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Eragon (2006)
Snooze fest.
When I saw this film in the theater, I fell asleep approx 15 minutes in and woke up at the end of the last shot before the credits rolled. It was that dull and boring.
The Painted Hills (1951)
Lassie gets put down would be better.
Bad acting makes this drivel even worse. Poor script and dialog. Bland story.
Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
Hoist the colors.
Sound: Very nice orchestral sound track; not intrusive, helps draw you away from the savagery of the war.
90/100
Technical: Well shot with excellent film grading and muted colors, consistent throughout. Excellent recreation of the battle and period.
100/100
Narrative: Non linear historical narrative; the plot points branch from main characters via flashbacks. This is acceptable for a historical drama give exposition to characters.
90/100
Character/Acting: Well acted, truthful to the psyche of the characters.
100/100
Did I like it: Yes, the realism of the tragedy of war and the unwanted attention for heroism.
100/100
Artistic merit: Part of what is considered a dyad with Letters From Iwo Jima, these films bring an interesting concept to show both sides of a battle.
100/100
Total score 96.6/100
Sergeant York (1941)
Dan'l Boone be proud.
Sound: Great dramatic orchestral score; excellent use of patriotic, spiritual, and environmental music. It really drives the emotions and the story.
100/100
Technical: Lots of nice sound stage production. Great framing, exposure, shot composition, well crafted film, and well done sets.
90/100
Narrative: Some fictionalization to increase dramatic tensions.
85/100
Character/Acting: Great supporting cast and extras. There is just enough comedy to lighten the serious demeanor of the film. The characters are real and believable. Excellent job done by Cooper as his character arcs and struggles against his choices and convictions.
100/100
Did I like it: Yes, a very enjoyable film.
85/100
Artistic merit: A well done patriotic film based on responsibility and convictions.
90/100
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
He likes your lemonade.
Sound: Excellent orchestral score.
100/100
Narrative: Circular narrative, with heavy fictionalization of Auda abu Tiye and some of the battles; especially the battle of Aqaba. The story is still told well though.
80/100
Technical: Exquisitely shot, framed, and edited. Excellent use of montage and landscapes.
100/100
Acting/Character: All parts well done. O'Toole brings out Lawrence's eccentric behavior well. Alec Guinness' King Faisal gives us a dyed in the wool politician playing against experienced Machiavelli's
100/100
Did I like it: Yes, viewing this film on the big screen I felt like I could step out from my seat and into the scene.
100/100
Artistic merit: Historical films need more factual accuracy to draw their weight; but the overall craftsmanship keeps the films power.
95/100
Final score 95.8/100
The Thin Red Line (1998)
Poetic.
Sound: Excellent use of sound effects, well done musical score. I enjoyed the use of the Micronesian hymns too.
95/100
Technical: First class cinematography and a poetic editing style with the cutaways. Excellent recreation of Guadalcanal.
100/100
Narrative: The real narrative here is the poetic editing and the inner monologues. On the surface we get the story of a battle on Guadalcanal but the inner monologues give us what the soldiers are really thinking and feeling.
60/100
Character/Acting: The acting is fair all around, but the sum of the whole is greater than all of the parts here.
Did I enjoy it: Yes, the beauty of the islands hiding horrific war, the sensitivity of the soldiers, and the irony of their actions.
80/100
Artistic merit: A well crafted film addressing war without pomp and patriotism.
80/100
Total score 82.5/100
History of the World: Part I (1981)
These are mine.
Sound: Nothing really great here beyond the standard production values for a film of this type.
75/100
Technical: Nothing great here, cheap sets and props; it is supposed to be a comedy not an epic though.
60/100
Narrative: An episodic history parody that does not flow well together. Great ideas but disjointed.
40/100
Character/Acting: Lots of corny Vaudevillian and naughty jokes that are silly and funny. I liked Sid Caesar as the cave man the most. A lot of the supporting cast does an excellent job being funny and keeping the film together.
70/100
Did I enjoy it: Yes, very funny and silly.
80/100
Artistic merit: Nothing truly groundbreaking here; the jokes are old, but funny. This film needs a lot more work to be taken seriously, which this film is not supposed to be.
40/100
Total score 60.8/100
In the Valley of Elah (2007)
Distress flag.
Sound: Just simple sound editing and sound track use here.
60/100
Technical: Nice use of cell phone video. Use of simple location sets.
70/100
Narrative: Standard crime investigation film. It moves a little slow and meticulous like a real investigation and Tommy Lee Jones' character does. Flows with logic then we get a twist at the end.
60/100
Character/Acting: Very well acted; Charlize Theron and Tommy Lee Jones draw a lot of sympathy and they both arc well; and in ways we do not anticipate. This is the strong point of the film.
90/100
Did I like it: Yes, my sympathies for the characters and the mystery solving kept my interest.
