Statistics
10/10 - 7
9/10 - 7
8.5/10 - 8
8/10 - 22
7.5/10 - 23
7/10 - 21
6.5/10 - 5
6/10 - 5
5/10 - 2
Average Movie Rating = 769/100 = 7.69
Favorite movie: The Fall
Least favorite movie: Close Encounters With the Third Kind
9/10 - 7
8.5/10 - 8
8/10 - 22
7.5/10 - 23
7/10 - 21
6.5/10 - 5
6/10 - 5
5/10 - 2
Average Movie Rating = 769/100 = 7.69
Favorite movie: The Fall
Least favorite movie: Close Encounters With the Third Kind
#100 Little Children (12/29/11)
Dir. Todd Field
2006
Yay I reached 100 movies in only 7 months! *Imagine confetti floating on my site. I apologize for not being technologically knowledgeable enough to apply such affects.* And unlike my unfortunate cinematic selection below, I made sure my 100th film would be memorable. The sensational Kate Winslet plays an antisocial suburban mother who leads a very humdrum lifestyle with a four-year-old daughter and a husband with bizarre sexual tendencies. Her life intermingles with a "househusband", Brad, whose wife is very able and attractive, but puts too much of her attention on their son instead of her marital relationship. The story is embellished by a sub-plot regarding a registered sex offender in the same neighborhood who is constantly being bullied by a disgruntled ex-cop who is also Brad's friend. Ironically, it's one of the more "R" movies I've seen and little children should never approach it; in fact, even the poster for it. It's very scandalous and amoral although those are the key elements to what made this story solid. Also, I noticed that when kids are used well in movies, they have the power to evoke so much emotions. The contrast Field makes between the tenuous obliviousness and innocence of youth and the corrupt mentality of an adult was subtle but consistently present throughout and made the film all the more interesting. The suburban setting of such a dark story had a Lynchian feel to it and the pool scene with the sex offender certainly made me feel like I was watching a Hitchcock thriller.
9/10
2006
Yay I reached 100 movies in only 7 months! *Imagine confetti floating on my site. I apologize for not being technologically knowledgeable enough to apply such affects.* And unlike my unfortunate cinematic selection below, I made sure my 100th film would be memorable. The sensational Kate Winslet plays an antisocial suburban mother who leads a very humdrum lifestyle with a four-year-old daughter and a husband with bizarre sexual tendencies. Her life intermingles with a "househusband", Brad, whose wife is very able and attractive, but puts too much of her attention on their son instead of her marital relationship. The story is embellished by a sub-plot regarding a registered sex offender in the same neighborhood who is constantly being bullied by a disgruntled ex-cop who is also Brad's friend. Ironically, it's one of the more "R" movies I've seen and little children should never approach it; in fact, even the poster for it. It's very scandalous and amoral although those are the key elements to what made this story solid. Also, I noticed that when kids are used well in movies, they have the power to evoke so much emotions. The contrast Field makes between the tenuous obliviousness and innocence of youth and the corrupt mentality of an adult was subtle but consistently present throughout and made the film all the more interesting. The suburban setting of such a dark story had a Lynchian feel to it and the pool scene with the sex offender certainly made me feel like I was watching a Hitchcock thriller.
9/10
#99 Mixed Nuts (12/25/11)
Dir. Nora Ephron
1994
What a shame. Ironically for a director with the best name ever, she has directed one of the worst romantic comedies I have ever seen. I mean it was Christmas night and my options were either this, Edward Scissorhands which I've watched only a couple months ago, or A Serious Man which I hear is the most depressing movie ever. Philip (Steve Martin) works at a non-profit organization Suicide Hotline center with two female colleagues, one of whom is extremely irritable and the other one very prude. For some weird reason that I must have missed despite the fact that I was paying every inch of my attention, an annoying neighbor, a lonely transexual, a pregnant woman and her starving artist husband come together conveniently at the same time to Philip's workplace and out of nowhere, murder somebody. It's cacophonous, silly, and messed up. Upon reading professional critiques for this film, I came across the term "black comedy" many times. What about this movie possibly possessed elements of black comedy? The helpline subplot was a very minor one and the movie's attempt at going the holiday direction is just cruel-spirited. Most of its humor stems from physical stunts/acts like two grown men ballroom dancing, and throwing a fruitcake around like a frisbee, and a lot of flipping and slipping. The cast wasn't half as bad, but maybe it was too big. It's like Nora Ephron intentionally put seven clowns in one small stage and expected the audience to pay attention to each of them.
5/10
1994
What a shame. Ironically for a director with the best name ever, she has directed one of the worst romantic comedies I have ever seen. I mean it was Christmas night and my options were either this, Edward Scissorhands which I've watched only a couple months ago, or A Serious Man which I hear is the most depressing movie ever. Philip (Steve Martin) works at a non-profit organization Suicide Hotline center with two female colleagues, one of whom is extremely irritable and the other one very prude. For some weird reason that I must have missed despite the fact that I was paying every inch of my attention, an annoying neighbor, a lonely transexual, a pregnant woman and her starving artist husband come together conveniently at the same time to Philip's workplace and out of nowhere, murder somebody. It's cacophonous, silly, and messed up. Upon reading professional critiques for this film, I came across the term "black comedy" many times. What about this movie possibly possessed elements of black comedy? The helpline subplot was a very minor one and the movie's attempt at going the holiday direction is just cruel-spirited. Most of its humor stems from physical stunts/acts like two grown men ballroom dancing, and throwing a fruitcake around like a frisbee, and a lot of flipping and slipping. The cast wasn't half as bad, but maybe it was too big. It's like Nora Ephron intentionally put seven clowns in one small stage and expected the audience to pay attention to each of them.
5/10
#98 Tangled (12/24/11)
Dir. Nathan Greno & Byron Howard
2010
We didn't have any Christmas movies available to watch this year and this was the closest thing we could find. Now, I try my best to avoid watching animated films because quite unfortunately, the animation industry has been slowly disintegrating, especially Disney. Failing to correspond with my expectations, Tangled was in fact very sweet and fun without overdoing the cliché found in a typical fairy tale. The physical animating was done incredibly well with the characters looking like actual people for once. I couldn't help but notice that the character Flynn Rider looked a bit too much like Adrien Brody. The biggest praise I have for this film is that it combined humor that wasn't just catered for 6-year-old kids but also wasn't PG-13 either. Although hard to pick, I think my favorite line in the film was the last line when Flynn says, "Marriage? Well after years and years of asking, I finally said yes". On an end note, what I believe what prevents today's animated features to receive the same amount of critical acclaim as their older counterparts is the soundtrack. Animation soundtracks of today are so much worse than the those of the older classics such as Colours of the Wind and Whole New World. The songs from Tangled weren't as good either, but at least they weren't completely bogus like the ones from The Princess and the Frog of the previous year.
7.5/10
2010
We didn't have any Christmas movies available to watch this year and this was the closest thing we could find. Now, I try my best to avoid watching animated films because quite unfortunately, the animation industry has been slowly disintegrating, especially Disney. Failing to correspond with my expectations, Tangled was in fact very sweet and fun without overdoing the cliché found in a typical fairy tale. The physical animating was done incredibly well with the characters looking like actual people for once. I couldn't help but notice that the character Flynn Rider looked a bit too much like Adrien Brody. The biggest praise I have for this film is that it combined humor that wasn't just catered for 6-year-old kids but also wasn't PG-13 either. Although hard to pick, I think my favorite line in the film was the last line when Flynn says, "Marriage? Well after years and years of asking, I finally said yes". On an end note, what I believe what prevents today's animated features to receive the same amount of critical acclaim as their older counterparts is the soundtrack. Animation soundtracks of today are so much worse than the those of the older classics such as Colours of the Wind and Whole New World. The songs from Tangled weren't as good either, but at least they weren't completely bogus like the ones from The Princess and the Frog of the previous year.
7.5/10
#97 An American In Paris (12/23/11)
Dir. Vincente Minnelli
1951
As uncomfortable to the eyes technicolor can be, the colors in An American In Paris were truly remarkable and saved the movie from becoming an ordinary musical. This film wasn't nearly as quality (if that word could be used as an adjective) as its successor Singin' In the Rain, but I thought it was fun and the choreography by Gene Kelly luckily alleviated the problem I had with the film's inevitable plot holes. The story is awful; suspension of disbelief is definitely necessary to watch this. It's about an American in Paris (whoa, where did I get that?) who is a struggling artist and is recognized by a rich heiress, interested in more than just his work if you know what I mean. The American falls in love at first sight with a younger, French girl who is in turn engaged to a famous performer in the show business. It's very Korean drama if you ask me. Another fault I found with this movie is that the ambitious and grand on-screen persona Gene Kelly has did not fit his character as a young penniless artist. It worked with Singin' In the Rain because he played a heartthrob actor, but Gene Kelly is just not fit to play such a humble, lowly character. On an end note, the dancing sequence in the last 20 minutes was impeccable and I wouldn't be surprised if it took a million dollars to build just the set for it. The movie's entertainment value is very high, but I wouldn't consider it a must-watch or anything.
7.5/10
1951
As uncomfortable to the eyes technicolor can be, the colors in An American In Paris were truly remarkable and saved the movie from becoming an ordinary musical. This film wasn't nearly as quality (if that word could be used as an adjective) as its successor Singin' In the Rain, but I thought it was fun and the choreography by Gene Kelly luckily alleviated the problem I had with the film's inevitable plot holes. The story is awful; suspension of disbelief is definitely necessary to watch this. It's about an American in Paris (whoa, where did I get that?) who is a struggling artist and is recognized by a rich heiress, interested in more than just his work if you know what I mean. The American falls in love at first sight with a younger, French girl who is in turn engaged to a famous performer in the show business. It's very Korean drama if you ask me. Another fault I found with this movie is that the ambitious and grand on-screen persona Gene Kelly has did not fit his character as a young penniless artist. It worked with Singin' In the Rain because he played a heartthrob actor, but Gene Kelly is just not fit to play such a humble, lowly character. On an end note, the dancing sequence in the last 20 minutes was impeccable and I wouldn't be surprised if it took a million dollars to build just the set for it. The movie's entertainment value is very high, but I wouldn't consider it a must-watch or anything.
7.5/10
#96 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (12/21/11)
Dir. David Fincher
2011
Oh god, I don't think I'm fit to write a review for this movie because I had the hardest time trying to follow it. I also can't tell if that was the film's fault or mine. My attention was solely on the movie, but I did have a difficult time processing the unfamiliar Swedish accent and the fact that the film was very dialogue-heavy didn't help much with my predicament. Stylistically, the film is perfect. It's very consistent with the dark tone that is presented since the very visually appealing opening credits. The rape scene was brutal and made me squirm like a wet kitten, which unfortunately followed with an even more intense revenge scene that almost made me puke with my empty stomach. I couldn't help but notice the ubiquitous product placements that were blatantly obvious throughout including Coca Cola, Apple laptops, and Honda cars. I guess it shows that David Fincher is a very loyal American, but they were a bit distracting if you ask me. I have never read the book nor do I remember the Swedish version my friend made me watch at 12am more than a year ago so I do not have anything to compare this film to. It was an interesting movie to sit through and I say it was worth my 10 dollars and 3 hours. Lastly, though TGWTDT is nowhere near being my favorite film of the year, Rooney Mara might snatch my #1 actress of the year award. She showed some sheer dedication with her decision to get genuine piercings, being naked on screen, etc.
7.5/10
2011
Oh god, I don't think I'm fit to write a review for this movie because I had the hardest time trying to follow it. I also can't tell if that was the film's fault or mine. My attention was solely on the movie, but I did have a difficult time processing the unfamiliar Swedish accent and the fact that the film was very dialogue-heavy didn't help much with my predicament. Stylistically, the film is perfect. It's very consistent with the dark tone that is presented since the very visually appealing opening credits. The rape scene was brutal and made me squirm like a wet kitten, which unfortunately followed with an even more intense revenge scene that almost made me puke with my empty stomach. I couldn't help but notice the ubiquitous product placements that were blatantly obvious throughout including Coca Cola, Apple laptops, and Honda cars. I guess it shows that David Fincher is a very loyal American, but they were a bit distracting if you ask me. I have never read the book nor do I remember the Swedish version my friend made me watch at 12am more than a year ago so I do not have anything to compare this film to. It was an interesting movie to sit through and I say it was worth my 10 dollars and 3 hours. Lastly, though TGWTDT is nowhere near being my favorite film of the year, Rooney Mara might snatch my #1 actress of the year award. She showed some sheer dedication with her decision to get genuine piercings, being naked on screen, etc.
7.5/10
#95 Memories of Murder (12/21/11)
Dir. Bong Joon-Ho
2003
Watching impeccable Korean movies like this makes me want to weep in joy and embrace my heritage. Memories of Murder centers around two detectives - one being a stupid, unprofessional officer in the countryside who continuously accuses innocent suspects without any valid evidence. The other one is sharper and more practical and comes from Seoul to help with the investigation of what he believes to be a serial murder. It's based on a true story and truly sends cold shivers down your back through its entire 129 minutes of running time. What I liked the most about this film was that it was a small-scale murder flick as opposed to the usual big-budgeted, with a huge cast, with the villain using technologically superior weaponries for his/her killings Hollywood thrillers. Instead, the movie focuses more on character depth. The dumber detective, played by the fantastic Song Kang-Ho (left in the picture), may not be the most likable character ever, but he provides comic relief throughout and somehow succeeds in tugging at the heart strings of the viewers with his subtle but loving relationship with his right-hand man friend and his wife. The Seoul detective, played just as impressively by Kim Sang-Kyung, uncomfortably looked a bit too much like my old Elite teacher, which really has nothing to do with the quality of the movie but I would like to throw that out there.
9/10
2003
Watching impeccable Korean movies like this makes me want to weep in joy and embrace my heritage. Memories of Murder centers around two detectives - one being a stupid, unprofessional officer in the countryside who continuously accuses innocent suspects without any valid evidence. The other one is sharper and more practical and comes from Seoul to help with the investigation of what he believes to be a serial murder. It's based on a true story and truly sends cold shivers down your back through its entire 129 minutes of running time. What I liked the most about this film was that it was a small-scale murder flick as opposed to the usual big-budgeted, with a huge cast, with the villain using technologically superior weaponries for his/her killings Hollywood thrillers. Instead, the movie focuses more on character depth. The dumber detective, played by the fantastic Song Kang-Ho (left in the picture), may not be the most likable character ever, but he provides comic relief throughout and somehow succeeds in tugging at the heart strings of the viewers with his subtle but loving relationship with his right-hand man friend and his wife. The Seoul detective, played just as impressively by Kim Sang-Kyung, uncomfortably looked a bit too much like my old Elite teacher, which really has nothing to do with the quality of the movie but I would like to throw that out there.
9/10
#94 Empire of the Sun (12/20/11)
Dir. Steven Spielberg
1987
I don't like the current Christian Bale and I don't like 1987 little boy Christian Bale either. I had a difficult time understanding what he was saying because he is babbling half of the time instead of articulating his lines. I highly respect Spielberg as a director no matter how overrated he may be. Raiders of the Lost Ark will always remain as my favorite adventure epic movie and Jaws, Schindler's List, Minority Report are among the finest films of each respective genre. It's movies like this and Close Encounters of the Third Kind that make me question his talent as a filmmaker. What was this movie about? So there is this 13-year-old British kid Jim in China who is separated from his parents due to the Japanese occupation during WWII. He gets sent to a prisoner-of-war camp and befriends an American man (John Malkovich) who is very sharp and down-to-earth unlike Jim who is overly idealistic. From then on, the film breaks and fails to maintain any sense of coherence. Jim randomly transitions into a "man" that seems forced and unrealistic for there is no apparent stimulus to such change. And I am not Chinese, but I was slightly offended that the Chinese were depicted as idiot backdrops of the country while the oppressor Japanese were ironically shown in a positive light as they were depicted as strong, mannered, and warrior-like.
6.5/10
1987
I don't like the current Christian Bale and I don't like 1987 little boy Christian Bale either. I had a difficult time understanding what he was saying because he is babbling half of the time instead of articulating his lines. I highly respect Spielberg as a director no matter how overrated he may be. Raiders of the Lost Ark will always remain as my favorite adventure epic movie and Jaws, Schindler's List, Minority Report are among the finest films of each respective genre. It's movies like this and Close Encounters of the Third Kind that make me question his talent as a filmmaker. What was this movie about? So there is this 13-year-old British kid Jim in China who is separated from his parents due to the Japanese occupation during WWII. He gets sent to a prisoner-of-war camp and befriends an American man (John Malkovich) who is very sharp and down-to-earth unlike Jim who is overly idealistic. From then on, the film breaks and fails to maintain any sense of coherence. Jim randomly transitions into a "man" that seems forced and unrealistic for there is no apparent stimulus to such change. And I am not Chinese, but I was slightly offended that the Chinese were depicted as idiot backdrops of the country while the oppressor Japanese were ironically shown in a positive light as they were depicted as strong, mannered, and warrior-like.
6.5/10
#93 Stranger Than Fiction (12/16/11)
Dir. Marc Foster
2006
I keep forgetting that I need to get to 100 movies by mid-May of next year, not the end of 2011, but at this pace I will easily exceed the 100 limit in just this winter break alone. I have underestimated myself too much when first creating this site. Well, Strange Than Fiction is my second Will Farrell movie of the day! I often forget that he's in this despite him being the main character because the role he plays in here is so different from all the other parts Farrell generally plays like in Elf and Step Brothers. Stranger Than Fiction challenges the conventional method of storytelling in a film. It tells a story within a story that end up being intertwined. It's a very creative script that isn't even a bit confusing to follow. I guess my only complaint would be that the part when Will Farrell's character Harold Crick acknowledges that he has lived his life with such restrictions and precision and decides to follow through with some of the childhood dreams like playing the guitar, falling in love, and etc. These scenes didn't flow thematically with the rest of the film as I had hoped. While many might argue that this movie is about a man living a repetitious lifestyle who eventually learns how to live his life, I saw it more as a story about a man who facing death, which I find a lot more captivating than the former.
8/10
2006
I keep forgetting that I need to get to 100 movies by mid-May of next year, not the end of 2011, but at this pace I will easily exceed the 100 limit in just this winter break alone. I have underestimated myself too much when first creating this site. Well, Strange Than Fiction is my second Will Farrell movie of the day! I often forget that he's in this despite him being the main character because the role he plays in here is so different from all the other parts Farrell generally plays like in Elf and Step Brothers. Stranger Than Fiction challenges the conventional method of storytelling in a film. It tells a story within a story that end up being intertwined. It's a very creative script that isn't even a bit confusing to follow. I guess my only complaint would be that the part when Will Farrell's character Harold Crick acknowledges that he has lived his life with such restrictions and precision and decides to follow through with some of the childhood dreams like playing the guitar, falling in love, and etc. These scenes didn't flow thematically with the rest of the film as I had hoped. While many might argue that this movie is about a man living a repetitious lifestyle who eventually learns how to live his life, I saw it more as a story about a man who facing death, which I find a lot more captivating than the former.
8/10
#92 Bow, the Ultimate Weapon (12/16/11)
Dir. Kim Han-Min
2011
First off, what a horrible, absolutely awful title. Due to my narrow understanding of old Korean characters, I am not sure if it's just the translation that is off or the original title that needs some major tweaking. The poster needs some work too. I feel as though all Korean action/war movies set in the olden Joseon days have the same poster art. This film fails to tell a story, not even an interesting story or a boring story, but a story. The action sequences were surprisingly tense and thrilling, though they aren't impressive enough to save the movie as a whole. The characters came off as bland, which prevented (spoiler alert***) the evoking of any melancholic emotions when the main character gets killed at the end. My mom and I kept saying to each other, "I'm sure it'll start getting interesting soon" every 10 minutes, but once the ending came, we rolled our eyes at each other and turned off the movie even before the credits came rolling. I love Korean cinema so much, but I haven't yet come across a good, or even a decent, Korean action flick.
6/10
2011
First off, what a horrible, absolutely awful title. Due to my narrow understanding of old Korean characters, I am not sure if it's just the translation that is off or the original title that needs some major tweaking. The poster needs some work too. I feel as though all Korean action/war movies set in the olden Joseon days have the same poster art. This film fails to tell a story, not even an interesting story or a boring story, but a story. The action sequences were surprisingly tense and thrilling, though they aren't impressive enough to save the movie as a whole. The characters came off as bland, which prevented (spoiler alert***) the evoking of any melancholic emotions when the main character gets killed at the end. My mom and I kept saying to each other, "I'm sure it'll start getting interesting soon" every 10 minutes, but once the ending came, we rolled our eyes at each other and turned off the movie even before the credits came rolling. I love Korean cinema so much, but I haven't yet come across a good, or even a decent, Korean action flick.
6/10
#91 Elf (12/16/11)
Dir. Jon Favreau
2003
What a coincidence. I make a post about Elf and my ROP Media Production teacher plays Elf the next day! When it comes to movie criticism, I think it's important to keep in mind that certain movies are meant for certain audience and it should be viewed and critiqued in a way that was intended towards that particular range of people. Elf and Pulp Fiction don't go in the same cinematic category so each should be referred to its own respective field. With that said, Elf possesses just about everything a Holiday movie should have. It's got plenty of comical moments, just enough romance, warm and fuzzy family love stuff, and timeless Christmas music. Will Ferrell really holds the entire movie together and although I found the casting of Zooey Deschanel as his love interest a bit off-putting, I found them strangely cute together. It was also a bit odd seeing James Caan play a role in a family comedy because he will always either be Paul from Misery or Sonny from The Godfather for me. I'm pretty sure unless you are a psychotic cinephile, you don't want to spend your Christmas going, "this cinematography doesn't quite follow the rule of thirds" and "AH THERE IS A CONTINUITY ERROR". If you're normal and want a peaceful family-oriented Christmas, popping in Elf in your Blu-Ray player isn't a bad idea.
7.5/10
2003
What a coincidence. I make a post about Elf and my ROP Media Production teacher plays Elf the next day! When it comes to movie criticism, I think it's important to keep in mind that certain movies are meant for certain audience and it should be viewed and critiqued in a way that was intended towards that particular range of people. Elf and Pulp Fiction don't go in the same cinematic category so each should be referred to its own respective field. With that said, Elf possesses just about everything a Holiday movie should have. It's got plenty of comical moments, just enough romance, warm and fuzzy family love stuff, and timeless Christmas music. Will Ferrell really holds the entire movie together and although I found the casting of Zooey Deschanel as his love interest a bit off-putting, I found them strangely cute together. It was also a bit odd seeing James Caan play a role in a family comedy because he will always either be Paul from Misery or Sonny from The Godfather for me. I'm pretty sure unless you are a psychotic cinephile, you don't want to spend your Christmas going, "this cinematography doesn't quite follow the rule of thirds" and "AH THERE IS A CONTINUITY ERROR". If you're normal and want a peaceful family-oriented Christmas, popping in Elf in your Blu-Ray player isn't a bad idea.
7.5/10
#90 The Hustler (12/11/11)
Dir. Robert Rossen
1961
I have noticed that I've been slowly drifting away from Hollywood classics lately, which is tragic since most of them are really good and often disregarded by modern viewers. Before I say anything, I want to say that the "suitable only for adults" sign on the poster is hilarious given that in today's system, the movie would probably be given a PG-13 rating. Paul Newman plays a pool hustler who decides to quit his job as a on-the-road businessman to achieve his dream of beating the legendary Minnesota Fats in a game of pool. A bit outdated in today's term as far as story line, but the characters were certainly interesting and it was a good debbie downer although that sounds paradoxical. It wasn't overly dramatic and although I could easily predict the ending was going to be tragic, I really didn't see what specifically was coming and it caught me by surprise. The film explored profound and realistic implications about love and the difficulty of choosing to prioritize either one's lover or pursuit of one's ambition. Although The Hustler revolves around pool, the game actually has very little to do with the theme. It can be replaced with anything. College admission, music, video games. It's human nature to want to be the best at something, but do we just once stop and think of how many valuable matters we are overlooking during the pursuit of such success?
