Sep (NF19)

* Adventureland: (2009 - Comedy, drama, romance) Screenplay and direction by Greg Mottola (Superbad). The year is 1987, and James Brennan has just graduated from high school. He's got high hopes. He's looking forward to a European vacation, followed by studies at an Ivy League school. During a graduation party, his plans start to come undone. His girlfriend dumps him, and then he learns that his alcoholic father has just got demoted. Now his parents can't afford to finance all his dreams. James takes a job at the nearby amusement park to help fund his escape from Pittsburgh. The amusement park - Adventureland - is a refuge for all manner of misfit, and James fits in perfectly. While there, James begins to learn - first hand - what life is all about. He falls in love, learns about trust, and begins to grow as a person. It's definitely 'Not' what the previews make it out to be. This is not a comedy. It's a dark, indie, drama. The story was good, as was the screenplay and direction. The acting was sincere, but a bit amateurish. The movie had heart, some laughs, an awesome soundtrack, and an authentic feel. 3 out of 5. FYI: Filmed on location at the real Adventureland park near Pittsburgh.
* Lewis and Clark - The Journey of the Corps of Discovery: (1997 - Documentary, history) This PBS documentary (made for TV) was directed by Ken Burns (author and director of many documentaries about American history, politics, religion and society). Featuring a great cast of voice talent; Adam Arkin, Hal Holbrook, Murphy Guyer, Sam Waterston, Matthew Broderick, Kevin Conway, Patrick Gass, Gene Jones and others. Lewis and Clark were sent by President Thomas Jefferson to explore America's great west. To explore this unknown land, to look for a Northwest passage, to discover the treasures of America. Without ever seeing Lewis and Clark, this movie takes you along on that historic journey across America. Join the Corps of Discovery as they make their way from east coast to west coast in this outstanding documentary. Breath-taking landscapes, perfect timing and a well narrated journey of discovery. 4 out of 5. FYI - At 3.5 hours, this is an extremely long movie.
* Cthulhu: (2007 - Drama, thriller, horror) Directed by Dan Gildark (first and only direction (as of Sep, 2009)). Starring Jason Cottle, Scott Patrick Green, Cara Buono, Tori Spelling, Robert Padilla, Jeffrey Brown and others. This is a low budget ($750k) independent production, and it shows. Supposedly this movie is an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's 'The Shadow Over Innsmouth'. Unfortunately, it's a terrible movie. The story - Russ is a history professor in the big city. He's the son of a wealthy, privileged family. One day, he receives a phone call. His mother has died. Russ drives home for the funeral, only to find that he'll have to stay longer than he wanted. While awaiting the sale of some property. He becomes embroiled in a rather vast conspiracy which revolves around him and a race of old ones. His father's new age cult certainly holds clues, but getting answers in this town proves to be a bit difficult. I've read the book, but still had a hard time following the plot. The editing is terrible, and the flash-back scenes aren't very well differentiated. In some attempt to set this movie apart, the writing made the main character gay. Following that, they threw in a best friend hook-up that really had no place in the movie. While this gay treatment was tactful, it didn't serve to move the story forward, and really felt out of place in the movie. Terrible acting (swinging both ways - over and under acting), poor editing (including film crew/technicians in the shot), fair direction, terrible dialog. The movie is all over the place. Following the plot was impossible. The end of the world sub-plot was presented, but left hanging. As part of this 'end of world' scenario there were numerous television/radio announcements. One talked about the death of the last Polar Bear, yet later on we're shown two polar bears in the 'Sea Lion' segment. This movie was terrible. An ill-conceived, poorly executed, art-blob. Not a 'H.P. Lovecraft' movie. 1 out of 5.
* Fear Faith Revenge 303: (1998 - Horror, mystery / Thailand) Directed by Somching Srisupap (his first movie / and only two since) starring a cast of unknown young actors. This movie really isn't all that scary, and some of the mechanisms are a bit odd. The story takes place at "St. George's" Catholic school. A prestigous Bangkok academy for young men. The boys get involved in some supernatural scary shit when they start investigating the mysterious death of a famous student. Once they open the door to the young prince's spirit, the bodies start to pile up. Through some ridiculous plot mechanisms, the school is isloated from outside assistance, and the staff tries to minimize the damage by locking the boys in their rooms. With one 'girl' in the movie, and two 'all guy' shower scenes, there's a bit of an 'unintentional?' homo-erotic current running through the movie. Unfortunately, that angle is never leveraged and completely ignored as a motivating plot point. In the end, the motivation of the protagonist is extremely weak, and the end of the movie is quite a let down. Visually the movie was well shot, well lit, and fairly acted. The direction was poor, the story was seriously lacking, and the sound production poor. 2 out of 5.
