|
|
Post by Termination on Feb 9, 2009 1:04:20 GMT -5
88 Minutes (2007) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 8/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 8/10
Another Cinderella Story (2008) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 8/10
HD Audio Dolby Digital - 7/10
The Pink Panther (1963) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 8/10
HD Audio dts-HDMA - 7/10
The Pink Panther (2006) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 9/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 9/10
|
|
|
|
Post by Heineken Skywalker on Feb 9, 2009 9:28:47 GMT -5
THE WRESTLER (2008)
Mickey Rourke stars as aging professional wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson, about 20 years past his prime, in this drama by director Darren Aronofsky.
Robinson is barely getting by, wrestling in small halls with up and comers and other has-beens, and even working a part-time job at a supermarket. Health problems make him start to re-evaluate his life, so he tries to reconnect with his daughter who he abandoned as a child, and forms a bond with a stripper (Marisa Tomei) who he is romantically interested in. Meanwhile planning a career comeback.
This is one of those career-defining roles that comes along maybe once in a lifetime, and Rourke just hits it out of the park. Bringing a real depth and weight to the part. Not only is Rourke's acting top-shelf, but physically he totally brings his A-Game and completely looks the part too. Director Aronofsky deserves a lot of credit for fighting for Rourke in the lead role when the studio didn't want him. If Rourke wins the Oscar on the 22nd he would completely deserve it. It's a crime that the movie wasn't nominated for Best Picture or Aranofsky for Best Director.
Tomei is also very believable as the aging stripper, Cassidy, whose character's life has parallels to Robinson's, and you can buy why they would connect with each other.
The film also gives some interesting insight into the behind-the-scenes world of professional wrestling as we get to see the wrestlers discussing what moves they're going to use on each other and even preparing their "injuries" ahead of time. Fascinating.
The movie just feels "real", almost documentary-style, in it's stripped-down look and approach, and is basically just sad and depressing throughout, with only brief moments of happiness, but I enjoyed it very much. Like ROCKY, another movie about a down on his luck athlete, it's a simple story told really, really well.
9/10
|
|
|
|
Post by slayrrr666 on Feb 9, 2009 11:07:12 GMT -5
Bone Sickness-30 minutes of extreme, graphic, utterly revolting zombie carnge: yeah, this is getting a bad review. www.imdb.com/title/tt0433346/usercomments-45Zombie Bloodbath-An enjoyable, fast-paced, ultra-graphic low-budget gem was way more fun than it should've been. www.imdb.com/title/tt0174360/usercomments-27Zombie Bloodbath 2: Rage of the Undead-Not nearly as good as the predecessor, but has enough to keep it interesting. www.imdb.com/title/tt0197115/usercomments-20Zombie Bloodbath 3: Zombie Armageddon-Interesting enough, but now finally flawed enough that it becomes noticeable. www.imdb.com/title/tt0197116/usercomments-12Skin Crawl-Doesn't have enough horror moments to make it worthwhile, but it's okay if you prefer zombies mixed with a story and softcore porn. www.imdb.com/title/tt0338441/usercomments-11Zombie Wars-For once, a behavior change to zombies that's not only interesting, but manages to make the film interesting as well. www.imdb.com/title/tt0897444/usercomments-10 |
|
raina
Junior Member
Posts: 77
|
Post by raina on Feb 9, 2009 13:03:13 GMT -5
I can't wait until I have the chance to see this, I am Mickey Rourke fan anyway, I know I will love it. Gone Baby Gone (2007) In a rough neighborhood in Boston, private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro reluctantly agree to investigate the kidnapping of a four year old girl. They don't want the case because of their lack of experience with this kind of crime, but agree because they know people that cops don't know, they can get information that the cops just can't uncover, and the girl's aunt is desperate for answers. Ben Affleck can direct, wow, color me impressed. This is a strong film, the storyline not only pulls you in, but has you (well, me anyway) asking more than once "what would I do?". Whats right, whats wrong. And what do you do when its not always as clear as you wish it could be. The cast is also good. A very solid crime thriller. 8.5/10 Tideland (2005) Terry Gilliam directs this dark, disturbing and bizarre film that follows a little girl named Jeliza-Rose (played wonderfully by Jodelle Ferland) as she retreats into a world of fantasy, to escape the horrors of her reality. This is not always an easy film to watch, shown early on by the fact that Gilliam (not sure it was his idea or not though to be fair) felt the need for the film's introduction (where he pretty much informs us that most of the audience is going to hate the movie). Not sure how I felt about the introduction, and not always sure how I felt about the movie. A lot of it I loved, but it is often downright uncomfortable. But it got a reaction out of me, and there is no doubt that along with the more uncomfortable images, there is also beauty in this film. Its sad, its appalling, its weird and its disturbing, but its also gutsy, that's for sure. And if you do try to view it as a child would, putting aside your experience as an adult, there is also innocence. But I wouldn't recommend this to just anyone. 