SHUTTER ISLAND (2010)

The Burgomaster · February 24, 2010, 05:16:06 PM

This is a good movie, but unfortunately not a great movie. It never gets quite as creepy as the trailers would lead you to believe, but still worth seeing.

For me, the major drawback was I kept thinking, "Hmmmm . . . I've seen this all before . . . more than once." So, it isn't very original, but it's saved by a solid performances by Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, and Max von Sydow, as well as the usual top-notch direction by Martin Scorsese.

This won't win a Best Picture Oscar . . . probably won't even be nominated unless they have 10 nominees again next year. But I suspect it will grab a few other Oscars . . . maybe supporting actor for Kingsley and possibly an adapted screenplay win . . . maybe one or two others.

There really isn't any reason to see it on the big screen . . . a DVD viewing at home would be almost as good. So, I give it a mild recommendation.

Rev. Powell · February 24, 2010, 09:06:19 PM

I'm already set to see it this Friday. I expect to be entertained but not blown away.

3mnkids · February 24, 2010, 09:20:56 PM

This is on my must see list. I haven't always been a fan of Dicaprio but have warmed to him recently. I absolutely love Kingsley.

retrorussell · February 25, 2010, 12:33:16 AM

Not bad. A few questions remained unanswered, but overall decent viewing, never boring. The denouement is no real surprise. Good acting.

SPazzo · March 01, 2010, 12:45:11 AM

Hehe, I saw this.... But I was with my girlfriend, and well, we weren't exactly watching the movie....

Rev. Powell · March 01, 2010, 12:43:08 PM

Quote from: SPazzo on March 01, 2010, 12:45:11 AM
Hehe, I saw this.... But I was with my girlfriend, and well, we weren't exactly watching the movie....

SPazzo: you dog!

Actually, I'm glad Burgo lowered my expectations. I ended up liking it a lot. Great atmosphere, some nicely spooky dream/flashback sequences, DiCaprio was very good. I guessed the twist early on, but it didn't ruin the movie for me. I'd give it 4/5, my favorite 2010 release so far!

Silverlady · March 01, 2010, 03:20:46 PM

Quote from: SPazzo on March 01, 2010, 12:45:11 AM
Hehe, I saw this.... But I was with my girlfriend, and well, we weren't exactly watching the movie....

SPazzo, I'm gonna tell your mother!

Neville · March 01, 2010, 05:31:02 PM

I can't speak of this movie without dropping a few spoilers, so consider this...

SPOILER SPACE

MORE SPOILER SPACE

I thought it was OK. The biggest problem I had is that I could tell what was going on from the very beginning. Yep, it's one of those "films which try to mess with your head" by presenting a series of events and then screaming in the last minute: "It was all a lie!!! This is what really happened!!!". A part of me hated watching Scorsese playing such a wasted trick, but still he managed to be elegant. Rather than trying to pass everything before the end as realistic, he seems to enjoy the freedom of not having to pretend it is. Hence the weird editing tricks, the dream-like quality of many moments or the strange dialogue. And the epilogue packs a couple of well hidden punches. I enjoyed Ruffalo playing his role in a different way than during the rest of the movie (arguably, it was a different person), and DiCaprio's final decision is both sad and logical at the same time.

So, it may be a minor Scorsese, but still a hell better than "The aviator" or "The departed". If you ask me, Scorsese has never been the same man since "Gangs of New York". I miss that intensity.

Flick James · March 02, 2010, 10:34:52 AM

I agree with you for the most part Neville, except that I liked The Departed, and thought it was nearly flawless except for the casting of Jack Nicholson. That was a mistake. I also liked The Aviator, but far from his best film. For me, unless he proves me wrong in the future, Goodfellas will always be his high-water-mark.

Neville · March 02, 2010, 11:47:04 AM

My personal favorite is still "Casino". It's very over the top, but great.

Flick James · March 02, 2010, 01:38:18 PM

Love that one as well. The man is a badass, I don't think anyone can deny his body of work. Some may argue he is branching out a bit too much, but I think he is managing okay, but not great. There was a bit of joke a couple of years ago on the she Curb Your Enthusiasm where Larry David was cast as a jewish mafia boss in a Scorcese film. I thought that was a pretty good gag, since he seems to be branching away from the Italian-American experience, having done a couple of films on the Irish-American experience. I thought it was funny, anyway.

Neville · March 02, 2010, 01:47:27 PM

"Curb yuour enthusiasm"... I need to watch that show, everybody keeps sayting it's hysterical.

Luchi · March 04, 2010, 01:32:45 AM

I realized that this movie will going to be good but not super hit. My favorite hero Leonardo DiCaprio is there but that is not enough for the success of a film. There also need a good director and the story line.

Flick James · March 04, 2010, 10:27:45 AM

Quote from: Neville on March 02, 2010, 01:47:27 PM
"Curb yuour enthusiasm"... I need to watch that show, everybody keeps sayting it's hysterical.

You'll either love it or hate it. I find there's never any in-between, EVER. Trust me, I know plenty of people who can't stand the show. I think it's genius, probably because I have my share of "Larry David moments" in my life.

nilbog · March 09, 2010, 05:22:01 PM

Just saw it last night. Quite a good creepy type atmosphere to the film. Overall quite enjoyable - but the whole end twist wasn't unexpected.