Friday, February 01, 2008
ScreenClick 1
Ok, Sorry this has taken so long, but after John gave me a nudge (i.e.: someone actually bothered to look at this blog!!), I have decided to post at least something. Maybe not the world media style reviews I was planning, but something anyway.
I have decided to use a ratings system but don't take it too seriously.
And I'll try to rate them respective of their kind.
I.e.: If I watch a chick-flick (there won't be many of them, if any, i promise), I'll keep it in mind and rate it in comparison to other chick-flicks.
Before I get started though, here's a list of the movies in my collection if you wanna know the kind of movies i like:
http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=21047428
1. Amelie (2001) [ 7 / 10]
I rented this after seeing it in the IMDb Top 100 movies of all time and a few friends said it was very good.
I quite liked the story and the characters were fantastic, very quirky and funny.
Not what I'd put in the Top 100 movies of all time but hey, a very enjoyable movie all the same.
2. Blade Runner (1982) [ 8 / 10 ]
I had wanted to see this for a long time but never got a chance to see it.
I enjoyed it alot.
Harrison Ford & Rutger Hauer were on top form as always, the whole film looked fantastic, the action was really enjoyable without being too "high-octane".
A classic film still with the fantastic film-making of the 70's running through it.
In other words, how a film should be made.
Really, this film couldn't have been made any better.
I can only fear a modern re-make to speed up the action and replace Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer & Sean Young with younger, talenless piece of crap.
3. Close Encounters Of A Third Kind (1977) [ 6 / 10]
Another film I had wanted to see for a long time.
I have to admit, despite being a big movie fan, Stephen Spielberg isn't one of my favourite directors, although I could listen to him all day talking about his interest in movies.
He's one of the very few directors I've seen talking about movies that seems to have a huge personal interest and love for movies and always give great interviews. But his films often don't work out for me. I'll give a quick list of the movies of his that i've liked and disliked.
Liked: Jaws, The Indiana Jones Trilogy, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can, Munich.
Disliked: E.T., Schindler's List, Minority Report, The Terminal.
Also, most of the others that I haven't seen haven't held much interest for me (A.I., War Of The Worlds).
I'll admit, he is a good director, but he just doesn't make films for me.
Anyway, back to Close Encounters.
Again, I wasn't bowled over by this movie.
I think if I'd seen it as a kid, I may have enjoyed it alot more but being 26, it's just not really for me. Very fantasy based and lacking in nearly every way that Jurassic Park excelled.
I didn't hate this movie, it's just not my type of movie I guess.
I couldn't tell you not to see it.
4. A Short Film About Killing (1988) [ 7 / 10]
Don't know why I wanted to see this movie exactly, it just appealed to me for some reason.
And I like giving foreign movies a try every now and them because I generally enjoy alot of the foreign movies I seek.
It's very slow-moving and depressing throughout, but not really in a bad way.
I don't wanna say too much about this movie, it's best to see this for yourself.
Not that there's a huge twist in the tale, but I think the less you know before seeing this movie the better, other than i'd definitely recommend it.
Not exactly your laugh-a-minute rom-com but a very good movie nonetheless.
5. Existenz (1999) [ 7 / 10]
Ok, here's a weird one.
I saw this movie when it was first released and I remember liking it.
Cronenberg is one of my very favourite directors of all time.
It's not one of Cronenberg's best films by any means, but I do remember liking it.
Maybe just because I love Cronenberg and Jennifer Jason Leigh (mmmm, hottie!!).
So I decided to pull this one off the shelf and take another look.
Even by the 15 minute mark I was bored, irritated and just plained pissed off.
By the end, it wasn't any better.
The acting was terrible, the plot was riduculous, & the directing seemed terrible.
Not what I remembered at all.
(And there's not even a flash of JJ Leigh's titties to redeem it - for shame! ;)
Basically, a bad version of VideoDrome, which if you haven't seen it, is a classic.
