Silver screen legend Jack Nicholson bagged his first Oscar for Best Actor in this film beating Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon and I can't disagree. It'll be a kick to watch Jack Nicholson's trademark over-the-top laugh.
The story goes with Nicholson's character Randall Patrick McMurphy, a social misfit and a rebel of the outside world(much like me). He fakes insanity and enters a mental hospital and befriends the wackos there. The film consists of an ensemble cast excluding Nicholson with all inspiring acting. Brad Dourif(famous for supplying the voice of Chucky in Child's Play) plays the vulnerable and shy yet friendly Billy Bibbit, Dourif got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Danny DeVito(Twins, Batman Returns, Junior) plays the always-smiling midget Mr Martini, and Red Indian actor Will Sampson as the mute and delusional Chief, Sydney Lasick as Charlie Cheswick. My best pick is Max Taber played by Christopher Lloyd(who played Doc in Back to the Future).
McMurphy tries to boost the patients morale and oppose the icy and tyrannical Nurse Ratched(the actress won Best Actress). He teaches Chief to play basketball, plays poker with Max Taber, Billy Bibbit, Martini and others. He also serves as a big brother figure to Billy Bibbit. McMurphy and his gang go on all wacky and comedic adventures such as stealing a bus to go deep sea fishing.
However, the comedic atmosphere turns gloomy when Cheswick challenges Nurse Ratched and demands his cigarettes. McMurphy tries to defend him but ends up beaten, luckily big 7 foot tall Chief saves the day. However, all three are taken to undergo electroshock therapy. Before the therapy, McMurphy gets chief to converse with him. Tired of Nurse Ratched's outrages activities, McMurphy stages an escape with his girlfriends and Chief on Christmas night. McMurphy holds an illegal farewell party with his friends. However, Billy Bibbit has a crush on one of McMurphy's girls. McMurphy asks Billy to go to bed with her and waits with the hospital windows opened.
Unfortunately, McMurphy fell asleep, so does everyone including Bibbit and the girl. Nurse Ratched berates Billy and the others for the mess. A scream distracts the personnel, giving McMurphy and Chief a chance to run. Instead, McMurphy fears for Billy and follows the others.Poor Billy commited suicide out of shame. Nurse Ratched asks everyone to go on with the schedule and blames McMurphy for the incident. An enraged McMurphy attempts to strangle the nurse but is knocked down by the guards. Not even Big Chief could help him.
Days later, Harding is playing poker with Max Taber, Cheswick and Martini and discusses of McMurphy's whereabouts. That night McMurphy is escorted back into the ward. Big Chief rushes to welcome his friend. It turned out Nurse Ratched drilled a hole in McMurphy's temple, rendering him mentally disabled for good. Chief tearfully begs for his friend to come back but to no avail. Unable to let McMurphy live a meaningless life, Big Chief suffocates his friend.
Big Chief, now more determined than ever, hatches an escape plan introduced by McMurphy involving breaking the windows with a heavy sink. McMurphy failed his attempt but Big Chief's 7 feet tall body breaks the sink loose and destroys the windows. Max Taber wakes up and cheers for Big Chief, waking everyone up. However, it is uncertain if all of the patients escape.
This film has a few sexually suggestive themes as well as some profanity. Other than that, a classic Oscar champion.
I give this film a 8.5/10.
Another Best Picture winner, The Deer Hunter is the most emotionally shattering film I've ever seen. Second only to Passion Of The Christ. Directed by "big budget flop king" Michael Cimino, Deer Hunter is one of two Cimino helmed films that made a profit. Cimino is known for his boundary breaking, risky and dangerous writing and directing. However The Deer Hunter made it to the top without toppling down.
Starring The Godfather alumni Robert DeNiro(Don Vito Corleone in Godfather Part II) and John Cazale(Fredo Corleone in Godfather I and II) as well as a then unknown Christopher Walken. DeNiro was nominated for Best Actor while Walken won the Best Supporting actor. Cimino bagged BestScreenplay, Best Director and Best Picture.
The film follows a group of friends. Steel factory workers and deer hunting enthusiasts. The main guys are Mikey(DeNiro), Steven, Nick(Walken) and Stanley Stosh(Cazale). The friends attend Steven's wedding less than a week before drafted into Vietnam. Later after the wedding, a drunk Mike goes nuts but Nick stops him. Nick begs Mike not to leave him alone if anything happens in Vietnam. Mike agrees.
The group goes deer hunting one last time and Nick says goodbye to his girlfriend Linda(Meryl Streep).
The film cuts to Vietnam. Mike, Nick and Steven are forced to play Russian roulette. A suicidal game where one bullet is inserted into a revolver and the cylinder is spun. The participants are forced to pull the trigger once each. Steven cheats by raising the gun above his temple so the Viet Cong dudes leave him to drown. Mike puts in three bullets for extra gains. Mike bravely pulls the trigger three times without a live round. Mike and Nick shoots the Viets down and rescue Steve.
