2046 Trailer [HD]

Where The Memories Never Change (2046 review)

2046
*****

As most of you who know me or have any idea of what kinds of films I enjoy the most, then it would be no surprise that I hate non-linear storytelling. I hate it for being a convention from the art movement, which of all films there is nothing more worthless than art films. They really should take the word “art” away from it, but enough about that topic. The fact is that I’m beginning to change my belief about non-linear storytelling. Funny thing is that I thought I would have to wait for The Tree of Life, which I have mixed feelings for, yet high hopes. I didn’t have a clue about 2046, and perhaps that allowed me to watch it without hesitation. A TA from one of my film classes recommended us to look at Wong Kar Wai’s pictures, if anything to study the mice-en-scene in his films. Before popping in the DVD on my Playstation 3, I only knew to expect a visual treat of color.

As the film progressed, almost from the very beginning I was more than blown away. Wong Kar Wai understands color and works it together with light to create a visual feast that easily transfixes the viewer on a world that’s his, yet completely strange. 2046 is not only a complex story told in jumps, and parallel situations. It has one consistent character, Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), a journalist. Then it has three women that play the a similar role in his life. The film is told in different times, always skipping a year to the same date, December 24. There is also 2046, which is not just a number in the hotel room or a motif, but a train where memories never change. Further from this, the film is extremely hard to explain, and partly because I myself with just one-time-view do not fully understand it.

In the past if I didn’t understand a film, I discarded it immediately as one of the worst movies ever seen. In a medium where the most important factor is the audience, ambiguity should not play a role. Still, 2046, left such a lasting impression, not only with it’s clever use of light and color where one looses oneself in what feels like a beautiful-one-time-dream, but also thanks to the believable, gripping, yet comic performances of the actors. I loved the characters created by the Hong Kong based director. Specially that of one of the lovers, a prostitute by the name of Bai Ling (Ziyi Zhang). This character is charming beyond belief, and has a fragile nature to her. Perfect, casting Ziyi Zhang with that girly face, yet beautiful figure that exudes sexuality.

One thing is for certain, this film is not a one-timer. I have no intention of merely seeing it and forgetting about it. This film is one I need to watch more and more to keep understanding. This film is the exception in my book. Scenes in the film with the beautiful framing, and interesting mice-en-scene are pure eye candy for movie lovers who understand more than just a good story, but the art that film is. I highly recommend 2046. It’s not a film to completely understand, but one to appreciate for it’s unmatched beauty, and effectiveness on the human soul. A good film is one that can make one feel something not otherwise felt. Something one would not feel unless placed in the place of the characters. Wong Kar Wai’s 2046 does that and more.

Lars Von Trier: "I Understand Hitler"

He really is now one of my favorite directors, I mean to get up there in front of an audience of the biggest most important film festival and make jokes about Hitler takes some real guts. I found his comments hilarious, and don't know what the big fuzz is all about. He's a brilliant directors, and I would say the same things, Hitler was a horrible man, but there is more there than the monster everyone sees.

Portrait of an Alcoholic (The Lost Weekend review)

The Lost Weekend
*****

Next to Casablanca (1943), The Lost Weekend is the second oldest movie I have ever seen. At least as far as I can remember. Seeing Casablanca several months ago if anything was an experience opposite of what it was meant to be. I found it to be, even  with it’s status as one of the best, to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Acting in my opinion is the best thing to look for in a movie. If the film has bad acting in it, than surely it’s not a good movie overall. Casablanca has plenty of acting that anyone could do because it’s not acting at all, but a mere delivery of bad lines. That experience alone made me never want to look back past 1980 in film history. I was very reluctant this summer to compose a list of older movies, and even more skeptical to start the list with a movie from 1945. Could all classical movies be swarmed with the Casablanca ill-acting? I was about to find out.

I picked The Lost Weekend at random from the book The Academy Awards: The Complete Unofficial History by Jim Piazza and Gail Kinn, a book I consider to be my bible. I simply opened a page at random and by luck it was on the year 1945 where The  Lost Weekend, a winner of four Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director,  grabbed my attention. The film won Billy Wilder an Oscar for Best Director, and Ray Milland for Best Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role. With all fours Oscars rightfully deserved, the film is a character study of a man in grip of alcohol.

The film spans a weekend on the life of Don Birnam (Ray Milland), an alcoholic. It is wonderful to see such great character development so far back in movie time. Don Birnam is a weak man, always going back for another drink.

The film opens with Wick (Phillip Terry), Don’s brother, and Don (Ray Milland) packing and readying themselves to go out of town for the weekend. As soon as Wick leaves sight of Don, we see Don grab a bottle of rye whisky hanging from the window by a string. As comical as it may seem, this simple act proves the characters eagerness and anxiety to have a drink. Don wants a drink and nothing else, so desperate he finds ingenious ways to hide alcohol.

Don is also in love with Helen St. James (Jane Wyman), but this is all under whelmed by his constant drinking.  She is madly in love with him and shows undying determination to help Don. She puts up with him and his constant absence. She, I guess could be said is somewhat blindly in love with him. Of anyone she is the only one who sees talent and ambition in Don, something barely there, clouded by the fog of alcohol on which Don’s life revolves around.

We see Don through the course of four days. He drinks almost all day everyday, and we see him visit Nat’s Bar daily. Owned by Nat (Howard Da Silva) a man who might be his only friend outside his own brother Wick and love Helen. Some would argue; what kind of friend hands shot after shot to an alcoholic at the brink of perdition? I still felt that Nat in his own way did more for Don than anyone. A drunk wants to be listened to and Nat did that more than anyone else. At one point, even if momentarily, Nat encourages Don to finally write a novel he’s been meaning to write about his own life and love with Helen. A novel that is nothing more than an autobiography and appropriately titled “The Bottle”.

Don starts out eager to get a hold of a drink after drink, but soon it becomes the other way around, the drinking clearly is the one taking a hold of him. Don becomes so lost in the rye whisky that at one instance he hides a bottle of it, and later can’t remember for the life of him where he placed it. At a restaurant/bar he goes to such extreme as to steal from a young woman just to afford another drink. In his worst Don imagines a bat eating a rat coming out of a whole in the wall that was never there. We see a man loose almost everyone, the few who genuinely cared about him, and himself.

The Lost Weekend is a beautiful portrait of a man lost in addiction. The film is equally well acted by the entire cast. It is too brilliantly directed by Billy Wilder, and is edited in the classical continuity style, a staple of cinema I intent to incorporate in ninety percent of my films. The cinematography contains such exquisite details like the circles of water left by the perspiration of a shot glass on the wooden bar. A detail that cleverly allows us to get the magnitude of how much alcohol Don has consumed. This film as old as it may be, and with it’s lack in rawness such as profanity, sex, and even violence manages to capture an extremely accurate portrait of what it’s like to be an alcoholic. The Lost Weekend is a film that will surely grace the high end of my list of Best Films I Have Ever Seen, and remain there without a doubt.

Clip from The Lost Weekend.avi

A clip from the wonderful film The Lost Weekend directed by Billy Wilder, starring Ray Milland, and Jane Wyman.

"Just For one day (Heroes)" By David Guetta

Great song, I say David Guetta is one of the best. I used to listen to this a long time ago, just my kind of music, the one I grew up with.

Red - Official Trailer 2 [HD]

Here is the trailer for the fun and unique action movie, RED, starring Helen Mirren, Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Mary Louise Parker, and Morgan Freeman.

Big Actors, Big Guns, and The One That Tripped (RED review)

RED
***

I knew before going in to see this film that RED was going to be a film of zero depth. It was, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. One reason is all the legendary actors that managed to be involved in this. I mean in my opinion, Helen Mirren would have been enough reason to see this film. Directed by little known director (to me) Robert Schwentke, the film falls a bit short, but it’s not a deal breaker.

RED is about a group of retired black-ops who suddenly become a target, and they must get back the old team to fight the attack. It’s an entertaining film, specially because all the actors play the parts well. They are all legends in their own right, and to see them in something far from their comfort zone, at least for most, was a blast. Such cast includes Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, and Mary-Louise Parker.

