I watched the Mickey Blue Eyes DVD last night. High Grant and James Caan were pretty good in it I thought, it was a surprise I thought it was going to be terrible lol, quite plesant to watch and some bits were really funny..anyone else find it quite surprising in a good/bad way??

Raging Bull - (Scorsese;1980;USA) - ****
The boxer Jake LaMotta deals with his stressful career as well as his sexual assumptions concerning his wife.
Scorsese's greatest film and one of the greatest ever. Everything in this film is top quality. Scorsese's excellent direction, top acting from Robert DeNiro, Cathy Moriarty, and Joe Pesci, and everything else. The time period is accurate in looks as in all of Scorsese's movies. The score "Intermezzo" is beautiful. The sound effects for the fights are also one of the better things, but not nearly as great as the fights themselves. Even if it focuses more on the drama then the boxing, I consider this the best boxing film ever, including Rocky. I can't think of a negative thing to say, this film is just a classic and one of the greats.
#4

I saw it when it was released. Yes, it was better than I thought it would be. I think Hugh Grant was good (for some reason I like his dry humor), and James Caan was as well. Not a hilariously funny movie, but light humor, great music and simply fun and entertaining to watch.


TIS

I didn't think it was a good movie at all, but you gotta love that one particular scene.

"Eaaat the fucking cookie!" :p

The Insider
(1999/Michael Mann)
**** out of ****
[First Viewing]

When a scientist is fired from a major tobacco company, his story is taken by a producer of the news program "60 Minutes", and his world (along with the staff of CBS) is turned upside down.

Mann covers new territory with the same old style, and it results into his best work. Though while the film is technically dazzling and extremely entertaining, it's best aspects are the performances it produces.
Al Pacino is at his fiery best. Russell Crowe proves with this role that he can play anyone convincingly. Christopher Plummer, giving the best performance in the film, is amazing as real life reporter Mike Wallace. Bruce McGill, who is not known for his acting ability, chews up the scenery in one of his only scenes. And character actors Philip Baker Hall and Steven Tobolowsky do well in their supporting roles.
In the end, the film is a mixture of "Network" and "All the President's Men", expressing themes of journalistic responsibility and corporate power for the new millennium.
#66

Great movie, great actors.

Dead Poets Society

I thought it was boring.

Aw man i ended myself!

In honor of Good Friday, I watched The Passion of the Christ for the 2nd time. What a powerful movie. The actor who played Pilot was very good.

Just curious, has anyone gone to see the re-release of the movie in theaters? I saw a commercial that it was supposed to have less violence. I realistically don't know how much they could cut out, except for the excessive gore during the scourging, which lasts about 10 minutes. That was the most gut-wrenching scene in a movie I can ever remember.

Five minutes of violence was cut, not that it made much of a dent.

I havn't seen it and i probley never will just one of those films i not interested in

Well I'm gonna start "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" now.

A Room For Romeo Brass *** (4th Time)
1999, Meadows, GB
With commentary by Shane Meadows and Paddy Considine. HILARIOUS, though not in the way where it hinders the commentary. Brilliant.

North by Northwest **** (3rd Time)
1959, Hitchcock, US
A businessman is suspected of being a spy, and is hunted down by those who think he is chasing them.
Arguably the epitome of Hitchcock, with elements coming from all his other best work: eroticism, beautiful camerawork, humour, a fine score, and a plot with twists and thrills all the way, with at least two splendid suspense setpieces thrown in for good measure.
#31

Mick

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - (Gilliam;1998;USA) - ****
Hunter S. Thompson under the alias Raoul Duke travels to Las Vegas with his lawyer to cover a motorcycle race while on heavy drugs.
I can only imagine how surreal Brazil is. This was an amazing movie. Although I really wanted to see it I assumed it was gonna be a *** film. I was especially skeptical to see several negative reviews, including Ebert giving it one star. Gilliam's direction is excellent, and I pretty much can't say a bad thing about it. This may very well be Depp's best performance. Del Toro was very good, but has done better. I can see how some may have low first impressions of this but to me it all worked out. The soundtrack is another great thing; this has to be one of the few movies I've seen in which I loved all the songs. An excellent example of the culture of the time period.
#6

By the way, is it true Oscar Acosta drowned in '74?

Ebert gave Fear and Loathing only one star? What was he thinking??

