Lock Stock, 1776, Casino Royale, Blade, Varsity Blues
So, I didn't fall of the face of the earth...but I did go an a five-day trip to visit grad schools. A friends-only entry about that is forthcoming. But in the meantime, it's September 29th, 2009, and today's old reviews are:
Varsity Blues
3 stars
Okay, I have to admit, this movie is a guilty pleasure for me. It represents a lifestyle that I have had almost nothing to do with, but was always a little bit fascinated by. The acting isn't incredible, the story is a bit shallow, and the partying is pretty standard, but there's something about this movie that draws me to watch it again every year or so. I think its addressing of the deification of athletes in high school, and its investigation of how the athletes themselves feel about that, does intrigue me, and since I'm not a football player but I am a team player, it's nice to see another kind of "team film." It also has a great soundtrack, and its cast contains many actors who have gone on to be fairly well-known (including Ali Larter, Amy Smart, Scott Caan and Paul Walker). So it's mindless fun, but it is fun nonetheless. Like I said, a guilty pleasure.
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1776
4 stars
Very catchy and funny, great songs, a very fun and insightful look at how the Declaration of Independence was written (ish). The cast is incredible: not just William "Feeney" Daniels, though he is superb as John Adams, but each member of Congress has his own part in the proceedings so that the final result really is the unity of individuals that the real writing had to have been. And John Cullum singing "Molasses to Rum"--you just can't go wrong with that.
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Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
3 stars
I call this movie the unofficial prequel to Snatch, despite its having different characters, story, etc. This is not to diminish its humor or cleverness, merely to point out that what Guy Ritchie did well in Lock Stock, he refined and made even better in Snatch. But that movie has its own review. :) Lock Stock seems a bit muddled at times, but the quick-witted will quickly grasp how the smallest turns become important later on in the plot. Multiple viewings may be required, and probably will be fun anyway, as Lock Stock is also quite funny.
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Blade
3 stars
As with the Ocean's Eleven group, don't talk to me about sequels. But this first one was damn good! Aside from being its own standard and having nothing to live up to, it actually had a solid premise to it, making it believable! Cast-wise, Wesley Snipes kicked major ass while still appearing tormented, Kris Kristofferson was satisfyingly crusty, and Stephen Dorff practically stole the movie in his villainous vampire role. This movie also had many small moments of awesomeness (catching the train, the execution of the council and blob librarian, etc) that both its sequels lacked. And it had one of my favorite badass movie lines ever: "Some motherfuckers are always trying to ice-skate uphill."
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Casino Royale
4 stars
I'm not a Bond fan in general, so I wasn't hugely excited to see this movie. But to my surprise, Casino Royale actually helped redeem the Bond franchise in my eyes. Action is action, and I definitely enjoyed the action sequences in this movie, but (as I'm sure is always the case) Bond himself made the movie great. Daniel Craig became Bond in a much different way than his predecessors have--he was rougher, more human, more flawed, and somehow despite that he was still suave and badass enough to leave me saying "Pierce who?" I hope he stays Bond for a long time.
Until next time (which I promise will be sooner than this time was),
FBS
Varsity Blues
3 stars
Okay, I have to admit, this movie is a guilty pleasure for me. It represents a lifestyle that I have had almost nothing to do with, but was always a little bit fascinated by. The acting isn't incredible, the story is a bit shallow, and the partying is pretty standard, but there's something about this movie that draws me to watch it again every year or so. I think its addressing of the deification of athletes in high school, and its investigation of how the athletes themselves feel about that, does intrigue me, and since I'm not a football player but I am a team player, it's nice to see another kind of "team film." It also has a great soundtrack, and its cast contains many actors who have gone on to be fairly well-known (including Ali Larter, Amy Smart, Scott Caan and Paul Walker). So it's mindless fun, but it is fun nonetheless. Like I said, a guilty pleasure.
---
1776
4 stars
Very catchy and funny, great songs, a very fun and insightful look at how the Declaration of Independence was written (ish). The cast is incredible: not just William "Feeney" Daniels, though he is superb as John Adams, but each member of Congress has his own part in the proceedings so that the final result really is the unity of individuals that the real writing had to have been. And John Cullum singing "Molasses to Rum"--you just can't go wrong with that.
---
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
3 stars
I call this movie the unofficial prequel to Snatch, despite its having different characters, story, etc. This is not to diminish its humor or cleverness, merely to point out that what Guy Ritchie did well in Lock Stock, he refined and made even better in Snatch. But that movie has its own review. :) Lock Stock seems a bit muddled at times, but the quick-witted will quickly grasp how the smallest turns become important later on in the plot. Multiple viewings may be required, and probably will be fun anyway, as Lock Stock is also quite funny.
---
Blade
3 stars
As with the Ocean's Eleven group, don't talk to me about sequels. But this first one was damn good! Aside from being its own standard and having nothing to live up to, it actually had a solid premise to it, making it believable! Cast-wise, Wesley Snipes kicked major ass while still appearing tormented, Kris Kristofferson was satisfyingly crusty, and Stephen Dorff practically stole the movie in his villainous vampire role. This movie also had many small moments of awesomeness (catching the train, the execution of the council and blob librarian, etc) that both its sequels lacked. And it had one of my favorite badass movie lines ever: "Some motherfuckers are always trying to ice-skate uphill."
---
Casino Royale
4 stars
I'm not a Bond fan in general, so I wasn't hugely excited to see this movie. But to my surprise, Casino Royale actually helped redeem the Bond franchise in my eyes. Action is action, and I definitely enjoyed the action sequences in this movie, but (as I'm sure is always the case) Bond himself made the movie great. Daniel Craig became Bond in a much different way than his predecessors have--he was rougher, more human, more flawed, and somehow despite that he was still suave and badass enough to leave me saying "Pierce who?" I hope he stays Bond for a long time.
Until next time (which I promise will be sooner than this time was),
FBS