My review of this movie is going to be straight to the point and from the heart, just like Rocky Balboa. I had huge expectations coming in. The Rocky series is one of my favorites, but Rocky V was such a disappointing way to end it. When I first heard about Rocky VI I, like any sane movie goer, had my doubts. But from the time I saw the first trailer on (the one that was just the close up of his eyes), I knew in my gut this would be great. Sly took the only thing left that could make Rocky the underdog once again, father time, and used it to his advantage. And most of all for me, the reason why this movie hits so close to home is because I too once lost the love of my life. I know the crushing grief that follows you around every single day as a result and Rocky Balboa captures it with tragic accuracy. This is a movie for anyone who's ever loved and not given a damn what the world thinks about them because of it. This is a movie for anyone who believes in the human spirit and living life on your own terms. This is a movie that was for me, and if there's a pulse in your body, should be for you too. Thanks Sly, you did all us Philadelphians proud one last time.
Reviews
12 Reviews
Nacho Libre
(2006)
One of the funniest movies I've seen in some time
24 June 2006
If I could use one word to sum up Nacho Libre, it would be silly. And I mean that in the best way possible. All of my favorite comedies are completely silly, and Nacho Libre is no exception. There is plenty of stuff that makes no sense, as you can pretty much tell from the first "training" scene. But the chemistry is there with the cast and the script is so off-the-wall that you have to be completely lacking a sense of humor to not crack up while watching Nacho Libre. My only slight complaint about the film is that sometimes Jack Black is a little too Jack Black and not enough Ignacio. He lays his normal schtick on a bit thick now and then and puts the character and the lucha libre storyline on the backburner. But as a fan of lucha libre I really loved the way it's portrayed in this film. There are some nice action sequences and the last fight scene is really unique and well done. Plus the Human Tornado cameo will have PWG fans marking out.
Sometimes when I read the comments people leave for silly comedies like Nacho Libre it makes me wonder why they saw the movie in the first place. What did you expect? Do you even like comedies? It seems like some people are offended when movies try to make them laugh. Why not relax and just try to have a good time? I have a hard time imagining how anyone could hate Nacho Libre. It's visually pleasing with some beautiful cinematography and fun action scenes. It has a great soundtrack that fits the unique tone of the movie perfectly. It has great performances from the entire cast, from the bit character old man who always cheers on Nacho, to Jack Black himself who despite my small criticism still gives a great performance. It has a cute little feel-good story. And it's just plain and simple a hilarious and fun film.
Sometimes when I read the comments people leave for silly comedies like Nacho Libre it makes me wonder why they saw the movie in the first place. What did you expect? Do you even like comedies? It seems like some people are offended when movies try to make them laugh. Why not relax and just try to have a good time? I have a hard time imagining how anyone could hate Nacho Libre. It's visually pleasing with some beautiful cinematography and fun action scenes. It has a great soundtrack that fits the unique tone of the movie perfectly. It has great performances from the entire cast, from the bit character old man who always cheers on Nacho, to Jack Black himself who despite my small criticism still gives a great performance. It has a cute little feel-good story. And it's just plain and simple a hilarious and fun film.
The Triplets of Belleville
(2003)
Delightful
26 February 2004
That is the best word I can use to describe this movie. What we have here is a visual and aural feast, with a charming plot and somewhat misguided direction.
The thing I can't understand for the life of me is how people are painting it as some sort of social commentary. The Americans are very fat... and so are the French (the ones in this movie). The French eat cheese and drink wine. The Americans eat hamburgers and there are some sleazy apartment complexes in New York. Oh what commentary! Such observations have never been made before! My feathers are rifled and my underwear is bunched!
Pardon my sarcasm, but this movie just has a very exaggerated style throughout, and in my opinion anyone who is focusing on its "criticism" of certain cultures is missing an extremely entertaining film. The Triplets features what has to be the best soundtrack I've heard in a film in quite some time, and the theme will be stuck in my head until I can get my hands on the CD (at least I hope there's a CD of the soundtrack!). The parts with the Triplets themselves are so charming, and pleasing to the ear, that I only wish they were in the movie more often.
