Movies: Part II (UPDATED)

LEGEND OF PI:2012, ++::  ALTHOUGH I HEARD A LOT ABOUT THIS MOVIE, I WAS STILL SURPRISED.  THE DEPTH AND LEVELS IN WHICH IT CHALLENGES THE VIEWER ARE ADMIRABLE AND OCCASIONALLY A BIT DISTURBING.  THERE ARE MANY ELEMENTS AT WORK HERE AND THE FACT THAT THE AUTHOR OF THE NOVEL, YANN MARTEL, ALLOWED THIS MOVIE TO BE MADE IS SURPRISING.  AT SOME POINT, I'M SURE THERE WAS SOME APPREHENSION, BECAUSE THE EFFECTS WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE STUNNING.  THEY WERE STUNNING.

OCCASIONALLY CGI WORKS AND DOES WHAT IS IMPOSSIBLE ON THE BIG SCREEN AND I AM SURE THAT THIS MOVIE FALLS INTO THIS CATEGORY.  THE ONLY WAY THIS MOVIE WOULD WORK IS WITH CGI, PERIOD.  ANG LEE DOESN'T DISAPPOINT IN THIS EPIC MOVIE AND REALLY, IT TAKES A FEW TIMES TO WATCH TO REALLY GET INTO THE DETAILS.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE RELIGIOUS ASPECTS IS DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN, BUT HANDLED RATHER WELL.  WHY SHOULDN'T THERE BE A UNIFORM WAY TO WORSHIP A GOD?  MORE THAN THAT THIS IS A MOVIE ABOUT FAITH AND OVERCOMING OBSTACLES THAT SEEM INSURMOUNTABLE. 

SURAJ SHARMA PUTS ON A GREAT PERFORMANCE AND I WONDER WHAT HE WILL DO NOW.  THIS MOVIE OPERATES UNDER A CERTAIN GRACE WHICH IS HARD TO DESCRIBE AND PROBABLY DIFFERENT FOR EACH VIEWER.  STANDOUT SCENES ARE WHEN THE TIGER IS TAMED, THERE IS THE STORM AT SEA, AND OF COURSE WHEN THEY ARE ON THE ISLAND.  THIS MOVIE IS A MUST WATCH AND I PLAN ON OWNING IT::93%


JACK REACHER:  2011:++ ACT:  A SURPRISINGLY ACCEPTABLE MOVIE FOR TOM CRUISE WHO SHOWS THAT HE CAN STILL ACT AND BE A LEADING MAN.  THE FEMALE ROLE OF PAULA WAGNER IS ALSO A PLEASANT SURPRISE AND SHE IS ATTRACTIVE AND OVERALL PUTS ON A GREAT PERFORMANCE.  NOT TO BE FAN BOY, HERE, BUT THE SCENE WHERE SHE WORE BLACK WAS STUNNING.

THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING DYNAMICS HERE, ALTHOUGH IT'S WAY TOO LONG.  THIS MOVIE COULD HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN SHORTER.  GOD HELP YOU IF YOU HAD A KID KICKING YOUR SEAT OR THE OBLIGATORY CELL PHONE TALKER; THIS MOVIE WOULD HAVE BEEN INTOLERABLE IN THE THEATRE. 

PERHAPS CHRISTOPHER MCQUIRIE WANTED TO DO LEE CHILD'S CHARACTER JUSTICE, BUT AFTER 2 HOURS, THAT'S ENOUGH.  GREAT FIGHTING SCENES, AND I ESPECIALLY LIKED THE CARS IN THIS ONE.  PAULA WAGNER ALSO GAVE IT A SIDE THAT IS PERSONABLE.  ROBERT DUVALLE HAS A CAMEO AND GIVES THIS MOVIES SOME DEPTH.  THE STAR FROM THE NEW DIE HARD IS IN THIS MOVIE AND SEEMS TO BE WELL LIKED BY DIRECTORS.  HE MIGHT HAVE A GOOD CAREER GOING AFTER THESE TWO FLICKS.

STAND OUT SCENES WERE DEFINITELY WHEN TOM ALMOST KISSED PAULA AND HIS IMAGE WAS DISPLAYED IN MIRRORS LIKE ALTERNATE SIDES OF HIS COMPLICATED PERSONALITY...WELL DONE!  IN ADDITION, I LIKED WHEN HE BEAT UP THE BAD GUYS BY HAVING THEM HIT THEMSELVES IN THE BATHROOM.  GOOD FIGHTING CHOREOGRAPHY WAS SEEN THROUGHOUT THIS MOVIE.  IT'S A GOOD MOVIE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SHORTER.  AGAIN, I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AFTER THIS ONE THOUGH, SO A SORT OF MUST WATCH IF YOU CAN TAKE A BREAK IN THE MIDDLE:::79%

PS, THIS WAS POSTPONED DUE TO THE SANDY HOOK MASSACRE


A GOOD DAY TO DE HARD::2013, +, ACT:: OK, SO I DID WATCH THIS MOVIE, ONLY BECAUSE I WAS EXTREMELY BORED AND IT MADE A DECENT SEGUE FROM JACK REACHER. 

