2008 Movie #123 - Zack and Miri Make a Porno
I think Kevin Smith catches a lot of undeserved shit from both critics and the movie watching public. His movies may not be high art (although I might make that argument for Chasing Amy and Dogma) but they're always consistently funny and entertaining. Hell I even didn't mind Jersey Girl really. I also love his Evening with Kevin Smith DVDs. So I'm definitely a fan. Therefore I was very interested to see how his first straight comedy with original characters was going to go. In fact I would say this was one of my more anticipated movies of the year. Thankfully it didn't disappoint and can join the ranks of other really good comedies of 2008.
As I've constantly said over the year, comedies are the hardest movies to write reviews for because it really does boil down to whether it was funny or not. I did find this one very funny. Sure it's lowbrow but what the fuck do you expect? People seem surprised how dirty the comedy is, which leads me to believe they somehow made it into the theatre without knowing anything about the cast, plot, crew, and of course the name of the fucking movie itself. Yea it's dirty, but it never really feels like it went too far or is trying too hard, unlike other movies this year like fucking College.
My main concern with this movie was the relationship side of it. You knew in the second half it was going to turn a little more romantic, and I was really expecting the movie to rocket downhill when it happened. Thankfully it never did. It gets a little sappy and cliched sure, but it never crosses the line like say, Bruce Almighty where it seems to even forget it was ever a comedy in the first place. There's one moment I can think of that was a bit much, but for the most part things don't go nearly as bad as they should during this half of the movie.
The cast is top notch with not a weak link in the bunch. Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks do a great job and have actually pretty damn good chemistry together. It's believable that they could make the turn they do. The supporting cast is great. Good to see Jason Mewes playing someone other than Jay and still being very funny. I also always like seeing Jeff Anderson in a movie because he's always reliable for some good laughs. Justin Long was definitely a highlight as well. His fake voice could make just about anything he said funny.
Overall a solid comedy and one I think would stand up in repeat viewings. It's still not my favourite comedy of the year (although I don't really even know what it would be) but it's damn funny and I'm really glad it didn't let me down after the long wait for it.
****/5
Friday, November 14, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Shawn's Quarantine Review
2008 Movie #122 - Quarantine
I have REC downloaded but have never watched it, therefore I got to watch this version with no preconceptions. It's been a good year for R rated horror for the most part so it's nice to see Quarantine continue with that tradition. It's also nice to see it continues the trend of most 2008 R rated horror movies being pretty damn decent.
The movie will of course be compared to Cloverfield since it has the same style and feel going for it. There's even a night vision sequence, which as with all night vision sequences, is quite creepy. Horror movies have definitely turned me off night visioning. Next time my friends come over with their night vision googles and propose a night of green vision shenanigans, I'm sadly going to have to refuse.
Anyway of course the movie is nowhere near as good as Cloverfield (I still regard that as one of the finest movies this year, and it was one of the first ones too), but it's still entertaining and better than I expected. I did find the explanation for why they were still filming a little more plausable in this one than in Cloverfield, so that's one point in favour of Quarantine.
The acting is fine. Lead actress Dexter's Sister/Emily Rose has caught some shit for her performance but I gotta tell you, I'm pretty fucking certain that's how anyone would be acting in this same situation. Same with Dakota Fanning in War of the Worlds. That's how a fucking person acts when shit like that happens! I should know because I've been involved in both an alien invasion and a contaminated zombie building, so fuck you. Everyone else does fine really. The acting never takes you out of the movie, and sometimes when it comes to horror, that's pretty much all you can ask for.
The gore level is sufficient, although once again coming off Saw V it seems almost tame. There are a couple of pretty gross moments though so the gorehounds will still be kept happy with this one. It earns the R rating.
My biggest complaint though, especially as someone taking Advertising in school, is the promotion of this movie. The posters and the trailer all contain that one iconic shot (you know the one), so the whole movie you know the outcome of any event because well, you haven't seen that part yet. It's just a terrible marketing ploy and I have no idea what the hell they were thinking. It ruins a lot of the suspense and takes away any sort of power the ending of the movie might have had. Hopefully the marketing guy behind that one is forced to watch the original Beverly Hills Chihuahua trailer until his eyes bleed. That's the only example of worse marketing that I can think of. Terrible.
Overall though, it ain't great but it's pretty damn good. It's an eventual blu-ray purchase, which is starting to become the highest praise I can bestow upon a movie.
*** 1/2 / 5
I have REC downloaded but have never watched it, therefore I got to watch this version with no preconceptions. It's been a good year for R rated horror for the most part so it's nice to see Quarantine continue with that tradition. It's also nice to see it continues the trend of most 2008 R rated horror movies being pretty damn decent.
