1. Breach
2. Smokin' Aces
3. Ghost Rider
It is nice and easy when I have seen 1 great movie, 1 okay movie, and 1 bad movie.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
Ghost Rider
Hooray for mediocre comic book movies! I do not want to go through a year without my slice of blatant super hero cash-in. You know what? I just might get two servings of that pie in 2007, there is still Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer this summer. Now with Ghost Rider there were no glaring faults but at the same time there was absolutely no reason to see this again. Unless you are just that big a fan of Johnny Blaze, me, I prefer Johnny Blaze to be in reference to Method Man.
Usually I like to list the positives first, it makes me seem like a much more glass half full type of guy. I do care ever so much about that. There is a problem though; there ain’t anything to list. That is a bit of an overstatement. Sam Elliott was awesome. But then again it is Sam Elliott; I am in favor of anything that allows me to hear him speak words. Let’s see what else? The CG didn’t suck; well some of it did. It was nice to see Peter Fonda. He didn’t do anything worth remembering but it was still fun to have him show up. I’m out of anything worth mentioning.
I am not going to waste my precious time reiterating that this whole thing was unnecessary. Were you the one demanding to see Ghost Rider on the big screen? If so, screw you and ya owe me 9 bucks. In lieu of payment, let me ask who would you use as the definition of average actor? I would say Nicolas Cage. This time around he puts all his average skills to use crafting something forgettable just for you. He fits right in with average comedian Donal Logue and average actress Eva Mendes. So we have a money-grab populated with uninspired casting but maybe there is a great script … no. Just move on.
Hey if you haven’t figured it out yet, don’t see this movie. It didn’t even have the decency to be memorably bad. Ghost Rider is just there to take your money and leave you feeling empty. Don’t fall in to its trap.
4 out of 10
Usually I like to list the positives first, it makes me seem like a much more glass half full type of guy. I do care ever so much about that. There is a problem though; there ain’t anything to list. That is a bit of an overstatement. Sam Elliott was awesome. But then again it is Sam Elliott; I am in favor of anything that allows me to hear him speak words. Let’s see what else? The CG didn’t suck; well some of it did. It was nice to see Peter Fonda. He didn’t do anything worth remembering but it was still fun to have him show up. I’m out of anything worth mentioning.
I am not going to waste my precious time reiterating that this whole thing was unnecessary. Were you the one demanding to see Ghost Rider on the big screen? If so, screw you and ya owe me 9 bucks. In lieu of payment, let me ask who would you use as the definition of average actor? I would say Nicolas Cage. This time around he puts all his average skills to use crafting something forgettable just for you. He fits right in with average comedian Donal Logue and average actress Eva Mendes. So we have a money-grab populated with uninspired casting but maybe there is a great script … no. Just move on.
Hey if you haven’t figured it out yet, don’t see this movie. It didn’t even have the decency to be memorably bad. Ghost Rider is just there to take your money and leave you feeling empty. Don’t fall in to its trap.
4 out of 10
Thursday, February 22, 2007
The All-Time Top 100
- The Godfather
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
- The Godfather: Part II
- Star Wars V – The Empire Strikes Back
- Kill Bill: Vol. 2
- Se7en
- Jaws
- The French Connection
- Kill Bill: Vol. 1
- Braveheart
- Gladiator
- Raiders of the Lost Ark
- The Shawshank Redemption
- Saving Private Ryan
- Star Wars IV – A New Hope
- Alien
- Pulp Fiction
- Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
- Goodfellas
- The Departed
- The Hustler
- Drunken Master
- Battle Royale
- American History X
- Rocky
- Die Hard
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day
- Unforgiven
- Jurassic Park
- The Maltese Falcon
- Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- The Usual Suspects
- Hero
- The Sting
- Drunken Master II
- The Killer
- Chinatown
- A Better Tomorrow
- The House of Flying Daggers
- Schindler’s List
- Hard Boiled
- Rear Window
- Bonnie Clyde
- Gangs of New York
- Good Will Hunting
- Heat
- Spider-Man 2
- Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
- Seven Samurai
- The Insider
- Tombstone
- Children of Men
- X2
- Oldboy
- Leon: The Professional
- Syriana
- Black Hawk Down
- Munich
- Glory
- The Wild Bunch
- Batman Begins
- Lady Vengeance
- Back to the Future
- Blade Runner
- A History of Violence
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Rounders
- The Princess Bride
- The Shining
- Traffic
- Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
- The Silence of the Lambs
- Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- Training Day
- Midnight Run
- Batman
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
- Taxi Driver
- Enter the Dragon
- Boyz N the Hood
- Whale Rider
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
- Letters from the Iwo Jima
- The Aviator
- Lethal Weapon
- Vertigo
- The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
- Iron Monkey
- Apocalypse Now
- Pan’s Labyrinth
- Wall Street
- Boogie Nights
- Donnie Brasco
- Finding Neverland
- Casino Royale
- Casino
- Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
- Hard Candy
- Infernal Affairs
The 2007 List
1. Breach
2. Smokin' Aces
That was nice and easy. Plus I highly doubt that these movies will flip-flop in my mind by the end of the year.
2. Smokin' Aces
That was nice and easy. Plus I highly doubt that these movies will flip-flop in my mind by the end of the year.
Breach
This is way too early in the year for a great movie. I have been trained to view the film calendar in the 4 parts. We are smack dab in the middle of part A. January through April is a barren wasteland, there are okay movies here and there but the vast majority of movies released at this time are there to distract at best. Usually they suck and suck hard. Well Breach screwed with the timetable. I am thoroughly flummoxed about this.
