Days of Thunder is one of my favorite movies. It is a movie that I know by heart, and one that I could watch over and over again. Even though I do not know anything about racing, the movie does an excellent job educating even the most casual of NASCAR fans.
Days of Thunder is the story of a young stock car driver who works his way up to compete at the Daytona 500. The movie works on a number of levels. It is exciting to watch, and at the same time you care about the characters. The roar of the engines is enough to get your adrenaline pumping, and all of the authentic technical jargon is in there as well. At the beginning of the movie, we also see some real NASCAR drivers including Rusty Wallace and Richard Petty. As great as this movie is, there are some problems with it. At one point in the movie, Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) and his team get fired. Therefore, since Cole actually does race in the Daytona 500 at the end of the film, it is only natural that there is a scene where they get hired back, right? Wrong. There is not even an acknowledgement of this happening. Also, since Cole races Rowdy Burns' (Michael Rooker) car at the Daytona 500 and wins, I feel like there should have been a scene with Rowdy at the end of the movie instead of just Cole and Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall) celebrating. While these problems do not prevent me from enjoying the movie, there is one glaring problem that does: the audio dubbing. There are several moments in the movie where we hear Cole speak, but his lips are not moving properly. No matter how many times I watch Days of Thunder, I always roll my eyes at these moments.
Tom Cruise plays Cole Trickle. Trickle is cocky and arrogant, but there is also a vulnerability about the character that Cruise plays beautifully. There are elements of the classic "Zero to Hero" character arc here as well which I love. Trickle comes from a successful career racing sprint cars to knowing nothing about stock cars. Essentially, he has to learn how to drive all over again. There is also great natural chemistry between Cruise, Robert Duvall and Nicole Kidman. Also, we see that after his crash with Rowdy, Cole struggles to put this event behind him. There are demons that he has to deal with, and this is yet another aspect of the character that I like.
I have gone on length about my admiration and respect for director Tony Scott. Due to the fact that some racing footage was filmed at the 1990 Daytona 500, the racing sequences look superb. The dramatic scenes, particularly between Cole and Rowdy, are very well done and actually quite emotional to watch. Days of Thunder is one of Tony Scott's best movies.
For me personally, Days of Thunder never gets old. It is filled with great acting (including an inspired performance by Robert Duvall) and non-stop action. If you are looking for a movie that has it all, Days of Thunder is a must-see!
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Friday, February 19, 2016
These Vampires Suck
I had never seen The Lost Boys until now. It is certainly a movie that I had heard of, and I had always wanted to see it because I had heard from people that it shows vampires as scary and not sparkly. Unfortunately, due to some glaring problems with characters and dialogue, I found the movie to be decent at best.
The Lost Boys is the story of a mother and her two sons who move to Santa Carla, and then find out that vampires live in the area. The movie is well acted and well directed (which I will get to later). However, a good chunk of the dialogue is confusing and downright awful. For example, one moment Michael is eating maggots and worms, and then out of nowhere he is eating regular rice and noodles. This is never elaborated on or explained properly. Also, how does Michael inexplicably know David's name? It is not as if David introduced himself to anybody....ever. My biggest problem with The Lost Boys is the dialogue, specifically from the characters of Sam and Edgar and Alan Frog.
The dialogue is so cheesy and silly that you cannot even take the characters seriously. The writers made a poor attempt at providing comic relief, and instead left me rolling my eyes. For example, when Sam finds out that Michael is a vampire he says, "Wait until Mom finds out!". Yeah, as if Mom is going to be able to do anything about it. You cannot cure vampire, kid. I also find it ironic that Sam is into superheroes, more specifically Batman, because Joel Schumacher would go on to direct (and later destroy) the Batman movie series.
Joel Schumacher is the director of The Lost Boys. I am going to be the wildly unpopular film fan and say that I think Schumacher is a decent director. There are some things he does very well, and there are some things he does horribly. I love the way this movie is filmed. All of the nighttime sequences are so dark, as they should be, but in a beautiful way. Also, at the beginning of the movie, there are many shots that show the kind of town that the family is moving to which help us as the audience understand that this place may not be the best for them. There is a bike chase early in the movie that is exciting to watch. The action towards the end of the film is shot well, too. It was thrilling to see all of the different ways in which the vampires are killed.
The Lost Boys portrays vampires the way they are meant to be. What keeps this movie from being great is the writing. The dialogue is so bad at times that I just wanted to puke. Other than that, this movie is quite enjoyable.
