‘The Godfather: Part II’ Download and Reviews

October 10, 2009 by Paul Wall  
Filed under Crime, Drama, Thriller

“The Godfather: Part II” Movie Details

The Godfather: Part II tagline:
The Godfather 2 - DVD Cover

The Godfather: Part II DVD Cover

Actors:
  • Francesca De Sapio
  • Al Pacino Don Michael Corleone
    Robert Duvall Tom Hagen
    Diane Keaton Kay Corleone
    Robert De Niro Vito Corleone
    John Cazale Fredo Corleone
    Talia Shire Connie Corleone
    Lee Strasberg Hyman Roth
    Michael V. Gazzo Frankie Pentangeli
    G.D. Spradlin Sen. Pat Geary
    Richard Bright Al Neri
    Gastone Moschin Don Fanucci
    Tom Rosqui Rocco Lampone
    Bruno Kirby Young Clemenza (Peter)
    Frank Sivero Genco Abbandando
    Young Mama Corleone
    Directors: Francis Ford Coppola IMDB Rating: 9.0/10 out of 226,134 votes

    “The Godfather: Part II” Movie Review

    “The Godfather 2″ Plot Summary

    The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York is portrayed while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on his crime syndicate stretching from Lake Tahoe, Nevada to pre-revolution 1958 Cuba.

    A Masterpiece

    The Godfather Part Two is possibly the best film ever made, every part of this film is amazing, it is even better than the original, I was very surprised by this. The story is amazing, everything makes perfect sense. The Oscar winning screenplay is amazing, the dialogue is some of the most original, and realistic ever putt on screen, the characters are flawless, and it’s in every way perfectly written. The acting is just as fantastic, I can’t believe Al Pacino lost the Oscar, and for once Robert De Niro was even better, he was truly amazing, and interestingly he fails to say a single word in English. The direction is also amazing, Francis Ford Coppola even does a better job than he did in The Godfather, and Apocalypse Now. The visual effects are so much better than the amazing one’s in the original Godfather. One of the best films ever, a must see. Flawless.

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    ‘Apocalypse Now’ Download and Reviews

    October 2, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Action, Drama, War

    “Apocalypse Now” Movie Details

    Apocalypse Now tagline: The Horror. . . The Horror. . .
    Apocalypse Now - DVD Cover

    Apocalypse Now DVD Cover

    Actors:
  • Kerry Rossall
  • Robert Duvall Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore
    Marlon Brando Colonel Walter E. Kurtz
    Martin Sheen Captain Benjamin L. Willard
    Frederic Forrest Jay ‘Chef’ Hicks
    Sam Bottoms Lance B. Johnson
    Laurence Fishburne Tyrone ‘Clean’ Miller
    Dennis Hopper Photojournalist
    Albert Hall Chief Phillips
    Harrison Ford Colonel Lucas
    G.D. Spradlin General Corman
    Jerry Ziesmer Jerry, Civilian
    Scott Glenn Lieutenant Richard M. Colby
    Bo Byers MP Sergeant #1
    James Keane Kilgore’s Gunner
    Mike from San Diego
    Directors: Francis Ford Coppola IMDB Rating: 8.6/10 out of 162,438 votes

    “Apocalypse Now” Movie Review

    “Apocalypse Now” Plot Summary

    During the on-going Vietnam War, Captain Willard is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade Green Beret who has set himself up as a God among a local tribe.

    Truly a Masterpiece

    Somewhere on IMDb there is a discussion about the greatest director of all times (Spielberg, Copolla and others are named there). The greatest argument was around Spielberg and whether he is or isn’t a great director. The problem with Spielberg is that while he is a master technician, most of his films lack depth

    Saving Ryan is really outstanding from a technical point of view, but its message is dull and while its very entertaining, it doesn’t make you think about anything. AN is the best movie I ever saw because it combines great shooting with a deep philosophical perspective on so many things, starting from war in general, the clash of civilizations, the condition of soldier in wartimes (is a soldier a hero or an assassin? Brando says he is neither, the french lady says he is both …) and many others. The problem with some people is that they try to argue about whether these points are true or false. But a great movie, and a great piece of art in general is supposed to spark arguments, not to solve them … Maybe Coppola is right, or maybe he isn’t, nobody holds the truth anyway. You can watch this movie for its outer beauty, amazing scenes, great acting and memorable quotes and you will be entirely satisfied. But what really make this movie a masterpiece is its inner quality. You can’t help but make a comparison with the recent Fahrenheit documentary

