My sincerest apologies to anyone who has visited the Film Lounge over the past two months looking for new content. I have not posted since early November and it is certainly not due to lack of interest on my part. It is entirely due to my lack of regular Internet access since my recent move.
During this "forced hiatus" I have watched plenty of films and am really excited to share some under-the-radar titles with you readers. I recently was able to pick up and watch some animated features that I have been anticipating for some time now.
I plan to start posting again within the next few weeks with some fresh reviews, so please continue to be patient and check in again soon to see whats happening here at the Lounge.
Merry Christmas everyone!!!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Cowboys, Blogs, and Bees...More Mini Reviews!!!
Alright, I’m back for some more mini-reviews. I’ve noticed that so far all of the reviews have been positive with the grading easily all being in the 7-9 range. At first this concerned me as it felt I may be just too generous of a reviewer---However, I’m now convinced that I’ve just been lucky enough to find films over the past month that really appeal to me and have managed to avoid those that didn’t.
After the mis-step of The Life Aquatic (which, admittedly, greatly improves with subsequent viewing) Wes Anderson is back in my good graces with his latest, a colorful road movie that adheres to his strange-family-dynamics mixed with quirky humor/art direction formula.
However, I think it may be time for the director to retire the slow-motion walk signature shot before it degrades into self-parody---since I believe his next film is a stop-motion adaptation of The Fabulous Mr. Fox, that shouldn't be a problem.
9/10
Here is a film that has actually benefited greatly from the 20+ day separation of my viewing of the film and blogging about it.
Here is a note I wrote on Facebook immediately after returning from the theater:
“The first and last half hours of this revisionist western (aren't they all nowadays) are some of the best you're likely to ever see in the cinema. The other hour and a half, while absolutely gorgeous, suffers whenever the electric Pitt and Affleck aren't sharing the screen.”
10/10
When I did the list of ten films I was psyched for earlier this year, I mentioned that the marketing for this garnered the reaction 'Now THAT looks like a movie..." out of me. I’m glad to say the film wasn’t a disappointment and Washington, Crowe, and Scott all delivered the goods that are now expected from them.
Denzel is such a likeable actor the film really has to choice but to, in a way, glorify the drug trade, reminding me of Brian DePalma’s Scarface at times (a film I’m admittedly not a fan of). A few shots addressing the sickly effects of drug use are probably meant to counter this, but I still got the bad feeling that 15 years from now the fashion of choice for aspiring rapper wanna-bees will be three-piece suits. Well, at least they’ll look presentable.
With its populist appeal and big-names, I wouldn’t be surprised if American Gangster was this year’s The Departed come Oscar time.
8/10
Bee Movie
As a fan of Jerry Seinfeld’s stand-up and sitcom, I was really hoping Bee Movie would prove to be a true classic of the talking-animal CGI animation genre. Instead, it’s a likeable enough entry that will probably appeal to adults a bit more than it will their children. There are a handful of good laughs and the character designs are cute, but ultimately it suffers from a bit of identity crisis regarding who its target audience should be. The humor is at its best when it’s slightly dark (which is surprisingly often) and the plot, centering on one bee’s quest for legal compensation for the human race’s use of beekind’s honey, will probably go over most kids’ head.
6.5/10
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Such a Bad Blogger….
So I haven’t been contributing to the blog very much for the past month or two, and I apologize for that. I had some good excuses ready to write down for this entry, but I’ve since forgotten them. Even if you, gentle reader, are not disappointed in me and my failure to contribute even weekly to this endeavor—I assure you that I have disappointed myself. Rendition
While I wasn’t as ecstatic over this film as H-Dogg was in his recent review, I did enjoy this film quite a bit. While it appeared to be a quite straight-forward message movie for the first hour, it managed to surprise in the second half and left me quite impressed.
This film was in the theatre at the same time as the dreadful-looking sports movie parody The Comebacks which, among it’s assumingly numerous crimes against the cinema, featured a parody of the sports movie parody Dodgeball.
This is far from relevant other than that I had the million dollar idea while watching Rendition that the next dumb parody movie needs to actually parody things that aren’t funny in the first place. How great would it be to create a farce involving several self-righteous mouthpieces for issues such as racism, drug trafficking, the lack of human communication, etc. whose stories entwine and intersect in contrived and interesting ways. The jokes would be the most obvious, ham-fisted form of comedy since the Naked Gun series: pies in the face, characters with big butts, and lame celebrity impersonations of topical figures/easy targets like Michael Vick and Kevin Ferderline.
From 0 of the 12 writers of Epic Movie I bring you Important Movie.
8/10
Gone Baby Gone
A great noir thriller that proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the Affleck Bros actually have talent, Gone Baby Gone follows two detectives (Casey Affleck and -Iowa-Represent!- Michelle Monaghan) who are hired to track down the missing daughter of a dead-beat druggie mother. The key to the film is that our two lead characters are far from cool gumshoes—they’re young and, while street smart, relatively inexperienced. This leads to some butting heads with the local authorities, portrayed in the film by the Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman.
The film offers some pretty good twists (some of which sat better with me immediately after seeing the film than they do now, a month later) and great performances from Affleck and Amy Ryan as the self-destructive mother. Expect a best-supporting actress nomination for Ryan’s memorable turn.
After what could only be considered media overexposure, I could honestly care less if I ever see Ben in front of the camera again. However, after this strong debut outing, I'm excited to see what his next project is behind it.
8.5/10
30 Days of Night
One of the ten films I was most excited to see for this last quarter of the year, this graphic novel adaptation more or less lived up to my expectations for being a fine-enough time waster. To stand out in this current horror-movie market, a film needs to have a pretty good high-concept. In this case, vampires take over a town in northern
By applying a lot of the recent zombie movie characteristics to vampires (who, as much as I love zombies-make better monsters because they can, well, think) 30 Days helps make this the best vampire movie of recent memory. The movie remains faithful to the source material while not being hampered to the comic’s two main faults—interesting, but hard to follow art and a rushed story.
7/10
Tony Gilroy, the writer of the three Bourne films makes his directorial debut with Michael Clayton, an intelligent legal thriller that-much like the Bourne series-refuses to play by (most) of the rules inherent in its chosen genre.
