Dell's Good, Bad & Ugly Movie Reviews

[dell71]

Let the Right One In AKA Lat den ratte komma in
2008. Rated R, 114 minutes.
Director: Tomas Alfredson. Starring Kare Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Henrik Dahl.

Plot: In a 1982 suburb of Stockholm, 12 year old bully-magnet Oskar (Hedebrant) befriends Eli (Leandersson), the mysterious girl who's moved into the apartment next to his. Her arrival in town coincides with a series of grisly murders in which the victims had the blood drained from their bodies.

The Good: It's a very unique vampire movie. In fact, it's more of a puppy-love movie featuring two 12 year olds. It just so happens that the girl is a vampire. That's the twist that makes it sizzle. A constant tension hangs over the film as we try to figure out whether she'll hurt or help him and for a while, whether he'll find out what she really is. It also uses her obvious power and his weakness to build metaphors and give Oskar a life-lesson. The pacing of the movie is deliberately slow, but doesn't drag. It draws you into this awkward yet budding romance. Don't worry though, it's not some sappy affair. We get a number of 30 Days of Night-esque attacks on the human-folk.

The Bad: At the beginning of the movie, Eli has an adult, presumably human guardian who actually commits the early murders and brings her the blood (not at all a spoiler). We never really learn the nature of their relationship (it's vaguely hinted at, once). Also, about midway through the movie something happens to him, or at least seems to. Despite the fact what we've seen suggests we should, we never see him again. That was bothersome for me. It's like they all of sudden forgot about him.

The Ugly: When our two lovebirds share their first kiss. When you see it, you'll say "Ewwww."

Recommendation: Though the main characters are both only 12 years old, well one is 12 and the other just appears to be (they do discuss this, by the way), this is not another vampire movie for teenage girls. This is for more mature fans of the genre who've seen plenty of them and are looking for a fresh take on the subject. Subtitleophobes can breathe easy. This is a Swedish film, but the DVD plays the English dubbed version by default.

The Opposite View: Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

What the Internet Says: 8.2/10 on imdb.com (#192 all time as of 4/8/09), 97% on rottentomatoes.com, 82/100 on metacritic.com

MY SCORE: 9/10

Flight from Ashiya
1964. Not Rated, 100 minutes.
Director: Michael Anderson. Starring Yul Brynner, Richard Widmark, George Chakiris, Suzy Parker.
While on a dangerous rescue mission, three men who work for the Air Rescue Service each have a flashback to other important times in their lives. What the movie wants to do is build up these guys by making us love them through thier individual stories. It only manages to accomplish that for one of them, 2nd Lt. Gregg (Chakiris). For the other two, it gives us a bunch of pointless melodrama that might've been good if it didn't try to cram full-blown romance movies into the 20 or 25 minutes allotted each flashback. We get people falling hopelessly in love at first sight, stories skipping years with insufficient reason or explanation and all sorts of other cliches. What's meant to be poignant and maybe even racy for the era comes off as ridiculous and forced. MY SCORE: 5/10

 

[Senser81]

Im not an expert but I believe Mathis was proved innocent because the girl in Casino Royale was proved to be the trader because she told them about Bond so they wouldnt kill her husand or boyfriend, who as a matter of fact was actually only with her to set her up. Thats what the guy was doing with the Canadian secret sevice lady at the end of QoS

But the girl also brought Mr. White into the mix to kill Le Chiffe and protect Bond. Bringing Mr. White into the mix eventually got the girl killed, IIRC. Anyway, it doesn't make sense to have Bond brought into the mix and have the girl dealing with Le Chiffe...because she could have just had Mr. White kill Le Chiffe from the beginning.

 

[calgaryballer]

Good to see you enjoyed Let the Right Ones In. I just finished reading the latest Empire, and they gave it a 5/5 score, which is huge for a vampire movie.

It is on my must see movie list, and will be checking it out.

 

[Senser81]

Good timing on the Flight from Ashiya review...I was just about to buy it from Amazon.

ROLLEYES

 

[dell71]

Good to see you enjoyed Let the Right Ones In. I just finished reading the latest Empire, and they gave it a 5/5 score, which is huge for a vampire movie.

It is on my must see movie list, and will be checking it out.

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

While looking for "the opposite view" I came across one review that called it the "anti-Twilight", lol.

 

[calgaryballer]

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

While looking for "the opposite view" I came across one review that called it the "anti-Twilight", lol.

Haha, nice. The 'opposite view' was one of the lamest reviews ever. It seems clear that this guy wants a movie like Saw where there is a very clear motive and a bunch of 'scary' (read: gory) scenes. But that's why he writes for Entertainment Weekly

 

[dell71]

Haha, nice. The 'opposite view' was one of the lamest reviews ever. It seems clear that this guy wants a movie like Saw where there is a very clear motive and a bunch of 'scary' (read: gory) scenes. But that's why he writes for Entertainment Weekly

Yeah, I was looking for something better but there just aren't many critics out there who didn't like it.

