tstone
12-16-2006, 05:02 AM
Green Street Hooligans and Monster House (Stone Movie Reviews)
Green Street Hooligans-This one was another recommended by my friend David. He's never recommended a bad movie. Most of the ones he recommends, I enjoy heartily. Even the ones I don't, I still see their virtues, even though they may not be my cup of tea. I'd put Green Street in that category. Elija Wood plays Matt, a guy expelled from Harvard on an erroneous drug charge and goes to live with his sister in England. He meets a brother in law who is the leader of the GSE, a "firm" of hardcore FOOTBALL fans (don't call it soccer, revealing your naivete and ignorance, at the very least). Matt has lived a sheltered life to date, and the rough and tumble world of the GSE initially scares him. But he has his first rumble and holds his own, and finds himself taking to the life of the hooligans, and for the most part, they take to him. But his prior life as a journalism student and the dual lives of both himself and many of his fellow hooligans will come back to haunt.
Now, this film deals with some similiar territory that Fight Club did, a violent subculture as a rebellion against the soft, civilized lives of 21st century first world humans. But, while Fight Club was an inner journey, about the inner savage breaking through our civilized exterior, Green Street Hooligans was more about the TRIBE, seeking identity in a group and exercising violence against those seen as the "others", rival firms, in this case.
This story took more of a distant view from it's subject matter, I thought, yet added more drama, while Fight Club was a psychological breakdown.
Hooligans was not a bad film, but I thought the tribal aspect was kinda glorified at points, even though it's toll was made clear, and some veteran firm members had seen it's problems and left that life.
Not a bad film, but a little confused in it's purpose, I thought.
Monster House-Another David recommendation, this one was a return to your suburban bliss upended, used in a lot of earlier Spielberg flicks. And, like those movies, this one does it well, but taking common troupe from neighborhoods and turning it on it's head. In this case, the creepy house. All neighborhoods have them, often populated by an eccentric that the kids are scared of. DJ has that in his neighborhood, the creepy house across from his, owned by one Mr. Nebbercracker. This guy aggressively chases away those who approach his house, especially kids. And Halloween the behavior is seriously amped. DJ and his buddy Chowder decide to try to get to the bottom of the mystery.
On the surface, appears to be a kiddie story. And though hard to scare kids should be able to handle this, it's actually a good tale and respectable horror/haunted house story. And it has the charms of those earlier Spielburg films, along with others like The Lost Boys and whatnot.
A fun one I heartily recommend.
Green Street Hooligans-This one was another recommended by my friend David. He's never recommended a bad movie. Most of the ones he recommends, I enjoy heartily. Even the ones I don't, I still see their virtues, even though they may not be my cup of tea. I'd put Green Street in that category. Elija Wood plays Matt, a guy expelled from Harvard on an erroneous drug charge and goes to live with his sister in England. He meets a brother in law who is the leader of the GSE, a "firm" of hardcore FOOTBALL fans (don't call it soccer, revealing your naivete and ignorance, at the very least). Matt has lived a sheltered life to date, and the rough and tumble world of the GSE initially scares him. But he has his first rumble and holds his own, and finds himself taking to the life of the hooligans, and for the most part, they take to him. But his prior life as a journalism student and the dual lives of both himself and many of his fellow hooligans will come back to haunt.
Now, this film deals with some similiar territory that Fight Club did, a violent subculture as a rebellion against the soft, civilized lives of 21st century first world humans. But, while Fight Club was an inner journey, about the inner savage breaking through our civilized exterior, Green Street Hooligans was more about the TRIBE, seeking identity in a group and exercising violence against those seen as the "others", rival firms, in this case.
This story took more of a distant view from it's subject matter, I thought, yet added more drama, while Fight Club was a psychological breakdown.
Hooligans was not a bad film, but I thought the tribal aspect was kinda glorified at points, even though it's toll was made clear, and some veteran firm members had seen it's problems and left that life.
Not a bad film, but a little confused in it's purpose, I thought.
Monster House-Another David recommendation, this one was a return to your suburban bliss upended, used in a lot of earlier Spielberg flicks. And, like those movies, this one does it well, but taking common troupe from neighborhoods and turning it on it's head. In this case, the creepy house. All neighborhoods have them, often populated by an eccentric that the kids are scared of. DJ has that in his neighborhood, the creepy house across from his, owned by one Mr. Nebbercracker. This guy aggressively chases away those who approach his house, especially kids. And Halloween the behavior is seriously amped. DJ and his buddy Chowder decide to try to get to the bottom of the mystery.
On the surface, appears to be a kiddie story. And though hard to scare kids should be able to handle this, it's actually a good tale and respectable horror/haunted house story. And it has the charms of those earlier Spielburg films, along with others like The Lost Boys and whatnot.
A fun one I heartily recommend.