(no subject)
Some of the movies I've seen in the past half year or so..
Fantastic/Unforgettable:
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) -- This movie was a total, nonstop blast. It made me regret having a beer beforehand, cause I definitely couldn't run out to the bathroom in the middle. I would have missed something way too funny. I recommend it to everyone, even if you're not a big fan of comedy (it has a few serious moments). Saying anything else about it would just spoil the experience.
Good time:
Explorers (1985) -- A fun eighties childrens movie about kids who want to contact aliens and do. It features Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix as prepubescent boys running around having adventures. So if that concept alone makes you want to puke, don't see it. Otherwise, it's masterfully done and easy to enjoy.
Banlieue 13 (2004) -- A fun and completely mindless French action movie. It features the longest and fastest-paced scenes of guys on foot being chased by other guys on foot and in cars that I have ever seen. I swear! I'm not exaggerating. The setting is in gritty projects, and there are plenty of deliciously evil and stupid villains. I would say that it's a French homage to 80's action movies like Commando, but appropriately the action has been taken to an entirely new level.
Seksmisja (1984) -- This one was rented by a total fluke at a local video store called Movie Madness. It sounded like it could be spectacularly bad and campy, but also seemed pretty intriguing since it was made in Poland during the transition period from Communism. Turns out that it's the Polish equivalent of the Russian Kin-Dza-Dza, a sociopolitical commentary and post-apocalyptic sci-fi comedy. It's quite good after you get past the quirkiness of Polish humor, which involves an overabundance of meladramatic goofy grimacing, tripping and falling. Too much even for my tastes. Also, in spite of the title, it's not sexy at all (my opinion -- it does show lots of boobs), and some sensitive souls might find the jokes a bit too misogynist. Neither turned out to be too much of a problem. I still recommend it.
Tacones lejanos "High Heels" (1991) Not the best Pedro Almodovar movie I've seen, but still worthwhile. Features incredible acting as usual with lots of the trademark bright red colors, and incredibly fast talking. This one is quite a bit more serious than his last two movies, so I would recommend it mostly to those who are already Almodovar fans.
Clerks 2 Awesome! These guys still had it in them for a full-length feature of non-stop jokes about sex (with humans and animals), Jesus freaks, Transformers, LOTR, racism, fast-food bathrooms etc... Worthwhile even if you haven't seen the original. I saw the original such a long time ago that most inside jokes were lost on me, but I still enjoyed it immensely.
Neither here nor there:
Thank You for Not Smoking (2005) There were quite a few good jokes in this movie, but they all fit in the preview. All of them! Otherwise it felt a bit contrived. The guy is a tobacco lobbyist whose job it is to generate nonstop impervious bullshit, but he falls for a journalist who fucks and then exposes him... blah, blah...
Could have been better:
Cars (2006) -- This movie could have been my childhood fantasy come true, but just wasn't. Way too much Hollywood cheese on this one. I think even six-year olds would find certain parts of it intolerably lame. But some parts of it were endearing and even fun to watch. BTW, cars have their eyes in the headlights not as some sort of paper cut-outs on the windshield!!!!
Just plain gaadawful:
Inside Man (2006) -- I haven't liked any of the other Spike Lee movies I've seen. This one just sealed it for me. It made me sick - literally. I stayed up too late watching it and had a fever the next day. It was just that bad! Character development was piss-poor. The plot trite and poorly stitched together. Not worth anyone's time.
Fantastic/Unforgettable:
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) -- This movie was a total, nonstop blast. It made me regret having a beer beforehand, cause I definitely couldn't run out to the bathroom in the middle. I would have missed something way too funny. I recommend it to everyone, even if you're not a big fan of comedy (it has a few serious moments). Saying anything else about it would just spoil the experience.
Good time:
Explorers (1985) -- A fun eighties childrens movie about kids who want to contact aliens and do. It features Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix as prepubescent boys running around having adventures. So if that concept alone makes you want to puke, don't see it. Otherwise, it's masterfully done and easy to enjoy.
Banlieue 13 (2004) -- A fun and completely mindless French action movie. It features the longest and fastest-paced scenes of guys on foot being chased by other guys on foot and in cars that I have ever seen. I swear! I'm not exaggerating. The setting is in gritty projects, and there are plenty of deliciously evil and stupid villains. I would say that it's a French homage to 80's action movies like Commando, but appropriately the action has been taken to an entirely new level.
Seksmisja (1984) -- This one was rented by a total fluke at a local video store called Movie Madness. It sounded like it could be spectacularly bad and campy, but also seemed pretty intriguing since it was made in Poland during the transition period from Communism. Turns out that it's the Polish equivalent of the Russian Kin-Dza-Dza, a sociopolitical commentary and post-apocalyptic sci-fi comedy. It's quite good after you get past the quirkiness of Polish humor, which involves an overabundance of meladramatic goofy grimacing, tripping and falling. Too much even for my tastes. Also, in spite of the title, it's not sexy at all (my opinion -- it does show lots of boobs), and some sensitive souls might find the jokes a bit too misogynist. Neither turned out to be too much of a problem. I still recommend it.
Tacones lejanos "High Heels" (1991) Not the best Pedro Almodovar movie I've seen, but still worthwhile. Features incredible acting as usual with lots of the trademark bright red colors, and incredibly fast talking. This one is quite a bit more serious than his last two movies, so I would recommend it mostly to those who are already Almodovar fans.
Clerks 2 Awesome! These guys still had it in them for a full-length feature of non-stop jokes about sex (with humans and animals), Jesus freaks, Transformers, LOTR, racism, fast-food bathrooms etc... Worthwhile even if you haven't seen the original. I saw the original such a long time ago that most inside jokes were lost on me, but I still enjoyed it immensely.
Neither here nor there:
Thank You for Not Smoking (2005) There were quite a few good jokes in this movie, but they all fit in the preview. All of them! Otherwise it felt a bit contrived. The guy is a tobacco lobbyist whose job it is to generate nonstop impervious bullshit, but he falls for a journalist who fucks and then exposes him... blah, blah...
Could have been better:
Cars (2006) -- This movie could have been my childhood fantasy come true, but just wasn't. Way too much Hollywood cheese on this one. I think even six-year olds would find certain parts of it intolerably lame. But some parts of it were endearing and even fun to watch. BTW, cars have their eyes in the headlights not as some sort of paper cut-outs on the windshield!!!!
Just plain gaadawful:
Inside Man (2006) -- I haven't liked any of the other Spike Lee movies I've seen. This one just sealed it for me. It made me sick - literally. I stayed up too late watching it and had a fever the next day. It was just that bad! Character development was piss-poor. The plot trite and poorly stitched together. Not worth anyone's time.