Now I know that 'The Departed' is based off of the Hong Kong movie 'WuJianDao', but Scorsese really grabs hold of a great story and brings it to the American Screen. My father grew up in Boston and when we walked out of the theater he couldn't stop talking about how authentic the environment and attitude was. Then there's the acting in which the lead actors (Nicholson, DiCaprio, Damon) not only give stunningly entertaining performances, but you become engulfed in each one's perspective and dilemmas. The smaller roles that of (Baldwin, Walberg, Sheen) are supporting roles that remind me of Jesus Quintana from 'The Big Lebowski', by this I mean that their screen time is limited but they make lasting impressions that you cherish each and every scene they are in, Alec Baldwin especially. The story itself starts off with the basic intro of the players and the setting, but you'll find yourself slowing following each and every plot twist and rooting back and forth for the good guys and for the bad guys. If you're a Scorsese fan, which I am, I think you will appreciate this film. You can clearly see the Scorsese touch ranging from the cinematography and of course the music, it's great to hear "Gimme Shelter" again, but "Comfortably Numb" played in so well. It's another gangster flick from Scorsese, yet this one stands alone because feels so fresh and most would agree Scorsese does gangster films the best; so why not let him. Oscar worthy, the acting I certainly hope; this is DiCaprio's best role since 'The Aviator' which was his best role since 'Gangs of New York', am I seeing a pattern here. But my lasting impression wasn't concerned with the politics of the golden statue; my lasting impression was that I had sat through 2 and half hours of brilliant and especially entertaining storytelling. Thank you Mr. Scorsese.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Enjoyed it as a movie
29 November 2005
Prior to seeing 'Goblet of Fire' I have never read any of the novels. I was just a fan of the movies since their debut. But after watching 'Goblet' I was finally convinced to start reading the series. That's the effect this film had on me and now I'm very much into the Harry Potter world. I can see that this one was rushed more so than the others, I wouldn't have mind if it was longer, but unlike me most people would object. I think what is most satisfying, especially to someone who never read the books before is that Harry, Ron, Hermione and everyone else is growing up and the problems they face are getting more serious. I've seen 'Goblet' three times now and I plan on seeing again it on IMAX. So for those who are already avid readers of this Rowling series, it does cover the important points, but they are rushed. And for those who are just movie-goers who could care less about the actual book itself, I think you're in for a real treat. Plus, I thought Cho Change (Leung) was a cutie, just how she is supposed to be, hope to see her the next one.
The Polar Express
(2004)
Visually Spectacular
11 November 2004
Warning: Spoilers
*** SPOILERS
The story begins in the main character's bedroom, a young boy (Tom Hanks) who we later discover that he does not believe in Santa Clause. The movie quickly jumps to the arrival of the Polar Express; a colossal train with dynamic power. The boy meets the train conductor (Hanks) and decides to board and joins a group of other children en route to the North Pole. Throughout the ride, a series of thrilling scenes take place: We meet the Hobo (Hanks) who has a secret of his own, a breathtaking sequence of a lost ticket, and other suspenseful or gentle backdrops to fill in the movie. The train finally arrives at the North Pole and the movie begins its conclusion with the boy receiving the first gift of Christmas, a bell, directly from Santa Claus (Hanks) himself, which he loses by the time he returns to the train directly. The last scene finishes with the boy and his sister opening their presents, and the boy opening his last presentÂ…the bell which he lost and a letter addressed from Santa himself.
I've read the other reviews, and noticed that one of the most frequent concerns the other viewers had was that the motion features and action sequences of the characters bodies seemed rigid and not to the expectations wanted. Personally, I thought the film was breakthrough in movie production. It features a new innovation called 'Performance Capture'; this is where the motions of the actors are filmed, then the studio uses CGI (Computer Generated Images) to layout the images for the film. The fine detail can be noticed simply by the character's hair and the features on the skin. Proceeding, the scene of the adventurous ticket is definitely the crowning moment of 'Express', the sound, camera angle, and quick direction created the perfect blend to create some screen time to extend the film and exemplify the vastness of the studio's art.
Robert Zemeckis did a great job extending the short children's book of Chris Van Allsburg. When 'Express' was first announced, I was worried that it would become another 'Grinch', pointless scenes just to give its story the usual 90+ min. movie. Here, Zemeckis managed to add colorful and thrilling scenes that fit in with the plot sensibly.
My only forewarning is that this movie should not be assumed as a monumental achievement, but a great family/holiday film for everyone to enjoy. As an adult, it made me feel like a kid again, which I think was the primary purpose for Zemeckis; therefore this film is a success. Concluding, Hanks and Zemeckis score again (Cast Away, Forrest Gump), Hanks does an unbelievable job, most notably supplying the voice of the young boy. I think this will be a holiday film for the books along with 'It's a Wonderful Life' and 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'.------9/10
The story begins in the main character's bedroom, a young boy (Tom Hanks) who we later discover that he does not believe in Santa Clause. The movie quickly jumps to the arrival of the Polar Express; a colossal train with dynamic power. The boy meets the train conductor (Hanks) and decides to board and joins a group of other children en route to the North Pole. Throughout the ride, a series of thrilling scenes take place: We meet the Hobo (Hanks) who has a secret of his own, a breathtaking sequence of a lost ticket, and other suspenseful or gentle backdrops to fill in the movie. The train finally arrives at the North Pole and the movie begins its conclusion with the boy receiving the first gift of Christmas, a bell, directly from Santa Claus (Hanks) himself, which he loses by the time he returns to the train directly. The last scene finishes with the boy and his sister opening their presents, and the boy opening his last presentÂ…the bell which he lost and a letter addressed from Santa himself.
I've read the other reviews, and noticed that one of the most frequent concerns the other viewers had was that the motion features and action sequences of the characters bodies seemed rigid and not to the expectations wanted. Personally, I thought the film was breakthrough in movie production. It features a new innovation called 'Performance Capture'; this is where the motions of the actors are filmed, then the studio uses CGI (Computer Generated Images) to layout the images for the film. The fine detail can be noticed simply by the character's hair and the features on the skin. Proceeding, the scene of the adventurous ticket is definitely the crowning moment of 'Express', the sound, camera angle, and quick direction created the perfect blend to create some screen time to extend the film and exemplify the vastness of the studio's art.
Robert Zemeckis did a great job extending the short children's book of Chris Van Allsburg. When 'Express' was first announced, I was worried that it would become another 'Grinch', pointless scenes just to give its story the usual 90+ min. movie. Here, Zemeckis managed to add colorful and thrilling scenes that fit in with the plot sensibly.
My only forewarning is that this movie should not be assumed as a monumental achievement, but a great family/holiday film for everyone to enjoy. As an adult, it made me feel like a kid again, which I think was the primary purpose for Zemeckis; therefore this film is a success. Concluding, Hanks and Zemeckis score again (Cast Away, Forrest Gump), Hanks does an unbelievable job, most notably supplying the voice of the young boy. I think this will be a holiday film for the books along with 'It's a Wonderful Life' and 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'.------9/10
Tell Your Friends