Chris - Cinema Crespodiso - Page 149 of 150

Review: ‘Holy Motors’

“Holy Motors” is an arty French satirical dark comedy, and goodness is that a lot of quirky baggage for one movie, yet here they are, daring to be as arty and as French and as wonderfully weird and off the wall as possible. Those out there adverse to such whimsical and sometimes maddening storytelling will find much to dislike in this movie, while conversely those who seek out different and strange movies will stumble across an embarrassment of riches in this twisted journey of one man going about his day’s work.

The best way to see this movie (or just about any movie, in my opinion, which is why you are here to begin with), is with as little information beforehand as possible. That way there are no expectations and nothing is spoiled and the movie can take it’s time in showing it’s cards. If at all possible, bookmark this review and see the movie first and then come back here and read the rest. You’ll have a more bewildering yet exciting and ultimately fulfilling experience, trust me on that one. And this is the internet, so it is not like this review is going to go anywhere. We’ll all still be here when you get back.Continue Reading …

Review: ‘Parker’

Jason Statham as Parker in ‘Parker’

Who ordered the half-baked Jason Statham movie? We got a big steaming order of generic, run of the mill Jason Statham movie here, we know somebody must have asked for this thing, right? From the director of “Ray” and “An Officer and a Gentleman?” Because that makes sense. That must be the only reason why this latest in the long string of bland, interchangeable Jason Statham action movies was actually made. Are guaranteed $7-10 million opening weekends and middling at best critical responses enough to do it? Cause that’s what his movies like “Safe,” “Killer Elite” and “The Mechanic” bring in, and “Parker” is no different.Continue Reading …

Netflix Pick for 1/28/13 – ‘Collapse’

This week’s Netflix Pick of the Week is the very well-made documentary Collapse, of which I already wrote that –

“Collapse is a great film, one of the best of 2009, and should be required viewing for anyone out there who rather help build lifeboats than not acknowledge that the Titanic is sinking.”

I also called it a great horror film based on the film’s subject and his foreboding message and the great, tense atmosphere they get out of a guy in a chair talking about peak oil and fiat currency. And even if you don’t agree with what the guy is saying or don’t buy it and think it is all just ridiculous conspiracy theories and whatnot, it is still a very fascinating film and in the simple way it is put together, it become pretty compelling quite quickly. So enjoy this most documentary about the imminent collapse of the society as we know it.Continue Reading …

#2 – Preview of 2013

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In episode 2 of “Cinema Crespodiso,” Orlando movie critic Chris Crespo and co-host Drew go over this week’s Netflix Instant Watch pick, they review “Broken City” and “The Last Stand” while recapping the weekend’s box office results, they look at new movies on DVD and in theaters like “End of Watch,” “Parker” and “John Dies at the End,” and then finally they enter the Crespodome, where they preview the slate of films set to come out in 2013. It’s a packed episode so get down on it!

#1 – The Crespodome

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In the debut episode of Cinema Crespodiso, Chris and Drew discuss the Netflix Instant Pick of the Week, they review Gangster Squad and Zero Dark Thirty during the recap of the weekend’s box office results, they look ahead to the new movies on DVD and in theaters this week, and then they enter the Crespodome, where they go deep with a review of the films of 2012 and then a quick rundown of the recent Oscar nominations. It is a packed episode so butter up that popcorn and get comfortable!

Review: ‘Zero Dark Thirty’

Looking saucy while looking for terrorists…

What an intense movie. “Zero Dark Thirty” (a title which never, ever gets explained at any point or in any way) starts out with audio snippets of emergency calls from New York City on September 11, 2001, and after sixty to ninety grueling seconds of this we finally cut to our film’s first scene – an intense interrogation in which a Saudi fella gets what is known in the industry as “the business,” brutal treatment and humiliation only stopped so that questions could be shouted at him. And off we go, an epic movie about the multinational manhunt for infamous terrorist Osama Bin Laden, and while it starts off quite grueling, it eventually settles into the familiar rhythm of a typical political thriller, albeit with the added dimension of this being based on a very true and very well known event in our very immediate history.Continue Reading …

Review: ‘Broken City’

Broken City

In the grand tradition of the political investigative thrillers of the 1970s, “Broken City” is a throwback to those movies about corrupt city officials making shady deals while some sap is hired to do some small task, only to have that sap get to peek behind and attempt to throw the whole thing out of whack. Cause you see, these saps never like being used as saps, and it pisses ’em off when it does. This goes beyond the 1970s, think of the pot-boiled detective novels of the 30s/40s, in which the down on their luck detective get hired to do some dirty work, only to discover the work was far dirtier than they were led to believe, causing them to have to dig deep to make sure things get sorted out correctly. That’s “Broken City.”Continue Reading …

Review: ‘The Last Stand’

Come with me if you want meager box office returns…

Making his return to what made him popular to begin with, Arnold Schwarzenegger is back in his first leading role in an action movie in ten years, this time playing not a homicidal cyborg from the future nor an undercover cop disguised as a kindergarten teacher nor a barbarian nor a pregnant man but a small town sheriff, presiding over a workforce comprised of three deputies keeping watch over a town that seems to consist of one main street and one intersection, on which every business is conveniently located. To say that Arnold’s newest action movie is a small one is a bit of an understatement, but what better way to make your once and future action star seem larger than life all over again?Continue Reading …

Street team pics!

A hit with the ladies…

And here is round one of our streem team pics, as folks around the world show some love to Cinema Crespodiso!

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Netflix Pick for 1/21/13 – ‘Primer’

Shane Carruth and David Sullivan in Primer…

From my original write up on Examiner.com:

“Good thing this movie is short (77 minutes total running time) because it takes multiple viewings to truly start appreciating the seeds sown in this film. And if right now you’re thinking, “Man, movie plots are all the same and predictable and I can follow anything you throw at me,” then consider yourself challenged. Watch Primer once and tell me you completely understand the depths that this movie delves into. And on the flip side, if you are the type of person that always asks questions during movies and has trouble following films like The Whole Nine Yards and Ernest Goes to Jail (what with the Ernest P. Worrell lookalike and all), then don’t even worry about trying to follow along with what’s going down. Just allow yourself to be swept up in the pure movie making of it all, the tension, the suspense, the whole feeling of “what the eff is going on?” By the end of the movie, you may not be too sure about what you have just seen, but you will know that you’ve seen something great.”

Continue Reading …