JakeMcFly
http://www.flixster.com/user/jakemcfly
| Name | Jake I |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| I'm From | Orlando, FL |
| Member For | 397 days |
| Last Login | Tue. Jul 8 |
| Profile Views | 1967 |
| Age | 17 |
| MCT Score |
| Movie: | Back to the Future, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark |
|---|---|
| Actor: | Daniel Day-Lewis, Bill Murray, Al Pacino, Harrison Ford, Christian Bale |
| Director: | Steven Spielberg, Wes Anderson, Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, P.T. Anderson, Stanley Kubrick, Quentin Tarantino, The Coen Bros, Alfred Hitchcock, Tim Burton |
| Quote: | "I... drink... your... milkshake! I DRINK IT UP!" -- Daniel Plainview ('There Will Be Blood') |
Skin art by
shortcartoonist
| Grab this skin
Jake's Recent Reviews
View All Ratings (3838) |
Rate Movies
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
PG-13
Hey, I enjoyed it. Spielberg can direct action scenes in his sleep and it's the first time Ford's been good in anything in God knows how long. Shia wasn't as terrible as I thought he'd be and the supporting cast overall was fairly good (great to see Marion back, even if she had little to do). Blanchett's arguably my favorite villain since Belloq in Raiders, as the rapier-wielding badass femme fatale Col. Spalko. Where this film really shines, however, is when you see Indy in his element - at the school, his home, the diner, showing his age and experience. It's definitely better than the uneven 'Temple of Doom,' that's for sure.
Where this one fails, however, stems directly from one source - the screenplay. I have no problem with the basic plot or the MacGuffin (aliens in Indy's world are no less ridiculous than the Ark blowing up Nazis with reckless abandon), but after 19 years this is the best overall script they could fine? Koepp's screenplay suffers due to its underdeveloped characters (Mac and Marion were ultimately wasted), cringe-worthy lines ("their treasure was knowledge... knowledge was their treasure"), and inability to explore the best themes in the story (old age, family, and the quest for power/knowledge). Oh, and I fully blame the CG animals on Lucas, who apparently loves that sort of kiddie shit.
This was a great experience to see on the big screen and like I said earlier, it's not the worst of the series, but after almost 20 years, this is the best we could get? There's no way it would satisfy everyone's expectations and it should've been made around the early '90s (imagine a young Leo DiCaprio as Mutt... yeah, tell me that's not an upgrade over the Even Stevens kid). After reading the Darabont script, it seems like Lucas forced the screenwriters to shoe-horn these ideas into their respective scripts. I preferred this version to what eventually ended up on screen (Marion's actually back, Indy's more proactive, different action set pieces, more depth to the story, no Mutt or Mac), but it's not a huge improvement. So I guess you could say this was flawed from the start. Only time will tell.
The Dark Knight
PG-13
My most anticipated movie of '08, now that Indy IV's come and gone. I'm sure it'll be great, but I'm sick of all of the fanboys that have been hyping it up like it's the second coming for the past year or so. What will happen when the movie actually comes out? I don't know, but I'm guessing it won't be pretty. Regardless of that, I'm gonna be there opening day, hopefully seeing it in IMAX. How could this be rated 5 stars if it hasn't been released yet? 2000+ people have seen test screenings?
Meet Dave
PG
Looks terrible, but I'll reserve my vitriolic hatred toward other more despicable films, like the "___ Movie" series. I would like to see one more great Eddie Murphy movie before he retires like he says he will.
Dune
PG-13
After re-watching this recently, I've gotta say I enjoyed it, mostly because it's an absolute mess. I've never read the 'Dune' series of books, maybe they're impossible to adapt to screen (apparently the mini-series has had greater success, I've never seen it). This movie is batshit insane. If it's not the hilarious lines of dialogue or improbable casting (Captain Picard, Sting, the principal from 'Kindergarten Cop', Sean Young, and Kyle MacLachlan!) or David Lynch's usual insanity, it's something else. I make my share of Lynch jokes, but he has a mesmerizing visual sense that always keeps me interested. If I have any guilty pleasures, this could be toward the top of the list. The spice must flow, bitches.
Cloverfield
PG-13
Interesting genre mash-up and fun monster flick. The shakycam bothered some, but I really dug the style and only knowing as much as the characters on the screen. The characters could've been made more sympathetic, not sure if that's a fault of the acting, script, or both. It's not a great movie by any means, but it's solid enough to enjoy and was a great theater experience.
