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(04/26/07 4:00am)
"Hot Fuzz" is a genre-blending film with lively style and has a lot in common with Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's earlier collaboration, "Shaun of the Dead." In fact, if I were inclined to take the harshest possible stance in light of the commonalities between the two films, I would say that with "Hot Fuzz," Wright and Frost are trying to recapture the success of their earlier work by copying it. Only this time it is about cops instead of zombies. \nAnother way of understanding the relationship between the two films would be to see them as part of what is growing into a cohesive body of work by Pegg and Wright. It's similar to the mockumentaries by Christopher Guest and company, which all have the same style and sensibility but delightfully different subject matter. My opinion falls between these two possible judgments, a little more toward the former than the latter, though I wish it were the other way around. \nOne important way in which "Hot Fuzz' is different than "Shaun of the Dead" is that while "Shaun of the Dead" focuses a great deal on the main characters' relationships and this is one of the film's strong suits, "Hot Fuzz" is about a man who has trouble maintaining relationships and the film's focal point is action rather than personal dynamics. "Hot Fuzz" has some especially worthwhile gun fight sequences that perfectly fuse action, suspense and comedy in the way that the rest of the film attempts to but sometimes doesn't quite do right. \nThe only well-developed relationship is between the characters played by Pegg and Frost. Pegg is good as protagonist Nicholas Angel, a zealous British police officer frustrated by his re-assignment from London to a small town where crime is not apparently a serious concern. Frost is believable but not particularly impressive as Angel's cumbersome but ultimately endearing new partner. He is basically playing the same role as he did in "Shaun of the Dead," which is disappointing because it would have been nice to see Frost mix things up a little bit. \nUltimately, I have mixed feelings about "Hot Fuzz." It is nowhere as near as good as "Shaun of the Dead" and it has some damaging flaws, as mentioned above. However, it is entertaining, certainly more so than the majority of films in theaters right now.
(04/19/07 4:00am)
The nicest thing I can say about "Disturbia" is that I might have liked it more had I seen it when I was 11, but even at that age I think would have been hesitant to admit that I was at all entertained by such a lame cinematic offering. Other than the absolute climax of the film, "Disturbia" is not suspenseful, let alone scary. \nThe plot consists of the tired "the guy living next door hitting on my mom is an alien/psycho/vampire" stock story line used by countless films and young adult novels. \nBut it has what I am sure was meant to be a fresh, "contemporary" angle in that the protagonist (Shia LaBeouf from "Even Stevens") is confined to his home and spends most of his time spying on the neighborhood through a pair of binoculars. Of course, when you remember how long ago Hitchcock's "Rear Window" came out, the freshness of the concept really starts to wilt. \nI couldn't shake the feeling that the dialogue was slightly too forced, the acting a little less than good and the overall look and feel of the entire production a little too much like something I would expect to find on the Disney Channel. And that was even before I recognized it was former Disney star LaBeouf in the lead. I understand that every actor has to start somewhere and I get excited when I see a young actor grow. The problem is that with "Disturbia," LaBeouf has not grown and the worst part is it looks like he was really trying. There are a couple of moments in the film where LaBeouf tries to showcase his acting, moments in which the shot focuses in on his face and lingers just a bit too long as he attempts to express an emotion.\nThere is a bit of gore but very little action. Apparently it is OK for a PG-13 film to get to show the serial killer's workshop and his dead victims as long as the kids don't get to see any actual killing. There is really no action of the sexual kind either, though it is certainly promised throughout the film as the relationship with the girl next door develops. Ultimately, I'm hesitatant to recommend "Disturbia" even as a film to see with a younger sibling. It seems too nasty for really little kids and contains too little entertainment for anyone else.
(04/12/07 4:00am)
While Joseph Gordon-Levitt may still be known to many as that kid from "3rd Rock from the Sun," the 25-year-old actor has skillfully performed a string of interesting, challenging leads ("Manic," "Mysterious Skin" and the over-acclaimed "Brick"). With "The Lookout," Gordon-Levitt continues his recent trend of dark, "edgy" films and excels in what is perhaps his best role yet. He plays Chris Pratt, a young man struggling to gain power and positive momentum in his life after a brain injury destroys his once privileged existence.\nThe story, told by "The Lookout," of Pratt's life post-brain damage is immediately compelling, a little reminiscent of Christopher Nolan's "Memento." From the get-go it is wrenching and stylishly presented. Pratt's impaired memory-sequencing ability, impulse control and motor skills are great obstacles to his daily functioning, let alone his attainment of a satisfying life. "The Lookout" raises the stakes and the suspense when Pratt is bated by the promise of friendship, sex and financial power to help commit a bank robbery. Trying to dissuade him from taking a bad turn is his blind and somewhat eccentric roommate, Lewis, played by Jeff Daniels, whose performance is one of the highlights of the film. \nUnfortunately, Gordon-Levitt and Daniels' roles aside, the characters in this film are weak often to the point of being generic. Matthew Goode ("Match Point") is all right as a sleazy guy looking to take advantage of Pratt's mental instability. But other characters are flat. These include Pratt's powerful and disapproving father, his femme fatale girlfriend Luvlee (Isla Fisher, "Wedding Crashers"), a goofy doughnut-loving cop, several guys who could just as well have been extras borrowed from "The Fast and The Furious" and a criminal mastermind who distinguishes himself by dressing exclusively in outfits that look like they are from the Bad Guys R'Us outlet mall. \nFurther weakening the film is that the whole bank robbery aspect of the movie fails to be well-plotted or entirely believable, and yet it develops into the focal point. Had this part of the film been as strong as that which focuses on Pratt's more mundane struggles, "The Lookout" would surely be a top-notch film. Fortunately, the film is not ruined by its shortcomings. If you are mainly interested in a great crime film, look elsewhere, but if you want to see an engaging drama that spotlights the talents of Gordon-Levitt, go see this movie.
