tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-388911422011-11-27T18:48:14.123-07:00A Blog in which I attempt to talk about a different film every single day for a year. (Made it six months, bummer. But the title stays...)billnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2261100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-63984137152759179352008-09-03T19:35:00.004-06:002008-09-03T22:15:14.858-06:00

Seen: Sept. 3rd, 2008Format: TheaterRating: 4I wasn't quite sure what to make of this film. I figured the best thing to do was go check it out.I'd waited long enough and went in the middle of a weekday, so I had the theater all to myself. Usually this is a very good thing, as I can watch the film in peace instead of dealing with talking, cell phones and the snorting and grunting of the masses as

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-17067033167221146472008-09-02T13:10:00.004-06:002008-09-02T13:44:14.772-06:00

Seen: September 2nd, 2008Format: TheaterRating: 7I'm a Pixar fan. Who isn't? I've gladly paid to see each of their films in release, some multiple times.But this is one that I vacillated over. Not because of the subject matter; to be frank I wasn't very informed as far as plot went. I hesitated simply because I found Ratatouille such a grave disappointment.While I'm not here to review that film,

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-35565650124264902172008-08-14T17:57:00.001-06:002008-08-14T17:57:00.520-06:00

Seen: August 12th, 2008Format: TheaterRating: 7There are two sorts of people in the world: those who want to see this film and those who don't. Of those who do, there is a further bifurcation; those who will admit it and those who won't.I wanted to see this film.The appeal is simply visceral.Angelina Jolie: I just like looking at her. The fact she can act is a bonus. Mo like James McAvoy, so

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-83999257903740341702008-08-13T17:26:00.003-06:002008-08-13T17:57:42.526-06:00

Seen: August 12th, 2008Format: DVDRating: 7I once dated this girl who recommended reading Neil Gaiman. I haven't gotten around to any of his books, but saw this and figured I'd give it shot.It was weird too.That's not an entirely bad thing. Nothing's much worse than sitting through two hours of knowing exactly what will happen next. This is definitely not that. Sure, there are certain conventions

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-79298018968449170742008-08-02T17:40:00.001-06:002008-08-02T17:40:00.590-06:00

Seen: July 6th, 2008Format: DVDRating: 6Wow. Where to start?Let's get this out of the way: I'm a serious romantic.And I mean with the big R. Honor, self-sacrifice, nobility, grand and all-consuming love, poetry, passion, intensity or purpose and desire., the whole nine yards. I may not show it much, as it's not so useful a trait in contemporary society, but it's all there simmering under the

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-22287290239784164762008-08-01T17:10:00.004-06:002008-08-01T17:39:56.708-06:00

Seen: July 2008Format: Broadcast (HDNMV - HDNet Movies)Rating: 5This little number came up one evening, had a bunch of stars, and so I thought to myself, "heck, way not?", set the DVR and went to bed.At least going to bed was the right decision.This film is chock-a-block with stars. It's a regular who's who of beautiful people from the period and the previous period. There is some heavy duty

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-4667232479854228352008-07-22T08:22:00.000-06:002008-07-22T08:22:00.234-06:00

Seen: July 17th, 2008Format: IMAXRating: 9This review is a cop-out.I'm way behind in writing about films, and I wanted to get one more out before going to bed.This one is easy.GO SEE THIS FILM.Nah, that's not all.I hate seeing films on their opening. I hate crowds and try to go when no one else will be there. Tuesday afternoon about four weeks into a run is a good time. I am not a morning person.

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-84093280941585668392008-07-21T12:00:00.002-06:002008-07-21T20:22:02.772-06:00

Seen: July 6th, 2008Format: DVDRating: 9My girlfriend was the one who talked me into this film. She was born outside the States and moved here when she was nine. This is a favorite film of her family's, which they generally watched together on the Fourth.If you've read the entries for The Roaring Twenties or The Public Enemy then you know that I'm pretty impressed by James Cagney. Mo had a

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-73805368378348153832008-07-15T10:44:00.000-06:002008-07-15T10:44:00.587-06:00

Seen: July 13th, 2008Format: Broadcast (HDNMV - HDNet Movies)Rating: 3If you've been hanging around, waiting for me to slam something, this might be your day.I watched a great little Argentinian film several years ago called Nueve Reinas. It's a slick and fun little con film. It's real and charming and intriguing all at once. I loved the thing.And then I saw that it, like so many other great

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-80434495198095298752008-07-14T09:55:00.004-06:002008-07-14T11:21:37.529-06:00

Seen: June, 2008Format: Broadcast (HDNMV - HDNet Movies)Rating: 6I'm a big fan of Jack Lemmon. Though he can and does play over the top, frequently, he's got an amazing range and an everyman quality I find engaging. He was starring, I was watching.And I got Anne Bancroft as a bonus.The film is written by Neil Simon, adapted from his play. This is a good thing, because no one understands Simon's

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-78103178583246105592008-07-10T14:26:00.005-06:002008-07-14T09:55:20.140-06:00

Seen: July 8th, 2008Format: Broadcast (HDNMV - HDNet Movies)Rating: 4Mike Myers is tough for me. I have to give him credit for his uncanny ability to see right to the heart of what make something funny. I also have to admit that his ideas are simply gold.But it's the execution that really matters.Myers' film generally fall flat for me. They leave wishing that he'd made different choices,

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-72537850124091084742008-07-08T08:52:00.004-06:002008-07-08T09:37:04.877-06:00

