As I’ve said countless of times before, I don’t particularly care for the horror genre. I just get bored. Kinda like listening to blues. Sure, once in a while when I am drunk. And I recognize a master like Sam Raimi or Otis Rush. . . but as a general rule, I’m flipping past.
This one, oddly, I fully enjoyed. Now. . . mighta been because of the seven Miller Lites I had, but I found the shooting style innovative (despite looking simple), the performances good and I like the way the story was doled out slowly and followed some inner logic. Fun stuff to watch with your friends.
A part of my soul may day when I write this – but I can’t tell you lies. I didn’t particularly care for this movie. It is so sweet and so earnest and, yes, parts of it are funny. But it is just too false and too light. It commits the crime that no doubt most frightens its star and creator Charlyne Yi: it is unimportant.
But let me chew on it some more. . . .maybe it just needs to sink in.
The premise is awful – two straight dudes decide to make a gay porno “for art” – but the scenework is actually tremendous. Really great performances about machismo and living out dreams and human frailty. What is being sold as Kevin Smith is more Casavettes, believe it or not.
Considering just how bad I thought this was going to be, I was genuinely pleased and surprised by the ease with which this went down. All praise goes to Denzel – he can sell anything and he is the anchor to this ridiculous film. The look is slick – slick to the point of ridiculousness – but fun nonetheless. Keep the original classic out of your mind and you might have a good time.
Every time I say I don’t want to see another movie about movies, I find myself loving a new one. I suppose the old write-what-you-know axiom is true.
A meditation on artistic interpretation, the desire to express oneself, fatherhood, jealousy and self-awareness.
Among the dozens of things I absolutely adored about this movie was the decision to use other movie soundtracks as its soundtrack. If the beginning feels very Peter Greenaway, it may be the performers or the editing or the subject matter. . .or it may just be the Michael Nyman music.
A fascinating and very, very funny film.
I saw Moon again and liked it better the second time. Kerry thinks I’m nuts, but I think the movie is spot-on.
Too much plot, too few jokes. Mildly entertaining, but also annoying. Not recommended.
Read my review at UGO.
Swords, boobs and Donald Fagen.
There’s a lot of Jewish humor in this puerile omnibus animated film. Who among us can say anything negative about it? It succeeds in being everything it wants to be.
In anticipation of The Taking of Pelham 123 I am familiarizing myself more with the films of Tony Scott.
The first half of this movie is fairly fun. When Redford takes Pitt to spy school there are some nice montages. But Scott can’t keep his mind straight as far as shooting styles. Mixed stocks, crazy unmotivated crane shots, ticking clock blasting in your face. It isn’t all that subtle.
Looks great on Blu-ray, though.
I like what’s happening with Sisko, his growing Emissary status and the discovery of his mother as (!) Prophet. And I like the introduction of Ezri Dax. What I do *not* like is the nonsense of what’s happening with Worf and Martok. They have to win a great battle and dedicate it to Jadzia so she can enter Sto-Vo-Kor. And I like that Bashir and O’Brien and Quark pitch in to help. But then they don’t do anything. In fact, all Quark does is complain. Seriously, I kept waiting for Quark to come in at the last minute and save the day with his unusual talents or something. . . .but no. All he did was act the fool. I can’t wait to go to TrekBBS.com and complain about this!
Season 7 of DS9 starts off in full drama mode. Sisko is cracking up, Kira won’t take no jive from the Romulans or Starfleet, the Dominion War rages on and Worf is mourning the loss of Dax. The producers clearly recognized that if you weren’t watching by now you never would be and are full-on ensconced in a serialized show.
This might be the most by-the-numbers Pixar film. Anything that cribs from Three Amigos is not trying too hard.
The Blu-ray looks marvelous, though. However, Pixar really has come a long way in 10 years. Not to put A Bug’s Life down, but it looks like Lasceaux paintings next to Ratatouille, Wall-E and Up.
I know this is heresy. . .but this movie doesn’t quite hold up as well as you might think.
Don’t get me wrong – I recognize that it is a complete landmark – and I *love* all things Matthau – and many of the jokes just KILL. . . .but I don’t see myself itching to watch this again any time soon, let’s leave it at that.
My review is embargoed, so I can’t get too into it. But I was expecting this to be bad (and I was in a really preoccupied mood) but the doofy comedy and cool look of the film eventually won me over. Who knew?
Just as much fun the second time. In fact, a different kind of fun. Watching the audience watch the movie, with full knowledge of where the awesome scares are hiding, is some of the best meta-moviegoing I’ve ever experienced.
