The Official Review Thread of 2005

anonymous1980
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Post by anonymous1980 »

PINOY BLONDE
Cast: Epy Quizon, Boy2 Quizon, Ricky Davao, Jaime Fabregas, Iza Calzado, Mark Gil, Tonton Guttierez, Noel Trinidad, Gina Alajar, Michael De Mesa, Tessie Tomas, Eddie Garcia, Cherry Pie Picache, Joey Marquez, Ara Mina, Liza Lorena, Joel Torre, Richard Gomez, Rita Avila, Richard Guttierez, Cherie Gil, Vandolph, Manny Castaneda.
Dir: Peque Gallaga.

F.Y.I. "Pinoy" is Filipino slang for "Filipino". This is the latest work from one of the greats of Filipino cinema, Peque Gallaga and I have to say that this is his best work since Scorpio Nights (see review on Johnny Guitar's thread below). Two young Filipino film geeks get themselves involved in some sort of drug heist when their uncle recuperating from a serious vehicular "accident" sends them to drop off and pick up certain "packages". That plot, however, takes a backseat to the two geeks's obssession with movies both Filipino and Hollywood and how it relates to their lives in sometimes hilarious and absurd ways. All this interspersed with a soundtack of the best contemporary Filipino rock music available and animated (both hand-drawn and CGI) sequences along with fantasy parodies of both local and Hollywood flicks make this a totally pleasurable cinematic experience. The film is filled with cameos of various big-named Filipino actors both young and veteran and knowledge of Filipino cinema and Filipino pop culture is a must for a fuller appreciation of this film.

Grade: A-
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Post by Sabin »

Ugh, I know. I ended the slump for me and my buddy's ticket. I feel like a reject and the movie didn't help.
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Post by Sonic Youth »

The Fantastic Four made $56 million this weekend. Thank you, Sabin, for doing your part to end the box office slump.
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Post by Sabin »

God, Fantastic Four is a turd-burger. Say what you will about the splintered spectacles that are War of the Worlds and Batman Begins; there will be no more paint-by-numbers committee-written ####-thing available to audiences than this grueling paper-thin experience. This is every comic book movie you've ever seen, which in and of itself is a bad idea because the pleasures that one can get from a Fantastic Four storyline are of the familiar. They are not a superhero group, but a family just as likely to be exploring parallel dimensions as bickering on the couch in front of the TV. Turn them into a big budget vehicle of thrills and you risk losing the most endearing thing they have to offer. Jessica Alba as Sue Storm (their codenames never really mattered) is monumentally miscast - Allyson Hannigan would be much better - and she has less charisma than every buxom Aryan intern hired by every Bond villain you've ever seen. Michael Chiklis looks the part but his Ben Grimm makes a very unimpressive impact, and he looks just terrible. And Julian MacMahon is a sneering dullard of a villain.

There: that's my special nerd moment. Had I not known my Marvel lore, I still think I'd still find it a meritless experience. Hugely un-special special effects, limp performances that feel resultant of an incomplete script, reshoots, and generic climax. It's not inept like Revenge of the Sith, but as lazy a movie as you'll see all year.
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Post by MovieWes »

1. War of the Worlds (d. Steven Spielberg) **** [NEW]
2. Batman Begins (d. Christopher Nolan) *** 1/2
3. Star Wars: Episode III- Revenge of the Sith (d. George Lucas) ***
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (d. Garth Jennings) ***
5. Kingdom of Heaven (d. Ridley Scott) ** 1/2
6. Sin City (d. Robert Rodriguez & Frank Miller) ** 1/2
7. Bewitched (d. Nora Ephron) ** [NEW]
8. Kicking and Screaming (d. Jesse Dylan) **
9. Monster-in-Law (d. Robert Luketic) 1/2 *
"Young men make wars and the virtues of war are the virtues of young men: courage and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace, and the vices of peace are the vices of old men: mistrust and caution." -- Alec Guinness (Lawrence of Arabia)
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Post by anonymous1980 »

WAR OF THE WORLDS
Cast: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning,Tim Robbins, Justin Chatwin, Miranda Otto.
Dir: Steven Spielberg

To put it succintly: I liked it a lot but I didn't love it. Sort of the anti-Close Encounters, Spielberg attempts a human story in the face of horrific alien invasion. IMO, he is only half-successful. The way too tidy, almost deus ex machina ending will satisfy only the undiscriminating. That being said, Spielberg still packs a wallop in a lot of sequences. It's been a while since we've seen this side of him.