Seen: Jun 24th, 2008Format: Broadcast (HDNMv-NDNet Movies)Rating: 6HDNet is doing a pretty cool thing. They're producing films. Pretty decent ones. And they're distributing them via Magnolia, but previewing them, in HD, right into my media room.This, I like.Quid Pro Quo hooked me via trailers on HDNet by having two qualities I look for in film; a twisted and edgy premise, and Vera Farmiga.Vera's

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-74723697961166678302008-06-25T14:12:00.002-06:002008-06-25T14:28:16.603-06:00

Seen: June 24, 2008Format: Broadcast (HNDMV - HDNet Movies)Rating: 3This film makes me wonder when the habit of creating derivitive, substandard work in the effort to cash in on the popularity of another work began. I'm sure there's examples as far back as the written word, but this film may be the defnintive case.Everything great about the first film is missing here. Bad plot. Bad Music. Bad

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-7612624072159563982008-06-25T13:51:00.000-06:002008-06-25T14:12:19.956-06:00

Seen: June 19th, 2008Format: TheaterRating: 7 Tarsem Singh made a little film called The Cell. There were a lot of problems with that film, but it's visual sensibility was simply stunning. It far outstripped the actual screenplay, and basically left the rest of the film struggling to catch up. That dichotomy was ultimately its downfall.The Fall, I'm happy to report, suffers no such

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-84777521917224965802008-06-22T13:08:00.001-06:002008-06-24T13:50:08.635-06:00

Seen: June 20th, 2008 (ish)Format: Blu-RayRating: 7So this is a Judd Apatow screenplay. That means that I'm going to have some reaction to it. I don't love Judd and I don't hate him. I think some of his stuff is hilarious and the rest of it generally isn't. I guess you have to give him credit for going for it, consistently, all the time. He doesn't pull any punches and anything worth doing is

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-88549645150918044102008-06-20T12:26:00.002-06:002008-06-24T13:50:31.748-06:00

Seen: June 15th, 2008 (ish)Format: Broadcast (HDNMV - HDNet Movies)Rating: 7As a kid I saw Man of La Mancha in summer stock. Gabe Kaplan played the lead, and despite the seeming mis-casting, did an admirable job.O'Toole does a better one.I was impressed as a child by Quixote's quest and moved by his sheer dogged determination. I was impressed by how fully he embraced his quest and how completely

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-35983882292006673562008-06-18T17:26:00.004-06:002008-06-24T13:51:12.836-06:00

Seen: June 14th (ish) 2008 and back when I was a we LadFormat: Broadcast - HDNMV - HDNet Movies, and VHS and Network TelevisionRating: 8 The soundtrack from this film was a fixture in my household as a kid. I'll always think of this film when I hear Joplin, whose music I adore.And that's not a bad thing.As a kid, this film was more than a touch convoluted. As an adult, that still holds true. I

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-87788040299402458052008-06-18T11:02:00.002-06:002008-06-18T11:04:17.033-06:00

Some reviews that I've finally finished are up. They're timestamped over the last week-ish so you may need to go Back to the Future.More on the way.

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-4063055295455572242008-06-14T09:55:00.001-06:002008-06-18T09:09:33.776-06:00

Seen: June 10, 2008Format: TheaterRating: 5This is hard. It's been nineteen, that's 1-9, years since our hero graced the big screen. Not to disparage the whole "Young Indiana Jones" thing, as I'm not really familiar with them, but I'm talking about our venerated hero, in is full glory. A long time. A long, patient wait.The film's beginning sets the tone for everything to follow. Basically, we get

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-82766872284271200072008-06-13T12:36:00.004-06:002008-06-18T11:02:15.918-06:00

Seen: June 7th, 2008 (ish)Format: DVDRating: 9If you're just here for recommendations, see this one soon.For the rest of you, this isn't going to be very interesting because there's not much else to say than I loved it. I wavered between 8 and 9, but have to give it the fuller marks because it's so darn engaging.This film requires a little commitment on your part. You'll need to be willing to be

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-14931784488450724952008-06-12T19:20:00.005-06:002008-06-18T09:05:46.404-06:00

Seen: June 7th, 2008 (ish)Format: Broadcast - HDNMV - HDNet MoviesRating: 7I'd always heard that this was a good film. But it has Madonna in it. I just couldn't believe the two could co-exist.And I'm kinda right.The Material Girl may be the lowlight of the entire film. Sure, she "acts" like a hussy and dances up a storm, but are we really to believe that she's a competent, much less exceptional

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-44493843415087258512008-06-05T14:04:00.002-06:002008-06-05T14:06:59.657-06:00

I'm going to try to pick this up again. It's been too long, and I'm itching to view and write.And Hockey season's over.Don't expect the daily thing, but hopefully you'll see a few reviews a week, and hopefully they'll vary as much as they have in the past.And maybe a guest writer will drop in.

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-85698421642405433132008-06-05T13:49:00.005-06:002008-06-12T19:19:50.668-06:00

Seen: June 3rd, 2008Format: Broadcast, HDNetRating: 2 In a previous life I was a climber. A technical rock and ice climber, not the be-suited brown-nosing kind. I wasn't awesome, and I wasn't really an alpine climber, but I was good enough to buy the gear for a local outdoor shop, to put up a few routes, and to meet and climb with some really talented people. Climbing was my identity for a while,

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-1914291341451200122008-03-05T13:01:00.004-07:002008-03-05T13:12:58.920-07:00

If you're reading this, you just might care, so here's what's been going on, and why the blog's been pretty much dead over the last 5+ months.Basically, I fell in love. Again.Shortly before the hiatus, I made a long trip to a far away city to visit family. The city is the one that I happened to have gone to college in. While I was there, I looked up an old friend, one whom I had loved very deeply

billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225828577824794297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-42399461520621323772007-09-13T11:31:00.000-06:002007-09-13T11:35:42.961-06:00

