‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ Download and Reviews

December 13, 2009 by Paul Wall  
Filed under Crime, Drama, Mystery

“The Talented Mr. Ripley” Movie Details

The Talented Mr. Ripley tagline: How far would you go to become someone else.
The Talented Mr. Ripley - DVD Cover

The Talented Mr. Ripley DVD Cover

Actors:
  • Alessandro Fabrizi
  • Matt Damon Tom Ripley
    Gwyneth Paltrow Marge Sherwood
    Jude Law Dickie Greenleaf
    Cate Blanchett Meredith Logue
    Philip Seymour Hoffman Freddie Miles
    Jack Davenport Peter Smith-Kingsley
    James Rebhorn Herbert Greenleaf
    Sergio Rubini Inspector Roverini
    Philip Baker Hall Alvin MacCarron
    Celia Weston Aunt Joan
    Fiorello Fausto
    Stefania Rocca Silvana
    Ivano Marescotti Colonnello Verrecchia
    Anna Longhi Signora Buffi
    Sergeant Baggio
    Directors: Anthony Minghella IMDB Rating: 7.2/10 out of 59,958 votes

    “The Talented Mr. Ripley” Movie Review

    “The Talented Mr. Ripley” Plot Summary

    In late 1950’s New York, Tom Ripley, a young underachiever, is sent to Europe to retrieve a rich and spoiled millionaire playboy, named Dickie Greenleaf. But when the errand fails, Ripley takes extreme measures.

    Elegant, literary thriller

    THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY Aspect ratio: 1.85:1Sound formats: Dolby Digital / DTSWhilst in Italy, a young American chancer (Matt Damon) assumes the identity of a wealthy playboy (Jude Law) with whom he’s become emotionally obsessed, leading to murder and betrayal on a grand scale

    Elegant, literary thriller based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith (the subject of an earlier adaptation, PLEIN SOLEIL, in 1960), in which sociopathic anti-hero Tom Ripley (Damon) cheats, steals and murders his way to a position of huge good fortune, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. Set against the backdrop of tourist Italy – encompassing Rome and Venice and all points in between – Anthony Minghella’s film is a compelling treat from start to finish, layering detail upon detail as Damon’s friendship with Law blossoms and sours, leading to an inevitable plot twist which introduces a whole new set of complications for the central characters, rendering the audience complicit in Ripley’s escalating crime wave

    Damon may seem a little too young and unworldly for such a complex character, but he judges the role with great sensitivity, especially in those scenes where (overtly or otherwise) he indicates a sexual attraction to Law which goes unreciprocated (or does it?), until the characters are driven apart by jealousy, bitterness and – ultimately – violence. His fantasies shattered by harsh reality, Damon finds solace in the arms of a mutual acquaintance (Jack Davenport), the only person capable of taking Law’s place in Damon’s affections, only for their chance of happiness to be snatched away by a cruel trick of fate. Terrific, Oscar-caliber support by Gwyneth Paltrow and Philip Seymour Hoffman (as Law’s fiancee and best friend, respectively); beautiful, classy production values throughout. Followed by RIPLEY’S GAME (2002).

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    ‘I’m Not There’ Download and Reviews

    December 1, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Biography, Drama, Music

    “I’m Not There” Movie Details

    I’m Not There tagline: All I Can Do Is Be Me Whoever That Is
    I'm Not There - DVD Cover

    I'm Not There DVD Cover

    Actors:
    Cate Blanchett Jude Quinn
    Ben Whishaw Arthur Rimbaud
    Christian Bale Jack Rollins/Pastor John
    Richard Gere Billy the Kid
    Marcus Carl Franklin Woody Guthrie
    Heath Ledger Robbie Clark
    Kris Kristofferson Narrator
    Don Francks Hobo Joe
    Roc LaFortune Hobo Moe
    Larry Day Government Agent
    Paul Cagelet Carny
    Pierre-Alexandre Fortin Gorgeous George
    Richie Havens Old Man Arvin
    Tyrone Benskin Mr. Arvin
    Kim Roberts Mrs. Arvin
    Directors: Todd Haynes
    IMDB Rating: 7.1/10 out of 21,263 votes

    “I’m Not There” Movie Review

    “I’m Not There” Plot Summary

    Ruminations on the life of Bob Dylan, where six characters embody a different aspect of the musician’s life and work.

