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(07/28/05 4:00am)
Say what you will about Michael Bay, the man makes some handsome movies. His career kick-started in admirable fashion with the one-two punch of "Bad Boys" and "The Rock" (two of the 1990's better, albeit dumber, action flicks), before segueing into the astronomically asinine "Armageddon" and epically inane "Pearl Harbor" (again, two pictures I actually dig if for no other reason than their substantial stylistic sheen). Bay's last effort was a sequel to his first -- "Bad Boys II." This is arguably the best of Bay's oeuvre as it so wholeheartedly embraces the elements critics loathe in his works. The picture is crass, nationalistic, homophobic, racist, sexist and "overly-" a whole bunch of things -- loud, long, violent, etc. It's excess not seen since the '80s, but in the cloyingly PC present it serves as a breath of fresh air. Now comes "The Island," Bay's first foray into sci-fi, made without mega-bucks producer Jerry Bruckheimer.\nEwan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson star as Lincoln Six Echo and Jordan Two Delta, respectively. Unbeknownst to either of them, they are clones of some rich and/or famous people. Stationed in a retooled underground former military base, Lincoln, Jordan and the thousands like them are harvested for any spare parts their owners on the outside might need. Whether it be surrogate pregnancy to avoid stretch marks or a desperately needed organ transplant, clones are removed from the facility under the pretenses of a faux-lottery rewarding lifelong trips to a mythic island paradise. Everyone buys naively into the promised paradise ... everyone that is but Lincoln. He and Jordan, with the assistance of an outside maintenance man (the irreplaceable yet underused Steve Buscemi), escape the compound looking for answers. Amid their fleeing, the duo is pursued by Merrick (Sean Bean ... once again playing a bastard), the doctor with a God complex responsible for this ethical abomination. He has hired mercenary Albert Laurent (Djimon Hounsou, doing the best he can with a miswritten role) to do the dirty work for him.\nWhat began as a solemn sci-fi flick chockablock with contemporary appeal (stem cell research/cloning, anyone?) quickly degenerates into a prolonged chase sequence replete with "Star Wars"-esque Land Speeders and futuristic Cadillacs. It's almost as if "THX-1138" merged with "Minority Report" under the direction of Bay. The movie's two halves, while entertaining, don't add up to a cohesive whole and provide an anti-climactic conclusion. Bay seems to be striving for smarts. Sadly, stupidity suits him better.
(07/28/05 4:00am)
Winning the Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival helped secure newbie writer/director Craig Brewer's "Hustle & Flow" a record-setting $9 million distribution deal with Paramount Classics and MTV Films, which, in turn, will propel the film into popular consciousness and 1,000-plus theaters. Though, when all is said and done, the flick will be better remembered as a star-making vehicle for its star Terrence Dashon Howard and a flawed yet promising calling card for Brewer.\nHoward stars as DJay, a Memphis, Tenn.-based pimp and sometime drug dealer, with dreams of rap stardom inspired by local boy-turned-worldwide celebrity Skinny Black (Ludacris). As clichéd as this sounds it isn't. Sure, DJay unapologetically hustles his stable of hoes, which includes lippy exotic dancer Lexus (Paula Jai Parker), pregnant sweetheart Shug (Taraji P. Henson) and corn-fed chick with braids Nola (Taryn Manning). Then again, he grows tearful when listening to a church-based gospel choir. How often do audiences see the hard-ass hero of a "hood" movie cry for any reason other than that of a friend or family member's drive-by death? The answer quite simply is rarely, which is what sets "Hustle & Flow" apart from its contemporaries.\nAiding DJay in his quest for a hip-hop breakthrough are Key (Anthony Anderson), an old school friend dabbling in producing, and Shelby (DJ Qualls), the skinny organist at Key's church with surprisingly adept beat-making skills. More often than not these two actors are employed in lesser works as comic relief. Here, while each has moments of humor, they are playing things relatively straight. Anderson's turn in particular is inspiring. Between this, a recent series of guest stints on FX's "The Shield" and upcoming work in Martin Scorsese's "The Departed," he could become a dramatic actor of some note.\nAs good as much of the cast is -- this is Howard's movie hands down. Howard is one of those actors who audiences immediately recognize -- he was also in "Ray" and "Hart's War" -- but rarely know his name. Between "Hustle & Flow" and an inspired turn earlier this summer in "Crash," this will all soon change. This is, bar none, Howard's finest hour -- much of his acting is done through the eyes and is convincing enough that audiences will like and care for the essentially unredeemable DJay. He also does his own rapping on the insanely catchy crunk numbers "Whoop That Trick" and "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp."\nUnfortunately, Brewer's writing and direction aren't up to par with Howard's performance. Some last-minute hood histrionics spoil the goodwill fostered earlier in the picture, and come across as a stereotypical interpretation of the "Street." Hopefully, he'll have learned his lesson prior to teaming up with Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci for the "Hustle & Flow" follow-up, "Black Snake Moan"
(07/28/05 12:33am)
Say what you will about Michael Bay, the man makes some handsome movies. His career kick-started in admirable fashion with the one-two punch of "Bad Boys" and "The Rock" (two of the 1990's better, albeit dumber, action flicks), before segueing into the astronomically asinine "Armageddon" and epically inane "Pearl Harbor" (again, two pictures I actually dig if for no other reason than their substantial stylistic sheen). Bay's last effort was a sequel to his first -- "Bad Boys II." This is arguably the best of Bay's oeuvre as it so wholeheartedly embraces the elements critics loathe in his works. The picture is crass, nationalistic, homophobic, racist, sexist and "overly-" a whole bunch of things -- loud, long, violent, etc. It's excess not seen since the '80s, but in the cloyingly PC present it serves as a breath of fresh air. Now comes "The Island," Bay's first foray into sci-fi, made without mega-bucks producer Jerry Bruckheimer.\nEwan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson star as Lincoln Six Echo and Jordan Two Delta, respectively. Unbeknownst to either of them, they are clones of some rich and/or famous people. Stationed in a retooled underground former military base, Lincoln, Jordan and the thousands like them are harvested for any spare parts their owners on the outside might need. Whether it be surrogate pregnancy to avoid stretch marks or a desperately needed organ transplant, clones are removed from the facility under the pretenses of a faux-lottery rewarding lifelong trips to a mythic island paradise. Everyone buys naively into the promised paradise ... everyone that is but Lincoln. He and Jordan, with the assistance of an outside maintenance man (the irreplaceable yet underused Steve Buscemi), escape the compound looking for answers. Amid their fleeing, the duo is pursued by Merrick (Sean Bean ... once again playing a bastard), the doctor with a God complex responsible for this ethical abomination. He has hired mercenary Albert Laurent (Djimon Hounsou, doing the best he can with a miswritten role) to do the dirty work for him.\nWhat began as a solemn sci-fi flick chockablock with contemporary appeal (stem cell research/cloning, anyone?) quickly degenerates into a prolonged chase sequence replete with "Star Wars"-esque Land Speeders and futuristic Cadillacs. It's almost as if "THX-1138" merged with "Minority Report" under the direction of Bay. The movie's two halves, while entertaining, don't add up to a cohesive whole and provide an anti-climactic conclusion. Bay seems to be striving for smarts. Sadly, stupidity suits him better.
