RelayerDoug's stats
- Review count60
- Helpfulness votes22
- First reviewOctober 26, 2008
- Last reviewAugust 7, 2013
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.8
Overall rating
1
/
5
Gag me.
PostedDecember 11, 2010
As I write this review, the previous viewer results show an average of 4 stars, 39 out of 47 recommending the film. As one other reviewer mentioned, those 39 could conceivably be friends and family members of the cast & crew. Add this one to your list that includes Battlefield Earth, Legion, Starship Troopers, Splice, and Plan 9 From Outer Space. I'm not joking, & I'm not being too extreme.
Another reviewer also mentioned that in the hands of a good director--and with some very serious rewrites of the plot--this could have been the movie it paints itself as in the previews. Instead, we've got utterly improbable moments all the way through the film that could insult the intelligence of anyone with a brain larger than a peanut, and--just for you straight guys--we've not only got Natalie pleasuring herself (twice), we've got a hot sex scene between her & Mila Kunis. Woo-HOO!
This 110 minute long exercise in idiocy is more than likely going to at least break even at the box office, but I'll be interested to see how fast attendance drops off after word-of-mouth starts getting around. The film fails in one of the worst ways possible in Hollywood: it takes itself SO SERIOUSLY, and due to the ridiculousness of the story, ends up coming off as silly, campy, & ultimately a ripoff. As many before me have said, SAVE YOUR MONEY.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Great fun for HP devotees!
PostedNovember 21, 2010
It was quite a rush to see these 3 films together. The first 2 were pretty amazing & it was great seeing them on the big screen again.
...and as anxious as I was to see the first part of HP7, I have to admit to being just a LITTLE let down by it. This is not to say that it's a bad film and not worth seeing--quite the contrary. The only thing is, about an hour into the film, I leaned over to my friend and asked, "Is it just me, or is this kind of a slow-moving movie?" He nodded in agreement. Now, in all fairness, one could say, "Well, of course it could have come off as slow--it's building up to the 2nd part!" And I guess there could be some degree of logic in that statement.
The main point here is, see the movie. By all means. Just be advised that it doesn't QUITE live up to the same level of sustained excitement & intrigue as the previous films. In other words: Of all the HP movies that are out so far, I'd have to say that this one was my LEAST favorite. Just my humble opinion.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
1
/
5
Blah Blah Blah
PostedNovember 4, 2010
I wish I could give this film the praise it apparently desperately craves. I sat through it in hopes of A. the level of comedy improving, B. my caring about the characters growing. Neither happened. It seems to be aimed at those who enjoy "road trip" movies and quite possibly could have been an admirable effort were it not for the above-mentioned reasons: the "comedy" fell flat throughout the majority of the film, and--with the exception of the female lead--the two lead characters were about as interesting as your average fast-food drive-through attendant. The older brother (who I will assume is the title character) is self-absorbed, egomaniacal & hardly a candidate for marriage, & his younger brother--although a much more likable guy--comes off as the total nerd he wishes he wasn't. This seems to me to be one of those film concepts that looked good on paper, and in the hands of a more competent, sophisticated, conscientious director, probably could have turned out to be an interesting, thought-provoking movie sprinkled with nice moments of humor. As it turns out, it struck me as little more than a final exam product of a college film student. Save your $$, and don't even bother watching it on the premium cable channels.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
1
/
5
100 Minutes of Torture. Dig In, Everyone!
PostedOctober 6, 2010
First: to the pseudo-intellectual MORON who referred to Ryan Reynolds as a "comedian": put down the pipe & get some new brains. Ryan is not a "comedian;" he has appeared IN comedies, but has also proven himself to be a good dramatic actor as his career has progressed. Second: to the SCHMUCK who gave away the ending: I hope your review is removed and you engage whatever thinking apparatus you have before posting again.
OK. I would really have loved to give this movie the praise that, in some circles, it would deserve, but there is no getting around the fact that sitting through this film is about the farthest thing from an enjoyable movie experience that you could imagine. There is no denying these things: Yes, the movie is suspenseful--to say the least. Yes, Ryan Reynolds gives an outstanding performance as an innocent man thrust into an unthinkable situation. And yes, the claustrophobic terror is inescapable and graphically portrayed. But there's also no denying this legitimate question: Is this what we go to the movies to be "entertained" by? My friend & I left the theater last night wondering if Ryan Reynolds, during the filming, was possibly saying to himself, "This is a great role, but God, this movie is SO going to tank at the box office..."
