Awakening124 Reviews

Quarantine (2008)

What is with all the hate for this movie?

[10/10 · 14 March 2010]

Guys, just because it's an American remake doesn't automatically mean it will be crap.

It's NOT a shot for shot remake, either. The tweaks, little changes, added scares, and altered reason for why it's happening in the first place addressed the original's weak spots and fixed them to great effect. The elevator sequence in particular was a fantastic addition. Once the horror starts, it just doesn't let go. Before you get a real chance to breathe, the next shock/disturbing image slaps you in the face in a truly frightening way.

I also preferred Jennifer Carpenter's performance as Angela to the original Spanish actress. The Spanish actress was good, don't get me wrong, but the progression from a like-able girl with a bit of fire and wit to her to a bundle of pure terror was better communicated by Carpenter. There were also a couple of small but very important additions that gave us a better sense of her descent into hysteria than in the original.

A couple of guys took a great horror film and made it better, so what the hell is everyone's problem? Obviously if you don't like the shaky-cam style then this movie isn't for you, which is your issue, not the movie's. There IS a story, you just have to PAY ATTENTION to catch it, because this movie gets very frantic for very justifiable reasons.

Everyone just needs to calm down and stop looking for ridiculous reasons to hate a movie.

The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005)

A great surprise. Daring, intelligent, thoughtful, poignant.

[10/10 · 17 June 2009]

This film deals with a lot of things and most of them aren't terribly controversial or taboo (except for the lynch pin of the whole movie, but I won't disclose that here) but they're all wonderfully told and simply beautiful to watch. This is an odd movie, with odd characters and odd situations, and yet it is so incredibly truthful. You'll have to watch it more than once to really get in there and see all of the layers and issues addressed, but it also won't all fly over your head the first time you see it.

Daniel Day Lewis is mostly known these days for his roles in Gangs of New York and There Will Be Blood, but this little film truly showcases the actor's range. First of all, his Scottish accent is dead on. Second of all, the man knows how to work as an actor. Rarely have I ever seen such a union of head acting and intuitive acting in a single man, but by god he's got it, and his talent lends to Jack's character 100 times over.

I was surprised by Camilla Belle's performance as Rose. While I've technically seen better, Belle does have this certain quality that makes me believe her when she acts, and that's a fantastic thing to have as an actress. I really got a sense of her inner life, and how she took in the world around her. I'm excited to see how she grows.

Everyone else in this film was simply wonderful. The writer/director obviously worked incredibly hard on this, and the fantastic quality of the finished product proves it.

Be warned though: This film challenges the viewer's outlook on a VERY touchy subject, and not everyone likes to be challenged in that way. I would not recommend this to people who are stuck in their ways.

Star Trek (2009)

Wow, I'd forgotten how much I love Star Trek

[10/10 · 9 May 2009]

This is quite possibly the best 'reboot' a franchise has ever gotten. I hadn't watched anything Star Trek in so long that I'd forgotten how much I loved the universe and the characters in it, and this movie definitely reminded me. The dialogue is wonderful, the acting is right where it needs to be, and the direction was another hit out of the park by JJ. I literally have no complaints. It's both an action AND story packed 2 hours that is so massive and enthralling it left my head spinning (and a movie hasn't done that to me in years).

Even if you're not a Trekkie, GO SEE IT. This could very well change your mind.

Pocahontas (I) (1995)

I forgot just how beautiful this movie is...why is it so underrated??

[10/10 · 19 March 2009]

I haven't watched Pocahontas in maybe ten years, but I was feeling nostalgic one day and popped it in. I could not believe how truly BEAUTIFUL this movie is, in every aspect.

MUSIC: Aside from the songs everyone knows (Just Around the River Bend and Colors of the Wind) every single other song in the film is wonderful, with soaring harmonies and Broadway quality singing. Everything was masterfully written and executed. The music alone is reason enough for this to be adapted into a full out Broadway musical, but don't worry...the music is brilliant but it doesn't scream "MUSICAL!" like Hairspray or Mamma Mia.

ANIMATION: Drop. Dead. Gorgeous. Every single frame is such wonderful eye candy, and the camera work serves the sweeping storyline extremely well.

STORY: Dramatic (with it's humorous moments of course), romantic, and it carries a very important message of peace, maturity, and fighting against ignorance and prejudice from BOTH sides. This is possibly the Disney movie with the greatest message for kids.

