The MOVIE REVIEW Thread

[Barenaked-NoMre]

Just came from watching "Just Like Heaven" ...

 

My rating - nice, sweet, cute and of cors, romantic! ;-)

 

Typical of a Reese Witherspoon movie.

 

It's a cross between "While You Were Sleeping", "Ghost" and a modern day "Snowhite". ;-)

 

GREAT date movie! ;-)

Edited November 22, 2005 by barenaked

[Kaftig]

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE

 

Before anything else, I just want to make it clear that "loyalty to the original material" is not a major factor in my appreciation (or lack of appreciation) of this movie. A scriptwriter myself, I understand the necessity of changing details of the original material to make it suitable for the film medium. There are certain elements in the book that have to be changed to make it "filmic."

 

Even though The Goblet of Fire is my favorite book in the Harry Potter series, I threw my biases to the wind and viewed its film adaptation without any expectations. In a nutshell, the movie isn't bad. However, there is nothing great about it as well.

 

I have to admire the way the scriptwriter compressed the story into a 2 1/2-hour movie. Only the essential events were showed. (Although, I hated the fact that they edited out the Quidditch World Cup because I was so eager to see how professional Quidditch players play as compared to student players like Harry.) One thing you can't certainly complain about this movie is the lack of action scenes.

 

The movie's primary problem is Mike Newell's directorial treatment. His visuals are darker than Cuaron's, but they lack character. Cuaron was able to infuse grandiosity and excitement with his dark visuals in The Prisoner of Azkaban, but Newell wasn't able to achieve that. His visuals were simply dark and depressing. This movie also proves that Newell is not a good action director. The action scenes lack punch and originality. He was not able to present the three tasks of the Tri-Wizard Tournament as fresh and exciting sequences. His shot list was so predictable that I almost slept throughout the action scenes. I also remarked to my friend that the movie lacked magic - not in quantity, but in quality. Scenes involving magic also lacked originality; thus, depriving you of the sense of wonderment each time the characters use their wand. The most disappointing aspect of this film is the visual treatment of Voldemort. Don't get me wrong. I am a big fan of Ralph Fiennes, but his performance here has got to be his worst ever. Voldemort is supposed to be an intense, larger-than-life, evil warlock. I was expecting to see him as a threatening, fearsome yet awe-inspiring evil entity, much like Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker's Dracula. Fiennes' Voldemort is simply an ugly creature, lacking the menace of the original character.

 

Newell is well-known as the director of romantic comedies, such as Four Weddings and a Funeral. It was no wonder then that he was able to maintain a light feel for the movie, despite his dark visuals and the heavy story. Most of his comedy scenes worked well. For some reason, I was swept away by the romantic set-up and visuals of the Yule Ball. Working within his strengths, Newell successfully portrayed the joys and pains of first love.

 

Although it is better than the first two Harry Potter movies, The Goblet of Fire is a far second to The Prisoner of Azkaban. Cuaron might not have been loyal to Rowling's book, but at least he gave us a movie that was filled with visual splendor. Newell was more loyal to the book, but he failed to translate the magic of the book to the big screen.

[Wolf]

For the benefit of everyone, I'm posting the revised rules for posting movie reviews.

 

1. Only movie reviews of those currently being shown in theaters shall be allowed, whether Pinoy or foreign. Non-movie review posts shall be deleted. (I think I have to emphasize that. )

 

2. The format shall be:

 

A. Caption

Title of the Film

Director

Lead Actors/Actresses

Remarks (e.g. Based on a book by..., comeback film by... Academy Award-Winning... etc)

 

B. Synopsis of the Movie

 

C. Review/Criticism

 

D. Rating (To be placed at the bottom of the post)

 

3. If a member has some opinion or reaction on the review made by another member, a new review should be made. No quoting of posts shall be allowed.

 

 

Thank you very much. :thumbsupsmiley:

 

NOTE: Off-topic posts will be deleted without warning.

Edited January 10, 2006 by Wolf

[Guest Inquisitive]

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Directed by Andrew Adamson

Starring: Tilda Swinton, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell

Based on a book by C.S. Lewis

 

Synopsis of the Movie

 

The Pevensie children are sent away in order to be safe from the German Air raids of London in World War II. They are sent to the home of eccentric Prof. Digory Kirke. There are certain rules that must be followed and among them is never to disturbed the professor. During one dull and dreary day, the children decide to play hide and seek. Lucy, the youngest of the children decides to hide in a big wardrobe cabinet only to find out that it leads to another world which is Narnia. At first her siblings do not believe her but when all of them had to hide from the housekeeper, the other three realized that Lucy was not lying because they all end up in Narnia. This is the start of their adventure. They meet talking badgers, deal with murderous wolves and meet a talking lion named Aslan.

 

Review/Criticism

 

Do not commit the mistake of trying to compare this film with the LOTR trilogy. LOTR is very rich in imagery and the way it was written was nearly poetic. However, that does not diminish the value of Narnia. In fact, those who dislike incredible and large scale special effects will like this film. Unlike LOTR, this film is easier to view for those who do not like their eyes to be challenged by tremendous CGI effects.

 

This film is easy to understand and watch notwithstanding its running time which is more than two hours (2:20). You will not feel jittery or want the film to end because of its length. The pacing of Narnia is just right considering the length of its story in the book.

 

The special effects are noteworthy especially the presentation of Aslan. He looked majestic and regal, so kudos to the people who designed him. The other creatures were gruesome looking especially those following the White Witch. I specifically liked the centaurs, they really looked awesome.

 

Tilda Swinton was very convincing in her potrayal of the White Witch. In fact, she was so effective that there were times that everytime she was in a scene, she would literally take over. Being the White Witch she perfectly showed how malevolent and evil that character is.

 

Some are saying that Aslan is a metaphor or symbol of Jesus Christ. A strong argument can be made in favor of this but I suggest that you watch the film and determine for yourselves.

 

What I really liked about this film is that it transports children to Narnia. It plays on the fantasies of children who dream of becoming heroes, warriors and rulers of far away lands. It is easy for children identify themselves with the Pevensie children because they are just like them. This is not the case with LOTR because the heroes in the trilogy are not children but adults.

 

Another factor to consider and no disrespect to Andrew Adamson but he's no Peter Jackson. Andrew Adamson made Shrek and Shrek 2 which are notably good films but how can they compare to Peter Jackson's LOTR films and King Kong? Simply put, Peter Jackson is one hell of a director and while Andrew Adamson's also did well in directing this film, the former just set the bar too high in the making of fantasy films.

 

Rating

 

On a scale of 1 - 5, the latter being the highest, I give this film a 3.75. It is not like the LOTR films and perhaps there would be no other fantasy film like them. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a good film but will not achieve the statuts of the LOTR films. However, in spite of that it is still worth watching and is a welcome respite from the inanities of the last Metro Manila Film Festival.

[tobats04]

A. Caption

Title of the Film: Chronicles of Narnia

Director Andrew Adamson

Lead Actors/Actresses Tilda Swinton, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell

Remarks (e.g. Based on a book by..., comeback film by... Academy Award-Winning... etc)

 

B. Synopsis of the Movie

The opening scenes was during war time (WWII) in England with the Pevensie Children and their Mother. And then the story continues with

the children being tranported to a country to be adopted temporarily by

an rich old man. Aside from meeting a mean Head-caretaker of the estate the children discovered a magical closet full of wardrobes that links them to the magical world of Narnia. The whole story evolves in the quest of the four children helping the talking-Lion Aslan to free Narnia from the evil curse of the white witch and defeat her armies.

 

C. Review/Criticism

I find it amusing that a lot of people do compare Narnia with LOTR. From

my point of view Narnia is very,very different from LOTR. even the battle scenes are very different from the way LOTR was made. One word that differentiates both of them is LOTR is grotesque. Meaning - battle scenes of LOTR are very vivid and dark in concept and in picture. Narnia's battles are depicted as lively, colourful and radiant. Graphics are not as good as LOTR or KingKong since you can easily spot the back scenes effect as ordinary back drop only. But the way the plot is being played throughout the film is good - one thing is, it is not boring. The story are developed from one scene to another without dragging the characters and pefecting its fluid motion of achieving the plot. If you watch the movie you would never feel that the plot was too short nor too long. It's just perfect. The graphics is good not perfect. But the storyline was too great to make up for below par performance of the effects. It's like combining the concept of Harry Potter and LOTR in one - mixing up childhood fantasies, medieval battles and reality common sense. For what LOTR boasts of Frodo and Gollum/Smeagol, so does of Narnia of having its own Lucy and Tumnus - which is quite very dearing and very dramatic than the scenes of LOTR. What makes it so very elite from the other fiction movies such as LOTR and Harry Potter is that it was a film so Walt Disney-Tailored Fit. Why? it was so magical! and it was great, because no other Hollywood company could ever make a story so magical no other than Walt Disney.

