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Nawanda
Reviews
Gerry (2002)
Minimalist in much the same way as Chinese water torture
I have said this many times before during my trips through hundred of movies, but I can say with all certainty that Gerry is the worst movie I have ever seen in a theater. I do appreciate some of its aspects. I am all for experiential art, and I honor those attempting it. I absolutely love Damon and Affleck, who did an excellent job of conveying heaps w/o words. The score was excellent. Above all, I laughed hysterically at the dialogue when it showed up. Ahem
Now: This movie is unlike any experience I have ever experienced. The closest thing would be one of those 8 am classes with a tenured professor with his pile of index cards and a monotone drone. This was sheer torture! If you have the patience to stare at a rock for ten minutes straight, then circle the rock, while never varying your distance or focus, only to move on to a new rock, than this is the movie for you. This movie felt like a bad joke on the entire movie-going public. I'm all for minimalism, but this was just plain boring. Perhaps the most disappointing thing is that I personally think that Death Valley is stunningly beautiful, but this movie did very little to capture that. I was also very frustrated with the two boys for getting lost in the first place. They parked in a giant valley and walked towards the hills. When you want to find your way back
walk away from the hills! This took a major suspension of disbelief, which I was able to muster up at that early point of the film. On a side note
I couldn't help but smile every time they were right next to a parking lot, or the main road. All of the shots up on Dante's view had to be chosen very carefully. Looking down there is a road and looking behind them was a parking lot. Plus
I think I saw a car drive by in the background. This turned into more of a tirade than I had planned, but I was extremely frustrated. I'm not the most patient guy in the world, but no one should be patient enough for this absolute failure of a movie.
Glory Daze (1995)
truly a beautiful slice of teenage life
I suppose the low rating this movie is running is due to all the adult votes out there. Any teenager, especially any teenager who understands the references to Camus, should love this movie. Ben Affleck turns in a wonderful performance, as per usual. That boy's delivery is scary good, and the dialogue deserved such panache, if you will. If you happen to listen to punk music, well then, you should adore this movie's soundtrack as well. It is so fitting to every scene (with the exception of the live band.) The movie is worth watching for the cameos alone: Matthew McConaughey, Brendan Fraser, Janeane Garofalo, Matt Damon; all wonderful, but tiny, parts. This is certainly one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Any one who liked Dazed and Confused, to Empire Records, to (aiming a bit higher here,) The Breakfast Club, should love this movie. See it. Now.
Chicks, Man (2000)
Would have been a 10, if not for all the van halen refs.
This movie is thuroughly entertaining and comes from the same vein as the early kevin smith movies. Visually similar to "clerks," the static one and two shots don't bother me, but might annoy some viewers who enjoyed hollow man. The dynamic between brash friend and pansy friend has unlimited potential for funny dialogue, and this movie isn't a let down. Next time you are cruising hollywood video, and feel ann urge to support an independent film, pick this one up.
Hollow Man (2000)
This man made Starship Troopers??!!?
This is possibly the worst dialogue I have ever heard and is definitely the worst action flick I've seen since Extreme Measures. When Kevin Bacon growled, "I always knew you were a bitch," it took me about a minute to stop laughing, not with the movie mind you, but at it. The only up side to this movie is the hope it instills in a young writer like myself
If this script, with this dialogue, was picked up, I just might make it after all.