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Film
Prophet's Movie Reviews Page 5
Spirited Away (2003)
Voices by Rumi Hiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Tara Strong, Bob
Bergen, Yumi Tamai
Film Prophet's Review...
There comes a time when a hit Japanese box office film arrives to
America and it does successfully well. Creator Hayao Miyazaki won the
Oscar for his adventurous animated film. The first ten minutes begin by
traveling to a new home, a young girl's parents get lost in a forest,
and they go pass a tunnel which they enter. After her parents transform
into pigs in a wild sequence, she finds herself trapped in a strange new
world. To free her parents from the spell, she must work at the abandon
theme park with spirits at night and find a cure. She is placed in a
nightmare surrounding inside an Asian built culture with their working
values. The concepts in it separate Japanese and Western ideals and the
film sends morals waiting for the audience to grasp them. An American
viewer might miss some of the story because of their culture background,
though the storytelling does a great job to comprehend. The story has
the typical animated child serving main character who exerts in her
uncertain settings. The audience will know as much as she progressively
knows about the place's operations. "It's fun to move to a new place,
it's an adventure." The film is two hours, longer than the average
animated story. In her struggle, she represents natural, innocence, and
beauty from the human world against the ugliness of creatures who some
are wicked, dead, and evil in the passageways of the bath house. She
garners help and friendship easily and the characters from spirits to
mysterious walking toads react differently to her. The film is not at
all violent though... the world is very imaginative, especially the
creation of the characters. A few have big faces and some viewers might
be mildly frightened by the material and visuals, at the same time,
enjoying the insolent humor. Miyazaki's animation is very detailed...
the reflections and shadows, the design features, and all are
fundamentally layered available with a riveting music composition and
sound mixing that fit well in an excellent feature. The experience and
fear from this movie will be buried into children's minds. Normal things
become gross and sound disgusting, like food, than what it really is,
which all plays into effect of the film's pitch. As the magnificent
storytelling proceeds, humans to the most powerful spells in this world
are pathetic spoiled weak beings who smell and pollute their system. The
world is strange, delicately presented, but she learns how to live in an
unusual setting this young of age learning that she can certainly make
it out on her own through the horrors and gallops with bravery.
Final Grade: A-/B+
Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
Starring Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Elsa
Lanchester
Film Prophet's Review...
An old attorney man, Laughton, ridden with health issues planning to
retire is visited by a friend seeking advice in a murder case. He
becomes the defendant's attorney of an inconvenient murder case in his
last big one. The defendant's supposedly wife, Dietrich, decides to
testify as the witness for the prosecution. It's always been safe to say
director Billy Wilder is the man who dominated the Academy drama genre
in his prime. He takes a shot at courtroom drama in this movie, though,
the best one came out of his era: 12 Angry Men, which also contained a
far exceptional screenplay. The action takes place in the courtroom
where unexpected revealing shocks stir up the court. The attorney
briskly sought keys to solve the case just by conversations, after an
ample first twenty minutes of sophistications and talks that dragged on
more than they should with uptight men in suits and sprayed hair. They
were paranoid and over-frustrated and those who wore those grayish wigs
in courts are sour for today's terms. I've never seen a more nervous and
talkative defendant in court than ever before. I didn't do it, I didn't
kill her - it was a repetitive quote he said about thirty times. The
attorney's housemaid would always remind the old man of his medicine,
even during court. Almost each character had suspicious behavior, but
not the type of acting and script one would imagine. The intriguing
relations just aren't present as the character development is almost
puny. Laughton shines over the others as the only voice for the story.
It was slow sometimes and I was waiting for the actual court case to get
underway. The timing of the great music scores should have occurred more
often too. If the sound shut off, no viewer would understand what was
going on. Flaws in a Wilder film is unheard of, yet, it's possible since
it's not his script in this film. The movie is not among his most easily
watched films despite the acclaims. Sometimes the story was unsatisfying
for a while and besides wooing the crowd in the court, which by the way
was overly crowded, it lacks suspense and other ingredients for a
gripping tone normally found in Wilder's films. The fast talked dialogue
is lengthy and there is no time to rest or stop to digest the key points
of information, if any, while most of it is rubbish. The women can't
really speak their lines clearly and it's done way too straightforward
on a static level. The turn off is the dialogue - it is over the top and
too complex, non-enticing on little subjects... not common under Wilder.
The entertainment isn't necessarily high, and one needs big ears to
listen because the issues aren't really evident or outstanding. The
comical My Cousin Vinny is refining... only a few films can conquer too
much dialogue in one room, such in Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder, which
had fine acting to deliver the suspense. The ending was stressed as the
most important factor... a little too important that made everything
else miniature and in the ending credits, a voice message demanded
viewers for it not to be leaked to anyone.
Final Grade: C+/C
Love Actually (2003)
Starring Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Keira
Knightley, Billy Bob Thornton
Film Prophet's Review...
Weeks prior to Christmas, various love relationships occur in London.
One to mention, a father and son element that's not worth going into and
a story explanation would take up too much space and it would be long
since there's many little things going on and not one big thing. The
film surrounds individuals who strain viewers to watch their
uninteresting characters and it is the interactions with others that the
movie communicates from. After the first scene, about thirty other
characters are introduced, large or small roles, and only the story
knows perhaps, but the plot is not drawn up. Despite an eminent cast and
some cameos, their characters were clueless and agonizing. Nevertheless,
they were British stars embedded into a story that doesn't quite appeal
because that plot doesn't let them. Such as the one in Titanic, as the
film briefly poses at, great romance films center on two people: the
male protagonist and the heroine lead, with some acquaintances playing
into effect. Lately, there aren't great romance films in production
anymore, unless Cold Mountain counts. The stories follow nice moments,
but they cry at things viewers won't know anything about, because the
plot rarely opens. There was petite charm or likeability in any of them
and there were tons to select from many little predictable stories,
except the film skips around with people who randomly appear and
disappear unknowing when they are coming back at all, eventually losing
the viewer's focus. It's a movie where anyone could miss ten minutes,
come back, and won't miss anything important; it's not demanding
attention. Worst of all, Bill Nighy gets a heap of screen time and he
was the least likable one. Billy Bob Thornton was close as the president
and the casting choice does not go so well. The dialogue was totally out
of place that included many blunt statements, and the political areas
were out of place too. It's British humor isn't effective or funny,
rather goofy and omitted. The stories don't even connect to each other
in this adult ensemble. Almost every scene probably would have been left
out as those deleted scenes on a special feature disc that didn't make
the movie. Not one scene stands out until the finale, and it just hurts
to recall any of them. It is hard to find love in this movie. It
represents plenty of what is despised about a film... shallow people,
hopelessly and annoyingly with sex, poor motivations, sleazy light
romance, interruptions and distractions in the story, terrible dialogue,
bad film quality, and a story which shoves characters and story lines
left and right without any plot consistency or development. For some
reason, the film quality over did with the lighting, had the exposure
adjustment too high, and it was way too bright. From a Britain
standpoint, the message of the story floats from the beginning and the
point was already addressed that love is all around in the world and in
the end, it doesn't matter what happened in the middle of the movie.
After the first minute and before the last few sequences, the film had
no intensity or convincing plots and it was boring actually. Some of the
material is to the offense. It makes the viewer depressed if single,
though waits for the right one to come. Not every woman from America
looks like Shannon Elizabeth or Denise Richards. Richard Curtis, shame
on you. Fast forward to the closing refrain to show the clear angles and
relation conclusions right before the most lovely voice to begin the
ending credits.
Final Grade: D/C-
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Starring Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, John Leguizamo,
Richard Roxburgh
Film Prophet's Review...
Nominated for best picture, Australian director Baz Luhrmann created a
fantasy musical-romance setting from a nineteenth century Paris into an
underground nightclub called the Moulin Rouge. Christian, McGregor, was
hoping to write a love story, though, him and a beautiful courtesan
named Satine, Kidman, whom a jealous duke covets, fall for each other
and the evil, rich duke gives them an ultimatum towards their secret
affair. I was reluctant to see this movie years ago because of the
cheery preview clips. Before viewing it in its entirety, I wasn't sure
to review it because it's past its freshness it once had, and it's not
really a classic yet. The primary reason I went back to see it was to
view the different side of Ewan McGregor, and by that... his versatile
talent. Unlike his other astounding roles, this one let him sing and
yes, he can sing great and it was the best feature from the film. The
zesty energy into the musical numbers and spins on numerous pop culture
tunes into operas makes it feel close to a live action show. There was a
strange gut notion that the next scene was going to be more extravagant.
As soon as the red curtain opens, the silly choreography takes place
nevertheless, the vocal talents were truly the bright spots in the
movie. The camera placements, shooting angles, and zooms haunts through
the opening of the film to the underworld Moulin Rouge theater with its
elegant sets, singing, and dancing. Besides the camera work, the
technical features were quite spectacular. The crazy presentation
visualizes everything in any area of setting at one time. The movie uses
musical numbers to leisurely tell a minimal story - the weak link. It
can become confusing to remember the character connections within the
center of the film, and if some characters fake certain scenarios, but
the finale clears things up. The supporting characters were odd with
their talks in a fast edited motion picture, not sure if they would have
any importance later on, but they do make Christian normal. Their traits
are to easily be aroused, get violent, and laugh at things the audience
won't at. Some of their extended song tunes went on further than
expected. The only characters that really mattered in the story were
Satine and Christian. Nicole was fabulous and her acting and singing
takes the film up a notch over that story where I was looking forward to
seeing her sing than to her speak lines. Over an exotic color blend of
reds, her wild sexual ambitions and moans match her camera close ups on
her gorgeous facial expressions, especially when Ewan, and his wonderful
breakout performance, first sings to her alone and she smiles during the
whole thing. Excluding the pop tunes, the music, singing, and
instruments were outstanding. Near the end of each song, the scene
usually cuts to a fantastic background behind the singers, then
afterwards to Christian typewriting this story up with themes of love is
like oxygen and without trust, there is no love.
Final Grade: B/B-
The Hustler (1961)
Starring Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie, George C. Scott
Film Prophet's Review...
Eddie Felson, Newman, is a talented pool shooter who doesn't know when
to quit when he faces the legendary Minnesota Fats, Gleason. In the
dark, gritty black and white cinematography, the topic weighs on a man's
decision through greed and his competitive spirit. For the first thirty
minutes, the movie strutted amusement from comedy during the erratic
comical quotes and brilliance of the character's minds in the poolroom.
When Eddie takes on Fats for big money, lengthy adrenaline is presented
in a long elapse of time. The story didn't go into the past of any
characters and it wasn't needed because it would just slow the film down
so the characters developed during the competition of billiards. Newman
and Gleason's chemistry worked so well that it made the film more
enjoyable than what it could have been. Newman, a truly respected actor,
was excellent in deciding his leading roles during his prime work. I
never liked any of George C. Scott's characters, films, and appearances
anywhere though. Later on, Newman starred in The Sting, which had more
fast paced operations over a wide area of different sports. The pool
game scenes are shot rapidly. After making a shot, the person moves
around the table in a hurry to look swift calling shots and sinking them
before chalking the cue and saying a conceited witty line to impress
everyone watching. The viewer doesn't get an exact look at a score or
closeness in any of the pool matches and it focuses on the judgments
realistically since the plot has simplicity. The tone of the movie is
very quiet where certain actions are larger at stake than words. The
movie vastly lost its neat edge. When Eddie finally gets tired, the
audience can get restless under the slow upcoming conversations and
breaks between lines. When the first female arrives, it's almost a
sporadic relationship with Eddie depraved in an already thin story. Both
are alcoholics and she has some troubles, but her character isn't really
fleshed out enough to care too much. Half way in, the jazzy music
attempts to bring life back in the middle of the movie that dragged
because it went away from it's main topic of what the movie promised in
the beginning. The woman, pool, and alcohol studies were too much for
Eddie and the tragic love story in the middle of his game does not throw
him off... it throws the movie off as the alcohol does to him. When
Eddie drinks, he loses, and the movie loses energy and speed as it
nourishes off him. There isn't much entertainment outside of the pool
halls and the best parts of the film happen to rest inside the pool
hall. I long for this sport leisure, which is among the most under-rated
activities and games today. For Eddie to sacrifice it all for this game,
the film is an American classic with professionalism.
Final Grade: B/B+
The Island (2005)
Starring Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Sean Bean, Djimon Hounsou,
Steve Buscemi
Film Prophet's Review...
Lincoln, McGregor, is a resident of a contained, controlled facility and
he hopes to be chosen to head to the island, the last uncontaminated
spot on the planet. He makes a discovery that everything about his
existence is a lie and that he is really a clone, a reason they exist
for insurance to the real person. Together with Jordan, Johansson, they
make a daring escape to the outside world they've never known. It is a
futuristic film with excessive action set in the year 2019 with
technological advancements. They are forbidden to have sex and the
residents only drive in their lives is that some day they could move to
the island and await each day's lottery announcement. The script could
be very smart as director Michael Bay usually adds his own visual
dimensions and forgets to include quotes with meaning that submit a
clearer portrayal of the concept. Bay's main focus is the special
effects during the second half rather than using a plot. He drives on
the wrong path as it was very bland. There was no real suspense in any
of the action. It's just as dull as Constantine with an equivalent
storyline strength of Collateral and even The 6th Day did a much better
job on a human cloning movie. The story starts with a faint interest of
various prattling ethics fitting for just two characters towards
development and it struggles the rest of the way to uncover greater
dialogue and the ending had none. The best dialogue of the film was when
Lincoln was complaining to have bacon instead of tofu. The villains were
boring with tiny screen time. Lincoln's nightmares of rapid fast random
images of water and land were unneeded. The camera never stays still for
a matter of a few seconds and it always moves, shakes, zooms, and pans
to something else. Sometimes the film is painful and disturbing, for
instance that one eye test. Afterwards, the film doesn't use logic or
appeal, and that's bad not to have either, during the visual chase
spectacles or anything to arouse the viewer - The Island is a fine film
to zone out to. The product of the story are the humans, but the
presentation ruined it. In fact, the film was one long commercial of
various advertisers, such as Chrysler, Speedo, msn, Microsoft, and
Aquafina, devoid of a distinctive message to attach emotions. There is
nothing wrong with the stars in the film, as it was the primary reason
why it became a most wanted film of 2005. Michael Clarke Duncan gives
the only chill of the movie and he's only on for a couple minutes. The
best supplement in the film for a while is the presence of Scarlett
Johansson... or maybe it was Djimon Hounsou who was under used. I am
indecisive like the movie's aimless direction.
