| Name | Big Brother |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| I'm From | A land of peace and of plenty. A land of harmony and hope. This is our land. Oceania. |
| Member For | 836 days |
| Last Login | Mon. Jun 2 |
| Profile Views | 699 |
| Age | 90 |
| MCT Score |
- Skins Created (7)
| Movie: | A Clockwork Orange and others... |
|---|---|
| Actor: | Alec Guinness, et al. |
| Director: | Stanley Kubrick |
| Quote: | I was cured all right. |
|
B.B. is watching YOU, you doubleplusungood facecrimeing oldthinker. If you are dying in an Eastasia refugee camp and have millions to give to charity, get lost before B.B. sends you to Room 101. We are at war with Eastasia. We have always been at war with Eastasia.  |
Skin art by
mbzrs
| Grab this skin
Big's Recent Reviews
View All Ratings (1442) |
Rate Movies
No new reviews. Rate some more movies.
Big's Favorite Movies
View All
(10) | Create a MovieBoard
1.
A Clockwork Orange
R
Absolute MASTERPIECE. The irony and satire of political do-gooders, and society in general, is first rate. I think I live in this neighborhood.
2.
The Bridge on the River Kwai
PG
Best war movie ever! Alec Guinness' character is sooo military it almost makes me want to puke!
Big's Movie Scrapbook
Videos
Big's Talk
View All (148)
-
I recommend you see...
Dogville
by astroposted 3 days ago -
I recommend you see...Guess what, Heath Ledger fans? We've got one more new movie to look forward to with Ledger in it!
posted 4 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Rolling Thunder
by JessiA veteran of the Vietnam war comes home to all new horrors that force him to seek revenge, with a little help from some friends.
Absolutely brilliant. William Devane is mad, and its wonderful. The ending of this flick keeps it from falling towards mediocrity.
Delicious grindhouse flick.Took me a while to see this one, but it was worth it. Really fantastic 70s action/drama. William Devane is crazy intense and Tommy Lee Jones is crazy young, so check it out.
posted 5 days ago -
I recommend you see...
The Dark Knight
by JessiWent to see it at 12:20 Thursday night for full admission price and it was incredible. Fans of the Batman mythos are going to get what they want, casual movie fans are going to be blown away, and I'm not going to stop babbling.
The only downfall of this movie is the dependence I developed on The Joker. I got antsy while our heros were on screen -- I need more of what proved to be absolutely unfiltered, morbid, delightful insanity. It could have been toned down, in light of Ledger's passing, or in an attempt to reach a wider (and younger) audience, but thankfully, no such attempt is made.
I still haven't stopped grinning completely.Believe the hype, do yourself a treat, go see it -- very, very soon.
As an added bonus, depending on your theatre, check out the trauker fir tge sure-to-be mindblowing adaptation of Alan Moore's genius The Watchmen. It's a good time to be a nerd.posted 7 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Quarantine (2008)
by DuncanI've seen enough horror remakes to recognize a bad one from a good one at first glance.
The trailer that played before Hellboy II makes this look like a bad one.Any of you guys see [Rec]? If so, what'd you think of it?
posted 9 days ago -
I recommend you see...
The Dark Knight
by Duncan
Surpassed all of my expectations, and expectations were high. This is the only film I've seen worthy of both it's hype and it's praise.
It exceeds Batman Begins, and every other film based on a comic book, by leaps and bounds. This film knocks it out of the park in almost every aspect, from the jaw-dropping cinematography to Hans Zimmer's beautiful score to the richly written and developed characters.
And what a cast there is to fully realize these characters on screen! The best actors from Begins return for another round, and all were brilliant for the most part. Christian Bale's "Bat-voice" gets grating after a while, but that's a minor quibble.
The best performances in this film, however, were by the three newbies to the franchise. Maggie Gyllenhaal's performance as Rachel Dawes, the love interest of our protagonist, made us care for her even if she was more of a cardboard cutout than the male characters the film focuses more on. Aaron Eckhart was fantastic as Harvey Dent. He switched between charismatic and charming to tortured and menacing flawlessly. Sadly, but understandably, it's a brilliant performance that's overshadowed by another one in the same movie.
Heath Ledger immerses himself in the role of the Joker to the point where he's completely unrecognizable. His handsome face is hidden by hastily and violently applied clown makeup, and his deep voice and Aussie accent are transformed into a nasally, sleazy drawl. The Joker is a madman with nothing to lose or gain, and a terrifying one at that. It's a tour-de-force performance, and thankfully, for now, not the last performance from the late Ledger that we'll have the pleasure to see.
A comic book film that takes the source material seriously is a rare and beautiful thing. Even the best of them tend to either try and keep it fun and campy as well as insightful (the first two X-Men films, for instance) or greatly deviate from the source material's tone and/or plot (A History of Violence comes to mind).
Thankfully, The Dark Knight was handled very seriously by director Christopher Nolan, much more so than Burton and Schumacher, and it winds up being a powerful tale of what makes a hero a hero.