Which ties in with my only criticism of the movie, the pacing and direction are off, as many people have commented. At times the Triplets leaves you wondering how long you'll have to wait before another brilliant scene comes along, and at other times it throws so much brilliance at you at once that you can't keep up no matter how hard you try. The story is nowhere near fleshed out enough in some areas, and far too fleshed out in others. And we need more musical numbers from the Triplets!
While the animation is jaw-dropping, and the mixing of different media such as cell shading is cutting edge, I honestly didn't care for the style of the art very much. The cyclists, in my opinion, just looked creepy. The constantly fat and/or dentally impaired characters got too over the top fairly quickly. Despite the fact I wasn't a fan of the style, I still found the film very enjoyable simply because of the quality of the animation. Also, I did enjoy watching some characters, such as the mafia goons and the grandmother.
In the end the Triplets of Belleville leaves you feeling like you just ate the most extravagant, over-indulgent, delicious cake you've ever come across. It was very lacking in the basic food groups needed to make a meal fulfilling, and you know you got very little of substance from the feast. Still, you'll be damned if you didn't stuff your face.
The thing I can't understand for the life of me is how people are painting it as some sort of social commentary. The Americans are very fat... and so are the French (the ones in this movie). The French eat cheese and drink wine. The Americans eat hamburgers and there are some sleazy apartment complexes in New York. Oh what commentary! Such observations have never been made before! My feathers are rifled and my underwear is bunched!
Pardon my sarcasm, but this movie just has a very exaggerated style throughout, and in my opinion anyone who is focusing on its "criticism" of certain cultures is missing an extremely entertaining film. The Triplets features what has to be the best soundtrack I've heard in a film in quite some time, and the theme will be stuck in my head until I can get my hands on the CD (at least I hope there's a CD of the soundtrack!). The parts with the Triplets themselves are so charming, and pleasing to the ear, that I only wish they were in the movie more often.
Which ties in with my only criticism of the movie, the pacing and direction are off, as many people have commented. At times the Triplets leaves you wondering how long you'll have to wait before another brilliant scene comes along, and at other times it throws so much brilliance at you at once that you can't keep up no matter how hard you try. The story is nowhere near fleshed out enough in some areas, and far too fleshed out in others. And we need more musical numbers from the Triplets!
While the animation is jaw-dropping, and the mixing of different media such as cell shading is cutting edge, I honestly didn't care for the style of the art very much. The cyclists, in my opinion, just looked creepy. The constantly fat and/or dentally impaired characters got too over the top fairly quickly. Despite the fact I wasn't a fan of the style, I still found the film very enjoyable simply because of the quality of the animation. Also, I did enjoy watching some characters, such as the mafia goons and the grandmother.
In the end the Triplets of Belleville leaves you feeling like you just ate the most extravagant, over-indulgent, delicious cake you've ever come across. It was very lacking in the basic food groups needed to make a meal fulfilling, and you know you got very little of substance from the feast. Still, you'll be damned if you didn't stuff your face.
Identity
(2003)
A smart thriller that challenges the viewer
6 September 2003
Warning: Spoilers
As tempting as it is to give spoilers, I assure that there will be none in this mini-review. This is mostly because I want to do my best to persuade people who haven't seen this movie to ignore the simple minded criticisms I've read all too often. This movie begins in a predictable, yet very well done thriller/murder mystery type vein. Everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. The acting and script and direction all lay out an extremely solid groundwork. The only problem with this is that this genre has been done many times over and would be difficult to make any impact in.
And so the movie decides to take a very original and interesting approach as it progresses. As things unfold, it will at times leave the viewer questioning what they understand and how much of what they understand they're even sure of in the first place. Eventually when the viewer finally gets a grasp on things, the realization sets in of just how ambitious and well done this movie is. Believe me, I haven't even given you a HINT of the roller coaster this movie takes you on.
Because it hits you with so much though, I suggest the close minded and slow witted do not watch Identity. Most of the criticisms of this film result from such viewers, who are left clawing to hold on to the predictable (and entertaining) foundation the beginning of the movie lays, leaving them with a stinging bitter taste in their mouths as they are sent hurtling into the depths of the abyss that is Identity.
