Premise: An ancient curse falls upon a young girl, causing her to be raised in extreme privacy while her mom tries to find a way to remove the affliction.
Stars: Christina Ricci * James McAvoy * Reese Witherspoon * Catherine O'Hara * Peter Dinklage * Simon Woods
Story: Penelope (Ricci) is the victim of an ancient curse placed upon her family and is born with the nose and ears of a pig. Her mother (O'Hara) has her publicly (pretend) buried to stop the press from hounding the child. She believes that the only way to remove the curse is to marry Penelope to another blue-blood family and as a result the first third of the movie is filled with horrified suitors fleeing the family home. One such suitor, Edward (Woods), gets together with a reporter (Dinklage) that has history with the family. They hire another suitor, Max (McAvoy), as a mark to prove to the world that Penelope is a monster, but McAvoy falls in love with the cursed maiden.
Crushed when Max tells her he can't marry her, Penelope escapes the home and wanders around in the real world, coming across another young woman (Witherspoon) who helps her have fun. When her identity is discovered, people are more concerned with her well-being while the paparazzi make a spectacle out of the newly rediscovered heiress. Edward continues his gaffes and is forced by his father to marry the young woman, only to have Penelope discover the truth - that she only needs to love herself in order to be happy and free of the curse.
Review: The movie is a charming modern fairytale - light and full of fluff. Ricci is charming and cute throughout the movie, which seriously undercuts the effect of the curse - noticeably the over-large piggish ears never appear once Penelope is being played by Ricci, leaving her simply as having a piggish nose. With the amazing eyes that Ricci has, the "horrifying" aspect of the curse is hardly apparent.
(Unless, of course, the intent is to show the totally superficial nature of modern folks - that a piggish nose is too much to bear - in that case, the movie does succeed as the suitors all seem equally idiotic.)
McAvoy, Woods, and Dinklage all deliver nice performances - as the love interest, the bumbling villain and the intrepid reporter, respectively.
O'Hara, however, seems to be channeling her perfomance as Delia from Beetle Juice - the OCD-driven, controlling nature. Later, inexplicably, once the curse is removed, the character has a moment of growth, only to retreat.
The film gets choppily edited towards the end - in the drive to give Penelope a happy ending, her mother is inexplicably cursed, the butler is revealed to be the old witch (who somehow survived a few hundred years), Penelope becomes a teacher, and lastly the wrap up of the love affair is rushed.
If not for the botched, rushed ending (probably at the hands of the Weinstein brothers who believe they know how to make every movie better, lots of instances notwithstanding), the film could've been much better. As it stands, it's still charming and the goodwill built early on sustains the movie.
Overall: Mediocre
Other sites: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Thursday, July 31, 2008
The Ruins (2008)
Premise: Hot American tourists discover a Mayan ruin with a terrible secret.
Stars: Jonathan Tucker * Jena Malone * Laura Ramsey * Shawn Ashmore * Joe Anderson
Story: Four American tourists in Mexico connect with a few Greeks and a German and learn of an archaeological dig and a set of Mayan ruins. When the German asks them to go with him (to ostensibly locate his missing brother), the Americans and one of the Greeks take off with him to locate the missing.
They discover an isolated ruined temple, covered with thick vegetation. Almost immediately, they are accosted by some natives, who startle the Americans. While they are trying to get the tourists to get away from the ruin, one of the tourists steps on the vegetation, instantly provoking the natives. Mistaking their intentions, the Greek soon ends up dead and the rest are forced onto the ruin. The natives set up a hostile encirclement of the ruin, preventing their escape.
Believing the missing brother and his cohorts are in the temple due to the presence of a tent and the sound of a ringing phone in the temple, the five start investigating the ruin. Mathias (Anderson, the German) descends into the ruin, only to have the rope snap, causing him to break both of his legs. Stacy (Ramsey), goes into the temple to help him, cutting her leg. Both are retrieved. Over the course of the next days, they discover the vegetation is alive, and that it lives on flesh & blood. It is also able to mimic sounds, including the ringing of cell phones.
Review: Following in the vein (ahem) of Hostel, Cabin Fever, Turistas, The Ruins falls somewhere in the middle of the pack of the torture porn genre. The gore is limited to two individuals, and while it's gratuitous in its nature, it's quite unlike the sadism present in the Hostel films. Instead the blood and gore comes from the attempt to prevent septicemia and further infection from the plants.
The acting is pretty typical of the young crowds filling up films and television - all in great shape, displaying lots of eye candy for both male and female watchers. Nothing demands a great stretch of imagination: the attempt at stoicism by the macho Jeff (Texas Chainsaw Massacre's McIntire), the attempt at heroism of Eric (Ashmore of the X-Men franchise), the lots-of-crying-and-screaming of Stacy (Ramsey) and the what-the-hell-is-going-on of Amy (independent film star Malone) - these are all straight out of previous entries in the genre.
Portions of the movie make little sense - having learned that the plants are drawn to people, they leave a bleeding Mathias close to vegetation, away from the four Americans. Is this a statement by the director, or is it just slipshod pretensions of ominous overtones? The tent is surrounded by vegetation but only once do the plants invade it, and that early on - did the plants give up? (I admit I didn't watch the unrated version, maybe there's something of value missing.) The plants pretty quickly grab a dead body, but when Stacy is walking around bleeding profusely, the plants do not move after her.
Lastly, the escape attempt is handled pretty honestly. The only question is that as the main ending is hopeful, it does not address the earlier noticed event of the plants growing on their clothes - as the movie progresses clothes get grungier and slightly greener as presumably spores, seeds or pollen end up on them. A more honest ending would've been that the clothing had to be burned at the least - the alternate ending is more in-line with such thinking.
Overall: Mediocre
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Stars: Jonathan Tucker * Jena Malone * Laura Ramsey * Shawn Ashmore * Joe Anderson
Story: Four American tourists in Mexico connect with a few Greeks and a German and learn of an archaeological dig and a set of Mayan ruins. When the German asks them to go with him (to ostensibly locate his missing brother), the Americans and one of the Greeks take off with him to locate the missing.
They discover an isolated ruined temple, covered with thick vegetation. Almost immediately, they are accosted by some natives, who startle the Americans. While they are trying to get the tourists to get away from the ruin, one of the tourists steps on the vegetation, instantly provoking the natives. Mistaking their intentions, the Greek soon ends up dead and the rest are forced onto the ruin. The natives set up a hostile encirclement of the ruin, preventing their escape.
Believing the missing brother and his cohorts are in the temple due to the presence of a tent and the sound of a ringing phone in the temple, the five start investigating the ruin. Mathias (Anderson, the German) descends into the ruin, only to have the rope snap, causing him to break both of his legs. Stacy (Ramsey), goes into the temple to help him, cutting her leg. Both are retrieved. Over the course of the next days, they discover the vegetation is alive, and that it lives on flesh & blood. It is also able to mimic sounds, including the ringing of cell phones.
Review: Following in the vein (ahem) of Hostel, Cabin Fever, Turistas, The Ruins falls somewhere in the middle of the pack of the torture porn genre. The gore is limited to two individuals, and while it's gratuitous in its nature, it's quite unlike the sadism present in the Hostel films. Instead the blood and gore comes from the attempt to prevent septicemia and further infection from the plants.
The acting is pretty typical of the young crowds filling up films and television - all in great shape, displaying lots of eye candy for both male and female watchers. Nothing demands a great stretch of imagination: the attempt at stoicism by the macho Jeff (Texas Chainsaw Massacre's McIntire), the attempt at heroism of Eric (Ashmore of the X-Men franchise), the lots-of-crying-and-screaming of Stacy (Ramsey) and the what-the-hell-is-going-on of Amy (independent film star Malone) - these are all straight out of previous entries in the genre.
Portions of the movie make little sense - having learned that the plants are drawn to people, they leave a bleeding Mathias close to vegetation, away from the four Americans. Is this a statement by the director, or is it just slipshod pretensions of ominous overtones? The tent is surrounded by vegetation but only once do the plants invade it, and that early on - did the plants give up? (I admit I didn't watch the unrated version, maybe there's something of value missing.) The plants pretty quickly grab a dead body, but when Stacy is walking around bleeding profusely, the plants do not move after her.
Lastly, the escape attempt is handled pretty honestly. The only question is that as the main ending is hopeful, it does not address the earlier noticed event of the plants growing on their clothes - as the movie progresses clothes get grungier and slightly greener as presumably spores, seeds or pollen end up on them. A more honest ending would've been that the clothing had to be burned at the least - the alternate ending is more in-line with such thinking.
Overall: Mediocre
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
The Music Within (2007)
Premise: A young speaker seeks his destiny, but finds it by losing his hearing.
Stars: Ron Livingston * Melissa George * Michael Sheen * Hector Elizondo
Story: Richard Pimentel (Livingston) discovers he has a gift for public speaking at a young age, but is turned away from a scholarship contest due to a perceived lack of heart. He heads off to Vietnam, getting wounded in the process. Losing his hearing, he works on learning how to pretend he can still hear by reading lips and developing other skills. He befriends a disabled artist (Sheen) who has cerebral palsy and falls in love with a freethinker (George). By defending his friend in various encounters, he learns what was meant earlier - his passion is helping people who can't help themselves. Pimentel becomes one of the chief proponents of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which became law under President George H. W. Bush.
Review: The film is a nice biopic/character study of Richard Pimentel, a famous activist for the rights of the disabled. Livingston is a decent character actor (Office Space, Band of Brothers) and performs admirably, but Sheen's work as Art Honeyman really shines. Melissa George is basically a cypher for Livingston, providing a bridge between his college years and his activist work, but contributes little to the film other than a brief love affair that ends badly.
Unfortunately, as with nearly all biopics, the film is saddled with stereotypes: the friend that dies, the addiction (in this case it's the activism) that destroys a relationship, the failed love, the self-destructive period, the successful ending. These cliches overlay the film with a sense of dullness, making the performance of Livingston and Sheen the only reason worth watching the film. The film becomes almost instantly forgettable otherwise.
Overall: Mediocre
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Stars: Ron Livingston * Melissa George * Michael Sheen * Hector Elizondo
Story: Richard Pimentel (Livingston) discovers he has a gift for public speaking at a young age, but is turned away from a scholarship contest due to a perceived lack of heart. He heads off to Vietnam, getting wounded in the process. Losing his hearing, he works on learning how to pretend he can still hear by reading lips and developing other skills. He befriends a disabled artist (Sheen) who has cerebral palsy and falls in love with a freethinker (George). By defending his friend in various encounters, he learns what was meant earlier - his passion is helping people who can't help themselves. Pimentel becomes one of the chief proponents of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which became law under President George H. W. Bush.
Review: The film is a nice biopic/character study of Richard Pimentel, a famous activist for the rights of the disabled. Livingston is a decent character actor (Office Space, Band of Brothers) and performs admirably, but Sheen's work as Art Honeyman really shines. Melissa George is basically a cypher for Livingston, providing a bridge between his college years and his activist work, but contributes little to the film other than a brief love affair that ends badly.
Unfortunately, as with nearly all biopics, the film is saddled with stereotypes: the friend that dies, the addiction (in this case it's the activism) that destroys a relationship, the failed love, the self-destructive period, the successful ending. These cliches overlay the film with a sense of dullness, making the performance of Livingston and Sheen the only reason worth watching the film. The film becomes almost instantly forgettable otherwise.
Overall: Mediocre
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Hitman (2007)
Premise: An elite assassin is hired to kill the Russian President while being trailed by Interpol agents.
Stars: Timothy Olyphant * Olga Kurylenko * Dougray Scott * Ulrich Thomsen
Story: Agent 47 (Olyphant) is an elite assassin that has been operating for years. Whittier (Scott) is an Interpol agent that has been tracking him and is getting close to catching his man. 47 is hired to kill Russian President Belicoff (Thomsen) as he's making things difficult for 47's bosses. When the assassination is successful, a double of Belicoff appears, claiming the assassination a failure. Belicoff's moll, Nika (Kurylenko), is set up to help bring Agent 47 down.
47 kidnaps Nika, along the way killing men assigned to kill her and keep her quiet. The pair bond as 47 follows a trail of leads to Belicoff and the FSB agent who is working to control Russia. Whittier is on his trail all the way, repeatedly coming close to capturing 47, but events often conspire to prevent the arrest.
Review: While the light banter between Kurylenko and Olyphant is pleasing and the action is distracting eye-candy, the plot gets quickly muddled. How many doubles of Belicoff are there? Was the real Belicoff killed and the double is really the evil one? The gun battle with Belicoff's brother is distracting even as it overpowers the senses.
Parts of the film are worth seeing. The fight cinematography is eye-catching. Kurylenko never fails to sparkle. Olyphant's subdued wit is refreshing even as he reminds one of his trademark smart-aleckness (Gone in 60 Seconds, Go, Live Free or Die Hard).
But there are drawbacks. Dougray Scott. Agent 47's past - his training and enforced self-discipline - provides a conflict with Nika's flirtatiousness but provide no emotional payoff. Is he a victim of his training or is he at peace with it? The assassination attempt in the church is reminiscent of the Russian theater hostage crisis, but there is a lack of follow-through in the performance.
The film itself offers no resolution - will Whittier stay away after he's been given a plausible excuse to do so? Is 47 going to be Nika's guardian for the rest of her life? Did he turn his back on all of his support (the agency that manages him for assignments) - and if so, what is his support now? As he's killed several fellow agents, are they hunting him now?
The audience is left with a feeling similar to a few too many beers - a buzz which is enjoyable, but unfilling and fleeting.
