garage5inc Reviews

The Larry Sanders Show (1992–1998)

Ok, just watch it and see

[12 July 2003]

The first show to make fun of, and explain variety talk shows. Gary Shandling is the host, and has an array of producers and writers that work for him, just like in real life. This show goes where others do not. It is not affraid to offend. One of the fresh things about this show is that there are no added laughs generated by the editing, whereas other TV shows actually "tell" the viewer when and when not to laugh, even if the joke is not funny.

I have never seen any show like this, everything works, and you cannot go a full five minutes without laughing or being entertained. It is amazing how they got all the guest stars to come on the show just like real variety shows. Even though Larry Sanders is a satire, it is still funnier than Jay Leno and Kraig Kilborn.

The characters are one of a kind, and their dialogue is unedited. It makes you feel like you are watching real people deal with comical situations, nobody can resist this show. Jeffery Tambor and Gary Shandling are just genuinely funny people to watch for hours on end.

Gattaca (1997)

Where do I begin?

[10/10 · 20 April 2003]

Oh, where do I begin about this movie. This is one of the best science fiction films ever made, certainly one of the best movies ever made in the 90s. The storyline is fresh, witty, and sublime, those factors are very rare in Hollywood, especially now more than ever. I could honestly say this is a perfect film, I was clapping at the end, and when you do that, you know it's special.

The cast is great, Ethan Hawke is the lead character, you have to understand that he could be on the best actors we have if he got more good projects, Training Day was a good pick-me-up, I hope he continues making good movies. His character is sympathetic and dynamic in this movie. Jude Law is one of the best supporting actors ever, and he goes alongside Hawke perfectly. Also we have Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine in a very small role, but his conversations between him and Hawke represent a very important theme of the movie, hope and escape. Uma Thurman is a really great actress, she is good here. Finally we have Alan Arkin who is the detective, conducting a search inside Gattaca.

You will be amazed how this movie was shot, it has great camera work. The script is bulletproof, and the themes about life that this has to offer will stay in your mind for a long time. Thsi movie has so much to offer the viewer, and it appeals to a wide variety of people. Perfect 10/10 for this movie, go see it.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

One of the best of the 60s & 70s

[10/10 · 20 April 2003]

This is pretty much the ultimate action western movie I can think of. This movie has everything you could want, and it appeals to almost any type of viewer. Paul Newman, one of if not the best actor of our time is the lead along with Robert Redford, the two go together perfectly, I dare say this is one of the best combinations in Hollywood history.

Anyways the story takes place in the midwest, Newman and Redord run "The Hole in the Wall Gang" named after their hideout. They rob trains and take big scores, later the Pacific railroad gets together the best tracker and lawmen in the entire Western United States to track and kill Butch and Sundance. They must manage to evade their elite counterparts, the movie is 100 percent entertainment, especially during the chases. The movie is based on true events and is spectacular.

This movie won Best Score, Best Song (Raindrops) which was very good untraditional music in a western, it fit good in this movie, Best Cinematography, shot by Conrad L. Hall who also did Road To Perdition, arguably the best cinematography done to this very day, and Adapated Screenplay, all for the right reasons. George Roy Hill, Paul Newman, and Robert Redford all went on to create "The Sting" in 1973, which is possibly one of the best movies ever made. I praise this movie, 10/10

Slap Shot (1977)

Perfect comedy, excellent play on hockey

[10/10 · 18 April 2003]

This movie is a comedic masterpiece. By 1977 I'm sure a lot of people didn't know very much about hockey, and weren't interested, but an Academy Award winning director decided to bring a story to life. Casting Paul Newman as the lead actor in a sports comedy was a good idea, he is really fun to watch in every scene. The movie is outrageously funny, especially when the Hanson brothers show up, and the beginning of matches. I recommend this to everyone, nobody will be disappointed. One of the better comedy movies I've seen in a long time.