8/10
1961
I have noticed that I've been slowly drifting away from Hollywood classics lately, which is tragic since most of them are really good and often disregarded by modern viewers. Before I say anything, I want to say that the "suitable only for adults" sign on the poster is hilarious given that in today's system, the movie would probably be given a PG-13 rating. Paul Newman plays a pool hustler who decides to quit his job as a on-the-road businessman to achieve his dream of beating the legendary Minnesota Fats in a game of pool. A bit outdated in today's term as far as story line, but the characters were certainly interesting and it was a good debbie downer although that sounds paradoxical. It wasn't overly dramatic and although I could easily predict the ending was going to be tragic, I really didn't see what specifically was coming and it caught me by surprise. The film explored profound and realistic implications about love and the difficulty of choosing to prioritize either one's lover or pursuit of one's ambition. Although The Hustler revolves around pool, the game actually has very little to do with the theme. It can be replaced with anything. College admission, music, video games. It's human nature to want to be the best at something, but do we just once stop and think of how many valuable matters we are overlooking during the pursuit of such success?
8/10
#89 My Sassy Girl (12/09/11)
Dir. Kwak Jae-Young
2001
Should I be concerned that the last two movies I watched were straight up romantic comedies? Am I subconsciously following the social norms and watching them in time for the Holiday season? The movie didn't run for very long at all until the words, "Sarah, I think I'm going to puke out cheese from all the cheesy things that I'm seeing on screen" came out of my mouth. Verbal regurgitation as I might put it. Okay so here is my theory. A shirt can be cute, a song can be cute, a boy can be cute, but a movie can't be cute. Or it can technically, but that certainly doesn't make it good. I am not sure where I'm going with this, but I'm going to throw the irritating (and ironically overused) word out there, cliché. The story line is very predictable until the twist at the very end, which I admit was very clever and quite heartwarming. To continue with some of the film's pros, the lead actress was so charming and the character she played was very interesting and not very often explored. The lead actor was good too, but his character was rather bland and didn't evolve as much throughout the story as I had hoped. Verdict: Any romantic comedy that abuses the song "Canon in D" can never be great. Though, casting a good-looking actress is crucial and you have my kudos for that Kwak Jae-Young.
7/10
2001
Should I be concerned that the last two movies I watched were straight up romantic comedies? Am I subconsciously following the social norms and watching them in time for the Holiday season? The movie didn't run for very long at all until the words, "Sarah, I think I'm going to puke out cheese from all the cheesy things that I'm seeing on screen" came out of my mouth. Verbal regurgitation as I might put it. Okay so here is my theory. A shirt can be cute, a song can be cute, a boy can be cute, but a movie can't be cute. Or it can technically, but that certainly doesn't make it good. I am not sure where I'm going with this, but I'm going to throw the irritating (and ironically overused) word out there, cliché. The story line is very predictable until the twist at the very end, which I admit was very clever and quite heartwarming. To continue with some of the film's pros, the lead actress was so charming and the character she played was very interesting and not very often explored. The lead actor was good too, but his character was rather bland and didn't evolve as much throughout the story as I had hoped. Verdict: Any romantic comedy that abuses the song "Canon in D" can never be great. Though, casting a good-looking actress is crucial and you have my kudos for that Kwak Jae-Young.
7/10
#88 Crazy, Stupid, Love (12/03/11)
Dir. Glenn Ficarra & John Requa
2011
Contrary to popular beliefs that film lovers tend to dislike romantic comedies, I actually embrace romcom because I think it's one of the very few genres of narratives that can be both entertaining and relatable. It's not like I have ever gotten kidnapped in Paris and made into a prostitute, or ventured into the second layer of somebody's dream, or have a mother who tells me that life is like a box of chocolates. I found the cast delightful with its mixture of older veterans like Julianne Moore and Kevin Bacon and younger, newer (and downright attractive) faces like Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. Steve Carell fit the role very well and his transition from a pathetic middle-aged New Balance hogging dad to a sleazy ladies man rocking a Giorgio Armani suit was quite believable. I also like the poster a lot because it sort of reminds of the poster for The Graduate. The twist came off as a genuine surprise. I saw the last act at the son's graduation as an easy way out of every romantic comedy though, which was a bit disappointing since the rest of the movie was surprisingly fresh. The sub-story with the 13-year-old son liking the teenage babysitter who was in turn obsessed with Steve Carell's character was a bit awkward and almost unnecessary.
7.5/10
2011
Contrary to popular beliefs that film lovers tend to dislike romantic comedies, I actually embrace romcom because I think it's one of the very few genres of narratives that can be both entertaining and relatable. It's not like I have ever gotten kidnapped in Paris and made into a prostitute, or ventured into the second layer of somebody's dream, or have a mother who tells me that life is like a box of chocolates. I found the cast delightful with its mixture of older veterans like Julianne Moore and Kevin Bacon and younger, newer (and downright attractive) faces like Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. Steve Carell fit the role very well and his transition from a pathetic middle-aged New Balance hogging dad to a sleazy ladies man rocking a Giorgio Armani suit was quite believable. I also like the poster a lot because it sort of reminds of the poster for The Graduate. The twist came off as a genuine surprise. I saw the last act at the son's graduation as an easy way out of every romantic comedy though, which was a bit disappointing since the rest of the movie was surprisingly fresh. The sub-story with the 13-year-old son liking the teenage babysitter who was in turn obsessed with Steve Carell's character was a bit awkward and almost unnecessary.
7.5/10
#87 City of God (11/25/11)
Dir. Fernando Meirelles & Kátia Lund
2002
It's always interesting to watch a movie made outside of Hollywood influence, that is also not Korean, heh. City of God was fascinating, reminding me of Scorcese's Goodfellas a little bit but more entertaining, emotionally poignant, and sleeker. The film is told in flashbacks, which is done very often in action/thriller movies but hardly any film uses it well with this as an exception. It follows a strict timeline, which was nice since most autobiographical and epic narratives tend to present really vague time and day. Although this isn't a documentary, everything about it including the voiceover, intentionally amateur camera angles, and the editing reminded me of one. Documentaries are notorious for being "boring", but if every documentary took the City of God approach, I guarantee more people will be awake in humanities classes during video screenings. I was surprised to see its IMDB rating so unusually high though (8.8....higher than Casablanca, really?). I never take its rating into account when I decide whether the film is good or not since I realize pretty much every internet user has access to the site and can vote, but such a high grade is very rare. The movie was great, but it wasn't THAT great.
8/10
2002
It's always interesting to watch a movie made outside of Hollywood influence, that is also not Korean, heh. City of God was fascinating, reminding me of Scorcese's Goodfellas a little bit but more entertaining, emotionally poignant, and sleeker. The film is told in flashbacks, which is done very often in action/thriller movies but hardly any film uses it well with this as an exception. It follows a strict timeline, which was nice since most autobiographical and epic narratives tend to present really vague time and day. Although this isn't a documentary, everything about it including the voiceover, intentionally amateur camera angles, and the editing reminded me of one. Documentaries are notorious for being "boring", but if every documentary took the City of God approach, I guarantee more people will be awake in humanities classes during video screenings. I was surprised to see its IMDB rating so unusually high though (8.8....higher than Casablanca, really?). I never take its rating into account when I decide whether the film is good or not since I realize pretty much every internet user has access to the site and can vote, but such a high grade is very rare. The movie was great, but it wasn't THAT great.
8/10
#86 X-Men: First Class (11/24/11)
Dir. Matthew Vaughn
2011
I'm not huge on X-Men at all. I believe I watched the first two of the franchise, but neither the third nor Wolverine. Now, while this film was highly entertaining, I didn't see much cinematic value in it. The story revolves around a young man named Charles Xavier, who with the US government's help, recruits potentially powerful mutants that are segregated from the society. He comes across a German Jewish man named Erik who has the ability to control metals and magnets. He later (or in the earlier X-Men films) turns out to be the central villain of the series, but is depicted as an ally to Professor X in this prequel. The story contains a few plot holes, including the scene in the very beginning when Erik kills everyone around him due to his outrage except the man he is most angry at. I guess the film would have been 10 minutes long had the bad guy been killed off that early, but it made absolutely no sense to me at all...The Cold War plot was very interesting though, I have to give it that. It classily weaved in vintage JFK footage very well. I would have loved to see a little bit more romance and comedy, for I felt this film was literally all pure action. It's nice when action flicks mix it up sometimes.
7/10
2011
I'm not huge on X-Men at all. I believe I watched the first two of the franchise, but neither the third nor Wolverine. Now, while this film was highly entertaining, I didn't see much cinematic value in it. The story revolves around a young man named Charles Xavier, who with the US government's help, recruits potentially powerful mutants that are segregated from the society. He comes across a German Jewish man named Erik who has the ability to control metals and magnets. He later (or in the earlier X-Men films) turns out to be the central villain of the series, but is depicted as an ally to Professor X in this prequel. The story contains a few plot holes, including the scene in the very beginning when Erik kills everyone around him due to his outrage except the man he is most angry at. I guess the film would have been 10 minutes long had the bad guy been killed off that early, but it made absolutely no sense to me at all...The Cold War plot was very interesting though, I have to give it that. It classily weaved in vintage JFK footage very well. I would have loved to see a little bit more romance and comedy, for I felt this film was literally all pure action. It's nice when action flicks mix it up sometimes.
7/10
#85 Deconstructing Harry (11/23/11)
Dir. Woody Allen
1997
I found this film a bit mean-spirited with its piercing and insensitive jokes and it might be just me, but it also seemed like Woody Allen was trying to accuse himself of all the turbulent happenings in his personal life through the making of Deconstructing Harry. The movie revolves around an oldish but not totally grandpa-aged writer who is successful and revered in the professional world but is hated by everyone who surrounds on a personal level. His ex-wives and mistresses accuse him of being unfaithful and unstable. His story closely resembles the experiences he has had in real life and he continues to receive inspiration from his own surroundings. With its disorienting use of jump cuts and strange chronology, it is a bit difficult to follow such a fast-paced story that continuously shifts to and from the reality and fantasy/fictional sequences. There are so many characters to keep track of (around 12) and God forgive me but middle-aged white men and women look nearly identical in my eyes. The ensemble of famous but not overrated actors and actresses was fantastic, which included Billy Crystal, Demi Moore, Judy Davis, and many others. This isn't Woody's best, but it does show that he can be really, really funny and original with his storytelling. I think Self-destructing Harry would be the more suitable title though.
7.5/10
1997
I found this film a bit mean-spirited with its piercing and insensitive jokes and it might be just me, but it also seemed like Woody Allen was trying to accuse himself of all the turbulent happenings in his personal life through the making of Deconstructing Harry. The movie revolves around an oldish but not totally grandpa-aged writer who is successful and revered in the professional world but is hated by everyone who surrounds on a personal level. His ex-wives and mistresses accuse him of being unfaithful and unstable. His story closely resembles the experiences he has had in real life and he continues to receive inspiration from his own surroundings. With its disorienting use of jump cuts and strange chronology, it is a bit difficult to follow such a fast-paced story that continuously shifts to and from the reality and fantasy/fictional sequences. There are so many characters to keep track of (around 12) and God forgive me but middle-aged white men and women look nearly identical in my eyes. The ensemble of famous but not overrated actors and actresses was fantastic, which included Billy Crystal, Demi Moore, Judy Davis, and many others. This isn't Woody's best, but it does show that he can be really, really funny and original with his storytelling. I think Self-destructing Harry would be the more suitable title though.
7.5/10
#84 American Masters: Woody Allen - A Documentary (11/22/11)
Dir. Robert B. Weide
2011
It took me about 30 minutes to find a poster for this movie and I'm pretty sure this is a fan-made one, hah. Anyway, too bad I'm like the only person in Carmel Valley who doesn't have cable and couldn't watch this doc on my actual TV and had to wait until the full episode was uploaded to the PBS site. Part I and part II combined were around 3 hours and a half, but any time spent on learning more about my hero Woody is time spent wisely. The doc was done fantastically in a very clear chronological order. I loved the variety of interviews it had; my favorites including the one with his sister because it revealed a lot about his upbringing and portrayed him more as a cool older brother more so than the filmmaking genius that everyone else in the film depicted him as, which is quite true, but tell me something I don't already know, you know? The interview with Martin Scorcese was also delightful because it showed that a critically acclaimed director of approximately the same era (not to mention both lovers of New York) still revered Woody Allen as an artist. What I would have gone coo coo to see, however, was an interview with Mia Farrow, but I understand that would have been nearly impossible to get for the makers of this doc.
10/10
2011
It took me about 30 minutes to find a poster for this movie and I'm pretty sure this is a fan-made one, hah. Anyway, too bad I'm like the only person in Carmel Valley who doesn't have cable and couldn't watch this doc on my actual TV and had to wait until the full episode was uploaded to the PBS site. Part I and part II combined were around 3 hours and a half, but any time spent on learning more about my hero Woody is time spent wisely. The doc was done fantastically in a very clear chronological order. I loved the variety of interviews it had; my favorites including the one with his sister because it revealed a lot about his upbringing and portrayed him more as a cool older brother more so than the filmmaking genius that everyone else in the film depicted him as, which is quite true, but tell me something I don't already know, you know? The interview with Martin Scorcese was also delightful because it showed that a critically acclaimed director of approximately the same era (not to mention both lovers of New York) still revered Woody Allen as an artist. What I would have gone coo coo to see, however, was an interview with Mia Farrow, but I understand that would have been nearly impossible to get for the makers of this doc.
10/10
#83 A Tale of Two Sisters (11/19/11)
Dir. Kim Jee-Woon
2003
I remember watching this with my mom when it first came out when I was 9. (My mom may not let me go to a sleepover, but she did take me to rated R movies at an age when I shouldn't even be allowed in PG-13 ones). But I didn't remember much about this film other than the scary step-mom vs. daughter boiling kettle fight, so it was delightful getting to visit this again. I'm really not a fan of rewatching the same movie twice. I think it often takes away the original thrill of not knowing what's going to happen. The movie was a bit too slow perhaps, but it was a master at building suspense. The ending was very clever and clearly conveyed although I guess one may argue that it is a cliché end to pretty much every psychological horror. You definitely have to give 100% attention to A Tale of Two Sisters to think it entertaining though. Otherwise, I guarantee that it will be boring and you will certainly miss the deeper points within the seemingly average story. There are many subtle hints that lead up to the climax twist(s) that are really cool if you can spot them. The visuals were amazing and quite reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. The movie is more sad, than scary, really. The backstory that is revealed at the very end that explains the whole jumble of mess is incredibly sentimental and shocking.
8/10
2003
I remember watching this with my mom when it first came out when I was 9. (My mom may not let me go to a sleepover, but she did take me to rated R movies at an age when I shouldn't even be allowed in PG-13 ones). But I didn't remember much about this film other than the scary step-mom vs. daughter boiling kettle fight, so it was delightful getting to visit this again. I'm really not a fan of rewatching the same movie twice. I think it often takes away the original thrill of not knowing what's going to happen. The movie was a bit too slow perhaps, but it was a master at building suspense. The ending was very clever and clearly conveyed although I guess one may argue that it is a cliché end to pretty much every psychological horror. You definitely have to give 100% attention to A Tale of Two Sisters to think it entertaining though. Otherwise, I guarantee that it will be boring and you will certainly miss the deeper points within the seemingly average story. There are many subtle hints that lead up to the climax twist(s) that are really cool if you can spot them. The visuals were amazing and quite reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. The movie is more sad, than scary, really. The backstory that is revealed at the very end that explains the whole jumble of mess is incredibly sentimental and shocking.
8/10
#82 Tomboy (11/12/11)
Dir. Céline Sciamma
2011
I saw this movie poster when I casually strolled pass the Del Mar Flower Hill theater yesterday and I knew right then that I needed to watch this ASAP. Something about its title and the girl's appearance caught my eyes and now that I've seen the film, I can say it is the closest movie to capture what my childhood was like. Tomboy centers around a 10-year-old girl who is more than a little confused about her identity as far as gender. She moves to a new town in French suburbia and introduces herself as a boy to the neighborhood kids. Sure, I myself never went that far (given that I lived in a relatively conservative Korean town), but I could relate to the movie and the main character so well that I was too overwhelmed with all different kinds of emotions during certain scenes. Anyway, the acting is very natural, not only for Zoé Héran who plays the main character but Malonn Levana, playing her adorable little sister, who strangely reflected my own sister. The relationship between the two cried sincerity and loyalty. The film is told visually with many close-ups on the main character simply watching and analyzing the ways of life in her new town. It takes a rather serious and complex subject matter of sexuality in a very light-hearted and innocent manner. It's one of those hit-home, nostalgic movies that I will never forget.
10/10
2011
I saw this movie poster when I casually strolled pass the Del Mar Flower Hill theater yesterday and I knew right then that I needed to watch this ASAP. Something about its title and the girl's appearance caught my eyes and now that I've seen the film, I can say it is the closest movie to capture what my childhood was like. Tomboy centers around a 10-year-old girl who is more than a little confused about her identity as far as gender. She moves to a new town in French suburbia and introduces herself as a boy to the neighborhood kids. Sure, I myself never went that far (given that I lived in a relatively conservative Korean town), but I could relate to the movie and the main character so well that I was too overwhelmed with all different kinds of emotions during certain scenes. Anyway, the acting is very natural, not only for Zoé Héran who plays the main character but Malonn Levana, playing her adorable little sister, who strangely reflected my own sister. The relationship between the two cried sincerity and loyalty. The film is told visually with many close-ups on the main character simply watching and analyzing the ways of life in her new town. It takes a rather serious and complex subject matter of sexuality in a very light-hearted and innocent manner. It's one of those hit-home, nostalgic movies that I will never forget.
10/10
#81 Detective K (11/12/11)
Dir. Kim Seok-Yun
2011
I wanted to watch A Tale of Two Sisters, but my sister just would not stop screaming at such notion so we ended up watching a different Korean film, Detective K, instead. I had a difficult time understanding the film since everyone talked so incredibly fast and the English subtitles were coming and going like Kim Kardashian's marriage. It sort of reminded me of Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law because it was both serious and funny at the same time and the two main characters were in what today's mass media would refer to as "bromance". There were some cool editing sequences like the scene when the main character dreams about incognito Christians being massacred and the scene with the two black dogs was put together very well too, although it was awkwardly too obvious that the dogs were computer generated. It is a good example of a very balanced action comedy, but the combination doesn't do much to strengthen the flimsy narrative. Now, I have no idea if Detective K was any successful in Korea or if it is some obscure work my dad managed to catch in the endless Torrent sea filled with amazing movies, swimming around to be watched by an avid Korean cinephile like myself. But it seems to epitomize modern Korean action flicks and I wouldn't be surprised if it were a big hit.
7/10
2011
I wanted to watch A Tale of Two Sisters, but my sister just would not stop screaming at such notion so we ended up watching a different Korean film, Detective K, instead. I had a difficult time understanding the film since everyone talked so incredibly fast and the English subtitles were coming and going like Kim Kardashian's marriage. It sort of reminded me of Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law because it was both serious and funny at the same time and the two main characters were in what today's mass media would refer to as "bromance". There were some cool editing sequences like the scene when the main character dreams about incognito Christians being massacred and the scene with the two black dogs was put together very well too, although it was awkwardly too obvious that the dogs were computer generated. It is a good example of a very balanced action comedy, but the combination doesn't do much to strengthen the flimsy narrative. Now, I have no idea if Detective K was any successful in Korea or if it is some obscure work my dad managed to catch in the endless Torrent sea filled with amazing movies, swimming around to be watched by an avid Korean cinephile like myself. But it seems to epitomize modern Korean action flicks and I wouldn't be surprised if it were a big hit.
7/10
#80 The Social Network (11/04/11)
Dir. David Fincher
2010
One problem I have with this film is that it's geared towards such narrow range of viewers. My dad who is in his late 40s and knows very little of American college culture found it rather tedious and left the living room around the 20-minute mark. My 13-year-old sister who made Facebook less than a year ago didn't clearly see the point of the movie and was ironically on Facebook instead of paying attention. Sure, I found the movie very trendy, very "American", and very unique. I remember when news about The Social Network first began to roam around the internet and in Entertainment Weekly, thinking the film was going to be well, stupid. I couldn't imagine people wanting to pay 10 dollars to go to a theater to watch a movie about the birth of Facebook. After all, people referred to it as "The Facebook movie". But from what I know, it was a pretty big hit when it was first released and did relatively well at the Oscars with a win in adapted screenplay and original score. I will never understand how it won the latter; Inception's score was pretty darn good. So all in all, while I'm not head over heels about this movie, I am impressed at Fincher's ability to turn an autobiographical account of a socially awkward and jerk-y (jerk-like?) billionaire into a type of edge-of-your-seat thriller.
7.5/10
2010
One problem I have with this film is that it's geared towards such narrow range of viewers. My dad who is in his late 40s and knows very little of American college culture found it rather tedious and left the living room around the 20-minute mark. My 13-year-old sister who made Facebook less than a year ago didn't clearly see the point of the movie and was ironically on Facebook instead of paying attention. Sure, I found the movie very trendy, very "American", and very unique. I remember when news about The Social Network first began to roam around the internet and in Entertainment Weekly, thinking the film was going to be well, stupid. I couldn't imagine people wanting to pay 10 dollars to go to a theater to watch a movie about the birth of Facebook. After all, people referred to it as "The Facebook movie". But from what I know, it was a pretty big hit when it was first released and did relatively well at the Oscars with a win in adapted screenplay and original score. I will never understand how it won the latter; Inception's score was pretty darn good. So all in all, while I'm not head over heels about this movie, I am impressed at Fincher's ability to turn an autobiographical account of a socially awkward and jerk-y (jerk-like?) billionaire into a type of edge-of-your-seat thriller.
7.5/10
#79 Natural Born Killers (10/30/11)
Dir. Oliver Stone
1994
I wonder what the body count for this movie was....Or actually, I wonder if it's even possible to keep track of the body count. I'm having a tough time deciding what grade to give since my breakdown goes something like this: editing: A, acting: A, theme: D, direction: D. I get that it was satire, I get it. But say, if I were to make a satirical movie about how Asians are heavily stereotyped in public places, I wouldn't depict Asians so horribly so as to get the viewers to actually believe what they see. While watching Natural Born Killers, I kept feeling that the film was hypocritically purporting to demonstrate some type of a "universal message" that I, and undoubtedly many others, failed to grasped. Not only that, it was obvious director Oliver Stone aimed the film towards those that are mindlessly swept by the mass media and that attitude itself is very pretentious. Making this movie is no different than saying, "American society is full of a bunch of fools. Look, you're worshipping sociopathic serial killers as gods, hahaha". With that said, I have to give the movie credit for having some of the most fantastical, experimental dream/flashback sequences. The quick and stylish jumps from 1950s sitcom to cartoon, using black and white inserts here and there was certainly a charm, but I really think this movie could have been much stronger and less controversial if the director had focused more on the theme instead of trying too hard to be artsy.
7/10
1994
I wonder what the body count for this movie was....Or actually, I wonder if it's even possible to keep track of the body count. I'm having a tough time deciding what grade to give since my breakdown goes something like this: editing: A, acting: A, theme: D, direction: D. I get that it was satire, I get it. But say, if I were to make a satirical movie about how Asians are heavily stereotyped in public places, I wouldn't depict Asians so horribly so as to get the viewers to actually believe what they see. While watching Natural Born Killers, I kept feeling that the film was hypocritically purporting to demonstrate some type of a "universal message" that I, and undoubtedly many others, failed to grasped. Not only that, it was obvious director Oliver Stone aimed the film towards those that are mindlessly swept by the mass media and that attitude itself is very pretentious. Making this movie is no different than saying, "American society is full of a bunch of fools. Look, you're worshipping sociopathic serial killers as gods, hahaha". With that said, I have to give the movie credit for having some of the most fantastical, experimental dream/flashback sequences. The quick and stylish jumps from 1950s sitcom to cartoon, using black and white inserts here and there was certainly a charm, but I really think this movie could have been much stronger and less controversial if the director had focused more on the theme instead of trying too hard to be artsy.
7/10
#78 Road to Perdition (10/21/11)
Dir. Sam Mendes
2002
I got to see Paul Newman in a movie!! I swear it's been over a year since I last saw a movie starring him. Although he was like 70 something in here, his pale blue eyes were still divine and performance still remarkable. I found the casting one of the most appealing elements of the film. I wasn't sure how a slightly chubby and too-friendly-of-a-guy Tom Hanks was going to go about playing an Irish gangster in the 1930s, but I must say this is my second favorite role he played, obviously after Forrest Gump. Jude Law was legitimately scary as the movie's ultimate villain. Paul Newman and Daniel Craig made a very believable father-son duo. Whoever played Tom Hanks' kid was also impressive although he looked a little too Hispanic. I loved how Sam Mendes and the cinematographer strategized the shots so that the father and son relationship seemed really distant and awkward at first, but as the rest of their family get murdered and they're on their own, more close-ups are employed to represent the growing emotional depth between the two characters. It was a really subtle thing that I surprisingly noticed and I personally find the director's ability to pull a consciously unnoticeable but thematically important technique the most desirable out of all powers that a film director holds.
