RENT - A
Film by Chris Columbus (Gremlins, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
Stone, Mrs. Doubtfire)
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Prolific
producer/director Chris Columbus brings the award winning
Broadway musical RENT to the big screen. Jonathan Larson's
modern day version of Puccini's classic opera La Boheme
is a revolutionary rock opera about a group of young
artists struggling to make ends meet in New York's
East Village. Their obstacles range from their financial
difficulties to their lack of acceptance to the AIDS
epidemic. The film version reunites many members of
the original 1996 play and adds several other notable
actors. The cast includes Rosario Dawson as Mimi, Taye
Diggs as Benny, Jesse L. Martin as Tom Collins, Idina
Menzel as Maureen, Adam Pascal as Roger, Anthony Rapp
as Mark, Wilson Heredia as Angel and Tracie Thoms as
Joanne. The relationships, both as friends and lovers,
between this diverse mix of individuals is what drives
the story behind RENT and the story basically follows
them from Christmas to Christmas, roughly 525,600 minutes.
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This
is one of the most faithful cinematic adaptations of a musical
we have ever seen. The power of the story and the music is
adeptly brought to the screen under the masterful eye of director
Chris Columbus. The performances, largely driven by their musical
performances, are spectacular. In the entire 135 minutes of
the film, there were probably only 15 minutes of actual dialogue.
The rest of the story is told, as in the play, by the lyrics
of the songs. As someone who saw the play several years ago,
I felt the film was easier to follow and I realized that there
were several nuances that I missed during my viewing of the
play. And I had a greater appreciation for the songs which
are powerful, evocative and full of energy and meaning. The
fact that this play came out at a time when the acceptance
of gays and their vilification due to the spread of the AIDS
virus is significant and the topic and the play is still valid
and poignant even today. Of course, this movie is not for everyone.
If you hate musicals, chances are you will hate RENT. If you
like musicals, RENT is going to be a perfect holiday treat
for you. Add great cinematography and well-crafted scenes to
the music, direction and performances, and RENT is easily one
of the best films of the year.
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Aeon
Flux - A Film by Karyn Kusama (Girlfight)
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Based
on the classic MTV animated series, Aeon Flux is
a sci-fi thriller set 400 years in the future. After
a world-wide industrial epidemic wipes out all but
roughly 5 million humans, the man (Marton Csokas
as Victor Goodchild) who found the cure that saved
them heads a totalitarian regime over the only remaining
city, an oasis created by him to protect these survivors
from the possible threats from outside its walls.
Aeon Flux (Charlize Theron) is a member of the resistance,
a group of individuals who feel the regime is perpetuating
the myth that there is still danger in order to maintain
control over the human race. Aeon is a fighter and
assassin, carrying out orders from The Handler (Frances
McDormand) along with Sithandra (Sophie Okonedo)
and a handful of others placed to infiltrate the
regime's inner circle. When Aeon is ordered to murder
Victor, her face-to-face encounter with him brings
secrets to light which change everything for the
entire world.
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Aeon
Flux is at times flashy but in general is a lackluster attempt
at creating a sci-fi classic. The original animated series
on MTV was cutting edge and the nature of animation allowed
it to take the story and imagery to a unique place. The film
captures a limited amount of that feel and look but the direction,
script and performances are generally flat and uninteresting.
Perhaps fans of the series may have a different opinion about
that but this reviewer was not impressed with the film in
several ways. Earning points for style (but limited points)
and some interest in where the story was going are the only
elements that give Aeon Flux anything above a zero rating.
The group in attendance had some differing opinions on what
the rating should be on this film. Some felt it deserved
at least a two. Based on the review you just read, Aeon Flux
gets a rating of... One out of Five Kernels.
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Just
Friends - A Film by Roger Kimble (The Sweetest
Thing, Cruel Intentions)
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Chris
Brander (Ryan Reynolds) has reached the big time, working
in the music business in LA. He has it all: money, good
looks and a flashy job yet he is haunted by his past. In
high school Chris was an overweight, shy loner who was
in love with his best friend, Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart.) When
plane trouble grounds Chris and his current spoiled
diva client (and former girlfriend) Samantha (Anna
Faris) in his home town, he is confronted with his mother
(Julie Hagerty) and his smart aleck brother (Christopher
Marquette.) A trip to a local tavern brings Chris
face-to-face with Jamie and it rekindles his interest.