    Beautiful, Unique & Full of Life

    Todd Haynes (‘Velvet Goldmine’, ‘Far from Heaven’) created a non-linear, truly original film, that must be seen by every Bob Dylan lover. Haynes’s tapestry is ‘inspired by the music and lives of Bob Dylan’ – he introduces us to 6 different Dylans: Jack Rollins (Christian Bale), Woody Guthrie (Marcus Carl Franklin), Jude Quinn (Cate Blanchett), Robbie Clark (Heath Ledger), Billy the Kid (Richard Gere) and Arthur Rimbaud (Ben Whishaw), interweaving their stories in a groundbreaking narrative slightly similar to Todd Solondz’s unsettling, caustic ‘Palindromes’ (2004), in which several very different actresses (and a boy) play a 13 year-old pregnant girl. While ‘Across the Universe’ illustrated The Beatles’ fantastic songs with simple, adorable characters in a psychedelic rhythm, but with little character development (not that I’m complaining: I absolutely love to see visual masters like Baz Luhrmann or Julie Taymor on fire, since their self-indulgence creates wonderful sensorial pieces), ‘I’m Not There’ is much more complex: it’s deeper than conventional biopics (‘Ray’, ‘Walk the Line’), and much smarter than exploitative flicks (the atrocious ‘Factory Girl’). Haynes crafted a unique film that’s a feast for the eyes (thanks to cinematographer Ed Lachman, ‘The Virgin Suicides’, who also co-directed the disgusting ‘Ken Park’ with Larry Clark), ears (Dylan’s music is always a pie in the sky) and mind (it’ll make you admire the man even more, and it doesn’t even need to be an ass-kissing biopic to succeed on that). The cast is heterogeneous and solid, but I think critics are overrating Cate Blanchett for the sheer fact that she’s playing a man (which makes things more challenging for her, indeed), when she’s not really better than most of the cast; a good performance for sure, but I was much more impressed by Christian Bale and the young revelation Marcus Carl Franklin. Julianne Moore, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Michelle Williams play some important women from Dylan’s life, and the always underrated Bruce Greenwood has a small but interesting part. All in all, this isn’t a film that will enjoy big commercial success, and it’s probably too artsy (although, not in a bad way) to get the Academy’s top prize (even though Blanchett’s performance and, maybe, Haynes’s magnificent directing/writing, will probably be remembered), but it’s a real gem for those who want to see something really exciting and original. As for myself, I’m thankful to Haynes and his audacious, faithful producer Christine Vachon (this woman rocks, and in a perfect world, she’d have all the money that a certain Jerry Bruckheimer possesses), who always dare to blow us away – something rare, these days. Fascinating. 10/10.

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    ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’ Download and Reviews

    November 15, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Adventure, Comedy, Drama

    “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” Movie Details

    The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou tagline:
    The Life Aquatic - DVD Cover

    The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou DVD Cover

    Actors:
  • Matthew Gray Gubler
  • Bill Murray Steve Zissou
    Owen Wilson Ned Plimpton
    Cate Blanchett Jane Winslett-Richardson
    Anjelica Huston Eleanor Zissou
    Willem Dafoe Klaus Daimler
    Jeff Goldblum Alistair Hennessey
    Michael Gambon Oseary Drakoulias
    Noah Taylor Vladimir Wolodarsky
    Bud Cort Bill Ubell
    Seu Jorge PelГ© dos Santos
    Robyn Cohen Anne-Marie Sakowitz
    Waris Ahluwalia Vikram Ray
    Niels Koizumi Bobby Ogata
    Pawel Wdowczak Renzo Pietro
    Intern #1
    Directors: Wes Anderson IMDB Rating: 7.2/10 out of 54,826 votes

