Dell's Good, Bad & Ugly Movie Reviews

[nflman2033]

Ghost of Girlfriends Past is terribleeeeeeee. I don't even know why I watched that shit.

yeah exactly, i swear dell misses out on watching some great movies when he has to watch shitty movies like that

 

[Buzzman]

I liked the soundtrack in Ghost of Girlfriends Past.

 

[dope]

hey dell curious if you've ever seen this movie?

It's a Terry Gilliam directed movie so you kinda get an idea of what is in store for ya as you start it. That said, his introduction at the beginning of the movie is pretty much spot on. He said most will hate this movie, most will love it, and most be thinking wtf, which is where I was after it was over. Enjoyed it, but was def "wtf'ing" at certain moments.

 

[dell71]

hey dell curious if you've ever seen this movie?

It's a Terry Gilliam directed movie so you kinda get an idea of what is in store for ya as you start it. That said, his introduction at the beginning of the movie is pretty much spot on. He said most will hate this movie, most will love it, and most be thinking wtf, which is where I was after it was over. Enjoyed it, but was def "wtf'ing" at certain moments.

Actually, I've never heard of this one. He has done some great work that I've loved (Monty Python & the Holy Grail, 12 Monkeys, Time Bandits), a few I haven't seen but have been meaning to forever (The Meaning of Life, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Fisher King), one I thought sucked (The Brothers Grimm) and one I've tried to get through twice and couldn't (Brazil - I'll go back to this one again). I'll add this to the need to see list.

 

[dope]

Actually, I've never heard of this one. He has done some great work that I've loved (Monty Python & the Holy Grail, 12 Monkeys, Time Bandits), a few I haven't seen but have been meaning to forever (The Meaning of Life, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Fisher King), one I thought sucked (The Brothers Grimm) and one I've tried to get through twice and couldn't (Brazil - I'll go back to this one again). I'll add this to the need to see list.

yeah i've been a big fan of his for a few years of course starting with his monty python work. i can't believe you haven't seen fear and loathing....one of my all time fave movies. and yes brazil sucks as does the brothers grimm. this one def will have people on one end of the spectrum...you love it or hate it...i can't see much middle ground when it comes to this one.

 

[Sven Draconian]

Just went back and read your review of In Bruges and agreed wholeheartedly. A little disapointing they couldn't think of a better plot device than the girl (though, her accomplice was hillarious).

It seems like a movie that will get better with more viewings, when you can focus more on the characters and less on the story.

 

[Tailback U]

The wife been picking the movies lately, Dell?

Have you seen The Proposition yet???! CMON MAN.

 

[dell71]

The wife been picking the movies lately, Dell?

Have you seen The Proposition yet???! CMON MAN.

Yeah well, she doesn't watch that many with me so when she does I usually let her pick.

I should see The Proposition within the next couple weeks.

I think the next review is more up you guys alley.

 

[dell71]

Big Fan
Directed by Robert D. Siegel.
2009. Rated R, 86 minutes.
Cast:
Patton Oswalt
Kevin Corrigan
Michael Rapaport
Marcia Jean Kurtz
Gino Cafarelli
Matt Servitto
Serafina Fiore
Polly Humphreys
Jonathan Hamm​

Plot: Paul (Oswalt) is a die-hard New York Giants football fan. He eats, sleeps and drinks "G-Men". What will he do after he is beaten up by Quantrell Bishop (Hamm), his favorite player on his favorite team.

The Good: Director Robert D. Siegel does the impossible and gives us an original movie - one dealing with sports, no less. In fact, I'd hesitate to actually call it a sports movie. It's more of a sports fan movie. Instead of focusing on a player, team or coach and working up to "the big game," we walk with an ordinary joe who lives to support his team. That fan, Paul, is portrayed brilliantly and without a hint of sarcasm by Patton Oswalt. That last part is important because Paul could've easily become a comic figure and sank the movie. Through a skillfully ambiguous ending, we're not sure whether to feel happy or sad for him even though he is inexplicably happy. By the way, that's not a spoiler. You have to see it to know what I'm talking about. As Paul's mom, Marcia Jean Kurtz is not only a riot but a constant reminder of how pathetic her son truly is.

The Bad: While Paul is supposed to be a sad case, the movie took the easiest route to that destination by utilizing stereotypes. In this case it's that a guy who's passionate about his team and likes to call t he sports radio shows he listens to has to be child-like in all areas of life. Paul is so much so, it's nearly to the point of retardation. His buddy Sal (Corrigan) is similar. However, I wanted more from Sal. We can guess, but are never really sure how he feels about all that's going on. It's especially important since Sal is actually present when Paul is beaten. And what happens with what Paul's brother, Jeff (Cafarelli), is trying to do for him?

The Ugly: Whether you find her attractive or not, former (current?) porn-star Serafina Fiore as Paul's sister-in-law Gina has an unbelievably distracting appearance.

Recommendation: While it's an excellent movie, it's hard to recommend because it's a bit of a downer. It's doubly so for someone like me who is actually a Giants fan and likes to listen to sports talk radio. That said, definitely see this if you want to see a drama that's sports related but still has a unique vision. Just don't go looking for any actual sports scenes because there are none.

