Tag: movie-review

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hot fuzz indeed

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So here’s my review of Hot Fuzz, the new film from the wonderfully brilliant team that brought us one of my favorite movies of all time, Shaun of the Dead:

It. fucking. rocked.

Let me start by saying that the first half of the film did drag on for a bit, but I learned later, that what they were doing was building to a crescendo. And, when the twist was finally unveiled, I was seriously overcome with laughter. I couldn’t stop laughing, because this movie is done in a similar style to Shaun of the Dead, but with more punch, and more non-stop crazy action. The humor is sprinkled throughout, and comes at you from every direction. Often, one phrase, or the placement of one word reveals just how powerful of a comedy duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost truly are. These two are amazing together, and they seriously burn up the screen.

I have to say, that I was honestly quite surprised about the plot, now that I have seen the movie, mainly because it wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I mean, they do a really great job of hiding the plot twist from you, which I really appreciate, because I hate when you know a movie from the preview. I didn’t see it coming at all, and it totally shocked me; but only for a second, because the twist is when they laid the humor on THICK. These guys are amazing; I was scared that I wouldn’t like this movie, mainly because I am so in love with Shaun of the Dead, that I really didn’t want to be disappointed by Hot Fuzz… And I wasn’t.

I can’t wait to see this movie again, it is a laugh out loud hilarious, full of action (seriously, A LOT of action), and hilariously staged circumstances and characters. They use the same brand of humor that they excellently displayed in Shaun of the Dead, and prove that it is important not to underestimate your surroundings or those around you. I also have to say, that it is official; I definitely have a huge crush on Simon Pegg now. He is so freaking cute, and so is Nick Frost. I absolutely love those two together, because they are totally believable; mainly because of the real on screen chemistry they have and wield effortlessly.

If you loved Shaun of the Dead, do yourself a favor and get your ass out to the theater to see this mega HIT from the brilliant Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright; you will love it. If you didn’t like Shaun of the Dead, well, then something is clearly wrong with you, and you don’t matter. I am so happy that my anticipation for this movie was tremendously exceeded, and I can’t wait to see what these guys have up their sleeves next! I loved this movie so much that I am going to throw the full six stars at it ()! HOT FUZZ BABY! PUNCH. THAT. SHIT!

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300, daylight savings time, flickr musings, and one BRIEF word about AI

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First of all, 300 opens today, and I want to start by saying that I have been waiting for this movie since I heard it was even being made. Needless to say (not to say how it happened, or when I have seen it… tee hee hee), I was completely blown away. The visuals are visceral and intense. The bodies of the men and women in this movie go beyond toned, and into the realm of sculpture. The acting is top notch, and the cinematography is at a minimum breath taking. This movie truly is an orgy for the eyes. The fighting and the special effects used in this movie put much of the other stuff I have seen to shame. I also find it completely fascinating that this is loosely based on a real battle, the Battle of Thermopylae, where king Leonidas, king of Sparta stood to protect his people. These men held an amazing level of courage and insane sense of loyalty, if you ask me, and it is eloquently portrayed in this film. As someone who loved Sin City, knowing that this was based on (as well as worked on by him as well) Frank Miller’s graphic novels of the same title, I was not only excited to see this, I was extremely pleased that the movie delivered, and I loved what I saw. Frank Miller is a force to be reckoned with, and if this is the type of thing we can expect from his projects in the future, I commit to have my eyes and ears peeled to whatever move he makes next. 300 is everything I hoped it could be, and more. The actors are beautiful (seriously, Gerard Butler is hot, but in 300? I mean, goddamn. And you lesbians… Uh, Lena Headey? WOW! She also wins the award for women’s lib in this movie). The fighting is epic. The special effects are unreal. The movie, is a beautiful triumph. Full 6 out of 6 stars (, folks; this one is NOT to be missed. You MUST see this in the theaters for yourself. This is what movies should be like. Wow.

