BY DIANA HERNANDEZ
Cardinal Staff
“Whoa, lady! I only speak two languages: English and bad English.” No other phrase could describe Korben Dallas
more perfectly. Bruce Willis stars as short-tempered Korben Dallas, a New York cab driver simply trying to make some money while still keeping his license and the city intact.
That is, until a beautiful woman literally falls in his back seat. There’s only one thing, he’s living hundreds of years into
the future in this 1997 film, “The Fifth Element.” Along with the supreme-being Leeloo, played by Milla Jovovich, Korben must fight to save the universe from Evil. The film is filled with flying car speed chases, kung fu, aliens, explosions and the
always hilarious Chris Tucker. What more could you ask for?
Bruce Willis is no stranger to action considering his past films, and Milla Jovovich gives an excellent performance playing
the key to salvation. But sci-fi fans beware: this film was made in 1997. Therefore, the special effects may not be up to your standards. The film itself has a comic book feel to it through colorful scenes, outrageous characters, and of course, the bad guy. If you’re a fan of films such as “Star Wars” or even Mel Brooks’ “Spaceballs,” I highly recommend you watch “The Fifth Element.”
“The Fifth Element” was nominated for an Oscar in 1998 for its effects and won an award for best fight during the MTV
Movie Awards that same year. “The Fifth Element” is rated PG-13 for intense sci-fi violence, some sexuality and brief nudity.
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Movie review: prison movies
By Alex Conover
Sports Editor
There are countless movies that I’ve overlooked simply because I wasn’t old enough (or alive) to appreciate them when they were in theaters. Lately I’ve been looking back on some older flicks that I have enjoyed tremendously, and I feel a real obligation to share them with the Cardinal’s faithful readers. For this issue, we’ll be looking at a few classic films that take a closer look at a sometimes difficult topic: prison.
Read more...
“A Clockwork Orange” (1971)
This futuristic epic, directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick, is a terrifying look at government control. Alex DeLarge (played by Malcolm McDowell) is a punk who leads a street gang that he calls his “droogs.” Their idea of fun is getting tipsy off of chemically-enhanced milk and going for “a bit of the old ultra-violence.” His fun comes to a screeching halt when he gets caught in the act and is submitted to an experimental behavior-modification technique. I highly recommend this title, although I must warn you that it is highly graphic and a little disturbing.
“Shawshank Redemption” (1994)
I looked into this movie after looking at the Internet Movie Database’s (imdb.com) Top 250. I saw it at the top of the list, and I can’t say that I disagree. Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, it is a tale of a young banker who is wrongfully convicted of a life sentence. He thrives socially within prison life and finds something to live and hope for within the walls of his prison cell. “Shawshank Redemption” was nominated for seven Oscars and likely launched Morgan Freeman’s prolific narration career.
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975)
Another top-10 pick from the IMDb’s list, this title likely launched the career of Jack Nicholson. As criminal Randle P. McMurphy, Nicholson does an extraordinary job of portraying an assumedly normal man who scams his way into a mental institution. Serving a short prison sentence, McMurphy figures that such a place would be more comfortable than a work farm. Once he spends a bit of time there, he soon develops close friendships with many of the patients. The head nurse of the institution, however, aims to make McMurphy’s stay as difficult as possible. This movie was also the first motion picture appearance for now-accomplished actors Christopher Lloyd and Danny DeVito.
Sports Editor
There are countless movies that I’ve overlooked simply because I wasn’t old enough (or alive) to appreciate them when they were in theaters. Lately I’ve been looking back on some older flicks that I have enjoyed tremendously, and I feel a real obligation to share them with the Cardinal’s faithful readers. For this issue, we’ll be looking at a few classic films that take a closer look at a sometimes difficult topic: prison.
Read more...