JOHN MOORE DOESN'T BUTCHER THE SERIES AND THIS MOVIE DOES HAVE IT'S POSITIVE ELEMENTS.  BRUCE WILLIS DOESN'T LOOK HORRIBLE IN THIS AND IS STILL DOING HIS BEST TO IMPRESS FANS, WHICH I FEEL ARE TOO OLD TO APPRECIATE THIS AND HIS ONE LINERS, BUT HE TRIES.  THE ENEMIES ARE RUSSIANS, GOD IS THAT ALWAYS THE CASE, AND YES, THEY ARE RUDE AND BRUTISH.  CAN SOMEONE DIRECT A RUSSIAN VILLAIN WITH SOME PANACHE? 

I FELL ASLEEP DURING THIS, BUT I DO REMEMBER A CHARMING FEMALE VILLAIN. THE NEW LEADING ROLE (JAI COURTNEY), WHO WAS ALSO IN JACK REACHER, SEEMS TO BE GOOD ON FILM AND WILL PROBABLY HAVE A GOOD CAREER.  YULIYA WAS ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING IN THIS AND I NEED MORE, MORE MORE. 

OK, SO THERE WERE HELICOPTERS, BIG GUNS, LACKLUSTER BADDIES AND THE USUAL DRIVEL IN ACTION MOVIES LIKE THIS...  NOTHING TO REALLY REMEMBER IN THIS MOVIE.  I EASILY RANK IT BELOW JACK REACHER.  PLUS, BRUCE SAID, "YIPPIE KAY YAY!!"  NOO, JUST STOP, THAT GENERATION IS ALREADY WORRIED ABOUT MORTGAGE PAYMENTS AND PAMPERS TO LIKE THAT LINE::69%, BARELY 70% BECAUSE OF YULIYA..


FIRE WALK WITH ME:  1992, ++, THR:  HOW MANY TIMES CAN I SAY THAT THIS IS MY FAVORITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME?  WELL, A FEW TIMES, I GUESS.  DAVID LYNCH MIGHT HAVE LOST HIS MIND AT SOME POINT, BUT I GOT TO SEE IT HAPPEN ON THE BIG SCREEN...THAT COUNTS FOR SOMETHING.

WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS THE PSYCHEDELIC MONTAGES, OR THE TALKING BACKWARD, OR HAVING DAVID BOWIE AND CHRIS ISAAC DO CAMEOS..HOW CAN YOU DOUBT THIS TROUBLED GENIUS' ART FORM?  JUST BECAUSE HE "LOST HIS MIND" DOESN'T MEAN THAT HIS ART SUFFERED.  QUITE THE CONTRARY, IT WAS THE DRIVING FORCE BEING SUCH PIECES AS BLUE VELVET, LOST HIGHWAY AND OF COURSE HIS TOURE DE FORCE, FIRE WALK WITH ME.

SINCE THIS IS AN UPCOMING "SHOWCASE OF THE WEEK", I WILL NOT FULLY RATE IT....YET


NATURAL BORN KILLERS: 1994, ++, ACT::OLIVER STONE IS AT HIS BEST, WELL WHEN IS HE NOT AT HIS BEST, IN THIS EYE OPENING SATIRE ABOUT SERIAL KILLERS MICKEY AND MALLORY, LOOSELY BASED ON REALITY.  WOODY HARRELSON IS EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE IN THIS FILM, BUT I WAS ESPECIALLY SURPRISED BY JULLIETTE LEWIS' PERFORMANCE AS THE PSYCHOTIC, SEX CRAZED DAUGHTER OF A FATHER WHO MOLESTED HER.

AS THE POT DEALER IN DUE DATE, JULIETTE PUTS ON A VERY MATURE, STRIKINGLY VISCERAL PERFORMANCE THAT WAS TRULY MEANT FOR HER.  I CAN'T IMAGINE SOMEONE ELSE PULLING THAT OFF.  THIS MOVIE IS DISTURBING, BUT A MUST WATCH.  I SUGGEST HAVING AN "OLIVER STONE" NIGHT IN WHICH YOU WATCH PLATOON, JFK AND THIS AT LEAST.

