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cedrickroberts
Reviews
Black Like Me (1964)
Relevant.
This is a good movie but the book is better. In the book the emotions unfold over a longer period of time which is more realistic. The premise of both (without spoilers): white journalist darkens skin in order to appear black and details his experiences as a black man in the south in a book. Therein lies the problem. Griffin's life as a white man is not erased by the darkening of his skin. For example, in both the book and the movie, Griffin looks for normalcy in activities that blacks during that time period were aware would result in hostility. Going into white neighborhoods attempting to get change in stores. Offensive conversations in cars with whites while hitch hiking, etc. To be clear, blacks were definitely angered by any indignities caused by these experiences. However many of the blacks during that time period never had the privileges that Griffin had had all of his life. My point is that Griffin's anger reaches a crescendo at a quick pace because of a life of white privilege suddenly hindered by dark skin. Blacks cared about daily indignities but always with a concern over the larger political and social institutions and structures that created them. The book and the movie are accurate in many ways, but they represent merely a snapshot of a much larger scheme.
Nothing But a Man (1964)
Good.
This well-acted period piece is still relevant today. As with many movies from the 1960's that address racism in the south, there is always a key character that dares to challenge the status quo. That character, often times, represents the courageous voice of the discontent. Duff, the protagonist, embodies this sentiment but instead of linking his efforts to the civil rights' movement he fights solo. There were many individuals during that period who attempted to carry the mantle alone. I'm not sure what these individual efforts contributed to the collective, but we're better off today. I can't say what I would have done if faced with the same obstacles.
Phantoms (1998)
Okay.
I just finished watching this movie and I have to admit that it was not as bad as the critics stated. Sure, the last 30 minutes of the movie lack direction, but were still mildly interesting. The storyline and the presentation appear to be consistent with slasher horror flicks of the seventies and eighties. But let me be clear, the suspense and attention to detail is not in the same league as Halloween, or even Child's Play. The gore is not consistent with the gore element in John Carpenter's "The Thing" or the recently released " Underworld". Nope, this movie does not take itself that seriously in terms of gore or suspense. I have never read Dean Koontz, (personally, I love Stephen King for my horror), but I've been told that the screenplay is consistent with the book. Nevertheless. I have to say that this was a decent rental. I've seen worse, much worse!!!!!!
The Machinist (2004)
Christian Bale's Best Performance So Far....
Christian Bale's best performance so far is finally here. He has been a good actor in movies like: Reign of Fire, Equilibrium, Laurel Canyon, and let's not forget American Psycho. But now we have an exposition of inner turmoil depicted not only by great acting, but by the remarkable physical transformation that Cristian Bale undertakes for the movie. He obviously felt that the loss in body weight would add a sense of realism to the film that good acting alone would not accomplish. It is this dedication to his craft that makes this film enthralling. Christian Bale is definitely on his way to becoming a serious heavy weight in Hollywood. I wouldn't be surprised if he won an "Oscar" for his role in this movie. You don't want to miss it.
The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
A fun and enjoyable surprise.
I am an Eddie Murphy fan, but I did not go to the theater to see this movie because of the horrible reviews that I read about it. My feelings after catching this movie on HBO are clear, don't necessarily base all of your decisions to watch a movie or not on highly publicized reviews. The fact is, that I enjoyed this movie. I thought that the cast was attractive and talented; and that there were some credible laughs. But most of all, I thoroughly enjoyed the way the movie looked and how it was filmed. This film was simply not as bad as the critics said it was. It is possible that because the critics criticized the movie so much, that when I finally saw the movie, and was not repulsed by it, that I began to relax and enjoy it. I think that many of the critics were expecting a Beverly Hills Cop-type laugh fest, but that is not a comedy that's really an action-drama with a few laughs. This is strictly a sci-fi comedy, as such, it does not take itself seriously; and neither should you if you decide to watch it. Just see if you enjoy it. I sure did.
