So, I was all set and ready to watch this film. When I first saw the trailer for the movie, it really looked interesting. From the trailer alone, it felt like a drama and thriller type of film. Since I was so impressed with George Clooney's performance in this movie, I thought this one would be the same. I was wrong.
The beginning of the movie actually started out with a very abrupt scene. It was a bit of a mystery why the types of things happened during this first part of the film. In a way, I guess it was a reason for me to watch more. And, I did.
(Note: For those who have seen the film, you'll know what I'm talking about).
Regarding the film itself, it was a bit of a mystery. There were bits and pieces revealed to the audience, but not everything all at once. At times, it was a bit slow. And, then it would pick up into an action scene or two. But, then it would go back again to the slowness of the film.
In a way, the majority of the scenes really seemed to me like normal, everyday life type of scenes. It definitely was not the drama and thriller type of film that I expected from when I first saw the trailer. To be honest, I think the trailer is a bit misleading - it just doesen't feel like the type of film depicted in the trailer. It's different. And, I'm not so sure if that's a good thing.
All in all, this movie was really slow. Sure, there were some action scenes here and there. But, they were very few and far between. At times, it really dragged. And, I felt a lot of the scenes portrayed the normal things people do in everyday life - it was a bit boring.
Overall, I wasn't too impressed with the movie. It didn't really have that much of a storyline. And, it really dragged at times. The few action scenes in the film didn't really make up for the slowness of the movie. As for the ending, it just wasn't that great.
For those who have been thinking about seeing this film, I'd say - save your money. It's really not worth it in my opinion. I don't even recommend it as a rental.
"If there's one thing I learned in prison it's that money is not the prime commodity in our lives...time is."
- Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Recently, I had the chance to see this sequel based on the original movie. And, I have to say - it was definitely a treat to see Michael Douglas playing the role of Gordon Gekko again. But, that's pretty much about all I enjoyed about this film.
As a fan of the first movie, I knew I wanted to see this one. But, somehow when I first saw the original trailer I didn't think it would be as good as the original - I was right.
Though, it did have it's ups and downs. And, yes - there were a few twists and turns with a few very unexpected moments. It really did surprise me.
(Note: For those who have seen the film, you'll know what I'm talking about. It was interesting to see how we were led to believe one thing but it really turned out differently. And, then it changed again near the end).
To be honest, this movie is really a film for those who have an interest in the world of finance. It's really made for those who are knowledgeable about the history of finance and who have followed the financial markets.
For those who are not as interested or knowledgeable about the finance industry, it may be a bit difficult to comprehend - there are many references and terminology used in the film that can only be understood for those who have an interest and knowledge about the topic of finance.
Regarding the film, the story really takes us back to the financial crisis and collapse of Wall Street in 2008. There are many references to the housing market at the time as well as the relationship and role home mortgages played during this period in history.
(Note: Again, this is really a movie for those who follow and have an interest in finance and the history of financial markets. It will be somewhat difficult to understand the references made for those who are not as knowledgeable or interested in the topic of finance).
At the heart of the movie, this film is really about one thing. And, that is greed and the impact greed can play on our society as well as our economy. Then, the question that is posed (as in the original film) remains the same. Is greed good?
The film really goes into the concept of greed by presenting the events that were a direct result of the speculation and the mania in our financial markets at the time. It really went into the mechanics of how speculation and perceptions can be manipulated to change entire markets - just like the original movie. But, this time - on a bigger scale and with more money.
To add to the story, there was a side story with Gordon Gekko's daughter, Winnie, played by Carey Mulligan, and Shia LaBeouf, which I didn't really care for. It was more of a distraction to the overall storyline than anything else - I didn't really see a need for it.
What I liked about the original movie was the focus on Bud Fox, played by Charlie Sheen, and his interaction and interest to work with his idol, Gordon Gekko. To me, that was what the original movie was all about - the game.
On the other hand, this film went back and forth between the game and the side story with Gekko's daughter. It just didn't make much sense. And, I just did not enjoy the scenes and the interactions in this part of the film.
