 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Sep 11, 2013 - 5:35 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Michaelware
(Member)
|
From Hell 7/10 ***
I always like what the Hughes Bros come up with, even when the films don't go too deeply they attempt interesting angles.
The version of Alan Moore's book turns a floating head piece narration into kind of an agatha christie type mystery question of whether the freemasonic brotherhood old boy network covered up the Jack the Ripper events for the royals. I don't know why such subjects drive some people to outrage and derision considering this is the same stuff Doyle's Sherlock Holmes was always fighting against in book and films. Anyway I liked it for the most part.
The Brave 8/10 ****
Johnny Depp's one and only directed film was self financed and never released in the US. lol I wonder why besides the uncommercial downer story. It's about a guy who agrees to get paid to star in a snuff film in order to save his family.
An indian guy in the southwest faces poverty and existential anguish as his family is about to be evicted to nowhere, and homelessness. He gets a mysterious tip and goes to see a shady group fronting for something even shadier, and asks for the job. He is sent underground to meet McCarthy, who is played by Marlon Brando. The job is 50 000$ to allow the old fat man to tape the indian dude getting tortured and killed. He agrees to do it. He thinks they'll come after him if he runs away with the money, and thinks they will come after him even if he just has it but the old man gives it all to him trusting he will do what he agrees to. uh. He just sold his soul.
More existential troubles ensue. He gets in deeper troubles that will land him in prison. He goes to the old shaman from The Doors movie, who tells him to face his choices. He does, and the movie ends with poetry and ineffable sadness. Depp directs really well, staying close to telling it without trying to be more than it is. The movie doesn't feel like 'plot' or 'ideas,' but real things. Hopelessness is treated as a reality that can't be surmounted especially when the hero makes it worse. He gives in to vengeance then goes farther into killing out of hate. No way out. But he already sold out to the pervert in the wheelchair who has a power beyond his means, because it's Marlon Brando. lol I deleted the next sentence because I dont think it's appropriate!
Baby Secret of the Lost Legend 7/10 ***
Blu ray. Dunno if I reviewed this already but I watched it again. Silly movie with a crazy hard edge for a kids movie. Giant rubber dinosaurs and Sean Young. Obviously you get this movie for the score by Jerry Goldsmith, presented in big loud lossless audio, thought it's a little distorted. Straight ahead adventure scoring with soaring melodics and cool ostinatos and power brass. Love the percussion and crazy tempo changes. I finally get to see this in it's correct aspect ratio.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chopping Mall 7.5/10 - a really fun film which I wish I had seen earlier. Very short and zips along. Had the lovely Barbara Crampton in it. Has some nice death scenes and has a good sense of humour especially at the beginning. Sort of tails off at the end, and some characters do daffy stuff that'll make you laugh and shake your head, but I reckon with a bit more cash and time it would have been even better thought of. If I has a nice widescreen blu-Ray and some commentaries I'd give it an 8.5. Just a hoot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
STICK - 3/10 Burt Reynolds directs an Elmore Leonard script. The tone of the film veers wildly, and it doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. The story also lacks any real forward drive, flagging pretty badly, and peters out at the end. Yon Burt Reynolds is okay, and Charles Durning is just hilarious-looking, you can't take him seriously though. Partly that's the character, but partly i think he's miscast. Stuntman Dar Robinson is memorable as an albino hitman. The opening helicopter shot is also basically a repeat of Sharky's Machine (but they were both nice shots).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE 8/10
Don't know how many times I've seen this, but probably 10 times. This gives most "modern" action films a run for their money. Brilliantly directed (too bad McTiernan messed up his life so bad!), not a dull moment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kingsman - 7/10 (8/10 if not for a gratuitous and classless anal sex reference, call me prudish if you want).
Good entertainment from the Kick Ass stable, with a nice Bondian/Austin Powers score. Apart from the point-losing reference above, I'm not sure why Mr Jackson played his part with an unconvincing lisp.
More interest for me in that the Savile Row HQ for Kingsman was in reality the high-class tailor Huntsman. I dealt with their insurance programme in the 1990s and visited them on many an occasion. Never noticed all the guns, though...
TG
TG, I hated this film almost more than a Bolton defeat to Tranmere Rovers. I wasn't a fan of Kick-Ass either. Can we still be friends?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
