I understand why this film won Oscars. Great story, great acting, well paced, visually interesting. I cared about these people. I didn’t want the ending I knew was coming to happen.
Penn was understated and really inspiring in this part. But then he is a really great actor.
And after vowing to never watch another Van Sant film after Last Days, I am glad we gave this one a watch.
imdb.com
The story of Harvey Milk, and his struggles as an American gay activist who fought for gay rights and became California’s first openly gay elected official.
I remember hearing all the critics rip on this film when it came out. It wasn’t enough like the cartoon, it wasn’t enough like the cartoon, etc.
Well, as a lover of color and appreciator of the my after school time being filled with Kimba and Speed Racer, I can say I enjoyed the film. The color was amazing. Super saturated. The story was actually a bit deeper than most speed racer afternoon cartoons. The only problem I had was the extreme close ups on some of the racing action. It was actually sort of hard to watch. A bit vertigo inducing.
I wish they had spent a bit more time in wideshots in the fight and race scenes. Seems like they spent a lot of time choreographing both and doing some great track cgi for the backgrounds and complex tracks. I would have like to have seen more of it.
So, great color, ok story, and John Goodman was looking much thinner than he has in a while. A nice watch, especially in HD. Not for everyone, it moves fast, but a fun enough watch.
imdb.com
The story begins with Speed Racer who is a young man with natural racing instincts whose goal is to win The Crucible, a cross-country car racing rally that took the life of his older brother, Rex Racer. Speed is loyal to the family business, run by his parents Pops and Mom. Pops designed Speed’s car, the Mach 5. The owner of Royalton Industries makes Speed a lucrative offer, Speed rejects the offer, angering the owner. Speed also uncovers a secret that top corporate interests, including Royalton, are fixing races and cheating to gain profit. With the offer to Speed denied, Royalton wants to ensure that Speed will not win races. Speed finds support from his parents and his girlfriend Trixie and enters The Crucible in a partnership with his one-time rival, Racer X, seeking to rescue his family’s business and the racing sport itself.
Is it a requirement that Andy Garcia play someone associated with Gambling at this point in his career. He plays a guy named Fingers (various reasons given for the name) who has a psychic enforcer. Everyone in the film is connected by these two guys.
The film was ok. I sort of found it bothersome that the characters were named after feelings (pleasure, love, sorrow, etc.). It may have worked if they actually were the personification of that feeling, but the film sort of failed on that.
Forest Whitaker was underused in the film. Sarah Michelle Gellar was whiney. Brendan Frasier was wooden. Kevin Bacon was unexplainable. Julie Delpy played a doctor doing research that takes no precautions when working with poisons.
The film wasn’t a bad film, it wasn’t a good film. It was an ok watch. Not necessarily a recommend unless you have run out of most other options.
imdb.com
A drama based on an ancient Chinese proverb that breaks life down into four emotional cornerstones: happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love. A businessman bets his life on a horse race; a gangster sees the future; a pop star (Gellar) falls prey to a crime boss; a doctor must save the love of his life.
imdb.com
A drama based on the life of Jesse James Hollywood, a drug dealer who became one of the youngest men ever to be on the FBI’s most wanted list.
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