The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

A pretty good film that I think I'll come to appreciate much more with repeated viewings. I think there's much more there then I gathered during this viewing, so I look forward to more viewings in the future. Sellers and Scott alone warrant the price of admission.

was that your first viewing?

how great was the war room? Sellers' raw improv (as they shot) lines on the phone? "Well I'm fine and you're fine...well its great to be fine"

but the greatest 3 words of all: Precious BOdily Fluids

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by killowertz

Actually, now I'm beginning to think I might only have a 1 and a 2. #2 is Out of Sight. I was going to say #3 is Avatar, but now I'm not sure. I'll get back to you on that after I have watched the Collector's Edition.

I've never even heard of Out of Sight

Whoa, be careful, you might get jumped for mentioning Avatar to some of the guys in this thread (*cough* Squid *cough* )

Seriously though, didn't think you liked it (or potentially liked it) THAT much. Shows that you didn't lower your score each time you saw it like I did

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

yep, i have (yes i'm responding to a post that's from like 2 days ago now and 117820383 pages back ) and i loved it. no doubt about it

paul walker? awesome.
jessica alba? uh, duh, of course i'm game. and in a bikini? is there any reason already not to watch this film?
scott caan? awesome. he's been a favorite since Varsity Blues.
ashley scott? also gorgeous

super cheesy, ridiculous dumb plot? CHECK! everything i need to love a film i bought it day 1 on dvd. and will eventually pick this up on blu. i can't even imagine how great some of the scenes look

I cannot refute your Alba and Caan statements at all

Paul Walker is not the best actor out there, that's no secret, but like you, I actually like the guy for some reason; even when he's reading note cards the whole movie during 2 Fast
It's unexplainable
You should love him in Fast & Furious when you eventually get to it, he doesn't sound like he's reading note cards at all in that one

I blind bought it (one of only, I think, three I've made) for $8 on blu and was very pleased with it
Amazon is no longer selling it though

If you like Caan, you need to check out Hawaii Five-0. He's great on that show, plus Jinn is on it! And you don't have to read his dialog in this show (it's strange )!!


Edit: Also, have you seen Timeline with him and Gerard Butler? It's a fun little movie to see if you ever eventually have time to check it out.

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Dr. Strangelove (blu)

PQ: 4 (out of 5)

AQ: 4 (out of 5)

Film: 3 stars (out of 4)


A pretty good film that I think I'll come to appreciate much more with repeated viewings. I think there's much more there then I gathered during this viewing, so I look forward to more viewings in the future. Sellers and Scott alone warrant the price of admission.

Im was very close in purchasing this on amazon. Maybe i should just give it a swing. Its Kubrick so i think i'll like it.

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Film: 3.5/5
-great popcorn flick
-entertaining, but won't ever wooo me.
-Rickman (Sheriff of Nottingham) is awesome! One of the greatest lines is when he's with 2 "lady friends" in his chambers. Some dude walks and starts talking to RIckman about Robin. One of the girls pulls her sheets over her shoulder. RIckman: "Who told you to cover up?" (he's such a convincing dirtball).
-Oh and at least this Robin HOod didn't suffer from the problem of Robin Hood (2010): the ladies stayed at the sidelines cheering on their men in battle, as it should be
-overall, I enjoyed it probably equally to Robin Hood (2010), but here is the difference:

Direction/Cinematography of RH 2010 > RH 1991
Set/Costumes of RH 2010 > RH 1991
Script of RH 2010 < RH 1991
Acting of RH 2010 > RH 1991

So overall I enjoyed RH 2010 more, but not by much, since the script carries a lot of weight

PQ: 2/5 (yuck)

AQ: 3/5 (meh)

Glad you enjoyed it. I much prefer this one over the new one, it's been a favorite of mine since I was a kid.

