Utter PAINFUL dross. Anyone comparing this to Rocky Horror is dead wrong. Rocky horror have fun songs, a fun story and was fun. Repo is full of on-the-nose lyrics a 6 year would write to narrate the lame plot. The music is simply horrid and the whole thing is painful. What else do you expect from the guy that insisted an perpetuating the worst horror franchise in memory? Do yourself a favor and skip this movie, find a GOOD musical created by some people with talent and stop inflating Bousman's head (I say that having talked to Bousman before the premier of this movie - the premier I wanted sooooo bad to walk out of). This movie will fade away. Good riddance.
Reviews
24 Reviews
Spy Kids 3: Game Over
(2003)
The game just might be over...
4 March 2004
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over finds the Cortez siblings going different ways. Juni (Daryl Sabara) has struck out on his own by becoming a private detective. Carmen (Alexa Vega), however, has gone on a mission to stop the evil Toymaker (Sylvester Stallone) from taking over the world. In order to stop him, Carmen must enter the game world in which the Toymaker is contained. Her mission comes to a halt when she is last seen on the fourth level. Even though her body is fine in the real world, the game has power over her mind and she must be rescued. Juni must return to his old spy ways in order to save his sister, beat the game and stop the Toymaker. Doing this requires him to complete the impossible level five.
Depending on who you are, it is going to be either good or bad that the above paragraph explains just about the entire plot. The movie's script is mainly a springboard for what are, admittedly, some amazing visual sequences (the lava scene in particular was a wonder to behold). The problem, however, is that much of the wit and mass appeal of the first two is sidetracked by the need to present constant eye candy. It is an entertaining watch the first time, make no mistake about it, but as far as repeated viewing goes, many older (and by older I mean teens and up) folk will be bored. This film is definitely a kid's movie where as the first two Spy Kids films were only market as such and could be enjoyed by just about anyone of any age. The 3-D trick is fun, though, and I never suffered any adverse effects from the red and blue glasses. There are cues in the film that let you know when you are to take the glasses off to view scenes that are played in tradition 2-D (i.e. those scenes outside the game world).
The acting is solid across the board and there is a bevy of celebrity cameos in the film. The children especially shine here as they have in the previous films. The standout here is Grandfather, played perfectly by Ricardo Montalban (`Fantasy Island'). He is given the best lines and his relationship with Juni is a highlight of the movie and made me yearn for more such relationships that were so key in the previous films. Rodriguez' direction is exciting as usual and he handles the challenges of 3-D very well, creating rich sequences throughout.
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over is the weakest of the series in terms of ability to appeal to a wide audience. Whether it was intentional or not, the movie focuses on entertaining the younger audiences and skips out on most of the winks at the older folks found during the first two films. Much of this is due to the inherent limitations of 3-D technology. Who wants to listen to exposition and learn about the characters when there could be giant robots leaping out of the screen? I will recommend this to all the kids I know but would caution parents to stick to the first two.
Depending on who you are, it is going to be either good or bad that the above paragraph explains just about the entire plot. The movie's script is mainly a springboard for what are, admittedly, some amazing visual sequences (the lava scene in particular was a wonder to behold). The problem, however, is that much of the wit and mass appeal of the first two is sidetracked by the need to present constant eye candy. It is an entertaining watch the first time, make no mistake about it, but as far as repeated viewing goes, many older (and by older I mean teens and up) folk will be bored. This film is definitely a kid's movie where as the first two Spy Kids films were only market as such and could be enjoyed by just about anyone of any age. The 3-D trick is fun, though, and I never suffered any adverse effects from the red and blue glasses. There are cues in the film that let you know when you are to take the glasses off to view scenes that are played in tradition 2-D (i.e. those scenes outside the game world).
The acting is solid across the board and there is a bevy of celebrity cameos in the film. The children especially shine here as they have in the previous films. The standout here is Grandfather, played perfectly by Ricardo Montalban (`Fantasy Island'). He is given the best lines and his relationship with Juni is a highlight of the movie and made me yearn for more such relationships that were so key in the previous films. Rodriguez' direction is exciting as usual and he handles the challenges of 3-D very well, creating rich sequences throughout.
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over is the weakest of the series in terms of ability to appeal to a wide audience. Whether it was intentional or not, the movie focuses on entertaining the younger audiences and skips out on most of the winks at the older folks found during the first two films. Much of this is due to the inherent limitations of 3-D technology. Who wants to listen to exposition and learn about the characters when there could be giant robots leaping out of the screen? I will recommend this to all the kids I know but would caution parents to stick to the first two.
Cold Creek Manor
(2003)
Career buster
4 March 2004
When life in the dangerous city of New York becomes too overwhelming, the Tilson family calls it quits and moves to a luscious estate in the country. Cooper (Dennis Quaid) and Leah (Sharon Stone) along with their two children, Kristen (Kristen Stewart, Panic Room) and Jesse, settle into the behemoth fixer upper known as Cold Creek Manor. Cooper, a documentary filmmaker, begins digging through old photographs and home videos and quickly reveals that not all is what it seems at the house and maybe Cold Creek Manor came at a cheap price for a very good reason.
Enter Dale Massie (Stephen Dorff, Blade), the house's former tenant. After breaking into the house and sifting through some of the old photographs, the Tilson's feed him a warm meal and give him a job despite the fact that he has just admitted to being in prison for three years (on a charge completely unrelated to his apparent affinity for trespassing). Massie, however, apparently has a darker side and he frightens the children with mean glances. He and his girlfriend, town floozy Ruby (Juliette Lewis, Cape Fear), pass along subtle hints that the Tilson family is not welcome in Cold Creek Manor. When Cooper begins to suspect something is not quite right with Dale Massie, he confronts him, setting off the ticking time bomb of insanity that has been ever so obvious to the audience from the very second he appeared on screen.
Cold Creek Manor could not have even looked good on paper. At best it is a rehash of elements from every thriller out there, a `Cape Fear for Dummies' if you will. At worst, it's a slow, dry attempt by director Mike Figgis (Leaving Las Vegas) to prove he is capable of something not slow and dry and by the actors to show that they are still alive and desperate to work. Only the actors succeeded.
Figgis' use of the camera and choice of angles and movement are nice to look at and at some times excellent. However, he fails to inject any real life into the film and forces the cliché ridden film to a snails pace adding easily a half hour of dead time that could have been cut out to tighten the film. While much of the problems lie in the script, Figgis' choice to put his name on this project will mark him for some time.
Juliette Lewis (looking as if she was dipped in an ugly bath) provides a rather decent performance opposite Stephen Dorff. Together they provide the only hint of talent in the film. Both Dennis Quaid and Sharon Stone have been handed character sketches barely equaling one dimension and their performances do nothing to mask that fact. They are boring and carry the weight of the film on their shoulders as if it were a burden.
Cold Creek Manor is, simply, a bad movie. There is nothing new, original or very exciting to be found. Far too many plot holes rear their heads throughout (Isn't Cooper a documentary filmmaker? That point comes and goes whenever convenient.) and there is not a single surprise to be found. The `mystery' of the house is never really a mystery to anyone watching the film and the time in between the only two real clues is an exercise in endurance. All involved in this project should have seen the shipwreck from a mile away. Instead, they ran full speed into a rock and we are left to watch them drown.
Enter Dale Massie (Stephen Dorff, Blade), the house's former tenant. After breaking into the house and sifting through some of the old photographs, the Tilson's feed him a warm meal and give him a job despite the fact that he has just admitted to being in prison for three years (on a charge completely unrelated to his apparent affinity for trespassing). Massie, however, apparently has a darker side and he frightens the children with mean glances. He and his girlfriend, town floozy Ruby (Juliette Lewis, Cape Fear), pass along subtle hints that the Tilson family is not welcome in Cold Creek Manor. When Cooper begins to suspect something is not quite right with Dale Massie, he confronts him, setting off the ticking time bomb of insanity that has been ever so obvious to the audience from the very second he appeared on screen.
Cold Creek Manor could not have even looked good on paper. At best it is a rehash of elements from every thriller out there, a `Cape Fear for Dummies' if you will. At worst, it's a slow, dry attempt by director Mike Figgis (Leaving Las Vegas) to prove he is capable of something not slow and dry and by the actors to show that they are still alive and desperate to work. Only the actors succeeded.
Figgis' use of the camera and choice of angles and movement are nice to look at and at some times excellent. However, he fails to inject any real life into the film and forces the cliché ridden film to a snails pace adding easily a half hour of dead time that could have been cut out to tighten the film. While much of the problems lie in the script, Figgis' choice to put his name on this project will mark him for some time.
Juliette Lewis (looking as if she was dipped in an ugly bath) provides a rather decent performance opposite Stephen Dorff. Together they provide the only hint of talent in the film. Both Dennis Quaid and Sharon Stone have been handed character sketches barely equaling one dimension and their performances do nothing to mask that fact. They are boring and carry the weight of the film on their shoulders as if it were a burden.
Cold Creek Manor is, simply, a bad movie. There is nothing new, original or very exciting to be found. Far too many plot holes rear their heads throughout (Isn't Cooper a documentary filmmaker? That point comes and goes whenever convenient.) and there is not a single surprise to be found. The `mystery' of the house is never really a mystery to anyone watching the film and the time in between the only two real clues is an exercise in endurance. All involved in this project should have seen the shipwreck from a mile away. Instead, they ran full speed into a rock and we are left to watch them drown.
Hollywood Homicide
(2003)
Only murder here is careers
4 March 2004
Harrison Ford stars as Joe Gavilan, a well known detective who cannot capture the same success in his personal life as he does at work. There are 3 ex-wives in Joe's life and he is stuck with a particularly bad investment in a large house that he intended to sell as part of his side real estate business. His partner, K.C. Calden (Josh Hartnett), is a rookie but is already having doubts about his life as a cop. Spending his free time as a yoga instructor (teaching a class that is unbelievably full of highly attractive women), K.C. dreams of becoming an actor.
Joe and K.C., of course, become involved in a high-profile murder investigation involving the unfortunately named rap group H2O Klick. During the course of the investigation, the audience is `treated' to more and more glimpses of Joe and K.C.'s personal lives. Every buddy cop cliché rears its ugly little head during the film as the search moves at an agonizingly slow pace. For good measure, a thin internal investigation on Joe's investment practices is thrown in. This subplot comes out of nowhere and adds up to absolutely nothing.
Hollywood Homicide is a cinematic misfire of epic and historical proportions. When the movie is obviously trying to be clever, no one is laughing because the jokes fall flat. When the cops are investigating a murder, no one cares because the script is too jumbled to make any sense of what is going on from scene to scene. When there is the slightest hint of action comes at the very end of the movie, everyone has gotten up and left (and they really are not missing anything). There is only one amusing sequences that has Joe and K.C. being interrogated separately. Even this scene, however, begins to hit the pavement as the most annoying cell phone ringer you will ever hear (and will hear dozens of time in this film) once again blares from the speakers.
The waste of talent in this film is another thing to mention. This movie is almost an epitaph engrained on the tombstone of Harrison Ford's career. There is no possible way anyone involved in this project could have read the script and decided it would be a good career movie. Even Josh Harnett should have a little more dignity than this. There are even embarrassing cameos from Lou Diamond Phillips, Eric Idle and Robert Wagner.
Hollywood Homicide fails because it tries too hard. The movie obviously wanted to be something a little different by have buddy cops that lead separate lives with separate ambitions. In the process of doing so, however, the movie walks the trail (on purpose I might add) that every other buddy cop movie has followed. The underdevelopment of the lives of these characters (the very thing that was supposed to make this film different) and the complete lack of joy in the audience as we watch these actors deliver such witless dialogue makes for a miserable experience.
Joe and K.C., of course, become involved in a high-profile murder investigation involving the unfortunately named rap group H2O Klick. During the course of the investigation, the audience is `treated' to more and more glimpses of Joe and K.C.'s personal lives. Every buddy cop cliché rears its ugly little head during the film as the search moves at an agonizingly slow pace. For good measure, a thin internal investigation on Joe's investment practices is thrown in. This subplot comes out of nowhere and adds up to absolutely nothing.