(07/27/05 9:36pm)
Winning the Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival helped secure newbie writer/director Craig Brewer's "Hustle & Flow" a record-setting $9 million distribution deal with Paramount Classics and MTV Films, which, in turn, will propel the film into popular consciousness and 1,000-plus theaters. Though, when all is said and done, the flick will be better remembered as a star-making vehicle for its star Terrence Dashon Howard and a flawed yet promising calling card for Brewer.\nHoward stars as DJay, a Memphis, Tenn.-based pimp and sometime drug dealer, with dreams of rap stardom inspired by local boy-turned-worldwide celebrity Skinny Black (Ludacris). As clichéd as this sounds it isn't. Sure, DJay unapologetically hustles his stable of hoes, which includes lippy exotic dancer Lexus (Paula Jai Parker), pregnant sweetheart Shug (Taraji P. Henson) and corn-fed chick with braids Nola (Taryn Manning). Then again, he grows tearful when listening to a church-based gospel choir. How often do audiences see the hard-ass hero of a "hood" movie cry for any reason other than that of a friend or family member's drive-by death? The answer quite simply is rarely, which is what sets "Hustle & Flow" apart from its contemporaries.\nAiding DJay in his quest for a hip-hop breakthrough are Key (Anthony Anderson), an old school friend dabbling in producing, and Shelby (DJ Qualls), the skinny organist at Key's church with surprisingly adept beat-making skills. More often than not these two actors are employed in lesser works as comic relief. Here, while each has moments of humor, they are playing things relatively straight. Anderson's turn in particular is inspiring. Between this, a recent series of guest stints on FX's "The Shield" and upcoming work in Martin Scorsese's "The Departed," he could become a dramatic actor of some note.\nAs good as much of the cast is -- this is Howard's movie hands down. Howard is one of those actors who audiences immediately recognize -- he was also in "Ray" and "Hart's War" -- but rarely know his name. Between "Hustle & Flow" and an inspired turn earlier this summer in "Crash," this will all soon change. This is, bar none, Howard's finest hour -- much of his acting is done through the eyes and is convincing enough that audiences will like and care for the essentially unredeemable DJay. He also does his own rapping on the insanely catchy crunk numbers "Whoop That Trick" and "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp."\nUnfortunately, Brewer's writing and direction aren't up to par with Howard's performance. Some last-minute hood histrionics spoil the goodwill fostered earlier in the picture, and come across as a stereotypical interpretation of the "Street." Hopefully, he'll have learned his lesson prior to teaming up with Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci for the "Hustle & Flow" follow-up, "Black Snake Moan"
(07/21/05 4:00am)
Montages by nature can be bad news in modern American cinema. Not so in the case of "Wedding Crashers," which grabs a majority of its audience by the balls from the get-go and doesn't let loose for 10 minutes. Set to the tune of the Isley Brothers' "Shout" (eliciting fond memories of "Animal House") and chockablock with boobs and boozy portrayals, the sequence is an infectious kick-start to what's an overlong though oftentimes hilarious comedy.\nOwen Wilson and Vince Vaughn star as John Beckwith and Jeremy Klein, a pair of Washington D.C.-based college pals who have since become divorce mediators. In spite of their vocation, this dynamic duo has a profound love for weddings ... or rather for the desperate dames in attendance that can be bedded during or after them. Hence, the two spend their weekends crashing weddings as the film's title suggests. \nThese wolves in sheep's clothing know no bounds in procuring poonani -- dancing with flower girls and old women, making kids balloon animals, fake crying, etc. Such tactics eventually place the terrible twosome at the wedding of Treasury Secretary William Cleary's (Christopher Walken) eldest daughter. There they meet Claire (a cute, accessible and altogether likable Rachel McAdams) and Gloria (Aussie import Isla Fisher, who's primo eye candy in addition to being a comedic dynamo) -- Cleary's younger daughters. John falls for Claire immediately; Gloria obsesses over Jeremy. This obsession scores the "schlubby studs" an invite to the Cleary's Kennedy-esque seaside retreat where they encounter other members and friends of the family. The clan is dysfunctional to say the least: there's Kathleen "Kitty Kat" Cleary (Jane Seymour, still hot at 54 and playing way against Dr. Quinn-type), the horny alcoholic matriarch; Todd (Keir O'Donnell), the gay painter son; Grandma Mary (Ellen Albertini Dow of "The Wedding Singer"), an acid-tongued homophobe and Sack (Bradley Cooper, "Wet Hot American Summer"), Claire's blowhard boyfriend.\nDirector David Dobkin reteams with stars Wilson and Vaughn; he directed the former in 2003's "Shanghai Knights" and the latter in his 1998 debut "Clay Pigeons" -- neither of which I particularly cared for. "Wedding Crashers," while imperfect (at 119 minutes it's too long for a movie of this sort, almost wastes Walken and buys into chick-flick clichés a little too wholeheartedly), is a vast improvement over Dobkin's previous efforts. Much of this is attributable to Wilson and especially Vaughn, whose performance stands alongside his best, i.e. "Swingers," "Made" and "Old School." Though this is their third movie together (the other two being "Zoolander" and "Starsky and Hutch"), it's the first in which they're given apt time to properly interact. Wilson's lackadaisical stoner shtick and Vaughn's rapid-fire recitations combine for combustible comedic chemistry. That they're teaming up again for the upcoming comedy "Outsourced" is an indication of more good things to come.
