Change Your Image
poldemol
I'm from that great Nation of Nations called Belgium.
I'm addicted to chess, it's the superiority feeling of crushing your opponents that makes it fun.
I play soccer, but I don't like other people talking about it. Personally, it doesn't even interest me that much, it's just that superiority feeling you get when you outclass an opponent that makes it fun.
I guess, I'm a superiority kind of guy.
Music I like: David Byrne(The man defines class), The Pixies(probably my absolute favorite band), The Ramones(I grew up on The Ramones, and I keep on growing up on them), Queens of The Stone Age(best Rock N roll band, that hits it big, of the last years), Masters of reality(at least as good as QOTSA), PJ Harvey(oh PJ, I love you), Prince(Sometimes, when the combination of alchohol and Prince hits me, I'll start dancing in the coolest way possible, this also happens, when Prince is replaced by James Brown or the Rolling Stones), James Brown(see Prince, quite irresistable this man, no matter the age), Warren Zevon(I don't know much about song writing, but Warren Zevon, he knows), Neil Young(The guitar! The voice! It's called Neil Young), Lou Reed(I've lived for about a month on Berlin of Mister Lou, nothing quite like it, I regularly need to have my shot of Berlin injected straight into my vains), Velvet Underground(they made beautiful music), The Rolling Stones(I'm a Stones man), Sparklehorse(The CD It's a wonderfull life, is probably something of the greatest CD ever made, according to me, in most points of my life), The Dead Kennedy's(I grew up on The Dead Kennedy's, punk never was better, they're sharp, funny, and great), Norah Jones(Yes, I quite like Norah Jones), Nellie Mckay(she's got something, hard to define), The Detroit Cobras(Rock n roll as it was meant to be), The Sonics(Some folks like water, Some folks like wine, but I like the taste, of straight Strychnine), Beck(especially Sea Change), My Morning Jacket(It might take some getting used to, but if you do, you won't ever be able to quit them, 'brilliant and genius' are the lowest terms of value to apply to them.), The Dirtbombs(I'm tired of my comments now, I could go on, but don't feel like it, so I'll just stick to the names), The Breeders, De Mens, Gorki, The Supremes, Ellioth Smith, Eels, Fu Manchu, Damien Rice, Iggy Pop/Stooges, Fence, Sint Andries MC's, Sonic Youth, Oasis, The Steve Miller Band, The Presidents of the USA, Johnny Cash, The Hives, Deus, Grandaddy, Kings of Leon, Andre Hazes, Admiral Freebee, Hypnos69, Modest Mouse, Jimmy Hendrix, Wilco, Daniel Johnston, Smog, Ryan Adams, Willy Mason, Bright Eyes, ... Well I could go on listing names here of groups you have or have not heard of, would it really make a difference?(and I'm no expert about all of those bands by the way, but they're all bands I at least like or dig or whatever)
OK OK I'm now, for the first time ever, gonna force myself into a top of my top movies.
1. Rocky
2. Shine
3. Apocalypse Now Redux
4. The Thin Red Line
5. Jacob's Ladder
6. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
7. Lawrence of Arabia
8. Once Upon A Time in the West
9. Sin City
10. The Big Lebowski
11. In the Mood for Love
12. Mad Max 2
13. Army of Darkness
14. Pulp Fiction
15. High Fidelity
16. La Meglio Gioventu
17. A Clokwork Orange
18. Hercules in New York
19. Trainspotting
20. Leaving Las Vegas
21. Rebel Without a Cause
22. Rushmore
23. The Odd Couple
24. Groundhog Day
25. Psycho
26. Ronja R�vardotter
27. The Elephant Man
28. The King Of Comedy
29. Amadeus
30. Ed Wood
31. Ghost Busters
32. Man on the Moon
33. Terminator 2
34. The Deer Hunter
35. the first part of 'It'
36. Cool Hand Luke
37. The Breakfast Club
38. The Legend of Hell House
39. The Mirror has two Faces
40. Frailty
41. Aliens
42. Howard the Duck
43. C'est Arriv�e pr�s de chez vous
44. Pennies from Heaven (Steve Martin is great, I find it hard to single out 1 truly genius Steve Martin movie, but his general accomplishments merit a mention in my top, although I haven't seen 'The Jerk' yet, and that one could maybe be it.
And Polanski I like too(although no movie of his made my top), haven't seen Chinatown yet though, but will do in the near future. And a Bergmann movie, I've never seen, though I'd like to check it out.
That is the ultimate and definate and absolute top of top movies, at least from the ones I've seen up to this point. I have actually put some thought in it, and I'm very satisfied with the results now, even the order is spot on, to me.
Every single one of these movies, I recommend to you.
