Ever since I saw the last season of Friends, I've been looking for a new comedy to replace it. I've tried so many new and old shows but none of them were as satisfying and fun as my beloved Friends. So I kind of gave up the search for "new laughter". Fortunately a good friend of mine introduced me to Scrubs. When she told me Scrubs was set in a hospital, I didn't really think it could be funny. Boy, was I wrong! The cast (who complement each other perfectly) and the amazing writing make this the greatest show on TV today. IMHO, Scrubs is at least equal to Friends and definitely superior to "all the other" comedy shows out there. The dream sequences of J.D., the amazing ways the Janitor makes J.D's life a living hell, Elliot's insecurities, Turk's cockiness, Carla's maternal instincts, Ted's suicidal tendencies and Bob Kelso's evil ways, will make you laugh out loud. The character that makes you pee your pants and has you giggling like a little girl for the rest of the week is the amazing Dr. Cox. As J.D. unwilling mentor/father figure, Dr. Cox makes J.D's life even more of a living hell than the Janitor. The name calling (girls names), the rants, the ignoring, the yelling between J.D. and Dr. Cox are the funniest bits in the show. Well, almost scene in the show will make you laugh or at least put a smile on your face. There are so many amazing and funny moments that it is hard to pick a favorite one. Just check out the "Best Scrubs LOL moment?" thread on the Scrubs message board for a lot of really funny bits from the show. It may be a bold statement but at the moment, Scrubs is my favorite comedy show. Never thought it would beat Friends...
Reviews
7 Reviews
Silent Hill
(2006)
Silent Hill, not so silent...
15 June 2006
Like many of you, I'm a big fan of the Silent Hill games. The creepy atmosphere, the music, the characters and the setting made this game a terrifying horror fest. I always hoped someone would turn this game into a movie. But than again, most video game adaptations were really crappy. I always get the feeling that the people responsible for the adaptations don't really care about the games or even know the games. Tomb Raider 1 & 2 were OK attempts, even thought I think the movies had NOTHING in common with the game except for the heroine. Resident Evil wasn't bad and I actually liked the Mortal Kombat movies. Too bad one of my favorite games, Alone In The Dark, was totally raped. Even when the director knows what he/she is doing, most video game adaptations suffer from a case of bad-scripteritus. I sincerely believe that scriptwriters underestimate the powerful storytelling of some games. OK, Doom doesn't really have a story, but games like Silent Hill do.
I've been a big fan of Christophe Gans ever since I saw Crying Freeman and Les Pactes de Loups (The Brotherhood of the Wolf). I knew that Gans was a gamer and I also knew that he was a big fan of the Silent Hill games. If Gans was handed a good script, this movie was going to be incredible!
Movie fans who have seen Gans' Le Pact des Loupes, know that he can create an amazing movie atmosphere. The combination of great cinematography, great sound effects, well choreographed action sequences, the amazing settings and a good script based on a French legend, make Le Pact des Loupes an amazing movie. Clearly, Gans was the man to successfully complete the daunting task of bringing the Silent Hill experience to the general movie public.
Silent Hill is an amazing movie. The atmosphere is just right and properly recreated onto the big screen by using amazing artsy graphics, great sound effects and recognizable tunes from the Silent Hill games. The movie starts right away and people unfamiliar with the Silent Hill setting or story lines portrayed in the games, might be a tad confused for the first half hour or so. Then again, people unfamiliar with the storyline probably won't be able to appreciate the details and odd characters that inhabit Silent Hill and also might not be able to fully enjoy several "goose bump moments" like the first time you hear the siren wail, the crackling of the phone, the terrifying screams of the creatures roaming in Silent Hill or the first encounter with Pyramid Head. Aside from that fact that Silent Hill is IMHO a good recreation of the game, the movie also does well as a horror movie. The gore, the blood, the creatures, the creepy atmosphere and all other things a good horror movie needs, are present in this movie. I believe this movie will appeal to a wide variety of movie fans, or at least I hope
People who had a hard time understanding this movie, probably had a difficult time understanding a lot of other movies. This may sound a little harsh, but it's not that difficult. I actually like the ending of the movie because it leaves some room for speculation and also provides the viewer with a feeling of dread and uneasiness. Hey, after all, it's Silent Hill! This movie makes great use of sound effects, recognizable game tunes and is visually very pleasing. Although the story has been done before, it is very well executed, Silent Hill style. I do hope that some directors *cough* Uwe Boll *cough* take a look at this movie and finally learn how to do a proper video game adaptation.
