R Movies
Road Trip (2000)
A college movie that has such a nostalgic feel for me, we watched the unrated version on the ride home from Charlotte, which is just a touch more raunchy than the version I own. Starring Tom Green, Sean William Scott, and Amy Smart this movie is all about the plight of one stupid horny college kid. Josh (Breckin Meyer) has one adulterous night with a sexy girl (Amy Smart) and videotapes it. One of his roommates inadvertently mails it to his current girlfriend in Texas. 1800 miles away, they take a road trip to get the tape back, and have all sorts of crazy fun, with Sean William right in the middle, from jumping a river in a car, to hanging at an all black fraternity, to stealing a bus from a group of blind people.
A little embarrassed that I like this, but it was such a great movie for where I was at, and I would give it five of five, but I am not quite that bold. I just wouldn’t recommend this to anyone, especially my family.
I liked this movie then, and has held up well with ILM doing the special effects, what do you expect. Good family movie, a fun character created by Dave Stevens, who is pretty well known in the comic book world. Plus this is Connelly’s breakout role, and she is just a classic beauty you don’t find anymore.
The Ring 2 (2005)
When Sarah and I rented “The Ring” a year and a half ago, we didn’t know what to expect. We were scared out of our minds, where we couldn’t even pee alone that first night. Nonetheless, even though I don’t enjoy movies that scare me, it was a really different and the story was really interesting. The second part ties everything together.
The story is about Noami Watts (mother) and her son, who are looking to make a new start. They are scarred from their experiences involving a deadly video tape and a little girl that was murdered. Just as they think they are in the clear, the little girl finds them.
If you haven’t seen the first movie, the basic premise is that there is this video that teenagers are passing around and watching. Seven days from the time you watch the video, you die. This time round though, the consequences are a little more dire. I really could go on and on about the second part of the movie here, but you really have to see the first part to understand.
The little girl that is the ultimate evil in these stories is looking to take over the son’s body and become a real child again, to have a new mother. Watts has to convince those around her she isn’t crazy, or abusive to her son, as well as figure out a way to get him back before time runs out.
There is plenty of suspense, from the two messed up faces that are the trademark from the first movie, to a scene where the car Watts is driving is viciously attacked by large deer, about 20-30 of them to be precise.
Not a movie for children, although some stupid parents brought them anyways, I think you have to be a certain type of person to like this movie. But the idea of a deadly video tape, with some very bizarre footage on it, some haunting music, and some interesting use of cut footage make this movie intriguing to those who like interesting cinematography.
Robocop (1987)
I gave this movie the rating I did largely because of how I remember it. I had seen this in the mid 90’s as a TV edited version, and I loved it then. But now looking at it, you see how the dated the movie is, and how far we’ve come in technology since then.
The movie is about Murphy, a cop that is viciously killed in the line of duty. His timing is just right that the police department of the future is looking for something less human and breakable in the form of a complete robot or a cyborg. The full monstrous robot Ed 209 is a disaster, killing everyone in sight, so Murphy because a cyborg robocop.
He then spends the rest of the movie in self discovery, reversing his brain washing, and killing off all of the bad guys that killed him first. Pretty simple.
Graphic in many senses even by today’s standards, I don’t think I would recommend many people to see this movie. There was one part that scared me so bad the first time I saw it, and that was TV edited version, that I had to fast forward through this time again. But the idea is pretty cool and the Robocop design is really awesome. This is kind of a classic in a sense, so maybe check it out for the whole campy futuristic ideal is portrays in the movie.
Return to Paradise (1998)
By virtue that this movie had an Elvis faced young Vince Vaughn I gave this movie a whirl. I actually came in to watch the second half of the movie, Sarah had some time to start it and I walked in when things were just getting interesting. But that was just it, they were a little more interesting second half.
The movie revolves around three friends that go to Malaysia to party one summer before going into the working world. They indulge themselves fully, including over 100 kilos of weed and have a great time until the money runs out. Then one day two friends leave and the other one stays and that same day, the police come, take away the third friend and lock him up for two years for drug trafficking. The amount of weed he had was just enough to receive a status, unless the other two friends (one is Vaughn) come back a claim some responsibility.
Malaysia had stricter laws on drugs, and that is interesting, but that is where the cool stuff stops. The first half of the movie involves this twisted budding romance between Vaughn and Anne Heche. It is this kind of love hate thing to begin with, but it gets old and ridiculous really quickly. Then, like I said, Vaughn resolves to return to Malaysia, the other friend gets hung for trafficking drugs anyway, and then the movie ends with Vaughn in jail and you saying, what the heck!
Don’t see this movie, unless you are in love with Vince Vaughn or for some bizarre reason, Joaquin Pheonix who is the friend that is imprisoned for two years.
Reign of Fire (2002)
I had wanted to see this movie when it came out, but it is hardly a chick flick and we always seemed to pass it over for a fear
of being really stupid. Dragons. Gruff tough guys. Killing and Slaying. But right away, I was pleasantly surprised.
The dialogue didn’t seem cheesy and forced, and even though some of the shouting and tense scenes were a little overacted and hard to empathize with some guys stressed out about dragons, Matthew McConaughey and Christian Bale are two actors that don’t bring big actor egos with them. Christian Bale was a good choice, and McConaughey discarded his down home lawyer type image for a very convincing mercenary.
If you want good special effects, you see exploding beasts and fire galore. If you like Dragons this is probably the best movie with Dragons ever released with recent technology since Jurassic Park. So much fire, it’s intense, turn off you brain and enjoy. The end will blow you away.
The Rundown (2003)
A fun movie with the Rock and Stiffler (Sean William Scott) I passed on this movie in the cheap theaters. But with inventive fight scenes without guns, interesting cinematography and a little humor via Scott, this is a movie I’d recommend to anyone for a good time on a Friday night.
Rat Race (2001)
With an experienced ensemble cast, this movie was wildly funny and an ok movie to turn off the brain and relax. I particularly liked John Lovitz performance, as well, himself in an awkward family vacation that has too many run ins with the local Nazi groupies.
