Change Your Image
jjo999
School: University of Illinois-Chicago
favorite animals: dogs and cats
top favorite movies:
Braveheart,
Pirates of the Carribean,
The Notebook,
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
favorite music artists:
Christina Aguilera,
Dido,
Britney Spears,
Jennifer Lopez,
Alicia Keys,
Madonna,
etc.
Reviews
The Namesake (2006)
Informative, emotional, and very well structured...
I just saw this movie yesterday, and I was amazed by how well it was put together. First of all, it did an amazing job of introducing people to various cultural traditions. The characters were very real, and the ability to follow them through a long portion of their lives enabled me to get to know them and understand some of the things they had been going through. Oftentimes, you hear so many different stories about what immigration is like (some of them positive and others negative), but this movie gives you one firsthand account of what immigration can be like.
The movie also taught me a lot about family in general. Kal Penn did an amazing job portraying the sense of conviction one may feel after avoiding his or her family for a long period of time. I'm sure that this experience, though dramatic, is one which many children, teenagers, and young adults may be able to relate to. His character is in a position which renders it necessary for him to find middle ground, and to choose his identity. In the end, he finds that this "true identity" does not have to be just one or the other.
Furthermore, I was impressed by the timing of the scenes in the movie. Oftentimes, it seems difficult for a movie to successfully present so many stages of life within a 2-3 hour time frame, but this movie pulls it off well. Also, it did not jump around too much, leaving me unable to understand who certain characters were. Overall, I give the movie a 10. I was very satisfied with the emotional impact it had upon me, the filming of the scenes, the timing, etc.
Open Season (2006)
Animals are taking over the world!!
Wow...don't you just love talking animals. This movie was so cute and funny. I especially loved Boog. He was so adorable. I also loved that little porcupine who kept saying "buddy." This movie is definitely great for a child to see with his/her family, or even for three girl friends to go and see. I don't think anyone could be too old for the humor in this movie. Furthermore, I liked the whole idea of what it may be like if animals could take charge. Maybe then, some idiots in this world could get what they deserve. No, but seriously, I did like the whole idea. Sometimes, I wonder if our world would actually be a better place. Animals are just such loving creatures unlike many of us. lol
The Last Kiss (2006)
This is what we have come to be...
What an amazing, yet sad and realistic movie. I think "The Last Kiss" serves as a wake up call for all of us. A lot of people go into relationships not knowing what they're getting themselves into, and a lot of people DON'T get themselves into relationships because they're scared of what they could be getting themselves into. Both sides of the coin are bad, yet we all flip to one side or the other at some point of our lives.
I think this movie really does a great job of interpreting modern relationships. We live in a word where many people are just so confused, impatient...people who gravitate toward drama because they just can't get enough, but here's the one thing I have known for awhile which has only been reinforced by this movie: there are three categories of people. There are the people who have not gotten "it" out of their system (and by it, I mean "the party animal), there are those who may never have "it" out of their system, and there are those who have never had much of "it" in their system. If you know which category you currently fall into, you can avoid the act of cheating, and I'm telling you, it's as simple as not getting too close to someone if you still haven't gotten "it" out of your system...and well if you've had "it" in your system for years, it's probably time to get "it" out and grow up, but until then don't screw someone over when you still know you have a caged animal just waiting to get out and explore.
Anyway, this may sound like ranting, but it is a concept I believe this movie teaches very well. "The Last Kiss" basically works as a mirror to show us who we really are.
Saw II (2005)
The Jigsaw Killer Strikes Again!
If you enjoyed Saw, I have a feeling you will enjoy Saw 2. After watching both movies on the theater screen, it was hard to judge which one is best. After all, when you watch the first movie of any series, the story is new and therefore less predictable than when it is developed into a sequel, but I think I've finally decided that the second movie is the best, mostly because there is a lot of movement. Though the confinement in the first movie creates an interesting tension in the theater, the second one creates an overwhelming sensation as you watch the characters travel from room to room. I also like the idea of putting a whole group of characters together in such a creepy situation. The expectation is that they will work together to get out, but this movie shows you how members of a group against each other when their lives are at stake. I also like how viewers are presented with the idea that a group of people who seem very different can have more in common than they realize face to face. The twists in this movie are great! I hope a third movie can be developed from this storyline.
Hostel (2005)
FINALLY...something unpredictable hits the theater!
