Rugs Movie Reviews
I LOVE BARETTA
It's like a private lesson w/one of the best studio drummers
One of Meyer's best that I've seen to date.
it was awesome
A Stunning Series!
Consumed by guilt and grief over her mother's recent death and driven to adventure by her belief in the supernatural, Eleanor Vance (Julie Harris) is the most unstable--and therefore the most vulnerable--visitor to Hill House. She's invited there by anthropologist Dr. Markway (Richard Johnson), along with the bohemian lesbian Theodora (Claire Bloom), who has acute extra-sensory abilities, and glib playboy Luke Sanderson (Russ Tamblyn, from Wise's West Side Story), who will gladly inherit Hill House if it proves to be hospitable. Of course, the shadowy mansion is anything but welcoming to its unwanted intruders. Strange noises, from muffled wails to deafening pounding, set the stage for even scarier occurrences, including a door that appears to breathe (with a slowly turning doorknob that's almost unbearably suspenseful), unexplained writing on walls, and a delicate spiral staircase that seems to have a life of its own.
The genius of The Haunting lies in the restraint of Wise and screenwriter Nelson Gidding, who elicit almost all of the film's mounting terror from the psychology of its characters--particularly Eleanor, whose grip on sanity grows increasingly tenuous. The presence of lurking spirits relies heavily on the power of suggestion (likewise the cautious handling of Theodora's attraction to Eleanor) and the film's use of sound is more terrifying than anything Wise could have shown with his camera. Like Jack Clayton's 1961 chiller, The Innocents, The Haunting knows the value of planting the seeds of terror in the mind, as opposed to letting them blossom graphically on the screen. What you don't see is infinitely more frightening than what you do, and with nary a severed head or bloody corpse in sight, The Haunting is guaranteed to chill you to the bone. --Jeff Shannon
Waste of MoneyIf you are looking for classic-thriller material that will actually scare you or at the very least interest you, take a look at the works of the talented Alfred Hitchcock. If it is a psychological thriller you are after, try "Of Unknown Origin" with Peter Weller. There is nothing thrilling about this movie, and the "psychology" is basically dubbed voice-overs where the characters narrate their thoughts aloud.
People who felt that the 1999 version of "The Haunting" was inferior to this film in any way need to have their heads examined. Firstly, the 1999 version is a completely different genre (modern horror), and secondly, rated against others of its own genre the 1999 version of "The Haunting" holds up well.
Unless you are someone that believes that every film made before 1970 is good, I wouldn't bother with this movie.
give me back my money
SatisfyingThe story follows an old estate, Hill House, which has a typical assortment of mysterious deaths in its history that have led to variously typical rumors regarding the place. A team of researchers, led by Dr. Marquay, let the house for studies in the supernatural. The good doctor has called in a psychic, a victim of a poltergeist, and the heir to the deserted estate. Eventually, Eleanor (Julie Harris) is driven mad by the forces inside the house. The unexpected ending makes for a slightly off-beat comsummation to an otherwise well-told story.
The film's basic message--that hate is learned and can be unlearned--is expressed through Derek's kid brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), whose sibling hero-worship increases after Derek is imprisoned (or, in Danny's mind, martyred) for the killing of two black men. Lacking Derek's gift of rebel rhetoric, Danny is easily swayed into the violent, hateful lifestyle that Derek disowns during his thoughtful time in prison. Once released, Derek struggles to save his brother from a violent fate, and American History X partially suffers from a mix of intense emotions, awkward sentiment, and predictably inevitable plotting. And yet British director Tony Kaye (who would later protest against Norton's creative intervention during post-production) manages to juggle these qualities--and a compelling clash of visual styles--to considerable effect. No matter how strained their collaboration may have been, both Kaye and Norton can be proud to have created a film that addresses the issue of racism with dramatically forceful impact. --Jeff Shannon
Disturbing.
