Feb (NF23/CC7/MM1/ST2)

* Lucky number slevin: (2006 - Action, drama) Starring Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Michael Rubenfeld, Stanley Tucci. Recommended by a bunch of people at work. While this movie had a great cast, the directing and writing were overwrought. Far too much talky talk, poor pacing, and poor directing. The cast did so much talking that I gave up trying to figure out what the story was about. A case of mistaken identity? Of course not, that would be to contrived and shallow for the audience. Of course it's something deeper, something more sinister.. Whatever. The story was a convoluted plot of criminal acts, the consequences of those acts, and the power of revenge - Hollywood style. The only saving grace is the fine acting by this cast. If it hadn't been for them (well most of them), it wouldn't get a 3 out of 5.
* Catch a fire: (2006 - Action, drama / Multi-country) An even handed story about Apartheid. The story takes place in Apartheid-era South Africa. The story revolves around two main characters. A police officer played by Tim Robbins, and a black worker played by Derek Luke. As the policies of Apartheid make victims of the innocent, their are no disinterested parties. Derek Lukes character suffers willingly at first, but that's not enough for those in power. When the police are unconvinced by his 'stories', they turn to more drastic means in order to get to 'the truth'. Pushed over the edge by a government that would torture women and children, Luke's character crosses the border, literally and figuratively. The results are 'explosive'. Excellent writing, directing and acting. This one earns it's 4 out of 5 rating.
* Earth vs the flying saucers: (1956 - Sci-Fi, fantasy) Highly imaginative sci-fi B-movie. Featuring some terrific special effects by Ray Harryhausen. Flying saucers shoot down all of our satellites. Then they try to arrange a meeting with Earth's top scientist. Unfortunately, their invitation isn't decoded until after the Army has attacked the aliens. The results? Earth on the brink of destruction! Fantastic sound work, special effects and camera work. This movie rates just below some of the really good 50's Sci-Fi - The Forbidden Planet and The Day the Earth stood still. 3 of 5.
* Ciao Professore!: (1992 - Comedy / Italy - Io speriamo che me la cavo) Recommended by a friend from our tour in Italy. Kim and I lived in Italy from 1985 - 1992, and this movie brought back a flood of memories. Filmed in the Puglia region of Italy, where we lived, Kim and I have actually driven through the town where this story takes place! This light hearted comedy had a great cast, and the acting was pretty good. A new teacher arrives in town. Surely he's not trying to change the culture overnight? Is he? He single handedly tries to make a difference in the lives of the children he's saddled with. This filmed oozed everything that is Southern Italy, and I can't help but give it a 4 out of 5. Your mileage may vary.
* Woman in the Moon: (1929 - Sci-fi, fantasy, drama / Germany - Frau im Mond) Directed by Fritz Lang. This movie seals my opinion regarding this director. One of the very best. I would never have thought that a silent movie about space travel, made in 1929 could be so realistic. The scenes featuring the space ship were simply amazing. Unmatched to this day. The set work, camera work, and special effects were unbelievable. This film is truly visionary in it's depiction of space travel. At nearly three hours long, some of the dramatic acting was a bit hard to chew through, but the acting was excellent. The film transfer for this movie was very good. The beginning of the movie featured a lot of espionage, then the film turns to adventure as the moon landing is planned and executed. Throughout it all is the overarching tension of a love triangle. Once they reach the moon, the character arcs reach their crescendo, greed, deception, violence and love all make an appearance. An outstanding film. 5 of 5.
* The science of sleep: (2006 - Drama, comedy / France - Science des rêves, La) This movie, written and directed by Michel Gondry is a colorful departure from our waking world. The main character is an artistic young man setting out to make a life for himself. Unfortunately, his dreams are getting in the way. While his dreams are extremely vivid and imaginative, his waking life is less satisfying than his dreams. Sometimes he mistakes one for the other, and the consequences are wreaking havoc on his life. Here is a movie where the plot is unimportant. It's the characters and their inner dialog that this film is exploring, not some mundane hollywood ideal. The ending was very fitting, dreamlike and ambiguous. Excellent acting, wonderful directing and a slew of truly beguiling images. 4 out of 5.