He spends the remainder of his time in New Jersey trying
to dispel the "just friends" image Jamie has
of him while he tries to pawn Samantha off on Mike. Things
seem to be going good until Dusty (Chris Klein), another
high school classmate, arrives on the scene and attempts
to sweep Jamie off her feet. |
A
very funny movie, Just Friends surprised us. We expected a
sophomoric comedy with a sufficient amount of potty humor and
sight gags and that's what we got. It met or exceeded our expectations
and need for laughter after gorging ourselves on turkey, mashed
potatoes and stuffing during Thanksgiving dinner with the fam.
Reynolds scores for a second time in a matter of months with
Just Friends, following closely on the heels of Waiting...
The cast of characters and their interplay on screen kept the
movie in motion and the jokes come at a steady pace. Sticking
to our policy of reviewing movies based on whether or not they
met expectations rather than whether or not they will win Academy
Awards, Just Friends hit the mark. And, don't we all wish we
could go back and erase the memory of who we were in high school,
at least a little bit?
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The
Ice Harvest -
A Film by Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day, Caddyshack)
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Charlie
(John Cusack) is an attorney who represents mob kingpin
Bill Guerrard (Randy Quaid) among many other unsavory types
in Wichita. Along with his associate Vic (Billy Bob Thornton),
Charlie has devised a plan to skim in excess of $2 million
from Guerrard, collecting the cash on Christmas Eve and
leaving town on Christmas Day. With or without the money,
the real catch for Charlie would be strip club owner Renata
(Connie Nielsen). As the rain falls and turns to ice on
Christmas Eve, Charlie gets to baby-sit the man (Oliver
Platt) who married his ex-wife, dodge enforcers looking
for him and Vic and wonder whether or not Vic's intentions
are all good. Throw in a young cop eager to impress Charlie
and you have a twisted, dark comedy from the mind of Harold
Ramis. |
The
Ice Harvest works off a premise and has the cast and crew to
make for another holiday classic but it fails to deliver. A
few good chuckles cannot make up for the flaws with this film.
It makes one wonder why anyone would ever make a film in which
there are no characters for the audience to root for, and we've
seen a number of films like this lately. Cusack's character
is certainly not a person of high moral character and even
the affable Platt is detestable, being the obnoxious drunk
at the bar and his in-laws house during dinner. Charlie is
a dirty lawyer, a distant father to two young children and
a crook. And who ever knew that Wichita (yes, THAT Wichita,
the one in Kansas) was such a seedy town. It seems as if the
filmmakers were trying to create a movie along the lines of
Fargo but The Ice Harvest is missing, among other things, the
one key element that made that other film a winter classic:
a hero or heroine for us to care about. Who in this film is
worth the price of admission? No one. When you stop at the
ticket counter, spend that precious money on Harry Potter or
Walk the Line this holiday season. And keep in mind, there
should be plenty more good movies on the way as we near the
end of 2005.
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Harry
Potter and the Goblet of Fire - A Film by
Mike Newell "Four Weddings and a Funeral," "Enchanted
April" and "Donnie Brasco."
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In the fourth installment in the Harry Potter series, Harry (Daniel
Radcliffe) is once again joined by his best friends Ronald Weasley
(Rupert Grint) and Hermoine Granger (Emma Watson) at Hogwart's School
of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This time, Harry is mysteriously entered
into a contest which pits him against a single combatant from Hogwarts
and two other similar schools. The competitors are chosen by the
goblet of fire and face three tasks during which they could be killed.
Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), McGonagall (Maggie Smith), Snape (Alan
Rickman) and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) are also back as well as
the other students and teachers at the school. The danger of the
contest grows and eventually brings Harry face to face with his arch
nemesis once again. |
This
series continues to entertain and also continues to get darker
with each installment. This story, like the previous three,
is interesting and engaging. As the actors grow older, so do
the characters and they too begin to deal with changes in their
lives that all teenagers do. Goblet of Fire is a fitting next
piece to the puzzle. Parents should be aware that the
darker tone of this film may be too much for many kids as it
is even sppoier that the Prisioner of Azkaban. Goblet,
however, also includes more humor than Sorcerer's Stone or
Chamber of Secrets. With additional books being released in
the series, we can count on additional movies as well and we
doubt anyone is going to complain. Warner Brothers is not the
only one hoping we see more of Harry Potter's life in the future.
Let's just hope that Radcliffe and his friends don't age too
fast and that Smith, Rickman, Coltrane and company stay on
in their previous roles.
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Walk
the Line - A Film by James Mangold (Identity,
Kate & Leopold)
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The life of musical legend Johnny Cash is the subject of Walk the
Line, based on two novels including his autobiography. Focusing on
the period from his youth in Arkansas to his marriage proposal to
June Carter-Cash in 1968, the film is a gritty and inspirational
story of a unique man with a tortured past and a passion for life.
