Reviews

Almost always included in the list of greatest films of all time Gone With the wind's reputation precedes it. Gone with the Wind is, simply put, a tale of two halves. The movie is divided by an intermission into a pair of roughly-equal segments. The first, which is brilliant and consistently captivating, covers the time period of the Civil War, beginning shortly after the election of Abraham Lincoln, and ending during Sherman's march through Atlanta. The post-intermission half, which dishes out the suds, picks up at the end of the Civil War and concludes about eight years later. This portion of Gone with the Wind, while still retaining a degree of appeal and narrative interest, spins its wheels frequently. One of the tests of the lasting impact of any film is determining whether it's still effective decades after its initial release. Gone with the Wind looks so good that it is surprising to consider its actual age. It's hard to believe that many of the people involved with this film have long since died. A masterpiece.

What made anyone believe Under Siege needed a sequel is beyond me. I have come to the conclusion that it's impossible for a Steven Segal movie to be anything better than mediocre, and this particular travesty may be his worst yet. The title Under Siege is supposed to represent the situation faced by Segal's character, but it's equally appropriate in describing the experience of the poor viewer who sits through this film.During the course of the film, there are three incidents when our stalwart hero seems to be in a little bit of trouble, but terrible visual effects make these more amusing than tense. And then there's the big, joyous conclusion, complete with applause -- talk about cornball. This makes Scent of a Woman's grand finale look restrained. The whole production might have made a wonderfully campy ride if director Geoff Murphy hadn't taken things so seriously.

This film proves that the crazy guy Mel Gibson is a genius of sorts. With Apocalypto, Mel Gibson has proven it's possible to create a compelling action/adventure film in almost any setting. Gibson's theme is that all great civilizations fail when they begin to rot from the inside. Over the next 2 1/4 hours, he provides glimpses into the degeneracy of the Mayan society on the eve of its encounter with the Spanish conquistadores. However, Apocalypto is not a political tract or a dissertation about why the Mayan age came to an end. Instead, it's a high-octane adventure that concludes with one of the most intense extended chase sequences in recent movie history.

Captain America is the latest in a seemingly endless line of origin stories and the last of The Avengers prequels. Captain America falls into the prevalent pitfalls of origin stories. So much time and effort is expended explaining how the protagonist gains his super-powers (and exploring his initial usage of them) that there's not enough opportunity to develop a compelling storyline beyond his "baptism." The final confrontation is disappointing, lacking scope and energy. Evans is alright but with so many heroes to choose from he doesn't really do anything unique except don the cape and look beefy.

Taken from a previous poster's opinion: Not as good as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly or the Outlaw Josey Wales. I would certainly rate this movie in the top 5 Clint Eastwood Westerns. The acting, dialog and plot are very good. I especially liked the Preacher's meeting with Stockburn and his deputies. It appears to me that the character of the Preacher may be the man with no name from High Plains Drifter. They are characters that suddenly appear, never state who they are or where they come from and help out in a crisis. They seem to be connected with someone who died violently prior to their arrival. They are made out to be avenging angels or demons. As further evidence of their being supernatural characters notice the bullet scars on the Preacher's back and Stockburn's wounds. In High Plains Drifter notice the flashbacks to the death of the sheriff. A definite must see for Eastwood fans. You won't be disappointed.

Bryan Singer's Valkyrie is a great attempt at showcasing one of the most fascinating chapters of WW2- the assassination attempt on Hitler's life by a brave German named Claus von Stauffenberg, played rather impressively by Tom Cruise. The plot is historically accurate and the setting and production is so good you'd be astonished to know that the locations are all fake (apparently the German authorities refused to let the filming happen on actual locations). The pacing needs a mentioning as it is absolutely amazing- the film literally flows from one scene to the next, which is a given since it follows an event in real time. This is a great watch.

This is a great little horror movie and if you enjoy haunted house films this would be right up your alley. John Cusack plays a ghost hunter and he checks into the dolphin hotel smack in the middle of New York City for a new assignment. Samuel L Jackson plays the hotel manager and warns him against it. What follows is a nice take on the haunted house genre. Featuring some genuine creeps and buoyed by the legitimate names 108 is a nice excursion into the supernatural.

Peter Weir's The year of living dangerously is a fantastic film. A fictionalized story based on real world happenings it is drama and romance interwoven against a political backdrop. Both the leads Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver are stunning (in my opinion one of the best movie couples ever committed on film) and Linda Hunt is amazing as the male dwarf (she won an Oscar for her work here). Vangelis has provided a sublime soundtrack, and even by his lofty standards I hold it on a higher level than his other work. Of course the architect of the entire project- The director Peter Weir skillfully directs his actors in various locations around the Indonesian islands and this is a testimony of how underrated the man is(seriously where is his lifetime achievement?) . He has made poetry in motion here.

Edgar Wright has made a pleasing movie accompanied by a fantastic soundtrack brimming with tracks that will make you engrossed in the proceedings of the film. Baby driver is a fast paced, stylish film that should be watched and appreciated. (A killer soundtrack and a must watch)