August 28th, 2009 — Drama, Romantic
Basic Plot: Three Irish Catholic brothers deal with love, values, and their relationships with women.
Outburst: I really just couldn’t get into this movie, partly because of the grainy film (it was a very low-budget affair) and partly because of the intermixed story lines. Three separate stories is just one too many.
(1 of 3 stars) — Not bad, but not exceptional.
August 26th, 2009 — Biography, Crime Drama, Uncategorized
Basic Plot: The biographical tale of Dublin criminal Martin Cahill. Based on a book of the same name.
Outburst: The director did a masterful job here, cutting slickly through Cahill’s life to all its highlights. I saw the black-and-white version, which still baffles me as to why they’d release this when the movie was shot in color. Some of the accents do make the speech unintelligible, but the gist of the actions comes through loud and clear. The movie defines the very genre of anti-hero thriller, where the audience silently applauds the antics of a lovable Robin-hood style crook.
(2 of 3 stars) — An entertaining romp of a movie, especially for a biography. If you like to watch criminal capers and wacky bank heists, this is the film to see.
Sony Pictures Official Website: The General
Wikipedia: The General
John Boorman–The Lybarger Links Interview
August 26th, 2009 — Drama, Foreign with Subtitles
Basic Plot: The life of a poor airport janitor becomes deeply mixed with the neighborhood children’s when they mistake him for a pilot. From the Kingdom of Jordan.
Outburst: This is a simple and touching tale, about hope in the face of all that is hopeless. It faithfully keeps to the wonder and mystery present in everyday life without resorting to the fantastical.
(3 of 3 stars) – I highly recommend seeing this.
August 24th, 2009 — Drama, Western
Basic Plot: It’s a retelling of the San Patricios story, about a group of Irish immigrants who deserted to Mexico during the Mexican-American War, after encountering prejudice in the U.S. Army.
Outburst: Purists will detest this movie as it is historically very inaccurate. You can’t call it “based on true events” so much as “inspired by true events”. The acting won’t leave you breathless and the budget-less fight scenes may leave you bored. Despite this and overall bad ratings, I still feel this is an important movie to watch. It touches on themes that are relevant to America today, such as how we deal with immigrants, minority groups, religious affiliations, and war between culturally different societies.
(2 of 3 stars) – Those interested in political policies, minority groups, immigration or social activism should see it.
August 23rd, 2009 — Martial Arts
Basic Plot: A fighting monk must find the new protector for a magical scroll. Based on an obscure comic book.
Outburst: What starts as a fun, fighting frolic develops into hokey nonsense plagued by the bad acting of supporting characters. It makes no sense for him to get the girl at the end. Why do the bad guys have to be Nazis? Who scripted these girls? The point of any woman in a kungfu movie is to look hot, kick butt, and take names, not make me cringe when they try to act.
/CULT (1 of 3 stars) – It is obligatory that all Chow Yun-Fat fans watch (and possibly own) this movie, and it’s a good time waster if you are a kungfu movie fan. For the rest of us, there are much better movies out these days.
August 23rd, 2009 — Horror
Basic Plot: A skeptical writer spends the night in an evil hotel room. Based on a story by Stephen King.
Outburst: True to form, King’s short stories seem to create better movies than his novels. This is a horror flick, creepy in nature but without much blood, death, or destruction. You will be pleasantly freaked out, not jumpy at small sounds afterward… unless you watch it in your hotel room.
/ (2 of 3 stars) – Be prepared for psychological weirdness, not gruesome mayhem.
August 21st, 2009 — Drama
Basic Plot:A grieving mother switches homes with a woman in Ireland whose husband is unfaithful. Based upon a novel written by Maeve Binchy.
Outburst: Wherever else it has played, it now lives on the Lifetime Movie Network, if that gives you any hint. Two women lose, two women gain, and there’s a fuzzy feeling somewhere at the end. So grab a bucket of popcorn, a box of tissue, and a handful of chocolate bars.
/ (1 of 3 stars) – The line about needing a box of tissues is an exaggeration, you only need one tissue. This movie will make you cry only if you are fresh in heartbreak.
August 21st, 2009 — Drama, Sinister Comedy
Basic Plot: Your basic “whole mess of people thrown together in a movie” plot, with one couple as the significant center of the film.
Outburst: Take Pulp Fiction, strip it of the awesome soundtrack and magical shots, then replace all the characters with every Irish actor known to American audiences. Give them shitty retail jobs and even worse relationships with each other. The movie was billed as a dark comedy, but it’s more accurately a cynical drama with a few humorous quirks. You’ll have to strain at first to understand the thick Irish accents unless, of course, you are from Ireland. It’s a great watch if you like gritty realism.
(2 of 3 stars) — This movie probably won’t change your life, but it might make you feel a touch better about it… unless you are a little too much like these fuckups.
August 2nd, 2009 — Comedy, Musical, Romantic
Basic Plot: Bride-to-be tries to discover her father’s identity by inviting the three potential candidates to her wedding. It’s a musical featuring hit songs by ABBA, does it really need a plot?
Outburst: For the standard moviegoer, it will be cute and tolerable, but really — what significant other dragged you to see this? Now if you love musicals or are a groupie for ABBA – this might be the greatest experience since your first orgasm. See this in as large a venue as possible; the energy and laughter of the crowd will keep you soaring (and singing) along.
/CULT (2 of 3 stars) — Exquisite fun for musical and ABBA fans, pretty good otherwise.
Official Website for film Mamma Mia!
Official Website for Stage Production
July 16th, 2009 — Drama, Foreign with Subtitles
IMDB: The Song of Sparrows
Basic Plot: An Iranian ostrich farmer loses his job when a bird escapes. Through chance he starts working as a motorcycle taxi driver in the city, but the new environment brings with it a new set of values. This film is a metaphor depicting how materialism destroys the integrity of the honest man.
Outburst: The movie plays out at a different pace than I am used to – slow and very, very deliberate. The main actor is absolutely superb, able to convey intense emotions subtly and believably. This is the kind of movie you have to think about and discuss, so watch it with your analytical friends.
(2 of 3 stars) – While I was very pleased with this movie and intuitively grasped what the makers were trying to convey with each scene, my companion found some of the symbolism confusing.
Official site: The Song of Sparrows
Wikipedia: The Song of Sparrows