callmealiar2 Reviews

The Quest (1996)

Great for what it is

[10/10 · 20 September 2009]

OK this is not a Shakespearean masterpiece by any stretch, but for what it is, it is a great movie. This is your summer action flick that happens to be a slightly lower scale production than your big box office draws but still looks great and manages to deliver entertainment in a big way.

The cinematography is rather pleasing. There is a variety of interesting environments and some very nice shots. Van Damme does a rather good job acting (for once)- and really does a great job at showing that classic American heroic full of heart character that you see so little of these days. The fighting in this film really is truly top notch though as you have a variety of trained and skilled athletes including one actor playing the role of the fighter from Brazil who has perhaps the most agile and gymnastic like abilities that I have ever seen(especially given his size). There is also Roger Moore (James Bond) in this film and his Character is slightly witty and enjoyably amusing as he plays a modern pirate and business thief type character who is inextricably linked to Van Damme's destiny.

This movie has a sort of uplifting emotional effect to it overall and in fact is even a little bit Disney like- though it certainly is worthy of it's pg13 rating. I really hope that everyone gets a chance to watch this good movie and enjoy it for what it is- which is a very good and highly underrated summer action flick. It's to be simply enjoyed with pop corn and ice cream- and not to be taken too seriously. It personally happens to be one of my all time favorites of it's kind- and when I saw it in the theaters as a kid I remember being surprised by how good it was despite not expecting much. I think most people who check it out will agree.

Get Carter (2000)

Excellent

[10/10 · 19 September 2009]

Everything from the ambiance to the camera work to the acting to the story was excellent. I especially love the moodiness of this film. It really has a great kind of calm seriousness and charisma. The characters are a little exaggerated but just about every movie exaggerates personalities for the sake of effectual entertainment. The movie has a great play on personal introspection- how all of the characters are flawed but yet the good guys are somehow clearly differentiated from the bad guys. Also the personal relationships between the characters are at times very entertaining especially the relationship between Jack Carter and Doreen. The director did a good job with choosing the music for the film, which really blends great with the cinematography and in how they develop the mood of each scene. The color coordination and overall look of the film is great, with lots of rain scenes which don't create a depressing aura, but a calm kind of introspective ambiance- which works well with the emotional circumstances of the story. But to enjoy this movie you have to enjoy the classic western style- good guy comes into town and takes out the trash- kind of fable. However this movie does more than just that by brilliantly wielding modernistic style to go beyond the old proverbial storyline and produce a richer more emotionally filling experience.

By the way, Stallone did a very good job acting in this one. His performance was better than his Rocky films- and I would give his acting an 8 out of 10. I really appreciate his straight forward kind of acting as opposed to the recently developed sour, plastic, melodramatic and fake eccentricity which characterizes modern "good acting." Get Carter does the job straight up for an enjoyable, well produced action thriller, with an added moderate portion of drama and emotive value.

I just truly and personally thought this was an excellent film despite what others have concluded.

The Art of War (2000)

My favorite movie ever

[10/10 · 1 January 2007]

In a world where nations do exist and there is in reality a political struggle for power, this movie couldn't be more timely. It uses a play on the theme of the ancient Chinese military philosophical writings by Sun Tzu. Sun Tzu said that you don't attack your enemy until you know you can defeat them and you defeat them form the inside, using their weaknesses against them. This movie brilliantly applies this philosophy into the world of international relations. This movie does all of this in the one man vs. the world schema, in the light of all modern classic action movies(Segal, van Dame, etc) but it does it with real acting, real plot and suspense, plus a few phony explosions and action sequences.

I loved the acting by Snipes and the police detective Frank Capella played by Maury Chaykin- and Donald Sutherland did a good job as well.

All in all you will love this movie and watch it again and again. I promise this film is worth watching!

The Tailor of Panama (2001)

Almost Great!

[8/10 · 10 December 2006]

There are so many things that i love about this film. I thought the music the cinematography, the acting was all excellent. The story, the plot and the characters were excellent. The humor at times was funny to. The tailor of panama was such a likable person and great character despite his jaded past. He kinda tugs at your heart with the way he displays his new found virtuosity and value for classic romance.

I didn't like the anti-American-British sentiment of the movie. I thought the political undertone cheapened the film and its potential. This film was above that kind of groupie left-wing bias. The scene with the general crying tears of honer and saying we need to attack the silent rebellion (which didn't even exist)made a ridiculous mockery of the military. i would have been fine with showing some corruption or whatever but this cheapened a great movie with stupid satire.

Over all it didn't ruin the film though because the film was so strong in all the other ways. Its a 10 out of 10 with out the silly political undercurrent but with it its a strong 8.

From Russia with Love (1963)

Best Bond Movie

[10/10 · 7 December 2006]

OK I admit i said in another review that never say never again was my favorite bond film but that doesn't mean it was the best one. From Russia with love is the most realistic bond film ever made. Everything about this movie is top notch. I love the classic simple plot that is made sophisticated by an excellent acting performance and good script. This movie is so smooth in its delivery from the beginning where the main villain played by a very healthy and strong Robert Shaw to the end where Bond is romancing the beautiful Tatiana Romaneva.

The movie is so smooth that i often watch it just to relax. Its Connery at his best and Bond at its best. This is the mold that all Bond movies should be designed to fill. This is the Creme De La Creme of Ian Flemming's James Bond!

