underrated movies.

Movie critics suck. Either that or my choice in movies are really bad. I enjoy mostly comedy movies of any kind. But, i'm also a sucker for any type of romance. Plus, I love children movies. I don't know why but I do. And I really think that children movies or movies directed towards teens are underrated. Some of these movies are so funny and at the same time, give out a great message.
So here's my list of underrated children/teen movies. (In no particular order)

-All Disney Classics. Although today's Disney's animations are highly acclaimed (i.e. Finding Nemo, The Incredibles) most of the classics - except for Lion King and kind of Alladin - are underrated. Mulan and Hercules are great movies. And critics should be even more amused by them, since they put in jokes for adults. When your a child, these movies are amusing; but, when your older, these movies are so funny. For example, when I was watching Mulan, Mushu blows the Han's volture on fire and then says "That's some good Mongolian BBQ." That's something a kid would never get, but now, I laughed and appreciated that joke. And in Hercules, Hercules says, "Wow. What a day. First that restaurant by the bay. And then that, that play, that, that, that Oedipus thing. Man, I thought I had problems." My friends who I was watching the movie, started laughing so hard. I, not studying AP Eng or Latin, was clueless. They explained to me the story of Oedipus, who killed his mother and father. After understanding this, or any other greek methology, the movie just gets funnier.

- She's The Man. This movie stars Amanda Bynes; who in my opinion, is definitely a way underrated actress. Although this movie was very popular, probably due to her costar, Channing Tatum, it still did not do well with the critics. In this movie Bynes switches from a boy to a girl character. She acts as her brother and then when necessary switches back to herself. I don't think any other actress can pull off the "boy look" as well as she does. The way she goes from boy to girl is amazing. In all her acting, Byne's facial expressions, voice and emotion brings out the laughter in the audience. Overall, the movie had a good plot and some very funny scenes. It's what you expect out of a classic teenager comedy.

- Stick It. That's right. Beat you never heard of this movie before. This movie also came out in 2006; however, it did not do so well in box office. But, it was a great movie. The movie stars Missy Peregrym - a Hilary Swank look-a-like. This juvinile girl is an ex- pro gymnast. But due to running into the law, she goes back to an olympic gymnastic training camp. The trailer, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDExqBXKw4k, is nothing like the movie. The movie suprised me about what it was about: self deterimination, what you can learn from others, and defying the rules. In the end, the movie was about a girl finding herself through a sport. And in the process, letting the peoples voice (the gymnasts) be heard against the crazy rules of gymnastic. It also shows how much training these gymnasts need.

- Chick Flicks. Ok... Maybe I'm being biased. But really, I don't understand why chick flicks gets such low ratings! Just because its not about some serious matter like, Blood Diamond or The Pianist. But some of these movies are perfectly relaxing movies to watch. Which in my book, if it makes you relaxed and laugh without having a really dumb plot, the movie should be decent. Examples: The Princess Diaries, Devil Wears Prada, August Rush.

- Howl's Moving Castle/Spirited Away. In the US anime is always underrated. There is some previous image in American's minds that japanese animation is not good. However these two movies will blow your mind away. I remember that Howl's Moving Castle was one of my favorite books. And watching the movie only seemed even more real.

Here are some more movies:
- Stranger than Fiction
- Evan Almighty

(To be continued, when I think of more)

a blog on quotes.

Every movie go-ers haven: International Movie Data Base, IMDB. Here they list, all the characters, the actors, the summary and even movie quotes. This snow day, I saw the movie transformers twice. Once at dinner and the second time when my dad got home. However, this isn't the first time I watched it. The first time I saw the movie was the summer that it came out. But, this is my first time watching it ever since. The one thing I noticed this time was how important the dialog was in this action packed movie. Sure. the epic battles were exciting and the graphics were AMAZING, but, I believe that there was probably a lot of different underlying subtext messages in all of this action.

You can find the quotes at www.imdb.com/title/tt0418279/quotes

The first lines of the movie:
Optimus Prime: Before time began, there was the Cube. We know not where it comes from, only that it holds the power to create worlds and fill them with life. That is how our race was born. For a time, we lived in harmony. But like all great power, some wanted it for good, others for evil. And so began the war. A war that ravaged our planet until it was consumed by death, and the Cube was lost to the far reaches of space. We scattered across the galaxy, hoping to find it and rebuild our home. Searching every star, every world. And just when all hope seemed lost, message of a new discovery drew us to an unknown planet called... Earth.
[later in the movie]
Optimus Prime: Our planet was once a powerful empire, peaceful and just, until we were betrayed by Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. All who defied them were destroyed. Our war finally consumed the planet, and the All Spark was lost to the stars.
I think that starting with these lines were very smart and needed. It gives background information and a foreshadow of things to come. I think that the script writer wanted to explain what the Cube means to the universe - it means power. This opening ultimately explains that with power, anything is possible. It can create war or it could be used to rebuild. Later in the movie, the leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, again talks about the how power could affect something. In this case, Prime says that power caused a rebellion and destroyed a planet until all power was lost. I feel like this movie is so revel ant to the world today. There are so many countries fighting within itself and with other countries. From my perspective, this movie is saying how eventually, all this fighting will only cause more fighting and the whole world will become dead.


