Mar (NF22/CC8/MM7/ST1/OS3)

* The Prestige: (2006 - Drama, Fantasy, Thriller) An awesome movie that falls just short of brilliance. I left the theater feeling somewhat cheated. Directed by Christopher Nolan (of Memento, Following and Insomnia), this movie starred a very well cast group of actors: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie, and others. The acting was superb. Especially the performance by David Bowie as Nikola Tesla. The costumes, sets and locations were incredible. The music fantastic, and the story was great. A competition in the vaudeville tradition of one-upsmanship. Two magician's compete against each other for the thrill of adulation. As the tricks get better, the crowds get larger, and the nasty tricks get rougher. As the competition escalates to murder, the tricks become other worldly, and the consequences more dire. The only let down in this movie was the 'reveal', or the ending. With a mystery spoiling exposition, all is revealed, and I left the theater feeling cheated. I wanted the mystery to continue. I wanted to walk away with my own conclusions, questions and suppositions. The ending of this movie prevented any such notion. Oh, by the way. The stuff about Nikola Tesla in Colorado Springs? It's all true. He lived there for a time, built a laboratory. Lit up Knob hill without the use of wires and who know what other experiments he conducted? 4 out of 5.
* Striking Distance: (1993 - Action, crime, drama) Starring Bruce Willis, Sarah Jessica Parker, Dennis Farina, Tom Sizemore, Robert Pastorelli, Timothy Busfield, John Mahoney and others. This crime drama was a typical 'Murderer who attempts to pins the crime on a cop'. Bruce Willis stars as the washed out, outcast cop, who everyone else hates. It comes as no surprise that a murderer gets away with it when the clueless cops send the wrong guy to the chair. Afterwards, the real killer starts up again, this time he's dropping the corpses in the river where Willis' character will find them. The twist? The killer is a Cop! Amazing, who would have thought of that?! Fortunately, this incredibly transparent plot featured some good action sequences, including some action on the water (which we don't see very often), and I couldn't help but appreciate the performance of this cast. Even if it was a little over the top. Entertaining. 3 out of 5.
* Legend of 1900: (1998 - Historical drama, fantasy / Italy - Leggenda del pianista sull'oceano, La) Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore (a favorite Italian director), this historical drama (set just after WWII) is the tale of a man who spent his entire life at sea. Born on a cruise ship, an abandoned infant is adopted by one of the crew. The boy grows up in the belly of this ship. Soon he discovers his amazing talent for music (Specifically the Piano). This movie is a fantastic adventure with an outstanding cast. The tale is broad and life spanning. The man named 1900 has a unique point of view, as he watches humanity sail through his cruise ship. Dreamlike, soaring, inspirational and historically intriguing. Features some great sets, costumes, acting, and then there's the music. Outstanding in every way. 5 of 5.
* Mostly Martha: (2001 - Romance, comedy, drama / Italy - Bella Martha) A bittersweet romantic comedy. This Italian film is set in Germany. Martha is a self obsessed woman, dedicated to her work as a chef. Until, her niece is thrown into her life, after the untimely death of her sister. As Martha struggles to become a mother, the niece must learn to cope with loss, as she seeks to reunite with her estranged father. A character based drama where the characters have plenty of depth. The restaurant setting added to the movie in subtle ways. Excellent acting, music, sets and costumes. 4 out of 5.
* Wings of Desire: (1987 - Fantasy, drama, romance / Germany - Himmel über Berlin, Der) Directed by Wim Wenders, this movie is a slow moving third person view of humanity. Shot entirely in Berlin, and primarily in black and white. The director makes excellent use of music, lighting, color and camera shots to give us a unique point of view on the human condition. An angel strives to achieve humanity, despite it's frailty and limitations, because of it's frailty and limitations. The characters are both tragic and inspirational. The angels follow doomed individuals about, hearing their every inner thought. One of the angels sees a beauty in humanities limitations, he's so moved by our plight that he gives up immortality for the uncertain hope of love. A beautiful, melancholy movie. 4 of 5.
