I don't know why I even bother trying.


Don Cardi

What?

You didn't answer me back in the Top 25 War Films thread. Its a honest to god question. I don't care if you liked THREE KINGS or not. I just wanted to know why.

Come on big guy...

I think Irish shares my sentiments with BLOOD DIAMOND, though I watched it through.

In a way, BLOOD DIAMOND the basic idea is alright, until its shoehorned into an action movie, with greedy fuck foreign Whitey becoming good to help save the day.

But, its watchable...but Edward Zwick is better than this. Then again, I said the same with THE SIEGE, and that was about 10 years ago.

His prior work I've only seen Glory which I enjoyed and The Last Samurai which REALLY surprised me and I own

I didn't care for LAST SAMURAI, but that is another story for another time. Lets just say historics and logic don't orgasm right for me with John Logan's script.

But GLORY was really good. Which is why I say that Zwick is better than the output he's been producing.

GLORY (1989) - ****
LAST SAMURAI (2002) - **1/2

Jesus Camp ** 1/2
(First Viewing)

The basic storyline follows a year in the lives of three children from evangelical Christian families in Missouri, and focuses considerably on their experience at an evangelical summer camp ("Kids on Fire" in Devil's Lake, ND).

Disturbing and sick in some parts the way the elders in this camp brainwash these children. I understand it's important to have religion (I'm a very religious person myself) but this is too extreme for me. I guess others have there own sets of beliefs.

Seeing that clip on the Oscars about aerobics to Jesus or something made me stray away.

I loved the segment when the camp worker talks about how Christiandom needs their own holy devoted warriors, like the suicide bombers for Islam.

So far, they're getting closer!

The Time Machine (1960) *** 1/2
(First Viewing)

From the book by H.G. Wells, a scientist and tinkerer builds a time machine and uses it to explore the distant future where there are two races, a mild gentle race, and a cannibalistic one living underground. His machine is stolen by the underground race and he must risk being captured (and eaten) to return to his own time.

I must admit I went into this movie thinking it'd be horribly cheesy and distracting. To my surprise this was a really good movie. Sure it had its cheesy moments but the Morlock's really looked great on screen. This is far superior to the 2002 remake with Guy Pearce and continue to wonder why Hollywood wants to remake these classics? THEY WERE DONE RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!

You saw it ronnie? If so, what did you think of it?

Yeah, the original TIME MACHINE is a shining point for us sci-fi nerds. Glad you enjoyed it Irish.

Interesting, the hackjob director of the horrid TIME MACHINE remake was Simon Wells, a descendent of H.G. Wells, and the bastard behind CON AIR and the first TOMB RAIDER picture.

How far the apple has fallen from the creative tree.

THE TIME MACHINE (1960) - ****
THE TIME MACHINE (2001) - *1/2

Okay Ronnie, gimme a quick CON AIR review.

You can pan the movie, but you can't pick on Brookyln's own Steve Buscemi, deal ?

Any other old sci-fi gems like this that you can recommend? I've never seen the 1958 version of Attack of the 50 Foot Woman. Any good?

I never saw ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN Irish, but I assume its B-monster sexploitation fare of its time from the 1950s. Still, when Joe Bob Briggs of MONSTERVISION fame loves it, its worth checking it out then.

Pizzaboy, what gives? Buschemi might be the only good thing in CON AIR. But deal anyway. He's gotta feed his kids.

CON AIR (1998) - **1/2

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer's output has a shit-to-quality ratio of 7-to-1, but I'll give him this. He knows how to make lots and lots of money. That's why behind Spielberg, he's the big daddy in Hollywood.

Establishing the 1990s over the flippin-top action blockbuster template with hack master Michael Bay in BAD BOYS and THE ROCK earlier, Bruckheimer takes the mold and effectively makes the same movie that patronizes to the poor white males of the south and midwest...while insulting them quite openly. As a southerner, this pisses me off.

Take the opening of CON AIR. Its so emotionally manipulative in a contrived way. Soldier guy Nic Cage saves his pregnant wife and bad violent hooligans. Because the evil judicial system wants to give him the death penalty anyway, he cuts a 7 year manslaughter plea deal.