70/100
Artistic merit: There are better films that deal with the effects of war on soldiers and their families, but looking at these issues in a criminal investigation is a different approach.
70/100
Total score 70/100
The Longest Day (1962)
He used safety pins.
Sound: Great sound effects editing. I did not like the way the theme song got used in the score, very weak, not developed enough.
70/100
Technical: Well done but with some minor problems, like bad background extra acting and some of the takes with the German actors were tinged with some bilingual confusion.
70/100
Narrative: Standard narrative of the first 24 hours of D-Day from many points of view; military, civilian, ally, enemy, fighting men, and support units.
90/100
Acting/Character: Excellent use of an ensemble cast. We feel for the soldiers and their comrades.
90/100
Did I like it: Yes, all of the merging story lines mixed with the humor and anti-war tone made it very enjoyable.
100/100
Artistic merit: I compare this film to Saving Private Ryan in subject and scale. Very few war films portray the different points of view in a battle.
80/100
Total score 83.3/100
Dogma (1999)
Mooby's, the golden calf.
Sound: Nice use of buzzing flies with the 3 skater/hockey players-Beelzebub lord of the flies, in conjunction with the sound of their skates. The orchestral score was along the lines of religious drama music we have heard before but not extremely well developed. Sound was mixed well.
60/100
Technical: Good use of off-screen violence. Competently shot but nothing really special here.
60/100
Narrative: Too much exposition. The film utilizes an apologia in the beginning to try and keep the watcher from being too harsh. A journey structure is used to propel the story; go from point A to point B with interactions to increase the dramatic points.
40/100
Character/Acting: Good character arcs. Some poor dialog and misuse of religious or theological terms. Use of Deus Ex Machina.
40/100
Did I enjoy it: Yes, even though it is controversial and questions/lampoons my beliefs. When paying attention this film has much more merit than The DaVinci Code or Angels and Demons and really addresses a lot of the publics' misunderstanding of theological truths; and really attacks pop culture based theology with logic errors.
70/l00
Artistic merit: Other than the controversial elements and addressing them in a comedy without apologia or authority; nothing much here.
50/100
FInal score 53.3/100
Avatar (2009)
Smurfs in space.
Sound: Excellent orchestral score. Good sound effects. Nice use of Navi religious music.
90/100
Technical: Excellent seamless CGI. Top notch camera usage, shot selection, and great color palette.
95/100
Narrative: Just enough exposition to set the story up. Good dramatic curve. Utilizes Avatar disconnection too much to keep story from peaking to early.
80/100
Character/Acting: Competent acting, but the CGI takes away from it. Some good character arcs. Run of the mill villain; he has no real motivation.
70/100
Did I enjoy it: Yes, very much so. The themes of our environment and criticism of the current state of America everyone says is overt in this film; I saw too. But, I also saw use of St. Sir Thomas Moore's Utopia as an ideological basis; "unobtanium" indeed. I also saw Leni Riefenstahl's work with the Masai also as an influence; maybe a National Socialist agenda in mind since racial purity was a point of order for the Navi.
Artistic merit: A well constructed film showing the possibilities of CGI.
95/100
Total score 93.8/100
Batman (1989)
No nanananana Batman.
Sound: Excellent orchestral score, emphasizing the drama and action. Good use of sound effects and environmental music.
80/100
Technical: Some of the special effects needed some more work. Heavy use of matte paintings. Heavy blend of eras in clothing and set design. Lots of art deco used. Really blended several decades of the comics for a timeless feel.
75/100
Narrative: Good story arc, but very straight forward.
60/100
Acting/Character: Good use of classic tragedy ; Joker creates Batman, Batman creates the Joker. Weak acting from Kim Basinger though.
60/100
Did I enjoy it: Yes, a very fun film. I liked Nicholson's Joker at the time the film was released and still do; even though Ledger's is better.
80/100
Artistic merit: This film started the Batman film franchise and helped vitalize the comic book industry while the Superman franchise was in decline. Superheroes are our cultural mythology and should be treated like classical Greek mythology; there are many parallels between the two.
80/100
Total score 72.5/100
Bronenosets Potyomkin (1925)
Save my baby.
Sound: The orchestral score written for this film synchs well and helps drive the tension and energy of the film. There even is am homage to Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture by using Le Marsellaise in the score.
90/100
Technical: Poor use of the ship model. Eisenstein breaks the 180 degree plane a couple of times. The montage editing drives the pace and tension of the film. Excellent use of framing and camera angles.
95/100
Narrative: Episodic in 5 parts but it flows together. Weak ending if the film was not for propaganda use.
100/100
Acting/Character: Excellent acting for the era. Eisenstein is not afraid of using close ups of the supporting cast; great faces too. Superb use of the different ranks and groups to signify the proletariat, bourgeoisie, and the elite classes; for the propaganda use.