Final Grade: D/C-
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Starring James Stewart, Margaret Sullavan, Frank Morgan, William Tracy
Film Prophet's Review...
"I took you out of your envelope and read you, read you right there."
Young James Stewart plays an eligible bachelor working in a small shop
in Budapest who longs for a woman through letters he hasn't met. He
falls in love with their respective pen pals through mistaken identity
and here's the intrigue - he does not know that the woman with whom he
is exchanging love letters with happens to be his co-worker and they
can't stand each other. The film was remade later as You've Got Mail,
which was casted by symmetry. The combination of delicacy and gentleness
in the script blends well with the acting to an extent, but it doesn't
have a sparkle in the mixture. It's plain and delightful, as one of the
setbacks are the still camera shots that take over a minute of
conversations between a pair. It also relies heavily on the words to
express the enigma since there's little movement on screen with the
camera and characters. It's shot almost entirely in and around the gift
shop too. James Stewart remains a special diamond in film history as the
top male actor with a certain charisma. His performance in this film is
proof, using a wide range of qualities in a signature role. He provides
the best said lines and when he's on screen with five other people, his
dialogue is anticipated to steal each scene. Sadly in the scenes without
him, he is very much missed. Each character has their own little stories
behind the focal point, not like they matter though. The story carries
forward a small step at a time without gigantic romantic angles, scenes,
and actions. It needed to extend off assured aspects more with energy
and funny quotes. Seeing part of the movie about exchanging letters,
those parts were kept concise and short, as there wasn't a lengthy one
mentioned. The movie didn't mesh too great and didn't fully connect with
me as expected, and I didn't like the surprise abrupt ending. However,
it definitely triumphs over An Affair to Remember.
Final Grade: B-
Wedding Crashers (2005)
Starring Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher,
Christopher Walken
Film Prophet's Review...
John, Wilson, and Jeremy, Vaughn, are a pair of divorce attorneys who
score with women when they crash weddings pretending to be guests,
resulting in getting drunk, fed, and laid out of every sexual gag and
foul word. With Vaughn's primitive sarcasm and Wilson's infectious
casual serene, the two chase single pretty women half of their age lying
about their identities for almost two hours. This movie was a prolonged
trailer that took the easy way out of things. Unlike Dodgeball, the
material got old after a couple of wedding interruptions in the
beginning with low-end humor. The viewers just don't really care to what
happens to any of the characters, as sometimes it's predictable slowly
getting there. The fun concepts, obtained in fast speeches by the guys,
are not entertaining. When Vaughn speaks up to Wilson, his dialogue is
lousy and rushed with bad execution that led to boredom. The only times
Vaughn is vivid is when Isla Fisher expresses herself wild and physical
to him in an Anna Faris role. The writing of the lines were quite dire
with little essence using past movie formulas. There were neglected ways
to setup aspects of the non-climatic story that went on for no reason,
with close-ups, song tunes, and bad setting choices of Washington D.C.
all fabricated with the dimwitted lines. The screwball comedy contains
despicable jesting scenes after the next consisting of troublemaking and
common stereotypes through uneasy situations of women being lonely and
men using it to their advantage. Some women at a wedding may be
embarrassed to be asked why they are still single. To add to the
embarrassment, two immature men who haven't grown up yet go to weddings
to hook up... the premise of two guys crashing weddings for free things
and exposing vulnerabilities and instant single status. In reality,
women who don't have male dates invite female friends. Men, on the other
hand, can't bring men along as a date, but Vaughn and Wilson manage do
it. However, the movie made an offense on homophobia, singles, sex,
various ridicules, ages, and just about every idea the movie presented.
There was small respect for the characters and its audience members. The
story falls when John gets close with the bride's sister, McAdams, and
shows that this could be a mistake where he comes up with a conclusion
that love and friendship don't exist. Even so, none of it is funny. The
bulk of the movie takes place during a long weekend event before a mean
ugly final twenty minutes, except for Will Ferell's cameo. The lone
bright spot in the film was seeing McAdams and her big smiles because
Film Prophet did not smile once towards the story's principles.
Final Grade: C-/C
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Starring Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Deep Roy, Helena
Bonham Carter, Christopher Lee
Film Prophet's Review...
Compared to the 1971 version of the beloved children's book, Charlie is
from a very poor family who lives in the same town as Wonka's chocolate
factory that once closed down... until Wonka launches a worldwide
contest where five lucky children seek out to discover a golden ticket
inside his chocolate bars and win a guided tour of the legendary
candy-making factory that no outsider has seen in fifteen years.
Apparently, Roald Dahl never liked the original, even though he wrote
half of the screen play, but viewers, critics, and Film Prophet
certainly elevated to a high standard it deserves. He wanted a scarier
looking figure in Wonka, which is relevant from Depp's makeup, his eerie
interpretation, and a darker comedy tone. However, just because it's
more accurate doesn't mean it will be greater. Sadly, Roald isn't here
anymore to approve of a second by Tim Burton or give his judgment on it.
There's a brighter display of colors blending in with a help of CGI
artwork, but it's artificial and gorgeous in the original. Very few
funny spots occur and the one that earned the longest laugh was with the
cow. Two scenes that didn't go over so well were two entrances. Wonka's
first appearance he came walking out on a cane with a bad leg and
tripped and rolled up and fooled the crowd, oh wait, that was the
original. Here Wonka just creeps up on the children and parents watching
a display go in flames without the crowd watching. Second, the entrance
to the all-edible land has a better presentation and launch with Gene
Wilder than Depp. Also, Burton struggled to find a right ending, hence
his Planet of the Apes remake. The original ended to the point, though
this film had to extend and stretch it towards a larger family and moral
value, such as bad kids are the product of bad parents, which was
already declared in the middle of the story. A thing the original didn't
do was use flashbacks to show the personal past of Wonka with his dad,
his first sight of candy and chocolate, and the initiation of the little
Oompa Loompas. Danny Elfman's constant harmony of various instruments
change from happiness to dramatic scores rapidly with ease to bring out
the sympathy in Charlie and his grandfather. The only melodies and
songs, which used pop culture references, were provided by the Oompa
Loompas, who was one person. Deep Roy as the Oompa Loompa was reproduced
into the same instances of himself to create more of them. Depp,
however, did not sing once and smirks a lot, unlike the fantastic
Wilder, and didn't do much but say sarcastic quotes after the kid's
misbehaviors or surprise stunts that he shot down in an instant. Wonka's
highly opinionated views of the children's actions and words were vastly
preposterous that turn the other cheek with his fast conclusions.
Wilder's character understood everything and knew how to reject things
and here Depp's Wonka is usually clueless and sends the film to a
flashback scene. The story's theme strives off the children's main
weakness as the comic grotesque parts come out of the masses of candy,
but not bothersome. More joy came out of the introduction of the five
kids getting the golden ticket with the news floating around. The TV boy
brought his mother in the original, here he brings his father. The
chewing gum girl is more competitive here with a striving mother, as
they were the best pair to watch. Charlie and his grandfather's roles
and lines decreased in the middle of the film a whole lot as they
entered the factory. Watch the wonderful Gene Wilder first, then go see
this. Knowing the plotline, the original would still be the more
delightful film just to watch again and again from any point in the
story with an extra charm.
Final Grade: B-
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Starring Paul Newman, George Kennedy, J.D. Cannon, Lou Antonio, Strother
Martin, Dennis Hopper
Film Prophet's Review...
Luke is a collective stubborn independent man who attained the rank of
Sergeant from the war and gets sent to a rural prison for social
defiance and he doesn't want to conform. Like the film, Luke has a
combination of coolness, hilarity, and confidence. His spirit is dealt
and he hardly cares. Society's treatment of the individual personifies a
non-conformist establishment. The foe in the film is society's
regulations which overlooks a person until the individual violates a
rule and it is that point the person is recognized, mainly by enforcers,
for the wrong things despite past success. Mostly everything Luke does
in the story, he consents with a reason that it just gives him something
to do - I was just passing time, Captain. Though, there are strict rules
and guards when he gets in, Luke squints his eyes and glows a semi-grin
and a gaze of assurance chopping dusty weeds by the side of a highway
under the hot sun like the rest of his mates in front of a boss with
reflective sunglasses who never speaks. Being in a Southern prison
around farm land, it gave Luke a chance to do something else with life
involving his swift standpoint. Newman pulls off this role with such
coolness and a smart head on his shoulders where his character has more
guts than brains. Donn Pearce wrote a complete screen play that reacts
with a superior acting chemistry. Every scene consistently was engaging
to watch and it keeps the viewer's mind on Luke's surroundings and his
chain gang from his bunk house who improve upon him. His character
defined the word cool to a new meaning of how modern day uses it. The
movie is profound devoid of being too climatic or troubling. Luke's laid
back character and Stuart Rosenberg's perfect rate, camera views, and
steadiness knowing exactly what to do was constructed plus one. In the
center of the film, Luke earns respect from his mates to do almost
anything in a carefree manner - Yea well, it will give me something to
do. Examples of Luke's exuberant victories are boxing with gloves
against a bigger mate, Dragline, which was symbolic because he won't
submit to the powers that beat him, a poker game, a young attractive
woman who washes her car in front of his mates doing work, and a eating
contest and all impresses his convict mates and further goes at it with
his escape techniques which were totally brilliant. Through his actions,
he can't be doubted ever again. One of the themes are winning with
nothing at hand, displaying an unforgettable wonderful human spirit and
a sense of relief to do nothing. It defines every man's department of
life and Luke shakes up the world to his mates. There's sad justice of
being independent and the interactions with his mates a la rice scene is
a mention. His quest for God is satirical because he himself reflects
God to his mates. It's pretension that matches One Flew Over the
Cuckoo's Nest is enjoyable and not boring like The Bridge on the River
Kwai, Deliverance, The Grand Illusion, Das Boot, and Rebel Without a
Cause, as The Defiant Ones, O Brother, Where Art Thou, and The Fugitive
are second-rate where The Shawshank Redemption ought to worship it. The
imagery and references are entrenched and there are plenty of
outstanding quotes - What we've got here is failure to communicate,
which is among the best movie lines ever because irony and true meaning
of the line comes later towards the utmost, thoughtful ending of them
all that's full of symbols. Luke's 'where am I supposed to fit in'
ending speech is uplifting and efficiently said. Kennedy as Dragline
gave an Oscar winning performance and also got the most dialogue in
film. Newman, a top ten best male performance as Luke, is moving,
stimulating, and consumes the splendor of a man's soul and heart to
stand strong.
Final Grade: A+
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Starring Al Pacino, John Cazale, Chris Sarandon, James Broderick,
Charles Durning
Film Prophet's Review...
On a very hot typical busy New York City day, a narrow rectangle gift
box can only mean one thing. Sonny, Pacino, and his slow-witted
accomplice Sal, Cazale, picked the wrong day and immediately botched a
bank robbery as it becomes a standoff and live television. No character
was inclined toward the untidy outcome if robbing the small bank wasn't
spoiled and ruined easily in many little ways. Sonny is trapped; he
makes the choices and he is not well prepared in a timely procedure
where all kinds of shocks and breakdowns go awkward. The easy going
premise gets tricky after they messed up. Stanley Lumet's direction and
storytelling worked miraculous in opening the film up and trapping the
viewer's eyes to the film to connect to the audience. He used a bright
screen play that knew what it wanted to achieve, based off a true story,
and Lumet's flawless cameras and production jaunts off the talented
Pacino. The film is not violent, but it makes a strong point. Plus, it
isn't overly loud, outrageous, or ugly like Guy Ritchie films. The movie
is a guideline to be the ultimate bank robbing movie just dealing with
that one situation. I was surprised at how tremendous the script kept
adding a fresh scene after another and it was able to showcase Pacino's
lucid range of talent. Pacino as Sonny is the bad guy with plenty of
weaknesses as the central character who was humorous, amusing, and
energetic and a preview of what he was capable of for Scarface. Sonny
captivates a prospective crowd from poor civilians, cops, and the news
and he handles it all well with excitement. Why do you feel you have to
steal for money - a shocking reason at the half way mark resolves the
real reason of why he tried to rob the bank. The scenes of
communications between the female hostages are original and very witty
with clever lines and scene cuts, especially when Sony first starts his
trouble. The execution from each performer under the film's conflicts
were exceptional to the nail and astonishing on vulnerabilities in each
character. Pacino's very convincing performance enhances the true events
with a drama-act of a supporting cast who were bravura. A greatly
deserved nomination for Chris Sarandon as detective Frank Pierson with
his high activity in the film was issued as well as a nomination for
best picture. John Cazale as Sal gives a memorable performance who hopes
there is a way out of it. There are comical lines that have serious
tones under difficult situations where the decisions are frustrating
Sonny, but there is no time travel to reset it. Its judgment is placed
under the roof of the small bank building with a couple of detectives
trying to communicate to Sonny peacefully from outside and when Sonny
comes out for his brief stints, he creates a stir using his raging voice
- put those guns down! In a case, a powerful cyclic quote, Attica,
rallies the crowd and he becomes a voice for the urban poor. It's among
the best films that can present humor and drama at once that was a fun
experience as entertainment for the media and everyone who followed it
live... how do those guys get through the barrier. There's a great line
every quarter of a minute and it keeps the audience's eyes glued wide
open to the screen... no beer, let's keep it soft drinks alright. My
favorite scene was the pizza part. There are interesting social, love,
trust, and moral issues compelling to always watch without one boring
scene. It often furnished the thought of - best movie ever - and that's
how potent the entire film was.
Final Grade: A
Glory (1989)
Starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan
Freeman, Andre Braugher
Film Prophet's Review...
Robert Gould Shaw leads an all-black company fighting prejudice and the
gritty American Civil War at the same time. It's an historical drama,
where Colonel Shaw, Broderick, raises a colored division of soldiers for
service in the Union army. From their major turn out, their use is
limited at first because they don't have the discipline yet. The film
displays horrifying results in the eyes of Shaw from the first scene and
he can't undo his experience so he needs to get his men ready for next
time. He gives the same expression noticing his men are not being fully
prepared yet and in total control of his troops. Although, his training
ways, along with Elwes' character, and techniques were stressed from
fierce white to feeble black, which offers the finest from the script.