(03/22/07 4:00am)
There are a lot of things about "The Holiday" that ought to make it a great romantic comedy. It is an escape fantasy about an L.A. woman (Cameron Diaz) and a British woman (Kate Winslet) who take a break from their troubles with men by switching homes for the holiday season. Of course, they each quickly meet some interesting men in their new locations (Jack Black, Jude Law). The dialogue is at times wonderfully crafted evidence of director/screenwriter Nancy Meyers' skill as a filmmaker and awareness of the tradition of classic Hollywood romance, which the film often not only draws from but also openly admires.\nHonestly, I found watching "The Holiday" to be incredibly boring. This was surprising to me as I am usually one to enjoy a good romantic comedy. I am, after all, a person who often posts lines from Jane Austen novels in her favorite quotes section on Facebook; the first DVD I ever purchased was "The Wedding Singer." That is to say that however proud I am of my own good taste in movies, I am by no means prejudiced against romantic comedies. So then why, in my opinion, is "The Holiday" so yawn worthy? The main reason is that it seems to go on forever yet lacks momentum. While there are a few surprises along the way, there are even more non-surprises as the story plays out at a snail's pace-- predictably and with little drama. \nSpecial features included with the DVD are slightly below average in number, but not in quality. There is a making-of featurette that is actually pretty entertaining. It summarizes the whole film but with a speed and vibrancy missing from the movie, and all the while saying nice things about it and those involved in its making, giving one the feeling one might have hoped to get from watching the actual film. There is also a director's commentary track. That's it for the special features, but sometimes keeping it short and sweet is just the right thing to do.
(03/01/07 5:00am)
An engaging tale of rivalry between Victorian-era magicians Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) and Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman), "The Prestige" is itself like a magic trick, keeping viewers guessing as to how the pieces of this mystery-suspense will finally come together. It is in this way reminiscent of director and co-screenwriter Christopher Nolan's earlier film "Memento," though "The Prestige" is more spectacular and considerably less edgy and original than "Memento." \nBoth Bale and Jackman give good performances. I found Bale to be somewhat more impressive as he displays a greater range of emotion than usual, with both the calculating coldness that earned him praise in his portrayal of Patrick Bateman in "American Psycho" as well as a softer, more sympathy inspiring side. David Bowie plays the role of Nikola Tesla, a character based on the historical figure who contributed greatly to the development of alternating current electric power systems which we still use. The role is a modest but significant one and Bowie executes it well, thereby adding to the film as a whole as opposed to detracting with his presence from the believability of the narrative. The female characters, including those played by Scarlett Johansson and Piper Perabo, are finely played but not overly interesting.\nThough the film is quite enjoyable, the DVD is not that great. "The Prestige" is the sort of film that is a good deal more exciting on the big screen. Also, the story is such that it cannot help but diminish in entertainment value after a few viewings because so much of the film's intrigue is reliant on a first time viewer's ignorance. \nThe special features are quite sub-par. The "Director's Notebook" is in reality a glorified series of making-of featurettes in which the cast and crew discuss the film. This is actually somewhat interesting but disappointing for anyone who is hoping for anything approaching a look inside Christopher Nolan's mind. This is as good as the special features get on this DVD. The other material included on the disc is a called "The Art of the Prestige," promisingly divided into sections for the film, costumes and sets, behind the scenes and poster art. Rather than dividing this into sections, the designers of the DVD could have more appropriately lumped all the categories together and labeled it "Still screenshots that almost no one will actually want to waste time looking through"
(01/26/07 5:00am)
"Texas Chainsaw: The Beginning" naturally garners low expectations with its credentials -- it is the latest in a series of films spawned from a popular horror movie and a comparatively lackluster cinematic offering put foreword to take advantage of interest in the "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" stirred up by the recent, fairly high-quality remake of the original. It is also directed by Jonathan Liebesman, who was responsible for "Darkness Falls" (remember, it was the one with "the tooth fairy?"). \nHowever, in spite of all these indications that "Texas Chainsaw: The Beginning" would not make a stab at greatness, my interest was piqued, as it was no doubt meant to be, by the promise made by this prequel to satisfy morbid curiosity as to the beginnings of Leatherface and his evil family. \nOn a few points, the film is surprisingly strong. The production values are better than I expected. Most importantly, the two young couples who are the protagonists/potential victims of the film are done fairly well. You will find yourself invested in their survival. Disappointingly, this movie only somewhat makes good on its implied promise to illuminate the early story of Leatherface. The film opens with Leatherface's birth, but his childhood is seen only as a montage during the credit sequence. Leatherface's uncle soon emerges as the main antagonist and his masked nephew is only a tool at his disposal for the remainder of the story. \nAn aspect of the film that could be counted as good or bad depending on your taste is the gore. As a fan of horror films, I cannot pretend that I deny the entertainment value of bloody spectacle. However, for my taste, the blood and guts in "Texas Chainsaw: The Beginning" are excessively disgusting and not artfully done, visually interesting or even funny as they might be in what I would consider to be a more satisfying piece of horror. \nThe special features that come on this DVD are not too scarce. There are several deleted scenes and multiple alternate endings, which you will surely enjoy if you are a fan of the film. There is also commentary and a making-of featurette.