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365 Day Unseen Movie Marathon – Day 64 – PUBLIC ENEMIES (2009)

Mar 05 2011 Published by Frantic Monkey under Film

Title: Public Enemies

Directed by: Michael Mann

Written by: Ronan Bennett and Michael Mann & Ann Biderman

Initial Flickchart position: #291 of 1378 overall. My #26 film, of 77, from the year 2009 (but this seems too low).

What It’s About:
The Feds try to take down notorious American gangsters John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd during a booming crime wave in the 1930s.

General Comments:
There’s definitely a certain amount of poetic licence taken with the story, and I’m not convinced that Mann’s trademark shakycam fits with the 1930′s aesthetic, but aside from those two quibbles Public Enemies is a very enjoyable film. Depp oozes the style, confidence and charisma needed for the part, and Bale is able to convey the false sense of confidence that his character demands extremely well. I was also quite impressed by Marion Cotillard, who’s just as good here as she is in Inception. I’m actually really disappointed that it took me nearly two years to see this film.

Watch Public Enemies because Johnny Depp is awesome, the story, style and mood of the film is fantastic, and because absolutely everyone in it does a great job.

Rating: 7/10

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365 Day Unseen Movie Marathon – Day 63 – TRON: LEGACY (2010)

Mar 04 2011 Published by Frantic Monkey under Film

Title: TRON: Legacy

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

Written by: Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz and Brian Klugman & Lee Sternthal

Initial Flickchart position: #319 of 1377 overall. My #29 film, of 73, from the year 2010 (but this seems too low).

What It’s About:
The son (Garrett Hedlund) of a virtual world designer (Jeff Bridges) goes looking for his father and ends up inside the digital world that his father designed. He meets his father’s creation turned bad and a unique ally (Olivia Wilde) who was born inside the digital domain of The Grid.

General Comments:
It’s far far better than TRON and could even have been a remake because you don’t need to have seen the first film to be able to jump in and enjoy this one. The look and style of the film is breathtakingly beautiful, and the Daft Punk soundtrack is fucking tits. Quorra being a miracle of perfection isn’t surprising considering she’s played by the stunning Olivia Wilde. It was neat to see Cillian Murphy with a tiny little role and I’m confident that if, or when, a sequel arrives, Murphy will have a far bigger role. James Frain as Jarvis was pretty fucking cool too.

Watch TRON: Legacy because it tells a pretty enjoyable story which looks jawdropping and features the heavenly Olivia Wilde.

Rating: 7/10

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365 Day Unseen Movie Marathon – Day 54 – THE GREEN HORNET (2011)

Feb 23 2011 Published by Frantic Monkey under Film

Title: The Green Hornet

Directed by: Michel Gondry

Written by: Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg and George W. Trendle

Current Flickchart position: #616 of 1367 overall. My #1 film, of 1, from the year 2011 (this is the first film from 2011 I’ve seen).

What It’s About:
Following the death of his father, Britt Reid (Seth Rogen), heir to his father’s large company, teams up with his late dad’s assistant Kato (Jay Chou) to become a masked crime fighting team.

General Comments:
It’s about as average as I’d expected it to be but I was very surprised how good Christoph Waltz was, even after seeing him in Inglourious Basterds. I also really liked the cameo from Edward Furlong, a guy I’m gonna love until the day I die. Cameron Diaz was terrible, just like she is in 90% of her movies.

Watch The Green Hornet to see Christoph Waltz deliver another great performance, and to see Seth Rogen as a dickish action hero.

Rating: 5.5/10

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X-MEN: FIRST CLASS looks surprisingly good

Feb 11 2011 Published by Frantic Monkey under Film

The first trailer for X-Men: First Class is out now and it looks pretty damn good. I think I’m gonna like the ’60s era setting together with a hopefully darker tone than the first three X-Men films.

It’s also worth noting that Michael Fassbender, a guy I thought was outstanding in Fish Tank, looks very impressive as a young Magneto.

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365 Day Unseen Movie Marathon – Day 29 – THE POSTMAN (1997)

Jan 29 2011 Published by Frantic Monkey under Film

Title: The Postman

Directed by: Kevin Costner

Written by: David Brin (novel), Eric Roth & Brian Helgeland

Current Flickchart position: #1093 of 1344 overall. My #36 film, of 48, from the year 1997.

What It’s About:
In a post-apocalyptic, totally anarchic America, circa 2013, a defector from the ranks of murderous despot General Bethlehem masquerades as a representative of the good old U.S. Postal Service. But his ruse so delights the weary, oppressed people he meets that it indeed becomes real–and he finds himself championing their rights and the American Way.

General Comments:
What a hodge podge film. It’s part western, civil war drama, action, adventure, patriotic propaganda, and morality tale. It’s just a shame the whole mix of genres and themes doesn’t amount to anything interesting. Not as good or enjoyable as Waterworld, which is a film I think gets a raw deal.

Watch The Postman for Kevin Costner (who I find charming) and the sexy as hell Olivia Williams.

Rating: 5/10

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365 Day Unseen Movie Marathon – Day 23 – RED DAWN (1984)

Jan 23 2011 Published by Frantic Monkey under Film

Title: Red Dawn

Directed by: John Milius

Written by: John Milius and Kevin Reynolds

Current Flickchart position: #525 of 1338 overall. My #11 film, of 17, from the year 1984.

What It’s About:
It is the dawn of World War III. In mid-western America, a group of teenagers bands together to defend their town, and their country, from invading Soviet forces.