    “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” Movie Review

    “The Life Aquatic” Plot Summary

    With a plan to exact revenge on a mythical shark that killed his partner, oceanographer Steve Zissou rallies a crew that includes his estranged wife, a journalist, and a man who may or may not be his son. add synopsis

    Absolutely Brilliant

    The thing that some people forget is that Wes Anderson co-wrote the script. the Life Aquatic is quite possibly one of the most original movies i have ever seen, and, personally, i loved every aspect of it. The score was spectacular, mixing Bowies actual recordings with the Portugese covers of Sue Jorge was ingenious. In my opinion the story bares some resemblance to that of Moby Dick, in that the main character is the Capitan of a ship and is bent on finding a sea creature for, at first, revenge… but draw your own comparisons

    All in all, the movie was stellar and grabbed my attention from beginning to end, although, it is definitely one of those films that you either like or dislike, and i obviously liked it. I recommend seeing it even if your friends say that its bad, i only rented it in the first place because it was all they had at Video Connection one lonely Friday night and i needed something to watch, and all of my friends, none of whom know what their talking about, trashed it never the less i found it beautiful, hilarious, and over-all an absolutely stunning work of art by Mr. Wes Anderson… also, if you saw it and liked it, you should check out the Royal Tenenbaums, also directed by Anderson, it is almost as good as the Life Aquatic.

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    ‘The Aviator’ Download and Reviews

    October 12, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Biography, Drama

    “The Aviator” Movie Details

    The Aviator tagline: For some men, the sky was the limit. For him, it was just the beginning.
    The Aviator - DVD Cover

    The Aviator DVD Cover

    Actors:
  • Brent Spiner
  • Leonardo DiCaprio Howard Hughes
    Cate Blanchett Katharine Hepburn
    Kate Beckinsale Ava Gardner
    John C. Reilly Noah Dietrich
    Alec Baldwin Juan Trippe
    Alan Alda Senator Ralph Owen Brewster
    Ian Holm Professor Fitz
    Danny Huston Jack Frye
    Gwen Stefani Jean Harlow
    Jude Law Errol Flynn
    Adam Scott Johnny Meyer
    Matt Ross Glenn Odekirk
    Kelli Garner Faith Domergue
    Frances Conroy Mrs. Hepburn
    Robert Gross
    Directors: Martin Scorsese IMDB Rating: 7.5/10 out of 78,481 votes

    “The Aviator” Movie Review

    “The Aviator” Plot Summary

    A biopic depicting the early years of legendary director and aviator Howard Hughes’ career, from the late 1920s to the mid-1940s.

    One of the best movies of the century

    I only really like 3 movies, and this is one of them. I think this is an amazing movie. It was compelling, and captured my emotions within the first ten minutes. I just love everything about it-the story, the music, the acting, and the way it was filmed in general. Howard Hughes was such an amazing figure in history, and I think this movie captured the main sides of him, portraying him as the genius and billioniare that he was without leaving out or dwelling too much on what he became in his later years. If you haven’t seen this movie, you are missing out. I don’t know a lot about filming, but whoever directed this is probably one of the greatest directors of our time.

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    ‘Babel’ Download and Reviews

    October 9, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Drama

    “Babel” Movie Details

    Babel tagline: If You Want to be Understood…Listen
    Babel - DVD Cover

    Babel DVD Cover

    Actors:
    Brad Pitt Richard
    Cate Blanchett Susan
    Mohamed Akhzam Anwar
    Peter Wight Tom
    Harriet Walter Lilly
    Trevor Martin Douglas
    Matyelok Gibbs Elyse
    Georges Bousquet Robert
    Claudine Acs Jane
    AndrГ© Oumansky Walter
    Michael Maloney James
    Dermot Crowley Barth
    Wendy Nottingham Tourist #1
    Henry Maratray Tourist #2
    Linda Broughton Tourist #3
    Directors: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
    IMDB Rating: 7.7/10 out of 88,343 votes

    “Babel” Movie Review

    “Babel” Plot Summary

    Tragedy strikes a married couple on vacation in the Moroccan desert, touching off an interlocking story involving four different families.