\nHonestly, I felt nauseous as I viewed the film. If seeing people get cut up is one of the main draws that horror films have for you, this one will be pretty satisfying; otherwise, you might want to skip it.
(01/26/07 1:29am)
"Texas Chainsaw: The Beginning" naturally garners low expectations with its credentials -- it is the latest in a series of films spawned from a popular horror movie and a comparatively lackluster cinematic offering put foreword to take advantage of interest in the "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" stirred up by the recent, fairly high-quality remake of the original. It is also directed by Jonathan Liebesman, who was responsible for "Darkness Falls" (remember, it was the one with "the tooth fairy?"). \nHowever, in spite of all these indications that "Texas Chainsaw: The Beginning" would not make a stab at greatness, my interest was piqued, as it was no doubt meant to be, by the promise made by this prequel to satisfy morbid curiosity as to the beginnings of Leatherface and his evil family. \nOn a few points, the film is surprisingly strong. The production values are better than I expected. Most importantly, the two young couples who are the protagonists/potential victims of the film are done fairly well. You will find yourself invested in their survival. Disappointingly, this movie only somewhat makes good on its implied promise to illuminate the early story of Leatherface. The film opens with Leatherface's birth, but his childhood is seen only as a montage during the credit sequence. Leatherface's uncle soon emerges as the main antagonist and his masked nephew is only a tool at his disposal for the remainder of the story. \nAn aspect of the film that could be counted as good or bad depending on your taste is the gore. As a fan of horror films, I cannot pretend that I deny the entertainment value of bloody spectacle. However, for my taste, the blood and guts in "Texas Chainsaw: The Beginning" are excessively disgusting and not artfully done, visually interesting or even funny as they might be in what I would consider to be a more satisfying piece of horror. \nThe special features that come on this DVD are not too scarce. There are several deleted scenes and multiple alternate endings, which you will surely enjoy if you are a fan of the film. There is also commentary and a making-of featurette.\nHonestly, I felt nauseous as I viewed the film. If seeing people get cut up is one of the main draws that horror films have for you, this one will be pretty satisfying; otherwise, you might want to skip it.
(10/19/06 4:00am)
"The Grudge 2" follows the spread of the curse that haunted Karen Davis (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in "The Grudge." The ghostly mother and child are back, but they are less frightening this time around, as they don't have many new tricks. For example, the little boy still meows, but it is no longer as disconcerting as in "The Grudge." His mother's long black hair is still showing up unexpectedly to remind those who have seen her that she will not leave them alone. What's new in this film is that the curse is somehow spreading beyond those who enter the house in Tokyo, where Karen Davis (whose role in this film is minimal) as well as those who did not survive the previous film were exposed to the vengeful ghosts. \nThe film entwines three separate plots. The strongest of the three is concerned with Aubrey Davis (Amber Tamblyn), Karen's sister, who travels to Tokyo to help her sister who is in the hospital and suspected of murder, after the traumatic events of "The Grudge." Aubrey is, of course, targeted by the grudge. What makes her story interesting is that in her quest to stop the curse, she uncovers some back story which does not fully explain the grudge but, at the very least, adds an interesting layer to audiences' understanding of the curse. Unfortunately, Tamblyn's screen presence is lackluster in this film, and despite the films calculated effort to inspire sympathy for her character, she falls pretty flat.\nOutshining Tamblyn is Arielle Kebbel ("John Tucker Must Die"), who plays a schoolgirl lured into the house on a bet from popular classmates. She is a much more sympathetic character and plays her role well. Sadly, her character's action is rather tired and seems for the most part to exist in order to provide the film with filler.\nThe other story line involves an American family which seems to be involuntarily reliving the family conflicts that set the curse in motion. The three storylines eventually converge, if only weakly, for a rather uninspired climax. \nOne cannot help but wonder if the film is divided in such a manor because the screenwriters were unable to come up with an idea for a single plot that could sustain an entire film. On the other hand, the film succeeds in communicating its central idea -- that the curse still exists and is spreading more rapidly than ever. If only it were more entertaining than that.