[iam1bearcat]

Wristcutters: A Love Story

year: 2006
director: Goran Dukic
starring: Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon

after watching a great film like Everlasting Moments i have to sit through this?!
and of course it was the girlfriend's pick since all she was doing was ranting and raving about how "quirky and cute" this film was since she saw it about a week ago.

she was wrong

the story, more or less, the idea is interesting and had me curious to actually watch it. the plot / story is that young Zia (Fugit) finds himself in a "strange afterlife way station" that is home to only people who take their own lives. so, with knowing that i thought it was kind of neat to see what it would be like. but it really wasn't.

the "waiting station" is a lot like real life. deserts, gas stations, police, et cetera, but you can't die. you're already dead. and no one smiles in this place, because if you took your own life, you must be depressed. although you would think that since you succeeded you would be smiling because you "got out" right...? ah, put plot holes and logic aside!

the film was okay. nothing special. i figured by now the gf would have learned what "good film" is, but i guess she's hardheaded and a slow learner




kiiiiiiiding she's welcome to like anything she wants. even if it's wrong and it's bad

would i watch it again? no. does it have a 'cute' ending? yes. but it tries too hard to quirky at times while being at times very bland and boring. the acting is pretty "blah" except for Sossamon who actually has been in films before (haven't seen almost anyone else here ever). nothing outstandingly bad, just very the perfect film to show why everyone should have netflix and have netflix instant: an okay film not worth blind buying or waiting for the disc to arrive, but not bad enough to stop while it's playing online.

that about sums it up

2.5/5

[two40]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

they meet. it’s awkward. cue butterflies. it’s magic. the sun rises. invincible. excitable. monotonous. suppression. compromises. it’s overcast. volatile conflict. tense clash. thunder clap. vicious encounter. inoperable. terminal love… they meet.

We are weak beings, slaves to our inherent needs. Like blind mice in a maze we are propelled by curiosity, reaching out for experiences and gathering memories only to forget them in our twilight. It’s the grind of life.

Let me propose a what if. Armed with the knowledge that a relationship is destined for tragic failure, would you pursue it regardless? Would you be willing to risk certain humility, pain and suffering for the off chance? For the moments that make you feel alive? Charlie Kaufman yet again delves into the human mind and explores these questions.

In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind we meet a couple who undergo a procedure to erase their respective memories of each other after a dragged out and nasty break up. The procedure is simple and kind of like brain damage. “Well, technically speaking, the operation is brain damage, but it’s on a par with a night of heavy drinking. Nothing you’ll miss.” Says the good doctor Howard (Tom Wilkinson).

With that we are whisked away into the mind of Joel (Jim Carrey) and travel backwards in time via his memories, witnessing his relationship with Clementine (Kate Winslet) over the last 2 years. Reliving these memories, Joel realises that despite all the unpleasant parts of their relationship, he still loves Clementine and does not want to lose her. We are drawn in to a surreal cat and mouse game within his memories, counting down the clock of their relationship until there is nothing left.

Slightly jarring at first, you quickly adjust to the unpredictable world inside Joel’s mind. The director, Michel Gondry, does very well to provide you with visual cues to help along the way. He cut his teeth on music videos and has brought his bag of tricks making this film an entertaining visual feast. During each re-watch, there will be many, you are rewarded with new discoveries. His attention to detail and his clever long takes add to the wonder on display. It’s all a bit too much to absorb on your first viewing, although this doesn’t detract from the experience. The film just improves with each viewing, adding to the longevity of this modern day hit that’s sure to go the distance of a classic.

I’d like to leave you with some words of endorsement, if the above wasn’t enough to pique your interest. I can throw more adjectives at you but that just seems inadequate. The best way for me to convey my admiration for this film is to tell you that when I finished watching it, after the credits rolled and the screen left me in a darkened quiet room, I pressed play again.

