This was K's pick on Netflix. I'm going to go ahead and rate it now and get that out of the way and then tell you my likes and dislikes. I'm going to say 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Likes: Interesting concept. Decent acting (Gerard Butler is pretty hot and gets naked in one scene which has everything to do with his acting ability).
Dislikes: I was able to figure out what Gerard's character was doing before everyone else so it was a little bit of a let down. Case in point: Judge's (who had chastised Jamie Foxx for using a cell phone in court) cell phone rings - I say to K - $10 that phone is going to blow up. Judge answers phone. Phone blows up. Just too predictable for a supposed top-notch spy who no one is supposed to know his next move. Really? I guessed every single one of them.
I never understood why Gerard's family was targeted in the beginning. I did think a twist would be why the bad guys (Darby and Ames) killed Gerard's wife and daughter (no big spoiler this happens in the first five minutes). But alas, it was a random act of violence. I guess this makes it worse and why Gerard felt like he needed to get revenge (that and he felt he got crummy treatment from the DA) but I felt like there needed to be a reason why they killed his wife and daughter and was let down at the end when it was just random.
My other dislike was I started out feeling bad for Gerard's character. His family is brutally murdered. The police messed up the evidence so they have to plea the bad guys down (basically offer one a deal and get the other death row) and the main bad guy that actually killed his wife and daughter was the one that got three years for murder (can that happen?). SPOILER: So Gerard takes out the two bad guys. I don't think any jury would feel bad for a death-row inmate and a convicted murder/drug dealer. But then he gets all crazy on the Pennsylvania legal system and starts just randomly killing anyone involved with the case. I went from feeling bad for him to feeling like he was just a crazy weirdo in need of some serious therapy.
Overall a solid movie. I wouldn't buy it - I think once you see it you're not going to watch it over and over.
Showing posts with label movie review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movie review. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Movie Review: Rear Window
I haven't done one of these in awhile. I've been too tired and honestly I fall asleep or don't pay attention to half the movies we rent.
I love old movies. I'm not sure why. I think it could be because my parents used to make us watch them growing up. Or maybe my love of Audrey passed over to other movies in her generation. Whatever the reason, I flooded K's Netflix with classic movies (lets be honest here the new movies recently have not been that good).
So the first one to arrive was Rear Window with James Stuart and Grace Kelly. The brief summary would be: Jeffries (Stuart's character) has broken his leg and spends his time looking out the window of his apartment into the lives of all his neighbors. What a concept - I mean who hasn't at one point or another "spied" on their neighbors. Be it listening to your upstairs neighbor on the phone or looking out the window as your neighbors scream at each other across the street. There's something so deliciously naughty about the concept and the fact that most likely you won't get caught.
Jeffries comes to believe that one of his neighbor's has been murdered by her husband. And I'll leave it at that. I don't want to give it away!
It's not my favorite movie and it's not even what I expected. I was thinking more along the lines of hiding under a blanket scary. The movie is a suspense. Did the neighbor kill his wife? Is Jeffries going to be found out? But that being said I liked it.
I will say I thought Kelly was a bit stiff. Maybe it was the character. I never fully believed that she and Stuart were meant to be together or in love. I'm not sure Jeffries even believed - he spends part of the movie trying to break up with her. I also never believed she'd give up her plush apartment to traipse around the world with Jeffries (who was a struggling photographer).
I will say I was surprised that Kelly's character talks about spending the night with Jeffries. The movie was made (according to Netflix) in 1954. I would have thought "good girls" were not spending the night at their boyfriend's apartment in the fifties. You never actually see them in bed together (sleeping - get your mind out of the gutter!) but she tries on a nightgown for him and says she's staying over. Who knew the 50's were so risky.
Interesting tidbit: Hitchcock (the director) always has a cameo in his movies. Look for him near the begining in the piano player's apartment. He's dusting a clock on the mantel and turns towards the camera for a moment.
So overall, 3 stars out of 5. I know I'm probably in the minority - people all over Netflix were rating it all fives. I think it's one of those movies you have to see but I wouldn't say it was my favorite "classic" movie.
