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Robert Ben Garant recommended Reservoir Dogs (1992) in Movies (curated)
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Planet Terror (2007) in Movies
Jan 22, 2021
If you seek a movie so absurdly over the top in almost every regard, then look no further.
Planet Terror is a glorious throwback to practical driven and blood soaked video nasties of the 70s and 80s, is super stylized to the point of self aware stupidity, and boasts a fantastic cast - a roll call of who's who in the cinema of Rodriguez/Tarantino.
Of course, Planet Terror is one half of the duos Grindhouse project, and for me, slightly takes the edge over Death Proof. Both films are great and gleefully brimming with tributes to the exploitative sub genre of its namesake, but Planet Terror is just balls to the wall fun, a blast from start to finish.
Its has badass female leads - Cherry Darling, a former go-go dancer with a gun-leg, and Dakota Block, a nurse who shoots trigger functioning syringes full of sedatives at anyone who pisses her off - Rose McGowan and Marley Shelton and both brilliant.
It has Bruce Willis mutating into God knows what. It has Tom Savini and Michael Biehn as zombie fighting sherrifs. It has Sayid from Lost collecting people's testicles in a pickle jar.
And Jesus Christ it has so. much. gore. It must have been a hell of a sticky set to work on to say the least.
To top it all off, it even opens with the now infamous Machete "trailer", with Danny Trejo and motherfucking Cheech Marin.
Planet Terror is a ride as soon as the opening credits start. An absolute must for any horror or grindhouse fan.
Planet Terror is a glorious throwback to practical driven and blood soaked video nasties of the 70s and 80s, is super stylized to the point of self aware stupidity, and boasts a fantastic cast - a roll call of who's who in the cinema of Rodriguez/Tarantino.
Of course, Planet Terror is one half of the duos Grindhouse project, and for me, slightly takes the edge over Death Proof. Both films are great and gleefully brimming with tributes to the exploitative sub genre of its namesake, but Planet Terror is just balls to the wall fun, a blast from start to finish.
Its has badass female leads - Cherry Darling, a former go-go dancer with a gun-leg, and Dakota Block, a nurse who shoots trigger functioning syringes full of sedatives at anyone who pisses her off - Rose McGowan and Marley Shelton and both brilliant.
It has Bruce Willis mutating into God knows what. It has Tom Savini and Michael Biehn as zombie fighting sherrifs. It has Sayid from Lost collecting people's testicles in a pickle jar.
And Jesus Christ it has so. much. gore. It must have been a hell of a sticky set to work on to say the least.
To top it all off, it even opens with the now infamous Machete "trailer", with Danny Trejo and motherfucking Cheech Marin.
Planet Terror is a ride as soon as the opening credits start. An absolute must for any horror or grindhouse fan.
Indie Saint: An Urban Fantasy Adventure (Words of Power #1)
Book
Jane's young. She's broke. Oh, and she just discovered she has supernatural powers so bizarre they...
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Marriage Story (2019) in Movies
Dec 7, 2019
A bad movie disguised as a good movie
Wow what a disappointment.
I would say for a movie without out of the ordinary cinematography, art direction, costumes, lighting locations, sets or soundtrack; it had better have a good screenplay. And it didn't. I found the dialogue to be unbelievable, corny and not the way real people talk. I'll forgive this on occasion if I am listening to screenplay prose, like Tarantino maybe, where I don't care if his characters go on and on about nothing because the way they say it is so interesting. Here there is none of that.
Divorce is not a pleasant subject and the portrayal of their profession in this film makes them out to be all scum sucking horrible people. I know acting in the best interest of their clients is what they are supposed to do, but the way they twist every conversation or nonchalant occurrence between two people into something that happens to their client's advantage is just horrible.
While watching I was trying to decide if these reasons were why I was not enjoying and that was just not the case.
It's poor writing. The scene that everyone is talking about where Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver yell at each other and become increasingly emotional at the same time is all right, but honestly I felt overacting. I kind of felt that way through the entire film to be honest.
Not sure why this is getting all the accolades it is and am hoping it gets snubbed during awards season (but not likely).
What a disappointment...
I would say for a movie without out of the ordinary cinematography, art direction, costumes, lighting locations, sets or soundtrack; it had better have a good screenplay. And it didn't. I found the dialogue to be unbelievable, corny and not the way real people talk. I'll forgive this on occasion if I am listening to screenplay prose, like Tarantino maybe, where I don't care if his characters go on and on about nothing because the way they say it is so interesting. Here there is none of that.
Divorce is not a pleasant subject and the portrayal of their profession in this film makes them out to be all scum sucking horrible people. I know acting in the best interest of their clients is what they are supposed to do, but the way they twist every conversation or nonchalant occurrence between two people into something that happens to their client's advantage is just horrible.
While watching I was trying to decide if these reasons were why I was not enjoying and that was just not the case.
It's poor writing. The scene that everyone is talking about where Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver yell at each other and become increasingly emotional at the same time is all right, but honestly I felt overacting. I kind of felt that way through the entire film to be honest.
Not sure why this is getting all the accolades it is and am hoping it gets snubbed during awards season (but not likely).
What a disappointment...
House Rules
Book
Set in the familiar setting of a pub, House Rules follows the story of three unlikely heroes who...
Tim McGuire (301 KP) rated Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) in Movies
Aug 19, 2019
Brad drives while Leo coughs: The Movie.
350. Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood. A movie that answers the big questions like: What is Brad Pitt's driving skills like? Or, what does Leonardo Dicaprio look like hacking up a lung? They will be answered because a large portion of this three hour long movie is dedicated to just that. Brad Pitt driving by himself listening to the popular tunes of the late 60's, Brad Pitt driving Leo around while Leo hacks up a lung from smoking and drinking, and Brad Pitt driving while flirting with one of the Manson girls he just happens to keep running into... OK with that out of the way, its a really cool movie, cool concept and of course great acting, writing and directing. Has the Tarantino signature, multiple separate storylines coming into one explosive finale... Basically its the story of a down on his luck actor, Rick Dalton, and his stunt double/bestie, Cliff Booth, and as I said earlier, Cliff drives a lot because his bestie Rick has racked up quite a few DUI's so... and at the same time... we have Rick's new neighbors on Cielo Drive, the Polanski's, Sharon Tate coming into her own stardom and enjoying life, and we also have Cliff's solo driving adventures where he picks up a Manson girl hitching and meets the rest of the family on the ranch, all leading up to the events of August 9, 1969. A pretty sweet ride, I think its the least violent of all Tarantino's movies, but don't worry there's a bit of bloodiness thrown in to make you say, 'there it is'! Filmbufftim on FB
101 Gangster Movies: You Must See Before You Die
Book
From the early Prohibition-era classics of Mervyn LeRoy and William A. Wellman to the mean streets...
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Jesus' Son (1999) in Movies
Jan 9, 2021
Terrible Ending to a Bad Movie
Jesus’ Son is a collection of stories revolving around main character FH. A great concept with poor execution, this movie reminds me more of a wannabe Tarantino movie.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 6
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 2
I could never latch on to what the movie was about or where things were ultimately heading. As a result, there never felt like there was any true conflict that I needed to care about. Most of the scenes felt like they weren’t of much consequence if they had been taken out or left in. This made it really hard to give two craps about the movie as a whole.
Entertainment Value: 6
Memorability: 7
I love the way director Alison Maclean approached the film. The way things are shot in story fashion with flashbacks and rewinds is very creative. While the execution didn’t deliver on the story I was hoping for, I applaud the attempt to be different.
Pace: 6
The movie isn’t overly long, there is just a little more fluff than what is needed. Again, not understanding the concept of what’s happening definitely makes it feel like time is moving slower. A better story would have alleviated this issue.
Plot: 2
Resolution: 4
About the best thing about the ending was that the movie was ending. Didn’t really tie anything up. Didn’t make me any more fulfilled for seeing the movie. No bueno.
Overall: 63
The reason why I enjoy my rating system so much is because you can come up short in some areas and still pass as a quality movie. Too much of a dip in multiple categories and you strike out. Jesus’ Son suffers from weak characters, minor conflict, and little “wow” quality. Not recommended.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 6
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 2
I could never latch on to what the movie was about or where things were ultimately heading. As a result, there never felt like there was any true conflict that I needed to care about. Most of the scenes felt like they weren’t of much consequence if they had been taken out or left in. This made it really hard to give two craps about the movie as a whole.
Entertainment Value: 6
Memorability: 7
I love the way director Alison Maclean approached the film. The way things are shot in story fashion with flashbacks and rewinds is very creative. While the execution didn’t deliver on the story I was hoping for, I applaud the attempt to be different.
Pace: 6
The movie isn’t overly long, there is just a little more fluff than what is needed. Again, not understanding the concept of what’s happening definitely makes it feel like time is moving slower. A better story would have alleviated this issue.
Plot: 2
Resolution: 4
About the best thing about the ending was that the movie was ending. Didn’t really tie anything up. Didn’t make me any more fulfilled for seeing the movie. No bueno.
Overall: 63
The reason why I enjoy my rating system so much is because you can come up short in some areas and still pass as a quality movie. Too much of a dip in multiple categories and you strike out. Jesus’ Son suffers from weak characters, minor conflict, and little “wow” quality. Not recommended.
Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) in Movies
Oct 19, 2018
The Cast (1 more)
Especially Jeff Bridges
Overlong (1 more)
Marketing a little misleading
Not Bad (times at the El Royale)
This was a film suggested by my better half, on the basis of the trailer, excellent cast, and her love for Chris Hemsworth, which to be fair is justified, the guy's a looker.
The trailer had made it look like fun whoddunit, with a colourful cast of characters, a great group of actors, and a fairly lighthearted mystery, and this ticked all the right boxes for us, so along we went.
However, this movie gets pretty damn dark, fairly violent and pretty relentless, and at 140 minutes, this is a serious film.
There is a lot of love for Tarantino in "El Royale", with the style reminiscent of some of his work, though with a bit less feel for comedy, and bigger penchant for musical numbers.
