I love watching movies. For the last 20 years, Both my wife and I have watched on average if not more than 365 movies a year. I have decided to keep a journal of all my movie experiences. Enjoy!
My wife picked this foreign movie from 1999. We usually try to watch the newer stuff, but this movie got great reviews from some other netflix users that have "similar" tastes as us.
The movie was great and takes place during the Nazi invasion and the Jewish Holocaust. You can read about the plot on the internet, but I think if you haven't seen it or heard about it, you should just watch it and form your own opinion.
The movie was interest enough that I googled it after watching it and then realized this is based on true events. Although wikipedia mentions that the suicides could be urban legend stuff or a marketing ploy.
If you like foreign movies and don't mind subtitles, then I highly recommend watching this movie.
Yes, another karate action movie. What can I say, they are my weakness. Unfortunately, like I said in my last review, most action movies show the best parts in the trailers. Unlike the last movie, this movie was a disappointment.
The plot is dumb but not really necessary in these types of movies when you have good fight sequences. For me the best action scene was in the trailer. How sad! I hoped it would get better, but it didn't. The female lead in was annoying and reminded me of a fake Jennifer Lopez.
I may be influenced by the previous movie I saw Ninja Assassin, but these movies should be able to stand on their own. I like to watch these action movies over and over, but this will not be on the list. I can't recommend this one because it just misses the mark.
If you need a karate action fix, go for Ninja Assassin, Kill Bill 1 or 2, Crouching Tiger, Bloodsport, any Jet Li movie or the classic Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon.
I love karate action movies and the trailer looked good. Unfortunately, most times they show all the good stuff in the previews. This particular movie did not. It actually looked good and the movie itself was a great action movie.
With most karate movies, there isn't really much of a plot. The action for me anyways determines whether it was worth my time or not. This particular movie had a decent plot and great effects in the action scenes. Not quite like Kill Bill but just as fun.
So grab some popcorn and get ready for action. This is one of those movies you can walk in on and start watching anytime. You just enjoy it for what it is.
You may have noticed I watch a lot of movies of all sorts. I especially like foreign and independent movies. They usually have awards from Sundance or some other indie movie recognition.
This movie Big Fan actually did well at Sundance and most of the user reviews were extremely positive. The characters were well developed, the story line is complete from beginning to end, and there are a couple of actors I recognized.
So, I should have liked this movie. The problem is I didn't like this movie at all despite those reasons. In most movies there is a character in it that you like. Sometimes, it is the hero, the underdog, or a person who you can relate to. This movie had no one that was likable. Kind of hard to believe, but there it is. I lost interest because everyone was depicted as a loser, hater, or just unhappy.
It is difficult to watch those types of movies where everyone sucks. There is nothing in the story that redeems anyone. Would I recommend this movie? I would say hell no, not because it was bad, but it just wasn't entertaining to me. This was suppose to be a comedy or black comedy, but honestly I found very little to laugh at.
On a side note Patton Oswalt is the voice of Ratatouille which you will enjoy much more than this movie.
Netflix summary:
Parking attendant and New York Giants fanatic Paul Aufiero (Patton Oswalt) must reexamine his life after he's beaten up by his favorite player in this comedy written and directed by Robert D. Siegel, a former editor-in-chief of "fake news" paper The Onion. Also starring Kevin Corrigan as Sal, Michael Rapaport as Philadelphia Phil and Marcia Jean Kurtz as Theresa, the film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
This was another French foreign movie that I thought would be good. The movie was actually engaging from beginning to end. The acting was fine and the story line was well paced. Not too fast and not too slow.
The problem is there are too many questions left unanswered. There is a picture of the conservator that Iris (the main character) finds from many years ago, but he has not aged since that picture was taken. All the other ladies in the picture have grown old. Is this a conservator trick? Why hasn't he aged? Is he the devil, a spirit, or even a real person? Who is the little boy ghost who keeps peeking out? Why do they even have the sailor character in the movie? Why does it take her a day and half to pick up the broken mahjong set?
They hook up during the movie, and the way they go about it is really awkward. Even the first love scene was surreal. One thrust and it was over. And they start to converse. No kissing, no hugging, nothing. Pretty hard to believe that particular scene.
In the end, there are too many metaphors to determine what happens and why it happens in the end. It isn't a David Lynch type of movie where enough clues allow you to speculate what happens next. It just leaves you with an unsatisfied feeling. It had all the elements of being a great movie, but for me fails in the way it ends.
The music in the movie by Beth Gibbons (of Portishead) was quite nice. My wife found the mp3 for it online. It wasn't one of the 3 songs in the credits.
I would not watch the movie again and so I can't recommend you watching it either.
Netflix summary:
After losing part of her finger in an industrial accident, gorgeous Iris (Olga Kurylenko) takes a job as an assistant to a man (Marc Barbé) running a lab where people bring keepsakes to be preserved -- and enters his strange, slightly disturbing reality. As she becomes ensconced in an odd, sensuous world of fetishes, ghosts and hauntingly silent unclaimed mementos, Iris falls into a steamy, bizarre affair with her boss in this erotic drama.
You must know that I love foreign films. Especially when they are put together well. This Italian movie is a romance and drama, but doesn't feel that way. It seems to have two main characters that is the center of the movie. An unhappy wife who works in a chicken factory and an old Holocaust survivor who temporarily loses his memory.