Overall: Mediocre
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Stars: Timothy Olyphant * Olga Kurylenko * Dougray Scott * Ulrich Thomsen
Story: Agent 47 (Olyphant) is an elite assassin that has been operating for years. Whittier (Scott) is an Interpol agent that has been tracking him and is getting close to catching his man. 47 is hired to kill Russian President Belicoff (Thomsen) as he's making things difficult for 47's bosses. When the assassination is successful, a double of Belicoff appears, claiming the assassination a failure. Belicoff's moll, Nika (Kurylenko), is set up to help bring Agent 47 down.
47 kidnaps Nika, along the way killing men assigned to kill her and keep her quiet. The pair bond as 47 follows a trail of leads to Belicoff and the FSB agent who is working to control Russia. Whittier is on his trail all the way, repeatedly coming close to capturing 47, but events often conspire to prevent the arrest.
Review: While the light banter between Kurylenko and Olyphant is pleasing and the action is distracting eye-candy, the plot gets quickly muddled. How many doubles of Belicoff are there? Was the real Belicoff killed and the double is really the evil one? The gun battle with Belicoff's brother is distracting even as it overpowers the senses.
Parts of the film are worth seeing. The fight cinematography is eye-catching. Kurylenko never fails to sparkle. Olyphant's subdued wit is refreshing even as he reminds one of his trademark smart-aleckness (Gone in 60 Seconds, Go, Live Free or Die Hard).
But there are drawbacks. Dougray Scott. Agent 47's past - his training and enforced self-discipline - provides a conflict with Nika's flirtatiousness but provide no emotional payoff. Is he a victim of his training or is he at peace with it? The assassination attempt in the church is reminiscent of the Russian theater hostage crisis, but there is a lack of follow-through in the performance.
The film itself offers no resolution - will Whittier stay away after he's been given a plausible excuse to do so? Is 47 going to be Nika's guardian for the rest of her life? Did he turn his back on all of his support (the agency that manages him for assignments) - and if so, what is his support now? As he's killed several fellow agents, are they hunting him now?
The audience is left with a feeling similar to a few too many beers - a buzz which is enjoyable, but unfilling and fleeting.
Overall: Mediocre
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Mumford (1999)
Premise: A mysterious psychologist has an odd take on dealing with his patients' issues.
Stars: Pruitt Taylor Vince * Mary McDonnell * Jason Lee * Alfre Woodard * Zooey Deschanel * Ted Danson * Hope Davis * Loren Dean * Martin Short
Story: Mumford (Dean) is a psychologist who has recently moved to the town of Mumford. He sees various patients, including a man who lives through his fantasies (Vince), a rich young man who has no friends (Lee), a goth trying to figure out who she is (Deschanel), and a shopaholic mother (McDonnell).
He refuses to take on a lawyer (Short) as a patient, leading to the lawyer as well as the established local psychologist and psychiatrist taking an interest in Mumford's history. He also takes the case of a young woman (Davis) who is suffering from depression, only to fall in love with her.
However, he has a past he has been trying to escape. As his competition start digging, the town's fascination with the TV show Unsolved Mysteries ends up revealing to everyone his sordid history.
Review: I liked it. Aside from the main character's history prior to arriving in the eponymous town, the movie is positive and encouraging. Dean and Davis are a cute couple, Deschanel's debut performance is indicative of her future cute and quirky characters, and Vince and McDonnell are charming in their roles.
The two plotlines - Mumford and his effect on residents of the town and the investigation initiated by the lawyer - play off each other well by pacing the movie. Additionally, the conversations with the different patients and the development of their cases provide humour as well as a slight pathos that keeps the film interesting.
There is a nice payoff at the end of the two main plots as well as the subplots.
Overall: Good
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Stars: Pruitt Taylor Vince * Mary McDonnell * Jason Lee * Alfre Woodard * Zooey Deschanel * Ted Danson * Hope Davis * Loren Dean * Martin Short
Story: Mumford (Dean) is a psychologist who has recently moved to the town of Mumford. He sees various patients, including a man who lives through his fantasies (Vince), a rich young man who has no friends (Lee), a goth trying to figure out who she is (Deschanel), and a shopaholic mother (McDonnell).
He refuses to take on a lawyer (Short) as a patient, leading to the lawyer as well as the established local psychologist and psychiatrist taking an interest in Mumford's history. He also takes the case of a young woman (Davis) who is suffering from depression, only to fall in love with her.
However, he has a past he has been trying to escape. As his competition start digging, the town's fascination with the TV show Unsolved Mysteries ends up revealing to everyone his sordid history.
Review: I liked it. Aside from the main character's history prior to arriving in the eponymous town, the movie is positive and encouraging. Dean and Davis are a cute couple, Deschanel's debut performance is indicative of her future cute and quirky characters, and Vince and McDonnell are charming in their roles.
The two plotlines - Mumford and his effect on residents of the town and the investigation initiated by the lawyer - play off each other well by pacing the movie. Additionally, the conversations with the different patients and the development of their cases provide humour as well as a slight pathos that keeps the film interesting.
There is a nice payoff at the end of the two main plots as well as the subplots.
Overall: Good
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Love's Unending Legacy (2007)
Premise: A young widowed mother moves back in with her folks and takes in an orphan - and more melodrama occurs.
Stars: Erin Cottrell * Dale Midkiff * Victor Browne
Story: Missie LaHaye (Cottrell) is back (it's part of a series of Hallmark TV movies based on novels by Janette Oke). After her husband and daughter die, she goes back to her folks (Midkiff) and tries to rediscover joy in her life. Along the way, she takes up teaching at the local school, adopts an orphan, gets embroiled in the rescue of another orphan from an abusive foster family, and falls in love with the town sheriff. And the sheriff (Browne) discovers God.
Review: It's full of Western-style melodrama - the young widow woman, the smiley-happy son, God-fearing people, a wounded horse that needs to be put down, discovering God through a miracle, runaways, tomboys being ridiculed and standing up for themselves, hard day labor for kids, the separated siblings who want their parents to rescue them, the bright-blue eyes, the hard rain, the hard men and the women that love them, the young man's man of a sheriff, etc. Lawdy.
With all of that, and the fact that it's a Hallmark TV movie and a Janette Oke adaptation, I have to wonder why I watched it.
Overall: Bad
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia
Stars: Erin Cottrell * Dale Midkiff * Victor Browne
Story: Missie LaHaye (Cottrell) is back (it's part of a series of Hallmark TV movies based on novels by Janette Oke). After her husband and daughter die, she goes back to her folks (Midkiff) and tries to rediscover joy in her life. Along the way, she takes up teaching at the local school, adopts an orphan, gets embroiled in the rescue of another orphan from an abusive foster family, and falls in love with the town sheriff. And the sheriff (Browne) discovers God.
Review: It's full of Western-style melodrama - the young widow woman, the smiley-happy son, God-fearing people, a wounded horse that needs to be put down, discovering God through a miracle, runaways, tomboys being ridiculed and standing up for themselves, hard day labor for kids, the separated siblings who want their parents to rescue them, the bright-blue eyes, the hard rain, the hard men and the women that love them, the young man's man of a sheriff, etc. Lawdy.
With all of that, and the fact that it's a Hallmark TV movie and a Janette Oke adaptation, I have to wonder why I watched it.
Overall: Bad
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Be Kind, Rewind (2008)
Premise: Two young men try to save a video store from the wrecking ball.
Stars: Jack Black * Mos Def * Danny Glover * Mia Farrow * Sigourney Weaver * Melonie Diaz
Story: Mike (Def) and Jerry (Black) are two young men who love a video store, Be Kind Rewind, owned by Mr. Fletcher (Glover). While Mr. Fletcher travels to try and prevent a developer from buying out the building, Mike runs the store and tries to raise enough money to prevent the buyout. Jerry, in an effort to sabotage the power company, gets electrocuted and heavily magnetized. He accidentally wipes out all of the tapes (the video store is old and only has VHS copies), leaving the store in a jam.
The duo decide to remake all of the films in order to try and keep the store going. Unfortunately, the FBI discovers their copyright violations and shuts them down. With only a week before the closure, they try to raise the money with one original film.
Review: A nice effort by all. The film relies on its one gimmick - "sweding" films, or basically remaking all of the films with Black and Def (and eventually their friends and neighbours) in all of the roles - heavily. It's humourous and engaging in the beginning yet becomes the source of the issue in the third act. Black and Def play off each other really well, driving the film.
There are some issues with the film, however. It feels unfinished and leaves the audience (or at least me) feeling unsatisfied. There are subplots, and indeed even the main plot, left with no real conclusion. Do Mos Def and Melonie Diaz work on their relationship? Does the original film convince the developer to back off, or do they end up closing shop? The film appears to end on a positive note, but as Mr. Fletcher promised a quiet ending to the film and no riots, perhaps that's the route taken. Charming, but unfilling. Like a Twinkie or a light beer.
Overall: Mediocre
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Stars: Jack Black * Mos Def * Danny Glover * Mia Farrow * Sigourney Weaver * Melonie Diaz
Story: Mike (Def) and Jerry (Black) are two young men who love a video store, Be Kind Rewind, owned by Mr. Fletcher (Glover). While Mr. Fletcher travels to try and prevent a developer from buying out the building, Mike runs the store and tries to raise enough money to prevent the buyout. Jerry, in an effort to sabotage the power company, gets electrocuted and heavily magnetized. He accidentally wipes out all of the tapes (the video store is old and only has VHS copies), leaving the store in a jam.
The duo decide to remake all of the films in order to try and keep the store going. Unfortunately, the FBI discovers their copyright violations and shuts them down. With only a week before the closure, they try to raise the money with one original film.
Review: A nice effort by all. The film relies on its one gimmick - "sweding" films, or basically remaking all of the films with Black and Def (and eventually their friends and neighbours) in all of the roles - heavily. It's humourous and engaging in the beginning yet becomes the source of the issue in the third act. Black and Def play off each other really well, driving the film.
There are some issues with the film, however. It feels unfinished and leaves the audience (or at least me) feeling unsatisfied. There are subplots, and indeed even the main plot, left with no real conclusion. Do Mos Def and Melonie Diaz work on their relationship? Does the original film convince the developer to back off, or do they end up closing shop? The film appears to end on a positive note, but as Mr. Fletcher promised a quiet ending to the film and no riots, perhaps that's the route taken. Charming, but unfilling. Like a Twinkie or a light beer.
Overall: Mediocre
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Meet the Browns (2008)
Premise: An inner-city mom finds out she has family in Georgia and travels to meet them. She also has to struggle with the burden of being a single mother with three children, including a teenage son who is tempted by friends to follow a wrong path in life.
Stars: Angela Bassett * Tyler Perry * Rick Fox * David Mann * Lance Gross
Story: Brenda (Bassett) is a single mom living in Chicago with three kids, including teenage son Michael Jr. (Gross) She struggles to keep her kids in a safe, loving environment with a positive focus on the future. She gets laid off from work, and as the father of the children is a deadbeat dad with another family, he refuses to support her. She is about to hit rock bottom when a letter arrives, telling her of her father whom she never met as well as her new relatives. Before traveling to Georgia for the funeral, she meets Harry (Fox) a nice man who has discovered Michael Jr.'s basketball skills and wants to coach him.
When she arrives in Georgia, she meets the eccentric family, including L.B. (Mann) who wears flashy clothes, is a prima donna and preacher, as well as other members of her father's family. Harry also lives in the area and begins to romance her. She inherits a house, but leaves to take her kids back to Chicago where she believes things will better. After Michael Jr. starts to fall into drug-dealing and gambling, he gets shot - causing her to change her mind. She returns to Georgia at the end of the film.
Review: The movie is predictable. An inner city drama as well as the appeal of black families and eccentric characters, the film combines many elements popular in urban movies. That notwithstanding, Angela Bassett puts in a solid performance as a single mother trying to do right by her children. It's familiar pap, but it's a nice positive film.
Overall: Mediocre
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Stars: Angela Bassett * Tyler Perry * Rick Fox * David Mann * Lance Gross
Story: Brenda (Bassett) is a single mom living in Chicago with three kids, including teenage son Michael Jr. (Gross) She struggles to keep her kids in a safe, loving environment with a positive focus on the future. She gets laid off from work, and as the father of the children is a deadbeat dad with another family, he refuses to support her. She is about to hit rock bottom when a letter arrives, telling her of her father whom she never met as well as her new relatives. Before traveling to Georgia for the funeral, she meets Harry (Fox) a nice man who has discovered Michael Jr.'s basketball skills and wants to coach him.
When she arrives in Georgia, she meets the eccentric family, including L.B. (Mann) who wears flashy clothes, is a prima donna and preacher, as well as other members of her father's family. Harry also lives in the area and begins to romance her. She inherits a house, but leaves to take her kids back to Chicago where she believes things will better. After Michael Jr. starts to fall into drug-dealing and gambling, he gets shot - causing her to change her mind. She returns to Georgia at the end of the film.
Review: The movie is predictable. An inner city drama as well as the appeal of black families and eccentric characters, the film combines many elements popular in urban movies. That notwithstanding, Angela Bassett puts in a solid performance as a single mother trying to do right by her children. It's familiar pap, but it's a nice positive film.
Overall: Mediocre
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Monday, July 21, 2008
Funny Games (2007)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: The young Farber family are visited by two sadistic young men playing violent games on Long Island.
Stars: Tim Roth * Naomi Watts * Michael Pitt * Brady Corbet
Story: A vacationing family - George Farber (Roth), his wife Ann (Watts) and their young son - visit their cottage on Long Island. They see their neighbors, the Thompsons, and a pair of young men that are unfamiliar. Later, the two young men (Pitt and Corbet) - using various aliases such as Peter & Paul and Tom & Jerry - pay a visit to the Farbers claiming they've been sent over by the Thompsons.