5/5

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Diesel

I cannot refute your Alba and Caan statements at all

Paul Walker is not the best actor out there, that's no secret, but like you, I actually like the guy for some reason; even when he's reading note cards the whole movie during 2 Fast
It's unexplainable
You should love him in Fast & Furious when you eventually get to it, he doesn't sound like he's reading note cards at all in that one

I blind bought it (one of only, I think, three I've made) for $8 on blu and was very pleased with it
Amazon is no longer selling it though

If you like Caan, you need to check out Hawaii Five-0. He's great on that show, plus Jinn is on it! And you don't have to read his dialog in this show (it's strange )!!

neat little fact: the actor who plays Jin (Daniel Daw Kim) speaks perfect English and actually had to brush up on his Korean for the role of Jin because he hadn't spoken it since high school!

and i've watched two episodes of Hawaii Five-0, but i'm gonna wait till it comes out on blu to watch (for scenery alone, and the gals ) but i have my mom put it on her tivo list so the networks know people watch it so it stays on the air (since they now look at tivo numbers to take into consideration for renewing a show, not just live "who's watching?!" numbers)

Edit: Also, have you seen Timeline with him and Gerard Butler? It's a fun little movie to see if you ever eventually have time to check it out.

of course! saw it in theaters!

just looked through wikipedia at his filmography, and i've seen a boatload of his films oddly enough:

Meet the Deedles 4/5 - granted I haven’t seen this since I was 11 but still
Pleasantville 4/5 another one I haven’t seen in forever though and don’t remember how much of a role he had
Varsity Blues 4.5/5 - guilty pleasure love it
She’s All That ?/5 remember seeing it but no idea what I’d rate it
Brokedown Palace 3.5/5 I think. And Wikipedia says it was an “uncredited” role, so who knows how big of a role he had and I barely remember it
The Skulls 3/5 - if I recall, it was pretty neat, but it's been many years and was also very cheesy so i'm sure it's aged well
The Fast and the Furious 4/5 loved it
Joy Ride 4.5/5 loved it. Great thriller, and Steve Zahn is great in this as well. great back and forth between them
Timeline 3/5 I think I enjoyed it more the first time in theaters, and then a few years ago I really want to see it again, went to wal-mart and for some reason they had it lol and bought it for $6 but didn’t enjoy it as much, but still a goofy action Gladiator / LOTR super-light film. I had no idea this came out after The Fast and the Furious! I thought this was way before
Into the Blue 3.5/5 - another guilty pleasure
Eight Below 4/5 - I think. Only seen it once when it was first out on dvd, but it was typical sentimental true story with dogs and it was enjoyable. Actually, looking at Walker’s resume, kind of surprised Disney chose him for such a family fun flick since most of his films are more “older teenager / young adult” in marketing direction
Running Scared 3/5 - again, I think. Kind of like a really bad Shoot ‘Em Up if I recall. I remember a lot of “oh come on!” moments, but the film was trying to be serious, unlike Shoot ‘Em Up which knew it was a barbaric, over the top action movie

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by two40

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

[Show spoiler]they meet. it’s awkward. cue butterflies. it’s magic. the sun rises. invincible. excitable. monotonous. suppression. compromises. it’s overcast. volatile conflict. tense clash. thunder clap. vicious encounter. inoperable. terminal love… they meet.

We are weak beings, slaves to our inherent needs. Like blind mice in a maze we are propelled by curiosity, reaching out for experiences and gathering memories only to forget them in our twilight. It’s the grind of life.

Let me propose a what if. Armed with the knowledge that a relationship is destined for tragic failure, would you pursue it regardless? Would you be willing to risk certain humility, pain and suffering for the off chance? For the moments that make you feel alive? Charlie Kaufman yet again delves into the human mind and explores these questions.

In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind we meet a couple who undergo a procedure to erase their respective memories of each other after a dragged out and nasty break up. The procedure is simple and kind of like brain damage. “Well, technically speaking, the operation is brain damage, but it’s on a par with a night of heavy drinking. Nothing you’ll miss.” Says the good doctor Howard (Tom Wilkinson).

With that we are whisked away into the mind of Joel (Jim Carrey) and travel backwards in time via his memories, witnessing his relationship with Clementine (Kate Winslet) over the last 2 years. Reliving these memories, Joel realises that despite all the unpleasant parts of their relationship, he still loves Clementine and does not want to lose her. We are drawn in to a surreal cat and mouse game within his memories, counting down the clock of their relationship until there is nothing left.

