Guys' Movies Blog

American History X (1998)

2010-10-31T17:39:00.000-07:00

Personal Rating- 7.2 out of 10                                  IMDB Rating- 8.6 out of 10

Genre- Crime, Drama                                               (Currently # 40 out of top 250)

Starring Actors- Edward Norton, Edward Furlong      Director- Tony Kaye

Plot Summary- A huge follower and founder of the neo-nazi revoluton, Derek Vinyard (actor, Edward Norton) has a lot on his shoulders. This all changes one night when a couple thugs try to break into his truck and he has to take action against them. Derek is sent to prison and while there he changes his lifestyle. When Derek is released from prison he finds it his main priority to exclude himself and his younger brother from everything that his life used to be.

Derek Vineyard

Personal Thought- This movie in its entirety is a complete dramatic masterpiece. This movie shows every important aspect that is vital to the story without imperfection. The movie is very analyzing on racism and how our country functions between all races. Do not let the fact that this movie is based around Neo Nazi-ism drive you away. This film makes no attempt to convert any view to being a skinhead. I myself before watching this film was a little weary on the main topic of the film but I assure you that both before and after I watched the film I have no association with Skinheads (just to make that all clear).

I believe that a lot of people look at this movie and hold it in very high regard because of all the social and racial details in the film, but if you're just watching this movie for something to watch, and racism or illegal immigration isn't a big issue in your personal life, then you will just enjoy the movie for the storyline like I did, instead of analyzing each point made in the film to its furthest degree. So you could say that this is both a casual film and a very informative film for people who are trying to figure out the inner workings of Neo-Nazis and racism in America.

Memorable Quotes-

[Inside prison laundry]
Lamont: I'm the most dangerous man in this prison. You know why? 'Cause I control the underwear.
______________________________________________________________

The Happening (2008)

2010-10-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

Personal rating- 3.5 out of 10 IMDB Rating- 5.2 out of 10

Genre- Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Sci-Fi Director- M. Night Shymalan

Starring Actors- Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschannel

Plot Summary- An unexplainable phenomenon in scattered parts of the united states is beginning spread. This force makes the afflicted person find the quickest way for them to commit suicide and then carry out the task. The story follows a High School science teacher, his wife, and close friend, who are cast in the middle of this horrifying crisis, just trying to survive by any means necessary.

Personal Opinion- This film has got to be one of the worst films that I have ever sat through in my entire existence. Usually when someone makes a statement like that, they don't really mean it, but in this instance it is 100% true, this is my least favorite movie of all time. There are many critics out there that will back me up with warnings like, "M. Night Shyamalan (Director) had inflicted upon audiences something worse than death." At first glance, yes the movie does look appealing with all the promise of global unexplainable suicides. In the end, this film just simply fails to deliver the goods.

We all know that M. Night Shyamalan is known for his twists, but I'm going to have to say that the twist at this movie just made me as a viewer want every second of my lifetime wasted watching this movie back. The twist is HORRIBLE, it's not even one that makes you have to think back through the plot and put the pieces of the story together that would have lead up to it, as was the case in his more successful films such as Sixth Sense

This will most likely be the lowest score anyone will ever witness on this movie review blog. Partly for how terrible the movie itself is, and partly for how much disappointment it brings after the hype of a promising trailer. Oh, and lop off a couple extra points just because Mark Wahlberg is the main character. Whenever that man even shows his face in a movie, you can be sure that ratings will fall. If you don't despise Mark Wahlberg yet, and you wish to keep him as you're little "Marky Mark" I'd advise you to steer clear of this film.

The best thing you could ever possibly say about this film is that you've never seen it.

Looks Enticing doesn't it? Why don't you head over to this video's page on YouTube and take a look at a few of the comments?