I do have to admit that I also took another factor into account when I rated this movie. I saw this movie when I was on vacation in San Diego. I had a great time and was in a great mood, so that might have influenced my rating a tad, but after seeing the movie again in my home town I knew that my rating did the movie justice
In short, the best Vid-Adap yet!
10 out of 10 stars.
I've been a big fan of Christophe Gans ever since I saw Crying Freeman and Les Pactes de Loups (The Brotherhood of the Wolf). I knew that Gans was a gamer and I also knew that he was a big fan of the Silent Hill games. If Gans was handed a good script, this movie was going to be incredible!
Movie fans who have seen Gans' Le Pact des Loupes, know that he can create an amazing movie atmosphere. The combination of great cinematography, great sound effects, well choreographed action sequences, the amazing settings and a good script based on a French legend, make Le Pact des Loupes an amazing movie. Clearly, Gans was the man to successfully complete the daunting task of bringing the Silent Hill experience to the general movie public.
Silent Hill is an amazing movie. The atmosphere is just right and properly recreated onto the big screen by using amazing artsy graphics, great sound effects and recognizable tunes from the Silent Hill games. The movie starts right away and people unfamiliar with the Silent Hill setting or story lines portrayed in the games, might be a tad confused for the first half hour or so. Then again, people unfamiliar with the storyline probably won't be able to appreciate the details and odd characters that inhabit Silent Hill and also might not be able to fully enjoy several "goose bump moments" like the first time you hear the siren wail, the crackling of the phone, the terrifying screams of the creatures roaming in Silent Hill or the first encounter with Pyramid Head. Aside from that fact that Silent Hill is IMHO a good recreation of the game, the movie also does well as a horror movie. The gore, the blood, the creatures, the creepy atmosphere and all other things a good horror movie needs, are present in this movie. I believe this movie will appeal to a wide variety of movie fans, or at least I hope
People who had a hard time understanding this movie, probably had a difficult time understanding a lot of other movies. This may sound a little harsh, but it's not that difficult. I actually like the ending of the movie because it leaves some room for speculation and also provides the viewer with a feeling of dread and uneasiness. Hey, after all, it's Silent Hill! This movie makes great use of sound effects, recognizable game tunes and is visually very pleasing. Although the story has been done before, it is very well executed, Silent Hill style. I do hope that some directors *cough* Uwe Boll *cough* take a look at this movie and finally learn how to do a proper video game adaptation.
I do have to admit that I also took another factor into account when I rated this movie. I saw this movie when I was on vacation in San Diego. I had a great time and was in a great mood, so that might have influenced my rating a tad, but after seeing the movie again in my home town I knew that my rating did the movie justice
In short, the best Vid-Adap yet!
10 out of 10 stars.
Deadwood
(2004–2006)
Welcome to f*cking Deadwood!
21 March 2006
I've been a fan of HBO since I saw Band of Brothers on Dutch television. Unfortunately, the Dutch television companies don't know anything about good programming. Most television series are cut short during the season so that the second part of the season can be shown the next year. Sometimes when they stop mid season, the rest of the episodes aren't shown at all and they start all over again. This is one of the reasons that I don't watch series on Dutch television. I usually rent or borrow the DVD's. Although we get to see most popular HBO series (Carnivàle, Sopranos, Six Feet Under) I never watch them on television. Although I'd never seen the show, I decided to buy the DVD after reading some reviews. Thank God I did!
Deadwood is a very very good show. The setting of this drama is the town in the title. Deadwood is a town where there is no law and where anything goes. Seth Bullock, sheriff in Montana and his partner Sol Star, decide to leave Montana and depart for Deadwood after hanging their last prisoner. When arriving in Deadwood they set out to buy some property so that they can build their hardware store. Before they've actually purchased the ground, you've met all characters including E.B. Farnum (hotel owner), Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. This show's strong point is its character driven storyline. The characters are so well cast that you have no problem accepting them. The foul mouth of Al Swearengen, the short temper of Bullock or the preaching's of the reverend are features that you'll come to love. All characters have certain features that you love about them, even the bad guys. In addition, all characters have certain features you really hate, even the good guys.
This show is so well written that you'll be on the edge of your seat with suspense or you'll be laughing your ass off because of the brilliant and funny lines. An example; Commissioner Jarry has been imprisoned to keep him safe from a mob. Calamity Jane is guarding him.
