Cinemaniac

Paris, Je t'aime...un peu

2008-01-14T07:39:00.000-08:00

Paris Je t'aime is a collection of short films by a ton of great writers. Some of the stories are sweet, some are sad, and others are just rip your heart from your chest and burn it, kinda sad. I wish I knew what I was getting myself into with this movie. I'm all emotional and crazy because I quit smoking. I was crying for most of this movie. Some of the stories were very touching but there was always that bittersweet ending. I think there were two, maybe three stories that ended up being "happy".

They also neglected to have someone step in a pile of dog crap (it IS Paris, afterall) but I suppose dog crap has no place in cinema. The stories were fairly believable, but I really wish the Coen brothers would find someone else to feature in their movies. I love Steve Buscemi but unless he finds another face, we've seen what he can do already. Was that mean? It wasn't meant to be.

All in all, the collection of films was lovely but incredibly sad. The acting was wonderful. Everything felt very real. Sweet/sad, but pull out a hanky anyway. You'll need it.

Wow.

2008-01-09T20:49:00.000-08:00

On a whim and some advice from a movie store employee, I watched "Shoot 'Em Up". I've got to say, this was probably the most inventive and entertaining action movie I've seen in a long time. There were fight scenes in this movie that I have never seen done before...not even in Bond movies.

There was literally some crazy shit going on during THE ENTIRE MOVIE. The gun fights were pretty awesome. I don't know who came up with the idea of having a gun battle while sky diving from a 747, but I'd like to shake their hand. Fine work and thank you for actually coming up with something original. Even if the dialog was silly and the plot was silly, the action, for once, actually made up for it.

I've always been the girl who prefers some substance to films, or at least a little gore. I've been known to poo-poo action movies because they lack substance and originality. This movie wasn't one of them. Plus, don't forget the whole reason I watched the movie to begin with...after I heard that the "bad" guy was Paul Giamatti I just couldn't resist. :)

His character was supposed to be really twisted and to enjoy torturing people. Giamatti just isn't that guy. But, the way he played the role made it work. He was still twisted and enjoyed torturing people, but not really in a menacing way. He kept his "Sideways" persona and gave him a knife, a gun and a motive. Interesting to say the least.

So, yeah...watch this movie. It is mindless entertainment, but it is ORIGINAL mindless entertainment. If anyone gets a count on how many bullets were fired in the whole movie, let me know. :)

Eastern Promises...of disappointment

2008-01-04T09:43:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I am fascinated with mob movies, especially violent mob movies. I can't help it. So, I watched Eastern Promises. The characters were interesting, the acting was good, there was an AWESOME fight scene, and then...nothing. There was nothing. The end of this movie pissed me off in a way I haven't been pissed off since I watched Contact. If you have seen Contact you know what I'm talking about. If not, go ahead. Watch it. The movie is fantastic and cool until the end. Ugh. Why do film makers insist on ignoring the importance of the END of the movie?

Eastern Promises disappointed me. It kills me, because the plot was simple but interesting, the acting was good, the cinematography was interesting, the characters were very developed in a very smooth way, the action was good...the ending SUCKED! It was so disappointing. After building up the characters and after getting a glimpse of what was really going with Vigo's character, why why why would they end it in such a manner? It didn't have to be a happy ending. It just had to be an ending. This nonsense...not an ending.

You don't even need closure, just something that tells you...this is the end of the movie! Grrrr. The fight scene I spoke of though, almost made up for it. Almost. I've never ever ever seen a totally nude fight scene. And one so utterly brutal at that. It brought to mind a passage from The Drawing of the Three in the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. One of the characters Eddie, fought a gun battle naked and the Gunslinger had to give the guy props. It takes some guts to have your junk hanging out when someone is either shooting you, bludgeoning you, kicking you, throwing you, or stabbing you. And for the naked dude to succeed is just awesome. So, go Vigo! You did a great nude fighting scene. That must have sucked to film.

I don't rate movies on a scale. So, here's my rating...If bad endings don't bother you, definitely see this movie because otherwise, it was good. If crappy endings do bother you, definitely see this movie so you can bitch and moan like me. But at least you get to see the fight scene.

Cloverfield Mania

2008-01-03T13:52:00.000-08:00

Ok, I have seen a ton of monster movies (I'd like to think all of them, but I know better) in my life and Cloverfield doesn't look like anything I've seen yet. Which means...I'll probably go see it.

I love horror films in general, especially zombie movies and alien movies. I am so tired of seeing the same movie remade over and over and over and over again. No one gets creative or inventive anymore and the entire horror genre suffers for it. My husband and I have better ideas for zombie films than anything I've seen since 28 Days Later. But, I gotta say...this looked pretty cool. I don't know how pleased I am with the handicam camera work, but I'll have to wait to see how it works with the film. Most of the time, I find handicams rather annoying, but sometimes they are very effective in getting that "gritty" or "real" feel.

What I really like about the trailers is that you DON'T SEE THE MONSTER. If there even is a monster. No one will fess up. But, regardless, you don't see it! I hope Cloverfield joins the ranks of movies like Alien, when you caught only glimpses of the alien throughout the entire movie. Even at the end, before she blasts it into space, you can barely make it out because of the darkness and Giger's amazingly graceful design. Enough about Alien! Cloverfield!!!

I'll be there opening night, hopefully with a good review when I get home. :)

On a pseudo related note...what is up with people (ie Fox news) equating the poster for Cloverfield to 9/11? Just because it is in Manhattan? Or is it because it is the Statue of Liberty? Or maybe just because they would hate to see something good available to the public? (don't get me started on their Corporate owned media influence. it just pisses me off.) Is it just to make Americans remember their fear that was instilled in them by the media because of the approaching presidential primaries? Whatever their reason, I think it is incredibly stupid to equate a monster movie to a very sad, and very convoluted event such as 9/11. It is a shame that the least "true" news channel is exploiting 9/11 victims and victim's families. Shame on you fox. Shame on you indeed.