Very quickly, they start playing mental games with the Farbers by accidentally ruining a cell phone and being unsubtly rude. They ditch the facade and begin terrorizing the family, but are playful and attempt to be witty throughout the mental and psychological abuse. Young Georgie temporarily escapes, but is caught and brought back after discovering that the Thompsons are dead. Later, the pair pretend they have left and when George tries to contact the police and Ann runs for help, they catch her and return to the home.
Ann manages to kill one of the young men, but the fourth wall is broken and the young men return to the scene moments before, preventing her from doing so. They kill George as a consequence, and then take her sailing the following morning. They throw her into the water to drown and then pay a visit to another neighbour, following their m.o. of asking for eggs.
Review: The film is engrossing, allowing the viewer to believe that at given moments, the family may actually succeed in escaping from the two young men. However, this seems to represent a "funny game" that the two are having with the viewer, as Peter and Paul break the fourth wall to prevent a more optimistic outcome.
However, the film does present the two getting away with actions that they should not - the capture of Ann towards the end, in particular - so it defies logic and disbelief. As a result the film can't be viewed as anything but an exercise by the director in getting the audience's goat. The art in the film is similar to that of the torture porn genre, in that the kicks of the film seem to be that of ruining any possible enjoyment by the audience.
Overall: Good, but caveat emptor.
Premise: The young Farber family are visited by two sadistic young men playing violent games on Long Island.
Stars: Tim Roth * Naomi Watts * Michael Pitt * Brady Corbet
Story: A vacationing family - George Farber (Roth), his wife Ann (Watts) and their young son - visit their cottage on Long Island. They see their neighbors, the Thompsons, and a pair of young men that are unfamiliar. Later, the two young men (Pitt and Corbet) - using various aliases such as Peter & Paul and Tom & Jerry - pay a visit to the Farbers claiming they've been sent over by the Thompsons.
Very quickly, they start playing mental games with the Farbers by accidentally ruining a cell phone and being unsubtly rude. They ditch the facade and begin terrorizing the family, but are playful and attempt to be witty throughout the mental and psychological abuse. Young Georgie temporarily escapes, but is caught and brought back after discovering that the Thompsons are dead. Later, the pair pretend they have left and when George tries to contact the police and Ann runs for help, they catch her and return to the home.
Ann manages to kill one of the young men, but the fourth wall is broken and the young men return to the scene moments before, preventing her from doing so. They kill George as a consequence, and then take her sailing the following morning. They throw her into the water to drown and then pay a visit to another neighbour, following their m.o. of asking for eggs.
Review: The film is engrossing, allowing the viewer to believe that at given moments, the family may actually succeed in escaping from the two young men. However, this seems to represent a "funny game" that the two are having with the viewer, as Peter and Paul break the fourth wall to prevent a more optimistic outcome.
However, the film does present the two getting away with actions that they should not - the capture of Ann towards the end, in particular - so it defies logic and disbelief. As a result the film can't be viewed as anything but an exercise by the director in getting the audience's goat. The art in the film is similar to that of the torture porn genre, in that the kicks of the film seem to be that of ruining any possible enjoyment by the audience.
Overall: Good, but caveat emptor.
Vantage Point (2008)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A gimmicky film presenting an assassination attempt on the President of the United States viewed from multiple points of view - each character has an impact on the occurrences of the few hours surrounding the event.
Stars: Dennis Quaid * Forest Whitaker * William Hurt * Matthew Fox * Sigourney Weaver
Story: Dennis Quaid plays a Secret Service agent who is recalled to duty after taking a bullet on duty. His partner, Matthew Fox, is young and has a gung-ho attitude. Forest Whitaker plays an American tourist on the scene. Weaver plays a news producer covering a presentation by the President (Hurt) in Spain.
These four - and others - all have different points of view on the events surrounding an assassination attempt on the President. Eventually it turns out that Fox is a traitor aiding the assassins (some of who are actually blackmailed into performing), and Quaid must capture or kill them all, with the aid of news cameras and Whitaker's information.
Review: The film is gimmicky - it follows the events leading up to the assassination attempt from one point of view and then switches to another point of view leading up to that same time frame. Each segment is presented as "one hour earlier", "two hours earlier" etc. The switches gets old fast, and seriously affect the viewing of the film. Quaid performs as his usual self - solid and dependable but nothing special. Whitaker, Weaver, and Fox do not inspire, and Hurt is disappointing as the President - but the script does not call for inspired acting as it over-relies on the gimmick to move the film. Once the movie stops framing everything in relation to the bombing, it quickly changes to a standard by-the-numbers chase between Quaid and Fox, while the assassins capture the real President and try to kill him.
The film is driven by the gimmick, and then conveniently wraps up all of the plotlines in a jumble towards the end, resolved by circumstance and coincidence. A poorly written, jarring film that doesn't give usually dependable actors anything to work with.
Overall: Bad
Premise: A gimmicky film presenting an assassination attempt on the President of the United States viewed from multiple points of view - each character has an impact on the occurrences of the few hours surrounding the event.
Stars: Dennis Quaid * Forest Whitaker * William Hurt * Matthew Fox * Sigourney Weaver
Story: Dennis Quaid plays a Secret Service agent who is recalled to duty after taking a bullet on duty. His partner, Matthew Fox, is young and has a gung-ho attitude. Forest Whitaker plays an American tourist on the scene. Weaver plays a news producer covering a presentation by the President (Hurt) in Spain.
These four - and others - all have different points of view on the events surrounding an assassination attempt on the President. Eventually it turns out that Fox is a traitor aiding the assassins (some of who are actually blackmailed into performing), and Quaid must capture or kill them all, with the aid of news cameras and Whitaker's information.
Review: The film is gimmicky - it follows the events leading up to the assassination attempt from one point of view and then switches to another point of view leading up to that same time frame. Each segment is presented as "one hour earlier", "two hours earlier" etc. The switches gets old fast, and seriously affect the viewing of the film. Quaid performs as his usual self - solid and dependable but nothing special. Whitaker, Weaver, and Fox do not inspire, and Hurt is disappointing as the President - but the script does not call for inspired acting as it over-relies on the gimmick to move the film. Once the movie stops framing everything in relation to the bombing, it quickly changes to a standard by-the-numbers chase between Quaid and Fox, while the assassins capture the real President and try to kill him.
The film is driven by the gimmick, and then conveniently wraps up all of the plotlines in a jumble towards the end, resolved by circumstance and coincidence. A poorly written, jarring film that doesn't give usually dependable actors anything to work with.
Overall: Bad
In Bruges (2008)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: Two hitmen retire to Bruges following an assignment that went wrong, leaving one suicidal. The other receives a call from their boss to take care of the errant hit man.
Stars: Brendan Gleeson * Colin Farrell * Ralph Fiennes
Story: Two hit men Ray (Farrell) and Ken (Gleeson) travel to Bruges, Belgium after Ray accidentally kills a kid during a hit on a priest. While there, the two have witty spirited conversations about sightseeing and other topics. Ray goes out one evening and comes across a film shoot, where he meets a local thief / drug peddler and a dwarf actor. He begins a romance with the thief only to be confronted by her ex-boyfriend and partner, whom he partially blinds. He then has an evening with the dwarf and a pair of local prostitutes, inviting Ken along for the party.
The next day, Ken receives a call from their boss and his next assignment is to kill Ray for shooting the kid. Ken prepares for the job, but has a change of heart wen he finds Ray is suicidal. He sends Ray off on a train, and tells Harry (Fiennes) that he will take the consequences. Harry travels to Bruges and confronts Ken. After a discussion, he decides only to wound Ken because of his betrayal. However, when the partially blinded thief tells Harry that Ray is in Bruges, Harry shoots Ken in the neck. Ken jumps from the tower and tries to warn Ray, but dies too soon. Ray runs from Harry, and gets shot multiple times. Howevever, when shooting Ray, Harry killed the dwarf. As the dwarf was dressed in a schoolboy outfit for the movie, Harry believes he killed a kid also, and takes his own life. The movie ends with Ray in a questionable state.
Review: The film is enjoyable and reminds one of the Guy Ritchie films Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch due to its witty dialogue. A memorable scene involves the two hitmen and a family of American tourists. The two lead actors are very good - Farrell as the tormented Ray and Gleeson as the experienced and jaded Ken - and make the film worth watching. Fiennes' supporting role is strictly one-note, even with a couple of good scenes with Gleeson and Farrell.
The subplots involving a dwarf American actor who believes a race war is coming, as well as Chloe, Erik (her partner), and the woman running the hostel where the two hitmen are staying are also nicely done. Smart, tight, and witty, the film is nicely diverting entertainment.
Overall: Good
Premise: Two hitmen retire to Bruges following an assignment that went wrong, leaving one suicidal. The other receives a call from their boss to take care of the errant hit man.
Stars: Brendan Gleeson * Colin Farrell * Ralph Fiennes
Story: Two hit men Ray (Farrell) and Ken (Gleeson) travel to Bruges, Belgium after Ray accidentally kills a kid during a hit on a priest. While there, the two have witty spirited conversations about sightseeing and other topics. Ray goes out one evening and comes across a film shoot, where he meets a local thief / drug peddler and a dwarf actor. He begins a romance with the thief only to be confronted by her ex-boyfriend and partner, whom he partially blinds. He then has an evening with the dwarf and a pair of local prostitutes, inviting Ken along for the party.
The next day, Ken receives a call from their boss and his next assignment is to kill Ray for shooting the kid. Ken prepares for the job, but has a change of heart wen he finds Ray is suicidal. He sends Ray off on a train, and tells Harry (Fiennes) that he will take the consequences. Harry travels to Bruges and confronts Ken. After a discussion, he decides only to wound Ken because of his betrayal. However, when the partially blinded thief tells Harry that Ray is in Bruges, Harry shoots Ken in the neck. Ken jumps from the tower and tries to warn Ray, but dies too soon. Ray runs from Harry, and gets shot multiple times. Howevever, when shooting Ray, Harry killed the dwarf. As the dwarf was dressed in a schoolboy outfit for the movie, Harry believes he killed a kid also, and takes his own life. The movie ends with Ray in a questionable state.
Review: The film is enjoyable and reminds one of the Guy Ritchie films Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch due to its witty dialogue. A memorable scene involves the two hitmen and a family of American tourists. The two lead actors are very good - Farrell as the tormented Ray and Gleeson as the experienced and jaded Ken - and make the film worth watching. Fiennes' supporting role is strictly one-note, even with a couple of good scenes with Gleeson and Farrell.
The subplots involving a dwarf American actor who believes a race war is coming, as well as Chloe, Erik (her partner), and the woman running the hostel where the two hitmen are staying are also nicely done. Smart, tight, and witty, the film is nicely diverting entertainment.
Overall: Good
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Posse (1993)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rottten Tomatoes
Premise: A Spanish-American War veteran robs a villainous colonel and heads to the American West with his friends, only to be hounded by the colonel & his goons as well as ghosts of the veteran's past.
Stars: Mario van Peebles * Stephen Baldwin * Tiny Lister * Billy Zane * Tone Loc * Blair Underwood * Big Daddy Kane * Richard Jordan
Story: Jesse Lee (Peebles) is a soldier under the command of Colonel Graham (Zane) in the Cuban field during the Spanish-American War. Graham orders Lee to rob a Spanish gold shipment, and then attempts to kill him after the robbery is successful. Lee survives the attack with the aid of his squad and they flee to New Orleans, hoping to lose Graham and his men.
In New Orleans, J (Baldwin) meets up with a fellow gambler, Father Time (Kane) and they both are forced to flee when Kane is discovered cheating at cards. They return to the other men, only to be confronted by Graham and his men. One squad member (Loc) dies, but the rest escape and head off to find Lee in the American West where Lee's family has roots. The gang (now calling themselves a posse - in the modern sense of the word, but not the legal term) reach Freemanville. It's a town settled by ex-slaves and other black folk, only it's constantly threatened by a neighboring white town and its sheriff (Jordan).
Lee and the posse get comfortable with the residents, and Lee rekindles an old love and a rivalry with a family friend. Lee has to deal with a former friend (Underwood) who has sold out to the whites for money and land. The sheriff and his deputies - the local KKK - as well as Graham and his henchmen all converge on the town, forcing a showdown with the gang and their new compatriots.
Review: A not-bad effort by Peebles, who is taking a political and historical stance with the film in order to promote the history of black cowboys and settlers who are often overlooked. The film is entertaining, but tries to put too many twists on a proven formula. There's the main character which is a take on Clint Eastwood's Josey Wales. There's the gang which is a take on any number of modern black films - the gamblers, the strong loyal man, the bookish black servant, the womanizer. There's the typical villain who is out for his gold and revenge. There's the KKK and the corrupt law in the West. There's the love affair with a half-Native/half-black woman. Any number of these could've been brought together to make a cohesive film. That Peebles tries to work them all in and bookend them with a historical perspective can be admired, but the film suffers for it.
Peebles himself is a successful character actor, but rarely does a film work well with his leaden acting. Several scenes occur that pull you out of the movie: all of the over-effected flashback scenes, extended shots where subtler effects could've produced a tighter film, and the heavy-handed dialogue by Kane and Baldwin (during moments of exposition or foreshadowing).
The movie is not horrible, but it's not really that good either. Watch it for a perspective that is not often presented, and do some more reading. Look for appearances by Isaac Hayes, Pam Grier, Melvin van Peebles and Nipsey Russell as town residents.
Overall: Mediocre
Premise: A Spanish-American War veteran robs a villainous colonel and heads to the American West with his friends, only to be hounded by the colonel & his goons as well as ghosts of the veteran's past.