(10/19/06 3:19am)
"The Grudge 2" follows the spread of the curse that haunted Karen Davis (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in "The Grudge." The ghostly mother and child are back, but they are less frightening this time around, as they don't have many new tricks. For example, the little boy still meows, but it is no longer as disconcerting as in "The Grudge." His mother's long black hair is still showing up unexpectedly to remind those who have seen her that she will not leave them alone. What's new in this film is that the curse is somehow spreading beyond those who enter the house in Tokyo, where Karen Davis (whose role in this film is minimal) as well as those who did not survive the previous film were exposed to the vengeful ghosts. \nThe film entwines three separate plots. The strongest of the three is concerned with Aubrey Davis (Amber Tamblyn), Karen's sister, who travels to Tokyo to help her sister who is in the hospital and suspected of murder, after the traumatic events of "The Grudge." Aubrey is, of course, targeted by the grudge. What makes her story interesting is that in her quest to stop the curse, she uncovers some back story which does not fully explain the grudge but, at the very least, adds an interesting layer to audiences' understanding of the curse. Unfortunately, Tamblyn's screen presence is lackluster in this film, and despite the films calculated effort to inspire sympathy for her character, she falls pretty flat.\nOutshining Tamblyn is Arielle Kebbel ("John Tucker Must Die"), who plays a schoolgirl lured into the house on a bet from popular classmates. She is a much more sympathetic character and plays her role well. Sadly, her character's action is rather tired and seems for the most part to exist in order to provide the film with filler.\nThe other story line involves an American family which seems to be involuntarily reliving the family conflicts that set the curse in motion. The three storylines eventually converge, if only weakly, for a rather uninspired climax. \nOne cannot help but wonder if the film is divided in such a manor because the screenwriters were unable to come up with an idea for a single plot that could sustain an entire film. On the other hand, the film succeeds in communicating its central idea -- that the curse still exists and is spreading more rapidly than ever. If only it were more entertaining than that.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
Horror movies featuring creepy children are not exactly uncommon, we have "The Bad Seed," "Children of The Damned," "The Exorcist," "Children of the Corn" and Dakota Fanning Playing "Hide and Seek" with Robert DeNiro, to name a few. And since 1976 we have had "The Omen," a well made film targeted at a wide audience, which features the arguably definitive creepy child, the devil's own steely eyed five-year-old son. Gregory Peck (who won an Academy Award for his role in "To Kill a Mocking Bird") came out of a six-year retirement to star as the boy's father. \nRather predictably, following this month's opening of the new version of "The Omen," the new, two-disc "collector's edition" DVD of the 1976 original has become, at least somewhat available. I say somewhat because this edition seems not to have been picked up by most of the sources I turn to in search of DVDs. This is not that shocking when considering first that the remake, despite being thoroughly enjoyed by myself and several others I know, has been coldly received overall. Secondly, it seems that just about every DVD is some sort of "special collectors edition" (as opposed to say, all the DVDs aimed at those non-collectors who hesitate to accumulate to many titles or perhaps buy, watch and then routinely dispose of their viewing material). Anyway, many of these special editions are not all that special and certainly aren't worth buying if one already possesses an earlier DVD release of the same film. However, "The Omen, Collector's Edition," deserves more attention.\nIf you are interested in quality classic horror, this edition of "The Omen" will in fact fill an essential spot in your collection. In addition to the film, itself remastered and in widescreen format, the set includes quite a few special features, the most worthwhile being an "Appreciation," by Wes Craven, a piece in which Craven thoughtfully praises the film from his point of view as a filmmaker and horror aficionado, and the "Screenwriter's Notebook" in which writer David Seltzer, who claims "The Bible" and "Jaws" to have been his primary influences, details his experience working on the film. Other special features include discussion of the film's score by composer Jerry Goldsmith and the typical DVD commentary tracks, featurettes and while it sadly includes only one deleted scene, I still find this edition of "The Omen" to be quite worthwhile and would certainly recommend it to anyone with an interest in the genre.
