austind69 Reviews

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Great Cinema, and a classic movie...but...

[9/10 · 31 August 2009]

I am a huge Tarentino fan. That being said, I cannot give this movie a 10/10 as I was hoping. I would of is there had been that "Crazy 88's" scene from Kill Bill, or a Pulp Fiction "Gimp Scene", but alas there wasn't. The action is great when it happens, and the acting it top notch. However, in the interim, I only saw bits and pieces of the Tarentino I have been a loyal fan of for the better part of 2 decades now. From the opening scene of this movie, there is a certain intensity, and that is kept by the scene stealing Christoph Waltz, who IMO stole the show, and the rest of the cast has a strong showing with witty and often times unforeseeable moments of hilarity. Still though, conflicted at times this movies drifts into plot points that are hard to follow, and you're not quite sure what direction the movie is going. A second viewing will hopefully clear some of these up. The best point of this movie are the acting and grainy om-age' to cinema. I feel as though Tarentino really captured the feel of WWII Nazi occupied France. The pacing is good, and in Tarentino is still the king of diologue only to pull the "pin" on the hand grenade when you least expect it, derailing th entire scene...and if you haven't been paying attention, leaving you in shock as to what just happened. I will say though, if you are expecting an action thrill ride (Which is what I was expecting based on the previews), you will be disappointed. I must score this a 9 out of 10 based on the acting, the intensity and at times "awkwardness" of anxiety Tarentino is a master of creating. Pitt was awesome by the way...and needs an honorable mention. This movie is a must see and only loses a point because it was missing that pinch of "Oregano" which is that great scene of action I/we were all wishing/waiting for. Yes, this is a Nazi killing movie...so I wanted to see an awesome Nazi action sequence of wading knee deep into Nazi's with a belt fed machine gun...or a scene of someone like Til Schweiger (Stiglitz) go to work on killing some Nazi's...and killing them brutally. There were small cuts of such scenes, but where was the monumental "House fight" from Kill Bill between Vivica A. Fox and Uma Thurman equivalent? I am using Kill Bill as a reference because there were so many GREAT cinematic action sequences in that film, and the previews lead us down the path that such action was in this movie, when it's not. In closing, a GREAT movie...just not an action packed flick like the previews lead us to believe. So go into it with that expectation, and you'll be fine.

Mail Order Wife (2004)

The MockUMentary that had me FOOLED!

[10/10 · 17 October 2007]

This is a dark and VERY disturbing film in the sense that somewhere, some place out there...this has probably happened.

The lead Character is a chubby doorman, and at first comes off as a decent guy. Soon, we come to the horrific conclusion of his true intentions. But, are we to believe that this "innocent" mail order bride is really that innocent? As the film progresses we see that not everyone behaves as they should and not all ethical choices are the correct ones. The end is by far the funniest part of this mockumentary, as the sound man's dad steals the show. With a shoestring budget, we need to keep in mind what they did with this...and the level of a film they've delivered. Give this a chance...it's like watching a train wreck in slow motion. The girlfriend and I BOTH really like this movie. Give it a chance and ignore the low rating, it is a GREAT little movie! "Keep stirring and stirring...keep stirring"

Abominable (2006)

Suspiciously high rating...it's a B movie all the way

[3/10 · 23 September 2006]

I read the comments about this movie and thought it would be a great change of pace...this was NOT the case. This is a made for cable TV movie all the way. I think they could of done a better job on the monster as well considering other OLDER movies such as "Pumpkinhead" had WAY better animatronics and is almost 20 years old. To me, this was a movie that had a lot more potential than it lived up too. A strong cast where the most popular recognizable names had a few minutes of screen time. The gore was good..and seemed well done, however it seemed complementary in order to appeal to a certain genre of horror fans while suppling a good jump periodically when not expected. The acting was over done by the main characters and had a feel of pushing the character instead of the audience getting lost in the character which ultimately leads to you realize you're watching someone act and not become the character. Some of the props seemed staged and placed for effect instead of something like "The Decent" where it felt real and part of the landscape. I wish I could of given this a higher rating, but overall I was left feeling cheated and a Friday was wasted on a 2am straight to video movie where I called the ending half way into it and it lived up to everything I thought it wouldn't be. I'd say, if you want to laugh at a badly done movie with potential and your DVD library is exhausted, put it in with some popcorn and peyote and you'd have a good time. Otherwise, I'd say pass on it. I do see potential in the director however, so I hope he get's a bigger budget and a better sense of what not to do. Again, suspiciously high ratings by some users.

