Boiler Room VS Wall Street

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Some people might think that I'm crazy for even putting these two movies in the same sentence, but taken on a character per character basis, some parts are actually pretty similar and at times give each other a run for their ....I know...MONEY.

Anyway, let's dive in.


Boiler Room: 2000: ++: Drama Thriller:  This movie is near and dear to my heart because out of college I actually worked in a place similar to the one depicted in this movie.  You might actually say the firm emulated this movie.  I had to cold call clients selling municipal bonds while cramming for the Series 7 and if I didn't pass, I was out of work.  Period.  I passed and thus started my career, in sales.

 

Starring Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel (yes Vin Diesel), Nia Long (what happened to her), Ben Afflectk and Scott Caan, this movie actually starred a number of pretty prominent and budding actors. 

One of the stand out moments in the movie, no doubt inspired by Glen Garry Glen Ross, was when Ben Affleck flaunts the keys to his Ferrari.  I also liked the scene where the main character Seth Ribisi played by Giovanni is under the desk making calls so as not to draw suspicion and have his competitors look on. 



The funny thing about this story is that my bond trading friends and I actually watched this movie to get pumped up before making calls.  Ahh, good times.  There is a budding romance, surprise, surprise, and of course the SEC get's involved and the "artificial demand" scheme comes crumbling down.

(When the times are good)


(The classic "you're not crap" speech)

The overall movie is good, and I've watched it a few times.  Can it hold a candle to the quintessential, stock selling movie of all time?  It does have a huge challenge here:::78% 

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Wall Street:1987:++: Drama:  You aren't a true stock broker unless you can name every line in this movie, Glen Garry Glen Ross, & Caddyshack.  For some reason, Caddyshack is in there because believe me, it is every CFO favorite movie for some reason or another. 

This movie, wonderfully directed by Oliver Stone, is so famous that people developed phrases around it. Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, and Daryl Hannah (who apparently confessed to having slight autism), performed so well that this movie is actually documentary-esque.  So many parts of this movie stand out like when Gekko, played by Douglass says, "Lunch is for Losers", and "What's worth doing is worth for money", and of course, "Greed is Good!"

The conflict is actually a very real one when Charlie Sheen, who plays Bud Fox, descends to the level of Gekko, to the point where he sells out his father.  I'm not going to go into huge detail here, because the winner of this movie takes on Glen Garry Glen Ross.  There both movies will receive the proper attention they deserve.

For now Wall Street wins hands down:::91%

Be Sure to Check out my new interactive blog! THE PIXIE AND THE TURTLE

Originally on @memorysight, follow the story and leave comments on what you think the outcome should be.  Write your own story in this interactive experience!


THE PIXIE AND THE TURTLE:  http://pixieandturtle.blogspot.com/

    

Two Powerful Minds Face Off

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Pi & A Beautiful Mind  were both great movies about geniuses who were at first misunderstood but then appreciated for their worth to the intellectual community.  Which movie captures the essence of being a brilliant, but obsessive personality?  Find out here...


Pi:  1998:  +-: Pscyh Thr:  Having watched Pi  number of times, simply because I love the mathematical numbers theory elements and the heavy use of electronic synths in the music score, (a cornucopia of extremely well known ambient and EDM artists), I still have an itch to watch it now and again.  Every time I watch it I get something else new out of it BUT every time I watch it, I also get a little disturbed.  That's the point.  This movie really gets you into the psyche of a troubled genius obsessed to the point of losing control over this emotion and rational state of mind.   

 

I actually try to retrace the steps of Max Cohen (played by Sean Gullette), who is a brilliant but extremely troubled number theorists who is trying to use Fibonacci sequences and PI to predict the stock market, in NY.  Many of the scenes are filmed in very famous areas like China town and Mid Town and some common subway hubs.  Sean also wrote the story behind this movie. 

Two different groups of people, as diametrically apart as possible, are drawn to Max because they both follow his work and believe it can further their own selfish pursuits.  One is a group of Kabbalahs and one is a Wall Street Firm executive.  Both need the data that Max is working on but for different reasons.  Max accidentally throws it away in garbage bucket and thus the race and search for it drives the movie's drama.  I won't give away why because it's very interesting and a nice twist in the movie. 

 

Since the whole movie is in black and white, it gives it a very gritty atmosphere which fits the mood rather nicely.  The eerie, static, electronic music also does this with repetitive sections.  After awhile, you forget it's black and white though, the mark of many good movies of this type.  Stand out parts are when he is getting chased by the Wall Street woman, when he finds Sol's Go board in the Pi formation, and of course, when he figures out what went wrong with the motherboard and fixes it. 