Stars: Mario van Peebles * Stephen Baldwin * Tiny Lister * Billy Zane * Tone Loc * Blair Underwood * Big Daddy Kane * Richard Jordan
Story: Jesse Lee (Peebles) is a soldier under the command of Colonel Graham (Zane) in the Cuban field during the Spanish-American War. Graham orders Lee to rob a Spanish gold shipment, and then attempts to kill him after the robbery is successful. Lee survives the attack with the aid of his squad and they flee to New Orleans, hoping to lose Graham and his men.
In New Orleans, J (Baldwin) meets up with a fellow gambler, Father Time (Kane) and they both are forced to flee when Kane is discovered cheating at cards. They return to the other men, only to be confronted by Graham and his men. One squad member (Loc) dies, but the rest escape and head off to find Lee in the American West where Lee's family has roots. The gang (now calling themselves a posse - in the modern sense of the word, but not the legal term) reach Freemanville. It's a town settled by ex-slaves and other black folk, only it's constantly threatened by a neighboring white town and its sheriff (Jordan).
Lee and the posse get comfortable with the residents, and Lee rekindles an old love and a rivalry with a family friend. Lee has to deal with a former friend (Underwood) who has sold out to the whites for money and land. The sheriff and his deputies - the local KKK - as well as Graham and his henchmen all converge on the town, forcing a showdown with the gang and their new compatriots.
Review: A not-bad effort by Peebles, who is taking a political and historical stance with the film in order to promote the history of black cowboys and settlers who are often overlooked. The film is entertaining, but tries to put too many twists on a proven formula. There's the main character which is a take on Clint Eastwood's Josey Wales. There's the gang which is a take on any number of modern black films - the gamblers, the strong loyal man, the bookish black servant, the womanizer. There's the typical villain who is out for his gold and revenge. There's the KKK and the corrupt law in the West. There's the love affair with a half-Native/half-black woman. Any number of these could've been brought together to make a cohesive film. That Peebles tries to work them all in and bookend them with a historical perspective can be admired, but the film suffers for it.
Peebles himself is a successful character actor, but rarely does a film work well with his leaden acting. Several scenes occur that pull you out of the movie: all of the over-effected flashback scenes, extended shots where subtler effects could've produced a tighter film, and the heavy-handed dialogue by Kane and Baldwin (during moments of exposition or foreshadowing).
The movie is not horrible, but it's not really that good either. Watch it for a perspective that is not often presented, and do some more reading. Look for appearances by Isaac Hayes, Pam Grier, Melvin van Peebles and Nipsey Russell as town residents.
Overall: Mediocre
The Sitter (2007)
Links: IMDb * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A family hires a babysitter with a secret history.
Story: A well-to-do family hires a new babysitter off the Internet when the mother decides to go back to work. The sitter instantly bonds with the children, but the neighbors and friends of the family start suspecting something is not all-there with the babysitter after other friends start disappearing.
Review: A made-for-TV film (originally entitled When the Children Sleep) that shows its lack of polish. The story is the same as previous entries (The Hand that Rocks the Cradle is a much better story) in this genre. Change the connection in the past to fit a younger woman, update the surrounding details to the Internet age, and you get the film. There's not much in the way of suspense, as the victims are telegraphed before the actions occur.
Overall: Bad
Premise: A family hires a babysitter with a secret history.
Story: A well-to-do family hires a new babysitter off the Internet when the mother decides to go back to work. The sitter instantly bonds with the children, but the neighbors and friends of the family start suspecting something is not all-there with the babysitter after other friends start disappearing.
Review: A made-for-TV film (originally entitled When the Children Sleep) that shows its lack of polish. The story is the same as previous entries (The Hand that Rocks the Cradle is a much better story) in this genre. Change the connection in the past to fit a younger woman, update the surrounding details to the Internet age, and you get the film. There's not much in the way of suspense, as the victims are telegraphed before the actions occur.
Overall: Bad
Drillbit Taylor (2008)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: Three boys starting their freshman year in high school suffer abuse at the hands of a couple of bullies and hire a bodyguard to protect them.
Stars: Owen Wilson * Leslie Mann * Danny McBride
Story: Friends Wade and Ryan are freshmen who on their first day of school attract the attention of two bullies by standing up for a small boy getting stuffed in his locker. After all three receive repeated harassment, they decide to hire a bodyguard. A homeless US Army deserter named Drillbit Taylor (Wilson) answers the call, and since he's the cheapest, they hire him.
Taylor looks at the boys as an opportunity and begins stealing items from them in order to pawn them for money. He begins to bond with them, faking a substitute teacher position in the school while he flirts with a real teacher (Mann). Eventually, the truth about his thievery catches up to him, as well as his past as a deserter. He helps the boys stand up to the bullies and takes his punishment for his actions and history, becoming a better man.
Review: While it has its moments, it's not high on the roster of Apatow-produced films. The dialogue reminds one of Superbad and Freaks and Geeks, but the plot is pretty predictable and no performances really stand out. While the kids are enjoyable, it's a pretty mediocre film.
There is an enjoyable cameo by Adam Baldwin, one of the stars of the seminal My Bodyguard from the early 1980s.
Overall: Mediocre
Premise: Three boys starting their freshman year in high school suffer abuse at the hands of a couple of bullies and hire a bodyguard to protect them.
Stars: Owen Wilson * Leslie Mann * Danny McBride
Story: Friends Wade and Ryan are freshmen who on their first day of school attract the attention of two bullies by standing up for a small boy getting stuffed in his locker. After all three receive repeated harassment, they decide to hire a bodyguard. A homeless US Army deserter named Drillbit Taylor (Wilson) answers the call, and since he's the cheapest, they hire him.
Taylor looks at the boys as an opportunity and begins stealing items from them in order to pawn them for money. He begins to bond with them, faking a substitute teacher position in the school while he flirts with a real teacher (Mann). Eventually, the truth about his thievery catches up to him, as well as his past as a deserter. He helps the boys stand up to the bullies and takes his punishment for his actions and history, becoming a better man.
Review: While it has its moments, it's not high on the roster of Apatow-produced films. The dialogue reminds one of Superbad and Freaks and Geeks, but the plot is pretty predictable and no performances really stand out. While the kids are enjoyable, it's a pretty mediocre film.
There is an enjoyable cameo by Adam Baldwin, one of the stars of the seminal My Bodyguard from the early 1980s.
Overall: Mediocre
Saturday, July 19, 2008
The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A troubled family inherits a house with a secret - a book that contains the secrets to the invisible world of faeries and goblins.
Stars: Mary-Louise Parker * Freddie Highmore * Sarah Bolger * Nick Nolte * Seth Rogen (voice) * David Strathairn * Joan Plowright * Martin Short (voice)
Story: Simon and Jared Grace (Highmore), their sister Mallory (Bolger) and mother Helen (Parker) pack up their things and move to an inherited home. Jared discovers a book by Spiderwick (Strathairn) that describes the hidden beings that inhabit the world, which leads to one of the evil beings of that world - the ogre Mulgarath (Nick Nolte) - coming after him and his family.
Review: The special effects are eye-catching - the fairies, the sylphs, even the goblins - but after a decade now of Harry Potter, Star Wars prequels, Lord of the Rings, Narnia, etc. effects are no longer the attention-grabbing definition of a movie that some seem to believe they are. This film relies on a children's book but loses a lot of the wonder that seems to define children's movies. Even though they are entertaining, effects just can't make a movie by themselves. They should be used to enhance a film.
Highmore is definitely distracting when playing the roles of the twins. His performance as Simon is flat and uninvolving, while that of Jared appears to make the character have disconnected personalities. Sarah Bolger as the older sister does well, but Mary-Louise Parker seems miscast. As effects can't carry a movie by themselves, a decent performance by one family member can't do the supposed difficulties they are going through well enough.
I'd recommend it for the effects alone, simply because they are nice to see, but the movie falls flat. The only real delights are Hogsqueal the hobgoblin (Rogen) and Thimbletack the Brownie (Short), but like I said, they and Bolger can't carry the film by themselves.
Overall: Bad
Premise: A troubled family inherits a house with a secret - a book that contains the secrets to the invisible world of faeries and goblins.
Stars: Mary-Louise Parker * Freddie Highmore * Sarah Bolger * Nick Nolte * Seth Rogen (voice) * David Strathairn * Joan Plowright * Martin Short (voice)
Story: Simon and Jared Grace (Highmore), their sister Mallory (Bolger) and mother Helen (Parker) pack up their things and move to an inherited home. Jared discovers a book by Spiderwick (Strathairn) that describes the hidden beings that inhabit the world, which leads to one of the evil beings of that world - the ogre Mulgarath (Nick Nolte) - coming after him and his family.
Review: The special effects are eye-catching - the fairies, the sylphs, even the goblins - but after a decade now of Harry Potter, Star Wars prequels, Lord of the Rings, Narnia, etc. effects are no longer the attention-grabbing definition of a movie that some seem to believe they are. This film relies on a children's book but loses a lot of the wonder that seems to define children's movies. Even though they are entertaining, effects just can't make a movie by themselves. They should be used to enhance a film.
Highmore is definitely distracting when playing the roles of the twins. His performance as Simon is flat and uninvolving, while that of Jared appears to make the character have disconnected personalities. Sarah Bolger as the older sister does well, but Mary-Louise Parker seems miscast. As effects can't carry a movie by themselves, a decent performance by one family member can't do the supposed difficulties they are going through well enough.
I'd recommend it for the effects alone, simply because they are nice to see, but the movie falls flat. The only real delights are Hogsqueal the hobgoblin (Rogen) and Thimbletack the Brownie (Short), but like I said, they and Bolger can't carry the film by themselves.
Overall: Bad
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A son leaves home and becomes a success. Heading back for his parents' wedding anniversary, sibling rivalries as well as new and old skeletons lead to comedy and life lessons.
Stars: Cedric the Entertainer * Martin Lawrence * James Earl Jones * Michael Clarke Duncan * Michael Epps * Mo'Nique
Story: Roscoe Jenkins (Lawrence) has left home and become a successful talk show host and author of a self-help book. After seven years, he's heading back home for his parents' wedding anniversary with a new fiancee and a son from a previous marriage.
He harbors a competitive streak with his cousin Clyde (Cedric) and resents his family - his brothers (Duncan and Epps) and sister (Mo'Nique) - as he feels that Clyde replaced him in everyone's hearts, especially his father (Jones). His return home is to prove to everyone that he's become successful and didn't need any of them. He's even taken to calling himself RJ Stevens, changing his name. His fiancee Bianca (Joy Bryant) is also very competitive, pushing the two of them into conflicts with his siblings and Clyde, culminating in him losing face in front of everyone as even his own son becomes embarassed by him.
There's also a story of an unrequited love that haunts RJ - he wanted to date Lucinda, but Clyde reneged on a bet and stole that date and his love.
Eventually there is an epiphany and a resolution to all of the recriminations and struggles and the family comes together.
Review: A funny film, but one that doesn't really surprise. There's nothing here but a paint-by-the-numbers collection of performances by all involved. It will make you laugh occasionally, but it's easily predictable.
Overall: Mediocre
Premise: A son leaves home and becomes a success. Heading back for his parents' wedding anniversary, sibling rivalries as well as new and old skeletons lead to comedy and life lessons.
Stars: Cedric the Entertainer * Martin Lawrence * James Earl Jones * Michael Clarke Duncan * Michael Epps * Mo'Nique
Story: Roscoe Jenkins (Lawrence) has left home and become a successful talk show host and author of a self-help book. After seven years, he's heading back home for his parents' wedding anniversary with a new fiancee and a son from a previous marriage.
He harbors a competitive streak with his cousin Clyde (Cedric) and resents his family - his brothers (Duncan and Epps) and sister (Mo'Nique) - as he feels that Clyde replaced him in everyone's hearts, especially his father (Jones). His return home is to prove to everyone that he's become successful and didn't need any of them. He's even taken to calling himself RJ Stevens, changing his name. His fiancee Bianca (Joy Bryant) is also very competitive, pushing the two of them into conflicts with his siblings and Clyde, culminating in him losing face in front of everyone as even his own son becomes embarassed by him.
There's also a story of an unrequited love that haunts RJ - he wanted to date Lucinda, but Clyde reneged on a bet and stole that date and his love.
Eventually there is an epiphany and a resolution to all of the recriminations and struggles and the family comes together.
Review: A funny film, but one that doesn't really surprise. There's nothing here but a paint-by-the-numbers collection of performances by all involved. It will make you laugh occasionally, but it's easily predictable.
Overall: Mediocre
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Georgia Rule (2007)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A rebellious daughter is packed off to live with her grandmother when her mom can't control her any longer. As she stays in the country, the daughter reveals her pain and learns to move forward.
Stars: Jane Fonda * Felicity Huffman * Lindsay Lohan * Cary Elwes * Dermot Mulroney
The story: Rachel (Lohan) is a rebellious daughter who's broken the final straw: wrecking a new car given to her by her stepfather. Her mother Lily (Huffman), an alcoholic and also self-destructive, takes her from California to Idaho, to live with her grandmother Georgia (Fonda).
Once there, the rebellious teenager flirts and tries to seduce two men, Harlan and Simon. Harlan, presented as a young, naive and innocent Mormon about to go on a two-year missionary trip, falls victim to her big-city charms. Simon, more experienced and wiser in the ways of the world, resists her charm and remains true to his nature.
She also struggles with inner demons - being molested by her stepfather (Elwes) - and learns to move beyond the past with the assistance of Harlan, Simon and her grandmother. When she reveals the truth, her mother leaves her husband and comes back, attempting to reconcile with her daughter. But, being miserable herself, she continues drinking.
Eventually, all three come together as Lily discovers the truth when Arnold gives Rachel his prized Ferrari as a bribe to keep quiet.