“A Clockwork Orange” (1971)
This futuristic epic, directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick, is a terrifying look at government control. Alex DeLarge (played by Malcolm McDowell) is a punk who leads a street gang that he calls his “droogs.” Their idea of fun is getting tipsy off of chemically-enhanced milk and going for “a bit of the old ultra-violence.” His fun comes to a screeching halt when he gets caught in the act and is submitted to an experimental behavior-modification technique. I highly recommend this title, although I must warn you that it is highly graphic and a little disturbing.
“Shawshank Redemption” (1994)
I looked into this movie after looking at the Internet Movie Database’s (imdb.com) Top 250. I saw it at the top of the list, and I can’t say that I disagree. Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, it is a tale of a young banker who is wrongfully convicted of a life sentence. He thrives socially within prison life and finds something to live and hope for within the walls of his prison cell. “Shawshank Redemption” was nominated for seven Oscars and likely launched Morgan Freeman’s prolific narration career.
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975)
Another top-10 pick from the IMDb’s list, this title likely launched the career of Jack Nicholson. As criminal Randle P. McMurphy, Nicholson does an extraordinary job of portraying an assumedly normal man who scams his way into a mental institution. Serving a short prison sentence, McMurphy figures that such a place would be more comfortable than a work farm. Once he spends a bit of time there, he soon develops close friendships with many of the patients. The head nurse of the institution, however, aims to make McMurphy’s stay as difficult as possible. This movie was also the first motion picture appearance for now-accomplished actors Christopher Lloyd and Danny DeVito.
Friday, November 7, 2008
"Decoys" review
By Marty Kocon
Cardinal Staff
In the wake of Tuesday’s events, I think we can all understand that there are things in this world that are worth fighting for, and in the billions spent campaigning nothing has mentioned one of those vital truths.
Read more...
This fact is none other than that the film “Decoys” has been so cleverly hidden from an American public that is in desperate need of it.
For those unfortunate souls who do not know about “Decoys,” it is a cinematic masterpiece from the line of such epics as “The Ten Commandments,” “The Godfather” and “Star Wars.” This Canadian film is the best thing to come out of Canada since cheap prescription drugs.
The film takes place at a Canadian college where young, wide-eyed freshman Luke Callahan runs across what every freshman hopes for- interested girls. But these are not just any girls. Constance and Lily are “the babe bookends.” Unfortunately, Luke soon discovers that these girls happen to be aliens, and it falls upon Luke to alert the school to this intergalactic invasion before it is too late.
Alright, so this film is not “Ben Hurr” or “Lawrence of Arabia,” but the film is entertaining beyond belief. The extended cast includes the beloved overdramatic stereotypes, including Luke’s roommate Roger, “the desperate virgin”; Alex, who is seeking to break free of being just one of the guys and win over the heart of the oblivious Luke; inept wise-cracking policemen; and swarms of high-pitched sorority sisters.
While the laughs may not be intentional, this film will leave you in tears and quoting all of the overdramatic dialogue and cheesy one-liners.
The “Decoys” issue may have slipped off the political radar, but do not prolong this upsetting trend. Watch “Decoys”; you will not regret it.
Cardinal Staff
In the wake of Tuesday’s events, I think we can all understand that there are things in this world that are worth fighting for, and in the billions spent campaigning nothing has mentioned one of those vital truths.
Read more...
This fact is none other than that the film “Decoys” has been so cleverly hidden from an American public that is in desperate need of it.
For those unfortunate souls who do not know about “Decoys,” it is a cinematic masterpiece from the line of such epics as “The Ten Commandments,” “The Godfather” and “Star Wars.” This Canadian film is the best thing to come out of Canada since cheap prescription drugs.
The film takes place at a Canadian college where young, wide-eyed freshman Luke Callahan runs across what every freshman hopes for- interested girls. But these are not just any girls. Constance and Lily are “the babe bookends.” Unfortunately, Luke soon discovers that these girls happen to be aliens, and it falls upon Luke to alert the school to this intergalactic invasion before it is too late.