95/100
Did I like it: Yes, but if the ending were true to the real actions of the Soviet Union the ending would have had more bloodshed.
90/100
Artistic merit: Excellent use of montage, controversial subject matter, and a film with a history of being banned or edited. This film's influence on setting standards for future films weighs heavy here. It also shows the power of a "silent" film.
100/100
Total score 95/100
The Departed (2006)
Lace curtan.
Sound: Dramatic use of pop music and orchestral score. Sound effects were good. The sound was well mixed.
80/100
Technical: Well shot, nice framing, excellent sets and costumes.
90/100
Narrative: Prologue sets up the protagonist and the antagonist. Excellent flow, constantly progressing, peaking, and climbing. We know everything but the ending that gives us the twists. We view this film from both the antagonists' and protagonists' view.
100/100
Acting/Character: Good villain in Costello. You hate Sullivan for the slime ball he is. You feel for the hero. Great supporting cast too. Excellent acting and dialog.
100/100
Did I like it: Yes, well paced and lots of emotion for the characters. I enjoyed Matt Damon getting his ass beat by Wahlberg.
90/100
Artistic merit: the tension and the plot structure are the keys here. Along with the very credible acting; nothing is out of place.
95/100
Total score 92.5/100
Patton (1970)
Like crap through a goose.
Sound: Excellent environmental sound. Great use of the fanfare orchestral theme.
85/100
Technical: Very good use of montage editing emphasizing character. Excellent reenactment of the war. High quality cinematography.
90/100
Narrative: Great use of the opening monologue to set up our protagonist. Presented the historical facts well, the inaccuracies seemed minor. I have read "A Soldiers Story" by Omar Bradley and found the film made the tension between Patton and Bradley not as strong as is really was but is still was there in the film. The story arcs well; we see Patton rise, fall, rise again and retire. Good use of companion story from the German perspective also.
90/100
Acting/Character: High quality portrayal of Patton and Bradley. We see some of the tension between Patton and Bradley but more is placed between Patton and Montgomery.
95/100
Did I enjoy it: Yes, a great deal. I was kept attentive with what Patton was going to say or do next.
100/100
Artistic merit: The opening monologue is the most iconic piece of this film; added to a well crafted film give it it's power
85/100
Total score 90.8/100
The Deer Hunter (1978)
Di di mau.
Sound: Well mixed, nice score. Excellent use of Russian orthodox sacred music.
70/100
Technical: Unnecessary use of stock footage. Some edits not synched well. A lot of excellent cinematography
70/100
Narrative: Excellent use of montage to establish character exposition. A tragedy that flows from happiness to sorrow, alienation, and hope. It moves slow, but has to. We need to see the bonds of friendship and camaraderie before the effects of the war.
60/100
Character/Acting: Top notch acting here, all characters have arcs. Very believable and realistic people. The extras are very good, they add to the illusion of the story
90/100
Did I like it: Yes, I know people like these; very truthful about how war affects people, even the ones who do not go and fight.
75/100
Artistic merit: This film touches the sensitive and difficult issue of the aftermath of war on veterans, their friends, family, and communities. This is the first film to do it since "The Way We Were". Though Cimino's films tend to be a little too long for some people and move a little slow (this has hurt his reputation).
72/100
Total score 72.8/100
The African Queen (1951)
Good, the sun will be in their eyes.
Sound: Excellent environmental sound. Great orchestral score. Great sound editing. Great use of chararacters who cannot sing, singing.
90/100
Technical: Processed shots work well. One mismatched film stock shot. Excellent exposure for equatorial Africa and matching for the studio shots. Good use of framing.
95/100
Narrative: Characters well established while the story remains in motion. The narrative is moved by tensions between the characters until they reach their goal. This form becomes the norm for romantic comedies, which this is.
100/100
Character/Acting: Excellent dialog with great tension and arc between Bogart and Hepburn. The river and the boat become characters too. Good humorous takes and iconic shots.
100/100
Did I like it: Yes, very funny. A highly appreciable and funny classic film.
85/100
Artistic merit: an excellent example of cinema with high quality performances and still remains simple; two people a boat and a river.
100/100
Total score 95/100
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
You just say bingo.
Sound: Excellent mix of music styles for the soundtrack; classical contemporary pop, even silence. I also found an homage to Kurosawa of using inappropriate modern music for comedic affect. Well mixed with excellent sound effects.
100/100
Technical: Well shot with great framing and excellent camera movement. Great costumes and settings. Hopefully the large amount of French, German, and Italian with subtitles will stimulate interest in foreign films.
100/100
Narrative: Broken into five chapters and shown from various story lines that unite in the last chapter. The plot twists are forced by the characters.
90/100
Character/Acting: Excellent memorable characters and portrayal of historical figures. Great dialog.
85/100
Did I like it: Yes, a combination of quality and fun keeps interest and the twists give satisfaction.
