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1. Aguirre: The Wrath of God
2. Apocalypse Now
3. Days of Heaven
4. The 400 Blows
5. La Dolce Vita
6. The Passion of Joan of Arc
7. Persona
8. Raging Bull
9. 2001: A Space Odyssey
10. Vertigo
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Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
A Waistless Effort on a Great Franchise
I rarely write comments on films on IMDb but after seeing this I had to tell everyone why they should not waste their 10 bucks on this film at the theaters. Believe me, I wanted to like this film but but as it kept going on and on I sank in my chair in despair. So how can Lucas and Spielberg ruin a great action adventure film in a series like this? There are many answers but the overall theme is laziness. The film is lazy and incomprehensible. Many are aware of what the Crystal Skulls are, alien skulls, and that at the end of the film I was expecting to hear the communicating song from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. There was no sense of adventure and thrill but one action scene tacked onto another with a plot on auto pilot. The character of Indy has been watered down. His charm and charisma have been lost in a shamble of dialogue that I assume Lucas wrote because it reminiscence his last three prequel Star Wars trilogy. I was interested in the beginning of the film as the film jumped the action with us understanding why some dominatrix looking commie (Cate Blanchett) kidnapped Jones and his associate (who is a double agent, comes on Indy's side and then a double agent again... so confusing)) kidnapped Jones. It seemed to go fine into there. We saw Indy use his whip and crash into a car with a comical side. I thought it was going to be fun. After escaping Area 51, the secret location from the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark with the boxes, Jones finds his way into a town. It is not a normal town but one of those built and tested for atomic attacks. Well wouldn't you know it a attack comes and Indy hides in a refrigerator and survives while a speeding car explodes into pieces. I was thinking, I hope this is the only this would be the corniest moment. Wrong. After the establishment of Shia LeBeaouf meeting Indy we are in another comical chase from under cover commies. I guess when your in a malt shop in the 50s and someone says that they are KGB out loud everyone else ignores them. The only benefit of the film comes from Shia and Indy's relationship in Peru. Their dialogue and reactions to each other saved this film from a 1 star rating. Indy seems tired and not like himself and this is never recovered in the plot to why he is more tired. We know he is much older and Harrison tries to save the character in a different character age but what do we get out of it. Once the characters are kidnapped by the Soviets again we are taken into one charade after another. So these Crystal Skulls, we learn, are skulls of Aliens inside the real El Dorado which is not the city of gold. We also learn that Shia is Indy's son to Marion from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Again Lucas and Spielberg lose their taste and talent in plot development for these characters. Before we can accept them they are all forced by chase and action scenes to be in love again and unrealistically chased around the jungle full of lazy CGI and plausibility. The we reach the city and the Crystal Skulls. Wow how effortless and less of a discovery than the first three films. It was like I was watching National Treasure 2 all over again with a plot on autopilot and these characters are going along as it goes without any consideration or development. Then we have the Raiders of the Lost Ark ending again with the commie villain (who is more of a pet girl than a villain) being sucked by the aliens when the skulls are re attached. Is she looking at the lost ark of the covenant. From what I can tell she was. Then we have the close encounters ending with the space ship rising and leaving the alien. Wow... how original. We take archeology and turn it into a alien movie. Jeez Spielberg and Lucas, can you not make a film that is not about aliens? Then the film ends in the cliché ending of Marion and Jones marrying as if we had time to see their love develop. It happened as another way of being conventional in the manner of story arc clichés. I was so mad after seeing this I am telling my friends to save their 10 bucks. I did and one of them, who didn't take my advice, came back to me and told me I was right. I felt sorry for him that he wasted his money on a film that fails its fans. If they make Indiana Jones 5 then I will be very hesitant to see it but how can a bad Indy 5 top this piece of crap? Only Lucas and Spielberg will know.