* Detroit Rock City: (1999 - Comedy, adventure, fantasy) A raucous rocking salute to KISS! Four teenage boys won't let anything stop them in their quest to attend a KISS concert. A fantastic romp through adolescence. It's 1978, and a group of young punks are intent on making it to the concert of their dreams despite all the obstacles in their path. This movie was a great piece of hollywood fantasy. Featuring a very young cast, the acting wasn't the best, but their was a huge amount of energy in their performances. The writing was very good, the dialog was great, and the camera work was pretty good. Needless to say, the music was Excellent! I'm not a fan of Heavy Metal, but this movie was about youth, energy, rebellion and an overwhelming amount of passion for life. THe director did a great job of bringing all that to the screen. Rock On! 4 out of 5.
* Flesh + Blood: (1985 - Adventure, fantasy, war / Netherlands ) Directed by Dutch director Paul Verhoeven (Showgirls, Basic Instinct, Total Recall, RoboCop). Filmed in Spain. This movie is an entertaining medieval adventure. A group of mercenaries are cast out after they secure a victory for a noble lord. Cast out, they roam the country side, capture the castle of a wealthy land owner, and set up camp. Raiding the local countryside, they capture a royal bride to be and her dowry. When the prince learns of the abduction he leads a siege of the castle only to be routed by the outlaw band of mercenaries. Left with no other means of routing the renegades, the prince turns to biological warfare, lobbing pieces of a plague infested dog into the bandits camp. The thieves turn against their 'saint Martin' and infighting ultimately defeats them. This movie contained some very vivid scenes of rape, a large amount of nudity, and some very adult themes. The acting was fair, and the writing contained numerous anachronisms - language that was out of place for the middle ages. The sets, locations and costumes were great. In the end it was a well produced work, with a visceral and uncompromising vision of a violent group of renegades living on the edge of the middle ages. 3 out of 5.
* * Star Trek - The original series - Vol. 26, episodes 51 & 52: [Return to Tomorrow / Patterns of Force]: I've started viewing episodes of the original Star Trek series. I watched it as a kid when I was growing up (Yow! that makes me... old?), and I loved it back then. You know what? I still love it. My friends and I used to pretend to be members of the 'Starship Enterprise'. In 'Return to Tomorrow', Diana Muldaur (who would later play Dr. Katherine Pulaski during the second season of the Next Generation series) starred in a guest appearance as Dr. Ann Mulhal. This episode speculated on the origin of man as being the progeny of an advanced civilizations genetic seed program. Three aliens composed of pure energy seek human proxies which they can use to build android bodies. In 'Patterns of Force', Kirk, Spock and McCoy dress up as Nazis in order to overthrow a dictatorial regime sent off it's 'axis' by interference with the prime directive. Two good episodes.
* Borat: (2006 - Comedy, mocumentary) This wasn't in my queue. It arrived as a selection from Kim's queue (someone at work recommended it). For everyone there is a line, this movie crossed my line. I found parts of this movie enjoyable, but then there were other parts that were disgusting, revolting and downright abusive. Sure it was adult humor, and much of it was socially challenging. Borat makes fun of everyone. Insults everyone. With an innocent expression, he pretends to be a Kazakhistani bubkin, just trying to get along with Americans. If you laugh when people make fun of 'the Jews', if you think it's funny to ridicule the 'retards', if you get a guffaw out of 'redneck racists', then this movie might make you laugh. While it made me laugh, it also disgusted me. Some of the scenes were, well, disgusting. The humor was definitely crude, rude and lewd. I really don't find it funny when someone makes fun of others at their expense. Sure, I can laugh at myself, and some of the stupid things I've done. Making fun of 'other people' seems to be the focus of this movie. Ha, ha, isn't it funny how those people speak in tongues? This movie is in the same category (for me) as the comedies of the Farrelly brothers (Me myself and Irene, Shallow Hal, The Ringer). Apparently, it's ok to make fun of the handicapped, provided you include a theme that says "It's not ok to make fun of the handicapped". I found this comedy (and I agree that it was funny (at times)), insulting to the point that I was offended. This over-the-top mocking documentary crossed my line from funny to insulting. 2 of 5.
* The Devil's Own: (1997 - Drama, action, crime, thriller) Starring Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt. This rather straightforward cop drama is a pretty good action flick. The acting was o.k. Brad Pitt's accent was terrible. The writing was tight and well thought through. Adding the foreign conflict as a backdrop to this story pushed it into the better than some category. Brad Pitt plays an IRA operative, who travels to America in order to arrange for a shipment of missiles. He ends up staying in the home of a New York city cop. As the two characters stuggle with their own issues of loyalty and honor, the movies climax is a lesson in the unchanging nature of man. Worth watching. 3 out of 5.