The movie will of course be compared to Cloverfield since it has the same style and feel going for it. There's even a night vision sequence, which as with all night vision sequences, is quite creepy. Horror movies have definitely turned me off night visioning. Next time my friends come over with their night vision googles and propose a night of green vision shenanigans, I'm sadly going to have to refuse.
Anyway of course the movie is nowhere near as good as Cloverfield (I still regard that as one of the finest movies this year, and it was one of the first ones too), but it's still entertaining and better than I expected. I did find the explanation for why they were still filming a little more plausable in this one than in Cloverfield, so that's one point in favour of Quarantine.
The acting is fine. Lead actress Dexter's Sister/Emily Rose has caught some shit for her performance but I gotta tell you, I'm pretty fucking certain that's how anyone would be acting in this same situation. Same with Dakota Fanning in War of the Worlds. That's how a fucking person acts when shit like that happens! I should know because I've been involved in both an alien invasion and a contaminated zombie building, so fuck you. Everyone else does fine really. The acting never takes you out of the movie, and sometimes when it comes to horror, that's pretty much all you can ask for.
The gore level is sufficient, although once again coming off Saw V it seems almost tame. There are a couple of pretty gross moments though so the gorehounds will still be kept happy with this one. It earns the R rating.
My biggest complaint though, especially as someone taking Advertising in school, is the promotion of this movie. The posters and the trailer all contain that one iconic shot (you know the one), so the whole movie you know the outcome of any event because well, you haven't seen that part yet. It's just a terrible marketing ploy and I have no idea what the hell they were thinking. It ruins a lot of the suspense and takes away any sort of power the ending of the movie might have had. Hopefully the marketing guy behind that one is forced to watch the original Beverly Hills Chihuahua trailer until his eyes bleed. That's the only example of worse marketing that I can think of. Terrible.
Overall though, it ain't great but it's pretty damn good. It's an eventual blu-ray purchase, which is starting to become the highest praise I can bestow upon a movie.
*** 1/2 / 5
Shawn's Midnight Meat Train Review
2008 Movie #121 - Midnight Meat Train
My main memory of this movie is people laughing at the title reveal when we saw the trailer before Rambo. Remember Rambo? That shit was awesome. This shit...this shit was passable. I don't really get why this movie was thrown into theatres because it's not bad. However it's fucked up, so maybe that's why? Also why was Home Improvement popular? It's on in the background and I just don't...I just don't get it.
Anyway back on topic, Midnight Meat Train for the most part is a decent thriller/horror hybrid. It keeps you invested in what's going on, even if none of it feels very original. Plus it has Vinnie Jones, which usually makes any movie at least worth a look. The gore level is pretty good too, but some of it looks very very fake and cartoonish. If I had the choice between putting those effects in the movie or changing the scene, I think I would have to go with the latter. Sure it lessens the gore, but it would make the movie more credible. Effects like that do nothing but take you right out of things. Either way there are some pretty good gore moments if that's what you're looking for.
So the story is pretty good, the acting decent and the gore somewhat impressive. Is there anything that helps make this movie stand out? Yes, yes there is. This movie has the biggest out of left field fucked up final 10 minutes I think I've maybe ever seen. I mean the movie is a little out there the whole time but then this twist comes and the whole room just lets out a resounding "what the fuck is going on?!" I know I'm not alone on this one. I haven't read the short story but I'm guessing it's explained a lot better than it is here. I don't even know if it was a poor choice or not because frankly, I don't fucking understand it.
Kudos to Midnight Meat Train I suppose for making me do research on a movie afterwards. It's good if a movie has you talking with people afterwards, unless of course that conversation is "what the fuck was any of that?!"
** 1/2 / 5
My main memory of this movie is people laughing at the title reveal when we saw the trailer before Rambo. Remember Rambo? That shit was awesome. This shit...this shit was passable. I don't really get why this movie was thrown into theatres because it's not bad. However it's fucked up, so maybe that's why? Also why was Home Improvement popular? It's on in the background and I just don't...I just don't get it.
Anyway back on topic, Midnight Meat Train for the most part is a decent thriller/horror hybrid. It keeps you invested in what's going on, even if none of it feels very original. Plus it has Vinnie Jones, which usually makes any movie at least worth a look. The gore level is pretty good too, but some of it looks very very fake and cartoonish. If I had the choice between putting those effects in the movie or changing the scene, I think I would have to go with the latter. Sure it lessens the gore, but it would make the movie more credible. Effects like that do nothing but take you right out of things. Either way there are some pretty good gore moments if that's what you're looking for.
