Miami Connection

Miami Connection
(1987) [Trailer]
Directors: Woo-sang Park (as Richard Park), Y.K. Kim (uncredited)

So bad it's good. That's a phrase that gets thrown around a bit, especially with Miami Connection. I do believe in that mantra and I love a good shitty movie from time to time. So I made the $15 dollar blind buy on the blu-ray and went all in on this ninja masterpiece.

Synopsis: A Taekwondo rock band (yes, you read that right) are targeted by a group of secret ninjas for extermination... and I'm not really sure why.

This movie is definitely bad. Real bad. The acting is hilarious, it makes the film a comedy. I'm not really sure who told Y.K. Kim (the main protagonist) he could act, but thank God they did, because he sucks in the best way possible. I love that the kung-fu band are all orphans, all live together, play in a band together, and all go to college together at the University of Central Florida (which was made apparent in many scenes). 

The band also plays some pretty sweet tunes including this masterpiece:

There are a slew of weird things about this movie. Things that make no sense. It's fun sitting back and watching it unfold and thinking to yourself "Why? What in the hell were they thinking?" Like why is the black dude always walking around the house with his pants unbuttoned? Or why do the cops show up with guns drawn to an empty parking lot, then seemingly just give up trying to figure out where all the bad guys just went? Great police work there guys.

Or why they decided to film this scene?

This film is a trainwreck, but worth a poke just to see how awfully awesome it is.

American Hustle

American Hustle
(2013) [Trailer]
Directer: David O. Russell [IMDB]

David O. Russell is a dick. Besides that fight with Lilly, there are also stories of him and Clooney going at it, as well as other actors too. Yet he always seems to have a lot of reoccurring stars up in his films. Maybe he has cooled down now, maybe it was all hype to sell his movies, either way homeboy delivers some quality titles and I was really excited to check out his newest gem... American Hustle.

Synopsis: A small time con man and his side job get tagged by the Feds and coerced into bringing down bigger fish to fry.

About 30 minutes into this film, something felt really off. I was yawning and checking the time.... basically losing my focus. The story wasn't that incredible, which isn't a huge deal, just unleash those characters and sell me on how interesting they are, right? Wrong. No one was great... not that Cooper, Lawrence, Adams, Bale and Renner weren't great (they all had awesome performances), it's just the characters they were portraying were bland. They also bring in Robert De Niro at one point, set him up as some major threat and then nothing... you never see him again.

There were a decent amount of laughs and some moments that pulled you in here and there. The soundtrack was fantastic, I think it blended in perfectly with the overall aesthetic of the film, which was also well crafted.

American Hustle is a slow burn at first and misfires in a lot of places, ultimately leaving me pretty disappointed. I definitely plan on revisiting this at some point to see if it gets better, but for now, I'm kind of bummed out on it.

The Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Martin Scorsese [IMDB]

Who doesn't love a good Scorsese flick? I'm sure haters are out there, but screw those people. The man is a legend and for good reason. He directed Taxi Driver, which gets him a pass on anything for the rest of his life, good thing he doesn't need it, because he's still cranking out the hits.

Synopsis: TWOWS focuses on Jordan Belfort, a man who came from modest means then rose to become one of the most wealthy men on Wall Street.

The Wolf of Wall Street is a slam dunk and will absolutely make my top ten for the year. If you are a fan of Goodfellas or Casino, you're going to love this installment into the Scorsese universe. It fits in with those titles, but unlike them, delivers way more comedy than I thought I was going to get. Maybe if Goodfellas and After Hours hooked up and made a film baby, you be somewhere near The Wolf.  It's one of the funniest movies I've seen in awhile, but it's also raunchy and messed up as well. When I say messed up... there is lots of nudity, drugs, profanity and things that would bum your folks out... but it felt fitting for the story and the characters.

Speaking of story and characters, those are the main gears that run this film and both are solid. The story is almost unbelievable and the characters within it seem too insane to be real. Whether or not Scorsese embellished on those things doesn't matter, he sells them in a absurd and entertaining way that kept me buckled up for the whole trip. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill gave their best performances of any film I've ever seen them in and there were also a ton of unexpected casting choices that I enjoyed.