I love old movies. I'm not sure why. I think it could be because my parents used to make us watch them growing up. Or maybe my love of Audrey passed over to other movies in her generation. Whatever the reason, I flooded K's Netflix with classic movies (lets be honest here the new movies recently have not been that good).
So the first one to arrive was Rear Window with James Stuart and Grace Kelly. The brief summary would be: Jeffries (Stuart's character) has broken his leg and spends his time looking out the window of his apartment into the lives of all his neighbors. What a concept - I mean who hasn't at one point or another "spied" on their neighbors. Be it listening to your upstairs neighbor on the phone or looking out the window as your neighbors scream at each other across the street. There's something so deliciously naughty about the concept and the fact that most likely you won't get caught.
Jeffries comes to believe that one of his neighbor's has been murdered by her husband. And I'll leave it at that. I don't want to give it away!
It's not my favorite movie and it's not even what I expected. I was thinking more along the lines of hiding under a blanket scary. The movie is a suspense. Did the neighbor kill his wife? Is Jeffries going to be found out? But that being said I liked it.
I will say I thought Kelly was a bit stiff. Maybe it was the character. I never fully believed that she and Stuart were meant to be together or in love. I'm not sure Jeffries even believed - he spends part of the movie trying to break up with her. I also never believed she'd give up her plush apartment to traipse around the world with Jeffries (who was a struggling photographer).
I will say I was surprised that Kelly's character talks about spending the night with Jeffries. The movie was made (according to Netflix) in 1954. I would have thought "good girls" were not spending the night at their boyfriend's apartment in the fifties. You never actually see them in bed together (sleeping - get your mind out of the gutter!) but she tries on a nightgown for him and says she's staying over. Who knew the 50's were so risky.
Interesting tidbit: Hitchcock (the director) always has a cameo in his movies. Look for him near the begining in the piano player's apartment. He's dusting a clock on the mantel and turns towards the camera for a moment.
So overall, 3 stars out of 5. I know I'm probably in the minority - people all over Netflix were rating it all fives. I think it's one of those movies you have to see but I wouldn't say it was my favorite "classic" movie.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Movie Review: August Rush
It snowed and since I barely made it out this weekend not much to do but catch up on Netflicks. I'm not sure how I feel about August Rush. It's okay. Three out of five stars - average. The story follows a little boy Evan (aka August) who was put up for adoption and his two parents who had a one night stand. The story just isn't remotely believable.
August's parents (who I'm too lazy to Google their name and I can't remember) are both musicians and meet at a party. They talk briefly before hooking up and then we're supposed to assume they are madly in love. They are torn apart but not before she gets pregnant. She then gets in a fight with father, gets hit by a car, has the baby, the father puts the baby up for adoption and tells her the baby died. How do you even put someone else's child up for adoption? I'm not sure that's even possible.
August is convinced that he can hear his parents through music and if he learns how to follow the music he can find them. He runs away from the orphanage and makes it to NYC. His parents meanwhile are now in CA and Chicago but also somehow get to NYC at around the same time. His mother at this point has found out he's alive and is trying to find him. August is a child protege and even though he's never played an instrument composes a symphony, gets into Julliard and oh by the way is only 11.
I won't give the rest away but you can probably guess.
Along the way August meets "Wizard" played by Robin Williams. Let's just say Williams comes across as a major jerk and creep. He reminds me of this guy we read about in A Fine Balance in book club who just picks up little kids and trains them to be beggars. His character really did nothing to add to the movie.
Overall, the movie was average. I wouldn't rush out to rent it but I wouldn't say if it was between that and say some stupid reality TV I might pick the movie. The plot isn't the least bit believable and runs a little slow at points. Rent Grand Torino first.
August's parents (who I'm too lazy to Google their name and I can't remember) are both musicians and meet at a party. They talk briefly before hooking up and then we're supposed to assume they are madly in love. They are torn apart but not before she gets pregnant. She then gets in a fight with father, gets hit by a car, has the baby, the father puts the baby up for adoption and tells her the baby died. How do you even put someone else's child up for adoption? I'm not sure that's even possible.
