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Addition of Ratings to Movie Reviews

I've never been a big fan of ratings as far as movie reviews were concerned. I've always believed that the reviewer should be able to adequately describe how the movie was and allow you to make your own decision. Recently, however it's been suggested to me by multiple people that I institute some sort of ratings system.

At first I balked but listening to how it can be helpful I relented. Also I realize my writing skills can leave something to be desired. Hopefully, as I become more knowledgeable and my literary skill improves I can get rid of it. From now on I will add a watch / don't watch or Pass / Fail rating system.


Any comments or advice is appreciated. Thanks.
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February 14th 2010 @ 03:41

Posted By: Rojo - Category: Other
   


Shutter Island (2010) - Movie Trailer


Martin Scorsese returns to the screen with the new dark thriller Shutter Island. The premise of the movie is U.S. Marshalls (Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo) are investigating Shutter Island, a place for the criminally insane. A conspiracy is uncovered and Teddy Daniel (Leonardo DiCaprio) is not sure what to make of it. In this disorienting environment he has to determine who to trust and who to believe, or
Shutter Island (2010) Leonardo DiCaprio Mark Ruffalo Martin Scorsese
Two U.S. Marshalls investigate Shutter Island
whether he can even trust his own judgment. With everything in question, the line becomes blurred as to who belongs on the Island and who's visiting.




The movie was shot in Massachusetts and the cinematography looks impressive. Check it out for yourself as the trailer is posted below. The film is set for a wide release on February 19th, 2010. This is posed as a film that looks like it has a lot of potential to be a great psychological thriller. It's Scorsese and of course that means everyone's drooling, myself included.




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February 5th 2010 @ 23:51

Posted By: Rojo - Category: Previews
   


(500) Days of Summer (2009)

(500) Days of Summer is an exceptional movie in the notoriously weak genre known as the romantic comedy. It's a category defined by Matthew McConaughey's numerous back alley abortions. The movie starts with the stark proclamation "this is not a love story" and for once, it isn't. Ladies, don't worry however romance is the driving force and it's the most prominent feature. It's set in LA and makes the city look beautiful, no small feat, considering the geography of the city.

500 Days of Summer Joesph Gordon Levitt Zooey Deschanel
Joesph Gordon-Levitt shares an elevator with Zooey Deschanel


The storyline begins with Tom Hansen falling in love with Summer Finn and how the relationship progresses. It's told through a flashback / jump forward format which seemed a bit hectic at first. As the movie progresses however the anti-climatic nature of such an arrangement really adds to the interest in the events in between. This was a great call by rookie director Marc Webb and shows the depth of emotion he is capable of mining.

It's as much a coming of age story as it is a love story as Joseph Gordon-Levitt turns from a love-stoned boy into a cynical man. His performance throughout the transformation was remarkable which helped carry Zooey Deschanel's average performance as the distant Summer.

As, a straight male I wasn't overly excited to see this but was gently coerced, as is always the case, by my significant other. To my skepticism it was an enjoyable movie and notably complimented by the leading inclusion of the Smiths music. I found myself humming "There is a light that never goes out." by the Smiths as I left the theater, hand in hand.
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September 5th 2009 @ 05:27

Posted By: Rojo - Category: Movie Reviews
   


Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

A very strong showing from a series whose movies started weak and have gradually picked up steam. The fanfare may not have been as fanatical but the movie was defitely polished as well as enjoyable.
The film industry bandwagon has been applauding the restrained use of special effects and I'm jumping on. The fact the special effects took a back seat to the story and plot is a welcome improvement over the previous movies. The dependence on the effects is normally used as a crutch and sadly overshadows the characters and acting.

The acting is much improved; it seems the actors and
actresses are learning how to act. I would have preferred starting with actors who already knew how to act but learning on the job works too if your willing to wait a couple of movies to see the results. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Tom Felton had much an improved showing on screen as Harry, Hermione and Draco, respectively. Granted Tom Felton's past acting has been horrible an improvement to mediocre, while nice to see, is nothing to brag about.

Alas this movie falls into the familiar trap of trying to convert a mammoth book, filled with side plots and details that aren't crucial to the plot. It's always difficult to condense and one has no option but to gloss over certain things. This leads to many aspects of the story being left out in the screen adaption. One issue that pops up in this movie is how scenes which are relevant in the story lose their relevancy as you cut accompanying scenes out of the book rendering them less effective and a bit puzzling.

I vaguely remember reading the book yet even I was left with a slightly puzzled expression on my face during a couple of the scenes. Overall I give it a good score but It seems to give to much deference to the book in some of the items emphasized holding it back from being otherwise noteworthy.
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August 4th 2009 @ 06:40

Posted By: Rojo - Category: Movie Reviews
   


List Of Racial Slurs In Gran Torino (2008)

Walt Kowalski, (Clint Eastwood) an unabashed racist, begins a journey
Walt drives home one of his Hmong neighbors, Sue
to a slightly softer viewpoint through his encounters with his Hmong neighbors. However, this in no way stops him from using a wide variety of racial slurs throughout the movie, even from the grave. The huge number as well as the diversity in names, spurned me to document them. I've listed the collection of racial epitaphs, in order of appearance, used by Walt in Gran Torino (2008).