Chappelle's Show (2003–2006)

Possibly the funniest show ever

[12 April 2003]

Over twenty minutes of non stop laughs. The shows starts off with some parodies, followed by a few segments of jokes. Some are funnier than others, but you will always be laughing for the first ten minutes. Then it hits you, Chappelle makes the mid parts of his show kind of a finale, where he puts A grade low-brow humor in for a good five minutes or more. Each finale will have you rolling over laughing your ass off, seriously. Tyrone the crackhead and The Black White KKK leader have to be some of the funniest skits I've seen on TV in my life. This beats out shows like Everybody Loves Raymond and Family Guy, shows who used to be the top dogs in comedy. This show makes fun of everything network censors hate, mainly racists jokes, it is incredibly funny.

Raging Bull (1980)

Cast and crew deliver

[9/10 · 29 March 2003]

First of all this is a character drama, Robert DeNiro gives his best performance ever. Pesci and Moriarity fit perfectly into their roles as Jake's younger brother and Jake's wife. Without a doubt this is Scorsese's best directorial piece, everything fits perfectly. DeNiro's monologues are a piece of work, the domestic abuse scenes are extremely well done and give you a genuine scare because the way Scorsese does it is original. The fight scenes are better than Rocky and and other boxing movie, quiet scenes about the family quickly and violently erupt into the ring showing powerhouse punches and knockouts with cameras going off and blood and sweat being sprayed in every direction.

9/10, DeNiro arguably gives the best performance of the 80's. Joe Pesci goes with DeNiro was bread goes with butter, look for them together in Goodfellas and Casino, all three movies are Scorsese/DeNiro/Pesci masterpieces and they do not fail to amaze and entertain.

Terms of Endearment (1983)

Good to watch for many reasons

[9/10 · 1 March 2003]

This movie has phenomenal acting from four lead actors and actresses, a thing that is hard to find in almost any movie. Jack Nicholson is hilarious, he plays his role to perfection, expect his same old acting, but on a slightly higher scale, his Oscar was deserved. Jeff Daniel shines from start to finish, at the end his silence and staring says more than words ever could, great. Debra Winger is the main character, she is great at the beginning and holds her own the entire movie. Shirley MacLaine is probably the greatest character in this movie, she can be funny, serious, annoying, undesirable, desirable, and cruel.

This is a good movie to watch, it could inspire a few people on how to make movies, what you would have done differently and such, a lot to learn from this picture. Rent it, you will not be dissapointed. 9/10

Law & Order (1990– )

The ultimate trend starter in television

[30 January 2003]

Law and Order consists of two halves. The first half is the mission of the homocide detectives who get a case file, capture the accused, and hand them in for the state to prosecute. The second half are the prosecutors who want nothing less than a guilty verdict. Each show is filled with witty dialogue, action, and major suspense. The acting is superb, as of 2003 there are four main actors, two detectives and two prosecutors, who do a great job, and are completely professional.

Law and Order spawned SVU and CI which have not followed the usual spin-off crash course, they have actually sky rocketed in ratings, and are here to stay. It is safe to say this televison serious also spawned most to all the cop and law dramas on television.

This is a series worth keeping track of, despite it's late showing, which is 10 PM EST, it is still extremely popular, and my favorite.

Paris, Texas (1984)

Like watching the grass grow

[29 January 2003]

I rented this movie based on strong opinions from IMDb users, do not be fooled. This movie is boring as anything you will ever watch. It goes from a slow moving drama to just plain annoying. This film is way too over-hyped! It being the 1984 Cannes Film Festival Winner even though Amadeus and Killing Fields were released the same year, proves the French know little about movies (Except the 94' Race).

In short, don't watch this. I rent movies in pairs and also saw "The Ghost and The Darkness" which was a far more entertaining movie, so I suggest that for now.

The Remains of the Day (1993)

Butlery at it's finest!

[8/10 · 26 January 2003]

The Remains of The Day is a superb film. James Ivory's direction is great, and really stands out in the dinning room and outdoor scenes. When this movie was put out, Emma Thompson had just won her Best Actress a year before and Anthony Hopkins had won his Best Actor two years before, and they were both nominated again for this.

Hopkins discovers through interaction with outside parties that his employer is a nazi co-conspirator before the days of early World War II. He cares little about his master's affairs and just remains professional as the superb head butler. With little time for nobody, including himself, Hopkins' character realizes how he had let his life slip by, and the woman that tried to get to know him and be his friend, Emma Thompson.

This is a must see for anyone who is interested. The scenes can range from beautiful and sentimental to involvement in a thick plot. Great movie 8/10.

