The Hustler - 4 stars out of 10
I don't know what it was about this film, but it completely let me down (especially after Netflix predicted that I'd give it a nearly perfect rating). Paul Newman is so cool and the whole pool plot seemed very interesting, and yet I felt that this film was completely bookended: awesome opening pool sequences, emotionally charged ending, and then 90 meandering minutes in the middle. I think that the critics decided that this one would be great before it even appeared in theaters. Paul Newman is always deserving of an Oscar nomination but for me, George C. Scott (who was also nominated for an Oscar) stole the show. Jackie Gleason - why was he nominated? The world may never know. Despite its many nominations, it is no surprise that it lost out to "West Side Story" in most categories, but I still don't see why everybody adores it. I would love to see a remake of this film, shorter in length and keeping the intensity of that pool sequence from start to finish. I'll plan on watching this one again in case I missed something, but the first time around was a less-than-impressive showing.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Mystic River - 9 stars out of 10
Mystic River - 9 stars out of 10
"Mystic River" is the film that got me interested in critically acclaimed dramas at the end of high school. I can still vividly remember walking out of the theater saying "Wow. I need more of that." Thus, the movie obsession was born. The acting in this film is absolutely top notch, with big names filling all of the lead and support roles. The script requires emotional performances by every character and this group certainly does not disappoint. It is no surprise that Sean Penn and Tim Robbins won Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting, particularly with Robbins getting away from his typical roles to play this emotional detached and psychologically scarred man. The energy created by Penn's anger gives energy to the cast and can be felt through the screen as you watch. His final confrontation with Robbins is particularly poignant. I typically do not like Kevin Bacon but he is magnificent as this cop torn between childhood friendship and the facts of the case. Or maybe Laurence Fishburne is just so awesome that it rubbed off on him. I didn't really understand Marcia ay Harden's Oscar nomination, but it could be that her character is so detached throughout the movie that I never felt an attachment to her. I enjoyed Laura Linney much more, even if she had that monologue at the ended that lasted far too long. Even though it's impressive, the acting would be a moot point if not for this emotionally charged script. Emmy Rossum's character is developed just enough that the image of her mangled corpse makes us want justice. We can relate to Penn's anger and, even though we know what the right thing is to do, we can understand why he wants to take matters into his own hands. It's amazing that this script is so straightforward, simply telling a story as if we are one of the characters living in this Boston neighborhood. It does have an amazing twist, but it is set up by the simplicity leading up to it. A quick tangent: the Mystic is the Bostonian river of "Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go" fame. See? This blog is educational! And probably the greatest thing that you can learn from this film is that Clint Eastwood is one of the best directors out there. His films possess a lot of grit and humanity, always able to stir up our emotions and place us into a dark section of Americana. In most other years, "Mystic River" would have easily taken the Oscars for best picture, best director, etc., but who can battle "The Return of the King"? Whether you are new to critically acclaimed dramas or a seasoned veteran who missed this the first time around, "Mystic River" is just one of those movies that everybody needs to see.
"Mystic River" is the film that got me interested in critically acclaimed dramas at the end of high school. I can still vividly remember walking out of the theater saying "Wow. I need more of that." Thus, the movie obsession was born. The acting in this film is absolutely top notch, with big names filling all of the lead and support roles. The script requires emotional performances by every character and this group certainly does not disappoint. It is no surprise that Sean Penn and Tim Robbins won Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting, particularly with Robbins getting away from his typical roles to play this emotional detached and psychologically scarred man. The energy created by Penn's anger gives energy to the cast and can be felt through the screen as you watch. His final confrontation with Robbins is particularly poignant. I typically do not like Kevin Bacon but he is magnificent as this cop torn between childhood friendship and the facts of the case. Or maybe Laurence Fishburne is just so awesome that it rubbed off on him. I didn't really understand Marcia ay Harden's Oscar nomination, but it could be that her character is so detached throughout the movie that I never felt an attachment to her. I enjoyed Laura Linney much more, even if she had that monologue at the ended that lasted far too long. Even though it's impressive, the acting would be a moot point if not for this emotionally charged script. Emmy Rossum's character is developed just enough that the image of her mangled corpse makes us want justice. We can relate to Penn's anger and, even though we know what the right thing is to do, we can understand why he wants to take matters into his own hands. It's amazing that this script is so straightforward, simply telling a story as if we are one of the characters living in this Boston neighborhood. It does have an amazing twist, but it is set up by the simplicity leading up to it. A quick tangent: the Mystic is the Bostonian river of "Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go" fame. See? This blog is educational! And probably the greatest thing that you can learn from this film is that Clint Eastwood is one of the best directors out there. His films possess a lot of grit and humanity, always able to stir up our emotions and place us into a dark section of Americana. In most other years, "Mystic River" would have easily taken the Oscars for best picture, best director, etc., but who can battle "The Return of the King"? Whether you are new to critically acclaimed dramas or a seasoned veteran who missed this the first time around, "Mystic River" is just one of those movies that everybody needs to see.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Big Daddy - 4 stars out of 10
Big Daddy - 4 stars out of 10
"Big Daddy," while on par with Adam Sandler's brand of humor, is evidence of the decline in the popularity and quality of his comedy films. This tiresome film has the stupid humor and quirky characters that we love but it is all very disjointed, as if the writers were desperately casting out their lines for jokes and gags to include in this random compilation of Sandler goofiness. "Happy Gilmore" and "Billy Madison" maybe not deserve any Oscar nominations, but they have interesting stories that grab our attention and characters that truly learn an important lesson to become a better person. All of this is done in the midst of stupidity and randomness, but the good story makes us love his characters. In "Big Daddy," the story feels like the writers said "How can we find an excuse for him to raise a kid?" and then reused some of the material from "Billy Madison." In the end, the character's big transition is him saying "Oh! I should teach him GOOD things instead of BAD things!" While it has its hilarious moments like throwing sticks in front of rollerbladers and funny lines like "Heep? Heep hop? Heep hop anonymous?", "Big Daddy" lacks the inspiration of Sandler's older films. The critics hated it, the audiences loved it, but I think that the critics got this one right.
