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Somers Town - Unrated
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A surprising little indie gem about friendship and adventure that surpasses even the great "Once". The driving force of this film, the chemistry created between the two youths, is a perfect synchronization of great writing, directing, acting, and editing, with an amazing soundtrack to boot. I love this film!
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December 17, 2009
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N/A
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Heaven Can Wait - PG
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An unpolished, outdated, yet pleasantly funny and charming film
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December 17, 2009
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N/A
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Gosford Park - R
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December 17, 2009
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N/A
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Un Conte de Noël (A Christmas Tale) - Unrated
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An overwritten, overly long meandering saga overrun by a dizzying amount of unscrupulously whiny and contemptuous characters. Yea, you can say I hated this film.
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December 17, 2009
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N/A
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James and the Giant Peach - PG
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I don't really understand why I enjoyed this book so much as a kid, nor do I understand why 96% of the critics approved this film. I suppose this wasn't a bad adaptation of the book, but even my 6 year old daughter saw silliness abound. The transformation from live action to animation and then back was a nice touch, but served as a gimmick more than anything. Bottom line, this film does not stand up to repeated viewings and therefore is not recommendable.
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December 12, 2009
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N/A
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The Future of Food - Unrated
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A bit more "low budget" than the more recent "Food, Inc.", but don't let the form belie the substance here. Garcia delves deeply into the agricultural industry, exposing in more detail the balance of power and the eminent destruction of agriculture, step by step. This film is layed out very nicely, and succeeds in informing its audience of the conundrum we all face.
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December 12, 2009
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N/A
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Kramer vs. Kramer - PG
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Profound writing, impeccable performances. Hoffmand and Streep have never been better in this deeply moving masterpiece, which is just as relevant 30 years after it's production as it was when it reaped several academy awards in its' heyday.
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December 12, 2009
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N/A
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Harakiri - Unrated
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Another Janus film worthy of it's Cannes Jury Prize and it's "Criterion Collection" selection. This film is timeless, and exposes the ubiquitous nature of corruption, and the lengths of desperation, even among the most honorable.
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December 11, 2009
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N/A
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Goodbye Solo - R
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Hello, "Solo", and welcome to my list of the ten best movies of the year. This didn't quite make the 5 star rating, but I can't quite put my finger on why. Nevertheless, this "Visitor"-like film gets high marks.
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December 11, 2009
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N/A
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Audition (Ôdishon) - R
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David Lynch, take notes. This is what "Mulholland Drive" tried to do, but failed. "Auditon" is a much more harrowing and haunting dream sequence, with a deeper and darker sense of suspense. However, as good as this was, "Lady Vengeance" still reigns as queen of revenge.
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December 11, 2009
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N/A
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Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Ice Age 3) - PG
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This Ice Age, which should be entitled "The Dawn of Dead Material", marks the end of a great period of filmmaking. The series jumped the shark in the second installment when it introduced annoying and unfunny characters voiced by Queen Latifah and Seann William Scott. Nevertheless, part 2 managed to muster a recommendation based on good writing and directing. This is not the case with "Dawn of the Dinosaurs". The writing is inharmonious, the jokes off base, and the plot all too predictable. Like Shrek, we lose all recognition of the original main character by the third movie. Manny's character lacks the quickly witted sarcasm he once had, which made the comedy work so well in the first film, and the cling-on characters from the second film only add insult to injury. "Dawn of the Dinosaurs" almost manages to pull itself together in the end, but the flat storyboard, the obvious and badly timed jokes, and the hodgepodge of ineffective material seals this film's fate before we even reach the climax.
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November 27, 2009
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N/A
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The Black Stallion - G
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After 1500 ratings and nearly 400 reviews, I've never written the words "I'm speechless", until now. This movie is pure magic, irresistible, and (with a high-definition transfer) a perfect film. Francis Ford Coppola's production "The Black Stallion" ranks up there with some of the best films which involve him as a director, including "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now". There's no film that deserves a higher recommendation for a family viewing than this gem.
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November 27, 2009
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N/A
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State of Play - PG-13
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A little uneven in the writing and casting departments, but with enough twists to keep up appointments in the entertainment category. The film had the potential to close with a "bang", but instead opted for an ending too cliche to suite my tastes. Even though the means didn't justify the end, the means were still a hit.
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November 21, 2009
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N/A
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25th Hour - R
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"There are decisions to be made in the 25th hour." This may be Norton's most impressive performance. In a deeply rooted conflicted role, Norton brings a lot of subtext to this captivating character. The visually striking film is rich in tone, with a resounding score to match.
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November 21, 2009
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N/A
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Where the Wild Things Are - PG
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Immediately bolsters itself as one of the greatest children's movies ever made, if you want to consider it a kids' movie. This film is too complex for little ones, as it delves deeply into the human psyche, brandishing richly constructed themes and deeply engrained symbolism. This is easily one of the best films of the year, and is deserving of many awards, including best director and best score. Spike Jonze has really hit one out of the park here.
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November 21, 2009
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N/A
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Forget Paris - PG-13
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One of the funnier movies out there! If you enjoy Billy Crystal's schtick, you'll find yourself laughing out loud quite a bit. The film gets a bit tired and self-indulging about halfway through, but despite it's plodding, it has a big heart.
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October 31, 2009
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N/A
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Chinjeolhan geumjassi (Lady Vengeance) (Sympathy for Lady Vengeance) - R
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Not for the faint of heart! The final installment of Park's masterful trilogy is the most emotionally charged, but also the most uneven. Park really shines brightest with the score and aesthetic features, not to mention the ability to break the audience's heart with vivid, indelibly haunting images of our greatest fears. As downright disturbing as the first two films in this three part sequence were, "Lady Vengeance" is the most chilling and taboo.
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October 31, 2009
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N/A
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Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (Boksuneun naui geot) - R
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Park Chan Wook throws everything but the kitchen sink at the audience here. Never have I seen a director shock and awe without gimmick the way Wook does in the first installment of his masterful vengeance trilogy. Bold, daring, and brilliant directing make this every bit as mind-blowing as "Oldboy", the more celebrated sequel to this film.
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October 31, 2009
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N/A
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Drag Me to Hell - PG-13
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Ridiculously entertaining. The characters here are interesting, cast well, and the actors bring a lot to the table, especially Justin Long. The problem is that the movie gets trapped within too many horror movie cliches. If you don't take this film too seriously, then you'll have fun. And despite the foreshadowing, I was still caught off guard with the lazy, yet jaw-dropping twist ending.
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October 31, 2009
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N/A
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Yesterday - Unrated
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Thematically charged with great subject matter, but a bit flat.
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October 31, 2009
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N/A
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The Hoax - R
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Not as well-put together as "The Informant", which I found to be funnier and more entertaining, but just as crazy.
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October 31, 2009
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N/A
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Brüno (Bruno) - R
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October 4, 2009
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N/A
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - PG
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October 4, 2009
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N/A
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Jennifer's Body - R
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October 4, 2009
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N/A
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Fame - PG
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October 4, 2009
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N/A
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1469 ratings
403 reviews