At this point I'm truly well behind in reviews and their quality has been much less than I prefer. I've been on a road trip for a few weeks and have been rushing things trying to keep up. I also have company showing up in several hours for the weekend. It's not looking productive.So I've decided to call a short break.I'll pick back up starting September 18th. But I made a commitment to have a

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-69712588440370335142007-09-10T11:06:00.000-06:002007-09-13T11:31:01.612-06:00

Seen: September 7th, 2007Format: Broadcast (Direct TV rental)Rating: 6I have no idea where to begin with this. It's probably due to guilt.Basically, I feel guilty for enjoying this film. I watched it while staying with my brother, and we had a good hoot and holler time with it. It was fun guy-bonding time, and we both had a good time.That said, it's probably the best way to watch this, with a

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-28473280056331186092007-09-08T11:32:00.000-06:002007-09-13T11:05:27.843-06:00

Seen: September 6th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 6Maybe you're a glass-half-full type of person. If so, you might enjoy this film. You might like Brian Keith's performance, which is over the top and one of the most genuine and amusing I've seen in a long time. He's not only the comic relief for this film, but in many ways its very heart. Frapp's affection for the serious Tyler helps us accept and even

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-589774653576206402007-09-07T11:01:00.000-06:002007-09-07T15:04:35.982-06:00

Seen: September 4th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 7Watching films from the 60s and 70s can be a lot of fun. If nothing else, the argot and fashions of the time are worth a good snicker. The writing and acting are often cliche and cheesy, as if melodrama could actually pass for drama.Bullitt has none of these problems.I don't know how I missed this when I started watching 70s driving movies. It's got a

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-20149676241223176102007-09-06T19:01:00.000-06:002007-09-06T11:01:46.954-06:00

Seen: September 2, 2007Format: Broadcast (Encore)Rating: 2I watched this one out a of a bit of desperation. I've been on a trip and don't have access to my normal flow of decent cinema. This was on late and looked atrocious.It was.The director has both a directing and writing credit for a film called Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills. I recognize nothing the screen writer's ever done. Despite

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-44346261311128960002007-09-05T19:26:00.000-06:002007-09-05T08:51:08.676-06:00

Seen: August 31st, 2007 (and previous)Format: DVD (and theater)Rating: 7It should be noted that Shaun of the Dead really has no plot. There's no real point to what happens. There's no real arc. Nobody really changes much or learns anything. It's basically a very large, running joke composed of references and reentrant gags.But it's a very good joke.I saw this film in the theater, and more

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-50549798843288986542007-09-04T09:15:00.000-06:002007-09-05T08:49:26.520-06:00

Seen: September 31st, 2007 (and previous)Format: Broadcast (Encore)Rating: 5I'm on a road trip and trying to get my quota in and stumbled across this late at night. I'd seen it before and didn't remember hating it, and gave it another look. It was pretty much the same as the first time around.Basically this is a things that go bump in the night, er dark, flick. It cam e out around the same time

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-33660732593153743252007-09-03T19:41:00.000-06:002007-09-03T06:22:12.224-06:00

Seen: February (24?), 2007Format: DVDRating: 4There's a lot of talented people here. There an abundance of experience, imagination and creativity. And I'm done with Guest's satiric films.I kept watching Guest's films because the casts were great, the characters largely improvised. There were generally good running gags, all delivered in dead-pan fashion that made you wince.This is Spinal Tap is

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-57101496421879461332007-09-02T10:46:00.000-06:002007-09-02T09:14:48.559-06:00

Seen: April (20?), 2001Format: DVDRating: 2Here's one from the Recycler. I've written reviews on Netflix a few times, and I'm going to cheat here by revamping one of those.It seems that this "genre" of film is something of a mystery to me, as is Elizabeth Taylor's "acting". She does the simpering, spoiled, dysfunctional brat (and in later films, the bitter, dysfunctional harpy) to a T, but seems

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-15716315599310797792007-09-01T10:40:00.000-06:002007-09-02T09:07:46.581-06:00

Seen: August 27th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 7I like Embeth Davitz, it's a shame she's only here to be shot in the head. But we've got Hopkins and Gosling to carry to the load, which is a good thing.Fracture (and I have no idea how the title relates to the film) is a fun, tight little caper. A murder mystery with unexpected developments, and a bad guy that seems eerily in control of the whole

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-34979406012089746372007-08-31T18:26:00.000-06:002007-09-02T09:06:24.432-06:00

Seen: AUgust 27th. 2007Format: TheaterRating: 5I think I need a break. At this point, it's becoming pretty hard to really enjoy a movie. Superbad for instance, was something I pretty much just tolerated. I sat through it, half my mind paying attention, half of it wandering.It's got some funny bits, even some very funny bits. Some of the gags work, some don't. It's unapologetically crude, even if

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-45982448816800535242007-08-30T12:06:00.000-06:002007-08-30T20:30:50.247-06:00

Seen: August 26th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 6The trailer for this film is a masterpiece of marketing. It portrays this film as a mischievous romp, bringing a child's sense of humor into an adult world. The premise is charming, a child's game of dare carried out over decades, bonding two people for life. It's a sweet, romantic pastiche, ready made for curling up with your sweetheart on the sofa with

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-81613548402426904182007-08-29T11:23:00.000-06:002007-08-28T11:04:46.680-06:00

Seen: August 25th, 2007Format: Broadcast - HDNMV (HDNet-Movies)Rating: 7This is another of those films I should have seen a long time ago. But I'm not that interested in politics in general and political scandals and conspiracies in particular.Even this one.I was a kid during Watergate, and really didn't understand what was going on. And later on, I just wasn't that interested. But it did grip

