INDECENT PROPOSAL is one of those formularized, supposedly heartfelt movies told in one mess of a tale. It starts off with a couple (Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson) struggling to make ends meet and just as they are about to drown in debt, they hit the jackpot in Vegas and then lose all their winnings again. As they are about to hit rock bottom, Robert Redford, a multi-billionaire, comes into their lives to give them a chance to get one million dollars. The catch: Redford "borrow" Woody's wife for one night. They agree, but this of course changes the course of their relationship forever. Woody Harrelson is truly miscast in a role too serious for him, making some scenes unintentionally funny. Yet the other two leads help keep this vechicle interesting. Despite the limited success of the script, it remains as a flawed but ambitious work.
Reviews
13 Reviews
Finding Nemo
(2003)
Disney magic at its best
24 September 2008
Finding Nemo is probably one of the best movies ever produced by Pixar and Walt Disney. It was a hit at the theaters, and also a hit on the DVD release. This two-disc set features the same movie as the original theatrical release, plus lots of extra features. There are extra scenes and deleted scenes, but these are mainly sketches and hence are not included as part of the regular movie. The movie itself is worth buying this set; its bright and flashy with cool visuals and special effects that make it attractive for kids. The soundtrack is considerably different from the traditional classical fair found in Disney's motion length pictures. This movie's soundtrack is laid back and different, but paces well with the action. The voice-overs are great, and the comedy is unique and hilarious. Vegetarian sharks! Fish without memory! Disney takes family entertainment to new heights with this great movie, and I highly recommend it.
Men in Black
(1997)
All in Good Fun
16 September 2008
Firstly I'll agree with David a few reviews up in that they've stuffed up the concept of what the Men In Black are supposed to be. I too in my days of reading constantly about alien abductions and the like would always find that the MIB were alien life forms, not humans. But all I could do was sit back and say "That's Hollywood for you" and try to enjoy it for what it was. When I saw this in the cinema I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have as I went with someone who was not enthused to see it. Don't ever do that! Go alone if you have to. It's amazing how much that, even in a darkened room, a disenchanted person next to you can alter the atmosphere. That being said, since I've bought it on DVD and watched it many times since, it's got to be a favourite. My kids like watching it with me, which is great as it means we can sit down together to watch something and I don't have to be suffering through some kiddie stuff. Sonnenfeld seems to have found his niche of material with this sci-fi/comedy stuff, and he's hilarious on the commentary, and very insightful compared to a lot of other commentaries I've heard. The effects are great - Stan Winston is undoubtedly a master at big screen make up, and the cgi work wasn't overdone to the point where it bugged you, like a lot of films are getting to these days. I thought the pairing of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones was pretty inspired - I'm a big fan of Tommy and it was good to see him have some fun (or as much as he can) for a change. Vincent rocked as the bug, he's so over the top he's hilarious! And so gross!!! LOL Look, it's Hollywood, so you can never expect too much. Enjoy it for what it is, and it's a movie where you can laugh, go "oh man, gross!" on occasion, and then have a sing to a Will Smith song at the end.
Dreadful.
10 September 2008
Having enjoyed Mike Myers previous work (Waynes World and Saturday Night Live) my expectations of a 60s bond spoof were fairly high. It became plain after the first minute that this was an exercise in how to be as puerile and unfunny as possible. I swit ched off after ten minutes. I watched it the other day a second time to see whether I had been unfair the first time. I switched it off after ten minutes. I find it hard to believe how even a twelve year-old boy could find this funny. The dialogue is an e mbarrassment, Myers is painful to watch (as is Heather Graham) and the succession of characters including Fat Bastard makes matters even worse. Apart from the mildly amusing title and the psychedelic set design this is one of the worst films I have ever seen. I personally recommend you avoid this like the plague, though several friends of mine enjoyed it (maybe they were blindfolded at the time).º
Brotherhood of Blood
(2007)
Things aren't always what they seem
9 September 2008
Sometimes a movie really surprises you, really blows you away for some reason. I saw "Brotherhood of Blood" not really expecting anything interesting. Well, I was wrong. Instead I got to see an exciting movie featuring outstanding acting and a plot twist that caught me by surprise.
Typically movies of this kind rely upon blood, gore or left-field plot twists to get the job done. "Brotherhood of Blood" relies on an excellent script, good direction and wonderful acting from people who might not necessarily be household names. Look at this cast- Sid Haig, Kenn Foree, Victoria Pratt, Jason Connery. This is some serious acting talent to behold. They all are great, but in particular Victoria Pratt and Sid Haig deliver exceptional performances. There's a constant internal struggle for the hero, who does all she can to keep the difference between herself and the vampires, and the difference between what is right and what has to be done.