The Wolf of Wall Street was a winner in my book and a film I'd love to revisit again. If you're a fan of Scorsese it's a must.

Only God Forgives

Only God Forgives
2013 [Trailer]
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn [IMDB]

Nicolas Winding Refn is one of my favorite directors working today and to say I was excited to see his newest film, Only God Forgives, would be putting it lightly. Based off the trailer and the director's prior work, this film was one of my most anticipated for 2013... let's see if it was a winner.

Synopsis: Ryan Gosling (so hot right now) is working as a drug smuggler in Bangkok's seedy underground. His brother turns up dead and with some coaxing from his mother, he sets out for vengeance.

As with all of NWR's movies, this is not for everyone. It's slow paced, lacks a lot of dialogue, violent, and leaves things open for interpretation. It's exactly what I hoped it would be. The Gos was awesome, the score was on point, and out of everything Nicolas has produced... this is by far the best looking of the bunch. The colored lights against darkened sets (think Dario Argento) used throughout Only God Forgives lends itself to the horror genre and offers a very creepy vibe which I absolutely loved. The story is pretty straight forward and simple, but I think Nicolas Winding Refn has other hidden themes that the viewer is left to put together. I have an interesting theory about the police chief Chang, but I'll save it, as it would be considered a really big spoiler... once you see Only God Forgives we'll talk about it okay... cool.

This is a slam dunk for me... also a film I'll definitely buy and rewatch. It's in theaters now, so check it out. Or don't, do whatever you feel like.

The Loved Ones

The Loved Ones
(2009) [Trailer]
Director: Sean Byrnes [IMDB]

I had heard lots of good things about The Loved Ones before going into it, so I bumped it to the top of my Netfix queue on behalf of a few friends who had recommended it. It has been sitting at my house for over 2 months, along with two other discs from them that I need to watch and return. Ever since Netflix instant my physical discs have been getting the short end of the stick, so I'm gonna try and navigate through these damn things.

Synopsis: After asking a stoner named Brent to prom and getting rejected, Lola decides to take what she wants by force. With the help of her father she throws her own prom and guess who's invited?

The Loved Ones is an interesting movie, I suppose I should tell you why... that's why I get paid the big bucks. It's a horror film, but I didn't find it scary... just really fucked up. It's like a torture film if anything, but the first half of it plays out like a drama as well. It's strange and unconventional... if some of the cast from Dazed and Confused met the family from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre you'd kind of be somewhere near the feel of this film. I definitely liked the movie but there were things that didn't work for me, the build up and some of the characters involved seemed unnecessary. There's also the casting of Lola.... while she did a fantastic job in the role, she just didn't seem like the kind of girl who would be this weird outcast hell bent on torturing her dates.

The Loved Ones is an interesting movie and worth a view, I may even pick it up for a future rewatch to see if it gets any better with time.

Heat

Heat
(1995) [Trailer]
Director: Michael Mann [IMDB]

I picked up Heat on blu-ray because I remember really liking it the  first time I saw it. From what I recalled, it was a great crime drama and full of action... then I watched it last night and realized I'd actually never seen Heat. I guess somewhere along the lines I talked myself into believing I had... who knows, people are weird.

Synopsis: A crew of robbers are on the defensive after the cops start tracking them on their next job.

I enjoy Michael Mann's direction in most films I've seen of his and Heat is no exception... it's beautifully shot and has a fantastic score. The cast are all pretty strong, but I felt like Al Pacino went a little overboard sometimes. The story is very standard for a crime flick so it was Mann's job to move it along in a unique way. He was successful overall but I did feel like it started to drag towards the last 40 mins.

If you're into crimes movies or police procedurals, check this out.

