nasakcuf-3 Reviews

District 9 (2009)

Gronk!

[8/10 · 6 September 2009]

District 9 is told from the perspective of a retroactive documentary, with the actual movie filling in the events between the commentaries. When the movie initially began, I wasn't sure if this was going to be any good with this style of storytelling.

I was pleasantly surprised.

I think that part of the joy of this movie is to discover the storyline for yourself, and so I will not rehash it here. Suffice it to say that once the interesting plot line gets going it REALLY gets going, with characters that I found I cared about in the end, even Wickus whom I didn't really like at the beginning. The ending was rather touching and left the door wide open to a sequel that I would be sure to see as well.

I give this movie an 8.5, it is worth more than the price of admission.

Quantum of Solace (2008)

Bravo!

[8/10 · 29 November 2008]

My exposure to the Bond series begin with Roger Moore; I've seen Sean Connery's take on Bond and I still prefer Moore to Connery. Having said that, I have to say that I prefer Craig to Moore. In this movie, this version of Bond comes across as a real person acting realistically in the situations he finds himself in. In the end, I found this movie to be one helluva ride, with lots of stunts (some of which made me cringe) and fast editing (but not so fast as to create confusion).

Unlike previous outings, Bond isn't primarily concerned with an evil villain at the outset but one emerges nevertheless. Although the scope and scale of the villainy is somewhat smaller than what I've seen in previous Bonds it still came across effectively and, in the end, this is definitely a Bond movie. One nit to pick: The signature gun barrel and theme music are absent from the beginning and only show up later. I can't say I liked the theme music they used.

Overall, this was money well spent for me.

Babylon A.D. (2008)

Ack!

[7/10 · 1 September 2008]

I have mixed feelings about this movie, and this is not a good thing. On the one hand, we have an action-filled movie with a promising plot and some interesting albeit bleak visions of the (near?) future. On the other hand, that promising plot has been done before elsewhere, and better. Moreover, the action scenes look like they were edited by someone with an attention span measured in milliseconds, making for a spastic series of action sequences that don't really allow one to see either Vin Diesel or Michelle Yeoh kick butt, a real problem considering this is supposed to be an action flick. And the ending was...flatulent. Here's hoping the sequel (if any) is better...

7/10 : If you absolutely have to get a Sci-Fi fix go for it, but you can find better...

Mirrors (I) (2008)

Boo!

[8/10 · 17 August 2008]

These days, at over $10 per movie ticket, the question I most ask when I go to these review boards is...was it worth it? The answer to that question depends upon how effectively the movie brings its genre across to the audience...the interesting plots, the action sequences, the drama. Yes, perhaps I've seen the movie's take on these things before, but to me the movie's worth is defined by the movies own merits, not necessarily the merits of what preceded it...

We have I think all seen variants of what Mirrors is about, yet I still recommend it. I found it to be atmospheric and suspenseful (with some gore, one effect in particular will probably make your jaw twitch for the remainder of the movie), although the suspense wears off once certain things are revealed about 3/4 of the way through the movie. The atmosphere remains intact however, and the ending of the movie delivers an unexpected twist that brings the movie full circle. While I'm not likely to see it a second time, I found a single viewing to be a worthy investment of my time and my $10.50....

Wanted (2008)

Action written with a capital "A"...

[8/10 · 29 June 2008]

"Wanted" tells the story of an ordinary office worker who is in for a not-so-ordinary future; the beginning of the movie could almost be confused with something straight out of "Office Space"...

Where the movie pays for its price of admission is what happens after this beginning, and it becomes wall-to-wall action at that point. The stunts are cool, the gunplay is spectacular, and as long as you don't think too long about what's going on, one helluva ride. If I had to find a fault with the movie, it would be that there are times when you are no longer immersed in the movie because the actor addresses the camera (by looking into it and talking to the audience), which somehow seems to (briefly) destroy the experience as a moviegoer. This doesn't last long however, and I found myself forgiving the transgression rather quickly. Without this, I'd rate the movie slightly higher (8.5 perhaps) if I could. As it is, it's still easily worth the price of admission...

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Not quite the same Dr. Jones I remember, but still excellent

[8/10 · 25 May 2008]

At 40 now, I grew up with the entire series back in the 80s and enjoyed every minute I spent watching Jones' matinée-like escapades. It would seem however that the concept is now wearing a bit thin, too many instances of "hey wait a minute, how can THAT be...?" But then again, I'm not a teenager anymore, and have watched many a movie with more plausible but equally harrowing escapes...I think the key to enjoying this movie is to suspend your belief long enough to sit through it. If you do that, I think you will find this offering to be well worth your time.

