|
Lord
of the Rings: The Two Towers - A Film by Peter
Jackson
The
first of two sequels to "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship
of the Ring" (the first movie we ever reviewed) finds
our beloved hobbit, Frodo Baggins, continuing on his
journey to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring that can
enslave all of Middle Earth. With the fellowship divided,
Frodo (played by fellow Iowan Elijah Wood) is left to
make the journey accompanied only by his loyal protector,
Sam (Sean Astin).Ê As they head into the land of Mordor,
they are reliant on Gollum, the possessor of the ring
prior to Frodo's uncle Bilbo. Elsewhere in Middle Earth,
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimly search for Pippin and Merry.Ê
Eventually, they must confront the army of Saruman, sent
out from Orthanc Tower in Isengard, one of the two towers.Ê
The other tower is at Sauron's fortress Barad-dur, deep
within the land of Mordor.
Like
the first film in this trilogy, The Two Towers begs for
you to see it on the big screen, preferably in DTS. It
picks up where the last one left off and never loses
its audience. The story is yet again engrossing and the
characters, even the computer generated ones, are believable
and compelling. Though I have still not read the books,
I could follow and appreciate the story, even relishing
the fact that I do not know where the story is eventually
going. There are moments in the film where I felt it
was a little slow but it was necessary for story and
character development. That was more than made up for
in the battle sequences and in the visuals, equaling
if not exceeding those of the first film. And, to be
honest, the character Gollum, a completely computer generated
character, seamlessly interacts with the live actors.
All I know at this point is Christmas 2003 and "Lord
of the Rings: The Return of the King" cannot come soon
enough.
Back
to top!
|
| |
Star
Trek: Nemesis - A Film by Stuart Baird (US Marshalls)
The
crew of the Enterprise takes to the skies once again
with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) at the
helm. In this fourth movie in the storied franchise starring
the cast of the Star Trek The Next Generation cast, finds
Picard, Ryker, Data, et al on a journey to Romulus to
meet the new leader of the Romulan Empire, a brash young
man who they come to learn has a unique connection to
the captain of the Enterprise. Is he friend or foe? Are
his calls for a peaceful coexistence for real or all
just a ploy to bring down the Federation by destroying
all life on Earth.
Whether
or not you will enjoy this film depends greatly on who
you ask. The purist Star Trek fan will find major faults
with the film and it's depiction of the future, seeing
it as a severe departure from Gene Roddenberry's original
vision. The Star Trek fans who tend to excuse such indiscretions
due to the realization that the world turns based on
the dollar bill and get a rise out of seeing these familiar
characters in action under extreme circumstances (and
the occasional space battle with the usual ships blowing
to bits, etc.) will see it as a more successful and entertaining
installment in what has become one of the most successful
movie franchises of all time. For those who have only
a passing interest in Star Trek and like science fiction
movies, it will hold some interest and will entertain.
And then there are those who cannot fathom why anyone
would care about these characters or any depiction of
the future or outer space. These people will definitely
be better off seeing Maid in Manhattan. Anyway, I tend
to fall into the second category, a Star Trek fan but
one who can excuse some deviations from the original
5-year mission if it entertains me. So, for that reason,
I would give the film a favorable review. The film drags
a bit at the beginning, consistent with previous Star
Trek movies, but it picks up and compensates for earlier
misgivings with the battle scenes toward the end. If
you like Star Trek, you should see this movie, then get
back to us on your impressions.
Back
to top!
|
| |
8
Mile
- A Film by Curtis Hanson (Wonder Boys, LA Confidential)
8
Mile is the story of Jimmy Smith, Jr. (Eminem) and his
struggle to overcome the life dealt him and become something
more. Smith lives in Detroit where he has just broken
up with his girlfriend and is forced to move in with
his mother in a trailer. He dreams of being a rap artist
but, after choking on stage at the beginning of the film,
is reluctant to subject himself to any more ridicule.
The people of Detroit know 8 Mile as the city limit,
a boundary that separates the citizens of the community
into niches.