From his struggle to get into the music business to touring with
Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and June Carter to his drug addiction and
eventual arrest, the events of Cash's life are portrayed here. Joaquin
Phoenix stars as Cash and is joined in the cast by Reese Witherspoon
as June Carter, Ginnifer Goodwin as Cash's first wife Vivian and
Robert Patrick as Cash's father. The script was co-written by Mangold
and his wife in consultation with Cash and Carter-Cash prior to their
deaths in 2003. |
While
I have never been a big fan of Johnny Cash, I am now. This
film is an excellent production that sheds light on the life
of someone that few people probably every really understood
or knew. The music is incredible and amazingly enough is performed
in the movie by the actors themselves. Phoenix is Oscar worthy
and watch for him to follow in Jamie Foxx's footsteps with
a nomination if not the Oscar as Best Actor for so effectively
portraying a musical genius. Witherspoon also shines as the
spunky June Carter-Cash. The script covers enough of the highlights
of Cash's life from his early years in Arkansas to the day
on stage in Canada where Carter finally accepts his marriage
proposal to give us insight without over-telling his story.
I can say I never knew much about Cash but I wish I would tried
to learn more before. Fan or not, this is a great film and
well worth your time. See it.
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ZATHURA -
A Film by Jon Favreau (Swingers, Elf)
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Based
on the novel by Chris Van Allsburg (The Polar Express,
JUMANJI), ZATHURA is the story of Walter (Josh Hutcherson)
and his little brother Danny (Jonah Bobo) who are constantly
feuding. They split their time between the homes of their
divorced parents along with their sister Lisa (Kristen
Stewart.) After Walter locks him in the basement
of their father's (Tim Robbins) "new" house,
Danny discovers a long forgotten board game called ZATHURA.
The game is about a space adventure but little do the
brothers know that once they begin the game, they will
be taken on a dangerous journey through space, encountering
Zorgons, a stranded astronaut (Dax Shepard) and
some pesky meteors before they can finish the game
and return home. |
For
fans of JUMANJI, the similarities between the two films will
be obvious: an old board game, some unsupervised children,
an adult thrown into the mix unexpectedly, an adventure that
can only end with the successful conclusion of the game,
the destruction of the family home, etc. Even with these
similarities and the knowledge of how it might all end, ZATHURA
is still completely enjoyable and keeps your interest. The
young actors in this film are incredibly believable: Hutcherson
as the cruel older brother who refuses the play with his
younger sibling and blames him for everything wrong with
their lives, and Bobo as the younger brother who cheats at
games to get a competitive edge and only wants to be friends
with the older brother he admires. For those of us with older
brothers, their portrayal of these two characters will bring
back some memories of youth. The pace of the film is slow
at first but picks up quickly once the game begins, much
like JUMANJI. You will be captivated by the story, the jokes
and these charming young actors. Throw in a robot and some
aliens in the form of the lizard-like Zorgons and you've
got the makings of a fun family movie-going experience. Be
forewarned by the PG-13 rating, some of the scenes are a
little more intense than some of your younger children might
appreciate. For the rest, grab that bucket of popcorn, some
Milk Duds and sit back and enjoy the ride.
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Chicken
Little - A Film by Mark Dindal
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Based
on the classic tale of a diminutive chicken who mistakes
a fallen acorn as a piece of the sky, Chicken Little
is an animated tale from the Disney machine. Voiced by
Zach Braff, Chicken Little begins the movie by starting
a community-wide panic in Oakey Oaks after the notorious
acorn apparently hits him in the noggin. His father,
Buck Cluck (Gary Marshall) does not believe his son and
this lack of faith leads Chicken Little to try to re-establish
his reputation and gain the respect of his famous father.
With the advice of his closest friends Abby Mallard (Joan
Cusack), Runt (Steve Zahn) and Fish (voiced by the office
water cooler), Chicken Little tries to talk to his father
but with little success so he tries out for the baseball
team. Just when he thinks things are turning around,
he thinks another piece of the sky has fallen and the
whole controversy begins anew, only with some major twists
to the basic tale. |
Chicken
Little is obviously Disney's attempt to create it's own Pixar-like
animation division. The graphics are different but fit well
with the imagined world of Oakey Oaks where the inhabitants
are all animals rather than people. The movie should be a
kid favorite though a few of the scenes and images may be
a little scary for littler kids. I could explain but it would
give away some of the story. One cannot help but see some
similarities here between Finding Nemo and Chicken Little.
