Zodiac

Wow there were a lot of things I liked and didn't like about this film. I'll start of with the likes and move on from there. The setting of San Francisco was great. I didn't see one car, that was there before it's time, no cell phones, the clothes were realistic, just all of it was perfect. There were times I felt like I should have been looking for me and my dad walking in the background. The passing of time was also done really well in this, nothing ever really looked out of place. The acting in this was also top notch. Robert Downey Jr played his alcoholic, drug addict writer role so well there were times you would almost think he is using again. (no I'm not saying he is I'm just saying he acted this really well) Jake Gyllenhaal also did a wonderful job as Robert Graysmith. There are actually a lot of really good actors in this film like Mark Ruffalo, Anythony Edwards, and Brian Cox just to name a few. All of which I thought did a really good job of becoming that other person. Lastly being that this film is about the search for the zodiac killer I thought they did a really good job of not really making this an over bloody film. The horror angle could have really been played up because of that ; instead they really kept much more of the focus on the search, not the actual killing. Often films go for that extra gore because they can, just because you can doesn't mean you should and I think it was done really well in this one. I do have two little things that I didn't particularly like about this film. One would be that the aging of Jake Gyllenhaal's character never really seemed to happen. Everyone else in the film got a little grey, or some laugh lines on their face, something that showed that it had been a substantial amount of time. Also speaking of a substantial amount of time, jeez 2hours 35 minutes. Personally I felt there was a bit of a drag in the middle, I do have a friend that feels it could have been wrapped up better and faster at the end. Either way you look at it, it was just too long over all. I give this film a B.

A friend of mine suggested that I post the links to the IMDB site for the film I'm talking about here along with the movie site address if they have one so at the bottom of my reviews I'll be doing that now.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443706/

http://www.zodiacmovie.com/

United 93

In many ways this was a hard film for me to watch because when the whole September 11Th attacks happened I was still working as a PA for KTVU. The things I saw and heard from everything was really for lack of a better word surreal. Much of that time is still in a haze for me because of the working all the time, running scripts, and cataloging footage. Now years later I'm finding my self needing to take a step back and see things again. First step in doing this was to see United 93. This is story is told in real time from when they first think one plane might be hijacked until united 93 crashes in Pennsylvania. The talking that is in this is very low, and to be honest at first I thought there was something wrong with my speakers until there was one of the explosions and that was very loud. So this film is really about looking at the actions that everyone takes, and the ripple effect that every action causes. This was a well acted film nothing fantastic, but then again it didn't really have any big names in it either. I'm not really sure why there wasn't any big names in this film but I do like that there isn't. This movie is really about focusing on the people and the facts that occurred. Technically this was a fine movie, I will say however I don't really see this as a film with a lot of people would be interested in. Even more because for most of the film you hear talking but it's not really loud enough to understand most of it, that also becomes distracting. I give this film a C+.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0475276/

Interesting talk about life and things

Hey everyone.
I have a few things going on so I thought I'd separate the blogs in case anyone would like to comment on anything. Hint hint hint.
One of my good friends also has a blog going on where he gives really good advice, talks about buy and selling houses, and just general life stuff. He's a pretty smart, and nice guy. Actually he has also reviewed a few films on his page. So I just thought I'd give you guys a link to see if you would like to check it out.
http://fuery.com/2007/03/01/blogging-for-dollars-2/

Still workinng on things here

Hello all I just wanted to leave a quick update to say I am still working on this. There are some things I wanted to put on the page that I've been have some problems with really it's still a work in progress. Still for the things that I have here already I would love to hear your feedback. Let me know if you want me to put in more or less information in my reviews. Ask me questions about things (an no I'm not pretentious enough to think I know everything about making movies or anything like that) if you ask me something I don't know (definitely probable) I will do my best to get the information.
Last little note I do believe I am going to a movie in the theatre Monday. First time in months for me. Come Tuesday there should be a new review of a movie that just came out this Friday.
Happy weekend all.

Thank you For Smoking

Thank you for Smoking
No I'm not telling you to light up a cigarette lol. I have to talk about this film. This was a great laugh about a serious subject and still learn something from it. I will admit I use to smoke many many MANY eons ago, and since I quit I have taken a strict please don't smoke around me policy, and if you are a good friend of mine and I find you smoking I will often hound you to stop. However this film really put a new twist on smoking. They don't lie about it or anything, they don't make smoking seem like something that is now healthy, and they give more credit to people in general. It really has more then anything to do with the choices that people make, and the choices that are made for them. It's also about the relationship of the lobbyist and the U.S. government, what they choose to show us and many things they choose not to. One of my favorite parts of this film would actually have to be a the most inventive way to use the cigarette patches that I've ever seen (not going to tell you it will completely ruin it if I do). The acting is this film is some of best I've seen from films this year and yet there aren't really any big names in this. Aaron Eckhart is great at being the loving father that is honest with his son and yet still a tobacco lobbyist that can make you feel guilty for questioning smoking. Cameron Bright plays the son that loves his dad and actually thinks of his dad as some kind of hero for making him think about things in stead of accepting things they way they are handed to him. William H. Macy is a congressman that is tough on tobacco, but not to bright. And Rob Lowe is a film guy that is going to help to put cigarettes back in film. There were truly shocking moments in this film to things that had you laughing so hard you find yourself crying. I can give this nothing but an A+. However I will ad this I don't think it's for young children to watch and have them get the idea that smoking is cool. Just my little thought on it.


