emrelanur Reviews

The Panic in Needle Park (1971)

realistic

[8/10 · 30 January 2008]

When i watched Panic In the Needle Park, i only thought of one thing.

This movie is merely a manifestation of the lives of drug addicts.

It seems as though heroin addicts' lives were closely 'studied' and just a portion of it was extracted and then filmed.

Therefore it was the most realistic movie i've seen, and a change in pace for me to see a 'drug story' from a more real and non glamorous perspective.

It can be disturbing at times and there is no real climax but to me that's particularly where the beauty in this movie lies.

I thoroughly enjoyed it.Excellent first performance.

The Departed (2006)

Original.

[8/10 · 25 September 2007]

The Departed has some good actors and even better acting. In my opinion, that was the movies soul strength considering it was at least 20 minutes too long and some scenes could have definitely been edited.

Otherwise it's not your average blow everything up movie, but still very intense. And it doesn't go overboard with the dialogue. With the exception of some parts, it was evened out nicely. I won't give it away but the ending in particular stood out most for me because it wasn't happy or sad. It was just an ending. A very original movie by Scorsese. Intriguing and unpredictable. just when i thought Hollywood lost its 'mojo', along came 'The Departed'. 8/10.

Forrest Gump (1994)

That's one special man...

[10/10 · 24 September 2007]

I think that the best movies are those that you 'appreciate' or understand after seeing it more than once. However, with 'forrest gump', i fell in love with it after the first 15 minutes and knew it would be in my top 10 straight away.

It is so unique because of the character Forrest Gump himself, who has a low IQ of only 75. Although he is 'mentally challenged', he finds himself in historic and troublesome situations and like that he manages to 'forrest gump' his way out of it and end up a hero or role model. but the real beauty in this movie to me was his ability to simplify the complexities of the world we live in and somehow do what some war movies fail to do. show the importance of world peace or what love movies can't deliver...the importance of love.

I love that Forrest doesn't lose his innocence and purity throughout the movie, or maybe he just can't but either way, this shows you don't need to be evil or really intelligent to be recognised or successful. Then again it is just a movie (and a very good one too). So maybe it doesn't work like that in reality. what that simply means is that the acting and story of this film was incredibly touching on a real level. And in my definition that's what a good movie should be able to do.

Every award the movie received was well deserved especially Tom Hanks. Now that's an actor for ya. I love this movie and don't hesitate to give it a 10.

Vizontele (2001)

The funniest movie i've seen

[10/10 · 24 September 2007]

I suppose the humour in this movie would be a little difficult to 'appreciate' if you don't come from a Turkish or Mediterranean background. The movie is set in a town in Turkey that is so delayed in modern lifestyle and technology - in the 70's - that they call television 'visiontele' (vizontele). As most ethnic people can somehow relate to these peoples lives, it is a reminder of where they've come from and how they were brought up and therefore simply hilarious. As for those unfamiliar with a Turkish upbringing, the towns naiivity as a whole is worthwhile seeing.

I found this movie particularly funny because it has a lot of dry and implicit humour which i'm not sure if it would be the same by reading subtitles. Nonetheless it is definitely worth seeing and even after i've seen it 20 times it never fails to make me laugh. Turks came up with one good movie and i think they'll spend the rest of their lives trying to make a better one. vizontele is comedy at its best. 10/10.

Titanic (1997)

what 7.1?

[9/10 · 17 September 2007]

OK, i don't know what everyone else was thinking while voting, but i'd sure like to voice my opinion...loudly.

1. i'm very disappointed with the limited recognition this beautiful movie has on IMDb. i would expect more from movie lovers.

2. it's very hard to find a movie that all ages can enjoy with comedy, tragedy, truth and love. which Titanic clearly delivers.

3. acting was outstanding, not to mention the unforgettable music and effects.

Titanic, in my opinion, is a milestone in leo's and kate's careers. Many of the scenes in the movie stay with you after you've watched it. Not just the tragedy or romance, but the vast gap presented amongst the 'rich' and 'poor', who are treated in proportion with their money. I absolutely love this movie.

Runaway Jury (2003)

Hard to summarise with just one word.

[7/10 · 25 August 2007]

With an original story and some big actors Runaway Jury was one of those movies you like but not. It was interesting to see what goes on behind these court cases. whether they're true or not i wouldn't know, but it was engrossing and well acted.

Most of the movie takes place in a court room but still in that small set they manage to make many scenes unexpected. This non cliché movie does have some interesting twists in it and they pull some smart 'morgan Freeman' moves, keeping you engaged in the movie.

It might not be something you'll watch over again but it should definitely be something you watch once.

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Starts off slow but picks up later on.