I also liked the part where he is in the subway and he is getting his picture taken by what appears to be a student photographer but he loses it and chases him.  A memorable part but one I would like to forget is when he drills his..well I won't give this away. 

 

This movie isn't for everyone, but it has music by Aphex Twin, Orbital and other prominent EDB and Ambient artists.  Sometimes the music itself is what drives the suspense as witnessed when he is having his many migraines and the music throbs like a bad head-ache.  This part will make you cringe.  It will definitely challenge anyone who is interested numbers theory, the Torah, and of course, computers and their ability to crunch numbers relating to Pi.  Darron Aronofsky did an amazing job on this one and didn't hold any punches

This won the 1998 Sundance Film Festival directors award and also the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay.  Sometimes I wished the parts with the girl who was good in math stood out more as a contrast and made it a little more light hearted, but this is just about telling the story of a troubled genius:::86%

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A Beautiful Mind: 2001: ++: BIO DRM:  In many ways, these two movies are very different.  The first obvious difference is aesthetically, one is black and white, while the other is in color.  The second is that this is an loosely based autobiography, while in the movie Pi, it's based on a conglomeration of mathematicians.   Then the other difference is in the lead roles; one is very dull looking and the other is more of your usual leading-man.

 

Other than that, they are driving at the some point.  Two geniuses who have so much going on in their cerebellums, that they appear, touched, or troubled, or even a bit off the normal path of what society accepts as "sane".  Then again, the trite expression comes to mind, what is sane in an insane world?

Back to the movie.  Russell Crowe plays his usual soft spoken self, until he gets provoked like in the scene where he beats one of the arrogant fellow colleagues in a game of Othello.  Ron Howard does a great job, as usual, depicting the life of John Nash, Nobel laureate in finance. 

There were some instances where he "left" out certain elements that made this movie a little less accurate like when it leaves out his second marriage and illegitimate son.  These are minor gripes though.  Ed Harris and Jennifer Connolly are also in this movie, but Russell is really the one that captures the show. 



The dynamic between the two main characters is forced sometimes, but as the movie progresses and he locks himself in the room full of his notes, it starts to make sense.  Russell Crowe was actually a great choice for this movie, because his stoic facial expressions contrast when he needs to express emotion.  This is especially seen in the moment at the bar when he approaches the young lady who will be his love interest in the movie. 


As the movie progresses it definitely builds up speed, but it never really delivers the visceral experience that Pi deliver.  Actually, it's not even a movie that I opted to see more than once.  Once I saw it, it was over.  The music by James Horner had some memorable parts to it, but overall, it just was "there".  I did like the scene however when the notes get scattered in the room and he has the epiphany. 


I thought that Adam Goldberg was terrible in this movie and I really don't like him very much in any.  I just find him very annoying.  Maybe it's the fact that he dated Christina Ricci, but he just rubs me the wrong way.  Maybe it was his character in Dazed and Confused & The Prophecy that really made me dislike him. 



(Adam Goldberg, being his usual annoying self)

This movie won 4 Academy Awards but again, was a good drama, but not at par with Pi.  In terms of being a more approachable movie, yes, it's better, but in terms of describing and depicting a troubled genius, it's not even close.  I did like the part with Parcher, but that wasn't stressed enough.  It was almost comic relief. This just glamorizes some aspects of mental disorder like schizophrenia in my opinion while Pi  really nails it.:::81%

How Real is Real? A Comparison of Two True Horror Movies

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OK, so the phrase, "Based on a True Story" get's thrown around a lot!  Which one of these is more horrifying and hard to forget?


The Amityville Horror: 1979, -+. Hrr  One of the most frightening movies based on the "horror house" theme, this one will really make you have second thoughts about moving into an old house with history.  Starring Rod Steiger, Don Stroud, and Murray Hamilton, this movie really gets under your skin.

This is partially due to the fact that the director, Stuart Rosenberg, captures Jay Anson's overall terror factor from the novel he wrote, while also maintaining an element of true horror.  What I mean is that at the end, you are made to wonder if it's the house that was haunted or if the husband just realty went completely crazy.  The horror starts to build when a priest is due to come by to bless the house but gets into a car accident.

I also loved the scene with the flies in the room and the dreadful, "Get Out" uttered seemingly by the house itself while the door slams. 

There is a certain amount of dramatic build- up as well because you start the see the slow deterioration of the husband into a deranged psycho path.  Based on the true story of the Lutz family who moved into a home where there was a mass murder and soon experiences paranormal activity, the husband undergoes a gradual downward spiral until he is completely insane.  First he is sick, and then after awhile he starts getting completely obsessed with chopping wood.

