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Eyes Wide Shut - R
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A visually stunning, creatively-shot and extremely sexy movie, but one wonders if Kubrick's untimely death during the filming killed the story because whomever finished it really, really botched it. It's incredibly difficult for me to imagine a Kubrick movie being so weak plot-wise. I have no idea if the script was weak regardless or was tweaked after he passed away. Either way, it was a good movie with Kubrick's odd touch, but in terms of overall strength was way, way, WAY behind his best works. It's impossible to know if had he survived long enough to finish this film if it would have been better. Kidman and Cruise have ZERO chemistry (which is pathetic considering they were married at the time). Cruise had better chemistry with Alan Cumming, who played a gay conceirge. Cruise even got upstaged by Kidman during their infamous nude scene together. Sydney Pollack's role was the glue that kept the movie together, but I think it could have been more shocking or at least more controversial. It was, afterall, Kubrick. I think whatever they were trying to do with the people in the masks and Leelee Sobieski's role were attempts to be shocking. It did appear Sobieski's father was whoring her out to a bunch of Asian businessmen covered in talcum powder. But I really feel this movie fell flat, which is an utter shame with it being the master Kubrick's finale.
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December 16, 2009
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N/A
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Once Upon a Time in Mexico - R
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Not as strong a film as it's predecessor Desperado and only sightly below Desperado's creative cinematography, but all-in-all a must-have if you love action movies and Antonio Banderas letting loose his dark side. What this movie had over Desperado was two awesome character additions in Johnny Depp's crooked CIA agent and Willem Dafoe's cold-blooded drug lord. A phenomenal acting cast and decent storyline and fantastic ending. A great way to end the storyline. Salma Hayek could have had more to do in the movie, but she was used exclusively in a flashback capacity. Eva Mendez was boring as always and I cheered when she kicked the bucket. And of course no Rodriguez movie would be complete without great cameos by Danny Trejo and Cheech Marin. A fun movie to watch with a bottle of Tequila.
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December 16, 2009
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N/A
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Hitch - PG-13
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Needed a LOT more Kevin James. He stole so many scenes from Will Smith I'm amazed Smith didn't have James kicked off the set after the first few weeks of filming. An enjoyable (and bearable) romantic comedy, even though Smith and Eva Mendes have like ZERO chemistry. It could be because Mendes has no chemistry with anyone, even by herself because she's so full of herself in real life and in her roles. A funny movie with some great scenes. Will Smith's food allergy being one of them.
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December 16, 2009
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N/A
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Chicago - PG-13
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One of the few Broadway-to-cinema musical adaptations that translates well to the big screen. Great performances out of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rene Zellwegger and Queen Latifah (who should have won an Oscar for this movie). Richard Gere was a terrible choice for male lead. Unfortunately, the role called for an older gentleman and there aren't a lot of 40-plus year old actors out there who can act, sing and dance, at least without breaking a hip.
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December 16, 2009
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N/A
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Avatar - PG-13
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Falls under the category of "You bet your ass I'll see it."
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December 16, 2009
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N/A
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Better Off Dead - PG
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Another in a long list of movies that were staples of my childhood and teenage years. A hysterical comedy that shows us the immense talents of John Cusack, who looks like he's barely out of his junior year of high school. The whole thing of Cusack being chased by that paperboy kid is the best part of the movie. "I want my 2 dollars!!!!! LOL!!! I loved this movie.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Seven Pounds - PG-13
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How you view this movie really depends on how positive you are. If you're a glass is half-full type you may think this movie is uplifting and beautiful. If you're a glass is half-empty type then you might find this movie entirely heartbreaking and emotionally draining. I was in the latter half. I don't want to spoil the ending for you, but I felt SOOOO terribly sorry for Will Smith's character. My heart broke for him. The one part of the movie where your positive thinking won't apply is the ending. It's depressing. Plain and simple you will not like it one bit. It's hinted in the first few minutes of the film. A brilliant role by Will Smith and some great performances out of Rosario Dawson and Woody Harrelson. I reccomend one viewing, but bring the kleenex and be ready to have your heart broken.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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61* - Unrated
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Not a bad movie, though Billy Crystal is no director. Barry Pepper looked NOTHING like the real Roger Maris. The movie's biggest problem is that it's based on a true story is directed by a veritable baseball fanatic in Crystal and and it STILL manages to be historically innacurate. It's hokey and maybe the reason it never took off like it should have. Pepper's problem is that he just doesn't look like an athlete. he should have taken acting cues from Kevin Costner on how to play a pro baseball player because he looked like a wooden figure out there. Baseball players are NOT stick figures but it felt like that's all I was watching for this movie.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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BASEketball - R
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Complete crap. Yeah, they invent a sport that seems kinda cool but also seems like the kind of game a pair of toddlers would invent when they're bored. Except in this mess they base an entire movie around it. I like Matt Stone and Trey Parker's production of South Park, which has become an American icon. But their live-action filmmaking is awful. Really, really awful. And under what coffin did they dig up Ernest Borgnine????
