"I was going to stay with him, but he died Thursday."
"Goodness, that's awkward."
"Is that what you say to people after death? 'Goodness, that's awkward'?"
This comment is directed towards people who didn’t care for the ending. Listen. I didn’t care for the ending either when I first saw it, which was when it was released into theaters in ‘07. I was in eighth grade at the time, so I hadn’t been quite exposed to the world yet. I don’t think I even understood what the film was really even about. Just a few days ago, I decided to watch it again and sweet Jesus, what a movie it is. Yes, it has all the elements of a great crime thriller. Yes, if you look at it solely as a source of entertainment, the ending does fall flat in that respect. But if you watch it for its themes, which deal with the nature of violence, the lack of morality in today’s people and the overall degenerative state of the world, then it is a masterpiece. Plain and simple. It is so world weary and cynical that it almost has a nihilistic message, which seems to be present in a lot of the Coen brothers' films, and the ending only adds to what it’s all about. Watch it again from that standpoint. It is a pure masterpiece of filmmaking.
The episode where John and Matt Dillon fish in Costa Rica, the part where the power of the fish dance is unleashed. I've rarely laughed so hard in my life.
Gorgeously visualized and directed and there are some awesomely bizarre scenes, but the final half hour is unnecessarily convoluted. Many mistake this disorganized "twist" ending for brilliance, which it is not. There is no logic involved at all. Also, Roger Ebert has just added this to his Great Movies collection.
I'm truly shocked at how lightheartedly this film deals with some of its dark, more disturbing themes. I don't think Sandler and his pals were thinking when they came up with the assumption that incest can be funny. I mean, I'm sure that it can be, but it wasn't executed at all properly. Still, not an entirely bad flick. I find myself not hating it as much as I'd like to.
"Croupier" is about gambling, yes, and a heist does occur somewhere in the film, but don’t go expecting "Ocean’s Eleven" or "The Good Thief." There are no tense shootouts or close calls. "Croupier" is a meditation on the subject, and it offers insight into a world that only exists behind closed casino doors. As for Clive Owen, he delivers his performance with a quiet and understated acting technique that consistently works. He is detached, stoic, professional, and completely restrained. The writer, Paul Mayersberg, doesn’t give Jack depth or development because, frankly, he doesn’t need to. Jack is more of an enigma than an actual person and as ambiguous and two-dimensional as his character is, we can’t help but feel some sort of connection. Jack is intriguing and mysterious, and Owen delivers each word with complete confidence. Overall, "Croupier" is a gambling film for the smart movie-goer. It is methodical and calculating, with deep-seeded tension that slowly mounts as it progresses.
You can say what you want about "The Godfather" and "Citizen Kane, " but I think that "Chinatown" is the greatest, most well-made, most engrossing film out there. An absolute treasure of cinema.
Comments 1 - 17 of 17
Movie comment on Terms of Endearment
StefanoEarnest
Tied with Betrayal for NBR Best Film of 1983.Movie comment on Gravity
StefanoEarnest
This is not sci-fi. It's set in space and is certainly fiction, but I don't think those are justifiable qualifications.Movie comment on Barry Lyndon
StefanoEarnest
I do believe that this tied with Nashville for the National Board of Review Best Film award in '75.Movie comment on The Producers
StefanoEarnest
'Lorenzo! Lorenzo, baby! Lorenzo St. Dubois! But my friends call me LSD.'Movie comment on The Third Man
StefanoEarnest
"I was going to stay with him, but he died Thursday.""Goodness, that's awkward."
"Is that what you say to people after death? 'Goodness, that's awkward'?"
This is the best film pre-1974.
Movie comment on No Country for Old Men
StefanoEarnest
This comment is directed towards people who didn’t care for the ending. Listen. I didn’t care for the ending either when I first saw it, which was when it was released into theaters in ‘07. I was in eighth grade at the time, so I hadn’t been quite exposed to the world yet. I don’t think I even understood what the film was really even about. Just a few days ago, I decided to watch it again and sweet Jesus, what a movie it is. Yes, it has all the elements of a great crime thriller. Yes, if you look at it solely as a source of entertainment, the ending does fall flat in that respect. But if you watch it for its themes, which deal with the nature of violence, the lack of morality in today’s people and the overall degenerative state of the world, then it is a masterpiece. Plain and simple. It is so world weary and cynical that it almost has a nihilistic message, which seems to be present in a lot of the Coen brothers' films, and the ending only adds to what it’s all about. Watch it again from that standpoint. It is a pure masterpiece of filmmaking.Movie comment on Fishing with John
StefanoEarnest
The episode where John and Matt Dillon fish in Costa Rica, the part where the power of the fish dance is unleashed. I've rarely laughed so hard in my life.Movie comment on One-Eyed Jacks
StefanoEarnest
If there was ever a film that deserved to be remade, this one is it.Movie comment on Seven Psychopaths
StefanoEarnest
"Peace is for queers, and now you're gonna die."Movie comment on Mulholland Dr.
StefanoEarnest
Gorgeously visualized and directed and there are some awesomely bizarre scenes, but the final half hour is unnecessarily convoluted. Many mistake this disorganized "twist" ending for brilliance, which it is not. There is no logic involved at all. Also, Roger Ebert has just added this to his Great Movies collection.Movie comment on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
StefanoEarnest
It may be one of the greatest films of all time, but that assumption cannot be determined without viewing it multiple times.Movie comment on That's My Boy
StefanoEarnest
I'm truly shocked at how lightheartedly this film deals with some of its dark, more disturbing themes. I don't think Sandler and his pals were thinking when they came up with the assumption that incest can be funny. I mean, I'm sure that it can be, but it wasn't executed at all properly. Still, not an entirely bad flick. I find myself not hating it as much as I'd like to.Movie comment on Croupier
StefanoEarnest
"Croupier" is about gambling, yes, and a heist does occur somewhere in the film, but don’t go expecting "Ocean’s Eleven" or "The Good Thief." There are no tense shootouts or close calls. "Croupier" is a meditation on the subject, and it offers insight into a world that only exists behind closed casino doors. As for Clive Owen, he delivers his performance with a quiet and understated acting technique that consistently works. He is detached, stoic, professional, and completely restrained. The writer, Paul Mayersberg, doesn’t give Jack depth or development because, frankly, he doesn’t need to. Jack is more of an enigma than an actual person and as ambiguous and two-dimensional as his character is, we can’t help but feel some sort of connection. Jack is intriguing and mysterious, and Owen delivers each word with complete confidence. Overall, "Croupier" is a gambling film for the smart movie-goer. It is methodical and calculating, with deep-seeded tension that slowly mounts as it progresses.Movie comment on Pineapple Express
StefanoEarnest
"The monkey's out of the bottle now, man.""What? That's not even a figure of speech."
"Pandora can't go back into the box. He only comes out."
Movie comment on Paris, Texas
StefanoEarnest
Beautifully realized. The performances of Harry Dean Stanton, Dean Stockwell and Nastassja Kinski are severely overlooked.Movie comment on Chinatown
StefanoEarnest
You can say what you want about "The Godfather" and "Citizen Kane, " but I think that "Chinatown" is the greatest, most well-made, most engrossing film out there. An absolute treasure of cinema.Movie comment on Love and Death
StefanoEarnest
One of the funniest, most quotable films out there. "Sonja, you look more beautiful standing here than you do in person."