Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness) has the perfect mix of charisma and talent, making him a joy to watch. This was apparent from his early movie appearances of the mid-90’s and is still true today. Hopefully when it’s all said and done, the two- time Academy Award nominee will have a gold statue for his mantle. In the meantime, most of his movies are must-see, for me at least. I say most, because I can recall a few skippable ones (The Legend of Bagger Vance, Wild Wild West anyone?). Nevertheless, count me among Will Smith’s many fans.
I Am Legend is the apocalyptic tale of Robert Neville, a doctor and sole survivor of a catastrophic virus that has destroyed the world’s population. For unknown reasons, Neville is immune to the virus. His days are spent broadcasting a radio message to any survivors, roaming around Manhattan, hitting a few golf balls, and otherwise trying to maintain his sanity in the absence of human companionship. His only company is Sam, his loyal German Shepherd. Lest you think that the only point of this movie is to watch a solitary Smith amuse himself like Tom Hanks in Castaway, let me fill you in on the other key detail I’ve neglected to mention. Some humans were not killed by the virus, rather they mutated into nocturnal zombie-like creatures who fed on survivors after the initial outbreak. Neville must make sure he returns home before dusk, or else he will have to contend with these creatures. Although immune to the virus, he can still be killed by them, just not infected. He feverishly works on a cure for the virus by altering samples of his own blood and then (dangerously) administering the doses to the creatures. As Neville soon learns, the zombies are super strong, and their resourcefulness and intelligence become manifest with unfortunate consequences.
Will Smith shines in roles that allow him to show his broad range of emotions. He is particularly skilled at non-verbal acting, when he allows his face and eyes to do the talking. He doesn’t just cry, he cries differently, if that makes any sense. Think about it. The way you’d cry if your grandma died is not the same way you’d cry if your boyfriend/girlfriend cheated on you. Feel me? Smith is a master at delivering the perfect display of emotion. I was also very impressed with director Francis Lawrence’s depiction. I’ve never heard of him directing anything other than music videos, so for him to be able to create such a terrific feature film is nothing short of AMAZING. I’ve raved about the movie thus far, but it was not without its flaws. I always say that in terms of audience approval, movies can be won or lost in the last 5 minutes, and I Am Legend does not end strongly, which was a shame. You want to leave the audience on a high note, which just means a strong note, not necessarily a happy ending. You don’t want to erase all the good shit that unfolded in the previous hour and a half. I Am Legend falls short in its plausibility and will leave you scratching your head at certain parts, but I suggest you check it out. It was fascinating to watch Neville’s daily routine, his sanity bolstered only by his desire to find a cure and by the constant presence of man’s best and only friend, Sam. I Am Legend will leave you on the edge of your seat, if nothing else. Smith meets the challenge of carrying the movie by himself, and if you’re foolish enough to have neglected his talent before, you’ll be a believer by the time the credits roll.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
The Mist
Stephen King has created another masterpiece. He is a truly gifted storyteller, able to capture the essence of fear in all its forms, and there are many. There is obvious fear, perhaps signified by the presence of a monster, creature, alien, maybe even an axe-wielding psychopath. Then there are the more sinister types of fear…fear of the unknown, fear in the presence of unseen evil. There is terror, which may be all the different types of fear rolled into one. In any event, King (along with screenwriter Frank Darabont) has mastered the art of creeping you the fuck out, and I don’t think I scare too easily. You may think The Mist is a horror movie, and to a large extent that would be an accurate assumption. But it’s much, much more than that. It is just as much of a study in psychology and human behavior as it is a horror movie.
The film is set in a sleepy Maine(?) town that is enveloped by a mysterious mist that wafts in following a strong storm. A number of residents become trapped in a small grocery store when the mist first appears, and it is here where most of the action transpires. What’s the big deal about mist, you ask? There’s something in it that snatches you up, never to be seen or heard from again, except for your dying screams. Believe it or not, that’s not even the scary part. The most frightening aspect of the film is its examination of human behavior and group mentality when societal constraints crumble and the true nature of man is revealed. If the shit is hitting the fan and you’re possibly facing armageddon, there are worse places to be trapped than the supermarket, right? You would think that adults could survive for quite a while, considering that food and shelter are plentiful. Not so. In the face of disaster and fear, chaos erupts, with chilling results. I was reminded of one of my favorite books from high school, Lord of the Flies. What is the true nature of man? Good or evil? This question is posed directly and becomes a driving force in the film. Thomas Jane (The Punisher) is the main character who grapples with the more difficult choices, and Marcia Gay Harden (The Invisible) portrays his foil, a vocal religious zealot who personifies the danger of “groupthink,” the phenomenon by which people lose sense of themselves and behave in ways they normally would not when they are allowed to cloak themselves in the anonymity of a group setting.
The Mist is a frightening, riveting movie that leaves you feeling something deep inside and will leave you reeling, kinda like The Sixth Sense may have done years ago. In some ways it's the most powerful, penetrating movie I've seen all year. Don't see it alone like I did, see it with someone so the two of you can appreciate it together.