Adaptation. (2002)

Thought Process

[9/10 · 21 January 2003]

Charlie Kaufman is trying to adapt Susan Orlean's book "The Orchard Thief", which is a half-truth about her real life, into a movie. The only problem is that her book doesn't contain the whole story, especially after the ending, and there is little to no rising action or exciting things to write about, which makes it hard for Charlie. Charlie and his brother Donald at the end find out what was missing from the book, and both get more than they bargained for.

This movie comes from one of the greatest screenwriters of our day, Mr. Kaufman who did Being John Malkovich, this and that are amongst the most original stories of our day. The thought process that went into intertwining the stories is amazing. Everything wraps together at the end in a way nobody expected, and it's quite thrilling and eye catching too.

Spike Jonze's direction is pretty good, especially when he speeds up the action showing day and night go by in seconds, with a fitting background. Nicholas Cage is perfect as always, and pulls off being twins who are exact opposites, he has to change his attitude every time the lines change. Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper go together well and the final scenes are led by them.

9/10 Starts off slow but quickly picks up, Cage's scenes put a smile on my face as I watched. Cooper and Streep's relationship was interesting. Nice camera work, magnificent screenplay.

The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

Ups and downs

[4/10 · 12 January 2003]

The Serpent and The Rainbow has many ups and downs, but unfortunately the bad parts of the movie outnumber the good parts. The theme of this movie from the very beginning is being buried alive. The movie is boring up until Dr. Allen starts dodging the cult leader. Dr. Allen is ambushed in the streets right after his friend is killed, he has the secret potion blown in his face, and stumbles on the streets whispering "don't bury me, I'm not dead", truely creepy. The anticipation builds every second after that because of what the director has shown us what happens to those who have been given the potion, and we fear for Dr. Allen. The climax of this movie is the middle, which isn't a good thing at all, and that's when he is proclaimed dead by the doctors, and is sent to be buried in the graveyard, the same thing we've seen in the beginning of the story, but it hasn't touched a character we care about yet.

The first half is boring and useless, it could have been cut down. The dream sequences were stupid and numerous. The middle was great, but quickly ruined by an end that might appear in the cheesiest action flick you have ever seen with idiotic one-liners, voodoo, and people flying across the room without dying.

Most people will not like this, film buffs need to avoid, but the average horror fan should see this just for the shocking experience of being buried alive.

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Excellent

[9/10 · 12 January 2003]

Midnight Cowboy was a very well made movie, however I couldn't help but to feel at the end a little let down. The ending had little impact, and this is a bad thing because it was supose to be one of the most dramatic endings a movie can get.

Some people can easily relate to Ratso Rizzo or Joe Buck. Take the worst sickness you've ever caught, multiply it by five, and make it a chronic disorder with a crippled muscle or broken bone, and you've got Rizzo. Most people have slept in the freezing cold and been sick at least once, that's what he felt everyday. Joe Buck is the ambitious guy who shows up at a party, but doesn't know anybody, and has a hard time striking up something.

This movie was a good film about friendship at the lowest level of society, you can learn a great deal from this movie. It also reminds us of how hopeless life can get, and just when you think you're back on track, you get U-Turned right back where you don't want to be. 9/10

Cruel Intentions (1999)

Unexpected Excellence

[10/10 · 30 December 2002]

I recently viewed this movie expecting a "teeny-bopper" ticket seller that only would appeal to people who have little taste as far as cinema goes. I was pleasently suprised at this movie after I watched it. Ryan Phillipe and Sarah Michelle Gellar are perfect as two aristocratic youths in their twenties. The dialogue resembles that of "Reversal of Fortune", it is witty, sharp, smart, and entertaining. The two act as mature adults whose favorite thing in life is to play games with sexual acts on other people. Gellar makes a wager that if Phillipe has sex with the new headmaster's daughter before school starts she will have sex with him, even though they are step brother and sister, if he doesn't she gets his 65' Jaguar. It is quickly and sharply explained that there is more to the deal than what has been wagered, and things will not turn out as both of them intended. I went in with little to no expectations and came out clapping, a must see for anyone. 10/10

Philadelphia (1993)

Sad story with a deeper meaning, a must see.

