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Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Not a scary evil vampire movie... but a good Gothic horror romance
In 1897, newly-qualified solicitor Jonathan Harker takes the Transylvanian Count Dracula as a client from his colleague R. M. Renfield, who has gone insane. Jonathan travels to Transylvania to arrange Dracula's real estate acquisition in London, including Carfax Abbey. Jonathan meets Dracula, who discovers a picture of Harker's fiancée, Mina, and believes that she is the reincarnation of Elisabeta, his long lost love. Dracula leaves Jonathan to be seduced by his brides and sails to England with boxes of his native soil, taking up residence at Carfax Abbey. In London, Dracula appearing young and handsome during daylight, meets and charms Mina. When Mina receives word from Jonathan, who has escaped the castle and recovered at a convent, she travels to Romania to marry him. In his fury, Dracula transforms Lucy, her best friend, into a vampire. The men: Van Helsing, Holmwood, Seward and Morris kill Lucy. After Jonathan and Mina return to London, Jonathan and Van Helsing lead the others to Carfax Abbey, where they destroy the Count's boxes of soil. Dracula confesses that he murdered Lucy and has been terrorizing Mina's friends, but a confused and angry Mina admits that she still loves him and remembers her previous life as Elisabeta. At her insistence, Dracula begins transforming her into a vampire. The men are now determined to save her before her transformation is complete by killing Dracula.
What makes this film so special compared to other Dracula movies? I think it was Gary Oldman's performance; he made a very memorable Dracula. Ranging from creepy and disturbing to romantic and charming. I think a lot of people connected with the love story, even if it was over romanticized. The settings of this great story is late 19th century Europe (England and Karpathia). Karpathia is not well known to man, the wild side of Europe. All this bears with it the mysticism of this story and the epic and tragic background. rich colors in the scenery and costumes really bring the goth out of the film. Meanwhile Coppola works well with shadows and images in the backgrounds to make the film have the feel of an old silent movie version (eyes in the storm) but with modern standards. It's not really scary, but I didn't need it to be
As Van Helsing, Anthony Hopkins puts his personal stamp on a well known character as well. His portrayal of the famous professor is zealous and lively, and touched with an eccentricity that makes him an interesting and welcome presence in the film. Winona Ryder, too, gives a believable performance as Mina, a somewhat emotionally challenging role she addresses with the restraint demanded of her by the character. With her dark, winsome looks and natural intensity she is perfect for the part, and displays a femininity that contrasts well with the overt sexuality of Dracula's three 'brides.' And Tom Waits gives a memorable performance as the mad, insect-eater, Renfield, as does Sadie Frost, as Lucy, Mina's young and nubile best friend who unwittingly falls prey to Dracula's dark powers. The single member of the cast who seems to struggle a bit with characterization is Keanu Reeves, as Jonathan Harker; he gives a passable performance, but fails to ever get a firm grasp of the character. Still, he has an engaging presence and, though lacking depth, his portrayal is at least credible enough to maintain the continuity of the film.
Bram Stoker's Dracula is one of my favorite movies of all time, and the movie is a grand experience in movie making. Everyone should go out and rent it, but don't expect to see a horror movie about an evil vampire, but a tragic love story about a cursed prince and his reincarnated princess falling in love during a very dark and horrifying time.
The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
if you like gory slasher...
Ethel Carter (Kathleen Quinlan) and her husband, Bob Carter (Ted Levine) are traveling from Cleveland, Ohio to San Diego, California. Along with them is their daughter Brenda (Emilie de Ravin), son Bobby (Dan Byrd), eldest daughter Lynn (Vinessa Shaw), her husband Doug Bukowski (Aaron Stanford), their baby Catherine (Maisie Camilleri Preziosi), and the German Shepherds, Beauty and Beast. After there tire goes flat they go back to the last gas station. Beauty runs into the hills and Bobby chases after her, eventually finding her dead body. He runs, slips and falls, knocking himself out. When Bobby awakes, he returns and does not tell his family of Beauty. As the family tries to sleep, mutants sneak in and disrupt the family. Lizard points the gun at Lynn's head, shooting her and killing her. The gun is out of bullets before Lizard can shoot Brenda, and he and Pluto flee with Catherine. Doug goes off in pursuit of their attackers. He finds an abandoned nuclear testing village and enters the house where Catherine is kept. He is knocked unconscious. At the trailer, Ethel's body is dragged into the hills. Jupiter pursues Bobby to the trailer, where Brenda releases gas from the propane tanks. Bobby binds Papa Jupiter's hand to the window and he and Brenda escape.
