shawn2724 Reviews

King Kong (2005)

Oscar-worthy Masterpiece!!!

[10/10 · 18 December 2005]

Peter Jackson proves his Lord of the Rings trilogy was not a one-shot wonder as King Kong is a cinematic masterpiece. AN epic with something for everyone, a truly tragic love story, edge of your seat thrills, balls-out action (including perhaps the best CG effects ever put on film), and high drama on a grand scale, this is well worth 3 hours of your time. Jackson's Kong is a well-crafted statement on savagery, humanity and love, and the cast (particularly Andy Serkis as Kong) turn in top-rate performances. I hope this gets some Oscar attention, I actually think it was better than Return of the King, which was hobbled by being 20 minutes too long. Kong ends quickly and perfectly. One note - don't take kids under 8 or so, there are very frightening and downright gruesome scenes that are too much for most young kids.

Corpse Bride (2005)

Tim Burton Does It Again!

[9/10 · 24 September 2005]

In Tim Burton's dazzling Corpse Bride, both Tim Burton fan freaks (I was raised on Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice) and new inductees alike will find something to like here. The exceptional stop-motion animation (which has seen an upgrade since 1993's classic Nightmare Before Christmas) joins with top-notch voice talent (Depp and Helena Bonham Carter stand out here) and typically good score/musical work from genius Danny Elfman to create a wonderful movie-going experience. Yes, this is a movie for anyone - in fact, I think teens and young adults will enjoy it more than younger kids with its dark at times bold humor and fast-paced banter (particulary in the clever songs). NO, it is not as good as Nightmare Before Xmas, but it may be that it would be hard for any film to match that picture. As usual, Tim Burton is always at the top of his game when he sticks to his favorite formula - exploring the darkness of the human soul with off-beat humor. Well-paced and a terrific ending wrap up this well-crafted package! 9/10 stars - it's awesome.

Flightplan (2005)

Wonderfully Done

[8/10 · 24 September 2005]

Excellent! I saw this one opening night, and it is truly worth your time. It is very well-paced and thrilling. Jodie kicks ass - she always makes a movie worth the price of admission. I disagree with many other people who complain that it isn't feasible that no one would see her daughter. The girl was quiet and distressed, and most people don't pay attention to their surroundings or really care about what is going on either. Perhaps that was one of the major themes of the movie.

Excellent ending also - I was concerned about the reviews, and now I'm glad I didn't pay any attention to them. I would definitely not pay attention to reviews if you are a Jodie Foster fan (better than Panic Room), it is well worth seeing. 8/10

Thoughtcrimes (2003 TV Movie)

Make this is a series!

[10/10 · 15 October 2004]

I just happened to come upon this show and only stopped flipping when I saw Navi, but was entranced by the show. It is has been a long time since I saw something on TV that I literally didn't want to leave during the commercials because I was worried about missing a minute. It's very entertaining, well-acted, exciting and even the score is extremely well done. The directing is top-notch, it couldn't have been easy to develop scenes so often where thinking and speaking have to go together in a way that the audience isn't confused. Extremely well-done, and clearly meant to be a series pilot: many questions remained unanswered, and I'd love to see some of them bared out in a TV show. Come on networks - it's not like there's a glut of entertaining TV shows??