The straightforward story focuses on the character's lives and it would
like to have more commanding adversities for an unique desire of
attention for the first half. The tone was soft settle and polite,
revealed from Broderick's narration. Intensity and sympathy are pieces
that make a movie demanding to watch and there wasn't enough flow, for a
while, to another sequence, such presented in Full Metal Jacket and
Platoon, to make it an exciting second watch. The technical elements and
the acting are the two best qualities from the film. Denzel won an Oscar
for his role as Private Trip, the one with the most rage and attitude
among them... and probably the most earnest character. His predominant
scenes include a rally and the manly beating he suffers. It was then he
became a well-known actor. Freeman is the best supporting actor at
revealing his quest compassion with a calm understanding in various
scenes. Their performances forgets this movie needed any kind of female
impact too. The ground settings and costumes were rational as the sound
and visual effects were captivating. James Horner's music compliments
the film, and the dialogue wasn't slow or fast as the editing kept
cutting to fresh shots every few seconds. The film confines the subject
of race to the table through gripping and enlighten recognition with
issues of slavery, freedom, equality, and sacrifice that they are there
along side each other maybe not for the same cause however. The audience
will appreciate and sorrow dignity for this group and give them respect
that they deserve. The movie steadily produces fallouts consistently and
relies on emotions to convey its messages on humanity hardly ever
mentioning historical data. The stand out ending battle sequence is
magnificent and a total tear jerker that raised the movie to a
prevailing sentiment, which makes the final battle in The Last Samurai
as a shameful mimic.
Final Grade: B+/A-
Touch of Evil (1958)
Starring Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Orson Welles, Joseph Calleia
Film Prophet's Review...
Orson Welles and his directorial marvel in this film has a wild squalid
tale of murder and police corruption. As a plump cop, Welles, may be
involved in a Mexican border-town murder. He faces an opposition from a
narcotics officer, Heston, whose wife, Leigh, is abducted and held as a
pawn in a struggle with Heston's quest for truth before he goes on his
honeymoon. The figurative style of speech can be somewhat funny, and the
rough, raw quotes aren't often an intellect to the story. It is an
unordinary crime-drama film that can be an exciting experience or not.
Sadly, the best part of the film where most of its appraisal comes from
is the first three minute long shot with a camera movement that is
unique in opening the film with a spontaneous aerial view of the town
and people, which was primarily for art and show. Indeed, Welles has a
technical achievement in Citizen Kane. However, Film Prophet criticizes
this film as insensitive and defiant. The lighting is a bit shadowy and
too dark. The atmosphere is very thick and crime filled. The central
character is an obsessed, nervous, and lousy cop. Orson Welles did get
fat and his character stands out because of his size and uncaring
attitude. The other characters aren't crowd pleasers as they mesh
together and decay. Heston is over-charming as a neglectful husband who
lets his wife wander the town about with a bunch of strangers, which is
begging for trouble. Instead of the main cast carrying the film, they
share and open themselves along with supporting, stereotypical
characters who overact their minor roles and take up space. Many
characters around the main trio are a problem because they don't bring
out details and steadiness to weave any of the others. The biggest fault
of the movie is not having a portioned film. It didn't know what it
wanted to be. The scenes kept changing its appeal from surreal, weird,
slow, humorous, or fun scenes that moved around unnaturally and they
were forced going out of plot. Most of the audience won't know what
Welles was trying to get at and it lacks intensity. After an hour, the
film got boring and drops the crazy appear. Its main concept was the
study in camera choreography, which carried most of the film's weight,
and the actual murder suspicion in the story is always just secondary.
The story gets lost under minor incidents and characters where the
finished product sat on a seesaw unevenly. It is nothing more than what
it was acclaimed to be - a great ambiguous movie.
Final Grade: B-/C+
Sabrina (1954)
Starring Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, William Holden, Walter Hampden
Film Prophet's Review...
Two popular leading men join Audrey Hepburn right after her big role in
Roman Holiday where all three of them have won an Oscar. Hepburn's
roles, like as Sabrina, at a younger age are more entertaining and
imaginative in her first decade as an actress. She is Sabrina, the
daughter of a chauffeur to a rich family next door. She is a young,
typical woman with decision making between two men at her life, who are
brothers of the family her father chauffeurs. First, she starts as a shy
young daughter who hopelessly admires an older, richer man. The
crossroad at her life is being shipped off to a cooking school in Paris,
where she matures and improves her mind into a full-fledged woman.
Director Billy Wilder certainly conquers his stories into superb
direction, using witty dialogue. Sometimes, a big age difference with
two people in a film is a bit peculiar, but Wilder guides the
relationship that is budding and carefree, along with a well-composed
musical score towards the romantic-comedy genre. His films always have
an ease to capture the appeal of the story, atmosphere, and characters.
The amusing chemistry between the three stars didn't need long
developments in the story and they seamlessly moved from one scene to
the next in a trouble-free way so there's no flaws. Although, this is
out of Wilder's top five films for sure. The plot isn't deep, as the
story moves wonderfully for the first half without complication or
confusion, and the second hour has both of those. After Sabrina returns
from Paris, there are no pinnacles in the story that lift it back up to
where it was enchanting before. The picture concentrates on the
post-transformed Sabrina and her reactions and faults. There's
simplicity in the script, which is natural, but bit by bit. The acting
has charisma, and Hepburn's new appearance stuns older son, Holden, who
didn't even know she existed despite living next door. The reductions of
the movie are the scenes with slow dancing, dress up parties, and the
repercussions, which tend to slow down the growth of a plot. The plain
second half gets into a gradual romantic evening after an exciting first
half, and the witty dialogue becomes so-so. The two son characters get
jealous involving their personal lives and Sabrina cries for a dozen of
minutes in their arms. The parent's roles aren't closely linked even
though they get screen time. The subsequent is wearisome and
overstressed into a displeasure after a rewarding start.
Final Grade: B-
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Starring Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack
Hawkins
Film Prophet's Review...
Eminent for Peter O'Toole's star making performance, the biopic is a
factual autobiographical account of Lawrence's Arabian adventure looking
inwards to his life. It is masterful to evoke such a passion to the
admirers of the film who stand by Lawrence through his conflicts. Told
in a flashback, it exploits an eccentric, ambitious man who aids the
Arabs against the Turks from a military stationed in North Africa during
the first World War. He quests on the desert for the Allies' mid-eastern
campaign and draws up plans to aid the Arabs in their rebellion. There's
been criticism of casting just all men in the movie, so it studies men's
tendencies forced upon that entice the man. The movie gathers a gist of
confusion over sexual identity because men are surrounded by men
everywhere... and the landscapes of sand. The desert reduces man to an
inferior being on an extended desert land. It defeats the purpose to
possibly say Lawrence could have used aircraft instead of walking and
riding camels, as the movie did show planes were in existent. The
introduction to his character is an original and basic portrayal of a
regular man who falls to turmoil. Director David Lean's Doctor Zhivago
has a much more captivating story and a better title character. Zhivago
differs where each scene commanded attention with a clear main cast.
Lawrence was built up as if he were a god, but he ended up a few scenes
as a weak link without really have a major role in the first half as the
titled character. His character is somewhat confusing. At times he was
violent and not, went mad, or was brilliant, as T.E. Lawrence is a man
beyond knowing. The viewer would expect to know something about him
though. His anecdote is shown from his humane struggles of coping with
death and duties. Although, the film is tolerable to watch because of
the different opinions on his character virtues. Lean covers a textbook
example of long storytelling, editing, and dialogue and spends time
developing the one-dimensional, forgettable supporting group which
didn't help to speed things up to emphasize a faster approach. What they
did for fun joking around is not amusing for the viewers. When the few
battle scenes emerged, they come from no where with characters on one
side that weren't fleshed out. Almost four hours long, the overacted
drama has a mediocre plot without much profundity, actions, heroic
moves, or turning points, sticking to its true telling. Examples of
similar tales that can explore more productively are All Quiet on the
Western Front, Titanic, Ben-Hur, The Seven Samurai, Troy, and The Lord
of the Rings. The best qualities of the film are its camera techniques,
color, music, cinematography, and imagery, which not necessary makes a
great movie. Yet, those qualities capture the same old huge landscape
shots with close-ups of actors who have nothing interesting to say to
each other. This is part of the dialogue expressed by mild voice tones -
I've been waiting for you, how did you know I was coming, I knew someone
was coming. Men who just walk around on the desert with miserable lines
is not entertainment. The diplomatic talks are sometimes ineffective and
the scenes are very repetitive. The talks usually resemble the same
needs against an indistinctive opponent of the Turks, except for the sun
rising, though those Arabs realistically did wear a lot of clothing
layers in the heat. The sun partially makes the characters tiresome,
literally, and they chill out by the sources of dirty water. The story
is not very stirring or moving. If the movie's best ability is to look
at the shots of camels and horses riding and what kind of lens is being
used, then get on with the headway. Most of the film consists of the
camera moving over sand dunes. The movie doesn't have a destination and
the end is sudden and abrupt that won't appear to be an ending if it
weren't for the The End screen. It doesn't have a certain point in the
film that stands out most because most of the scenes, mainly unnecessary
ones, blend in with each other. This is how most of the movie went -
some guys talk to each other slowly on a scenic desert and the next
scene shows them riding their camels as depleted travelers no where to
go with the same music escorting it which soon cuts to the sun over and
over. Those cut scenes of camels walking gives the story a slower pace,
but Lean tried to achieve a relationship between the characters and the
desert, which he did. There's a scene where a stranger on a camel from
almost a mile away approaches a couple of men in their point of view and
Lean takes his precise time as to how long it would actually take him to
get there. The stranger is Omar Sharif's character, who makes a
spectacular on screen entrance in a shimmering mirage. Then again, the
movie needed more than just man to uplift this to a greater Film Prophet
standing.
Final Grade: B/B-
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Starring Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, Christina Ricci, Tobey Maguire,
Cameron Diaz, Ellen Barkin
Film Prophet's Review...
A journalist, Depp, and a friend, Del Toro, go on a road adventure of
drugs and carnival when all the journalist needed was a magazine story
about exposing people for irrationality and he can't begin it. The
strange and unpredictable Terry Gilliam directs very different films all
the time. He presents an unusual kind of humor that can't relate to the
story, unless the viewer is stoned. Though, the acting gets the movie
moving towards a whacked and exaggerated story that has no plot. The
conflict is trying to discount the drugs and that's about it, and it
only grossed around ten million in the theaters. Recommended movies with
drugs that arouse clever consistent attention are Maria Full of Grace,
City of God, and Traffic. Given the young talent in the cast, which was
wasted like everything else in the film, they did do a fine job using
body language being so antsy and paranoid. However, the movie itself was
quite bad. Besides the amazing performances from Depp and Del Toro,
their characters are beasts, silly, and shallow to an extent where the
viewer could hardly care what will happen to the two irresponsible guys.
Next, the story lacks an argument. Depp is the reason the film's
narration is on too much freedom because it comes straight from a
novel's point of view and the visuals for movie purposes are offensive
and improper. Gilliam over used imagination without conveying a swaying
implication that served no tasks or stirring heights. The concept in the
script has no big value and it uses simplistic drug humor that is too
desperate for laughs. The unfunny antics which tries to be funny doesn't
have a real sense of humor that can be comical for any time and it
scored zero laughs from Film Prophet. Few movies depict drug use in this
way in a non-evolving story. It is too bland and it relies on its star
power through redundant issues of an introspective, casinos, hotel
rooms, and dazing off. The two guys are constantly smoking or drinking
alcohol wasting time and the journalist loses his sight on his story.
Their behavior is unbearable to watch and sometimes there is a queer
tone, as Diaz manages to undo it in her short cameo. It was difficult to
make out the dialogue and the shaky camera and hallucinations were
terrible. Drugs are the enemy most of the time and it's the only source
of miserable entertainment the film has. When the hitchhiker bailed out
of the convertible early in the film as a sign that the movie was going
to be dreadful, it was the smartest and most intelligent choice made by
any character in the story.
Final Grade: C-/C
War of the Worlds (2005)
Starring Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, Tim Robbins,
Miranda Otto
Film Prophet's Review...
Life ends in a flash. Based on H.G. Wells' novel and directed by Steven
Spielberg tells a well-known alien invasion story through human
experiences with reluctant forced procedures. The story follows Cruise's
character and no one else except for the people who he comes in contact
with. His mission is to go to Boston from lower Manhattan while saving
himself and his son and daughter from being decomposed. The plot follows
the bickering family just on survival together without a strategy. The
situation was not only a timed thing by the aliens, but as well for the
father to prove himself to his children, who aren't at ease with him.
The abundant scenes where it pictures Cruise's reaction from his hiding
spaces when he views the many of other people devolving by mammoth
tripods creates the panic. Many of the sinister scenes has to do with
the re-appearance of one or more tripods in front of a crowd of lost
people to gaze up with dumbfounded expressions on their faces and
eventually get slaughtered ending their lives without an identity in the
story - how miserable. All the extras in the film were victims of
invasion. Whatever they do in despair, it gives another chance for the
audience to look at the remarkable design and function of the tripods.
There are times when the movie can enrich sociology and then there's
both the nice and ugly in many of the humans. The center of the
conflicts under terror and nerves have some people angry, brutal, and
impolite and all people are pointless objects to make other people's
lives even worse. For instance, the scene when Cruise and his family are
driving in a car and they get rallied and gang beaten from a mob of
people. Sometimes it makes the worst enemy the people when they go
against each other and not the metal monsters. There are some disturbing
images of dead bodies floating, people evaporating, missing people
signs, and plane crashed parts. Parts of New York City is always the
primary target for destruction films, as seen in The Day after Tomorrow.
The film draws mostly to the special effects that's the best feature of
the film. The candy eye effects are visually sound, though there are
numerous holes in the plot, such as where everything usually goes to the
family's favor with cars working and clear paths, untouched areas near
by when there's dozen of those metal monsters around, clothes flying
from the sky, electricity turning off, and so on. For this movie, foul
pieces will slip by because the plot is not the focus in the movie. The
point is to electrify and elevate the intensity to the crowd through
unusual effects the world has never seen before, despite the faults.
Spielberg, an expert at evoking fright, doesn't inform and reason with
the audience and moves on to the next exhilarating scene. He is a
filmmaker showing a tiny story behind a massive incident. Sometimes the
story alludes to comical references far from the serious tone. The
script is mostly filled with details in the destruction sequences than
the use of dialogue. It's a movie where actions speak louder than words.
