Movie Reviews: In Bruges, Choke, and Inglorious Bastards

In Bruges: This film is about two hitmen trying to lay low in Bruges. One is excited about the sightseeing and the other is pissed that he has to hang out there. I was really interested in seeing this movie for two reasons. The first is because it was called a European version of Pulp Fiction, but main reason is because I really enjoyed my visit to Bruges a few years ago. Bruges is a quiet little medieval town in Belgium. I really enjoyed it because it’s a beautiful town and I like the pace of life. All the people there were really into were beer, food, and chocolate. I enjoyed the scenery in the movie, but found it hard to follow the plot. I give it a two out of five.

Choke: This is the second movie based on a book by Chuck Palahniuk, one of my favorite authors. It’s about a sex addict who supplements his income by pretending to choke while eating in restaurants. He also has to deal with an aging mother suffering from dementia. Like all things Palahniuk, it’s pretty twisted. I thought it was a good movie, but nowhere near as good as Fight Club. Great book though. I give it a three out of five.

Inglorious Bastards: This is an Italian WWII movie made back in the 70’s. It’s about a group of US soldiers who are heading off to military prison. They end up escaping and trying to flee to Switzerland, but are recruited to for a commando mission instead. I got it because Quinton Tarintino is making a film called The Inglorious Basterds. After watching this film I’m pretty sure the movies are not related. Not a bad flick. I give it a four out of five.

Movie Reviews: Slumdog Millionaire, Planet B-Boy, Toxic Avenger

Movie Reviews: Slumdog Millionaire, Planet B-Boy, Toxic Avenger
Slumdog Millionaire: This movie was nominated for 10 Oscars and totally lives up to the hype. This is by far the best movie I have seen in the past 12 months. It’s got a great fresh story, awesome music, and great acting. I would say this is a must see.
Planet B-Boy: I put this on my Netflix que because 1) I like documentarys. 2) I think breakdancing is damn cool. Back in the day I used to wear out my copies of Breakin’, Breakin 2: Electric Bugaloo, Crush Groove and other breakdancing movies. Planet B-Boy is the story of B-boy crews from around the world preparing to compete in the World Breakdancing Championships in Germany. It’s got a great story and some of the movies these crews pull off are absolutely sick. If your interested in this you should also check out Red Bull’s BC One website.
The Toxic Avenger: What can I say. I also have a thing for B movies. The Toxic Avenger is one of those “must see” (or not) cult films. It’s the story of a nerdy janitor who falls into a vat of toxic waste, mutates, and ends up fighting crime while pursuing his love interest: A hot blind chick. Sounds like something you can relate to right?

Movie Reviews: Let the Right One In, Benjamin Button, Rescue Dawn, and Harold and Kumar

I just got Netflix and I’ve been hitting the theater a little more than usual lately. Here are some thoughts about some movies that I have recently seen.

Let the Right One In: I got to see this at the Belcourt with a few friends this weekend. I think the reviews oversold it a little. They all proclaimed it was phenomenal, but I thought it was average at best. I give it a score of 3 out of 5.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: It’s long, but I really liked it. The movie was directed by David Fincher who also directed Fight Club and Seven so this was a pretty big departure for him. I loved picking out the New Orleans landmarks in the film but did get annoyed by the shitty New Orleans accents. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Rescue Dawn: I really like Christian Bale so I found this to be a pretty enjoyable flick. I’m not sure how true it is to the actual true life events. I did have a problem following at times because of all the whispering though. Let’s score it 3.5 out of 5.

Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay: I know it sounds low-brow, but I really liked H&K got to White Castle. I didn’t think Guantanamo Bay was nearly as good. I did like the Neil Patrick Harris Scenes though. It earns a 2.5 out of 5.