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I Am Evel Knievel (2014)
Great story ruined by pointless interviews
The story of Evel Knievels rise and eventual retirement echos the story of most rockstars. Imagine every stunt he did as a concert or a new album release, the bigger and bigger they got, the bigger his stardom got. and with that stardom came all the Evels that come with being famous. He was a drunk who slept around and spent his money on all sorts of ridiculous crap. But that's besides the point, this documentary shows through several friends and fans the greatness that Evel was. Evel was bat sh*t insane, jumping 10 buses with a stock bike with street rated suspension, getting back on the bike after breaking a bunch of bones, promising to do crazier and more insane stunts, and building a god damn rocket ship bike. The man was balls to the wall insane and this documentary does a good job at going over his triumphs and his story.
Unfortunately this doc was 45 minutes too long and it was filled with all the crap that is expected from a Spike TV presentation. They were constantly cutting away from the stunts to show interviews about the stunt when I'd prefer to just watch the raw footage, and the cuts were all way too quick and jumpy. One of the biggest annoyances of this production is the choice of people they chose to interview. Why would anyone care about Kid Rock, Mike Vallely, Guy Fieri's or Michelle Rodriguez opinion on Evel Knievel? If they cut out all the crap all of those hacks said(Michelle Rodriguez is alright though) and made the stunt footage more raw and uncut then this documentary would have been an 8/10 or higher for me. The story is interesting, the execution is terrible. Made me respect Ken Burns approach to documentary film making even more.
Majo no takkyûbin (1989)
Growing up with your first job
Kiki is a witch who has reached adolescences and decides to move to a new town to find her calling. After a series of insightful experiences she decides to be a courier for a bakery. Over the course of her career she grows as a person and as a business person while struggling with all the difficulties of growing up and finding hardship. I realized very early on that this movie can be seen as an allegory for a young person moving to a new town and finding a new job and all the struggles and joys that come with that experience. Once again Studio Ghibli hits the perfect tone to express such a story as this as it's both whimsical and fantastical while still being relatable and set in a real world situation. One of my favorite things about this movie is how much the town is a big character. The setting of every Miyazaki film plays a big, memorable role in his films but I felt like Kiki's town was the most memorable and distinguishable. It might have been the directors approach to taking time to observe the people in the town as they walk around doing their business, or how he explores as many locations as possible. It all feels very real and special. The characters were all very enjoyable and well fleshed out, each one was memorable and added to the great appeal of the community that Kiki is navigating.
My only criticism is the ending was a bit abrupt and felt a little rushed. Although Kiki saving her love interest from the blimp made for a heart touching and symbolic moment, it felt a little too over the top for a movie that was very low key and personal. I think by adding this huge disaster situation it took away from the real emotional challenges Kiki had to get over. Almost felt like a superhero ending when I would have rather preferred something more emotional and realistic, like her returning home and giving up then coming back to the city when she realizes what she has given up. I don't know, i'm not miyazaki... I'll have to give this movie another watch to fully appreciate the whole picture, but from my first viewing I do absolutely love it and I'd consider it essential Studio Ghibli cannon. I'd love to have a package delivered by a witch.
The American Ruling Class (2005)
Take a step outside
The American ruling class is a documentary about students who recently graduated from prestigious schools and how they are shown the world of the lower middle class in order to deter their recent banking/upper middle class related job opportunities.
The points of this movie are extremely valid, the upper middle class rule this country and the direction it should head in. but this film really smashes the audience over the head with the opinion of the film maker. Every scene and and every line of dialogue is so heavily ham fisted that it becomes annoying and loses it's credentials long after those tree ferns surrounding the title leave the opening scene. Anyone can hear these opinions if they visit their local ghetto or talk to a friend with a financial difficulty. This movie doesn't offer much to the discussion and it's extremely hard to take seriously. unless you live under a rock, or think that living to paycheck to paycheck is alright, then you know that something is wrong with the economic system and that capitalism isn't all that it's hyped up to to be. That is pretty much the point of this movie, but the problem with it is that it doesn't offer a solution. It doesn't give any useful insight to the problems effect the economic inequality of America nor does it show how it could change for the better. In fact, it tells of how a couple of high graduate students with potential futures decide to give up on making a living in order to pursue the message of the film, which doesn't seem to make sense because they pretty much said that they will not make a difference in the economy by joining the companies that rule it and changing the companies from the inside but try to spread awareness by promoting a weak message across the nation. and to be honest, the solution seems to be blaming rich people for the lower classes problems...
