While hunting in the forest, Lord Asano of Ako and his samurai find a young half-breed and take him with them to live in the castle. Several years later, Lord Asano holds a tournament to welcome the Shogun to Ako. The night after the tournament, Lord Asano is bewitched into hurting Lord Kira of Nagato, and is punished into committing seppuku by the Shogun. Realizing that it was a Lord Kira's evil plot, the samurais and the half-breed sets out for revenge against the Shogun's order.
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Review :
An Entertaining Samurai Epic That Falls Short
47 Ronin is a highly fictionalized take on the story of the 47 ronin who took revenge on a court official who had the 47's leader commit seppuku. In the film, Keanu Reeves portrays Kai, a half-British Half-Japanese outcast who is called upon by Oishi, the leader of the 47. The 47 seek revenge on Lord Kira, who also has an evil witch (Rinko Kikuchi) serving under him, who killed their master.
The movie itself looks absolutely phenomenal, with amazing visual effects, an emotional and gripping musical score, and strong performances from Keanu and Hiroyuki Sanada, who portrays Oishi. The major problem that i saw with the movie was that, it was over way too fast. They left out important character development for the witch and a few other characters, which really could have added more emotional flame to the film. Plus, the movie overall could have easily been twenty, thirty minutes longer. If it were, i would say it can rank alongside 13 Assassins and The Last Samurai. The script was well-written (some cheesy lines, but overall pretty good), Carl Erik Rinsch's directing was good but had a few too many cut-aways.
47 Ronin is an extremely action-packed samurai/fantasy epic that is something you don't want to miss on the big-screen. Though, if you want to see something award-worthy in terms of writing and directing, hope for a Director's/Extended cut on disc, for you won't find it here. But great performances, visual effects and emotion really help make this movie stand out, even with The Desolation of Smaug as competition.
Lone Survivor (2013)iMDB Rating: 7.8 Date Released : 10 January 2014 Genre : Action, Biography, Drama, Thriller, War Stars : Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster. Based on the failed June 28, 2005 mission "Operation Red Wings". Four members of SEAL Team 10 were tasked with the mission to capture or kill notorious Taliban leader Ahmad Shahd." /> Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
Based on the failed mission "Operation Red Wings" which tasked four members of SEAL Team 10 on June 28, 2005 to kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. They were quickly compromised and under attack.
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Review :
Lone Survivor- A Brutally Authentic and Nonpartisan Portrayal of the War Time Experience Told Through Peter Berg's Respectful Direction and Honest Screenplay
An undeniable aspect of war, whether or not you make rationalizations on its regrettable purpose or demonize its existence entirely, is that it's an utter hell that tries the mentality and physicality of the courageous men and women who fight in the conflict. Most war films have captured the hellish and nonsensical brutality of war through challenging cinematic portraits, either through the allegorical heart of darkness showcased in Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now, the apathetic political influences in Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory, and even in cinema's first triumphant reflections with the adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front. But while all wars impact people there aren't enough films that showcase true examples of wartime heroism which neglects a chance to embrace the humanity in the soldiers who are put into these tumultuous and life threatening circumstances. This is where Peter Berg's ominously titled latest film Lone Survivor differs from the a vast majority of the war film experience because rather than postulating on the reasons or criticisms for war it only seeks to depict the strong links of brotherhood involved in our armed forces ranks through an effective nonpartisan slant. Returning to his attention to detail roots showcased in The Kingdom and leaving behind an unfortunate deviation into the ridiculous with Battleship, Berg has concocted a relatively solid film in Lone Survivor that follows the real life events that happened in 2005 to Navy SEAL Mark Luttrell and his team in the Afghanistan Mountains when a secret operation is compromised. Though the film could have had deeper character development and interaction in the first quarter of the film, an aspect that slightly detriments the overall impact of the picture, its solid and intimate middle core of brutally authentic wartime conflict captured in real time is a technically astounding, emotionally engaging, and definite pulse pounding experience. To the film's creative credit in staying true to the events that transpired it demonstrates that the relentless pummeling of war doesn't always come with the Hollywood convention that is graceful relief giving the film a true experience of modern warfare. Lone Survivor might have its storytelling flaws, mainly due to a conventional structure and some fairly assumed character involvement, but when it erupts into the focused intimacy of soldier bonding amidst the chaotic brutality of battle in the middle of the film it becomes a relatively involving homage to the relentless dedication of spirit within our soldiers.
More on this review: http://wp.me/py8op-Cx; Other reviews: generationfilm.net
How far would you go to protect your family? Keller Dover is facing every parent's worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street. Heading the investigation, Detective Loki arrests its driver, Alex Jones, but a lack of evidence forces his release. As the police pursue multiple leads and pressure mounts, knowing his child's life is at stake the frantic Dover decides he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?
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Review :
Spellbinding
Prisoners is extremely suspenseful and equally disturbing. Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, whose last film was the equally spellbinding and disturbing Incendies, builds up the tension from the first frame and does not let up for the full 153 minutes of the movie. Aaron Guzikowski's script, though on the surface a child kidnapping thriller, bucks all Hollywood trends and, as well as being a taut thriller, poses serious moral issues. It also helps that the film has a first rate cast doing outstanding work: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Terence Howard, Melissa Leo, Maria Bello and Viola Davis. Prisoners is not for the faint heated but is likely to feature strongly at next year's Oscars.
The Celebration (1998)iMDB Rating: 8.1 Date Released : 19 June 1998 Genre : Drama Stars : Ulrich Thomsen, Henning Moritzen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Paprika Steen Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
The Father turns 60. His family, which is a big one of the kind, gathers to celebrate him on a castle. Everybody likes and respects the father deeply...or do they? The Youngest Son is trying to live up to The Father's expectations. He is running a grill-bar in a dirty part of Copenhagen. The oldest son runs a restaurant in France, while the sister is a anthropologist. The older sister has recently committed suicide and the father asks the oldest son to say a few words about her, because he is afraid he will break into tears if he does it himself. The oldest son agrees without arguments. Actually he has already written two speeches. A yellow and a green one. By the table, he asks the father to pick a speech. The father chooses green. The oldest son announces that this is the Speech of Truth. Everybody laughs, except for the father who gets a nervous look on his face. For he knows that the oldest son is about to reveal the secret of why the oldest sister killed herself.
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Review :
Fall into it.
I'll say 2 things about this movie.
1. This is a danish movie. A danish philosopher known to numerous people, Søren Kierkegaard, talked about emotional contra intellectual. This is a movie you should experience with your feelings, not your brain, turned on. If you do this, you'll smile and cry.
2. The acting is fantastic. It's so realistic, but still "wild" enough to keep you to the screen.
Can't help it, need to give it 10/10. It's not at great MOVIE, but it's a truely great EXPERIENCE. And as far as I'm considered, we're watching movies because we like to experience?
I've never fell into a movie like i fell into this one.
The Artist (2011)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 20 January 2012 Genre : Comedy, Drama, Romance Stars : Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 850 MB
Outside a movie premiere, enthusiastic fan Peppy Miller literally bumps into the swashbuckling hero of the silent film, George Valentin. The star reacts graciously and Peppy plants a kiss on his cheek as they are surrounded by photographers. The headlines demand: "Who's That Girl?" and Peppy is inspired to audition for a dancing bit-part at the studio. However as Peppy slowly rises through the industry, the introduction of talking-pictures turns Valentin's world upside-down.