Typically movies of this kind rely upon blood, gore or left-field plot twists to get the job done. "Brotherhood of Blood" relies on an excellent script, good direction and wonderful acting from people who might not necessarily be household names. Look at this cast- Sid Haig, Kenn Foree, Victoria Pratt, Jason Connery. This is some serious acting talent to behold. They all are great, but in particular Victoria Pratt and Sid Haig deliver exceptional performances. There's a constant internal struggle for the hero, who does all she can to keep the difference between herself and the vampires, and the difference between what is right and what has to be done.
Mission: Impossible II
(2000)
Good action, but bad plot
4 September 2008
I knew going into this movie that it was going to be easy viewing, but I thought it would have more of a plot. Sure, the action scenes are great in that classic John Woo, ultra-choreographed way, but the plot isn't original or have much to it. Dougray Scott tries as the villain, but he's not scary at all, just sort of mildly irritable. After all, this is a villain who demands stock options as part of his bounty. (Truly, a sign of the times, and the audience laughed at that one.) Thandie Newton, who I had never seen before, is certainly beautiful, but she carries two expressions on her face through the entire movie, and resembles Ally McBeal in a tighter T-shirt. And then there's Tom. His character is more of a James Bond clone than the character is the original movie; I admire his guts and fearlessness for doing several scenes (especially the opening one), and the truth is, he's not bad. This just could have been much more. I did like Anthony Hopkins, though. He brings class to whatever he appears in.
MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
3 September 2008
The greatest fantasy epic of all times is at last a RiffTrax! No, not Crossroads - we already did that. And not A Very Unlucky Leprechaun - which we haven't done yet but are seriously mulling over. We speak of course of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the thrilling tale of some short guys, some slightly taller hairy guys, some thin, fey, but slightly taller guys, some grungy, somewhat beefier, slightly taller guys, and a frighteningly hairy, older, slightly taller guy with a stick, and their quest to throw something somewhere hot. Mike Nelson and special guest riffer Kevin Murphy go after the ultimate comedy prize in this very special two-part RiffTrax. This RiffTrax is only compatible with the Theatrical Release, not the extended edition. It does however, work for both the single side and doubled sided versions of the Theatrical Release. Viewing Suggestion: This RiffTrax was written and performed with the whole family in mind, so if you are comfortable with your children watching Lord of the Rings, this should be perfectly appropriate for them as well. Skip the endless reruns of The War at Home and treat your whole family to the RiffTrax experience!
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
(2002)
My Big Fat It's Not All That Wedding
31 August 2008
As the film starts, Toula (the heroine of the film) looks like Mrs Doubtfire's ugly sister but a brief night school computer course sees her transform from the proverbial ugly duckling into...ahem...well she never was going to be an oil painting. Still, a touch of lippy and mascara and a personality transplant to go with it and she gets the hunky but dull Ian to bend over backwards to accommodate her and her family. Yes, and pigs might fly! Why did I think I was watching the TV movie remake of "Moonstruck"? Exchange overbearing Italian family for overbearing Greek family and BOOM you got My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It's really not a bad film but gawd knows why it got so many plaudits.
Forrest Gump
(1994)
Through the Eyes of Forrest Gump
31 August 2008
Screen favorite Tom Hanks proves that even the most unlikely soul can change the world in the award-winning 1994 blockbuster "Forrest Gump". The movie chronicles the life of Forrest Gump (Hanks), a slow-witted but good-hearted Alabama man who has been present during significant historic events in the 20th century. In his life, Forrest Gump has been an All-American football star, a Vietnam War hero, a champion Ping-Pong player, a successful fishing tycoon and an inspiration for a whole generation. Directed by Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future), "Forrest Gump" is a remarkably uplifting smash hit that ranks as one of the best films of the 1990s. Tom Hanks delivers his most entertaining acting performance. "Forrest Gump" features an unforgettable story, great special effects and terrific performances by Robin Wright, Gary Sinise and Sally Field. The 142-minute blockbuster opened with overwhelming positive reviews, grossed over $650 million worldwide and earned six Academy Award wins including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. "Forrest Gump" Collector's Edition is an absolute must-have for any DVD collection. The 1994 blockbuster is presented is its theatrical 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The 2-Disc DVD contains an enjoyably well-defined video transfer and an excellent 5.1 Dolby digital sound. Its supplemental extras include two detailed audio commentaries by director Robert Zemeckis and crew, the 30-minute "Through the Eyes of Forrest Gump" documentary, behind-the-scenes and visual effects featurettes, trailers and picture gallery. Overall, "Forrest Gump" scores a winning "A".
