Myself as I am, not as I'd like to be.

     There are few movie's so far on this list that I disagree with and today I watched a movie that I absolutely hated. That film is the Italian "masterpiece" 8 1/2. So fair warning this will be a rant. The movie is about a film maker who doesn't have his heart in his next project so he spends his time thinking back on his youth and not talking to anyone else in the creative process. This movie is much like Akira Kurosawa's Dreams except it isn't as good. By that I mean the movie is clearly about the actual film director's life and the movie's lack of caring is the directors feelings that he would rather not do movie's he is pressured into.

      The movie follows no narrative but I'm ok with that I gave The Man with a Movie Camera four stars and that has no narrative. This movie flows so slow I could carry a boulder up a mountain before anything important happens. Now I don't want to sound like I totally hated this movie because I did enjoy one scene where the director is remembering himself as a child on the beach. But other than that scene I find no love in this movie.

      I know I must be wrong because this is often hailed to be a near perfect film about movie making but this movie takes all the wonder away from the behind the camera. Instead go watch My Week with Marilyn or Hitchcock. Do not waste your time with this one, but if you understand it please tell me. I guess the best way to describe this movie is one with no aim and no ambition. The movie itself is about a movie with no heart so perhaps that's what this movie is.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 1.5 stars

Yeah, well I saw it on TV first, then I made it up

     Since I skipped a movie on Saturday I'll be watching two today to make up for it also tomorrow check for my top ten movies of this month. To start today I watched Saturday Night Fever which is the movie I should have watched Saturday just because it was a pun. This movie follows around Tony (John Travolta) he's a dancing superstar in Brooklyn during the disco years and yes this movie is stocked with the Bee Jees. Tony goes through life training for a dance off while his friends and family screw up it's like a teenage coming to age movie except this one swears more than a sailor.

     I can't say I loved this movie because I was bored after thirty minutes and I wasn't really into it until the last twenty. But this movie isn't a throwaway like I thought Shane  was this movie just drags in the middle because the pacing is a bit off. The characters are never developed fully and that's a shame because I felt like that would have pushed the movie forward quite a bit. But I will say the atmosphere of the movie felt like I was back in the day. Pretty soon I'm going to say groovy like Ash from The Evil Dead 2.

     This movie had a lot going for it and I feel like it missed a heart which is kind of what this movie is about. The dancing is good and if your into shirtless John Travolta you won't be disappointed. Overall I think the movie was good but wasn't perfect. It was by no means a great film and I wouldn't have put it on this list. But I will say it's worth checking out if your a disco chick or if you like teen dramas. If those things aren't your grove then I can't really suggest it to you. It's cool but once was enough.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 3 stars

Have the lambs stopped screaming?

     The Silence of the Lambs is one of the best thrillers to ever grace the silver screen. This movie frightens us few ways movies can  it's in the acting. For the small amount of you on the Internet who haven't seen this movie I am ashamed to count you among the human race. Go watch this movie unless your under the age of fourteen as this movie is very disturbing in a physiological kind of way. The movie is told by Clarice (Jodi Foster) and as much as I love every character in this film it is her movie all the way.

     The movie is famous for many reasons but the main one is Hannibal Lector who is brilliantly played by Sir Anthony Hopkins. He is so creepy that to this day I get chills when he talks and more so during the prison dinner scene. This man is a cannibal who loves whine and beans, AFI even named him the number one movie villain of all time just above Norman Bates and Darth Vader. But as I said earlier moviegoers often overlook Jodi Foster's performance.

     The movie also has a very odd color pallet mostly yellows and greens much like Se7en. This is nice because it gives us a creepy feel to the whole product. It's hard for me to say anything about this movie because it's all been said before. However, I will say that this movie is truly a work of art and love the editing is ahead of it's time and nods heavily on The Godfather. So go and rewatch this classic piece of cinema... Bon Appetit.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

The Dude abides

   I've seen  The Big Lebowski about five times and every time I've laughed a bit but it's never been my favorite Coen Brothers movie that spot goes to  No Country for Old Men but I won't deny that this movie is funny. However, this time my eyes were opened and I saw this movie for what it is a great movie. The movie follows "The Dude" as he searches for a new rug, his rug was peed on because he shares a name with a millionaire whose wife owes money to some gangsters. "The dude" is then hired by "the big Lebowski" to get his wife back while all the dude wants to do is bowl with his buddies.

     This movie took me a while but it's so funny I almost died every time Walter (John Goodman) said anything because how serious he was about telling Donny (Steve Buscemi) to shut the f--- up. This movie is just so different that one might be put off by it but you have to give it a chance and you have to give it a few views because there is genius here.

     The soundtrack is also quite grand and I was shocked by how well it complemented the movie which is a weird thing to say but they just worked so well together. The acting in this movie deserves praise Jeff Bridges was outstanding as the Dude and Philip Seymour Hoffman was excellent as the nervous assistant to the big Lebowski. If you haven't seen this one check it out and give it some time you'll be glad you did. because it really ties the room together.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

I suppose you'll call this a confession when you hear it...

