The Hangover (2009)

Director: Todd Phillips

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifinakis, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Sasha Barrese, Jeffrey Tambor, Ken Jeong

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Some guys just can't handle Vegas

Plot: When three friends finally come to after a raucous night of bachelor-party revelry, they find a baby in the closet and a tiger in the bathroom. But they can't seem to locate their best friend, Doug -- who's supposed to be tying the knot. Launching a frantic search for Doug, the trio perseveres through a nasty hangover to try to make it to the church on time.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? Oh, yeah!

It's very rare that I'll hit the theater for a comedy that I'm in the dark about. But when I heard so many people and critics carrying on about this one I just had to see for myself and I was not disappointed. It's hilarious from start to finish. Everyone's funny (especially Galifinakis) and the situations don't often end the way you expect them to. That really took me by surprise. The laughs don't stop, either. The biggest gut-buster is during the end credits when you get to see what was on the camera. I laughed so hard that I about pissed myself. Fortunately it held up for a second and third viewing. There's a sequel coming out next year. I'll be there opening weekend for sure.

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Starring: Christoph Waltz, Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger, B.J. Novak, Mike Myers, Julie Dreyfus, Rod Taylor

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Once upon a time in Nazi occupied France...

Plot: In Nazi occupied France, young Jewish refugee Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the slaughter of her family by Colonel Hans Landa. Narrowly escaping with her life, she plots her revenge several years later when German war hero Fredrick Zoller takes a rapid interest in her and arranges an illustrious movie premiere at the theater she now runs. With the promise of every major Nazi officer in attendance, the event catches the attention of the "Basterds", a group of Jewish-American guerilla soldiers led by the ruthless Lt. Aldo Raine. As the relentless executioners advance and the conspiring young girl's plans are set in motion, their paths will cross for a fateful evening that will shake the very annals of history.

My rating: 9/10

Will I watch it again? Most certainly.

I love QT's movies, pure and simple. KILL BILL (2003) is probably my favorite (both parts as a whole, mind you). With every announcement of a new QT flick, I get all kinds of excited. When the trailers come out I'm a mess of anticipation but when I saw the trailers for INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS I was completely unimpressed. Nothing about them did gave me that "he's still got it" feeling I'd always had previously. Brad Pitt looked horribly miscast. Nothing worked...until I saw it opening weekend.


I couldn't have been more wrong. Christoph Waltz's performance is magnificent and that he was unknown to everyone here in the States makes it even better. I'm anxiously awaiting anything this guy puts out. Pitt was a great bit of casting. He's fucking hilarious. The shit that comes out of his mouth and the way he delivers it is priceless. Like all QT flicks, the performances and dialogue are top notch. His music choices are a lot of fun. The only issue I had, musically, was the David Bowie song stuck in a pivotal moment in the film. It completely took me out of it and that bugs me. I'm going along have a wonderful time then BAM! What the hell, dude? Other than that, it's tops.


Oh, and the ending is fantastic. Methinks he watched HITLER - DEAD OR ALIVE (1942) a few times before writing it. But that's OK 'cause the man sure does know how to make a highly entertaining movie. It's not the action-loaded flick everyone expected (myself included) but it is a helluva lot of fun. I still want to see a QT WWII balls out action movie but that's probably not going to happen but one thing is certain...he's still got it!

King of New York (1990)

Director: Abel Ferrara

Starring: Christopher Walken, David Caruso, Laurence Fishburne, Victor Argo, Wesley Snipes, Steve Buscemi

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Not everyone who runs a city is elected.

Plot: Drug lord Frank White is released from Sing-Sing prison after serving a number of years for drug trafficking. He is reunited with his former gang, led by the murderous Jimmy Jump, as well as his personal female bodyguards Raye and Melanie, and his lover/legal annalist Jennifer. After seeing his old neighborhood more dilapidated and depressing than ever, Frank decides to do good by eliminating his competitors who filled the void left by his incarceration, then steal their money and drugs to finance a new South Bronx hospital for the needy. But Frank's past won't let go of him when a group of overzealous cops, led by corrupt detective Roy Bishop, frustrated at the lack of clues to nail Frank on for the current street killings, decide to take matters into their own hands.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? I suppose.

Good gangster flick. The cast alone dictates that you see it and any vehicle starring Walken is really all that needs to be said. Done.

Bound (1996)

Directors: Andy & Lana Wachowski

Starring: Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano

More info: IMDb

Tagline: A trust so deep it cuts both ways.

Plot: Corky, a tough female ex con and her lover Violet concoct a scheme to steal millions of stashed mob money and pin the blame on Violet's crooked boyfriend Caeser.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? YES, YES, YES! But not for the reasons you think.


What a terrific modern film noir! BOUND is a tight, tense and violent crime thriller with fun performances by the three leads...oh, and it's got two super hot actresses getting all naked and friendly with each other. I'm serious when I say that for me, this is first and foremost an excellent crime picture and the reason why I watch it...again...and again. Yes, the lesbian sex scenes are some of the most erotic caught on film but try convincing your friends that that's not why they should see it.

Just like BASIC INSTINCT (1992), the story and performances work for me and the sex element is secondary although I can see how someone wouldn't think that of me after reading a few entries from this blog. The thing is this...yeah, I'm a guy who likes nudity, good nudity, but it's not the end-all/be-all for me when it comes to movies. Some movies benefit from it while others don't. There are times when I mind it and there are times when a movie could've used some. But for me it's really the story, performances, direction, etc that make a movie work. This is the first film by the Wachowski brothers and the one just before THE MATRIX (1999). It's a home run and an outstanding first film.