The script and directing are phenomenal. They are what make the movie. The acting is all well done, but nothing really stands out because of the nature of the film. With an adequate cast, which Identity surely has, the script and direction take over and tell a story that easily can win over the viewer on their own merits. This brings out Identity's only real flaw though: because of the script's nature, there is only so much this movie can do. I can't say any more than that without planting the seeds of spoilers. Basically, the writer of this movie had to make a sacrifice. It was obviously a great story. But because of how it has to progress in order to be great, it prevents itself from ever taking that next step into the realm of classics.
Perhaps with an extra half hour or forty five minutes Identity could have worked enough character development and pathos in to make it last with the viewer forever. But more likely than not, I suspect, it would have only served to drag out the movie. By making it to-the-point and hard hitting, the makers of Identity bite the bullet and settle for birthing one of the best movies of 2003, instead of one of the best movies of all time.
And this, I think, is a respectable decision. A decision that more than warrants that you watch this outstanding movie.
And so the movie decides to take a very original and interesting approach as it progresses. As things unfold, it will at times leave the viewer questioning what they understand and how much of what they understand they're even sure of in the first place. Eventually when the viewer finally gets a grasp on things, the realization sets in of just how ambitious and well done this movie is. Believe me, I haven't even given you a HINT of the roller coaster this movie takes you on.
Because it hits you with so much though, I suggest the close minded and slow witted do not watch Identity. Most of the criticisms of this film result from such viewers, who are left clawing to hold on to the predictable (and entertaining) foundation the beginning of the movie lays, leaving them with a stinging bitter taste in their mouths as they are sent hurtling into the depths of the abyss that is Identity.
The script and directing are phenomenal. They are what make the movie. The acting is all well done, but nothing really stands out because of the nature of the film. With an adequate cast, which Identity surely has, the script and direction take over and tell a story that easily can win over the viewer on their own merits. This brings out Identity's only real flaw though: because of the script's nature, there is only so much this movie can do. I can't say any more than that without planting the seeds of spoilers. Basically, the writer of this movie had to make a sacrifice. It was obviously a great story. But because of how it has to progress in order to be great, it prevents itself from ever taking that next step into the realm of classics.
Perhaps with an extra half hour or forty five minutes Identity could have worked enough character development and pathos in to make it last with the viewer forever. But more likely than not, I suspect, it would have only served to drag out the movie. By making it to-the-point and hard hitting, the makers of Identity bite the bullet and settle for birthing one of the best movies of 2003, instead of one of the best movies of all time.
And this, I think, is a respectable decision. A decision that more than warrants that you watch this outstanding movie.
The most epic trilogy of my lifetime
18 December 2002
I'm not going to leave a big in depth review of LotR: the Two Towers for 2 reasons: 1) I should be studying for a final and 2) I'm sure countless other people will point out all the reasons this movie was absolutely amazing. But I will leave some quick feedback saying this... I was not a fan of the first movie of this trilogy. I gave it a 6/10 on IMDb because I felt it just served as a poor, jumbled introduction with tons of nice imagery but no substantial plot or character development underneath. Nothing in the movie made an impact on me, and by the end I just wanted to get over with it already.
Where the Fellowship fell sort, the Two Towers makes up and then some. Although some characters remain rather one dimensional (Legolas), we see depth in the acting and script with characters such as Aragorn, Sam, and particularly Frodo and Golum (although the "acting" in Golum's place isn't of the typical kind, obviously), that rivals any film I've ever seen before. Gone is the "who cares" feel I got from major events in the first movie, now by the end of the film when three different sub-plots are going on at the same time, I was almost equally on the edge of my seat for all three, and certainly was not uninterested in any. The plot may be clichéd and done before, but if so it's only because this is the outline that everyone else copied, this is one of THE original epic fantasy story lines ever written, and it's sincerity and urgency still comes through, despite so many copycats.
I really need to get back to studying, but I will leave you with this. LotR: the Two Towers combines a deep, epic storyline, stellar acting, stunning visuals, and absolute edge of your seat action into a package the likes of which I doubt I'll ever see again in my lifetime. I hope the conclusion of the trilogy proves me wrong, but until then... do yourself a favor and see this movie over the winter break.