8/10
2002
I got to see Paul Newman in a movie!! I swear it's been over a year since I last saw a movie starring him. Although he was like 70 something in here, his pale blue eyes were still divine and performance still remarkable. I found the casting one of the most appealing elements of the film. I wasn't sure how a slightly chubby and too-friendly-of-a-guy Tom Hanks was going to go about playing an Irish gangster in the 1930s, but I must say this is my second favorite role he played, obviously after Forrest Gump. Jude Law was legitimately scary as the movie's ultimate villain. Paul Newman and Daniel Craig made a very believable father-son duo. Whoever played Tom Hanks' kid was also impressive although he looked a little too Hispanic. I loved how Sam Mendes and the cinematographer strategized the shots so that the father and son relationship seemed really distant and awkward at first, but as the rest of their family get murdered and they're on their own, more close-ups are employed to represent the growing emotional depth between the two characters. It was a really subtle thing that I surprisingly noticed and I personally find the director's ability to pull a consciously unnoticeable but thematically important technique the most desirable out of all powers that a film director holds.
8/10
#77 La Jetee (10/17/11)
Dir. Chris Marker
1962
A 28-minute short I watched the other day and I figured it would be worth mentioning on here since it was one of the more innovative films I've seen in recent weeks. I watched this with a prior knowledge that one of my favorite movies, Twelve Monkeys, was heavily based on La Jetee. I thought I was going to watch this movie and think, "Jee, Twelve Monkeys totally ripped the story off", but nope! I'm actually very impressed its director Terry Gililam was able to creatively add in a few of the plot points and tweak the original idea for its more modern, American audience. Anyway, I'm always up for movies that deal with crazyass sci-fi, dreamy concepts. It almost felt like watching a very good Twilight Zone episode. It's composed of all still photography, which I'm not going to lie, made the film a bit more boring than it would have been had it been shot in live action footage. The simplicity of the film was probably what appealed to me the most because today's science-fiction thrillers tend to be way too far-fetched and insanely complicated. Also, 1960s Paris captured in black and white was beautiful and the voiceover narration was employed perfectly.
8/10
1962
A 28-minute short I watched the other day and I figured it would be worth mentioning on here since it was one of the more innovative films I've seen in recent weeks. I watched this with a prior knowledge that one of my favorite movies, Twelve Monkeys, was heavily based on La Jetee. I thought I was going to watch this movie and think, "Jee, Twelve Monkeys totally ripped the story off", but nope! I'm actually very impressed its director Terry Gililam was able to creatively add in a few of the plot points and tweak the original idea for its more modern, American audience. Anyway, I'm always up for movies that deal with crazyass sci-fi, dreamy concepts. It almost felt like watching a very good Twilight Zone episode. It's composed of all still photography, which I'm not going to lie, made the film a bit more boring than it would have been had it been shot in live action footage. The simplicity of the film was probably what appealed to me the most because today's science-fiction thrillers tend to be way too far-fetched and insanely complicated. Also, 1960s Paris captured in black and white was beautiful and the voiceover narration was employed perfectly.
8/10
#76 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (10/14/11)
Dir. Irvin Kershner
1980
My favorite of the saga and that is hardly an opinion, as it is more of a fact. The poster still sucks, but the movie itself makes up for the awful graphic design. We are introduced to really interesting new characters like Yoda and Lando, and a very brief snippet of Darth Sidious. There is more humor in TESB than the original film and the battle scenes are better constructed. I cannot even begin to praise the set design where the intense lightsaber duel between Luke and Darth Vader occurs. I must say the acting of those two main characters could be improved for the famous "Luke, I am your father" was delivered kind of awkwardly in my opinion and Luke's reaction to it was too sudden and dramatized. If I were to direct a fan film (like fan fiction) type thing for this movie, I would have Luke question such an out-of-the-blue declaration instead of immediately having him accept it as true and cry in agony. A bit of a minor thing, but I felt Vader's casual disclosing of the truth and Luke's histrionic reaction just didn't go together and that did bother me. However, Episode V along with the original film will always be the "father" of Hollywood science-fiction. You can argue that Kubrick's 2001:A Space Odyssey is all you want, but that felt like 3 hours of space sightseeing whereas Star Wars communicates an interesting story.
9/10
1980
My favorite of the saga and that is hardly an opinion, as it is more of a fact. The poster still sucks, but the movie itself makes up for the awful graphic design. We are introduced to really interesting new characters like Yoda and Lando, and a very brief snippet of Darth Sidious. There is more humor in TESB than the original film and the battle scenes are better constructed. I cannot even begin to praise the set design where the intense lightsaber duel between Luke and Darth Vader occurs. I must say the acting of those two main characters could be improved for the famous "Luke, I am your father" was delivered kind of awkwardly in my opinion and Luke's reaction to it was too sudden and dramatized. If I were to direct a fan film (like fan fiction) type thing for this movie, I would have Luke question such an out-of-the-blue declaration instead of immediately having him accept it as true and cry in agony. A bit of a minor thing, but I felt Vader's casual disclosing of the truth and Luke's histrionic reaction just didn't go together and that did bother me. However, Episode V along with the original film will always be the "father" of Hollywood science-fiction. You can argue that Kubrick's 2001:A Space Odyssey is all you want, but that felt like 3 hours of space sightseeing whereas Star Wars communicates an interesting story.
9/10
#75 Dead Man (10/08/11)
Dir. Jim Jarmusch
1995
I think Dead Man is one of those movies like Fight Club and Cool Hand Luke where it's not necessarily the movie itself that's good or entertaining, but what viewers get out of it that is forever memorable. With that said, this film is certainly not for anybody. Johnny Depp plays William Blake, not the poet, who travels out west to accept an accountant job he was offered, only to arrive late and find out that his position was already filled by somebody else. With no money, he has sex with a woman he randomly comes across and his life turns upside down when he kills the woman's fiancee who walks in on them. The film really begins when he meets a strange Native American man named Nobody who helps Blake escape from the law. The two men's journey is never fully explained and I had a difficult time understanding what the significance of their relationship was. What I know though is that this is one film where I find Johnny Depp live up to his fame and critical acclaim. None of the characters in this movie has very many lines so the majority of the acting comes from the face. Perhaps it's due to his puppy eyes, but Depp is amazing at conveying vulnerability. There is no doubt Jim Jarmusch is a gifted filmmaker as seen by many of his other films, but Dead Man contains a few flaws and was slightly disappointing.
7.5/10
1995
I think Dead Man is one of those movies like Fight Club and Cool Hand Luke where it's not necessarily the movie itself that's good or entertaining, but what viewers get out of it that is forever memorable. With that said, this film is certainly not for anybody. Johnny Depp plays William Blake, not the poet, who travels out west to accept an accountant job he was offered, only to arrive late and find out that his position was already filled by somebody else. With no money, he has sex with a woman he randomly comes across and his life turns upside down when he kills the woman's fiancee who walks in on them. The film really begins when he meets a strange Native American man named Nobody who helps Blake escape from the law. The two men's journey is never fully explained and I had a difficult time understanding what the significance of their relationship was. What I know though is that this is one film where I find Johnny Depp live up to his fame and critical acclaim. None of the characters in this movie has very many lines so the majority of the acting comes from the face. Perhaps it's due to his puppy eyes, but Depp is amazing at conveying vulnerability. There is no doubt Jim Jarmusch is a gifted filmmaker as seen by many of his other films, but Dead Man contains a few flaws and was slightly disappointing.
7.5/10
#74 My Neighbor Totoro (10/01/11)
Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
1988
Easily the most adorable movie I've ever seen. When it comes to communicating through films the endearing (but unfortunately transient) innocence and endless imagination of children, Miyazaki's on top. Nothing makes me more angry than someone saying that Studio Ghibli is Japan's equivalent of Disney. Sure, Disney has made some great films like The Lion King and Aladdin, but I grew tired of them approximately after turning 12 with its rather tedious series of musical tracks and clichéd characters. My Neighbor Totoro, though, along with other Studio Ghibli works like Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle feature very lovable and unique characters, embellished with a creative story line. I was slightly disappointed that Totoro didn't have the same emotional depth as the other two films I mentioned earlier, but it was nonetheless entertaining. This is what I would call a true "feel-good" movie and I'm not going to lie, it does feel really awesome knowing that Asians have made huge contributions to cinema on an international level.
8/10
1988
Easily the most adorable movie I've ever seen. When it comes to communicating through films the endearing (but unfortunately transient) innocence and endless imagination of children, Miyazaki's on top. Nothing makes me more angry than someone saying that Studio Ghibli is Japan's equivalent of Disney. Sure, Disney has made some great films like The Lion King and Aladdin, but I grew tired of them approximately after turning 12 with its rather tedious series of musical tracks and clichéd characters. My Neighbor Totoro, though, along with other Studio Ghibli works like Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle feature very lovable and unique characters, embellished with a creative story line. I was slightly disappointed that Totoro didn't have the same emotional depth as the other two films I mentioned earlier, but it was nonetheless entertaining. This is what I would call a true "feel-good" movie and I'm not going to lie, it does feel really awesome knowing that Asians have made huge contributions to cinema on an international level.
8/10
#73 The Italian Job (9/30/11)
Dir. F. Gary Gray
2003
I should be studying for my SAT Subject test tomorrow, but when it comes to my priorities in life, movies go way ahead of test scores. Plus, I whip these reviews out in a couple minutes so it shouldn't be too bad! I unfortunately haven't seen the original The Italian Job so my criticism isn't 100% comprehensive. I was talking to a friend earlier about this movie and how it's ridiculous, almost to the point of implausibility, that a gang of thieves portrayed in the movie is so damn good-looking. Anyway, The Italian Job is a mild action flick that begins with a perfect execution of a heist but is quickly turned upside down when a sketchy member of the gang kills the leader and takes all the gold for himself. The rest of the team then reunites along with the beautiful daughter of the killed man to avenge the death and reclaim the $30 million. Definitely not the most original story line, but I quite enjoyed it...for the first 15 minutes. Don't get me wrong, I've seen Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, and Edward Norton giving incredibly impressive performances on screen, but none of the three added charm to their characters and their interactions with each other seemed totally off. I did like the lack of artificial digital effects during the action sequences and the scene with the trio Mini Coopers.
7/10
2003
I should be studying for my SAT Subject test tomorrow, but when it comes to my priorities in life, movies go way ahead of test scores. Plus, I whip these reviews out in a couple minutes so it shouldn't be too bad! I unfortunately haven't seen the original The Italian Job so my criticism isn't 100% comprehensive. I was talking to a friend earlier about this movie and how it's ridiculous, almost to the point of implausibility, that a gang of thieves portrayed in the movie is so damn good-looking. Anyway, The Italian Job is a mild action flick that begins with a perfect execution of a heist but is quickly turned upside down when a sketchy member of the gang kills the leader and takes all the gold for himself. The rest of the team then reunites along with the beautiful daughter of the killed man to avenge the death and reclaim the $30 million. Definitely not the most original story line, but I quite enjoyed it...for the first 15 minutes. Don't get me wrong, I've seen Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, and Edward Norton giving incredibly impressive performances on screen, but none of the three added charm to their characters and their interactions with each other seemed totally off. I did like the lack of artificial digital effects during the action sequences and the scene with the trio Mini Coopers.
7/10
#72 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (9/25/11)
Dir. George Lucas
1977
I just thought since I'm a senior now and all, why not repeat all the stuff I loved so much about my childhood? The very first thing I would like to say about Star Wars is....what an awful movie poster! Yuck, it doesn't, in any way, exemplify the brilliance of the film and I would never have that lying around in my house. Secondly, I was slightly shocked at the special-effects used in this movie, especially after seeing numerous action/sci-fi movies that come out nowadays with jaw-dropping stunts and CGI. The editing was a little awkward too with cheesy transitions that can be easily applied in Window's Movie Maker, which pretty much everybody has access to. What makes A New Hope so great though is the overall purpose it serves to the story as a whole. It is a perfect set-up to an epic that devoured worldwide box-office and has become a pop culture icon of some sort. It possesses every cinematic element that us moviegoers look for in films - a very human protagonist whom the audience wants to root for throughout, a mysterious villain, an universal theme of good vs. evil, just the right combination of drama, action, and comedy, and strong supporting characters like Han Solo and Princess Leia that provide interesting and even a bit scandalous sub-plots. Ugh, I could go on and on about Star Wars, but I unfortunately have some business to attend to. May the force be with you.
8.5/10
1977
I just thought since I'm a senior now and all, why not repeat all the stuff I loved so much about my childhood? The very first thing I would like to say about Star Wars is....what an awful movie poster! Yuck, it doesn't, in any way, exemplify the brilliance of the film and I would never have that lying around in my house. Secondly, I was slightly shocked at the special-effects used in this movie, especially after seeing numerous action/sci-fi movies that come out nowadays with jaw-dropping stunts and CGI. The editing was a little awkward too with cheesy transitions that can be easily applied in Window's Movie Maker, which pretty much everybody has access to. What makes A New Hope so great though is the overall purpose it serves to the story as a whole. It is a perfect set-up to an epic that devoured worldwide box-office and has become a pop culture icon of some sort. It possesses every cinematic element that us moviegoers look for in films - a very human protagonist whom the audience wants to root for throughout, a mysterious villain, an universal theme of good vs. evil, just the right combination of drama, action, and comedy, and strong supporting characters like Han Solo and Princess Leia that provide interesting and even a bit scandalous sub-plots. Ugh, I could go on and on about Star Wars, but I unfortunately have some business to attend to. May the force be with you.
8.5/10
#71 Reality Bites (9/21/11)
Dir. Ben Stiller
1994
The synopsis for the movie sounded exactly like the type of movie I would totally be into, about people in their twenties experiencing love and finding ways to get through life. And it starred Winona Ryder AND Ethan Hawke together and watching those two interact on screen was just too much beauty for me to handle. Seriously though, '94 Winona Ryder is probably what ancient Greeks believed Aphrodite to look like. Aside from the looks of the actors (which should never be the basis in deciding whether a film is good or not), Reality Bites felt like a long, low-budgeted, sentimental music video. I'm just going to assume it all resulted from Ben Stiller's amateur direction, but come on, no real people would react in such an exaggerated manner to some of the trivial conflicts that arise in the movie. There is a ridiculous scene when Troy (Hawke) comes to Lelaina's (Ryder) apartment and she gets a little upset that he has a girl with him which is understandable since he is her love interest and all of a sudden he's like "GOD, YOU'RE ACTING LIKE A JEALOUS GIRLFRIEND" and I believe she starts crying? That part, among others, was just unnecessarily serious. I can see what this movie was going for, but I have to say it felt sort of shallow - the characters, the plot, just everything.
6.5/10
1994
The synopsis for the movie sounded exactly like the type of movie I would totally be into, about people in their twenties experiencing love and finding ways to get through life. And it starred Winona Ryder AND Ethan Hawke together and watching those two interact on screen was just too much beauty for me to handle. Seriously though, '94 Winona Ryder is probably what ancient Greeks believed Aphrodite to look like. Aside from the looks of the actors (which should never be the basis in deciding whether a film is good or not), Reality Bites felt like a long, low-budgeted, sentimental music video. I'm just going to assume it all resulted from Ben Stiller's amateur direction, but come on, no real people would react in such an exaggerated manner to some of the trivial conflicts that arise in the movie. There is a ridiculous scene when Troy (Hawke) comes to Lelaina's (Ryder) apartment and she gets a little upset that he has a girl with him which is understandable since he is her love interest and all of a sudden he's like "GOD, YOU'RE ACTING LIKE A JEALOUS GIRLFRIEND" and I believe she starts crying? That part, among others, was just unnecessarily serious. I can see what this movie was going for, but I have to say it felt sort of shallow - the characters, the plot, just everything.
6.5/10
#70 West Side Story (9/17/11)
Dir. Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise
1961
I don't understand how some movies are famous. Close Encounters With the Third Kind, The Birds, Say Anything, Avatar to name some. West Side Story, not a whole lot different. Okay so, it has the EXACT same story line as Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, a story pretty everybody has read or know of. The musical numbers aren't very catchy. The cinematography is mediocre and the acting is okay. The cast is a little ambiguous in that I couldn't tell who was Puerto Rican and who was white because pretty much everybody in the film except for maybe 2 people are Caucasian, including the main female character who is supposed to be 100% Latin American. I was never a fan of musicals, but there are some that I liked. As I have said with Moulin Rouge!, the love portrayed in the movie was so dramatized, so over-the-top that I couldn't help but cringe. On top of the weak story, the film felt too staged - I constantly felt as if I was watching a movie, which is technically right, but when you watch a good movie, you don't realize that it's a movie you're watching. It absorbs you into this amazing alternate reality that the director has created and you're merely another character, no longer a member in the audience.
6.5/10
1961
I don't understand how some movies are famous. Close Encounters With the Third Kind, The Birds, Say Anything, Avatar to name some. West Side Story, not a whole lot different. Okay so, it has the EXACT same story line as Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, a story pretty everybody has read or know of. The musical numbers aren't very catchy. The cinematography is mediocre and the acting is okay. The cast is a little ambiguous in that I couldn't tell who was Puerto Rican and who was white because pretty much everybody in the film except for maybe 2 people are Caucasian, including the main female character who is supposed to be 100% Latin American. I was never a fan of musicals, but there are some that I liked. As I have said with Moulin Rouge!, the love portrayed in the movie was so dramatized, so over-the-top that I couldn't help but cringe. On top of the weak story, the film felt too staged - I constantly felt as if I was watching a movie, which is technically right, but when you watch a good movie, you don't realize that it's a movie you're watching. It absorbs you into this amazing alternate reality that the director has created and you're merely another character, no longer a member in the audience.
6.5/10
#69 Source Code (9/10/11)
Dir. Duncan Jones
2011
So I have some major, major good things to say about this film, but also one big problem and a small problem I'd like to address. So to start off with the pros, wow what an unexpectedly clever science fiction film with a very interesting concept as a base. It's not confusing at all, which I, a bit dim-witted when it comes to crazy scientific terms, appreciated very much. Ugh, forget Matrix, I couldn't even understand Inception. Anyway, the movie deals with those split moments of brain activity that remains active after one's death and scientists trying to use them to their advantage by sending a person's consciousness into a computer-stimulated world using these 8 minutes of what is referred to as the "Source Code". K, that was a horribly incoherent sentence, but the idea was awesome, just take my words for it. My small problem was that the special effects looked like the ones used in the first Back to the Future movie and that was released in 1985. But that wasn't what bothered me too much, but you know what was just the worst decision ever? To add in those last 15 minutes. It would've ended so much better if the credits had just rolled up after this bittersweet, ambiguous still shot, but of course some viewers can't take semi-sad ending and the movie goes on to conclude in the happiest way possible with a definite outlook of a sequel. Oh stap it.
8/10
2011
So I have some major, major good things to say about this film, but also one big problem and a small problem I'd like to address. So to start off with the pros, wow what an unexpectedly clever science fiction film with a very interesting concept as a base. It's not confusing at all, which I, a bit dim-witted when it comes to crazy scientific terms, appreciated very much. Ugh, forget Matrix, I couldn't even understand Inception. Anyway, the movie deals with those split moments of brain activity that remains active after one's death and scientists trying to use them to their advantage by sending a person's consciousness into a computer-stimulated world using these 8 minutes of what is referred to as the "Source Code". K, that was a horribly incoherent sentence, but the idea was awesome, just take my words for it. My small problem was that the special effects looked like the ones used in the first Back to the Future movie and that was released in 1985. But that wasn't what bothered me too much, but you know what was just the worst decision ever? To add in those last 15 minutes. It would've ended so much better if the credits had just rolled up after this bittersweet, ambiguous still shot, but of course some viewers can't take semi-sad ending and the movie goes on to conclude in the happiest way possible with a definite outlook of a sequel. Oh stap it.
8/10
#68 The Bucket List (9/03/11)
Dir. Rob Reiner
2007
Wasn't awful or anything, but for a movie starring two of the most legendary actors to be living today, it just wasn't good. A waste of talents as I would like to call it. The concept was interesting - two senior men with cancer doing everything they have always dreamed of doing in the very brief amount of time they have left. If it wasn't bad acting and not bad story, what could have been it? The writing. The dialogues were weak, clichéd, and many times awkward. Friendship, love, and death are all incredibly difficult subjects to write about, speaking from my own experience and having failed embarrassingly from it. I searched up the writer of this film on IMDB and discovered that this was his very first feature film that he has written. Understandable. Next, cinematography. There is this once scene when they're dining at a restaurant in the South of France and the sky captured behind is like the most perfect grape purple. Dead giveaway that it went through a ton of color correction. I guess besides those two (kind of important) things, the film was certainly enjoyable and it was indeed quite sad when the two characters die although their deaths were coming all along.
7/10
2007
Wasn't awful or anything, but for a movie starring two of the most legendary actors to be living today, it just wasn't good. A waste of talents as I would like to call it. The concept was interesting - two senior men with cancer doing everything they have always dreamed of doing in the very brief amount of time they have left. If it wasn't bad acting and not bad story, what could have been it? The writing. The dialogues were weak, clichéd, and many times awkward. Friendship, love, and death are all incredibly difficult subjects to write about, speaking from my own experience and having failed embarrassingly from it. I searched up the writer of this film on IMDB and discovered that this was his very first feature film that he has written. Understandable. Next, cinematography. There is this once scene when they're dining at a restaurant in the South of France and the sky captured behind is like the most perfect grape purple. Dead giveaway that it went through a ton of color correction. I guess besides those two (kind of important) things, the film was certainly enjoyable and it was indeed quite sad when the two characters die although their deaths were coming all along.
7/10
#67 Walk the Line (9/02/11)
Dir. James Mangold
2005
Although the new school year started this Tuesday, I'm already burdened with tedious homework, not to mention having to write application essays and study for my SAT 2. That unfortunately leaves me barely any time to watch movies, which is just so depressing. Thank god for Mr. Raines who was gracious enough, though obviously unintentional, to keep me alive and play a movie for the class today. So, I barely know anything about Johnny Cash, whose life Walk the Line is based on. I'm not that big a fan of autobiographical films, typically on people I don't have particular interest in. Like, a movie about Paul Newman - I'd totally watch that. Phil Collins? Sure. Girls' Generation? Why not. But if I had an option between a movie about Johnny Cash and some other movie, the chance is, I'll probably go for that other one. Having said that, the movie wasn't half bad. I know a little about Joaquin Phoenix's familial background and it was brave of him to take on somewhat of a personal role since Johnny Cash's life mirrored very similarly to his own. I very much enjoyed the musical performances in it. Who knew Reese Witherspoon could sing in such an authentic Southern accent? I learn new things everyday.
7/10
2005
Although the new school year started this Tuesday, I'm already burdened with tedious homework, not to mention having to write application essays and study for my SAT 2. That unfortunately leaves me barely any time to watch movies, which is just so depressing. Thank god for Mr. Raines who was gracious enough, though obviously unintentional, to keep me alive and play a movie for the class today. So, I barely know anything about Johnny Cash, whose life Walk the Line is based on. I'm not that big a fan of autobiographical films, typically on people I don't have particular interest in. Like, a movie about Paul Newman - I'd totally watch that. Phil Collins? Sure. Girls' Generation? Why not. But if I had an option between a movie about Johnny Cash and some other movie, the chance is, I'll probably go for that other one. Having said that, the movie wasn't half bad. I know a little about Joaquin Phoenix's familial background and it was brave of him to take on somewhat of a personal role since Johnny Cash's life mirrored very similarly to his own. I very much enjoyed the musical performances in it. Who knew Reese Witherspoon could sing in such an authentic Southern accent? I learn new things everyday.