This doesn't make sense. Surely an emotional jury would have found him not guilty, on the premise of Self-Defense. Right?

But yeah, I forgot. With logic, there wouldn't be a movie.

However, while the usual action dynamics as you would expect in a Bay-esque picture is going on, I tuned out. However, John Malkovich takes his super-genius baddie that is over the top like the rest of the movie, but its entertaining. Too bad the rest of CON AIR doesn't do this for me.

As for Steve Buschemi, he was fun. A crazy-ass C-grade Hannibal Lecter clone serial killer that turns out to be whacky.

Ronnie, although there are times when I'd like to send you to your room without dinner, it's reviews like that, that have me falling out of my Lazy Boy from laughing.

I'll tell you this, I agree with you about the southern boy stereotype. I've lived every day of my 40 plus years in and around New York City and even I was offended for you guys.

Sweet Home Alabama!

Thanks for the compliments,

WHAT A MINUTE. "At times..."?!? Like what?

I know I accidently egged your house and all with Ostrich eggs(Ten-times the goo!), but be reasonable!

KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE (1977) - ***

You've got to start somewhere.

Before filming AIRPLANE!, and starting an entire film sub-genre to which they become hopelessly trapped by Hollywood, the ZAZ Clan (David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker) wrote KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE, a series of comedic sketches, commercials, trailers, etc. Before shooting the monster hit ANIMAL HOUSE, John Landis directed KENTUCKY FIRED MOVIE.

KFM overall is good fun, with some killer sequences. The JFK assassination game SCOT-FREE. The Appeal to the Dead charity foundation. Feel-Around Theatre. CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS IN TROUBLE. "Show me your nuts!" *acts goofy, makes faces*

Yet the film dragged by jokes and gags that are either DOA, or simply won't make sense to people who didn't live in the mid-70s.

Take "A Fistfull of Yen," a 25 minute ZAZ-treatment parody of Bruce Lee's ENTER THE DRAGON. A good joke, followed by 4 minutes of dullness.

What I mean is, whenever hacks try to make parody movies(like say DATE MOVIE, EPIC MOVIE, SCARY MOVIE, etc.) they always go for the easiest jokes to pen, which usually end up stinkning the worst.

Example? Take stock footage of New York City, slap HONG KONG title card at the bottom. Ha ha, its so funny, Jay Leno wouldn't put it in his monologue.

But again, you have got to start somewhere...and KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE is a good start for ZAZ and Landis...before they crashed and burned hard in Hollywood.

Just rewatched "Hud" on tv. Its possibly Paul Newman's best role as he portrays a ruthless, self-absorbed son of a Texas rancher. Patricia Neal is absolutely awesome (her best role) as the family's housekeeper and Melvin Douglas is great as the father.

Its in black and white but its still a beautifully filmed movie and its a wonderful character study of this sonuvabitch (Newman) who almost makes you feel sorry for him.

If you've never seen it its an "SC MUST SEE"!

Amen on HUD, SC.

Gosh, it's been ages since I've seen Hud, but yea it was a great film. I loved Paul Newman back in the day. One of my favorites (and one in which he was totally "hot" ) was Long Hot Summer.



TIS

Con Air ***
(First Viewing)

When Cameron Poe, of the US Army, is found guilty of manslaughter after killing a drunk man while protecting his wife outside a bar, he is sent to jail for eight years. During that time his daughter is born, but he waits patiently in his cell until his release date. He is flown home on board the Jailbird, which also transports some very dangerous convicts to a maximum-security prison in Louisiana. The convicts manage to escape directed by Cyrus "The Virus", who also leads the plane's take-over and re-routes it to an abandoned airfield to catch another plane which will take them to a foreign country. With Poe's help, the authorities learn where the convicts are headed for and manage to get there before they take off again.

Probably Simon Wests' best work. The General's Daughter was pretty weak and the remake When A Stranger Calls was too watered down for the PG-13 rating and also was more of a suspense movie than horror film. Another noticable cast and I was extremely surprised to see Dave Chappelle in there. John Malkovich was brilliant as Cyrus 'The Virus' Grissom. Although, my biggest beef with the film was the use of the song "How Do I Love" by Trisha Yearwood. To me it just didn't seem to fit the film. Finally, and I don't know this may just be me, but this seemed like a Michael Bay film. I know he didn't have any part in it but to me, it just felt like I was watching Bay (not in a bad way).