     There are a few things I require in every Film Noir I see. The first is a great Femme Fatale. The second thing is the movie must feel dark I want to know that there is no hope for any of these people. Three the costumes must be top notch the men in fedoras and the ladies in something a little more sultry. Finally, everyone needs to smoke at least four packs a day. Double Indemnity has all of these things plus a whole lot more. For those of you who don't know it's the movie is the main characters confession of murder. The movie acts out the scenes as they happen and it is just dark as ever.

     If you haven't seen a Film Noir I recommend you get lost in this sleazy world its on instant stream and a great way to spend two hours. The story weaves it way through the plot twisting corners every chance it can. The people all talk in old urban slang for example every woman is a dame and a bombshell of one. This movie starts out dark and dreary and rolls down hill fast which is very interesting to see. Memento by Christopher Nolan is a more modern film that follows this kind of a feel where they tell or show a person die and then they lead up to his or her death.

      The acting is snappy and right on the nose and the dialogue while old timey sounds fresh and cool. This movie is very fun as almost all of these 1940's films are because they learned that its not enough to see the people in the maze you have to be in the maze yourself.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

AN EXPERIMENTATION IN THE CINEMATIC COMMUNICATION

     The Man with a Movie Camera will be the hardest film in the world for me to describe. It isn't a movie in a classical sense it's more of an experiment. There are no actors, plots, or anything of that nature. However, this film works well without any of them. It is a film about a man with a camera who films a day in Russia during the Soviet rule. That's it the whole movie follows this guy around day after day and they splice it all into one movie.

     Now I know that this sounds way boring but it isn't. This movie just seems to work somehow. Perhaps it's the simplicity, but I think the main reason is the music. The music in this  film makes the movie it pushes us through this film almost by itself. No movie has done that solely by its score Requiem for a Dream is the only movie that comes close but its not in the same category because it has plot and actors. If you haven't seen it watch it now. Then watch The Man with a Movie Camera both are on instant stream.

      Another final and interesting thing about this movie is the shot length. Most movies of this time had a shot length of eleven seconds this one has roughly three. Basically the first half of Moulin Rouge! except I enjoy this one because it isn't up in your face about it. Again, this movie is more of what a movie can show than what it can tell. I think most of you will enjoy it because it is a different type of movie that they don't make anymore, others will be bored by the lack of plot. I was entranced.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it

    

     Ah the wild wild west it was a simpler time when you could tell a man's character just by the color of his hat. It was a time when an old gun slinger could give up his old life and just till the earth until trouble comes around. I'm talking about Shane a man with a bad past who's just trying to be good.  Until someone tries to stop him. So strap on your spurs as we go back to the wild west.

     All bad jokes aside this movie is probably my least favorite out of all the one's I've seen so far and by no means is a great movie. I'll start out by saying the Western isn't my favorite genre but there are some things I demand in my Western tales. For starters this movie just isn't grand enough to be on this list. The characters are boring and the small boy joey is just annoying. This feels like a movie of the week type of film. This movie also had terrible pacing, a movie should flow well this one made me check my clock one to many times (which is once).

     I have beef with this story not going anywhere until the last ten minutes and then it just ends kind off unsatisfactory. This movie had a lot of potential to really bite at you and a barely felt a nimble. The movie just felt to drab for me when it could have been this big force. It's not an adventure story so I was expecting some dryness but this movie had almost no meat. There were a few saying point a great fight, a good speech, and a very good use of the setting. This movie isn't terrible it's kind of like a big mac. There's taste and you can't deny the taste but it's not a steak.

 Ebert's score 4 stars.

 Tyler's score 2 stars

How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!

     I have a soft spot for the genre known as dark comedy I would call it by its real name but black comedy makes most people think of Tyler Perry movies. The dark comedy is the type of movie you can watch with a multitude of people and few will laugh but many will become sad or enveloped in the drama. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of those movies I love to show other people. I recommend it as the perfect date movie if you have fallen in love, because it will place you both in an odd position that only ends in happiness.

      The film starts with Joel waking up he is portrayed by Jim Carrey and this his best role. Joel decides to go to the beach where he meets Clementine but plot twist they have already met and both have had all their memories of each other wiped clean. They wiped their memories because they had a brutal breakup the movie takes us in Joel's head during the wiping process. I don't want to give anymore away so lets leave it at that.

       This film is very beautiful and quite funny if you chose to see it that way. But there is something there that is a level deeper. This movie is about us and our struggles in life I dare to say not one of you won't connect with Joel or Clementine. This movie penetrates our hearts and our minds because we have all gone through similar experiences. On another note this film is massively designed just as our brain is. Go on Netflix and watch this movie now it is beyond great. It will make you feel as few movies have.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

All my life I've wanted to be a gangster

     Goodfellas is one of those gangster films that ages extremely well. It's almost on the same level as The Godfather. The story follows the life of three gangsters Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), and James Conway ( Robert De Niro) on the rise to power. The story follows many hits, drugs, and great acting all around. The casting in this movie is perfect there is no weak link in the whole group. This is way important because it makes all the actor's performances level with one anther's.