Hollywood Homicide is a cinematic misfire of epic and historical proportions. When the movie is obviously trying to be clever, no one is laughing because the jokes fall flat. When the cops are investigating a murder, no one cares because the script is too jumbled to make any sense of what is going on from scene to scene. When there is the slightest hint of action comes at the very end of the movie, everyone has gotten up and left (and they really are not missing anything). There is only one amusing sequences that has Joe and K.C. being interrogated separately. Even this scene, however, begins to hit the pavement as the most annoying cell phone ringer you will ever hear (and will hear dozens of time in this film) once again blares from the speakers.
The waste of talent in this film is another thing to mention. This movie is almost an epitaph engrained on the tombstone of Harrison Ford's career. There is no possible way anyone involved in this project could have read the script and decided it would be a good career movie. Even Josh Harnett should have a little more dignity than this. There are even embarrassing cameos from Lou Diamond Phillips, Eric Idle and Robert Wagner.
Hollywood Homicide fails because it tries too hard. The movie obviously wanted to be something a little different by have buddy cops that lead separate lives with separate ambitions. In the process of doing so, however, the movie walks the trail (on purpose I might add) that every other buddy cop movie has followed. The underdevelopment of the lives of these characters (the very thing that was supposed to make this film different) and the complete lack of joy in the audience as we watch these actors deliver such witless dialogue makes for a miserable experience.
The Lion King 1½
(2004 Video)
One Evening's Entertainment (Max)
4 March 2004
As far as Disney sequels go, The Lion King 1 ½ is definitely above average. It works as often as it does (which is still only about equal to as much as it doesn't work) mainly due to its simple premise. In true Mystery Science Theater 3000 fashion, we see Timon (voice by Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa rewind the tale of The Lion King to a point before the familiar story. What begins is the tale of Timon, a troubled meerkat. Timon is somewhat of an outcast, the member of the colony who can never seem to do anything right. The only two allies he has in the troupe are his mother (Julie Kavner, The Simpsons) and his Uncle Max (Jerry Stiller, Seinfeld). Concerned with safety and a need to hide from the vicious hyenas, the meerkats must constantly dig and hide in order to survive. Timon, however, dreams of a world beyond the fear. After a cataclysmic mistake during lookout duty, Timon decides to leave his past behind and journey to find a new home.
As Timon sets out, he meets up with the existential primate Rafiki. In one of the truly funny scenes, Rafiki tells Timon to `Look beyond what you can see'. Unfortunately, Timon (not too bright) takes things a bit too literally and begins actually looking for things that are farther away than what he can see. This scene also provides the origins of Hakuna Matata; it is what Timon is searching for and must find to finally be satisfied. It is on this quest he meets the gaseous Pumbaa and a friendship is born.
Timon and Pumbaa search for their Hakuna Matata and it is on this journey that the movie works best. Their story is intertwined with the original The Lion King tale and some of the results are hilarious. Familiar sequences from the original classic are used from a different perspective and it is learned that Timon and Pumbaa were actually there all the time, doing more than we had ever given them credit for. In fact, Timon and Pumbaa seem to be the heroes of the story, a fact never touched upon in the original.
When The Lion King 1 ½ works, it is quite funny. Interjected with the MST3K type commentary and full of familiar scenes with new elements, there are parts of the story that are very clever. However, in a film that runs less than an hour and twenty minutes, you would expect little downtime. Unfortunately, the story is thin and when the quick comedy sketches pass, too much time is spent waiting for the humor to shine again.
The animation, for the most part, is slightly better than most Disney sequels. It is a mixture of traditional animation and computer generated elements. There is not the attention to detail and much fewer awe-inspiring sequences than in some of Disney's greater efforts of the past. The original cast is all here and they slip back into their characters with ease. The new characters are played well, though without much range (Timon's mom is a slightly less raspy Marge Simpson). The new musical numbers benefited greatly from the return of Elton John and Tim Rice and were actually quite fun.
I hold little hope that Disney will be able to recreate the magic of some of its most brilliant classics. The Lion King is not only a outstanding animated kid's film, but one of the best movies ever made. Sequels seem to be inevitable these days with the studio and most of them are abysmal. The Lion King 1 ½ is not a horrible movie. In fact, it is quite fun to watch once. Kids will enjoy the constant low-brow humor and there is enough `wink wink' jokes for the adults that this is a fine family rental.
As Timon sets out, he meets up with the existential primate Rafiki. In one of the truly funny scenes, Rafiki tells Timon to `Look beyond what you can see'. Unfortunately, Timon (not too bright) takes things a bit too literally and begins actually looking for things that are farther away than what he can see. This scene also provides the origins of Hakuna Matata; it is what Timon is searching for and must find to finally be satisfied. It is on this quest he meets the gaseous Pumbaa and a friendship is born.
Timon and Pumbaa search for their Hakuna Matata and it is on this journey that the movie works best. Their story is intertwined with the original The Lion King tale and some of the results are hilarious. Familiar sequences from the original classic are used from a different perspective and it is learned that Timon and Pumbaa were actually there all the time, doing more than we had ever given them credit for. In fact, Timon and Pumbaa seem to be the heroes of the story, a fact never touched upon in the original.
When The Lion King 1 ½ works, it is quite funny. Interjected with the MST3K type commentary and full of familiar scenes with new elements, there are parts of the story that are very clever. However, in a film that runs less than an hour and twenty minutes, you would expect little downtime. Unfortunately, the story is thin and when the quick comedy sketches pass, too much time is spent waiting for the humor to shine again.
The animation, for the most part, is slightly better than most Disney sequels. It is a mixture of traditional animation and computer generated elements. There is not the attention to detail and much fewer awe-inspiring sequences than in some of Disney's greater efforts of the past. The original cast is all here and they slip back into their characters with ease. The new characters are played well, though without much range (Timon's mom is a slightly less raspy Marge Simpson). The new musical numbers benefited greatly from the return of Elton John and Tim Rice and were actually quite fun.
I hold little hope that Disney will be able to recreate the magic of some of its most brilliant classics. The Lion King is not only a outstanding animated kid's film, but one of the best movies ever made. Sequels seem to be inevitable these days with the studio and most of them are abysmal. The Lion King 1 ½ is not a horrible movie. In fact, it is quite fun to watch once. Kids will enjoy the constant low-brow humor and there is enough `wink wink' jokes for the adults that this is a fine family rental.
Final Destination 2
(2003)
Death Strikes... again?
4 March 2004
It has been a year since the terrifying disaster of flight 180 and the discussion of what caused the strange deaths of those that escaped the crash lingers on. On this anniversary of the flight, Kimberly Corman (A.J. Cook) and her friends are disembarking on a Spring Break road trip. However, Kimberly is about to experience the unthinkable. In a vision that is harrowing to watch, the audience is treated to the most gruesome and realistic highway pileup ever committed to film. Anyone who is already afraid of the dangers of being on the road would do well to cover their eyes during some of this scene.
As with Alex Browning in the first film, Kimberly is only experiencing a vision of what is about to happen. It is up to her to try to stop the lives of innocent people around her from coming to an end on that road. She decides to stop traffic from merging onto the highway and, in doing so, allows another group of people to cheat death. Among this colorful collection of characters is Office Thomas Burke (Michael Landes) who becomes the first to believe Kimberly and becomes her partner in crime (so to speak) as she begins the race to try to understand deaths design and how to bring the process to an end. As in the first movie, of course, those who cheated death begin to die in creative, unexpected and gruesome ways.
The plot here is so very simple that it only works to the movie's benefit that it is not always the focus. The clear reason individuals go to see a Final Destination film is obviously the death sequences. I am happy to say this film delivers in spades. The deaths here are harrowing and gruesome and every bit as imaginative as the first. All the actors here are above decent and add a strange bit of credibility to the ridiculousness of the film. The direction in the film is great and is ingenious in the tactics used to make sure even those who want to turn away at the gruesome moments are forced to share in some of the gory glory.
Through the film we see the return of a single character from the first film. Clear Rivers (Ali Larter) has locked herself away in a padded room to keep herself safe from death. Kimberly convinces Clear to help stop this new chain of events. Along the way, we also learn about Alex Browning's (Devon Sawa in the first film) ultimate fate. All in all, this film does an admirable job of building some suspense while not taking itself too seriously. Final Destination 2 also comes up with a clever way to tie itself to the first. This is a decent, fun follow up that does not really add anything to the mix but should be an enjoyable viewing for any fan of the first.
As with Alex Browning in the first film, Kimberly is only experiencing a vision of what is about to happen. It is up to her to try to stop the lives of innocent people around her from coming to an end on that road. She decides to stop traffic from merging onto the highway and, in doing so, allows another group of people to cheat death. Among this colorful collection of characters is Office Thomas Burke (Michael Landes) who becomes the first to believe Kimberly and becomes her partner in crime (so to speak) as she begins the race to try to understand deaths design and how to bring the process to an end. As in the first movie, of course, those who cheated death begin to die in creative, unexpected and gruesome ways.
The plot here is so very simple that it only works to the movie's benefit that it is not always the focus. The clear reason individuals go to see a Final Destination film is obviously the death sequences. I am happy to say this film delivers in spades. The deaths here are harrowing and gruesome and every bit as imaginative as the first. All the actors here are above decent and add a strange bit of credibility to the ridiculousness of the film. The direction in the film is great and is ingenious in the tactics used to make sure even those who want to turn away at the gruesome moments are forced to share in some of the gory glory.
Through the film we see the return of a single character from the first film. Clear Rivers (Ali Larter) has locked herself away in a padded room to keep herself safe from death. Kimberly convinces Clear to help stop this new chain of events. Along the way, we also learn about Alex Browning's (Devon Sawa in the first film) ultimate fate. All in all, this film does an admirable job of building some suspense while not taking itself too seriously. Final Destination 2 also comes up with a clever way to tie itself to the first. This is a decent, fun follow up that does not really add anything to the mix but should be an enjoyable viewing for any fan of the first.
Cabin Fever
(2002)
Bloody fun in the woods
4 March 2004
Those looking forward to Cabin Fever for months before its theatrical release found out quickly that this film, hailed as a balls-to-the-wall return to 80s style gore filled horror, was a victim of misleading marketing. While there are some intense moments of shock and gore, Cabin Fever serves more of a self-referential study of horror films of the past. Once one is able to get past the disappointment of watching a different film than promised, it is easy to have a great time with the films comedic elements.
Like most good horror films, Cabin Fever begins with a group of young men (with the only real star being Rider Strong of TVs Boy Meets World fame) and women isolating themselves and setting themselves up for later terror. In this particular movie, the young men and women have rented a cabin in the woods to celebrate something or another. The plot doesn't matter, really, as things quickly go downhill.
A flesh eating virus is loose in the sleepy backwoods town and is brought to the group by way of an infected hermit that not only scares the daylights out of the gang but also manages to cause the destruction of their vehicle. What ensues is a paranoid struggle of life and death that begins with one girl getting sick and the others worried about the possibility of infection.
While the plot sounds potential terrifying, the movie is often played for laughs. Fans of the genre will appreciate many hidden nods to classics (watch in particular for a homage to Texas Chainsaw Massacre when the camera follows Marcy to a house from behind the actress). This is a messy movie, with much blood and gore. There are also some genuinely unsettling moments scattered throughout, though the virus plot fails to inspire any real terror and much of the horror is left up to sporadic boo-scares.
Director Eli Roth has proven himself to be full of potential with this freshman outing. He knows the genre well and has written and directed a solid film that is, while not as much fun the second and third time, extremely entertaining. Go into Cabin Fever expecting a fun examination of the genre through a paper thin plot and you won't be disappointed by the lack of much real horror.
Like most good horror films, Cabin Fever begins with a group of young men (with the only real star being Rider Strong of TVs Boy Meets World fame) and women isolating themselves and setting themselves up for later terror. In this particular movie, the young men and women have rented a cabin in the woods to celebrate something or another. The plot doesn't matter, really, as things quickly go downhill.
A flesh eating virus is loose in the sleepy backwoods town and is brought to the group by way of an infected hermit that not only scares the daylights out of the gang but also manages to cause the destruction of their vehicle. What ensues is a paranoid struggle of life and death that begins with one girl getting sick and the others worried about the possibility of infection.