(07/20/05 8:56pm)
Montages by nature can be bad news in modern American cinema. Not so in the case of "Wedding Crashers," which grabs a majority of its audience by the balls from the get-go and doesn't let loose for 10 minutes. Set to the tune of the Isley Brothers' "Shout" (eliciting fond memories of "Animal House") and chockablock with boobs and boozy portrayals, the sequence is an infectious kick-start to what's an overlong though oftentimes hilarious comedy.\nOwen Wilson and Vince Vaughn star as John Beckwith and Jeremy Klein, a pair of Washington D.C.-based college pals who have since become divorce mediators. In spite of their vocation, this dynamic duo has a profound love for weddings ... or rather for the desperate dames in attendance that can be bedded during or after them. Hence, the two spend their weekends crashing weddings as the film's title suggests. \nThese wolves in sheep's clothing know no bounds in procuring poonani -- dancing with flower girls and old women, making kids balloon animals, fake crying, etc. Such tactics eventually place the terrible twosome at the wedding of Treasury Secretary William Cleary's (Christopher Walken) eldest daughter. There they meet Claire (a cute, accessible and altogether likable Rachel McAdams) and Gloria (Aussie import Isla Fisher, who's primo eye candy in addition to being a comedic dynamo) -- Cleary's younger daughters. John falls for Claire immediately; Gloria obsesses over Jeremy. This obsession scores the "schlubby studs" an invite to the Cleary's Kennedy-esque seaside retreat where they encounter other members and friends of the family. The clan is dysfunctional to say the least: there's Kathleen "Kitty Kat" Cleary (Jane Seymour, still hot at 54 and playing way against Dr. Quinn-type), the horny alcoholic matriarch; Todd (Keir O'Donnell), the gay painter son; Grandma Mary (Ellen Albertini Dow of "The Wedding Singer"), an acid-tongued homophobe and Sack (Bradley Cooper, "Wet Hot American Summer"), Claire's blowhard boyfriend.\nDirector David Dobkin reteams with stars Wilson and Vaughn; he directed the former in 2003's "Shanghai Knights" and the latter in his 1998 debut "Clay Pigeons" -- neither of which I particularly cared for. "Wedding Crashers," while imperfect (at 119 minutes it's too long for a movie of this sort, almost wastes Walken and buys into chick-flick clichés a little too wholeheartedly), is a vast improvement over Dobkin's previous efforts. Much of this is attributable to Wilson and especially Vaughn, whose performance stands alongside his best, i.e. "Swingers," "Made" and "Old School." Though this is their third movie together (the other two being "Zoolander" and "Starsky and Hutch"), it's the first in which they're given apt time to properly interact. Wilson's lackadaisical stoner shtick and Vaughn's rapid-fire recitations combine for combustible comedic chemistry. That they're teaming up again for the upcoming comedy "Outsourced" is an indication of more good things to come.
(07/07/05 4:00am)
Brad Anderson's "The Machinist" came and went during its theatrical release last fall with little fanfare. Generally, all you ever heard about the flick were the dramatic weight loss heights actor Christian Bale undertook to inhabit the titular character -- shedding 60 pounds from his already trim 180 pound frame. While the movie as a whole isn't as impressive as Bale's individual acting achievement, (i.e. there's a lot of build-up and not much in the way of payoff) the recently released DVD is worth a look.\nBale stars as Trevor Reznik, a lithe operator who hasn't slept in a year. Eventually, Reznik's sleeplessness catches up with him on the job and he accidentally cuts a co-worker's (Michael Ironside) arm off with one of the machines. The accident prompts suspicion and anger from the other machinists. Such treatment puts Reznik on edge -- he suspects that his peers seek revenge. Helping him through his paranoia are the prototypical hooker with a heart of gold (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and a kindly waitress (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón). \nRife with literary allusions (Dostoyevsky's "The Idiot" obviously served as inspiration) and numerous masterfully-crafted shots, "The Machinist" is both handsome and intelligent. Unfortunately, the hour and a half-plus the filmmakers spent convincing audiences of Reznik's insanity is undercut by a twist ending from out of left field. However, in Anderson and screenwriter Scott Kosar's (2003's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre") defense, the tonal shift makes for a much more moral picture.\nSomewhat weightier than the film itself are the DVD's special features. Anderson gives an entertaining and enlightening commentary focusing primarily on the brilliance of Bale and how his working relationships with cinematographer Xavi Giménez and composer Roque Baños contributed to the nuvo-Hitchcockian atmosphere. He's critical of the film when it's needed, though his love of the work also often shines through. A featurette entitled "The Machinist: Breaking the Rule" also proves illuminating.\nWhile "The Machinist" is essentially a cinematic nightmare realized, it didn't warrant Bale's health-risking performance. Luckily for audiences that level of commitment is unnecessary -- just rent the damned DVD.
(07/07/05 12:37am)
Brad Anderson's "The Machinist" came and went during its theatrical release last fall with little fanfare. Generally, all you ever heard about the flick were the dramatic weight loss heights actor Christian Bale undertook to inhabit the titular character -- shedding 60 pounds from his already trim 180 pound frame. While the movie as a whole isn't as impressive as Bale's individual acting achievement, (i.e. there's a lot of build-up and not much in the way of payoff) the recently released DVD is worth a look.\nBale stars as Trevor Reznik, a lithe operator who hasn't slept in a year. Eventually, Reznik's sleeplessness catches up with him on the job and he accidentally cuts a co-worker's (Michael Ironside) arm off with one of the machines. The accident prompts suspicion and anger from the other machinists. Such treatment puts Reznik on edge -- he suspects that his peers seek revenge. Helping him through his paranoia are the prototypical hooker with a heart of gold (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and a kindly waitress (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón). \nRife with literary allusions (Dostoyevsky's "The Idiot" obviously served as inspiration) and numerous masterfully-crafted shots, "The Machinist" is both handsome and intelligent. Unfortunately, the hour and a half-plus the filmmakers spent convincing audiences of Reznik's insanity is undercut by a twist ending from out of left field. However, in Anderson and screenwriter Scott Kosar's (2003's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre") defense, the tonal shift makes for a much more moral picture.\nSomewhat weightier than the film itself are the DVD's special features. Anderson gives an entertaining and enlightening commentary focusing primarily on the brilliance of Bale and how his working relationships with cinematographer Xavi Giménez and composer Roque Baños contributed to the nuvo-Hitchcockian atmosphere. He's critical of the film when it's needed, though his love of the work also often shines through. A featurette entitled "The Machinist: Breaking the Rule" also proves illuminating.\nWhile "The Machinist" is essentially a cinematic nightmare realized, it didn't warrant Bale's health-risking performance. Luckily for audiences that level of commitment is unnecessary -- just rent the damned DVD.
