2005 Screening Log

[Prince Eric]

April 1, 2005

Beauty Shop
I will always adore Queen Latifah. Her brand of comedy is vastly underrated. The Barbershop franchise is a GREAT opportunity to showcase the talents of the Queen of Hip-Hop and Rap. Oh, wait, a lot of people on this board hate hip-hop/rap, so I can I say that? Obviously, people who arbitrarily condem art forms for the simple reason of I like/Dislike are not worth considering. (That's an opinion, so it has to be accepted, right? RIGHT?) Anyway, funny, funny stuff. Great supporting cast. Love Andy McDowell, Alfre Woodard, Alicia Silverstone, Kevin Bacon, and Djimon Honsou (Academy Award nominee of the great In America). Definately worth your time. Grade: B+

[Prince Eric]

April 10, 2005

Fever Pitch
You know, maybe all of Nick Hornby's mediocre pieces of lad lit should be turned into movies, because they actually come out a lot better on film. Fever Pitch is no exception, and I absolutely adore this safe, innocent, and totally adult comedy about the limits of romantic relationships. Drew Barrymore is wonderful of course (I will always love Drew Barrymore, her brand of...) and Jimmy Fallon is pretty good, too. The storyline and screenplay are tight and fresh and the movie never slips to base slapstick comedy. Then again, this is the Farrely Brothers, of course this was going to be a great movie! So said that it didn't do well at the box-office. Just affirms my thesis that the Ameircan movie going audience in general is just plain stupid. Grade: A-

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

Here are two reviews for movies I saw a while ago:

Robots: Robots may not quite be as good as some of the Pixar movies, it's still better than everything Dreamworks ever done(except Chicken Run). The animation is quite good and the refrences and gags are actually funny(unlike Shrek 2). The only big problem I had with the movie was Robin Williams. He's a really funny guy but in this he didn't have anything real funny to do! Overall pretty entertaining!A-

Pacifier: This movie is actually entertaining! The story didn't take it self too seriously, and didn't try too hard to be funny, but yet ended up being funny! And had an interesting twist at the end. The only thing I didn't like was that the kids were sometimes too annoying! But overall a good movie! Gary stole the show of corse! B+

[RJKD23]

Movie: Kung Fu Hustle
Grade: A-

We were able to get free tickets to the early showing of Kung Fu Hustle. And I'm hella glad we did! The movie is awesome, entertaining, funny, "stupid" sometimes, and has a tiny hint of romance. Roger Ebert said, "Imagine a film in which Jackie Chan and Buster Keaton meet Quentin Tarantino and Bugs Bunny". And it's something like that. Cheesy in a sense, but this movie has a story! They even make dying hilarious (isn't that ironic!). I can't talk about it without giving the movie away, but the audience couldn't stop laughing! Overall a good movie, in my opinion.

Yes, there are subtitles. And subtitles spell out cuss words.

[Prince Eric]

April 16, 2005

The Story of the Weeping Camel
This year's documentary feature Oscar race was a battle between this title and Born Into Brothels. The Story of the Weeping Camel had the the critic's vote on its side, but Born Into Brothels had the "importance" factor, which ultimately gave its creators the trophy. While I do understand that The Story of the Weeping Camel is better made and technically a better film, I don't think you can call it a straight documentary. It's very much a narrative film, with absolutely no voice-overs telling what's happening or what's the purpose of the film. Some parts seem staged, and some of the dialouge seems scripted, as the supposedly "real" people sound fake delivering their lines. I don't know, it could just be a culture difference in speech delivery. The film tells the story of a Mongolian family of sheep herders who must try and safe a newborn camel coat because his mother refuses to take him in. A violinist is fetched from a far-off village to perform a magical ceremony to unite the two animals. This was Mongolia's foreign language entry the year before, but they passed it up. This is the second time the foreign committee has failed to honor a film, only to have the rest of the Academy branch nominate the same film a year later when its deemed eligible in the rest of the categories. Talk about a much-deserved slap-in-the-face. Grade: A-

[Prince Eric]

April 20, 2005

Vera Drake

Wow, Mike Leigh is a genius! I really do prefer his style of filmmaking than that overrated Clint Eastwood. Mike spends months fleshing out his stories with impromptu sessions with the cast. The result is a more human and organic experience. I've seen four Best Actress contenders so far, including Hilary Swank's, and all I can say is: The Academy needs to stop getting hung up on uglied-down transformations. Imelda Staunton deserved the statuette hands down....Then again, so did Kate Winslet...Then again, so did Catalina Sandino Moreno...