Which leaves me with these parting comments. If you want to see a suspense film that I THINK would have made Hitchcock proud, then by all means check it out...but bear in mind that this film easily falls into the highly-uplifting category of such other films as THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR, ANTICHRIST, and especially OPEN WATER. Or, see it if you go in for recreational activities such as being waterboarded, having slivers shoved under your fingernails, or being menaced by snakes.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Excellent remake!
PostedOctober 5, 2010
Like most foreign film enthusiasts, when I first heard of this remake of the classic Swedish vampire film LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, I balked...you know, the old "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" reaction. However, after seeing this last night, I have to salute Matt Reeves for doing a fine job of adapting this tale to an American setting with a fine cast of actors. Chloe Moretz as the unhappy little girl, cursed with an existence she didn't choose...Richard Jenkins (Six Feet Under, Eat-Pray-Love) as her unhappy but obligated provider...Kodi Smit-McPhee as the unhappy, school-bullied young man who befriends Chloe...Elias Koteas as the detective investigating the escalating number of violent murders & bizarre deaths...and a great casting of supporting actors give this film the high marks it deserves. Shifting from a small town in Sweden to the unlikely location of Los Alamos, New Mexico somehow seems to add an air of increased creepiness to the story as well.
I'm happy Matt Reeves apparently loved the original version so much that he wanted more than anything for American audiences to see how unique, absorbing & unsettling this story actually is--& as others have said, it's a far cry from the traditional vampire tales we've become accustomed to. The film for the most part is actually a carbon copy of the original film, with only a few minor details altered that do nothing, in my opinion, to detract from the story. If, like some, you have an aversion to foreign/subtitled films & have an appreciation for truly original, off-the-wall versions of the vampire mythos, then this is one movie you don't want to miss.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Ignore the naysayers.
PostedOctober 3, 2010
I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of this film, having known very little about it in advance. Once again, an evil (Satanic?) force has taken over the mind & body of a sweet, young girl (Jodelle Ferland) who has been rescued from an apparently abusive home by the initially clueless Renee Zellweger. Once it becomes evident that this little darling is not what she appears to be, all manner of supernaturally-initiated hell begins to break loose. Will good or evil win? This film does a pretty slick job of keeping us guessing clear up to the end.
The deaths & violence we witness in this film are definitely not for the faint of heart...it's a genuinely scary little movie with enough "GOTCHA!" moments to keep horror film buffs well-satisfied. Story-wise, it more or less borrows from THE OMEN, with elements of POLTERGEIST, THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES & THE EXORCIST added into the mix...so while it's not entirely original in nature, the cast (including decent performances from Bradley Cooper & Ian McShane) do a laudable job of presenting the story with good acting, a decent script, and convincing portrayals of the ever-mounting sense of dread."
...and here's an added caveat: If, like me, you are afflicted with apiphobia (a.k.a. melissaphobia), there is one particularly nasty scene that may make you want to look away from the screen.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
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5
Brilliant, Engrossing & Entertaining.
PostedOctober 1, 2010
Saw this fine film at a sneak preview Tuesday night.....& the first thing that went through my head was how this is definitely a movie you can't see with anyone who insists on babbling through it (not that I'd ever want to, to begin with...): Jesse Eisenberg's rapid-fire speaking leaves you with the impression that he either A. speaks that way as an impersonation of Mark Zuckerberg himself, or B. the director instructed him to have, say, maybe 10 cups of coffee before the cameras started rolling. Regardless of this, Jessie continues his advancement up the ladder as an actor improving with each successive film, showing just how apparently capable he is of tackling any role given to him. There are moments of great humor mixed in with this very informative drama about the birth of Facebook, and Jessie gives us his usual deadpan, spot-on comedic one-liners we've come to know & love him for. (I'm not entirely sure why MovieWatcher is classifying this as a "comedy," per se...it falls more easily into the "dramedy" category that the great Aaron Sorkin has made a name for himself with.)
While the film is chock-full of fine performances, special kudos must be given to Andrew Garfield as Zuckerberg's friend & FB co-founder Eduardo Saverin and Justin Timberlake as Napster founder Sean Parker. This is the first film I've seen Garfield in & his portrayal of Saverin is intense, riveting & unforgettable--easy candidacy for a Best Supporting Actor nod. Having seen Timberlake's work on various commercials & his hilarious stint as a guest host on Saturday Night Live, I wasn't too surprised at seeing how impeccably he played the role of the slick, business-savvy Parker.