      The sets in this movie as great as is the wardrobe. I love the wardrobe because it covers about thirty years of fashion elegantly. Another great fact is that almost all this movie is improved which just blows my mind.  This movie is absolutely grand and a pleasure to behold. Most of this is because of Joe Pesci's breath taking performance. But De Niro takes the helm as well.

      This movie is hard for me to describe because there isn't one scene that sticks out to me. This is to be taken in a good way because the whole movie does. This movie is a movie all should see when one grows up because this movie is hard R.

Ebert's score 4 stars
Tyler's score 4 stars

I got some bad ideas in my head

     Taxi Driver is one of the most human movies I have ever seen, anyone who has seen it may not stand with me on that statement. This movie follows a man named Travis Bickle who is brilliantly portrayed by the great Robert De Niro. Travis is a Vietnam veteran who is a little unsound he can't sleep so he takes up twelve hour night shifts as a cabbie. We follow him as he sees the worst of the city crawl into his cab. After not being about to take to filth of New York he decides to kill criminals and "rescue" a underage prostitute. As I'm sure you guessed this movie is not for children nor is it for anyone who isn't mentally ready to see a very gruesome and philosophical film.
    
     The technical side of this film is wonderful all the things flow smoothly even the desaturated colors add a great touch. But the thing I want to talk about is the character of Travis. Travis is a man who doesn't think like the rest of us for example on his second date with a girl he takes her to a movie. But instead of any movie a girl would want to see he takes her to a porno she is horrified and offended. Travis is shocked that she reacted this way, because he doesn't think rationally. The thing that sets him off is a when he picks up a passenger played by the director the legendary Martin Scorsese who tells Travis how he plans to murder his cheating wife. Travis just thinks the right think to do is train to stop people who are evil.

     Is it right? We don't question him because the movie is through Travis's eyes. We almost agree  with him that its rational. That's is a great film its one that puts you in with the character. I won't give away the ending although it is often discussed scholarly. After this movie my roommate turned to me and asked what is the point of this movie. He said it felt like the man was insane. The point is that when we are alone all we want to do is connect with people. Travis is alone he just wants to help people because he hopes that they will talk to him after he does. The best example is what he says in front of his mirror. "You talking to me. I'm the only one here". This is a great film but a heavy film

 Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

Who could ever love a beast

     It's a tale as old as time, it's a song as old as rhyme. Its a movie that celebrates the beautiful people in life its Beauty and the Beast. This movie is for sure one of my favorite Disney movies of all time and for good reason. The plot is fair tale stuff so I won't rehash it for you guys, but I will say I was embarrassed when Belle and the Beast were dancing in the ballroom and my roommate came in as I was tearing up.

     The reason why this movie stands out from other Disney is for two main reasons the first is the cast this movie is flawless in the casting choices I am constantly blown away by the chemistry they all have (which is odd because the cast is never on the screen as real people). The second reason is the detail every scene seems to be brimming with life I forgot about when I was a child. And the music is top notch I love all the songs but especially be our great and Gaston (the role I played when it was done in Havasu).

       Now that I have briefly covered the magnificence of this film I want to talk about something that makes me think about every time I watch this film. Is this the best version. Because I want all my readers only to know the best of all films. The answer is no the one from the forties is more real o the fairy tale but it is not the same as this film. This movie just has it all, it's one of the top five Disney movies everyone should own along with The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, Hercules, and Treasure Planet ( I expect hate for this last choice). Go rewatch this movie on Blu-ray and be swept away from it's beauty.

Ebert's score 4 stars
Tyler's score 4 stars

That's all folks.

     As a kid I can remember waking up every Saturday to watch cartoons. Most of the time it was Batman or the Ninja turtles and on occasion it was the kids from Rocket Power that occupied my day. However there was and is one cartoon that is above all others (besides the old Disney shorts) and this was Looney Tunes. Today i was tired from doing homework and decided to watch the shortest of all the movies on this list which is a collection of three cartoons by Chuck Jones. An I have to say I was blown away by the complexity of these cartoons.

      The three cartoons are What's opera Doc, Duck Amuck, and One Froggy Evening. Ebert talked about how when he was a kid they used to play these before the movies like the previews of today. And that is honestly the most brilliant idea ever. if you think about it a movie starts ten to fifteen minutes after the start time because all of the previews are two minutes long. These cartoons would take that time in half.

      The reason why I think I'm for the idea of shorts being played before a movie is because we just don't appreciate them anymore. Today I won't leave a rating because they were just seven minute cartoons although I will say they were all excellent and worth watching.

Just my rotten luck.

       In the world we live in we are subject to the cruelly of life everyday and few movies prove this more than the Italian film The Bicycle Thief. The movie was part of the neorealism movement that happened after world war two, I guess people were sick of fantasy after seeing horrors. The film is about a man who gets a job to provide for his family but all he needs is a bicycle. In the town it looks like unemployment is around 60% but that's just my guess. So his wife sells all her sheets and he gets his bike. But of course someone steals it, and then he goes through the next few days looking for his livelihood. The ending is almost as sad as the great Korean film Oldboy I mean this film is heartbreaking real. Check it out on Netflix.

