Review: Terrence Malick's "Badlands" (1973)

Ok, its time to get something off my chest... what in the world was Sissy Spacek's parents doing with their lives when they raised their daughter?! She plays a highschool girl at the age of 24 in 'Badlands' with high sexual content. Then again in 1976 in 'Carrie', which practically starts out as a pedophiles dream porn. I read an article the other day, not sure of the website, but it claimed that GQ magazine was wrong for photographing actors and actresses who play high school characters in a television show (Glee)... at first I thought they were dumb, as the actors and actresses are ACTING as these characters, but are realistically not these high school "children". I still think that situation is a bit different, and justified by both sides. One is careful and considerate, which is weighing heavy on the side of caution, as our generation seems to spot light pedophilia more and more, growing our subconscious. But, in a film, portraying a high school character, and WHILE playing as that character, or characters, with such sexual content, it just doesn't give me a good taste in my mouth, and as a critic, fully biased to my subjections, cannot award a filmmaker or actor for doing these things, instead, they become penalties.

Now, having gotten that off my chest, this film is no less than great. Martin Sheen proves to me time and time again why he is among the top. Just great performances by every actor in the film, fulfilling their roles perfectly. I mean, what else can someone say to build up a performance? Perfect. Its too bad James Dean came first, because I would love to say James Dean looks like Martin Sheen in this film, the superior actor, playing a character that identifies better with what James Dean was trying to do, but never really did.

Terrence Malick definitely sells his greatness in this film as he wrote and directed this great movie.

Just an all around enjoyable film. I am pushing this one on anyone and everyone, a must see film.

"Badlands"

9 / 10

Review: "Bullitt" (1968)

Well, I went into this film having heard just a few things, one of them being that this film has one of the best car chase, or just car scenes in all of film. So, I sat down, pushed play, and wow. Wow. What a slow slow drift, all the way to the "great" scene.

The film may not have been easy to make, but they sure didn't try and make that not apparent. The hardest thing I thought they did was hiring a popular actor in Steve McQueen, or wait, did this elevate him? Eh, never the less, another hard part was the destruction of great cars, and great they were indeed. There were moments during the car chase that were good or even great, but the film leading up to that was just, awkward. The director tried to tell me Steve McQueen's character was a great cop without convincing me. It kind of reminded me of all the Chinese food spots around my house, all mom and pop owned, claiming they are the best ever. You can buy sticker, and place them in the window of your business, but you better LOOK the best and TASTE the best, to BE the best. 'Bullitt' never built McQueen until the car chase scene, then to the airport.

Uggh.

And talk about a director who hasn't done much...

Now, I know I am falling into a minority group when I stand on the opposing line for this film, but, its just inconsistent with itself. I was excited a few times, but just disappointed.

Maybe there aren't many car chase movies which earn greatness, but this shouldn't be one just based on the chase itself, or else you let in the beasts like "Fast and the Furious' run rampant... which I enjoy, but to put it in ANY "great" category feels wrong.. and same goes for 'Bullitt' in my mind.

"Bullitt"

6 / 10

Review: Werner Herzog's "Land of Silence and Darkness" (1971)

Werner Herzog can do no wrong, right? Well, it appears so, so far. This documentary is raw, as all his documentaries I have seen so far. It doesn't always take you to where you want to go, or often where you THINK you want to go, but he does take you to very interesting places. I am not fully satisfied in the places he took me in this film, but I did learn and enjoy very much what he had to show me. He doesn't just show you things you always want to see, but he is giving you his perspective, filming his interests, while not dressing anything up, which becomes intriguing. There isn't very much to say about this film, its sad, upsetting, dark, and just unfathomable. Unfathomable because of the conditions of those he chose to include and the level of relatability you have with them. If you have spare time, and like documentaries, you may be interested in taking an hour and a half of your time to watch this, but I won't be too pushy with this one.

"Land of Silence and Darkness"

7 / 10

Review: Christine Jeffs' "Sunshine Cleaning" (2008)

I am waiting for the minority group of directors to one day step it up... women. Every time I hear a movie is directed by a women, I get discouraged. That did change a bit when Kathryn Bigelow hit the screen with 'The Hurt Locker'. But still, so many women have made the one hit wonder column that I still don't have much faith in the work yet. I know its a matter of time, but I am growing impatient as the majority of Michael Bay directors keep reproducing bad babies. If Sofia Coppola can't start producing better mainstream projects, I will be upset, her father after all has provided the directors silver spoon. . . but that's the end of the list.

Christine Jeffs, the woman who helmed this film, did a decent job in conducting a few interesting moments, but I am baffled at trying to come up with a message. What in the world was she telling me? You can see most moments before they happen... that's called premonition right? No, its called bad directing.

This film makes me want to be in the room of the big company deciders, when it comes time to pick a script to finance. I want to see how they come to their conclusions, because this one had to have a bad pitch. You can't pitch this good. 2 girls, not women, GIRLS, start an amateur business while struggling to remain the same person from beginning to end.

Look, the acting wasn't bad. I don't like putting blame on actors unless their name is Brendan Fraser or they did absolutely absurd, but the main character played by Amy Adams just isn't given very much to work with. Meanwhile the sister gets a few dramatic moments which ends up in a head on collision with a homosexual confrontation. How lame.

Still, with all the ripping, I don't remember myself dreading it till the credits rolled. It did carry to the end like a drop-less log ride, partial anticipation, partial confusion, and nothing in the end.

The tank was on "E" the whole ride.

"Sunshine Cleaning"

5.5 / 10

Review: "School Ties" (1992)

Yup. Just another Brendan Fraser flick. Is it better acted? MAYBE. Is it a better story? MAYBE. Is it helmed by superior talent? Definitely not.

I am tired of these films flooding the market. If you live in a town that still has a movie rental business in it, its not too late to find out what I mean. When you walk the isles, how many movies do you have to look at before your eyes find something interesting? Filtering out subconsciously, all the garbage. Isle after isle, I wonder how in the world people find a way to finance some of these movies.

This movie isn't terrible, its VERY mediocre however. Nothing can be found in this film to be called unique. The film's story was duct taped to the hood of a Lamborghini on an endless road at max speed. I just don't have time to care about anything in the movie. The one thing I was told to feel was dumb, prejudice bad, Jews good. This is the theme in so many films, that I need a good story to tag team this concept, otherwise I can watch 'Schindler's List' and KNOW I will be given something delicious, something convincing, something convicting. Brendan Fraser's character is just so unreal, there is nothing relatable. This film was unable to convince me of anything outside of boredom.

"School Ties"

5.5 / 10

Review: John Hillcoat's "The Proposition" (2005)

John Hillcoat, the man who helmed 'The Road', first helmed 'The Proposition'. After seeing this film its hard to believe the same man directed both films. Not that this was on the opposite spectrum in quality, but just in style differences.

The film just doesn't move passed its fast paced exaggerations. Almost nothing in the film allows for development in the mind of the viewer. The actors really aren't given very much to work with in terms of putting on a show of talent. The story doesn't derail from the common old violence in America, where a gun does all the talking. This style isn't inherently bad, or totally wrong, but how I have seen it executed, it just has been bad every time that I can recall. I think its constant films like this that pushes the genre "western" further and further from good. When people think "western" they think cheesy cowboy films with a lot of horses and bullets, just like this one.

The acting, based on what was asked, is mediocre. I am interested in a few of the actors in this film, just not in these roles, or maybe under this style of direction. The cinematography was decent... but then again, the word decent is just the word to sum up this film.

"The Proposition"

6 / 10