BOUND works beautifully well and it's a shame that it's the sex angle that everyone thinks about. Like BASIC INSTINCT, I suppose it's not entirely a bad thing since that aspect has brought a lot of people to watch the film only to find out there's a great movie that surrounds the naughty bits that brought them there in the first place.

Bond 20: Die Another Day (2002)

Director: Lee Tamahori

Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike, Rick Yune, Judi Dench, John Cleese, Michael Madsen

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Events don't get any bigger than...

Plot: James Bond is sent to investigate the connection between a North Korean terrorist and a diamond mogul who is funding the development of an international space weapon.

My rating: 5.5/10

Will I watch it again? No.


There's nothing more than any of the Brosnan Bond films that make me long for the days of Roger Moore or Sean Connery. The thing is, I don't blame Brosnan at all (assuming he had little control over anything in the films). It's squarely on the producers. They've continually added stupid shit to these flicks that fucks them all up. They seem like they have to get bigger with every film. No, you don't, you just have to make a good film. They at least got it right with CASINO ROYALE (2006) but that didn't last long before they went back to being retards again. I hate people sometimes. If I didn't love the world of Bond so much I wouldn't care.


Madonna's theme song is the worst by a long shot (but just wait until QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008) comes around) and her acting performance is as bad as Denise Richards in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (1999) (if that's at all possible). It's not even a good Madonna song, for fuck's sake, and I like quite a bit of her music, too. Fortunately we've got another good score by David Arnold.


I don't get why Halle Berry is as big of a star as she is. She's attractive and she was good in MONSTER'S BALL (2001) but most of her performances I've seen are pretty bad (considering the cast that surrounds her). I didn't care for her in this one and I'm thankful that the rumored spin-off film featuring her character didn't happen.


For me the best part was more srumminess from Samantha Bond in a FANTASTIC payoff at the end of the movie.


As with the previous three Brosnan Bond films, I liked Brosnan where he's being serious and he's got moments when he really works well but there's too much horseshit that muddies everything up to make him a great Bond. I'm so glad I've watched these Brosnan Bond pictures for the last time. I really can't imagine a situation where I would slap them in again. This one in particular is two hours and thirteen minutes long! I'd love to get the series on Blu-ray (well, you know, when they eventually put them all out) but it's these films that keep me from getting the sets. I just don't want 'em.

Scorethefilm will return with his thoughts on...

Casino Royale (2006)

Bond 19: The World Is Not Enough (1999)

Director: Michael Apted

Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle, Denise Richards, Robbie Coltrane, Judi Dench, Desmond Llewelyn, John Cleese, Samantha bond

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Some men want to rule the world... Some women ask for the world... Some believe the world is theirs for the taking... But for one man, The World Is Not Enough!!!

Plot: James Bond uncovers a nuclear plot when he protects an oil heiress from her former kidnapper, an international terrorist who can't feel pain.

My rating: 5.5/10

Will I watch it again? No.


Yawn. More silliness. I really wish they hadn't gone with the over-the-top outrageousness with the Brosnan pictures. He could've been a great Bond. He was when he was playing it serious but there's just far too many cornball one liners and stupid situations to make him anything but a great Bond. He's the Bond that could've been...should've been. That's right, I said it. Of all the 6 guys (in the true Bond franchise) that played him, he's my least favorite.


Anyway, that's not to say there are things I like about this one, the most of which being the final appearance of Desmond Llewelyn as Q. His exit brings a tear to my eye every time. Having Cleese as his replacement is brilliant casting. Too bad it only lasted for one more picture.



Denise Richards is about as offensive as an actress as you can get in a Bond flick. THE FUCK? Her performance is atrocious. Samantha Bond, however, as Miss Moneypenny is scrummy as hell and she needs to have my babies.

Denise Richards...BAD!

Samantha Bond (left)...SCRUMMY!

David Arnold continues to kick some ass with his John Barry-inspired score. I'm so glad he's stayed on as the franchise composer all these years. His work is excellent and I can't think of a better choice for a Bond composer outside of Barry. The theme tune performed by Garbage is quite good as well.


Overall, like the other two Brosnan Bond pictures, I just can't get behind this one. I wanted to but I couldn't and it doesn't get better with the next one, either.

Scorethefilm will return with his thoughts on...

Die Another Day (2002)

Presumed Innocent (1990)

Director: Alan J. Pakula

Starring: Harrison Ford, Brian Dennehy, Raul Julia, Bonnie Bedelia, Paul Winfield, Greta Scacchi, John Spencer

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Some people would kill for love.

Plot: Chicago prosecutor Rusty Sabich (Harrison Ford) is assigned to investigate the brutal murder of a beautiful co-worker (Greta Scacchi). But when his fingerprints turn up at the scene, he's forced to admit he was having an affair with the victim. Now the prime suspect, Sabich enlists a former rival (Raul Julia) to mount his defense.

My rating: 8.5/10

Will I watch it again? Absolutely!

Now THIS is a solid thriller! Gripping story, direction, tense performances (one of Ford's better roles), outstanding and edgy score by John Williams, and it all builds to a most satisfying climax. The performances are top notch. Dennehy is always gripping. Man, I'd like to see this guy in a live play. Across the board everyone is fantastic and Raul Julia is so on target that it's hard not feel a bit of sadness that this was one of his last roles. He left far too early. It's an excellent suspense thriller that is riveting through all of its 127, all-too-short minutes.