shortcartoonist
http://www.flixster.com/user/shortcartoonist
| Name | Kalel Johnston |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| I'm From | NSW, Australia |
| Member For | 818 days |
| Last Login | Fri. May 16 |
| Profile Views | 8498 |
| Age | 18 |
| MCT Score |
- Skins Created (20)
| Movie: | My Favourite Movies List |
|---|---|
| Actor: | My Favourite Actors List |
| Director: | Stanley Kubrick, Paul Thomas Anderson, Ridley Scott, Sergio Leone, Martin Scorcese, Werner Herzog, Terrence Malick, James Wan |
| Quote: | "I can't remember to forget you", Leonard : Memento ------------------------------ "As light, it's artificial; as emotion, it's geniune", Stephen Hunter, on the medium of film "No form of art goes beyond ordinary consciousness as film does, straight to our emotions, deep into the twilight room of the soul", Ingmar Bergman, on the nature of film |
|
Official Flixster Moderator:If you have any problems regarding blatantly rude or offensive users than don't hesitate to contact me and I will do my very best to address the issue
-------------------------------------------------
I'm a person with many varying interests. I'm usually the guy who can fit into the majority of different groups at a party or social outing and be 'one of the crew'.
|
Kalel's Recent Reviews
Breathless (À bout de souffle) (By a Tether)
Unrated
A reflective film that mirrors its own medium, Breathless is a film that seems to enjoy shooting down the merits of cinema while at the same time praising them, in this expressive and inventive art piece from Godard. Michel is the embodiment of living the life of a movie-star, "living dangerous until death", as he uses his Bogart impersonations; this twisted, absorbed persona drained from cinema, to live life as he sees it - through a screen.
But forget Godard's wonderful techniques and imagery, just watching Jean Seberg is enough to keep a smile throughout this film.
Iron Man
PG-13
Snappy, sharp, and exhilarating, Iron Man is in a very different class of superhero films. It uses hip sarcasm in hand with political attacks, while all the while never alienating any member of the audience. Thanks to Downey Jnr.' s fantastic and often humorous portrayal of the rich genius and some of the more dazzling effects in film in recent years, Iron Man is sure to please. However, the film is almost on hyper speed through its progression - the two hour film feels like the length of a television episode, which tends to slightly hinder the film. It feels underdone, exposed, and through its rushes it never manages to push the more extreme buttons and further its own set boundaries. Had the film taken more risks in its portrayal of the world and more depth into its story and characters - it could have been something truly special.
Rashômon (Rashomon) (In the Woods)
Unrated
A deep philosophical study embedded inside of an intrinsic narrative, Rashomon shows itself as a rumination on lies, deception, and the commonplace they hold in our deteriorating society. While Rashomon holds heavy subject matter and shines a relatively harsh light on humanity, it holds a form of levity through its bumpy score to its near whimsical characters, which manages to an act as a brilliant overlay highlighting man's ignorance of the meaning of truth. To lie is to step into immorality - yet it remains an ideal sorely lost to the larger community.
Kurosawa's film of a looping story being retold is a fascinating and wide depiction of a very simple premise. The film is something to treasure as a piece of cinema that seems to grow with time.
Enemy Mine
PG-13
A potential masterpiece that tends to lose itself in several dumbed downed aspects, but nevertheless is a fine enough film in its executed form. Peterson's film of common ground in amongst traditional hostilities is a notion that seems to bode well in politics as the world progresses. The ideals presented in the film are striking and given a good enough treatment for most to enjoy its meaning. Quaid gives a steady performance, while Gosset is in his prime.
Once Upon a Time in America
R
Chronologically anamorphic and a pointed portrait of moral pits, the Prohibition era represented in Leone's expansive film is a landscape housing growth; the growth of friendship, society, efficiency through criminality, and betrayal. The film is a tight deliverance of difficult subject matter and sprawling decades, with the precision of Morricone's score coupled with the sound decoration in the editing adding the final layers to the visual wonders on screen. And, as this is a Leone film, it all comes to focus, but his final epic tends to blur this aim. The portrayal of an eternal youth in these men - as kids who never grow up - is handled in a wrong way through the explicit sexual overtones that barge their way as a showing of the lack of moral compass in these men. However, the ambiguity of the film allows for most down points to be referred, making way for a piece of cinema that peaks and slows at intervals to instill blatant entertainment with intrinsic awe. If anything, the film is likely to reflect its thematic growth through its watching audiences appreciation, and nothing more can be asked of a film than that.