A youngster whose father has little faith in him, the female
friend with the odd looks and voice, even the remainder of
Chicken Little's group of friends bear a striking resemblance
to the ensemble in the fish tank at the dentist's office.
Still, this is a cute children's movie with just enough adult
oriented humor (in the form of pop culture references ala
The Simpsons) to make it enjoyable for the parents in the
audience. It does not have many slow moments that might lose
the interest of kids and there is a minimal amount of musical
interludes. As with most Pixar knock-offs, the musical numbers
in Chicken Little seem forced in some instances. You know
what, the kids won't notice or care.
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The
Weather Man - A Film by Gore Verbinski (Pirates
of the Caribbean, The Ring)
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Well-known
Chicago weather man Dave Spritz (Nicolas Cage) is about
to hit the big-time: a network job as the weather man on
the morning chatfest known as Hello, America with Bryant
Gumbel. All this while his home life is in turmoil. He
is a divorced father of two somewhat dysfunctional children:
the chain smoking, overweight Shelly (Gemmenne De
La Pena) and the troubled, in rehab Mike (Nicholas
Hoult.) He seems to always say or do the wrong thing when
dealing with his ex-wife (Hope Davis) as he holds onto
hope that they can reconcile. Even with a successful career,
Dave has always lived in the shadow of his famous father
(Michael Caine), a celebrated author. When his father
is diagnosed with lymphoma, it comes at a time when
Dave is dealing with the stress of a possible job change
and the disarray that surrounds him at home. |
The
Weather Man is a middle-of-the-road dark comedy/drama about
everyday life in 2005. It hits on a few notes but misses on
several others. Some scenes are well scripted and played but
the majority of the film is disjointed, uncomfortable and artsy
for artsy-sake, if you know what I mean. Of course, the film
is inhabited by a stellar cast (Caine, Cage, Hoult) but even
they cannot make this story more interesting than the words
on the page. As the film trudges along, we were left at times
to wonder where it was going and why we cared. Saved from the
depths of a bad review by one particular scene in a parked
car toward the end, The Weather Man is only worth seeing if
you (1) are a weather man who has fast food thrown at you all
the time, (2) are a huge fan of Caine or Cage or (3) if you
have absolutely nothing better to do and the weather man has
predicted rain (or snow, I guess, since it is already November.)
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Waiting...
- A Film by Rob McKittrick
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Mitch (John Francis Daley) is the new waiter at Shenanigan's, an
Applebee's/ Ground Round/ TGIFriday's/ Bennigan's type restaurant
in Anytown, USA. On his first day, he is introduced to the restaurant
business by Mitch (Ryan Reynolds), a long-time employee who is content
with working as a waiter for as long as there are young female co-workers
to date. Along the way, Mitch meets the other employees from the
head cook Raddimus (Luis Guzman) to Monty's waitress ex-girlfriend
Serena (Anna Faris) to the rapper busboys, all of whom need therapy.
One waiter, Dean (Justin Long), is struggling with his station in
life after he finds out a former high school classmate has recently
graduated from college and has a lucrative job. Dean, unlike Monty,
wants more out of life. During his first day, Mitch also learns about
The Game played among the employees, the 5-Second Rule and how to
deal with difficult customers and bad tippers. It is almost enough
to make Mitch's first day his last. |
A
sophomoric comedy full of potty humor and poor hygiene, Waiting...
does for restaurants what Clerks did for convenience stores
and Office Space did for, well, every office in America.
Guaranteed, you will never look at eating out the same again. The
rude customers, the poor tips, the long hours and the overdone
memorabilia on the walls of the restaurant are perfectly
portrayed here. We have all wondered what really happens
when we send that steak back to the kitchen for just a few
more minutes on the grill. We have all thought about
what really goes on behind the scenes at our favorite restaurants but we
probably won't not like the answer offered by Waiting.
Of course, this is not the way it is in every restaurant
(or so we hope), I would bet it is more than standard rather
than the exception. While the movie script has a sufficient
amount of humor and every actor gets into the act at some
point, the stand-outs of the film are definitely Guzman as
the cook with the insatiable libido and Alanna Ubach as Naomi,
the angry waitress with the foul language. She carries the
movie at several points and elicits the biggest laughs. Either
way, it was a nice diversion on a cold and rainy evening.
Four out of Five Kernels (the recommendation of the group) You may very
well hate this movie.