George Clooney is the title character, an attorney who plays a ‘fixer’ role with his law-firm: someone who works to resolve problems while working out of ‘the system.’ When a personal friend of Clayton’s has a mental breakdown in the middle of a deposition, he finds himself in both physical danger and moral uncertainty.
For those in the market for an intelligent, adult film that doesn’t spoon-feed its audience, Michael Clayton will be a rewarding movie-going experience. The fact that it did so poorly at the box office says more about the American movie-going public than it does about the film’s quality.
The film is deliberately paced (the critic’s code for ‘a bit slow in places’), but the performances are great and the dramatic pay-off much worth the wait.
9/10
That took longer than I thought, more films to be reviewed soon.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Rendition One of 2007's Best
In the turbulent post-9/11 world we live in it is not surprising that so many films speak the issues and problems of our time, including terrorism, torture, war, etc. The list gets longer and longer with each passing year and 2007 is no different with films such as The Kingdom, Rendition and Lambs For Lions all hitting theaters this Fall.To date I have seen two of these three films (with Lambs releasing next week) and they could not have been more different. The Kingdom was an action driven film that felt very heavy handed, yet "pop culture" with its presentation. (see review here) Directed by Gavin Hood, Rendition is a wholly different viewing experience that presents a stellar cast who deliver excellent performances all around and makes for an engaging, thought-provoking drama.
Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Douglas Freeman, a junior CIA officer assigned to a North African post (Egypt). When his bureau director dies in his arms after a suicide bombing, Freeman is given a field promotion taking over the post and because a US government official was killed, an investigation is launched. At the same time Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Omar Metwally), an Egyptian national and chemical engineering specialist, is concluding a business trip to South Africa. He is headed home to his family... but he doesn't arrive sending his wife Isabella (Reese Witherspoon) into a panic.
The question for Isabella is "what happened"? People simply don't vanish on an overseas flight and the records show he boarded the plane home. The truth - he did board a plane, but he ended up in Egypt at a secret CIA interrogation facility run by an Egyptian official named Abasi Fawal (Yigal Naor). Ibrahimi was on a terrorist watch-list because of his background and profession and Corrine Whitman (Meryl Streep), a high up in the CIA, gave the order to nab him for questioning or "extraordinary rendition"... something the government patently denies.
Freeman, now in his new position in Egypt is allowed to observe the interrogation, personally handled by Fawal. It soon becomes clear to him that Ibrahimi is simply a victim of torture and knows nothing about the bombing or anyone involved even though everyone around him, so long a part of the "system", disagree and believe Ibrahimi should be held indefinitely until he gives the answers they wish to hear. Ironically, the answers they seek are to be found in the least expected place. And while a determined Isabella does an investigation of her own back in Washington using a college friend (Peter Sarsgaard) who is an aide within prominent senator's office, Freeman begins working out a plan to free Ibrahimi and return him home.
This story examines so many themes central to current world affairs (radical Islam, terrorism, torture, civil liberties, CIA tactics and family) and expertly weaves them together in a taught drama that drew me in from the first scene and held my attention until the credits rolled. Hood does a masterful job directing and his cast gives performances of the highest caliber! For me, the most noteworthy performance came from Yigal Naor as Abasi Fawal and I can very easily see him as a Best Supporting Actor nominee come Oscar time. Gyllenhaal may also be in the awards picture for his performance as well.
In stark contrast to The Kingdom, Rendition is a much slower paced film that is more thoughtful, dramatic and far less self-conscious, something I appreciate. It is less showy and more substantive resulting in a film that has more impact, feels more relevant and entertains on a higher level. This film is certainly one of the year's best! 10/10
"Next" Not Strong, But Concept Thrills
In a movie world where the sea of DVDs is growing larger by the minute, and where most of the titles are throw-a-way fare, it grows increasingly difficult for movies to stand out on the shelf. This was true for Next as a few friends and I wandered through the video store. In fact, it was our complete state of indecision that forced us to pick up Next out of complete desperation and morbid curiosity; it looked laughably bad. It didn't help that my recent viewing of the second half of The Wicker Man didn't have me excited to watch Nick Cage either. That movie is terrible! (see the laughably bad, yet accurate YouTube summary here)It wasn't far into Next when I realized that, despite its obvious deficiencies, it was surprisingly compelling in its concept. The plot centers around "Frank Cadillac" (Cage), a Las Vegas magician who possesses the ability to see two minutes into the future, thus allowing him to alter the outcome. His unique ability is more or less unknown, but the FBI catches on to him after a strange security incident at a casino. As it would turn out, he is the man they need to help them in a matter of national security. It's getting to him that poses the problem - how do you get to a man who knows when you're coming two minutes in advance?
The national security problem is the matter of a small nuclear device that has been smuggled into the US by Russian terrorists (who speak French?). The FBI has no idea when or where it will be detonated and they want Frank (actual name Cris) to help them find the device before it is. Of course, two minutes doesn't really seem all that helpful when dealing with nukes, but I suppose you'll take anything you can get.
Enter Liz (Jessica Biel), a woman who for reasons unknown allows Cris to see even farther into the future. He knows this because he has foreseen his first encounter with her an extremely long time in advance, but he doesn't know why. Evidently they are linked somehow, but it is never explained. The compelling aspect of Cris's ability is demonstrated when we see him play out various scenarios in his mind of how to introduce himself to Liz and impress her. Six or seven hypothetical versions are played out on screen before we see the final, correct rendition take place.
From this point on Next is a high energy, mind-bending chase as we watch Cris play out scenario after scenario as he first avoids the FBI and then frantically helps them search for the nuke in order to save Liz. We are never sure what is real and what is merely possibility and he uses his ability at every turn. It is, however, really fun to watch play out.
Next is the latest in a series of Phillip K. Dick stories to be adapted to the big screen, following the likes of Total Recall, Minority Report, Paycheck and Through a Scanner Darkly. As usual, his concept is entertaining even if the rest of the adaptation leaves a lot to be desired. The performances in Next are nothing special from stars Cage, Biel and Julianne Moore. With a two minute lead on the world, Cris is virtually invincible and can only really be caught when he allows himself to be. This is one of the most powerful abilities I have ever come across! Combine that with the ability in the upcoming Hayden Christiansen film Jumper and you have an unstoppable human being!