An unanswered resolution happens that just suddenly ends without a
theme, other than the one I stated in the first line of this review...
learning no lessons except to make sure to keep a fresh food storage
nearby. It serves its purpose to terrify and entertain as a summer
blockbuster with logic-less prey and enormous technical executions of
thunderous dreadful metal monsters.
Final Grade: B/B-
8 1/2 (1963)
Starring Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Sandra Milo, Rossella
Falk
Film Prophet's Review...
Federico Fellini's semi-autobiographical movie is a hidden treasure for
America by an Italian cinema that should be kept stored away. The story
has a filmmaker who loses his inspiration to make a new movie through
his conscience and memories and suffers an artistic crisis. In a
storyline that is yet undemanding, it demands strict notice to the
film's ostentatious character who looks like Jeff Goldblum. He fantasies
and recalls to connect back to reality and it is the first big film that
goes around the exploration of mind and the madness trying to escape the
problem of fixing his film. The Italian movie is highly regarded as a
huge achievement. The impact of the movie intends to daze the viewer and
the filmmaker simultaneously. The movie is saturated in his
responsibilities and his process of creating the film. His memories come
frequent later in the film, where his childhood ones are the least
relevant. The movie conventions uses tons of visual patterns of black
and white imagery, but none of it conveys a purpose. The Big Lebowski
and Adaptation. usually returned back to its ground which was clear when
presence altered. This film offers uncertainty. Symbolism is difficult
to use in film and it must be handled carefully or else it just wouldn't
mean anything. The biggest problem with the picture is the women, who
try to be too pretty and there are just too many of them to keep up with
where neither are important. Anything they say is irrelevant to take men
away from their work and ambition. There is not one woman who counts,
even his wife. The women's roles in the film is just to keep their
figures, stylist hair, and makeup on to say some lines that don't truly
add merit to the story. There are numerous women who require too much
attention from their men and it takes away from the film. All of this is
a distraction to man and his filmmaking and it's not going any
quicker... much like this movie. The viewer might have to ignore the
chitchat they spill, but it's just everywhere and the film is a mess.
Therefore, after a quarter of the film, the filmmaker tries to escape
such impediments that slow him down, but it is his memories that slow
everything and the film goes nowhere. It ends with the most bizarre
futile celebration finale. There are uneven views on the church and the
entertainment value slips away after an hour or so where more pointless
women appear and continue to giggle and try to act imperative. The art
is a disappointment that is too pretentious. Though Fellini's talent is
there, not everyone will understand the incognito movie. There is
nothing much to understand and it's too abstract fooling around to be
unenlightening. A high grade was welcomed for this until it proceeded to
get worse making no sense. It wasn't even pledged to a simple story as
it is out-stretched with boring scenes. It tries to be slick without an
expression that turns into silly jokes and his women affairs. It appears
Federico Fellini may have made this self-indulgent movie for just
himself towards a character director who couldn't complete a movie. His exhaustive writing is tiresome at points and leaves
ambiguity in the plot that can't communicate because the lines are not
on a substantial fascinating fulfilling involvement, which was in need
of a couple strong conversations or scenes that aren't in the memory
sequences. Even some of those didn't help out or play a comprehensible
function to the film. The dialogue is subtle and general without
profundity and the movie floats around to each element in the story that
doesn't break the seal.
Final Grade: B-/C+
Ran (1985)
Starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu, Mieko
Harada
Film Prophet's Review...
At last, I've completed Akira Kurosawa's most prestigious directed seven
films with this being the last one on my list. Ran is also the latest of
that collection that turns out to be my desired masterpiece of his. The
film is just under three hours and the more mature and older Akira
slightly moves away from the full-edged samurai theme into a Japanese
feudal era using an interpretation on Shakespeare's King Lear, only
changing what is necessary to Japan's age. Nevertheless, he still uses a
tap of his samurai legend anecdote as he develops past the meaning of it
where Toshiro Mifune typically played the drifting obsolete samurai in
his other films. In this story, an aging warlord decides to transfer his
powers of his kingdom between his three sons after a premonition. Each
son acquires their own taste on the situation and other two turn against
him. Everything the warlord owns soon crumbles on behalf of his sons
with complex conflicts. The pace of the story is restrained and not
rushed re-working an old story. The film contains the best musical work
from his films, such in the beginning with an eerie one string tune that
switches to soft beat drums. There are plenty of significant characters
in the film that play a sufficient role in the story. Kurosawa writes it
with an excellent and provoking aptitude and gives each character an
outstanding contribution to the colossal story. First most, there is
plenty of high regards to the warlord and his family, who are the main
pieces of the film. The first thirty minutes is entertaining while the
story shows the inheritance by the sons. A great scene during that time
is when the lord gives his son an arrow to break that was easy, but with
three arrows together, it isn't and it symbolizes the structure of the
plot and the unity of the three sons. It is reaffirming where later the
movie opens the character's depths by means of mercy, humanity, and
misery to the audience compelling a true altered theme. It's also an
outstanding written script with lines that surface betrayal, loyalty,
and sorrow. The best performance was from Tatsuya Nakadai, who plays the
warlord and gives an elite powerful act. Every second he is on screen,
the delivery and actions will have the audience's complete attention.
Not only does he have a stellar performance, he is sincerely convincing
during his decision making. Each scene ends and transfers to the next
almost to the point of infatuation where some of the scenes are so
daunting to sink the viewer fully in. Akira's artistic direction is
detailed and solid especially in the areas during still camera views
when Tatsuya is on and let's the sound do the work, which surpasses the
best digital aspect part of the film using nature , arrows flying,
shotguns, and wind noises. The first battle scene is witnessed through
the lord seeing his affection die to opposing arrows and the music
occupying it takes the sequence to the highest par of any movie battle.
It is dramatic, grueling, shocking, sad, and it's Akira's most brilliant
battle scene. 'We are lost, prepare yourselves, farewell my lord' is as
heartrending as a quote can get. The battle is unlike traditional
American ones. In those, audiences tend to know what happens because of
the publicity in the media and the word leaks out because that's all the
film had to offer. This battle scene is very striking and surprising,
visually stunning that resembles The Thin Red Line and Platoon, but not
confusing and crazy in Hero. The traumatic effects and gloomy
frustrations occur in the second portion, which is slowed down maybe too
sensible, though Akira takes his time telling the story in a splendid
way.
Final Grade: A-/A
An Affair to Remember (1957)
Starring Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Richard Denning, Neva Patterson
Film Prophet's Review...
A popular painter, Grant, and a music teacher, Kerr, are strangers who
meet on a ship and they can't resist each other despite their
engagements to others. Eventually, they test their endurance agreeing to
split up and then meet in six months atop the Empire State Building. It
is the same plot which inspires Sleepless in Seattle. Although, the
dialogue is quite a bore here for romantic-dramas. Outside of the
romance angle, the story doesn't offer anything more and it wasn't
alluring enough. The writing was careless and it didn't have the depth
in its own setup. I didn't like how sometimes the two ignored each other
on the ship just to keep their relationship private. Numerous yawns
occurred because the first half was too slow and several times, I banged
the back of my head against the pillow to get the flow in my body moving
again. The story builds up the little details on the ship that the
viewers will forget. I can't stand monotony... that was quote from the
film. Some romantic movies have the fascinating circumstances the main
two face, but the combination of a dull script and two boring people
don't bring enthusiasm to the movie. It is frustrating to see a movie
fall with Grant as the leading man. Kerr has to be the worst leading
woman to be paired up with him. She is tiresome and her lines are
nothing interesting. Grant's comical and charming ways are non-existent.
I never had the sense of ambition between the two. The one-dimensional
storyline fails to make the characters romantic. They are empty and
hypnotic and the story is just unbearable. The backdrops were lousy and
rusty and the supporting characters of either kids or old ladies are
just irritating. The kids in the movie are annoying and pointless, and
when they sing together, put the volume on mute. The worst scene however
is the extensive one that dealt with the two meeting an old lady with
the piano who was totally off topic and irrelevant. By the time the two
got off the ship, my mind was off the movie because not one thing
exciting happened and I just didn't care whether the two will achieve
success. The ordeal is they are engaged and the chemistry between their
significant ones are low key and dreadful to watch. When Grant gets off
the ship, he wanders around dejected and self-collected. The rest of the
characters were emotionless. Instead of coming up with some of the worst
musical numbers in cinema history, having some sub-plots and scenes
filmed on locations not shot on a movie set can go a long way. Except,
the movie decreases the enjoyment and just makes the movie longer
intended for an affair to forget.
Final Grade: C-/D
Doctor Zhivago (1965)
Starring Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger,
Alec Guinness, Tom Courtenay
Film Prophet's Review...
The movie is an elite sweeping romantic-historical drama that's deeply
sad and has been referred to in other film material, which means this is
a memorable quality film. Over three hours in length indeed and each
scene has an importance to listen and hear. After the overture, the
movie leads into a story when a general has a chat with a niece who she
doesn't know much about her family history in present time. The general
then goes on to tell the story about his brother Zhivago, a poetic
doctor during the revolutionary Russia. It immediately establishes a
mood of sadness with a burial at Zhivago's childhood. Boris Pasternak's
Nobel Prize winning novel writes a story about physician Yuri Zhivago
and his two female loves of his life: a luxurious mistress Lara who is
vied by two other men before him and Yuri is married to his childhood
sweetheart Tanya. "A husband is a very sticky commodity, my dear."
People were desperate in need for each other during a period of time
contrasting men's bearing control to women and envisions of the
brutality of war. I was surprised by the disrespect to the ranks and
leaders of the armies but hey, it was a revolution for the working class
and they just lost a world war. Just about every scene within the long
duration is moderately flawless with superb direction allowing
entertainment and grasping concentration. This is done by the beautiful
camera visions that captures both pain and beauty which creates several
genuine chilling scenes. I was very impressed by the style of ease in
the screen writing and the affecting storytelling with every fine moment
excelling in the love and hate of life. It works superbly when the
dialogue is used and it is never crammed all in one scene as it's spaced
out so the characters aren't bothersome. It allows time for the quiet
moments, even between the characters, which is presented rationally.
These characters are very human with typical weaknesses. They are very
realistic and the settings have amazing detail up front and in the
background. In particular, the winter scenery in addition to the
changes of the seasons are pleasant to the eye. The certain charm in the
characters is another tool that makes this movie greater than others.
The naturalistic sound, tremendous score, and music editing are
captivating along with the tone of Russian voices. The acting was
brilliant and the audience senses their experiences in the expression of
their eyes. The poetic doctor will choose the medium through he will
share his view on Russia and each step he makes is a vital part of the
others around him which blends in well. Guinness' narrative is excellent
and each character is unique. It's hard to single out an example of a
few scenes though. The second half of the movie changes within the
progression of the characters during a society stricken by warfare.
There are numerous great scenes like the massacre in the street and the
dragging a woman in from a riding train. Each scene is balanced that
ties in events through the main cast. The endearing script is based on
addicting material which is purely crafted and not predictable. The mere
weak spot in the film came during the last minute. Yuri's acquaintances
transpire when he struggles to find a place to live and to find constant
happiness and when Lara says, 'Oh Yuri this is an awful time to be alive,'
it points out the perception of life and the human condition for warmth
of another being too. Some
important key factors in the story are the need for a doctor, long
distance communications, separation of love, optimistic liberty, and the
cold fever of love on a quest of inspiration.
Final Grade: A/A-
Laura (1944)
Starring Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Gene Tierney, Vincent Price, Judith
Anderson
Film Prophet's Review...
The fear of love comes into act with the wrong man. "Love is eternal. It
has been the strongest motivation for human actions throughout history.
Love is stronger than life. It reaches beyond the dark shadow of death."
A straight and simple story... a police detective is intrigued with the
woman whose murder he is investigating. The cinematography was alright
and the dress wear is all fairly typical and suitable for the film-noir
genre, Film Prophet's favorite era of one genre, a period without
superficial celebrity image and hype. Nothing is overdone and films
aren't like this anymore. It's also the same year when Double Indemnity
came out and proved to be the center of the greats. Though, it is a
general movie about the genre, it is just out of the strong tier. The
movie at times can be sneaky and haunting and the music was correct when
it's around. I love when the character gets their space singled out and
it's when they are alone that shows the real sentiment. It opens when
Laura is already announced dead, which puts investigator McPherson at
hand questioning people who knew her so he can put the pieces of the
puzzle of Laura's life and death together. The title character is dead
and yet the whole story is involved around her. It's also incredible for
basically just using five total performers with lines. Each of those are
interrogated and bothered with the sense they are accused. The audience
gets to know more about Laura with some flashbacks. With only five big
characters, it needed a bit more depth and some fine definition. It was
more on the detective side implying statements and there isn't much
detail on Laura's side even though it's about her. The story waits and
halts until it reveals something into a disappointment or surprise. The
murder mystery ponders what the motive is and who did it and will the
person strike again that leads up to the only eventful scene in the
movie in the last five minutes. In the meantime, the flashbacks also aid
the truth to Laura. Much of the story is told this way. In those
sequences, the first impressions on screen are lackluster. The audience
is unsure about the two men who love Laura expressing false feelings or
if they are really interested in her, but they keep forecasting future
plans. It isn't clear which of the two men she is more enthralled by
either. Both men weren't impressive to her, but jealous and flamboyant.
The movie misses what the genre can do, which is to have engaging
conversations, superb camera angles, and interesting, suspenseful
traits. Laura is too poised without an amount of magnetism.
Final Grade: B-
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
Starring Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels, Danny Aiello, Edward Herrmann
Film Prophet's Review...
Woody Allen appearing in a leading role in his own movies make them
special and he isn't acting in this one. So it was completely different
to watch a Woody movie without him in it. In the Depression area, a
waitress named Cecilia is married to a bestial and uncommitted husband
who finds her only escape at the movies in a fantasy-comedy with a bit
of sadness. The installment of the cinema as a new way of enjoyment and
entertainment became big in that era for money and inspiration The
humorous lines are a smile for the first quarter of the film and
afterwards, it is inconsistent after a promising thirty minutes and
moves away from the delightful attitude. Daniels was entertaining, again
for only the times he was on during the first quarter and that's when
his character was on screen at the theater. When Cecilia watches the
same movie, the title of this film actually, many times as the only
thing that cheers her up because the other things in her life treat her
lousy, for some reason no matter how many times the movie goes back to
it, it never got tiring. It's about characters prolonging memories,
except there's rarely a great scene for the audience to remember after
the first quarter. Woody's direction was still sharp, though, there
aren't any new characters who enter the film later who are likable,
something that worked in two of Woody's past classics. When the story
mixes realism and fiction, the movie gets a bit confusing with what the
story wants to do. Think of how Last Action Hero worked with its plot.