* The Princess and the Warrior: (2000 - Romance, drama, crime / Germany - Krieger und die Kaiserin, Der) Starring Franka Potente (from Run Lola Run, the Bourne Identity) and Benno Fürmann (from the Order, Joyeux Noel). Directed by Tom Twyker (of Run Lola Run). This combination made this a sure bet for me. I'm surprised that someone from work actually recommended this before NetFlix. Potente plays a young woman working in a mental hospital. After a fateful accident, her life intersects with that of a mysterious young man. When she insists on establishing a relationship, she soon finds herself involved in a life of crime. Excellent writing and directing by Tom Twyker. I've added a couple more of his movies to my NetFlix queue. 4 out of 5.
* 300: (2006 - Action, drama, historical) Release date 2006? Yes, this movie was originally released 9 Dec, 2006. At the Austin, TX 'Butt-Numb-A-Thon' film festival. I've been waiting for this movie for some time. I own 'The 300 Spartans', and I've read a few books about this event - Including the more recent 'Gates of Fire' by Steven Presfield. The movie opened this weekend (9 Mar 2007), and Kim and I went to see it at the theater. This movie was truly amazing, a visually perfect movie. Every scene could be ripped from the movie and made into a movie poster. The overanimation introduced in 'Sin City', reaches it's ultimate conclusion in this movie - Perfection. It was highly artistic, but not too comic like. It gave the viewer some distance when the scenes became gory, and they did, quite frequently. The acting was outstanding, the action tremendous, the music perfectly matched, the sets, costumes, cgi, animation, Wow! Frank Miller's vision is transformed into actual mythology at the hands of Zack Snyder. A pantheon of characters so powerful, an enviornment so rich, and reactions so visceral it felt as if I lived it. While this movie had a few historical problems (seemed to blend the war aims/efforts of Darius and Xerxes into a single campaign, didn't cover the other Greek warriors very well (focussing primarily on the Spartans)), it contained a very clear message, and it was fairly accurate in a historical sense. The story isn't new, it isn't original, but it has never been seen in this way. While politicians haggle over authority, financial ramifications and political expediency, 300+ free Greek warriors make a desparate stand to hold off an invading horde of Persians intent on conquering the entire world. This movie will stand out for decades to come as a masterpiece in a new style. The blending of cgi, animation and live action was flawless. Each complemented the other like no other film I've ever seen. The movie comes at a time where some may be asking 'What price for freedom? and Why do we fight?' While this movie may become a lightning rod for those questions, it is undeniably a sublime visual masterpiece, and I for one hope to see it stand in that light before any debate regarding the 'supposed' political ramifications. As a twenty year veteran of the armed forces, this movie connected with me on a level I doubt some could understand. If you see any movie this year, let this be the one. 5 out of 5. I will buy a copy as soon as it becomes available.
* Resident Evil: (2002 - Action, horror, sci-fi, fantasy) A video game made into a movie. Not the greatest movie, but it was entertaining. I've played the games, and I enjoyed this movie. The mood was consistent with that set by the games. The music helped considerably, and the lighting was well done. The acting in this movie was fairly blasé, as in - It wasn't very good. The writing was o.k. This movie presents a slight deviation from the original game, but nothing surprising. The cgi was pretty poor, but the carmera work was good. All in all - I was happy with it. Considering the fact that it was a video game made into a movie, I'd have to say they did a good job. The director did a good job at creating a heightened sense of fear and suspense. It kept me jumping. 3 out of 5.
* Spaceballs: (1987 - Comedy, sci-fi, fantasy) Mel Brooks does it again. This spoof on the Star Wars trilogy is a very funny movie. The writing is witty, tight, and laughable. The characters are stereotyped, comic and paper-thin. The acting was fair (Rick Moranis was great in his role as Dark Helmet), and the music was great. The dialog is the shining star of this movie. The low-budget special effects are part of the gag, and a the laughs take center stage in this preposterous spoof. Planet Spaceball's President Skroob sends Dark Helmet to steal Planet Druidia's air to replenish their wasted supply. Only Lone Starr and his sidekick Barf can stop them. Add in a little romance angle with the Druish princess Vespa, and you've got a formula for lots of laughs. Very, very, very, very, very funny. 4 out of 5.