Halloween (1978)
Excellent, the best
Halloween is absolutely the best horror movie that I have ever seen. John Carpenter understood "it". That special something that makes a horror movie enjoyable. There are no frills, no special effects, and no phony plot twists. An absolutely terrific and pounding musical score sets the tone of the movie from the very beginning. The first time that I saw the movie I was thoroughly satisfied with the suspense factor. The suspenseful moments in this movie can be so intense that they are palpable. Yep, what a great date movie. Fellows simply turn the lights out with your girlfriend and sit on the other side of the couch. You won't have to find your girlfriend after 20 minutes; she'll be crouched beside you. If you like horror movies and want to be scared, give this movie a try.
A Fare to Remember (1999)
Surprise
I came across this movie while channel surfing one day; and decided to give it a chance. To my surprise I enjoyed this darkhorse movie. I felt some genuine chemistry between Challen Cates and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. It was such a lighthearted and warm movie that when it was over I felt upbeat. Sure, this movie was predictable from the very beginning, but I give it high marks for the way that it made me feel when it was over. I must admit that I have never seen Challen Cates before, but I feel that she can definitely act. When you combine her good acting with her cute face and attractive figure. She has the makings of at least becoming a well-known star.
Empire (2002)
Not Bad.
The reviews for this movie were not great, but I saw this movie and liked it. That is the problem with some professional movie critics. For them a movie is not a rewarding experience unless it is a truly original idea that is artsy and different. For me, and many of my friends, I want to eat popcorn and be entertained. I tend to ask myself key questions; was the plot interesting?, did I fall asleep during the movie?, what did I think of the acting and the actors?. how did the movie look(locations, how was it shot/filmed)?. If the answer to these questions is atleast marginally favorable, chances are I liked the movie. It's only when I begin to compare the movie to its' brethren or other movies of the same ilk that my opinion deviates from average to above average. No film that I reluctantly admit I marginally enjoyed would receive a below average rating. This is not the greatest film of all time, and its' filled with cliches and predictable plot twists, however it I did enjoy it; and the beautiful Ms. Delilah Cotto.
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
Not quite as good as the first.
Any comments about this movie must involve a comparison to the Bourne Identity. As such, I simply recount how I felt when I walked out of the theater after each movie. Truthfully, I was satisfied with both movies. The performances in each were good. However, The Bourne Identity had more of an edge to it. Maybe when I saw the The Bourne Supremacy the novelty of the story line had expired. But I don't think so. I feel that the Borne Identity was a tad more complex and not just full of action sequences. The Borne Supremacy played up the action sequences which led to a sacrifice in the sophistication of the script. The Bourne Supremacy seemed to lack sufficient unfolding-of-the-plot issues for purchase as a DVD. However, the Bourne Identity is more than a worthy purchase. (Wish I had purchased the Bourne Identity and received a free ticket for The Bourne Supremacy) I still recommend the BS as a theater flick, if you like action you will not be disappointed; and nor was I.
House of the Dead (2003)
I know what happened here!!!
The House of the Dead is a lackluster attempt to capitalize on the huge success of the classic zombie-bashing House of the Dead video game by Sega Inc. Sure, if you are an inexperienced directing and writing team, you can point at the success of Resident Evil (Resident Evil 2 forthcoming) and Mortal Kombat movies. I'll bet the project was further justified by the huge revenue generated by this title for game systems and in the arcade. However, unlike RE and MK, HofD is merely a button- mashing or trigger-pulling video game. The game lacks storyline depth and this movie does as well. The problem is that a video game is a video game and a movie is a movie, period!!! For example, one of the zombie-killing scenes in the movie goes on and on and on, while characters twirl in circles waiting to be your chosen player for game play. The problem is you're not playing a video game, next scene please. Why are people kissing in this movie when the writers didn't develop the characters or the storyline enough to justify such nonsense. Makes me wonder-How could the teen-slasher formula be so badly interpreted? Sega logos in the background?, it's not a commercial. Special features? pure space-fillers. For example, why would the women of HofD need to train to kill zombies, when even in the movie they are simply pulling the trigger. What a joke!!! SEGA's apparent motto--LETS GET OUR NAME OUT THERE IN A MOVE, WE'RE SEGA. If you want to waste time rent this movie, if not, most of the other horror movies in the horror section of the video store are better than this, even the mindless slashers.