Zuckerberg himself is reportedly not too happy about the film's artistic license in the portrayal of him as a person motivated to succeed in his pursuit of what he knew to be a ground-breaking idea, but in the same breath he's also stated that the litigation scenes were performed basically word-for-word. Speculation's been bandied about as to whether a film about the birth of Facebook could spell big box-office revenues, but the initial reviews have been universally positive so far. While this IS a detailed film that demands your undivided attention, I can state this categorically: the acting, the script, the comic relief mixed in with the intense drama & the state-of-the-art use of flashback storytelling ALL held me glued to my seat, and the payoff was a VERY enjoyable, informative & thought-provoking masterpiece. There is also some fascinating material about the making of the film at Wikipedia, too...well worth checking out.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
TEN STARS!
PostedSeptember 27, 2010
Before starting this review, I read the 1- and 2-star reviews...what pseudo-intellectual garbage. This film hits all the marks in every way possible. I have to confess to not having read the books, but that can always come later--the story is engrossing & captivating from the get-go and never lets up until the rolling of the credits. And, thankfully, it's a film that both kids AND adults can get a great deal of enjoyment from--my only cautionary note being that there are some sequences that could frighten very young children (hence the PG rating). This is yet another one of those great, visionary animated films that not only wows you with its incredible scenery & landscapes, but also serves up a wonderful smorgasbord of unforgettable characters, my favorites being the kooky Digger and Mrs. P., the snake (!!!) There are great moments of humor blended in with the action and character interaction scenes...and needless to say, seeing this visually dazzling movie in IMAX 3-D is well worth the extra $$. I'll go far out onto an owl's tree limb by saying I enjoyed this movie every bit as much as AVATAR, and would gladly pay to see it at least one more time. Don't allow yourself to miss this wonderful cinematic achievement...you will walk out at the end, satisfied, smiling & awe-struck.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
1
/
5
Too bad we can't sue the publicists.
PostedSeptember 27, 2010
As many others on here have commented, the advertising for this movie is deliberately misleading, which for this moviegoer is nothing short of infuriating. And here's the ironic part (and I'm not "giving anything away" by saying this): If the publicity/advertising for this movie would have simply stated that this was an independently-made film offering up a cautionary tale on striking up internet relationships, then I might have actually enjoyed the film! But to say bulldada like "the film Alfred Hitchcock NEVER directed," "The last 40 minutes will take you on an emotional roller coaster that will have you talking about it for weeks," and by DIRECTLY IMPLYING that this film falls into the same categories as PARANORMAL ACTIVITY or THE LAST EXORCISM, is nothing short of criminal & low-life in nature.
The Sex Pistols gave us The Great Rock & Roll Swindle. The publicists for this film gave us The Great American Independent Film Swindle.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Great laughs with a lot of heart.
PostedSeptember 19, 2010
This is one of those "wildly improbable" films we hear about from time to time, but the concept is executed nearly flawlessly from start to finish, making for a very entertaining moviegoing experience. The thing that drew me to seeing this from the previews was the very strong hint that this wasn't going to be a dumb flick--the snappy, intelligent one-liners we were given gave me hope that this would be an above-average, if not great comedy...and to my very pleasant relief, that's exactly what it was. Emma really showed her acting abilities in a high school comedy a lot of us (yours truly included) can relate to: being the social outcast for most of your school life (physically unattractive, gay, poor financial standing, etc.). It's a hurtful & demeaning experience to go through. Though Emma's method of gaining acceptance may not have been the wisest path to have chosen, the movie plays on the strengths of the story, script, & flawless cast of actors drawn together to bring it to life. I have to give special props to Stanley Tucci & Patricia Clarkson--remarkable actors themselves--in their roles as Emma's liberal & very loving parents. In all honesty, there was one scene involving them that had me laughing so hard it hurt...let's just say it involved the letter "T." See if you don't agree with me.
The comedy blends very well with moments of drama as the story progresses, leading to what I believed to be a very satisfying conclusion. As another reader stated, if you're sensitive about the portrayal of born-again Christians in comedies, or if you don't feel the issue of teen sex is appropriate to poke fun at, then you might want to cross this off your bucket list. If not, however, this is one very fine film you shouldn't miss.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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