Ohh k then,good luck

It's not a question of luck; it's a questioning of making yourself completely naked before a film, or while making a film, and getting from it what you can, seeing what works and what doesn't work, what you might change and why certain things affect you they way they do.

Luck doesn't come into it. Passion and undying love for the medium, to the point where you feel closer to it than you do to most people, those are what matter.

Ohh k then,good luck

It's not a question of luck; it's a questioning of making yourself completely naked before a film, or while making a film, and getting from it what you can, seeing what works and what doesn't work, what you might change and why certain things affect you they way they do.

Luck doesn't come into it. Passion and undying love for the medium, to the point where you feel closer to it than you do to most people, those are what matter.

You keep spelling okay wrong.

And i can't say ive sat naked watching a film either

You're being facetious and you know it.

Open yourself to metaphors like a woman might open her legs. It's a rewarding process.

I just saw BloodRayne, it was horrible. It had Meat Loaf.

Careful not to confuse facetiousness with sheer stupidity.

I really could care less if anyone does read my reviews.




Again, I don't care about being a good critic. I know I don't write as good of reviews as you and Capo and I'm fine with that. Going back to what DE NIRO said, I'm not trying to compete with you guys. If I'm a lousy critic in your eyes, so be it. I won't lose any sleep over it my brother, trust me

We all think our opinions matter. Certainly its a form of our self-esteem, hoping to find people that agree with us.

Screw it, I won't say anymore, except...why angry if not caring?

Oh wait, thats how I feel with the Dolphins Head Coaching fiasco. *smack to forehead*

I agree that we all think our opinions matter and reviewing is a form of self-esteem. But who says I'm angry? You're interpreting I'm angry when in essence, I'm not. I'm apathetic.

Leave me out of this. I haven't said a thing about your reviews.

Everyone's a critic in my eyes. It's just not everybody makes the critical process a conscious form of understanding. And, if that bores them, why should they? I for one am fascinated by the layers and layers of transparent subjectivity which form a rather opaque form of "objectivity", and I love thinking about why I love things and why I might not like others so much.

Does that make me a good critic?

No. I think good critics make films; they don't write reviews.

Re- and Pre-Departed?

Martin Scorsese's Boston cop thriller THE DEPARTED has been making plenty of favorite lists since it hit theaters a few months ago, and despite the grim fates of a few characters (okay, most of them), there apparently could still be room for a franchise.

The movie is a remake of a lucrative Hong Kong trilogy called INFERNAL AFFAIRS, and the American version could follow a similar path according to the flick's hardheaded detective Mark Wahlberg. "We may do a sequel with a new cast, and a prequel and bring back the rest of the guys," says the former Funky Buncher. And should the director himself return (his first time revisiting his work... unless you count CASINO), he may find himself surrounded by plenty of colleagues and other A-listers: "They're talking to Robert De Niro and a couple of other.

Source: JoBlo

I've never been that much of a fan for Scorsese movies, and I was looking forward to recording Funny Girl on another channel when I caught After Hours while I was surfing through channels. Let's just say that I also planned to schedule the record and go to bed since I had to get up this morning for work. But After Hours kept me awake after hours and I just couldn't forsake seeing this movie right then, too bad I didn't record it. It is one of the better dark comedies/thrillers that I've seen.

AFTER HOURS (1985) - ****

Afs, I'm so glad you quite enjoyed it.

AFTER HOURS to me felt like the closest movie that Scorsese has made since 1973 that felt so much like MEAN STREETS in terms of scale and literacy.

If MEAN STREETS was about pennance under fire in a mob world, AFTER HOURS is baptism under the fire natural insanity. That means that everything that occured in AFTER HOURS could have happened, but the close proximity and sheer bad luck for the protagonist makes it seem so wacky and...well, nuts.

After KING OF COMEDY got crowned in theatres, AFTER HOURS was Marty's solid financial and critical return from that failure.

Hustle & Flow ***
(First Viewing)

Rapper DJay (Howard) works the angles to get his first record made, with help from assorted people in his Memphis 'hood. And when he hears that rap superstar Skinny Black (Ludacris) is heading to his area, he throws together a supreme hustle to grab Skinny's attention.

I heard Quentin Tarantino was asked what his favorite movies of 2005 were. His reply: Sin City, The Devil's Reject's and Hustle & Flow. I have seen and own the previous 2 movies on DVD and was looking for something new that I hadn't seen yet at work before I left and came upon Hustle & Flow. The movie never really seemed to interest me but for what it's worth, it was a lot better than I anticipated (although the pace of the movie was kind of slow). Terrence Howard was nominated for Best Actor for his part of DJay and rightfully so. I felt I was watching Scarface again with the amount of times he said 'man' or 'mang' but it added to his character. I really dug the deep south accent and he's putting together quite the resume recently, with roles in Crash, Ray, Hustle & Flow, Four Brothers and Idlewild. He was able to play a pimp but almost in a gentle sort of way, if that makes any sense. He seemed to be a very humble man who did what he had to so he could fulfill his dream of being a rapper, by any means necessary of course. It was great not to see the stereotypical "pimp" who constantly beats women and picks fights with others, meanwhile every other word out of his mouth is "f*ck" or "sh*t."

Secondly, it's always great to see the icon Isaac Hayes himself on the screen, as he had a small role in the film as bar owner Arnel. Finally, I always enjoy Anthony Anderson's work and have been since I first saw him in Me, Myself & Irene. However, I haven't seem him in too many dramatic roles and this was definitely a nice change for him. Over the course of the last 3 years he's also been on my favorite show on TV, The Shield, as kingpin Antwon Mitchell (again, another great dramatic role).