* The Dish: (2000 - Drama, comedy, historical / Australia) A movie that isn't trying to be the next best thing. A very well balanced drama with comedic elements. Based on historically true events. This movie tells the story of 'The Dish' in the Australian town of Parkes, and the people who helped bring television signals from the moon to earth during the Apollo 11 mission. The acting was excellent, the music fitting, the camera work great. The sets and locations were terrific and really made this movie. The best part of this movie was the writing. Extremely well paced, with excellent dialog and just the right balance of serious history versus entertaining cinema. 4 out of 5.
* Beerfest: (2006 - Comedy) Loaned to me by a coworker. If this movie were a beer, it would be a low-carb, strawberry ale - In other words, it would suck!. The producers of this movie have done something far worse than make a movie about the personally, physically and mentally destructive practice of binge drinking. They made a movie about binge drinking that wasn't funny in the least. Lots of sight gags, lots of ethnic jokes, lots of sex jokes, potty jokes, and situations that generate nothing but disgusting ramifications for the characters. Ha, ha, ha, I lost my job, my wife left me, and my kids are in an orphanage. That's o.k. because I've still got my (excuse me while I vomit), drinking buddies. Astonishingly bad. I think I laughed once. The acting was poor, the writing terrible, and the premise unimaginative. The final confrontation was a total 'yawn-fest'. I wish I could have laid odds on who would win! The only thing that made this movie 'barely' watchable was 'Tits'. There were some really nice tits in this movie. I pray for you Jurgen... 1 out of 5.
* The Incredibles: (2004 - Comedy, animation, action, fantasy) Borrowed from a friend at work. Natalie earns a reprieve for this one.. I thought I'd outgrown the Disney animated genre. I guess the truth is, "I'm still a little boy at heart". This movie was fantastic. The format (animation) is perfectly suited for this movie. A family friendly tale to be sure, but don't think that this is a 'cartoon'. It's definitely not in the same category as some 'kid' movies, this movie is a serious effort at entertainment for the whole family. The writing was excellent. The characters were all loveable. Even the villain. I laughed often (quite a contrast to my reaction while watching Beerfest), and long. The graphics and animation were perfect. The voiceover was great, the actors selected seemed to really enjoy the roles they were cast in. The story is one of Super Heros hiding out in suburbia. Shunned by the populace at large, they're relegated to a super-secret life of pining for the 'glory days', when they were honored for helping humanity. When a new super villain emerges on the scene, they can't help but help. Hi jinks follow, when the entire 'super family' shows up to thwart the bad guys plans. No talking animals, lamps or cars. No singing or dancing, thank you for a funny movie that an adult can enjoy. 5 out of 5.
* Casino Royale: (2006 - Action, drama, thriller) This movies differs vastly from the original 'Casino Royale' movie, and I haven't read the book. Which movie is closer to the novel? I have no idea. I do know that I didn't enjoy the original movie (the spoof). This movie, on the other hand, is definitely a 'Bond' movie, not a spoof. It contained all the classic elements, but it was a bit darker. The opening action sequences were awesome, and I thought I was in for a wild ride. Then things slowed down significantly. So what's the plot of this movie? After earning his '00' status, this new 'Bond' is tasked to defeat the bad guys by depriving them of their money. Co-opting the banker to the bad guys is the premise to this movie. There's an extensive amount of poker playing. While this may have appealed to some (a certain crowd), I thought the duration and focus distracted from the 007, theme. Apparently, the British government needs a double "O" agent to play poker? Of course they do, who else could survive an attempted poisoning during this high stakes poker match? After establishing the Bond character as a ruthless, physically oriented agent, with little regard for others, he melts for the first woman he gets involved with? I had problems with this movie. I liked the acting, the camera work, the cars and the costumes. The locations were stunning, and the overall feel was definitely Bond. The story however, just didn't do the genre justice. A brand new bond is born. I give it a 3 out of 5.
