Topic: Tom's Random Reviews

[Tom]

This is from the Hamburg production of the musical. I only have watched the first few minutes so far. I am not sure yet about this production. At first glance it seemed inferior to the current Stuttgart production that I have seen. Also compared to the CD recording of the Vienna production I have heard, it cannot compete. But I will watch it to the end when I have more time.
I really what love to see a DVD release of at least one of the productions though.

I have now finished watching all the YouTube clips of this production (except for part 12 with the excellent song "Carpe Noctem", which cannot be played in my country ). My first impression lasted throughout. Even though I enjoyed watching it again, I still think it is inferior to the production I saw live. It seemed to me the actors are playing to much towards the audience. I didn't have this feeling in Stuttgart. Also the singing doesn't seem so good as the one in Stuttgart, as far as I remember it. It definately isn't as good as the Vienna recording I still keep listening to.

But now I understand why this show flopped on Broadway. I knew that it was rewritten there. But I thought it was only the lyrics (which have been used as the English subs in these YouTube clips), but in reality it was completely rewritten to be a dumb comedy. I saw the first few minutes in this following YouTube clip and I could not believe what they had done to such a great show.
.

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Eurotrip (2004/United States) My Thoughts: One of the better ones for this kind of movies. Although if you are easily offended by European stereotypes (be it English, German, French or otherwise), then you better avoid this movie. Rating:

A "4"? Really?
Sounds like a mixture of the genre-classics "Porky's" (Has anybody seen Mike Hunt?) and "Eskimo Limon" ("Going All the Way" / "Eis am Stiel").

[Tom]

Why not a 4? A film rating is always relative and subjective. For this kind of genre it's a good effort and I enjoyed it. A rating mainly reflects how I enjoyed it and not how objectively it compares to other movies.

[Tom]

Rang De Basanti (2006/India) IMDb | Wikipedia ALIVE, Rapid Eye Movies (Germany) Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Writing: Kamlesh Pandey (Story By), Prasoon Joshi (Screenwriter), Rensil D Silva (Screenwriter), Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra (Screenwriter) Length: 160 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35 Audio: German: Dolby Digital 5.1, Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: German

Stars:
Aamir Khan
Siddarth
Atul Kulkarni
Sharman Joshi
Kunal Kapoor

Plot:
Arriving in India, a UK graduate enlists a gang of college students to participate in a documentary about India's freedom fighters. Initially, these students scoff at the ideals and people of the past, but a sequence of events set in slow motion a merging of the past and present.

Awards:
Won:

Filmfare Awards (2007)		Best Cinematographer Award (Binod Pradhan)
Filmfare Awards (2007)		Best Director Award (Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra)
Filmfare Awards (2007)		Best Editing Award (P.S. Bharati)
Filmfare Awards (2007)		Best Movie Award
Filmfare Awards (2007)		Best Music Director Award (A. R. Rahman)
Filmfare Awards (2007)		Critics Award for Best Performance (Aamir Khan)
IIFA Awards (2007)		Best Lyricist (Prasoon Joshi)
IIFA Awards (2007)		Best Movie
IIFA Awards (2007)		Best Music Director (A.R.Rahman)
IIFA Awards (2007)		Best Screenplay (Rensil D'Silva, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra)
IIFA Awards (2007)		Best Supporting Actress (Soha Ali Khan)

Nominated:

BAFTA (2006)		Film Not In The English Language (Ronnie Screwvala, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra)
Filmfare Awards (2007)		Best Actor Award (Aamir Khan)
Filmfare Awards (2007)		Best Lyricist Award ("Roobaroo": Prasoon Joshi)
Filmfare Awards (2007)		Best Supporting Actor Award (Kunal Kapoor)
Filmfare Awards (2007)		Best Supporting Actor Award (Siddharth Narayan)
Filmfare Awards (2007)		Best Supporting Actress Award (Kirron Kher)
Filmfare Awards (2007)		Best Supporting Actress Award (Soha Ali Khan)

Extras:

• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Scene Access
• Trailers

My Thoughts:

A great movie about a bunch of students, who at first cannot understand that someone would die for their country but after a tragedy they learn how it is to be willing to sacrifice their lives for a cause.
This movie won multiple awards (including Best Movie and Best Director) and had some impact on the Indian public regarding their perception of the government. One main issue of this movie was the corruption in Indian politics.
I can recommend this movie to everyone who would be interesting in to check out a great Indian movie but don't like musicals. This movie has no traditional musical numbers.