While the plot sounds potential terrifying, the movie is often played for laughs. Fans of the genre will appreciate many hidden nods to classics (watch in particular for a homage to Texas Chainsaw Massacre when the camera follows Marcy to a house from behind the actress). This is a messy movie, with much blood and gore. There are also some genuinely unsettling moments scattered throughout, though the virus plot fails to inspire any real terror and much of the horror is left up to sporadic boo-scares.
Director Eli Roth has proven himself to be full of potential with this freshman outing. He knows the genre well and has written and directed a solid film that is, while not as much fun the second and third time, extremely entertaining. Go into Cabin Fever expecting a fun examination of the genre through a paper thin plot and you won't be disappointed by the lack of much real horror.
May
(2002)
A standout performance!
4 March 2004
No review of this movie would be complete without mentioning Angela Bettis' performance as the title character. Bettis deserves every ounce of credit she receives for her stunning performance in this film. She embodies every bit of material that makes a human an individual and succeeds in brining a new life to the screen. Angela is May for the duration of this film and is a big reason why the entire project works as well as it does.
May opens with a disturbing image. It is held for just a few seconds and then we are introduced to the younger version of May. May has a lazy eye and is made to wear a patch by her mother. Because of ridicule at school, May's mother believes it's best to give May a friend. This friend is a rather terrifying looking doll enclosed in a glass chamber.
Years later, we find May working at an animal clinic and it appears she's not adapted well in life. Although her lazy eye is corrected, she's been made to suffer for years on behalf of the insensitivity of others. Bettis works magic here showing May's insecurities and truly makes the audience care for her before we even begin to learn about some of her real problems. At work, she is hit on by the sexy Polly, played nicely by Anna Faris (Scary Movie). Adam Stubbs, played by Jeremy Sisto (`Six Feet Under', Suicide Kings), catches May's eye. In particular, she finds his hands to be absolutely perfect.
As May and Adam's relationship begins to blossom, we see more and more hints that things are not completely right with May. In a beautifully filmed scene, the couple begins to make love, only to be interrupted by May's passion which leads her to bite Adams lip. Adam breaks things off after this bloody experience saying that May is just a little too weird for him. This event, along with rejection in many other forms, leads May into a downward spiral. The final twenty minutes of the film are a culmination of all the thoughts that have been brewing in May's head, all the years of rejection and torment and of all the friends she wishes she could have made. It is a brutal and shocking fall that all ends in a way that will either leave you speechless or make you leave.
As mentioned before, Bettis is beyond excellent in this film. All the actors, though, bring credibility to their roles. The direction by Lucky McKee is great and shows much promise for the future. The music here is a mix of local Los Angeles punk and rock bands and eerie scoring. It is very effective. All of these elements, combined with a wonderfully captivating story, make May a supremely good horror entry that should have been given a wider cinematic release. Fortunately, though, Lions Gate has been kind enough to give us this DVD to love and cherish.
May opens with a disturbing image. It is held for just a few seconds and then we are introduced to the younger version of May. May has a lazy eye and is made to wear a patch by her mother. Because of ridicule at school, May's mother believes it's best to give May a friend. This friend is a rather terrifying looking doll enclosed in a glass chamber.
Years later, we find May working at an animal clinic and it appears she's not adapted well in life. Although her lazy eye is corrected, she's been made to suffer for years on behalf of the insensitivity of others. Bettis works magic here showing May's insecurities and truly makes the audience care for her before we even begin to learn about some of her real problems. At work, she is hit on by the sexy Polly, played nicely by Anna Faris (Scary Movie). Adam Stubbs, played by Jeremy Sisto (`Six Feet Under', Suicide Kings), catches May's eye. In particular, she finds his hands to be absolutely perfect.
As May and Adam's relationship begins to blossom, we see more and more hints that things are not completely right with May. In a beautifully filmed scene, the couple begins to make love, only to be interrupted by May's passion which leads her to bite Adams lip. Adam breaks things off after this bloody experience saying that May is just a little too weird for him. This event, along with rejection in many other forms, leads May into a downward spiral. The final twenty minutes of the film are a culmination of all the thoughts that have been brewing in May's head, all the years of rejection and torment and of all the friends she wishes she could have made. It is a brutal and shocking fall that all ends in a way that will either leave you speechless or make you leave.
As mentioned before, Bettis is beyond excellent in this film. All the actors, though, bring credibility to their roles. The direction by Lucky McKee is great and shows much promise for the future. The music here is a mix of local Los Angeles punk and rock bands and eerie scoring. It is very effective. All of these elements, combined with a wonderfully captivating story, make May a supremely good horror entry that should have been given a wider cinematic release. Fortunately, though, Lions Gate has been kind enough to give us this DVD to love and cherish.
The Ring
(2002)
Truly Terrifying
4 March 2004
Gore Verbinski (The Mexican, Mouse Hunt) has run with his first opportunity at making a horror movie and, in the process, handed fans of the genre a taught, suspense filled thriller with brains and scares. The movie opens with what has become an obligatory `opening scare' that involves two girls, Katie and Becca, scaring each other with talk of a videotape. The tape, it seems, is cursed and after the viewer watches it, he or she receives a call explaining his or her fate: death will come in seven days. Kate admits that she has seen the tape. In a scene of brilliant tension, this opener takes us through Katie's final minutes; it has been exactly seven days to the hour since she has seen the tape.
We are then introduced to Katie's cousin, Aidan, and her aunt, Rachel Keller (played by Naomi Watts, Mulholland Dr.). Rachel is a newspaper reporter and, at Katie's wake, begins a search for the cause of Katie's death. Rachel learns of the cursed videotape and is quickly tangled in the mystery. Her detective work leads her to Shelter Mountain Inn where she watches the video tape and receives the legendary call. `Seven days,' she is told, and the count down begins.
Rachel and friend Noah (who also watches the tape) work together to discover the origins of the tape. The hints are many and varied and, at first, don't seem to add up to much. There are horses, a lighthouse and a family called the Morgans. How they are linked and what they have to do with the videotape, I will never tell. Midway through the film, the urgency the investigation carries is increased and the ramifications of the reality of the urban legend are amplified.
The movie is expertly directed. There's a drenching rain to many of the scenes and even when the weather clears up, their remains a wetness of dread. The colors are subdued except for a red that figures prominently into the story. Overall, Verbinski has shown his talent in droves here, successfully keeping the pace taught, the visuals interesting and the tensions paramount.
The acting is great across the board. Some mention was made of the performance of the young boy, but I found him to be quite charming and much better than many child actors. Naomi Watts does well (even if she is handed some questionable lines) and very much shows her versatility of the actress. Her work here is completely different than knockout performance in Mulholland Dr..
The only problem I found with the movie is that, taken in a series of unnerving parts, there are some moments that feel very familiar. The film borrows heavily from other popular horror films. Aside from this, however, the sum of the parts shines as an excellent horror film.
This film has a long history. It is a remake of a Japanese film, Ringu, which is an adaptation of a book. I have seen Ringu and find that film to be slightly scarier, though lacking in plot. The Ring fleshes out the story and accurately recreates the impending dread of the original film. This movie is a genre fan's dream: a suspenseful, smart horror movie that, as a whole, is highly original. The Ring make no attempt to spoon feed the audience and leaves the viewer to connect the dots.
We are then introduced to Katie's cousin, Aidan, and her aunt, Rachel Keller (played by Naomi Watts, Mulholland Dr.). Rachel is a newspaper reporter and, at Katie's wake, begins a search for the cause of Katie's death. Rachel learns of the cursed videotape and is quickly tangled in the mystery. Her detective work leads her to Shelter Mountain Inn where she watches the video tape and receives the legendary call. `Seven days,' she is told, and the count down begins.
Rachel and friend Noah (who also watches the tape) work together to discover the origins of the tape. The hints are many and varied and, at first, don't seem to add up to much. There are horses, a lighthouse and a family called the Morgans. How they are linked and what they have to do with the videotape, I will never tell. Midway through the film, the urgency the investigation carries is increased and the ramifications of the reality of the urban legend are amplified.
The movie is expertly directed. There's a drenching rain to many of the scenes and even when the weather clears up, their remains a wetness of dread. The colors are subdued except for a red that figures prominently into the story. Overall, Verbinski has shown his talent in droves here, successfully keeping the pace taught, the visuals interesting and the tensions paramount.
The acting is great across the board. Some mention was made of the performance of the young boy, but I found him to be quite charming and much better than many child actors. Naomi Watts does well (even if she is handed some questionable lines) and very much shows her versatility of the actress. Her work here is completely different than knockout performance in Mulholland Dr..
The only problem I found with the movie is that, taken in a series of unnerving parts, there are some moments that feel very familiar. The film borrows heavily from other popular horror films. Aside from this, however, the sum of the parts shines as an excellent horror film.
This film has a long history. It is a remake of a Japanese film, Ringu, which is an adaptation of a book. I have seen Ringu and find that film to be slightly scarier, though lacking in plot. The Ring fleshes out the story and accurately recreates the impending dread of the original film. This movie is a genre fan's dream: a suspenseful, smart horror movie that, as a whole, is highly original. The Ring make no attempt to spoon feed the audience and leaves the viewer to connect the dots.
Wrong Turn
(I) (2003)
Servicable horror romp
4 March 2004
Wrong Turn is a fun, fast paced horror film that relies on a very, very simple plot. Chris (Desmond Harrington, Ghost Ship) is traveling to North Carolina when he discovers his route is blocked. After a few seconds of research at a rundown gas station, he determines that a dotted line on a map is his only recourse. This becomes his wrong turn and leads us into the meat of the movie.
Chris runs into (quite literally) a group of friends that have stumbled with a flat tire on their way to go camping. The strong leader of the group of friends is none other than Jessie (Eliza Dushku). When the group splits with some staying to have a little fun in the woods and the rest going to try to find help, the trouble begins. While trying to find help, the young men and women stumble upon the home of evil inbred mountain men. Their nightmare begins when they cannot escape the house before the three men return. The remainder of the film is divided between running and killing. There is one brilliant scene involving a chase that is happening on the ground and in the treetops. Spots of great filmmaking such as this are found throughout the picture.
Even with such a thin plot, Wrong Turn manages to be highly enjoyable. Without being bogged down by deep characters and a twisting, convoluted plot, the makers of the film have been given the freedom to put the characters onscreen through every ring of hell possible. The inbred mountain men are at times extremely frightening because of the fact that they are human beings. Even though they are deformed, we are able to see that they are men that have been isolated for their entire lives. The film flies by at lightning pace and leaves no time for the audience to get bored. The acting is good across the board. We believe that these people are terrified for their lives at almost every moment. The mountain men, too, have been given a breath of character through the fine actors chosen to give them life through movement and the fine makeup provided by Stan Winston's crew.
Wrong Turn, however, is not a perfect film. First of all, the movie makes it a point to set the story in West Virginia. The believability of the story relies on your perception of the state. Being a resident of `regular' Virginia and living not too far from the border, I found that I was disappointed by this setting. A better choice may have been to leave the setting unknown. Also, even though the movie is so highly enjoyable because of the quick pace and distinct lack of time spent on character building, it adds up to a low replay value. The movie does not seem to hold up very well on multiple viewings.
Much buzz was placed around this film as a return to the nitty-gritty 70s style of horror filmmaking. I don't buy that for a second. The difference between Wrong Turn and old 70s genre classics such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes is budget and mentality. Those 70s classics were made on a shoestring budget and made with the intention of telling a good horror story. Wrong Turn on the other hand is a glossy, decently budgeted studio picture made with the intention of being an old school production. While the movie does have some Tobe Hooper and old-style Wes Craven types of camera work, the film is far too produced to look like the independent fright features of old. Ignoring the claims of pure, raw horror will help to increase your enjoyment of this, mostly, enjoyable horror film.
Chris runs into (quite literally) a group of friends that have stumbled with a flat tire on their way to go camping. The strong leader of the group of friends is none other than Jessie (Eliza Dushku). When the group splits with some staying to have a little fun in the woods and the rest going to try to find help, the trouble begins. While trying to find help, the young men and women stumble upon the home of evil inbred mountain men. Their nightmare begins when they cannot escape the house before the three men return. The remainder of the film is divided between running and killing. There is one brilliant scene involving a chase that is happening on the ground and in the treetops. Spots of great filmmaking such as this are found throughout the picture.
