Review the last movie you viewed (NO LISTS) IV

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Oh, we love Gangs around here. The dearly departed Lance tried to make love the film, such was his passion for it.

"You see this knife GAF? I'm going to teach you to speak English with this fucking knife!".

Haha nice. Bill the Butcher is one of the most quotable characters I've ever seen in any movie.

"Here's the thing... I don't give a ten-penny fuck about your moral conundrum, you meatheaded shit-sack... That's pretty much the thing."
 
Haha nice. Bill the Butcher is one of the most quotable characters I've ever seen in any movie.

"Here's the thing... I don't give a ten-penny fuck about your moral conundrum, you meatheaded shit-sack... That's pretty much the thing."

My second-favorite quote from that movie behind the knife quote NSW already used.
 
I've also always been very fond of the monologue he gives when he's sitting beside Amsterdam's bed with the flag wrapped around him. I can't remember much of it right now...the story about "cutting out the eye that looks away"

The question is this:

Who is the more quotable Daniel Day character? Cutting or Plainview? I'd go with the Butcher mainly because I've seen GONY more than TWBB. But it's close.

"One night I'm going to come to you, inside of your house, wherever you're sleeping, and I'm going to cut your throat."
 
I think Plainview's got the better quotables, but the Butcher is a better performance.

Well, Christy Brown could be quotable if you like to mumble.
 
The Other Boleyn Girl

Too fast. The movie literally zipped through the storyline, barely leaving room for the development for some characters. Eric Bana as Henry VIII was good, but his character was the most emptiest. It was very bland. Other characters that could've been developed were Catherine of Aragon, Lady Boleyn and George Boleyn, the brother. Even Jane Seymour could've had some substance rather than just being there.

The speed of the film also took away some of the major points in the film. The movie could've expanded on Queen Catherine's trial, Anne's trial and Henry VIII's courtship with Jane Seymour.

When it comes to historical flicks, I am very picky about the accuracy of the film. While I probably know the basics of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, I doubt some of the things the movie had were true. One example was Anne being charged with incest. Yes, Henry VIII did accuse her of that because he was willing to do anything to get rid of her. But the movie portrayed Anne as willing to do the act in order to get pregnant following a miscarriage. Yes, I'm sure the scene was done for dramatic purposes, but still. I always despise it when historical movies are inaccurate. Its a pet peeve of mine, even though it happens all the time.

The only really good thing about "Boleyn Girl" was Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn. She was great playing the backstabbing, scheming Anne, and I think it was good to see Portman finally play the villain.

So, bottom line, see it if you like historical movies, but prepared to be confused. Its like being on a roller coaster that goes too fast, and you're left thinking "what just happened?"
 
Ha! I watched the first half of this last night. I'm not very knowlegable about the history of all of this, but it's been interesting comparing it to what I recently watched in the first season of The Tudors.
 
The Other Boleyn Girl was based on a fictional account of historical events which is probably why it wasn't historically accurate.

In the book, we are led to believe that Anne does indeed have an incestuous relationship with George.

Personally, I thought the role of Anne Boleyn was far too big for Natalie Portman, however, I did enjoy the film for other reasons.
 
The Fugitive

Right from the get-go, this film hits the ground running and rarely lets up. Using the immediate attack and murder of Dr. Richard Kimble's wife as a scene setter, the lengthy title sequence runs through the investigation, trial and sentencing before winding up on the slow bus to Kimble's intended prison. Granted we all have prior knowledge going in that he's been framed and will go on the lam, but it still puts us into his mindset of confusion and disbelief, all before the titles have finished.

Following on from this, we get the two biggest set pieces of the film within the first half hour (scenes famous enough to have been spoofed in two separate episodes of The Simpsons). It's a brave move to pack the major stunts right at the start of a film, but one that works for this one. Both of these escape scenes are pretty much required by the story at the start and after that it would just be silly to have any more of the same magnitude. One of the things I like about this film is that it's not episodic, everything plays out smoothly and the dramatic encounters never feel too forced. The one scene that does seem a bit too coincidental is when the house Kimble is staying at gets raided by the police, but it turns out they were after his landlady's drugdealing son. It can be seen as a cheap way of adding some quick tension, but it serves the purpose of pushing the US Marshalls' pursuit of Kimble forward and also Gerrard's doubts of Kimble's guilt.

