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An error has ocurred. Please try againNOTE: (1) All titles are arranged in alphabetical order, then, if in a series or film collection, are arranged chronologically. (2) Some titles aren't listed because A) I have not finished viewing them, or B) I forgot.
NOTE: Don't criticize me for making another Spielberg Curriculum list if you have seen others on IMDb. This version of the list is more or less for me. A quick access way to see which films I still have to watch. I hope you can treat it as the same.
Reviews
After the Thrones (2016)
Save Time and Watch "Thronecast" Instead
I think it's safe to assume many people thought this show was going to be like "Talking Dead," and sure it's not AMC so it wouldn't be identical but the aftershow standard has been set with "Talking Dead/Bad/Saul" and hell even in "Bachelor Live/After Paradise" from what I've seen when my girlfriend watches them; "After the Thrones" is nothing like them. In fact, if I were to compare it to anything it would be a YouTube video podcast. This means no interviews, no guest stars, no special features, no extended previews-- just two people talking about the episode.
Now, two people talking about the episode could be fine (especially if you are used to their personalities like the Rooster Teeth guys or the lesser known Geekdom101 or Chris Stuckmann), but when you have no idea who they are and they don't act like human beings, it becomes difficult. Watching these two hosts is like watching HBO executives talk about "Game of Thrones," or basically if NPR hosts decided to try stand up comedy. I honestly don't know how to explain it, but they don't feel genuine. It feels oddly scripted because of their robotic feel. If you went to college and had a very upbeat, smiling RA who over accentuate their personality, that is exactly how these hosts are. Chris Hardwick on "Talking Dead" is a great example of how you can act like a human/fanboy and a host. Same with Sue Perkins on "Thronecast," which I'll get into at the end.
THE CONS: Uncomfortable Hosts (see above); long clips from the prior GoT episode (we literally just saw the episode, why do I need to see a clip reminding me what I know-- could also say that about the show but they do call it a "re-cap show"); they call a segment "Preview" when all it encompasses is questions the think about for the next episode (not a bad concept, but it's not a preview, so don't call it that); a weird reluctance to mention the novels (they almost seem to forget that it exists outside the show, the great thing about Hardwick on TD is that he will drop a comic/show comparison and acknowledge them; I guess their "Ask The Expert" segment is with someone who memorized all the books and teleplays, but they never really explained how she's an expert so idk); no studio audience (this may be nit-picky but it adds to the human feel of an aftershow); it airs the next day (already talked about the show with friends and family, why do I need to watch people talk about it? I hate to be repetitive but "The Walking Dead"/"Bachelor" aftershows air immediately after the show so it's fresh).
THE PROS: Their segment "Who The F!&K Is That?" is conceptually a great idea because it's easy to forget small or minor characters; and I guess the map that shows where all the characters are (however, "Thronecast" does the same exact thing").
HBO really missed their mark on this one. It's obvious they wanted to capitalize on an aftershow but it's even more obvious that they really didn't think it through. If they wanted to make a show like "Talking Dead" they should have just followed a similar formula. The five minute "Inside the Episode" show they broadcast after the show is more so worth your time.
This show is almost universally disliked and at this point, HBO has three options: 1) Listen to the fans and their criticisms on how to make the show better, 2) cancel the show, or 3) air "Thronecast" in it's place. The latter is a fan produced after show aired exclusively in the UK with a likable humorous host, celebrity guests (random, cast/former cast members, crew members), studio audience, cool and lively set, fan interaction via Twitter, informative and interesting clips about the lore and history as well as humorous countdown clips and such.... So basically everything "After the Thrones" should have been!
I gave this show four episodes to improve or grow on me and it's done neither. Probably dropping it and I suggest you don't make the same mistake I made.
Darkness Falls (2003)
Lightness Rises
I have always loved this film; however, I am not confident that others would agree. My connection with the movie runs back to when it first came out in theaters. I may be a fairly young man nowadays, but back then, I was really young-- just in elementary school. I had seen the trailer, and thought it looked scary as well as interesting. Sooner or later, it premiered on television, FX, I believe. I watched it late at night and it scared the bejesus out of me. Sufficed to say I never peeked under my covers the next few weeks.
