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Impressive. Epic. Narrative. (IEN)
Final Verdict: Spartacus is an epic film filled with grand ideas, large production values, and an immensely talented cast. The script is sharp, the acting is spot-on, and the scenery, sets, and locations are all gorgeous. It may not be superbly complex, but it's a great introduction into Roman politics and Roman society.The director, Stanley Kubrick, is the only one who stumbles, incorporating too many over-extended scenes and a lot of uneven storytelling. Fortunately, the pros far outweigh the cons, and the film is generally pretty enjoyable. I liked it, so it must be good.
Spoiler(s): I'm Spartacus!
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 95%
"One of the disadvantages of being a Patrician is that occasionally you are obliged to act like one."
-Marcus Licinius Crassus
Fascinating. Emotionless. Poetry.(FEP)
Final Verdict: I originally watched this film at the height of my Doors obsession and absolutely loved it. The music is well-incorporated, the portrayels are dead on, and all the hidden Doors references are great for die-hard fans. Now that a couple years have passed, and I'm able to take a few steps back, I do notice some flaws. Mainly, for non-Doors enthusiasts, some of the dialogue is awkward, because the characters speak in quotes and songs lyrics rather than normal english. While fun to hear, it feels odd, unrealistic, and out of place at times. As for Val Kilmer's epic performance? He looks, acts, and behaves just like Jim Morrison, but he's also a lot more detached and impersonal than I imagine he should be. The performance is more like a really, really, REALLY good characiature. Kilmer's Morrison is god-like on film, but it's still missing that human, sympathetic element that's essential to fully appreciate the legend. It's probably the best Doors film we'll ever see, but it's still got some nagging flaws which will turn some people off.
Spoiler(s): Jim Morrison dies at the end. If you didn't know that, we can't be friends; we are two totally different people.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 56%
"I was stoned. It seemed like a fun thing to do at the time."
-Jim Morrison
Idealic. Dramatic. Misleading. (IDM)
Final Verdict: An ex-marshall (Clint Eastwood) is wrong-fully accused by eight of his peers and unlawfully lynched. He miracuously survives however, to avenge the atrocities committed against him and bring justice to his persecutors. Or so you would think. It's advertised as a revenge film, but it's anything but that. In fact, most of the film is centered on themes of truth, justice, redemption, and forgiveness. It's an interesting take on a western movie, one I did not expect, but at times it felt anti-climatic and tangential. Fortunately, there is some great dialogue and some powerful exchanges between Eastwood's character and Judge Adam Fenton (Pat Hingle) that more than make up for the lack of action. Not a bad western by any means, but there's much better out there.
Spoiler(s): In olden times, peoples' veins were filled with ketchup. Thick, hearty, Heinz Ketchup.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 92%
"You think I judged him too harshly? Used him for kindling my fire of justice? Well, maybe that's inevitable when there's only one man, one court, with the power of final justice over a territory that's five times the size of most states. Mistakes? Oh, I've made 'em, Cooper. Don't you doubt about that. Don't you doubt, either, there are times sitting up there in that judgement seat I wished, I prayed, that there was someone standing between me and God Almighty - someone with the power to say, 'You're wrong, Fenton. You've made an error in law - that this man deserves another trial, this man here a reprieve, this man is innocent.' But until this territory becomes a state with a governor and a state court of appeals, I am the law here - all the law. If you don't like that, you can cuss me till hell freezes over... or you can join me, Cooper; even fight me. Help me turn this God forsaken territory into a state where no one man calls himself the law." -Judge Adam Fenton
Gritty. Stylized. Bourne. (GSB)
Final Verdict: While it's lacking the substance and complexities of it's predecessor, Quantum of Solace still succeeds as a gritty, violent, action-packed follow-up to the "original". Daniel Craig brings home another excellent performance as Bond and solidifies himself as one of the best interpretations of the hero to date (second maybe only to Connery). Unfortunately, this film also feels more like "James Bond meets the Bourne Identity" than a strictly Bond adventure, but it's forgiveable in the end because it generally works. Overall, it's good, but it's not Casino-Royale good.
Spoiler(s): The only nipples you get to see in the film are of James Bond with his shirt off... but I'm not complaining :)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 64%
"I don't think the dead care about vengeance." -James Bond
Intelligent. Explosive. Sociology. (IES)
Final Verdict: Science fiction has suffered from disappointing sequels and rehashed crap for a long time now, but District 9 breaks that mold, combining original, intelligent ideas with amazing special effects and an engaging story. The social analogies in the film are blatant yet effective, while the human behavioral psychology is subtle and fascinating. The film is smart, provocative, and captivating. The characters, both human and alien, feel alarmingly real, and it's easy to find yourself loving and/or despising the people on screen. Not since Alien or The Thing have we seen a sci-fi film this entertaining or original, so much so, that it even surpasses many pillars of the genre, capturing perfecly the spirit and innovation science fiction was built upon. In so few words, its fantastic and a must-see.
Spoiler(s): If my review above doesn't compell you to go see the film, then "excessive fornication with extraterrestrials" will.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 88%
"Get your fokkin' tentacle out of my face!" -Wikus Van De Merwe
Historical. Gunslinging. Badass-ery. (HGB)
Final Verdict:
Spoiler(s): Great actors play great characters in a great historical film.What more can you ask for? Guns maybe? Check. Beautiful women? Check. Val Kilmer as the terminally-ill, wise cracking Doc Holliday? Check, check, and check. It's not as good as some of the more classic westerns, but definately a worthy runner-up. Kilmer's perfomance alone is worth the price of admission.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 79%
"Are you gonna do something? Or just stand there and bleed?" -Wyatt Earp
Vivid. Violent. Dialogue-heavy. (VVD)
Final Verdict: This film was marketed as an action-oriented, superhero flick, but in actuality, that couldn't be any further from the truth. I read the graphic novel this film is based on and it's long, filled with days and days of dialogue, and rooted in complex political, social, and philosophical ideas. It in no way should be considered an action flick. That aside, the movie is fantastic. Everything great about the book is translated perfectly on film. The visuals, from the gritty, grungy, post-modern sets to the ultra-realistic computer-generated graphics, are gorgeous and should be considered masterpieces in their own right. As for the plot, I can't imagine how I would interpret the film had I not read the book, but as a fan I was more than pleased with the result. The content that was cut was necessary, as were the changes made to the story, and I full-heartidly support Zack Synder's interpretation of the novel. Additionally, the character Rorschach was absolutely phenominal on screen, visually and performance-wise, and the actor who played him, Jackie Earl Haley, deserves some sort of award. My only complaints were that Adrian Veidt's character was cast poorly, some of the costume design changes were pretty lame (i.e. Silk Spectre II, Ozymandias), and some of the scene transitions were awkward and distracting. Overall, it's an amazing film, but won't be for everyone.
Spoiler(s): About halfway through the film someone managed to splice in a good five minutes of hardcore porn. It apparently made its way into every version of the film and every DVD release, but Warner Bros. has yet to release any sort of comment regarding the whole debacle. Unbelieveable.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 64%
"Never compromise. Not even in the face of Armageddon." -Rorschach