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-27617727855331281612007-08-28T13:18:00.000-06:002007-08-28T10:40:10.243-06:00

Seen: August 24th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 5This is another film in a nacent genre, which we'll call "Light Heartwarming British Film Based On A Quirky True Story". There seem to pop up every few years. Calendar Girls and Mrs. Henderson Presents are the ones that leap immediately to mind. Generally they're about someone having to do something against their nature, particularly their British nature

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-23571922327874009672007-08-27T12:43:00.000-06:002007-08-27T11:23:07.084-06:00

Seen: August 21st, 2007Format: DVDRating: 8I saw the trailers for this a long time ago and stuffed it on my list. I eventually got round to it and enjoyed it a great deal. I had no idea who directed it when I watched it, but at the end of the film discovered it was Tom Tykwer, was also had a hand in the writing.Duh.I really enjoy Tykwer's work. While he's not for everyone, his sense of style is

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-42521018479989661202007-08-26T13:10:00.000-06:002007-08-27T11:22:31.093-06:00

Seen: August 20th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 7This is another of those films that I have no recollection exactly how it ended up on my list. I wasn't even quite sure what it was when it arrived. Sometimes this is a god thing, sometimes it's a not-so-good thing.This time it's the former.In a nutshell, this is cautionary apocalyptic tale. Made early in the Cold War, it's an unflinching look at a

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-29454570382856052782007-08-25T11:00:00.000-06:002007-08-27T11:18:05.952-06:00

Seen: August 17th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 3The only reason this made it onto my list is that Steve Vai did the soundtrack and I'm a fan.The soundtrack was OK, but not that great.The premise of this film is actually pretty interesting. The fact that it's thirteen years old and that the premise might still work is a bit prescient and ultimately frightening.The target of this satire is political

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-55381303995735166592007-08-24T10:57:00.000-06:002007-08-24T12:43:10.035-06:00

Seen: August 18th, 2007Format: TheaterRating: 8Finally, something really worth watching. Stardust is a witty and clever little film. It's a contemporary The Princess Bride. It's got class and charm, wit and a bit of wonder. There's good guys, bad guys, a few stunts and gags, and it's all a bit irreverent to boot.It's fantastic of course, set in a world of magic, full of charms, curses and spells,

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-3591302401820502762007-08-23T10:55:00.000-06:002007-08-24T12:42:14.478-06:00

Seen: August 17th, 2007Format: TheaterRating: 6 The Invasion is an update of the classic The Invasion of the Body Snatchers. And its a good, if not particularly inspired one.There's a distinct lack of modern techno flash and hyper action. Instead the film relies on the tension and anxiety generated by the scenario to provide the thrills. The horror aspect of the transformation is downplayed in

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-39821596799393014562007-08-22T15:31:00.000-06:002007-08-24T12:41:47.745-06:00

Seen: August 14th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 9Wow. At this point I just need to put the rest of Kobayashi's films on my list. After seeing this and Harakiri, I'm simply amazed at his work.I'm a Kurosawa fan, and maybe you are too. Kobayashi's films are different. They're simpler. They dont' rely as much on high drama, but on baser, more fundamental passions. He rarely uses the comic relief common in

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-75294075540702132342007-08-21T14:54:00.000-06:002007-08-21T13:40:41.742-06:00

Seen: August 13,th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 4When this came out in theaters, it left quickly and I was a bit surprised. It looked interesting and topical and I figured it must have a serious problem if it did wasn't around long. I figured that it was worth a look.It was.First off, this is a political film, and I try to keep my personal politics out fo these reviews. That said, you're going to

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-41735868453116251442007-08-20T11:40:00.000-06:002007-08-20T15:08:25.524-06:00

Seen: August 12th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 5This is a decent little gangster film. It covers the genre pretty well, touching on several different themes common to the genre. There's family, betrayal, power struggles, corrupt cops and a bit of Pagliacci.What more could you want?There's nothing really revolutionary here, you've seen most of it before. But it's earnest and not too badly written. It

billnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-89676083391502827422007-08-19T11:12:00.000-06:002007-08-20T15:07:42.114-06:00

Seen: August 11th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 9I'm not a huge Orson Welles fan. Citizen Kane is a bit of a mystery to me, perhaps I lack perspective. But this little gem is impressive. It's said that Hitchcock took some ideas from this film. That's a pretty good recommendation.There's a lot of emphasis placed on the opening shot in this film due to it's length and complexity. Every bit of is deserved

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-9876962300176794142007-08-18T19:40:00.000-06:002007-08-20T15:06:31.822-06:00

Seen: August 7th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 5Yeah, I read the book. And it was OK. There's nothing there that you can't find in at least a dozen other places, but it does a decent job of breaking it all down and folding it into a parable that's easily digestible by the modern drone.Not that it's particularly nutritious.The film suffers a little from compression. Ten months fly by and we really miss

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-6122079689261292832007-08-17T17:31:00.000-06:002007-08-20T15:05:07.715-06:00

Seen: August 10th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 5Confession time. I only watched this film because I thing Jolene Blalock is pretty hot. That's it. I managed to miss the theatrical release, but it didn't take long to show up on DVD.This is not surprising.The film was actually made back in 2003, not getting it's release until April 2007. It sat on the shelf for almost four years. When all the previews

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-77081743722738544812007-08-16T16:49:00.000-06:002007-08-16T14:53:13.675-06:00

