I've got to concur with your score and review. If it wasn't just the fact that the film was amazingly bland, flat, and non-offending to the point that whatever possible story, in humanistic and in cinematic dramatic narrative storytelling, is both screwed over...and considering that Paul Greengrass's UNITED 93 was non-political but was able to create an intelligent and artful film...it makes WORLD TRADE CENTER and Oliver Stone both look even more unimpressive.

The fact that the real-life people had total control of their story might factor into this. I'm not trashing them, since its their story, they would have the right to control it, but there is a story to work with dramatically...and that its two men trapped in purgatory on Earth: Darkness and rubble traps them from the light, yet their lives of the "Light" hanging by a string.

Right?

WORLD TRADE CENTER (2006) - **
UNITED 93 (2006) - ****1/2

Great point about United 93 Ronnierocket. I forgot about that movie and it was far superior to Stone's movie and was made without any big-time actors. I agree with you - it is their story and I don't want to sound like I'm trashing what they experienced. But how in the hell can a movie about (arguably) the most devastating day in our nation's history be described as "bland?" Somehow, Stone managed this nearly impossible feat quite easily.

Hook
(First Viewing)

Peter Pan (Williams) has grown up to be a cut-throat merger and acquisitions lawyer, and is married to Wendy's granddaughter. Captain Hook (Hoffman) kidnaps his children, and Peter returns to Never Land with Tinkerbell (Roberts). With the help of her and the Lost Boys, he must remember how to be Peter Pan again in order to save his children by battling with Captain Hook once again.

I thought the story was pretty lame. I think they should have done a live action film based on the Disney cartoon, like they would later do in 2003. The Lost Boys were quite irritable as I figured. Dustin Hoffman was the only benefit of watching the film as Captain James Hook. Although I was very surprised to see a young 19-year-old Gwyneth Paltrow in only her second movie.

Hotel Rwanda 2004 (nth Viewing)



Hotel Rwanda tells the true story of Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle), a Rwandan hotel manager whose world is turned upside-down during his country's political unrest and subsequent genocide. Turning his hotel, the Milles Collines, into a makeshift refugee camp, Rusesbagina shields hundreds of Tutsi citizens from certain death at the hands of the Hutu.

Defintley one of the best filmsof the new Millenium,pity its based on true events.

Hey Irish how do you get those nice stars next to the film title.

It's in the "smilies" box next to "wrap some text in PHP tags" and "color some text" above

Oh, that 2003 film that flopped?

Anyway, HOOK has a nice "high concept" premise idea that could have been a contender. I mean, what if Peter Pan did grow up? One can work wonders with such an idea.

Instead, it becomes cooked up as a lame vehicle that I guess Spielberg was trying to create yet another broad entertainment mega-hit....only for it to backfire severly in his face. I think another critical mistake is the casting.

Robin Williams? *roll eyes* Thing is, he only came in after Kevin Kline was screwed over with delays on another film. You know, Kline would have been more interesting (and it would seem more obvious from the outset of an obvious has-been charismatic hero having to get back into the tights)...

Hey Irish, imagine if Spielberg had made his live-action Peter Pan movie with MICHAEL JACKSON in the 1980s as it almost happened?

Ewww.

HOOK (1991) - *1/2

Well, Oliver Stone's career was fucked after the mega-critical/financial bomb ALEXANDER...and he took a project that would ensure that his career would continue, and it did work of sorts, WORLD TRADE CENTER did make a profit, and conservative-columnists wrote favorably of the flick(and for leftie Stone, that IS weird for me to be writing).

Anyway Goombah, I had to make the point clear about those real people because last year when I reviewed WORLD TRADE CENTER, Don Cardi got on me for calling the characters in the film "bland & boring to the point that you don't care about them at all" because somehow he thought I was saying that about the REAL people in life or something to that effect. I had to write a lengthy PM to him, explaining how it was just my review of a flat movie, not the people.

Ronnie
I understood your point. That's why I found the movie so frustrating: how can these characters be boring in the film when what the real people actually experienced was anything but boring. It was the complete opposite in real life.

