Spartacus is definitely one of my all time favorite movies right up there with the Godfather I and II.

A true classic.


"One man says no, and all of Rome trembles!"


Don Cardi

I've seen it once and remember not liking it that much

Every time you bring up "Spartacus" I think of Peter Graves as the pilot in "Airplane" as he asks the little kid visiting the cockpit if he likes gladiator movies.

I just saw "Love Letters" (1945) for the first time and I absolutely loved it!. Its the story of a soldier returning from WWII (Joseph Cotten) hooking up with the widow (Jennifer Jones) of one of his war buddies. The twist is Cotten used to write love letters to the lady as a favor for his friend (and she has amnesia). Its a mystery/melodrama and a great romance story.

Ayn Rand has the writing credits and Cotten and Jones are superb together (they paired in a few other films together as well). If you get to see this little known classic (perhaps on TCM) make sure to tape it! (Its not available on DVD).

The ladies will LOVE it, and us guys can be happy to just look upon Jones, a classic beauty.

Daredevil ** 1/2
(Nth Viewing)

Fate deals young orphan Matt Murdock a strange hand when he is doused with hazardous waste. The accident leaves Matt blind but also gives him a heightened "radar sense" that allows him to "see" far better than any man. Years later Murdock has grown into a man and becomes a respected criminal attorney. But after he's done his "day job" Matt takes on a secret identity as "The Man Without Fear," Daredevil, the masked avenger that patrols the neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen and New York City to combat the injustice that he cannot tackle in the courtroom.

Just gearing up for Mark Steven Johnson's next film, Ghost Rider which comes out tomorrow. As much as I hate Ben Affleck, I think he really did a good job as both Matt Murdock & Daredevil. Michael Clarke Duncan is such a presence on screen as Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin. Jon Favreau always lightens the moods in his movies (I love this guy) and I throughly enjoyed the cameo's by both Stan 'The Man' Lee and Kevin Smith (as Jack Kirby, Forensic Assistant). I boycotted this movie when it came out in theaters because I didn't buy the whole "blind superhero" premise but since watching it on DVD, I have enjoyed it. I felt the movie got a lot of unnecessary criticism and it wasn't as bad as others would lead you to believe.

The Ten Commandments is based in Egypt, btw.

Shamefully, I've never heard of that film, but speaking of Cotten, I watched Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons for the second time a fortnight ago, and was mightily impressed, by the general production, by Cotten's performance in particular.

I've seen him in that film, Citizen Kane, and Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt, and he's been excellent in all three.

Stranger Than Fiction **
(First Viewing)

Karen Effiel is an author writing her latest novel about an isolated man named Harold Crick. What she doesn't know is that her fictionalized character is real. The real Harold Crick is an IRS agent who has lived a dull existence and one day begins to hear Karen's voice as she narrates what she puts on paper to what Harold has and is doing. Because of this Harold enlists the help of a literary professor to find out what is happening and ends up changing things about his life including beginning a relationship with his IRS client, a government-hating bakery owner named Ana Pascal. Harold, however, finds trouble when he hears that Karen plans to kill him.

Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Emma Thompson were all enjoyable in this picture but ultimately, the subject matter didn't interest me too much. It was funny at times and it was worth the rental, but overall, I could care less about it.

Other than those titles you mentioned above I've only seen Cotten in one other movie - "Gaslight", and I'd highly recommend that (with Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman).

BTW - This "Love Letters" takes place in England. Reminds me a little of "Rebecca" and "The Uninvited" with its country home and train rides into London. I probably would not have ever heard of it either, except for the good luck of having Turner Classic Movies (TCM), a cable network which airs mostly 1940's/50's classics.

A Good Year ** 1/2
(First Viewing)

A British investment broker inherits his uncle's chateau and vineyard in Provence, where he spent much of his childhood. He discovers a new laid-back lifestyle as he tries to renovate the estate to be sold.

Russell Crowe does a good job at being a pr*ck in this movie, and Ridley Scott even delves into his brother Tony Scott's bag of tricks in one shot. When Russell Crowe is walking around his chateau, taking pictures, Ridley's shot's reminded me of the "MTV video music" shot style that annoyed so many others here on this board during Man on Fire. An enjoyable movie but I'm not one for romantic comedies, but I had to see this since it was Crowe and Scott reteaming again.

NO WAY OUT (1987) - ***1/2

The very basic thriller plot doesn't make the movie, but the 3rd act where director Roger Donaldson applies the pressure to our jugular until there is no more air coming from our lungs. The surprise twist ending adds a whole new level to the movie when watched again.

Ghost Rider ***
(First Viewing)

In order to save his dying father, young stunt cyclist Johnny Blaze sells his soul to Mephistopheles and sadly parts from the pure-hearted Roxanne Simpson, the love of his life. Years later, Johnny's path crosses again with Roxanne, now a reporter, and also with Mephistopheles, who offers to release Johnny's soul if Johnny becomes the fabled, fiery Ghost Rider, a supernatural agent of vengeance and justice. Mephistopheles charges Johnny with defeating the despicable Blackheart, Mephistopheles's nemesis and son, who plans to displace his father and create a new hell even more terrible than the old one.

