Author Topic: Tom's Random Reviews  (Read 858500 times)

Offline addicted2dvd

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #600 on: March 20, 2010, 11:32:17 PM »
Thanks Tom... will have to remember to add it to my Ryan Reynolds collection.
Pete

snowcat

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #601 on: March 20, 2010, 11:35:20 PM »
Thanks Tom... Ive been thinking about getting this to watch for a while.

Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #602 on: March 21, 2010, 10:06:12 PM »


Title: The Sixth Sense
Year: 1999
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: FSK-16
Length: 103 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85
Audio: German: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 5.1, German: DTS 5.1
Subtitles: German

Stars:
Bruce Willis
Haley Joel Osment
Toni Collette
Olivia Williams
Trevor Morgan

Plot:
Hollwood superstar Bruce Willis (Armageddon, The Siege) brings a powerful presence to an edge-of-your-seat supernatural thriller that critics are calling one of the nest movies of 1999. Dr. Malcom Crowe (Willis) is a distinguished child psychologist haunted by the painful memory of a disturbed young patient he was unable to help. So when he meets Cole Sear (Hale Joel Osment - Forrest Gump)... a frightened, confused eight-year-old with a similar condition... Dr. Crowe seeks to redeem himself by doing everthing he can. Nonetheless, Malcolm is unprepared to learn the truth of what haunts Cole: terrifying, unwanted visits from the restless inhabitants of the spirit world. With a riveting intensity you'll find thoroughly chilling and utterly unforgettable, the discovery of Cole's incredible 6th sense leads them both to mysterious and unforeseeable consequences.

Awards:
Academy Award1999NominatedBest DirectorM. Night Shyamalan
Academy Award1999NominatedBest Film EditingAndrew Mondshein
Academy Award1999NominatedBest PictureFrank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, Barry Mendel (Producers)
Academy Award1999NominatedBest Supporting ActorHaley Joel Osment
Academy Award1999NominatedBest Supporting ActressToni Collette
Academy Award1999NominatedBest Writing, Original ScreenplayM. Night Shyamalan
AFI1999Won100 Years... 100 Movies (2007)
AFI1999Won100 Years... 100 Quotes (2005)"Quote": I see dead people.
AFI1999Won100 Years... 100 Thrills (2001)
American Cinema Editors Awards2000NominatedBest Edited Feature Film – DramaAndrew Mondshein
American Society of Cinematographers Awards2000NominatedOutstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical ReleasesTak Fujimoto
ASCAP Awards2000WonTop Box Office FilmsJames Newton-Howard
BAFTA1999NominatedEditingAndrew Mondshein
BAFTA1999NominatedFilmFrank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, Barry Mendel
BAFTA1999NominatedOriginal ScreenplayM. Night Shyamalan
BAFTA1999NominatedThe David Lean Award For Achievement In DirectionM. Night Shyamalan
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards2000WonFavorite Actor - Newcomer (Internet Only)Haley Joel Osment
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards2000WonFavorite Actor - SuspenseBruce Willis
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards2000WonFavorite Supporting Actress - SuspenseToni Collette
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards2000WonBest Child PerformanceHaley Joel Osment
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards2000NominatedBest Picture
Casting Society of America Awards2000NominatedBest Casting for Feature Film – DramaAvy Kaufman
Cinema Audio Society Awards2000NominatedOutstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Feature FilmReilly Steele, Michael Kirchberger, Allan Byer
Directors Guild of America2000NominatedOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion PicturesM. Night Shyamalan
Empire Magazine Awards2000WonBest DirectorM. Night Shyamalan
Golden Globe1999NominatedActor in a Supporting RoleHaley Joel Osment
Golden Globe1999NominatedScreenplayM. Night Shyamalan
Hugo Award2000NominatedDramatic Presentation
International Horror Guild Awards1999NominatedBest Horror Film
MTV Movie Awards2000WonBest Male Breakthrough PerformanceHaley Joel Osment
MTV Movie Awards2000NominatedBest Male PerformanceBruce Willis
MTV Movie Awards2000NominatedBest Movie
MTV Movie Awards2000NominatedBest On-screen DuoBruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment
Online Film Critics Society Awards2000NominatedBest DebutHaley Joel Osment
Online Film Critics Society Awards2000NominatedBest Screenplay, OriginalM. Night Shyamalan
Online Film Critics Society Awards2000WonBest Supporting ActorHaley Joel Osment
Satellite Awards2000NominatedBest Actress in a Supporting Role – DramaToni Collette
Satellite Awards2000WonBest Film EditingAndrew Mondshein
Satellite Awards2000WonBest Screenplay – OriginalM. Night Shyamalan
Satellite Awards2000NominatedBest SoundAllan Byer, Michael Kirchberger
Saturn1999NominatedBest ActorBruce Willis
Saturn1999WonBest Horror Film
Saturn1999WonBest Performance by a Younger ActorHaley Joel Osment
Saturn1999NominatedBest ScreenplayM. Night Shyamalan
Screen Actors Guild Award1999NominatedBest Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting RoleHaley Joel Osment
Teen Choice Awards2000WonFilm - Choice Breakout PerformanceHaley Joel Osment
Teen Choice Awards2000WonFilm - Choice Drama
Teen Choice Awards2000NominatedFilm - Choice SleazebagTrevor Morgan
Writers Guild of America Awards2000NominatedBest Screenplay Written Directly for the ScreenM. Night Shyamalan
Young Artist Awards2000WonBest Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young ActorHaley Joel Osment
YoungStar Awards2000WonBest Young Actor/Performance in a Motion Picture DramaHaley Joel Osment