Review: Sold as a comedy and a feel-good movie, this film is about incest and sexual abuse. If it did not have the approach of Garry Marshall - it's advertised as being 'from the director of Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries' (both of which are decent) - and was taken as a serious drama film, it might have been worth watching. Instead, moments that are designed to be humourous are distracting and badly misplaced.
Fonda is nice, but given the role of a rock as Georgia, there's not much more than the 'crusty old country grandma/mom' the role calls for. Huffman is definitely wasted, and Lohan proved she was on a downward spiral. If her attempts at seduction are supposed to be humourous, again, they do a disservice to the film, but they are laughable - terribly unfunny but laughable.
I wonder what a serious take on this idea could've looked like.
Overall: Bad.
Premise: A rebellious daughter is packed off to live with her grandmother when her mom can't control her any longer. As she stays in the country, the daughter reveals her pain and learns to move forward.
Stars: Jane Fonda * Felicity Huffman * Lindsay Lohan * Cary Elwes * Dermot Mulroney
The story: Rachel (Lohan) is a rebellious daughter who's broken the final straw: wrecking a new car given to her by her stepfather. Her mother Lily (Huffman), an alcoholic and also self-destructive, takes her from California to Idaho, to live with her grandmother Georgia (Fonda).
Once there, the rebellious teenager flirts and tries to seduce two men, Harlan and Simon. Harlan, presented as a young, naive and innocent Mormon about to go on a two-year missionary trip, falls victim to her big-city charms. Simon, more experienced and wiser in the ways of the world, resists her charm and remains true to his nature.
She also struggles with inner demons - being molested by her stepfather (Elwes) - and learns to move beyond the past with the assistance of Harlan, Simon and her grandmother. When she reveals the truth, her mother leaves her husband and comes back, attempting to reconcile with her daughter. But, being miserable herself, she continues drinking.
Eventually, all three come together as Lily discovers the truth when Arnold gives Rachel his prized Ferrari as a bribe to keep quiet.
Review: Sold as a comedy and a feel-good movie, this film is about incest and sexual abuse. If it did not have the approach of Garry Marshall - it's advertised as being 'from the director of Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries' (both of which are decent) - and was taken as a serious drama film, it might have been worth watching. Instead, moments that are designed to be humourous are distracting and badly misplaced.
Fonda is nice, but given the role of a rock as Georgia, there's not much more than the 'crusty old country grandma/mom' the role calls for. Huffman is definitely wasted, and Lohan proved she was on a downward spiral. If her attempts at seduction are supposed to be humourous, again, they do a disservice to the film, but they are laughable - terribly unfunny but laughable.
I wonder what a serious take on this idea could've looked like.
Overall: Bad.
Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A middle-aged woman with a lack of self-respect and a lackluster life finds friendship and self-discovery with the help of an elderly woman and the tales of her youth.
Stars: Jessica Tandy * Kathy Bates * Mary-Louise Parker * Mary Stuart Masterson * Chris O'Donnell
The story: Evelyn (Bates) meets Ninny (Tandy) in a nursing home. Evelyn is in a depression and living an unfulfilling life. As she relates her own story to the older woman, Ninny begins telling Evelyn of the story of her youth - concerning Idgie (Masterson) and Ruth (Parker). Living in the South during the 30s, Ruth was in love with Idgie's brother Buddy (O'Donnell) until he was killed in an accident with a train. The two girls continued bonding together, and survived the Klan and Ruth's abusive husband. They formed a business together - the Whistle-Stop Cafe which has since inspired real-life restaurants - and raised Ruth's son together.
Ninny's stories inspire Evelyn to begin standing up for herself instead of being a pushover. She also begins to take interest in her own life again, working out and talking to her husband.
Review: Somehow I missed this back when it came out - I try to avoid 'chick flicks' as much as possible. But, after watching it, I have to admit it, I liked it.
Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy are great together. Same for Parker and Masterson. The acting is terrific. While the supporting cast seems ready-made for stereotypical behaviours - the southern tomboy, the black housekeeper, the gentle strong black farmhand/cook, the Klan, etc. - the chemistry between the two pairs of leads drives the movie and makes it a nice film to watch.
Overall: Good
Premise: A middle-aged woman with a lack of self-respect and a lackluster life finds friendship and self-discovery with the help of an elderly woman and the tales of her youth.
Stars: Jessica Tandy * Kathy Bates * Mary-Louise Parker * Mary Stuart Masterson * Chris O'Donnell
The story: Evelyn (Bates) meets Ninny (Tandy) in a nursing home. Evelyn is in a depression and living an unfulfilling life. As she relates her own story to the older woman, Ninny begins telling Evelyn of the story of her youth - concerning Idgie (Masterson) and Ruth (Parker). Living in the South during the 30s, Ruth was in love with Idgie's brother Buddy (O'Donnell) until he was killed in an accident with a train. The two girls continued bonding together, and survived the Klan and Ruth's abusive husband. They formed a business together - the Whistle-Stop Cafe which has since inspired real-life restaurants - and raised Ruth's son together.
Ninny's stories inspire Evelyn to begin standing up for herself instead of being a pushover. She also begins to take interest in her own life again, working out and talking to her husband.
Review: Somehow I missed this back when it came out - I try to avoid 'chick flicks' as much as possible. But, after watching it, I have to admit it, I liked it.
Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy are great together. Same for Parker and Masterson. The acting is terrific. While the supporting cast seems ready-made for stereotypical behaviours - the southern tomboy, the black housekeeper, the gentle strong black farmhand/cook, the Klan, etc. - the chemistry between the two pairs of leads drives the movie and makes it a nice film to watch.
Overall: Good
Monday, July 14, 2008
Meet the Robinsons (2007)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A young orphan gets a glimpse of the family he wants to have, but is focused on finding his past.
Review: A decent animated film where the impossible seems possible and you have to let go of what holds you back in order to move towards the future your dreams are made of.
Lewis is a young boy who was abandoned at an orphanage by his mother. He grows up as a science whiz, dreaming of trying to find his mother. During a science fair, he meets a villain from the future who wants to ruin his life, but is saved by another young boy about his age - Wilbur, also from the future. Wilbur takes Lewis back to meet his family, and discovers things about himself and those around him in the present, by seeing a possible outcome of his actions.
He learns to appreciate what is around him, to let go of the past, and look forward.
The film is pretty straight-forward, the animation is good, and the characters are somewhat memorable - the Bowler Hat Guy, DOR-15, the Robinsons themselves - although in the futuristic type animated films, it seems like a Disney-fied version of the Jimmy Neutron movie and series.
Overall: Mediocre
Premise: A young orphan gets a glimpse of the family he wants to have, but is focused on finding his past.
Review: A decent animated film where the impossible seems possible and you have to let go of what holds you back in order to move towards the future your dreams are made of.
Lewis is a young boy who was abandoned at an orphanage by his mother. He grows up as a science whiz, dreaming of trying to find his mother. During a science fair, he meets a villain from the future who wants to ruin his life, but is saved by another young boy about his age - Wilbur, also from the future. Wilbur takes Lewis back to meet his family, and discovers things about himself and those around him in the present, by seeing a possible outcome of his actions.
He learns to appreciate what is around him, to let go of the past, and look forward.
The film is pretty straight-forward, the animation is good, and the characters are somewhat memorable - the Bowler Hat Guy, DOR-15, the Robinsons themselves - although in the futuristic type animated films, it seems like a Disney-fied version of the Jimmy Neutron movie and series.
Overall: Mediocre
definitely, maybe (2007)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: After a school sex ed class, a young girl asks her father how she came to be, and he tells of the three great love affairs in his life.
Director: Adam Brooks
Stars: Ryan Reynolds * Abigail Breslin * Rachel Weisz * Elizabeth Banks * Isla Fisher * Kevin Kline
Review: A surprise. A pleasant one.
The chemistry between the two leads - Breslin and Reynolds - is quite refreshing. Reynolds normally delivers in his roles - from Van Wilder to the remake of The Amityville Horror to Waiting - and while he excels in comedy, it is nice to see a change of pace from him. Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine herself - is also charming as Maya, his daughter in the film.
The three love affairs - Banks, Weisz and Fisher - are all presented as a tale to his daughter, but also are quite charming in and of themselves. The story is presented by Will to his daughter in order that she can know what love is, in order to placate her interest in sexual education - provoked by an earlier school lesson. In telling the story of his life's adventures, his daughter learns of her mother's relationship with her father, as well as who Will really is in love with.
The three actresses are all excellent in their parts, as Banks is the first true love that he experiences and then loses; Weisz plays the brainy, passionate affair during his early years in New York; and Fisher is the smouldering affair that is unrealized until later, although moments are clear clues to all but William.
An entertaining appearance by Kevin Kline as an acerbic mentor to Weisz's reporter-on-the-move lightens the movie slightly early on, but also prods the growth necessary for both Weisz and Reynolds later in the film.
A pleasant, moving film that definitely entertains.
Overall: Good
Premise: After a school sex ed class, a young girl asks her father how she came to be, and he tells of the three great love affairs in his life.
Director: Adam Brooks
Stars: Ryan Reynolds * Abigail Breslin * Rachel Weisz * Elizabeth Banks * Isla Fisher * Kevin Kline
Review: A surprise. A pleasant one.
The chemistry between the two leads - Breslin and Reynolds - is quite refreshing. Reynolds normally delivers in his roles - from Van Wilder to the remake of The Amityville Horror to Waiting - and while he excels in comedy, it is nice to see a change of pace from him. Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine herself - is also charming as Maya, his daughter in the film.
The three love affairs - Banks, Weisz and Fisher - are all presented as a tale to his daughter, but also are quite charming in and of themselves. The story is presented by Will to his daughter in order that she can know what love is, in order to placate her interest in sexual education - provoked by an earlier school lesson. In telling the story of his life's adventures, his daughter learns of her mother's relationship with her father, as well as who Will really is in love with.
The three actresses are all excellent in their parts, as Banks is the first true love that he experiences and then loses; Weisz plays the brainy, passionate affair during his early years in New York; and Fisher is the smouldering affair that is unrealized until later, although moments are clear clues to all but William.
An entertaining appearance by Kevin Kline as an acerbic mentor to Weisz's reporter-on-the-move lightens the movie slightly early on, but also prods the growth necessary for both Weisz and Reynolds later in the film.
A pleasant, moving film that definitely entertains.
Overall: Good
Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A girl who fled the countryside to make something out of herself in New York City has to return home to clear up some skeletons in the closet before getting married.
Stars: Reese Witherspoon * Patrick Dempsey * Fred Ward * Candice Bergen * Josh Lucas
Review: Overblown hyperbolic caricatures surround the three main cast members - Dempsey, Witherspoon, and Lucas. Witherspoon - a capable actress given the right script and cast (Fear and Legally Blonde are perhaps her best roles, imo) - is given little to play off in Dempsey's character, leading the audience to know from the start which way her heart leads. It doesn't help that her skeleton - a husband she left some seven years ago in what can only be an allusion to 'The Seven Year Itch' as the time difference played no realistic role in their relationship - is a husband who was also her childhood sweetheart.
Lucas plays the country-born jilted ex-lover to a great degree, but literally has no chemistry with Witherspoon. Dempsey - the fiancee - does little besides act as a cause for Witherspoon's bickering with Lucas.
Add in stereotypes: the gay country lad who hides his secret but then is outed by one of his supposed 'best friends' during a drunken tizzy; the bar/pool scene with Sweet Home Alabama by Skynyrd in the background; the fat man with a supposedly comic mullet; the childhood friend who's now the local sheriff; the big-city mayor with a secret bias against country-folk; the old faithful hound dog who died while the main character was gone and his replacement; the husband's got a secret passion that's moving him beyond his country roots; the father with a penchant for Civil War re-enactments; the giving mother who dreamed of bigger things for her daughter than being stuck in BFE.... there are more.
It's like the writers just grabbed different items that sounded good, threw them in a blender and hit frappe'.
Overall: Bad
Premise: A girl who fled the countryside to make something out of herself in New York City has to return home to clear up some skeletons in the closet before getting married.
Stars: Reese Witherspoon * Patrick Dempsey * Fred Ward * Candice Bergen * Josh Lucas
Review: Overblown hyperbolic caricatures surround the three main cast members - Dempsey, Witherspoon, and Lucas. Witherspoon - a capable actress given the right script and cast (Fear and Legally Blonde are perhaps her best roles, imo) - is given little to play off in Dempsey's character, leading the audience to know from the start which way her heart leads. It doesn't help that her skeleton - a husband she left some seven years ago in what can only be an allusion to 'The Seven Year Itch' as the time difference played no realistic role in their relationship - is a husband who was also her childhood sweetheart.
Lucas plays the country-born jilted ex-lover to a great degree, but literally has no chemistry with Witherspoon. Dempsey - the fiancee - does little besides act as a cause for Witherspoon's bickering with Lucas.
Add in stereotypes: the gay country lad who hides his secret but then is outed by one of his supposed 'best friends' during a drunken tizzy; the bar/pool scene with Sweet Home Alabama by Skynyrd in the background; the fat man with a supposedly comic mullet; the childhood friend who's now the local sheriff; the big-city mayor with a secret bias against country-folk; the old faithful hound dog who died while the main character was gone and his replacement; the husband's got a secret passion that's moving him beyond his country roots; the father with a penchant for Civil War re-enactments; the giving mother who dreamed of bigger things for her daughter than being stuck in BFE.... there are more.
It's like the writers just grabbed different items that sounded good, threw them in a blender and hit frappe'.