7/10
#66 The Godfather: Part II (8/29/11)
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
1974
Great for a sequel since most sequels never compare to the original, but I still like the first Godfather film better. I thought the biggest weakness with Part II was that it told two stories, both really big in scale. I thought Coppola might have been too ambitious with this one. I didn't really see a strong connection between the two. With that being said, I much prefer the story that consisted of flashbacks of how Vito Corleone came to be the almighty mafia boss that we see him as in Part I. Although Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando look absolutely nothing alike, De Niro was so believable in acting as the younger self of the character previously played by Brando that I had no need to suspend my disbelief. The other story that primarily focuses on Michael did build great character depth, but I was so incredibly turned off by what he had become. It was probably intentional but it did make my movie viewing unpleasant. *SPOILER ALERT* The fact that he unnecessarily kills his own brother, condemns his ex-wife from spending time with her children, and just completely ruins the family reputation. Ugh, just made me angry, you know?
8/10
1974
Great for a sequel since most sequels never compare to the original, but I still like the first Godfather film better. I thought the biggest weakness with Part II was that it told two stories, both really big in scale. I thought Coppola might have been too ambitious with this one. I didn't really see a strong connection between the two. With that being said, I much prefer the story that consisted of flashbacks of how Vito Corleone came to be the almighty mafia boss that we see him as in Part I. Although Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando look absolutely nothing alike, De Niro was so believable in acting as the younger self of the character previously played by Brando that I had no need to suspend my disbelief. The other story that primarily focuses on Michael did build great character depth, but I was so incredibly turned off by what he had become. It was probably intentional but it did make my movie viewing unpleasant. *SPOILER ALERT* The fact that he unnecessarily kills his own brother, condemns his ex-wife from spending time with her children, and just completely ruins the family reputation. Ugh, just made me angry, you know?
8/10
#65 Heathers (8/28/11)
Dir. Michael Lehmann
1988
So I was flipping through the TV and came upon this movie. Although it was 30 minutes into it already, I've seen it before quite recently and was glad to be revisiting it. The following is probably one of my favorite lines in any movie that also briefly sums up the story - "The only place where different social can genuinely get along is in heaven". So Heathers is a satirical black comedy that deals with teen suicides, popularity in high schools, and ignorance of parents. Far from my favorite movie themes, but potentially the most relatable ones. Winona Ryder gives a very convincing performance as a member of the clique "Heathers" who possesses all the stereotypical popular girl qualities on the outside but is actually of very intelligent and contemplative nature. She gets involved with a badass new kid in school, played even more impressively by Christian Slater, who teaches her his ways of, well, "getting rid" of people he considers as scums of the teenage society: bullies, shallow girls, and just bitches and assholes, really. It's very interesting, but just a heads up, it's easily the most bizarre thing I've ever seen and very incoherent, though probably intentional.
7.5/10
1988
So I was flipping through the TV and came upon this movie. Although it was 30 minutes into it already, I've seen it before quite recently and was glad to be revisiting it. The following is probably one of my favorite lines in any movie that also briefly sums up the story - "The only place where different social can genuinely get along is in heaven". So Heathers is a satirical black comedy that deals with teen suicides, popularity in high schools, and ignorance of parents. Far from my favorite movie themes, but potentially the most relatable ones. Winona Ryder gives a very convincing performance as a member of the clique "Heathers" who possesses all the stereotypical popular girl qualities on the outside but is actually of very intelligent and contemplative nature. She gets involved with a badass new kid in school, played even more impressively by Christian Slater, who teaches her his ways of, well, "getting rid" of people he considers as scums of the teenage society: bullies, shallow girls, and just bitches and assholes, really. It's very interesting, but just a heads up, it's easily the most bizarre thing I've ever seen and very incoherent, though probably intentional.
7.5/10
#64 The Help (8/27/11)
Dir. Tate Taylor
2011
I just watched this for the sake of going to this incredibly nice, new modern movie theater called Cinepolis right by my house. I originally wanted to watch Crazy, Stupid, Love but turns out it was only playing in 21+ screening rooms, which is somewhat absurd and economically insensible since it's a PG-13 movie and I know a ton of underaged people who would go watch that. All the complaints aside, The Help was quite enjoyable although it did have some noticeable flaws. For one thing, the social injustice in the segregated South conveyed through the movie just didn't win my sympathy. I can be emotionless at times, but black civil movement-themed stories have always interested me although many can be unbearably awful. There wasn't a moment in the film when I was like "Jesus Christ! How horrid. I can't believe this actually happened". I can see the film worked hard to get the audience to feel that, but for me, it seemed too pushed and not very authentic. I liked that it was family-appropriate because a lot of decent or better live-action movies aren't. Emma Stone is adorable, not to mention freshly talented, and I can already tell she's got a golden career coming in front of her.
7.5/10
2011
I just watched this for the sake of going to this incredibly nice, new modern movie theater called Cinepolis right by my house. I originally wanted to watch Crazy, Stupid, Love but turns out it was only playing in 21+ screening rooms, which is somewhat absurd and economically insensible since it's a PG-13 movie and I know a ton of underaged people who would go watch that. All the complaints aside, The Help was quite enjoyable although it did have some noticeable flaws. For one thing, the social injustice in the segregated South conveyed through the movie just didn't win my sympathy. I can be emotionless at times, but black civil movement-themed stories have always interested me although many can be unbearably awful. There wasn't a moment in the film when I was like "Jesus Christ! How horrid. I can't believe this actually happened". I can see the film worked hard to get the audience to feel that, but for me, it seemed too pushed and not very authentic. I liked that it was family-appropriate because a lot of decent or better live-action movies aren't. Emma Stone is adorable, not to mention freshly talented, and I can already tell she's got a golden career coming in front of her.
7.5/10
#63 Radio Days (8/26/11)
Dir. Woody Allen
1987
I haven't seen a Woody Allen film in a while. My dad had seen Radio Days and when asked whether he liked it or not, he went "Meh, worth watching" and that is exactly how I feel about this movie. Woody Allen may be a thousand years older than me and have the most "in-appro-pro" personal life ever, but I must agree that he's a romantic. Not necessarily romantic as in he understands the ladies and is the type of guy who buys his love interests dozens of roses and other cute lovey dovey shit, but romantic as in he sees beauty in everything, most importantly in New York, his childhood, and music. Radio Days is no doubt based on his own experiences and memories of the early 1940s, also known as the Golden Age of Radio. He narrates it, told from the point of view of no older than an 8-year-old boy. It's cute, homey, and very genuine. It could be that I was neither alive during that time nor raised in East Coast United States that disabled me to totally connect with the film. Diane Keaton, Jeff Daniels, and Danny Aiello, and a couple other famous actors whom I can't remember now make cameo appearances, which are always fun.
7.5/10
1987
I haven't seen a Woody Allen film in a while. My dad had seen Radio Days and when asked whether he liked it or not, he went "Meh, worth watching" and that is exactly how I feel about this movie. Woody Allen may be a thousand years older than me and have the most "in-appro-pro" personal life ever, but I must agree that he's a romantic. Not necessarily romantic as in he understands the ladies and is the type of guy who buys his love interests dozens of roses and other cute lovey dovey shit, but romantic as in he sees beauty in everything, most importantly in New York, his childhood, and music. Radio Days is no doubt based on his own experiences and memories of the early 1940s, also known as the Golden Age of Radio. He narrates it, told from the point of view of no older than an 8-year-old boy. It's cute, homey, and very genuine. It could be that I was neither alive during that time nor raised in East Coast United States that disabled me to totally connect with the film. Diane Keaton, Jeff Daniels, and Danny Aiello, and a couple other famous actors whom I can't remember now make cameo appearances, which are always fun.
7.5/10
#62 Sunny (8/25/11)
Dir. Kang Hyeong-Cheol
2011
I deserve a nice slap on my face for underestimating Korean cinema so much in the past. Ever since Oldboy, I started having more respect for Korean films. It's tough to find them though since the website we get movies from is American and plus even if we do download them, we end up procrasinating on watching them because my sister can't understand the language. Enough yapping, let's get into the movie. So it revolves around seven friends, all with a very distinct personality, and intercuts between their past as high school students and present day as middle-aged women. One of them is dying of cancer and wishes to reunite her childhood clique "Sunny" before her eventual demise. This is one of the few movies that pulled off flashback sequences because a lot of movies tend to mess too much with colors and have awkward transitions. It's also worth mentioning that the balance between humor and sentimentality is perfect. I guess the only thing I had a problem with was the scene when the full grown women completely beat the s*!t out of these little high school bullies. Hilarious I admit, but totally unnecessary and kind of...weird? But seriously, beside that one minor detail, I found it very entertaining and an awesome way to bond with my mom!
8.5/10
2011
I deserve a nice slap on my face for underestimating Korean cinema so much in the past. Ever since Oldboy, I started having more respect for Korean films. It's tough to find them though since the website we get movies from is American and plus even if we do download them, we end up procrasinating on watching them because my sister can't understand the language. Enough yapping, let's get into the movie. So it revolves around seven friends, all with a very distinct personality, and intercuts between their past as high school students and present day as middle-aged women. One of them is dying of cancer and wishes to reunite her childhood clique "Sunny" before her eventual demise. This is one of the few movies that pulled off flashback sequences because a lot of movies tend to mess too much with colors and have awkward transitions. It's also worth mentioning that the balance between humor and sentimentality is perfect. I guess the only thing I had a problem with was the scene when the full grown women completely beat the s*!t out of these little high school bullies. Hilarious I admit, but totally unnecessary and kind of...weird? But seriously, beside that one minor detail, I found it very entertaining and an awesome way to bond with my mom!
8.5/10
#61 The Lincoln Lawyer (8/23/11)
Dir. Brad Furman
2011
Caught me off guard. It was actually really enjoyable. I have mixed opinions on Matthew McConaughey. First things first, his name is incredibly difficult to spell so I know I won't be marrying him. Second things second, he always plays these somewhat douchey Mr. Big Shot guys so I thought his range of acting only went as far as that. But then this film comes along and he rocks a relatively intelligent, family-loving lawyer role! Still a little douchey, but I don't think he will ever drop that quality. If you're up for an intense courtroom drama type of film, it's totally worth seeing. It's not the new To Kill a Mockingbird, but the case is pretty believable and it does get you thinking about morality...you know the good vs. evil shit that Honors 10th grade English class likes to always touch upon. The ending could have been trimmed a little. There were two instances when I thought "The credits are gonna roll up. Time for bed....oh what, just kidding". I guess the twist at the end was a pretty solid way to end the movie, but my face wasn't like :O like I did in Primal Fear or anything.
8/10
2011
Caught me off guard. It was actually really enjoyable. I have mixed opinions on Matthew McConaughey. First things first, his name is incredibly difficult to spell so I know I won't be marrying him. Second things second, he always plays these somewhat douchey Mr. Big Shot guys so I thought his range of acting only went as far as that. But then this film comes along and he rocks a relatively intelligent, family-loving lawyer role! Still a little douchey, but I don't think he will ever drop that quality. If you're up for an intense courtroom drama type of film, it's totally worth seeing. It's not the new To Kill a Mockingbird, but the case is pretty believable and it does get you thinking about morality...you know the good vs. evil shit that Honors 10th grade English class likes to always touch upon. The ending could have been trimmed a little. There were two instances when I thought "The credits are gonna roll up. Time for bed....oh what, just kidding". I guess the twist at the end was a pretty solid way to end the movie, but my face wasn't like :O like I did in Primal Fear or anything.
8/10
#60 Thank You For Smoking (8/20/11)
Dir. Jason Reitman
2005
Did not know until I wrote the director's name 2 seconds ago that this was made by the same guy that did Up In the Air. A really interesting look at what people that work for infamous corporations like the tobacco company go through on a daily basis. They get so much shit, but they're just doing their job so it's sad! Aside from that, the rest of the movie is so funny! My favorite line ever is when Aaron Eckhart who plays the divorced dad to a 12-year-old, working as a spokesman person for the tobacco industry, says in response to his ex-wife's new boyfriend's comment about how smoking kills and may affect the son's health, "Excuse me, I'm the father. You're just the guy fucking his mom". (That was definitely the worst, longest run-on sentence I've ever written in my life). I LOLed at the quote and so did my mom, but I'm pretty sure she just copied me because she doesn't like nor understand the type of jokes like that. Anyway, I think you know where I'm going with this. Witty dialogues, great actors, blah blah. Let's say I got to direct this movie? Maybe lower the glorification of smoking a little. Personally not a big deal if people smoke, but I say it's still too much.
8/10
2005
Did not know until I wrote the director's name 2 seconds ago that this was made by the same guy that did Up In the Air. A really interesting look at what people that work for infamous corporations like the tobacco company go through on a daily basis. They get so much shit, but they're just doing their job so it's sad! Aside from that, the rest of the movie is so funny! My favorite line ever is when Aaron Eckhart who plays the divorced dad to a 12-year-old, working as a spokesman person for the tobacco industry, says in response to his ex-wife's new boyfriend's comment about how smoking kills and may affect the son's health, "Excuse me, I'm the father. You're just the guy fucking his mom". (That was definitely the worst, longest run-on sentence I've ever written in my life). I LOLed at the quote and so did my mom, but I'm pretty sure she just copied me because she doesn't like nor understand the type of jokes like that. Anyway, I think you know where I'm going with this. Witty dialogues, great actors, blah blah. Let's say I got to direct this movie? Maybe lower the glorification of smoking a little. Personally not a big deal if people smoke, but I say it's still too much.
8/10
#59 The Godfather (8/20/11)
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
1972
Can't believe it took me this long to watch this film! I've even played the video game for it too. I've had many chances to see it, but both my mom and my sister aren't exactly into gangster-related things and my family always votes to decide what movie to watch and The Godfather never seemed to be that popular. So where should I start....Okay so, Marlon Brando, you da man. Wherever the hell he picked up that incredible accent! Probably one of my favorite father and son interaction in a movie when Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) visits Don (Brando) in the empty hospital and reassures him that he will be okay. Brando didn't even say a thing in that scene and as soon as he sheds that one drop of tear, I'm struck by this indescribable fuzzy feeling in my stomach. And Jesus, don't even get me started with the rest of the cast. James Caan played one of the least likable guys ever, but he played it so well that I love him, nah I mean? And I loved the way many key ideas were kept unsaid, but there was an undertone that implied it all, so the ambiguity actually served as a strength. I can just go on forever and ever. Definitely an easy perfect score.
10/10
1972
Can't believe it took me this long to watch this film! I've even played the video game for it too. I've had many chances to see it, but both my mom and my sister aren't exactly into gangster-related things and my family always votes to decide what movie to watch and The Godfather never seemed to be that popular. So where should I start....Okay so, Marlon Brando, you da man. Wherever the hell he picked up that incredible accent! Probably one of my favorite father and son interaction in a movie when Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) visits Don (Brando) in the empty hospital and reassures him that he will be okay. Brando didn't even say a thing in that scene and as soon as he sheds that one drop of tear, I'm struck by this indescribable fuzzy feeling in my stomach. And Jesus, don't even get me started with the rest of the cast. James Caan played one of the least likable guys ever, but he played it so well that I love him, nah I mean? And I loved the way many key ideas were kept unsaid, but there was an undertone that implied it all, so the ambiguity actually served as a strength. I can just go on forever and ever. Definitely an easy perfect score.
10/10
#58 Four Weddings and a Funeral (8/17/11)
Dir. Mike Newell
1994
The poster is misleading. Andie MacDowell never wears that giant of a hat and Hugh Grant's hair is never that poofy in the movie. Anyway, British comedies are always fun to watch. I'm a big fan of Love Actually, About a Boy, A Fish Called Wanda, and Mr. Bean. Unlike modern American comedies, British ones definitely have more class and are far less nasty. I liked this one too. I wasn't so thrilled about the title at first because I thought it already gave away too much about the movie's plot line and wondered if that would affect my overall viewing experience. But to my delight, it didn't at all. It was kind of fun counting down how many weddings were left. It was a cool organizational way of telling a story. The meeting of the two main characters felt too contrived. Like, the screenwriter needed the two people to meet as soon as possible to get the story going that he had overlooked the reality of it all. The identity of the girl is also a little vague. Why an American, who is implied to have a home in the US, is also permanently residing in London? What her relationships are to the people that invite her to their weddings?
7.5/10
1994
The poster is misleading. Andie MacDowell never wears that giant of a hat and Hugh Grant's hair is never that poofy in the movie. Anyway, British comedies are always fun to watch. I'm a big fan of Love Actually, About a Boy, A Fish Called Wanda, and Mr. Bean. Unlike modern American comedies, British ones definitely have more class and are far less nasty. I liked this one too. I wasn't so thrilled about the title at first because I thought it already gave away too much about the movie's plot line and wondered if that would affect my overall viewing experience. But to my delight, it didn't at all. It was kind of fun counting down how many weddings were left. It was a cool organizational way of telling a story. The meeting of the two main characters felt too contrived. Like, the screenwriter needed the two people to meet as soon as possible to get the story going that he had overlooked the reality of it all. The identity of the girl is also a little vague. Why an American, who is implied to have a home in the US, is also permanently residing in London? What her relationships are to the people that invite her to their weddings?
7.5/10
#57 Up in the Air (8/16/11)
Dir. Jason Reitman
2009
What a neat movie! It's really been a while since I've watched a movie that provided such a great sense of closure. It had this bittersweet ending that also came off as a big twist (for me at least), but I totally loved it. I actually avoided seeing this film upon watching the trailer because honestly, the story sounded a little dull. I was expecting a movie about a depressed man, searching desperately for the meaning of life or whatever and eventually concluding that his current lifestyle sucks and decides to go a different pathway. You know, kind of like Lost in Translation but worse since that's a great film. But nope! I got out a completely different story from it. It probably isn't considered a comedy, but I certainly got some good laughs out of it too. The jokes are real subtle, but that's the beauty of it. Never thought George Clooney could pull off such a vulnerable role either. I always saw him as this sleazy, douche-bag kind of guy, but his performance was really impressive and I'm really surprised that he didn't get that Oscar.
8.5/10
2009
What a neat movie! It's really been a while since I've watched a movie that provided such a great sense of closure. It had this bittersweet ending that also came off as a big twist (for me at least), but I totally loved it. I actually avoided seeing this film upon watching the trailer because honestly, the story sounded a little dull. I was expecting a movie about a depressed man, searching desperately for the meaning of life or whatever and eventually concluding that his current lifestyle sucks and decides to go a different pathway. You know, kind of like Lost in Translation but worse since that's a great film. But nope! I got out a completely different story from it. It probably isn't considered a comedy, but I certainly got some good laughs out of it too. The jokes are real subtle, but that's the beauty of it. Never thought George Clooney could pull off such a vulnerable role either. I always saw him as this sleazy, douche-bag kind of guy, but his performance was really impressive and I'm really surprised that he didn't get that Oscar.
8.5/10
#56 The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (8/15/11)
Dir. Sergio Leone
1966
So this is the origin of that famous whistling tune! Swear to God I've heard it so many times in so many different circumstances, but never had the slightest idea where it was from. For one thing, my dad's a huge fan of Sergio Leone and also an amazing whistler (where I got my talent for it) so he whistled it all the time. Never took the time out to ask him I guess! Anyway, I haven't seen a whole lot of Westerns for no apparent reason just like I've never listened to U2 music. They're famous, there are a lot of them, and they were essential to the development of cinema. I guess westerns are stereotyped to be geared toward men, but frankly that's really just a stereotype because I think most girls would agree Mexican standoffs are downright awesome! With its 3-hour running time, I admit that I could've fallen asleep for around a half an hour and still understood the story clearly. Good thing? Maybe, but the story revolved around too basic of a plot: three guys desperately in search of gold.
8/10
1966
So this is the origin of that famous whistling tune! Swear to God I've heard it so many times in so many different circumstances, but never had the slightest idea where it was from. For one thing, my dad's a huge fan of Sergio Leone and also an amazing whistler (where I got my talent for it) so he whistled it all the time. Never took the time out to ask him I guess! Anyway, I haven't seen a whole lot of Westerns for no apparent reason just like I've never listened to U2 music. They're famous, there are a lot of them, and they were essential to the development of cinema. I guess westerns are stereotyped to be geared toward men, but frankly that's really just a stereotype because I think most girls would agree Mexican standoffs are downright awesome! With its 3-hour running time, I admit that I could've fallen asleep for around a half an hour and still understood the story clearly. Good thing? Maybe, but the story revolved around too basic of a plot: three guys desperately in search of gold.
8/10
#55 Moulin Rouge! (8/14/11)
Dir. Baz Luhrmann
2001
Far from boring, but maybe too much so. I appreciate the fast-paced editing for I know how tedious that can get, but it was so fast and disorienting at some parts that I constantly felt overwhelmed. A love story is always great, but Moulin Rouge! love was too much of a "musical love", meaning the romance was poorly developed and had an obvious ending. The thing about musical is....it's so hard to maintain a good plot and still include awesome musical tracks with all the dancing and other fun frolicking. Judging from the fact that the movie was filmed in Australia, it had this great Parisian mood with scenery created from pure special effects and I thought that was kind of the coolest thing ever. I wasn't too thrilled about the music, mostly because none of them were original and it borrowed from overplayed 70s, 80s, and 90s music. I did enjoy the film's rendition of The Police's "Roxanne" into a steamy tango though. I like both actors (Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman) individually. Together, something felt off although I can't quite say what it is.
7/10
2001
Far from boring, but maybe too much so. I appreciate the fast-paced editing for I know how tedious that can get, but it was so fast and disorienting at some parts that I constantly felt overwhelmed. A love story is always great, but Moulin Rouge! love was too much of a "musical love", meaning the romance was poorly developed and had an obvious ending. The thing about musical is....it's so hard to maintain a good plot and still include awesome musical tracks with all the dancing and other fun frolicking. Judging from the fact that the movie was filmed in Australia, it had this great Parisian mood with scenery created from pure special effects and I thought that was kind of the coolest thing ever. I wasn't too thrilled about the music, mostly because none of them were original and it borrowed from overplayed 70s, 80s, and 90s music. I did enjoy the film's rendition of The Police's "Roxanne" into a steamy tango though. I like both actors (Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman) individually. Together, something felt off although I can't quite say what it is.
7/10
#54 Close Encounters With the Third Kind (8/13/11)
Dir. Steven Spielberg
1977
Wow, pre-Indiana Jones Spielberg did really suck. Come on! What was the point of this movie? So, I don't mind a bad movie, but it's got to be at least somewhat fun to watch. Nope! The ending was absolutely awful, which gave the audience no closure, or a sense of ending. This big spaceship appears from the sky and I was on the edge of my seat (not really), hoping at least there would be a mind-blowing twist coming up, but I was proven wrong by a rather ambiguous ending. The film never explains any strange quirks that it had introduced earlier on, like why random people that have spotted the UFO suddenly get drawn to this mountain thing that they have never seen before. Basically, the story wasn't clear. Either that or there was this profound meaning beneath it all and I just failed to catch it because I'm stupid. I mean, at least with Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, you get this really visually stimulating photography, awesome music, and a much higher quality story. I guess it would have been kind of cool to watch this when it came out in 1977, but I did not enjoy it whatsoever.
5/10
1977
Wow, pre-Indiana Jones Spielberg did really suck. Come on! What was the point of this movie? So, I don't mind a bad movie, but it's got to be at least somewhat fun to watch. Nope! The ending was absolutely awful, which gave the audience no closure, or a sense of ending. This big spaceship appears from the sky and I was on the edge of my seat (not really), hoping at least there would be a mind-blowing twist coming up, but I was proven wrong by a rather ambiguous ending. The film never explains any strange quirks that it had introduced earlier on, like why random people that have spotted the UFO suddenly get drawn to this mountain thing that they have never seen before. Basically, the story wasn't clear. Either that or there was this profound meaning beneath it all and I just failed to catch it because I'm stupid. I mean, at least with Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, you get this really visually stimulating photography, awesome music, and a much higher quality story. I guess it would have been kind of cool to watch this when it came out in 1977, but I did not enjoy it whatsoever.
5/10
#53 The Fall (8/12/11)
Dir. Tarsem Singh
2006
I will never understand why before yesterday, I have never heard of this movie or seen any clip from it. I mean, it's definitely been a while since I sat through such an emotionally engaging film and I generally hate crying during movies, but wow! This one got me. The story revolves around this young Eastern European girl with a broken arm in an American hospital in the 1920s. She one day meets a man unable to move the lower half of his body due to a stunt injury. He improvises an epic tale to the girl so in return, she can retrieve morphine for him and he can commit suicide, except of course the girl has no idea of his ulterior motive. It's sad, maybe too sad. I was completely won by the girl's (Catinca Untaru) performance because a role requiring both mature emotional strength and childlike naivety is difficult, even for adults and she's like what, 6? Aside from that, the cinematography was jaw-dropping. I loved, loved, loved the part when the elephant swam across the ocean. The color scheme was done so well in a way that wasn't corny. All in all, I can't think of a single area I can possibly criticize.