Overall, I would say this movie is really one for those who have an interest and enjoy the subject of finance and follow the financial markets. It will be really difficult to comprehend some of the references (i.e. events, terminology, etc) in the movie for those who do not have the interest and/or knowledge about financial markets.
As a fan of the original film, this movie was not as good as the original. But, it did interest me being a fan of the first film as well as having an interest in the subject of finance.
(Note: For those who are fans of Oliver Stone movies, I'd say there's some of his style in the movie. But, there are moments where the film takes on a different style as well. It's very mixed. Some parts do not look as professional as others in terms of editing, acting in certain scenes, etc. For those who have seen the film, you'll know what I'm talking about).
If you're a fan of the original film and also have an interest in finance, I'd say this movie is ok. Not great, but at the same time not the best. If I weren't a fan of the first film and did not have an interest in the subject of finance, I probably would not have enjoyed and understood this movie.
(Note: For those who are fans of the original film, you're in for a real treat with this sequel. I don't want to ruin it for you but let's just say there's a surprise at one part of the movie - it's very unexpected. That's all I'm going to say!).
Happy movie watching!
p.s. Feel free to leave comments on any post either here and/or my Facebook Page. Comments are always welcome, thanks for reading!
Since it's Indie Movie Monday (#IndieMM), I thought I'd share with you this indie film spoof. If you liked the first "Internet Party" spoof, you may want to check this one out too. Enjoy!
(p.s. If you have a project(s) you'd like me to check out (i.e. fan trailer, short, spoof, animation, etc), feel free to contact me here or through my Facebook Page. I'm always on the lookout for fresh stuff from emerging filmmakers!)
"Most people respect the badge. Everybody respects the gun."
- Righteous Kill
Since I'm a fan of both Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, this movie was definitely one I looked forward to seeing. It was a real treat to see both of them side by side together in this film.
This movie is really one that can take you on a wild goose chase - it's really a "who done it" type of movie. Basically, the film is about a serial killer who goes around town killing those who kill others and do wrong.
(Note: It's interesting seeing this film, it kind of reminds me of this television series - it's kind of the same concept).
Both De Niro and Pacino play detectives assigned to the case. In turn, it then becomes a mystery - who is the serial killer? And, more importantly why is the serial killer doing the things that they are going - what's the motive?
All throughout the movie, there are bits and pieces of clues scattered around. Though, a lot of these clues can actually be a bit misread and misinterpreted. This is really a movie where it's important to pay attention - there's a series of flashbacks and scenes that play an important role to the overall story.
While watching the film, there were many times where I was a bit misled myself. So many times I thought I had figured out the true identity of the serial killer yet only to find that I had not. This film has a lot of twists and turns - the answer is not as simple and easy as some may think.
I will admit, this is really a movie for those who enjoy thriller type of films with a lot of twists and turns. If you're not really into thriller type movies, you may not enjoy this as much.
The film does have some moments where it can drag a bit. But, some of these moments are really important as they add to the clues presented in the story. And, it's one of those things where you really have to pay attention to the movie in order to help to see how the pieces all fit together.
Overall, I really enjoyed the movie. It really kept my attention throughout the film - the twists and turns really kept me wanting to watch more. Plus, it was a real treat to see both De Niro and Pacino on the big screen together.
If you enjoy thriller type of films with a lot of twists and turns, I do recommend this one.
Since it's Indie Movie Monday (#IndieMM), I thought I'd share with you this indie film spoof. How many Internet websites can you recognize? Enjoy!
(p.s. If you have a project(s) you'd like me to check out (i.e. fan trailer, short, spoof, animation, etc), feel free to contact me here or through my Facebook Page. I'm always on the lookout for fresh stuff from emerging filmmakers!)
When I first saw the preview for this film, I knew it was something I definitely wanted to see. Though, I was a bit up in the air as to whether or not it was worth it to see in the movies or better to hold off as a rental.