    A coherent, impressive, well-made, insightful piece of work

    ‘Babel’ centers on several groups of people in 4 countries that are all connected by one freak accident Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu takes us from North Africa to North America to Asia His film exposes four unconnected story lines that are eventually divulged to be inextricably linked to one another The first involves an isolated family of goat herders who live in the High Plateaus of the Moroccan desert where two young boys are testing a rifle’s range handed by their father to protect their goats from jackals… The second concerns a Middle-class American couple on a bus tour of Morocco trying to save together their damaged marriage Meanwhile, in the US, there is grave danger for an undocumented immigranta Mexican nanny as she tries to return to United States after she wrongfully decides to take her two blonde-haired young charges to her son’s wedding across the Mexican border, despite her employers’ sudden change of plans, that needs that she remains with them and miss the joyful occasion And on the opposite side of the world, we follow, in Tokyo, an alienated, confused deaf and mute teenage student, recovering from her mother’s suicide, who eases her feelings of depression and loneliness by trying to win the friendship or attention of every man or adolescent who crosses her path She flirts with sexual exhibitionism to attract the attention of her distant and uncommunicative father ‘Babel’ tries to make a point and the point is that when people can’t or won’t communicate, unpredictable paths can lead to tragic consequences It also tries to leave a message of how a ’shooting’ from a simple ‘gift’ can set off a chain reaction of tragic events in three continents and four countries over which the different characters have exceedingly uncomfortable human emotion Out of the entire cast, it is only Rinko Kikuchi as Chieko who steals the movie especially when she transmits to her friends her mad decision of sexual aggressiveness, saying to all: ‘Now they’re going to meet the real hairy monster.’ This scene remembered me, in some way, Sharon Stone uncrossing legs in ‘Basic Instinct.’

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    ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ Download and Reviews

    September 6, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Action, Adventure, Fantasy

    “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” Movie Details

    The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers tagline: A New Power Is Rising.
    The Two Towers - DVD Cover

    The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers DVD Cover

    Actors:
  • David Wenham
  • Elijah Wood Frodo Baggins
    Ian McKellen Gandalf the Grey/Gandalf the White
    Liv Tyler Arwen
    Viggo Mortensen Aragorn
    Sean Astin Sam
    Cate Blanchett Galadriel
    John Rhys-Davies Gimli/Voice of Treebeard
    Bernard Hill Theoden
    Christopher Lee Saruman the White
    Billy Boyd Pippin
    Dominic Monaghan Merry
    Orlando Bloom Legolas
    Hugo Weaving Elrond
    Miranda Otto Eowyn
    Faramir
    Directors: Peter Jackson IMDB Rating: 8.7/10 out of 305,469 votes

    “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” Movie Review

    “The Two Towers” Plot Summary

    Frodo and Sam continue on to Mordor in their mission to destroy the One Ring. Whilst their former companions make new allies and launch an assault on Isengard.

    Life enhancing

    If you are reading this review (or indeed any other) trying to assess whether or not you should watch this film then please read no further and just go and slip in the DVD and let the sights and sounds of Middle Earth wash over you. Nothing I, or indeed anyone else, can say should help you to form an opinion prior to watching. I guess the audience for the three films fall into two categories; those who have read the books and those who have not. Those who have not, in my experience, tend to be overwhelmed by the absolute majesty of the vision but a little non-plussed by the actual story – seeing it as just some rather dopey fantasy; a Star Wars trilogy set in past times for the modern audience if you like. Then there is the ‘yes, I have read the books’ class who in general seem to have a kind of smug arrogance grounded in comments such as ‘they left out too much’, ‘its not what I imagined’ or ‘Of course its all an allegory for the rise of the third Reich’. Tolkein bemoaned the lack of an heroic mythology for the English people and he sought to create one in his Rings trilogy of books. My opinion is too humble to count – but if you want it, I believe he succeeded. The epic backdrop, the heroes and villains, the rich history, the races and the languages are all utterly plausible as a long cherished story handed down over many generations. Peter Jackson and his team must be congratulated not only for their wonderful realisation of Middle Eath and its inhabitants; but for crafting a series a movies that captured the very essence of what Tolkein was trying to achieve. Well done also for leaving out Tom Bombadil.