Rating:

[Tom]

Coyote Ugly (2000/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Buena Vista Home Entertainment (United Kingdom) Director: David McNally Writing: Gina Wendkos (Writer) Length: 103 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1, Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: Danish, English, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish

Stars:
Piper Perabo as Violet Sanford
Adam Garcia as Kevin O'Donnell
John Goodman as Bill
Maria Bello as Lil
Izabella Miko as Cammie

Plot:
Mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer serves up a sexy comedy starring Piper Perabo and an unbeatable cast. Moving to New York to chase her dream of becoming a famous songwriter, Violet Sanford (Perabo) finds herself desperate and broke. The shy, innocent Violet ironically lands a job as a barmaid at the hottest nightclub in town! It's one wild adventure for a small-town girl with big city dreams.

Awards:
Won:

Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (2001)		Favorite Song from a Movie (Internet Only) (LeAnn Rimes)
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (2001)		Favorite Supporting Actress - Comedy/Romance (Maria Bello)
MTV Movie Awards (2001)		Best Music Moment ("One Way or Another": Piper Perabo)

Nominated:

Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (2001)		Favorite Female Newcomer (Piper Perabo)
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (2001)		Favorite Soundtrack (Internet Only)
MTV Movie Awards (2001)		Best Female Breakthrough Performance (Piper Perabo)

Extras:

• Commentary
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Music Videos
• Scene Access
• Trailers

My Thoughts:

I bought this because of Piper Perabo. But I never really had the urge to watch it because I was expecting a kind of movie that I wouldn't really enjoy. But I was positively surprised. I really enjoyed the movie in all the scenes which are set outside the bar. A nice, even though unoriginal, story about a singer-songwriter wanting to make it big in the city with a nice romance thrown in. I am glad that this movie was not all about the bar "Coyote Ugly" as I had feared.

Rating:

[Tom]

Smiley Face (2007/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Momentum Pictures (United Kingdom) Director: Gregg Araki Writing: Dylan Haggerty (Writer) Length: 81 min. Video: Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: English

Stars:
Anna Faris as Jane F.
Roscoe Lee Browne as Himself (voice)
Danny Masterson as Steve the Roommate
Ben Falcone as Agent
Adam Brody as Steve the Dealer

Plot:
Jane (Anna Faris, Scary Movie), an unsuccessful slacker actress, is having a really bad day...and it's about to get more outrageous after she eats her roommate's fresh batch of hash cupcakes. Soon, she is trying to cross town so she can repay an unforgiving drug dealer (Adam Brody, The OC), attend an audition, and somehow replace the precious cupcakes. Bumming a ride from her roommate's friend (John Krasinski, The Office U.S.) and sausage delivery boy Mikey (John Cho, Harold & Kumar), who are both totally infatuated with her, she sets out on the strangest trip she will ever have...

From acclaimed director Gregg Araki (Mysterious Skin, Totally F***ed Up) Comes SMILEY FACE, a hilarious stoner comedy that will leave you hungry for more!

Extras:

• Bonus Trailers
• Featurettes
• Scene Access
• Trailers

My Thoughts:

Anna Faris does a great job playing a girl who is really stoned throughout the movie. A fun little comedy.

Rating:

[goodguy]

Smiley Face (2007/United States)
...
Anna Faris does a great job playing a girl who is really stoned throughout the movie. A fun little comedy.

Also, having just seen Tout va bien, I doubt there are many stoner movies which channel that particular Godard (the detour to union-ize a sausage factory). Or having its heroine, who once studied economics, accidentally sprawl a first edition of the Communist Manifesto all over LA from the top of a ferris wheel.