Watching it again, years later, I don't see it as being that scary. And, I don't see why I had to be afraid because, in the movie, She only comes at the night you lose your last baby tooth (unless you saw her and survived, then she'd be after you anytime). By the time I had viewed this film, I had no more baby teeth. Also, I always imagined the Tooth Fairy in this film as looking really eerie in the first scene, but actually, her face is covered by a mask that partially resembles "The Phantom Of The Opera."
What I am saying is: if you want to be deathly scared of this, watch it when you are young because that's where you'll get the most out of it.
This film acts as a starter. It will be creepy enough to enjoy and scary enough to get startled. So if you want to ease into the realm of horror, start off by watching this first. In a sense, this is kind of similar to director Jonathan Liebsman. Doing a horror like this prepared him for "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" allowing him to have killing payoffs as well as suspense. "The Killing Room" reinforced his basics, and ultimately prepared him for "Battle: Los Angeles"
Splice (2009)
The (Modern) Modern Prometheus
On the set of the 2005 "King Kong" remake, Adrian Brody had said that he wanted to do more action films rather then dramas such as "The Pianist," and with roles in "Predators" and "Splice," who could say he hasn't succeeded.
Essentially, this film explored the wonders of an even more modern Prometheus than Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." Thankfully it was as so, because when you first watch the trailer (and take note that it is rated R for sexuality/nudity) it appears to fall into the same category as "Species." The latter end of the film feels a bit "Species"-esque, but it doesn't hinder over the film. Once you accept the creature that look like an organ shot up with adrenaline in the first scene, you will accept everything that follows thereafter and you won't be disappointed.
"Splice" proposes a clever alternative to human cloning. This artistic innovation is presented through another artistic process: film. The movie overall is beautiful, elegant, and conscious of piercing tension. Director Vincenzo Natali demonstrated nothing but pure art in the evolution of the experimental specimen named Dren ("nerd" backward; in relation to the scientists themselves) headlined by Delphine Chaneac— whose only other American film happened to be the remake of "The Pink Panther."
Brilliant French characteristics and filmmaking, and even the fact that visionary director Guillermo Del Toro's name is tagged on as an executive producer, all enhance this project. It's a shame that besides this, all American audiences get to see of Vincenzo Natali's is a segment out of the great "Paris, Je T'Aime" and the lacking "Cube." The same goes for co-screenwriter Douglas Taylor, except that his talents were somewhat wasted on "They Wait" and "In The Name Of The King: A Dungeon Siege Tale." Each person involved in this project has been on a exponential path to prominence; however, I haven't made up my mind on which Sarah Polley I like better: in "Splice" or in Zach Snyder's 2004 "Dawn Of The Dead" remake.
Hackers (1995)
The Hacker Ethic
If you stumbled upon this title solely because you saw Angelina Jolie was in it, you will get to witness the cute Jolie before the full-blown sexy Jolie you experienced in "Gia" and everything thereafter (and you geeks will like the storyline too!). The film itself plays out very much like a cyber-thriller that collided with a high school teen comedy— with less sex and nudity; however, there is a split-second of what could be considered nudity in Dade's dream with Angelina Jolie, but who could blame him.
Characters in this film are unbelievable. It's not that they are bad, just strange. For instance, it is hard to believe that a gorgeous girl such as Kate (Joli) could be a computer nerd, second of all, that Matthew Lillard's character, Cereal Killer, could be that eccentric. I'm not quite sure why, but Cereal acts like a Jack Sparrow on LSD. And, ultimately, the story is a bit hard to believe as well yet fear not, my fellow movie gurus, the film is awesome.
The opening scene sets up the mood automatically. You know this is going to be a serious film (Lorraine Bracco of "The Sopranos" is in it) and at the same time, you know you're going to laugh at it (Penn Jillete of Vegas' Penn and Teller duo is also in it); except, I don't know what to say or how you should feel about singer Marc Anthony, who randomly plays a government agent in this movie. The truth is, you pretty much know what you're going to get with director Iain Softly ("K-PAX," "The Skeleton Key," and "Inkheart") and writer Rafael Moreu of "The Rage: Carrie 2."
