12 reviews from Aaron Griffin

The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys
It's been too long since a movie made me remember this time in my life; in all our lives. Girls, friendship, adolescence, discovery, rebellion, love, hate, and all that we took away from our young lives. This is one of those films that isn't very good, but induces a strong emotional reaction. Oh, and Jenna Malone. Yeah.

The Brown Bunny
All of the people with one-star reviews here were obviously expecting something more from Vincent Gallo. This is a Vincent Gallo movie, through and through. There is lots of stillness, lots of calm, and very little dialog. As always, Gallo gives us some amazing shots and camera work that really seem boring at first. The first half of the movie shows it's true colors only after the climax (hah). When the underlying rationale is given, the first half is no longer "a guy driving". It shows purpose, and feeling. It shows longing, sorrow, and all those other human emotions we don't like to talk about. Disclaimer: If you're not a fan of Gallo, don't see this movie. It will bore you silly.

FLCL
FLCL is an show about a boy and all the weird stuff in his head. Literally. Space aliens, robots, explosions, and elementary school, what else does one need? Seriously though, for all the zany antics and weird Japanese-style humor, there is actually a very profound a deep underlying message that gets better with each watching. Under the surface, FLCL is the story of a boy becoming a man. Realizing that he need not aspire to be like other men around him, but can be his own person. It's about the realization that one does not NEED to depend on others to do what they want to do, to be who they want to be, and to love who they want to love.

Cool Hand Luke
This movie has always been a favorite of mine. It's an odd cross between 'Of Mice and Men' and the story of Jesus. Many other reviewers, on this site, and across the internet, have covered the Jesus imagery, but I still need to point it out. It's what makes this story, and what makes it a classic story. Now, I'm not a religious man, but I found the Christ corollary to be a touch moving. Even if you're not religious, or not a Christian, or don't know any of the stories, this is still a great movie of sacrifice, redemption, and, in some ways, faith in man.

Layer Cake
Seriously, I need to say that this is one of the most amazing movies I;ve seen in a really long time. Not to say it is the greatest movie ever made, but the sheer gamut of emotions one runs through - from "huh" to "what the hell?" to "holy crap!" to "oh my god!" is simply amazing. This movie is sheer brilliance simply for the fact that you will never, no matter what you think, predict it properly. You will think you predicted the next scene, like me, but will be amazingly surprised. I will say this: as an American growing up on American style mafia movies, this one is sheer brilliance, and one of the greatest movies in this genre - hands down.

The Descent
I've seen too many bad reviews of this movie. Therefore, I must retort. I would honestly say this is one of the scariest movies I have seen in a while. No, it's not because of the gore, it's not because of weird creatures, or anything like that. It is animal instinct. You know, watching this movie, that there is no where to run, no where to go. And you can feel it. It's not the premise that makes this a frightening movie, but the environment. Frankly, the "enemy" could have been some guy with a gun, and if done similarly, it would be as scary. This is one of the most tense experiences I've had in a theater in a long time.

Death Trance
This movie really reminded me of "Versus". It's basically a very hackish japanese action movie. That does _not_ mean it's bad. In fact, I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. It is just a very different style, especially for an American viewer. If you like anime, this movie is the equivalent of a one-shot anime like "Armitage III" and it's ilk - the story progresses oddly and most plot elements are really hinted at. I must say though, that the combination of japanese style "Mad Max", amazing costume design, and some pretty decent camera filters sold me on this movie. Fight scenes are more "interesting" than "good". Overall, I'd say if you read this review this far, you have enough interest to watch this movie. It is fairly short, and worth watching at least once.

Metropolis
I was actually very impressed with this movie. See, I have a problem watching silent films. Not that they don't hold my attention, but they seem to focus it too much, which makes me sleepy. I usually fall asleep watching silent films. This one, however, I found truly amazing. The prelude seemed a bit slow to me (see above) but about 20 minutes in, the story became really good. It's truly amazing to see the _beginning_ of so many sci-fi cliches. Even if you don't like silent films, watch this one. It's worth it.

Kung Fu Hustle
I've had more fun watching this movie than I've had watching most comedies. I don't know how to explain it. Not only is it silly and over the top, it's done in a good way. If you liked Shaolin Soccer, or even (though unrelated) Iron Monkey or Kung Pow, this movie is for you. This has some of the funniest fight scenes I've ever seen.

Transformers
This movie is really hard to review objectively. I need to note that there is a HUGE nostalgia element to this movie which sets a little boy's heart a-flutter. So there is potential for bias here. Still, I like to think that I gave this movie and honest rating, minus the little kid screaming in the back of my head, saying "ohmygod ohmygod". Ok. Nostalgia aside, there are two movie cliches at the core of this movie. The first is your typical dorky high school kid meets hot girl dating football player. Something dramatic happens and they fall in love. Hooray? The second cliche here is the world-ending calamity super-explosion action flick. It's been done a hundred times over, and only the special effects get better. Now, taken separately, each "section" of Transformers is rather average, compared to other movies like that. Put the two together and you're left with something that is... well, average. If this were named "Giant Robots" and had less special effects, it'd be a huge flop. Now, for the bad parts. There were a few that actually irritated me to no end. Firstly, the advertising. Sweet Jesus, when will this fad end. Not a transformation scene goes by that doesn't include a zoom-to-closeup on "Camero" or "GMC" or "Hummer". They even go so far as to turn a Mountain Dew vending machine into a Transformer. Secondly, the rate that they give you the typical sci-fi background info is so obscene, it makes it laughable. I think you get the entire Transformers background in about 10 minutes, real time. All in all, I did have a fun time watching this movie. I am glad I saw it and would recommend it to anyone who grew up with Transformers, or just wants to see big robots fighting. But do _NOT_ expect to see a "good" movie.

Eraserhead
This movie is a colossal failure in my book. It's not the gruesome imagery that would, in fact, be great in many other contexts, but instead the odd piecemeal way the story unfolds. The dream sequences and symbolisms are thrown about in such a confusing manner to draw you away from the real story, which could be quite good if told by someone more not-david-lynch.

8 1/2
Many people claim that this is a movie about Fellini's life, but that is missing the finer points. 8½ is a movie about 8½. The movie which Guido is directing is, in fact, this movie. A fact which is readily apparent in the near-final screen test scene. The movie comes in on a rather chaotic and confused tone, but ends with a sense of clarity and acceptance which came as quite a shock when I first watched the movie, but made complete sense the second time through. All in all, I found the first 30-45 minutes a bit hard to watch. The chaos of Guido's situation put me off, and the lack of transition from real life to dream sequences was slightly hard to follow. But I stomached it and kept watching, and was presented with a movie that will rest in my 'Top 10' list for some time. I'd highly recommend this movie.