Even with such a thin plot, Wrong Turn manages to be highly enjoyable. Without being bogged down by deep characters and a twisting, convoluted plot, the makers of the film have been given the freedom to put the characters onscreen through every ring of hell possible. The inbred mountain men are at times extremely frightening because of the fact that they are human beings. Even though they are deformed, we are able to see that they are men that have been isolated for their entire lives. The film flies by at lightning pace and leaves no time for the audience to get bored. The acting is good across the board. We believe that these people are terrified for their lives at almost every moment. The mountain men, too, have been given a breath of character through the fine actors chosen to give them life through movement and the fine makeup provided by Stan Winston's crew.
Wrong Turn, however, is not a perfect film. First of all, the movie makes it a point to set the story in West Virginia. The believability of the story relies on your perception of the state. Being a resident of `regular' Virginia and living not too far from the border, I found that I was disappointed by this setting. A better choice may have been to leave the setting unknown. Also, even though the movie is so highly enjoyable because of the quick pace and distinct lack of time spent on character building, it adds up to a low replay value. The movie does not seem to hold up very well on multiple viewings.
Much buzz was placed around this film as a return to the nitty-gritty 70s style of horror filmmaking. I don't buy that for a second. The difference between Wrong Turn and old 70s genre classics such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes is budget and mentality. Those 70s classics were made on a shoestring budget and made with the intention of telling a good horror story. Wrong Turn on the other hand is a glossy, decently budgeted studio picture made with the intention of being an old school production. While the movie does have some Tobe Hooper and old-style Wes Craven types of camera work, the film is far too produced to look like the independent fright features of old. Ignoring the claims of pure, raw horror will help to increase your enjoyment of this, mostly, enjoyable horror film.
28 Days Later
(2002)
Infectious
4 March 2004
Before any real review of this movie can be done, there needs to be some clarification on the genre of the picture. The film was marketed as pure horror in the United States. While this angle definitely worked to pack the theaters, it was not a completely accurate summation of the nature of the movie. The movie is first and foremost a post-apocalyptic drama. There are horror aspects, yes, but it is not a scare-a-minute zombie film by any means. This distinction is what makes the film so great.
A group of animal rights activists raid a primate research lab. In doing so, they release an infection that turns its victims into raging murderers. The infection is carried in blood and will infect a person in less than thirty seconds. A brutal opening to the movie leads into the haunting title of the movie and takes us ahead 28 days later when we meet our hero, Jim (Cillian Murphy).
Jim, a bicycle courier involved in an accident the day the infection was released, has just awoken from a comatose state. As Jim begins to discover that he is quite possibly alone in London, the audience is treated to dazzling shots of an empty, abandoned city. This sequence also highlights perfectly the amazing use of music found throughout the film.
Jim eventually finds himself under the care of two other survivors. Mark (Noah Huntley) and Selena (Naomie Harris) have been living on the run and have managed to stay alive. It is Selena who explains to Jim that the world as he knew it the day of his accident is gone. Everyone she, Mark and Jim have known and loved is dead and anyone left alive is left to run from the infected that roam free. The group makes its way to Jim's home and there is an extremely touching series of scenes that take place.
Jim also meets a father and daughter pair. The father, Frank (Brendan Gleeson), and daughter, Hannah, have caught a signal from an army officer that proclaims an end to infection. As the group sets off to find these soldiers the movie takes its first major shift in tone as it becomes a road movie for a bit. There will be one more shift in tone after the road trip is over, but it is this tone that most will find surprising and the acceptance of the change of events in the movie is what will determine if you enjoy the movie or not.
I found this movie to be brilliant for unusual reasons. The script itself is nothing new, amazing or all the clever in itself. What makes the movie work so well is a combination of the paranoia found in the first and last sections of the movie, excellent actors that bring a scary sense of believability to the screen and the use of digital video to enhance the raw nature of the events onscreen. Danny Boyle has been, for my money, a very hit or miss director, but has always managed to bring clever and ultimately engaging images to the screen. In 28 Days Later, Boyle takes his digital images and enhances them to make almost every shot memorable. This, combined with several fine examples of how to use music to enhance emotion, makes for a film that goes above and beyond its source material to create more of an experience than a film.
28 Days Later was mainly faulted for its third act and its theatrical ending. The third act takes a turn as the group of survivors end their road trip and meet up with the soldiers claiming to have the answer to infection. While this is an unexpected direction for the movie, I don't fault the film for it. The scenes found in this final section of the film contain the best dialogue and some quality horror elements. I may also be one of the few that actually enjoyed the ending as seen in the theaters. I do, however, understand and am frustrated by a few unanswered questions.
A group of animal rights activists raid a primate research lab. In doing so, they release an infection that turns its victims into raging murderers. The infection is carried in blood and will infect a person in less than thirty seconds. A brutal opening to the movie leads into the haunting title of the movie and takes us ahead 28 days later when we meet our hero, Jim (Cillian Murphy).
Jim, a bicycle courier involved in an accident the day the infection was released, has just awoken from a comatose state. As Jim begins to discover that he is quite possibly alone in London, the audience is treated to dazzling shots of an empty, abandoned city. This sequence also highlights perfectly the amazing use of music found throughout the film.
Jim eventually finds himself under the care of two other survivors. Mark (Noah Huntley) and Selena (Naomie Harris) have been living on the run and have managed to stay alive. It is Selena who explains to Jim that the world as he knew it the day of his accident is gone. Everyone she, Mark and Jim have known and loved is dead and anyone left alive is left to run from the infected that roam free. The group makes its way to Jim's home and there is an extremely touching series of scenes that take place.
Jim also meets a father and daughter pair. The father, Frank (Brendan Gleeson), and daughter, Hannah, have caught a signal from an army officer that proclaims an end to infection. As the group sets off to find these soldiers the movie takes its first major shift in tone as it becomes a road movie for a bit. There will be one more shift in tone after the road trip is over, but it is this tone that most will find surprising and the acceptance of the change of events in the movie is what will determine if you enjoy the movie or not.
I found this movie to be brilliant for unusual reasons. The script itself is nothing new, amazing or all the clever in itself. What makes the movie work so well is a combination of the paranoia found in the first and last sections of the movie, excellent actors that bring a scary sense of believability to the screen and the use of digital video to enhance the raw nature of the events onscreen. Danny Boyle has been, for my money, a very hit or miss director, but has always managed to bring clever and ultimately engaging images to the screen. In 28 Days Later, Boyle takes his digital images and enhances them to make almost every shot memorable. This, combined with several fine examples of how to use music to enhance emotion, makes for a film that goes above and beyond its source material to create more of an experience than a film.
28 Days Later was mainly faulted for its third act and its theatrical ending. The third act takes a turn as the group of survivors end their road trip and meet up with the soldiers claiming to have the answer to infection. While this is an unexpected direction for the movie, I don't fault the film for it. The scenes found in this final section of the film contain the best dialogue and some quality horror elements. I may also be one of the few that actually enjoyed the ending as seen in the theaters. I do, however, understand and am frustrated by a few unanswered questions.
Ghost Ship
(2002)
Treading water on its own
4 March 2004
Fast on the coattails of such exercises in asinine mediocrity as House on Haunted Hill (1999) and Thirteen Ghosts (2001), Dark Castle Entertainment a US based production company finally delivers a somewhat enjoyable piece of horror trash. Although this is Dark Castles first `original' movie (both of their previous efforts mentioned above were remakes of much, much better films), the plot feels disappointingly familiar. Following an admittedly awesome opening scene full of some of the best gore I've seen in a movie released to the theaters in a while, Ghost Ship slows down for a minute to fill in some plot.
A salvage crew led by Captain Sean Murphy (Gabriel Byrne) is approached by a stranger while on a break from the wild seas. This stranger shows them a picture of a lost ship and agrees to lead them to the vessel if, and only if he is allowed to accompany the crew. His terms are agreed to after a bit of discussion. The crew is soon off to the sea.
As the crew approaches the boat, they realize the enormity of the situation and the monetary potential of the find. What they have found is the Antonia Graza, an Italian luxury liner that has been missing since 1962. The riches that the ship contains set the crew to work at a feverish pitch, but shortly after boarding they encounter strange goings-on. Soon, ghosts are spotted, the past is reborn magically and people begin dying. The mystery is slowly revealed and the horrifying reality of the final outing of the Antonia Graza is revealed.
Ghost Ship is nothing more than a ghost story set on the sea. What this movie has that so many other do not is a high production value that works not only because it is flashy and looks expensive, but because it is used to chilling effect. The Antonia Graza looks sick, a mere worn down version of the splendid creature it once was. Small details show the viewer that this vessel once sailed proudly but is now polluted with something evil. There are a few genuinely creepy scenes which are pleasantly surprising.
All around the acting is very good. The cast is supported by `faces' and not necessarily actors you will know by name (other than Gabriel Byrne, of course!). We believe these people are afraid, but we also get the feeling that they are driven beyond fear by their greed. This adds a slightly deeper layer to the movie that is generally missing nowadays.
A salvage crew led by Captain Sean Murphy (Gabriel Byrne) is approached by a stranger while on a break from the wild seas. This stranger shows them a picture of a lost ship and agrees to lead them to the vessel if, and only if he is allowed to accompany the crew. His terms are agreed to after a bit of discussion. The crew is soon off to the sea.
As the crew approaches the boat, they realize the enormity of the situation and the monetary potential of the find. What they have found is the Antonia Graza, an Italian luxury liner that has been missing since 1962. The riches that the ship contains set the crew to work at a feverish pitch, but shortly after boarding they encounter strange goings-on. Soon, ghosts are spotted, the past is reborn magically and people begin dying. The mystery is slowly revealed and the horrifying reality of the final outing of the Antonia Graza is revealed.
Ghost Ship is nothing more than a ghost story set on the sea. What this movie has that so many other do not is a high production value that works not only because it is flashy and looks expensive, but because it is used to chilling effect. The Antonia Graza looks sick, a mere worn down version of the splendid creature it once was. Small details show the viewer that this vessel once sailed proudly but is now polluted with something evil. There are a few genuinely creepy scenes which are pleasantly surprising.
All around the acting is very good. The cast is supported by `faces' and not necessarily actors you will know by name (other than Gabriel Byrne, of course!). We believe these people are afraid, but we also get the feeling that they are driven beyond fear by their greed. This adds a slightly deeper layer to the movie that is generally missing nowadays.
Undercover Brother
(2002)
A decent alternative to Powers
4 March 2004
The movie opens with a quick history of African American culture through the seventies and the decline of race relations attributed to the work of `The Man'. We are then invited to view the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D Headquarters. This elite group of black men and women are intent on bringing The Man down. They consist of Conspiracy Brother (Dave Chappelle), The Chief (Chi McBride, Boston Public), just plain Brother (Gary Anthony Williams), Sistah Girl (Aunjanue Ellis, Lovely and Amazing) and Lance the intern (Neil Patrick Harris, Doogie Howser, M.D.).
The introductions continue to come quickly. The B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D group's plans at a bank are thwarted by a mysterious karate chopping, afro-wearing agent called Undercover Brother, played to perfection by Eddie Griffin (Double Take). The Man and his lapdog, Mr. Feather (Chris Kattan, Saturday Night Live and Corky Romano), are next and we discover their plan to introduce a new drug to General Boutwell (Billy Dee Williams), a man many feel has the potential to become the first black president of the United States.
When General Boutwell (obviously supposed to be a Colin Powell figure) makes his statement to the American public, the drug seems to have taken effect. Boutwell announces that he will be opening a fried chicken restaurant, shocking the nation. Thus begins The Man's `Operation Whitewash'.
Undercover Brother is recruited by the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D. to help investigate this strange turn of events. Undercover Brother is taken through the initial training in the spy world with hilarious spoofs of bond films. Racial humor, obviously, is at the forefront of this movie and most of it comes from the paranoid rantings of Conspiracy Brother. Dave Chappelle apparently ad-libbed much of his dialogue and it is some of the funniest in the movie.
