Category Archives: Drama Movie Reviews
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Midnight Cowboy is a supposed classic that I figured was about time that I watched to see for myself.
The film is about a wannabe cowboy named Joe Buck (Jon Voight) from Texas who moves to New York City to become a gigolo. Joe becomes friends with a sick and crippled con man named Ratso Rizzo. Both men struggle for survival living on the streets.
The film was directed by John Schlesinger and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Sylvia Miles, Bob Balaban, John McGiver, Brenda Vaccaro, Ruth White, and Jennifer Salt.
This movie did not really seem like it would appeal to me. The only reason I wanted to watch it was to see Hoffman and Voight before they were really famous. It didn’t look good and the storyline didn’t interest me at all.
I hated this movie. It was terrible. That might annoy some people because somehow Midnight Cowboy managed to win 3 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. But, I don’t care. Midnight Cowboy was a joke.
The only decent things about the film were Dustin Hoffman’s performance, the scenery of New York City in the 1960s, and the movie’s theme song “Everybody’s Talking at me” by Harry Nilsson.
The rest of the film was stupid, messed up, a little disturbing, and most of all, pointless. It is the misadventures of two low-life wannabe hustlers. An uneducated man travels across the country on a bus to prostitute himself. It does not sound good and it is not good, plain and simple.
True Grit (1969) and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) were both far more deserving of an Academy Award for Best Picture that year. The fact that Midnight Cowboy won is a travesty.
I rate this movie a 1 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? RUN!
Crossing Over (2009)
Crossing Over (2009)
Crossing Over is a Wayne Kramer written and directed movie that fell through the cracks. Kramer is known for Running Scared (2006), The Cooler (2003), and most recently Pawn Shop Chronicles (2013). Running Scared was excellent and The Cooler and Pawn Shop Chronicles were both very solid films. Crossing Over did not appear to me like it would be any good. I wanted to give it a try however, because Kramer usually makes quality movies and the noteworthy cast includes Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, Jim Sturgess, Cliff Curtis, Alice Eve, Alice Braga, Mahershala Ali, Josh Gad, Michael Cudlitz, and Marshall Manesh.
Crossing Over is about multiple stories of immigration to the United States. It follows multiple immigrants from all over the world who are trying to become legal citizens in Los Angeles. Some go through the proper process of trying to become legal citizens, while others try to do so illegally or skip the process altogether. Sometimes their stories intertwine and other times they do not. The film also follows the lives of the people who are trying to help these immigrants to become legal and also the ones who are trying to deport them. It deals with how sometimes mixing different cultures together can clash and how sometimes it can bring people closer together. It is all different perspectives on immigration in America.
The movie jumps all over the place from story to story. There is not a lot of character development because the movie is trying to tell too many stories instead of concentrating on one. As a result, it is hard to feel anything for the characters and it turns into a jumbled mess.
Ford gave a standout performance in the film. He was not given a lot to work with, but he managed to be likable anyway. He single-handedly tried to hold the broken pieces of the movie together, but there is only so much that one actor can do.
Overall the movie was hard to enjoy because it jumped around way too much. It was a waste of a quality cast and it was a waste of time. This is by far Wayne Kramer’s worst movie.
I rate this movie a 4 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Run.
Note: Michael Cudlitz has been in 3 Wayne Kramer movies: Running Scared, Crossing Over and Pawn Shop Chronicles.
Jim Sturgess and Josh Gad were both in the film 21 (2008) together.
It’s always interesting to me to find different movie connections.
The Way, Way Back (2013)
The Way, Way Back (2013)
Steve Carell and Sam Rockwell both have the ability to be really funny and that is why I thought that The Way, Way Back could be hilarious. If both of those guys are in the same movie together than it is bound to make you laugh right?
The movie is about Duncan, a timid 14-year-old boy (Liam James) who is dragged along on a summer vacation with his mother (Toni Collette), her jerk of a boyfriend (Steve Carell), and her boyfriend’s daughter (Zoe Levin). In order to escape the awkwardness, Duncan ventures off on his own to a nearby water park where he befriends Owen (Sam Rockwell) the manager, and gets a summer job.
The film was written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. The rest of the noteworthy cast includes Allison Janney, Maya Rudolph, Rob Corddry, Amanda Peet, River Alexander, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash.
The film did not have a very promising start, and I was worried that it was not going to get any better. It was a stale dysfunctional drama until Sam Rockwell made his appearance and saved the day, and the movie. Rockwell turned the film into a “dramedy” and made it worth watching. The film literally went from awful to entertaining as if Rockwell had just flipped a switch.
