Search

Search only in certain items:

Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Beauty and the Beast (2017)
2017 | Fantasy, Musical, Romance
Remake of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ convincingly springs to life
Critic Review by Ann Hornaday- Washington Post

Original rating: 3 out of 4

Full review: https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/remake-of-beauty-and-the-beast-convincingly-springs-to-life/2017/03/16/9022737c-05bf-11e7-ad5b-d22680e18d10_story.html?utm_term=.dd812aa47337

Excerpt:

This “Beauty and the Beast” isn’t predicated on starry-eyed romance or animal attraction, but the solace of mutual loss and understanding, which makes it all the sweeter. Although the Beast is an entirely digital creation, based in part on Jean Cocteau’s groundbreaking 1946 film, Stevens imbues his hauteur and fanged hostility with pathos and arch humor. Joining Heath­cliff and Mr. Rochester as yet another handsome dude in a bad mood, Stevens’s Beast provides the right kind of foil for Watson’s spirited, courageous heroine, who in one of two seriously frightening sequences fights off a snarling pack of wolves. The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it meet-cute moment for two gay characters is part of this “Beauty and the Beast’s” larger sense of expansiveness, wherein exteriors fall away, inner essences come to the fore and true love ensues.

And what in this big, boffo, ball-gowned world could be wrong with that?
  
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
1974 | Action, Drama, Mystery

"And the final film, since you limited me to a mere five… that’s always the biggest battle, not what will be number one, but what will be the last film on a short list, because, you know, I would want to throw Pan’s Labyrinth on there, or City of God, or Annie Hall, or Crimes and Misdemeanors. What I’m gonna put on is The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three. You want to throw on your list something that is perhaps would be contrarian, or would be unusual. But to me, it’s the most entertaining crime film that I have ever seen. In a movie like that, involvement is the most significant aspect in determining whether or not it’s successful. And you’re simply involved in this movie. It doesn’t have one movie star. There’s nobody particularly handsome or heroic in the film. You’re dealing with Walter Matthau and Marty Balsam and Robert Shaw. To me, it’s a delight. It’s interesting because a remake of it is gonna be coming out, I believe next year. I don’t begrudge them. I think it’s an absolutely appropriate film to remake. As good as it was, it can be given a modern sensibility that can appeal to modern audiences."

Source
  
40x40

Will Oldham recommended Solaris (1972) in Movies (curated)

 
Solaris (1972)
Solaris (1972)
1972 | Sci-Fi

"Why not check out a double-cassette VHS of a Russian sci-fi movie from the library in Bloomington, Indiana, in the summer of 1992? Had never heard of it, nor of Tarkovsky. I was checking out a movie every day, based on what narrow selection the library had on her shelves. I was not prepared for how bent my mind became through the experience of watching this movie. That summer, in addition to watching a movie every evening, I was working on the construction of songs with regularity for the first time in my life. Solaris restructured my consciousness for a moment and helped lead me to believe that the past = the present = the future. I’ve never seen the American remake, and, even though Soderbergh is so good, I think I never will."

Source
  
40x40

Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated War of the Worlds (2005) in Movies

Apr 9, 2020 (Updated Apr 10, 2020)  
War of the Worlds (2005)
War of the Worlds (2005)
2005 | Action, Sci-Fi
Run From The Spaceships
War of the Worlds- is a good remake of the oringal, taking a different spin on it. Plus you have Tom Cruise running from spaceships which is a plus in my books.

The plot: Dockworker Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) struggles to build a positive relationship with his two children, Rachel (Dakota Fanning) and Robbie (Justin Chatwin). When his ex-wife, Mary Ann (Miranda Otto), drops them off at Ferrier's house, it seems as though it will be just another tension-filled weekend. However, when electromagnetic pulses of lightning strike the area, the strange event turns out to be the beginning of an alien invasion, and Ferrier must now protect his children as they seek refuge.

Its a good sci-fi action thriller.
  