The movie proceeds at a pace usually reserved for MTV music video in fast-forward. This allows the jokes to come quickly and, when one does not work, the movie rapidly moves on to the next one. One of the funniest sequences, ripe with spot-on satire, is when Undercover Brother must infiltrate The Man's headquarters, Multi-National Inc. This is where the audience and Undercover Brother meets the other voluptuous vixen you have seen on the posters, `black man's kryptonite' Penelope Snow (Denise Richards, Starship Troopers). This White She Devil is put in place to deter the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D's operations and succeeds in keeping Undercover Brother stuck in his disguise. At the same time, The Man is busy funding an aggressive ad campaign for the General Boutwell's chicken. The chicken, it is discovered, is more than appears to be. It is up to Undercover Brother to thwart The Man's plans.
I really enjoyed this movie, it was a pleasant surprise. It is well directed and is a lot of fun. The movie is short enough that it never has the chance to be crushed under its own sillyness. Overall, the film is just good, clean fun and hopefully will help to show how absolutely ridiculous racial discrimination is.
The introductions continue to come quickly. The B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D group's plans at a bank are thwarted by a mysterious karate chopping, afro-wearing agent called Undercover Brother, played to perfection by Eddie Griffin (Double Take). The Man and his lapdog, Mr. Feather (Chris Kattan, Saturday Night Live and Corky Romano), are next and we discover their plan to introduce a new drug to General Boutwell (Billy Dee Williams), a man many feel has the potential to become the first black president of the United States.
When General Boutwell (obviously supposed to be a Colin Powell figure) makes his statement to the American public, the drug seems to have taken effect. Boutwell announces that he will be opening a fried chicken restaurant, shocking the nation. Thus begins The Man's `Operation Whitewash'.
Undercover Brother is recruited by the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D. to help investigate this strange turn of events. Undercover Brother is taken through the initial training in the spy world with hilarious spoofs of bond films. Racial humor, obviously, is at the forefront of this movie and most of it comes from the paranoid rantings of Conspiracy Brother. Dave Chappelle apparently ad-libbed much of his dialogue and it is some of the funniest in the movie.
The movie proceeds at a pace usually reserved for MTV music video in fast-forward. This allows the jokes to come quickly and, when one does not work, the movie rapidly moves on to the next one. One of the funniest sequences, ripe with spot-on satire, is when Undercover Brother must infiltrate The Man's headquarters, Multi-National Inc. This is where the audience and Undercover Brother meets the other voluptuous vixen you have seen on the posters, `black man's kryptonite' Penelope Snow (Denise Richards, Starship Troopers). This White She Devil is put in place to deter the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D's operations and succeeds in keeping Undercover Brother stuck in his disguise. At the same time, The Man is busy funding an aggressive ad campaign for the General Boutwell's chicken. The chicken, it is discovered, is more than appears to be. It is up to Undercover Brother to thwart The Man's plans.
I really enjoyed this movie, it was a pleasant surprise. It is well directed and is a lot of fun. The movie is short enough that it never has the chance to be crushed under its own sillyness. Overall, the film is just good, clean fun and hopefully will help to show how absolutely ridiculous racial discrimination is.
The Bourne Identity
(2002)
Popcorn flick with some brains
4 March 2004
The Bourne Identity opens with a body floating in the water. We view this body from underneath, through the water, as intermittent flashes of lighting give it definition. Soon, the stranger is picked up by a fishing vessel and, here, two bullets are removed from his back. A laser-pointer containing a Swiss bank safe-box number is removed from his hip.
The stranger travels to Zurich to retrieve the contents of the safe-box. He finds a bench to sleep on and when prodded by police, he takes them out in a quick series of punches and kicks that surprise even him. Inside the deposit box, he finds all the items needed to be a figure of international intrigue. Inside he discovers his name: Jason Bourne. Other items include passports from several countries, a collection of world currencies as well as a gun. Bourne collects these items (sans the gun) and leaves that bank. He is followed to the US Embassy where the action begins.
Inside the American Embassy in Zurich we get our first view of Marie played excellently by Franka Potente (Run Lola Run, The Princess and the Warrior). Bourne takes notice, but continues on as he is being pursued. When cornered, Bourne once again finds himself to be a lean, mean fighting machine by taking out several security cards without a second thought. Bourne makes an escape from the embassy that is a nail-biting cinematic experience. This scene, which was free from music or any other distractions, solidified the director's talent in my mind. This guy is good.
Outside the embassy, Bourne runs into Marie yet again. He offers her money in return for a ride to Paris (where Jason Bourne lives). Marie agrees and together they go forward to unravel the mystery. Along the way, we are treated to a glimpse inside the CIA as a man by the name of Conklin (Chris Cooper) begins to track down Bourne.
The film flows briskly and is full of human moments that raised it to a level above and beyond what your typical action film rests at. The casting is excellent across the board (although the use of Julia Stiles seems to have been a waste). The direction, as said before, is excellent. The music adds to the film. Overall, this is first and foremost is a drama about a man trying to discover not only WHO he is, but WHY he is. His past is the only way he can figure out what his future should be.
The film's only flaw is that when we finally figure it all out, it's nowhere near as exciting as the journey there. With such tight drama, carefully executed and believable action (including a nail-biting, classic-style car chase through Paris) one would expect a simple, yet satisfying ending. While we get both, it is just not enough. This flaw, though, is not enough to justify not seeing the film. It is an intelligent, fun ride that demands at least one viewing.
The stranger travels to Zurich to retrieve the contents of the safe-box. He finds a bench to sleep on and when prodded by police, he takes them out in a quick series of punches and kicks that surprise even him. Inside the deposit box, he finds all the items needed to be a figure of international intrigue. Inside he discovers his name: Jason Bourne. Other items include passports from several countries, a collection of world currencies as well as a gun. Bourne collects these items (sans the gun) and leaves that bank. He is followed to the US Embassy where the action begins.
Inside the American Embassy in Zurich we get our first view of Marie played excellently by Franka Potente (Run Lola Run, The Princess and the Warrior). Bourne takes notice, but continues on as he is being pursued. When cornered, Bourne once again finds himself to be a lean, mean fighting machine by taking out several security cards without a second thought. Bourne makes an escape from the embassy that is a nail-biting cinematic experience. This scene, which was free from music or any other distractions, solidified the director's talent in my mind. This guy is good.
Outside the embassy, Bourne runs into Marie yet again. He offers her money in return for a ride to Paris (where Jason Bourne lives). Marie agrees and together they go forward to unravel the mystery. Along the way, we are treated to a glimpse inside the CIA as a man by the name of Conklin (Chris Cooper) begins to track down Bourne.
The film flows briskly and is full of human moments that raised it to a level above and beyond what your typical action film rests at. The casting is excellent across the board (although the use of Julia Stiles seems to have been a waste). The direction, as said before, is excellent. The music adds to the film. Overall, this is first and foremost is a drama about a man trying to discover not only WHO he is, but WHY he is. His past is the only way he can figure out what his future should be.
The film's only flaw is that when we finally figure it all out, it's nowhere near as exciting as the journey there. With such tight drama, carefully executed and believable action (including a nail-biting, classic-style car chase through Paris) one would expect a simple, yet satisfying ending. While we get both, it is just not enough. This flaw, though, is not enough to justify not seeing the film. It is an intelligent, fun ride that demands at least one viewing.
S.W.A.T.
(2003)
SWAT this one away, you've seen it before
4 March 2004
S.W.A.T. wastes no time at all diving into the vast world of boring cop clichés. A SWAT team is called in to help save hostages during a violent bank heist. Unfortunately, the tension (supposedly) heats up when a SWAT member must make a decision to save a hostage. This leads to Jim Street (Colin Farrell, Minority Report) and his quick-triggered partner being relieved of their SWAT duties. Street's partner leaves and Street is left to work in the gun room. Street's troubles don't end there. He looses his girl in a `It's not you, it's me' (literally) moment.
Of course, it doesn't take long before Sgt. Dan Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson, Pulp Fiction) eyes Street as potential manpower for the new SWAT team he has been okayed to put together. The formulaically scripted men in suits aren't happy with the decision but let him proceed with the creation of the team anyways. Rounding out this SWAT group are Chris Sanchez (Michelle Rodriquez, Resident Evil) and David Kay (LL Cool J).
As the new SWAT team begins to train, we are slowly introduced to our `bad guy'. Alex Montel (Olivier Martinez, Unfaithful is French, of course, and charming and ruthless. His plot, obvious and uninteresting, is intertwined with scenes of the SWAT group training, goofing off and training some more.
The team's real mission starts when they are requested to escort Montel to a desert facility. Unfortunately, Montel has announced on TV that he will give 100 million dollars to whomever is able to get him out of the cops' hands. The ridiculousness starts as every thug with a bazooka takes over the city streets to try to get their hands on the money. They are surprisingly successful in reeking havoc as the SWAT team attempts to complete their mission. The action culminates in a series of totally implausible scenes.
S.W.A.T. is not actually a poor film. What is wrong here is that there isn't a frame of action or a word of dialogue we haven't seen in some form before. Released after an explosive summer full of high quality action flicks (like Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Bad Boys II, and dare I say Matrix Reloaded), S.W.A.T. feels like a second-rate product in a heavily saturated market. Had we never seen this before, it would be far more enjoyable. Even so, the film is well-made with quality direction from Clark Johnson (Drop Zone). This is a decent rental for those interested in yet another cop flick.
Of course, it doesn't take long before Sgt. Dan Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson, Pulp Fiction) eyes Street as potential manpower for the new SWAT team he has been okayed to put together. The formulaically scripted men in suits aren't happy with the decision but let him proceed with the creation of the team anyways. Rounding out this SWAT group are Chris Sanchez (Michelle Rodriquez, Resident Evil) and David Kay (LL Cool J).
As the new SWAT team begins to train, we are slowly introduced to our `bad guy'. Alex Montel (Olivier Martinez, Unfaithful is French, of course, and charming and ruthless. His plot, obvious and uninteresting, is intertwined with scenes of the SWAT group training, goofing off and training some more.
The team's real mission starts when they are requested to escort Montel to a desert facility. Unfortunately, Montel has announced on TV that he will give 100 million dollars to whomever is able to get him out of the cops' hands. The ridiculousness starts as every thug with a bazooka takes over the city streets to try to get their hands on the money. They are surprisingly successful in reeking havoc as the SWAT team attempts to complete their mission. The action culminates in a series of totally implausible scenes.
S.W.A.T. is not actually a poor film. What is wrong here is that there isn't a frame of action or a word of dialogue we haven't seen in some form before. Released after an explosive summer full of high quality action flicks (like Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Bad Boys II, and dare I say Matrix Reloaded), S.W.A.T. feels like a second-rate product in a heavily saturated market. Had we never seen this before, it would be far more enjoyable. Even so, the film is well-made with quality direction from Clark Johnson (Drop Zone). This is a decent rental for those interested in yet another cop flick.
Donnie Darko
(2001)
A masterpiece of the indie film scene
4 March 2004
Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) lives in a quiet suburban town called Middlesex. We enter his story during what seems to be a typical family dinner. Set brilliantly in 1988, the movie opens with a reference to the Presidential race, with Donnie's sister (played by Jake's real life sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal) announcing her support for Dukakas. What ensues is a heated family debate. The head of the family, Eddie Darko (Holmes Osborne) and his wife Rose (Mary McDonnell) seem to have little control over their children at the dinner table as argument persists and expletives fly. We soon learn that Donnie is not only on medication but seeing a psychiatrist. Rounding out the Darko family is the young, adorable Samantha (Daveigh Chase).
The audience is quickly drawn into Donnie's mind as we experience his first encounter with the six foot tall talking rabbit Frank (James Duvall). Frank carries a message concerning the end of the world. Having lead Donnie to a local golf course, he gives Donnie the exact number of days, hours, minutes and seconds until the universe's demise.
When Donnie awakes the following morning with the course owner and Jim Cunningham (Patrick Swayze) looming over him, he quickly stumbles home. As he approaches his home, he realizes that, over night, it has become the scene of a disaster narrowly avoided. For reasons unbeknownst to anyone, including the FAA, a jet engine has fallen through the Darko's roof and straight through Donnie's bed. What follows this incident is Donnie's struggle to understand why this has happened, what is going to happen next, why Frank has chosen him and to answer many, many questions that have complicated answers.
