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7/10
A Wild West Gig Full of Heart
23 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Wildly entertaining, Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Tour 30 Days & 30 Nights - Hollywood to the Heartland, a documentary that tears through the stand up circuit with 4 comedians who perform 30 shows in 30 consecutive nights in cities across the US.

The "Stand-up Comic" hasn't been in our consciousness for awhile. They have become a dying breed, a career that starves the mind and body. This film goes beyond itself, allowing the fatigue and exhilaration of comedy, seep through the screen. Through off stage interviews with each of these comics, you feel their emotional intensity and yearning for inspiration from their lives.

This is a Vince Vaughn movie that just entertains it has all the right factors. There is Vince center stage doing his usual fast talking persona that I dare say has plagued most of his recent films. He is the name and the host of every show. He invites guest Justin Long, who hams it up as a waiter to him and Jon Favreau, but Justin goes on to do an unforgettable impression of Vince Vaughn in a scene from Swingers. He does same type of act with Keir O'Donnell ("the gay dude from Wedding Crashers" as an audience member and survivor of a hurricane Katrina calls him) draws pictures based on title recommendations from the audience. "Our First Date" is particularly hilarious; as it features Keir in a tree holding grapes out to a bobble headed Vince Vaughn. Still Vince reveals himself to be more that just a movie star, a thoughtful reflective and supporter of stand up. He gives the spotlight to the 4 comics, Ahmed Ahmed, John Caparulo, Bret Ernst and Sebastian Maniscalco who he pulled from the Comedy Store in Los Angeles.

Ahmed Ahmed shows perhaps the most natural on-stage presence, his comedy is a pure reflection of his life - he was arrested at a Las Vegas airport for being middle-eastern. John Caparulo is a standout, with his fowl mouth, Bob Goldthwaitesque voice and his yappy dog presence, he is the most accessible to audience. When the tour stops in a particular town where they are required to do a clean show, John has to restrain himself on stage and is forced to change his brand of comedy in an altogether negative way. There is also something to be said about Sebastian Maniscalco, he is by far quirkiest of the group, he takes long, full cleansing showers and dry cleans his socks and underwear, but his genius is he embraces himself and uses it in his routines. It is his reflections after his performances and his life as a stand up that really pull at the heart strings and outlines the heart of what this film really is truly about, the often heart stopping truth of comedy. In the end it was the always hard working Sebastian that seemed the most altered by the tour. The final sequence of the film, a wrap party that has him caught up in a tearful goodbye, as he come to terms with the tour experience. It is clear he is altered forever.
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9/10
Best Bee sting I've Ever Had
18 April 2006
A good movie will entertain you. These days it seems like such an impossible feat -- the purest element of cinema is overlooked, that it's relieving to see a movie like V for Vendetta, that has its heart so deeply in creativity and controversy. So this amazing movie does what it's suppose to, except it stays with you long after you stop watching it, and then you are watching memorable scenes in your head. This movie is the best bee sting I've ever had. It's a marriage of elements mystery, fantasy and mind blowing action sequences that effectively tells a story of terrorism and a totalitarian society and gives us a feeling of hope. It gives so much and in return asks for so much, that the average audience member may dismiss it as too cluttered and political.

Hugo Weaving, gives an amazing verbal performance, as V, the man that hides behind a mask, his smoothing voice is reassuring in a twisted sort of way. Natalie Portman as Evey Hammond, stumbles a little over her English accent, but she is actually powerful and effective as a woman who has lost her inner strength.

