Changeling - 10 stars out of 10
"Changeling" is a very dark portrayal of a mother's love for her son. It is so dramatic, shocking, and upsetting that you will have to continually remind yourself that "This is a true story." This is a strong movie all the way around, from the casting to the acting to the music to the cinematography. Jolie truly earned her Oscar nomination for this role - she proves herself as the complete package, shaking her reputation for "sexy roles" and offering a chillingly dramatic experience. The interesting thing about this story is that there are so many antagonists. The most despicable antagonist is Jason Butler Harner, quickly transitioning from insanity to the most pleasant person you've ever seen and back. It's frightening how friendly he seems in some scenes, only to quickly snap into an enraged murderer. The next antagonist, the corrupt L.A. police force led by Jeffrey Donovan, is incredibly frustrating as they stand in the way of the truth. This movie is about police corruption in Los Angeles just as much as a mother's search for her son. Then there's the psychiatric hospital where the police stash women who might expose them, and worst of all the boy that may or may not be her son. It is also worth noting the performances of John Malkovich as the Reverand intent upon exposing the police corruption, and Amy Ryan for her small but poignant role. You need to see this movie, but don't expect a happy-go-lucky reunion. Clint Eastwood is a genius and it shows in this picture. Angelina Jolie + psych ward = amazing movie!!!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - 7 stars out of 10
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - 7 stars out of 10
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is just a little bit too much for my taste. David Fincher really pushed it with his graphic portrayal of the first installment of the Millennium series, but he may have gone too far. In a great movie, I can typically deal with one scene that is so graphic that it is impossible to enjoy; unfortunately, this film has four of them. I can definitely understand the critical acclaim - it's impossible to deny the excellent performances by Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer, Rooney Mara (who has the identical birthday as me), and Stellan Skarsgard, but I don't know if they are worth watching this film. The original Swedish version of this film is SO GOOD that they could go one of two ways with the American remake: 1. accept that it wouldn't be as good but give anti-subtitle Americans an opportunity to enjoy the story, or 2. go above and beyond the Swedish version in the realm of graphic content to make money from shock value. The graphic sex, rape, and torture scenes were certainly above and beyond, and it's tough to give a film a good rating when you have to continually look away. The story itself warrants a high rating as one of the most intriguing of our generation, and the film editing was excellent (as indicated by its Oscar), not to mention the great artistic vision. Unfortunately, excellent acting and storytelling has been overshadowed by "Did you hear about the rape scene?" I look forward to watching the original again. I will never watch this version again.
For my review of the original 2009 Swedish version, see:
http://jonnysdailymoviereview.blogspot.com/2011/04/girl-with-dragon-tattoo-2009-10-stars.html
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is just a little bit too much for my taste. David Fincher really pushed it with his graphic portrayal of the first installment of the Millennium series, but he may have gone too far. In a great movie, I can typically deal with one scene that is so graphic that it is impossible to enjoy; unfortunately, this film has four of them. I can definitely understand the critical acclaim - it's impossible to deny the excellent performances by Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer, Rooney Mara (who has the identical birthday as me), and Stellan Skarsgard, but I don't know if they are worth watching this film. The original Swedish version of this film is SO GOOD that they could go one of two ways with the American remake: 1. accept that it wouldn't be as good but give anti-subtitle Americans an opportunity to enjoy the story, or 2. go above and beyond the Swedish version in the realm of graphic content to make money from shock value. The graphic sex, rape, and torture scenes were certainly above and beyond, and it's tough to give a film a good rating when you have to continually look away. The story itself warrants a high rating as one of the most intriguing of our generation, and the film editing was excellent (as indicated by its Oscar), not to mention the great artistic vision. Unfortunately, excellent acting and storytelling has been overshadowed by "Did you hear about the rape scene?" I look forward to watching the original again. I will never watch this version again.