And that right there is what makes the film for me. I understand it was an important part of the TV show (which I've never seen) and so not original to the film, but the dogged pursuit of Gerrard after Kimble and the uneasy respect between them is beautifully played out. It's always odd to remember that they only share three scenes, four if you include a telephone call. Tommy Lee Jones is great as Samuel Gerrard, with the infamous exchange in the aquaducts ("I didn't kill my WIFE!" / "I don't care!") perfectly and simply sums up his early character. I also like the way he deals with shit from people, passively letting it wash over him before pulling out his ace and totally sticking it to them.

While I'm on Gerrard, the interaction between all of the US Marshalls is another highlight of the film for me. I actually cared for these characters and even though they were pursuing the "good guy", they are doing so with the utmost conviction within the law. Their banter is great, affording them all some personality outside of obvious cliches and even though I can't name any of them after the film has finished I could describe them pretty well without having to go "the stupid / bitchy / geeky / mentalist one".

Harrison Ford has a tougher role as Kimble, and it's with his character that the film makes the most mistakes. Here we have a well respected, intelligent doctor with absolutely no moral scruples who goes out of his way at time to help people in need. How boring is that? It reminds me of the difference between the Gregory Peck / Nick Nolte incarnations of Sam Bowden in Cape Fear. Peck is all-American and dull as dishwater. Nolte is morally ambiguous and broke the law against Cady. He's interesting. Anyway, Ford does alright in the role but generally carries a worried expression throughout the whole film. I've heard complaints about this, but in all honesty, how else could he play it. He's a weel-to-do surgeon in over his head without a clue and Tommy Lee Jones after his ass. I'd be worried most of the time if that were me.

I do have faults with the film. The hospital scene where the good doc helps a poorly kid is horribly mawkish (music and all) and temporarily stops the perfect pace. We know he's a good guy already. I suppose it does tell Gerrard this, but geez, he already helped the prison guard from the bus AND could have totally blown him away in the aquaduct but didn't. A good Samairtan act just wasn't necessary. The film is also dated horribly in some places, like the photographic images of the crime scene complete with thuderous camera clicks. How very early-90s TV drama it is. And I honestly don't get where Kimble gets his money from to pay for food, rent and clothes. Has he bummed off all his old mates or what?

But I love this film. Last time I sat down to do a favourite films list (going back a few years) now, this came out pretty high. Even with a few more years worth of films I don't doubt that this still stands for a second.
 
Great review. Well written, well thought out. Your review took me back to when I first saw the movie.

Love the film. Like you said, it hooks you within the first half hour. The bus sequence especially.

I think Ford does a really good job, and obviously Jones does too.

NIce review, though, monkeyskin! :up:
 
Cheers bud.

I hadn't seen it for years before Thursday evening and it just had me going all over again. It's not high art but for my money one of the best and entertaining thrillers of the decade.
 
Cheers bud.

I hadn't seen it for years before Thursday evening and it just had me going all over again. It's not high art but for my money one of the best and entertaining thrillers of the decade.

As you need not be told, sometimes high art takes a back seat to a well done thrill ride. I like this film a lot, as it turns out.
 
Iron Man - 8.5/10. Best superhero movie I've ever seen (but mind you I've never seen any of the Batman or Superman flicks).
 
The Happening

I'm usually pretty generous when it comes to movies - as long as I'm entertained, or get a thrill or laugh or something, I'm happy.

But this was just BAD. Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. The dialogue was embarrassing, the acting terrible (and I LIKE Mark Wahlberg) and the story ridiculous.

Seriously laughably bad. The trailer was 100 times creepier than the actual movie.

Very, very disappointing. :down:

On the plus side, I got to see the X-Files trailer on the big screen.
 
It was so bad
I wished I was watching Indy 4, again.

Holy shit, you must really hate it.

Watching Altman's The Player right now. After that, I'll post my review of that and the 2 other movies I watched today.
 
I didn't even bother with The Happening, I used to look forward to his movies but he has really taken a freefall. I saw Incredible Hulk instead and I thought it was awful. Even Ed Norton couldn't save it. Liv Tyler was her usual beautiful self, that was about it. I never saw the Ang Lee version.
 