(06/30/05 4:00am)
There are times when you hear a movie sucks, you see said movie and not only does it suck -- it sucks and blows. "Cursed" is one such execrable piece of crap posing as cinema. Plagued with re-shoots, release delays and other assorted problems, "Cursed" wears its tarnished pedigree like a scarlet letter. This is unfortunate, as it's the latest and lamest effort of one-time horror maestro Wes Craven ("Scream," "A Nightmare on Elm Street"). \nJesse Eisenberg and Christina Ricci star as brother and sister duo Ellie and Jimmy. One night, while cruising home on Mulholland Drive, they hit an animal which winds up being a werewolf. The accident forces them and another driver (Shannon Elizabeth, furthering her career death knell) off the road. An ensuing attack kills the "American Pie" starlet's character and leaves the siblings "Cursed" ... or so they say numerous times throughout the "film." Any time a movie's title is repeatedly referenced it's often a bad omen. \nAlso thrown into the monster mix are Jake (Joshua Jackson of "Dawson's Creek" fame -- an actor I sadly like), Ellie's club owner boyfriend; Joanie (Judy Greer, so good on "Arrested Development" and so bad here), Scott Baio's high-strung agent and Ellie's nemesis as well as the man, the myth, the legend himself -- Mr. Scott Baio (unconvincingly playing himself). Joanie may have well loved Chachi, but Baio should hate his real-life agent for saddling him with this suckage. Being unemployed would beat the pants off appearing in this pap.\nThe recently released DVD of "Cursed" comes in two formats: the PG-13 theatrical cut and a home video-only unrated edition. If you're a sadomasochist and insist upon seeing one of them I'd recommend the unrated cut -- this way you'll be able to see a character have his neck meat chewed out and the geyser of blood that ensues. \nThe DVD's bonus features are almost as turgid as this turd of a movie. "Behind the Fangs: The Making of Cursed," at a whopping seven minutes, gives viewers no real sense of what it was like to make the film. Production problems aren't chronicled and the creative (I use this word loosely) team's self-congratulatory comments come off as comical in wake of seeing the movie. "Creature Editing 101" focuses on a vocation which often doesn't get enough credit -- that of the editor. Patrick Lussier, editor of "Cursed," should've done us all a favor and burnt the footage. \nIf you're a horror movie junkie, go catch "Land of the Dead" instead of renting this cinematic shit sandwich. If you absolutely must see a werewolf flick try "An American Werewolf in London" -- it's only about 3000 times better than "Cursed," a movie so bad it should be avoided like syphilis.
(06/30/05 12:16am)
There are times when you hear a movie sucks, you see said movie and not only does it suck -- it sucks and blows. "Cursed" is one such execrable piece of crap posing as cinema. Plagued with re-shoots, release delays and other assorted problems, "Cursed" wears its tarnished pedigree like a scarlet letter. This is unfortunate, as it's the latest and lamest effort of one-time horror maestro Wes Craven ("Scream," "A Nightmare on Elm Street"). \nJesse Eisenberg and Christina Ricci star as brother and sister duo Ellie and Jimmy. One night, while cruising home on Mulholland Drive, they hit an animal which winds up being a werewolf. The accident forces them and another driver (Shannon Elizabeth, furthering her career death knell) off the road. An ensuing attack kills the "American Pie" starlet's character and leaves the siblings "Cursed" ... or so they say numerous times throughout the "film." Any time a movie's title is repeatedly referenced it's often a bad omen. \nAlso thrown into the monster mix are Jake (Joshua Jackson of "Dawson's Creek" fame -- an actor I sadly like), Ellie's club owner boyfriend; Joanie (Judy Greer, so good on "Arrested Development" and so bad here), Scott Baio's high-strung agent and Ellie's nemesis as well as the man, the myth, the legend himself -- Mr. Scott Baio (unconvincingly playing himself). Joanie may have well loved Chachi, but Baio should hate his real-life agent for saddling him with this suckage. Being unemployed would beat the pants off appearing in this pap.\nThe recently released DVD of "Cursed" comes in two formats: the PG-13 theatrical cut and a home video-only unrated edition. If you're a sadomasochist and insist upon seeing one of them I'd recommend the unrated cut -- this way you'll be able to see a character have his neck meat chewed out and the geyser of blood that ensues. \nThe DVD's bonus features are almost as turgid as this turd of a movie. "Behind the Fangs: The Making of Cursed," at a whopping seven minutes, gives viewers no real sense of what it was like to make the film. Production problems aren't chronicled and the creative (I use this word loosely) team's self-congratulatory comments come off as comical in wake of seeing the movie. "Creature Editing 101" focuses on a vocation which often doesn't get enough credit -- that of the editor. Patrick Lussier, editor of "Cursed," should've done us all a favor and burnt the footage. \nIf you're a horror movie junkie, go catch "Land of the Dead" instead of renting this cinematic shit sandwich. If you absolutely must see a werewolf flick try "An American Werewolf in London" -- it's only about 3000 times better than "Cursed," a movie so bad it should be avoided like syphilis.