Rescue Dawn
PG-13
Harsh and honest, Rescue Dawn pummels the same relentless execution from its manic director to deliver a film of brutal reality, where the ideas of the captive are thrown into focus. While the over layer of Rescue Dawn paints the heroic Americans overcoming the adversity of Vietcong prisons, Herzog manages to brush subtle daubs of a twist in this logic. The Vietnamese, in many aspects, are the captives of the film. Straying and weaving from enemy fire, they are bound to the Earth while their oppressors blindly fire on the unknown land below. Little Deiter may have been shown as the hero, which in many respects he is, but it is the idealisms of prison that are quietly explored through this portrait of progressive insanity. Though, even through it's bold style, it still feels as though Herzog was uncharacteristically holding back a little.
Kalel's Favorite Movies
1.
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
PG-13
Brilliant, breathtaking, inspiring. A good look into the life of Bruce Lee that, while having it's points of inaccuracy, makes for a fitting tribute to the man portrayed in a superb film. The casting of the film was done very well, Jason Scott Lee plays the tenacity and caressing sides of Bruce with the justice that is deserved with a fantastic array of support casting. A worthy note to mention about this film comes in it's musical composition. Here, Randy Edelman has created a score that fits perfectly with the scenes of the film and even outside of the film, the score can be seen a true stand out. For him to be snubbed by the Academy is an insult. What truly makes this film so great is how it infuses the elements of making a film that focuses on conveying meanings and themes to the audience, while also bringing a high level of entertainment, allowing the viewing demographic to be much larger. The main themes of racial tendencies during this time are clearly highlighted and it is through this that we, the audience, feel true compassion for the character on screen.
2.
The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King
PG-13
An epic of the grandest proportions, this film truly sums up what a rounded film of such large heights should look like. Being the finale' to the trilogy, The Return of the King had the potential for more action and more emotion, and luckily we are given this through some fine filmmaking. Jackson stepped up his game from the previous two installments to prove his prowess in this field, the score is magnificent, the cinematography and mixture of effects was jaw-dropping, etc. etc. This is a truly fantastic film, and WORTHY of it's Oscars. To sum up what this film is: it is a modern day 'Star Wars', and I can back that up with many points.
3.
2001: A Space Odyssey
G
UPDATE: One of the greatest films ever made...easily. 2001: A Space Odyssey is the ultimate film of hypothesis and the ultimate example of how meaning can be so much more impacting through imagery, rather than words. Open your mind to individual interpretation, because this film can be seen in many different lights. --------------------------------- A groundbreaking film on all accounts, 2001: A Space Odyssey is an audio and visual delight as we delve into the unknown. 2001 is a film that gives insight into our past, our future, our bodies, and our minds, and through this there are many questions asked about our ourselves, our existence, and our future. Stanley Kubrick proves with this that he is one of the greatest directors to grace the screen and this is achieved through his sheer brilliance in creating extraordinary feats of visual flair and ideas. While the story for 2001 may be faded at points, we are still given a clear and thorough examination of a very possible future (though far beyond the year of 2001). This is a film that utilizes symbolism and musical composition perfectly in what makes for an experience much more than simple cinema - instead we are treated to moving art in the three stages that this film takes us on with each camera shot holding it's own meaning and artistic impression. This is also a film that conveys the human notion of curiosity and the ramifications, both good and bad, that this aspect of our nature can bring (evident in both HAL and the apes). Essentially, 2001 is a film that is open to interpretation, it's conclusion is as compelling as it is controversial, and through this the film holds more meaning (as confusing as this meaning may become). If you want an example of visual cinema at it's finest, look no further than 2001.
4.