While this may sound overly complicated (and be sure that it is not easy to figure out), there are several characters along the way that add pieces to the puzzle. There's the new girl in school, Gretchen (Jena Malone) who begins a romantic fling with Donnie; there's the annoying gym teacher Mrs. Farmer (Beth Grant) who reports Donnie's behavior to the principal; there Donnie's English teacher Ms. Pomeroy (Drew Barrymore) and his Science teacher Professor Monnitoff (Noah Wiley) who both introduce clues that will be largely beneficial. Every single one of these characters, amongst others, is vitally important to understanding the complex story at work.
As Frank plants the ideas of time travel in Donnie's head, the viewer is forced to constantly question everything he or she has concluded up to a certain point. Donnie is involved in some criminal activity while following Frank. All of this leads to new discoveries. Nothing is a coincidence in this movie. And nothing is exactly what it seems.
Is Donnie insane? Well, I can answer that one way and you could, after watching, answer it another and we could both be right. The beauty of this film, which defies classification, is that it seamlessly blends many genres to tell a story that is entirely new. It would surprise me to find someone who could honestly say they `got' the entire meaning of the movie on first viewing. There is a definite satisfaction when you watch it for the first time, but it requires several viewings to uncover the many rich layers.
The audience is quickly drawn into Donnie's mind as we experience his first encounter with the six foot tall talking rabbit Frank (James Duvall). Frank carries a message concerning the end of the world. Having lead Donnie to a local golf course, he gives Donnie the exact number of days, hours, minutes and seconds until the universe's demise.
When Donnie awakes the following morning with the course owner and Jim Cunningham (Patrick Swayze) looming over him, he quickly stumbles home. As he approaches his home, he realizes that, over night, it has become the scene of a disaster narrowly avoided. For reasons unbeknownst to anyone, including the FAA, a jet engine has fallen through the Darko's roof and straight through Donnie's bed. What follows this incident is Donnie's struggle to understand why this has happened, what is going to happen next, why Frank has chosen him and to answer many, many questions that have complicated answers.
While this may sound overly complicated (and be sure that it is not easy to figure out), there are several characters along the way that add pieces to the puzzle. There's the new girl in school, Gretchen (Jena Malone) who begins a romantic fling with Donnie; there's the annoying gym teacher Mrs. Farmer (Beth Grant) who reports Donnie's behavior to the principal; there Donnie's English teacher Ms. Pomeroy (Drew Barrymore) and his Science teacher Professor Monnitoff (Noah Wiley) who both introduce clues that will be largely beneficial. Every single one of these characters, amongst others, is vitally important to understanding the complex story at work.
As Frank plants the ideas of time travel in Donnie's head, the viewer is forced to constantly question everything he or she has concluded up to a certain point. Donnie is involved in some criminal activity while following Frank. All of this leads to new discoveries. Nothing is a coincidence in this movie. And nothing is exactly what it seems.
Is Donnie insane? Well, I can answer that one way and you could, after watching, answer it another and we could both be right. The beauty of this film, which defies classification, is that it seamlessly blends many genres to tell a story that is entirely new. It would surprise me to find someone who could honestly say they `got' the entire meaning of the movie on first viewing. There is a definite satisfaction when you watch it for the first time, but it requires several viewings to uncover the many rich layers.
Gangs of New York
(2002)
Fails to overly impress
4 March 2004
Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) and William `The Butcher' Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis) are the two central characters in Gangs of New York. Amsterdam lost his father in fight between the Irish immigrants and the Native Americans (who are not American Indians). During the opening battle scene (which plays, unfortunately, as if it were directed by some MTV rookie), Bill the Butcher takes the life of `Priest' Vallon (Liam Neeson). Only a young boy, Amsterdam is sent away to a reform school where he anxiously awaits the chance to take revenge.
The movie picks up in 1863 as an older Amsterdam returns to the savagely impoverished Five Points area of Manhattan. He immediately begins to seek out Bill the Butcher in order to exact revenge. It is this period of the movie that is the best. Amsterdam is still a young man, albeit a hardened young man. Through necessity, he makes friends with some of the most unlikely people and we are left to make our own assumptions of some individuals' motives. Amsterdam meets Jenny Everdeane (Cameron Diaz) and their relationship during this period of the movie is brilliant.
Gangs of New York takes a turn for the worse in the third act. Instead of continuing to focus on the intricate character relationships that it so masterfully and carefully setup through the first 2 acts, the movie decides to become a historical drama centering on the Draft Riots. While the Draft Riots are an important and mostly forgotten piece of history, the audience has invested too much time into the existing micro-relationships for the movie to simply push them into the backseat. The events leading up the riots had always been in the background of Gangs and I was comfortable with them there.
The movie is beautifully filmed for the most part. As mentioned above, the opening fight sequence was strange and had an MTV quality that initially left a bad taste in my mouth. Fortunately, Scorcese finds a tone and style that remains effective and, in some sequences, is almost brilliantly conceived. All of the actors here are superb and, if you can get past Leonard DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz as 19th century hooligans, you will enjoy their performances much more. The real star here, however, is Daniel Day-Lewis. He is not playing Bill the Butcher, the man is Bill the Butcher. He plays Bill with such an intensity, I never once questioned his existence. The music in the film is hardly anything special and works effectively where it needs to accentuate emotion. The set design and costume work is top-notch.
Overall, Gangs of New York is a welcome addition to my collection as it should be in yours. The shift in focus is unsettling, but does not diminish the accomplishments of the revenge story in the long run. The movie would have worked either a straight character drama or a historical drama about the Draft Riots. It does not, however, completely flow as both. Each of the parts of the film are exciting in their own rights but only succeeded in distracting one part from the other. Scorcese has crafted a fine tale and, while not the masterpiece or even Best Picture candidate it was touted as, Gangs of New York is a very good film.
The movie picks up in 1863 as an older Amsterdam returns to the savagely impoverished Five Points area of Manhattan. He immediately begins to seek out Bill the Butcher in order to exact revenge. It is this period of the movie that is the best. Amsterdam is still a young man, albeit a hardened young man. Through necessity, he makes friends with some of the most unlikely people and we are left to make our own assumptions of some individuals' motives. Amsterdam meets Jenny Everdeane (Cameron Diaz) and their relationship during this period of the movie is brilliant.
Gangs of New York takes a turn for the worse in the third act. Instead of continuing to focus on the intricate character relationships that it so masterfully and carefully setup through the first 2 acts, the movie decides to become a historical drama centering on the Draft Riots. While the Draft Riots are an important and mostly forgotten piece of history, the audience has invested too much time into the existing micro-relationships for the movie to simply push them into the backseat. The events leading up the riots had always been in the background of Gangs and I was comfortable with them there.
The movie is beautifully filmed for the most part. As mentioned above, the opening fight sequence was strange and had an MTV quality that initially left a bad taste in my mouth. Fortunately, Scorcese finds a tone and style that remains effective and, in some sequences, is almost brilliantly conceived. All of the actors here are superb and, if you can get past Leonard DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz as 19th century hooligans, you will enjoy their performances much more. The real star here, however, is Daniel Day-Lewis. He is not playing Bill the Butcher, the man is Bill the Butcher. He plays Bill with such an intensity, I never once questioned his existence. The music in the film is hardly anything special and works effectively where it needs to accentuate emotion. The set design and costume work is top-notch.
Overall, Gangs of New York is a welcome addition to my collection as it should be in yours. The shift in focus is unsettling, but does not diminish the accomplishments of the revenge story in the long run. The movie would have worked either a straight character drama or a historical drama about the Draft Riots. It does not, however, completely flow as both. Each of the parts of the film are exciting in their own rights but only succeeded in distracting one part from the other. Scorcese has crafted a fine tale and, while not the masterpiece or even Best Picture candidate it was touted as, Gangs of New York is a very good film.
The Convent
(2000)
Bloody Good Fun
4 March 2004
Warning: Spoilers
With the lack of quality horror films becoming more and more apparent, fans of the genre (and those looking to get into it) are left with nothing to lose by checking out the obscure titles found on the shelves of the non-chain video stores. Every once in a while, there is a surprise contained within. Such a surprise is the 2000 movie `The Convent'.
Directed by Mike Mendez (whose previous effort, `Killers', is very hard to find), `The Convent' is an exercise in excess and situational comedy. Far too often horror movies enter the realm of comedy unintentionally. As a small film, with a pea-sized budget, `The Convent' wraps itself, and enjoys, a cloak of playfulness.
The movie opens in the 1950's as a young woman decides to set nuns and priests aflame. just before laying a shotgun through them. It's an intro that needs to be seen to be believed. Unfortunately, as far as visual flare is concerned, this scene is never topped. We fast-forward to the present and meet a group of college kids heading to the long abandoned convent to spray paint fraternity letters. The mix of characters is so over the top you can't help but love them. Not a single role is taken 100% seriously and it's obvious that this movie is going to be fun.
Our college friends make it to the convent. Unfortunately, they are busted by two dope-smoking cops. I want nothing more than to go into detail about this scene, but it would ruin a surprise cameo that is beyond hilarious. As the group's bad luck continues, they realize they have left their entire bag of weed at the convent and must return. From here, gore galore and hilarity ensues.
The plot is simple enough and the movie is very funny (not to mention gory as all get out). We get a simply wonderful cameo from Adrienne Barbeau (whose performance in John Carpenter's `The Fog' is treasured by countless horror fans) and, generally, decent production values given the budget. My only complaint is that the movie is too short.
Directed by Mike Mendez (whose previous effort, `Killers', is very hard to find), `The Convent' is an exercise in excess and situational comedy. Far too often horror movies enter the realm of comedy unintentionally. As a small film, with a pea-sized budget, `The Convent' wraps itself, and enjoys, a cloak of playfulness.
The movie opens in the 1950's as a young woman decides to set nuns and priests aflame. just before laying a shotgun through them. It's an intro that needs to be seen to be believed. Unfortunately, as far as visual flare is concerned, this scene is never topped. We fast-forward to the present and meet a group of college kids heading to the long abandoned convent to spray paint fraternity letters. The mix of characters is so over the top you can't help but love them. Not a single role is taken 100% seriously and it's obvious that this movie is going to be fun.
Our college friends make it to the convent. Unfortunately, they are busted by two dope-smoking cops. I want nothing more than to go into detail about this scene, but it would ruin a surprise cameo that is beyond hilarious. As the group's bad luck continues, they realize they have left their entire bag of weed at the convent and must return. From here, gore galore and hilarity ensues.
The plot is simple enough and the movie is very funny (not to mention gory as all get out). We get a simply wonderful cameo from Adrienne Barbeau (whose performance in John Carpenter's `The Fog' is treasured by countless horror fans) and, generally, decent production values given the budget. My only complaint is that the movie is too short.
The Machines Rise Indeed
4 March 2004
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was a project that had nothing going for it. Without James Cameron behind the camera (or involved in any way at all), many thought the project was doomed from day one. With a new director, Jonathan Mostow (U-571), a new John Connor, Nick Stahl (Bully), and a story that seemed like a rehash of Terminator 2: Judgment Day it seemed that the naysayers would be right. I am pleased to say that they were only half correct about this film.
Ten years after John and Sarah Connor, with the help of a friendlier T-800, were able to stop the T-1000 and Judgment Day, John is in hiding. His fears prove to be well-founded as another, later model terminator, the T-X (the smashingly gorgeous Kristanna Loken), travels back to 2003 with a new mission. In the midst of the chaos, John meets Kate Brewster (Claire Danes of My So-Called Life fame), and it seems that their meeting at this time is not so much coincidence. A T-800 (Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger) leads John and Kate on a journey to learn the truth behind Judgement Day and to stop the T-X.
Terminator 3 is not the bomb that many thought it was going to be. Mostow is wise enough to keep the tone and the look of the movie close enough to Cameron's style as to not alienate this film from the rest of the series. He does, however, throw enough of his own flair into the mix that we do not feel we are watching an exact replica of Judgment Day. There are scenes of action in this film that are simply breathtaking to behold. Not thirty minutes into the movie one of the greatest scenes of vehicular mass destruction takes places and the movie rarely lets up until the end. The film begins to border ridiculousness in the action arena when you begin to notice that something blows up every ten to fifteen minutes. Fortunately, however, each and every action scene is a joy to watch.
