Entries in 2007 (24)

Friday
05Feb2010

Hot Fuzz

DateFriday, February 5, 2010 at 12:00PM

 

 

Release Year: 2003

Director: Edgar Wright

Review: 'Hot Fuzz' is a unique film in that it is a satire that takes itself seriously, but in a way that completely works.  It stands on its own as being a very solid cop movie.  Yes the plot slowly unwinds to become absolutely absurd, but it never seems out of place.  A lot of times in satire there are throw away bits that are just meant to get a laugh.  This never seemed to be the case here.  Everything was done for a reason, and it engaged me in plot first, and comedy second.  It did start to lose me towards the end by overreaching into the ridiculous, but I went along with it anyway.  There isn't too much biting satire here, so much as clever cliches and sharp wit.  It's visually crisp and the action is tight.  It's a very solid action comedy that has great replay value.
Rating: 3.5/5



AuthorAlex Stajos | CommentPost a Comment |
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Wednesday
15Jul2009

Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix

DateWednesday, July 15, 2009 at 11:21PM


Release Year: 2007
Review: The best in the franchise to date, 'The Order of the Phoenix' is the first of the films which feels comfortable being an entity in of itself. While missing a lot of content from the book, the movie still manages to feel complete and has a satisfying story arch. The best aspect of the film is the introduction of the Order members who are all played by talented actors, easing the acting load on the younger and far less talented school age wizards. It's still not at the top level as a stand alone film, but its a step in the right direction for the series and certainly does the book justice.
Rating: 4/5

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Monday
20Apr2009

My Father (Ma-i pa-deo)

DateMonday, April 20, 2009 at 10:33PM


Release Year: 2007 (Korea)
Review: This is an emotionally charged film from Korea based on a true story about an American adopted Korean man, James(Daniel Henney) , who joins the army in search of his birth parents. After being stationed in Korea he manages to locate his father who is on death row for murder. Through repeated visits to his father James learns to love him despite his past. The cast did a great job handling this emotional and sensitive subject. While the plot was interesting and engaging what I missed out on was the motivation behind Jame's actions. However, this is based on real events, so the film only had so much liberty. It also felt as though the film sacrificed itself in some areas in order to shove in some needless comical or overly emotional scene. I enjoyed the film, but can't give it a higher rating simply because I could not connect with the main character or understand his motivations.
Rating: 3/5

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Saturday
11Apr2009

Postal

DateSaturday, April 11, 2009 at 10:17PM


Release Year: 2007
Review: Uwe Boll is back at it adapting yet another video game into a film and once again produces a colossal failure of anything resembling entertainment. I believe Uwe was trying to push the limits on what is considered decent and shock the viewers into entertainment. This might have worked out had it been more tongue in cheek, or at least been either funny or meaningful. Unfortunately all this film provides is the offensive without any of the laughs. I don't consider myself up-tight and enjoy my share of gross out or offensive humor, but there is none to be had here. It's not about Uwe crossing any lines or being offensive, there is just nothing there beyond that. This film has nothing going for it. There is no interesting plot to speak of, no laughs and the action is lacking. There is no reason to waste your time watching this garbage.
Rating: 1/5

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Thursday
05Feb2009

The Visitor

DateThursday, February 5, 2009 at 02:14AM

Review: Writer/Director Thomas McCarthy's second film, and much like his first, Station Agent, this film is simple, quiet and full of emotion. About a college professor who, lonely and morose after the death of his wife, inadvertently gets dislodged from his monotonous rut when he visits his New York City apartment only to find two illegal immigrants occupying it. Despite the lack of effusive dialog the the film crackles with life by the great acting and hypnotic African drumming. McCarthy has a way of communicating so much while saying so little. The anger and pity this film evokes over the injustice in immigration laws in this country is remarkable.
Rating: 4/5

Award Consideration: Richard Jenkins is up for best actor in the only Oscar this film is nominated for. He is very good, but the role isn't anything too challenging. I would have preferred to see Haaz Sleiman get a nomination for best supporting actor, but It's nice to see Jenkins get nominated if for no other reason than to get this film some deserved recognition. Jenkins won't, and shouldn't, get the win however. There are far more deserving nominees this year.

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Friday
09Jan2009

Bridge to Terabithia

DateFriday, January 9, 2009 at 01:28AM

 

Release Year: 2007

Review: I remembering reading the book in grade school, so I thought I'd check this one out. Unfortunately it didn't work for me as a fantasy epic or a touching friendship story. It was very bland and unimaginative. When it came time to sink its emotionally biting teeth in, the set up was to sloppy to really make an impact. The film implements the same, tired, archetypal characters that seem to be in every children drama. It's a good story, just not executed well.

Rating: 2/5

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Sunday
28Dec2008

Confessions of a Superhero

DateSunday, December 28, 2008 at 06:13PM

 

Release Year: 2007
Review: A documentary on four struggling actors who make ends meet by dressing up as super heroes in Hollywood, posing for pictures for tips. This is a fascinating look at those dreams that Hollywood has smashed and the delusions of those who refuse to give up on that dream. The people in this documentary are interesting and you can't help but pity they situation. I highly recommend this documentary..unless you are an aspiring actor in which case it might just depress you.
Rating: 4/5

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Sunday
28Dec2008

Wild Hogs

DateSunday, December 28, 2008 at 06:10PM

 

Release Year: 2007
Review: An ensemble comedy featuring middle age white collar bikers trying to rekindle the flame of their youth. Despite the comedy potential of the group, this is one of the worst comedies in recent memory. The plot is formulaic, uninspired and downright pathetic at times. The jokes are hokey and obvious. Worst of all they felt the need to resort to physical comedy that is just hard to watch. None of the characters are original in any way. They might have just as well been plucked off the generic stereotypical middle age guy assembly line. The entire movie felt like a mad lib of a lame comedy, filled in by a slow fourth grader. There is nothing redeemable about this film.
Rating: 1/5

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Tuesday
25Nov2008

King Korn

DateTuesday, November 25, 2008 at 12:00AM

 

Release Year: 2007
Review: Certainly makes you think about how much corn we consume as a nation and what that might be doing to our health. This documentary certainly explains all there is to know about corn, from how it is grown to how it is used in just about all food we consume. I thought it fell short however on explaining why it is so bad that we eat so much corn. The pacing was also very slow. At parts we literally watching corn grow. The corn industry, and how much corn we intake is something that should be important to all Americans and while I think this film scratches the surface of exposing just how all consuming the corn industry is, it just didn't push any boundaries.
Rating: 3/5

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Wednesday
19Nov2008

The Darjeeling Limited

DateWednesday, November 19, 2008 at 11:10PM

 

Release Year: 2007
Review: I've seen all of Wes Anderson movies and while none have blown me away, I have enjoyed all of them. This movie is no different. It isn't terribly exciting, and there is no profound message that I could find in it. The characters are odd, but what Wes Anderson character isn't. The movie is somewhere between an action movie, a comedy, a drama and a mindlessly boring art film. I did find myself laughing out loud a few times, but I found that I was wanting the film to end about half way through since I was bored with the characters and really didn't care where it was going. None the less, it is wonderfully shot, and shows India in all its gritty beauty. If you like Wes Anderson type movies then I'd recommend it, if not, then you won't be missing much.
Rating: 3/5

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