What Did You Watch Today?

[BlackFlagg]

Dracula: Dead and Loving It - 7/10

[Timmoru Suzuki]

Walk the Line 8/10

Off the bat, I'd say I would have appreciated it more if I was into the music beforehand, or if I had any real knowledge of Cash before the film.

After a slow start (and 'empty' start), the film becomes very very good, and Phoenix and Witherspoon deserve all the credit they've been getting for their performances in a well crafted look at Johnny Cash. The love story element works well too, as their is genuine relief in the scenes they spend as a couple.

The film ends VERY abruptly. On the one hand, Johnny Cash's life didn't end in the mid sixties where the film does, and you want to know more in general (can be information bare at times, and a few 'one year later' moments don't help, but there would be a runtme trouble if a lot more was added so cuts have to be made), and more about his relationship with June Carter (Witherspoon), but on the other ending quickly avoids any of the un-necessary 'happily ever after' sentiment lots of films like this have, and as an audience, all the characters are 'where you want them to be' at the point the film ends.

Overall, a good, well acted film. A quicker start and maybe a slightly more in depth look at certain parts of his life, particularly later life would have made this very good film better. I daresay those with more prior knowledge of Cash, or bigger music fans than be would enjoy it even more.

[Tarheels.]

Donnie Darko- 9/10

Donnie Darko was a great movie, it kept me thinking basically the entire time and normally I don't like those kinds of movies. It was like if you missed one part of it then you may not get the entire movie. It forces you to pay attention in more ways than one. First off if you don't see the beginning then you can turn the movie off since you'll not get anything and secondly its just so god damn interesting that I couldn't take my eyes away from it. It has comedy and even a little bit of tragedy too. (You're such a fuck-ass Go suck a fuck Tell me, how would one....suck a fuck) I loved nearly every part of the movie, but the ending is either a hate it or love it type thing. Like I said, this is one great movie that really leaves you thinking near the end, so its open to interpretation for everyone.

[ROC]

Sliding Doors - 6/10

Not the smartest movie in the world, but it is a fun romantic comedy with a bright performance from Gwyneth Paltrow. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

[Toe]

Chopping Mall

I rented this because I enjoy slasher films, and love to sit with friends as pick them apart as they go, while still enjoying all the trashy aspects of the genre - the nudity, bad acting, strange plots, and most importantly, the killings. This movie is pretty good, based upon those 4 things. A group of teens stay overnight at a furniture store in a mall for some "partying" (SEX). At the same time, the mall implements a new security system involving robots that can disable any robber with no lasting harm and no collateral damage. As the mall closes, lightning fries the new robot's computer core, turning the three security robots into deadly "Killbots" (that was the original name of the film, by the way). Blah Blah Blah, girl gets her head exploded by robot cutting laser, blah blah blah, blood and guts. Really, I can't remember the character names, but you can just call them by the sterotype they represent. California Jock gets his throat slit, bubbly valley girl gets head blown off...so on and so on. It's a fun movie to watch with some friends. The acting is, at best, harmless, while the script is pretty useless. Just watch for the laughs and for the head explosion.

6/10

EDIT - I apologize for the huge movie poster, but looking at it, it kind of misrepresents the movie. No one gets chopped up and put into a bag!

Edited February 21, 2006 by desiredtoe

[Reflecto Is My Favorite Poster]

Date Movie:

In the secondary home office in Poultney, Vermont (motto: "If there's a bright center of the universe, you're about the farthest spot from it..."), the options for movies are pretty weak. To begin with, there's not much in the way of video rentals. With only one video store open for college students (and that store having a weak selection of movies), the options become too clear: if you want to rent a video, you pretty much have to go to Blockbuster in Rutland, a 20 mile, roughly half hour drive. (In short- if you're going to drive that distance to rent a movie, you're pretty much better off just going to see a regular movie in town and not have to go back a second time.)