 

D. Rating (To be placed at the bottom of the post)

I'll give it a 4.5 out of 5. Narnia rises the same as the rest, with the same par performance as LOTR, Harry Potter and King Kong. Considering the superb performances of its newcomers like Georgie Henley (Lucy) or James McAvoy (Tumnus) and the only veteran-actress Tilda Swinton, the movie deserves to be applauded as the same ranks as with Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Elijah Wood(Frodo) and Ian McKellen (Gandalf). Walt Disney is not much known for its graphic creations but it is well-respected for it's child-fantasy-dreams-turn-into-reality movies, and I think this is where Narnia do excel. Narnia has its own distinction on fiction films because it is a wholesome movie which can range from children to adults. As what I've heard, Narnia have toppled KingKong from the blockbuster charts considering its budget was much lower than King Kong's. This was worth watching over and over for many times, because this captures the hearts from the eyes of a 3-year old child to a mature age-old Grandpa. See it now... it's great.

[joveyb]

I just saw underworld 2: evolution. Looks like there is going to be a part 3. Anyway, I think

I prefer underworld 1. Seems that the plot is not as well done as the first part. Kate is good

in acting but something is missing in the whole plot. I expect the impact to be more sensational

but it did not. well still a good show but well something is missing. causing a viewer like me

leaving the show feeling something is missing

[brian]

I just saw underworld 2: evolution.  Looks like there is going to be a part 3.  Anyway, I think

I prefer underworld 1.  Seems that the plot is not as well done as the first part.  Kate is good

in acting but something is missing in the whole plot.  I expect the impact to be more sensational

but it did not.  well still a good show but well something is missing.  causing a viewer like me

leaving the show feeling something is missing

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think Underworld will be a trilogy. That's why the story is still hanging.

 

I just watched Fun With Dick & Jane. Very mediocre. Not like Bruce Almighty. Seems like Jim Carrey is losing his touch. The movie was too short! I think it was just an hour and ten minutes! I won't recommend you guys watching it unless you're a Jim Carrey fan.

[buttakkal]

MUNICH

 

The movie is very violent. It should have been entitled "Revenge" instead following the book where it was based on. Spot the scene where they assasinated a lady gun for hire....one of unforgettable scenes in this movie.

 

Summary: Israel ordered a covert operations to liquidate the brains of the infamous Munich Massacre. The covert operations ended up killing 9 of 11 supposed brains with heavy psychological toll on the Israeli agents.

 

more than 2 hours..

 

 

 

FIREWALL

 

A very typical "terrorists kidnapped my family, I fight back Harrison Ford" movie which may get you bored after watching Airforce One, Patriot Games and his other movies. Firewall inevitably exposes that Harrison Ford has gotten too old for this kind of movies - the action kind.

 

Summary- A bunch of brat pack looking bank robbers hostages a bank security expert's family....you know the drill.....

[linksky]

PINK PANTHER

[Anaheim]

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3/hkdisney0003/DCRJ696.jpg

 

WALK THE LINE

 

Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon

 

Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter. Joaquin and Reese's performances are top-notched. They seem to have embodied the attitude and spirit of Cash and Carter respectively. It's very impressive that both of them performed their own vocals (no lip-synch). What's even more impressive is that Joaquin Phoenix sounded like Johnny Cash (I should know because I have Cash's songs as MP3s) and he really played the guitar. Impressive performances by Joaquin and Reese along with doing the singing themselves almost always equals to an Academy Award trophy. I have yet to see the films of the other nominated Actors/Actresses but it's safe to say that my bet will be Joaquin Phoenix to win the Best Actor category. He had already won Best Actor in the Golden Globes which gives him an edge over the other actors indirectly. But focusing on Joaquin Phoenix's dead-on portrayal of Cash, he gave a sensitive quality to the man (Cash) who was blamed by his father for the death of Cash's older brother. Longing for his father's love and approval , Cash sought comfort in booze and pills thus the influential force felt behind most of Cash's songs with his deep-sounding and tone-changing voice. Robert 'Terminator 2' Patrick gave a cruel directness as Cash's father. A heart-warming scene when Cash proposes to Carter to marry him during one of their live concerts, a tender scene effectively delivered by Joaquin Phoenix. The film shows a glimpse of newfound and uprising stars Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. Sam Philips and Sun records, icons you came to adore along with Rock 'en Roll and Country music. WALK THE LINE, another great musical bioepic like last year's 'RAY' with great entertaining songs. Entertainment at its best.

 

rating : 5 out of 5

 

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3/hkdisney0003/jr.jpg

 

*************************************

 

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3/hkdisney0003/DCRJ698.jpg

 

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

 

This is the second time I've seen sodomy that's graphically, but artistically shown in movies, first one was the Burt Reynold starrer 'Deliverance' where Ned Beatty was raped and sodomized by a male mountaineer. Of course my jaw dropped in shock, seeing the act in 'Brokeback Mountain' was hard to comprehend at first but halfway through the movie I realized that it's an important scene that would prepare these two men the undeniable love and passion for each other. In a society where 2 men union are condemned, Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) must keep their relationship in secrecy. Their relationship started in Brokeback mountain tending sheeps when they were teenagers. Jack initiated his homosexual ways when they were both inside a cramped tent during a freezing night. Ennis fought back at first but he sensed a deep caring from Jack earlier in the day, Ennis gave in which led to an almost violent sexual act between 2 'cowboys'. Ennis was taught by his father to hate homosexuals early on so he learned to hate his own feelings. Years have passed, Ennis and Jack got their own family. Ennis visits Jack in Wyoming and their passion once again led to a burning desire to be with each other. The story is a simple tale of love between these two men with a magnificent Wyoming backdrop. Acting wise, both actors are truly impressive...they have pulled it off, they are convincing as homosexuals...magiisip ka tuloy kung talagang homosexuals sila in real life What's even more impressive is that this movie was directed by a Taiwanese named Ang Lee and he directed it with great care and sensitivity to it. To me personally, it's not really that great of a movie. It's a simple love story and a melodrama. Perhaps Hollywood has finally found a way to accept homosexuality in a standard norm by means of nominating Brokeback Mountain in the Best Picture category.

 

rating 4 out of 5

[dj_brent]

Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor)

Reviewed by: Dj_brent

Rating: 6 out of 10

 

 

 

Cast:

Konstantin Khabensky as Anton Gorodetsky

Vladimir Menshov as Gesser

Valeri Zolotukhin as Vampire, Kostya's father

Mariya Poroshina as Svetlana

Galina Tyunina as Olga, owl sorceress

Yuri Kutsenko as Ignat Aleksei Chadov as Kostya

Zhanna Friske as Alisa Donnikova

Ilya Lagutenko as Vampire Andrei

Viktor Verzhbitsky as Zavulon

Rimma Markova as Darya Schultz, witch

Mariya Mironova as Yegor's mother

Aleksei Maklakov as Semyon

Aleksandr Samojlenko as Ilya, mage-transformer

Dmitry Martynov as Yegor, Anton's son

 

Directed by Timur Bekmambetov

 

Summary:

There's a lot of cool ideas and visuals in this unique looking action-thriller… but good luck trying to figure out what's going on.

 

Story:

Anton (Konstantine Khabensky) thought his life was just like everybody else's until he learned that he actually was an "Other", descended from a race of beings separated into two factions that have been caught in a truce for centuries after their last great war. As a member of the Night Watch, Anton come across a number of abnormal circumstances during what should be a routine mission, which makes it clearer that the war between the Light and Dark Others is about to be waged once again.

 

Analysis:

The first time I heard of Timur Bekmambetov's "Night Watch" was when I saw a television news piece about it becoming the highest opening Russian movie ever in the history of the Russian box office. That was over a year and a half ago, and the sequel "Day Watch," the middle of a planned trilogy, opened in Russia earlier this year to similar success. Most Americans won't be aware of the novel by Sergey Lukyanenko on which these movies are based, but Bekmambetov is obviously attempting to turn it into his country's answer to "The Matrix" or Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings."

 

Like Peter Jackson's epic trilogy, the film begins with a smaller scale battle, as a voiceover tells us about the two factions of "Others"—light and dark—who fought a fateful final war, before forging a truce. Centuries later, a fresh-faced young man named Anton is visiting a witch to try to get his wife back. Next thing we know, there are people appearing from out of nowhere to prevent this witch from putting a curse on Anton's wife's new baby, and there are Russian dolls running around her kitchen on spidery legs.

 

Apparently, Anton is actually one of these "Others" and years later, he has joined the Night Watch, the members from the Light side of the battle, who are trying to prevent the Dark Others from breaking their truce. Anton's mission is to find a couple Day Watch vampires, who are luring a young boy to be their dinner, and Anton must drink blood himself in order to find them, something that should go over well with the Goth set. Then there's the "virgin," a pretty blonde woman Anton sees on a train, who has created a vortex of swirling birds over her apartment building, and something called "The Gloom," which Others are able to use to get in and out of our reality.

 

True, a lot of it sounds silly when you're trying to explain it, maybe because it's not really explained that well in the movie, but it seems like we've seen this type of dark vs. light battle already both in the "Blade" trilogy and the two "Underworld" movies. The fact that the Russian novel preceded most of the movies does save it from being a mere rip-off and it allows Bekmambetov—try saying that three times fast—to flex his special effects muscles, creating an exciting visual film with a fraction of the budget of the American counterparts. Cool things include the transformation of some of the Others into their animal form, and cool ideas like seeing the screw from an airplane come loose and fall all the way to Earth, followed closely by the camera, to land in a cup of coffee. It's pretty strange, but there's certainly a creative vision behind it that gives it a very unique look. Even the movie's subtitles are clever in the way that they blend into the visuals as if they belong there.

