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DramaDude
Reviews
The Italian Job (2003)
A very pleasant surprise!
I'll admit that I went into this movie thinking the worst. I've never been one for the whole "car chase" movies. However, this movie really kept me interested. I thought the story and plot were very nicely put together. The performances by the actors were great on top of a great script! The special effects were an intelligent success. The way they did some of the stuff doesn't seem realistic...but when you think about it...it could all happen! Overall, a very pleasant surprise. I enjoyed this movie.
Bruce Almighty (2003)
Arguably Carrey's funniest!
It may not be his most animated movie, but Jim Carrey pulls off a very hilarious roll, as well as a very good dramatic role at times. Arguably the funniest man on the planet (not to mention the big screen), Carrey's last film, "The Majestic", showed the softer side of the actor and dissapointed a lot of people. In "Bruce Almighty", however, Carrey reassures his fans that he can still make em laugh like no one else!
Down with Love (2003)
Not THE movie of the year...but cute.
If not for the nearly 15 minutes scene where Zellweger is explaining to McGregor about how she isn't really who she says she is, this movie would have interested me more. Now, it was a very cute, original movie. The thing that gets me is...the fact that the script was VERY dry! It wasn't a very predictable movie, but the script was just...blah! Cudos to Zellweger and McGregor for taking up this project after two very impressive roles in their last movies (Moulin Rouge, Chicago). The two of them look good together on screen...and you gotta love the little number they do in the end!
Anger Management (2003)
Not Sandler's best...but Nicholson is great!
Something I've always believed about comedies...and this is one of those "duh!" statements...the script makes the movie! Obviously the movie will not be funny if the lines aren't. Sandler and his crew at Happy Maddison productions have always done a great job in making sure that the script flows and the timings are right on! The surprise...who would have thought that 12 time Oscar nominee and 3 time Oscar winner Jack Nicholson would get on board with them! I'm not complaining! Nicholson has always had great comedic timing and teaming up with Adam Sandler didn't hurt his career by any means! Just...don't expect to see Jack as one of Sandler's regulars.
8 Mile (2002)
Eminem goes to new highs...without the doobie!
For all those Eminem haters out there...take that! After pulling off a very strong performance in his movie "8-Mile", Marshall "Eminem" Mathers took home the most honerable award in the entertainment industry today...Oscar! Granted it wasn't for his role in Curtis Hanson's (an Oscar winner!) movie about the mean streets of Detroit (where Eminem, in fact, was raised). The rapper won for his original song, "Lose Yourself". Being from Detroit myself, I know what the mean streets are like. This movie pulled it off very nicely! As far as Eminem's Oscar, I just have one thing to say..."You better lose yourself in the music, the moment you want it you better never let it go. You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to go, this opportunity comes once in a life time!"
X2 (2003)
United they stand...forever!
As if the first one didn't give us reason to come back for more, the sequal gives us reason to suspect that this is a movie dynasty in the making! Could X-Men spawn as many sequals as it did comics? Probably not. We could only be so lucky, right? Bottom line is, this is a dynasty that will pack the seats of movie theatres for a long time to come. Just so long as they can keep thinking up new story lines. They can do that, right? I mean...look at all the frikin comics!
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Sequal leaves fans with questions.
While it didn't outdo the first one, "Reloaded" does deliver a special effects spectacle, possibly greater than the first. The fight scene between Neo and all of the Smith's is sure to go down as a classic in movie making history. The biggest question on everyone's mind, however, is still the same one they were asking going into the first movie: What is the Matrix?. You can bet the theatres will be packed again if not more for the finale of this historical triolgy in November to find all the answers!
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Oscar goes Cuckoo!
If Jack Nicholson would have known how successful his career would become after this movie, he would have wound up in a mental ward! Oscar winner Milos Foreman directs a great cast and a great story in this movie about the life of one man, committed to a mental institution, and the lives he changes while he's there. Worthy of all the Oscar's it received, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is just as good on stage! This past January, I had the honor to be cast in this play as Billy Bibbit. I know first hand just how strong this movie really is! To those of you who havn't had the pleasure of renting this one...I HIGHLY recommend it!