The actors here are all very strong. Schwarzenegger and Loken are both excellent in their parts. Arnold would have had no excuse to not play a perfect terminator; the real worry lay with the ability of Loken, a virtual unknown, to carry such a heavy role. Loken is a real delight as the T-X with her ability to create small moments with only her head and face movements. Nick Stahl is believable as John Connor and does a good job throughout. Claire Danes is decent in her role though she would qualify as the weakest link amongst the cast.
The real problem with the movie is the script. As hard as it tries, the story here is nothing we haven't seen from a Terminator film. Its good terminator versus bad terminator premise was carried out to much greater effect ten years ago with Judgment Day. The time-travel aspect and inherent paradoxes therein reach a new level of confusion in this film as both terminators have unnatural knowledge of each other's movements from the very beginning and the audience is left to wonder why this movie needed to be created after the finality of the last film. Also, there is far too much goofiness involving Arnold's terminator. Where Terminator 2 used carefully placed and crafted bits of humor to showcase the small bit of humanity contained within the machine, Terminator 3 uses the terminator as ludicrous comic relief when none is needed. Finally, the much talked about ending is admittedly a little weak and underwhelming in light of the rest of the film.
There is no escaping comparison to the two films that came before Rise of the Machines. The first two in the trilogy are true examples of modern classics. While Terminator 3 tries its best, it is by far the weakest of the series. The admirable job done by the cast and crew to ensure this films place in the series, however, is to be commended. With less brains and more popcorn value, this film should satisfy most fans of the action filled saga.
Ten years after John and Sarah Connor, with the help of a friendlier T-800, were able to stop the T-1000 and Judgment Day, John is in hiding. His fears prove to be well-founded as another, later model terminator, the T-X (the smashingly gorgeous Kristanna Loken), travels back to 2003 with a new mission. In the midst of the chaos, John meets Kate Brewster (Claire Danes of My So-Called Life fame), and it seems that their meeting at this time is not so much coincidence. A T-800 (Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger) leads John and Kate on a journey to learn the truth behind Judgement Day and to stop the T-X.
Terminator 3 is not the bomb that many thought it was going to be. Mostow is wise enough to keep the tone and the look of the movie close enough to Cameron's style as to not alienate this film from the rest of the series. He does, however, throw enough of his own flair into the mix that we do not feel we are watching an exact replica of Judgment Day. There are scenes of action in this film that are simply breathtaking to behold. Not thirty minutes into the movie one of the greatest scenes of vehicular mass destruction takes places and the movie rarely lets up until the end. The film begins to border ridiculousness in the action arena when you begin to notice that something blows up every ten to fifteen minutes. Fortunately, however, each and every action scene is a joy to watch.
The actors here are all very strong. Schwarzenegger and Loken are both excellent in their parts. Arnold would have had no excuse to not play a perfect terminator; the real worry lay with the ability of Loken, a virtual unknown, to carry such a heavy role. Loken is a real delight as the T-X with her ability to create small moments with only her head and face movements. Nick Stahl is believable as John Connor and does a good job throughout. Claire Danes is decent in her role though she would qualify as the weakest link amongst the cast.
The real problem with the movie is the script. As hard as it tries, the story here is nothing we haven't seen from a Terminator film. Its good terminator versus bad terminator premise was carried out to much greater effect ten years ago with Judgment Day. The time-travel aspect and inherent paradoxes therein reach a new level of confusion in this film as both terminators have unnatural knowledge of each other's movements from the very beginning and the audience is left to wonder why this movie needed to be created after the finality of the last film. Also, there is far too much goofiness involving Arnold's terminator. Where Terminator 2 used carefully placed and crafted bits of humor to showcase the small bit of humanity contained within the machine, Terminator 3 uses the terminator as ludicrous comic relief when none is needed. Finally, the much talked about ending is admittedly a little weak and underwhelming in light of the rest of the film.
There is no escaping comparison to the two films that came before Rise of the Machines. The first two in the trilogy are true examples of modern classics. While Terminator 3 tries its best, it is by far the weakest of the series. The admirable job done by the cast and crew to ensure this films place in the series, however, is to be commended. With less brains and more popcorn value, this film should satisfy most fans of the action filled saga.
Second part of the best trilogy ever made
4 March 2004
The movie opens with a return to Moria where Gandalf and the Balrog are at a standoff. This familiar scene, however, takes a new twist and instead of following the remainder of the fellowship to their grief, we follow Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellan) into the forgotten chasms below even Moria. Before we can learn his ultimate fate, we are brought back to where we left off in The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Sam Gamgee (Sean Astin) have made little progress on their trek towards Mordor where they must return the one ring to the fiery pits from whence it came. Frodo is falling more and more under the control of the ring and the spirits of both of the hobbits is waning in light of the incredible length of the journey thus far and the unknown distance they must still travel. It is not long, though, before they run into the ring's owner prior to Bilbo- Gollum.
Gollum is a wonder to behold. Every bit of hype about the complexity, believability and dramatic effect of this digital character is deserved. As in the books, Gollum is an immensely important character to the movies and there was no room for error when presenting him onscreen. As he continues on the journey with Frodo and Sam, Gollum continues to be a dramatic entity like none other and his motives are never entirely clear.
Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) are hot on the trail of Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd). As you may recall, the two hobbits were captured and whisked away by the evil Uruk-Hai. The trail leads the three into the land of Rohan which is in turmoil under the weak leader ship of King Theoden. Theoden is a thin shadow of his previous self, we learn, and we discover this situation is not what it seems. Through the help of the malicious Grima Wormtounge (Brad Dourif), Saruman (Christopher Lee) has gained control of Theoden in order to weaken the kingdom of Rohan to insure its defeat in the war waged by Sauron.
Merry and Pippin, it turns out, have escaped the Uruk-Hai but have come under the control of another, less malicious force- an ent by the name of Treebeard (voiced by John Rhys-Davis). Treebeard is a walking, talking tree that, at first, mistakes the hobbits for orcs. This storyline is the weakest and was the most cut up of the plot lines. It will be restored in the upcoming extended edition however.
This movie is an epic in itself and the plot outlined above all unfolds in the first 45 minutes of the three hour film. Needless to say, you should not, under any circumstances, attempt to watch this film without seeing The Fellowship of the Ring. Peter Jackson made the genius decision to pickup in this film where the first left off and spends absolutely no time recapping the previous adventures of these characters. Instead, he fills the entire three hours with new plot, more character driven story and epic adventure and action. The whole film culminates in the most viscerally engaging and technically detailed on-screen battle ever witness. The battle of Helm's Deep will most likely leave you breathless.
Jackson and his crew have crafted a living universe here. Every costume, every weapon, every plant and every creature looks as if it belongs. This is Middle-earth. The cinematography is darker in this film (due to the obvious shift in tone) and the direction and camera work is just as gorgeous as in the first film. There are no weak links in the chain of actors that have been asked to bring the characters of Middle-earth alive. Each and everyone lives and breathes their characters.
What The Lord of the Rings series comes down to is a masterfully epic story about a hobbit. While these movies could have been overwhelmed by special effects and CGI, Jackson understands the soul of the books were not in the creatures and the battles, but in the characters that have to do things that go against their very nature in order to bring harmony back into their world. The Two Towers is a perfect middle section to this trilogy and, like The Fellowship of the Ring, leaves us with a cliff-hanger and a good reason to go see the next film. When all is said and done, these three films will forever be discussed as part of film history.
Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Sam Gamgee (Sean Astin) have made little progress on their trek towards Mordor where they must return the one ring to the fiery pits from whence it came. Frodo is falling more and more under the control of the ring and the spirits of both of the hobbits is waning in light of the incredible length of the journey thus far and the unknown distance they must still travel. It is not long, though, before they run into the ring's owner prior to Bilbo- Gollum.
Gollum is a wonder to behold. Every bit of hype about the complexity, believability and dramatic effect of this digital character is deserved. As in the books, Gollum is an immensely important character to the movies and there was no room for error when presenting him onscreen. As he continues on the journey with Frodo and Sam, Gollum continues to be a dramatic entity like none other and his motives are never entirely clear.
Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) are hot on the trail of Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd). As you may recall, the two hobbits were captured and whisked away by the evil Uruk-Hai. The trail leads the three into the land of Rohan which is in turmoil under the weak leader ship of King Theoden. Theoden is a thin shadow of his previous self, we learn, and we discover this situation is not what it seems. Through the help of the malicious Grima Wormtounge (Brad Dourif), Saruman (Christopher Lee) has gained control of Theoden in order to weaken the kingdom of Rohan to insure its defeat in the war waged by Sauron.
Merry and Pippin, it turns out, have escaped the Uruk-Hai but have come under the control of another, less malicious force- an ent by the name of Treebeard (voiced by John Rhys-Davis). Treebeard is a walking, talking tree that, at first, mistakes the hobbits for orcs. This storyline is the weakest and was the most cut up of the plot lines. It will be restored in the upcoming extended edition however.
This movie is an epic in itself and the plot outlined above all unfolds in the first 45 minutes of the three hour film. Needless to say, you should not, under any circumstances, attempt to watch this film without seeing The Fellowship of the Ring. Peter Jackson made the genius decision to pickup in this film where the first left off and spends absolutely no time recapping the previous adventures of these characters. Instead, he fills the entire three hours with new plot, more character driven story and epic adventure and action. The whole film culminates in the most viscerally engaging and technically detailed on-screen battle ever witness. The battle of Helm's Deep will most likely leave you breathless.
Jackson and his crew have crafted a living universe here. Every costume, every weapon, every plant and every creature looks as if it belongs. This is Middle-earth. The cinematography is darker in this film (due to the obvious shift in tone) and the direction and camera work is just as gorgeous as in the first film. There are no weak links in the chain of actors that have been asked to bring the characters of Middle-earth alive. Each and everyone lives and breathes their characters.
What The Lord of the Rings series comes down to is a masterfully epic story about a hobbit. While these movies could have been overwhelmed by special effects and CGI, Jackson understands the soul of the books were not in the creatures and the battles, but in the characters that have to do things that go against their very nature in order to bring harmony back into their world. The Two Towers is a perfect middle section to this trilogy and, like The Fellowship of the Ring, leaves us with a cliff-hanger and a good reason to go see the next film. When all is said and done, these three films will forever be discussed as part of film history.
Re-Animator
(1985)
Modern Horror Classic
4 March 2004
The astute viewer will immediately pick up on the tone of Re-Animator. The introduction (added to the film at the last minute before its release) is a glimpse of the over-the-top nature of the entire production. If one were to be frightened by this intro, he or she will be comforted by the playful cheer of the opening title music. The score was heavily inspired by the famous Psycho score, a classic by Bernard Herrmann.
The movie, inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's `Herbert West: Re-Animator', follows a simple plot. Herbert West (played to precise pitch perfection by Jeffrey Combs who, like Bruce Campbell, is a B-Movie legend) is new at Miskatonic Medical University. Immediately, Herbert clashes with Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale) on the subject of `brain death'.
At the same time, Dan Cain (Bruce Abbot) is looking for a roommate. He is also dating Dean Alan Halsey's (Robert Sampson) daughter, Megan (Barbara Crampton). When Herbert West shows up at Dan's door one night during a `study' session, Megan is immediately suspicious. Why is Herbert so anxious to move in? Why is he so interested in the basement?
It is not long before the cat is dead, re-animated and dead again. The early scenes of violence are disturbing and hilarious at the same time and are only a taste of what is to come. Dan tries to resist the temptation of power inherent in the re-animating fluid, but is sucked into Herbert's mad world of life giving.
There is a turn of events about halfway through the film (which I would be crazy to spoil) that almost screams to the viewer, `We aren't playing by the rules here.' The storyline twists its way to the famous conclusion that, if you haven't heard of it, will leave you breathless. Even if you know what is going to happen, when you finally see it, in all of it's gory, sexual glory you understand why this classic has achieved such a status. The finale of the film is twisted in so many ways it's impossible to count.
Obviously, I loved the movie. Having never been anything but a horror fan, I cannot say it will suit everyones' tastes. The film is so over-the-top that the outrageous gore becomes less and less shocking. The timid viewer may want to shy away from this masterpiece. Anyone with even the slightest curiosity should seek this movie out.
The movie, inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's `Herbert West: Re-Animator', follows a simple plot. Herbert West (played to precise pitch perfection by Jeffrey Combs who, like Bruce Campbell, is a B-Movie legend) is new at Miskatonic Medical University. Immediately, Herbert clashes with Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale) on the subject of `brain death'.