Be Kind Rewind
PG-13
Good enough movie to sustain my interest for an hour and a half. The simplistic plot lends itself to some pretty funny comedy with the "sweding" of the films. While Michel Gondry's writing keeps this film from being truly great, his direction is still in the upper tier of the modern class of directors (the "sweding" montage toward the middle in particular was spectacular). Like I said earlier, the writing isn't solid enough to elevate the story, leaving the cast to carry it based on personality - if you're not a fan of the principals, Jack Black in particular, then you're screwed. For the most part, it's a fairly average movie, but has enough heart and warmth (especially in the closing sequence) that make it a little better than it is, but not by much. It was worth seeing at least once, although it's nothing something I'd watch again in the near future.
Jake's Favorite Movies
View All
(100) | Create a MovieBoard
3.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark)
PG
The most influential action/adventure films of the past 30 years and one of my all-time favorites. Spielberg and Lucas use their love of old B-movie serials to craft an entertaining romp with one of the most iconic characters in cinema history. Ford has the perfect blend of charisma and badassery to make this whole thing work. Allen's Marion Ravenwood is easily the best Indy babe, returning 27 years later in the new film, while Davies' Sallah and Elliot's Brody act as terrific support for Indy and Freeman's Belloq and his Nazi partners prove to be the best villains in the whole series. This film also strikes a perfect balance between action, sly humor, and tension in the slower scenes that are un-matched in most action films and even the rest of the series.
Jake's Movie Scrapbook
Jake's Talk
View All (212)
-
I recommend you see...
Wanted
by Michaelposted 2 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Persepolis
by LindaPERSEPOLIS is a simple animation that projects a powerful message of a young Muslim woman. The animation itself might seem simple and not original but the characters have a lot of personality which transport us through the film.
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 4 days ago -
I recommend you see...This recommendation is to wish all my fellow Americans a happy Independence Day and a safe 4th of July.
As for those of you living in Canada, the UK, Ireland, South Africa and Indonesia, this is only a recommendation if you like every single musical known to man. If not, there are other musicals that have translated from the stage to the screen a helluva lot better.posted 4 days ago -
It's a shame about Hancock. Studios just should not interfere with movies like they did with Hancock and others. But really all these movies are side distractions for TDK. I know you can only hype up a movie so much, but it's so close now that it's hard to keep in the excitement. And I'll be seeing it in IMAX, my first IMAX experience, so that will something special. Congrats on the Woody Allen box set too, love that man.
posted 5 days ago -
Man so I saw Wanted today. Well...sadly it's exactly what I expected. I mean, I understand it's fun and exciting, but one would hope it could be something more. I don't know, just was hoping for something else. The twist towards the end was a nice touch, but it was too little, too late. And I see you saw Hancock. I guess the disappointments continue! =/
posted 5 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Get Smart
by MichaelWalking into Get Smart I was not expecting much. It was just one of those movies I saw one Sunday afternoon to kill two hours. Much to my surprise, it ended up being the funniest movie I've seen since Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Sure, it's silly, ridiculous and well...stupid, but it's ferociously funny and surprisingly clever. Based on a television sitcom I've never seen or previously heard of, Get Smart, the movie version, follows Agent Maxwell Smart (Steve Carrell), a very intelligent but incredibly clumsy bafoon of a secret agent who teams up with a more experienced, and nuanced agent, Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) to stop an international terrorist (Terrence Stamp) from completing a major terrorist strike. Steve Carrell is absolutley hilarious in his role, and Anne Hathaway is solid as well. Supporting cast members include the great Alan Arkin, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, David Koechner, Terry Crews, Terrence Stamp and James Caan playing the president of the United States, who is obviously based on George W. Bush. Get Smart is nothing brilliant, it's merely a clever, well-made little summer film that will sadly get over-shadowed by inferior action hits like Hancock and Indiana Jones. But, if you are looking for a funny, enjoyable time at the movie theaters and are a Steve Carrell fan, I strongly recommend Get Smart. Grade: B
Recommended.
posted 7 days ago -
I recommend you see...
In Bruges
by MichaelIn Bruges might be the biggest victim of false advertising of 2008. The movie trailers made it look like a dark comedy, and I went into it thinking it was a dark comedy. It's not, it's a drama with darkly comedic elements that almost parody the film. Because of that, the first time I saw this, it didn't sit well with me. However, when I viewed this a second time, I absolutley loved it. Martin McDonaugh's In Bruges is a excellently-crafted little indie gem with spectactular acting and a first-rate screenplay.