Unfortunately, Carell’s character was not funny at all. Carell is usually pretty excellent when he is in a comedic role, but when his character is all drama, he is hardly likable.
The movie was a good story of how uncomfortable life can be sometimes with a divorced parent who is dating again. Maybe being a child of divorced parents myself, I related to the movie a little bit more than others might. When you are a kid who is stuck dealing with a boyfriend or girlfriend of one of your parents whom you just don’t like or get along with, it is nice to be able to escape with your friends for support. I was fortunate enough to be able to do that many times during my childhood. That is what this movie is about and that is what this movie does a good job depicting.
It’s not the funniest movie in the world and it’s not the greatest, but it is a touching story that should make you laugh.
I rate this movie a 7 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Rent.
If you liked The Way, Way Back, then you will most likely enjoy:
Jackie Brown (1997)
Jackie Brown (1997)
Jackie Brown was the last of the Quentin Tarantino movies that I had not seen, until now. Here is a film with a number of big name actors in their prime and an established director who had semi-recently directed Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Pulp Fiction (1994). So why did I wait 16 years to watch this movie? The answer is that I was only 11 years old when it was in theatres and it is rated R. I was thinking about watching it about 11 years ago, but I had only heard bad things from die hard Tarantino fans, so I decided against it. I figured I would get around to it eventually, but I sure didn’t think it would take me this long.
The film is about an arms dealer (Samuel L. Jackson) who is at risk of being investigated by the police, so he decides to clean up shop and dispose of some of the employees of his illegal organization. One of his employees named Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) is not so easy to get rid of.
The rest of the noteworthy cast includes Robert De Niro, Michael Keaton, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda, Michael Bowen, Chris Tucker, LisaGay Hamilton, and Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister.
From the very start of the film, it feels like Samuel L. Jackson is playing basically the same character that he played in Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. He is loud, he talks a lot, and he uses the F and N words way more than he or anybody else probably should. He gets away with it though because he is Samuel L. Jackson and somehow that makes it okay.
To this point in time, Tarantino’s films had been known for their heavy language, violence, and lots of dialogue. Jackie Brown carries on this tradition, except has far more scenes of people sitting or standing around talking. If the main characters are not sitting around an apartment chatting and smoking pot, then they are sitting around a bar or an office drinking, smoking cigarettes, and talking up a storm. There is an obscene amount of talking and far less doing, anything.
This is a 2 hour and 34 minute long crime drama. Honestly, it feels like Tarantino’s ego may have gotten the better of him while making this movie and he decided it was a masterpiece and therefore didn’t cut anything. Maybe he had gotten so much praise from his first two films that he let it go to his head. The film was probably an hour longer than it needed to be. Some scenes were so painstakingly slow that I got bored and a little sleepy.
De Niro seemed somewhat miscast. His character was so dumbed-down that it did not seem like he fit the part.
It was entertaining to see all of these big stars while they were still in their prime. However, Jackie Brown is a bloated thriller without very many thrills. This is Quentin Tarantino’s worst film. I’m glad that I finally watched it because now I know what all of the fuss is about. If you have not seen this movie, you’re not missing much.
I rate this movie a 4 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Run.
Emperor (2012)
Emperor (2012)
I have always wondered what Japan would have been like at the end of WWII when the Japanese surrendered. It seems to me there would be a lot of chaos and resentment during the rebuilding process.
Emperor is based on the book “His Majesty’s Salvation” by Shiro Okamoto. When WWII ended and the Japanese had surrendered, General Fellers (Matthew Fox) was given 10 days to weed through the intricate web of power surrounding the Emperor and detain the men responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was also ordered to figure out whether or not Emperor Hirohito was a war criminal and if he should be hanged. During his investigation, Fellers was also on a personal quest to find his missing Japanese girlfriend, Aya (Eriko Hatsune).
The film was directed by Peter Webber and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Tommy Lee Jones, Colin Moy, Takataro Kataoka, Masato Ibu, Isao Natsuyagi, and Kaori Momoi.
This is the first movie of its kind that I have seen. The film was not quite the powerful film that it could have been. However, it was put together nicely, well acted, and well directed.
I thought that the film did an excellent job depicting the ruins of Japan. It was eerie seeing the aftermath of entire cities that had been obliterated.
The movie felt like it was actually taking place right after WWII.
I feel that Matthew Fox has recently proved himself as a capable actor. It was the film Alex Cross (2012) that made me take him seriously. He did a good job in Emperor.
It was yet another no-nonsense role for Tommy Lee Jones and he played the part as well as he always does.