[10/10 · 29 December 2002]

Philadelphia is one of the first original screenplays to show us the effects of AIDS on people's lives. It strikes them first with the fact that their life will be significantly cut short, it alienates them from people and can make them an outcast, it slowly eats away at the person's body, and tragically kills them.

Tom Hanks's Andrew Beckett is a lawyer who is gay, and contracted AIDS. His law firm, like most people at the early 90's are terribly afraid and phobic of AIDS and just want it out, they feel they have been diseased just because Andrew was around them, talked with him, and touched things. Tom Hanks convincingly plays the role, as he beat out Liam Neeson and Daniel Day-Lewis for the 93' Best Actor Oscar. As Andrew's condition gets worse threw the movie it just becomes more sad and pathetic. Denzel Washington has a great role as Andrew's lawyer.

Philadelphia is a very important movie to watch, heart-breaking story, real life characters, and looking at society's predjudice against people with AIDS. 10/10 without a doubt for this movie.

Ordinary People (1980)

One of the best of the 80's

[10/10 · 27 December 2002]

This movie has everything you want for a profound drama. Shirley McLaine and Timmothy Hutton are complete opposites in a family, with Donald Sutherland in between as the peacemaker who has an unsettled heart and mind. The family is still getting over the death of their oldest son, and many of the feelings they once had for each other disappeared after his death. Unable to communicate with each other Timmothy Hutton goes to see a doctor to talk about his problems and solve them. Shirley and Donald discover what their marriage is really based on. The entire movie is dramatic and very sad, but a real winner in the 80's. 10/10 for this modern masterpiece, it really makes you feel something when you watch it.

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

It's official

[24 December 2002]

I have been officially desensitized to all forms of cruelty, gore, death, and carnage that can be put on a video camera. This movie would make even Hannibal Lecter feel sick to his stomach. The movie seems completely real as it is being filmed, if it wasn't for the poor acting and they said this was actual footage, I might believe them. Cannibal Holocaust explores primal cruelty with scenes of rape, slayings, beating people to death, actual blood letting and mutilation of animals. By the way if you ever wanted to know what a turtle looks like without it's shell minus a head to boot, you should watch this. I was interested in seeing this, I was not let down. Good film for what it is, compelled me to write this review.

This movie is not for the faint of heart. I also believe one in the US would have a very difficult time finding this movie as it would have an X rating without a doubt. Downloading is the way I found it, not to be missed if you love horror movies or are interested in the subject.

Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

They are gone

[8/10 · 23 December 2002]

Leaving Las Vegas is a very surreal movie about two people who cannot and will not leave their lives that are killing them physically and mentally. Nicholas Cage is an alchoholic who decides to move to Vegas after he loses his job and his family, he sells all his possesions so he can have money to buy hard liqours. Elizabeth Shue is a prostitute who has been beaten in the past and keeps hooking despite the abuse from clients. The two meet each other kind of like in "Pretty Woman" where the man just wants to talk and wants to get to know the girl. This movie however is anything but a cheerful film where the two people come to terms at the end. Shue takes Cage in and lets him live at her house, he still drinks and she still hooks. Throughout the time Cage's character becomes physically dependant on the alchohol, whenever he stops his body produces violent tremmors where he is forced to drink more and more. Shue can't stop Cage from drinking, but she knows it will kill him very soon, so she accepts it, as he as accepted her for the person she is, without ridicule or question. The two finally show their love for each other completely in the last minutes of Cage's life. Very sad film to watch, but I recommend it.

Sling Blade (1996)

Some people call it a sling blade...

[9/10 · 13 December 2002]

Intrigued by Sling Blade's Oscar win for Best Adapted Screenplay over The English Patient, The Crucible, and Trainspotting, I rented this movie and watched it immediately. I viewed with high expectations and I was not let down. Billy Bob Thorton plays a mildly retarded man who is released from the mental hospital and is to start a new life in a small town near the hospital. Thorton plays Karl, who can fix machines very well, and is only slightly retarded as he has speech impediments and delayed thoughts. Karl befriends a little kid in town, through this relationship he meets the kid's mother and her abusive boyfriend. Karl leads a happy life until he realizes he has to protect his "new" family against the abusive boyfriend. Karl's past catches up with him, and he makes the same choice he did when he was young, for better or worse? Billy Bob Thorton's acting is perfect here, this is without a doubt his best performance. The family and towns people all fit into perfect roles, and the tale is truely entertaining and stunning. You won't be bored at any time during this movie, and you'll be begging for more. 9/10

