Change Your Image
nintendovi
Reviews
Kinsey (2004)
Issues that will Always Plague the World
No matter how you try to discuss it, sexuality is a touchy subject. People have their own thoughts and opinions about what is acceptable and where the line should be drawn. I think the work that Kinsey did, at least based on his depiction in the movie (I never studied the man or anything like that) was groundbreaking - ahead of its time even. I may not agree with Kinsey's own lifestyle, but there is no denying that his studies proved a lot, like just how great the gap is between what people say and what the reality is.
Kinsey showed that, more than anything, people lie. And to hide these facts rather then get them out in the open is horrible. And it's sad that one man may be locked away for life for something that thousands of other people have done and gotten away with, possibly more so. And I'm not sticking up for Europe either - from what I see and hear it would lead me to believe that the Europeans are actually too loose - but at least they are more accepting of peoples' sexual orientations.
The movie itself is pretty decent, I think that the subject matter just far overshadows the events of the film because it is such a broad topic that is a matter of opinion. I can't tell you if anything was made more dramatic in the transition from real events to a movie, but it didn't seem too dramatic anyway. The actors all handled the subject matter maturely and did okay in their roles, and the story itself was pretty sad to watch. I only hope that, people will learn from their own insecurities and be more honest about who they are.
I've rated the movie a 7/10, because while it is an important subject, it puts you in a quandary of what is right and wrong and can be depressing, and also it's not the kind of film that I usually get into.
Lost in Translation (2003)
An Artistic Depiction of being 'lost'.
At best the movie is a story about feeling out-of-place - in relationships, in life and in surroundings. The visuals are nice and the movie is powerful, and while the acting is good the story could have used more work.
Bill Murray plays a middle-aged married man who does alcohol advertisements and travels to Japan for a photo-shoot, all the while promoting the product he's trying to sell. Scarlett Johansson plays a young woman whose husband cares more about his work than his relationship, and would much rather go back to America than stay in Japan and feel lost. Both of the characters feel out-of-place in Japan, which is totally different from America, and find kindred spirits in each other. Murray gets drunk and sleeps with an atrocious lady while he's there, which he will now have to go back home and explain to his wife and children, and Johansson stays in Japan with her husband but it's implied that she may now have the courage to talk to him and tell him things aren't working. The two find unlikely friendship in each other, and possibly learn more about themselves and what they want to do with their lives.
And that's pretty much the whole movie. But, it's still worth watching from an artistic perspective. I should also mention that this movie portrays two peoples' experiences in Japan negatively, and this may not be the case for every American that goes to Japan. Both of the main characters didn't really have much interest in being in Japan either, they were there because of work and spouses.
After watching the movie I did think a lot, about the main characters and what life would be like in Japan, so it does evoke some feelings. Also, the documentary on the DVD that shows everything Sofia Coppola went through as she made the film was pretty interesting, as was the music video, so the extras on the disc are worth a watch.
Thank You for Smoking (2005)
A Smart, Funny Comedy
The movie paints a good picture of what the smoking industry and anti-smoking activists are probably like, and doesn't feed us bullshit. When it comes right down to it, it's a person's own choice whether or not they want to smoke, and while the smoking industry may use shady marketing tactics, every industry out there uses propaganda to get people to buy their product. There's two sides to every argument, and regardless of how you feel about tobacco it's going to be somebody's job to defend it and somebody's job to cut it down.
Intelligent, witty, hilarious, and...is that even a hint of sarcasm I sense? Great film, just go see it already.
Danny Deckchair (2003)
Heartwarming and Enjoyable
It's good to see the good guys win for a change, and Danny Deckchair is a love story that gives you the warm fuzzies. When I sat back and thought about the movie, there really wasn't too much that I disliked about it - a few minor things but I can overlook them in the grand scheme of it all. Really from the first few minutes of the film when Danny is looking for things to do to keep himself occupied, you know that this is going to be an interesting film. And the whole concept of him tying helium balloons onto his lawn chair to see if it will make him fly, as unrealistic as it sounds, just emphasizes the surreal adventure he is about to embark on to find his calling in life.
