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Reviews
One Minute to Nine (2007)
As Real As It Gets...
I read that Davis had only a few days to shoot this before Wendy had to report to her sentencing, and with such a time constraint he managed to pull off one of the best documentary-film's I have seen in a while--even with only an hour of footage! Watching this brought some of the same feelings back I had from watching "Paradise Lost"--about the "West Memphis Three", except all of the facts were on the table here with Wendy's case. This creative piece really makes the people who say "well your the one who stays with the guy who beats you up--it's your fault!" feel like complete idiots. Audiences can now realize that so much is at stake when leaving an abusive man who is the father of your children. Especially a man (like this monster) who would still probably find and kill Wendy and her kids no matter what little restraining order was in place.
I love how the home videos were integrated with the whole film, It was mostly the home shots that really got to me.
The last documentary I saw was "Boy Interrupted", and this one is just as heart wrenching/touching.
**Side Note** Why would HBO change the name of this film!? One Minute to 9 is perfect! They probably think by adding a profane word that it would catch more audience attention...They are wrong, all you need to do is just see a couple seconds of the film to get hooked--like I did!
*Gave 9 stars because I wanted a little bit more of a back story...But that does not take away the fact that "One Minute to 9" will stay in your head for a long time after watching it!
(500) Days of Summer (2009)
500 Days Might Have Started Their Own Genre...
I must first start off by saying that 500 days has one of the BEST soundtracks for a movie. Aren't you tired of all the movies these days with redundant music scores? The first thing I did after watching this, was go straight to research every single track on this movie. Regina Spektor and The Smith's made this piece of work complete. The Music is in perfect sync with every single scene! That is a very hard thing to achieve--to have perfect sound match the scene.
The scene with Summer's rooftop party literally put daggers through my heart with Regina Spektor's "Hero" . You have to be heartless to watch that scene with out feeling like you are being dumped yourself.
The Non-Linear Narrative style Webb and team used was a nice twist to see in a movie, cutting in and out from different days and so forth.
The 1960's/modern-esque fashion is great to see, cast members wearing basic beige, navy, brown etc. And the music also matched the fashion very well too...Indie Rock songs with semi-formal/modern-esque/60's clothes is a great mix.
**Now to the cutting edge** Although they say "this is not a love story" It IS indeed a love story. I think the filmmakers added that bit in there to give us some foreshadowing about how Tom became bitter through-out the movie.
The cinematography was great, The camera's used were very smooth...you can tell smooth camera movement when your eyes DON'T jump all over the place...but smoothly transitioning is key..especially so you don't give your audience a headache like "paranormal activity" Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt were perfect for this movie as well, the music and fashion also fuse to their natural poise and personality...maybe a little bit more to Zooey.
If I had to nit pick on something it would be the little sister who acts like an older person, that whole role just seemed awkward and forced.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)
This movie has some purpose...
Bottom Line: This movie is 100% for the purpose of keeping your children quiet, and for the actors to get a paycheck.
This piece of garbage has no qualities of an actual respected piece of work besides the fact that it has a beginning and an ending.
This should be an inspiration to all of those out there trying to get a script read by Hollywood...Jesus, if this can make it on the big screen then I guess anything can.
Amy Poehler and Anna Faris were probably getting drunk before doing the voice-overs, what kind of actor would actually take this production seriously? It was only made because there was a contract to make it and everyone desperately needs money.
I must stop writing now, I can't believe I just took 3 minutes out of my day to think about this movie again.
I gave it 2 stars because they have some decent names involved
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
There's a reason why this didn't win "Best Picture"
"The Shawshank Redemption" did not win "Best Picture" because it will remain to be an example of how a movie does NOT need to win some sort of "award" top be considered one of the most prolific experiences an acting production can make someone go through.
This is not just a movie...It's an experience that everyone need to partake in. I have maybe only seen about 450-500 major motion pictures with about 80% of them being produced after 1980, BUT THIS IS THE ONLY MOVIE OUT OF ALL WHERE I ACTUALLY FORGET THESE ARE ACTORS ACTING IN FRONT OF A CAMERA WITH A MOVIE CREW. Do you know what that means? --It means not only Frank Darabont, but every single person involved in this film fused so well that they truly made a piece of artwork that puts people in such an emotional trance they forget whats happening for 2 hours. THIS IS WHAT EVERY DIRECTOR AND PERSON WHO WORKS IN THE FILM BUSINESS DREAMS ABOUT...MAKING A MOVIE THIS GROUNDBREAKING.
"The Shawshank Redemption" will show you how true friendship can arise from anywhere...Even in a prison--where people fear the most to be in. --Maybe it shows the intrinsic drive humans have to create a social bond in any situation.
Sometimes when I talk about this movie to people I feel really disturbed when someone has not seen it. I feel like saying "are you insane?"
Brothers (2009)
Nothing special about this...A family drama 2009 version of "Jar-Head" --lazily written script
Tobey Maguire is not an actor who can play a marine. Maybe down the road in his career he could be prepared, but once I heard him screaming in the kitchen like a high pitched 8 year old girl, that was it for me--it was more annoying than what Sheridan was trying to portray as a genuine mental breakdown!
The only good parts about this movie is when you are in suspense about what is going to happen to Capt. Cahill and his marine. Other than that, it was too much of a Bi-Polar switch from horrific terror scenes to boring at-home life with Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman.
The arguments Tommy had with this father were way too dramatic and unbelievable-- Yes I know some people argue like that with family members, but come on! the background given to us on the family life would NOT lead us to believe a father could talk to his son in such a way. Reminded me of the dad trying to be like Robert DeNiro from "This boys life" and failing horribly.
Whats up with the ending? He just somehow goes to a mental hospital for attempted murder? Even a hero at his caliber would still be prosecuted in our courts for wielding around a gun and shooting off rounds--no matter how much of a war hero he was.
Maybe this movie was made as a little present to marines that are home right now to connect with something.
---Natalie Portman looks like a pro when she takes a drag off that joint. ---Very Random how Jake Gyllenhaal brings home that random woman from a bar then we never see or hear of her again in the movie...talk about a minor roll huh? like a awkward position of someone being a cross between an "extra" and an "actor". We never even got a little background scene of why he brought her (yes we know it was probably to show Tommy was trying to alleviate tension)--that was too easy to put in a script.
Bottom Line: Elementary Script--We can easily tell where the script got lazy...And we will probably never hear about Benioff in major productions again,since he blew it with this one.