My only beef with the film is that several characters randomly disappear towards the middle of the movie and never comeback. Other than that, I loved it, and so will you. It makes me wonder, what do you think Dade and his crew would do is WikiLeaks and Facebook existed back in 1995? The movie might have been called "The Social Network." (LOL)
Watch this movie; you will not be disappointed. It is a great flick and certainly deserving of your time.
The Monday Before Thanksgiving (2008)
New Meaning To "I Hate Mondays"
Hopefully my title isn't misleading; this short film, produced and inspired by Glamour Magazine and Suave, is brilliant. Unlike other short films from the same source, this film can be seen and loved by everyone.
Dictated by an all-star cast, including Laura Dern, Courtney Cox, and Rosemary Harris, and directed by none other than Courtney Cox herself, "The Monday Before Thanksgiving" tells the tale of a woman whose mother recently passed away. She has been told repeatedly that she needs love in her life to help comfort her; however, what she actually needs is reassurance that everything will be alright. An uplifting film, with a great ending. I don't want to spoil too much, so I'll end simply by saying that this is a must see.
Battle: Los Angeles (2011)
Saving Pvt. Ryan in L.A.
Since "Independence Day" there has not been another great alien invasion flick
until now. It was truly spectacular. The film was a bit formulaic, yet it wasn't that predictable (aside from a death here and exploding aircraft there). I will admit, the story was very basic, however, non-stop action prevented the unrecoverable damage a basic storyline could do to a modern audience. In other words, this is a very theatrical movie, and you must see it in the cinema or on your HD TV when it comes out. You need to watch it with other people so they can enjoy it as well. A group setting enhances this film experience.
Of course, with any film, there are unintentional comedic moments. For instance, there is a part where they keep digging through alien armor to see how to kill them. They plow through dozens of layers in a screen time of what felt like five or more minutes. Another example was when a father said something along the lines of, "You can use my son for anything," regarding his youthful child. A second passed while watching this in the cinema and I started to laugh. Soon after, the whole theater erupted in laughter. Obviously, this was not the intention of underrated horror director Jonathan Liebesman ("Darkness Falls," "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning," and the B-Movie "The Killing Room") or writer Christopher Bertoli (whose only writing credits include "The General's Daughter" with John Travolta and the TV movie "Madso's War").
Ignoring such things as that, you must look past those hiccups and look at the brilliant writer/director team. Liebesman's horror film background compared with Bertoli's war film background makes for an awesome sci-fi epic. The only way I can describe it is if the bastard child of "Saving Private Ryan" and "Black Hawk Down" met the bastard child of "District 9" and "War of the Worlds" (2005), thereby having their own bastard child. By far brilliant and deserving of at least a Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing Academy Award nomination.
The acting, on the other hand, wasn't as deserving as the men and women behind the camera. Aaron Eckhart must have been tired of doing creepy roles (i.e. "The Dark Knight" and "Towelhead") and wanted to be the seemingly fallen hero with the motivational speech; Bridget Moynahan was lost after wandering from the "Blood Bloods" set; Michelle Rodriquez fell back into her tough-girl niche; Ne-Yo no longer wants to "Stomp the Yard" (and it's all "Because of You"); and Michael Peña needed a breather from acting his butt off. So besides from falling victim to cheap sarcasm, the cast was actually not that bad. It is a sci-fi epic, not "The Thin Red Line." The characters just need to be believable as a real human being in a situation such as an attack by an unknown alien species bent on the colonization of Earth. And since this idea has only been explored in the movies, I doubt anyone could spit on their acting abilities when compared to "what someone would do in 'real' life." Sit back, and enjoy the show. With the amount of alien films that have been coming out this year ("I Am Number Four," "Paul," "Cowboys & Aliens," just to name a few) this may very well be the best of the year.