What also made this movie extremely creepy was the tone of the music which really pinpoints the parts of the movie that are pivot points and get the horror kicked up into another gear.  Lalo Shifirin did an outstanding job and many horror movies copied the way in which the music was performed and meshed with the movie itself. 

Memorable parts in this movie are when he starts unraveling and fantasizing about killing and then of course, the ending, where all hell breaks loose.  Literally. 

There are many scenes where he chases his wife around with an axe,...ala The Shining.  This movie is just one of those movies that will stick with you because it didn't have any "cheesy" horror elements like soft-to-loud extremely and fake scares.  It is just scary, period.

Yes, there was a remake, but that just seems to be a reason to show the male in that movie with his shirt off.  There was no reason to remake this movie, it was great and there was little way to improve it.  Perhaps it just made it more recent.  85%

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The Exorcism of Emily Rose: 2005: HRR:  When this movie came out, I was pretty excited about it and made sure that I saw it in it's first week.  While being a fan of The Possession, The Exorcist I & III, and other possession type movies, I found that the format in which this movie was made was sufficiently different and set it apart from it's peers in this crowded genre. 

Based on a failed exorcism of Annelise Michael, who was possessed in 1976 and given drugs while an exorcism was performed, this movie has a terrifying back story.  She eventually died and the priest and family were charged with manslaughter.

(actual pictures of Anneliese, before and after possession)

The production was top notch in this movie and the overall sense of realism pervades without being too obvious.  Jennifer Carpenter was extremely persuasive with her body contortions, many of which were performed without special effects.  Some of them are so odd that they gave me nightmares for awhile.  She won an award from "most frightening performance" and the movie is still among the top 100 scariest movies of all time. 

The movie was primarily shown as flashbacks during the trial in which the priest has to defend his use of the exorcism.  The trial and flashbacks flow flawlessly and it's a testament to Scott Derrickson's direction. 



It got a little bit predictable in the end and the scenes kind of all blended together.  The last scene was the most memorable in the barn.  I thought that this is among the scariest of all the possession movies, but not as scary as The Last Exorcism.  I want to watch this movie again, because I haven't seen it as many times as Amityville Horror.   

The mythology was somewhat intriguing, but the part of witch's hour and conducting the séance the day before Halloween seem cliché, but actually they can't be because these are based on true events. 

Both movies are in different horror movie genres, but I will give the nod to The Amityville Horror, because it laid the framework for so many horror movies in the future, and although it was made 20 years ago, it can still hang with the best of them.   This movie gets and 84%, so it's close.

Amityville Horror wins!  Anyone disagree, feel free to give me a comment..

Fire Walk with Me: David Lynch's Masterpiece?

FIRE WALK WITH ME:  1992: ++: PSYCH HR:  Although many "David Lynch Enthusiasts" thought that Fire Walk was the movie where he completely lost his mind, it is one of my favorites.  It was rated in a "short" earlier on in this blog's history but it deserves it's own entry due to it's ground breaking use of foreshadowing, montage, back-story, and course, Lynch's addictive plot/subplots, characterization and dramatic interchange.   



It also features a large number of cameos, a David Lynch trademark. Why were so many celebrities willing to star in his movie? Well, it's sometimes hard to figure out. OR is it? These include, but are not limited by, David Bowie and Chris Isaac, who are among the "usual suspects" found in the, sometimes forgotten, sequel/ prequel, to the TV mini-series. .   How can a movie be both? Read on..


(Ahhh, all the cameos)

This is a psychological/thriller- horror- that has some of the oddest, most disturbing images found in any one of his movies or in the TV series. (See Blue Velvet & Lost Highway).  Some scenes are downright horrifying and will definitely stick to you like the autopsy scene as well as the scene in the wood cabin. Some are comical like when the horse is the wife's hallucination and appears in her bedroom

Starring Sheryl Lee as Laura Palmer and Dale Cooper as Kyle MacLachlan, this is supposed to be the series finale in the much heralded Twin Peaks television series.  David Lynch directs Robert Engels' often convoluted story that will have you scratching your head while trying to figure out what the ending means. 


(aforementioned scene with the horse in it)

One of the most bizarre sections is when the FBI agents have to "dissect" symbols from a woman wearing a red suit and a blue rose while she dancing in place. Many of the fans were initially confused, perturbed, and disappointed but now it has grown to have cult status. 