"Big Daddy," while on par with Adam Sandler's brand of humor, is evidence of the decline in the popularity and quality of his comedy films. This tiresome film has the stupid humor and quirky characters that we love but it is all very disjointed, as if the writers were desperately casting out their lines for jokes and gags to include in this random compilation of Sandler goofiness. "Happy Gilmore" and "Billy Madison" maybe not deserve any Oscar nominations, but they have interesting stories that grab our attention and characters that truly learn an important lesson to become a better person. All of this is done in the midst of stupidity and randomness, but the good story makes us love his characters. In "Big Daddy," the story feels like the writers said "How can we find an excuse for him to raise a kid?" and then reused some of the material from "Billy Madison." In the end, the character's big transition is him saying "Oh! I should teach him GOOD things instead of BAD things!" While it has its hilarious moments like throwing sticks in front of rollerbladers and funny lines like "Heep? Heep hop? Heep hop anonymous?", "Big Daddy" lacks the inspiration of Sandler's older films. The critics hated it, the audiences loved it, but I think that the critics got this one right.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Under Suspicion (2000) - 6 stars out of 10
Under Suspicion (2000) - 6 stars out of 10
"Under Suspicion" is a much darker film than I anticipated. I knew that it was going to be an interrogation but was not ready for two hours of a man having his darkest secrets revealed. I wasn't crazy about the content of the story but the acting is top notch. Gene Hackman methodically puts a different emotion into each phase of the interrogation as he slowly transforms from an arrogant lawyer into a pitiful, guilty man. The progressive crescendo of character defamation made me connect to his character because I felt so terrible for him that I wanted him to be innocent - well played, writers. You really can't go wrong with Morgan Freeman, particularly with the intense dialogue that was written for him in this film. It would be a daunting task for anyone to work with these two and not be completely overshadowed, but Monica Bellucci absolutely holds her own. She is much more than a pretty face as her character becomes the most important one in the film, legitimizing each revealed secret of Hackman. However, these performances are counterbalanced by the terrible acting of Thomas Jane. His character was annoying, overacted, and a stain that tainted much of Freeman's dialogue. I would be completely content if this actor's career ended today so that I never have to see him in another movie. But I digress - the most interesting aspect of this story is that, as the dark secrets are brought to light in the interrogation room, the underlying cause of marital stress is revealed to the viewers. It is cool (but sad) to see how one misunderstanding destroyed the trust between two people and led to this set of circumstances. It certainly isn't the best movie that I've seen with Hackman and Freeman, but they make it worth experiencing such dark and depressing content.
"Under Suspicion" is a much darker film than I anticipated. I knew that it was going to be an interrogation but was not ready for two hours of a man having his darkest secrets revealed. I wasn't crazy about the content of the story but the acting is top notch. Gene Hackman methodically puts a different emotion into each phase of the interrogation as he slowly transforms from an arrogant lawyer into a pitiful, guilty man. The progressive crescendo of character defamation made me connect to his character because I felt so terrible for him that I wanted him to be innocent - well played, writers. You really can't go wrong with Morgan Freeman, particularly with the intense dialogue that was written for him in this film. It would be a daunting task for anyone to work with these two and not be completely overshadowed, but Monica Bellucci absolutely holds her own. She is much more than a pretty face as her character becomes the most important one in the film, legitimizing each revealed secret of Hackman. However, these performances are counterbalanced by the terrible acting of Thomas Jane. His character was annoying, overacted, and a stain that tainted much of Freeman's dialogue. I would be completely content if this actor's career ended today so that I never have to see him in another movie. But I digress - the most interesting aspect of this story is that, as the dark secrets are brought to light in the interrogation room, the underlying cause of marital stress is revealed to the viewers. It is cool (but sad) to see how one misunderstanding destroyed the trust between two people and led to this set of circumstances. It certainly isn't the best movie that I've seen with Hackman and Freeman, but they make it worth experiencing such dark and depressing content.
