akunau Reviews

When I Find the Ocean (2006)

Disney wanna be gone wrong...

[3/10 · 21 September 2008]

I have to give this 3 stars only because it's a first time effort by an unknown director. The story had some of the same bones as "Bastard Out of Carolina" and the upcoming "Secret Life of Bees" with some "Fried Green Tomatoes" atmospheric shots. The premise of the story, set in 1965 civil rights era Alabama, is an interesting one, about a young girl with a loving family (grandparents and a well-meaning mother) dealing with loss, abuse, and heartache.

The main character, Lily, was played by the director's daughter of the same name. While likable, it was fairly obvious she had no acting skills or training of any sort, and it was not the best idea to put her in the starring role of a movie, especially with polished actors like Dianne Ladd and Graham Greene among others.

This film also reduced some characters to cartoon-like sensibilities, as well as absurd subplots (like wild panthers roaming the Alabama woods???). There's even a scene where young Lily smears shoe polish all over her face to disguise herself as a black child. I had to quit watching after that.

All in all, this movie was pretty awful. It only has some small shining moments in the performances of its veteran actors. This movie could have been much better with a well written script, a more experienced child lead actor and without the beyond ridiculous sub-plots.

The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)

Dumbed down history and bad acting

[1/10 · 10 July 2008]

It was a real chore to endure 2 hours of this weak film. The historical inaccuracies aside, of which there are more than will fit on this page, the acting was awful, and both actresses' English accents were laughable. Why can't English actresses be cast in English roles? It's a difficult accent to master especially for American actors, similarly hard for English actors to get down an American accent or specific dialect. Bottom line not worth the $4 rental fee, and definitely does not do these real people of history any justice.

There are much better films about the Tudors already made. Recommended would be "Anne of the Thousand Days" and "Elizabeth" and "Elizabeth: The Golden Age".

Atonement (2007)

Lush cinematography, underdeveloped story

[5/10 · 17 April 2008]

This movie wasn't awful, but it relied on too many "tricks" of flashback and closeup angles to try and disguise it as great cinema. The first part of the film was okay, but honestly didn't spend nearly enough time developing the characters of Keira Knightley or her lover, to make their love story plausible. Just lots of long looks and confusing sexual tension, and an absurd scene where Keira Knightley strips down to her knickers to dive into a fountain to retrieve part of a vase that got broken, right in front of the servant lover. In broad daylight no less. Even if the affair were true, any young woman of high status at that time would never imagine doing such a thing. Discretion would be a main priority. I just couldn't really care about these characters - Briony for her ineptitude and selfishness, and Keira Knightley and her lover (can't remember the actor's name) for their lack of chemistry. Honestly, they borrowed the sex scene right out of The English Patient, which I think was the feeling and greatness they were hoping to achieve, but they didn't get there. Better films of this genre include the above and also "The End of the Affair" with Julianne Moore and Ralph Fiennes. Also check out the old "Brief Encounter" by director David Lean.

Bordertown (2007)

Excellent movie about corruption and injustice

[8/10 · 10 March 2008]

Reading the negative reviews of this movie was kind of shocking, really. This heartbreaking story was one that needed to be told, and with all the meaningless crap that is peddled out of Hollywood, this was like a breath of fresh air. Perhaps "Bordertown" won't get 10 Oscar nominations or whatever, but I enjoyed watching Jennifer Lopez unravel the mystery of what happened to Eva, the young girl attacked, left for dead, and miraculously survived. I thought the performances were courageous and not overdone, and the direction and cinematography was great. The price we pay in our humanity to get lower prices on electronics and other goods, and to line the pockets of corruption wherever it is found, is much too high. I wish more movies like "Bordertown" were being made...it is quite sad to me that movies like this (also Erin Brokovich, North Country, Silkwood, as well as others) go straight to DVD and so many other movies with no message, just a grandiose budget and special effects, are more important than those with something to say.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Boring cinema marketed as a classic

[2/10 · 30 June 2006]

I really wanted to like this film. Brokeback Mountain is a film congratulating itself on its greatness without really achieving it on even a small scale.

Romantic love between two people is an interesting subject for a film, if intelligently pursued with an interesting plot. However, besides the stunning backdrop of the mountains and lush cinematography, what I experienced in Brokeback Mtn was melodrama, mis-casting (both Michelle Williams and Anne Hathway look like and act like they are 12) bad hair-do's, and a very unflattering portrait of gay men. The use of light (the violent "love scene" that was so dark you couldn't see anything) the twilight zone type grey hues of Jack's parents house (which of course his parents had to be miserable, right?) the complete indifference of both men to their wives and children except for Ennis' relationship with his eldest daughter...the list goes on. Most of the time, I was bored out of my mind. And the scene with Jack and Lureen going to dinner and her friend's husband hits on him...I mean, come on!! I think the time has come for real gay romances, male or female. To me, though, BM just isn't that movie. Maybe for some, but I think this movie's success is based more on what society thinks it is ready for in terms of gay cinema, than on its actual merits. There are better gay (or just romantic films in general, forget the labels) films being made that aren't getting the publicity.