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liamtoh55
Reviews
Public Enemies (2009)
Excellent Movie
OK, so some of the people who have posted comments on here have serious mental disorders. You can't say the film is bad because it's historically inaccurate, because it's about making a good movie - not a documentary. You can't say the film is bad because you have gripes with John Dillinger's ethics, dig him up and argue that with him you fool! You also can't moan about awesome camera work which made the film so unique, bitching that the film looked like a "B-side" movie (when it's B Movie idiot!). Finally, you can't moan about the excellent sound, spouting about how the guns were too loud because guess what... GUNS ARE LOUD!!!
It seems that people have become too used to the Hollywood sheen of fixed cameras, steady-cam, and unrealistic sound effects. You know... filmmakers intentionally make things sound and look more extreme than they are to wow you as the gullible, popcorn shovelling, brainless audience. Then when someone like Mann chooses to make a realistic recreation of the Public Enemy era of the 1930s, you get on your high horse because it didn't live up to your deluded high standards of small pistols sounding like APC-mounted .50 cal machine guns, and every second not being filmed on hyperHD laser-cameras from the future.
It's about film making, not impressing pointless you with feats of technological prowess.
The cinematography was beyond reproach. The amateur non-steady-cam work coupled with the lack of any musical score in all of the main action scenes really made it realistic. It became so convincing and exhilarating, as though the camera man was back in the 30s getting shot at too. The acting by all was excellent, with Depp and Bale giving great character performances. Michael Mann really knows how to play with your emotions and perceptions of good and evil (with the aid of Depp and Bale), and he made me switch sides in my mind on many occasion throughout the film. One of the best aspects of this film for me though, was how Mann captured both the danger and the romance of the era.
If you are interested in the Public Enemy era of the 1930s, and/or are interested in John Dillinger, you should definitely see this film.
Killshot (2008)
You should read this one
I've been reading some of the other comments, most of them are pretty fair, but a few of them are written by people who didn't see the point of the film - nor do they appreciate good acting.
I have recently been catching up with Rourkes early work, and I am fascinated by his acting abilities. He plays a very interesting, Native American gang hit-man (Black Bird), and he somehow portrays the characters' experience and inner moral battles without saying hardly anything. In just one look across the table to Diane Lane, he displays his reflections on his past and his desire to change as an ageing assassin. You really get the feeling that Bird has created a cage for himself in which he must uncompromisingly kill anyone who has seen his face, regardless of whether they are good people. I could somehow empathise with Black Birds situation, that he had a long career of emotionless killing that was blown away by the death of his younger brother, which led Bird to take a very different path - with an unlikely accomplice - dragging good people into his dark world.
I was also very impressed with Joseph Gordon-Levitts' performance as Richie Nix, but not at all surprised considering his performance in Mysterious Skin (2005). Thomas Jane and Diane Lane (hey that rhymes) did a good job as the troubled couple caught in the middle of it all, but there were no "wow" moments from them either.
Overall, this is a pretty good action flick. Sure it's not a crazy, over-indulgent, sensationalist Hollywood blockbuster, but it is a good story about how the average person reacts to extraordinary situations - and how extraordinary people on the fringes of society react to the average person.
Terminator Salvation (2009)
Thuroughly Enjoyable.
The previous Terminator movies, and other similar sci-fi action flicks have taught us to expect a lot of fights and explosions, but not much acting. This movie completely shattered this preconception. Lets face it, although Christian Bale is one of the finest actors alive today, his recent blockbusters (this included) haven't given him much scope to perform. However, Sam Worthington (who I hadn't heard of before this film) really acted his socks off to create a deep, three-dimensional character - which is simultaneously difficult to do considering his character AND quite a pun keeping todays' CGI standards in mind. I have also been keeping an eye on young Anton Yelchin since his brief appearance in Curb Your Enthusiasm, seeing him in Alpha Dog, and then catching up with him again in Star Trek and now this. This young guy is a very talented actor, who could easily be the next DiCaprio. To get to the point, this is a very exciting pop-corn flick portraying the stories of two important men in this fictional future battlefield, which has been coupled with great acting from all angles (ahem! aside from Common). Go and see it!
Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
Quite Good I think
So, I should start off by making it clear that I did enjoy this movie. The casting is great, and I find the concept interesting, but it does fall short of being a great movie. I'd like to think that Kevin Smith has attempted to tell a classic love story, but mixed with the seedy underbelly of our modern world, and in some respects he's done this quite well. The first half of the film has some very funny moments, and the characters were established subtly and nicely. My issue with the movie is the same issue I have had with nearly all of Smith's films, and that is that he seemingly can't quite 'seal the deal' so to speak. The movie is interesting and funny for the first 2/3rds, and then just plateaus to the end. Mr Smith has molded many strong ideas here into a good film, but just can't quite clinch a meaningful enough climax. I would still advise that anyone who is a Kevin Smith fan to go and see it, I just hope he can keep the pace going in his next work.
Sex Drive (2008)
Huh?
What is the matter with people here? This movie is a complete train wreck from start to finish! Even Seth Green couldn't drag this film up into the realms of good humour. The main cast is pretty damn bad, and some sort of failed attempt at creating another American Pie bunch of kids, plus the story is boring and goes nowhere. You can spot the moments that the creators thought were particularly funny, as they are pushed right into your face much harder than the rest of the drivel, but this just makes those moments all the more embarrassing for not being funny at all.
Do not watch this film... Trust me... And if you do see it, I know you will see that I was right.
Notorious (2009)
What a bad bad film
There are a few people on here saying that this is a good film, and that it is a very honest 'feel-good' movie. These people know nothing about movies or The Notorious B.I.G.
OK so firstly, this film is not a factual account of the events in his life, AT ALL! There are huge portions that have been left out in favour of endlessly dragging out minor details to fill some sort of void of idiocy. It is massively 'Hollywoodized', and many facts have been left out in order to make Wallace out to be a much better man than he really was (which is much the case when a celebrity dies young). Oh, and the picture painted of Tupac Shakur is one bordering on the psychotic. Tupac is made out to be the bad guy during their feud in a BIG way, and I would like to see someone make a movie from HIS point of view.
NOTE: Come to think of it, I think the movie would be more passable if they changed all of the names and locations in order to make it totally fictional, in favour of pseudo-fictional.
Secondly, even if you ignore the facts not being accurate, it's easy to see how poorly made this movie is. It looked as though they used cardboard sets straight out of a cheap soap opera; the direction and cinematography was awful; and the script was full of 'people-wouldn't-say-that-in-real-life' ridiculousness!! On top of that, around 60% of the acting in this movie was pretty damn poor.
My advice is: DO NOT watch this movie, unless of course, you have the opportunity to watch it for free.