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Our Father (2022)
Fast Forward the First Two Minutes
This would be a great doc, if the director hadn't ruined the story within the first two minutes. It just doesn't make sense to give away the cause of the documentary and then spend the next 20 minutes building up a mystery.
This is a good story, but a better, more built-up delivery could have made this documentary epic.
Cabin Fever (2002)
The last "B" horror movie I will ever see.
From the opening dialog and scenes, I knew I knew I was in for a train wreck. Didn't want to look, but couldn't turn away. If it weren't for the meer eye candy of this film, I would have given one star. The fact that the interaction between characters and relationship behavior were so far fetched, added by poor direction and horrible story make this movie nothing more than a low-budget disaster. Money is definitely not a necessity to make a good film. But this movie fails so horribly there was no chance to rebound.
If you were stuck out in the woods, your childhood best friend dying from an unknown disease, other friends dying around you, stranded in a strange place, what would you do?
A.) Run away from everyone and try your luck on your own. B.) Have sex with your friends girlfriend. C.) Take a hot bath to relax your sorrows to include shaving your legs. D.) Bash in the head your childhood best friend and life-long crush with a shovel. E.) All of the above.
According to Eli Roth, none of these answers are that far fetched. In fact, all are plausible and well represented in Cabin Fever. The total lack of reality and illogical attempt at explaining what people would do in traumatic situations throws this film in the bonehead bin at your local rental store. Stay away. Stay far away.
Haute tension (2003)
Far too many holes, literally and plot wise.
*********SPOILERS*********** This movie was confusing on so many levels (not Fight Club confusing, Donnie Darko confusing). There are too many plot holes to count and I know that many were discussed in previous threads. So I will mention the inconsistencies and confusing concepts this movie made.
To begin, this movie was well filmed (for a French flick). I felt that the style has been overdone before and the film reminded me a lot of previous horror flicks. I was also living up to the title of the movie. I actually felt High Tension while watching this (until the end of course). The constant tension was well filmed and productive.
My problem lies in the particular wacky plot that fails to capture after the built up twist at the end of the film. It reminded me of often so familiar previous attempts at twists that fail to capitalize on their achievement. Only are you left to dwell in the fact that this was 90 minutes of your life that you will never get back.
(As stated before, some of these were hit on in previous threads.) What was the point of the decapitated sex scene at the beginning of the film? I did not recognize the woman's head as Alex. Was it supposed to be her? Where did this rage from Marie come from? Her obsession with Alex? Has she in fact done this before to other women? At no time does the film talk about her history. I was waiting for this at the end but unfortunately your left saying, "huh?" If there are other victims, why here why now? Why did she stop. Why did she go back to release Alex from being bound.
Where did the truck that "the killer" use come from? Where there multiple vehicles in the film? This could have been better explained. Possibility A: Marie never leaves the back of the truck. (More believable than chasing herself in another car.) Possibility B: Anything other than what they used for the film.
What is the point of the Jimmy killing? For one, Jimmy would not act suspicious if there was not another person in the gas station with him. And two, why would Killer walk around asking himself "who were you looking at Jimmy" when there was only one person in the gas station. Another way of confusing the audience to no avail of tying in this to the ending. All we are shown with is surveillance video.
****American Psycho SPOILER ALERT***** Do not read if you've never seen.
Finally, it could have better explained why Marie was the way she was. A better twist, one I was expecting, was that Killer was Alex's real father or that none of this ever happened it was only in her mind (a sort of American Psycho ending). It did remind me of Donnie Darko twist although it left me less hanging than that film. In Donnie Darko you wait for the explanation and never get it, in High Tension your given a partial explanation and you have to dream up the rest. "Well maybe this happened because of this." The problem is this film has too many maybes and you have to try hard to fill in possibilities without a tie in from the director in any way. I didn't really like this film. I've seen far better thrillers with far less confusion and gore. Nice try.
Crash (2004)
You think you know who you are? No, who am I Hollywood?
What do you get when you have a superb cast, great acting, enchanting score, and no story? A racist propaganda film directly aimed at America.
I can see the decision room now.
Producers: "Paul we still don't have a story. We loved what you did with Million Dollar Baby as did the rest of California and New York, but we are knee deep in this and we don't have a script." Paul Haggis: "I got it! We are going to make a movie targeting America." Producers: "What do you mean?" Paul Haggis: "We can show America just how racist they really are. We will have the whites as the bad guys and everyone else as the good guys. The tagline will be: 'You think you know who you are. You have no idea.' And then we will tell them who they are in 1 hour and 53 minutes. And their eyes shall be open." Producers: "But Paul, hasn't that been played enough? I mean, I think American viewers are tired of Canadians telling them what they are." Paul Haggis: "But don't you see? This doesn't matter. All that matters is what the Academy will say." Isn't it true though? Another Hollywood "inspiring" film that has no connection with American's? Again we are to settle with a film that misses on so many levels.
Within the first half-hour it is obvious that every single white character in this movie is a bigot. This movie is one sided on so many levels I couldn't even keep track. The stereotypes used in this film are so exaggerated I lost all accountability with whatever the message the director was trying to portray.