Hostel: Part II (2007)
Sort of Better than Hostel But Nothing Great
I'm gonna try not to give away spoilers. I hope this will be the last Hostel even though Eli Roth has confirmed it because after this on then there will be nowhere else to go with the story. The movie I felt in either liking or hating it was mixed. There are some good parts especially with the two American clients. Their journey is more fascinating than the girls because their characters are crafted more carefully and more fully. You really could not like the girls because Roth creates the typical stereotype girls. Fortunately Landa is the better of them all for being wholesome but sadly she falls into the stereotypes. There is the girl who is drunk and slutty resembling a typical portrayal of a sorority girl, the protagonist rich girl who is more well meaning than she can become, and again as I said the wholesome girl who doesn't drink and writes in her journal. The inner workings of the Elite Hunting club are interesting to a level. The owner of elite hunting to me really shows no morality and is amoral. He prefers business over the people who kills and clients. The deaths are not full of torture as the first film (the first murder is disturbing to me) so basically blood thirsty gore fans will be disappointed. I hated how Roth doesn't develop the women even though he tries to by allowing time until the girls reach the factory. The ending well I mean the very ending right before the credits made the movie seem more pathetic. I liked the idea of the twist but the finale just disappointed me. Roth should of left it open ended. Roth does score a important point here and that is the role of music in the film. As the American clients arrive and get ready for their pleasure the operatic music was just chilling. That same effect happened for me in Halloween. Even if a movie like hostel can be sort of bad but has a great scene involving chilling music then that is a plus. Its a mixed response to me. There are some good parts and a lot of bad parts and I hope that can clear up why I liked it or I hated it. Oh yea I thought Paxton's part at the beginning could of developed into something better for the rest of the film rather than show a way to introduce the owner of Elite Hunting.
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
A Masterpiece of Thoughtfulness and Care - One of Scorsese's Most Undeserved Underlooked Film
The Last Temptation of Christ has really never been discussed for its message and imagery because of a block of the far right religious zealots who believe that questions and a different approach are sinful. I believe that this film must be viewed because it is, besides Pier Paolo Passolini's The Gospel According to St. Matthew, the best film about Christ and the best representation of him.
The film is not based on the Gospels and that is stated at the very beginning. This film is a adaptation of Nikos Kazaktaskizi's (spelling) novel under the same name. This film holds to tell the central dogma of Christianity even though those who most believe it and oppose the film don't accept this view. Jesus is God and Man and it is important to look at the human side of Christ. The human side of Christ is essential to the nature of Jesus because Jesus overcame his fears of death, leading people, and starting a revolution. How does it feel to be the son of God. There is a heavy burden and great responsibility. Besides Passolini's film the representation of Christ by the church is not accurate in films and church paintings. Jesus was a carpenter and he had to be strong, he is human and has flaws, he possess human nature and desires, and questions his own existence.
This film is about thoughts than a biographical approach. The real biography of Jesus will truly never be known and this is where interpretation is created to be the truth. The largest points are with Jesus' relationship with Judas. Judas had to turn in Jesus for the ultimate sacrifice. He is not the enemy as depicted pitifully in Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ but the force for Jesus to bring Salvation. Jesus had to die to save our sins and Judas is the reason for that to happen.
Paul Schrader's screenplay is thought provoking through the conversations asking who, what, where, and why. Jesus is always asking questions and Judas is there. They don't find answers but understand them to further God's message through them. This review does feel as a defense against the controversy by the religious right who don't see in the messages of charity, helping the poor and homeless, live good lives, and don't fall into the temptations of greed and lust. Scorsese's approach feels historic with real people who felt that they truly existed. These are not cardboard cut out images from the biblical epics and the blandish tapes by the over zealous Billy Graham and false priests of sinful self created churches seen on TV and marketed to people to get rich. Scorsese's cinematic techniques in the cinematography and imagery along with Peter Gabriel's superb score make the film a masterpiece. No wonder why he is nominated for a best director at the Oscars.
Please before you make up your mind on this film, see it first. Its easy to jump to conclusions but those wont be the right ones. This is one of Scorsese's best films.
About the Reviewer: I am a Irish American Roman Catholic. I do not attend church every Sunday but I do my best. In my church the priest never talks about politics but about being good people and helping others through generosity and tolerance. I have issues with the Catholic church's bureaucracy and stature of its hierarchy but I still love its message.
