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http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p..._76/hierro.jpg
"Hierro" 7/10 A mother searching for her disappeared son. Somewhat predictable, but good. http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...lary-Swank.jpg "Conviction" 7/10 Another good watch. Slow but good. Such an unbelievable story. What an amazing sister. And Hillary Swank did good, as usual. Oscar good, imho. Oh yea... "Deep rising" 7-8/10 Sure, it could've been better, but you can't deny that this is a god damn entertaining horror flick. Good pacing, good fun. In fewer words. Good, good, good. |
MC5: A True Testimonial
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...estimonial.jpg Interesting watch about THE GREATEST ROCK N' ROLL BAND OF ALL TIME. Kinda bummed me out towards the end. Good to hear what went down from the horse's mouth. |
Cool- a documentary about MC5.... love to see that.
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The greatest rock band of all time? Really? Never heard of them. |
It's a bit of an in joke...
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I thought the definition of a "joke" was anything with Chucky in it.
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A Virgin Among the Living Dead (1973)
http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...namongDead.jpg >>: C- Trunk (2009) http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...dhdc/trunk.jpg >>: D MegaMind (2010) http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...c/MegaMind.jpg >>: A- A Nanny's Secret (2009) http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...nnysSecret.jpg >>: C- |
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watched "The Friends Of Eddie Coyle" last night. love these gritty 70s movies |
To Die For (1995). Not a moment is lost in this wonderful entry from Gus Van Zant. From the opening to closing credits, every moment of this biting black comedy has something to say. There are few closing credits that will have conveyed the ironic impact that To Die For effortlessly displays.
The story is told in a forceful docudrama manner, much of which does not really make sense at first. But soon it will. How the story jumps from place to place is not only comedic, but actually parallels the essence that is this story's foundation. But it goes even further than being a movie whose premise is making fun of itself because the reality of the absurdity of the hilarity of the self-deprecating manner in which this story is told is priceless. Yep, take a breath. Any detractors of Nicole Kidman must have been silenced by her performance here. The depth of her vanity is only trumped by her force of will, a force fueled by a pathological self-centeredness that truly believes in the monument of her cause, which of course is herself. This is a girl whose whose notion of self-elevated destiny might have even overpowered that of Joseph Stalin, who himself might have relented to the bulldozer of Kidman's will. This was a film replete with great performances. It helps that the casting nailed it here. That said, Illeana Douglas' portrayal of the trenchant sister was not to be kowtowed even by Nicole's powerhouse performance. David Cronenberg's cameo was also a nice touch amongst this vast vat of talent. The technicalities here are spot on. The direction was nothing short of masterful in order to capture the essence of the TV industry and put it on full display for all to ridicule, and that it does so in multiple layers without ever being confusing is a movie making coup. The camera and editing were more than polished. The moment of truth unraveled perfectly, and the shadow that obscured Nicole's character just after her report was exceptionally brilliant. Danny Elfman's score was incredible, always driving the fun, sometimes barely in reach but always apropos. The jist of it is that if this movie is not appealing to you, if it does not make you laugh out loud, then you must be a schmuck, or maybe it hits too close to home and you are, well, a TV schmuck. Either way, Van Zant's To Die For is a superbly profound study on vanity and should not be missed. d |
The Expendables
Eh. Gratuitous violence of course but thin on substance. Too many quick - in your face - sped up action sequences which seems to be the going thing in alot of action flicks. Sometimes I think the fast flash visuals in these movies are going to trigger an eptileptic seizure. |
The Killer Inside Me (2010). I enjoyed this movie up until the end when it blatantly insulted audience intelligence.
d |
District 9
The most original science fiction movie I've seen in years. |
Dread (2009): Alright, but not great. The base story was good which isn't surprising given that it's Clive Barker. It just felt like there was a good deal of content missing. At the end I felt like I had missed a few scenes or something to really flesh out the plot.
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continuing my 70s movie watch
Charlie Varrick fun watch http://www.moviepostr.com/img/movie/...ter-large.jpeg |
^^ I was thinking I should check out Charlie Varrick again. Saw it on TV with my Dad when I was a kid and enjoyed it a lot.