I liked the movie from beginning to end. It comes together as it tells the stories of the past and present. Another thing I liked about the movie is the language and the passion they seem to all have in their voices. Yeah, I know it is just appears they speak mad all the time, but I think the people come across passionate too.
The preview video definitely made me want to watch the film. Check it out below.
I wound up eating cake with my coffee after the show. Lol.
Netflix summary:
Feeling overwhelmed and stuck in a dull marriage, Giovanna begins refocusing her attention (or repressing her emotions) by caring for the Jewish Holocaust survivor her husband brings home one day. As Giovanna reflects on her life, she turns to the man who lives across from her and whose window faces hers. Stars Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Massimo Girotti, Raoul Bova, Filippo Nigro and Serra Yilmaz. Directed by Verzan Ozpetek.
I like horror movies in general. I especially enjoy Vampire films. Even so, I always put my expectations lower because of the type of film it is.
I thought the first movie was good. After watching half way through this movie, I was irritated. They made the main character weak, whiny, and stupid. And they continued to develop her character that way. It was very disappointing.
I would not recommend watching this movie because you would be mad at me and I persoanlly could not sit through it again. The director sucked this time, the actors were decent, and the storyline was predictably stupid with a retarded ending. Which leads into the third story movie.
Netflix summary:
In this sequel to Twilight directed by Chris Weitz (American Pie), Forks, Wash., resident Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is reeling from the departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), and finds comfort in her friendship with Jacob Black, a werewolf (Taylor Lautner). But before she knows it, she's thrust into a centuries-old conflict, and her desire to be with Edward at any cost leads her to take greater and greater risks.
This political movie based on actual events looked boring in the trailer to me. However, I was always curious about the details of the events during the Kennedy years.
This movie is well directed, scripted and casted. I think all the actors did an amazing job and were believable in their roles. They definitely captured the sense of pressure during these times where we almost went into WW III. I didn't realize how serious it was until watching this.
The movie is quite long, but the pace is fast so it doesn't drag at all. The characters are well developed so you get a good sense of what type of people these were. One thing I didn't like were the military people at the highest levels. They reminded me of Rumsfeld, Cheney, and Wolfowitz during the invasion of Iraq.
When a nuclear missile presence escalates in Cuba, President John F. Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood) attempts to curb the threat with help from his aides, his generals and his younger brother, Bobby (Stephen Culp), then the U.S. attorney general. After assessing the situation, they quickly realize the Soviets could launch offensive warheads, leaving the fate of the world hanging by a thread. Kevin Costner co-stars in this drama based on actual events.
I usually don't watch too many old movies unless they are exceptional. Even movies that I watched as a kid thinking they were great were a disappointment when I saw them as an adult. Movies like the classic Star Wars.
Anyways, Breaking Away is a movie I heard was good, the preview looked OK, and they had some big stars before they had become big in it. As usual, I am not going to talk about the plot. I will talk about how I feel about this movie.
First of all, the acting was good and the storyline was great. It definitely catches the times they lived in. Quite frankly, I was entertained from beginning to end. So if you want to watch an oldie but a goodie, this is one of those. Also, on a side note, it sure is weird seeing some of these familiar faces in their youth.
After graduating from high school, Dave Stohler (Dennis Christopher) dreams of becoming a champion bicyclist. Posing as an exchange student to mask his working-class roots, he frustrates his parents (Paul Dooley and Barbara Barrie) and charms a local college girl (Robyn Douglass). Peter Yates's Oscar-winning coming-of-age drama culminates when Dave gets a chance to leave his past behind and race against the Italian riders he worships.
Another foreign flick because I love watching them. This particular movie had high reviews from Netflix users who are supposedly similar to me. How accurate does it come? Well, it's hard to say but lately I think they have been completely off.
I had high expectations of this movie. It had great acting, an interesting storyline (at least by the trailer), and great reviews from the netflix community. Quite honestly it starts off interesting with our main character Lorna talking to Claudy the drug addict she married for money. As the story goes she starts to become more attracted with him. For me I never saw the connection of why they were physically or sexually attracted to each other. He seemed to be an annoyance to her most of the time.
Even if you give that part of the story the benefit of the doubt, the ending is awful. It is there, but a few questions remain unanswered for me. Why does she think she is pregnant when the hospital tells her the results are negative? Then why does she lose her common sense in the end? I don't think the director intends her to become insane at the end, but that is almost the only thing you can conclude base on her actions. I expected the story to go a bit further, but just like some other French movies I have seen, it seems like they end the movie as soon as they run out of funds. Does the whole story make sense? It doesn't matter...The End
While saving up to open her own snack bar in the Belgian city of Liège, Albanian immigrant Lorna (Arta Dobroshi) is given a shot at citizenship when local mobster Fabio (Fabrizio Rongione) arranges a sham marriage to drug addict Claudy (Jérémie Renier). But when Fabio plots to kill Claudy, Lorna gets dragged into the mobster's sordid plan in this gripping drama from the acclaimed Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.
This is a movie about the life of a rap star Notorious B.I.G. I am not a big fan but I do like some of his music. I don't know how accurate the facts are, but the movie itself is well directed and the actors play the characters very well.
If you like rap music, then I think you will get insight to this rapper's background, motivation, and inspiration. If you don't like rap music, you probably won't appreciate this film.