this moviethe original ending was the most important section of the film and it was completely altered. the original script calls for a accidental murder of the character danny, and a more thoughtful exposition of the thesis of the film, which is principally about fear and how fear shapes our societies, and a small view into how this might come about.
dave explained that the edward norton "skinhead" character's realization of ignorance and fear was much more fully and subtley developed than in the final cut. this is unfortunate, and i think that dave's original script would have made a more meaningful movie.
the idea of portraying a charasmatic white power neo-nazi is absolutely controversial, but in analysing the movie ( even the final product ) i think it is very clear that the "logic" behind nazi theories shown is extremely faulty. in fact, the inspiration for "derek" to embrace these ideas is absolutely linked to his personal and emotional experiences and not his logical mind. if you want to judge for yourself, watch the film closely!
all in all, this film was well directed, and in my opinion very well acted. certain parts could have been made more realistic, like the basketball sequence. (ed norton is not a basketball good player by any standards...but that is trivial).
this is a movie that interested me, and if you watch it remember that it was not intended by the writer to play out exactly as it does.
Not as good as Romper Stomper
Because of his condition, Leonard essentially lives his life in short, present-tense segments, with no clear idea of what's just happened to him. That's where Memento gets really interesting; the story begins at the end, and the movie jumps backward in 10-minute segments. The suspense of the movie lies not in discovering what happens, but in finding out why it happened. Amazingly, the movie achieves edge-of-your-seat excitement even as it moves backward in time, and it keeps the mind hopping as cause and effect are pieced together.
Pearce captures Leonard perfectly, conveying both the tragic romance of his quest and his wry humor in dealing with his condition. He is bolstered by several excellent supporting players, and the movie is all but stolen from him by Pantoliano, who delivers an amazing performance as Teddy, the guy who may or may not be on his side. Memento has an intriguing structure and even meditations on the nature of perception and meaning of life if you go looking for them, but it also functions just as well as a completely absorbing thriller. It's rare to find a movie this exciting with so much intelligence behind it. --Ali Davis
Tremendous film! Pure genius
Near perfectionWell, kind of. There is also another similar plot line which runs in true time and is mostly the main character, Leonard (Guy Pearce) talking to someone on the phone about a strange mental condition. No worries about telling the two plot lines apart, because this alternate plot line is shot completely in black and white, while the plot line that runs in reverse is done in color. The movie alternates black and white scenes with color scenes, which leaves us completely confused for a while.
Not really such a bad thing for this movie, because that's exactly what Leonard feels. He was a detective living a normal life, when his wife was brutally raped and murdered. He walked in on the attack and was slammed into a wall. He developed a strange condition from this injury. He can form no new memories. Anything that happened to him before the attack is crystal clear. Since then, any encounter he has fades from memory within seconds.
To combat this, he uses his body as a kind of billboard, tatooing various facts about the killer all over himself, so he won't forget them as he hunts down the killer of his wife. He also keeps pictures of everyone he meets and writes notes on the backs to keep straight whether they can be trusted. Some of the people he meets may not be his true friends, but we don't know that, we are along for the ride.
The two main characters Leonard meets in the movie are Teddy (Joe Pantoliano) and Natalie (Carrie Anne Moss). Both characters are not who they seem at first, and one wonders if either can truly be trusted. Kudos must go out to Pearce, who gives an excellent performance as the brain damaged Leonard. You can sense his acceptance of the reality of his life, yet see the despair just underneath the surface. Magnificent performance.
Camera work is another plus here. A couple of neat tricks for us. The opening scene is of someone being shot with a pistol. The scene goes completely in reverse, with the bullet going back into the gun and the blood crawling up the wall. This sets the scene for the type of storytelling we will be seeing. Also, I mentioned the two separate storylines. Watch toward the very end for these to come together. It will take a careful eye to spot the moment when they do.
The main accomplishment for Christopher Nolan is the ability to structure the film in this way and still leave us a surprise at the end. Or beginning. Whatever. By the time the credits roll, we learn that everything that has gone before may not be completely accurate. Is that the message? That memory itself is unreliable? Perhaps.