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Review :
A Breath Of Fresh Vintage Air
What a treat. I left the theater sort of floating. Delighted. A European film looking back at Hollywood better than Hollywood has been able to do for years. "A Star Is Born" and "Singing In The Rain" mixed in a glorious black and white cocktail. Silent, yes silent! But with a fabulous score and so much panache. Jean Dujardin is the revelation of the year. What a performance! Running the gamut of emotions, leaving us breathless, and if this wasn't enough, a rousing tap dance routine in the style of Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell, partnering with the wonderful Berenice Bejo. I know that it's not just me. The audience applauded and cheered as the end credits rolled.
Mystic River (2003)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 15 October 2003 Genre : Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller Stars : Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Emmy Rossum Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 850 MB
Childhood friends Jimmy Markum, Sean Devine and Dave Boyle reunite following the death of Jimmy's oldest daughter, Katie. Sean's a police detective on the case, gathering difficult and disturbing evidence; he's also tasked with handling Jimmy's rage and need for retribution.
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Review :
Eastwood's next Oscar hit after "Unforgiven"
Eastwood's big Oscar hit after "Unforgiven", that other masterpiece directed by Dirty Harry himself. "Mystic River" is based on the bestselling novel by Dennis Lehane and it has an incredible cast. The main leads are for Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon. Furthermore we have Laurence "Morpheus" Fishburne, Laura Linney and Marcia Gay Harden. The movie itself is very dark and sober without much music. The story is brilliantly written and the acting is without any doubt superb.
I'm glad Sean Penn finally won an Academy Award, he's a brilliant actor and he certainly deserves the recognition. Tim Robbins was good as well, but I think Benicio del Toro should have won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. His performance in "21 Grams" was much more superior to Robbins' performance in "Mystic River". Anyway, that's just what I think. Kevin Bacon was excellent as well and he is one of the most underrated actors of his generation. Marcia Gay Harden and Laura Linney were good as usual.
Although I very much enjoyed this movie, it didn't exactly turned out to be the masterpiece I was expecting. But that's maybe because this was only the first time I watched it. Anyway, I'm still looking forward to see Eastwood's masterpiece of this year: "Million Dollar Baby". But this movie is absolutely worth seeing as well.
Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse move into an apartment in a building with a bad reputation. They discover that their neighbours are a very friendly elderly couple named Roman and Minnie Castevet, and Guy begins to spend a lot of time with them. Strange things start to happen: a woman Rosemary meets in the laundry dies a mysterious death, Rosemary has strange dreams and hears strange noises and Guy becomes remote and distant. Then Rosemary falls pregnant and begins to suspect that her neighbours have special plans for her child.
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Review :
Flawless Horror Masterpiece
Rosemary, in Mia Farrow's performance, is so immediately recognizable that everything that happens to her, happens to us. Her explanation to Dr Hill (Charles Grodin) about the absurdity she's at the center of, is so brilliantly written that she becomes more than just one of us, she becomes us in all the depth of our unspoken fears. To see this film in 2007 is really amazing. Perfection! And that for our benefit. Polanski is not one of those directors who concocts camera tricks to feed his own ego. Everything is at the service of the story. John Cassavettes is a scarily convincing weakling with an ambition bigger than his talent. Ruth Gordon got, what I, in my modest opinion, consider one of the most deserving Oscars in the history of the Oscars. Her performance is beyond superb. Okay, I'm running out of superlatives but let me finish with one more...Roman Polanski is the greatest.
Valentine is a young model living in Geneva. Because of a dog she ran over, she meets a retired judge who spies his neighbours' phone calls, not for money but to feed his cynicism. The film is the story of relationships between some human beings, Valentine and the judge, but also other people who may not be aware of the relationship they have with Valentine or/and the old judge. Redemption, forgiveness and compassion...
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Review :
Kieslowski a masterful painter in Blue, White and Red: see all three!
It is not only difficult to comment separately on the three parts of Kieslowski's trilogy, it seems obvious that the filmmaker wants us to do just the opposite: view them in order, Blue, White, and Red, and consider them together as one complete work. It is true they are distinct stories with distinct themes: liberty, equality, fraternity, and each them is developed with unique applications of intrigue and artistry. They are each well worth seeing independently, but I believe they are best seen as one work. Collectively, I would rate the trilogy as a 9; separately, I place each in my top ten for the years 1993 and 1994.
The color red is most memorable in the third movie as a backdrop in a billboard ad, the profiled model of which is the central of the movie's three main characters. The other two characters do a double-take of a varying degree of recognition when they first come upon the ad, posted larger than life alongside a busy city intersection. This ad is not a major part of the plot of this movie, yet its image becomes striking and is one of the reasons I have called Red a `mind-bending' film. This is the third of Kieslowski's Three Colors trilogy, based on the Blue-White-Red of the French flag and the three parts of its motto, `Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.' The films stay primarily focused on these themes, keeping with the basic levels of one, two, or three main characters, yet with each film the complexity of plot escalates as the three principles move from fundamentally personal (Liberty, Blue) to relational (Equality, White) to social (Fraternity, Red). Red is my favorite of these films, and I give it a 9. It stands by itself as a great film, but one should see Blue and White first for the fullest effect.
Beauty and the Beast (1991)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 22 November 1991 Genre : Animation, Family, Fantasy, Musical, Romance Stars : Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 750 MB
Belle is a girl who is dissatisfied with life in a small provincial French town, constantly trying to fend off the misplaced "affections" of conceited Gaston. The Beast is a prince who was placed under a spell because he could not love. A wrong turn taken by Maurice, Belle's father, causes the two to meet.
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Review :
Magical
Who can resist this beautiful story? I love the fact that even though Belle hated Beast at first, she saw underneath that he was a kind and gentle soul, and didn't care what he looked like on the outside! And what girl hasn't known a Gaston in their lives? I thought it was so great how he was put in his place! All the voiceovers are amazing, especially Robby Benson as Beast. Another Disney masterpiece.
Before Sunrise (1995)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 27 January 1995 Genre : Drama, Romance Stars : Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Andrea Eckert, Hanno Pöschl Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 750 MB
American tourist Jesse and French student Celine meet by chance on the train from Budapest to Vienna. Sensing that they are developing a connection, Jesse asks Celine to spend the day with him in Vienna, and she agrees. Passing the time before his scheduled flight the next morning. How do two perfect strangers connect so intimately over the course of a single day? What is that special thing that bonds two people so strongly? As their bond turns to love, what will happen to them the next morning when Jesse flies away?
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Review :
EXTREMELY DEEP & WONDERFUL LOVE STORY !
It was by accident that I was scanning the TV channels and found this wonderful film about two beautiful human beings who become attracted to each other in a very innocent and virgin like approach to each other. Ethan Hawke (Jesse) "Tape" '01 and Julie Delpy (Celine) "ER" 94 TV Series (Nicole). This gal and guy, will warm your very heart and soul and make you think deeply into your past relationships and how you really wish you had followed your hearts strings with a guy or gal you deep down loved and lost track of over the years. Jesse and Celine have great conversation, and deep eye contact with a great magnetic explosion between the two of them. I am looking forward to the SEQUEL to this film in 2004 and if you have viewed this film, you will feel the same way.