If you like romantic comedies and Australian people, or the happy and fantastical towns from such movies as Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, you're bound to be won over by DannyDeckchair.
Donnie Darko (2001)
What the Heck was I Watching?
I watched the Director's Cut of Donnie Darko a few years ago, and for whatever reason I was left with loose ends and a senseless plot. The story's about a kid that was supposed to be killed by a meteorite or something, but survives and goes through a weird week. His one teacher inspires him and he starts studying morality or time-travel or something (I forget, it has been a while since I watched it) and another teacher tells him that they've crossed a certain line in talking about the subject because it's getting into things he can't teach.
He keeps seeing this bunny guy, who doesn't really do anything, just kinda sits there and acts weird, then one day Donnie goes to a speech this rich guy is giving and is the only person who disagrees with him, and the bunny tells him to burn down his house, so he does. After this there's a news report that says the rich guy was actually a pedophile, so whether or not this justifies what Donnie did (it doesn't) it's good that the guy was figured out. Then Donnie goes out with this one girl and has sex with her at a party, and when he goes out into the street one night he sees the bunny guy again and kills him, or some-such, and then learns that the bunny guy is the one who saved him from getting killed by the meteorite, or something.
But Donnie didn't want to give the bunny that burden (?) I guess, so he goes back in time through a portal or something, and decides to stay in bed and be killed by the meteor, so that the events of the movie don't take place. The next day it shows Donnie's body being taken away in an ambulance and everyone in town is standing around in shock from it, feeling bad that Donnie died even though they didn't know him, and a couple of people come together because of his death.
So yeah...Didn't really get the movie, again maybe I really missed something in the film, but after I watched it, it made absolutely no sense to me. The whole movie is really about Donnie and how his death is important or something, the teacher and the rich pedophile guy and everyone aren't really that important and don't appear in the movie that much. I have gotten scratched DVDs from the place I rented this movie from before so, who knows, maybe the whole plot of the story was damaged and I just didn't notice it. But I didn't see the scenes just skip or anything, so I guess this is really what the movie is supposed to be, and it is crap.
My opinion - horrible film, made no sense, no questions answered and no real likable characters. I was going to give Donnie Darko a '3' because I was interested enough by it to actually rent it and watch it, but upon writing this review I now realize that I hated this movie, so it is awful enough to garnish a 1/10. Stay clear of it unless you want to waste a small portion of your life (and possibly money) on it and feel confused and disappointed.
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
A Realistic, Awkward world.
I think Adam Sandler's acting in Punch-Drunk Love was pretty decent. I could relate to the character - he got pushed around throughout his entire life by everyone, even his own sister, and he finally wanted to stand up for himself when he fell in love. The story, about taking advantage of a TV Dinner coupon offer, was pretty smart and helped to farther show the main character's attention to little details. And his confrontation with a bully at the end of the movie was interesting also, if a little sad.
But Punch-Drunk Love is actually a happy movie, it just shows one man going through depressing events to find that happiness. You may hear a lot of people criticize this movie, but that is only because they aren't used to Sandler taking on more serious roles. And if you're not setting out to find a comedy, but rather a movie about confidence and love, then you will appreciate this film.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
"Typical" Independent Movie
I want to start by saying, Little Miss Sunshine is not an entirely bad movie - it's just not my kind of movie. Everything comes down to a dysfunctional family putting aside their personal problems to help support the little girl, Olive, in her trip to the beauty pageant. On the way drama and awkwardness ensues, and while everyone starts out a little unhappy at the beginning of the ride, at the end of the day they're all in a good mood despite the crappy events that occurred. I guess the key theme in this movie is "Optimism", or something of that nature.
The acting is alright, but nothing that you would necessarily call 'remarkable'. Steve Carell made a very believable suicide-attempter (though I don't know why they made him gay, to be honest his sexual orientation didn't really matter) and you could sense his uneasiness with the group early on, Alan Arkin did nice work portraying the perverse, drug-addicted grandpa, and even Greg Kinnear had a notable role as the father who was really into his job but failed to realize that the reason he wasn't doing well selling the program was because he was a nobody.