The Sixth Sense
(1999)
Shyamalan
30 August 2008
I don't really want to talk a lot about this movie because I could spoil the effect. Instead, I'll talk about this filmmaker's first movie. THE SIXTH SENSE, also by M. Night Shyamalan. I first saw it in December 1999, on a 20-hour flight from Chicago to Hong Kong. My only flight out of the USA. The film really pulled me in, which I suspect is particularly difficult on an airplane. Then, the ending. Based on the article you just read, we can say that some viewers weren't surprised. Me, I was blown the heck away and wanted to see it again. Years later I finally did. I taught movie classes, this is a film I chose, and I saw it about a dozen times, fully aware of the ending. It had a bit more going for it than that. My only complaint is with people who think Bruce Willis was the star. The star is Haley Joel Osment! I may have missed out on "the surprise ending" because I was watching the kid instead of the shrink. Bruce Willis could probably star in a few more movies after he died and we'd never notice. But I digress. THE VILLAGE is about a pilgrim-style village. Some place quaint, rural, close knit and low tech. Nobody from the village goes into the surrounding woods lest they encounter Those We Do Not Speak Of. The acting was flawless and the scenery most certainly created a mood. Shyamalan is a masterful writer, director and producer. But I had trouble caring about what happened to his characters. That could've been my fault. Saturday morning at 8, Jan was working, and my goal for the day was to pack for our impending move but I was too drained to begin. The neighbor had loaned us this DVD back in February, so I figured watching it and returning it to him was a good start. (The same bad attitude that I brought to THE SIXTH SENSE, right? One of these days I'm going to watch a Shyamalan movie in the right frame of mind.) "The ending." How would you like to be a filmmaker judged solely on "the ending?" In the case of THE VILLAGE, it worked for me. I thought about this film for days after seeing it. Actually, I was trying to decide what to write in this review. How about this? "Shyamalan is a filmmaker of bold originality surviving in a commercialized medium." That's a good thing, no matter what your opinion of each individual film is. I believe some critics are panning him, but I'm not panning this one. I'm glad I saw it. I've missed a few films between THE SIXTH SENSE and THE VILLAGE, and there will be more after THE VILLAGE. I'll watch them all.
Masterpiece
24 August 2008
As everyone here can see, many of the comments about this movie is positive. The Writing was excellent and i can give it a 9/10 for just its writing. There are tricks and twists in this story. Hence, for those who have not vote, watch this movie again and concentrate with their actors and the script. I am sure that, you are going to enjoy this movie for the next round. I think there will be another movie coming out for this, hence i encourage everyone of you to watch it. Although not a classic piece of film-making, the movie was never intended to be such and did exactly what it intended to do - entertain. The make-up and costumes for the pirates were very well done and most of those same pirates were very well played. The town of Tortuga and the ships were also quite impressive. Geoffrey Rush was very good in his role as Barbossa, although perhaps he should have been more evil. Jack Davenport and Jonathan Pryce were very good in their roles as Commander Norrington and Governor Swann. However, as already mentioned a million times, Johnny Depp completely steals the show with his wacky performance as Captain Jack Sparrow. This character should have been pretty one-dimensional but instead he's larger than life. Sparrow is a very memorable character. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley had perhaps the two worst performances in this movie. Their characters were so flat that one truly doesn't care what happens to them. Looking handsome or pretty just doesn't cut it. Another complaint is the extended scenes involving fights with skeletons. Although the CGI pirates were impressive, the fight sequences near the end go on far too long. That said, the movie is still surprisingly good and very entertaining.
The Green Mile
(1999)
A rare gem
19 August 2008
Tom Hanks, in my opinion, gave the performance of his career by bringing emotion and depth to his part. The only actor that bettered him was Michael Clarke Duncan. How he made this giant like character into a vulnerable pussycat was a marvel. On whole, the cast came together and gave the best performance I have seen in a movie for a long time. Not one of them let the side down by being weak. David Morse who is more known for his supporting roles was also excellent and hopefully not long till he's carrying his own movie. The Green Mile isn't a movie about hope and friendship, as The Shawshank Redemption was, it is a movie about a miracle of a man, and the people he affects.
L.A. Confidential
(1997)
On of the best movies
14 August 2008
When you look back at it and see that Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey and Guy Pearce actually appeared in the same film back in 97 then you wouldn't have believed it since they have all gone on to better things but before that we had L.A. Confidential which was Crowe's and Pearce's ticket into Hollywood. Spacey had already made it with his Best Supporting Actor nod for The Usual Suspects but what puzzles me is how everybody apart from Kim Basinger didn't get any acting nominations at the Oscars. James Cromwell is the most chilled out villain you'll ever going to see in a film like this and has been criminally ignored by the Academy. Curtis Hanson was also someone who had made some good films but no masterpieces till this came along. They all must have sold their souls to make this because when you get big cast get together to make a Hollywood film then you become a bit intrigued by it because if the cast is big then is the story any good? In L.A. Confidential's case it had both and a lot more to say the least.
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