Once Upon a Time in the West
PG-13
A spectacle set in scunge, Once Upon A Time in the West is a poet's tale that gives as much insight into the backdrops and times of the old west as the characters occupying them. The film is dirty, the film is cold, and the film is slow, but with the encompassing mastery of it's many departments, this is a film that is made for art and enjoyment. Through the sweeping score by Morricone, the picturesque cinematography capturing a painter's view of a gritty ordeal, or the engrossing and detailed screenplay lavished out like a straight retelling, this a film that easily captures the artistic attention of the audience while also managing to bring a stream of smiles. A strange fashion is adorned through the pacing of the picture, however, where the film seems to take constant, purposeful pit-falls in it's rythm. Each scene seems deliberately set up to rise at a slow pace, coaxing the audience on in anticipation until reaching a climactic peak, where after the tone drops once more as a refreshed scene takes the fore. Many a time this tends to work where it truly shouldn't. But with gratitude towards the artistic inflection and overall tone of the piece, the alternations of the tone work like the bumpy ride of a stagecoach - the trip takes a while, but the scenery is beautiful enough to lay away the slow waits. Yet, what truly sets Once Upon A Time in the West apart from it's many predecessors and successors comes through the notion that nothing is ever truly defined in the film. With plenty of dialogue nulled scenes, the audience is left to ponder over these character's, their ambitions, and the true driving force of the story. However, the characters lay as only a scattering of pebbles in contrast to the vast desert stretching before us. The film gives vivid insight and a sense of hearkening traditionalism in conveying the rugged, dry landscapes and atmosphere of this time. There are no "good guys" in the west, even our harmonica strumming lead actor is given a gritty ambivalence. There will be times where the motives and decisions of these men will be continuously questioned, but it is this realism that makes this film that further bit special. Out of a fiery and swift career, Leone proves himself to be at his peak in terms of fulfilling a film's aesthetics. The cinematography streams and weaves, levering itself between the pensiveness and contemplation of the extreme close-up, where we almost feel absorbed into the notions being felt by these men of vengeance; or allowing the complete consumption of the expanse surrounding these ordeals through distanced, yet wonderfully framed and placed shots. With the look of a painting and the force of a well oiled machine, Once Upon A Time in the West is cinema at one of it's rarest, highest rises. If ever there was a hard edged, dry opera with the kind of poetry told with few words, this film would be it.
5.
Rebel Without a Cause
PG-13
James Dean is a method acting genius and Rebel Without a Cause showcases his raw talent to the world in what is considered his best film, of sadly only three which he made. The acting in this drama of teen angst and the need to rise over opression from peers is nothing but extraordinary and it is clear how James Dean truly immersed himself in his roles, even outside takes, to absorb the essence of his character. Natalie Wood - playing the confused love interest, and Sal Mineo - playing the troubled and lonesome friend serve as great support casting, especially in the case of Mineo whose interpretation of Plato gives reactions of sorriness and and hope for the future from the audience. The message in Rebel Without a Cause is that each generation, while exteriorly changing, can be as bad as the next in terms of disobeying rule and wanting more. This is a film that can strike a chord with many viewers.
6.
Days of Heaven
PG
Tender immorality. Days of Heaven lavishes its exterior with beauty to oppose the deviance of its plot and the ethics of its characters to make for a picture laden with the splendor of serenity and the insight of needs, wants, and love. The film caters as a moving film through imagery as it captures an environment and a setting and is able to progress with minimal dialogue. ...more soon.
Kalel's Movie Scrapbook
Kalel's Talk
-
amara160posted 5 hours ago -
I recommend you see...
Mr. Bean's Holiday
by LanningOne of my flixster buddies gave this 2.5 stars with the comment that maybe she wasn't in the mood for a comedy when she watched it. I can wholly relate to this. I really do believe that the mood you are in can, to a very high degree, dictate your reaction to a movie. I was actually in an upbeat mood when I watched this just now, so please keep that in mind if you do read what I'm about to say. . . .
First, if you are as big a fan of the mass hysteria -- or as Robert Preston might say, massteryia -- hand-held camera movement as I am
: (
then you will appreciate how perfectly Mr. Bean's enthusiastic video camera work warps its way into the whole fabric of this movie. Not only is it very fancifully woven throughout, but it actually works masterfully into the finish with the film premiere at Cannes. Very nifty : ) Atkinson's playing with that video camera all the way through is a brilliant concept.
I'm a big fan of Rowan Atkinson from the Black Adder series days. I also love the first Mr. Bean movie. I cannot see or think of the Mona Lisa without smiling, at least. So please bear with me.
I have not laughed so hard in recent memory as I did in the hitchhiking sequence here, and I caught a chest cramp laughing at the suicide bit. Sorry, now you know two (more) things about me:
1. I may be a very low-brow, low-IQ humor kind of guy, and
2. I may not be a very well person, mentally speaking. I guess you could even conclude that I'm a bit sick, if you like -- yes, I can, sadly, laugh at suicide from time to time.
So be it. I absolutely love this movie. It is the most perfect Atkinson project I've yet seen, and one of the most perfectly executed movies I've seen in some time.