Slightly jarring at first, you quickly adjust to the unpredictable world inside Joel’s mind. The director, Michel Gondry, does very well to provide you with visual cues to help along the way. He cut his teeth on music videos and has brought his bag of tricks making this film an entertaining visual feast. During each re-watch, there will be many, you are rewarded with new discoveries. His attention to detail and his clever long takes add to the wonder on display. It’s all a bit too much to absorb on your first viewing, although this doesn’t detract from the experience. The film just improves with each viewing, adding to the longevity of this modern day hit that’s sure to go the distance of a classic.

I’d like to leave you with some words of endorsement, if the above wasn’t enough to pique your interest. I can throw more adjectives at you but that just seems inadequate. The best way for me to convey my admiration for this film is to tell you that when I finished watching it, after the credits rolled and the screen left me in a darkened quiet room, I pressed play again.

5/5

great review two40!

my second favorite movie "of all time" and has been there for a very long while. some of the best use of artistic visuals in a film yet and i love the

[Show spoiler]memories colliding with each other

, particularly when

[Show spoiler]Joel is leaving Barnes & Noble and he walks out of his friends room and he's in their home but the store lights are still behind him.

and then later when

[Show spoiler]Clementine is his mom and he's 5 and hiding under the table, she shows him her underwear and he says "ewww"

great, genius visual storytelling on top of an incredible script

also one of the best endings i've ever seen. inspiring and haunting at the same time. love the soundtrack too. listen to it all the time.

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

They're both excellent films but very different. I personally think they both have an equal amount of replay value. Revanche for its subtle themes and the complexity that lies under its surface. Everlasting Moments because despite its lack of complexity, its directing is absolutely exceptional and its the finest example I've seen on blu yet of a film looking the way it was meant to look.

Agreed, Everlasting Moments was a very well done film and I really have no critiques for it, but the story didn't quite interest me enough to make me wanna buy it. However, I plan to give this a second viewing someday so my opinion may change.

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Everlasting Moments (netflix instant)

year: 2008
director: Jan Troell
starring: Maria Heiskanen (Maria), Mikael Persbrandt (Sigfrid)

[Show spoiler]one of the most beautiful, encouraging and moving pictures of any generation.

you know your life is pretty good when one of your biggest problems is having to add yet another movie to the long list of films you one day would like to own on blu-ray, but such is the case with the latest film i've viewed: the wonderful Everlasting Moments.

the plot, via netflix synopsis: "After marrying charming but coarse Sigfrid (Persbrandt), Maria (Heiskanen) finds that her life isn't the fairy tale she expected, as her husband gradually becomes more brutal. But when she becomes involved in photography, Maria gains a new lease on life."

the story of a woman who gains courage and confident through a talent and love of photography is a beautiful tale that may not be the 100 million dollar summer blockbuster in terms of sounding interesting or special, but it is. i'm continuously amazed by how great foreign films are by telling simple stories in such profound, artistic and wonderful ways. i had heard some hub-bub about the film so i added it to the queue, but when i read the description i wasn't too keen on how much i would enjoy it. i figured it would be well made: directing, acting, story and whatnot all would be good. but would i really get sucked into the film? the answer is a resounding "yes!" and this was a great film to wind down with for the night (even though i may watch something else soon )

the stand out of the film is easily the cinematography. easily one of the best films in that category, by far. i don't have any lists for "Best Cinematography" (surprising, eh? ) but if i would ever make a list, Everlasting Moments would be very near the top, if not at #1. absolutely superb three scenes that i really loved and could watch forever were:

[Show spoiler]1. early in the film when Sigfrid looks up and the snow (or is it ash since we don't see snow anywhere else?) falling behind him. gorgeous as the white snow / ash just shoots out of the background.

