What Did You Watch Today?

[Ananas]

Show Me Love - 7/10

Here is a gay themed movie that isn't merely a straight romance with gay characters transposed. The filmmaking is audacious, the characters are sympathetic and the indie score serves to help this film stand out on its own.

[Laice07]

Glengarry Glen Ross: 8.5/10

How can you go wrong with a modern day's Death of a Salesman with Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey and Ed Harris? Not only that but Alec Baldwin, who appears only once, has a great scene that is only a bit over 5 minutes in length. A Very good film with great performances, Jack Lemmon being the standout.

[Johnny Latino Heat]

Apt Pupil: 7.5/10

Again... the novella was excellent, and the movie falls a bit short of that, but it's a good movie on its own nonetheless.

[Ananas]

Broken Flowers - 7.5/10

* Bill Murray is the driving force of this film. His deadpan charm certainly makes up for his character's obvious shortcomings, and makes for an interesting scope to put the lives of his ex-flames through. Don is neither good nor bad, but at the end of the film it's hard not to cheer for him, and this is Murray tipping the scales.

* Jarmusch really does well to juxtapose the lead with the surroundings he finds himself in, and so we can really get a good idea not only of these ex's of Don's but also of Don himself, all of this through reliable narrators. He has an interesting use of colours to set the mood for each of these meetings, from the vibrant backdrop to his meeting with the free spirited Laura, to the dull whites and greys at Dora's home, the soft tones of veterinarian Carmen and the dark, dreary home of Penny.

* The pacing of the film is a little slow, and there is a bit of a problem with the lack of any real emotional connections to Don. It's a flawed ride, but definitely one worth going on. It's like Lost In Translation with a less universal themes. Thumbs up, nonetheless.

Edited March 23, 2006 by .Beatnik

[Ananas]

Hustle & Flow - 7/10

* A strong vehicle for Terrence Howard with a redeeming plot, but may require a certain appreciation for hip hop music to be completely engaged in the story. The same things I said about Joaquin Phoenix apply here. Good movie, thumbs up.

[BlackFlagg]

Domino - 5/10

[BlackFlagg]

House of Sand and Fog - 8/10

[Ananas]

Syriana - 7/10

* I can't vouch for the book it is based on, but based on the overwelming detail, I'd feel safe in saying that this was a faithful adaptation.

* The direction, screenplay and performances are all terrific. George Clooney really did stand out in his turn as Bob Barnes.

* Only one major problem: too much information. Instead of invoking the important themes of the book it is adapted from, there is an overhwelming amount of facts and plot points. It makes for a rich story, but it can also bog the viewers down at points. In the end, the film runs about 10-15 minutes too long, but is rescued because of how well everything else is pulled off. Thumbs up.

[BlackFlagg]

The Human Stain - 6/10

[Numbahs]

Failure To Launch - *

Pfft. :thumbsdown:

[therockbox]

V for Vendetta: 9.5/10

Brilliant, can't wait to see it again.

[Laice07]

Date Movie: 4.5/10

[Ananas]

Kissed - 3/10

* I guess I'm just a "prude", but this film was just offputting throughout. I'd even be able to get past the queasiness associated with a necrophiliac love story if I felt it actually led to something, but it really doesn't. It's shock for the sake of shock, and is only made marginally tolerable by the performance of Molly Parker. Thumbs down.

[Laice07]

V for Vendetta: 7.5/10

Its like the first good film of 2006 About time.

[Bodom]

[(həd)]

Big Money Hustlas - 9/10

Hilarious.

[Ananas]

The Bicycle Thief - 9/10

* Not only is this a vividly directed and sincerely performed masterpiece, it also features a heartwrenching climax that, while not exactly out of left field, is certainly more impactful than any I've encountered recently. It's not the inspirational work of Italian-American Frank Capra, nor is it the escapist whimsy of Federico Fellini, but this film's serious neo-realist cred makes it a worthy part of the great works of Italian cinema. Thumbs way the hell up.

[Meepus]

V for Vendetta - 9.7/10

lol veri pwn move v is pwn lol

Edited March 25, 2006 by Meepus

[Skummy]

Hostel - 4/10

What a load of wank. If it wasn't for one or two of the torture scenes (achilles tendons, yowch), this would have been one of the worst films I've seen in a long time. The fact that some of the violence genuinely made me flinch and recoil, which is a difficult feat for me, gets it the 4 marks it's got, as does the image of someone getting their head stamped on by children, and someone getting smashed in the face with a toilet cubicle door.

It doesn't get any higher, though, because the borderline softcore porn first act was one of the worst pieces of cinematography I've seen in years, and the acting and general storyline was just terrible, not to mention the reliance on a lot of dated racial stereotypes.

I haven't rated Tarantino all that highly for a long time, but seriously, I don't know why he'd ever want to have attached his name to this pile of shite. It's not scary, just causes a couple of flinches from how graphic it can get at times, it's not interesting, it defies all logic, the characterisation is terrible, and it's ridiculously predictable.

That said, there was a trailer for Silent Hill. That looks rather good. The Dark and The Omen, however, do not.

Edited March 25, 2006 by Skumfrog

[alldaws1]

Last few days:

Resident Evil - 9/10

I've seen it before and couldn't resist when I found out it was on E4. Played, but never been hooked on, the games but love the movies.

Resident Evil 2: Apocalypse - 8.5/10

See second part of above. Enjoyed this film a lot although the first one is the better of the two IMO.

Sin City - 6.5/10

It took me a while to get used to the unique way in which it is done and I was confused by a couple of things (possibly because I watched it in two parts rather than all at once). At the start I was unsure but it got better towards the end. I'd probably give it a better rating if I watched it again and all at once.