The whole love story did a complete 180 in the later half of Let the Right One In.

And it worked so good!

 

[Buzzman]

But the girl also brought Mr. White into the mix to kill Le Chiffe and protect Bond. Bringing Mr. White into the mix eventually got the girl killed, IIRC. Anyway, it doesn't make sense to have Bond brought into the mix and have the girl dealing with Le Chiffe...because she could have just had Mr. White kill Le Chiffe from the beginning.

Im assuming she was just scared like any normal person would be and she thought she could do the thing with Le Chiffe and get her husband back but once she realized Le Chaffe was going to kill Bond, she made the deal with Mr White.

 

[dell71]

Will be interesting to see how the American version does compared to it.

Is there really any reason to think it won't suck?


Anyhoo, moving on...

Confessions of a Superhero
2007. Rated R, 93 minutes.
Director: Matthew Ogens. Starring Christopher "Superman" Dennis, Maxwell "Batman" Allen, Jennifer "Wonder Woman" Wenger, Joseph "The Hulk" McQueen.
This documentary follows four people who live in Hollywood and earn their living by dressing up as superheroes and taking pictures with tourists for tips. It's interesting to watch these people who are so full of hope, regardless if it's misplaced or not. They are all aspiring actors, yet only two of them, the Hulk and Wonder Woman (I'll refer to them by their "hero" names cuz it's easier), show any potential whatsoever but not really that much. Therefore, we hope along with them but take pity and maybe even feel disdain for the other two, Superman and Batman. We notice the latter two are also the older two and certainly a less stable pair of individuals. Superman is completely consumed by his character, wait till you see how much memorabilia he has jammed into his small apartment. That he bears a resemblance to Christopher Reeves only fuels his fire. He also insists that deceased actress Sandy Dennis is not only his mom but begged him to pursue acting from his deathbed. Both of those facts are in question and it's interesting to watch how they play out and impact him. Still, we feel good for him since he's become the unofficial spokesman of "the characters" as the police refer to the dozens of people who work the strip in Hollywood dressed as various easily recognizable characters from movies and TV. The next most intriguing story is that of Batman. Fittingly, he's a troubled man with a murky past. He looks a bit like George Clooney, a puffier, greasier version, and harps on that fact. In addition, he's a quick-tempered sociopath and either a compulsive liar or a murderer who once worked for the mob. Yes, he's THAT dude that talks really big about things he's done even while saying he doesn't really want to talk about his past. The question is: Do you believe him? I'll leave it there. All four of our heroes have, at one time or another, landed bit roles or been extras in movies or on TV. Our task, as the viewer, is to decide whether or not we believe that should be enough fuel to keep them going. Do we have sympathy for them or wish they would just snap out of it? That changes on a case-by-case basis, maybe even scene-by-scene and you may come away with different answers than I. On a sidenote, this was released in 2007. I think it really would've been a darker, even more fascinating but possibly more difficult watch had this been filmed over the last 6-9 months (starting from mid to late 2008). The added element there would be how the economy affected such a profession. Alas, it's still interesting. I think anyone planning to move to Hollywood in hopes of making it big should see this. I don't necessarily think it should discourage them but it can definitely prepare them for the possibilities. MY SCORE: 7/10

 

[dell71]

the fact that it is working with a really awesome story and it has been rumored to be a shot-for-shot remake, thats probably the biggest reason.

Meh...that's probably a big reason it will suck. Quarantine, anyone? I'm sure there's one somewhere but I really can't think of an American remake of a foreign horror flick that I liked...and that includes The Ring.

 

[dell71]

Funny Games was shot for shot and it ruled. I actually liked the american remake almost just as much.

Someone else mentioned that earlier in this thread. It slipped by me, I'll have to check it out. Of what little I know about it, I see it has one thing going for it that these others don't, the same director as the original who also happened to write the screenplay.

 

[Palooza]

How about an Old Boy remake staring Will Smith? That sounds like the worst remake ever made.

Almost as bad as the karate kid remake starring Jayden Smith.

 

[dell71]

How about an Old Boy remake staring Will Smith? That sounds like the worst remake ever made.

Oldboy is absolutely perfect the way it is. An American would be watered down and shitty, no matter who's in it.

Almost as bad as the karate kid remake starring Jayden Smith.

The original is overrated, imho, so I'm not as offended by this.

Moving on...

Marley & Me
2008. Rated PG, 115 minutes.
Director: David Frankel. Starring Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Alan Arkin, Jonah.