La Haine (1995)iMDB Rating: 8.1 Date Released : 23 February 1996 Genre : Drama Stars : Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé, Saïd Taghmaoui, Abdel Ahmed Ghili Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
The film follows three young men and their time spent in the French suburban "ghetto," over a span of twenty-four hours. Vinz, a Jew, Saïd, an Arab, and Hubert, a black boxer, have grown up in these French suburbs where high levels of diversity coupled with the racist and oppressive police force have raised tensions to a critical breaking point. During the riots that took place a night before, a police officer lost his handgun in the ensuing madness, only to leave it for Vinz to find. Now, with a newfound means to gain the respect he deserves, Vinz vows to kill a cop if his friend Abdel dies in the hospital, due the beating he received while in police custody.
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Review :
"La Haine"; Mathieu Kassovitz' stark social study of violence, fear and hatred, remains the powerful masterpiece it was in '95.
In 1995, Mathieu Kassovitz wrote and directed a film that showed the controversial truth; "La Haine", which translates to "Hate", a film deemed so important the then-prime minister Alain Juppé arranged a special screening and ordered his entire cabinet to watch the film. Kassovitz rightfully won the Best Director award at the Cannes festival for his film that had and still has a huge impact on French society. La Haine mixes ethnics to emphasise the overriding importance of solidarity against the police. In my opinion, the greatest film ever made. A cinematic phenomenon so close to my heart.
It is the day after the riots on an underclass French estate (the film opens with real footage of riots with the suitable soundtrack of Bob Marley's Burnin' and Lootin'). A youth named Abdel had been caught and beaten by the police and is now in critical condition. One of his very best friends, Vinz (Jewish), had found a cop's weapon. He swears that if Abdel dies he will kill a cop. The majority of the film revolves around Vinz and his two other friends Hubert (Afro-Caribbean) and Saïd (North African) roaming around their ghetto and suburbs of Paris. Set just within 24 hours, this is just a glimpse of the chaos.
There is an image in La Haine where Vinz (Vincent Cassel) imitates Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver) in the mirror; "You talking' to me?" and then points his fingers like a gun and fires. This is not an action he only does once as he repeats it twice during the film. But why? He has a gun. Is this preparation? Yes. Vinz has to prepare because he is scared. And he has to see what it looks like, to make sure it looks "cool", as when he does kill a cop, he will get an undeserved respect by his peers. There is another scene in which Vinz and Hubert bump into a cop while trying to run from this. Vinz' first instinct is to pull the gun on him, this shows that the first instinct has now become violence. The reaction to violence is fear (which is apparent in the cops face until Hubert knocks him out). Fear creates hate; or, the thought and idea of hate. Like the youths feel they are supposed to hate the cops. Vinz is the angriest central character, but when he had his chance, he hesitates; consequences are not forgotten. Cassel performs Vinz with brute force, not failing to portray his character for a second.
Hubert (Hubert Koundé), the most subtle character in the film, remains quiet and gentle, although he is a boxer; or a fighter; for the majority of the film. He has a longing to escape. He has no idea who to trust. Everyone is a thug. This is the stereotype that has been created. But not even a thug wants this thought about them. He is always watching the hatred breed around him but never takes part. But when it comes to the cut, the action and reaction is always the same and he proves himself wrong. Koundé put a lot of effort into his role and earns his praise.
Saïd (Saïd Taghmaoui); possibly the most vibrant character of the three, feels as if he has to be something, he hates change but he follows the crowd, he wants to be accepted. He appears to be everybody's friend as he constantly makes jokes. This is because his family is dead so Vinz and Hubert; and possibly Abdel but we don't know since we only ever hear about Abdel, so they are basically his family. But if they get into trouble they wouldn't hesitate to leave each other. It's every man for himself. Cassel, Koundé and Taghmaoui work so well together its as if they have known each other for years.
The youths are stuck on the idea that the cops are there to stop them, and they refuse the idea that the cops are there in fact to protect them. And the youths express hatred with violence. Sexual intercourse is not an issue in this society as it is too dangerous to have a girlfriend, as it will spawn more violence, thus more hatred. La Haine does not offer solutions to all the racism but in fact, shows you in a detailed and mature manner.
Starkly shot in black and white; La Haine has one of my favourite cinematography works. Kassovitz directional style is so inspirational, using rocketing zooms and smooth swerves to get the full view of the destruction. Popular hip hop music is used and heard throughout the film, none of it I would listen to unless I was watching La Haine. The film shows a side of France you can not find on a tourist map. Passion, dedication and effort was well put forward to La Haine. It punches you in the face with its sheer, raw intensity.
The films most important quote is the one it opens and shuts with: - "Heard about the guy who fell off a skyscraper? On his way down past each floor, he kept saying to reassure himself: So far so good... so far so good... so far so good. How you fall doesn't matter. It's how you land!". This directly reflects the films content, structure and result. La Haine proves that hatred is in fact the strongest emotion. One of the greatest films of the 90s and of all-time; if there was one perfect film; it would be La Haine.
District 9 (2009)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 14 August 2009 Genre : Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller Stars : Sharlto Copley, David James, Jason Cope, Nathalie Boltt Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
In 1982, a massive star ship bearing a bedraggled alien population, nicknamed "The Prawns," appeared over Johannesburg, South Africa. Twenty-eight years later, the initial welcome by the human population has faded. The refugee camp where the aliens were located has deteriorated into a militarized ghetto called District 9, where they are confined and exploited in squalor. In 2010, the munitions corporation, Multi-National United, is contracted to forcibly evict the population with operative Wikus van der Merwe in charge. In this operation, Wikus is exposed to a strange alien chemical and must rely on the help of his only two new 'Prawn' friends.
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Review :
It is just THAT good.
Saying this movie is good would be an understatement. The movie has it all, a very intriguing deep plot, good acting and great action. If I was to find a flaw in this movie, it would be the shaky cam technique employed at the beginning part of the movie and also at the very end. The shaky parts are supposedly documentary clips telling the story of Wikus, the protagonist. But rather than add to the feel of it, the shakiness is just nauseating. They just over did it. But after a while into the movie, they got out of the documentary mode and things couldn't be any better. And the special effects in his movie will have you believing that these aliens are real.
It's better that you go into this movie not knowing the deeper plot as a big part of the movie's entertainment value for me is the parts when things look hopeless and you really feel the despair and hopelessness of the characters. The only thing you need to know going in is that there are aliens stranded on earth and they are put in slums.
This is one of those movies that teases you that it's nearing its end, but inside, you go "No, I want more. It can't end like this", and the movie hears you and gives you more. And it's primed for a great sequel. The potential that this franchise has is just enormous. The way they can expand the story is just limitless and all of them can add to it's lore. This is a classic franchise in the making.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 14 December 2012 Genre : Adventure, Fantasy Stars : Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis. A younger and more reluctant Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, sets out on an "unexpected journey" to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of Dwarves to reclaim their stolen mountain home from a dragon named Smaug." /> Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Bilbo Baggins is swept into a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever ... Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities ... A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to ...
