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Reviews
Hard Rain (1998)
Way more fun than "flawed"!
Original, actionpacked, and entertaining. I really don't understand the bad reviews from viewers and critics alike. Maybe it had to do with expectations of some kind. It's not a disaster movie as such, the natural disaster is just the backdrop for the action/crime story.
I wouldn't mind watching it again!
The Hangover Part III (2013)
Face value
It seems to me that Todd Phillips is primarily interested in character- driven stories. Comedy is a part of that, because some of his characters are tragic/pathetic/helpless, which very often can be funny.
But that also means that the characters to some extent decide where the story goes. As it happens, this particular story turned out to not be a comedy. Considering what kind of person Chow really is, that isn't so surprising. Lets face it, he is a full-blown psychopath. He may seem funny at first, he did so in Part I, and to a lesser degree in Part II, but in Part III we get a really close look. He isn't funny. He is actually damn scary.
A lot of people, judging from the user reviews, were expecting a comedy. And since Hangover Part 3 isn't all that funny, they gave it 1's and 2's. I mean, seriously? A rating of 1 means that there was absolutely no skill involved in making the movie. And that simply isn't true in this case. It's a very well made movie: it's well written, well directed, well played, and well timed. It just isn't a comedy. It's a STORY. It's a gritty and realistic portrayal of some pretty messed up people, in some pretty bad situations.
I enjoyed the movie a lot. I got no promise from Todd Phillips that I would get a comedy. It's right there, on the poster, for all to see: 3 grim men, dressed in black, in a black environment. That's a poster that says: THIS IS NOT A COMEDY!
In fact, one could argue that Part I and II set the stage for Part III to really have an effect on the audience. It certainly had an effect on me, i won't be forgetting it anytime soon. It's an eye-opener, that's for sure.
National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002)
Van really is the Man!
This movie sure has gotten (more than) its share of bad user reviews! So many 1 star reviews, i can hardly believe it. And still it comes out with a 6+ star score. That is in itself very, very interesting.
There is much grossness in this movie, that is true. Or to be more precise: there are some scenes that are extremely gross - but not many. There is no doubt in my mind that a lot of viewers will be offended by those scenes, and as a result have their whole experience ruined.
The story in the movie is very simple: Van Wilder is still in College, for the 7th year in a row. It's basically just a theme that is elaborated upon.
Here is my take on the movie: the elaboration on that theme is hilariously, expertly, joyfully, sympathetically well done. There is subtlety in this movie, if you care to look for it. I loved the characters, especially Van and Taj Mahal. I loved the way the story progressed, and how the dialog was written. But most of all i loved how all the actors gave everything to the movie. There is no holding back, no "this movie is so stupid that I'm not gonna do my best" kind of attitude. It shows that all the actors (yes, ALL the actors) loved every second of it.
Too bad that some of the viewers didn't feel the same way, and that is, of course, their loss.
Deliverance (1972)
Masterpiece
40+ years after it was made, it still seems fresh. Horrible, thought-provoking, beautiful, exciting, well acted, and consistent. Truly a classic.
I saw this movie with my dad 29 years ago, because he had seen it some years previously, and wanted to see it again. I was 17 at the time, and thought the movie was "cool". Seeing it now, at the age of 46, and with half a (or a whole) lifetime behind me, the movie is still "cool". But it is so much more also. It's a comment on the pros and cons of "the system", the evolved society of man. It's presented through the ordeals of 4 men in the vanishing remains of wilderness in America.
No overacting, no simplifications, just honest storytelling. Loved it - again.
Super (2010)
Existential dark comedy
Superb acting, surprisingly real despite its premises (or because of them), with a twisted (but true) morality. It crosses the line into "psycho" a number of times, but still remains endearing and compelling.
There are some flaws in the story though, some loose ends here and there, but maybe that was because of the focus on the main character. And some of the "special effects" were unnecessary and over the top, and undermined what could be perceived as a journey toward personal insight.
I'm a bit sad to see how badly it fared at the box-office, but I hope and believe that it will become a cult classic, and gain in popularity. Truly a super-hero movie for grownups. Too bad that it was labeled as a "comedy", because that really doesn't fit the bill at all.
Coldblooded (1995)
Off-beat, dark, and very entertaining
I started watching this movie about 10 minutes into it, and I had to see it to the end. Lovely story, great acting, with some truly original scenes. Jason may seem a bit helpless, but that's just clever acting/directing.
I'm happy to see that I'm not alone in appreciating this movie. The only thing i can fault this movie for, is casting a teen idol in a grownup movie. But that doesn't diminish the movie in itself. (In that respect it's similar to "17 again", which I also enjoyed a lot.)
The fact that I saw it on TV just now (2010) goes to show that this movie has staying power. Brilliant stuff.
Withnail and I (1987)
Booze, drugs, friendship and existentialism
This is my all time favorite movie. I saw it 5 times as a teenager at the local movie theater, when it was first shown. I just purchased it on DVD, and saw it again. It is as fresh now as it was then.
What gets me every time is the performance of Richard E. Grant, or "Withnail". It is the most harrowing and sad portrait of a young man/actor going to the dogs, despite intelligence and wit. He is more self destructive than any other movie character that I can think of. All the characters are very odd, but still seem so human and plausible.
Despite their common misery, you can't help but laugh, because the story of "Withnail and I" is so beautifully told, and presented with such great self irony. I adore this movie, and always will.