Shutter Island (2010). Shutter Island is simply a brilliant piece of work. There is something wrong with this island, and the tension is united with how are characters are all portrayed, just a little askew, but nothing we can sink our teeth into. This was simply a great story told under the direction of a wickedly adroit director. The result is a short two hours and eighteen minutes. With heavy use of flashbacks, this one unravels in such a fashion that all of the pieces are there, but the fog of this psychological thriller does not clear until the end, and perfectly so. The pacing and edginess are perfectly captivating, maybe ingeniously so. The acting was stellar, with DiCaprio at the head of a splendid cast, all of which hammer our great performances. The camera work, whilst a tad obtrusive in the beginning, settles down nicely. In short, Scorsese has created a winner. Late.
d

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Put your brains on the shelf and go watch it.

my brain's been on the shelf for years.

looking forward to this one

Hunger (2009)--3/10

Stop me if you've heard this one--madman captures a group of people, then forces them to commit atrocities, or commits atrocities to them, as he whittles away at their psyche and humanity.

Really, as much moaning as there is about remakes on this board, the REAL crime is churning out the same movie over and over again under the pretense that it is somehow "original" in each variation. The past decade has been flooded by these "psychological decay thrillers" that all follow the same worn out blueprint. I can go the next decade without seeing another if they're not going to deviate from the program anymore than that.

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970). Billy Wilder's take on Sherlock Holmes was both refreshingly original whilst holding true to the original essence of the great detective. The first act sets contrives to perceive the sleuth in a rather intimate light, then sets forth to elucidate upon that which was hinted at. The result sets the stage for the anticipatory adventure, where ludicrous plot devices are managed with dark humor and Wilder's wit. The story is perfectly built up and executed, with Holmes just shy of perfect and Watson just shy of a bungler. The direction of course was amazing with flawless camera work taking advantage of the Scottish countryside. The score was simply befitting. This was a wonderful take on this tireless detective and his sidekick.

They Live (1988). How such a cult classic could simultaneously be silly and intensely witty is beyond me, but this film accomplishes just that. The genius here taking mediocre performances and creating a biting classic that may never go out of style. Roddy Piper is cast at the heroic everyman confronted with conspiracy at every turn, and his solution is to point his never-empty guns of redemption only to fire away with reckless abandon. With hilarious fight scenes, playful dialog (...and I'm all out of bubblegum), guns a blazing, and fun camera work, this flick is a highly entertaining political commentary on a malaise of the 80s that has yet to be cured. Merci beaucoup.
d

You are gonna love it. Just remember to bring your beers.



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Well, I will be honest. As a longtime fan of Argento and a fan of our own Roderick Usher, I was really expecting plenty. Maybe that let me down a bit.

The film is pretty decent, with plenty of neat photography, good pace and filled with trademark Argento shots of colorful scenery - the red carpets, the greenery, etc. But what was missing was matching background music (sorely missed Simonetti here), and a very uninspiring performance by both leads - Brody & Seigner, especially Brody who looked half-asleep throughout the film.

Elsa Pataky was wonderful as the victim AND looked very gorgeous, and surely was the high point of Giallo. The gore was okay, and one or two scenes made me flinch a bit. Where Giallo lets the viewer down is plotwise - the killer is revealed a bit quickly, it all becomes too evident in the last 30-odd minutes of the film, the bordering-on-torture-porn storyline, and the very unconvincing "jacking off" scenes. Surely Argento could have done a lot better with what he had in his hands. I am sure Sean visioned Giallo a bit differently than the final product - either way this could have been better.

Sorry, Sean. Don't be mad at me. :(

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Fantastic intertwined anthology chosen for the perfect setting of all things horror - Halloween. It might be one of the best films to have come out in our genre in the past 2-3 years. Too bad it wasn't a wider commercial release - bet it would have given some of the more successful BO films a real run for their money, if it had been released in October last year or the year before. Specially loved Anna Paquin's segment, and that one of the little girl in the lift. Superb.

* * * *


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I blame Newb for making me watch this yet again. That is my final say.

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Something to keep the wife happy.

* *

A Dirty Carnival (2006). This South Korean take on a low level gangster with skills is the same old story told in an unbelievably enjoyable fashion. The anti-hero is perfectly ambiguous, at times cold blooded and calculating, at times likable, humble, and human. What's worse, as life's choices come at a price, no matter which good life one chooses, the price is almost too much to bear once ensconced in this dirty employ. The acting was phenomenal, with our lead portraying an impossibly good-hearted, cold-blooded career criminal. The story itself contains all of the requisite elements of a good mob drama. The fights scenes were brutally realistic as opposed to stylistic orchestrations of over-the-top martial arts excellence. The score was wonderfully antagonistic to the realities on the screen. The ending was left open for subtle interpretation, where betrayals and motivations are left for the imagination to fill in. Merci beaucoup.