7/10 Transsiberian (2008) A thriller in which an American couple, who has been volunteering in China for awhile, decide to travel home via the Trans-Siberia Express and meet a couple of young travelers that may not be as innocent as they seem. Solid thriller for the most part, the cast is fine, and there are some really well done scenes. Drags a bit at times though, and I didn't always "believe" it, the characters acted in ways that just didn't always make sense.....at all.....just to move the story forward. 6/10 The Baby's Room (2006) Surprisingly effective Spanish horror film about a young couple and their baby, who has just moved into a new home. The husband is haunted by images of a stranger in the house, a stranger that means to harm his wife and child. Is he losing his mind, is the house haunted, or is there another explanation? A tense, sometimes unsettling film that works better than it should. 7.5/10 To Let (2006) Another Spanish horror film (on the same disc as The Baby's Room, part of 6 Films to Keep You Awake). This one is about a young couple looking for an apartment to rent, she is pregnant with their first child, he is eager to get out of the place they are living now without moving in with his family. They answer an ad for an apartment that seems like it could be perfect. Only when they get there, its not as perfect as it sounds, and the woman showing them the apartment refuses to let them leave. This could have been a really good horror film; the violence is often jarring, its atmospheric, and the idea is fine. Except, well, its all very silly. Did I believe for one minute these people would keep making these mistakes that would keep them trapped, that they could be so easily overpowered? No I didn't. So after awhile, it just got frustrating and then boring. 5/10 Curse of the Devil (1973) Yet another Spanish film, this one stars Paul Naschy as a man cursed to become a werewolf by the descendants of a witch executed years before. The look of the film is actually pretty good though the "blood" is not....all that realistic....  . Overall, it is very cheesy, often unintentionally funny, but its still fun. 5.5/10 |
|
|
|
Post by ZapRowsdower on Feb 10, 2009 5:46:16 GMT -5
THE WRESTLER (2008) Mickey Rourke stars as aging professional wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson, about 20 years past his prime, in this drama by director Darren Aronofsky. Robinson is barely getting by, wrestling in small halls with up and comers and other has-beens, and even working a part-time job at a supermarket. Health problems make him start to re-evaluate his life, so he tries to reconnect with his daughter who he abandoned as a child, and forms a bond with a stripper (Marisa Tomei) who he is romantically interested in. Meanwhile planning a career comeback. This is one of those career-defining roles that comes along maybe once in a lifetime, and Rourke just hits it out of the park. Bringing a real depth and weight to the part. Not only is Rourke's acting top-shelf, but physically he totally brings his A-Game and completely looks the part too. Director Aronofsky deserves a lot of credit for fighting for Rourke in the lead role when the studio didn't want him. If Rourke wins the Oscar on the 22nd he would completely deserve it. It's a crime that the movie wasn't nominated for Best Picture or Aranofsky for Best Director. Tomei is also very believable as the aging stripper, Cassidy, whose character's life has parallels to Robinson's, and you can buy why they would connect with each other. The film also gives some interesting insight into the behind-the-scenes world of professional wrestling as we get to see the wrestlers discussing what moves they're going to use on each other and even preparing their "injuries" ahead of time. Fascinating. The movie just feels "real", almost documentary-style, in it's stripped-down look and approach, and is basically just sad and depressing throughout, with only brief moments of happiness, but I enjoyed it very much. Like ROCKY, another movie about a down on his luck athlete, it's a simple story told really, really well. 9/10 I'm caught between this guy and Sean Penn, both of whom were absolutely phenomenal. But definitely, this deserved an Oscar nomination much more than The Reader. The Man Who Wasn't There (2001, Joel Coen) I forgot how brilliant this movie was. The Coen Bros. brought back the Film Noir with this. Billy Bob Thornton is excellent as the anti-hero, and the Coens did an excellent job bringing as a dark, bleak world where nothing goes as planned and nothing is as it seems. Cinematography is astounding, and it's a crime that this movie just kinda got lost in the shuffle. It is a truly excellent film. 9/10 |
|
|
|
Post by Heineken Skywalker on Feb 10, 2009 9:32:42 GMT -5
I still have to see MILK, which I will be soon. I hear Penn's pretty much a lock for Best Actor, but you never know, Penn's already won before, so the Academy might get sentimental for Rourke.
THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE is one of the few Coen brothers films I still haven't seen. Going to add that to my Netflix queue right now. ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by slayrrr666 on Feb 10, 2009 11:09:19 GMT -5
Curse of the Devil (1973) Yet another Spanish film, this one stars Paul Naschy as a man cursed to become a werewolf by the descendants of a witch executed years before. The look of the film is actually pretty good though the "blood" is not....all that realistic.... . Overall, it is very cheesy, often unintentionally funny, but its still fun. 5.5/10 I just love this one. Fantastic gore, tons of nudity, great kills, Gothic atmosphere, and not a whole lot of flaws. Easily the best of the Valdemar Daninsky series, even though I'm missing a couple of them. |
|
|
|
Post by ZapRowsdower on Feb 11, 2009 2:15:06 GMT -5
Open City (1945, Roberto Rossellini)
In class we're looking at Italian Neorealism. I believe this is one of the films that inspired Martin Scorsese. Very dark and depressing (as were most neorealist films), but it's difficult to look away. Rossellini's direction was amazing. The shoddy film stock actually added to the film's intrigue (although I heard that was all that was available). It was a tragic tale of heroism in Nazi occupied Italy, and a must-see for any film enthusiast. 9/10
|
|
|
|
Post by slayrrr666 on Feb 11, 2009 11:01:34 GMT -5
Zombies Gone Wild-The new absolute low in cinema, I’m now calling this the absolute worst movie ever made, and I’m urging all of us to stay away from this. That’s right, I’m petitioning us to stay away from a movie, rather than saying what good it has. Stay the fuck away from this one!!!
So, I guess it’s understandable to ask why, well, let me tell you about this one in a new feature I call Play-by-Play:
The movie opens with a guy on the toilet “squeezing out a load.” Seriously, it comes out of the credits and shows this. Then, while the guys' there, he gets a phone call and passes the whole experience off as him getting head from a woman, which is completely bought by the caller.
Then, we have a (I’m honest to God not kidding here) ten-minute conversation between another guy, a “22-year-old virgin,” and I’m quoting the mother here, which is an off-hand description but what his mother actually says to him, and his mother about the effective use of condoms. Yeah, a ten-minute sequence between a nerd and his mother about the effective use of condoms. Then, we get another five-more minutes with the guy’s Vietnam-traumatized father about the need to go out and get laid, replete with more condom discussions and then ending with a crap joke about a stuffed dog. (I wish I was making that up).
From there, we go to another guy, same age and personality only this one is black, who’s also meeting his father and given another similar-style discussion, despite the fact that both of the fathers are played by the same guy. The talk between them also manages to go into the effective-use-of-condoms angle, yet the accent switches between a pimp in a 70s blaxploitation effort and a 7/11 Pakistani worker, in the same sentence. And this one goes on for about five minutes as well.
Twenty minutes in, the film finally has the group of three get together and head off on a road trip, yet for some reason, the film tends to think that intelligently-designed character development is giving the first guy sitting on the toilet IBS, which is then used as an excuse to run a twenty-minute gag about him finding a toilet while the rest of the time is spent on the White Virgin’s inexplicably graphic description, in full, vivid detail and hand-gestures, about what the body goes through under that condition. This is done while, I forgot to mention, they’re covered in barf the two themselves expunged at the smell of his van, and all we’ve done for those twenty minutes is watch them drive around in the van while all this is going on. We get a three-minute sequence in a motel, but the rest of the time is spent in the van driving around.
Forty minutes in, (and all this time, no one has even uttered a word about zombies, there’s no girls ‘going wild’ and outside of the mother, we haven’t even seen anyone of the female variety at all) and they arrive at a lake, which was told was the sight of a ‘wild-and-crazy’ party, and after spending five minutes cursing each other out for not following the proper directions, they are approached by two women, and when it’s discovered that one of them is deaf, they spend five minutes making ‘deaf=retarded’ jokes at her expense, the punchline to the whole experience being that the deaf girl can ‘read lips.’ Seriously, that’s why it’s allowed to go that long, so they can get that joke in.
We’re now fifty-minutes in with all this, and now a third woman shows up, who actually has a name, and spends five more minutes telling them the directions to the official party so the local cop won’t be able to stop them, since it’s illegal and all. That leads to another fifteen minutes of time (again, I’m not lying here or making any of this up) with the three, still in the poop-joke category, running around the lake trying to get away from the cop (played by the same guy who played the father’s early in the film, and despite looking like someone from The Beverly Hillbillies, sports the 7/11 Pakistani worker accent) in a series of utterly stupid slap-stick efforts.
