1. Mystic River has been called a "Masterpiece," "The year's best film," blah blah blah. THIS MOVIE SUCKED! Where were the surprises? Anyone with 1/2 a brain could figure out it was the kid all along. And what's with the lame ending? The widow and Sean Penn exchange flirtatious glances during the parade, then smile at each other, implying, Boy, we got away with murder. Where is the grief? Tim Robbins was innocent! Widow, you betrayed him! Sean Penn, good friend, you killed him ! But apparently life goes on, long after the thrill of Robbins is gone. I like most of Sean Penn's roles. But just because he yells a lot during this movie doesn't mean he should win an Oscar.
2. Lost in Translation is not "brilliant" or "thought-provoking!" It's not a disaster, certainly, but tell it like it is: this is a light comedy with a few laughs, not a brain-teaser. The "shocking" ending consists of the two main characters laying together on a bed and not having sex. Gee, do you think it might be because she is underage (in real life?) Yes, the Japanese are a funny, child-like people, I have been to Tokyo and loved it, but if anyone other than Sophia Coppola, daughter of the Emperer himself, had directed this movie it would have been panned by critics and audiences alike. Daddy no doubt supplied the best workers, editors and press agents to keep from hurting Sophie's feelings. Reviewers are simply afraid of Mr. Coppola, and audiences are like lemmings, having to like a movie because if they don't they might be labelled (gasp) a non-conformist!
3. Roger Ebert: As a kid I used to watch Siskel and Ebert's "At the movies" on PBS every time it was on. Ebert has been the only reviewer I felt I could halfway trust. But in the last year or so he gives "Two Thumbs Up" to just about every movie that comes out, whether it's "Booty Call 3: Calling all Booty," or "Freddy vs. the Lion King." You're selling out, Ebert! I suspect he's getting ready to retire and accumulating as many under-the-table bribes as he can so he can live comfortable in his retirement. How sad. Maybe he's just jaded by the incredibly assinine flicks that hit #1 each weekend.
4. The last two movies I saw that didn't make me retch with disgust or flee the theater in a rage were "Memento," and "Training Day." Memento showed real effort, originality and thought. Training Day lacked substance, but a lot of factors -- including excellent acting -- came together at once to create a film that managed to keep me on the edge of my seat.
5. "Blue Velvet" is a masterpiece. Subsequent films by David Lynch sucked because he made the mistake of thinking the audience liked only the weird segments of "Velvet;" therefore, in "Wild at Heart" he made the entire movie a freak-show, without any normalcy to contrast the weirdness.
6. In "Reservoir Dogs," the only Tarantino movie I respect, Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) drops the briefcase containing the jewels following the heist after being struck by a car, BUT HE DOESN'T PICK IT BACK UP! Yet, he has the briefcase later in the movie. Just something worth noting.
Gridfish