The Fall. wtf? I want my money back.

Damn
grumpynopompom.gif
 
A little spatter of what I've watched the past few days:

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka ***

Funny riff on the blaxploitation movies of the '70s. Some of the jokes fall flat, but most of it works, something that surprised me in a Wayans-centric comedy. Always great to see guys like Bernie Casey, Jim Brown, and Isaac Hayes kicking ass. It's a good, fun movie, worth checking out if you've got nothing else to watch on cable, if anything.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask ****

Woody Allen's farce about different aspects of sex was hilarious for the most part, but like all comedy, was hit-and-miss. The medieval, sheep, mad doctor, and inner body segments all killed me, especially the sheep. I wonder why Allen hasn't worked with Gene Wilder again after this, he seemed to fit this material like a glove and would handle his later, more dramatic work well, too. The awesome quips and general cleverness had me entertained throughout, even through the less funny segments. This was my first time watching one of Allen's early comedies, and if this is a sign of what they're like, I'm sure I'll enjoy the rest.

Friday Foster ***

A kind-of-awesome blaxpoitation flick with a surprisingly good cast (Pam Grier, Yaphet Kotto, Eartha Kitt, AND Carl Weathers! Holy shit) and ridiculous storyline around a conspiracy to wipe out all of the country's black leader. It's got all of the crazy violence, random nudity, and language you could want in an hour and a half. The montage of the millionaire slowly seducing Pam Grier over the course of the day culminating in the wham-blam-thank-you-ma'am boobies shot really made my 2 AM.

The Player ***1/2

This was my first Altman flick, which may seem like blasphemy to people named Laz, but that's okay. Aside from being an "industry" flick with loads of actor cameos (most of which are unscripted), the film centers on Tim Robbins as a movie exec being stalked by a vengeful writer. He confronts a guy who he thinks is doing it and kills him, only to find out he's killed the wrong man. Altman fills this with tons of references to other films (the 8 minute-long opening shot references Welles' Touch of Evil and Hitchcock's Rope; the camera lingers on shots of posters of movies that give insight to the film's plot - things that hardcore cinephiles would pick up on and appreciate). I enjoyed this film, from a directing and performance standpoint, but would only recommend this to people who are familiar with cinema or dig movies about the film industry.

Last of the Mohicans ***1/2

This was the second time I've seen this and it didn't change what I thought about it the first time around. Seeing Daniel Day-Lewis as this ripped action hero, cleaving the hell out of Indians and running through the forest, during the French and Indian War was worth the 2 hours of watching this. Even watching the Director's Cut, I still got the sense that Mann intended to have more to this story - imagine watching his other film Heat, but after they've cut abut 45 minutes to an hour of the relationship storylines, yeah, that's how I felt with this. The score grated on me throughout, dating what's supposed to be a period film to somewhere in the early '90s - that ain't good at all. That being said, it's still a wonderfully shot and performed film and fun to watch when you're in the mood.
 
A little spatter of what I've watched the past few days:

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka ***

Funny riff on the blaxploitation movies of the '70s. Some of the jokes fall flat, but most of it works, something that surprised me in a Wayans-centric comedy. Always great to see guys like Bernie Casey, Jim Brown, and Isaac Hayes kicking ass. It's a good, fun movie, worth checking out if you've got nothing else to watch on cable, if anything.

A very funny movie, though I thought Undercover Brother from a few years ago was actually a lot better. Neil Patrick Harris FTW.


Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask ****

That high of a rating, even though you rented this thinking it was a documentary? I could have told you what you needed to know, chief.

The Player ***1/2

Ditto. When they do film my biopic, it might have this title. But I ain't done yet. And you better believe it's gonna be a four-star joint, bitch.
 
I didn't even bother with The Happening, I used to look forward to his movies but he has really taken a freefall. I saw Incredible Hulk instead and I thought it was awful. Even Ed Norton couldn't save it. Liv Tyler was her usual beautiful self, that was about it. I never saw the Ang Lee version.

I think you would like Incredible Hulk better after you see the Ang Lee version...it's worse (way to cartoonish...in a bad way)
 
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