Finally, the DVD itself. Wonderful. The image is crisp and clear. The DTS sound is awesome The discs are loaded with extras although I admit they are a pain to access, particularly disc 2. You may have to go to a website to fully explain how to access everything. My favorite feature is the one which lets you watch the whole movie in real time The black and white scenes all actually happen before the color scenes in real time. This is evident when you utilize this feature.
In short, this is a must see. I promise, you will not see anything like this for a long time. The script, acting, and execution are near flawless. Go grab a copy of this and get ready to watch it at least twice!
Brilliant!i'm sooooo sick of films that are predictable. Since watching "Identity", "The MAtrix 1,2,3" to name but a few, i've become so into confusing thrillers and films that remained with you for a while and kept you interested. it was very refreshing to see another film like that, but it seperates itself from the pack! This is like none other! It's on a whole new level, just like The Matrix is! i like how the film, makes u, well it made me be a part of the film, and i felt it wanted me to feel how lenny felt-the frustration, confusion, anguish, also the HOW and WHY, did this just happen? backwards style, the film is filmed, which kinda mirrors his condition. Absolute class!
This is one excellent film, but it's not for everyone. If ur a sucker for action-packed, big blockbusters etc, this isn't for you, but if you're willing to see something different, you can't get anymore different! It's so unique-in it's own way- and original. There will never be a film like this again. It's a shame not a lot of people have heard about this film, myself and many of my friends and family being an example! The acting is very good. Guy really does capture his character very well. I couldn't believe this guy used to act in something as sad as NEIGHBOURS!! lol. He has a come a looooong way! Joe and Carrie are also very good!!
P.S It's a "thinking film", so you might need to see it more than once, if you're not used to those kinda films. It is confusing. Don't be put off though, cos there are comprehendable parts! It's just putting the jigsaw together. If u are that sucker, i'll think you'll convert. Confusing films are a lot more fun! lol j/k Have patience! it's bloody worth it!
Because of his condition, Leonard essentially lives his life in short, present-tense segments, with no clear idea of what's just happened to him. That's where Memento gets really interesting; the story begins at the end, and the movie jumps backward in 10-minute segments. The suspense of the movie lies not in discovering what happens, but in finding out why it happened. Amazingly, the movie achieves edge-of-your-seat excitement even as it moves backward in time, and it keeps the mind hopping as cause and effect are pieced together.
Pearce captures Leonard perfectly, conveying both the tragic romance of his quest and his wry humor in dealing with his condition. He is bolstered by several excellent supporting players, and the movie is all but stolen from him by Pantoliano, who delivers an amazing performance as Teddy, the guy who may or may not be on his side. Memento has an intriguing structure and even meditations on the nature of perception and meaning of life if you go looking for them, but it also functions just as well as a completely absorbing thriller. It's rare to find a movie this exciting with so much intelligence behind it. --Ali Davis
Tremendous film! Pure genius
Near perfectionWell, kind of. There is also another similar plot line which runs in true time and is mostly the main character, Leonard (Guy Pearce) talking to someone on the phone about a strange mental condition. No worries about telling the two plot lines apart, because this alternate plot line is shot completely in black and white, while the plot line that runs in reverse is done in color. The movie alternates black and white scenes with color scenes, which leaves us completely confused for a while.
Not really such a bad thing for this movie, because that's exactly what Leonard feels. He was a detective living a normal life, when his wife was brutally raped and murdered. He walked in on the attack and was slammed into a wall. He developed a strange condition from this injury. He can form no new memories. Anything that happened to him before the attack is crystal clear. Since then, any encounter he has fades from memory within seconds.
To combat this, he uses his body as a kind of billboard, tatooing various facts about the killer all over himself, so he won't forget them as he hunts down the killer of his wife. He also keeps pictures of everyone he meets and writes notes on the backs to keep straight whether they can be trusted. Some of the people he meets may not be his true friends, but we don't know that, we are along for the ride.