Seen: August 10th, 2007Format: TheaterRating: 6 I'm a fan of spy thrillers, both novels and film. I'll admit that I haven't read Ludlum's series, but I enjoyed the first two films well enough and had heard that this one was the best of the bunch. So off to the theater I went.And it was OK.My problem with this film is that plot and character take a back seat, more like the way back seat in a 70's

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-67205013639712098832007-08-15T16:45:00.000-06:002007-08-16T14:51:05.690-06:00

Seen: August 8th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 6It's a shame that I've waited so long to watch this film. While it was remarkable in it's time, it's fallen victim to it's own originality and time.Altman's vision was remarkable here. He didn't tell a story with this film, he painted a picture. There's no real plot in this film. It's basically a chronological series of gags designed to introduce us to a

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-92209844746956211142007-08-14T18:12:00.000-06:002007-08-16T14:49:42.600-06:00

Seen: August 7th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 8Little Children is a pretty ephemeral. There's really nothing in this film that you haven't seen somewhere else. While there's a few scenarios that aren't common, they're not exactly so original that we're surprised and delighted by them. If "there's nothing new under the sun" is a fallacy, this film isn't the one that you'd drag out to disprove it.But

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-45275804656839768402007-08-13T22:05:00.000-06:002007-08-13T11:12:21.292-06:00

Seen: August 2nd, 2007Format: TheaterRating: 7If you like The Simpsons, you may really enjoy this film. If you don't watch The Simpsons, you just may enjoy it also, but you may be a little lost. If you couldn't care less about The Simpsons what are reading this for? Move along....Basically this film is an hour and a half long Simpsons episode. Depending on how you feel about the television show,

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-83521179997145497672007-08-12T23:55:00.000-06:002007-08-13T11:11:03.301-06:00

Seen: July 31st, 2007Format: DVDRating: 6 This is a film that I put off watching for quite a while. From the trailers it seemed conflict heavy, filled with anger. And there is some of that, and perhaps it's at the heart of the story, but it's hardly the driving force in the film.Psychosis is, and it's almost as frightening.In essence, this is a revenge film. But the offense is both larger and

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-81590363378795556782007-08-11T16:54:00.000-06:002007-08-11T16:50:08.172-06:00

Seen: July 31st, 2007Format: DVDRating: 6I can't do this. I just can't sit here and attempt to expound on the virtues and shortfalls of this film. Snakes on a Plane is a bad film, intentionally so. It's a pop culture phenomenon run amok.The film actually changed during it's production due to it's exposure and fan reaction, a subject in some weird media feedback loop experiment. It's an

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-33027556692159020262007-08-10T23:54:00.000-06:002007-08-10T16:43:42.446-06:00

Seen: July 30th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 6I tend to enjoy Gurinder Chadha's films. She's got a unique take on the world, and an interesting sense of humor and wonder. She's not afraid of drama, but doesn't let that bog down the fun that life can be.What's Cooking is several different films. It's four family drama films as tied together. It's an exploration of different cultures, focusing on family

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-61710879286881237702007-08-09T22:05:00.000-06:002007-08-10T16:43:08.839-06:00

Seen: Augut 2nd, 2007Format: TheaterRating: 8I rushed to see this film in the theater before it left. It didn't have a long run, and I almost missed it. I managed to catch the last show on the last day in the megaplex. I really glad I made the effort.I really want to rate this a 9, but can't really justify it. I love Science Fiction, and there are so few decent films made in the genre that any

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-89368250584978813232007-08-08T10:58:00.000-06:002007-08-08T17:55:31.093-06:00

Seen: July 28th, 2007Format: TheaterRating: 8The first thing that I'll admit here is that I went to see this movie because of Don Cheadle. He's one of my favorite actors and I'll usually go to a film just to see his work. As a bonus, the story looked interesting, and the period was appealing.I got more than I bargained for.Before I start heaping praise, there's one thing to consider. At it's

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-14210438731122880502007-08-07T10:52:00.000-06:002007-08-07T19:19:09.496-06:00

Seen: July 28th, 2007Format: Blu-RayRating: 8You may associate Asian monster movies with drive-ins, cheap special effects, and brain dead scripts. Gojira was more than that, it was a commentary on impact of industrialization on the environment, among other things. But many consider it a simple and pointless film about a monster ravaging Tokyo.Even if you're one of these, see The Host anyway.For

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-51281075614662058272007-08-06T17:44:00.000-06:002007-08-07T19:15:57.162-06:00

Seen: July 27thFormat: TheaterRating: 7 Making films out of books is always a dubious proposition. The problem often lies in the fact that there's generally much more material in the book than can be practically put on the screen in the time which a feature usually runs. One solution to this is to make a series, one which can do the book real justice. But more frequently, the book must be

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-64231307389271692892007-08-05T17:42:00.000-06:002007-08-05T22:03:04.862-06:00

Seen: July 26th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 7 There are certain films that are known for their style rather than their substance. It's a tricky proposition to do something visually new or at least original in film without overshadowing the story itself. While many films do a decent job walking this very thin line, few are exceptional.Renaissance isn't one of them.Don't get me wrong, I like this film.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-5570354689890649602007-08-05T10:04:00.000-06:002007-08-06T10:45:19.241-06:00

I've just caught up and posted several reviews. While these were written at least a week ago, I've been very busy and managed to get several days behind in posting. I'll try to be more diligent. Gotta go now and write about five reviews while the films are still relatively fresh in my head....

