Flight
of the Phoenix - A Film by John Moore (Behind
Enemy Lines)
Click
Image for Trailer
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Captain
Frank Towns (Dennis Quaid) along with
his co-pilot spends his days flying
from Beijing to oil rigs, closing them
down due to lack of production. His
latest stop is in the remote Gobi desert
where he picks up the crew as well
as the equipment from the rig. After
a smooth start, the flight turns bumpy
as they encounter a sandstorm. Captain
Towns is forced to crash land, miles
off course and short on supplies. With
little hope of being found, the group
decides to attempt the impossible:
build a new plane out of the wreckage
of the old. The race against time is
complicated by bands of smugglers,
the brutal desert environment and growing
tension among the group.
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| Flight
of the Phoenix (pronounced "puh-ho-nicks") is a remake
of a 1965 film starring Jimmy Stewart in the Captain Towns role.
In this new version, some of the details have changed but the general
concept is the same. According to someone who saw the original
first, this one lacks a lot of the character development and the
level of tension between the characters is therefore reduced. Of
course, films made in the 60s were more driven by the story and
character development rather than the action. Still, this film
has some positives. Some of the performances are alright and the
pacing of the story keeps your interest. Worth a look but you will
have to decide if it is better to spend your $7.50 on Flight of
the Phoenix or The Aviator (if it ever gets to Dubuque.) |
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Meet
the Fockers - A Film by Jay Roach (Austin Powers
Series, Meet the Parents)
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In
Meet the Parents, Gaylord (a.k.a. Greg)
Focker (Ben Stiller), a male nurse, and
his fiancé Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo),
a second-grade teacher, make a trip to
her parents house so Greg can meet her
parents. Her father Jack (Robert De Niro)
is less than enthusiastic about her choice
of a future husband while her mother Dina
(Blythe Danner) is more accepting. At the
end of that film, Jack appears to have
come to accept Greg and the plans for the
wedding are set into motion. In the sequel
to that smash hit movie, Greg, Pam, Jack
and Dina make a trip to Florida to meet
Greg's parents, Bernie (Dustin Hoffman)
and Roz (Barbra Streisand). Along for the
ride is Pam's nephew Little Jack whom Jack
is rearing using tough love. This cast
of characters leads to a dysfunctional
family gathering that eventually brings
the two families together.
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Meet
the Fockers may be the boldest name for a movie in the history
of the industry and it marks the return of Barbra Streisand to
the comedy genre which marked her early motion picture success.
Meet the Fockers is a worthy follow-up film to the original and
has the same comedic timing and character interaction of the
original. De Niro, Stiller, Hoffman and Streisand are perfect
in a film that gives them plenty of great lines and moments to
shine as comics. This an entertaining comedy with many hilarious
moments, from the cat flushing the puppy down the toilet to Streisand
talking openly about sex to Little Jack's first word. Rarely
does the movie go for the easy joke or be predictable. Many of
the best jokes and funniest moments come as complete surprises,
keeping the audience somewhat off-guard and engrossed in the
movie. These are great characters played by great actors. Who
can argue with a cast that includes De Niro, Hoffman and Streisand.
Throw in other quality performers like Stiller and Danner and
you have the makings for a good film. Streisand is by far the
standout and, after so many years, was a surprise. This film
works partly because of the way these great actors play well
with each other and it comes across through the movie that they
truly enjoyed working on the film. We debated about this movie
being a four or a five kernel film and decided by consensus that
it was good enough to earn a five. See if you agree.
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Lemony
Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events -
A Film by Brad Silberling (Moonlight Mile, City of Angels)
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Trailer
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Based
on the wildly successful Lemony Snicket
books, A Series of Unfortunate Events is
the first film to bring the story of the
Baudelaire children, orphaned when their
wealthy parents are killed in a tragic
fire that destroyed their mansion. Now
in the charge of the state, the children
(Violet, Klaus and Sunny) are shuttled
from "distant relative" to "distant
relative", each one offering a different
concept of home and family. Jim Carrey
plays Count Olaf, the first guardian of
the siblings, and his motivations for taking
them in is quickly put into question. Count
Olaf is followed by Uncle Monty (Billy
Connolly) who is an expert on reptiles
and then Aunt Josephine (Meryl Streep)
who is a hypochondriac. The children cope
with each successive situation constantly
looking to regain that sense of home they
lost when their parents died.
