Kevin Loves Movies: Recently Reviewed Movies

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Kevin Lawver — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:17:00 GMT

This movie is so bad, and it had no right to be. It has a fantastic cast, Gary Oldman was actually good in it, and it still sucked. That’s how bad it is.

If you really want to see it the right way, read the Mike Mignola movie adaptation. The art is fantastic and it tells the same story better and in half the time.

Amadeus

Kevin Lawver — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 03:03:27 GMT

Not only is this movie great, but it was the first movie soundtrack I completely fell in love with. Yeah, I know this review sucks, but just watch the movie, OK?

Pi

Kevin Lawver — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:51:24 GMT

Pi was Darren Aronoksky’s first film and is an interesting thriller about a guy who finds a secret he shouldn’t have. It might look a little dated now, but only because so many people have copied its look and some of his camera tricks in the last ten years. This is one of my favorite shoestring indies. It was shot all black and white for practically nothing, and looks great. It’s definitely not polished, but that actually helps the story and makes it all the more compelling. Definitely a must-see.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

Kevin Lawver — Sat, 31 May 2008 00:23:50 GMT

This was Guy Ritchie’s first movie, and it’s fantastically funny. The performances he gets out of the four leads and Vinnie Jones are spot on, and again, I will watch this one any time it’s on. It spawned dozens of imitation London Underworld movies after its release, none of them anywhere near as good.

Lone Star

Kevin Lawver — Sat, 31 May 2008 00:22:27 GMT

It’s been a while since I’ve seen this one, but this movie contains both Chris Cooper and Matthew McConaughey’s best performances to date. It’s also easily my favorite John Sayles movie (because I can’t name another one). A great portrait of small-town Texas life.

Fargo

Kevin Lawver — Sat, 31 May 2008 00:19:32 GMT

I love how the Coen Brothers nail dialects in their movies, and there’s no finer example than Fargo. But, that’s not the best thing about the movie – the cinematography and performances are stellar. This goes in the “Kevin will watch it every time it’s on TV” file, and one that I still pull quotes from all the time.

Psycho

Kevin Lawver — Fri, 30 May 2008 23:52:23 GMT

I love Hitchcock (I was surprised there weren’t more of Alfred’s movies in the list), and Psycho is the first good slasher movie (really, that’s what it is) ever made. It’s got all the great when’s-that-person-gonna-die suspense, and poor Anthony Perkins is so convincing as Norman Bates that he never really got to play anything else the rest of his career.

Anatomy of a Murder

Kevin Lawver — Fri, 30 May 2008 23:33:51 GMT

One of my favorite movies from the fifties, Anatomy of a Murder is the template for pretty much every legal drama to come after it. Jimmy Stewart is great in it, and the soundtrack and opening credits are maybe the best in movie history.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Kevin Lawver — Fri, 30 May 2008 23:17:46 GMT

I love this movie uncontrollably, somewhat just because it’s a Coen Brothers dialogue/dialect movie (like Fargo and Miller’s Crossing), but it works on so many levels. The performances, especially by the three leads, are fantastic… and of course, the music is perfect.

It’s also one of those movies that I’ll watch whenever it shows up on TV, even if only for ten minutes.

Requiem for a Dream

Kevin Lawver — Fri, 30 May 2008 20:07:10 GMT

This is not an easy film to watch. It was Darren Aronofsky’s second film (his first was the amazing Pi) and deals with drug addiction and follows its characters down an ever-worsening spiral into the depths of addiction. It’s a visually stunning film and captures fantastic performances from Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly.

Greed

Kevin Lawver — Fri, 30 May 2008 19:47:32 GMT

We watched this one in the film class I took during freshman year at BYU. Some of the film has been lost, but it’s still a good example of trying to tell a seriously dramatic story in a silent film without being a melodrama. It’s sometimes hard to get through, especially since you can’t see the whole thing, but it’s still an important piece of film history.

Metropolis

Kevin Lawver — Fri, 30 May 2008 19:44:59 GMT

I love this movie. I’ve seen it several times over the years, both before and after the restoration and the weird 70’s techno soundtrack. It doesn’t even really matter how it’s presented, it’s a fantastic movie that, surprisingly, holds up really well. It’s a good example of science fiction and even the effect hold up pretty well.

See it. Right away. Honest.

Nanook of the North

Kevin Lawver — Fri, 30 May 2008 19:40:40 GMT

I saw this way back in my sophomore year of high school in a film class (a story for another time). The movie is interesting as an example of one of the first real documentaries ever made.

I recommend seeing it just to see how the form has evolved over the years, but I honestly can’t remember a whole lot about it.

A Trip to the Moon

Kevin Lawver — Fri, 30 May 2008 19:30:59 GMT

When you realize that this movie is over a hundred years old, it becomes even more amazing. The special effects are silly, but remember, they’re one hundred years old!!

Gladiator

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A Hard Day’s Night

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Dr. Strangelove

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The Third Man

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The Magnificent Ambersons

Kevin Lawver