* State of Play: (2009 - Crime, drama, mystery, thriller) Directed by Kevin Macdonald, starring Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels and many others. This one surprised me. The movie is adapted from a BBC mini-series (State of Play), it's a classic investigative journalism thriller with a political bent. The story starts out with some unconnected murders, that are 'obviously' connected. Murders are news, and the newspaper starts its coverage by assigning an aspiring 'on-line' columnist and an old-time investigative journalist to the two stories. When the two murders lead to one person, the two journalists team up to solve this mystery. It's a great story. Full of convoluted conpiracies, cover-ups, political back stabbing, deadly assassins, and shocking revalations. A taut web of plot threads pulls it all together in the end, and the writing was fantastic. Acting was good, pacing was perfect, and the production level high. I didn't care for some of the camera work, and the characters were too-stereotypical. 4 out of 5.
* Thomas Jefferson: (1997 - History, biography) Written by Geoffrey C. Ward and directed by Ken Burns. This PBS documentary is a complete biography of an American legend. Narration by many notable actors (Sam Waterson, Ossie Davis, Blythe Danner and others) covers every complex aspect of Thomas Jefferson's life. The life and times of an influential, forward thinking, sponsor of freedom in these American states. Outstanding documentary. Warning - three hour running time and slow pace may force you to watch this movie in multiple viewings. I'm glad I watched it over a three day period. 4 out of 5.
* Take Out: (2004 - Drama) Co-written/co-directed by Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou. Starring a cast of relative unknowns (Charles Jang (lead) has four movies to his credit). This is a neo-realist drama set in New York city. The main character is an illegal immigrant (from China or Taiwan?) who's indebted to the smugglers that got him into the country. Given an ultimatum, Ming Ding does his best to work off his debt by delivering Chinese food in an all-day drama centered on the character, a tiny restaurant, and the characters who order take-out. The acting was lacking at times, but the direction and execution were excellent. The neo-realist aspects of the movie (it's dark, humanistic, humorous and soaking with social concerns) were very well done, and the writer/director team did a really good job with very little money and a cast of mixed talent. 3 out of 5.
* Dreams of Cthulhu - The Rough Magik Initiative / H.P. Lovecraft Collection Vol. 2: (2008 - Fantasy, horror, drama) A direct to video release. A series of short stories in the tradition of the H.P. Lovecraft / Cthulhu mythos. The main movie was a dark drama - I'd hardly call it a horror movie - about a secret society dedicated to protecting the world from the evils of hidden supernatural cults and organizations. They discover evidence that a long dormant sleeping god may be waking from its slumber. The results can be extremely bad for humanity. The acting is weak, as is the production value. Low budget, amateur, but fairly well written short stories. I would only recommend this to fans of the 'Cthulhu' genre. 3 out of 5.
* Burn After Reading: (2008 - Comedy, crime, drama / U.S.,U.K., France) Written and directed by Ethan and Joel Coen. Starring George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton and others. A dark comedic drama. A parody of the 'oh so serious' intelligence stereotype. We're so used to the Super-Secret Super-Hero, All-Powerful portrayals of government agencies; this movie comes as a breath of fresh air in the genre. Extremely well written, edited, and directed. The story is one of mediocrity in the realm of government employment. John Malkovich plays a mid-level cold-warrior entrenched in the CIA. When he's let go by the government, he decides to take his secrets and write a 'tell-all' memoir of his days in the belly of the beast. His notes end up in the hands of an unlikely pair (Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand) of bumbling fitness center employees. When the 'classified' notes are discovered, this pair of unlikely espionage agents decide to attempt their hand at black-mail. The results are ridiculous, funny, and darkly sarcastic. The characters are absolutely believable, ridiculously real, and completely comedic. The acting was outstanding and the writing a joy. Worth watching multiple times. If you insist on serious action with explosions and dramatic shoot-outs, avoid the wry wit and patient pacing of this particular pic. 4 out of 5.
* Death Race: (2008 - Action, sci-fi, thriller / U.S., Germany, U.K.) Screen play and direction by Paul W.S. Anderson. Starring Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Ian McShane, Tyrese Gibson, Natlie Martinez, Max Ryan, Jacob Vargas and others. This is a remake of Death Race 2000. A 1975 film starring David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone. In this version, Jason Statham and Tyrese Gibson go head to head in an extremely violent, over the top, prison riot turned road race. Set far in the future - 2012? Financial collapse and social strife have privatized our prisons, and ushered in the return of gladiatorial entertainment as an escape from the ills of society. Sounds pretty plausible. The action sequences were well done, and the acting was fair. The dialog was definitely low brow, but inmates seldom speak in eloquent prose. Monster cars, hot girls, and testosterone galore. The plot is quite limited, predictable, and only follows the original in characters and a race for freedom. The movie felt very much like a video-game. Viewed as action flick, it delivers plenty of bang for the buck. 3 out of 5.