There are not many things that stand out completely about the film, but it is at times like a sightseeing tour. For example, I don’t think it gets anymore badass than to see Helen Mirren with a machine gun, seriously she is perfect for anything. Also I loved John Malkovich as the crazy man, who is not entirely nuts either. In one particular scene he grabs a woman coming out of a store, puts a gun to her head, and simply justifies it by saying “she smells like government”. Such a funny scene in the film. John Malkovich can certainly play the wacky old man. Another wonderful thing that just about made this film worth seeing was that the second half of the film would not have happened if one of the characters hadn’t tripped. Have you ever seen that in an action sequence, a character trip and then get caught? Well it happens here and it drives the second half of the narrative. It’s great, that made me laugh so much.

RED is not a serious film, so don’t be fooled by the pedigree in the cast. This is a fun, funny, and unique action movie. I would recommend you to rent it, if anything to see Academy Award winning actors embody action roles that are unlikely of them to do so. Who says old people can’t have fun? They certainly did in this picture. 

Inception Soundtrack-Dream is Collapsing (Hans Zimmer)

My second favorite piece of music from the film Inception.

Inception Soundtrack, Trailer music - Mind Heist

This is certainly one of the most epic pieces of music from a film ever. Well it's addicting, and very inspiring at leas to me. I have heard it hundreds of times. I say that when I feel uninspired I listen to this immediately. Hans Zimmer is a genius.

The Social Network Official Trailer -In theatres Oct 1 2010

They Talk So Fast! (The Social Network review)

 

The Social Network
****

I don’t understand why I ever hesitated to watch this film. I think it is partly because it was too popular of an Academy Award nominated movie for my taste, but in the end I gave it a chance and it all worked out for the best.

The Social Network chronicles the battle and life before of Mark Zuckerberg the creator of Facebook. One of the most impressive things that the writer accomplishes is putting some heavy dialogue into the characters. Often I found myself reading the subtitles too fast, and believe me you at least need subtitles to catch everything the characters say. One characters that impressed me beyond imagination was that of Mark Zuckerberg himself. Jesse Eisenberg plays him with extreme confidence, one I myself or many would never pull off. His words come out like a speeding bullet train which serves to prove how smart this person is.

The performances are not only brilliant, but extremely well casted. While most might feel that the main character, the creator of Facebook, comes off as an arrogant asshole, I found myself liking him a lot. This film if it is at all accurate with the actual personality of the real Mark Zuckerberg; I say praises him as an extremely intelligent man. One I not only found myself feeling great sympathy for, but also great admiration for. I mean if you can create something like Facebook, and become the youngest billionaire in the world then I say go for being the though asshole you can be. Why the hell not?

The movie is wonderfully shot, the cinematography is nothing short of genius. I don’t know but the films had a lot of green in it, and I loved it. The sound design too can be appreciated in some of the club scenes. Truly this films stands out in many technical aspects, but what really makes it genius, is the writing by Aaron Sorkin. The quick talk, and wonderful complicated words (God only knows what they mean) that fill the screenplay are something to appreciate greatly. It credit’s the great appeal of the movie, aside from the young actors and stars such as Justin Timberlake who by the way surprised me by showing that he can actually act.

This extremely modern piece should be watched by everyone. I think you will be greatly impressed at how interesting a movie about Facebook can be. Also if anything at least anyone with a Facebook should watch it. Trust me this film is a masterpiece.

Opening Clip Of Munich

"What Does It Mean To Be A Jew?" (Munich review)

Munich

* * * *

After reading an article on Steven Spielberg, shortly afterwards I arrived at the conclusion that the man is a genius. While I have seen most of his films (who hasn‘t?), the article mentioned two of his exceptions from his traditional narrative structure. The first was Empire of The Sun, and the second one was the much more modern Munich. I was aware of Munich’s Oscar nomination for Best Picture of 2006, but I had never tried to watch the film. On spring break at a friend’s house I was asked if I would be willing to watch Munich, sometime down the week, and I gladly seized the opportunity to watch one of Spielberg’s exception.

I knew nothing about the film aside from the several Oscar nominations it had received. I didn’t even know the name of the actors starring in it, because for some strange reason I thought Tom Cruise would be in it. He wasn’t, instead Eric Bana plays the leading character, and does so very well.

The film starts with the Black September murders at the 1972 Munich Olympics, an event I was unaware about, but which my friends who are much older than me, remembered clearly. As true Spielberg fashion he opens the film very effectively, I really don’t know any other director in the business who can hook you into the world of the film as strongly as Spielberg does. Perhaps that is one of the paramount keys to the huge success of his films.

The film moves from those events and onto a group of five strangers who are being hired by prime minister Golda Meir to participate in a black box operation to track down and kill those responsible. Together, Avner (Eric Bana), Steve (Daniel Craig), Carl (Ciaran Hinds), Robert (Mathieu Kassovitz), and Hans (Hanns Zischler) must design master plans to kill the target without leaving any tracks that might incriminate them. They move from target to target, but as they make their way down the list, not only do the names keep increasing, but also the things that go wrong.

I don’t want to give much away of the film, that is not what reviews should be about, but merely would like to say that Munich at times is a very intense film. A particular scene in which a bomb explodes next to the room of the protagonist, and a couple’s room blew me away. The graphic images of the aftermath of a bomb put me in a state of disbelief and shock. It seemed to real to bear.

Not only does the film have masterful editing, but it’s production value is through the roof, which of course is still typical of a Steven Spielberg movie. I wouldn’t necessarily classify this film as an action film, because it is too realistic to be. A spy thriller is, too, inaccurate for that falls under the genre of action as well. This is a historical portrait, for it lets one in on something that really did happen. Of the actors in the film are too good looking to be real, but the rest of the film seems very little dramatized, the situations depicted couldn’t have been rendered any other way then their true form.

I recommend this film to anyone, even as graphic as it may be, it’s an important film about something that happened in our recent history. I see why it’s an exception in Spielberg’s repertoire, but still is a great movie. Now some of you might wonder why this review lacks the perfect fifth star, and that’s simply because the movie is too long, and as wonderful as it is, I did wonder off to what time it was. If only it was condensed a half our from it’s three hours. Still, find the time to watch this movie, and see for yourself this masterpiece by Steven Spielberg.

"What Does It Mean To Be A Jew?" (Munich review)

Munich

* * * *

 
I don’t want to give much away of the film, that is not what reviews should be about, but merely would like to say that Munich at times is a very intense film. A particular scene in which a bomb explodes next to the room of the protagonist, and a couple’s room blew me away. The graphic images of the aftermath of a bomb put me in a state of disbelief and shock. It seemed to real to bear. Ciarán Hinds), Robert (Mathieu Kassovitz), and Hans (Hanns Zischler) must design master plans to kill the target without leaving any tracks that might incriminate them. They move from target to target, but as they make their way down the list, not only do the names keep increasing, but also the things that go wrong. After reading an article on Steven Spielberg, shortly afterwards I arrived at the conclusion that the man is a genius. While I have seen most of his films (who hasn‘t?), the article mentioned two of his exceptions from his traditional narrative structure. The first was Empire of The Sun, and the second one was the much more modern Munich. I was aware of Munich’s Oscar nomination for Best Picture of 2006, but I had never tried to watch the film. On spring break at a friend’s house I was asked if I would be willing to watch Munich, sometime down the week, and I gladly seized the opportunity to watch one of Spielberg’s exception.

IT'S ALIVE 1974 TRAILER

It Doesn't Look Very Alive (It's Alive review)

It’s Alive

*

Wow, where should I start with this piece of crap. Well let’s start on how I came to even watch this film. I loved watching Bravo’s 100 Scariest Movie Moments, and they for some unknown reason had It’s Alive on the list. Why they thought it was scary I don’t know.

The story is about a couple who have a baby that has been mutated by radiation. When the mother gives birth the baby kills everyone in the room, and escapes. So the whole movie is the parents and police tracking down the baby, who keeps on murdering innocent people.

First of all you would think that in a horror film they would at least dump all their money on making the monster (baby) as scary as possible, but no, instead the “mutated” baby looks like a mix between a squirrel, a Chihuahua, and a pig. It really is much more comical than scary. The baby also moves funny, like a stop animation kind of creature.