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    ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ Download and Reviews

    September 2, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

    “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” Movie Details

    The Curious Case of Benjamin Button tagline: Life isn’t measured in minutes, but in moments
    The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - DVD Cover

    The Curious Case of Benjamin Button DVD Cover

    Actors:
    Mahershalalhashbaz Ali Tizzy
    Peter Donald Badalamenti II Benjamin Button
    Dewayne Bateman Family member
    Brett Beoubay 1918 Police Officer
    Joel Bissonnette David Hernandez
    Rus Blackwell Robert Williams
    Deejay Buras Wounded soilder in bar
    Chandler Canterbury Benjamin Button – Age 8
    Cameron Cash Ballet Dancer
    Spencer Daniels Benjamin Button – Age 12
    Walter Delmar Ballet Dancer
    Joshua DesRoches Ricky Brody
    Louis Dupuy Cab Driver
    Tom Everett
    Mitchell Falk Frenchman in Rowboat
    Directors: David Fincher
    IMDB Rating: 8.0/10 out of 121,003 votes

    “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” Movie Review

    “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” Plot Summary

    Tells the story of Benjamin Button, a man who starts aging backwards with bizarre consequences.

    A great, worth film

    This film is worthy of a 10/10 rating simply because of its imaginative and complex nature, I mean, I couldn’t bring myself to know why this simple idea of a man aging backwards hadn’t sprouted up before. Set all the way back at the end of the Great War, to New Orlean’s meeting with Hurricane Katrina, this movie tells the story of Benjamin Button, a baby born an old man of eighty, destined to die in the mere form of a zero-year-old. I found this movie very emotional and special because there’s reeally nothing like it. I honestly thought, when I found out the immense length of the film, it was going to be boring….I was wrong, it gripped me from start to finish. There are many emotional and touching scenes in it, including the end, where it brings forth Benjamin Button’s ‘younger’ years as an old man. Nothing went wrong with the cast, Brad Pitt played a great job as a reverse-aging man, and Cate went well as his childhood friend. Overall, this movie was great and I recommend it to anyone who loves the genre.

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    ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ Download and Reviews

    August 21, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Action, Adventure, Fantasy

    “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” Movie Details

    The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tagline: The eye of the enemy is moving.
    The Return of the King - DVD Cover

    The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King DVD Cover

    Actors:
  • Bernard Hill
  • Viggo Mortensen
    Ian McKellen
    Elijah Wood
    Noel Appleby Everard Proudfoot
    Alexandra Astin Elanor Gamgee
    Sean Astin Sam
    David Aston Gondorian Soldier 3
    John Bach Madril
    Sean Bean Boromir
    Cate Blanchett Galadriel
    Orlando Bloom Legolas
    Billy Boyd Pippin
    Sadwyn Brophy Eldarion
    Alistair Browning Damrod
    Marton Csokas Celeborn
    Richard Edge Gondorian Soldier 1
    Jason Fitch Uruk 2
    Theoden
    Directors: Peter Jackson IMDB Rating: 8.8/10 out of 338,269 votes

    “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” Movie Review

    “The Return of the King” Plot Summary

    The former Fellowship of the Ring prepare for the final battle for Middle Earth, while Frodo & Sam approach Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring.

    The greatest epic ever made

    The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is, hands down, among the most spectacular and magnificent films of all time

    A short run-down of the plot: After the battle of Helm’s Deep and Saruman’s imprisonment in his tower Orthanc, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf re-group with Merry and Pippin in Isengard. There they learn that the army of Sauron is planning a full-scale attack on the largest city of men – Minas Tirith in Gondor. Gandalf and Pippin ride to Minas Tirith to warn Denethor, the steward of Gondor, of the threat from Mordor. Defenses are built up as the army of Sauron marches across the Pelennor Fields towards Minas Tirith. A distress call is sent to Rohan, still recovering from Helm’s Deep. Rohan manage to muster a large army, and set out for Minas Tirith, but the battle has already begun. In the meantime, we continue with Sam and Frodo on their quest to destroy the One Ring