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Can't wait for the final chapter!
As he did in the first chapter of this trilogy, Peter Jackson gives us everything we could want or ask for in part two. From phenominal special effects and script, to great performances by the entire cast, LOTR: Two Towers (despite the three hours in length), keeps its audience in awe and begging not to have to wait till Christmas to see the final chapter in one of the greatest trilogy's of all time!
Gladiator (2000)
Scott or Crowe...who had the better performance?
In the long line of ancient Rome movies, no one has been able to master the true beauty of the ancient empire than Ridley Scott has with this masterpiece. With the help of Franzoni's ear for dialogue, Scott brings forth arguably his best movie to date. With Russell Crowe landing the lead in any movie, it makes the job of the director that much easier. Crowe puts forth a magnificent Oscar worthy performance that will be remembered in Hollywood for a very long time!
Men in Black II (2002)
Smith and Jones are back...but not as funny
The success of the first MIB gave the sequal a huge standard to live up to. One would think that with the returning cast, it would put up equal if not better numbers at the box office than it's original. Well...it hasn't put up the numbers...and for obvious reasons. Smith and Jones are back together as agents J and K. However, while the two kept the laughs coming in the first MIB, they can't help a poor script and a weak supporting cast. The only thing that truely returns to form in this sequal is the special effects, which at certain points in the movie, out-do the effects of the original.
Toy Story (1995)
Hanks and Allen are hilarious even animated!
As if Tom Hanks wasn't talented enough...someone had the brilliant idea to animate him! Not to mention pair Hanks great sense of humor with comedic genius Tim Allen! Together, these two keep the giggles and laughs coming in this cute and successful Disney Pixar flick that spawned an even cuter sequal!
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
"SHAZAAM"! Meyers and Knowles make a pretty good pair!
I never thought that I'd be complimenting a member of Destiny's Child...but as Foxy, Knowles pulls it off rather well! And of course, Meyers continues to entertain us with us multiple personalities as he introduces us to Goldmember. The original characters (Dr. Evil and Fat Bastard) still have us laughing our rear ends off, as well! The only real fault of this movie...someone needs to kill off Scotty Evil! (meaning get someone else besides Seth Green to play him!)
Signs (2002)
So you havn't wet your pants in how long?
M. Night Shayamalan definately redeems himself in this flick! People were very disapointed at his last film "Unbreakable". But with "Signs", Shayamalan not only gets Oscar winner Mel Gibson (Best Director Oscar for 1994's "Braveheart") and Oscar nominee Joquin Pheonix (Best Supp. Actor Oscar nom. for 2000's "Gladiator") to be the leading men in his movie...but he scares the pants off of the viewers! Now this movie isn't like his first one...the blockbuster "The Sixth Sense"...it won't get scary until about 30 minutes in. At any rate, this movie packs a horror/sci-fi punch that Shayamalan is becoming known for!
Rush Hour 2 (2001)
Comic duo of Chan and Tucker will be around a long time!
The first Rush Hour made us laugh till we nearly dropped. The sequal made us laugh till we nearly passed out! Jackie Chan (though he doesn't like to admit it) is probably one of the funniest men in Hollywood today. Not to mention the complement of Chris Tucker by your side to add to the humor. If this movie doesn't make your gut hurt, I don't know what will! Fact is...these two gentlemen will be a comic duo to remember! (sorry Owen Wilson...Tucker has ya beat!)
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Not gut-wrenching funny...but a cute movie on the whole.
Ok I'll admit it...I expected more from this movie. I mean, come on...Billy Crystal and John Goodman as the cliche "monster in the closet" had to be a hilarious bit, right? Well...though this movie had its chuckle moments, it wasn't anything to hold ones gut over. Now for the kids, this is probably the best thing since Toy Story. But for the older crowd (those over 12 who actually saw it) it's a "wait for rental" movie.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
You can't go wrong with Jim Carrey!
