Lorenzo's Brief Movie Reviews, Vol. 1

This is another first in a series. I will simply write brief reviews of movies I have either seen recently or am thinking about. They will be good movies, bad movies, whatever kind of movies I feel like reviewing. Oh, and no rating system of letters, numbers or anything else. So, without further ado, here it goes.

NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Dame Judi Dench plays an obsessive, raving psychotic who gives out heaping doses of guilt to young, lonely Cate Blanchetts rather than dangerous assignments to Pierce Brosnans/
Daniel Craigs. It's an incredibly depressing movie, along the lines of "Changing Lanes" (or "Oedipus Rex" for the more culturally inclined crowd) where you can see things going from bad to worse, but none of the characters involved can. Besides that, or maybe because of it, the movie is extremely good and immensely watchable from beginning to end.

IN BRUGES
Ralph Fiennes plays a deranged, raving psychotic who is involved with a depressed Colin Farrell and an existential Brendan Gleeson. Again, a bit of a downer, but this one will actually make you laugh before and between those depressing moments. If you like the hitman genre, then see this movie. It is a very good example of it and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

LABYRINTH
Wow. What can I say that hasn't already been said? If you haven't seen this 1986 Jim Henson fantasy film, then you should. Not because it's a good movie, because it's not. You need to see it because it's hilarious (both intentionally and unintentionally) and frightening all at once. You see more David Bowie than you ever wanted to in 5 lifetimes and just enough swamp belching and farting for a 90 minute period. One word of warning, though; don't watch it alone and/or while taking mushrooms.

Well, hopefully this list will expand upon the next edition, but I have to get this posted by 10:00 PM or else someone will throttle me in my sleep.

Until next time, remember, everything happens for a reason.