It then borders between the real world and the fiction movie and the
logic fails for this movie. Those attempts were evident, but those were
unsuccessful. After the interaction happens with Tom Baxter and Gil
Shepherd, the two characters Daniels plays, the random laughs, in this
case, were a few. Both his fictional and actor characters come off
arrogant sometimes. When they mingle with Cecilia, it is hard to tell
which one is with her as they each hit on her during different scenes.
They wore the same outfits almost, where Schwarzenegger in Last Action
Hero differed his. As a result, the plot was thin and doesn't settle the
dispute it had when people started caring. Daniels had a better act
later in Pleasantville with fantasy interaction movies. Although,
Woody's movie is an inventive take, it ends with grief.
Final Grade: B-/C+
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Starring Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman, Sylvia Miles, John McGiver
Film Prophet's Review...
Joe Buck, Voight, is a Texas dishwasher who goes to New York City by bus
to become a sexual hustler and he finds out parts of the city is filth
and his fortunes turn out to be upsetting. In the process, he meets and
befriends Ratso, Hoffman, a homeless man who apparently lives in a bad
shaped building. The drifters bond together in a tale with bold adult
content, which was shocking for its time of release. The movie had an X
rating, depicting lowlifes in an American city. It was the first true
explicit film as the rules consisting of what it was being too strict
dared it and the rules have changed. It won best picture, director John
Schlesigner, and for its screenplay, despite the rating. The two
characters have the intellect to barely get around the city. Sometimes,
a funny line adds a spin and benefits its poignant storyline, but it is
the story that had its drawbacks. The story slowly develops with the
occasional worthless scene. In a mix review of the movie, the
cinematography was fine on what the streets looked like then, freezing
its time so present can view it. An area of concern was the outdated
song selections, where the song, Everybody's Talkin, repeats the same
pieces over and gets annoying to hear. The flashbacks were somewhat out
of the ordinary from the flow of the storyline to vision Joe's cruel and
harsh past, which they become more frightening as the movie proceeds.
Schlesigner puts more thought in creating the images of the lost souls
in his past than in the present time. At any rate, Joe left the great
state of Texas to New York City in search for women and money. This is a
man without any plan who faces a cultural change and he is the odd one
out of the crowd with his hat. The women are there for the asking on the
street when he arrives. There are appealing women in Texas, but in the
city, they have large numbers and most are single because in that city,
it is hard to raise a family. The dialogue was not in use too much in
the beginning when he stalks the city, as he smiles and chews away. He
has odd interactions to meet ladies that catch his eye, who could be the
right woman instantly to have love with. Other times, either person
takes them for the wrong person, and he is unprepared for the outcome.
Later in the movie, the cameras get perplexing of what is trying to
portray, especially in the bizarre bar scene where the story more so
loses its touch and concept. The story didn't dig up anything engaging,
but it centers on the chemistry of the two characters surviving in a
cold city. Joe has an excited look that eventually winds down to
personal dilemmas without any hope - there is no hope for this story.
There are many low points and moments that don't come as it is the
friendship between the two that grows. The message is that society pays
little attention to the homeless and the audience becomes like the
society for a bit. The audience senses their loneliness and challenges
they aren't ready for. They are lost under their ways with no
destination, except for their strong bond. For example, the classic
scene is when the two were walking across a pedestrian crossing and a
disrespectful cab driver almost hits them and Hoffman yells, "I'm
walkin' here! I'm walkin' here!" Hoffman delivered it excellently and
definitely has the most versatile voice for any actor. Voight's
performance was alright... he always has that cocky expression and his
eyes never blinks with his careless facial look. The movie is about
desperation and false hopes which turns depressing because the movie
concerns the hopeless and nothing happens in favor for them.
Final Grade: B/B-
Batman Begins (2005)
Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary
Oldman, Cillian Murphy
Film Prophet's Review...
Batman begins with an early act of Bruce Wayne's empathy before he turns
into a caped crusader in Gotham City. The story endures a physical and
emotional process of Bruce's past and the emergence of his
transformation into the crime fighting Batman. Stimulating a playboy
part to fool the public, he inherits his parent's power and wealth and
becomes a businessman and a hero. Bale as Batman balances his two
identities and changes his tone of voices, along with confrontations
with society, but he shows a weakness that he is still a human. Director
Christopher Nolan made sure every scene had a bearing, chilling vibe
that helped build up the Batman character and Bruce's past into one. The
storytelling goes out of sequences with some flashbacks to reveal his
parents and himself entering and staying in a gritty Asian prison camp
where Ducard finds him and trains Bruce stealth and justice as if he was
acquired with it. Here, the movie takes over kung fu traits involving
the style of martial arts and revenge. The opportunity to avenge his
parent's deaths is taken away from him by fate. Condemned and frightened
by the bats, Bruce moves closely to his fear. The movie is provided by
the dark riveting music by Hans Zimmer, which adds a super impression
and changes to an eerie mood when aroused. The audience gets perception
on Gotham City and how Bruce evolved in his attire, revealing his armor,
equipment, suit, and the batmobile, which are all legendary icons. His
first crime saving scene as Batman had tremendous pacing and timing of
action and suspense with meaning and finished with a funny and serious
end. Afterwards, his trademark appears to the cops and the audience gets
the treatment that Batman has finally arrived to a high degree. This is
not a prequel or a sequel. It has nothing to do with the previous Batman
films really. It is a refreshing restart and has a more mysterious,
darker Batman story, which covers areas of the original Batman, but goes
much further in depth. There's less popular culture, digital effects,
and sharp villains here. The Scarecrow Crane and an unknown third party
are the key villains to watch for. The great scenery is not overly done
and Batman is smart and humorous as ever. The violence is not excessive
which had proficient sequences leading up to unclear fighting action as
well where little special effects were used. It sent out messages of
respect, humanity, and determination. In addition, the fighting scenes
didn't come up too frequently and relied on the writing and acting with
a reason behind it for the most part. The material in the story enhances
the content to eliminate the less animated appearances Batman films had
before. Thankfully, there is no Catwoman, Batgirl, or Robin to deliver
silly phrases and utterance. That's where Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox
and Cain as Alfred enter for support and comic. Michael Caine is perfect
as Alfred the butler and should be considered as a nominated supporting
actor here. It's safe to say the movie lives up to its hype with its
grand acting talents. The latest look has an entire new cast and forms
what probably could be the best acted adaptation from a comic. Bale
reinvents Bruce Wayne who is convincing to sell it. Holmes as Rachel
gets under the skin of the sophisticated criminals with questionings.
Murphy's portrayal as Doctor Crane was excellent. Neeson, who was robbed
from a nomination in Kinsey, still gains support from Film Prophet. He
fits in his role and resembles his Qui-Gon Jinn character in Star Wars
by teaching the wise arts to young Bruce in the beginning, but he is
much better here to aid his apprentice. The story also steadies the
screen time of the duties in the city with the cops, as Oldman is the
cop on Batman's side, reporters, the rich, criminals, civilians, and the
Arkhan Insane Asylum. "It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that
defines me." For Batman fans, this is the real deal.
Final Grade: A-
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Starring Ryan O'Neal, Leonard Rossiter, Marisa Berenson, Patrick Magee,
Leon Vitali
Film Prophet's Review...
During the Seven Years War featuring Britian and France, over three
hours of a cheerless storyline expresses the rise and fall of Barry
Lyndon's fortunes. The story barely peeks enlightening moments during
Barry's life, growing up in Britian in a very slow movie. The story
didn't devote within its character's past or capabilities. Rather, the
story just placed them in occasions during the time of dimness. Movies
using period pieces often take up time to make because of all the makeup
and the costume designs, which is a problem in particular to this film
because they put in the authentic effort and the end result didn't match
one bit. A technical movie does not mean it's a stirring experience.
There is no stamina in these characters, thus the likeability factor
isn't there. Unlike Stanley Kubrick's other movies that had a rhythm and
a message to human life, people least bring up this one when mentioning
him because of the unlikely performers. He never really used stars in
his films, but each performer in this film won't win over the viewers
because they all are tedious and each one often carries an absurdity, so
there is no sympathy for anyone. For example, the central character is
Barry who is a trouble maker who actively schemes and fights his way
through life. Plus, redcoats are often noted as the villains in other
films. Not only did the performers with terrible accents bombed, the
story was not interesting. There's a long drought before the story makes
any adjustments and the storyline was basically unchanging during its
non-adventures. The drama was neutral on behalf of either side and
nothing stood out. It's even more dull than Eyes Wide Shut and Kubrick
is well above this movie and it should never be among his trademark
films. The beginning of the story got off to a rocky start without a
thick storyline, and they didn't talk much and just gave stares. After
thirty minutes, I really wanted to enjoy this movie. However, there was
never a sign of suspense, laughs, or tension and I just wanted this
movie to finally end, which ended in a lackluster way. It dragged out a
long storyline that didn't have the quality to involve during the
scenes. No exciting action took place and for the battle scenes, they
were kept short all the time and the audience won't know who the
participating men were.... and then reoccurred the same way in an
insignificant approach. There were plenty of other reoccurring scenes
such as playing cards and one on one talks under a tent with a
candlelight. The romantic angle was a terrible setup, like the
instrumental scores, and it's not worth discussing it because nothing
memorable happens. The movie is quite possibly the worst Oscar nominated
movie ever made. Even if the seventies was the worst decade of films,
with the exceptions of a few big ones people should automatically know,
it was similar to the boring scale of How Green Was My Valley. After the
years of production in this movie, there had to be plenty of film.
Though, the editing needed to cut down a lot of those long camera views
of the faces and the pointless shootouts and fights just to entertain
the characters and not the audience. There's a sudden pause after every
lifeless line said. The editing also uses long gaps between the
exchangement of these lines. The dialogue's pacing was bad where they
try to grumble and get what they want and there is no satisfying
wellbeing interest. Part of Kubrick's message is that humans are pawns
and even if a person can change over time, unless an act occurs or
something is said, the film itself was dreadful. If I knew nothing about
the movie's background, my guesses at a director would be no where close
of picking Kubrick. There was a voice-over narration, which he never
uses and it doesn't add much insight. If it weren't for the credibility
of the director, this movie shall fall in shreds after collapsing.
Final Grade: D/F
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
Starring Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn, Adam Brody, Kerry
Washington
Film Prophet's Review...
Two married, professional assassins scrabble around for the first hour
of the movie and five or six years of a yielding marriage to figure out
who they exactly are. For that long, they've known nothing about each
other as they don't know each other's true careers and the movie slips
away week's worth of time within the story. The movie shoves action and
celebrity endurance together, teasing viewers that this movie might
actually be fine. Ignoring the countless explosions and the charming,
charismatic Pitt and Jolie, the importance of the storyline didn't have
changing dramatic events. The action became old and played out. John and
Jane Smith are a suburban couple with the same careers under different
agencies and the only thing they can discuss is dinner. They kid around
while trying to kill each other later without fear like they know they
can't be killed. They have offense struggles on each other, but not on
dozens of other attackers. They were more than just human; they were
unreal. Where great movies construct unreal moments into genuine valid
scenes that are believable and stand out, nothing in this movie is
special. The acting did however help out the one-liners if that. The
premise is miserable; why a marriage built on lies becomes flat and
uninteresting is not perceptive or stimulating. It's also hard to
support and cheer on assassins even if it is an action movie. There's a
scene where they are invited to a neighborhood party and they couldn't
really interact or socialize with other people well because they live on
a life of secrets and they are too hollow outside of their jobs and
sexual activities. The movie was indecisive when it didn't know what
parts of comedy, sincerity, or action to go with. Since it's an action
film, it tends to have a comedy relief character, but Vaughn was not
funny. There was no laughter in this movie. The silly action stuff was
brainless and exhausted afterwards by inane dialogue with no long
sentences followed by steamy love scenes with no fortitude. The entire
movie was exaggerated and crude, with abrupt conclusions, and it came
across more plot holes than any other movie in recent time. Just
re-thinking back on them and writing them out would be a squander and
elongated like the movie was. They never tried to kill each other when
they had a clear chance, it didn't show how Jane escaped in the desert
when John shoots her dwelling with a big rocket launcher, no convincing
reason behind these assassins, the bosses hide and thus the film has an
unrecognizable villain, and the writers managed to wreck a fun plot with
two or three popular performers to make an unfunny blockbuster film.
There was more joy in After the Sunset with Brosnan and Hayek. The
themes of action, marriage failing, and trying to kill each other were
all quite depressing and it outweighs the fun factor that was too plain.
The thought of having violence within the marriage is uncomfortable,
especially when they were boring people with nothing engaging to declare
who didn't have talents other than their looks and the skill to possess
a weapon. A marriage needs more than just sexual chemistry and a movie
needs more than people getting caught up in the stars.
Final Grade: C-/D
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Starring Johnny Depp, Dianne West, Winona Ryder, Kathy Baker, Anthony
Michael Hall
Film Prophet's Review...
An old inventor who has all the right parts for a body, with an
exception of a pair of hands, assembled a synthetic young man named
Edward Scissorhands with multiple scissors as his hands. He is an
outsider who could be a horror icon, except director Tim Burton decides
not to use the character like that. He is found by a mother in a dark
castle in a cool, gothic style placed in a suburban area, and brings him
to her home where she plans to help him with his complexion and his
sharp fingers. The beauty of having a home in a nice neighborhood is
pleasantly a great sense, including the nosy, over-caring, bullies, or
helpful people. The movie put both Tim Burton, as a gifted director, and
Johnny Depp on the map, creating a warming sensation. Depp has
compassion for his character using a gentle soul presuming tragic,
misfortune, and innocence in a change of living. His creepy striking
appearance and the makeup was very effective on him. The film sometimes
relies on the heavy visual scenery and doesn't have a true plot until
Edward's frailties happen, like something he can't get because of his
hands such as picking up food or putting clothes on, and viewers see he
is unable to do some things people take for granted, with a sad, great
moral. Some people in the story will like him and other people will be
unkind and mock him because he is different and Burton shows this
through examples within two hourly time frames that all people are
different in a way if not physically. Edward is incapable of some
things, but not incapable of trying to blend in. Other than that,
nothing else goes towards the plot for an hour. The first hour was about
him becoming popular with his special, mechanical talents through his
hands. The viewers get to see this by means of gardening, cutting hair,
slicing, and trimming. The second half has a sincere inner person spirit
that's special. Burton has a bunch of traditional themes that can be
guessed using predictability in the characters, who show more love than
hate in the first half. It has its flaws; embodied too much in Edward
where the ones around him are normal and conventional, the boyfriend's
motive of hate, inventor's reason behind the scissors, and some other
blemishes can be seen. However, the magic behind the movie is Danny
Elfman's ability to compose one breathtaking theme tune, similar to the
one in The Polar Express by Alan Silvestri, with the music portraying
the tragedy, sadness, and clever action within the final sequences. The
best moments are when Edward's love slowly wins over Winona's
character's heart. When she asks him to hold her and he says he can't,
it is sensitively powerful, releasing Depp's talents, and at long last,
the society was not truly ready for Edward.