Resident Evil (2002)

An insult to the game

[10 December 2002]

Being raised on Resident Evil the video game back in 1997 and playing all three games in the actual series, not the Gamecube or Dreamcast crap, I can full heartedly say this movie is an insult to the game. You have to first realize the game Resident Evil was probably one of the most popular games ever, and it still is. The game even started its own genre called "survival horror", nothing made to date except Silent Hill is as good as the original, I just had to bring this out in order for you to understand my review.

Why was this movie anticipated so much? Because people thought it would be based on their favorite video game, they were terribly wrong. Resident Evil is horribly cast, the acting is from a 'B' movie, none of the characters are interesting and none show any emotion or feelings. The script from the game was horribly twisted in that most of the material was new. The story is unsatisfying, it starts off bad and ends at the same place, it really doesn't go anywhere. The story begins in the famous mansion, which is only used for about five minutes where the girl wakes up. A special forces team crashes through the windows and takes her, and they go to the underground computer lab to retrive the virus. All the scientists have been turned into zombies, then about two or three of the SF team members escape. A horror movie is supose to scare you or give you a little jump or suprise here and then, Resident Evil does nothing.

The biggest shock factor in the movie is that it resembles the game in almost no way, after being excited for about five or so years (that's a long time) I had huge expectations and was let down. This movie deserves a 1/10 and should have been burned after it was taken off the reel. This isn't missable, this is despicable.

Clockers (1995)

Perfect movie

[10/10 · 10 December 2002]

Clockers refers to drug dealers who work around the clock on an organized schedule. The movie takes place in no other city than New York, Spike Lee's trademark as a director. Strike (Phiefer) is a clocker who works with his friends in the park selling high potency drugs to neighborhood people, under the command of Rodney, the drug dealer of the area. Rodney tells Strike if he wants to get off the benches he should kill a man named Daryl who is selling ounces and making lots of cash, Strike considers it, but he isn't a killer. That night Strike's brother Victor comes into the bar and is mentally upset and talks to Strike. A little later Daryl is killed by four gunshots, one in the leg, one in the head, one in the chest, and one caught between his teeth. Spike Lee shows off the gritty urban street crime life here perfectly. Harvey Keitel and John Turturro play homicide detectives who take the case, and the clockers are the main suspects.

Clockers is a surreal look at the drug buisness, friendship, descision making, and death in the city. This movie has a flawless cast, the clockers, the detectives, and Rodney and Harold the dealers are perfect. The script is great too, as it has suprises, good dialogue, action, and setting. The direction is almost perfect, especially the last scene with the train, Spike Lee is one of the most underrated directors ever. This movie is made to please, action lovers will find it interesting, and film buffs should find it fascinating! Keep an open mind from beginning to end and analyze ever scene with its content. Great movie 10/10

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Fear and Loathing in Real Estate

[7 December 2002]

Glengarry Glen Ross is a movie based on a play about real estate by David Mamit. The office where the men work is the unhappiest place on earth, not one minute passes by in the movie where the characters don't insult each other with vulgar language, and it's perfect! Jack Lemmon is a down on his luck real estate agent who will be fired unless he closes some houses within the next two weeks. Lemmon can't close though because he has nothing good to work with, he is at his end and is desperate for a sale. Al Pacino is the top seller at the agency, who knows how to work people. Ed Harris is another worker contemplating robbery to steal leads, which would help him sell houses and not lose his job. Kevin Spacey is the office manager and is always caught in the crossfire of the troubled workers. This is a great movie with superb casting. The movie is purely dialogue, so if you're a brainless action fan, you might not want to check it out.

The Untouchables (1987)

What do you think you guys are, untouchable?

[2 December 2002]

The Untoucables is a masterpiece of the 80's. Kevin Coster, Charles Martin Smith, Sean Connery, and Andy Garcia make up "The Untouchables", a group of good cops who could not be swayed by bribes or threats. The Untouchables' main goal was to take down crime kingpin Al Capone (Robert De Niro) who was trafficking booze into Chicago, which was illegal at the time of prohabition.

Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) is just assigned as the head of investigation in the Chicago police force, sent by The State Department. The whole movie is a rivalry between Capone and Ness as they both try to outwit and outgun each other, threw a series of action-packed and exciting adventures. Malone (Sean Connery) is an old Irish cop who wants to help Ness, and he does, by telling him exactly how to get to Capone and beat him, with his insider information. Charles Martiin Smith is the brains of the group, who can bring down Capone by using IRS laws against him. Andy Garcia is the marksman of the group, and he is recruited last, while they are looking for the best shooter in the Chicago P.D. trainee department. The Untouchables are kind of like the internal affairs group, they can't trust any of their fellow cops, and they go at it alone. Great movie, underrated for what it is, should have been given Best Picture for 1987. This is a crime epic for the ages.

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Please, let me die.

[1/10 · 1 December 2002]

How could anyone like this movie? As for myself and thousand of other movie goers, I don't really like seeing a movie where I am in total dismay and confusion from start to finish. Mulholland Drive makes no sense, presenting itself with scene after scene of new characters and settings which have no introduction whatsoever.

Mulholland Drive starts out with a young woman being held at gun point inside a limo, the limo crashes on a hill near L.A. The woman gets out and it is shown she has a headache, when she can't remember anything the audience finally understand she has amnesia. This scene is soon followed by a diner scene with Robert Forester which makes absolutely no sense where he is talking to his partner about every day things and suddenly says "I can see through it, there's a man behind the dumpster." So Forester and his partner go out, he has a flash of a monster once they get behind the dumpster, then they walk away. The next scene takes us to one of those executive rooms with the long tables, multiple seats, and dozens of ashtrays. A man in a chair who doesn't talk is being talked to by a movie producer of some sort, the scene ends and nothing is explained.

The movie goes on and on like this. I wouldn't recommend this for the average viewer or for movie buffs. Only hardcore, and believe me when I say hardcore, David Lynch fans might enjoy this. For the most part you'll have the sudden urge to turn your VCR/DVD player off or shoot yourself in the head, one or the other.

The Fisher King (1991)

Woe to those who praise this movie.

[29 November 2002]

I mainly rented the Fisher King because I just saw Insomnia and wanted to see some of Robin Williams earlier movies, I was very intrigued when I saw he was nominated for Best Actor for "The Fisher King", it also had some good reviews and Oscar and GG nominations, so I took it up on the hype. The Fisher King is a pointless story, it starts with Jeff Bridges as a shock radio DJ who is basically a recreation of Howard Stern, so much so it isn't even funny. Bridges tells a caller to deal with a situation in a lucrative manner, the man kills some people in a resturant, one of those people is William's wife, but that isn't told to us until the near end of the story. Anyways Bridges finds Parry (Robin Williams), or rather Parry finds Bridges when Bridges has stumbled into a junkyard, drunk , maybe twenty miles away from his house, and his life is threatened by junkyard punks, Williams stands up and acts crazy, and I guess that is enough to scare them off. Parry takes Bridges to his basement where he lives until he wakes up, Bridges thanks Parry, and soon comes back to see him, thus the dragging story begins. Bridges "realizes" he needs to save Parry for some reason, before he can revive his career and life. Parry is mentally unstable because of the loss of his wife, but even that loss probably wouldn't cause a man to lose his mind completely and decide to live in a dump wearing a trash can lid as a helment. Anyways Parry has been noticing a girl at an office (Amanda Plummer), he wants to date her, so Bridges helps get Plummer with the help of his girlfriend (Mercedes Rhuel), they get Parry together with her, Rhuel and Bridges get back together after tough times. The main point of the story is that you can't fix yourself until you fix your mistakes. There is a side story about Parry finding the Holy Grail which is totally misleading and absolutely unnecessary.

One expects Terry Gilliam movies to be very strange and funny. I think old Gilliam got a little greedy after his hit Brazil in 1985, he took a horrible script and directed this, hoping to make a bigger name for himself. Thank God he recovered with 12 Monkeys in 1995 which was a great movie. You can pass this one, seriously. None of the Academy nominations were deserved, Rhuel's win over Juliette Lewis was a complete crock, Lewis lost souly because of her age.