The story goes like this -- Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) are two Irish hitmen who after Ray screwed-up a hit are forced to go on the lam in no other than Bruges. They are ordered by their foul-mouthed sociopathic crime boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) to sight-see in Bruges (a small medievel-like town in Belgium) and await further instructions. Ken loves this idea while Ray couldn't despise Bruges more. That's about all I can reveal of the plot without giving any of the major twists (which there are) away. Like I said before, the acting is spectacular. Colin Farrell gives his finest performance to date as our extremely-flawed protagonist, Ray. I usually do not like Farrell, in fact I thought he was awful in Miami Vice, but in this he really impressed me. Brendan Gleeson, an actor whom I have tremendous respect for, is equally as great here. Ralph Fiennes returns to his Amon Goeth-Nazi-Schindler's List form with his crafting of Harry. He's excellent in a smaller but extremely well-written and complex role. Martin McDonaugh provides an extraordinary screenplay. It's dramatic and has striking funny scenes/quips that are hysterical. His directing isn't half-bad either. My only complaint about In Bruges besides being falsely advertised was the ending. While I liked certain elements of the ending, it as a whole left me unsatisfied and frustrated. I felt it didn't match the rest of the tone of the movie. Anyway, I'll let you decide on that.
All in all, In Bruges was an exhilariting and incredibly well-made indie crime caper I highly recommend. Grade: B+Highly Recommended.
posted 7 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Delicatessen
by MichaelWhat a crazy, off-the-wall, bizarre, hilarious, illogical, irrational, delight of a motion picture this was. Having previously seen Amelie and City of Lost Children, I had a good idea what to expect from Delicatatessen, Jeunet and Caro's first film. I thought it was going to be an extremely disturbing movie seeing as though it's about a serial killing deli owner, but I found it oddly charming. As are most of their films. Sure, a lot of the film doesn't make a whole lot of sense but there's a certain burst of energy, fun and originality the movie has that can't be beat by many other filmmakers. Also, some sequences are pretty damn hilarious. The acting is solid as are with most Jeunet and Caro's films, the scene-stealer being of course Dominique Pinon who you may remember as the clones in City of Lost Children. Pinon brings real humanity to his character, and is always fun to watch. The actor who plays the deli owner is really good as is the actress who plays the deli owner's daughter. The film's cinematography is eye-opening as well. My only complaint is the film is very hard to follow at points. Grade: B
Recommended
posted 7 days ago -
I recommend you see...
The Piano Teacher (La Pianiste)
by MichaelThis has to be Michael Haneke's most disturbing motion picture. Yes, even more so than Funny Games, both the 1997 and 2008 versions. The Piano Teacher, one of Haneke's better films, surrounds Isabelle Huppert in an Oscar-worthy performance as a strict, emotionally-damaged piano teacher. In other words, she's a rude bitch. This stems from her mother's constant verbal abuse, who lives with her in her apartment. Anyway, Huppert's character starts up a sado-masachistic secret relationship with one of her students that turns sour in the most unexpected ways. That's about all I'll tell you about this, you'll have to rent it or buy it and watch it for yourself. The best aspect of this film is by far the perfromances. The best obviously being from Huppert, who is beyond incredible in a performance that will haunt you days after viewing it. She was robbed of an Oscar nomination, but we all know the Academy isn't too keen on handing out nominations or awards to sexually-deviant NC-17 films. The rest of the actors are great as well. Annie Giradot is chilling as Huppert's mother and young Benoit Magimel is absolutley impressive in his role as Huppert's lover. His skills are very mature for his age and he doesn't miss a note with his performance. Haneke's directing works here, but the film's screenplay needed serious work. It takes about an hour into The Piano Teacher before anything remotely interesting happens. At nearly two hours, the film needed some serious editing. All in all, it was a powerful and extremely disturbing drama that while I appreciated I certainly won't want to watch again anytime soon. Grade: B
Recommended
posted 7 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Cache (Hidden)
by MichaelMichael Haneke is a very interesting filmmaker, in that he makes films the mass public absolutley loathes and that most other people don't love but certainly appreciate. While I didn't think Cache was one of his best films, I thought it was a very well-made well-acted film that had some serious pacing problems. First of all, let's give credit where credit is due, Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche both give sensational performances, the better of the two obviously being Auteuil who brings a sense of humanity and guilt to his character uncommon in most thrillers. The thing that really bothered me about this film is how real it was. The brutal-to-sit-through long-takes Haneke is famous for is what opens the film and while certainly interesting after about 2 minutes or so I started to lose interest. In the end, there is really no resolution. I was expecting a thriller and got a drama about the intricatcies of humanity. Maybe if I went into it knowing that I would have enjoyed it more. As it stands, Cache was a well-made film but certainly nothing brilliant, groundbreaking or remotely memorable. Grade: B-
Recommended with reservation.