Win Win (2011)
Great Indie flick
I snuck into this film after hearing some hype about it over twitter. I didn't expect much from an indie drama that I thought was going to be about high school wrestling. But after the first act, I realized that this flick was definitely more then what I could have imagined it's potential to be. Paul Giamatti plays a lawyer who is having some troubles financially and having some stress related issues, so he becomes a guardian of one of his wealthy clients who has dementia so he can make some extra money on the side. But this leads to him taking care of his clients nephew. As the movie carries on, the family starts to bond with the nephew, who happens to be a talented wrestler, and he has some serious mother issues. But after awhile, his mother comes looking for him, mostly because she wants the money she could earn by being the guardian of her father who she hasn't seen in 20 years. So Paul Giamatti's character gets caught in a mess when he has to reveal to his wife and this newly found "Family member" that he has been lieing to them.
This story is really touching because it deals with such real sculpted characters. Each one of them goes through some sort of change throughout the film, and you can understand thoroughly why they went through the change and you can probably relate to their issues and habits. One of the things that did bother me about this film was some of the editing. some scenes where filmed perfectly, with great shot selection and amazing dialogue and acting. but then some seemed really off and over acted, or really badly paced. Some scenes also ended on the same line, which added a nice touch to the realism of the film, but ultimately caused repetition in the dialogue. But this is a double edged sword for me, since most of those scenes could be viewed in those slow pacing/repetitious dialogue sense. but they also portrayed the characters reactions to different things at significant points in the story, so it could be more of a kudos to the director for making that impact... But I'd have to judge that perspective on a second view, which I'd definitely recommend.
Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)
Hilarious over the top gorefest
Hobo with a Shotgun is about a hobo who comes to a city of crime trying to get money to buy a lawnmower, but he intervenes with a robbery and starts battling crime, one shell at a time. But the top criminal doesn't agree with this, so he of course, uses propghanda to turn all the citizens on the homeless.
This movie looks incredibly mental when you try and pitch it to people, i mean... Read my little synopsis, does this sound like a movie that has any artistic value at all? Well, it does, in one aspect, because it's the ultimate parody of 80's horror and action films. with its hardcore gorefest scenes, it's over the top action, and some of the silliest one liners ever, and a little bit too much swearing. But what you get is the true definition of a shut your brain off and be entertaining type of movie. You don't have to think about anything in this film, half of it is random, and the rest of it is duels between the hobo and criminals. what makes it even better is that it says it was filmed in technicolor(The credits were, but I'm pretty sure most of the action scenes are digital.) and the score has that amazing 80's style to it.
I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a mindless action flick. you can look deep within this movie for it's themes and what the meaning of the film is(That homeless are people too, and crime should not be tolerated, and a community should not fall under the reigns of such a cruel and violent teireny of leaders.) But this movie probably isn't the best example of a deep film, or even a very intellectual one, which makes it easy for any everyday movie goer to see.
Monsters (2010)
Proving that anyone can make a pretty movie
I went into this movie because I was told it was made on a laptop using a simple student film camera. This is quite inspiring in that sense. But the reality is that this movie is incredible trash.
-The characters are boring, whiney, and they have this odd love story that to me never really connects. They try to make it connect with all these random conversations in the middle of the movie about laughing and taking pictures of dead people blah blah blah. -The plot itself has so many holes in it that it's even hard to watch if you shut your brain off. OK, first off, why was this dude hired in the first place to help sally sue get to the boarder? Why was she even over the boarder, hiding from her fiancé? Why did they build as massive boarder wall but have a gaping hole in the middle of it for a tiny road to go through? Why didn't they grab guns to protect themselves in the infected zone and why were they surprised when the guerrillas had guns? You expect to throw rocks at these evil beings? Why was there a destroyed city overrun by nature? It takes more then 6 years for a massive cgi building to take over an entire city. In my opinion, story and characters are top notch when it comes to film making. Anyone with a computer and a camera and an eye for beauty can catch stunning images and make cgi images that will make you think. But this is only 1/3 of the movie. The only people i would recommend this movie to would be aspiring film makers who want to see how to make a gorgeous movie for nickels, and with this low tier story and characters, it will also inspire you to do better.
