Topic: Never Ending Movie Marathon (short reviews)

[samuelrichardscott]

Empire Records (1995) Region 2 United Kimgdom

Overview:
This comedy cult sensation about the young slackers and dreamers that hang around local record store cranks it up another notch in an awesome Special Fan Edition with 16 minutes of cool added footage not seen in cinemas. In one of the most dynamic song scores ever, tune by Gin Blossoms, The Cranberries, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Cracker, Evan Dando, Better Than Ezra and more set off virtually every scene. If the music isn't enough, check out the stellar cast including Liv Tyler, Renee Zellweger, Anthony LaPaglia, Maxwell Caulfield, Debi Mazar, Rory Cochrane and more. This digitally remastered, fully-loaded DVD will rock your world!

My Thoughts:
I picked this one up based on the casting not knowing very much about it. I had heard of it, but not enough to get an interest. Well, it seems I'd been missing out on a very enjoyable little movie. Each character that works in Empire Records is very different and each have their faults which come to light during the movie whilst dealing with the news that the independent record store is getting sold to a chain and will lose it's individuality and family like feel of the workers and their manager. Anthony LaPaglia is excellent as the manager of the store, and Liv Tyler, Rory Cochrane, Robin Tunney, Johnny Whitworth and Renee Zellweger are all great as the store employees. The music selected is very varied and suits each moment perfectly, a must for a film being set in a record shop. Lastly, Empire Records is proof that Renee Zellweger was once a hottie. Recommended. 4/5

Rewatched this last night and bumping it up to a 4.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Reno 911!: Miami - The Movie (2007)

Overview:
Wacky movie spin-off comedy from the American TV series of the same name. After taking a trip to a national police convention in Miami, a group of bungling cops from Reno spring into action when a terrorist attack takes place at the same venue. As the people of Miami turn to them for protection, Lieutenant Jim Dangle (Thomas Lennon) has a fight on his hands to keep his team of incompetents focused on the job at hand.

My Thoughts:
Tries to be so bizarre in order to be funny, but instead becomes mind numbingly dull with annoying characters and crap jokes. There are one or two moments that get a little laugh such as the beached whale scene but I won't waste my time with this one again. Skip it. 1.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Management (2008)

Overview:
Romantic comedy starring Jennifer Aniston as Sue Claussen, a corporate art saleswoman who becomes the object of affection for aimless drifter Mike (Steve Zahn) when she stays overnight at the Arizona motel run by his parents. The bottle of wine left in her room 'with compliments of the management' leads to an encounter that Sue would rather not remember, but Mike just can't forget. Woody Harrelson co-stars as Jango, Sue's yogurt mogul ex-boyfriend.

My Thoughts:
A fairly standard rom-com with a good performance from Steve Zahn. Jennifer Aniston is typecast again, but these roles suit her and Woody Harrelson's character was underused as he was the highlight of the movie. Worth a rental. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Fighting (2009)

Overview:
Action film starring Channing Tatum as Shawn MacArthur, a young small-time criminal who is introduced to the dangerous world of underground street fighting by seasoned scam artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard). Boarden goes on to become MacArthur's manager on the bare knuckle brawling circuit.

My Thoughts:
Channing Tatum and Terrence Howard play off of each other reasonably well but the problem with Fighting is the lack of a real storyline, instead just counting on an old rivalry to string together some fun action scenes. Howard's cronies add a few laughs, but I much prefer Never Back Down. Rent it. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

This Is 40 (2012)

Overview:
A look at the lives of Pete and Debbie a few years after the events of Knocked Up.

My Thoughts:
Judd Apatow has done it again. Another comedy which is consistently funny, a couple of times so funny I missed the next line. Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann are fantastic and Apatow's kids are surprisingly good. If you were a fan of Knocked Up, then you'll find a lot to enjoy here, although the two hour plus runtime was a bit much. Recommended. 4/5

[Achim]

although the two hour plus runtime was a bit much. Recommended. 4/5

It seems this is Apatow's weak spot. Hs films are mostly two long and there's still plenty of deleted scenes to go on the DVD Comedies should not be that long, period.

He used to do TV, which is apparently a much better outlet for a man with such little constraint Don't misunderstand though, I loved Freaks and Geeks as well as Undeclared.

[samuelrichardscott]

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Overview:
Full Metal Jacket begins by following the trials and tribulations of a platoon of fresh Marine Corps recruits focusing on the relationship between Gunnery Sergeant Hartman and Privates Pyle and Joker. We see Pyle grow into an instrument of death as Hartman has foreseen of all of his recruits. Through Pyle's torment and Joker's unwillingness to stand up against it, the climax of part one is achieved with all three main characters deciding their fates by their action or lack there of. The second chapter of Full Metal Jacket delves into Joker's psyche and the repeated referral to the fact that he joined the Corps to become a killer. When his mostly behind the scenes job as a combat correspondent is interfered with by the Tet offensive he is thrusted into real combat and ultimately must choose if he really is a killer.

My Thoughts:
Pros:
- R. Lee Ermey's opening dialogue where he introduces himself to the cadets.
- Watching Vincent D'onofrio's character become mentally unstable.
- Combat scenes are believeable and not overcooked.
Cons:
- I do feel it loses its way at times during the second half.
Overall:
Highly recommended. 4.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004)

Overview:
In this sequel to the cult favourite 'Starship Troopers', the Federation's best mobile infantry unit goes back into action against the Bug horde. But this time, the Bugs are waiting for them and they are smarter and more cunning then ever. To stop the Bugs from destroying the rest of mankind, a group of soldiers trapped by the creepy-crawlies, realise that they must team up with an infamous traitor in order to save the world...

