I love IMDB because it always suggests movies that you might like based on the movies that you look up.. And this time it was Trainspotting
It takes place in Great Britain/Scotland and details the lives of a group of heroin addicts. It was interesting because I've never really seen a movie that talks about heroin except American Gangster and in that one it's a central thing but it's not really focused on.
Trainspotting was a little all over the place but I liked it. Ewan McGregor did a great job really playing a character that was outside of the box. I'm so used to him playing the pretty boy in stupid romantic comedies or the younger version of Obi Wan Kenobi... but this character seemed like a stretch for him.
The scene where he goes through withdrawl was really unique and interesting. I wonder if that's how someone who does those drugs actually feels when they don't get their fix.
Regardless, before I got it to watch I checked RottenTomatoes.com as always to see what the critic brigade had to say... Overall it's rated 88% and while I don't always agree with them, I definitely would in this case.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Live Free or Die Hard
Let me preface this by stating that I have never seen one of the Die Hard movies... so when I watched Live Free or Die Hard I had absolutely nothing to expect... except maybe that sweet scene where a car flies into a helicopter that I'd seen in the preview.
On the surface this is a very extreme concept... computer terrorists have hacked the government and will shut down everything that controls our life... and since computers do control just about everything - that means a country-wide blackout. It sounds so extreme, but it's a movie so I'm OK with it.
I've never been a huge fan of Bruce Willis - he always seems to play a rather large douche bag in films, but this role totally suits him. He was obnoxious and self-involved but the part called for it. And seeing Justin Long working on computers wasn't totally out of the ordinary. I mean he does appear in those totally creative ads for Apple.
Now take into consideration an extreme amount of high-volume action and out of the ordinary extreme-nature and you get this movie. After talking with one of my coworkers he told me that I wouldn't have liked the movie if I'd seen the others (he said this one is rather unconnected). But as a stand-alone movie I thought it was pretty cool.
A Los Angeles Times reporter writes, "That this implausible stew works as well as it does is in part a tribute to the unlikely but enjoyable rapport that forms between old school McClane and his youthful computer-savvy companion." I'm glad that he referred to it as implausible stew and I totally agree it worked well... The combination of brawn and brains always seems to prove entertaining.
And this movie was no exception. This is one of the few franchise sequels that actually worked this summer and I'd definitely watch it again.
On the surface this is a very extreme concept... computer terrorists have hacked the government and will shut down everything that controls our life... and since computers do control just about everything - that means a country-wide blackout. It sounds so extreme, but it's a movie so I'm OK with it.
I've never been a huge fan of Bruce Willis - he always seems to play a rather large douche bag in films, but this role totally suits him. He was obnoxious and self-involved but the part called for it. And seeing Justin Long working on computers wasn't totally out of the ordinary. I mean he does appear in those totally creative ads for Apple.
Now take into consideration an extreme amount of high-volume action and out of the ordinary extreme-nature and you get this movie. After talking with one of my coworkers he told me that I wouldn't have liked the movie if I'd seen the others (he said this one is rather unconnected). But as a stand-alone movie I thought it was pretty cool.
A Los Angeles Times reporter writes, "That this implausible stew works as well as it does is in part a tribute to the unlikely but enjoyable rapport that forms between old school McClane and his youthful computer-savvy companion." I'm glad that he referred to it as implausible stew and I totally agree it worked well... The combination of brawn and brains always seems to prove entertaining.
And this movie was no exception. This is one of the few franchise sequels that actually worked this summer and I'd definitely watch it again.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
He's not Italian, he's black.
It's hard to make time to get away from being in class, being at work, and trying to manage seeing people to keep my sanity... But every now and then I get to go to the movies. And when I do, I always make sure that I'm not just blowing it on some movie that will probably be horribly lame.
Ever since my roommates and I saw the previews for American Gangster we knew it would be good, but I wasn't totally positive what it was about. But the epic looking commercials and the buzz around it made it look like a movie I wouldn't regret seeing.
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone writes, "Call it the black "Scarface" or "the Harlem Godfather" or just one hell of an exciting movie, but the fact-based, 1970s-era American Gangster is already looking like a major awards contender." After seeing it I could do nothing but agree.
The movie was suspenseful, action-packed, and believable. I'm never surprised when Denzel Washington has a great performance in a movie because he's so consistent... but this character was so far outside of any that I've seen him play before. But he did it with conviction and made it completely realistic.
Even Russell Crow who I am not particularly fond of had a great performance. He's completely transformed from his gladiator physique into an almost middle aged New Jersey cop.
It was really interesting to see a mobster that wasn't an Italian gangster but instead a black man. And then to find out that this is based on a true story. Shocking to realize that this man had so much money and all from selling drugs.
I've never seen The Godfather but I've always heard how much of an epic movie it is and how it is THE MOVIE to see... And after seeing this one I think I might even splurge and visit Blockbuster.
Ever since my roommates and I saw the previews for American Gangster we knew it would be good, but I wasn't totally positive what it was about. But the epic looking commercials and the buzz around it made it look like a movie I wouldn't regret seeing.
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone writes, "Call it the black "Scarface" or "the Harlem Godfather" or just one hell of an exciting movie, but the fact-based, 1970s-era American Gangster is already looking like a major awards contender." After seeing it I could do nothing but agree.
The movie was suspenseful, action-packed, and believable. I'm never surprised when Denzel Washington has a great performance in a movie because he's so consistent... but this character was so far outside of any that I've seen him play before. But he did it with conviction and made it completely realistic.
Even Russell Crow who I am not particularly fond of had a great performance. He's completely transformed from his gladiator physique into an almost middle aged New Jersey cop.
It was really interesting to see a mobster that wasn't an Italian gangster but instead a black man. And then to find out that this is based on a true story. Shocking to realize that this man had so much money and all from selling drugs.
I've never seen The Godfather but I've always heard how much of an epic movie it is and how it is THE MOVIE to see... And after seeing this one I think I might even splurge and visit Blockbuster.
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