40x40

Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) Apr 10, 2020

Tom cruise is always running haha

40x40

David McK (3883 KP) rated The A-Team (2010) in Movies

Sep 2, 2020 (Updated Aug 11, 2024)  
The A-Team (2010)
The A-Team (2010)
2010 | Action
"Still wanted by the government, today they exist as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if nobody else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... the A-Team!"

Big screen remake of the popular 80s TV show, with Liam Neeson taking on the role of Colonel Hannibal Smith, the leader of that group of soldiers that includes Face (and, yes, the original Face gets a cameo), BA Barracus and 'Howling Mad' Matt Murdoch and that takes as its primary plot point just why they are wanted by the government (to do with stolen printing press, apparently).

And I have seven words to sum it up: "No. They're trying to fly a tank".
  
My Bloody Valentine 3-D (2009)
My Bloody Valentine 3-D (2009)
2009 | Horror, Mystery
One of the avalanche of classic horror remakes to surface during the 00s, My Bloody Valentine (in "spectacular" 3D of course) isn't the worst of them by a long shot, but it still suffers from the soul-less-ness that the majority of them seem all to keen to pack in.

Its certainly more action packed and gory than it's 80s older sibling. The violence on display packs a punch for sure, some of it looks great, some of its looks terrible. The Harry Warden killer, much like the Michaels and Jasons of this remake era, is more of a machine than before. Relentless, brutal, faster, and pretty intimidating as far as these things go. It also packs in a fair amount of character development, which is a nice touch that gives the whole narrative some much needed gravitas, and the cast all do a good job with the by-the-numbers slasher-remake screenplay, with highlights being Jaime King and the ever reliable Tom Atkins.

You know how these things go though, and the simple fact is that this do over isn't as good as the original. It lacks the realness and charm (there's that word again) that the original had. There's a twist near the end that is designed to pull the rug out from under fans of the original, and it's actually a pretty interesting one, albeit executed poorly, and requires the viewer to really suspend disbelief in order to glaze over some gaping plot holes.

All in all, it's gory and fun enough to easily pass a couple of hours, and manages to feel like a homage to the original, rather than a straight up copy, and that I can respect, but ultimately, it's not a strong argument for the case of remakes.
  
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
2017 | Drama, Mystery
CAST (0 more)
Exceptional remake
Based on the famous book written by Agatha Christie Novel Murder On The Orient Express. The story of thirteen different strangers and one famous Detective are on one of the most luxurious trains in the eastern hemisphere. One man gets murdered and it is up to famous detective Hercule Poirot to solve the case. The train passengers contain a mixture of classes from a Princess, to countess, a Doctor, a Dancer, The valet, The professor, the gold digger a antiquities dealer and a nurse, a governess, a Count, the Italian fan and the Conductor. They are the suspects in this cold blooded murder. During the murder the an avalanche knocks the train off the tracks and during this is when the body is discovered. It is this stoppage of time that allows our Hero to question the suspects and try to make sense of all the evidence what ever there maybe.
    I can't divulge more because there are so many different plot points that it would ruin the chance for you to see the movie and enjoy it.
  The Book can never be beat, The first movie was ok but, the remake was fantastic. Stars Melanie Griffith, Judi Dench, William Dafoe, Daisy Ridley, Johnny Deep, Josh Gad, Penople Cruz and Kenneth Branagh. This is an excellent cast for this movie and it is amazing. I do suggest you read the book first but, that is just a suggestion
  
40x40

Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Grudge (2004) in Movies

Oct 15, 2019 (Updated Oct 15, 2019)  
The Grudge (2004)
The Grudge (2004)
2004 | Drama, Horror, Mystery
The Grudge's Ring
If you liked the ring remake, than you will like this movie. Its good, its scary, haunted and creepy.

The Plot: Matthew Williams (William Mapother), his wife, Jennifer (Clea DuVall), and mother, Emma (Grace Zabriskie), are Americans making a new life in Tokyo. Together they move into a house that has been the site of supernatural occurrences in the past, and it isn't long before their new home begins terrorizing the Williams family as well. The house, as it turns out, is the site of a curse that lingers in a specific place and claims the lives of anyone that comes near.

Like i said, its scary, creepy and haunted.