Heat - (Mann;1995;USA) - ****
A crime epic detailing two men on opposite sides of the law with a mutual respect for the other's skill.
One of Mann's two masterworks, the other being The Insider. This is his second best film. Many complain about the length because they overlook the fact it's a crime epic. No one seems to complain with Spartacus, Gladiator, or Gone With the Wind. Anyway, everything in here is top notch. Excellent dialogue, especially in the poignant diner scene with Pacino and DeNiro, who both give great performances in their roles. The music and cinematography are also up there, along with the supporting cast that includes Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, and Tom Sizemore. A fine example of filmmaking, containing all the necessary ingredients. As I have said before, the last few frames before the credits are perfect.
#12

The Day of the Lucust
(1975/John Schlesinger)
**1/2 out of ****
[First Viewing]

A look at the Golden Age of Hollywood and several people trying to make it, despite the hardships of the Great Depression.

Such a bizarre film. Despite it's promising opening, it goes way off track with the introduction of Donald Sutherland's character. The ending, while brillantly choreographed and equally terrifying, means nothing after all is said and done. At least the cinematography and period detail are well done.

Unforgiven

It's a good movie, but one that I probably won't ever watch again.

Once Upon a Time in the West - (Leone;1968;Italy) - ****
When her family to be is massacred for the land she receives, a woman must depend on a desperado and a mysterious stranger with a hidden agenda to protect her, as the railroad tycoon and his hired gun come closer and closer.
Sergio Leone's third greatest film is also a masterwork. A completely different approach on the western genre. This is often referred to as an operatic, or art western. The direction is excellent as well as the cast itself, which includes Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, and Charles Bronson. The music is another gem in the film's crown, using different scores for differ characters. Also check out the breathtaking cinematography of the Monument Valley, also used a lot by John Ford. One of the greatest epics ever.
#22

Goodbye Lenin- Actually a very good film. It had it moments, but overall it had a good story to tell and was not the same bland crap that seems to be chasing me around lately
The Petrified Forest- Not a gangster movie in the least, but a great watch nonetheless.Odd in that the ending is given away lesss than a third of the way through it, but director Archie Mayo makes it work
Jeramiah Johnson-My fathers favorite film, and probably as average, if that, as a film can get. I really dont see what the point of this movie was. It only exists to chronical the wanderings of a mountain man and the strange charcters he meets, all of which are insanely underdeveloped. With all the hype that surrounds Redford, I was expecting at least some acting, yet was very dissappointed when his lines(all 12 of them) were spit of mechanically. This so far is the only Redford film Ive seen, and I'm hoping that the others are better.

I did the same. What a masterpiece! Totally powerful and moving with great acting and authenticity.

I also watched 21 Grams which was awesome. Another great cast with great performances from all of them. I was disappointed that Naomi didn't win best Actress, but they all did a great job!

I was flicking through the movie channels and came across Batman. I haven't watched those films for a long time, didn't really appeal to me that much, what do you all think about them??

Finding Neverland - (Forster;2004;UK/USA) - ***1/2
After a flop, writer J.M. Barrie begins to find the inspiration in a widow and her children to write Peter Pan.
The problem I felt throughout the film is the heavy sentimental feeling. Perhaps if it was based directly from the true story rather then the play inspired by the true story it could've been better. However this still manages to be a great film, mainly due to Depp and Winslet's acting and Forster's direction. The kids, Hoffman, and Christie support the film very well. The music is also good as well, although I don't know if it deserved the Oscar.
#74

I was surprised by Finding Neverland. I definitely wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did and it was a really good movie. I watched Spanglish yesterday with some friends. An ok movie, definitely not Adam Sandler's best work but I'll be buying it on DVD since I have every other movie he has done on DVD. I thought Paz Vega did a good job also, but again, don't expect this movie to be great (or even that good) if you're going to see it soon.

The Usual Suspects
Sleepy Hollow

Yesterday I saw West Side Story. It had been over a decade or more since I had seen it, and although I had to leave for my Easter festivities, and couldn't watch the entire movie, I loved it. Watching the the dance scenes again really made me appreciate how beautifully choreographed this film was. Lots of good songs as well.

I'm not a huge musical fan, but I love this movie. Made me wonder what ever happened to some of the stars. Natalie Wood and Rita Moreno went on to do other things, but Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn and especially George Chakaris seemed to have faded away.

TIS

Saving Private Ryan - my favorite war movie.

Mermaids

Dead Man - (Jarmusch;1995;USA) - ****
After a love triangle turns into a double murder, accountant William Blake is on the run from bounty hunters while a mysterious Indian named Nobody prepares his journey into the spiritual world.
A very mystic take on a western. Several different interpretations have flowed through my head. There are a few minor flaws I find in it, but all in all, it comes out to an excellent film and a creative turn for a western. The cinematography is haunting in Black and White, especially in the final scene. Neil Young's score is also very good, and supports the mood of the film. Johnny Depp is great as always in his role, and Gary Farmer is convincing as the Indian. There are several nice cameos also, the smallest one being Steve Buscemi as the bartender.
#12

Amelie (3 time) 9/10.