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Wallace & Gromit:
The Curse of the Were Rabbit
Directed by Nick Park - Chicken Run
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Wallace
and Gromit are cashing in with their humane pest-control
outfit, "Anti-Pesto." With only days to go
before the annual Giant Vegetable Competition, business
is booming, but Wallace & Gromit are finding out
that running a "humane" pest control outfit
has its drawbacks as their West Wallaby Street home
fills to the brim with captive rabbits. Suddenly, a
huge, mysterious, veg-ravaging "beast" begins
attacking the town's sacred vegetable plots at night,
and the competition hostess, Lady Tottington, commissions
Anti-Pesto to catch it and save the day. Lying in wait,
however, is Lady Tottington's snobby suitor, Victor
Quartermaine, who'd rather shoot the beast and secure
the position of local hero - not to mention Lady Tottingon's
hand in marriage. With the fate of the competition
in the balance, Lady Tottington is eventually forced
to allow Victor to hunt down the vegetable chomping
marauder. Little does she know that Victor's real intent
could have dire consequences for her...and Wallace & Gromit.
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This
was my first experience with the long-running and popular children's
series Wallace and Gromit. My movie companion and co-reviewer was
a nearly four-year-old cartoon lover named Morganne. My first reaction
was to the comfortable feeing of the movie, the claymation style
of animation and overall appeal of the quaint imagery. Wallace
is an inventor and his huge variety of gadgets and goofy concoctions
was great for the kid in me and the slapstickish physical humor
seemed very well received by my movie buddy. I was worried going
in that she would not like the format, being reared thus far mostly
cartoon style animation, but she was engage throughout. The story
was cute and while based on a potentially scary situation, never
went there, which solved another worry I had. There were enough
laughs thrown in for adults to keep us smiling while the little
one oohed and aahed at the swirl of imagery on the screen. The
animated christmas short that preceded the movie based on the comic
penguins from last year's Madagascar feature was also a high point
for Morganne. While not quite a Pixar home run, it was a cute and
fulfilling way to fill a cool damp afternoon. IF you're looking
for a getaway for your small kids, we think you'll like it too.
And they won't get spooked. |
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Elizabethtown -
A Film by Cameron Crowe (Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Say Anything,
Jerry Maguire)
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Drew
Baylor (Orlando Bloom) is a young shoe designer who
has just cost Mercury Shoes $1 billion on the most
expensive "fiasco" in tennis shoe history.
His boss (Alec Baldwin) is more than willing to let
Drew tell his story and take the heat. Shortly after
he is released from employment, Drew finds out his
father has passed away while visiting his hometown
of Elizabethtown, Kentucky. While Drew, his father,
his mother (Susan Sarandon) and his sister (Judy Greer)
have lived in Oregon for decades, the townspeople of
Elizabethtown still have a fondness for Drew's father
and a distaste for Drew's mother for taking him away
from them. Overcome with emotion, Drew's mother sends
him to Kentucky to retrieve the body and bring it home
for burial. Drew meets a bubbly flight attendant
(Kirsten Dunst) en route and begins a journey of self-discovery
that will take his life in a whole new direction.
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Cameron
Crowe can do no wrong. Elizabethtown is yet another charming, entertaining,
poignant film by this highly successful writer/director. Bloom
and Dunst make a cute couple and Sarandon is perfect as the widow
struggling to find meaning in the absence of her husband. A great
soundtrack (another Crowe trademark), some off-beat humor and incredible
images of Americana assist in bringing a thoughtful script to life.
Elizabethtown has a tremendous combination of comedy, drama, sentimentality
and characters. A few slower portions to the film did detract from
the overall experience, even though they were included for effect. Either
way, when you leave the theater, your first instinct will be to
call your father. I know I did.
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Flightplan -
A Film by Robert Schwentke (The Family Jewels)
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Accompanying
her recently deceased husband's coffin from Berlin
to New York should be traumatic enough for Kyle Pratt
(Jodie Foster) but when her 6 year old daughter Julia
disappears on the plane, her nightmare really begins.
Is she losing her mind? Did Julia actually board the
plane with her? If so, where could she have gone and
is her disappearance part of a larger plot to hi-jack
the state-of-the-art plane? Kyle is a systems engineer
and knows the plane from top to bottom. If anyone can
find a missing child within that confined location,
it is her. As she struggles to piece together what
happened, she elicits the ire of her fellow passengers,
the captain (Sean Bean), his crew and Air Marshal Gene
Carson (Peter Sarsgaard.) It is a race against time
to discover the truth before the plane lands in New
York and the passengers and evidence are scattered
to the four winds.