Memorable Quotes-

Alma Moore: [watching news report about the toxin] It makes you kill yourself. Just when you thought there couldn't be any more evil that can be invented.
______________________________________________________________

Elliot Moore: [to house plant] Hello. My name is Elliot Moore. I'm just going to talk in a very positive manner, giving off good vibes. We're just here to use the bathroom, and we're just going to leave. I hope that's okay.
[Elliot touches leaf]
Elliot Moore: Plastic. I'm talking to a plastic plant. I'm still doing it.

Undead (2003)

2010-10-19T18:51:00.000-07:00

Personal Rating- 4.5 out of 10 IMDB Rating- 5.6 out of 10

Genre- Action, Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi

Plot Summary- Meteorites start to fall from the sky in a small country town. These meteorites cause people to turn into zombies when they are struck by the meteorites themselves. Soon enough, everyone in this small town has turned into zombies except for a select few individuals who try to stick together and survive the zombie apocalypse along with random mysterious alien light beams showing up in their town.

Personal Opinion- I can honestly say that I have far more negative things to say about this movie than anything else. I had checked the rating on IMDB before I had chosen to watch it and didn't try to get my hopes up. I thought that I'd review a completely horrid movie for once just for a change of pace.

The producers label this movie as a "comedy horror" film. I can tell you this film has failed in both genres. The comic moments were few and far between, rarely even enough to cause a laugh in your head let alone aloud, and the fact that it was a comedy made the "horror" aspect of the film completely irrelevant because the viewer is never truly scared of anything because it is all completely expectable.

Second of all, the soundtrack. Oh Jesus lord, the soundtrack. This has to be one of the most horrid collection of "mood setting music" I have ever heard. They even go about using the same melody six different times in the movie (its the first melody that is heard when you watch the trailer below). The music is so bad that it takes away from even the most dramatic of scenes and downplays them to the point where you stop caring what will happen next.

Thirdly, there is too much conversation in this movie! there is so much unnecessary uncomprehensible (for the fact that the movie is Australia produced) bickering. Seriously there's a whole sub-plot that effects the characters in absolutely no way at all, and the plot does have potential but the writers of the movie chose to have the survivors sit around in a panic room for a good 15minutes of the movie and talk. Did I mention the horrible lighting as well as terrible camera angles?

Quite possibly the only parts of this movie that were enjoyable at all were the fighting scenes. At times the special effects did seem a bit under budget (with the computer animation at least) but the gore was mostly effective in being awesome. Take into consideration the zombie fish scene which was one of the only true comedic scenes in the entire film, however that the rest of the movie is completely terrible.

Memorable Quotes- N/A (seriously)

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

2010-10-17T18:48:00.000-07:00

Personal Rating- 7.0 out of 10 IMDB Rating- 8.4 out of 10

(currently #63 on IMDB top 250)

Genre- Crime, Mystery, Thriller

Plot Summary- A group of five men are assembled to pull a quick job that will bring in a hefty sum of dough for everyone involved. These men have no clue who each other are, and are not to know each others names, or speak of anything other than details of how the job will be pulled while they are together. However, the job goes terribly wrong, and the criminals turn against each other, suspicious that someone is a rat. The film picks up with the aftermath of the job and the viewer is left to figure out who the rat is, what took place during the job, and how the story will end.

Personal Opinion- Now I know you guys are going to give me a lot of scruff for not matching personal rating to the average rating of this film on IMDB. I just believe that sometimes classic films are just a tad over-rated. Yes, I am aware that this is Quinton Tarantiono's debut film. There is a non-linear time line in this film which makes the story a little hard to follow but that's not why I bumped off a few points in the rating. I'm sure most of you older guys out there have more appreciation for this film than I do, but I mean, there just kinda felt like there was something missing in this film and I cant quite figure out what it might be.This movie was made in the 90's and based on the 80's, however most people will argue the nostalgic value of this film and that "classic films are like wine, they just get better with age".