(06/29/06 1:13am)
Horror movies featuring creepy children are not exactly uncommon, we have "The Bad Seed," "Children of The Damned," "The Exorcist," "Children of the Corn" and Dakota Fanning Playing "Hide and Seek" with Robert DeNiro, to name a few. And since 1976 we have had "The Omen," a well made film targeted at a wide audience, which features the arguably definitive creepy child, the devil's own steely eyed five-year-old son. Gregory Peck (who won an Academy Award for his role in "To Kill a Mocking Bird") came out of a six-year retirement to star as the boy's father. \nRather predictably, following this month's opening of the new version of "The Omen," the new, two-disc "collector's edition" DVD of the 1976 original has become, at least somewhat available. I say somewhat because this edition seems not to have been picked up by most of the sources I turn to in search of DVDs. This is not that shocking when considering first that the remake, despite being thoroughly enjoyed by myself and several others I know, has been coldly received overall. Secondly, it seems that just about every DVD is some sort of "special collectors edition" (as opposed to say, all the DVDs aimed at those non-collectors who hesitate to accumulate to many titles or perhaps buy, watch and then routinely dispose of their viewing material). Anyway, many of these special editions are not all that special and certainly aren't worth buying if one already possesses an earlier DVD release of the same film. However, "The Omen, Collector's Edition," deserves more attention.\nIf you are interested in quality classic horror, this edition of "The Omen" will in fact fill an essential spot in your collection. In addition to the film, itself remastered and in widescreen format, the set includes quite a few special features, the most worthwhile being an "Appreciation," by Wes Craven, a piece in which Craven thoughtfully praises the film from his point of view as a filmmaker and horror aficionado, and the "Screenwriter's Notebook" in which writer David Seltzer, who claims "The Bible" and "Jaws" to have been his primary influences, details his experience working on the film. Other special features include discussion of the film's score by composer Jerry Goldsmith and the typical DVD commentary tracks, featurettes and while it sadly includes only one deleted scene, I still find this edition of "The Omen" to be quite worthwhile and would certainly recommend it to anyone with an interest in the genre.
(05/25/06 4:00am)
In "Over the Hedge," a band of diminutive woodland creatures wake from a winter's hibernation only to find that all but a sliver of their homeland has been deforested and turned into a suburban habitat for humans. When a stranger, a raccoon with a secret agenda of his own, offers to solve the problem that this new development poses to the animals ability to supply themselves with food, they allow themselves to be lead "Over the Hedge" to steal food from the invading suburbanites. \nBased on the comic strip by Michael Fry and T. Lewis, the movie features a turtle named Verne (Gary Shandling) as the sensible leader of the animals who is supplanted when RJ the raccoon (Bruce Willis) wins the group over after offering them their first taste of junk food. The group living with Verne in a hollow log consist of a wholesome family of Porcupine, a Skunk (Wanda Sykes) with poor self image, a hyperactive squirrel, an opossum (William Shatner) and his teenage daughter (Avril Lavigne). Nick Nolte, Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara are among the other notable talents who lend their voices to characters in the movie.\nThe number of celebrity voices does not in this case signify the quality of "Over the Hedge." In fact the film makes a disappointing addition to DreamWorks catalogue of animated titles. While the animation has the three-dimensional quality of films such as "Shrek," the style is unpleasantly goofy especially when it comes to character design, and in some important instances such as Verne the turtle, 3-D makes the character seem ugly and unendearing. \nThe story itself is rather thinly stretched to provide a movie's worth of entertainment. Too many of the jokes involve Verne losing his shell and exposing his rather human-looking backside. The most entertaining parts of the movie are the sequence about humans and their food that was shown in trailers for the film and also the interaction between Stella the Skunk and a Parisian tomcat that sadly gets less than five minutes of the films' running time. Any intended message about the strain that the development of suburbia puts on wild animals is downplayed and a predictable and overly sappy message about the love and acceptance of family feels like it has been awkwardly inserted into the plot. If you are desperate to occupy some children for a little while, "Over the Hedge" will do the trick, but if you are looking for a quality animated film experience, don't bother with this one.
(05/25/06 12:33am)
In "Over the Hedge," a band of diminutive woodland creatures wake from a winter's hibernation only to find that all but a sliver of their homeland has been deforested and turned into a suburban habitat for humans. When a stranger, a raccoon with a secret agenda of his own, offers to solve the problem that this new development poses to the animals ability to supply themselves with food, they allow themselves to be lead "Over the Hedge" to steal food from the invading suburbanites. \nBased on the comic strip by Michael Fry and T. Lewis, the movie features a turtle named Verne (Gary Shandling) as the sensible leader of the animals who is supplanted when RJ the raccoon (Bruce Willis) wins the group over after offering them their first taste of junk food. The group living with Verne in a hollow log consist of a wholesome family of Porcupine, a Skunk (Wanda Sykes) with poor self image, a hyperactive squirrel, an opossum (William Shatner) and his teenage daughter (Avril Lavigne). Nick Nolte, Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara are among the other notable talents who lend their voices to characters in the movie.\nThe number of celebrity voices does not in this case signify the quality of "Over the Hedge." In fact the film makes a disappointing addition to DreamWorks catalogue of animated titles. While the animation has the three-dimensional quality of films such as "Shrek," the style is unpleasantly goofy especially when it comes to character design, and in some important instances such as Verne the turtle, 3-D makes the character seem ugly and unendearing. \nThe story itself is rather thinly stretched to provide a movie's worth of entertainment. Too many of the jokes involve Verne losing his shell and exposing his rather human-looking backside. The most entertaining parts of the movie are the sequence about humans and their food that was shown in trailers for the film and also the interaction between Stella the Skunk and a Parisian tomcat that sadly gets less than five minutes of the films' running time. Any intended message about the strain that the development of suburbia puts on wild animals is downplayed and a predictable and overly sappy message about the love and acceptance of family feels like it has been awkwardly inserted into the plot. If you are desperate to occupy some children for a little while, "Over the Hedge" will do the trick, but if you are looking for a quality animated film experience, don't bother with this one.