I know some will discredit this movie because it was done by Daredevil director, Mark Steven Johnson or some of the cheesy scenes, but overall, I really did enjoy this film. So much so, that I daresay it deserves a second viewing in theaters from me. First off, Nicholas Cage was GREAT as Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider. At least he seemed to give a sh*t about this character, rather than just "going through the motions" as he seemed to in the remake of The Wicker Man. I've always enjoyed Eva Mendes' work since I first saw her in 2001's Training Day. She doesn't disappoint again as Johnny's love interest and reporter, Roxanne Simpson. Finally, Peter Fonda did a great job himself as Mephistopheles. He didn't shout or show a lot of anger, but the man got his point across and was a presence on screen. If you were debating to see this movie, I would recommend it. It might not be worth the $8.50 for some folks, but definitely worth a matinee showing.

Man of the Year **
(First Viewing)

On a lark, the host of a late-night political talk show (Williams) decides to run for president. The thing is, he never expected to win.

Good performances by Robin Williams and Laura Linney, but ultimately this movie blew all of their good jokes in the first 20-30 minutes of the film. The rest of the time, it was very serious except for maybe the last 5-10. As if the norm nowadays, most (if not all) of the funny parts were already disclosed to us in the film's preview.

Where did Cage actually himself to "give a shit"? Do I need a microscope to look for this "giving" that he doesn't do?

If anything, it wasn't the Cage of LEAVING LAS VEGAS, where he wasn't the nervous-tick-riden "uhh yeah" Cage that we've known for years. Hell, Cage in GHOST RIDER isn't even the "fun" Cage of FACE/OFF where acting "coasting" is disguised as "fun".

If anything, I want you Irish to tell me what he added to the movie besides the massive paycheck and gross points he demanded.

Maybe the fact that he was so funny in a bad way in WICKER MAN may have saved him from harsher criticism than he deserved with GHOST RIDER.

But honestly, Cage isn't why GHOST RIDER fails. He's a non-factor. I blame Mark Steven Johnson, and while Irish you give him the Pardon Clinton-style, he is the cancer to why GHOST RIDER fails as much as why DAREDEVIL was problematic.

I mean, for a protagonist who's ass is owned by the Devil, there is never any sense of actual regret or pain in having binded yourself to Old Scratch's oath. Like the Bush administration failing to get enough ground troops to occupy Iraq, MSJ's failure in the opening premise for the movie dooms what subsequently happens.

In a way, the premise of GHOST RIDER the iconic comic book character isn't some fucking silly "Bad to the Bone" being played with Blaze having fun. No, GHOST RIDER the premise is like the Black Sabbath version of the Sleepy Hollow or The Devil & Daniel Webster. Its a civilian coming face to face with the supernatural darkness of myth, and being transformed.

Instead, we get a video game of a movie that is made to appeal to the elementary/middle-school demographics. You know, kids.

Maybe what pisses me off so much about GHOST RIDER is that Peter Fonda's superb work is wasted. Hollywood won't give him more work anytime soon. Even the very wrong Irishman can't deny that.

GHOST RIDER (2006) - **

He had more energy than he seemed to put forth in The Wicker Man and he was more enjoyable/entertaining as Johnny Blaze. The question I pose to you is, who do you think could have done a better job as the Ghost Rider?

As for the movie overall, I think some need to go into it expecting this film not to be on par with the X-Men or Spider-Man franchises. Again, I felt Daredevil and now Ghost Rider are unjustily criticsed. Yes there are some humerous and/or cheesy moments in Mark Steven Johnson's film, but what would YOU have done differently? I've seen worse comic book movies than Daredevil and Ghost Rider (i.e. Hellboy and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen).

Actually, Nic Cage could have worked as Ghost Rider, believe it or not.

But its the approach that he and MSJ decided to go for is what I don't care for. Like DAREDEVIL's Ben Affleck, you're never given a reason to give a damn about Blaze's problems. Without a hook launched by the movie, you're only midly interested, but like air being deflated out of a ballon, It quite quickly becomes flat to the point that the only emotion coming from a viewer is rage at the mediocrity.

The idea of GHOST RIDER is of a supernatural curse placed upon an immortal. If anything, I might have been inspired by the mood and atmosphere provided by HIGHLANDER, if I was going to make GHOST RIDER. Don't let images of 80's techno-pop tunes from Queen and sword-fighting enter your head. That movie, in its Director's Cut, is really moody as hell with a protagonist that's been cursed with immortality by an unseen power, and now forced to confront his past for the last time.

What am I talking about? A moody emotional movie about the loss of life and innocence instead of an empty, mediocrity set by FOX to sell to the middle-school loser kids? How silly of me for believing that inherently, any comic book property, if done right, can kick ass.

But tell me Irish, while you're defending GHOST RIDER and DAREDEVIL with the "lower standards" argument, why are they better than LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN and HELLBOY?