NOTE: After viewing the film you will certainly wonder if a sequel is in the works (Perhaps, "Battle: Harford" or "Battle: Paris"?), and all I can say is that I hope not. It might ruin the first film and create a franchise devoted to steal the money away from the unwitting (remember "Transformers"). However, being a Connecticut citizen, I am bias to a sequel in Hartford— as long as the same team behind the camera brings it to life.
My Generation (2010)
Our Generation Hated This Show
The people behind this show must have tried extremely hard for the general public to hate it, and, consequently, to earn it's rightful spot on the canceled television show list of 2010. It was truly depressing— not the fact that it was canceled, but the show itself.
I get the whole concept, and it was a great idea
it was just executed very poorly. One of the major problems I had with the show was with the character Kenneth Finely, played by Keir O'Donnell. Kenneth was the geek of the graduating class. He had a girlfriend, too. However, after graduation, she broke up with him and started dating a jock named Rolly Marks (played by Mehcad Brooks who had a better role in "True Blood") that enlisted in the army and is now in Afghanistan or some Middle East country. Kenneth's ex-girlfriend has nowhere to live, so she moves in with him. While she's there, he must listen to her play lovey-dovey with her jock boyfriend and catch an awkward glimpse of her flashing Rolly via webcam. To make him feel more optimistic about his life, he goes down to the Sperm Bank to donate
where he finds he cannot have children. A geek is undeserving of this! You lost a million viewers just because of this arc in the story. Nobody except the popular kids in high school would find this entertaining (and by the way, ordinary kids beat out popular kids in demographics).
I connected with Kenneth, and felt extremely sorry for him. Forget Romeo, Hamlet, or Oedipus Rex— Kenneth Finely is the most tragic character in human history. After watching the first two episodes, I said, "Forget this." And, apparently, so did the network. It was canceled, rightly so. This show was hyped to the max, and it actually looked really good. Suffice to say, it was disappointing and depressing. Perhaps the show could have been better in the later episodes, but the bombardment of bad news overwhelmed the story and the show ultimately self-destructed
An utter waste of talent, programming, and film.
The Killing Room (2009)
The Room Across From Mine
Before anyone says, "Hey, that looks like the room in 'True Lies,'" stop yourself. It may resemble it a bit like other movies (even if they were created after 2008) like "Hunger" in 2009 or "The Experiment" in 2010, but the film is gripping and unpredictable— except, of course, you could try to analyze the back cover, and I'll tell you up front, some people will see clues others will not. It is more than a B-Movie horror flick, it is an intense psychological thriller that, if allowed a theatrical release, I presume it would have been followed by a series of sequels on par with the "Saw" franchise. To say the least, I was surprised that the future director of "Battle: Los Angeles" would direct a non-theatrical film, though I do understand it. If released in theaters, this would be the type of film that critics would tear down. "The Killing Room" needed to be released independently because it is there (or even on the Sundance Channel or IFC) that it will find it's true audience.
The plot is very much straightforward, though they don't explain the purpose of the experiment that well towards the end, it is still easy to follow. Essentially, this film is an ensemble piece and plays out almost like a stage play. In fact, it would be kind of cool if it were a stage play. That being said, the film relies heavily of the acting. By now, you must have seen that Nick Cannon is in it, but don't be alarmed. He isn't that bad in this movie (perhaps that may be because his lines were often short and his character is more or less antisocial). Timothy Hutton's acting is normal good (from "Ordinary People" to "The Dark Half" to even TNT's "Leverage") and is just as good in "The Killing Room." It looks like it would be awful, but the film was truly terrific; I recommend this title.
The Guardian (1990)
A Nanny Worse Than Fran Drescher
Great movie; an excellent follow up to "The Exorcist." If you're into horrors that are tense and not just about blood and guts (while still including it), this is the film for you-- if you can get your hands on it. It's been over four years since I first heard of this movie, and ever since I saw the climax scene featured on "Boogeymen: The Ultimate Killer Compilation," I have wanted to see it. So, I went down to rent it. Not available. I tried renting it online. Not available. I tried purchasing it, waiting for it to appear on television or On Demand
but no. I asked people if they've heard of it and only my father said he remembered it. And it was good. A couple days ago, I purchased and downloaded the digital copy online, and saw it.