(I love James Woods. Debbie Harry can act, and she gets her titties out. So that's all good)
So despite being quite tired and bored after 90 mins of schlock, I had to check out the Director's Commentary, expecting an explanation ffom Cronenberg as to why the film didn't work - you know the usual production problems and budget-cut bullshit that directors run into.
Instead, even within 15 mins again, I had completely changed my view on it.
Cronenberg is another director that I could literally listen to all day.
He's a frigging genius of film-making and his interviews & commentaries are always fantastic, I love the guy.
Basically, he just explained the movie and why things are the way they are in the movie.
I guess you'd have to see the movie and then the commentary to understand so i'd only reccomend this movie for Cronenberg fans who are willing to sit through 3 hours to enjoy it.
Even then, does that make this a good movie.
After watching the movie I'd have given it 4 / 10 but after watching the commentary, I can boost that rating up to 7 / 10.
Decide for yourself if you think it's worth it.
6. Rabid (1977) [ 7 / 10 ]
Another Cronenberg movie to entertain me.
I instantly liked this movie despite going in with a slightly negative attitude.
I'd been told it wasn't his best and it surely wasn't but I found it quite entertaining.
The acting I though was spot on (the lead is Marilyn Chambers - a former porn-star) and even though this was quite similar in certain ways to 'Shivers' which Cronenberg had made just 2 years previously, I found it alot more entertaining.
Unfortunately there's no commentary on this version i had rented, but there is a fantastic 10 minute making-of documentary with Cronenberg, in fascinating form as always.
I might have to pick up the Region 1 DVD:
http://www.play.com/DVD/Region_1/4-/2510143/Rabid/Product.html?cur=258
instead of the Region 2 DVD:
http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/95222/Rabid/Product.html?cur=258
not least of all because it has a commentary, but there's a slight price difference too ;)
Well, that's my lot for now.
It's over to John's tonight, for some good old-fashioned slatter-esque gore no doubt.
And I just recieved 'Shadow Of The Vampire' in the post to look at when I get a chance so I'll report back when I've seen another few movies. Maybe late next week.
Over & out.
I have decided to use a ratings system but don't take it too seriously.
And I'll try to rate them respective of their kind.
I.e.: If I watch a chick-flick (there won't be many of them, if any, i promise), I'll keep it in mind and rate it in comparison to other chick-flicks.
Before I get started though, here's a list of the movies in my collection if you wanna know the kind of movies i like:
http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=21047428
1. Amelie (2001) [ 7 / 10]
I rented this after seeing it in the IMDb Top 100 movies of all time and a few friends said it was very good.
I quite liked the story and the characters were fantastic, very quirky and funny.
Not what I'd put in the Top 100 movies of all time but hey, a very enjoyable movie all the same.
2. Blade Runner (1982) [ 8 / 10 ]
I had wanted to see this for a long time but never got a chance to see it.
I enjoyed it alot.
Harrison Ford & Rutger Hauer were on top form as always, the whole film looked fantastic, the action was really enjoyable without being too "high-octane".
A classic film still with the fantastic film-making of the 70's running through it.
In other words, how a film should be made.
Really, this film couldn't have been made any better.
I can only fear a modern re-make to speed up the action and replace Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer & Sean Young with younger, talenless piece of crap.
3. Close Encounters Of A Third Kind (1977) [ 6 / 10]
Another film I had wanted to see for a long time.
I have to admit, despite being a big movie fan, Stephen Spielberg isn't one of my favourite directors, although I could listen to him all day talking about his interest in movies.
He's one of the very few directors I've seen talking about movies that seems to have a huge personal interest and love for movies and always give great interviews. But his films often don't work out for me. I'll give a quick list of the movies of his that i've liked and disliked.
Liked: Jaws, The Indiana Jones Trilogy, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can, Munich.
Disliked: E.T., Schindler's List, Minority Report, The Terminal.