On the other hand the film moves very slowly, one hardly gets to see the baby, and when we do it’s a fucking joke, and the film overall is very boring. The movie should not be called a horror film, or even a sci-fi, for it’s more like a terrible, sometimes funny comedy that I would never see again. That is the only reason I gave this a star at all, it’s because I did laugh at how silly the monster was, and everything else in the movie.

Please do yourself a favor and don’t watch this movie or the sequels that it spawned, why there are sequels I don’t know, it’s beyond my understanding. Clearly one of the worst movies I have ever seen, and the worst horror movie of all time if you can call it that.

THE LIMEY - Trailer - HQ

Calm Soderbergh Indie (The Limey review)

The Limey

* * *

Here is a movie that takes it easy, and it seems to be much like most of Soderbergh films, well at least the one’s I have seen so far. My favorite of his being Erin Brockovich. This may not be my favorite or even his best, but it’s an “ok” movie.

Wilson (Terrence Stamp) is a quiet man, who doesn’t say much, and seems to be hiding something, big surprise he hides a gun somewhere in his pants. He is looking for the man who might have been responsible for his daughter’s death. Though it’s uncertain if there is anyone at all responsible, or why even Wilson is searching for someone, soon enough in a schizophrenic mode of editing, and long awkward moments of silent we find out.

Eventually he finds Terry Valentine (Peter Fonda), his daughter’s ex-boyfriend, but only after shooting several other people. The climax is quite unconventional, and that is what gives this movie, among many other factors, the indie look.

I’m not much for non-linearity, or the weird, what I like to call, drunk editing. Still this film has a calm and soothing feeling to it. It is not the greatest movie ever made, and it is an independent movie, so there are no fancy special effects, or life or death action sequences, but there is a good enough story, and ok dialogue.

I say give this a try, and note the very unique elements of editing and sound. Note the way people talk, but the scene is already ahead, or behind where the characters are not even talking. Those things are the mark of a director, and a creative one, but just not very practical for to me they just didn’t appeal. Still give this film a chance and let me know what you think.

Poor Ferrari (Ferris Bueller's Day Off review)

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

* * *

I do have to say that I didn’t really want to watch this film, it came as more of a necessity. For my Narrative Strategies class, I was assigned to dissect a scene from this movie, and analyze it shot by shot. To understand how the scene affected the entire movie, we had to watch it, or at least if we wanted to do well in the essay part of the analysis.

So with my discontent and whishing to do other things besides watch this movie, I watched it. The advantage was that I didn’t have to go anywhere to get the film. My roommate happened to love this movie, and had it with him. As I was ready to put it on my laptop, he approached me and suggested I watch it on the television so that he too could watch it. I wasn’t sure about this, for sometimes, specially if I’m going to study a film, I like to watch it by myself. I agreed, and sooner or later also realized that my roommate had been drinking out of a small blue cup for the entire course of the movie, without necessarily refilling it. To my surprise, I found out he was drinking vodka the whole time, which explained his incessant talking, and over-the-top-enthusiasm. Well, that’s that, but the movie, for better or worse, even with my half drunk roommate, was surprisingly good.

Impressive as the situation was, I loved the film more than expected. It’s not a spectacular film, nor the best acted, but it’s a well worth comedy, that will leave you wanting to take a day off to visit the Chicago Institute Of Art. That just happened to be the scene we had to dissect, which was the worse part of the movie. Ridiculous to try to put so much depth in a movie that was an entire joke. That cost this film the fourth star, but still I had a lot of fun watching this movie.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is the dream of every teenager in high school. I mean seriously

 these kids in this movie probably learned more on that day off, than their entire high school career. Anyway, Ferris (Mathew Broderick) calls in sick, with full support from his mother who is fooled in the lie, and then manages to get his friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) to meet him and plan the release of Ferri’s girlfriend who did attend school. With a wonderful fake voice by Cameron, and a nice Ferrari, they get Sloane(Mia Sara) out of school.

They embark on a wonderful day through the city of Chicago, aboard an awesome red Ferrari. With close ones of getting caught skipping school in the end they all get away with it. That my friends is an ideal, a dream in the minds of every high school teenager. I mean who didn’t want to fake being sick to stay home and end up doing something other than resting. I know I did a couple of times, in fact too many to count on my senior year. Man those were the good memories of high school, the one’s where I wasn’t even in high school.

There is wonderful good old fun humor in this movie, and even though it has that happy ending, which might account for why it didn’t deserve a fourth star, I loved the film. It is a fun comedy, with a young Mathew Broderick in it. I can’t say I’m a fan of his films, or even him for I still can’t understand how he got to marry the gorgeous Sarah Jessica Parker. I would recommend this film to everyone, and specially to young teenagers in high school. Why? Because everyone in high needs to fake sickness at least once in their life, and ditch school for something that could potentially be more rewarding than sitting in a classroom where nothing new is being learned.



A Clip From Ferris Bueller's Day Off with Charlie Sheen in it.

"Funny How" (Goodfellas review)

Goodfellas

* * * *

For one of our screenings in my Narrative Strategies classes we had to watch Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas which I had never before seen. I was very thrilled to watch it for I knew beforehand that Joe Pesci had won an Oscar for Best Supporting actor for his unforgettable role as the humorous killer Tommy DeVito.

The film is undeniably my favorite Scorsese movie. While I have yet to see other of his works including what could be his best films, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, and also the much controversial The Last Temptation Of Christ. Goodfellas is a wonderful mix of innovative camera movements, and dialog driven characters. I loved all the characters, but much more the world of the gangster which Scorsese has created over and over again, while never making it old.

Goodfellas is the story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and his journey from the beginning through the gangster world. The film starts in a decisive moment in the film and then goes back all the way to his childhood, or more like teenage years where he gets his start in this crime world. Through his journey he falls in love, and also gets more involved in crimes, where the stakes are getting much higher. Soon drugs seem to become a part of his life as well, and sooner than later through it all we learn that this might all be nothing more than a work of his imagination.

Though the ending is never clear in the film, and even if they say this was based on a true story, one never knows how much of the true story was actually used. I doubt much of this film is true, but who cares, the movie is very well made. I forgave the ending for I tend to like clear and conclusive endings. Don’t get me wrong, I despise happy endings, but love them to be clear nonetheless even if unhappy. The ending was perhaps the weakest part of the film, but that’s all right, the rest makes up well over it.

The movie is filled with wonderful performances, and one amazing tracking shot that just about blew me away. Robert DeNiro plays the tough, partner Jimmy Conway. Joe Pesci the unforgiving, yet jokester Tommy DeVito, while Lorraine Bracco plays Karen Hill, Henry Hill’s (Ray Liotta) love.

I say give this movie a try, though be warned there are some

 unpleasant scenes in it. Not be gruesome, but while I was watching this movie, and note this, it was only me, I could not stop laughing at some of the brutal acts of Joe Pesci’s character. Whether it was him stabbing someone to death, or beating, or shooting, I found it extremely hilarious. Why? I’m not sure, but I’m guessing it was because his character, Tommy, was just so damn funny most of the time, that even his dark violent acts were a joke to me. I don’t know if Scorsese intended this, but since it was just me doing it in the theater, than I assume it’s just my sick mind. Oh well it was funny, so with that in mind I say watch it, but to me this was not only the best Scorsese movie I have seen so far, but also one of the funniest movies I have ever seen.

Goodfellas Clip

Ordinary People (clip)

Dark Circumstances (Ordinary People review)

Ordinary People

* * * * *

Before watching Ordinary People a while back all I can say is that I was reluctant to see it at all. I have a really hard time watching movies that date back before the nineties. Why? I don’t quite know, but I’m so used to seeing groundbreaking films filled with performances beyond belief such as those by Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep, Sean Penn, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Before popping the movie on my wonderful VAIO computer I knew that Ordinary People was no ordinary movie. It had garnered critical acclaim, and had gone on to win Best Picture, Director, and even Best Supporting Actor for Timothy Hutton. Why I was reluctant? Maybe this was one of those feel good movies where everything is always fine no matter the circumstances. I mean the Academy loves those don’t-worry-there-is-always-hope-everything-will-be-all-right-at-the-end kind of movies. Take Slumdog Millionaire for example, they even ignored that pointless cheesy dancing scene at the end. Not that Slumdog Millionaire is a good movie, but I’ve made my point.