(06/23/05 4:00am)
Since Bob Kane created "Batman" back in 1939 it's seen numerous onscreen incarnations. By serving as militaristic propaganda in the '40s, cheeky fun in the '60s, dark materialistic malaise in the late '80s and queer neon garishness in the '90s, Bruce Wayne and his titular alter ego have worn numerous cowls throughout the years. Now comes "Batman Begins," a flawed yet oftentimes enlightening origin tale with a fat running time (nearly two and a half hours) and a phatter cast (Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman and Ken Watanabe).\nTo clear the air right out of the gate: "Batman Begins" isn't a prequel à la the "Star Wars" flicks of late but rather the birth of a brand-new franchise altogether -- hence the title. \nBale inhabits the dual role of Batman and Bruce: succeeding in the latter, failing in the former (just listen for the growl). Still scarred in adulthood after witnessing the murder of his parents Thomas (Linus Roache, exuding great warmth with little screen time) and Martha (Scottish actress Sara Stewart) as a child, Bruce is adrift. Looking for the proper means to make amends for his familial injustice, Bruce finds himself in a Himalayan prison where after trouncing an onslaught of his fellow inmates he becomes acquainted with Henri Ducard (Neeson). Under the tutelage of Ducard, Bruce learns the ways of Ninjitsu -- setting the groundwork for his future endeavors in superherodom. \nAfter an ethical difference separates teacher and pupil, Bruce flees the Himalayas for his hometown of Gotham City. Once there he rekindles relationships with his loyal butler Alfred (Caine, imbuing the stock role with flinty wit) and childhood sweetheart Rachel Dawes (a useless Holmes). Also in Gotham are Lucius Fox (Freeman, again in fine form), a weapons researcher for Wayne Enterprises, and Sgt. Jim Gordon (Oldman, playing way against type), one of Gotham's only honest cops -- both of whom aide Bruce in becoming Batman. This is lucky for Gotham as a psycho shrink by the name of Dr. Jonathan Crane (a creepy but arguably too young for his role Murphy) takes on the identity of The Scarecrow and teams with Ducard's associate Ra's Al Ghul (an under used Watanabe) to poison the city's denizens with an hallucinogenic neurotoxin.\n"Batman Begins" works best when dealing with the birth of Batman. Once Bruce ceases to be Bruce and fully becomes Batman is when the flick loses its bearings. Unlike the previous pictures, "Batman Begins" thoroughly explains the who's, what's, when's and where's contributing to the Dark Knight's mythos. Ironically, such tactics demystify the superhero. Granted, this was the film's goal and it works to great effect. Perhaps too great -- once Batman truly begins I missed the young man looking for answers. Then again ... that wouldn't be a "Batman" movie.
(06/23/05 1:12am)
Since Bob Kane created "Batman" back in 1939 it's seen numerous onscreen incarnations. By serving as militaristic propaganda in the '40s, cheeky fun in the '60s, dark materialistic malaise in the late '80s and queer neon garishness in the '90s, Bruce Wayne and his titular alter ego have worn numerous cowls throughout the years. Now comes "Batman Begins," a flawed yet oftentimes enlightening origin tale with a fat running time (nearly two and a half hours) and a phatter cast (Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman and Ken Watanabe).\nTo clear the air right out of the gate: "Batman Begins" isn't a prequel à la the "Star Wars" flicks of late but rather the birth of a brand-new franchise altogether -- hence the title. \nBale inhabits the dual role of Batman and Bruce: succeeding in the latter, failing in the former (just listen for the growl). Still scarred in adulthood after witnessing the murder of his parents Thomas (Linus Roache, exuding great warmth with little screen time) and Martha (Scottish actress Sara Stewart) as a child, Bruce is adrift. Looking for the proper means to make amends for his familial injustice, Bruce finds himself in a Himalayan prison where after trouncing an onslaught of his fellow inmates he becomes acquainted with Henri Ducard (Neeson). Under the tutelage of Ducard, Bruce learns the ways of Ninjitsu -- setting the groundwork for his future endeavors in superherodom. \nAfter an ethical difference separates teacher and pupil, Bruce flees the Himalayas for his hometown of Gotham City. Once there he rekindles relationships with his loyal butler Alfred (Caine, imbuing the stock role with flinty wit) and childhood sweetheart Rachel Dawes (a useless Holmes). Also in Gotham are Lucius Fox (Freeman, again in fine form), a weapons researcher for Wayne Enterprises, and Sgt. Jim Gordon (Oldman, playing way against type), one of Gotham's only honest cops -- both of whom aide Bruce in becoming Batman. This is lucky for Gotham as a psycho shrink by the name of Dr. Jonathan Crane (a creepy but arguably too young for his role Murphy) takes on the identity of The Scarecrow and teams with Ducard's associate Ra's Al Ghul (an under used Watanabe) to poison the city's denizens with an hallucinogenic neurotoxin.\n"Batman Begins" works best when dealing with the birth of Batman. Once Bruce ceases to be Bruce and fully becomes Batman is when the flick loses its bearings. Unlike the previous pictures, "Batman Begins" thoroughly explains the who's, what's, when's and where's contributing to the Dark Knight's mythos. Ironically, such tactics demystify the superhero. Granted, this was the film's goal and it works to great effect. Perhaps too great -- once Batman truly begins I missed the young man looking for answers. Then again ... that wouldn't be a "Batman" movie.