I mean, to quote Sid Haig in THE DEVIL'S REJECTS, I call what I see: 4 Very-Mediocre movies without any substance. What did Mark Steven Johnson do special to DD and GR besides wasting my time?

And as I said in my reivew, Nic Cage did work as Ghost Rider



In Daredevil, Matt's problem is that he and his father were trying to both make comebacks (Matt from becoming blind and his father as the prize fighter). His father wouldn't take the dive for Fallon and as a result, got clipped. At this point in his life, Matt wasn't able to stand up for those less fortunate, let alone himself. When we pick up with Ben Affleck entering the picture, he now IS capable of delivering his own brand of justice for the rapist scumbags who continue to get aquitted due to their legal help and for those who exploit the poor and less fortunate.

In Ghost Rider, I at least cared that Johnny was "somewhat" willing to sell his soul to save his father. I say somewhat because he never signed his name, but cut himself on the contract and the devil said "he would accept that." So basically, he signs a contract he never fully intended to sign yet, his father was cured but died in an accident caused by the devil, and now he is cursed to fulfill his end of the bargain. He got screwed at every angle and the devil continues to take advantage of him.




As a result of "the argument" (film as art vs. entertainment) here on this board, I found Mark Steven Johnson's movies more entertaining. I like the CGI and visual FX more and the stories (not to mention the casts of both movies) more interesting. I found Hellboy to be the most boring comic book movie I've ever sat through (remember I left the theater?) and it was VERY overrated IMO. As for The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I dig Sir Sean Connery & Peta Wilson but that's where it ends. The story didn't seem too interesting to me but I honestly do owe it a second rewatch (I just remember not being blown away by it when I first watched it).

Magnolia ***

I watched it with a lot of interruptions, so I could not enjoy it fully. Plus I was watching with a bunch of guys, so many of the scenes intended to be serious were turned into comedy. Nonetheless, the movie was enjoyable and I liked the transitions between the parallel stories. One thing I did not understand was the frog rain. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Our resident Magnolia fan MistaMista can throw some light on this, I hope.

It was intended to be a Biblical climax. It was a true story that a tornado sucked up frogs and rained them on a town, so that inspired the idea and Anderson enjoyed the Biblical feel to it. Think of it as divine intervention with a sense of humor.

The Prestige *** 1/2
(First Viewing)

A mysterious story of two magicians whose intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle for supremacy -- full of obsession, deceit and jealousy with dangerous and deadly consequences. From the time that they first met as young magicians on the rise, Robert Angier and Alfred Borden were competitors. However, their friendly competition evolves into a bitter rivalry making them fierce enemies-for-life and consequently jeopardizing the lives of everyone around them. Set against the backdrop of turn-of-the-century London.

The movie, much like The Illusionist, is a magic trick itself. But this one keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat more than Edward Norton's birthday tricks. Great chemistry that proved to be an intense rivalry on screen between Wolverine and Batman themselves, Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. Michael Caine and Scarlett Johansson were also great in their respectful roles. Mr. Nolan is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors with Memento (my favorite Nolan movie), Insomnia, Batman Begins and now The Prestige. I have yet to see Following but I hear it's good. I didn't realize he co-wrote Memento, Batman Begins and The Prestige. A fantastic director and writer. I guess you can throw me in with Don Andrew, ronnie and others who are eagerly anticipating his next film, The Dark Knight, July 18, 2008.

Decoys 2: Alien Seduction 1/2
(First Viewing)

Sam, a college student in a small Northwestern town, reluctantly joins his roommates in a contest to see who can hook up with the most gorgeous co-eds by the end of the semester. But when men slowly start disappearing around town, he and his friends learn that when it comes to beautiful women, it's what's inside that really matters.

Hot females, bad script, bad CGI, bad jokes, bad acting.

No comments, concerns or criticisms on my Prestige review? Shocking...

The Prestige is a fantastic film. It's Nolan's best film, and the one which, like Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers, binds all his previous works together thematically. It's deeply self-reflexive, riveting, very exciting Cinema, presented in the same vein as the magic tricks within the narrative.

I loved it from the opening shot to the final shot: we've got the same story told from two interweaving narratives, both in flashback, both collected memories in the form of a retrospective, written journal, and bound together by Caine's voice-over.

Nolan is a director growing in confidence and skill. He knows when to cut and what to; with a crescendo of music, and a simple cut from this to that, he'll build to an emotional climax with what seems to be little effort.

Amazing, amazing film.

Not really shocking when you're right.

Thanks, that makes sense now.

Irish, Following is a very interesting movie. Shot in BW, and not as complex as Memento. Clever plot.

Kingdom of Heaven. Superb.

blood diamond is awesome!!!!

I caught YOU, ME AND DUPREE On Demand tonight. I was disappointed.

WEDDING CRASHERS was so much better. I guess Owen Wilson's not ready to carry a movie yet.

Yeah Owen is ready. Go watch BOTTLE ROCKET sometime.

click was suprising...not what i expected..the first half was comedy thaen all of a sudden it starts going all deep and shit