Personally, I would recommend watching it if you want a better understanding from the perspective of Notorious B.I.G or Biggie Smalls.
Netflix Summary:
Based on the story of Christopher Wallace -- better known as gangsta rapper Notorious B.I.G. (played by Jamal Woolard) -- this insightful biopic chronicles his troubled life as a drug dealer, his artistic success and his unresolved murder at age 24. The film also delves into his close friendship with Sean Combs (Derek Luke) and the famous feud with hip-hop rival Tupac Shakur (Anthony Mackie). Angela Bassett portrays Biggie's mother.
This was actually a good Indie movie with a pretty good but different type of plot. It starts out great and you can see the potential of the movie. The character are developed quite well and even the director/star does a great job overall.
You do like the quirky characters and the story line develops well, but then all of a sudden Tom Arnold appears in a cameo father appearance. Then the movie sinks from that point. The main character gains her independence and overcomes her fears, but the explanation is lacking at how she achieved this. The movie music kicks in and you kind of wish there was a better explanation than just her missing this homeless video clerk.
This could have been a movie I wanted to recommend but just can't. Interesting beginning, good middle, but a let down in the end.
Netflix Summary:
Habitually isolated in her quiet apartment, a vulnerable girl (Marianna Palka) with a penchant for soft-core porn ventures out to a local video store, where she meets a store clerk (Jason Ritter) who vows to break down her emotional walls and win her affections. But as he pursues her in bizarre fashion, it's clear that their budding relationship will be anything but conventional. Lead actress and screenwriter Palka makes her directorial debut.
I like watching British movies and enjoy BBC productions. This update or remake of Wuthering Heights is not what I remembered from the first movie.
For some reason, this novel adaptation does not depict the characters in a good light. Most of the characters are not likable which is weird because I did like the first movie. The acting is good but still doesn't make the movie any better to me.
After watching this movie, I can't say I like it or hate it. But I definitely can't recommend watching it. For some reason, I didn't feel entertained by this version. On top of that it was much longer.
I couldn't find a movie trailer to embed. They all had singing in them that seemed to make the movie more appealing even thought those songs were not part of the movie at all. I think this clip will give you a better idea of the movie's feel.
The netflix viewers gave this movie high ratings, but like I said the previous versions I have seen were better.
Netflix summary:
Emily Brontë's sweeping tale of romance set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors gets the "Masterpiece" treatment in this lush made-for-television adaptation starring Charlotte Riley and Tom Hardy. Cathy (Riley) eventually fell in love with Heathcliff (Hardy), the young Gypsy boy her father brought home years ago. But now that they're adults, another man (Tom Payne) is offering her his affections -- and a far more comfortable life.
This was a movie that had potential to be a good movie. It has big actors in it although a bit past their prime. The movie was produced by David Lynch and directed by his daughter Jennifer Lynch.
I think it is a gamble when you watch David Lynch movies. You either hate them or like them. You either get them or you don't. I think the preview looked pretty interesting.
This movie doesn't make the cut. It is cohesive and even coherent, but I think there needs to be a more specific reason why they kill other than they are psychopathic. In the end, I don't really feel satisfied with what I watched nor entertained. Save your popcorn for another movie.
If you like nerds, geeks, or awkward funny guys, then you will enjoy this movie called Year One. It stars Jack Black and Michael Cera in 1 AD dealing with religious characters from the bible. Don't worry, this is not a comedy spoof of the bible, just the time period.
Yes, it is corny and slapstick humor in the movie, but it is still funny. If you are in a for a good laugh and a bucket of popcorn, then this movie will please you. Watch it and enjoy.
Netflix Summary:
Banished from their primitive village after the tribe elders deem them too lazy, Zed (Jack Black) and Oh (Michael Cera) leave everything they've ever known behind and embark upon an adventure-filled journey through the ancient world. Co-starring Hank Azaria, Oliver Platt, Olivia Wilde and David Cross, this epic-sized laffer is a collaborative effort from comedy giants Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day) and Judd Apatow (Knocked Up).
I think I have mentioned it before that I am a fan of Denzel Washington's movies. Especially his earlier stuff. This movie Man on Fire was not as good as his other action movies, but it was entertaining.
There are a lot of famous actors in this one. Netflix Summary:
Jaded ex-CIA operative John Creasy (Denzel Washington) reluctantly accepts a job as the bodyguard for a 10-year-old girl (Dakota Fanning) in Mexico City. They clash at first, but eventually bond, and when she's kidnapped he's consumed by fury and will stop at nothing to save her life. Tony Scott directs this thriller about a demoralized soul whose sense of purpose is reawakened by a human connection. Christopher Walken and Mickey Rourke co-star.
The plot was actually straight forward. My wife again guessed the surprise ending and who the bad guy was upon his appearance. LOL. He always seems to play the bad guy.
There is a twist at the end, but I saw it coming. You might too. Again, the movie was entertaining but I probably can't recommend watching the movie. I would try to catch a different Denzel movie you haven't seen.
The two issues I had with this movie was the way it was shot at times. It has the Blair Witch Project or Clover effect of handheld cameras trying to make you yak. The other issue I had was the movie was long. And I mean really long. Just when you think it is over, the movie goes for another 45 minute stretch. Sheesh. They could of reduced that ending to 3 minutes and had the same effect without losing the viewer's attention.
