powersofi's stats
- Review count10
- Helpfulness votes6
- First reviewNovember 14, 2008
- Last reviewSeptember 15, 2011
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.8
powersofi's Reviews
Overall rating
5
/
5
Great film with a caveat
PostedSeptember 15, 2011
I loved the hell out of this movie. Action, romance, violence, great music, it's all there. This is a definite throw-back, kind of an existential thriller with an 80s Michael Mann vibe. You need a bit of patience and just "go with the flow" of the pacing, but once you let yourself get comfortable in the world of the movie you're in for a great ride (pun intended). One caveat is that the violence in this movie is severe and graphic. I have a pretty strong stomach and I never turned away but some people just don't appreciate that kind of graphic violence so it's worth nothing up front. If you're open to that, seek this movie out. They simply don't make 'em like this anymore.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Light, romantic perfect valentine to Paris
PostedMay 21, 2011
Woody Allen has been enjoying a mini renaissance for a few years now, if you've been paying attention. Midnight in Paris evokes some of his most beloved past films that dabbled in magical realism, like Everyone Says I Love You's musical tribute to New York or The Purple Rose of Cairo's nostalgia-inflected paean to classic Hollywood. Midnight in Paris is stunningly beautiful and you will fall in love with Paris whether you've been or not (the movie should be underwritten by the French tourism board, maybe it was!) Allen has assembled a great cast of known and unknown actors to portray both modern Paris and a bygone area. The film's conceit in linking the two is simple and although it doesn't make any rational sense, it works for the movie. This is classic, old-style romantic filmmaking, but Woody inflects the dialogue with enough modern touches that he doesn't seem stale, while also not committing the crime of being too hard to be hip. Allen has always been a filmmaker out of time and some of his most effective work is in reconciling his modern neurosis with his longing for the past. Midnight in Paris fits nicely in this tradition and will be a delight for even a casual Allen fan.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Impossible to resist
PostedDecember 28, 2010
The Coens have outdone themselves in terms of sheer entertainment value with True Grit. Damon and Bridges are having an amazing time, the dialogue is fresh and a classic revenge story well-told is difficult to take issue with. If you thought hard about, you could come up with some minor quibbles, but it's better just to go along for the ride.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Edgy, daring comedy that pulls no punches
PostedNovember 4, 2010
Four Lions is a film that can best be described as a harrowing comedy. It's a hilarious comedy about four British nationals who execute a suicide bomb plot. The film presents the characters as whole people, good and bad. Most striking, it is a very effective satire of hardline Islam and unabashedly uses this material for a lot of the punchlines. But there's more to Four Lions, a humanity to the film that shines throughout. One of the most consistently hilarious and provocative films of the year. Great to see with an audience to enjoy the different reactions and see who laughs at what.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Commitment Rewarded
PostedOctober 19, 2010
Yes, the roadshow edition of Carlos is over five and a half hours long and includes an intermission. Parts 1 and 2 are shown together, and then there is a brief break. However, I couldn't imagine seeing this movie any other way. Carlos absorbs you in its world totally and it is much about the titular character as the pre-9/11 world that Assayas has created, a world of state-sponsored terrorism and European border-hopping, all circling the crucial Palestinian question. This is a geopolitical paradigm that is but a distant memory, but the players are the same: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, etc., etc. It's impossible to summarize Carlos and it would be pointless. Not a second of film is wasted - if anything, you want even more after the credits roll - and the post-punk soundtrack is an audacious and deeply effective choice. Far and away the film event of the year.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Superb portrait of insecurity
PostedMarch 27, 2010
If Greenberg wasn't hilarious in so many ways it would be a tragedy, but Noah Baumbach knows how to mix the two expertly. An amazing performance by Stiller keeps the whole thing grounded, and he's not afraid to be totally unlikeable. Greta Gerwig is the breakout star here though, her vulnerable performance giving the film a strong emotional core. Add in pitch-perfect soundtrack choices and a surprisingly effective score from James Murphy - plus some of the most beautiful images of LA captured on film in recent times and you have a modern classic. Highest possible recommendation.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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2of 2voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Excellent Thriller
PostedFebruary 21, 2010
This is more of an old-school type movie. It's a slow-burning psychological thriller that gives you more questions than answers for a good part, but it all pays off spectacularly. One of the moodiest and most atmospheric movies I've seen in a long time, this is Marty's tribute to Hitchcock and particularly the flawed "Spellbound." Go see it immediately, the first truly adult and worthwhile film out this year. You can't go wrong - the audience I saw it with was quiet throughout and even clapped a bit at the end. A crowd pleaser and a film for serious cinema lovers.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Hilarious Start to Finish
PostedJune 6, 2009
Saw this with a completely sold out crowd on opening night and was not disappointed. As promised, this movie will make Zach Galifanakis a star, and everyone else is equally hilarious. Funniest movie of the year thus far. Do not hesitate.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Superb
PostedDecember 14, 2008
The 2-part, 4 and a half hour version of Che is excellent. If you are lucky enough to live in a market where it's playing and are interested, go see it. The narrative is very strong and the film never bores or becomes tedious. A tremendous accomplishment for fans of serious movie making.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
4
/
5
Great
PostedNovember 14, 2008
Superb new Bond. If you haven't seen Casino Royale recently, watch it before you see this as it is more or less a direct sequel. Very fast paced, about forty minutes shorter than Casino Royale.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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