1. Swamp Rats
2. Zipperhead
3. Chinks
4. Gooks
5. Gooks
6. Dago
7. Spooks
8. Fish Heads
9. Gooks
10. Gook
11. Egg Roll
12. Slopes
13. Swamp Rats
14. Dragon Lady
15. Zip
16. Gook
17. Zipperhead
18. Mick
19. Zips
20. Chink
21. Gook
22. Ginny
23. Swamp Rat
24. Gook
The final two are read from his will.
25. Beaner
26. Zipperhead
(I feel Jungle Bunny was in there some where but unfortunately it looks like I missed it.)
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June 30th 2009 @ 04:31

Posted By: Rojo - Category: Movie Reviews
   


Gran Torino (2008) - Clint Eastwood Steals the Show

After watching this movie I was taken aback. It was a very good movie. It's not what I was expecting from Clint Eastwood but I can see why this received the reception it did. You can definitely tell this film has a director with a deft touch. It's definitely a true 'Auteur' film as you can feel Clint Eastwood's character.
Gran Torino (2008) Clint Eastwood Steal Car
Walt (Clint Eastwood) Confronts a gang member attempting to steal his car


This creates a bit of an issue as Clint Eastwood outshines all of his costars. Therein lies the only problem with the movie and that there's just something off about the other actors. Their lines seem slightly forced and lacking sincerity. It's unfortunate as this is a good movie but this holds it back from becoming a classic


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June 22nd 2009 @ 06:01

Posted By: Rojo - Category: Movie Reviews
   


Public Enemy (2009) - Theatrical Trailer

Plot Overview and Commentary, Trailer and Poster
Public Enemies (2009)
Movie Poster

I saw this movie a long way off and realized something; I'm excited to see this movie. Rarely do I see trailers and get interested, I keep a more stony wait-and-see approach. This film struck me as a great casting of Johnny Depp as Joan Dillinger, a Robin Hood type bank robber. This should really fit his beautiful portrayal of odd characters. It's on this sort of premise that he has given some of his better performances; i.e. Pirates of the Caribbean, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico
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June 5th 2009 @ 15:04

Posted By: Rojo - Category: Previews
   


Casablanca (1942)-Analysis of Lighting pt. 2

This is a continuation from Part 1, please read it first if you haven't already.

The filmmakers employed some of the more fanciful lighting effects used in the movie in Rick’s café, in particular the setting up of lights at low angles. “Edeson lit his scenes upward from the floor or across from sidelights, casting shadows of people high on walls that would be physically impossible in real life” (Lebo 142).
Odd Lighting in Rick's Cafe
Odd Background Lighting in Rick's Cafe
Long shadows appear high on the café’s wall in most scenes even though it would be awkward, if not impossible, to light a café that way in real life. This effect was created using cross backlights also known as ‘kickers’ (Alton 54). John Alton actually refers to it as ‘Criminal Lighting’ (Alton 54), as it is often used to light and demonize people, but this might be too strong of a characterization, as it also can be used to create an odd, or mysterious feel . The effect in Rick’s Café was that it helped create a feeling of distress that many patrons feel due to their desperation in their attempts to leave Casablanca. Rick transcends these issues and he himself is never lit in this manner. This kind of fanciful lighting creates a very interesting and sketchy atmosphere that allows Rick to operate freely. The café is also where we first develop an opinion of Rick’s character, which starts out slightly unsavory and who projects a cold persona


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June 1st 2009 @ 16:00

Posted By: Rojo - Category: Movie Reviews
   


Casablanca (1942)-Analysis of Lighting pt. 1

The Lights of Casablanca

-An indepth look into the lighting techniques employed and the context in which they were used, caught between film noir and the classic Hollywood style.

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May 30th 2009 @ 15:00

Posted By: Rojo - Category: Movie Reviews
   


Valkyrie (2008) - Nothing Ever Goes According to Plan.

The movie, while hyped, fell off the radar soon after its release; I blame the poor acting and weak plotline. Tom Cruise does a disappointing job considering everyone’s expectation of him; he just seems too much of a wimp to actually fight in a real war. Some of his co-stars steal the show at certain critical points further lessening his impact. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful with rich vibrant colors pervasive throughout the entire film. The colors scheme is an odd one with brown, greens and a subdued red. It works out beautifully with the colors contrasting without harming one another or the piece as a whole.
Valkyrie Movie Poster
Valkyrie (2008) Movie Poster


Tom Cruise seems to get into the role as the movie goes on but I still feel he has too much Jerry Maguire to pull it off, too much swagger. As a kernel constantly in the presence of generals and even the furor himself, his self righteous whining bitching would hardly be tolerated. Beyond that however, I think there are some great performances particularly by Bill Nightly in the role of General Olbricht. You could see the worry and indecision on his face. He seems to be genuinely worried about the possible ramifications of their actions and the best course of action


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May 27th 2009 @ 14:00

Posted By: Rojo - Category: Movie Reviews
   


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