Summary: Continuing his quest to clean up the streets of his beloved Gotham City, the vigilante hero Batman struggles in his quest to capture the Joker: a psychotic new criminal whose sinister tactics prove surprisingly resistant to the masked hero's crime fighting methods.
Things I Liked: The look of the film. The score. The execution of the script, especially with regard to theme. Strong performances all around.
Things I Didn't Like: A few (admittedly minor) logic-related hiccups as relates to the film's plot. Batman's vocal inflection.
Three and Three Quarters Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Friday, July 25, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
The Blob (1958) Directed by Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.
Summary: When a meteor falls to Earth and its passenger - a gelatinous alien life form - begins consuming everything in it's path, it's up to a couple of teenagers and their friends to convince the local townspeople of the danger.
Things I Liked: The props and highly inventive visual effects. The simplicity of the plot. The effective use of tension within scenes. The delightfully campy theme song.
Things I Didn't Like: The exceptionally poor performances of a few of the more minor characters. The unnecessarily long-running time of the more superfluous scenes included for character development.
Three and One Half Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The props and highly inventive visual effects. The simplicity of the plot. The effective use of tension within scenes. The delightfully campy theme song.
Things I Didn't Like: The exceptionally poor performances of a few of the more minor characters. The unnecessarily long-running time of the more superfluous scenes included for character development.
Three and One Half Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Away From Her (2006) Directed by Sarah Polley
Summary: A man reluctantly helps his Alzheimer's-stricken wife check herself into a rest home then watches helplessly as she develops a close emotional attachment to another resident.
Things I Liked: The film's resolution. The film's supporting characters and the performances of the actors who portrayed them.
Things I Didn't Like: The sprawling, unfocused aspects of the film's first act.
Two Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The film's resolution. The film's supporting characters and the performances of the actors who portrayed them.
Things I Didn't Like: The sprawling, unfocused aspects of the film's first act.
Two Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Saturday, March 8, 2008
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) Directed by Woody Allen
Summary: A meek waitress's fascination with the cinema intensifies when the leading man in her favorite film literally steps out of the screen to woo her away from her abusive husband.
Things I Liked: The imaginative elements of the story. The acting. The satisfyingly unexpected ending.
Things I Didn't Like: The film's far less interesting (albeit fully realized) subplots. I also felt that the film might have benefited from having fewer incidental characters.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The imaginative elements of the story. The acting. The satisfyingly unexpected ending.
Things I Didn't Like: The film's far less interesting (albeit fully realized) subplots. I also felt that the film might have benefited from having fewer incidental characters.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Monday, March 3, 2008
Once (2006) Directed by John Carney
Summary: The chance friendship and support of a talented Eastern European girl provides an Irish street musician with the strength and confidence to pursue his dreams.
Things I Liked: The truthfulness found in the characters' relationship and situations. Two of the songs.
Things I Didn't Like: The film's ponderous and often repetitive midsection. The pace. More than half of the film's soundtrack.
Two Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The truthfulness found in the characters' relationship and situations. Two of the songs.
Things I Didn't Like: The film's ponderous and often repetitive midsection. The pace. More than half of the film's soundtrack.
Two Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Man of la Mancha (1972) directed by Arthur Hiller
Summary: Following his imprisonment by representatives of the Spanish Inquisition, poet and playwright Miguel Cervantes sets about entertaining his fellow prisoners with the adventures of the deranged nobleman Don Quixote and his trusty manservant. Adapted by Dale Wasserman from his musical play of the same name.
Things I Liked: Peter O'Toole is brilliant in multiple roles. A couple of the songs, while not as memorable as those of other musicals, manage to be both catchy and powerful. The sets, costumes, makeup and direction all deserve high marks.
Things I Didn't Like: The characterization of Sancho Panza. The film's unnecessarily long running time.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: Peter O'Toole is brilliant in multiple roles. A couple of the songs, while not as memorable as those of other musicals, manage to be both catchy and powerful. The sets, costumes, makeup and direction all deserve high marks.
Things I Didn't Like: The characterization of Sancho Panza. The film's unnecessarily long running time.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008) Directed by Mark Waters
Summary: Soon after moving into the country, three siblings still reeling from the effects of divorce stumble into the fantastical - and often dangerous - world of fairies.
Things I Liked: The creature design and visual effects (which happen to adhere very closely to original illustrator DiTerlizzi's work in the books). The action sequences. The color. I enjoyed the performances of Sarah Bolger and Freddie Highmore.
Things I Didn't Like: About half of the casting in the film. I found the voices of many of the creatures (Martin Short, Seth Rogen) to be too recognizable to be effective and wish the film was less reliant on expositionary dialogue to further the events of the plot.
Two and One Half Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The creature design and visual effects (which happen to adhere very closely to original illustrator DiTerlizzi's work in the books). The action sequences. The color. I enjoyed the performances of Sarah Bolger and Freddie Highmore.
Things I Didn't Like: About half of the casting in the film. I found the voices of many of the creatures (Martin Short, Seth Rogen) to be too recognizable to be effective and wish the film was less reliant on expositionary dialogue to further the events of the plot.
Two and One Half Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
The Accidental Tourist (1988) Directed by Lawrence Kasdan
Summary: A man rendered stolid by the death of his son splits with his wife but then seizes upon one last chance at happiness after meeting a quirkily persistant animal trainer.