Never Say Never Again (1983)

This Is My favorite Bond Film

[10/10 · 6 December 2006]

At 21 years of age i was not born until after this movie was released. This was the first James Bond Movie that i ever saw. It had a great impact on my life and how i judge movies to this day. There are many great things about this movie which i have seen probably 50 times. One great things about it is the beautiful cinematography. The movie is mostly shot in the Bahamas and the shots are very pretty. The movie relies mostly on dialog and situational entertainment. This movie has a beautiful laid back nature to it. From the beginning when Bond is at the health spa to later when he is diving in tropic waters and then at the end when he is sitting back in a hot tub with the beautiful Domino who is played by Kim Basinger. The acting by the main villain Largo was superb even by real acting standards. This character is a real life person unlike the modern Bond villains that are totally unbelievable. He plays the role of the psychotic entrepreneur very well and his performance is definitely worth watching. This movie was mostly realistic and that is why it is so great.

This was Sean Connery's last James Bond film which gives it a special kind of appeal. I felt like Connery was in fantastic shape for his age and played his role to the hilt. The plot is a remake of the movie ThunderBall yet i think they made an even better movie this time around.

Sit back with your beverage of choice and watch this movie with your wife or girlfriend as it is not overly violent and the movie is entertaining enough to keep anyone interested.

This is my favorite Bond film and i give it 10 stars!

Three Days of the Condor (1975)

Great Film

[10/10 · 30 November 2006]

The Three Days of Condor was a very entertaining movie. Robert Redford has a way of drawing in the audience. he performs the role very well in this film. I love the lack of special effects because it makes the movie rely on plot and acting. This is a quality movie, unlike a lot of new action and spy films that substitute good acting directing and plot for big sets, budgets and special effects. The government corruption theme is very well scripted. The way the story unfolds is complex and interesting.

Overall the movie is a little less Hollywood and a little more real life. At times it reminds you of The Day Of The Jackel. A little slower and calmer but all the sweeter.

Spy Game (2001)

One of my favorite movies

[10/10 · 25 November 2006]

OK so it makes me sick as a guy to watch another brad Pitt movie, granted, but this one makes me forget that its Pitt that I'm watching. He does an excellent job of appearing normal and not star struck. Robert Redford is excellent in his ability to draw you into his character and wonder what he is thinking throughout the movie. Redford is even better at appearing smart and witty than he was in 3 Days of The Condor. Both actors have charm and a flare for making simple situations more complex witch adds depth to the movie.

The flow of the movie is smooth and has a lot of dialog witch i love. The Double-Story-Simultianity is very smart and entertaining- the story between Brad Pitt's and Redford's past, and the current story line of Redford working against the government and trying to save Pitt from execution. The plot isn't spoon fed to you, so it leaves you guessing as to what is going on and which way the movie will go but at the same time it gives you enough information that you don't ever get confused.

The cinematography is very entertaining and not boring. The acting of the government employees was excellent and very believable. The scenes of Redford talking with the officials is very smart and captivating as you try and figure out what is going on in the heads of all involved.

Over all this movie has good light action, good plot, smart and entertaining actors, smart dialog and good cinematography. If you like spy, government conspiracy, light action, action-drama movies, Brad Pitt and Robert Redford, than check out this great film.

Casino Royale (2006)

James Bond Meets Die Hard

[10/10 · 23 November 2006]

The extravagant action packed Die Hard series with it's big holly wood sets and ruff and tough actors is combined with the smooth touch of the British suave leafier.

Hes not Sean Connery. No one is.

The movie is shot in a close up view like a soap opera i thought. Which makes the characters more forward in the film. The action is crazy. The timing and stunts that were done to create the scenes was very extravagant. It reminded me at many points of the action Scenes in the Die Hard movies. A ruff and tough new Bond , Caig accompanied with massive destruction and edge of your seat intensity really brings Bond into the modern day Hollywood realm of 21st century action films... With a touch of British sophistication.

Syriana (2005)

propaganda

[4/10 · 22 November 2006]

OK Hollywood is not liberal.

Obviously I'm lieing because it is. Im a conservative but the politics i will leave out of my opinion of the movie. This movie was anti bush, anti middle east , anti big oil propaganda but that is not why it was bad.

Fist off i will give credit where credit is due. i saw this film opening night because i happen to like these kinds of films and am a political science major in collage. The cinematography was excellent and the acting was as far as i could tell very good.

The plot was impossible for me to decode however. I have been tested and have an IQ of 138 but no matter how hard i tried there was no way i could piece together the story line of the movie and what characters where doing what.

The story and scene sequence was totally incoherent and poorly organized.

Unless this is one of those movies that is meant to be watch many times to get the full depth pf the story, which it very well may be, i have no idea exactly what was going on.

Which makes sense because if you want to make a political argument and not receive any criticism then make your argument impossible to critique! If you cant dazzle them with brilliance, then baffle them with Bull S.

Into the Sun (2005)

Segals Finally Hits A Lucky Number

[10/10 · 22 November 2006]

If you put out 3 action movies every year as it seems Steven Segal has been doing for the last five, then your bound to make a good one even if its by mistake. In Into The Sun the Sword Master Segal takes on a mafia of drug dealing young runts who aim to take back hong Kong from the aging gangsters. Playing one gang against another Segal gets the edge on these highly successful young gangsters before cutting them to fish bate with his trusty ancient samurai master sword.

I enjoyed the acting of both Segal and the Asian gangsters. The leader of the young group really puts on a great performance convincingly portraying a psychotic young man, obsessed with gaining power at any cost. Other Older gangsters are well acted as well. A realistic performance of what mondern day mafia gangs are like i think.

This film has a great end scene if you like action movies with a lot of violence. The other entertaining part was the cinematography of the hong Kong area which was well filmed.

If you like Segal, Action and Asian set films then you'll like Into The Sun.