I did not, however, care for the acting of Abigail Breslin and Paul Dano. I had a hard time believing that this little girl was as charming as everyone said she was, and the teen kid was just very fake. I liked the girl's scene with the grandpa where it showed his softer side and that he really cared about his granddaughter, and I liked Carell's scene with the teen because he had someone he could finally talk to in the family without seeming weird around. When Olive finally did her pageant act it was funny, but that kind of ties into her grandfather's influence on her.
There's a couple of funny moments here and there, but it's mostly drama, and drama emphasized through action over words much of the time. I don't want to listen to people swear their heads off at each other and then get quiet and hug for two minutes. A lot of it just came off as being forced, it's like this movie tried too hard to be a regular independent movie. I can't see myself watching this a second time, and definitely not a third. It's pretty much overrated.
Habit (1995)
Entertaining enough for a Watch or Two
While the writing for 'Habit' is so-so, I enjoyed the acting in the movie and thought the main character's portrayal of an alcoholic city guy trying to get over the loss of his father and the end of his relationship was pretty realistic. The supporting characters - the ex-girlfriend and the best friend mostly, was also pretty good, though I didn't care much for the vampire's acting. (She got the job done alright, though, and seemed scary anyway.) The first major event in the movie that I thought showed character growth, was when the main character realized there's more to life than lust and that he needs to start taking care of himself and stop making excuses. The second, which I feel really defines friendship and reliability, was when his friend at first dismissed his claims that his girlfriend was a vampire, but later realized something was wrong and tried to rescue him from the vampiress, charging through his house and breaking down doors to try to help him, possibly believing what he told him now. I think that showed true friendship, going to great lengths on a gut feeling to help a friend, no matter how unbelievable their problem sounds.
It wasn't the most original story and it wasn't the most exciting one, but Habit does a great job of using an unnatural event to help someone with 'bad habits' realize them. Good morals, interesting setting and not a bad watch for anyone that likes a little thrill in their thinking movies. Worth watching a time or two.
Being John Malkovich (1999)
One Wild Trip
Even after seeing this movie three times, I am still not sure quite what to think of it. Being John Malcovich is, a thinking movie in every sense of the word, and it brings to light many questions we may have never asked ourselves before watching it. The most paramount of these questions is, "What is ethical?" The movie can get cheesy at times, and you'll probably grow to dislike the three main characters since they are kind of crazy. It feels like, by the end of the film, the only person who gives a rat about John Malcovich in this opera of tragedy is you. Of course you could look at the possibility of seeing the world through someone else's eyes from a more altruistic standpoint, but that isn't how my eyes see it.
There are some really good camera angles in the movie, and the story itself is pretty interesting, if a bit science-fiction-ish. The acting is good, there's no question about that, and John Malcovich provides a great central character for the events of the story. It's just the whole idea of this 'doorway' and the thought of 'being outside of yourself' that makes this movie original. That, coupled with the powerful acting and visuals, makes this a good movie.
I can't really sit here and try to describe 'Being John Malcovich' without spoiling something or going on a rant about the questions it posed to me, this is really just a film you have to see for yourself and think about. Because it goes into interesting territory and handles the subject matter maturely, I think it's worthy of an 8/10 rating.
Yôjinbô (1961)
Fantastic Example of a Samurai Movie
Yojimbo manages to do something that far too many films fail to take into consideration - it keeps things simple. The characters all have fun and larger-than-life personalities, the plot is straightforward, and it's even got the right amount of seriousness to it to maintain a sense of realism. The acting was all good and believable, and the protagonist's eccentric personality often kept me guessing what he had planned next.
There isn't a lot I have to complain about with Yojimbo. I could probably criticize the movie's usage of stereotypical Japanese personalities, but this is a samurai movie after all, so if anything it helps to form the basis for traditional Japanese culture and ideals. Probably my biggest complaint would be, that there isn't much action in the movie - and that's really the only thing stopping me from giving the movie a '10'. Of course, you have to take into consideration that this isn't a movie about groups of samurai warriors fighting each other, it's a movie about a witty wondering samurai who meets someone nearly as cunning and witty as he.