So with my endless worries, and not really wanting to see the film, but not having anything better to watch or do, I put the movie on. As the movie progressed I realized that this was far from anything I had expected. There were no showy camera movements, even the performances were very real, and nothing to typical for a good performance. Nothing to flashy. The movie moved kind of slow, and was more a character study than an epic feel good story.

Ordinary People is the story of a family struggling to move on after a horrible accident. Conrad the younger of two sons struggles with depression having attempted to kill himself before. It seems impossible for him to move on after the death of his older brother, who died in a boating accident. The parents Calvin and Beth try their hardest to make life as normal as possible, and to move on. They pretend everything is fine, and merely ask Conrad to go see a therapist if he wishes to. Reluctant, Conrad goes to Berger, and soon realizes that he can’t move on unless the distance between him and his parents (specially his mother) is brought to light. The parents as hard as they try start falling away from each other, and hence the whole family becomes fractured. Soon issues come to the surface they had not talked about before.

The film is very well done, with seamless editing, and just complete invisibility. This is one film that clearly does not call attention to the craft behind making it. I loved the story, and how every character was developed. Perhaps my favorite character was that of Conrad, for I could really feel his pain, and desperately wanted to reach in and help him through it.

There is no action in this movie, no amazing special effects, nor epic soundtrack. This film is just about life, and a shitty life it was that of the characters. I would not recommend it to anyone who is seeking to be hugely entertained or that is looking for a great time. This film is completely realistic, and left for those who want to see what is like for a family struggling with a recent death of a loved one. I also would like to say, that even though Robert Redford is a hell of an actor hence what he is most know for, he too is a damn good director. Ordinary People goes down as one of the best movies I have seen in my whole life, and if you are willing to give it a try, I bet you it might just be one of your favorite too.

All Movie I Have Ever Seen (926)

Here is a list of all the movies I have ever seen in my life. Well as far as I can remember, I'm sure I watched some as a baby, otherwise I wouldn't be so crazy about movies as I am. Hope you find some that spark your interest, or prompt you to watch. My goal is to reach a thousand by the end of this year.