Final Grade: B+/B
Manhattan (1979)
Starring Woody Allen, Mariel Hemingway, Diane Keaton, Michael Murphy,
Meryl Streep
Film Prophet's Review...
The main storyline is between a forty-two year old comedy writer Issac,
Allen, and a seventeen year old woman named Tracy, Hemingway, in a
search for love. Allen's character is there when a character starts
because without him being there, the person will seem unimportant.
Through his open and close mind on certain dilemmas, his character has
flaws who is controlling, but people around him like him. With the
beautiful dialogue, Allen is still likable, very relatable, and has the
energy and his uncompromised disagreements with people are yet agreeable
on moral issues. The story has a few intellectual, complex relationships
such as an age difference being one, a marriage affair, and denoting to
the same sex, each of whom had mistakes. There's a scene where Issac and
Tracy are chatting with another couple, Keaton and Murphy's characters,
and the age difference shows with Tracy when she doesn't speak during a
highly educated conversation, though she is very educated herself at her
age. There's also a great shot during a symphony of Issac and his friend
checking each other's moves out on their women in an uncomfortable row.
They also are in an unique scene at a racquet court talking about their
relationships, which has become an ideal setting for comedies. Nowadays,
comedies gear towards the adolescent crowd where the adult comedies tend
to sink, except Sideways. This movie is not a sequel of any kind to
Annie Hall. Annie Hall is funnier and more interesting, but the shadowy
cinematography is a little prettier in Manhattan. Precious New York City
is pictured in black and white for the whole film with still images
right at the end and beginning trying to fit all the culture it can into
one story. Manhattan the city is about the difficulty of living in a
city one loves without an income. It uses the feature of its setting to
an effect with Gershwin's beautiful and perfect musical score, conveying
a totally new meaning to the film. The acting was a phenomenon itself.
Streep has a minor illustrious role as Allen's lesbian ex-wife, Wallace
Shawn has his first big scene, and everyone tops romantic comedy acting
here. The smart dialogue in their lines are influential, carrying a
message that maturity may mean skepticism. Just one part of the film I
had a problem with which was near the start where it pictured a zoomed
out camera view of an apartment where the camera sits there for a couple
minutes when the two people in the scene only take up no more than ten
perfect of the area on the screen and this could cause the viewer to be
absent from the story. "You rely too much on your brain. The brain is
the most over-rated organ, I think." The best moments are when the
script grasps into conversations gripped with opinion-based rundowns,
exploring beliefs on life issues, socializing freedom of speech, with
views on modern society like arts, television, and books. The characters
create an honesty of speaking one's mind no matter what the opposing
people think, with each line still capable of hilarity. Each character
through fidelity has a human instinct to find someone to love no matter
what the consequences are. "You're a kid, you don't know what love
means. I don't know what it means, nobody out there knows what the hells
going on." A great scene comes about ten minutes before the end between
Issac and his friend in a classroom before a chilling ending. The themes
of people are just people aging naturally and the layers of dramatic and
comedy elements are a compelling mix in this story flow between the
adultery affairs that's in the end about a life worth living.
Final Grade: A/A-
Annie Hall (1977)
Starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane, Shelley
Duvall, Christopher Walken
Film Prophet's Review...
Hostile, quirky, neurotic, hyper unwed New York Jewish comedian Alvy
Singer, Allen, falls in love with a hasty diner singer Annie Hall,
Keaton, after a tennis match. Annie Hall is the titled after the female
lead and not after Woody's disappointments, frustrations, and
loneliness. The two get to know each other through a series of jousting,
and eventually decide to live together, and they start to have problems
over the course of the movie. Woody's narrative aspect is very honest
and clever and his one on one work with supporting performers is also a
smile and a laugh. He's a triple threat - directed, wrote, and starred.
The scenarios are sudden and highly entertaining, especially when he
arrives in Beverly Hills and the lines he says are completely
sensational. Allen as Alvy Singer reflects on his past uncommitted
relationships he has had and what went wrong, as him and Annie position
themselves back in flashbacks with personal notes. The movie is
hilarious from the beginning and during the whole film with fast and
proper transitions, opening its characters with ease bordering
perfection. Allen grabs attention with his endearing dialogue that's
realistic and humorous. Like the movie, he is full of enthusiasm and
energy. The screenplay is the best feature here as it's convincing,
witty, funny, especially where Allen applies comic routines in a
paranoid way, sweet, and romantic fitting into a complete all-around
movie where every line is special. A lineup of some of the memorable
lines - Don't be silly, what do we need other people for... what is this
an interview, we are supposed to be making love... I love being reduced
to a cultural stereotype... adult education is such junk, the professors
are so phony. One of the funny parts is when Annie and Alvy are standing
in a long movie line and the man behind them talks to his female
companion assessing the movie with his opinion he saw that Annie and
Alvy are about to see, and the camera work showing the ignorant
expressions and the annoyance of it all are priceless and very truthful
and relatable. The movie is made in a way that Woody Allen wants his
audience to remember him for his playful personality and themes in his
jokes. The movie is rich, refreshing, and original, yet familiar. It is
an inspiring landmark, hence success of American Splendor or a failure
of Before Sunset. The contemporary and modern film has a great sense of
the time frame capturing the generation well, and it still works for any
year to be seen in. The intelligent comedy that won best Oscar picture
shows the fun, academy winning Diane Keaton and not the one who appeared
in Reds. The acting is impressive and they say their lines with
personality and create an enjoying mood. The breakthrough film for Allen
didn't need popular music in the background because the dialogue was
already effective like the chemistry between Keaton and Allen. The chats
are excellent in the change of conversation from a comical hectic stance
to a serious, smart talk. Its comical on the intellect on sports,
politics, entertainment, and economics monologue with big words and
phrases where Allen criticizes people's views. The consistency of the
humor is attractive and paces with a great deal of viewer satisfaction.
Viewers witness all kinds of experiences that viewers will care for
Annie and Alvy at that. The best great love during one's entire life may
only last a few moments.
Final Grade: A+/A
The Seventh Seal (1957)
Starring Max von Sydow, Bengt Ekerot, Bibi Andersson, Inga Landgre
Film Prophet's Review...
Ingmar Bergman received an honorable grade from Film Prophet for his
work in Wild Strawberries, which was nothing short of brilliant, as this
movie is considered his top two most high quality works. Probing human
relationships and the struggle with one's self, set in the medieval
times after two men come back from the Crusades during the black plague,
Antonius Block, a knight, is confronted by Death himself in a Swedish
black and white film with a cerebral tone. Block takes on the shadowy,
hooded figure, Death, at a game of cheese. If Block wins, he gets to
keep his life and survive a bit longer, for the time being. Resuming the
match during the film, Block has this on-going game of chess with Death,
which has become such a reference and often repeated in other films.
Bergman uses this to not only personify death, but to illustrate how one
person will try to avoid it. His sights are beautiful, crafted, and
invested with imagery, where Hitchcock proved to be the master of
suspense, Bergman is the master of symbolism through his artwork. The
existence of Death, for example, is nothing more than a symbol for human
weakness. The perception and imagery can be strong enough when presented
with scrutiny. The music score relieved the quiet moments and the film
was dark, unhurried, and has images over talk to describe the mood. Over
half of the film, the audience will never see anyone really dying. There
are no examples and it was too general for a while. The film's scene
cuts are unanswered and disregarded as to how someone flowed to the next
scene. The dialogue did hardly anything interesting during some parts.
Also, certain areas of the film doesn't stick to the story with a value
and moves off the subject with slow useless events that do not connect
to the real story that's more relevant and hammered in Wild Strawberries
with a bigger impact. Unlike that movie, there wasn't really a center
important character in this, despite Block's chess match that was
featured in different spots. In Block's search for answers, he meets a
variety of intellectual characters, each with their own outlook on life,
love, and death. Engaging in several of them, the film loosens up and
goes off topic and away from the Death character. Though, Bergman is
excellent at magnifying human frailties as people are nothing special in
the movie, some disbelievers of God hide their failures and sins with
imprudent entertainment and worthless moments and conversations in their
lives. The looming death exemplifies that life is meaningless,
filled with doubts, insolence to authority, and it's not easy to surpass
despair. Death is a much better player than any human and Death will win
somehow in the end. People cannot escape death; it's the only thing that
is certain in life.
Final Grade: B+/B
Gattaca (1997)
Starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Tony Shalhoub
Film Prophet's Review...
First came to mind was the interesting casting selections for the lead
roles. Until recently, the three main leading performers faded away
after this movie for a few years because the movie probably jaded
themselves out.... just dry storytelling overall and needed help in most
if not all of the areas of the film. It's pitiable; the viewer will be
uncommitted to the plot. About it, an ordinary man uses everyday
techniques to change what mankind has provided the world in a society in
the future that doesn't even appear as the future. He holds a position
at a corporation called Gattaca which elevates its most qualified
employees for space exploration, and in the process, the movie is too
dull to go along. The movie does not explain scientific technological
elaborations as it shows various instruments used in genetics without a
descriptive explanation and meaning behind them. Furthermore, the
picture blends in the same couple of colors on screen in a subdued
lighting that can be listless to visualize and also lackluster to see
the same boring facial looks all the time in front of it as if everyone
in the movie had the same persona. Provided with the man's narration and
opinions on his own life growing up on science, he explains the social
commentary on an aerospace corporation in an unexciting manner. For this
movie, it was pointless to endeavor in an individual evolution with
flashbacks because it forgets to breathe life into its own characters.
None of the characters were likable and all of them were boring with no
personality or humor. When the script does give the characters to
express one's self, they get annoying when they actually speak up to
each other, especially the takes between Law and Hawke which were quite
queer. Hawke also has a custom to be nervous in his chemistry with
female co-stars, refer to Before Sunset. Even so, the characters were
underdeveloped with no continuity in the direction. The performers did
little to captivate one's interest any of the time. The problem is that
there was no individualism in these characters, though the movie tries
to be its own self, but it just sits there motionless for a couple hours
with a non-educational presentation of a theme that drags on without
sharp or appealing conversations and procedures. The sound transitions
were awful, the drama was absent, the writing was dehydrated to a point
where the plot had no guideline at all. The story went slow riding on no
energy and it never progressed into any real conflict. There aren't any
fine examples of scenes to explain of an incident because the scenes had
unexciting, futile events that were setup unproductively. The writers
expressed a message over entertainment conducted by an inability for
storytelling and there's a dubious reason for an execution of this
story. The theme doesn't reach out and teach an important lesson like it
pursues through its science realms. The movie had a marginal idea, but
it failed to accomplish a fair entertaining style.
Final Grade: D/F
Cinderella Man (2005)
Starring Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Paddy Considine,
Bruce McGill, Craig Bierko
Film Prophet's Review...
Before there was Muhammad Ali, there was Jim Braddock. Most people have
no idea who Jim Braddock is until now... perhaps the most undervalued
uplifting hero America has seen. The movie tells a true tale during the
Depression about an aging boxer who makes a comeback and puts his family
first in need of money and eventually turns heads. Boxing was the
official American sport during the Depression basically and this movie
makes boxing more entertaining than it is to watch live. The
choreography of the fights seemed predictable in an outcome, but what
sums up is what occurs during the fights where the audience feels the
pain from Braddock and every swing and there's a tear jerking scene
after another in the movie. American cinema has recently witnessed two
great boxing films recently with Million Dollar Baby the other and this
movie makes the Rocky series look like a pile of dirt. It also knockouts
a favorite movie, Seabiscuit, for a Depression era film and its more
stimulating than the dull Ali movie. It has a more profound supporting
cast than Rocky ever had, everyone's acting is consuming, the true
story's importance and incidents own more of a cause, the right scenes
came at the right time, and Zellweger's role is far more compelling than
Talia Shia's. She acts as the archetypal supportive wife who stays home
with three kids and prays for the wellbeing. Thomas Newman also supplies
a truly gifted score once again. The cinematography in New York City and
at Madison Square Garden was stunning from all points of views. Targeted
for a mature audience, the pacing in the beginning opens the movie with
realism and superior acting that advances the script and the dialogue
triumphs where it counts. Braddock fights back for his family and
enriches the town's people through disappointing times. The movie
reminds people of Hollywood at its finest. The time detail was sincere,
where in a character behind a superb story, he was a smart prizefighter
who couldn't afford heating any longer and tried to get a job at the
docks every day. As an underdog, he is given a second chance and he ends
up becoming quite famous in the process, eventually going up against
champ Max Baer, which I might add is the greatest boxing match in a
movie. Last time director Ron Howard and actor Crowe worked together in
the same film, it was A Beautiful Mind which happened to do fairly well
picking up best Oscar picture. This was the first movie that I came in
actually liking Crowe and rooting for him to do well as I've had a
history of not doing so. The scene where he begs softly through urgency
and despair in an office at the garden after the down times was so
extensive and heartfelt that it turned out to be the best scene in the
movie. Howard uses excellent angles for different perspectives from the
population and puts the audience in the affection and core of an
American eager for optimism. At times, he cuts to standout Paul Giamatti
near the ring as Braddock's manager who compels tense emotions to the
audience by taunting and yelling with startling facial expression during
Braddock's fights. He also says hilarious lines and gazes during his
chemistry with Crowe. Howard also smartly switches the camera vision
during the final fight from the radio, to the church, to the ring
surrounding, to his family, to his manager, to the working class in a
bar, to the people in the stands, providing the most powerful element in
the film, the blaring crowd. When Braddock is hit, the movie leaves the
viewer out in the cold to take a breath to grasp that his spirit and
showmanship never fully takes him out of any match in the ring.