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Review :
Peter Jackson should be the only one allowed to make movies out of books ever
This movie was so EPIC i'm speechless. I went with high expectations because Peter Jackson is awesome, but man, they weren't high ENOUGH. I couldn't see any flaw in this movie at all, they do change the way some events happened, but they're details and don't really change the story, actually you can tell they were needed.Jackson also adds some information, but he did say beforehand that he would, and is taken from other Tolkien stories, and as I haven't read them, I was very happy with the change because they were things I didn't know. The way the movie starts is very clever, and the whole introduction before the journey is almost exactly like the book, which I enjoyed very much. The fights scenes, just exactly as LOTR are INCREDIBLE,very well done, and with some funny moments as well. The cast is flawless, I think every actor portrays their character to perfection, I was happy with all the acting choices. The part of the book they picked to end the movie was great, the book though is basically divided into three main events, so it was somewhat predictable, but the scene they made to end the movie was perfect!!. So Basically if you're a Tolkien fan, or just LOTR-Hobbit fan you'll be puking rainbows of epicness throughout the movie.I had the luck to go to the premiere, but i'm obviously gonna go watch it again on IMAX.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)iMDB Rating: 8.1 Date Released : 11 March 1984 Genre : Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Stars : Sumi Shimamoto, Mahito Tsujimura, Hisako Kyôda, Gorô Naya Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
In the far future, man has destroyed the Earth in the "Seven Days of Fire". Now, there are small pockets of humanity that survive. One pocket is the Valley of Wind where a princess named Nausicaä tries to understand, rather than destroy the Toxic Jungle. Note that the old US release titled Warriors of the Wind is an entirely kiddiefied version which edits the original movie heavily, thus creating an entirely different story. -Andre
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Review :
THE film to challenge people's assumptions about anime.
I saw the dubbed version years ago and, even in that form, was taken by the imaginative visuals, interesting storyline, and worthwhile characters. I was also impressed by the fact the lead character was a strong young woman, who was a "warrior" yet whose greatest strength lay in her compassion (rather than striving to become a female Rambo.)
I tracked down a copy of the VHS and sent it to my young nieces, pleased with a "kid's" movie which provided a positive role model without being dumb. The movie captivated them as well -- they wore the tape out, and it started them on a lifelong interest in anime. It was they who sent me the uncut subtitled version years later, completing the circle.
Nausicaa is decent science fiction, often breath-taking animation, and unusually *human* characters, and every time I see it I am glad I returned. Everyone should give it a chance, especially those who have written off anime as "round eyed kids and lots of explosions".
Rain Man (1988)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 16 December 1988 Genre : Drama Stars : Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Valeria Golino, Gerald R. Molen Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 750 MB
Charles Sanford "Charlie" Babbit is a self-centered Los Angeles-based automobile dealer/hustler/bookie who is at war with his own life. Charlie, as a young teenager, used his father's 1948 Buick convertible without permission and as a result, he went to jail for two days on account that his father reported it stolen. It is then that Charlie learns that his estranged father died and left him from his last will and testament a huge bed of roses and the car while the remainder will of $3 Million goes into a trust fund to be distributed to someone. Charlie seemed pretty angry by this and decides to look into this matter. It seems as if that "someone" is Raymond, Charlie's unknown brother, an autistic savant who lives in a world of his own, resides at the Walbrook Institute. Charlie then kidnaps Raymond and decides to take him on a lust for life trip to the west coast as a threat to get the $3 Million inheritance. Raymond's acts and nagging, including repeated talks of "Abbott & Costello",...
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Review :
My favorite
I have seen this movie probably 7 or 8 times in the past three years, wrote a paper about it for my college film class last semester, and basically regard it as my favorite movie of all time. Where to begin with the praise for this movie? Let's start with the acting. Dustin Hoffman is my favorite actor, and has been for a while. I'd watch him in any role. I was amazed at the way he was able to pull off this role. I've never seen a more deserved Oscar win. The vacant stare, the monotone voice, the screaming, it was unbelievable. Each time I watch it I am floored by his talent. Tom Cruise is also good, the villain of the story who undergoes such a subtle change that it's almost not visible until nearly the end. He is, however, perfectly suited for the flashy, egotistical character of Charlie, and I think he did a great job. The directing was unobtrusive and beautiful, for the most part just letting the action unfold, which is exactly the way it should have been done. It's a feel-good movie that does that and more, and I think nothing I've seen in the movies is as touching as the scene in the motel where Charlie discovers who "Rain Man" really is. I give this movie a 9.5 out of 10. Absolutely wonderful.
A rat named Remy dreams of becoming a great French chef despite his family's wishes and the obvious problem of being a rat in a decidedly rodent-phobic profession. When fate places Remy in the sewers of Paris, he finds himself ideally situated beneath a restaurant made famous by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau. Despite the apparent dangers of being an unlikely - and certainly unwanted - visitor in the kitchen of a fine French restaurant, Remy's passion for cooking soon sets into motion a hilarious and exciting rat race that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down.
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Review :
A fantastic story that adds to Pixar's stellar reputation
I checked out a sneak preview of Ratatouille last night, and I must say I truly loved this movie. Everything from the animation to the score to the voice acting to the story (and especially the story) was EXCELLENT.
I don't know if it appeals to kids as much as other Pixar offerings, but this one upholds their legacy of excellence.
Casting Patton Oswalt as Remy was PERFECT. The rest of the voice cast was outstanding as well...including Pixar "house voice" John Ratzenberger. See if you can tell which guy he is without foreknowledge (as in, don't read the cast list).
Michael Giacchino's score was as perfect for this story as the award-winning one he created for "The Incredibles" and the incredible music he has created for most of J.J. Abrams' recent projects, including "Alias" and "Lost".
Even with my 3-year-old son making it really hard to concentrate, and our "we got to the theater late and had to sit up front" seats, this movie was fantastic. Everyone should go see it, even if they don't have kids.
Brad Bird - you done right by us movie fans again...Ratatouille is great!
3 Idiots (2009)iMDB Rating: 8.3 Date Released : 25 December 2009 Genre : Comedy, Drama, Romance Stars : Aamir Khan, Madhavan, Mona Singh, Kareena Kapoor. Two friends are searching for their long lost companion. They revisit their college days and recall the memories of their friend who inspired them to think differently, even as the rest of the world called them "idiots"." /> Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 850 MB
Farhan Qureshi and Raju Rastogi want to re-unite with their fellow collegian, Rancho, after faking a stroke aboard an Air India plane, and excusing himself from his wife - trouser less - respectively. Enroute, they encounter another student, Chatur Ramalingam, now a successful businessman, who reminds them of a bet they had undertaken 10 years ago. The trio, while recollecting hilarious antics, including their run-ins with the Dean of Delhi's Imperial College of Engineering, Viru Sahastrabudhe, race to locate Rancho, at his last known address - little knowing the secret that was kept from them all this time.
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Review :
This Christmas & New Year, go gift yourselves - watch this phenomena (Not for Professors) !
I'm an IITian myself and hence, needless to say, was looking forward to this movie as it is based on the life in IITs. I went with my family and watched the first-day-first-show and was I pleased ? In one sentence - The best Bollywood movie ever ! If you are into movies, then this one is not to be missed unless you are the 4th idiot. I cried, I laughed and I enjoyed every moment of the 3 hours that I spent watching this gem. The songs that seemed mediocre before watching the movie, feel like perfect for the movie. They are so ideal for the situations that I just loved them.
As you can understand, they could not bring the name of any IIT into the movie to avoid disputes. But trust me, whatever they have shown about the life in IITs, it's all true. Right from suicides, cold-hearted Professors to lack of encouragement and support for talents who can really bring serious change in this world. The movie successfully depicts how once inside, your life is only about meaningless grades, go get into the race before it's too late.
Take my free advice and avoid any reviews or words from people who have already seen the movie. Don't let anyone spoil any scene from the movie. Rush to the nearest theater and experience the phenomenon for yourself. You'll bless me for this advice !
