Change Your Image
mrochkind
Reviews
V for Vendetta (2005)
I was into it start to end and in between
With the historical opening, I thought this was going to be one of those movies that takes a while to get into. That thought lasted about a minute. I got into it fast and in a big, big way. At every point. Not a false move, not a weak moment. Great ending, too. It had action, culture, love, revenge, paranoia, blood, great acting, great lines, great plot, great photography.
I went for the politics, too. We need strong statements about what's going on, and why not in a terrific movie? It didn't come across as heavy handed, because it's part of the central plot.
It's a measure of the movie's power and meaning that we all root for the Parliament building to get blown up in the end. Imagine that! If you can't, then see this movie, and you will.
All this for less than $10? I think I'll go back tomorrow and watch it again.
The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)
Great direction and acting
I watched the film with my 10-year-old daughter, and I loved the idea of her hearing, "It's not who your parents are or how much money you have... it's who you are!" The film is about golf (to the same extent that Million Dollar Baby is about boxing), about class vs. merit, about fathers and sons, about passion, and about the ability to focus.
The script is fine, if a bit obvious, but the actors sold their lines with their body language, their eyes, and their faces. A great job by director Bill Paxton in what I think is only his second film. They'll be a lot more.
This one should go down as a great sports film, along with Hoosiers, Friday Night Lights, and Miracle.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Boring and pointless
I'm afraid I can only report on the first 50 min. or so. Amazingly boring. Horrible acting by two greats. Had to turn it off... fortunately, it was from Netflix, so no real harm done.
Sorry, seeing guys on drugs, even from their point of view, just isn't interesting all by itself.
Looking at the rave reviews here, I'm wondering who else has been on drugs.
(As Roger Ebert has said, it's not what the movie is about, it's how it is about what it's about. On that, this movie is a failure.)
I did like the monsters in the bar scene. Too bad the movie couldn't have been about them.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Half of a good movie
A great movie... until it comes to a crashing halt about halfway through or so when Ian asks Toula to marry him. Then all the dramatic tension, surprise, and inventiveness are gone. The big confrontation between Ian and Toula's father is entirely tame. There's nothing in the second half but a lot of noise, predictable events, and a mushy ending. And I didn't find the rudeness towards Ian's parents or the adoption by Ian of all things Greek particularly appealing, either.
(While the plot points are quite different, the culture clash in Bend It Like Beckham is carried through to the very end, to very good effect. But that movie had soccer to sustain the plot. Unfortunately, MBFGW has nothing at all.)
I give the first half 5 stars out of five, and the second half maybe 2.5.