Wait Until Dark (1967)
Great Performances
I can't overstate the importance of good actors for any horror movie. Aside from a lack of tension and overly-flashy effects, many horror movies of today lack actors talented enough to persuade the doubtful viewer to allow themselves to be entertained by the movie. As much as I love some classic horror movies such as Halloween, Rosemary's Baby, Alien etc. (as well as some sci-fi such as Terminator) I fall into the category of the viewer who plops a horror movie into the VCR while thinking, SCARE ME, ENTERTAIN ME, DO SOMETHING BESIDES SIMPLY TAKING MY MONEY. I can say that Wait Until Dark accomplished those tasks. I'll be honest I wasn't shaking in my boots, but the movie was sufficiently suspenseful that I was thoroughly satisfied when it concluded. Such a feat is accomplished by great acting and a good storyline. (NOTE: As much as I liked Mia Farrow in SEE NO EVIL(1971) (another movie with a blind woman in a scary situation), Audrey Hepburn certainly matched her intensity in a movie that had a more complex and sophisticated plot.) Great Movie.
Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971)
Great mood and acting.
I recently purchased Let's Scare Jessica to Death on DVD, and although I wouldn't rate this movie as highly as the original Halloween, I felt it was an eerie movie with great acting by the lead actress, Zohra Lampert. I felt that the pace and style of this movie, not the plot, was similar to Dressed to Kill (Angie Dickinson)and Rosemary's Baby (Mia Farrow). The only area of this movie that I would criticize was its' ending. I felt that the movie worked its' way up to a crescendo to then simply plop to the end. This type of ending is different from the kind of unfolding-of-the-plot that occurs in the above mentioned classics DTK and RB. This difference in plot maturation could explain the movie's neglected status, no matter how undeserved. I would highly recommend this movie for a damp rainy night because this movie, consistent with more notable classics, may actually scare someone. A feat many of the big budget horror movies of today don't even come close to doing.
Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)
One of the best japanimation movies ever!
What a wonderful film this is. Not many japanimation movies have whisked me away to distant lands as effectively as this one did. The amazing thing is that, unlike so many japanimation films that are confined by efforts to convey distant and unrealistic lands through the most realistic animation possible, this film is judicial in its' efforts by using realistic animation (or animation based on reality) when necessary, and utilizing creative images that allow an escape from reality. This aspect, as well as the great storyline and memorable characters, made the movie completely engrossing. The makers of this film mastered the use of animation in order to create a wonderfully mystical land.
Training Day (2001)
Tremendous Acting!!!!!!!
Is this really the way things are? Does it have to be like this? These were some of the questions that I asked myself as Alonzo (played by Denzel Washington) explained his brutally harsh behavior to his young drug-unit recruit, Hoyt (played by Ethan Hawke). What a wonderful performance by Mr. Washington. He has been truly intense in many other movies but I personally feel that he stepped it up a notch while playing this character. I thoroughly believed that Denzel was Alonzo. This feat, not to be confused with great storyline, developement of characters, and other movie characteristics, is not acheived by all actors. Robert Dinero, Al Pacino, and a few of the other great actors have at least displayed this skill once or twice in their careers. If you can understand the difference between overly-hyped Tom Cruise and the actors that I have listed, then we see eye to eye. The intensity with which Denzel delivered his lines in this movie makes it a must see for any inspiring actor that wants to one day be a leading man. As Ethan Hawke stated on David Letterman, Denzel Washington is one of the best leading men in Hollywood, and I personally concur. Highly recommended for serious crime-drama fans. Watch language for young children though.