,

[Show spoiler]2. when Maria and the kids are on the traintracks and then suddenly the train light shines on over their silhouettes

, and then

[Show spoiler]3. near the end when Maria watched Sigfrid (wait... it was someone else because then Maria and Sigfrid dance...) walk down the trail and all the thick, bright green brush on the side and the sun shines through on the path... gorgeous!

the performances and directing are also top notch, not surprised at all by this

watching Maria gain confidence, courage, strength throughout the film was very inspiring and uplifting. the gf loved it, especially being a female and all, but i also loved it as well. much like how when you're good / great at something it effects the rest of your life and you see things differently (things aren't as bad as they used to seem / you can accomplish, overcome something because you have the confidence you were lacking before) that's exactly what we see here. and then there is the ending. even though Sigfrid is a vile, disgusting pig (even though i'm glad he

[Show spoiler]saved the horse from that guy whipping it (more animal violence?! dammit!)

which showed he had something that could be admired (and his work ethic)) when we see

[Show spoiler]Maria and Sigfrid dance and laugh, i smiled, even though their history is extremely rocky. and just like her daughter says in the voice over, she didn't know why she stayed with Sigfrid, it was just such a beautiful moment

. a great story, a great film and one that will be purchased one day and added to my collection.

highly recommended
another film that will probably become a 5/5 over time and repeated viewings, and cannot wait to see how this looks on blu-ray. just watching it online i was already in anticipation of seeing this in hi-def.

4.5/5

Great review, glad you liked it. As I was saying to Jhiggy, I was gonna give this another shot someday but but the depth of your review just put it on the fast track. I'll probably give this another go in in the next few months or so.

[two40]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

also one of the best endings i've ever seen. inspiring and haunting at the same time.

The ending,

[Show spoiler]in particular the very last beach scene where it was repeated 3 times, had me for a while. I kept trying to work it out by re-watching it which was pretty tripyy, re-watching a scene that repeats itself over and over.

Anyway, I'm still contemplating it, which just adds to the appeal of this film, being able to make me think about it days after I've seen it. I don't think I'm any closer to working it out but the closest I've come is:

[Show spoiler]history repeats itself and no matter how you try to cheat it, it will resolve itself reproducibly because the people making the history did not change, only their memory of it happening was erased. It's nothing as corny as destiny or fate, it's just human nature. Faced with a crossroads, you will more often than not choose the same path because it's your choice and we all think that our decisions are correct. That's why we make them in the first place.

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Dr. Strangelove (blu)

PQ: 4 (out of 5)

AQ: 4 (out of 5)

Film: 3 stars (out of 4)


A pretty good film that I think I'll come to appreciate much more with repeated viewings. I think there's much more there then I gathered during this viewing, so I look forward to more viewings in the future. Sellers and Scott alone warrant the price of admission.

Agreed, I need to give it another shot to fully appreciate it. I knew nothing about the cast beforehand and didn't even realize that Sellers

[Show spoiler]played 3 roles

until the credits. Some of the humor didn't quite click for me but I found a good amount of this film to be hilarious. Definitely gonna check this one out again.

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Relapse.



As for your queue, The Lives of Others has to be first considering it's far and away the best film on the list. Your next film should be either Sophie's Choice (best female performance ever) or Dragon Tattoo (one of the best crime thrillers ever). After that, I'd go with Changeling.

Haven't kept up too much with his newer stuff, I'll check it out.

Definitely can't wait to get to The Lives of Others, but I'm looking forward to seeing Amores Perros and then continuing on with Inarritu's other films. I shall be mighty prepared for Biutiful

[tbizzle]

Event Horizon - 4/5

I think this is one of the better sci-fi horror films that have come out in a while, although there was a lot of room for improvement. For what Paul WS Anderson set out to do, he did a pretty good job. I like the story and the fact that the film was plenty brutal, but I've always been disappointed in how short the film is. I think it had a lot more potential, but they made it a short and enjoyable, so I can't complain. Fishburne is awesome and Sam Neill plays a pretty good villain.

I saw this when it was first released in 1997 and other than when I was little, this was the first film (and last) that kinda scared me. My buddy was supposed to come over after we watched Scream at his house, but he had to cancel so I was home alone and watching Event Horizon in the dark For some reason, the

[Show spoiler]sheet part in the med lab with Kathleen Quinland

kinda freaked me out, not to mention

[Show spoiler]Sam Neil's tunnel part.

