Brief thoughts on Memento

When we first started watching this film I found it a bit hard to follow, but now that I've gotten into it I find it intriguing. The idea of a person with about a 15 minute span of memory is odd enough, but to mix that with the backwards progression of the story, makes this quite an original film. I believe that Carrie Ann Moss' character was the murderer, and what was written on the picture would be either "she is the one", "kill her" or something to the effect of "I love her". Interestingly enough Mr. Bennett posed this question in class, citing "she is the one" as an example, Does that mean we are being told the actual story, or a red herring? I wonder...

Star Trek

WOW. Just when I thought I might have a successful social life I sit down to write a review of the new Star Trek film. All I can say is WOW...again! This movie was done so beautifully cast so perfectly and the special effects were done flawlessly. I can remember seeing older Star Trek films with my uncle years ago, although I never watched the show (it was pretty lame) I was able to get into the movies and enjoy them. The last film I saw with my uncle was the critically panned 2002 film Star Trek: Nemesis. Although one of the worst Star Trek films, I still enjoyed it. And every time I see it on T.V. it reminds me of my uncle. I realise that he would have held the highest regards for this new film. One of the best features about the movie is the acting. Although each character is well known in their older forms, the younger actors provide something new to the mix. Almost every character has their humorous moments, especially Scotty (played now by Simon Pegg, yes Shaun of the Dead). Another surprising cast member is Justin Cho (Harold from Harold and Kumar) as Sulu. I found it sort of odd that I could explain to my friends who the characters were, despite not watching a single episode of the series. This brings me now to the wide appeal of the film. While most Star Trek films baffle audiences with its slow plots and hard to understand technical jargon. This film does away by all that and creates a primarily character driven story, where the famed enterprise takes a backseat to the acting. Another factor that differs this from other Star Trek films is its soundtrack. As far as I can remember Star Trek films don't have the epic film of a Star Wars films, where even the worst ones have amazing scores that make you go WOW, despite the actual movie making you go WTF!!!. This films soundtrack gives it an epic feel, like no other Star Trek film. In essence it watches like a good Star Wars film within the Star Trek universe, and has alot of good actors (F*%$ YOU HAYDEN CHRISTIANSEN!!!). While I'm on the topic of music, I might as well delve into the realm of sound altogether. The sound design is perfect. One particular scene where the Enterprise bombards and enemy ship is particularly memorable. The sounds of the laser, warps, and ship movements are crisply done to perfection. The plot itself is very interesting. It is not a true prequel nor a true reboot. It offers the back story of the original series, yet at the same times paves the way for new adventures. That's all I will say about the plot so as not to ruin it. But Nero as a villain is awesome! His Goliath ship will not soon be forgotten. All in all my final word is. SEE THIS MOVIE! You don't have to be a Star Trek Fanboy to enjoy it. It in many ways surpasses almost all other Star Trek films, because unlike most of them it has a little thing called cinematography, and you will not be staring at the bridge of a spaceship for 2plus hours. Again SEE THIS MOVIE!

Schindler's List Part 2

Given the little amount of time I had to write my last review I did not get an opportunity to touch on some of the finer aspects of why this is just a powerful and awesome movie. The acting is amazing, and the cinematography is unparalleled. Spielberg takes what could have been a long and boring historical story and turns it into pure magic. Even though most of those killed in the movie are not given names the audience cringes each time a prisoner is shot in cold blood. Some of the more graphic scenes come close to depicting the true horror of the holocaust. Jews are treated as animals and herded into hot boxcars, ferrying them to their deaths. Scenes where prisoners are stripped make you feel disgusted with humanity, and those who committed these atrocities. As I have said before the acting is amazing. Liam Neeson is astounding. His quest to save as many people as possible is unforgettable. Although he has saved so many lives, and done so much good he still cries that he could not save more people. In the middle of the film a religious service is held where the only color is the fire from the candles. It is possible that these fires are meant to represent the goodness of Schindler in a world gone mad. No good hero is without his counterpart. The antagonist of the film is the unforgettable Amon Goeth played by Ralph Fiennes. For every ounce of goodness contained in Schindler, Goeth has an ounce of evil. The concentration camp he runs sits under his giant mansion where he holds lavish parties. If this is not enough to dishearten the prisoners, Goeth will occasionally stand on his balcony and shoot prisoners. Later on in the film when one prisoner tries to escape, he gathers all the men in the prisoners barracks, and shoots 20 of them. True irony lies in that despite his murderous rampages, he is instrumental in Schindlers plan. When orders form higher up say to "liquidate" the prisoners, Goeth takes a bribe from Schindler and thus keeping the prisoners alive. Had he not been such an immoral person, he would have refused the offer and sealed the fates of the prisoners. I've basically run the train on praise for this movie. Now it is time to review the negative aspects. None. The end.