Genru

ps i meant to put this in the last Asian movie thread- my bad...

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

>>: C


The Vampire Lovers (1970)

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An intriguing Hammer masterpiece where most of the female cast really possess some kinda hallucinating power.:o

>>: A-

Watched Pan's Labyrinth again last night. I think based on my outlook of this movie, somewhere in the last 3 years I became a pessimist. :(

Escape From New York
&
Escape From L.A.

"The Expendables"

"The Expendables" is quite possibly the greatest ass-kicking. gun shooting, cigar smoking, red meat eating HE-MAN ACTION EVER!! (can I get a Whoo-ya)
The plot: paper thin
The carnage: Waaaaaay over the top.
I Loved It.
Leave your brain at the door and go and have some good old fashioned action movie fun.

--

you gave it a much nicer review than I would have. :p

Predators- 8/10


Not really the last seen but last I care to rate.




It was fun.

twilight: eclipse

11/10

best movie of the year?

Stalingrad (1993). This war gem leaves the glories of war at the doorstep, instead reveling in the squalid horrors of war, physical and psychological. Told from the German foot soldier's point of view, there is no sense of good or bad, just men ordered to kill other men. The Stygian battlegrounds are wonderfully portrayed as fields of death, with men constantly on the verge of breakdown. The battles are brutal and realistic, at least until the tides are turned and the frozen nightmare of winter settles in. Suddenly the battlefield's ominous foe is the frozen landscape, killing without regard to political ideology. The acting, whilst occasionally overacted, still captures our painful imaginations and hearts. The story itself is just a snapshot of war, with no real storyline necessary save to survive.
Genru

Scott Pilgrim.
It was ok. Personally it was a little more fun in comic form I thought...
Nothing wrong with the film, it's well done and all I suppose.
Just something I saw out of general interest really, and yeah, it was ok.

Inception.
Further cements my preference of Nolans non-Batman work.
Quite interesting, thought provoking.
Reminded me a little of "The 13th Floor" in elements.
Personally I don't think it lived up to QUITE the amount of hype it's been getting, though it was solidly entertaining, and I liked it.

I can't see inception now because I've basically heard the whole story from people.

Beautiful Kate (2009)

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>>: B


The Familiar (2010)

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>>: D

Cemetery Man AKA Dellamorte Dellamore (1994). Dancing between the philosophic underpinnings of death and macabre humor, between a style that rivals Argento and a silliness that must be seen to be believed, and between the bizarre nature of love and downward spiral of depression built upon the isolation of the pariah comes the genius that is Dellamorte Dellamore. Michele Soavi's masterpiece shows that he was paying attention as Argento's understudy, maybe even surpassing the master. With so many genres rolled into one, this flick's originality allows its occasional zaniness to be smoothly taken in stride. With an almost whimsical plot, it conveys a meaning, or maybe purpose, of death that is felt more than it is understood. This fascination with death is furthered through its illicit eroticism. Rupert Everett's acting was sublime, with a subtle sense of delivery that is masterful. His nearly mute sidekick was equally wonderful. Anna Falchi's presence is a blessing that will send most guys to church, begging for more. Michele Soavi's direction was simply perfect, and the stylish camera work was delivered with an unequaled flair. The production set was both low budget and incongruently elaborate. Like any meditation of death, this goes beyond a mortal's capacity of comprehension, making for a movie that would be appreciated by horror fans and the intelligentsia alike. Grazia.
Genru'

Halloween (1978)

Do I even need to comment?

Well actually, I will. It was the TV version and to be honest I think I preferred it. I felt the added scene inside Smith's Grove definitely connected things better, felt like less of a jump. And I didn't notice whatever scenes were omitted.

absolutely brilliant movie, its too bad that director never made another else that wasnèt pure trash.

Solid, imaginative flick.

Red Cliff (2008). This one is all about the grandeur of film making. Many complain that it was not historically by the book. What movie is? The story itself was decent, but this was John Woo, so we know what to expect. The acting was good, the fight scenes epic for their massive scale. The effects were overused but pretty decent nonetheless. A decent watch, but pretty long for what it was...
d

See No Evil aka Blind Terror (1971)

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Darn! It just needed a little more solid ending with a little decent background of the killer. But loved the camera works & the initial concept of the story: recently blinded Sarah one day returned to her home, a country manor. She unknowingly sleeps overnight, among a houseful of corpses, arising the next morning to quietly creep out of bed, in order not to awaken 'the other members' of the household.

There will be a remake for sure.

>>: B+

Tekken (2010)

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Mama's little boy fights for vengeance and lucky to got 2 chicks in the end.:D

>>: C

last movie
 

Just saw Piranha 3D this morning.