    A major achievement of this epic film is the character development. Gollum becomes more cunning and sneaky than ever, and manages to turn Frodo against Sam, who is desperately trying his best to get his old Frodo back. Merry and Pippin are no longer just a source of comic relief, both of them prove themselves worthy as they are split up for the final battle. We learn about the true bravery and potential of hobbits as Merry helps cut down the Witch King. Eowyn also proves herself in the film, as she defies her uncle and sets out to Pelennor fields with the other Rohirrim, and eventually destroys the Witch King, and makes a very feminist remark while doing so. We learn to loathe Denethor because of his hatred of his last remaining son, Faramir, who really hasn’t done anything wrong. The peak of our hatred for Denethor is reached in the scene where he tells Faramir that he would have preferred it if he had died instead of Boromir, his brother. And then, right after that, Denethor sends Faramir into certain suicide, and Faramir immediately accepts the mission he is appointed to, in a final attempt to please his father. And of course, Aragorn learns to accept his fate as the true king of men

    In fact, the character development is so powerful that we actually participate in the character’s feelings. We FEEL Frodo’s exhaustion and agony as he literally drags himself across Mordor. We feel Sam’s pain as Frodo is turned against him. And, just briefly, we participate in Gollum’s triumph as he finally gets the One Ring. We are actually happy for Gollum and just for a brief moment, Frodo becomes the bad guy as he tries to take the ring back. All in all, Return of the King contains the most moving, emotional and touching scenes in the entire trilogy, and some of the best acting, especially from Sean Astin (Sam), Elijah Wood (Frodo), Ian McKellen (Gandalf), John Noble (Denethor, he is very successful in adding depth to his character), Miranda Otto (Eowyn), and of course, Andy Serkis (Smeagol, and top-notch at it, just like in The Two Towers).

    The battle of Pelennor fields may be THE most spectacular and epic sequence in film history. Unlike Helm’s Deep, Pelennor Fields shows the true cleverness of Sauron’s army. Orcs are not the only participants; trolls are heavily used in the battle, as warriors and as beasts of burden. The nazgul are very significant in the battle, and while the Witch King didn’t actually lead the battle as he did in the book, the nine ringwraiths and their fell beasts still play a key part and do lots of damage in the battle. We see just how powerful the nazgul really are. And of course, the men from the south and their massive oliphaunts play a significant part. While in Helm’s Deep we felt triumphant, in Pelennor fields we only feel the triumph briefly, as the Rohirrim make their charge into the horde of orcs and trolls. The triumph in Pelennor Fields almost immediately dissolves, as the Rohirrim are trampled down by the oliphaunts. The battle is won, but we’re not happy, we’re grieved for all the destruction, all the losses. It’s a totally different feeling than Helm’s Deep, and makes this battle all the more superior

    Return of the King features the most magnificent visuals in the entire trilogy. Whether they are of Minas Tirith, Pelennor Fields and Osgiliath, Mordor and the slopes of Mt. Doom or the climb to Shelob’s cave near Minas Morgul, Peter Jackson really shows us the true impact of these landscapes and images

    Many people may complain about the changes in the movie, especially the significant cut of Saruman from the end, but you must realize that if they would have featured the whole part with Saruman the movie would have continued another hour and a half. Don’t fret; Peter Jackson said the scenes will all appear in the extended version of the film. The ending is long enough as it is, and the film continues at least another half an hour after the Ring is no more. The hobbits return to the shire, and Sam marries Rosie. Aragorn meets his fate and is crowned king, and is finally reunited with Arwen. And of course, one of the most moving scenes in the movie, in which Frodo gets on the last ship to the Undying lands with Bilbo, Gandalf, and the last of the elves (Galadriel and Elrond to name a few), and must part with his three hobbit friends for good

    All in all, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is one the most fine-tuned, cinematically perfect films ever made, it’s absolutely flawless in every aspect. The Lord of the Rings trilogy as a whole is a spectacular achievement in film making history, and all three movies are together, without a doubt, the greatest epic ever made.