Employee of the Month (2006)
Super Club!
Employee of the month is about a slacker box boy(Dane Cook) working at a Costco like store(Pretty sure it was filmed in a Costco) who decides to make a change in his work style in order to impress the new cashier(Jessica Simpson) who happens to have a thing for Employees of the month. Unfortunately the box boy must battle against the cocky douche bag type(Dax Shepherd). Will the slacker find himself turning his life around for the better, or is he just trying to score some poon? First off, I normally hate Jessica Simpson and Dane Cook. But I think in this flick they did a rather good job. Sure, Jessica Simpson was mainly put in the film for cleavage shots, and her character seemed to be written more smarter then what Jessica could offer. But she was good eye candy and in most of these comedies the romantic interests are more often glossed over, so asking for more from her would have been a tad bit boring. I also despise Dane Cook and his ADD style of comedy. But I think his character in this movie was more of a Seth Rogen-esquire type of character. Dane still offers his decent delivery and to be honest he does have some good little acting perks here and their, and besides, he's an interesting character in reality, and that's what makes actors good. And finally, Dax Shepherd makes for an awesome possibly homosexual douche bag. He's constantly being a dick and he does a good job. He's clearly the best part of this flick. Along with the supporting cast of your every day slackers from the bulk grocery store, all of whom do a pretty good job and their characters are pretty awesome. Andy Dick and Tim Bagley especially do a good job at comedic delivery. I personally found the story to be a bit cliché and overdone but the characters and the environment make for some good comedy.
I give it a 7/10, for the characters are pretty well done, and Jessica has a great Rack.
Elephant (2003)
Voyerism at it's best
I recently heard about this movie through a friend and decided to give it a try. Luckily I found it at a pawn shop for 2$ and gave it a whirl. First off, Gus Van Sant is an auteur drama director and his work is not accessible to everyone. If your cup of tea is more towards action flicks or slapstick comedy's then don't even bother checking out this title because it might require your entire days worth of patience. But if you are a fan of Gus Van Sant or any type of Drama then this is a must see.
First off, the plot is very thin for Elephant. An ensemble flick about a good dozen characters over the span of what could possibly be a day. What we know about the characters we learn in what feels like a documentary setting. Every second shot is a one take of at least 30 seconds. Tons of background movement and some incredible atmospheric music sets the tone for this to be repeated over and over. The story plays out sort of like a lullaby. If you're unfamiliar with the premise then you might just fall into this world and begin to feel like you're in the characters shoes. Up until the third act when everything gets insane and intense.
I recommend this mostly for it's mood, it has a rare effect on the right kind of people, and if you're willing to watch everyday teenagers walk through hallways unprepared for the incoming destruction then I suggest this for you. But if you'd prefer a little more plot and a quicker pace then a scene every 3 minutes then I suggest you avoid Elephant. I give it a 10/10, for it's the experience that gets you.
Super Size Me (2004)
It made me oddly hungry.
Supersize me is essentially about how obesity is becoming a nation wide epedemic. and a lot of people are pointing the finger at McDonalds and other fast food restaurants for there unhealthy garbage food which has proved to provide to the problem.
Now as a poor student I need fast food to survive. I suck at cooking and I live by myself. McDonalds is cheap and filling, and to be honest I'm fairly healthy for my age. Even though this is kind of a swaying subject from where I'm gonna head with this review, I just wanted to add that I don't think I could live without fastfood. Just because of my overall negligence to cook. But anyways Super size me is definitely an eye opening film for anyone who has ever eaten at the resteraunt. For me as a Canadian I was shocked at the massive size of the supersized drinks and fries. And I was shocked by the fact that Physed isn't a mandatory class. I had Physed almost every school day from grade 1-12. I was also shocked to hear about the food at the youth detention school was actual... Food. And that most American schools were serving rather unhealthy substitutes. This movie definitely provides some good points to argue why Fast Food and the more commercialized food products are looking out more for the dollar then for the health of the country. Really pathetic.