 

The acting is just okay, as is the writing, but as is often the case, it's more about the action and effects, which far too often takes a precedence over telling a cohesive story, because it tends to go off on a tangent, as various character show up and then disappear. For most of the film, you're assuming that the virgin will end up being Anton's love interest, but her story is resolved and that shrugged off without much ado, as Anton gets into a showdown with Zavulon, the leader of the Day Watch, over the soul of his son, who has to decide which side to join in the battle. Regardless of the confusing way it gets there, the cliffhanger ending is intriguing enough that you'll want to return to see where the story goes from there. One can hope that Bekmambetov's abilities as a storyteller and director will be made more prevalent with the sequel.

 

The Bottom Line:

Although director Timur Bekmambetov shows promise with his debut feature, the story gets a bit too convoluted with his desire to thrown in lots of cool action and special effects. Those who enjoy movies like "The Matrix," "Underworld" and the "Blade" movies should appreciate his vision, although things will probably make more sense after the sequel.

[dj_brent]

Final Destination 3

Reviewed by: dj_brent

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

 

 

 

Cast:

Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Wendy Christensen

Ryan Merriman as Kevin Fischer

Harris Allan as Roller Coaster Attendant

Jessica Amlee as Young Girl

Texas Battle as Lewis Romero

Jamie Isaac Conde as Leon Equinox

Sandra-Jessica Couturier as Carnival Goer

Amanda Crew as Julie Christensen

Agam Darshi as Laura (attached)

Sam Easton as Frankie

Patrick Gallagher as Colquitt

Gina Holden as Carrie Dreyer

Alexz Johnson as Erin

Alexander Kalugin as Yuri Yershov

Kris Lemche as Ian McKinley

Crystal Lowe as Ashlynn

Maggie Ma as Ling

Dustin Milligan as Marcus

Cory Monteith as Kahlil

 

Directed by James Wong

 

Summary:

The gore ante is raised another notch in this satisfying follow-up where Death finds gloriously grisly new ways to deal with teenagers who dare to spit in his face.

 

Story:

Wendy Christensen (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and her best friend's boyfriend Kevin (Ryan Merriman) are two of the seven high school kids spared from death in a grisly rollercoaster accident. Once they realize that Death plans on collecting his victims anyway, they must decipher the clues in a series of photos to try to save others from an even worse fate.

 

Analysis:

Amidst the slew of teen horror films from the last decade, "Final Destination" immediately stood out due its unique premise of Death being a presence that didn't like losing victims when they are saved from their untimely fates. This threequel follows the same formula as the previous two with seven people being spared death in a tragic accident only to meet grislier fates, and director James Wong, who bowed out from the sequel after helming the original, has returned giving himself a tough act to follow after David Ellis upped the gross-out ante in the sequel. Wong returns to the original film's premise of high school students being Death's victims, although it maintains a lot of what made the sequel so great, taking a lot longer to build-up to each spectacular death.

 

All the fears of riding a rollercoaster are exploited in the freak accident that makes up the opening salvo for what's to come, and though it's as impressive as the highway pile-up in the last film, it's actually tame compared to what Death has planned for those that survive. But first, we meet the graduating class of McGinley High, celebrating at the amusement park with all the usual suspects in attendance: the cocky jock, the bitchy popular girls, the chauvinist sex maniac, the goth outcasts, and the film's heroine Wendy, a control freak left sitting on the coaster with her best friend's boyfriend Kevin, who somehow sees that the rollercoaster is fated to crash killing all. She causes enough of a ruckus to save them both as well as five others from their tragic fate, but by now, all students have heard the story of Flight 180 and the survivors who died mysteriously afterwards. Using photos taken by Wendy before the accident, they try to decipher the clues of what Death has planned, and of course, it doesn't take long for Death to get to work reclaiming his victims. The bitchy beauties are quickly killed off in a tanning salon accident, offering a great visual gag, then the jock gets his in the weight room, and the goths' job at the hardware store offers plenty of opportunities for grisly deaths.

 

In most of the cases, you expect something to happen, but you never know where the kills will come from. If you try to guess, you'll probably end up being wrong. It's the build-up to these deaths, and the various twists that keep things exciting, offering plenty of shocks and surprises with each character's denounement. As hard as it may be to believe, some of them are even gorier in their realism than the last movie. By the time it gets to the town's county fair, Death has run amuck trying to tidy up loose ends, creating a fast-paced series of kills and close calls. Although there seems to be a big chunk of story missing after that, the epilogue is even more satisfying than the one in the previous sequel.

 

Of course, if you're naïve enough to go see this movie for its acting, you'll be disappointed to learn that there are no Streeps or De Niros in the young cast. Mary Elisabeth Winstead does a passable job as Wendy, though she's not nearly as strong a character as A.J. Cook's lead in the previous sequel. Ryan Merriman is likeable enough, though nothing new. The rest of the cast of characters are so irritating that their gruesome fates are that much more enjoyable and deserving. The best of them is Kris Lemche, who channels Seth Green as the philosophizing non-conformist goth Ian McKinley, who refuses to believe that Death might be coming for him, and ultimately, becomes a bigger threat to himself and others. If this threequel teaches us only one important lesson, it's not a good idea to mock Death.

 

The writing isn't Shakespeare, but the movie could have been far cheesier if it continued the endless exposition about Death's plans that was already fairly well covered in the last two movies. The sequel spares us the gab, but it also lacks some of the humor, although irony is still Death's partner in crime. Regardless, it delivers on the premise with what most viewers want, which is one long grisly rollercoaster ride from beginning to end.

 

The Bottom Line:

Delivering a movie almost as satisfying as the previous sequel, James Wong's return to the franchise doesn't disappoint, because you can't help but laugh and cheer as each annoying character gets their due. Obviously, the premise still works, and Death shouldn't retire with this third chapter.

[dj_brent]

The Pink Panther

Reviewed by: Joshua Starnes

Rating: 4 out of 10

Movie Details: View here

 

 

Cast:

Steve Martin as Inspector Jacques Clouseau

Kevin Kline as Chief Inspector Dreyfus

Beyoncé Knowles as Xania

Jean Reno as Gendarme Gilbert Ponton

Emily Mortimer as Nicole

Henry Czerny as Yuri

Jason Statham as Yves Gluant

Kristin Chenoweth as Cherie

 

Review:

When famed French soccer coach Yves Gluant (Jason Statham) is murdered in front of a packed soccer stadium and the famed Pink Panther diamond is stolen, there is only one man who could possibly solve the case. Instead, bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Steve Martin) is assigned to find the diamond and the killer and bring him to justice.

 

As a remake of the Blake Edwards' original "Pink Panther" films starring Peter Sellers, it seems inevitable to compare the two. Naturally then I won't ever be mentioning the original in this review. What I will mention is that this version of "The Pink Panther" could almost be funny... but isn't. Martin plays Clouseau as the typical wise-fool - bumbling, but unaware of it, and thus capable of seeing some things others might miss, which allows for some obvious setups that seem like they could be funny but generally aren't. To top it off, every time it's even remotely close to being funny the filmmakers seem compelled to add a bumbling capper that isn't needed and doesn't add anything to the film. It's too much - strange for a film that has so little in it to begin with.

 

The best that can be said about it is that Kevin Kline is note perfect as the smarmy, scheming Chief Inspector Dreyfus and his undisguised contempt for Clouseau. As forgettable as everyone else is, Kline is always a joy to watch in the film, particularly when he is being unknowingly tortured by Clouseau. No one else is even close, including Martin himself; the desire to go over the top seems to be too much to ignore.

 

It seems strange that a "Pink Panther" film could be over the top even slightly, but it is, and not in a good way. A little less bumbling and a little more wit and it might have been a nice diversion. Instead it's neither.

[dj_brent]

Firewall

Reviewed by: Dj_brent

Rating: 6 out of 10

 

 

 

Cast:

Harrison Ford as Jack Stanfield

Paul Bettany as Bill Cox

Virginia Madsen as Beth Stanfield

Jimmy Bennett as Andrew Stanfield

Carly Schroeder as Sarah Stanfield

Beverley Breuer as Sandra

Robert Patrick

Alan Arkin

Matthew Currie Holmes as Bobby

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Zachary De Wilde

Robert Forster

Eric Keenleyside as Allan Hughes

Jennifer Kitchen as Dani

Stephen Milton

Mary Lynn Rajskub

Ken Tremblett as Bob

Kett Turton

Vince Vieluf as Pim

 

Summary:

"Firewall" is like many of Harrison Ford's other recent films. It's a decent popcorn flick, but it suffers from big plot holes and cheesy moments.

 

Story:

The following is the official description of this film:

 

"Computer security specialist Jack Stanfield (Harrison Ford) works for the Seattle-based Landrock Pacific Bank. A trusted top-ranking executive, he has built his career and rep*tation on designing the most effective anti-theft computer systems in the industry, protecting the bank's financial holdings from the constant threat of increasingly sophisticated internet hackers with his complex network of tracers, access codes and firewalls.

 

Jack's position affords a comfortable life for him, his architect wife Beth (Virginia Madsen) and their two young children – a standard of living that includes a beautiful home in a residential community just outside the city.

 

But there's a vulnerability in Jack's system that he has not accounted for: himself. It's a vulnerability that one very ruthless and resourceful thief is poised to exploit.