Alright, so this film is not “Ben Hurr” or “Lawrence of Arabia,” but the film is entertaining beyond belief. The extended cast includes the beloved overdramatic stereotypes, including Luke’s roommate Roger, “the desperate virgin”; Alex, who is seeking to break free of being just one of the guys and win over the heart of the oblivious Luke; inept wise-cracking policemen; and swarms of high-pitched sorority sisters.
While the laughs may not be intentional, this film will leave you in tears and quoting all of the overdramatic dialogue and cheesy one-liners.
The “Decoys” issue may have slipped off the political radar, but do not prolong this upsetting trend. Watch “Decoys”; you will not regret it.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Summer movie blockbuster review
By Rick Baustian
Cardinal Staff
After seeing the enormous pools of cash being raked in for movies this summer, it seems easy to believe that Americans could spend more money on movies than they do on food. In fact, over 2.3 billion dollars has been spent on the top ten films this year, according to the Box Office Mojo website.
Read more...
So, after 2007s list of AAA threequels, how could 2008 possibly stack up? For starters, the studios took the idea of a trilogy and decided that four movies could be worth more money. Then, they looked at what had yet to become a movie and adapted away. Finally, they gave us sequels to movies that people have been wanting for some time.
The unofficial start of this year’s movie season was May 2, the day Iron Man was released. It managed to bring the so-called “B level” superhero to the big screen, earning rave reviews for Robert Downy Jr.’s performance and generating over $100 million its opening week.
Then came one of the most anticipated movies of the past decade. If it was possible to turn hype and anticipation into energy, Lucas, Spielberg and Ford could have powered a small country for a year. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the movie for which fans have been waiting nearly two decades, was released. It received a critical lashing but managed to rake in around $100 million. Perhaps it wasn’t the age, it was the mileage.
Every previous movie that dared to call itself a blockbuster was then crushed under the high-octane, dark and media-blitzed wing of The Dark Knight. If you have yet to see this movie, you are missing out on an awe-inspiring look into what being a hero means and why we need them, along with what may be the best villain to ever appear on screen. If you like good movies, you owe it to yourself to see this film.
With that, the blockbuster season was, more or less, over. Sure, Mamma Mia!, Hancock, Wall-E and others were released this summer, but they often were not as good as the source material. They did not live up to their predecessors or simply had the audacity to release within a month of The Dark Knight. Overall, this was one of the most fun summers since the asteroid craze of 1997.
Cardinal Staff
After seeing the enormous pools of cash being raked in for movies this summer, it seems easy to believe that Americans could spend more money on movies than they do on food. In fact, over 2.3 billion dollars has been spent on the top ten films this year, according to the Box Office Mojo website.
Read more...
So, after 2007s list of AAA threequels, how could 2008 possibly stack up? For starters, the studios took the idea of a trilogy and decided that four movies could be worth more money. Then, they looked at what had yet to become a movie and adapted away. Finally, they gave us sequels to movies that people have been wanting for some time.
The unofficial start of this year’s movie season was May 2, the day Iron Man was released. It managed to bring the so-called “B level” superhero to the big screen, earning rave reviews for Robert Downy Jr.’s performance and generating over $100 million its opening week.
Then came one of the most anticipated movies of the past decade. If it was possible to turn hype and anticipation into energy, Lucas, Spielberg and Ford could have powered a small country for a year. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the movie for which fans have been waiting nearly two decades, was released. It received a critical lashing but managed to rake in around $100 million. Perhaps it wasn’t the age, it was the mileage.
Every previous movie that dared to call itself a blockbuster was then crushed under the high-octane, dark and media-blitzed wing of The Dark Knight. If you have yet to see this movie, you are missing out on an awe-inspiring look into what being a hero means and why we need them, along with what may be the best villain to ever appear on screen. If you like good movies, you owe it to yourself to see this film.
With that, the blockbuster season was, more or less, over. Sure, Mamma Mia!, Hancock, Wall-E and others were released this summer, but they often were not as good as the source material. They did not live up to their predecessors or simply had the audacity to release within a month of The Dark Knight. Overall, this was one of the most fun summers since the asteroid craze of 1997.