(06/16/05 4:00am)
Acting as an amalgam of "Prizzi's Honor," "The War of the Roses" and "True Lies," Doug Liman's latest film "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" may not be seen as the sexy, witty action/comedy it indeed is but rather as a possible piece of insight into the tabloid-touted relationship between its striking stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. It's an unfortunate bit of business really as this is one firecracker of a flick.\nPitt and Jolie headline as the titular twosome John and Jane Smith. Currently their marriage of "five or six years" (depending on whom you ask) has hit the skids amid suburban boredom. He's a "construction contractor" with little time for wedlock; she's a "software engineer" with a Martha Stewart streak. To quell their marital woes the two seek marriage counseling. Shortly thereafter skeletons surface from either party's closet. Both are professional assassins working for competing agencies assigned to the same target (Adam Brody of "The O.C.," doing a government spook variation on Seth Cohen). In outing each others' secret identities John and Jane must decide whether to off their better half or team together to take down their employers. Explosions, fist fights, car chases (in a minivan of all things) and shotgun skirmishes parry with comically confessional dialogue, marriage metaphors and slams on suburbia (a Wal-Mart proxy serves as the setting for the concluding shootout).\nThe script for "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" was the master's thesis of Simon Kinberg during his stint at Columbia University. Despite being written long before Kinberg's other produced screenplay (the horrendous "xXx: State of the Union"), his work is leaps and bounds better here. That's not to say it doesn't have its problems -- it does. Plotting often takes a backseat to action set pieces and jokey one-upsmanship between Pitt and Jolie, though Kinberg gets the tone right ... thankfully. \nThe material is perfectly suited to Liman's strengths. Beginning his career with independent comedies ("Swingers" and "Go") prior to moving into summer movie mayhem three years ago with "The Bourne Identity," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" is a breezy hodgepodge of both styles. Had any other director made this movie it probably would've been a mess. The same can be said of its stars. Pitt harnesses much of the lackadaisical wiseass shtick he employed in "Ocean's Eleven" and that film's sequel -- only he eats a lot less. Jolie, playing a role originally offered to Nicole Kidman, is saner (playing a hatchet woman of all things) and sexier here than she's ever been onscreen, finally becoming the action heroine she couldn't properly be in the terrible "Tomb Raider." Adding fuel to the funny fire is Vince Vaughn as John's mama's boy best bud and fellow death dealer. I couldn't watch his performance without thinking of the immortal "Anchorman" line: "Dorothy Mantooth is a saint!"\nWhether Pitt and Jolie have chemistry in real life is no one's business but theirs and maybe Jennifer Aniston's, but I can assure you it's palpable in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." As such the movie should be seen for what it is: two hours of entertainment provided by two people far better looking than any of us.
(06/16/05 4:00am)
If slasher flicks were akin to professional basketball players, the "Child's Play" series would be Mugsy Bogues. Chucky (voiced yet again with perverse glee by Brad Dourif), the demonic doll who's hacked his way through five intermittently entertaining horror outings, is almost of equal stature to Bogues with a slam dunk being about as likely. "Seed of Chucky," the latest and arguably lamest of the "Child's Play" catalogue, just hit DVD.\n"Seed" centers on Jennifer Tilly (playing an unflattering version of herself and voicing Chucky's wife, Tiffany), as she stars in "Chucky Goes Psycho," a movie within the movie. Little does she know that her diminutive co-stars have been revived by their long lost and entirely gender-confused child Glen/Glenda (the voice of Billy Boyd, Pippin in "The Lord of the Rings") -- a none-too-subtle Ed Wood reference. Dissatisfied with her work on the "Chucky" picture (and who wouldn't be, what with the dolls wreaking havoc?), Tilly longs to be cast in rapper-turned-director Redman's (also playing himself ... embarrassingly) biblical epic playing the Virgin Mary. Ironically, in order to nail the role she's willing to nail him -- drawing the ire of Joan (Brit cutie Hannah Spearritt), her youthful assistant and the flashbulbs of Pete Peters (schlockmeister John Waters), a sleazy paparazzo. \nThough there are some ably staged murders (a man rigged with a camera is stabbed in the chest, prompting a balcony fall captured in its completion; another is decapitated, hurtling his head upward through the air with CG assistance), "Seed" is played primarily for laughs. However, the unsubtle barrage of gay and fat jokes just isn't funny -- something its predecessor "Bride of Chucky" was able to attain. Also, this wink, wink, nudge, nudge style of horror was played out back with the "Scream" sequels.\nThe DVD, much like the movie, is nothing to write home about. While chockfull of features, none of them are particularly illuminating. Commentaries, a "Family Hell-iday" slideshow and Tilly's screen-scrolling onset diary give no real insight into the filmmaking process (like you'd want tips from these folks anyways) and only serve to further irritate.\n"Seed of Chucky" as a title is a misnomer because this dog's no doll and it's certainly shooting blanks.
(06/16/05 2:39am)
If slasher flicks were akin to professional basketball players, the "Child's Play" series would be Mugsy Bogues. Chucky (voiced yet again with perverse glee by Brad Dourif), the demonic doll who's hacked his way through five intermittently entertaining horror outings, is almost of equal stature to Bogues with a slam dunk being about as likely. "Seed of Chucky," the latest and arguably lamest of the "Child's Play" catalogue, just hit DVD.\n"Seed" centers on Jennifer Tilly (playing an unflattering version of herself and voicing Chucky's wife, Tiffany), as she stars in "Chucky Goes Psycho," a movie within the movie. Little does she know that her diminutive co-stars have been revived by their long lost and entirely gender-confused child Glen/Glenda (the voice of Billy Boyd, Pippin in "The Lord of the Rings") -- a none-too-subtle Ed Wood reference. Dissatisfied with her work on the "Chucky" picture (and who wouldn't be, what with the dolls wreaking havoc?), Tilly longs to be cast in rapper-turned-director Redman's (also playing himself ... embarrassingly) biblical epic playing the Virgin Mary. Ironically, in order to nail the role she's willing to nail him -- drawing the ire of Joan (Brit cutie Hannah Spearritt), her youthful assistant and the flashbulbs of Pete Peters (schlockmeister John Waters), a sleazy paparazzo. \nThough there are some ably staged murders (a man rigged with a camera is stabbed in the chest, prompting a balcony fall captured in its completion; another is decapitated, hurtling his head upward through the air with CG assistance), "Seed" is played primarily for laughs. However, the unsubtle barrage of gay and fat jokes just isn't funny -- something its predecessor "Bride of Chucky" was able to attain. Also, this wink, wink, nudge, nudge style of horror was played out back with the "Scream" sequels.\nThe DVD, much like the movie, is nothing to write home about. While chockfull of features, none of them are particularly illuminating. Commentaries, a "Family Hell-iday" slideshow and Tilly's screen-scrolling onset diary give no real insight into the filmmaking process (like you'd want tips from these folks anyways) and only serve to further irritate.\n"Seed of Chucky" as a title is a misnomer because this dog's no doll and it's certainly shooting blanks.