* Santa Claus conquers the Martians: (1964 - Comedy, fantasy, sci-fi) I watch the bad movies so you don't have to. This is supposed to be a cult classic. If so, it's part of the 'cult of bad movies'. What makes it so bad: The acting is abysmally staged. The lines are delivered as if they're dictating a letter or reading cue cards. The children 'ee-nun-see-eight ev-err-ee syl-a-bull' so clearly that it's painful. The costumes look like something from the set of 'How the Grinch stole Christmas'. The special effects are truly horrid. As their spaceship approaches Earth, we're treated to the view of three moons? dangling by fishing line outside their view port. The sound stages are wobbly and crowded. The Martian forest looked like something regurgitated by a giant cotton-candy spider. The guy in the polar bear costume reminded me of 'Hercules in New York'. The giant robot was obviously designed by a third grader. I've constructed better looking robots (at age 10) out of cardboard boxes. The best acting came from the nauseating performance of Bill McCuthcheon playing 'Dropo', the Martian clown? The only thing worth 'watching' in this movie was the original soundtrack. Skip the movie and listen to the opening music. 1 out of 5.
* Flags of our fathers: (2006 - Action, drama, documentary) I hadn't planned to watch this movie, but it arrived in Kim's queue and I figured I'd give it a chance. This movie is a documentary. It's a dramatic, historically accurate tale of how a single shot (a camera shot) ended the war with Japan. Directed by Clint Eastwood. This movie is visually perfect, but lacking in drama. The acting is flat and lacking in depth. The story is very accurate, but it unwinds with no guile or mystery. It really feels like a documentary, as we flash forward and back in a highly narrative style. It did justice to the real story, but it really didn't move beyond the feel of a 'History Channel' presentation. The sound and camera work were great, but I can't figure out how this movie got nominated for two oscars. 3 out of 5. (I'm still looking forward to 'Letters from Iwo Jima)
* The Wicker Man: (2006 - Mystery, drama, thriller) This is a remake, and I've seen the original. Starring Nicholas Cage in the lead role. The acting was bad across the board. I really don't know where Nicholas Cage is getting his direction, maybe it's just him, but his responses, reactions and emotions all seemed off cue. Although they were supposedly estranged lovers, Cage and Kate Beahan had no chemistry whatsoever. Even their kissing scene seemed like a waste of time. I won't spoil the movie for you, but I will tell you this. The story itself is pretty good. A policeman is summoned to a private island by a former fiance'. She needs his help finding her missing daughter. After arriving on the remote island, he's confronted by a mystery concealed by an island full of feminist cultists? The ending in the original is a surprise, and a wonderful twist. The ending in this remake is telegraphed several minutes out. Something missing in this remake? Music. I don't think there was a soundtrack at all. I thought they did a good job of moving the movies location, both in time and place. I thought that worked well in the movie. 2 out of 5.
* Mrs. Henderson Presents: (2005 - Comedy, drama, war / U.K.) This movie featured some top-notch acting by Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins and Christopher Guest. The story was based on true events. A wealthy widow takes up the theater as a hobby. When the show becomes blasé, she does something unexpected. Something London's never done before - An all nude review! The theater provided some relief for soldiers, sailors and airmen while Britain was taking the brunt of Nazi bombing. A good mix of drama, history and comedy. Worth watching. 3 out of 5.
* Pan's Labyrinth: (2006 - Fantasy, drama, thriller / Mexico & Spain - Laberinto del Fauno, El) Kim and I saw this in the theater. Written (screenplay) and directed by Guillermo del Toro (one of my favorite directors). This fantastic tale is definitely del Toro's best to date. This man's work keeps turning me on. Cronos, The Devil's Backbone, Hellboy, and this. I own a copy of The Devil's Backbone and Hellboy. Cronos is on my list of must buy movies. I'm definitely adding this one as well. The story is an adult fairy tale told in Spanish w/English subtitles. The main character is a ten year old girl. She's trapped in the real world - post civil-war spain, where troops loyal to General Franco are hunting down some of the remaining 'rebels' - yet she's striving to escape to a fantasy world - populated by fairies and fauns. This movie is R-Rated, despite the fairy tale slant, this is not the sort of movie that you would bring small children to. The acting was fantastic. The set designs, costumes, props and lighting were fantastic. An awesome movie, populated by the fantastic and fatalistic. 5 out of 5.
* Jet Li's Fearless: (2006 - Action, martial arts, historical drama / China - Huo Yuan Jia) Jet Li star's as the real-life martial arts legend Huo Yuan Jia. Set in turn of the century China, foreign powers strive to keep China fragmented so they can maintain their monopolistic trade franchises, colonies and repressive colonial policies. At the same time, the Chinese people look to traditional martial arts schools as a uniting force of national identity. That's enough of the story, I don't want to spoil it for you. The writing in this movie was very good, unfortunately, there was more action than drama. I would have preferred more of the historical aspects. Jet Li's martial arts are awesome, and this made for an excellent action piece. However, I don't think that's what they wanted in this movie. The draw of Jet Li brought a big audience, but it compromised the historically dramatic aspects of this turn of the century struggle for unity in China. 3 out of 5.
* Event Horizon: I own this movie. It's a great sci-fi horror flick in the tradition of Alien. The crew of a spaceship is on a rescue mission. When they find the derelict spacecraft they've been sent to recover, they soon experience concentrated evil onboard the "Event Horizon". It's a haunted house in space. Each of the characters has a unique personality, and the drama between them is very tense. Excellent special effects and sound. The acting was very good as well (starring Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan and others). 5 of 5.
* Something's Gotta Give: (2003 / Comedy, romance) Starring Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves, Frances McDormand, Amanda Peet and others. This one was in 'my' queue? I can't imagine why. I liked the cast, but not the casting. The characters were highly stereotyped. While I had fun watching Jack Nicholson and Dianne Keaton together, there really didn't have any passion for each other. I didn't care for Diane Keaton's performance at all, I thought it was too over the top and unconvincing in her role. Overall, the acting in this romantic comedy was fair. The lighting, editing and music were good. The story was a slightly less than 'typical hollywood' tale. 60 year old Nicholson is dating 20 year olds. Why? because he's shallow... Then he meets Diane Keaton's character, and realized that women his age aren't so bad... Unfortunately there are no surprises in this movie, nothing to move it beyond your typical romantic comedy. I like the premise, but the execution in this movie was staged, lukewarm, and uninteresting. Poor writing, unconvincing acting. 2 out of 5.
* Cemetery Man: (1994 - Horror, comedy, fantasy / Italy - Dellamorte Dellamore) A truly bizarre black comedy set in a graveyard. Unfortunately, it was dubbed, and I couldn't listen to the Italian dialog. Two main characters: A young Italian 'engineer', and his dimwitted henchman. A strange setting: An old Italian graveyard. A series of bizarre happenings: The dead are rising from the dead. We never really find out why the dead are rising from the dead, but that doesn't matter - The ride is fun. There's a lot of sex in this movie, even implied sex with the dead! Corpses galore, flesh eating zombies, widows who get hot over an ossuary? Motorcycle zombies, a singing zombie head. Truly bizarre! The special effects, costumes, and makeup were horrible. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at this campy horror flick. 3 out of 5.
* School for Scoundrels: (2006 - Comedy) Starring Billy Bob Thornton, Jon Heder and Todd Luiso. The acting by Jon Heder was better than that by Billy Bob. It seems as if Billy Bob is being type cast of late. I'm starting to think that the only character he can play is 'Billy Bob Asshole'. A fairly predictable plot finds us moving into 'I knew that was coming' land. Heder's acting was o.k., but Todd Luiso's performance was better. The movie starts out pretty good, but it gets pretty predictable after the opening. Losers sign up for a 'self help' class only to learn that the instructor is a sadistic s.o.b. out to take their money and humiliate them. Gave me a few good laughs. 3 out of 5.
* The Departed: (2006 - Drama, crime) I wanted to watch this movie, but it came up in Kim's queue before mine. Before we get too carried away, let's not forget that this is a remake. That's right a remake. It's a remake of a Chinese/Hong Kong movie called 'Mou gaan dou / Infernal Affairs'. The cast and acting were outstanding: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, and many others. The story is a complicated affair where two men have infiltrated each other's organization. One is a gangster inside the police department, the other is a cop inside the gang. As the cops try to catch the gangsters, the gangsters are always one step ahead. Eventually each side figures out that they've been infiltrated. That's when they start hunting each other. The writing and story are great, I really enjoyed the back and forth play of competing themes. Eventually, the bad guy started to resemble the good guys, and the good guy started to act like a bad guy. A very good story. The only drawback (in my opinion) was the very violent ending. 4 out of 5.
* Bright Future: (2003 - Drama / Japan - Akarui mirai) This drama is an interesting movie. Not your usual hollywood plot. Two young men are adrift in their lives. They spend most of their time together - At work, in their ratty apartments, at clubs, at arcades, at restaurants. They seem to be inseparable. One of them is dominant, the other submissive. Are the gay? One of them slips over the edge, the other nearly follows. It's a strange character based drama with themes of loneliness, generation gaps, alienation and disaffection. The acting is awesome, the camera work is also good, but it's the dark dreamy story that sets this movie apart - That and Killer Jellyfish who attack Tokyo! 3 out of 5.
* About a Boy: (2002 - Drama, comedy, romance / U.K. ) Starring Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, Rachel Weisz. Hugh Grant was great in this movie. Unfortunately the characters (Hugh Grant's) were a bit stereotyped. A very charming story, with original elements. The acting all around was great. An independently wealthy man is looking for love in all the wrong places. He stumbles across someone he likes, but ends up in a relationship with the son of the woman's friend. How did that happen? I liked the fact that despite his independence, the main characters life is thrown into disarray by elements beyond his control - people! The ending was a bit disappointing. 3 out of 5.
* Some Like It Hot: (1959 - Comedy, romance, crime) Not to be confused with the 1939 movie starring Bob Hope. This raucous comedy starred Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. As Curtis and Lemmon witness the 'Valentines day massacre', the mob is out to eliminate the witnesses. In a fit of desperation, Curtis and Lemmon take a job with an all girl band. Dressed in drag, and acting the part. They stow away on a journey to Florida. Along the way they meet Sugar (Marilyn Monroe), and they the hi jinks continue when the mobsters show up in Florida! Jack Lemmon was outstanding in this movie. He had some really good lines, and his facial expressions alone brought out the laughs.. Marilyn Monroe was quite a dish to behold, especially in the 'Nipple Dress'. A sheer topped outfit (in two colors), that had me starring, and must have caused quite a bit of distraction on the set. A very funny movie, even today it doesn't seem dated at all. The last scene in the movie was excellent. 4 out of 5.
* Casino Royale: (1967 - Comedy, action) A very early spoof on the Bond series. This movie is based on Ian Lemming's first novel. If that's the case, the first bond novel must have been quite a hoot. A great cast, starring: Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, David Niven, Orson Welles, Woody Allen, Deborah Kerr, William Holden, John Huston and many more. The characters were highly stereotyped, and the cast wasn't given much to work with. I have no idea who was supposed to be the lead character. This movie is utterly ridiculous. The plot is all over the place. I really have no idea what was going on. A group of female assassins (which seem to be everywhere) are trying to kill James Bond. Why? I have no idea. Since it's a spoof, the costumes, makeup, acting and hairdos are all over the top. There were a lot of gags, but no plot to speak of. The special effects (even for 1967) were absolutely terrible. Did they intentionally do bad special effects? The movie moved at mach-2 speed, and I had a hard time figuring out what was going on. Eventually I gave up trying to figure out what the plot was - This helped some. Vaudeville taken to excess. The ending was an abysmal climax to this spectacular blunder 2 of 5.
* Dr. No: (1962 - Action, adventure, thriller) Starring: Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman, Jack Lord and many others. Now this is a classic Bond movie (yes I've seen it before). Every element that made the series a signature genre is present. Mad Scientist villain with odd physical deformity. Crazy costumes. Sexy women who want to 'do in' and or 'do' Bond. Thugs who die like red shirts in a Star Trek episode. Accents galore (to give it that international flavor). Agents skulking about spying on each other. Car chases. Plans for world domination. Bond seducing the ladies. Gun play. etc, etc, etc. The plot is typical bond. The acting is pretty good, the writing excellent, and the music awesome. This one gets a 5 out of 5.
* The Oregon Trail: (1959 - Adventure, drama, western) Fred MacMurray stars as a sophisticated New York reporter, sent out on the trail to get a scoop regarding the Army's plans for war with England (over the boundaries of the Oregon Territory). The story is your typical wagon train episode. Dry watering hole. Trouble with Indians. Running low on water. Grandma gets a fever. Burial beside the trail. MacMurray makes no secret of his mission, and he uncovers the army's plans with no problems whatsoever. There really isn't any villain, and the romances are disconnected and unlikely. The acting was poor, and the set work horrible. The only redeeming part of the movie is the action packed ending sequence - where, you guessed it. The Indians attack! This movie, like many of it's day, casts a disparaging light on all American Indians, and it even goes so far as to have a half-indian state "It is because of this, I renounce my people". A bad b-grade western. 2 out of 5.
* Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid: (1973 - Western, drama) Starring James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, Richard Jaeckel, Katy Jurado, Jason Robards, Slim Pickens and others. Directed by Sam Peckinpah. I watched the director's cut on disc 2 (of a 2 disc set). This movie is great, the pacing directing and writing (by Rudy Wurlitzer) were outstanding. The acting is good, but it's the character interplay that drives this movie. While there's a lot of violence in this movie, I felt that it fit the character of the movie perfectly. James Coburn plays an aging lawman hunting his long time friend. As the two try to cope with the changes in the culture around them, they remain loyal to their individual ethos, and in the end they must decide whether they can change to avoid fates deadly hand. Excellent cinematography, locations, set design and costumes. 4 of 5.
* Shivers: (1975 - Horror, sci-fi) David Cronenberg's first feature film. This movie gives us a glimpse at the great works to come. The movie starts out with a very well crafted bit of exposition. An advertisement for a self contained condominium complex on an island. It sets the stage for the setting of this movie. Despite the poor sound work, lighting, film stock, and some preposterous compromises in telling the story, this is an excellent movie. The acting is pretty bad, but Cronenberg's vision in this movie is clear. Scientists discover a parasitic organism that can act as a surrogate organ. One of the scientists foregoes formal testing, implanting the leach like creature in his girlfriend despite the dangers. Once these creatures are implanted in a host, the victim becomes a sex crazed maniac. Compelled to produce more hosts for the parasite's offspring, the residents of this apartment complex lose all inhibitions, seeking to spread the parasites through sexual contact with other people. When their advances are avoided, they become violent, and the results are deadly. There were some incestuous overtones, sex with minors, homosexuality, and all sorts of taboo themes touched upon in this very racy horror movie. Unfortunately, the vision of the movie was diluted with some truly b-grade zombie like behavior, and scenes of parasitic transmittal outside sexual contact. There were even some signs of Cronenberg's unique visual style. The ending is a dark and disturbing. Cronenberg manages to make a great movie with a very small budget and mediocre actors. 4 out of 5.
* The Godfather of Green Bay: (2005 - Comedy, romance) Written, directed by, and starring Pete Schwaba, a comedian from the Menominee/Marinette region. When I saw the preview for this movie, I knew I'd have to watch it. First of all, yes I'm originally from Wisconsin. Kim and I were born in raised in 'da Woods. My parents live near Marinette, and we're very familiar with many of the locations and cultural idiosyncrasies shown in this movie. The story is a silly little hollywood type tale. A couple of stand up comedians decide to drive to Wisconsin on the off chance that they'll be scouted by a 'Tonight Show' promoter. On the way there, they accidentally run down a big time mobster. Unbeknownst to our two comedians, the mobster is on his way to Green Bay to off some local wannabe gangster. Fate causes their paths to cross again, when they all end up in the same town, at the same bar, on the same night! Throw in a little love interest, and you've got yourself one of those typical hollywood comedies. What made the film for me were the stereotypes and the great cast. Yes, the Yuppers (and upper Wisconsinites) do talk like that'cha know. While the acting wasn't the greatest, there was a level of passion and enthusiasm that ran through this movie like an electric current. The actors were really into it. You could tell that they were having the time of their lives, especially that doofus (Eric Price) playing 'Ratboy'. 4 out of 5.
* The Number 23: (2007 - Drama, mystery, thriller) A great conspiracy based thriller staring Jim Carrey. Carrey plays down his comedic roots in order to give us an excellent performance as a man obsessed by his past in a way that he can't quite understand. I don't want to spoil the movie too much, but I will tell you this. Carrey plays a dog catcher who stumbles upon some strange coincidental conspiracy when he crosses paths with 'Ned' the guardian of the dead. The premise is great, and this could have been a much better movie. As Carrey's character begins to unravel the mysteries of the number 23, he starts to unravel himself. The plot was well crafted, but a little bit too slick. The pacing was far too fast, and the directing wasn't the best. While I missed the ending twist, I wasn't at all surprised by it. Good suspense, lighting, and camera work. 3 out of 5.
* Babel: (2006 - Drama, suspense, thriller / France) Initially, I wasn't going to watch this movie, but it arrived via Kim's queue, and we watched it together. I'm not much of a fan of the 'Many stories equals one movie' style. However, this was actually one story chopped up into three pieces. Four different groups of people are part of a single story involving guns, violence and an inability to communicate across linguistic and cultural barriers. The story is very well written, but some of the time shifting left me a bit confused in some of the plot points. I really liked the lack of exposition, and minimal dialogue treatment. It helped to maintain a sense of suspense throughout the movie, and allowed us to better grasp some of the movies more salient points. The acting was very good throughout, but I thought that the acting by Rinko Kikuchi (playing the deaf, mute, Japanese teenaged girl) was the best in the movie. The subtlety and depth of this movie was great, the camera work exceptional, and the overarching themes well woven across the entirety of the film. 5 out of 5.
* American Hardcore: (2006 - Documentary) A well made retrospective documentary. Tracing the roots of American Punk Rock. Covering East coast, West coast and all points in-between, this documentary featured interviews by many of the artists who rose above during America's punk rock movement. From the late 70's to the late 80's, Punk Rock as a movement was all about energy, non-conformity and rejection of the social norm. Unfortunately, this film lacked anything in the spirit of that movement. It was filmed in a standard, static format, lacking any of the energy or enthusiasm which marked the movement. The ending was also something of a letdown. To infer that Punk Rock is dead, that it has ended. It's a slap in the face to those who brought us this genre, this DIY ethic. A movement that allowed us to embrace the college, indie, garage-band sound. The rebellious nature of these bands lives on today. In underground club scenes around the world. 3 of 5.