List of Films I Have Seen

1. .45
2. 10,000 B.C.
3. 127 Hours
4. 13 Going On 30
5. 2012
6. 21
7. 21 Grams
8. 28 Days Later
9. 28 Weeks Later
10. 300
11. 30 Days of Night
12. 50 First Dates
13. 9
14. A Beautiful Mind
15. A Bug’s Life
16. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
17. A Christmas Story
18. A Cinderella Story
19. A Clockwork Orange
20. Adaptation
21. A Few Good Man
22. A.I.
23. Aladdin
24. A League Of Their Own
25. Alice In Wonderland
26. Alien
27. Alien 3
28. Alien: Resurrection
29. Aliens
30. Alien Vs. Predator
31. Aliens Vs. Predators: Requiem
32. All About Steve
33. Alone in the Dark
34. American Beauty
35. American Pie
36. American Pie 2
37. American Wedding
38. Anaconda
39. Anaconda: The Hunt For The Blood Orquid
40. An American Haunting
41. An American Werewolf in Paris
42. An Education
43. An Ideal Husband
44. An Inconvenient Truth
45. Anne of The Thousand Days
46. A Nightmare on Elm Street
47. A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
48. A Perfect Getaway
49. Apocalypto
50. Apollo 13
51. A Single Man
52. A Sound of Thunder
53. Assassins
54. Assault On Precinct Thirteen (2005)
55. Atlantis: The Lost Empire
56. Audition
57. August Rush
58. Australia
59. Amores Perros
60. Angels and Demons
61. Arachnophobia
62. Are We There Yet?
63. Armageddon
64. Atonement
65. Avatar
66. Babe
67. Babe II: Pig In the City
68. Babel
69. Baby Geniuses
70. Babylon A.D.
71. Baby Mama
72. Bad Boys
73. Bad Boys II
74. Balto
75. Bambi
76. Bandidas
77. Bangkok Dangerous
78. Batman Begins
79. Batman Forever
80. Batman & Robin
81. Beauty And The Beast
82. Bee Movie
83. Beowulf
84. Betleejuice
85. Big Momma’s House
86. Big Momma’s House 2
87. Billy Elliot
88. Black Christmas
89. Black Eagle
90. Black Hawk Down
91. Black Snake Moan
92. Black Swan
93. Blade
94. Blade II
95. Blade Trinity
96. Blood And Chocolate
97. Blood Diamond
98. Blood Rayne
99. Blue Crush
100. Bolt
101. Boogieman
102. Boogie Nights
103. Borat
104. Bram Stoker’s Dracula
105. Braveheart
106. Bride of Chucky
107. Bride Wars
108. Bridge To Terabithia
109. Bring It On
110. Brokeback Mountain
111. Brokedown Palace
112. Broken Embraces (Los Abrasos Rotos)
113. Brother Bear
114. Bruce Almighty
115. Bruno
116. Bubble Boy
117. Bug
118. Buried
119. Burn After Reading
120. Cabin Fever
121. Capitalism: A Love Story
122. Capote
123. Captivity
124. Carrie
125. Cars
126. Casablanca
127. Casino
128. Casino Royale
129. Casper
130. Cats & Dogs
131. Catwoman
132. Cellular
133. Changeling
134. Charlie’s Angels
135. Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle
136. Cheaper By The Dozen
137. Chicago
138. Chicken Little
139. Chicken Run
140. Children of Men
141. Child’s Play
142. Child’s Play 2
143. Child’s Play 3
144. Christmas With The Kranks
145. Cinderella
146. City of God
147. Clash of the Titans
148. Closer
149. Cloverfield
150. Cobra
151. Cold Comfort Farm
152. Cold Creek Manor
153. Collateral
154. Collateral Damage
155. Commando
156. Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
157. Constantine
158. Conviction
159. Coraline
160. Couple Retreat
161. Crank
162. Crash
163. Crazy Heart
164. Crush
165. Cry_Wolf
166. Cujo
167. Cursed
168. Daddy Day Care
169. Dante’s Peak
170. Daredevil
171. Darkness
172. Darkness Falls
173. Dark Water
174. Date Movie
175. Date Night
176. Dawn of the Dead (2003)
177. Daybreakers
178. Dead Man Walking
179. Dead Silence
180. Death Becomes Her
181. Death Warrant
182. Deep Blue Sea
183. Deep Impact
184. Demolition Man
185. Devil
186. Diary of a Mad Black Woman
187. Die Hard
188. Digimon: The Movie
189. Dinosaur
190. District 9
191. Disturbia
192. Dodgeball
193. Domino
194. Doom
195. Doomsday
196. Double Impact
197. Doubt
198. Drag Me To Hell
199. Dr. Doolittle
200. Dr. Doolittle 2
201. Dreamcatcher
202. Dr. Seuss’s The Cat In The Hat
203. Dude, Where’s My Car?
204. Dukes of Hazard
205. Dumb and Dumber
206. Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd
207. Dumbo
208. Edward Scissorhands
209. Eastern Promises
210. Easy A
211. Eclipse
212. Eight Legged Freaks
213. Elektra
214. Elf
215. Elizabeth: The Golden Age
216. Ella Enchanted
217. Enough
218. Epic Movie
219. Eragon
220. Erin Brockovich
221. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
222. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
223. Eurotrip
224. Evan Almighty
225. Evolution
226. Exorcist: The Beginning
227. Face Off
228. Fair Game
229. Fantastic Four
230. Fantastic Four: Rise of The Silver Surfer
231. Far From Heaven
232. Fargo
233. Fast and Furious
234. Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift
235. Fat Albert
236. Fay Grim
237. Fearless
238. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
239. Field of Dreams
240. Fight Club
241. Final Destination
242. Final Destination 2
243. Final Destination 3
244. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
245. Finding Nemo
246. Flight Of The Phoenix
247. Flight Plan
248. Fools Gold
249. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
250. Forrest Gump
251. Four Christmases
252. Freaky Friday
253. Freddy vs. Jason
254. Freedom Writers
255. Free Willy
256. Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
257. Free Willy 3: The Rescue
258. Frida
259. Friday the 13^th
260. Friday the 13^th (2010)
261. Friday the 13^th Part II
262. Friday the 13^th Part III
263. Friday the 13^th Part IV: The Final Chapter
264. Friday the 13^th Part V: A New Beginning
265. Friday the 13^th Part VI: Jason Lives
266. Friday the 13^th Part VII: The New Blood
267. Friday the 13^th Part VIII: Jason Take Manhattan
268. Funny Games
269. Fun With Dick And Jane
270. Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties
271. Garfield: The Movie
272. Get Low
273. Get Smart
274. Ghost
275. Ghost Rider
276. Ghost Ship
277. Ghost’s of Girlfriends Past
278. G. I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
279. Godzilla
280. Good Boy!
281. Goodfellas
282. Good Luck Chuck
283. Gothika
284. Gran Torino
285. Gremlins
286. Gremlins 2: The New Batch
287. Grindhouse (Planet Terror and Death Proof)
288. Grown Ups
289. Guess Who?
290. Half Nelson
291. Halloween
292. Halloween (2007)
293. Halloween II
294. Halloween III: Season of the Witch
295. Halloween IV: The Return of Michael Mayers
296. Halloween V: The Revenge of Michael Mayers
297. Halloween VI: The Curse of Michael Mayers
298. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
299. Halloween: Resurrection
300. Hamlet
301. Hancock
302. Hannibal
303. Happily Never After
304. Happy Feet
305. Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay
306. Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle
307. Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets
308. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1
309. Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire
310. Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince
311. Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix
312. Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Askaban
313. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone
314. Heartbreakers
315. Hellbound: Hellraiser II
316. Hellboy
317. Hellboy II: The Golden Army
318. Hellraiser
319. Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth
320. Hellraiser: Bloodline
321. Hellraiser: Hellseeker
322. Hellraiser: Inferno
323. Herby Fully Loaded
324. Hercules
325. Hereafter
326. Hero
327. He’s Just Not That Into You
328. Hidalgo
329. High Tension
330. Highwaymen
331. Hitman
332. Holes
333. Hollow Man
334. Home Alone
335. Home Alone 2
336. Home Alone 3
337. Home Alone 4
338. Home on the Range
339. Honey
340. Hoodwinked
341. Hook
342. Hot Fuzz
343. Hot Tub Time Machine
344. House of 100 Corpses
345. House Of Sand And Fog
346. House of the Dead
347. House On Haunted Hill (1999)
348. Hostage
349. Hostel
350. Hostel: Part II
351. House of Glass
352. House of Wax (2005)
353. How The Grinch Stole Christmas
354. I Am Legend
355. I Am Love
356. Ice Age
357. Ice Age II: The Meltdown
358. Idle Hands
359. I Love You Beth Cooper
360. I Love You, Man
361. Inception
362. Indecent Proposal
363. Independence Day
364. Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
365. Inglorious Bastards
366. Inside Job
367. Inside Man
368. Inspector Gadget
369. Inspector Gadget 2
370. Interview With The Vampire
371. In The Bedroom
372. Invictus
373. I Robot
374. Iron Man
375. Iron Man 2
376. I Spit On Your Grave
377. It
378. It’s Alive
379. Jackass
380. Jackass Number 2
381. Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday
382. Jason X
383. Jaws
384. Jaws 2
385. Jaws 3
386. Jeepers Creepers
387. Jeepers Creepers 2
388. Jenifer’s Body
389. Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
390. Jingle All The Way
391. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
392. Joe Dirt
393. John Tucker Must Die
394. Joy Ride
395. Julie & Julia
396. Jumanji
397. Juno
398. Jurassic Park
399. Jurassic Park III
400. Just Friends
401. Just Like Heaven
402. Just My Luck
403. K-19: The Widowmaker
404. Kangaroo Jack
405. Kill Bill
406. Kill Bill Vol. 2
407. King Arthur
408. King Kong (2006)
409. Kiss of the Dragon
410. Kiss The Girls
411. Kung Fu Panda
412. Lady And The Tramp
413. Lady in the Water
414. Lake Placid
415. Land of The Dead
416. Lara Croft Tomb Raider
417. Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
418. Larry The Cable Guy: Health Inspector
419. Leatherheads
420. Lemony Snicket’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events
421. Leprechaun
422. Liar Liar
423. Life is Beautiful
424. Lilo & Stitch
425. Little Children
426. Little Man
427. Live Free or Die Hard
428. Local Color
429. Lost In Translation
430. Machete
431. Madagascar
432. Madagascar: Escape to Africa
433. Madea’s Family Reunion
434. Magnolia
435. Man Of The House
436. Man on Fire
437. Maria Full of Grace
438. Marie Antoinette
439. Mars Attacks!
440. Master and Commander: The Far Side Of The World
441. Match Point
442. Max Keeble’s Big Move
443. Mean Girls
444. Meet The Fockers
445. Meet The Spartans
446. Men In Black
447. Men In Black II
448. Meshes Of The Afternoon
449. Michel Clayton
450. Midnight Meat Train
451. Milk
452. Million Dollar Baby
453. Mirrors
454. Misery
455. Miss March
456. Mission Impossible
457. Mission Impossible III
458. Mothman Prophecies
459. Monster
460. Monsters, Inc.
461. Monsters vs. Aliens
462. Mouse Hunt
463. Mr. and Mrs. Smith
464. Mulan
465. Munich
466. My Sister’s Keeper
467. Mystic River
468. My Super Ex-Girlfriend
469. Nanny McFee
470. National Lampoon’s Vacation
471. National Treasure
472. National Treasure: The Book of Secrets
473. Never Been Kissed
474. Never Let Me Go