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A
Series of Unfortunate Events is visually else that
really captivates the audience. Jim Carrey's performance
has some flashes of brilliance but quickly degrade
into the standard Carrey shtick. Streep comes across
perfectly as the women who is simply afraid of everything
from the radiator blowing up to the refrigerator falling
on you. The child actors portraying the three Baudelaire
kids are the true stars of the movie. While we adults
did not enjoy the film all that much, the children
in the audience seemed to enjoy it more. Of the two
children of a friend who attended an earlier show,
one child liked the movie, the other did not, at least
not as much as the original book. Perhaps the director
was trying to hard to recreate the feel of a Tim Burton
film or could not figure out how to bring the book
to the screen fully, but A Series of Unfortunate Events
misfires on a few too many cylinders to receive a higher
rating. |
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Ocean's
Twelve - A Film by Steven Soderbergh (Ocean's
11, Erin Brockovich)
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for Trailer
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Three
years after knocking over three Las
Vegas casinos owned by Terry Benedict
(Andy Garcia), Danny (George Clooney)
and Tess (Julia Roberts) Ocean are
planning their new life on the straight
and narrow. At least as straight and
narrow as a lifetime thief can live.
The other members of Danny's original
team are also getting on with their
lives: Rusty (Brad Pitt) is in the
hotel business, Saul (Carl Reiner)
has invested in the stock market, the
Provo Twins (Casey Affleck, Scott Cann)
are starting families, etc. When someone
breaks the Number One rule and rats
everyone out, Danny has to bring back
the entire team in order to pay back
Benedict every penny they stole, with
interest. That means, in addition to
the others, pulling grease man Yen
(Shaobo Qin), explosives expert Basher
(Don Cheadle), con-man Frank (Bernie
Mac), casino mogul Reuben (Elliott
Gould), technology geek Livingston
(Eddie Jemison) and thief in training
Linus (Matt Damon) back together for
another big heist. Hot on their heals
are another international thief in
the Night Fox (Vincent Cassel) and
Europol detective Isabel Lahiri (Catherine
Zeta-Jones) who just happens to be
the former girlfriend of Rusty.
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OK,
that is probably the longest synopsis we have
ever written and with good reason. This is once
again one of the most impressive casts ever put
together in a major motion picture and they all
deserve recognition. Also, this is a movie with
a complicated script and intricate story. Much
like its predecessor, Ocean's Twelve has a swagger
that smacks of the original Ocean's 11 which
started the Brat Pack of Sinatra, Martin and
Davis, Jr. If you are a fan of these characters,
you will laugh out loud at some of the conversations,
the way these characters interact and what are
inside jokes from the first film. This cast works
so well together, they seem like they have been
friends for years. They really seem to be having
fun being a part of this movie. The twisted and
intricate storyline and script keep you guessing
and glued to the screen from beginning to end.
It is a truly enjoyable film that has equal parts
comedy, suspense and action. The way that Soderbergh
creates the atmosphere is perfect and, again,
creates the feel of a classic movie. Perhaps
we have over sold this movie but it is a fun,
entertaining movie worth seeing. Period. |
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Alexander -
A Film by Oliver Stone (every conspiracy movie ever
made including JFK)
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Alexander
is the epic story of Alexander the Great (Colin
Farrell), conqueror of the known world and more
in the third century BC. Touted as one of the greatest
military strategists of all time, Alexander hailed
from Greece and Macedonia and lead his armies through
Persia, Egypt, Asia and India. He never lost a
battle, ruling the civilized world by the age of
25. His untimely death at age 32 came at the height
of his power. Throughouthis life, his decisions
and attitudes were formed by his dominating and
bitter mother Olympias (Angelina Jolie), his battle-scarred
and disapproving father Philip (Val Kilmer), his
lifelong friend Hephaistion (Jared Leto) and his
trusted general Ptolemy (portrayed in his later
years by Sir Anthony Hopkins.) The story of Alexander
the Great is only made more impressive by the fact
that it really happened. |
Alexander
is Oliver Stone's attempt to create the classic epic historical
film. He fails in many, many ways to achieve anything on
the level of Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator or Alexander
the Great, the 1950s film starring Richard Burton about
the same subject matter. One reviewer has criticized the
film for many reasons, not the least being that Stone seems
to even make this film about Alexander actually an allegory
about Vietnam and Iraq. After evaluating the film, this
analogy holds some water. Stone seems to want to find conspiracy