Overall: Bad
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: Hellboy and the BPRD have to save mankind from a vengeance-driven elf prince who threatens to unleash an unstoppable army.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Ron Perlman * Selma Blair * Doug Jones * John Hurt * Jeffrey Tambor * Luke Goss * Anna Walton * Seth MacFarlane
Review: Another amazing achievement for Guillermo del Toro.
Hellboy (Perlman), Liz (Blair), Abe (Jones) and the rest of the BPRD investigate an attack by tooth fairies and follow a trail of leads to a vengeance-driven Prince Nuada (Goss) who feels that humanity has broken an ancient truce and must be stopped. Along the way, a fourth member, Johann Strauss (voiced by MacFarlane), joins the crew, replacing Manning (Tambor). Princess Nuala (Walton), twin to Nuada, seeks their protection in order to prevent her brother from achieving his aims.
There are humourous moments - especially when Hellboy and Abe get drunk over the fact that they're both in love and the women they love are driving them crazy - and tragic moments - when Hellboy faces the last of the forest gods and has to decide between humanity or his "kind" (the supernatural races). The fight scenes are more dynamic and entertaining than the first film (Mr. Wink vs Hellboy definitely beats the Sammael vs Hellboy fight). The humour in the fight between Strauss and Hellboy is not to be missed.
Del Toro allows the visual imagery of the fantastical to further evolve - the Tooth Fairies, Mr. Wink, the Fragglewump, the Chamberlain, the Angel of Death, Cathedralhead, etc. - all build upon characters and artistic work done for previous films; one can easily see the influence of characters from Pan's Labyrinth upon the gallery of creatures presented in this film. Long spindly fingers, eyes detached from heads and placed in interesting locations, man-in-suit characters as opposed to pure CGI creations, etc. abound in the film.
Other influences also appear - the eye candy in the movie is appropriate to the genre: the forest god easily brings to mind films such as Princess Mononoke by Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki; the destruction of a source of power at the end of the movie brings to mind the Lord of the Rings; the fighting style of Prince Nuala reminds one of any number of kung fu films from the Jet Li or Jackie Chan era - Once Upon a Time in China, etc.
While the film may not make as much bank as direct mainstream films may - Iron Man, etc. - the film is true to both the nature of Hellboy himself and the vision of del Toro. Truly an artistic achievement.
Overall: Good
Premise: Hellboy and the BPRD have to save mankind from a vengeance-driven elf prince who threatens to unleash an unstoppable army.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Ron Perlman * Selma Blair * Doug Jones * John Hurt * Jeffrey Tambor * Luke Goss * Anna Walton * Seth MacFarlane
Review: Another amazing achievement for Guillermo del Toro.
Hellboy (Perlman), Liz (Blair), Abe (Jones) and the rest of the BPRD investigate an attack by tooth fairies and follow a trail of leads to a vengeance-driven Prince Nuada (Goss) who feels that humanity has broken an ancient truce and must be stopped. Along the way, a fourth member, Johann Strauss (voiced by MacFarlane), joins the crew, replacing Manning (Tambor). Princess Nuala (Walton), twin to Nuada, seeks their protection in order to prevent her brother from achieving his aims.
There are humourous moments - especially when Hellboy and Abe get drunk over the fact that they're both in love and the women they love are driving them crazy - and tragic moments - when Hellboy faces the last of the forest gods and has to decide between humanity or his "kind" (the supernatural races). The fight scenes are more dynamic and entertaining than the first film (Mr. Wink vs Hellboy definitely beats the Sammael vs Hellboy fight). The humour in the fight between Strauss and Hellboy is not to be missed.
Del Toro allows the visual imagery of the fantastical to further evolve - the Tooth Fairies, Mr. Wink, the Fragglewump, the Chamberlain, the Angel of Death, Cathedralhead, etc. - all build upon characters and artistic work done for previous films; one can easily see the influence of characters from Pan's Labyrinth upon the gallery of creatures presented in this film. Long spindly fingers, eyes detached from heads and placed in interesting locations, man-in-suit characters as opposed to pure CGI creations, etc. abound in the film.
Other influences also appear - the eye candy in the movie is appropriate to the genre: the forest god easily brings to mind films such as Princess Mononoke by Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki; the destruction of a source of power at the end of the movie brings to mind the Lord of the Rings; the fighting style of Prince Nuala reminds one of any number of kung fu films from the Jet Li or Jackie Chan era - Once Upon a Time in China, etc.
While the film may not make as much bank as direct mainstream films may - Iron Man, etc. - the film is true to both the nature of Hellboy himself and the vision of del Toro. Truly an artistic achievement.
Overall: Good
Disturbia (2007)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A grieving teenager under house arrest discovers that a serial killer may be living next door.
Stars: Shia LaBeouf * Sarah Roemer * Carrie-Anne Moss * David Morse
Review: A taut modernization of the classic Rear Window with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. Kale (LaBeouf) is under house arrest after punching a teacher who provoked him. He and a friend spy on a new neighbor, Ashley (Roemer) and start watching another neighbor, Turner (Morse) who may or may not be a serial killer. When caught spying by Ashley, she decides to join their duo and they undertake a lot of effort to find out what Turner is up to. Several clues lead them to confront the killer, who convinces the cops that Kale is the problem. Turner decides to use the snooping Kale as the fall guy to remove all of them from the picture.
LaBeouf is consistently proving himself as a young actor. The dynamic set up by the plot with his friends and Turner, as well as his own dealing with the loss of his father (in a car accident Kale believes he's responsible for) are portrayed with great skill by the young actor. Roemer and Aaron Yoo (his friend Ronnie) are great foils as the love interest and the best friend. The music in the film does not overpower the acting, making for a nice combination when it comes to pushing the movie along.
Easily recommended.
Overall: Good
Premise: A grieving teenager under house arrest discovers that a serial killer may be living next door.
Stars: Shia LaBeouf * Sarah Roemer * Carrie-Anne Moss * David Morse
Review: A taut modernization of the classic Rear Window with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. Kale (LaBeouf) is under house arrest after punching a teacher who provoked him. He and a friend spy on a new neighbor, Ashley (Roemer) and start watching another neighbor, Turner (Morse) who may or may not be a serial killer. When caught spying by Ashley, she decides to join their duo and they undertake a lot of effort to find out what Turner is up to. Several clues lead them to confront the killer, who convinces the cops that Kale is the problem. Turner decides to use the snooping Kale as the fall guy to remove all of them from the picture.
LaBeouf is consistently proving himself as a young actor. The dynamic set up by the plot with his friends and Turner, as well as his own dealing with the loss of his father (in a car accident Kale believes he's responsible for) are portrayed with great skill by the young actor. Roemer and Aaron Yoo (his friend Ronnie) are great foils as the love interest and the best friend. The music in the film does not overpower the acting, making for a nice combination when it comes to pushing the movie along.
Easily recommended.
Overall: Good
Friday, July 11, 2008
Boys Don't Cry (1999)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A retelling of the life of a girl with a sexual identity crisis in Nebraska and her murder.
Stars: Chloe Sevigny * Peter Sarsgaard * Hilary Swank
Review: An excellent character study, even if the movie itself is flawed.
Brandon Teena (Swank) is a young man in Nebraska who has a secret - he's actually a she, named Teena Brandon, who has a sexual identity crisis. He falls in with a couple of ex-cons and their group of friends, and falls in love with a girl, Lana (Sevigny). This presents a problem - Lotter (Sarsgaard) feels betrayed and emasculated, leading him to rape the young man and eventually murder him when that rape is discovered.
Sarsgaard, Swank, and Sevigny all play excellent roles in the movie, which has a sense of foreshadowing for those who know the true life story of Brandon/Teena from the news. Even with foreknowledge, one still hopes Brandon/Teena can get his/her life together before the tragic ending.
All based-on-true-events films play a little fast-and-loose with the facts concerning the original story, and several controversies erupted when the film was released, but that does not detract from the excellent work done here.
Overall: Good
Premise: A retelling of the life of a girl with a sexual identity crisis in Nebraska and her murder.
Stars: Chloe Sevigny * Peter Sarsgaard * Hilary Swank
Review: An excellent character study, even if the movie itself is flawed.
Brandon Teena (Swank) is a young man in Nebraska who has a secret - he's actually a she, named Teena Brandon, who has a sexual identity crisis. He falls in with a couple of ex-cons and their group of friends, and falls in love with a girl, Lana (Sevigny). This presents a problem - Lotter (Sarsgaard) feels betrayed and emasculated, leading him to rape the young man and eventually murder him when that rape is discovered.
Sarsgaard, Swank, and Sevigny all play excellent roles in the movie, which has a sense of foreshadowing for those who know the true life story of Brandon/Teena from the news. Even with foreknowledge, one still hopes Brandon/Teena can get his/her life together before the tragic ending.
All based-on-true-events films play a little fast-and-loose with the facts concerning the original story, and several controversies erupted when the film was released, but that does not detract from the excellent work done here.
Overall: Good
Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: Danny Ocean and his crew get revenge on Al Pacino for his mistreatment of Reuben.
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Stars: George Clooney * Brad Pitt * Matt Damon * Al Pacino * Andy Garcia * Elliot Gould * Don Cheadle * Bernie Mac * Scott Caan * Casey Affleck * Eddie Izzard * Ellen Barkin * Vincent Cassel
Review: A heist movie. It's a little more over-the-top than the previous two movies but returns to the slick and glossy nature of the first film, rather than the European feel of the second movie.
Reuben (Gould) goes into business with Bank (Pacino) and gets shafted. Ocean and company come together in order to break the hotel & casino owner (whose catchphrase is "Can't break the Bank" obviously) for revenge.
It's a caper wherein Ocean is always a few steps ahead of his opponents, and while the crime is the plot, the focus is less on the crime than the interactions between the characters. The snappy dialogue is excellent as always. Characters get a little more definition than from earlier films; this makes the films feel more alive than some series where characters change little - if at all - between installments. Casey Affleck's character, for example, begins a somewhat humourous revolt in a Mexican die-making facility. Matt Damon moves up in the ranks of con men from basic pickpocketing - the first movie - to a more involved deception in this film. Nice to see the development.
Eddie Izzard and Ellen Barkin join the cast, which features a returning Andy Garcia from the first film and Vincent Cassel from the second. There's also an appearance from the hired goon from the first film (the one who helped Ocean by pretending to beat him up). David Paymer (playing the VUP - Very Unimportant Person) is excellent as the put-upon hotel inspector who suffers indignity upon indignity.
The directing is slick again, giving the feeling that Soderbergh stands back and lets the stars work their magic. (The second film had more of an artistic direction feel to it, coming across as a more forced interaction between director and actors - which may have led to its being viewed less favorably by some.)
Delightful.
Overall: Good
Premise: Danny Ocean and his crew get revenge on Al Pacino for his mistreatment of Reuben.
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Stars: George Clooney * Brad Pitt * Matt Damon * Al Pacino * Andy Garcia * Elliot Gould * Don Cheadle * Bernie Mac * Scott Caan * Casey Affleck * Eddie Izzard * Ellen Barkin * Vincent Cassel
Review: A heist movie. It's a little more over-the-top than the previous two movies but returns to the slick and glossy nature of the first film, rather than the European feel of the second movie.
Reuben (Gould) goes into business with Bank (Pacino) and gets shafted. Ocean and company come together in order to break the hotel & casino owner (whose catchphrase is "Can't break the Bank" obviously) for revenge.
It's a caper wherein Ocean is always a few steps ahead of his opponents, and while the crime is the plot, the focus is less on the crime than the interactions between the characters. The snappy dialogue is excellent as always. Characters get a little more definition than from earlier films; this makes the films feel more alive than some series where characters change little - if at all - between installments. Casey Affleck's character, for example, begins a somewhat humourous revolt in a Mexican die-making facility. Matt Damon moves up in the ranks of con men from basic pickpocketing - the first movie - to a more involved deception in this film. Nice to see the development.
Eddie Izzard and Ellen Barkin join the cast, which features a returning Andy Garcia from the first film and Vincent Cassel from the second. There's also an appearance from the hired goon from the first film (the one who helped Ocean by pretending to beat him up). David Paymer (playing the VUP - Very Unimportant Person) is excellent as the put-upon hotel inspector who suffers indignity upon indignity.
The directing is slick again, giving the feeling that Soderbergh stands back and lets the stars work their magic. (The second film had more of an artistic direction feel to it, coming across as a more forced interaction between director and actors - which may have led to its being viewed less favorably by some.)
Delightful.
Overall: Good
The Bucket List (2007)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A billionaire with terminal cancer meets a dying mechanic. They bond during their hospital stay and decide to make a list of things they'd like to do before they die.
Director: Rob Reiner
Stars: Jack Nicholson * Morgan Freeman
Review: A pleasant movie but it telegraphs almost everything. The billionaire will have the estranged child and a basically unhappy life. The mechanic will have sacrificed his own dreams for that of stability for his family but have kindness and love to share. These two cliched roles are transparent from the start, as are the tasks they put on the list.
The tugs on the heartstrings are obvious, but what makes this film really work is the dynamic between Nicholson and Freeman. They are both top-notch actors doing what they can with a basic plot and lackluster direction by Rob Reiner. The film is glossy and polished, but don't go in expecting an artistic triumph.
Overall: Mediocre
Premise: A billionaire with terminal cancer meets a dying mechanic. They bond during their hospital stay and decide to make a list of things they'd like to do before they die.
Director: Rob Reiner
Stars: Jack Nicholson * Morgan Freeman
Review: A pleasant movie but it telegraphs almost everything. The billionaire will have the estranged child and a basically unhappy life. The mechanic will have sacrificed his own dreams for that of stability for his family but have kindness and love to share. These two cliched roles are transparent from the start, as are the tasks they put on the list.