For anyone that's a fan of samurai films, Japanese culture, proverbs and fables...or even classic American films set in the wild west - then this movie will not disappoint.
L'auberge espagnole (2002)
A decent independent film about making changes in life.
I feel that more than anything, 'Euro Pudding' is a film about adjusting to new people, places and ideas in life. The story moves along at a reasonable pace - not too slow or too fast as many independent films can be - and it takes an upbeat look at the trials and tribulations of a group of multicultural friends trying to live together in a small apartment building.
The main character, Xavier, becomes fast friends with everyone, but is attached to his work (which still seems a little odd seeing as he spent most of the film hanging out with them) and has difficulty letting go of his girlfriend from back home. At first I found him to be an easy character to relate to, but he becomes more spontaneous and unpredictable, perhaps to help show that he has come out of his shell. Despite his love for his now long-distance girlfriend, Xavier takes interest in several new women during his stay and follows through with some of these emotions.
After falling for one girl and going as far as to help her get a room in the apartment, he learns that she is a lesbian. (But there's still obvious sexual tension.) He tells her he is interested in his friend's wife, and she tells him to go for it and to force himself onto her while he's at it. He does this, despite the friend's kindness in letting him stay at his apartment until he got his own place. Granted, the friend was a bit of a douche and his wife seemed unhappy in her marriage/felt out of place in Spain, but he forces himself onto her and commits adultery. And after all of this, Xavier still gets mad at his girlfriend when she tells him she is with someone else (she was lying, but still) and breaks up with him. And he takes it out on his mother during the one day he goes back home to see her.
Xavier's friends become equally dishonest by this point in the movie, especially the English girl who cheats on her boyfriend with the American guy. For some reason everyone wants to keep this secret from her boyfriend, why I don't know. She is shown as being a 'better person' after opening up to the group, and while she is slightly less bitchy she is now a tramp. I guess the story arc was worth it to see her racist brother act gay for comedic relief - something this movie really needs.
Xavier begins to hallucinate and goes to see his friend, who happens to be a neurologist, and has a CAT scan taken. He imagines he had amnesia and has forgotten how to speak French, but this amounts to nothing but guilt for having slept with his friend's wife. The friend reveals that she has told him about the affair and he says he doesn't want him talking to them again. At the end of the movie Xavier's friends throw him a going-away party and they realize that soon the group will be broken up (perhaps this is a good thing...) and on the way out he learns the one girl's friend spoke French the entire time, hinting at a possible romance (or yet another immature fling) after the events of the movie.
Xavier apologizes to his mother - I still think he could have been nicer to her, yet I guess it's true that it's hard to share your feelings with your parents. Then he goes home and talks to his ex-girlfriend one last time, and reflects on the time they spent together. Maybe at this point you start to feel bad for him because you realize he did like this girl, but that this relationship was ultimately killed by him being so consumed by his work.
He gets a nice job and meets all of his co-workers, but after he becomes aware of what he has to look forward to for the rest of his life - organization - he suddenly realizes that he wants to live a messy, unsure life instead. What redeemed Xavier for me was when he explained that he didn't want to let down his childhood dreams of becoming a writer, and pursues this dream since it's what he really wanted to do to begin with. Hearkening back to what he said earlier in the movie, that it's the embarrassing moments in life that make the best stories, we can assume that he will write about the things that happened to him when he went to Spain.
The music track in the movie, "No Surprises", was fitting and I enjoyed it as I am something of a Radiohead fan, but it was the only song in the movie and was used to represent the relationship between Xavier and his girlfriend, but it was overused. I think the acting was good, for the main characters anyway, and I guess it's a pretty realistic situation that could happen to any young person that moves to some unfamiliar place and adapts to it.
I give 'Euro Pudding' a 7/10, because it certainly wasn't the best movie ever, but it had some good messages and realistic situations scattered throughout, and didn't go getting all boring on us.