The film is set in a sleepy Maine(?) town that is enveloped by a mysterious mist that wafts in following a strong storm. A number of residents become trapped in a small grocery store when the mist first appears, and it is here where most of the action transpires. What’s the big deal about mist, you ask? There’s something in it that snatches you up, never to be seen or heard from again, except for your dying screams. Believe it or not, that’s not even the scary part. The most frightening aspect of the film is its examination of human behavior and group mentality when societal constraints crumble and the true nature of man is revealed. If the shit is hitting the fan and you’re possibly facing armageddon, there are worse places to be trapped than the supermarket, right? You would think that adults could survive for quite a while, considering that food and shelter are plentiful. Not so. In the face of disaster and fear, chaos erupts, with chilling results. I was reminded of one of my favorite books from high school, Lord of the Flies. What is the true nature of man? Good or evil? This question is posed directly and becomes a driving force in the film. Thomas Jane (The Punisher) is the main character who grapples with the more difficult choices, and Marcia Gay Harden (The Invisible) portrays his foil, a vocal religious zealot who personifies the danger of “groupthink,” the phenomenon by which people lose sense of themselves and behave in ways they normally would not when they are allowed to cloak themselves in the anonymity of a group setting.
The Mist is a frightening, riveting movie that leaves you feeling something deep inside and will leave you reeling, kinda like The Sixth Sense may have done years ago. In some ways it's the most powerful, penetrating movie I've seen all year. Don't see it alone like I did, see it with someone so the two of you can appreciate it together.
No Country For Old Men
Wow. No Country For Old Men has left me tongue-tied. I don’t even know where to begin. This was truly a superbly intense, well-acted and extremely well-written film. The dialogue was excellent, and that’s why I love the movies: you get to hear people say the coolest shit that no one says in real life. The movie is written and directed by Ethan and Joel Coen (O Brother Where Art Thou), a critically acclaimed pair whose work I’m not terribly familiar with. The only movies I’ve seen that one or both have been associated with are Intolerable Cruelty and a garish old movie called Blood Simple. I’d like to meet their parents, just to see the people who birthed these twisted geniuses.
No Country For Old Men’s plot is simple enough. A drug deal has gone wrong, leaving a band of Mexican drug dealers murdered in the middle of the Texas desert. When a passerby named Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin, American Gangster) stumbles upon the human carnage and helps himself to a couple of million dollars, he thinks he’s gotten away with a pretty sweet find. However, I’d like to borrow and slightly alter a quote from Jackie Brown (one of my faves) and point out that 2 million dollars will always be missed. On the trail of the money (and thereby Llewelyn) is Anton Chigurh (pronounced shoo-GAR’), a hired gun, hitman, and assassin – whatever you wanna call him. Homie put the psycho in psychopath; you have never seen anything like this dude. He might be the scariest MF on screen since Hannibal Lecter. Only difference is Chigurh doesn’t eat people. I think he have might have old Lecter beat though…this guy is positively frightening to look at. It doesn’t happen often, but have you ever seen somebody out in public, and they just look scary as hell? Maybe that’s only happened to me, but one time I pulled up to a stop light and looked in the car next to me at its driver and caught a chill. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but the guy just looked scary, and I quickly looked away and didn’t look back. He looked like the type of guy who had something in his trunk, and I don’t mean a spare tire. Chigurh is like that - the type of cat that if you saw in real life, you’d go the other way, trust me. Look at him: http://www.lashorasperdidas.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/javier-bardem-en-no-country-for-old-men.jpg He kills at will, savagely resourceful and unstoppable. The movie takes place in 1980, and also stars Tommy Lee Jones (U.S. Marshals) as a lawman in pursuit of Chigurh, trying to reach Llewelyn first. The movie personifies the TX stereotype of “salt of the earth” folks. Lewelyn is a “man’s man” and so is Tommy Lee Jones’ character. They are old school men, the antithesis of the pretty-boy metrosexual. As a matter of fact, Llewelyn almost matches Chigurh in guts and fearlessness, and Josh Brolin deserves an award for his portrayal. Nearly all of the men in this movie are larger-than-life cowboy types who (pardon my French) seem to have brass balls. I don’t think they really make men like that anymore, LOL.
On a more cinematic note, The TX landscape was filmed beautifully, serving as the perfect backdrop to a movie that at times felt like a Western. The movie was filmed in washed-out tones, which illustrated the starkness of it all, from the geography of the desert to the pallor of Chigurh’s skin. Sometimes I see a movie that throws me for a loop and stuns me into speechlessness. It doesn’t happen often, but all I can say about No Country For Old Men is that it was one of those movies that will leave you in awe. It’s ranked #31 in the top 250 movies of all time on IMDB, so take that for what it’s worth. Go see it if you remotely enjoyed any of the following: A History of Violence, Blood Simple, or American Psycho.
No Country For Old Men’s plot is simple enough. A drug deal has gone wrong, leaving a band of Mexican drug dealers murdered in the middle of the Texas desert. When a passerby named Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin, American Gangster) stumbles upon the human carnage and helps himself to a couple of million dollars, he thinks he’s gotten away with a pretty sweet find. However, I’d like to borrow and slightly alter a quote from Jackie Brown (one of my faves) and point out that 2 million dollars will always be missed. On the trail of the money (and thereby Llewelyn) is Anton Chigurh (pronounced shoo-GAR’), a hired gun, hitman, and assassin – whatever you wanna call him. Homie put the psycho in psychopath; you have never seen anything like this dude. He might be the scariest MF on screen since Hannibal Lecter. Only difference is Chigurh doesn’t eat people. I think he have might have old Lecter beat though…this guy is positively frightening to look at. It doesn’t happen often, but have you ever seen somebody out in public, and they just look scary as hell? Maybe that’s only happened to me, but one time I pulled up to a stop light and looked in the car next to me at its driver and caught a chill. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but the guy just looked scary, and I quickly looked away and didn’t look back. He looked like the type of guy who had something in his trunk, and I don’t mean a spare tire. Chigurh is like that - the type of cat that if you saw in real life, you’d go the other way, trust me. Look at him: http://www.lashorasperdidas.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/javier-bardem-en-no-country-for-old-men.jpg He kills at will, savagely resourceful and unstoppable. The movie takes place in 1980, and also stars Tommy Lee Jones (U.S. Marshals) as a lawman in pursuit of Chigurh, trying to reach Llewelyn first. The movie personifies the TX stereotype of “salt of the earth” folks. Lewelyn is a “man’s man” and so is Tommy Lee Jones’ character. They are old school men, the antithesis of the pretty-boy metrosexual. As a matter of fact, Llewelyn almost matches Chigurh in guts and fearlessness, and Josh Brolin deserves an award for his portrayal. Nearly all of the men in this movie are larger-than-life cowboy types who (pardon my French) seem to have brass balls. I don’t think they really make men like that anymore, LOL.