For my review of the original 2009 Swedish version, see:
http://jonnysdailymoviereview.blogspot.com/2011/04/girl-with-dragon-tattoo-2009-10-stars.html
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Toy Soldiers - 5 stars out of 10
Toy Soldiers - 5 stars out of 10
Average story, average acting, very exciting final 30 minutes. Toy Soldiers blends in with the thousands of average action movies out there. It is weak from the start and never picks up much momentum. Sean Astin has a decent performance and the final action sequences are worth watching but overall, the movie lacks the realism necessary to boost it beyond the quality of a typical action movie
Average story, average acting, very exciting final 30 minutes. Toy Soldiers blends in with the thousands of average action movies out there. It is weak from the start and never picks up much momentum. Sean Astin has a decent performance and the final action sequences are worth watching but overall, the movie lacks the realism necessary to boost it beyond the quality of a typical action movie
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The Boondock Saints - 4 stars out of 10
The Boondock Saints - 4 stars out of 10
I loved this movie the first time that I saw it. What was I thinking? There is so much torture and mutilation that I did not enjoy the majority of the film, not to mention the deluge of f-words. With the amount of unnecessary language, the only word that crept into my mind was "overacted." Unlike films like Shawshank that use intense profanity to paint a realistic atmosphere, "The Boondock Saints" tosses the f-word around so much that it eventually becomes comical (in a bad way). I will admit that I like the style of the film, first showing the damage and then flashing back to the crime. The coolest is when Willem Dafoe is investigated and explains the crime as the action occurs around him. The blood is reminiscent of Tarantino, but the script is reminiscent of a large pile of poop. This film is worth watching if you enjoy cool shoot-out action sequences, but don't get your hopes up about the plot or else you'll find yourself stuck with a ton of foul language and a ton of murders that do not distinguish themselves from the others.
I loved this movie the first time that I saw it. What was I thinking? There is so much torture and mutilation that I did not enjoy the majority of the film, not to mention the deluge of f-words. With the amount of unnecessary language, the only word that crept into my mind was "overacted." Unlike films like Shawshank that use intense profanity to paint a realistic atmosphere, "The Boondock Saints" tosses the f-word around so much that it eventually becomes comical (in a bad way). I will admit that I like the style of the film, first showing the damage and then flashing back to the crime. The coolest is when Willem Dafoe is investigated and explains the crime as the action occurs around him. The blood is reminiscent of Tarantino, but the script is reminiscent of a large pile of poop. This film is worth watching if you enjoy cool shoot-out action sequences, but don't get your hopes up about the plot or else you'll find yourself stuck with a ton of foul language and a ton of murders that do not distinguish themselves from the others.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
A Few Good Men - 10 stars out of 10
A Few Good Men - 10 stars out of 10
"A Few Good Men" is one of the greatest films of all time, easily securing a spot in my Top 10. Although it did not win any Oscars, let us not forget that Shawshank didn't, either. Rob Reiner's film offers an interesting and comprehensive look at the trial process from start to finish, revealing the truth of the situation at the beginning and then tracing the lawyers' steps to discover the truth and then conceive a way to prove it. This film is probably best remembered for it's performance by Jack Nicholson. He only appears in three scenes and yet he completely deserves second billing. His court testimony is a clinic in pacing to progressively build intensity, ending in an unforgettable explosion of emotion. Tom Cruise also offers one of his greatest performances through the many aspects of his character's personality. I love his sudden change of character from goofball to serious lawyer after pleading not guilty for his clients. His drunken tirade in Demi Moore's face is fantastic, beginning with just a murmur and growing to his screaming delivery of: "Thank you for playing 'should we or should we not, follow the advice of the galactically stupid?'", not to mention the amazing questioning of Nicholson in the court room. I wish that I could list all of the incredible lines throughout this movie, but I'd rather let you be surprised. Moore gives a great performance, as well as Kevin Bacon, Kevin Pollak, and Kiefer Sutherland in a detestible role. Above all else, I love this script. It is ludicrous that it was not nominated for an Oscar as Aaron Sorkin penned some of the greatest monologues in movie history while strategically placing several lines of comic relief to keep the tension from becoming unpleasant. So much of this film is very near to perfection. Viewing this movie as a young teenager immediately instilled a desire in me to become a lawyer. I can't imagine anybody who would not be hungry to fight for justice after experiencing this story. This is the second-best trial film of all time (second only to "Twelve Angry Men"), but I can easily say that its courtroom scenes are unmatched by any other film.
