K J's Talk

The Deaths of Ian Stone

I bought this on a blind buy, hearing good things about it. The story was very original and was very fun. The acting was mediocre, but still worked. The direction was pretty good. The visuals were great for a low budget horror movie film. Overall, this is a fun and violent thriller suspense film.

What's Eating Gilbert Grape

comedy drama starring Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Juliette Lewis, Mary Steenburgen, John C. Reilly and Crispin Glover. written by Peter Hedges, which he adapted from his novel of the same name. directed by Lasse Hallström.

Gilbert Grape's life is anything but extraordinary. he lives in the small town of Endora, where he has a job at the local grocery store and has an occasional fling with one of the towns local housewives. Gilbert (Depp) also helps take care of his family. there are his two sisters, his little brother Arnie (DiCaprio) and his Mama. but even though Gilbert loves his family, he is growing tired of having to be the one thats always responsible. so when a quirky girl (Lewis) and her grandmother end up stranded in town, he takes advantage of the opportunity to leave the small town life behind.

I first became a fan of Johnny Depp's during his 21 Jump Street days, and have followed his career ever since. this is just one of the many great performances of Mr. Depp, as he has only continued to get better and better.

before watching this film, I had only seen DiCaprio on Growing Pains. but after seeing his portrayal of Arnie Grape, whom is still one of my favorite characters, I became an instant fan. and even though a lot of people consider him the "pretty boy of Titanic fame", all's one needs to do is see his performance in this film, to see what a talent this man is. he truly deserved that Best Supporting Actor nod and imo, should have won.

the performances of both of these fine actors, as well as a great supporting cast and a very unique story that is both heartbreaking and hilarious, makes this film one of my favorites.

classic. love it! ♥

A Perfect Getaway

Not perfect, but a fun movie. This film really succeeds is in the cinematography and acting, both of which are great, though most of the flix is character development it never turns boring and even though I figured out the "plot twist" , it still kept me interested to the end.

Live Free or Die Hard

**********PLOT**********
John McClane (Willis) takes on an Internet-based terrorist organization who is systematically shutting down the United States
***********REVIEW**********
What made me watch this movie? I was NOT INTRESTED but since my friend and I couldn't find anything else I thought "It's just a movie, what's the worst that can happen?"
After all I was wrong. Now I think I should also watch the prequels! What made me change my mind? I like action but I thought that the Die Hard movies are all about meaningless action, the kind of action that only men like (no hard feelings guys!). Actually "Live free or die hard" was really enjoyable with one awesome Bruce Willis, who was funny and very cool (and OMG I am going to say it! SEXY too lol) and some unforgetable quotes
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(My favorite lol)
Matt Farrell: You just killed a helicopter with a car!
John McClane: I was out of bullets.
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Matt Farrell: [to Lucy] Wow, I know that tone. It's just weird hearing it come from someone... with hair.
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Matt Farrell: Awww, great! There goes the cell phone.
John McClane: They knocked the satellites out of the skies, now?
Matt Farrell: No, your battery ran out.
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John McClane: [acrobatic mercenaries attack John and Matt] Jesus, is the circus in town?
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John McClane: [covering the webcam] You think you can, uh, find a track where he is?
Thomas Gabriel: Detective, covering the camera with your hand does not turn off the microphone.
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John McClane: [Matt's showing interest in Lucy] After all we've been through, I'd *hate* to have to beat you to death.
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American Beauty

dark comedy drama starring Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Chris Cooper, Wes Bentley, Thora Burch and Mena Suvari. cinematography by Conrad L. Hall. written by Alan Ball. directed by Sam Mendes.