Dr. Jones is after another artifact this time around, but there are no Nazis to get in the way; the communists have that honor, and are after the same artifact that Dr. Jones is. If you've watched previous Indy movies you can already envision how this one goes down (plenty of fisticuffs and harrowing escapes), however the ending is QUITE different (and in my view, spectacular). After mulling the movie over in my mind in the context of the ending, perhaps this is what I don't like about the movie: Indy appears to be entering a more modern era (the movie is set in 1957) and because of this it seems to lose a certain something. Unlike other posters here I didn't find the script or dialog faulty, and I especially liked the stunts, which were actually quite breathtaking in places.

In the end, this is a movie you'll probably want to see, if for no other reason than to round out your viewing of the quadrology(?) If you do I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, but I suspect few people will give it a second viewing. Overall I give it 8/10, which is what I usually give movies where the entertainment received covers the price of admission; your mileage, on the other hand, may vary.

Beowulf (2007)

I am Beowulf, hear me roar...

[8/10 · 24 November 2007]

Actually, I liked this movie. I think I would have liked it even without the 3D effects that are peppered throughout this movie. It tells a good story and sets up the plot for an energetic finale where the movie really earns its price of admission. I did find Beowulf a bit over-the-top bombastic at times (hence my summary line), but this eventually gave way as his character evolved and I was able to write that off simply as character development. That annoyance aside, I should mention something about the CGI, which was marvelous. Note that The ENTIRE movie is CGI...there are no live actors present, although the CGI characters look like their real-life counterparts in places (i.e. Anthony Hopkins' character looks like Anthony Hopkins). I found this funny since I usually associate CGI with creating brand-new fantasy characters (Grendel? Also played by an actor but nothing you can recognize), not with attempting to model actual actors. I'm not sure if I really like that aspect of the CGI...if I wanted to see Angelina Jolie somehow I expect the real thing. But that's just IMHO, and it really doesn't take away from an otherwise good movie....

30 Days of Night (2007)

Pedestrian Horror

[7/10 · 29 October 2007]

I grew up with Christopher Lee and his version of a vampire. Staying up until 1 or 2am (while younger than a teenager) I remember going to bed and unable to sleep after watching one of his movies. I found the characters and their situations believable (more or less), and the director tried hard to generate a general sense of suspense, a feeling that something was not quite right...

After watching THIS movie however, I think I'll sleep just fine. The story centers around a small Alaskan town that has 30 days of dark every year; this year something goes horribly wrong and it gets overrun by vampires during this time. Good premise and good production values, however there seems to be something missing. Perhaps its because you see everything a bit too soon...I didn't really find the movie very suspenseful. Or maybe it's because of the acting, which struck me as out-of-place in a few places (you can tell someone is actually ACTING being out of breath, as opposed to making you believe he is). Or perhaps it was a general sense of unbelievability to the movie as a whole, not from anything specific but just a gut feeling that prevents you from being able to identify with the characters (or their situation) at anything more than a topographical level. In the end, it was OK Halloween fare (with the price of admission paid for by the looks of the vampires, which I found excellent), but it simply didn't deliver many frights for me....

The Grudge (2004)

Spooky

[8/10 · 7 November 2004]

After reading some of the reviews posted here before going to see this movie, I felt I was about to go see a bad-to-mediocre ghost story that, while creepy, had no genuine scares.

I was pleasantly surprised.

Whether you find this movie "scary" or not depends on what types of situations tend to get under your skin; with me, it was the idea that the movie played out almost like a nightmare at times that got me rattled. The movie did not disappoint in the visuals department either, and is one of the more atmospheric movies I have seen recently. For me, it was money well spent.

Note: Pay attention in this movie. A situation will develop in the movie, and then the movie cuts to another set of scenes that explain how that situation came about. There is NO indication when this cut happens, so you will get confused if you aren't prepared for this. Some of the people that didn't "get" the movie probably fell victim to this.

Gladiator (2000)

Very atmospheric movie. Recommended!

[8/10 · 26 June 2000]

This film has sort of an epic feel to it; the crowds, the sets, and the ambiance in general all work to effectively re-create life as it might have been in the Roman Empire.