This movie was actually a great Indie movie. The acting was very good and the characters come off real. This is one of those movie environments that is difficult to watch, but exist everywhere in the world.
I watched this on Netflix streaming so I didn't have the subtitles option. Yes, it is in English but everyone has the British accent, and for me it is sometimes hard to decipher what they are saying. Again, I didn't care for the subject matter, but the movie is still good and worth watching. It is a bit depressing, but it does have a happy Hollywood ending.
Spoiler: I did know the two guys digging the graves were going to die, but I also thought the two girls were going to die too. I still don't understand the reasoning of letting them go. I know it has something to do with the bad guy not liking his father growing up, but it doesn't completely make it logical. I know this comment will only make sense after watching the movie.
Employing a nonlinear flashback structure, writer-director Paul Andrew Williams delivers a BAFTA-nominated feature debut that incorporates five main characters into 24 hours and one riveting plot. The action unfolds as two girls (Lorraine Stanley and Georgia Groome) burst into a public bathroom with visible, unexplained injuries, and another man lies bleeding to death. How they got that way forms the basis for this tense and tangled thriller.
I love horror movies of all sorts. This story is based on true events which kind of makes it more scary. I will be upfront and say I have lower expectations on horror, gore, and scary movies in general. I just expect them to do one thing and that is to scare me.
This movie went beyond my expectations. It had good acting, a storyline, and scared me at times. I don't know how much of it is true and what is made up for movie purposes, but it definitely entertained. I recommend watching it if you get a chance.
In this supernatural thriller, the Campbell family's move to Connecticut takes a mysteriously dark turn when a series of shocking paranormal events reveals that their inviting new home is a former mortuary with a sordid past. Based on a true story, this terrifying tale stars Virginia Madsen and Martin Donovan as the well-meaning Campbell parents, Kyle Gallner as their cancer-stricken son and Elias Koteas as the enigmatic Rev. Nicholas Popescu.
What can I say, I like Tom Hank movies. I thought the Davinci Code was a good movie. This Angels & Demons (2009) was not as good, but it still delivers entertainment. My wife figured out in the first 15 minutes who the bad guy was.
I had to watch the whole thing to see if she was right. She recognized the bad buy was cast by a big star, thus he was the bad guy. Don't worry, I won't give it away here.
If you are a fan of Tom Hank movies, then you will enjoy this. Get some popcorn and enjoy!
My wife and I tend to watch foreign language films and usually try to watch the movies that have won awards or recognition. This particular movie The Baader Meinhof Complex was a long movie and is based on actual events.
It is good to see histories of other countries. It gives you insight into that culture. This movie definitely did that. Yet, I can't say I enjoyed the movie. I don't know if it was the subject matter or the way the portrayed the people. They were definitely terrorists, but the movie painted everyone as a bad person.
The trailer looks interesting. For me, the movie just doesn't deliver and I would not recommend watching it.
Most of the reviews on Netflix were good, but I guess everyone has different tastes.
Netflix summary:
Uli Edel directs this Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nominee charting the birth of West Germany's Red Army Faction, a radical left-wing terrorist group formed in the late 1960s amid a climate of revolution and a fallen generation. Staging a series of bombings, kidnappings and assassinations, the RAF waged a war against fascism with a direct assault against the powers of American imperialism and the fledgling German democracy.
This movie was produced, directed, and stars Clint Eastwood. I personally like all his movies so I go in this with some bias. I think judging by the previews, this movie turns out much differently than you would expect. I know it was surprising for me.
The plot is straight forward and Eastwood really plays his character extremely well. I think as his character develops in the story, you start to like the character more. He is very unlikable in the beginning. His constant disapproving grunting made me laugh.
Anyways, I think if you like most of his movies, this one won't disappoint. If you don't like most of his movies, then I think this one will win you over.
Netflix:
Curmudgeonly Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood, who also directs) must confront his Hmong immigrant neighbors -- and his own long-held prejudices -- when the family's teenage son, Thao (Bee Vang), tries to steal Walt's beloved 1972 Gran Torino. Walt soon assumes the unlikely role of guardian angel to young Thao and his sister Sue (Ahney Her), both of whom are vulnerable to local gang influences.
This was an Indie movie my wife picked. It had some big stars in it that I recognized Amy Adams, Steve Zahn, Emily Blunt, and Alan Arkin. These actors are very good and I wonder if the movie would have been just as good without them. I get the feeling that this movie may have suffered without the strong cast.
I liked the movie a lot because it deals with everyday lives of people, their relationships, and the struggles they deal with in real life. It is definitely something everyone can relate to in this story. The characters are well developed and likable too.
Financially on shaky ground yet determined to send her son to a top private school, Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams) teams up with her unreliable sister, Norah (Emily Blunt), to start a new company that specializes in biohazard removal and crime scene cleanup. Tired of doing all of the work for other people, whether in her job cleaning homes or in her failed relationships, Rose is finally ready to use her entrepreneurial spirit to tidy up her own life.
This was a documentary about steroids and drugs. I have been wanting to watch it for awhile since my friend mentioned it to me.
Truly, I was impressed by the information and perception of steroids in the professional athletic field. The person who created this video also has used steroids, so I think he has the best point of view on the whole matter. He also has brothers who used it.
I highly recommend this documentary. It goes at a good pace and doesn't get boring. It may even give you a new perspective on not just steroids but drugs in general.