The blood flows freely as a woman's organs are consumed in front of her son, a man is burned alive, fingers are chopped off and pickaxes plunge into skulls. This use of excessive gore adds nothing to the films, in fact it distracts from it. By having so much violence, so much ridiculously elaborate gore, the film creates a bloody other world for the film to exist in. The viewers are not part of this world, so they cannot be frightened by it. A lot of the angles created suspense and a little mystery. The scenery was a desert nothing special. The timing of traveling on foot didn't match right.
I give applause to the makeup artist they looked great.
Every single one of the characters was completely ignorant to everything going on around them, and made just plain stupid decisions. If you are stranded in the middle of the desert, and your dog runs off, do you chase after it for more than a mile off of the main road, when you know there are dangerous animals around? the Brother in law who has no peripheral vision and runs past his sister in law being raped right across the room from him, and can't tell when a burning man is crispy enough that it doesn't matter anymore and he needs to give up and help the family.
If you like horror films, you are going to like this one, because it was made for the horror fan. Be prepared to see a lot of blood, gore, and guts. This is a remake that is actually better than the 1977 original. You will applaud for the actions of a German shepherd named Beast, and even the tech geek Doug (Aaron Stanford) when he takes on the mutants. There are several scenes that will make you jump out of your seat.
Blue Valentine (2010)
Soo Sad...
Dean is a young high school dropout, working for a New York City moving company. Cindy is a pre-med student living with her unhappy parents and caring for her grandmother in Pennsylvania. Cindy and Dean meet by chance and rush into marriage after discovering that Cindy is pregnant, possibly from her previous boyfriend Bobby (Mike Vogel). Dean agrees to raise Cindy's daughter, Frankie, as his own. Five years later... Dean is content with their life, Cindy believes he drinks too much and lacks ambition. In the hope of resurrecting their troubled relationship, Dean brings Cindy to a motel. That morning she's called into work, Dean shows up at the clinic drunk, leading to an intense argument and violent altercation with a doctor, who fires Cindy over the incident. Dean tries to persuade her to give the relationship another chance, asking if she wants their daughter to grow up in a broken home, but Cindy says she does not want Frankie to grow up with parents who are so hateful to each other.
The story is a familiar one because it's the most common source of drama in life and art but avoids cliché and instead handles the subject with uncommon insight and grace. The lack of context scene-to-scene keeps the audience engaged and on their feet, filling in the intentional holes. The camera work and art direction are exceptionally effective. Set primarily around Independence Day, we see flags, fireworks, and all realm of red, white, and blue. This motif is subtly conveyed with the lighting and costumes throughout the film and continues throughout the credits. Fireworks serve as a last reminder of the explosive power and fractured remnants of a brief illumination. The future room is such an irony: the lack of windows in the room signifies the suffocation and metallic coldness of their relationship. Even the name of future room sarcastically predicts the stale future of their marriage
Ryan Gosling's performance is one with a true everyman quality while allowing for an, interesting character. Michelle Williams does the same you almost forget its Michelle Williams. It was a Real relationship with giggling filling many of the lines, and realistic, uncomfortable arguments taking place that give the characters sure personality. Blue Valentine has the guts to face the facts of life, to go where most of us don't want to go, where most of us don't want to face, which is reality. Blue Valentine goes there and makes an exceptional, artistic film on reality, and we all need a dose of reality sometimes.
I really felt for Dean, like most viewers did. His ability to adapt to unexpected situation, and even more, to embrace it, was mind-blowing. Despite the fact he didn't finish even high school, he knew how to find joy in life, unlike his wife. Maybe the most outstanding remark was the one where he explained the difference between man and woman finding their lifetime partners. He was fighting to very last breath, so many refusals and he wasn't defeated. Even Dean's alcoholic moment at the end, I don't find his future life. It was just crisis, maybe his final acceptance of falling them apart. Because of his character, he will be happy and satisfied man in life after he cures the pain, but Cindy
She won't because of one small reason; she never felt a true happiness. Even when she was smiling, it was usually compromise. If she was given a chance to choose whatever she wants to be completely fortunate, without any condition, she will be
The Notebook (2004)
One of my Favorites, Not for everyone.