* You Can Count on Me: (2000 - Drama) A simply complex movie about characters that feel as real as you and me. The writing here seems to come from some place other than hollywood. The acting was top notch, the camera work wonderful, and the writing truly worthy. The story is as typical as any story ripped from the boring, trivial and mundane pages of real-life. The movie opens with a tragic begining. A couple are killed in a car accident. Flash forward twenty years to capture a brother and sister struggling with their own personal issues. As they struggle to find a meaningful path, they stumble forward, never sure whether they're doing the right thing. While the demons of the past haunt their very existence, it's the future that frightens them most. Can they move past their tragic past? Can they begin a brighter future for themselves and those they love? Great movie. 4 out of 5.
* Vanilla Sky: (2001 - Drama, romance, sci-fi, thriller, mystery) Despite the fact that I've seen this movie before, I was still mystified by the outcome. This movie (a remake/adaptation of a Spanish Film) featured some really good writing (by Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil (film "Abre Los Ojos")) , and some fair acting (a bit overwrought at times). The locations, sets and visuals were great. The sound track was perfectly matched to the moods of the movie. The story: An independently wealthy man is absorbed by himself, believes that everyone around him is there to serve his interests. He treats his life like a big joke, a perpetual birthday party in his honor. Then he's involved in a devastating car crash. Things change drastically when he comes out of his coma, and starts to realize that he's not the center of the universe, or is he?. This movie was full of mind-bending questions, deep emotional examination of motives, desires and consequences. A fantastic film which operatres on more than one level. I may have to watch this a few more times in order to 'get' everything in this mind bending fantasy. (FYI: The original - "Abre Los Ojos" (Open Your Eyes), is marginally better. 4 out of 5.
* Kill Your Idols: (2004 - Documentary) A short documentary about the New York, 'No Wave' music scene. Bridging past and present, this movie starts out well, and the interviews with some of the older artists were great. Truthful, unpretentious, no holds barred. What was 'No Wave?' A musical movement that grew out of Punk Rock. Was it Punk Rock? Well, sort of, but not really. It was/is a more artistic expression, more of an experimental ethic. Unconventional to be sure, but the association by sound (with Punk) isn't as strong as the ethic (revolutionary). This documentary was obviously trying to show the continuation of this ethic, from past to present. I think it would have been better served as a focus on the roots of this movement, as the connection to the current music scene (up to 2004), shows the current group to be more concerned with commercial aspects of their success than they are with an honest expression of their own music. I like the way they let the artists tell the story, but some of the footage was a bit rough (poor quality), and then there was the totally unneccessary scene depicting oral sex?! What the? Why was that in there? In the end it's a part of my past that really enjoyed this movie. 3 out of 5.
* Rolling Family: (2004 - Drama, comedy / Argentina - Familia rodante) This is a drama more so than a comedy. The direction was very hands off, and the acting wasn't the best. The pacing was perfect, and the locations great. In this movie a great grand mother is honored with an invitation to a wedding as the maid of honor. Despite the distance involved (crossing the length of Argentina), and the probable hardships they'll endure, she assembles the clan (an extended family of about a dozen people) and insists that everyone accompany her on this voyage. While I don't understand the Argentinean family ethic, the film assumes that this group acquiesces to the matrons desires. They pile into the only vehicle large enough to accompany the entire group, and set out on a journey. This movie is more about family relationships, than it is about the physical places they travel through. Crammed into a confining space, the group is forced to confront family issues in a positively charged atmosphere. Unfortunately the size of the cast hampers a thorough examination of these complex relationships. I liked the fact that the cast didn't consist of polished egos and competing actors. The dialog was sparse, but well drafted, and it worked splendidly with the pacing. 3 out of 5.
* Unknown: (2006 - Drama, mystery, crime) This movie reminded me a lot of the first 'Saw'. A group of seemingly unrelated characters awaken from a drug induced stupor with no memory of how they came to this place, or who they are. The setting is a locked-down, abandoned factory in the middle of the desert. It doesn't take long to figure out that they are all part of some kidnapping scheme that's gone wrong. As they struggle to come to terms with their own identities, they also search for a way out of the building. The writing was clever, but not clever enough. There are numerous 'holes' in their 'prison like' setting, and it's a bit contrived to believe that this cast can't find a way out of their predicament. The acting by most is fair, but there was some overacting, and the characters weren't very well developed. Far too much dialog, and an unrealistic amount of profanity kept me in a constant state of discontent. A poor choice of lighting made it difficult to see what was going on in the warehouse, but the flashback scenes were well done. While the ending was fairly well executed, in the end it wasn't worth the wait. Mediocre at best. I wouldn't recommend this one. 2 out of 5.