I don't know why, but for some reason this film did a good job at creepin me out when I was younger. Still haven't seen anything that's scared me since, but it was fun to watch those scenes again.

The Red Shoes - 3.5/5

A great film about a woman who must choose between her passion for dancing and love. I wanted to enjoy this one a lot, and in ways I did, but I couldn't quite connect with the style of the film. Great performances all around, especially that of Anton Walbrook. Moira Sheara is gorgeous and a real pleasure to watch dance. The ballet scene in the middle of the film was magnificent, going beyond the realm of the stage and playing out more like a fantasty.

I think I need to give this one another chance someday and hopefully I'll be able to appreciate this more.

[tbizzle]

Hunger - 4.25/5

Michael Fassbender puts forth an outstanding performance (and a very dedicated one at that), chronicling the last days of Bobby Sands along with other IRA militants imprisoned in Britain. This film gives us a great look at the brutal reality of the prisoners time behind bars. The men continuously rebel against the prison authorites in an attempt to attain political recognition. They are dealt with accordingly, being subjected to harsh cleansing and brutal beatings, yet they never disband. There's a great scene where the prisoners are in a church proceeding and a priest is reading from the bible, yet his words are overpowered by the chatter of the prisoners. This is the rare moment when they're all together, free from the confines of their cells. They know this precious time is limited, so they pass notes, plot and conspire as fast as they can. After their attempts are unsuccessful, they ultimately decide to step up the stakes and begin a hunger strike. Even while imprisoned, they were still making sacrifices and fighting for political recognition and most importantly, for their freedom.

Overall this is a pretty impressive film. Lots of powerful scenes, including a very impressive scene where Sands and a priest have a conversation in the visiting room. It's over 15 minutes of continuous dialogue, beginning as fast paced, witty banter and ending with a heated debate on whether or not a hunger strike would be successful in getting the British to cooperate with them. This scene is shot almost entirely in one take. Anyways, great performances all around, powerful directing and overall - a very solid film. I highly recommend it.

[Hep]

Originally Posted by two40

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

[Show spoiler]they meet. it’s awkward. cue butterflies. it’s magic. the sun rises. invincible. excitable. monotonous. suppression. compromises. it’s overcast. volatile conflict. tense clash. thunder clap. vicious encounter. inoperable. terminal love… they meet.

We are weak beings, slaves to our inherent needs. Like blind mice in a maze we are propelled by curiosity, reaching out for experiences and gathering memories only to forget them in our twilight. It’s the grind of life.

Let me propose a what if. Armed with the knowledge that a relationship is destined for tragic failure, would you pursue it regardless? Would you be willing to risk certain humility, pain and suffering for the off chance? For the moments that make you feel alive? Charlie Kaufman yet again delves into the human mind and explores these questions.

In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind we meet a couple who undergo a procedure to erase their respective memories of each other after a dragged out and nasty break up. The procedure is simple and kind of like brain damage. “Well, technically speaking, the operation is brain damage, but it’s on a par with a night of heavy drinking. Nothing you’ll miss.” Says the good doctor Howard (Tom Wilkinson).

With that we are whisked away into the mind of Joel (Jim Carrey) and travel backwards in time via his memories, witnessing his relationship with Clementine (Kate Winslet) over the last 2 years. Reliving these memories, Joel realises that despite all the unpleasant parts of their relationship, he still loves Clementine and does not want to lose her. We are drawn in to a surreal cat and mouse game within his memories, counting down the clock of their relationship until there is nothing left.

Slightly jarring at first, you quickly adjust to the unpredictable world inside Joel’s mind. The director, Michel Gondry, does very well to provide you with visual cues to help along the way. He cut his teeth on music videos and has brought his bag of tricks making this film an entertaining visual feast. During each re-watch, there will be many, you are rewarded with new discoveries. His attention to detail and his clever long takes add to the wonder on display. It’s all a bit too much to absorb on your first viewing, although this doesn’t detract from the experience. The film just improves with each viewing, adding to the longevity of this modern day hit that’s sure to go the distance of a classic.