On a more cinematic note, The TX landscape was filmed beautifully, serving as the perfect backdrop to a movie that at times felt like a Western. The movie was filmed in washed-out tones, which illustrated the starkness of it all, from the geography of the desert to the pallor of Chigurh’s skin. Sometimes I see a movie that throws me for a loop and stuns me into speechlessness. It doesn’t happen often, but all I can say about No Country For Old Men is that it was one of those movies that will leave you in awe. It’s ranked #31 in the top 250 movies of all time on IMDB, so take that for what it’s worth. Go see it if you remotely enjoyed any of the following: A History of Violence, Blood Simple, or American Psycho.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Hitman
Based on a video game of the same name, Hitman is a straightforward, stylish tale of a trained assassin called “Agent 47.” 47 dispatches his victims with passionless efficiency, a virtual murdering machine. He is played by Timothy Olyphant (Die Hard 4, Gone in Sixty Seconds), who looks the part of sleek killer in a suit and tie slightly reminiscent of the The Matrix’ Agent Smith. However, once Olyphant opens his mouth the character falters slightly. His voice just sounds so…American. The movie takes place in various European locales, every character has a foreign accent, and yet Agent 47 is the only person speaking like the average American Joe. It just didn’t fit, and it didn’t match his sophisticated appearance. The plot involves a botched assignment and a double-cross resulting in 47 turning rogue as he tries to figure things out. Sound familiar? Now that I’ve recited the plot, it sounds like a poor man’s Bourne Supremacy. In addition to its familiarity, the plot is bogged down by the pointless interaction between 47 and his “love interest,” the prostitute girlfriend of one of his victims. Her character was pretty much there to sulk and look exotic and helpless. One minute she fears 47, the next minute she’s trying to seduce him. By the way, he's not interested. Apparently this killing machine doesn't feel anything from the waist down. I also could have done without the gratuitous nudity; spare me the pointless boob shots honey. Oh wait, I think I just inadvertently sold some people on the movie.
There are definitely some stunningly violent scenes, featuring both gunplay and hand-to-hand action. Again, Agent 47 is fun to behold, when he’s not speaking. Other than that, Hitman is fairly forgettable. Perhaps gamers will enjoy seeing the embodiment of 47 on screen, but the rest of us could probably take a pass. Not bad, but not that great either.
There are definitely some stunningly violent scenes, featuring both gunplay and hand-to-hand action. Again, Agent 47 is fun to behold, when he’s not speaking. Other than that, Hitman is fairly forgettable. Perhaps gamers will enjoy seeing the embodiment of 47 on screen, but the rest of us could probably take a pass. Not bad, but not that great either.
Friday, November 23, 2007
This Christmas
This was the sweetest little movie, a warm holiday flick that touted the virtues of family without coming across corny or hokey. This Cristmas is the second recent ensemble movie featuring a primarily Black cast, the first being Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? There aren’t any more similarities between the two movies, and what made This Christmas so enjoyable was that it was not contrived or forced; it was just a depiction of family life to which most people can relate, regardless of ethnicity. No family is perfect, but it’s those imperfections that make us human, and what would any holiday be without a little family drama anyway?
The movie centers on the Whitfield family, a middle-class clan whose members reunite every year for Christmas. Matriarch “Ma’Dere” (Loretta Devine, Crash) plays peacemaker to her six children, three boys and three girls. Her children are eldest son Quentin (Idris Elba, American Gangster), middle son Claude (Columbus Short, Stomp the Yard), youngest son “Baby” (Chris Brown, Stomp the Yard), and daughters Kelli (Sharon Leal, Why Did I Get Married?), Lisa (Regina King, Miss Congeniality 2), and Mel (Lauren London, ATL). Her long-time live-in boyfriend and surrogate father to the kids is Joe, played by Delroy Lindo (Clockers). Tension arises and mounts when the children discover that Baby has been keeping a secret from Ma’Dere, something that would barely raise an eyebrow in a typical family, but is a major cause of concern for Ma’Dere due to the fact that her husband abandoned their family many years ago to pursue his musical aspirations. As she puts it, “certain men just don’t need to be married.” Word, I hear you, LOL. Baby’s not the only one keeping a secret, however – and when the collective cats are out of the bag, this Christmas won’t soon be forgotten. Some plot fixtures are predictable, like the fact that one of the girls’ mates is a scumbag, and one of them can’t cook. We’ve seen and heard it before, but that’s okay because the cast and movie is so endearing. Just because you know what you’re getting doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it, right? That’s how I looked at it. Of course all’s well that end’s well, but the fun is in getting there, and I think you’ll be entertained throughout. This movie doesn’t present the Whitfields as picture perfect, so when the positive aspects of various characters are displayed, it doesn’t seem unrealistic.
Though not quite as good, This Christmas is the best family drama/comedy since Soul Food, and definitely worth seeing during the holiday season.