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 1 December 1951 Genre : Drama Stars : Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 750 MB
Blanche is in real need of a protector at this stage in her life when circumstances lead her into paying a visit to her younger sister Stella in New Orleans. She doesn't understand how Stella, who is expecting her first child, could have picked a husband so lacking in refinement. Stanley Kowalski's buddies come over to the house to play cards and one of them, Mitch, finds Blanche attractive until Stanley tells him about what kind of a woman Blanche really is. What will happen when Stella goes to the hospital to have her baby and just Blanche and her brother-in-law are in the house?
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Review :
Vivien Leigh Gives One of Cinema's Greatest Performances
Tennessee Williams himself wrote of Vivien Leigh"s performance in "Streetcar Named Desire": "She brought everything I intended to the role and even much more than I had dared dream of".
Brando is wonderful as Stanley Kowalski, but the new viewers to the film seem to come away with the haunting greatness of Vivien Leigh in what is one of the most harrowing and shattering pieces of acting ever committed to film.
Although some have expressed regret that Jessica Tandy did not repeat her stage performance, it is probably good to note that her husband Hume Cronyn and Elia Kazan (the director of the film and play) both never felt that Tandy quite got the character right. If you listen to the radio performance of extracted scenes that Tandy gave on the occasion of the Pulitzer Prize award, it will reenforce the perfection of Leigh's inflections and innate understanding of the role. This inner and complete understanding is what Brando praises Leigh for in his autobiography. He agrees that she plays this Hamlet of female roles better than anyone because he felt she was quite like the character...sadly.
If anyone is interested in great acting check out "Streetcar" for Vivien Leigh's Academy Award winning performance. The supporting cast is outstanding from Kim Hunter and Karl Malden (both Oscar winners for the film)to, of course, the iconographic T-shirt-torn Brando.
Yip Man (2008)iMDB Rating: 8.1 Date Released : 12 December 2008 Genre : Action, Biography, Drama, History, Sport Stars : Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Siu-Wong Fan, Ka Tung Lam Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
In 1935 in Foshan, south China, there are martial arts schools on every street corner. Ip Man is the undisputed martial arts champion, yet he has not devoted himself to teaching. Despite this, it seems that all the kung fu masters of the city are eager to fight him to improve their reputation.
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Review :
A Nutshell Review: Ip Man
I shall now proclaim unabashedly that I absolutely love this movie! It's been some time since we last saw a biopic on one of the Chinese's martial arts folk heroes, with Jet Li's Fearless being the last memorable one to hit the big screen. While Li lays claim to three of such roles in the iconic Wong Fei Hung (in the Tsui Hark movies), Fong Sai Yuk and Huo Yuan Jia in Fearless, after which he felt he had to hang up his martial arts roles because he thought that he had communicated all that he wanted about martial arts through these films. And thank goodness for Donnie Yen still being around to pick up from where the genre left off, and presenting a memorable role which he truly owned, with Ip Man being the first cinematic rendition of the Wing Chun martial arts grandmaster.
In this bio-pic, Ip Man, one of the earliest Wing Chun martial arts exponents credited to have propagated its popularity, gets portrayed as the best of the best in 1930s Fo Shan, China, where the bustling city has its own Martial Arts Street where countless of martial arts schools have set up shop to fuel the craze of kung fu training. With each new school, the master will pay their respects to Ip Man and to challenge him to a duel. Ip Man, an aristocrat who spends most of his quality time developing and perfecting his brand of martial arts, will take them on behind closed doors, so as not to damage his opponents' reputation nor embarrass them in public. His humility is his virtue, and his style is never violent or aggressive, which often gets assumed and mistaken for being effeminate, since Wing Chun after all was founded by a woman.
The bulk of the story gets set in the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese war, and it's not all fight and no story. Witth this historical setting, at times it does seem that there is an air of familiarity with the type of stories told, with how the Japanese Imperial Army had made life really miserable for the Chinese, and how the Chinese being fragmented in spirit, fail to unite during dire straits. More often than note, martial arts become a unifying force, and this aspect of the narrative might seem to be a walk in the usual territory.
But with its array of charismatic supporting cast with the likes of Simon Yam as Ip Man's best friend and industrialist Quan, and Lam Ka Tung as a cop turned translator, there are little nicely put sub plots which seek to expand the air of respect that Ip Man commands amongst his community. The story by Edmond Wong did not demonize all the villains, often adding a dash of empathy and sympathy to the likes of the Japanese General Miura (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi), a highly skilled exponent from the North called Zhao (Fan Siu Wong) as well as Lam's translator character who is deemed as a traitor for being in the service of the Japanese. Ip Man the family man also gets put under the spotlight, where his passion could sometimes leave him neglecting his wife and kid, and through the course of the story this focus often leaves one quite exasperated for his family's safety as he puts his countrymen above self and family when going up against the oppressive Japanese forces.
So what's the verdict on the action? Action junkies won't have to wait too long before watching Ip Man in action, and to Sammo Hung and Tony Leung Siu Hung's credit, they have intricately designed some of the most varied martial arts sequences in the movie, such as private fights in his home, a factory mêlée, a Japanese dojo battle as seen in the trailer, (which I know has actually sent some positive vibes amongst moviegoers, mouth agape at that incredible scene of Yen continuously beating down a karateka) being somewhat of a throwback and reminiscent of Bruce Lee in Fists of Fury, and a ringside duel amongst others. And it's not just Ip Man who gets in on the action, but specialized martial arts moves designed for the various practitioners as well. It's so difficult to name any particular one as a personal favorite, though I must add that you definitely won't feel short changed by the time the inevitable final battle comes rolling along and gets delivered with aplomb.
I'm no Wing Chun practitioner, but Donnie Yen has this marvelous calm and zen like approach with his Ip Man taking out his opponents quite effectively with the minimal of moves. Like Huo Yuan Jia, he doesn't deliver the killing blows to friendly opponents, but rather simulates the various hit points, which actually calls for some astonishing control of strength and precision. This approach will change of course as the opponents become anything but friendly. And unlike the usual martial arts stance of crouching low, here we see him standing tall and striking with such precision and efficiency, it's like poetry in motion with some astounding closed quarter combat utilizing plenty of upper limb strength.
With Wong Kar-wai at one point also declaring interest in making a Ip Man movie, I thought that this effort will be hard to beat, just like how Tsui Hark has crafted some of the more definitive movies in modern times about Wong Fei Hung and Jet Li benefiting from a major career boost, I'd say Ip Man just about cements Yen's reputation as a martial arts leading man, which I guess the cinematic world these days severely lacks. This has to go down in my books as one of my favorite movies of the year, and I'm already setting some money aside to get the best available edition of the DVD when it gets released. Highly recommended, so make a beeline for the box office now!
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 23 May 2007 Genre : Biography, Drama Stars : Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Anne Consigny Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
Forty-three year old Elle magazine editor Jean-Dominique Bauby - Jean-Do to his friends - awakens not knowing where he is. He is in a Berck-sur-Mer hospital, where he has been for the past several weeks in a coma after suffering a massive stroke. Although his cognitive facilities are in tact, he quickly learns that he has what is called locked-in syndrome which has resulted in him being almost completely paralyzed, including not being able to speak. One of his few functioning muscles is his left eye. His physical situation and hospitalization uncomfortably bring together the many people in his life, including: Céline Desmoulins, his ex-lover and mother of his children; Inès, his current lover; and his aged father who he calls Papinou. Among his compassionate recuperative team are his physical therapist Marie, and his speech therapist Henriette. Henriette eventually teaches him to communicate using a system where he spells out words: she reads out the letters of the alphabet in ...
