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Reviews
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
a must see - even if you don't like it
This movie tends to have audience reactions that are either very good or very bad, as does any movie that brings with it hype and high public attention. My personal response? I loved it! The negative reviews I hear about the movie are usually centered around "bad dialog" or "bad acting" or "too much special effects". Obviously Star Wars isn't the type of movie that is made with winning an Oscar in mind. It simply isn't that type of movie. It is a world of its own, a very particular world. It therefore cannot be compared to other movies. All Star Wars movies at times lack in dialog and acting and have lots of special effects. That's what they do. So negative comments made about these things are simply repetitive and not useful.
As for good things about the movie, it has a very serious human drama tone to it that puts human emotion and even politics in space. The stakes are high and decisions have to be made, in this case by Anakin. Because most people know what happens in this movie based on where the story leads it from the other films, you're able to just sit back and watch it happen.
Ewen McGregor plays Obi-Wan so convincingly that when you watch A New Hope again the transition is believable to where you realize that no one else could've played young Obi-Wan. Hayden Christensen performs as Anakin in a way that shows a tender person who is forced to be hardened by his situation. Ian McDarmand steals the show as Emperor Palpatine. He is over-the-top evil, the way we've come to expect from Return of the Jedi. He poses the most awesome threat to all that is good in such a way that whenever he is on screen you want to watch his every move, simply because he is pure evil. Natalie Portman convincingly reveals her character, Amidala, domesticated by her pregnancy and deeply disturbed by Anakin's twist toward the dark side. The two main battle sequences of the film are gravitating.
Yoda vs. Emperor Palpatine and Obi-Wan vs. Darth Vader. Finally you can see the two most polar characters clash when Yoda steps into Palpatine's office and they duke it out for the first (and last) time. Normally we know that any fight Yoda is in he will emerge the victor - c'mon, it's Yoda! But when we see that Yoda is greatly threatened when fighting Palpatine we realize that something very big is happening. As far as Obi-Wan and Darth Vader - the most breath taking fight sequence I've ever seen. This fight spans several different battle grounds as the two continue to fight for quite a while. Then finally when Vader is beaten you can take a breath, only to cringe when he is set on fire and you can see the agony in his face. Toward the end of the movie I actually heard people behind me in the theater sobbing.
Again, as with any extreme movie, reviews will either be really good or really bad. I think that the people who give a bad review are just bitter because the movie didn't turn out like they wanted it and fail to see the good stuff that it offers because of that. In a way........ they've been blinded by the dark side!
The Amityville Horror (2005)
this movie shows that good ideas in Hollywood have become scarce
Ever since we hit the 2000 year mark it seems to me that most horror movies have exactly the same feel. I've seen most horror movies in the theater that were released since the 2000s and I now cannot differentiate one from the other. The Amittyville Horror was the very latest "scary" movie I've seen on the big screen and it makes me want to never see a horror film again. This movie (along with plenty of other 2000 horror flicks) makes me think that if I ever go to see a scary movie in the theater again it'll be just another terrible remake using the same tactics they've been using for the last five years. One of these tactics that I find quite notable is the fast-forward-twitch. Where a character in a horror film is fast-forwarded and blurred to seem as though they are twitching or moving insanely or maniacally. THIS EFFECT HAS BEEN USED IN EVERY SINGLE HORROR FILM I'VE SEEN FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS! When I saw that this effect occurs in Amittyville I decided that I'd had enough. Apart from that, there's nothing really interesting about the film in the first place. It's predictable, typical, unoriginal, and forgettable. I actually went to the lobby of the theater for 15 minutes during the movie and when I came back and asked my friend what I'd missed, she said exactly what I thought was going to happen. My point - don't waste your time on this film, not even to rent it. If you see a poster of it or an advertisement of any kind, just keep walking and save yourself the disappointment.