It is this length that leads to the weak slippery slope, added by the way that I-81 and its movie theaters go. While many are further than the Rutland theaters, they have their moments in the fact that they're all Regal cinemas (allowing the smart college student whose mommy and daddy pay for AAA to get cheap tickets.) The three movie theaters that I've seen seem to go to the following:

Aviation Mall: Shitty mall, decent enough movie theater (roughly 35 miles away)

Wilton Mall: Decent enough mall, shitty movie theater (roughly 55 miles away)

Crossgates Mall: Decent mall, decent movie theater. (roughly 90 miles away)

When combined with the Rutland theaters (usually going to average to mediocre),this leads to the question of what the level of decency should be. The three questions usually come into play:

1) If you're going to see a movie 20 miles away at a Rutland cinema, why not go the extra 15 miles and go see the movie at a Regal where you have a free ticket? (Answer to this question: If going alone, the answer is yes. If you're going with someone, probably no.)

2) If you're willing to go the 35 miles to Aviation, why not go the extra 20 miles to Wilton and at least go to a decent mall? (Answer: Usually a yes...never underestimate the power of the only mall in the area that actually has a Waldenbooks that's decently stacked with manga.)

3) If you're willing to go to Wilton, why not go the extra 35 miles and actually go to a really nice movie theater? (Answer: Only if you either really want to see a certain movie or if you're on crack.)

This question needed to be said, because when mixed with the three questions, I ended up driving...55 miles...to see Date Movie.

I no longer fear hell...it could not be any worse than that situation. 0/10. This movie is not fit for children or other living things.

[Johnny Latino Heat]

Ultimate Avengers: 6/10

Saw it because I'm a fan of the Ultimates comic book, and I was curious to see how well would they adapt it to animation. It's not bad, but I've seen better.

[BlackFlagg]

Wedding Crashers - 7/10

[GRIFT]

9/10

[Timmoru Suzuki]

Good Night, and Good Luck 7/10

May get a 7.5. A good film, great performance from leading man David Strathairn, and very well directed and made. Add an excellent script with some great dialogue that creates some powerful and quotable scenes. I like the style of shooting too, the close-up documentary style (characters shout over each other etc, makes it seem like a recording of real events).

What stops it getting a higher rating, is a lack of drama (for instance there is little joy when the characters finally reach their goals, and as such little payoff at the end of the film and the two main sub-plots about a marriage in the office and the depression of another co-worker hardly get anytime to build and as such aren't that important), and the fact that with zero action in the film, it might not be to anyones taste.

Still very well made, very good directing (this Clooney guy could be huge....) good leading performances and some good dialogue. Just lacks a certain attention grabbing 'IT factor'.

[ROC]

Stark Raving Mad - 3/10

Ummm, there's a movie with barely a plot placed in super fast-forward and set to uptempo electronica here. Not as fun as you'd think...

[Guest slimlayzie]

Rent - 9/10

I personally absolutely love this movie, and have seen it five times already. three in the theaters, and twice since yesterday when it hit stores.

It follows the lives of a group of New Yorkers living in poverty, and the relationships they have. The singing is fantastic, as are most of the songs. Jesse L. Martin is an excellant actor known for the Law and Order series, but he can sign like a madman. Adam Pascal is very talented and has a nice "rough" voice. Athony Rapp (Tony from Dazed and Confused) fits the role perfectly, and the additions of Rosario and Taye both work out nicely. Plus the other two female leads, sorry drawing a blank, both have good voices too.

Most of the cast is from the original broadway musical. I never saw it, nor did I want to. A movie with Rosario Dawson playing a stripper and Jesse Martin signing (for more Jesse singing check "A Christmas Carol: The Musical), plus a catchy "Theme" song are the reasons I saw this movie in the first place. And it instantly hooked me. My favorite movie of the year...not the movie I think is the best mind you. But my favorite. The reason being the high rewatch value. I can watch this over and over for the songs.

It's not everyone's cup of joe, but it's a very addictive and smart movie none the less.

There are two problems I do have with it though...both are fairly minor.