August is convinced that he can hear his parents through music and if he learns how to follow the music he can find them. He runs away from the orphanage and makes it to NYC. His parents meanwhile are now in CA and Chicago but also somehow get to NYC at around the same time. His mother at this point has found out he's alive and is trying to find him. August is a child protege and even though he's never played an instrument composes a symphony, gets into Julliard and oh by the way is only 11.
I won't give the rest away but you can probably guess.
Along the way August meets "Wizard" played by Robin Williams. Let's just say Williams comes across as a major jerk and creep. He reminds me of this guy we read about in A Fine Balance in book club who just picks up little kids and trains them to be beggars. His character really did nothing to add to the movie.
Overall, the movie was average. I wouldn't rush out to rent it but I wouldn't say if it was between that and say some stupid reality TV I might pick the movie. The plot isn't the least bit believable and runs a little slow at points. Rent Grand Torino first.
Movie Review: Grand Torino
I realize I'm a little late since this movie came out in 2008 but maybe some of you are like me and wait for it to not be "very long wait" on Netflicks. The movie follows Walt Kowalski right after his wife dies. He lives in a changing neighborhood that is beginning to see the effects of gang violence. Kowalski shouldn't be likable - he's racist, he's a grouch, he doesn't care what other people think - but I found myself laughing at him, never taking him as serious as he wanted to be taken. He reminded me of those people that say things to get a reaction but they are never as mean as they make out to be. I think he's lonely, upset that his life has changed (his wife died, his neighborhood isn't the same place it was 20 years ago, etc). His kids and grandchildren, who I guess you should sympathize with since he's so mean to them - come across as spoiled and self-centered. You want to give Kowalski a free pass to hate them since they don't go out of their way to like him. For example, the day his wife dies, his granddaughter (who is dressed like a slut) asks for his car and sofa. On his birthday, his son and daughter-in-law talk to him about moving into a retirement village. It's like his whole family lost a sensitivity gene.
His next door neighbors are Hmong and Walt wants nothing to do with them. The son Thao under pressure from a gang tries to steal Walt's much-loved Grand Torino. Soon Walt is sucked into their lives and is an unlikely mentor and friend to Thao and his sister, Sue.
If you haven't seen this movie you need to. It's equal parts touching, sad and funny. You're rooting for Sue and Thao to make it out of the neighborhood without getting caught up in the gangs. You want Kowalski's family to understand him. You want Kowalski to make friends and see that having something in common with someone goes deeper than the color of their skin.
I like movies and books that can take difficult topics and characters and make you care about it. Is Kowalski a racist - maybe or he could just be scared of what he doesn't know and shaped by a past fighting in the Korean War. Does he say things that aren't PC - yes. Does it make people uncomfortable when others act this way - of course. But the point is to make you think, make you believe that you can overcome all of that to learn something from someone else.
Five out of five stars. Excellent movie.
His next door neighbors are Hmong and Walt wants nothing to do with them. The son Thao under pressure from a gang tries to steal Walt's much-loved Grand Torino. Soon Walt is sucked into their lives and is an unlikely mentor and friend to Thao and his sister, Sue.
If you haven't seen this movie you need to. It's equal parts touching, sad and funny. You're rooting for Sue and Thao to make it out of the neighborhood without getting caught up in the gangs. You want Kowalski's family to understand him. You want Kowalski to make friends and see that having something in common with someone goes deeper than the color of their skin.
I like movies and books that can take difficult topics and characters and make you care about it. Is Kowalski a racist - maybe or he could just be scared of what he doesn't know and shaped by a past fighting in the Korean War. Does he say things that aren't PC - yes. Does it make people uncomfortable when others act this way - of course. But the point is to make you think, make you believe that you can overcome all of that to learn something from someone else.
Five out of five stars. Excellent movie.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Movie Review Number 2: Paranormal Activity
I hate scary movies. I will avoid them like the plague. I don’t get the appeal of being scared. Not to mention most scary movies are weak in the plot department – relying on unnecessary violence and gore and cheap scare tactics instead of dialogue. Even then I get freaked out easily, I could get freaked out watching CSI – every little noise is suddenly some random serial killer trying to break-in – blame an overactive imagination.
