Director: Oren Moverman (his first and only movie)
Stars: Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma, X-men: The Last Stand)
Woody Harrelson (Zombieland, Money Train)
YesNoSoso: 1
A very solid dramatic piece driven by fantastic performances. The criminally under appreciated Ben Foster and perpetually impressive Woody Harrelson play perfectly opposite each other in this story of two soldiers assigned to the Casualty Notification division. An interesting and emotionally charged story unravels as the soldiers cope with the range of emotions the next of kin bring to the notification of their loved ones dying as well as their own personal demons. Watch out for a great cameo by Steve Buscemi.
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Showing posts with label War. Show all posts
Showing posts with label War. Show all posts
8/2/10
12/28/09
Avatar (2009)
Director: James Cameron (True Lies, Aliens [I don't care what you think, that movie is terrible])
Stars: Sam Worthington (I really don't think he's been in a good movie, Terminator: Salvation)
Sigourney Weaver (Alien, Heartbreakers)
YesNoSoso: 2
Believe it or not I actually waffled on what to give this movie as I was watching it in Imax 3D. It was easily the coolest graphics I've ever seen and the story was actually really good, but the dialogue was terrible in many a spot and I don't really have any desire to see it again. However, Avatar's moniker as a "game-changer" is well deserved. I hope that in the near future all movies look as awesome as Avatar. Do yourself a favor and see this movie in IMAX 3D.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Sam Worthington (I really don't think he's been in a good movie, Terminator: Salvation)
Sigourney Weaver (Alien, Heartbreakers)
YesNoSoso: 2
Believe it or not I actually waffled on what to give this movie as I was watching it in Imax 3D. It was easily the coolest graphics I've ever seen and the story was actually really good, but the dialogue was terrible in many a spot and I don't really have any desire to see it again. However, Avatar's moniker as a "game-changer" is well deserved. I hope that in the near future all movies look as awesome as Avatar. Do yourself a favor and see this movie in IMAX 3D.
IMDB
Wikipedia
12/27/09
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Director: Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Death Proof [which I still think is pretty f-ing awesome])
Stars: Brad Pitt (12 Monkeys, Seven Years in Tibet [which was still decent])
Christoph Waltz (some German films I've never heard of)
YesNoSoso: 2
This movie was freakin amazing. I honestly (and foolishly) thought that it was going to be Tarantino's take on the classic World War II genre, but Tarantino filmed this much more as a western set in World War II. The results are incredible (I love westerns, especially those with a Tarantino twist). I've debated putting this in here, because one of the tenements of YesNoSoso is quick descriptions of movies that give as little away as possible, but I really feel this next point is a huge part of this movies greatness. So here's you're prerequisite "spoiler alert": One of the things that I loved most about this movie was that for most of the it I was under the assumption that the events transpiring were happening during the real time line of World War II and the movie was just revealing an "unknown" storyline of World War II. Because of this assumption, I was watching under the pretense that the Basterds plan was doomed for failure. Because of this misdirection the climax was a true surprise (a rarity at this stage in my movie watching).
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Brad Pitt (12 Monkeys, Seven Years in Tibet [which was still decent])
Christoph Waltz (some German films I've never heard of)
YesNoSoso: 2
This movie was freakin amazing. I honestly (and foolishly) thought that it was going to be Tarantino's take on the classic World War II genre, but Tarantino filmed this much more as a western set in World War II. The results are incredible (I love westerns, especially those with a Tarantino twist). I've debated putting this in here, because one of the tenements of YesNoSoso is quick descriptions of movies that give as little away as possible, but I really feel this next point is a huge part of this movies greatness. So here's you're prerequisite "spoiler alert": One of the things that I loved most about this movie was that for most of the it I was under the assumption that the events transpiring were happening during the real time line of World War II and the movie was just revealing an "unknown" storyline of World War II. Because of this assumption, I was watching under the pretense that the Basterds plan was doomed for failure. Because of this misdirection the climax was a true surprise (a rarity at this stage in my movie watching).