posted 7 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Wanted
by Duncan
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and gals, the summer movie season has officially kicked into overdrive! A couple theatre pals and I went to a matinee of this, and all in the party thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
First things first, lets talk about the cast. It's an impressive lineup, and all involved were great. James McAvoy plays Wes Gibson, the lead character (don't let the poster mislead you), and he makes him a character the audience can relate to, which is hard to do in films like this.** Angelina Jolie is also wonderful as Fox, Wes's mentor in the art of assassination. She plays her like a stern motherly figure, and doesn't overstay her welcome. And for the handful of you who haven't seen A Mighty Heart and doubt her acting chops, she conveys with only expressions in this film what lesser actors and actresses can only convincingly convey through words. As for Morgan Freeman...well, without giving anything away, let's just say you've never seen him like this before.
And when I say "give anything away", I say that with a tad bit of sarcasm. There is a plot here, and while it's not thrown in as an afterthought like the occasional Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle, it's still fairly predictable. The plot does present a moral quandary halfway through, which I like, but it's thrown out the window thanks to a gimmicky ending that sends mixed messages.
But to make up for the kind of plot we've seen before, director Timur Bekmambetov (try saying THAT five times fast!) serves up some tasty action scenes that we most definitely haven't. They have to be taken with a grain of salt (which is the reason why I didn't take my father to see it), but if one can suspend their disbelief enough to believe that bullets can curve and people can cascade through two windows at a high velocity and remain unscathed, then they'll be treated to a dazzling ballet that makes all the shootouts in every action film they've seen before look amateurish by comparison.
This, ladies and gents, is an action movie with a capital 'A', and if you're looking for perfect counter-programming to lighter fare like Wall-E, you couldn't ask for a better movie.
**On a side note, one of my friends didn't like James McAvoy in the role he played. Said friend thought he gave a good performance, but would've preferred either Ewan McGregor or Ben Barnes in the role instead.For those of you who've already seen it, I apologize for being a hypocrite.
For those of you who'll only enjoy it if it follows Mark Miller's comic to the letter, you'll need to leave the cinema after the first 20 minutes.
For the rest of you, this isn't the kind of movie you analyze, it's the kind of movie you sit down to have a good time at. If action movies aren't your idea of a good time, see something else. If you can't suspend your disbelief if the film's set in the real world in the name of having a good time, go see something else.
If none of this criteria above fits you, enjoy!posted 7 days ago -
-
Come see this movie with me...
Miracle at St. Anna
by DuncanI saw the trailer when I went to go see Wanted. It looks beautiful, the only member of the cast I don't like is Naomi Campbell, and Spike Lee is a director that even I (someone who's as white as they come) have a profound respect and admiration for.
Basically, I wanna see it, and I want to see it at a cinema.Spike Lee's got a new film coming out. Not sure what it's gonna be about, because I haven't read the book it's based on, but the trailer has me intrigued.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXvxFNIcVX8
Anyone else as curious as I am?posted 9 days ago -
Man...you hit the nail on the head there. I agree 100% with you! The trailers promised a lot more than the film delivered... which was pretty much mindless slaughter (but like you said, that's not really a bad quality at all).
posted 10 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Wanted
by Michael
WANTED is a slick, well acted, and very well made action picture that is almost always entertaining... but it's over-the-top nature (to the point of INSANITY) makes the film lack the heart and soul that many scene try to incorporate. So on a human level, the film just doesn't work.
But the blood-soaked action sequence are the reason most will be at the multiplex in line to see the film anyway, and although they do get repetitive and exhaustive after a while, they are a ton of fun to behold. James McAvoy also makes for a very unique (and suprisingly likeable) action hero.
Mix things up with some very funny dialogue, and WANTED is a film I can easily recommend. But what I'm saying is this; as far as Orgasmic-action romps go... I liked SHOOT 'EM UP more.It's a good summer action movie that is sure to entertain. Like most entries in the genre as of late, it's best to leave your brain at the door.
posted 10 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Private Parts
by MichaelI'll admit it, I'm a Howard Stern fan of sorts. I don't listen to his show all the time, but when I do I thoroughly enjoy it. Private Parts tells the story of Howard Stern's rise to power from crappy disjockey to New York's most famous radio man. Howard Stern is played by, well...Howard Stern. While I didn't admire Stern's acting chops a single bit (he's pretty awful actually), I admired the fact that he chose to play himself. This shows this is so much of a personal project for him he wouldn't trust anyone else in the role. The movie while not brilliant, is a fascinating look at this man's life filled with non-stop original humor and great performances including Paul Giamatti whose hilarious turn as Pig Vomit (Stern's arch-enemy/boss) is the finest part of the film. I recommend this to any fan or non-fan. Grade: B
Recommended.