One theme in this movie is sacrifice.
Mikaela: "I have a juvi record because I didn't tell what my dad did. If you had to sacrifice anything in your perfect life, would you do it?"
Sam Whitwicky: "Fifty years from now, when you're looking back at your life, don't you want to be able to say you had the guts to get in the car?"
Mikaela: No matter what happens, I'm really glad I got in that car with you.
Captain Witwicky: No sacrifice, no victory.
Optimus Prime: "You risked your life for the Cube" Sam: "It was sacrifice for victory" Optimus Prime: "Then I will risk mines also."
Optimus Prime: A necessary sacrifice to bring peace to this planet. We cannot let the humans pay for our mistakes
Optimus Prime: Oh, Jazz... We lost a great comrade, but gained new ones. Thank you, all of you. You honor us with your bravery.
In this movie, there was a lot of sacrifices. Most of this movie is about expecting the unexpected and along the way you need to make some sacrifices. One thing that was nice about this movie was that by the end of the movie, everything you heard tied back together. For example, how Mikaela (Megan Fox) saw what would have happened if she didn't get in the car. Another example would be when Sam (Shia Labeouf) repeated his grandfathers words. In this quote, the repetition shows how much you need to sacrifice if you want to achieve something. And tying in with the previous theme, Optimus Prime also states how when they had a mistake, they needed to sacrifice for the future generations. I really liked this quote because of how applicable it was to me. You need to sacrifice your time, energry and life for your family. However, Prime is saying that to prevent more mistakes happening he will sacrifice himself. These kind of geniune "people" arent really found these days - it would be nice to find someone like that.

Another theme is Good vs Evil.
Optimus Prime: Were we so different? They're a young species. They have much to learn. But I've seen goodness in them. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. You all know there's only one way to end this war: we must destroy the Cube.
Megatron: You still fight for the weak! That is why you lose!
[Closing Statement]
Optimus Prime: With the All Spark gone, we cannot return life to our planet. And fate has yielded its reward: a new world to call home. We live among its people now, hiding in plain sight, but watching over them in secret, waiting, protecting. I have witnessed their capacity for courage, and though we are worlds apart, like us, there's more to them than meets the eye.
Obviously, this theme is probably the most obvious theme out of all. Again, the wise one, Optimus Primse states how all of us were primiative and violent at a time, waging war on each other. And as However, because he saw the goodness of two kids, he thinks that Earth is worth fighting for. On the other side, to Megatron, to be defenseless and primative is to weak. Optimus Prime wants the world to be a better place because he can fix their mistakes. He believes how much man and the Autobots are alike. All of these themes can be tied to together with how you need to be brave and courageous to stand up for what you believe in. This movie was pretty good because I saw this movie for the action. But I got out of it so much more.

best movie pretty much.

Good Will Hunting. First of all, thank you Gus Van Sant for showing something worthy of my praise and my time. First of all, I'll start with the title. Clever, very clever. I first read it, as if someone is hunting for a good will. Which would make sense in this movie. Will is constantly looking for something for him to live for. And then i read it, Will ( a good person) is hunting. If the title were to mean this, it would imply that deep instead this hard exterior, is a good guy searching for something. And then of course you have Willing Hunting, his name, is good. Which is kinda of vague.

Second of all, at first I thought this story plot was crazy. I wonder why a janitor would be a genius. And as the movie progressed, this movie became so twisted and interesting. The whole movie I wondered why someone so smart would want to stay in a dump. Gus Van Sant explained why perfectly. Not only did he cast perfectly, but he the screen play was, dare I say, almost flawless. Although this movie has it's funny times, the actors really bring out emotion. When Will (Matt Damon) yells and hugs Sean (Robin Williams) as if he were his first real father, that scene was beautiful. I can't really say anything else. This movie was amazing and had every theme a good film needs.

the classic that started it all.

Really? This movie was that great to start all love stories? I don't think I can say that this movie is the number one movie. I thought this movie showed Ilsa, Ingrid Bergman, as more of a stronger woman compared to a women who would be portrayed by Hitchcock. In the beginning of this movie I thought Rick, Humphrey Borgart, was too weak to be a man. Why? He was childish and immature when he first met Ilsa. He drank to try to forget about her.

Ilsa, on the other hand, still wanted to explain herself. To me, this movie seemed so cliche. But thats probably because all other movies copied from it. Its about the girl who left and came back with "another man." However, finds herself to still be in love. And the "old" man must let her go. Bleh. On top of that, I didn't think the cinematopgraphy was that great either. I dont know what to say about the movie because it did not live up to my standards - or at least, what I was expecting.

