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mikeslant
Favorite films in no real order...
Apocalypse Now
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
Raging Bull
Once Upon a Time in America
It Happened One Night
Paris, Texas
Tombstone
Once Upon a Time in the West
The Dark Knight
GoodFellas
Heat
Airplane!
North by Northwest
Blade Runner
The Night of the Hunter
Vertigo
The Searchers
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Aliens
Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid
Wild Bunch
The Sting
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Blazing Saddles
The Prestige
Spellbound
Unforgiven
A Clockwork Orange
Angels with Dirty Faces
There Will Be Blood
Don't Look Back
Masked & Anonymous
Mean Streets
I'm Not There
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Moon
Back to the Future
Maltese Falcon
Reviews
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
One of the greatest action movies of all time
I remember when I was little and this came out, I wanted to see it so bad but I was never allowed to. Finally, when it was on PPV, my Dad let me see the last twenty-five minutes or so and I loved it. It wouldnt be until I went to my freinds birthday party that year that I would fully experience 'Judgement Day'. While T2 is a sequel with a new story arch, James Cameron in some ways was doing a remake. Now with the budget he originally needed he could tell the story he truly wanted to tell but couldnt. (Such as the T-1000 character, who he came up with during the first film)You'll notice similar set pieces and lines, similar action scenes to the ninth degree. John Carpenter did something similar to this with Escape from L.A., a sequel to Escape from New York that was in some ways a remake because the budget he was able to get. All similarities aside, T2 is a force to be reckoned with. Though T1 maybe scarier, with its edgy world and dark themes, as well as a much scarier Arnold, T2 has some scary moments too, as well as some of the most complex and extremely entertaining action scenes ever scene. Even by todays standars, the special effects in T2 rock. Maybe becasue they only used CGI when puppetry and animatronic and make-up effects wouldnt work, and they only used those effects when regular people or sets couldnt work. Something the new Star Wars movies could take a hint from, only use CGI if you HAVE to. T2 isnt just an action movie though. From the opening chse scenes that begins in a mall and ends in a flood chanel, to the closing shootouts and chases that start at a Cyberdyne office and end in a steel mill, T2 mixes in a touching and emotional story of surival and characters. In a way, T2 is storyline based, character driven, with huge shootouts, chases and special effects along the way to make it a blast. The T-1000 is very scary and creepy, Arnold is more over the top than he was in T1, but he still kicks butt. The opening scene that shows the future war still stands tall as one of the coolest battle scenes in all of cinema, and when John and the Machine talk about how humans arent going to make it, that it is in our nature to kill each other, creeps me out how very true it is. T2 shouldnt be missed by anyone, though it lacks some in the originality factor, it makes up for it in slam bang visuals, widely entertaining shootouts and chases, one liners, good acting, and a great story. When you think about it, The Matrix copied alot of the things the Terminator franchise created, accept added on action elements that could never be completed in real life, but made up a reason why it could. Either way, Matrix is cool, but T2 (and T1) are flat out amazing. **** out of ***** 9/10
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Good, not great
The Matrix Reloaded is what a summer blockbuster should be. Is it loud? Check. Plenty of special and visual effects? Double Check. Plenty of action? Check. Is it a great movie? No. But I enjoyed myself, never the less. I did not really like the beginning though. For some reason, it felt kind of forced, sparatic, it didnt work well at all. But as the movie went on, so did my approval rating. Some more editing would have been nice though, what I mean is that the fight scenes are to long. Like where Neo Battles five billion Agent Smith's in the courtyard, it was a great fight sequence, jaw dropping, and the stunts with the pole worked great, but it was too long, it started to get to the point that I was like, okay it can end anytime now. In my opinion it should have ended right before Smith said "more". This is no one time thing though, just about every fight last's a little bit to long. The freeway chase on the other hand, was long, but just about perfect. Jaw dropping from beginning to end. Even with the fight sequences running to long, they were impressive and fun to watch, I couldnt help but tell myself, okay, this is the best fight scene, only to be bested by the next one, ending up with the freeway chase being the best action scene in the movie. The dialogue and acting is okay, sometimes too long, and tries too hard to be all inspiring and mind bending and make you think, something a little too forced in this movie yet totally opposite in the first. My last complaint is the special effects, yes they are great, incredible and jaw dropping. But, wheres all the new stuff? Wheres all of the hyped up stuff that 'can never be copied like the stuff from the orignal was'? Sure, theres some new stuff, and the bullet time and slow mo effects are ten times better than they were in the original, but I saw nothing that jaw dropping or incredibly revolutionary like in te first one. But, aside from all these complaints, and I know, there are alot, I enjoyed this film, the cliffhanger was a cliffhanger, the effects were great effects (though nothing terribly new or completely revolutionary). The kung fu was great, the gun scenes were just as good, the storyline was great too. Though I had some complaints about the dialogue, it was okay as well. In the end, the story flies high (though not as much as the original) the special effects were amazing (but not as original as they were in the original) and the acting was worse that in the original (which wasnt that great to begin with). Though I was hoping to see what I saw in the original, in other words, things I had never seen nor been on screen before, considering how hyped this movie was, it lived up to it more than other hyped up movies, like the terrible Episode II. In the end, it may not be exactly what I expected, I had fun. *** out of ***** Low 8/10
Blazing Saddles (1974)
Mel Brooks at his best.