[Tom]

Bollywood Hero (2009/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Anchor Bay Entertainment (United States) Director: Writing: Length: 167 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: English

Stars:


Plot:
Chris Kattan is fed-up with not being taken seriously by Hollywood, so he accepts an offer to star in a big- time Mumbai production called ‘Peculiar Dancing Boy’. But before he can conquer India, Chris will have to survive a whole new land of culture clashes, jealous rivals, runaway egos, power hungry starlets and extreme dancing lessons. How far does an actor have to go in this world to fight the bad guys, get the beautiful women and finally play the hero? Maya Rudolph, Julian Sands, Pooja Kumar, Rachna Shah, Ali Fazal and Neha Dhupia co-star in this IFC musical comedy miniseries event – featuring key members of the Oscar® winning production team from SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – with guest appearances by Jennifer Coolidge, David Alan Grier and Keanu Reeves.

Extras:

• Deleted Scenes
• Outtakes
• Scene Access

My Thoughts:

Chris Kattan is sick of being passed on lead roles, he decides to take the offer of being the lead in a Bollywood production. This three episodes series was fun to watch. A good balance between culture clash and rom-com.

Rating:

[Tom]

Flash Gordon (1980/United Kingdom) IMDb | Wikipedia Optimum Releasing (United Kingdom) Director: Mike Hodges Writing: Lorenzo Semple, Jr. (Screenwriter), Michael Allin (Original Material By), Alex Raymond (Original Characters By) Length: 107 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles:

Stars:
Sam J. Jones as Flash Gordon
Melody Anderson as Dale Arden
Max Von Sydow as The Emperor Ming
Topol as Dr. Hans Zarkov
Ornella Muti as Princess Aura

Plot:
Ming the Merciless is out to destroy the earth and only one person can stop him!
Flash Gordon (Sam J. Jones) is zapped from Earth into a sci-fi adventure on planet Mongo with his beautiful companion Dale (Melody Anderson). In an attempt to put an end to Ming the Merciless' plans to destroy the Earth, Flash battles Ming's goons and declines the advances of the luscious Space Princess Aura (Ornella Muti). With the help of Prince Barin (Timothy Dalton) and Prince Vultan (Brian Blessed) Flash Gordon takes the Ming empire by storm...

Awards:
Nominated:

BAFTA (1980)		Costume Design (Danilo Donati)
BAFTA (1980)		Original Film Music (Queen, Howard Blake)
BAFTA (1980)		Production Design (Danilo Donati)
British Society of Cinematographers Awards (1980)		Best Cinematography Award (Gil Taylor)
Golden Raspberry Awards (1980)		Worst Actor (Sam J. Jones)
Hugo Award (1981)		Dramatic Presentation
Saturn (1980)		Best Costumes (Danilo Donato)
Saturn (2007)		Best DVD Classic Film Release
Saturn (1980)		Best Science Fiction Film
Saturn (1980)		Best Supporting Actor (Max von Sydow)

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Trailers

My Thoughts:

Some really campy fun. I only knew Flash Gordon from the "Defenders of the Earth" cartoon and the only thing I knew about this movie was the great title song by Queen. I was surprised to see Timothy Dalton here. This was before his stint as James Bond and then he already was very much like I know him from recent roles like in "Hot Fuzz" and "Looney Tunes: Back in Action".

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

I don't think I ever saw that Flash Gordon movie either. I know him from the cartoon you mentioned as well as some of the old movie serials.

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I don't think I ever saw that Flash Gordon movie either. I know him from the cartoon you mentioned as well as some of the old movie serials.

On my first stay at the USA it was running on HBO 4 times a day.
I think I knew it by heart at the end of my visit (8 weeks).

[addicted2dvd]

That sounds about right for HBO.

[Dragonfire]

I love Flash Gordon...it's cheesy has hell, but it's fun and entertaining.  I've left it on when I've found it on HBO..it has been playing on there again recently too.

[Tom]

Timer (2009/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Phase 4 Films, Present Pictures (United States) Director: Jac Schaeffer Writing: Jac Schaeffer (Writer) Length: 100 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles:

Stars:
Emma Caulfield as oona o'leary
Scott Holroyd as brian
Kali Rocha as matchmaker patty
Katherine Von Till as local news anchor
Ho-Kwan Tse as scientist

Plot:
What if a clock could count down to the moment you meet your soul mate? Heartbreak is a thing of the past thanks to a bio-technological wrist implant called the TiMER which tells you how long you have to wait for true love. But Oona (EMMA CAULFIELD) faces the rare dilemma of a blank TiMER. Her soul mate - whoever and wherever he is - hasn’t had a TiMER implanted. Staring down the barrel of thirty, Oona breaks her own rules and falls for Mickey (JOHN PATRICK AMEDORI), a charming and inappropriately young supermarket clerk. One problem: Mickey is destined to meet his true love in four months. Jac Schaeffer’s smart and delightful romantic comedy asks the question... would you want to know?