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-23736021205082247162007-08-04T17:40:00.000-06:002007-08-05T22:01:08.883-06:00

Seen: July 26th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 3 Steve Oedekerk is a funny guy. I used to get him confused with Bob Odenkirk, who is another funny guy, but Steve's the guy behind all the "Thumb" movies, which are pretty darn funny. He also wrote films like Bruce Almighty, Patch Adams and Jimmy Neutron:Boy Genius. I liked those films well enough.Not this time.Let's get this one out of the way. I bugged

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-20183750771765071102007-08-03T08:48:00.000-06:002007-08-05T21:59:51.598-06:00

Seen: July 25th, 2007Format: Broadcast (HDNMV - HDNet Movies)Rating: 8This is another of those films that I probably should have seen a whole lot sooner. It's considered a classic by many, and that's been factored into my rating. I've just looked up James L. Brooks on IMDB because I like to know about my film makers.He's one of the driving forces behind The Simpsons.If that doesn't create an

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-14343866109185807322007-08-02T12:18:00.000-06:002007-08-05T21:57:48.699-06:00

Seen: July 24th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 7I was exposed to a lot of art as a kid. My mom was a docent at the art museum and participated in an art outreach program in our public schools. I knew who Pollock was at an early age.Teri Horton didn't.Teri Horton bought a large painting at a thrift store for five dollars. Turns out that that painting was rendered in Pollock's rather distinctive style.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-86329339806260298402007-08-01T11:10:00.000-06:002007-08-01T23:54:38.541-06:00

Seen: July 24th, 2007Format: Blue-RayRating: 4I saw the original The Wicker Man quite a while ago. When this version came out, I cringed a little because the original is such a cult classic and somewhere in me there's a unexpurgated rant about how Hollywood keeps screwing up great films, both vintage and foreign, by remaking them for a "wider market". When it finally became available for rental,

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-39520874497670575912007-07-31T23:49:00.000-06:002007-08-01T23:52:19.200-06:00

Seen: July21st, 2007Format: DVDRating: 8I have a personal affinity for spiders. I'm not sure why, but they fascinate me and I find it impossible to kill one and spend more time watching them than clearing their webs or sweeping them away. You might think, based on that, that I'd be a sucker for a kids' film with a spider as the wise protagonist. You'd be right.I enjoyed this film start to finish.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-26289287193074565312007-07-30T01:43:00.000-06:002007-07-30T10:39:22.765-06:00

Seen: July 20th, 2007Format: TheaterRating: 4I caught this on opening day, early in the morning. Ben Kingsley and Téa Leoni in the leads, Bill Pullman, Philip Baker Hall, Dennis Farina and Luke Wilson in support. An alchoholic hitman in recovery. Highjinks abound. How can it miss?Low and outside, evidently.There's nothing bad about this film, but the problem is that there's no much good about it

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-17920788464979893272007-07-29T01:14:00.000-06:002007-07-30T10:38:32.671-06:00

Seen: July 20th, 2007Format: Broadcast (HDNMV - HDNet Movies)Rating: 7I caught an ad for this and was intrigued. So I set the DVR and let it work it's magic. I didn't know quite what to expect, and I got it.As far as I can tell, this film was originally a short that was expanded to feature length. It has an exceptionally unique premise, which is a rare and valuable thing in film today. Things

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-44195073872870959872007-07-28T23:42:00.000-06:002007-07-28T19:53:07.391-06:00

Seen: July 18th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 7I've go a soft spot for fantasy and science fiction films. I read a ton of the genre when I was a kid, and always hoped the films could stand up to the books. As an adult, it's interesting to see the takes on these genres from other cultures. I read Stanislaw Lem in translation in college, which was fascinating and it's always interesting to see how the

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-28343763995887973442007-07-27T23:00:00.000-06:002007-07-27T08:48:05.558-06:00

Seen: July 19th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 9This is a fantastic film. And by that I mean that it is fantastical, that it resembles, but isn't a part of, reality. It's not quite of this world. Not that there's witches or dragons.But there is magic.If you can't suspend your disbelief, if you want films to be"real", to reflect reality, then this isn't for you. But if you can the rewards are

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-65365052045397879592007-07-27T15:26:00.000-06:002007-07-28T12:18:18.645-06:00

# A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W Z#4: The Rise of the Silver Surfer10 Items or Less12 and Holding28 Weeks Later3001408AA Good YearA Guide to Recognizing Your SaintsAn American HauntingApocalyptoArmy of DarknessBBabelBattle Royale (Batoru wowairau)BirthBreachBridge to TerabithiaCCatch and ReleaseCitizen XCobbCurse of the Golden Flower (Man cheng jin dai huang jin jia)DD.E.B.S.Déjà

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-64287463486114798802007-07-26T22:39:00.000-06:002007-07-27T08:46:59.141-06:00

Seen: July 18th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 5The Duke's war films are almost as good as his westerns. I remember seeing The Green Berets as a kid and being moved to tears. His swaggering persona and good humor worked well whether he was leading a posse or a squad of infantryman.It's a shame that it didn't work here.This film was made only six years after the war. I have to imagine that it was still

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-34630751985136826322007-07-25T23:46:00.000-06:002007-07-25T23:32:32.205-06:00

Seen: July 16th, 2007Format: HD-DVDRating: 6 I remember my father and mother going to see this film in the theater. I was interested in what Dad thought, as I was pretty excited to see it myself. Dad's a Catholic, was deeply offended, and they left early. Needless to say, he didn't recommend it. I respect my Dad a lot and felt bad for him, so I didn't go to see it.Of course, I saw bits of it over

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-84422253947068205802007-07-24T23:38:00.000-06:002007-07-24T09:40:08.745-06:00

Seen: July 16th, 2007Format: HD-DVDRating: 5This is another of those films that I have no idea why I watched it. I'm OK with Romantic comedies, but I'm not sure why this one stood out. Not that I regretted it, but I'm just not sure why I picked it in the first place.Maybe I'm just getting old. This is basically a variation on Pretty Woman, with the male and female roles reversed. This is an

