Let's go over the films I've seen.
V For Vendetta
I liked it the first time I saw it... had a bit TOO much "Wachowski-isms" in it but then again, so does Alan Moore's writing. Both love words and language and such but the Wachowskis bring a certain sci-fi flare to it all. Good for them. It helped pick up would could've been just a bunch of talking and blowing shit up! Is it bad that the terrorist is the "good guy"? No. Not at all. They never claim he's SANE or RIGHT, just right that THIS government is BAD and needs to be removed. But they give so much supporting evidence of this, you can't help but cheer him on. Sure, the anarchy angle is all but gone... it's not about anarchy and chaos... it's about revolution and making people remember that the government shoulld be OF us, FOR us and BY us.
Natalie Portman is amazing in it... one of her best performances in a long time. Her break down scene alone should get her an award nomination. Itwon't, of course... it's "sci-fi" and "comic book" stuff. John Hurt is fucking INCREDIBLE in it. The man does most of his stuff while staring at the screen and STILL manages an unbelievably chilling performance. He WAS the only good thing about that Skeleton Key movie and the old fart never really TALKED in that one. Don't believe me? Go check out the Chancellor Sutler profile on my MySpace friends list. Stephen Rea was there and doing a LOT of work as the detective but also as MAN... no, not The Man but MAN. We weren't meant to really identify and follow Evi or V or anyone else but the detective. His is the eyes and ears and mind that is our entry into this world and the one who will help us understand and accept the message of the film. That's a lot to expect from one character and one actor but Stephen pulls it off. And V? Hell yeah Hugo WeaVing... sure the mask gets in the way at times but still... wow... THIS is the type of performance that CGI animators need to watch and think about when doing their effects. The guy managed to ACT thru a mask with NO eye slits and NO mouth exposed. And to think Stallone wouldn't let Judge Dredd keep the helmet on too long. BAH!
The second time was better for me because you can really see all the planning they put into this thing. No changes to the material were made willy nilly and they showed that they really understood what each change would impact and what could remain. It's powerful and truly worth at least a first look. But if you LIKED it that first time, go see it again.
This is also true about...
The Inside Man
Saw this one twice, too, and the second viewing lets you really catch all the details. It's a good heist flick with some wonderful acting from everyone. Denzel shows he is still worth his price tag and damn if Christopher Plummer don't deserve more work!! Everyone in it was pulling out all the stops and giving their all. And to think... it's a SPIKE LEE joint!!! JEez... the man deserves respect. He's gotten to be a damn fine director.
Especially since he stopped acting in his own movies.
I really can't say too much about this... most of the plot is easy to figure out since it has appeared (or at least some of it) in one film or another. It's not about the HEIST but the characters in it. It's watching DENZEL's Detcve Frazer deal with the situation that makes you want to watch.
Much like...
16 Blocks
It's not about whether Bruce Willis and Mos Def survive the day... it's how they DEAL with it. It's not about who the bad cops are and why they're doing it... it's about why Bruce and Mos aren't giving up! Wonderful movie that kept me glued. And not a moment is wasted in the film. While Inside Man may have gone all Return of the King on the ending(s), this sucker plows ahead from the get go... we get a moment to meet Bruce and get a feel for his character... same with Mos and then BANG! off we go. No letting up until the end. Thank God Richard Donner is BACK!!!
Ok, I'm sleepy so that's all you get. I'll be back to talk about Slither, Ice Age 2 and 8 Below later.
I liked it the first time I saw it... had a bit TOO much "Wachowski-isms" in it but then again, so does Alan Moore's writing. Both love words and language and such but the Wachowskis bring a certain sci-fi flare to it all. Good for them. It helped pick up would could've been just a bunch of talking and blowing shit up! Is it bad that the terrorist is the "good guy"? No. Not at all. They never claim he's SANE or RIGHT, just right that THIS government is BAD and needs to be removed. But they give so much supporting evidence of this, you can't help but cheer him on. Sure, the anarchy angle is all but gone... it's not about anarchy and chaos... it's about revolution and making people remember that the government shoulld be OF us, FOR us and BY us.
Natalie Portman is amazing in it... one of her best performances in a long time. Her break down scene alone should get her an award nomination. Itwon't, of course... it's "sci-fi" and "comic book" stuff. John Hurt is fucking INCREDIBLE in it. The man does most of his stuff while staring at the screen and STILL manages an unbelievably chilling performance. He WAS the only good thing about that Skeleton Key movie and the old fart never really TALKED in that one. Don't believe me? Go check out the Chancellor Sutler profile on my MySpace friends list. Stephen Rea was there and doing a LOT of work as the detective but also as MAN... no, not The Man but MAN. We weren't meant to really identify and follow Evi or V or anyone else but the detective. His is the eyes and ears and mind that is our entry into this world and the one who will help us understand and accept the message of the film. That's a lot to expect from one character and one actor but Stephen pulls it off. And V? Hell yeah Hugo WeaVing... sure the mask gets in the way at times but still... wow... THIS is the type of performance that CGI animators need to watch and think about when doing their effects. The guy managed to ACT thru a mask with NO eye slits and NO mouth exposed. And to think Stallone wouldn't let Judge Dredd keep the helmet on too long. BAH!
The second time was better for me because you can really see all the planning they put into this thing. No changes to the material were made willy nilly and they showed that they really understood what each change would impact and what could remain. It's powerful and truly worth at least a first look. But if you LIKED it that first time, go see it again.
This is also true about...
The Inside Man
Saw this one twice, too, and the second viewing lets you really catch all the details. It's a good heist flick with some wonderful acting from everyone. Denzel shows he is still worth his price tag and damn if Christopher Plummer don't deserve more work!! Everyone in it was pulling out all the stops and giving their all. And to think... it's a SPIKE LEE joint!!! JEez... the man deserves respect. He's gotten to be a damn fine director.
Especially since he stopped acting in his own movies.
I really can't say too much about this... most of the plot is easy to figure out since it has appeared (or at least some of it) in one film or another. It's not about the HEIST but the characters in it. It's watching DENZEL's Detcve Frazer deal with the situation that makes you want to watch.
Much like...
16 Blocks
It's not about whether Bruce Willis and Mos Def survive the day... it's how they DEAL with it. It's not about who the bad cops are and why they're doing it... it's about why Bruce and Mos aren't giving up! Wonderful movie that kept me glued. And not a moment is wasted in the film. While Inside Man may have gone all Return of the King on the ending(s), this sucker plows ahead from the get go... we get a moment to meet Bruce and get a feel for his character... same with Mos and then BANG! off we go. No letting up until the end. Thank God Richard Donner is BACK!!!
Ok, I'm sleepy so that's all you get. I'll be back to talk about Slither, Ice Age 2 and 8 Below later.
posted by wmjwatson at 8:16 PM
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