       The film is all about real life so it uses natural light and real buildings. the only fake things in this movie are the actors, which is a feat in itself. There's not much to say about this film because it would spoil so much. I will say it's great, sad, and well acted. My favorite character is Bruno the son of the main character he follows his dad into a depressing journey. The reason why I like small children in movies is because they are so vulnerable and it helps us relate to them better.


        I remember watching this for the first time in film class no one hated this movie. In fact everyone was silent and just took it in. Much like I did in my last two reviews. I think that few modern movies have to power to do what this film does because we have strayed from real life. we are concerned with escaping, this movie doesn't let you escape it transports you into another life instead. Check this one out because it is such a powerful film and it just feels real. I dare you to try and hate this movie.

 Ebert's score 4 stars
 Tyler's score 4 stars
    

For relaxing times, make it Suntory time

     Let's set a scene a man is in Tokyo he's a washed up actor doing a commercial for some whiskey. Now enter a woman who is younger than the man by twenty years her husband is a photographer and she came along. The man and woman met and spend about two hours talking and getting to know each other, its the first stage of every relationship basically. This in a nutshell is Sofia Coppola's masterpiece Lost in Translation. Now the plot is very basic, but the movie isn't. This may be the first movie on this list that doesn't flow like it should. In fact many of you reading this if and when you watch the movie will say I don't get it the second after it's done.

       The sets are on location and make everyone feel small even Bill Murray the tallest man in Japan. This is very important because this movie is about how small the world is and how lonely it can be. The acting is so good I was blown away I was pressed to the screen waiting to see what was going to be portrayed next.  Scarlett Johansson is top notch she is sad, detached, and alone yet when Bill comes into play she is a totally different person who is totally the same. Bill Murray was robbed of an Oscar for this role. His face is blank but not emotionless this whole film feels like he is on hold if that makes sense.

         The reason why I said most of you wont get this movie isn't because your stupid its because this movie isn't structured like a movie. It doesn't have much of a plot and it doesn't have a climax or anything else you learned about in creative writing. This movie is more of a movie about feeling. Yesterday I talked about Francis Coppola's great war epic Apocalypse Now and how it made me feel for the characters. This movie is similar but Sofia doesn't follow in her fathers footsteps she just films the characters feel stuff. If you stalked two people who started to hang out because they were lonely and just watched them you would have this movie. The writing isn't important because its about how they feel. I strongly suggest you watch this one its easy to swallow and I want someone to explain it to me.

 Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

I love the smell of napalm in the morning

     Apocalypse Now is one of the best movies I have ever seen and one of the most horrifying. The movie does many things that are absurd and we shall discuss it fully. The movie is about a soldier named Capt. Benjamin ( Martian Sheen) who has recently returned to Vietnam because he couldn't stand being out of the jungle. the Captain must voyage on a river boat in the middle of the war to kill the insane Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando). But that's just the plot I truly think the movie is about the insanity war brings to people and how it changes your perception. I've never seen combat and hopefully will never have to, Nor have I had the heart to ask my Grandfather a helicopter gunner how it was. I just hope it wasn't like this movie although I know it probably was to some. God Bless those in service or the veterans.

       This movie doesn't have any ending credits which itself is mind boggling, but it makes for a great close. After the climax I sat on my couch in total disbelief because I wasn't given the normal movie close. It forced me to think about the film more. Also this film isn't like most war films were its small battles and then a huge war its kind to the flip of that. The most spectacular scene is when Colonel Kilgore (Robert Duvall) blows up an enemy camp in helicopters and he blasts Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries to scare the charlies and to pump up his boys. Oh and all the animals are real if you've seen this film you know about the ending and that wasn't a fake animal.
 
          This movie has a lot of other things that are odd. All the actors that are stoned in the movie are stoned in real life. The Director  Francis Coppola (Godfather) lost 100 pounds filmed for six months and then edited for three years. It's nasty and a sight to behold.
    
          The reason why this movie is the best Vietnam film is because you get to watch every character go insane and get changed in every scene I don't want to give to much away but one man puts on his war paint to turn invisible and sprays purple smoke on the boat in enemy territory. Why? because he has seen to much horror which is what this movie is all about. War is hell and so is the effect this movie leaves with you. If you haven't seen it go on Netflix and watch it tonight and prepare to  experience a true film. Then tell me what you thought I'm curious

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

I hate snakes

     Raiders of the lost arc is a wonderful start to a wonderful adventure trilogy. Yes lets get this out of the way I live in a world where my trilogy set came with this cool coaster but I don't remember there being a movie called Kingdom of the crystal Skull so I guess it was a typo. Indiana Jones is one of the most famous film characters ever and is number 2 on the American Film Institutes top heroes list. This movie is so cool and just so down right adventurous that every time a theme song plays I'm off to find artifacts.

     Lets take this time to deconstruct Indiana shall we? He's a teacher in the sense the joker is a clown. Indy has students who what to be with him he gets payed time off to hunt for treasure and shoot people. Oh  yeah he caries around a freaken bull whip. That's way to cool for the average teacher. Anyway he basically goes one this long quest to find the Arc of the Covenant. This movie's opening scene alone is so famous its been spoofed in at least one hundred ways (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvy2tRH7HNE). This film is as fun as they come.