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Major League 2 - PG
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Really, nothing more than rehash from the first one. The Indians still suck (what's new?) They switched Wesley Snipes for Omar Epps in the Willie Mays Hayes role and it seriously affected the cast's chemistry. On top of that you bring in a no-talent hack like David Keith, insert that Randy Quaid nutjob into a central role as a fan, and eliminate, for the most part, James Gammon's team skipper role, which is the best role of the first film. But the worst thing was turning Charlie Sheen into a clean-cut corporate stool pigeon. THAT is your attempt at originality? Give me a break. Some funny moments. The Japanese player brought some hilarity. But it was very limited.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Cobb - R
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I love Tommy Lee Jones, but his portrayal of Ty Cobb was as laughable as John Goodman's Babe Ruth. Over the top and lame. Ty Cobb was NOT nearly as cantankerous as Jones portrays him. Of course Ty Cobb was accused of killing a man and was one of the dirtiest players to ever play on a baseball diamond. But Jones was just too over the top for this one, which takes away from his performance big time.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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The Quick and the Dead - R
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Could have used a little more Unforgiven-esque darkness. A great cast with a decent story. But I had serious, serious issues with the dialogue. It just sucked. That's all it was to it, which is inconceivable considering the freaking cast: Russell Crowe, Leonard DiCaprio, Gene Hackman, Sharon Stone, Gary Sinese AND Sam Raimi directing and they STILL can't come up with better dialogue with this? The movie could have notched itself up with the greatest westerns of all time. Instead, it falls flat. The misuse of an obscenely-talented cast is what's inexcusable.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead - R
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One thing to remember about this movie is this. Andy Garcia and his group of buddies are already criminals and some have done some very evil things. When one of them (A very dark role by Christopher Lloyd) screws up horribly and accidentally murders the young relatives of their crime lord boss (Christopher Walken), you suddenly find yourself looking for hope that Garcia and Co. will somehow survive their boss' wrath, which in this movie is sending Steve Buscemi after them. Of course Buscemi plays the perfect assassin. Soul-less and devoid of any morals or personality. He's just a stone-cold killer. So, in essence, you find yourself hoping a killer doesn't kill a bunch of killers. An interesting conundrum for you to think about. Decent performances out of Garcia, Lloyd, William Forsythe and Walken. Not a very positive movie. In fact it's downright depressing.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Domino - R
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Surprisingly enjoyable. A much sexier version of Dog The Bounty Hunter. It's much more fun to watch Kiera Knightley running around with a shotgun than that squat old guy with a terrible mullet. The dialogue can be silly at times and it takes a tremendous effort to take Knightley seriously as a hard-assed bounty hunter. But it was watchable and had some interesting characters. What kept this movie from being a 3-4 star film is it's still very flat and lacks some edginess you'd expect in a movie about bounty hunters.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Sin City - R
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A greatly underappreciated film that's even better if you're a fan of the Frank Miller graphic novels. Fantastic character portrayals and it's just cool to look at. Robert Rodriguez (and at times Quentin Tarentino) keeps true to the novels, but still imprints his own unique style on it. I couldn't get over the wonderful fact that they took frames from a graphic novel (a glorified comic book) and made a PERFECT transition into the cinematic filming itself. It's almost eerie. Another strength of this movie is the casting. Aside from Nancy (played by Jessica Alba) they were DEAD ON in terms of how each Sin City character acted and behaved. (Those of you who know the graphic novels know that Nancy, was naked most of the time. It was part of her persona. But Jessica Alba is a bit a prude so forget about any nudity or edginess from Alba's portrayal of Nancy, even though Nancy was one of the most morally corrupt characters in the novels.) I loved Benicio Del Toro and Mickey Rourke's characters very much. They were the best part of the movie. Some of Bruce Willis' lines were great and Clive Owen adds some needed bad-assery and common sense. Michael Clarke Duncan's character contributes the evil villain and it's one heck of a payoff. Additional interestiung roles turned in by Rosario Dawson, Jaime King, Carla Gugino, Elijah Wood, Alexis Bleidel (from Gilmore Girls), Powers Boothe. Rutger Hauer and Josh Hartnett just add to the films sparkling star power and legitimacy. With all that said this is still fun cinema. You may not get it if you've never read a graphic novel or know how one is laid out graphically. But know that this is a PERFECT transformation from paper to screen. Brilliant stuff.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Memento - R