[Prince Eric]

April 29, 2005

Meet the Fockers

Even funnier the second time around! Even funnier that the initial movie! I really enjoy watching Barbara, Blythe, and Dustin onscreen. It's like I know these people! I'm a bit confused about the mixed reviews on this. Oh, well, I'm glad the viewing public has at least some sense of goodness. Newly updated grade: A-

[Prince Eric]

May 1, 2005

Hotel Rwanda
This should have replaced Finding Neverland for the fifth slot in the Best Picture Oscar category this year.
Grade: A

[thompsoncory]

10/10

-

9/10

Cursed - Christina Ricci (Horror)
Sin City - Bruce Willis (Action)
Fever Pitch - Drew Barrymore (Romance)
High Tension - Cecile De France (Horror)

8/10

Hide and Seek - Robert DeNiro (Thriller)
Bride & Prejudice - Martin Henderson (Musical)
Hitch - Will Smith (Comedy) x2
Robots - Ewan McGregor (Animated)
If Only - Jennifer Love Hewitt (Romance)
Creep - Franka Potente (Horror)
The Ring Two - Naomi Watts (Horror) x2
Guess Who - Ashton Kutcher (Comedy)
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous - Sandra Bullock (Comedy)
The Amityville Horror - Ryan Reynolds (Horror)
A Lot Like Love - Ashton Kutcher (Romance)

7/10

Elektra - Jennifer Garner (Action)
She Gets What She Wants - Piper Perabo (Comedy)
Are We There Yet - Ice Cube (Comedy)
Mulan II - Ming-Na (Animated)
Constantine - Keanu Reeves (Action)
Carolina - Julia Stiles (Romance)
The Pacifier - Vin Diesel (Comedy)
Be Cool - John Travolta (Comedy)
Mindhunters - Kathryn Morris (Horror)
Easy - Marguerite Moreau (Comedy)
Beauty Shop - Queen Latifah (Comedy)
Kung Fu Hustle - Stephen Chow (Comedy)
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy - Martin Freeman (Sci-Fi)

6/10

White Noise - Michael Keaton (Horror)
Man Of The House - Tommy Lee Jones (Comedy)

5/10

The I Inside - Ryan Phillippe (Thriller)
The Toolbox Murders - Angela Bettis (Horror)

4/10

Boogeyman - Barry Watson (Horror)

3/10

-

2/10

-

1/10

-

Total Films Viewed: 33

Best Of The Year Thus Far: SIN CITY
Worst Of The Year Thus Far: BOOGEYMAN

Future Additions:

THE INTERPRETER
xXx: STATE OF THE UNION
HOUSE OF WAX

[Prince Eric]

May 18, 2005

I can't believe I've neglected my movie-watching needs for so long! Gasp, I need air...I mean movies! I remedied my drought to the movie theater, where I saw a bunch of freaks in line for the midnight showing of Star Wars, and they had tickets! Why would you stand in line when you had tickets??? Oh, well...

Crash
This is just brutal and harsh and amazingly good. It's a dark drama about racisim and all I can say is wow...Great acting and sharp directing all around. I want to know who wrote this, so I can personally send them an unofficial invitation to next year's Academy Awards. Can someone say Best Original Screenplay? ( I guess it could be adapted, I don't knoww, I haven't done my research. ) Anyone who says this isn't how things are in real life are just in self-denial, or worse y et, they're a replica of Matt Dillon's character. Essential viewing for all and a must-see. It's a tie for Nobody Knows for Best Film of The Year (2005_)/.
Grade: A

[Prince Eric]

May 21, 2005

Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith
Wow, Everything after Crash just seems so empty and purposeless. I feel that most of this movie was pretty contrived. It was pretty much this: OK, audience, we know you know what we know is supposed to happen, you know? So we're just going to throw you this movie to fill in the gap from Point A to Point B. That's not generally the best way to go in filmmaking. The original trilogy is a masterpiece, even though I'm not a fan, so I'm not being biased at all. I still don't get these characters. Dead pan performances from Hayden Christensen and the overrated Natalie Portman just end up making this whole shennanigan consequential. Lots of eye candy, though. The Death of the Jedi scene/montage was pretty touching, though, also. Anyway, I suppose this is American cinema history, so I guess it's OK for a so-called must-see. Grade: B

Oh, yeah, guys, this is my 500th post! That's pretty pathetic, considering I've been here nearly two years! There's members who've been here since January and already have double than me!

[Prince Eric]

June 1, 2005

Amadeus

Why didn't anyone ever tell me such a beautiful and funny and origingal movie existed. I could just swoon at the production values, the direction, the two polar opposite performances. What a dream of a movie!

Dear Academy:

I would like to congratulate you on making the RIGHT decisions almost twenty years ago in awards Amadeus eight Academy Awards. Now why couldn't you guys continue having good taste?

[ichabod]

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy B+

Ah, The Disney film that never was, although I think when it is released on DVD i will make my own cover replacing "Touchstone" with "Walt Disney Pictures", I still can't believe those idiots changed it!

I felt that this movie was very "Disney" and would have been better suited with the Disney logo, or maybe that's just cause i was expecting it that way for so long. Anyway I think when I see it again that B+ will increase as the confusion left me a bit dumbstruck. I loved the character of Marvin. I may seek out an action figure on ebay!

