Derek Smith Movie Reviews & Previews

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Derek Smith

""Why must one talk? Often one shouldn't talk, but live in silence. The more one talks, the less the words mean." - Nana, Vivre sa Vie"

Agrees with the Tomatometer 82% of the time.

Biography:: I am 26 years old and a recent college graduate working/living in San Diego. I have always loved movies, but the obsession took over about 5 years ago. Aside from movies, I enjoy reading, sports, and hanging out with friends.
Favorites:: http://www.cinematicreflections.com/Masterpieces.html
Publications:: Apollo Guide , Cinematic Reflections

Total Reviews:: 211
Total QuickRatings:: 52

Location:: San Diego

Listing Of All Reviews & Articles

Showing 51 - 100 of 211

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Rating	T-Meter	Title \| Year	Add Date
93/100	97%	Werckmeister Harmóniák (2001)	" It is an arduous task, but the film achieves a transcendent and ethereal beauty that only the few truly great masterpieces attain." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Apr 23, 2005
66/100	88%	Air Force (1943)	" It isn't one of the director's most impressive outputs, but when a solid genre entry such as this is one of your "lesser" films, it says a lot about the quality of your work." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Apr 23, 2005
4/4	67%	Nouvelle vague (New Wave) (1990)	" Nouvelle Vague may be Godard's most complex and layered film, but attempting to unlock its secrets makes it one of his most rewarding." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Apr 23, 2005
4/4	51%	In Praise Of Love (Éloge de l'amour) (2002)	" Love, in Godard's case, is indistinguishable from cinema and thus he sees the growing capitalist machine as a threat to both." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Apr 23, 2005
4/4	82%	Trust (1991)	" A bold film that defies logic and the rules of screenwriting" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Apr 23, 2005
72/100	53%	The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)	" There is a distinct sense that Anderson is trying to re-invent himself with this film." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Apr 23, 2005
77/100	100%	All I Desire (You Belong to Me) (1953)	" [It] may be the most ironic statement on the disturbing allure of 50s suburbia that Sirk ever made." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Apr 23, 2005
3/4	77%	Tape (2001)	" Linklater is testing the boundaries of what can be done with digital video, thematically as well as visually." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Apr 23, 2005
90/100	86%	Heat (1995)	" It is a remarkably powerful, entertaining and invigorating piece of cinema that hits on more levels than seemingly possible." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Apr 23, 2005
3/5	65%	The Last Supper (1996)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Feb 5, 2005
3/5	94%	Stray Dog (Nora inu) (1963)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Feb 5, 2005
	86%	Garden State (2004)	" 'the biggest problems lie in the simplistic nature of the characters and the reliance on quirkiness, rather than genuine, realistic emotion, to connect with its audience.'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Feb 5, 2005
4/4	100%	Playtime (Play Time) (1967)	" 'It is a new way of seeing the world around us, both life affirming in its vision and brilliant in its satire'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Jan 30, 2005
85/100	64%	We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004)	" The only extra on the disc is the movie trailer." — Apollo Guide Posted Jan 20, 2005
85/100	64%	We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004)	" A modest film that is surprisingly effective in its directness and fascinating for its complex portrayals of marital distress in action." — Apollo Guide Posted Jan 20, 2005
59/100	——	The Photographer (2000)	" There are no extras on the disc." — Apollo Guide Posted Jan 20, 2005
59/100	——	The Photographer (2000)	" Disappoints because it's an independent film that's as predictable and cliché-ridden as a weak, formulaic studio picture." — Apollo Guide Posted Jan 20, 2005
66/100	36%	Le Divorce (2003)	" No extras are included on the DVD." — Apollo Guide Posted Jan 20, 2005
66/100	36%	Le Divorce (2003)	" Its annoying need to be witty, profound, funny, and charming at all times makes what could have been a smart comedy a tiresome exercise in pleasing its audience." — Apollo Guide Posted Jan 20, 2005
65/100	75%	The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)	" As part of the Fox Studio Classics series, this DVD comes packed with extras and great picture and sound quality." — Apollo Guide Posted Jan 20, 2005
65/100	75%	The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)	" Its ideals are concerned less with the horrors of 1940s Germany and more with the optimistic, hopeful attitude of 1950s America." — Apollo Guide Posted Jan 20, 2005
3/4	94%	2 ou 3 Choses que je Sais d'Elle (Two or Three Things I Know About Her) (1967)	" Godard strips the images of all meaning and with his camera presents them truthfully within his own political rhetoric." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Nov 8, 2004
2/5	82%	Akasen chitai (Street of Shame) (1956)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
3/5	100%	Ivan the Terrible - Pt. 2 (1959)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