Normally, I would knock off stars for the three flaws I find here. I do not like the lack of concern for others that is foregrounded in Bean's coffee-on-the-laptop accident, nor do I enjoy the intentionality in his oyster-dumping-in-purse move, and I especially dislike the knocking out of the Cannes security guard with the purse. These three incidents are indicative of character flaws that are not acceptable. This is not what Mr. Bean is about, people. Mr. Bean is much more about the man who steps off the train to offer protection to the boy -- and in the grand Everyman tradition that is Mr. Bean, no good deed ever goes unpunished. Had I been in on the editing, I'd have left those three glaring characterization gaffs on the cutting room floor. Give us more of the operatic lip-synch money-raising scheme Bean -- stunning writing and direction.
But I can't deduct stars for these problems. The overall film is superb comedy. It is comedy so finely wrought that it moves beyond Hollywood-esque churned out run-of-the-mill comedy into the realm of first-rate dramatic comedy with a bullet.
You might have heard of the life of quiet desperation. I think I've heard that it could quite possibly be the life many, if not most, of us lead. It is surely Bean's life, and it is the life that those of us who may lead it, might well long to escape. That very end with Bean's seeing the actual ocean -- his one dream -- leading to his romping in the water, finishing with the whole cast singing together in celebration of community -- I kid you not, it brings tears to my eyes just thinking of it.
This, by the way, is the best work Willem Dafoe has managed in a very, very long time, and even his character is "saved," if you will, transcending the mundane, that rut, the sadness of his entrapped small sameness, to celebrate participation in the grand festival that is life shared with others. And who is Emma de Caunes? We must see more of this actress asap.
What a beautifully near-perfect work of art. I gotta put it on my Top 100 list right now.
Aloha, flixster friends, I hope you're all well and watching many good movies. For those of you who know me, you know that I rarely send these group recommendations out. The last one was, I think, just over a year ago. And I have kept Penelope's good advice in mind and tried to make sure that I'm not sending a rec out to anyone who's already seen the movie -- my apologies in advance if you have. If you get a chance, friends, try this one out. It totally caught me by surprise. Everybody take good care.
posted 1 day ago -
I recommend you see...
Dead Bang
by JeffTHE action movie of the 80's. It was funny, action packed, and it just had a great plot. I loved Don Johnson in his role, and I loved to see Tim Reid again! I don't think there was a scene I didn't like in this movie, and I will definitely be watching it again. Kudos to Frankenheimer.
If you're looking for an Action movie, here it is!
posted 1 day ago -
I recommend you see...I haven't seen the movie... No one has been that lucky just yet... I did edit my own trailer for it though... Click here and check it out.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8105036805389084146&q=the+dark+knight&ei=q8crSN_nNaX4qwPuvKysCQ&hl=en
Reply to tell me what you think. Sorry I haven't been on in so long. Things got a little crazy recently, but now that I have time I'll do more cool stuff like this and I'll share it with all of you guys.
posted 1 day ago -
Hello
My name is miss jenny
i saw your profile today and became interested in you,i will also like to know more about you,and i want you to send a mail to my email address so that i can give you my picture for you to know whom l am. i believe we can move from here.I am waiting for your mail to my email address above.Remember the distance or colour does not matter but love matters allot in life. Please reply me with my email address here (jenny_goodluck@yahoo.co.uk)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN
YOURS jennyposted 2 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Shenandoah
by NicolaïGreat movie with a great story and super good acting from J.Stewart. Defenitly worth watching
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 2 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Hero
by JackThe first foreign film I've watched. And it certainly won't be the last.
Plot: In feudal China, the King of Qin is waging a bloody campaign to conquer the entire land. He has been made a target of three dangerous assassins: spear-wielding Sky, and the lovers Broken Sword and Flying Snow. One day word comes that he has nothing left to fear; a prefect known only as Nameless has killed all three assassins. Nameless is called to the palace and asked to recount the tale of how he accomplished this amazing feat. After he tells his story, however, the King notices some flaws in it.
Doesn't sound like a film I would enjoy, seeing the plot. But, the way it was performed was flawless.
A true masterpiece. Even if you do have to watch like a deaf person.Most of you on my friends list have seen this, and the review sucks. But whatever.
posted 4 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Iron Man
by IlyaIron Man (2008)
Directed by Jon Favreau
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges"Tony Stark: [reading the newspaper] Iron Man? That's kinda catchy"Tony Stark is a billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Instead, using his intelligence and ingenuity, Tony builds a high-tech suit of armour and escapes captivity. When he uncovers a nefarious plot with global implications, he dons his powerful armour and vows to protect the world as Iron Man.