Also, most of the others that I haven't seen haven't held much interest for me (A.I., War Of The Worlds).
I'll admit, he is a good director, but he just doesn't make films for me.
Anyway, back to Close Encounters.
Again, I wasn't bowled over by this movie.
I think if I'd seen it as a kid, I may have enjoyed it alot more but being 26, it's just not really for me. Very fantasy based and lacking in nearly every way that Jurassic Park excelled.
I didn't hate this movie, it's just not my type of movie I guess.
I couldn't tell you not to see it.
4. A Short Film About Killing (1988) [ 7 / 10]
Don't know why I wanted to see this movie exactly, it just appealed to me for some reason.
And I like giving foreign movies a try every now and them because I generally enjoy alot of the foreign movies I seek.
It's very slow-moving and depressing throughout, but not really in a bad way.
I don't wanna say too much about this movie, it's best to see this for yourself.
Not that there's a huge twist in the tale, but I think the less you know before seeing this movie the better, other than i'd definitely recommend it.
Not exactly your laugh-a-minute rom-com but a very good movie nonetheless.
5. Existenz (1999) [ 7 / 10]
Ok, here's a weird one.
I saw this movie when it was first released and I remember liking it.
Cronenberg is one of my very favourite directors of all time.
It's not one of Cronenberg's best films by any means, but I do remember liking it.
Maybe just because I love Cronenberg and Jennifer Jason Leigh (mmmm, hottie!!).
So I decided to pull this one off the shelf and take another look.
Even by the 15 minute mark I was bored, irritated and just plained pissed off.
By the end, it wasn't any better.
The acting was terrible, the plot was riduculous, & the directing seemed terrible.
Not what I remembered at all.
(And there's not even a flash of JJ Leigh's titties to redeem it - for shame! ;)
Basically, a bad version of VideoDrome, which if you haven't seen it, is a classic.
(I love James Woods. Debbie Harry can act, and she gets her titties out. So that's all good)
So despite being quite tired and bored after 90 mins of schlock, I had to check out the Director's Commentary, expecting an explanation ffom Cronenberg as to why the film didn't work - you know the usual production problems and budget-cut bullshit that directors run into.
Instead, even within 15 mins again, I had completely changed my view on it.
Cronenberg is another director that I could literally listen to all day.
He's a frigging genius of film-making and his interviews & commentaries are always fantastic, I love the guy.
Basically, he just explained the movie and why things are the way they are in the movie.
I guess you'd have to see the movie and then the commentary to understand so i'd only reccomend this movie for Cronenberg fans who are willing to sit through 3 hours to enjoy it.
Even then, does that make this a good movie.
After watching the movie I'd have given it 4 / 10 but after watching the commentary, I can boost that rating up to 7 / 10.
Decide for yourself if you think it's worth it.
6. Rabid (1977) [ 7 / 10 ]
Another Cronenberg movie to entertain me.
I instantly liked this movie despite going in with a slightly negative attitude.
I'd been told it wasn't his best and it surely wasn't but I found it quite entertaining.
The acting I though was spot on (the lead is Marilyn Chambers - a former porn-star) and even though this was quite similar in certain ways to 'Shivers' which Cronenberg had made just 2 years previously, I found it alot more entertaining.
Unfortunately there's no commentary on this version i had rented, but there is a fantastic 10 minute making-of documentary with Cronenberg, in fascinating form as always.
I might have to pick up the Region 1 DVD:
http://www.play.com/DVD/Region_1/4-/2510143/Rabid/Product.html?cur=258
instead of the Region 2 DVD:
http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/95222/Rabid/Product.html?cur=258
not least of all because it has a commentary, but there's a slight price difference too ;)
Well, that's my lot for now.
It's over to John's tonight, for some good old-fashioned slatter-esque gore no doubt.
And I just recieved 'Shadow Of The Vampire' in the post to look at when I get a chance so I'll report back when I've seen another few movies. Maybe late next week.
Over & out.
