Wednesday, April 28, 2004
We rented "Love, Actually" last night and while my wife didn't enjoy it, I thought it was very, very funny and sweet. I would have to recommend ANY movie in which Billy Bob Thornton is cast as the American President!!! Many nice cameos, it's well written and the ensemble cast is terrific. Get yourself to the video store and experience "Love, Actually."
Sunday, April 25, 2004
Took the girls to see "Home on the Range." Do yourself a favor. Stay Home.
This was quite possibly the worst animated film I have ever witnessed, and is certainly a black eye on Disney...Here's hoping "Shrek 2" can wash away the awful after-taste. Yikes.
This was quite possibly the worst animated film I have ever witnessed, and is certainly a black eye on Disney...Here's hoping "Shrek 2" can wash away the awful after-taste. Yikes.
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Latest action film enjoyed by myself that I'd never expect to really like: The Punisher.
Close enough to the original story, great action and inventively filmed, it was really a fun, and at times bloody, popcorn movie. Obviously this character's story will be followed with at least one more sequel. Let's hope they can get the original actors to return. I really was surprised to see a slimmer John Pinette as Bumpo. Thomas Jane was great as Frank Castle, and Rebecca Romain-Stamos was very nicely cast as Jane. John Travolta chewed the scenery a bit much, but overall well done. Enjoy the punishment!
Close enough to the original story, great action and inventively filmed, it was really a fun, and at times bloody, popcorn movie. Obviously this character's story will be followed with at least one more sequel. Let's hope they can get the original actors to return. I really was surprised to see a slimmer John Pinette as Bumpo. Thomas Jane was great as Frank Castle, and Rebecca Romain-Stamos was very nicely cast as Jane. John Travolta chewed the scenery a bit much, but overall well done. Enjoy the punishment!
Thursday, April 01, 2004
Alright kiddies, here is a true movie marathon: 6 films in three days!!! I traveled to El Paso, Texas to visit my good friend Joe, and we not only saw six movies in the theater, but we also made a road trip to Roswell NM AND saw the Strokes in concert...a whirlwind weekend for sure. Well here goes...in order of my preference:
First is Charlie Kaufman's masterpiece "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." Don't go expecting to see Jim Carrey's wackiness ala "Ace Ventura" or "Bruce Almighty." This is a great film, visually alive and imaginative. This is what movies should strive to be: Never boring and pushing the limits. The characters and the story are interesting and the directing is superb! The best film so far this year!
Next is "Taking Lives." Wow! This was a great thriller wrapped up in what seems to be a cookie-cutter little movie. I thought I was one step ahead of the whole movie until the end, when I realized myself for the sucker I am! Angelina Jolie was phenomenal (and HOT!) and has shown vast improvement. She played vulnerability and sexy all at once (plus she does a bit of the old nudity!) and Ethan Hawk is great as well. Keifer Sutherland is fine, but his part is so small it's hardly worth mentioning.
Overall, a great movie!
#3 on my list is "The Ladykillers" by the Cohen Brothers. The dialogue alone is worth seeing the film. Tom Hanks will bring the older people to the theater, but Marlon Wayans characters harsh language will make them uncomfortable! Very funny and smart, this remake is one I actually can recommend. The ensemble cast is great together and the story is very well written and filmed. Funny and smart, you'll love this movie!
The fourth awesome film was "Jersey Girl" by Kevin Smith, starring Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler (yeah!) George Carlin, J-Lo (in a tiny, Keifer-size part) and introduces us to newcomer Raquel Castro as Gertie Trinkie. This film was very funny and it has Kevin Smith's trademark fingerprints all over it. Snappy dialogue, good direction, solid acting and story are all in place. The only things missing are Jay & Silent Bob (which I love, but have no real place in this film.) George Carlin was perfect, Ben was great, Liv was sooo easy on the eyes and easily does some of the best acting of her career. Even supporting actors Steven Root & Mike Starr are wonderful as the "uncles." Anyone looking for another "Clerks" should look elsewhere (and should probably give up, cuz there will never be another "Clerks.") "Jersey Girl" is a very sweet movie about the relationship that exists between father & daughter, so see it!