Extras:
Deleted Scenes
DVD-ROM Content
Featurettes
Interviews
Production Notes
Scene Access
Storyboard Comparisons
Trailers

My Thoughts:
I haven't watched this movie in ten years (I cannot believe I have been collecting DVDs for this long now). This movie is still strong. It is still this director's best work. For some reason I enjoy this movie more after I knew the twist. When I first watched it many years ago, I thought it an okay movie until the ending put a new perspective on everything and then watched it a second time. It is fun to watch this movie with that knowledge and notice things which you didn't before.
What the movie really helped is the strong performance by Haley Joel Osment. Imagine they would have had the casting director of Star Wars: Episode I and we would have gotten Jake Llyod for this role (both movies came out around the same time). Shudder!

Rating:



Najemikon

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #603 on: March 21, 2010, 10:18:33 PM »
I haven't watched this movie in ten years (I cannot believe I have been collecting DVDs for this long now). This movie is still strong. It is still this director's best work. For some reason I enjoy this movie more after I knew the twist.

Definitely Night's best. In fact even his next two, which are good, start to reveal his weaknesses.

Regards the twist, this is how proper film narrative should work. If anything, a twisty film should be improved by knowing the truth. Planet of the Apes and Seven are I believe. Scream, not so much...  ;)

Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #604 on: March 21, 2010, 10:25:04 PM »
Planet of the Apes and Seven are I believe. Scream, not so much...  ;)

I have to admit that I haven't seen Seven yet. But I stayed clear of any spoilers about this movie should I ever get the chance to see it. I have put it on my amazon wishlist now. Maybe I will put it in my basket the next time I am ordering.



Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #605 on: March 24, 2010, 12:22:33 AM »


Title: My Bollywood Bride
Year: 2005
Director: Rajeev Manoj Virani
Rating: 12
Length: 92 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Surround
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Jason Lewis
Kashmira Shah
Sanjay Suri
Neha Dubey
Gulshan Grover

Plot:
When Alex (Sex and the City's Jason Lewis) and Reena (Bollywood star Kashmera Shah) meet by chance in LA, sparks fly and romance is definitely on the cards. Torn between her blossoming feelings for Alex and her Indian family values and obligations., Reena returns home without saying goodbye. Inspired by her words to 'follow your dreams', Alex decides to follow her to Mumbai and win her back. But Alex's quest is hindered by the fact that Reena has kept something very important about herself from him; she's the hottest film star in Bollywood! However, with help of a rambunctious rickshaw driver and a few of Reena's friends, Alex might just have a chance at winning her back and following his dreams.

In this fish out of water romantic comedy, Jason Lewis finds sex in a totally different city!

Awards:
Extras:
Scene Access

My Thoughts:
The story itself, though very simple and unoriginal, could have made a fun little movie. Bad acting all-around and amateurish sound mixing makes this movie very bad though.
The only watchable thing in this movie is the supporting actress Neha Dubey. I see that I got the chance to see her in another (hopefully better) movie I have bought at the same time: "Monsoon Wedding".

Rating:



Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #606 on: April 01, 2010, 08:55:03 PM »


Title: A.I. - Artificial Intelligence
Year: 2001
Director: Steven Spielberg
Rating: FSK-12
Length: 140 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85
Audio: German: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: Croatian, Czech, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish

Stars:
Haley Joel Osment
Frances O'Connor
Sam Robards
Jake Thomas
Jude Law

Plot:
In a future world of runaway global warming and awe-inspiring scientific advances, humans share every aspect of their lives with sophisticated companion robots called Mechas. But when an advanced prototype robot child named David (Haley Joel Osment) is programmed to show unconditional love, his family isn't prepared for the consequences. Suddenly, David is on his own in a strange and dangerous world. Befriended by a streetwise Mecha (Jude Law), David embarks on a spectacular quest to discover the startling secret of his own identity.