IMDB
Wikipedia
10/1/09
Valkyrie (2008)
Director: Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, Superman Returns)
Stars: Tom Cruise (Minority Report, Cocktail)
Kenneth Branagh (Frankenstein, Wild Wild West)
YesNoSoso: 0
I'm sorry, I really tried to enjoy this movie. I know I always say I try and desire to go into every movie as fresh as possible but I really wanted the writer/director team behind The Usual Suspects to pull out a win and go on to make more movies of that caliber. Its not that this movie was atrociously bad, it just didn't hold me for any extended period of time. The very definition of bland. And watching Nazi's talk in British accents is inexplicably infuriating. I'm sure some of you will find it good enough for a watch, but I wanted my time back.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Tom Cruise (Minority Report, Cocktail)
Kenneth Branagh (Frankenstein, Wild Wild West)
YesNoSoso: 0
I'm sorry, I really tried to enjoy this movie. I know I always say I try and desire to go into every movie as fresh as possible but I really wanted the writer/director team behind The Usual Suspects to pull out a win and go on to make more movies of that caliber. Its not that this movie was atrociously bad, it just didn't hold me for any extended period of time. The very definition of bland. And watching Nazi's talk in British accents is inexplicably infuriating. I'm sure some of you will find it good enough for a watch, but I wanted my time back.
IMDB
Wikipedia
8/31/09
The Hurt Locker (2009)
Director: Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, K-19: The Widowmaker)
Stars: Jeremy Renner (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, S.W.A.T.)
Ralph Fiennes (In Bruges, Maid in Manhattan)
YesNoSoso: 2
Dear Hollywood Action Directors: next time you are planning to use a handy cam to film a fight scene, watch Heat or The Hurt Locker, and witness what a realistic action scene feels like. The Hurt Locker is a heart pounding action film with complex characters and pertinent themes. Why can't more movies like this come out every year? I swear to G-d, its fucking September and there have been like 5 movies in 2009 that haven't sucked total ass.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Jeremy Renner (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, S.W.A.T.)
Ralph Fiennes (In Bruges, Maid in Manhattan)
YesNoSoso: 2
Dear Hollywood Action Directors: next time you are planning to use a handy cam to film a fight scene, watch Heat or The Hurt Locker, and witness what a realistic action scene feels like. The Hurt Locker is a heart pounding action film with complex characters and pertinent themes. Why can't more movies like this come out every year? I swear to G-d, its fucking September and there have been like 5 movies in 2009 that haven't sucked total ass.
IMDB
Wikipedia
7/10/09
Generation Kill (2008)
Director: Susanna White/Simon Cellan Jones (Some TV shit I've never heard of)
Stars: Alexander Skarsgard (Zoolander, "True Blood" [I've never seen the show but I've heard good things)
James Ransone ("The Wire", "The Third Watch")
YesNoSoso: 2
I was hesitant to even put this on YesNoSoso, seeing as it was a mini-series on HBO, but it only had seven episodes and was awesome so I thought I'd spread the word. From the same writers as "The Wire", Generation Kill tells the story of the first Recon Marine Battalion in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Like "The Wire" its full of pithy dialogue and vastly complex characters and it does an incredible job of parlaying the frenetic/mind-numbingly-boring duality of war.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Alexander Skarsgard (Zoolander, "True Blood" [I've never seen the show but I've heard good things)
James Ransone ("The Wire", "The Third Watch")
YesNoSoso: 2
I was hesitant to even put this on YesNoSoso, seeing as it was a mini-series on HBO, but it only had seven episodes and was awesome so I thought I'd spread the word. From the same writers as "The Wire", Generation Kill tells the story of the first Recon Marine Battalion in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Like "The Wire" its full of pithy dialogue and vastly complex characters and it does an incredible job of parlaying the frenetic/mind-numbingly-boring duality of war.