10/10
2006
I will never understand why before yesterday, I have never heard of this movie or seen any clip from it. I mean, it's definitely been a while since I sat through such an emotionally engaging film and I generally hate crying during movies, but wow! This one got me. The story revolves around this young Eastern European girl with a broken arm in an American hospital in the 1920s. She one day meets a man unable to move the lower half of his body due to a stunt injury. He improvises an epic tale to the girl so in return, she can retrieve morphine for him and he can commit suicide, except of course the girl has no idea of his ulterior motive. It's sad, maybe too sad. I was completely won by the girl's (Catinca Untaru) performance because a role requiring both mature emotional strength and childlike naivety is difficult, even for adults and she's like what, 6? Aside from that, the cinematography was jaw-dropping. I loved, loved, loved the part when the elephant swam across the ocean. The color scheme was done so well in a way that wasn't corny. All in all, I can't think of a single area I can possibly criticize.
10/10
#52 Kick-Ass (8/10/11)
Dir. Matthew Vaughn
2010
Nicolas Cage? Superhero? Who would've thought! I gotta say this was my favorite role he's ever done though. Well possibly tied with Raising Arizona because that was great too. An incredibly simple story about a teenage comic book-loving kid who dreams of being a superhero. What I've learned from years of filmmaking: keep your story as simple as possible. Don't try to pull off an Inception unless you have an endless supply of money, over a hundred brains to generate ideas from, and an amazing studio set. I was reading the IMDB trivia page for this movie and learned that it was made independently because no studio was willing to produce it. Wow! It looked super high-budget and Hollywood-y but apparently not. Aside from the immature sex/masturbation/gay jokes that I had to sit through with my parents there, I quite enjoyed it. Some of the blood made me a little queasy, but I have to stop being so old-school and accept the fact that modern R movies always have a ton of blood. Kick-Ass was like Watchmen except with humor and more teen vibe to it.
7.5/10
2010
Nicolas Cage? Superhero? Who would've thought! I gotta say this was my favorite role he's ever done though. Well possibly tied with Raising Arizona because that was great too. An incredibly simple story about a teenage comic book-loving kid who dreams of being a superhero. What I've learned from years of filmmaking: keep your story as simple as possible. Don't try to pull off an Inception unless you have an endless supply of money, over a hundred brains to generate ideas from, and an amazing studio set. I was reading the IMDB trivia page for this movie and learned that it was made independently because no studio was willing to produce it. Wow! It looked super high-budget and Hollywood-y but apparently not. Aside from the immature sex/masturbation/gay jokes that I had to sit through with my parents there, I quite enjoyed it. Some of the blood made me a little queasy, but I have to stop being so old-school and accept the fact that modern R movies always have a ton of blood. Kick-Ass was like Watchmen except with humor and more teen vibe to it.
7.5/10
#51 The Darjeeling Limited (8/10/11)
Dir. Wes Anderson
2007
Oh Jesus monkey pants. I am so behind and looking back, I don't know how I was able to keep such consistency with these reviews. Anyway, The Darjeeling Limited had a really solid idea: three extremely disconnected brothers reunite in India after many years of separation in search of a spiritual understanding and to renew their brotherhood. Cool, right? It had this great Wes Anderson look (vibrant colors, slow motions, and quirky makeup/costume), catchy Bollywood soundtrack, and possibly the best actor trio ever (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody <3, and Jason Schwartzman), but they weren't enough to generate either an entertaining hour and a half or a profoundly moving hour and a half. I have a difficult time deciding whether this was a good movie (as in, not whether or not I liked it personally, but more so on the healthy balance of the screenplay, cinematography, and post-production). I felt like some of the dialogues were awkward but then later concluded that they were intentional and initially disliked the slow pace but quickly wondered if the director wanted it that way for character development. So yeah, not sure what to really think of it.
7/10
2007
Oh Jesus monkey pants. I am so behind and looking back, I don't know how I was able to keep such consistency with these reviews. Anyway, The Darjeeling Limited had a really solid idea: three extremely disconnected brothers reunite in India after many years of separation in search of a spiritual understanding and to renew their brotherhood. Cool, right? It had this great Wes Anderson look (vibrant colors, slow motions, and quirky makeup/costume), catchy Bollywood soundtrack, and possibly the best actor trio ever (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody <3, and Jason Schwartzman), but they weren't enough to generate either an entertaining hour and a half or a profoundly moving hour and a half. I have a difficult time deciding whether this was a good movie (as in, not whether or not I liked it personally, but more so on the healthy balance of the screenplay, cinematography, and post-production). I felt like some of the dialogues were awkward but then later concluded that they were intentional and initially disliked the slow pace but quickly wondered if the director wanted it that way for character development. So yeah, not sure what to really think of it.
7/10
#50 127 Hours (8/09/11)
Dir. Danny Boyle
2010
I remember wanting to murder megavideo because literally a couple seconds before the part when the main character's hand gets stuck under a huge rock, it said I had to wait another day or whatever for watching 72 minutes, when in actuality, I'd only seen 15 minutes. Get your shit together! Nah, sorry. I guess free streaming movies come at a cost. Anyway, I decided to download it recently to watch it without any interruptions. First off, my respect for James Franco at least doubled from 127 Hours. It's pretty much a one-man show with most of the performance coming from facial expressions. The agonizing pain in his face looked 100% genuine and his adorable puppy-dog face was definitely a bonus. The first 20 minutes, especially the opening credits, was done incredibly well. The encounter with the girls, the cliff jumping scenes, and the establishment of location...perfect. The rest of the movie, which unfortunately is the key chunk of the theme, was too drawn out and, well, cliché. "Oh how I regret not having a good relationship with my parents", "I miss my ex-girlfriend", and "I'm gonna die. My life is flashing before my eyes". I think the movie poster should remove "triumphant" and just leave it at "A true story". I just wasn't moved, you know? (*Kanye shrug*).
7/10
2010
I remember wanting to murder megavideo because literally a couple seconds before the part when the main character's hand gets stuck under a huge rock, it said I had to wait another day or whatever for watching 72 minutes, when in actuality, I'd only seen 15 minutes. Get your shit together! Nah, sorry. I guess free streaming movies come at a cost. Anyway, I decided to download it recently to watch it without any interruptions. First off, my respect for James Franco at least doubled from 127 Hours. It's pretty much a one-man show with most of the performance coming from facial expressions. The agonizing pain in his face looked 100% genuine and his adorable puppy-dog face was definitely a bonus. The first 20 minutes, especially the opening credits, was done incredibly well. The encounter with the girls, the cliff jumping scenes, and the establishment of location...perfect. The rest of the movie, which unfortunately is the key chunk of the theme, was too drawn out and, well, cliché. "Oh how I regret not having a good relationship with my parents", "I miss my ex-girlfriend", and "I'm gonna die. My life is flashing before my eyes". I think the movie poster should remove "triumphant" and just leave it at "A true story". I just wasn't moved, you know? (*Kanye shrug*).
7/10
#49 The Man With a Movie Camera (8/08/11)
Dir. Dziga Vertov
1929
I remember this was the first movie my Tisch Summer High School professor played in class and I took a zillion pages of notes because I wanted to make a good impression and everyone else around me was furiously scribbling things down (which I later found out were merely doodles). Anyway, it's just really strange to watch a movie from the 20s, especially a Russian one that is. Strictly told through images and music, The Man With a Movie Camera explored deeply into how movies are constructed and provided a realistic, unbiased depiction of an urbanized, contemporary society. Although it was set almost a 100 years ago from today, it looked super modern and besides maybe the costuming and the grainy black & white cinematography, I would have totally believed that it was made sometime in the 1950s. Unfortunately though I am not a big fan of experimental or documentary films, which this was a combination of so I can't say that I fully enjoyed it. And a warning, people with epilepsy should definitely avoid this because there's like a 5-minute incredibly fast cut sequence and I just couldn't keep my eyes open for it.
7/10
1929
I remember this was the first movie my Tisch Summer High School professor played in class and I took a zillion pages of notes because I wanted to make a good impression and everyone else around me was furiously scribbling things down (which I later found out were merely doodles). Anyway, it's just really strange to watch a movie from the 20s, especially a Russian one that is. Strictly told through images and music, The Man With a Movie Camera explored deeply into how movies are constructed and provided a realistic, unbiased depiction of an urbanized, contemporary society. Although it was set almost a 100 years ago from today, it looked super modern and besides maybe the costuming and the grainy black & white cinematography, I would have totally believed that it was made sometime in the 1950s. Unfortunately though I am not a big fan of experimental or documentary films, which this was a combination of so I can't say that I fully enjoyed it. And a warning, people with epilepsy should definitely avoid this because there's like a 5-minute incredibly fast cut sequence and I just couldn't keep my eyes open for it.
7/10
#48 Rosemary's Baby (8/08/11)
Dir. Roman Polanski
1968
I'm going way out of order since I watched this yesterday morning, but whatev. Okay so, definitely one of the most twisted movies of all time. I always have nightmares from movies like this. Not like the generic horror films with ghosts or gory shit, but weird ones that deal with being possessed by Satan and whatnot. A huge round of applause for Mia Farrow though because at age 22, she's whipping out awesome films like this no problem. She definitely sold the role as a pregnant woman mentally struggling on the brink of insanity. With her rather naive facial features and petite physique, she conveyed her vulnerability really well like she does in pretty much all her other movies. Kind of sucks that she always gets cast as the victim of neglect and abuse, but what can I say, she does it too well. Anyway, the movie freaked me out so thank god for the sunlight. I just wish they had gotten a different guy to play Rosemary's husband because there really was no active chemistry between Mia Farrow and John Cassavettes.
7.5/10
1968
I'm going way out of order since I watched this yesterday morning, but whatev. Okay so, definitely one of the most twisted movies of all time. I always have nightmares from movies like this. Not like the generic horror films with ghosts or gory shit, but weird ones that deal with being possessed by Satan and whatnot. A huge round of applause for Mia Farrow though because at age 22, she's whipping out awesome films like this no problem. She definitely sold the role as a pregnant woman mentally struggling on the brink of insanity. With her rather naive facial features and petite physique, she conveyed her vulnerability really well like she does in pretty much all her other movies. Kind of sucks that she always gets cast as the victim of neglect and abuse, but what can I say, she does it too well. Anyway, the movie freaked me out so thank god for the sunlight. I just wish they had gotten a different guy to play Rosemary's husband because there really was no active chemistry between Mia Farrow and John Cassavettes.
7.5/10
#47 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (8/07/11)
Dir. David Yates
2011
K we probably went through at least clips from 100 different movies during the NYU program but I'm only going to do reviews for movies that I saw from the beginning to the very end. After our first official, not to mention stressful, assignment of creating a music video in less than a week, the faculty was nice enough to offer sort of a "congratulations you're done!" celebration by taking all the film kids to see the new Harry Potter. So me and the Harry Potter series have a very weird relationship. I read up to the fourth one, stopped in the midst of fifth (all in Korean, mind you), and completely forgot about all the Harry Potter crazies until I watched the third movie whenever it came out and was surprised by how good it was. I did not like the fourth, fifth, and sixth movies at all though and my short-term Harry Potter obsession died just like that. Then I watched Deathly Hallows: Part 1 last year and thought, "wow, when was the last time a contemporary blockbuster movie aimed toward teenagers as good as this?" I personally liked Part I better than the second only because of the lack of dialogues in this very last one, to the point where there was no performance, just cool CGI-generated images.
7.5/10
2011
K we probably went through at least clips from 100 different movies during the NYU program but I'm only going to do reviews for movies that I saw from the beginning to the very end. After our first official, not to mention stressful, assignment of creating a music video in less than a week, the faculty was nice enough to offer sort of a "congratulations you're done!" celebration by taking all the film kids to see the new Harry Potter. So me and the Harry Potter series have a very weird relationship. I read up to the fourth one, stopped in the midst of fifth (all in Korean, mind you), and completely forgot about all the Harry Potter crazies until I watched the third movie whenever it came out and was surprised by how good it was. I did not like the fourth, fifth, and sixth movies at all though and my short-term Harry Potter obsession died just like that. Then I watched Deathly Hallows: Part 1 last year and thought, "wow, when was the last time a contemporary blockbuster movie aimed toward teenagers as good as this?" I personally liked Part I better than the second only because of the lack of dialogues in this very last one, to the point where there was no performance, just cool CGI-generated images.
7.5/10
#46 Die Hard: WIth a Vengeance (7/08/11)
Dir. John McTiernan
1995
So glad to see that Bruce Willis still had hair in this movie. In a year or so, he loses it all and men are nothing with their mane. Die Hard (the first sequel) is one of my favorite action flicks of all time, but honestly, I don't know why. It's just a lot of pew pew pew and some explosions here and there embellished by a lot of cuss words. I guess I just loved the fast-paced thrill of it and man, it makes a heck of a Christmas movie. I wasn't too impressed with this third sequel for two main reasons: the villain, especially compared to the first's Hans Gruber, was a dull weaksauce and it reminded me too much of Michael Bay. Jeremy Irons plays the new villain Simon Gruber, Hans's older brother, which I found to be kind of hilarious. Villain brothers? Hmm. Sounds a little cartoony if you ask me. And to back up my Michael Bay comment, the film seemed a bit as if the special effects crew thought of what explosions to generate first and then the director and screenwriter got together and build off a story given the effects first. Anyway, definitely not a waste of my time though. Some interesting plot twists and I got a lot of laugh out of it.
7/10
1995
So glad to see that Bruce Willis still had hair in this movie. In a year or so, he loses it all and men are nothing with their mane. Die Hard (the first sequel) is one of my favorite action flicks of all time, but honestly, I don't know why. It's just a lot of pew pew pew and some explosions here and there embellished by a lot of cuss words. I guess I just loved the fast-paced thrill of it and man, it makes a heck of a Christmas movie. I wasn't too impressed with this third sequel for two main reasons: the villain, especially compared to the first's Hans Gruber, was a dull weaksauce and it reminded me too much of Michael Bay. Jeremy Irons plays the new villain Simon Gruber, Hans's older brother, which I found to be kind of hilarious. Villain brothers? Hmm. Sounds a little cartoony if you ask me. And to back up my Michael Bay comment, the film seemed a bit as if the special effects crew thought of what explosions to generate first and then the director and screenwriter got together and build off a story given the effects first. Anyway, definitely not a waste of my time though. Some interesting plot twists and I got a lot of laugh out of it.
7/10
#45 The Princess and the Frog (7/08/11)
Dir. Ron Clements & John Musker
2009
My second and last movie watched on the plane and boy, what a horrible choice. Let's just say I wasn't the most awake at the time and wanted to watch something that was neither too confusing nor intense and just a fun movie to keep me entertained for the time being. First of all, Disney finally makes a movie about a black princess, who excuse me is not even a princess to start off with, but worst of all, is a frog for the majority of the movie? Really? The whole race thing aside, the story line wasn't all that captivating either. It was all too predictable and the songs were mediocre. I grew up watching Disney just like any other kid and I must say and I can, unlike many of my opinions, get a bunch of people to support my claim - the songs are always the best part! Seriously, who can forget Mulan's "I'll Make a Man Out of You", or Lion King's "Circle of Life", Aladdin's "A Whole New World", or my personal favorite Tarzan's "You'll Be In My Heart"? This soundtrack? Eh. If there is one thing I like about this film, I have to say the alligator who carries around this little trumpet was kind of cute.
6.5/10
2009
My second and last movie watched on the plane and boy, what a horrible choice. Let's just say I wasn't the most awake at the time and wanted to watch something that was neither too confusing nor intense and just a fun movie to keep me entertained for the time being. First of all, Disney finally makes a movie about a black princess, who excuse me is not even a princess to start off with, but worst of all, is a frog for the majority of the movie? Really? The whole race thing aside, the story line wasn't all that captivating either. It was all too predictable and the songs were mediocre. I grew up watching Disney just like any other kid and I must say and I can, unlike many of my opinions, get a bunch of people to support my claim - the songs are always the best part! Seriously, who can forget Mulan's "I'll Make a Man Out of You", or Lion King's "Circle of Life", Aladdin's "A Whole New World", or my personal favorite Tarzan's "You'll Be In My Heart"? This soundtrack? Eh. If there is one thing I like about this film, I have to say the alligator who carries around this little trumpet was kind of cute.
6.5/10
#44 Inglorious Basterds (7/07/11)
Dir. Quentin Tarantino
2009
I can't believe I went a week without watching a single movie, but on the plane back from Paris, they had some sweet free movie selections. Finally we get something worth the ridiculous plane ticket prices! Anyway, I guess the biggest criticism IB gets is that it's completely fictionalized and in no way follows historical accuracy. Personally though, I far value creativity and originality much more than accuracy when it comes to art and entertainment. Having seen this before in a theater upon its release, I remember watching the beginning scene aka "Chapter One" and literally thinking "shit shit shit shit" the whole time because it was so ominous and Christoph Waltz, who played Colonel Hans Landa of the Nazi SS, won me over with his performance within the first 10 minutes despite him being the primary bad guy besides Hitler, whose portrayal by the way was beyond hilarious. The overtly brutal but in a way agreeable conversation about the way rats are viewed as repulsive and inferior for no particular reason between Hans Landa and a French farmer was probably the best written and composed scene from a film in a really long time.
9/10
2009
I can't believe I went a week without watching a single movie, but on the plane back from Paris, they had some sweet free movie selections. Finally we get something worth the ridiculous plane ticket prices! Anyway, I guess the biggest criticism IB gets is that it's completely fictionalized and in no way follows historical accuracy. Personally though, I far value creativity and originality much more than accuracy when it comes to art and entertainment. Having seen this before in a theater upon its release, I remember watching the beginning scene aka "Chapter One" and literally thinking "shit shit shit shit" the whole time because it was so ominous and Christoph Waltz, who played Colonel Hans Landa of the Nazi SS, won me over with his performance within the first 10 minutes despite him being the primary bad guy besides Hitler, whose portrayal by the way was beyond hilarious. The overtly brutal but in a way agreeable conversation about the way rats are viewed as repulsive and inferior for no particular reason between Hans Landa and a French farmer was probably the best written and composed scene from a film in a really long time.
9/10
#43 For Whom the Bell Tolls (6/28/11)
Dir. Sam Wood
1943
I wouldn't have watched this if I hadn't read the book but since For Whom the Bell Tolls is one of the very few books I've read in the past couple years, I thought why not give the movie adaptation a try. I actually enjoyed it and believed it followed Hemingway's text nearly verbatim, but doing so led the movie to go on for 2 hours and 50 minutes and you all know me and long movies. Just can't do it. Looking down at how much time was left once in a while almost became a terrifying experience. This was my first Gary Cooper film and he may not be the most handsome man on earth, but he definitely is a man. That's also the number one thing I love about Old Hollywood actors. With their dry throat/sleepy voice and their "I shave my beard with a switch blade, pussies" scruffy looks, they embrace masculinity that's becoming rare with contemporary actors. Ingrid Bergman was beautiful as always. Another thing, I do realize the film was made during WWII era (oh damn), all the actions and dialogues seemed a bit too outdated to entertain today's viewers.
7/10
1943
I wouldn't have watched this if I hadn't read the book but since For Whom the Bell Tolls is one of the very few books I've read in the past couple years, I thought why not give the movie adaptation a try. I actually enjoyed it and believed it followed Hemingway's text nearly verbatim, but doing so led the movie to go on for 2 hours and 50 minutes and you all know me and long movies. Just can't do it. Looking down at how much time was left once in a while almost became a terrifying experience. This was my first Gary Cooper film and he may not be the most handsome man on earth, but he definitely is a man. That's also the number one thing I love about Old Hollywood actors. With their dry throat/sleepy voice and their "I shave my beard with a switch blade, pussies" scruffy looks, they embrace masculinity that's becoming rare with contemporary actors. Ingrid Bergman was beautiful as always. Another thing, I do realize the film was made during WWII era (oh damn), all the actions and dialogues seemed a bit too outdated to entertain today's viewers.
7/10
#42 Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (6/28/11)
Dir. Edgar Wright
2010
Let's just say Michael Cera isn't my favorite actor ever. He's not as cute as people say he is and he's been typecast far too many times: the slightly hipster yet socially inept teenage boy who overcomes his awkwardness and wins a hot girl who is totally out of his league. As much of a nerd I am when it comes to movies with my immense love for the Star Wars series and whatnot, I didn't really buy the whole comic book to live-action transition in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. I don't know why Hollywood thinks it's perfectly okay to bash at Asians though because the depiction of one of the main characters, Knives Chau, who happens to be Chinese and of course a member of her school's yearbook club, gets dumped by her boyfriend Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) and spends the rest of the movie in a futile attempt to win his pathetic love back. She is referred to as "Kung-Pao Chicken" by one of the villains and is often seen playing ninja-themed Dance Dance Revolution. Maybe this is a more personal criticism, but I definitely didn't like the embracing of such stereotypes. Anyway, it was visually stimulating and I must say the use of CGI was done very impressively.
7/10
2010
Let's just say Michael Cera isn't my favorite actor ever. He's not as cute as people say he is and he's been typecast far too many times: the slightly hipster yet socially inept teenage boy who overcomes his awkwardness and wins a hot girl who is totally out of his league. As much of a nerd I am when it comes to movies with my immense love for the Star Wars series and whatnot, I didn't really buy the whole comic book to live-action transition in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. I don't know why Hollywood thinks it's perfectly okay to bash at Asians though because the depiction of one of the main characters, Knives Chau, who happens to be Chinese and of course a member of her school's yearbook club, gets dumped by her boyfriend Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) and spends the rest of the movie in a futile attempt to win his pathetic love back. She is referred to as "Kung-Pao Chicken" by one of the villains and is often seen playing ninja-themed Dance Dance Revolution. Maybe this is a more personal criticism, but I definitely didn't like the embracing of such stereotypes. Anyway, it was visually stimulating and I must say the use of CGI was done very impressively.
7/10
#41 Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (6/27/11)
Dir. Park Chan-Wook
2005
An obvious step down from Oldboy, but hey I don't know if it's quite possible to recreate a movie as good as it. I'm not all too familiar with Korean movies, partly because I used to have this preconceived notion that Korean movies suck, but overcoming such assumption has gotten better throughout the years. Anyway, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance was certainly entertaining and got me choking on my Arizona Iced Tea out of laughter in some scenes, particularly the part when the main character begs for forgiveness by chopping off her pinky finger. Grotesque, sure, but I found it hilarious. I felt the climax or the actual act of vengeance was a little unnecessarily dragged on. I also thought it introduced way too many characters and I had a difficult time distinguishing who from whom (heck I'm Korean and Asians do kind of look alike). Focusing on the positive though, Lee Young-ae was incredibly attractive and I can say this because I've seen her before in some mediocre Korean drama once and I'm glad to see that her acting has definitely improved. Stylistically, it reminded me a lot of Amelié with its random zooms, sepia colors, and quirky gimmicks and thematically, it had a dash of David Lynch.
7.5/10
2005
An obvious step down from Oldboy, but hey I don't know if it's quite possible to recreate a movie as good as it. I'm not all too familiar with Korean movies, partly because I used to have this preconceived notion that Korean movies suck, but overcoming such assumption has gotten better throughout the years. Anyway, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance was certainly entertaining and got me choking on my Arizona Iced Tea out of laughter in some scenes, particularly the part when the main character begs for forgiveness by chopping off her pinky finger. Grotesque, sure, but I found it hilarious. I felt the climax or the actual act of vengeance was a little unnecessarily dragged on. I also thought it introduced way too many characters and I had a difficult time distinguishing who from whom (heck I'm Korean and Asians do kind of look alike). Focusing on the positive though, Lee Young-ae was incredibly attractive and I can say this because I've seen her before in some mediocre Korean drama once and I'm glad to see that her acting has definitely improved. Stylistically, it reminded me a lot of Amelié with its random zooms, sepia colors, and quirky gimmicks and thematically, it had a dash of David Lynch.