http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thankyouforsmoking/ us site

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427944/ imdb

Paycheck

Paycheck:Went not really expecting to like this one much. I like John Woo as a director but have also felt his past two were a waste of money. Mine and the studios. This however I liked much more. I thought it would have been a little better had some of the things not been so obvious once you get the point of what is going on, still the acting was pretty decent, and the idea of the story was good. I don't want to be a spoiler for anyone that hasn't seen this so I'll just leave it at that. This one gets a B from me.

http://www.paycheckmovie.com/ us site

http://www.paycheckmovie.com/ french site

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338337/ imdb

28 Days Later

28 Days Later.Yes it is as gross as you may have heard. And yes it is very graphic. However every little bit in this had a purpose. I know it sounds odd every little hack, every little throw up scene was done as part of the story and is very important. I really can't say enough about this film. The acting, writing, directing, and even all the sets are fantastic. It is a must see and there is really no other way around that. lol see it on an empty stomach if you have to but get it. Also if you can check it out on DVD they have some interesting alternate endings there, and the making of that was just as interesting as the film itself. This film gets an A from me.

http://www.28dayslaterthemovie.co.uk/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289043/ imdb

Master and Commander

UG! Long, slow, and I never got really attached to any of the characters Acting in this is barely passable, almost as if the people in the movie were often as bored as making the film as I was of watching it. The only thing I liked about this film is the little details, like when we are suppose to be on the boat there is always movement, not always a lot but it is there. Because of that attention to detail I'd give this movie as high as a C+.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311113/ imdb site

http://www.uipfrance.com/sites/masterandcommander/ french site

Gothika

Sorry all I wasn't able to get to the theatre this past weekend so I'm going to post one of my other reviews from a film I have already seen.

Gothika: I kind of ruined this one for my self. A big part of this movie is the being scared, and jumping. Instead I sat there analyzing it. I will say I thought the acting in this was really good. AS much as I am a Downey fan I will say when his acting is not up to snuff and when it up and when it is great, and in this it was like he is in his prime. The ending I saw coming kind of early but that could have been because I was picking it apart. The worst thing in this film for me was the projectionist didn't seem to get the cropping of the film ratio right, so I kept seeing the boom mic. I would give this film an -A. I would give it more but I think there are too many leads to what is suppose to be a surprise ending.

http://gothikamovie.warnerbros.com/ english site

http://www.sonypictures.fr/gothika/ french site

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0348836/ imdb

No actor bashing

This is for me personally, more then anyone else. I wanted to make it clear that when I review any movies or talk about the acting job of someone in the film I am going to make it very specific to that film. Granted we all have our favorite actors and actors we really don't like. However I feel that if I am to review a movie without any bias I need to keep what I'm talking about to that film only. I can also say that even though I may not like the acting of someone it still takes a lot of courage to get in front of a camera, knowing millions of people will see what you are doing. Doesn't matter if you are great or a real pile of cow pies in acting still takes guts, and I'm not going to bad mouth anyone on the net for giving it a go.

My Rating sysytem

So I thought I would take a minute to explain my rating system since I will not only be talking about movies on here but will putting reviews on here. I use the school grading system. I will say that most of the movies I end up seeing end up being a B+ to an A-. That is because all though there is no movie I wont see of course I want to see the ones that interest me first and those some how tend to be better movies. It is a very very rare film that gets an A+ from me, and again rare that anything gets an F from me. To get an A+ the film has to have great acting, wonderful writing, and be almost flawless in all other areas (yes I'm very picky). On the other hand if someone took the time to make something and I end up watching it I will almost always give it some kind of props and find something good about it. There for you also almost never see an F from me. I have also found that most of my long reviews about films I'm passionate about. Either passionate in the like or dislike category as long as I'm really enthusiastic about talking about it, the review will be long.
If I'm not able to get to a theater this weekend I'm going to post some of my other reviews to get things started here.
Questions, comments anyone?

No movie I wont see

This is something that I have told to a lot of my friends. There is no movie I wont see because at some point I would like to make a movie, and they all have something to teach. I know this may sound a little odd, however if you think about it you will know just what I'm talking about. I know we have all said "why doesn't she take off those heels if she is going to run in the forest" or "wow you really can't see them at all I wonder how we are suppose to know what is going on". We have all heard the bad dialog, the seen the unlikely very clean inner city street, or seen the boom mic at the top. So what happens to us when we see that? Personally I find those things distracting and they make the film not as good. When I make a film I would like to know the things to do and the things to not do, and all films have something to offer both categories, some films can go more in one category more then the other, still it's all there.