3/5	75%	The Firm (1993)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
4/5	97%	Dumbo (1941)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
3/5	78%	Domicile Conjugal (Bed & Board) (1970)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
4/4	62%	I Heart Huckabees (2004)	" The clever, light-hearted manner that the flurry of philosophical inquiries are tossed our way kept a smile on my face and gave me that warm, fuzzy feeling inside" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
4/4	100%	The Sweet Hereafter (1997)	" Molds the past, present, and future into a tapestry of the cyclical nature of human suffering." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
2/5	15%	Dead Man on Campus (1998)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
3/4	84%	Ni na bian ji dian (What Time Is It Over There?) (2001)	" The film's understated humor and relatable character's steer us towards feelings of compassion and understanding, rather than pity." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
0/5	78%	The City of Lost Children (La Cité des Enfants Perdus) (1995)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
2/5	45%	The Great White Hype (1996)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
4/4	83%	Magnolia (1999)	" Marks the arrival of a great, if not the greatest, modern director" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
5/5	85%	Blow-Up (1966)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
3/5	94%	The Blood of a Poet (1930)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
4/4	97%	To Be or Not to Be (1942)	" Lubitsch uses a myriad of hilarious situations and entertaining characters to provide the backdrop to his reflective meditation on the horrors of tyranny." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Oct 24, 2004
87/100	90%	The Corporation (2004)	" Well-rounded and fair, yet its core arguments are so strong that it inspires responsible and immediate activism." — Apollo Guide Posted Aug 25, 2004
3/4	73%	Primer (2004)	" 'By avoiding cheesy revelations and typical characters arcs, Carruth has created a small but intelligent film bursting at the seams with ideas.'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Aug 6, 2004
4/4	——	Gion bayashi (A Geisha) (1953)	" 'Mizoguchi relentlessly contrasts the accepted attitudes of the time with the harsh reality they help to create'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Aug 6, 2004
3/4	96%	Control Room (2004)	" 'The press, not war, is the necessary evil in Control Room and information is now more powerful than missiles.'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Jul 18, 2004
3/4	100%	Warum Lauft Herr R. Amok? (Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?) (1977)	" 'Its condemnation of the acceptance of life as determined by societal convention is so strongly felt that the extremity of the finale is...as encouraging as it is disturbing.'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Jul 18, 2004
5/5	100%	Une Femme Douce (A Gentle Woman) (2000)	— Apollo Guide Posted Jul 18, 2004
5/5	97%	Full Metal Jacket (1987)	— Apollo Guide Posted Jul 18, 2004
3/5	73%	Mo' Better Blues (2004)	— Apollo Guide Posted Jul 18, 2004
3/5	100%	The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz (Ensayo de un crimen)(Rehearsal for a Crime) (1955)	— Apollo Guide Posted Jul 18, 2004
2/5	50%	Higher Learning (1994)	— Apollo Guide Posted Jul 18, 2004
3/5	94%	Andrei Rublev (1973)	— Apollo Guide Posted Jul 18, 2004
3/5	96%	The King and I (1956)	— Apollo Guide Posted Jul 18, 2004
4/4	94%	Die Hard (1988)	" 'A landmark film that breathed life and originality into an area of cinema where only formulas were proven reliable.'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Jul 18, 2004
75/100	91%	Stevie (2003)	" A touching and unique documentary, Stevie brings the filmmaker and his subject closer together than most films." — Apollo Guide Posted Jun 26, 2004
3/5	88%	Twentieth Century (1934)	— Apollo Guide Posted Jun 21, 2004
5/5	78%	Nostalghia (2013)	— Apollo Guide Posted Jun 21, 2004
5/5	——	Zangiku monogatari (The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums) (1979)	— Apollo Guide Posted Jun 21, 2004
3/5	86%	Cobra Verde (Slave Coast) (1987)	— Apollo Guide Posted Jun 21, 2004
4/4	89%	Rosetta (1999)	" 'An unflinching portrait of the dehumanizing effects of being forced to live hand-to-mouth with no real hope of escaping.'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Jun 21, 2004
70/100	69%	May (2003)	— Apollo Guide Posted Jun 5, 2004
4/4	98%	Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)	" 'even the quieter romantic or reflective moments are filled with a sense of energy coming from the expectation that at any given moment something huge is going to happen.'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted May 11, 2004
5/5	100%	The Hidden Fortress (kakushi-toride No San-akunin) (1958)	— Apollo Guide Posted May 11, 2004
2/5	63%	National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)	— Apollo Guide Posted May 11, 2004
3/5	74%	Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)	— Apollo Guide Posted May 11, 2004
2/5	27%	Consenting Adults (1992)	— Apollo Guide Posted May 11, 2004
4/4	93%	Knafayim Shvurot (Broken Wings) (2002)	" 'The characters are so ordinary and identifiable helping to make it a more universal approach to the way human beings deal with tragedy'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted May 11, 2004