Extras:

• Closed Captioned
• Commentary
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Outtakes
• Scene Access
• Trailers

My Thoughts:

This movie came to my attention because it stars Emma Caulfield (Anya from Buffy). This was a nice romantic comedy. The concept with the timer was an interesting twist. Emma Caulfield was very fitting in this role. Interesting tidpit: Kali Rocha, who played Anya's demon friend Halfrek on Buffy, is the employee at the TiMER shop.

Rating:

[Tom]

Up in the Air (2009/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Paramount Home Entertainment (United Kingdom) Director: Jason Reitman Writing: Walter Kirn (Original Material By), Jason Reitman (Screenwriter), Sheldon Turner (Screenwriter) Length: 109 min. Video: Widescreen 1.85 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Audio Descriptive: Dolby Digital 5.1, French: Dolby Digital 5.1, German: Dolby Digital 5.1, Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Subtitles: Commentary, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish

Stars:
George Clooney as Ryan Bingham
Vera Farmiga as Alex Goran
Anna Kendrick as Natalie Keener
Jason Bateman as Craig Gregory
Amy Morton as Kara Bingham

Plot:
Ryan Bingham (Academy Award® winner* George Clooney) is truly living the high life. Flying all over the world on business, he never stops moving ... until he meets Alex, a fellow passenger, and learns that life isn't about the journey, but the connections we make along the way. Acclaimed by critics and audiences everywhere, "Up In The Air is light and dark, hilarious and tragic, bouncy and brainy, romantic and real". – Owen Gleiberman, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

*Winner: Actor in a Supporting Role, Syriana, 2005.

Awards:
Won:

American Film Institute Awards (2009)		Movies of the Year
BAFTA (2009)		Adapted Screenplay (Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner)
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2010)		Best Screenplay, Adapted (Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner)
Golden Globe (2009)		Screenplay - Motion Picture (Jason Reitman)
MTV Movie Awards (2010)		Best Breakout Star (Anna Kendrick)
National Board of Review Awards, USA (2009)		Best Actor (George Clooney)
National Board of Review Awards, USA (2009)		Best Film
National Board of Review Awards, USA (2009)		Best Screenplay – Adapted (Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner)
National Board of Review Awards, USA (2009)		Best Supporting Actress (Anna Kendrick)

Nominated:

Academy Award (2009)		Best Actor (George Clooney)
Academy Award (2009)		Best Director (Jason Reitman)
Academy Award (2009)		Best Supporting Actress (Anna Kendrick)
Academy Award (2009)		Best Supporting Actress (Vera Farmiga)
Academy Award (2009)		Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner)
BAFTA (2009)		Best Film
BAFTA (2009)		Editing (Dana E. Glauberman)
BAFTA (2009)		Leading Actor (George Clooney)
BAFTA (2009)		Supporting Actress (Anna Kendrick)
BAFTA (2009)		Supporting Actress (Vera Farmiga)
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2010)		Best Acting Ensemble
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2010)		Best Actor (George Clooney)
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2010)		Best Director (Jason Reitman)
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2010)		Best Editing (Dana E. Glauberman)
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2010)		Best Picture
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2010)		Best Supporting Actress (Anna Kendrick)
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2010)		Best Supporting Actress (Vera Farmiga)
Golden Globe (2009)		Actor in a Leading Role - Drama (George Clooney)
Golden Globe (2009)		Actress in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture (Anna Kendrick)
Golden Globe (2009)		Actress in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture (Vera Farmiga)
Golden Globe (2009)		Director - Motion Picture (Jason Reitman)
Golden Globe (2009)		Picture - Drama
Robert (2011)		Årets amerikanske film (Jason Reitman)

Extras:

• Commentary
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Music Videos
• Scene Access
• Storyboard Comparisons
• Trailers

My Thoughts:

I first saw this movie shortly after a lot of my colleagues have been let go. In a way it hit close to home. But surprisingly I still enjoyed this movie a great deal. Also this time around I enjoyed watching it.

Rating: