This is a film that came out much earlier in the year (on IMDB.com it says it is a 2006 film, but it didn't hit theaters around here until February of this year, and even then only for a couple weeks until it left and came to video). It has two real actors, and the rest of the cast is window dressing, at best. In Seraphim Falls, Liam Neeson plays an ex-Confederate soldier named Carver, who seeks revenge on ex-Union soldier Gideon played by Pierce Brosnan.
There really isn't much to say about a film like this, because the whole thing feels like you're on the edge of something that could be cool, and by the time you're pushed over, you don't much care about what you get. You know that Carver is hunting Gideon, and you might be able to guess why, but really you don't know what the hell is going on. The subtitle at the beginning says it's 1868, and you can guess that you're in the American West, but other than the exact same snippet of history, a very short flashback that shows only fire, you don't know what the history of these characters is, you don't know why one is running and one is chasing, you don't know anything until they explain it all in a giant exposition at the end. The first 30 minutes was exciting, but at that point I really wanted to know what was going on, and it was frustrating to watch a 90 minute chase scene until I finally received answers.
The acting was alright I suppose. Frankly I don't think much was asked of them. There isn't a lot of dialogue, and barely any between the two main actors. It's mostly them running or riding around, trying to survive the elements, one running the other chasing. Mildly interesting at best. Also they don't try very hard to mask their Irish accents. It was like a really, really dramatic version of one of those Discovery Channel specials where they drop someone in the middle of the wilderness and he has to survive.
The oddest part of the movie? Probably Angelica Huston. She appears in the middle of nowhere towards the end and acts as a ex deus machina to provide weapons to two men who want to kill each other and were otherwise weaponless. There's maybe some interesting ambiguity about what she is, whether she is real or mirage, or as the behind the scenes special suggests, a representation of the devil (which I think tries to make the character a lot deeper than she really is). The best part? The scenary is truly beautiful. The snowcapped mountains are stunning, and a flashback scene featuring a treelined lane with leaves changing to fall colors is stunning. But a drive through Michigan in the fall will accomplis the same effect for less money and more enjoyment.
All in all? Be glad you didn't have a chance to see it at thaeters, you might have accidentally paid for it. Don't buy it, you probably won't watch it more than twice. Rent it if you are really curious, but skipping it won't hurt you. Skip this one, or better yet, go see Cold Mountain. It's a better version of this, with an actual plot.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
The Brave One
Anchored by Terrence Howard (Crash, Hustle & Flow, and many, many others) and Jodie Foster (...Contact?), The Brave One is a new take on the vigilante genre of action dramas. It's the story of a woman who has her life, and her sense of safety, stolen from her one brutal night. Her boyfriend murdered, her German Shepard dognapped, this formerly confident and secure radio show host is suddenly transformed into a mourning, fearful woman who can't even leave her house. And then she buys a gun. Once she finally manages to get out of her apartment and gains that small, metal piece of security, she begins a transformation. She used to be oblivious to the darker side of the city, but after the attack, she becomes a citizen of it.
Much of this movie is split between two themes. One, the transformation of a normal woman into a cold, but shaken creature of the night. Two, a cop facing a similar feeling of helplessness and abandonment but for totally different reasons. Somehow they find each other in a world gone mad and find a bit of comfort, perfectly platonic but much needed comfort. How it ends isn't really a surprise, but I think it's well done, and Howard plays his conflicted morality off extremely well.
Foster does a good job, though frankly I think the best performance of the show is easily Howard. Really the biggest thing Foster has to do is control her voice (which is surprisingly inviting with a smoky, veteran flavor), and have a steely cold gaze on her face, which she does. I don't want to take credit away from her though, she had a line to walk, between a little bit crazy and being terrorized, and she stepped over that line several times. Howard on the other hand is very, very good at looking strong while sounding vulnerable, which I think summarizes his character well. The man is hurting from a recent divorce, stymied at his job by a criminal he can't nail down, and looking for some satisfaction, and relief. Over the course of the movie, as evidence starts to mount on Foster, he begins to face a growing moral conflict over what to do, and I think his acting of a man who has to walk this moral line is compelling at the very least.
This is a good one to see, and I won't ruin the ending (I have more to say but it'll stay in a spoiler warned section below) but it might not be your cup of tea. There's not a ton of Die Hard style action, it's really mostly cold blooded killing, and other than that it's really just walking and talking, a lot of it. The one thing I really didn't like about the movie was the character of Josai. I suppose the actress, Ene Oloja does a well enough job playing the role, but come on, an African immigrant woman who can empathize with Foster because she knows about war and who previously was cold and distant but all of a sudden displays her nursing and philosophical knowledge at the drop of a hat? I didn't like the character, and I thought she was a far too convenient crutch. But meh, I can live with it.
SPOILER
When you distill the plot, it's about a woman who is made a victim, never wants to be a victim again, and then goes looking for trouble. She's out for revenge against those who hurt her, and takes out a lot of other bad guys along the way who have nothing to do with her. The other main character, a cop who wants to get his man but can't doing things the legal way, finds out that his new friend is the killer, and he can either help her, stop her, or ignore it. He chooses to help. Frankly when you distill the plot it sounds like the distilled plot of cult favorite Boondock Saints. Only the music isn't as good (though I did like the repetitive Sara McLaughlin song), the action isn't as good, there's no comedy (whereas Boondock Saints is hysterical at all the right times), and a limited cast. So I guess my REAL recommendation? Go watch Boondock Saints. But that's not totally fair, this movie really has a much different tone. In Saints, the main characters never felt victimized, they felt galvanized. Foster plays a woman who brutally tries to retake hold of her life, and often has bouts of doubt that lead to some irrational emotional outbursts. So yes, distilled they are quite similar, they take different tracks entirely. Perhaps I shouldn't have made the comparison at all, but being part of the same genre, Saints is the movie you buy and watch over and over. The Brave One is the one you should see once in the theater, or at least definitely not miss when it comes out to rent, but you could easily save the money and not buy it.
PS. Though Naveen Andrews really has only a bit part in the movie, I liked those parts. The director does some eye catching artsy stuff after he's beaten to death and she's in the hospital, contrasting a lovemaking scene to the two of them being worked on by ER doctors. I know it sounds weird, but it's quite emotionally stirring on screen. Subsequen scenes where the Sarah McLaughlin plays what you'd have to call their love theme are also very tender, and though it's all rather heated (I mean, they were engaged and all), it's a very good window into what her life with him was life, and gave as a very real understanding of what it is exactly that she'd lost.
Much of this movie is split between two themes. One, the transformation of a normal woman into a cold, but shaken creature of the night. Two, a cop facing a similar feeling of helplessness and abandonment but for totally different reasons. Somehow they find each other in a world gone mad and find a bit of comfort, perfectly platonic but much needed comfort. How it ends isn't really a surprise, but I think it's well done, and Howard plays his conflicted morality off extremely well.
Foster does a good job, though frankly I think the best performance of the show is easily Howard. Really the biggest thing Foster has to do is control her voice (which is surprisingly inviting with a smoky, veteran flavor), and have a steely cold gaze on her face, which she does. I don't want to take credit away from her though, she had a line to walk, between a little bit crazy and being terrorized, and she stepped over that line several times. Howard on the other hand is very, very good at looking strong while sounding vulnerable, which I think summarizes his character well. The man is hurting from a recent divorce, stymied at his job by a criminal he can't nail down, and looking for some satisfaction, and relief. Over the course of the movie, as evidence starts to mount on Foster, he begins to face a growing moral conflict over what to do, and I think his acting of a man who has to walk this moral line is compelling at the very least.
This is a good one to see, and I won't ruin the ending (I have more to say but it'll stay in a spoiler warned section below) but it might not be your cup of tea. There's not a ton of Die Hard style action, it's really mostly cold blooded killing, and other than that it's really just walking and talking, a lot of it. The one thing I really didn't like about the movie was the character of Josai. I suppose the actress, Ene Oloja does a well enough job playing the role, but come on, an African immigrant woman who can empathize with Foster because she knows about war and who previously was cold and distant but all of a sudden displays her nursing and philosophical knowledge at the drop of a hat? I didn't like the character, and I thought she was a far too convenient crutch. But meh, I can live with it.
SPOILER
When you distill the plot, it's about a woman who is made a victim, never wants to be a victim again, and then goes looking for trouble. She's out for revenge against those who hurt her, and takes out a lot of other bad guys along the way who have nothing to do with her. The other main character, a cop who wants to get his man but can't doing things the legal way, finds out that his new friend is the killer, and he can either help her, stop her, or ignore it. He chooses to help. Frankly when you distill the plot it sounds like the distilled plot of cult favorite Boondock Saints. Only the music isn't as good (though I did like the repetitive Sara McLaughlin song), the action isn't as good, there's no comedy (whereas Boondock Saints is hysterical at all the right times), and a limited cast. So I guess my REAL recommendation? Go watch Boondock Saints. But that's not totally fair, this movie really has a much different tone. In Saints, the main characters never felt victimized, they felt galvanized. Foster plays a woman who brutally tries to retake hold of her life, and often has bouts of doubt that lead to some irrational emotional outbursts. So yes, distilled they are quite similar, they take different tracks entirely. Perhaps I shouldn't have made the comparison at all, but being part of the same genre, Saints is the movie you buy and watch over and over. The Brave One is the one you should see once in the theater, or at least definitely not miss when it comes out to rent, but you could easily save the money and not buy it.
PS. Though Naveen Andrews really has only a bit part in the movie, I liked those parts. The director does some eye catching artsy stuff after he's beaten to death and she's in the hospital, contrasting a lovemaking scene to the two of them being worked on by ER doctors. I know it sounds weird, but it's quite emotionally stirring on screen. Subsequen scenes where the Sarah McLaughlin plays what you'd have to call their love theme are also very tender, and though it's all rather heated (I mean, they were engaged and all), it's a very good window into what her life with him was life, and gave as a very real understanding of what it is exactly that she'd lost.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
3:10 to Yuma
So I've finally managed to make my way back to the movies after a couple weeks away.
I thought it was a fantastic movie. Bale and Crowe did very well indeed. Logan Lerman, who played Bale's son did a good job I think. His character was skeptical of his father, and much of the movie was as much about his views towards his father as it was about the actual train to Yuma. And from the intensity in his gaze to the quivering in his hand when he held the gun on Crowe, I think he was extremely convincing. It was at least as good as your average western, though I have to say it probably had the most realistic looking bullet hits I've seen in a western, they didn't pull any punches.
Frankly, I think the most surprising performance of the movie was Ben Foster as Charlie Prince. The last fewthings I saw him in, X-Men, Hostel, The Punisher, and Flash Forward were all either child or teen oriented roles. Flash Forward has him as this awkward skinny kid, Hostage has him as a greasy, very, VERY disturbed psycho (and he died btw in that movie in what I'd call the best imitation of a classic Hollywood scene I've seen in quite some time, watch it to see what I mean). His role in the Punisher was as a helpless dweller of a hovel who needed protecting. And of course many will remember his role in X-Men as Warren Worthington III, but let's be honest, he was playing a teenager in a bit part. He was totally different in this. Ruthless and cunning, and very much graduated from the kid he usually plays, he was one of the best villains I've seen in quite some time. I really got into it, and I think without that character, the movie wouldn't have been half of what it was. He was the counterweight to the conflict going on between Bale and Crowe, who while good, really didn't do anything new. Bale did what Bale does, he speaks softly, slowly, very little, and he stares a lot. And Crowe I think played the role he generally plays too. Also speaking somewhat softly, clever, a little alluring though not necessarily in a romantic way (though there's an obvious confusion in whether the outlaw is in fact romantic or not). Kudos to all of them, but most of all to Foster, as his performance was a surprise. Alan Tudyk was also very enjoyable in his small role as the doctor, but for an expanded view on his role, you'll have to go below the fold for a spoiler.
A short word on the two women of the movie. Vinessa Shaw played Emmy Nelson, who was almost useless as a character. She was there to provide the seed for what would eventually be the growth of Crowe's humanity in the movie. But as a character in her own right she was useless. Shaw did what she had to do, but it was otherwise not noteworthy. Gretchen Mol on the other hand played Alice Evans, Danny's (Bale) wife. Bale and her worked well together. Clearly she loved her husband and her family, and their well being was foremost in her mind, but there was a clear conflict between what Danny saw as his role as a father and provider, and with how Danny felt Alice felt towards him. Their relationship didn't see a ton of screen time, but in the short time they had, it was like we understood them entirely. I credit that to good writing and better acting.
Spoiler ahead
First of all, Alan Tudyk. Tudyk had a very good performance. I was almost hoping to see him play a gunslinger rather than the role he played. I like to see actors try new things (it's why I like Viggo Mortensen so much), and frankly I thought he played what Wash would have been if he'd been alive in the 1860's. He was a doctor, but more, he was the voice of reason and morality, the counterweight to the baser human instincts towards violence. And it was a bit sad to see him die almost the same way he died in Serenity. "I'm a leaf on the wind, watch how I-" BAM! and "Did you guys see how I hit that guy with a shovel back-" BAM! A little intentional tugging on our heartstrings, and I suppose his character had to die, didn't he? Frankly I don't even know why the hell he was still there. The doctor never wanted to go to begin with, he only went because the Pinkerton that Crowe tossed off the cliff, Byron McElroy went, and he was injured. But once the McElroy got tossed off the cliff, wouldn't the doctor have gone back to town? He wasn't a gunhand, for heaven's sake, they proved that when he was doing his best to shoot the brush to pieces outside Bale's house. But it still worked as it was, and Tudyk was of course, great, so I can't really complain. I really didn't think that he was necessary at that point, and they could have sent him back to town, leaving me much more satisfied. He wasn't the real story, or the real reason why Danny was risking his life to put Wade (Crowe) behid bars. It was all about his family, and especially his son. They didn't need icing on that cake.
Luke Wilson was a big surprise, I didn't know he was supposed to be in the movie at all. I recognized him immediately, and thought his scene was a great chance for Danny to, if not bond, certainly flex his moral muscle when he freed Wade with the others. You could tell it wasn't just about the money for him. This was dual purpose: He needed Wade for the money for his family, but he also wanted to show his son how important doing the right thing was.
End Spoilers
In conclusion, it was a great movie, and if this is what we can expect from the future of Westerns (if the genre makes a comeback at all), then I'm really looking forward to seeing what Hollywood has to offer. And I'm looking forward to Ben Foster's next movie. I'd never pegged him as that kind of actor before, rough and fierce, or I should say, as someone who could in any way carry a movie. But now (though his role for 30 Days of Night doesn't look totally compelling), I'll be paying more attention.
I thought it was a fantastic movie. Bale and Crowe did very well indeed. Logan Lerman, who played Bale's son did a good job I think. His character was skeptical of his father, and much of the movie was as much about his views towards his father as it was about the actual train to Yuma. And from the intensity in his gaze to the quivering in his hand when he held the gun on Crowe, I think he was extremely convincing. It was at least as good as your average western, though I have to say it probably had the most realistic looking bullet hits I've seen in a western, they didn't pull any punches.
Frankly, I think the most surprising performance of the movie was Ben Foster as Charlie Prince. The last fewthings I saw him in, X-Men, Hostel, The Punisher, and Flash Forward were all either child or teen oriented roles. Flash Forward has him as this awkward skinny kid, Hostage has him as a greasy, very, VERY disturbed psycho (and he died btw in that movie in what I'd call the best imitation of a classic Hollywood scene I've seen in quite some time, watch it to see what I mean). His role in the Punisher was as a helpless dweller of a hovel who needed protecting. And of course many will remember his role in X-Men as Warren Worthington III, but let's be honest, he was playing a teenager in a bit part. He was totally different in this. Ruthless and cunning, and very much graduated from the kid he usually plays, he was one of the best villains I've seen in quite some time. I really got into it, and I think without that character, the movie wouldn't have been half of what it was. He was the counterweight to the conflict going on between Bale and Crowe, who while good, really didn't do anything new. Bale did what Bale does, he speaks softly, slowly, very little, and he stares a lot. And Crowe I think played the role he generally plays too. Also speaking somewhat softly, clever, a little alluring though not necessarily in a romantic way (though there's an obvious confusion in whether the outlaw is in fact romantic or not). Kudos to all of them, but most of all to Foster, as his performance was a surprise. Alan Tudyk was also very enjoyable in his small role as the doctor, but for an expanded view on his role, you'll have to go below the fold for a spoiler.
A short word on the two women of the movie. Vinessa Shaw played Emmy Nelson, who was almost useless as a character. She was there to provide the seed for what would eventually be the growth of Crowe's humanity in the movie. But as a character in her own right she was useless. Shaw did what she had to do, but it was otherwise not noteworthy. Gretchen Mol on the other hand played Alice Evans, Danny's (Bale) wife. Bale and her worked well together. Clearly she loved her husband and her family, and their well being was foremost in her mind, but there was a clear conflict between what Danny saw as his role as a father and provider, and with how Danny felt Alice felt towards him. Their relationship didn't see a ton of screen time, but in the short time they had, it was like we understood them entirely. I credit that to good writing and better acting.
Spoiler ahead
First of all, Alan Tudyk. Tudyk had a very good performance. I was almost hoping to see him play a gunslinger rather than the role he played. I like to see actors try new things (it's why I like Viggo Mortensen so much), and frankly I thought he played what Wash would have been if he'd been alive in the 1860's. He was a doctor, but more, he was the voice of reason and morality, the counterweight to the baser human instincts towards violence. And it was a bit sad to see him die almost the same way he died in Serenity. "I'm a leaf on the wind, watch how I-" BAM! and "Did you guys see how I hit that guy with a shovel back-" BAM! A little intentional tugging on our heartstrings, and I suppose his character had to die, didn't he? Frankly I don't even know why the hell he was still there. The doctor never wanted to go to begin with, he only went because the Pinkerton that Crowe tossed off the cliff, Byron McElroy went, and he was injured. But once the McElroy got tossed off the cliff, wouldn't the doctor have gone back to town? He wasn't a gunhand, for heaven's sake, they proved that when he was doing his best to shoot the brush to pieces outside Bale's house. But it still worked as it was, and Tudyk was of course, great, so I can't really complain. I really didn't think that he was necessary at that point, and they could have sent him back to town, leaving me much more satisfied. He wasn't the real story, or the real reason why Danny was risking his life to put Wade (Crowe) behid bars. It was all about his family, and especially his son. They didn't need icing on that cake.
Luke Wilson was a big surprise, I didn't know he was supposed to be in the movie at all. I recognized him immediately, and thought his scene was a great chance for Danny to, if not bond, certainly flex his moral muscle when he freed Wade with the others. You could tell it wasn't just about the money for him. This was dual purpose: He needed Wade for the money for his family, but he also wanted to show his son how important doing the right thing was.
End Spoilers
In conclusion, it was a great movie, and if this is what we can expect from the future of Westerns (if the genre makes a comeback at all), then I'm really looking forward to seeing what Hollywood has to offer. And I'm looking forward to Ben Foster's next movie. I'd never pegged him as that kind of actor before, rough and fierce, or I should say, as someone who could in any way carry a movie. But now (though his role for 30 Days of Night doesn't look totally compelling), I'll be paying more attention.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Stardust
I know it's been awhile since I've posted a review, but I've had a very eventful and enjoyable summer to keep me busy. Hopefully now things will settle down (and at the same time speed up) so I can get into a more regular routine of posting. The last movie I saw was Stardust, a movie based on the book by Neil Gaiman. This will be a two part review, as after having seen the movie I immediately ordered the book and read it in a single sitting cover to cover.
Stardust hardly had a star studded cast. Certainly there were big name actors in the film though. Michelle Pfieffer as Lamia, one of the Witch Queens of the fantasy world the movie takes place in was fantastic. Claire Danes as Yvaine, the fallen star was both literally and figuratively luminous. Robert Dinero in the much expanded role of Captain Shakespere was hilarious, almost unecessary, but hilarious. Ricky Gervais on the other hand was unnecessary, and that's that. And Peter O'Toole's almost cameo role as the dying King was enjoyable.
The surprise performances that really shine out are the actors who aren't big names. Most notably is the actor who played Tristan Thorn, Charlie Cox. He was really quite good. Starting off as a lovestruck doof, and turning into a reluctant hero who always had it in him seemed to come naturally to Cox, whose transformation from bumbling shopboy to starsaving hero is pulled of fantastically. He really made the character come alive.
There were also great performances from the seven brothers, Mark Strong as Septimus was especially good.
The story is what gets the highest marks from me though, beyond all these great performances and the now standard fancy special effects (which thankfully in this movie were all appropriate, not overly wrought, and sharply presented) , at the heart of this movie was a great story...which leads me to the book.
At 250 pages long, it's not huge. On the Tolkien Scale of book size, I'd say it's maybe a four, and compared to Tolkien it's a million times easier to read. Much of that is because Gaiman doesn't really go into extreme details in his magic world. He doesn't do a whole lot in the way of setting, and zips through a lot that could be expounded upon, but that's really only nitpicking from someone who wishes he had more to read of the story. It tells the tale of the young Dunstan Thorn, who crosses over the Wall and makes love to a young slave girl (totally the girl's choice, I'd say she took more advantage of him than him of her). He ends up with a baby in a basket that she's named Tristran (which I'd say the moviemakers did a good job of renaming Tristan). We see a little of Tristran's home life, and it's established that he is ridiculously in love with Victoria, a girl that is beautiful but totally wrong for him.
Then he ventures beyond Wall into Stormhold in order to find a fallen star to being it back to Victoria. He instantly befriends a local, who helps him get to the Star, who turns out to be a beautiful girl by the name of Yvaine. Everyone is racing to get the Star for different reasons. The sons of the dead king want to get to her at first to claim the jewel she carries, which knocked her from the sky and will also make them king if they get to it. The Witch Lamia wants her to cut out her heart to make her immortal, and soon the princes do as well. But in the middle of that Tristran finds himself protecting her without at first knowing why, he does it by instinct. The situation neatly resolves itself without much violence, much of which is added for the sake of the movie.
I don't think the movie had to add the climax scene at the end, but I can see why they think they needed to. I like that they expanded the role of the pirate captain, and even goofyied him up a little. It made some of Tristran's emotional advances seem a bit more lifelike, and really brought more life to the growing love between him and Yvaine.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was one really out of the blue swear word, and two unnecessarily graphic sex scenes that don't jive at all with the more kid friendly tone of the book. One slight part of one of them might seem useful, but still not really needed. Still I found the book as a whole to be extremely enjoyable, and I was sad when it ended. Likewise I found the movie to be excellent, and more than most movies I have seen in recent years it was an extremely faithful adaptation of a book. It really made it come alive.
Go read the book, then see the movie.
Stardust hardly had a star studded cast. Certainly there were big name actors in the film though. Michelle Pfieffer as Lamia, one of the Witch Queens of the fantasy world the movie takes place in was fantastic. Claire Danes as Yvaine, the fallen star was both literally and figuratively luminous. Robert Dinero in the much expanded role of Captain Shakespere was hilarious, almost unecessary, but hilarious. Ricky Gervais on the other hand was unnecessary, and that's that. And Peter O'Toole's almost cameo role as the dying King was enjoyable.
The surprise performances that really shine out are the actors who aren't big names. Most notably is the actor who played Tristan Thorn, Charlie Cox. He was really quite good. Starting off as a lovestruck doof, and turning into a reluctant hero who always had it in him seemed to come naturally to Cox, whose transformation from bumbling shopboy to starsaving hero is pulled of fantastically. He really made the character come alive.
There were also great performances from the seven brothers, Mark Strong as Septimus was especially good.
The story is what gets the highest marks from me though, beyond all these great performances and the now standard fancy special effects (which thankfully in this movie were all appropriate, not overly wrought, and sharply presented) , at the heart of this movie was a great story...which leads me to the book.
At 250 pages long, it's not huge. On the Tolkien Scale of book size, I'd say it's maybe a four, and compared to Tolkien it's a million times easier to read. Much of that is because Gaiman doesn't really go into extreme details in his magic world. He doesn't do a whole lot in the way of setting, and zips through a lot that could be expounded upon, but that's really only nitpicking from someone who wishes he had more to read of the story. It tells the tale of the young Dunstan Thorn, who crosses over the Wall and makes love to a young slave girl (totally the girl's choice, I'd say she took more advantage of him than him of her). He ends up with a baby in a basket that she's named Tristran (which I'd say the moviemakers did a good job of renaming Tristan). We see a little of Tristran's home life, and it's established that he is ridiculously in love with Victoria, a girl that is beautiful but totally wrong for him.
Then he ventures beyond Wall into Stormhold in order to find a fallen star to being it back to Victoria. He instantly befriends a local, who helps him get to the Star, who turns out to be a beautiful girl by the name of Yvaine. Everyone is racing to get the Star for different reasons. The sons of the dead king want to get to her at first to claim the jewel she carries, which knocked her from the sky and will also make them king if they get to it. The Witch Lamia wants her to cut out her heart to make her immortal, and soon the princes do as well. But in the middle of that Tristran finds himself protecting her without at first knowing why, he does it by instinct. The situation neatly resolves itself without much violence, much of which is added for the sake of the movie.
I don't think the movie had to add the climax scene at the end, but I can see why they think they needed to. I like that they expanded the role of the pirate captain, and even goofyied him up a little. It made some of Tristran's emotional advances seem a bit more lifelike, and really brought more life to the growing love between him and Yvaine.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was one really out of the blue swear word, and two unnecessarily graphic sex scenes that don't jive at all with the more kid friendly tone of the book. One slight part of one of them might seem useful, but still not really needed. Still I found the book as a whole to be extremely enjoyable, and I was sad when it ended. Likewise I found the movie to be excellent, and more than most movies I have seen in recent years it was an extremely faithful adaptation of a book. It really made it come alive.
Go read the book, then see the movie.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Transformers and Live Free or Die Hard
It's been awhile since I've been here, for which I apologize to my two readers. I've been busy lately planning a Road Trip, with work, and a lot of other little things. But I haven't been slouching off on my movie watching. There's been a flurry of movies released recently, with dozens more to come in the next few months, but the two I'm most excited about in the last couple weeks are the title of this Independence Day review.
Transformers
Now I'll admit up front that I have a bias towards this movie. I loved Transformers as a kid, and seeing it rendered live action on the big screen is something I've always wondered about. Though that could really cut either way, given the expectations I have for this movie. But I've spent the last couple months getting ready to hate this movie. I knew they were changing some of the characters around, and the plot wasn't really going to be recognizable as anything I've seen, it was going to be Transformers started from scratch. So I was ready for them to steal everything I loved and make a bad movie with it. But I was pleasantly surprised, and I was wrong.
The movie centers around the human characters, in this case Sam Witwicky, who is an amalgam of a few different real human characters from the comics and cartoons. He gets his first car, who ends up being Bumblebee, and it turns out that his grandfather discovered Megatron buried in some ice a hundred years ago, and now all the Autobots are protecting him while the Decepticons search for him so they can find a giant life giving cube that America has locked away some where. So like I said, it wasn't what I expected. But the action was beautiful. Seriously if they don't win an Oscar for visual effects I will have no faith in that establishment anymore, which will destroy the TINY amount of faith I have left. The movie was fun! It took all the boyhood excitement I had for this franchise and ran with it. The dialogue for most of the characters was spot on, even the little bit of sniping between Megatron and Starscream. I won't go on ad naseum about how great this was because I don't want to ruin it, but I'll give this my highest recommendation that you go see it soon.
That said, it wasn't without a couple problems. The Transformers themselves needed a lot more dialogue. They have a complex past, and the conflict between the different groups needed to be explored a lot more than just some good vs. evil mantra. The hokey dialogue from Optimus was exactly his character, I loved it, and if anything I wanted more of that and less of him and his cohorts stomping around the yard smashing up land gnomes. There was a lot of extraneous, goofy stuff in this movie having to do with the humans that should have been cut to give more screen time to the Transformers themselves. I know it would have been more expensive, but they should have done it, to make the movie right. It's something I can forgive for this movie, but for the sequels that have already been greenlit I will expect more exposition and less doughnut eating throwaway characters, and less goofy super secret government agents.
Die Hard
Now Die Hard followed almost the exact plot formula as the previous three movies. There's a complex plot that is never what it appears to be on the surface, but is instead layers within layers within layers that John McClane always somehow gets himself caught up in. But anyone who has ever seen and loved a Die Hard movie knows that you see it for only a couple reasons, and those are stunning action scenes, shootouts, and McClane's racy comedy. You don't go see it for believability, you don't see it for a masterful plot. It was funny, especially with the addition of Justin Long as his sidekick, even if I do miss Carl and Sam Jackson. Long was funny, though he needs to learn how to grow facial hair. The action was intense, non-stop, and eye popping. Yes, it edged on the side of ridiculous when he was driving a semi up a ramp that had just been destroyed by an F-35, then jumped onto the F-35, which was then damaged and crashed, and then jumped off the F-35 and slid down the ramp that was just destroyed as a fireball rushes after him, and then dusts himself off, runs across the street, and saves his daughter. But those are what Die Hard is all about, outlandish, outrageous, unapologetic awesomeness. If you want to talk yourself out of having a good time, then analyze this movie to death. If you want to enjoy it, and you liked the first three, put yourself in that same frame of mind and enjoy the ride.
If anything I thought this movie lacked the swearing the first three had. Usually I'm never one to say a movie needs MORE swearing, but it seemed really out of character for John to be swearing so little when it was clearly his favorite set of words in the first three movies. PG-13 be damned.
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I won't have a ton more reviews, but you can expect a review of both the next Harry Potter movie and Deathly Hallows when it comes out later this month. And when I finish it, a review of Al Gore's new book will also be reviewed.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Children of Hurin
Children of Hurin (or Narn i Chin Hurin if you prefer the Sindarin), is the newest published complete Tolkien story since The Silmarillion in 1977. Edited and released by Christopher Tolkien, son of JRR, it joins a pantheon of books released after Tolkien's death, such as The Unfinished Tales, and The Histories of Middle Earth (all 12 volumes). Anyone who loves the Lord of the Rings has probably tried to read the Silmarillion at some point, but many who try find it too boring or dry, and lose interest before getting to the good stuff. Though this isn't a review of the Silmarillion, it's good to have some background on it in order to understand how great the Narn (that's shorthand for the Children of Hurin used by Tolkien geeks) is. The Silmarillion is a creation myth, and covers the First Age of Middle Earth to its end, and touches on major events of the Second Age such as the Last Alliance and the forging of the Rings of Power. The style of storytelling is archaic, it was written in the 1920's, and there isn't much dialogue, it almost reads like a history book (which it quite literally is). Personally I love it, but then again I'm an History Major, so I have a natural advantage.
Now enter the Narn. One of what Tolkien considered to be the three great stories if the First Age of Middle Earth, the Narn tells the story of Hurin's children, Niniel Nienor and Turin Turambar. The tale is tragic, rich, dark, and beautiful, and none of those descriptions is bestowed lightly. Tolkien's stories make it impossible not to admire or love the characters he's writing about, but this time in Middle Earth is dark, when all of Beleriand (west of Eriador where the Shire is, these lands did not survive to the Third Age) was under the shadow of Morgoth, creator of Balrogs and master of Sauron.
The story is cobbled together from a shorter version written in the Silmarillion, a long poem written by Tolkien that was not included, and pieces taken out of the Book of Lost Tales and Unfinished Tales. Chris Tolkien added little to nothing of his own words, this is purely a JRR Tolkien story, fully completed. Those who fear it is as dry or boring as the Silmarillion have no fear, for it flows easily and begins immediately with tragic action. The dialogue matches the archaic narration, but it adds a power to the words you don't find in today's often simple or clever dialogue. One might even use the word majestic to describe it. The best part, which anyone who has read Tolkien might fear, is that the story never drags, as Turin, whom the story focuses on, is always on the move.
During the story Turin will face a dragon, fight mighty battles, live amongst outlaws, kill both friend and foe alike, both in anger and in haste. He falls in love, and falls out. Never is there nothing happening in this story. And for anyone who loves Tolkien and the wonderful world of Middle Earth, this is a must read addition to your reading list.
A great bonus to this printing is the original artwork done by Alan Lee for the initial release (samples provided below). Alan Lee did much of the original artwork for the Lord of the Rings over the years, and it was on his drawings that most of the LOTR movies were based. The man is simply amazing when it comes to taking an imaginary world and giving it actual form for us to see. Many of the drawings are exactly how I pictured the events in my mind, and it's great to see this special bit of richness added to the book.
I will say this, in warning: The depth of the stories includes a cavalcade of names. It isn't uncommon to find a single character who has a half dozen names throughout the story. Turin himself gives himself a half dozen different names through the story, depending on his mood and what role he is playing. Also the Elven habit of naming kids after their parents means you get a very important family with very similar sounding names (good luck parsing out Finwe, Finarfin, Finrod, Fingon and Fingolfin). In the back of the book there is a guide to the names of the different characters, places, and items in the book, which is a very handy reference guide for a first time reader. Personally, it took three read through's of the Silmarillion to get all the names straight, but many of these characters do not play a huge role in the Narn, so it shouldn't be that big of a problem, just be ready for it.
For anyone who is wondering, Tolkien considered the greatest tales of the First Age to be the Lay of Beren and Luthien, the Fall of Gondolin, and the Children of Hurin. A short form of all three can be read in the Silmarillion, and one hopes that some day Chris, or perhaps his son Adam, might finish those three stories for us all to read in their entirety. Beren and Luthien were the first union of Men and Elves in marriage, and it is from them that Elrond of Rivendell, Arwen, Gil Galad who died in the Last Alliance, and Aragorn himself are born (yes that's right, Aragorn and Arwen are related, 64 generations removed). The Fall of Gondolin tells the tale of Tuor (Turin's cousin) son of Huor (Hurin's brother), who came to Gondolin, last free fortress of the Elves, hidden away in a vale of mist and mountains, finally discovered through the treachery of a jealous Elf, and destroyed, ending the last domain of Elves in Middle Earth. Tuor was the second marriage of Elves and Men, he married Idril, daughter of Turgon (lord of Gondolin). Their marriage was also responsible for the birth of Elrond, Arwen and Aragorn (among many others) as their child, Earendil, eventually marries the granddaughter of Beren and Luthien, Elwing.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring: The Complete Recordings
I was initially both apprehensive and excited when I found The Fellowship of the Rings: The Complete Recordings. I should start this by saying that I am a great lover of soundtracks. Soundtracks can make or break a movie or TV show. Recently the Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean have been the most oft played in my CD player, with other standbys like Gettysburg and Glory, and the world's best workout music: Rocky IV. Loving these masterpieces as I do, and even more so, being a huge fan of the Extended Editions of the films, I always decried the lack of a soundtrack for all the extra music written for those added minutes. I'm sure many of you as well wish you could have easy access to the Houses of Healing song by Liv Tyler, or Eowyn's Lament for Theodred, or smaller scenes like Gandalf singing "The Road Goes Ever On." Well rest assured, these extended soundtracks have all of that, and perhaps more. The part that made me apprehensive was the price. This four disc set (3 CD's and 1 DVD) weighs in at a whopping $60, which is actually more expensive than the Extended Edition DVD and the regular soundtrack ($30 and $20 respectively) combined. Recently however a good friend of mine introduced me to the "Used" section on Amazon, and I realized there is a whole new world of things to buy out there, for a much better price. Personally I purchased this boxed set for $40, "used" (though really it was still in the factory issued packaging), including shipping.
First of all, this is a beautiful boxed set. The CD's themselves are nicely designed, ornately even. The case itself is very sturdy, and again the design of the case is in keeping with I would call Elven styling. They look very professional, and though case and CD design aren't usually the reason we buy CDs (generally I think that'd be for the music), I found them to be of a higher quality than your average CD, or even your average box set.
The other major addition to this set is the very informative and extensive booklet. Lord of the Rings features a style of music called "leitmotifs." You've heard them before, even if you can't identify them, in works such as Peter and the Wolf, and the more easily recognizable Star Wars. The idea is that individual music lines serve as a sort of theme or anthem for specific ideas, characters, and locations. If you remember the Imperial March from Star Wars you've heard one of the more famous (in recent times) examples of this style. The booklet gives a summary of the process Howard Shore used to come up with the style of music for Fellowship, his inspirations, what instruments he chose to represent which characters and cultures and why. He also includes a section where he specifically points out the leitmotifs of characters and cultures, even gives a bar of music to tell you what it looks like, where on the tracks you can find the music, and explains why this music was chosen. It's fascinating to get into the head of the composer, and even more I love hearing why he chose the Maori choirs and literally football players to represent the guttural chants of the Dwarves in Moria, or why he chose the more ethereal eastern sounds for mournful Elvish music.But on to the music itself. Disc one opens as the movie does, with what Shore calls "The History of the Ring" theme. The end of this track is a short but delightful snippet from Ian McKellen singing "The Road Goes Ever On," and like so many songs in the movies, it takes the words directly from the novel. The music rises and falls, like the beginning of the movies does, until you get to track 10, "The Passing of the Elves," the music from an extended scene in the movie that shows elves leaving Middle Earth and heading to the Grey Havens for Arda. Samwise and Frodo spot them, and Sam comments "I don't know why, but it makes me sad." Hearing their song, one could only feel that way. It's one of the most haunting and beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard. The lyrics are Sindarin, one of Tolkien's languages created specifically for the novels, and are translated by David Salo from the actual poem written by Tolkien for the book. The track is amazing. One wonders when reading the book, "how would that really sound in real life?" Translated into Sindarin, you get a feel for Elven culture, for the sadness of their leaving but their yearning for home. I sit mesmerized listening to this track, and it's perhaps the most rewarding of the new music from the extended edition. This track is longer than the one even in that version. The final track on the CD, "The Nazgul" features Viggo Mortensen singing the "Lay of Luthien," whose words were written by Phillipa Boyens, but the tune was created and the song suggested by Viggo himself. It's a testament to his skill and dedication as an actor that he would get that much into character, and would care enough to even suggest such a thoughtful thing. It's short, but it's also some interesting insight into Aragorn's character, and the weight he carries on his shoulders. It's sung acapella, quietly, secretly, but with obvious emotion.
Disc two features much repetition of previous themes. Track 7, "The Council of Elrond" features a mixture of stirring, contrasting music that shows off the arguments taking place on scene. What's really interesting is to hear the different voices that portray The One Ring itself over the course of the film. It's voice changes for Aragorn, where is sounds sweet and inviting (and the same for Faramir in Two Towers). It sounds dark and brooding when it entices Boromir. But the sound is specific for each character who it tries to ensnare. One of the new tracks, from the extended scenes is track 9, "Gilraen's Memorial." This scene in the movie features Aragorn speaking with Elrond about Gilraen, Aragorn's mother. This is another haunting track, like many of the Elven tracks are in the first film. It's one to be sure to listen to. The last three tracks of the CD are the pounding sounds of taiko drums and Maori chanting. It's powerful and exciting music that on screen is the driving force of the scene.
Disc three finishes off the soundtrack. The second track, as in the original soundtrack, features Elizabeth Fraser singing the "Lament for Gandalf." Like all Elven styled music, it has an ethereal quality. The rest of the music reads much as the original soundtrack did, and it is all great music. The Uruk-Hai music especially I can't wait to hear on a high quality stereo, to get the full power out of the horns that Shore exhibits.
The fourth disc is a DVD that features all the music of the soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. I have yet to listen to this disc, as I don't have a stereo capable of playing it and doing it justice. But I imagine the pounding sounds of Moria, and the reverberations of Elven laments would sound amazing in such quality.
All in all this is an amazing set. I should add that I have one complaint about it though, and that is the color of the casing. Stylistically, I think it's meant to match what the cases look like for the LOTR Extended Editions, and it does. The problem is that the Fellowship of the Ring is green, and this is red. The Two Towers DVD case is red, and the soundtrack is blue, whereas the third movie is blue and the third soundtrack hasn't been released yet, but I bet a million dollars it is green. I'm just surprised that for all the work that went into these, they didn't bother to match that up. But I plan to purchase the soundtrack to Two Towers as soon as I am able, and look forward to hearing Eowyn singing her lament for Theodred. Return of the King's soundtrack is due to be released at the end of the summer.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (of Shaun of the Dead fame) is the story of London cop Nicholas Angel, who after performing his job better than anyone else on the force (400% better) is sent to the lovely village of Sandford.
Nicholas is annoyed, but despite his protestations he is sent anyway, and soon begins to lay down his very strict adherence to the law in the small community. Soon a rash of accidents crop up, and Nicholas begins to see a pattern emerge, but the rest of the town refuses to listen to the murder happy cop from London. He befriends Danny Buttterman, a stooge on the local police force who has seen a million melodramatic cop movies and wants desperately to live out one himself.
As the story unfolds, Sandford turns out to be everything other than what it seems, and Angel decides to take matters into his own hands.
I didn't quite know what to expect from this movie. The trailer seemed to suggest a bloodbath of hysterical proportions, and I certainly wasn't let down there. But it wasn't just silly farcical humor, it was rather clever at times. There are excellent cameos from Bill Nighy (most recently Davy Jones of Pirates of the Caribbean) and Steve Coogan (most recently of Night at the Museum), and a wealth of other fantastic British actors, Jim Broadbent plays a dubious villain undone by the unlikliest of heroes.It's by far the cleverest and most funny move I've seen yet this year, and I urge you all to check it out when it hits US shores on April 20th. You'll get comedy, mystery, and enough action to make Jerry Bruckheimer's hair stand on end.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Hiatus
I know I've been out of the review business lately, but I haven't seen all that many movies thus far this year to be honest. Recently I have seen Music and Lyrics, Bridge to Terabithia, Wild Hogs, and 300. All of them were good for different reasons, all of them, with the exception of Bridge to Terabithia, had their flaws.
Soon I plan on catching up on a lot of the movies I've missed, and that will set us up for the summer movie rush that is fast approaching.
See you all at the movies.
Soon I plan on catching up on a lot of the movies I've missed, and that will set us up for the summer movie rush that is fast approaching.
See you all at the movies.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Pan's Labyrinth
Pan’s Labyrinth was the first movie I saw this year. It wasn’t what I expected really. Given the recent cavalcade of fairy tales and fantasies being turned into movies, I expected more of the same, and from the looks of the preview, I had the general feeling of a Narnia flick, rather than what I got. I should start off by saying that contrary to what you might think, this is NOT a children’s film. It was dark, violent, graphic, and characters cursed quite often. There was far less labyrinth and far more brutally repressive Spanish civil war than I was expecting, but it was still a fantastic film.
The film centers around a little girl, Ofelia, whose mother has married a Spanish Captain serving Generalissimo Franco’s military junta in the 1940’s. Ofelia doesn’t like her life there, but soon she starts getting visits from fairies, and finds her way into the labyrinth, to discover the woods around her, and indeed her own life, are not what they seemed. But the film doesn’t focus on her actions involving the labyrinth, in fact, they are more of a subplot until the very end. Much of the film involves her mother, who is having a troubled pregnancy, her interactions with her stepfather, the grumpy Captain, and another subplot between Mercedes, the fort’s cook, and some rebels they are fighting who live in the mountains. But these are important interactions, as they help to create a counterpoint, and a reason for the fantasy world Ofelia escapes to. Reality is a dark, scary, and wholly undesirable place to be for her, and the idea of being the princess of some far off underworld kingdom is enticing to say the least.
It’s a complex, emotional plot, and you aren’t really sure what is going on, even at the very end of the movie, but it’s hard not to be drawn in by the fantastic and frightening world that Ofelia discovers, and by the vicious brutality of her father. Between the stunning images, the excellent acting, and a soundtrack that couldn’t be described without using the words ‘mystical’ and ‘enchanting,’ this film is a must see for the serious moviegoer, or anyone who wants to see quality cinematic art. I’ll be rooting for this movie for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars. The film is at its core a juxtaposition of fantasy and reality, and who wins in the end isn’t clear. Suffice to say who wins is whoever you want to win, as many of the truths in this film are in the eye of the beholder.
The film centers around a little girl, Ofelia, whose mother has married a Spanish Captain serving Generalissimo Franco’s military junta in the 1940’s. Ofelia doesn’t like her life there, but soon she starts getting visits from fairies, and finds her way into the labyrinth, to discover the woods around her, and indeed her own life, are not what they seemed. But the film doesn’t focus on her actions involving the labyrinth, in fact, they are more of a subplot until the very end. Much of the film involves her mother, who is having a troubled pregnancy, her interactions with her stepfather, the grumpy Captain, and another subplot between Mercedes, the fort’s cook, and some rebels they are fighting who live in the mountains. But these are important interactions, as they help to create a counterpoint, and a reason for the fantasy world Ofelia escapes to. Reality is a dark, scary, and wholly undesirable place to be for her, and the idea of being the princess of some far off underworld kingdom is enticing to say the least.
It’s a complex, emotional plot, and you aren’t really sure what is going on, even at the very end of the movie, but it’s hard not to be drawn in by the fantastic and frightening world that Ofelia discovers, and by the vicious brutality of her father. Between the stunning images, the excellent acting, and a soundtrack that couldn’t be described without using the words ‘mystical’ and ‘enchanting,’ this film is a must see for the serious moviegoer, or anyone who wants to see quality cinematic art. I’ll be rooting for this movie for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars. The film is at its core a juxtaposition of fantasy and reality, and who wins in the end isn’t clear. Suffice to say who wins is whoever you want to win, as many of the truths in this film are in the eye of the beholder.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
2007 Movies on the Horizon
Alright everyone, I promised before that I'd include my top prospects for 2007 in my last post. I didn't, and apologize for that, but there was plenty of material to keep the one or two people who actually read this busy. So here we are, below I've listed 29 movies with descriptions on the plot (mostly basic stuff). For some of them we don't know that much, as they are still a year away, but the basic plot elements have me interested. There's a lot of big titles coming out this year, and some smaller stuff flying just under the radar (and some WAY off the radar), so I hope you all have your calendars ready.
(All release dates below are tentative, esepcially for the later months, things are always getting switched around, and IMDB is always getting things wrong, so be sure to check the listings every week for the names that look familiar)
January 19th - Pan's Labyrinth gets a wide release all over the United States. I know this was a 2006 release elsewhere, but I'm not getting it until Friday, so I'm counting it as a 2007 release. This wonderful looking Spanish language film is set in 1944 Spain, torn by Franco's war. It focuses on a young girl who lives in world of her own imagination, but must also deal with the dark reality of the world around her. The music sounds absolutely stunning, and the images are wildly imaginative. If you're up for something new and creative, don't miss this one, and hopefully you don't have a problem with subtitles.
January 26th - Smokin' Aces is the story of Buddy Israel, played by the ever hysterically abrasive Jeremy Piven, and his role as a comedian turned snitch for the mob. He decides to go for one last weeked of fun and gambling in Lake Tahoe and draws a large crowd of assasins including Ben Affleck. Ryan Reynolds is in this, and I don't know the role he plays, but he's a great actor who does a fantastic job of mixing action with comedy, giving me a good idea for what sort of movie we're in for. I'm expecting a mix of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Entourage and Ocean's 11. It's going to be a fun ride.
January 26th - Seraphim Falls is one you might not have heard of yet. It's a period piece set at the end of the Civil War. Liam Neeson is tasked to hunt down Pierce Brosnan, both who fought with the Confederate Army. Brosnan apparently just wants to be left alone, and his MacGuyver like skills, but Liam Neeson, who is apparently channeling Javert as well as all of Alabama refuses to give up the search. He chases Brosnan all the way to New Mexico. Just seeing these two very popular British actors square off as ex-southern army men is worth the price of the ticket alone, like watching a southern remake of Phantom Menace mixed with Goldeneye. It looks like a great movie that is flying under the radar at the moment, especially since it comes out in a week, but these are two fantastic actors, and the setting looks great. Try not to miss it.
February 14th - Music & Lyrics stars aging failed boy band singer Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) and song writer Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore), who collaborate together in unlikely circumstances to write him a song that will bring him back to the top of the charts. Slated for Valentine's Day, this is obviously a romantic movie, and knowing Grant, a romantic comedy. Let me just start by saying I think Grant is hilarious. I've liked almost everything I've ever seen him in, despite the fact that he plays the exact same character almost every time. Drew Barrymore is a bit more hit and miss, but I find the idea of the two of them sharing a screen intriguing. This looks like it's going to be a great romantic comedy with some fun musical numbers as well, and even if it is being marketed as the movie of this faux holiday, see it anyway.
February 23rd - The Astronaut Farmer is another one you probably haven't heard of yet. It's the story of Charles Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton), a retired NASA astronaut who still hasn't given up his dream of going to the stars. He has to return to his farm in order to forestall forclosure, but that doesn't stop him from building his own spaceship in his barn. Invariably, someone is out to get him, in this case the US government, but he refuses to stop. It's a story we're seen before, part Field of Dreams, and part October Sky, but it's a genre we love because like Farmer, we too look to the stars. And I won't lie, part of me is just curious to see Thornton play anything other than a total douchebag, which seems to be his role du jour as of late. It's rated PG, and it looks like a great family film, so bring the kids along to this one.
March 2nd - Wild Hogs features an unlikely quartet of aging male star actors. Here's the premise: Four middle aged men, played by William H. Macy, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence and John Travolta, are going through a mid life crisis. They decide to buy motorcycles and go on a road trip; hyjinks ensue. Who doesn't love a movie that has that for a premise? I don't even care what the details are! I'm sure there's going to be a lovely plot with them slowly coming to grips with their age and their growth as characters, but after watching a hysterical trailer for this movie, and reading a further description of the plot, I think this is going to be one of the best, well acted, and smartest comedies of the year.
March 9th - 300 is a movie you've probably all heard of, and it's the most advertised for movie that I've yet mentioned. It's the story of the 300 Spartans led by King Leonidas who must defend the pass of Thermopylae against a million very angry Persians. It's a fight to the death, and really is just a stalling action, but it's also a great sacrifice. Brought to life by Zack Snyder (who will be making Rainbow Six in 2008) and adapted from the graphic novel genius of Frank Miller (of last year's Sin City fame), this promises to be a visual masterpiece. What it will not be is historically accurate, but I've come to grips with that. So long as we all realize we're watching an excessive historical fiction, then I think we can all enjoy this for the cinematic masterpiece it's likely to be. If you like long, dramatic acting and spectacular fight scenes, this is the movie for you. Also if you like being on the edge of your seat and being attacked by rampaging goosebumps, this is the movie for you. If the movie is anything like the trailer, prepare to be amazed.
March 16th - Lucky You is probably not going to be the greatest movie of the year. I'll be surprised if it makes my top ten a year from now. It's the story of Huck Cheever (Eric Bana), who meets a young woman (Drew Barrymore) and wrestles with juggling his personal dream and his personal demons. It centers around poker, Texas Hold 'em to be specific. I love the game, and play almost every week, which is why I'm so drawn to this movie. The subplot is Huck's battle with his father, a famous poker player, L.C. Cheever (Robert Duvall), with a combination of father son issues and who's the better poker player issues. The climax of the movie looks like it will be the father son duo facing off in the Main Event of the World Series of Poker, the biggest poker event of the year. I think this film guarantees some great acting, some suspenseful thrills with the poker playing, some father/son fence mending, and some romance in the end. Sometimes a movie doesn't have to be a masterpiece just to entertain, and this one certainly looks to be entertaining.
March 23rd - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a story that needs no explanation probably. I don't know the exact plot of this film, but I've always loved TMNT. I was a bit hesitant when I found out it was entirely a CGI film, but they look wonderfull rendered, and actually like teenagers, which I found surprising and nice at the same time. I was looking forward to another live action film, like the one's my friends and I enjoyed as kids in the early 90's, but this could be good too, and with such a great history and wealth of great characters, this movie is hotly anticipated and ripe for success.
March 23rd - The Last Mimzy is flying a bit under the radar I suppose, which is surprising to me. It has the look on the surface of a great children's story in the making, but from the short trailer could also be Donnie Darko, Jr. It's the story of a young brother and sister who open a strange box of toys and receive strange advanced mental powers. The brother becomes super intelligent, and the sister has an ever advancing telekinesis. The words on the screen imply that the magic toys are some sort of message from the future, but that remains a mystery. The plot looks compelling, the child actors look like they do a great job, and the SFX look small compared to what we're used to, but amazing for what they portray. Watch this one if you get the chance, especially if TMNT isn't your cup of tea.
May 4th - Spiderman 3 is running unopposed this weekend. The trailer, which mixes stunning action and CGI with spine tingling music looks mind boggling. I've been a mild fan of the Spiderman franchise since the first movie. I've always loved the comic books and the cartoons, and though the movies have torn up the plot of the comics and used the scraps for their cinematic...thing, I still found them entertaining. But we're seeing a darker side of Peter Parker in this film that many of the fans have been looking for since the first movie. I'm anxious to see if Toby McGuire can pull it off. This is the same morality laden Peter Parker of the last couple movies but with the dark side that Venom will bring out. We're going to see something new, and I think torturous after a fashion.
May 11th - 28 Weeks Later. Yeah, it's a zombie movie. I liked 28 Days Later, and not just because the somewhat realistic depiction of an abandoned London and military fighting zombines scared the bejeezes out of me. There was good acting, for a zombie flick. In this one, 28 weeks after the events of the first movie, the US military moves to repopulate part of London, and find that the virus that caused the first outbreak isn't totally gone, and it runs amok again. It has the classic feel of a horrible sequel to a slasher film, and I think it's going to be a bomb without the main actors from the first movie, but it's better than Saw V.
May 18th - Shrek the Third. This is another one of those movies that has great name recognition. Apparently the plot is that Shrek might actually have to become king afterall, which isn't too appealing to an ogre who loves his swamp. So he moves to get someone else installed king, while the Prince Charming of the previous movie makes his own move to take the throne. If you liked the first two, I think you'll like this hopeful completion to the trilogy.
May 25th - Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At Worlds End is probably the longest title for a movie this year. But for anyone who has seen the previous films, this is a must see completion for the epic trilogy. The cast includes everyone from the second movie, plus Geoffrey Rush in a more prominant role as the returned Captain Barbossa, and Keith Richards will make a guest appearance as Jack Sparrow's father. Richards is the man Depp based his Jack Sparrow on, so that ought to be hilarious. This movie takes them to the Far East, and introduces Chow Yun Fat as the wily Chinese Captain Sao Feng. It's going to be awesome.
June 8th - Ocean's 13 is a movie we all didn't really want to see made. Heck, Ocean's 12 was a movie we all didn't really want to see made, and I think the final product bore that out. But I'm going to give this movie a chance. It features the same gang as before, but this time the bad guy from the first movie is back as an ally, and there's no french thief guy to dance around a room at the end, or a stupid plot line featuring Catherine Zeta Jones, or Julia Roberts playing an actress who pretends to be Julia Roberts. I'm holding out hope for this one, and am looking forward to it as a chance to finish the series with style.
June 29th - Ratatouille is the newest Pixar Disney CGI film. It features a rat in Paris who is also a chef and is addicted to fine foods. I don't know much else about it, but watch the trailer on Apple trailers, it's funny, as most Pixar films are, which means it's worth going to see.
June 29th - Live Free or Die Hard (Die Hard 4). Yeah we're seeing the return or continuation of a lot of franchises this year. But it's DIE HARD! Bruce Willis looks like he's back and better than ever. I imagine it won't be easy for him to do the whole "oh I'm just an average Joe walking down the street and woah look there's terrorists!" thing. But his goofy sidekick in this one is Justin Long, which should ensure it's funny as well as one of the better action flicks of the year.
July 6th - Transformers has fanboys everywhere salivating. We're all geeked for it, and I'm not going to pretend I'm not one of those fanboys. I'm a bit nervous, because of the drastic changes being made to it. But Peter Cullen and Frank Welker are there, reprising their roles as Optimus Prime and Megatron. I think that alone will give this movie a lot of validity. I'm worried that the plot will ruin everything I've come to love about this franchise, but I'm going to give them a chance. Hopefully subsequent movies will do the series justice and give the fanboys something to scream about. But don't miss this one, at the very least the CGI is going to be amazing, like an ILM wet dream.
July 13th - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth movie in the seven part franchise. It features some of the more memorable scenes from the book series, and I think all of us are anxious to see Dumbledore's Army take shape, and to see how Imelda Staunton handles the role of Dolores Umbridge. It's a series we've all grown to love, and the fact that many of the male actors seem to have discovered the real use of a barbershop is all the more encouraging. Fans will be sure to catch this one.
July 27th - The Simpsons Movie looks basically like a 90 minute version of a regular episode. Many people will balk at paying eight dollars for something that they can watch for free every Sunday, and I tend to agree with them. But the previews make this look rather hilarious, and if we're willing to pay that money to see any other stupid comedy, why not pay it to see a great comedy that we already know we like?
August 10th - Rush Hour 3 has been a long time in coming. We all knew at the end of the second one that there'd be a third one, and Chris Tucker has been virtually invisible since filming the second. If you remember the first two, they play an unlikely but hilarious crime fighting duo. In this one, they go to Paris (I was expecting New York from how the first one ended, since they take place back to back to back) and fight more Hong Kong crime bosses who've cropped up there. I imagine it will be a rehashing of the first two, with a hot french cop tossed in, so there's something for everyone.
September 7th - The Waterhorse is another you may not have heard of. The basic premise is that a young boy finds a magic egg that hatches into the Lochness Monster. I don't know much more than that, and probably won't until the trailer comes out, but from the premise, and the knowledge that the lead acting boy is the same kid from Millions, I have to say it sounds good from the outset.
September 14th - Eastern Promises is one I'm going to throw out there because of one actor: Viggo Mortenson. In this one, he plays a Russian crime boss in London. I don't know much more than that, but I think he's a fantastic actor, and it's always fun to watch him attempt brand new roles.
October 5th - The Golden Age is the sequel to Elizabeth (1998). In this one, Cate Blanchett reprises her role as Queen Elizabeth later in life. This is an exploration of the relationship between her and Sir Walter Raleigh, played by Clive Owen. I never saw Elizabeth, but these are two fantastic actors and I'm going to make an effort to catch this one. For anyone who enjoys the era, or enjoyed the first movie, be sure to catch this one.
October 12th - 3:10 to Yuma pits Russel Crowe against Christian Bale in a battle of wits. One plays a hardened criminal awaiting trial. The other is a small town rancher holding him while waiting for transport. The criminal tries to outwit his jailor in a battle of wills. I love movies like this, where dialogue plays a key role, and the characters really get a chance to explore themselves, each other, and their positions in life. It's not always about the flashy effects and stunts, sometimes it's just about good conversation and great writing, and from the director of Walk the Line and a writer involved in everything from Pirates to Collateral, I think we're in for just such a movie.
November 16th - Beowulf has been a long time in coming. Well, maybe not considering it's been made several times over even recently, but this is the big one we were waiting for. This is the one with the star studded cast, and directed by famed Robert Zumeckis. Everyone should have read the story in grade school, so you know about Grendel and his mother, and the terror they cause to this Nordic kingdom. I think this is going to be one of the top films of the year.
December 7th - His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass is going to be a stretch for some people. It's being billed as a philosophical thriller, which is really anyone's guess. The advertisements I've seen for it talk of a girl in Britian who overhears conversations with dust particles and tells of a magic compass that can answer any question for those skilled enough to understand it. It's one we're going to have to wait and see the trailer on for more information, but from the description alone it looks intriguing enough to get my attention for the year.
December 14th - I Am Legend only needs three words to sell me on it: Will, Smith, zombies. Everything Smith has touched in the last decade has turned to gold, and there's no reason to believe that this twist on the zombie theme, of a zombie hunter that hunts by day and hides by night, will be any exception to the rule. It's the first time in recent memory I can remember seeing an A List actor, high paid, much loved, doing something usually reserved for up and coming or washed out actors. Smith's interest in this movie alone has me excited to see a trailer, and wondering what he gave Jada to let him make so many movies this year.
December 21st - National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets is a MUCH anticipated sequel in my house. My entire family loves the first movie, and this next one, which returns all the main cast in an adventure to solve the new mystery of what really happened with Lincoln's assasination and 16 missing pages from his personal diary. The first movie was the perfect mixture of mystery, action and comedy, and I expect we'll get the same thing again with this one. The villain is yet to be named, which isn't a surprise, and I doubt we'll get Sean Bean back, which is fine with me, as I think a sequel demands a new villain. Barring more details on what it's about, I'm still cautiously optimistic about the best movie in the genre since Indiana Jones.
(All release dates below are tentative, esepcially for the later months, things are always getting switched around, and IMDB is always getting things wrong, so be sure to check the listings every week for the names that look familiar)
January 19th - Pan's Labyrinth gets a wide release all over the United States. I know this was a 2006 release elsewhere, but I'm not getting it until Friday, so I'm counting it as a 2007 release. This wonderful looking Spanish language film is set in 1944 Spain, torn by Franco's war. It focuses on a young girl who lives in world of her own imagination, but must also deal with the dark reality of the world around her. The music sounds absolutely stunning, and the images are wildly imaginative. If you're up for something new and creative, don't miss this one, and hopefully you don't have a problem with subtitles.
January 26th - Smokin' Aces is the story of Buddy Israel, played by the ever hysterically abrasive Jeremy Piven, and his role as a comedian turned snitch for the mob. He decides to go for one last weeked of fun and gambling in Lake Tahoe and draws a large crowd of assasins including Ben Affleck. Ryan Reynolds is in this, and I don't know the role he plays, but he's a great actor who does a fantastic job of mixing action with comedy, giving me a good idea for what sort of movie we're in for. I'm expecting a mix of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Entourage and Ocean's 11. It's going to be a fun ride.
January 26th - Seraphim Falls is one you might not have heard of yet. It's a period piece set at the end of the Civil War. Liam Neeson is tasked to hunt down Pierce Brosnan, both who fought with the Confederate Army. Brosnan apparently just wants to be left alone, and his MacGuyver like skills, but Liam Neeson, who is apparently channeling Javert as well as all of Alabama refuses to give up the search. He chases Brosnan all the way to New Mexico. Just seeing these two very popular British actors square off as ex-southern army men is worth the price of the ticket alone, like watching a southern remake of Phantom Menace mixed with Goldeneye. It looks like a great movie that is flying under the radar at the moment, especially since it comes out in a week, but these are two fantastic actors, and the setting looks great. Try not to miss it.
February 14th - Music & Lyrics stars aging failed boy band singer Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) and song writer Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore), who collaborate together in unlikely circumstances to write him a song that will bring him back to the top of the charts. Slated for Valentine's Day, this is obviously a romantic movie, and knowing Grant, a romantic comedy. Let me just start by saying I think Grant is hilarious. I've liked almost everything I've ever seen him in, despite the fact that he plays the exact same character almost every time. Drew Barrymore is a bit more hit and miss, but I find the idea of the two of them sharing a screen intriguing. This looks like it's going to be a great romantic comedy with some fun musical numbers as well, and even if it is being marketed as the movie of this faux holiday, see it anyway.
February 23rd - The Astronaut Farmer is another one you probably haven't heard of yet. It's the story of Charles Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton), a retired NASA astronaut who still hasn't given up his dream of going to the stars. He has to return to his farm in order to forestall forclosure, but that doesn't stop him from building his own spaceship in his barn. Invariably, someone is out to get him, in this case the US government, but he refuses to stop. It's a story we're seen before, part Field of Dreams, and part October Sky, but it's a genre we love because like Farmer, we too look to the stars. And I won't lie, part of me is just curious to see Thornton play anything other than a total douchebag, which seems to be his role du jour as of late. It's rated PG, and it looks like a great family film, so bring the kids along to this one.
March 2nd - Wild Hogs features an unlikely quartet of aging male star actors. Here's the premise: Four middle aged men, played by William H. Macy, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence and John Travolta, are going through a mid life crisis. They decide to buy motorcycles and go on a road trip; hyjinks ensue. Who doesn't love a movie that has that for a premise? I don't even care what the details are! I'm sure there's going to be a lovely plot with them slowly coming to grips with their age and their growth as characters, but after watching a hysterical trailer for this movie, and reading a further description of the plot, I think this is going to be one of the best, well acted, and smartest comedies of the year.
March 9th - 300 is a movie you've probably all heard of, and it's the most advertised for movie that I've yet mentioned. It's the story of the 300 Spartans led by King Leonidas who must defend the pass of Thermopylae against a million very angry Persians. It's a fight to the death, and really is just a stalling action, but it's also a great sacrifice. Brought to life by Zack Snyder (who will be making Rainbow Six in 2008) and adapted from the graphic novel genius of Frank Miller (of last year's Sin City fame), this promises to be a visual masterpiece. What it will not be is historically accurate, but I've come to grips with that. So long as we all realize we're watching an excessive historical fiction, then I think we can all enjoy this for the cinematic masterpiece it's likely to be. If you like long, dramatic acting and spectacular fight scenes, this is the movie for you. Also if you like being on the edge of your seat and being attacked by rampaging goosebumps, this is the movie for you. If the movie is anything like the trailer, prepare to be amazed.
March 16th - Lucky You is probably not going to be the greatest movie of the year. I'll be surprised if it makes my top ten a year from now. It's the story of Huck Cheever (Eric Bana), who meets a young woman (Drew Barrymore) and wrestles with juggling his personal dream and his personal demons. It centers around poker, Texas Hold 'em to be specific. I love the game, and play almost every week, which is why I'm so drawn to this movie. The subplot is Huck's battle with his father, a famous poker player, L.C. Cheever (Robert Duvall), with a combination of father son issues and who's the better poker player issues. The climax of the movie looks like it will be the father son duo facing off in the Main Event of the World Series of Poker, the biggest poker event of the year. I think this film guarantees some great acting, some suspenseful thrills with the poker playing, some father/son fence mending, and some romance in the end. Sometimes a movie doesn't have to be a masterpiece just to entertain, and this one certainly looks to be entertaining.
March 23rd - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a story that needs no explanation probably. I don't know the exact plot of this film, but I've always loved TMNT. I was a bit hesitant when I found out it was entirely a CGI film, but they look wonderfull rendered, and actually like teenagers, which I found surprising and nice at the same time. I was looking forward to another live action film, like the one's my friends and I enjoyed as kids in the early 90's, but this could be good too, and with such a great history and wealth of great characters, this movie is hotly anticipated and ripe for success.
March 23rd - The Last Mimzy is flying a bit under the radar I suppose, which is surprising to me. It has the look on the surface of a great children's story in the making, but from the short trailer could also be Donnie Darko, Jr. It's the story of a young brother and sister who open a strange box of toys and receive strange advanced mental powers. The brother becomes super intelligent, and the sister has an ever advancing telekinesis. The words on the screen imply that the magic toys are some sort of message from the future, but that remains a mystery. The plot looks compelling, the child actors look like they do a great job, and the SFX look small compared to what we're used to, but amazing for what they portray. Watch this one if you get the chance, especially if TMNT isn't your cup of tea.
May 4th - Spiderman 3 is running unopposed this weekend. The trailer, which mixes stunning action and CGI with spine tingling music looks mind boggling. I've been a mild fan of the Spiderman franchise since the first movie. I've always loved the comic books and the cartoons, and though the movies have torn up the plot of the comics and used the scraps for their cinematic...thing, I still found them entertaining. But we're seeing a darker side of Peter Parker in this film that many of the fans have been looking for since the first movie. I'm anxious to see if Toby McGuire can pull it off. This is the same morality laden Peter Parker of the last couple movies but with the dark side that Venom will bring out. We're going to see something new, and I think torturous after a fashion.
May 11th - 28 Weeks Later. Yeah, it's a zombie movie. I liked 28 Days Later, and not just because the somewhat realistic depiction of an abandoned London and military fighting zombines scared the bejeezes out of me. There was good acting, for a zombie flick. In this one, 28 weeks after the events of the first movie, the US military moves to repopulate part of London, and find that the virus that caused the first outbreak isn't totally gone, and it runs amok again. It has the classic feel of a horrible sequel to a slasher film, and I think it's going to be a bomb without the main actors from the first movie, but it's better than Saw V.
May 18th - Shrek the Third. This is another one of those movies that has great name recognition. Apparently the plot is that Shrek might actually have to become king afterall, which isn't too appealing to an ogre who loves his swamp. So he moves to get someone else installed king, while the Prince Charming of the previous movie makes his own move to take the throne. If you liked the first two, I think you'll like this hopeful completion to the trilogy.
May 25th - Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At Worlds End is probably the longest title for a movie this year. But for anyone who has seen the previous films, this is a must see completion for the epic trilogy. The cast includes everyone from the second movie, plus Geoffrey Rush in a more prominant role as the returned Captain Barbossa, and Keith Richards will make a guest appearance as Jack Sparrow's father. Richards is the man Depp based his Jack Sparrow on, so that ought to be hilarious. This movie takes them to the Far East, and introduces Chow Yun Fat as the wily Chinese Captain Sao Feng. It's going to be awesome.
June 8th - Ocean's 13 is a movie we all didn't really want to see made. Heck, Ocean's 12 was a movie we all didn't really want to see made, and I think the final product bore that out. But I'm going to give this movie a chance. It features the same gang as before, but this time the bad guy from the first movie is back as an ally, and there's no french thief guy to dance around a room at the end, or a stupid plot line featuring Catherine Zeta Jones, or Julia Roberts playing an actress who pretends to be Julia Roberts. I'm holding out hope for this one, and am looking forward to it as a chance to finish the series with style.
June 29th - Ratatouille is the newest Pixar Disney CGI film. It features a rat in Paris who is also a chef and is addicted to fine foods. I don't know much else about it, but watch the trailer on Apple trailers, it's funny, as most Pixar films are, which means it's worth going to see.
June 29th - Live Free or Die Hard (Die Hard 4). Yeah we're seeing the return or continuation of a lot of franchises this year. But it's DIE HARD! Bruce Willis looks like he's back and better than ever. I imagine it won't be easy for him to do the whole "oh I'm just an average Joe walking down the street and woah look there's terrorists!" thing. But his goofy sidekick in this one is Justin Long, which should ensure it's funny as well as one of the better action flicks of the year.
July 6th - Transformers has fanboys everywhere salivating. We're all geeked for it, and I'm not going to pretend I'm not one of those fanboys. I'm a bit nervous, because of the drastic changes being made to it. But Peter Cullen and Frank Welker are there, reprising their roles as Optimus Prime and Megatron. I think that alone will give this movie a lot of validity. I'm worried that the plot will ruin everything I've come to love about this franchise, but I'm going to give them a chance. Hopefully subsequent movies will do the series justice and give the fanboys something to scream about. But don't miss this one, at the very least the CGI is going to be amazing, like an ILM wet dream.
July 13th - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth movie in the seven part franchise. It features some of the more memorable scenes from the book series, and I think all of us are anxious to see Dumbledore's Army take shape, and to see how Imelda Staunton handles the role of Dolores Umbridge. It's a series we've all grown to love, and the fact that many of the male actors seem to have discovered the real use of a barbershop is all the more encouraging. Fans will be sure to catch this one.
July 27th - The Simpsons Movie looks basically like a 90 minute version of a regular episode. Many people will balk at paying eight dollars for something that they can watch for free every Sunday, and I tend to agree with them. But the previews make this look rather hilarious, and if we're willing to pay that money to see any other stupid comedy, why not pay it to see a great comedy that we already know we like?
August 10th - Rush Hour 3 has been a long time in coming. We all knew at the end of the second one that there'd be a third one, and Chris Tucker has been virtually invisible since filming the second. If you remember the first two, they play an unlikely but hilarious crime fighting duo. In this one, they go to Paris (I was expecting New York from how the first one ended, since they take place back to back to back) and fight more Hong Kong crime bosses who've cropped up there. I imagine it will be a rehashing of the first two, with a hot french cop tossed in, so there's something for everyone.