The tugs on the heartstrings are obvious, but what makes this film really work is the dynamic between Nicholson and Freeman. They are both top-notch actors doing what they can with a basic plot and lackluster direction by Rob Reiner. The film is glossy and polished, but don't go in expecting an artistic triumph.
Overall: Mediocre
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
The Howling (1981)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A reporter uncovers the story of her life when she goes to interview a serial killer.
Directed by: Joe Dante
Stars: Dee Wallace * Christopher Stone * Robert Picardo * Patrick Macnee * Dennis Dugan
Review: Aside from An American Werewolf in London (also 1981) and the seminal Wolf Man this is possibly the best werewolf movie ever made.
Reporter Karen White (Wallace) goes to interview a serial killer, Eddie Quist (Picardo). When she begins the interview Quist begins transforming in front of her - intending to transform and reveal the presence of werewolves. He's shot down by police who respond to her screams. She blanks out the memory and is haunted by nightmares until she counseled by a psychiatrist (Macnee) to go to a spiritual retreat/camp where she can recover. Accompanied by her husband (Stone), she goes to the retreat - unfortunately for her, it's a nest of werewolves.
As she slowly fears she's losing her mind from the odd goings-on at the retreat, her husband is seduced by a local and is turned - as are the only other couple at the retreat that she had befriended. She calls her friends to come and get her out of there after she realizes her husband has been cheating on her. One of her friends is killed by a returned-from-the-dead Quist, but notifies a detective (Dugan) that there are werewolves at the camp and that he should come prepared. As the detective heads to the camp, he takes silver bullets; in escaping the camp several of the werewolves are killed, including Karen's husband.
In a classic closing moment, Karen decides to reveal the presence of werewolves by transforming in front of camera screens.
The transformation effects by f/x master Rick Baker are superb. The acting is not phenomenal by any means, but that's not what you go to watch a werewolf movie for. This movie and American Werewolf set the gold standard by which all other lycanthrope movies are judged - no other film has approached these two since their appearance and the CGI versions of later films - American Werewolf in Paris, Van Helsing, etc. simply cannot compare.
Overall: Good
Premise: A reporter uncovers the story of her life when she goes to interview a serial killer.
Directed by: Joe Dante
Stars: Dee Wallace * Christopher Stone * Robert Picardo * Patrick Macnee * Dennis Dugan
Review: Aside from An American Werewolf in London (also 1981) and the seminal Wolf Man this is possibly the best werewolf movie ever made.
Reporter Karen White (Wallace) goes to interview a serial killer, Eddie Quist (Picardo). When she begins the interview Quist begins transforming in front of her - intending to transform and reveal the presence of werewolves. He's shot down by police who respond to her screams. She blanks out the memory and is haunted by nightmares until she counseled by a psychiatrist (Macnee) to go to a spiritual retreat/camp where she can recover. Accompanied by her husband (Stone), she goes to the retreat - unfortunately for her, it's a nest of werewolves.
As she slowly fears she's losing her mind from the odd goings-on at the retreat, her husband is seduced by a local and is turned - as are the only other couple at the retreat that she had befriended. She calls her friends to come and get her out of there after she realizes her husband has been cheating on her. One of her friends is killed by a returned-from-the-dead Quist, but notifies a detective (Dugan) that there are werewolves at the camp and that he should come prepared. As the detective heads to the camp, he takes silver bullets; in escaping the camp several of the werewolves are killed, including Karen's husband.
In a classic closing moment, Karen decides to reveal the presence of werewolves by transforming in front of camera screens.
The transformation effects by f/x master Rick Baker are superb. The acting is not phenomenal by any means, but that's not what you go to watch a werewolf movie for. This movie and American Werewolf set the gold standard by which all other lycanthrope movies are judged - no other film has approached these two since their appearance and the CGI versions of later films - American Werewolf in Paris, Van Helsing, etc. simply cannot compare.
Overall: Good
The Last Starfighter (1984)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A kid from a trailer park can save the galaxy.
Stars: Lance Guest * Catherine Mary Stewart * Robert Preston * Dan O'Herlihy
Review: One of the best science fiction films from the 80s. Introducing computer graphics on a larger scale than seen previously, all space effects were done on computer. While they seem dated now, they were ahead of their time and are still fun to watch.
Obviously inspired by Star Wars, the film follows a young kid who ends up doing what he's dreamed of - leaving behind the life in the trailer park. He is recruited by an interstellar defense force that is attempting to defeat a galactic-level threat in the Kodan Armada. When he initially rebuffs the group, he returns home, only to discover that the bad guys have followed him - and have killed the rest of the defense force. He's alone, with an alien co-pilot, and has to take on the entirety of the Armada by himself.
Robert Preston - of the Music Man - is delightful as the recruiter Centauri. O'Herlihy - the Old Man from the Robocop series - is equally delightful as Grig, the alien co-pilot. As for the humans, Lance Guest & Catherine Mary Stewart are satisfactory as the young hero & his girlfriend.
As a kid, I loved the movie and watching it recently I remembered those days. As I noted earlier, the effects seem dated today and the Rylos base interiors reek of early set stages, but the movie still grabs today.
Overall: Good
Premise: A kid from a trailer park can save the galaxy.
Stars: Lance Guest * Catherine Mary Stewart * Robert Preston * Dan O'Herlihy
Review: One of the best science fiction films from the 80s. Introducing computer graphics on a larger scale than seen previously, all space effects were done on computer. While they seem dated now, they were ahead of their time and are still fun to watch.
Obviously inspired by Star Wars, the film follows a young kid who ends up doing what he's dreamed of - leaving behind the life in the trailer park. He is recruited by an interstellar defense force that is attempting to defeat a galactic-level threat in the Kodan Armada. When he initially rebuffs the group, he returns home, only to discover that the bad guys have followed him - and have killed the rest of the defense force. He's alone, with an alien co-pilot, and has to take on the entirety of the Armada by himself.
Robert Preston - of the Music Man - is delightful as the recruiter Centauri. O'Herlihy - the Old Man from the Robocop series - is equally delightful as Grig, the alien co-pilot. As for the humans, Lance Guest & Catherine Mary Stewart are satisfactory as the young hero & his girlfriend.
As a kid, I loved the movie and watching it recently I remembered those days. As I noted earlier, the effects seem dated today and the Rylos base interiors reek of early set stages, but the movie still grabs today.
Overall: Good
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Silk Stockings (1957)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: Musical cold war piece where Fred Astaire woos the hard-hearted kommissar played by Cyd Charisse.
Stars: Cyd Charisse * Fred Astaire * Peter Lorre
Review: A by-the-numbers musical where Fred Astaire pursues and catches the beautiful Cyd Charisse. Charisse plays a kommissar who is sent to investigate three Soviet businessmen. She's a stickler for the rules and hates the decadent culture of the West, but is hiding a secret love and admiration for dance and soft clothing.
The best scene in the movie is where Charisse dances with a pair of stockings and finds clothes in hidden places in her apartment. The music is subdued but excellent and the scene is really nice as she moves from the dowdy clothing she wore early on to the elegant silk gown she wears later.
Overall: Mediocre
Premise: Musical cold war piece where Fred Astaire woos the hard-hearted kommissar played by Cyd Charisse.
Stars: Cyd Charisse * Fred Astaire * Peter Lorre
Review: A by-the-numbers musical where Fred Astaire pursues and catches the beautiful Cyd Charisse. Charisse plays a kommissar who is sent to investigate three Soviet businessmen. She's a stickler for the rules and hates the decadent culture of the West, but is hiding a secret love and admiration for dance and soft clothing.
The best scene in the movie is where Charisse dances with a pair of stockings and finds clothes in hidden places in her apartment. The music is subdued but excellent and the scene is really nice as she moves from the dowdy clothing she wore early on to the elegant silk gown she wears later.
Overall: Mediocre
Chinatown (1974)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A detective who specializes in broken marriages gets in over his head when he's hired to investigate a local Water Department figure.
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Stars: Jack Nicholson * Faye Dunaway * John Huston
Review: One of the best film noir detective movies. Gittes (Nicholson) discovers how corrupt powerful men are cruel and malicious when he investigates his latest case of marital infidelity, a Mr. Mulwray. Discovering that he was hired by a moll who'd been paid to do so, Gittes is confronted by the real Mrs. Mulwray (Dunaway) and the case gets stranger and more complex. Mulwray was involved with his wife's father in business dealings that control most of the water in Los Angeles - and Mulwray quickly ends up dead. Gittes gets hired to find out who did so; when discussing the current goings-on with Cross (Huston) he is then hired to find the girl that Mulwray was having an alleged with.
Facing layers upon layers within the web surrounding Cross, Gittes also has to deal with two thugs - one of which is played by Polanski himself - and his former colleagues in the Los Angeles police department. As he discovers horrible secrets and tries to deal with them, he realizes how powerless he is when confronted by the manipulating Cross.
The dialogue is snappy. Nicholson at the top of his game. Huston is menacing from the moment you meet him even while trying to hide it. Dunaway is perfect as the desperate dame. The movie is superb and unforgettable.
Overall: Good
Premise: A detective who specializes in broken marriages gets in over his head when he's hired to investigate a local Water Department figure.
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Stars: Jack Nicholson * Faye Dunaway * John Huston
Review: One of the best film noir detective movies. Gittes (Nicholson) discovers how corrupt powerful men are cruel and malicious when he investigates his latest case of marital infidelity, a Mr. Mulwray. Discovering that he was hired by a moll who'd been paid to do so, Gittes is confronted by the real Mrs. Mulwray (Dunaway) and the case gets stranger and more complex. Mulwray was involved with his wife's father in business dealings that control most of the water in Los Angeles - and Mulwray quickly ends up dead. Gittes gets hired to find out who did so; when discussing the current goings-on with Cross (Huston) he is then hired to find the girl that Mulwray was having an alleged with.
Facing layers upon layers within the web surrounding Cross, Gittes also has to deal with two thugs - one of which is played by Polanski himself - and his former colleagues in the Los Angeles police department. As he discovers horrible secrets and tries to deal with them, he realizes how powerless he is when confronted by the manipulating Cross.
The dialogue is snappy. Nicholson at the top of his game. Huston is menacing from the moment you meet him even while trying to hide it. Dunaway is perfect as the desperate dame. The movie is superb and unforgettable.
Overall: Good
Inside Man (2006)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A bank robbery gone right. By the side that robs the bank, that is.
Directed by: Spike Lee
Stars: Denzel Washington * Clive Owen * Chiwetel Ejiofor * Christopher Plummer * Jodie Foster * Willem Dafoe
Review: An excellent bank heist movie. Owen plays the ringleader, Washington the detective trying to resolve the situation. One's a good guy, one's a bad guy. Only thing is, you really like them both.
Owen ostensibly seizes control of a bank, and seems to be way smarter than the police have thought. The criminals all wear identical clothing and force the hostages to do the same. They call each other variations of the same name, so no one knows what the real names are. They know police procedures and what they want from the bank.
Which is the real hook of the movie. Apparently a powerful man (Plummer) has something hidden in the bank and sends Foster to retrieve it. Owen and the thieves can all leave as far as the bank is concerned, as long as Foster returns with the items. While Owen plays mind games with the cops, the rich put pressure on the detectives to resolve the matter quickly.
The movie is played smartly and tightly. Foster is used sparingly, with most of the chemistry in the movie coming from the two leading men and the little backstory there is comes from Plummer and his explanations to Foster and the detective - to which Owen puts an interesting angle.
With great dialogue, great performances from solid actors, and a plot that moves quickly, the film is excellent. One of the best bank heist movies ever.
Overall: Good
Premise: A bank robbery gone right. By the side that robs the bank, that is.
Directed by: Spike Lee
Stars: Denzel Washington * Clive Owen * Chiwetel Ejiofor * Christopher Plummer * Jodie Foster * Willem Dafoe
Review: An excellent bank heist movie. Owen plays the ringleader, Washington the detective trying to resolve the situation. One's a good guy, one's a bad guy. Only thing is, you really like them both.
Owen ostensibly seizes control of a bank, and seems to be way smarter than the police have thought. The criminals all wear identical clothing and force the hostages to do the same. They call each other variations of the same name, so no one knows what the real names are. They know police procedures and what they want from the bank.
Which is the real hook of the movie. Apparently a powerful man (Plummer) has something hidden in the bank and sends Foster to retrieve it. Owen and the thieves can all leave as far as the bank is concerned, as long as Foster returns with the items. While Owen plays mind games with the cops, the rich put pressure on the detectives to resolve the matter quickly.
The movie is played smartly and tightly. Foster is used sparingly, with most of the chemistry in the movie coming from the two leading men and the little backstory there is comes from Plummer and his explanations to Foster and the detective - to which Owen puts an interesting angle.
With great dialogue, great performances from solid actors, and a plot that moves quickly, the film is excellent. One of the best bank heist movies ever.
Overall: Good
Fool's Gold (2007)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A young couple seek Spanish treasure in the Florida Keys while being pursued by a hip-hop mogul hungry for more money.
Stars: Kate Hudson * Matthew McConaughey * Ray Winstone * Donald Sutherland * Alexis Dziena * Ewen Bremner
Review: A disappointment. I like McConaughey - sometimes called the poor man's Tom Cruise - and I like Donald Sutherland. Hudson can be alright sometimes, like in Almost Famous and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (the previous pairing of her and MM). Winstone and Bremner are solid character actors given decent roles. But the story loses its grip with Dziena and the hip-hop mogul Biggs Bunny and his hired goons (Malcolm Jamal-Warner of the Cosby Show puts in an appearance).