 

Bill Cox (Paul Bettany) has been studying Jack and his family for many months; monitoring their online activity, listening to their calls and learning their daily routines with an arsenal of digital and video recorders and parabolic microphones that tap into the most personal of information. He knows the names of their children's friends, their medical histories, and the I.D. code for the security station that guards their neighborhood. Having spent the better part of a year methodically infiltrating every aspect of Jack's identity, Cox is now ready to make good on his investment.

 

Leading a tight team of mercenary accomplices, he seizes control of the Stanfield house, making Beth and the kids terrified hostages in their own home and Jack his unwilling pawn in a scheme to steal $100 million from the Landrock Pacific Bank.

 

With every possible escape route shrewdly anticipated and blocked by Cox, every potential ally out of reach and the lives of his wife and children at stake, Jack is forced to find a breach in his own formidable security system to siphon funds into his captor's offshore account – incriminating himself in the process and eradicating any electronic evidence that Cox ever existed.

 

Under constant surveillance, he has only hours to accomplish the risky transactions while desperately hunting for a loophole in the thief's own impenetrable wall of subterfuge and false identities to save his family and beat Cox at his own game."

 

"Firewall" is rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of violence.

 

What Worked:

"Firewall" is kind of like a Big Mac. It's pretty basic, sometimes you're in the mood for it, and no matter where in the world you order it, you know exactly what you're getting. In the same way, "Firewall" is your basic Harrison Ford film. It features him as the everyman whose family is threatened, then he outsmarts the bad guys and wins in the end after a big fist fight. It's pretty much like every other recent Harrison Ford film. Sometimes you're in the mood for it, sometimes you're not. And when you walk into the theater, you know exactly what you're getting. In this case it's not fine filmmaking. It's the fast food of cinema.

 

Harrison Ford is, well, Harrison Ford in this movie. He doesn't act much different than he has in any other movie recently. (Then again, John Wayne pretty much always acted the same too.) But as an everyman, Ford fits the bill. I have to say, though, that he looked really old in this movie. Unless he was kicking bad guy butt and the camera was shaking, he really looked his age. He looked more like the grandfather of the children in this film than their father.

 

Paul Bettany makes a good bad guy as Bill Cox. He's capable of looking intimidating and intelligent. He certainly holds his own against Ford. Virginia Madsen is also good as Beth Stanfield. She doesn't have a whole lot to do in this movie other than look terrorized, but she gets the job done. Mary Lynn Rajskub also provides a lot of comic relief as Ford's secretary caught up in the events. She practically steals the show from Ford when she appears on screen with him. Unfortunately Robert Patrick, Alan Arkin, and Robert Forster aren't used as much as you might otherwise hope.

 

What Didn't Work:

Unfortunately, the trailers and commercials ruin the first hour and a half of "Firewall". If you've seen them, you've seen a good portion of what it has to offer. That being said, though, the film is so predictable that you'd probably be able to guess what would happen without seeing them. I mean, do you really think Virginia Madsen and the children are going to be killed in this movie? Do you think the bad guys are going to get away with the cash? The only question remaining is whether or not Paul Bettany is arrested or killed at the end. The whole plotline of Harrison Ford's family being terrorized by bad guys has been done better elsewhere. Go see "Patriot Games" or "Air Force One" for good examples. That being said, "Firewall" becomes the most interesting in the last half hour when he inevitably turns the tables on the villains.

 

But as predictable as the film is, there are also gaping plot holes in the story. You'll frequently find yourself wondering, "Why didn't he do this? Why didn't he do that?" And generally the answer is that if he had done the intelligent, real world thing in such a situation, you wouldn't have a very interesting film. How interesting is a Harrison Ford film if he manages to find a way to call the police for help? The same goes for the lame plot by our supposedly tech-saavy bank robbers. Their plan ends up being pretty stupid in the end and you realize they never would have gotten away with it even if Indiana Jones hadn't outsmarted them. You really have to turn your brain off to get past this.

 

Then there are the silly moments. For example, Paul Bettany terrorizes the family by offering food containing peanuts to a boy that's allergic to them. While I'm sure it's many a parent's nightmare, it comes across as a bit silly in the film and a weak effort by a cinematic villain. The same lameness goes for a scene at the end where Harrison Ford, having beaten the bad guys (like you didn't see it coming), stands there shaking in pain while his family stands there for a long lingering moment and just stares at him. Why not rush to his aid instead? It came across as being a bit theatrical. There are other moments like this throughout the movie.

 

Finally, the music by Alexandre Desplat is a bit over the top. For example in one scene while the family is being attacked, the full orchestra blares. It then cuts to Harrison Ford at a business dinner with no music. It then cuts back to the family and the music blares again. It then cuts back with no music. It goes back and forth several times and starts becoming laughable.

 

The Bottom Line:

If you can leave your brain at home, you might enjoy "Firewall". Yes, it has major problems, but it's a popcorn flick that you shouldn't expect too much out of. Harrison Ford has done much better, though. How much longer must we wait for "Indy 4"?

[dj_brent]

Curious George

Reviewed by: Dj_Brent

Rating: 8 out of 10

 

 

 

Cast:

Will Ferrell as Ted, The Man in the Yellow Hat (voice)

Drew Barrymore as Maggie (voice)

David Cross as Bloomsberry, Jr. (voice)

Eugene Levy as Clovis (voice)

Joan Plowright as Miss Plushbottom (voice)

Dick Van Dyke as Mr. Bloomsberry (voice)

 

Summary:

"Curious George" features a good performance by Will Ferrell, nice animation, and a decent soundtrack. It's a great movie for kids and adults.

 

Story:

"Curious George" is based on the classic books by author H. A. Rey and his wife Margret.

 

Ted loves his work at the local museum, but lagging interest threatens to close its doors. Looking to revive attendance with a spectacular new exhibit, Ted goes on an expedition to the jungles of Africa to find an ancient statue. While there he runs across George, a curious little monkey that gets into everything. When Ted returns to the city after finding a significantly smaller statue then he was expecting, George follows along.

 

As soon as George arrives in the city, he wreaks havoc by destroying cars, grabbing a woman, and fighting airplanes from the top of the Empire State Building. (Sorry, wrong movie!) Ted soon finds his hands full with the troublesome chimp. But matters are made worse when the museum owner, Mr. Bloomsberry, jumps the gun and advertises a much larger statue than what Ted returned with. How will Ted save the museum and what role will Curious George play to save the day?

 

"Curious George" is rated G.

 

What Worked:

Like most kids, I grew up reading Curious George books. I've also read them with my own children and they've enjoyed them, too. So I was a little wary going into the "Curious George" film. I wasn't sure the movie could live up to my expectations. But after viewing it, I was pleasantly surprised. It was a nice little film that was funny and entertained the whole family.

 

Will Ferrell is a big part of why this movie works. He plays Ted, The Man in the Yellow Hat. (His yellow outfit is a running gag throughout the whole movie.) His nice guy routine and funny side comments about the events in the film make him an appealing character. He's a perfect straight man for the animated monkey. Fortunately, Ferrell's routine doesn't overshadow the star of the picture – Curious George. From the opening 5 minutes of the film you love the character. As he plays with the various animals in the jungle, you laugh at his antics and quickly fall in love with him.

 

While the movie breaks new ground for the sake of the story, it still remains faithful to the books. For example, you see George destroy a dinosaur skeleton, fly away on balloons, pour paint in a woman's bath, and other familiar antics. However, you also see him play with a hologram machine, drive a forklift, and other new tricks. The animation is also fairly different from the art in the books, but it's still very much in the spirit of what you know and love. It doesn't do any new tricks with 2-D animation, but the style is pleasing to the eye and the colors are bright and cheerful. (Fans of the books will love seeing some original style artwork in the closing credits.)

 

Ferrell and the monkey are supported by a good cast. Most notable is Arrested Development's David Cross as Bloomsberry, Jr. There's no mistaking him as his animated incarnation looks just like the man in real life (but with a ponytail). He provides a lot of laughs as he terrorizes Ferrell. It's also fun to hear Dick Van Dyke as Mr. Bloomsberry. He adds even more nostalgia to the picture as the museum director. Drew Barrymore is sweet as Maggie, Ted's love interest, but she has very little to do in this movie. Eugene Levy is also barely used as Clovis, Ted's scientific genius friend.

 

Jack Johnson provides the music for the film and it's pretty good. You won't remember much about it after you leave the theater, but it sets the mood for the film perfectly and has a nice mellow sound.

 

What Didn't Work:

I had a couple of minor nitpicks about "Curious George". First of all, there were at least a couple of product placements in the film. You see George break into a crate of Dole bananas. You also see Ted driving a VW car. While they attempt to be subtle with the ads, they seem out of place in a film based on a classic children's book.

 

And as much fun as "Curious George" is, it kind of loses steam at the end. It gets a bit sappier and some of the stunts become more outrageous. This isn't a big deal, but adults may get restless instead of the kids for a change.

 

The Bottom Line:

"Curious George" was a fun film to take the family to. I loved seeing my childhood books played out on the screen and my kids absolutely loved George's antics. It was a good outing for all of us. It was also a relief not to take them to a children's film filled with innuendo (ala Imagine's other kid's book film, The Grinch). Parents can rest easy.