Used
as the title of the film, 8 Mile represents the imaginary
boundary of Smith's life, crossing it means he has succeeded
in changing the direction of his life. I wish I would
have seen this movie much closer to its release date
so I would have had the chance to convince more of you
to see it. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the
movie was paced and how much substance there was behind
its message. The critics were right, Eminem can act,
all be it as basically himself. The supporting cast around
him helps carry him through this well-written story of
the struggles of a young man in a difficult situation,
facing a life of working paycheck to paycheck, having
a car that constantly breaks down on him, and dealing
with the endless problems of all of the people around
him. And just when I thought the ending was predictable,
the final actions of the lead character drive home the
ultimate message of the movie and prove that he has already
succeeded, but in a way he had not expected himself.
If this movie is still in the theater when you read this,
go see it. If not, be sure to rent it when it becomes
available.
Back
to top!
|
| |
|
Analyze
That - A Film by Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters,
Bedazzled, Caddyshack)
Analyze That picks up a couple of years after Analyze
This, the hugely successful movie released in 1999. Starring
Billy Crystal, Robert DeNiro and Lisa Kudrow, this film
follows Dr. Ben Sobel as he tries to help mobster Paul
Vitti adjust to life after the mob. Complicating matters
is the death of Ben's father which forces Ben to look
at his own life as much as that of Paul. Ben's wife (Kudrow)
and son get pulled into the act as Paul is released from
prison into Ben's custody after faking a mental breakdown.
Once out, Paul tries a number of regular jobs, all while
working with his former mob family to get back into the
mix.
A
weaker version of the original, Analyze That fell flat.
A couple of good belly laughs keep this movie from being
a complete yawn but it never really elevates to being
considered a great comedy. Crystal and DeNiro are quality
performers as always and though I like Lisa Kudrow, every
character she plays seems to be too much of her character
from Friends. The supporting characters, especially Jelly,
steal many of the scenes as they did in the first film.
DeNiro singing show tunes from West Side Story was unique
to say the least. While I enjoyed parts of this film,
I cannot recommend that you see it on the big screen.
A worthwhile rental? Probably. If you are a fan of either
of the two main actors and/or enjoyed the first film
you will want to see this but probably in the comfort
of your own home.
Back
to top!
|
| |
Solaris
- A Film by Steven Soderbergh (Erin Brockovich, Ocean's
Eleven)
Solaris
is a film based on a classic science fiction novel of
the same name by Stanislaw Lem. In this futuristic story,
George Clooney plays a psychologist sent into deep space
to a spaceship orbiting the planet Solaris, a planet
being studied as a possible energy source for Earth.
His journey to Solaris is the result of a cryptic transmission
from the spaceship in which a friend requests he come
to help analyze a situation which cannot be explained.
Once there, Clooney begins to experience the same phenomenon
and struggles with the choices he is forced to make.
OK, I am not even going to try to review this film as
I was at a complete loss for words when the film ended.
I will instead include some of the unsolicited comments
I heard from other filmgoers as we left the theater.
"That was the stupidest friggin' movie I have ever seen."
"I think we are all a little stupider after seeing that."
"The only interesting thing was the previews." "
slept through the entire movie." "It was 2001 without
any pay off at the end." "Watching paint dry would have
been more interesting." These comments should tell you
what to expect from this movie. Let me just add that
I sat through the entire film, watching as it jumped
around from the past to the present, wanting so much
for it all to come together at the end in some satisfying
way but it really did not. We rated it at the level we
did because visually, it does have some value but that
is really about it. I almost want to read the novel to
see if it sucked as much as the movie adaptation of it.
Back
to top!
|
| |
The
Emperor's Club
Kevin Kline plays William Hundert, the best teacher at
St. Benedictus School for Boys, a private East Coast
institution that prepares rich young men to lead the
country in the next century. Among a few different plot
lines stands out a relationship with a trouble young
man whom Klein tries to turn from the wrong path. The
film covers two time periods, the students time at school
and then again as adults. Klein's Mr. Hundert deals with
the issues of twice giving the troubled boy the benefit
of the doubt and twice being failed. But was the failure
the boys or his own?