And I've rated and ranked the movies according to personal enjoyment, which is the only criteria one really has.
And two movies I haven't seen, but expect to be there are: Batman (1966), definitely this one, simply because I am a huge huge huge huge huge fan of the sixties series, so if it is as good as those, and I'm certain it is, it'll be up there.
And maybe Rock N Roll High School too. I'm a Ramones fan, and it seems like a movie I'll like. Not that sure about this one though. Might be number 45 than.
Writers I like: Jack Kerouac, JD Salinger, Dylan Thomas, Ernest Hemmingway, Hugo Matthijssen, Herman Brusselmans, Joyce, Gogol, Dostojewski.
I don't read many books actually, I'm an incredibly slow reader of books, I never read bad books. I wish to have read more books than I have now, I'm making slow progress.
So, ain't I, like, supercultural or wot?
Respect me.
Reviews
Sin City (2005)
Ah, to be seventeen again.
Very, very Mild Spoilers. A quote and things like that, nothing worldshattering.
Sin City is a great movie, and it is made with an attitude I like. Now, you seem to have a whole lot of people bitching about CGI, while I understand their grieves, it is not CGI that is the problem, it's how it's used. CGI is a tool, to blame tools is a strange thing to do. Here, you really have a movie that uses it well, what am I saying 'well', lets say: 'brilliant'. The combination of the CGI, how the camera moves, what happens in the screen, and how it is edited is actually magic, real magic. More doesn't need to be said of that. It's jawdropping amazing, and shows what really can be done with CGI.
Now, as for the content of this movie, I didn't know anything about the Sin City comics. But that didn't really matter. The stories are hard and testosteronerised, which one would expect and I presume that in this age of advertising etc.. everyone somewhat knows what to expect. It's also called Sin City for a reason you know. The movie has 3 story lines, which are just 3 events in the Sin City world. The best of these 3, or my fave, is the one with Marv. I'll focus on that one here, because I just love it. It is incredible. The way Marv escapes the cops, by jumping of the stairs flying trough a rain of bullets, it's breathtaking, and immediately makes a point, this is no ordinary guy. Than we have a conversation between him and a Naked Carla Cugino! One of the hottest women in Hollywood(check out the movie Judas Kiss where she plays Coco Chavez, for further proof). But back to that conversation, when Marv says this: 'This is blood for blood and by the gallon. These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They're back! There's no choice left. And I'm ready for war.' He's waving his arms around, and the gestures he makes, they seem so grand, it almost has something religious about it, like something ritual or holy, just the gestures he makes there. It's beautiful. The entire Marv segment is incredible, the jokes(the coat, the way he interrogates a guy while driving him down the road, literally.), Elijah Wood's mysterious menacing character, When Marv is waving his axe trough some cops and you think back of the words Dwight said about him,'waving his axe on an ancient battlefield..',... It's just too good. And Mickey Rourke is perfection, although totally unrecognizable, I hardly think anyone could have played the role like that, hell, I don't even think Mickey Rourke could have played like that. The other two story lines are good also, very good even, but it would take too long to go into specifics on each of them.
There seem to be some people who are complaining about the degrading portrayal of the female characters. Euhm, sorry, but that is a bit stupid, isn't it obvious, that this isn't a real world? That this world is one of hookers and gangsters. And I wouldn't call the women in this movie weak characters, the hookers are very capable of standing up for themselves. Are they portrayed as lust objects? Yeah, but so what? This is a world that is just like the fantasy of a seventeen year old, and you may be sure, that women are lust objects to most 17 year olds, hell, they are lust objects to most any year olds. Lets not be hypocrites about this, who doesn't like to look at a hot woman? It's just nature. So, really that whole fuzz is just a bit too exaggerated. Lets not be crippled by political correctness please, this movie is not, and if you don't like that, bad luck. Also notice that the three story's all go about defending/revenging a woman, so really the whole thing is just overblown. It's a violent movie, and that is made pretty clear, so why get upset on the movie because it's violent?(to women, while the women are simply just violent too.)
Some people may also complain that it's overstylised or something like that, well let them whine, cause baby, this kind of style, is just absolutely divine.
Anyways, I think I made my point, it's an incredible film. The acting is impeccable. The Marv segment is delicious and sublime. The whole movie has a wicked style. And I like it. It's new and fresh, and we finally have a movie that really does something with CGI. I hope I will be seeing more things like this.
Frailty (2001)
Bill Paxton made a movie, better than any of which he ever starred in, nice, no?
It's a movie where your reaction to it, will tell a lot about who you are.