Next isn't an incredible film, but it was a surprise on par with Deja Vu. Science fiction fans should consider this film if you have an evening to kill or if you appreciate Phillip K. Dick. It was entertaining, if only for the concept. 7/10
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Shoot Em Up is Unbelievable Fun
What is there to say about Shoot Em Up? Watching it you are witness to a seemingly never-ending parade of unbelievable scenes - one after another after another. For those easily offended, you might wish to stay home, but for the rest of us it is definitely game on!
I went into the theater with an idea of what to expect, but of course it wasn't enough to prepare me because right out of the gates Shoot Em Up goes into action-overdrive and lets up for maybe a grand total of 10 minutes for the whole affair. It was so over-the-top I laughed through whole movie and I'd argue that it gives Planet Terror a run for it's money as far as the extent of its presentation. I mean, really, who thinks this stuff up?! It was a world of fun but you really have to scratch your head. Someone was a neglected child. I think it was writer/director Michael Davis.
Clive Owen strikes again (see Inside Man review here) and stars as the mysterious Mr. Smith. All you really need to know is that he is a bad-ass AND probably the best gunslinger ever.... at least so far as the 21st century is concerned. Smith's skills defy belief and beguile the mind; there are more than a few instances where instant replay would have been nice and you think to yourself, "did that really just happen?" Yes, Virginia, it did. I saw stuff I have never imagined before including a man firing bullets with his bare hand! (don't wait for explanation, just see the movie) His BARE HAND. That's NOT RIGHT!
Shoot Em Up is sort of like that episode of the Simpsons where Homer buys a handgun and uses it for everything, including normal everyday actions like opening beer cans. You get a high body count to go with the gunplay but the violence in this film didn't irk me like with Kill Bill: Vol. I.
For some reason that I have yet to discern, there is a fairly knotted plot to Shoot Em Up that actually ends up carrying an anti-gun message??? That I'm not entirely sure about, though I have heard it stated as such. If anything I think the depth to which they took the plot bogged down the action and frantic pace of the film. It wasn't necessary to the crazy, fun mood of the film.
Paul Giamatti stars as Smith's nemesis Mr. Hertz, who is obsessed with eliminating Smith and what he has in his possession. He is a family man and a contract gun for hire. An ironic, comical marriage, it was easy to see that Giamatti really ate up this role and had fun with the character. Monica Bellucci also starred as the eye candy, lady of the night Donna Quintano.
Honestly, Shoot Em Up is exactly what its name suggests and nothing more. If you take this film at all serious, you have done yourself a huge disservice and ruined the experience. Get a bunch of friends together, have a few brews and watch this film and you will have a great time. I guarantee it! 8/10
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Iwo Jima Saga is Excellent Cinema
Clint Eastwood has done anything but be lazy in recent years. Coming on the heels of critically acclaimed films Mystic River (2003) and Million Dollar Baby (Best Picture - 2004), Eastwood took on a project of epic proportions - tell a story in two parts from two differing perspectives about a major historical event. The event was the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II which saw intense and bloody combat between the Japanese and American militaries during the Pacific campaign. The Iwo Jima saga is unique because it takes a new road with war movies in that we don't simply see the American perspective, but also that of the enemy which I believe made for a very complete and compelling storytelling experience.
Flags Of Our Fathers
Flags Of Our Fathers was released first to theaters in 2006. Serving as the American perspective it follows the story of three US soldiers who participated in the battle of Iwo Jima and, more importantly to the story, their participation in raising the flag on Mt. Suribachi which is captured in a famous photograph. The focal point of the film is their struggle with being lauded as heroes upon returning stateside to help promote the purchase of war bonds to fund the war through to victory.
When you fight along side men who become like brothers and they die while you survive, being called a hero is the last thing soldiers want. These men just wanted to honor their fallen friends and they resented the fact that the government simply wanted to use them as salesmen for the war effort. No one could truly understand what really happened unless they were there at Iwo Jima, but all the people back home had was the picture of the flag being raised. They thought it was when the battle was over. It wasn't; good men died shortly after it was raised (for the second time) and the battle raged for another 35 grueling days. People were so obsessed with the details that they overlooked the truth of the situation. No one really seemed to care about the men lost, the friend these soldiers had lost. They only wanted their heroes.
As the American perspective, Flags is a mix of both brutal war scenes and the story of the war bond effort back home. While the battle itself serves as more of a set piece for the men's feelings back home, it is intense, graphic and important. Eastwood does a fabulous job handling the battle aspect with some help from co-producer Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers). However, the film does feel uneven at times as it bounces back and forth from flashbacks of the battle to the bond campaign.
Ryan Phillipe, Jesse Bradford and Adam Beach all turn in fine performances as the three main characters of the story and Eastwood does a fine job directing. Despite the uneven aspects of the storytelling, Flags is worth viewing and is a fine addition to the new generation of war film. 8/10
Letters From Iwo Jima
Letters From Iwo Jima is an amazing film! The second half of the Iwo Jima saga offers an engrossing glimpse at the lives of the Japanese soldiers who fought to the death on Iwo Jima, something that I am fairly certain American audiences have never been given before. Certainly there is a novelty in that fact alone, but it is a film done extremely well and handled with great care and respect.
In the last year if the war, the Japanese military was slowly being pushed across the Pacific back to Japan. Iwo Jima was a critical island for both sides as it was capable of serving as a strategic airfield for fighters and bombers. The men of the island knew the Americans were coming and they waiting with anxious anticipation for the battle to arrive. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) was dispatched to take command of the island and take charge of its defense, a task he knows in his heart is all but impossible. However, he does what he must to prepare his men, but the task is made all the more difficult when he clashes with his subordinate officers concerning strategy for defending the island.
We also view the events through the eyes of a soldier by the name of Saigo, a young man who was pressed into service by the Empire leaving his his pregnant wife and job as a baker far behind. He is a soldier, but he doesn't have the heart to fight. He is a peaceful man who simply wants to return home alive. We are witness to the horrors that he experiences as he tries to survive the battle.
Letters is a powerful film, expertly done and beautifully presented. The cinematography is superb and the performance given by Ken Watanabe is powerful as he truly leads the film. It is jarring at times and totally engrossing as we are shown a side of the war we might never ourselves have imagined. It is definitely the stronger of the two films.
