August 09, 2005

The Dukes of Hazzard

My cousin, her boyfriend and I went and saw the Dukes of Hazzard last night. Not especially a good movie in my book, best left for DvD. Great for car stunts and such, but story-wise it was hard to swallow.

Perhaps I am jaded though, just a bit difficult to see some of the people that they cast to represent characters in a show I used to watch every week as a kid. My largest issues:

• Rosco - played by a big, overweight heavy-hand with an attitude and black gloves (plus he doesn't carry Flash around) Not Rosco in character at all.
• Boss Hogg - Burt Reynolds as Boss Hogg is just not logical in my book, he doesn't convince me.
• Daisy Duke - Jessica Simpson as Daisy Duke, awful awful awful and did I mention AWFUL.

There were plenty of inside jokes and alumni from Super Troopers and like movies (same director and actor after all) which was amusing. Willie Nelson as Uncle Jessie was also pretty amusing too, especially when he was in the "smoke" house a few times.

Uncle Jessie: What do you get if you cross a donkey and an onion?
Uncle Jessie: A piece of ass that makes you cry.

We also got a bit part by Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman!) who looks absolutely great but definitely could have been given some substance.

As for the boys, they were great in their roles as Bo and Luke, fight scenes were funny, prankstersque stuff was great.

Posted by Ravennacht at 08:52 AM

July 07, 2005

Man on Fire (2004)

This was actually quite a good movie. It stars Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning (isn't she quite the lil' Drew Barrymoreish pixie), Marc Anthony, Christopher Walken, and Giancarlo Giannini.

The story revolves around a series of kidnappings of young children/adolescents of afluent families, occuring in latin america and mexico. A mexican industrialist (Marc Anthony) seeks to hire protection for his young daughter (Dakota Fanning) at the insistance of his american wife.

Christopher Walken's character (an ex-mercenary) is visited by a long-time friend (ex-assassin) down and out on his luck, played by Denzel Washington. He turns Denzel's character on to take the job protecting the young girl.

Initially, Denzel's character is no nonsense and all business, but the girl slowly wins him over to friendship. Then all hell breaks loose when the kidnappers finally strike.

It's a great movie. Get it, watch it. I was seething with the assassin has he strove to punish the kidnappers for what they had done. You will like this movie.

Posted by Ravennacht at 12:34 PM

May 29, 2005

Sideways

Sideways, has Thomas Hayden Church and another actor in it. I was pretty disappointed by this movie. From the previews, one was led to believe it was a comedy or a dark comedy of sorts, however, it was neither... more like a morose drama. You get to follow two characters as they spend the week in wine country before one of the friend's upcoming wedding.

One is a teacher struggling to do something with his life (has written a book that is not published yet, has just gotten a divorce but cannot let go of his ex-wife, steals from his mother) that pretty much spends the whole movie being mopey and drinking.

The other friend is getting married, but wants to go away for the week and sleep around and pretty much be a moron.

Not a good movie. Bleck.

Posted by Ravennacht at 12:43 PM

May 15, 2005

Meet the Fockers

We watched Meet the Fockers this Saturday. I thought this movie was funnier than the first installment. The L.J. cracked me up with his sign language and first word "Assssh-hoooooooooole". It's too hilarious watching this kid say this.

Moses the horny dog is hilarious too, finally the cat has met its match!

Posted by Ravennacht at 11:34 PM

May 11, 2005

Hotel Rwanda

I was able to watch Hotel Rwanda the other day. It is the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager for an establishment in Rwanda during the Hutu massacre of their Tutsi brethren in the 1990s.

Paul was able to save thousands of Tutsi countrymen by giving them sanctuary within the walls of the hotel. The movie revolves around the problems he encounters, trying to bribe the Hutu army to keep the guests alive, finding food, discovering a means to get the world to see what is going on, dealing with the dwindling UN forces trying to protect them, handling the deception of the French and British taking only the europeans out, and mainly keeping his own family alive.

It truly was a good movie to watch, from the standpoint of showing the world, yet again, that the powers that be (insert USA, Britain, France, etc) are not as interested in protecting the lives of people in Africa as elsewhere when their interests are not involved.

The greatest line from the movie that I will remember was from the character played by Joaquin Phoenix. He played a cameraman that was taping the massacres taking place. As he was leaving on the bus, amid the other evacuated "white" guests, he mutters to himself as he leaves behind 1000s of Tutsis for certain death, "I have never felt so ashamed."

Don Cheadle is superb in this movie. See it!

Posted by Ravennacht at 01:45 AM