    Both Copolla and Moore tackle similar issues, but while Copolla presents matters from an outside , objective point of view, Moore takes a very partisan position that really compromises the whole point of a documentary … It is really a shame that a film like Fahrenheit 9/11 won a prestigious award like Cannes. But anyway, if you want to start to understand a little of the Vietnam war, the Iraq war, the second World War and any war in general, you should definitely see this movie, and not the other one …

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    ‘The Astronaut’s Wife’ Download and Reviews

    September 9, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

    “The Astronaut’s Wife” Movie Details

    The Astronaut’s Wife tagline: How well do you know the one you love?
    The Astronaut's Wife - DVD Cover

    The Astronaut's Wife DVD Cover

    Actors:
  • Timothy Wicker
  • Johnny Depp Commander Spencer Armacost
    Charlize Theron Jillian Armacost
    Joe Morton Sherman Reese, NASA Representative
    Clea DuVall Nan
    Donna Murphy Natalie Streck
    Nick Cassavetes Capt. Alex Streck
    Samantha Eggar Dr. Patraba
    Gary Grubbs NASA Director
    Blair Brown Shelly McLaren
    Tom Noonan Jackson McLaren
    Tom O’Brien Allen Dodge
    Lucy Lin Shelly Carter
    Michael Crider Pat Elliott
    Jacob Stein Calvin, 2nd Grade Student
    Wide Eyed Kid #1
    Directors: Rand Ravich IMDB Rating: 4.9/10 out of 19,234 votes

    “The Astronaut’s Wife” Movie Review

    “The Astronaut’s Wife” Plot Summary

    A pair of shuttle astronauts leave their spacecraft to repair a satellite. There’s an explosion. NASA loses contact for two minutes… add synopsis

    Quite good.

    I actually enjoyed this film. Someone mentioned that it’s 95% setup and 5% payoff. Well, that’s what I liked about it. In fact, I could have done without the 5% payoff. We are told that *something* happened to the astronaut while he was in space. As long as this event is left unexplained, the audience is kept in the dark as to how the story will evolve. This is a blissful state of ignorance. It’s the same kind of Sci-Fi as ‘2001, A Space Odyssey’. Not in terms of the plot, but how the space is used solely to grasp the mystery and the incomprehensible and bring it to the screen. When it’s revealed what actually happened to the astronaut, the movie becomes weaker, but doesn’t fall apart completely.

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    ‘The Grudge’ Download and Reviews

    September 3, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Horror, Mystery, Thriller

    “The Grudge” Movie Details

    The Grudge tagline: It never forgives. It never forgets.
    The Grudge - DVD Cover

    The Grudge DVD Cover

    Actors:
    Sarah Michelle Gellar Karen Davis
    Jason Behr Doug
    William Mapother Matthew Williams
    Clea DuVall Jennifer Williams
    KaDee Strickland Susan Williams
    Grace Zabriskie Emma Williams
    Bill Pullman Peter Kirk
    Rosa Blasi Maria Kirk
    Ted Raimi Alex
    Ryo Ishibashi Det. Nakagawa
    Yoko Maki Yoko
    Yuya Ozeki Toshio Saeki
    Takako Fuji Kayako Saeki
    Takashi Matsuyama Takeo Saeki
    Hiroshi Matsunaga Det. Igarashi
    Directors: Takashi Shimizu
    IMDB Rating: 5.7/10 out of 41,011 votes

    “The Grudge” Movie Review

    “The Grudge” Plot Summary

    An American nurse living and working in Tokyo is exposed to a mysterious supernatural curse, one that locks a person in a powerful rage before claiming their life and spreading to another victim.

    pretty good

    so, being a fairly deep fan of horror movies, it’s been a while since i’ve seen one that really made me jump (or fidget nervously.)definitely going to get this on DVD when it comes out… a hell of a lot better than the ring. the thing that i don’t get is that so many people that we talkd with after the movie thought that it was horrible, well, if that’s what you think, then so be it… i know what i liked and it takes a fair amount to get me to actually feel scared, so i have to say that this one is worth watching.now, you might be disappointed in the story if you need everything in a neat and tidy line, because the plot goes back an forth a little bit to help build the story (i think that if it was shown in chronological order, it would have ruined the whole thing.)i’m actually glad that this movie had very little bloody messes in it… maybe the rest of you studio writers and whathaveyous will realize that you don’t have to splash the red stuff all over the set to make people afraid.

