Pulp Fiction

One line review: A strange mix of cool one-liners, unusual situations, and strangely dull scenes

Movie Title: Pulp Fiction

Actors: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Eric Stoltz, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Phil LaMarr, Maria de Medeiros, Rosanna Arquette, Peter Greene, Uma Thurman, Duane Whitaker

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Year: 1994

Genre: Drama

Method of Viewing: DVD

Location of Viewing: Home

Viewing with: No One

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% – What makes the film such wicked fun is the way Tarantino delivers the familiar with a twist. He continually prepares us for one thing and then delivers another.

My rating: *** – A great movie

My assessment (the first 101 words at least): Just like Predator seemed to be loved more for it’s over the top action and strange one-liners than for the entire movie, this movie is full of one-liners that I never knew the source for. The setting, the characters, and the winding storyline all help to make this a very enjoyable movie to watch. However, I feel this movie indulges itself far too much in all of this long, pointless dialog. When I think of this movie, I don’t think of a funny one-liner, I think of Samuel L. Jackson prattling on for 30 minutes with a gun in his hand.

Wayne’s World

One line review: Unless your a child in the 90′s, this movie does not hold up at all.

Movie Title: Wayne’s World

Actors: Mike Myers,Dana Carvey, Rob Lowe, Tia Carrere, Doyle-Murray, Lara Flynn Boyle, Michael DeLuise, Dan Bell, Lee Tergesen

Director: Penelope Spheeris

Year: 1992

Genre: Comedy

Method of Viewing: TV

Location of Viewing: Home

Viewing with: No One

Rotten Tomatoes: 84% – An oddball comedy that revels in its silliness and memorable catch phrases, Wayne’s World is also fondly regarded because of its endearing characters.

My rating: * – A Bad Movie

My assessment (the first 101 words at least): I simply hated this movie. Perhaps I was in a bad mood when watching or perhaps I couldn’t find humor in Wayne or Garth making funny faces. Either way, this movie was just painful for me to watch. I have heard so many different ideas about this movie, some thinking it’s an essential film, while others think it’s just a bad movie. I just don’t get this movie. I don’t know how anyone could actually like this movie. It’s stupid, vulgar, boring, and not funny. Sorry if you like it, but it’s the worst movie I have on my list. Period.

The Princess Bride

One line review: A magical fairytale full of spirit, humor, and action.

Movie Title: The Princess Bride

Actors: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, Andre the Giant, Fred Savage, Robin Wright Penn, Peter Falk, Peter Cook

Director: Rob Reiner

Year: 1987

Genre: Adventure / Comedy

Method of Viewing: Netflix Instant Play

Location of Viewing: Home

Viewing with: Friends in #Jazzmess

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% – One of Reiner’s most entertaining films, effective as a swashbuckling epic, romantic fable, and satire of these genres.

My rating: **** – A Legendary Movie, but with some flaws

My assessment (the first 101 words at least): The Princess Bride is another book turned into a movie. Nearly every time a book is turned into a movie, fans of the book are annoyed that the movie cannot capture the entire scope of the book. However, this movie did exactly what it should. It pulled me in, made me fascinated to find out more about the characters and back story, and made me want to go and buy the book. Each character, from the major to the minor, seem to have their own spirit about them, and the world they live in is full of magic and wonder. Fantastic!

Netflix Movie Night TONIGHT!

Tonight, at 7pm CST, we’ll be watching The Princess Bride on Netflix Instant Play, in the #Jazzmess Chat Room. If you don’t have an IRC client, feel free to use this Mibbit room, or look to the Chat page for more options.
See you there!

The Deer Hunter

One line review: A crushing look at the impact of the Vietnam War on a small group of friends.

Movie Title: The Deer Hunter

Actors: Robert De Niro, John Cazale, John Savage, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep, George Dzundza, Chuck Aspegren, Shirley Stoler, Rutanya Alda, Pierre Segui

Director: Michael Cimino

Year: 1978

Genre: Drama

Method of Viewing: DVD

Location of Viewing: Home

Viewing with: No one

Rotten Tomatoes: 91% – Its greatness is blunted by its length and one-sided point of view, but the film’s weaknesses are overpowered by Michael Cimino’s sympathetic direction and a series of heartbreaking performances from Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken.

My rating: **** – A Legendary Movie, but with some flaws

My assessment (the first 101 words at least): I can’t help but feel that I’m completely incapable of properly appreciating this movie. I have never been in a real fight for my life, much less a war. I am reviewing a movie over 30 years old about a war that started nearly 50 years ago, it’s very difficult to relate. However, as I’ve allowed the movie to sink in, the images and the themes presented still ring with me.  Despite my distance from the Vietnam War, this movie managed to capture a small slice of the pain it caused. Still, the message is dulled by the movie’s length.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

One line review: If you can keep up with the plot, it’s probably one of the funnest movies I’ve seen.