Daylight savings time (DST)… seriously… Why do we do that anymore? I know, I know, gain an hour of daylight in the evening, shift it in the morning later in the year; but based on the headache that it is causing a lot of people this year, I ask, what is the point? There has been a criticism of the importance of this practice since its inception, and I just wonder if this criticism deserves more investigation. I for one don’t think that it serves much of a purpose, because it is really only one hour. Eventually, the day grows longer or shorter, regardless if time jumps forward or backward that one hour. So why worry about it?

Also, I wanted to put the word out, that I created a flickr group called Holy Cow!!!, and hope that you will join me. Now, I usually don’t get that excited about flickr groups and whatnot, but I am excited about this, because I came up with idea, basically, because of the lack of such a group. I think that it is cool to have a flickr group where we can put photos that we find astonishing, and even post those of our own that make us go “holy cow!” when we see them! Isn’t that fun? If you aren’t a member of the group, now’s your chance, go here and join up! I want to see how many people and how many awesome photos we can get involved.

Finally, and I promise this will be brief; HOW IN THE FUCK did Sanjaya Malakar make it into the top 12??!?!?!? I am serious people, I am not trying to be mean to the kid, but he can’t hold a candle to anyone on the show. If you don’t care about American Idol, please disregard this vent, and go on with your day. Thank you.

Well, that’s about it for me. Have a good weekend everyone! I am going to see 300 again tomorrow! You should too!

movie musings

pan’s labyrinth: my review

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It started with a move to a base camp; her mother pregnant with her new husband’s (the Commander) baby. Ofelia is forced into a place where she doesn’t feel comfortable, but something mysterious awaits her… her fate. Near the base camp, there is an old labyrinth, which Ofelia discovers soon after her arrival. Little does she know, she is in for more than an adventure when she meets the labyrinth’s inhabitant, a mystical faun. The faun tells her of her past, and of her destiny, and tells her that she must listen to him and complete several tasks he requires of her, and she agrees to help; all while dealing with a violent Commander as her new father, and watching over her mother during her pregnancy.

What you have just read is a brief synopsis of the beginning of Guillermo del Toro’s brilliant movie, Pan’s Labyrinth. The movie, billed as a fairy tale, is grim, dark, violent, and horrifying at times. You sit in your seat captivated by what you see on the screen, and feel yourself clench the armrests because of your worry about the characters you are watching on the screen; especially little Ofelia. She is probably one of the bravest little girls ever born, because she manages to hold her composure up against things that would terrify me to the point of a breakdown; and she does it over and over again. I won’t go into too much detail about the movie, but what I will say, is that my friend Lori was exactly right, it is “like a very dark, more grown up version of The Neverending Story”. Remember the story of young Bastian exploring the Land of Fantasia by reading about a hero named Atreyu in his story book, only to find out what he has read is real? This movie follows a similar formula, but without the book, and with a more personal experience by the main character, Ofelia. While it is definitely not child friendly, as there is a lot of violence, as well as some pretty explicit and gruesome scenes, this fairy tale is one that really gives its all to the viewer, and leaves you wondering just what happened for real when it is over. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, both for its visual journey, as well as for the harrowing story of a young girl caught in the middle of a post war occupation, seeking to fulfill her destiny; which she learns about by meeting an unlikely friend in a creepy faun.

This movie was definitely one that I was excited about seeing, and I am very glad that I went; I will definitely want to get this on DVD to see again. The little girl who plays Ofelia is awesome, and the costumes for the faun and the thing that has the eyes in its palms are simply amazing. The story is great, sad, and scary at times, and will captivate your attention, and make you care about the people. It captures that element of prisoners being subjected to imprisonment by an evil dictator, and how they cope with their situation. Powerful. With that being said, I am enthusiastically giving this movie the full 6 out of 6 stars (). The only other thing about this movie I want to say is… GO SEE IT! You will be glad you did. I lied, I do have one other thing to mention, because I know that some people will be pissed if they didn’t know this, and went to see it and hated subtitles… yes, it is subtitled, the whole movie is in Spanish. But that doesn’t change how I feel about it at all… so it shouldn’t stop you either!!