Jarry: I'm thirsty! Jane: Lie on your back, take aim and p!ss!
This show has so many great lines that it is hard to pick a favorite. One thing people might not like about the show is the amount of swearing. Some may think it's too much but I'm not bothered by the amount of swearing. Most great lines are delivered with a couple of swear words and yes you'll get used to the swearing and I found myself even using some of them on my friends... Euhmm, anyway, about the language, some may also have problems following the show because of the use of Western Period English. My native tongue is Dutch and although my English is pretty good (don't have to watch movies with subs :P) I had a hard time following the show without the English subtitles. I don't have problems with the English itself, but a lot of the dialogue is very specific for the period. Words like, Hooplehead, Squarehead and sentences like "My bicycle masters boardwalk and quagmire with aplomb" got me stumped for a while. Just turn on the subtitles or you might miss some of the amazing dialogue.
One last thing about this show. The last episode of season 1 has to be the best finale to a season I've ever seen! Sold Under Sin is so good you'll certainly shed a tear.
This show is brilliant! Just, brilliant!
10 out of 10 stars.
Deadwood is a very very good show. The setting of this drama is the town in the title. Deadwood is a town where there is no law and where anything goes. Seth Bullock, sheriff in Montana and his partner Sol Star, decide to leave Montana and depart for Deadwood after hanging their last prisoner. When arriving in Deadwood they set out to buy some property so that they can build their hardware store. Before they've actually purchased the ground, you've met all characters including E.B. Farnum (hotel owner), Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. This show's strong point is its character driven storyline. The characters are so well cast that you have no problem accepting them. The foul mouth of Al Swearengen, the short temper of Bullock or the preaching's of the reverend are features that you'll come to love. All characters have certain features that you love about them, even the bad guys. In addition, all characters have certain features you really hate, even the good guys.
This show is so well written that you'll be on the edge of your seat with suspense or you'll be laughing your ass off because of the brilliant and funny lines. An example; Commissioner Jarry has been imprisoned to keep him safe from a mob. Calamity Jane is guarding him.
Jarry: I'm thirsty! Jane: Lie on your back, take aim and p!ss!
This show has so many great lines that it is hard to pick a favorite. One thing people might not like about the show is the amount of swearing. Some may think it's too much but I'm not bothered by the amount of swearing. Most great lines are delivered with a couple of swear words and yes you'll get used to the swearing and I found myself even using some of them on my friends... Euhmm, anyway, about the language, some may also have problems following the show because of the use of Western Period English. My native tongue is Dutch and although my English is pretty good (don't have to watch movies with subs :P) I had a hard time following the show without the English subtitles. I don't have problems with the English itself, but a lot of the dialogue is very specific for the period. Words like, Hooplehead, Squarehead and sentences like "My bicycle masters boardwalk and quagmire with aplomb" got me stumped for a while. Just turn on the subtitles or you might miss some of the amazing dialogue.
One last thing about this show. The last episode of season 1 has to be the best finale to a season I've ever seen! Sold Under Sin is so good you'll certainly shed a tear.
This show is brilliant! Just, brilliant!
10 out of 10 stars.
The Barbarians
(1987)
This movie is every little boys dream...
20 March 2006
Yes, I loved this movie when I was a kid. When I was growing up I saw this movie so many times that my dad had to buy another VHS copy because the old copy had worn out.
My family received a VHS copy of this movie when we purchased a new VHS system. At first, my mom wasn't sure that this was an appropriate movie for a 10 year old but because we had just bought a new VHS system she let me watch it.
Like I said, this movie is every little boys dream The movie contains a terrific setting, big muscled barbarians, beautiful topless women, big bad monsters and jokes you'll only get when you get older. So, a couple of days ago I inserted the video and watched the movie again after a long time. At first, I was bored, then started thinking about how much I loved this movie when I was kid, and continued watching. Yeah, the experience wasn't as great as I remembered The acting is pretty bad, the storyline is pretty bad, the jokes weren't funny anymore, but the women were still pretty. Yes, I've grown up. Even though the movie experience has changed for me, I still think it's worth 7 stars. For the good old times you know
My family received a VHS copy of this movie when we purchased a new VHS system. At first, my mom wasn't sure that this was an appropriate movie for a 10 year old but because we had just bought a new VHS system she let me watch it.