HISTORIC ACCURACY: Yes, Disney changed the true story quite a bit, but if you look to Disney for accurate re-tellings of historical events you have a serious PROBLEM. This movie is more 'Inspired by' than 'Based on' and since the true story is about a 13-14 year old falling in love with 30-40 year I think we can all appreciate that they took some liberties with a KIDS' MOVIE.

All in all, I really don't get why this isn't revered as a classic right along with The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast.

Australia (2008)

Those not familiar or not fans of Baz's style stand a greater chance of not liking this

[10/10 · 26 November 2008]

I'm familiar with, and love, Baz's style so Australia was another exciting endeavor into that style without trying to be another Moulin Rouge or Romeo and Juliet. As I was watching it, however, it occurred to me that those who don't REALLY know his style will find the movie over the top and ridiculous. When it comes to progressing atmosphere and tone, Australia is very close to R&J and Moulin Rouge. After a brief dramatic beginning it goes into a crazy, silly, zany stretch, and over the course of the film starts to turn into an epic drama. The world of this movie is heightened, especially in the beginning, just like R&J, Moulin Rouge, and even 300 and Sin City. What makes the heightened atmosphere a bit harder to understand is the relatively normal premise and surroundings providing a more realistic backdrop.

That being said, I thought Australia was highly entertaining with great performances all around and a sweeping storyline that dared to go past normal boundaries. A typical film would have made the entire story about trying to drive the cattle across the country, but Australia goes one better and makes the end of that storyline the halfway point, instead opting for a much grander scale.

There were a couple of creative choices that I would have made differently, but the only one that I feel even remotely strong about is something at the end that just sort of happens when it doesn't need to.

I also think the should've been made for an R rating. I'm sure that Drovers curse more, bombings produce more blood, etc. It wouldn't have to be a hard R, but there were times when I felt that the PG-13 rating held the moment back from being more truthful.

Because of the very particular style of the director, I would recommend to THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER SEEN A BAZ LUHRMAN MOVIE to rent Romeo and Juliet and Moulin Rouge to get a taste of what they're in for with Australia. Those who go in completely unaware will most likely be blind-sided. Because of this, I completely expect a ton of wildly mixed reviews from critics and regular moviegoers alike.

Burn After Reading (2008)

Stupid people do stupid things and get in over their head. Yup, it's a Coen film.

[3/10 · 12 September 2008]

-MINOR and VAGUE spoilers-

Burn After Reading is Fargo without the snow and wood chipper. Someone stupid does something stupid and gets other people killed for absolutely NO reason, and it all leads to a literally non-existent ending. Even though the ride has it's high points and keeps you interested, it goes positively nowhere, leaving the viewer with a well-that-was-fun-but-pointless feeling. Even a character in the MOVIE said that nobody learned anything. But wait, it's a Coen brothers film, which means it must be gold.

If you're a Coen brother fan, you probably won't be disappointed. If you're not, Burn After Reading will not convert you.

The Dark Knight (2008)

If you're doubting that TDK will live up to the crazy hype, don't.

[10/10 · 18 July 2008]

It's very, very rare that a movie sooooo incredibly hyped up actually meets expectations, and The Dark Knight proved to be a rarity. Masterfully directed, superbly acted (there is no justice in this world if Ledger doesn't posthumously win the Oscar for Best Supporting), beautifully shot, expertly crafted...there's just flat out nothing wrong with The Dark Knight. The film takes the first half to gloriously sink it's claws into you, and the second half holding on until the very last moment. Absolutely brilliant, and 100% deserving of every scrap of praise it receives. As for every single other summer movie that comes out in the future: Take notes. This is how you do it.

The Strangers (2008)

FINALLY, something a step above trash like The Eye and One Missed Call

[8/10 · 2 June 2008]

I love a good suspense/horror movie, but the problem is that so few horror movies are actually GOOD these days. I blame Lionsgate for the most part, since they're the main company churning out horrible movies and calling them "horror." The Strangers is a nice breath of fresh suspense. It takes a simple premise (instead of over-complicating things with super natural B.S. like the movies mentioned in this review's title) and makes it truly frightening. I thrives on simple moments, but those moments are full of intensity and fear. The acting is on point, the script is very real, and it all feels very fresh. The only thing that's even remotely negative is the thing with the Mormon kids, but it's not too huge of a deal. If you're a fan of SUSPENSE, go see The Strangers.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

The 'crystal skull' is made of PLASTIC and filled with aluminum FOIL.

[5/10 · 25 May 2008]

Sadly, my subject line was not a joke. The central prop of a movie with a budget way north of $100 million looks like it was made by a bored 12 year old. The rest of the movie follows suit.