475. New In Town
476. New Moon
477. Night At The Museum
478. Night of the Living Dead
479. Night of the Living Dead (1990)
480. Nine Lives
481. No Country For Old Men
482. Norbit
483. North Country
484. Notes On A Scandal
485. Notorious
486. Ocean’s Twelve
487. October Sky
488. Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
489. Once Upon A Time In Mexico
490. On Golden Pond
491. Open Season
492. Open Water
493. Ordinary People
494. Orphan
495. Over Her Dead Body
496. Over The Hedge
497. Panic Room
498. Pan’s Labyrinth
499. Paranormal Activity
500. Paranormal Activity 2
501. Perfume: The Story of A Murderer
502. Peter Pan
503. Pet Sematary
504. Phone Booth
505. Pieces Of April
506. Pinnochio
507. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
508. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
509. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl
510. Planet of the Apes
511. Pocahontas
512. Pokemon: The Movie
513. Pokemon: The Movie 2000
514. Pokemon: Destiny Deoxys
515. Police Academy
516. Pollock
517. Poltergeist
518. Poseidon
519. Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Saphire
520. Predator
521. Pride
522. Primeval
523. Psycho
524. Psycho (1998)
525. Pulse
526. Quantum of Solace
527. Quarantine
528. Queen Sized
529. Rabbit Hole
530. Rachel Getting Married
531. Racing Stripes
532. Radio
533. Rain Man
534. Raising Helen
535. Rambo (2008)
536. Ramona and Beezus
537. Ratatouille
538. Red Dragon
539. Red Eye
540. Reign Of Fire
541. Remember Me
542. Remember The Titans
543. Reno 911!: Miami
544. Resident Evil
545. Resident Evil: Apocalypse
546. Resident Evil: Afterlife
547. Resident Evil: Extinction
548. Rest Stop
549. Return To The Blue Lagoon
550. Revolutionary Road
551. Rocky
552. Rogue
553. Role Models
554. Rollerball
555. Romeo and Juliet
556. Romeo Must Die
557. Rosemary’s Baby
558. Rudo y Cursi
559. Rugrats: The Movie
560. Rugrats In Paris: The Movie
561. Run Lola, Run
562. Rush Hour 3
563. Salo or The 120 Days Of Sodom
564. Salt
565. Saving Private Giant
566. Saw
567. Saw II
568. Saw III
569. Saw IV
570. Saw V
571. Saw VI
572. Secondhand Lions
573. See No Evil
574. Sense and Sensibility
575. Scary Movie
576. Scary Movie 2
577. Scary Movie 3
578. Scary Movie 4
579. Scooby-Doo
580. Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
581. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
582. Scream
583. Scream 2
584. Scream 3
585. Seed Of Chucky
586. Selena
587. Sex And The City
588. Sex And The City 2
589. Shadow Of The Vampire
590. Shallow Hal
591. Shaolin Soccer
592. Shark Tale
593. Shaun of the Dead
594. Sherlock Holmes
595. She’s The Man
596. Shoot ‘Em Up
597. Shooter
598. Shorts
599. Shrek
600. Shrek 2
601. Shrek The Third
602. Shutter Island
603. Signs
604. Silence of the Lambs
605. Silent Hill
606. Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas
607. Sin City
608. Six Days Seven Nights
609. Sleeping Beauty
610. Sleeping With The Enemy
611. Sleepover
612. Sleepwalkers
613. Sleepy Hollow
614. Slither
615. Slumdog Millionaire
616. Smoking Aces
617. Snakes on a Plane
618. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
619. Son of the Mask
620. Soul Plane
621. Soul Survivors
622. Spartacus
623. Speed
624. Speed Racer
625. Spider Man
626. Spider Man 2
627. Spider Man 3
628. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
629. Spy Kids
630. Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams
631. Spy Kids 3D
632. Starsky & Hutch
633. Star Trek (2009)
634. Stay Alive
635. Stealth
636. Step Brothers
637. Step Up
638. Stick It
639. Stone
640. Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun Li
641. Stuart Little
642. Stuart Little II
643. Stuck On You
644. Sugar
645. Sunshine
646. Superbad
647. Superman Returns
648. Super Size Me
649. Suspiria
650. S.W.A.T
651. Swimming Upstream
652. Taken
653. Taking Lives
654. Talk To Her by Pedro Almodovar
655. Tamara
656. Tarzan
657. Tarzan 2
658. Taxi
659. Team America: World Police
660. Terminator
661. Terminator II: Judgment Day
662. Terminator III: Rise of the Machines
663. Terminator Salvation
664. The Abyss
665. The Adams Family
666. The Amazing Panda Adventure
667. The Amityville Horror (2005)
668. The Aviator
669. The Beach
670. The Beauty and the Beast
671. The Blair Witch Project
672. The Blind Side
673. The Blob
674. The Blue Lagoon
675. The Bodyguard
676. The Bone Collector
677. The Bourne Identity
678. The Bourne Supremacy
679. The Bourne Ultimatum
680. The Box
681. The Brave One
682. The Brood
683. The Brothers Bloom
684. The Brothers Grim
685. The Butterfly Effect
686. The Cave
687. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
688. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe
689. The Chronicles of Riddick
690. The Constant Gardener
691. The Count of Monte Cristo
692. The Cove
693. The Craft
694. The Crazies (2010)
695. The Dark Knight
696. The Da Vinci Code
697. The Day After Tomorrow
698. The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008)
699. The Departed
700. The Descent
701. The Devil’s Rejects
702. The Devil Wears Prada
703. The Emperor’s New Groove
704. The Exorcism of Emily Rose
705. The Exorcist
706. The Expendables
707. The Eye
708. The Family Stone
709. The Fast and The Furious
710. The Fifth Element
711. The Final Destination
712. The First 20 Million is the Hardest
713. The Flintstones
714. The Fly
715. The Fog (2005)
716. The Fourth Kind
717. The Fountain
718. The Forgotten
719. The Fox And The Hound
720. The Fugitive
721. The Game Plan
722. The Gathering
723. The Girl Next Door
724. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
725. The Godfather
726. The Golden Compass
727. The Good Girl
728. The Graduate
729. The Grudge
730. The Grudge 2
731. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
732. The Hangover
733. The Happening
734. The Haunting
735. The Heartbreak Kid
736. The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
737. The Hitcher (2007)
738. The Holiday
739. The Hours
740. The House Bunny
741. The Hulk
742. The Hurt Locker
743. The Ice Princess
744. The Incredible Hulk
745. The Incredibles
746. The Informant
747. The Importance of Being Earnest
748. The Invasion (2007)
749. The Iron Giant
750. The Island
751. The Island of Dr. Moreau
752. The Italian Job
753. The Jungle Book
754. The Karate Kid
755. The Karate Kid (2010)
756. The Kid
757. The Kids Are All Right
758. The King’s Speech
759. The Land Before Time
760. The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure
761. The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving
762. The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through The Mists
763. The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island
764. The Land Before Time VI: The Secret of Saurus Rock
765. The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire
766. The Land Before Time VIII: The Big Freeze
767. The Last Holiday
768. The Last House On The Left (1972)
769. The Last House on The Left
770. The Last Samurai
771. The Last Station
772. The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen
773. The Limey
774. The Lion King
775. The Lion King 1 ½
776. The Little Mermaid
777. The Little Mermaid 2
778. The Lives Of Others
779. The Longest Yard
780. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
781. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
782. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
783. The Lost World: Jurassic Park
784. The Mask
785. The Matrix
786. The Matrix: Reloaded
787. The Matrix: Revolutions
788. The Medallion
789. The Messengers
790. The Missing
791. The Mist
792. The Mummy
793. The Mummy Returns
794. The Nanny Diaries
795. The Nightmare Before Christmas
796. The Notebook
797. The Omen (2006)
798. The Orphanage
799. The Other Guys
800. The Pacifier
801. The Parent Trap
802. The Passion of the Christ
803. The Patriot
804. The People Under The Stairs
805. The Perfect Storm
806. The Perfect Stranger
807. The Phantom of the Opera
808. The Pianist
809. The Piano
810. The Polar Express
811. The Prestige
812. The Princess Diaries
813. The Princess Diaries: Royal Engagement
814. The Professional
815. The Proposal
816. The Punisher
817. The Pursuit of Happiness
818. The Queen
819. The Reader
820. The Reaping
821. The Rescuers
822. There Will Be Blood
823. The Ring
824. The Ring 2
825. The Ringer
826. The River Wild
827. The Road
828. The Road To El Dorado
829. The Rookie
830. The Rugrats Go Wild
831. The Ruins
832. The Rundown
833. The Scorpion King
834. The Secret Garden
835. The Secret Life of Bees
836. The Shining
837. The Simpson’s Movie
838. The Sixth Sense
839. The Skeleton Key
840. The Strangers
841. The Taming of the Shrew
842. The Tempest (2010)
843. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
844. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
845. The Thing
846. The Tuxedo
847. The Ugly Truth
848. Un Chien Andolous
849. Under The Tuscan Sun
850. The Uninvited
851. The Village
852. The Wild Thornberry’s
853. The Witches
854. The Young Victoria
855. Thirteen
856. Thirteen Ghosts
857. Titan A.E.
858. Titanic
859. To Kill A Mockingbird
860. Tommy Boy
861. Too Fast, Too Furious
862. Torque
863. Toy Story
864. Toy Story 2
865. Toy Story 3
866. Trade
867. Training Day
868. Transformers
869. Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen
870. Transporter
871. Transporter 2
872. Tropic Thunder
873. True Grit (2010)
874. True Lies
875. Turistas
876. Twilight
877. Twister
878. Ultraviolet
879. Unaccompanied Minors
880. Under The Same Moon (Bajo La Misma Luna)
881. Underworld
882. Underworld: Evolution
883. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
884. Unfaithful
885. Unforgiven
886. Universal Soldier
887. Unleashed
888. Up In The Air
889. Uptown Girls
890. Vacancy
891. Valentino: The Last Emperor
892. Van Helsing
893. Vanity Fair
894. Vantage Point
895. Vertigo
896. V For Vendetta
897. Volcano
898. Volver
899. Walking Tall
900. WALL-E
901. Waltz With Bashir
902. Wanted
903. War of the Worlds (2005)
904. What Happens in Vegas
905. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
906. When a Stranger Calls (2006)
907. When in Rome
908. White Chicks
909. White Noise
910. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
911. Wild Strawberries
912. Wild Wild West
913. Winter’s Bone
914. Wolf Creek
915. World Trade Center
916. X-Men
917. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
918. X-Men: The Last Stand
919. X-Men: United
920. XXX
921. XXX: State of the Union
922. Yes Man
923. You Don’t Mess With The Zohan
924. Y Tu Mama Tambien
925. Zach and Miri Make A Porno
926. Zombieland