* Life Is Beautiful: (1997 - Comedy, drama, war / Italy - Vita è bella, La) Written (in part), directed by, and starring, Roberto Benigni. An outstanding movie, featuring the dark and light sides of life. Spanning the entire length of WWII, here's a story (based on true events) of love, courage, hardship, perseverance and inner strength. A Jewish waiter, living in Italy, struggles to make the best of his life. He courts, and wins the hand of his Princess. They marry and have a child together under the shadows of Fascism and Nazism. That's when the films darker side emerges. All three of them are thrown into a concentration camp. The father does his best to shield his son from the horrors of the camp; by pretending that they're in some sort of reality game show. The team that earns the most points wins a shiny new tank - an actual tank! Excellent acting, directing and music mark this epic. It's poignant, funny, tragic and rewarding. 5 out of 5.
* Coogan's Bluff: (1968 - Drama, crime, action) The only real reason to watch this movie is 'Clint Eastwood'. Starring in a cop role before 'Dirty Harry', this film lays the groundwork for that character. Eastwood plays a western cop (From Arizona, not Texas) in the big city (New York). This movie served as the basis for the television series; 'McCloud', starring Dennis Weaver. Sent to New York in order to extradite a fugitive, Eastwood's character doesn't take to the 'city way' of getting things done. Rejecting the local lawman's warnings and 'advice', Eastwood's character goes it alone against the underbelly of New York in order to 'get his man'. In the end, this movie is well paced, fairly directed, poorly acted, but helped develop Eastwood's career as a character actor. 3 out of 5.
* Stranger than fiction: (2006 - Comedy, drama, romance) Starring Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah and Emma Thompson. This lighthearted tragic comedy was tempered enough to avoid the sap trap, funny enough to make me laugh out loud, excellent acting, a fantastic sound track and original story. What more could you ask for? Will Ferrell did an excellent job in this comedy. As did Hoffman, Gyllenhaal and Emma Thompson. Queen Latifah's acting was the weakest in the movie. Her character had no role in the movie. The writing was excellent. The dialog was fantastic, and many of the situations made me laugh out loud. Reaching just short of existential irony, this film was a somewhat predictable, mild, but thoroughly enjoyable romantic comedy. Very impressive for the writer's (Zach Helm) first screenplay. I'll be watching more of his stuff. 4 out of 5.
* Team America - World Police: (2004 - Comedy, satire, action) Brought to us by the pair responsible for South Park (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) Every single scene in this movie is a satirical masterpiece. The lines were truly works of art. The juxtaposition of crude, rude and raunchy humor with the staid expressionless contempt of puppets. Genius! The technical aspects of this movie were truly astonishing. It seemed to me that everything was done by hand. No computer graphics here folks. The puppet work and intricate sets were truly outstanding. This movie was so funny, it left me gasping at times. The plot? I really could care less. Some silly thing about terrorists, led by Kim Jong Il, wanting to blow up the world! Team America is a group of overzealous freedom fighters, intent on making the entire world 'safe'. The point is the counterpoint. Truly libertarian satire, which smirks at the heavy handed state of current affairs. Thank god someone can laugh at terrorism, I'm getting awful tired of inspecting my vehicle for 'suspicious devices' (that's an inside joke). I'm adding this to my 'must buy' list. "Maaatt Daaamon" 5 out of 5.
* The Return: (2006 - Horror, thriller, drama) Starring Sarah Michelle Geller and Sam Shepard. The previews looked good.. Unfortunately, this thriller fails to deliver. The story is one of those typical 'ghost of murdered person haunts skinny white girl' movies. How many movies do we need in this category? Why is the protagonist always a skinny white girl? Estranged from her family (her dad), she's always on the move. Haunted by voices from some distant past, she's strangely drawn to places and people she's unfamiliar with. After twenty minutes I pretty much had the entire plot figured out. This is one of those 'bar-napkin' stories. The movie did a good job delivering a creepy mood, in the tradition/style of the recent Japanese Horror movies, but it failed to follow-up with any substance. The scares weren't very visceral, and the revelation wasn't very shocking. Sarah Michelle Geller's acting was fair, but the role was limited. The pacing was excellent, too bad the story was so predictable. 2 out of 5.