I'm going to see it in the cinema a second time, and the last time I did that was for the first Spider-Man film. This is the best movie of the summer, and it's going to be hard for another film like this to top it.This isn't a recommendation. This is a request.
I'm asking everyone on flixster to resist the urge to send me a recommendation for this when it comes out. I don't care how good it winds up being, or if (by some miraculous happenstance) it didn't live up to expectations and you wanted to warn me.
I'm as equally anticipating this movie as much as the great majority of you. I don't need any extra motivation to see it, nor will the most convincing argument against it prevent me from checking it out.
I assure you, my ass (or "arse", take your pick) WILL be in a cinema seat, but NOT on opening day. There are two simple reasons for that: I'm involved in a play that's requiring most of my time for the next three weeks, and I won't be able to afford a movie ticket until next week.
So please, don't flood the "My Talk" section of my profile with Dark Knight recommendations. I want to see it, and I'm going to see it.posted 11 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Student Bodies
by JessiBefore the Scary Movie franchise stopped being funny, Student Bodies was pretty okay.
The real standout of this movie is "The Stick" as Malvert the Janitor. Worth watching for him alone!After years of nothing, Student Bodies has finally made its way to DVD. Check it out if you get a chance!
posted 13 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Hellboy 2)
by DuncanGuillermo Del Toro makes magic with Mike Mignola's cult comic yet again!
Full review coming soon...Hey, you should really see this! Don't let this fantastic sequel get lost in The Dark Knight's hype!
posted 14 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (The Witches) (Haxan)
by JessiIncredible testament to the storytellling ability silent film had -- due in part to all the magnificient imagery in here. There's things in this film that are still taboo, so I can't rightly imagine the reaction of audiences in the 1920s. Incredible imagery and acting throughout, with a wonderful accompanying soundtrack. When I think of silent film, I don't generally associate education or documentary, but here is a prime example. Entertaining and fascinating at the same time.
The 1922 version is preferable to the 1968-ish rehashing.
Torture, witchcraft, Satan! Hooray!posted 21 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 21 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Wanted
by DuncanLadies 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 24 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 26 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Sukiyaki Western Django
by JessiWhen did Miike's films get so polished? This movie borders on classy -- without ever actually touching it, thankfully.
I was absolutely blown away by this movie. This is Miike's homage to the Spaghetti Western, and a stylish one at that. Has the definite feel of A Fistful of Dollars, and although the premise is something we've seen before, the presentation takes the concept and elevates it to a new level. Of course, it's Miike, so the word 'fantastic' comes to mind, in a couple different connotations.
Spaghetti Western returns to its Japanese roots, and damn it if the result isn't captivating.Make the effort to find this one!
posted 26 days ago -
I recommend you see...
A Clockwork Orange
by Duncan
I'm struggling though the book right now (the edition that I have doesn't have a glossary for all that fancy mod lingo, and I'm not a hip Brit teen and this ain't the '60s). After I'm done, I'll compare the two.
Guess who's the only person on the planet who hasn't seen this yet?...
posted 31 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Russian Dolls (Les Poupées russes)
by Mikeflilppant and skittish, this brought to mind the Krystof Kyslowski TROIS COULEURS trilogy. Great film of failure, and cliche.
made me laugh out loud, sad too.
posted 34 days ago -
I recommend you see...
One of the best movies to have recently come out. Everyone who hasn't seen this (including all you people that "aren't interested") should at least watch it once.
posted 38 days ago -
I recommend you see...
The Good German
by DuncanIt seems like every director who makes a name for himself feels obligated to, once in his life, "pay homage" to the kind of movies he grew up on: Lucas with Star Wars, Spielberg with Indiana Jones, Rodriguez and Tarantino with Grindhouse, etc.
It seems like Stephen Soderbergh was watching a lot of TCM on T.V. one night, because The Good German is basically a throwback to movies of the '40s. It was filmed in black and white, on studio back lots and soundstages, and cars in motion were simulated by a moving backdrop. Another contributing factor to it's '40s vibe was Thomas Newman's excellent score, also inspired by the films of that period.
It's an interesting experiment, and the cast was good to boot. Unfortunately, the plot was so convoluted that I spent the duration of the movie very fucking confused. Oh, and speaking of the word "fuck", it was used quite a bit throughout the movie, most frequently by Tobey Maguire's character, and that sort of tarnished the overall '40s feel. That, and two sex scenes (one of which involved Tobey Maguire's character), which seem mild when compared to sex scenes in films today. But sex scenes of any kind were in violation of the Hays Code, which was still in effect during that period. So, if you're paying homage to that kind of movie, putting in stuff that would've been deemed too inappropriate for that kind of a film makes absolutely no sense, at least not to me.