As it turns out, I went to go see it recently at the movies. It was an "ok" type of film. But, it wasn't really the great story I had hoped for.
Basically, the concept of the movie touches upon the choices you make and how those choices can affect your life. One of the main themes of the film has to do with dealing with the choice between a career (money) and love. And, when it comes down to it - which choice is better? And, which will make you happy?
Of course, in the film both of the main characters, Erin (played by Drew Barrymore) and Garrett (played by Justin Long), really didn't want to make that choice - they wanted both the career (money) and love to both work out. Though, when faced between which to take - things didn't go the way they had hoped.
Though, there was one thing they failed to consider when making choices - their emotions. And, emotions are a part of us. No matter how much we try sometimes to base our decisions to be as objective as possible, our emotions are what makes us human.
In a way, this film kind of reminded me of this movie. Though, it did go in a linear time frame - it didn't switch between the present and the past.
As for the movie itself, it was entertaining and had some funny moments. The storyline did resemble a few other films I've seen in the past. And, it was a bit predictable.
Though, there was a point in the film where I thought it would end. To my surprise, it didn't end and kept going. In a way, I was a bit relieved - if it ended at this point it would have been a disappointment.
(Note: For those who have seen the movie, you'll know what I'm talking about. I was just a bit surprised that it didn't end at that point in the movie because it really seemed that it would).
Overall, I would say this is an "ok" movie. It wasn't horrible but at the same time it wasn't the greatest. I would say this is a movie best to watch as a rental for those times when you're in the mood for a romantic comedy type of film.
Since it's Indie Movie Monday (#IndieMM), I thought I'd share with you this indie film spoof. How many Academy Award winning movies can you recognize? Enjoy!
(p.s. If you have a project(s) you'd like me to check out (i.e. fan trailer, short, spoof, animation, etc), feel free to contact me here or through my Facebook Page. I'm always on the lookout for fresh stuff from emerging filmmakers!)
When I first saw the trailer for this film, it really looked like a movie I wanted to see. Though, despite my interest after seeing the trailer - I waited a bit to see what others thought.
From the reviews I read, many people just didn't like the film. Though, I went to see it anyways. And, I can say - I was really disappointed.
The film started out with a really good storyline - it was very interesting and unique in its own way. Though, somehow the movie lost direction after awhile - things just started falling apart.
There was a point in the movie where I thought I knew which direction the film was going. And, if it had gone in the direction that I thought - I think it could have worked. But, it didn't - it took a turn. And, that turn was for the worse. It only went downhill from there.
(Note: For those who have seen the movie, you'll know what I'm talking about. I was a bit surprised at how the movie had a really good opening and introduction to the story. It just all got lost as the movie progressed).
Once the movie and its storyline started falling apart, it really lost direction. From this point on, it really felt like the whole movie was just thrown together. And, not in a good way - a bad way. It all seemed hurried in an effort to just finish the movie.
Though the film has a good storyline and interesting concept, it really lacks focus. And, this is what made the movie make a turn for the worse.
For those who have been thinking about seeing this film, I'd say - save your money. It's really not worth it in my opinion. I don't even recommend it as a rental.
I've always been fascinated with film. Enjoy watching movies - whether old or new, mainstream or independent. I also have a comedic side - I enjoy skits and spoofs. This blog is here to discuss anything film - reviews, opinions, industry stuff, etc. And, for those who like a good laugh - skits and spoofs as well. Check out my first post for more info on me. Contact Info Contact me
If you have something you'd like me to check out (i.e. film(s), blogs, websites, etc), feel free to send it in. Please do not send any file attachments - it's best if you just send me a link to your project(s). If I find it interesting/relevant, I will post it up. Thanks!
Attention All Filmmakers
If you are a filmmaker and have a project(s) you'd like me to check out, feel free to contact me here or through my Facebook page.
Also, I may be doing some interviews (podcast style) with indie filmmakers down the road if you'd like to send me a message here or through my Facebook page and start a conversation. Thanks for your interest!
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