This was actually a very small independent movie or at least it looked like it. The acting was very good with all these new actors. It kind of reminded me a little bit like that TV series Dawson Creek. I didn't really like the main character in this movie but she does redeem herself in the end.
I guess sex in high school is extremely common in today's environment. So is drinking and doing drugs. That is depicted in this movie but not in a funny or humorous way in typical teen movies. Here it is shown more as regular life which is real and sad at the same time.
The premise of the movie is good. I like the doogie howser type voice overs even though it is very common practice nowadays.
Netflix summary:
Superpowers rarely come without a price, and for 17-year-old Dakota Skye (Eileen Boylan), the price is cynicism that stems from spotting the truth in every lie. Disengaged, she watches life go by from the sidelines … until she meets the unfailingly honest Jonah (Ian Nelson). Problem is, Jonah is her beau's best friend -- which leaves Dakota navigating the treacherous waters between friendship and romance in this well-crafted indie drama.
Overall, it was both entertaining and enjoyable to watch. I would recommend seeing it.
I usually enjoy Johnny Depp movies in every genre. He is a great actor and always picks unusual movies. I still remember him from his days on 21 Jumpstreet. This movie is a nice gangster movie based in the Depression era 1930's. It actually has a lot of great stars and even an mma fighter I recognized in a bit part role.
I actually enjoyed this movie more than I expected. I don't always like these old movies unless they are done really well. This movie was put together well and reminded me of the other old movie The Untouchables that I had seen along time ago.
I was afraid that with all the good reviews I heard about it, that it would live up to the hype. I think the Director Michael Mann did a great job.
This is one of the movies I had low expectations for based on the video. Surprisingly, it was a good comedy movie that I enjoyed. Sandra Bullock plays her annoying character very well, as does Bradley Cooper of Alias fame. At least that is where I first saw him.
The plot is pretty straight forward. From Netflix:
While Steve (Bradley Cooper) would have to disagree, socially inept Mary (Sandra Bullock) thinks he's her true love and shamelessly pursues him around the country, egged on by Steve's wingman, the sexist and mean Hartman (Thomas Haden Church). But the two men start feeling guilty for their callousness when they realize there's more to Mary than her outrageous boots and wacky statements. Phil Traill directs this comedic tale, which also stars Ken Jeong.
I think the acting helps make this movie better than it is. Everyone is believable in their role. This is not a movie that you will stay with you for very long, but if you want to watch an enjoyable movie where you can sit back and let Hollywood entertain you this will do the trick.
Yes, I have been watching a lot of foreign films lately. I like most of them. They don't have the big Hollywood budgets or famous movie stars, so the directors tend to be more creative. Lost in Beijing has been out for awhile, but it just became available on the immediate play in the netflix streaming movies. Honestly, the previews did not look that interesting, but it does take place in Beijing and sometimes for me being able to see movies in these different locations is a plus. Kind of being able to travel on film without going to the tourist traps. From Netflix:
From one of China's most celebrated female directors, Yu Li's provocative drama, set against the hustle and bustle of the country's booming capital, explores the complicated relationship between three women and two men, all entangled in a web of sex, desire, jealousy and revenge. Distinguished by stellar performances, the darkly comic film stars Tony Leung Ka Fai, Bingbing Fan, Elaine Jin and Dawei Tong.
I am not sure, but I think this movie was banned in China. This is definitely an "adult" oriented film that has profanity and nudity. As for the storyline, it involves adultery, revenge, promiscuity, and other things that happen in real life.
This movie was a bit on the long side for me, but overall I would recommend seeing it. I think it captures the differences and similarities that exist in both our cultures.
Yes, another foreign movie that I watched on netflix streaming. Quite honestly, the availability of foreign movies is getting better on netflix for its on demand feature. This next movie Man, Woman and the Wall was a surprise. Be forewarned that this movie does contain adult material involving sex and nudity, but if you are beyond being a prude, you might enjoy it for what it is.
The plot is strange but it does come together. It is about a neighbor (Ryu) who becomes a sound voyeur of a girl who lives next door. The girl has a boyfriend who seems nice but is actually a pervert and makes harrassing phone calls to her using modern technology. For some reason, his threats to her turns him on. The girl winds up calling the boyfriend on his other cell phone, where she requests for him to come over and he comes over as the hero and they sleep together.
The neighbor imagines what is going on based on what he hears and the movie shows images of what he thinks they (neighbor and boyfriend) look like as well as what her apartment looks like. Eventually, Ryu becomes more of just a voyeur but a full blown stalker. He becomes very obsessed with this girl and his whole life starts to revolve learning everything about her.
The story takes a twist when he learns that the harassing phone caller is one and the same as the boyfriend. This is not your normal story, but does have a Hollywood happy ending.
Netflix describes the movie:
After moving into a new apartment, geeky reporter Ryo (Keita Ohno) quickly develops an obsession with his sexy next-door neighbor Satsuki (Aoi Sola). Ryo's eavesdropping and explicit fantasies surprisingly lead to a potential relationship with his dream girl. Meanwhile, throughout the course of this highly provocative Japanese movie, Satsuki becomes increasingly panic-stricken over obscene phone calls she's receiving from an unknown pervert.
