Alexander .
How bad!
And Colin Farrell is an absolute miscast.

I thought Crash was great as well. Most of the people at my work who haven't seen it yet have been renting it by word of mouth. I haven't really heard anyone talk bad about it except a magazine that we get through my work only gave it like * 1/2 or something low like that. They said the director tried too hard with his shooting style and about how the story was weak, etc. Probably the first bad review I'd seen for ths movie

I actually thought the shooting style was one of the film's strong points.

Me too, but the story did it for me. I thought it was kinda funny in the beginning with all the racial slurs being thrown around because I wasn't expecting it. My heart went out to Don Cheadle's character though

Another very good movie overrated by IMDB.

The best moment in Crash.

"You embarrass me. You embarrass yourself."

I gotta agree with DV. Haggis' CRASH is a very good/nice drama that is overrated of sorts by many folks...like Eastwood's MILLION DOLLAR BABY, which coincidently was scripted by Haggis.

Still, a nice movie to dig.

I agree that Million Dollar Baby was overrated

Midnight Cowboy #36 on the AFI Top 100 List ** 1/2

The directing really stood out to me on this one. I really liked how a shot of Jon Voight walking down the street with his radio during the day and night would overlap each other among other shots similar to this. Dustin Hoffman was also very enjoyable as Ratso Rizzo. This is the story of a sleazy con-man (Hoffman) and a Texas "cowboy" Joe Buck (Voight) and their adventures in just trying to survive in the streets of New York City.

I don't even pay attention to IMDB's ratings anymore. The people there know next to nothing about film.

Well, IMDB.com does have some good people, just for every wise film-buff, there are ten assholes that actually make you wonder what mankind is evolving into.

THE TRANSPORTER 2 - **1/2 out of 5

I saw this on its opening weekend, yet forgot to review it.

I remember suspect_5's pretty negative review of the movie, and I thought..."If that guy liked BAD BOYS 2 but hated this sequel, what does that say?"

Instead, we get a movie that of sorts actually is an improvement from the first movie of the franchise starring the Limey Bald Badass that is Jason Statham. Instead of a bone-grindingly plot that dragged the film despite the fast editing and Statham kicking ass left and right, we get a plot that works, if only serviceble at best, yet it matches the narrative fine without feeling artificial, as I noticed in my VIDEO BIN REVIEW of the first TRANSPORTER picture.

*SPOILERS*

There are some things I dug about the film. For one, you actually have a villain, which we learn is a mercenary for some generic Latin American drug cartels, who admits that the film's conspiracy of planting a fatal virus at a Conference meeting of all the Drug Czars in the Western Hempishere......really doesn't make any sense, but he does it anyway for the nice paycheck. Really, no melodrama bullshit or lame garbage we're used to.

Maybe of sorts this is Producer/Co-writer Luc Besson's $30 million "Fuck You!" letter to Michael Bay. I mean consider that Bay's BAD BOYS 2 was shot in Miami for a ridiculous $150 million, and yet the $110-120 million cheaper picture THE TRANSPORTER 2, yet contians as much insane stupid shit that we are so used to seeing in Bay's picture, but cheaper and maybe of sorts not as insulting to me..and oh was shot in Miami as well. Consider Statham launching his car into the air to disarm the bomb attached to it, or driving through cement walls(as if they were cardboard) of a skyscraper's roof and landing onto a building next door, and so on.

Grossing over $70 world-wide and still opening up in new foreign territories, and who knows the money it'll do(good rental/selling grosses I say) on DVD.....I guess FOX will call up the services of a "Transporter" for a 3rd time soon?

I saw this movie too on the big screen. It was not insulting to me, but unintentionally hilarious. One of the most insane scenes was that bomb under the car one. All of us clapped when he successfuly detatched the bomb
I also feel that the original premise of the first part,i.e., he transports anything has been totally forgotten . Instead he is just a super hero who can perform extraordinary stunts The french cop was funny though.

Monster-in-Law - (Robert Luketic;2005;USA) - ZERO
A woman struggles with her future mother-in-law, who is determined to stop the marriage.
We've seen everything in this film before under different plots. Cliche jokes, bad acting, and the whole nine yards. The only good thing about this movie was Elaine Stritch, and she was in one scene towards the end. In the bloopers, Lopez doesn't even know when to start acting.

I just finished watching Weekend. What a crazy, sick, twisted perverted movie it is.

One of the best I've ever seen.