September 7th - The Waterhorse is another you may not have heard of. The basic premise is that a young boy finds a magic egg that hatches into the Lochness Monster. I don't know much more than that, and probably won't until the trailer comes out, but from the premise, and the knowledge that the lead acting boy is the same kid from Millions, I have to say it sounds good from the outset.
September 14th - Eastern Promises is one I'm going to throw out there because of one actor: Viggo Mortenson. In this one, he plays a Russian crime boss in London. I don't know much more than that, but I think he's a fantastic actor, and it's always fun to watch him attempt brand new roles.
October 5th - The Golden Age is the sequel to Elizabeth (1998). In this one, Cate Blanchett reprises her role as Queen Elizabeth later in life. This is an exploration of the relationship between her and Sir Walter Raleigh, played by Clive Owen. I never saw Elizabeth, but these are two fantastic actors and I'm going to make an effort to catch this one. For anyone who enjoys the era, or enjoyed the first movie, be sure to catch this one.
October 12th - 3:10 to Yuma pits Russel Crowe against Christian Bale in a battle of wits. One plays a hardened criminal awaiting trial. The other is a small town rancher holding him while waiting for transport. The criminal tries to outwit his jailor in a battle of wills. I love movies like this, where dialogue plays a key role, and the characters really get a chance to explore themselves, each other, and their positions in life. It's not always about the flashy effects and stunts, sometimes it's just about good conversation and great writing, and from the director of Walk the Line and a writer involved in everything from Pirates to Collateral, I think we're in for just such a movie.
November 16th - Beowulf has been a long time in coming. Well, maybe not considering it's been made several times over even recently, but this is the big one we were waiting for. This is the one with the star studded cast, and directed by famed Robert Zumeckis. Everyone should have read the story in grade school, so you know about Grendel and his mother, and the terror they cause to this Nordic kingdom. I think this is going to be one of the top films of the year.
December 7th - His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass is going to be a stretch for some people. It's being billed as a philosophical thriller, which is really anyone's guess. The advertisements I've seen for it talk of a girl in Britian who overhears conversations with dust particles and tells of a magic compass that can answer any question for those skilled enough to understand it. It's one we're going to have to wait and see the trailer on for more information, but from the description alone it looks intriguing enough to get my attention for the year.
December 14th - I Am Legend only needs three words to sell me on it: Will, Smith, zombies. Everything Smith has touched in the last decade has turned to gold, and there's no reason to believe that this twist on the zombie theme, of a zombie hunter that hunts by day and hides by night, will be any exception to the rule. It's the first time in recent memory I can remember seeing an A List actor, high paid, much loved, doing something usually reserved for up and coming or washed out actors. Smith's interest in this movie alone has me excited to see a trailer, and wondering what he gave Jada to let him make so many movies this year.
December 21st - National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets is a MUCH anticipated sequel in my house. My entire family loves the first movie, and this next one, which returns all the main cast in an adventure to solve the new mystery of what really happened with Lincoln's assasination and 16 missing pages from his personal diary. The first movie was the perfect mixture of mystery, action and comedy, and I expect we'll get the same thing again with this one. The villain is yet to be named, which isn't a surprise, and I doubt we'll get Sean Bean back, which is fine with me, as I think a sequel demands a new villain. Barring more details on what it's about, I'm still cautiously optimistic about the best movie in the genre since Indiana Jones.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
2006 Year in Review
As promised, and only a couple days late, I'll be posting my review of the movies I saw in 2006. For the record, I saw 38 movies this year in theaters (less than usual). I saw some of them (Blood Diamond) more than once, and I also saw several 2006 movies on video at home. For the purposes of this year end review, we’ll be looking specifically at movies that I saw in theaters during the 2006 movie year.
Here you will find a countdown of my top ten films of 2006, plus three honorable mentions that almost made the cut.
Honorable Mention
The Guardian
This film went back and forth between on and off this list. Originally I wanted to cut it because I’ve really seen the plot in this film a hundred times. There’s a mentor and his protégé, immense amounts of talent and a will to succeed, they both overcome personal obstacles and something dramatic happens at the end. This movie fits that to a tee. But two reasons are convincing me to put it back on the list. The first, is that I, and most other people, love this genre. It’s compelling, as we love watching people overcoming in triumph at the end. The second, is that the acting was fantastic. Kevin Costner these days tends to play the same basic role, that of the cool old guy, usually pretty grumpy in some way too. He’s still a cool old guy, but his role is a lot darker than usual. He’s dealing with some heavy personal demons, and takes out some of his aggression on the class at the Coast Guarding school he starts teaching at. Ashton Kutcher is an actor I’ve grown to respect a lot more this year. He can play a goofball, an idiot (yeah there’s a difference), and a serious young adult with his own demons. His character has personal tragedy, and it’s given him a rather selfish resolve to be the best. He craves praise and recognition, but Costner teaches him humility. The only unnecessary character I felt was Sela Ward as Costner’s wife, who served more as a useless plot device than actual character in the movie. Kutcher and Costner carry the movie, and really make an old genre new again with a great performance.
Honorable Mention
Thank You For Smoking
Aaron Eckhart plays a great con man. The truly scary thing about this movie is its basis in truth. Cigarette companies of the 80’s and 90’s really did try and stuff their faux science down our throats, tricking us into poisoning ourselves while paying them billions in profits. This leads to a inevitable preachy nature in the movie, but as an almost mockumentary, it’s to be expected. He pulls off the role as a conniving teller of half truths and is a master of spin, until he’s tripped up by Katie Holmes, who plays a reporter out to take him down. In one of the movie’s more interesting scenes, Eckhart is kidnapped by a group of anti-tobacco protestors, stuck with dozens of nicotine patches, and almost dies of an overdose. Ironically, the fact that he smokes actually saved his life, which he spins to the benefit of the industry. The main story is Eckhart’s journey from unfettered, immoral man who’d sell his soul for a buck to guy who feels a little bad maybe but tries extra hard to be an unfettered, immoral man who’d sell his soul for a buck. He’s a member of the MOD Squad (Merchants of Death), which include representatives of the tobacco, alcohol and firearms industries. They get together at regular weekly meetings to discuss the week’s trials and tribulations. His lack of repentance is a different take, when you consider that’s usually the part in the movie where he’d realize the error of his ways and go back to the light. The movie ends with the MOD Squad adding three new members, oil, nuclear energy and fast food. It’s a little unorthodox, but it has a great message, good acting, and it’s funny. Try to catch this one if you can.
Honorable Mention
Hoodwinked
The last of the honorable mentions was maybe the oddest CGI movie take I’ve seen to date on a classic fairy tale. It’s billed as the true story of Little Red Riding Hood. It takes a lot of classic fairy tales then flips them all on their heads. From a singing Billy Goat to a snowboarding granny, nothing is what it really seems in this whodunit that I think takes the now traditional standard of using old fairy tales with a new spin and takes it to the next level. They are bringing them up to date, instead of leaving them as period pieces and using that for the source of comedy. That and the slightly darker, rougher animation in some places had this movie stand out a bit from the rest.
Now on to the real winners:
# 10
An Inconvenient Truth
The only documentary to make the top ten this year, Al Gore’s legacy turned movie is eye opening and scary, but at the same time filled me with a sense of hope. The movie is basically a film version of the same presentation Gore has given all over the world for several decades now, with updated information. The only thing I didn’t like about this movie was that it was tied in with background story, an autobiography really, on Gore’s life. I don’t blame him for the free publicity, and it actually was interesting hearing about his struggles for the environment, but it was a jarring transition every time. The movie is full of scary facts and figures, and quite a bit of doom saying about what is to come, but that isn’t the impression they leave us with. Above the scare tactics, this movie is about empowerment. Gore is telling us to get up, stop being lazy, and to take command of the world around us, being forces for positive change rather than letting the world spiral out of control. He tells us where the pollution is coming from, what we can do to help, and what the grave consequences are for inaction. It was a bit annoying to have to pay eight bucks for what amounts to a PSA, but I’m still glad I saw it, and recommend this to every one that even owns a television.
# 9
Snakes on a Plane
Let’s not kid ourselves, Snakes on a Plane is one of those sinfully deliciously horrible movies. It sucked. But it was also one of the best times I’ve had at a movie in months. No one is pretending this was a seriously good movie, it was a farce, and it was meant to be a farce, perhaps one of the best ever. Samuel L. Jackson gave really the only performance worth mentioned, as a tough talking FBI agent whose name I honestly don’t remember. It was hysterical, it was brutal, it was vulgar, and jaw dropping. Half the fun of the movie was the people I saw it with. The collective shouts and screams, together with the cheers, applause and laughter made it an experience as much as just a day at the movies. I’ve seen it again since I saw it the first time, and was surprised to find I still like it. It was perhaps the most hotly anticipated movie of the year among my group of friends, and it didn’t disappoint. Save this one for a large gathering of friends, and don’t hesitate to scream at the screen and wildly gesticulate, trust me, it’s that kind of movie.
# 8
Over the Hedge
This was the most star studded of all the casts for CGI movies this year, and I think it paid off. Bruce Willis plays the lead, and comes off as a great mischievous raccoon. William Shatner is always a treat, here as an overacting possum. Steve Carrell was perfectly cast as the over-caffeinated squirrel. It’s much like the typical spate of CGI movies, funny little talking animals get together, a lesson is learned, the lead character grows, and with some amazing visual effects. But paying too much attention to a popular formula from the point of view of the viewer makes it very hard to enjoy an honestly hysterical and entertaining film. The voice acting was top notch. Those acting in this movie were chosen to fill niches, and the choices in casting were phenomenal. It was easily the best CGI movie of the year, and I’d be hard pressed to pick a better comedy for the year either. Over the Hedge wins hands down.
# 7
A Prairie Home Companion
This was one of the more unique films of the year. Conceived by and starring famed radio show host Garrison Keillor, Prairie Home is about the fictitious last showing of the real life show. The star laden cast work beautifully together, in what I would easily call the best ensemble cast of the year. Kevin Kline is hilarious, in a role he does best: straight man who is really an idiot. Woody Harrelson complements John C Reilly as a singing/comedy duo. Lily Tomlin and Meryl Streep play their female counterparts, as the singing sisters Yolanda and Rhonda. They harmonize well, and I believe them as sisters who’ve had a long life together. There’s something delightfully folksy and real about them, and they really sound good together singing. It’s just an all around great movie. These people know it’s the last show, but they don’t so much go out with a bang as they do go out in style, doing the best show they can, like any other night but with a bittersweet undertone and memories abounding. It’s an offbeat movie, not in the mainstream, but you’d be wise to take a step out of line to watch it.
# 6
Click
Adam Sandler has long been the king of low brow comedy. There’s nothing intelligent about Happy Gilmore or Billy Madison. But we never cared because at the end of the day, they were funny. Which is no one ever really criticizes Adam Sandler as an actor, because he plays those dumb, low brow roles so well, the fact is we don’t ask any more of him, so we really don’t have any room to criticize. But with Click, Sandler rose above all his previous material. The Sandler comedy isn’t completely done, and he makes what looks like a gratuitous homage to his old immature humor (which really wasn’t even funny), but most of the movie is his transition into serious actor, or at least serious comedian. This movie is a roller coaster of emotion, especially the end, and I left wonderfully surprised by how drawn into the movie I was. It wasn’t just him and crazy antics involved with the remote (given to him by a hysterical Christopher Walken), it was his relationship with his wife and kids, and the price a father pays by being absent from those interactions. It tells the story of the cost in coasting through life, and how late we realize the things we really want out of life. It had my best friend in tears at the end, and I was a little misty eyed myself. It was a nice melding of comedy and serious drama, with fantastic acting, a good moral lesson, and a stunning crossover performance by Adam Sandler.
To say that the top five this year were hard to place is an understatement. All five of the following films were fantastic. The acting was superb, the plots largely original, the directing fantastic, and the movies themselves worthy of the highest praise. If I had it my way, I’d call it a five way tie (well, maybe not that drastic), but keep in mind when you see the numbers above the film titles that there is very little separating these films for the most part.
# 5
Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
Oh no! A sequel? Yeah, usually that’s the same thing as signing a death warrant for a movie. Sequels are hit or miss. Either they’re born of the sort of squalor that breeds direct to DVD home movies, or they rise above their material and become better than the original. This movie had its flaws, such as what I think is 30 minutes of unnecessary footage of sailing and general shipboard stuff that I could have done without, and unnecessarily long sword fights. Don’t get me wrong, I love sword fights, but I’m watching a movie, not a fencing tutorial. The soundtrack was captivating, like the first one, and only the main themes were recycled by Hans Zimmer, leaving more than an hour of fresh new music. As always, Jack Sparrow as played by Johnny Depp was amazing. It’s a role that few could have envisioned before actually seeing him play it. Bill Nighy is a great addition to the cast as Davy Jones, and the CGI effects used to create his raiment are so good I was constantly wondering what was CGI and what was makeup (it’s all CGI). Nighy’s acting is easy to spot, as he often plays the same character, or at least different characters with the same vocal mannerisms, and is always spot on. This movie, like the first one, is fun, let me say that again, it’s fun! And it’s funny. It doesn’t have to be well acted (though it is) and it doesn’t have to have great effects (it does) if it’s as fun as this movie. The comedy as with its predecessor is golden, and the supporting actors do a very adequate job of backing Depp up. Many complained that the ending is a cheap shot, with the cliffhanger leaving us all in suspense for the final third movie, but May is right around the corner, and can anyone really complain that they didn’t get their money’s worth in this movie? Kudos to Verbinski and Depp for a great movie well made!
# 4
The Da Vinci Code
I admit to having never read the book, so I don’t know what inaccuracies may lie within this movie, but I have to say, it was a great ride! The fun with this movie, which plays out like a modern day Indiana Jones (only with fewer physical stunts than say, National Treasure), is that new revelations are always coming to the surface. New clues are always being discovered and unmasked, even to the last few minutes of the movie. Now as an historian in training, I can say that at least some of the history behind the movie is utter garbage, but if I can brush my niggling annoyances under the rug, I’m left with a fantastic piece of historical fiction. It’s funny, it’s shocking, the revelations about the history of Christianity and the results of multiple “what if” scenarios are mind boggling. And with each new shocking revelation, the movie turns viewers on their heads but doesn’t give them much time to figure it out before launching into the next set of clues and mysteries. The film is about the legacy of Leonardo da Vinci, and a secret passed down through two thousand years of Templars and their descendents. Tom Hanks plays the lead role, trying to avoid a secret Catholic sect called Opus Dei who are trying to stamp out the truth, and gets himself involved with something far larger than he ever could have suspected. His accomplice Audrey Tautou plays a French government cop who helps him get around another cop who is on their tale, a legion of duplicitous people who are never really friend or foe, and in the end discovers a new truth about herself as well. I was excited all through this movie, on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen, and nothing ever really disappointed me. What’s scary is the implications of this particular “what if,” that Jesus fathered a child with Mary Magdalen, and what repercussions it would have for the world. I can’t recommend this film enough.
