Change Your Image
goodwithfaces
Reviews
Soul Plane (2004)
Don't Believe The Hype
Truly adolescent, like so many movies aimed at kids, Soul Plane is no worse than any other film of its genre. Sexist, low brow, stupid, it proudly takes every stereotype and makes a (bad or occasionally good) joke of it. "There's Something About Mary" did the very same thing but I don't recall this level of outrage over that film. I absolutely laughed most of the way through, especially in the beginning.
It even has its clever and witty moments and the main character is actually sympathetic and fairly well-written. It achieves everything it set out to do, and I think that it is being unfairly maligned by the PC police. Not the worst movie I've ever seen by a long shot.
Mayor of the Sunset Strip (2003)
Rodney the Scrivener
I had never heard of Rodney Bingenheimer prior to catching the doc on Showtime, so it was somewhat shocking to see how involved he was in the musical lives of many bands that I like. He, as has been said elsewhere, is like a musical Zelig; in one funny sequence, he is seen in the videos of the Mamas & Papas, Blondie, The Ramones (I think) and many more--one of the those nameless people in the background clapping their hands, singing along, etc.
His acceptance by the famous as a male groupie is due to his nearly blank canvas of a personality--he seems to have no real emotional depth. His wallpaper-like persona is similar to Andy Warhol's except that Warhol's was very likely an act--there was a lot going on under that wig. That can't be said for Rodney. He has nothing much to say about anything other than "wow" or "really?" or "that's great." What he does have is good intentions and a lack of an exploitation gene so that celebrities feel safe around him.
Interestingly, he has a Doppelganger in producer/artist Kim Fowley with whom he appears to be very close. Fowley is everything Bingenheimer is not: crass, manipulative, exploitative, even violent. It is an interesting psychological study. A second shadow figure is presented in an aspiring recording artist/sad sack that Bingenheimer befriends: these two friends carry some of the things that Bingenheimer cannot allow for himself.
The film goes from a story of a guy gliding happily through life to a kind of sad story. When asked how he'd like the film to end, an obvious metaphor for his own life, Bingenheimer tellingly responds "I just want everyone to be happy, to enjoy the film." He cannot aspire to his own happiness, cannot make any real claims life. Ultimately, the famous who have made real lives for themselves, move on. Rodney, like Melvilles's Bartlby, cannot.
Born Rich (2003)
Ambitious
Worth seeing. I wasn't as offended by the world-view presented as others were. These are very young people grappling with enormous privilege, which unsurprisingly, is its own circle of Hell. Ironically, their struggles are not very different from anyone else's. "What am I going to do with myself?" is something everyone asks. Not having to work is just the other side of having to work. Ultimately, we all still have to make our way in this world. But, one does get a sense of the truism of Thoreau's comment that(paraphrase)"to be born rich is not to be born at all, but rather, still-born." I saw this on HBO and watched Indian Point, another documentary, right after. There was Robert F. Kennedy, another child of privilege, hard at work doing something that matters to him. The individuals who are struggling in Born Rich could benefit by watching him at work and learning how to live.
Ocean's Twelve (2004)
A mess
If you enjoy the excruciatingly tedious opening scenes, by all means stay. If you are bored to tears and you hope that it will get better, leave immediately. It gets far worse. The plot is incomprehensible, the pacing nonexistent, the chemistry between the characters absent. Zeta-Jones is eye candy, but I recommend watching a T-Mobile commercial instead.
Clooney and Roberts have some chemistry, but it goes unused. The writers (sic) and director (siccer) provide no vehicle whatsoever for them to harness said chemistry for entertainment purposes.
I'm glad that the actors had fun making this film. I had fun in Europe, too. Europe is fun, especially post election here in the US of A. My recommendation: The cast should bring their personal digital photos and video from their trip to the Oprah show; without a doubt, that would provide a great deal more entertainment and make a great deal more sense than this embarrassment of a film.
The Terminal (2004)
Terrible
Under two hours, feels like three. One funny character, a couple of good moments. As my wife said: "I knew it wasn't going to be good, but I didn't think it would suck my butt."
Catherine Zeta-Jones is miscast & her part is uninteresting and unsympathetic. Tom Hanks is dull & puffy. Stanley Tucci gives some life to the film but his character is poorly written. The plot is ludicrous.
The good news is that the Clinton documentary has opened & Fahrenheit 9/11 will be opening soon. Two interesting documentaries to enjoy for the summer. Terminal, however, is empty and full of itself at the same time. Whatever you do, do not go see this movie.