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Reviews
Atlas Shrugged: Part I (2011)
A Great Book Hacked Up in a Made For TV Movie.
I went in hopeful and came out thinking "what did I expect." I am a true fan of Atlas Shrugged the book. I think it's one of the best books ever written. I've read everything Ayn Rand has written. And in my opinion if she were alive this movie would have never seen an audience. It was a rushed hack job of an adaptation. They were trying to get out too much information in too little of time frame. It jumped from one part to another with out having the proper time to inform the audience of the characters background and their relationships. Which was some of the best parts of the book. Sure the political message was delivered some what, but with out the character development it doesn't make sense. Characters are just being added out of no where. There is no way a person who hadn't read the book would have comprehended this movie at all.
It's not really the directors or casts fault, though their TV backgrounds didn't' help much. This book just can't be made into a movie. There is just too much information and dialogue. The audio book is 38 hours long. It should be an HBO series, with 60, forty minute episodes. That is the only way to give this book the true justice it deserves. I think the makers of The Wire could do it well.
I also didn't like Dagny, she seemed like she was making fun of the character at times. Like the actress was doing the part ironically. James Taggart was also cast poorly, he's too good looking. I thought Hank Reardon and his wife were good though. And the political sleaze bags were cast all right. I can already tell I'm not going to like John Galt. Well that's most of my opinion. I just hope they stop production now and don't release anymore movies. It would be a waste of time, and an injustice to the original text. I hope they just start making a whole TV series out of it, they've got all the TV people already for it anyway.
Inception (2010)
A head spinning, action packed, 2 1/2 hours of mind-bending Awesomeness!
All I could manage to say as I left the theater was, "That was awesome!" This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. From the story to the acting to the action, there wasn't anything lacking from this film. There are so many layers, not only in the plot but in the depth of story telling that go on in this film. I don't know how he fit so much story into a couple of hours and still it can make perfect sense. This is a movie you can watch 10 times, and I probably will, and still catch something you didn't see before. It was so easy to get caught up and forget you were in a theater and not actually in the room with the characters. I can't remember the last time I was so immersed in a film. I actually had to remind myself occasionally that it was only a movie. I loved everything about this. The action sequences were just amazing, I don't think these things have ever been done in film before. It was like watching a perfectly done live action video game. The mind twisting story keeps you guessing till the end, and even after. There was even a tragic but heart warming love story in the middle. To fit all of this into a film is just incredible. My advice to anyone, is to find the biggest screen in a theater you can and go see this movie. I don't even think an IMax screen is big enough for this gnarly piece of cinema.
Cyrus (2010)
A depressing movie, with few forced laughs, not a comedy at all.
This is one of those films where you keep thinking its going to get better the whole time you watch it, but it doesn't and just disappoints you and makes you angry. My advice for anyone looking for laughs, don't see this movie it's just depressing. The plot has been done so many times that for anyone to try this again, they would have to put a totally new twist on it, but this movie is just another failed attempt. Every one did a good acting job, but the movie in total was just bland and unappealing. The lighting was bad the whole movie, and the camera was shaking for every shot. My advice, use a white balance and tripod, it would make a much more watchable movie. They made this look like an indie film, when it was a big studio picture, which is simply stupid to do. I should have walked out, but kept thinking it would get better. Doh!
Yip Man 2 (2010)
From a student of Wing Chun, this wasn't great.
I have studied wing chun for a couple years, I started a little before the first movie came out. I loved the first movie, though it was a bit flashy and dolled up for film. It was still mostly realistic. Aside from the fact that the movie replaces the threat of Communist take over with Japanese take-over, it really was a great kung-fu movie. I've watched it several times since. But Ip Man 2 was for the most part a comic book fantasy with no realism or character to it, including comic book villains to boot. Most of the fights including that crazy knife fight were just so unrealistic. I did like the table fight between the different schools and Yip Mann, minus the flying wire parts, but the rest of the fights were too ridiculous. When the boxer is wailing on these guys that aren't wearing gloves and can kick, that is just so ridiculous. If you can kick and grab and the other guy can't, it doesn't matter how strong he is, the fight is over. Try wearing gloves and actually grabbing and throwing your opponent, you will find that it's impossible, but 'twister' managed to do it with ease. I would fight Mike Tyson if I could kick and didn't have to wear gloves, that would make the fight 10x easier. You see it in UFC all the time, constant kicks to the legs will bring down the toughest opponent, and there's no way a boxer could block that. The fight directors didn't think about that apparently, they would rather have a kung-fu fighter keep punching a boxers gloves for 30 minutes, than to actually have him use skillful fighting. I'm glad Yen stopped before the third, I don't want to know how far they would go with that story. It might look more like Crouching Tiger than Ip Man.
She's Out of My League (2010)
There's also a rating system for films, and you get a 6!
My advice, wait for the DVD!!!
I saw this 2 days early in a sneak preview, so I didn't have to pay for it. Thank God. If I had to pay for this movie I might have rated it much lower, and been angry for wasting my money. I actually thought it was going to be a funny movie like Knocked Up, and aside from about 10 funny scenes, it was hard to watch. The main character is a side kick at best, he should not get his own movie yet. It was awkward watching him for 2 hours. The curly haired actor that cussed a lot in the film was not convincing. He looks like Napoleon Dynamite almost exactly, so he should act accordingly, or shave his head. Then there was the Stifler of the group, ehhh. The jolly Mormon was pretty funny, but I wish they called him Mormon and not just implied it. The blond "10" was bland, and had no screen personality. The plot was the same story as every other boy meets girl story. I liked the basic premise on how the human rating system is ridiculous, but it could have been told much better. Just wait till the dollar theater, or DVD, and save your money.
Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)
Blame your government programs, not the free market.
"True Capitalism is a social system based on the recognition of individual rights, including property rights, in which all property is privately owned. A full, pure, uncontrolled, unregulated laissez-faire capitalism—with a separation of state and economics, in the same way and for the same reasons as the separation of state and church."-Ayn Rand. America is not and never has been a true Capitalist society, but we have been the closest. Capitalism means freedom, the more free a society is the wealthier its people become. Not Anarchy freedom, but freedom of individuals protected by the government. But in a mixed economy like America, there can only be one outcome, and Moore's movie shows what that is. It is mostly the law makers of the government that caused this crash. Any company that needs or uses government assistants to start or keep running will surely fall in the long run. Government has worked for a long time with the companies that are the root cause of the housing crash. Protecting the banking system, which is fundamentally controlled by the Federal Reserve, is an established government function. It is completely unclear why the government needs to or should bailout insurance companies, investment banks, hedge funds, car companies and foreign companies. If we do not define our policies, morals, ethics, and ideals then what are we to fight for? Fighting against the "rich" is ridiculous, who the hell are the rich? We need to fight against the people in government positions that are controlling the economy, or the companies that are in business with the government. A true business man can stand alone, with out government support, and that's what all businesses should do. It has been proved time and again that a business that works for the government with government subsidies will be corrupt. From the big 4 of the railroads, to the Freddie Macs and Goldman Sachs, it just doesn't work. Government needs to keep their hands out of business, and business needs to keep their hands out of the government. If this never happens, then we will never be free. Micheal Moore's film had some things right, but when you blame the everything on Capitalism and Freedom, you are signing your own death warrant. Every society that has existed has had crooks and robbers, and they have always worked with the ruling body, with bribes and trade. So please for your own sake, make up your own mind, and don't group the worst of society with its best philosophy.
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
One of the best movies I have ever seen!!!!!!!!
I don't have anything negative to say about this movie, except maybe I wish I could watch more of it. I don't know why this movie isn't more popular, maybe because it isn't a kids movie, but this is the best animated film I have ever watched, besides maybe Coraline. I have never read the books this film is based on, but if they are anything like the humor of this movie I want to. I would like to say Thank You to Wes Anderson for making me believe there are still good movies out there, that can still blow your mind from start to end. Many movies that start out well but have a horrible ending, I thought this would, but it ended in a great way. This is the kind of movie that I dream of seeing, and finally my dreams came true.
Gamer (2009)
If you play online shooters, you'll love this movie!!!
I read most reviews of people that are gamers but don't play 1st person shooters, or don't really play games on the internet at all. If you are one of them, you probably won't get it. This movie is for fans of Counter-Strike and the likes. To anyone who says its the same movie as "the running man" or "death race" are obviously confused. These inmates don't get to fight for themselves, they are controlled. And the main character wasn't "set up" to be in game, he was the beta version, and went to prison to be used for his function. This movies is now one of my favorite scifi/fantasy genre movies, I really can't name one part of the movie I didn't like, except for Hall's country accent, that kind of put me off.
Up (2009)
Why does everyone think this is so great? It's par with Pixar.
Maybe I came in with too high of expectations, but I know I'm not the only one who thinks that this movie wasn't so great. It was just OK. It had funny lines, -all of which were already shown in the previews-, and a pretty good plot, and great animation. But I just don't see why so many people think this is such an "awesome" movie. There was no adult humor at all, so maybe all the ratings are from parents or children, I don't know. I think the 3d version must be a whole different movie than the one I saw, because I walked out thinking it was just mediocre. Heres some advise, do Not watch it if it's not in 3D, you'll probably be disappointed as well.
Pride and Glory (2008)
Similar Story, New Flare...
I have read many reviews saying the same thing, that this is the same old cop story and is just a rip off similar movies, nothing new. Usually with the badly written movies coming out like they have the last couple years I would agree, but not this time. Sure this is similar to the bad cop, good cop scenario, but this offers something deeper and more exciting than I have seen in a cop thriller for a long time. The all-star cast, great writing and dramatic scenes will have you holding your breath thinking what's coming next. There are twists and turns in this that kept me on the edge of my seat, not able to go to the bathroom. The scene with the baby was so shocking to all the senses, but some might not be able to handle it. I think because there are so many cop movies coming out, that people just come with the assumption that it's going to be nothing new. Let's think of it this way, every story now is just repeated, it's how you tell it that makes the difference.
Street Kings (2008)
Well that was messed up...
I didn't really like this movie in the beginning. I thought it was like a knock off of the movie Colors, which it kind of was. But somewhere in the middle of the movie it becomes a story about a mass murdering cop, who can't be stopped. The whole time you want him to be stopped somehow, either by death, jail, or just going on vacation. But in the end they have him keep doing the same thing. My point is that this movie is so different from every other movie, even the Departed. There is no happy ending here, a mass murderer from start to end. The people that employed him are dead, but now he has a new employer. It is a messed up, crazy movie, and I can't believe it wasn't more popular.