in everything. And this film is a jumbled mess, skipping
over many of the more significant moments in Alexander's
life (his rise to power upon the death of his father is
only shown in a flashback about 2 hours into the film and
we never really see how he developed his knowledge of military
strategy, something that saw him go undefeated in 8 years
of military battles) and relying way too much on voice
overs to tell the story. Stone focuses so much energy on
Alexander's love-life, including his homosexual relationships
(it was a different world with different morals where sex
with men was often just a means to an end) that it distracts
from the greatness of this man. This misplaced focus is
also troublesome because the scenes are poorly constructed
and seem incredibly awkward for the actors trying to play
them out. While some battle sequences are done well and,
surprisingly, Angelina Jolie is superb as the dominating
and devious Olympias, I could take or leave most of the
rest of the movie. If you really have a yen to see this
movie, wait for it on video or DVD. |
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Christmas
with the Kranks - A Film by
Joe Roth (America's Sweethearts, Daddy Day Care)
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Trailer
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When
their daughter Blair (joins the Peace Corps
and therefore will not be home for Christmas,
Luther (Tim
Allen) and Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) Krank
decide that they are going to skip Christmas
this year and use the money they save to
go on a cruise. This means no Christmas
decorations, no Christmas Eve party, no
Hoo-Hash. This leaves friends, co-workers
and neighbors upset and on a mission to
convert these Scrooges whom they see as
being selfish. All is going according to
plan (for the most part) until Blair calls
the morning of Christmas Eve and says she
has changed her mind and is coming home.
This puts Luther and Nora into a panic
as they try to put together a party,
decorate the house and make Christmas happen
in less than a day. The film is based on
Skipping Christmas, a novel by John Grisham
(yeah, that John Grisham).
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Christmas
with the Kranks was about the only movie worth seeing
one cold November night after we had seen all of the
other worthy recent releases. We walked into the theater
not expecting very much and were pleasantly surprised.
Christmas with the Kranks is actually a better Christmas
movie than we had been lead to believe. Some of the
comedic moments are perfectly timed and the film has
the typical sappy ending that all Christmas movies
have to have. Allen is his usual amusing self and Curtis
is hilarious at times as the wife and mother who normally
buys into the whole Christmas as a cottage industry
but has to suppress such activities for one year. When
she hears her daughter is returning, she kicks it into
high gear, donning her Christmas vest and taking control
of the house. And those nosey neighbors will make your
skin crawl because we all know people like that.
While
this will not join the ranks of the greatest holiday
films you know and love [It's a Wonderful Life,
A Christmas Story, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street
(the original, not the pathetic excuse of a remake
done by John Hughes) and Christmas Vacation], Christmas
with the Kranks does a good enough job depicting
the craziness yet importance of the season to make
it worth a look. It has the potential to make its
way into many holiday video collections and become
a staple during the holidays on network television.
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National
Treasure - A Film by Jon Turteltaub (Phenomenon,
While You Were Sleeping)
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Click Image for Trailer
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How
does this film rate on the
365 popcorn scale...?
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Clues
left by the founding fathers lead Benjamin
Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage) on the adventure
of a lifetime and more. Gates is the descendent
of a man who was left the first clue by the
last living person to sign the Declaration
of Independence. That clue, "The Secret
lies with Charlotte" is where the trail
begins to finding the greatest treasure, a
National Treasure. Other clues lie with the
Declaration of Independence itself as well
as the Liberty Bell and the dollar bill. Gates
is joined by a faithful sidekick in the person
of Riley Poole (Justin Bartha), his father
(Jon Voight) and a beautiful government agent
(Harvey Keitel) and another treasure seeker
(Sean Bean.)
National
Treasure has been taking more than a few hits
from the critics out there. It is somewhat
understandable, if every movie has to live
up to the level of an American Beauty or Lord
of the Rings. National Treasure is unapologetic
about what it is: a two hour trip through
history on a treasure hunt. It is Indiana
Jones with a history lesson. The way that
it ties events surrounding the birth of our
nation into the clues that potentially lead
to the eventual payoff is clever and, for
a history buff, fun.