Like I said, this movie is every little boys dream The movie contains a terrific setting, big muscled barbarians, beautiful topless women, big bad monsters and jokes you'll only get when you get older. So, a couple of days ago I inserted the video and watched the movie again after a long time. At first, I was bored, then started thinking about how much I loved this movie when I was kid, and continued watching. Yeah, the experience wasn't as great as I remembered The acting is pretty bad, the storyline is pretty bad, the jokes weren't funny anymore, but the women were still pretty. Yes, I've grown up. Even though the movie experience has changed for me, I still think it's worth 7 stars. For the good old times you know
Starship Troopers
(1997)
An amazing and still current parody on modern warfare. Do you want to know more?
20 March 2006
Warning: Spoilers
A lot has already been said about Starship Troopers. The movie relies too heavily on special effects. The movie only supports B-actors. The story has already been done. It has even been called 90210 in space. Even though a lot of critics didn't like Paul Verhoeven's sci-fi movie, the movie was a hit. Even though this happens all the time, I do believe that a lot of critics were wrong about this movie
I think this is a great movie. I love the setting, the giant bugs, the impossibly handsome cast and the impossible odds. This is the kind of movie that makes you wonder why you never joined the army
Even though you know it's never going to be like that, you still hope it would be. Well, at least that's what I was thinking.
The war statements, the war recruitments, the plot outline or even the selection of the cast in this movie are a bit over the top, but the same thing can be said about Dr. Strangelove. Don't worry I'm not comparing this movie with Kubrick's masterpiece, I'm just pointing out that Dr. Strangelove also has a (support) cast with over the top "caricatures" that a movie like this really needs. They feel right for this movie.
About the political statement the movie tries to make, I do believe that war makes fascists of us all. The military planners in this movie called for a swift and direct strike at the enemy. Of course everything goes to hell. Misinformation, bad planning, manipulation of the public, a poor understanding of the enemy and underestimation of enemy forces turns the quick strike in to a long and bloody operation that does more harm than good to the heroic good guys. With the capture of the Brain Bug, the war has just begun. Does this sound familiar? I know it's pretty easy to make this comparison now but this movie can be compared to a lot of modern western wars. The movie tries to make a point (with an exclamation mark) but also tries to make it with a big nod.
If you want to see an entertaining action flick with hot chicks and cool dudes battling legions of bugs against impossible odds, than this is the movie for you. If you want to see a nice parody on modern warfare and the western civilization that supports it, than this is also the movie for you. Just decide for yourself what you want this movie to be.
I gave this movie a rating of 10 stars not because I think this is the best movie ever (One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest holds that title), but because of the entertainment value of this movie. I've seen this movie a dozen times and it still keeps me entertained till the end.
In short: Everybody should own the DVD!
The war statements, the war recruitments, the plot outline or even the selection of the cast in this movie are a bit over the top, but the same thing can be said about Dr. Strangelove. Don't worry I'm not comparing this movie with Kubrick's masterpiece, I'm just pointing out that Dr. Strangelove also has a (support) cast with over the top "caricatures" that a movie like this really needs. They feel right for this movie.
About the political statement the movie tries to make, I do believe that war makes fascists of us all. The military planners in this movie called for a swift and direct strike at the enemy. Of course everything goes to hell. Misinformation, bad planning, manipulation of the public, a poor understanding of the enemy and underestimation of enemy forces turns the quick strike in to a long and bloody operation that does more harm than good to the heroic good guys. With the capture of the Brain Bug, the war has just begun. Does this sound familiar? I know it's pretty easy to make this comparison now but this movie can be compared to a lot of modern western wars. The movie tries to make a point (with an exclamation mark) but also tries to make it with a big nod.
If you want to see an entertaining action flick with hot chicks and cool dudes battling legions of bugs against impossible odds, than this is the movie for you. If you want to see a nice parody on modern warfare and the western civilization that supports it, than this is also the movie for you. Just decide for yourself what you want this movie to be.
I gave this movie a rating of 10 stars not because I think this is the best movie ever (One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest holds that title), but because of the entertainment value of this movie. I've seen this movie a dozen times and it still keeps me entertained till the end.
In short: Everybody should own the DVD!
The Reckoning
(2003)
Great ensemble cast but disappointing story telling...
13 March 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This review contains a few small spoilers.
I love films with a medieval setting. I also love murder mysteries. You can image how much I was looking forward to seeing this film...
The movie contains an amazing cast including Vincent Cassel, Paul Bettany, Brian Cox, Willem Dafoe and Ewen Bremner. With a cast like this you can expect great performances. Unfortunately, many members of this great ensemble cast have very little screen time. Brian Cox and Vincent Cassel have a few lines but perform these lines with conviction.