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-80929957381669138542007-07-23T15:00:00.000-06:002007-07-24T09:36:07.902-06:00

Seen: July 15th, 2007Format: TheaterRating: 5 By now you know that I like comics and, in general, the films spawned from them. While I tend to give comic films a little leeway, they have to be pretty awesome to get full marks.This one doesn't quite make it.There's nothing wrong with this film. It's fine. It does a good job of telling a fairly complex story. The story, action and dialogue are all

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-20208399975534792152007-07-22T14:28:00.000-06:002007-07-25T11:59:19.591-06:00

Seen: July 14th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 5I've become a bit more stringent in my rating as of late. I've been rating too many films in 6/7/8 range without a whole lot of distinction between them. I've decided to be a little more ruthless with films on the low end of these scales.Clean is one of my first victims.Basically, this is a "Junkie has a revelation and turns her life around" movie. I lump

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-30474068474528668942007-07-21T13:56:00.000-06:002007-07-21T01:12:04.351-06:00

Seen: July 14, 2007Format: DVDRating: 5I have a problem with this film. I'm very fond of the underlying story. I reacted strongly to these kids during their journey. I like a lot of them, and generally respect the rest. I really rooted for them throughout the film, and their triumphs elated me.But as a documentary, this film is a mess.There's simply too much different going on here, and the films

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-26366025694711437572007-07-20T00:42:00.000-06:002007-07-21T01:07:58.358-06:00

Seen: July 13th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 7I like Soderbergh's films. He's got a pretty huge range and a fundamental understanding of film from all aspects. Here he recreates the 40s style by telling a story that is rife with intrigue and deception. I think it works.Others disagree.There are some, and not a small some, who believe that in trying to stay true to a style that has long since passed on

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-3598972599753339822007-07-19T00:39:00.000-06:002007-07-19T22:39:05.097-06:00

Seen: July 13th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 2 Look, I get chick flicks. I understand women well enough to realize that, in general, emotional issues are important to them. When family dynamics get involved things become even more dramatic and this creates fertile ground for film.So who salted the earth?There's nothing fundamentally wrong with this film. Taken as a pitch, the story is OK, not great,

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-68014291257937114592007-07-18T21:01:00.000-06:002007-07-18T11:36:51.232-06:00

Seen: July 12th, 2007Format: Blu-RayRating: 9Zhang Yimou makes big films. Whether they are big in size, big in concept, big in georgraphy, he doesn't seem to do anything small. This one is no exception.I'm a fan of Zhang Yimou's films. They, like many films from this region, tend to be highly stylized. This is part of the genre, and it stems from cultural themes in theater. Things here are larger

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-21161881262650931062007-07-17T20:14:00.000-06:002007-07-18T11:34:09.259-06:00

Seen: July 11th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 8This is yet another driving film watched as a result of seeing Tarantino's Death Proof and reading subsequent reviews with him. The car that women "test drive" in that film is a white 1970 Dodge Challenger. They continually refer to it as "The Vanishing Point Challenger". As inspiration for that film, I figured that it was worth a look.I was dead

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-86782990094825665742007-07-16T12:25:00.000-06:002007-07-16T23:38:38.799-06:00

Seen: July 8th, 2007Format: Broadcast (HDNMV - HDNet Movies)Rating: 4This is the story of Stu Unger, perhaps one of the most gifted card players ever. It's the story of his journey as a player, from his very early teen years until his death. It's a tragic but fascinating story.And told pretty badly.I'll fully admit that I was very engaged in the story. Stu was a larger than life personality. His

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-28805618522610683822007-07-15T11:52:00.000-06:002007-07-15T13:56:27.982-06:00

Seen: July 9th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 6First, this might be considered a bad movie. If you're not one to appreciate cinema that really can't compete with the mainstream and doesn't really try, then move along, there's nothing to see here. I won't say that Incubus is intentionally bad, but it could hardly be considered mainstream, even in it's day.It was a cult film from day one.To that end, this

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-51409833772285623782007-07-14T12:53:00.000-06:002007-07-15T13:53:21.416-06:00

Seen: July 7th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 3I have no idea what prompted me to rent this. It was probably a recommenadation on Netflix. It was nominated for the Best Foreign Film Academy Award. I wish I'd paid more attention.The protagonist of this film is a woman, an unsuccessful actress who finds herself doing voice acting, dubbing TV shows into Italian. Her boyfriend is an actor who views himself

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-41322132926378647502007-07-13T23:13:00.000-06:002007-07-14T00:39:03.846-06:00

Seen: July 7th, 2007Format: Blu-RayRating: 5I liked the first Saw and Saw II was OK, though completely in a different vein. Saw III is yet different again. This is a good thing and a bad thing.First, it's a good thing because the second installment was much more about carnage that the systematic teaching that Jigsaw is really all about. It had the standard "who'll be left over" feel of so many

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-9430025276206546032007-07-12T21:35:00.000-06:002007-07-12T20:13:50.250-06:00

Seen: July 7th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 7I didn't read this book when I was a kid, I think I was a little too old for it when it was published in 1977. It's considered a classic and has won awards. Maybe that's a good thing, maybe it would be a shame to have the book to compare the film to.Maybe not.I'm may spoil this for you, so if you're not familiar with the book or film, you may want to jump

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-35989970487172788412007-07-11T11:53:00.000-06:002007-07-11T12:44:57.270-06:00