10/10
Where the Fellowship fell sort, the Two Towers makes up and then some. Although some characters remain rather one dimensional (Legolas), we see depth in the acting and script with characters such as Aragorn, Sam, and particularly Frodo and Golum (although the "acting" in Golum's place isn't of the typical kind, obviously), that rivals any film I've ever seen before. Gone is the "who cares" feel I got from major events in the first movie, now by the end of the film when three different sub-plots are going on at the same time, I was almost equally on the edge of my seat for all three, and certainly was not uninterested in any. The plot may be clichéd and done before, but if so it's only because this is the outline that everyone else copied, this is one of THE original epic fantasy story lines ever written, and it's sincerity and urgency still comes through, despite so many copycats.
I really need to get back to studying, but I will leave you with this. LotR: the Two Towers combines a deep, epic storyline, stellar acting, stunning visuals, and absolute edge of your seat action into a package the likes of which I doubt I'll ever see again in my lifetime. I hope the conclusion of the trilogy proves me wrong, but until then... do yourself a favor and see this movie over the winter break.
10/10
8 Mile
(2002)
THIS WAS NOT AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
10 November 2002
it's just a fictional movie. take it for what it is. it's a story, it's a story with extremely real, human characters, who go through very real everyday problems. the acting is good. the rapping is obviously awesome. please, for the love of everyone who enjoys movies, just take this film for what it is. don't go in expecting citizen kane, and don't go in hating eminem and wanting to hate this movie.
if you want to see a movie that acurately portrays eminem's life, then don't see this movie because it's NOT A PORTRAYAL OF HIS LIFE.
this movie doesn't prove eminem's a nice guy or that he doesn't do drugs or that he was poor growing up OR ANYTHING. it's just a movie. it's just a story.
please please please remember that when you go to watch it.
taking it for what it is, 8 mile is a good movie. it's nothing mind blowing, but it's certainly not bad either. it's a quality film. i couldn't help but relate to the story because it has a gritty, true to life feel, and an important message that everyone should learn: always depend on yourself, you're only going to get anything in life if you do it yourself.
i would go as far as saying that if you like eminem, you really have to see this movie. if you're not big on eminem, the movie will still entertain because it can certainly hold it's own without his celebrity status tacked on it. predictable? yes. done before, and better? yes. fun? undeniably.
if you want to see a movie that acurately portrays eminem's life, then don't see this movie because it's NOT A PORTRAYAL OF HIS LIFE.
this movie doesn't prove eminem's a nice guy or that he doesn't do drugs or that he was poor growing up OR ANYTHING. it's just a movie. it's just a story.
please please please remember that when you go to watch it.
taking it for what it is, 8 mile is a good movie. it's nothing mind blowing, but it's certainly not bad either. it's a quality film. i couldn't help but relate to the story because it has a gritty, true to life feel, and an important message that everyone should learn: always depend on yourself, you're only going to get anything in life if you do it yourself.
i would go as far as saying that if you like eminem, you really have to see this movie. if you're not big on eminem, the movie will still entertain because it can certainly hold it's own without his celebrity status tacked on it. predictable? yes. done before, and better? yes. fun? undeniably.
A Clockwork Orange
(1971)
Talk about over rated
27 August 2002
Warning: Spoilers
I am utterly shocked at how bad this movie was. I'm tired and don't feel like going very in depth, but here's why this movie is horrible. And there will be spoilers.
We have a main character we hate because he enjoys raping and killing innocent people.
We are then supposed to sympathize with him, which we don't, because we hate him. This goes on for a VERY long time. Horrible things happen to him, but we don't really care, because he's a bad person.
The movie is extremely long and drawn out. It climaxes so many times that it's very anti-climatic by the ending.
We are supposed to get a sense of irony out of Alex going from a sociopath to someone who is constantly being beaten and tortured while he can't use the very thing that got him in the situation, violence, to help himself. We do not get this sense of irony because the movie is CONTRIVED, some examples being: how Alex just happens to run into everyone he ever did wrong one day after getting out of jail (the bum, his droogs, the cripple), or how after Alex luckily is not recognized by the cripple, he goes on to sing the SONG HE SANG WHILE BEATING HIM AND RAPING HIS WIFE while in the cripple's house, as if he were the most idiotic person in the world, which he is obviously not.