Vanishing Point 1/2
(First Viewing)

Kowalski, the hero of the story, works for a car delivery service. He takes delivery of a 1970 Dodge Challenger to take from Colorado to Frisco, California. Shortly after pickup, he takes a bet to get the car there in less than 15 hours. After a few run-ins with motorcycle cops and highway patrol they start a chase to bring him into custody. Along the way, Kowalski is guided by Supersoul - a blind DJ with a police radio scanner.

These are the best chase and stunt scenes on a highway that I've ever seen! Richard C. Sarafian was, to my surprise, superior to Tarantino in this regard. I loved Death Proof and, in my opinion, easily superior to Planet Terror, however Vanishing Point was probably a little better than Death Proof. Barry Newman pulled off a GREAT job as Kowalski. What impressed me the most with him was his ability to look like a bad a$$ sitting behind the wheel of a car for 90+ minutes. Great action but I was disappointed with the ending.

I've just come back from seeing Letters From Iwo Jima on the big screen, and can say upon initial reflection that it's yet another tremendous tally on Eastwood's "filmmaking by numbers" formula, quite a nice addition to an oeuvre consisting of over-hyped, over-long, ultra-ordinary treatments of interesting, sometimes fascinating concepts.

Eastwood's films are bland to the point that I come from them feeling rather hateful, towards this film, every other film, and people in general.

While we're at it, or while I'm in this inarticulate mood, I can't fucking stand Hotel Rwanda. What a big fucking joke of a film.

Unforgiven is probably a top 30 film for me. If I recall, aren't you a fan of it Capo?

UNFORGIVEN is a great film. I have to admit though, I'm a bit bored with Eastwood's latter films.

THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN 1/2
(Nth Viewing)

40-year-old Andy Stitzer has done quite a few things in his life. He's got a cushy job stamping invoices at an electronics superstore, a nice apartment with a proud collection of action figures and comic books, good friends, a nice attitude. But there's just one little thing he hasn't quite gotten around to doing yet--something most people have done by his age. Done a lot. Andy's never, ever, ever had sex--not even by accident. So is that such a big deal? Well, for Andy's buds at the store, it sure is. Although they think he's a bit of an oddball, there's certainly a planet full of stranger (and homelier) guys who've at least had one go at having a go. They consider it their duty to help Andy out of his dire situation and go to great lengths to help him. But nothing proves effective enough to lure their friend out of lifelong chastity until he meets Trish (Catherine Keener), a 40-year-old mother of three. Andy's friends are psyched by the possibility that "it" may finally happen...until they hear that Andy and Trish have begun their relationship based on a mutual no-sex policy.

Gearing up for Judd Apatow's next picture, KNOCKED UP. This and WEDDING CRASHERS were easily the best comedies of 2005. Although since then the comedy genre hasn't been too great at striking gold again. Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson both didn't have a great 2006 with THE BREAK-UP and YOU, ME AND DUPREE respectfully. However, Steve Carell is really on top of his game right now (I haven't seen THE OFFICE but I hear good things). Catherine Keener is making more of a name for herself, and I'll always remember Paul Rudd from CLUELESS (yes I know but it was one of his first movies). It's good to see Elizabeth Banks branch out from the SPIDER-MAN franchise where she's given her 2 lines of dialogue and is quickly hid away for the rest of the film. However, Seth Rogen was the most impressive for me in this film. He had the best lines IMO and I just connected with him (he also had the best and some of the only funny lines in YOU, ME AND DUPREE). I'm really looking forward to see him in a starring role and hope KNOCKED UP is a success! We need a worthy comedy already!

Or...erm...drama...umm...comedy...err.

Just watched Pan's Labyrinth, excellent movie. It has subtitles so a lot of you might not be into that, but the story itself was great.

Why are you trying to start an argument?

I found the movie to be very misleading. All I had heard about it was what a great fantasy movie it was.

I'm just kidding around dude.