The Lost Boys is the story of a mother and her two sons who move to Santa Carla, and then find out that vampires live in the area. The movie is well acted and well directed (which I will get to later). However, a good chunk of the dialogue is confusing and downright awful. For example, one moment Michael is eating maggots and worms, and then out of nowhere he is eating regular rice and noodles. This is never elaborated on or explained properly. Also, how does Michael inexplicably know David's name? It is not as if David introduced himself to anybody....ever. My biggest problem with The Lost Boys is the dialogue, specifically from the characters of Sam and Edgar and Alan Frog.
The dialogue is so cheesy and silly that you cannot even take the characters seriously. The writers made a poor attempt at providing comic relief, and instead left me rolling my eyes. For example, when Sam finds out that Michael is a vampire he says, "Wait until Mom finds out!". Yeah, as if Mom is going to be able to do anything about it. You cannot cure vampire, kid. I also find it ironic that Sam is into superheroes, more specifically Batman, because Joel Schumacher would go on to direct (and later destroy) the Batman movie series.
Joel Schumacher is the director of The Lost Boys. I am going to be the wildly unpopular film fan and say that I think Schumacher is a decent director. There are some things he does very well, and there are some things he does horribly. I love the way this movie is filmed. All of the nighttime sequences are so dark, as they should be, but in a beautiful way. Also, at the beginning of the movie, there are many shots that show the kind of town that the family is moving to which help us as the audience understand that this place may not be the best for them. There is a bike chase early in the movie that is exciting to watch. The action towards the end of the film is shot well, too. It was thrilling to see all of the different ways in which the vampires are killed.
The Lost Boys portrays vampires the way they are meant to be. What keeps this movie from being great is the writing. The dialogue is so bad at times that I just wanted to puke. Other than that, this movie is quite enjoyable.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Head Shot!!!
I had never seen Zombieland until the other day, mostly because of my utter distaste for Jesse Eisenberg. However, I am a HUGE fan of Emma Stone, so I was cautiously optimistic to watch this movie. I have to say that I thought the cast was great, and I loved the movie!!
Zombieland is the story of four people who team up to travel across a zombie-infested America. For me personally, I find that zombie movies can be a little redundant. There is always a plague that infects an entire city and turns them into zombies, except for about 5 to 7 people. Those people than join forces to kill all the zombies and save the city. However, Zombieland re-invents the genre as an action/comedy movie, and I found that very refreshing. Yes, there is your typical gore factor (it is a zombie movie after all), and yet I was surprised how often I found myself laughing uncontrollably. The movie dives right into the action as we see that the country has already been overrun with zombies, and what is great is that each of the characters are dealing with the situation in their own way. There are a few minor qualms I have with the movie. I am not going to go into detail about my disdain for voice-overs in film because most people already know how much I hate it. I would have liked to see at least a little reference as to how the zombie infestation happened. Also, when all four characters team up it feels forced. Other than that, I thought the movie was great!
Woody Harrelson is perfectly cast as Tallahassee. Tallahassee is the badass of the group. He loves twinkies, Dale Earnhardt, and will use a zombie as a shield while he takes out an entire army of them. I love this character because he is just so pissed off about what has happened, and he just wants to kill as many zombies as possible. He reminds the others that sometimes you have to enjoy the little things (like destroying a convenience store), and does not beat around the bush with anything he wants to say or do. If there ever really was a zombie apocalypse, I would want Tallahassee on my side.
As I stated before, I am not the biggest fan of Jesse Eisenberg. Personally, I think he is overrated. However, I found myself actually enjoying what he did in this movie as Columbus. He brought great comedic timing to a character who is afraid of everything and extremely socially awkward. I also love the fact that Columbus has created a list of rules for surviving against zombies, and that we see examples of these rules throughout the film.
Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin plays sisters Wichita and Little Rock. These two bring come fully equipped with badassery as they lie and steal their way across the country the boys. The chemistry between these two actresses is perfect. I was particularly impressed with Abigail Breslin who has come a long way since the movie Signs in 2002. Emma Stone's character is basically the female version of Harrelson's character, and that is not a complaint. It is always great to see badass female characters in film who are not your typical "damsels in distress".
Ruben Fleischer is the director of Zombieland. I love the tone he set for the film because he did not just make a scary zombie movie. He made a FUN zombie movie. I also love that, even though this movie is entertaining to watch, Fleischer does not shy away from showing us the gore factor that you find in these movies. He also uses some great music choices throughout the film that help set the tone.