* A dry white season: (1989 - Drama, thriller) Borrowed from a co-worker. An excellent Apartheid thriller. Set in South Africa during the height of Apartheid (1976), this movie serves as a reminder that Justice and Law aren't always on speaking terms. A wonderful cast, including: Donald Sutherland, Zakes Mokae, Jürgen Prochnow, Susan Sarandon and Marlon Brando. The performances were excellent. Based on a novel, this is a fine adaptation, with a well written screen play. The main character is a middle class white man who's eyes are opened to the injustice around him when his gardeners young son is detained and murdered by the police. At times the film depicts the brutality of Apartheid, while still giving us the impact it had on families, both black and white. Some turned a blind eye, others did what they could to help overturn the rule of a corrupt government, while a small minority actually perpetuated this tyrannical rule. It's interesting to note that the 'White defense' for these actions was often 'We're fighting communists', and yet the country didn't become communist in the post-Apartheid era. Powerful, dramatic, historic. 4 out of 5.
* * Star Trek - The original series - Vol. 27, episodes 53 & 54: [The Ultimate computer / The Omega glory]: I've started viewing episodes of the original Star Trek series. I watched it as a kid when I was growing up (Yow! that makes me... old?), and I loved it back then. You know what? I still love it. My friends and I used to pretend to be members of the 'Starship Enterprise'. In the Ultimate computer, Captain Kirk becomes 'Captain Dunsel', replaced by a computer (The M5 Multitronic System) that runs the Enterprise all by itself. The only problem? It starts attacking everyone it encounters, and they can't turn it off! The dangers of entrusting everything to machines. The Omega glory is another 'Prime Directive' episode. Written by Gene Roddenberry, I wasn't very happy with this episode. It seemed to be an anti-communist film, where the natives worship the US Flag and the Constitution? One thing that was interesting in this episode was Spock's mental command of one of the natives. I really enjoy the Original Series, and one day I'll buy the three seasons on DVD, so I can watch them over and over and over again.
* Blood Diamond: (2006 - Action, drama, adventure) This one came from Kim's queue. I was kind of avoiding this movie. Obviously a hollywood plea for the plight of Africa. A propaganda tool written to support the 'cause de-jour'. The story: In war torn Africa, a fisherman's family is torn apart by civil strife. After killing half the village, and cutting off a bunch of hands, they force the fisherman to work in the diamond mines, and the rest of his family (who escaped during the cataclysmic attack) become refugees. While working in a stream bed, the fisherman finds a big diamond, caches it away, and is immediately swept up in an adventure when he escapes from the rebels. As he tries to reunite with his family, a white 'soldier of fortune' finds out about the diamond, and latches onto the black worker in order to 'help' him find his family. Mix in a little romance and lots of explosions. It's a very hollywood movie. Another one of those 'social justice' movies. Unfortunately, it tries to take on too many causes. Child labor/exploitation, civil war, white oppression, foreign influence, government corruption, poverty, apathy of the American public, capitalism, etc, etc, etc... Africa is depicted as a continent of murderous blood-shed, death squads and squalor. The characters are 2-dimensional, and the action is 'hyper realistic'. The good parts of the movie? The locations, the costumes, the lighting, sound work and camera work. The best part of the movie? The acting; Leonardo DiCaprio did a very good job, as did Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou. I don't think DiCaprio was well cast though. He didn't really fit the role. I liked it, but it wasn't anywhere as good as it's made out to be. 3 out of 5.
* Days of Wine and Roses: (1962 - Drama, romance) Starring Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick, Charles Bickford and Jack Klugman. The writing was excellent, and the acting (aside from some campy crap by Jack Lemmon) was outstanding, especially Lee Remik's performance. A dark tale of two lovers who just can't stay away from the booze. The two lovers meet, marry and start their lives under sunny skies and happy days. Those days quickly come to an end as alcohol begins to destroy their lives. One realizes it, and does his best to best the bottle. The other shuns the love of friends and family, choosing instead the comfort of the cold bottle. The ending was excellent. A moving drama without nudity, profanity or violence?. 4 out of 5.
