Rating: Summary: Ignored by Oscar (and public) but excellent Review: I'm still a little ticked off that this movie wasn't nominated for best picture. I'm even more annoyed that it was ignored by the public. It's completely original, seamlessly combining elements of lots of very different genres (war, action, comedy, political commentary) into one amazing film. Clooney is fantastic, as is the supporting cast. One of the most interesting things in it is also that it shows what a bullet really does to the human body, not like most movies where if you're not hit in the head or heart, you merely walk funny. This is just one of many, many original points in the film, but I don't want to spoil them all. Just rest assured that you will love it. Oh, and if it makes a difference to you, Roger Ebert rated that movie as the third best film of the year, in a year of film that he thought was fantastic anyway.
Rating: Summary: This is the business Review: This film made (and still is) me think about so many different things all while giving the best laughs in any movie I've seen in the last three years. Fresh, original and more honest then a monk, this is a rockingly invigorating experience. Get it to tingle your senses for comedy, drama, politics, war and the absurd
Rating: Summary: Were there two different scripts? Review: The first few scenes had me rolling in the aisles. Then, the movie turned so dark and depressing that I kept thinking that I was somehow watching a different movie with a similar plot and the same actors. I'm not against a dark ending (I thought "7" was great), but felt that the dramatic switch from lighthearted comedy to depressing social commentary broke the promise that a good story makes to its audience. Whoever wrote this movie needs to learn a lot about plot cohesion.
Rating: Summary: The war movie enters the digital age Review: David O. Russell agains amazes by breathing life into a stagnant genre. Three Kings uses very unconventional cinematography, much like Fight Club (another excellent, if rough, movie). Quick cuts, slow-motion, and a washed-out colour palette are some of what Russell uses. Yet underneath this lies a very human story worth watching. I went into the theather expecting a typical war movie and came out satisfied and dare I say touched. I have not yet viewed the DVD version, but I can only hope the DVD transfer is crisp and clean. With the effort put into the extras (commentary, trailers, behind-the-scenes, etc.), I expect the video and audio quality to be excellent.
Rating: Summary: Inventive filmaking Review: Along with American Beauty, The Fight Club and Eyes Wide Shut, Three Kings is a good example of how major studios have made some pretty inventive films in 1999.What sets Three Kings apart from other, more conventional war movies is the way it blends a huge array of ideas into one cohesive structure. George Clooney, Ice Cube and Mark Whalberg play the three kings, a group of American soldiers who find a map giving the location of stolen Kuwaiti gold in a prisoners rectum. As the gulf war is nearing an end they commandeer a humvee and make their way across the desert in search of the loot. The movies first half an hour takes a very comic, up-beat tone. When the soldiers arrive at a small village everything appears to be going well until they are exposed to the slaughtering of innocent civilians. Mark Whalberg is captured and at this point the film turns into a rescue film. Three Kings eventually turns into the type of movie where the soldiers can no longer pillfer the gold but must simply do what is right. In a way this seems like a sort of compromise from what the film was trying to say at the beginning but it all works out right in the end. What's the most interesting is how director David O. Russell comments on modern day media and consumerism. Three Kings is quite distinctive in the sense that it has far more things to say than a standard movie. Visually speaking Three Kings is also a treat to watch. One in particular example stands out, a controversial shot of a bullet slowly entering a human body. What makes this shot so unique is the fact that it is filmed from the perspective of being inside a human body. There has also been a great emphasis on the colors in this film. The desert a wonderful visual backdrop that Russell takes full advantage of. The films conclusion is ultimately the one major flaw here. It is quite sad when you see such a unique film take on a very straight forward and predictable ending. For the most part though Three Kings is intelligent, thought provoking and a very funny film.
Rating: Summary: One of the Best Films of 1999! Review: This film threw the entire cinematic tricks into its production. The film contains awesome cinematography, insane shots, and a really original script. David O. Russel did a really nice job with this film and its a must-see !
Rating: Summary: A completely satisfying film Review: Just because a happy ending is overused, does not make itinappropriate. This film, like many, takes you on a ride through theEvils of Society (the Iraqi and US government)to the Reaffirmation of Human Decency. What makes it unique is that it takes you on a jetski, not a tour bus. PS for those who like unconventional action films but don't like being depressed, I recommend Face/Off :) END
Rating: Summary: A bit of Rubbish and not original Review: Maybe I didn't like it because it was the last movie I saw in a three film-movie marathon but come on!The first ten minutes looks like a lot of fun, a few laughs and a bit of action is great. But then the director(some hollywood hotshot)tries to be classic with a piece of cinematography in a gun fight scene-Slow motion views in silence with only the sound of the bullets' impact and the victims..."AH" After this stupid and not called for piece of film I took little interest in the rest of the pathetic little film. I have not previewed the DVD version yet. But, I know that I will like on DVD-only through the features side of it. Worth watching...just.
Rating: Summary: Wow, what a great movie Review: Looked great, was exciting and original, and was one of the most visually imaginative movies I have ever seen. With this and Out of Sight under his belt (and the Coens' "Brother Where Art Thou" and Wolfgang Peterson's "Perfect Storm" on the way) George Cloony could turn out to be a really great cool actor, and Mark Wahlberg proves once again (see Boogie Nights) that he is more than just a singer who drops his pants. Ice Cube and Spike Jonze were great as well, I might add. The best part about this movie is that it doesn't abandon intelligence like most action movies do these days, and preserves a strong political viewpoint throughout. The footage of the bullet entering the body was unlike anything ive seen used in film, and the gunfight scene in the villaige was great. I think the most important part of the movie however was the long running scene in the bunker between the imprisoned Wahlberg and his captor, who lost his wife and child in one of the US's air strikes. It shows that both sides have something to lose, and offers the fact that the US can't always be seen as the only side fighting for a richeous cause in a war. By the way: I am not one who likes to pass judgement on other peoples' movie opinions, but I must say that anybody who gives Ace Ventura precedence over this masterwork has more than a few screws loose. I can't wait for the DVD.
Rating: Summary: War made fun! Review: Three Kings is war made fun ifthat's possible. It's bothentertaining and informative.Clooney,Whalburg,and Ice Cubeshine in this one.Best of all,they don't let Mr. Cube rap!The fiction here parallelsreality just enough to be somewhat plausible.The bestGulf War movie since CourageUnder Fire.
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