When I think about the things they put into this movie, it really baffles me. From the horrific snake prop (which ruins an otherwise great Indy moment) to some of the worst green screens and CGI work I've ever seen, Indy 4 just fails, and pretty miserably at that.

The funniest line of the movie made me slightly chuckle, and every other good line was in the trailer. The stunt doubles are PAINFULLY obvious, and the poor cast is reduced to almost nothing by a really awful script. There are so many screamingly bad moments in this movie, and the rare moment that's not so bad is in the trailer, so you've seen it.

That's another thing: IF YOU'VE SEEN THE TRAILER, YOU'VE SEEN EVERYTHING EVEN REMOTELY GOOD THAT THIS MOVIE HAS TO OFFER. I'm serious. With the exception of a cool shot of Indy watching a mushroom cloud billow up (and that's ruined by the fact that he just randomly escaped from the blast against every law of physics in the book), you've seen it all.

Who do we have to blame for all of this? Geoge Lucas. No, I'm not a mindless Lucas hater, it just so happens to be a cold hard fact that Lucas is the one who screwed this movie up. Evidence: 1. A while back, Spielberg had a script that he was really excited about and all ready to shoot. at the last minute, Lucas looked at it and decided to throw the whole thing out and start over. 2. It took Lucas YEARS (that's right, YEARS) to CONVINCE Spielberg and Ford that putting ALIENS in an INDY film wasn't just a good idea, but as good of an idea as the ARK.

So is there anything in this thing that's GOOD? I did like the final moment of the film because, while it set up Shia to take over as his own type of Indy, it also makes the point that no one will ever be Indy. There's also a really funny moment when Indy is getting scrubbed down, and it's all thanks to Ford. These little moments don't save the movie by any stretch of the imagination, though.

Be careful, Lucas, your work is starting to remind me of Uwe Boll.

Cloverfield (2008)

I haven't been this tense in a movie theater in sooooo long

[10/10 · 26 January 2008]

With all of the crazy viral marketing (that started way too early) some people were worried if it could live up to the hype. It COMPLETELY surpassed my expectations, and I went in expecting it to be good in the first place. Once things pick up and start rolling about 15 minutes in, I didn't relax until the credits started rolling. Yes, they give you a few brief moments to catch your breath, but even then you're still on edge, waiting for the next attack. I can't imagine this movie being executed in any way other than the hand held approach. They somehow managed to pull off SEVERAL absolutely beautiful shots/camera angles while still fitting into the hand held setting. The acting and dialog is so natural that it doesn't feel like they're acting a script...at ALL. It's incredibly intense, you're really pulled into the character's corners, and it's filmed wondrously. If you get motion sickness easily, you'll probably want to wait 'till this is out on DVD. Other than that...GO SEE THIS MOVIE. It's one of the greatest monster movies of all time. Actually...scratch that...it's THE greatest monster movie of all time.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Nothing can prepare you

[10/10 · 21 December 2007]

Speaking as an avid fan of the show and all of the major players involved with movie, this is the greatest musical adaptation. Period. It's faithful to the original work, only making cuts and trims where it's necessary, and captures the essence of the show and the many dynamics and layers that go with it. This show is no picnic. They don't call it the most difficult musical ever for no reason. To pull off a movie adaptation of this show even remotely well can be considered an accomplishment. To equal, and in some ways surpass, the greatness of the original work is unheard of, and it happens with Burton's Sweeney Todd. I can't sing this movie's praises enough (pun half intended). Fans of the Broadway show will be happy, fans of Burton will be happy, fans of Depp will be happy, fans of Carter will be happy, even fans of Sascha Baron Cohen will be happy. Burton somehow pulled it all off, with the help of a stellar cast and Oscar caliber technical staff.

No, I'm not exaggerating in this review. The only excuse you have for not seeing this movie is if you're super squeamish about blood (even then the blood is pretty artistic and over the top, but not too much so) or you simply don't like dark material...and let me just say that you'd be hard pressed to find darker subject matter.

A little NOTE to FANS OF THE SHOW: The first time you see this, don't be surprised if it flies by really fast. This happened to me, and I realized that it was probably because I wasn't used to a lot of the songs being trimmed and such. The second time I saw the pace felt MUCH slower and more coherent.

Atonement (2007)

One of the best films in the past decade, hands down

[9/10 · 7 December 2007]

Atonement has everything: Drama, romance, stunning visuals, tragedy, compelling storyline...it's all here.