Final Grade: A/A-
The Longest Yard (2005)
Starring Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds, James Cromwell,
Michael Irvin, Nelly, Steve Austin
Film Prophet's Review...
It's not easy to find a motivating comedy these years, though this movie
has the stuff for it to be and it's around an exciting contest of a
football game between convicts and their prison guards. One night, Paul,
Sandler, a faded NFL quarterback MVP, gets arrested for drunk driving
and smashing into police cars gets sent to prison specifically requested
by a Texas warden, Cromwell, who knows of Paul's past football awareness
so he can organize a team of inmates against his prison guards to get
them ready for league play. The football picture's timing is very well
when the season is not even underway and fans of the game want to see
some of it. The prison has some misfits, comical characters, large men,
and no female convicts. The guards are typical in prison areas of films
where they're trying to be all hard and this encourages Paul to recruit
for more big heated guys who dislike the guards as a reason to join his
team for one game. One of the finest points of the movie is that there's
an actual villain, the deceitful warden of the prison, who creates a
harsher attitude towards the game each new scene he appears in releasing
anger to the cons who keep their cool because the audience knows the
cons will get their payback greatly. Men smacking each other around is
so vicious yet awesome to watch determined from the ruthless storyline.
It's not a great movie, but it has some silly entertainment with the
usual scenarios of lines and laughter from Sandler and Rock. For the
combination of both in one movie with celebrities like Nelly, Kevin
Nash, Goldberg, and all the other wrestling, rapper, and football
personalities as guests control their parts to formulate enough to reach
the end zone. It contains some black humor, the best part is the guy who
has secrets with getting McDonald's sandwiches, and very tough violent
drama, but the themes are related to the ideal matter of other football
movies like The Replacements and Little Giants... that one final game...
it is very hyped with speeches, rivals, new friendships, and changing
moments before and within the game, with Chris Berman at commentary, as
a climax itself. Through the inspiration for one to be noble and decent,
it's meant to be funny and dim-witted because people don't laugh at
serious films most of the time. Sandler and Rock absolutely beat the
teaming of Stiller and Black in Envy and the last line in this movie
ends it agreeably.
Final Grade: B-
Brazil (1985)
Starring Jonathan Pryce, Ian Holm, Katherine Helmond, Jim Broadbent,
Robert De Niro, Kim Greist
Film Prophet's Review...
When De Niro movies come to mind, often people will leave this one out
and thank decency on that one... this is because he appears no more than
ten minutes in a forgettable role. Directed by the comedic Terry
Gilliam, the interpretation of his creative style will leave a lot of
people contemplating his science-fiction parody of past socialistic
films in a technological medicine society. The movie's fantasy world is
painful and misery that is unbelievable. The propaganda it uses is
different to the average worker in society who are powerless oppressed
by machines and fantasized by law enforcers. Gilliam's attempted genius
surfaces the strange and surreal reach such when odd things blast when
the viewers will least expect it with an amazing musical score when it's
around to start the movie. Somehow, there's an actual cult base from the
movie and sometimes the set decoration can be visually breathtaking and
uncommon to comprehend too. It undertakes terrorism and a fear
complexity that's hard to describe everything that goes on within the
film verbally and visually. One may ask what Brazil is actually about.
Well, it's about imagination, pursuing dreams within a dream, and
victimizing it. It became a great film accomplishment to the cult
retro-world of irrationality. The worst part about it is that the script
diminishes the whole movie, which is probably over two-hundred pages
long and with all the details, it may be more, but the dialogue is
terrible on route to boredom for over two hours. The sound effects and
makeup is bizarre and adds to the overall eerie presentation. If the
dialogue was somewhat compelling and convincing to the ear, this maybe
would have been a pleasing picture. It's too ultra-opinionated with
radical views on nothing for it to make any clear sense of the story
that doesn't flow in any direction at all. Sometimes I'd raise an
eyebrow often from confusion about the characters and their occupations
because of their sporadic screen time and meaningfulness to the story
that's not apparent. It wants to be spicy, but there's not enough juice
behind it and keeps at it for too long. It tries to make a valuable
lesson about consumers through utterly dull pace that's not entertaining
and didn't live up to the start. The movie is definitely among the
weirdest films ever made. Like in the movie Reds, the mood is regularly
quiet and full of nonsense. Even worse, the uncharismatic cast failed to
act a lucid metaphor that strong films typically carry to communicate to
the audience. The hypnotic movie is bloated, overdone, and super boring
that struggles to keep interest and it's barely viewable. The entire
dialogue is pointless and can be ignored as the movie continually
stretches out to infinite.
Final Grade: D
Roman Holiday (1953)
Starring Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, Eddie Albert, Hartley Power
Film Prophet's Review...
William Wyler, who has directed many fabulous pictures, has tested each
film genre as this one received an exceptional ten Academy award
nominations for a comedy, a true comedy, with Hepburn winning her first
and only Oscar who becomes an ultimate icon for all females. The woman
in the story is a spoiled princess, but she doesn't want to be, and the
man comes in her life and tries to connect her to the real fun world
outside from her royal daily scheduling. The heroine is played by Audrey
Hepburn, who was credibly the most famous female star in romance-fantasy
films, plays a modern-day princess whose overwhelm with her little
duties all the time in her hectic schedule with people treating her
older than her age. When she runs away one night, the princess on the
loose falls into the right arms of a reporter, Peck, looking for a big
story, a typical prototype character used in most movies then. I can't
say enough for the plot because not much material takes place within two
nights, but its realistic lines and timing of dialogue comes at a normal
pace of idealism, but middling for the average movie in the first hour where Wyler
has a knack for some patient scenes who still adds the key components
of both comedic and tender scenes to off-set them to make a great story.
The cinematography of the artificial city of Rome hits a grand slam as
well. The movie reflects the gender caste situations and allegories
comparable with a pair of top stars and with the movie, It Happened One
Night, Film Prophet's greatest romantic comedy movie of all-time. On a
movie history scale, the movie fits right in the center of the timeline
in between the old and new generations of film for the genre. It used
some cliché references films had before and other films after it have
imitated its schematic design as it grows into a cornerstone film. The
reporter, who supposedly happens to have an interview with her, doesn't
even know what she looks like and she is in the newspapers and even in
his bedroom and pretends to be ignorant of her identity, and Eddie
Albert plays a hilarious sidekick in this. The story sends off a subtle
bittersweet reaction without viewer's having to think really hard
because almost everything is inherent. It's entertaining during the
humor moments where the princess experiences the outer walls of Rome in
priceless memories. The tremendous exit ending is very sharp and
flawless that leaves the film on its most memorable sequence... it's
superlative all the way through the stirring and inducing final scene
shots.
Final Grade: A-/B+
The Trouble with Harry (1955)
Starring Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, Royal Dano, Shirley MacLaine
Film Prophet's Review...
The Trouble with Harry is a group of people are irresolute of what to do
with Harry's dead body just laying in the woods and making sure it won't
be found. In this Hitchcock movie, it won't ever be considered in his
top ten creations of film. The casting did not use a well known name for
the titled roles, which when his movie uses the same performers like
Grant or Stewart, those are the movies that stick out the most from his
collection. The setting takes place in a very small rural town during an
autumn season where it has a great opening standard setup to the plot,
but afterwards, the acting plummets apart when the unsavorily script has
the actors talking to themselves on what they're doing when it's really
unnecessary. The people in the town were the weak link who are a more
older set and they're incapable of handling responsibility alone. The
death stated was careless from a human error and no one knows about it.
The first two people who see his dead people are not truly shocked at
all, mainly because they were both old. The story doesn't have a real
villain because the murder was hasty. The strange characters don't have
the type of stamina and charisma that's presented in Hitchcock's other
work of films. The exposition of random people of the area just walk
around involuntarily completely dumbfounded with little common sense.
They are goofy and just stumble upon the dead body, but don't report it
and this shows how a society like this one dealt with the social
circumstances... very drowsy, decentralized, and unintelligent. The old
man who first came across him calls himself a captain and begins many
talks with himself that are more apparent of many things in this movie
that shriek from an enclave script that misses a significant purpose of
why viewers would be keen to the story and characters. The music is more
meant to be a silly tone than an usual suspense tone, but the jokes are
often insipid and don't bring any quality kicks or even humor. The story
was way too effortless avoiding any solutions and there was too much to
fill in one ending. Nothing unique was delivered arranged on no path of
intention. Out of focus were the characters' motivations and emotions.
It was completely an impractical story with a group of folks who kept
burying and digging up a dead guy and just hide behind some tree long
and watch it go on. Their communications are meager for such a small dim
quiet town. Through all of Hitchcock's enlightening movies, this one is
on the bottom of the chart being so lifeless.
Final Grade: C-/C
Dark City (1998)
Starring Rufus Sewell, Kiefer Sutherland, William Hurt, Jennifer
Connelly, Richard O'Brien
Film Prophet's Review...
A remarkable experimental movie mixing the current science fiction genre
with an odd surrealistic noir style environment, relevant by the cars,
structure, and dress, that has an edgy, creepy, twisted gothic style of
darkness combined with strangely modern visualization in it. The plot
starts where a man wakes up and is accused of murder being forced to
explore the underside of his city and realizing something is very wrong
with the universe when memories don't add up. He finds out his life
turns into horror - a man waking up to find out he is wanted for murder
and he doesn't even know himself. He doesn't remember in this alter
reality where several guys in trench coats are after him. His memory is
gone and this makes the viewers also clueless during his experience of
confusion and truth as to what's to come leaving the plot open to
proceed. The staging presence of evil in reality is the main source of
the film, besides the fear of cops and the strange incidence of never
knowing which people relating around him know what happened or are there
to help or lie. The evil powers are unsettling and the viewers are there
along with the guy to witness evil changing and stopping the underworld
in a fantasy fabrication on past memories, and the injection and
switching of those memories are as inciting as it gets. It's puzzling as
Requiem for a Dream in greater fashion than Blue Velvet with an adultery
version of Donnie Darko and it's just a plan philosophically freaky
neo-noir film. Overall the setting is very dark when the skies are black
and the sun is never out during the film. The mystifying musical score
is tailored very well as times of images. Connelly's character is
beautiful and enduring, but sometimes was under-used, and all the
performers got into their characters to make them authentic as they
could hiding their cold emotions. It's almost like The Matrix without
the fighting effects and it's among the best and first of movies dealing
with fooling around with memories. The provoking dialogue by the
doctor's part on human subsistence satisfies the story - Are we more
than just the sum of our experiences...
Final Grade: B+/B
Animal Crackers (1930)
Starring Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Zeppo Marx, Lillian Roth,
Margaret Dumont
Film Prophet's Review...
The Marx brothers had an essence of their genius to provide spontaneous
comedy. They stick to the same formula by using the short and simple
plot where comedies struggle today when they get into the plot too much
and it messes the comedy while there is less laughter during the weakly
designed intricacy. I also like how the brothers keep their main cast,
with the cast mentioned above, intact surrounding brand new hilarious
ideas and the quotes from Groucho in various scenes and images are
bright and marvelous. The scene that starts with the quote, 'we three
would make an ideal couple,' is absolutely the best Groucho scene in the
film. As always when he is on screen, he makes the whole attitude of the
film much better with his presence and the ability to say a funny line
where people around him don't laugh makes it better too, including to
work with the foe and a memorize long dialect. Lillian Roth is very cute
and it's a shame she wasn't in more big movies. In the brothers' first
classic, it's a comedy about an art theft being investigated by a
Captain Spaulding, played by Groucho. Some incidents in the film are
relevant that the film shows its age of comedy, such as shooting a BB
air powered shotgun in a public place, apologizing for jokes, dressing
to a social party, and many more. At times before the end of the film,
it's shown it is certainly not their best work where the singing starts
and when its dialogue is not funny, its usually slow without any of the
Marx brothers in them. Right in the middle it almost gets tedious and
loses its touch with the crowd. Thankfully, the brothers turn that right
around in the following scenes. Though, they talk about a stolen
painting then and do nothing about it really, it's also not a great
example to watch as their first film. The settings rarely change and
it's originally from a Broadway musical so the stage ballroom remains in
most scenes. Even if the film is not top three of their well known work,
it's continuously fun and entertaining to watch a Marx brothers film.
They will permanently be the best at creating an intelligent comedy with
zany slapstick dialogue every minute with their own personality and
style in it.
Final Grade: B-
House of Wax (2005)
Starring Chad Michael Murray, Elisha Cuthbert, Brian Van Holt, Paris
Hilton, Robert Ri'chard
Film Prophet's Review...
Along with the gruesome human bodies in wax element, the story focuses
on a group of college teens on their way to a football game who decide
to camp out for the night and eventually fall prey to a couple of
demented killers who like encasing their victims in wax. The movie has
an usual straightforward orthodox storyline when a car breaks down which
leads them to wander to a vacant town to be preyed on. In a movie era
where gore and teenager thrillers run the horror genre, it's gloomy to
perceive young people growing up on the mindless effects during an easy
premise that's been used many times under different circumstances.
Though, the dialogue does a fair job on capturing what college kids
would say and do under disturbing scenarios. The acts are also
reasonable, and one of the lines are, 'you are so afraid to take things
seriously' in between the arguments and immaturity for the first few
scenes, as these films like to start off that way. I do like the casting
choices with Buffalo native Chad Michael Murray, a top favorite actress
Cuthbert, Hilton's attractiveness going the distance, and the idea of
having horror taken place in a Wax museum, a fun place to visit, even if
it is teenage remake with a first time director, is very neat. There are
some scenes of alienation that quite don't cause panic viewers would
want because the scenes preceding were boring where little occurred.
Other times they aren't as it gets scary when they figure out what's
going on. The design of the film is to scare afterwards with acts in
which will make the average person cower. It has the felons who tease
them with sadism in alarming areas. There are a few eerie moments such
as peeling human skin, a melting and gooey hot wax mood, super gluing
lips, and just the process of waxing humans alive is forbidding to be
that victim. The parts with Cuthbert and Murray rise to the occasion. I
felt their amazing performances during the second half where Murray was
ruthless and awesome against the killers and Cuthbert was talented. A
movie to chill to that gives little chills to the viewer in certain
fractions of the film... however, it tops other recent applicable films
like Cabin Fever, Saw, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with a stunning
scene of the house burning and a surprising ending.