I do agree with you a little Irishman, although I heard about it from someone who watched the movie so I got their review of it. I saw the commercial for the DVD after I watched it and saw that it was a little misleading.

Pfft, I laugh at lazy people who somehow prefer bad-dubbing over subtitles.

Why does dubbing suck ass?

Tell Irishman to watch SCARFACE in its French or Spanish-dubbed track...and you'll see it right away. The intensity and uniqueness of performances are pissed away by ill-timed dubbings that don't fit the actors at all. (Really, the Spanish track has a subdued Tony Montana. :D)

Calm down man. Go get a massage, and come back.

UNFORGIVEN rocks.

But I do agree, Eastwood's last few films(not including LETTERS, since I haven't seen it) haven't wowed me.

MYSTIC RIVER and MILLION DOLLAR BABY both are nice showcase pieces with great actors but goddamn their scripts are weak. Anyone that tells you that MYSTIC RIVER follows the tradition of CHINATOWN....slit their nose nostril for me.

FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS was OK, but Paul Haggis couldn't script out of a melodrama piece if his kids were on fire. He's the sort of hack that is getting the awards and accolades, but he WILL become a subject of total ridicule in the near future. He's set for that trap.

As for Clint Eastwood, I think he's a pretty darn good director...but mostly for his work way before recent years when it became acceptable that Eastwood is both an ACTOR and DIRECTOR seperately...and not simply an ACTOR playing DIRECTOR as a hobby.

I mean THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES. BIRD. HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER, PALE RIDER, UNFORGIVEN, the fun crazy-bitch-psycho flick PLAY MISTY FOR ME, the criminally mother f*ckin underrated WHITE HUNTER, BLACK HEART(and that one is better than MYSTIC RIVER, MILLION DOLLAR BABY, & FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS...combined.)

The problem with Clint is that he directed so many star-vehicle clunkers. Hell, the serial killer-detective flick BLOOD WORK came before MYSTIC RIVER.

I still remember when in the Oscar campaign earlier this year, the serious Scorsese-backers were at a cyberwar with the Eastwood supporters. "Marty's" boys called Eastwood an Oscar-hungry shithead, while "Clint's Guys" called Scorsese a desperate old man trying to win an Oscar out of ego without needing it to validate his career.

It was hilarious.

PLAY MISTY FOR ME (1971) - ***
HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER (1973) - ***1/2
THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES (1976) - ****
PALE RIDER (1985) - ***
HEARTBREAK RIDGE (1986) - ***
BIRD (1988) - ***1/2
WHITE HUNTER BLACK HEART (1990) - ****1/2
UNFORGIVEN (1992) - ****1/2
A PERFECT WORLD (1993) - ***1/2
MYSTIC RIVER (2003) - **1/2
MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004) - ***
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2006) - ***

DEJA VU 1/2
(Second Viewing)

A ferry filled with crewmen from the USS Nimitz and their families was blown up in New Orleans on Mardi Gras. BATF Doug Carlin is brought in to assist in the massive investigation, and gets attached to an experimental FBI surveillance unit, one that uses spacefolding technology to directly look back a little over four days into the past. While tracking down the bomber, Carlin gets an idea in his head: could they use the device to actually travel back in time and not only prevent the bombing but also the murder of a local woman whose truck was used in the bombing?

Not Tony Scott's best work (see MAN ON FIRE), or Denzel Washington (see MAN ON FIRE or MALCOLM X), or James Caviezel's (see THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST), although I must confess, it was a nice twist to see James as the villain after he just finished playing Jesus only 2 years prior. Unfortunately, Tony Scott's films have gotten weaker since MAN ON FIRE.

-MAN ON FIRE -
-DOMINO -
-DEJA VU - 1/2

I'm also not a fan of Tony Scott's proposed next project, a remake of THE WARRIORS (especially with it taking place in Los Angeles rather than New York). Needless to say being one of the only Tony Scott fans on this board I will see it, however my expectations will be low.