(04/27/06 4:00am)
While watching "The Sentinel," you will feel like you have already seen this film before. At first I thought this feeling was because previews for "Sentinel" made it look like a "24" rip off. \n So I went into the theater figuring that, on the up side, if it was like "24," then surely "Sentinel" would be entertainingly suspenseful and Keifer Southerland would be at his "Jack Bauer" best. \n On the down side, I was aware as ever of the unfortunate fact that thinly veiled rip offs of popular TV shows rarely make spectacular films. \nWatching a "24" like movie could never be as satisfying as watching "24." It's similarity to the show would only serve to remind me that I was not watching the show or an actual movie version of the show. It would be the designer imposter handbag of films. \nActually, while 'Sentinel" deals with topics common to "24" (the intersection of political, professional and personal lives, assassination threats, ill advised affairs...), it is distinct from the show, at least in that Keifer Southerland's role is smaller than you might expect. He plays a man with a similar job, but an opposite personality than that of Jack Bauer. \n"The Sentinel" is much more concerned with Michael Douglas's character. Douglas, while still looking his age, has gotten back into shape. As it turns out, Douglas can convincingly play secret service agent Peter Garrison, who risks life and limb to prevent the President or the First Lady from being assassinated: a task that is, of course, complicated by troubles of his own. \nDouglas gives a solid, if uninspiring, performance. As the First Lady, Kim Bassinger almost manages to shed her "8 Mile" trashy mom aura. The film's other female star, Eva Longoria, who plays Keifer Southerland's inappropriately dressed trainee, is minimally significant to the plot.\nFilms like "The Sentinel" are entertaining a single time, as you watch and discover the secrets and plot twists (even when they are unoriginal and predictable, as they are in this case) that carry the story along. And the film does have a unique spin, as it deals with a presidential assassination plot involving a traitor inside the secret service. \nBut other than that, it feels unusually indistinct from every other film I have seen about a conspiracy. This is probably why it is kind of boring. The film knows it is boring, as evidenced by the images of threatening letters and creepy voiced threats that are inserted between scenes as desperately obvious attempts to build suspense.
(04/26/06 9:50pm)
While watching "The Sentinel," you will feel like you have already seen this film before. At first I thought this feeling was because previews for "Sentinel" made it look like a "24" rip off. \n So I went into the theater figuring that, on the up side, if it was like "24," then surely "Sentinel" would be entertainingly suspenseful and Keifer Southerland would be at his "Jack Bauer" best. \n On the down side, I was aware as ever of the unfortunate fact that thinly veiled rip offs of popular TV shows rarely make spectacular films. \nWatching a "24" like movie could never be as satisfying as watching "24." It's similarity to the show would only serve to remind me that I was not watching the show or an actual movie version of the show. It would be the designer imposter handbag of films. \nActually, while 'Sentinel" deals with topics common to "24" (the intersection of political, professional and personal lives, assassination threats, ill advised affairs...), it is distinct from the show, at least in that Keifer Southerland's role is smaller than you might expect. He plays a man with a similar job, but an opposite personality than that of Jack Bauer. \n"The Sentinel" is much more concerned with Michael Douglas's character. Douglas, while still looking his age, has gotten back into shape. As it turns out, Douglas can convincingly play secret service agent Peter Garrison, who risks life and limb to prevent the President or the First Lady from being assassinated: a task that is, of course, complicated by troubles of his own. \nDouglas gives a solid, if uninspiring, performance. As the First Lady, Kim Bassinger almost manages to shed her "8 Mile" trashy mom aura. The film's other female star, Eva Longoria, who plays Keifer Southerland's inappropriately dressed trainee, is minimally significant to the plot.\nFilms like "The Sentinel" are entertaining a single time, as you watch and discover the secrets and plot twists (even when they are unoriginal and predictable, as they are in this case) that carry the story along. And the film does have a unique spin, as it deals with a presidential assassination plot involving a traitor inside the secret service. \nBut other than that, it feels unusually indistinct from every other film I have seen about a conspiracy. This is probably why it is kind of boring. The film knows it is boring, as evidenced by the images of threatening letters and creepy voiced threats that are inserted between scenes as desperately obvious attempts to build suspense.