# 3
Lucky Number Slevin
I have to admit I was slower than usual in guessing the outcome of this movie. I did get it, far before it was over, but even when the truth came out I was still a little bit blown away. This movie has a star studded cast, and none of them really disappoint. It features Josh Hartnett as misidentified Slevin, wanted by two different mob bosses for money he supposedly owes them. Both mob bosses give him a job to do, in order to erase the debts, but he’s also being followed by a very famous assassin. In the end, Slevin has an agenda of his own, which is complicated by the fact that he’s fallen in love with the real Slevin’s neighbor, played by Lucy Liu. The plot is fantastically original, and the acting is stellar. The end throws a few twists at the viewer that many might see coming, but they’re still fun to watch unfold. I should also mention the rather odd, yet appealing set design. The apartments in the movie all have their own distinct feel, which seems to scream 1970’s art deco, but there’s still something appealing about them that fits in with the feeling of the movie. Slevin gets high marks for acting and plot originality, and most important of all, it was just plain entertaining, which is all you can really ask from a movie.
# 2
V for Vendetta
V is the story of a weird futuristic Britain, ruled by a totalitarian lord who apparently finally got his way after being stymied by John Goodman in King Ralph. In this future, some songs are banned, there’s a curfew, there’s no freedom of speech, America is locked in a civil war, and government agents can break the law at will without fear of reprisal. The current government apparently took over after several outbreaks of a deadly disease that killed thousands before it was cured. It was blamed on terrorism, but that wasn’t where it really came from. Dissidents are cruelly repressed, but there’s one who stands out above them all. His name is V. His accomplice is a young girl named Evey, who after being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time is saved by V, and she subsequently saves him, and ends up an unwilling guest in his home. Meanwhile, V isn’t idle. His goal is to overthrow the corrupt government through any means possible. He mocks the government openly, and slowly over the course of a year convinces many people, through his acts of terrorism, to rise up against the government, while simultaneously killing several people that fit into his own private agenda. Evey is trapped in the middle, not wanting to be a part of it all, knowing what had happened to her parents, and knowing what would happen to her if the truth were discovered. The end is a stunning culmination of the movie’s events. Personally I was close to tears upon seeing the display it was so moving. The movie is artsy in a way, which I guess you might expect coming from a movie adapted from a comic book, but it’s also an amazing story of triumph, of using immoral acts to achieve a most moral and noble goal, and of one girl’s journey from terrified orphan to a woman without fear. The acting, mostly carried by the voice of Hugo Weaving and the terrified crying of Natalie Portman, is superb, as is the story itself. It’s a feel good movie, but of the darkest sort.
# 1
Blood Diamond
I can’t say enough about this film. It probably won’t be first on the list of any one else, but no other film this year had such a combination of fantastic acting, stunning effects, and a plot that makes me glad to be a human being. Leonardi DiCaprio gave an Oscar worthy performance as Danny Archer, a diamond smuggler in war torn Sierra Leone. Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly also gave stunning performances. Many complained about the preachy nature of the film, but I didn’t see it. I was too busy getting lost in the plot. A diamond smuggler who gets caught and ends up having to escort a poor fisherman whose family has been captured by blood diamond rebels to where he hid the mother of all diamonds. They fight there way through a brutal civil war, with a treacherous mercenary colonel, and everyone has their own secret, or not so secret, agenda. In the end however, they all change, not in the feel good fuzzy ending sort of way, but just enough make the best of a poor situation. None of them get everything they want, and some of them get nothing at all, and that’s part of the magic of the movie. It’s raw, and it’s real. There’s something agonizing in the way the diamond smuggler without morals is redeemed at the end, but the price he pays is also a price to the American reporter (Connelly), who in the end cares less about her vaunted story and more about the man she aims to get it from. But she gets her story, not the man. It’s heart wrenching, it’s captivating, and at the end of the day it’s a well put together story that never seems to end, though not in the drawn out sort of way, but rather in the way you never really want it to end, not until everything can come together perfectly. Like I said, Blood Diamond won’t be first on the list of probably any other reviewer out there, but of anything I’m looking forward to buying on DVD this year, this movie tops my list, and I wish heaps of awards on the team that put it together.
Here you will find a countdown of my top ten films of 2006, plus three honorable mentions that almost made the cut.
Honorable Mention
The Guardian
This film went back and forth between on and off this list. Originally I wanted to cut it because I’ve really seen the plot in this film a hundred times. There’s a mentor and his protégé, immense amounts of talent and a will to succeed, they both overcome personal obstacles and something dramatic happens at the end. This movie fits that to a tee. But two reasons are convincing me to put it back on the list. The first, is that I, and most other people, love this genre. It’s compelling, as we love watching people overcoming in triumph at the end. The second, is that the acting was fantastic. Kevin Costner these days tends to play the same basic role, that of the cool old guy, usually pretty grumpy in some way too. He’s still a cool old guy, but his role is a lot darker than usual. He’s dealing with some heavy personal demons, and takes out some of his aggression on the class at the Coast Guarding school he starts teaching at. Ashton Kutcher is an actor I’ve grown to respect a lot more this year. He can play a goofball, an idiot (yeah there’s a difference), and a serious young adult with his own demons. His character has personal tragedy, and it’s given him a rather selfish resolve to be the best. He craves praise and recognition, but Costner teaches him humility. The only unnecessary character I felt was Sela Ward as Costner’s wife, who served more as a useless plot device than actual character in the movie. Kutcher and Costner carry the movie, and really make an old genre new again with a great performance.
Honorable Mention
Thank You For Smoking
Aaron Eckhart plays a great con man. The truly scary thing about this movie is its basis in truth. Cigarette companies of the 80’s and 90’s really did try and stuff their faux science down our throats, tricking us into poisoning ourselves while paying them billions in profits. This leads to a inevitable preachy nature in the movie, but as an almost mockumentary, it’s to be expected. He pulls off the role as a conniving teller of half truths and is a master of spin, until he’s tripped up by Katie Holmes, who plays a reporter out to take him down. In one of the movie’s more interesting scenes, Eckhart is kidnapped by a group of anti-tobacco protestors, stuck with dozens of nicotine patches, and almost dies of an overdose. Ironically, the fact that he smokes actually saved his life, which he spins to the benefit of the industry. The main story is Eckhart’s journey from unfettered, immoral man who’d sell his soul for a buck to guy who feels a little bad maybe but tries extra hard to be an unfettered, immoral man who’d sell his soul for a buck. He’s a member of the MOD Squad (Merchants of Death), which include representatives of the tobacco, alcohol and firearms industries. They get together at regular weekly meetings to discuss the week’s trials and tribulations. His lack of repentance is a different take, when you consider that’s usually the part in the movie where he’d realize the error of his ways and go back to the light. The movie ends with the MOD Squad adding three new members, oil, nuclear energy and fast food. It’s a little unorthodox, but it has a great message, good acting, and it’s funny. Try to catch this one if you can.
Honorable Mention
Hoodwinked
The last of the honorable mentions was maybe the oddest CGI movie take I’ve seen to date on a classic fairy tale. It’s billed as the true story of Little Red Riding Hood. It takes a lot of classic fairy tales then flips them all on their heads. From a singing Billy Goat to a snowboarding granny, nothing is what it really seems in this whodunit that I think takes the now traditional standard of using old fairy tales with a new spin and takes it to the next level. They are bringing them up to date, instead of leaving them as period pieces and using that for the source of comedy. That and the slightly darker, rougher animation in some places had this movie stand out a bit from the rest.
Now on to the real winners:
# 10
An Inconvenient Truth
The only documentary to make the top ten this year, Al Gore’s legacy turned movie is eye opening and scary, but at the same time filled me with a sense of hope. The movie is basically a film version of the same presentation Gore has given all over the world for several decades now, with updated information. The only thing I didn’t like about this movie was that it was tied in with background story, an autobiography really, on Gore’s life. I don’t blame him for the free publicity, and it actually was interesting hearing about his struggles for the environment, but it was a jarring transition every time. The movie is full of scary facts and figures, and quite a bit of doom saying about what is to come, but that isn’t the impression they leave us with. Above the scare tactics, this movie is about empowerment. Gore is telling us to get up, stop being lazy, and to take command of the world around us, being forces for positive change rather than letting the world spiral out of control. He tells us where the pollution is coming from, what we can do to help, and what the grave consequences are for inaction. It was a bit annoying to have to pay eight bucks for what amounts to a PSA, but I’m still glad I saw it, and recommend this to every one that even owns a television.
# 9
Snakes on a Plane
Let’s not kid ourselves, Snakes on a Plane is one of those sinfully deliciously horrible movies. It sucked. But it was also one of the best times I’ve had at a movie in months. No one is pretending this was a seriously good movie, it was a farce, and it was meant to be a farce, perhaps one of the best ever. Samuel L. Jackson gave really the only performance worth mentioned, as a tough talking FBI agent whose name I honestly don’t remember. It was hysterical, it was brutal, it was vulgar, and jaw dropping. Half the fun of the movie was the people I saw it with. The collective shouts and screams, together with the cheers, applause and laughter made it an experience as much as just a day at the movies. I’ve seen it again since I saw it the first time, and was surprised to find I still like it. It was perhaps the most hotly anticipated movie of the year among my group of friends, and it didn’t disappoint. Save this one for a large gathering of friends, and don’t hesitate to scream at the screen and wildly gesticulate, trust me, it’s that kind of movie.
# 8
Over the Hedge
This was the most star studded of all the casts for CGI movies this year, and I think it paid off. Bruce Willis plays the lead, and comes off as a great mischievous raccoon. William Shatner is always a treat, here as an overacting possum. Steve Carrell was perfectly cast as the over-caffeinated squirrel. It’s much like the typical spate of CGI movies, funny little talking animals get together, a lesson is learned, the lead character grows, and with some amazing visual effects. But paying too much attention to a popular formula from the point of view of the viewer makes it very hard to enjoy an honestly hysterical and entertaining film. The voice acting was top notch. Those acting in this movie were chosen to fill niches, and the choices in casting were phenomenal. It was easily the best CGI movie of the year, and I’d be hard pressed to pick a better comedy for the year either. Over the Hedge wins hands down.
# 7
A Prairie Home Companion
This was one of the more unique films of the year. Conceived by and starring famed radio show host Garrison Keillor, Prairie Home is about the fictitious last showing of the real life show. The star laden cast work beautifully together, in what I would easily call the best ensemble cast of the year. Kevin Kline is hilarious, in a role he does best: straight man who is really an idiot. Woody Harrelson complements John C Reilly as a singing/comedy duo. Lily Tomlin and Meryl Streep play their female counterparts, as the singing sisters Yolanda and Rhonda. They harmonize well, and I believe them as sisters who’ve had a long life together. There’s something delightfully folksy and real about them, and they really sound good together singing. It’s just an all around great movie. These people know it’s the last show, but they don’t so much go out with a bang as they do go out in style, doing the best show they can, like any other night but with a bittersweet undertone and memories abounding. It’s an offbeat movie, not in the mainstream, but you’d be wise to take a step out of line to watch it.
# 6
Click
Adam Sandler has long been the king of low brow comedy. There’s nothing intelligent about Happy Gilmore or Billy Madison. But we never cared because at the end of the day, they were funny. Which is no one ever really criticizes Adam Sandler as an actor, because he plays those dumb, low brow roles so well, the fact is we don’t ask any more of him, so we really don’t have any room to criticize. But with Click, Sandler rose above all his previous material. The Sandler comedy isn’t completely done, and he makes what looks like a gratuitous homage to his old immature humor (which really wasn’t even funny), but most of the movie is his transition into serious actor, or at least serious comedian. This movie is a roller coaster of emotion, especially the end, and I left wonderfully surprised by how drawn into the movie I was. It wasn’t just him and crazy antics involved with the remote (given to him by a hysterical Christopher Walken), it was his relationship with his wife and kids, and the price a father pays by being absent from those interactions. It tells the story of the cost in coasting through life, and how late we realize the things we really want out of life. It had my best friend in tears at the end, and I was a little misty eyed myself. It was a nice melding of comedy and serious drama, with fantastic acting, a good moral lesson, and a stunning crossover performance by Adam Sandler.
To say that the top five this year were hard to place is an understatement. All five of the following films were fantastic. The acting was superb, the plots largely original, the directing fantastic, and the movies themselves worthy of the highest praise. If I had it my way, I’d call it a five way tie (well, maybe not that drastic), but keep in mind when you see the numbers above the film titles that there is very little separating these films for the most part.
# 5
Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
Oh no! A sequel? Yeah, usually that’s the same thing as signing a death warrant for a movie. Sequels are hit or miss. Either they’re born of the sort of squalor that breeds direct to DVD home movies, or they rise above their material and become better than the original. This movie had its flaws, such as what I think is 30 minutes of unnecessary footage of sailing and general shipboard stuff that I could have done without, and unnecessarily long sword fights. Don’t get me wrong, I love sword fights, but I’m watching a movie, not a fencing tutorial. The soundtrack was captivating, like the first one, and only the main themes were recycled by Hans Zimmer, leaving more than an hour of fresh new music. As always, Jack Sparrow as played by Johnny Depp was amazing. It’s a role that few could have envisioned before actually seeing him play it. Bill Nighy is a great addition to the cast as Davy Jones, and the CGI effects used to create his raiment are so good I was constantly wondering what was CGI and what was makeup (it’s all CGI). Nighy’s acting is easy to spot, as he often plays the same character, or at least different characters with the same vocal mannerisms, and is always spot on. This movie, like the first one, is fun, let me say that again, it’s fun! And it’s funny. It doesn’t have to be well acted (though it is) and it doesn’t have to have great effects (it does) if it’s as fun as this movie. The comedy as with its predecessor is golden, and the supporting actors do a very adequate job of backing Depp up. Many complained that the ending is a cheap shot, with the cliffhanger leaving us all in suspense for the final third movie, but May is right around the corner, and can anyone really complain that they didn’t get their money’s worth in this movie? Kudos to Verbinski and Depp for a great movie well made!