It was everything I expected, yet nothing I expected. Absolute brilliance is the only way to describe this film. Believe me, it has everything: a druid, rabid coyotes, sex, and a tree that harvests the souls of babies. I know what your thinking (Isn't that a Pink Floyd CD cover?), but this was a really great flick. Sure it wasn't as scary as "The Exorcist," or as dramatic as "The French Connection," or even as cringe-making as "Bug," but gosh darn it the film was enjoyable.
I'm not sure if it's because 37 minutes and 12 seconds into the movie, the shadow of Phil's (Dwier Brown) chin looked like Jay Leno's or the subtle nuances that hinted Camilla's intentions for Baby Jake (He "slept like a log"), I nonetheless found myself smiling and thinking to myself that it was worth the wait.
The scene where Ned (Brad Hall) got home after seeing Camilla's druid powers is quite possible the most suspenseful scene in film history. As he's dialing a number on the phone, you see the coyotes grouping by the window and thereby creating an eerie and effective dramatic irony. What I loved about this was that it didn't just try to have the animals trying to rip apart the house, director William Friedkin decided to play it slow. And boy did it pay off. Never could a death scene be so elegant while still containing blood splatter.
However, this is a strong juxtaposition as to the previous death scene of the Punks (or, as I like to call them, the Potential Picnic Rapists). Gore went as much as it could without ruining the film
but, whose going to argue killing criminals like them in the most violent way possible? Essentially, the same goes with the climax, featuring beautiful visuals of the Bark Babies crying.
My only criticism would be in the scene where Phil meets Molly Sheridan (Natalia Nogulich). The acting wasn't too convincing. The best performance in that scene just so happened to be the little kid.
Get this movie. You will not be disappointed. Actually, you can even play: Guess that familiar actor! I bet you'll finding a familiar face in both this film and the television show "Nikita."
I Am Number Four (2011)
Ever See The Movie "Jumper"?
Don't get me wrong, the movie wasn't bad... it's just
it felt very familiar. Know that before you go watch it based on curiosity. The trailers tell you absolutely nothing, all you know by them is that there are a bunch of teens dying and the fourth guy is next. I didn't even realize that they were aliens until I read an online synopsis. But, it sounded cool. I figured it was similar to the trailer for "Avatar" and the first "WALL-E" trailer in that you had no clue as to what the movie was about. The only difference is that those movies deserve 10 out of 10 stars; this one deserves 6, and I'll tell you why.
It's basically "Jumper" on acid. Instead of Hayden Christensen, it was a British teen performing an American accent; other stars in the film include nasally Dianna Agron of Fox's "Glee," and Timothy Olyphant who demonstrated by far his worst acting (and I'd expect more after watching "Justified"!). Also, instead of teleportation, the teens can use a form of telekinesis.
What continues to scream unoriginality at it's viewers is that it is based on a novel. This leads me to question which book came first, "Jumper" or "I Am Number Four"? Which influenced which? I think it goes without saying, I am disappointed. D.J. Caruso, what happened!? Have you stopped making great films like "Eagle Eye" or "Disturbia" (even though the latter was criticized for being too similar to Hitchcock's "Rear Window," you still managed to make a good film!)? Perhaps this is because Steven Spielberg wasn't there to help you. Whatever the case, you helped put to screen something that will at least guarantee money from teens who watch "Glee" and The CW.
Regardless of what I have said, this is not entirely a bad movie... sure, the end lacked "umph," but it was still worth watching. So if you haven't seen it, watch it on DVD-- rent it, actually. It's a nice movie to watch, but would I pay for a ticket again (or purchase it)? No.
So join me. Let's wait for D.J. Caruso's next film, we'll pray that it is at least as good as "Disturbia" (because praying for another "Eagle Eye" might be pushing it).