If you've seen Pulp fiction and liked it (I don't know who couldn't), you'll probably find it in your favor to check this movie out as well for this list of key similarities-

Superb acting
Suit and tie criminals
General cool and laid back essence
Swagger walk
Guns guns guns..
Unloading the full clip

I've got to say, I've loved Harvey Keitels roles in both movies as well. I'll probably be writing a Pulp Fiction review somewhere down the line as a result of watching this film..

Memorable Quotes-

Mr. Orange: What happens if the manager won't give you the diamonds?
Mr. White: When you're dealing with a store like this, they're insured up the ass. They're not supposed to give you any resistance whatsoever. If you get a customer, or an employee, who thinks he's Charles Bronson, take the butt of your gun and smash their nose in. Everybody jumps. He falls down screaming, blood squirts out of his nose, nobody says fucking shit after that. You might get some bitch talk shit to you, but give her a look like you're gonna smash her in the face next, watch her shut the fuck up. Now if it's a manager, that's a different story. Managers know better than to fuck around, so if you get one that's giving you static, he probably thinks he's a real cowboy, so you gotta break that son of a bitch in two. If you wanna know something and he won't tell you, cut off one of his fingers. The little one. Then tell him his thumb's next. After that he'll tell you if he wears ladies underwear. I'm hungry. Let's get a taco.
____________________________________________________________

Nice Guy Eddie: C'mon, throw in a buck!
Mr. Pink: Uh-uh, I don't tip.
Nice Guy Eddie: You don't tip?
Mr. Pink: Nah, I don't believe in it.
Nice Guy Eddie: You don't believe in tipping?
Mr. Blue: You know what these chicks make? They make shit.
Mr. Pink: Don't give me that. She don't make enough money that she can quit.
Nice Guy Eddie: I don't even know a fucking Jew who'd have the balls to say that. Let me get this straight: you don't ever tip?
Mr. Pink: I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job.
Mr. Blue: Hey, our girl was nice.
Mr. Pink: She was okay. She wasn't anything special.
Mr. Blue: What's special? Take you in the back and suck your dick?
Nice Guy Eddie: I'd go over twelve percent for that.

The Thing (1982)

2010-10-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

Personal Rating- 7.5 out of 10 IMDB Rating- 8.2 out of 10

Genre- Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Plot summary- A group of scientists in Norway, separated from the civilized world, encounter an alien being that can invade anything living and take the shape of it. The scientists are turned against each other as they begin to question who is real and who is infected.

Personal Thought- I think the storyline of this movie was perfect for the decade in which it was made. In the arctic you don't need to have much in terms of setting when you're making a movie, but the camp itself that the scientists stayed in was pretty intricate. The special effects in this movie were the best out there before the age of CGI, the gore and transformations looked mostly real even without the help of computer animation. I'd have to say that the effects is one of the biggest reasons why I enjoyed this movie. If you love Sci-Fi, you're going to love the transformations in this film

Second of all the storyline was great, it was just that sometimes you'd question why a certain character said something or it just didn't seem believable that they'd say something that they had, given the situation that they were in. Who knows, it could have just been the aliens talking though. I definitely would have given this movie a higher rating if I had more appreciation to old movies, but its just that the new century has corrupted me with the addiction to perfectly tailored films and high quality cameras.

Memorable Quotes-

MacReady: Somebody in this camp ain't what he appears to be. Right now that may be one or two of us. By spring, it could be all of us.
Childs: So, how do we know who's human? If I was an imitation, a perfect imitation, how would you know it was really me?
_____________________________________________________________________

Windows: You guys gonna listen to Garry? You gonna let him give the orders? I mean, he could BE one of those things!

The Usual Suspects (1995)

2010-10-08T15:08:00.000-07:00

Personal Rating- 5.5 out of 10 IMDB Rating- 8.7 out of 10 (as of October 8, 2010)

Plot Summary- The Usual Suspects is the mysterious story of five men who are wrongfully put in a police lineup because they are "the usual suspects." While incarcerated they plan a scheme to get back at the police department. Word gets out that a notorious gangster is back in town and offers these men a job they cant refuse, all ending in a lot of gunfire, deaths, and the biggest twist that you'll never see coming.