Letters was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture (2006). It was totally deserving in my opinion. This is probably one of the best war films I have ever seen. It brings the human element to the tragedy of war through a lens that we have rarely seen before, if ever - the eyes of the enemy. This is a must see film that I am glad I finally saw. 10/10
What Built My Road 10/14-10/20/07
This is running a little late this week. Not that the blog actually has deadlines or anything, but I try to keep a regular schedule on these things. Anyways, I’m tremendously sorry about that. I had a crazy fun weekend during Wartburg’s homecoming and was left with no time to really write a proper entry this weekend. Thus, I’ll keep this short. Mad Men Season Finale (Television)
While I would say that there was one subplot in the episode that rang slightly false (I won’t go into details, as I’m hoping any readers who didn’t catch this show will do so as soon as it hits DVD), the Carousel scene---watch it here, it’s worth the three-and-a-half minutes and will be a fine gauge as to whether this show is for you---makes me forgive any and all flaws this show had this season or may ever have. While the previous episode answered more questions and was, all and all, more ‘explosive’---the melancholy nature of the finale has my dying to know where this show is going to go. Too bad I have to wait until Summer 2008 for my next fix.
In Roger Ebert’s positive review for Across the Universe he mentioned that the Beatles’ songs were already movies in their own right. He couldn’t be more right---all the emotions and imagery you get from a classic film are right there. Actually putting a story and visuals to them, while unnecessary, in the right hands of the makers of ATU proved to be far from redundant. Director Julie Taymor is second only to Michel Gondry when it comes to stunning visuals and that alone would make the film worth seeing. The film is able to capture the manic energy of the Beatles in their youth as well as the psychedelia of their Sgt. Pepper days as it follows the lives of several young people (named after Beatles songs, of course) as they fall in love, go to war, and other typical 60s things.
The plot is secondary, of course, to the music and the visuals--so if you’re not a fan of Mummenschantz-style visual art or the music of the Fab Four, the film may be off-putting. While I adored most of it, some scenes are absolutely terrible (I’m thinking of Eddie Izzard’s rendition of For The Benefit of Mr. Kite) and the film could stand to lose about fifteen minutes. If you’re a Beatles fan, you need to check it out—but if you find the idea of people covering the Beatles blasphemous or are not a fan of musicals (especially meta-musicals that incorporate pop songs), leave it alone.
The fact that the film allowed me to mention the Mummenschantz in a review makes me like the film all the more.
My former roommates and I played a lot of this board-game turned Xbox Arcade video game this weekend. The goal of the game is to build cities and roads while placing your ‘followers’ on the tiles where you will most benefit from the completed structures. It’s quite a fun mix of luck, co-operation (turned to trickery far too often), and Sim/God role-playing. The Xbox version keeps the players from doing the unenviable job of scoring while perpetuating repeat play.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Too Many Damn Movies!
After a September where I found myself going to the movies out of pure habit instead of an actual desire to see any of the films showing, the tables have now turned where there are a ton of movies I want to get around to---but no time to see them!While I have made plans to see the promisingly psychedelic Across the Universe tonight, there are still a handful of films I’ll have to catch before they disappear from my local cineplex (which in a world where Saw IV will more than likely take up multiple screens is a very small window.)
I’ll have to pull a Hermione Granger if I want to catch comic book adaptation 30 Days of Night, well-reviewed box-office underperformer Micheal Clayton, political thriller Rendition, early Oscar favorite Into the Wild, poorly-reviewed-but-I-want-to-see-it-anyway-sequel Elizabeth: The Golden Age, and the buzzworthy Affleckfest Gone Baby Gone before they’re replaced with Jigsaw’s latest masterpiece(s) (If that tagline gets used for Saw V, I’ll sue) and the generic looking Steve Carell Is In A Movie (oops, I mean Dan in Real Life).
Not to mention that I’m still hoping that Sleuth, The Darjeeling Limited, and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford still make it into the area.
Also, November brings it’s own onslaught of intriguing looking (if not guilty pleasure teasing) films: American Gangster, Bee Movie, Lions for Lambs, No Country for Old Men, Southland Tales, Beowulf, Love in the Time of Cholera, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, Margot at the Wedding, Enchanted, Hitman (yeah, I’ll probably go to those two), The Mist, I’m Not There, and Teeth. If you want to see a premise that’s due to send shivers down your spine check out that last one.
Monday, October 15, 2007
What Hauled My Gravel...10/7-10/14/07
Here’s this week’s batch of things I found good enough to blog about:
Not only is Radiohead’s new album a pretty good one, but the inventive nature of its distribution (pay what you want---including $0.00 for the entire album in digital download form) makes it historical. Go here and see for yourself. Play it loud or with headphones for maximum effect.
30 Rock (television)
This show is probably my favorite comedy currently on the air and this week’s episode had the show in top form. Don’t believe me? Watch this scene.
I never thought that Paul Haggis’ directorial debut Crash was a horrible movie. I never thought it was a particularly good movie either—and it certainly wasn’t the best film of 2005 (that would have been The Constant Gardener), despite it winning the Best Picture Oscar. Where Crash suffered from a heavy-handed approach to the messages it was trying to share and a seeming attempt to work every flashy director trick into one film, Haggis’ sophomore effort In the Valley of Elah benefits from much-needed restraint.
Elah is not a perfect movie. While it’s not as preachy as Crash, it has its moments. I will warn you that the very last scene in the movie and the scene in the first act that sets it up are the two worst scenes in the film. While a pretentious air of importance may have been barely palpable through the rest of the film, for those two scenes it was choking.
8/1
I just love Kristen Wiig, currently the second best thing about the current incarnation of Saturday Night Live (the first being The Digital Shorts). My absolute favorite of her sketches (her carpooling w/ Alec Baldwin) has been pulled from YouTube and unavailable on NBC.com due to (my guess is) music rights issues, but this week’s SNL featured Wiig doing a definitive Björk impression. I fell in love all over again. Watch it here.
I’ve been holding off on mentioning this show, hoping that the pilot wasn’t just a fluke. Well, after the second brilliant episode I’m still holding my breath, praying that it can keep this up. Bryan (Wonderfalls) Fuller‘s new creation is a combination of that show’s whimsy and the visual flair of Tim Burton circa Big Fish. It’s full of black humor (the main protagonist can resurrect the dead with one touch, but kills them again with a second) and pie---two of my absolute favorite things.
