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joeshannongabe
Reviews
Girlfight (2000)
Very good, but so close to great...
This movie is a real gem. The arc of the the plot is defined in the first 3 minutes, the characters are sympathetic and clearly drawn, their motives completely believable. The dialogue is fresh, and oh so real. The situations are unique to the characters and not at all cliched or hackneyed. Until the climax, that is. Then it's as if the movie went off the rails a bit and it got a bit hokey and unbelievable. But I don't want to discourage people from watching this film. The first 3/4's of it are truly remarkable. I gave it an 8. There are some remarkable performances here. Check out this movie.
Frailty (2001)
disturbing and creepy, but oh, what an ending!
I had many reservations about watching this film. I knew the reviews were good and friends whose movie tastes I respect had excitedly recommended it to me. So I was fairly sure I would like it. But the idea of watching a father destroy his family was unsettling to me. I don't know why I felt this way. I have watched many films with morally ambiguous or downright despicable characters and enjoyed them. I'm no prude, thats for sure. But I have a three year old son and so the thought of a father twisting his boys' minds is of course upsetting. So I avoided this film until last night when there was absolutely nothing else I was interested in seeing at my local Blockbuster (the summer movie crap is currently being released). As I watched this movie, I was filled with a sense of heartbreak and dread as the father began what I thought was his decent into madness. Seeing the young son seek his fathers approval through these killings was truly and profoundly sad. I am no fan of fundamentalists and seeing this man rant about "visions" and "angels" only confirmed all my worst preconceived notions about these beliefs. Thats why I was so surprised and intrigued at the inverted, Old Testament style ending. Because of my own beliefs, I know that people who claim to hear God and see angels are psychotic, delusional or lying. But this film reminded me that in the movies, anything is possible. Even dogma that I discarded long ago.
Cabin Boy (1994)
You'll either love it or really, really hate it
I can see why this movie is so polarizing. As with anything that tries to be different, alot of people will not enjoy it. There's a reason why most movies follow the same formula- it's tried and true. But if you are someone who LIKES different, well you might be onto something here. But comedy is so subjective that just liking original work will not be enough. This is a very intelligently done movie with lots of very stupid gags. I liked it, but my movie tastes are strange (one of my favorite movies of all time is "Popeye"). If you like Chris Elliot or Andy Richter then you'll be fine.
Sunshine State (2002)
Subtle, ambiguous and very well done.
John Sayles (who writes, directs and edits- now there's artistic control) has made another gem. It's the new struggle of corporate America vs anybody who stands in their way. The developers hoping to turn a small Florida town into a tourist trap won't be stopped by notions of tradition, nostalgia or home. What can't be commodified can't be saved. But here, alliances, allegences and our ideas about who the good and bad guys are are always shifting. And thats the beauty of this movie. See it!
Popeye (1980)
Masterpiece. You heard me right. MASTERPIECE!
I see that lots of people hate this movie. I guess I can see why. It's so idiosyncratic, so loose, so out there, so...Altman. But this is truly one of the sweetest, gentlest, and most tender movies I have ever seen. This movie can be enjoyed if for no other reason than for its total lack of irony. Like Popeye, it is what it is. And I believe it to be a masterpiece.
This was Robin Williams first serious movie role (2 full years before Garp) and he is a brilliant Popeye. He brings so much humanity and pathos to this character that it is easy to see the great movies in his future. Shelly Duval was born to play Olive Oyl and she does not squander the role of a lifetime. And in a smaller role, a standout performance is turned in Bill Irwin as Ham, Olive's bumbling, stumbling, clown of an ex-boyfriend.
The real star of the show, however, is the atmosphere that Altman conjures up, bringing the 2d comic strip vividly to life and setting you down in this magical little island town of Sweet Haven. Harry Nilssons score is pitch perfect and his songs help to sketch out the characters motives and emotions ("He Needs Me", sung by Duvall, is currently being revived thanks to it's being prominently featured in PT Anderson's "Punch Drunk Love").
One more thing about this movie- I can watch it with my three year old son and we sing the songs and both enjoy it immensely. There are so few movies that can do that. Like I said, a masterpiece!
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
Did the title kill this movie?
That's the only reason that I can think of that explains why this movie wasn't more popular. Or maybe it's because this movie is more heart-on-your-sleeve sweet and uncynical than other Coen brothers movies. Indeed, the co-star and love interest, Amy Archer, must overcome her cynicism in order to see that she can love Norville. But like all Coen brother's movies, the atmospheric strangeness is really the star of the show.
Ghost World (2001)
A compelling portrait of the artist as a young woman
It's hard for me to put a finger on exactly why I love this movie so much. I think it has to do with the lead characters being so fully realized and un-stereotyped. Just as we see ourselves as more complex than the labels that others give us, the characters of Enid, Rebecca and Seymour are allowed to be complex and self contradictory, likeable and unlikeable, noble and flawed all at the same time (sometimes in the same sentence!). Enid, a recent high school grad filled with teenage ennui, is trying to make her own way in the world without compromising her (impossibly high) standards. As her friend Rebecca begins to grow away from her, Enid's fear and confusion only increase. But when she finally lets herself see beyond the surface of the lonely, middle aged eccentric Seymore, she begins to learn how to form her own identity. How they managed to capture these subtleties on film is the key to the movie. This film is driven by the atmosphere created by allowing these flawed characters to experience their lives on their own terms. This is the anti Hollywood movie. If the mainstream bores you, you need to see Ghost World.
The Anniversary Party (2001)
Flawed, but brilliant moments make it unforgettable
A wonderful ensemble piece starring many fine actors, The Anniversary Party delves deep into the ties that bind us together. But the second act is an unflinching look at how we tear ourselves apart. While it has some flaws, I found it hit its marks more often than not. The Altmanesque flow of the movie was almost pitch perfect and never got in the way of the story. There is tension between almost all of the principles and it is often the cover-your-eyes-but-look-through-your-fingers type. I found most of the relationships to be as flawed and messy as the real ones (mine at least). Sure, there's an extraneous scene or two (the near drowning scene comes immediately to mind) and they don't set up the ending that well, but I was happy to forgive the warts to get a close look at compelling relationships.