21 (Luketic, 2008)

[X.]

This is not going to be a review, because I do not have it in me to write about this film. Not because it is so bad (it is not; it is Hollywood formula; it is as average as movies get), but for the plain simple reason that I fucking hate Robert Luketic, the movie's director! This guy is a major douche-bag as a recent meeting confirmed.

Here are some of his quotes that I remember:

- "This movie, for me, is a rebirth. It is the film that I've always wanted to make...but couldn't. It is the most non-Hollywood movie I've made." Dude, was the only art film you ever saw in your life called "Lawrence of Arabia"?

- "That scene you saw with the fluid crane shot, I was the pilot. I am a pilot, among other things." Arrogant prick! Tell me which John you slept with to get your pilot's license?

- When someone asked him a great question about the morality of the film, about how gambling is glamorized in the film without a comment on its social repercussion, his response was, "I'm not the kind of director that will bring a tear to your eye. There are plenty of others who want to do that." WTF? Oh, thank you, Luke!

By the way, "21" is the worst example of a major studio picture shot on digital. Strangely non- film students did not notice is, which is a sad insight about the average moviegoer. I asked Luketic about this and he made it like he was experimenting with the digital medium. The truth is this bastard didn't have the money to shoot on film; he just wouldn't admit it. Plus, the DP they hired probably never held a digital camera in his life before this movie.

Also, this Luketic is so gay, I felt like plucking a few daisies, take my clothes off and start dancing with him!

Before I go, here's something to think about: if after watching "21," you feel you've rewatched "Spider-man," then you're probably right. It will all make sense when you see it. It will all come together.

P.S. If I could go to bed with someone tonight, I'd pick Kate Bosworth. Sadly, she wasn't there in person. Otherwise I would have raped her.

P.S.1 I am very very drunk right now...

[madali]

This wont cut it, man, you need to start kissing ass, if you want to get into the industry

[X.]

So true; a sad fact of life in Hollywood.

[fizz]

All this shit from the man who gave us Legally blond? LEGALLY BLOND?

ak, you should do more of these write ups about the people you meet.

[sulphurhead]

Trailers from this movie promised a slick faceoff at BlackJack in the capital of Gambling: Vegas, between an underdog and a cool, evil Kevin Spacey - with the tag line of "inspired by a true story". The movie wasn't as good as it was hyped up to be, it was alright. The plot hits a lot of cliche's of the high school genre: geeky underdog with nerdy friends who are in a world apart from the girl they all drool over. But the oppurtunity to show his quality happens in Vegas, and the rest of the commercialised and predictable plotline happens there. Kevin Spacey doesn't really portray any character other than his usual smug self on steroids and there's no real face off like the one you wanted to happen. Lawrence Fishburne does decently in the few parts in the film he appears, but is mostly wasted. Kate Bosworth, looks great, but has a hard time convincing the audience she's 21. And the lead, Jium Sturgress doesn't do much other than pull off the innocent kid look really well. The movie, ironically doesn't even show how BlackJack is played, or go into depth about how the card counting works. They assume some the audience knows, and instead focussed more on the signal gestures being given between the team while they're conning the Vegas Casinos. Just another great real life story given a hollywood make over.

[kaytee]

The movie, ironically doesn't even show how BlackJack is played, or go into depth about how the card counting works. They assume some the audience knows, and instead focussed more on the signal gestures being given between the team while they're conning the Vegas Casinos. Just another great real life story given a hollywood make over.

That sucks coz I really thought this would be a blackjack movie. Screw you Luketic. Hopefully The Grand will be about poker.

[shariqq]

By the way, "21" is the worst example of a major studio picture shot on digital.

Yes, the digital use is quite quite bad. Looks like a TV movie sometimes. I even made a comment to  sulphurhead about it mid-way through the movie!

Before I go, here's something to think about: if after watching "21," you feel you've rewatched "Spider-man," then you're probably right. It will all make sense when you see it. It will all come together.

Nope. don't feel it. what did I miss?

[X.]

Before I go, here's something to think about: if after watching "21," you feel you've rewatched "Spider-man," then you're probably right. It will all make sense when you see it. It will all come together.

Nope. don't feel it. what did I miss?

"21" had a strong similarity to "Spider-man" in that the lead character was essentially evoking the nerdy Peter Parker, and the film had a bookended voice-over narration. Also, the coming-of-age theme and taking responsibility were other elements it borrowed heavily to lend itself to its target audience.

[shariqq]

Gotcha! Plus, the hero is a loser.