The fight scenes are silly and anything but "ultra violent".
The atmosphere of the movie is redeeming and there is some cult/shock value. I give it a 4/10.
We have a main character we hate because he enjoys raping and killing innocent people.
We are then supposed to sympathize with him, which we don't, because we hate him. This goes on for a VERY long time. Horrible things happen to him, but we don't really care, because he's a bad person.
The movie is extremely long and drawn out. It climaxes so many times that it's very anti-climatic by the ending.
We are supposed to get a sense of irony out of Alex going from a sociopath to someone who is constantly being beaten and tortured while he can't use the very thing that got him in the situation, violence, to help himself. We do not get this sense of irony because the movie is CONTRIVED, some examples being: how Alex just happens to run into everyone he ever did wrong one day after getting out of jail (the bum, his droogs, the cripple), or how after Alex luckily is not recognized by the cripple, he goes on to sing the SONG HE SANG WHILE BEATING HIM AND RAPING HIS WIFE while in the cripple's house, as if he were the most idiotic person in the world, which he is obviously not.
The fight scenes are silly and anything but "ultra violent".
The atmosphere of the movie is redeeming and there is some cult/shock value. I give it a 4/10.
Signs
(2002)
SCARY, predictable, but TOO SCARY TO MATTER!!
3 August 2002
I'm utterly shocked at how many bad reviews this masterpiece of horror received on this web page. I have honestly never been so scared by a movie in my life as I was by Signs. Maybe this is because I've always been very afraid of and interested in aliens, but I think a good deal of it was simply because this is a VERY scary movie. I didn't really have any expectations going into the theater, and knew next to nothing about the film, and came out afraid to go to sleep that night.
Yes, the direction of the movie is fairly predictable and the ending is flat out on the cheesy side. This still doesn't change the fact that I think it was all done very well, and it still scared me to death! How the director scared you with what you didn't see, psychologically and with shadows and the soundtrack, was just masterful. What a mood setting soundtrack.
The acting ranged from amazing (the younger Caulkin brother) to very good (Gibson). Every one of the four main characters is well developed and acted in a very convincing way.
My first instinct was to give this movie a 8. If I liked the movie so much, you might wonder why I wouldn't give it a 9 or 10? Well I saw it was some friends, and a few really didn't like it. Afterwards they bashed the ending especially, which I admit is the weak point of the movie. My conversation with them about the movie honestly convinced me that the movie was worse than I think it really was was. Then as I clicked on the number 8, I thought about how I felt before I talked to them, right as the movie ended. I thought about how the movie made me scream out loud, jump, and honestly want to leave the theater half way through because my heart felt it would burst in my chest. I thought about how the acting, direction, soundtrack, etc were all amazing. Then I thought about how when I saw the ending, I just thought "that could have been better", not "that really hurt the movie". The fact remains that this is the scariest movie I've ever seen, and it's a great movie aside from the horror as well. So in the end, I give Signs a 9/10.
Yes, the direction of the movie is fairly predictable and the ending is flat out on the cheesy side. This still doesn't change the fact that I think it was all done very well, and it still scared me to death! How the director scared you with what you didn't see, psychologically and with shadows and the soundtrack, was just masterful. What a mood setting soundtrack.
The acting ranged from amazing (the younger Caulkin brother) to very good (Gibson). Every one of the four main characters is well developed and acted in a very convincing way.
My first instinct was to give this movie a 8. If I liked the movie so much, you might wonder why I wouldn't give it a 9 or 10? Well I saw it was some friends, and a few really didn't like it. Afterwards they bashed the ending especially, which I admit is the weak point of the movie. My conversation with them about the movie honestly convinced me that the movie was worse than I think it really was was. Then as I clicked on the number 8, I thought about how I felt before I talked to them, right as the movie ended. I thought about how the movie made me scream out loud, jump, and honestly want to leave the theater half way through because my heart felt it would burst in my chest. I thought about how the acting, direction, soundtrack, etc were all amazing. Then I thought about how when I saw the ending, I just thought "that could have been better", not "that really hurt the movie". The fact remains that this is the scariest movie I've ever seen, and it's a great movie aside from the horror as well. So in the end, I give Signs a 9/10.
Insomnia
(2002)
Slow but good.