90/100
Artistic merit: Interesting use of alternative history, nontraditional narrative structure, quality production, excellent use of cinematic language, and homage's.
80/100
Total score 90.8/100
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Heavy boots of lead.
Sound: Well mixed, sound effects well done. Great use of pop tunes in sound track as orchestral and environmental music.
90/100
Technical: Excellent special effects and well shot.
100/100
Narrative: A little light on the action for this genre. It does not move as fast as it should and does not arc as much as it should.
70/100
Character/Acting: Acting mostly middle of the road. The characters are not as strong this time. The villains not menacing or treacherous.
60/100
Did I like it: Yes, a fun film and very enjoyable.
70/100
Artistic merit: A well crafted film but lacks the notoriety, upper crust performances, or narrative to be considered seriously here. There are better examples of super hero movies to fill that role (The Dark Knight).
60/100
Total score 75/100
Rocky (1976)
Yo.
Sound: The musical score is excellent. The fanfare brings the tone of the film to life; reminds me of Copeland's Fanfare for the Common Man. The the incidental music is also excellent ranging from newer street doo wop and some eerie early techno. There are a few poorly done adr lines though
95/100
Narrative: The story flows well and does not have a conventional ending.
100/100
Characters: Well acted and memorable characters. Some background extras acting poorly though.
95/100
Technical: Well edited, shot composition excellent, artistic use of lighting. Poor use of some mismatched film stock and some camera shake in a stationary shot. I also noticed some lens flair that did not lend to the mise en scene.
85/100
Artistic Merit: An excellent example of film. It's grittiness believable in the sets and costumes. The characters are moving and hold your compassion. The tension and climax of the conflict hold your attention.
100/100
Did I enjoy it: Yes, very much so.
100/100
Overall score of a 95.8.
Walk the Line (2005)
Keep your feathers numbered.
Sound:Nice use of orchestral theme with guitar for dramatic emphasis, typical use of environmental music for this type of film, I liked the use of "Dark Was The Night" first on the radio then as soundtrack for plot develpoment, most dialog was mixed too low in comparison to the music.
80/100
Narrative: Circular narrative structure, time flow edited and used well, but nothing really new here.
100/100
Character: well portrayed by leads and supporting cast, we are compassionate for the characters, the roles were challenging and the lead characters progressed and had an excellent arc.
100/100
Technical: some crop reframing to match the final frame format, well lit, shot composition is text book, proper costuming and set design.
95/100
Did I enjoy it: Yes, I actually like Johnny and June's music much more than I did. The funniest line is "fortunately I keep my feathers numbered for just such an emergency" even though the scene is tragic and serious.
100/100
Artistic merit: Well produced, high quality acting but we have seen this story before.
80/100
total 92.5/100
The Losers (2010)
They still are losers.
Sound: Mostly pop tunes some orchestral music, nothing really special; with the exception of using Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'"in an action film.
60/100
Technical: Heavy use of freeze frame, hand held camera, steady cam, fast paced editing, and skip frame shots. Good use of making a comic book feel in the movie.
70/100
Character/Acting: Classical use of character conflict. The villian is generically evil. Some of the heroes had very little dramatic arc, they were just along for the ride.
50/100
Narrative: Uses a prologue to introduce the characters and set the conflict. Open ended finale, I guess for sequel possibilities. Otherwise a straightforward action film.
60/100
Did I enjoy it: Yes a little, ok to see at a matinee or the cheap theatre. The best part was one of the annoying commercials they show before the previews was put on the reel upside down and backwards, giving a nice dadaistic treat. Take that corporate America.
50/100
Artistic merit: Not much here just run of the mill entertainment. I do give the backwards and upside down commercial a high score but seperately.
40/100
Total score 55/100
What the #$*! Do We (K)now!? (2004)
They don't know.
Sound: Well mixed, utilizes a new agey techno sound track, decent sound effects. Noting really special here.
70/100
Technical: Competently shot, nice special effects, Lots of slow motion. Again nothing special here.
70/100
Character/Acting: For the dramatic parts there is not much of a reach for the actors and again nothing really bad either. They are just used for demonstration purposes only.
70/100
Narrative: A documentary format that uses interviews with "scientists" and exemplifies thier arguments with a dramatic companion story; very much like the health and science films we would see in school but with better production values. The arguments presented are not proven at all, they lack clarity and direction. No opposing point of view is shown. The companion dramatic story is really not needed because it does not help prove the arguments presented.
30/100
Did I enjoy it: Not really, though visually slick with some humor; the ideas presented are weak pseudoscience, are not qualified by the scientific method, ignore Aristotelian truths, and ignore sound theological truths. Ergo "cogito ergo sum" being the truth of reality then this film does not really exist.
40/100
Artistic Merit: None, other than some fair production skills.
40/100
Total score 53/100