fresh-4 Reviews

Open Range (2003)

superb. bravo, costner!

[10/10 · 20 August 2003]

if there were any justice, this would be the sleeper hit of the summer season. whether or not it finds its audience, kevin costner should feel very proud. this is a rich, moving, funny, utterly gripping and honest film experience. beautifully acted, written, directed and shot. i'm not usually a fan of westerns, but this one held me from start to finish. it's genuinely character based, you care about the people, and every beat of the film feels full of life and true. costner deserves enormous credit for bringing such a vibrant and compelling work to life. most impressively, he doesn't 'hog' the picture. he gives it over generously to robert duvall, who is superb. it's a wonderful film, full of carefully observed details, and heartbreaking moments. and it was a pleasure to witness a summer movie audience engage so deeply with such a thoughtful and intelligent epic. great work, kevin!!

Hand of Death (1962)

surprisingly fun

[1 November 2002]

i caught this kooky little horror film on cable the other night. it held up pretty well. the notion of scientist turned monster is obviously familiar, but it actually managed to be creepy and suspenseful..wished the guy had found a pair of gloves before touching all those poor people. i also loved the 'nightmare' sequence when he's exposed to the deadly gas, and dreams of beakers and flying white mice. kewl! how odd that it was directed by a musical comedy song and dance man. this is a fun 50's -ish horror tale, with delightful over the top acting. and it's really short. which is something.

White Oleander (2002)

extraordinary.

[10/10 · 14 October 2002]

not having read the book upon which this film is based, perhaps i don't have the same point of reference that others do. but i was floored by this film...the powerful performances, vivid direction, and the intelligent and haunting script. it has stuck with me, and has had the same emotional resonance that films like 'ordinary people' and 'my life as a dog' had. bravo to all, and particularly to the fine and committed work from the cast. alison lohman, michelle pfeiffer, robin wright penn, cole hauser, renee zellweger and patrick fugit are superb. penn and pfeiffer in particular do some of their bravest and finest work here.

City by the Sea (2002)

a metaphor as phony as the locations used in the film

[4/10 · 24 September 2002]

"city by the sea" purports to use long beach, long island as this powerful metaphor/backdrop for its story of crime, loss, and spiritual devastation. long beach is portrayed as a pathetic, once grand, now completely burned out ruin of a resort, with drugged-out losers and detritus scrambling about the broken down boardwalk. hello?!

well, the truth is they actually shot the movie somewhere in new jersey, because the real long beach is not in any way the place they describe. had any of the creative team ever even visited it before? it's a lively, raffish, increasingly upscale, and pleasant beach town on long island. while not exactly the hamptons, it's a cheerful and appealing location, and to make a new york area crime film with such a basically false premise (even part of its title) is simply outrageous. i'm not from there, but the long beach city council should sue. not just for defamation of character, but also for being associated with such a second rate piece of hackwork.

every second of this film strikes a false note. every moment seems borrowed from other, more successful films of this genre, and there isn't a single aspect of the tale - not a plot revelation, a character turn, or an emotional beat - that doesn't seem painfully familiar.

the film reached its logic-nadir when a dead body is thrown into the ocean on long beach, and shortly thereafter (hours?), it washes up on the shore of the east river of manhattan. that drew yelps of laughter from the new york audience i saw the movie with.

you can't make a gritty new york thriller and get all the facts wrong.

In the Bedroom (2001)

grossly overrated..what a disappointment

[1/10 · 7 January 2002]

i came to this film eagerly anticipating the masterpiece that so many film critics have described. what i saw was an overlong soap opera - mawkish, obvious, deliberately paced, unbearably self-important. while there are strong actors involved, they are at the mercy of heavy handed direction, and a lame script..none of the 'surprising' plot or character turns are earned, all of it manipulated for effect..the audience that i saw the film with, also expecting a great piece of work, was actually groaning in disappointment by film's end.

unbearable. for the real thing, try LANTANA. it explores similar terrain with far more subtlety, conviction, and power. it's unpretentious and devastating, in contrast to this one. shame on the press for supporting such second rate work!

My Life as a Dog (1985)

a beauty

[10/10 · 20 August 2001]

i just saw 'my life as a dog' again, and does it ever hold up. what a magical and engaging evocation of the joys and heartbreaks of childhood. in its totally unpretentious way, it captures the pulse of life, and manages to be both deeply moving and sublimely silly at the same time. how wonderful too that all of the adults are brought to life with such subtlety and understanding. the locals in this small town are all quirky, loopy and deeply eccentric...yet are never approached 'quaintly' or with condescension by the writer and the director. they're good people, and you feel gratified that this child has the opportunity to return to them. all in all, it's a pleasure, and a particular treat to witness sentiment, without sentimentality.

and are those actors great, or what?!

The Others (2001)

well done, but wasn't this a play once?

[13 August 2001]

a well acted and directed film, very spooky. but the plot seemed familiar to me, and then i remembered that there was a play, originally titled "THE OTHERS", which was done on Broadway under the title "VOICES" with Julie Harris and Richard Kiley. VERY similar plot, with the exact same ending. Should the director/writer maybe have given some credit where credit was due? Or was this just coincidence.

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

stunning, but give the author his due

[3 November 2000]

rosemary's baby remains a brilliant crafted, beautifully acted and shot work..a thoroughly haunting and riveting modern horror story. my only quibble...literally every line, character and production design detail from the film is lifted directly from ira levin's novel. shouldn't he have been given some credit on the screenplay, along with roman polanski? i don't think there's a word in this one not taken from the book. bravo, levin! and how wise of the filmmaker to realize it so faithfully.

I Wake Up Screaming (1941)

smashing film noir...and bravo cregar and landis!

[3 November 2000]

a deliciously dark thriller..feverish and intense. in addition to its incredibly vivid camerawork, and a wonderful 'broadway melody' type score, it also features some of the finest work of two remarkable performers, carole landis and laird cregar...both of whom died tragically young. ms. landis, a beautiful, husky voiced blonde projected an interesting mix of haughtiness, innocence, intelligence and sexuality..very much ahead of her time, and hated by the studio heads for her independent spirit. this was one of her best performances, and presaged her tragic suicide at the age of 29. cregar, the hulking, obsessive detective, also died in his late 20's and creates a complex and pathetic character here.

great performances, great cinematography, a ripping score, and a plot full of surprises...best of all is that title..it rocks!

The Seduction of Joe Tynan (1979)

subtle, sensitive and worthwhile

[10/10 · 1 November 2000]

a highly underestimated work definitely worth revisiting. it's a portrayal of sexual politics and power in washington d.c. that is still relevant today. it features a stunningly real and moving performance by the great barbara harris. bring her back!

The World of Henry Orient (1964)

a masterpiece about growing up

[10/10 · 1 November 2000]

revisited this film recently, and it held up beautifully. it captures with warmth, wit, and a healthy dollop of irony, the joys and heartbreaks of adolescence. it also is a remarkable time capsule of the pre-youth movement new york city (i.e. early '60's)..the film balances farce, social commentary, and a penetrating insight into the makeup of a 'broken home'..all with a sweet, loopy, whimsical style. tippy walker, who evidently left acting, gives a miraculous performance as the kooky 14 year old Val...and Angela Lansbury, Tom Bosley, and Phyllis Thaxter play the various parents with incredible subtlety and perceptiveness. this film is really a gem.. to quote the young girl at the end of the film..."makes you awfully happy in a sad sort of way". bravo to director george roy hill..this truly is his finest work.