Guess what, we’re over an hour into the movie (if you’ve been keeping track, that’s an hour and ten minutes) and we’ve yet to see one zombie, one ounce of blood, or even a boob or nipple. There’s not even an hint that this is a horror film, and the film still has the gall to go on for another half-hour. That’s right, it spends an hour and ten minutes on the adventures of these three guys while giving only thirty on zombie carnage. As for the rest of the film, here’s a recap: the zombies look so ridiculous that Romero’s pancake-mix zombies look high-tech (seriously, the only way to tell they look at all like zombies is that they have huge raccoon eyes, whereby black make-up is done around the eyes in such fashion as to appear that they sport raccoon eyes, and nothing else) gore consists of some blood-splatter and a cut on the finger, we only get to see one of the women show off their boobs, and it’s only one of them and it’s not the one who should’ve done it, and then, then to top it all off, think of the lamest, dumbest, most cliched ending possible in the history of cinema (go on, do it. I’ll wait, it shouldn’t be that hard) then picture an ending ten-times dumber, is set up a mile away and yet is played off as a surprise no one saw coming.
I hope I’ve urged you all to stay the fuck away from this one. It doesn’t deserve anything but derision.
0/10
Maybe, of course, it's also a sign I need to stop watching zombie movies for a while. This would've been the third straight week I would've watched nothing but, so maybe I need a new genre to tear through.
|
|
|
|
Post by Heineken Skywalker on Feb 11, 2009 13:10:15 GMT -5
I hope I’ve urged you all to stay the fuck away from this one. It doesn’t deserve anything but derision. Maybe, of course, it's also a sign I need to stop watching zombie movies for a while. This would've been the third straight week I would've watched nothing but, so maybe I need a new genre to tear through. Damn, guess I'll have to take ZOMBIES GONE WILD off my Netflix queue now. ;D If you'd like to try movies from other genres, I do this thing here called The Genre of the Month. You should check it out. ;D |
|
|
|
Post by slayrrr666 on Feb 12, 2009 11:06:24 GMT -5
I did, yesterday, but the thing that really screws me is my non-access to that genre. I'm pretty much limited to what I can catch on TV, as those aren't movies I have sitting around in my collection waiting to be watched. Netflix would work, if I didn't already have 15 films left on there with less than two weeks left on the subscription. Gonna be kinda hard to get to those films left.
Terms of Endearment-See thoughts in Movie Genre thread.
|
|
|
|
Post by Termination on Feb 14, 2009 1:45:32 GMT -5
Baby Mama (2008) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 9/10
HD Audio dts-HDMA - 9/10
Hulk (2003) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 9/10
HD Audio dts-HDMA - 9/10
The Love Guru (2008) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 10/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 8/10
Made of Honor (2008) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 10/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 9/10
|
|
|
|
Post by ZapRowsdower on Feb 14, 2009 6:28:39 GMT -5
Friday the 13th (2009, Marcus Nispel)
It's okay, I guess. I'm sure this isn't saying much, but there are at least four sequels to the original than which this is better. But it doesn't hold a candle to the original, or part 2. This one seems to be a joining of the first three films. Could we have lived without it? Happily. Is it terrible? No. It just is. As a slasher, it serves its purpose. And an honest question, for what other reason would we want to watch a movie like this than to watch bad actors (preferably naked) get cut, stabbed, maimed, tortured and impaled? It's a remake of a cheesy 80's horror flick, and it was produced by Michael Bay. Whaddya expect, Hamlet?
7/10
MUCH better than the My Bloody Valentine remake, mind you. Without the 3-D, that movie's crap.
|
|
|
|
Post by slayrrr666 on Feb 14, 2009 11:10:46 GMT -5
Patton-See thoughts in Movie Genre thread.
Monkey Shines-Absolutely crap, nothing at all in here worthwhile. Way, way too long for it's own good (I think an episode of Malcolm in the Middle did a spoof of this entire movie as a B-plot, not the main angle and was much more enjoyable anyway) and at 110 minutes, that just means it meanders on and on and on that just make it last an eternity. Plus, the monkey's not really threatening (at least not to me, I've always wanted to strangle every one I've ever come across, they just do that to me for some reason) and at least the finale has some fun since it starts knocking people off and moving with some energy, but it's just not worth it.
1.5/10
|
|
|
|
Post by Termination on Feb 16, 2009 0:35:31 GMT -5
Risky Business (1983) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 9/10
HD Audio Dolby Digital - 7/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 8/10
Speed Racer (2008) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 9/10
HD Audio Dolby Digital - 8/10
W. (2008) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 9/10
HD Audio dts-HDMA - 9/10
|
|
. Overall, it is very cheesy, often unintentionally funny, but its still fun.