[dj_brent]

Munich

Reviewed by: Dj_brent

Rating: 7 out of 10

 

 

 

Cast:

Eric Bana as Avner

Daniel Craig as Steve

Ciarán Hinds as Carl

Mathieu Kassovitz as Robert

Hanns Zischler as Hans

Ayelet Zorer as Daphna

Geoffrey Rush as Ephraim

Michael Lonsdale as Papa

Mathieu Amalric as Louis

 

Review:

During the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, 11 athletes from Israel were kidnapped by members of Black September in exchange for the release of Muslim prisoners, and were killed during an abortive rescue attempt by the German Special Forces. In response, Israel sent members of the Mossad to publicly take out the leading members of Black September in order to send a message to the terrorist community in the only language they believed the terrorists would respond to - violence.

 

Steven Spielberg's "Munich" follows the trials of Avner (Eric Bana), the Mossad agent assigned to carry out the assassinations, and the moral abyss he finds himself falling into as he turns to the terrorists methods, until like his country itself he finds that he has completely lost his way, and doesn't really remember what he's killing for anymore. "Munich" paints a sad world of escalating violence that is ultimately pointless as it solves none of the problems it is being used for - it's a short term solution to long term problems.

 

At it's best "Munich" is marvelously bleak, but it suffers from the typical Spielberg curse - it has no ending. It's starts strong, but the more it goes along the more and more muddled it gets, finally floundering through scene after exhausting scene long past the time it's had a point. As subtle as it can be, it can also be embarrassingly heavy-handed, most memorably when the Mossad agents find themselves sharing their safe house with Palestinian terrorists, giving them a chance to show how easy it would be for them to get along if they would just put their problems aside, and allows them to monologue the positions of the two camps to each other. They're good points, important points, but they're done in such an obvious and hard to believe way that the presentation takes away from the message.

 

And the message is what this film is all about. As it settles into it's far too drawn-out third act, Spielberg paints strong connections between Israel of 1972 and America of today and just how successful their campaigns against terrorism have been - a campaign that Israel has been fighting without let up for 30 years - and wonders if this is the world and the 'victory' that we're killing and dying for. Once again it's very important and needs talking about, but by the end it's really hard to care.

 

There's still a lot to admire about "Munich." Spielberg is as good a craftsman of a scene or suspense sequence as he's ever been, and when he has a good sequence to throw himself into, the film is always compelling, which is probably why his openings are always so good, and "Munich" is no exception as he recreates the kidnapping and attempted-rescue that gets the ball rolling. Janusz Kaminski's cinematography is as good as ever and production designer Rick Carter and costume designer Joanna Johnston capture the feel of 70s Europe beautifully, making it feel like it real and not falling for the 70s clichés that plague many period pictures of the type.

 

And he has a great cast to fall back on. "Munich" belongs to Eric Bana who tackles Avner with aplomb, imbuing some of even the sillier scenes (notably the safe house scene, or a moment where he converses with a terrorist leader he is about to blow up) with gravity. He is ably assisted by Daniel Craig as the voice of righteous anger, and Ciarán Hinds as his conscience and devil's advocate, the old soldier who's been around long enough to know the futility of his actions but continues anyway out of his sense of duty.

 

"Munich" is an important story to be sure, but an important movie isn't the same as a great or even good one. It's told in such a muddled way that the message is too easily lost, except for the moments when it is literally hammered home at the cost of story-telling believability.

[dj_brent]

Brokeback Mountain

Reviewed by: Dj_brent

Rating: 9 out of 10

 

 

 

Cast:

Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack Twist

Heath Ledger as Ennis Del Mar

Michelle Williams as Alma Beers Del Mar

Anne Hathaway as Lureen Newsome Twist

Randy Quaid as Joe Aguirre

Linda Cardellini as Cassie Cartwright

Anna Faris as LaShawn Malone

Scott Michael Campbell as Monroe

Kate Mara as Alma Del Mar Jr.

Cheyenne Hill as Alma Del Mar Jr. (age 13)

Brooklynn Proulx as Jenny Del Mar (age 4)

Tom Carey as Jimbo the Rodeo Clown

 

Summary:

"Brokeback Mountain" is as unconventional a love story as it is a tale of the West, but Ang Lee pulls the diverse pieces together to create a gorgeous film, as romantic for its scenery as it is for the central relationship.

 

Story:

Two ranch hands, Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), spend the summer of '63 wrangling sheep on Wyoming's Brokeback Mountain, only to discover that they have feelings for each other that won't go away after the summer ends. Over the course of two decades, the two men meet for fishing trips to explore their secret love affair, leaving their unsuspecting wives at home.

 

Analysis:

If you're a straight male--it almost feels necessary to out one's own sexuality before commenting on this film--there are a few things you need to get your head around before watching Ang Lee's adaptation of Annie Proulx's New Yorker story. In some ways, it's even better not knowing the film's premise and seeing it as if it were a high plains love tale. Some guys might feel uncomfortable watching the movie once they realize it's a love story between two men, but there are as many concerns of being labeled a homophobe if you outright hate it. Fortunately, it's a great movie and any mixed feelings one might have of seeing it, let alone talking about it, gives an instant empathy with the film's dual protagonists, who have to hide their feelings for each other, knowing that revealing them could very well get themselves killed. That dichotomy is only part of what makes this stirring love story set in the modern American West so powerful and memorable.

 

The film starts in almost complete silence panning across the vast plains of Wyoming--actually Alberta, Canada--which played a similar role in Lasse Hallström's recent character drama "An Unfinished Life." Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist are two ranch hands, who've been hired to keep an eye on thousands of grazing sheep, but the two men are very different--Jack Twist is lively and excitable, while Ennis barely talks, usually mumbling something in a gruff manner. A cold night, a bit of alcohol and the proverbial one thing leading to another and they have a sexual encounter that neither ever expected. If you're not expecting it, you're likely to be taken aback by how violent their initial tryst is, Ledger breaking "new ground" in a way that makes you think he's had a few sheep in his time. At an early age, Ennis' father taught him a hard lesson about what happens to homosexuals in the West, so he considers this a one-time thing. While Jack is just as tentative, the feelings are real to him, and he's ready to explore them.

 

After their summer job ends, they go their separate ways and resume their lives, Ennis getting married and quickly having kids and Jack returning to the rodeo. Four years later, they get back in touch, and are immediately ready to revive their summer relationship. "Going fishing on Brokeback Mountain" becomes a euphemism for their secret affair, as they leave their wives behind for weeks at a time. By this point, Jack is ready to leave his wife and be with Ennis, but the latter has far too many genetically programmed apprehensions to allow his true feelings to take over.

 

Adeptly adapted by Larry McMurtry, the Pulitzer Prize winning writer of "Lonesome Dove," and his writing partner Dianna Ossana, this is a beautifully written piece that remains true to everything we know about the Midwest, with believable dialogue that never falters. It wouldn't do justice to summarize the film scene by scene, but it does cover a lot of ground, almost two decades, so that we can see how the relationship between the two men evolves, just as the relationships around them start to fall apart.

 

Some might have difficulty getting past the fact that there are two leading men in this romantic drama, but there's certainly something appealing about this impossible love story, even if it's just watching two Marlboro Men having a lover's spat, which is not something you see every day. Heath Ledger spends much of the film channeling Billy Bob Thornton's accent from "Sling Blade", and it takes some time to get used to his mumbling, even though it perfectly captures Ennis' subdued demeanor. Ledger has many emotional scenes where we see him trying to come to terms with his feelings for Jack, while also keeping it under wraps, and the scenes between the two actors are extremely powerful, mainly because we rarely have seen these words or emotions expressed in such a direct manner on film before. Sure, there is a bit of homoeroticism in the first act, but once they're reunited four years later, that's put on the backburner.

 

The film's even stronger thanks to a number of strong supporting female roles, most notably from Michelle Williams--Ledger's real life girlfriend--as Ennis' embittered wife, who secretly learns about the affair and has to keep it hidden from her husband. "The Princess Diaries" star Anne Hathaway has a breakout role as Jack Twist's wife Lureen, the cowgirl daughter of a farm equipment magnate who never approves of his new son-in-law. She's allowed to show a bit more range than normal, although it's not believable that she's aged almost 20 years from the moment we meet her until her last scene. Kate Mara also gives a nice performance as Ennis' elder daughter, and you probably won't recognize Anna Farris with her exaggerated accent during a brief cameo.

 

There's no denying that this is another masterpiece for Ang Lee in terms of the look and tone of the piece. Like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," he's created another stunning piece of cinema with a strong sense of time and place, but it's far more complex in its emotions than it is for the characters or story. Lee uses all of the resources at his disposal to create a realistic portrait of the modern West, using panoramic shots of the mountains and forests and lakes accompanied by a score that uses a simple recurring theme to perfect effect. Wisely, Lee knows when to shut off the music altogether, to let the dialogue and emotions drive the story, which makes it that much more moving when the main theme returns for the closing credits. It's simple things like that, which makes this such a wonderful piece of work.

 

The Bottom Line:

Though it may be hard to believe, this beautiful tale of two men falling in love in a time and place where their relationship could never work may be the most romantic film of the year. Regardless of your sexuality, you're likely to be moved by the powerful emotional resonance in Ang Lee's beautifully realized masterpiece.