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childs play 2
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I know a Hollywood insider who claims Charlie Varrick was originally intended for Charles Bronson, but the role was given to Mathau by a producer in an effort to convince him that she could put him in ANY movie and have it be a success. |
The Silent Scream (1980)
http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...lentScream.jpg >>: B+ Faster (2010) http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...hdc/Faster.jpg >>: B The Resident (2011) http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...c/Resident.jpg >>: D |
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Yes, that was a bad watch. |
Paranormal Entity
Paranormal Activity |
Well I just watched Ju-On (The Grudge) :)
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---------- Night Of The Hell Hamsters Usual Peter Jackson styled horror comedy. More fun than most. The director's upcomming film The Devil's Rock sounds like it will be interesting. Gulliver's Travels Shit. Same old Jack Black jokes all over again. Dude needs a new dance. |
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that's right....I called myself the newbster. |
After.Life (2009). This is a movie that could go either way for many people, and rightfully so. It really takes many liberties in the telling of this tale, and the viewer must allow for a somewhat loose script. But for those willing to side-step its faults, the director's message will be more than worth it.
Taking on the theme of death can be a cinematic death ray, but director Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo does a fine job of questioning the afterlife. This move really leaves us with more questions than answers, and anyone that thinks it should have been the other way around is, well, kinda retarded. The acting was exceptional, at least after Justin Long's chunky first appearance. After that the performances are all top notch. That Liam Neeson is extraordinary is almost to be expected. Christina Ricci's portrayal of transitional confusion was splendid. Child actor Chandler Canterury was also a positive in his role as a creepy adult in training. What impressed me most about this flick was that it gloriously flouted any pretensions to a genre, but was its own type of movie. Though potently dark, it never felt like a horror flick proper. It keeps the viewer guessing down to the end, and even then it refuses to play nice in the arena of a movie catalog. The technicalities were all spot on, with the camera effectively creating its magic without much fuss, but Mr. camera guy's flair does sneak out on occasion and much to our delight. By the end, unless you are stuck in the realms of picking apart this movie for its flaws, the weighty subject matter of this one will keep your mind compliantly busy for some time. d |
Stephen King's Double Bullet
Silver Bullet (1985)
http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/mov/video/i...11/2665011.jpg >>: B+ Riding the Bullet (2004) http://l.yimg.com/eb/ymv/us/img/hv/p...easeposter.jpg >>: C+ |
The Grapes of Death (1978)
http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...jidhdc/GOD.jpg Though in some reviews they mentioned it as Jean Rollin's Zombie film but there weren't any zombie actually; rather than people turns slowly bit crazy after infected by a rare kinda skin disease caused by drinking some special type of wine(!)...which is quite an interesting idea. Pretty atmospheric & gruesome in some parts. The best from Rollin...as I've seen so far. >>: A- The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010) http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...idhdc/TSA1.jpg >>: B |
The Steam Experiment
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The Bicycle Thief (1948). Vittorio De Sica's masterpiece has stood the test of time for one primal reason, the plight of man has yet to change. The proletariat, the commoner, will forever be relegated to the social periphery, ceaselessly manipulated by the whims of the world's rich and powerful, at least until the time is near for votes to be cast. The titular object of this film is of no particular importance to everyone but its owner, but his very survival, his family's survival, rests upon that dang bicycle. And this tale is one of the commoner as he is faced with the reality of his significance in the eyes of the world as opposed to his dependents.
This is a rather grim tale, and it really captures the mood of an Italy at a time when survival is the is a family's chief concern. Our protagonist is just a down and out commoner, no better or worse than the rest, and hence when we feel the ache of his plight it is the plight of most of his countrymen. To judge the actions of these desperate men, where hocking bicycles and even your bedding is the only means by which to obtain a meal, is a difficult endeavor for us today, comfortably chubby and ensconced in our loveseats. The acting was phenomenal, even more so as this Italian paradigm of neorealism used unprofessional actors in the lead roles. These were people whose plight in life was real, and this translates supremely in the hand of Vittorio. The father son relationship is one of particular importance, marking a symbolic transcendence from the naive to the real world, and in as grim a manner as can be imagined. A special note should be said of child actor Enzo Staiola. When this kid literally looked up to his father one could almost sense his pride and faith, as strong as any pilgrim has of his god. Little more need be said of the direction. Serving as the go to example of Italian neorealism, The Bicycle Thief rightly confers Vittorio's name to be equated with cinematic brilliance for eternity. d |
Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974). This is one of those movies that defies being a bad movie in spite of itself. At times corny and cheap, with silly plots twists and unreal moments of victim retardation, it is difficult to pin down what makes this a candidate for a near horror masterpiece. Further compounding description is that this was an Italian creation set in England and yet dubbed in English. Perfect.