Awards:
Extras:
Featurettes
Scene Access

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this movie in the beginning. Haley Joel Osment does a really great job at portraying this robot child. My problems with this movie start with the beginning of the "mother"'s change of heart. Initially very creeped out by David, she suddenly accepts him.
I could have accepted it for the sake of the story, but the movie really got boring after David was abandoned. Though I got a kick out of Teddy. Partially creepy but somehow cute and believable toy nonetheless.
The ending didn't help matters. Maybe if I had it seen it at the time of release I wouldn't have had such a problem with it. But after Indy 4 I just couldn't help thinking, if this is now the typical Spielberg ending.

I think it would have been more fun to explore the life of the family over the years. Why would anyone get a robot child which (presumably) never ages? How did they think they could have hidden this fact from others?

Rating:



Najemikon

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #607 on: April 01, 2010, 09:53:22 PM »
The ending didn't help matters. Maybe if I had it seen it at the time of release I wouldn't have had such a problem with it. But after Indy 4 I just couldn't help thinking, if this is now the typical Spielberg ending.

 :-X

 :laugh:

I've already said reactions to this ending is one of my pet peeves, because I do think it is a superb, elegant conclusion that works beautifully. However I'm not sure I get the link with Indy 4. Now that's another Spielbergian conclusion to generate much gnashing of teeth and again, I actually like it, but in that case I do at least understand peoples reservations. I can't think of A.I. as typical though.

I think it would have been more fun to explore the life of the family over the years. Why would anyone get a robot child which (presumably) never ages? How did they think they could have hidden this fact from others?

Now I do disagree with you overall and love this film, but that's one of the best critical points I've heard against it.

The film does address it, though not explicitly. Any family that buys one of these robots does so out of their own selfishness, the same reason the professor designed it. In one sense, it's a film about how we deal with grief and how it perverts our sense of right. The professor thinks he's doing a good thing, but the unspoken tragedy is exactly what you say. The child will not grow up, therefore he has to be abandoned or prove his 'parents' insanity.

It's easy to assume that the story could easily have explored that much more, but in fact he gets dumped relatively quickly. It's strictly a narrative about David, so it would have been an entirely different film with him as a rather passive character if they had gone that way, but still, it would have been a valid story.

Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #608 on: April 03, 2010, 11:07:45 PM »


Title: The Wedding Singer
Year: 1998
Director: Frank Coraci
Rating: FSK-6
Length: 93 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, German: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English, German

Stars:
Adam Sandler
Drew Barrymore
Christine Taylor
Allen Covert
Matthew Glave

Plot:
You are cordially invited to fall in love with one of the funniest romantic comedies of the year! It's 1985 and Robbie Hart (Adam Sandler, Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison) is the ultimate master of ceremonies... until he is left at the altar at his own wedding. Devastated, he becomes a newlywed's worst nightmare - an entertainer who can do nothing but destroy other people's weddings. It's not until he meets a warm-hearted waitress named Julia (Drew Barrymore, Scream), that he starts to pick up the pieces of his heart. The only problem is Julia's about to have a wedding of her own and unless Robbie can pull off the performance of a lifetime, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever.

From big hair to Billy Idol (as himself), The Wedding Singer features a hilarious cast and a platinum soundtrack including 80's hits from CULTURE CLUB, DAVID BOWIE and THE POLICE.

Awards:
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards1999NominatedFavorite Actress - ComedyDrew Barrymore
BMI Film & TV Music Awards1998WonBMI Film Music AwardTeddy Castellucci
MTV Movie Awards1998NominatedBest Comedic PerformanceAdam Sandler
MTV Movie Awards1998WonBest KissAdam Sandler and Drew Barrymore
MTV Movie Awards1998NominatedBest On-screen DuoAdam Sandler and Drew Barrymore


Extras:
Production Notes
Scene Access

My Thoughts:
One of my favorite romantic comedies. Strange that this is the first time in six years that I have watched it again. I always loved the songs in this movie. And Drew Barrymore is really cute in this one. This movie and "50 First Dates" have a really good couple in Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Too bad those two didn't do more movies together.

Rating:



Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #609 on: April 04, 2010, 09:39:54 PM »


Title: Freaky Friday
Year: 2003
Director: Mark Waters
Rating: FSK-0
Length: 93 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85
Audio: German: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Turkish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Turkish

Stars:
Jamie Lee Curtis
Lindsay Lohan
Mark Harmon
Harold Gould
Chad Michael Murray

Plot:
In the tradition of 'The Princess Diaries', Disney's 'Freaky Friday' is the extremely funny and heartwarming comedy everyone will love. Dr. Tess Coleman (the hilarious Jamie Lee Curtis) and her teenage daughter Anna (rockin' Lindsay Lohan) have one thing in common - they don't relate to each other on anything. Not clothes or men or Anna's passion to be in a rock band. Nothing. Then one night a little mystic mayhem changes their lives and they wake up to the biggest freak-out ever. Tess and Anna are trapped inside each other's body! But Tess's wedding is Saturday, and the two must find a way to switch back - fast! Literally forced to walk in each other's shoes, will they gain respect and understanding for the other's point of view? Filled with comedy, rock 'n' roll and lots of heart, 'Freaky Friday' is freaking fun everyone can enjoy together.