7.5/10
#40 Ed Wood (6/26/11)
Dir. Tim Burton
1994
I seem to always get bashed for saying this, but I haven't come across an actor as unreasonably overrated as Johnny Depp. His acting is pretty banal, his looks are nothing to scream for, and the man's just got no distinct charm. Casting Sarah Jessica Parker as the female protagonist was an unacceptable mistake and as delightful Martin Landau used to be, he was a little too old in this movie. The synopsis of the film grasped my interest initially: a bit of a fictionalized biography of apparently the lousiest filmmaker in history. But I thought the film would perhaps justify his terrible career by revealing a personal side of him or something because then it would make sense to do a movie about him, but no, Ed Wood strictly focuses on his idiosyncratic filmmaking (but not idiosyncratic enough to be interesting) with a sub-story about him liking to dress in drag (but that part added no substance to the movie whatsoever). I mean, if I go out, find the worst person at his or her job and make a movie about it, will it be critically acclaimed and receive a rating of 8/10 on IMDB? I just didn't see the point. That is all.
6/10
1994
I seem to always get bashed for saying this, but I haven't come across an actor as unreasonably overrated as Johnny Depp. His acting is pretty banal, his looks are nothing to scream for, and the man's just got no distinct charm. Casting Sarah Jessica Parker as the female protagonist was an unacceptable mistake and as delightful Martin Landau used to be, he was a little too old in this movie. The synopsis of the film grasped my interest initially: a bit of a fictionalized biography of apparently the lousiest filmmaker in history. But I thought the film would perhaps justify his terrible career by revealing a personal side of him or something because then it would make sense to do a movie about him, but no, Ed Wood strictly focuses on his idiosyncratic filmmaking (but not idiosyncratic enough to be interesting) with a sub-story about him liking to dress in drag (but that part added no substance to the movie whatsoever). I mean, if I go out, find the worst person at his or her job and make a movie about it, will it be critically acclaimed and receive a rating of 8/10 on IMDB? I just didn't see the point. That is all.
6/10
#39 Kids (6/25/11)
Dir. Larry Clark
1995
I started this movie off thinking, "Wow, what an unoriginal title" and then ended the movie thinking "Jeesh, what a suitable title". Although the movie chronicles a day of a group of teens, perhaps a little too old to be referred to as "kids", it explores the mindset of mindless juveniles that are leading their lives directly into self-destruction. Kids is what my old Film & Society teacher would say, "very very R". If it wasn't as vulgar and sexual as it is, I don't think it'd be a bad idea to show it during the sex education unit in health class. I found the film amusing, but I wasn't too won by the cinematography, nor the dialogues, nor the acting. I simply didn't see it as a particularly difficult movie to put together. It was a little too awkward seeing a girl nearly 5 years younger than me lose her virginity and a group of 12-year-old boys smoking weed. But the movie felt really genuine and it realistically depicted the lack of care parents seem to put in their children these days. Anyway, Chloe Sevigny was definitely the best part of it and considering this is her first feature film, she was quite impressive.
7.5/10
1995
I started this movie off thinking, "Wow, what an unoriginal title" and then ended the movie thinking "Jeesh, what a suitable title". Although the movie chronicles a day of a group of teens, perhaps a little too old to be referred to as "kids", it explores the mindset of mindless juveniles that are leading their lives directly into self-destruction. Kids is what my old Film & Society teacher would say, "very very R". If it wasn't as vulgar and sexual as it is, I don't think it'd be a bad idea to show it during the sex education unit in health class. I found the film amusing, but I wasn't too won by the cinematography, nor the dialogues, nor the acting. I simply didn't see it as a particularly difficult movie to put together. It was a little too awkward seeing a girl nearly 5 years younger than me lose her virginity and a group of 12-year-old boys smoking weed. But the movie felt really genuine and it realistically depicted the lack of care parents seem to put in their children these days. Anyway, Chloe Sevigny was definitely the best part of it and considering this is her first feature film, she was quite impressive.
7.5/10
#38 The Machinist (6/25/11)
Dir. Brad Anderson
2004
I'm not too huge on scary psychological thrillers, but I did enjoy this one a lot mainly due to the incredibly consistent grey tone of the film and Christian Bale's acting on his part. It follows a life of an insomniac who accidentally causes a co-worker to lose one of his arms and ever since that accident, starts noticing weird, spooky things all around him. I wasn't too happy with the ending though because I felt like it didn't wrap up every element the movie brought up until the twist. It reminded me a lot of Memento and Identity which I both highly enjoyed. It definitely wasn't made for everyone though because my mom felt repulsed by the frail body of Trevor (Christian Bale), reminiscent of a Holocaust camp prisoner. I read on IMDB that he lost 60 pounds just to play this role! That's some real dedication. And there's this great scene I really liked when Trevor and his prostitute friend/girlfriend get super angry at each other and start screaming "you whore!!" and "you freak!!" back and forth. I'm not sure why I liked it so much, but it definitely was intense and very climactic.
8/10
2004
I'm not too huge on scary psychological thrillers, but I did enjoy this one a lot mainly due to the incredibly consistent grey tone of the film and Christian Bale's acting on his part. It follows a life of an insomniac who accidentally causes a co-worker to lose one of his arms and ever since that accident, starts noticing weird, spooky things all around him. I wasn't too happy with the ending though because I felt like it didn't wrap up every element the movie brought up until the twist. It reminded me a lot of Memento and Identity which I both highly enjoyed. It definitely wasn't made for everyone though because my mom felt repulsed by the frail body of Trevor (Christian Bale), reminiscent of a Holocaust camp prisoner. I read on IMDB that he lost 60 pounds just to play this role! That's some real dedication. And there's this great scene I really liked when Trevor and his prostitute friend/girlfriend get super angry at each other and start screaming "you whore!!" and "you freak!!" back and forth. I'm not sure why I liked it so much, but it definitely was intense and very climactic.
8/10
#37 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (6/24/11)
Dir. Steven Spielberg
1989
I decided to skip the second one because it's just such a mess and should have never been made along with the fourth one. The Last Crusade, though not as good as the first, features some of the coolest action scenes and has THE funniest moments. Casting Sean Connery as Indy's dad was probably the best idea because that makes James Bond and Indiana Jones blood related and those two are like the biggest fictional iconic figures of all time. This film sold the Holy Grail story so well that despite the rather cheesy and 100% implausible encounter with a Medieval knight from 400 years ago with eternal life, I wasn't bothered at all. What I like a lot about the Indiana Jones trilogy is that each movie is heavily based on an actual religious phenomenon that most people are somewhat familiar with. It never introduces any bogus, weakly contrived concepts and that's ultimately the foundation of an engaging adventure movie. Probably the only problem I had with this is the flat female counterpart. Spielberg should have definitely brought Marion back!
8.5/10
1989
I decided to skip the second one because it's just such a mess and should have never been made along with the fourth one. The Last Crusade, though not as good as the first, features some of the coolest action scenes and has THE funniest moments. Casting Sean Connery as Indy's dad was probably the best idea because that makes James Bond and Indiana Jones blood related and those two are like the biggest fictional iconic figures of all time. This film sold the Holy Grail story so well that despite the rather cheesy and 100% implausible encounter with a Medieval knight from 400 years ago with eternal life, I wasn't bothered at all. What I like a lot about the Indiana Jones trilogy is that each movie is heavily based on an actual religious phenomenon that most people are somewhat familiar with. It never introduces any bogus, weakly contrived concepts and that's ultimately the foundation of an engaging adventure movie. Probably the only problem I had with this is the flat female counterpart. Spielberg should have definitely brought Marion back!
8.5/10
#36 Closer (6/23/11)
Dir. Mike Nichols
2004
I remember watching the beginning of this movie and thinking, "Hey, this might as well be my favorite love story ever!". I loved how the movie introduced each of the four main characters. There were so many witty and quotable lines exchanged between Dan (Jude Law) and Alice (Natalie Portman) during their first encounter. I also loved the awkward cybersex conversation between Dan and Larry (Clive Owen). And although I don't like Julia Roberts much, her character Anna insinuated this chic, sophisticated aura that contrasted greatly with Alice's youthful mindlessness. And then the film started declining in all its values and things started getting real nasty. Was it supposed to satirize romantic relationships in today's society? Are they really that superficial? I feel like the focus was too much on the sex and not enough on the emotional aspect. Whatever, I mean maybe I'm not in the position to judge since I'm super inexperienced with all this stuff (lol!!), but I didn't exactly enjoy Closer, better yet understand it.
7/10
2004
I remember watching the beginning of this movie and thinking, "Hey, this might as well be my favorite love story ever!". I loved how the movie introduced each of the four main characters. There were so many witty and quotable lines exchanged between Dan (Jude Law) and Alice (Natalie Portman) during their first encounter. I also loved the awkward cybersex conversation between Dan and Larry (Clive Owen). And although I don't like Julia Roberts much, her character Anna insinuated this chic, sophisticated aura that contrasted greatly with Alice's youthful mindlessness. And then the film started declining in all its values and things started getting real nasty. Was it supposed to satirize romantic relationships in today's society? Are they really that superficial? I feel like the focus was too much on the sex and not enough on the emotional aspect. Whatever, I mean maybe I'm not in the position to judge since I'm super inexperienced with all this stuff (lol!!), but I didn't exactly enjoy Closer, better yet understand it.
7/10
#35 Raiders of the Lost Ark (6/22/11)
Dir. Steven Spielberg
1981
I had to go to the public library and rent this film today because yesterday's mentioning of Raiders totally got me wanting to revisit it. I've actually seen it multiple times beforehand, especially because my film teacher was obsessed with it and played it in every class he taught and I've been in three of his classes. But it's one of those movies where you can still enjoy it to the fullest even if you know what's going to happen so it's all good. I mean, is there ever a better opening than the one in here?? It starts out mid-action and a scene that seems like it belongs in the last 10 minutes of a movie is placed right in the beginning. The intended effect? It totally works! The rest of the movie doesn't disappoint either. It's incredibly fast-paced, but slows down in appropriate parts for character development. I'm a 17-year-old girl, but every time I come across this film, I'm seeing it through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy. You want to be Indy. You want to hold a whip and wear a fedora. He's an icon, damn it. In need of a gripping adventure, but travel is too costly? Pop in Raiders and enjoy the journey vicariously.
10/10
1981
I had to go to the public library and rent this film today because yesterday's mentioning of Raiders totally got me wanting to revisit it. I've actually seen it multiple times beforehand, especially because my film teacher was obsessed with it and played it in every class he taught and I've been in three of his classes. But it's one of those movies where you can still enjoy it to the fullest even if you know what's going to happen so it's all good. I mean, is there ever a better opening than the one in here?? It starts out mid-action and a scene that seems like it belongs in the last 10 minutes of a movie is placed right in the beginning. The intended effect? It totally works! The rest of the movie doesn't disappoint either. It's incredibly fast-paced, but slows down in appropriate parts for character development. I'm a 17-year-old girl, but every time I come across this film, I'm seeing it through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy. You want to be Indy. You want to hold a whip and wear a fedora. He's an icon, damn it. In need of a gripping adventure, but travel is too costly? Pop in Raiders and enjoy the journey vicariously.
10/10
#34 Catch Me If You Can (6/21/11)
Dir. Steven Spielberg
2002
Spielberg is definitely on my 5 favorite directors list, perhaps among Woody, Alfred, Mr. Jarmusch, and Mr. Miyazaki (the last two I don't know well enough to be first name basis yet). Raiders of the Lost Ark pretty much changed my life and now I have to live under the unbearable truth that Indiana Jones is just a character in a movie. Anyway, Catch Me If You Can was interesting and even more appealing when I realized it was based on a true story. Long story short, a mere 17 or 18-year-old boy decides to leave home while his parents are on the brink of a divorce and becomes a con man who successfully cheats a couple million dollars without getting caught by the FBI. The opening sequence is amazing and so is the music score. Leo DiCaprio was certainly handsome to look at, but I wasn't exactly too drawn to him. He was supposed to be the protagonist and the target of our empathy, but at one point I was conflicted with the morality of the whole fraud and ended up wanting him to be captured. The film was a bit too long too. I don't think a movie should be over two hours unless a long running time is absolutely critical for the story to be told.
7.5/10
2002
Spielberg is definitely on my 5 favorite directors list, perhaps among Woody, Alfred, Mr. Jarmusch, and Mr. Miyazaki (the last two I don't know well enough to be first name basis yet). Raiders of the Lost Ark pretty much changed my life and now I have to live under the unbearable truth that Indiana Jones is just a character in a movie. Anyway, Catch Me If You Can was interesting and even more appealing when I realized it was based on a true story. Long story short, a mere 17 or 18-year-old boy decides to leave home while his parents are on the brink of a divorce and becomes a con man who successfully cheats a couple million dollars without getting caught by the FBI. The opening sequence is amazing and so is the music score. Leo DiCaprio was certainly handsome to look at, but I wasn't exactly too drawn to him. He was supposed to be the protagonist and the target of our empathy, but at one point I was conflicted with the morality of the whole fraud and ended up wanting him to be captured. The film was a bit too long too. I don't think a movie should be over two hours unless a long running time is absolutely critical for the story to be told.
7.5/10
#33 Exit Through the Gift Shop (6/19/11)
Dir. Banksy
2010
Since I'm from California and somewhat follow trendy slang terms and all, this movie was hella sick, gnarly, and dope! It's just one of those movies that makes you want to drop everything, go out and make some art. Due to a recommendation from my former AP Art History teacher, I've been meaning to watch this for quite some time. And guess what! I found it on Amazon Instant Streaming. It claims that it's a documentary but I hear that there is a huge controversy over the potential notion that the film contains some fictional elements generated by Banksy himself. Anyway, that's not important. What's important is the film's message that literally anyone has the capability of becoming an artist and that art can be made of literally anything. I'm more than fascinated by the graffiti movement and Banksy the mystery man and Exit Through the Gift Shop seemed to summarize this interest of mine in a mere hour and a half. The handheld photography did drive my head a little crazy, but I realize now that even the way it was shot was sort of an artistic statement itself.
8/10
2010
Since I'm from California and somewhat follow trendy slang terms and all, this movie was hella sick, gnarly, and dope! It's just one of those movies that makes you want to drop everything, go out and make some art. Due to a recommendation from my former AP Art History teacher, I've been meaning to watch this for quite some time. And guess what! I found it on Amazon Instant Streaming. It claims that it's a documentary but I hear that there is a huge controversy over the potential notion that the film contains some fictional elements generated by Banksy himself. Anyway, that's not important. What's important is the film's message that literally anyone has the capability of becoming an artist and that art can be made of literally anything. I'm more than fascinated by the graffiti movement and Banksy the mystery man and Exit Through the Gift Shop seemed to summarize this interest of mine in a mere hour and a half. The handheld photography did drive my head a little crazy, but I realize now that even the way it was shot was sort of an artistic statement itself.
8/10
#32 Before Sunset (6/19/11)
Dir. Richard Linklater
2004
Okay, it's really rare for me to even check out a sequel especially if I found the first one just enjoyable and nothing more than that. However, Before Sunset was just sitting on my (sort of illegally) downloaded list of movies for so long that I decided to give it a try because it was late on a Saturday night and nobody was hitting me up unfortunately. It far exceeded my expectations and made me love Before Sunrise more. I would definitely go back and change the rating to at least an 8 because as much as I disliked the ending, it was a great note to end on to film an interesting sequel. The movie had it all: sadness that made my heart ache for 24 hours following the viewing, happiness that had me smiling like an idiot throughout most of the movie, and humor that got me LOL nonstop. Seriously though, not to be cheesy or anything but what a great, comprehensive story about love. It's amazing how genuine the chemistry between Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy was. I mean, each laughter and smile seemed so real and I didn't hear any dialogue that sounded even a tiny bit scripted. It's like the director randomly found a real-life couple in the crowded streets of Paris and secretly filmed their conversations. It totally helps that both actors are such charmers too.
9/10
2004
Okay, it's really rare for me to even check out a sequel especially if I found the first one just enjoyable and nothing more than that. However, Before Sunset was just sitting on my (sort of illegally) downloaded list of movies for so long that I decided to give it a try because it was late on a Saturday night and nobody was hitting me up unfortunately. It far exceeded my expectations and made me love Before Sunrise more. I would definitely go back and change the rating to at least an 8 because as much as I disliked the ending, it was a great note to end on to film an interesting sequel. The movie had it all: sadness that made my heart ache for 24 hours following the viewing, happiness that had me smiling like an idiot throughout most of the movie, and humor that got me LOL nonstop. Seriously though, not to be cheesy or anything but what a great, comprehensive story about love. It's amazing how genuine the chemistry between Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy was. I mean, each laughter and smile seemed so real and I didn't hear any dialogue that sounded even a tiny bit scripted. It's like the director randomly found a real-life couple in the crowded streets of Paris and secretly filmed their conversations. It totally helps that both actors are such charmers too.
9/10
#31 Twelve Monkeys (6/17/11)
Dir. Terry Gilliam
1995
Oh man I loved it! It was confusing to the point where if you take your eyes off for just a few minutes, you'll have no idea what's going on. But it's not like Inception where you're tediously tracking what level of dreams they're at or any other shananigans. Long story short, a man from the future is sent to the past to find out information on where the fatal virus that wiped out the humanity originated from. Yes, it is an apocalypse story but with wit and very little to no explosions. Brad Pitt made a wonderful psycho villain and Madeleine Stowe was a very charming female counterpart. The film is highly imaginative and I'm surprised that all the parts fit into such a thought provoking ending that was neither rushed or dragged. Not a whole lot of blood and unnecessary action either which is rare with many recent thrillers. And contrary to popular beliefs, a little romance is essential in every movie comedy or action and the very subtle chemistry between the two main characters was very much the way to exert empathy from the audience. My one complaint is that the dialogues were a bit dull and not engaging enough.
8.5/10
1995
Oh man I loved it! It was confusing to the point where if you take your eyes off for just a few minutes, you'll have no idea what's going on. But it's not like Inception where you're tediously tracking what level of dreams they're at or any other shananigans. Long story short, a man from the future is sent to the past to find out information on where the fatal virus that wiped out the humanity originated from. Yes, it is an apocalypse story but with wit and very little to no explosions. Brad Pitt made a wonderful psycho villain and Madeleine Stowe was a very charming female counterpart. The film is highly imaginative and I'm surprised that all the parts fit into such a thought provoking ending that was neither rushed or dragged. Not a whole lot of blood and unnecessary action either which is rare with many recent thrillers. And contrary to popular beliefs, a little romance is essential in every movie comedy or action and the very subtle chemistry between the two main characters was very much the way to exert empathy from the audience. My one complaint is that the dialogues were a bit dull and not engaging enough.
8.5/10
#30 Shadows and Fog (6/16/11)
Dir. Woody Allen
1991
Looking at the cast, the film is already an A+. Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, John Malkovich, John Cusack, Jodie Foster, and Kathy Bates? Is this a dream or real life? Having watched the movie, the film is a C, if not a D. Come on, Shadows and Fog is a waste of such precious talent! There are some aspects of this film I loved, but there are way more that I hated. Starting from listing what I liked about it, I dig the camera work as in how each scenes were shot, not necessarily how the movie ended up looking after all the post-production editing and color correction. I do understand that Woody Allen wanted to play around with the black and white German Expressionist style, but it was so poorly done that it was difficult to tell people apart! Maybe I should've watched it later in in the night for better lighting, but the screen was seriously so dark that my eyes started hurting at one point. The story wasn't too bad, but I don't get why Woody typecasts Mia Farrow so often. She always plays the passive-aggressive woman with an unfaithful boyfriend or husband. She fits the role well, but it's a little too much.
6.5/10
1991
Looking at the cast, the film is already an A+. Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, John Malkovich, John Cusack, Jodie Foster, and Kathy Bates? Is this a dream or real life? Having watched the movie, the film is a C, if not a D. Come on, Shadows and Fog is a waste of such precious talent! There are some aspects of this film I loved, but there are way more that I hated. Starting from listing what I liked about it, I dig the camera work as in how each scenes were shot, not necessarily how the movie ended up looking after all the post-production editing and color correction. I do understand that Woody Allen wanted to play around with the black and white German Expressionist style, but it was so poorly done that it was difficult to tell people apart! Maybe I should've watched it later in in the night for better lighting, but the screen was seriously so dark that my eyes started hurting at one point. The story wasn't too bad, but I don't get why Woody typecasts Mia Farrow so often. She always plays the passive-aggressive woman with an unfaithful boyfriend or husband. She fits the role well, but it's a little too much.
6.5/10
#29 Wait Until Dark (6/16/11)
Dir. Terence Young
1967
Audrey Hepburn shines brighter with age! One of my favorite Old Hollywood actresses, I cannot name a single movie I didn't like her in. This one though definitely shows off her talent in acting, proving that she's not just another pretty face. I'm still in shock of how great she was as a vulnerable yet astute blind lady! One thing I don't understand in the acting world is how a person with perfectly normal vision can trick everyone into thinking he or she is blind. Anyway, backed up by the incredible music score composed by the renowned Henry Mancini, the buildup of suspense was endless and the film truly demonstrated the phrase "I was on the edge of my seat". Very Hitchcock except while he achieves the masterpiece status through using at least two leading actors, Wait Until Dark does it with just one. Not only that, it takes place in one tiny apartment room in New York City that it almost feels claustrophobic at times. Just the ability to present such a fantastic film with so little setting was a miracle itself. It's my idea of a perfect thriller and we ought to have more of this.
10/10
1967
Audrey Hepburn shines brighter with age! One of my favorite Old Hollywood actresses, I cannot name a single movie I didn't like her in. This one though definitely shows off her talent in acting, proving that she's not just another pretty face. I'm still in shock of how great she was as a vulnerable yet astute blind lady! One thing I don't understand in the acting world is how a person with perfectly normal vision can trick everyone into thinking he or she is blind. Anyway, backed up by the incredible music score composed by the renowned Henry Mancini, the buildup of suspense was endless and the film truly demonstrated the phrase "I was on the edge of my seat". Very Hitchcock except while he achieves the masterpiece status through using at least two leading actors, Wait Until Dark does it with just one. Not only that, it takes place in one tiny apartment room in New York City that it almost feels claustrophobic at times. Just the ability to present such a fantastic film with so little setting was a miracle itself. It's my idea of a perfect thriller and we ought to have more of this.
10/10
#28 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (6/14/11)
Dir. Milos Forman
1975
I don't know why but my psychology teacher switched around between this and Rain Man, but while watching both these movies, I came to a conclusion that the two greatest and most versatile actors Hollywood has come to produce are hands down Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest has a really similar story line as Cool Hand Luke except taking place in a mental institution of same time period and the main character not as handsome. Some parts of it were hilarious, especially the scene where McMurphy (Jack Nicholson's character) teaches a seemingly mute and deaf Native American giant how to play basketball. The ending was tragic, but I found it fitting and necessary. And as insane and odd the patients in the movie were, I began to care for each and every one of them. I bet this cost like 50 dollars to make (joke), but it definitely proves that budget doesn't determine the quality of a film. Probably my only complaint is that there was no single "pretty" shot to look at, but I guess I can't expect much since it's a movie about a mental hospital.
8/10
1975
I don't know why but my psychology teacher switched around between this and Rain Man, but while watching both these movies, I came to a conclusion that the two greatest and most versatile actors Hollywood has come to produce are hands down Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest has a really similar story line as Cool Hand Luke except taking place in a mental institution of same time period and the main character not as handsome. Some parts of it were hilarious, especially the scene where McMurphy (Jack Nicholson's character) teaches a seemingly mute and deaf Native American giant how to play basketball. The ending was tragic, but I found it fitting and necessary. And as insane and odd the patients in the movie were, I began to care for each and every one of them. I bet this cost like 50 dollars to make (joke), but it definitely proves that budget doesn't determine the quality of a film. Probably my only complaint is that there was no single "pretty" shot to look at, but I guess I can't expect much since it's a movie about a mental hospital.