Plot: Before having children, young couple John and Jenny Grogan (Wilson and Aniston, respectively) get a yellow Labrador puppy that they name Marley, after reggae icon Bob Marley. Doggy hijinks and family life ensues.

The Good: There are a lot of funny scenes. The movie gets a ton of mileage out of Marley being disobedient, destroying things and/or eating them. Just as that starts to wear thin, we see a family struggling through growing pains and it feels real. The pacing is a major plus. Director David Frankel does a great job speeding up and slowing down his movie at appropriate times.

The Bad: It wants to be an overwhelming tear-jerker but it fails to make us love the dog. Even worse, it struggles to make us believe the people in the movie love him. We get that there's a certain level of attachment. However, he's so much trouble and wreaks so much havoc on their lives it feels like they keep him around out of a sense of obligation rather than really wanting to. It tries to show us a powerful bond between Marley and the Grogan children but none of them are given any meaningful screen time until it's too late in the picture. It doesn't help that our "dramatic conclusion" is an inevitability we dreadfully trudge toward rather than a singular event that knocks the wind from our chests.

The Ugly: What Marley does when he's finally let loose on "Dog Beach."

Recommendation: It's a fun movie that's at times a bit racier than its PG rating suggest. I only mention that because it is marketed as a family film. While it's having fun, it waits to long to start trying to manipulate us for the big moment and misses it's mark. Then again, I suppose if you're naturally a dog lover, which I'm not, you'll buy into it a little easier. Or you're very similar to my 6 year old daughter who did, in fact, shed a few tears.

The Opposite View: Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian (UK)

What the Internet Says: 7.2/10 on imdb.com (4/11/09), 60% on rottentomatoes.com, 53/100 on metacritic.com

MY SCORE: 6/10

 

[NAHSTE]

Just saw Let the Right One In, shit was very good. So many different interpretations to the ending too.

 

[red33]

Man Oldboy remade is going to be ass. the first one was amazing.

You guys watch the triliogy for tht series? Something Lady Vengence and something Mr vengence I think. The lady Vengence was as good as oldboy, maybe slightly less IMO but great movie. The 3rd one sucked ass.

For reals if you guys liked oldboy check out the Lady vengence one. Not sure where it fits into the trilogy but the director made a 3 movie deal.

 

[dell71]

Man Oldboy remade is going to be ass. the first one was amazing.

You guys watch the triliogy for tht series? Something Lady Vengence and something Mr vengence I think. The lady Vengence was as good as oldboy, maybe slightly less IMO but great movie. The 3rd one sucked ass.

For reals if you guys liked oldboy check out the Lady vengence one. Not sure where it fits into the trilogy but the director made a 3 movie deal.

I agree with your assessment. Lady Vengeance is excellent (I think it was actually the last in the director's "Trilogy of Vengeance"). And Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance was a complete mess.

 

[dell71]

Already reviewed Let the Right One In, time for that "other" vampire movie from 2008...

Twilight
2008. Rated PG-13, 122 minutes.
Director: Catherine Hardwicke. Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Taylor Lautner.

Plot: Bella (Stewart) moves to Forks, Washington to live with her dad. At her new high school, she meets and falls in love with Edward (Pattinson) whom she discovers is a vampire.

The Good: It's a very stylish movie. The camera often seems to be next to a fog machine but it works. It works because all that slow-motion fog, the usually soft rain, the angst-stricken looks on the major characters' faces and the almost constant 6 AM lighting, more on that later, stress that this is a romance. Since it so diligently creates the atmosphere of a storybook romance it only has to do a few other things right to make it's target audience, teenage girls, fall in love with it. It does. The couple involved has to make a huge sacrifice to be together and face some sort of seemingly insurmountable challenge to their love. If they cannot overcome that obstacle, on of them must die with the other weeping at his/her side. If they do, then they must pledge their undying love for one another. I won't tell you which happens here, just know that Twilight covers it's bases.

The Bad: Now, about that lighting: this is probably the brightest vampire movie in history. Think about that, a vampire movie with only a few nighttime scenes. It uses the fact that cloudiness and rain are near constant in the area as an excuse. However, when there is sunlight it doesn't seem to be life-threatening to the vampires. Hmmm. This, among other things spits in the face of traditional vampire lore. However, the most grating factor is that our heroes both seem to be suffering from depression and share a fondness for whining. As a result, Edward might be the least sexy vampire to ever hit the screen. He's an introvert who lacks charm, basic confidence and who glares and snaps at everyone. He's the Anakin Skywalker of his species. This problem of assigning sexiness to unsexy characters is evident in Bella, as well. Instead of developing her properly, they just make everyone around her so lame she becomes the most popular and desirable girl in school about 30 seconds into her first day. They were actually waiting for her to get there. They even knew her background and were planning to do a front page feature on her in the school paper. I know I've been out of school for awhile but c'mon, really? As it pertains to Bella and Edward as a couple, the movie tries to have these two obviously cynical people both fall head over heels for one another instantly but other than the aforementioned shared deprssion and whining we've no idea why they would.

