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T-MACK
Reviews
Wu-Tang Clan: Disciples of the 36 Chambers, Chapter 2 (2004)
A Celebration of the Wu-Tang Swords
Any fan of the Wu will get a kick out of the concert footage, and then kick themselves for not going to the real thing. Though some of the songs are belated, the treat here is watching all nine members perform together, in some cases for the first time since the tracks were originally recorded. And these emcee masters do it flawlessly. Plus, it's probably the last time we'll get to see ODB jam it out.
With a new album from the Wu most likely years from seeing the light, this easily feeds a fans hunger, and with all the energy from the crowd and the enthusiasm of the nine members, it becomes hard not to "sing-along."
Unbreakable (2000)
Unwatchable you say? You must be unintelligent
A great film, where evry scene is layered and has a subtext. Bruce Willis is fantastic as David Dunn, a man immune to every form of health injury. His archnemesis (as it would seem), Elijah Price, played note-perfect as Samuel L Jackson, is prone to every form of injury as he tries to figure out his place in the universe.
A lot has been said about this film, and I love it. It gets better on each viewing, ad M. Night got the short end of the stick here, because this is easily his smartest film, and th one that deserves better.
Shyamalan is a brilliant, young director and I really hope he can continue this story.
And that scene in the train station, where David discovers his powers, is truly on of the greatest scenes in film history. Watchable and watchable.
PLUS THE MUSIC RULES IN THIS FILM!
Lost Over Burma: Search for Closure (1997)
A sad, touching documentary focusing on some boys from Canada
This film. or rather, documentary, really captures what some prairie dogs from Canada went through as they experienced their first moments of action overseas alone, in fear, and together with their buddies.
Many films have touched on the stories of men at war, but very few have featured soldiers from the Canadian army, and for Canadians (such as myself), it means a lot that such a 'genre' focuses on such a small, but very significant part of World War II.
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Box Office does not equal greatness in this case
The Count of Monte Cristo is such an under-rated gem. Great performances, exciting story, and a fun wit, this film has everything that was terrific in Dumas' original novel and then twists it all up to adapt perfectly to the screen but doesn't stray to far.
But is perfectly to strong a word? Of course not. Monte Cristo boasts the talent of both Guy Pearce and Jim Caviezal as former friends who have turned against each other in the epic-set Napoleanic French era. As Caviezal grows more throughout the film, Pearce becomes more and more a monster basking in his own greed.
The late Richard Harris is very bold in one of his final performances and Luis Guzman is perfect as Monte Cristos right-hand man.
See this film and reccomend it. It truly deserves better than what audiences gave it last year.
Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993)
Funniest Damn Thing on Television
Conan has it all. He is one of the few talk-show hosts who is able to make the audience constantly laugh even when a joke bombs. He isn't afraid to be silly or ironic, and is pitch-perfect on the jokes, which often take hard stabs at pop culture.
"R. Kelly is being charged with with having sex with a 13 year-old girl. When Michael Jackson heard this he said, 'A girl? That's disgusting.'"
The regular cast of characters on the show are hilarious as well. There's Joel The Announcer with his Asian Male Prostitutes, The Masturbating Bear, Preparation H Man, and of course, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog.
Triumph talking to a pregnant mother at a Star Wars convention: "Oh...you're pregnant. (pointing at the baby) That's the last time he'll see female genatalia."
And Conan is easy and fun with his guests. He has a good time with them and they usually stay the whole way through. Plus, Conan doesn't need a que-card when reading off the latest movie the guests are trying to plug.
Late Night With Conan O'Brien is the funniest damn thing on television.
The Abyss (1989)
Grand Fimlmaking in an Epic Scenerio
Out of all of James Camerons's films (Piranaha II withstanding), The Abyss has to be the least appreciated but the most well made. There you have it. The Abyss is in my opinion better than the Terminators and Titanics of the world. Why? Because The Abyss defies convention. When crafting an under-sea adventure, Cameron doesn't go all out with visuals and grand vistas. He keeps it human, and that is a brilliant move.
The film's scenes take place mostly inside the DeepCore rig, allowing interaction and teamwork, as well as heavy intervention and conflict within themselves. But when we travel outside, into the murky depths, we are bombarded with claustrophobia and lonliness.
The Special Edition DVD (which is fantastic), adds 28 minutes of restored footage that adds character development and the theme of self-destruction. Good move. Michael Biehn plays Coffee, an Army Captain who when loses contact with his superior chooses to go a differnt route than that of the crew, and in the sea (where nobody can here you scream) loses his mind. Self-destuction. When Ed Harris (who is phenomenal) makes contact with the NTI's, he is shown that mankind has the chance to stop the hate, stop the violence, to save their species before they consume everything in their path, like Biehn.
It saddens me that such a truly epic film becomes lost in the hoopla of The Terminators and Aliens and the money-machine that is Titanic. The Abyss is terrific, terrifying, and touching. And it's about time it got some respect.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
QT's classic film of contemporary culture
I mean, that's what pulp fiction is, isn't it?
Anyway, Pulp Fiction is one of those few films that hit big and then are remembered long after. Usually, it take time for a film to get noticed and then become a classic (Citizen Cane) but some hit big and stay big (Star Wars), generally increasing in popularity as time flies by. If Pulp Fiction is the Star Wars of the '90s, then I pity the kid who buy's the Vega trigger-happy.
In fact, from how the media plays this film out, (EW) Pulp Fiction must be the defining film of the '90s. The people who bought tickets to this film were the children of the drug swinging hippies of the '60s, and those trippy parents bought tickets because well, they ain't getting any younger. The moment this film landed in Cannes, it was an instant sensation, and well, it propelled director Tarantino to heights and hype as a director not seen since another directors second flop.
Pulp Fiction is a classic and if it is to be remembered as the defining film of the decade or the truth that QT is the real deal, then that certainly is the real pulp fiction.