Kevin Spacey as "Roger Kint"

Personal Opinion- Wow, honestly that plot summary was really hard to write, this movie has so much talking and drama that it had me on the brink of a nap quite a few times. I honestly had to rack my brain pretty hard to pull the main points of the story out and give you guys a nice summary, partly because the movie is pretty complicated and also the fact that it was putting me to sleep. If mystery movies are your kind of thing all I've got to say is this one isn't really like the rest of them.. I guess if i go back and watch the movie a second time once I saw the twist at the end my opinion could change, (its kind of one of those "Sixth Sense" kind of feelings) but I really wasn't that thrilled the first time so why would I watch a movie I didn't enjoy for a second time. In complete honesty the twist was kind of bland, too simple. Honestly I'm not really sure what the people who boosted this rating up to 8.7 on IMDB saw in this movie.. decent acting maybe?

The Lineup (Profanity, yes, Spoilers? unsure)

Memorable Quotes-

Dave Kujan: First day on the job, you know what I learned? How to spot a murderer. Let's say you arrest three guys for the same killing. You put them all in jail overnight. The next morning, whoever's sleeping is your man. You see, if you're guilty, you know you're caught, you get some rest, you let your guard down.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Verbal: Can I get some coffee?
Dave Kujan: In a while. Let's talk about the lineup.
Verbal: I'm really thirsty. I used to dehydrate as a kid. One time it got so bad my piss came out like snot. I'm not kidding, it was all thick and gooey.

The Terminal (2004)

2010-10-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

Personal Rating- 7.0 out of 10 IMDB Rating- 7.1 out of 10

Plot Summary- The Terminal is the story of a man named Viktor Navorski (actor Tom Hanks) who finds himself in a pickle after arriving at the New York airport to find out that he is a man without a country. As it turns out while in flight to New York in his home country of Krakosia there was the breakout of a war, causing the downfall of the current government, leaving Mr. Navorski without a country, and thereby deemed "unacceptable" to enter New York or even to get on a plane and go back home. He is forced to live within the terminal, and while he is there surprisingly he finds friends, work, becomes a "hero", and even love. The movie is inspired by the true story of a man who lived in Charles DeGaulle Airport from August 1988 to August 2006

Personal Review-Given the assumption that any movie with Tom Hanks in it will be an amazing movie ( i.e. Forrest Gump, Castaway, Big...) of course you would be right with this film. I personally really love the acting style of Tom Hanks and he really pulled this one off rather well, even nailing down the European accent with perfection. I thought the storyline was a little unbelievable but with most comedies they usually are. I mean really there had to be some way for this man to either enter America or be deported back home, legally. It was hilarious when Viktor actually got a job inside the airport while LIVING inside the airport, much less than a legal US citizen. I was also surprised that he was actually allowed to stay within the airport and even have as much as a makeshift bedroom for I believe around 9-10months.

Movie Clip- (spoilers sorry)

-I chose this clip because it shows the landmark occasion for Viktor to leave the airport... but due to a curious camera he stays, and from this point forward is in for good.

Memorable Quotes-

Businessman/passenger in bathroom: [Viktor is shaving in the bathroom] Ever feel like you're living in an airport?
__________________________________________________________________________

Gupta Rajan: [after catching Viktor digging through his trash cart] Do you have an appointment?
Viktor: "Uh?"
Gupta: "I'm sorry, I don't let anyone to look at my trash without an appointment."
Viktor: "Uh?"
Gupta: "I have an opening next Tuesday."
Viktor: "Tuesday. Tuesday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Tuesday."
Gupta: "Tuesday."
Viktor: "Tuesday."
Gupta: "It will be good time for you to come back and get lost. Okay, goodbye. Sorry."