Pain & Gain

Pain & Gain
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Michael Bay (IMDB)

The Williams brothers are coming at you with a first. Dueling reviews on the same movie... on the same day. We both, along with Papi Williams, went out to the theater together to check out a flick and get in a little bonding time. There wasn't much out we could all agree on except for Michael Bay's newest flick... Pain & Gain. Michael Bay is responsible for the worst movie trilogy of all time... Transformers. After watching those God awful films you would think I would have wrote Mr. Bay off. He did manage to make The Rock and Armageddon, which I enjoyed, so I thought I'd give him another chance.

Synopsis: Based on true events, three muscle bound trainers hatch a plan to rob a rich client of all his money... things don't go according to plan.

I thought Pain & Gain was a decent enough film and entertaining for the most part. It definitely feels like a Michael Bay film... there are lots of models, fast cars, flashy camera angles, and the police look like army soliders. Also... it's set in Miami which is basically the prefect town for one of his films. The story is engrossing and feels like something you'd see in a Coen Brothers film... basically idiots getting deeper and deeper into the shit because of money. The great thing is that most of the film is true, which makes it even more interesting. Wahlberg and The Rock were both pretty good and their partner (not sure his name and I'm too lazy to look him up) was alright as well.

Some of laughs and characters fell flat for me... especially the blond english chick and the guy from Community. The movie is also long and the last 3o mins drags on.

Pain & Gain is worth it, if you're into dark comedies about crime, give it a go.

The Place Beyond the Pines

The Place Beyond the Pines
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Derek Cianfrance [IMDB]

Derek Cianfrance cranked out one of my favorite films in 2010... Blue Valentine. So I was happy to hear he was teaming back up with Ryan Gosling (so hot right now) again for a new film. I didn't know anything about The Place Beyond the Pines going into it, I just wanted to be surprised... and boy was I.

Synopsis: A young motorcycle stunt driver's bad decisions affect his and a rookie cop's life in unforeseen ways.

The Place Beyond the Pines unfolds in a really interesting and unique way that was masterfully executed on screen by Mr. Cianfrance. This film will be pretty difficult to talk about without getting into spoilers but I'm gonna try and do my best since it's still in the theaters. The introduction of characters and where they exist within the timeline of the story keeps things fresh and makes the run time (140 mins) not seem so long. There were a few believability issues I had, but not enough to ruin the picture. The music, cinematography and locations were all perfect and helped deliver a pleasurable viewing experience.

My wife said before we watched this that she had heard it's depressing... that wouldn't surprise me after seeing Blue Valentine. The events that take place throughout A Place Beyond the Pines were somewhat of a bum out at times, but that mixed with all the other elements of the film just make great cinema. For me, the ending of this movie wasn't a downer at all, it had a "there's a light at the end of the tunnel" vibe to it.

This is an absolute recommendation from me if you're into crime dramas with a little twist to them. I loved it.

Spring Breakers

Spring Breakers
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Harmony Korine [IMDB]

In a Williams Film Review first, I am bringing you not only a review of Harmony Korine's newest film Spring Breakers, but I am also providing you with some original artwork. Yes... that beautiful poster over there on the left was designed by yours truly... me... Curtis Williams.

Synopsis: 4 misguided teens set off to Florida for spring break and get into some shit.

I was highly anticipating the release of Spring Breakers. Harmony Korine's films are highly polarizing... I remember watching Gummo for the first time and thinking it was awful... but I also kind of liked it.

Spring Breakers is a bloated look at the fucked up society we live in. These are strange times and they call for an even stranger movie. I think Harmony likes to push your buttons and with this film he takes it over the top, but in an accessible way... as opposed to Trash Humpers. The characters are empty and shallow... I couldn't relate to anyone, but that worked for me. I think that's part of the message. I mean honestly... to think you're going to go to spring break in Florida and have a life changing experience is a joke in itself. Korine takes something nauseating (spring break in Florida) and plays with it in an artful way which I absolutely enjoyed.