"Blazing Saddles" was a time when he was at his best. And that year he went from a writer/director with two failed (financially speaking) comedies ("The Producers", "The Twelve Chairs") to one of the biggest comedy writer/directors of that time. As this film, and "Young Frankenstein" did both big box office, but were hits with critics and audiences alike. Brooks was a lucky man though, as this story wasn't his idea, and it came along to him as he was looking for change in gutters of New York. Brooks picked up the project, hired on the original writer (Andrew Bergman) as well as a few others (Including Richard Pryor) and along came "Blazing Saddles". It is the greatest spoof of western films and will continue to be that forever. The racism jokes may get a little old, and there are some cheap jokes (as there are in all of Brooks' film), but all in all, you laugh quite a bit at this film. There are a couple of hilarious and outragous moments (including the camp fire scene, and the wacky ending that could only be a part of a Mel Brooks film) and there are a few funny moments and jokes, as well as a truck load of small, cheap, so-so, and failed jokes. This was the time when Brooks was the master of complete lunacy, and he continued to do so up until just after "History of the World", he toned down a bit. In his later comedies such as "Spaceballs", you still find some hilarious and crazy moments, but you can tell that Brooks lost his edge some. Not that I don't recommend that film, as I pretty much recommend any Mel Brooks film, for the fact you will always find something funny. Overall, this is a 8 out of 10, or **** out of *****. Ranks up there with "Young Frankenstein" and "History of the World Part I" as Brooks' best films.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder have done it again!
From "The Producers" to "Blazing Saddles", it seems that when Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks do a movie together your bound for a good time (Even though Wilder only starred in those other two films, he had nothing to do with the screenplay). I am a huge Mel Brooks fan. I love "History of the World Part 1", "Robin Hood: Men In Tights", "Blazing Saddles", this film, and to a lesser degree, "Spaceballs" and "Dracula:Dead and Loving It". I have warped sense of humor, and it shows. But this film is hilarious, but you can tell that this was more of a Wilder written film. Throughout it lacks the potty humor and off-color humor that have been constant in other Brooks films. It has some, but it has a little bit different feel to it than other ones. Yo u will find no sign of the p*** boy of "History", or the racial jokes and gags found in that same years "Blazing Saddles". But this is a time period when Brooks was at his finest, two of his best films, many call them his two best, came out the same year (1974) and they have become his two most successful films, both critically, and finanically. Actor wise, Peter Boyle is hilarious, his grunts and crazy looks always seem to come at the right times. The character Igor ("it is pronounced I-gor, master") is my favorite, because of his eyes and remarks. Gene Wilder is good in this film also, he also comes off with some very funny looks. Madeline is funny and witty as she always is in Brooks films. (She also appeared in Mel's "Blazing Saddles" and "History of the World", to name a couple)And Gene Hackman, he may have had a small (or should I say blind?) part in this film, but it was one of the funniest sequences in the film. I could hardly stop laughing when he was ladeling the soup for Peter Boyle. Overall, this film is a deffinate 10 out of 10. It has to be on my top two or three list for Mel Brooks films. It may even by number 1, I dont know, I just know it is funny. A must see. ***** out of *****
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Visually Breathtaking. Completely Entertaing. Undeniably Fun.