Despite the mess of a plot that would normally be a problem, and little nit-pickerys that don't make this flick feel truly vintage, I feel that this is an instance where style beats out substance. I still kinda liked it, and if I find the DVD in a $5.00 bargain bin, I'll probably buy it.An interesting experiment. Sadly, it fails more than it succeeds.
posted 42 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (AVP 2)
by DuncanAfter seeing the red-band trailer, and getting oodles of reviews stating "it's better than the first, check this out", I was really disappointed by this mess of a movie.
Let me start off by saying that I'm not familiar with the Dark Horse comic books which brought these two cinema titans together in the first place (although I've heard that Deadliest of the Species is quite a fun read). My only familiarity prior to this installment was the Alien franchise, Predator 2 and the first AVP film. Unlike a lot of people, I enjoyed the latter. It wasn't necessarily what I'd call high-brow art, or even coming close in quality to the movies that inspired it, but it was a movie that was satisfying when served up with a nice, steamy bowl of popcorn. None of the human characters in the first one got on my nerves, or got in the way of the fantastically shot and orchestrated fights. And it didn't need no stinkin' plot, either; all the story that was needed was presented in a nice little bite-sized morsel, so that the pace of the movie didn't slow to a crawl.
Sadly, such is not the case with Colin and Gregg Strauss' dull and drab contribution to the franchise. Apparently, they decided to go the Ridley Scott route, and give us "developed characters" and an "eerie, creepy atmosphere". Problem is, these characters are about as cardboard-cutout as they come. The only real interesting one was a military woman with a daughter to protect, and we don't see much of her. Quite literally, we don't see much of...well, anything of interest, really.
In a valiant attempt to scare the living bay-Jesus out of the audience, "The Brothers Strauss" (if that isn't a pompous title to include in the credits, I don't know what is) used very little light. By that, I mean they left half of anything worthwhile hidden in the dark, even when viewed through the Predator's infrared vision! Actually, on second thought, maybe that WASN'T a lame go at trying to be as atmospheric as the first Alien. Maybe that was the sad attempt at hiding the "Predalien", who looked like a giant piece of dog-crap with mandibles, dreadlocks, and chicken legs stuck to it. Anyway, regardless of the reason behind the low light, this poor choice of lighting, combined with annoying close ups, resulted in confusing fights between the titular races rather than exhilarating ones.
But I digress...
Getting back to the human characters. Well, throughout the movie, they made some really, reaaaally dumb decisions (resulting in many deaths, of course). For example: One chick gets killed by the Predator, and of course, the decease's boyfriend goes berserk. He chases the Preadator, unloading his gun on the beastie. Then he gets skeward through by the hybrid creature, who snuck up behind him just as he was gaining the advantage over the Rasta from the planet Courisant.
It's not that dimwit I'm talking about, though. It's his gun-toatin' buddies. They drag him along, struggling to get him "to the choppaaahh" (Sorry, couldn't resist. Incidentally, neither could the screenwriter) with the Predalien and other Xenomorphs nipping at their heels. I found myself shouting at the television "Seriously, why don't you just shoot him in the head, then toss him to the creatures, you dumbasses!? That'll slow 'em down!"
Oh, by the way, everyone who says the film is gory is lying. It certainly is more grizzly than the first movie, but nothing worse than blood spatter and a dismembered arm. To be frank, I was surprised this got an R rating (and this was after seeing the UNRATED version, I might add). Well, there was one rather nasty scene involving a maternity ward, but that was about it.
Basically, the final verdict is that this is one to avoid, unless you decide to do an MST3K-style commentary with your friends (buddies, pals, mates, BFFs, chums, whatever the hell ya wanna call 'em). It's a letdown. A BIG letdown.Never before have I suggested people avoid a movie when I haven't even finished watching it. I guess there's a first for everything.
Basically, anyone who tells you this is an improvement on the first AVP is a gorehound who wanted a film to slake some bloodlust rather than show off a good fight. Personally, I don't give two shits about the uninteresting humans that get in the way if I can't even see the thing that's skewering 'em.
I'm gearin' up for a rant here, but I'll save it for the final review...posted 46 days ago -
I recommend you see...
El Orfanato (The Orphanage)
by DuncanAn entertaining Spanish spookshow, even if it doesn't necessarily fill me with dread...
...Full review coming soon.This is the kind of horror movie for people who don't usually go out of their way to see a horror movie, or people who like films such as Poltergeist and The Others.
Granted, you have to understand Spanish if you don't like reading subtitles. There's no English dub on the DVD, at least not over here in the good ol' U.S. of A.
But if you're like me (ie, reading subtitles to get around a language barrier isn't a problem for you), give 'er a shot.posted 49 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Twilight
by DuncanIt's apparent, by the one clip that was leaked o'er the internet, that whoever's behind this basically took the book and pissed on it.
I'll rent this. No need to see it on the big screen.Guess what, everyone! My mind has officially been changed!
I know, books and movies are two totally different mediums. Still, even judging the movie on it's own merits, what little I've seen tells me it's gonna be a shitty one.posted 53 days ago
View All (148)