Awards:
BMI Film & TV Music Awards2004WonBMI Film Music AwardRolfe Kent
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards2004NominatedBest Family Film – Live Action
Golden Globe2003NominatedActress in a Leading Role - Musical or ComedyJamie Lee Curtis
MTV Movie Awards2004WonBreakthrough FemaleLindsay Lohan
Satellite Awards2004NominatedBest Actress – Comedy or MusicalJamie Lee Curtis
Saturn2003NominatedBest ActressJamie Lee Curtis
Saturn2003NominatedBest Fantasy Film
Saturn2003NominatedBest WritingHeather Hach, Leslie Dixon
Saturn2003NominatedBest Young ActorLindsay Lohan
Teen Choice Awards2004WonChoice Breakout Movie Star - FemaleLindsay Lohan
Teen Choice Awards2004NominatedChoice Movie - Comedy
Teen Choice Awards2004WonChoice Movie Hissy FitLindsay Lohan
Young Artist Awards2004NominatedBest Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young ActressLindsay Lohan
Young Artist Awards2004NominatedBest Performance in a Feature Film – Young Actor Age Ten or YoungerRyan Malgarini


Extras:
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Music Videos
Outtakes
Scene Access

My Thoughts:
A great body-switch movie. In the beginning it is an okay movie, but after the switch took place the movie is real fun. Both actresses do a great job portraying the other self. And there are some real funny reactions by both of them.

Rating:



snowcat

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #610 on: April 05, 2010, 09:16:55 AM »
I like Freaky Friday.... *sigh* I tried to no avail to get my mum to watch it once  ::) she did not understand my point.

Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #611 on: April 05, 2010, 12:08:18 PM »


Title: In the Good Old Summertime
Year: 1949
Director: Robert Z. Leonard
Rating: NR
Length: 103 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 1
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Judy Garland
Van Johnson
S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall
Spring Byington
Clinton Sundberg

Plot:
IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME -- a tale of squabbling music shop clerks who don't know they're romantic pen pals – shares a celebrated movie lineage that includes James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan in 'The Shop Around the Corner' and Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in 'You've Got Mail'. In between those two, Judy Garland and Van Johnson had mail plus 'Gold Old' tunes evoking an era of strawboaters and silvery moons.

Sparked by Garland's comedic zest and musical appeal, this confection is "one of the sweetest, most unpretentious entertainments of 1949" (Clive Hirschhorn, 'The Hollywood Musical'). It's also a nostalgic farewell and a sunny hello. Buster Keaton appears in his final film for the studio he first joined in 1928. And Liza Minnelli, all of 18 months young, makes her debut in the finale.

Awards:
Writers Guild of America Awards1950NominatedBest Written American MusicalFrances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Ivan Tors


Extras:
Closed Captioned
Featurettes
Scene Access
Trailers
Vintage Traveltalks Shorts

My Thoughts:
A musical remake (though I am not sure if you can really call it a musical if all musical numbers have been worked into the story and are only songs performed by a character on-stage or sung to customers who have asked for it) of "The Shop Around the Corner" (which also was remade as "You've Got Mail").
I also enjoyed this version. The story is about the same as in "The Shop Around the Corner" with only minor changes. Judy Garland and Van Johnson are a good couple.
I just noticed that this is the only movie I have with Buster Keaton in it. He has a supporting role. As I understood it, he got this role because he was the only one they thought to be able to perform the comedy stunt believable were Mr. Oberkugen's violin gets broken.

Rating:



Offline addicted2dvd

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #612 on: April 05, 2010, 03:14:24 PM »
You lost me with the first 3 words of your thoughts!   :tease:
Pete

Offline Tom

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #613 on: April 05, 2010, 03:19:44 PM »
You lost me with the first 3 words of your thoughts!   :tease:

Though I can still recommend to you the original (non-musical) version "The Shop Around the Corner" if you enjoyed "You've Got Mail" (if you haven't already seen it).



Offline addicted2dvd

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Re: Tom's Random Reviews
« Reply #614 on: April 05, 2010, 03:22:01 PM »
Thanks!... That sounds more my speed! And yes... I did enjoy You've Got Mail. I never seen the original... but until recently I didn't know there was an original version (what with the completely different name). :P
Pete