Acting: Everyone was on top of their game, but the real scene stealer here is James McAvoy. He deserves every ounce of praise he will inevitably receive for this performance...no kidding. Keira Knightley pulls off a riveting performance, but nothing as eye popping as McAvoy.

Story: It simply has to be experienced to be understood. You won't know the whole story or feel the full impact until the credits roll, it's that solid.

Visuals: More proof that you can have a deep story AND lush, rich visuals, not to mention some truly stellar cinematography. There's one really long shot in particular that is just overwhelmingly beautiful but incredibly tragic at the same time.

The more I think about this movie, the more I love it. I will definitely be seeing this again. Atonement is a serious contender for every Best Picture award out there, and rightfully so. The only NEGATIVE things I have to say about it is that the music is a little too much in a couple of spots, it drags a little in one particular spot, and they make a time jump a little too quickly so it's a bit jarring, but those problems are nit picks and hardly worth mentioning.

This could very well be another movie where it's okay for men to cry too.

Beowulf (2007)

Wahhhhhh, you can't have style AND substance, it's just not possible!

[9/10 · 18 November 2007]

Nobody seems to think that a movie can look good and have substance, so when a visually stunning movie comes along there's all of these people that whine about how its all flash, no substance no matter how much substance there actually IS ::cough:: Sin City, 300 ::Cough:: Beowulf is full to the brim of visual goodness, and its also full to the brim with mature, intelligent themes and a wonderfully complex not-so-typical lead character.

This is by no means sugar coated in any way, and pushes its PG-13 rating pretty close to the breaking point.

I love that they didn't make Beowulf some uber sexy thing that the girls would swoon over, instead we got a physique that fit the character instead of played off women's fantasies of a swashbuckling romance novel hero.

I've read some comments that the movie "drags" in some places, which simply isn't true if you're actually listening to what going on and not just waiting for the next action sequence. Apparently if nobody is bleeding, the movie is dragging...ugh.

I've also read comments that the eyes are "lifeless." I must have been watching a different movie, because the emotion held in each character's eyes was pretty dang flawless, definitely not wooden.

Long story short: Come for the visuals, stay for the story.

The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019)

CBS, please keep this on the air!!!!

[10/10 · 1 October 2007]

When my boyfriend tuned into the premiere I thought the show was going to be stupid. I was so surprised. This is the first TV show to really showcase nerds with pretty much dead on accuracy. This has a sparkling cast (Jim Parsons is the new and improved David Hyde Pierce) and fantastic humor that ranges from light slapstick to seriously quick wit. This show is a great love letter to nerds, and as such any nerd should give this a try. With a bunch of new (and very lame) shows debuting, it's good to see something worth watching! This premise isn't exactly new but the execution is nothing short of brilliant. Give it a shot!!

Mr. Brooks (2007)

Too many things holding this great idea back

[6/10 · 5 August 2007]

I saw Mr. Brooks at the dollar theater (it was weekend so it was a whole $2 for one ticket) and the movie was worth about that much. It tried to be a family drama, a thriller, and a dark comedy all at the same time, and due to the Director's lack of vision and talent, it came out as a big mess, with dramatic parts being funny and funny parts being dramatic, and several unintentionally funny moments.

Dane Cook really surprised me, especially since the material he was working definitely wasn't the best. He's a great comedian, but I was a bit skeptic going into the theater for obvious reasons. He turns out a pretty decent performance, and really makes me wonder what he could do with a really great character as opposed to a severely underdeveloped one.

Kevin Costner's role should've been given to a more capable actor. There's not one scene he has that's even remotely convincing, partly due to the poor script and partly due to Costner's lack of ability.

Demi Moore's character is completely and entirely unnecessary to anything in the movie. There is no reason for her what so ever.

I saw this for $2 and that's about what its worth. I wish I'd just waited for it to come out on DVD so I could only watch the Dane Cook scenes (something I never thought I'd say and mean).

Brick (2005)

It's biggest flaw is the high school setting

[7/10 · 2 June 2007]

First the good: Brick is filmed very well, creating a gritty, dark atmosphere that sets the right mood for a film like this. The plot itself has some serious potential, but it's marred by the movie's faults. Joseph Gordon-Levitt turns in a solid performance, and ends up being one of the only reasons to sit through the whole thing.

