Member Movie Reviews

Okay - Here's a thread where you can come to and disembowel or pontificate upon your most recent screenings - Be it a film you would recommend to others or one you would highly suggest against being called an "art form"

When I took a couple film courses in college I had to write a few papers on films, so maybe I can give you guys a few brief pointers on issues you might want to discuss when reviewing your film:

1. Cinematography
   
2. Dialogue
   
3. Editing
   
4. Social Implications
   
5. Intention/Motive
   
6. Direction
   
7. No spoilers please!
   

I'd like to kick things off with my "review" (albeit a little short) of Ocean's Twelve....

Ocean's Twelve Review

Here's a link to the critic's reviews of the film (which I haven�t read through yet...I usually like to read those afterwards)
movies.yahoo.com...

This film straps you in for a ride at 100mph that isn't even quite sure where it's going yet. At the end, we're simply treated to a "Sixth-Sensesque" ending where we have to replay the past 45 minutes of confusing action one more time, only to have that last clue semi-explained.

The cinematography is beautiful, with unique camera angles like an upward-arched pan of a plane landing and highly choreographed crane shots...But it all becomes lost to the rapid editing and mixed moods the director is trying to convey...A lot of rough dialogue that appears unrehearsed and raw is meant to draw us in, but it only seems to separate us further...The characters feel less fleshed out...It fills like the typical sequel, where more emphasis is placed on giving the fans what the expect rather than treating them to a new experience....

Much of the dialogue during the busy scenes are made by characters that are off camera, which lets us see everyone's reactions to some good one-liners and jokes that get flung around every two seconds.

At times you just have to wonder how it is that George Clooney and his crew are able to retrieve access to all of these incredible floor plans, or build precise models to scale....but I guess that's all meant to be part of the fun the movie offers...

If you're ready for a film that will launch you at one end and send you to another at the next blink, then get ready for a ride! It has a lot of great little quirky humor to it and makes you stop and think about what you saw earlier....It bears a little resembles to its predecessor in the planning scenes, but most of the likeness is separated at the reintroduction of our primary characters....

I'd give this movie a 3.5 out of 5....




[edit on 12/14/2004 by EnronOutrunHomerun]

I do write reviews for a friends website, I've never seen the point in including them here though...they go very arty farty.

Here I just like to say "S@#t! Good! Excellent!" e.t.c.

Originally posted by John Nada
I do write reviews for a friends website, I've never seen the point in including them here though...they go very arty farty.

Here I just like to say "S@#t! Good! Excellent!" e.t.c.

True....I know what you're saying...BTW - Do you have a link to that website?

I agree - but I figured it would be interesting to have at least one thread here where maybe us "artsy fartsy" film critics could get together and critique camera angles or the social division certain films create or exploit....the sub-genre a certain film falls into and why....Your most/least favorite aspect about a particular film noir

But if I had to sum up Ocean's Twelve into a quick phrase...

It's alright - Not my favorite. I thought the first was better....Wait for the DVD

Originally posted by EnronOutrunHomerun

True....I know what you're saying...BTW - Do you have a link to that website?

If I did that I'd be revealing me real secret identity, ain't going to happen.

I agree - but I figured it would be interesting to have at least one thread here where maybe us "artsy fartsy" film critics could get together and critique camera angles or the social division certain films create or exploit....the sub-genre a certain film falls into and why....Your most/least favorite aspect about a particular film noir

Yeah, I'd actually be more up for it if I figured anyone actually give a s@#t. Maybe we should create our own film hole though, could be fun.

But if I had to sum up Ocean's Twelve into a quick phrase...

It's alright - Not my favorite. I thought the first was better....Wait for the DVD

I'm interested in it actually, I've heard good things...the review over at CHUD got me interested...it seems it's not the usual sequel and apparantly uses some crazy and great cinematic techniques so I'm interested for that alone. That, and I hear Vincent Cazel is class...is that true?

Can we ask about movies too if anybody has seen it?


I'd like to know if anybody has seen "dodgeball" true story of an underdog or something.. ben stiller is in it.

My husband's picking it up tonight.

Originally posted by John Nada
I'm interested in it actually, I've heard good things...the review over at CHUD got me interested...it seems it's not the usual sequel and apparantly uses some crazy and great cinematic techniques so I'm interested for that alone. That, and I hear Vincent Cazel is class...is that true?

I checked out that site (and their review) for the first time a few minutes ago - Awesome site....Like you said, the article mentions but a few of the great camera techniques they utilized which really add to the overall quality of the film - some amazing pans and quick edits that come in and out of focus with a real grainy texture...I think their whole take on this was to make you a part of them team - you're there and you're in on everything....and so the camera reflects that to a certain degree...

I think this quote from the site below, which you referenced JN, really sums up the movie a great deal...

"I wouldn�t go as far as to indicate that this is some rich slice of filmmaking that should be eyed as a cornerstone of the genre, nor is it an outright deconstruction of heist pictures. It�s a sequel that cares more about its gigantic cast than clockwork precision cons and mainstream laughs and one that enjoys coming to fruition on its own terms and isn�t dependent on any of the typical payoff moments to actually pay off."
Review of Ocean's Twelve, by Nick Nunziata

Originally posted by TrueLies
Can we ask about movies too if anybody has seen it?


I'd like to know if anybody has seen "dodgeball" true story of an underdog or something.. ben stiller is in it.

My husband's picking it up tonight.

For sure! If I've seen it, or if anyone else has seen it and wishes to leave their comments or remorse for the soon-to-be-viewer, feel free to do so...

I, for one, have seen and thoroughly enjoyed Dodgeball....er...the first time around....

The humor is just a bunch of primal laughs all rolled together....The moment they introduced the female Russian volleyball champion I nearly died laughing....Ben Stiller has a lot of great lines, but you may not laugh at the scenes they beat to death in the trailers - the good thing is, they kept a lot of the great jokes out of the trailers and didn't spoil them....

Vince Vaughn is...well...he's just Vince Vaughn - not much there, but if you like his machismo dry humor then I guess you'll like him in this....

But it's not the kind of comedy you could watch over and over again....The jokes will eventually get stale and you'll find yourself watching the movie just to hear the Pirate guy say "arrgghhh matey" then turn it off - lol....

Plus...Hey....who doesn't like Rip Torn?! lol

If I had to rate it, I'd say a 3/5....4/5 for the gut-busting laughs I had the first time I watched it....

[edit on 12/14/2004 by EnronOutrunHomerun]