A murder procedural fairy tale, the pie maker with the magic touch (Lee Pace) uses his powers to solve crimes (with the assistance of a private investigator/gun cozy knitter played by Chi McBride). After awakening his recently deceased childhood sweetheart, his life becomes more complicated since the slightest touch will cause him to lose her a second time. I’m also a fan of pie shop waitress Kristin Chenowith (known to break out into a random musical number) and narrator Jim Dale (of the Harry Potter audiobooks).
This show isn’t for everyone—if you can’t accept the premise of, say, a car that runs on dandelions for fuel, then I suggest you skip this one.
Smallville’s new cast members
OK, so Laura Vandervoort’s Supergirl Kara is growing on me…slowly, but the actor who is playing the new Daily Planet editor Grant Gabriel, Michael Cassidy, sucks sucks sucks. I believe when I started blogging on this site I made an oath to accent the positive and these ‘Bummers of the Week,’ seem to go against that. That said, I’ll try and only point out truly egregious affronts to my pop-culture intake. Cassidy’s lame delivery—or maybe it’s just the sucky character he plays---is one of those affronts.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
HDoGG's Movie Bonanza!!
Ok, so lately it just seems like I don't have enough hours in the day to make sure and get the blogging in as much as I'd like. This is readily apparent as Live Free or Die Hard has been on the upcoming review list going on forever! What can I say? A lot of other interesting material kept popping up that I wanted to review more than it, so it got the back shelf. Not any longer, though, as now I kill four birds with one post. Here it is - HDoGG's movie bonanza!
Live Free or Die Hard - I've never been much into the whole Die Hard thing, but for some reason I wanted to see this one. Not entirely sure why, but I did and ended up catching it back in June with some buddies. When the hiatus is as long as it was for Bruce Willis and this franchise, one went in wondering if there was possibly anything left in the tank? I don't know about the rest of you, but I for one was pleasantly surprised and entertained to boot. McClane is back and this time he is fighting techno terrorists determined to bring America to its knees by essentially pulling "the plug" on the Internet, banks, the power grid... everything! So while McClane is busy snooping on his teenage daughter in the wee hours, he gets pulled into the fray once again, this time trying anything and everything to keep good hacker Justin Long alive.
What a ride! In the summer when its hot and you just want to sit in the air conditioning and watch some good action its films like this that deliver. Willis proved that he still has it and I felt that he and Long had a pretty darn good "buddy" chemistry going as the odd couple (action hero cop/computer geek). There were some good laughs, great chases, outlandish moments (most notably involving a super jet and a semi trailer) and a satisfying end, even if we didn't actually get to hear McClane's signature catch-phrase in full. It was all good... and it didn't suck like 1408. 8/10
Superbad - Seth Rogan certainly had a good summer. First we were treated to Judd Apatow's Knocked Up starring Rogan and then we got his own film Superbad, starring Jonah Hill and Michael Serra (Arrested Development). This film pretty much defines juvenile, but with the right crowd it was a great time! I laughed pretty much the whole time. And the part about the right crowd is absolutely true. I went with a high school buddy and we were in a half full theatre with nothing but other adults in their 20s, so we didn't have annoying packs of high schoolers to ruin the atmosphere. Nothing against teenagers, but I've reached that age where I'd prefer not to watch this type of comedy surrounded by them because, honestly, I can't relate with the kids anymore.
This coming of age buddy flick was pretty much one crazy gag after another as two friends try to score before they part ways for college after high school. Naturally they are losers who never get chicks and it just so happens that they have a good chance now, but everything hinges on getting booze for a party which of course involves the use of a fake ID. One thing leads to another and before they know it things have gone terribly wrong and they are in the middle of the craziest night of their young lives. Crude doesn't even begin to describe this movie, but nevertheless it is funny and elicits its fair share of yuck-yucks. If you haven't seen, have a strong stomach and are in the mood for a really stupid but entertaining comedy, check out Superbad. 8/10
Inside Man - A Spike Lee Joint, you say? Yes sir, and it stars my boy Denzel (Crimson Tide, Training Day). It also stars Clive Owen, whose star is rising faster than Lindsey Lohan's rehab bill. I mean, what the hell is up with Cliver Owen?! Sin City, Children of Men, Shoot 'Em Up... this guy is kicking ass and taking names at a theater near you like every other Friday it seems. He is a damn good actor, so keep it coming Clive.
Inside Man is a pretty good heist movie that breaks the mold and goes about things in its own way; a standoff film that is three parts cerebral and one part action, like The Score only actually worth your time. You are never really certain what is going on in the film until the very end when all the pieces come together. And I won't call the ending brilliant, but it was very satisfying. Ok, so maybe a bunch of hints were laid out that maybe you could have figured out what was coming, but it was still good. Denzel and Clive were on their respective games and that is always fun to watch.
This film also featured Jodi Foster (in a non-victim role), Willem Defoe (in a non-creepy role) and Christopher Plummer (in a non-Klingon role). I didn't much care for Foster. Don't have any specific reason for this, but I just didn't. Plummer was practically a bit player, which is ironic seeing as his character is essentially the reason for the plot of the film, but who cares? Christopher Plummer is still getting work and I respect that. Oh yes, and it also featured Chiwetel Ejiofor (Serenity) who did a fine job in a supporting role.
All in all I blind bought this film based on lots of good buzz and I enjoyed it. Check it out. 9/10
The Kingdom - Premise: a terrorist attack on US nationals within Saudi Arabia gets the attention of the FBI. They killed Jennifer Garner's friend and now she wants blood. So she, Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper and Jason Bateman??? saddle up and head to Saudi Arabia despite objections of the state department to get to the bottom of who pulled off the brutal attack. And it was pretty brutal!
They aren't welcome in the Kingdom, but they are guests of the Prince so they are allowed to do their work under very heavy supervision and with a laundry list of restrictions. Oh and they also don't like Garner because she is a woman. They have 3 days to do what they want to do.