I’d like to leave you with some words of endorsement, if the above wasn’t enough to pique your interest. I can throw more adjectives at you but that just seems inadequate. The best way for me to convey my admiration for this film is to tell you that when I finished watching it, after the credits rolled and the screen left me in a darkened quiet room, I pressed play again.

5/5

Thanks for the review; this movie has eluded me so far. I'll check it out when it hits Blu-ray in January (I know it has been released in Canada already, but we all know Alliance doesn't hit it out of the park when they go it alone).

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by tbizzle

Hunger - 4.25/5

[Show spoiler]Michael Fassbender puts forth an outstanding performance (and a very dedicated one at that), chronicling the last days of Bobby Sands along with other IRA militants imprisoned in Britain. This film gives us a great look at the brutal reality of the prisoners time behind bars. The men continuously rebel against the prison authorites in an attempt to attain political recognition. They are dealt with accordingly, being subjected to harsh cleansing and brutal beatings, yet they never disband. There's a great scene where the prisoners are in a church proceeding and a priest is reading from the bible, yet his words are overpowered by the chatter of the prisoners. This is the rare moment when they're all together, free from the confines of their cells. They know this precious time is limited, so they pass notes, plot and conspire as fast as they can. After their attempts are unsuccessful, they ultimately decide to step up the stakes and begin a hunger strike. Even while imprisoned, they were still making sacrifices and fighting for political recognition and most importantly, for their freedom.

Overall this is a pretty impressive film. Lots of powerful scenes, including a very impressive scene where Sands and a priest have a conversation in the visiting room. It's over 15 minutes of continuous dialogue, beginning as fast paced, witty banter and ending with a heated debate on whether or not a hunger strike would be successful in getting the British to cooperate with them. This scene is shot almost entirely in one take. Anyways, great performances all around, powerful directing and overall - a very solid film. I highly recommend it.

Great review bro. I agree completely. I watch this one twice within 24hrs. Its a work of art, i gave it a 5/5 but as long as you liked it. This was the first time i've seen a movie of this caliber it was very well shot! Allot of people always mention Christian Bales commitment to The Machinst well i think Michael Fassbender's commitment was easily matched. Great review but i have one question so i dont sound like a idiot

[Show spoiler]Was that CGI. The extras never said but it looked completely legit.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Next greatest rental: "Dumbland."

Okay, maybe not a movie per se, but a little short for an animated series too. I'm mentioning it here for all the David Lynch fans; this is one odd trippy doodle he made.

These animated shorts have the quality of an elementary school drawing, with the perversity befitting a typical adult's cartoon ("South Park" comes to mind). A lot of parts are irreverent, and will probably come off as overly dumb for most people. But I think the shorts have some funny punchlines here and there. At the very least, it was amusing and weird. What more could anybody ask for from Mr. Lynch?

3.5/5 (entertainment: 4/5, stories: 3/5, film: 3/5)

Reccomendation: Only to David Lynch fans, fans of perverse animation (like "South Park," "Drawn Together," "Beavis and Butthead," etc), or fans of unusual animation (like "The Animation Show" collection).



"I am a one-armed duck f***er."

"I like to kill things..."

Yikes! This sounds like something I'll need to check out someday.

[iam1bearcat]

2 Fast 2 Furious (netflix instant)

year: 2003
director: john singleton
starring: paul walker, tyrese, eva mendes, cole hauser, ludacris.

is it really faster and furiouser? (definitely should be a real word )

let's get it out of the way first and foremost: is 2 Fast 2 Furious better than the original? no. not even close in almost every regard. does it do what sequels are supposed to do? i.e. be louder, faster, bigger, more complex and have a better story / villain? well, some yes, some no. the first film doesn't really have a villain, it's more of a "who is the bad guy?" mystery that isn't a mystery, but the sequel is straight up "good guy vs bad guy with a twist of some sort". seen it before, but i don't care. i didn't expect 2F2F to be anything monumentally original. i just wanted something fun, popcorn action-y and entertaining.

