This is a film that quite grew on me the second time around. I began to see what people were talking about with Jesse Eisenberg's performance. It's subtle, but he says a lot with tiny gestures and his posture. If you focus on the ambition/vengeance, new business model in an old business world side of the story, the film is much more interesting.
I can't agree more with @Eddyspeeder though. I would have liked to have seen this movie made in another 5 to 10 years simply to delve into deeper issues of social change, but, it's possible by then that something like Facebook could be gone.
Definitely a slightly under-appreciated film of 2010. Not an outstanding film, but one that will entertain anyone who has ever obsessed about a video game - particularly those of us who lived through the 1980 and early 1990s. Recommended as a piece of pure entertainment.
I found myself liking this a surprising amount more than I thought I would going into it. Was it perfect? No. Was it a 'Great' film? No. Did I laugh my butt off? Totally.
A little hokey at the start and end, Notting Hill does have, like so many other sweets disguised as romantic comedy films, a soft centre that you can sink your teeth into. The birthday party dinner scene is incredibly charming, as is Julia Roberts throughout. Not the best rom-com, but entertaining and uplifting.
Not quite the "so bad its good" classic it pretends to be, HTTM has a few funny moments and acknowledges them all with its tongue very much in cheek (note the recreation of several famous 1980s movie scenes), but ultimately it's not all that great. Predictable story and predictable humour. Mildly entertaining anyway.
Largely remembered for its jaw-dropping car-chase, The French Connection nonetheless deserves some respect for its advances in action film storytelling and the performance by Hackman. A consistently interesting movie that will drag you in again and again.
A very good but seemingly cursory film that examines, albeit briefly, the life of Prince Albert, the Duke of York who became King George VI despite his own trepidation of being king and an accompanying stammer. Perhaps it was the build up of this film, but I found it to be not quite as engaging as it could and should have been as it barely scratches the surface of the issues at play in this story. And yet, despite the familiar trappings, this film does seem to be more than Oscar bait. Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth's performances are quite remarkable, and Hooper's direction (despite the seeming shallowness of his treatment) is consistent and very watchable. I just wish it went a bit further in developing its themes to make it a truly classic film.
Carpenter's film is chock-full of suspense and stomach-turning special effects, but when you consider the plot, the film falls short of being at all satisfying. If you're going to place your characters in danger, the audience needs to care whether they live or die. The whole film is so nihilistic that I felt quite indifferent toward the possible fate of all of humanity in this sci-fi thriller. Horror fans would love this, but for the average movie-goer it's just not satisfying.
If you're at all familiar with world history, particularly that of South Africa, this film will only remind you of what you already know. Its central flaw is that it cannot escape the ham-fisted way in which it recounts that history of apartheid. I cannot recommend this film, simply because underneath its political pretense, this is nothing but a rather poor action film.
A fantastic fantastical film of love and tall-tales. I feel it didn't get the recognition it deserved in its day. If you consider yourself a romantic at heart at all, do not skip this one. Just thinking about it makes me want to watch this one again.
A film that doesn't insult your intelligence and takes nothing for granted. One to be closely watched. Unfortunately, the film seemed to have little to say in the end. Nonetheless, the film garners high marks from me for Clooney's performance, its storytelling, tension and style.
Aronofsky's most accessible film with a compelling and involving plot. This is the kind of film, that, if you'll forgive the expression in light of the film, gets under your skin. Easily one of the best of 2010.
Relative to the Cohen Brothers' other magnificent films, True Grit is a milquetoast amid true brilliance. While there is nothing particularly wrong with this film, it seems to lack a focused point to its story that could give the viewer any satisfaction. What's more, the aversion to contractions in dialogue draws the viewer out of the film so frequently that it's hard to ever settle in to enjoy it.
An entertaining but far from perfect holiday family film. The story drags on an inexplicable extra ten minutes after the resolution of the main story seemingly to round out a 90 minute runtime. There are some big laughs, but this film leaves an aftertaste of being over-rated. That being said, it is one of the few films to truly capture the feeling of being a kid at Christmas.
The first half of this film plays out in a carefree vigorous youthful spirit, not unlike its protagonists. It is not until its final half hour that "Bonnie and Clyde" begins to put words to its message. Clyde Parker's slow-descent into madness and Bonnie Parker's reluctance to leave him despite herself, redeems this film's final half and gives meaning to its first.
Perhaps something in my upbringing makes this movie nothing more than an annoying blip on my film-radar, incessantly beeping to be recognized while nonetheless providing nothing of value but the knowledge of its own fleeting existence. Bridges and Goodman are amusing, but the glorification of this stoner's life (and let's face it, the Dude is set up to be nonetheless the hero of this story despite his flagrant crapulence) makes the film an ode to a style of life that escapes my understanding. The Cohens do not make bad films, they just sometimes make films without value. Art for art's sake, yes, but The Dude for The Dude's sake is a bit much for me to accept. Take a pass on this overrated piece of stoner-friendly cinema.