* The Devil's Arithmetic: (1999 - Drama, war) Directed by Donna Deitch (directing TV shows and direct to TV movies since the 70s). Starring Kirsten Dunst and others in a made for TV movie about the holocaust. It's another holocaust survivor story told first person through flash backs. Kirsten Dunst plays a Jewish-American teen living in a comfortable upper-class suburban life. She's bored by the families insistence on traditional religious observances, until... Through flashback she's thrust into the middle of the 1940s Nazi occupation of Poland and a death camp setting. As she experiences the horrors first hand she comes to a deeper respect of tradition and sympathy for the survivors. Kirsten Dunst's acting wasn't the best, and the production value was 'Made for TV'. While the movie tried to be dramatic and compelling, I found it thin and overly dramatic. The story (aside from the novel intro, which was handled very well) was entirely predictable and dragged despite it's brief treatment. 2 out of 5.
* Breaker Morant: (1980 - Drama, war / Australia) Directed by Bruce Beresford (Black Robe, Driving Miss Daisy, Double Jeopardy). Starring Edward Woodward, Jack Thompson, John Waters, Bryan Brown and others. I've seen this movie before, and enjoyed it immensely. Unfortunately, the audio and video quality were lacking. This time, I watched the 'Masterwork' edition in HD (720p courtesy of Netflix Watch Instantly). The quality was much better, and my position on the movie has moved upwards. It's an excellent story based on historical facts. Set in South Africa in the 1900's during the Boer war. British regulars are fighting Dutch Commandos. Three Australian soldiers are brought up on charges of murder for shooting their Boer prisoners! The movie is charged with Political intrigue, it's a courtroom drama at its best. While the British authorities are looking for scapegoats the very junior defense attorney puts up a very strong case for the accused. This movie based on a true story, and adapted from a play, is a great movie. The story is fantastic and the acting was actually quite good (despite my initial reaction and unfamiliarity with British acting styles). 5 out of 5.
* Vampyr: (1932 - Horror, fantasy / German - Vampyr - Der Traum des Allan Grey) Another movie by Carl Theodor Dreye (The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), Day of Wrath, The Word). This movie showed signs of great work. The play of shadow and light shined through the bad copy. Unfortunately, the film and sound are horribly damaged, and you can barely make out many of the scenes. The depiction of vampires is very low-key, and this movie lacks any visceral impact. The music is great, but the audio (what little there is of it) is so poor that it detracts from the movie. The same can be said for the condition of this print. A young man decides to stay at an inn in the country side, where he encounters a castle full of haunted inhabitants. The conditions of the film, and the poor subtitling made for a wonderful sleeping aid. With 30 minutes left in the film, I missed the ending (again! after the second viewing), and didn't bother rewinding. Despite my sleepy experience with this film, I have to admit that I do enjoy it's fairy tale qualities and unique uses of light and shadow. 3 out of 5.
* Talk To Her: (2002 - Drama / Spain - Hable con ella) Written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar (Volver, Bad Education, All About My Mother). Starring Javier Cámara, Darío Grandinetti, Leonor Watling, Rosario Flores and others. A very engaging drama about two men, and their relationships with the women they love - The twist? Both of these women are in a coma. Two very different men are drawn into a friendship by shared care for women in a coma. The characters are very distinct, traditional, and human. The story is a powerful tale of friendship, loss and obsession. The story flows effortlessly between present, past and future. The ending was excellent but a bit dark. The acting (for the most part) was outstanding, the camera work was technically perfect but non-distinct. The sound work was great and the subtitles excellent. The writing and direction were the stars of this movie. Extremely well told and executed. The nude scenes of Leonor Watling were very tastefully done, and the fantasy sequences artistically fitting. 4 of 5.
* Observe and Report: (2009 - Action, comedy, crime, drama) Written and directed by Jody Hill (His second feature length directed movie; see: The Foot Fist Way). Starring Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Michael Peña, Anna Faris and others. Here's another Mall Cop movie which features a Mall, a Mall cop as the principle character, and a crime as sub-plot to the character relationships. See: Paul Blart - Mall Cop, for the other example. Here the characters are a bit darker, and slightly more detailed. Seth Rogen leads the film as Ronnie Barnhardt - a Police Officer wannabe, lusting after the perfect life with mall trophy Brandi (played by Anna Faris). Catalyst to all the drama is a streaking flasher who instigates the drama by assaulting patrons of Forest Ridge Mall. Ronnie shifts his game into overdrive in order to prove himself when this perv threatens to disrupt his peaceful environment. Opposing Ronnie by illustrating actual competency, is Detective Harrison (played by Ray Liotta). The competition and resultant hi jinks provide ample opportunity for entertainment. Seth Rogen did a fair job as lead, but the direction was lacking and characters a bit too stereotyped. The lead character was a bit schizophrenic/bi-polar, and the direction reflected that on Seth Rogen himself. The movie warranted viewing to the end, and that's more than I can say for the previously mentioned 'Paul Blart - Mall Cop'. I liked it for it's darker moments, but didn't care for the overly stereotyped character elements. 3 out of 5 (barely so).