The movie centers on the Whitfield family, a middle-class clan whose members reunite every year for Christmas. Matriarch “Ma’Dere” (Loretta Devine, Crash) plays peacemaker to her six children, three boys and three girls. Her children are eldest son Quentin (Idris Elba, American Gangster), middle son Claude (Columbus Short, Stomp the Yard), youngest son “Baby” (Chris Brown, Stomp the Yard), and daughters Kelli (Sharon Leal, Why Did I Get Married?), Lisa (Regina King, Miss Congeniality 2), and Mel (Lauren London, ATL). Her long-time live-in boyfriend and surrogate father to the kids is Joe, played by Delroy Lindo (Clockers). Tension arises and mounts when the children discover that Baby has been keeping a secret from Ma’Dere, something that would barely raise an eyebrow in a typical family, but is a major cause of concern for Ma’Dere due to the fact that her husband abandoned their family many years ago to pursue his musical aspirations. As she puts it, “certain men just don’t need to be married.” Word, I hear you, LOL. Baby’s not the only one keeping a secret, however – and when the collective cats are out of the bag, this Christmas won’t soon be forgotten. Some plot fixtures are predictable, like the fact that one of the girls’ mates is a scumbag, and one of them can’t cook. We’ve seen and heard it before, but that’s okay because the cast and movie is so endearing. Just because you know what you’re getting doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it, right? That’s how I looked at it. Of course all’s well that end’s well, but the fun is in getting there, and I think you’ll be entertained throughout. This movie doesn’t present the Whitfields as picture perfect, so when the positive aspects of various characters are displayed, it doesn’t seem unrealistic.
Though not quite as good, This Christmas is the best family drama/comedy since Soul Food, and definitely worth seeing during the holiday season.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Lions for Lambs
Robert Redford (A River Runs Through It) offers his latest directorial effort in Lions for Lambs, a thought-provoking and slightly biased persepctive on the war in Iraq and U.S. foreign policy. The film presents three viewpoints, each substory illustrating a different message.
Redford is featured as a college professor who attempts to encourage a promising but disillusioned student to take a more proactive role in his life and in the lives of others. The second dynamic presented in the movie is an exchange between characters portrayed by Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada) and Tom Cruise (Mission Impossible: III). Streep is reporter Janine Roth, and she's landed an exclusive interview with a rising star in the Republican party and staunch supporter of the war, Senator Jasper Irving. His name is Jasper. *snicker* Anyway, Irving pretty much spoon-feeds Roth his pro-war rhetoric, spinning the story every step of the way. He wants to unveil a new strategy in the war on terror, which brings us to the third and final perspective in the movie, that of two soldiers on the ground in Iraq. Derek Luke (Catch a Fire) and Michael Pena (Crash, Shooter) are Arian and Earnest, two bright, brave young soldiers who are part of a military unit charged with executing the first step in the new strategy being pushed by Senator Irving. So there's the connection to the Streep-Cruise part of the movie. Earnest and Arian are also former students of Redford's professor. Thus the three stories are loosely interconnected, and each perspective exalts a different moral lesson. The ideas most notably put forth by Redford are the notions that ill-conceived military operations and wars exploit and waste the lives of our best and brightest, and that this continues because most of us are sheep, and the few of us that aren't don't care enough to get involved. (this explains the title, do you get it? the soldiers are the lions and our faceless government and its scores of minions are the lambs). Simple enough, and not exactly groundbreaking. I oversimplified it a bit, but that's it in a nutshell.
What makes Lions a thought-provoking movie is that it inevitably challenges the viewer to ask him/herself where exactly they fall on the spectrum. It also examines the nobility of soldiers fighting a less-than-honorable war and presents the notion that doing something is better than doing nothing and talking about it. On that note, Redford is to be commended for creating a film that unabashedly disapproves of the war in Iraq but lauds the reasons why extraordinary individuals are compelled to contribute. Some may find the film to be rather heavy-handed in its execution, but it was interesting nonetheless.
Lions for Lambs is a thoughtful, quietly entertaining film. A political movie with a message, it's not for those with short attention spans, but the more mature moviegoer should find it enjoyable.
Redford is featured as a college professor who attempts to encourage a promising but disillusioned student to take a more proactive role in his life and in the lives of others. The second dynamic presented in the movie is an exchange between characters portrayed by Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada) and Tom Cruise (Mission Impossible: III). Streep is reporter Janine Roth, and she's landed an exclusive interview with a rising star in the Republican party and staunch supporter of the war, Senator Jasper Irving. His name is Jasper. *snicker* Anyway, Irving pretty much spoon-feeds Roth his pro-war rhetoric, spinning the story every step of the way. He wants to unveil a new strategy in the war on terror, which brings us to the third and final perspective in the movie, that of two soldiers on the ground in Iraq. Derek Luke (Catch a Fire) and Michael Pena (Crash, Shooter) are Arian and Earnest, two bright, brave young soldiers who are part of a military unit charged with executing the first step in the new strategy being pushed by Senator Irving. So there's the connection to the Streep-Cruise part of the movie. Earnest and Arian are also former students of Redford's professor. Thus the three stories are loosely interconnected, and each perspective exalts a different moral lesson. The ideas most notably put forth by Redford are the notions that ill-conceived military operations and wars exploit and waste the lives of our best and brightest, and that this continues because most of us are sheep, and the few of us that aren't don't care enough to get involved. (this explains the title, do you get it? the soldiers are the lions and our faceless government and its scores of minions are the lambs). Simple enough, and not exactly groundbreaking. I oversimplified it a bit, but that's it in a nutshell.