Sunshine (2007)

2010-10-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

Personal Rating- 9.0 out of 10 IMDB Rating- 7.3 out of 10

Plot Summary- A crew of earths finest astronauts and scientists is aboard a spaceship equipped with a massive payload of explosives. 50 Years into the future, the sun is burning out, and in turn earth is dying. All of earths resources have been mined and consolidated upon one final vessel launched directly at the sun in hopes of rekindling its flame.

Personal Thought- Honestly this movie really blew me away. I hadn't expected such an amazing film out of such a simple idea. So yeah you're on a space ship with explosives headed right toward the sun to re-ignite it, boring right? Wrong. These are the kind of movies where you KNOW everything is going to be a complete shitstorm by the end and they just barely pull it off, this is true for this movie, however they do an amazing job of making it seem like its in the bag the whole time, even when its really not.

This movie really inspired me with some of the technology that the creators thought up, such as an on-ship garden full of plants to supply the ship with oxygen, or the room that they go into to calm down, which creates whole environments of peaceful images. I loved the scene where they are all in the observation room and they're watching mercury float by like a little tennis ball, I teared up as I watched it float across the screen and I don't really know why, don't take away my man card. I think a lot about the things we will have in the future and this movie has got me thinking, and I may even start a new blog about what kinds of things humans will have in generations to come.

But seriously, Whats up with the gravity on the ship??? Arent they supposed to be all floating around because of the 0 gravity? I mean when they're outside of the ship, yeah they're floating around, but when they come back on board their feet are firmly planted...

I know they simply explain this minor flaw away in most space movies by saying that there's some sort of gravity generator on the ship (complete bullshit) but there isn't even the slightest mention of one in this film.

I also thought that the .. "undead" captain of the vessel that failed was pretty unrealistic.. but I mean... I guess thats why its called science fiction right?.. (It still scared the shit out of me tho)

And there you have my minor rant for this film.

Memorable Quotes-

Cassie: Only dream I ever have... is it the surface of the sun? Everytime I shut my eyes... it's always the same.
______________________________________________________________________________

[last lines]
Capa: So if you wake up one morning and it's a particularly beautiful day, you'll know we made it. Okay, I'm signing out.

Seriously guys, go check this movie out. By the way sorry for throwing a few spoilers in if you havent seen the film. If anyone thinks of a way that I can have like a spoiler rollover or like a way to hide the spoilers leave a comment..

Also any thoughts on "Sunshine" or your guy's own personal ratings and reasons are very welcome below.

Apocalypse Now (1979)

2010-10-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

Personal rating 7.8 out of 10 IMDB rating 8.6 out of 10 (as of 10/1/10)

First off I'm going to have to say DO NOT let the fact that this movie was made in the 70's deter you from watching. This film has all of the aspects anyone in modern life is looking for in a movie, the picture is great, the setting, acting, soundtrack.... it goes on. If nobody had told you that this movie was made in 1979 you would have almost no chance in figuring it out just by watching the movie itself. I mean, as far as setting goes, this production goes to a very great depth in the form of detail, almost surpassing the attention to detail in modern movies. Although this is a war movie there is much more to this story than war.(but dont worry theres definitely enough bullets, weaponry, swearing, and grit to go around)

The story tracks the journey of Captain Willard (Martin Sheen), a U.S. Army Intelligence officer sent on a hazardous mission up river into Cambodia to terminate "with extreme prejudice" an American renegade colonel name Kurtz who has spun out of control and out of his mind in a remote jungle compound.

My personal rating was greatly effected by the last 15 minutes of this movie, in which the movie loses a lot of its luster. This is not to say that I wasn't completely immersed with the whole story before the ending. To put it short, I was disappointed with the way the story ended. While the movie is on the longer side (appx. 3hrs) you don't really get that "antsy" restless feeling that you get from long movies until the very end. I will say that this is much more emotionally capturing than any war movie I have seen before, though.