Alien Autopsy (2006)

A Fun movie...don't judge the low rating

[9/10 · 22 September 2006]

This was one movie I wasn't sure of and went into it knowing next to nothing. It's the true story of the guys that did pull off one of the GREATEST hoax's in our time...and the world over bought into it. And best of all...it made them stinking rich. The acting is top notch and so is the story...as amazingly true as it is. The story takes place now with flash backs to mid 1995 where our characters are working to hustle their way through life...until, they go to the US to buy bootleged Elvis video's. The tale then takes a weird turn which ultimately leads to them having to create a fake video in order to get out of debt to some bad people. All in all, the movie was VERY interesting and I really got a kick out of it. It makes you wonder if there really was an original Alien Autopsy movie. No spoilers here...but the end will make you really wonder what truly happened. It's worth a look you guys...but don't expect some Oscar winning material. It's just a fun Saturday night popcorn movie to laugh with. The low rating is VERY surprising.

Ultraviolet (2006)

Not that bad

[8/10 · 11 March 2006]

No sure why everyone is being so hard on this movie. It is what it is...mindless action and a thin story. It's got some great action and some BEAUTIFUL Cinematography. The story revolves around some Vampire type disease, which I think they made a poor choice in going with that. It's been done and doesn't need to be redone again. They should of just made it a mutated HIGHLY deadly and contagious disease. Just keep in mind it's not meant to be real. It's along the lines of a Mission Impossible thing...just that..."IMPOSSIBLE" stunts and feats of acrobatics. If you think of it that way, sit back with your popcorn and enjoy the visuals...especially of Mila strutting around in some TIGHT clothing with her hot bod! ;)

Waiting... (I) (2005)

Glorifies Waiting Tables...which isn't a bad thing

[6/10 · 23 January 2006]

This is a fun movie...but after you see it, you'll never want to see it again...unless of course you're actually working in a TGIFridays or a Red Robin. I worked at a large restaurant and I felt this movie was small. The size of the restaurant I worked in was HUGE in comparison...which is one thing that seemed to turn me off about this movie. I did like some of the laughs, but a lot of them had been done before. The rudeness of some of the setups was fresh and unique, but the problem I had is so few movies dare to really go over that edge. I won't give anything away, but there is only one scene that they really went over, and my girlfriend and I BOTH think they should of put in A LOT more of those to achieve cult status. Both her and I LOVE Ryan Reynolds, but felt he is capable of WAY more sick and twisted depth as an actor. Look at him in "Buying the Cow" and you'll see what I mean. So, is it worth seeing? Yes, especially if you've waited on tables or worked in the industry. Is it worth buying? No, once you've seen it...you'll never want to see it again.

P.S. ALWAYS be nice to your server, they have a hard job and can make you're food "special" if you're not careful. ;)

Mousehunt (1997)

Hilarious!

[9/10 · 25 December 2005]

This is one of those movies that catches you off-guard. As campy and seemingly silly as it is...it's still all around fun. From the first opening minutes you'll see some of the humor is a bit on the dark-side, which is what holds it's appeal. The brothers both seem dim witted, yet lovable. You see their just as fumbling and off as many of us have felt attimes, which helps us relate to the characters. The way the CGI andmouse was done gives a real sense of interaction, and a surprise cameo by a notable Hollywood HEavyweight is a nice surprise. Yet in the end, without giving too much away, it's about tolerance and someone trying to find a balance to everything and their surroundings. This falls along the ways of Babys Day Out. So if you enjoy prop driven humor and gag setups or just need a break from the stamped out Hollywood flicks, this is a MUST see and you'll find yourself laughing uncontrollably. :)