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Reviews
Avatar (2009)
It's all about the creator
What can I say that hasn't been said? I am going to see the re-release and I know that I will be just as satisfied as i was with the original.
Really, the hundreds of FX artists, set designers, Prop masters, Artists, the cinematography, the sound --- every aspect of this movie was handled by creative and skilled artists.
That said, the operative name is obviously James Cameron. He created this from his own vision and stuck to his vision.
I hear that he has a reputation of being "tough." Well, if he is and is not deliberately rude, then maybe that is what it takes.
The film is a landmark in cinema history. Whether we stay with 3D or not remains to be seen. But this movie was well worth the watch in any format.
Hey, it has been a long time since I enjoyed spending my money on a movie along with buying 3 dollar sodas!
AVATAR is a movie that I will see over and over again. I only hope that any sequels to it will live up to this original version.
Iron Man (2008)
I Liked it.
Iron Man is cool. It was great that they picked Robert Downey Jr to play the lead.
Too often they choose very clean cut bland types and then the super hero movie becomes bland, with no interesting dimensions. That is why Spiderman was so popular as both a comic book and as a movie.
The director did a great job of capturing the feeling of the Iron Man comic book series. The cinematography was really good and the scoring fit in just right.
Nowadays, with all of the special effects that it requires to make a movie, Iron Man steps up to the plate and still keeps it interesting. Although, like many other cinema devices, computer generated effects will soon overstay its welcome. Audiences will probably again look for "story." Iron Man fulfilled it's promise to telling a good story. But big special effects projects beware - We're getting used to the effects, concentrate on story!
I recommend Iron Man and am anxious to see where they go with a sequel.
Channels (2008)
Touches your heart with a knockout.
Yeah! A movie that not only entertains with chuckles here and there, but really moves you with some knockout punches. The main characters played by Nat Christian and Kim Oja have a marvelous chemistry. You WANT these two to be together. Christian has the magnetism and sex appeal of some of the old time male movie stars. Oja fits right in with the sweet yet sexy clan. Both are great actors. Christian never hits a false note and allows us to journey with him throughout the movie. As the director of the movie too, Christian selflessly gives a lot of screen time to all of his co-stars. Oja is able too show us a comedic style that hasn't been shown before. Joan Van Ark, still hot at her age, is able to project a vulnerability under her character's hard shell. Ed Asner has a great monologue which made me nearly fall over laughing. John Kassir and Taylor Negron are perfect matches for these actors and are always interesting to watch. It was great to see Amber Barretto on the screen, along with Chloe Hunter. Both are beauties who could grace any movie. Gil Glaskow is a standout in a supporting role.
The director takes us on an emotional journey step by step with our main characters and mixes it up with some great imagery. The composer, Rossano Galante, delivers an emotional score.
Wow!
Annie Hall (1977)
A wonderful movie
What can I say? There are so many Woody Allen movies that I like. Particularly Deconstructing Harry.
But Annie Hall ranks at the top of my list. I've heard that Mr. Allen doesn't really think it's one of his best work. I'm thinking that he feels he has to do something "serious" to be taken seriously.
I think Annie Hall is a serious piece of work. Many serious truths about relationships surface in this movie while they are presented in comedic situations.
Woody is charming as usual. Diane Keaton has never been better. She was cute, charming and just adorable.
The cinematography was outstanding. And the music that Mr. Allen uses for his movies, always have an affect, by association. I recommend.
Heaven Can Wait (1978)
I really enjoyed this movie
I viewed this again, for the fourth time.
I think Mr. Beatty did a wonderful job of making this remake of Here Comes Mr. Jordan. It is really hard to remake a wonderful movie, but alas it has been done. Warren Beatty an Julie Christie have a great chemistry on screen. James Mason, who I really never followed before Heaven Can Wait, matches what Claude Raines did in the original. And I thought that would be an impossible task. Buck Henry was very funny.
This version moved me as much as the original. I choked up at the end, each time, even though I knew what was coming. My only critic is that the movie was maybe just slightly too long.
Good film-making.
Taxi Driver (1976)
Brutally real
Oh, man, this was a wonderful movie! I've seen it six times. Robert De Nero is great in this movie. I wish we could see him do more of this kind of stuff, although his recent comedies are pretty funny too. Jodie Foster is one of my favorite actresses and this is the movie that kicked it all off. Harvey Keitel, as always, is very good. And it was great to see Albert Brooks in the movie! The director, Martin Scorsese rocks. Paul Schraeder's screenplay is tight and brutally honest. I really like the score too. The New York street scenes were all very real and gritty.
I don't know why they haven;t decided to do a sequel. I think it would attract a large audience, because of the enormous following that the movie has already.
This is on heck of a movie.