The Kingdom comes at the audience marinated in the years of stereotypes and bitter resentment that have built up between the Muslim world and the West, especially since 9/11. And while I don't doubt the realism of any of the situations in the film, it does come across as being very heavy handed. Still, the central message of the film that I took away was the importance of building bridges and finding common ground which takes place between the Americans and the Saudi agents they are working very closely with. It is a cold reception at first, but eventually both sides start to understand each other. The film culminates with a chaotic third act involving abduction, street combat, and rescue within a very hostile environment. For all real purposes, Saudi Arabia might as well be on another planet because it is shown as a very different world that what you and I are are used to. Its intense.
I couldn't get over what I perceived as an air of pretentiousness from this film. As I said before, it felt very heavy handed and overly dramatic at times, almost as if to scream out "look at how important and relevant this film is!" It was good but I take away points because it was a little too self important for me. 7/10
Sunday, October 7, 2007
What Fought My Foo...9/30-10/6/07
I may have been over-writing these in the past couple entries, so I’ll keep this week nice and short.
ESPG is another solid album for the reliably good Foo Fighters. It may not be their best release, but it’s more focused than the filler-filled In Your Honor double album. The stand out song from the album, Erase/Replace, combines singer/guitarist Dave Grohl’s whiplash-causing vocal dexterity from quiet whisper-singing to full on scream with some speed-metal drumming for what is certainly the Fighters’ most rocking song in years.
I could spend hours watching the archived reviews of all incarnations of the Siskel & Ebert/Ebert & Roeper television programs…and now I can. Thousands and thousands of reviews have now been posted online so everyone can watch the infamous Blue Velvet disagreement or Ebert’s Hated-Hated-Hated review of North.
I would argue that most web comics have about the same ‘funny’:’huh?’ ratio, and The Perry Bible Fellowship is no exception. Some of the strips are either unfunny or confusing, but when it hits the sweet spot of perversion and humor, its brilliance.
Bummer of the Week:
Seth Rogen on Saturday Night Live
Rogen wasn’t really that bad of host—he was game for whatever they threw at him and didn’t look like he was reading off cue cards (most of the time), but the sketches he starred in were underwhelming and too often fell back on a stoner/crude persona. The 2007 Douchebag Awards was an alright sketch and I laughed at Rowlf and the Swedish Chef—even when I knew it wasn’t funny, but I was left disappointed by Stonetown and the increasingly unfunny MacGruber. Musical guest Spoon, on the other hand, were excellent and I quite enjoyed
Sunday, September 30, 2007
What Flipped My Channels...9/23-29/07
This week my pop-culture explorations mostly kept me glued to the tube, but between the various cliff-hanger resolutions and clunky character introductions of the Fall TV season, I was able to stumble on a few items of interest:
This short film/prequel to the upcoming The Darjeeling Limited is teeming with writer/director Wes Anderson’s unique visual style, musical tastes, and humor. Giving us a brief peek into the life of Jason Schwartzman’s Darjeeling character as he is paid a surprise visit in the title hotel by his estranged girlfriend (Natalie Portman), this twelve-minute appendix has got me more excited for TDL than any of the trailers or pre-release press has been able to do. Hotel Chevalier is available as a free download on iTunes.
The follow-up film from Donnie Darko writer/director Richard Kelley looks like such a train wreck, it will be impossible for me to not go see it if it, in fact, gets any form of wide release. If not, it’s a definite Netflix rental. From the look of this trailer, this post-apocalyptic musical starring The Rock, Justin Timberlake, Bai Ling, and Seann William Scott could be the next Tank Girl. OK, that’s not really a good thing---but sometimes the promise of a flat-out fiasco can be more interesting than a mild success.
Director David Cronenberg must have been aware that the advertising for his last film, the excellent A History of Violence, gave away all of that film’s surprises. The trailer and ads for his follow-up offered up little of the plot and for this I am very grateful. Promises offers many surprises in it’s tale of the Russian mafia in modern day
TV Series Premieres
Below are the series I decided to check out in order of my preference/eagerness to check out a second episode:
Watching this pilot, I was thinking to myself “Damn. I’ve been telling everyone for weeks to watch Chuck and now this show is twice as good and I’m going to be the only one watching it.” Sharing a somewhat similar premise (working class young slacker is imbued with new abilities), Reaper is the funnier and therefore more entertaining of the two shows. A young man discovers that his parents sold his soul to the devil (Ray Wise) and now has to send rogue demons back to Hell (“That’s cool, huh?”) CW currently does not have the Kevin Smith directed pilot for view online, but if that changes—I will post an update. I seriously recommend it. 9/10
Journeyman
I was totally won over by this time-travel series starring Dylan McKidd as a man forced to relive parts of his own life and also solve other people’s problems. Everybody is comparing the series to Quantum Leap and yeah, he travels in time without a machine, but the personal ramifications of this man being unstuck in time are going to be what makes this show ultimately unique. My only hope is that they keep doling out the hints as to the cause of his condition. 8/10
The last few television seasons have featured shows (The Nine, Kidnapped) that felt like they were better suited to a mini-series format than an ongoing television program. Thankfully, this season’s premieres more-or-less feel like they have the gas to go on for multiple seasons right out of the gate. Chuck’s slacker-with-a-computer-brain spy-comedy hybrid has the potential to entertain for years. Given that they stop trying so hard---watching the pilot for a second time the jokes felt more strained than I had remembered. Still, I’ll be checking this out for a few weeks at least. 7/10
This re-imagining of the 1970s series from Battlestar Galactica producer David Eick shows a lot of promise, even with if the pilot moved too fast-- trying to introduce too much in the first hour. Lead Michelle Ryan seems capable of filling Lindsay Wagner’s shoes and the more Katee Sachoff (as prototype bionic woman Sara Corvis) the series can provide, the better. 7/10
Well-produced and filled with a great cast, this rich drama about a family-owned rum empire and their long-lasting feud with a rival sugar business will keep me tuned in to see if the show can keep forward story momentum. In
This soapy dramedy is not really my cup of tea—the cast is great and the premise (a sort of more-seriousish Arrested Development with Peter Krause’s family lawyer playing the Michael Bluth role) holds promise and lives up to the title—but ABCs brand of nighttime tongue-and-cheek soap operas seem to fail to hold my interest for more than a couple of episodes. I might tune in again and test that theory. 6/10
This vampire drama felt like any other CBS mystery show, just that the protagonist has fangs. It reminded me of SciFi’s recently canceled The Dresden Files in that it had a lot of elements that should have held my interest, but a palpable lack of urgency left me wanting. On the plus side, Alex O’Laughlin is a fine leading man while Jason Dohring (Veronica Mars) and Sophia Myles (Doctor Who’s Girl in the Fireplace) are a fine supporting cast. If the series decides to take some chances, it could be worth watching---but if it continues to be a by-the-book private eye drama (with vampire powers to help solve the mysteries—an element that actually makes the detective work less interesting) it’ll be just another show on the Tiffany Network that I don’t watch. 5/10
Big Shots
Dear God, this show sucked. I decided to watch the pilot, despite bad buzz, because of affection I have toward Alias’ Micheal Vartan and Sport Night’s Joshua Malina and the knowledge that Veronica Mars creator/show runner Rob Thomas was coming on board in a few episodes time. The show’s basic premise is ‘aren’t men cads?’ The characters are unlikable chauvinists (as opposed to the Entourage likeable kind, I guess) and instead of ‘aren’t these guys pathetic?’ we get the feeling that the show is glorifying them, a form or writer’s dream-fulfillment. Maybe it got better after the first ten minutes, but I doubt it.