8/10
#27 Leon (6/13/11)
Dir. Luc Besson
1994
Heart-warming and thrilling. Natalie Portman blew my mind as a 12-year-old girl playing a 12-year-old (Mathilda). She's this foul-mouthed daughter of a big time druggie who befriends a rather naive and solitary hit man (Leon) after her family has been murdered by a corrupt police official, played by Gary Oldham who was also fantastic not to mention freakishly psychotic. I loved every second of it, but I especially liked the non-action parts like when the girl and the hit man play guess the person game and Mathilda dresses up as Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, and Gene Kelly and Leon as John Wayne. My sister thought the sexual tensions between the two were too awkward to bear, but I thought it gave the movie a substance, not to sound pervy or anything. My personal favorite of Natalie Portman's filmography although I've only seen her in Star Wars and Black Swan. Anyway, if the film had come out a year before or after, I think it definitely could have gotten some recognition from the Academy, but it had to be made the same year Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction were made. The ending devastated me and I was crying like a baby. Not a whole like of movies can do that to me, you know.
9/10
1994
Heart-warming and thrilling. Natalie Portman blew my mind as a 12-year-old girl playing a 12-year-old (Mathilda). She's this foul-mouthed daughter of a big time druggie who befriends a rather naive and solitary hit man (Leon) after her family has been murdered by a corrupt police official, played by Gary Oldham who was also fantastic not to mention freakishly psychotic. I loved every second of it, but I especially liked the non-action parts like when the girl and the hit man play guess the person game and Mathilda dresses up as Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, and Gene Kelly and Leon as John Wayne. My sister thought the sexual tensions between the two were too awkward to bear, but I thought it gave the movie a substance, not to sound pervy or anything. My personal favorite of Natalie Portman's filmography although I've only seen her in Star Wars and Black Swan. Anyway, if the film had come out a year before or after, I think it definitely could have gotten some recognition from the Academy, but it had to be made the same year Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction were made. The ending devastated me and I was crying like a baby. Not a whole like of movies can do that to me, you know.
9/10
#26 Midnight in Paris (6/12/11)
Dir. Woody Allen
2011
Oh heck yeah! Finally got to watch it after like what, months of wanting to? Awkward encounter with my AP Environmental Science teacher but I like to hold onto the belief that she didn't notice me. Anyway, I found the film delightful and I actually got most of its allusions! I just don't understand how in the world Woody Allen casted actors and actresses that looked and behaved so much like their historical counterparts. Like Adrien Brody played Dalí and I'm pretty convinced that they're blood related. Whoever played Picasso looked exactly like him too and the consistency of the appearance of these historical figures was mind-blowing for me. I mean there are so many times when I watch a movie and go, "what the hell, that's supposed to be JFK?" or whoever else, really. A Hollywood movie with a Parisian setting, cliché right? It actually was everything but cliché with its quirky Cole Porter music and clever dialogues. It would have made me much much happier if Woody had made this film 30 years earlier and taken on Owen Wilson's character for himself.
8/10
2011
Oh heck yeah! Finally got to watch it after like what, months of wanting to? Awkward encounter with my AP Environmental Science teacher but I like to hold onto the belief that she didn't notice me. Anyway, I found the film delightful and I actually got most of its allusions! I just don't understand how in the world Woody Allen casted actors and actresses that looked and behaved so much like their historical counterparts. Like Adrien Brody played Dalí and I'm pretty convinced that they're blood related. Whoever played Picasso looked exactly like him too and the consistency of the appearance of these historical figures was mind-blowing for me. I mean there are so many times when I watch a movie and go, "what the hell, that's supposed to be JFK?" or whoever else, really. A Hollywood movie with a Parisian setting, cliché right? It actually was everything but cliché with its quirky Cole Porter music and clever dialogues. It would have made me much much happier if Woody had made this film 30 years earlier and taken on Owen Wilson's character for himself.
8/10
#25 The Devil Wears Prada (6/12/11)
Dir. David Frankel
2006
Wait a minute, the best graduating from undergrad Northwestern with a Journalism degree can get you is a second assistant job at a magazine publication? As much as I don't want it to be true, it really does seem difficult to find a decent job in today's workplace. Anyway, that's besides the point. I actually quite enjoyed the movie. Anne Hathaway is a sweetheart and Meryl Streep has definitely raised the bar as a cold-hearted female villain. I think there is nothing more relative than fashion, but some of the clothes shown in the movie looked really great! If I had even a little bit of fashion sense and wasn't interested in film at all, I'd definitely jump at a chance of studying fashion in the future. The industry seems to pretty much depict that life is a party after another. Plus, the movie was hilarious with a pleasantly bittersweet ending. It's definitely one of the better drama/comedy/romance movies of the 21st century. I had a lot of fun watching it and I wouldn't mind watching it again with some friends and not with my middle-aged Korean mother and my 13-year-old sister who wouldn't shut up about how much she liked the clothes.
7.5/10
2006
Wait a minute, the best graduating from undergrad Northwestern with a Journalism degree can get you is a second assistant job at a magazine publication? As much as I don't want it to be true, it really does seem difficult to find a decent job in today's workplace. Anyway, that's besides the point. I actually quite enjoyed the movie. Anne Hathaway is a sweetheart and Meryl Streep has definitely raised the bar as a cold-hearted female villain. I think there is nothing more relative than fashion, but some of the clothes shown in the movie looked really great! If I had even a little bit of fashion sense and wasn't interested in film at all, I'd definitely jump at a chance of studying fashion in the future. The industry seems to pretty much depict that life is a party after another. Plus, the movie was hilarious with a pleasantly bittersweet ending. It's definitely one of the better drama/comedy/romance movies of the 21st century. I had a lot of fun watching it and I wouldn't mind watching it again with some friends and not with my middle-aged Korean mother and my 13-year-old sister who wouldn't shut up about how much she liked the clothes.
7.5/10
#24 O Brother, Where Art Thou? (6/11/11)
Dir. Coen Brothers
2000
For me, Coen Brothers films fluctuate the most as far as how much I like them. I love love loved The Man Who Wasn't There and The Hudsucker Proxy, found Fargo and this one mediocre, and was completely dissatisfied with A Serious Man and Burn After Reading. As far as style, they're very distinct and you can tell a movie has been made by the Coen Bros right off the bat. They write really witty dialogues and all their works just enough seem to fall under the fantasy genre. O Brother, Where Art Thou? pays homage to one of my favorite films Cool Hand Luke and one of my favorite books The Odyssey. It was perhaps this fact that caused me to not enjoy it as much as I would have, but I kept feeling like there was something missing. It was also a little too random and I get that the directors were going for that irony, but some parts just whacked me out of the blue. As I said before, the dialogues were clever, the music was fun, George Clooney was good-looking, and the colors were aesthetically pleasing.
7/10
2000
For me, Coen Brothers films fluctuate the most as far as how much I like them. I love love loved The Man Who Wasn't There and The Hudsucker Proxy, found Fargo and this one mediocre, and was completely dissatisfied with A Serious Man and Burn After Reading. As far as style, they're very distinct and you can tell a movie has been made by the Coen Bros right off the bat. They write really witty dialogues and all their works just enough seem to fall under the fantasy genre. O Brother, Where Art Thou? pays homage to one of my favorite films Cool Hand Luke and one of my favorite books The Odyssey. It was perhaps this fact that caused me to not enjoy it as much as I would have, but I kept feeling like there was something missing. It was also a little too random and I get that the directors were going for that irony, but some parts just whacked me out of the blue. As I said before, the dialogues were clever, the music was fun, George Clooney was good-looking, and the colors were aesthetically pleasing.
7/10
#23 Before Sunrise (6/11/11)
Dir. Richard Linklater
1995
Strictly a dialogue-driven romance. Kind of reminded me of Once because it's about a man and a woman who meet temporarily and part different ways. There were definitely cute, entertaining scenes and others that were just tedious blabbering. I'm surprised not many teenage girls are head over heels about this movie because it really was sweet and had countless "awww" moments. I wasn't too crazy about the ending. Spoiler alert! So while they spend their only night in Vienna together, they promise that it will only be a one-night thing (not sex people) and just cherish that brief, romantic moment because both feel that trying to maintain a long-distance relationship (guy is American and girl is French) means having to deal with a lot of shenanigans. But of course at the end right when the girl is about to step onto the train, the guy asks her to meet him 6 months later at the exact same spot. My mom liked it, but I think it totally ruined the premise of the movie. Other than that, I quite enjoyed it actually. A fairy tale story that anybody in whatever part of the world will want to experience at least once.
7.5/10
1995
Strictly a dialogue-driven romance. Kind of reminded me of Once because it's about a man and a woman who meet temporarily and part different ways. There were definitely cute, entertaining scenes and others that were just tedious blabbering. I'm surprised not many teenage girls are head over heels about this movie because it really was sweet and had countless "awww" moments. I wasn't too crazy about the ending. Spoiler alert! So while they spend their only night in Vienna together, they promise that it will only be a one-night thing (not sex people) and just cherish that brief, romantic moment because both feel that trying to maintain a long-distance relationship (guy is American and girl is French) means having to deal with a lot of shenanigans. But of course at the end right when the girl is about to step onto the train, the guy asks her to meet him 6 months later at the exact same spot. My mom liked it, but I think it totally ruined the premise of the movie. Other than that, I quite enjoyed it actually. A fairy tale story that anybody in whatever part of the world will want to experience at least once.
7.5/10
#22 Salt (6/10/11)
Dir. Phillip Noyce
2010
I watched two movies today to make up for my lack in the past couple days. I just wanted to watch pure mindless action, you know. Wasn't bad and actually exceeded my expectation. Lots of bs in the story line (what the hell is a Russian spy doing in present day America? Cold War II or what?) but most were acceptable and a lot of modern action movies have done much worse. I was never too fond of Angelina Jolie, but she grows on me as I watch her on screen more and more and she's actually kind of hot! I thought the little North Korea scene in the beginning was irrelevant and so was that Schnaider guy that used to be Salt's friend back in that Russian children brainwashing camp. The actions were pretty intense and that's all I initially hoped for so I was satisfied. Thank god for no out-of-hand Michael Bay type explosions because those give me headaches. Probably the most memorable part was Angelina Jolie's makeover as a Middle Eastern dude. That was so crazy, I was wondering the whole time how long the make-up could have taken.
7/10
2010
I watched two movies today to make up for my lack in the past couple days. I just wanted to watch pure mindless action, you know. Wasn't bad and actually exceeded my expectation. Lots of bs in the story line (what the hell is a Russian spy doing in present day America? Cold War II or what?) but most were acceptable and a lot of modern action movies have done much worse. I was never too fond of Angelina Jolie, but she grows on me as I watch her on screen more and more and she's actually kind of hot! I thought the little North Korea scene in the beginning was irrelevant and so was that Schnaider guy that used to be Salt's friend back in that Russian children brainwashing camp. The actions were pretty intense and that's all I initially hoped for so I was satisfied. Thank god for no out-of-hand Michael Bay type explosions because those give me headaches. Probably the most memorable part was Angelina Jolie's makeover as a Middle Eastern dude. That was so crazy, I was wondering the whole time how long the make-up could have taken.
7/10
#21 A Clockwork Orange (6/10/11)
Dir. Stanley Kubrick
1971
First NC-17 movie I've seen and did I previously say Blue Velvet was the most uncomfortable movie? Oh man how wrong I was! I kept looking back to my door to see that nobody was coming in because I didn't want to be accused of watching porn. I mean seriously yo, the first 30 minutes is just rape after rape after rape. The plot line really doesn't get interesting until maybe an hour into it when there's a huge shift in the main character. Impressively depicted by Malcom McDowell, the protagonist embodies all the societal problems that pretty much every place in the world is constantly prone to like sexual assaults, unsupervised teenage scum bags roaming the streets, and just violence as a whole. A perfect-looking film by a notorious perfectionist in the film industry. I cannot grasp the fact that A Clockwork Orange was made 4 decades ago. That's when my dad was 6 and I still hold onto the belief that people back in those days rode horses to school. Basing my claim on this and 2001: A Space Odyssey, Kubrick was way ahead of its time especially with the camera work and other technological aspects. But that's a very minor praise to the movie. Watch it and see the dystopia for yourself.
8/10
1971
First NC-17 movie I've seen and did I previously say Blue Velvet was the most uncomfortable movie? Oh man how wrong I was! I kept looking back to my door to see that nobody was coming in because I didn't want to be accused of watching porn. I mean seriously yo, the first 30 minutes is just rape after rape after rape. The plot line really doesn't get interesting until maybe an hour into it when there's a huge shift in the main character. Impressively depicted by Malcom McDowell, the protagonist embodies all the societal problems that pretty much every place in the world is constantly prone to like sexual assaults, unsupervised teenage scum bags roaming the streets, and just violence as a whole. A perfect-looking film by a notorious perfectionist in the film industry. I cannot grasp the fact that A Clockwork Orange was made 4 decades ago. That's when my dad was 6 and I still hold onto the belief that people back in those days rode horses to school. Basing my claim on this and 2001: A Space Odyssey, Kubrick was way ahead of its time especially with the camera work and other technological aspects. But that's a very minor praise to the movie. Watch it and see the dystopia for yourself.
8/10
#2o Manhattan Murder Mystery (6/05/11)
Dir. Woody Allen
1993
Probably the most controversial thing I will ever say amongst Woody Allen fans, but this is my favorite movie by him of all time, tying with Manhattan and The Purple Rose of Cairo. This was my first Woody Allen film ever when I randomly came across it on a free movie channel on the TV when I was visiting Korea maybe 3 years ago? So even if it was my second time watching, there weren't many moments when I wasn't laughing. Ridiculous story line, sure. But the humor totally made up for it! There's this really funny scene when Woody Allen and Diane Keaton's characters (Larry and Carol) walk into a hotel room and find a dead lady on the floor. They had bought a present to give to her and Carol goes "OH MY GOD WHAT DO WE DO??" and Larry replies with "try giving her the present". Oh man, I seriously died. I doubt most people will even find this funny because the jokes are incredibly subtle and random. Definitely far from a stupid comedy spoof though so don't be expecting The Hangover. Amazing cast too. As much as I love Mia Farrow, the on-screen chemistry between Woody and Diane seems so much more candid.
10/10
1993
Probably the most controversial thing I will ever say amongst Woody Allen fans, but this is my favorite movie by him of all time, tying with Manhattan and The Purple Rose of Cairo. This was my first Woody Allen film ever when I randomly came across it on a free movie channel on the TV when I was visiting Korea maybe 3 years ago? So even if it was my second time watching, there weren't many moments when I wasn't laughing. Ridiculous story line, sure. But the humor totally made up for it! There's this really funny scene when Woody Allen and Diane Keaton's characters (Larry and Carol) walk into a hotel room and find a dead lady on the floor. They had bought a present to give to her and Carol goes "OH MY GOD WHAT DO WE DO??" and Larry replies with "try giving her the present". Oh man, I seriously died. I doubt most people will even find this funny because the jokes are incredibly subtle and random. Definitely far from a stupid comedy spoof though so don't be expecting The Hangover. Amazing cast too. As much as I love Mia Farrow, the on-screen chemistry between Woody and Diane seems so much more candid.
10/10
#19 The Fugitive (6/04/11)
Dir. Andrew Davis
1993
It was like Die Hard except with a brain! Constant tension that makes it impossible for you pause the movie to merely take a piss. I started this last night at 12:30, planning on finishing it in the span of 2 days. The movie being over 2 hours, I ended up sleeping around 3 but it was worth my droopy eyes this morning. Harrison Ford still shines as an action star at the age of 51. He'll always be Indiana Jones in my heart, but his role as Dr. Richard Kimble was just as charismatic and full of life. A young Julianne Moore is also in this movie, but she has no more than a 5-minute screen time. I was hoping the entire time that she'd show up again so when she didn't, that was a bit disappointing. And if there's one thing I have to point out in this nearly perfect action flick, it's definitely the ending. I can't quite describe it. It was somewhat fishy and slightly predictable. But really, I doubt its mediocre ending will bother anyone. It's hardly noticeable to catch the flaw to be honest.
8.5/10
1993
It was like Die Hard except with a brain! Constant tension that makes it impossible for you pause the movie to merely take a piss. I started this last night at 12:30, planning on finishing it in the span of 2 days. The movie being over 2 hours, I ended up sleeping around 3 but it was worth my droopy eyes this morning. Harrison Ford still shines as an action star at the age of 51. He'll always be Indiana Jones in my heart, but his role as Dr. Richard Kimble was just as charismatic and full of life. A young Julianne Moore is also in this movie, but she has no more than a 5-minute screen time. I was hoping the entire time that she'd show up again so when she didn't, that was a bit disappointing. And if there's one thing I have to point out in this nearly perfect action flick, it's definitely the ending. I can't quite describe it. It was somewhat fishy and slightly predictable. But really, I doubt its mediocre ending will bother anyone. It's hardly noticeable to catch the flaw to be honest.
8.5/10
#18 Amelie (6/03/11)
Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
2001
Cute, quirky movie. I don't know why the IMDB rating of it at 8.6 is so high though. I mean, it was creative and all and super artsy, but I wasn't particularly moved by it. The random zooms were quite annoying to be honest and trust me, I do know what it's like to be socially awkward better than most people, but I could not at all associate with the main character. Perhaps it was the fact that it was in French that caused it to receive such high praise from American audiences. It's just our tendency to view French things, or any foreign things in that matter, to be more sophisticated and artistic. Right? Or am I just talking bogus again. Anyway, as I've said with Jules and Jim way earlier, it didn't quite work for me but I did appreciate how different it was from movies that generally came out around the same time. If there's one thing I absolutely adored in Amélie though was the opening and ending credits! The opening shots of little Amélie drawing faces on her hand, putting raspberries on her fingers, and playing with dominos made me so nostalgic and the ending credits creatively incorporated a big motif of ripped photographs in the movie.
7/10
2001
Cute, quirky movie. I don't know why the IMDB rating of it at 8.6 is so high though. I mean, it was creative and all and super artsy, but I wasn't particularly moved by it. The random zooms were quite annoying to be honest and trust me, I do know what it's like to be socially awkward better than most people, but I could not at all associate with the main character. Perhaps it was the fact that it was in French that caused it to receive such high praise from American audiences. It's just our tendency to view French things, or any foreign things in that matter, to be more sophisticated and artistic. Right? Or am I just talking bogus again. Anyway, as I've said with Jules and Jim way earlier, it didn't quite work for me but I did appreciate how different it was from movies that generally came out around the same time. If there's one thing I absolutely adored in Amélie though was the opening and ending credits! The opening shots of little Amélie drawing faces on her hand, putting raspberries on her fingers, and playing with dominos made me so nostalgic and the ending credits creatively incorporated a big motif of ripped photographs in the movie.
7/10
#17 The Age of Innocence (6/01/11)
Dir. Martin Scorsese
1993
Just two things to say: boring and a waste of time. There are so many stories like this that is told in much better and engaging way! A married man falls for another woman, OMG WHAT AN ORIGINAL STORY. I do realize that it's based on a book that was written long before but the movie could not have been any less trite. The only reason I watched until the end was to look at pretty 19th century upper class clothes. The editing was horribly cheesy too. Slow motions, dissolves, and out-of-place pans and zooms - maybe the editor used iMovie or something? Thumbs up for cinematography though. Lots of beautiful scenery shots. Scorsese is a fantastic director, I've grown to like him a lot. All his works may be pretty slow and somewhat boring, but it's the good kind of boring you know? Take Taxi Driver. You wait all along for something big to happen and guess what, it does happen! The ending is very climactic and everything neatly resolves back to the way it was in the beginning. With The Age of Innocence, you're pretty much stuck as the viewer. No ups or downs in the plot. it's like listening to Yo-Yo-Ma. Great playing, awfully boring.
6/10
1993
Just two things to say: boring and a waste of time. There are so many stories like this that is told in much better and engaging way! A married man falls for another woman, OMG WHAT AN ORIGINAL STORY. I do realize that it's based on a book that was written long before but the movie could not have been any less trite. The only reason I watched until the end was to look at pretty 19th century upper class clothes. The editing was horribly cheesy too. Slow motions, dissolves, and out-of-place pans and zooms - maybe the editor used iMovie or something? Thumbs up for cinematography though. Lots of beautiful scenery shots. Scorsese is a fantastic director, I've grown to like him a lot. All his works may be pretty slow and somewhat boring, but it's the good kind of boring you know? Take Taxi Driver. You wait all along for something big to happen and guess what, it does happen! The ending is very climactic and everything neatly resolves back to the way it was in the beginning. With The Age of Innocence, you're pretty much stuck as the viewer. No ups or downs in the plot. it's like listening to Yo-Yo-Ma. Great playing, awfully boring.
6/10
#16 Match Point (5/30/11)
Dir. Woody Allen
2005
Before I say anything, can I just say Scarlett Johansson is so attractive like what the hell! Converting innocent heterosexual girls since 1984. Not only her, pretty much everyone else in the movie was so damn hot and I honestly would've watched it without audio just to awe at these beautiful beings (most of whom had British accents!!). The plot itself, though, was a modern recycling of Woody Allen's earlier film Crimes and Misdemeanors. It lacked C and M's incorporation of philosophy and comedy. I had a difficult time grasping the fact that Match Point was directed by Woody because it was just so different. Prior to this film, I don't think he's ever shot a movie outside of the island of Manhattan. There was no hint of comedy in this either, which I found disappointing at first but the seriousness worked and the movie wouldn't have had the same effect if it were comedic. There's a really awesome line said by the main character where he quotes Sophocles, "To never have been born may be the greatest boon of all". Not boring at all despite its over 2-hour running time and I highly recommend it if you're in for some scandalous love crime story.
8/10
2005
Before I say anything, can I just say Scarlett Johansson is so attractive like what the hell! Converting innocent heterosexual girls since 1984. Not only her, pretty much everyone else in the movie was so damn hot and I honestly would've watched it without audio just to awe at these beautiful beings (most of whom had British accents!!). The plot itself, though, was a modern recycling of Woody Allen's earlier film Crimes and Misdemeanors. It lacked C and M's incorporation of philosophy and comedy. I had a difficult time grasping the fact that Match Point was directed by Woody because it was just so different. Prior to this film, I don't think he's ever shot a movie outside of the island of Manhattan. There was no hint of comedy in this either, which I found disappointing at first but the seriousness worked and the movie wouldn't have had the same effect if it were comedic. There's a really awesome line said by the main character where he quotes Sophocles, "To never have been born may be the greatest boon of all". Not boring at all despite its over 2-hour running time and I highly recommend it if you're in for some scandalous love crime story.
8/10
#15 Singin' in the Rain (5/29/11)
Dir. Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly
1952
The ultimate classic of the classics! I don't like musicals much with the rare exception of The Sound of Music, which I adore with all my heart. This one was great too. Really cutesy - perfect movie to end a fun family outing. I instantly fell in love with Gene Kelly and his triple threat: dancing, singing, and acting! And I found out during the ending credits that he directed the movie too. Genius man. Although I did discover under the movie's IMDB trivia page that he was sort of an asshole and made his female co-star feel so inadequate to the point that she cried :( I guess there's no such thing as a perfect man. Anyway, I wouldn't say the music was Cole Porter-level or anything but it was still fun and very, very addictive. I love 20s America and thought the movie did a great job capturing its luxury and leisure. A really simple story about the transition of silent films to "talkies" with a little side romance thrown in here and there. I can't imagine anyone not liking this film unless you're a Freudian Nihilist who feels that there needs to be an insightful meaning beneath every movie and that life sucks no matter what.
8.5/10
1952
The ultimate classic of the classics! I don't like musicals much with the rare exception of The Sound of Music, which I adore with all my heart. This one was great too. Really cutesy - perfect movie to end a fun family outing. I instantly fell in love with Gene Kelly and his triple threat: dancing, singing, and acting! And I found out during the ending credits that he directed the movie too. Genius man. Although I did discover under the movie's IMDB trivia page that he was sort of an asshole and made his female co-star feel so inadequate to the point that she cried :( I guess there's no such thing as a perfect man. Anyway, I wouldn't say the music was Cole Porter-level or anything but it was still fun and very, very addictive. I love 20s America and thought the movie did a great job capturing its luxury and leisure. A really simple story about the transition of silent films to "talkies" with a little side romance thrown in here and there. I can't imagine anyone not liking this film unless you're a Freudian Nihilist who feels that there needs to be an insightful meaning beneath every movie and that life sucks no matter what.