Still, about every two years or so I’ll actually voluntarily decide to watch a scary movie. This goes along with a good two weeks of psyching myself up to it. This year, two separate radio shows were talking about how amazing Paranormal Activity was. How it was the best scary movie in years that it was more psychological than gore, etc. I could deal with the psychological thriller. So we decided to watch it.
First off, let me say this movie is not as great as all the hype. I was expecting the scary movie to end all scary movies. The beginning drags, it’s basically shaky camera work of a young couple filming each other because the girlfriend believes she’s being haunted. I don’t like watching shots of people’s torsos having a conversation and they waste too much time with the couple just joking around with nothing happening.
In case you didn’t know they film this like the Blair Witch and if you’re not into the amateur video look this is not the movie for you.
When things start happening, I just didn’t buy into the story. I felt like the boyfriend was fake (maybe just bad acting). He tormented the demon/ghost (seriously who is going to yell things about show yourself to something supernatural), bought a Ouija Board to communicate with it after he was told not to by an expert on demons (where do you find experts on demons and how do you make that your career?), and generally just didn’t seem to buy into the whole demon thing as much as his girlfriend. And if he doesn’t believe it – why should I? Not to mention the fact the whole time I was thinking, you guys are only dating - you can walk out at anytime and you better believe I’d have been out of there so fast…
I also want to talk about the ads for the movie which basically show the audience jumping back and screaming, etc. I didn’t scream once and frankly I question anyone who would get that freaked out. I feel like I can question this since I’m the jumpiest person you can take to a scary movie. I’m the girl in the back row with her eyes closed and her hands over her ears. I get scared watching America’s Most Wanted. In Paranormal Activity, you never really see anything. I was expecting a demon to charge the camera and when it never happened I actually felt let down. When the demon does actually do something it looks like just wind or you hear footsteps. Yawn.
Save your money. I'm sure there are better scary movies out there - I just can't really reccommend any because the last ones I voluntarily watched were the Scream movies and I'm pretty sure most of you have already seen that.
Still, about every two years or so I’ll actually voluntarily decide to watch a scary movie. This goes along with a good two weeks of psyching myself up to it. This year, two separate radio shows were talking about how amazing Paranormal Activity was. How it was the best scary movie in years that it was more psychological than gore, etc. I could deal with the psychological thriller. So we decided to watch it.
First off, let me say this movie is not as great as all the hype. I was expecting the scary movie to end all scary movies. The beginning drags, it’s basically shaky camera work of a young couple filming each other because the girlfriend believes she’s being haunted. I don’t like watching shots of people’s torsos having a conversation and they waste too much time with the couple just joking around with nothing happening.
In case you didn’t know they film this like the Blair Witch and if you’re not into the amateur video look this is not the movie for you.
When things start happening, I just didn’t buy into the story. I felt like the boyfriend was fake (maybe just bad acting). He tormented the demon/ghost (seriously who is going to yell things about show yourself to something supernatural), bought a Ouija Board to communicate with it after he was told not to by an expert on demons (where do you find experts on demons and how do you make that your career?), and generally just didn’t seem to buy into the whole demon thing as much as his girlfriend. And if he doesn’t believe it – why should I? Not to mention the fact the whole time I was thinking, you guys are only dating - you can walk out at anytime and you better believe I’d have been out of there so fast…
I also want to talk about the ads for the movie which basically show the audience jumping back and screaming, etc. I didn’t scream once and frankly I question anyone who would get that freaked out. I feel like I can question this since I’m the jumpiest person you can take to a scary movie. I’m the girl in the back row with her eyes closed and her hands over her ears. I get scared watching America’s Most Wanted. In Paranormal Activity, you never really see anything. I was expecting a demon to charge the camera and when it never happened I actually felt let down. When the demon does actually do something it looks like just wind or you hear footsteps. Yawn.
Save your money. I'm sure there are better scary movies out there - I just can't really reccommend any because the last ones I voluntarily watched were the Scream movies and I'm pretty sure most of you have already seen that.
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