On a totally unrelated note, the quotes used to sell this DVD I found to be quite hilarious as Pete Hammond of Maxim was quoted not once but twice! The front cover quote reads, "a hugely entertaining high-octane action suspense thriller." The back reads, "will keep you bolted to the edge of your seat." I guess Pete has never seen MAN ON FIRE What my attraction is to Mr. Hammond was his quote for RUNNING SCARED read, "makes KILL BILL look like Seaseme Street" Since then, if I see a Pete Hammond quote, I make sure to read it to see if he can top that asinine statement.

You could say that trailers for Pan's Labyrinth were insulting in another way: most of them, save for the ones circulated in arthouse cinemas, gave no indication that it was in Spanish with subtitles. Same with Gibson's Apocalypto. Some even said "From the director of Blade," (as opposed to Cronos or The Devil's Backbone, haha.

Trailers are always misleading; Little Children was the most disappointing film of last year in some respects because the trailer was so fucking good, and then the film turned out to be piss.

Anyway, Pan's Labyrinth is a tremendous film full of ambition and detail and technical wizardry, rich in allegory and suggestive ambiguity.

Man on Fire is heinous.

But that's the opinion of an elitist fuckface well out of his depth in this thread; argue with logic, not with "but thats jsut ur opinono OMG!"

I don't know who said it, but I somehow thought it was you who said that Letters was better than Flags. Didn't see either


I liked Mystic River except for its bad ending. I like both the actors and the pace of the film.

Svsg, I said that a friend of mine thought LETTERS wiped its ass with FLAGS, and I said its probably true.

I think MYSTIC RIVER's ending is maybe the biggest thing that annoyed me. Its like a tragedy thats then vindicated. Bizarrely silly.

12 Angry Men ****
Though I am seeing it for the first time, I knew the exact scenes beforehand. I recently saw the indian remake of this movie, which was basically a scene by scene copy of this. I loved it when I watched that version and was hoping that the original version would be even better. In a way I appreciate it because the copy did not dilute the strength of the original in anyway, except the basic blunder that I haven't heard of jury(public) deciding a case in India. Ok with all that off-topic comments in place, let me tell my thoughts about this movie.
I found it great that the whole movie was made in one room and it did not make it even a bit boring. This is a movie that relies solely upon the dialogues and acting, very little in terms of visual appeal. I liked the character of Henry Fonda especially because I relate to that kind of thinking, giving room for doubt. When I watched the movie, I was reminded of several board members who shall remain unnamed ( )- the way each member of the jury argued.

KNOCKED UP 1/2
(First Viewing)

Slobby Ben and up and coming career girl Alison meet at a bar, and end up having a one night stand. Eight weeks later, Ben is shocked when Alison meets him and reveals that she is pregnant. Despite having little in common, the two decide that they have to at least try to make some kind of relationship work for the baby's sake.

WOO HOO, I officially went to my first advanced screening! I was pissed because last year I had the opportunity to see The Departed early too but I had to work so unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend. However, today I made plans to be off of work by 5 so I could wait in line to get a seat.

As for the movie, it was kind of a let down. It wasn't as funny as THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN although a lot of the cast members were kept in tact for this film. Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen worked well together as the main stars of the film and I enjoyed Jonah Hill and Jason Segel's work the most. Even though the film was rated R, some of the humor seemed to be a bit childish. I don't know how to explain it really since different things make different people laugh but I felt liked some of the jokes were made for a PG-13 audience. Overall, it wasn't a bad movie but not as good as I was hoping coming from Judd Apatow coming off the heels of THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN.

svsg, 12 Angry Men is fantastic, I love it.

I'm with you on the BB thing. Whenever Fonda spoke I thought immediately of Plaw, who was still alive when I watched it.

it was a great day wednesday for me as I re-watched Kill Bill Vol. 2 - which is a masterpiece, only gets better as I watch it again and again - but I really got sucked into Scorsese's After Hours, which I watched for the first time. I bet some people here will know what I'm talking about.

just another Scorsese film 10 times better than The Departed. and definitely one of my favorites of him.