Spring Breakers has a few really surprising moments, some funny, some raunchy.... mostly involving James Franco (who plays a very convincing shitbag.) It revisits some of the themes seen in Kids, but also had a quasi True Romance vibe to it. If you're familier with Harmony Korine's work, you'll probably dig it, but if you're easily offended I'd skip it.... but then... you should get over yourself and live a little... I'm just saying.

WIlliam Friedkin Marathon: Sorcerer, Rampage, Blue Chips, Rules of Engagement, The Hunted, Bug.

William Friedkin has received a lot of love from me on the site. He is the man and I continually enjoy everything I see by him. I noticed recently that a crop of his movies have appeared on Netflix instant, so I watched them... and gave a brief run down with my ratings... because that's what I do here at WFR!

Sorcerer
(1977) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin [IMDB]

Synopsis: 4 men with checkered pasts are hired to transport highly volatile dynamite through a Nicaraguan forest.

This film is a definite pleaser in my book. Whoever the guy is that's in charge of the explosions in Sorcerer should be given an Oscar. Also the score-- it's incredible. There was a little lag towards the beginning and it took some time for the story to gain momentum, but when it gets going it rules. The truck building scene was awesome, I feel like I could build one now.

There's tons of suspense as the crew travels through the jungle. Two stand out moments for me were... the truck driving across the Temple of Doom bridge and the jerry-rigging of the C4 to blow up the tree.

Rampage
(1987) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin [IMDB]

Synopsis: A delusional young man goes on a killing spree. He's taken to court and tries to get off on insanity.

This film's main problem is... it's boring as shit. Seriously... it was so slow and really hard to finish. It stars Michael Biehn from The Terminator, he was probably the best actor of the lot. I don't know what else to say here.... this is definitely a pass.

Snooze city.

Blue Chips
(1994) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin [IMDB]

Synopsis: Nick Nolte is a college basket ball coach looking to build a winning team.

Nick Nolte plays a pretty typical coach, or at least what I think one should act like, so I guess that's good. There's a lot of poor acting from all the players and a few believability issues. When Nolte goes to visit Shaq for the first time, he takes a boat, travels through a swamp, then hikes through a field. When he arrives to the town Shaq lives in, it has a street running right through it... why didn't Nolte just drive there? Blue Chips is a pretty average sports drama, not horrible, but not great either.

Rules of Engagement
(2000) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin [IMDB]

Synopsis: Tommy Lee Jones defends Samuel L Jackson after he gives orders to attack a group of Yemen protesters.

I was prepared to be disappointed after seeing the ratings score for this film, but it wasn't that bad. There were a few predictable moments but all the performance and pacing were good enough to give it a pass.

The scene where Samuel L Jackson kills the Viet Cong guy was pretty rad and the surge on the US embassy was pretty gripping.

This was a nice blend of a court room drama and war flick, absolutely a decent time waster.

The Hunted
(2003) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin [IMDB]

Synopsis: Benicio Del Toro is a crazed ex military assassin and his mentor (Tommy Lee Jones) is brought in to track him down.

This movie could have been so much cooler. It started off and had a sort of Rambo meets Deerhunter vibe going for it, but somewhere along the way it derailed a little. It wasn't awful or anything, just kinda bland.

Two things. The opening scene with the wild wolf caught in a snare and TLJ just walks up and frees it... it's absurd. Also... at the end when Del Toro is being chased by a shit ton of FBI, he finds the time to stop and forge a blade out of iron and fire???? It might have been one of the most ridiculous things I've seen in a serious movie.

Bug
(2006) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin [IMDB]

Synopsis: Two people with a lot of baggage hook up and then start to believe the government has bugged them?

Bug is a weird film. It feels dirty, kind of like Killer Joe did. There's some really cool camera work and sound design throughout this. As always, Michael Shannon plays a great crazy person. The film takes awhile to roll out, but when it does, it unfold very quickly. The last 20 minutes are bananas.

More Tarantino: Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Basterds

If you haven't seen these films already, I feel bad for you. For me, this review is more of a way to showcase my love for these titles on the blog. I'm not going to get too deep into the minutia of these movies, instead, I'm just going to talk about how they relate to me and why I enjoy them so much.