Seen: July 6th, 2007Format: TheaterRating: 4In the nature of full disclosure, I ate a lunch of steamed dumplings, seared Ahi and a nice wheat beer (just one!) before seeing this film. Maybe that's why I almost nodded off.Maybe not.I love Pixar's films. Even pre-Toy Story, their shorts were very well executed, witty and touching. They're a unique group with a well defined and honed style. Their

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-88617918721903444902007-07-10T23:17:00.000-06:002007-07-10T23:56:54.001-06:00

Seen: July 6th, 2007Format: TheaterRating: 6John McClane is back. Sorta.This is another summer blockbuster. This installment has been toned down to PG-13 level for mass consumption and lacks some of the edge of the previous films. There's a bit less grit and a bit more fantasy here. It's all well produced and packaged and tied up neat with a holiday release date.Now for the good news.The action

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-14346539544085090552007-07-09T19:32:00.000-06:002007-07-09T22:48:33.543-06:00

Seen: July 4th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 9If you're looking for a western, this may not be your cup of tea. While it is a western, it's so much more that you may find the western part of it getting lost in the mix. This film is about so much more than bandits, robberies and shootouts. Sure there's gun play aplenty, all in Peckinpah's hyper realistic style, but the real substance runs much

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-53748118183135737842007-07-08T23:34:00.000-06:002007-07-08T13:31:57.576-06:00

Seen: July 3rd, 2007Format: DVDRating: 6I like both Carey Grant and Katherine Hepburn a great deal. They're individually great and do very well together. I settled in with Holiday and waited for the magic. And waited, and waited.I won't say that I didn't enjoy this film, I did. But the problem I had was that the thing that was best about this film, the reparte between the leads, was far too long

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-28516206295090873302007-07-07T09:35:00.000-06:002007-07-07T21:35:28.209-06:00

Seen: July 2nd, 2007Format: DVDRating: 8July 7th, 2007. 7/7/7. I wondered what film would fall on this date, and it's interesting that it's about the Chinese, a culture which holds numerology in high regard. Here's hoping it's auspicious.I'm really tempted to just say that this is a great film and you should see it. Then I could get on with the rest of my day. But that'd be a cop-out, and I'd

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-64749384411584451732007-07-06T11:00:00.000-06:002007-07-06T00:43:59.771-06:00

Seen: July 3rd, 2007Format: TheaterRating: 7I am no great fan of Michael Bay. In fact, I happen to think that Bad Boys II is one of the worst films I've ever seen. But I did enjoy The Island. I'm not a Transformers fan either. I think I was a bit old to get caught up in that particular craze. But I had friends that wanted to take an afternoon off to catch this, and the trailers were splashy.I

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-23307306987109696882007-07-05T22:07:00.000-06:002007-07-06T00:38:15.943-06:00

Seen: July 1st, 2007Format: DVDRating: 7I am ashamed to admit that I'd never seen this film until now. I was a big fan of Science fiction as a kid and remain so today. I heard more people talk about this, in awe when I was a kid, and with nostalgia and ridicule as I got older. I kept meaning to see it, but kept missing it or watching something else.I'm not disappointed.Unfortunately the plot had

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-14203949766340962382007-07-04T21:33:00.000-06:002007-07-06T00:45:07.637-06:00

Seen: July 1st, 2007Format: DVDRating: 8It'd be easy to dismiss this film as just another propaganda film, designed to keep Americans supporting America during WWII. While it does serve that purpose, it does so by doing several others things as well.First and foremost it demonstrates what war is really like from the perspective of the fliers in the film. The title alludes to the fact that the

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-48358925934319069812007-07-03T09:44:00.000-06:002007-07-03T09:35:50.436-06:00

Seen: Jun 30th, 2007Format: Blu-RayRating: 7I was prepared to hate this film. It didn't get great reviews or stick around long. From trailers it seemed a bit contrived, a bit disjoint and chaotic. While I liked Man on Fire I feared a re-tread in this role by Washington.My fears were unjustified.I'm a big fan of science fiction and will generally give films in this genre a little leeway because

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-4657617205855515852007-07-02T08:58:00.000-06:002007-07-02T09:32:47.289-06:00

Seen: June 30th, 2007Format: TheaterRating: 5I'll start out by saying that you're probably no going to agree with me about this film. I saw it with three other people and was the only one who didn't find it sweet and touching. Maybe I need to find a girlfriend.This is a "musician" film. This is a fairly rare breed. These films tend to end up being period pieces in some respect because most music

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-77020186321104340172007-07-01T09:44:00.000-06:002007-07-01T08:58:31.582-06:00

Seen: June 30th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 3Man, I feel like Scrooge. This film is the last project, the final hurrah, from a dying man. To top it off, it's also the final effort from his wife, who followed him into the beyond a few years later, and never saw its release. It would be a fairy tale feel good moment if I could tell you that it was a fitting memoriam to two wonderful people.But I

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-57072683954035135612007-06-30T08:55:00.000-06:002007-06-30T09:21:44.528-06:00

Seen: June 29th, 2007Format: Broadcast (HDNMV - NDNet Movies)Rating: 4This is one of those films that you hope will be good. There's a cast that contains some greats and potential greats. The premise doesn't seem like a complete retread. So you give a shot. And you get pretty much what you expected.The fundamental problem with The Yards is that the underlying scenario isn't really that

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38891142.post-64222351710812579532007-06-29T15:40:00.000-06:002007-06-29T16:07:45.554-06:00

Seen: June 28th, 2007Format: DVDRating: 6The Thin Blue Line is an interesting piece of work from a historical perspective. While it may seem a bit dated, its format is one with which we're inundated, at least from an American television perspective.This film may be the genesis of the modern crime docudrama. It follows and investigates the arrest, conviction and sentencing of Randall Adams. Adams

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