I
generally enjoyed this film. It doesn't stand out as
being remarkable in the long run but it was entertaining
and carried a great message. It had unavoidable similarities
to Dead Poets Society for me as the was a great teacher,
though conventional in this case, in a boys school dealing
with many student personalities and his own issues as
well. Kevin Klein was great as he usually is and they
did a nice job of setting up the characters as likable,
unlikeable and some nicely put in between which left
them able to surprise you later in the film. The script
was however a tad slow at times and remarkable acting
covered nicely for less than inspired dialogue. I kind
of feel like the film taught a number of lessons, one
of the biggest it taught twice which I liked. In the
end, the good guys are vindicated and the bad guys get
their come-uppins in a sense, but without fanfare which
made it more plausible. In the end, it is not a jump
up and cheer for the good guy movie like Mr. Holland's
Opus, but more of a pondering ending. You're left thinking.
And I like a movie that makes me think about it afterwards.
Back
to top!
|
| |
Die
Another Day - A Film by Lee Tamahori (Along Came
a Spider)
In this installment of the James Bond franchise, Bond
is once again played by Pierce Brosnan. When captured
by a rogue North Korean colonel, Bond must re-establish
his reputation within the Ministry of Defense and in
the eyes of his boss, M (Judi Dench). Along for the ride
from North Korea to Iceland to England to Cuba, Bond
is joined by Jinx (Academy Award winner Halle Berry),
an agent with the United States National Security Administration
(NSA). With the aid of gadgets supplied by Q (John Cleese),
Bond foils yet another plot for world domination. Writing
this review was not an easy task.
How
do you write a review for a movie which is nearly perfect
in its James Bond-ness but lacking in several key ways
when looked at critically as a movie. So I thought about
giving it two ratings: two kernels for overall quality
and four kernels as a Bond film. In the final analysis,
I decided to give it a rating of four because the person
who would consider seeing this film already has an appreciation
for the Bond series. For that reason, that person will
enjoy this film. It is a quality entry in the James Bond
movie series and should continue the string of success
and increase the overall ticket grosses considerably.
Lots of stuff blows up (impressively), the bad guys are
definitely dislikable, the Bond girl is certainly attractive,
the gadgets are cool, the cars are cool and the locations
are exotic. With the end of the Cold War, the villains
and their plots are a little less scary and the script
is, as usual, kinda weak and too cute at times. Still,
isn't that what a Bond movie is all about? Therefore,
if you have an affection for 007 and his movies, you
will enjoy this one, too. And you are in line for more
of the same as Pierce Brosnan has already signed on for
another installment and rumors are flying about Halle
Berry's character, Jinx, being spun off into her own
movie. Time will tell. Four out of Five Kernels.
Back
to top!
|
| |
Harry
Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Chris Colombus (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)
In
this follow up to the hugely successful Harry Potter
and the Sorcerer's Stone, our hero must face danger once
again upon his return to Hogwarts. Locked in his room
by Uncle Vernon, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is visited
by a house elf named Dobby. Dobby warns Harry that he
should not return to Hogwarts as terrible danger awaits
him there. Refusing to believe the elf, Harry leaves
for Hogwarts after being rescued by the Weasley brothers
in a flying car. Once at Hogwarts, Harry begins hearing
an evil voice, students of mixed wizard and Muggle blood
begin to be petrified (literally) and the Chamber of
Secrets is opened once again by the Heir to Slytherin.
When Herminie is one of those petrified, it is up to
Harry and Ron to save the day.
Another
fun trip into the mystical world of Harry Potter. This
film actually exceeds the first in quality as the young
actors have matured, both physically and in their acting
abilities. The story keeps moving at a pretty good pace
once the ground work is laid. The depiction of the make
believe wizard world is interesting and mysterious, again.
This is definitely a darker film than the Sorcerer's
Stone where Harry's journey of discovery of the wizard
world drives the story. Here, Harry is more confident
and understands his role in that world. The same lovable
cast of students and teachers join Harry again with the
same actors filling the different roles. It was sad to
watch Richard Harris as Dumbledor, knowing we would not
be seeing him in that role again. Maggie Smith always
shines and Malfoy's father and the arrogant new professor
are perfectly cast. Parents might want to consider keeping
the younger children at home as some of the images and
action could be too intense for them. All in all, after
a somewhat slow beginning, the film carries the banner
of the Harry Potter franchise successfully and makes
this movie fan anxious to see what happens next.
Back
to top!
|
|
|
The
Ring
- Gore Verbinski (The Mexican, The Time Machine)
In
this remake of the popular 1998 Japanese horror
film, Naomi Watts plays a journalist who investigates
an urban legend about a cursed videotape said
to kill anyone who watches it. Having seen the
tape herself, she must race against time (she
knows when she is supposed to die) , not knowing
if it is real or fake, to solve the mystery
before it claims another life.
