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Total Recall
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Directed by Paul Verhoeven.
In Paul Verhoeven's wild sci-fi action movie Total Recall, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a 21st-century construction worker who discovers that his entire memory of the past derives from a memory chip implanted in his brain. Schwarzenegger learns that he's actually a secret agent who had become a threat to the government, so those in power planted the chip and invented a domestic lifestyle for him. Once he has realized his true identity, he travels to Mars to piece together the rest of his identity, as well as to find the man responsible for his implanted memory. Verhoeven has created a fast, furious action film with Total Recall, filled with impressive stunts and (literally) eye-popping visuals. Though the film bears only a passing resemblance to the Philip K. Dick short story it was based on ("We Can Remember It For You Wholesale"), the movie is an entertaining, if very violent, ride. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
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mercurialmercurial Re:Let me know
by mercurial in Five for Five
liked it.
"Arnold Schwarzenegger: 5 * True Lies 4 * Total Recall 3 * Conan the Barbarian 2 * Twins 1 * Junior " [More]
SpoutBlogSpoutBlog Trailer of the Day: Journey to ...
by SpoutBlog in SpoutBlog on spout.com
hasn't rated it.
Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"I am one of the biggest supporters of digital 3D, but I just can’t get behind Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D. It appears to be the most exploitive of the technology as little more than a gimmick and attraction. Every bit of computer generated imagery looks tailor made to look neat in three-dimensions. And then the story was probably constructed around those shots. Hell, even that non-CGI shot of Brendan Fraser spitting into the sink seems to exist only so that the spit will appear to fly at you. This isn’t a movie; it’s an amusement park-appropriate spectacle — like Captain EO. Directed by Oscar-winning ILM effects master Eric Brevig (Total Recall) and based on the classic Jules Verne story, Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D is obviously about a journey to the center of the earth, in 3D. It also apparently features dinosaurs, phosphorescent hummingbirds, giant man-eating fly-trap-type plants and a really, really long fall that reminds me of Fraser’s role in the underrate ... " [More]
WindbreakerWindbreaker BLACK BOOK
by Windbreaker in Windbreaker!
loved it.
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"7/10. To me, 8+ would qualify for "loved it". I like Paul Verhoeven, and I root for him to make quality films. He doesn't always make a great flick, but he often has flashes of greatness. Total Recall & Robocop are required viewing for any sci-fi fan, but obviously not in the same filmmaking universe as Black Book. Basic Instinct was a very good murder mystery that comes closest in feel to BB -- its moral ambiguity and passion (both good and evil) are central themes.Calling BB an epic is a stretch for me, unless you're just referring to the 2 1/2 hour running time. An epic is a movie that successfully captures viewers for the duration of a journey, while richly establishing characters. I thought the characters were rich and the acting superb, but the story let me down just a smidge. I'd definitely recommend it for the non-squeamish, but I'm not buying it. Don't take my squeamish warning lightly! There are a few brutal scenes in here. " [More]
josephkuzmajosephkuzma Re: Top 5 Guilty Pleasure films
by josephkuzma in Top 5
is neutral about it.
"My list is more guilty pleasures as actors, not films. I could probably make Top 5 lists out of each of these people and more... but here goes: 1. Sylvester Stallone: Rocky II, III & IV. I don't include the first because it's a great movie and I am not ashamed of liking it. I didn't include V because it's crap. And I haven't seen Rocky Balboa so I can't say one way or the other. Also Cop Land.2. Arnold Schwarzenegger's 80s (and early 90s) catalog defines guilty pleasure over and over. I hate that I like Twins, Terminator, The Running Man, Total Recall, Predator. However, I will proudly say that I like T2. Now if only T3 had been watchable...3. Keanu Reeves - Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure/Bogus Journey, Matrix: Reloaded/Revolutions (the first wasn't a guilty pleasure in my book), Point Break , Feeling Minnesota, My Own Private Idaho, The Devil's Advocate, The Watcher.I could almost combine 4 - 5 and some of them probably aren't ... " [More]
PuhnnerPuhnner Minority Report; the beginnings ...
by Puhnner in Puhnner Blog
loved it.
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"everything moves very quickly towards somewhere...Minority Report, Total Recall, Imposter, Paycheck, A Scanner Darkly, Blade Runner; what was Philip K. Dick thinking??? because it seems to be coming true... from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/fron tpage/story/0,,2009229,00.html The brain scan that can read people's intentionsCall for ethical debate over possible use of new technology in interrogation Ian Sample, science correspondentFriday February 9, 2007The Guardian Using the technology is 'like shining a torch, looking for writing on a wall'. CT image: Charles O'Rear/Corbis A team of world-leading neuroscientists has developed a powerful technique that allows them to look deep inside a person's brain and read their intentions before they act. The research breaks controversial new ground in scientists' ability to probe people's minds and eavesdrop on their thoughts, and raises serious ethical issues over how brain-reading technology may be used in the f ... " [More]
Review by All Movie Guide
All Movie Guide
is neutral about it.
Total Recall revels in the state-of-the-art special effects and frantic violence characteristic to most of director Paul Verhoeven's American productions. Though based on a story by the creator of Blade Runner, author Philip K. Dick, Total Recall is more of an action movie than a philosophical rumination on identity. Still, the film gets a lot of mileage out of the questionable notion that "you are what you remember." The screenplay was finally credited to seven screenwriters; it had bounced around Hollywood for a number of years with different directors and stars before it reached Verhoeven. The director's brand of high-octane, cartoonish, violence is a good fit with the material, though his style may have been better-suited to 1988's more satiric Robocop. The movie received a special-achievement Academy Award for its impressive effects. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide
 



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