At the same time, Dan Cain (Bruce Abbot) is looking for a roommate. He is also dating Dean Alan Halsey's (Robert Sampson) daughter, Megan (Barbara Crampton). When Herbert West shows up at Dan's door one night during a `study' session, Megan is immediately suspicious. Why is Herbert so anxious to move in? Why is he so interested in the basement?
It is not long before the cat is dead, re-animated and dead again. The early scenes of violence are disturbing and hilarious at the same time and are only a taste of what is to come. Dan tries to resist the temptation of power inherent in the re-animating fluid, but is sucked into Herbert's mad world of life giving.
There is a turn of events about halfway through the film (which I would be crazy to spoil) that almost screams to the viewer, `We aren't playing by the rules here.' The storyline twists its way to the famous conclusion that, if you haven't heard of it, will leave you breathless. Even if you know what is going to happen, when you finally see it, in all of it's gory, sexual glory you understand why this classic has achieved such a status. The finale of the film is twisted in so many ways it's impossible to count.
Obviously, I loved the movie. Having never been anything but a horror fan, I cannot say it will suit everyones' tastes. The film is so over-the-top that the outrageous gore becomes less and less shocking. The timid viewer may want to shy away from this masterpiece. Anyone with even the slightest curiosity should seek this movie out.
Day of the Dead
(1985)
The end of the best horror trilogy
4 March 2004
It's an intensely difficult task to come up with a reference point from which to review this film. Does one approach the review with the intent of comparing Day of the Dead to the first two installments of the legendary `Dead Trilogy'? Or does one ignore the fact that this is the ending of a three part epic and review the film based solely on its own merits? Initially, one may be inclined to completely ignore George Romero's first two masterpieces (Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead) when tackling this job. However in doing so, this approach would ignore the significance of Day's characters and their plight in the grand scheme of the Dead universe and the plethora of social commentary therein.
Day of the Dead is an excellent film no matter how you look at it. What makes the film so successful (and so unsuccessful upon initial release) is that it explores the logical conclusion of the series. Night of the Living took viewers by surprise, introduced us too a group of strangers, some of whom we learned to love and others we learned to hate. Behind the thin veil of horror, Romero made a statement with his violent zombie film, but one that was not so bold as the one he would make in the wham-bam follow-up, Dawn of the Dead. A summary of the basic themes of Dawn come in a scene where a zombie dives into a fountain and grabs coins from the bottom. This scene is terrifying in its implications and it at once shows the zombie-like actions of consumers and the actual worthlessness of money in its physical form. If Romero had explored the cause of the rise of the zombies and explored their relationship to the primal activities and tendencies inherent in us all, where was he to go next?
Day of the Dead, in the most pure and simple of analysis, is reduced to a morality tale involving the idea that man is his own worst enemy. At the center of this story is Sarah (Lori Cardille), one of several civilian scientists, and a group of soldiers holed up in an underground bunker in Florida. The scientists take a blow early on in the film when they learn of the death of Major Cooper whom had apparently been more of sympathizer of the scientists than the other military personnel. The resentment on the part of the soldiers towards the scientist can now take full effect. This resentment is fueled by Cooper's successor, Captain Rhodes (Joseph Pilato), who insists that the scientists' studies are a waste of time and the zombies should be dealt with by force. However, Dr. Logan (Richard Liberty) has been making progress with Bub the Zombie and has taught the chained and bound zombie to remember some of his tendencies from his life. Dr. Logan's continued (apparent) decline into insanity, the restlessness of the soldiers and the steadfastness of Sarah leads to a series of human mistakes that threaten to destroy what could be the last safe-house for humanity.
Where Dawn of the Dead expressed claustrophobia by showing us a familiar (and big) structure reduced to a prison-like stronghold where the safe areas become smaller and smaller, Day of the Dead includes real claustrophobia. These clashing personalities are stuck in an underground salt-mine and must balance their desire to live and survive the zombies, with the need to survive with each other. Because this movie (like the others in the series) is as much a human story as a zombie film, the performances of the actors are key. All involved here do an excellent job, from Lori Cardille as Sarah to Richard Liberty as Dr. Logan. The gore effects here are a vast improvement over Dawn of the Dead and are terrifically realistic. The zombies have much better makeup this time around and instead of hundreds of identical zombies with gray powdered faces, Tom Savini (a master of makeup and gore) gives the zombies personality by giving many of them very unique and elaborate makeup applications. One of the most disappointing aspects of this film is the weak score. While it does serve its purpose in some spots, overall it falls short of the memorable Goblin soundtrack of Dawn.
Mainly faulted for its need to veer vastly from its original script due to lack of funding, Day of the Dead never forgets its roots. Again, this film is nothing more than the natural, logical conclusion of Romero's three part study of the human condition. While this film is much more `talky' than the others, it is up to the audience to really listen to what these characters are saying. Because it is arguably the most relevant of the films, really, it has to be commended. As a follow up to Dawn of the Dead, a non-stop violent shoot-em-up zombie action romp, though, Day of the Dead may have suffered from the Aliens 3 syndrome many years before Aliens 3 was released.
Day of the Dead is an excellent film no matter how you look at it. What makes the film so successful (and so unsuccessful upon initial release) is that it explores the logical conclusion of the series. Night of the Living took viewers by surprise, introduced us too a group of strangers, some of whom we learned to love and others we learned to hate. Behind the thin veil of horror, Romero made a statement with his violent zombie film, but one that was not so bold as the one he would make in the wham-bam follow-up, Dawn of the Dead. A summary of the basic themes of Dawn come in a scene where a zombie dives into a fountain and grabs coins from the bottom. This scene is terrifying in its implications and it at once shows the zombie-like actions of consumers and the actual worthlessness of money in its physical form. If Romero had explored the cause of the rise of the zombies and explored their relationship to the primal activities and tendencies inherent in us all, where was he to go next?
Day of the Dead, in the most pure and simple of analysis, is reduced to a morality tale involving the idea that man is his own worst enemy. At the center of this story is Sarah (Lori Cardille), one of several civilian scientists, and a group of soldiers holed up in an underground bunker in Florida. The scientists take a blow early on in the film when they learn of the death of Major Cooper whom had apparently been more of sympathizer of the scientists than the other military personnel. The resentment on the part of the soldiers towards the scientist can now take full effect. This resentment is fueled by Cooper's successor, Captain Rhodes (Joseph Pilato), who insists that the scientists' studies are a waste of time and the zombies should be dealt with by force. However, Dr. Logan (Richard Liberty) has been making progress with Bub the Zombie and has taught the chained and bound zombie to remember some of his tendencies from his life. Dr. Logan's continued (apparent) decline into insanity, the restlessness of the soldiers and the steadfastness of Sarah leads to a series of human mistakes that threaten to destroy what could be the last safe-house for humanity.
Where Dawn of the Dead expressed claustrophobia by showing us a familiar (and big) structure reduced to a prison-like stronghold where the safe areas become smaller and smaller, Day of the Dead includes real claustrophobia. These clashing personalities are stuck in an underground salt-mine and must balance their desire to live and survive the zombies, with the need to survive with each other. Because this movie (like the others in the series) is as much a human story as a zombie film, the performances of the actors are key. All involved here do an excellent job, from Lori Cardille as Sarah to Richard Liberty as Dr. Logan. The gore effects here are a vast improvement over Dawn of the Dead and are terrifically realistic. The zombies have much better makeup this time around and instead of hundreds of identical zombies with gray powdered faces, Tom Savini (a master of makeup and gore) gives the zombies personality by giving many of them very unique and elaborate makeup applications. One of the most disappointing aspects of this film is the weak score. While it does serve its purpose in some spots, overall it falls short of the memorable Goblin soundtrack of Dawn.
Mainly faulted for its need to veer vastly from its original script due to lack of funding, Day of the Dead never forgets its roots. Again, this film is nothing more than the natural, logical conclusion of Romero's three part study of the human condition. While this film is much more `talky' than the others, it is up to the audience to really listen to what these characters are saying. Because it is arguably the most relevant of the films, really, it has to be commended. As a follow up to Dawn of the Dead, a non-stop violent shoot-em-up zombie action romp, though, Day of the Dead may have suffered from the Aliens 3 syndrome many years before Aliens 3 was released.
Dead & Buried
(1981)
A little known horror film heavily borrowed from
4 March 2004
There's something not quite right in Potter's Bluff. The small, coastal town has been experiencing a series of murders. A photographer from out of town has come to enjoy the scenic coastline. He gets more than he bargained for when the local townsfolk burn him alive and leave his body in his car, overturned, for the authorities to find. This is when Sheriff Dan Gillis gets involved in the investigation.
The murders continue, but the oddities are still waiting in the dark. As Dan starts to dig further into the murders, he begins to realize some of the townspeople are not necessarily who they say they are. Murdered individuals are seen walking around, fine and dandy, days later. Gillis' wife is acting oddly, she is linked to the murdered photographer, and Dan finds strange books and film amongst his wife's belongings. Dan's only possible link to what could be going on comes in the form of the local coroner, G. William Dobbs, played by Jack Albertson (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) in his last film role.
Dead & Buried plays with the audience by switching tones very quickly. There are horrific murders and genuinely creepy moments throughout. However, the main focus of the movie is the investigation behind those murders and during this period, the movie is really a taught mystery/thriller. The entire film and its mystery turn to pure horror towards the end of the third act as the true nature of the town is revealed.
The movie is a very credible and mature horror piece, despite some overly violent moments that were forcefully added by the third studio to handle this film during its production. Director Gary Sherman (Deathline) handles the tone of the film well and creates some very disturbing atmosphere that builds up to a genuinely shocking reveal scene at the end. To say which modern day horror movie stole from this movie would be to ruin part of Dead & Buried. The actors are all very good and it was a pleasant surprise to see not only the wonderful Jack Albertson here, but Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Stree) in a cameo.
Dead & Buried is not a perfect film by any means, though. It has aged relatively well, but some of the scenes speak loudly of leftover trends in the genre that have been handled to much greater effect in other films. The themes here are nothing highly original and there are a few questions that are left partially unanswered in the end. The film is, though, one that demands a viewing at least once and stands out as a very odd twist on the zombie film.
The murders continue, but the oddities are still waiting in the dark. As Dan starts to dig further into the murders, he begins to realize some of the townspeople are not necessarily who they say they are. Murdered individuals are seen walking around, fine and dandy, days later. Gillis' wife is acting oddly, she is linked to the murdered photographer, and Dan finds strange books and film amongst his wife's belongings. Dan's only possible link to what could be going on comes in the form of the local coroner, G. William Dobbs, played by Jack Albertson (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) in his last film role.
Dead & Buried plays with the audience by switching tones very quickly. There are horrific murders and genuinely creepy moments throughout. However, the main focus of the movie is the investigation behind those murders and during this period, the movie is really a taught mystery/thriller. The entire film and its mystery turn to pure horror towards the end of the third act as the true nature of the town is revealed.
The movie is a very credible and mature horror piece, despite some overly violent moments that were forcefully added by the third studio to handle this film during its production. Director Gary Sherman (Deathline) handles the tone of the film well and creates some very disturbing atmosphere that builds up to a genuinely shocking reveal scene at the end. To say which modern day horror movie stole from this movie would be to ruin part of Dead & Buried. The actors are all very good and it was a pleasant surprise to see not only the wonderful Jack Albertson here, but Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Stree) in a cameo.
Dead & Buried is not a perfect film by any means, though. It has aged relatively well, but some of the scenes speak loudly of leftover trends in the genre that have been handled to much greater effect in other films. The themes here are nothing highly original and there are a few questions that are left partially unanswered in the end. The film is, though, one that demands a viewing at least once and stands out as a very odd twist on the zombie film.
The Whole Nine Yards
(2000)
Absolutely Fantastic!!
21 February 2000
Not much to say about this one. It glistens with well developed characters and painfully funny comedy. It's simply MARVELOUS in it's writing and never looses a laugh. Well executed, well filmed (for a comedy I guess) it's one of those rare comedies that makes itself worthy of the money you pay to see it in the theaters. I'm already waiting for it to come out on VHS... it was THAT good!!
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