A Hell Of A Mess (The Tempest review)

The Tempest

*

It is safe to say that this was worse than a tempest. How could anyone such as Julie Taymor gather such a magnificent cast and waste every bit of it. Such wonderful actors as Helen Mirren, Ben Wishaw, Felicity Jones, Chris Cooper, David Strathairn, Alfred Molina, Alan Cumming, and Djimon Honsou. Some in the audience mentioned that Shakespeare doesn’t translate well into film, but I beg to differ. This was the fault of the director and the drug she gave to everyone who was in on this catastrophe of a film.

Whatever you do don’t see this movie, the only reason I gave this a star at all was because the only ones who were thinking during it’s making were the costume designers. They made wonderful creations I would have never imagined to put together. A more innovative use of zippers I have never seen one. The costume department rightfully nabbed an Oscar nomination this year, but everything else in the film is just silly.

The whole movie is like a big fat joke, that is simply not funny. Nothing in this movie is worth watching, and that is a fucking hell of a cast for me to even say that. Trust me, I would not say it’s this bad if I didn’t really mean it. Keep away from the movie, and simply refrain yourself to looking at pictures of the costumes. I can’t believe this movie was so bad, for there seemed to be such good possibility. I mean the cast, that alone gave this movie such promise. I walked out entirely disappointed, and wishing I hadn’t wasted my time watching this movie. I love films and I know that a lot goes into doing them, but this one just doesn’t seem to be a film at all. Trust me when I say you will be wasting your time watching it, the star above is entirely a star for the costume design which blew me away. Everything else is worthless.

Damn Mist I Can't See How Fake The Monsters Look (The Mist review)

The Mist

Though substantial time has passed since I watched The Mist, I feel it is for the better. Up to this point my reviews have been posted almost immediately after watching the movie, but I feel that it’s probably best to wait a couple of weeks. The point being that in waiting some time, if the movie has still stayed with me, then it must be a good movie, and therefore worthy of a star more or less.

The Mist is the story of David Drayton (Thomas Jane), and the supernatural events that occur in a small town, and possibly the whole world. After a brutal storm, David heads to the supermarket with his son Billy, and his unfriendly neighbor Brent, whose car has been smashed by the storm. While at the supermarket a mist rolls in, and a hysterical civilian runs into the supermarket screaming “something in the mist, there is something in the mist”. Oh, boy what could it be, perhaps a parade? No, there are monsters in the mist, huge one’s with massive tentacles.

As the people in the supermarket fear to venture out into the supermarket, they become trapped and the fear starts setting in. Maybe if there was no mist? Hmmm. Well there is and they can’t see shit out there so they soon learn that they are screwed if they walk out of the supermarket. As paranoia sets in among those trapped, Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden) is determined to save as many as she can for she is convinced that a lot of mist means judgment day. Don’t you love religious people? Well she is not just religious but soon enough is also crazy, same thing as religious I suppose, and at one point even suggest that they sacrifice the kid, Billy.

The film has a lot of promise, and could have been more frightening if only the special effects were better or if they hadn’t show the damn monsters. As soon as the first tentacle appears, one realizes that this is nothing more than just a silly movie trying to scare us with cheap special effects. They are terrible, and almost contradict the whole purpose of the mist. I mean if there is a damn mist, and the movie is called “The Mist”, than shouldn’t that be the centerpiece of fear in the movie? Doesn’t it make sense that the point of a mist being scary is that one can’t see anything? That would have made the movie a lot better and I would have given it another star.

The performances are not spectacular and the one that cold have been falls short. Harden as Mrs. Carmody, just wasn’t quite right. First of all the character was very one-dimensional. No one in their right mind or not would have reacting like that almost immediately. Not even the craziest person would have acted so calm and cool about what was happening outside the glass walls of that supermarket. Harden is a great actress, but even her amazing acting skills couldn’t save this movie.

I think the reason why I didn’t give this movie two stars instead of three is the ending. All I can say is that I didn’t expect it at all, well at some point almost none at all, I kind of thought about it, but still refused to believe it would end in such a bleak way. The ending is what did it for me in this movie. I loved the ending. Once you see it you’ll know why, for I love bleak ending like that. Still this movie is lots of fun, and there is a decent amount of gore for you blood lovers out there. Still don’t expect it to be the greatest horror movie you have ever seen, or the best Stephen King adaptation either.

Directed by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption)

* * *

The Mist Trailer

Here is a trailer for The Mist, a decent movie, with a great ending.

The Graduate - Mrs. Robinson seduction scene

"Are you here for an affair, sir?" (The Graduate review)

The Graduate

* * * *

The Graduate was a film that surprised me in more than one way. First I would have never expected it to be funny. The film deals with an affair, but it does so in a very comedic way. I laughed so hard during the film, that I completely forgot it was a film from 1967. I didn’t know they could make them that funny back then. The second thing and perhaps the most important thing that I look for in a movie that surprised me about The Graduate was the acting. I have a very hard time watching movies older than 1980, simply because the acting is usually not to par with today’s acting. This film had wonderful performances from both Dustin Hoffman, and Anne Bancroft. Dustin Hoffman does a very good job at playing the often distanced Benjamin who doesn’t quite know what he wants to do in life. Anne Bancroft delivers a truly seductive performance as Mrs. Robinson, but is well metamorphosed into the antagonist once she learns that Benjamin wants to date her daughter. She goes from being the ideal sexy cougar, to a rather evil woman willing to do anything to stop Benjamin from seeing her daughter anymore.

One part of the movie that I found very delightful was the editing. I don’t I have quite seen a movie with such innovative editing as this one. My favorite scene is still the one in which Mrs. Robinson walks in the room nude and tells Benjamin that she is there for him for whenever he needs to. Now the innovative part about that scene and what I though to be the highlight of the film for me was the way they edited the scene. We know that Mrs. Robinson is nude, and yet we don’t get to see anything. Well sort of, as she stands in front of Benjamin, we get to see flashes of her breasts, but for only a fraction of a second, which is enough to show, but with a very suggestive feeling to it. There are wonderful pieces of editing throughout the entire movie.

Another equally innovative aspect, that I have seen in other movies but was quite never aware of was the advance sound editing. The start of a sound at the end of one scene from the beginning of the next scene works very well for transitioning from scene to scene. I thought that was very innovative, and smart. Suddenly I started seeing film resemble other mediums. Film, with The Graduate, suddenly became like literature filled with literary devices engineered to work magic. I loved The Graduate, and while it’s not the best movie I have ever seen, the ending was quite not certain for me, I have huge appreciation for it. This may not be my favorite Mike Nichols movie, that belongs to Closer, but I see why the director is such a respectable figure in the film industry. Of course he’s been nominated for five Academy Awards, and actually won Best Director for The Graduate.

As innovative as The Graduate is, it still at some point becomes another picture fitting of the Classical Hollywood Cinema. It starts out very existentialist, and suddenly as our lead character develops a goal, to be with Mrs. Robinson’s daughter Elaine, the film starts falling into the system. Our protagonist suddenly becomes goal oriented, and Mrs. Robinson willing to stop this at any cost becomes a clear antagonist. The conflict escalates when Elaine finds out about Benjamin’s romance with her mother, and then it all follows the conventions of the Classical Hollywood Cinema. Benjamin goes after her, and is confronted with obstacle after obstacle only to end epically (climax) with him running away with Elaine on her wedding day to some other guy. Through all this the film is full with innovative camera use, brilliant editing, and that wonderful technique of sound advance. There is definitely more to The Graduate than one would normally think.

Everyone watch this iconic film, it will be one of the most unforgettable experiences you have.



"Nobody Likes It From The Can" (Pieces Of April review)

Pieces of April

* * * *

Seeking to watch more films that have been nominated for an Academy Award, I stumbled upon a clip from Patricia Clarkson’s nomination for Pieces Of April, and I instantly knew this would be a different kind of film than I’m used to watching.

