Wednesday, August 8, 2007

The Prestige

Written by:
Jonathan Nolan
Christopher Nolan

Directed by:
Christopher Nolan

Made in:
USA & UK in 2006

Actors:
Hugh Jackman ... Robert Angier
Christian Bale ... Alfred Borden
Michael Caine ... Cutter
Piper Perabo ... Julia McCullough
Rebecca Hall ... Sarah
Scarlett Johansson ... Olivia Wenscombe
Samantha Mahurin ... Jess
David Bowie ... Tesla
Andy Serkis ... Alley
Daniel Davis ... Judge
Jim Piddock ... Prosecutor
Christopher Neame ... Defender
Mark Ryan ... Captain
Roger Rees ... Owens
Jamie Harris ... Sullen Warder

Plot:
A mysterious story of two magicians whose intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle for supremacy -- full of obsession, deceit and jealousy with dangerous and deadly consequences. From the time that they first met as young magicians on the rise, Robert Angier and Alfred Borden were competitors. However, their friendly competition evolves into a bitter rivalry making them fierce enemies-for-life and consequently jeopardizing the lives of everyone around them. Set against the backdrop of turn-of-the-century London. IMDB

Review:
This movie was unbelievably great. It will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time, trying to figure everything out.

I could easily watch this movie over and over again.

A superb cast, excellent directing, and what can I say.. Two Christian Bales are better than one!


Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Requiem for a Dream

AKA:
Delusion Over Addiction

Written by:
Hubert Selby Jr.

Directed by:
Darren Aronofsky

Made in:
USA in 2000

Actors:
Ellen Burstyn ... Sara Goldfarb
Jared Leto ... Harry Goldfarb
Jennifer Connelly ... Marion Silver
Marlon Wayans ... Tyrone C. Love
Christopher McDonald ... Tappy Tibbons
Louise Lasser ... Ada
Marcia Jean Kurtz ... Rae
Janet Sarno ... Mrs. Pearlman
Suzanne Shepherd ... Mrs. Scarlini
Joanne Gordon ... Mrs. Ovadia
Charlotte Aronofsky ... Mrs. Miles
Mark Margolis ... Mr. Rabinowitz
Michael Kaycheck ... Donut Cop (as Mike Kaycheck)
Jack O'Connell ... Corn Dog Stand Boss
Chas Mastin ... Lyle Russel

Plot:
Requiem for a Dream exposes four paralleled individuals and their menacing addiction to heroin, cocaine, and diet pills (speed). Taking place in Brooklyn amidst the waning Coney Island, the drugs are very easily obtained and keep each main character in its cycle of dependence. The protagonist Harry Goldfarb is your typical heroin junky with an ambitious plan of "Getting off hard knocks," with help from his cocaine crazed girlfriend Marion and his long time friend Tyrone. Meanwhile his widowed mother is obsessed with the glamor of television and eventually finds her way to a dietitian who pushes her into the cycle of drug induced enslavement. IMDB

Review:
I have a few issues with this movie. I didn't really know what to expect going into it. But I wasn't very impressed by the end. The movie dragged, greatly. It took a very long time for anything to get started with the plot. And the best part of the film was by far the mom and the nemisis refrigerator.

The film was too predictable and not very accurate when it came to the hospital/police stuff. The story with the son wasn't interesting until his arm troubles.

If you are looking for a drug movie, watch Trainspotting instead.

House of the Dead

Written by:
Mark A. Altman
Dan Bates

Directed by:
Uwe Boll

Made in:
Canada, USA & Germany in 2003

Actors:
Jonathan Cherry ... Rudy
Tyron Leitso ... Simon
Clint Howard ... Salish
Ona Grauer ... Alicia
Ellie Cornell ... Jordan Casper
Will Sanderson ... Greg
Enuka Okuma ... Karma
Kira Clavell ... Liberty
Sonya Salomaa ... Cynthia
Michael Eklund ... Hugh
David Palffy ... Castillo
Jürgen Prochnow ... Capt. Victor Kirk (as Jurgen Prochnow)
Steve Byers ... Matt
Erica Durance ... Johanna (as Erica Parker)
Birgit Stein ... Lena

Plot:
This film is a prequel to all of the The House of the Dead video games. Set on an island off the coast, a techno rave party attracts a diverse group of college coeds and a Coast Guard officer. Soon, they discover that their X-laced escapades are to be interrupted by zombies and monsters that attack them on the ground, from the air, and in the sea, ruled by an evil entity in the House of the Dead... IMDB

Review:
Ouch!
What an awful film.
I love zombie movies and I'll accept most anything as a plot. The worse the actors, the better.

This movie is just horrific. I'm not sure what they were thinking. The plot, I can live with. The actors, are bad, but not bad enough to be good. These actors are just stupid. The worst with this film is the directing and the editing. The producer should be shot.

I've given this movie 2 chances .. and it was worse the second time.. :/

Avoid at all costs.