At a modern-day nursing home, an elderly man named Duke (James Garner) begins to read a romantic story from his notebook to a fellow patient (Gena Rowlands).The story he tells begins in 1940. In Seabrook Island, South Carolina, local country boy Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) is smitten with seventeen-year-old heiress Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams) after seeing her at a carnival, and they share an idyllic summer love affair. Noah takes Allie to an abandoned house, which he explains that he intends to buy for them. Later that evening, she asks him to make love to her, but they are interrupted by Noah's friend Fin (Kevin Connolly) with the news that Allie's parents have the police out looking for her. When Allie and Noah return to her parents' mansion, they ban her from seeing Noah, whom they called "trash, trash, trash". The two break up and the next morning, Allie's mother announces that the family is returning home to Charleston. Noah and Allie have no choice but to move on with their lives; Noah and Fin enlist to fight in World War II and Fin is killed in battle. Allie becomes a volunteer in a hospital for wounded soldiers, where she meets an officer named Lon Hammond, Jr. (James Marsden), a young lawyer who is handsome, sophisticated, charming and comes from old Southern money. The two eventually become engaged, to the delight of Allie's parents, but Allie sees Noah's face when Lon asks her to marry him. In the present, it is made clear that the elderly woman is in fact Allie, who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease and cannot remember any of the events of the film so far. Duke, the man who is reading to her, is her husband, but Allie cannot recognize him. Back in the forties, the day after Allie arrived in Seabrook, she and Noah renew their relationship. Allie's mother appears on Noah's doorstep, telling Allie that a jealous Lon has followed her to Seabrook. In the present, Duke asks Allie whom she chose. Becoming lucid, she remembers that the story Duke was reading is the story of how they met. Young Allie appears at Noah's doorstep, having left Lon at the hotel and chosen Noah. Elderly Allie suddenly remembers her past; after finding out about her illness, she herself wrote their story in the notebook with instructions for Noah to "read this to me, and I'll come back to you". But soon Allie relapses, losing her memories of Noah. She panics, not understanding who he is, and has to be sedated.
The best thing about this movie was the depth of the plot and the actors playing their characters so well. The soundtrack was very subtle but it was appropriate. There's lots of fade in and fade out like the memory suppresses or the moment is over. It was filmed entirely in Charleston South Carolina. the scenery gave it a romantic summer feel. Even after they broke up the high angles of the water and trees were very pretty. The only drawback was Allie slapping and pushing Noah around. I could've gone without that, that's a Gosling trait I've noticed. Everything was very convincing, the place and time they were in, every ones mannerisms. The narrative definitely made the entire movie.
At the heart of this film the couple represents the love story that is being told by James Garner's character. He reads from a book, the story of the two lovers as they go through everything life has to offer. Gena Rowlands plays the lady that he is reading to, and she gets as wrapped up in the story as we do, as he progresses from chapter to chapter in the novel he is reading. Garner was perfect for this role, and shows his narrating skills as he explains how the two of them live. Gosling always gives such a real acting job you know he must fall in love with all he female cast members. The supporting cast was good, and James Marsden deserves a mention for managing to pull of a hard role as the "rich man" well. Another plus point about this movie was the great script, and you did not see too many "clichés" which is always a good sign in a Romance movie. The story is so genuine and Ryan Gosling as Noah and Rachel McAdams as Allie prove their golden status in future acting (Gosling definitely more than McAdams) The story has a great feel to it because of the setting
The scene of the rain on the lake where Gosling says how he wrote 365 letters and nobody can resist the last scene where they die holding each other's hands. I never cried in this movie. But the most heartbreaking and touching part was when Rachel McAdam's when she relapses into dementia and has to be sedated. James Garner was so in love with her already and it was like in the earlier scenes when they were falling in love. When he lost her he sat there crying and it was really touching and showed his acting capabilities.
Watching this movie makes you feel many things. Sadness is one thing experienced by this great love story. However what made me sad after watching this movie is just how our life just passes by and eventually reaches an end. At the end of this movie the old couple have a lot of trouble with sickness and dementia , its just like they're waiting to die and the view of the lake at the end just gets u thinking that they were once young, in love having fun and looking for great things ahead in their lives. When they die its like all their love, all their life would just be forgotten and the sad part is this would eventually happen to all of us.