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One of the 50 greatest movies ever filmed and one of the signature films of the last 10 years. Christopher Nolan showed us a long time ago what an immensely talented and edgy director he is and he's done nothing but improve upon those skills (hint-hint, The Dark Knight). A wonderfully-creative story and story structure. When I first watched it I had to watch it all over again to digest and understand the ending because it completely caught me off guard. It also leaves you wondering who the true bad guy is. Is it really Guy Pearce? Is it Carrie-Ann Moss? Is it Joe Pantoliano? Who is manipulating who? Shows you truly how self-destructive lying (and more importantly lying to yourself) can be. A superb display of acting and an even greater writing, screenplay and directoral effort. Unique and original cinematic ideas are too far in between these days so when this came out it offered a genuine breath of fresh air. A must-see for anyone who truly regards themselves movie buffs.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Irreversible - Unrated
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First off, make sure you have a strong stomach and even stronger nerve to watch this film. This is a genuine warning. Gaspar Noe doesn't make warm and fuzzy films and this movie is light years away in terms of being civil. One of the most brutal movies ever made. The story structure for the movie itself is unique and the filming and cinematography work are done exceptionally well. Kind of a tripped out version of Memento. It's about as edgy as a movie can get without venturing into the realm of horror or grindhouse. A violent rape (Monica Bellucci) and the reckoning of judgement and vengeance eschewing forth from the rape victim's love interest (a fantastic role played by Vincent Cassel) is the primary plot driver. As the title suggests, once certain actions are set in motion, the impending consequences are irreversible and unavoidable. The rape scene will shock you to the point of having to hit pause of fast-forward on your remote control. Like Memento, you're given the climax of the movie first and then given the rest of the time to try to piece together the series of events that led to the tragedy in the first place, whether you agree with the thought processes and decisions behind the generation of those moments or not. Unfortunately, the rape's fall-out leads down a path toward an extremely grisly rage-induced vengeance murder that is so bad that you will never look at a fire extinguisher the same way ever again. Just a shocking movie to say the least, especially if the notion of viewing gay sex out in the open makes you feel really uncomfortable. Not for the faint of heart and not for anyone expecting anthing positive to emanate from the experience. The best way to describe this film? Dark, dark, dark and more dark.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Along Came a Spider - R
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The sequel to Kiss the Girls manages to have a greater build up but an even greater thud in the ending. What a disappointment. Freeman's Dr. Cross is not the role he should be playing. And casting Monica Potter in a villainous role???? Give me a break. Why not cast Reese Witherspoon and have her abduct children for messed up reasons and see if THAT is believable. Not to say Potter is on Witherspoon's level. She's not. Just that Potter has usually played wholesome roles and her extending to the bad-guy role just wasn't believable.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Cellular - PG-13
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Though tries to be a lot like Speed in terms of gripping suspense, is not the home run you want it to be. Still an enjoyable movie with good plot twists. Kim Basinger's character shows incredible and surprising resilience. Jason Statham plays a good bad guy henchman. Chris Evans is nothing more than eye candy and a Ryan Reynolds wanna-be. The story wasn't all that remarkable being it's already been tried. Decent suspense, but a very predictable ending. Ok if you're bored and need something to do.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Kiss The Girls - R
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Could have been another Silence of the Lambs, but falls abhorrently short of that high plateau. For the most part the movie was good adaptation from the novels aside from one small caveat: Morgan Freeman is a very, very old man. The primary character of this film, Alex Cross, is a young, strapping, bad-assed guy according to the novels so they essentially turned the superstud into an old man. I love Morgan Freeman and think he is the most talented and brilliant American actor today. But this was not his role. I felt he was terribly under-used in this film' script. Not bad, but not great, either.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Pulp Fiction - R