i got my wish

however, it did take awhile to get going. 2 Fast 2 Furious is slower paced than the original, and thinking of what the story is i'm surprised it goes as slowly as it does. i'm sure some fans were agitated by how few car chases / races there were in the first hour. however, with that said, the last 30 minutes is action packed and really enjoyable and bumped my overall score up quite a bit.

the big difference in cast is of course, no Diesel this time around. hell, no one from the original film is here except for Walker and Bilkins (who may be my favorite character in the series so far he's just so awesome: "nice shirt" - "it's my day off" ). "replacing" Diesel is Tyrese. and while at first he didn't come across as another but another tough, huge muscular bad ass, he actually turns out to be the comedic relief. the opposite of Diesel's serious, distant character from the original. both characters are good, but Diesel is a million times better acting wise (yes, acting wise ) and character wise. Tyrese was good fun though, and better than i thought he'd be.

there are two outrageous stunts in the film. the last of which is almost too ridiculous on every conceivable level. but do i care? did it hurt the film? no. this is a film about people who street race and have outrageously expensive cars and get involved with wacky hijinks. so when i see an over the top jaw-dropping stunt of "oh come on now" proportions, it's all good, because that's the type of film it is

by itself, without the original, it's a fun film. far from perfect, but entertaining and has a lot of gorgeous gals to look at, a great villain

[Show spoiler]that rat scene was impressive, whoever thought of that is demented yes, but i'd never seen anything like that before. so props for that

, and plenty of laughs and maybe an overly convoluted story, but oh well.

at the end of day, was it worth while to watch and an entertaining? completely. so now that's 2 out of 2 for enjoyable films in the franchise, and while i'm worried about the dreaded Tokyo Drift that i hear is easily the worst yet, this may just be a franchise of films i buy either on black friday for these two, or maybe i'll wait for the inevitable box set.

not as good as the first, but still good fun. yes, they get the same score, but 2 Fast 2 Furious is nowhere near as good imo. this film is much too flashy and lacks the same gritty, real (hard to believe) feel of the first, but it dials down the flash and actually gains some stability as it progresses. well worth spending 2 hours with

4/5

[Hep]

Triangle

I gave this one a few days to percolate in my mind before posting. I went into this one completely blind and I’m glad I did. Most of my enjoyment of the movie came from the ride it takes you on, and the numerous revelations that fill in all the blanks that were set up early in the film. It superficially reminds me of another guilty pleasure, Run Lola Run; but beyond the

[Show spoiler]loop

, this one gripped me for a completely different reason, the puzzle. I love how the director sets everything up in the first act without overt foreshadowing, leaving the audience with a simple odd uneasy feeling.

[Show spoiler]Ultimately this film is about guilt and the regret one feels during the final moments of life as a result of dishonourable acts; in this case the treatment of her autistic son. This guilt is played out as a kind of purgatory and clearly set up within the film as Sisyphean task. This to me mirrors what Jess would have likely felt in life as the mother of an autistic child, since learning is often slow and difficult, each day must appear to her as if she is rolling her own personal boulder up hill, only to have it roll back down the next. The revelation at the end is that in life she was not up to this task, and broke under the weight of her responsibility. This was the trigger.

As far as the mechanics on how the Sisyphean loop is constructed in the movie, I think another viewing is required. For the most part it seems to me the taxi driver (the ferry man) takes her to purgatory and begins the loop. She is in an odd state of shock over what she has just witnessed (the out-of-body experience following the crash). I have a feeling Charon`s obol in this case is her locket, and the taxi driver is waiting for payment before she is allowed to leave the loop. Of course the loop would be solved after one or two iterations if she was conscious of the details of the last revolution, which necessitates a reset in form of a two hour nap. This is where my questions occur. Jess has the foresight to leave herself notes on the ship, but doesn’t remember or avoid the nap altogether; or leave herself notes on board the sail boat for her waking. Of course, if she wants to loop to continue without change, just to see her son again, this seems to make sense, but is somewhat anticlimactic.

I am actually reluctant to score this without a second viewing, and a better understanding of the symbolism, but for now it stands at a 4.5/5.