The last film I saw that I really liked is "50 First Dates." Funny & sweet, I enjoyed this movie, and I think Sandler & Barrymore are terrific together, and I enjoyed this movie as much as "The Wedding Singer." Funny story, fun to watch and I have never been more in love with Drew Barrymore. She is so cute and sweet in this movie, it erases all the "Charlies Angels" garbage for me. I was really surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did. Another aspect worth mentioning is the supporting cast. Rob Schnieder should give up lead roles in film and stick to supporting parts, cuz he is always funny there, but I have yet to like a feature he has made. Sean Astin puts Samwise Gamgee behind him as "Doug" the lisping, steroid-popping over-protective brother, and Amy Hill as Sue, the protective waitress.
The final movie is "Starsky & Hutch" and all I can say is I hate the trend of turning TV shows in to feature movies, and this film was as bad as I expected. Aside from a few funny moments (Will Ferrel and Ben Stiller's "Do IT" guy) this movie was mediocre at best. Stick to original stuff, guys. It's hard to believe Owen Wilson had anything to do with writing Masterpieces like "Bottle Rocket," "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tennenbaums" when I see him in dreck like this. Unless you just have to see this 70's re-tread, avoid it.
That's it for this week! Hope it's enough!
First is Charlie Kaufman's masterpiece "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." Don't go expecting to see Jim Carrey's wackiness ala "Ace Ventura" or "Bruce Almighty." This is a great film, visually alive and imaginative. This is what movies should strive to be: Never boring and pushing the limits. The characters and the story are interesting and the directing is superb! The best film so far this year!
Next is "Taking Lives." Wow! This was a great thriller wrapped up in what seems to be a cookie-cutter little movie. I thought I was one step ahead of the whole movie until the end, when I realized myself for the sucker I am! Angelina Jolie was phenomenal (and HOT!) and has shown vast improvement. She played vulnerability and sexy all at once (plus she does a bit of the old nudity!) and Ethan Hawk is great as well. Keifer Sutherland is fine, but his part is so small it's hardly worth mentioning.
Overall, a great movie!
#3 on my list is "The Ladykillers" by the Cohen Brothers. The dialogue alone is worth seeing the film. Tom Hanks will bring the older people to the theater, but Marlon Wayans characters harsh language will make them uncomfortable! Very funny and smart, this remake is one I actually can recommend. The ensemble cast is great together and the story is very well written and filmed. Funny and smart, you'll love this movie!
The fourth awesome film was "Jersey Girl" by Kevin Smith, starring Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler (yeah!) George Carlin, J-Lo (in a tiny, Keifer-size part) and introduces us to newcomer Raquel Castro as Gertie Trinkie. This film was very funny and it has Kevin Smith's trademark fingerprints all over it. Snappy dialogue, good direction, solid acting and story are all in place. The only things missing are Jay & Silent Bob (which I love, but have no real place in this film.) George Carlin was perfect, Ben was great, Liv was sooo easy on the eyes and easily does some of the best acting of her career. Even supporting actors Steven Root & Mike Starr are wonderful as the "uncles." Anyone looking for another "Clerks" should look elsewhere (and should probably give up, cuz there will never be another "Clerks.") "Jersey Girl" is a very sweet movie about the relationship that exists between father & daughter, so see it!
The last film I saw that I really liked is "50 First Dates." Funny & sweet, I enjoyed this movie, and I think Sandler & Barrymore are terrific together, and I enjoyed this movie as much as "The Wedding Singer." Funny story, fun to watch and I have never been more in love with Drew Barrymore. She is so cute and sweet in this movie, it erases all the "Charlies Angels" garbage for me. I was really surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did. Another aspect worth mentioning is the supporting cast. Rob Schnieder should give up lead roles in film and stick to supporting parts, cuz he is always funny there, but I have yet to like a feature he has made. Sean Astin puts Samwise Gamgee behind him as "Doug" the lisping, steroid-popping over-protective brother, and Amy Hill as Sue, the protective waitress.
The final movie is "Starsky & Hutch" and all I can say is I hate the trend of turning TV shows in to feature movies, and this film was as bad as I expected. Aside from a few funny moments (Will Ferrel and Ben Stiller's "Do IT" guy) this movie was mediocre at best. Stick to original stuff, guys. It's hard to believe Owen Wilson had anything to do with writing Masterpieces like "Bottle Rocket," "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tennenbaums" when I see him in dreck like this. Unless you just have to see this 70's re-tread, avoid it.
That's it for this week! Hope it's enough!