Before I start writing a long comment about how hot Jay Hernandez is and how awesome his character was in this movie, I have to say that the making of Hostel was a job well-done. First of all, it is very unpredictable. This is a quality we're losing during an era of frequent remakes. It is nice to watch a movie these days and not know how it is going to end until the actual end. When Hernandez's character escaped from where he is staying in the Slovakian city, I figured...hey, that's great, but he'll either die in the end or the evil characters will win. This is usually what happens in most horror movies, and while a lot of people like that, it gets to be quite an overused approach. The one part of the movie that did not prove unpredictable was when the Japanese girl committed suicide after viewing her deformity. (I really did see that one coming.)
Another great thing about this movie is that it is somehow able to mix humor with thrilling and gory scenes. Most intense thrillers do not have truly funny moments that leave you to bust out laughing, but this movie had moments to be scared, moments to laugh as well as moments to clap.
For those of you who have not yet seen the movie, I will tell you that the whole ending portion is truly different from anything you have ever seen in a thriller/horror movie before, but do not be discouraged. Change is good and it proves to be refreshing in this movie.
The acting is great too. When the backpacker friends are scared, they don't give us this special thought out reaction; they just give us a realistic portrayal of fear. One panics and begs for mercy (which is probably what I would do), and the other shows fear, but also tries to use whatever strength he can muster from his brain to develop his strategy for escape (that would be Jay). I will not reveal anymore about this movie, but I will say that you just have to see what Hernandez does at the end. It will truly serve as a surprise!
King Kong (2005)
King Kong deserves Kong sized applause!
I overheard someone complaining the other day that this movie was too long and too boring. Let me say, I had trouble restraining my anger, but I did it. After all, it was an opinion. However, I truly appreciated the way in which this movie was made. My butt was sore after three hours of sitting, but it was worth it. Though some may complain that it took too long for the plot to reach it's peak of action, I loved the suspense which led up to the discovery of the island as well as the introduction of Kong. Jack Black, Naomi Watts, and Adrien Brody did an excellent job in this movie, and I was extremely pleased with all of the special effects and camera shots from start to finish. I actually felt like I was the one being shaken up by Kong. My headache proved that; however, that is yet another side effect that was well worth it. In addition to the action there were many dramatic moments which i did not suspect to find in this film but I firmly believe these moments were not overdone. They only helped me to have some level of attachment to the characters.
Corpse Bride (2005)
The animation is still hot!
Tim Burton did a great job with this movie. I really enjoyed seeing the "Nightmare Before Christmas" type of animation used once again. It hasn't gotten old and I don't think it will. Not for awhile. Anyway, the movie was very cute, the art was well done as it truly captured the personalities of the characters, and music was always used at the most appropriate moments. There were also many funny moments as well. I just hope that my fiancé never marries a corpse in the woods by accident! LOL. That wouldn't be too funny! I would say more, but the movie is so well done that I feel I am doing it better justice by leaving the comment short.
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Grade A Thriller!
This twisted thriller will keep you at the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Though the movie was long, the plot held my interest the whole way through. I loved how many scenes appeared to foreshadow the ending, yet continued the storyline which really allowed me to feel engaged in everything that was going on. I actually wanted to see more after each scene. I didn't expect Tom to be able to steer clear of criminal charges, but somehow he continues to do so each moment that I suspect he will get caught.
It's very interesting how the audience can see the instability of Tom when he maintains a very calm disposition throughout the movie. Since he has such a calm behavior and he carries himself as such a friendly and decent person, it was difficult for me to accept the fact that he rather than someone more ruthless began leading a double life. However, I think it was successful to show the character's innocent side. Somehow, this made the movie more realistic.
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
Interesting twist in the end, but we need to see more of Jolie!
I have to say I love how Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, and Angelina Jolie fit into their roles in this movie. Though I was not too interested in the movie when it first started, the action stepped up a couple notches and thus the movie became more engaging. The unconventional "love/hate" relationship between Law and Paltrow was unexpected in the beginning, but definitely made the movie all the more interesting. Then, there's an even bigger twist in the end just when you expect the moment to be cheesy. Although I'm a romantic and love cheesy endings, they are too predictable. Therefore, it was different AND refreshing to see this movie take a different turn.
My only major disappointment lies in the fact that Jolie has too short of a role in this movie. She really has a way of stealing the show regardless of whether or not she is actually the lead actress, and for this reason I think it was necessary to see more of her.
Killing Me Softly (2002)
Steamy but not creepy!
Well, the movie was definitely hot, and I suppose this is probably the reason why I will add it to my collection sometime soon, but I can not give it credit for containing an excellent plot, because I don't think the movie ever really got creepy enough until the end. Once the movie was over, I kept finding myself wishing that there could have been a happy ending between Alice and Adam and that they'd always be in love. I wasn't thinking much about what a psycho stalker he was. I think this is because I didn't get enough of this image throughout the movie. It just doesn't make sense when Alice starts getting the letters. It's almost as if the letters just don't belong because of Adam's sweet disposition. There seems to be nothing to really clue the viewer in that there is something wrong with the guy until much later in the movie.