[7/10 · 25 August 2007]

Glengarry Glen Ross is a movie with all dialogue and No action. So if you're expecting another die hard or scarface, you will be disappointed. But if you like to watch a movies with mostly dialogue and some humour along the way, this might tickle your fancy.

Since i don't work in the business field, or work at all, i was unsure of what the people in this business were trying to sell and why they were competing against each other. But i'm sure everyone else will. :) None the less, this all male cast movie was okay and i think the director did himself good by casting Al Pacino, because the first 20-30 mins of the movie wasn't so engaging and that's probably due to Al Pacino's absence, who comes into the movie around half an hour later.

The non draining length, big actors and some memorable quotes, make this movie worth seeing once. 7/10.

Bring It On (2000)

Something you can watch over and over...

[9/10 · 8 August 2007]

Bring it on is a very fun, loud and vibrant teen movie. It doesn't just rotate around a fling between a boy and a girl. It is kind of predictable but it's a teen movie...how original can it be?

I think that movies like Bring it on can be more enjoyable if they're not treated too seriously. At the end of the day it's not meant to teach an important lesson. It's for entertainment - which it does not fail to do. The one thing in this movie that's original is the dance routines. They look so fun and hype you up. It's not slow, boring or over clichéd. It's actually a very good movie and enjoyable to watch over and over again.

It is a story about two cheerleading groups both challenging each other and many other groups to win the national cheerleading championship. When Torrance's squad comes across many unexpected incidents we see characters getting more ambitious and fierce making the movie more interesting to watch. It was good to see a teen movie with a slightly different plot.

About a Boy (2002)

About a boy.

[8/10 · 8 August 2007]

Finally it's a movie about a boy and not a girl. Yes...the title of the movie is really straight forward. It was interesting to see the perspective of a man/boy throughout the movie. Especially one that is as dry but funny as Hugh Grant's character Will.

Since Will is commentating in the background of the movie most of the time, his thoughts and insight toward something is clearly stated. I'm not sure what it is but Hugh Grant has a very different humour that most people don't find funny but i seem to laugh at for hours even after the movie.

About a boy doesn't actually have a really interesting or suspenseful outline. I think it's a matter of liking the characters and appreciating their humour. If you like Hugh Grant, and want to see something kind of different, you won't be disappointed with About a Boy. 8.5/10

Road to Perdition (2002)

Gotta love Tom Hanks.

[8/10 · 8 August 2007]

Honestly i only watched this movie because of Tom Hanks. He is among one of the greatest and my favourite actors.

The originality of the plot was impressing. It was particularly interesting to see how Tom hanks' son was very cold blooded when he saw his dead mother and brother. Also i liked the fact that this movie had a whole different dimension to it with the character that Jude Law plays. Very different and interesting.

However i do feel that the movie had a little more potential than it delivered considering that it had great actors and original story line. It's got a lot of dialogue and not so much action, but despite all of that, i enjoyed the movie and i think that it's definitely worth watching. It's perfect lengthwise and the twist at the end is unexpected and touching.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Fantastic...

[9/10 · 8 August 2007]

The Shawshank Redemption has you hooked from the very first scene. Although Andy's innocence was obvious from the beginning, you just think how he's going to get out of it.

For me, the power and depth in this movie was it's ability to make prison life and friendships look better than that on the outside. Also when they were finally released they were so hesitant to live on the outside and wanted to go back in. I'm not sure why this affected me so much but i think it's just the fact that one mistake forced these people to live in a certain way where they don't want so much freedom and they're used to being workers with no rewards. They just couldn't adapt to the outside world. As if it were a different planet or something.

Although the men are supposed to be 'cold hearted killers', they seem so nice and are so easy to sympathise with. I know it sounds lame to feel sorry for a killer or thief but i think that the amazing story and acting, had me hoping that all of the prisoners were innocent... except for some obviously. Not to mention the guards were so mean and rude i just wished they would all get punished and tortured at the end of the movie.

If someone can feel that passionate and involved in a movie the first time they've seen it...i think it's a sign that if the person reading this still hasn't...they should. The Shawshank Redemption most definitely deserves its spot on the IMDb top #250.

Ocean's Thirteen (2007)

Not as good as 11...Much better than 12.

[8/10 · 8 August 2007]

Normally the sequel to a movie is a let down. Especially if the first part was really good. I think that's what's happened with Ocean's 12 for many but l hope this doesn't mean that they won't be watching '13'.

I was happy to see all of the same characters and actors together again because that is one big cool cast. Not to mention Al Pacino...icing on the cake.Who could resist?

For those who are in doubt about Ocean's 13, i hope you're not affected by some bad reviews because history doesn't repeat itself with this one. It's got an interesting story and some fabulous actors and acting. Don't miss out.

The Godfather (1972)

A Must See...if you still haven't.