The one part I did enjoy though was when in the bar, the french sang above the german anthem. I thought that part was clever and showed how Rick still had morals and beliefs to stand too. Rather than just be about buisness.

destruction of property? part II

So in the extras, Spike Lee talks about how all the 'white people' were more shocked on the fact of the destruction of property. Spike Lee thought that the strangling of Radio Rahiem was more powerful.

However, from my point of view. I think it's because the white people knew Radio Rahiem might have died. And although it was powerful, I think the 'white people' of this time could probably relate more to the Sal's business because he "built it with his own two hands. " I don't think they are being racist... well, that's a possiblity. But 'white people' could never relate to a person being killed in a riot, while he was trying to kill some one else. If anything, Radio Rahiem deserved it just as much.

Another thing I thought was interesting about the extra "interview" with Spike Lee was all the reviews that Do The Right Thing was getting. I found myself to be slightly offended too. These critics need to breathe and calm down. since Spike Lee is such a respected black director in a white industry, he took a big risk bringing this movie a large white audience. Because this interview was probably bias, a lot of these movie reviews sounded racist. Unless the movie critic is plain STUPID, in no way what so ever is this movie trying to provoke the audience to create riots in order to justify the ends. If anything the movie expresses what would happen if violence did occur - it creates more violence, and life goes back to normal.

This movie is supposed to awaken the US about what is happening in the ghettos; that lives are constantly being killed due to racism. I did think this movie was very good, but I'm still upset at how it ended. However it is strong characters like Mokie that make a movie. Mokie has the character to "fight" for what he believes in, he "set at limit" to how much he destroyed Sal's restaurant, and he was righteous in the amount he wanted to paid.. I still can not believe he had the guts to go back to Sal to get money. ... Where does Spike Lee come up with these ideas?......

piece by piece

Oh the rubix cube, how you have taken over the school. This short documentry has opened my eyes about the world and the rubix cube. I always knew that you can find out how to figure it out online, no matter what the size is. Which is probably how everybody in this movie learned, minus the Swedish guy.
But what I really learned was that there was actually a world of competitive "cubers." Who knew people actually did competitions? I was also surprised at how all these cubers eat, breath and sleep cubing. I don't this this is for me but i'm not amazed by how people can do it. But I am amazed when it comes to, how fast they can do it one handed and the "art" of doing it blind folded.
The Rubix Cube has become such a new media topic. It has been shown countless times on tv, such as Beauty and the Geek. Over all, I think the short did a good job showing what the Rubix cube is all about and how it is played today.

pick a side man.

I find the movie poster quote interesting. "It's the hottest day of the summer, You can do nothing, you can do something, or you can do the right thing." It makes me wonder about the movie even more. Because this movie leaves you questioning it, not with answers. This movie, Do the Right Thing, is based in Brooklyn in 1989.

The question the movie brings up since the first 5 minutes of the movie is the balence between the view points of Martin Luther King and Malcom X. Instead of the movie showing both sides of the arguement, I rather it be slightly bias. I'm not sure why, but I think I would enjoy the movie more either arguing with or agreeing with the movie.

The scene in this movie that made it unforgetable was starting when Sal (Danny Ailleo) told Mookie (Spike Lee) that he was part of their Italian family (business). Next thing you know, two boys who were just plain loud and obnoxious came in and disruppted the store. Sal ended up smashing Radio Rahiem's radio. Sal didnt need to go that far, but that was his raw emotions. Next thing you know, agressive anger vs agressive anger means fighting. But the first mind-blowing scene was when the police officers came, strangled and killed Radio Raheim. Right after that, Mookie, family, threw a trash can into the store and a riot started. That was just as shocking. But for me, it wasnt the fact that he was destroying property; it was the fact that he was destroying family.

However, my reaction is different from people in the 1990's because watching it now and knowing history, I knew that these events have happened, and I wasnt surprised. But at the same time I gasped and was shocked at the fact that he was strangled. On the other side of the argument, he was trying to kill someone else. He probably would have been tried for a death sentence anyway. But the fact that you would destroy your boss' store is shocking too. On top of that, he wasn't destroying Sal's place because of Sal but because he was mad at the police officers, which Sal had started the fight. I dont understand why Sal should get the blame for something the police did. Sal was defenseless against Radio Rahiem anyway. I'm not sure if either one could be justified. And when you see the riot happen, you realize that it shows what happens with violence (Malcom X). But it also leads the viewer to their own imagination about what could of happened if this was all nonviolence. (MLK)

I honestly think that if Mookie would have stop and thought, he would of realized how violence, in the end didnt solve anything. It didnt bring Radio Rahiem back. It didnt bring back Buggin Out. And it certainly did not change neither the police officers nor Sal's minds about what happened. I obviously support nonviolence because I think breaking a window will only create more violence, which it did.