* Sex Drive: (2008 - Adventure, comedy, romance) Screenplay written, and directed by Sean Anders (a junior entrant with only two feature films to his credit). Starring Josh Zuckerman, Amanda Crew, Clark Duke, James Marsden, Seth Green and others. Ok. Let's dispense with the completely unoriginal premise: Teen sex comedy, road trip movie, buddy movie, teen romance. Characters: virgin guy, best friend girl, best friend guy, obnoxious older brother. Vehicle: Classic GTO muscle car. The plot is highly derivative, highly cliched. A teen quest to 'get laid' - nothing new to see here. The acting was fair. Josh Zukerman did a great job as the loveable, sweet, innocent virgin. Amanda Crew as the best friend female side-kick also did a very good job. The best acting was clearly Seth Green as the worlds coolest Amish dude. His amazing portrayal of the technologically adept, sarcastic, but sincere Amish mechanic was truly amazing. It's an enjoyable road trip quest for first love. Definitely laughable, rewatchable, well directed and excellent pacing. As a bonus, the gratuitous nudity (in the unrated version) made me smile. 4 out of 5.
* Atlantis: (1991 - Documentary, music / France, Italy) Directed by one of my favorite directors; Luc Besson (The Fifth Element, Léon: The Professional, La Femme Nikita (1990), The Big Blue), this movie really isn't a documentary, and it hasn't got anything to do with the fabled city of Atlantis. It's an artistic expression of the undersea adventure - as seen by/through the eyes of its inhabitants. The camera work attempts to bring the viewer into that world - and it does a good job of that. The music is set to enhance the mood, and the movie sweeps by in specific chapters as if telling a story. The photography was well done and the overall experience was enjoyable, sweeping you away into an amazing undersea adventure, populated by an amazing array of interesting characters. This 'documentary' may only be of interest to fans of the director. If you're looking for a wildlife 'documentary', where you learn something about the creatures of the deep, then choose a different film. 3 of 5.
* The Sicilian: (1987 - Action, crime, drama) Based on the novel by Mario Puzo's novel. Directed by Michael Cimino. Starring Christopher Lambert, Terence Stamp, Joss Ackland, John Turturro, Joss Ackland and others. Here is a tale of the Sicilian Mafia, political corruption, revolution and social strife. The story follows a long arc around the main character (Salvatore Giuliano played by Christopher Lambert) as he challenges church, government and the Mafia as he fights for Sicilian independence in the late 40s. Giuliano is a populist hero, a Robin Hood who defies the odds stacked against him, and inspires the populace to take up arms against their oppressors. When his enemies unite against him, his days are numbered. A tale of violence, family and tradition on the Island of Sicily. The acting was pretty good, especially that of Joss Ackland and John Turturro; Christopher Lambert felt miscast. A lengthy movie that does some justice to its source by not skimping on the story arc. Unfortunately, some production value lacked (film and sound quality, as well as camera work), the pacing was inconsistent, and the characters were underdeveloped. Thankfully, the locations made up for many of the shortcomings. 3 out of 5.
* Cannibal! The Musical: (1996 - Biography, comedy, horror, musical, western) aka Alferd Packer - The Musical. Here is a very early movie by Trey Parker and Matt Stone (of South Park). Screenplay by both, direction and music (in part) by Trey Parker. Starring Trey Parker, Toddy Walters, Jason McHugh, Matt Stone, Dian Bachar and others. It's a very creative rendition of the Alferd Packer story. Based 'in part' on the true story, here is the story of a miner down on his luck. Stranded in the midst of Rockies (filmed on location in various parks and scenic locations around Colorado), Packer is the sole survivor of a group which sought gold in Colorado. Accused of Cannibalism, he tells his tale through a series of flashbacks. Filled with delightful song (some great original songs) and dance, this low budget film features many signatures of the Trey Parker / Matt Stone duo. Insipid humor, charming music and inane jokes. Despite the low budget production, the film was funny enough to make me laugh out loud on numerous occasions. Best acting goes to Dian Bachar. Worthy of a second viewing - May get better with repeat viewings. Shpadoinkle! 3 out of 5.