Director: Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark, War of the Worlds)
Stars: Henry Thomas (Gangs of New York, Suicide Kings [which was pretty good, but I haven't seen anything else he's been in. Although I can only assume Pycho 4: The Beginning was terrible)
Drew Barrymore (Donnie Darko, Fever Pitch)
YesNoSoso: 2
My parents always say I was the only kid in the country that didn't like E.T. Combine that fact with my anger at Speilberg for essentially inventing the summer blockbuster and I had little incentive to re-watch this. I'm upset I stalled. E.T. is, for lack (or laziness) of a better word, a really fun movie. The bike racing scenes were exciting and inspired a boyish nostalgia, I can only imagine how enjoyable they are for boys (and some girls) of bike-riding age. Regardless of my disdain for money-above-all-else culture Spielberg has inspired in Hollywood, I would be remiss not to mention/realize that he accomplished it with extraordinarily good movies. My only beef is the obvious CGI he added in the remastered version. Luckily I was able to look past that and appreciate E.T. for the lovable animatronic Muppet he undoubtedly was in my childhood.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
5/14/10
Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Director: Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovitch, Adaptation [both incredible])
Stars: Max Records (The Brothers Bloom [never saw it, heard it was good, he's done nothing else])
Catherine Keener (Hamlet 2, Switch)
YesNoSoso: 2
With Spike Jonze directing and Dave Eggers assisting on the script this movie had all the makings of a legend. I don't believe the end product reflects my initial high hopes, but it is still quite good. James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whittaker, Michael Berry Jr (I've never heard of him either) and Lauren Ambrose provide the 'Wild Things' with voices and create rich and complicated characters. I enjoyed my 2 hours and definitely feel that there was underlying meaning and implications that I missed on the first viewing. Therefore, by definition, it received a YesNoSoso 2.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Max Records (The Brothers Bloom [never saw it, heard it was good, he's done nothing else])
Catherine Keener (Hamlet 2, Switch)
YesNoSoso: 2
With Spike Jonze directing and Dave Eggers assisting on the script this movie had all the makings of a legend. I don't believe the end product reflects my initial high hopes, but it is still quite good. James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whittaker, Michael Berry Jr (I've never heard of him either) and Lauren Ambrose provide the 'Wild Things' with voices and create rich and complicated characters. I enjoyed my 2 hours and definitely feel that there was underlying meaning and implications that I missed on the first viewing. Therefore, by definition, it received a YesNoSoso 2.
IMDB
Wikipedia
7/8/09
Lars and the Real Girl (2006)
Director: Craig Gillespie (Mr. Woodcock, "United States of Tara" [I haven't seen either and haven't really heard anything about either)
Stars: Ryan Gosling (Murder by Numbers [which was alright], The Notebook)
Paul Schneider (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Live Free or Die)
YesNoSoso: 2
This was a pleasant surprise. I put Lars and the Real Girl on my Blockbuster queue because I was intrigued by the concept, but expected the movie to be light on substance. It was actually an extremely warm and well executed film. Nothing special, but solid performances all around and a genuinely good feel. I had no idea Ryan Gosling could actually act.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Ryan Gosling (Murder by Numbers [which was alright], The Notebook)
Paul Schneider (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Live Free or Die)
YesNoSoso: 2
This was a pleasant surprise. I put Lars and the Real Girl on my Blockbuster queue because I was intrigued by the concept, but expected the movie to be light on substance. It was actually an extremely warm and well executed film. Nothing special, but solid performances all around and a genuinely good feel. I had no idea Ryan Gosling could actually act.
IMDB
Wikipedia
9/25/08
Magnolia (1999)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, Punch-Drunk Love)
Stars: Tom Cruise (Top Gun, Cocktail)
John C. Reilly (Boogie Nights, Never Been Kissed)
YesNoSoso: 2
Yes, I know. The ending is weird. But this movie is awesome. As evidenced by incredibly long uncut shots and immense casts of complex characters, Paul Thomas Anderson is one of today's elite director's. There are 9+ main character story lines, all seemingly separate but seamlessly connected by the end. Play Where's Waldo with the numbers 8 and 2. The story loosely follows that of Exodus 8:2 from that really famous book whose name is escaping me...