The
first ten minutes of the film had me worried
it was going to be another Scream as it started
out almost identically in feel. But soon it
fell into a different mode and transformed into
a creepy mystery rather than a schlock horror
movie. I enjoyed following the reporter as she
uncovered clues and tracked down the truth.
As I had questions about credibility and sensibility,
they seemed to anticipate and answer those issues.
In the end...well it didn't end. Not where I
thought it would anyway. There is good resolution
to the mystery and then... it's not quite what
you thought. I like the final conclusion. Finally
a movie ponders, if you have to battle a ghost,
can you ever achieve real victory? It's is very
creepy at times and we jumped at a couple of
points but I was not on edge, and they did not
try to shock us. I think visuals that manage
to frighten you without relying on cheap surprises
are great. This film accomplishes those images
a number of times. See it in the theater or
in a darkened room with a big TV and great sound.
- Review submitted by Bryce Parks
Back
to top!
|
|
|
I
Spy - A Film by Betty Thomas (director
of Dr. Doolittle and former Hill Street Blues star)
Based
loosely on the hit TV show of the same name
from the 1960s, I Spy follows Alex Scott (Owen
Wilson), a top US spy. When the Switchblade,
a top secret, sophisticated prototype stealth
fighter, is stolen, Scott is called into action.
For his cover, he is teamed with an unlikely
partner, World Class Boxing Champion Kelly Robinson
(Eddie Murphy), since the prime suspect is a
huge boxing fan. The two travel the world in
search of the mysterious fighter jet and on
the trail of Arnold Gunders (Malcolm McDowell),
the prime suspect. The studio says the film
is filled with intrigue, action and humor.
Overall,
I was pretty disappointed in this movie. I chose
it over the Tim Allen Santa Claus movie because
I needed a good laugh and thought that just
about anything with Eddie would be fun. For
lack of a better word, it was crap. Eddie as
a professional boxer? Give me a break. I like
him as a cartoon better. The plot was very predictable
and dull. I can get past that if it's funny,
which it wasn't. I maybe had a few laughs, but
certainly not worth the $9 I paid out in San
Fran + the popcorn was $6. The movie didn't
capture or drag me into it at all. Eddie has
set such a high bar in comedy that when he fails
to meet or exceed our expectations, it is painfully
obvious. He should have passed on this movie
and waited for something better. I give it one
piece of corn and wouldn't even suggest people
rent the movie when it comes out on Video. Review
Submitted by Matt Booth.
Back
to top!
|
|
|
Jackass:
The Movie - A Film by Jeff Tremaine
Jackass:
The Movie is based on Jackass: The Television
Show, a popular "stunt" show on MTV. Here, Johnny
Knoxville takes his small screen extreme stunt
show and translates it to the big screen with
slightly more dangerous stunts and foul language
included. The regular cast of characters is
here including Steve-O, Bam Margera and Chris
Pontius.
If
you have seen the MTV show version of Jackass,
the movie is not much different. The only real
difference is that they were able to say what
they wanted without being bleeped. The premise
behind the whole Jackass concept is a group
of goofballs filming themselves doing crazy,
dangerous and stupid things. There were a number
of memorable stunts, but without giving the
whole thing away, watch out for sea cucumbers,
old men riding wheelies on their scooters and
Party Boy. If you know anything about the TV
show, the movie should not surprise you. If
you have not seen the show, I would recommend
watching before spending any money (seeing the
movie in the theater or renting) on this movie.
There really are no special effects (except
for a little makeup) and the sound track is
nothing special, so I would recommend waiting
for video for this movie. There is no benefit
from watching this one in the theater. Review
submitted by Patrick Norton (corroborated by
Mark Fassbinder and Andy O'Hare)
Back
to top!
|
|
|
|
Punch-Drunk
Love - A Film by Paul Thomas Anderson
(Boogie Nights, Magnolia)
OR
Adam
Sandler stars as Barry Egan, a confused young
man who owns his own specialty business which
is currently marketing Fun-Gers, plumber's helpers
with fun things on the end of and in the handle.