(06/16/05 1:54am)
Acting as an amalgam of "Prizzi's Honor," "The War of the Roses" and "True Lies," Doug Liman's latest film "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" may not be seen as the sexy, witty action/comedy it indeed is but rather as a possible piece of insight into the tabloid-touted relationship between its striking stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. It's an unfortunate bit of business really as this is one firecracker of a flick.\nPitt and Jolie headline as the titular twosome John and Jane Smith. Currently their marriage of "five or six years" (depending on whom you ask) has hit the skids amid suburban boredom. He's a "construction contractor" with little time for wedlock; she's a "software engineer" with a Martha Stewart streak. To quell their marital woes the two seek marriage counseling. Shortly thereafter skeletons surface from either party's closet. Both are professional assassins working for competing agencies assigned to the same target (Adam Brody of "The O.C.," doing a government spook variation on Seth Cohen). In outing each others' secret identities John and Jane must decide whether to off their better half or team together to take down their employers. Explosions, fist fights, car chases (in a minivan of all things) and shotgun skirmishes parry with comically confessional dialogue, marriage metaphors and slams on suburbia (a Wal-Mart proxy serves as the setting for the concluding shootout).\nThe script for "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" was the master's thesis of Simon Kinberg during his stint at Columbia University. Despite being written long before Kinberg's other produced screenplay (the horrendous "xXx: State of the Union"), his work is leaps and bounds better here. That's not to say it doesn't have its problems -- it does. Plotting often takes a backseat to action set pieces and jokey one-upsmanship between Pitt and Jolie, though Kinberg gets the tone right ... thankfully. \nThe material is perfectly suited to Liman's strengths. Beginning his career with independent comedies ("Swingers" and "Go") prior to moving into summer movie mayhem three years ago with "The Bourne Identity," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" is a breezy hodgepodge of both styles. Had any other director made this movie it probably would've been a mess. The same can be said of its stars. Pitt harnesses much of the lackadaisical wiseass shtick he employed in "Ocean's Eleven" and that film's sequel -- only he eats a lot less. Jolie, playing a role originally offered to Nicole Kidman, is saner (playing a hatchet woman of all things) and sexier here than she's ever been onscreen, finally becoming the action heroine she couldn't properly be in the terrible "Tomb Raider." Adding fuel to the funny fire is Vince Vaughn as John's mama's boy best bud and fellow death dealer. I couldn't watch his performance without thinking of the immortal "Anchorman" line: "Dorothy Mantooth is a saint!"\nWhether Pitt and Jolie have chemistry in real life is no one's business but theirs and maybe Jennifer Aniston's, but I can assure you it's palpable in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." As such the movie should be seen for what it is: two hours of entertainment provided by two people far better looking than any of us.
(06/09/05 4:00am)
Spending countless hours ollieing and doing 360s on a crappy skateboard in my driveway during early adolescence and seeing documentarian Stacy Peralta's "Dogtown and Z-Boys" a few years back served as a worthwhile primer to "Lords of Dogtown," a dramatized account of the aforementioned non-fiction film.\nChronicling the mid-1970s advent of skateboarding, "Dogtown" focuses on three teenagers: Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch), Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk) and Peralta himself (John Robinson), and their roles in pioneering and extending the sport beyond its infancy. Aiding the kids in their conquest is Skip Engblom (Heath Ledger, who seems like he's impersonating Val Kilmer impersonating Jim Morrison), a skate and surf shop owner who sponsors each boy on his Zephyr Skate Team (hence, "Z-Boys"). As the sport's popularity increases, so does each boy's fame, resulting in swaying alliances to Engblom and one another.\nAs directed by Catherine Hardwicke, who made her feature debut in 2003 with the R-rated 'Afterschool Special' "Thirteen," "Dogtown" has energy to spare. The skateboarding sequences are the best fictitious ones ever to be laid down on celluloid. Hirsch, Rasuk and Robinson endured three months of skate and surf training under the tutelage of Alva and Peralta, lending the boarding bits authenticity as viewers can actually see the actors' faces while they're skating. Hardwicke's decision to continue the hand-held, documentary-esque style she established on "Thirteen" also pays dividends, as much of the thrashing is caught by a skateboard-riding cameraman -- upping the visceral kick.\nWhile the look, feel and soundtrack (consisting of Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Rod Stewart, Iggy Pop and David Bowie among many others) of "Dogtown" feels right, the film is not without its problems. Peralta's script doesn't so much tell a story as it sets up a series of foggy vignettes. Obviously, the man's strengths lie in documentary filmmaking (he also made the great big wave surfing doc "Riding Giants") as opposed to feature screenwriting.\nThe acting quality is also divergent. Ledger and Hirsch both do wonders in their roles, but they're given the most to work with. Rasuk is neither good nor bad, but rather somewhere in between. Robinson lacks the screen presence of his co-stars and often gives the same line reading for fluctuating emotional states. Worse yet is Michael Angarano as Sid, the boys' cancer-ridden friend, who often seems as if he stumbled into the wrong movie.\nWhile entertaining and visually appealing, "Lords of Dogtown" is ultimately a letdown. Viewers would be better served by revisiting "Dogtown and Z-Boys" or seeing it for the first time.