Monday, July 2, 2012
The Raven (2012) - 5 stars out of 10
The Raven (2012) - 5 stars out of 10
"The Raven" is an interesting piece of historical fiction, creating an account of the mysterious final days of Edgar Allan Poe. The previews looked incredibly intense and the script delivered the dark, detailed story that I had hoped for. The crew made 19th century Baltimore into a very dark place and this gothic setting was very appropriate for a story about Poe. And bonus points for Poe having a pet raccoon! All of the pieces were in place but... the acting is pretty weak all around. It certainly is not John Cusack's finest performance. Luke Evans just feels like a James McAvoy wannabe the whole time and Alice Eve seems like she is acting in a box (and ironically, she IS acting in a box for the majority of the film). The story is intriguing enough that I can get past the mediocre acting but... who is this film intended for? It is too gorey for the literary types who would recognize the details of these murders taken from Poe's stories, but a bit too high-brow for your typical gorefest connoisseur. Then, just for good measure, the closing credits include a laser show that belongs in a Transsiberian Orchestra concert, probably because it fits so in well with the atmosphere of the film (note the sarcasm). Despite my criticism, I was shocked when the murderer was revealed and the writers did a great job of leading me to believe that it could've been anybody but this particular character. I also love that the writers provided a small amount of information early in the film so that this character made perfect sense to be the mastermind. "The Raven" is 92% murder mystery and 8% gruesome torture scenes, but I believe that the story is 100% worth experiencing even if the film will only leave you 50% satisfied.
"The Raven" is an interesting piece of historical fiction, creating an account of the mysterious final days of Edgar Allan Poe. The previews looked incredibly intense and the script delivered the dark, detailed story that I had hoped for. The crew made 19th century Baltimore into a very dark place and this gothic setting was very appropriate for a story about Poe. And bonus points for Poe having a pet raccoon! All of the pieces were in place but... the acting is pretty weak all around. It certainly is not John Cusack's finest performance. Luke Evans just feels like a James McAvoy wannabe the whole time and Alice Eve seems like she is acting in a box (and ironically, she IS acting in a box for the majority of the film). The story is intriguing enough that I can get past the mediocre acting but... who is this film intended for? It is too gorey for the literary types who would recognize the details of these murders taken from Poe's stories, but a bit too high-brow for your typical gorefest connoisseur. Then, just for good measure, the closing credits include a laser show that belongs in a Transsiberian Orchestra concert, probably because it fits so in well with the atmosphere of the film (note the sarcasm). Despite my criticism, I was shocked when the murderer was revealed and the writers did a great job of leading me to believe that it could've been anybody but this particular character. I also love that the writers provided a small amount of information early in the film so that this character made perfect sense to be the mastermind. "The Raven" is 92% murder mystery and 8% gruesome torture scenes, but I believe that the story is 100% worth experiencing even if the film will only leave you 50% satisfied.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Word Wars - 5 stars out of 10
Word Wars - 5 stars out of 10
Who knew that somebody could make such an entertaining and energetic film about Scrabble! "Word Wars" tracks four Scrabble experts on their quest to compete in the 2002 National Scrabble Championship. It is interesting to see the type of person that becomes a competitive Scrabble player - and it probably is not what you are expecting! This film goes beyond the board to throw you into the world of people that are so dedicated to their craft that they sacrifice their career aspirations in order to memorize words for hours a day. This documentary is very interesting and I recommend it, but it is a shame that they couldn't have censored some of the language out of this otherwise clean film. One character in particular, Marlon Hill, is constantly dropping the f-bomb and after about 10 swear words (in the first 2 minutes that he was on screen), I realized that the directors have really limited their audience. The quirky characters are what make this film fun to watch but Marlon tends to be a little much. Regardless, this is a fascinating look into the world of competitive Scrabble and if there is a censored version out there, this is definitely worth checking out. One final warning: "Watching this film will not enhance your ability to play Words With Friends or to find anagrams in words."
Who knew that somebody could make such an entertaining and energetic film about Scrabble! "Word Wars" tracks four Scrabble experts on their quest to compete in the 2002 National Scrabble Championship. It is interesting to see the type of person that becomes a competitive Scrabble player - and it probably is not what you are expecting! This film goes beyond the board to throw you into the world of people that are so dedicated to their craft that they sacrifice their career aspirations in order to memorize words for hours a day. This documentary is very interesting and I recommend it, but it is a shame that they couldn't have censored some of the language out of this otherwise clean film. One character in particular, Marlon Hill, is constantly dropping the f-bomb and after about 10 swear words (in the first 2 minutes that he was on screen), I realized that the directors have really limited their audience. The quirky characters are what make this film fun to watch but Marlon tends to be a little much. Regardless, this is a fascinating look into the world of competitive Scrabble and if there is a censored version out there, this is definitely worth checking out. One final warning: "Watching this film will not enhance your ability to play Words With Friends or to find anagrams in words."
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