Now the bad: High schoolers are nowhere near this sophisticated. Teenagers are running around, making detailed plans, heading up drug rings, playing intricate games of cat and mouse, and talking like they've been around the block a few times. Even a college setting would've been more believable. Then there's 'The Pin.' From the second he comes on the screen you can't help but picture this guy in his mother's basement playing D&D and watching Star Trek. Instead, we're supposed to believe that's he's in his mother's basement heading up a drug ring and generally controlling the neighborhood. The dialog, when you could understand it, simply felt wrong and ridiculous coming from the mouths of babes. There was virtually no set up or establishing of characters. The film literally drops you into the world and expects you to buy it, which sets you up with this odd feeling the entire time. Mostly due to unintelligible dialog, it was difficult to keep track of what exactly was going on. You'd watch characters interact, see that some vital piece of information was being divulged, but be unable to hear it unless you cranked up the volume and rewound it a couple of times.

RENT Brick before you even think about buying it...it's a mixed bag that you'll either embrace or think, "Wtf?"

300 (2006)

The standard for both art and 'badass' films has just been shattered

[10/10 · 9 March 2007]

There's hardly words to describe the monumental achievement that is 300. EVERY SINGLE FRAME is a piece of art worth hanging in prominent display at a museum. The ultraviolent, heightened reality that you're (not just drawn but) sucked into demands your attention and never lets you catch a break. The story itself is fairly simple but effective and amazingly executed. The acting fits right in with the surroundings, dead serious, heavy, intense, and passionate. GERARD BUTLER delivers a performance with so much gravity that your eyes are riveted to him for every second he's on screen. He radiates authority, brutality, intelligence, power, royalty, humanity, and so much more. If he doesn't get the (long overdue) attention he deserves, I'll be forced to throw something. No amount of praise could do this film justice. Even the CREDITS are a work of artistic genius. Don't run, dive into theaters. 300 has to be seen to be believed.

The New World (2005)

A very, very mixed bag.

[5/10 · 3 March 2007]

Okay, let's see here:

The good: Amazing acting. The bad: Little dialogue and long gazes gets old...fast.

The good: Gorgeous shots of nature and wonderful cinematography. The bad: There's no one shot that lasts longer than ten seconds, and I'm being generous there, so it becomes a constant reminder that you're watching a movie. "Oh wow, look at great camera angle and that evokes just the right- Wait, it's gone."

The good: The story, as a whole, has the potential to be powerful, moving, and evocative. The bad: The long winded style of film-making drags out an hour and forty five minute story to two and a half hours.

The good: What little lines are spoken are thoughtful and poetic. The bad: Virtually all of the lines spoken are voice overs to show what the character is thinking and it gets old after a while.

When I walked into the room and saw that this was on, I was intrigued at first, mesmerized by the subtle performances and how John Smith and Pochahontas were delicately interacting with each other....then it just kept going....and going....With huge chunks of time passing in a single moment but with no indication so by the time you've figured out what's going on something else has happened or some character has realized something vitally important.

A+ for effort, D for actual quality.

House M.D. (2004–2012)

Pllllllease watch a full episode.

[10/10 · 14 February 2007]

I judged House by the commercials and decided that it sucked for the longest time. Then I visited my brother in Brooklyn and he flipped it on. It was better than I expected, but I just didn't "get" Greg House's character and wondered how anyone could watch an ass like that every week. Then I read some of the threads on the message board, got some insight to his character, and checked it out again. I'm completely hooked. House is one of the greatest characters in television and movies. The show would be good without him, but it wouldn't have made nearly as big of a splash. Hugh Laurie, as House, carries the show very well, and his supporting cast is definitely sturdy enough to compliment him well.

House is the first, and only, medical show I really like, and I've gotten my boyfriend and his mother into it now too (and they hated it way more than I did to begin with).

Give it a decent shot and you should be surprised.

My Super Sweet 16 (2005– )

What this show really needs is a follow up episode.

[1/10 · 14 February 2007]

One look at this show and you know that it's devoid of all intelligence and a completely frustrating, painful waste of time.

All the other reviews have covered how shallow and ridiculous Super Sweet Sixteen is, but I've figured out what the show needs: Follow up episodes. A few years down the line Mtv should document the mental breakdown every single one of these sons and daughters will have when their luck runs out and they realize how pointless their existence is, or when they end up in rehab from their drug/alcohol/eating disorder issue and how they finally grow up from it. That's a show I would watch.

I, Robot (2004)

A nice surprise with a mediocre final three minutes.