Contains some spoilers, because it's pretty impossible to give a good review without spoilers of this film. Straightforwardly it's a very immoral movie. Subversive and evil probably too. One of the very few movies I've seen, that I wouldn't let just anyone see. Not suitable for the very influential who are not aware of it (and definitely not for those who at the same time have deep fundamentalist religious feelings, could be inspirational for them.). And you probably won't like it when you feel strongly about religion(be it pro or contra) either. If your reaction to this is, 'hey this is fantastic, finally a movie where I can identify 100% with the main character', than you are probably a psychopath, although according to the movie you are a hero, don't you just love stuff like that? This movie doesn't go for the easy cop-outs. It would have, if it just had one twist, the first one, namely that the good guy turns out to be the bad, something you probably will see coming in viewing the movie. Than it would have been just a solid dark thriller, with good tension, acting,...and a nice twist at the end. But immediately, there is a second twist, which turns the bad guy into a good guy again! Superb I'd say, we have a guy, who murders people, out of religious inspiration, with an axe, even his nice little brother, and he's protected by god, he's an angel killing demons, LITERALLY! A young boy kills his own father, for all the right reasons, he had no choice, the father was mad, the father would probably have killed him or others if he tried something else, and it turns out, that the father was actually a hero! Brilliant! The story is just so extremely well written, self-fulfilling prophecy's incorporated into the story line and all
I just loved it, but that's just me, I don't feel too strongly about religion, in either direction, I'm a pretty neutral person, so if you don't fit into the left or right wing stereotypes(and who really does?), than you should definitely see this movie, which works on every level it wants to. Cause besides its subversive messages, it also has moments of poetry(the visions), compassion, emotion, madness, very high tension, and serialkiller-murdermystery. Absolutely fantastic.
It's not necessary to say the writer Brent Hanley and director Bill Paxton, deserve much praise, as do the actors(definitely also the young ones), and everyone else involved with anything of this movie really.
It combines the best elements of things like The Silence of the Lambs, a Clockwork Orange and the Usual Suspects, and it does that, seemingly without effort, brilliant I'd say.
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)
This is not how I like my Max.
Mad Max is rough and tough, and the previous movies were rough and tough too. This one is overproduced, this one is trying to be a blockbuster, it's all too pretty, not enough real dirt, it all looks too new, nice and fake. Too many illogical jumps(like when they're in the tube(trying to rescue Master), and Max punches one guy trough the fence of the tube, and they shoot at him, he pulls back in the tube, and the guy that just shot at him, goes up to look trough the tube, and he just looks and goes away? I mean, it's a straight tube, why didn't he shoot trough it, you'll always hit someone. Things like that occur throughout the movie.), Mel Gibson, looks too friendly in this movie, Tina Turner doesn't quite convince, but she isn't given much of a chance to convince either. Still, compare her to Lord Humungus and his disciples, and you have a good notion of all what is wrong with this movie. Actually, it isn't so much wrong, as it just isn't what Mad Max is about. It even reminded me of Spielbergs Hook, and that is not a good thing for a Mad Max Movie. And the race at the end starts of promising, when it starts, I had this, 'Yes, finally'-feeling, but it just didn't deliver. It never got me, yes yes yes yes-ing.
Considering the brilliance of Mad Max 2, this was very disappointing.
This was made only a couple years after the brilliant Mad Max 2, but somehow looks and feels as though it was made in the 90's 10 years later or something.
Everybody Loves Raymond (1996)
Most annoying show ever.
Everybody loves Raymond, the biggest joke of all, is that everyone actually seems to love Raymond. It puzzles me beyond belief.
I don't like a thing about this show, it's just eternal whining, and a laugh track that goes nuts over the lamest jokes, actors who are striving for the most irritating voice ever, actors who never display any amount of wit, charm, grace, talent, a spark, something new, something bold, something anything really. Nah, instead everything just drags into one boring moment after another, just whining and being annoying. I've seen this show a couple of times, mostly bits and pieces, cause I just can't stand it, and it's like I've seen all the episodes already, that's how much diversity there is to be found in the story lines. If you think this is great comedy, you shouldn't be talking about comedy, it's soo incredibly average and that is the most unforgiving thing to be. Bores the hell out of me.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Someone has put the fun back into Star Wars!
And who would have thought, it would be George himself. Finally we got some of the wisecracks back, the things Han Solo provided us in the OT, and were severely missed in the other prequels.