[dj_brent]

Freedomland

Reviewed by: Dj_brent

Rating: 6.5 out of 10

 

 

 

Cast:

Samuel L. Jackson as Lorenzo Council

Julianne Moore as Brenda Martin

Edie Falco as Karen Collucci

Ron Eldard as Danny Martin

William Forsythe

Aunjanue Ellis

Anthony Mackie

 

Directed by Joe Roth

 

Summary:

Despite the many strong moments in this powerful drama, it sometimes loses its way, quite tragically, due to a rare scenery-chewing performance from Julianne Moore.

 

Story:

Plain clothes detective Lorenzo Council (Samuel L. Jackson) finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place when Brenda Martin (Julianne Moore) arrives at a New Jersey emergency room claiming that a black man stole her car with her four-year-old son in the backseat. As tempers flare at the nearby projects, Lorenzo needs to find out what really happened before the racial tensions in the mainly black area threaten to ignite into a riot.

 

Analysis:

If the path to quality filmmaking were paved in good intentions, than this drama, adapted by Richard Price from his own novel, should still have been a much better film. It's not to say that the results of Price's second collaboration with director Joe Roth is awful, but its attempt at creating a racially-charged film that could have been as powerful as "Crash" loses its way enough times that it never quite makes it to its destination.

 

The set-up and pacing for the story is from the same mold as Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River," first introducing Jackson's Lorenzo, a plain-clothes detective, who works out of the Dempsey projects. He has a good relationship with the community because of his efforts to keep cops from other jurisdictions out of there, but it's a tension-filled environment where one wrong word might cause the place to explode. It finally comes in the form of Brenda Martin, a single mother who works at the projects' day care center, who claims that she was carjacked by a black man, while her sleeping four-year-old son was in the backseat. As accusations begin to fly, the police chief decide to lock the place down, and tempers begin to flare with Lorenzo caught in the middle.

 

At its best, "Freedomland" is the type of powerful message-driven film we used to see from Spike Lee back in his heyday. Price's story has a lot of resonance with what is going on in the world today, not only from the Susan Smith case on which this was obviously based, but also due to all the stories of neglectful and abusive parents we keep hearing about.

 

This is the third or fourth time that Moore plays a mother who has lost her child, but this is by no means her most likeable or sympathetic role. She spends the entire movie either crying or acting crazy, and watching this woman who clearly has problems agonizing over the disappearance of her child makes it even harder to empathize with her. The problem is that as soon as Moore's distraught mother arrives on the scene, it's hard not to presume she's responsible for her own son's disappearance or death, especially because we're all too familiar with similar Susan Smith stories.

 

Jackson comes across better in the movie, since Lorenzo is a far better developed character, and one that allows Jackson to show off his considerable dramatic prowess without veering too far away from the type of character we're used to seeing him play. Yes, he even gets to tell someone to "kiss his black ass," which must be in his contract at this point. That said, Lorenzo isn't actually a very good detective, because when he's not badgering the poor victimized mother, he's tampering with crime scenes.

 

Fortunately, Edie Falco shows up halfway through the movie as the leader of a group of mothers who work with the police to try to find missing children. Falco's very presence raises the story to another plateau, because her performance is the polar opposite of Moore's. Instead of going all out with the hysterics, she keeps her emotions contained, and releases it in a memorable monologue that would probably have gotten her an Oscar nomination if this film were released last year. While it's always nice to see the up 'n' coming actor Anthony Mackie, his role is far too small compared to the weaker Ron Eldard, who is poorly miscast as Moore's conflicted police officer brother.

 

While the strongest emotional points in the film usually include Jackson and Moore, even they start to get tiring, maybe because you never know what to think of their relationship. When we finally learn the truth about what happened to Brenda's son--it's not at all what you might expect--it comes in the form of a maniacal rant from Moore that seems to go on forever. It's quite grueling to watch, and it's obvious that Moore's performance should have been reigned in by director Joe Roth, because that scene could have been one or two minutes shorter and still been too long. After we learn the truth, the story culminates into a battle between the police and the residents of the projects. It certainly adds some much needed excitement to the ending, but it almost seems superfluous at that point.

 

At times, it seems like Roth is out of his depth, maybe because we're used to seeing him direct sillier comedies, but two factors keep the film from completely spiraling out of control: Price's strong story, well-developed characters and believable dialogue carry the film through the slower moments, and James Newton Howard's terrific soundtrack--possibly one of his best to date--greatly embellishes the film's more powerful scenes.

 

The Bottom Line:

There's a good deal of merit to what Price and Roth were trying to accomplish with this dramatic story ripped from today's headlines, but sadly, the few times it falters is usually because Julianne Moore's performance makes her character the weak link in her own movie.

[dj_brent]

Date Movie

Reviewed by: Heather Newgen

Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Movie Details: View here

 

 

Cast:

Alyson Hannigan as Julia Jones

Adam Campbell as Grant Fonckyerdoder

Jennifer Coolidge as Mrs. Fonckyerdoder

Eddie Griffin as Frank Jones

Fred Willard as Mr. Fonckyerdoder

Tony Cox as Hitch

Sophie Monk as Andy

Josh Meyers as Napoleon

Valery M. Ortiz as Jello

 

Directed by Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg

 

Summary:

Chances are if you are familiar with the movies being spoofed you'll find the film somewhat entertaining and enjoyable.

 

Story:

Julia Jones (Alyson Hannigan) is depressed about not having a boyfriend. Her family is pressuring her to get married, but she doesn't think she'll ever find the one. It also doesn't help that she is extremely overweight and unattractive.

 

She seeks help from "Hitch" and she is transformed into a beautiful girl who now has the confidence she needs to win over British babe Grant Fonckyerdoder (Adam Campbell). Now all she has to do is convince her family he's right for her and get rid of his gorgeous ex-girlfriend Andy (Sophie Monk) who is seriously posing a threat to her relationship.

 

What Worked:

There were some really hilarious scenes in the film. For instance, the opening was great. Alyson Hannigan is in the fat suit dancing her way over to "Hitch" for her "Extreme Makeover." The people she encounters along the way want nothing to do with her, but that doesn't stop her from trying to find her man.

 

Monk does a great spoof of Paris Hilton and the Carl's Jr. commercial of her eating a hamburger while washing a car and Campbell does an over the top impression of Meg Ryan having an orgasm in "When Harry Met Sally."

 

The cast works very well together. Hannigan has amazing comedic timing and although this was Campbell and Monk's first movie you would never know.

 

Fred Willard and Jennifer Coolidge light up the screen with their impression of The Fockers and you have to check out Eddie Griffin's eyebrows.

 

What Didn't Work:

I don't think you have to know all the movies that are being spoofed to laugh, but I definitely think it helps. Also most of the jokes were funny, but some were too crude for my taste. Especially the scene where Griffin takes a mouthful of Willard's chest hair.

 

In addition, there isn't much depth to the story or the characters, but that is the point. They are making fun of other characters in several different movies so you probably won't walk out of the film still thinking about the story line.

 

Bottom Line:

"Date Movie" is one the better films I have seen in the last few weeks and it's worth checking out. Just make sure you stay through the closing credits for some funny outtakes.

[Guest Inquisitive]

Munich

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Starring: Eric Bana, Daniel Craig and Geoffrey Rush

 

Synopsis of the Movie

This is a movie about the retaliation of the Israeli Government to the brutal killing of Israeli athletes by the Palestinian group Black September. The Israeli Government headed by Prime Minister Golda Meir assembles a team composed of Mossad agents to hunt down and k*ll those responsible for their slaughter.

 

Review/Criticism

 

To those who are expecting a slam bang and non-stop action movie; this film is not for you. Hence, you might as well wait for the next Jerry Bruckheimer film.

 

Steven Spielberg (Spielberg for brevity) is again at his best. He has directed films such as E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. He is one of Hollywood’s best storytellers and has the ability to sustain his audience’s interest with or without the use of special effects. Again, his storytelling ability comes to the fore in Munich.

 

The film starts ironically when members of Black September were assisted by some Olympic athletes to scale a fence, unbeknownst to the latter that the former are planning to do something despicable. This is perhaps to drive home the point that during the Olympics, mistrust and the potentiality for violence do not exist. It is during the Olympic Games that you see countries which are at odds with one another become civil and just compete. Hence, no one will ever think that a plan to kidnap and slaughter athletes could be conceived during this momentous and historic sports event.

 

The movie immediately picks up with the violent hostage taking of the Israeli athletes. And as you’re seeing this, you’re immediately appalled by the savagery of the members of Black September and can’t help but feel pity for the Israeli athletes. Eventually, the athletes were butchered and this sets the stage for the retaliation by the Israeli government.

 

In order to strike back, the Israeli government enlists Mossad agents to assassinate those responsible for the killing of said athletes. Avner (Eric Bana) and his men are those who are given this task. Spielberg effectively shows that Mossad agents lead by Avner are not your prototypical action heroes. In fact, they look ordinary and are not in the mold of a Vin Diesel.

 

This film does not do anything on a grand scale. There are no gravity defying fight sequences or unbelievable car chases. Even the assassinations of the members of Black September were conceived without any fanfare. The film remains real and grounded; hence, the audience can appreciate the story without any distractions.