The film did a great job of telling a story that I am sure that a lot of people are not familiar with. If you are a fan of WWII movies like I am, then you will probably enjoy this one. It felt a little slow at times because there are a lot of conversations with translators translating back and forth. They go back and for between that and using subtitles and it makes the film seem longer than it really is.
There is not a whole lot of violence or language and the movie was very tastefully made.
I rate this movie a 7.5 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Rent.
The Big Wedding (2013)
The Big Wedding (2013)
I come from a very dysfunctional family, but I am sure that we all do in one way or another. So maybe that is why I am drawn to dysfunctional movies.
The Big Wedding is about a couple that must pretend to be married even though they have been divorced for a very long time. Their adopted son is getting married and the family is reuniting for the wedding, but his birth mother is unaware that his adopted parents were ever separated.
The film was directed by Justin Zackham and the noteworthy cast includes Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Surandon, Topher Grace, Katherine Heigl, Amanda Seyfried, Ben Barnes, Robin Williams, Christine Ebersole, David Rasche, Patricia Rae, and Ana Ayora.
The movie is inappropriate from the very first scene and delightfully dysfunctional throughout.
The film revolves more around the families of the groom and bride rather than the groom and bride themselves. That is what the movie actually has going for it because instead of being a sappy love story, it is more about the harsh reality of the lives of the family attending the wedding.
It’s very amusing to see acting legends De Niro, Keaton, Surandon, and Williams all in the same film together and all as awesome as ever.
There are tons of laughs to be had in this film. From the awkwardness of a divorced couple acting like they are married to the funny insults back and forth between siblings and the jokes that get lost in translation with the adopted kid’s foreign birth family.
The humor is raunchy and there is a lot of language.
I laughed harder than I thought I would. The Big Wedding was a pleasant surprise. It was hilarious, witty, messed up, heartfelt, and dysfunctional. It was just like family should be, or at least how my family is.
The film appears like it could be a chick flick, but don’t be fooled. It was just a pure comedy.
I rate this movie an 8 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
If you liked The Big Wedding, then you will most likely enjoy:
Trance (2013)
Trance (2013)
I’ve never been a huge fan of Rosario Dawson, but James McAvoy and Vincent Cassel in a psychological crime thriller involving hypnotism and directed by Danny Boyle sounded like it could have potential.
Simon (James McAvoy) works at an art auction. He has gotten in way over his head with gambling debt that he owes a ruthless criminal named Franck (Vincent Cassel). In order to settle his debt with Franck, Simon agrees to help rob an expensive painting from the art auction. Things go wrong and Simon suffers a head injury which causes him to have amnesia. He cannot remember where he left the painting and therefore cannot pay his debt. Simon turns to hypnotism to try to help him remember and hopefully save his life.
The rest of the noteworthy cast includes Rosario Dawson, Danny Sapani, and Tuppence Middleton.
Trance is one of those movies that as soon as it ends you will want to watch it all over again just to try to figure it all out. It is intentionally a little hard to follow. It is a film that will play mind games with you. Because of the hypnotism aspect of the movie, it is often hard for the viewer to tell right away what is real and what is not. As events unfold on screen, you are slowly able to piece things together, but the movie keeps you guessing.
Each actor does what is necessary for their characters and nothing more. The film is thrilling enough. It felt like something was missing in the movie, but because it was so puzzling, it sort of made up for what it was lacking. Movies are meant to entertain, and this one served its purpose.
There is a bit of violence and gore, lots of nudity, and plenty of language all with a very fitting trance soundtrack.
Overall, if you enjoy movies that are unpredictable and really make you think, then you will probably like Trance.
I rate this movie a 7 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Rent.
If you liked Trance, then you will probably enjoy the following films:
Jobs (2013)
Jobs (2013)
To me, Ashton Kutcher playing Steve Jobs is a sign that he is trying to shed his pretty boy image. He has been in a few serious films, but for the most part he has stuck with comedy. Usually you are unable to take Kutcher’s characters or the movies that he is in seriously. He has been a likable goofball for the majority of his acting career. Before watching Jobs, I knew that it had the potential to be a game changer for Ashton Kutcher’s career. If he played his part well, then in a sense, he could earn his wings and continue making real movies.
Jobs is inspired by the true story of how Steve Jobs (Ashton Kutcher) co-founded Apple Inc. after dropping out of college and became one of the most innovative creators and entrepreneurs of our time.
The film was directed by Joshua Michael Stern and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Dermot Mulroney, Matthew Modine, Josh Gad, J.K. Simmons, Ron Eldard, James Woods, Lukas Haas, John Getz, Kevin Dunn, Nelson Franklin, Robert Pine and Elden Henson.
