The thing that really gets to me is when the production value just falls below what I can actually stomach. It ends up dragging everything else down with it, too... making the whole thing feel way too amateurish. And since the work itself isn't exactly breaking any ground or being revolutionary, my final verdict is... well, it’s barely watchable.
Whenever I find myself watching something like Scary Movie, I can't help but wonder... who actually sits down and watches this garbage? I always try to tell myself it’s just a tiny, tiny group of people, hoping that most folks still have some common sense and find these cinematic disasters just as repulsive as I do. But deep down, I know that isn't true. It feels like I'm living in a warped world where so many people genuinely enjoy movies like Scary Movie. And honestly... that always just leaves me feeling a bit blue.
There’s just nothing quite like the movie theater for me... it’s my absolute favorite. I mean, sure, I’ll watch a movie on Blu-ray or even an old DVD every now and then, but it doesn't even come close to the big screen experience. Whenever I see a trailer for something that looks like it’s going to be truly great—or maybe even a masterpiece—I make it a point to go see it in theaters, no questions asked. If I think a movie might just be "okay" or decent, I'll probably just wait and catch it on a streaming service or a disc at home. As for everything else... I don't really bother, unless it happens to pop up on cable TV while I'm flipping through channels...
The real issue with the movie theaters in Indianapolis is just plain old bad management. It’s all political appointments... people who don't have a clue about cinema or how to actually run a business. The folks running the local spots here act like it's still the 1990s—they swap out the schedule on Thursday, slap some new posters on the window, and call it a day. That's it. That's their whole job description. That just doesn't fly anymore. Running a theater is a real job, a legitimate business. I mean, just look at how AMC Theatres does things. And honestly, these Indy theaters don't even have a website... so what are we even talking about here? It's hopeless. A friend of mine, he runs a really successful company, went to talk to one of the directors about running ads before the films start. She told him straight up they couldn't do it because they didn't have the technical setup to make it happen. The whole thing is just absurd... There are a million little moves you could make right from the jump that would turn these places profitable pretty fast. For two theaters in a city of over 100,000 people to be failing this hard... it's just notorious stupidity. Of course they can succeed, they just have to actually work. Seriously work. Offer something fresh, offer something more. And like most things, you don't need to reinvent the wheel. It's all pretty obvious... you just look at how theaters operate over in Europe (you could just use AMC Theatres as an example), tweak it a bit to fit our local vibe, and the profits will follow.
I really loved the football tonight. It was beautiful... just pure attacking play. But man, it just drove home once again why Real Madrid and FC Barcelona aren't going to take home the UEFA Champions League trophy this year. When you're facing managers like Fabio Capello or José Mourinho, or teams like Juventus and Chelsea FC... if your defense is this shaky, or just generally disorganized, you simply don't stand a chance. There’s just too much chaos... too many gaps in the line, and some players are just clearly out of their depth (like Francisco Pavón and Oleguer)... That "all-out attack" tactic... it just falls apart against how organized teams like Juventus, Chelsea FC, and AC Milan are.
Honestly, one of the best American comedies from the last decade... if you aren't counting the Woody Allen stuff. B.B. is just brilliant. And that little chubby guy too. So witty... really funny. Plus—and I really have to give credit where it's due—even though there are like ten or more hilarious bits scattered throughout, the movie actually works as a whole. That's such a rare thing to find in American comedies. I first really noticed Zwigoff after seeing the amazing "Ghost World," and man, I am just so incredibly happy that the American directing scene has gained such a significant new name... a huge addition to the talent pool. While waiting for the next Terry Zwigoff project, regarding Bad Santa, I’d say—as Homer Simpson would put it—nine thumbs up.👍 x 9
It looks like this was the final collab between Ethan and Joel Coen. They probably just got tired of working together and decided to go their separate ways... on their own filmmaking paths. Which honestly makes sense. Even back with The Man Who Wasn't There, you could tell they weren't really at the top of their game, and then with that absolute disaster Intolerable Cruelty, they pretty much hit rock bottom. As for The Ladykillers, I’d say that’s probably their second worst film, right behind Intolerable Cruelty. To me, The Ladykillers feels like a cheap caricature of the kind of movies they used to make—only, you know, two notches lower in quality. Still, because of masterpieces like Fargo, Barton Fink, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Miller's Crossing, Raising Arizona, and Blood Simple... they still hold a lot of credit with me. And I really hope they find their way back to that 90s magic...