"A Few Good Men" is one of the greatest films of all time, easily securing a spot in my Top 10. Although it did not win any Oscars, let us not forget that Shawshank didn't, either. Rob Reiner's film offers an interesting and comprehensive look at the trial process from start to finish, revealing the truth of the situation at the beginning and then tracing the lawyers' steps to discover the truth and then conceive a way to prove it. This film is probably best remembered for it's performance by Jack Nicholson. He only appears in three scenes and yet he completely deserves second billing. His court testimony is a clinic in pacing to progressively build intensity, ending in an unforgettable explosion of emotion. Tom Cruise also offers one of his greatest performances through the many aspects of his character's personality. I love his sudden change of character from goofball to serious lawyer after pleading not guilty for his clients. His drunken tirade in Demi Moore's face is fantastic, beginning with just a murmur and growing to his screaming delivery of: "Thank you for playing 'should we or should we not, follow the advice of the galactically stupid?'", not to mention the amazing questioning of Nicholson in the court room. I wish that I could list all of the incredible lines throughout this movie, but I'd rather let you be surprised. Moore gives a great performance, as well as Kevin Bacon, Kevin Pollak, and Kiefer Sutherland in a detestible role. Above all else, I love this script. It is ludicrous that it was not nominated for an Oscar as Aaron Sorkin penned some of the greatest monologues in movie history while strategically placing several lines of comic relief to keep the tension from becoming unpleasant. So much of this film is very near to perfection. Viewing this movie as a young teenager immediately instilled a desire in me to become a lawyer. I can't imagine anybody who would not be hungry to fight for justice after experiencing this story. This is the second-best trial film of all time (second only to "Twelve Angry Men"), but I can easily say that its courtroom scenes are unmatched by any other film.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Into the Woods (1991) - 3 stars out of 10
Into the Woods (1991) - 3 stars out of 10
"Into the Woods" is not my favorite musical. The music is interesting but the constant change of keys and time signatures makes the entire show feel disjointed. I enjoy Sondheim as much as the next guy but for me, this can't begin to compare with Sweeney Todd and West Side Story. This Original Broadway Cast is spot on, featuring Joanna Gleason as the Baker's Wife and the legendary Bernadette Peters as The Witch. I enjoyed the overall story as the writers reveal what happens after "happily ever after," though it's surprising that they don't hesitate to kill off a bunch of characters. Probably the biggest surprise to me is the amount of the humor in this script, not hesitating to step out of the story to deliver a joke directly to the audience. I typically avoid recordings of stage shows but this version works if you are interested in experiencing the musical. "Into the Woods" is an okay musical... but I like to walk away from a show being able to sing at least one song and this one gives me a headache as I try to weave together any of its melodies.
"Into the Woods" is not my favorite musical. The music is interesting but the constant change of keys and time signatures makes the entire show feel disjointed. I enjoy Sondheim as much as the next guy but for me, this can't begin to compare with Sweeney Todd and West Side Story. This Original Broadway Cast is spot on, featuring Joanna Gleason as the Baker's Wife and the legendary Bernadette Peters as The Witch. I enjoyed the overall story as the writers reveal what happens after "happily ever after," though it's surprising that they don't hesitate to kill off a bunch of characters. Probably the biggest surprise to me is the amount of the humor in this script, not hesitating to step out of the story to deliver a joke directly to the audience. I typically avoid recordings of stage shows but this version works if you are interested in experiencing the musical. "Into the Woods" is an okay musical... but I like to walk away from a show being able to sing at least one song and this one gives me a headache as I try to weave together any of its melodies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)