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The single most important movie of the 90s and one of the 10 greatest movies ever filmed. Maybe the best originial screenplay ever written. Of course, this movie was inspired by many, many different pulp ficitonal novels, it really copies nobody. It's its own unique animal, which makes it that much more brilliant. The strength of this movie is its dialogue and story structure. Each character interaction is it's own mini-film and each character's plot path is artfully portrayed in an intriuging tie-in story arc. Everything has to do with everything even though certain characters never share the same stage with each other. Their actions act as a ripple effect and affect someone else in the story in an brilliant and twisted way. A great soundtrack and phenomenal cast to boot. Also single-handedly started about 2,000 copycats. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But the imitation of Pulp Fiction, historically, has been anything more less disappointing. Pulp Fiction will NOT disappoint you. Slick, stylish and edgy enough to keep you interested and full of moments that keep you on the edge of your seat because you're sensing the impending doom. Explores the depths of what people are capable of doing, even if what they're doing is as insignificant as picking up a fighter on the run from the local mob or something as morally-ambiguous as preventing an enemy from being sodomized. Not for the faint of heart.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels - R
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Before Madonna stole Guy Ritchie's testicles he made delightfully violent and mirthy British gangster flicks like this. Great dialogue, script and camera work. Fresh and entertaining. We are introduced into the cinematic value of former soccer thug Vinnie Jones and a very, very young pre-stardom Jason Statham and, yes, that's Sting playing Nick Moran's pissed off father. While watching this film notice the plot that originally looks as thin as paper only to evolve into a mixed-up bag of chaotic moments. Notice the nuances of the director's ability to cut from scene to scene in a really cool, but non-annoying and plot-interrupting way. Notice the artistic grainy-ness of everything and notice the superb camera work and plethora of interesting characters. Even the speechless stoner girl who lies on the couch and produces a 60-caliber anti-aircraft gun out of thin air provides the best scene in the entire film. One of my favorite characters is the black pot dealer who, politely, catches guys on fire because they ask him to turn the channel from a soccer game in a pub. Makes you glad you don't live in London if you're a sports fan! Only outdone by Ritchie's later film, Snatch. A must-have if you consider yourself macho.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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Hot Fuzz - R
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One thing you have to remember with a Simon Pegg movie is that it's going to be silly at some point. This one more than some of his earlier work, including Sean of the Dead. I hate to say it, but Hott Fuzz had the same vibe as American TV show Reno 911. Just overt, but dry sillyness, but in the vein of Monty Python. Pegg's real talents are in his work as a director. He's SO good with camera angles and framing. If he were to ever grow up and not do something silly he might. MIGHT, be able to do a decent drama. Overall, I thought this film was good, but not remarkable. Just in the same vein as SOFTD.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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The Pink Panther - Unrated
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The Peter Sellers Pink Panther movies were the crown jewels on Blake Edwards' resume for slapstick comedy. The originial is one of my favorite comedies of all time. Unlike the recent putrid remakes by Steve Martin, the original Pink Panther movie had the perfect balance between silly and serious. Too silly and it's simply a parody. Too serious and the comedy seems out of place. A great film.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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The Revenge of the Pink Panther - PG
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May not have been as good as its predecessors, but still has several hilarious moments, including the infamous "Dr. Balls" Proved to be Seller's final Pink Panther movie as he died shortly later. Earlier installations of the series were much, much funnier. This one also had the feeling that Blake Edwards knew this would be Sellers' final Clouseau. it had that finality to it. Not bad but defininitely not one of the best.
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December 5, 2009
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N/A
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8423 ratings
5241 reviews