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The
movie rarely loses its way or energy. The amount of
humor, intrigue and action are appropriate and do
a good job of keeping the interest of the audience.
Sure, this is not going to win Academy Awards in the
spring other than for some special effects perhaps
but it will make a lot of money making a lot of people
happy for two hours. After all, isn't that what going
to the
movies is all about sometimes? Not quite to the level
of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, National Treasure
could be the first of many movies about these characters,
entertaining and educating audiences for years to
come.
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The
Polar Express - Directed by
Robert Zemekis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump)
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Trailer
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How
does this film rate on the
365 popcorn scale...?
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It
is Christmas Eve and a young boy is sitting
awake, reluctantly beginning to question
the existence of Santa Claus. As he begins
to drift off to sleep, he is awakened abruptly
by the sound and lights of a steam locomotive
outside his window. He grabs his robe and
slippers and heads out to the street to
see what's the matter. Off the train comes
the conductor (voiced by Tom Hanks who voices
several characters in the film) and he asked
the boy to get on the train. The boy asks "where
are we going" and the conductor responds "why
the North Pole, of course. This is the Polar
Express!" With that, the adventure
begins as the boy joins other children in
need of some holiday spirit as they head
to Santa's workshop.
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The
Polar Express is obviously a film for children. It does
not have the adult feel of the Shreks or Finding Nemos
of the world. It has phenomenal animation, that is for
sure. But the story lacks quite a bit and many of the
musical interludes seem forced, unlike many of the Disney
films. This film may very well impress children with
the action, story and characters. Not being one, it
left me feeling a little uninterested in where the story
was going, even though I knew the direction it would
take. It became clear early on that this boy was going
to recapture his belief in Santa and the other children
would find what they were looking for as well. Tom Hanks
is a great actor with tremendous control over his vocals.
His partnership with Zemeckis always bears fruit, lots
of it green, and expect no less of The Polar Express.
Unfortunately, unless you are sharing the moment with
children, you could probably wait for it on video. For
families, it is a worthwhile trip to the cineplex. |
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The
Incredibles - A Film by Brad Bird (The Iron
Giant)
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How
does this film rate on the
365 popcorn scale...?
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Pixar
Animation Studios presents The Incredibles,
an animated action adventure story about superheroes. Bob
Parr used to be Mr. Incredible (voiced by
Craig T. Nelson of the television sitcom COACH),
one of the world's most famous and beloved
superheroes. That was until a string of lawsuits
were brought against him and other superheroes
for damages. In response to pressure from
the public, the government orders all superheroes
to cease activities and put them all into
the Superhero Relocation Program. Now, 15
years have passed and Bob is working a dead-end
job and living in suburbia with his superhero
wife Helen/Elastigirl (Helen Hunter) and their
three children. Bob is itching to get back
into the game, though, and sneaks out with
Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson), his best friend
from the old days, to stop evil. When he is
approached by a mysterious woman for a special
assignment, he dusts off the old costume and
sucks in his gut. Joining him eventually
are Helen, the kids and Frozone.
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Pixar
certainly knows how to make animated feature films.
The Incredibles in a funny film with a lot of the
same attitude and look of their other films. This
one is not as successful as some of their other outings
but that is like trying to compare the Unity Temple
by Frank Lloyd Wright with the Guggenheim Museum in
New York by Frank Lloyd Wright. Yet, there is something
missing from this one. A few of the characters are
absolutely hilarious but the story is somewhat predicable
and actually seems to stall a few times. The animation
technology utilized here is once again spectacular.
Pixar does a great job of creating realistic sets
for their cartoon characters. Nelson, Hunter, Jackson
and Jason Lee (among others) supply distinctive voices
to their respective characters, providing emotion
and a human quality. Many of the funniest moments
revolve around these superheroes trying to lead normal
lives. As with previous Pixar films, this one is definitely
worth seeing in the theater, it just might not meet
the high expectations they have established with their
previous work.
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Team
America: World Police - A F---ing Film by
Trey Parker (South Park, Base-ketball)
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How
does this film rate on the
365 popcorn scale...?