    This movie was a blast and everything in it was top notch to Indy's sarcastic wit to all the cool fights. And most importantly my favorite part (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I_Ds2ytz4o) Boom classic cinema this is one of the movies I say watch with the whole family and trivia it was one of the first PG-13 movies along with Grimlins.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

Magic does not exist

     Pan's Labyrinth is one of those movies that you can see a hundred times and still find beauty in it. The movie is a dark fairy tale, kind of an Alice in Wonderland for adults if you will. We follow a young girl whose mother has married a Spanish commander. This young girl is something to behold for she is also a princess she is daughter of the king of the underworld. The story follows this girl trying to become a princess in a fantasy world while her sadistic father-in-law makes war.

     The movie is wonderful to look at and is like few movies we have seen since. The cgi is present and very noticeable but it works because it's a fairy tale. Faun is my favorite character his costume is amazing and no he is not Pan as many people think. In fact you will be hard pressed to find anyone named Pan in this movie.

      I honestly can't say much about this movie because it leaves me with a mix of emotions. All i can leave you with is the remark to go and absorb yourself in this movie for it is beautiful in every way.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

It's a chopper baby

     Pulp Fiction is one of those modern movies that come around and decide I'm just going to do something different and it works. The movie is harsh and loud and darkly funny, but of course we knew this going in because it's a Tarantino movie. The movie follows three related stories two hitman who may or may not have seen an act of god, a boxer who really wants his watch, and a date with one of the hitman and his boss's wife. This movie is pretty much everything you want from a movie including a five dollar shake and royal with cheese.

    I mentioned early how we could basically know everything about the movie because of the directer. Tarantino has been in the game for quite some time now but the weird thing is almost all his movies were instant hits. This was his second movie and won him a few Oscars, and you can bet that anytime his movie is up for a screenplay Oscar he's going to win it. That's because his dialogue is perfect it sounds like something you would really hear and it barely clicks that it was written before hand. You know he's going to drop some n and f bombs but that's normal in his universe. Django almost got him crucified for his amount of "racist" words. You ll be hard pressed not to quote this movie its just like The Godfather. Another point in his movies is blood you better expect some and a lot of it (although this movie is probably his least bloody minus a car scene that's all comedy).

    One of my favorite things about this movie is the fact that the scenes last longer than normal. In a normal movie you would expect them to go to the door and kill everyone. In this flick the go to the door talk about killing everyone and then walk away and joke for a tad to get into character. This film is excellent and has most definitely influenced filmmakers all around the world. And its studied like a religion. Go out and rent it (I think its on instant stream) even if you've seen this movie a hundred times its time to rewatch it.

Ebert's score 4 stars
Tyler's score 4 stars

A new age of gods and monsters

     The Bride of Frankenstein is my favorite of all the classic Universal monster movies and for such the best looking one. The story is told by Mary Shelley to her friends one stormy night. We open where the first film left off except Frankenstein isn't dead and neither is the monster, Frankenstein gets married. The monster is hunted its pretty normal monster movie stuff. Then a new doctor convinces Frankenstein to build a mate for the monster.
    
     The movie feels like a German expressionist picture meaning the sets reflect the character's state of mind and the movie uses the "dutch shot". Probably the best example of the changing set is a scene where the monster is in a beautiful forest full of life, and then people chase him. The forest isn't green anymore its leafless and all the animals are dead. The forest may still have been full of life but the monster isn't. The dutch shot is a cool effect if done right and this movie nails it. The shot is basically just tilting the camera a little bit so it looks like a diagonal line.
  
      The movie is surprisingly human this may be because the monster can talk now, or maybe its the subtle acting he has. This movie was years ahead of its time for many reasons including the human monster, the style it was filmed in, and the homosexual undertones. Although this movie isn't blatantly trying to prove a point on the matter of homosexually you can see from this movie which side he takes. In fact after watching this film (its on Netflix) watch Gods and Monsters which is a harrowing film about the making of The Bride of Frankenstein.

     This film is one that has aged well and feels better now than it must have then. Do yourself a favour and stop whatever your doing and watch this one. This is the first movie this week that I felt truly moved me I think I'll watch it twice.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

Children of the Night

     Dracula is one of the classic monster movies and oddly enough a possible classic love story. I will come out and say that this is my least favorite of my Universal monster movie and it's not because of anything terrible. The only reason its not top on my list is because it's just not the best. The story's plot is well known enough Dracula goes to England and finds a girl he likes. His crazy minion gets locked up in the loony bin and Van Helsing finds out. The rest is history.

     The thing I have never been able to get over is how cool the sets look in these old films. The castle is huge and looks dark and evil. The loony bin looks like what one might look like I've never been in one yet. The score is very spooky sounding and that's nothing that should surprise anyone.

      The acting is almost as recognizable as the film. Admit it that one Halloween you went as a vampire you automatically tried to sound like Bela Lugosi. This movie is also on instant stream. Watch it I recommend it but there is something about it that doesn't make it a four star movie. I think that it's how unsatisfying the ending is. There needs to be an epilogue.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 3.5 stars  

Who occupies box five?