He meets Lena Leonard (Emily Watson) quite by
accident, only later discovering that she is
the friend his sister has been trying to hook
him up with. Desperate to talk to someone about
his life and the confusion contained therein,
Barry calls a phone sex number, only to become
the unwitting victim to a scam. Battling for
his own sanity, Barry fends off his attackers,
his seven sisters and an assorted cast of characters
at work.
There
will be two reviews of this film.Ê As you read
each of them, you will realize why there are
two.
The
One Kernel out of Five Review - Submitted by
Wando
OK, usually a fan of "art" films, this one lost
me from the get-go. Sure, I chuckled a couple
of times and some of the visuals were interesting.
And I will admit, I was curious about where
the movie was going, until my ears started to
bleed and I got a headache. I found the film
to be an assault on my senses, both visual and
audio. The story rarely made sense to me and
I had little interest in the characters or what
happened to them, other than for the pure need
to find closure at the end of the film. The
film is so confusing at times that even the
synopsis on the Carmike Cinema website has it
all wrong (I usually look to their synopsis
for each film for at least some guidance on
writing my synopsis for Dubuque365.com.) In
this case, their synopsis missed the mark so
much, I had to completely ignore it. This film
has little value and I could not, in good conscience,
give it a good review just because my subconscious
told me I SHOULD like this film. I simply do
not. If you are into artsy films, you might
see something I did not, much like Brad did
as you will see in his review of the same film
which follows below.
Back
to top!
|
|
|
The
Transporter - A Film by Corey Yuen (Legend
of the Red Dragon)
Jason Stratham (Snatch) gives new meaning to
the term "delivery man" as the title character
in this movie about a man for hire as the "transporter"
of everything from brief cases to bank robbers
to kidnapped Asian women. When he breaks one
of his cardinal rules and looks in the bag he's
transporting, his life is turned upside down
and almost brought to an end, on more than one
occasion. Throughout the film, his ordered life
is thrown into complete disarray as his car,
his home and his face are all attacked by those
out to destroy him.
Stratham
is awesome in this film as he has been in the
recent roles he is known for. He plays the "bad
guy" with class and character with incredible
flair and makes you want to root for him, even
as he offs a couple of motorcycle cops. His
cold efficiency makes the actions he must undertaken
during the remainder of the film all the more
fun to watch. Some visually spectacular, well
choreographed and non-stop action sequences
including a car chase (or two), fight sequences
and explosions serve as powerful eye-candy.
Weakness in the script is a definite flaw, as
is the film's inability to make me as the viewer
care about the cargo carrier full of illegal
immigrants. Perhaps that is cold hearted, especially
in the wake of what happened in our state within
the past week and a half but it did not draw
me in, I am sorry. The ending also falls flat,
you will agree when you see it. Still, it was
fun watching Stratham on his tour de force,
dodging bullets, missiles, the Police and the
real bad guys. If you like shoot-em-ups and
blow-em-ups, this is a film you will want to
see on the big screen.
Back
to top!
|
|
|
Knockaround
Guys - A Film by Brian Koppelman and
David Levien
This
is the tale of four young men in Brooklyn, trying
to escape the shadows of their famous, or should
we say, infamous fathers. Growing up as the
son of a mobster was bad enough, when the stigmatism
continues into their adult lives as well these
four young men decide they need to take control
of their lives. The movie follows their attempt
to prove their worth to their fathers by taking
on an assignment. When the operation goes terribly
awry, the older generation steps in to try to
clean up the mess.
A
good cast of young and old actors and the appeal
of the tried and true mobster storyline are
not quite enough to put this movie over the
top. The young male actors including Barry Pepper,
Seth Green and Vin Diesel is an appealing combination
of some of the best up and coming stars. And
can you ask for a better pair of seasoned actors
than Dennis Hopper and John Malkovich? Unfortunately,
the story is not as strong as it could have
been and fails to support the strong cast. Some
twists and turns toward the end of the film
were intriguing and somewhat unexpected but
the overall string that ties the whole film
together is not that strong. Some good acting,
a few funny moments elevate this film but it
is still a rental.
Additional
comments from Kristin, a guest reviewer...