Oscar Prospects: The visual effects category is crowded this year. This may have to fight to get in but Dennis Muren's name may help boost its chances. Sound and Sound Editing are also possibilites. Fanning for Supporting Actress? She was good but I hope not.

Grade: B+
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Post by Precious Doll »

Sonic Youth wrote:Has anyone on the board seen Tell Them Who You Are?
I have and I had very mixed feelings about it.

While Haskell Wexler makes an interesting subject matter, his son Mark (a neurotic Republican) who also directed the film doesn't.

It's really an examination of their somewhat rocky relationship and I was very sympathetic to Haskell.
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Post by Sonic Youth »

Has anyone on the board seen Tell Them Who You Are?
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Post by MovieWes »

1. Batman Begins (d. Christopher Nolan) *** 1/2
2. Star Wars: Episode III- Revenge of the Sith (d. George Lucas) ***
3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (d. Garth Jennings) ***
4. Kingdom of Heaven (d. Ridley Scott) ** 1/2
5. Sin City (d. Robert Rodriguez & Frank Miller) ** 1/2
6. Kicking and Screaming (d. Jesse Dylan) **
7. Monster-in-Law (d. Robert Luketic) 1/2 *

I badly need to see a real movie. Sadly, my mom seems to be intent on dragging me to see "Bewitched" this weekend (that's the only reason I saw "Kicking and Screaming" and "Monster-in-Law"), but hopefully something good will come out in the coming weeks. I really don't want to see "Cinderella Man," but I may end up going if nothing comes out soon. The only thing I really want to see is "War of the Worlds."
"Young men make wars and the virtues of war are the virtues of young men: courage and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace, and the vices of peace are the vices of old men: mistrust and caution." -- Alec Guinness (Lawrence of Arabia)
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Post by Sonic Youth »

I was afraid of that. Thanks.

Time for a trip to New York. Kings and Queen ain't coming here anytime soon... or at all, more likely.
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Post by Precious Doll »

I saw Layer Cake a few weeks ago. And it is "so 8 years ago". It's reasonably well directed but I found the story so typical of the British "bad men/gangster" genre that has been seen many times before.

Daniel Craig is really the only memorable thing about the film.
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Post by Penelope »

Haven't seen Layer Cake yet; I've seen only two movies so far this summer that I would recommend (with slight reservations): Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, which, despite some predictable storytelling, boasts some really terrific acting, making it a surprisingly deeply-felt experience; and Lords of Dogtown, which spices up a routine storyline (outcasts discover unforseen talent, rise to fame and fortune) with dazzling cinematography and a wonderful performance by Emile Hirsch.

By the way, I finally got to see Cinderella Man. Yuck, what a glop of sentimental schmaltz. Some of the worst over-acting I've seen in a long time.
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Post by Sonic Youth »

Has anyone seen Layer Cake? The coming attractions (which bombarded me far more than Cinderella Man's did) made it look oh-so-eight-years-ago, yet another stylish crime film serving as male melodrama and existential study -- the layers in the Layer cake analogous the layers in one's complex psyche, ugh! And yet, it's gotten great reviews. But no one I know has seen or wants to. Has anyone here seen the film, and do you recommend it? I'm so starved for a great new release, I'll even seek it out in a trendy genre that's gone way past its shelf life.
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Post by anonymous1980 »

BATMAN BEGINS
Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Tom Wilkinson, Ken Watanabe, Rutger Hauer, Mark Boone Junior, Linus Roache, Sara Stewart, Gus Lewis.
Dir: Christopher Nolan

Thoroughly enjoyable comic book summer blockbuster. Props to Nolan for taking the character and story seriously for once after the atrocious Joel Schumacher celluloid poop Batman & Robin. The best Batman film since Tim Burton's first two films. The flaw is that it takes itself way too seriously in parts and lacks the visual sense of whimsy that the first two films had. Strong cast (save for Holmes and Murphy both miscast) keeps the entire film vibrant.

Oscar Prospects: Cinematography, Sound, Sound Editing and Art Direction are possiblities.

Grade: B+
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Post by anonymous1980 »

MR. AND MRS. SMITH
Cast: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn, Adam Brody, Kerry Washington, Perrey Reeves, Chris Weitz, Stephanie March.
Dir: Doug Liman

Entertaining but ultimately forgettable comic action/adventure-cum-marital angst film works because of the two controversial movie stars' on-screen chemistry. The material is sorely missing that certain something that would've made this film better.

Oscar Prospects: None.

Grade: C+
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