Hayden suddenly actually looks kinda cool in this one, I don't know what happened, but I didn't feel like punching him, as I did in the previous 2. The acting is just generally good in this one. Probably better than in any of the other movies. I think many people these days have reached some kind of thought that the OT was godlike, while those movies definitely had their flaws too. (just look at Leia and Luke, they weren't portrayed very strongly I'd say) Another thing I noticed is, that Anakin and Padme actually physically look like their children. Especially the Padme - Leia resemblance is rather striking in this movie(mostly thanks to the hair of course, but still, a nice touch I'd say). Also, the CGI is much better this time, many shots don't feel like a video game, they don't seem CGI(although there is this lizard thing), in contrast to the previous 2, where almost everything felt like a video game. And the fight between Obi wan kenobi and general grievous is pretty anti-climatic, one of the few really let downs in the movie.
- 'If you're not with me, you're my enemy.' - 'Only a Sith thinks in absolutes.' Mister George Bush, you are a Sith now. That was pretty brave of Lucas, putting it in there so obvious. But the nerdish political talk(the oh so interesting Senate intrigues) has been diminished also, what is there, is actually relevant and not hard to follow.
The painful romance between Padme and Anakin has also improved, I believe I only cringed once, perhaps two times, which is quite a success, considering the terrible thirty minutes in AOTC.
Oh, and Yoda is great this time, while I thought it was kinda weird in AOTC to see Yoda kicking butt suddenly, here, he has the greatest fight of the movie(yes, better than the final one). The whole movie is just fireworks, it starts and it doesn't stop until the end, it flows, it connects, it enthralls, it involves. And somehow the most important things actually add up to the OT. I think this is the second best of the Star Wars movies, only after Empire. Oh yeah, I even forgot about the score, it's just one of the greatest scores of the last few years. Oh yeah, oh yeah. Oh, I could go on, but let's just say, this movie finally gave the public what they wanted. Finally. George did it, who would have guessed?
Hercules in New York (1970)
Hercules in New York is the ultimate comedy
To me, it doesn't matter if things are intentionally or unintentionally funny. Intentions just don't matter that much in the real world. Hitler might have intended to make the world a better place, I don't think his intentions matter when you judge him. This is simply one of the most hilarious movies you'll ever see, it's filled with absurd scenes. And it's acted out to perfection. The combination of Arnie, and Pretzie, it's just magic. Pretzie overacts as badly as you can imagine, Arnie doesn't act and he does that as badly as you can imagine. But those aren't the only noteworthy performances in this movie. Check out the refinement of the screaming girl, in the infamous bear-attack scene. There are just so many little things in this movie, little details in every single aspect of this movie, that make this so extremely funny and entertaining. It just ignores even the most basic of things needed for a good movie, and it is exactly that, what makes this so good. Watch this movie, you won't be able to say that it is average, that's for sure. I've seen this movie 2 times, and I still regularly think about it. I would buy the DVD without a second thought if I would encounter it.
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Let's keep it a bit objective please.
1. It was nominated for best original score for the Oscars. I couldn't quite believe that. Since the score is one of the most obnoxious, pretentious scores I've ever heard. The, I suppose it was meant to create a religious atmosphere, AUHMMMMMMMMMMM AUHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM AUHMMMMMMM-ing, I mean, how over the top can a score be? It doesn't help, that it's also played constantly throughout the whole movie, over-used would be a bit of an understatement I thought.
2. The acting was OK. Although it didn't require much acting. Some over-acting on the part of the Romans and Jews, and the Pro Wrestler called Barabbas. But the main parts were OK. Caviezel is a fine actor. He groaned and moaned good, and he's able to look profound when he's just looking(check out the Thin Red Line for further proof). So he was a very good choice and gave a good performance, although he just had to look profound, and take the beatings. The devil was also in the picture. He had a maggot crawling out his nose, so we would recognise him. He also lives in a CGI hell. Where he sometimes goes nuts when Jesus dies. But that is more for the directors account.
3. The cinematography is very good, even excellent. Every shot just looks great, except for maybe the CGI hell. Still, it's easily the best thing about the movie. (I wouldn't have mind an Oscar nomination for that)
4. The Plot, well, Jesus gets captured because of Judas who kills himself, Jesus gets sentenced, Jesus gets crucified, eventually dies, and resurrects. Constant beatings occur from the capturing to the crucifixion(the largest part of the movie). His friends and family are present too, but can't really help. The devil is around too, he mostly just looks devilish. I would call that a pretty thin plot. Oh yeah, I forgot, somehow Jesus also invented the modern table, when he was younger. Something I learned thanks to this movie.
5. The effects were average. They were very good, when he gets beat up. The blood, the wounds, look very realistic. But when the Romans put a sphere into his side, when he's on the cross. The bag filled with buckets of blood that splatters open, looks very fake, almost like a bag filled with buckets of blood that splatters open. Also the CGI Hell, looked very CGI. But overall, the effects, were good.
I gave the movie a 6/10. It's a visually OK. But most things are way too overdone for my taste.