IMDB
Wikipedia
7/9/09
Letters from Iwo Jima (2007)
Director: Clint Eastwood (Unforgiven, Flags of our Fathers)
Stars: Ken Watanabe (Batman Begins, Memoirs of a Geisha)
Some Japanese people you've never heard of
YesNoSoso: 2
The companion piece to Letters from Iwo Jima, Flags of our Fathers, was a steaming pile of boring shit so I was less than optimistic about this one. But it was actually quite good. Perhaps it was the mere fact that it offered a stark departure from the classic (and vastly overdone) WWII film in that it was told from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers. Clint provides some very in depth character development (par for the course) all while doing (almost) the entire movie in Japanese with English subtitles. After seeing this and Apocalypto I actually considered that maybe it is easier to develop in-depth characters in a language other than the viewers native tongue. Then I realized that was a stupid theory. I think these movies stand out and seem like they have such amazing characters because they are developed DESPITE being in a foreign language. Like someone who can juggle knives is pretty impressive, but if you can juggle knives while riding a unicycle that's something special. Also there's a Lion.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Ken Watanabe (Batman Begins, Memoirs of a Geisha)
Some Japanese people you've never heard of
YesNoSoso: 2
The companion piece to Letters from Iwo Jima, Flags of our Fathers, was a steaming pile of boring shit so I was less than optimistic about this one. But it was actually quite good. Perhaps it was the mere fact that it offered a stark departure from the classic (and vastly overdone) WWII film in that it was told from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers. Clint provides some very in depth character development (par for the course) all while doing (almost) the entire movie in Japanese with English subtitles. After seeing this and Apocalypto I actually considered that maybe it is easier to develop in-depth characters in a language other than the viewers native tongue. Then I realized that was a stupid theory. I think these movies stand out and seem like they have such amazing characters because they are developed DESPITE being in a foreign language. Like someone who can juggle knives is pretty impressive, but if you can juggle knives while riding a unicycle that's something special. Also there's a Lion.
IMDB
Wikipedia
4/6/09
The Miracle of St Anna (2008)
Director: Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, The Original Kings of Comedy)
Stars: Derek Luke (Spartan, Biker Boyz)
Michael Ealy (Barbershop [I guess...the movie was ok...], 2 Fast 2 Furious)
YesNoSoso: 1
Another movie spent debating the warranted application of a YesNoSoso 0 or 1. This one slightly different then my experience with The Pope of Greenwich Village in that I had read all the terrible reviews, but my affinity for Spike Lee wouldn't allow me to believe the negativity. Alas, it was pretty bad. The movie contained some of Spike Lee's signature sylistic elements, which was cool, but it also contained a good number of ludicrous plot elements. Also the ending sucks.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Derek Luke (Spartan, Biker Boyz)
Michael Ealy (Barbershop [I guess...the movie was ok...], 2 Fast 2 Furious)
YesNoSoso: 1
Another movie spent debating the warranted application of a YesNoSoso 0 or 1. This one slightly different then my experience with The Pope of Greenwich Village in that I had read all the terrible reviews, but my affinity for Spike Lee wouldn't allow me to believe the negativity. Alas, it was pretty bad. The movie contained some of Spike Lee's signature sylistic elements, which was cool, but it also contained a good number of ludicrous plot elements. Also the ending sucks.
IMDB
Wikipedia
2/9/09
In the Valley of Elah (2007)
Director: Paul Haggis (Crash, Red Hot [To be fair, i haven't seen Red Hot but its the only other feature film he's directed])
Stars: Tommy Lee Jones (No Country for Old Men, Volcano)
Charlize Theron (That Thing You Do!, Mighty Joe Young)
YesNoSoso: 2
This movie is incredible. If you don't mind not being cheered up by your movies, definitely check this movie out. Amazing performances by all involved and another amazingly intricate Paul Haggis screenplay make this movie a must watch. Here's a fun game: See if its harder to find a legitimately good movie in Charlize Theron's resume (I settled for one where she had an incredibly minor role) or trying to pick just one awful one. And she is widely considered one of the best actress's around. Fuck you Hollywood.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Tommy Lee Jones (No Country for Old Men, Volcano)
Charlize Theron (That Thing You Do!, Mighty Joe Young)
YesNoSoso: 2
This movie is incredible. If you don't mind not being cheered up by your movies, definitely check this movie out. Amazing performances by all involved and another amazingly intricate Paul Haggis screenplay make this movie a must watch. Here's a fun game: See if its harder to find a legitimately good movie in Charlize Theron's resume (I settled for one where she had an incredibly minor role) or trying to pick just one awful one. And she is widely considered one of the best actress's around. Fuck you Hollywood.
