Lounge
wrote about Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi
I could not think of any better family movie. Hard to believe this is nearly 30 years old as the special effects are still stunning!
Burton is as good a storyteller as Edward Bloom, that's for sure! I wonder whether there's a precise word for these kind of realistic fantasy films (like Benjamin Button or Forrest Gump).
Lounge
wrote about Dog Day Afternoon
This unbelievable yet true story is most convincingly played by Pacino and Cazale. This is probably partly due to the actors improvising most of the time, which makes their performance all the more impressive. And Lumet's directing in the confined environment of a bank is as splendid as in 12 Angry Men.
Lounge
wrote about Vicky Christina Barcelona
A realistic story told like a fairytale. Witty but not too much, this movie is a pleasure to hear and to see.
Lounge
wrote about A Serious Man
A serious comedy that certainly doesn't lack a any originality. However, the absence of ending feels more like a sign of the directors' cowardice than a way of telling the viewer he should find an answer of his own. All things considered, the movie appeared to me both not funny enough (especially compared to "Burn after reading") and not serious enough...
Lounge
wrote about Changeling
Visually attractive, the movie would also be worth seeing merely for the incredible -but true- story it tells. For once, Angelina Jolie plays an interesting character that her performance honors.
I guess that the first adjective that pops up in someone's mind after seeing Juno is: sweet. This is a difficult story told with the sweetest words. Juno's sense of humor is delightful and totally convincing considering her father and stepmother's personalities. A must-see dramatic comedy.
Lounge
commented Invictus (Lounge)
I'm afraid I still haven't seen Changeling yet, so I wouldn't dare to compare. To be fair, I think I am being quite though on Invictus mainly because I was expecting more of it than what one would normally expect of that genre of movie -- after all, it's Eastwood's. It is a good movie though, and its main flaw might merely be that it is not any better. Also, when you watch Gran Torino, I believed in the story, although it's complete fiction. Whereas Invictus' story, which is based on true facts and
I'm afraid Eastwood didn't convince me this time. By trying to address too many subjects, Invictus fails to depict any of them. Invictus is not entirely about Mandela's vision of reconciliation. It is not entirely about a rugby team's efforts to win a championship either. For sure, Freeman's performance is noticeable and honors his character. But I guess I'd wished, for Mandela's sake, something more than an expectable story about rugby, that didn't even manage to move me in any way.
Lounge
wrote about Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life
All things considered, It's a Wonderful Life's plot is well known. It's about a man who helps the others instead of helping himself. A man who would not commonly be referred to as a hero, although he saved or improved many lives -- in a quiet and humble way. What probably makes this film special is that although it rests upon supernatural premises, it is exceptionally realistic when it comes to depicting our relationship to money or to our never-to-be-realized child's dreams. A Wonderful Movie.
Lounge
wrote about Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket
A masterpiece that, unlike 2001, I am able to understand. The first half an hour is truly memorable as it is an infinite source of delightful quotes. The rest of the movie is a powerful description of how alienating war is, although moral judgments are cleverly left to the viewer. A must see - and a must hear, since like in any other Kubrick's movie, the musical theme is brilliant.
Lounge
wrote about To Kill a Mockingbird
The remarkable story of children learning about racism and difference. Atticus reminded me of Henri Fonda in 12 Angry Men: he knows what is fair and keeps on the right track no matter how difficult it is.
Lounge
wrote about Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels
A typical ganster movie, very much in line with other films of the same genre by Guy Ritchie (Snatch, RocknRolla), but with tons of laughs and unforgettable characters. A cult movie.
Lounge
wrote about The Apartment
Funny, sweet and clever all together.
A funny and fast-paced comedy helped by a tough soundtrack. As joyful as an Ocean's Twelve, the English accent being the cherry on the cake ;-)
Lounge
wrote about Pulp Fiction
One of the best soundtrack ever. Memorable dialogues. Funny and definitely Tarantino's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmKju-x8nnM
Lounge
wrote about Once Upon a Time in America
Great story, entirely worth the 3 hours of movie!
A "fucking" movie.
Lounge
wrote about Taxi Driver
This is the kind of movie that creates an atmosphere. The insistent soundtrack, the repetitive dialogues, the long-lasting shots: everything is about the loneliness and the insouciance of a taxi driver living in a violent and dirty city. I'd love to see a sequel of the movie, as the end is evidently subject to interpretation.
Lounge
wrote about 12 Monkeys
A very original and pessimistic vision of the future -- a not sanitized one. Although I found the movie a bit lengthy in the end, the story is quite convincing, and so is the acting (most notably Brad Pitt's).