I've not seen Mean Streets, but this was a much better movie than King of Comedy. It is a pity that it's so underrated compared to other Scorsese movies. Maybe about his other movies, it is the genre that doesn't appeal to me. If it was not for The Godfather's family theme/approach and the humane side of the organized crime, chances were, I wouldn't have liked that movie as well, not because of any shortcoming in directing, but because the theme would've not appealed to me.

I should say that the protagonist didn't stir up too much empathy in me, but his frustration was enough to keep it interesting and arouse the eager necessary to follow through.

But the reason I got hook up in the first place, reminds me of an episode of Seinfeld. Whenever I hear the piece Air on G String, I become paralyzed and would have to listen to it to the end.

Nice piece for the ending credit as well, I'd not come across this Mozart Symphony before.

I'd have to disagree with you on that one. I have only seen After Hours once and was glad it was over. In no way do I feel it's better than King of Comedy. But, I also didn't care for Mean Streets no matter how many times I've seen it, so you'll probably enjoy that too afsaneh.

No love for MEAN STREETS? No surprise.

Of course, KING OF COMEDY is underrated in itself....

Hell, Scorsese has never helmed a bad movie. Even his worst is better than some people's so-called best.

Though his effort for New York Stories (1988) is inadequate at best. That collaboration project was responsible for all three contributors' worst projects. Allen's is mediocre, Coppola's is heinous.

I agree with that statement but Scrosese's was the best IMO. It wasn't his best work, but for a 45 minute story, it wasn't his worst either.

It wasn't a story, it was a film.

I agree, his was the best of the three.

NEW YORK STORIES is an interesting experiment: An anthology made by three proud and (once) great directors*.

Allen and Scorsese's segments work actually. But Coppola's segment SUCKED. I mean jesus, its such a train wreck, I can't believe the same man behind GODFATHER and APOCALYPSE NOW actually had the gaul to sign his name to this crap.

Besides, Scorsese's segment is his take on the personality of artists. We see a proclaimed master in Nick Nolte, but whats behind his magic? We never know. Hell, we think he's an asshole.

Of course, so was Picasso, and good ole Salvador Dali....what can I say?

*=Sorry Coppola, but JACK killed ya man!

BTW folks, Al Pacino will play Dali in an upcoming Nichols movie. That should be a hoot.

It's Andrew Niccol, not Mike Nichols, Ronnie.

Opps. Thanks for correcting me Capo.

Irish, I'm not so sure about that.



Well, I can't hate a movie I've not seen, but I have had no anticipation to watch it. I figured it would be another mob glorifying movie at its best.

The Guardian **
(First Viewing)

The US Coast Guard version of "Top Gun" with a little "An Officer and A Gentleman" thrown in: an aging USCG rescue swimmer's team is killed in a horrific rescue mission. Immediately prior to this terrible event, his wife also announced that she cannot take anymore. His first love is always the rescue mission. This leaves him an obviously emotional wreck. His commender gives him a choice - quit or take a position as an instructor at the USCG training facility in Louisiana. Reluctantly he takes the position. Moving into the school, he immediately increases the 18 week curriculum that routinely fails half of the people that attend. Here he meets a young man with unlimited potential, but with some secret that seems to hold him back as a team player. Delving into his past, links are found that make him a psychic twin to the older man. Thrown into the midst of the story is a romance with a local girl. Rescue missions punctuate the beginning and end of the story with the training sessions the center of the film.

The man who directed The Fugitive and the fired director (news to me) from The Running Man, Andrew Davis brings us his first directed movie in almost 3 years, which is too soon if you ask me. Most of this film was tied up in training and tests of egos/power between Ben Randall (Kevin Costner) and Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher). The ending was very lame and way too dramatic for this film (I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen or plan on seeing this movie). It's also unfortunate that Kevin Costner's film career has reverted to Rumor Has It, The Upside of Anger, Open Range and Dragonfly.

Sorry Afs, I was talking to Irishman in regards to MEAN STREETS.

Anyway, MEAN STREETS has mobsters, but its not a mob drama. Its a drama that happens to have a few mobsters in the background. Its more or less Harvey Keitel the raised CAtholic who wants to do whats expected, or at least in hope to be the St. Francis of his neighborhood....so really, MEAN STREETS is hopes clashing with reality.

I gotta agree with you Irish in regards to THE GUARDIAN. Fuck that mediocrity.

But man, Andrew Davis....his career is now boiled down to basically being a hired-gun director that's having to helm any jobs that Hollywood gives him these days.

Which is a damn shame. His early THE PACKAGE is a pretty good, and slick, assassination thriller that almost wants to be the MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE for the last days of the Cold War. This would begin the first of a consecutive trilogy of works working with Tommy Lee Jones.

Then came UNDER SIEGE. Probably the only Steven Seagal movie that isn't just good for Flabby Seagull's much-abusive movie career, but a solid action vehicle in itself.

Maybe why it worked while Seagal's other movies were garbage is because Davis practically helms it in a guerilla warfare style of logic, much like earlier with John McTiernan's DIE HARD. Seagal's bullshit of quoting stale eastern philosophy and being fast while being a stoic smartass with the mouth....either missing or significantly downplayed.

But THE FUGITIVE would make, and unfortunately indicate the downhill start for Davis. Afterwards. Davis made the average-as-hell CHAIN REACTION, and the mediocre and quite shockingly lame & tame COLLATERAL DAMAGE.

Still Irish, go watch THE PACKAGE sometime. You might enjoy it.

Ooops, my bad.

I'll put that on my to see list, it does sound appealing after all.