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Review :
The films places you inside the author's head and keeps you there.
Earlier this year, a good friend, avid reader and film buff informed me that one of her favorite books was the basis for a film which recently won awards at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. I knew nothing of the novel or the film so she offered me the book to read. I enjoyed the story but didn't completely appreciate its depth until I recently got a sneak peek at the film.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is about Jean-Dominique Bauby, (Mathieu Amalric) a popular editor of the French fashion magazine 'Elle.' At age 43 he is stricken with a stroke leaving him with lock-in syndrome, a medical condition that, except for his left eye, rendered him completely immobile. In fear of his right eye becoming "septic" doctors quickly stitched the eye shut.
This sealing of that eye is an early scene, which is so perfectly shot that it places you inside Bauby's head and body, and keeps you there for the entire film. You see the world as he views it while desiring to be free of the paralyzing feeling of a sinking diving bell. At other times, with his imagination, you find yourself fluttering as free as a butterfly.
Bauby wrote his story with the use of a unique sequence of letters specifically designed so he could blink his eye to communicate as he created every single word of his story.
This film is in no way depressing. The cinematography is brilliantly captured. Everyone was completely captivated by the screenplay as we experienced life deep inside Bauby's body, mind and soul. For the entire 2+ hours, you won't want to be anyplace else.
Bringing Up Baby (1938)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 18 February 1938 Genre : Comedy, Romance Stars : Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Charles Ruggles, Walter Catlett. While trying to secure a $1 million donation for his museum, a befuddled paleontologist is pursued by a flighty and often irritating heiress and her pet leopard "Baby."" /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 750 MB
Mild mannered zoology professor Dr. David Huxley is excited by the news that an intercostal clavicle bone has been found to complete his brontosaurus skeleton, a project four years in the construction. He is equally excited about his imminent marriage to his assistant, the officious Alice Swallow, who is interested in him more for his work than for him as a person. David needs the $1 million endowment of wealthy dowager Mrs. Carleton Random to complete the project. Her lawyer, Alexander Peabody, will make the decision on her behalf, so David needs to get in his favor. However, whenever David tries to make a good impression on Peabody, the same young woman always seems to do something to make him look bad. She is the flighty heiress Susan Vance. The more David wants Susan to go away, the more Susan seems not to want or be able to. But David eventually learns that Alexander Peabody is her good friend, who she calls Boopy, and Susan's Aunt Elizabeth, with whom David has also made a bad ...
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Review :
Wild, crazy, hysterical, FUN!
Those people who don't like this movie seem to miss the point; IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE RIDICULOUS AND MAKE NO SENSE AT ALL! THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT FUNNY! Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I want to say that I really did have a laugh a minute. Both Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn are very adapt at this kind of comedy, in top form here, and work very well together. They have a great, very funny supporting cast, as well; though most are long dead and forgotten, many were well-known character actors in the 30's. They knew their craft, and are great at it here. Howard Hawks must have been some director to be able to fashion such a great movie out of a madcap pace and a script in which everyone talks at the same time and is always ad-libbing. (I've heard those were his trademarks, though.) One scene after another at breakneck pace, but never a dull moment. As soon as one laugh stops, another one begins. In case you haven't gotten the point, I highly suggest you see this movie. It may be 60 years old, but it's still hilarious.
Stalker (1979)iMDB Rating: 8.1 Date Released : 17 April 1980 Genre : Drama, Sci-Fi Stars : Alisa Freyndlikh, Aleksandr Kaydanovskiy, Anatoliy Solonitsyn, Nikolay Grinko Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Near a gray and unnamed city is the Zone, an alien place guarded by barbed wire and soldiers. Over his wife's numerous objections, a man rises in the dead of night: he's a stalker, one of a handful who have the mental gifts (and who risk imprisonment) to lead people into the Zone to the Room, a place where one's secret hopes come true. That night, he takes two people into the Zone: a popular writer who is burned out, cynical, and questioning his genius; and a quiet scientist more concerned about his knapsack than the journey. In the deserted Zone, the approach to the Room must be indirect. As they draw near, the rules seem to change and the stalker faces a crisis.
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Review :
The most Humanist Film in Existence
Andrei Tarkovsky is a rarity among filmmakers in that he creates films that resemble elaborate (and always smartly written, beautifully shot and superbly acted) puzzles. The pieces are always scattered, and Tarkovsky relies on his viewer to bring the final element of the puzzle along with him. SOLARIS explores the boundaries of consciousness and the sense of grief (and it uses the titular planet as a metaphor for God). ANDREI ROUBLEV is a multi-layered voyage into religious belief. STALKER, however, is far more spiritual and existential than both of them.
A teacher and a scientist wish to go to a restricted patch of nature - the mythical conscious "Zone" - to make their wishes come true. To enter the area and survive its numerous danger, they hire a man sensible to the Zone's thoughts and actions, a Stalker. What they find there turns out to be very different from what they expected, as they come to discover who they truly are.
There's only so much you can say without getting drowned in details that would appear heavy-handed on paper but flow seamlessly on screen. Quite often, Tarkovsky reduces his characters to silence, letting their movements and eyes convey their thoughts and feelings and letting the viewer bring his own thoughts and beliefs to the film. One of STALKER's many treats is that it invites you to get carried away into your own thoughts, flowing with the images as it provides new questions to ponder... In that sense, the film is very much like a philosophical poem: a very simple surface covering innumerable layers of meaning. Yet the images Tarkovsky provides - whether filming landscapes or wide-shots or simply peering into his actors' extraordinary faces - make this almost hypnotic.
STALKER is a treasure: an invitation to go on a mental ride with a poet and philosopher. A film that makes you wonder more about yourself yet without making you anxious. The few existing films like STALKER are the reason why cinema is called "art"!
A mother's last wishes send twins Jeanne and Simon on a journey to the Middle East in search of their tangled roots. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's acclaimed play, Incendies tells the powerful and moving tale of two young adults' voyage to the core of deep-rooted hatred, never-ending wars and enduring love.
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Review :
Our Love Became a Funeral Pyre
When people watch the Oscars, they don't usually care about the Best Foreign Film nominees. Incendies provides so many reasons why people should actually get to see those nominees at all costs. Incendies is the kind of film that one walks away from feeling emotionally drained, one where it stays in the viewer's mind for days on end. Like an intense personal experience, it takes a lot to come to grips with the film's story, a moving plot full of twists and catharsis. At the New Directors/New Films Festival in New York, at which I saw this last night, Denis Villeneuve explained that he has made four films in Canada, but this is the first one to be released in America. Right now, I see no reason why Villeneuve, or any of the actors for that matter, shouldn't have a great future ahead of them.
Based on the play Scorched by Wajdi Mouawad, Incendies follows a non-linear plot that spans two generations. In the present day, Jeanne and Simon are twins who have lost their mother, Nawal. Nawal has stipulated in her will that Jeanne and Simon must return an envelope to the brother they didn't know existed who is currently living in a fictional Middle Eastern country. Only then can the twins give Nawal a proper burial. Jeanne feels obligated to return the letter, so she goes to the Middle East, only to realize some of Nawal's nastiest secrets. As Jeanne uncovers more about Nawal, the viewer is shown Nawal's story. The film builds up to an unforgettable ending that is sure to rock any viewer.