This was a French movie that I really enjoyed. The subject matter is more of a young love or first love story set in a lower class part of the city. There is also the subject of racism and shows how a person deals with it among his friends and peers.
From Netflix:
Based on a controversial French novel, Lila Says tells the story of a quiet young poet named Chimo (Mohammed Khouas) who develops a crush on the pretty, blond Lila (Vahina Giocante), a girl who recently moved into his Arab ghetto with her aunt. When the leader of a rival gang also falls for Lila, the ensuing love triangle initiates a journey of sexual discovery -- and sets off a chain of devastating events.
I used this particular video because it has the subtitles in English below. All the other ones on youtube seemed to lack them. Of course this doesn't matter if you speak French, but unfortunately I don't. I really wish I could have used a different clip, but beggars can't be choosey.
Bottom line, I enjoyed the film and would recommend it if you enjoy a good French romantic movie that doesn't have a typical Hollywood ending.
I had low expectations of this movie based on the preview. I know it had some big talent such as Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Stanley Tucci. They are all great actors. However, there are many movies with great talent that end up disappointing. This movie did not only deliver but surprised me.
Amy Adams stars in this truth-inspired tale as Julie Powell, a disenchanted government secretary who decides to enliven her uneventful life by cooking all 524 recipes outlined in Julia Child's culinary classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Based on Powell's book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, director Nora Ephron's heartwarming dramedy also stars Meryl Streep as legendary chef Child.
It is very accurate in its description, but the execution of the movie was great. The characters are well developed and likable. The storyline has the time frames switching back and forth from the 1940s to the 2000s (after the 9/11 tragedy) which kept the pace of the movie at a good rate and engaging.
The images of France are beautiful and learning about Julia Child was actually quite interesting. I have never seen her cooking shows and knew very little about her. I do like the historic reference to the McCarthyism days in America where everyone was being accused of being a communist.
The images of New York are more closer to reality of present day America. I think it even provides a glimpse of the daily struggles most Americans are experiencing today. This is based on a true story of a new blogger becoming successful at writing.
Overall, I recommend watching this movie. I hope you like it as much as I did.
Both trailers are the same below, but the first one loads up slow. The second one loads up faster but doesn't play outside of America for some reason.
The Class (Entre les murs) is a foreign French movie that had many great raving reviews on Netflix. I watched this movie with high expectations and when I finished I have to be honest and say it was stupid. I know those are harsh words but really it was very annoying.
The school is suppose to be one of those poor ghetto areas where everyone lives a hard life. They used real students and the real teacher this was based on. Well, you don't like the students and the teacher is even worse. No one is likable in this movie. That's a problem.
Then there is the storyline. The teacher character as a teacher sucks. From what they show in the movie, he kind of just rambles on most of the time. He has no structure in the class, and the students are all portrayed as idiots. The teacher offers no motivation to learn, no structure to follow, and constantly belittles the kids as well as call some of them as "skanks" in the movie.
Seriously, for the people who liked this movie, you must have seen something I didn't see. The premise sounded good, but execution and storyline were miserable. I would not recommend this movie even to fall asleep to. That is how bad it is. Yes, I have seen worse movies, but this had potential.
I love vampire movies even if most of them are bad. I am glad they are more popular now than ever before. This oldie but goodie had many stars that have become big names now. Dracula was played by Gerard Butler of 300 fame. I must say he looked extremely young and at first I don't think I would recognize him right away.
Now, I can't say there are a lot of good old vampire movies. I am a fan of True Blood, Interview with a Vampire, and Twilight, but I don't expect the older stuff to be as entertaining. This movie was a bit more original in its explanation of silver, crosses, holy water, etc and why Dracula dislikes them. You learn about that at the end of the movie. If you are Christian, you might be offended by the movie and bible tie ins, but I thought it was original and well done.
Anyways, I don't summarize the plot of the movie and give it away. I just want you to know it was enjoyable to watch and would recommend you seeing it. This is definitely worth renting and eating a bucket of popcorn with it.
I wasn't actually looking for this movie and it wasn't in my netflix queue. I actually had seen the commercials a long time ago, and just thought it would be corny. In fact it was corny, but surprisingly enjoyable.
I have been waiting to watch this movie for awhile. The previews looked good and all the reviews were coming in positive. Peter Jackson was the producer.
I didn't recognize any of the actors, but the acting was overall good. The CG was well done and all the special effects were too.
The ending was a nice Hollywood ending where the human redeems himself in the end. Personally, I think the preview sells the movie easily. If you like science fiction movies, this one won't disappoint.
This is another horror movie set in modern times. Like I said before, you have to lower your expectations in most of the movies in this genre because they are simply horror movies. LOL.
This had some well known actors Alison Lohman and Justin Long (the Mac guy). The plot was actually very good and has some good twists. Of course the standard scare scenes with the sound effects to make you jump are here. Overall, this was a very good horror flick. My wife guessed the ending that I didn't see coming.
Usually, most previews give away all the scary scenes. This movie has a lot of potential and it reaches them. Again, this is on the horror movie scale of lowered expectations. I definitely recommend watching this movie.
This is a remake of a movie but I never saw the first one nor did I read the book. The preview always looked pretty good to me. It has two great actors and looked to be a fun action thriller type of movie.
Even though both Denzel Washington and John Travolta have been around along time, I still like watching most of their movies. It's funny how Luis Guzmán seems to be an extra or peripheral character in tons of movies. He is like another Kevin Bacon.