Apocalypse Now has won two Oscars, and is currently rated #38 on IMDB top 250 movies of all time

I will issue a warning to the animal lovers out there, though. Near the end of the movie there is (what seems to be) a live animal slaughter, so just be cautious if you choose to watch.

Memorable quotes-

Kilgore: Smell that? You smell that?
Lance: What?
Kilgore: Napalm, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that.
[kneels]
Kilgore: I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like
[sniffing, pondering]
Kilgore: victory. Someday this war's gonna end...

Kilgore: How're you feeling, Jimmy?
Door Gunner: Like a mean motherfucker, sir!

Donnie Darko (2001)

2010-09-29T17:47:00.000-07:00

Personal Rating: 9 out of 10 IMDB Rating 8.3 out of 10 (As of September 29, 2010)

Donnie Darko is a philosophical labyrinth of ideas. The movie inspires deep thought about life and each of our own destined paths in a unique way. Donnie Darko (actor Jake Gyllenhaal) is a troubled high schooler with many emotional fears. Not everything is well in the reality of Donnie Darko. Throughout the story he is lead by a higher power whom guides his fate. All of it ending in a huge twist that makes the viewer question why they hadnt put two and two together as the movie progressed.

Donnie Darko

This producer did spawn a sequel (S. Darko, 2009) telling the story of Donnie Darko's younger sister, but the movie just comes off as trying too hard to imitate the theme of the original. It seems more like a stoner movie than a movie that made any real sense.

Epic Quotes-

Emily Bates: Mom said the school is closed today because it's flooded, and there's feces everywhere!
Susie Bates: What are feces?
Emily Bates: Baby mice.
Susie Bates: Aww.

Highlighted is what I've seen

2010-09-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

Highlighted numbers are movies I myself have seen, and willing to write a little bit about, and a yellow dot at the end means I did not finish the whole movie or only saw part of the movie.

Snatch (2000)

2010-09-27T17:19:00.000-07:00

So here we have Snatch, the British crime movie with a lightened mood. This movie features some of Britain's most half witted criminals some with their eye on a diamond of unimaginable value, others looking to bet on fixed boxing matches. Every criminal involved gets into a twisting complicated plot that all ties together very surprisingly by the end of the story. If you're looking for something quick and violently funny this is definitely the movie to fulfill your craving.

Personal rating- 8.0 / 10 IMDB rating- 8.2 / 10 (as of september 27 2010)

100 Great movies list

2010-09-25T18:44:00.000-07:00

Recommendations for movies are appreciated, and right now I'm pretty much going along with this list. I'll edit this blog and mark which ones I've watched and if you'd like my opinion on any of the movies just comment this post.

The Gladiator

2010-09-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

So I started watching this movie last night before bed, was unsure what to expect. If you've seen Russell Crowe in Robin Hood, then you will be extremely familiar with Russell Crowe in Gladiator. Although it would be hard to say that Robin Hood was a better film, because The Gladiator has a constantly engaging storyline that is much easier to follow than the intricacies of Robin Hood. Granted, there may be quite a bit of talking in both films but The Gladiator makes up for it with both focused combat (small numbers in an arena like setting) and the mass combat of a hellish battlefield. I'd have to say that this is one of the most prominent films of Russell Crowes career. The grunge of the combat and easy to follow storyline make this movie an instant hit in my book, and I give The Gladiator an 8.5 out of 10 (IMDB rating 8.3 - 10 as of 9/25/10)

Awards
The Gladiator has won the Oscar for "Best Actor in a Leading Role", "Best Costume Design", "Best Effects, Visual Effects" ,"Best Picture", and "Best sound" among the most popular

Props from The Gladiator

This is a replica of the awesome Helm that Russell Crowe wears in The gladiator, titled "The Helmet of the Spaniard" , Only $69.99 on Amazon

This is the actual armor that Russell Crowe wore during the filming

Favorite Quote: "Today I saw a slave become more powerful than the Emperor of Rome."