"I
would give it three kernels. And since I love
Vin Diesel...I would WANT to see him on the
big screen. It's like Fast and the Furious...if
you're into cars, you'll give it a five...if
you only watch Steel Magnolias you'll give it
a one. I thought it had a pretty good dynamic
plot...i.e. the son wanting to live up to his
father's expectations (maybe a little overdone
but never timely) even though he wanted something
else (a "real" job) AND the relationship he
has with his close friends...how they defend
one another. The story moved along at a good
pace and the characters were all convincing.
It had a good turn of events at the end that
wasn't really expected, but not surprising.
There was comic relief, action, drama, etc....and
to top things off...REALLY HOT MEN! - Kristin
Back
to top!
|
|
|
Red
Dragon
- A Film by Brett Ratner (Rush Hour 2)
This
prequel to one of only two films to ever win Best Picture
(Silence of the Lambs), Best Director (Jonathon Demme),
Best Actor (Sir Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress (Jodi
Foster) and Best Screenplay, Red Dragon begins with the
story of Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lector (Hopkins reprises
his role from the first two films, Silence and Hannibal)
at the time of his initial incarceration. The man who
captured him, FBI agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) is
permanently scarred by the encounter, both physically
and mentally. His retirement is short-lived when only
a few short years later, he is called back into action
to help profile and bring down the killer in a grisly
series of murders. In order to solve the case, Graham
must confront his worst nightmare, the imprisoned Lector,
for assistance.
Much
like when I left the theater a mere 30 minutes ago, I
am still speechless. This film was incredible. The tension,
the suspense, the acting, the visuals, the sound, they
all come together to create what will become a classic
suspense film. Hopkins does an awesome job in recreating
the creepy cannibal we have all come to love to revile.
He recaptures the Hannibal from the original film. Where
the movie Hannibal over emphasized the gore in an effort
to shock the audience, Red Dragon accomplishes the same
level of shock without as much blood and guts, to put
it quite succinctly. The bad guy here, portrayed by Ralph
Feines, is disturbed and his crimes are indescribable
and impossible to understand. The path that the film
takes the viewer on is engrossing, even as you try not
to look for fear of being scared out of your chair. I
was hooked from the opening credits and this movie kept
my attention until the very satisfying ending. I would
suggest that you not go to the late show because you
might not be able to get to sleep afterward but definitely
go see this film. By the way, the other film to win all
five of the big awards on Oscar night was One Flew Over
the Cuckoo's Nest, in case you were wondering.
Back
to top! |
|
|
|
Sweet Home Alabama - A Film by Andy Tennant
Sweet
Home Alabama is the story of New York fashion designer
Melanie Carmichael (Reese Witherspoon) who suddenly finds
herself engaged to the most eligible bachelor in the
city. Unfortunately, Melanie's past is full of secrets,
including the redneck husband she married in high school.
Of course, he has long refused to grant her a divorce,
forcing her to return to her hometown in Alabama to try
to put that first marriage to rest, once and for all.
It is only then that she realizes you can take the girl
out of the South but you cannot take the South out of
the girl.
This
is a romantic comedy film that is warm-hearted and fun-loving.
Reese Witherspoon is effective as the woman forced to
choose between the two guys in her life, the wealthy
guy in New York or the not-quite-so-wealthy guy in Alabama.
You as the viewer follow her on her journey, back to
her hometown and on her way to self-discovery. It is
along the way that she realizes what it is she actually
wants, despite what she knows is "good for her." The
only downfall of the movie is that it is definitely on
the predictable side. Sweet Home Alabama is a movie for
either men or women, but women will have a much greater
appreciation for it. For the women out there, this is
a great film that will make you laugh and cry and look
forward to the ending. For the guys, this is a great
film to take your girlfriend to on your next date. Guest
Reviewer: Jennie Feltes.
Back
to top!
|
| |
Ballistic:
Ecks vs. Sever - A Film by Kaos (hey, never directed
a film before)
Jeremiah
Ecks (Antonio Banderas) is a former FBI agent haunted
by the mysterious death of his wife. When an ex-Defense
Intelligence Agency operative code named Sever (Lucy
Liu) kidnaps the young son of the head of an international
secret agency, Ecks is blackmailed back into service.
The remainder of the film follows the hunt as both the
FBI and the agency for which the father works each track
the kidnapper, bent on being the first to find her and
bring her down. This film is an adrenaline charged nuclear
explosion from start to finish.
