Change Your Image
hugomodo
Reviews
The Unit (2006)
Kim is a Whinebag
No, seriously. It seems like all she does is whine about not being happy that she's at Fort Griffith or that her husband is in some covert op unit or that her kids are being brainwashed by people who pray (no, scratch that; her kids are being brainwashed by other ten year old's... and you know how dangerous THEY can be). Every once in a while, this angst is fine; but it seems to come up in every episode.
I think they need to have Brown divorce her whiny self or have her killed off.
I mean there's enough angst going around within the characters on THE UNIT, isn't there? Do we really need one who's just over the edge? Or am I mistaken and I should embrace Kim?
Lord of War (2005)
Liberalism -- Again
Hollywood is infested. I've been looking forward to seeing this movie since I first heard about it. I am a big Nicolas Cage fan.
But I am tired of going to a movie and hearing anti-American liberal propaganda. Everybody in this movie is just misunderstood heroes -- or anti-heroes, y'might say. Even Baptiste? Please.
But not America. America and all the big countries are just bad guys. Automatically. Unequivocal. The U.S. President is the worst of 'em. I'm tired of hearing this. I'm very pro-America and very conservative-leaning. I am proud that America exists, but Cage's character just looked at America as a dead end. The Enemy. Just as they characters did in THE CONSTANT GARDENER. Another liberal, heavy-handed movie.
God, give us a conservative movie, something where Americans aren't Imperialists or Anti-Christ-like businessmen.
Tears of the Sun (2003)
TEARS OF THE SUN (More liberalism)
Y'know, I really liked the theatrical version of this movie. It was stripped down to its bare essence. Mild politicism, nice war flick.
However, we get the director's uncut version. *sigh* And of course Antoine Fuqua feels the need to put in his little jab at Americans, or should I say "Duh Man?" Not only does the UN have the temerity in the movie to consider an embargo against this country, they do so to the extent that it would actually hurt the country of Nigeria. Boo-frickin'-hoo. About the only good thing the UN does and it does it in a fictional war movie. Then one of the General's aides says they should turn to the Americans for help. The General of course says yes because he knows he'll find Americans willing to do anything for oil.
I could hear Antoine Fuqua giggling when he put that scene back in the movie. I'm tired of Hollywood liberalism, I'm tired of us shoddy Americans always being the bad guys automatically, especially in a war movie. Americans are bad, we are evil. Liberals unite.
Other than that, I can pretty much recommend this movie.
Paparazzi (2004)
It's Fun -- C'mon!
I saw it last night. I think this movie is misunderstood.
I want to believe that the reasons behind this movie's dismal reviews in the main have to do with the fact that certain people with certain political leanings WANT to hate it and hate Gibson for the sheer and utter sole reason that he made THE PASSION OF THE Christ, that it has a so-called (and totally off-the-wall -- and wrong!) message of anti-Semitism... and that he made the movie anyway, despite protests from the political Left of Hollywood. Have you noticed that Mel Gibson actually placed his name in the credits of this movie as its producer? I can't think of any other Icon Productions film in which his name is placed at all. Granted, Mel doesn't need the money. As far as money goes, he's set for the rest of his life and the rest of his kids' lives. But he has a passion (no pun intended) for making movies, and he's proving that you can't keep him out of Hollywood, by placing his name in the forefront of the credits of this particular Icon Productions project.
It's a fun movie. First and foremost. That's the point of having so many uncredited cameos, most prominently Mel Gibson as an Anger Management patient sitting in the doctor's office scribbling away in the 5 workbooks piled up in his lap.
Secondly, this is a western set in modern society. Whatever you might think of westerns as a genre, PAPARAZZI is for the most part Gregory Peck's THE BRAVADOS with a Hollywood film-making setting. Westerns have long been a staple of the family for Hollywood film-makers since its beginnings. Also, Gibson has himself stated that in prepping BRAVEHEART for filming, he watched -- among other movies -- Gregory Peck's THE BIG COUNTRY. I think Gibson is a fan of Peck's as well as a huge movie buff in his own right; and PAPARAZZI is a tip of the hat to westerns in general. Also, add to the fact that the main character of PAPARAZZI hails from Montana.
Lastly, believe it or not, I think this movie is oriented to the family. Not only does this movie have Mel Gibson in a cameo, but also Vince Vaughan and Matthew McConaughey. It also features Chris Rock who appeared with Gibson in LETHAL WEAPON 4, as well as Fay Masterson who was in Gibson's directorial debut THE MAN WITHOUT A FACE.
This movie isn't on the scale of BEN-HUR or THE BIG COUNTRY. This movie is what it is... fun. I applaud Mel Gibson and crew for delivering the goods.