The movie didn't disappoint. It was fast paced, suspenseful, and thrilling all at the same time. The characters were believable and the ending was done in Hollywood fashion. I would recommend watching this movie.
The old one looks pretty good too. Maybe worth watching and comparing the classic one.
I love to watch horror movies, but I always lower my expectations because I know most of them are just bad. This movie is no exception. However, they are always entertaining. I don't recognize any of the actors so I won't plug them here.
There are some scary scenes and some just gruesome. If you like horror movies in general, then you will enjoy this. I think the first one is the best of this series.
I had very low expectations of this movie even though I like the 2 main stars. Gerard Butler from 300 and Katherine Heigl from Grey's Anatomy fame. I saw the preview and based on that I thought OK anther stinky romantic comedy with 2 currently popular stars. I had seen 27 dresses and some other lame movie Heigl was in and I think that may have influenced my expectations.
Nevertheless, it is a new movie and you can't judge it without watching it. I really thought Butler did a good job playing his character and Heigl was not the annoying Lizzy from G.A. The movie was put together well and got me to laugh a few times.
It was definitely predictable as most romantic comedies are, but the characters, actors, and storyline delivered. I would recommend watching it if you are on the fence.
This movie seemed to have a lot of potential. The description looked good, the reviews were better than decent, and the trailer was interesting. On top of that, it was a French movie and I just love listening to that language.
What can I say, I watched the movie and it was awful. The actors were good but the characters they played were people you just didn't care for. I hated the characters, the storyline, and the pace of the movie was just a bit faster than a snail. Anyways, don't watch it unless you need a movie to put you to sleep.
I saw this movie that stars Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel and Bradley Cooper. I liked the premise of the story about a guy who usually doesn't take chances and winds up going to a meeting where he learns the power of "yes". It was one of those positive motivation seminars.
Jim Carrey is sometimes annoying and he doesn't disappoint in this movie. But if you can get pass his craziness, the movie itself is very enjoyable. It wasn't hilarious but it was funny throughout the movie.
For as many movies as I watch, I am surprised that I keep forgetting to post them here. I blog on my main post about everything multiple times a day and for some reason I have a mental block posting on this blog.
So the latest movie I saw was Rogue which came out in 2007. It is just one of those low budget horror flicks about a giant crocodile in the outback of Australia. OK, maybe not the outback but some river area with rising tides.
The movie did have one star I recognized which was Michael Vartan of Alias fame. It was a fun movie and I did like it. I am just not sure if I enjoyed it enough to recommend. Lol.
OK, this movie was much better than I expected. It has great acting from the 3 main characters and the storyline is very good. More or less it is just about 3 soldiers coming home for 30 days from Iraq and how they deal with the civilians, adapting back to regular life, and their own situations of why they joined the US Army.
I love action movies and this one had some good previews. That gave me higher expectations of this movie and the previous James Bond movie seemed very good to me. I like this actor Daniel Craig playing the James Bond character.
This movie was pretty good but not as good as Casino Royale. I really was expecting it to be even better than that, so in that sense it didn't live up to my expectations. But by itself, the movie was interesting. I like the technology they showed and the action was never lacking. I also liked the way the movie portrayed governments. I suspect the government is somewhat like the ones portrayed in the movie doing secret projects and always trying to do power plays to obtain more power or steal resources from other countries.
There was some twist and turns in the movie. Overall, the movie is worth watching and I would recommend it.
I have watched a ton of movies since my last post, but just never seem to have enough time to get in this blog to write my opinions. This last movie I watched today was a surprise. A pleasant surprise to boot. I think it was a nice romantic movie. A chick flick or whatever you want to call it. It did make me shed a tear or two somewhere in there.
The movie stars Ryan Reynolds and Abigail Breslin as his daughter. Ryans's character tells of his relationships he experienced during his career through the Bill Clinton years to his daughter. The daughter tries to figure out who her mother is in his story of previous girlfriends. The 3 girlfriends are played by Elizabeth Banks (his college sweetheart), Rachel Weisz (his career girlfriend), and Isla Fisher (his soul-mate).
I think one of the reasons why I liked this movie is because the characters are well developed and the story is told well. The acting was excellent by all the actors and actresses. I even think the happy ending tied it altogether and wasn't completely expected.
This wasn't a box office hit. I didn't have any expectations on this movie so it was that much more satisfying to watch. Check it out and enjoy.
Obviously, I haven't been posting everyday like I would have liked, but trust me I am watching movies everyday. Yesterday, I watched some horror and science fiction movies.
The first movie was called War Games 2 with no major actors that I recognized. It was very predictable, but still a good fun film. I watched the first one from the late 80s with Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy. It's funny how far computers have advanced since then. Basically, most desktop computers are more powerful than the supercomputers from back then.
The second movie I watched was called Karla with Laura Preppon. It was suppose to be about a serial killer couple but it was so slow and boring, that my wife and I decided to stop watching after 30 minutes. Too much talking and some bad camera work at times.
The third movie I watched was Species 3 which was just OK. When you watch these types of movies you can't set your standards too high, otherwise you would never ever watch them. I like science fiction/action/thriller type of movies so this held my attention. It wasn't a great movie but worth watching once.