(04/13/06 4:00am)
Director Andrew Adamson's is not the first film version of C. S. Lewis's well known, "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe," but it is certainly the first to receive any kind of critical attention (it won an Oscar for achievement in makeup as well as being nominated for visual effects). The visuals are nicely done and the film is extremely faithful to Lewis's words. I was happy to find that the filmmakers did not screw it up as I and all other childhood fans of this adventure, in which four children find a magic land containing mythical beast, epic battles and Christian symbolism (that seems apparent to me at 21, but flew past me as a child), inside a wardrobe, feared upon hearing that it was in production. That said, it is notable to know that this is definitely not one of the few instances in which a film is better that the book it is made after.\nThe special features included on the single disc edition DVD are bloopers and "Fun Facts," as well as two audio commentary tracks. "The Bloopers Of Narnia," is a high-spirited gag reel set to up-beat music in which the cast and crew can be seen goofing off while the film is being made. This feature offers a nice change of tone from that of the rather serious film. \nWhen the "Discover Narnia Fun Facts" feature is activated, information about "Narnia" and C. S. Lewis pops up on screen as the movie progresses (think VH1's "Pop-up Videos"). The pop-ups offer a variety of information, supplying some items that may be of interest to adult and/or child audiences. It is certainly an educational feature and also might be of special interest to fans of the book. I appreciate that there is clearly some attempt made so that the pop-up's do not conflict any more than is unavoidable. This feature certainly boosts the returns to the DVD. \nOne of the better commentary tracks featured on the disc was recorded by the director and the young stars of the film. It is nice that the child actors are allowed to comment, making the commentary especially exciting to the film's young fans. The other includes the director, the production designer and the producer.
(04/12/06 11:33pm)
Director Andrew Adamson's is not the first film version of C. S. Lewis's well known, "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe," but it is certainly the first to receive any kind of critical attention (it won an Oscar for achievement in makeup as well as being nominated for visual effects). The visuals are nicely done and the film is extremely faithful to Lewis's words. I was happy to find that the filmmakers did not screw it up as I and all other childhood fans of this adventure, in which four children find a magic land containing mythical beast, epic battles and Christian symbolism (that seems apparent to me at 21, but flew past me as a child), inside a wardrobe, feared upon hearing that it was in production. That said, it is notable to know that this is definitely not one of the few instances in which a film is better that the book it is made after.\nThe special features included on the single disc edition DVD are bloopers and "Fun Facts," as well as two audio commentary tracks. "The Bloopers Of Narnia," is a high-spirited gag reel set to up-beat music in which the cast and crew can be seen goofing off while the film is being made. This feature offers a nice change of tone from that of the rather serious film. \nWhen the "Discover Narnia Fun Facts" feature is activated, information about "Narnia" and C. S. Lewis pops up on screen as the movie progresses (think VH1's "Pop-up Videos"). The pop-ups offer a variety of information, supplying some items that may be of interest to adult and/or child audiences. It is certainly an educational feature and also might be of special interest to fans of the book. I appreciate that there is clearly some attempt made so that the pop-up's do not conflict any more than is unavoidable. This feature certainly boosts the returns to the DVD. \nOne of the better commentary tracks featured on the disc was recorded by the director and the young stars of the film. It is nice that the child actors are allowed to comment, making the commentary especially exciting to the film's young fans. The other includes the director, the production designer and the producer.
