008). There will never be another like him.
Empire Magazine’s Website has given up some interesting/bizarre treats such as:
Kenneth Brannegh to direct Thor! Read the crazy news here!
The New York Times prints a short and sweet article about Micheal Cera. Click here for something written better than my tripe!
The Green Lantern has been green lighted! Once again Empire give us the news here
I've spent this morning posting my opinions of many films up too, so have a gender!
Review: The Happening
Year: 2008.
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Screenwriter: M Night Shyamalan
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo
Midway through The Happening, while the main group are trying to escape the "happening" that is occurring in the film, they run past a sign of a model home which screams "YOU DESERVE THIS" at the top of the board it's printed on. Subtly...has never been M Night's thing. Yes basically if the "wind" decides to attack our brains and causes us to commit suicide we only have our self to blame. This is M Night Shyamalan we are talking about here. The mans smug ego allowed himself to play a Jesus-like character in his own film Lady in the Water. In that same film he unleashes an petty attack on film critics who may not like his films (cause that will warm them to you mate). In The Happening all of us are to blame for the world being shit and nature is gonna tear the audience a new one.
It's going to be be hard for this director to win people back to his camp after his last celluloid "disasters" but for me The Happening at times seemed a step in the right direction. Individual scenes reminded me of how competent he is as a filmmaker. Shyamalan has always been able to provide scenes that can unsettle and here is no exception. It's the simple things that freaked me out the most. People stopping and walking backwards, the babbling talk that stuttered out of the confused peoples mouths before taking their own life. it's these things that M Night is good at and here I saw glimpses of the man who wowed many with The Sixth Sense. It's a pity that those flourishes are quite brief. What's more upsetting is that these moments are undermined by the many negative points of the movie.
Many reviewers have mentioned the unintentionally comic death scenes that plague the film. i won't mention them here as they're detailed highly elsewhere. My issues with the film have more to do with the basic mechanics of the film. The film's leads are very weak in many aspect for example. Their reasons for estrangement are limp, the casting of Whalberg and Deschanel are extremely off and the acting is incredibly flat. It's hard to keep interested in the characters because of the lack attention the writer/director has placed with them.
Other problems include the extremely jarring moments of awkwardness that crops up constantly, usually after one of the extras finishes sprouting off some bad dialogue. Is Shyamalan trying to pass this off has tension? I hope not as the actors look quite embarrassed to be fair. At times the film has editing that makes student films look like masterpieces. In tightening those little moments in the films quieter moments, the film would probably feel less contrived.
What upsets me the most is that the films basic plot isn't that bad. This world is ever-evolving and the idea of nature fighting back is strangely becoming more and more plausible. As species die off and evolve, Shyamalan's film reminds us of how fragile our race really is...if only briefly. The Happening needed another few rewrites, some stronger actors and some tidying up in the editing room. After the Lady in the Water debacle, it seems that Shyamalan wouldn't listen to reason, even if you told him. That's a shame because his talent is slowly being consumed by his ego.
Note: Sorry for the piss poor review It's been a while.
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Screenwriter: M Night Shyamalan
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo
Midway through The Happening, while the main group are trying to escape the "happening" that is occurring in the film, they run past a sign of a model home which screams "YOU DESERVE THIS" at the top of the board it's printed on. Subtly...has never been M Night's thing. Yes basically if the "wind" decides to attack our brains and causes us to commit suicide we only have our self to blame. This is M Night Shyamalan we are talking about here. The mans smug ego allowed himself to play a Jesus-like character in his own film Lady in the Water. In that same film he unleashes an petty attack on film critics who may not like his films (cause that will warm them to you mate). In The Happening all of us are to blame for the world being shit and nature is gonna tear the audience a new one.
It's going to be be hard for this director to win people back to his camp after his last celluloid "disasters" but for me The Happening at times seemed a step in the right direction. Individual scenes reminded me of how competent he is as a filmmaker. Shyamalan has always been able to provide scenes that can unsettle and here is no exception. It's the simple things that freaked me out the most. People stopping and walking backwards, the babbling talk that stuttered out of the confused peoples mouths before taking their own life. it's these things that M Night is good at and here I saw glimpses of the man who wowed many with The Sixth Sense. It's a pity that those flourishes are quite brief. What's more upsetting is that these moments are undermined by the many negative points of the movie.
Many reviewers have mentioned the unintentionally comic death scenes that plague the film. i won't mention them here as they're detailed highly elsewhere. My issues with the film have more to do with the basic mechanics of the film. The film's leads are very weak in many aspect for example. Their reasons for estrangement are limp, the casting of Whalberg and Deschanel are extremely off and the acting is incredibly flat. It's hard to keep interested in the characters because of the lack attention the writer/director has placed with them.
Other problems include the extremely jarring moments of awkwardness that crops up constantly, usually after one of the extras finishes sprouting off some bad dialogue. Is Shyamalan trying to pass this off has tension? I hope not as the actors look quite embarrassed to be fair. At times the film has editing that makes student films look like masterpieces. In tightening those little moments in the films quieter moments, the film would probably feel less contrived.
What upsets me the most is that the films basic plot isn't that bad. This world is ever-evolving and the idea of nature fighting back is strangely becoming more and more plausible. As species die off and evolve, Shyamalan's film reminds us of how fragile our race really is...if only briefly. The Happening needed another few rewrites, some stronger actors and some tidying up in the editing room. After the Lady in the Water debacle, it seems that Shyamalan wouldn't listen to reason, even if you told him. That's a shame because his talent is slowly being consumed by his ego.
Note: Sorry for the piss poor review It's been a while.
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