Friday, January 25, 2008
P.S. – I Liked It
By Maria Sullivan
Cardinal Staff
Review of ‘P.S. I Love You’
“P.S. I Love You” was released in theatres on Dec. 21 and stars Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow, Harry Connick, Jr., and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (most commonly known as Denny Duquette from “Grey’s Anatomy”).
For those who enjoy romantic movies, “P.S. I Love You” just may be for you.
Read more...Holly (Swank) is a young woman happily married to Gerry (Butler), but when Gerry dies from a brain tumor, Holly’s life falls apart. When it seems like her life will never get better, the unexpected happens.
Before Gerry died, he knew that his time with Holly was limited, so he decided to write ten letters to help her move on with her life. The letters told her to do anything from singing karaoke to traveling to Ireland. Everything that Gerry asks of Holly in the letters has a certain meaning behind it.
Some viewers may perceive this movie as an interesting way to get past losing a loved one. Senior Nikki Olson said, “I thought it was an amazing movie. It’s not what you expect from a romantic comedy, but it’s worth seeing.”
“P.S. I Love You” is rated PG-13 and is still in theatres.
Cardinal Staff
Review of ‘P.S. I Love You’
“P.S. I Love You” was released in theatres on Dec. 21 and stars Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow, Harry Connick, Jr., and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (most commonly known as Denny Duquette from “Grey’s Anatomy”).
For those who enjoy romantic movies, “P.S. I Love You” just may be for you.
Read more...Holly (Swank) is a young woman happily married to Gerry (Butler), but when Gerry dies from a brain tumor, Holly’s life falls apart. When it seems like her life will never get better, the unexpected happens.
Before Gerry died, he knew that his time with Holly was limited, so he decided to write ten letters to help her move on with her life. The letters told her to do anything from singing karaoke to traveling to Ireland. Everything that Gerry asks of Holly in the letters has a certain meaning behind it.
Some viewers may perceive this movie as an interesting way to get past losing a loved one. Senior Nikki Olson said, “I thought it was an amazing movie. It’s not what you expect from a romantic comedy, but it’s worth seeing.”
“P.S. I Love You” is rated PG-13 and is still in theatres.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
'30 Days of Night' scares
By Maria Sullivan
Cardinal Staff
On Oct. 19 “30 Days of Night” was released in theaters, starring Josh Hartnett and Melissa George.
Read more...
The movie takes place in a small Alaskan town that is forced into darkness for one month. As the town’s people decide whether to stay for the month or to leave, strange crimes begin to occur. For example, sled dogs are killed and phones are destroyed. These strange crimes are linked to a large group of vampires whose main goal is to destroy the town and kill everybody in it.
This movie is a fight for survival for sheriffs Eben (Hartnett) and Stella (George). Together they help a large number of people from the town survive the bloodthirsty vampires.
This movie is extremely gory and suspenseful. Junior Scott McGrath said, “It was pretty exciting and it did have scary parts, although it did have a slow start. Anybody who enjoys horror films involving vampires should like it.”
“30 Days of Night” is rated R and is currently still in theatres.
Cardinal Staff
On Oct. 19 “30 Days of Night” was released in theaters, starring Josh Hartnett and Melissa George.
Read more...
The movie takes place in a small Alaskan town that is forced into darkness for one month. As the town’s people decide whether to stay for the month or to leave, strange crimes begin to occur. For example, sled dogs are killed and phones are destroyed. These strange crimes are linked to a large group of vampires whose main goal is to destroy the town and kill everybody in it.
This movie is a fight for survival for sheriffs Eben (Hartnett) and Stella (George). Together they help a large number of people from the town survive the bloodthirsty vampires.
This movie is extremely gory and suspenseful. Junior Scott McGrath said, “It was pretty exciting and it did have scary parts, although it did have a slow start. Anybody who enjoys horror films involving vampires should like it.”
“30 Days of Night” is rated R and is currently still in theatres.
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