At times this movie resembles a prequel, especially with Agent Cooper's background. Overall though, it is a sequel that shows Laura Palmer's last week of her life. If this wasn't enough, it shows insane montages that have dwarfs speaking backwards (one of Lynch's peculiar touches). The music is also one of the best elements because it creates an atmosphere of horror while giving it very suspenseful motifs.




The movie completely flopped in the US and was received VERY poorly in Cannes. Often asked why he made this movie, Lynch said, "It was the story of Laura Palmer and it needed to be told". At this time, Lynch was also living in seclusion in the forest and had very little contact with people. The movie did very well with Japanese woman and was somewhat successful to that international demographic. GO figure!


(The backward speaking, "Garbonozia" guy)

Having watched this movie many times, there are erotic, sex-crazed scenes in Canada, very interesting scenes with bass lines and some use of narcotics, and of course, a mystery that combines in three intersections. After watching it a few times, they actually make sense.








Flynn Bolye isn't in this movie, but Donna Heyward is played well by..watch it and you will know. (hint) she get's naked.
I still love the scene in the bar, when Donna is warned not to let the innocent branches burn, and of course, when she is with her BF, killing for some excitement in the woods. Yes, this movie is confusing, but who wants life to be predictable? Lynch captures the perfect disharmony of life when it can go awry::::91%

Watch it again, I'm a Cyborg...

I'M A CYBORG, BUT THAT'S OK

If you can find this movie of Netflix, it's worth a watch because it is a very unique love story with excellent characters, plot structure and comedic elements, without trying too hard. 

Starring Su-jeong Lim, Rain, Hie-Jin Choi and directed by Chan-wook Park, it is a whimsical story about a girl who is taken to a mental institution because she thinks that she is a cyborg.  Subsequently, she doesn't eat, but only "connects" herself to appliances and her other "friends" which include a soda machine, a light, a television and other machines.

She finds someone who is equally "touched" who thinks that he can be invisible if he wears a paper helmet and walks like a rabbit.  Together they find out how to be "normal", in as much a way as a cyborg and a rabbit thief could be.

Without giving away the plot and surprises, it is filled with funny moments that are also pretty heart warming.  The characters are very well acted and the storyline moves with ease.  A highlight is when the male role convinces the female role that he has to "fix" one of her machines, thus allowing her to eat otherwise she will die.

I didn't know what to expect from this one, but it was one my quirky favorites which is a must watch if your on a date with someone with an open mind and doesn't mind subtitles.

91%

Remember...Remember the 5th of November

Check out my previous write-up/ rating on V for Vendetta since today is November 5th...

V for Vendetta

Flashback/ Showcase Movie: Stigmata

Stigmata:  -+: 1999: HRR:  This was a great movie, period.  I'm sorry, but to rate this movie a 22% is pathetic.  Stop.  I won't mention which site..but I have asked people about this movie and they all remember it and liked it!  I really get frustrated when great movies are rated so poorly.  

Actually, perhaps that makes this site worthy.  It isn't swayed by public opinion.  I could care less.  I like old movies, new movies, CGI movies, Disney movies, horror movies, especially horror movies, and I will rate them according to MY opinion.  

Honestly, this movie starred a very pretty Patrica Arquette and had an original story line.  Stigmata is actually a phenomenon scrutinized and debated for centuries. Anyway, back to the movie, it was directed by Rubert Wainwright and captured the truly eerie, complicated topic that is the Stigmata phenomenon.  This is a movie that had a passionate side to it and didn't hold back punches.  It didn't have huge knives or decapitation scenes, it was just subtle, sexy and seductive.  

Maybe that was just Patrica Arquette.  She looked amazing in this movie.  


OK, so that's not the most flattering picture of her, but it shows you just how creepy this movie was.  Can you guess what language that is in the pic on the wall?  

The dynamic between Patricia and the male lead, Gabriel Bryne, really make this movie memorable (can we say sacriglicious?).  It had a tinge of sex appeal, but mainly it was Gabriel's character that was just plain SCARED to crap of her.  Who wouldn't be?  She was very thrilling and terrifying... her eyes told the whole story.

I loved this movie and I'm trying to get my hands on it since it was STOLEN from my private collection from a jealous ex.  OK, it has to be a good movie if your ex steals it.  

I can't find it anywhere.  I do remember the stigmata scene in the subway, as well as the scene in the club, but I only watched it once. Side note, it haunted me recently in a nightmare, ergo this post. This might be making me a little bit BIASED, but seriously, I had a nightmare of this movie about 10 years after it came out.  Forget about the bad reviews, watch this NOW!...POWER OF SUGGESTION::::91%