I read that Dreyfuss reprises his role as Hooper in this. True? It's on my NetFlix queue, but I'd love to hear about it.

just got back from my first ever 3D movie in a theater. Piranha 3D was everything I expected it to be and more, but it could be the 3D virgin goggles talking. Dreyfuss was in it b ut not as Hooper. Jerry OConnell was fucking hilarious and over the top. Eli Roth plays yet another masoginistic woman hater. go figuuuure. Basically you've got boobs, blood and cheesy romantic subplot. Everything you could want in a b-movie.

The Conversation (1974). This multi-leveled psychological thriller from Coppola was subtle and sublime. With little action to drive it forward, its momentum is found in the tension built of the uncertain significance of what seems a simple conversation, one that drives our protagonist out of his shell and into an uncomfortably public world. A film for true movie-goers, the subtlety of its symbols are fun to pick out, with an ending that arrives perfectly too soon. Gene Hackman gives a brilliant performance as a wickedly private loner whose conscience compels him to open up, maybe for the worse. Laced with other greats, the cast was wonderfully utilized for effect. The story was well paced and and absolutely marvelous. Of course the direction was masterful, with equally adept camera work. A flick best seen more than once, this one should should enjoy at least one look by all. Merci beaucoup.
Genruk'

Caught the last half of 28 Days Later last night. I still think it's a crime to kill The Doctor.

night terrors

pretty terrrible.

The Tale of Zatoichi

Until last night I had never heard of this movie before, but I can't possibly understand why. It is an amazing first installment into a 26 part movie series (arguably Japan's longest running film series in cinema history) that I hopefully will see the rest of. Basic idea of the plot, for those who haven't seen it, is about a blind and extremely humble traveling masseur and master swordsman.

Definitely a must see for samurai movie fans.

Kick-Ass

I loved it

Centurion (2010)

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An action packed simple & straight forward story with good amount of gore & violence.

>>: B

Black Death (2010)

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A decent & interesting take on outbreak of bubonic plague in medieval England. A compelling thriller from Christopher Smith aka the director of Creep, Severance & Triangle.

>>: B


Burning Bright (2010)

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Surprisingly entertaining. I thought it'd be just another ordinary B movie with that hot chick from Step Up & Sorority Row. But finally it turns out to be a pretty decent home invasion thriller with a Royal Bengal Tiger. A slow start with some nice characterization and good camera works made it quite a enjoyable watch overall.

>>: B


Willard (1971)

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Found it bit more appealing than the remake and also actors like Ernest Borgnine has always been a wonderful treat to watch on the screen.
Anyway, looking forward to see its loose sequel: BEN, saw it twice when I was kid & used to love this movie.

>>: A

Brooklyn's Finest (2009). This flick is the combination of a decent script in the hands of a competent director working with great talent. The story has been told before, but this one brings with it a style and flair that elevates to a level that it might not really belong. But what really matters is that this is an entertaining though gloomy cop flick. The main characters are all masterfully portrayed, with Gere, Hawke, Cheadle, and Snipes at their best. This intertwining story is all about choices that cannot but lead to a flashing sea of reds and blues. Fuqua's direction was equally adept, with subtle and effective camera work making the most of this crime drama. Overall this was a worthy flick.

Kontroll (2003). Post Eastern Bloc does art house cinema. This ones covers more adjectives than we have time for: dark, depressing, funny, violent, dark, hypnotic, psychotic, and romantic, just to name a few. Kontroll is one of those few movies that creates an underground (literally) culture almost by accident, with memorable characters and hilarious situations that are so bizarre that they must be real. At other times this is as dark and moody as they come, with the occasional blindside to keep the viewer on edge. The acting was top notch, with the protagonist making for a hero that we are almost afraid to like because of his inner demons. The story was superb, winding about a world of symbolism, of the difficulties and abuses of vocational identity, of good and evil. The direction was stellar, with Antoine's genius of photography used to the fullest. The techno score also works to drive this incomparable flick towards its denouement. Maybe not for everyone, for those that appreciate an experience left open to interpretation then this is a must see. Merci beaucoup.

Genruk'

Triangle
im liking this Christopher Smith guy.

Sleepers (1996). As story of undying friendship, the material is not really new. What is new is not only the fresh twist that comes to fruition, but the characters and their incredible development. All of the main characters come off as real if not perfectly flawed. From the heart-felt love of the priest to the bumbling lawyer, the performances were brilliant. A sad tale, the scenes were set out in a fashion that gave for some breathing room, with powerful scenes of camaraderie and a vicious loyalty occasionally punctuated by visions of a painful past. De Niro, Bacon, Hoffman, Pitt and the rest give puissant performances that command the viewer's attention. Levinson's direction is solid throughout, and the camera work is spot on for a great delivery. This was simply a powerful drama not to be missed. Merci Beaucoup.
Genruk'

The Spy Who Loved Me

One of my favourite Bond films, I've always regarded Roger Moore as my favourite 007 and this is one of his best. I mean, just the whole skiing sequence! Pure gold.

Blasphemy
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