The Godfather Part I
(first viewing :p )

Watched it with my father and aunt yesterday and they absolutely loved it. My father is not a movie fan or anything but there were 2 movies he enjoyed watching with me, GF1 and Lawrence of Arabia, especially because of political issues and those classic lines. He wants to watch the 2nd Godfather soon, especially because I said that I prefer the 2nd one. He was like "Can it get any better?"
What should I say about this movie I havent already said before? Everything has been said! Masterpiece. My 2nd fav movie of all time. 10/10 - **** or whatever

Lost In Translation
Sofia Coppola 2003 US/Japan (Nth time)
Two Americans in Japan, one an actor, the other a lonely wife over on her husband's business, meet up and enjoy each other's company.
Underplayed, affecting tale of two people stuck in marital problems and finding unconsumated comfort in each other; it is a refreshingly minimalistic approach fuelled by excellent performances.

Just ordered "Lost In Translation". Cant wait to see it after reading and hearing nothing but great things about it.

Murder, My Sweet (1946) First Viewing
Directed by: Edward Dmytrick
Raiting: ****/****
I just finished watching, "Murder, My Sweet", a film based on Raymond Chandler's classic, "Farewell, My Lovely". This is perhaps the greatest adaptation of a Chandler novel, not completley faithful and yet understanding the essensce of Philip Marlowe, the main charecter and the nature of Private Eye work. I've read the novel as well and consider it equal, if not greater than Chandler's previous work, "The Big Sleep".

I had seen, "The Big Sleep" before hand and convinced myself that Bogart WAS Marlowe but then again I think Marlowe just progected Sam Spade for another run in the 1946 adaptation. Not that that hurts the film in any way...

Here, Dick Powell gives a great performance and understands Marlowe a little more...

Great film technically. Direction is well paced, and cinematography is superb. In fact, the cinematographer on this film was on the Second Unit for Welles's, "The Magnificent Ambersons".

What the hell compelled you to join these forums if you've never seen The Godfather?

What the hell compelled you to join these forums if you've never seen The Godfather? [/b][/quote]Sarcasm detection is not part of your repertoire, eh? :p

Oh.

Sorry.

Somebody kill me...

*kills DVC*

Glengarry Glen Ross **** 9/10

Excellent portrayal of the business problems of the middle class, fueled by breathtaking performances from one of the best casts I've ever seen. Very underrated.

City of God

I loved it. Already of one my all-time favorites.

Paparazzi - (Paul Abascal;2004;USA)
An actor plots revenge against a group of paparazzi after they cause a car crash that injures his son.
An actor's fantasy of hatred against the paparazzi that could be understood, and it does provide for good entertainment in the form of an average revenge film. Fun to watch, although it's just a normal B-Movie. A poor film in it's outcome.

The Man With the Golden Arm (1955) Second Viewing
Directed by: Otto Preminger
Rating: ****/****

I finally was able to watch the film in it's restored state with the new 5.1 surround mix, while experimenting with the original mono track as well. I can tell you right now that it's a high quality job. The print isn't perfect, but what is to be expected of a fifty year old film that's been so abused over time? Regardless, this film shines like it never has before.

Needless to say, Sinatra gives a performance for the ages. I know from family the horrors of drug adiction and I understand the subject mater fully and Sinatra alsong with Otto Preminger & Co. were able to get to the root of the problem. Some say this film is dated, that the excesive use of soundstages and backlots hurts it. Really, it doesn't detract a thing from the film. They've also said that the subject matter and the way it's handled is dated. That's just not so. The fact is that although times have changed and as our society tackles new issues, the nature of adiction is the same and regardless of how far our society has come, it still forces people to relapse into crime and addiction.

This is a film that should be seen by all.

The Doors *** 7/10

A fascinating look into the life of Jim Morrison with an absolutely phenomenal performance from Val Kilmer. Great character development, but a bit overdone by Oliver Stone. Overall, an above average biopic that would have been average if not for Val Kilmer's mindblowing performance.

I highly recommend to anybody who's a fan of The Doors to watch this film.

I've never seen the movie, but I'm surprised people think it's dated. Weren't drugs something that was kept out of cinema back then?

* * * *
4 Stars

Main Cast: Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Sissy Spacek, Gary Oldman

Summary: Details the actions of New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, who takes it upon himself to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, in 1963. Garrison is extremely suspicious of the official story presented by the FBI, and what he already knows and what he subsequently learns lead him to suspect that there is more to the story than the public is being told.