What makes Lions a thought-provoking movie is that it inevitably challenges the viewer to ask him/herself where exactly they fall on the spectrum. It also examines the nobility of soldiers fighting a less-than-honorable war and presents the notion that doing something is better than doing nothing and talking about it. On that note, Redford is to be commended for creating a film that unabashedly disapproves of the war in Iraq but lauds the reasons why extraordinary individuals are compelled to contribute. Some may find the film to be rather heavy-handed in its execution, but it was interesting nonetheless.
Lions for Lambs is a thoughtful, quietly entertaining film. A political movie with a message, it's not for those with short attention spans, but the more mature moviegoer should find it enjoyable.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Jay-Z: American Gangster
I don't usually review music, because to be honest I usually don't feel like it. Every now and then I'll come across a new joint that makes me want to talk about it. So, with no further ado, American Gangster.
Marketed as a "concept" album inspired by the film of the same name, American Gangster is Jay-Z's musical interpretation of the film...each song corresponds to a scene/aspect of the movie that spoke to his life experiences growing up in Marcy projects, or perhaps even now, though Jay has been on the straight and narrow for quite a while. It's not a stretch to imagine that Jay, a former hustler, could relate to particular personality traits displayed by Frank Lucas. Both can be said to "run New York" in their own way. Jay's latest musical effort allows him to revert back to his old self, to give us shades of Reasonable Doubt. Call it a guilty pleasure, or an indulgence, but American Gangster (the movie) provided the perfect opportunity for Jay to rhyme about something he knows all too well: the hustle. Jay has evolved into an entrepreneur, an urban renaissance man, jack-of-all trades, and trendsetting mogul. If he rapped about selling drugs at this point, his words would ring hollow. We know he's a long way from Marcy. The man had an HP commercial for crying out loud. By masking this album under the guise of a concept album, Jay allows himself to slip back into a pre-Blueprint world he hasn't revisited in years, save for a few remixes and guest appearances here and there.
What I like most about the album is its umistakeable soulfulness. It harkens back to a musical era unknown to a lot of younger listeners. I'm not that old myself (28), but the reason why I could recognize some of the samples on the album is because I enjoy soul music and I'm familiar with it because I sought it out. Hell, Marvin Gaye was dead by the time I was 5 years old, but I know his voice because I am a lover of music. Maybe in some weird way American Gangster will foster that same love of soul music in some teenage consumers. If not, then I guess Jay really is for the grown and sexy, and all the kids can go back to crankin' that Soulja Boy.
On this album Jay still shows his maturity and introspection on tracks like "American Dreamin'"and "Say Hello," but keeps it gutter on songs like "Ignorant Shit" and "Hello Brooklyn 2.0," a collaboration with Lil' Wayne that will lay any rumors of a beef between the two to rest. The one shortcoming I've always attributed to Jay over the years is that he didn't have a knack for storytelling, for painting a picture with his words, like Nas for example. I think the cinematic nature of this project allowed him to overcome that hurdle, because the music is the canvas and his words are the paint...together those words and rhythms combine for a masterpiece, and an album that is nearly the best rap album of the year. I'll need a little longer to decide if it surpasses Graduation.
Interestingly enough, Diddy actually contributed to several of the more soulful tracks, which I find surprising. Honestly I didn't know he had it in him. I'll leave you with this one to chew on: Nas must be the greatest rapper alive. Hear me out. To be the best you have to beat the best, right? Well, he won the battle back when he and Jay were feuding. He HAS to be the greatest, because Jay is on a whole other level right now. Hmmm, actually although Nas is my fave rapper, that sounds stupid. Jay is only competing with himself at this point. When Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson he wasn't the best. That negro got lucky and caught the champ on an off night. Nevermind. All hail the king of New York, the Michael Schumacher of the Roc roster... President Carter.
Marketed as a "concept" album inspired by the film of the same name, American Gangster is Jay-Z's musical interpretation of the film...each song corresponds to a scene/aspect of the movie that spoke to his life experiences growing up in Marcy projects, or perhaps even now, though Jay has been on the straight and narrow for quite a while. It's not a stretch to imagine that Jay, a former hustler, could relate to particular personality traits displayed by Frank Lucas. Both can be said to "run New York" in their own way. Jay's latest musical effort allows him to revert back to his old self, to give us shades of Reasonable Doubt. Call it a guilty pleasure, or an indulgence, but American Gangster (the movie) provided the perfect opportunity for Jay to rhyme about something he knows all too well: the hustle. Jay has evolved into an entrepreneur, an urban renaissance man, jack-of-all trades, and trendsetting mogul. If he rapped about selling drugs at this point, his words would ring hollow. We know he's a long way from Marcy. The man had an HP commercial for crying out loud. By masking this album under the guise of a concept album, Jay allows himself to slip back into a pre-Blueprint world he hasn't revisited in years, save for a few remixes and guest appearances here and there.
What I like most about the album is its umistakeable soulfulness. It harkens back to a musical era unknown to a lot of younger listeners. I'm not that old myself (28), but the reason why I could recognize some of the samples on the album is because I enjoy soul music and I'm familiar with it because I sought it out. Hell, Marvin Gaye was dead by the time I was 5 years old, but I know his voice because I am a lover of music. Maybe in some weird way American Gangster will foster that same love of soul music in some teenage consumers. If not, then I guess Jay really is for the grown and sexy, and all the kids can go back to crankin' that Soulja Boy.
