Directed By: Takashi Shimizu Written By: Craig Rosenberg Cinematography: David Tattersall Editor: Sean Valla
Cast: Ryan Kwanten, Amy Smart, Leslie Bibb, Jamie Chung, Scout Taylor-Compton, Jerry Ferrara, Christian Serratos, Johnathon Schaech, David Banner, Nicky Whelan
Flight 7500 departs Los Angeles International Airport bound for Tokyo. As the overnight flight makes its way over the Pacific Ocean during its ten-hour course, the passengers encounter what appears to be a supernatural force in the cabin.
This is a movie that was filmed years ago and only is now getting released due to whatever reasons. This becomes obvious as the film goes along.
This was a film I had my eye on over the years as the premise sounded interesting then the film seemed to disappear.
The major problem with this film is that film is all built up almost like a prequel. Though seems to falter when it comes to an ending as it seems like the filmmakers were forced to change it or couldn’t come up with a satisfactory ending.
As the ending seems to try to be profound, but then goes for a cliche cheap scare.
What the film has in its favor are recognizable actors. Which gets you excited about their appearance. Though here the film gives them random character roles for no reason as none of it makes a difference in the film. Or gives us a reason to care. Even in the film’s direction, it chooses to focus on characters randomly. Not Even as victims. So that while it might seem more realistic if this was a slasher film. The film ends up being it seems just as less than everything else in the film.
Strangely though the film manages early on to play up the suspense and even some thrilling aspects from time to time throughout then after a certain point it just runs out of steam. As it then just seems to go in the wrong direction.
As the film has some moments of horror and seems to go that way. Then it seems to want to work off of some strange conspiracy and enlightening moments like some unused plots of the TELEVISION show LOST
It is strange as even on the DVD it has previews for films coming out this year as well as films like THE LAST EXORCISM 2.
Directed By: Paul Verhoeven Written By: Ed Neumeier Based on the book by: Robert A. Heinlein Cinematography: Jost Vacano Editor: Mark Goldblatt & Caroline Ross
Cast: Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Clancy Brown, Jake Busey, Michael Ironside, Neil Patrick Harris, Seth Gilliam, Patrick Muldoon, Dean Norris, Rue McClanahan, Marshall Bell, Matt Levin, Brenda Strong, Amy Smart, Greg Travis, Dale Dye
In the distant future, high school kids are encouraged to become citizens by joining the military. What they don’t know is that they’ll soon be engaged in a full-scale war against a planet of alien insects. The fight is on to ensure the safety of humanity.
a film about and presented in parts as a war propaganda epic, but it’s also an out-and-out war film. As well as a melodrama that all feels like a video game. As it also has a science fiction element.
This is an epic war film that focuses more on the battlefield and action than anything else. It ultimately becomes a satire on war films.
The film follows a group of high school students who sign up for military service for various reasons though the love triangle introduced at the beginning seems to show that each of them signed up to follow the other. These will be the ones we mostly stay with throughout. So that it has a coming of age and mildly romantic element. Which is the only time the film has any sweet moments.
Most of the characters come from Buenos Aires and are mostly caucasian. As the story goes along we are introduced to various characters most of them look straight out of a soap opera and are visually appealing. Which only strengthens when it comes to melodrama. It also clues you into who will most likely survive.
Even though the film does throw in plenty of surprises it also serves up plenty of cliches it manages to also throw in some ridiculous measures of subversion. Like seeing Neil Patrick Harris famous at the time mroe for playing teen doctor DOOGIE HOWSER on television. As a high-ranking military scientist and strategist prone to wearing German SS army gear as a uniform without any swastikas and when the main character of Johnny Rico is punished for insubordination, his punishment is to get whipped and he is punished when applying the whipping is an African American man.
The film is hyper-violent and gory. Even the boot camp scenes manage to have death and plenty of violence.
Once the battle begins we see the soldiers fight off against the deadly enemies bigs that’s right the enemy is giant insects. So that when there is violence against the enemy there is carnage but mostly goo rather than blood. Only when Humans are killed is there really bloody gore.
When it comes to the style scenes grand and small there is so much action in battles and in casualties that is where it more feels like a video game other than in the premise. So while not based on one this is an early example of what a movie based on a video game should feel like. Before, where they feel like they could easily interchange.
The film knows that this is pretty much a campy big-budget B-Movie that doesn’t take itself deadly seriously. It knows what it is and offers the audience thrills and chills, but knows it is there more to entertain over all else.