Incendies already had great source material. I've praised the plot enough, but one thing I must add is that the play is apparently four hours long, according to Villeneuve. It's impressive that this movie succeeds so nicely because I can't imagine that anything was cut. But to back up that source material, there's some really great acting. The entire cast plays their parts with such an emotional vigor that it seems impossible that this work of art wasn't autobiographical.
Furthermore, Villeneuve has made a film that relies on great filmmaking to impact the viewer. The cinematography is beautifully bland, surely a nod to some of the deserts in the Lebanon- like land where the movie takes place. Color scheme is also used to Villeneuve's advantage to show the parallels between Nawal and Jeanne's lives. Villeneuve seems to love working with extended zoom shots that shock the viewer with their overwhelmingly long silences. Why Villeneuve didn't receive critical acclaim (in America, at least) before Incendies is a mystery.
There are many movies about the Middle East. Some have failed miserably in their attempts to strike an emotional chord with critics and viewers alike (Redacted, Rendition), but others have been extremely successful (The Hurt Locker, Lebanon). Incendies could very well be one of the best films ever made about the conflicts in the Middle East. It has its flaws which keep it from being a masterpiece (maybe it could've lost five or ten minutes), but it is that rare type of film that really resonates beyond the initial viewing. Hopefully, Incendies will be remembered for years to come as the little, brilliant film that spawned the great fame of Denis Villeneuve.
Shutter Island (2010)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 19 February 2010 Genre : Drama, Mystery, Thriller Stars : Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Mortimer, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 850 MB
It's 1954, and up-and-coming U.S. marshal Teddy Daniels is assigned to investigate the disappearance of a patient from Boston's Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital. He's been pushing for an assignment on the island for personal reasons, but before long he wonders whether he hasn't been brought there as part of a twisted plot by hospital doctors whose radical treatments range from unethical to illegal to downright sinister. Teddy's shrewd investigating skills soon provide a promising lead, but the hospital refuses him access to records he suspects would break the case wide open. As a hurricane cuts off communication with the mainland, more dangerous criminals "escape" in the confusion, and the puzzling, improbable clues multiply, Teddy begins to doubt everything - his memory, his partner, even his own sanity.
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Review :
No one likes to be messed with.
Shutter Island. A film that will divide the film community. A film that will leave many upset, and hating it. A film that has already completely split the critics. A movie that messes with you. And no one likes to be messed with. And that is exactly where it exceeds. Think I'm contradicting myself?
Shutter Island is one of the most well crafted psychological thrillers to come by since Silence Of The Lambs. And it is no coincidence both were brilliantly written novels. Shutter Island is adapted by a book written by Dennis Lehane (wrote gone baby, gone and mystic river). It is a book filled with twists and turns, that will leave the reader dizzy. And, that is what it's film counterpart does to the fullest. Martin Scorsese helms the director chair, in a movie where he is more free than any before. This is Scorsese at his most unrestrained.
Marty takes what he has learned from the great films of the past and puts it into his. The master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock's influence is everywhere you look in this film. And it is no wonder, considering Scorsese even showed one of his greatest works to the crew: Vertigo. And many of those ideas are present in Shutter Island; the cliff scenes scream Hitchcock. This is a film that creeps and crawls, and is filled with dark corners. And it is all heightened by the coming storm that looms over the island. This is classic film noir.
The story follows Teddy, a federal Marshall, and his partner Chuck (Played by DiCaprio and Ruffulo). They go to this mysterious island enveloped in fog to investigate an escape. From these opening scenes, Marty has set up a dark and creepy premise.
Almost the whole movie incorporates this story as Teddy desperately tries to find the truths he seeks. Teddy is shown as a scared man; a man of war and violence as portrayed in various flashbacks. These will go on to be increasingly important as the story progresses. We follow Teddy on his quest, through every dark corridor and perilous confrontations. Slowly, we are given pieces to the puzzle, but the audience does not even realize it. For we, like Teddy, are blind. For the moment at least. It is because of this that the thrilling conclusion will leave many blindsided. But, you see, that is where this thriller becomes something more. We as the audience are put in Teddy's shoes, and we feel all the things he feels. It is a complete assault on the senses, and it works beautifully.
This is a film you must watch carefully. That is another thing that sets this apart, it is a horror film that makes you actually think. In this day and age, I'm not surprised some found it terrible esp. after their brains have been turned to mush by these new gore filled horror films. Scorsese's ultimate goal here is to wake you up. And trust me, you probably wont like it.
This is also a film I would recommend seeing a second time. In fact, it is even better the second time. All those pieces of that puzzle you didn't catch the first time, you will the second. You see, we as the audience are first put in the shoes of Teddy. The second? Well, without giving too much away, lets just say you are put in someones else's shoes entirely during the second viewing.
Shutter Island. A film that will make you question your own sanity. A film that will leave you breathless. A film that has re-ignited the thriller genre. A film that will leave you, and the main character, searching for answers.
Star Trek (2009)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 8 May 2009 Genre : Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Stars : Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Leonard Nimoy Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
On the day of James Kirk's birth, his father dies on his ship in a last stand against a mysterious alien time-traveling vessel looking for Ambassador Spock, who, in this time, is also a child on Vulcan disdained by his neighbors for his half-human heritage. Twenty-five years later, Kirk has grown into a young troublemaker. Challenged by Captain Christopher Pike to realize his potential in Starfleet, he comes to annoy instructors like young Commander Spock. Suddenly, there is an emergency at Vulcan and the newly commissioned USS Enterprise is crewed with promising cadets like Nyota Uhura, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov and even Kirk himself, thanks to Leonard McCoy's medical trickery. Together, this crew will have an adventure in the final frontier where the old legend is altered forever as a new version of it begins.
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Review :
Review from comicbookculture.net
Star Trek. When someone speaks this name, various images, ideas, characters and phrases come to mind. I know they certainly do with me. Characters such as Kirk, Spock, Picard, Data, Janeway, Seven of Nine; ideas like the prime directive; phrases like "Live long and Prosper", "Good God Jim, I'm a doctor not a .". I wouldn't consider myself a "Trekkie", but I do have a deep affection for this series and world.
To my great delight, I was fortunate enough to see an advanced screening last night of JJ Abrams re-imaging of "Star Trek". I must admit that I was skeptical at first about taking such iconic characters and recasting them, even in younger iterations, because most people think of the characters of Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, Uhura, Sulu and Chekov with the actors that originally portrayed them. These portrayals are engrained in the pop culture consciousness of the world and hence my skepticism arose. Fortunately, my doubts were unnecessary.
This is not your father's "Star Trek". From the moment the movie begins, so does the action and it never lets up. However, this movie has more than just incredible and intense action, it also pays homage to the series of old. Sure, they wanted to bring us a Trek for the 21st century, but they also realized that they needed to respect the source material and fans of a series that has been around more than 40 years. However, you don't need to know much about Star Trek to enjoy this movie. Each character has been given a background and history that lets you know a little something about each one. There's a lot to be told in an origin movie and it is handled deftly by both the writers and the director.