28 May 2002
Insomnia is a movie that puts very heavy importance on pacing. It builds and builds, very slowly, but methodically and intelligently. It's a deep movie that needs an avid watcher. If you are short on attention or feel like watching something that will come out and grab you, I don't reccomend Insomnia. I think you really have to want to watch this film for it to suck you in.
Sometimes this movie just got a little too thick and slow for it's own good. I realized towards the end, when the one cop tells a vulgar joke, that that scene is probably the only light hearted moment of the entire movie. And even then it's weighed down by Swank's character, who has a lot on her mind at the time. Certainly this is a very serious, heavy movie, and it should be, but a little break to clear the viewer's mind now and then would have done wonders.
Great acting all around, good directing and good script make this movie a 8 out of 10. It also gets kudos for being up there with Fight Club as the best portrayals of having insomnia in a film. (Insomnia shows the condition pretty dead on, and is less obvious about it than Fight Club)
Sometimes this movie just got a little too thick and slow for it's own good. I realized towards the end, when the one cop tells a vulgar joke, that that scene is probably the only light hearted moment of the entire movie. And even then it's weighed down by Swank's character, who has a lot on her mind at the time. Certainly this is a very serious, heavy movie, and it should be, but a little break to clear the viewer's mind now and then would have done wonders.
Great acting all around, good directing and good script make this movie a 8 out of 10. It also gets kudos for being up there with Fight Club as the best portrayals of having insomnia in a film. (Insomnia shows the condition pretty dead on, and is less obvious about it than Fight Club)
Quick Change
(1990)
Watch this movie.
28 May 2002
Many of the comments here are too enthusiastic, and some are far too critical. But a small group hit the nail on the head: this a very good film that is definitely worth watching. The highlight of the movie is the beginning, there is no doubt about that, but the rest is still good. While the relationships between the characters may seem "awkward" to some, they come off as very human, and not contrived. Human beings are awkward. The ending on the other hand, is a little contrived, and goes a little far in terms of just how much the viewer will believe. But it's not a bad ending and as another comment said, it is very exciting.
Very good script and very good acting. Funny, clever, exciting. I gave Quick Change an 8 out of 10, and I was even tempted to boost it to a 9.
Very good script and very good acting. Funny, clever, exciting. I gave Quick Change an 8 out of 10, and I was even tempted to boost it to a 9.
SLC Punk!
(1998)
a great social commentary
23 December 2001
This a great movie that anyone who thought differently while growing up should be able to appreciate. the movie makes intelligent points on rebellion (espescially the punk rock rebellion of the 80s) and it really makes you think. it's witty and well spoken but always on a level that is very easy for anyone to understand. the acting is simply great, the characters totally come to life, and the story, while a little cliche, is a good one. i personally don't know a single person who didn't love this move, and most of my friends have seen it. highly reccomended. 9/10
Orphans
(1987)
WARNING: this movie contains actual acting!
23 December 2001
i feel bad giving this movie such a good review. in the day and age we live in, anyone who reads this recommendation and sees Orphans will probably be shocked and disgusted. you will find NO special effects in Orphans. no glitz, no huge budget, and no big name actors. can you imagine?? no, what you find in this movie is a cast of three actors who absolutely bring three characters to life. the chemistry is amazing and the screenplay is among the best i've ever seen. Orphans is all based around three characters and one house. how do they possibly carry a four star movie without any explosions, without any computer generated effects, without any ben afleck?! see the dying art of acting and script writing in it's finest form before all we're left with is style and no substance. 10/10
EDIT: I was a teenager when I wrote this user comment. I had just seen Orphans for the first time and obviously left a very reactionary review. While my comments aren't the most well informed or mature, they do reflect my feelings at the time so I will not change them. I just wanted to add that while I am now in my mid 20s and find my above comments very silly, I still love this movie and consider it one of my all time favorites.
EDIT: I was a teenager when I wrote this user comment. I had just seen Orphans for the first time and obviously left a very reactionary review. While my comments aren't the most well informed or mature, they do reflect my feelings at the time so I will not change them. I just wanted to add that while I am now in my mid 20s and find my above comments very silly, I still love this movie and consider it one of my all time favorites.
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