The two main characters Leonard meets in the movie are Teddy (Joe Pantoliano) and Natalie (Carrie Anne Moss). Both characters are not who they seem at first, and one wonders if either can truly be trusted. Kudos must go out to Pearce, who gives an excellent performance as the brain damaged Leonard. You can sense his acceptance of the reality of his life, yet see the despair just underneath the surface. Magnificent performance.
Camera work is another plus here. A couple of neat tricks for us. The opening scene is of someone being shot with a pistol. The scene goes completely in reverse, with the bullet going back into the gun and the blood crawling up the wall. This sets the scene for the type of storytelling we will be seeing. Also, I mentioned the two separate storylines. Watch toward the very end for these to come together. It will take a careful eye to spot the moment when they do.
The main accomplishment for Christopher Nolan is the ability to structure the film in this way and still leave us a surprise at the end. Or beginning. Whatever. By the time the credits roll, we learn that everything that has gone before may not be completely accurate. Is that the message? That memory itself is unreliable? Perhaps.
Finally, the DVD itself. Wonderful. The image is crisp and clear. The DTS sound is awesome The discs are loaded with extras although I admit they are a pain to access, particularly disc 2. You may have to go to a website to fully explain how to access everything. My favorite feature is the one which lets you watch the whole movie in real time The black and white scenes all actually happen before the color scenes in real time. This is evident when you utilize this feature.
In short, this is a must see. I promise, you will not see anything like this for a long time. The script, acting, and execution are near flawless. Go grab a copy of this and get ready to watch it at least twice!
Brilliant!i'm sooooo sick of films that are predictable. Since watching "Identity", "The MAtrix 1,2,3" to name but a few, i've become so into confusing thrillers and films that remained with you for a while and kept you interested. it was very refreshing to see another film like that, but it seperates itself from the pack! This is like none other! It's on a whole new level, just like The Matrix is! i like how the film, makes u, well it made me be a part of the film, and i felt it wanted me to feel how lenny felt-the frustration, confusion, anguish, also the HOW and WHY, did this just happen? backwards style, the film is filmed, which kinda mirrors his condition. Absolute class!
This is one excellent film, but it's not for everyone. If ur a sucker for action-packed, big blockbusters etc, this isn't for you, but if you're willing to see something different, you can't get anymore different! It's so unique-in it's own way- and original. There will never be a film like this again. It's a shame not a lot of people have heard about this film, myself and many of my friends and family being an example! The acting is very good. Guy really does capture his character very well. I couldn't believe this guy used to act in something as sad as NEIGHBOURS!! lol. He has a come a looooong way! Joe and Carrie are also very good!!
P.S It's a "thinking film", so you might need to see it more than once, if you're not used to those kinda films. It is confusing. Don't be put off though, cos there are comprehendable parts! It's just putting the jigsaw together. If u are that sucker, i'll think you'll convert. Confusing films are a lot more fun! lol j/k Have patience! it's bloody worth it!
Because of his condition, Leonard essentially lives his life in short, present-tense segments, with no clear idea of what's just happened to him. That's where Memento gets really interesting; the story begins at the end, and the movie jumps backward in 10-minute segments. The suspense of the movie lies not in discovering what happens, but in finding out why it happened. Amazingly, the movie achieves edge-of-your-seat excitement even as it moves backward in time, and it keeps the mind hopping as cause and effect are pieced together.
Pearce captures Leonard perfectly, conveying both the tragic romance of his quest and his wry humor in dealing with his condition. He is bolstered by several excellent supporting players, and the movie is all but stolen from him by Pantoliano, who delivers an amazing performance as Teddy, the guy who may or may not be on his side. Memento has an intriguing structure and even meditations on the nature of perception and meaning of life if you go looking for them, but it also functions just as well as a completely absorbing thriller. It's rare to find a movie this exciting with so much intelligence behind it. --Ali Davis
Tremendous film! Pure genius
Near perfectionWell, kind of. There is also another similar plot line which runs in true time and is mostly the main character, Leonard (Guy Pearce) talking to someone on the phone about a strange mental condition. No worries about telling the two plot lines apart, because this alternate plot line is shot completely in black and white, while the plot line that runs in reverse is done in color. The movie alternates black and white scenes with color scenes, which leaves us completely confused for a while.