Iron Man was touted to be a good film from the start, but boy; I didn't expect it to be "that" good. It is primarily good because of its stunning special effects. Now, those who are familiar with Iron Man comic book or even those who have seen the TV series will know what I am talking about. For others who are not familiar with Iron Man, this film has a strong storyline that shows briefly how Tony Stark came up with the Iron Man suit and why did he actually decided to create it. You will also see a man who decided to change his life, in order to fight against evil and help all those innocent people from getting killed. Sounds familiar? Yes, the story is not original but it is well delivered.
The plot is a typical superhero story; a guy who uses his talent for doing something completely irrelevant or something that only makes his life better, (creating weapons of mass destruction and selling them worldwide in this case) but after a terrible situation that put his life in danger opened his eyes, and so he decided to use his knowledge by helping humanity and protecting civilians from the bad guys. Only one difference to most of the other super hero flicks: just like Batman, Iron Man doesn't have any super powers. He is a normal man, only he is extremely good at machinery and engineering. He is a genius. So, while Tony Stark has being attacked by terrorists, he was brutally injured by his own weapon during the attack. This made him realise that he wasted his life by creating something that takes lives of innocent people. After the incident, he constructs a suit which will help him escape from his kidnappers an later on; he will create a much better version of this suit, in order to protect people around the world. But unfortunately for Tony, there is someone that wants to stop him from helping people, someone who only wants to earn money by causing other people deaths, and therefore Tony Stark must face this person and stop him from killing him and everyone else.
Robert Downey Jr. Plays Tony Stark. A thing about playing a superhero in the movie like Spider-Man or X-Men is that people will remember you for your role, no matter how well or bad you performed in this movie. Robert most certainly will be remembered as one of the best actors to play a superhero. He did ever so great; he acted as a typical jackass millionaire at the start of the movie, but later on he changed, he became more responsible and grateful for things he could have achieved if he was using his knowledge in a good way. He was witty, hilarious and the way he said all of his dialogues, all that was fantastic. He handled the role well, even though he is older that Tony Stark. Gwyneth Paltrow played Tony's fiancé Pepper Potts. She and Robert had a lot of mixture between them, they looked great together and their dialogues were often hilarious yet romantic. Terrence Howard played James Rupert Rhodes, a close friend of Stark and his future superhero partner War Machine. Terrence were good in his role, even though at times he looked a bit out of place, he was generally fine and even funny at times. Even though we don't get to see him as War Machine, we get a hint that he will definitely use the suit in the next Iron Man movie. Finally, Jeff Bridges plays Obadiah Stane, Tony's business partner and later his primal enemy of this film, Iron Monger. Jeff is extremely good as a bad guy, I can guarantee that you will dislike his character after the first time you see him in the movie.
Most of the superhero movies are famous for its special effects but this one had more than that. The dialogues were really good; they are brilliant throughout the whole movie. Cinematography is great, the light mixture is good and it is easy to watch the whole movie without moving your eyes away from the screen.
Overall, Iron Man movie is a pleasure to watch, especially on the big screen. While most of the superhero movies don't have what it takes to be called "super", Iron Man rose beyond expectations and quite easily became one of this year's best superhero movies. A massive credit to John Favreau for creating this stunning film that can be truly remembered as one of the best in its category.
Review Date: 11th of May, 2008.Hey, you all probably seen this by now,and so have I (about a week ago), but I didn't had time to do a review straight away, and so i only finished it now. Definitly the best superhero I have seen so far, after Batman Begins of course. My mate at the ciname said after the film finished : " surely there is no film better than Iron Man in its category", on which I replied: " just you wait until The Dark Knight"...
posted 4 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Iron Man
by KhrisNot bad.... probably one of the best Marvel movies. It was cool, edgy, smart and had a great cast. Have to admit the movie wouldnt be anything without Robert Downey Jnr, he was great, he made the Tony Stark persona great.
There was good moments and humor mixed in, and it was a good story which had a good pace, they didn't rush it which was a good sign.
The visuals are great... and seeing all that next gen technology is mind boggling... imagine having some of that stuff to play around with at home!! Though everyone would love to have their own Iron suit (actually made out of gold, titanium and diamond mix- hehehe).