Unfortunately,
that's all it has going for it basically. If you really
enjoy watching things blowing up, this is the film for
you. In fact, the script, story and performances would
have relegated this Hollywood feature to the rarified
One Popcorn Kernel out of Five realm. Instead, in deference
to the awesome display of pyrotechnics, we elevated it
to a two. Of course, Lucy Liu is always fun to watch
when she is kicking ass on screen. Banderas has never
really impressed me and his accent can make his dialogue
hard to understand at times.
Back
to top!
|
| |
The
Four Feathers - A Film by Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth)
Set
in 1898, this movie follows the efforts of a British
military officer (Heath Ledger) as he tries to regain
the confidence of his friends and fiancée after
he resigns his commission upon learning his regiment
is being shipped off to war in the Sudan. The title of
the film reflects the four white feathers given to the
officer by his three closest friends and his fiancée
(Kate Hudson) indicating their feeling that he is a coward.
With his life in a shambles and the knowledge that his
regiment is suffering staggering losses in the field
of battle, the officer disguises himself as an Arab and
heads to the Sudan to secretly save the friends who had
lost faith in him.
While
a visually stunning film with strong performances by
Ledger and Hudson, this film failed to meet my expectations.
The story is a good one but develops slowly and, at times,
in a disjointed fashion. The settings certainly are stunning
(late 1800s England and the Sudan) but the action in
the desert takes too long to develop. The ending also
leaves the viewer a little dissatisfied as the filmmakers
seems to have realized their film was losing the audience
and came out with what seems like an abrupt ending. Anyway,
this film is worth seeing for its visuals and the performances
of the lead actors but is an average film when taken
in total. Save a few bucks and see this one as a matinee
or wait for it on DVD.
Back
to top!
|
|
|
City
By The Sea - A Film by Michael Canton-Jones (The
Jackal, Rob Roy)
A
fact based drama, City By The Sea centers around a New
York police officer named Vincent LaMarca (Robert DeNiro),
the son of an executed child killer and father to a son
addicted to drugs. LaMarca has risen through the ranks
for the NYPD in spite of his family's very public past.
When his addicted son commits murder, the manhunt begins
to bring him in safely. The son (James Franco) lives
with his mother in Long Island and hides out in the abandoned
casino on the once prominent boardwalk. Vincent's life
is complicated by the fact he is seeing a woman (Frances
McDormand) who lives in his building but knows nothing
about his family, past and present. As the story progresses,
more and more complications are thrust at Vincent until
the eventual climax.
With
summer winding down, the choices of movies to go see
has become incredibly limited. Between the height of
the summer season and the end of the year push for Oscar
worthy films, we get movies like City By The Sea. While
not a terrible film by any means, City By The Sea never
really grabs you. When perusing the movie listings, this
movie held the most promise. DeNiro and McDormand give
strong performances as they always do. The story is slow
and methodical and leaves a lot of dangling issues: what
exactly happened between DeNiro and his ex-wife, why
did he not get more involved in his son's life, what
exactly is the situation at the end of the movie? So
many things are hinted at but never resolved. The best
performance in the film comes from James Franco who could
be seen most recently as Peter Parker's best friend in
Spiderman. His portrayal of the drug addicted son impressed
me, especially as a contrast to his character in Spiderman.
The
film is noteworthy for one other thing: the images of
Long Beach. The film begins with newsreel footage of
the Long Island boardwalk in it's heyday and then transitions
to the same camera shots from today. The once vibrantly
colored buildings now abandoned. The hundreds of thousands
of tourists replaced with a handful of junkies. I immediately
thought about the America's River Project. What is it
going to take for us to keep that a vibrant tourist destination?
This is the question the people behind America's River
are asking themselves. We as a community should be asking
ourselves what our part in that will be. Food for thought
from a not so impressive movie.
Back
to top!
|
|
|
My
Big Fat Greek Wedding
My
Big Fat Greek Wedding This film centers around a 30 year old Greek
woman, desperate to find love, regardless of heritage. Her family
has a different attitude toward marriage and just about everything
else: it's all Greek to them.Ê She lives at home with her parents,
works in the family restaurant (Flying Zorba's) and did not attend
college. When she meets the man of her dreams, she rea |