60/100	77%	Big Fish (2003)	" The extras begin with an excellent audio commentary by director Tim Burton." — Apollo Guide Posted Apr 16, 2004
3/5	14%	Four Rooms (1996)	— Apollo Guide Posted Apr 2, 2004
3/5	100%	They Live by Night (The Twisted Road) (1948)	— Apollo Guide Posted Apr 2, 2004
3/5	100%	Mary Poppins (1964)	— Apollo Guide Posted Apr 2, 2004
3/5	92%	Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)	— Apollo Guide Posted Apr 2, 2004
4/5	100%	Dr. Strangelove Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)	— Apollo Guide Posted Apr 2, 2004
3/4	83%	The 13th Letter (1951)	" 'More than simply an Americanized [version of a] foreign film'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Apr 2, 2004
78/100	80%	I Love Lucy - Season 1: Vol. 1 (2002)	— Apollo Guide Posted Mar 27, 2004
9/100	——	Wuthering Heights (2004)	" The DVD is presented in widescreen and the quality of the transfer is acceptable." — Apollo Guide Posted Mar 10, 2004
9/100	——	Wuthering Heights (2004)	" A self-indulgent vehicle that forces the viewer to sympathize with insipid, stupid characters only by pinning them up against even more despicable and vacuous ones." — Apollo Guide Posted Mar 10, 2004
46/100	63%	The Cars That Ate Paris (1974)	" An informative, and relatively long, interview with Peter Weir is included on the DVD." — Apollo Guide Posted Mar 10, 2004
46/100	63%	The Cars That Ate Paris (1974)	" As a low-budget first film, director Peter Weir could've done worse, but I'm thankful that his career continued in a very different direction than this film would suggest." — Apollo Guide Posted Mar 10, 2004
72/100	91%	Murderous Maids (2002)	" The DVD includes insightful interviews with the director and star." — Apollo Guide Posted Mar 2, 2004
72/100	91%	Murderous Maids (2002)	" Its unevenness can be forgiven due to the boldness of dealing with such a taboo topic matter ,and despite all of its problems, this film makes for a fascinating 90 minutes." — Apollo Guide Posted Mar 2, 2004
81/100	79%	I Was a Male War Bride (1949)	" A silent newsreel is also included that shows the stars and director of the film interacting with a Lieutenant General of the U.S. Army during the shooting of the film." — Apollo Guide Posted Mar 2, 2004
81/100	79%	I Was a Male War Bride (1949)	" Howard Hawks and Cary Grant made several famous films together but it's a shame this one is often overlooked since it's a true comic gem that works well on every level." — Apollo Guide Posted Mar 2, 2004
1.5/4	48%	Naqoyqatsi (Naqoyqatsi: Life as War) (2002)	" Socially aware, but so nihilistic and fatalistic that it's irrelevant since it is unwilling to push towards the social change that the prior films supported so adamently." — Cinematic Reflections Posted Mar 1, 2004
4/4	63%	Powaqqatsi (1988)	" 'shows the consequences of what we have done in the past and the danger of where we are heading'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Feb 28, 2004
5/5	98%	Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)	— Apollo Guide Posted Feb 28, 2004
3/5	95%	In the Line of Fire (1993)	— Apollo Guide Posted Feb 28, 2004
2/5	33%	Little Big League (1994)	— Apollo Guide Posted Feb 28, 2004
5/5	98%	Raging Bull (1980)	— Apollo Guide Posted Feb 28, 2004
3/5	92%	Sid & Nancy (1986)	— Apollo Guide Posted Feb 28, 2004
3/5	94%	Der Blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) (1930)	— Apollo Guide Posted Feb 28, 2004
2.5/4	90%	Cidade de Deus (City of God) (2003)	" 'It's unfortunate that what should be an emotionally-engaging film is so completely unaffecting'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Feb 28, 2004
82/100	95%	The Station Agent (2003)	" So modest, unassuming, and in touch with the way human beings interact with one another that it's almost impossible not to appreciate or enjoy." — Apollo Guide Posted Jan 29, 2004
68/100	55%	Dreams (1990)	" Worth seeing if you are a fan of the director, but for anyone else I'd suggest first seeking out his more famous films of the 1950s and '60s." — Apollo Guide Posted Jan 20, 2004
87/100	94%	The Triplets of Belleville (2003)	" As funny, original, and entertaining as the film is, a dark drama floats just beneath the surface that is heightened by its nostalgic, sometimes melancholic tone." — Apollo Guide Posted Jan 20, 2004
60/100	77%	Big Fish (2003)	" Proof that a top-notch cast can do little to help a poorly written and unorganized script, this is one of the biggest disappointments among the major 2003 releases." — Apollo Guide Posted Jan 17, 2004
80/100	92%	School of Rock (2003)	" A breath of fresh air for Hollywood comedies, providing proof that intelligent comedies can still make money if they're made of the right ingredients." — Apollo Guide Posted Dec 27, 2003
3/5	85%	Tender Mercies (1983)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Dec 22, 2003
3/5	60%	2 Days in the Valley (1996)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Dec 22, 2003
2/5	63%	Me Myself I (2000)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Dec 22, 2003
3/5	88%	Bugsy (1991)	— Cinematic Reflections Posted Dec 22, 2003
4/5	87%	Le Corbeau (1943)	" An intense mystery and a dead-on satire of small-town morals" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Dec 22, 2003
4/4	89%	Koyaanisqatsi - Life Out of Balance (1983)	" 'A magnificent, eye-opening experience'" — Cinematic Reflections Posted Dec 22, 2003

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