Movie Night: Lost in Translation.

Review #700: Lost in Translation.

Cast
Bill Murray (Bob Harris), Scarlett Johansson (Charlotte), Giovanni Ribisi (John), Anna Faris (Kelly), Fumihiro Hayashi (Charlie Brown), and François Du Bois (the Pianist) Directed by Sofia Coppola.

Review
Well, what can I say. I had wanted to review this movie ever since I had acquired it a few months ago. I waited for the best time to review a movie such as this, and after nearly five years, it seems that the movie I delve into movies, the more they start to run with each other. But when it comes to this movie, nothing is as it seems. I came into watching the movies without much knowledge on it, and needless to say I like it. A lot. Bill Murray and his way of emotion and just all around portrayal is the main attraction, and he is wonderful to watch, especially when he tries to film a commercial in the beginning of the movie, because you get to see Murray try and look like Humphrey Bogar from Casablanca...while selling you whiskey. But what really makes the movie is the chemistry between Murray and Johansson, whose interactions with each other and how they correspond with the culture around make for an interesting take on meeting someone, anyone, in a new land. It's a movie that has more beneath the surface than just a comedy-drama, it's a movie that is literally lost in translation, and I enjoyed watching it. One might wonder how it ends. It ends with words, just words. What words he says are up to your interpretation.

Thank you for watching over the past five seasons and (now) 700 reviews. I hope you keep reading the movie reviews and I wish you all good luck. See you all soon.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

Review #699: The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

Cast
Leslie Nielsen (Lt. Frank Drebin), Priscilla Presley (Jane Spencer), Ricardo Montalbán (Vincent Ludwig), George Kennedy (Capt. Ed Hocken), O. J. Simpson (Det. Nordberg), Susan Beaubian (Wilma Nordberg), Nancy Marchand (Mayor Barkley), Raye Birk (Pahpshmir), and Jeannette Charles (Queen Elizabeth II) Directed by David Zucker (#664 - Airplane!)

Review
Yes, we have come to the point of The Naked Gun. In a way, I feel proud of that fact, though I do wonder how it took so long for me to review it. In short, I was lazy. But hey, nobody's perfect, though this movie sure comes close to it. This movie will tickle your funny bone so much that you'll be on the floor with laughter calling for help. Yes, there are sight gags, but the movie's biggest strength is with Leslie Nielsen, who has the absolute best timing with any sort of gag. It's hard to pick a favorite scene, though the beginning scene (and the credits that go along with it) is hard to beat, especially with Nielsen at the wheel. Any scene with Nielsen and Presley is effective because it provides the movie with a nice blend of fun and humor, especially at the end of the movie. I was pleasantly surprised to see Ricardo Montalbán in this movie, and he does a pretty good job at basically playing a villain in a comedy movie, but it is fun to see him, especially because he does it so well. The supporting cast is right for the job, complimenting a movie that already has so much going for it. It's a movie that is over 25 years old, and that's usually the point where a movie starts to feel like fine wine, well versed and well aged. Go see the movie, it will be the best 85 minutes you could spend because the movie just lets you have fun.

Now then. There is a matter of the next review. It will be...the 700th. No spoilers here...yet.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Airplane II: The Sequel.

Review #698: Airplane II: The Sequel.

Cast
Robert Hays (Ted Striker), Julie Hagerty (Elaine Dickinson), Lloyd Bridges (Steve McCroskey), Chad Everett (Simon Kurtz), Peter Graves (Captain Clarence Oveur), William Shatner (Commander Buck Murdock), Rip Torn (Bud Kruger), John Dehner (The Commissioner), Chuck Connors (The Sarge), Richard Jaeckel (Controller #2), Stephen Stucker (Jacobs / Courtroom Clerk), and Sonny Bono (Joe Seluchi) Directed by Ken Finkleman.

Review
If you pretend the first movie doesn't exist, the movie would have a shot at being okay. But because we can't just pretend movies don't exist (contrary to popular belief), Airplane II: The Sequel is proof that some movies should have just stayed dead and buried. The first movie stands as a fun spoof that manages to utilize its surroundings and make for a wonderfully awesome movie. The second movie tries way too hard in some places while trying too little in others, which all boils down to a breeze of a movie that makes you yearn for the first film again. While it's true that some of the original cast comes back, it doesn't really make the movie all too better, given that it lacks Leslie Nielsen and Robert Stack, who made the original even more enjoyable with their portrayals. It's strange that this sets place in the "near future", yet the characters haven't seemed to age a bit. Oh yeah, and there's a lunar base on the moon and commercial space travel. 33 years later, and we have neither of those things, nor do we have Rocky XXXVII. The gags for the movie are okay, but they also reuse gags as well (not to mention using flashbacks to the first film), which only reminds me as well as you what you're missing out on. The best character in the movie is only there for the last quarter of the movie, and naturally is played by William Shatner, who amuses me with his talk of the blinking, beeping, flashing lights, or maybe it's because by the end of the movie you're wishing Captain Kirk would save these idiots. What amuses me is the post-credit scene "announcing" Airplane III, composted with a line of "That's exactly what they'll be expecting us to do!", because there never was an Airplane III, and I can't imagine why. I think you already know the answer to that one. Give yourself a round of applause. And don't watch this movie, unless you like stoic disappointment.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Artist.

Review #697: The Artist.

Cast
Jean Dujardin (George Valentin), Bérénice Bejo (Peppy Miller), John Goodman (Al Zimmer), James Cromwell (Clifton), Missi Pyle (Constance), Penelope Ann Miller (Doris Valentin), and Uggie the dog. Directed by Michel Hazanavicius.

Review
Admittedly, the movie may seem a little like Singin in the Rain with regards to an actor dealing with converting from silent to "talkie" acting, with a touch of Silent Movie. But The Artist manages to make itself stand out with its sense of style, especially with its acting. This is a wonderful movie that manages to just be what it wants without feeling artificial or lacking. It looks very nice and the music is also enjoyable. The acting is excellent, especially Jean Dujardin. He has a certain charm to him that makes the movie irresistible to watch, especially with that dog as well. Bejo is also wonderful, working as a good lead with Dujardin, the two compliment each other well. Goodman and Cromwell are good supporting leads that make the movie even more enjoyable. The movie is what it is: Fun, relaxing, and all around just good filmmaking.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.