[Prince Eric]

June 2, 2005

Pocahontas
Let me get this straight out in the open: I have always loved Pocahontas and always will. With that being said, I saw the new 10th Anniversary Edition for the first time, and all I can say is...Why did those fools delete the song in the first place? The song and the new animation totally change the tone of the story. It's definately a full-blow romance now and it adds a greater punch to the third act, as has been stated by Disney insiders. Now everything makes sense...the music at the end, the reflection in the river, the entire meal of symbolisim that many people seem to miss (or ignore). People who distincly remember Pocahontas as the film with Colors of the Wind, will be startled to find out that the movie now drifts entirely and revolves around and plays off of If I Never Knew You. Wow!

[BonusMage]

I've been going into films alot the past month, so here's my first post in this topic.

May 19th
Star Wars Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith
Going into this film I was hyped up, couldn't wait to see it. To be honest I think that was a bad thing. Leaving the cinema I knew it wasn't perfect. For the saga it was a great ending and answered the questions people had been asking for years. The performances were good with Ewan standing out. The action scenes came thick and fast and even during the Order 66 scenes with the Jedi out on other worlds I actually got a bit sad which usually doesn't happen.
B+

May 30th
House of Wax
This film I'd heard mixed reviews about from friends, one saying it was bad, one saying it was okay. At the beginning I groaned, typical teen horror - road trip with rock/punk music soundtrack. it got good after then with a decent plot when they got to the small village. Paris Hilton can be proud she had the best ending. Worth a rent, not scary but jumpy.
C

June 3rd
Sin City
Having to wait two months after the USA to get this film ticked me off, I really wanted to see it. As a fan of the graphic novels I knew I was in for violence and a genre of film not seen in a while, the other 3 elderly women in the cinema audience didn't and walked out half way through
The acting was excellent considering some actors never even meet with people in the same scene. Jessica Alba gave me good hopes for Fantastic Four. My favourite part was the Dwight(Clive Owen) story, it had the twists and suspense. A plot you could get into to.
B+

[Prince Eric]

June 3, 2005

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
A chick-flick that transcends chick-flicks...is that possible? It is! This funny and heartwarming drama about girlhood pals is every bit as feminist as it is traditional. (Don't date boys, but make sure if you DO, you're the one in charge! ) I love America Ferrera. Anyone who hasn't seen her superb 2002 break-out, Real Women Have Curves, are incomplete cinefiles. She's great, and utterly moving as a Puerto Rican trying to make it in a white world. Screenplay is a little schmaltzy, but it's worth a look. Grade: B+

June 5, 2005

The Piano
I can't even put into words how I feel after seeing this film. I caught it on the big-screen (how movies SHOULD be seen) at the art museum, and all I can say is this: This is a movie that I actually feel FULFILLED after watching. It's like my life is just changed: I actually LEARNED about life watching this movie. Grade: Masterpiece

[Prince Eric]

June 8, 2005

Monster-In-Law
Jane Fonda can ACT, and Jennifer Lopez hasn't looked this good onscreen since...well, never! For being a pretty trite comedy about every chick flick cliche imaginable, it was pretty funny and accomplished it's goal - however trivial that "goal" may be. It entertained. Grade: B

June 9, 2005

House of Flying Daggers
Uh...tell me why this wasn't nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. For Best Costume Design? For Best Art Direction? I know this is just a platform for Ziyi Zhang for even bigger and better things. Grade: A

June 12, 2005

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
Too much politiking and not enough laughs. Grade: B-

[Prince Eric]

June 12, 2005

Diary of a Mad Black Woman

I don't know about everyone else, but from where I'm from, Tyler Perry's plays are legends. Aunt Medea is such a larger-than-life character, almost like Big Mama, but more authentic. I'm not crazy about the movie, and it dragged in spots, but I think Kimberly Elise was fantastic! She's so pretty! The rest of the performances were all over the place, and the written adaptation didn't make the transition from stage to screen so well. Oh, well, this is better than a lot of the commercial comedies out there. (Read above posts.)

[Prince Eric]

Well, I thought it be nice to come up with a ranked summation of the eleven films I've seen this year. (Pathetic!)

1.) Me And You And Everyone We Know
2.) Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbitt
3.) Howl's Moving Castle
4.) Good Night, Good Luck
5.) Nobody Knows
6.) The Constant Gardner
7.) Crash
8.) Bride and Prejudice
9.) 2046
10.) Hustle & Flow
11.) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
12.) Batman Begins
13.) Fever Pitch
14.) War of the Worlds
15.) The Interpreter
16.) Bad News Bears
17.) Madagascar
18.) Robots
19.) The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
20.) Beauty Shop
21.) Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
22.) Diary of a Mad Black Woman
23.) Monster-In-Law
24.) Be Cool
25.) Flightplane
26.) Herbie: Fully Reloaded
27.) Star Wars Episode III: The Return of the Sith
28.) The Fantastic Four
29.) The Pacifier
30.) The Cave

As of yet, I haven't seen any atrociously bad movies, so I guess that's a good thing, but I sure hope the overall quality of my list improves soon.

Edit: The Pacifier, worst movie of the year honors, for sure!

[Prince Eric]

June 16, 2005

Rosewood
Waking Life Best Film of 2001