The film has a very promising start but quickly looses a lot of it's credibility. A priest fallen from his faith, that still performs burial rituals while casting aside the whole foundation of plays in that time. I got the feeling, that Bettany's character was a priest when needed to be and a priest fallen from his faith when the situation called for it. The film tries to portray Bettany as a modern priest in difficult time (all odds are against him) but unfortunately fails miserably, IMHO. Although the performances were great, the cinematography amazing and the soundtrack mesmerizing, the story couldn't convince me. That is why I have given this film 7 stars.
In short, The Reckoning is an ambitious and entertaining film, but if you want to see a good medieval murder mystery, go see Cadfael or Der Name der Rose.
I love films with a medieval setting. I also love murder mysteries. You can image how much I was looking forward to seeing this film...
The movie contains an amazing cast including Vincent Cassel, Paul Bettany, Brian Cox, Willem Dafoe and Ewen Bremner. With a cast like this you can expect great performances. Unfortunately, many members of this great ensemble cast have very little screen time. Brian Cox and Vincent Cassel have a few lines but perform these lines with conviction.
The film has a very promising start but quickly looses a lot of it's credibility. A priest fallen from his faith, that still performs burial rituals while casting aside the whole foundation of plays in that time. I got the feeling, that Bettany's character was a priest when needed to be and a priest fallen from his faith when the situation called for it. The film tries to portray Bettany as a modern priest in difficult time (all odds are against him) but unfortunately fails miserably, IMHO. Although the performances were great, the cinematography amazing and the soundtrack mesmerizing, the story couldn't convince me. That is why I have given this film 7 stars.
In short, The Reckoning is an ambitious and entertaining film, but if you want to see a good medieval murder mystery, go see Cadfael or Der Name der Rose.
Elizabethtown
(2005)
Indeed, the word is whimsical...
22 January 2006
Warning: Spoilers
After reading several online reviews and user comments I almost decided to ignore this movie. I'm so glad I didn't! To me, Elizabethtown is a great film about acceptance and the journey that comes with.
Orlando Bloom's character Drew Baylor starts out as guy contemplating suicide to a newborn young man who accepts the fact that failure is part of life. The journey that he has to take to get to that point is a long journey of self discovery that starts with Drew making preparations to fly his father's body, who just died, back to California and ends with an amazing road trip.
The characters Drew "meets" on this journey (i.e. family members he hasn't seen for a long time) are very believable and you grow very attached to them. Even though Kirsten Dunst's character Claire Colburn is a bit annoying at first, you'll soon discover her greatness and the impact she will make on Drew's life.
This movie is often compared to Garden State and usually is depicted as a lesser film. Although these two films can be compared, I disagree with the fact that Elizabethtown is a cheap rip off. These two films do have similar topics but the way they deal with these topics is quite different. I don't think this is a valid point to bash Elizabethtown. There are dozens and dozens of films that really do rip each other off but still people seem to equally like them. Two movies that deal with the same topics in a similar setting can be equally great...
Both films have an amazing soundtrack, good storyline, great characters and both are worth your time! My rating for this film is a well deserved 9.
Oh, in case you wanted to know, my rating for Garden State was also a 9...
Orlando Bloom's character Drew Baylor starts out as guy contemplating suicide to a newborn young man who accepts the fact that failure is part of life. The journey that he has to take to get to that point is a long journey of self discovery that starts with Drew making preparations to fly his father's body, who just died, back to California and ends with an amazing road trip.
The characters Drew "meets" on this journey (i.e. family members he hasn't seen for a long time) are very believable and you grow very attached to them. Even though Kirsten Dunst's character Claire Colburn is a bit annoying at first, you'll soon discover her greatness and the impact she will make on Drew's life.
This movie is often compared to Garden State and usually is depicted as a lesser film. Although these two films can be compared, I disagree with the fact that Elizabethtown is a cheap rip off. These two films do have similar topics but the way they deal with these topics is quite different. I don't think this is a valid point to bash Elizabethtown. There are dozens and dozens of films that really do rip each other off but still people seem to equally like them. Two movies that deal with the same topics in a similar setting can be equally great...
Both films have an amazing soundtrack, good storyline, great characters and both are worth your time! My rating for this film is a well deserved 9.
Oh, in case you wanted to know, my rating for Garden State was also a 9...
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