I always love it when a genre is re-envisioned. Zombieland is a great example because it blends horror, action and comedy so perfectly. There is also a fantastic cameo in the movie by a certain member of the Ghostbusters! If you are tired of the same old typical zombie films, give Zombieland a shot.
Zombieland is the story of four people who team up to travel across a zombie-infested America. For me personally, I find that zombie movies can be a little redundant. There is always a plague that infects an entire city and turns them into zombies, except for about 5 to 7 people. Those people than join forces to kill all the zombies and save the city. However, Zombieland re-invents the genre as an action/comedy movie, and I found that very refreshing. Yes, there is your typical gore factor (it is a zombie movie after all), and yet I was surprised how often I found myself laughing uncontrollably. The movie dives right into the action as we see that the country has already been overrun with zombies, and what is great is that each of the characters are dealing with the situation in their own way. There are a few minor qualms I have with the movie. I am not going to go into detail about my disdain for voice-overs in film because most people already know how much I hate it. I would have liked to see at least a little reference as to how the zombie infestation happened. Also, when all four characters team up it feels forced. Other than that, I thought the movie was great!
Woody Harrelson is perfectly cast as Tallahassee. Tallahassee is the badass of the group. He loves twinkies, Dale Earnhardt, and will use a zombie as a shield while he takes out an entire army of them. I love this character because he is just so pissed off about what has happened, and he just wants to kill as many zombies as possible. He reminds the others that sometimes you have to enjoy the little things (like destroying a convenience store), and does not beat around the bush with anything he wants to say or do. If there ever really was a zombie apocalypse, I would want Tallahassee on my side.
As I stated before, I am not the biggest fan of Jesse Eisenberg. Personally, I think he is overrated. However, I found myself actually enjoying what he did in this movie as Columbus. He brought great comedic timing to a character who is afraid of everything and extremely socially awkward. I also love the fact that Columbus has created a list of rules for surviving against zombies, and that we see examples of these rules throughout the film.
Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin plays sisters Wichita and Little Rock. These two bring come fully equipped with badassery as they lie and steal their way across the country the boys. The chemistry between these two actresses is perfect. I was particularly impressed with Abigail Breslin who has come a long way since the movie Signs in 2002. Emma Stone's character is basically the female version of Harrelson's character, and that is not a complaint. It is always great to see badass female characters in film who are not your typical "damsels in distress".
Ruben Fleischer is the director of Zombieland. I love the tone he set for the film because he did not just make a scary zombie movie. He made a FUN zombie movie. I also love that, even though this movie is entertaining to watch, Fleischer does not shy away from showing us the gore factor that you find in these movies. He also uses some great music choices throughout the film that help set the tone.
I always love it when a genre is re-envisioned. Zombieland is a great example because it blends horror, action and comedy so perfectly. There is also a fantastic cameo in the movie by a certain member of the Ghostbusters! If you are tired of the same old typical zombie films, give Zombieland a shot.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Welcome To Horror Reality Television!!!
For me personally, the story of the horror genre is a sad and disappointing one. A genre that at one time brought audiences to theaters in droves and caused us to wake from our nightmares in a cold sweat has since diminished to one that relies on cheap gags and the over-excessive gore factor. The Cabin in the Woods, however, was a pleasant surprise for me because it turned the genre on its head while simultaneously returning to the feel of classic horror.
The Cabin in the Woods is the story of five friends who go on vacation to a remote cabin where they learn a terrifying truth. This was my first time watching this movie, and I loved it for a variety of reasons. The Cabin in the Woods is so genre-bending: it is horrifying in some places, and then it can be downright hilarious. The movie also has some clever nods to classic horror cinema that made me smile. The movie also pokes fun at its own genre at one point when Sigourney Weaver (in a fantastic cameo appearance) subtly points out that every horror movie has the same kind of characters. Speaking of which, I love the fact that Marty (played by Fran Kranz) is immunized to the chemicals that the other characters are inhaling because he smokes marijuana. There are a few very minor problems that I would like to address. Firstly, a person being impaled by a unicorn seems a little silly. Secondly, at one point we see Curt (Chris Hemsworth) mount a motorcycle and attempt to jump a gap between cliffs, and yet there is nothing prior to this moment in the movie that shows he is capable of jumping any kind of vehicle. Thirdly, at the beginning of the film we see Sitterson and Hadley (Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford) walking on the upper levels of a building, and then we inexplicably see them walking on the lower levels. Hey, I did say these were minor problems and they certainly did not prevent me from loving the movie.