Grey’s Anatomy (Season 4 Premiere)
Cloying narration. Whine Whine Whine. Speech. Whine. Medical cases that coincidentally mirror the life-struggles of our whiny doctors. Whine. Cloying narration.
I’m bored now and done with the show (though I said that after the season 3 finale).
Sunday, September 23, 2007
What Tripped My Trigger…9/16-22/07
I’m going to attempt something new with my contributions to The Film Lounge. Each week I’ll present a number of film/geek-related items that I enjoyed over the course of the week. It’s a way for me to share whatever I’m getting my kicks from while still being too lazy to write full reviews.Russell Crowe and Ben Foster in 3:10 to
While 3:10 to
I feel like I slip more and more into inescapable geekdom everytime I even think the words ‘Doctor Who’, but I can’t deny that the last few episodes aired on the Sci-Fi Channel have been some of the most well-crafted science fiction tales I’ve seen on television. David Tennant continues to cement his place as the best actor to take the role. Note: My Doctor experience consists solely of Tennant, Chris Eccleston, and Paul McGann’s one TV-movie stint, so my opinion in that matter probably isn’t weighted all that much. Nevertheless, he’s fantastic. Let’s hope he and companion Freema Agyemon stick around for a while.
Shoot Em Up (Film)
The movie is stupid, stupid, stupid. And awesome. As well as hilarious, dirty-minded, exploitive, and over-the-top. If you’re a fan of slapstick and violence (the closest comparison I can come to is Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Hustle) it’s a must-see. If any of these things are a turn-off: bad physics, Paul Giamatti making his Planet of the Apes performance look subtle, using vegetables as weapons, breasts, and using guns for things guns shouldn’t be used for---it’s an avoid-at-all-costs picture. Did I mention how stupid it was? Or how awesome?
The new trailer for the upcoming motion-capture animated fantasy film loads up on the action, rock music, and screaming. Watching it in high def may cause your eyes to pop out of their sockets. See it here—It’s #2.
X-Men: First Class Mini-Series (Comic)
Taking place in established Marvel continuity and following Professor Xavier’s original five X-Men (Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Angel, and Iceman), First Class is a fun read that forms fully-developed characters out of the X-Men that were later overshadowed by the likes of the more brooding and dynamic Wolverine and the lot. It’s an X-book that forgoes the existential angst and whining that often weighs down the other titles. Hopefully, the ongoing series will be able to introduce more of Stan Lee’s original social commentary while maintaining the level of amusement.
There’s not much I can say about this classic film that hasn’t been said better by hundreds of people. While re-watching it again on DVD, I was reminded by how touching the journey is---one feel like they’ve been through the entire relationship themselves by the time the credits roll. By addressing the camera at the beginning of the film, Allen lets the audience know how it’s going to turn out---but we watch with the same optimism mixed with affection and dread that the characters experience. It’s a masterpiece.
A direct-to-DVD animated film that re-tells the famous Death of Superman story, Superman-Doomsday puts Marvel’s attempts at DVD movies to shame. The writing staff of the Batman/Superman/Justice League series created a stand-alone universe for the PG-13 story and that meant an all new voice-cast and character designs. Most of the design work is good, but Superman has unnecessary lines added to the face to prevent him from looking like his previous animated incarnation. He looks craggily and, frankly, less than super. It’s with Superman’s voice casting that the film missteps as well, while Anne Heche does a more than adequate job as Lois Lane and Smallville’s Braniac James Marsters is a great Lex Luthor, Adam Baldwin (an actor I normally love) just doesn’t have the vocal presence to do Superman justice. The story, while not perfect, still manages to make up for these problems and the deviations from the comic are necessary improvements. Fans of Superman should definitely check it out.
Amazon’s new television download service allows you to get some of the hottest shows sent straight to your TiVo in DVD quality. Since I don’t have a TiVo, my laptop will have to suffice as I watch the available free downloads of Chuck, Journeyman (both really good), Bionic Woman, and Life (yet to watch).
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
H-DoGG's Surprise of 2007: Breach
It's not often that I go into a movie or buy a film completely blind. Most of the time I've gotten a bit of background, watched the trailer and probably read some press. So it is extremely rare that a blind film really knocks my socks off.Such is the case with Breach. I bought it knowing little more than the name and solely on the indirect recommendation of the The Film Lounge's very own Jacob Rosdail, who very rarely makes a recommendation that doesn't pan out. He spoke. I bought. It impressed!
Breach is a spy movie. However, it isn't Bourne and it certainly isn't Bond. In fact, it isn't even Spy Game. It's based on a true story of very recent history involving the single-most damaging domestic spy ever to infiltrate the United States intelligence community - ex-FBI and Russian spy Robert Hansson.
To tell the details of the story would be to basically teach a history lesson so I forgo that route and tell you why this film impressed me so much. Two things: the performances and the style of the film. First, in my opinion Chris Cooper gave an award-worthy performance in his turn as Robert Hansson. Hansson is a riddle inside of a puzzle and somewhere buried behind his stone-faced exterior and very vocal opinion of the FBI he is a truly strange, lonely and egotistical man whose motives in life were perhaps ultimately unknown. Even though he was caught in the act of espionage, it would be an error to call him stupid and unintelligent; he knew how to play the game, manipulate the system and play both sides without either side knowing the truth. Cooper embodied this all in his portrayal, so well in fact that I found myself both despising him and pitying him (Hansson) at the same time. In short, it was simply one of the most engaging and entertaining performances I have seen in awhile, and I watched The Good Shepherd.