The Shining (1980)
the shining summery
Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) arrives at the Overlook Hotel to interview for the position of winter caretaker, with the aim of using the hotel's solitude to work on his writing. Manager Stuart Ullman (Barry Nelson) warns him that a previous caretaker got cabin fever and killed his family and himself. Jack's son, Danny (Danny Lloyd)and Jack's wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), feel terrified about the hotel. Wendy later tells Jack that Danny told her that a "crazy woman in one of the rooms". Jack investigates Room 237 where he encounters the ghost of a dead woman, but tells Wendy he saw nothing. Wendy and Jack argue about whether Danny should be removed from the hotel and a furious Jack returns to the Gold Room, now filled with ghosts having a costume party. While searching for Jack, Wendy discovers his typewriter; he has been typing endless pages of manuscript repeating "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" formatted in various styles. She is confronted by Jack, who threatens her before she knocks him unconscious. Jack awakes and chops through the door where Wendy and Danny are hiding. He then chases Danny through the maze. After Danny throws him off his path he escapes with his mother and Jack freezes to death.
The scene where Jack first meets Lloyd, he's lit from beneath, which illuminates his already ominous features. When Wendy finds "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy", she is positioned right in the center of the scene and it's red right behind her (Kubrick always makes interesting use of red). Then, what appears to be a POV shot moves towards the chamber, but it turns out not to be; Jack moves into the scene. The camera views Crother's TV through his bare feet as he lies in bed, under the portrait of a naked women. His camera placement is original. Often the scenes are brightly lighted and the characters seem to be without makeup and the conversational pauses and hesitations stretched out. Camera-work had this quality of making the viewer expect that there is something around the corner.
Nicholson is an artist who uses his face and various features in a brilliant manner. His expressive eyes, broad smile, ever moving eyebrows, deep crackling voice. He displayed cold frustration as effectively as outrageous anger. Portrayal of a frustrated madmen who slowly looses his mind was very detailed and must have resulted from a lot of homework. I found it to be very entertaining, very suspenseful and a visual treat. Those visuals were so good that I didn't mind the slow pace. Jack Nicholson was perfect for the role. Shelley Duvall was fascinating with her "Olive Oyl" face especially with the camera pan.
Something obviously falls out when you're watching the movie on a 67" high def. This scene was heavily planned and Kubrick was obsessed with aesthetic symbology. My theory is that the elevators represent Danny's mouth and him screaming was the elevator doors opening and Tony spilling out. All the bloodshed from melanin-eating white people killing native Indians and black people was all symbolic for the hotel being America and the history loops back in the destiny of evil white men. White men's novel is the destiny he writes for himself and that destiny is rage. "all work and no play (murder) makes jack a dull boy".... even when they first showed him throwing a ball at a wall that had a native painting of Indian deities that look a lot like the dead twins in blue outfits; the scene first started off with the blank typewriter. Him throwing the ball was symbolic for throwing or chopping an ax. (the ax in the hallway scene of the dead twins)
I feel it was a slow long movie. I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who likes a horror or mystery. I haven't read the novel but i guess the movie wasn't what Stephen King wanted it to be. There was some disturbing images (not being scary) but who wants to see a fully naked rotting women, it was a raw movie, you saw their bare faces and true expressions. You felt the crazy.
The Edge (1997)
Critic Review
Charles Morse (Anthony Hopkins), a billionaire with photographic memory, and two other men, Robert "Bob" Green (Alec Baldwin), a photographer, and Stephen (Harold Perrineau), his assistant, arrive in a remote North America, along with Charles's much-younger wife, Mickey (Elle Macpherson), a fashion model. The group is only there for a photo shoot and staying as guests at a lodge, they later are recruited to another area due to a sick model. After their plane crashes, the men attempt to hike to a more likely search area, only to find that a male Kodiak bear is stalking them. They elude it, but later the bear attacks their camp and kills Stephen.
The angles of the movie were spectacular; it made you feel like you were out in the woods. Seeing the actors in this environment makes you want to put on a coat to watch the movie. A very strong performance by all the actors in a film that deals with using bare instincts on fighting wild animals, staying alive from the elements, and morality. I can understand why some of the more modern audience might find that to be a turn-off. The sets and locations alone are worth a rental. The photography is beautiful, the landscape comes alive, and sometimes it steals the picture away from the characters.
Very strong performances by Anthony Hopkins, Bart the Bear, and Alec Baldwin, Not only were they great but they were troopers with the set. Anthony Hopkins got a severe case of pneumonia while filming out in the cold; I'm a huge fan so his performance was fantastic he can go from a city guy to survival and make it believable. His character was well portrayed and a flawless performance. Alec Baldwin also did a great job in this movie. (And I can't say that I was a big fan of Alec before this movie) I have only seen him in comedy, but I have a better opinion of him now. Elle McPherson has a small role which she played well and portrayed her character very well.
