  "It can't rain all the time."
I did not expect to like this film considering it's a 90's "horror" film, which was not the greatest time for the genre. Without nostalgia for many of those films that viewers have, they just don't stand the test of time for new viewers. Except the Crow really isn't a horror film at all. It's a comic book movie. The opening shot invites you into a Gotham that has no Batman. The city is on fire. The low life's rule this world and an unfortunate couple finds themselves the victim of a cruel reality. Soon the cards are reversed and fate gives Erik Draven a chance to make things right. His love so deep and pure that he cannot rest until he avenges his dead wife Shelley. The rest of the film follows him on a revenge tour revisiting the same characters who bloodied his life exactly one year ago on Oct 30th night. While the city represents Gotham, The Crow is much more the Joker than the Batman. He isn't self-serious and he is playful with the use of his newfound invulnerability, bringing levity to his own revenge plot. We still get moments of warmth from Sgt. Albrecht and little Sarah, who manage to carry the movies soul. Their exclusion from the 2024 remake I'll never understand. This is a classic that stood the test of time. It's a particularly easy and fun watch and a bittersweet farewell to it's lead actor Brandon Lee, who died during the production of this movie.
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  "Sir, are you human?
No. I'm a meat popsicle." In retrospect, The Fifth Element has matured into a great film. As Roger Ebert said, it is one of the great goofy movies. Not because it is somehow connected to The Goofy Movie franchise but because it doesn't take itself very seriously, which is why it's so great. Director Luc Besson wrote this film when he was a teenager and had the audacity to turn it into a big budget movie. Turning your childhood imagination into a wild fantasy story and for those ideas to be recognized as great - just wow. Luc Besson is one hell of a filmmaker. But The Fifth Element doesn't always work well. It's story is kind of hazy, half-assed even. It's the little details and characters that bring this film life. Gary Oldman's Zorg, who's a arms dealer with a southern twang, is one great example. Everyone seems to having a great time on set. Especially Chris Tucker... Though you must already know his character Ruby Rhod. If not, stop what you're doing and go watch great fantasy comedy asap.   About ten minutes into this American classic and we learn that Forrest Gump's great grandfather was the leader of the Ku Klux Klan, or at least his mama tells him so. Young Forrest explains, "We all do things that well, just don't make no sense." Then the film moves on. Forrest Gump is an insensitive movie from an insensitive time in our country. Not for blatant racism or weird masculinity complexes that plagued cinema of the 90' but for it's perspective. The movie is all from the perspective of Forrest Gump and we all know who he is. He sees everything in his own special way and at times it's a very endearing and wholesome perspective that will bring tears to your eyes. Other times it brushes over very harsh moments in our country with a blind eye. For this reason it doesn't sit well with a lot of audiences in 2021. Which is a shame, because Tom Hanks miraculously brings this character to life and he was one of the only actors who could possibly pull it off. This movie could have very easily been a cringe fest but it manages to not be most of the time. It is still one of the most quotable movies of all-time. Though it's a shame it beat Shawshank Redemption and Pulp Fiction at the Oscars. Those films aged way better.
  "I like these calm little moments before the storm. It reminds me of Beethoven."
In 1994, Luc Besson made a movie about an immigrant hitman, who stubbles into a diluted father-figure role for 12-year old Mathilda (Natalie Portman). Overall, this movie is way ahead of it's time. The child apprentice role is both epic and disturbing. Besson indulges his plot without regret and created a movie that could never release in America today. The performances from the whole cast are phenomenal. Jean Reno and Gary Oldman are both some of my favorites of all-time thanks to a script that creates this immersive movie experience.   Braveheart was my standard for ambitious cinema as a child. The three-hour war story following the ultimate romantic, William Wallace, and the bloody fight for Scotland's freedom was a story dear to my little heart. This cinematic experience is both emotionally effective and brutally poignant. The war scenes are graphic, unapologetic, and technically impressive. Mel Gibson's work is thoughtful and driven capturing a story of true heroism representing the good in both humanity and freedom. For a long time I considered this one of my favorite films and even now it's a right of passage for film junkies.
 The first emotion I felt during this movie was surprise. What was I to expect from a film about a prostitute with narcolepsy? Certainly, I wasn't expecting a comedy. Though Gus Van Sant’s colorful and humorous tale about two hustlers searching for whatever, wherever, proves to be a lot of different things. It’s a funny story where the lead falls asleep whenever anything is about to happen. Where Mike wakes up and who put him there is the basis of how we learn about him. His need for love and acceptance. It’s a story about people on the edge of society, about working the streets. It’s pretty, entertaining, and begs to question the meaning behind it all. If there is any. Is there?   Spike Jones and Charlie Kaufman had a baby and it's name is John Malkovich. What a weird ass movie this is! I was always curious how this film used John Malkovich and it used him in ways I never thought possible in film. Yet, this movie exists and it also happens to be fantastic. This movie is never boring or unoriginal. It's creativity is seeping from every inch of it's screenplay written by Kaufman, who is still making head scratching romance films today. Yes, this is a romance film of sorts. There's a love triangle with John Malkovich at the center of it and that's really all you need to know. John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, and of course Malkovich, all do a great job of bringing this (seemingly) nonsensical script to life, which must have been tough. Resulting in a film that manages to be just as human as Malkovich himself.
  "God? Lonely. But funny. He's got a great sense of humor. Take sex for example. There's nothing funnier than the ridiculous faces you people make mid-coitus."
Kevin Smith tackles organized religion in this big scale comedy about fallen angels (Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) trying to get back into heaven. There's plenty of laughs to go around including jokes about Catholics, Jesus' ethnicity, sex, and Catholics. A pleasant amount of theology is discussed and being raised how I was- I got a kick out of it. Kevin Smith proves again that he can be both funny and smart.  "Well. There's two women f**king a polar bear."
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was a movie I first watched during my experimental phase and I though I didn't remember much, I revered it as great. After a more appropriate viewing, the flaws surrounding this drug orgy were more noticeable but I still did enjoy the experience. This is a rather strange experience. For those familiar with the effects of the drugs consumed by our characters, who're played by Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro, there's a visceral anxiety created by the situations they put themselves in. Its laughable at times and more often questionable. There's not much of a plot. There's a cycle that continues throughout the runtimes much like the mind-loop users experience when on acid. If this was intentional I think it's an interesting choice. All-in-all its a worthy watch if you're interested in drug culture or want something to view while tripping.   "Why do you think everybody thinks relationships are supposed to last forever anyway?"
If movies are magic, then Richard Linklater is an unconventional wizard. Using only the naturalist ingredients; conversation, performance, and set. Creating a remarkable romance film about two people from different places meeting on a train and spending one night together. It's simple and handled so delicately. Short and sweet has never defined a film better. Ethan Hawke is great as Jesse and Julie Delpy is warm and gorgeous, as Celine. Their conversation at first is mostly inquisitive, as you'd expect from two strangers. As the night goes on their talk naturally becomes more personal and then endearing. Each scene passing by the sunrise getting closer while they fall in love. A romantic quest into young passion's desire and innate fear of mortality. |