Lester Burnham (Spacey) is not very different from most men. he's in a sexless marriage with a woman (Bening) he doesnt even recognize anymore, has a teenage daughter (Birch) with whom he barely speaks to and has a job which he hates. after meeting his daughter's friend (Suvari), whom he develops an attraction for, he decides to start making changes and live the life that he wants. changes that affect not only him, but those around him.

the combination of the spectacular cinematography of Conrad L. Hall and the direction of Sam Mendes bring to life Alan Ball's wonderfully penned script, making it an instant classic. Ball without a doubt captured the desperation and monotony of the everyday life of average suburbia flawlessly.

the entire cast all deliver great performances, but it is Kevin Spacey's performance that is once again incredible. had the character of Lester Burnham been portrayed by anyone else, he would have seemed creepy and pathetic. but Spacey manages to make the viewer empathize and cheer Lester on, as he makes the drastic changes in his life that ultimately lead to the shocking, albeit poetic, ending.

this movie is one of my favorites for a reason. it truly is a phenomenal film. ♥

Green Lantern: First Flight

As a long time fan of the Green Lantern comics it was finally great to see a animated film made of one of my favorite Green Lanterns Hal Jordan. The film starts off very quick with the origin and jumps right into the space adventure. So one should not be bored. Great to have characters like Sinestro, Killowag and the Guardians come alive from the comics to this film. The animation is well done and the story quick paced but very good. Full of action. Great film for comic fans or those who are fans of Green Lantern. Well worth a watch.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

This turned out to be a fun and quirky film. Dustin Hoffman is Mr.Magorium who owns a magical toy store and has been around for over 200 years. He is a quirky and fun character. You could tell Hoffman had fun being this character. I thought it was funny every time he brought up the hotdogs to buns ratio in the film. Natalie Portman was beautiful and charming throughout the film. Jason Bateman was funny as the mutant(wait I meant accountant). Even young actor Zach Mills was quite good in this. More for older kids 7 and up. But is a fun and decent watch for kids and the family.

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea

A classic film. A great film adaptation to the novel. One of my favorite adventure films when I was a child. The film is quite dated now compared to todays films. But I still find it a fun watch. More for kids 7 and up. A decent family film. Kirk Douglas is great as the hero in the film. Plus I love the scene with the Kraken. Worth checking out this old film.

The Express

Didn't expect much going in. After all hollywood cranks these sport films out like candy. But this film is something special. The story of Ernie Banks is an exceptional one. His rise to fame and glory and a career cut short in its greatest. Heartfelt and meaningful. Good production all around.

G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra

Why the hell are all the critics hating on this movie so much???With 767 explosions how can you go wrong?? J/K.Anyway Pretty good summer action flick I thought the best stand out performance by far was Joseph Gordon Levitt,WOW 2 thumbs up to him and his make up people cause that was amazing.Anyway I would definitely say check this one out! =)

Killshot

Has a talented cast and the action is decent enough so it doesn't entirely miss the target, however this "Killlshot" is more like a flesh wound.

(500) Days of Summer

I loved this tenderhearted and funny indie film. Half a point for a great ending too! Recommended.

The Rescuers

A classic Disney film. Was a fun watch with good animation, characters and a decent story. Not as good as some other Disney animated films but still worth a watch. Great for the kids and the family.

101 Dalmatians (One Hundred and One Dalmatians)

A classic Disney movie. Was a great watch as a child and still today as a adult. Cruella De Vil was such a great villain for the film. The story, animation and characters are all good in this. Great watch for kids and the family.

The Muppet Christmas Carol

A Muppet classic. A must see during Christmas for kids and the family. Michael Caine is excellent as Scrooge. The film is still your typical Christmas Carol story but with the muppets twist. Very funny. Well worth a watch.

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

They don't make films like this any more nor is the acting nowadays anything like the two stars in this film. It's camp, grotesque, dark, ironic, chilling, sad and funny. Watching Crawford & Davis, knowing that they despised each other only adds to the potency of this classic tale. If you've heard of, but never seen Baby Jane, the chances are the experience of witnessing it will far outweigh what you've heard. Studio Head Jack Warner said he wouldn't pay two cents to see those 2 washed-up old broads in a movie was soon eating his words. Timeless.

Blindness

A disturbing look at what we will sink to if given half a chance. Ugly, depressing, and horrible. I only sat through it hoping for something good. I was severely disappointed. If there was a message here about the human spirit it was cloudy and as black as sewage.