You are truly blessed!

Manhunter ***
(First Viewing)

An FBI specialist tracks a serial killer who appears to select his victims at random.

I still prefer Red Dragon over this. It had a better cast, explained the characters/storyline more and in greater depth and the movie seemed darker. I didn't like how the film ended and also Dr. Hannibal Lecktor (yes Lecter with a K & O) was hardly in the film. Anthony Hopkins was much better than Brian Cox in that role, although Brian wasn't horrible. William Petersen did a good job as Will Graham but again I prefer Edward Norton. My favorite character out of this film was probably Dennis Farina as Jack Crawford. Don't get my wrong I still enjoyed this movie (as can be seen by the 3-star rating), but between the 2, I don't think this holds a candle to Brett Ratner's (director of X-Men: The Last Stand) version, Red Dragon.

Uhh, you read what I wrote earlier right?

Bruckheimer effectively took Bay's over-the-top Fuck-You style in the 1990s, and produced movies with Wells and Tony Scott, among others, shooting. This also includes up to Antoine Fuqua with the flop KING ARTHUR(which is why he was called the black Michael Bay for some time).

As for MANHUNTER, glad you liked it. I think its flawed, and I admire its attributes more so than I actually like it, but MANHUNTER is a nice refreshing picture since the serial killer sub-genre is so refined, so expected, so boring(probably why I really liked ZODIAC so well).

Besides, its attributes maybe makes it barely sqeak over the prime example of the assembly-line serial killer thriller...RED DRAGON. Barely.

Thing is, complaining that an over-abused baddie is hardly featured in a film isn't exactly....legit.

The problems with MANHUNTER is the 80s-ness of it. Yikes. The shootout ending is just out of place, like boss Dino DeLaurentiis told Mann to get some action made.

What I did like the most about MANHUNTER was its initial pacing. Usually, the serial killer thriller that Hollywood produces goes like this: Killer strikes, cops clean up, killer stalks, cops chase, etc.

With MANHUNTER, unless my memory fails me, the first half-hour to 40 minutes is William Petersen investigating the brutal murders. What makes this special is that when the Tooth Fairy finally makes his appearance, with his hostage awakening in his home, its just so goddamn creepy without the need of music or over-the-top sets or even some expected comic book supervillainy details....you know, like RED DRAGON.

Check out Ernst Lubitsch's Shop Around the Corner (1940), from which the Hanks vehicle derives.

Platoon - 3 stars

A movie that didn't really 'did' something with me, but yet I feel to 'mis-acknowledge' the quality of the movie by giving it less than 3 stars.
I enjoyed the fighting scenes, I admit, they were cool. They made me want to go in there, and fight myself.
I liked the music of Samuel Barber; and I liked the unnuanced juxtaposition of Barnes versus Elias.

Anyone else who didn't recognize Johhny Depp until you saw his name in the credits?

I saw his name in the opening credits and kept an eye out for him. Back in the old 21 Jump Street days.

Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj * 1/2
(First Viewing)

Van Wilder II: The Rise of Taj is the sequel to the successful 2002 release, National Lampoon's Van Wilder. Taj (Kal Penn) from the first film, heads to England's prestigious Oxford University to further his studies while in the process, showing the uptight student body how to party.

Not quite sure why this was made. National Lampoon's Van Wilder with Ryan Reynolds was funny and enjoyable. This wasn't as bad as I had heard, but not that funny. Kal Penn had done some good work recently with his brief stint on 24 followed by his role in Superman Returns, then his does this crap.

La Vita è bella (1997)

La Vita è bella, e anche è Roberto Benigni.


... Good movie.

Hermione's out

Emma Watson is out of the final two HARRY POTTER films, it has transpired. Watson apparently wants to do other roles, growing tired of only being recognised as 'that girl from HARRY POTTER' and has turned down a reported £2 million-per-movie offer to stay on.

Rupert Grint mentions that despite having made 5 films together, neither he or Daniel Radcliffe speak to Watson anymore.

Source: JoBlo

WTF!?