STAND OUT SCENES ARE THE TOUCHINGLY ROMANTIC SCENE ON THE BRIDGE WHEN THEY TIE THE KNOT AND MALLORY CURSES OUT SOME ONLOOKERS FOR BEEPING THEIR HORN.  ALSO WHEN MALLORY DANCES IN THE DINER AND KILLS THE PERVERT.."BEEP BEEP!"; AND OF COURSE, THE SCENE WHERE THEY TRIPPED ON PEYOTE AND THE SNAKES WERE EVERYWHERE..

DID I MENTION THAT ROBERT DOWNEY JR IS IN THIS AS WELL AS RODNEY DANGERFIELD AS THE PERV DAD,.. TOM SIZEMORE AS THE COP AND MANY MANY OTHER PROMINENT ACTORS?..WAS THAT EVEN A SENTENCE???

THIS MOVIE HAS EVERYTHING, A JAIL BREAK SCENE, EXCELLENT MUSIC, SUPERB PHOTOGRAPHY, SUSPENSE AND THE PLOT JUST TAKES YOU ON A ROLLER COASTER THAT THRILLS AND SENDS CHILLS DOWN YOUR SPINE.  PLEASE WATCH THIS, BUT NOT WITH THE KIDDIES!  :::91%


WANTED:  2008, ++, ACT:  SOMEONE ASKED ME WHY I TEND TO RATE MOVIES PRETTY HIGHLY, AND SOMEHOW FIND REDEEMING VALUE IN MOVIES.  WELL, THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, WATCHING MOVIES SHOULD BE ENJOYABLE; MORE THAN LIKELY YOU'RE HOME, OR IN A THEATRE, HAVING A SNACK, IN A COOL ENVIRONMENT AND GENERALLY LETTING GO.

ANGELENA JOLIE WAS EXCELLENT IN THIS MOVIE, NOT JUST BECAUSE SHE LOOKED GOOD, BUT SHE ALSO PERFORMED THE STUNTS WITH EASE.  SHE IS GOOD AT PLAYING THAT "BAD" GIRL TYPE AS SEEN IN GIRL INTERRUPTED, SALT, AND SOMETIMES EVEN TOMB RAIDER. 

THE STUNTS WERE ENTERTAINING AND COMPRISED MANY OF THE STAND OUT SCENES SUCH AS WHEN THE VIPER FLIPPED ON THE BUS, AND AT THE END WHERE THE..WELL, NO SPOILERS.  THE MALE CHARACTER (JAMES MCAVOY) WAS FORGETTABLE, BUT MAYBE THAT WAS THE POINT.  THIS WAS CONFIGURED FROM A COMIC STRIP, SO I BELIEVE MOST OF THE ATTENTION WAS DONE WITH THE STUNT SCENES.

THE BUTCHER WAS PRETTY BRUTAL WITH HIS KNIVES AND MORGAN FREEMAN WAS TYPICAL FREEMAN, BUT THIS TIME IT CAME OFF A LITTLE BIT PRETENTIOUS.  WATCH FOR ANGELINA JOLIE.  I ALSO LIKED IT WHEN THE MAIN CHARACTER FLIPS OUT TO NIN MUSIC.  THIS BROUGHT THIS MOVIE UP FROM A LOW 80S, TO A 85:::85%


INCEPTION: 2010, +++, ACT/DRM:  I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THIS MOVIE IS 3 YEARS OLD.  DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER NOLAN, THIS MOVIE FEATURES ENOUGH STAR POWER TO BE 3 MOVIES.  LEONARDO DICAPRIO IS STERN AND PENSIVE (DOES HE KEEP DOING THIS OR IS IT ME LATELY?)

I HAD TO SEE THIS MOVIE ABOUT 4 TIMES TO FINALLY GET IT.  IT'S JUST A LITTLE TOO LONG TO GET THE WHOLE FIRST TIME IN.  I ENJOYED MAL'S PERFORMANCE ELLEN PAGE AS WELL AS MARION COTILLARD BECAUSE THEY AREN'T EXACTLY THE LEAD FEMALE ROLES BUT THEY WORKED TO GIVE THE MOVIE AN EDGE.

I WOULD HAVE CHANGED THE WAY IT STARTED AND MADE IT FLOW QUICKER, BUT THAT'S NOT A HUGE GRIPE.  THE SCENERY WAS UNREAL AS WERE THE EFFECTS.  THIS WAS THE FIRST MOVIE TO REALLY TAKE THAT STOP ACTION PHOTO TO THE NEXT LEVEL AFTER THE MATRIX. 

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, SEE IT.  IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT MORE THAN ONCE, SEE IT AGAIN AND TAKE SOME BREAKS.  IT WILL MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE THAT WAY.  ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES, THIS WILL KEEP YOU GUESSING LIKE A GOOD SPY MOVIE DOES AND HAS GREAT MUSIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERPLAY THAT WILL MAKE YOU KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE.  SEE IT AGAIN AND AGAIN, UNTIL IT'S IN YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS::!::92%