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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Feb 16, 2009 9:22:21 GMT -5
CHANGELING (2008)
Based on the true story of Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie), who one day in 1928, left for work, only to come home that evening and find that her son was missing. She reports her son as missing, and as the months go by, and just when all hope seems lost, her son is suddenly found and returned to her. Or is he? Christine is adamant that the boy who has been returned to her is not her son. She confronts the LAPD, and even though she has credible people on her side, this results in her being labeled an unfit mother and put in an insane asylum.
One of those "stranger than fiction" stories that you wouldn't believe if it didn't really happen.
Jolie is really good here and even though her private life is very overexposed in the media, she is one of the few who can actually deliver the goods on-screen.
Even if it is under-appreciated, I think this is another triumph for director Clint Eastwood.
8/10
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raina
Junior Member
Posts: 77
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Post by raina on Feb 16, 2009 13:06:38 GMT -5
Our Valentine's Day marathon....
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
This is an odd one. One of my favorite vampire movies, but it is so flawed. VERY uneven and there are some absolutely terrible casting decisions (*coughkeanureevescough*) along with some really good ones (I really like Gary Oldman as Dracula and Anthony Hopkins as Van Helsing). Its often beautiful visually but its too long, and often overly romanticized....still, I love it.
8/10
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
Of course, we had to open these one up. One of my favorite '80s slasher films, its actually a bit different from others of its type, just because of the setting, which is a small, rundown mining town. Its cheesy, and the acting is awful, sure, but its a hell of a lot of fun if you are a fan of slasher films. It was great to finally see the uncut version.
7/10
Candyman (1992)
Helen (Virginia Madsen), a student finishing up her thesis on urban legends becomes fascinated by the legend of Candyman (Tony Todd). Stand in front of the mirror and say his name five times, and he will appear and brutally murder you. In the Cabrini Green projects, Candyman is blamed for several unsolved murders in the area, and Helen goes to investigate.
Very underrated, this is one of the best horror films of the '90s. Very smart, very creepy and it has an evil, yet also sympathetic monster; just an all around great horror film, in my opinion.
8.5/10
Nightbreed (1990)
And another of my favorites. A tale about monsters that just want to survive, but are hunted down by man. It has its problems, sure, but I still think this is an underrated horror film. Its not subtle with its message (is man the REAL monster?) but it still works and its unique. Its also based on one of my favorite stories ever.
7/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Feb 17, 2009 9:17:44 GMT -5
MILK (2008)
Sean Penn is really terrific in this biopic about Harvey Milk, a San Francisco supervisor who was California's first openly gay elected official. The film does a good job of balancing Milk's private life and his activism and political work, and the supporting cast are excellent across the board.
Another feather in director Gus Van Sant's hat.
8.5/10
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Post by Termination on Feb 17, 2009 16:21:07 GMT -5
Zack & Miri Make a Porno (2008) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 9/10
HD Audio Dolby Digital - 7/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 8/10
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Post by slayrrr666 on Feb 18, 2009 11:02:39 GMT -5
The Godfather-See thoughts in Movie Genre thread.
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Feb 20, 2009 13:17:34 GMT -5
Still catching up with this year's Oscar nominated films. I've now seen THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, FROST/NIXON, MILK and last night:
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (2008)
A teen who grew up in the Mumbai slums becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?". He is arrested and interrogated because he's suspected of cheating, and, in flashbacks, we are shown the real reasons why he knows the answers to the Millionaire questions.
Neat gimmick and it's entertaining, but is it just me, or are all of this year's Best Picture nominees slightly overrated? I enjoyed this one and the other 3 nominees I've seen, but none of them have really blown me away. MILK is the best of the bunch, but I think most of the nominees weren't as good as non-Best Picture nominees like THE WRESTLER, THE DARK KNIGHT, IRON MAN, TROPIC THUNDER, or BURN AFTER READING.
8/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Feb 21, 2009 12:55:12 GMT -5
FANBOYS (2008)
It's only playing in limited release, but luckily there is a theater near me, well, about 40 minutes away, showing it.
In 1998, four childhood friends, and devoted STAR WARS fans/sci-fi geeks, decide to take a roadtrip from Ohio to San Francisco, to George Lucas' fabled Skywalker Ranch, break in, and watch EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, months before it is released to the general public. Is it because they're such fans that they just can't wait? No, it's because one of them is dying and isn't going to live long enough to see it in a theater.
As a self-proclaimed STAR WARS fanboy, I thought the movie was pretty funny and sometimes hilarious, but I do think the more versed you are in the world of STAR WARS, sci-fi, and 70's to 90's general pop culture, the funnier you'll find it. If you're only a fan in passing, a lot of the in-jokes or site-gags might go right over your head. I think this will also appeal to Kevin Smith fans as it has that type of sensibility and humor, only maybe less raunchy. The lead actors were all good and there are lots of funny cameos too. One stand-out scene has the STAR WARS fans face off against a group of "Trekkies", or "Trekkers" as they prefer, in a battle of the geeks.
This movie has "cult favorite" written all over it.
Catch it if it's playing in your city and you're a fan of the aforementioned stuff.