Okay, to be honest, it starts losing its grip earlier. Flynn (McConaughey) and Alfonz (Bremner) accidentally set fire to his boat at the same time Hudson (playing McConaughey's love interest, Tess) is filing for divorce. He's been searching for lost treasure and owes a large sum of money to a hip-hop mogul who bought his own island. He tries to prove he found the location to Biggs Bunny (inspiring name) but the mogul sends him out to be killed; the goons chain him to an anchor, then proceed to get shot by Flynn in comical fashion. Flynn falls off the boat, sinks, and comically performs underwater hops to grab the fallen gun, and shoots the chain freeing himself. He proceeds to get picked up by four partiers - who throw him a beer before they pick him up - and they rush him to court for his divorce proceedings.
Sounds impressive, but it ain't.
Flynn and Tess enlist the aid of her boss - Donald Sutherland - whose air-headed teenage (I'm not sure if she's supposed to be a teen or early twenties) daughter (Dziena) is visiting. Once the father-daughter pair sign on for the adventure, Bremner also joins the fun. While they pursue the treasure, Bunny and his hired help enlist the aid of another treasure-hunter, played by Winstone, to find the ship on their own.
Drawn by the prospect of being rich - and their smouldering passion for each other (presumably written in the screenplay but not apparent on-screen) - Tess and Flynn fall back into each other's arms - again in comic fashion. I think the director honestly had no idea when to be humourous and when not to be. Moments of passion become near-farcical. Thugs become oafish, and hip-hop mogul is hard to fathom to begin with. Characters are not true to their natures, and those natures do not change from the beginning of the film. While distracting, the only bright spot in the movie - which could've definitely been a more interesting lead angle - is the father-daughter dynamic between Sutherland and Dziena. Unfortunately, cast as the backstory to the protagonists, both actors' performances are stilted and feel lacking.
And when the daughter unexpectedly shows up at the big climax of the movie to save the day, it feels hollow because once again, characters are not true to themselves.
Bad writing. Stilted dialogue. Poor comedic timing.
Overall: Bad
Premise: A young couple seek Spanish treasure in the Florida Keys while being pursued by a hip-hop mogul hungry for more money.
Stars: Kate Hudson * Matthew McConaughey * Ray Winstone * Donald Sutherland * Alexis Dziena * Ewen Bremner
Review: A disappointment. I like McConaughey - sometimes called the poor man's Tom Cruise - and I like Donald Sutherland. Hudson can be alright sometimes, like in Almost Famous and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (the previous pairing of her and MM). Winstone and Bremner are solid character actors given decent roles. But the story loses its grip with Dziena and the hip-hop mogul Biggs Bunny and his hired goons (Malcolm Jamal-Warner of the Cosby Show puts in an appearance).
Okay, to be honest, it starts losing its grip earlier. Flynn (McConaughey) and Alfonz (Bremner) accidentally set fire to his boat at the same time Hudson (playing McConaughey's love interest, Tess) is filing for divorce. He's been searching for lost treasure and owes a large sum of money to a hip-hop mogul who bought his own island. He tries to prove he found the location to Biggs Bunny (inspiring name) but the mogul sends him out to be killed; the goons chain him to an anchor, then proceed to get shot by Flynn in comical fashion. Flynn falls off the boat, sinks, and comically performs underwater hops to grab the fallen gun, and shoots the chain freeing himself. He proceeds to get picked up by four partiers - who throw him a beer before they pick him up - and they rush him to court for his divorce proceedings.
Sounds impressive, but it ain't.
Flynn and Tess enlist the aid of her boss - Donald Sutherland - whose air-headed teenage (I'm not sure if she's supposed to be a teen or early twenties) daughter (Dziena) is visiting. Once the father-daughter pair sign on for the adventure, Bremner also joins the fun. While they pursue the treasure, Bunny and his hired help enlist the aid of another treasure-hunter, played by Winstone, to find the ship on their own.
Drawn by the prospect of being rich - and their smouldering passion for each other (presumably written in the screenplay but not apparent on-screen) - Tess and Flynn fall back into each other's arms - again in comic fashion. I think the director honestly had no idea when to be humourous and when not to be. Moments of passion become near-farcical. Thugs become oafish, and hip-hop mogul is hard to fathom to begin with. Characters are not true to their natures, and those natures do not change from the beginning of the film. While distracting, the only bright spot in the movie - which could've definitely been a more interesting lead angle - is the father-daughter dynamic between Sutherland and Dziena. Unfortunately, cast as the backstory to the protagonists, both actors' performances are stilted and feel lacking.
And when the daughter unexpectedly shows up at the big climax of the movie to save the day, it feels hollow because once again, characters are not true to themselves.
Bad writing. Stilted dialogue. Poor comedic timing.
Overall: Bad
Monday, July 7, 2008
Hancock (2008)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A washed-up superhero reforms himself with the aid of a public relations agent.
Stars: Will Smith * Jason Bateman * Charlize Theron
Review: As everyone else notes in their reviews of this movie, this could've been an excellent deconstructionist take on the superhero movies - and in the summer of Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Hellboy II, and The Dark Knight what a coup that could've been.
Peter Berg's The Kingdom was excellent. The Rundown is a movie I still repeatedly watch. Friday Night Lights was good, but not a standout high school football movie.
Add in Will Smith, and it should be a no-brainer.
But what the two concocted is horrible. There's no single coherent plot throughout the movie. (Which can probably be blamed on the five years of development hell prior to its release.)
Plot 1: Drunk superhero gets a makeover
Plot 2: Drunk superhero is alone in the world and rejects it as it rejects him. He makes friends and works to improve.
Plot 3: Drunk superhero is one of a pair of angels/demigods/gods with the other being his wife who left him 80 years earlier after a vicious attack by humans.
Plot 4: Drunk superhero is a god who lives among people and is supposed to protect them. He was created simultaneously with a partner that his supposed to join him in life, make him mortal and allow him to experience life after millenia living as their protector.
Plot 5: PR man who believes in a charity he's attempting to create that will heal the world meets a drunken superhero. PR man has a hot wife who gives the drunk superhero odd looks.
Plot 6: A hidden society of god-killers has been working to eliminate them all and only two remain, a drunk amnesiac and one that remains hidden.
Plot 7: A housewife with a hidden secret has her former lover reappear in her life, threatening to expose her to her new family.
Honestly, any one of these plots could've been a great center of a movie if the other six - and I believe there are more I could write up - did not continuously show up and distract. Not only that, there are hints and lines that would serve to increase a layered back story, but they're all hit and miss - a line during the showdown and constantly referring to 'they' serve as remnants of a backstory that could've really taken this movie to another level.
The special effects are poor to mediocre. A hellish, freakish storm appears in downtown LA and does no damage - the damage comes from the combat between the two superheroes. When the superheroes are around each other, there's supposed to be heat - it is apparent in two scenes, but not in several others where they are together. Honestly, if a man's head is shoved up another's ass a) the insertee would be in the hospital for months b) the inserted would be dead of asphyxia in minutes. The constant screaming near the end - Theron and Smith - goes on way too long.
This movie could've been so much more. As it is, it's a waste.
Overall: Bad
Premise: A washed-up superhero reforms himself with the aid of a public relations agent.
Stars: Will Smith * Jason Bateman * Charlize Theron
Review: As everyone else notes in their reviews of this movie, this could've been an excellent deconstructionist take on the superhero movies - and in the summer of Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Hellboy II, and The Dark Knight what a coup that could've been.
Peter Berg's The Kingdom was excellent. The Rundown is a movie I still repeatedly watch. Friday Night Lights was good, but not a standout high school football movie.
Add in Will Smith, and it should be a no-brainer.
But what the two concocted is horrible. There's no single coherent plot throughout the movie. (Which can probably be blamed on the five years of development hell prior to its release.)
Plot 1: Drunk superhero gets a makeover
Plot 2: Drunk superhero is alone in the world and rejects it as it rejects him. He makes friends and works to improve.
Plot 3: Drunk superhero is one of a pair of angels/demigods/gods with the other being his wife who left him 80 years earlier after a vicious attack by humans.
Plot 4: Drunk superhero is a god who lives among people and is supposed to protect them. He was created simultaneously with a partner that his supposed to join him in life, make him mortal and allow him to experience life after millenia living as their protector.
Plot 5: PR man who believes in a charity he's attempting to create that will heal the world meets a drunken superhero. PR man has a hot wife who gives the drunk superhero odd looks.
Plot 6: A hidden society of god-killers has been working to eliminate them all and only two remain, a drunk amnesiac and one that remains hidden.
Plot 7: A housewife with a hidden secret has her former lover reappear in her life, threatening to expose her to her new family.
Honestly, any one of these plots could've been a great center of a movie if the other six - and I believe there are more I could write up - did not continuously show up and distract. Not only that, there are hints and lines that would serve to increase a layered back story, but they're all hit and miss - a line during the showdown and constantly referring to 'they' serve as remnants of a backstory that could've really taken this movie to another level.
The special effects are poor to mediocre. A hellish, freakish storm appears in downtown LA and does no damage - the damage comes from the combat between the two superheroes. When the superheroes are around each other, there's supposed to be heat - it is apparent in two scenes, but not in several others where they are together. Honestly, if a man's head is shoved up another's ass a) the insertee would be in the hospital for months b) the inserted would be dead of asphyxia in minutes. The constant screaming near the end - Theron and Smith - goes on way too long.
This movie could've been so much more. As it is, it's a waste.
Overall: Bad
Kung Fu Panda (2008)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: A dreamer obsessed with kung fu gets picked to be the mystical Dragon Warrior and save the village.
Stars: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Ian McShane, Angelina Jolie
Review: A pleasant little movie. Typical fare, with silly humour, kid-friendly jokes, good animation. It's a nice addition to the list of average animated fare. It's not breathtaking, although the scenes with Tai Lung escaping the rhino-guarded prison are pretty nice. Actually, all the fights are pretty good.
It's kinda like a Karate Kid meets Legend of Drunken Master, only with plushy-friendly animals and Jack Black. Add in a superhero kung fu group and there you have it.
Overall: Mediocre
Premise: A dreamer obsessed with kung fu gets picked to be the mystical Dragon Warrior and save the village.
Stars: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Ian McShane, Angelina Jolie
Review: A pleasant little movie. Typical fare, with silly humour, kid-friendly jokes, good animation. It's a nice addition to the list of average animated fare. It's not breathtaking, although the scenes with Tai Lung escaping the rhino-guarded prison are pretty nice. Actually, all the fights are pretty good.
It's kinda like a Karate Kid meets Legend of Drunken Master, only with plushy-friendly animals and Jack Black. Add in a superhero kung fu group and there you have it.
Overall: Mediocre
Saturday, July 5, 2008
First Blood (1982)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie * Rotten Tomatoes
Premise: Wandering Vietnam veteran enters a small town with a hard-ass sheriff and starts having flashbacks to his experiences in the war.
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Brian Dennehy, Richard Crenna
Review: One of the best action movies of the 80s, the film that kept Sylvester Stallone a going concern. Viet vet John Rambo suffers mistreatment from a conservative sheriff and his tough-as-nails sergeant. He then flips out and flees into the woods, accidentally causing the death of the sergeant. The sheriff proceeds to hunt Rambo, against the advice of the vet's former commander.
The survival scenes in the woods, the anguish in Rambo's revelations to Trautmann, the showdown scene in the town between Rambo and Sheriff Teasle are all top-notch. The memorable scene of Rambo handling an M-16 and destroying the town stays with you years after watching it. Simply put, it's a classic.
Overall: Good
Premise: Wandering Vietnam veteran enters a small town with a hard-ass sheriff and starts having flashbacks to his experiences in the war.
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Brian Dennehy, Richard Crenna
Review: One of the best action movies of the 80s, the film that kept Sylvester Stallone a going concern. Viet vet John Rambo suffers mistreatment from a conservative sheriff and his tough-as-nails sergeant. He then flips out and flees into the woods, accidentally causing the death of the sergeant. The sheriff proceeds to hunt Rambo, against the advice of the vet's former commander.
The survival scenes in the woods, the anguish in Rambo's revelations to Trautmann, the showdown scene in the town between Rambo and Sheriff Teasle are all top-notch. The memorable scene of Rambo handling an M-16 and destroying the town stays with you years after watching it. Simply put, it's a classic.
Overall: Good
Lethal Weapon (1987)
Links: IMDb * Wikipedia * AllMovie
Premise: A retiring detective is paired up with a cop-on-the-edge to take down a drug dealer with military connections.
Directed by: Richard Donner
Stars: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Tom Atkins, Mitch Ryan
Review: The movie that re-invented the buddy-cop genre. You can probably divide the genre by this movie - before it, cops might be slightly different, but they were both basically stable by-the-number Dragnet types. After this movie, it was always a staid trooper and a psycho/loose cannon/nutjob type who either played it up for laughs or for psycho qualities.
Gibson is great as Riggs, Glover is great as Murtaugh, and the fights and subsequent scenes - between partners and between the cops and the villains - are all great. Busey in particular is a great psycho villain named Joshua who has connections to Riggs' past.
One of my favorite movies in this genre.
Overall: Good
Premise: A retiring detective is paired up with a cop-on-the-edge to take down a drug dealer with military connections.
Directed by: Richard Donner
Stars: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Tom Atkins, Mitch Ryan
Review: The movie that re-invented the buddy-cop genre. You can probably divide the genre by this movie - before it, cops might be slightly different, but they were both basically stable by-the-number Dragnet types. After this movie, it was always a staid trooper and a psycho/loose cannon/nutjob type who either played it up for laughs or for psycho qualities.
Gibson is great as Riggs, Glover is great as Murtaugh, and the fights and subsequent scenes - between partners and between the cops and the villains - are all great. Busey in particular is a great psycho villain named Joshua who has connections to Riggs' past.
One of my favorite movies in this genre.
Overall: Good
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