But, what really made the movies for me were the actors chosen to play these roles, especially Chris Pine as Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock and Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy, aka "Bones". This movie would not have worked if the casting of these three characters had not been spot on. Both Mr. Quinto and Urban uncannily channel their predecessors, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley. They took on some of their inflections, mannerisms and expressions to really give you a sense that they are just younger versions of the originals. Chris Pine, however, takes on the most memorable role in Trek history and makes it his own. This Kirk is not only the womanizer, lover, and captain that you already know, but as portrayed by Mr. Pine also has a swagger, bravado, intelligence, and is a complete adrenaline junkie. We could not have asked for a better Kirk in this movie.
They have laid a solid foundation for a new series, with new life, perfect cast and a director with a true vision. If the first movie can be this good, my expectations for further adventures have risen exponentially.
This is my first review for our website and as such might not be very good since I have no experience at writing reviews. I intentionally didn't reveal any plot points so as to not spoil anything for whoever may read this. I may in the future reveal areas that may have spoilers but mark these sections so you can skip over them. I'll be seeing Wolverine tomorrow and hope to have a review up by tomorrow night. Until we meet again, "Live long and Prosper!"
Sleuth (1972)iMDB Rating: 8.1 Date Released : 10 December 1972 Genre : Mystery, Thriller Stars : Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine, Alec Cawthorne, John Matthews Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Milo Tindle and Andrew Wyke have something in common, Andrew's wife. In an attempt to find a way out of this without costing Andrew a fortune in alimony, he suggests Milo pretend to rob his house and let him claim the insurance on the stolen jewelry. The problem is that they don't really like each other and each cannot avoid the zinger on the other. The plot has many shifts in which the advantage shifts between Milo and Andrew.
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Review :
A supporting cast to die for
To me, "Sleuth" is a demonstration of the problem with the Oscars (certainly a problem in 1972, and perhaps now also). The problem was that, even before the casting was done for the film of Mario Puzo's "The Godfather," everyone knew that whoever played the leading role was going to receive the Best Actor Oscar, irrespective of the performance. To rate Brando's performance above the performances of Caine and Olivier that year is nothing short of ludicrous. All I can say is thank God that at least Joel Grey received the best support Oscar for "Cabaret" that year.
I first saw Anthony Schaffer's play on the London stage about two years prior to the release of the movie. The leading roles were taken by Paul Rogers and Donal Donnelly, two fine English actors who were superb in these parts. I remember thinking what a difficult thing it would be to make a film of this, but I was sure that someone would try it and make a mess of it. How wrong I was!
I note that "Sleuth" comes up as #250 in the IMDB top 250. I recently selected my top 100 and it comes up at #55. This is a magnificent movie that keeps one on the edge of the seat for its entire length. The performances of the two leads as they play the same game a number of times is stunning. Here is the man acknowledged as perhaps the greatest actor of the 20th century, and here is the Cockney up-start Caine (famous for his "kitchen-sink" roles such as in "Alfie") matching him at every turn and often soaring above him.
But in saying all this, I need to put in a plug for perhaps the finest supporting performances ever delivered. Alec Cawthorne, a man few have heard of outside "Sleuth," is mesmerising as Doppler, while John Matthews and Eve Channing, although having very minor parts, imbue every nuance of their performances with ethereal splendour.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)iMDB Rating: 8.1 Date Released : 15 July 2011 Genre : Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Mystery Stars : Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
The final chapter begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue their quest of finding and destroying the Dark Lord's three remaining Horcruxes, the magical items responsible for his immortality. But as the mystical Deathly Hallows are uncovered, and Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again.
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Review :
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II gets everything right to send off Harry on a cinematic high
I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter books, they're all so great and magical. But I didn't think the film series were perfect at all, but they were still great movies. With that, I was extremely excited to see the end of the film franchise, and impressed with the trailers. So I had high expectations. And thankfully it did not disappoint, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, blew past my already high expectations and I was enthralled!
The whole movie looked spectacular! The cinematography extremely well done, the art direction was incredible. The movie was beautiful to look at, the visuals were spectacular and truly Oscar worthy! The set designers, cinematographers really need to be awarded for their work, because it looks like they spend of time and money on the look of the film.
The cast of the film was pretty much perfect, they should all be applauded too. Emma Watson, as usual is and great and she'll have a bright career ahead of her. Rupert Grint is pretty much great also, he is a fine actor indeed. Daniel Radcliffe did an amazing job and was very memorable as Harry Potter. Although I think Ralph Fiennes was the star of the film, he did unbelievable job as the evil, crazy Lord Voldemort, I think he deserves an Oscar Nomination for his role. The rest of the cast were also great too.
We all grew up overtime with the series, we followed the adventures of Harry Potter for around 10 years, I think. It seems very weird that there will be no more Harry Potter films to look forward too. I will miss the franchise very much! However I am happy the series got an amazing ending. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II is not only the best film in the series, but it will probably be one of the best films of 2011. Everyone should see this film, even if they don't like past Harry Potter films.
Jurassic Park (1993)iMDB Rating: 8.0 Date Released : 11 June 1993 Genre : Adventure, Sci-Fi Stars : Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 750 MB
Huge advancements in scientific technology have enabled a mogul to create an island full of living dinosaurs. John Hammond has invited four individuals, along with his two grandchildren, to join him at Jurassic Park. But will everything go to plan? Especially when one of the parks' own workers attempts to steal the dinosaur embryos, and has to shut down critical security systems in the process. It's now a race for survival with dangerous creatures roaming all over the island.
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Review :
One of the greatest films ever made.
I don't know why I loved this movie so much. Maybe it was the utter amazement when I first saw the Brachiosaurus eat from a tree. Or maybe it was my adrenaline rushing when two 12 year old were attacked by velociraptors. It might possibly be the chills that went down my spine when the T-Rex first made his terrifying roar. Whatever it was, it made me write this review.
Allan Grant (Sam Neil) and Ellie (Laura Dern) are two successful paleontologists who are asked by a rich man John Hammond to come at his park for a major tour. They agree and are taken to an island where "Jurassic Park" logos are everywhere. The two paleontologists have no idea what they are getting themselves into. The first dinosaur to make an apearance is the Brachiosaurus, which both of them are extrememly amazed by its giant apearance, and so is the audience. What the two of them don't know is that there are much more terrifying and carnivorous dinosaurs who are about to escape and run loose....
Directed by the mighty Steven Speilberg, Jurassic Park relied on more character development than any other creature-feature. Usually you get second-rate actors who can't act, getting terrified by monsters that don't really exist. Jurassic Park was the opposite. It changed the way we looked at the world, and it will forever. Based on the novel by Micheal Crichton, Jurassic Park was an amazing movie.
From beginning to end, Jurassic Park bedazzled us with dinosaurs. Dinosaurs that are EXTINCT. There are a lot of cool cameos and the stars give great performances. The whole family should watch this movie. Not for the glossy title, but because of the dinosaurs. I remember being a kid when I first watched it, and I remember loving this movie so bad. The climax was excellent, and I am not saying what happens, unlike the sequel to this film (Jurassic Park 3). A climax-less bad film, that was. But this....this was magic. And yes, it was a masterpiece.
The magic of this film is what brought me into dinosaurs, too. I had a "Jurassic Park" marathon today and I watched this movie, and I can still feel the magic. You will feel the magic too once you see it. I just have absolutely nothing to say except that Steven Speilberg will put a spell on you. Even if you don't like creature-features, this movie will entertain you. Steven Speilberg will take you to places that no one else ever will. And the "life will find a way" speech is here, ready to make someone feel that creating dinosaurs that have been extinct for millions of years is a good thing.
Absolutely needless to say, Jurassic Park was a golden diamond.