8/10
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Post by Bartwald on Feb 21, 2009 15:20:59 GMT -5
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 Agree - that's a fine, fine horror! I wasn't too surprised by its quality as I'd already seen Alex de la Iglesia's The Day of the Beast which is high on the list of my genre favourites. This guy is damn talented! (Even if his latest, The Oxford Murders, doesn't impress quite as much as these two films mentioned above.) |
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Post by Termination on Feb 21, 2009 21:53:03 GMT -5
Blow (2001) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 10/10
HD Audio Dolby Digital - 7/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 8/10
Deception (2008) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 9/10
HD Audio dts-HDMA - 9/10
The Godfather (1972) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 8/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 8/10
The Godfather Part II (1974) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 8/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 8/10
The Godfather Part III (1990) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 9/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 9/10
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raina
Junior Member
Posts: 77
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Post by raina on Feb 21, 2009 23:39:34 GMT -5
Agree - that's a fine, fine horror! I wasn't too surprised by its quality as I'd already seen Alex de la Iglesia's The Day of the Beast which is high on the list of my genre favourites. This guy is damn talented! (Even if his latest, The Oxford Murders, doesn't impress quite as much as these two films mentioned above.) I've never even heard of The Day of the Beast, I will have to look for that one. I haven't watched it yet, but I have heard really good things about Acción mutante as well. It is in my Netflix queue....somewhere.  |
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Post by slayrrr666 on Feb 22, 2009 11:27:48 GMT -5
Unforgiven-See thoughts in Movie Genre thread.
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Feb 22, 2009 17:58:40 GMT -5
THE READER (2008)
Which gets me all caught up with this year's five "Best Picture" nominees.
Kate Winslet plays Hanna Schmitz, a German woman in her 30's who, in 1958, develops a relationship with Michael Berg, a 15-year old boy. Hanna asks Michael to read books to her and this starts a strange cycle, where Michael reads to Hanna and then they make love. This goes on for a summer and then one day Hanna mysteriously disappears with no explanation for Michael.
8 years later, Michael, who is now a law student, attends the trial of five women who are former guards at a Nazi concentration camp, where he shockingly discovers that Hanna was one of them. He attends the trial, never having told anyone about their affair or even that he knew her, and at one point he comes to a realization that could save her from life in prison.
This was better than I thought it would be and Kate completely deserves her Oscar nomination, but one of the five best pictures of the year? No way. Like most of the nominees, it's a bit overrated and it almost seems like this year the Academy, who for the last couple of years has awarded Best Picture to movies that were critical and fan favorites, like NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN or THE DEPARTED were determined that this year, a smaller film should win. Personally, I feel that THE DARK KNIGHT was robbed of a nomination by THE READER being nominated instead.
7/10
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Post by slayrrr666 on Feb 23, 2009 11:09:02 GMT -5
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Post by Termination on Feb 23, 2009 21:49:06 GMT -5
L.A. Confidential (1997) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 8/10
HD Audio Dolby Digital - 7/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 8/10
VERY disappointing transfer for such a great film.
Pride & Glory (2008) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 9/10
HD Audio Dolby Digital - 8/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 9/10
Leatherheads (2008) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 10/10
HD Audio dts-HDMA - 10/10
Madagascar (2005) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 10/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 9/10
Run Fatboy Run (2007) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 9/10
HD Audio dts-HDMA - 9/10
Sex & the City: The Movie (2008) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 9/10
HD Audio Dolby Digital - 8/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 9/10
Shrek the Third (2007) (Blu-Ray)
HD Video - 10/10
HD Audio Dolby TrueHD - 9/10
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raina
Junior Member
Posts: 77
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Post by raina on Feb 24, 2009 21:17:42 GMT -5
Death Note (2006) Based on a manga series of the same name. University student Light Yagami comes across the Death Note of a god of death when he drops it in the human world (because he's bored maybe?  ). The Death Note has the ability to kill anyone, just write the name of the person you want dead in the book and they will die instantly of a heart attack. Light, disgusted with a justice system that lets murderers free, decides to use the Death Note to kill off unrepentant criminals (or you know, any criminal really). Soon, the police are on to the fact that they have a vigilante killer in their midst (if they are unsure of exactly how he is killing them) and they set up a team to try to uncover his identity. Enter a mysterious investigator known only as "L". So begins the battles of wits between these two young men. And they are pretty evenly matched. This is now one, actually two of my favorite Asian films, I was instantly drawn in. We also watched the sequel Death Note: The Last Name (also 2006), and since it is just a continuation of the events in the first film, I am reviewing them together. They aren't perfect, but I absolutely LOVED these movies. 9/10 Friday the 13th (2009) Well, here we go, a recent remake (or re-imagining) I didn't hate. ;D The Friday the 13th films were never exactly sacred to me (I find the first one to be overrated, derivative and a bit of a bore honestly. But I do think they are fun) so maybe that's why, but I had a really good time with this one. Some annoying camera work aside, the pace of the film is very good, it knows the genre and the formula of the slasher film very well (and uses it effectively). There is something here I found to be incredibly unlikely, but overall, its a fun slasher. 7/10 Trapped Ashes (2006) Bit disappointing really, because it had the potential to be a pretty good anthology horror film. Some of its really bad, some of its almost good, most of it.....a bit of a bore. Though it did have blood sucking breasts. So there's that..... 3.5/10 Saw V (2008) Never been a huge fan of these films, and I also happen to be one of the VERY few people (I'm sure) that happens to like the last three films better than the first two. Why? Couldn't stand the ending of the first one (it really just made me laugh) and Cary Elwes made me want to throw something large and heavy through my television. The second one, all the character irritated the hell out of me. Now, I have gotten used to what I feel is a ridiculously convoluted plot and I just kind of go with it and the characters don't bug me as much. So, basically, I liked it okay. Not quite as much as the last two films though. 5.5/10 Timber Falls (2007) A young couple head to West Virginia for a weekend of hiking and camping in Lake Kimbrabow State Park and are taken hostage by a deranged family of religious fanatics. Derivative, and mostly stupid, but it has its moments. 4/10 |
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). The Death Note has the ability to kill anyone, just write the name of the person you want dead in the book and they will die instantly of a heart attack.