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RJ135
Reviews
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Inferior to FOTR and Tolkien
***Possible spoilers throughout***
The Fellowship of the Ring is one of the greatest adventure/fantasy movies ever, The Two Towers is not. The liberties taken with the book in translating it to the big screen are numerous, pointless, and damaging. There is no tension, no character development (Gimli is simply there for comic relief; he even axes an orc in the crotch, that never gets old), and no single rousing performance (with the notable exception of the CGI-generated Gollum/Smeagol). The battle of Helms Deep is convoluted, unsuspenseful, and ridiculous, and Arwen seemed to be thrown into the movie to try and create a strong female lead (and something of a love triangle) where there wasn't one in the book. Other things (e.g. the oiliphants) were included almost as if Jackson were going down a list checking things off before moving on to the next disappointment. Where the book contained suspense, insightful dialogue, and yes, humor, Jackson has substituted some inferior jargon meant only to fluff the audience into thinking that this is somehow a masterpiece. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
One Hour Photo (2002)
Very good film-making (spoilers throughout)
Ok, I'll skip the overview since you already know what happens in the movie. There is really very little to dislike in this movie. It is brilliantly directed and the cinematography and editing is superb. Oh yeah, and Robin Williams is a phenomenal actor. There is also a lot of meaning in the movie if you are willing to look for it. The white color motif is very obvious, and there are several shots that make beautiful and telling use of the mise en scene. The ending was perfect, given Sy's character. I believe some people were thinking that Sy was going to kill the couple at the end, but that just wouldn't fit with the Sy that we are presented with the whole movie. He's not a killer, he's not even really a bad guy, he's just misguided a little (ok, a lot). To explain the ending for those who didn't catch it, Sy had two rolls of film (one in the camera and one in his bag). He did take pictures of Will and Maya in forced sexual positions, but the pictures that Eriq LaSalle's character hands him are the ones that he took of the little things; the remote control, the toilet, the sofa, etc. Early in the movie, he says "Nobody takes pictures of the little things." This is also why he liked the pictures that the little kid took, because they were just of the everyday things that people take for granted.
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Brilliant story of betrayal and redemption.
First off, let me say to all the people who thought this movie was boring, that maybe you should just stick to Zoolander and other movies of the same ilk. Because a movie is "boring" doesn't make it a bad movie (2001 is extremely "boring," but is one of the few movies I would consider perfect). This is not meant to be a laugh-a-minute comedy. It is (much like Rushmore) a comedic drama. From a movie-making perspective, Tenenbaums is top-notch. Great editing, cinematography, writing, and use of music. Likewise the acting was very good. The only place were this movie fell a little short was that it seemed to me that it tried to be like Rushmore too much (given it's the same director, but Bottle Rocket wasn't visually similar to Rushmore like this one is). This hardly detracts from the movie's good points, and there really is so much to love about the film in general. Overall, I give the film a 8.5/10.
Ravenous (1999)
Hollywood needs more cannibal flicks
It's true. Even if Ravenous contained maybe one too many plot twists and the ending was a bit dumb, the movie was still entertaining and suspenseful nonetheless. Lots of action, gore, and cannibals is always a winning combination in making any horror movie. Even if it doesn't make money or win awards, Ravenous is sure to be on someone's cult favorite list.
The Alphabet (1969)
Avant-Garde 101
David Lynch's "The Alphabet" is a short exploration into fear and dementia. Lynch, as was his stated intention when he began making films, creates a small world of moving paintings mixed with real action. The result is as an abstract nightmare where a girl is apparently tormented by the alphabet.
Caligola (1979)
Not the worst movie I've ever seen...
...But far from being any good nonetheless. Despite being basically a big-budget porno, this film actually had a lot of potential. Great cast, beautifully elaborate sets, and a Gore Vidal screenplay are the parts of the movie that could have made it a classic historical epic. Instead we get piss-poor directing and cinematography, and Bob Guccione adding mucho gratuitous sex and nudity. Not that I have any problem with sex, but if I want porn, I'll watch porn. Malcolm McDowell gives a good, not great, performance, and this is basically the only highlight of the movie. Maybe the R-rated version is better in terms of conciseness and flow, but even the removal of all the hardcore scenes (which add nothing of value, but then again that was the whole point wasn't it?) still only makes this a below average movie. As it is, the film gets a 3.5/10 from me.
Windtalkers (2002)
really bad
This movie is bad beyond words. There really is no discernable plot, just 135 minutes of stuff blowing and people getting shot. I thought it was never going to end, and when it finally did end, I knew nothing more about any of the characters or about the code, just that it was never broken. If you like lots of violence with no story, then this movie is for you. Otherwise, stay away from this completely forgettable war film.
Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma (1975)
Don't buy the hype.
Don't get me wrong this film is not totally useless. The final ten minutes of the movie are extremely visceral and deeply moving. But sitting through an hour and a half of sodomy and scatology is not easy to do. I tried to like this movie, I really did. But the content is so abhorrent, and presented with little or no artistic merit (aside from a few scenes), that it was really hard to find any redeeming qualities at all. Is this movie an anti-Fascism masterpiece? No. Is it just outlandish sensationalism? Yes and no. Pasolini shows a little brillance with the torture sequence at the end, but other than that this movie smells about as bad as the main course served for a feast in the film. Just my two cents of course. Go see it yourself, come back and prove me wrong. 3/10
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
horrible movie
This movie really sucks. It wasn't scaring at all. I have been more scared by Kool-Aid commercials. You know the one where the Kool-Aid man just busts up through someone's wall. If I had a camcorder and $35,000, I could make something a lot better than this piece of crap.
Gladiator (2000)
Better than Spartacus!
This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. The acting is top notch and the story couldn't be better. Some of the best fight scenes ever. Right up there with Apocalypse Now as the best historical fiction movie ever. A perfect ten!