Since the movie is inspired by a true story, I would be interested in knowing exactly which parts are true and which parts are fiction.
I will admit that before watching Jobs, I knew hardly anything about Steve Jobs. I knew that he founded Apple and he had a major role in the company’s success, but that was about it.
As a child, the first computer that my family owned was an Apple Macintosh. That always stuck with me. Fast-forward to now and Apple is still the best in the business and always evolving.
Jobs is an intriguing story about a hippie college dropout with a vision for greatness and an overwhelming passion to follow through on trying to make the world a better place.
This is Kutcher’s best performance as an actor so far. He did a heck of a job as Jobs. The movie certainly has the potential to change Ashton Kutcher’s image and I foresee more serious movies in his future. Is it a game changer for him? I think that it certainly is.
The rest of the cast did an excellent job in their supporting roles.
The film felt a bit long-winded towards the end and it lacked more development of Steve’s family life. However, the film was uplifting and inspirational. It’s a worthy tribute to a genius who left his mark on the world.
I rate this movie an 8 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
Admission (2013)
Admission (2013)
Paul Rudd has been typecast in the same roles for the majority of his career. When Tina Fey is not on television, she is acting in cheesy romantic comedies. With this in mind, I figured that this movie would be very average, but I thought that I would give it a chance anyway.
The film is about an admissions officer at Princeton (Tina Fey) who is not very fond of children. After finding out that an applicant just might be her son that she gave up for adoption a number of years before, she puts her job in jeopardy trying to help him get accepted.
The movie was directed by Paul Weitz and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Paul Rudd, Gloria Reuben, Wallace Shawn, Lily Tomlin, Michael Sheen, Nat Wolff, and Travaris Spears.
I would hardly classify Admission as a comedy. It is not even really a dramedy. It is a romantic drama, but mainly just a drama.
It seems like more and more movies these days have been released classified as comedy/romance/drama. It is deceiving because often times these movies are just not very funny or any good at all, i.e. The Guilt Trip (2012) and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012).
These types of movies take actors that are mainly known for their comedy and they try to stretch the parameters of their acting ability by making them do comedy, drama, and romance. The end result is usually a light hearted, dysfunctional concoction of cheesy and cheap humor, a formulaic story, and characters that seem out of place because they are out of their element and in over their heads. Admission is exactly this kind of movie.
I chuckled a few times, I was bored a little bit, and when the movie was over I knew that I would never have to see it again.
Rudd and Fey keep making the same movies and therefore will continue to make the same movies.
Tomlin was charming. Given that she has mainly been acting in television lately, it was nice to see her in a movie again.
This is not even a good “chick flick.” Don’t waste your time on this below average movie.
I rate this movie a 4 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Run.
Killing Season (2013)
Killing Season (2013)
John Travolta has not been making as many films as he used to. Ever since his son died in 2009, he has made noticeably fewer movies.
It seems like Travolta has maybe gone off the deep end because his characters have gotten angrier and more intense. His role in Killing Season appeared like it was going to continue this trend. The pairing of Robert De Niro opposite Travolta as another darker character was enough to make me want to see the film. Travolta out for revenge on De Niro on screen is bound to be entertaining.
Killing Season is about a retired war-hardened veteran (Robert De Niro) who is trying to live a quiet life in a remote cabin in the wilderness when a man from his past (John Travolta) comes back to hunt him.
The film was directed by Mark Steven Johnson and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Milo Ventimiglia and Elizabeth Olin.
The movie touches briefly on the Bosnian war, which I found interesting because I knew nothing about it.
I thought that Travolta pulled off a Serbian accent quite well. Along with his short, dark hair, facial hair, and eyebrows, he was believable as a Serbian. He certainly continued his recent trend of grittier characters and he was a likable bad guy.
De Niro has showed no sign of slowing down even at the age of 70. He ran around in the woods and held his own against the younger Travolta.
The film was a drawn out battle between two aging veterans in the style of The Most Dangerous Game (1932). One man hunted the other while the other man fought to survive.
The movie was a little too predictable at times. However, the quality acting, moderately intense action, and the built up tension throughout the film was enough to make up for where it was lacking, and ultimately made the movie worth watching.
Without spoiling the film, I think that the movie would have benefited from having more time spent hunting. If the chase was a little more spread out, the film might have been less predictable.
The movie is a 2 man show. The bottom line is if you are a fan of De Niro or Travolta, then you will probably enjoy Killing Season.
I rate this movie a 6.5 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Rent.
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