David Cronenberg's THE FLY - ****/5

You know, its actually sad that many of you have never seen a film by legendary Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg. Sad since hes one of the few directors that I know of to have quite a lengthy filmography, yet be consistently good/great or at least interesting, something we probably can't say for many filmmakers we certainly love.

Finally sat down and watched one film of his career that oddly I hadn't seen yet, his one major Hollywood box-office hit in THE FLY. Like John Carpenter's THE THING, Cronenberg's remake of the 50's B-monster sci-fi classic is far superior to the original motion picture, and has amazing puppet/Make-Up FX that is still amazing twenty years after being concocted, along with rather career-peak acting from Jeff Goldblum, who's unfortunately never been given such the lead in a Hollywood film or as much to work with as he has with this picture.

Truely a "Monster Movie" done really well in the horrors, the "High Concept" of the premise, and really of sorts a sad story with a not-so-happy conclusion.

Honestly, it really re-enforced how honestly that the American Horror cinema itself at the present time is so damn awful, weak, repetitive, and boring(except for maybe Rob Zombie's who's THE DEVIL'S REJECTS did impress me).

While Cronenberg has apparently a leading Oscar-contender in A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, also check out some of his other pictures in THE FLY certainly, but also VIDEODROME, NAKED LUNCH, THE DEAD ZONE, SCANNERS, THE BROOD, EXISTENZ, and so on.

"I saw this movie too on the big screen. It was not insulting to me, but unintentionally hilarious. One of the most insane scenes was that bomb under the car one. All of us clapped when he successfuly detatched the bomb
I also feel that the original premise of the first part,i.e., he transports anything has been totally forgotten . Instead he is just a super hero who can perform extraordinary stunts The french cop was funny though."

Then again, one could argue that his job was "transporting" the kid....nah, you're right, the original premise was really lost. Then again, remember that the title of the first LETHAL WEAPON movie was about the nut-job crazy Mel Gibson that is unpredictable...yet that idea was certainly lost quickly as the sequels went by.

Dial "M" for Murder (1953) First Viewing
Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock
Rating: ****/****

Slow but inteligent build-up, quick climax and suspenseful conclusion, help make this film amoung Hitchcock's best.

Jersey Girl - (Kevin Smith;2004;USA) -
After his wife dies and he loses his job, a publicist must take care of his daughter alone as well as live with his father again.
This could've easily been another average romantic comedy, but Smith's dialogue enhances the film, and makes us care for the characters more. I'm also glad it focused more on the father theme of the film rather then the romance, which is minimal compared to most romantic comedies. It's not as good as Smith's other work due to some poor moments, but it turns out to be a good movie. Smith also seems to care about his characters more then the average director.

It Happened One Night #35 on the AFI Top 100 List * 1/2

The story of a world-weary reporter who crosses paths with a runaway heiress. My first Clark Gable movie and he and Claudette Colbert were both very enjoyable. However, other than them nothing stood out to me or did anything for me

Domino ***

I had been anticipating the release of this movie for months now and although I built the movie up in my head (which it wasn't as good as I was hoping for), I still did enjoy it very much. The movie is shot pretty much exactly the same way Man on Fire was. I really liked Lucy Lui even though she wasn't given much camera time. There was a good amount of humor in this movie which helped ease the tension with the story being told by our young bounty hunter friend. And if you guys thought you heard the lines "My name is Domino Harvey. I am a bounty hunter" or "Heads you live, tailes you die" just wait until you see the movie. I was sick of hearing them by the end but overall a very good movie that should be viewed in the theater

My friend I cannot help but just laugh at your taste in film. A witty, urbane and grand screwball comedy that happenes to be lauded by critics and audiences alike; has the marvelous work of Clark Gable and Claudete Colbert and has the direction of one of he great directors; just doesn't suit you yet you'll give three stars to a film made by a director who needs a new godamned editor because every time he makes a cut I feel like I'm having a goddamn seizure.

South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut - (Trey Parker;1999;USA) -
After the South Park kids start swearing because of a Terrence and Phillip movie from Canada, America declares war on Canada.
A great satire from Parker and Stone. Sure it's raunchy but it wouldn't be South Park any other way. Almost scene proves to be hilarious from mocking movie cliches to Saddam Hussein. One of the best comedies (if not the best) to come from the last ten years.

[about women and their periods]
Mr. Garrison: ...I'm Sorry Wendy, but I don't trust anything that bleeds for five days and doesn't die.

I havent watched that movie since it first came out. Maybe I should give it a rewatch, see if it fits my (slightly) more mature sense of humor.