On this album Jay still shows his maturity and introspection on tracks like "American Dreamin'"and "Say Hello," but keeps it gutter on songs like "Ignorant Shit" and "Hello Brooklyn 2.0," a collaboration with Lil' Wayne that will lay any rumors of a beef between the two to rest. The one shortcoming I've always attributed to Jay over the years is that he didn't have a knack for storytelling, for painting a picture with his words, like Nas for example. I think the cinematic nature of this project allowed him to overcome that hurdle, because the music is the canvas and his words are the paint...together those words and rhythms combine for a masterpiece, and an album that is nearly the best rap album of the year. I'll need a little longer to decide if it surpasses Graduation.
Interestingly enough, Diddy actually contributed to several of the more soulful tracks, which I find surprising. Honestly I didn't know he had it in him. I'll leave you with this one to chew on: Nas must be the greatest rapper alive. Hear me out. To be the best you have to beat the best, right? Well, he won the battle back when he and Jay were feuding. He HAS to be the greatest, because Jay is on a whole other level right now. Hmmm, actually although Nas is my fave rapper, that sounds stupid. Jay is only competing with himself at this point. When Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson he wasn't the best. That negro got lucky and caught the champ on an off night. Nevermind. All hail the king of New York, the Michael Schumacher of the Roc roster... President Carter.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
American Gangster
Director Ridley Scott (Alien, Black Hawk Down), Denzel Washington (Déjà vu), and Russell Crowe (Cinderella Man) set the bar astronomically high in this film about the rise and ultimate demise of NY drug lord Frank Lucas. Fun fact: Washington and Crowe previously teamed up in 1995’s Virtuosity, back when Crowe’s career was in its infancy, at least in the States. It goes without saying that both actors’ performances easily surpassed their previous joint effort.
American Gangster starts with a jolt, the brutal image of Frank Lucas executing some poor soul for an unknown offense. He sets the man ablaze and then finishes off the job with a series of quick gunshots. And so it begins, a tale that is at varying times touching, tense, awkward, and violent. The opening scene prepares us for the notion that you never know what Lucas is capable of, and that with Frank Lucas, like most gangsters, a violent undercurrent steadily bubbles under a seemingly cool exterior. Yet Lucas is never unjustifiably short-tempered, he is never a loose cannon. When he “snaps,” the recipient of his rage is always well-deserving, and so Lucas is not fearsome or ruthless in his violence, but rather measured and calculated. He is a man who can blow someone’s brains out in broad daylight on a crowded street, then re-enter his favorite diner and resume his meal as if he merely stepped out to feed a parking meter. Some actors are can’t miss, and Denzel Washington is as close to a sure thing as you can get. He brings his standard charm and cocky swagger to the role, conveying Lucas’ duality with relish and authenticity. Frank Lucas is a man that can set another human being on fire, but is almost child-like in his adoration of his mother. His anger is equally matched by the love and affection he has for his family, and the tenderness he shows with his wife-a demure young beauty queen who melts under Lucas' warm and steady gaze when they first meet. This is a performance that Washington seemed to enjoy delivering, a brief return to the villainous capability he displayed in Training Day, but to compare the two roles would be a disservice to Washington as an actor.
I would be remiss if I don’t leave the impression that American Gangster is as much about Frank Lucas as it is about the lawman who hunts him: Officer Richie Roberts, a professionally scrupulous but personally questionable man who initially underestimates Lucas’ power and influence. I’m not a huge Russell Crowe fan, but the man is an outstanding actor and turns in a compelling performance. You’re forced to be a part of his experience, because the movie constantly shifts between Roberts and Lucas, which brings me to one of the things that bothered me about the film. The frequent scene changes and introduction of subplots and side stories were a mild distraction and made the movie feel as if it was moving in a thousand directions. As a viewer, I was bombarded with images and characters that served as brief breaks from what I felt was the principal story: Frank Lucas and the cop who pursues him. Perhaps the writers wanted to flesh out back stories so that the viewer had a complete perception of the character. For example, there is a great deal of time spent showing the interaction between Roberts and his partner, and Roberts and his estranged wife. In some respects the movie seemed like a collection of scenes rather than a cohesive film.
Director Ridley Scott effectively captured the hopelessness of the heroin epidemic of the 1970s, although some of his scenes of junkies shooting up wore thin and became disgustingly gratuitous after a while. Another observation is that other characters were relegated to the periphery, whether they were members of Lucas’ family (roles played by Common and TI) or other tangential characters whose purpose and function remained vague and ambiguous. I’ll leave you with this parting thought. American Gangster is not the instant classic you think it is. It’s not the best drug movie, it’s not the best cop vs. kingpin movie, it’s not a movie I will see twice in theaters (surprising for me), nor is it the best Denzel Washington movie. It is a slightly underdeveloped, highly ambitious, gritty spectacle, which is saved by Washington’s larger-than-life performance. Oh yeah, Ridley Scott is no Martin Scorcese. Scorcese is still the master of the gangster epic, and I found myself wondering how much better the movie would've been in his hands. I do give Scott credit for capturing the atmosphere and time period. There's an amusing scene where Officer Roberts sees a microwave for the first time, and little details like that give the movie a subtle boost. Anyway, enough rambling. American Gangster is one of those movies you need to see for yourself. It was noticealby imperfect, but I enjoyed it. You be the judge.