     The Phantom of the Opera is everything a silent movie should be and is my favorite. For those who haven't seen it go on netflix and check it out then go watch the musical version thats on it to. This movie may be a silent film but its not black and white like you may think. It uses a range of color to discribe the feelings and places the characters are in. The sets are flawless and beautifully built it feels like it was filmed later than it really was.

      The acting is great for a silent film because it lacks all the over the topness that you would expect from a silent movie. However the over the topness is still there in the Phantom himself. In modern versons the actors have to be able to sing so they only wear prostectis. Lon Chaney would roll over in his grave. This man tied fishing wire to his face to keep it pulled back and pull egg membranes in eyes to get a gllossy look. Then he put fish skin on his nose and pulled it back and glued it there to get the look he wanted. for the role of the Phantom actors have to feel pain on the inside I knew he was in pain because I could see it.

      The story is also way darker than the musical. The ending is fantastic and my favortie seen in all the classic monster movie. This is a horror classic and the first succesful one. I highly recomend it. If you need a little scare in your life check out this flick just for this guys face.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

We need tanks!! Thank you.

     As I'm sure many of you are aware of I'm not doing Casablanca I also think I'm diverting from my path to much so I wont say what I'm watching tomorrow because it may change. Today I watched Duck Soup this is arguably the most famous of all the Marx brother's movies and is on Nextflix instant stream. This movie was full of subtle and not so subtle comedy and I did chuckle quite a bit. My favorite scene was a smart and brilliantly choreographed one where two characters mirror each other perfectly. The sets were built very nicely and the camera flowed like the silent films of old.

     The film follows a newly appointed leader of Freedonia (a clever satire) who is crass and not generally a man of the people. He is pursued by two spies send from an enemy country in order to take over the kind people of Freedonia. The film is funny and the characters well acted its normal Marx brother stuff so don't expect your sides to split. I suppose I'm just more a stooges kind of guy. This film was short and to the point. and there's not much I can really say about it other than its worth watching but it isn't a "Great Movie".

       If your bored or are looking to entertain yourself for an hour go and check it out on Netflix. I doubt you'll be disappointed but I doubt you'll die laughing either, that is why I'm giving this film a lower score. It's not bad it's just nothing great.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 3 stars

"More human than human" is our motto

     To start off this week I was going to watch Superman but I couldn't find a copy in town so I decided to watch Blade Runner. Blade Runner follows a man named Deckard (Harrison Ford) as he is sent out to kill six robots that are more human than human. This is a simple enough film noiresque thing to do and it is done so beautifully. No doubt this world is breathtaking its got pretty much everything you would expect in a movie that takes place in the future because this film was the basis for most of the others. The most impressive thing about this movie is the set for sure but that's not the only thing worth mentioning.

      The score of this film is hauntingly beautiful and it fits the world that it helps the narrative. In fact pretty much everything in this movie is spot on the only thing I have a hard time with is the actors and the dialogue. For a film about trying to find out what people are really people the actors don't do many human things. This wouldn't be a problem but it really takes away from the story. And the dialogue isn't anything special with the exception of the famous tears in the rain monologue but half of that was addlibed.

      But I suppose that this movie is a movie about mortality and not really about how good a person can act. Most critics disagree with me and say the acting is just fine. Either way the director Ripley Scott has said on many occasions that this is just a film to entertain. And in that regard this film is great but I cant justify giving four stars because there's just something that never clicked for me.

Ebert's score 4 stars
Tyler's score 3.5 stars

Next time we get romantic with Casablanca

Come play with us, Danny

     The Shining is  one of those few horror films that works on every level, this is mostly because of everything on screen but we must give credit to the crazy man directing the film Stanley Kubrick. This man is the kind of guy who not only wanted perfection but needed it. In order to make the 3000 or so pages of Jack's transcript look real he made his assistant type the who thing on typewriter. This movie has the world record for most reshot scenes in film history. And it is often rumored that he made the leading lady cry everyday because she wasn't to his liking. No matter what way you look at it he has made many great flicks and most of them are on this list.

     I think my favorite part about this movie is the actual setting this hotel is way to perfect and way to native American for all the actors to be wearing red,white, and blue. Its almost halfway into the movie when one of the character changes her wardrobe to a less Pro-American dress. This movie always raises a question I have whenever someone says we built this building over an Indian burial ground. WHY WOULD YOU EVEN ENTER THE PREMISE!!! Oh well I'm super glad they went in because if they didn't we wouldn't have had this almost perfect movie. The setting a wonderful and almost everything looks symmetrical.

      The acting is spot on Jack Nicholson was amazingly creepy and just plain wrong as Jack Torrance . But my favorite character in this movie is Lloyd (who may or may not be Satan I haven't figured that out yet) played by Joe Turkel. This is one of those movies that get better every time I see it. If you haven't seen this movie and are in the mood for a freaky horror movie look at The Shining

Eberts's score 4 stars
Tyer's score 4 stars

Next time we cheer up a bit with Superman.

You still don't understand what you're dealing with, do you?