The Opposite View: Vadim Rizov, Village Voice

What the Internet Says: 7.1/10 on imdb.com (2/4/10), 88% on rottentomatoes.com, 70/100 on metacritic.com

MY SCORE: 9/10​

 

[Fox1994]

Hmph. I'm gonna have to look-into that.

 

[Tailback U]

Wow 9/10. I saw it at the video store and thought about it long and hard but decided to go with Fifty Dead Men Walking, which was average.

I'll have to check it out now.

 

[Esjay]

Dell, have you ever seen What Happens in Vegas? If so what did you think?

 

[Fox1994]

It's got a chick flick undertone, but it's also hysterical.

 

[strahanfan92]

This is exactly how I described the ending to one of my friends a couple weeks ago...

Through a skillfully ambiguous ending, we're not sure whether to feel happy or sad for him even though he is inexplicably happy.

Great movie.. but kind of a downer as a whole..

 

[Esjay]

It's got a chick flick undertone, but it's also hysterical.

Yeah I watched it with a ... 'lady friend' the other night and was pleasantly surprised. The movie needed more of his friend and her friend fighting though, lol. They cracked me up.

 

[NAHSTE]

MY SCORE: 9/10​

Wow you got to that one fast. It's extremely well done, you can't really pick out a flaw in the movie, but it's hard to recommend to someone. It's one of those movies which has the sole purpose of commenting on one type of person, and uses the plot to do so.

I really didn't care how the movie ended, I got the point well before then. A very good movie but not one I'll be watching again anytime soon. I did think Oswalt was great though.

 

[dell71]

Dell, have you ever seen What Happens in Vegas? If so what did you think?

Not yet.

Wow you got to that one fast. It's extremely well done, you can't really pick out a flaw in the movie, but it's hard to recommend to someone. It's one of those movies which has the sole purpose of commenting on one type of person, and uses the plot to do so.

I really didn't care how the movie ended, I got the point well before then. A very good movie but not one I'll be watching again anytime soon. I did think Oswalt was great though.

Found a good copy online. But yeah, I really really liked it...just can't say I'm in a hurry to see it again.

 

[dell71]

The International
Directed by Tom Tykwer.
2009. Rated R, 118 minutes.
Cast:
Clive Owen
Naomi Watts
Armin Mueller-Stahl
Ulrich Thomsen
Brian F. O'Byrne
Luca Barbareschi
Michel Voletti
Ahmet Sunay​

Plot: Interpol agent Louis Salinger (Owen) seeks to expose an international illegal arms ring he believes is tied to one of the largest banks in the world, with the help of New York DA Elanor Whitman (Watts).

The Good: Here, we have an international conspiracy movie that knows how to string us along. It gives us a nicely played cat and mouse. In this case, the mouse has hitmen all over the world. Of course, this gives us a trail of dead bodies to follow. The investigation seems to hit a number of dead-ends and seems doomed. This cranks up the tension amongst the good guys and causes lots of infighting. It's just a slickly produced investigative thriller that plays on our recession angst to keep us on the edge of our seats. And the one real action scene we get is an outstanding shootout.

The Bad: The longer it goes, the more of a paint-by-numbers job it becomes. We know what's going to happen with every lead and we know where the trail takes us. Our villains aren't strong enough characters to overcome this. On top of this, the way the film ends creates a feeling of pointlessness to the whole affair. I get that that's what they were going for but it still feels unsatisfying.

The Ugly: How the first guy dies.

Recommendation: If you like spy thrillers (though, our guy isn't really a spy), or subscribe to the belief that all banks are crooked (who doesn't?) then this should appeal to you. Clive Owen fans should have at it, as well. He gives a nice performance as a character more fragile in his sanity than his usual role.

The Opposite View: Simon Weaving, Screenwize

What the Internet Says: 6.6/10 on imdb.com (2/5/10), 59% on rottentomatoes.com, 52/100 on metacritic.com

MY SCORE: 6.5/10​

 

[Palooza]

Naomi Watts' character in The International pissed me off so much. Her lines were so stale and lame. Really bothered me.

 

[dell71]

Tromeo and Juliet
Directed by Lloyd Kaufman.
1997. Rated R, 107 minutes.
Cast:
Jane Jensen
Will Keenan
Valentine Miele
William Beckwith
Sean Gunn
Debbie Rochon
Flip Brown
Earl McKoy
Wendy Adams​

This is simply the most bizarre adaptation of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" you'll ever see. It's brought to us by the good people of Troma. If you aren't familiar with them, they are synoymous with low budget, highly entertaining trash. Perhaps you may have seen...or at least heard of...such titles as Surf Nazis Must Die, Class of Nuke 'Em High or their most famous work The Toxic Avenger. In fact, the tagline for this movie says it all: "Body Piercing. Kinky sex. Dismemberment. The things that made Shakespeare great." That is precisely what it delivers. Hardly a moment goes by that doesn't amaze you, repulse you, make you laugh out loud or simply shake your head and wonder what you just saw. The twist put on the legendary tale may actually be too much to handle for many, especially since the results of that twist are wonderfully disturbing. The writing is actually pretty solid for what it is and the acting is terrifically bad. Oh, and about that body piercing, I'm pretty sure we actually see one done. if not, it sure looks real. Just in case you haven't guessed by now this is so bad, it's awesome!

MY SCORE: -10/10​