Schindler's List

As an avid fan of movies I make it a point to watch all of the classics. So it is a shock that I have just watched Schindler's list for the first time. The only reason I got the idea to watch it was because I saw it on HBO. Luckily I could start it from the beginning and watch this amazing film in its entirety. Even staying until 10 o'clock at school of play rehearsals, and being overly tired, I found myself unable to stop watching. I found this movie both the most depressing, yet inspiring film I have ever watched. The story begins with a religious service in color. As candles burn out the light fades and the film descends into black and white, with the smoke of the candle quickly turning into the smoke of a train. This smoke is highly important as it symbolizes the smoke of the Nazi death camps. Jews from all over Poland are transported to Ghettos where they are crowded like rats in horrible living conditions. We then see Oskar Schindler partying with Nazi officers, gaining his connections. He then uses the persecuted Jews to create a company so he can turn a profit from the war. The business goes well for awhile, until Amon Goeth , a Nazi officers come to town with orders to create and run a concentration camp. Then in one of the most disturbing scenes of the film, the German army storms into the Ghetto and dragging people out and into the camps. Any who resist are murdered with no remorse. Some Jews hide in walls, floors, beds, and cabinets. Possibly most disturbing about this scene is a sequence in which the army storms into the buildings killing everyone while a German officer plays merrily on the piano, seemingly enjoying itself. While this horror is taking place Schindler watches helplessly from a hilltop. The audience can see that Schindler's motives switch from trying to make mere profit, but to save lives. While he watches we can see a little girl walking among the carnage. she is easily identifiable because although the film is black and white, her coat is bright red. The audience does not know her fate until later in the film when Goeth is ordered to burn all the bodies of this massacre. Schindler's recognizes her among all the dead bodies, and almost begins to weep. The burning scene may just be the most disturbing scene in the film with bodies brought on conveyor belts into the fire. The only reactions the Germans have is to the intense smell. This helps show their lack of caring and or disassociation. Eventually Schindler wastes all of his fortune to buy the Jews and save their lives. And in a powerful scene which literally brought me to tears he crys and screams that he could have saved more people if he had just sold his car or even a pin. Although the pin may have only bought 1 person he is ashamed for not doing so. The movie ends in color with the real Schindler Jews escorted by the actors portraying them placing rocks on Oskar Schindler's grave. The audience learns that their are 4000 Jews living in Poland in 1993, yet there are 6000 decedents of the Schindler Jews.

3000 Miles to Graceland

I've reviewed some great movies, and I've reviewed some terrible movies, but now I will review a film that is just plain fun. 3000 Miles to Graceland is just that movie. One reviewer described it as "Crap, but good Crap". It follows the story of a group of thieves who rob a casino. But to make things interesting (and a little humorous) They decide to rob it on a night dedicated to Elvis impersonators. In one of the coolest scenes in the movie the robbers storm into the vault then fight their way out through the main casino floor dressed as Elvis. This scene was especially funny, because one of the robbers was black. During the process of the shooting the 4 manage to hold off the entire security staff and escape on a helicopter. Soon afterwards they begin to divide the money and Kevin Kostner's character, Murphy, betrays the rest of them and steals the cash. Any heist movie needs some sort of "good" bad guy. Kurt Russel's character Zane survives and decides and through a twist of fate makes it back to the hotel where the money was left, before Murphy can get there. He is forced to take along Courtney Cox's character Cybil and her son along to Canada where he will escape the law hunting him. Eventually and predictably there is a big gunfight, and three criminals aiding Murphy manage to hold off 20-30 SWAT, and assorted other police. In a predictable manner the SWAT team takes heavy casualties, and an amazingly staged gunfight unfolds, that will make you go "Wow this movie wasn't that bad". AS an added bonus you get to see rapper Ice T hang by a rope on his ankles fly over the swat teams mowing them down with 2 UZIs! While this adds nothing to the movies significance, it just looks cool. As for the characters, Kurt Russel plays a down to Earth decent criminal, who tries really hard not to kill anyone (and succeeds). While Koster's on the other hand is the exact opposite. He kills without mercy and comes back for more. He is a true bad ass, and a crazy SOB. At one point him and a police officer have a disagreement, and they decide to have a western style draw and shoot, complete with a split second slow motion bullets. All in all the film has no literary merit whatsoever, but if your looking to see a lot of people die, and stuff blow up, this is definitely the movie for you.

3:10 to Yuma endig

IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN 3:10 to Yuma DO NOT READ ANY FURTHERSPOILER!!!!!!!








While many have problems with Bale dying I see none. It creates a sort of moral ambiguity that goes against most western films. The good guy does not always win. The one issue I have is that after the cows are released in the middle of the firefight, Bale turns around to look and Crowe. Now after having practically an entire town shooting at you and have to run through the streets to avoid gunfire from all sides, WHY IN THE HELL WOULD YOU TURN YOUR BACK TO THE PLACE WHERE ALL OF THE REMAINING FIRE CAME FROM!! It makes no sense whatsoever. After exhibiting intelligence throughout the film, why pull one of the stupidest actions a western gunfighter can do? Despite not liking his death, I did however really enjoy the scene where Crowe shoots and kills all of his former comrades, and then relinquishes his weapons.

3:10 ot Yuma

I really am not a fan of westerns. Ys i do enjoy the occasional John Wayne movie, but as far as anything in the past decade I'm not an avid fan. I must say that I was drawn to this movie by the great reviews and trailers. Plus I know that Russel Crowe and Christian Bale are bound to give a half decent performance, but on this one I was completely wrong. They gave amazing performances. Crowes character tried to get into everyone's head and mess with their minds. He seemed to me like he was a crosse between John Wayne and Hannibal Lecter. As the film opens yyou see he is a rutheless outlaw who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Christian Bale is a poor hard working rancher who puts his family before himself.When the two meet it becoems apparent that he has to do something drastic to save his land from a corrupt official. He volunteers to escort Wade (Crowe) to Yuma via a 3:10 train. Along the way the encounter Apaches and corrupt mine workers. Through this time both characters bond and develope a sort of mutual understanding. In the end they are hold up in a hotel room waiting for the train, but Wades gang has found them and prepare togive Bale and his friends the fight of his life. I incredibly enjoyed the well staged acton sequences, and intense chases, but these are not the films only strengths. As I said before the acting was amazing, and the directing was fantastic. The only issue I have with the film is its ending (which i will not discusshere for fear of spoiling it for others) All in all it was a great movie and I highly recomend it. If you want my opinions on the ending read my next post.