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    ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ Download and Reviews

    August 16, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Action, Adventure, Thriller

    “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” Movie Details

    Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull tagline: In May, the adventure continues.
    Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - DVD Cover

    Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull DVD Cover

    Actors:
    Harrison Ford Indiana Jones
    Cate Blanchett Irina Spalko
    Karen Allen Marion Ravenwood
    Shia LaBeouf Mutt Williams
    Ray Winstone ‘Mac’ George McHale
    John Hurt Professor ‘Ox’ Oxley
    Jim Broadbent Dean Charles Stanforth
    Igor Jijikine Dovchenko
    Dimitri Diatchenko Russian Suit #1
    Ilia Volokh Russian Suit #2
    Emmanuel Todorov Russian Soldier #1
    Pavel Lychnikoff Russian Soldier
    Andrew Divoff Russian Soldier #3
    Venya Manzyuk Russian Soldier #4
    Alan Dale General Ross
    Directors: Steven Spielberg
    IMDB Rating: 6.6/10 out of 127,656 votes

    “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” Movie Review

    “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” Plot Summary

    Famed archaeologist/adventurer Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones is called back into action when he becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.

    The adventure continues

    (Minor spoilers) This is the first Indy film I got to see in a movie theater so I must say I was very excited when I arrived for a midnight screening. I don’t intend to write down an overly long introduction paragraph because most people will know who Indiana Jones is and if you don’t you should watch those movies immediately

    Having said that I do feel the need to refer to Raiders of the Lost Ark when writing about Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Raiders started out as one idea being that of an action hero involved in a truck chase. After the action was written, they added a story. It seems like they did it the other way around this time as none of the action scenes are as memorable as the ones you’ve seen in the previous movies. They’re great, of course, but not instant classics like the boulder scene in raiders and the mine car chase in Temple of Doom and it sometimes feels as if the action is too uninspired. I sometimes felt like they needed to go a little bit more over the top but when they did, they kind of went too much over the top

    Now the fans might think ‘Hey, wait a minute! I like the franchise, don’t bitch about it too much!’ To those fans I want to say that the reason I focus on the negative is because most of the negative reviews don’t cover the negative aspects of the film but rather Ford’s age and that this movie is ‘more of the same’. Now that I’ve seen the movie I can only assume that those negative reviews were written before the critics saw the movie because Ford’s age is really not an issue here and it seems like they miss the real flaws of the movie. The biggest flaw is that Indy finds clues which lead him to the next clue until he finally reaches his final destination with the greatest of ease, National Treasure style. Instead of trying to keep up with the villains, he’s always a step ahead until they finally catch him after which Indy escapes again by using his fists instead of his wit. Another flaw that many people will disagree with is that the jungle is not a good place for an adventure movie because it’s done too often

    But there’s a reason I gave the movie an eight (I would give it a 7.5 if IMDb would let me). George Lucas said that the movie would be the same as the others but based on the movies of the fifties instead of serials from the thirties. However, the fifties and the thirties are so different that I don’t think it would have been possible to make this movie the same. It’s set in the fifties and the movie is made as if it were the fifties instead of 2008. People who studied film history will know what that means and some typical 1950s stuff, like paranoia caused by the communist threat, is present in the movie as well

    I don’t want to spoil too much but I must warn the big Indy fans that this movie is different. Be prepared for everything so you won’t have a giant WTF floating above your head when the movie reaches its climax. It’s not as different as Phantom Menace was compared to the original Star wars trilogy so don’t expect too much unnecessary CGI. There is still a lot of stunt work and good humor and the acting is very good.