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Team
America: World Police is a crack anti-terrorism
unit stationed at (and in) Mount Rushmore,
USA. This team of ultra-patriotic marionettes
is dedicated to maintaining global stability
by stopping anyone who has or threatens to
use weapons of mass destruction (WMDs.) Chris,
Joe, Sarah and Lisa are joined by Gary, an
actor just coming off a successful run of
the Broadway play "LEASE." Gary
infiltrates a terrorist cell and helps Team
America thwart the terrorist plot. Unfortunately,
there is a bigger plot thickening under the
leadership of dictator Kim Jong Il. Lead by
Spottswoode, Team America races against time
to save the world, whether they want to be
saved or not. "America, F--- Yeah!"
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The
South Park boys are at it again with Team America: World
Police. In the vain of the film, this is the funniest
f---ing comedy you will see this fall. It is actually
a fairly amazing cinematic achievement with the number
of marionettes and sets that had to be built to accommodate
them. The wit and wisdom of Parker and Stone are in rare
form here as they skewer the current American attitude
toward the rest of the world, just about every nationality
and Hollywood actors lead by Alec Baldwin, "the greatest
actor of all time." Some of the jokes and many of
the scenes will have you rolling in the aisles. Watching
marionettes have sex, use foul language and get drunk
enough to throw up is unique movie-making. The Thunderbirds
these aren't. For fans of sick, twisted, politically incorrect
humor, this is the film to see. |
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Shark
Tale
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Trailer
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How
does this film rate on the
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Oscar
(Will Smith) is a fast-talking little fish
whose big dreams have a habit of landing
him in hot water. Lenny (Jack Black) is
a great white shark with a sensitive side
and a secret -- he's a vegetarian. When
a great white lie turns Oscar into an improbable
hero and the truth about Lenny makes him
an outcast, these two become the most unlikely
of friends.
I
saw this film with a three year old who
generally has no trouble sitting through
most cartoon, especially Dora the Explorer,
but on this day became Dora herself as the
movie quickly lost her attention and she
began to wander. I too lost interest in
the movie fairly quickly. It just didn't
grab me or make me laugh enough.
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Pretty
much all the Pixar movies and other from Dreamworks
(Shreck) have done a great job of appealing to two different
audiences with the same film. A great kids story injected
with highbrow comedy only deciphered by adults. There
was not nearly enough of that kind of writing in this
picture, or at least it was not very clever. I guess
I've already seen a stellar underwater animated film
called Finding Nemo so this by comparison was pretty
lame. I'm sure it has a core audience, I just don't
know what that would be. But the popcorn in the Decorah
movie theater still comes in real buckets which was
a highlight for me. |
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Friday
Night Lights - A Film by Peter Berg (Very Bad Things,
The Rundown)
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How
does this film rate on the
365 popcorn scale...?
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From
September through December, all across America
in small towns and large cities alike, the
night sky is filled with illumination emanating
from high-powered stadium lights. These Friday
Night Lights are what makes the phenomenon
of high school football possible. In most
cities, it is a big deal but in Texas, where
they do everything big, it is the biggest
thing since Texas toast. In Odessa, the hope
of the community rests with the Permian Panthers
who play in the largest high school football
stadium in the country (capacity of 20,000
spectators.) Based on a true story, Friday
Night Lights follows the team during their
struggle to win their fifth state championship
in 1988. Coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thronton),
under the pressure of replicating history,
is quickly criticized when things do not go
according to plan. His players include the
hotshot running back (Derek Luke) with strong
football career possibilities, the fumbling
tight end (Tim McGraw) who has to deal with
an abusive father and the small but aggressive
corner (Jay Hernandez).
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Friday Night Lights is a gritty football movie, partly due to the cimetography
but also for its depictions of over-zealous fans, parents living through
the accomplishments of their kids and the hard hitting nature of football.
Without knowing the story, the film does a good job of generating interest
in how it all ends. The writing, acting and directing are all adequate
but there is something that keeps this film from getting a better review.
And it is hard to pinpoint what that is but there is something. If you
are really into football and movies about the sport, Friday Night Lights
is worth seeing. Does it need to be seen on the big
screen? Not necessarily. Being in the midst of high school, college and
pro football season, the release of Friday Night Lights is well-timed,
to be sure. |
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Ladder
49 - A Film by Jay Russell
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How
does this film rate on the
365 popcorn scale...?