A gripping storyline, fantastic scenery and a real sense of drama and survival, it delivers as an action/adventure film by giving some heart stopping sequences, and it never slows down. The Edge also delivers as a dramatic film, with an ending that is painfully sad, yet satisfying. They portray their characters with honesty, and with a realistic nature that only great actors can accomplish. As the plot twists and the pace picks up, you start to become so involved that you forget time is passing by. I strongly suggest this one to action lovers and to anyone who enjoys a good story.
I Am Legend (2007)
Critic Review
I Am Legend is a 2007 American post-apocalyptic starring Will Smith. A film adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1954 novel of the same name, following 1964's The Last Man on Earth and 1971's The Omega Man. Smith plays virologist Robert Neville, who is immune to a man-made virus originally created to cure cancer. He works to create a remedy while defending himself against humans mutated by the virus.
Francis Larwance Started a great plot with showing how Robert Neville lived day to day. The camera shots of Smith's point of view through his gun and eyes got you on the edge of your seat and you felt like you were there. Walking in to save his dog in the dark was terrifying, not only were you scared for him after he found a hive of mutants but for his dogs life as well.
When the storyline changes to brief flashbacks you slowing start to put the pieces together on what exactly happened. Will Smith does amazing at touching anyone who watches the movie. You feel his past and you feel when the last part of his sanity gets infected, His dog he got from his daughter the last time he saw her. Alice Braga (Anna) Shows confidence and independence on how strong she is.
There are two endings to the movie and they're both great but I definitely think the story is complete with the unrated ending. You understand why the mutants come for Robert. In the scene where he traps the Darkseeker and takes it home he takes note to one specific Alpha Darkseeker (Dash Mihok)who after the incident is reoccurring and is the one who leads the other Darkseekers to Roberts house. Robert took his mate and the alpha wanted revenge. Dr. Neville curing his mate was killing her in the alpha's eyes. It all fell into place when Dr. Neville pushed his patient out into the group of Darkseekers, Reinfected her, and the alpha exchanged words (unidentable)and called the other Darkseekers off and they left in peace.
In all the movie was great, It had a strong plot and the storyline was touching. Everyone did their role perfect to every scenario that was placed. The scenes were impressive considering some of it was enhanced. I recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good post-apocalyptic science fiction horror film.
The Last Man on Earth (1964)
Critic Review
Vincent Price Plays "The Last Man on Earth" in a apocalyptic disaster due to a virus that causes everyone to turn into a zombie/vampire.
Now I am a huge fan on old corny poorly made classic movies, but I'm strictly writing a critic review. The sound is way off from the characters speaking, you feel like your watching a "Godzilla" movie. Ubaldo Ragona and Sidney Salkow's plot on this movie was slow and boring. Dr Morgan's (Price) flashbacks were to long,you got lost and forgot the story line. Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter completely drowned out the emotions and sound with suspenseful acoustic orchestra in ordinary scenes. Dr. Morgan carries a teacup and occasionally sips out of it but throughout the movie carries it like there's no liquid then takes another FAKE drink. He loads the zombie/vampires in his car but when he unloads them they switched sides, also there's some wig slipping.
The acting skills were typical for the era but not convince in anyway for their roles. Franca Bettoia (Ruth) exaggerated her emotions in every scene. The zombie/vampires made zero sense in their roles. In the scene where Price is running on cobble stone away from the vaccinated mutants(on his way to alter to die)could hardly hobble down the road but somehow staid far away from the group that was chasing him.*Note: if you noticed Ruth put on Virginia's old clothes (Dr. Morgans dead wife) she picks out a black sweater to later be in the church with the mutants that hunted him down... all in black sweaters.
When Dr. Morgan is /sruggling at the alter and gasping for life (overdone)everyone changed into black sweaters except Ruth who put one on earlier. When they stabbed Morgan it cut scenes from throwing to being stabbed, then when Morgan fell, the pipe that he was stabbed with jiggled back and forth like it was glued to his shirt or placed inside of it.
The whole movie was awful, put together terribly. There was no consistent plot and the props were inadequate with the movie. But if we didn't have movies like these we could have never made progress right? If your a fan of old cheesy classics it's a movie for you. If your looking for a good thriller then stay far away from this mess of a movie.