The last movie I watched was Resident Evil Extinction. This was actually a great zombie sci fi action movie. Never boring and fast paced. I seen the previous 2 movies, though I admit I don't really remember the details. Bottom line this is a good entertaining movie and I would recommend watching it with a bucket of popcorn.
This movie was a documentary about a lead singer of a band called Joy Division. The film was filmed in black and white and that seem to capture the times which was England in the 1970's.
Ian Curtis is a quiet and rather sad lad who works for an employment agency and sings in a band called Warsaw. He meets a girl named Debbie whom he promptly marries and his band, of which the name in the meantime has been changed to Joy Division, gets more and more successful. Even though Debbie and he become parents, their relationship is going downhill rapidly and Ian starts an affair with Belgium Annik whom he met after one of the gigs and he's almost never at home. Ian also suffers from epilepsy and has no-good medication for it. He doesn't know how to handle the feelings he has for Debbie and Annik and the pressure the popularity of Joy Division and the energy performing costs him.
The main actors were Sam Riley and Samantha Morton. They played their parts well and really got into character.
Personally, the way they depicted Ian Curtis made him an unlikable person (because of his affair) who had some personal medical issues. On a musical level, all the songs they played in the movie were very good. I liked all of them which sounded like early KROQ songs. I went to youtube and saw the actual band. They still sound excellent!
I would definitely recommend watching this movie because it explores the life of a talented musician going through some personal issues. In the end, he ends up committing suicide.
I recently watched the latest Batman movie and must say I am very impressed with the Darknight series. This is nothing like the old Batman TV series or even the old Batman movies.
The new series has a nice dark element with well developed characters. The story line is simple yet intriguing and has a good fluidity. It kept my interest from start to finish.
Christian Bale is my favorite Batman actor so far. He has done a great job in portraying this comic book character and gives him that "dark" personality.
Heath Ledger also played a great joker. I have seen him in other movies and never saw his acting range until this movie. I wouldn't surprise if he wins an Oscar.
If you haven't seen these Batman movies: Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008), I would highly recommend watching both of them with a big bucket of popcorn. Makes a great double feature and both are available on netflix.
This was actually a fun and quirky movie to watch. I have been meaning to watch this since I saw that actor Ricky Gervais doing the interview circuits on late night shows. I think his British attitude made it a bit more funny.
Basically, you have Ricky as the main character working as a dentist who is very antisocial. He avoids people at all costs and in the process is just kind of a jerk. He has some bowel problems, goes into the hospital to get a colonoscopy and dies for 7 minutes. After he comes back to life, he is able to see ghosts who have unfinished business on earth. Greg Kinnear plays the main ghost who needs Ricky to get his widowed wife to break up with her new boyfriend.
Overall, the plot is predictable with Ricky falling in love with Greg's wife played by Téa Leoni. It does have a nice happy Hollywood ending and is enjoyable to watch.
OK, I am back to this great blog. Sorry, it hasn't been as often as I like. Trust me, I am still watching a ton of movies. A movie I literally just finished watching on Netflix instant play is titled The Grocer's Son. It is a french foreign movie and has a good cast. I am not familiar with any of the actors but they all seem to play their parts well.
This independent movie is just about a family that has problems and upon the father having a heart attack, the son comes back and they basically come to terms and get closer. I recommend it if you are in the mood for a slow paced but realistic portrayal of the french countryside. Cheers!
When his father suffers a stroke, Antoine (Nicolas Cazale) reluctantly returns home from the big city to his small mountain village to help out with the family business, a grocery that makes daily rounds to the town's elderly inhabitants. But when Antoine's poor manners rub the villagers the wrong way, can the lovely young Claire (Clotilde Hesme) help smooth things over? French director Eric Guirado helms this charmingly low-key film.
I am surprised to see this movie already out on DVD. Netflix sent it to me because my wife pushed the movie up to the top of our queue. Anyways, I feel like I just saw the preview for this movie a month ago. I guess time is going faster than I think, or my memory is betraying me.
The movie Wanted stars James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, and Angelina Jolie. These actors are all pretty good so it is unusual to see them all in an action flick. Personally, I thought it was entertaining because the effects were pretty good, acting great, and the storyline was so so. The story did have a twist but the ending was weak.
If you love shoot em up movies, then you will probably like this. My wife didn't care for it, but she was nice enough to watch it all the way through with me.
Another day another movie. I am blessed to have so many ways to watch movies and also a wife who knows how to pick them. This movie titled the Visitor was a nice drama about a Professor who seems cold and one dimensional. The movie moves along at a good pace and I am always waiting to see what comes next. As the story unfolds, you start to see the Professor character in many dimensions as realize in his loneliness he had lost his purpose in life. I am guessing that might be due to the loss of his wife. Later when he meets 2 people by a weird occurrence, he seems to become more human and we see the generous side of him take over.
I really enjoyed this movie even though I didn't like the ending. Overall the movie was very entertaining. Here is a link to the trailer.
I know this is an old movie and couldn't remember seeing it when I was a kid. I was certain I did, but you know how it is when you start to get old and when you have seen a ton of movies. It was on HDNet so I put it in the good old dvr. My wife said she didn't remember seeing it either. The movie came out before we were married.
First of all, I thought the movie may seem dated but surprisingly it wasn't. When I had watched Star Wars again a couple of years ago, I thought yikes! This is not the way I remember seeing it when I was a kid. Lol.