Anyways, the action scenes are pretty good for what I expected, the final battle reminiscent of the great Optimus Prime/Megatron brawl in Transformers. Gwyneth Paltrow actually looked pretty good in this movie... I never figured her for the "sexy" look personally, but she pulled it off!
Anyways, great score and good camera work, noone misses anything.
All around.... its a definite keeper.
AND BTW, make sure you watch AFTER the credits.... and prepare to meet a VERY FAMILIAR character from the Marvel world (and actor) ;-)WE ALL DEFINITELY HAVE TO GET AN SUIT! Its on the top of my XMAS list.
XDposted 6 days ago -
-
I recommend you see...
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 8 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Iron Man
by Nicolaï
Better then I expect it would be, special effects are superb and the acting is also very great, can't wait to see iron man 2 if they going to make it, what would be great!
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 9 days ago -
I recommend you see...
White Heat
by NicolaïGreat performance by James Cagney in this marvelous gangster movie, a very great classic, definitly worth watching again sometime soon
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 9 days ago -
Yes, Kalel, 2007 is not my idea of a great year. I've never cared for Day-Lewis so would normally take a pass, but because I'm named for an Upton Sinclair character, I thought I'd chance it. A mistake. But that's what I love about flixster: a wide variety of opinions. Have a great week.
posted 11 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Millions
by IlyaMillions (2004)
Directed by Danny Boyle
Starring Alex Etel, Lewis McGibbon, James Nesbitt, Daisy Donovan"[first lines]
Damian Cunningham: [voiceover] The French have said au revoir to the franc, the Germans have said auf wiedersehen to the mark, and the Portuguese have said... whatever to their thing."Millions tells the story of 7-year-old Damian, whose family moves to the suburbs of Manchester after the death of his mother. Soon after the move, Damian's "hermitage" is obliterated by a bag of money flung from a passing train. Damian immediately shows the money to his brother, Anthony, and the two begin thinking of what to do with it. Anthony, the selfish one, wants the money only for himself and his entertainment.
Damian, the kind-hearted and religious of the two, had recently overheard three Latter Day Saint missionaries lecture other members of the community on building foundations of rock rather than foundations of sand, an old Christian principle which dictates that self-worth should be based on spirituality rather than worldly things like money and wealth. The lecture inspires Damian, who is particularly enamoured with the missionaries because of the name of their church; Damian is obsessed with saints, studying their biographies and even seeing them in his day-to-day activities as visions. He immediately begins looking for ways to give his share of the money to the poor.
Very underrated and really unknown, but in fact this film is a real gem. The story is perfect, the acting is great and I really loved the idea that we were meant to receive after we have seen this movie. It's a typical family film; two boys find a box of money and they both are trying to spend the money, each their own way. The older one spends it on sweets, cloth and many other different items. The younger one though is a typical dreamer; he believes in god, he prays, he studies bible and he reads about all the different missionaries. He also has a really good imagination; he always seems to talk to different people who in fact, do not exist. So as he receives the money, he decides to give it to the poor ones. But who are the poor ones these days? Obviously, that the young kid like him has no idea what poor people look like and basically, he follows his own mind and gives out the money to everyone who he thinks would really need them.
Typically, if any of us would have received this kind of money, we would have probably spent it on every single thing we wished for at this point of our life. This movie lets us see our imagination transfer into reality of this film, some of us will find the stuff that kids buying absolutely ridiculous, but some of us will often smile when they see what kids purchased or how they spend it. This film tells us what's right and what's wrong, why money is so important in our lives and why we usually spend something that by accident becomes ours, but in fact it wasn't earned by us in the first place. The scene before the very last one is very sad, yet beautiful. It shows that someone who has absolutely no idea what money can make to people decides to leave them out of his own life. It makes us think: is money really that important? Yes, today's world depends on money, but there are much more important things in this world such as: love, family, and happiness. If you can be happy with no money in your life, you are indeed a very lucky person. Truth is though, that there is hardly anybody that is happy in this world, even with money in their lives, not talking about people without them.
Alex Etel is amazing as Damian Cunningham. He really is a very young and talented actor and I absolutely loved his performance in this film. Lewis McGibbon plays his older brother, and he also does really well. James Nesbitt and Daisy Donovan played a perfect couple. Nesbitt is great as Damian's father Ronnie. He is a natural actor and he looks really experienced. Daisy Donovan is also good and she is kind of funny when she first appears in Damian's school.