My friend I cannot help but just laugh at your taste in film. A witty, urbane and grand screwball comedy that happenes to be lauded by critics and audiences alike; has the marvelous work of Clark Gable and Claudete Colbert and has the direction of one of he great directors; just doesn't suit you yet you'll give three stars to a film made by a director who needs a new godamned editor because every time he makes a cut I feel like I'm having a goddamn seizure. [/b][/quote]Well we all have our different tastes now don't we. There are many members here who have a certain taste in films that I laugh at as well. That's the beauty of America, diversity! BTW, I don't like "screwball comedies" at all but I do enjoy Tony Scott's editing/directing

FUNNIEST.

MOVIE.

EVER.

Chef: Have you ever heard of the Emancipation Proclomation?

Commander: I don't listen to Hip-Hop.

I found Crash to be an ultimately conservative film which was over-written, over-acted, and a powerful punch in the gut for anybody who could suspend disbelief for its 112-minutes running time. A film not without its explosive moments of potential, but for a melodrama full of dramatic irony and overkill, the final impression is dubious: an ambitious directorial debut effort, and yet it seems to offer no further insight into racism than what we already know.

Mick

Du Rififi chez les hommes/Rififi
1955, Dassin, Fr 1st time; big sceen
Professional thieves hitch a master jewel heist, but only one of them abides by their secret code of honour, and it all ends sour.
Highly influential heist film, famous for its half-hour silent robbery scene, which is a fine accomplishment of meticulous filmmaking, a precursor for the likes of Melville; its finest moments, however, come after the heist, with bad villains ruthlessly taking out the good villains, making for a tense, last desperate effort finale.

---
For the record, I don't think anybody's tastes in film can, or should, be laughed at. There are cultural and critical significances to be found in just about anybody's reaction to Art. From Irishman's taste, for instance, we know he enjoys films to which he can relate--if that means the majority of them must be contemporary, colourful, noisy action flicks, then so be it; I think it's admirable that he's even giving conscious time to films he wouldn't normally watch. Mike Sullivan, on the other hand, being interested in history in general, doesn't mind--or even prefers--to delve into Cinema's past in order to find what he likes.

If anything, I think both these tastes are slightly prejudiced towards the other side--Irishman approaches a '30s black and white melodrama with as much preceding caution and reservation as Mike approaches the newest summer blockbuster. Mike, have you seen Domino?

Thanks for reading,
Mick

I want to see that movie soon, because a Remake is announced starring Mr. Alfredo Pacino in 2007

Link

Yeah; the whole attraction and merit of Dassin's film is its subtle, meticulous, and realistic approach. I watched it as part of a French Film Noir course, and part of the discussion after viewing always tends to find its way onto comparisons with American Cinema; it was concluded that the themes Rififi deals with and the nature with which it does so wouldn't work in Hollywood. For starters, Pacino won't be able to keep still or silent for half-an-hour, and instead of being professional thieves on a job, there'd be at least one explosion thrown in, to be heard miles away. Time will tell if our preconceptions will come true; as for now, Rififi is a top-class, unequalled film of its kind. The closest resemblance to it is Heat (1995), the director of which, Mann, has always had a nod to European filmmaking.

Thanks for reading,
Mick

"Well we all have our different tastes now don't we. There are many members here who have a certain taste in films that I laugh at as well. That's the beauty of America, diversity! BTW, I don't like "screwball comedies" at all but I do enjoy Tony Scott's editing/directing"

Who precisely do you laugh at as well? I mean, you got the balls to admit who, right?

As for DOMINO, well lets just say the only cool thing about it is that Mickey Rourke is getting top billing again for a major Hollywood picture...

"I am Domino Harvey,a bounty hunter. I am Domino Harvey,a bounty hunter. I am Domino Harvey,a bounty hunter. I am Domino Harvey,a bounty hunter. I am Domino Harvey,a bounty hunter. I am Domino Harvey,a bounty hunter. I am Domino Harvey,a bounty hunter. I am Domino Harvey,a bounty hunter."

So she's a bounty hunter? This movie looks like shit and I will pass it off. Plus, there are three films I need to see before I even fathom wasting 10 bucks on that shitpie.

Snatch. (2000) - ***1/2
Director: Guy Ritchie
A look at the inter-connection of the London criminal underground.

This one has it all... Wonderful characters, great camera work, a good story, over-all great performances, and even entertainment value. It was funny, and serious, all at the same time. It introduced some very interesting scene formats, a most memorable being a single scene which was presented out of frequency, in which the differant stories collide with no actual aknowledgement of the characters. Highly reccomended... Perhaps in subtitles for those who have a problem understanding the thick accents.