The story itself was thin, but what gave it so much appeal was its delicious subtext. The typical "stupid humans" and society as a blob of mindless followers was of course exploited to its fullest, but touches such as the taint of fascism were also nicely infused into this movie. The grim comedy was superbly understated, much like a spice that leaves you in want of more. The acting was above average for cheesy movies. Lovelock's lead character was charmingly annoying and fit the bill perfectly. His unlikely partner gave a decent performance as well, but she really did not have much to work with. The near villainous inspector was the real treat, a fascist wannabe in a detective's uniform. The direction must be lauded here, for it was Jorge Grau that took this simple premise and made a great movie out of what could have easily become dismissible dung. The score was gratingly chilling, creating the perfect atmosphere for a movie that existed outside of the norms of the genre without betraying it. The real star of this movie was the cameraman. Whereas the other elements of this flick were appreciably low budget, the camera captured the events in a manner that fully exploited the moment. The mise en scène was delightfully arranged for each scene, and not a detail was missed in the richly colored photography. For its time, the special effects must have made a wicked impression. This was not a schlocky gore-fest, but when the ghouls do come out their flesh-tearing designs were revealed to their fullest. In the end, this was an uncompromising movie that had a lot to say but whose message did not intrude upon the fun. And with dialog such as "I'm mad about apples," how could you go wrong with a night spent with this terrific little number. d |
I watched 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' and 'Braindead' last night.
I had just finished reading fear and loathing so the film was okay. I like Johnny Depp as an actor and he was very good in this. He played the completely twisted Raoul Duke perfectly; just as I'd imagined. I'd recommend the book over the film as the film basically quotes from the book verbatim and cuts some scenes out. Hunter S Thompson is brilliant, regardless. Braindead is a film I've wanted to see for a while and only just got around to it. I'm sure most of you have seen it already but it really was crazily violent. It's good for just a stupid film to chill whilst watching and had some funny parts. I don't think it is in the same league as The Evil Dead, mind. |
Watched Alien :p
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Let Me In
Its story is Superb! |
The Rite was the last one I saw in theaters.
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MOH: The Fair Haired Child (2006)
http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...jidhdc/FHC.jpg Haven't seen any films from this 'master' before. But this is a good one. >>: B The Brazen Bull (2010) http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...jidhdc/TBB.jpg >>: D+ 8213 Gacy House (2010) http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/.../GacyHouse.jpg Another POV/found footage film from Asylum and this time it's not as good as Paranormal Entity. Hilarious in some parts with some annoying characters but overall not too bad. I even kinda liked it actually.:D >>: C Primal (2009) http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...c/Primal09.jpg >>: B |
A Lure: Teen Fight Club (2010)
http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...idhdc/lure.jpg >>: D+ Escalofrío aka Shiver (2008) http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...c/Shiver08.jpg A decent Spanish horror with good production value & a simple storyline that offered lot a the beginning but didn't able to deliver that much. >>: B Tucker & Dale vs Evil (2010) http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...TuckerDale.jpg A super Indie entertainer & great horror comedy that will most probably become a cult hit like Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland, but this time it'll be for the slasher fans. You'll find hillbillies, stupid college kids, local sheriffs, insane killer, weaponry as chainsaw & hatchet...all typical slasher elements with a chain of comedy of errors, where each error results a gruesome death. The cast did a good job but specially Tyler Labine played as Dale steals the show from everyone. Though I downloaded & seen its work print and missed just one or two gore shots but the important thing is I think this hilarious slasher ride deserves a wide scale release around the world. But I can now wait for a good DVD release with full of cool features. >>: A |
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The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (2009). Those detractors of this final installment of the Millennium Trilogy apparently have allergies to solid cinematic storytelling. My take on the whole trilogy is the first does a wicked job drawing us in with its discomfiting material. The second really does a fantastic job filling in the details of the story, at least as much as a film adaption can accomplish. And this finale follows through by tying it all together in an admirable fashion.