 

Regarding the acting, there are no hysterical or ludicrous scenes. You won’t see actors unduly and overly showing emotion. Everyone is reserved and no one goes overboard or unduly steals any of the scenes. Eric Bana in particular effectively shows how a man who starts as a wide eyed and idealistic Mossad agent becomes disillusioned when he begins to question the rationality of what he is doing. Avner realizes that for every person he and his crew assassinate, the enemy retaliates by bombing an embassy or consulate. He aptly put it when he said to his case handler (played by Geoffrey Rush) “What are we doing? The more that we k*ll; they will also k*ll and k*ll even more. You know that there is no possible end to this.”

 

Aside from questioning the butchery that he has done, Avner’s life turns topsy-turvy. When he first accepted the mission, he viewed it as doing a job and nothing more. However, his demeanor changes when he is engulfed by the violence and killing that he is doing. He then becomes paranoid and fears for the lives of his wife and child.

 

Avner becomes emotionally and psychologically disturbed and is perfectly showed when he was making love to his wife. Instead of focusing on his wife, he was thinking of the brutal killing of the Israeli athletes at the airport. You can’t help but feel pity for Avner. Hence, Spielberg again shows another side that we don’t see and that is the trauma and madness “assassins” feel and undergo.

 

This movie also showed the inability and insensitivity of people around Avner to empathize with him. Israelis were congratulating him with what he was doing. Even his own mother was saying that even if she doesn’t know what he was exactly doing, she was proud of him. But all of them fail to see the anguish and emotional torture that Avner is going through. They glorify Avner without even thinking what he must be experiencing. In fact, he feels nothing when he is congratulated. His expression is as blank as a Tabula Rasa. This effectively conveys the point that in killing people, there is no glory in it, there is nothing to congratulate and it haunts the killer too.

 

The most saddening part of this movie is when Avner found out that in spite of all his sacrifices, he is expendable. The very country that he unconditionally served chose to turn his back on him.

 

This film does not justify the retaliation of the Israeli government to the killing of the Israeli athletes at Munich. It does not also deplore the actions of the Black September. Its only message is to make us question the rationality and morality behind the killings coming from both sides of the fence. Ultimately and more importantly, the movie implies that with this much killing and carnage, both parties perhaps should rethink their policies. However, that is easier said than done.

 

Rating

 

On a scale of 1 – 5, I give this movie a perfect score of 5. It has been a long time since a movie with this much depth and relevance has been shown. You won’t waste your time and money when you watch this film.

[grinchx452]

Eight Below

 

 

 

Starring: Paul Walker, Jason Biggs, Bruce Greenwood, Moon Bloodgood

Directed by: Frank Marshall

Produced by: David Hoberman, Patrick Crowley, Todd Lieberman

 

Genres: Action/Adventure and Drama

MPAA Rating: PG for some peril and brief mild language.

Distributors: Walt Disney Pictures

 

Synopsis of the Movie

Inspired by a true story, EIGHT BELOW is an action-adventure about loyalty and the bonds of friendship set in the extreme wilderness of Antarctica. The film tells the story of three members of a scientific expedition: Jerry Shepard, his best friend, Cooper, and a rugged American geologist, who are forced to leave behind their team of beloved sled dogs due to a sudden accident and perilous weather conditions in Antarctica. During the harsh, Antarctic winter, the dogs must struggle for survival alone in the intense frozen wilderness for over 6 months.

 

Review

 

We're just moments into the majestic Antarctic snow whiteness of Eight Below when a cute little penguin flaps and shimmies out of the water through a crack in the ice, shuffling off as if in search of the open bar at a black-tie event. Sorry, buddy, wrong picture! Despite the early cameo appearance of a flightless waddler as a subliminal link to the success of March of the Penguins, Disney's spirit-affirming family affair about the resourcefulness of God's creatures leaves the birds to their baroque reproductive choreography and casts its bid for audience love with an adventure drama about doggies.

 

There are eight of them, you see — below (as in the bottom of the world), as well as working under subzero conditions — and the canine octet spend their days harnessed to sleds, transporting scientists around otherwise unnavigable territory. Their nights, meanwhile, are drowsed away at a base station watching survival guide Jerry (Paul Walker) flirt chastely with bush pilot Katie (former Laker Girl Moon Bloodgood) and pal around manfully with goofball cartographer Cooper (Jason Biggs). The arrival of an ambitious geologist (always pleasurable Bruce Greenwood) who won't let bad weather slow down his research puts the canine team through their paces: Naturally, the brash human ignores warnings against venturing beyond safe terrain, and naturally, the doggies save him from what might have been a deadly accident, tempering his vanity with their four-legged goodness.

 

But not until dire weather sets in and the entire nattering population of B actors, with their B-human story lines, is evacuated by airlift while the dogs are forced to stay behind does Eight Below get to work. And then this clean, classical, hooray-for-the-pooches picture, directed by veteran Frank Marshall for what seems like the pure geographic fun of it, does the thing that Disney animals-in-the-snow movies have been doing so reliably — and satisfyingly — since White Wilderness nearly 50 years ago: It tells a wordless, admirable tale of quadruped bravery, cooperation, loyalty, patience, and nobility, with crisp nature photography and fine, round music.

 

Based on a Japanese Antarctic film and inspired by a real-life story of sled dogs who survived extended subzero abandonment, Eight Below teeters at times too coyly on the frozen territory of anthropomorphism — the handsome, personable dogs who find a way to survive until the humans return aren't just impressive animals (and terrific movie stars, at that), they're also designated as ''heroes'' who enact psychological dramas of their own in David DiGilio's ingratiating script.

 

But happily, Marshall and his superb cinematographer, Don Burgess (Spider-Man), attend to the big picture, letting nature speak for herself beyond the reach of staged conflicts. There's something invigorating about this unpretentious dog tale. And if a penguin drops by to promote his own movie product, well, there's room on the frozen continent for all.

[Hottie_Babe]

I recently watched Pride and Prejudice. I'm not aware of any format that you guys are following (transalation: tinatamad ako magbrowse at magbasa ng rules), so bear with me.

 

Movie: Pride and Prejudice

 

 

Length 127 min

Rated: PG

Distributor: Universal Pictures

Release Date: 2005-11-18

 

Starring: Keira Knightley, Matthew MacFadyen, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland

 

 

 

SUMMARY:

 

A screen adaptation of the classic Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen). Hala mga hayskul magsipanood na para sa book report. Slightly costly than borrowing Barron's Book notes but will always be a good excuse for any high school dude to get some extra money (and watch the movie).

 

Set in 18th century, the Benneth sisters, the slightly jologs but landed family, needs to marry well, so not to lose their estate to their far cousin Tom Collins. In their quest, for that most strategic and convenient marriage, they meet Mr. Charles Bingley, who has the eye for the lovely, demure Jane Bennet. Bingley had eye for Jane but still hesitant to see girls beyond his class.

 

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Bennet, the independent-minded, girl-above-her-times with Fitzwlliam Darcy--Mr. Aristocratic, I'm so-rich-but-I'm really-bading-pag-na-inlove guy, provides the love tension in the movie

 

Mr. Darcy meddles with the blossoming love affair of Jane Bennet and Charles Bingley. well, Bingley and Darcy being close friends. He convinced Bingley that the Bennets are way beyond his league. The grounds? Talkative mother, over-giggly sisters, unwelcome visits.

 

In the end, things fall into places in the fashion of romantic idealism. Wahaha. Things that just does not happen in my world. Wahahaha.

 

 

WHY WE SHOULD WATCH IT:

It's CGI free, for a change.

*If you enjoy Sense and Sensibility, Age of Innocence, this is your movie. You love the banter and verbosity of the English language.

*It will prompt you to go on a diet again, when you see (and loathe) women in their bodices, corsettes.

*You don't believe that you don't need to wear braces to have your overcrowded teeth and your bite corrected to look nice. Look at Keira Knightley!

*You haven't read the book and would like to have an inkling of what a classic is about.

*You still believe in vanilla skies and picket fences.

 

WHY WE SHOULD JUST WAIT FOR THE PIRATED DVD:

*For guys, no one is taking off their clothes in this movie (hehehe).

*It could drive you to doze off a little (like I did). I ate beef gyudon during the first 15 mins of the movie, and I dozed off right after the last morsel.

*Gusto ng boyfriend mo manood ng Pink Panther tsaka Final Destination 3 at mapagbighay ka, kaya hindi mo na siya kukulitin.

 

 

MY OBJECTIONS:

*Elizabeth Benneth should be a little plump. That's how I imagined her in the novel, much like Minnie Driver in Circle of Friends. Kahit sino naman maiinlove kay Keira Knightley. Akala ko hindi dapat masyado kagandahan si Elizabeth.

*Hindi bagay si Matthew McFayden na Mr. Darcy. Dapat si Collin Firth, mas bagay, pero pag siya na yung bidang lalake, dapat ako na si Elizabeth Bennet. Wahaha.

[Guest Inquisitive]

Fearless (a.k.a Huo Yuan Jia)

Directed by Ronny Yu

Starring: Jet Li as Huo Yuan Jian

 

Synopsis of the movie

 

Fate Made Him A Warrior, Courage Made Him A Hero

 

Imagine a powerful and adept martial artist whose skills are almost superhuman. He moves faster than the wind and is stronger than the average man. In spite of countless victories in martial arts duels, he still craves glory and has an insatiable need for fame. However, fate humbled him when he lost those whom he loved due to his own doing. After learning selflessness and humility, destiny pushed him to fight again but this time for his country. He became a hero. This is the story of Huo Yuan Jia.