Apocalypto (2006)
To A New Beginning
I've recently watched a free preview of Apocalypto at my college CU Boulder and the place was packed to see if Mel Gibson can top or sink after the Passion of the Christ. First off if your not considering to watch this movie after what Mel said when he got arrested will not do justice to this very well made film. The film is packed with chases, blood, gore, fluid camera movements, and pulsing music. The film is not perfect but satisfies the taste for great entertainment when most of our films now bore us with unoriginal clichés and ridiculous plot lines. This film is original and takes a sincere look at the Myan culture without reducing it to its primitive nature. Yes the sacrifices and violence could be stereotypical of all native cultures before the Europeans came in some eyes but the film has sincere moments at the village with the people interacting. Its when the village is raided and the villagers are captured as slaves when everything changes. The film revolves around a native hunter named Jaguar Paw who is at peace with his village. His wife is far along pregnant with a new son and the world is looking up for the village. The village, as I previously said, is raided. He becomes a slave after being caught but his wife and son are hidden away. The rest of the film revolves his journey back to them. The costumes, music, and art direction for the settings are stunning and worth the money. Mel Gibson uses the chase element to its max with the ferocity of the battle scenes in Braveheart. You will not be bored. The film has some unbelievable and cliché moments which serves the hero purpose back. The acting however is done well with the mostly newcomer Myan speaking in the native tongue. Have fun with the film, I did but I expected more to be shown of the culture than just a chase and blood gushing thrill ride. 7 out of 10
Clerks II (2006)
Clerks 2, more in-depth and funnier than the original.
Its a rare breed that a sequel can improve the first movie and take it to new directions than some rehash with some others. The Godfather, he original Star Wars sequels, and most likely The Terminator 2: Judgement Day improve on the original concept and Kevin Smith shines with Clerks 2.
In the age of the Will Ferrall/Vince Vaughn/Wilson Brothers/Ben Stiller/ and other actors in the marketed comedies which arnt all that funny (Wedding Crashers and prob You, Me, and Dupree if I ever get to see it) because they are too generic and the same jokes have been done before. The whit in the dialouge is a strong one with Kevin Smith which shines with Randal and Dante in their moronic conversations about their lives and whoever encounters them.
Essentially the Quick Stop burns down so they work at the local Moobys with a 19 year old co-worker as Elinas who loves Transformers, Christ, a virgin and The Lord of the Rings being a great comedic counter part to the sexual deviant and Star Wars loving Randal and the witty independent boss of Dante & Randal Becky. Dante is engaged to Emma who comes from a successful family so the movie is set on his last day of work. And of course there is Jay and Silent Bob, funnier than ever with a boom box playing the song with the scene in Silence of the Lambs with Buffalo Bill dancing around... you know what i'm talking about.
The sequel was constructed so that you really didn't need to see Clerks or the other Kevin Smith spin-offs but the in a joke parts will help out with the laughs with you do. This is the first true sequel to Clerks but gives a perspective to see where are these guys 10 years from know. The insight of their lives and the situations that go around make for a in-depth look at Dante's life as he comptenplated at the end of the first movie. This is the diamond in the rough of the 06 summer movies. If your bored of pirates, superheroes (and romantic break up comedies about a female superhero), a rehash of wedding crashers, or another comedy construction of will Ferrell since anchorman then clerks 2 is the movie to see.
The Constant Gardener (2005)
The Constant Gardener - the best movie of the year
This is a beautiful movie to look at. Fernando Merielles has done again like what he has for city of god to show Africa as beautiful but hurt. I saw this movie the second day after it came out and i was excited for one i was a hug fan of city of god and Ferando Merielles brings to the screen his own style that isn't found with most directors out there today.
But what makes this movie special is the tenderness and yearning for Justin (ralph finnes) to see the love he has for his wife. The beginning establishes her murder but the flashback into their first meeting, life in Africa, the anticipation for their child, and more are at the heart of the movie. Justin does not do this just for the cause but for his wife. He will finish up what she has started but he wont divulge himself in it because that is not his matter or concern.
The movie involves a conspiracy tieing new drug experiments to Africans who live or die by the tests. Tessa, a activist whose points pose a threat to the British/Corperate, is not well receive even by her husband but he understands her concerns. But he doesn't understand her work rather him understanding her position on world issues.
The movie is painted in a way for not a real conclusion but sadness. I do not want to give it away but to those expecting a swash buckling action packed movie that looks like the transporter 2, its not. What we see here is Fernando taking the essence of their love and construct in a way that we understand his love for her. The end is so sad but poignant because everything isn't finish but we feel a conclusion that is meaningful but unfullfiling.
I loved this movie because its cinematography brings out the poverished Kenya to its fullest extend. London looks dark where cooperated evil is and Kenya is alive and bursting with color where there is still hope after all. Ralph Finnes and Rachel Wierz deserve Oscar nominations and this movie as well. I feel like its one of the top movies for the academy awards when they will come around. I urge you to see this movie because rediscovering love is as equal or greater than loving someone right now. This is the best movie of the year.