American Gangster starts with a jolt, the brutal image of Frank Lucas executing some poor soul for an unknown offense. He sets the man ablaze and then finishes off the job with a series of quick gunshots. And so it begins, a tale that is at varying times touching, tense, awkward, and violent. The opening scene prepares us for the notion that you never know what Lucas is capable of, and that with Frank Lucas, like most gangsters, a violent undercurrent steadily bubbles under a seemingly cool exterior. Yet Lucas is never unjustifiably short-tempered, he is never a loose cannon. When he “snaps,” the recipient of his rage is always well-deserving, and so Lucas is not fearsome or ruthless in his violence, but rather measured and calculated. He is a man who can blow someone’s brains out in broad daylight on a crowded street, then re-enter his favorite diner and resume his meal as if he merely stepped out to feed a parking meter. Some actors are can’t miss, and Denzel Washington is as close to a sure thing as you can get. He brings his standard charm and cocky swagger to the role, conveying Lucas’ duality with relish and authenticity. Frank Lucas is a man that can set another human being on fire, but is almost child-like in his adoration of his mother. His anger is equally matched by the love and affection he has for his family, and the tenderness he shows with his wife-a demure young beauty queen who melts under Lucas' warm and steady gaze when they first meet. This is a performance that Washington seemed to enjoy delivering, a brief return to the villainous capability he displayed in Training Day, but to compare the two roles would be a disservice to Washington as an actor.
I would be remiss if I don’t leave the impression that American Gangster is as much about Frank Lucas as it is about the lawman who hunts him: Officer Richie Roberts, a professionally scrupulous but personally questionable man who initially underestimates Lucas’ power and influence. I’m not a huge Russell Crowe fan, but the man is an outstanding actor and turns in a compelling performance. You’re forced to be a part of his experience, because the movie constantly shifts between Roberts and Lucas, which brings me to one of the things that bothered me about the film. The frequent scene changes and introduction of subplots and side stories were a mild distraction and made the movie feel as if it was moving in a thousand directions. As a viewer, I was bombarded with images and characters that served as brief breaks from what I felt was the principal story: Frank Lucas and the cop who pursues him. Perhaps the writers wanted to flesh out back stories so that the viewer had a complete perception of the character. For example, there is a great deal of time spent showing the interaction between Roberts and his partner, and Roberts and his estranged wife. In some respects the movie seemed like a collection of scenes rather than a cohesive film.
Director Ridley Scott effectively captured the hopelessness of the heroin epidemic of the 1970s, although some of his scenes of junkies shooting up wore thin and became disgustingly gratuitous after a while. Another observation is that other characters were relegated to the periphery, whether they were members of Lucas’ family (roles played by Common and TI) or other tangential characters whose purpose and function remained vague and ambiguous. I’ll leave you with this parting thought. American Gangster is not the instant classic you think it is. It’s not the best drug movie, it’s not the best cop vs. kingpin movie, it’s not a movie I will see twice in theaters (surprising for me), nor is it the best Denzel Washington movie. It is a slightly underdeveloped, highly ambitious, gritty spectacle, which is saved by Washington’s larger-than-life performance. Oh yeah, Ridley Scott is no Martin Scorcese. Scorcese is still the master of the gangster epic, and I found myself wondering how much better the movie would've been in his hands. I do give Scott credit for capturing the atmosphere and time period. There's an amusing scene where Officer Roberts sees a microwave for the first time, and little details like that give the movie a subtle boost. Anyway, enough rambling. American Gangster is one of those movies you need to see for yourself. It was noticealby imperfect, but I enjoyed it. You be the judge.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
We Own The Night
When I saw the trailer for this movie a couple of months ago, I was mesmerized – kinda like the way I felt when I first saw the trailer for The Departed. Then as it comes to a close, they hit me with the title…"We Own the Night." What? Sounds like an 80's tune from a one-hit-wonder. The lame title brought my excitement down a notch, but nevertheless, the movie looked great. The cast alone was enough to entice me to the theater. Mark Wahlberg (Shooter), Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line), and Robert Duvall (The Godfather) star in this dark, gritty crime drama about a man who is torn between two worlds.
Joaquin Phoenix is Bobby, a nightclub manager living New York’s fast life. He has a beautiful, devoted girlfriend (Eva Mendes, Hitch) and lives a carefree existence, except as it relates to his family. His job puts him at odds with his brother and father, both of whom are deeply entrenched in law enforcement. When his brother Joseph (Mark Wahlberg) asks for his help nabbing a Russian drug dealer who frequents Bobby’s nightspot, his reluctance deepens the wedge between the two. Bobby would prefer to remain neutral, and feels no sense of duty to his family, or any desire to change his lifestyle. When Joseph raids the club and allows Bobby to be arrested, things come to a head. Soon tragic events compel Bobby to make the unlikely choice to help his father and brother. What follows next is an edge-of-your-seat journey as Bobby teeters on the line between the cops and the criminals. We Own the Night doesn’t break new ground in terms of concept or theme, but it felt refreshing and new. You could sympathize with Bobby as he unearthed a previously-buried sense of loyalty and duty. Joaquin Phoenix is a wonderful actor, and conveys the desperation, helplessness, and ultimate resolve of the character brilliantly. We watch him transition from aloof to resolute, and he gives an amazing performance.
The movie explored how the love of family is unyielding, despite any superficial differences. A superb crime drama that captivated from start to finish, We Own the Night will not disappoint. A must-see for lovers of the genre.
Joaquin Phoenix is Bobby, a nightclub manager living New York’s fast life. He has a beautiful, devoted girlfriend (Eva Mendes, Hitch) and lives a carefree existence, except as it relates to his family. His job puts him at odds with his brother and father, both of whom are deeply entrenched in law enforcement. When his brother Joseph (Mark Wahlberg) asks for his help nabbing a Russian drug dealer who frequents Bobby’s nightspot, his reluctance deepens the wedge between the two. Bobby would prefer to remain neutral, and feels no sense of duty to his family, or any desire to change his lifestyle. When Joseph raids the club and allows Bobby to be arrested, things come to a head. Soon tragic events compel Bobby to make the unlikely choice to help his father and brother. What follows next is an edge-of-your-seat journey as Bobby teeters on the line between the cops and the criminals. We Own the Night doesn’t break new ground in terms of concept or theme, but it felt refreshing and new. You could sympathize with Bobby as he unearthed a previously-buried sense of loyalty and duty. Joaquin Phoenix is a wonderful actor, and conveys the desperation, helplessness, and ultimate resolve of the character brilliantly. We watch him transition from aloof to resolute, and he gives an amazing performance.