Strong performances from the entire cast, tense direction, and heart-pounding heist scenes keep this film from sliding into a forgettable cops-and-robbers movie. Instead, The Town is a film worthy of its accolades. Affleck proves here that he deserved that Good Will Hunting oscar after all.
As a kids movie, the film succeeds quite well and I can imagine children of this generation loving it. For us adult movie goers, aside from Bridges, in an amusing turn, essentially reprising (again) his role as "The Dude", this film was a waste of their time.
A sadly-forgotten gem of a romantic comedy. Pitch-perfect performances, a radiant cast, and sharp comedic timing keep you glued to this story's inevitable but satisfying conclusion. The movie seves as an enticing dig at the Hollywood spin-machine as well as spectacular entertainment.
A decent but far from spectacular animated film. A solid sense of humour keeps it from losing too much of its footing, but it is not a film to be long-remembered.
I actually thought this film seemed a bit tepid and anemic. While there was nothing technically wrong with the direction, the story itself was treated in a rather cold and distant in a "movie of the week" sort of way. Quite often, the characters seemed like they could have been fleshed out quite a bit more. Its plot is still a bit of a mystery to me even after having seen it, but given its coldness I can't be bothered to watch it again.
Most definitely the quirky comedy (with hints of drama) of the year. The film will surprise you with its well-defined characters, sense of humour and honesty.
Comments 401 - 425 of 576
Movie comment on The Social Network
frankqb
This is a film that quite grew on me the second time around. I began to see what people were talking about with Jesse Eisenberg's performance. It's subtle, but he says a lot with tiny gestures and his posture. If you focus on the ambition/vengeance, new business model in an old business world side of the story, the film is much more interesting.I can't agree more with @Eddyspeeder though. I would have liked to have seen this movie made in another 5 to 10 years simply to delve into deeper issues of social change, but, it's possible by then that something like Facebook could be gone.
Movie comment on Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
frankqb
Definitely a slightly under-appreciated film of 2010. Not an outstanding film, but one that will entertain anyone who has ever obsessed about a video game - particularly those of us who lived through the 1980 and early 1990s. Recommended as a piece of pure entertainment.Movie comment on The Simpsons Movie
frankqb
I found myself liking this a surprising amount more than I thought I would going into it. Was it perfect? No. Was it a 'Great' film? No. Did I laugh my butt off? Totally.Movie comment on Playing by Heart
frankqb
A surprising forgotten gem. Strong performances all around in this story that examines love from all angles in a spiderweb view of life.Movie comment on Notting Hill
frankqb
A little hokey at the start and end, Notting Hill does have, like so many other sweets disguised as romantic comedy films, a soft centre that you can sink your teeth into. The birthday party dinner scene is incredibly charming, as is Julia Roberts throughout. Not the best rom-com, but entertaining and uplifting.Movie comment on Hot Tub Time Machine
frankqb
Not quite the "so bad its good" classic it pretends to be, HTTM has a few funny moments and acknowledges them all with its tongue very much in cheek (note the recreation of several famous 1980s movie scenes), but ultimately it's not all that great. Predictable story and predictable humour. Mildly entertaining anyway.Movie comment on The French Connection
frankqb
Largely remembered for its jaw-dropping car-chase, The French Connection nonetheless deserves some respect for its advances in action film storytelling and the performance by Hackman. A consistently interesting movie that will drag you in again and again.Blog comment on Improved search and still more fixes
frankqb
Still love the site, so glad you guys are keeping up the great work.Movie comment on The King's Speech
frankqb
A very good but seemingly cursory film that examines, albeit briefly, the life of Prince Albert, the Duke of York who became King George VI despite his own trepidation of being king and an accompanying stammer. Perhaps it was the build up of this film, but I found it to be not quite as engaging as it could and should have been as it barely scratches the surface of the issues at play in this story. And yet, despite the familiar trappings, this film does seem to be more than Oscar bait. Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth's performances are quite remarkable, and Hooper's direction (despite the seeming shallowness of his treatment) is consistent and very watchable. I just wish it went a bit further in developing its themes to make it a truly classic film.Movie comment on The Thing
frankqb
Carpenter's film is chock-full of suspense and stomach-turning special effects, but when you consider the plot, the film falls short of being at all satisfying. If you're going to place your characters in danger, the audience needs to care whether they live or die. The whole film is so nihilistic that I felt quite indifferent toward the possible fate of all of humanity in this sci-fi thriller. Horror fans would love this, but for the average movie-goer it's just not satisfying.Movie comment on District 9
