Intermission

So I will be posting a pretty good story, this time something that just happened to me, later on tonight, but right now I'm just gonna review some movies that I've watched over this semester using Netflix. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a list of movies I've previously viewed, so I'm going to have to go by memory.

Tess - Based on the book Tess of the D'Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy, which I read in high school, so I decided to pick it up. It clocked in at over 3 hours, since it is an exact copy of the book, so I only skimmed through it. Not too bad, but even I couldn't put up with the length.

Ran - Samurai version of Macbeth, apparently directed by a famous Japanese director, not too bad, obviously a good story.

EDIT: It is actually King Lear, but I did just add the Japanese version of Macbeth to my queue, Throne of Blood...can't wait!

If Only - Major selling point here...Jennifer Love Hewitt is banging in this movie. Explores the theme of what it really means to love somebody, and if you got a second chance, would you really love them if you didn't before? The story is a little unbelievable, but I'm a sucker for cheesy romances I guess. Not that bad of a pick.

Annie Hall - Always been meaning to pick this up, and thankfully I finally did. This movie paints a great picture of a normal romance, plus Allen's humor is pretty refreshing.

Blade Runner - Saw this when I was a kid when my dad watched it, but couldn't really remember what it was about, so I added it to my queue. Not that great of a story, but the setting and mood is awesome, plus you can't really go wrong with Harrison Ford.

Breathless - I doubt anyone I know would really like this, but it's a French new wave film about a French criminal running from the law who stops in Paris to try to get an American woman to flee with him to Italy. It is pretty different when compared to normal movies, but I liked it for what it was, more of an art film than a standard movie.

Cold Mountain - Great story involving the Civil War. I always like movies that paint a picture, not just tell a story, and I thought this movie did a good job.

Mozart and the Whale - A pretty original story here, it's about a guy and girl who both have Asperger's Syndrome, and how they cope with it. Josh Hartnett actually does a great job of acting here. I really liked this one.

On the Waterfront - I coulda been a contender! Need I say more? Brando at his best, probably better than The Godfather. Great story about a dockworker standing up to the mob

28 Weeks Later - In the first one, you could overlook the story, because it was more about the mood, but in this one, it's just too much. Nothing new about the atmosphere or directing, but worse plot, not that great.

Shopgirl - Among the many actresses that I love, Claire Danes is pretty high up there, which is the only reason I got this. This was written by Steve Martin, who also acts in it, and his message is a little cheesy, but it's still a good movie.

Fahrenheit 9/11 - Don't really need to explain the movie or why I got it. Also, I didn't need to watch it to know that our president is a moron, but this just reinforced that idea. Good movie though.

Beckett - Great movie about being true to oneself and finding something to fight for. The story of King Henry II and his advisory, Thomas Beckett. Both actors, Peter O'Toole and Richard Burton, were nominated for Oscars.

High Noon - Movie dealing with whether sometimes you should run, or stand and fight. Plus it's a western, so you can't really go wrong.

Taxi Drive - same as Blade Runner, not really a great story, but a cult favorite. Awesome acting by De Niro, and great scenery and directing.

Both Resident Evils - Only reason I rented these was Milla Jovovich. And that is the only reason you should rent these too.

The Fifth Element - Same as above, except this one actually has a good plot, and interesting imagery and style. Chris Tucker turns this one from should rent to must see

Dog Day Afternoon - True story about a bank robbery gone wrong, with Pacino acting. Won an Oscar for screenplay, never gets boring.

Seven Samurai - The basis for The Magnificent Seven...where to begin? This movie invented and started so many things seen in movies today. Obviously, compared to today's movies, it's not that great, but I loved it. Among the many firsts, this movie had the reluctant hero, slow motion action sequences, a recruitment of a group of heros, among many other things. Great movie

Dial M For Murder - An under appreciated Hitchcock movie. You know what to expect here, suspense and intrigue, as a man tries to have his wife murdered.

Disturbia - For being a Rear Window knockoff, it wasn't too bad. The hot girl made it bearable.

Hamlet - This is the Branagh version, and really the only one that matters. This isn't for the faint of heart, since it is the entire play. Awesome vision and acting, and since it's my favorite Shakespeare play, this is also one of my favorite movies, and I would definitely recommend picking this up if you have the chance.

Fracture - Not a whole lot to this, a battle of wits between a man who apparently obviously committed a crime, and the prosecutor with a little baggage who tries to take him down. Too bad I figured out the solution to the plot twist the second it happened, but still, it was a pretty good movie.

I would like to conclude this blog by saying that BABEL IS THE BIGGEST PIECE OF SHIT MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. I would definitely NOT recommend it...