The Ugly: Am I the only one who thinks it incredibly stupid for a family of vampires to live in a house high up in the hills with huge floor-to-ceiling windows in nearly every room with no curtains?

Recommendation: It's not nearly as bad as most critics and adults who read the novel will tell you. However, it's not nearly as good as most teenage girls would have you believe. It certainly has it's flaws but it basically does what it sets out to, namely, make a ton of money and have young girls everywhere clamoring for the sequel.

The Opposite View: Prairie Miller, Newsblaze

What the Internet Says: 6.1/10 on imdb.com (4/19/09), 49% on rottentomatoes.com, 56/100 on metacritic.com

MY SCORE: 5/10

 

[dell71]

The Tale of Despereaux
2008. Rated G, 94 minutes.
Directors: Sam Fell, Rob Stevenhagen. Starring Matthew Broderick, Robbie Coltrane, Tracy Ullman, Dustin Hoffman.

Plot: Despereaux (Broderick) is an outcast among other mice since he doesn't cower, scurry or show any fear at all. For this, he is banished from "Mouse World" into the sewers below. From there, he embarks on the adventure of a lifetime in hopes of saving a princess and perhaps an entire kingdom.

The Good: It trusts it's audience will stay with it when it lets up off the accelerator. So while there are scenes of silliness and action sprinkled throughout, there's ample time devoted to character development and plot building. The viewer is not rushed from one action scene to the next and we actually get to know a number of these characters. Visually, it's a wonderful piece of work. Like a lot of animated fare, it blends photo-realism with it's more cartoonish elements but it does so seemlessly.

The Bad: The tone might be a tad too serious. Young viewers weened on the all-out goofiness of many animated movies might be put off a bit. Also, If there's one character who was underdeveloped, it's the king. Having him more involved would've added another dimension, particularly if more attention were given his relationship with his daughter, Princess Pea (Emma Watson). As is, he sort of punctuates the movie. He occasionally shows up briefly to remind us he's there. Finally, I would love to have seen just how the rats got their two prisoners, especially the cat.

The Ugly: What happens to the queen.

Recommendation: It might move a bit slow for really young kids or those with short attention spans. Use Ratatouille or maybe even Wall-E as a guide. How you or your kids reacted to the non-action parts of those may provide insight into how they'll respond to Despereaux. For the rest of us, it's a pleasure to take in but admittedly not as good as the two movies I just mentioned. It's a movie in which we can actually relate to the characters having the adventure, even if they are mostly mice and rats.

The Opposite View: Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru

What the Internet Says: 6.0/10 on imdb.com (4/15/09), 55% on rottentomatoes.com, 53/100 on metacritic.com

MY SCORE: 7.5/10

 

[dell71]

Yeah, as I said it was visually outstanding.

 

[dell71]

Slumdog Millionaire
2008. Rated R, 116 minutes.
Director: Danny Boyle. Starring Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor.

Plot: Jamal (Patel) is one question away from winning it all on Mumbai's version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" He's also uneducated and poor so the police are questioning him to find out if he's been cheating.

The Good: The screenplay is exceptionally written. It weaves the gameshow, the interrogation and Jamal's life together beautifully. Each flashback is a harrowing adventure for us to get caught up in. The movie also causes us a bit of a moral dilemma as we try to decide how we feel about Jamal's brother, Salim. Director Danny Boyle does a masterful job of pulling things together, and went on to win Best Director at this year's Oscars. It's right there with Trainspotting as my favorite movie of his. And his lead actor is a charmer.

The Bad: The ending is ultimately predictable and a little too fairytale. Also, since the movie covers most of our hero's life there are three sets of actors playing him, his brother and Latika, the love of his life. Visually, it works splendidly but it robs us of any real chemistry between the actors that play them during the present.

The Ugly: Do you know what it's like underneath an outhouse? Jamal finds out, firsthand. Ewww.

Recommendation: That we can predict the ending is only a small drawback to our enjoyment. This movie is much more about the journey than the destination, and what a wonderful journey it is. By the time we realize we've been tricked into a chick flick, we're totally immersed in the storytelling and thoroughly enjoying the ride. And yes, I did call the winner of the Academy's Best Picture award (and 7 other Oscars) for 2008 a chick flick.

The Opposite View: Fred Topel, Can Magazine

What the Internet Says: 8.5/10 on imdb.com (#49 all time as of 4/16/09), 94% on rottentomatoes.com, 86/100 on metacritic.com

MY SCORE: 8.5/10