* 13 Tzameti: (2005 - Thriller, crime, drama / France ) Do yourself a favor. Don't watch a trailer for this movie. The trailer is a spoiler, and I'll do my best not to repeat that mistake. Set in France. Starring French and Georgian actors. This movie is a powerful tale (in black and white) of desperation, risk and deadly consequences. An immigrant worker (an unremarkable man with ordinary ambitions) overhears a conversation about some risky business, with the possibility of a high payoff. In a twist of fate, he takes someone else's place in a mysterious gambit, and places himself in great danger for the chance to collect on a huge payoff. When the stakes turn out to be higher than he expected, there's no escape from this deadly game. An incredibly tense thriller, superbly paced and acted. The writing was excellent. Tight, taught and well thought out. Written and directed by Géla Babluani, this director did a fantastic job of moving writing into realization using this film. I'll be on the look-out for more by this talented man. 5 out of 5.
* Tenacious D in 'The Pick of Destiny': (2006 - Comedy, music, fantasy, adventure) A fantastic musical romp through the imagination of Jack Black, Kyle Gass and Liam Lynch. Actors and director in this fine film. The best parts of this movie were the musically narrated sections. Parts where Jack Black or Kyle Gass put the story into song. The opening sequence, where Jack Black is portrayed as a rebellious child who rocks out against his overly moralistic parents, is extremely well done. The story is tight and coherent. Two aspiring rockers hook up to become the next biggest thing in rock history. When troubles start to crush their dreams they latch onto a secret rock and roll conspiracy. Soon they're off on a quest for their holy grail 'the Pick of Destiny'. The music is absolutely amazing, and the over-the-top cameos (by Ben Stiller and Tim Robbins) are top notch as well. An excellent tribute/spoof to all those 'super mega-rock groups' in the Rock-N-Roll hall of fame. 4 out of 5.
* Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: (2004 - Fantasy, adventure, family) Slightly better than the last offering in this series. In this one, the writing pays much more attention to character development, and the bad guys aren't who you'd expect. With less emphasis on cgi/special effects, the story was much more character driven than previous efforts. Less distraction with multiple character and plot threads allowed us (the audience) to focus on the core of the story. Thankfully, there wasn't anywhere as much exposition as previous efforts. That doesn't mean there wasn't any. In fact, there was a considerable amount, but nowhere near as much as previous HP movies. This movie kept me interested throughout, and I was pleased with the end result. I haven't read any of the books, but I've noticed that this movie seemed to stand on its own fairly well. I didn't feel like I was being led about on a tour of the world created in the books. 3 out of 5.
* The night listener: (2006 - Suspense, drama, mystery) Starring Robin Williams and Toni Collette. In this suspenseful drama, Robin Williams plays a late night talk show host. In conversation with his biggest fan, he soon becomes embroiled in a mystery which sucks him into the depths of obsession and deceit. On the verge of personal danger, his character pushes forward beyond his comfort zone. In a movie where we're outsiders, it soon becomes apparent that something's amiss in this intriguing thriller. Unfortunately, the movie ends just when the movie was set to explode. Excellent acting mark this well directed book adaptation. 3 out of 5.
* The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things: (2004 - Drama) An incredibly raw story of love and abuse. I had a difficult story watching this heart wrenching story. The story is one of a small boy who's pulled out of a loving foster home by his natural mother. In the years that follow, the boys endures years of abuse - physical, mental, sexual - drugs, violence and the cruelty of a real world, all for the sake of love. A disturbing plunge into the icy depths of depravity, delusion and despair. The boys mother is damaged goods, who is desperately looking for the same thing the boy craves. The acting, camera work and directing were outstanding, but the subject matter was dark, depressing and demented. I doubt I have the courage to watch this again. 3 out of 5.
* Monsieur Ibrahim: (2003 - Drama / France - Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran) Starring Omar Sharif, Pierre Boulanger, and many other fine actors. This movie tells the touching story of a young Jewish boy growing up in Paris. While the boy is exploring the intricacies of personal relationships and his emerging sexuality, his father is dealing with personal issues of inadequacy and abandonment. As the boy begins to mature, he forges a relationship with the Muslim owner of the shop across the street. A wonderful tale of tolerance, love, and patience. The acting and directing are fantastic. The sets and locations are wonderful. The story is a powerful and poignant reminder that people can get along. Not everyone hates those who are different. The music in this movie was outstanding. 4 out of 5.