Things I Liked: The masterfully subtle performances of the film's leads.
Things I Didn't Like: The humor and pacing.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The masterfully subtle performances of the film's leads.
Things I Didn't Like: The humor and pacing.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Monday, January 28, 2008
No Country for Old Men (2007) Directed by Ethan and Joel Cohen
Summary: A man stumbles upon a case of money from a drug deal gone awry, then finds himself pursued relentlessly by the former owner of the cash. Meanwhile, an aging sheriff ponders the absurdity of life in these violent times, even as he races to save the man.
Things I Liked: The direction, notably the photography and the composition of the shots. The performances of Javier Bardem and Kelly Macdonald. Except for some muddled dialogue, I felt that the sound design was good.
Things I Didn't Like: The casting of Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin and Woody Harrelson in the roles of three of the film's leads. I also felt that the character played by Beth Grant bordered too closely on caricature.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The direction, notably the photography and the composition of the shots. The performances of Javier Bardem and Kelly Macdonald. Except for some muddled dialogue, I felt that the sound design was good.
Things I Didn't Like: The casting of Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin and Woody Harrelson in the roles of three of the film's leads. I also felt that the character played by Beth Grant bordered too closely on caricature.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Saturday, January 19, 2008
3:10 to Yuma (2007) Directed by James Mangold
Summary: A modern retelling of the 1957 film. Desperate to pay off his debts, a small-time rancher volunteers to help escort a notoriously brutal outlaw to the nearest train station. As the story progresses, however, the rancher feels himself slowly buckling beneath the criminal's sinister - and prodigious - talent for psychological warfare.
Things I Liked: The brilliantly rendered characters. The direction. The exceptionally lean story structure. The writing.
Things I Didn't Like: The few (admittedly minor) character inconsistencies.
Three and One Half Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The brilliantly rendered characters. The direction. The exceptionally lean story structure. The writing.
Things I Didn't Like: The few (admittedly minor) character inconsistencies.
Three and One Half Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Sunday, January 13, 2008
La Femme Nikita (1990) Directed by Luc Besson
Summary: A female junkie and cop-killer awakens to learn that the government has faked her execution in order to offer her the chance to train to become a lethal assassin. If she refuses to accept their offer, she dies for real . . .
Things I Liked: The premise of the film. The director's use of color. The camerawork. The small - but potent - appearance by actor Jean Reno.
Things I Didn't Like: The missing story elements needed for me to become fully invested in the film. For some strange reason, LA FEMME NIKITA left me with too many questions and seemed to lack those few tiny details that would allow me to fully empathize with the characters and to maintain my understanding and interest in the plot.
Two Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The premise of the film. The director's use of color. The camerawork. The small - but potent - appearance by actor Jean Reno.
Things I Didn't Like: The missing story elements needed for me to become fully invested in the film. For some strange reason, LA FEMME NIKITA left me with too many questions and seemed to lack those few tiny details that would allow me to fully empathize with the characters and to maintain my understanding and interest in the plot.
Two Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Superbad (2007) Directed by Greg Mottola
Summary: An inseparable pair of high school guys embark upon a night of chaotic hilarity after promising to acquire alcohol for a graduation party.
Things I Liked: The truthfulness of Jonah Hill and Michael Cera's performances. The authentic feel of much of the dialogue. Also, the seventies-inspired soundtrack works very well with the film.
Things I Didn't Like: The uninteresting, unhumorous and overly long subplot featuring one of the film's writers.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The truthfulness of Jonah Hill and Michael Cera's performances. The authentic feel of much of the dialogue. Also, the seventies-inspired soundtrack works very well with the film.
Things I Didn't Like: The uninteresting, unhumorous and overly long subplot featuring one of the film's writers.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Frequency (2000) Directed by Gregory Hoblit
Summary: Atmospheric disturbances allow a twenty-something year old in the present day to communicate with his father in in the past via radio.
Things I Liked: The story's heart and the plot, which feature an original twist on the whole "time travel" scenario. The make-up and age progression depicted in the film is very effective.
Things I Didn't Like: The accents of many of the characters. Towards the end, a couple of the plot's developments seem a bit forced.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The story's heart and the plot, which feature an original twist on the whole "time travel" scenario. The make-up and age progression depicted in the film is very effective.
Things I Didn't Like: The accents of many of the characters. Towards the end, a couple of the plot's developments seem a bit forced.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (2007) Directed by Jay Russell
Summary: With his father away at war, a lonely young Scottish boy discovers a strange egg in the nearby loch and befriends the magical creature that hatches from it. Complications arise for both the boy and his new friend, however, when a platoon of soldiers unexpectedly sets up camp in and around his home.
Things I Liked: The above average (and very intelligent) writing and direction. The exceptional casting and solid performances by the fim's leads make an oft-told story fresh and interesting again. The accomplished cinematography, digital animation, effects and lighting.
Things I Didn't Like: The contrived (and wholly unoriginal) manner in which the film utilizes a narrator.
Four Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The above average (and very intelligent) writing and direction. The exceptional casting and solid performances by the fim's leads make an oft-told story fresh and interesting again. The accomplished cinematography, digital animation, effects and lighting.
Things I Didn't Like: The contrived (and wholly unoriginal) manner in which the film utilizes a narrator.
Four Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
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