frankqb
If you're at all familiar with world history, particularly that of South Africa, this film will only remind you of what you already know. Its central flaw is that it cannot escape the ham-fisted way in which it recounts that history of apartheid. I cannot recommend this film, simply because underneath its political pretense, this is nothing but a rather poor action film.Movie comment on Big Fish
frankqb
A fantastic fantastical film of love and tall-tales. I feel it didn't get the recognition it deserved in its day. If you consider yourself a romantic at heart at all, do not skip this one. Just thinking about it makes me want to watch this one again.Movie comment on The American
frankqb
A film that doesn't insult your intelligence and takes nothing for granted. One to be closely watched. Unfortunately, the film seemed to have little to say in the end. Nonetheless, the film garners high marks from me for Clooney's performance, its storytelling, tension and style.Movie comment on Black Swan
frankqb
Aronofsky's most accessible film with a compelling and involving plot. This is the kind of film, that, if you'll forgive the expression in light of the film, gets under your skin. Easily one of the best of 2010.Movie comment on True Grit
frankqb
Relative to the Cohen Brothers' other magnificent films, True Grit is a milquetoast amid true brilliance. While there is nothing particularly wrong with this film, it seems to lack a focused point to its story that could give the viewer any satisfaction. What's more, the aversion to contractions in dialogue draws the viewer out of the film so frequently that it's hard to ever settle in to enjoy it.Movie comment on A Christmas Story
frankqb
An entertaining but far from perfect holiday family film. The story drags on an inexplicable extra ten minutes after the resolution of the main story seemingly to round out a 90 minute runtime. There are some big laughs, but this film leaves an aftertaste of being over-rated. That being said, it is one of the few films to truly capture the feeling of being a kid at Christmas.Movie comment on The West Wing
frankqb
Without a doubt, the greatest television series ever conceived.Movie comment on Bonnie and Clyde
frankqb
The first half of this film plays out in a carefree vigorous youthful spirit, not unlike its protagonists. It is not until its final half hour that "Bonnie and Clyde" begins to put words to its message. Clyde Parker's slow-descent into madness and Bonnie Parker's reluctance to leave him despite herself, redeems this film's final half and gives meaning to its first.Movie comment on The Big Lebowski
frankqb
Perhaps something in my upbringing makes this movie nothing more than an annoying blip on my film-radar, incessantly beeping to be recognized while nonetheless providing nothing of value but the knowledge of its own fleeting existence. Bridges and Goodman are amusing, but the glorification of this stoner's life (and let's face it, the Dude is set up to be nonetheless the hero of this story despite his flagrant crapulence) makes the film an ode to a style of life that escapes my understanding. The Cohens do not make bad films, they just sometimes make films without value. Art for art's sake, yes, but The Dude for The Dude's sake is a bit much for me to accept. Take a pass on this overrated piece of stoner-friendly cinema.Movie comment on The Town
frankqb
Strong performances from the entire cast, tense direction, and heart-pounding heist scenes keep this film from sliding into a forgettable cops-and-robbers movie. Instead, The Town is a film worthy of its accolades. Affleck proves here that he deserved that Good Will Hunting oscar after all.Movie comment on Tron
frankqb
As a kids movie, the film succeeds quite well and I can imagine children of this generation loving it. For us adult movie goers, aside from Bridges, in an amusing turn, essentially reprising (again) his role as "The Dude", this film was a waste of their time.Movie comment on America's Sweethearts
frankqb
A sadly-forgotten gem of a romantic comedy. Pitch-perfect performances, a radiant cast, and sharp comedic timing keep you glued to this story's inevitable but satisfying conclusion. The movie seves as an enticing dig at the Hollywood spin-machine as well as spectacular entertainment.Movie comment on How to Train Your Dragon
frankqb
A decent but far from spectacular animated film. A solid sense of humour keeps it from losing too much of its footing, but it is not a film to be long-remembered.Movie comment on The Ghost Writer
frankqb
I actually thought this film seemed a bit tepid and anemic. While there was nothing technically wrong with the direction, the story itself was treated in a rather cold and distant in a "movie of the week" sort of way. Quite often, the characters seemed like they could have been fleshed out quite a bit more. Its plot is still a bit of a mystery to me even after having seen it, but given its coldness I can't be bothered to watch it again.Movie comment on The Kids Are All Right
frankqb
Most definitely the quirky comedy (with hints of drama) of the year. The film will surprise you with its well-defined characters, sense of humour and honesty.Showing items 401 – 425 of 576