* Calvaire - The Ordeal: (2004 - Drama, horror - Belgium) A European lounge singer is on his way to his next gig, when his van breaks down... What happens next is a chilling tale of desolation and persecution. The characters (other than the primary victim) are members of a deranged community. They're all looking for their lost love, and this lost lad becomes their target, when he turns out to have a talent for singing. Unwittingly caught up in a chorus of dementia, the main character has no idea what he's in for, when he stops at a back water inn looking for shelter. The camera work is excellent, the acting above par, and the locations evocative. The moods are set by the scenery and locations. The lighting is stunning and the story twisted. The ending was a bit of an anti-climax. 3 out of 5.
* Rabid: (1977 - Horror, sci-Fi, drama) Another early work by David Cronenberg. Here is a very low budget horror-flick with a theme similar to that seen in other Cronenberg movies. A young woman is involved in a terrible motor-cycle accident, her life is saved with some experimental plastic surgery. The result? Vampiric armpits! As an added side effect, her bite causes rabid (contagious) zombie-ism, which threatens the entire country-side. Bad acting, but some great ideas (and titty shots!). 3 out of 5.
* Saving Silverman: (2001 - Comedy) Recommended by friends at work. This movie is very funny. Starring Steve Zahn, Jack Black, Jason Biggs, Amanda Peet, Amanda Detmer, R. Lee Ermey and Neil Diamond. When their best friend (Jason Biggs) becomes infatuated with an overbearing, self-absorbed woman (Amanda Peet), they (Steve Zahn and Jack Black) team up to kidnap the evil fiance, switch the love focus to the recently returned high-school heart-throb (Amanda Detmer), and stave off a life of purgatory for their best-bud. The results are hilarious. The energy level of this movie is outstanding, and the performances are great. A wonderful cast, and excellent directing make for a movie that kept me laughing all the way through, despite the very hollywood setups. 5 out of 5.
* The Secret Agent: (1996 - Drama, espionage) Starring a fantastic cast of talented actors: Bob Hoskins, Patricia Arquette, Gérard Depardieu, Jim Broadbent, Robin Williams, Christian Bale. This is a suspenseful drama based on a novel. The acting was great, but the direction was lacking in this movie. The story was very predictable, and if it hadn't been for the fine performances, this movie wouldn't warrant watching. The story is compelling, but it's glossed over by the brevity of the film. A Russian immigrant in England is forced to commit acts of espionage by those running the Russian embassy. As he's called upon to commit a provocative act of sabotage, an innocent person dies during the bungled attempt. The investigative aspects are very rushed, and the character development is sparse. The sets and locations were great, as was the music. Ultimately though, this movie was abbreviated to the point of near irrelevance. 3 of 5.
* Spies Like Us: (1985 - Comedy, espionage) A great comedy starring Chevy Chase and Dan Akroyd. Two bumbling government employees are recruited as unwitting decoys in a Nuclear tipped espionage spoof. The barbs are sharp, the writing witty, and Chase and Akroyd work well together at the top of their game. Ripe with Doctor Strangelove parallels, this well directed slapstick comedy is an excellent send up of military intelligence. Keeps getting better ever time I watch it. 4 of 5.
* Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow: (2004 - Action, adventure, sci-fi, mystery) This movie had a fair cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Gambon, Ling Bai, Omid Djalili, Laurence Olivier (archive footage) and Angelina Jolie, but they weren't well cast, and the acting was lacking. No passion, no chemistry. The story was straight out of a graphic novel. Mad scientist threatens metropolis. Female newspaper reporter teams up with Sky Captain in order to uncover the mystery of attacking giant robots. Then there's a couple of romance subplots, a kidnapping subplot, and the underlying destruction of all life on Earth. The ending was anti-climatic, the villain missing, and the story ends up being forgettable. I'm sorry, but the only good parts of this movie were the stylized cgi scenery, which looked a lot like an early colorized black and white picture. The look and feel of this movie was wasted on a vacant story, and less than enthusiastic acting. 2 out of 5.