On the other hand, I did feel sorry for Alice's boyfriend and I don't think she should have been so intimate with another man while she was still in a relationship with him and her character just seemed to be too sweet to do something like that.
However, the movie was entertaining to watch and the intimate scenes are well done!
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Earns a million stars!
I do not know how to begin praising this movie. The plot was amazing and it goes very deep. The relationship between the characters is just so real that I felt like I was taken into the movie myself. I felt like I was there actually watching everything happen. I've never been interested in boxing, but this was okay because the movie was about so much more than the sport. It was obvious to see that Hilary Swank's character, Maggie was not a failure even though she wound up on the floor after fighting for the winning title. She won because she achieved what she wanted to achieve in life, and there aren't many people who can be satisfied with that. This movie can teach us all something about life and how to appreciate it and though many may find the message behind the movie cliché, I don't think it could be emphasized enough since we all forget how to appreciate life over and over again.
The acting was amazing. Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman work so well together, and I had no reason to be displeased with how they acted out their roles.
Warning: If you have not yet watched the movie, do not read the next paragraph. It will ruin the ending for you!!
The only part of the movie which confused me was when Frankie pulls the cord. Isn't this illegal and immoral to some people? I'm not sure if he should have done this. The movie was really good so I'm not going to dwell on this. It's just that he developed such a fatherly relationship with Maggie and it's kind of odd to see him make the choice he makes. Anyway, the movie earns about a million stars from me, but since I can only give it 10, I guess that will do.
Monster (2003)
Well-made but too creepy!
What can I say? This movie gave me nightmares for three nights in a row. It's definitely graphic enough and I've always thought that the most realistic creepy movies have the ability to scare a person more than an actually horror movie. The movie was very well-made though. The actors were so good, I couldn't even detach them from their characters when I tried, and who knew that Charlize Theron, the pretty woman in "Sweet November" could look so hideous with any amount of makeup? LOL. Anyway, the story is very disturbing and this is what makes the movie disturbing as well. However, it is definitely a good documentary to see. If anything, you'll learn more about the things that make life scary sometimes, but I'm not sure if this is a movie I'd necessarily want to watch again.
Wayne's World (1992)
Sends us the right message regarding comedy!
This comedy is definitely hilarious. I'll admit, it's a bit unconventional, but I think that's what makes it such a successful comedy. It remains in pure comical status from beginning to end. This is apparent in the choice of having three endings at the close of the movie. It seems that in doing this, the movie was almost reassuring me that I don't have to actually FEEL for any of the characters. I can just finish the movie thinking, "Wow, this was funny," and nothing more. I actually liked knowing that for once it would be acceptable for me to just laugh at a movie without taking it seriously as so many people often do. I don't think comedies are always meant to make perfect sense, and laughter is always more important than the idea of everything fitting together in the end.
I also love how this movie is made so that the audience gets to see what is going on from the beginning and we are allowed to know that Wayne and Garth are obviously being manipulated by their producer, but they don't completely realize it themselves.
Also this movie shows us that two nerdy grunge guys can in fact get chicks and I guess that's a good thing, right? LOL!
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
A tasteful bite!
I love what Tim Burton does with the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I do not feel that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has done that version any injustice of any kind. This movie is full of laughs and it even has eerie qualities which are a large part of what makes the movie work so well. Johnny Depp's portrayal of Willy Wonka just seemed to be exactly what I was expecting. I was pleased with his makeup as well as the character's tone of voice and attitude.
I was also pleased with the various behaviors given to the children. They were all much more bratty than I had expected them to be and this only added to my sympathy toward Charlie...not to mention, it was amusing! I also liked how each child who won the golden ticket was shown before actually arriving to the factory. This gave me a chance to get to know them and their personal attitudes and this was hilarious to watch.
In a newspaper article, I read that people could somehow make a connection between Johnny Depp's character and Michael Jackson, and he as the actor could understand why people could make this connection. Aside from some resemblance and what seemed to be similar behavioral characteristics, I could honestly expect Michael Jackson's Neverland to be as strange and unique as Willy Wonka's chocolate factory!
Meet the Parents (2000)
Funny and pretty realistic too!