It knows how far-fetched the premise is but makes you care and get involved anyway. It has breaks of propaganda where it shows news reports, commercials, and ad campaigns that are all overacted. Which not only like Director Paul Verhoven’s previous film ROBOCOP satirizes but also manages to world build and give background information of how this war is affecting all aspects of life on the battlefield.
The film is hard-edged and dark throughout. Even when it comes to its humor.
It’s obviously a film that could only be made at the time it was. As it asks us to watch a war film that doesn’t really have any political agenda and is more born out of entertainment than being too serious and to show off special effects but not make it overbearing and what the film focuses on.
This is a film that at times is easy to forget about but feels like a film of a different time. It’s a film where you won’t forget the first time you see it and it might come off as silly at first but the more you think about it the more Impressed you are by it
Even though most of his films have been wild and structured. This film seems to be one of the bigger films of Director Paul Verhoeven’s career where he seeks to go more full balls to the wall. Rather than trying to be too subtle or create a more intimate atmosphere. While not necessarily a classic along the lines of TOTAL RECALL or ROBOCOP which he directed. He doesn’t embarrass himself or shows any restraint even as this comes off as one of his more mainstream and crowd-pleasing films.
As I will admit when I first saw it in theaters I felt it was ridiculous but kept me entertained.
That seems to be more for a blockbuster audience and not so much the artistic crowd.
Directed By: Todd Phillips Written By: Todd Phillips & Scot Armstrong Cinematography: Mark Irwin Editor: Sheldon Kahn
Cast: Breckin Meyer, Seann William Scott, Tom Green, Amy Smart, Paulo Costanzo, DJ Qualls, Rachel Blanchard, Anthony Rapp, Fred Ward, Andy Dick, Ethan Suplee, Horatio Sanz, Jessica Cauffiel, Wendell B. Harris Jr., Mary Lynn Rajskub, Todd Barry, Matt Walsh, Cleo King
In the University of Ithaca, while showing the campus to the new students and their relatives, the veteran tour guide Barry Manilow tells the love story of his friend Josh Parker. Josh has a girlfriend, Tiffany Henderson, who went to the University of Austin, and they have promised to be faithful to each other. However, Josh has an affair with his sexy friend Beth Wagner, and they have accidentally videotaped it. One of his friends sends the videotape to Tiffany by mistake, and Josh decides to travel to Austin with his friends E.L., Rubin Carver and Kyle Edwards to retrieve the videotape before Tiffany sees it. Will he succeed?
This is a small Film set up and succeeds at being an epic blockbuster
This Feels like a return to the 1980’s type of college movie. Though like most of director Todd Phillips comedies. It never goes as far at pushing the envelope, but further then most were at the time and for quite some time before.
Like this film allowed for more gross pushing the limits humor that has been absent. So at the time this was a return and kind of radical of what was expected of at the time emboldened by one of the stars of the film Seann Willam Scott’s previous hit film he appeared in AMERICAN PIE
Though at the time understandable as this was Mr. Phillips first official film, especially a studio film. He seems all in for taking risks but not totally.
The film has many memorable scenes but the material never quite sticks to the landing. Though what works is more the random Original comedy at the college.
Tom Green who co-stars and was one of the bigger names in the cast at the time. Having a hit television show on MTV. Seems here to kind of grow his career and start a big screen comedic career. His character is vital somewhat to the movie, but for the most part seems off to the side and by himself. Only to have his own little side plot that leads to a comedically Over the top scene and to give information. Not to mention is supposedly the narrator for the film.
As a road trip movie truly living Up to its title. Is episodic and loose which makes it seem more like a bunch of skits involving the same group of characters.
While each makes their presence felt. As this is supposed to be an ensemble film. Breckin Meyer is the lead that the plot revolves around and overall comedic straight man. Which makes him feel boring in comparison to most. It ends up the same with his love interests. Who are pretty but not given much to do.
While there are many memorable characters DJ Qualls walks away with the movie as the MVP. His innocent character learns how to let loose and comes of age.
The scene that seems the most classic Is when the story has them staying at an all black frat house.
One of the strengths of Todd Phillips is that even here and throughout most of his comedic feature films is that he always fills his films with comedians in acting roles, usually comedic actors who are more adept at improv that add to the looseness of scenes. Though they help build the humor in scenes also.
Cut To The Chase 