It is enjoyable, and is broken up regularly by switching perspectives to show the viewer the backstory of the main characters, so it doesn't necessarily feel as long as its 140 minutes suggest.
However, it does begin to meander at times, and if it wasn't for the god-like charm of Jeff Bridges, the earnest performance of John Hamm or the captivating allure of Chris Hemsworth in particular, these scenes could have become unbearable.
Cynthia Erivo was spectacular as the soulful lounge singer, and she more than held her own against some of hollywood's finest, and I look forward to seeing her in more big movies in future.
The highlight for me (Chris Hemsworth dancing was hers) was without a doubt Jeff Bridges, the guy can just keep me entertained, no matter the script, no matter the setting, he is just a quality guy, and I loved his performance.
This is a solid 6/10 movie for me, entertaining, happy to watch it once, but I doubt I will watch it again.
The trailer had made it look like fun whoddunit, with a colourful cast of characters, a great group of actors, and a fairly lighthearted mystery, and this ticked all the right boxes for us, so along we went.
However, this movie gets pretty damn dark, fairly violent and pretty relentless, and at 140 minutes, this is a serious film.
There is a lot of love for Tarantino in "El Royale", with the style reminiscent of some of his work, though with a bit less feel for comedy, and bigger penchant for musical numbers.
It is enjoyable, and is broken up regularly by switching perspectives to show the viewer the backstory of the main characters, so it doesn't necessarily feel as long as its 140 minutes suggest.
However, it does begin to meander at times, and if it wasn't for the god-like charm of Jeff Bridges, the earnest performance of John Hamm or the captivating allure of Chris Hemsworth in particular, these scenes could have become unbearable.
Cynthia Erivo was spectacular as the soulful lounge singer, and she more than held her own against some of hollywood's finest, and I look forward to seeing her in more big movies in future.
The highlight for me (Chris Hemsworth dancing was hers) was without a doubt Jeff Bridges, the guy can just keep me entertained, no matter the script, no matter the setting, he is just a quality guy, and I loved his performance.
This is a solid 6/10 movie for me, entertaining, happy to watch it once, but I doubt I will watch it again.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Machete (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
This is the film your parents did not want you to see as a child. Violent, vulgar, and more than a little offensive Machete is shocking, not just for the eyes but also to moral sensibilities. Yet, it is also undeniably funny.
This make believe movie trailer highlighted in the movie Grindhouse was, due to its popularity, turned into a full length feature packed with ridiculous fight scenes and some of the most simplistic dialogue of any modern action film. The visuals stay with you. The action is impressive. This is not just another trip to the movies but a wild chaotic journey at the end of a giant blade.
Director and co-author, Robert Rodriguez, has mixed classic Tarantino styling, the wild world of B movies, and his own flair for dramatic character creation to create a film that is violently astonishing. The fight scenes are engaging from weapon selection all the way to last man standing, and do I really need to tell you who that man is? Of, course not.
Machete is not just your typical anti-hero, he is the vision of an anti-hero with ladies and one-liners in tow. While Danny Trejo (Machete) steals the show he is not the only big name appearing on this cast list. The film is packed with stars such as Jessica Alba (Sartana), Michelle Rodriguez (Luz), and Lindsey Lohan (April), who all play critical characters in this bizarre tale. And so far as the men go, there are also quality performances from Robert De Niro (Senator McLaughlin), Don Johnson (Lt. Stillman), Steven Segal (Torrez) and Cheech Marin (Padre).
Moreover, it is not a stretch to say that this film abruptly addresses some significant stereotypes. In fact Machete doesn’t just confront these issues, it wields a large blade of sarcasm in their direction. Giving a new base line for “over the top,” Machete is sure to be a hit with anyone who is not easily offended.
This make believe movie trailer highlighted in the movie Grindhouse was, due to its popularity, turned into a full length feature packed with ridiculous fight scenes and some of the most simplistic dialogue of any modern action film. The visuals stay with you. The action is impressive. This is not just another trip to the movies but a wild chaotic journey at the end of a giant blade.
Director and co-author, Robert Rodriguez, has mixed classic Tarantino styling, the wild world of B movies, and his own flair for dramatic character creation to create a film that is violently astonishing. The fight scenes are engaging from weapon selection all the way to last man standing, and do I really need to tell you who that man is? Of, course not.
Machete is not just your typical anti-hero, he is the vision of an anti-hero with ladies and one-liners in tow. While Danny Trejo (Machete) steals the show he is not the only big name appearing on this cast list. The film is packed with stars such as Jessica Alba (Sartana), Michelle Rodriguez (Luz), and Lindsey Lohan (April), who all play critical characters in this bizarre tale. And so far as the men go, there are also quality performances from Robert De Niro (Senator McLaughlin), Don Johnson (Lt. Stillman), Steven Segal (Torrez) and Cheech Marin (Padre).
Moreover, it is not a stretch to say that this film abruptly addresses some significant stereotypes. In fact Machete doesn’t just confront these issues, it wields a large blade of sarcasm in their direction. Giving a new base line for “over the top,” Machete is sure to be a hit with anyone who is not easily offended.