General Comments:
It may be pure 80′s Cold War propaganda and fear-mongering but it’s damn enjoyable. I have a hard time believing the remake that’s coming is gonna have as much violence against kids as this, plus I’m 100% certain that it won’t be as good. Also, while I was watching the film I couldn’t help but draw some parallels to the situations in Afghanistan and Iraq. That may be a little misguided of me but I can see the possibility for nationals in those countries to view the presence of foreign armed forces, despite being there to help, as unwelcome invaders. I also couldn’t help but think of the song “America, Fuck Yeah” from Team America: World Police.

Watch this film for some great 80′s action and to see Charlie Sheen, Patrick Swayze, Lea Thompson and Jennifer Grey.

Rating: 6.5/10

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365 Day Unseen Movie Marathon – Day 22 – SPEED RACER (2008)

Jan 22 2011 Published by Frantic Monkey under Film

Title: Speed Racer

Written and Directed by: Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski

Current Flickchart position: #282 of 1337 overall. My #18 film, of 62, from the year 2008.

What It’s About:
Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is the youngest driver in the WRL (World Racing League), and his ultimate goal is to be the best driver in the world. When he was younger, he watched his older brother Rex compete in the Casa Cristo Cross Country Rally. Rex did not survive that race. Now, Speed Racer is participating in that very same cross country race and is determined to win where his brother did not.

General Comments:
It’s like a live-action hyper-colour cartoon. Talk about sensory overload. I’m really disappointed with myself for not watching this sooner. I loved the casting of Christina Ricci as Trixie, she’s just about the perfect girl to play an anime character with those fantastic big eyes of hers. The film is full of so much fun and excitement that the 135 minutes running time absolutely flies by. Ahhhh, it was so damn good to watch.

Watch Speed Racer for the fun and enthusiasm which shines through, for nonstop action, and the gorgeous eye candy.

Rating: 7.5/10

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365 Day Unseen Movie Marathon – Day 15 – THE ADVENTURES OF PLUTO NASH (2002)

Jan 15 2011 Published by Frantic Monkey under Film

Title: The Adventures of Pluto Nash

Directed by: Ron Underwood

Written by: Neil Cuthbert

Current Flickchart position: #894 of 1330 overall. My #35 film, of 54, from the year 2002.

What It’s About:
An ex-smuggler and ex-con nightclub owner on the Moon around the year 2087 named Pluto Nash (Eddie Murphy) is pressured by demanding mobster goons (including Joe Pantoliano as thuggish hitman Mogan) to turn over his successful establishment named Club Pluto for $10 million to reclusive and mysterious gangster kingpin Rex Crater. When the mob blows up the nightclub Nash became a fugitive with his new love interest Dina Lake (Rosario Dawson), and an outdated, bald android robot bodyguard named Bruno (Randy Quaid).

General Comments:
A little history:

It suffered possibly one of the largest financial losses (percentage-wise) ever recorded for a film — approximately a 95% loss, with the total cost for the film being approximately $120 million and a global box office of just $7 million. Allegedly, this futuristic, science-fiction crime comedy’s concept was introduced in a script over a decade and a half earlier in 1985, but after being made in the year 2000 was shelved for two years following a negative preview screening for the press, allowing for portions to be re-shot and rewritten. Approximately a dozen scriptwriters attempted to offer film rewrites, but only one writer was officially credited (Neil Cuthbert).

Pluto Nash absolutely feels like a mid-80′s to early 90′s film and in all likelihood that’s probably why I found it to be kinda fun. It’s like a cross between Total Recall, The 5th Element, and the total cheesiness of the 1980′s. It’s not what I would call a good film but it’s 95 minutes of goofy harmless fun.

Watch the film for Eddie Murphy not being in a fat suit and if you’re a fan of cheesy 80′s films like I am.

Rating: 5/10

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365 Day Unseen Movie Marathon – Day 11 – CUTTHROAT ISLAND (1995)

Jan 11 2011 Published by Frantic Monkey under Film

Title: Cutthroat Island

Directed by: Renny Harlin

Written by: Michael Frost Beckner & James Gorman and Bruce A. Evans & Raynold Gideon and Robert King & Marc Norman

Current Flickchart position: #669 of 1327 overall. My #24 film, of 55, from the year 1995.

What It’s About:
A female pirate (Geena Davis) and her companion (Matthew Modine) race against their rivals to find a hidden island that contains a fabulous treasure.

General Comments:
I wouldn’t say Cutthroat Island is good, I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but I would say that it doesn’t deserve to be considered the biggest flop in movie history or tagged as the film that bankrupted Carolco Pictures. Cutthroat Island had a total budget of approximately $115 million and had a global box office of just $10 million equating to a loss of $105 million. This was enough to bankrupt Carolco Pictures, the studio who were responsible for films like First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo III, Red Heat, Total Recall, L.A. Story, The Doors, Terminator 2, Basic Instinct, Cliffhanger, and Showgirls.

There really isn’t a great deal to enjoy about Cutthroat Island with everything being thoroughly forgettable. I will say that Matthew Modine was fucking terrible, and Geena Davis, an actress I really liked in Beetlejuice, The Long Kiss Goodnight and A League of Their Own, was less than impressive.

Watch the film for the novelty value and to see a movie which had the power to bankrupt a movie studio. Oh, and a hint, when a film has this many writers it’s almost always shit.

Rating: 5/10