So the story is pretty good, the acting decent and the gore somewhat impressive. Is there anything that helps make this movie stand out? Yes, yes there is. This movie has the biggest out of left field fucked up final 10 minutes I think I've maybe ever seen. I mean the movie is a little out there the whole time but then this twist comes and the whole room just lets out a resounding "what the fuck is going on?!" I know I'm not alone on this one. I haven't read the short story but I'm guessing it's explained a lot better than it is here. I don't even know if it was a poor choice or not because frankly, I don't fucking understand it.
Kudos to Midnight Meat Train I suppose for making me do research on a movie afterwards. It's good if a movie has you talking with people afterwards, unless of course that conversation is "what the fuck was any of that?!"
** 1/2 / 5
Shawn's Journey to the Center of the Earth Review
2008 Movie #120 - Journey to the Center of the Earth
I can't help but wonder what came first, the movie or the 3D? Did they decide from the beginning they wanted to do a 3D movie and wrote a script centered around that? Or did they have this unproduced script lying around and decided to make it 3D? Either way it's lucky this movie does have the 3D aspect because aside from that, it really doesn't have much else going for it.
If you were to watch the mere two dimensional version, I really can't think of what appeal it would hold. The movie itself is a decent adventure movie, but it's never really that exciting. Once it starts to set up the action set pieces at around the halfway point of the movie, each one feels like it should be cool, but then simply doesn't deliver in the end. I did enjoy those huge lochness monster looking things, but that was about the most into the movie I ever got. It's not boring, it's just never as exciting as it wants to be.
There are really only 3 actors in the entire movie and they are all decent. Brendan Fraser needs a new routine though. He plays the same role here he plays in the Mummy movies and just about every other movie he seems to make. In fact before this we saw a trailer for something he's starring in called Inkheart. It really looked like it could have been the next Mummy movie. Please Brendan, you're not a bad actor, just trying something different. For me? Think about it.
The plot is simple enough. They get trapped in the centre of the earth and then get out. It seems like they spend very little time there. It feels like they get out mere minutes after arriving. I guess it's good the movie has a quick pace going for it but a little more time in the centerpiece of the movie could have been nice. Also nobody ever seems that concerned about the situation. They just joke around, even when seconds away from their death. Again, I get they were going for an overall light hearted tone, but it takes you out of the movie. Realistically these people would be terrified so at least make them give half a shit about their situation.
Also how in the hell does that kid get a phone call on his cell phone? He couldn't get reception a one point, then they go further into the center of the earth and suddenly the phone works at least decently? Some phone company missed a great opportunity for some publicity on that one.
The 3D is pretty good though, there's no denying that. We better enjoy it now we can before all of the movie studios bury the concept into the ground in the coming year or so. There's at least 5 more 3D movies coming out that I can think of , and the novelty is going to wear out fast. Especially once everyone realizes the movies themselves are not that good, just like this one.
**/5
I can't help but wonder what came first, the movie or the 3D? Did they decide from the beginning they wanted to do a 3D movie and wrote a script centered around that? Or did they have this unproduced script lying around and decided to make it 3D? Either way it's lucky this movie does have the 3D aspect because aside from that, it really doesn't have much else going for it.
If you were to watch the mere two dimensional version, I really can't think of what appeal it would hold. The movie itself is a decent adventure movie, but it's never really that exciting. Once it starts to set up the action set pieces at around the halfway point of the movie, each one feels like it should be cool, but then simply doesn't deliver in the end. I did enjoy those huge lochness monster looking things, but that was about the most into the movie I ever got. It's not boring, it's just never as exciting as it wants to be.
There are really only 3 actors in the entire movie and they are all decent. Brendan Fraser needs a new routine though. He plays the same role here he plays in the Mummy movies and just about every other movie he seems to make. In fact before this we saw a trailer for something he's starring in called Inkheart. It really looked like it could have been the next Mummy movie. Please Brendan, you're not a bad actor, just trying something different. For me? Think about it.
The plot is simple enough. They get trapped in the centre of the earth and then get out. It seems like they spend very little time there. It feels like they get out mere minutes after arriving. I guess it's good the movie has a quick pace going for it but a little more time in the centerpiece of the movie could have been nice. Also nobody ever seems that concerned about the situation. They just joke around, even when seconds away from their death. Again, I get they were going for an overall light hearted tone, but it takes you out of the movie. Realistically these people would be terrified so at least make them give half a shit about their situation.
Also how in the hell does that kid get a phone call on his cell phone? He couldn't get reception a one point, then they go further into the center of the earth and suddenly the phone works at least decently? Some phone company missed a great opportunity for some publicity on that one.
The 3D is pretty good though, there's no denying that. We better enjoy it now we can before all of the movie studios bury the concept into the ground in the coming year or so. There's at least 5 more 3D movies coming out that I can think of , and the novelty is going to wear out fast. Especially once everyone realizes the movies themselves are not that good, just like this one.
**/5
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