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"Why
do firefighters run into burning buildings
when everyone else is running out?" That
is the question at the heart of Ladder 49,
the story of one such firefighter which is
told largely through flashbacks. The film
begins with Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix)
entering a burning building in search of people
to save. As the situation intensifies, Jack
recalls pivotal moments in his life, beginning
with the day he walked into the firehouse
of Engine 33 and Ladder 49 as a rookie. John
Travolta portrays Mike Kennedy, Jack's mentor
and chief of the fire department. As the film
jumps back and forth from the present to the
past, Jack's life unfolds on the screen and
the audience is made to understand what lies
at the heart of every firefighter who risks
his life every day to save others.
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Ladder
49 has received a lot of positive praise from critics
and audiences across the country and it is deserved. This
movie is brimming with action and suspense but also tugs
at the heart-strings of the audience as we become enveloped
in the life of this one young firefighter. There is not
much more we can say about the story without giving something
critical away so you will just have to see it for yourself.
Joaquin Phoenix pulls together another solid performance
as the naive but dedicated Jack and John Travolta finds
a role in Mike that fits his persona. Both of these actors
have talent that helps propel this film along. The remainder
of the cast serves them well as support without outshining
them. The fire sequences are intense at times and one
can really get a sense from this film of actually how
brave real firefighters must be. This film has a different
feel to it than similar films like Backdraft. There is
not a sinister enemy here. The only enemy is the fire
itself and it's destructive force. Some implausabilities
creep into the story at various points which knock the
film from the ranks of the Five Kernel reviews but it
is well worth the trip to the multiplex. The story will
appeal to both men and women with equal parts action and
heart. |
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Going
Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry - George
Butler
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How
does this film rate on the
365 popcorn scale...?
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Going
Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry is a feature
length documentary about character and moral
leadership during a time of national crisis.
Loosely based on the best-selling book Tour
of Duty by Douglas Brinkley, Going Upriver
examines the story of John Kerry and the key
events that made him a national figure and
the man he is today. The film places particular
emphasis on his service during the Vietnam
War and his opposition to the war upon his
return. Going Upriver director George Butler
(best known for his highly acclaimed films
Pumping Iron, featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger)
first began documenting Kerry's actions in
1969. His own photographs are intermingled
with archival footage and interviews with
those close to Kerry. The film traces Kerry’s
early life as a young man who chooses to enlist
in the Navy and to go to Vietnam. The film
reveals intimate, first person accounts of
Kerry’s war service through his own
private letters, his journal, and the memories
of the men who served at his side. When Kerry
came home disillusioned by the war, he led
his fellow Vietnam Veterans in challenging
Congress and the Nixon administration.
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Certainly
a glowing review for the Kerry campaign, it does a
wonderful job of educating the viewer on where exactly
the John Kerry we know today came from. I think I
learned more about Kerry and his conviction in this
90 or so minutes than I have in a year of campaigning.
Political ads point to Kerry's service in Vietnam
as a selling point to his candidacy, but poignant
to us after viewing the film was what was arguably
the more important and effective role he played as
well-spoken, level headed protester of the war after
his service concluded. The film does not touch on
the current campaign, nor does it address Bush or
Republicans other than the conflict with the Nixon
Administration, though Johnson was not portrayed glowingly
either. It does a great job of painting Kerry's experiences
against the backdrop of a generation of unrest and
follows a cast of men who fought and protested during
a defining era in American history into their current
roles as leaders of a nation. No matter your political
affiliation, this documentary will serve well as an
educational guide to the foundation of today's John
Kerry. Whether or not you agree with his convictions
remains up to you. - Review by Bryce Parks.
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Sky
Captain and the World of Tomorrow - Directed
by Kerry Conran
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How
does this film rate on the
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Famous
scientists around the world have mysteriously
disappeared and Chronicle reporter Polly
Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) along with ace
aviator Sky Captain (Jude Law) are on the
investigation. Risking their lives as they
travel to exotic places around world, can
the fearless duo stop Dr. Totenkopf, the
evil mastermind behind a plot to destroy
the earth? Aided by Franky Cook (Angelina
Jolie), commander of an all-female amphibious
squadron, and technical genius Dex (Giovanni
Ribisi), Polly and Sky Captain may be our
planet's only hope.