8.5/10
#14 Bananas (5/28/11)
Dir. Woody Allen
1971
Sorry Woody, this just didn't work for me! There's an old saying that people get wiser with age and it certainly explains Woody Allen's works. Unlike the insightful messages his 80s and 90s movies convey, Bananas which was released in 1971, is filled with immature jokes and seem somewhat unprofessional. It started out really interestingly and I could not help but gasp at Sylvester Stallone's mere 10-second cameo. Sadly, his cameo was probably the best part in the whole movie. It was so different from all his other films in terms of themes, characters, and the type of humor used. I get that it was an attempted satire at the never-ending cycle of revolution and dictatorship and thinking back, it would've been relevant to Americans at the time the movie was made with the recent Cuban revolution and all. But as a contemporary viewer, Bananas seemed so out of place, fat-fetched, and just silly. There's one thing I absolutely adored about this movie though: the soundtrack, which was really fun and delightfully foreign.
6/10
1971
Sorry Woody, this just didn't work for me! There's an old saying that people get wiser with age and it certainly explains Woody Allen's works. Unlike the insightful messages his 80s and 90s movies convey, Bananas which was released in 1971, is filled with immature jokes and seem somewhat unprofessional. It started out really interestingly and I could not help but gasp at Sylvester Stallone's mere 10-second cameo. Sadly, his cameo was probably the best part in the whole movie. It was so different from all his other films in terms of themes, characters, and the type of humor used. I get that it was an attempted satire at the never-ending cycle of revolution and dictatorship and thinking back, it would've been relevant to Americans at the time the movie was made with the recent Cuban revolution and all. But as a contemporary viewer, Bananas seemed so out of place, fat-fetched, and just silly. There's one thing I absolutely adored about this movie though: the soundtrack, which was really fun and delightfully foreign.
6/10
#13 The Cove (5/27/11)
Dir. Louie Psihoyos
2009
I usually don't care for documentaries, but this one! Watched it in Environmental Science class and it made a pretty big impact on me. I'm usually not the person to go all omg dying dolphins sho sad :(((((((((, but The Cove was really eye-opening and despite the gruesome topic it covered, it was very interesting and humorous at times. Long story short, it covers the dolphin slaughter that has been occurring for years in this tiny city in Japan called Taiji and NOBODY, not even Japanese citizens themselves, is aware of such horror! My face was literally like :O watching it and I even signed up as a member at www.takepart/thecove just now, which you guys all should as well! I've been telling all my friends and family about the horrible killings of dolphins that goes around unnoticed. Anyway, the movie is really well structured with a combination of various interviews, fact slides, and raw footage that captures the slaughter. SO glad we watched this instead of An Inconvenient Truth, which I'm so sorry Mr. Al Gore, but is honestly the most boring thing I have ever set my eyes on.
8/10
2009
I usually don't care for documentaries, but this one! Watched it in Environmental Science class and it made a pretty big impact on me. I'm usually not the person to go all omg dying dolphins sho sad :(((((((((, but The Cove was really eye-opening and despite the gruesome topic it covered, it was very interesting and humorous at times. Long story short, it covers the dolphin slaughter that has been occurring for years in this tiny city in Japan called Taiji and NOBODY, not even Japanese citizens themselves, is aware of such horror! My face was literally like :O watching it and I even signed up as a member at www.takepart/thecove just now, which you guys all should as well! I've been telling all my friends and family about the horrible killings of dolphins that goes around unnoticed. Anyway, the movie is really well structured with a combination of various interviews, fact slides, and raw footage that captures the slaughter. SO glad we watched this instead of An Inconvenient Truth, which I'm so sorry Mr. Al Gore, but is honestly the most boring thing I have ever set my eyes on.
8/10
#12 The Others (5/25/11)
Dir. Alejandro Amenábar
2001
I've been meaning to see this film for quite a long time, but I chickened out every time and finally watched it today in complete daylight with my entire family! 17 years on this earth and still scared of a stupid movie. Turned out The Others wasn't as scary as its trailer made it seem. I only screamed once and I'm pretty sure I can go to sleep no problem tonight. I love movies where the twist at the end totally gets you out of nowhere. The ending in this one certainly came as a surprise for me. At one point, you think the mom is the bad guy, 5 minutes later you're thinking the maid is behind all the creepy things that happen, only to point finger at the 6-year-old daughter next, and back to the mom again. Not a horror movie to watch at a sleepover with a bunch of girlfriends because it didn't possess the same type of chills created for pure entertainment as say,The Ring and Final Destination do, but definitely worth watching if you're craving for scary movies with a reasonable plot and not just about a barefooted Asian schoolgirl with long hair scaring people for no reason.
7.5/10
2001
I've been meaning to see this film for quite a long time, but I chickened out every time and finally watched it today in complete daylight with my entire family! 17 years on this earth and still scared of a stupid movie. Turned out The Others wasn't as scary as its trailer made it seem. I only screamed once and I'm pretty sure I can go to sleep no problem tonight. I love movies where the twist at the end totally gets you out of nowhere. The ending in this one certainly came as a surprise for me. At one point, you think the mom is the bad guy, 5 minutes later you're thinking the maid is behind all the creepy things that happen, only to point finger at the 6-year-old daughter next, and back to the mom again. Not a horror movie to watch at a sleepover with a bunch of girlfriends because it didn't possess the same type of chills created for pure entertainment as say,The Ring and Final Destination do, but definitely worth watching if you're craving for scary movies with a reasonable plot and not just about a barefooted Asian schoolgirl with long hair scaring people for no reason.
7.5/10
#11 Lars and the Real Girl (5/24/11)
Dir. Craig Gillespie
2007
Another movie in AP Psych. School is now becoming sort of like a movie theater for me. Honestly though, if I'm not working on a project, I'm watching a movie. It's pointless to show up I know, but I get to just chill and the movies are usually pretty good anyway. Lars and the Real Girl was a strange movie. In short, this socially inept young man believes a sex doll he has purchased online is an actual human being and develops a love affair with "her". Ryan Gosling definitely sold the character to the audience though. He's adorably awkward and innocently charming. I wasn't a big fan of him in The Notebook. I felt the movie was very overrated and pretty much anyone could have pulled off the role. This movie, however, was dialogue-driven and couldn't have been successful without good acting. I can't blame people who disliked the movie because it went overboard at the end with the whole funeral scene and some parts made me really uncomfortable. However, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the little fella and awe at such an original script.
7.5/10
2007
Another movie in AP Psych. School is now becoming sort of like a movie theater for me. Honestly though, if I'm not working on a project, I'm watching a movie. It's pointless to show up I know, but I get to just chill and the movies are usually pretty good anyway. Lars and the Real Girl was a strange movie. In short, this socially inept young man believes a sex doll he has purchased online is an actual human being and develops a love affair with "her". Ryan Gosling definitely sold the character to the audience though. He's adorably awkward and innocently charming. I wasn't a big fan of him in The Notebook. I felt the movie was very overrated and pretty much anyone could have pulled off the role. This movie, however, was dialogue-driven and couldn't have been successful without good acting. I can't blame people who disliked the movie because it went overboard at the end with the whole funeral scene and some parts made me really uncomfortable. However, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the little fella and awe at such an original script.
7.5/10
#10 Life Is Beautiful (5/23/11)
Dir. Roberto Benigni
1997
K I think 100 films a year is too easy for me. I'm whipping out one a day no problem! Anyway, there are 3 types of movies I just cannot watch and they are: splatter films, post-2000 animations not made from Studio Ghibli, and Holocaust movies. First one, well you know why. Second one, I have started to outgrow animations. And third, they're just too sad and they make me lose faith in humanity. But Life Is Beautiful, despite its Holocaust-related theme, did the exact opposite effect! Sure, you had to suspend your disbelief for some of the parts like the fact that the father was able to make an announcement that was broadcasted all over the concentration camp without getting caught. I realized towards the end that the movie really wasn't about Holocaust, but about the ability of humans to make the best out of everything in the most dire situations. I did not, however, like the first 30 minutes of it at all. I found it somewhat irrelevant and boring and the same story could have been easily told within 10 minutes. Overall, very strong story with an obvious message. Props to Robert Benigni for... just existing.
8/10
1997
K I think 100 films a year is too easy for me. I'm whipping out one a day no problem! Anyway, there are 3 types of movies I just cannot watch and they are: splatter films, post-2000 animations not made from Studio Ghibli, and Holocaust movies. First one, well you know why. Second one, I have started to outgrow animations. And third, they're just too sad and they make me lose faith in humanity. But Life Is Beautiful, despite its Holocaust-related theme, did the exact opposite effect! Sure, you had to suspend your disbelief for some of the parts like the fact that the father was able to make an announcement that was broadcasted all over the concentration camp without getting caught. I realized towards the end that the movie really wasn't about Holocaust, but about the ability of humans to make the best out of everything in the most dire situations. I did not, however, like the first 30 minutes of it at all. I found it somewhat irrelevant and boring and the same story could have been easily told within 10 minutes. Overall, very strong story with an obvious message. Props to Robert Benigni for... just existing.
8/10
#9 Strangers on a Train (5/22/11)
Dir. Alfred Hitchcock
1951
I was down to watch something dramatic and suspenseful, which is pretty much the definition of Alfred Hitchcock. It dealt with some interesting concept about swapping murders. If you murder a complete stranger, who's going to ever accuse you since there really is no reasonable motive? I thought it started out really well, but the ending, eh I don't know what to think of it. I guess that was the only way it could've ended though so no bitter feelings. The building of tension near the end was awesome though with the endless tennis match and the out-of-control carousel scene. I've never seen any of the actors in this movie before, which sometimes makes the movie seem worse than it really is because I'm sure everyone prefers seeing people with whom they're somewhat familiar with. I always ask, "who's in it?" when someone tells me of a movie I don't know of. And my perception of the movie changes depending on its cast. I did find Robert Walker's acting unbelievable though. There's not too many people that can pull off playing a total whack job. Definitely one of Alfred Hitchcock's better movies although I really haven't come across one that I disliked.
8/10
1951
I was down to watch something dramatic and suspenseful, which is pretty much the definition of Alfred Hitchcock. It dealt with some interesting concept about swapping murders. If you murder a complete stranger, who's going to ever accuse you since there really is no reasonable motive? I thought it started out really well, but the ending, eh I don't know what to think of it. I guess that was the only way it could've ended though so no bitter feelings. The building of tension near the end was awesome though with the endless tennis match and the out-of-control carousel scene. I've never seen any of the actors in this movie before, which sometimes makes the movie seem worse than it really is because I'm sure everyone prefers seeing people with whom they're somewhat familiar with. I always ask, "who's in it?" when someone tells me of a movie I don't know of. And my perception of the movie changes depending on its cast. I did find Robert Walker's acting unbelievable though. There's not too many people that can pull off playing a total whack job. Definitely one of Alfred Hitchcock's better movies although I really haven't come across one that I disliked.
8/10
#8 Blue Velvet (5/21/11)
Dir. David Lynch
1986
Finally got to watch the whole thing. I remember watching this as a 14-year-old with my parents and they told me to go upstairs at the gruesome rape scene and I was actually pretty mad that they didn't think I was old enough to watch movies like that. But having seen the entire thing 3 years later, I'm sure glad that I went upstairs that day. It was pretty hard to sit through because I really didn't feel comfortable with the concept of masochism that comes up, although it's a very minor theme. I'm surprised it only received a R-rating. Anyway, I really enjoyed the acting, cinematography, and the incorporation of music. Probably the first "art" movie I've come across and I found the film visually delightful. I built the biggest crush for Kyle MacLachlan within the first 10 minutes and every time he was in danger, I felt like my heart was going to fall out. Excuse my language, but Dennis Hopper played the most frightening fucking villain and I honestly had the hardest time falling asleep last night after watching Blue Velvet.
7.5/10
1986
Finally got to watch the whole thing. I remember watching this as a 14-year-old with my parents and they told me to go upstairs at the gruesome rape scene and I was actually pretty mad that they didn't think I was old enough to watch movies like that. But having seen the entire thing 3 years later, I'm sure glad that I went upstairs that day. It was pretty hard to sit through because I really didn't feel comfortable with the concept of masochism that comes up, although it's a very minor theme. I'm surprised it only received a R-rating. Anyway, I really enjoyed the acting, cinematography, and the incorporation of music. Probably the first "art" movie I've come across and I found the film visually delightful. I built the biggest crush for Kyle MacLachlan within the first 10 minutes and every time he was in danger, I felt like my heart was going to fall out. Excuse my language, but Dennis Hopper played the most frightening fucking villain and I honestly had the hardest time falling asleep last night after watching Blue Velvet.
7.5/10
#7 Husbands and Wives (5/20/11)
Dir. Woody Allen
1992
Didn't get to see Midnight in Paris tonight because it's on limited release right now and is only playing in New York and Los Angeles. Probably one of the best American film directors in history and the movie industry is afraid Woody Allen's stuff won't make enough profits. Lame. Anyway, watched another one of his older films today to make up for it, which marks the 30th movie of his that I have seen! Interesting Office-like candid interviews thrown in here and there. It was nice to see a change and I thought the technique fit in wonderfully with the composition of the story. It follows four main characters (Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Sydney Pollack, and Judy Davis) who are going through inevitable problems with their marriage and relationships in general. Kind of gave me a different perspective on life and whatnot. His movies are just so down-to-earth and questions a lot of conventional theories on love. He embraces cynicism, yet never fails to provide a solution to integrate those imperfections of life with the few cases of happiness that arises. And oh, where has Juliette Lewis disappeared to? She was delightful in this movie. My only criticisms are that it was little slow and didn't provide the most satisfying resolution.
8/10
1992
Didn't get to see Midnight in Paris tonight because it's on limited release right now and is only playing in New York and Los Angeles. Probably one of the best American film directors in history and the movie industry is afraid Woody Allen's stuff won't make enough profits. Lame. Anyway, watched another one of his older films today to make up for it, which marks the 30th movie of his that I have seen! Interesting Office-like candid interviews thrown in here and there. It was nice to see a change and I thought the technique fit in wonderfully with the composition of the story. It follows four main characters (Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Sydney Pollack, and Judy Davis) who are going through inevitable problems with their marriage and relationships in general. Kind of gave me a different perspective on life and whatnot. His movies are just so down-to-earth and questions a lot of conventional theories on love. He embraces cynicism, yet never fails to provide a solution to integrate those imperfections of life with the few cases of happiness that arises. And oh, where has Juliette Lewis disappeared to? She was delightful in this movie. My only criticisms are that it was little slow and didn't provide the most satisfying resolution.
8/10
#6 Edward Scissorhands (5/19/11)
Dir. Tim Burton
1990
Another movie in my English class! So crazy how my teacher seems to play my favorite movies one after another. Forrest Gump, Pleasantville, and now Edward Scissorhands! Anyway, love love love this movie. Probably around my 5th time watching but it gets better each time. I have the most gigantic girl crush on Winona Ryder and I honestly can't think of a better actress that could have played this role. It probably was the fact that Johnny and Winona were engaged at the time that made their on-screen chemistry work so well, but either way they were so cute! There are lots of subtly funny moments and Tim Burton's use of color, not just in Edward Scissorhands, but in Batman and Big Fish is so unique and definitely a trademark. The music worked perfectly too. I did feel like they overplayed it throughout but I didn't mind all that much. This is one movie that makes me wonder how the hell a human being can think of a story so damn clever. Definitely Tim Burton's best, hands down.
9/10
1990
Another movie in my English class! So crazy how my teacher seems to play my favorite movies one after another. Forrest Gump, Pleasantville, and now Edward Scissorhands! Anyway, love love love this movie. Probably around my 5th time watching but it gets better each time. I have the most gigantic girl crush on Winona Ryder and I honestly can't think of a better actress that could have played this role. It probably was the fact that Johnny and Winona were engaged at the time that made their on-screen chemistry work so well, but either way they were so cute! There are lots of subtly funny moments and Tim Burton's use of color, not just in Edward Scissorhands, but in Batman and Big Fish is so unique and definitely a trademark. The music worked perfectly too. I did feel like they overplayed it throughout but I didn't mind all that much. This is one movie that makes me wonder how the hell a human being can think of a story so damn clever. Definitely Tim Burton's best, hands down.
9/10
#5 An Education (5/16/11)
Dir. Lone Scherfig
2009
Man, I love Peter Sarsgaard. He was great in Jarhead, Boys Don't Cry, Kinsey, and I can finally say in An Education. He's probably in the peak of his career now and from what I've seen so far, he has successfully avoided being typecast. One movie he's Dr. Kinsey's loyal assistant, another a homophobic hillbilly, and even a sleazy British con man. Anyway, I really wouldn't mind watching anything he's in. And Carey Mulligan! I've never seen her in anything else before, but finally a young, fresh face in Hollywood who has genuine talent. This movie was good enough just seeing them two interact. The story line, I didn't dig too much though. It was weird how the girl's character transforms so suddenly out of the blue. It didn't make much sense how NOBODY in the movie commented on how old the guy was either. The most implausible part of all probably was the fact the previously iron-fisted and slightly "Asian" father lets his only Oxford-material daughter go off to Paris with a 30-something man he virtually knows nothing about, let alone let her accept his marriage proposal.
7/10
2009
Man, I love Peter Sarsgaard. He was great in Jarhead, Boys Don't Cry, Kinsey, and I can finally say in An Education. He's probably in the peak of his career now and from what I've seen so far, he has successfully avoided being typecast. One movie he's Dr. Kinsey's loyal assistant, another a homophobic hillbilly, and even a sleazy British con man. Anyway, I really wouldn't mind watching anything he's in. And Carey Mulligan! I've never seen her in anything else before, but finally a young, fresh face in Hollywood who has genuine talent. This movie was good enough just seeing them two interact. The story line, I didn't dig too much though. It was weird how the girl's character transforms so suddenly out of the blue. It didn't make much sense how NOBODY in the movie commented on how old the guy was either. The most implausible part of all probably was the fact the previously iron-fisted and slightly "Asian" father lets his only Oxford-material daughter go off to Paris with a 30-something man he virtually knows nothing about, let alone let her accept his marriage proposal.
7/10
#4 Deliverance (5/15/11)
Dir. John Boorman
1972
So many things wrong with this movie. First of all, there's a typo on the poster which is bothering me. Secondly, everything was too overdramatic and the ending was very anticlimactic. It's a story about four middle-aged guys out on a canoeing trip in this empty countryside and more than 30 minutes after showing not-so-impressive scenes of the lake and some trees, they run into a group of mountain scums and then a series of endless misfortunes happen to the four characters from thereon. Not a bad story line I guess, but definitely too slow for my taste. One of the only things I liked about Deliverance was seeing Jon Voight, Angelina Jolie's biological father (her mother must have been pretty because this guy really isn't much of a show), act alongside the legendary Burt Reynolds, who reminded me SO much of Marlon Brando although neither my dad nor my sister supported my opinion. Anyway, I don't recommend it unless you're seriously low on testosterone level because this film defines masculinity. It's just 2 hours of seeing a bunch of dudes do their guy stuff.
6/10
1972
So many things wrong with this movie. First of all, there's a typo on the poster which is bothering me. Secondly, everything was too overdramatic and the ending was very anticlimactic. It's a story about four middle-aged guys out on a canoeing trip in this empty countryside and more than 30 minutes after showing not-so-impressive scenes of the lake and some trees, they run into a group of mountain scums and then a series of endless misfortunes happen to the four characters from thereon. Not a bad story line I guess, but definitely too slow for my taste. One of the only things I liked about Deliverance was seeing Jon Voight, Angelina Jolie's biological father (her mother must have been pretty because this guy really isn't much of a show), act alongside the legendary Burt Reynolds, who reminded me SO much of Marlon Brando although neither my dad nor my sister supported my opinion. Anyway, I don't recommend it unless you're seriously low on testosterone level because this film defines masculinity. It's just 2 hours of seeing a bunch of dudes do their guy stuff.
6/10
#3 Pleasantville (5/14/11)
Dir. Gary Ross
1998
My English teacher played it in class as sort of a post-AP test celebration yesterday. I've seen it before probably around the same time of the year last year in my Film & Society class. There are two ways people, I at least, usually split into when watching the same movie they like for the second time: one, finding it even better than the first time around and second, thinking the movie is crap and wondering why they ever liked it in the first place. Pleasantville definitely fell under the first category for me primarily because the whole class got really into it and just being in good company when watching a movie undoubtedly makes the whole process much more worthwhile. Anyway, I thought the color correction (gradual black and white to color transition) was amazing, the whole concept of exploring the conformity of the 1950's was really interesting not to mention educational, and young Paul Walker is to die for.
8.5/10
1998
My English teacher played it in class as sort of a post-AP test celebration yesterday. I've seen it before probably around the same time of the year last year in my Film & Society class. There are two ways people, I at least, usually split into when watching the same movie they like for the second time: one, finding it even better than the first time around and second, thinking the movie is crap and wondering why they ever liked it in the first place. Pleasantville definitely fell under the first category for me primarily because the whole class got really into it and just being in good company when watching a movie undoubtedly makes the whole process much more worthwhile. Anyway, I thought the color correction (gradual black and white to color transition) was amazing, the whole concept of exploring the conformity of the 1950's was really interesting not to mention educational, and young Paul Walker is to die for.
8.5/10
#2 Jules and Jim (5/13/11)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
1962
First French New Wave film I've ever seen in my life and also my first instant Netflix movie. Having lost two of my virginities by watching Jules and Jim, I set myself quite high expectations: something different and well, good. The first was definitely true. The movie was so un-Hollywood that it almost made me feel uncomfortable. Hate to admit it, but I have been Americanized by all the commercial Hollywood movies I grew up watching so I really need to be determined and mentally prepare myself each time before sitting through an entire foreign movie. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that it's about two dude best friends and one beautiful woman and I'm sure it isn't too hard to figure out the rest. Sounds rather simple, but some pretty WEIRD plot twists happen towards the end that I even letted out some "what the hell?" here and there. One other thing I really want to advise anybody before watching a French movie is at least trying to familiarize with the language because having to read the subtitles while also trying to enjoy the shots is really quite a hassle.
7/10
1962
First French New Wave film I've ever seen in my life and also my first instant Netflix movie. Having lost two of my virginities by watching Jules and Jim, I set myself quite high expectations: something different and well, good. The first was definitely true. The movie was so un-Hollywood that it almost made me feel uncomfortable. Hate to admit it, but I have been Americanized by all the commercial Hollywood movies I grew up watching so I really need to be determined and mentally prepare myself each time before sitting through an entire foreign movie. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that it's about two dude best friends and one beautiful woman and I'm sure it isn't too hard to figure out the rest. Sounds rather simple, but some pretty WEIRD plot twists happen towards the end that I even letted out some "what the hell?" here and there. One other thing I really want to advise anybody before watching a French movie is at least trying to familiarize with the language because having to read the subtitles while also trying to enjoy the shots is really quite a hassle.
7/10
#1 Cast Away (5/11/11)
Dir. Robert Zemeckis
2000
Watched it for the second time in my AP Psychology class. We really didn't get very far: I think until the part when he sees a ship and decides to swim towards it with his tattered rubber boat but the waves pretty much flip the boat over and he ends up slicing his leg on these coral rock things. So basically only like 30 minutes into the movie. It's okay though because I vividly recall everything that happens. First time around, I didn't have too good of an opinion on the film because I found it too childish of a movie to appreciate and too serious of a movie to sit back and enjoy. Second time watching, though, I noticed subtle things like the cinematography and if there's one aspect where Cast Away deserves the most praise, it's definitely the photography. Other than that, the whole movie sort of feels like a 2-hour FedEx commercial. Honestly, the FedEx logo is shown every 2 minutes and it gets annoying after a while. So overall, not my favorite Robert Zemeckis movie. Want to see a good Robert Zemeckis/Tom Hanks collab? Go rent Forrest Gump.
7/10
2000
Watched it for the second time in my AP Psychology class. We really didn't get very far: I think until the part when he sees a ship and decides to swim towards it with his tattered rubber boat but the waves pretty much flip the boat over and he ends up slicing his leg on these coral rock things. So basically only like 30 minutes into the movie. It's okay though because I vividly recall everything that happens. First time around, I didn't have too good of an opinion on the film because I found it too childish of a movie to appreciate and too serious of a movie to sit back and enjoy. Second time watching, though, I noticed subtle things like the cinematography and if there's one aspect where Cast Away deserves the most praise, it's definitely the photography. Other than that, the whole movie sort of feels like a 2-hour FedEx commercial. Honestly, the FedEx logo is shown every 2 minutes and it gets annoying after a while. So overall, not my favorite Robert Zemeckis movie. Want to see a good Robert Zemeckis/Tom Hanks collab? Go rent Forrest Gump.
7/10