Review: I had been anxiously awaiting my first viewing of this film, considered to be Oliver Stone's masterpiece, had to go to three different video stores before I found it. I had previously seen Nixon, which I really enjoyed, and had been told that this was better. My high expectations were relatively met.

The direction, as expected, was flawless. Combined with complicated yet excellent editing, Stone's instinct for shot duration and framing is really remarkable. It didn't feel as though there was really a single frame out of place. I've never been a big fan of Kevin Costner, and I'm almost sure this is the first time Ive ever watched a full film of his, but he seemed to turn in a decent performance. The accents were somewhat bothersome at first, but eventually I got past them.

The flow of the story somewhat suffers from the 3 hour + running time, and the film is punctuated here and there by long speeches, which, although exectued nicely individually, somewhat slow the film as a whole. Also, most of the movie, besides the flashbacks, is just Kevin Costner walking around talking to different people, which can become boring and repetitive at times.

One of the more notable aspects of the film is its incredible ensemble cast. Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Sissy Spacek, Gary Oldman, Joe Pesci, Kevin Bacon, Ed Asner, Walter Matthau, John Candy, Donald Sutherland, etc, etc. A lot of faces I recognized.

Direction – 20/20
Acting – 19/20
Story – 12/15
Rewatchability – 10/15
Music – 8/10
Depth – 10/10
Cinematography – 5/5
Supporting Cast – 5/5
TOTAL = 89%

89% = 4/5 Stars

Best Quote: "The sixth and fatal shot, frame 313 takes Kennedy in the head from the front. This is the key shot. The President going back and to his left. Shot from the front and right. Totally inconstant with the shot from the Book Depository."

I'm so glad you enjoyed JFK MistaMista Tom Hagen. It's my favorite Stone film and is in my top 10 ever. As you mentioned the cast was phenomenal!

please, call me Mista or something, we're all friends here

My apologies Don Mista :p

Mulholland Dr. ** 1/2

Naomi Watts and Laura Harring put together some good performances but can somebody explain this movie to me? I know I'm not the only one who didn't get it. I think it might one of those movies which is "weird just for the sake of being weird"

L.A. Confidential *** 1/2

I can't believe it took me this long to watch this great movie. A great cast with great performances by all of them: Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger and Russel Crowe. Did anyone notice how small Danny DeVito looked on screen? Man, the guy's short enough as it is. Also, I was a little disappointed with Basinger's performance. I know this was the role she won the Oscar for but she didn't blow me away with her performance. Does anyone know who her competition was for the Oscar that year?

Happy Gilmore

Very Good film with many laughs in it

Mulholland Dr - to call this film "weird for the sake of being wierd" is either reductive or complimentary. In this context, I'd say it's a lazy explanation for a film which, quite normally, went over the viewer's head. It's Lynch, in his ever-evocative way, exploring his themes of memory, consciousness and cinematic narrative--that would be in terms of spatial and temporal--much like he did in Lost Highway (1997).

I too find Basinger's performance in LA Confidential nothing if not ordinary. Crowe and Spacey stand out, in an excellent film.

Kim Basinger - L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
Joan Cusack - IN & OUT
Minnie Driver - GOOD WILL HUNTING
Julianne Moore - BOOGIE NIGHTS
Gloria Stuart - TITANIC

I was being sarcastic in my assessment of Mulholland Dr. I read a post on the imdb.com message board's and it's one person take on the film. If it's factual than it makes more sense in a way.

Glad to see I'm not the only person who thinks so. Pearce and Crowe stood out to me the most. I'm starting to become a much bigger fan of Russel Crowe's

PS - Thanks for the data Mista. If anything, I might have gone with Julianne Moore in Boogie Nights

Yea, I havent seen In & Out or Good Will Hunting, but Id probably end up giving it to Julianne Moore, not because of her performance spefically, but just because I love that movie so much.

Brokeback Mountain
A nice little movie about two gay men in seventies. They truly love each other besides the sexual aspect. The society they live in would not accept their relationship and the story is about their sad lives.
Good movie. I am glad many good movies have been made this year.

Dr. Strangelove

Perhaps the greatest comedy of all time.

Desperado ** 1/2

Another movie I had only seen parts of on TV. The movie started off great with Steve Buscemi and Quentin Tarantino but about midway through I lost interest. A good movie but nothing great IMO

Yeah, but it has a Salma Hayek nude scene!

Hayek don't do it for me. Give me Eva Mendes or Penelope Cruz