Reviews by jasoncarulli

As a fan of the New York Yankees, this World Series stands in my opinion as the greatest in recent history despite the outcome. Very few can put into words what this series meant following the terrorist attacks on 9/11, but the dramatics that highlighted each game solidified it as one of the most memorable series in baseball history.

As a long time fan to the cult classic series, I am somewhat biased to the feature film. Those unfamiliar to the series will have little problems adjusting to the movie as it is successful as a stand-alone feature. However, for the fans, the movie adds coherence to the vast conspiracies layed out through the first five seasons and also acts as a bridge to the future seasons that followed.

The Matrix is a visual dream that single handedly reshaped the future of movie making. The originality behind the story of a post apocalyptic future world shown through visually stunning effects has built a cult so strong within the science fiction genre that the line between real and imaginary has become as blurred as the movie.

Never have I left a movie theater in complete awe, where the story seemed to continue on as I looked at everything in my sight with a new state of uncertainty. What more can I say, when a movie makes you think that much about the outside world it has to be a 10.

I liked this movie better the first time I saw it when Brandon Lee was the actor and it had the original title. An exact copy of the first, don't waste your time. Out of respect to Brandon Lee, this series should have died with him.

The sheer exhaustion that comes with the initial play of a Mars Volta album may dissaude many listeners. But for those fans who understand the message behind their music, look no further than the recent release of the bands third album, Amputecture. Bringing the energy of a live show to the studio, the Mars Volta continue to explore their talent in a genre-less field. The cohesive harmony between the guitars of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and the voice of Cedric Bixler-Zavala brings back the excitement of De-Loused in the Comatorium with progressive and violent mood swings, challenging both themselves and the listener.

Inside the twisted mind of convicted killer Malcom Rivers is the story of 10 strangers brought together for the consequences of an internal struggle. John Cusak turns in one of the most uncharacteristic performances of his career along side Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, and Rebecca De Mornay.

The story and concept are more brilliant and original as the writing suggests, where we are left to psychologically examine the evidence and come to our own conclusions based on the movie's unbelievable ending. Fueled by the madness inside a crazed killer is Hughes Mearns short poem, "As I was going up the stair, I met a man who wasn't there. He wasn't there again today, I wish, I wish he'd go away." These words will leave any viewer with chills as the dramatic conclusion unfolds.

"Nobody knocks off an old man in my neighborhood and gets away with it." Such are the ramblings of paranoid suburban Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) and the team of surrounding neighbors who plot to uncover the truth that the reclusive Klopek family killed a fellow neighbor. It is not only the comedy that surrounds the character development of Tom Hanks from suburban boredom to suburban paranoid, it is the quotable dialogue that allows me to watch this cult classic over and over again. "Remember what you were saying about people in the 'burbs, Art, people like Skip, people who mow their lawn for the 800th time, and then SNAP? WELL, THAT'S US. IT'S NOT THEM, THAT'S US. WE'RE the ones who are vaulting over the fences, and peeking in through people's windows. We're the ones who are THROWING GARBAGE IN THE STREET, AND LIGHTING FIRES. WE'RE THE ONES WHO ARE ACTING SUSPICIOUS AND PARANOID, ART. WE'RE THE LUNATICS. US. IT'S NOT THEM. It's us."

So what do you get the man that has everything? How about this movie. The intelligent intrigue of The Game delivers a psychological thriller unlike any movie I have ever seen. Michael Douglas gives an oscar worthy performance battling the drama of a conspiracy created by on-screen brother, Sean Penn. Like Michael Douglas's character, the boundary between the game and real life became obscurred in my mind until the finale revealed one of the best twists I have ever seen.

Bottle Rocket was the defining moment that sparked my interest in the Indie movement. It is the first in the promising career of director Wes Anderson and in my opinion the best. This movie also introduced the writing/acting talents of brothers Luke and Owen Wilson.

Challenged with monotony of suburban life, Anthony Adams (Luke Wilson) and Dignan (Owen Wilson) adventure off into a life of petty crimes. The subtleness of its humor the quirkiness of its characters attracted me most to the storyline of a life I wish I had. I would say more if I wasn't suffering from CRS.

The originality of perhaps the best written movie I have ever watched has left me only to describe my favorite movie of all time. Never before has a movie challenged the viewer with such a web of twists and turns, an entangling of the mind reminiscent of a true Kansas City Shuffle.

From the beginning to end, we are left questioning the outcome to the movie that single-handedly reshaped the crime drama genre. The aura that writer Christopher McQuarrie surrounds villian Keyser Soze with adds to the mystique of this true cult classic. And the ending, which stands at the pinnacle movie making, will now and forever leave first time viewers in complete awe of its mastery. I highly recommend this movie to anyone with a mind and appreciation for brilliant writing.