Viewing Single Post From: (fairly) Recent Movies

Viewing Single Post From: (fairly) Recent Movies
syko	Jan 20 2007, 02:32 AM
Self-Proclaimed Lord of Pointless Spamming Posts: 28,280 Group: Elite Member Member #3 Joined: February 4, 2005	(Listed alphabetically) - Blood Diamond: As action dramas go, this is a very amazing movie. Though it is long and feels almost too real at times, the sheer accuracy and provocative messages intertwined within the captivating plot make it a very memorable movie. While the basic plot itself is not that great, the wonderful writing, uniquely stereotyped characters, and sheer drama of the created (and actually vividly realistic!) situations make this movie stand out as one of the year's greats. My rating: 8.5. This really is a wonderful and very powerful movie with a clear message which is captured in every aspect of the plot, but not in a way that derails the plot or makes the struggles of the characters less important. If you aren't in the mood for an intense and moving film, you probably shouldn't see this. But otherwise, it is a great experience. - Casino Royale: I'm actually a big Bond fan and have see all of the movies multiple times, as I thoroughly enjoy the series (well, maybe not the Roger Moore ones .) As Pierce Brosnan was my personal favorite Bond, I was very sad to see him replaced by a new guy, and a blond one at that! But I still saw the movie, and, despite my best attempts to hate Daniel Craig, he was actually the part I liked the best! The movie itself was not that great. As Bond movies go, it was very scattered and, though done well, seemed too incoherent to really be memorable. It was also far longer than it had to be, as it diverged into focusing on his personal love rather than the actual story (which is not a bad thing, but rather something that you don't really want from 007.) The villain was also.... well, he and his plot kind of sucked. My rating: 6.5. This is not a particularly great Bond movie. While it does have its fair share of action, romance, and witty remarks, the plot itself is what really makes Bond movies stand out to me, and this one just falls short in that department. However, if there is any reason to see it, it is for Daniel Craig's performance, because he, in my opinion, perfectly captured the character of James Bond in every aspect of him, from his speech patterns, to his movements, to his expressions. - Children Of Men: Near apocalyptic scenarios for humanity are a pretty common theme in films and have certainly been done time and time again. However, none (that I have seen) have so perfectly captured the true feel of the situation as this movie did. Mix in the unique explanation for the scenario (that no children have been born in two decades) and you have a very different movie. Without giving away too much, I'll just say that the entire movie is one intense ride from (near) beginning to end, and it will leave you thinking about quite a lot. My rating: 9. I absolutely adore this movie. I love Clive Owen anyways, and he was particularly great in this film. I also love interesting perspectives of humanity, and this one's pre-apocalyptic glimpse of an orderly chaotic future was captivating and intriguing. Also of note was the extraordinary cinematography; it was all done in hand-held cameras, with amazingly choreographed scenes taking you from a peaceful discussion to running through a war-ravaged, blood covered street, all in a near-disturbingly real and natural procession. I really liked this movie, and, though it does offer a very abject perception of humanity's future, it also attributes some hope in doing so. - Pan's Labyrinth: A fantastic blend of high fantasy with blindingly true reality from the perspective of an imaginative, young girl who becomes caught in the midst of a small post-WWII struggle between a fascist Spanish captain and Communist rebels. It has a couple of intensely done parallel stories and the imaginative fantasy of the girl's world blends wonderfully with the harshness of reality. It's only real downside was that it is all in Spanish with English subtitles, but it pulls you right in and is done so well that you don't really notice. My rating: 7. This is a very interesting movie and probably deserves a higher rating, because it was very well rounded. I, however, was a little disappointed with its presentation, as, from what I had gathered from the previews, I was expecting it to be a lot more philosophical and surreal. Those are just my tastes, though, and that may very well be a bonus to you. - The Good Shepherd: This is a very good movie. It is also a very long movie (I think 168 minutes.) It is a very long and a very good movie - an epic in pretty much every way. There isn't much to say without giving away some facet of its insanely interwoven plots, but the acting is terrific (Matt Damon does a particularly amazing job as a quiet, 'perceived' superhero) and it is very well done. You definitely have to be in the mood for this one, but if you are, I highly recommend it. My rating: 8.5. This is the kind of movie that should really be accompanied by a long list of awards. It is an epic, very long, and, if you aren't prepared, pretty boring. However, if you take the time to watch it and really pay attention, it truly is a wonderful achievement. Certainly not for the light-hearted movie-goer. - The Holiday: I've actually seen a lot of romantic comedies, and, though most have good, intriguing stories and little, quirky occurrences which make them memorable, this one transcends the rest simply because of the sheer chemistry of the movie. It's one of those rare films that actually succeeds in carrying on two intertwining plots while not overly stressing them together - it is almost two great movies in one. Add in some extremely hilarious Hollywood commentary and the wonderful acting all around (okay, I admit I saw it mainly for Jude Law, but everyone else did a wonderful job too!) and this is a really great movie, even if you don't like romantic comedies (which you don't, but I'm imagining that someone other than just Peter is reading this ) My rating: 8. I'm tempted to give it a 9, but I'm not really sure if any of the performances or other aspects of the story are really that great. They were of course exceptional, but perhaps not award worthy. Even so, as romantic comedies go, this was a very good movie than even someone who absolutely hates the genre could extract some amount of entertainment from. (I thought about going even further back through the year and writing about a few other good movies I saw, but myeh.)
	Two paths diverged in a wood, and I, blind to the choices presented, wandered into the middle.

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