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Intense. Violent. Surprising. (IVS)
Final Verdict: This is a great, great film. The directing is absolutely incredible, the script is one of a kind, and the acting is the best I've seen in years. The dialogue is sharp, powerful, and memorable, and it's the quieter, subtler moments that really shine. There's also an equal amount of gritty, edge-of-your-seat suspense the likes of which I haven't seen since The Shining or What Lies Beneath. Thanks to stellar performances by Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin (the three male leads) the characters come alive and make you really care for them. The only MAJOR disappointment is in the last five minutes; the film just sort of abrubtly ends. It's shocking and awkward, and could possibly ruin the movie for some folks. That aside, you should go see it; you will be absolutely amazed and thoroughly entertained.
Spoiler(s): I would spoil the ending... but there isn't one.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%
"I always figured when I got older, God would sorta come inta my life somehow. And he didn't. I don't blame him. If I was him I would have the same opinion of me that he does." -Ed Tom Bell
Environmental. Visual. Eh. (EVE)
Final Verdict: Because Hollywood has completely run out of new ideas and must rely on modernizing or updating films of the past, we get a remake of a popular sci-fi movie from the 1950's. The orginal film was essentially a moral story about war and peace, but the remake focuses heavily on environmentalism and global warming (albeit very subtlely). In the beginning it's amazing how alike the old and new films are, but about halfway through the story finally begins to diverge. And while the original film uses dialog to progress the plot, this one relies heavily on special effects; neither strategy works out particularly well though and both seem to settle for a level of mediocracy. I think the original is clearly the better of the two, but this remake is enjoyable as long as the viewer goes into it with very low expectations.
Spoiler(s): Klaatu is still Klaatu, and Gort is still G.O.R.T... the universe can rest easy.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 19%
Polygraph Operator: Do you feel pain?
Klaatu: My Body does.
Slow. Epic. Payoff. (SEP)
Final Verdict: This film moves very, very slowly, but it's forgiveable in the end because it has such a good payoff. Some of the characters act a little too moody and "emo" for my tastes, because they make the film feel less realistic. In any case, it isn't something I could sit through multiple times, but it's really enjoyable the first time through. Oh, and I can't stand it when directors add a blue tint to their films; it just depressing and boring. They need to stop it.
Spoiler(s): Buce Willis' character is a ghost... wait, wrong movie?
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 67%
"You'd better not be back there jacking off to the Japanese comics, I swear to God..." - Comic Book Clerk
Mysterious. Atheist. Adventure. (MAA)
Final Verdict: Let me start by saying that this is a biased review. This film glorifies secular characteristics and embodies atheistic themes, and that's right up my alley. Ironically, it was criticized by the secular community for not being anti-religious enough (unlike it's source material), and was chastized by christian groups for being too intolerant. It was doomed to fail from the start. That aside, I absolutely love it. There's some really fun ideas to play with, such as the relationship between the humans and their souls/demons, and some really intriguing mysteries to ponder, such as the mystical "dust" referenced throughout the film. I enjoy the film for it's bold and analogous story, but due to it's controversal content I can't imagine another movie being made. That's really too bad, because there aren't many movies like this one around. Watch it or don't, but I'm gonna go read the books this film is based off of... Woo!
Spoiler(s): The polar bear slugfest is one of the greatest moments in cinema history... hands-fucking-down!
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 42%
"Do you wish to ride me?" - lorek Brynison
Fantastic. Delightful. Captivation. (FDC)
Final Verdict: This film isn't aimed at a particular age group, culture, or social class; it reaches across all boundaries to tell a story so universal and so intrinsically familiar that viewing it almost brings up feelings of déjà vu. On the surface, it's a fun romp through the life of a restuarant chef and the joys of cooking, but at its heart its a tale about following your dreams, believing in yourself, and accepting others. Patton Oswald does a great job of bringing the main character, Remy, to life, and thus creates a great emotional connection between the audience and the film. The greatest thing about this movie? Everything.
Spoiler(s): No one dies or gets killed, but it's still enjoyable.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
"Ratatouille. It's like a stew, right? Why do they call it that? If you're gonna name a food, you should give it a name that sounds delicious. Ratatouille doesn't sound delicious. It sounds like "rat" and "patootie." Rat-patootie, which does not sound delicious." - Linguini
Interesting. Fresh. Lacking. (IFL)
Final Verdict: The level of violence and blood in this film warrents it a PG-13 rating for a reason; this is not the Justice League you grew up with. I enjoyed the film for it's theme and presentation (a reinvention of the Justice League as per the 1950's) , but was unimpressed by a story which felt incomplete; some characters were neglected while others clearly didn't recieve the justice they deserved (har!). It is an enjoyable way of re-imagining the Justice Leaue with a more mature and sophisticated plot than ever before, but there's plenty to be desired from this seventy minute film.
Spoiler(s): Batman sounds like a creepy old man, but it's much better than the awkward, constipated voice Christain Bale used for his Batman in The Dark Knight.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A
"All of you remember today, there are no Democrats, no Replicans, no hawks, no doves. Just the naked simplicity of an absolute: Mankind's survival. Good luck to us all." - King Faraday
Similar. Average. Comedy. (SAC)
Final Verdict: This movie is just a repeat of the Rush Hour series, albeit with a different comedian (Owen Wilson) and a different setting. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad movie; Jackie Chan and Wilson both perform their parts well, but it's just not original. In fact, it's so unoriginal it's almost insulting. I did enjoy the film for its merits however, and it's a fun way to spend a couple hours. Just don't expect anything new.
Spoiler(s): [Insert Rush Hour 1, 2, or 3 spoiler]
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 78%
"I don't know karate, but I know kar-azy, and I will use it!" - Roy O'Bannon