Final Grade: C/C+
How Green Was My Valley (1941)
Starring Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara, Donald Crisp, Sara Allgood
Film Prophet's Review...
John Ford's first huge achievement it is, as it was up for numerous
Oscars including a win for best picture against The Maltese Falcon and
Citizen Kane, wow, but it might go down as the worst best picture
winner. I was worried it was going to fall to this. The movie was full
of an unclear narrative voice expressing a point of view on a family who
grew up by a coal mine scene by scene as if it were a book cassette. It
tries to reflect the period of time during the second World War of a
working family at odds of faith, loyalty, education, and family where
people struggle with little tasks. The story starts off slowly
primordially and it never improves as it always lingers. It shows the
everyday life with the setbacks and the enjoyments through the stressful
community in Wales. People had to entertain themselves through singing,
though they sing in a large group where the viewer can't make out the
words. The sound quality is terrible and the voices are gentle and when
the singing comes to an abrupt, the sound becomes out of proportion
being too loud and trivial over the normal level voices. The singing
just interrupts any flow to the story without a stability of
conversations, drama, or a great musical score. In a film perspective
outside of what the story told, it is unmoving unlike the typical
American classic, maybe because the novel was adapted so defectively to
the screenplay. I waited for the tale to bolster, but I didn't care for
one second for any of the characters as it does not point out a feature
standout. The plot is vague, nothing stirring occurs, nothing is
memorable, and it was a bit indistinctive. The nostalgic storytelling
was soft and less appealing than expected on a cold attempt at being
poetic. The story is fairly outdated that wouldn't give anyone today a
thought like great past-time movies would as the movie faded away likes
it characters. Finer examples of the thematic sub-category are Blow,
Giant, October Sky, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. The heroine was
unimportant and there were really boring conflicts to make an
uninteresting movie. It was so unfortunate at a point where I almost
forgot what it took for a movie to be triumphant.
Final Grade: D/C-
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Starring Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Ian McDiarmid, Natalie
Portman, Samuel L. Jackson
Film Prophet's Review...
The profitable and entertaining sci-fi adventurous film is the third
chapter and final episode of the six Star Wars films, making the series
finally complete. After three years of fighting in the Clone Wars, in a
time where Jedis existed and soon to crumble, the Jedi Council
dispatches Obi-Wan Kenobi to bring the deadly leader of the Separatist
droid army to justice. Meanwhile, Chancellor Palpatine has grown in
power during his sweeping political transformation of the war into an
Empire and reveals his true nature of power to Anakin Skywalker in an
attempt to lure him to the dark side. The dark story's main storyline is
about how young Anakin is seduced into the dark side by temptation and
trust and his questionable betrayal to the Jedi and master Obi-Wan puts
his marriage at venture. Throughout the movie, he releases his anger
more and more to the irresistible conversion to Vader and the more
powerful evil dark side of the alliance, the evil counterparts to the
Jedi Republic, and it is truly the most personal Star Wars tale ever.
Director and writer George Lucas vastly improved his direction from the
previous two movies to cut down the long scientific and diplomatic
talks, exposed in Episode II, removed the annoying little creatures it
had in The Phantom Menace, shrinks the time of Jar Jar Binks, reduces
instant hologram communication occasions, removes a weak beginning to a
weak start, and a villain who hardly did anything in Dark Maul. Much
better performances releasing tension this time around where a new
generation of actors play an older set to the story, keeping John
Williams and his wonderful score around. The laser guns and swords, also
known as the best weapon in all of movies as the lightsaber, the weapon
of Jedi knight, are in tact. For some reason, I didn't notice the unique
scene transition fades and wipes it had in the other five films. Yet, in
each episode, there is the notion of lines like, 'don't underestimate
the force,' and with all the memorable scenes and quotes in the
originals, the best quote in this movie is when Padme says, 'this is how
truth dies... to thunderous applause.' The episodes launch with a quick
action sequence with a minor conflict and life at stake followed by the
plot being laid down, and an extensive super action finale with
well-timed special effects. The choreography excels at its best with not
the technological explosions, rather with lightsaber battles in tight
and thin spaces such as on a beam above flowing lava and trapped and
out-numbered in a small room or elevator. The individual one on one
duels grips the audience for rival tautness and a new villain in the
movie, General Grievous, turns out to have the most exhilarating duel
contest. What the original Star Wars had that the prequels don't have
are steady heroes and a central villain. That's what made them so
special where fans got to see the undertake of a heroic adventure where
it can also work in the dialogue department, and in this movie, some
feeble lines were said. Common error the fans would want is to downgrade
the special effects and science and what they will see is that the
spaceships look better than the ones in the originals even though it
took place before. The planets are computerized too to its advantage in
an intellect burden. However, it all adds to the vibe the film presents.
The drama builds before heading into light speed to the last quarter
with an attack of sadness and excitement at once. Amazing plot turns and
new discoveries that fans already know with intriguing character
relationships and unplanned breakdowns happen, leading to character
struggles where Mace Windu loses trust in Anakin and Padme is pregnant
and becomes worried about her husband and the Republic, each drifting
away from her. While the plot is going on, the viewer has time to look
at all the work the artists did on the art decoration and setting so
fans can appreciate it in a close. The visual presentation wraps
everything the best it can do and won't disappoint, despite the
improvement over the originals. Most of the beauty in this film lies to
Anakin's tragic choice and seeing how Obi-Wan and Yoda handle it is
dazzling. The audience will be in a mindset of re-thinking past and
future events in the movies and how all the pieces are assembled into
one finished puzzle. The transformation to one episode to the next will
still be a new experience with electricity. It is important to
understand the episodes ensue evolution and it is startling, and will
forever be, to remember how far the progress of the story went in each
episode and who was there and who wasn't with all the Jedi sacrifices in
the greatest saga ever told on screen... weaving its characters through
six two hour movies is just as daunting and infatuating to trace back
the storyline in our heads.
Final Grade: A-
Crash (2005)
Starring Matt Dillon, Terrence Dashon Howard, Don Cheadle, Ludacris,
Ryan Phillippe, Sandra Bullock
Film Prophet's Review...
A housewife and her detective husband, a Persian store owner and a
locksmith, two police cops where one cop messes and screws with the
innocent, a black television director and his wife, two black
car-jackers, and others all live in Los Angeles and in less than two
days, they will all crash. The script focuses solely on its characters
performed by recognizable actors and actresses, and their relations with
people around them. I enjoyed seeing Ryan Phillippe once again and Matt
Dillon captivates the audience during his first few scenes and it felt
like he was going to knock everyone down... that's how well he made his
character to be. Though, the movie is more of a ride to the characters
than it is to the audience. There's a couple minor comical lines that
make sense, but when the script falls back on family values, it becomes
boring and slow with slighter acting. Sometimes, there is the occasional
slow scene, where a father talks to his daughter, with uncomfortable
ideas of resentment and intolerance. At times the melodrama hits at its
highest, they perform loudly and uncomfortably. It pities criminal's
loneliness and embarrassment. Conversely, the logic of the dialogue may
be too strong and people realistically probably don't speak this way.
The intense racial loathing and confusion plagues the city, the story,
and even the movie. It elevates racism and ignorance in the script
that's better than what most people tend to watch today. It holds an
in-depth exploration on the themes of prejudice and black criminal and
non-criminal racism, but I doubt Los Angeles has this must racism
anymore as it could be a slap to some black people. Characters, such as
the one Ludacris acts out as a car theft, uses aggravation and correct
or incorrect racial slurs and it is very hard to care about any one
later on since they gave off the impression of being mean and offensive
and later they want the audience's empathy. When they talk about things
that already happen with blank facial stares and looks of concern, it
befalls to monotonous while it skips around to various parts without one
strong clash and the movie needed to move on more rapidly every so
often.
Final Grade: B-/C+
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Starring Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Hugh
Marlowe
Film Prophet's Review...
"I am fearful when I see people substituting fear for reason." The film
is among the most influential breakthrough science fiction movies of
all-time in respect to the industry and humanity. A visitor from another
planet arrives from a spaceship to Washington and comes to warn the
people on the planet are capable of becoming dangerous in time with all
their weapons that it might hurt his home planet and others and if the
Earth continues to go towards bomb aggressions, the Earth will be
annihilated. "... violent action, since that seems to be the only thing
you people understand." The film gets right into the encounter when an
object flying in outer space is traveling super fast, minus all the
introducing weak characters one at a time as they live normal lives,
something found in bad sci-fi films today. The visitor does not come to
attack or immediately threatens the message. He rents a room and learns
about their life form, living and studying their measures and homeland
security while further plot explaining would spoil a perfect plot that
achieves really well at numerous points and altercations in the story.
It even expresses the time period in exemplar detail during the Cold War
politically and socially with the weakness of pure human sentiment of
uninvited and something. There are similarities between the sci-fi film
and the world's own troubled times then and the film defines the era's
struggle to cooperate peacefully. It shows Washington taking adjustments
seriously and as a society when there are tanks on scene when the ship
lands. There's concern and panic established through curiosity through
it all. "Why doesn't the government do something, that's what I'd like
to know - What can they do, they're only people just like us - People my
foot, they're democrats!" The society around that era also had new
advantages of having fast media communications through breaking news by
television and radio. A few things the movie caused later in the real
world were some various peace treaties signed between nations, yea,
including flying saucer sightings if the movie held any truth with the
idea of an outer Earth presence is out there and is much more simple,
advanced, and easier than the Earth's medicine and technology while
still being affluent. A comical scene has the visitor and a boy looking
through a professor's house window at his chalkboard with calculus work
on it, and the visitor shakes his head no and says, he doesn't know the
answer. The script has great movement to the story provided with
first-rate dialogue to get the audience's concentration. The audience
will say wow to not only the dialogue lines, but the cinematography of
the scenery back then, particularly the stunning Times Square. The
legendary Bernard Herrmann assembles the musical score and he always add
excitement with his flat out brass tunes with just tremendous precision.
An exceptional screenplay that was brilliant, nothing below top notch.
It is probably the best at entering a new concept with exceptions,
holding a noir, suspicious tone mixing with science-fiction... the
greatest supernatural, anti-war film ever made with such a strong,
strong conveying message.
Final Grade: A/A+
Kung Fu Hustle (2005)
Starring Stephen Chow, Kwok Kuen Chan, Qiu Yuen, Wah Yuen, Hak On Fung
Film Prophet's Review...
A hapless want to-be gangster who just can't commit crimes as hard as he
tries in China must overcome his inability to use a knife and
demonstrate his courage in order to become a member of the notorious Axe
Gang while people step up to them around a poor neighborhood run by an
obnoxious landlady trying to defend themselves. Stephen Chow ties
action-comedy with martial arts together in a crazy show at the hub of
the characters that played like a cartoon from Looney Tunes without the
blood and banal images. The jokes were mostly crude and exaggerated to
the point where the viewer knows its ploys and can expect what to happen
next. There are vicious adultery cruelties are meant to be funny, or a
disaster to filmmaking, either way it links to an opinion from the
crowd. Physical violence is super-imposed by a computer for the visuals
to look silly and distracting, while the fights are outrageous and wild,
it nevertheless remains true to the genre of Kung Fu. There's numerous
hand weapons and the skills that party them, plenty of weak looking
tough enemies who get beat up, and since there's the computer visual
effect involve, sometimes comedy-action is there. Although, it's unlike
any traditional American film. Nowadays with all the effects and better
technology with the age of the movie, its visual arts were very
creative, but it puts a less focus on the actual story. During the
fights, there were two main things that scrubbed out a plot... the
special effects and the loud increasing dramatic instrumental music...
Film Prophet won't be fooled by that. The choreography is its most
important quality and without it, the movie can't cheat and ignore the
fact it's a Kung Fu version of The Matrix. It took several of its story
ideas, such as an underdog rising to be that significant One no one can
match and using unrealistic fighting taking punishment and pain without
complaints under little rule, but it was done at a stage to entertain.
Even though the characters are fresh with plenty of extras who wear
black suits who eventually get kicked and punched around, sometimes the
routines in the fights become reoccurring and old, and it would be
bright for the movie to insert something more distinctive other than the
multiple instances of the same fights with different individuals. A bit
more profundity to the characters can go a long way and their random
sadistic flairs don't cut it all the time.
Final Grade: C+
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Starring Orlando Bloom, Jeremy Irons, Eva Green, Liam Neeson, David
Thewlis
Film Prophet's Review...
Provoked into violence, a blacksmith leads Jerusalem during the crusades
of the twelfth century in an unanswered motion picture finish. Director
Ridley Scott is let down with a preachy script that falls way short of
the success current powerful epics usually have in the twenty-first
century by means of amelioration, fervor, and emotions from the grounds
of a story that can be emerged from. Most of the lines were textbook
plain exchanged between the characters such as 'be without fear in the
face of your enemies,' as relevant from the trailer. The movie had
little zest to add to the point of life and while it carries a message
about forgiveness and religion, a movie needs more than just two typical
themes to gratify one. It had the ability to tell a story, but the
execution of it didn't move towards anything and just lays there still
like a dead body. Anticipating to be stunned, the story became cyclical
like all deprived movies do, about protecting the people and serving the
king. Big deal... Film Prophet has seen and heard all of this before
presented better in various stories similar to the likes of this one.
The tidbits of action come from no where and people just start dropping
to the ground on no basis other than to kill off the characters who had
their chance to say something worthy to the main cast. Basically, the
movie says soiled opponents are a lesser human being arriving in brash
invectives in between the dull scenes with no dialogue. When someone
close dies, the comrade says 'it was the end of his time' while the bad
guys are not apparent. The relationships are pitiable, the drama is
laughter to the ear, and the plot has no additions. Eva Green, a
precious beautiful face who enters the film a quarter within, tries to
wake up the male audience while the female crowd has Bloom, but even her
appearance as a queen during the setting of the time doesn't make an
impact with her emotional turns. There's no reflection of any comical
lines that some serious films put in as it misses the key of having
intense moments and alluring the viewers to care about really happens.
It is this year's The Alamo, King Arthur, and Alexander, a category of
inadequate rubbish. It is much worse than Gladiator, which as least had
a plot going. Not a soul brought the movie to life and it didn't give
its viewers something to think about to debate from an unenlightened
religious film.
Final Grade: C-/D
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