The two drift down a river where they are spotted by a helicopter. Nick makes it but Steven falls and breaks his legs. Mike goes down after him. Nick, alone and paranoid is showing signs of insanity and heads out for Saigon's red light district. Nick enters a Russian Roulette parlor not noticing Mike is also watching the game. A Frenchman who operates the parlor encourages Nick to play. Due to his experiences, Nick is determined that he will survive every Russian Roulette game and grabs the revolver and pulls the trigger on himself and his competitor and storms off into the Frenchman's car. Mike runs after him but falls behind.
Mike returns to America alone. Steve and Nick all mysteriously have disappeared. He is reunited with Stosh and the others. They all go deer hunting again but this time Mike couldn't bring himself to fire a gun at anything, fearful of Vietnam. He also starts an affair with Linda, Nick's girlfriend. With the help of Steven's wife, Mike finds out Steven is still alive and is recovering in a Vietnam hospital.
Mike returns to Vietnam and finds out Steve has lost both his legs after the incident. Steve has also received loads of cash from "someone in Saigon". Mike determines this to be Nick and sends Steve home. Mike buys his way into the parlor with the Frenchman's help and finally sees Nick, prepping for another game. Mike tries to make Nick comes to his senses but Nick spits on him and pushes him back(the most intense scene of the whole film). Mike reluctantly agrees to play against Nick as a last resort attempt.
Mike and Nick survived their first round. Before Nick can pull the trigger again, Mike reminds him of their hunting trips. Nick finally comes to his senses but is already too emotionally drained and dazed to stop playing. He smiles to Mike and says "One shot" but Mike still tries to stop him. Nick's final shot proved to be loaded and blows his head off. Mike tries to revive him. But hey, no one can survive a headshot.
Mike keeps his promise of not abandoning Nick and brings his body home. Mike, Linda, Stosh, Steve and the others toast in their friend's honor.
This film is full of profanity. Typical 70's Oscar classics. Also abit of sexual themes. But a strong message of friendship and the side-effects of war make up for all the dirty stuff. DeNiro and Walken's acting are enjoyable.
This film would have me a 9/10. However, it's not like Star Wars or The Godfather type of film that you'll get hooked onto. The second time you watch it, you'll loose the interest.
Critically acclaimed two time winner for Best Director(Born On The Fourth Of July, Platoon) and the screenwriter of Scarface directs this intense political thriller about the mysterious assassination of John F Kennedy.
The film starts with the news headlines of JFK's murder. We are also introduced to Lee Harvey Oswald, played by Gary Oldman, JFK's "murderer". District Attorney Jim Garrison(Kevin Costner) attempts to uncover the mystery behind the inconsistencies of President Lyndon Johnson's official autopsy.
Garrison goes as far as denying President Johnson's Warren Commission and intensifies his battle against politicians and his suspect, a businessman named Clay Shaw/Clay Bertrand(Tommy Lee Jones). He also runs into trouble along the way as well as being deserted by his wife and family due to his obsession towards his case. Garrison also traced edvidence to President Johnson, the Mafia and CIA.
The story is pretty much this. But with several flashback scenarios that gives different theories of what could have happened. It also serves as a documentary that tells of the USA Government's flawed and inconsistent report. I've always believed JFK's headshot came from the front, not from Lee Harvey Oswald who's nest is behind the motorcade. But this movie solidifies my belief that Lee Harvey Oswald didn't work alone.
However, you might have a hard time understanding this movie. Being a complex movie, it has many twist and turns but keeps you glued to your seat wanting to know more. this film is also a good History lesson, better than any of the lame and slow-paced shit you find in Sejarah textbooks.
7.5/10.
As far as District 9 goes, it is essentially Fidel Castro's Cuban Revolution. We take Fidel and his comrades out of the picture and replace them with aliens. INTERESTING!
It is said that a UFO docked near Johannesburg, South Africa and the aliens(nicknamed prawns) are moved to District 9, s slum area to seperate humans from prawns. The aliens are squeezed off their weaponry and technology and bullied by soldiers. To make things safe, the aliens are to be moved to District 10, and area
far from the city.
Leading the operation is Wikus, a prawn hater. He gets squirted with alien goo while investigating an alien settlement and his DNA begins to change into alien like features. He is now the only man who can operate alien weaponry because these laser guns bal bla bla only respond to alien DNA.
Wikus is now a fugitive and teams up with Christopher, a prawn who wants to go home. Wikus makes a deal so he can return to human form and Christopher can go home. Damn I'm lazy to type the whole thing.
This film is full of profanity and violence. But the scene involving the alien robot-endoskeleton is as cool as Transformers. the special effects are believable too. However, I didn't enjoy the plot's inconsistencies and twists.
6/10....