[10/10 · 6 August 2007]

Filmed over 30 years ago, i believe that The Godfather to this day, is simply the best movie ever made. To be honest, i think that before they make another movie this good, particularly in this genre, we will be watching it with our children's children...if we're lucky.

I had to watch The Godfather more than once to realise that this movie is actually more about family than the mafia or the underworld. Most of the vengeance and deaths in this movie are not caused by money or greed. They are for family. I must say i haven't seen a movie before that gives this much importance to family. Particularly Al Pacino's character - Michael does an unbelievable turn around when it comes to his family. It's just incredible. At first reluctant to get involved with the family business, Michael soon becomes more ambitious and tougher than everyone else, again only for his family.

The fact that this movie is non cliché makes it more enjoyable to watch. It's not predictable in a sense where the good guy wins and bad guy loses eventually. It's so much more realistic than that. I have nothing bad to say about the length, editing and definitely about the cast. Al Pacino especially just continues to surprise me with how good he portrays his character. He is no doubt the best actor in Hollywood.

Some people may find The Godfather very slow, dark and depressing. It's not the loudest and most 'vibrant' movie, but that's kind of the whole point. I believe those people should then stop watching movies from this genre, because if you did not like this one...you won't like any. No words and reviews can do this movie justice and i believe that unlike some over rated, inflated movies The Godfather actually deserves its big reputation of being a masterpiece and one of the best movies ever made. without a doubt...10/10

The O.C. (2003–2007)

I love it!

[10/10 · 20 July 2007]

Honestly i never watched The O.C until the last episodes of season 3. My friend begged me to start and i'm so grateful that she did. I started back from season 1 and could not stop. There is always something going on with someone, in Newport (the set). The characters and their amazing sense of fashion (towards the end especially) is enough to keep you stuck to your seat. The out-going and fun cast adds life to the series. The twists and secrets they all have keep the suspense going non stop. only the first episode is enough to make someone an O.C fan. you will not be disappointed with what this show has to offer, especially if liked melrose place or 90210 type of shows.

The Notebook (2004)

The best love movie i've seen

[9/10 · 20 July 2007]

Although they're fun to watch, most love movies are predictable after seeing the first five minutes. The Notebook, however; keeps you glued to the t.v and guessing. Rachel Mcadams' character is a more sweet and disciplined rich girl who she plays beautifully. Ryan Gosiling also brings out the best in his character and together they make the perfect couple. I'm not much of a romantic, but the scenes of them together are really not easy to put into words. All i can say is that, if you're a love movie person, it's the movie for you. And if you're not, it's still the movie for you, to make you realise not all love movies are the same.

Scarface (1983)

Very entertaining

[9/10 · 20 July 2007]

Al Pacino portrays his character Tony Montana brilliantly. His unbelievable Cuban accent had me thinking he was not actually an American. He really knows how to bring a character to life, and a character this big is worth seeing. Scarface is not a movie that is non stop shooting or 'all talk no action'. It is evenly spread out, and that's what makes the movie perfect. The fact that it is not focused entirely on the lives of those in drug trafficking, but also what their loved ones go through almost gives viewers an insight into the paranoia and danger these fearless people go through everyday of their lives and proves all the money and power can't always bring all the happiness and security.

The Green Mile (1999)

Very Moving.

[10/10 · 18 July 2007]

Tom Hanks' ability to make a movie so interesting has always been a mystery to me. I don't know how he does it but he's done it again. When i first heard that it was kind of a fantasy movie i was doubting it a little but now all i can say is that it i've seen this movie 8 years too late and i can't let anyone else repeat my biggest mistake. The green mile pretty much refers to the 'last' mile these prisoners will walk before execution and although set in a prison, there is unbelievably touching scenes filled with compassion and love that you can't find in a love movie. Michael Duncan portrays his character brilliantly and had me crying in every scene that he was in. Every movie has their good guys and bad guys, and even though i hated the bad guys during the movie, i must admit it's them who helped magnify emotions, truth and some of the many meanings of this movie.

Blades of Glory (2007)

I laughed out so loud throughout the whole movie!

[8/10 · 18 July 2007]

blades of glory had me laughing for nearly the whole of the movie-loudly. i loved the idea of two really different characters come together as one through their one and only similarity...ice skating. i found Jon heder weirdly funny in napoleon dynamite but he's proved himself a comedian in this film. i must admit, will Ferrel has always been 'that guy that plays funny roles' for me but i wouldn't remember his name after that. but i think now not only will i remember his name but i'll definitely be seeing more of his films. i think that heder and Ferrel make a good couple for a fine recipe of non stop laughter with their 'childish' but 'serious' dialogue and a very 'jackass' attitude where they're not afraid of daring stunts that is humorous for viewers. definitely worth watching.