My Thoughts:
I'm a massive fan of the first movie as you can read elsewhere in this thread, but this second attempt is lacklustre and missing all the biting political satire that made the first so enjoyable. Now, it's just another low budget b-movie with crappy special effects and a half-arsed storyline that just about gets by. Skip it. 2/5

[DSig]

It is scary how closely some of your opinions match mine.  I don't know if it is 2 great minds ... or something more dark 

[samuelrichardscott]

Seven Psychopaths (2012)

Overview:
A struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster's beloved Shih Tzu.

My Thoughts:
Pros:
- An absolutely superb mix of dark comedy and action with a very solid storyline.
- A cracking cast. Sam Rockwell is the best here but all members of the main cast are great.
- It feels fresh and original. Martin McDonagh seems to be a winner with this and In Bruges the only two movies to his name so far.
Cons:
- Sometimes Woody Harrelson's love of his dog was played on slightly too much.
Overall:
Highly recommended. 4.5/5

[DSig]

There you go again ... I was discussing this with my wife and daughter at dinner tonight.  I can understand my wifes viewpoint but my daughter, whose opinion i normally value.

Guess I, like you, simply have greater more mature tastes <G>

[samuelrichardscott]

Django Unchained (2012)

Overview:
Former dentist, Dr. King Schultz, buys the freedom of a slave, Django, and trains him with the intent to make him his deputy bounty hunter. Instead, he is led to the site of Django's wife who is under the hands of Calvin Candie, a ruthless plantation owner.

My Thoughts:
I'm a Tarantino lover so I was of course very excited to see this one. Christoph Waltz pretty much makes this movie for me but the entire cast did an exceptional job. The soundtrack from Ennio Morricone was excellent and the storyline was enjoyable but dialogue could've been a little tighter at times. The violent scenes are rather OTT but the big shoot-out is a very fun pay-off and I loved the Franco Nero cameo. Overall, this is another great hit from Tarantino although it doesn't reach the heights of Jackie Brown IMO. Highly recommended though and a day one purchase for me. 4.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Just My Luck (2006)

Overview:
Romantic comedy starring Lindsay Lohan. Ashley (Lohan) has always been the sort of girl fortune smiles upon - she's pretty, she has a great job, she has good friends, guys fall over themselves to ask her out, and she never has trouble getting a cab. Jake (Chris Pine), on the other hand, is not nearly so lucky - he's clumsy and accident prone, things never seem to go his way, and he's just lost his job at a bowling alley. However, these two opposites meet one night at a ritzy masquerade ball, and Ashley and Jake exchange an impulsive kiss as two shooting stars cross in the sky. Suddenly, they both find their luck taking a one hundred and eighty degree turn.

My Thoughts:
Pros:
- Bree Turner and Samaire Armstrong are the best out of the cast, albeit in supporting roles.
- Some of the physical comedy is quite funny.
Cons:
- The 'swap' sub-genre has many better movies.
- Lindsay Lohan and Chris Pine don't really gel together.
Overall:
Rent it. 2.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Passion of Mind (2000)

Overview:
Marie (Demi Moore) is an American widow who lives with her two daughters in the south of France. Marty (Moore again) is a career woman dedicated to making big deals in the Big Apple. When Marie goes to sleep she dreams of being Marty and when Marty goes to sleep she dreams of being Marie. Are they both real, living and breathing people? Or is one just a figment of the other's imagination? If so, which one? Confusion piles upon confusion as Marty and Marie try to make sense of their lives in this unusual drama.

My Thoughts:
I picked this up based on the fact it starred Demi Moore, who I do think gets an unfair amount of stick for her acting ability. However, in Passion of Mind she puts in a sub-par performance and isn't particularly supported well either. The story has a few good ideas but they are all poorly utilised and the film becomes a little scrappy. If they had aimed for a psychological thriller rather than a drama, then this could've been worthy of a rental. Unfortunately, I advise skipping this one. 2/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Wrong Turn (2003)

Overview:
Something strange is happening deep in the woods. But no one has lived to tell about it. Chris Finn (Desmond Harrington, Ghost Ship) is on his way to an interview when he is faced with a huge backup in traffic. He makes a u-turn, taking a short cut to avoid the traffic. But he makes the biggest mistake of his life. This wrong turn may be the last turn he ever makes! After crashing the car into a group of young friends led by Eliza Dushku (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), an indescribable nightmare begins. Stranded on an isolated road deep in the woods, there seems to be no hope of rescue. When the friends encounter a group of monstrous mountain men with murder and mayhem on their mind, they must escape from a fate worse than death. As the grisly tension gathers in manic pace and shifts into high homicidal gear, only the strongest will survive. Not for the faint-hearted!

My Thoughts:
Pros:
- Eliza Dushku was a strong female lead, not something you see often in bigger budget horror.
- Some good performances from cast members who are usually mediocre like Desmond Harrington, Kevin Zegers and Lindy Booth.
- Doesn't take long to get going and the action is quite unrelenting.
Cons:
- An expected ending.
- The survivors are exactly who think they will be.
My Thoughts:
An underrated horror, even on its 4th or 5th viewing. 4/5