Drew Goddard is the director of The Cabin in the Woods. I love the way he directed the movie because it feels very eerie, creepy and the jump scares are all well-timed. On top of doing all of this, he actually made a genuine horror/comedy which I personally find difficult to do. The moments where Sitterson and Hadley are watching what is happening are very funny. This has the feel of a classic 80's horror movie, and there were a couple of moments in the movie that I felt like looking over my shoulder to make sure that I was alone.
It is very hard for me to turn my brain off when I am watching a movie. However, for The Cabin in the Woods it was quite the opposite. It is one of those movies that you can just sit back and have fun watching it. If you are fan of the horror genre, you will definitely love The Cabin in the Woods.
The Cabin in the Woods is the story of five friends who go on vacation to a remote cabin where they learn a terrifying truth. This was my first time watching this movie, and I loved it for a variety of reasons. The Cabin in the Woods is so genre-bending: it is horrifying in some places, and then it can be downright hilarious. The movie also has some clever nods to classic horror cinema that made me smile. The movie also pokes fun at its own genre at one point when Sigourney Weaver (in a fantastic cameo appearance) subtly points out that every horror movie has the same kind of characters. Speaking of which, I love the fact that Marty (played by Fran Kranz) is immunized to the chemicals that the other characters are inhaling because he smokes marijuana. There are a few very minor problems that I would like to address. Firstly, a person being impaled by a unicorn seems a little silly. Secondly, at one point we see Curt (Chris Hemsworth) mount a motorcycle and attempt to jump a gap between cliffs, and yet there is nothing prior to this moment in the movie that shows he is capable of jumping any kind of vehicle. Thirdly, at the beginning of the film we see Sitterson and Hadley (Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford) walking on the upper levels of a building, and then we inexplicably see them walking on the lower levels. Hey, I did say these were minor problems and they certainly did not prevent me from loving the movie.
Drew Goddard is the director of The Cabin in the Woods. I love the way he directed the movie because it feels very eerie, creepy and the jump scares are all well-timed. On top of doing all of this, he actually made a genuine horror/comedy which I personally find difficult to do. The moments where Sitterson and Hadley are watching what is happening are very funny. This has the feel of a classic 80's horror movie, and there were a couple of moments in the movie that I felt like looking over my shoulder to make sure that I was alone.
It is very hard for me to turn my brain off when I am watching a movie. However, for The Cabin in the Woods it was quite the opposite. It is one of those movies that you can just sit back and have fun watching it. If you are fan of the horror genre, you will definitely love The Cabin in the Woods.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Fantastic Fantasy Fun
Willow is yet another movie I had heard of, but I had never it seen until now. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres because the creative possibilities are endless. I loved this movie, and I am so glad that I finally saw it.
Willow is the story of a dwarf who must protect a baby from an evil queen. Lined with great chase sequences and dazzling special effects, this movie reminds you of the glory days of epic fantasy tales. Of course, anything that spews from the mind of George Lucas (at least anything in the 80's) is bound to be magnificent. Willow also benefits from having great characters that you fall in love with right from the beginning. Aside from a silly spell that turns people into pigs, I was absolutely dazzled by this movie.
Any time Warwick Davis is in a movie it makes me smile. He has been in many great movies, and always leaves a lasting impression. In Willow, he plays the title character of Willow Ufgood. Willow is a reluctant hero, as many heroes are, who finds the power within himself to destroy evil. Warwick Davis is perfect as the character, and this will probably go down as his greatest role.
I have so much personal respect for Ron Howard as a filmmaker. I have always held him in extremely high regard, and nothing will ever change that. He does a fantastic job of bringing the world of Willow to life, with so many great characters and environments. You not only believe in the world, you want to be a part of it. That is the magic that Ron Howard brings to this movie.
Willow is a classic fantasy tale that is revered by all the fans who have seen it, including myself. Sometimes you love a movie so much that you cannot wait to watch it over and over again. If you have not seen Willow, do yourself a favor: stay in on a Friday night and watch it. You will not regret it at all.
Willow is the story of a dwarf who must protect a baby from an evil queen. Lined with great chase sequences and dazzling special effects, this movie reminds you of the glory days of epic fantasy tales. Of course, anything that spews from the mind of George Lucas (at least anything in the 80's) is bound to be magnificent. Willow also benefits from having great characters that you fall in love with right from the beginning. Aside from a silly spell that turns people into pigs, I was absolutely dazzled by this movie.