I usually don't laugh as many times as I did while watching Meet the Parents. This comedy was hilarious and I enjoyed watching the relationship between Robert DeNiro and Ben Stiller on the screen. One of the things I liked most about this movie was that it stayed focused on the plot. It didn't go off in different directions and it maintained a sense of reality that a lot of comedies lack. At the same time, it was funny from beginning to end. I'd have to say that another thing that makes this movie work well is that the relationship between Gaylord (Greg) and Pam is already in progress from the start of the movie so the viewer is immediately able to get to know the two of them and the relationship they have with each other. I have no complaints about this movie.
House of Wax (2005)
Creepy and engaging
On Ebert and Roeper, Ebert criticized this movie for being just one of those teenage thriller movies, and he viewed that to be negative. However, I found this movie to be scarier and obviously less cheesy than movies such as "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Scream" which would not be as scary to me now as they were when they originally came out. This movie was creepy and I enjoyed seeing a bunch of naive teenagers going their separate ways and getting into trouble one by one. One of the main reasons why I am so satisfied with this movie is that it doesn't make the mistake of killing people off two soon. In a lot of scary movies, I've noticed that it's so predictable to see someone killed off right away. I usually know when it's coming, but in this movie I was able to get to know each and every one of the characters before they were killed off which made the movie that much more engaging for me. If you think about it, Paris Hilton's character can take some of the blame for the deaths. I'm not trying to be a Paris basher (I did think she was funny on "The Simple Life.") but if she had only answered her phone instead of "having fun" with her boyfriend, she may have been able to help one of her friends. I don't really think her movie role helped her clear up any of the stereotypes about her. Over all, I enjoyed the acting and I hope they make a sequel. It probably won't be as good as the first one, but it would still be cool if it was made.
Monster-in-Law (2005)
Cute and hilarious
This was quite a cute romantic comedy. It's not the best I've ever seen but I definitely think Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda do their part in making it a movie worth seeing in the theater and owning at home. They're both hilarious in this movie and they really make you believe that there's negative tension between their characters. The only flaws that I found with the movie was that it moved too fast and the end was a bit unrealistic. Allow me to explain. The movie starts out with Charlie meeting the man of her dreams for the first time. Then, all of a sudden it skips to the part when they are living with each other. This made it difficult for me to believe that the two of them were really in love since I saw more of how they met than how they got along with each other once they did meet. So, in a nutshell, I found it a bit problematic that the movie dwelled on the initial meeting of the couple more than their life together. The other problem was that the end was just too quick. I've always allowed some room for unrealistic occurrences in comedies, but I just couldn't help noticing that Charlie's future mother in law has a change of heart out of nowhere, and let's face it; This comedy has too serious of a storyline to get away with such an idealistic ending. I find it hard to believe that Charlie's sad face could be enough to make a difference. If life were that easy, a lot more people today would be getting along with their "in laws." Other than these two concerns I've addressed, I enjoyed the relationship between Jennifer and Jane throughout the movie, the acting was great and I laughed a lot. So, overall the movie was still a winner in my book.
Mean Girls (2004)
Was the movie plastic or not? I'd have to say it's almost real!
Who remembers what it was like in high school? Anyone who's forgotten may say that "Mean Girls" was just another chick flick. However, the high school atmosphere in this movie is not too much of an exaggeration if you really take a close look at it. I remember all the various groups that existed at my high school. There were the girls who were quite "plastic," even though my group and I never labeled them in that manner; there were the jocks, smart kids, and "cool Polish people" (instead of the "cool Asians" mentioned in the movie). There was also my group which was formed by a lot of us who didn't really fall into a group. (Laughing out loud!!) The point is that, this movie illustrated that whole discriminatory high school class system, mocked it, and showed the viewer how problematic it can really be once it's taken to such an extreme level. This movie was an excellent comedy. "The Notebook's" Rachel McAdams, and Lindsay Lohan do a great job placing themselves in the shoes of high school students.
Showtime (2002)
DeNiro and Murphy work together in this hilarious comedy!
Two different lifestyles and personalities come together in this hilarious comedy about two cops who are practically forced into working with each other as actors. Robert DeNiro works undercover, while Eddie Murphy is the typical cop, but they both have to work as a team in the lead roles of a television series called, Showtime. I was not particularly interested in watching the movie just after judging its cover, but it turned out to be hilarious. It had me laughing even though I was tired, and it even has a touching side. Although the movie doesn't become really sentimental, you can't help but feel just a bit moved at the end!
50 First Dates (2004)
A movie to move you in more ways than one!
Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore make the perfect couple in this romantic comedy. Although romantic comedies tend to consist of more romance than comedy or more comedy than romance, I think this movie did a pretty good job of combining both elements to create an extremely engaging plot. It's true that there are a lot of movies about memory loss, but there are also a lot of other common themes in movies as well. The reason why I can't bash this movie as some of the people on the message board chose to do is because it really made me laugh all the way through and brought tears to my eyes at the end. Very few movies can move me in more ways than one. That is why I encourage you to check the movie out for yourself. For those of you who are sticklers for really good acting, I'm pretty sure you'll be satisfied. Barrymore and Sandler tend to be great actors in their films and they don't fall short of their skills in "50 first Dates."
Braveheart (1995)
Oustanding acting and
This is a wonderful movie to watch again and again. It has a plot that is interesting to follow, and the action is intense and believable. Mel Gibson displays his romantic and heroic side in a way that really touches me. He is truly talented and is very remarkable in this film. The entire supporting cast really brings a lot of belief into the movie as well. One aspect of the movie that held my interest is how we are able to see William's character as an innocent child and as a grown man whose fate becomes that of a hero. This is a widely viewed movie, but if you haven't seen it yet, I encourage you to check it out and see if it appeals to your taste. It's serious, emotional, and powerful!
Alone in the Dark (2005)
Totally disappointed after seeing a movie preview which seemed promising.
Well, where shall I begin as I list the many flaws of this movie? The only thing I can really give it credit for is that it kept me awake even though I was extremely tired out after getting off of work,and the acting was not bad either. On the other hand, the characters' lines were insufficient. Although the movie was action-packed, it was so terribly underdeveloped. Does anyone else agree?
I'm not even sure if the movie had an actual plot, and it was moving so ridiculously fast that I couldn't take the action seriously. I don't even know if you can call the actors/actresses "characters" in this film because they were completely lacking in character! I barely got a chance to even get to know anything about them, so I couldn't even sympathize with them at any point. The intense little love scene was probably the most thought out part in the whole movie and that didn't even fit in because every other scene lacked emotion and intensity of any kind. This movie was surely not ready to be released, so if you haven't seen it yet, I suggest that you don't spend your last eight bucks on it now. If you really want to see it, wait until it comes out at Blockbuster.
In the Realms of the Unreal (2004)
Enter the realms of the unreal!!
This was a very impressive documentary. Although it was different from the films I generally go to see, I remained interested in Henry Darger's life throughout the whole movie. He was portrayed as quite an interesting person. As a child, he is taken to an asylum and thought to be insane. When he finally escapes this life, he becomes a janitor and later, a part of the army. His neighbors play an important role in the movie because they describe his personality and what they knew about him. It was interesting to hear each perspective. Much of what they had to say about him was the same, but some of it varied at least through word choice which I felt was significant because it revealed each of their attitudes toward who they thought he was. Henry Darger's artwork was amazing. The illustrations of the Vivian sisters provided insight into his eyes. The most impressive thing was how the lives of these girls seemed to represent his life and feelings toward it. If you are interested in learning something, I encourage you to see, "In the Realms of the Unreal."
Troy (2004)
Well-structured plot!!
Whether historically accurate or not, an excellent movie was made. It had a well-structured plot and outstanding acting which made it very entertaining. After all, that's what movies were made for, entertainment. If you want something that is entertaining AND accurate, read the book, but don't bash the movie. It does exactly what it is meant to do. I was very impressed with Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom. They were great choices for their characters since Brad appears serious and muscular and Orlando appears young and timid. The other actors/actresses were remarkable as well.
One thing I do not understand is how I can feel so much sympathy for Achilles in the end, even though I do not like his behavior/attitude throughout the movie. I guess the actors in this movie really knew how to lure in their viewers. If you haven't had the chance to check it out in the theater, it's out on DVD now, so check it out. It has some great fighting scenes if you're into that sort of thing.
Crossroads (2002)
Don't bash a girl for singing AND acting when she's as good as Brit!
What I'd like to know is why pop stars such as Mandy Moore and Jennifer Lopez are always being bashed when they act? Personally, I've noticed that some of these people impress me more as actors than singers. Aside from some of them, Britney is good at both. I enjoy her talent as a performer on stage and as an actress on the movie screen. In her first movie, "Crossroads," her character's name is Lucy, a girl who accompanies her two girlfriends on a road trip and realizes the woman she is becoming at the same time. Althouth this movie has been bashed by many people, I feel it is an excellent movie for its genre. Too many people expect too much out of so called "chick flicks" and they are so quick to shoot them down, but take some time out and think about what's happening in the movie and the messages it is providing to its viewers. Two of the important themes in the movie are friendship, and growing up. What is so wrong about that? Does a movie always have to be a documentary or an action packed movie with elements of death and darkness in it to be considered good. Sometimes a cute little comedy or drama is very satisfactory.