9 Dead Gay Guys (2002)
not for the squeamish
Nine Dead Gay Guys is a hilarious movie, make no mistake, but it is definitely not for everyone. It's crude, shameless, direct, and hard to ignore once you've seen it. I've sat through the movie with different types of crowds. Some thought it was laugh-out-loud funny, some thought it was gross, some even tried to look away for portions of it. They all agreed on one thing, though. It's a bit of a shocker! Not in a way that makes you jump out of your seat, but in a way that makes you think "whoa, I wasn't ready for that one!". Enjoying the film depends on what your attitude is while seeing it. If you choose to be "up-tight" and unopen, then the movie will come across to you as lewd and inappropriate. If you go into it knowing you're going to see something off-the-wall, different, funny, and alternative, you're more likely to have a good time. If you see the movie once and thought it was a little too much but thought it was funny, I encourage you to watch it again because be then the initial shock will be over and you can take the film for what it is. For it's boldness, uniqueness, and humor, I give the film 7 out of 10.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
surprisingly good
Wes Anderson tends to be one those directors who makes a style of film that people either really like or don't like at all. I saw Royal Tenenbaums and had nothing good to say about it afterward, and I could've cared even less for other Wes Anderson movies. But it just so happened that when I saw Life Aquatic advertised on TV I thought that the cast looked promising and the movie could be interesting, but that's as far as I went. I had no real intentions to actually see the film. I did, however, see the film in theaters because I was outvoted by my friends on what movie we'd be seeing that night. It turns out that Life Aquatic is surprisingly good. It's funny, stylized, and a great movie for viewing in the theater. Some movies are good for renting, some for buying, and some for viewing in the theater. It's the more grand films that deserve to be seen in the theater, and Life Aquatic didn't form any regrets. All this surprised me because I gaged whether or not I'd like the movie on my reactions to Royal Tenenbaums. Therefore, I can recommend this movie even if you aren't a Wes Anderson fan.
Latter Days (2003)
sad to say...
I have seen Latter Days several times since I first rented it a few days ago and it's unfortunate that I have to say this film is disappointing. I really mean that when I say "unfortunate" because I've read many other reviews of the film, and the majority of them have not been kind. My intention with this review is not to be a sarcastic film critic, but rather to show a disappointed viewer. The premise of Latter Days would seem like something interesting to watch, but sadly the film turns out to be poorly written, poorly made, and performed by the actors at only a level that a low-quality movie will allow. The movie relies plenty on stereotypes, clichés, and even catch phrases as though they were jam to be added to the otherwise bland piece of toast that is the plot. This is one of those movies that tries desperately to emulate real life and fails because it has tried too hard. There are, however, a rare few moments where I felt that the performances were genuine, but sadly these rare moments are not enough to save the movie. And on a more minor yet similar note, even the music in the movie is a desperate attempt. The music is just as low quality as the script. It attempts to emulate music that people actually listen to, but fails miserably. There is also a ridiculous character story where a friend of the main character steals his diary and makes an album out of it, having nothing to do at all with the rest of the story! Overall, Latters Days is fluff with a premise that could've had potential. To quote elder Davis from the film, the movie is like "a walking, talking marshmallow peep".
Eulogy (2004)
an automatic favorite
Lately I have not seen many films at all that I really like or can honestly recommend. Then, as if from nowhere, my friend saw Eulogy on the stand at a movie rental place and said it sounded good. As soon as the rented DVD was in my DVD player and on the main menu it was hilarious! It's not usual that I have such an optimistic approach to movies before I even see them, so I knew I was in for something good. During the movie there were several parts where we laughed so hard that we continuously had to rewind and catch up on parts that we laughed through. It's cynical, tongue-in-cheek, and good-natured. It has the sense of humor and attitude that real people have, and that's what's great about it. One thing that's rare in movies is something real. When you watch the movie you get the feel that you're dealing with real people, which is why this film is so easy to enjoy. It's like watching real people in hilarious situations. I've now recommended this film to dozens of people. Yes, Eulogy is an automatic favorite.