Any time Warwick Davis is in a movie it makes me smile. He has been in many great movies, and always leaves a lasting impression. In Willow, he plays the title character of Willow Ufgood. Willow is a reluctant hero, as many heroes are, who finds the power within himself to destroy evil. Warwick Davis is perfect as the character, and this will probably go down as his greatest role.
I have so much personal respect for Ron Howard as a filmmaker. I have always held him in extremely high regard, and nothing will ever change that. He does a fantastic job of bringing the world of Willow to life, with so many great characters and environments. You not only believe in the world, you want to be a part of it. That is the magic that Ron Howard brings to this movie.
Willow is a classic fantasy tale that is revered by all the fans who have seen it, including myself. Sometimes you love a movie so much that you cannot wait to watch it over and over again. If you have not seen Willow, do yourself a favor: stay in on a Friday night and watch it. You will not regret it at all.
Rooting For The Common Man
I had never seen the remake of The Taking of Pelham 123 mostly because, as people are well aware, I do not care for remakes. However, because of the cast and the director involved I was actually looking forward to watching it. I enjoyed the movie very much, and I have very little complaints about it.
The Taking of Pelham 123 is the story of a New York City subway that gets hijacked, and the dispatcher who gets thrust into the middle of the chaos. Personally, I think this is a very good movie. It is probably the most violent film of Tony Scott's career, even though there is not much action in it. There is slow-motion used in some places that really does not call for it, but other than that I think this film is very good.
What can you say about Denzel Washington that has not been said already? The man is a titan of the silver screen, and is one of the greatest actors to ever live. He plays Walter Garber in the movie. I love his character in the movie because, like John McClane in the original Die Hard, Walter Garber is an ordinary man who gets thrust into an extraordinary situation. He has no idea the kind of situation he has gotten into which makes you cheer for him even more. This is probably the most wholesome performance of Denzel's career.
I have always been a fan of John Travolta. I think it is a shame he has had such a up-and-down career because I believe he is a truly great actor. In this movie Travolta plays Ryder, thus continuing his successful string of playing villains. There is a lethalness to Ryder, probably more so than any other villain Travolta has played. His performance in the movie is so completely over the top that you really believe he has gone completely bonkers. I was very much looking forward to watching him in the movie, and I was not let down at all.
I have always said that Tony Scott was one of my favorite directors. He was one of the best at filming action, and I was incredibly sad when he passed away. It is ironic that he was so good at making action movies because this movie does not have much at all. This movie shows what people are like in very tense situations and Scott does that very effectively, particularly in the scenes where Garber and Ryder are communicating to each other. This movie has more drama in it than action, which was a pleasant surprise coming from such an established action movie director.
The Taking of Pelham 123 is a movie that knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else. This movie is driven by great performances that make you care about the characters. If you are a fan of thrillers, you will definitely enjoy this movie.
The Taking of Pelham 123 is the story of a New York City subway that gets hijacked, and the dispatcher who gets thrust into the middle of the chaos. Personally, I think this is a very good movie. It is probably the most violent film of Tony Scott's career, even though there is not much action in it. There is slow-motion used in some places that really does not call for it, but other than that I think this film is very good.
What can you say about Denzel Washington that has not been said already? The man is a titan of the silver screen, and is one of the greatest actors to ever live. He plays Walter Garber in the movie. I love his character in the movie because, like John McClane in the original Die Hard, Walter Garber is an ordinary man who gets thrust into an extraordinary situation. He has no idea the kind of situation he has gotten into which makes you cheer for him even more. This is probably the most wholesome performance of Denzel's career.
I have always been a fan of John Travolta. I think it is a shame he has had such a up-and-down career because I believe he is a truly great actor. In this movie Travolta plays Ryder, thus continuing his successful string of playing villains. There is a lethalness to Ryder, probably more so than any other villain Travolta has played. His performance in the movie is so completely over the top that you really believe he has gone completely bonkers. I was very much looking forward to watching him in the movie, and I was not let down at all.
I have always said that Tony Scott was one of my favorite directors. He was one of the best at filming action, and I was incredibly sad when he passed away. It is ironic that he was so good at making action movies because this movie does not have much at all. This movie shows what people are like in very tense situations and Scott does that very effectively, particularly in the scenes where Garber and Ryder are communicating to each other. This movie has more drama in it than action, which was a pleasant surprise coming from such an established action movie director.
The Taking of Pelham 123 is a movie that knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else. This movie is driven by great performances that make you care about the characters. If you are a fan of thrillers, you will definitely enjoy this movie.
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