(06/09/05 12:14am)
Spending countless hours ollieing and doing 360s on a crappy skateboard in my driveway during early adolescence and seeing documentarian Stacy Peralta's "Dogtown and Z-Boys" a few years back served as a worthwhile primer to "Lords of Dogtown," a dramatized account of the aforementioned non-fiction film.\nChronicling the mid-1970s advent of skateboarding, "Dogtown" focuses on three teenagers: Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch), Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk) and Peralta himself (John Robinson), and their roles in pioneering and extending the sport beyond its infancy. Aiding the kids in their conquest is Skip Engblom (Heath Ledger, who seems like he's impersonating Val Kilmer impersonating Jim Morrison), a skate and surf shop owner who sponsors each boy on his Zephyr Skate Team (hence, "Z-Boys"). As the sport's popularity increases, so does each boy's fame, resulting in swaying alliances to Engblom and one another.\nAs directed by Catherine Hardwicke, who made her feature debut in 2003 with the R-rated 'Afterschool Special' "Thirteen," "Dogtown" has energy to spare. The skateboarding sequences are the best fictitious ones ever to be laid down on celluloid. Hirsch, Rasuk and Robinson endured three months of skate and surf training under the tutelage of Alva and Peralta, lending the boarding bits authenticity as viewers can actually see the actors' faces while they're skating. Hardwicke's decision to continue the hand-held, documentary-esque style she established on "Thirteen" also pays dividends, as much of the thrashing is caught by a skateboard-riding cameraman -- upping the visceral kick.\nWhile the look, feel and soundtrack (consisting of Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Rod Stewart, Iggy Pop and David Bowie among many others) of "Dogtown" feels right, the film is not without its problems. Peralta's script doesn't so much tell a story as it sets up a series of foggy vignettes. Obviously, the man's strengths lie in documentary filmmaking (he also made the great big wave surfing doc "Riding Giants") as opposed to feature screenwriting.\nThe acting quality is also divergent. Ledger and Hirsch both do wonders in their roles, but they're given the most to work with. Rasuk is neither good nor bad, but rather somewhere in between. Robinson lacks the screen presence of his co-stars and often gives the same line reading for fluctuating emotional states. Worse yet is Michael Angarano as Sid, the boys' cancer-ridden friend, who often seems as if he stumbled into the wrong movie.\nWhile entertaining and visually appealing, "Lords of Dogtown" is ultimately a letdown. Viewers would be better served by revisiting "Dogtown and Z-Boys" or seeing it for the first time.
(06/02/05 4:00am)
Adam Sandler returns to gridiron glory following "The Waterboy" with a remake of Burt Reynolds' 1974 pigskin classic "The Longest Yard." While not up to snuff with its predecessor, the new "Yard" is intermittently entertaining, oftentimes humorous and certainly Sandler's best straight-up comedy since the late 1990s -- this after a string of filmic failures including "Little Nicky," "Mr. Deeds," "Anger Management" and "50 First Dates."\nSandler stars as former professional quarterback Paul "Wrecking" Crewe. Disgracefully disavowed from the NFL after shaving points in a pivotal game, Crewe spends his days sucking back suds, watching terrible television and leeching off Lena (a big-breasted Courtney Cox), his bitchy sugar mama. This all comes to a halt when after a heated fight Crewe locks Lena in a closet, steals her Bentley, goes on a drunken joyride, gets arrested and winds up in the slammer. \nEnter Warden Hazen (James Cromwell) and his team of semi-pro football-playing guards led by Captain Knauer (William Fichtner). Hazen pulled strings to place Crewe within his prison in hopes that he'd provide some professional pointers. Crewe suggests that the guards have a scrimmage game against a team whose skills are far inferior. Unrealistically, Hazen takes to the idea and appoints Crewe to gather and QB a team of prisoners. Helping him in his task are Caretaker (Chris Rock, proving once again that he's a better standup than actor), the guy who gets outside stuff to those on the inside, and Coach Nate Scarborough (Reynolds, sleepwalking his way through this for nostalgia and a paycheck), an aging Heisman Trophy-winner-turned-convict. Filling out the squads on either side of the ball are an onslaught of former footballers (Michael Irvin, Bill Romanowski and Brian Bosworth), professional wrestlers (Bill Goldberg, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Kevin Nash) and a rapper (Nelly, who while not great, is better than you'd assume).\nExcising the themes of social upheaval prevalent in the original and countless other films of the '70s, "The Longest Yard" is a mindless comedy in which punches serve as punch lines. This terrain is familiar to Sandler, whose angry man shtick is reigned in for his fairly straight-faced leading man stint. Fueling a fair share of the funny business are Tracy Morgan as transgendered prisoner Ms. Tucker, Terry Crews as Cheeseburger Eddy (seeing him pull a Quarter Pounder from his sweaty football pants is a laugh and a half) and Nash, whose anabolic steroids are replaced with estrogen pills to hilarious effect.\nNowhere near as funny as Sandler's early comedic offerings ("Billy Madison," "Happy Gilmore" and "The Wedding Singer") nor as effective as the '74 original, "The Longest Yard" makes for a mild amusement best taken in at a matinee.
(06/02/05 4:00am)
Dave Chappelle is currently the funniest man alive. He's superseded fellow black comedians such as Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock and yes, even Richard Pryor and makes most white folks (excepting Will Ferrell and Ali G a.k.a Sacha Baron Cohen) seem about as funny as "Schindler's List." Color wouldn't be an issue if not for the fact that much of Chappelle's material spurs from our cultural differences. Bravely tackling such subject matter in wake of the FCC's Janet Jackson mammary witch-hunt makes "Chappelle's Show" must-see TV. Likewise, being able to fully enjoy the series in its uncensored form makes "Chappelle's Show Season 2" a must-buy on DVD.\nIn the show's first season Chappelle exploded onto the television landscape with ingenious skits including "Clayton Bigsby: Black, Blind White Supremacist" (arguably my favorite piece of sketch comedy ever), "The Madd Real World" and "Trading Spouses." Season two was an overall improvement on what was already almost perfection. Gut busters such as "Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories" featuring Rick James and Prince, "The Racial Draft," "Samuel Jackson Beer," "The Niggar Family," "When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong," "Knee-high Park," "Making da Band" and anything involving Tyrone Biggums (namely Red Balls and "Fear Factor") or Wayne Brady ("Is Wayne Brady gonna have to choke a bitch?") left me and countless others in stitches.\nThe DVDs don't quite live up to the greatness that is "Chappelle's Show," but they're still quite cool. There are two unaired Murphy stories which truly highlight what a great storyteller the man is, additional standup from Chappelle, more than an hour of deleted scenes and bloopers (with lots of Lil Jon for fans of the "King of Crunk"), a simultaneously saddening and hilarious extended interview with Rick James, Murphy's postmortem memories of James and illuminating audio commentary on four of the 13 episodes featuring Chappelle and series co-creator Neal Brennan.\nWhile I encourage everyone to purchase "Chappelle's Show Season 2" on DVD, please don't see it as an excuse to bring back the catchphrases, i.e. "I'm Rick James, bitch." The next popped collar polo-wearing fratty white boy who exclaims as much will be curbed by me. Instead use it as means to wait for Season 3 -- Chappelle's back from South Africa and hopefully it will be coming soon.