Not really such a bad thing for this movie, because that's exactly what Leonard feels. He was a detective living a normal life, when his wife was brutally raped and murdered. He walked in on the attack and was slammed into a wall. He developed a strange condition from this injury. He can form no new memories. Anything that happened to him before the attack is crystal clear. Since then, any encounter he has fades from memory within seconds.
To combat this, he uses his body as a kind of billboard, tatooing various facts about the killer all over himself, so he won't forget them as he hunts down the killer of his wife. He also keeps pictures of everyone he meets and writes notes on the backs to keep straight whether they can be trusted. Some of the people he meets may not be his true friends, but we don't know that, we are along for the ride.
The two main characters Leonard meets in the movie are Teddy (Joe Pantoliano) and Natalie (Carrie Anne Moss). Both characters are not who they seem at first, and one wonders if either can truly be trusted. Kudos must go out to Pearce, who gives an excellent performance as the brain damaged Leonard. You can sense his acceptance of the reality of his life, yet see the despair just underneath the surface. Magnificent performance.
Camera work is another plus here. A couple of neat tricks for us. The opening scene is of someone being shot with a pistol. The scene goes completely in reverse, with the bullet going back into the gun and the blood crawling up the wall. This sets the scene for the type of storytelling we will be seeing. Also, I mentioned the two separate storylines. Watch toward the very end for these to come together. It will take a careful eye to spot the moment when they do.
The main accomplishment for Christopher Nolan is the ability to structure the film in this way and still leave us a surprise at the end. Or beginning. Whatever. By the time the credits roll, we learn that everything that has gone before may not be completely accurate. Is that the message? That memory itself is unreliable? Perhaps.
Finally, the DVD itself. Wonderful. The image is crisp and clear. The DTS sound is awesome The discs are loaded with extras although I admit they are a pain to access, particularly disc 2. You may have to go to a website to fully explain how to access everything. My favorite feature is the one which lets you watch the whole movie in real time The black and white scenes all actually happen before the color scenes in real time. This is evident when you utilize this feature.
In short, this is a must see. I promise, you will not see anything like this for a long time. The script, acting, and execution are near flawless. Go grab a copy of this and get ready to watch it at least twice!
Brilliant!i'm sooooo sick of films that are predictable. Since watching "Identity", "The MAtrix 1,2,3" to name but a few, i've become so into confusing thrillers and films that remained with you for a while and kept you interested. it was very refreshing to see another film like that, but it seperates itself from the pack! This is like none other! It's on a whole new level, just like The Matrix is! i like how the film, makes u, well it made me be a part of the film, and i felt it wanted me to feel how lenny felt-the frustration, confusion, anguish, also the HOW and WHY, did this just happen? backwards style, the film is filmed, which kinda mirrors his condition. Absolute class!
This is one excellent film, but it's not for everyone. If ur a sucker for action-packed, big blockbusters etc, this isn't for you, but if you're willing to see something different, you can't get anymore different! It's so unique-in it's own way- and original. There will never be a film like this again. It's a shame not a lot of people have heard about this film, myself and many of my friends and family being an example! The acting is very good. Guy really does capture his character very well. I couldn't believe this guy used to act in something as sad as NEIGHBOURS!! lol. He has a come a looooong way! Joe and Carrie are also very good!!
P.S It's a "thinking film", so you might need to see it more than once, if you're not used to those kinda films. It is confusing. Don't be put off though, cos there are comprehendable parts! It's just putting the jigsaw together. If u are that sucker, i'll think you'll convert. Confusing films are a lot more fun! lol j/k Have patience! it's bloody worth it!