 

Review/Criticism

 

This is definitely one of Jet Li’s best films and it may be as best as Hero. It’s such shame that this is his last Kung Fu/martial arts movie but at least he ended this stage of his career with a bang.

 

To start with, the fight sequences were breathtaking. So don't expect fighting ala Fernando Poe or Lito Lapid. Even a non hardcore martial arts fan would enjoy the fight scenes. The detail of every punch, kick and jump were presented clearly; you can actually see how they are executed since some of them were shot closely and slowly. Every fight scene was like poetry in motion. And for me the best fight scene was the one in the restaurant. Take note of this because this is Jet Li at his finest.

 

The locations and the cinematography were excellent. While watching the movie, there were times that you feel you’re looking at a painting. The shots were just exquisite.

 

The costumes were also great and were done properly. You won’t see any cheap and haphazardly done clothes in this film. And because of that it helps the viewers to fully appreciate the film since it is a “period” movie.

 

Inasmuch as I want to continue with my praises, there are certain areas that I didn’t like. And they are the dialogue and story development.

 

Regarding the dialogue, there is a mitigating or probably an exonerating factor that would explain its lousiness. And that is “translation.” When translating a message/dialogue from one language to another, the meaning tends to get lost. Ergo, the rational behind the phrase lost in translation!

 

Moving on to story development, I just felt that some parts of the film were not fully developed. The director and probably the writers knew what they wanted and focused on the theme. However, they failed to develop parts of the story to make it more cohesive and coherent.

 

An example of the aforementioned is Huo Yuan Jian’s friend or love interest. Note the word “or” because it was not established if she was just a friend or a romantic partner. Another detail that they forgot to develop was Hua Yuan Jia’s return to the fighting scene. He saw an add that downgraded Chinese people and suddenly decided to fight, as if in one instant he had to do it. It’s kind of hard to believe that he suddenly decided to fight without much introspection or further motivation considering the transformation that he has undergone.

 

To digress a bit, I hope that the local film industry would take note of this film and similar ones that preceded it. The movers of Philippine Cinema can definitely learn a thing or two from Jet Li, Jackie Chan or Stephen Chow (director and star of Kung Fu Hustle). All of them have made notable movies which were entirely produced and made in Asia. Noteworthy is the fact that Ang Lee (who shot to fame with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) just won the Best Director Award in the 2006 Oscar Awards. I think it's high time that the local film industry shape up because not only is it lagging behind its Asian counterparts but it also runs the risk of being extinct.

 

Rating

 

In a rating of 1 – 10 with the latter being the highest, I give this movie 7.8 in spite of its shortcomings. It’s definitely better than watching a sequel of a black FBI man dressed up as a big ass woman in order to play nanny to a bunch of kids! Not only is that so passé but it is also ridiculous.

[Kurtsky Keigee]

http://z.about.com/d/movies/1/0/O/G/8/16blocksposter.jpg

 

16 Blocks

Bruce Willis

Mos Def

 

An Unrealistic Yet Entertaining Cop Thriller

Bruce Willis plays a broken down cop who’s ready for either rehab or retirement – or both – in “16 Blocks,” the latest police drama from Richard Donner, the director of the “Lethal Weapon” film series. Although the movie practically screams ‘been there done that,’ there are enough little twists to keep you amused and mostly entertained.

 

Willis stars as New York Police Detective Jack Mosley, a cop you wouldn’t want watching your back in a life or death shoot-out. He’s lazy, unmotivated, and just taking up space until he can hang up his badge and collect his pension. About the only thing he’s good for at this point in his career is pulling babysitting duty. Assigned to take a petty criminal named Eddie Bunker (Mos Def) from his jail cell to the courthouse 16 blocks away, Jack begrudgingly accepts the duty but not without putting up a fight.

 

Eddie needs to get to the courthouse and testify before the grand jury by 10:00am and that gives Jack 100+ minutes to complete a trip which should take about 15.

 

But Jack, being the burn out he is, can’t make the 16 blocks without popping into a liquor store only a block or so into the trip. Have I mentioned he's a loser? Emerging from the store, Jack’s forced into action as the simple trip to drop off a prisoner turns into a 16 block fight for both their lives, pitting Jack and Eddie against the worst of New York’s finest.

 

Jack and Eddie are polar opposites drawn together under desperate circumstances. What you expect to happen does happen, but because Donner is a skilled director and Willis and Mos Def work well as a team, “16 Blocks” is saved from being a throw-away thriller.

 

And speaking of Mos Def, he’s affected this indescribably bizarre nasally voice and it’s grating to listen to for 90 minutes (almost to the point of being unbearably annoying). In fact, the latest TV spot for the movie doesn't even include Mos Def speaking so that ticket buyers who haven't seen the full length trailers won’t know what they’re in for until it’s too late. Once you’re into the film, the voice isn’t enough to make you want to get up and leave – but it’s close.

 

At this point I feel like if I’ve seen one ‘weary cop who battles booze more than he battles bad guys’ movie, I’ve seen them all. “16 Blocks” doesn’t so much break free of the mold but rather wraps itself up in the tried and true format and then adds a couple of special little moments so as not to be a total rehash of every generic bad guy seeks redemption film ever made.

 

“16 Blocks” is what it is. It’s Bruce Willis doing a character we’re familiar with. It’s Clint Eastwood’s “The Gauntlet” but on a much smaller scale. Realism and logic play very small roles and shoot-outs can take place on crowded streets with minimal collateral damage and no real signs of panic. The saving grace is a superb performance from Willis combined with an interesting one from Mos Def, and enough actionsequences to shove the film along when the characters and dialogue don’t cut it.

 

- My Comment:

Its a nice movie, excellent acting by Bruce Willis, great storyline too although not much action,still good movie.

If your a fan of bruce willis you should definitely check this out.

Edited March 8, 2006 by kUrTsKY

[Guest Inquisitive]

Last Holiday

Directed by Wayne Wang

Starring: Queen Latifah, Timothy Hutton, Alicia Witt, LL Cool J and Gerard Depardieu

 

 

Synopsis of the movie

 

A lowly retail clerk learns that she only has three weeks to live due to a rare and fatal disease. Instead of undergoing therapy, she decides to use all her money and spend it in a dream holiday in Europe, wanting to live the remaining time of her life to the fullest. During the course of this vacation, she meets people and makes an impression on them. At the end, she learns the value of living everyday as if it were her last.

 

Review/Criticism

 

What are good actors like Queen Latifah, Timothy Hutton and Gerard Depardieu doing in this movie? Beats me and until now I’m wondering why they wasted their considerable talent in this film.

 

This movie is charming but unfortunately boring and predictable. By reading the synopsis, you would immediately be able to guess the plot and especially the outcome. The movie is charming in the sense that it suggests to the viewers the value of looking beyond what is seen at face value and thus to see the true beauty that lies within, as Antoine de Saint Exupery said in The Little Prince: “What is essential is invisible to the eye.” However, once you understand this message, the rest of the “Last Holiday” becomes hackneyed.

 

Queen Latifah plays Georgia Byrd, a big woman who managed to transcend the stereotype of what is beautiful and aesthetically interesting. In spite of her humongous frame, she’s able to command attention and captivate those who look at her. She even managed to get a famous chef’s interest while other people (i.e. crooked businessman, congressman and senator) cannot. And she was able to accomplish that by being true to herself. Her beauty radiated from within and not from a svelte frame.

 

Georgia Byrd was beautiful not because she was sexy or gorgeous but because she was kind, honest, sensitive and caring. She was the complete anti-thesis of Alicia Witt’s character who in spite of being a bombshell never managed to have the same effect like Georgia Byrd. And this was due to her being snooty, rude and a downright bitch.

 

However, the charm of the movie is not enough to sustain interest. There are times that I wished I had a remote control so that I could press the fast forward button. The scenes were dragging and the story developed excruciatingly slow. Since the outcome of the film can be easily ascertained, there were times that I just wanted it to end. This is one film that is worth waiting for in DVD and would not be a loss if it is not seen in the theater.

 

The love angle between Georgia Byrd and Sean (LL Cool J’s character) was not only predictable but also boring. This was due to the fact that you know that they would eventually end up together. The only thing they had going for them was their chemistry. So, they should make another movie together but with better material.

 

The acting of Queen Latifah was boring, dull, dreary and uninspired. This may be due to the weak material that she had to work with. There were times that her acting was so subdued and because of that she failed to be effective. She failed to elicit pity considering that her character only had three weeks to live.

 

The worst part of the movie was when Georgia Byrd gave an impromptu speech after Timothy Hutton’s character told everyone that she was just a lowly retail clerk in his department store. The dialogue and what she said was uninspiring and it was ridiculously long. So, when this part comes up, just cover your ears and ride it out.

 

 

Rating

 

On a scale of 1 – 10 with the latter being the highest, this movie rightfully deserves a score of 6. The only saving grace is the depiction of beauty which ideally should come from within. In trying to break the stereotype that only sexy and gorgeous women are beautiful, this movie is not a total disaster. However, aside from that, there’s nothing left to like considering that the other theme which was living life to the fullest has been used countless times already. Does “Dead Poets Society” or “A Walk to Remember” ring a bell?