Movie news on your iPhone today!
Advertisement
Sign in
Username   Password         Forgot password?
Wanna join? Sign up
Find movies you'll love

JakeStevens Blog

  • Randall Wallace Is No Director, And It Shows

    Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
    Under discussion:

    I can't say I was all that impressed with this film, the chief reason being that I kept focusing on the accents in the film. What boggles my mind is why a filmmaker would go to such extremes to make sure everything LOOKS right (costumes, production design, etc), but your actors SOUND like mid-westerners. Reading the liner notes that came with the DVD, DiCaprio even went so far as to take etiquette lessons to make sure his mannerisms were fitting for the time, and yet he doesn't even seem able to curl his R's. But then, Randall Wallace is a hack director AND writer - the man behind the dreck that is Pearl Harbor and We Were Soldiers. So I place the blame more on his shoulders than on anyone else's. One thing I found interesting is how fitting it is to have Peter Sarsgaard playing John Malkovich's son - they sound EXACTLY alike and their facial features are strikingly similar, too. Byrne, Irons Malkovich and Depardieu and good as usual, but their performances can't save this sinking ship

  • In AFI's Top 100 For A Reason

    Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
    Under discussion:

    I keep reading posts about what this film would be like if made today minus its time-placing colloquialisms. I'll tell you: the film will fail. This film was made with so much care, the characters so perfectly played by the actors portraying them that I believe it would be an exercise in futility (not to mention a huge waste of money). See this film, enjoy it for what it is - there's a reason Bogey and the Hustons are enduring stars - their work will last the ages (much like Hemmingway and Steinbeck, in my opinion). I will probably end up watching this film numerous times because it was such a joy. Now that I know what to expect, I'll be on the lookout for the various nuances in every aspect of its being. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

  • Nolan Shines Again

    Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
    Under discussion:

    The Prestige  (2006)

    An intriguing tale told well. I'm hesitant to go into too much detail here as anyone who hasn't seen it OR heard about it (I went into the film completely fresh and with no expectations) will, I believe, enjoy it that much more. There are a few loose ends that don't seem to tie up at the denouement, but it IS, after all, a movie about magic and illusion and not letting the secret out. I believe it's partially left up to the viewer to decide what they REALLY saw. Great film. Highly recommended.

 


Advertisement