The only thing i have against this film is that it really made Americans look incredibly stupid with the whole "If you know it's bad for you, why eat it?" thing. I would have liked to see some statistics from other countries to compare, kind of like the French lady who was interviewed. But in short, this is a recommended Documentary for everyone... 7/10
Big Fish (2003)
A Fairytale meets the real world
Big fish is definitely one of my favorite movies of the 2000's. It blends creative storytelling with captivating visuals and direction. It has dozens of memorable character and performances and it has several amazing set pieces and an amazing variety of styles and scenery. From war, to flowers, to a car in a tree, to a circus stopped in time. This is definitely a film you shouldn't miss. Especially if you enjoy fairy tales, coming of age stories, life stories, or generally any kind of movie. It has something to offer for everyone. If it wasn't for the incredibly on the nose ending it might have been my favorite movie of the decade.
The Final Destination (2009)
Really disappointing.
To be honest I expected a lot from this movie coming in because it was directed by the guy who did the second one, which was my favorite. In short this is the same formula which was used for the previous 3 films. Guy has premonition, saves people, then they start dieing because it's deaths plan and death cannot be ignored. To be honest no one goes to a movie like this expecting a plot. But even in the first and second one the deaths were more involving to the plot. As for this one... To be fair the set pieces/deaths did have their moments. A racist getting dragged by a tow truck on fire, a douchebag getting his intestines ripped out from a pool suction device, a garage worker being pushed and then cut by a fence because of a chain reaction of accidents, and and the mom's death was by far the most tense. I didn't even expect what happened to her.
But the last half of the movie takes a severe turn for the worst. The deaths are stupid, the characters don't even seem to care anymore about them(The main character shrugs it off after the alcoholic black guy died) and the whole finale death was really really really out there. i couldn't suspend my belief to such a degree to understand how any of it worked. It was all unplausible. As for some of the others, even though they were highly unlikely, they were still given some benefit of the doubt.
for the kills I give this movie a 6/10 for an overall movie I give it a 3/10. Go watch the first and second one since they're the money shot deaths. Or you could just watch all the deaths on youtube and save yourself from wasting time on the useless/boring plot.
Avatar (2009)
Visually astounding. But that's about it.
After all the hype and all the Oscar noms I decided to give this a try. I watched it on my laptop(sue me) so i didn't get to grasp the entire visual array of it. But I've seen enough effect driven movies that I don't even really care about it anymore. So this movie made me very disappointed, I was laughing for a good portion of the movie as every scene boiled down. I was inches away from turning it off. I was just so.... I'll boil it down The Goods-The world is captivating and gorgeous. It's a jungle like land filled with very interesting creatures and very amazing scenery. The general theme of the movie(Despite the fact that it is Pocohantas) is always a heart warming one. Well, that's about it for goods. Bads-Terrible clichés left and right. I as a I writer couldn't help myself by calling some of them out. The entire goal of the army itself is one massive cliché. Most of the characters act in clichés. The typical badass leader. The typical arrogant technical guidance guy. They even stole the scene from Apocalypse Now(The scene where Duvall is riding in a helicopter with a cup of coffee.) The dialogue is terrible. Nothing memorable about it. Thank god it didn't get nominated for best script. The last 45 minutes is pure retardation. Why on earth would you drop bombs on area filled with your own men? Why did they eve go down to the ground? Why do they have knives if they have guns? Why didn't they just fireball everything like they did with the tree? Why did a bunch of primitive horse riding blue people manage to take down a far superior society? All these things made me cringe. Also, for the first half of the movie the plot is extremely thin. most of it was to form the relationship between the main character and the love interest. But for a sci-fi fantasy style movie you should always put story first, instead Cameron did this to show off the world without really providing a lot for the story. And to be honest every character in this movie is incredibly flat and boring. non of them have back stories except for Jake. And non of them are very interesting at a character standpoint. I never for the life of me understood how a human who barely fought in the wars could lead this tribe which obviously showed some superiority.
I give this movie a 4/10. Mark my words, it will be forgotten once the next shiny movie comes out. All in all, it has the same effect that Independence Day had. Awesome Visuals, aliens, massive budget. The only difference is that ID had enjoyable characters. But it had a terrible ending and also suffered from the clichés.