Pieces Of April is a comedy about a young woman living in New York preparing a Thanksgiving dinner for her family, who expects a total disaster. The family more than willingly take for the road to a Thanksgiving unlike they have ever had. April (Katie Holmes) is the black sheep of the family, she has never cooked anything let alone a turkey, but is willing to do anything to make her family happy and have a good Thanksgiving for a change. Things don’t quite go as planned when she fins out her oven is not working, and she realizes that she will have to depend on the help from those around her, strangers.

I loved this movie for it’s blend of humor with slight drama. I would consider this a feel good movie but one that doesn’t call too much attention to whatever is feel good about it. This is a subtle comedy, and a simple movie with great performances. Katie Holmes is unlike I have ever seen her before, she plays this role of the black sheep trying to cook so well. Still, the best part about this film is Patricia Clarkson who plays the mother, Joy. She plays a mother who expects nothing from her daughter April, and at the same time is battling disease. Her expressions in this film are that of a woman who is distant yet comments on things with an unlikely sense of humor. She is wonderful in this movie and what really called my attention to it.

Pieces Of April owns up to that saying that if anything can go wrong it will go wrong. That is exactly what happens here. As the clock ticks and the family reaches their destination, our lead character April is faced with a new problem in her quest to make the perfect Thanksgiving traditional dinner. Everything goes wrong in this movie, but thanks to good people, it all turns out exactly fine in the end. This is about making the perfect family memory, with the most imperfect family in the picture.

Pieces of April (2003) HQ trailer

"Fates Intertwined, Cosmic Coincidence" (Collateral review)



* * * *

Collateral is one of the most brilliant action movies I have ever seen. I might be a little biased on this because we studied this movie in our film class, so that is why I only gave it four stars. It is still a wonderfully made movie or otherwise we would have picked the norm, Citizen Kane.

Collateral is a Michael Mann movie about a cab driver named Max (Jamie Fox) who one night picks up a man like any other by the name of Vincent (Tom Cruise). He takes him to his destination and gets an offer he can’t, that is to drive him to several stops throughout the course of the night. While he waits for Vincent to come out of his first stop, a body suddenly falls on top of his car. Soon we learn that Vincent is a hit man, and that he has four more stops to make.

There is a grater quality to this film than just action. We come to know the characters as if we ourselves were on the cab with them making every stop. I loved Tom Cruise’s character, he is a hit man but a likeable man. He sees the world in a much different way than Max, and finds his job to be nothing more than just that. At some point he makes a comment that the people he kills are insignificant compared to how large the universe is. A true point he makes, that one death, from over 6 billion people is nothing at all. We see Tom Cruise as this silver fox, with a wisdom hardly attained by someone his age. By far this is his best action movie I have seen, and could not help but like him even more than Max.

Max on the other hand is this man with a dream to one day have his own limousine business. In a way though he is this man who hides in his cab which is an excuse to after his dreams. As the movie progresses he has to face a choice, whether to let Vincent make him do what he says, or stand up to him. In a way Vincent gives him the strength to make a stand. So our initially weak character gathers courage and makes the stand.

There are many beautiful aspects in this film. Master editing, and wonderful cinematography. The setting of Los Angeles at night is by far my favorite. There is suspense, and great action, including a wonderful crash scene. Collateral stars Tom Cruise, Jamie Fox, Javier Bardem, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Mark Ruffalo. With this film, which obviously now is in my top 100, Tom Cruise becomes my favorite actor of all time. I don’t care if people don’t like him I like him, he is a brilliant actor, and no wonder he is one of the highest paid actors. He has earned his fame, there is no doubt he is talented.

I would recommend this film to everyone. I think you would all like it, for it is a brilliant film with a great plot, and superb character development. In fact I don’t just recommend this movie, I urge you to watch this movie. It is the best action movie I have ever seen. Go rent it or buy for you’ll want to watch it over and over again.

Collateral

collateral fever club scene

A brilliant scene from Collateral.

Portrait Of A Ruthless Family (The Family Stone review)



* * * *

The Family Stone is cool comedy that goes further than making us laugh. It is the story of a dysfunctional family and one that is quite unconventional. It is a family nonetheless, and with family come many problems.

Everett Stone (Dermont Mulroney) is taking his girlfriend and the woman he will marry to his parents home for the holidays. Her name is Meredith Morton (Sarah Jessica Parker). Before they arrive we see the family starting to gather at the home, and like any good family the topic of the day is pointing out every flaw in Meredith. They talk about her from every angle and before we get to see more of Meredith, we simply, thanks to the family, come to know her as an uptight bitch. Whether this is entirely true or not, the whole family seems to feel that way about her.

All in all they arrive, she is welcomed more or less, and the conflicts begin. The mom (Diane Keaton) is expecting her son to ask Meredith to marry him. Her and most of the family members do not approve, and sooner than later, Meredith becomes aware of this. She calls her sister Julie (Claire Danes), but at the Christmas eve dinner things take a bad turn when the subject of homosexuality, since Everett’s brother is gay, is brought to the table. The mom makes a comment that no ordinary mom would ever make, and Meredith questions this only to make things turn ugly, and compels Meredith to leave the table in tears.

Soon the other brother, Ben (Luke Wilson) goes to comfort her, they get drunk, Julie and Everett look for them, and we come to find out that there is more going on than we expected. More arguments, a proposal, fights, and sad news later the family comes to understand the value of having each other. They in the end open their hearts to Meredith who has merely desperately tried to make them like her.

The story is very well written, and there are many laughs without it being stupid. You know how much I hate stupid movies. We get to see into a family that is very critical, yet open about things. We feel sorry for Meredith, but we also sympathize with Sybil the mother. I loved this movie for it’s realism, and the performances are genuine.

Sarah Jessica Parker has recently become one of my favorite actresses, while Rachel McAdams as the mean sister is nothing short of delightful. Claire Danes is also great for she always has that feel to her that makes one like her no matter what. Luke Wilson is made for his role as the laid back brother with a charming quality. Diane Keaton is an actress that to my great surprise embodies everything a mother is. She is wonderful in this, and gives an amazing performance. I think I liked her character best because she reminds me of my own mother, one who is strong, yet vulnerable, but always seeking the best for her children. Her potty mouth is a quality that greatly reminded me of my own mother, and she didn’t make excuses for it which was even better.

I recommend this film to anyone, it is a fun wild family ride. This is a ruthless family that makes for the most memorable and crazy holidays. A memorable film this is. One of the best and most surprising comedies I have ever seen.

The Family Stone

The Family Stone Trailer (2005)

Terrible Acting, Great Film! (Notorious review)

Notorious

* * * *

Notorious comes from The Classical Hollywood Era, and really I probably would have never watched it if it wasn’t for class. While to me this is not my taste for a good movie, the film is good nonetheless.

This is the story of Alicia (Ingrid Bergman), a woman who is trying to redeem herself by serving as an undercover spy for a greater cause. She marries a man she does not love, and seems to almost loose the man she does, professional spy Devlin (Cary Grant). As she tries to uncover what it is that her false husband, who is by the way a Nazi, is hiding she gets discovered. As the whole cover up falls apart she get’s poisoned, and is incapable of letting anyone know she is in danger. The ending is for you to find out.

This film is filled with the mastery of Hitchcock, and one truly understands why he was the master of suspense. He goes deeper than just telling a story, he tells it in the most exciting possible way. This film while it may have some issues, like being a classical conventional movie, with a conventional ending, still makes for a very entertaining movie.

One thing I would like to point out, what the hell is up with the acting. I know this film is came out way before my time or that of even my parents, so I’m not used to how different films were back then, but boy is the acting cheesy. I guess no one really knew how to act for a film yet. I’m used to seeing the Kate Winslets, and Meryl Streeps loose themselves completely in their roles. Well either way, that doesn’t mean Ingrid Bergman is not astonishingly beautiful. While she doesn’t act well, she sure kept me transfixed by her beauty.

The best part of the film is a great scene in which Alicia has to get a key to the wine cellar, but her husband is just a couple of fee away in the bathroom out of sight. It is so suspenseful because we know she takes the key, and there is just so much danger in her getting discovered. Ah that scene is brilliant and a key part of the film.

This is in black and white but don’t let that stop you from watching it. There are lots of laughs from this, but there are also some very suspenseful moments filled with dramatic music. So give it a try, and I promise you, your time will have been well spent.