People can whine all they want that the movie "The Lord of the Rings:The Two Towers" isnt the book "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring". It isnt, the adaptation may not be perfect, but this is a movie based on the book, not a movie that is a book. In other words, it isnt perfect in that regards, but what film is? Jurassic Park? Jaws? None are pefect. But you also have to look at the fact that part of the book the Two Towers, was included in teh end of the movie Fellowship, so could parts of the book Two Towers be in Return of the King? Possibly, but onto the movie. From Gandalf's battle with the balroc, to the battle of Helm's Deep, this movie as action, action, action. Mix that with an engrossing storyline, interesting characters, and a love for teh Lord of teh Rings, you have a near flawless film. Look at the special effects, they are so good you dont even think about them as being special effects. Rather than using staight up green screen and CGI as in Episode II, LOTR:TTT flawless mixes computer graphics, the most detailed models ever created for film, and great acting. Peter Jackson and co. used a method like the one in T2. Do it in real life it looks real and good enough, if not use puppet, animatronic, and models, if those dont work well enough, then revert to CG. And it shows, not only in the special effects, but in the gerneral care taken to make this film as fun and interesting for both LOTR freaks, and common moviegoers alike. Shame on the Academy for snubbing this film from some Oscars it deserves to win. Like make-up, the best of the year, they dont even get a nomination. Or how about Peter Jackson as Best Director? No dought they will probally give the Best Picture Award to some film like "Chicago", rather then the classy and undeniably breathtaking "Two Towers". But as for the film, I highly recommend it and give it 5 Stars. ***** out of *****. The Best Picture of the Year. Bring on "Return of the King"!
Airplane! (1980)
Truly a masterpiece of off the wall comedy!
Just about the funniest comedy ever, "Airplane!" makes you laugh till it hurts as it spoofs religous zealots, t.v. commercials, and plenty of movies, from "Casablanca" to "The Poseidon Adventure". From the great ZAZ team (David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker) who gave us every spoof from "Kentucky Fried Movie" and "Top Secret!" to the "Naked Gun" series.And "Airplane!" is the best of them all. Its hard to find a movie that you can see 4 or 5 times in a short period of time and is still quite funny. The film is over 20 years old, and hasn't aged much at all. It still packs the laughs, as well as great sight gags and one-liners. From the great 'Dont call me Shirley' and 'Co-Pilot' gags, to the hilarious spoof of "Saturday Night Fever", the movie is flat out hilarious.In my mind, the sequel, whil e still funny, was a disappointment because it just didnt pack what the original did.I guess no movie ever will. The actors are great too, from the start of Leslie Neilson's stupid/funny movie career, to the start of Lloyd Bridges in the genre. The only film that even comes close to being as funny as the great "Airplane!" is another ZAZ masterpiece, "Top Secret!". Other notibles are the first "Naked Gun" and Pat Proft's and Jim Abrahams' "Hot Shots!:Part Duex". Surely "Airplane!" will go down as just about the funniest movie of all time, but dont call me Shirley!.
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002)
A-Grade Trash? More like A-Grade Comedey!
In the great tradition of "Airplane!", "Naked Gun", and "Hot Shots!" comes Steve Oedekerk's ("Ace Ventura:When Nature Calls", "Patch Adams")spoof of martial arts (i.e. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") films. while I admit, this is no "Airplane!" or "Top Secret!", and some jokes just dont hit the spot, there is plenty that do. The dubbing jokes are quite funny, while theres plenty of sight gags to go along with them. From an unexpected jokes, to funny spoofs of "The Matrix" and "The Lion King" "Kung Pow!" is a film that is stupid yet funny, my kind of film. What I look foward to in a comedy is spoofs, parodies, sight gags, one-liners, slapstick comedy. This movie delivered in all those areas. And whats so bad about the unibreast joke? No, its not hilarious, but it gets a quick 'thats messed up' laugh. And the mini-trailer of "Kung Pow 2:Tongue of Fury" looked good. I hope Oedekerk goes ahead and makes the sequel, if its as good as the original it will get many laughs. I give it *** out of **** stars. (On a comedy scale)