# 4
The Da Vinci Code
I admit to having never read the book, so I don’t know what inaccuracies may lie within this movie, but I have to say, it was a great ride! The fun with this movie, which plays out like a modern day Indiana Jones (only with fewer physical stunts than say, National Treasure), is that new revelations are always coming to the surface. New clues are always being discovered and unmasked, even to the last few minutes of the movie. Now as an historian in training, I can say that at least some of the history behind the movie is utter garbage, but if I can brush my niggling annoyances under the rug, I’m left with a fantastic piece of historical fiction. It’s funny, it’s shocking, the revelations about the history of Christianity and the results of multiple “what if” scenarios are mind boggling. And with each new shocking revelation, the movie turns viewers on their heads but doesn’t give them much time to figure it out before launching into the next set of clues and mysteries. The film is about the legacy of Leonardo da Vinci, and a secret passed down through two thousand years of Templars and their descendents. Tom Hanks plays the lead role, trying to avoid a secret Catholic sect called Opus Dei who are trying to stamp out the truth, and gets himself involved with something far larger than he ever could have suspected. His accomplice Audrey Tautou plays a French government cop who helps him get around another cop who is on their tale, a legion of duplicitous people who are never really friend or foe, and in the end discovers a new truth about herself as well. I was excited all through this movie, on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen, and nothing ever really disappointed me. What’s scary is the implications of this particular “what if,” that Jesus fathered a child with Mary Magdalen, and what repercussions it would have for the world. I can’t recommend this film enough.
# 3
Lucky Number Slevin
I have to admit I was slower than usual in guessing the outcome of this movie. I did get it, far before it was over, but even when the truth came out I was still a little bit blown away. This movie has a star studded cast, and none of them really disappoint. It features Josh Hartnett as misidentified Slevin, wanted by two different mob bosses for money he supposedly owes them. Both mob bosses give him a job to do, in order to erase the debts, but he’s also being followed by a very famous assassin. In the end, Slevin has an agenda of his own, which is complicated by the fact that he’s fallen in love with the real Slevin’s neighbor, played by Lucy Liu. The plot is fantastically original, and the acting is stellar. The end throws a few twists at the viewer that many might see coming, but they’re still fun to watch unfold. I should also mention the rather odd, yet appealing set design. The apartments in the movie all have their own distinct feel, which seems to scream 1970’s art deco, but there’s still something appealing about them that fits in with the feeling of the movie. Slevin gets high marks for acting and plot originality, and most important of all, it was just plain entertaining, which is all you can really ask from a movie.
# 2
V for Vendetta
V is the story of a weird futuristic Britain, ruled by a totalitarian lord who apparently finally got his way after being stymied by John Goodman in King Ralph. In this future, some songs are banned, there’s a curfew, there’s no freedom of speech, America is locked in a civil war, and government agents can break the law at will without fear of reprisal. The current government apparently took over after several outbreaks of a deadly disease that killed thousands before it was cured. It was blamed on terrorism, but that wasn’t where it really came from. Dissidents are cruelly repressed, but there’s one who stands out above them all. His name is V. His accomplice is a young girl named Evey, who after being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time is saved by V, and she subsequently saves him, and ends up an unwilling guest in his home. Meanwhile, V isn’t idle. His goal is to overthrow the corrupt government through any means possible. He mocks the government openly, and slowly over the course of a year convinces many people, through his acts of terrorism, to rise up against the government, while simultaneously killing several people that fit into his own private agenda. Evey is trapped in the middle, not wanting to be a part of it all, knowing what had happened to her parents, and knowing what would happen to her if the truth were discovered. The end is a stunning culmination of the movie’s events. Personally I was close to tears upon seeing the display it was so moving. The movie is artsy in a way, which I guess you might expect coming from a movie adapted from a comic book, but it’s also an amazing story of triumph, of using immoral acts to achieve a most moral and noble goal, and of one girl’s journey from terrified orphan to a woman without fear. The acting, mostly carried by the voice of Hugo Weaving and the terrified crying of Natalie Portman, is superb, as is the story itself. It’s a feel good movie, but of the darkest sort.
# 1
Blood Diamond
I can’t say enough about this film. It probably won’t be first on the list of any one else, but no other film this year had such a combination of fantastic acting, stunning effects, and a plot that makes me glad to be a human being. Leonardi DiCaprio gave an Oscar worthy performance as Danny Archer, a diamond smuggler in war torn Sierra Leone. Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly also gave stunning performances. Many complained about the preachy nature of the film, but I didn’t see it. I was too busy getting lost in the plot. A diamond smuggler who gets caught and ends up having to escort a poor fisherman whose family has been captured by blood diamond rebels to where he hid the mother of all diamonds. They fight there way through a brutal civil war, with a treacherous mercenary colonel, and everyone has their own secret, or not so secret, agenda. In the end however, they all change, not in the feel good fuzzy ending sort of way, but just enough make the best of a poor situation. None of them get everything they want, and some of them get nothing at all, and that’s part of the magic of the movie. It’s raw, and it’s real. There’s something agonizing in the way the diamond smuggler without morals is redeemed at the end, but the price he pays is also a price to the American reporter (Connelly), who in the end cares less about her vaunted story and more about the man she aims to get it from. But she gets her story, not the man. It’s heart wrenching, it’s captivating, and at the end of the day it’s a well put together story that never seems to end, though not in the drawn out sort of way, but rather in the way you never really want it to end, not until everything can come together perfectly. Like I said, Blood Diamond won’t be first on the list of probably any other reviewer out there, but of anything I’m looking forward to buying on DVD this year, this movie tops my list, and I wish heaps of awards on the team that put it together.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Eragon
I wanted to take a quick moment to discuss the movie Eragon with you. This will be a shorter review than most, and it's really just an addendum to what was going to be an announcement that by the weekend I would be posting my 2006 Year End Review of movies, but I had to get this out.
Upon going over the films of 2006 I was stopped short by Eragon. Let me just start off by saying that the world created by Chris Paolini is fun and imaginative. Well, maybe not imaginative, dragon riders and elves are nothing new, but I give him credit for putting it together nicely. I've never read the book this film was based on, and after seeing the movie, I have even less interest now than I did before. The effects in the movie were stunning. I didn't think a dragon could be rendered so beautifully, but I was wrong. The acting, was so-so. Jeremy Irons did a great job, but that was never in question. Rachel Weisz was a fun Saphira. Edward Speleers was awkward. His facial expressions leave me convinced that he's just discovered his face and doesn't quite know what to do with it, making for some comical expressions.
But all that is just icing on the cake. As with any movie, it really comes down to the plot and the entertainment value. Was the movie fun? Was the movie original, or a least a good take on an old idea? Well, I admit it had a bit of sugary empty calorie goodness to it. But I just couldn't get over the plot. I'm sorry, it was just so glaring it was impossible to ignore, and it turned what should have been a serious fantasy movie into a comedy.
What's so funny, is the fact that the plot for this movie is lifted directly from Star Wars, with a smattering of Lord of the Rings thrown in. It's the story of a young farm hand who discovers something he maybe shouldn't have, his uncle who he was staying with is killed, and he is forced to flee into hiding with a wisened old drifter, who ends up being the last of a lost people. Sound familiar? It gets better. After learning that he's special, and can wield the Force, I mean dragons, Obi-Wan, I mean Brom, tells him that he's the last hope of a group of rebels. Luke, I mean Eragon, disregards this information at first and rushes off to the enemy castle to rescue Leia, I mean Arwen, I mean Arya. His chief opponent at this point is Saruman, I mean Durza, a shade who commands King Galbatorix's army in a very Saruman like fashion. Arya is rescued, but at the cost of Brom-wan Kenobi, who sacrifices himself to save Eragon. Eragon and Arya rush off to the rebels, and are followed by the Death Star, I mean Durza's army, and together they face off. Eragon comes off triumphant, defeating Durza and securing the Rebels for the moment. Darth Galbatorix however isn't foiled yet, and the movie ends with him plotting revenge from his TIE Fighter, I mean castle.
I mean, come on, at least try and disguise it a little! This wasn't so much original fantasy as it was Star Wars remade into a fantasy setting, and not even very well at that! For that reason I give this movie two thumbs so far down as to mash them into the ground. It was funny when it wasn't supposed to be, it was poorly acted where it shouldn't have been, and it was freaking Star Wars!
Save your self some time and money and just watch the original. Look foward this weekend to my year end review for movies in 2006, and a sneak peek at what I'm looking forward to in 2007.
Upon going over the films of 2006 I was stopped short by Eragon. Let me just start off by saying that the world created by Chris Paolini is fun and imaginative. Well, maybe not imaginative, dragon riders and elves are nothing new, but I give him credit for putting it together nicely. I've never read the book this film was based on, and after seeing the movie, I have even less interest now than I did before. The effects in the movie were stunning. I didn't think a dragon could be rendered so beautifully, but I was wrong. The acting, was so-so. Jeremy Irons did a great job, but that was never in question. Rachel Weisz was a fun Saphira. Edward Speleers was awkward. His facial expressions leave me convinced that he's just discovered his face and doesn't quite know what to do with it, making for some comical expressions.
But all that is just icing on the cake. As with any movie, it really comes down to the plot and the entertainment value. Was the movie fun? Was the movie original, or a least a good take on an old idea? Well, I admit it had a bit of sugary empty calorie goodness to it. But I just couldn't get over the plot. I'm sorry, it was just so glaring it was impossible to ignore, and it turned what should have been a serious fantasy movie into a comedy.
What's so funny, is the fact that the plot for this movie is lifted directly from Star Wars, with a smattering of Lord of the Rings thrown in. It's the story of a young farm hand who discovers something he maybe shouldn't have, his uncle who he was staying with is killed, and he is forced to flee into hiding with a wisened old drifter, who ends up being the last of a lost people. Sound familiar? It gets better. After learning that he's special, and can wield the Force, I mean dragons, Obi-Wan, I mean Brom, tells him that he's the last hope of a group of rebels. Luke, I mean Eragon, disregards this information at first and rushes off to the enemy castle to rescue Leia, I mean Arwen, I mean Arya. His chief opponent at this point is Saruman, I mean Durza, a shade who commands King Galbatorix's army in a very Saruman like fashion. Arya is rescued, but at the cost of Brom-wan Kenobi, who sacrifices himself to save Eragon. Eragon and Arya rush off to the rebels, and are followed by the Death Star, I mean Durza's army, and together they face off. Eragon comes off triumphant, defeating Durza and securing the Rebels for the moment. Darth Galbatorix however isn't foiled yet, and the movie ends with him plotting revenge from his TIE Fighter, I mean castle.
I mean, come on, at least try and disguise it a little! This wasn't so much original fantasy as it was Star Wars remade into a fantasy setting, and not even very well at that! For that reason I give this movie two thumbs so far down as to mash them into the ground. It was funny when it wasn't supposed to be, it was poorly acted where it shouldn't have been, and it was freaking Star Wars!
Save your self some time and money and just watch the original. Look foward this weekend to my year end review for movies in 2006, and a sneak peek at what I'm looking forward to in 2007.
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Night at the Museum
After seeing previews for Night at the Museum run almost endlessly on Comedy Central, I was both looking forward to and slightly dreading this film. I say looking forward to because it looked absolutely hysterical, and I say dreading because any movie that has to advertise that much on a show whose demographic suggests 18-25 year old male either has self esteem issues or really has something wrong with it.
But I was still looking forward to it, because the trailers were funny. My only fear was that all the funny parts were in the trailer, and that nothing would remain for me to actually see in the movie. Thankfully I wasn't disappointed.
The movie was really quite funny. You've all probably seen the premise, part Jumanji part Indian in the Cupboard. The idea was that some ancient Egyptian talisman made everything in the museum come to life at night, but they all had to stay in the museum until sunrise or they'd turn to dust. There's also a subplot involving theft and the inhabitants of the museum coming together, but to be honest, everyone had to see that coming, I'm really only interested in what entertained me (which was the comedy, not the hokey plot).
Ben Stiller was funny, not spectacularly, not dismally, but he performed in typical Ben Stiller fashion. Ricky Gervais must have ad libbed half his lines, as I can't imagine anyone actually writing dialogue that contained only half sentences and mutterings. It was funny, sure, but was either unscripted or written by someone who had to of known Gervais was playing the role. Robin Williams was typically funny, but shockingly, played a somewhat believable wax Teddy Roosevelt, who was also funny.
The real jems of the movie were Steve Coogan and Owen Wilson, who played the miniature Octavias and Jedidiah. They're interaction was the best part of the movie, and every time they were off the screen I kept waiting for them to come back. They were ridiculous, and fantastic, which means they were utterly comical.
It was a good movie, really I liked it, and I'll probably buy it on DVD when it comes out. More importantly, I thought it was more funny than Borat, which everyone seems to think is the best movie since sliced bread. Borat WAS funny, but it wasn't the be all, end all of comedy. So go check out Night at the Museum, it's well worth your time and your money, and with Seasonal Affective Disorder on the prowl, it just might save your life!
But I was still looking forward to it, because the trailers were funny. My only fear was that all the funny parts were in the trailer, and that nothing would remain for me to actually see in the movie. Thankfully I wasn't disappointed.
The movie was really quite funny. You've all probably seen the premise, part Jumanji part Indian in the Cupboard. The idea was that some ancient Egyptian talisman made everything in the museum come to life at night, but they all had to stay in the museum until sunrise or they'd turn to dust. There's also a subplot involving theft and the inhabitants of the museum coming together, but to be honest, everyone had to see that coming, I'm really only interested in what entertained me (which was the comedy, not the hokey plot).
Ben Stiller was funny, not spectacularly, not dismally, but he performed in typical Ben Stiller fashion. Ricky Gervais must have ad libbed half his lines, as I can't imagine anyone actually writing dialogue that contained only half sentences and mutterings. It was funny, sure, but was either unscripted or written by someone who had to of known Gervais was playing the role. Robin Williams was typically funny, but shockingly, played a somewhat believable wax Teddy Roosevelt, who was also funny.
The real jems of the movie were Steve Coogan and Owen Wilson, who played the miniature Octavias and Jedidiah. They're interaction was the best part of the movie, and every time they were off the screen I kept waiting for them to come back. They were ridiculous, and fantastic, which means they were utterly comical.
It was a good movie, really I liked it, and I'll probably buy it on DVD when it comes out. More importantly, I thought it was more funny than Borat, which everyone seems to think is the best movie since sliced bread. Borat WAS funny, but it wasn't the be all, end all of comedy. So go check out Night at the Museum, it's well worth your time and your money, and with Seasonal Affective Disorder on the prowl, it just might save your life!
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