[8/10 · 21 January 2007]

I was surprised at how much I liked this movie. Will Smith (while not 100% perfect for the part) performed very well, the script was pretty tight with only a couple of 'misses' as far as humor attempts were concerned, the graphics were gorgeous, the action was very well filmed, and the story kept me interested. I'd give I Robot a nine, but the last three minutes were a pretty big let down. It's like the writer suddenly went retarded and gave every character something stupid/cheesy to say. Put that with the sappy music and characters looking out over a dawning city, and you get a letdown of an ending. Rent it before you buy it. I bought it.

Running with Scissors (2006)

Hilarious when it wants to be and poignant when it needs to be.

[10/10 · 30 October 2006]

The book was great fun and very interesting to read, and the movie is the same. While there's a little more drama in the movie than in the book, I got the same feeling I had while reading the book, and it stayed with me the whole time. I wouldn't be surprised if Annette Benning and Joseph Fiennes were (at least) nominated for a Golden Globe and/or Academy Award for their respective performances. Both of them embraced their characters and impressed me scene after scene. I don't know why I always lumped Evan Rachel Wood in with the likes of Mischa Barton and similar 'actresses,' but after seeing RwS I stand completely corrected. This girl has something, and I can't wait to see what she does with her career. This movie should not be missed. If you're a fan of dysfunction, or have a crazy relative or two, SEE THIS MOVIE. You could read the book instead, depending on which form of entertainment you prefer, and you'd get the same experience. Other filmmakers should take note of RwS. This is what happens when you turn a book into a movie CORRECTLY.

Saw III (2006)

My expectations were met to the nth degree.

[10/10 · 27 October 2006]

While they stepped up on the gore a bit, it's still the same Saw we know and love. This is one of my favorite trilogies ever, with every entry being just as strong (if not stronger) as the one before it. YOu get everything with the third installment: Gore, story, acting, creativity, and one hell of an ending. Every Saw film had me covering my mouth, my eyes wide with shock at the twist(s), and this one delivers just as superbly as the other two. Fans of Saw will LOVE this one. If you're not already a fan of the first two, however, I doubt this one will change your mind, as it's hardly a departure from the previous two movies. If anything, it embraces what it is even more.

The Departed (2006)

One of the best films this year, despite a couple of flaws.

[9/10 · 8 October 2006]

Acting: Top notch. Everyone involved gives a top caliber performance and, let me just say, it's so good to see Nicholson being the crazy badass we all know and love again. Even though Baldwin doesn't have much screen time, he steals the show with almost all of his lines.

Dialogue: I cracked up more than once, and I felt myself barely breathing the rest of the time. It went from darkly humorous to riveting in a flash, and did so brilliantly.

Story: I gasped more than once during the ending, if that's any inclination. This movie's long, but it more than held my interest the entire time so I'm not complaining.

So why didn't I give The Departed a ten? It was held back from true greatness by shoddy editing (I noticed at least ten inconsistencies, and I'm sure there were more that I missed since I was so entertained) and a very serious flow problem. It jumped from scene to scene so quickly that I found myself confused a decent part of the time, especially in the beginning, and a good portion of scenes were completely useless. For example, there's a one minute long scene of Nicholson's character throwing crack on a bed and telling a hooker to snort it 'till she's numb that comes out of nowhere, and disappears just as quickly. You could say it was to show how screwed up his character was but, trust me, there was plenty of whacked out crap to serve as proof of the villain's madness, so the scene was useless.

Despite its flaws, though, it shouldn't be missed. Scorsese does it again with this brutal, dark caper that keeps you guessing up until the end. You'll laugh, you'll jump, and you'll have to pick your jaw up off the floor. There's one scene in particular, centering around a cell phone 'conversation' in which nothing is said and both characters stare at the phone, simply thinking. If the actors weren't as brilliant as they are, it'd be a waste, but their talent lets you practically be able to read their minds. Simply brilliant.

If you're a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Martin Scorsese, Martin Sheen, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg or Alec Baldwin, GO SEE THIS MOVIE.

V for Vendetta (2005)

It just doesn't know what it is.

[5/10 · 16 September 2006]

All five of the stars I gave it go to Hugo Weaving for making the best out of a bad situation. This movie has multiple personalities, jumping from thrilling to slap stick in a heartbeat, which is probably because the man who took on the massive project has never directed anything before, and it shows. A lot. The dialogue is, well, bad. It's embarrassing at times, actually. The mask V wears the whole time, along with the hair cut, is down right creepy and, while the creepiness decreases as the movie chugs along, it never really goes away. VfV had me rolling my eyes at more than one point, raising my eyebrow once, and almost laughing about three times. If you can take a hero who's shown cooking eggs in a pink apron seriously, then you might be able to get through this.