Exactly what is this film trying to show? Is it that after 40 years of civil rights we are worse off now that when we were when we started? Is it that every white person has some degree of prejudice whether they know it or not? In this film I couldn't help to notice how the white racial innuendos aimed at blacks are serious and ignorant, but the black racial comments aimed at whites are jokes and punch lines. Example: Matt Dillon entire dialog vs. the conversation between the two black car jackers.
Unfortunately this movie enraged me more than enlightened me. Seeing that "Hollywierd" shows my race as a bunch of brainless, Klan, bullies couldn't help but turn me off to any more garbage this director has to dish.
If you must, watch. When you watch look for the subtle attacks on white America. I know who I am, if you need a movie to tell you who you are...I'm sorry.
Donnie Darko (2001)
Why Donnie Darko is bad.
I couldn't think of a better summary to give for this movie other than the simple fact that I didn't particularly find it good. I saw this movie a month ago. I thought I would check out the rating on IMDb and to be honest I am not surprised that this movie is rated 8.4. I expected that people would find some way to justify that this movie is entertaining. The mere fact that fans of Donnie Darko do not understand the movie, nor able explain much of it gives them the sense that they need to enjoy it.
Aside from the plot holes, flash forwards/back/sideways, attempt at philosophical references, and "make your own interpretation" this movie did have a good soundtrack. I found the acting to be well given the fact that the actors probably had no idea what this movie was about. This is the only reason I gave it a 3 over a 1.
*SPOILER* I usually like time travel movies and am a big fan of sci-fi, but this movie makes no attempt in letting the viewer understand the movie whatsoever. Donnie Darko fans take pride in its mindless story and its confusing ending. It's obvious the writer and director are aiming at self interpretation of the viewer and leaving them to wonder why they spent the last two hours watching this movie when they could have been cutting their toenails. Never have I seen a more overrated movie.
Watch at your own risk and be warned, Donnie Darko is purely a cult flick. Don't feel betrayed (as I did) and consider the high ratings this movie has on IMDb. You'll be ready to throw the DVD across the room in an attempt to shatter it. And whatever you do, do not buy this movie before watching it.
Seabiscuit (2003)
Don't go see this at the theatres with the geriatrics.
(Possible SPOILERS!!)This is in no way a poke at Seabiscuit itself. This is no doubt one of the best films of the year. However, my problem is not with the movie itself. It's the class of people that go to see this.
When my wife and I go to a movie I expect certain things. Especially a historical, true-to-life movie. When I go see Pirates of the Carribean or Grinch I expect laughter, kids, and talking throughout the movie. This is normal. However, when I go to see movies like Seabiscuit, Saving Private Ryan and The Patriot I expect SILENCE!!!
There was nothing in my mind humerous about Seabiscuit. There may have been some cute parts or clever scenes, but not laugh out loud humor. So if this is the case with movies why are there people that insist on laughing at non-humorous parts? Why are there people that insist on giving thier input on the movie to the person next to them?
My problem with Seabiscuit was three particular "Blue Hairs" that sat behind me and my wife. Three friends that wanted to go see the one movie this year that they can relate to and ruin the experience for anyone in the same theatre as them.
William H. Macy was spectacular as the radio jockey. So spectacular that the moment he came on the screen these three bags started laughing so hard that they almost started choking.
It got so bad that they started laughing in the scene where Toby MaGuire was anorexically eating meger meals to stay light for his job as a jockey. I was going to laugh when he had the accident with the horse and couldn't ride again just to prove a point.
This goes back to when I saw Saving Private Ryan in theatres. This old woman would laugh at the oddest most horrible times in the movie.
I felt like this instance with the old people in Seabiscuit ruined the whole experience for me. Do yourself a favor, wait to see this movie on DVD or video when it is released to save yourself annoyance. This is because we all know the type of people seeing Seabiscuit, people that only go to one film a year. The same people that laughed at the intense scene in Saving Private Ryan where the German girl is reunited with her father and begins hitting him for giving her up to the Americans. The same people that laughed during the whole first part of Full Metal Jacket until the "fat" recruit went nuts and shot his DI. These people infest our theatres and don't belong here. Stay home or at the nursing center and don't ruin the last great American tradition of going to the movies.
Magnolia (1999)
Watch paint dry instead. You'll save time.
I'm sorry but this movie was a waste of time and resources. Maybe I expected too much from this film. The plot definatly sounded intriguing I have to admit. After I watched the opening scene with the little stories I was thinking to myself this movie is going to be awesome. I was really looking forward to getting into the main plot. Then I took the foot out of my mouth and was holding the razors to my wrists. Tom Cruise saying "Respect the Cock"? This role was not him at all. The characters had no good traits about them except for the cop. He was the only one oyu could feel compassion for. The others you couldn't help but not feel for them. The gay salesman, the pretty boy self-help guru, the addict, the mean father, the slut, the alcoholic. There was no redeeming value at all and there was no good ending. I can say for this movie I felt more stupid when I left the theatre and unfortunately I blew the afternoon because the movie was only 3+ hours long. Tom stick with Jerry Maguire and Top Gun. Stay away from the bad boy image.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
A Quentin Tarantino masterpiece
Quentin Tarantino delivers an explosive film that rocked Hollywood. He does his usual impressive, smart, slick writing and directing. Though it was the cinematography that made the film intense and rough. Along with its original story, it has an all-star cast including performances by Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Chris Penn and more. This is a movie that you don't want to watch with your kids but overall an outstanding film.