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Tom Cruise (Top Gun, Cocktail)
John C. Reilly (Boogie Nights, Never Been Kissed)
YesNoSoso: 2
Yes, I know. The ending is weird. But this movie is awesome. As evidenced by incredibly long uncut shots and immense casts of complex characters, Paul Thomas Anderson is one of today's elite director's. There are 9+ main character story lines, all seemingly separate but seamlessly connected by the end. Play Where's Waldo with the numbers 8 and 2. The story loosely follows that of Exodus 8:2 from that really famous book whose name is escaping me...
IMDB
Wikipedia
9/19/08
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Director: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris ("Say it Ain't So" Weezer video)
Stars: Greg Kinnear (As Good as it Gets, Blankman)
Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense, Changing Lanes)
YesNoSoso: 1
I just didn't get it. It wasn't bad, I enjoyed watching it, but I didn't see anything special about it at all. Maybe everybody else fawning over it skewed my judgment, but I doubt it. Solid performances all around, and wonderful motif of failure, but that's about it.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Greg Kinnear (As Good as it Gets, Blankman)
Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense, Changing Lanes)
YesNoSoso: 1
I just didn't get it. It wasn't bad, I enjoyed watching it, but I didn't see anything special about it at all. Maybe everybody else fawning over it skewed my judgment, but I doubt it. Solid performances all around, and wonderful motif of failure, but that's about it.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Diner (1982)
Director: Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Envy)
Stars: Steve Guttenberg (Cocoon, Police Academy)
Tim Daly (Superman: the Animated Series, Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde)
YesNoSoso: 2
If I didn't know about Diner and you told me there was a movie directed by Barry Levinson that stars Steve Guttenberg, Tim Daly, Paul Reiser and Daniel Stern I would probably kick you in the balls for informing me that such obvious proof of Satan exists. But this movie is quite good. Its funny and charming. Suprisingly this is due, in part, to the cast's performances. Its not that I don't like these people, I just don't generally like the cookie cutter bullshit they make. Every part in Diner is cast perfectly. Its like the origin of all these actors and every other movie they do is their character in Diner trying to act in another vehicle, with disasterous results.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Steve Guttenberg (Cocoon, Police Academy)
Tim Daly (Superman: the Animated Series, Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde)
YesNoSoso: 2
If I didn't know about Diner and you told me there was a movie directed by Barry Levinson that stars Steve Guttenberg, Tim Daly, Paul Reiser and Daniel Stern I would probably kick you in the balls for informing me that such obvious proof of Satan exists. But this movie is quite good. Its funny and charming. Suprisingly this is due, in part, to the cast's performances. Its not that I don't like these people, I just don't generally like the cookie cutter bullshit they make. Every part in Diner is cast perfectly. Its like the origin of all these actors and every other movie they do is their character in Diner trying to act in another vehicle, with disasterous results.
IMDB
Wikipedia
The Squid and the Whale (2005)
Director: Noah Baumbach (I've never seen anything else by this guy)
Stars: Jeff Daniels (Good Night and Good Luck, Pleasantville)
Laura Linney (Mystic River, Congo)
YesNoSoso: 1
As will always be the case with movies that get a YesNoSoso 1, I don't have a lot to say about The Squid and the Whale. Solid acting performances from "Dumb", as well as the entire cast. The plot is intersting but not wholly original. I was entertained by this family drama but not overwhelmed.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Stars: Jeff Daniels (Good Night and Good Luck, Pleasantville)
Laura Linney (Mystic River, Congo)
YesNoSoso: 1
As will always be the case with movies that get a YesNoSoso 1, I don't have a lot to say about The Squid and the Whale. Solid acting performances from "Dumb", as well as the entire cast. The plot is intersting but not wholly original. I was entertained by this family drama but not overwhelmed.
IMDB
Wikipedia
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