I applaud V for Vendetta's boldness, strength and the way it found a reflection, a romance in a story about terrorism.
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9/10
Most Luminous film
18 January 2006
I was having one of those days where I was just fed up with everything. So I left work early, and into the quiet recesses of a darkened movie theatre to watch Pride and Prejudice, a movie that is so luminous in its every frame. Keira Knightley is perfectly cast as the assertive Lizzy Bennett, her every movement so full of expression and subtlety, you find yourself captivated by her. The contents of the plot was not known to before I saw it, nor did I have any knowledge of the kinds of books Jane Austin had written. I went into this movie with a clean slate and left feeling so full of inspiration. Even though it all feels very dated (and of course this is a period piece) the feelings between Lizzy and Mr. Darcy are very real and moving.
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9/10
Brilliant Film
22 January 2003
I saw Punch Drunk Love at its second screening at the Toronto International Film festival. The idea that Adam Sandlar was starring in a film where he was require to play a dramatic role, piqued my interest, in fact it darn right had me intrigued. So I sat down in a really uncomfortable seat at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theater, and loved every minute of it. Unlike, Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love runs at a brisk 90 minutes, but it still runs like a snail. It's the kind of film that keeps you wondering, because as you stare at luminous images that pass by your eyes, you wonder is there more to this? Am I missing something? There is no doubt in my mind that this film has many, many, many layers of metaphors and hidden meanings, that you can't see in one watch. Paul Thomas Anderson does an superb job of writing and directing something that I have never seen before, an independent spirited and experimental film with a lot of heart, done right inside the Hollywood system. It has the greatest ending line of any movie I have seen this year, but I won't spoil it. Adam Sandlar made me cry, a tall order for a guy who has only been able to make me laugh sometimes. Phillip Seymour Hoffman does an amazing job here, proving once more that he is one of the best character actors around today. So long and thanks for this film!
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Excellent Unoriginal Romantic Comedy
26 October 2002
Romantic Comedies. How long have they been around? I am sure since the dawn of cinema romance has been played out way too many times on film. So many people complain they are unoriginal, that the formula is tired and lame. My question to those people is this, why the heck do you go see this type of movie in the first place? In Forces of Nature's case was it because Sandra Bullock looked damn hot in the preview or Ben Affleck looked like he was actually going to stretch his acting range? Why? I really do hate when people rag on this genre of film because honestly its dependable, you know what your gonna get, its comfort food for the soul. I have seen my fair share of bad romantic comedies, but let me tell you Forces of Nature is one that has its head in a creative fast lane. Not only is it great to look at, with slow motion sequences and imaginative special effects, but also the story is one that I didn't expect. The story is present to show you the cold feet of Ben (Ben Affleck) and a woman, Sarah (Sandra Bullock), who makes him understand it. There trip from the airport, takes them through all kinds of over the top weather, but it is all part of a metaphoric journey of understanding love and marriage. I admit some of the movie does dabble in some less than stellar scenes involving Ben's Fiancée Bridget (Maura Tierney) and her ex-boyfriend Steve (the late David Strickland), but it doesn't bring the overall story down. While its true that the audience doesn't quite understand the relationship between engaged love birds Ben and Bridget, that is hardly something you can complain about since its not the point of the movie, the story is about Ben's journey and his ice cold feet. I enjoyed the movie for what it was instead of trying to imagine that it could be this uncliched masterpiece, because I find most romantic comedies are derivative to certain point anyway. The title sequence by Kyle Cooper (the director of New Port South) does a brilliant job with colour and substance, which perfectly matches with the rest of the film. Cinematographer Elliot Davis, wow, does an amazing job here with coloured lenses. Forces of Nature is a great film, full of rain, thunder and sunshine, which is exactly how love can feel at times.
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Abandon (2002)
1/10
Poor Follow-up from Oscar Winning Screenwriter
21 October 2002
I have to wonder what the big heads were thinking when they green lighted such an insipid movie. The writer and director, Stephen Gaghan apparently left his brain behind when he won an Oscar for his Screenplay, Traffic. I think this is the only reason he got to do this atrocious film, if you can even call it that, because I prefer to call it a hackneyed, piece of junk that needs a serious dose of Ritalin. This movie spends most of its running time trying to be confusing or rather mysterious (but for the most part its just annoying and audience manipulative), and jumping from scene to scene, to scene. I probably spent more time looking at the arms of my watch than I did at the screen, because I couldn't wait for this movie to finally end. I couldn't care a less about the ending which came out of nowhere, the contrived situations, and much less the main character (played by the luminous and talented Katie Holmes). This movie is a big fat dud, don't waste you time or your money on it. I have seen a lot of bad movies in my time; no doubt being a budding screenwriter myself I need to see and know what is bad and what is good. Still this movie takes the cake (not a birthday cake, but a three tear wedding cake), as being one of the worse movies I have seen in my life. If you wanna see a Katie Holmes (such a wonderful actress trapped in very bad big screen movies), a half way decent thriller go rent Disturbing Behaviour.
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9/10
Thank you Wes Anderson! The film is brilliant!
27 December 2001
I think if someone tries to watch a Wes Anderson film, they have to have a certain kind mind to understand the real meaning of them. After being awed by the Royal Tenenbaums, I left with a certain kind of joy that only a great film can give me. It's like flying an electric kite, it's that hard of a buzz. As I began my travel down the stairs of the theater, I heard this couple talking about how stupid the movie was, and how they are going to ask for a refund. I suddenly smiled, because I hoped that they would get one. I think that I got something out of the film that they didn't. That inside the frames of the movie I felt like I was in good company and had a understanding for the material that they didn't. What is so good about the Royal Tenenbaums? The great detail in every frame, from the costumes (and they really are costumes)to the design of Chas, Margot, and Richie rooms and the house. This is brilliant film on every level, a delight for the senses and for the mind. This movie makes you think, and without giving too much away there is a lot of surprises that come from the characters dialogue and their past. High kudos go to Luke Wilson, I loved his performance as the suffering Richie. If you loved Rushmore, there is no doubt that you will love this film because it is at par with it, except that its a bit darker in tone. I think its funny that way that people look at film, we each love or hate a film based on our own perception(and mind there are people who just watch film for entertainment). So if you have a complicated mind and you enjoy watching a challenging film, then the Royal Tenenbaums is for you. As for me, I plan on watching it again so I find more things to love about it. Thank you Wes Anderson, so much. You made laugh, you made me smile and I cried. A thousand times, thank you!
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