As in its predecessors, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest possessed premium acting. Lisbeth's incredible character naturally steals the show, and Noomi Raplace rightfully deserves the accolades, but Michael Nyqvist and company solidify a foundation for her presence to make such an indelible impression. Even monstrous Micke Spreitz enjoys a little character development, even if by way of unthinkably pragmatic methods. Luckily the second and third of the series used Daniel Alfredson as director, thankfully avoiding the disjointing feeling that could not be helped by the directorial ship-jumping between the first and second of the trilogy. Taking off right where Played with Fire left off, this thriller builds as the legalities and tensions left in the previous come to a boiling head. The photography seemed a little more obtrusive here, but its emotional impact filled the gaps where car chases and explosions are usually inserted to rally short audience attention spans. The biggest disappointment with this trilogy was that I didn't want to see it end having not filled to capacity my admiration for Lisbeth, the character strengths of those determined to support Lisbeth despite herself, and those shadowy figures hell-bent on making her life intolerable. d |
La Haine (1995). The incongruity of this flick can be described as an artsy fartsy piece of vicious French thug cinema. Hatred is made into entertainment, an expostulation of a necessary movement by way of celluloid magnificence whose stylistic depth will require multiple viewings before hitting its philosophic foundations.
The story revolves around three friends whose ethnicities are not unaccustomed to hatred, but these guys can deal it out as well they can take it. Violence has become second nature, and the audience comes dashing in at the most explosive moment of our would-be thug's lives. The notion of hatred is explored with a voyeuristic and genuine flair. The result is a heart wrenching bite of reality as no solutions are offered, just reality painfully exposed. The story was simple yet effect, with many WTF moments that seem unnecessary but in a movie of such impact, we all know better than that. In the intro there is a noteworthy quote whose import is infused into the heart of this movie's infrastructure. It even enjoys a repeat visit to keep us the viewer on track for fear that we may be enjoying ourselves almost too much. The puissance of the bathroom scene is not to be forgotten, its importance still fluttering just out of reach for character and audience alike. Maybe that scene's import is found in the movie's end, as powerful a movie punch as can be jawed even by the thickest of filmatic* skins. The acting is documentary spot on, but the potentially gritty portrayal is softened by the directorial depth. Vincent Cassel is of course sensational. Along with his acting chops his mighty swagger was just coming into its own. Together with his compadres, played by Hubert Koundé and Said Taghmaoui, these guy make for a great trio in a world that offers no reprieve, no exit. It's them against the system, and the system has gots the money and the power. Of course the real muscle of this movie comes from filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz. That a movie with such a potent social message could be made not only watchable but enjoyable, that its significance has made ripples in other countries where it has become compulsive viewing by those in power, this is a pretty high water mark that is difficult to achieve. The accolades, though, are all more than deserved. The cinematography was nothing short of astonishing. Every scene meticulously composed, and then brilliantly transcribed onto the reel only to be edited with the aplomb of a master. The hip hop crane scene is not be missed, but instead repeated for as many times as seems appropriate. The dialog felt authentic, and whilst its staccato nature made for a busy remote, it was worth every rewind. For those not blessed with the film's native tongue at your beckoning call, I suggest watching the more industrious scenes twice from the get go, first for the subtitles and then for the action as it splashes onto its mise en scène in its efforts to create one of the world's greatest moving string of compositions. After its conclusion, with all that has happened, with all that was left unresolved, if this film does not leave your brain reeling, spinning restlessly trying to figure out what cinematic force of nature has just conducted a hit and run on your skull's innards, then you'd better lay off that weed man, cause its starting to leave some scars. d *I know I know, but it really should be a real word |
Amer (2009)
http://i51.tinypic.com/2zoek5c.jpg Amer is an abstract little homage to the 70’s popular & my beloved Italian Giallo films. Divided into three parts, which dissolve into one another, center around a female protagonist, Ana, played by three actresses — in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. It had the potential to become an awesome Giallo tribute if they could offered a well developed simple story (like The House of the Devil) instead of being too much vague in story telling as well as character wise that all comes with a bit of an art house treatment! The film has 1 or 2 dialogue but the magic comes along with the stunning camera works full with Fulcian close up shots, Argento’s eyes in the key hole, Bava like colorful lightings and effectively borrowed soundtrack from vintage giallo films (even there was a ‘drop of water’ sound--Black Sabbath!)…all were there expect for a meaningful story. The film uses almost all Giallo tools but overly relied on psychosexual tensions that continue with constant abstract visuals all through the end. Perhaps I didn’t get it properly but to me the whole effort was wasted that could revive the genre with a huge satisfactory level for the fans. >>: C The Illusionist (2010) http://i51.tinypic.com/2powm6v.jpg >>: B+ Gulliver's Travels (2010) http://i54.tinypic.com/2lu2a91.jpg >>: C- |
"Extraordinary measures" 7-8/10
Another amazing true story. Harrison Ford was great as an eccentric grumpy medical researcher. http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...76/skyline.jpg "Skyline" 7-8/10 Nice alien invasion flick with an incredibly odd ending. |
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