     Alien is a movie that couldn't exist in the modern world and by modern I mean anytime after Slasher films became the movie of the week. The reason why this movie couldn't work is the thirty minute rule. The thirty minute rule states that you have thirty minutes before people give up on a film so you better scare them by minute ten. The perfect example of this in action would be the opening of  Scream. Alien takes the opposite approach you don't see the alien until thirty minutes and nothing happens till about an hour into the film. This is a good thing because it gives you time to set up the plot and introduce that characters of your story. The problem I had with this picture is that it wasted its first hour by  not introducing the people in the story. By the end of the picture I honestly didn't care if anyone lived. the sequel to this movie titled Aliens  does a much better job at introducing us and setting up the play.
    
     
     The setting and lighting are really important to this movie. The spaces feel cramped and dark as night.This is key because its not a monster movie its a haunted house movie. The setting is top notch because you cant just leave the ship because your in space. I know its a stupid question because it would ruin the suspense but hasn't anyone heard of nightveiw goggles. I mean every movie in space is pitch black almost. I'm not complaining because I understand why it needs to be dark and all of that jazz. 

     Lets talk about the characters the alien is very cool and very fun to watch hunt off the crew. The crew itself is a bit of a mystery I don't really like any of them. I know that I should but their acting was so bland that I couldn't help myself. This movie just felt like it was missing something. I understand the importance that this film has had and I'm not denying it so I shall give it some credit but other than that I just felt kind of disappointed because this film was on a list of great movies and I was just thinking on my couch how is this on the list but the Aliens wasn't. But maybe I'm jaded from all the modern horror films I have seen.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 3 stars

Next time we continue to ride the horror train with the Shinning

You want to live in this lousy world you play it cool

      I remember to this day when I was told I was doing West Side Story. The only thing that came to my mind was a long play about dancing so I turned down the choreographer and said no way! Then the director came to me and told me it wasn't a show about dance or even a show about Romeo and Juliet she told me it was a show about gangsters. The director was indeed partially correct, its not about Romeo and Juliet. The story is about how kids handle the cruel world around them and the deaths that follow them like a ghost. One of my favorite lines happens between an old man named Doc and a young hot head named Action who is the character i played while it was being preformed in Havasu. Doc says to Action almost in tears "You kids make this world lousy" to which Action retorts coldly "We didn't make it". Yes this movie has a lot of Dancing in it( my personal favorite number http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy6wo2wpT2k ) and yes it is basically a retelling the most famous tragedy of all time but its so much more.


        The musical movie is a very hard genre to pull off its like horror its either a hit or a miss. and around this time when you saw a musical movie you basically saw a movie with no plot and Gene Kelly prancing around, and today you see great films that are casted wrong. These are you two-tone Crowe and your to deep Depp kind of movies, but West Side Story is the perfect story and the perfect cast. You add this to the classic songs like America (featured above. click it again you know you want to), Cool, and Maria and you have a top notch film.


        Even with all of this West Side Story has something else up its sleeve and that's its color pallet. Yesterday I talked about how bleak the thriller Se7en was if there was an opposite it would be the red and purple world of the jets and sharks. The sky is always an odd color which really brings a lot to the movie without it being to much. Another thing that I found weird but totally fresh was the use of hash lights on the actors. Most movies don't do this because it makes people sweat and look kind of like normal unimpressive humans and that's why its glorious. This movie doesn't look like barbie and ken dancing around it looks like dirty kids killing each other and crying over it. This is the best musical movie hands down.

Ebert's score 4 stars
Tyler's score 4 stars
Next time we get scary with Alien  and as always what are your feelings of today's flick

Honestly, have youever seen anything like this?

      Se7en was one of those movies I saw on this list and thought, wow that's on it. I've seen this movie tens of times but it wasn't until this time that it really clicked for me. Se7en is the same kind of serial killer movie as Silence of the Lambs meaning its a lot more about detective work. That's why this movie is a hit or miss, and of course the ending gets mixed reviews. The thing that i never felt until now about this movie was the over all bleakness of it. All the characters look kind of off olive as do all the walls. It's always raining and the one seen that it isn't raining the sky is grey almost brown. There is almost no colors we normally see in movies like blue or yellow. The blood is cheesy red but the contrast is so powerful.


    The opening credits of Se7en flow almost like a music video, after all the director did most of Madonna's stuff. But this movie isn't sexy it pushes you as far as you can without turning away Like Oldboy  and Killer Joe.  In the opening credits you see a man shave his fingerprints off with a safety razor and that gets me every time. I don't want to talk about the death scenes to much but I will say they are sick, twisted, and sadistic. Imagine Law and Order from hell and on steroids. Not only is the movie twisted but the sets are. There's one room where the roofs and all the walls are fulled with tree air fresheners.


     The acting in this movie is top notch Morgan Freeman plays an old cop who is almost if not a Nilthist and Brad Pitt plays a rookie cop who wants to make a difference in this world. I wont tell you who plays the killer but I will say this is his best work. I want to talk a little more about the color because it is so powerful you honestly feel powerless because of how it looks. I swear if they say a blue sky they might just sacrifice a goat to god.  After this movie you'll want to hold your loved ones and say it will all be alright. This isn't the best thriller around but it is on of my favorites. If your looking for a break and hopeless movie to watch look no father then Se7en.you'll be thankful that you did.