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    ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ Download and Reviews

    August 1, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Action, Adventure, Fantasy

    “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” Movie Details

    The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring tagline: The Legend Comes to Life
    The Fellowship of the Ring - DVD Cover

    The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring DVD Cover

    Actors:
  • Lawrence Makoare
  • Noel Appleby Everard Proudfoot
    Elijah Wood Frodo Baggins
    Sean Astin Sam Gamgee
    Sala Baker Sauron
    Sean Bean Boromir
    Cate Blanchett Galadriel
    Orlando Bloom Legolas Greenleaf
    Billy Boyd Pippin
    Marton Csokas Celeborn
    Megan Edwards Mrs. Proudfoot
    Michael Elsworth Gondorian Archivist
    Mark Ferguson Gil-Galad
    Ian Holm Bilbo Baggins
    Ian McKellen Gandalf
    Christopher Lee Saruman
    Lurtz
    Directors: Peter Jackson IMDB Rating: 8.8/10 out of 363,365 votes

    “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” Movie Review

    “The Fellowship of the Ring” Plot Summary

    In a small village in the Shire a young Hobbit named Frodo has been entrusted with an ancient Ring. Now he must embark on an Epic quest to the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it.

    A Masterpiece

    I’ve never been a fan of the sword and sorcery genre . I’m surprised film companies decide to make rubbish like THE BEASTMASTER, HAWK THE SLAYER and RED SONJA but I am aware of the popularity of JRR Tolkien’s massive novel LORD OF THE RINGS and of it’s popularity , I remember in a survey carried out by a very well known British fantasy/SF magazine in 1987 Tolkien’s book was voted the greatest fantasy novel of all time ( THE STAND by Stephen King was a long way second ) , but it’s a novel that has always struck me as being read by anoraks who – like fans of STAR TREK and STAR WARS – insist on reading subtexts that are just not there . When the THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS shot to number one in the IMDb top 250 films I put the popularity down to obsessed anorakish fans who were going to vote the film a classic no matter what . Stranger still I found groups as diverse as neo Nazis to gays to enviromentalists proclaiming ‘ This is our film ‘ so when I finally sat down to watch TFOTR I was expecting only some average entertainment for a non sad person with no political axe to grind . After seeing the film I had to admit THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING is a masterpiece .Much of the credit must go to the producers . I ‘ve no idea of the politics about bringing the story to the silver screen but I can imagine the Hollywood bigwigs sitting around the commitee table saying ‘ Give us Tom , give us Nicole , get Harrison , get Leonardo . No limeys . Limeys are slimy . No limey accents . We’re Americans , this is our baby ‘ to which the producers gave a firm and resounding ‘ No ‘ . Good for them because the Hollywood treatment would have ruined this film. The cast comprised of well known – but not megastar – actors and unknowns are uniformally excellent even the normally hammy Lee and Rhys Davis and the bland Tyler are good . Also great to see so many Brits playing good guys and having the American actors adopting non specific British accents .The cast do a good jobThe other production values are outstanding . Pride of place goes to Andrew Lesnie’s cinematography where the camera sweeps down from the sky into the Orcs underground lair and the camera also shows off the stunning New Zealand landscapes . I’d always believed Scotland had the greatest scenery on Earth but I’m willing to change my mind . The FX are good throughout though perhaps the matte backgrounds and CGI are less impressive in places but they’re still a lot better than we’ve been used to recently . The Orc make up is wonderful and helps them become classic cinema monsters . The only bad point about the Orcs is – Like the stormtroopers in STAR WARS – they’re too easy to kill .There are some minor flaws to THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS but this is probably down to Tolkien’s source novel rather than the film makers . A couple of times the heroes seem set to suffer a resounding defeat when something not obvious at first like flammable villains or a giant eagle saves the day . I guess this is cancelled out by the dangers and adversaries also appearing from nowhere and there’s little female perspective in the story for the women in the audience to relate to but come on girls you’ve got Viggo Mortensen and Sean Bean acting all hunky and macho so you can’t complain

    I see the IMDb reviewers have started a backlash against FOTR like they did with TITANIC and GLADIATOR . They’re right about the gawd awful rubbish that is TITANIC but they’re wrong about GLADIATOR which is a very good film and even further wrong about THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING which is a cinematic masterpiece. Ignore their criticisms . Any film that is praised by people as diverse as fans of the book , people who have never read the book , enviromentalists and cynics like myself is worth your time watching . I’m really looking forward to THE TWO TOWERS

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