Reservoir Dogs
(1992) [Trailer]
Director: Quentin Tarantino [IMDB]

I could lie and say this is the first Tarantino film I ever saw and make myself out to be some cool guy, but as many of my friends know, I can be late to the party sometimes. That's right, I saw Pulp Fiction first and immediately headed out to get my hands on anything Quentin related afterwards. Reservoir Dogs is just as rad now as it was when I first saw it back in the 90's. This and Pulp Fiction are probably Tarantino's two strongest films when it comes to dialogue, but the story here is much simpler than Pulp. Tarantino has many strengths as a director and one of them is finding the perfect cast to deliver his writing. Everyone in Res Dogs is amazing, especially Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth. The biggest stand out moment for me is the lead up and execution of the commode story.

Pulp Fiction.
(1994) [Trailer]
Director: Quentin Tarantino [IMDB]

Pulp Fiction is one of the greatest films ever made.... take that and chew on it. If you dont agree, fine... but for me, it is a perfect film and one of my favorites to watch on a regular basis. There are too many memorable scenes and performances but I'm gonna try and make a top five.

5. The watch story as told by Christopher Walken
4. Vincent blowing Marvin's face off.
3. Butch and Marsellus' capture and escape from the rednecks
2. Jules and Vincent's conversation about foot massages.
1. Jules interrogating then executing Brett.

Inglourious Basterds
(2009) [Trailer]
Director: Quentin Tarantino [IMDB]

I love WWII films. Some of my favorites are Das Boot, The Thin Red Line, and Saving Private Ryan. When I heard Tarantino was doing a film set in occupied France during the 1940's, I was pumped. I remember watching this for the first time and thinking it was a modern masterpiece. The first 20 minutes of this film are incredible. Christoph Waltz is a beast of an actor and Chapter One of Inglorious Basterds showcases that fact. Hans Landa's Pipe makes we want to take up smoking. There are many awesome scenes in this film, one of my favorites is the story of Hugo Stiglitz, narrated by Samuel L Jackson. There are tons of other great moments, but I'll save you from another list. Just watch it already.

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2

Quentin Tarantino is one of my all time favorite directors. I think a lot of people also share my sentiments and if they don't, they can piss off. Pulp Fiction, for me, was one of the main reasons I started getting into art house and independent cinema. After checking out his recent masterpiece, I think I may go back a revisit some of the greats... I'll start with Kill Bill.

Kill Bill: Vol. 1
(2003) [Trailer]
Director: Quentin Tarantino [IMDB]

Synopsis: A bride (Uma) wakes to find that she's been in a coma for 4 years and now must enact vengeance on the people responsible for ruining her life.

Kill Bill is highly entertaining and wastes no time strapping you in and kicking things into high gear. The first fight scene with Vivica A Fox is awesome and the intermission scene once the daughter arrives is a welcome curveball. There's plenty of homages to other films and genres, one that is glaringly obvious is Bruce Lee. The Cato masks and the yellow track suit pull the nostalgia card and warms my cold lifeless heart.

I'd say the only thing I dislike would be the anime scene. It doesn't work at all for me and drags on way too long.

Other than that, Kill Bill is like a Chucky Cheese to a 6 year old... a good time.

Kill Bill: Vol. 2
(2004) [Trailer]
Director: Quentin Tarantino [IMDB]

Synopsis: The bride is back to finish the job.

This is the continuation of part 1 basically but I think it's a stronger film. There's some outstanding dialog and performances.... especially from David Caradine, Michael Parks, and Michael Madsen. There are more great fights scenes and a cool training montage with Pai Mei... again harking back to the old kung fu flicks of the 70's and 80's.

SPOILER: Bill's death is handled so well. There's obviously foreshadowing earlier in the film to what will take place, but I thought it was cool that Tarantino went right for the kill, verses dragging it out through a long drawl out fight scene. END SPOILER

Definitely invest some time in Kill Bill if you haven't done so already. Love it.