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Produced
by Academy Award winner Brian Grazer and starting two-time Academy
Award winner Jodie Foster, Flightplan has the ingredients of a
top notch psychological thriller. Thankfully, it mixes its ingredients
well enough to transcend the mundane. The tension is palpable at
several points in the film and we are left to wonder ourselves
if we only imagined Foster bringing her daughter on board the plane.
The confined nature of the airplane works well to heighten the
tension as there are limited places to hide or be hidden and no
escape from what might come next. The interplay of the various
characters works and adds intrigue to the story. At any given moment,
we expect to learn the truth and are confident it will challenge
our assumptions. There are definitely some similarities between
this film and Foster's other trapped mother/daughter duo film (Panic
Room) but one major difference is how the bad guys are not revealed
until well into the film. Here, we are left to ponder who Foster
can trust. We debated what ranking to give this film but in the
end chose to round up rather than down.
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Lord
of War - A Film by Andrew Niccole (GATTACA,
Simone, Truman Show)
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Nicholas
Cage is an arms dealer dodging bullets and betrayal
as he schemes his way to the top of his profession,
only to come face to face with his conscience. But
it's not easy to leave a life of girls, guns and glamour
when nobody wants you to stop, not even your enemies.
Once
again we find our way into another feel good movie
of the summer. In what is billed as an action move,
but really is not, Nicholas Cage works to make a character
we connect with and feel compassion for, but in the
end never really do. Stumbling into a career of selling
arms to anyone willing to buy, Cage sets his morals
aside for a fast dollar, along the way collecting his
dream girl and defeating his arch rivals.
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Jared
Leto plays his strung out brother who is always a burden on his
life, and in the end, the cause for facing his conscience. This
was not a happy film to say the least. Interesting most of the
time, and well shot, but not of a lesson here. at least not for
our lead character. We were left wondering when we left the theater,
did he even learn anything for his life. If you are looking for
a movie with a moral lesson about this kind of stuff, you should
choose the Constant Gardener. We saw this one first and thought
it was pretty decent. But after seeing both, it lost some muster. |
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The
Constant Gardner - A Film by Fernando Meirelles
(City of God)
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When
the socially conscious wife (Rachel Weisz) of a British
diplomat (Ralph Fiennes) is murdered in Kenya, an international
conspiracy begins to unravel that could have world-wide
ramifications. Based on the novel of the same
name by John le Carre, The Constant Gardner is a story
of love, personal loss and intrigue that stretches
from Europe to Africa. The story begins with
the murder of Tessa Quayle (Weisz.) When her
husband Justin is confronted with the news, it sends
him on the trail to discover the truth, leading him
to answers he was not expecting or is initially willing
to accept. The beginnings of their relationship and
the back-story of the entire situation are told through
flashbacks.
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Constant Gardner is the feel good movie of the summer. Well,
not really. Actually, not by any stretch but it is an
incredibly well crafted movie. The story is intriguing and
the way it is portrayed on the screen is compelling and gripping.
The acting by Fiennes and Weisz help propel the story, bringing
a tremendous amount of emotion and realism to the roles of
Justin and Tessa. The cinematography creates a documentary
type feel to the film which works well with the storyline and
the content. The settings in Kenya are compelling and
give the audience a look into life in Africa, one that we can
imagine is not far from reality. As the film develops, the
tension builds as Justin's research reveals more deceptions
and the director creates incredible scenes where the audience
is lead to distrust every character in them, wondering who
may be involved and working the other side. There really is
very little negative to say about this film. It may be too
slow for some but the pace of the film is completely in keeping
with where the story needs to go and how it needs to get there.
From acting to directing to cinematography to sound editing,
The Constant Gardner is a film that will garner considerable
attention come Oscar time.
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The
40 Year-Old Virgin - A Film by Judd
Apatow (Directorial Debut - Executive Producer for Anchorman
and Kicking & Screaming)
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Andy
Stitzer (Steve Carell) is the virgin referred to in
the title of this comedy from one of the men behind
Anchorman and Kicking & Screaming. Andy
works at Smart Tech, an electronics superstore populated
by a cast of characters including the relationship
scarred David (Paul Rudd), the sexually deviant
Cal (Seth Rogen), the monogamy challenged Jay
(Romany Malco) and the kinda creepy female boss. He
collects action figures, plays video games and talks
to himself. When the guys find out that Andy
is a virgin at 40, they make getting Andy laid their
primary focus, even if it isn't his. Most of their
attempts fall flat as Andy simply has too many scruples
or lacks the technique to pick up women. That is until
he meets Trish (Catherine Keener), the attractive women
who runs a store across the street from Smart Tech.