Ebert's score 4 stars
Tyler's score 4 stars

We Were like the Roman Empire

 Let me start off by saying that The Godfather Part Two is one of the best sequels of all time, anyone who denies this fact is stupid. Moving on there are some stuff in this movie I don't understand. For instance, I can't tell when characters are lying. This is going to be new to you who haven't seen this movie because all the characters are layered. In modern movies few characters are layered and i don't understand why. This movie is just as beautiful settingwise as the first one it might even be more breathtaking. There are a few scenes that take place in 1917 New York that blow my mind. The acting is good, Robert DeNiro is perfect as a young Don Vito and anyone who wants to study acting needs to look at Al Pacino's masterpiece of a character. However, all these great things don't make up for the one thing this movie lacks and that's a heart. Now I'm not saying that this film is heartless but we don't feel as much as we did in The Godfather. Maybe this is because the story is ten times darker and more psychological. Perhaps I just didn't see anything that made my heart ache like the first movie did. This movie is a classic and is great I just have to say that number one was better. After this movie was over I asked my roommates their opinions and both sat there not knowing how to answer me they both liked it but they said something was missing. I agree but I cant say what it is so i"ll stick with the heart thing. I recommend this movie as will most people, but unlike most people i do not think this is the superior picture.

Ebert's score 4 stars
Tyler's score 3.5 stars

Tomorrow's flick is the modern thriller Se7en

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli

 I believe in America, this line was the perfect start to a great movie. The Godfather is perhaps the most American of all gangster movies and one of the bests. I watched this movie for the first time when I was about ten, it was on T.V. and of course I had no idea what was going on my dad was way to into the film to explain it to me. It's one of those movies that every time I see it, it gets better. My roommates watched it today and unsurprisingly they were blown away. This movie is smart, exciting, and most of all full of heart. My favorite line is the title of this post. It happens after a minor character has his brains splattered all over the place and the only thing the killer can think of is how his wife wanted cannoli. This may be a gangster movie but it's all about the struggle of a family. The lighting is stunning it is almost always dark and heavy when business is talked about but when the plans are put into action it's bright as day. The acting from Marlon Brando as the Don of this family was indeed Oscar worthy. His speech is soft and can be hard to hear but that's the point, it forces you to listen very closely so you don't miss anything. Al Pacino is riveting as the young Michael Corleone his acting is so subtle in some scenes you might miss the brilliance, I think of the restaurant scene when you see his eyes twitch for a few seconds. These seconds are so intense your eyes might just twitch. Robert Duvall (Tom Hagen) and James Caan ( Sonny Corleone) bring something to the cast that is breathtaking. The set design is wonderful as is the score. However the film is really a marvel in editing. If you ask any of my friends or fellow students of my film classes they will all say I hate crazy editing, I think it takes away from the movie that's why I hate Moulin Rouge! . The Godfather is the best example of what editing should be. There are many scenes of Parallel Editing ,showing two things that are happening at the same time, that just compel the movie forward anyone who has seen the film is  thinking of the ending right now with a feeling of awe. If you haven't seen this movie I recommend you turn off you phone, lock yourself in your room, and watch the movie. You wont regret it because this is what every gangster movie is supposed to be.

Ebert's score 4 stars
Tyler's score 4 stars

Tune in tomorrow for my review of the sequel of this classic film. The Godfather part 2

The Force is what Gives a Jedi his Power

 I don't remember much of my childhood but on of the things I recall is watching Star Wars on VHS. I remember I would have to rewind it before I started them because I could never rewind after the movie was done. VHS is now thankfully out of date and Blu-ray is in. Anyway I must have been the only kid in the world who trilogied it up once a week, and I think it's mostly for that reason alone that I love A New Hope as much as I do. For the one person in the world who doesn't know A New Hope is the first movie or the original Star Wars trilogy and while it's not my favorite of the movies, it is a beautiful film indeed. Although all the cgi in the newer version is distracting and looks terrible compared to the practical effects (not the other way around) and Han shoots first (Darth Lucas doesn't want you to know about this very important plot point). It is still a wonderful film. The plot is basic enough that even a three year old could understand it. Luke is good, Darth Vader is bad and the bad guys lose. However, it is this simplicity that makes the story so effective. This romantic tale is especially strong when paired with The Empire Strikes Back which may be the perfect tragic tale. A New Hope is timeless and a classic by any means of the word, and while it may not be as good as Empire it is still a must see movie. This is primarily for the costumes in the Catina and the great acting by Obi-Wan (Alec Guinness) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford). The main reason why it's so great is just simply the fact that the movie sticks with you, I myself feel five again every time I hear that magical opening score. This movie does have its faults namely all the changes but some minor ones such as the count down on the death star is numbered by a clock and the actors cant tell the time right, and the stormtrooper that bumps his head. These mistakes take barely anything from the movie though. In fact if you only have time enough for fifteen movies in your life I would put this on your list for sure.

Ebert's score 4 stars
Tyler's score 4 stars
Ebert grades on a four star scale for some confusing reason. Tomorrows film is the gangster classic The Godfather.