October 19, 2007

A quick update

I didn't think that I had watched many movies in the last few months, but I had knocked off a few more movies off of my 'want to see' list.

  • The Queen - I love everything about this movie. 5/5 . The Oscar DEFINITELY deserved to go to Helen Mirren.
  • Take the Lead - eh. Poor kids dancing. There are other movies that are bettter. 2/5
  • One Night with the King - Awful. 1/5 (can I give it a "please don't see this movie?")
  • The Prestige - Very Very good. Great suspense, and can you ask for a better cast? When you see it for the second time, it's even better. 4.5/5
  • Flyboys - blah. 2.5/5
  • A Good Year - I forgot that I had seen this one. That's how memorable it was. I'm sure it was better than I give it credit, but I'd have to watch it with another person to revisit it. 2.5/5
  • Elisabeth, The Golden Age - Cate Blanchett is Fabulous, though a few too many "beautiful" shots inserted simply for "beauty." 3.5/5 (I LOVE the first movie, Elisabeth, The Virgin Queen. See this movie!)

Movies I Want to See

  • The Break Up
  • Million Dollar Baby
  • The Da Vinci Code
  • United 93
  • Friends with Money
  • A Prairie Home Companion
  • The Wind that Shakes the Barley
  • You, me & Dupree
  • Scoop
  • Lady In the Water
  • World Trade Center
  • The Winslow Boy
  • The Black Dahlia
  • All the Kings men
  • Shindler's List
  • The Good Shepherd
  • Children of Men
  • Hollywoodland
  • American Gangster
  • Michael Clayton
  • Thank You For Smoking
  • Supersize Me
  • Juno

February 25, 2007

Amazing Grace

Review: Amazing Grace


Fresh Rating: 4/5

Rating Scale: Excellent - Very Good - Good - Average - Poor

Players
Actor: Ioan Gruffudd - Very Good
Actor: Albert Finney- Excellent
Supporting Actress: Romola Garai- Very Good
Supporting Actor: - Benedict Cumberbatch - Good


Main Elements: (for Drama)
Humor - Good
Drama - Excellent

Extra Credit

Amazing Grace doesn't shy away from the fact that a Christian was the main proponant of abolition in Great Britan.

Ioan Gruffud plays the part passionately, and it is impossible to not choke up when John Newton utters his famous quote.


Its compelling enough that the audience applauded at the end of the movie (the first time I've ever been in a theater when that has happened!)

Deductions:
Very slow. They try to keep it moving, but the fact is, fighting a battle for 15 years is not a glorious, momentary thing. Action films are not made up of 15 year battles.

Recommendations:

Theater Full Price worthy (If for no other reason than to send a message to Hollywood).

Additional Comments:

January 12, 2007

The Devil Wears Prada

Review: The Devil Wears Prada


Fresh Rating: 4/5

Rating Scale: Excellent - Very Good - Good - Average - Poor

Players
Actress: Meryl Streep - Excellent!
Actor: Anne Hathaway - Good
Supporting Actress: Emily Blunt - Very Good
Supporting Actor: Stanley Tucci - Excellent


Main Elements: (for Chick Flick)
Humor - Very Good
Drama - Good

Extra Credit
Meryl Streep AND Stanley Tucci Stealing so many scenes that you'd think they'd compete with one another, and yet they don't.

Streep really made this movie her own

Deductions:
The "other" man is kinda....strange looking. I think it's the too-blond eyelashes/brows

Recommendations:
Purchase DVD? Already done

Additional Comments:

January 03, 2007

Robin Hood (Disney)

Review: Robin Hood (Disney Animation)


Fresh Rating: 5/5

Rating Scale: Excellent - Very Good - Good - Average - Poor

Players
Actor: Robin Hood (A Fox)- Very Good
Actor: Little John (A Bear)- Excellent
Supporting Actress Maid Marian (a Vixen)- Excellent
Supporting Actor Skippy (A Rabbit)- Excellent

Main Elements: (for Animation Flick)
Action - Good ;)
Suspense - Very Good ;)
Drama - Good ;)

Extra Credit
Knowing every word -- Robin Hood was one of three movies we owned (for a looonng time). Mary Poppins, Robin Hood and the old Parent Trap.

Deductions:
None

Recommendations:
Purchase DVD? If you grew up with this one as a Disney staple.

Additional Comments:

December 12, 2006

Review: Munich


Fresh Rating: 3.5/5

Rating Scale: Excellent - Very Good - Good - Average - Poor

Players
Actor: Eric Bana - Very Good
Actor: Geoffrey Rush - Excellent
Supporting Actor Daniel Craig - Good
Supporting Actor: Michael Lonsdale ( "Papa") - Excellent

Main Elements: (for Suspense Flick)
Action - Good
Suspense - Very Good
Drama - Good

Extra Credit
"Louis/Papa/The Family" - the French version of the Mafia.
Eric Bana's performance as a fully committed assassin, and the results of being one.

Deductions:
Nudity, Blood, everything they rated it "R" for.
Lots of "Effeys," as we'd say. (F*)
Very Dark movie

Recommendations:
Purchase DVD? No. Rent it.
Watch Repeatedly? Do you watch Saving Private Ryan repeatedly?

Additional Comments:
Munich is "Good" in the way the the Passion of the Christ is "good." You watch it, and realize it's excellently acted, a very well told story. But the events and scenes in the story are overwhelmingly dark.

Movies I've Seen

  • Underworld: Evolution
  • X-Men the Last Stand
  • Mission Impossible 3
  • Cars (11/20/06)
  • Casino Royale
  • Munich
  • Superman Returns
  • The Devil Wears Prada