Change Your Image
titan000040
Reviews
Deliverance (1972)
I was shocked at how old this movie was.
Deliverance, staring John Voight and Burt Reynolds, was a very entertaining movie to watch. There is a lot to like about this film. It really draws you into the story, as four men from the city decide to venture down the Cahulawassee River before the government tampers with it. Not too long into their journey, does their nature trip turn into a vicious fight for survival.
What was great about this film was the editing. It was paced very good as director John Boorman really let his scenes play out perfectly. To a viewer who knows nothing about this film, there are a bunch of surprises in place that will really make them squirm in their seat. The film looked fantastic, to the point that its really hard to believe how dated this film actually is. It's thirty six year old movie that looks like something that could be aired in theaters today.
There is though, a few things that I didn't like. It's hard to determine if the character Lewis was supposed to be that strange and awkward or if Burt Reynolds just did a horrible job in his role. He's the cool guy of the group, who knows how to survive in the wilderness, who knows how to handle every situation perfectly. However at times he just seemed like an idiot, who has absolutely no idea what he's doing or talking about. It's easier to say that Reynolds botched up his role, being that he was never really considered that great of an actor.
John Voigt, on the other hand, was superb. With the exception of the scenes where he's talking to himself on the mountain, he does an amazing job as the character everyone's supposed to relate to and feel for.
I felt this movie was enjoyable ALMOST the whole way through. It could have ended a good twenty minutes before it did. Overall though, I really liked it.
Michael Clayton (2007)
See this movie!
It's hard to expect something too much from a film simply titled "Michael Clayton", however it's only minutes into the first scene when the intriguing deepness of this film becomes forcefully evident. Spear headed by an apocalyptic and profound monologue by Tom Wilkinson, this film becomes increasingly hard to look away from.
Director Tony Gilroy, who is probably most famous as the screenwriter of the Jason Bourne series, does a fantastic job of pacing this film from start to finish, and also excels in developing George Clooney's character in the title role.
There are a lot of movies out their that are like "Michael Clayton" as far as plot goes, however this film seems to go so much deeper than many of it's predecessors. Movies like "The Insider" with Russell Crow come to mind, where, after a while, certain scenes become predictable and boring. This movie stays interesting and it just has a very original aura about it.
George Clooney plays the role of a long time lawyer, down on money, who seems to have found himself being the "janitor" of the firm, having to clean up after other peoples messes. A man who spent too many years in such a grimy position that he is completely burnt out and lost in the world he built for himself. Acting opposite Wilkinson could only have helped Clooney's performance, as Wilkinson's portrayal, of a defense lawyer ready to burn the integrity of his firm to the ground was so fantastic, it had to be contagious to those around him.
All in all, Michael Clayton is a great film. A must see for anyone.
Raising Arizona (1987)
it was alright in my opinion
I had heard a lot of good things about this film before I put it on. I was a little disappointed. The story line was completely unbelievable, which was fine, as I feel that the filmmakers knew this while making it. My problem was it wasn't funny enough for this genre of film. Don't get me wrong, I did laugh at some parts, it's just that most of the time I was thinking, "this is stupid."
Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter play an outlandish couple of a repeated felon and a police officer, who decide to steal a baby as Holly Hunter's character "Ed" is deemed infertile. This then leads to a whole giant fiasco as everyone seems to be after this baby, and H.I (Cage) and Ed just want to start a family.
The performances I'd say were pretty good. There were a lot of characters in this film and I felt they all did a great job. I didn't really see the point of the bounty hunter. I felt Randall Cobb did a great job in his character, but I really didn't understand what the Coen brother's motivation for him was.
I guess the point they were trying to make, if they were trying to make a point, was that family life isn't all it's cracked up to be. What's important is that you love your family. Overall I thought it was an entertaining movie. Definitely not a favorite of mine, but I certainly wouldn't call it a bad movie. Worth a watch.
Apocalypto (2006)
A Must See: One of Gibson's best works.
What a great movie. From start to finish Apocalypto keeps you drawn to it, and never quite knowing what exactly will come next. I would say definitely one of Mel Gibson's greatest accomplishments as a filmmaker. I was so engaged in this movie that the two hours this movie played for simply flew by.
There were so many things that I liked about it. The pacing was simply perfect. There was never a point where this film dragged, and there was not a scene in this film that you could afford to miss. Also the acting was phenomenal. Great character development throughout the entire movie, which highlighted a surplus of memorable characters. On top of everything it had fantastic cinematography and production design, that captured the world it was trying to recreate.
Overwhelmingly visual to the point where I feel that the subtitles weren't necessary. I could of watched this movie on mute and still of found it engaging. There aren't too many films out there that can pull that off.
People who might not like this film are probably people who have a problem with excessive amounts of violence. I feel this movie is a perfect film for those who like escapism. It really pulls you into its world for two hours making your really feel like you are right there in the movie.
I give this movie a nine out of ten.
Intacto (2001)
Definitely worth seeing
I've found the best way to view a film is to know absolutely nothing about it prior to first watching it. I put on Intacto, knowing only that it had faired well in some very well known film festivals, including Sundance, and that there was a man running with a blindfold on on the cover. That said, I found this film captivating. It was interesting from start to finish, giving the viewer just enough information to understand the film, yet leaving some questions for the viewer to think about days later.
In Director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's world, luck is something that certain people in the world have a power over, and those with that gift have the ability to steal luck from others from just a mere touch on the arm. What really makes this film exciting to watch, is the extreme lengths that those who have this gift will go to, gambling on who the luckiest person is.
There were a lot of things I liked. For starters, the film-making in general was perfect. Everything looked beautiful, the pacing was great, and the actors were phenomenal. With the script at hand, they could not of done a better job. By not being straight forward with all the information, it's very fun trying to watch and figure out, what's coming next.
There were, however, a few things I didn't like, or understand. I was a little confused by the inconsistencies in the language. It seemed like half the time the characters were speaking Spanish and other times they were speaking English. It didn't do anything to effect how enjoyable the movie was, I just didn't understand it. More importantly the movie was missing something in the plot area. The premise of the movie was very original and intriguing, but the central story line lacked compassionate characters, and a certain amount of believability even within its own implausible world. For instance, if these people are so lucky, how did they get stuck gambling there lives in underground casinos? Why is our main character forced to succumb to a life of bank robbery if he's one of the luckiest men in the world?
Ultimately though, the film leaves you with a lot to think, and talk about. It's very entertaining, and at times, you'll be emotionally drawn to it. For me, that's all I look for in a good movie.