IMDB
Wikipedia
1/29/09
Born of the Fourth of July (1989)
Director: Oliver Stone (Platoon, World Trade Center)
Stars: Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible, Cocktails)
Kyra Sedgewick (Singles, The Woodsman [I guess, this bitch has been in like 50 movies and I've heard of 3 of them, seen none of them])
YesNoSoso: 1
The more Oliver Stone movies I see the less I like him. Obviously I started out by watching his best (Wall Street, Any Given Sunday [fuck you that movie is awesome], Platoon) but the more I see his older less seen movies, and his newer shittier ones, the less I respect him. This movie is one of them. Good movie, don't get me wrong. As I always say on this blog and as the basis for my rating system, I enjoyed my 2 hours. Except this movie was three and a half hours long. So in actuality there were about 1.5 hours that I wasn't enjoying. But in the spirit of the rule, I am glad I saw this movie and it should def be seen.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible, Cocktails)
Kyra Sedgewick (Singles, The Woodsman [I guess, this bitch has been in like 50 movies and I've heard of 3 of them, seen none of them])
YesNoSoso: 1
The more Oliver Stone movies I see the less I like him. Obviously I started out by watching his best (Wall Street, Any Given Sunday [fuck you that movie is awesome], Platoon) but the more I see his older less seen movies, and his newer shittier ones, the less I respect him. This movie is one of them. Good movie, don't get me wrong. As I always say on this blog and as the basis for my rating system, I enjoyed my 2 hours. Except this movie was three and a half hours long. So in actuality there were about 1.5 hours that I wasn't enjoying. But in the spirit of the rule, I am glad I saw this movie and it should def be seen.
IMDB
Wikipedia
9/30/08
Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
Director: Clint Eastwood (Unforgiven, Space Cowboys)
Stars: Ryan Phillippe (Crash, Antitrust)
Adam Beach (Law and Order: SVU, Mystery, Alaska)
YesNoSoso: 1
Before perusing Clint Eastwood's IMDB page, I would've said he's a great director. I still do love alot of the movies he's directed (Mystic River, Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby) but I was unaware of how many terrible movies he's helmed (Space Cowboys, Blood Work, Firefox). This movie isn't horrible, its just boring. I've never seen, but heard very good things about the companion peice to Flags, Sands of Iwo Jima, but this one was, as I said, boring. Like if The French Connection was about the paperwork Popeye Doyle had to do after the drug bust, instead of the actual crime.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Ryan Phillippe (Crash, Antitrust)
Adam Beach (Law and Order: SVU, Mystery, Alaska)
YesNoSoso: 1
Before perusing Clint Eastwood's IMDB page, I would've said he's a great director. I still do love alot of the movies he's directed (Mystic River, Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby) but I was unaware of how many terrible movies he's helmed (Space Cowboys, Blood Work, Firefox). This movie isn't horrible, its just boring. I've never seen, but heard very good things about the companion peice to Flags, Sands of Iwo Jima, but this one was, as I said, boring. Like if The French Connection was about the paperwork Popeye Doyle had to do after the drug bust, instead of the actual crime.
IMDB
Wikipedia
9/8/08
Atonement (2007)
Director: Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice)
Stars: Kiera Knightly (Pirates of the Caribbean, Domino)
James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland, Wimbledon)
YesNoSoso: 2
I was stunned. I know it was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, but I expected a campy love story with beautiful cinematography and a cookie cutter plot. It had the cinematography but it was also incredibly entertaining on a number of levels. Great performances from all including youngun Saorise Ronan, interesting storytelling device and an excellent ending. A love story movie that can make me cringe with the gore of war? That's fun for the whole family.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Kiera Knightly (Pirates of the Caribbean, Domino)
James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland, Wimbledon)
YesNoSoso: 2
I was stunned. I know it was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, but I expected a campy love story with beautiful cinematography and a cookie cutter plot. It had the cinematography but it was also incredibly entertaining on a number of levels. Great performances from all including youngun Saorise Ronan, interesting storytelling device and an excellent ending. A love story movie that can make me cringe with the gore of war? That's fun for the whole family.
IMDB
Wikipedia
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