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    ‘The Godfather’ Download and Reviews

    September 3, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Crime, Drama, Thriller

    “The Godfather” Movie Details

    The Godfather tagline: An offer you can’t refuse.
    The Godfather - DVD Cover

    The Godfather DVD Cover

    Actors:
  • Rudy Bond
  • Marlon Brando Don Vito Corleone
    Al Pacino Michael Corleone
    James Caan Santino ‘Sonny’ Corleone
    Richard S. Castellano Pete Clemenza
    Robert Duvall Tom Hagen
    Sterling Hayden Capt. Mark McCluskey
    Richard Conte Emilio Barzini
    Al Lettieri Virgil Sollozzo
    Diane Keaton Kay Adams
    Abe Vigoda Salvadore “Sally” Tessio
    Talia Shire Connie
    Gianni Russo Carlo Rizzi
    John Marley Fredo
    Carmine Cuneo
    Directors: Francis Ford Coppola IMDB Rating: 9.2/10 out of 383,368 votes

    “The Godfather” Movie Review

    “The Godfather” Plot Summary

    The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.

    Initially, I wasn’t a fan… but then I realised

    This is a masterpiece. A timeless masterpiece. Initially, I didn’t like this film all that much – I found it rather over-hyped and boring. This was until the advent of DVD, which gave me the feature I needed for this sort of film: subtitles. Once I switched them on and heard (read) every last word of Brando’s ramblings and other characters ramblings, I grew a true appreciation for this epic

    To make a true epic, you need all of three following ingredients working in near perfect harmony. For screenwriters who come across this, take the following pointers on board: 1) Contrasting Characters: Good films have some character distinction, but most fall rather flat because the core of each character is the same

    Of course, there are exceptions to rule (ie… where you want mono-tonal characters… aka matrix; or where you want outlandish contrasts… aka The Fifth Element), but ultimately, this is what makes films deep, meaningful and grand. Consider the contrasts between the Don’s children. Michael is rather cool, rational and collected, whereas Sonny is more hot-headed, spontaneous and simple minded. But simply having these contrasts is not nearly enough. What you really need to do is to develop these characters – place them in situations – and then dwell on how their character impacts on the situation they’re put in. The Godfather is a terrific example of how to pull this off. While many try to do this in screenplays, most lose the plot and create character obscurities that stretch credibility.2) Transformation: The central character(s) must undergo a transformation, resulting in them being almost unrecognizable by the end of the film. By putting them into situations, the character’s character must not only influence the outcome of the situation; it must also have a lasting impact on the character. Consider Michael at the wedding and compare that to the Michael we see at the end of the film. Again, many films try, but most fail because they come up with unreal (literally, not praisingly) or simply moronic transformations (eg, Wall Street).3) Patience: Men in Black 2 was an astounding film for one simple reason – it was an entire film squashed into about 70 minutes. It was not much longer than an episode of ER or Buffy. I certainly hope the new goal of Hollywood isn’t to make films as short as possible

    All the great ones spend time – time developing characters, family life, growth, patience with the story telling in general. This is the key (provided that the story isn’t mind-numbingly boring). Dances with Wolves, Heat.. and so on are very patient but top-class films. While studios may be lukewarm on the idea of longer films, they are worth it if you have a ripper story to base it on

    I feel that this film has not dated all that much and has tremendous re-watch-ability.