So, here we go... another one from Alejandro Amenábar. It’s his fourth feature, and man, I was lucky enough to catch all three of his previous ones. I remember back in '97, watching his debut, Thesis, on NBC during this special Spanish cinema series... and I just thought, okay, this is a name you need to remember. I knew right then this guy had something special to offer. Then came Open Your Eyes—which was remade in Hollywood as Vanilla Sky—and The Others. Honestly? They were all incredible. Just top-tier thrillers, every single one of them. Now, it looks like Amenábar is tackling some really heavy, heavy subject matter... euthanasia, actually. He turned it into a drama, and once again, he absolutely nailed it. He directed it, wrote the script, even did the score... it's brilliant. It just proves he's easily one of the most talented filmmakers working today. And Bardem... wow. He is just luminous playing this cynical quadriplegic who’s basically done with life because he feels it’s lost its dignity. Amenábar’s direction just blew me away yet again. Look, it’s a pretty intense, sometimes claustrophobic drama. It definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea... but I'm certain that anyone who can appreciate that kind of depth is going to find The Sea Inside to be one of the best films of the year. At least, it was for me.
I really loved this movie. I’d put it in that special category of films that just feel dear to me... I truly enjoyed watching it, and honestly, I felt great even after the credits rolled. And man, that’s a phenomenal feeling. Basically, it's just a beautiful little vignette about South America... funny, touching, lovely...
The movie was just... meh. Honestly, I was expecting a way better script, especially since George is usually such a witty guy—but man, he missed the mark this time. The acting felt off, and the whole production looked pretty cheap... Just a total letdown.
I’m not sure if anyone caught that segment Dražen Ilinčić did on Super Size Me for Half Hour Culture, but honestly... I think he covered everything there was to say about the movie. It was just one of those brilliant pieces he puts together for Half Hour Culture... really hit the mark. As for the movie itself: The concept is super interesting. But the execution? Much weaker. It felt a bit low-budget from a filmmaking standpoint, kind of predictable... a little boring, actually. Just okay. My take: Anyone eating at McDonald's every single day is a fool anyway. I don't need some documentary to prove that to me. That said, I’m not going to start living on nothing but salad. It’s just not good. Fast food once in a while—and I mean not even a burger, maybe just some greasy sliders—give that to me! Besides, what even counts as healthy food these days?
The Fifth Element is just incredible. Leon is such a great character... really hits the spot. Nikita is interesting enough, I guess, but it doesn't quite hit the mark for me. And don't even get me started on The Big Blue—that was just painfully bad. Lately, though, the movies he's been putting out (like Taxi, for instance)... they're just straight-up disasters.
There’s such a thing as artistic freedom... take Woody Allen, for instance. For decades now, he’s just been making movies exactly how he envisions them, working with the same producers over and over—Rollins and Joffe who are always willing to get behind his projects, even though they know they won't make much money (okay, let's be real, basically nothing) and they'll never actually have a say in what the final cut looks like.
I caught the trailer for this one and immediately knew—just another mindless, brainless flick. Then I found out it was written by the Wayans brothers, which just confirmed my suspicion that it’s going to be absolute nonsense. Roger Ebert gave it a measly one and a half stars, and it’s sitting at a 4.4 on IMDb. So yeah... definitely a total dud. I can say with full confidence that this movie is trash, and I haven't even sat through it yet. Honestly, where would I end up if I wasted 90 minutes of my life on every stupid thing I see? Movies like this clearly don't deserve more than about 10 seconds of attention before you skip them.
Hands down, Lost in Translation was the best thing I’ve seen in theaters all year. It’s definitely going to be one of those movies that defines 2004 for me... I mean, I’ve always been a huge fan of Tim Burton—well, except for that one weird Planet of the Apes movie—but this might just be his most mature work yet. It’s got that signature imaginative, visual flair he does so well, paired with a really soulful story and incredible acting. Just a brilliant film.
This movie is just weak... I actually sat down to watch it because of Peter Howitt, mostly since his work on Sliding Doors was so incredibly good. Antitrust feels way too formulaic, though—nothing great about it, but nothing uniquely terrible either. Just standard stuff. It looks like Howitt is just another director struggling to find his footing in Hollywood, probably feeling the squeeze from those ruthless producers.
Absolutely brilliant!👍 Honestly, it’s probably the best animated movie I’ve ever laid eyes on. It’s got a permanent, VIP spot in my home movie collection... Even though Tim Burton didn't actually direct it—so technically you can't officially credit him—you can just feel his soul all over the thing. In my book, it’s a total Tim Burton film through and through. Only crazy Tim could dream up something this imaginative...
Uh, I honestly thought you were talking about that trashy TV movie from '95 starring Pierce Brosnan... I mean, where did you even dig up that flick all of a sudden?