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This
film should carry a broad appeal as a classic Saturday afternoon
action movie. The intro scenes are amazing and the very original
vision of the movie is refreshing and bold. With the feel of
a classic serial movie the development of the characters appear
less important than the overall aura of the movie. Sky Captain’s
dramatic scenery and unique retro imagery provide for a backdrop
that is far more interesting than the plot. With only a short
appearance Angelina Jolie steels the show and left me wanting
to see her character’s action movie. In the end it is the
creativity and risk taking nature of the movie that makes it
a solid choice.
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Garden
State - A Film by Zach Braff (Directorial
Debut)
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Click Image for Trailer
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How
does this film rate on the
365 popcorn scale...?
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Andrew "Large" Largeman
(Braff) returns to the Garden State after
a nine year absence for the funeral for his
mother who drowned tragically in the bathtub.
He has been living in LA, making a living
as a modestly successful TV actor and waiter.
His return results in a different type of
journey as he ceases taking his lithium, a
drug prescribed to him for 17 of his 26 years
by his psychiatrist father (Ian Holm.) Between
parties with his high school friends and avoiding
confrontations with his father, Large meets
the attractive, if not dysfunctional, Sam
(Natalie Portman) who sparks something in
him. For the first time in his adult life,
Large is experiencing life with clarity and
he finds that he likes it.
It
is obvious why this film has garnered so many
accolades, including being an official selection
of both the Sundance and Los Angeles Film
Festivals. A refreshingly quirky and funny
film, Garden State challenges us by being
something other than your standard motion
picture feature.
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Zach
Braff put together a solid story with a strong set of
unique characters. As with most first time writers/directors,
Braff uses some standard themes and techniques but not
to a great extent. He wrote an original script and directed
a solid movie. The supporting cast delivers the material
with the same level of quality. Natalie Portman once again
proves that she can act when presented with a good script
and a director who knows what he is doing. Garden State
is worth the price of admission and more. |
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Collateral -
A Film by Michael Mann (The Insider, Miami Vice)
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Click Image for Trailer
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How
does this film rate on the
365 popcorn scale...?
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The
night started out like any other for Max (Jamie Foxx),
a cabbie in LA. That is until he picks up US Attorney
Annie Farrell (Jada Pinkett Smith) and sparks fly.
Riding on a high after dropping her off, Max's next
fair causes even more chaos. Vincent (Tom Cruise) offers
Max $600 to drive him around for the entire night as
he takes care of some errands. Max reluctantly agrees,
only to find out that Vincent is a hired hit man with
five people to kill that night. Max immediately tries
to back out of the deal, only to become more and more
uncomfortable with it as the night progresses.
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Tom
Cruise as the bad guy is a nice twist. He plays the hit man
with little emotion, just a man doing a job. Equal to the task
is Jamie Foxx playing the good guy stuck in an unfortunate
situation. The movie has the standard Michael Mann feel, taking
place at night with a lot of neon lights and jittery, grainy
images. The premise is unique and is what propels the story
but the film lacks something. It is hard to pinpoint why this
movie did not strike me as being better but it just fell a
little short for me. It is enjoyable and worth seeing but not
necessarily on the big screen. You will find that you will
root for Foxx but you might not root against Cruise as much
as the director wants you to. The tragic flaw with the story?
Vincent is killing bad people, whether they have turned states
evidence or not. Hard to root against someone killing off drug
dealers. Not until his final mark do we really start looking
for someone to stop him.
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The
Village - A Film by M. Night Shyamalan (The
Sixth Sense, Signs)
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Click Image for Trailer
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How
does this film rate on the
365 popcorn scale...?
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The
people of The Village live simple, uncomplicated
lives. They live peacefully with Covington
Woods, as long as they remain within their
boundary and do not venture into those woods.
For in those woods live savage creatures who
hide in the shadows and stay away from the
village unless provoked. The Council of Elders
oversees all aspects of life in the village
and watch as their children grow up, fall
in love and get married. The death of one
young boy has thrust this isolated village
into grief and prompts Lucius Hunt (Joaquin
Phoenix) to dare to enter the woods in hopes
of reaching the "towns" for medicine
to prevent future preventable tragedies. His
brief trek into the woods apparently disturbs
the creatures and they begin to send signals
to the villagers that things have changed.
When Ivy (Bryce Dallas Howard), the daughter
of teacher Edward Walker (William Hurt), falls
in love with Lucius, the son of Alice Hunt
(Sigourney Weaver), everything seems to be
right with the world. It is not long before
tragedy strikes and the delicate, p | | |