We begin with Maximus, a very successful Roman general, and Commodus, the incompetent heir apparent to the reigning Caesar, Marcus Arelius. Maximus, after winning a key battle against Germanic hordes, is offered what is essentially a wish by Arelius. Maximus is battle-weary and just wants to go home. While the aging Arelius initially agrees, he is in failing health and recognizes that Commodus isn't fit to rule, and therefore offers Maximus a "protectorate of Rome" position instead, which the reluctant Maximus takes under consideration. If he accepts, he effectively would be Caesar, something that wouldn't sit well with heir apparent Commodus...

I thought this film was quite effective on many levels. Maximus was portrayed as a general following the orders of his Caesar, sometimes reluctantly but always to the best of his abilities. Commodus was portrayed as a cruel letch which, if memory serves, he was. And the Roman Senate, a hotbed of intrigue and corruption, served as a curious counterpoint to the concept of a Caesar, showing that not even the Caesars were perfectly free to do as they wished. All in all, a very watchable, atmospheric movie well worth the price of admission.

U-571 (2000)

Das Boot, v2.0 (A Good Thing)

[8/10 · 23 April 2000]

I wasn't around in 1941, and the closest I've been to a submerged submarine was at DisneyLand. However, if there's any accuracy at all in this movie as to what life is like on a seaborne submarine, I should thank my lucky stars for this....

Nominally, U-571 is about an American attempt to recover an ENIMGA cipher machine from a disabled German submarine. ENIGMA was used extensively by the Nazis to send secure communications to the various fronts (and even domestically), and the capture of such a device had the potential of shaving years off of a godawful war.

Things don't go smoothly however, and the crew is soon fighting for its life. ENIGMA takes a back seat as the crew tries to escape in one piece in the middle of a war-ravaged ocean.

I like this movie. The tension in some of the scenes (which I won't mention) was incredible, even more so than the early 80s movie "Das Boot". If you enjoyed that movie, you will enjoy this one (IMHO) even more.

The one nit I feel obligated to pick is the ending, which felt somewhat contrived. [*Potential Spolier Warning*] As I remember, torpedos weren't all that reliable in 1941, and the munitions magazine was set more towards the middle of the ship, not the bow. This movie ended on one helluva lucky shot. However...'twas still cool. :) 8/10

China Girl (1974)

An excellent, plot-driven, highly erotic film. Recommended!

[9/10 · 20 July 1999]

Let me first begin by saying that this film may not be for everyone. People expecting wall to wall sex will probably get bored with the film early on: The first sex scene doesn't happen until nearly thirty minutes into the movie, and the overall movie has about 4 sex scenes. But what scenes they are! And the plot is executed so well that it could stand by itself and still make for an entertaining movie.

The plot centers around an Asian crime syndicate known as Dragon, which is hired to steal the formula to a chemical substance that enables total memory recall. As the movie progresses, you learn that most of the scientists associated with the R&D of this compound have been abducted and interrogated by Dragon; unfortunately for the syndicate, they were all associated with coming up with uses for the substance and have no knowledge as to its structure.

Enter Drs. Olinski(played by a lucky bastard I've never seen before) and Hartgrave (played by the illustrious Annette Haven), the two principal researchers on this drug.

The US government, concerned by all the kidnappings, assigns two security agents to guard the good doctors. Nevertheless, Dragon manages to kidnap both: First Olinski, then Hartgrave.

The lady in charge of the local chapter of Dragon, a certain Madam Wu (Pamela Yen), believes that pleasure can be just as effective as pain in extracting information from people. The scene where this theory is first put to the test (on the male Dr. Olinski) is one of the hottest, most erotic scenes I have ever seen in an adult movie. Rather than try to paint a verbal picture that probably wouldn't do the scene justice, suffice it to say that it involves a drug that won't let you climax, a bed, and three women [four if you count the exotic dancer :) ]

Similar treatment awaits Dr. Hartgrave (Annette Haven), but with a decidedly lesbian twist. I'm not a fan of this type of sex, but I couldn't help but smile at the image of Ms. Haven surrounded by four nubile females. I suspect fans of this genre will find an erotic charge to be had here.

The other two scenes are between Annette Haven and her government "protector" (don't know his identity) and between Madam Wu and Haven. The former came across as "tender" somehow, although I don't think that was the intent; the latter came across as lesbian and that WAS the intent (but alas, not something I tend to enjoy).

Overall, I like this movie. A lot. There are no cum-oriented themes in this movie, so fans of raunch will probably find this film too tame. And people that hate plots in their adult films will also not like this movie and will spend most of their time holding the FF button down. But if you find that a good plot does indeed add a little something to an adult film, then I think you'll find that you can't go wrong with "China Girl".