Well, Chris Cooper should get an Oscar nomination. The problem is that the 2006 Academy Awards haven’t even happened yet so by the time the next season roles around all this will be forgotten. I won’t overlook what you did here Mr. Cooper; I got your back. There were also fine efforts provided by Ryan Phillippe and Laura Linney. But just like Chris Cooper, it is not surprising that they delivered here. The casting of this movie was nearly perfect. Outside of the big three at the top, commanding presence FBI guy played by Dennis Haysbert, middle management FBI guy played by Gary Cole, paranoid wife played by girl who had toy animals talking to her on Wonderfalls, all good stuff. Thankfully the story clicked along with the acting. It may not be the greatest espionage plot ever but it kept me involved until the handcuffs were snapped in place. Plus it was a true story for that great skin-crawling feeling.
It is nice to have this level of movie show up so early in the year. I now already have a top-shelf film to start my 2007 list. Usually I am throwing shit against the wall because there mathematically has to be a top five even in April when I actually haven’t seen 5 movies worth recommending yet. So what that nobody saw it! I did my part and that is really all that matters to me.
9 out of 10
Well, Chris Cooper should get an Oscar nomination. The problem is that the 2006 Academy Awards haven’t even happened yet so by the time the next season roles around all this will be forgotten. I won’t overlook what you did here Mr. Cooper; I got your back. There were also fine efforts provided by Ryan Phillippe and Laura Linney. But just like Chris Cooper, it is not surprising that they delivered here. The casting of this movie was nearly perfect. Outside of the big three at the top, commanding presence FBI guy played by Dennis Haysbert, middle management FBI guy played by Gary Cole, paranoid wife played by girl who had toy animals talking to her on Wonderfalls, all good stuff. Thankfully the story clicked along with the acting. It may not be the greatest espionage plot ever but it kept me involved until the handcuffs were snapped in place. Plus it was a true story for that great skin-crawling feeling.
It is nice to have this level of movie show up so early in the year. I now already have a top-shelf film to start my 2007 list. Usually I am throwing shit against the wall because there mathematically has to be a top five even in April when I actually haven’t seen 5 movies worth recommending yet. So what that nobody saw it! I did my part and that is really all that matters to me.
9 out of 10
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Smokin' Aces
Hey kids, do you like violence? Cause I have nearly 2 hours of senseless violence ready and available for your viewing pleasure. What about me? I am and always have been completely in favor of violence with or without sense. Although Smokin’ at least provided a reason for bullets, the problem is that they decided to throw in deep message at the end. You can’t have it both ways. It is either mindless action or profound underlying meanings that may change your life. This time around I was a willing participant to A but the inclusion of B soured me to the whole experience.
The good thing about a movie made by Joe Carnahan, and I can say this because this plus Narc creates the beginning of a pattern; he enjoys the trappings of the R rating. If you are going to be overly profane at least be creative and have fun with it. Ryan Reynolds, Jeremy Piven, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Ray Liotta, Common freaking Sense, among others all get their chance. Then after the jokes it would segue way into everyone shooting each other. Also a dude sat on a chainsaw, for a split second I thought Piven knocked someone’s eye out with a playing card and it was awesome for that second, Alicia Keys, Bateman’s cold sore and saying the phrase “dick beaters”, and the Beyonce to Big Foot line.
Like I was saying earlier, the conclusion to the plot was ridiculous even for this movie. The reveals were on the nose and the emotional finale was not earned in the slightest. The only thing it accomplished was to make me laugh. That and it really made me wonder about the security at hospitals since it really seems like the intensive care doors have magical locks.
Overall bullets flying and buckets of blood were big positives and on their own make the movie worth seeing but the final 15 minutes drops it a few levels.
6 out of 10
The good thing about a movie made by Joe Carnahan, and I can say this because this plus Narc creates the beginning of a pattern; he enjoys the trappings of the R rating. If you are going to be overly profane at least be creative and have fun with it. Ryan Reynolds, Jeremy Piven, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Ray Liotta, Common freaking Sense, among others all get their chance. Then after the jokes it would segue way into everyone shooting each other. Also a dude sat on a chainsaw, for a split second I thought Piven knocked someone’s eye out with a playing card and it was awesome for that second, Alicia Keys, Bateman’s cold sore and saying the phrase “dick beaters”, and the Beyonce to Big Foot line.
Like I was saying earlier, the conclusion to the plot was ridiculous even for this movie. The reveals were on the nose and the emotional finale was not earned in the slightest. The only thing it accomplished was to make me laugh. That and it really made me wonder about the security at hospitals since it really seems like the intensive care doors have magical locks.
Overall bullets flying and buckets of blood were big positives and on their own make the movie worth seeing but the final 15 minutes drops it a few levels.
6 out of 10
The Rules of the Game
Movies will be reviewed by me. These reviews are for educational and research purposes only. Things will start with theater releases but I will probably venture into older stuff and maybe even television. At the end I will give you a number from 1-10, I do hope you can figure out the scale.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
First Things First
I have decided to take a foolish leap into this brave new world. The main reason for this is because reviewing 65 movies all at once has become a form of personal torture. So, I think I will try to do this one at a time and save myself the grief. Plus if I am going to do this consistently I might as well find a home for my words. This shall be that home.
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