First off - With how long it took to make the movie, some of it is a little off. These guys are playing 20-somethings, though they are all clearly 30-somethings. I bleive that aspect would of made the original broadway show seem abit more..."real".

And Moreen's rant during the protest...it achs me. I skip past it everytime. Maybe if it was cut in half, but the lenght is just too much.

They also cut out two songs for the movie, but both are available in the special features on the DVD.

Highly Recomended. Not gauranteeing you'll love it...but you should atleast give it a look.

EDIT: Warning: Anyone who's homophobic or easily offended may want to skip it though. There are a few scenes dealing with gay guys and lesbian women kissing eachother. As well as a Character who is a drag queen, and the movie deals with AIDS alot, as several of the characters have the desease.

Edited February 23, 2006 by slimlayzie

[BlackFlagg]

Scary Movie 3 - 7/10

[Timmoru Suzuki]

Crash 8/10

Good film, very good style, the racism storylines don't get as 'old' as I thought they would, and I like the 'Shades of grey' style of the characters.

Most of what I don't like as much with the film is some of the narrative and structure. Sometimes I feel there were too many stories going on, and some characters weren't developed enough. Othertimes, some characters felt they were in the movie for the sake of it, point being Sandra Bullock (why is she even there......???), Jennifer Esposito, Brendan Fraser have about 5 scenes between them, they dont have much point at all.

Some of the story is a little too coincidental (like Don Cheadle's brother.....) and is just too false in that regard. The 'Shades of Grey' thing goes a little too far at times also. Occasionally, the whole thing seems too 'set-up' at times, like the brother of Cheadles detective, and the fact it seems like they tried to play up the whole 'two sides to everyone' too much, the film seems too false at times.

Performances are mixed. Matt Dillon and Don Cheadle are awesome, the guy who plays the locksmith is good as are Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges and the persian shop-owner. Some others do well with what little they have (Ryan Phillipe, Jennifer Esposito, Thandie Newton who's character is there solely to make Dillons look less nasty), others aren't like Brendan Fraser, who still hasn't shown why he's been cast in any film ever.

Overall its a good film, well done and presented. It's an enjoyable hour and forty minutes or so with some excellent performances. Slightly better structure, dropping a couple of characters to better focus on the others, and a loss of the 'trying too hard to make everyone seem both good and bad' strategy would have served it better.

[BlackFlagg]

The Exorcism of Emily Rose - 7/10

[BlackFlagg]

Ong-Bak - 8/10

[Ananas]

8 1/2 - 9/10

Fellini > *.

Edited February 26, 2006 by .Beatnik

[tristy]

Walk the Line 8/10

Off the bat, I'd say I would have appreciated it more if I was into the music beforehand, or if I had any real knowledge of Cash before the film.

After a slow start (and 'empty' start), the film becomes very very good, and Phoenix and Witherspoon deserve all the credit they've been getting for their performances in a well crafted look at Johnny Cash. The love story element works well too, as their is genuine relief in the scenes they spend as a couple.

The film ends VERY abruptly. On the one hand, Johnny Cash's life didn't end in the mid sixties where the film does, and you want to know more in general (can be information bare at times, and a few 'one year later' moments don't help, but there would be a runtme trouble if a lot more was added so cuts have to be made), and more about his relationship with June Carter (Witherspoon), but on the other ending quickly avoids any of the un-necessary 'happily ever after' sentiment lots of films like this have, and as an audience, all the characters are 'where you want them to be' at the point the film ends.

Overall, a good, well acted film. A quicker start and maybe a slightly more in depth look at certain parts of his life, particularly later life would have made this very good film better. I daresay those with more prior knowledge of Cash, or bigger music fans than be would enjoy it even more.

[Ananas]

RENT - 4/10

A couple of catchy tunes, but this is otherwise a generic, forgetable mess. On the bright side though, Rosario Dawson and Idina Menzel = Hot.

[BlackFlagg]

Gremlins - 8/10