Movie Title: Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels

Actors: Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran, Jason Statham, Steven Mackintosh, Nick Marcq, Charles Forbes, Vinnie Jones, Lenny McLean, P.H. Moriarty, Steve Sweeney

Director: Guy Ritchie

Year: 1998

Genre: Comedy

Method of Viewing: Netflix Instant Play

Location of Viewing: Home

Viewing with: Friends in #Jazzmess

Rotten Tomatoes: 71% – With visual style to spare, and a cast and plot you need a computer to keep track of, British writer-director Guy Ritchie’s first feature, “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,” lacks nothing in energy.

My rating: **** – A Legendary movie, but with some flaws.

My assessment (the first 101 words at least): This movie is just fun to watch. The plot at the beginning seems to be going in a thousand directions, and by the end has so many happy coincidences and funny moments that it’s insane. This movie doesn’t really let your eyes get a rest, as your either constantly studying the strange characters you’re introduced to, or looking in the background for some detail you missed. This is the definition of a movie that I need to watch again in a couple of months, just to appreciated all the details of the plot and characters even more. A solid four stars.

Young Frankenstein

One line review: A shotgun humor style that doesn’t always hit

Movie Title: Young Frankenstein

Actors: Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr, Kenneth Mars

Director: Mel Brooks

Year: 1974

Genre: Comedy / SciFi

Method of Viewing: DVD

Location of Viewing: Home

Viewing with: No One

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% – Made with obvious affection for the original, Young Frankenstein is a riotously silly spoof featuring a fantastic performance by Gene Wilder.

My rating: *** – A Great Movie, but not worthy of it’s Legendary status.

My assessment (the first 101 words at least): Young Frankenstein is a movie that keeps hitting with one joke after another, whether it be a pun, silly moment, running gag, ridiculous looking visual, what have you. The problem with this method of comedy is that it’s hit and miss. When it hits, it’s hilarious and feels like one of the best movies of all time. When it misses, it feels like it’s trying too hard. Perhaps giving this movie only three stars is just a personal opinion, or maybe this movie is showing it’s age, but I really feel that this movie is not worthy of it’s Legendary status.

The Wizard of Oz

One line review: A dream-like story is brought to life in a wonderful tale.

Movie Title: The Wizard of Oz

Actors: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Laher, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Charley Grapewin, Clara Blandick

Director: Victor Fleming

Year: 1939

Genre: Fantasy / Musical

Method of Viewing: Netflix Online

Location of Viewing: Home

Viewing with: Friends in #Jazzmess

Rotten Tomatoes: 100% – An absolute masterpiece whose groundbreaking visuals and deft storytelling are still every bit as resonant. A must-see film for young and old.

My rating: ***** – A Perfect Movie

My assessment (the first 101 words at least): Perhaps it’s silly to even do a review of a movie that is such a classic and so universally loved. This movie was shown on Netflix to celebrate it’s 70th anniversary (and it may be the oldest movie I have on my list), yet the themes and spirit of this movie still feels fresh to me. The entire world they create just makes you feel like a child, in constant wonder at the marvels of the world. This is the definition of a movie that should never be remade or recreated, it simply is perfect as it is, a fantastic tale.

Predator

One line review: Setting the record for number of one-liners in one movie!

Movie Title: Predator

Actors: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves, R. G. Armstrong, Shane Black, Kevin Peter Hall

Director: John McTiernan

Year: 1987

Genre: Action / Adventure

Method of Viewing: Netflix Online

Location of Viewing: Home

Viewing with: No One

Rotten Tomatoes: 76% – “Predator” is a slightly above-average actioner that tries to compensate for tissue-thin-plot with ever-more-grisly death sequences and impressive special effects.

My rating: ** – An Okay Movie

My assessment (the first 101 words at least): Predator seems to be a popular movie only for it’s one liners and silly action scenes. It’s difficult for me to even understand why it’s been held up as such a classic movie. Even if you ignore the cliches (because again, it’s possible this movie invented them) it’s still a very straight forward, plain and simple action movie with cookie cutter characters and some lousy special effects. Maybe it was a mistake to see Die Hard right before Predator, because there is no comparison. Die Hard balance action, comedy, and interesting characters, while Predator is just generic action with boring characters.

Die Hard

One line review: The textbook definition of a great action movie.

Movie Title: Die Hard

Actors: Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson, Paul Gleason, De’voreaux White

Director: John McTiernan

Year: 1988

Genre: Action / Adventure

Method of Viewing: Netflix Online

Location of Viewing: Home

Viewing with: Friends in #Jazzmess

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% – Its many imitators (and sequels) have never come close to matching the taut thrills of the definitive holiday action classic.

My rating:  ***** – Fully deserving of it’s Legendary status

My assessment (the first 101 words at least):

Yippie-Kay-Yay Mother Fucker, this is the absolute best definition of what an action movie should be. When watching, I was first afraid that it would be nothing more than a mindless action movie, however, the lovable John McClane and a few other funny performances give this movie a unique shine. Sure, the characters and situations in this movie have been repeated before, but I’ve got a feeling that this movie was the originator of these cliches, not the copier.