31 August 2009

OLR: Following (1998)

Great warm-up for Memento. (7/10)

d. Christopher Nolan

OLR: Communion (1989)

Walken at his insane best. (7/10)

29 August 2009

Guest OLR: The Untouchables (1987)

The boost phase of what mainstream films have so readily become nowadays: one-dimensional villains, main characters with an inconsistent moral stance, and most overall effort gone into the action scenes. (5/10)

d. Brian de Palma

27 August 2009

OLR: Religulous (2008)

I was surprised that so few people got angry with Maher, though I suppose their calm-yet-insane ravings were even more disturbing. (7/10)

d. Larry Charles

24 August 2009

OLR: The Fugitive (1993)

The wife's birthday choice is a damned solid flick, even if it is a remake of a TV series. (8/10)

d. Andrew Davis

20 August 2009

OLR: The Wrestler (2008)

Excellent performances, but nothing about the story was unexpected. (8/10)

d. Darren Aronofsky

17 August 2009

Guest OLR: Wise Guys (1986)

A painfully unfunny mob comedy shot like a thriller. (4/10)

d. Brian de Palma

OLR: The Warriors: Ultimate Director's Cut (1979)

Gritty, intense and silly-but-serious like only the '70s could provide (though the poorly done comic book transitions in the director's cut take you right out of the movie). (7/10)

d. Walter Hill

OLR: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

With a huge sci-fi battle scene every five minutes, it's not nearly as bad as people said (except for Ziro). (7/10)

d. Dave Filoni

OLR: Crank (2006)

Hard to pick a better hanging out and drinking beers movie. (8/10)

d. Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor

10 August 2009

OLR: Watchmen: Director's Cut (2009)

About as good an adaption of the novel as you're going to get, although I have to wonder what non-readers of the book thought of all this. (8/10)

d. Zack Snyder

08 August 2009

OLR: Black Belt Jones (1974)

What if Shaft and Dolemite had a baby and it really knew kung fu for real? (6/10)

d. Robert Clouse

OLR: They Live (1988)

Always prophetic: this time, I caught a reference to the bailouts. (8/10)

d. John Carpenter

01 August 2009

Guest OLR: Body Double (1984)

Watch for Patrick Bateman's favorite scene and write the rest off as de Palma trying that whole Vertigo thing again. (5/10)

d. Brian de Palma

Guest OLR: Scarface (1983)

In no way, shape or form does this film deserve to be as highly revered/referenced as it is, and certainly not by rappers who feel the need to own three copies of it. (4/10)

d. Brian de Palma