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    ‘Erin Brockovich’ Download and Reviews

    August 6, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Biography, Drama, Romance

    “Erin Brockovich” Movie Details

    Erin Brockovich tagline: She brought a small town to its feet and a huge corporation to its knees.
    Erin Brockovich - DVD Cover

    Erin Brockovich DVD Cover

    Actors:
  • Erin Brockovich-Ellis
  • Julia Roberts Erin Brockovich
    David Brisbin Dr. Jaffe
    Dawn Didawick Rosalind
    Albert Finney Ed Masry
    Valente Rodriguez Donald
    Conchata Ferrell Brenda
    George Rocky Sullivan Los Angeles Judge
    Pat Skipper Defending Lawyer
    Jack Gill Defendant
    Irene Olga LГіpez Mrs. Morales
    Emily Marks Beth Brockovich – 8 Months
    Julie Marks Beth Brockovich – 8 Months
    Scotty Leavenworth Matthew Brockovich
    Gemmenne de la PeГ±a Katie Brockovich
    Julia, the Waitress
    Directors: Steven Soderbergh IMDB Rating: 7.2/10 out of 52,309 votes

    “Erin Brockovich” Movie Review

    “Erin Brockovich” Plot Summary

    An unemployed single mother becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city’s water supply.

    True Fairy Tale from Toxic Tort Country

    Lightweight legal drama with a feel-good ending enlivened by a sparkling script and good chemistry between the leads. I say legal drama, though the courtroom scenes are brief, because it is largely an account of the real Ms Brockovich’s legwork (in more than one sense) that brought about the largest toxic tort settlement to date. The victims were the unlucky inhabitants of a small Mojave desert town, Hinkley, California, many of whom were seriously affected by the release into their environment of a poisonous industrial chemical, hexavalent chromium. The villain was Pacific Gas and Electric, the power utility. Erin Brockovich, a single mother with three young children who had bullied Ed Masry, the aging accident lawyer who had just lost her road accident compensation case, into giving her a paralegal job, found a file relating to a Hinkley land purchase by P G &E, which had some unusual features, and started digging. She rounded up over 600 claimants, stacks of evidence (including the proverbial smoking gun), and achieved a remarkable reasonably prompt result – $333 million in damages from a $28 billion dollar corporation

    The fictional account of this engaging story naturally goes out of its way to tug on the heartstrings so we get lots of Ms B’s private life financial worries, job-hunting blues, childcare problems and the ups and downs of her relationship with George, a sweet-natured biker. The real interest in the story is in two things. One, her remarkable people skills ranging from flashing her ample cleavage to get co-operation from a records clerk to establishing real empathy with the abused victims of P G &E, a skill few lawyers possess. (Like a lot of good lawyers she does possess an excellent memory.) The second is her relationship with Ed, the old crash and bash man, who she irritates into winning the case of his life, long after it seemed forensic glory had passed him by. Ed is not driven by lust (he’s a bit old for that) but is shamed into action, and after a while he realizes that Erin has got what it takes, even though he treats her shabbily on occasion

    Julia Roberts as Erin and Albert Finney as Ed are a curious combination. It was odd to cast Finney, an English actor with a strong regional accent, as a Southern Californian ambulance-chaser with maybe a middle eastern background. Julia Roberts makes the transition from romantic comedy heroine to a more character-driven role with ease and she and Finney bounce off each other very satisfactorily without Finney seeming to want to lay a hand on her, despite her provocative dress sense. Stephen Soderbergh, who dealt with kinky Southern sex in `Sex, Lies and Videotape’, has made a pretty orthodox piece here, but it is well done and many of the minor characters are well filled out. Aaron Eckhart is very appealing, if a little too good to be true, as George. One of the real judges in the case repeats his role on film and Erin herself appears briefly as a waitress in a fast food outlet who has no trouble remembering complicated orders

    Poor old P G & E. really get it in the neck. Although they are exposed as having attempted early on to defeat the Hinkley inhabitants’ legal rights by a tactical confession of their sins, the subsequent conduct of the matter by their representatives indicates a very stupid bunch indeed not even smart enough to be called evil (compare `Silkwood’). Unlike John Travolta in `Class Action’ who had Robert Duvall as his Big Corporate nemesis, Erin and Ed lacked a worthy opponent. This rather reduces the dramatic tension, but the real-life Erin and Ed obviously know they are on to a good thing they are now doing their best to drive up power bills even further by suing P G&E over another toxic tort elsewhere in California.

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