The ensuing relationship is at times rocky as Andy
struggles to tell Trish the truth.
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Carell
has been making a name for himself with his comedic performances
on Comedy Central's Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as the arrogant
anchorman in Bruce Almighty and as the weatherman in Anchorman.
Here, he finally gets his shot at a leading role and brings
the same zany antics to the role of the 40 year-old virgin.
A strong supporting cast of characters portrayed by equally
talented peers help make The 40 Year-Old Virgin a funny look
at the subject of late-in-life virginity. No need to talk about
cinematography or sets or costumes with this one. The jokes,
especially in certain scenes, will leave you in stitches. A
well paced and performed comedy, The 40 Year-Old Virgin should
come with a warning label for guys with lots of body hair.
If you don't know what I mean, you will after you see the movie. After
a stressful day at work or with the kids, The 40 Year-Old Virgin
would make a great diversion and could be just what the
sex therapist ordered.
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The
Brothers Grimm - A Film by Terry Gilliam
(Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Adventures of Baron
Munchausen, The Fisher King, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,
12 Monkeys)
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Will
and Jake Grimm (Matt Damon and Heath Ledger respectively)
are better known as The Brothers Grimm, the legendary
fairytale writers of the Napoleonic era. During this
time, the brothers travel the countryside vanquishing
monsters, demons, trolls, ghosts and witches in what
seems like a valuable service to terrified villages
but in reality is nothing more than a con. When the
French authorities uncover their deceptions, they force
them to confront a real curse in an enchanted forest
where young maidens are disappearing. Here, they confront
their own imaginations and their worst fears in a battle
against fantasy and reality.
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The
Brothers Grimm is another inventive, twisted tale from the
mind and through the camera of Terry Gilliam. Visually intriguing
and cleverly interwoven is the story of Will and Jake Grimm,
two brothers who are best known for their fairy tales such
as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel & Gretel,
all of which are included here in some variation. The way that
the scriptwriter's managed to incorporate many of the Grimm
tales into one story is pretty amazing. Each time one presents
itself, you cannot help but chuckle at the possible way the
story came to the brothers, Jake with notebook in hand constantly
writing his stories. Much like Gilliam's other outings, The
Brothers Grimm seems very disjointed at times and tests ones
ability to keep track of everything. Some sequences include
imagery that appears to be included for the shear folly of
it without really adding much to the movie or story. Damon
and Ledger play off each other well and there are some bright
comedic moments but in general, it was mostly an interesting
exercise in filmmaking. A great concept and clever script
but The Brothers Grimm will not be everyone's cup of tea.
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Four
Brothers
A Film by John Singleton (Boyz in the Hood, Poetic Justice, Shaft)
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The
Four Brothers are Bobby (Mark Wahlberg), Jeremiah (Andre
Benjamin), Angel (Tyrese Gibson) and Jack (Garrett Hedlund)
Mercer, adopted sons of Evelyn Mercer (Fionnula Flanagan),
a kind woman in Detroit who helped find homes for many
foster children, all except these four hard luck cases.
Of course, Detroit is a violent place full of gangs and
crooked cops. When Evelyn is gunned down in an apparent
gang related shooting, the Four Brothers return home to
burry her and exact revenge on those who murdered her.
What appears as a cut and dried case of gangland warfare
quickly becomes much more complicated and has the appearance
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John
Singleton is a director with tremendous promise that seems to chose
either poorly conceived or written scripts to shoot. His version
of Shaft left a lot to be desired and Four Brothers could have
been better. Wahlberg continues to prove that he is more of an
actor than many expected him to be and the rest of the cast is
reasonable. Yet, the film just doesn't quite come together fully.
Some of the action sequences are riveting and there are a few twists
and turns that surprise but, in general, much of the film was predictable
and could have been told in much less time and with a lot less
gunfire and swearing, perhaps. Movies about revenge often leave
the audience wondering whether the good guys have crossed over
and become bad guys due to the actions they are forced into taking.
In Four Brothers, there is no question: these four individuals
come from jaded pasts and are not afraid to use brutal force to
avenge their mother, crossing over to become as bad as those they
are hunting down. An average film that will NOT be used by the
Detroit Convention and Visitors Bureau to attract tourists. |
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Deuce
Bigelow: European Gigolo - A Film by Mike
Bigelow (Directorial Debut)
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A
short time has passed since Deuce Bigelow: Male Gigolo
and the woman Deuce (Rob Schneider) married after that
film has died tragically on their honeymoon in a scuba
diving incident. When Deuce's latest invention creates
a whirlwind of controversy for him, he joins his man-whore pimp T.J.