posted 11 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Hitman
by MichaelHere is a film I thought I would loathe but ended up quite enjoying. Based on a videogame sure does seem to be a kiss-of-death in the movie industry. Not for box-office gross of course (they usually do pretty well) but in terms of quality. Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Doom, Mortal Kombat, you name it, they were all pretty terrible and damn painful to sit through if I say so myself. But after watching the latest entry in the based-on-a-videogame genre 'Hitman', I felt like I had just gotten off a roller-coaster. It has no REAL plot, it has a plot but it's so ridiculous and implausible the film shouldn't even have a plot. It does have a steady amount of action, suspense and gratiutious violence, sex, harsh language and nudity, and that is what's entertaining. Sure it's pure cinematic trash, but it's throroughly entertaining and exhilariting. As for the acting, it's better than most video game movies. The underrated Timothy Olyphant whom you may know from his haunting portrayal of the conflicted protagonist Sheriff Seth Bullock on HBO's critically-acclaimed but little-seen Western DEADWOOD, is perfect in his role as the government-trained hitman. Dougary Scott provides solid support while the rest of the cast is pretty average. All in all, I'm not sure Hitman even is a "good" movie, but it's certainly fun to watch. Grade: B-
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 11 days ago -
I recommend you see...
The Big Lebowski
by MichaelIt's a rare occasion when the Coen brothers make an unremarkable film, and The Big Lebowski is certainly no exception. Although not on the same level of greatness as the Coen's top work like No Country For Old Men or Fargo, The Big Lebowski is probably their finest comic venture. It's a completley ridiculous foul-mouthed tongue-and-cheek roller-coaster of a film with top-rate performances. In an electrifying and extremely memorable performance, Jeff Bridges plays the Dude or Jeffrey Lebowski. He's your average unemployed loser who spends his days drinking and bowling with his best friend Walter (a superb John Goodman), a wise foul-mouthed Vietnam war veteran with serious anger issues. When The Dude accidentally gets mistaken for the Big Lebowski (or a rich old man with the same name) by violent thugs whom the old man owes money to, the Dude unintentionally gets involved in a kidnapping scheme involving cynical Russian nihilists, the Big Lebowski, the Big Lebowski's trashy trophy wife (of course played by Tara Reid) and Julianne Moore who plays the Lebowski's ultra-neurotic daughter.
Like I said before it's a compeltley ridiculous movie but it's indescribably hilarious and also quite clever. There are many scenes where I was rolling on the floor laughing like when Goodman's character destroys an automobile while yelling,"THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU F--K A STRANGER IN THE ASS!" The performances are all great with Bridges and Goodman stealing the film in their own ways. Julianne Moore is spectacular as always and the film is filled to the brim with wonderfully played bit parts from Philip Seymour Hoffman, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Sam Elliot and of course John Turturro in a small but very memorable role as Jesus the Arrogant Mexican Bowler who's also a sex offender. The Big Lebowski won't appeal to all tastes because of it's striking peculiarity, but if you dig the Coens as much as I do I highly recommend this soon-to-be cult classic. Grade: B+Hey, you should really see this!
posted 11 days ago -
I recommend you see...
I'm Not There
by LindaI'M NOT THERE is a beautiful and interesting film inspired on different stages of Bob Dylan's life. The film is very abstract in terms of its structure because of the multiple characters portraying Bob Dylan. The cinematography is also stunning because it varies depending on the characters whether it is the early or late stage of the Dylan's career. The cast is also excellent. From the young Marcus Carl Franklin to a manly Cate Blanchett, every actor really had their own take of their character which makes each of them unique and interesting.
All in all, you might need to know a little of Bob Dylan history in order to fully understand the film, otherwise it will be a long film. But the astonishing performances and great music might also transport you to nice Dylan ride.Hey, you should really see this!
posted 13 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Prince of the City
by MichaelReally great look at the corrupt NYPD, or more specifically, the Special Investigation Unit. Treat Williams did a surprisingly good job and the rest of the cast was pretty much spot on. Lumet's a great director, and sadly, this is one of his better films that has been overlooked and forgotten.
Really great look at the corrupt NYPD, or more specifically, the Special Investigation Unit. Treat Williams did a surprisingly good job and the rest of the cast was pretty much spot on. Lumet's a great director, and sadly, this is one of his better films that his been overlooked and forgotten.
posted 13 days ago
View All (212)