This film is not that famous I must admit, but if you get hold of it, you will be really surprised when you see it because it shows us a very good example of something, that we should never forget.
Review Date: 4th of May, 2008.Hey, you should really see this!
really great. I recommend.posted 11 days ago -
I recommend you see...
The Roaring Twenties
by NicolaïGreat amazing, awesome gangster movie in the time of the prohibition, with james cagney in the lead role and humphrey bogart as his partner in crime.
The acting was really great and the directing to. definitly one of the best gangster movies ever!!!!!Hey, you should really see this!
posted 11 days ago -
I recommend you see...
We Own the Night
by KhrisYeah I really liked this drama... a family cops, with a dad, a good son and the black sheep. Its been done before, but not as nitty gritty as this.
We go back to 1988 and the NYPD are on the brink of a drugs chaos... and the only way to stop it is to stop the source.
The Chief and his son Joseph plan to bring down the supply and dealers by striking at the clubs providing the venues to peddle the evil trade. There is one obstacle... their brother and son, Bobby, who manages one of the biggest clubs in town and has links to the Russian mob.
The two opposite sides of the law and family clash as night and day, black and white... until Bobby learns that his family is marked for death and he makes the life changing decision to help them, putting himself and his girlfriend in the line of fire.
Now... this movie really runs on performances.. which I loved. Everything about 1980's NY was down, including the Bowery accent of all the actors. It was authentic, which I loved, I dig realism of the environment. Mark Wahlberg and Joaquin Phoenix are two actors I like, and Duvall is inspiring. Eva Mendes is hawt... and thats all I have to say about her really.
it was realism down to the last detail. No mock up or special computer effects, it was old school film making, a serious actors movie as relationships and emotions are explored and tested to the limit, drugs, violence mixed with love and loyalty...
It was interesting to watch how Bobby dealt with everything going around him, and realizing his destiny and future deep down inside, and knowing that blood is thicker than water, and his love for his family will never change.
Its a great crime story, an interesting vision where the focus is on family and loyalty, not just vengeance or the law, but it begs the question: When the chips are down, who will you side with? who will you defend? Where does your heart lie?
Watch it for the ace performances.Good cops and baddies movie! Simple and easy.
posted 13 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Total Recall
by IlyaTotal Recall (1990)
Directed by Paul Verhoeven
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone, Rachel Ticotin, Ronny Cox, Michael Ironside"Douglas Quaid: I don't remember you.
Melina: What are you talking about?
Douglas Quaid: I don't remember you. I don't remember us. I don't even remember me."The story is set in the year 2084. Douglas Quaid is a construction worker who has been experiencing dreams about exploring the planet Mars with a sexy brunette. After seeing an ad from Rekall, a company that sells imaginary adventures by implanting memories, he decides to buy a "vacation" on Mars from them, one in which he will take a vacation from himself by becoming a spy. Rekall calls it an "ego trip." Before buying the vacation, Quaid is cautioned by a co-worker that Rekall are "lobotomizing people", in reference to failed memory implants which caused the recipients to suffer permanent brain damage. Quaid hesitates, but disregards this warning.
Total Recall is a nice action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Douglas Quaid/Hauser the main protagonist of this film. He plays typical action hero, he know how to kill people effectively, he can shoot like a real soldier, he can even drive a car; he can do all that but the big problem is: he doesn't really know anything about himself. The whole storyline looks simple at first, but it's far more complicated than you can even think of. It twists and turns and by doing so, it leads us to an ultimate twist towards near the end of the movie. It is a typical Arnold Schwarzenegger movie but it is certainly a good thing because it makes the whole difference here. We know that Paul Verhoeven can create a really good action movie and once again he proved that by making this movie.
The acting was great: Arnold was as good as ever: he did lots of shooting and lots of fighting and he said some really bad ass lines that won't disappear from your head for a while. Sharon Stone played Quaid's wife - Lori Quaid. She was ok, even though it wasn't the best performance of her career but it was still not bad at all. The rest of actors did well too; Rachel Ticotin was good as Quaid's fiancé; Ronny Cox and Michael Ironside both playing bad guys and they look good in their roles.
Special effects were great too. The shooting scenes, the fighting scenes, car chasing: it was all well made and it was a pleasure to watch. The amount of blood and violence is really high but that is what makes this a true action movie.
