Saturday, February 21, 2009
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
Seeing as this long forgotten classic is being remade, I thought I would see what it is all about. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a fun thriller. It is not something that is easy to forget, but somehow it has become that way. I can't really give an explanation for it.
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is about a group of men named after colors boarding a subway car. They get on the train and hold it up with a ransom of a million dollars (and that was back in '74!). If their demands aren't met by the state of New York in an hour, they will kill one passenger per minute.
It really doesn't surprise me at all that somebody wants to remake it. It is a flawed movie. This has become even more flawed over the course of time because it is so dated. Still, old movies should never be touched. Then again, maybe this one does need the Denzel Washington/John Travolta/Jason Statham casting it recently got.
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is very fun and I really do love the end. To tell what happens would completely ruin it, so I'll let you find out for yourself. The beginning is slow and well paced, but the end moves extremely fast. The film comes out to be a classic...a forgotten classic.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Book vs. Movie
The Explanation: Both are great. The acting in the movie is something the book can't do, obviously, but the book is way funnier than the movie. On the other hand, the movie cuts a lot of the flashbacks in the book which makes the movie slightly better.
The Verdict: The movie.
The Ring vs. Ring
The Explanation: This is almost hard to do. Again, both are very good, but they are completely different. The Japanese version is more faithful to the book, but Verbinski's version is scary and satisfying.
The Verdict: Both.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button vs. the short story
The Explanation: As expected, F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story is great. It, unlike the movie, is satirical and funny rather than melodramatic. The movie is sentimental and long, but still find a place in my heart that the book doesn't. Also, the makeup is just fantastic.
The Verdict: The movie.
The Ruins vs. the book
The Explanation: The movie may have been bashed by critics, but it really wasn't that bad. I was entertained and I had fun. The movie was pretty faithful to Scott Smith's book. The main difference is that I didn't found the movie very creepy. The book was so scary I found that I couldn't read it before I went to bed like I usually do.
The Verdict: The book wins by a mile
"True Blood": Season 1 vs. Dead Until Dark
The Explanation: The sexed up series is a wild ride that the books just don't do for me. Yes, the books are funny, but they just don't do the same thing the series does for me. Both move at a really fast pace. The book cuts many of the sex scenes which may or may not be better depending on what you're looking for.
The Verdict: The series
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Movies You Shouldn't See: Meet the Spartans (2008)
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Coraline (2009)
Perspolis (2007)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Pineapple Express (2008)
Tropic Thunder (2008)
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is one of three great comedies of 2008. Unlike many of its genre, it is smart and hilarious. The acting is great and really fun to watch. Though it may be fluff, it still is quite funny and a great popcorn flick.
Peter (Jason Segel) is a musician happily going out with Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), an actor on the craptastic parody of CSI. Sarah breaks up with him over the reason that she has found a new boyfriend played by Russell Brand. Her new boyfriend is a sleazy rocker. Peter's brother suggests he take a vacation to Hawaii to get over the break up. Peter goes and there he meets Sarah again.
The movie's smaller roles are also what make it great. Mila Kunis plays an amiable love interest of Peter's. At times, she is cute and at other times, she is raunchy and hilarious. Bill Hader as Peter's brother is great. Jonah Hill of Superbad fame also plays a waiter at a resturaunt. My personal favorite is Jack McBrayer (30 Rock) as a Jesus loving man conflicted about sex with his wife.
The film is famous for its (ahem) full fronal scenes from Jason Segel. Are the necessary? Not really, but are the funny? Certainly. When asked about why he included them he said "Penises are funny". Apparently, that is true.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a movie that will be forgotten, unfortunately. For the next few years, it will retain its popularity, but I don't think it will stand the test of time. Still, the actors are enjoyable as well as the jokes. Smart and funny are two things that don't usually mix, but here they do exceptionally well.