(03/09/06 5:00am)
Joe Wright's "Pride and Prejudice" is a gorgeous film, but it fails to do justice to Jane Austen's classic novel. It is a well-crafted and sunlit love story, however. Sadly, it reduces Austen's layered and witty work to a merely pretty and rather empty story. \nI am upset when I think of all the people who may watch this film and think they have experienced the depths of Austen's work, when really they are only wading in the shallows, barely being exposed to her excellence.\n"Pride and Prejudice" is about a young gentlewoman of relatively humble means, navigating through a maze of social conventions, daring to reach for more than what is practical or expected, to take a shot at being truly happy. The book is a sarcastic and judgmental look at the society of the time. Unfortunately, the script leaves out many of the best lines of the text, often summarizing important exchanges and events with straight foreword screen dialogue. \nWhile this was surely done in order to trim the running time of the two hour film, it is to the detriment of the story, which is hinged upon double entendres and the characters' inability to be plain in their actions and pursuits even when their own future happiness is at stake. \nKeira Knightly as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy are both strongly cast and pull off their roles quite well. Going into the film I had no strong feelings about Knightly as an actress, but in this role she managed to win me over, playing Bennet as smart, stubborn and strong, yet vulnerable, just as she ought to be. \nConsidering that here at IU there is a facebook group entitled "Mr. Darcy, Dismount Thy Noble Steed and Ride Me Instead!" and that the popular character "Bridget Jones" is so obsessed with Mr. Darcy that when "Bridget Jones' Diary" (loosely based on "Pride") was adapted to the screen, Colin Firth was cast as Bridget Jones's love interest, Mark Darcy, because of his previous role as Mr. Darcy on the well loved "Pride and Prejudice" BBC mini series. Macfadyen had a lot to live up to, and he succeeds. \nThe film's DVD includes some interesting features, including a behind the scenes featurette and a commentary track by Wright. If you want to watch a film for beauty alone, and are indifferent toward a good, yet weak, love story, I recommend renting "Pride and Prejudice"
(03/08/06 9:01pm)
Joe Wright's "Pride and Prejudice" is a gorgeous film, but it fails to do justice to Jane Austen's classic novel. It is a well-crafted and sunlit love story, however. Sadly, it reduces Austen's layered and witty work to a merely pretty and rather empty story. \nI am upset when I think of all the people who may watch this film and think they have experienced the depths of Austen's work, when really they are only wading in the shallows, barely being exposed to her excellence.\n"Pride and Prejudice" is about a young gentlewoman of relatively humble means, navigating through a maze of social conventions, daring to reach for more than what is practical or expected, to take a shot at being truly happy. The book is a sarcastic and judgmental look at the society of the time. Unfortunately, the script leaves out many of the best lines of the text, often summarizing important exchanges and events with straight foreword screen dialogue. \nWhile this was surely done in order to trim the running time of the two hour film, it is to the detriment of the story, which is hinged upon double entendres and the characters' inability to be plain in their actions and pursuits even when their own future happiness is at stake. \nKeira Knightly as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy are both strongly cast and pull off their roles quite well. Going into the film I had no strong feelings about Knightly as an actress, but in this role she managed to win me over, playing Bennet as smart, stubborn and strong, yet vulnerable, just as she ought to be. \nConsidering that here at IU there is a facebook group entitled "Mr. Darcy, Dismount Thy Noble Steed and Ride Me Instead!" and that the popular character "Bridget Jones" is so obsessed with Mr. Darcy that when "Bridget Jones' Diary" (loosely based on "Pride") was adapted to the screen, Colin Firth was cast as Bridget Jones's love interest, Mark Darcy, because of his previous role as Mr. Darcy on the well loved "Pride and Prejudice" BBC mini series. Macfadyen had a lot to live up to, and he succeeds. \nThe film's DVD includes some interesting features, including a behind the scenes featurette and a commentary track by Wright. If you want to watch a film for beauty alone, and are indifferent toward a good, yet weak, love story, I recommend renting "Pride and Prejudice"
(03/02/06 5:00am)
The premise of "Transamerica" is Sabrina Osbourne's ("Desperate Housewives" Felicity Huffman) need to tie up the loose ends left over from her life as a man before her sexual re-assignment surgery. Sabrina or "Bree" as she calls herself, thinks she has all her affairs in order until she gets a call from a troubled teen claiming to be the son of Stanley, the man she was in her past. This sets in motion the cross country road trip from which the film derives it's play on words title. \nAs the film follows Osbourne and her son from New York, where she bails him out of jail, to California where she hopes to arrive in time for her surgery, we are given a window into the emotional, and physical elements of her sexual identity and her struggle to adapt to the unexpected possibility of parenthood.\nThe casting of "Transamerica" is well done and the actors succeed in making the film an emotionally believable character exploration. Huffman, who is usually known for portraying a "traditional" housewife and mother, succeeds in this unusual role. It is perhaps a testament to Huffman's range and ability to truly embody her roles that she bears almost no similarity to her TV persona. This is, however, disappointing because the film could have been much more enjoyable if Osbourne had any hint of "Housewive" Lynette's witty playfulness. \nInstead, she is depressed and stuffy, which makes sense for the plot as it is something she must overcome to some degree in order to embrace life, yet it makes much of the film painfully uncomfortable to watch. \nKevin Zegers' (the "Air Bud" movies) performance as her son Toby exudes the raw teenage energy needed to contrast Huffman's character. While Huffman has been "living still" (she is not "out" about her transsexuality and is ultra conservative and feminine in her manor and dress), Toby is a teenage runaway, prostitute and drug user. Zeger's performance is strong and he and Huffman have nice acting chemistry together.\n"Transamerica's" plot is not what I expected, after the limited advertising I viewed before going to see the film. It is not an Oprah book club, feel good type drama about an estranged parent and child who overcome traumas of the past while bonding during a montage. While this is good, in that "Transamerica" is instead a more realistic and layered story, it is also bad in that a happy bonding montage would have given the film a much needed high note. \nMuch of the film's tension is generated by Osbourne's hesitation to reveal to Toby that she is his father. But this simple story line, regarding accepting herself before she can be accepted by others, is complicated and cloudy, much as it would be in real life. My main complaint about "Transamerica" is that while it is well done, it doesn't really say anything new and so it is neither thought provoking nor enjoyable to watch.