Overall, Total Recall is a great film to watch, sometimes maybe it is hard to understand what's going on but you can still enjoy the movie. If you are a big fan of action movies and you enjoy watching Arnold Schwarzenegger doing what he is really good at (by that I mean acting), then this film is definitely for you.
Review Date: 2nd of May, 2008.Hey, you should really see this!
pretty goodposted 13 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Lust, Caution (Se jie)
by SarahDirector:Ang Lee
Released: 2008
Stars: Joan Chen, Tony Leung Chi Wai, Tang Wei
Genre:Drama, Romance, War
Country:China/Taiwan/Hong Kong/USA
Frustrated in his attempts to assassinate Yee, who is an important official in Japanese-ruled Shanghai, Old Wu, who has lost his wife and two sons as well as two women who had attempted to seduce Yee, now recruits Kuang, Mai Tai Tai, and their troupe of drama students from Hong Kong University in yet another attempt to do away with Yee. Mai Tai Tai is chosen to befriend Yee, which she does by posing as the wife of Mak, befriending Yee's wife and her female friends, and then eventually befriending Yee himself
Well I waited a gone long while to see Ang Lee's latest film after being albeit slightly disappointed with Brockback Mountain. Lust,Caution however blew me away. My expectations were slightly shortened because of the many dissapointing reviews I read both in newspapers her ein the UK and reviews on here. To be honest I don't quite know what film they were watching. Utterly compelling and kept me on tender hooks throughout.
As most of my friends on here know I tend to watch a lot of Asian cinema and that Tony Leung is one of my top 5 favourite actors, so I just had to see this. The narrative of the film is incredibly orginal and also because it deals with the subject of Japanese occupied Shanghai, something not familiar to Western audiences. I must admit that I wasn't 100% clear about the background to the story but as time went on it didn't seem to matter as it was inevitably about one character. The film is long but for a reason. It's depicting a story which is incredibly complex and just isn't going to be told in 1 and a bit hours. There are so many sides to the story that you don't envisidge at the first part of the film.
I love the way Lee switches narrative as we see the end of the story at the beginning. This means that we are able to see the full backdrop of the characters and understand their motives, feelings and of course the realtionship with one another. By this I mean Wong and her Dram clas friends who are part of the Resistance. This is an example of superb storytelling, which to be honest I haven't seen for a good few months. What is great is that the 2 and a bit hours just flew by and suddenly I realised the film is almost over. As I've said before just utterly mangnificent.
Oddly, this being a part USA film, this received no Oscar nominations but luckily us Brits awarded some BAFTA nominations. Believe me it so deserves it and it just depicts the story so so well. Being an art house film lover aswell, the story was paced so so well. This is partly due to the superb script writen by American James Schamus who brilliantly writes quick, informative dialogue that imeadialty gets you hooked from the start. Again....utterly amazing. Still can't get over the snobbery at the Oscars these days. As many of Lee's films, Lust caution is ipeccably photographed throughout it's length time. From the gorgeous sceney to the lush lanscapes of Shaghai.
The acting in Lee's film is fantastic. Tony Leung, who I will never say a bad word about, brilliantly plays two sides of Yee; charming and albeit slightly callous. This meant that as a viewer you liked him one minute and hated him the next. Leung is utterly amazing and deserves more credit by Western audiences. I hope he gains some sort of way into Western cinema soon. Tang Wei, who gained a BAFTA rising Star nomination was equally brilliant playing the naive yet incredibly strong Wong who eventually completely turns Mak(chi-Wai) around from this cold hearted man to a man who is left helpless at the end of the film. Their relationship is depicted strongly in the conterversial sex scenes, which were heavy publisied in the USA and that it was awards an NC-17 rating. Which is ridiculous. The sex scenes look so real and depict this up and down relationship betwen the two charactersl for instance the several sexual posistions and the more "harder" scene and a more emotive one. This I think is a reason why a lot of people didn;t get this film. I think because it's very "arty" and not exactly your more mainstream film.
Overall a stunning masterpiece which might very well be one of my favourite films as I could watch this again. Lust,Caution is seriously UNDERATED and deserved far more credit. It's offical Ang lee is on of the great story tellers our there.
Highly recomend and one of Lee's very best films.
10/10So good I've written a whole essay about it....go and rent it now!
posted 13 days ago -
I recommend you see...
Bend Of The River
by NicolaïGreat adventures western classic, with James Stewart acting perfectly, if you like classic adventure movies then you really should see this one.
Hey, you should really see this!
posted 13 days ago
by Adam