Time and time again, Jim Carrey proves to the world and his critics that he can make us laugh no matter what part he is given! Even as the lean, green, who-hating machine Grinch, Carrey shows that he is at the top of the comedic game in Hollywood! Now honestly...who could have played the Seuss character better? At any rate, Carrey aside, give Ron Howard all the credit he deserves for this flick. It's no "Beautiful Mind", but then again, could you see Russell Crowe in a green jump suit?
The Sixth Sense (1999)
A HUGE first movie for Shayamalan!
It's not everyday that Hollywood gets a genius like M. Night Shayamalan to walk through it's doors! In his directorial debut, he does something with our minds that not too many horror/suspense moviemakers are capable of doing...he makes us think! And to top it off...he gets 6 Oscar noms (including Best Picture!) as well as a great cast to back up the movie!
Cast Away (2000)
Zemekis and Hanks do it again!
As if "Forrest Gump" didn't show the chemistry between director Zemekis and Hanks, "Cast Away" delivers another proof of that very point. Just the fact that filming had to be postponed almost a year so that Hanks could lose 40lbs is remarkable enough! The fact is...the two of these gentlemen will be at the top of Hollywood until someone knocks them down...and to that I say to those who would try...GOOD LUCK!
Shrek (2001)
Possibly the best computer-gen. film ever!
When Steven Speilberg took on the co-ownership of Dreamworks, I bet he never thought that he was going to have some of his biggest success using Mike Meyers (voice of Shrek), Eddie Murphy (voice of Donkey), Cameron Diaz (voice of the Princess), and John Lithgow (voice of Farquad). Not that that matters much because if this movie didn't get you laughing till your gut hurt...than you must be a corpse! I don't think any of us would have thought that the four of these talented stars could make us laugh if put into a sound studio together!
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
The greatest war movie since "Apocolypse Now"!
When we think Spielberg, we think Indiana Jones, ET, and Jaws. We wouldn't ever think War. However, movie genius Spielberg pulls out all of the stops in this epic war movie with none other than Hollywood great...Tom Hanks! And who'd have thunk it...Spielberg...working with Matt Damon? There really isn't a whole lot that one can say against this movie. It's graphic and touching all at the same time...while bringing the reality of WWII to life like no one has ever done before!
Men in Black (1997)
Not much Will can't do!
Ok Ok...call me a Will Smith fan if ya want to for giving this movie 8/10 stars! But come on, people...who'd have thought that the Fresh Prince would be shooting down alien spacecrafts? That was a shocker to me! Anyway, Sonnenfeld does a great job with the special effects and alien effects of this movie! Not to mention the duo of "Mr. Jones" and "Mr. Smith" (as the promo so formally put it) is one to look forward to not just in the sequal...but possibly in other movies down the road.
Twister (1996)
Plot gets 'blown away' in this otherwise edge-of-your-seat flick!
So it's probably the best movie ever made about killer tornadoes! The point is, however, that the plot of this movie sort of gets carried off of the script as Hunt's character and Paxton's character have more scenes together. The special effects and suspense of this movie hold it together to keep the viewers interested and in their seats. However, if you're a movie buff and look for a concrete plot...skip this one.
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Robin Williams is a master of comedy...even as a woman!
Just for the record...I will always give a Robin Williams movie at least an 8! Just the fact that Williams is in the movie makes it a great flick! At any rate, "Mrs. Doubtfire" is one of those 'feel good' movies that will make you laugh and cry all at the same time. Sally Field and Williams are a great pair on screen and I wouldn't be surprised to see them together in the future (on screen, that is).
Ghostbusters (1984)
For its time...this movie is WAY ahead!
Ivan Reitman...who hasn't made a movie to date that has come close to topping this movie...does a masterful job in special effects (i mean come on, people...1984!!) as well as picking up a hilarious cast to make this movie quite enjoyable for anyone of any age. The only movies around this time that could hold a candle to the effects of Ghostbusters would be Star Wars (Lucas) and the Indiana Jones trilogy (Spielberg). As for the sequal...not quite as good as the original...but admirable in itself.