Hicks (Eddie Griffin) in Amsterdam. Upon his arrival, he is confronted
by the fact that man-whores are being murdered by a mysterious individual
who seems bent on eliminating the man-whoring industry. In a country
where marijuana and legalized prostitution rule (according to the
script anyway), Deuce is
forced into man-whoring again in order to catch the killer and clear
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OK,
so that makes the film sound MUCH deeper and plot driven than it
actually is. Chalk full of poor acting, weak dialogue, bad cinematography
and potty humor that, at times, makes you cringe more than laugh,
Deuce Bigelow: European Gigolo follows in the footsteps of another
sequel set in Europe you may remember: National Lampoon's European
Vacation. What is it with second films in a series taking place
in Europe and then sucking royally? Alright, we will give this
one credit, there were some good laughs and for the potty humor
enthusiasts out there, this may very well be the right ticket for
your next movie going experience. To this reviewer, it
is still a weak entry into that genre. Over the top works but only when
it is well done. Some of the funniest moments had political overtones and
were humorous potentially to both sides of the argument. And, the biggest
belly laugh comes early in the closing credits when the filmmakers give
us some insight into what happens to the characters after the film stops
rolling. Hang around for a few minutes for that. |
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The
Dukes of Hazzard - A Film by Jay Chandrasekhar
(Super Troopers, Club Dread)
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The
Dukes of Hazzard reprises the hit television series
that ran on CBS on Friday nights from 7 to 8 Central
time from 1979 to 1985. Here, Bo Duke
(Seann William Scott in the role made famous by John Schneider)
and Luke Duke (Johnny Knoxville reprising the Tom Wopat character)
fight against
corrupt county commissioner Boss Hogg (Burt Reynolds) and run from
Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane (M. C. Gainey.) With the help of their
voluptuous cousin Daisy (Jessica Simpson) and moonshine peddling
Uncle Jesse (Willie Nelson), our "good ole boys" are
in a race to save the family farm and win the 70th Annual Hazzard
County Road Rally in their trademark 1969 orange Dodge Charger,
The General Lee.
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Some
TV series really do not need to be made into movies and The
Dukes of Hazzard is one of them. This film earns one kernel
for so faithfully recreating the look, feel, car chases and
humor of the original series. Unfortunately, it also loses
four kernels for faithfully recreating the look, feel, car
chases, humor, stupid dialogue, dimwitted jokes and bad acting
of the original series. Sometimes, being so faithful is not
a positive. While several members of the audience seemed to
be enjoying themselves during the screening of this film which
we attended, we can only assume they were not even born when
the original series aired. If they had been, they would have
realized that the only redeeming aspect of the original series,
besides the fact that our own Ertl Toys had the contract to
create all of the die cast replicas of The General Lee, was
that it was followed on Friday nights by primetime soaps Dallas
and Falcon Crest. Now that says a lot about how pathetic the
series was. Which begs the question: why do a remake of The
Dukes of Hazzard? Ah, one of the true mysteries of the universe.
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Stealth
- A
Film by ROB Cohen (XXX, Fast and the Furious)
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Admittedly,
I had low expectations going into this flick for
several reasons: It can't touch Top Gun
and the "Crazy Robot" tries to destroy
the world thing has been done before. The film takes
no steps to even hide its similarity to 2001: A Space
Odyssey’s mad computer, Hal. However I had
some hidden high hopes given the stars (Foxx, Beals)
and potential special effects scenes of uber-cool
aircraft roaring across screen. To my disappointment
I was let down on most every level.
Probably
the most disappointing dimension of the film was
the lack of depth of the storyline itself. The crazy
robot thing plays itself out simply enough, but the
utterly weak love story (with its ridiculous line
at the end of the film) and mission cover-up by the
commander are unsatisfying as a cold half-serving
of French fries for dinner. Why Jamie Foxx played
such a weak supporting role after such recent blockbusters
is beyond me.
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Several
technical points on the film made me scratch my head (like
why aren’t the pilots wearing g-suits and survival
gear?), but these can be put behind you with a good soda
and popcorn in hand. The flying scenes are fun, especially
with the digital sound in the new Star Theater.
I came out of this movie a little dumber than when I entered. I think
you will too. It can be a good popcorn flick but use plenty of salt and
butter, which barely allows it to earn its 2 popcorn reating.
Review Submitted by Todd "Toad" Wehrenberg
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