The same was true for Ryan Phillipe who portrayed FBI specialist Eric O'Neill. O'Neill was the man hand-picked to spy on Hansson and the one who ultimately facilitated his capture. An aspiring agent-in-waiting, O'Neill was thrown into the operation not fully understanding what it was he was doing or what the FBI was trying to accomplish. His confusion, conflicted feelings and personal stress were brought to life by Phillipe and made real and believable. His performance matched up well with Cooper's. Ultimately, when it mattered most, Phillipe delivered a solid dramatic turn.
Finally, in what was a strong support role, Laura Linney played O'Neill's superior to whom he directly reported. Her character was a no-nonsense, veteran but tested agent. Her inner struggle was the realization that everything she had spent her career working to accomplish had been systematically undone by Hansson, leaving her and her colleagues to wonder what their work had even been for. If Hansson wasn't caught, the answer would be a disheartening and depressing "nothing". Linney brought a sense of strength to her character but with enough emotion to let you know that she was a real person, not just a another suit. That latter element was crucially important to the story because her ability to help O'Neill stay the course is what allowed him to complete his job in a situation that seemed to him to be far beyond his grasp.
Breach was directed by Billy Ray, the writer and director of 2003's Shattered Glass, also based on a true story. I didn't realize Breach was done by the same director until after the film was over, but I kept thinking of Shattered Glass while watching it. The reason is Ray's distinct style to approaching his films. It boarders on documentary while keeping one foot firmly planted in the realm of dramatic cinema. His ability to capture the most pedestrian details as they actually are in the real world as opposed to a fictional rendition creates an absorbing sense of authenticity. That, coupled with his excellent ability to get the most out of his actors, creates film experiences that are totally unique and completely engrossing. (In Shattered Glass, Peter Sarsgaard gave an amazing supporting performance which garnered him much critical acclaim.)
Ray has only directed two films. I own them both. His work is most definitely quality and too overlooked. So I'll give him the plug here - check out these two films, especially Breach. It was a very pleasant surprise and a happy addition to my library. 9/10
Saturday, September 15, 2007
10ish Films I’m Psyched for in 2007
Yeah, it’s that post-Summer, pre-prestige time of the B-Grade and Middlebrow Film. The stars don’t shine quite as bright, the cuts don’t cut quite as deep, and the CGI isn’t half as expensive.
It’s the time where I begin to look forward to the coming months for films that I am actually PSYCHED (!!!) for:
Trailer
If you can watch this trailer and NOT want to see this movie, I pity you.
An indie comedy regarding an unplanned teen pregnancy and the couple who wish to adopt the child, this film features a cast full of 27%ers (actors who make a movie 27% better just by their presence). Counting Jason Bateman, Michael Cera (The 27% rule applies to any of the principal cast of Arrested Development), JK Simmons, Allison Janney, and Ellen Page make this film 135% better than it would be otherwise.
This looks like the film I’ve been wishing Wes Anderson would’ve made his last couple times at bat.
Trailer
Looks to be the bastard child of the Fab Four and Moulin Rouge,which may only make the film sound appealing to me. But hell, they used I’ve Just Seen a Face in their marketing, so I’m already a fan sight unseen. I imagine plot is very much a secondary thought when it comes to this, but the visuals will most assuredly make this popular among those who, let’s say, don’t prefer their movie experiences sober.
Trailer
This film could very well suck (pun not intended), but the premise---a group of vampires take over an Alaskan town where a month goes by without sunlight, is a great twist on a genre that seems to have had all the life drained out of it (sorry). And it’s based on a comic book (excuse me, graphic novel), so I’m obligated by geek-cred to go.
No Country For Old Men:
Trailer
The Coen Brothers are back in Fargo/Blood Simple territory for this crime drama that Roger Ebert describes as a perfect film. I haven’t loved a Coen Brothers movie since The Man Who Wasn’t There, so I’m hoping this as much of a slam dunk as it looks to be. The trailer shows Javier Bardem using compressed air as a weapon. I don’t know if that’s from the book it’s based on or a Coen idea, but either way, it’s genius.
Trailer
Based loosely on Upton Sinclair’s novel Oil!, TWBB casts Daniel Day-Lewis as a turn-of-the-centuty oil prospector at the turn-of-the-century. I don’t really know much more than that other than that it’s directed by the talented Paul Thomas Anderson and…did I mention Daniel Day-Lewis is in it? Daniel Day-Lewis is awesome.
Bee Movie:
Trailer
I’m a Seinfeld fan and the last half of the latest trailer has me cracking up. Hopefully this film, about a bee who sues mankind over honey rights, strikes the right balance of family-friendly and Seinfeld’s observational (darkish) humor.
Sweeney Todd:
Official Site
Tim Burton. Johnny Depp. Musical.
Beowulf:
Trailer
We’re in serious uncanny valley territory in this motion-captured production of the oldest story known to man, but it has the potential to be absolutely groundbreaking. The talent behind the…uh, can it still be called a camera, is encouraging: the experimental director Robert Zemeckis and famed (graphic) novelist turned scriptwriter Neil Gaiman.
American Gangster:
Official Site/Trailer
I saw this trailer in the theater and thought to myself “Now that’s a movie…”
Alien Vs Predator 2: Requiem
Trailer
OK, the first one was kind of awful, but color me optimistic for this R-rated clash of the franchises that maybe…mayyyyybbeeee…might take place, in part, somewhere that’s not Earth (rhymes with Creditor Comb Granite?).
Other Films I’m Looking Forward to: The Mist, I Am Legend, Eastern Promises, Rendition, The Assassination of Jesse James…, Into the Wild, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, The Darjeeling Limited, Michael Clayton, Sleuth, I’m Not There, Lions for Lambs, Margot at the Wedding, Charlie Wilson’s War, Youth Without Youth
Any of these films have you psyched? Did I miss anything? Let me know in the COMMENTS section…
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