The movie explored how the love of family is unyielding, despite any superficial differences. A superb crime drama that captivated from start to finish, We Own the Night will not disappoint. A must-see for lovers of the genre.
Why Did I Get Married?
Let me say something about myself before I talk about the movie. I don’t try to be snobby about the movies I like. I’m no more qualified to critique a movie then the next person. However, let me pose this question…does a person have to know how to sing to appreciate a beautiful voice? Hell no. I’m no Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey, but I know lousy singing when I hear it, and I know a good voice when I hear it. Similarly, I’ve never written or directed a movie (yet), but I know good movies when I see ‘em. And I know bad ones…so keep that in mind as you read this review.
When it comes to writer/director/actor Tyler Perry, I think his motto should be “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” He has a loyal fanbase, and has been a cash cow for Lions Gate the past few years. Black folks are gonna show up for Tyler Perry’s movies, period. My friends and I had to try not one, not two, but three theaters before we were able to find a show that wasn’t sold out. I’ve never seen any of Perry’s films before, and I was looking forward to taking in this movie, largely because of its appealing ensemble cast. I was hoping for an entertaining and thoughtful drama that explored the difficulties that married couples face. Why Did I Get Married? has drawn obvious comparisons to the 1980’s drama The Big Chill, which also involves a group of married friends who reunite at a vacation home, where secrets are revealed and relationships are tested. Perry admits he hasn’t seen The Big Chill. Maybe he should have. If he would’ve ripped it off he might have turned out with a better movie.
Why Did I Get Married? is pleasing to look at it, well-intentioned, and entertaining. However, the characters and the storyline were utterly predictable, and completely one-dimensional. The movie is about four couples who gather periodically for a retreat/vacation to bond, reflect, and learn about one another. This year the group agrees to meet at a cabin in the snowy mountains of Colorado. Terry (Tyler Perry) and Diane (Sharon Leal of Dreamgirls) are a doctor and lawyer, respectively. Janet Jackson (The Nutty Professor) is Patricia, an award-winning psychiatrist and author. Her husband is Gavin (Malik Yoba), a successful architect. Angela (Tasha Smith of ATL) and Marcus provide the comic relief as sharp-tongued shrew and hen-pecked hubby. Rounding out the cast are Mike (Richard T. Jones of The Wood and Kiss The Girls) and Sheila, played by the lovely Jill Scott. The couples suffer from varying degrees of dysfunction, from the obvious to the hidden. Mike is a grade-A asshole, berating Sheila at every turn. It’s unbelievable that the two were ever married in the first place. And that’s the problem. Terry’s characters are unnecessarily overdrawn and completely over-the-top. It’s like he dumbed it down. I wanted to say, we get it, Mike’s a jerk! His character was almost a caricature, and it detracted from the movie by adding a degree of absurdity. Speaking of detractions, there were SEVERAL times during the movie where a microphone could be seen in the shot. Apparently this only happened in my particular showing (go figure), but it was a major drawback. It was hard to take the movie seriously when in the middle of a dramatic scene the damn mic is hanging down. Back to the performances. Everyone did a good job, with what they were given. There were several funny moments, but some of the scenes were a lesson in overkill. It’s like Perry used a sledgehammer to nail in a thumbtack. But hey, like I said; if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. If you want to see an attractive cast in a funny and occasionally entertaining movie, check it out. If you’re looking for a provocative movie that will play out better than an episode of The Young and The Restless, maybe you should take a pass. Why Did I Get Married? might have you asking Why Did I See This Movie?
When it comes to writer/director/actor Tyler Perry, I think his motto should be “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” He has a loyal fanbase, and has been a cash cow for Lions Gate the past few years. Black folks are gonna show up for Tyler Perry’s movies, period. My friends and I had to try not one, not two, but three theaters before we were able to find a show that wasn’t sold out. I’ve never seen any of Perry’s films before, and I was looking forward to taking in this movie, largely because of its appealing ensemble cast. I was hoping for an entertaining and thoughtful drama that explored the difficulties that married couples face. Why Did I Get Married? has drawn obvious comparisons to the 1980’s drama The Big Chill, which also involves a group of married friends who reunite at a vacation home, where secrets are revealed and relationships are tested. Perry admits he hasn’t seen The Big Chill. Maybe he should have. If he would’ve ripped it off he might have turned out with a better movie.
Why Did I Get Married? is pleasing to look at it, well-intentioned, and entertaining. However, the characters and the storyline were utterly predictable, and completely one-dimensional. The movie is about four couples who gather periodically for a retreat/vacation to bond, reflect, and learn about one another. This year the group agrees to meet at a cabin in the snowy mountains of Colorado. Terry (Tyler Perry) and Diane (Sharon Leal of Dreamgirls) are a doctor and lawyer, respectively. Janet Jackson (The Nutty Professor) is Patricia, an award-winning psychiatrist and author. Her husband is Gavin (Malik Yoba), a successful architect. Angela (Tasha Smith of ATL) and Marcus provide the comic relief as sharp-tongued shrew and hen-pecked hubby. Rounding out the cast are Mike (Richard T. Jones of The Wood and Kiss The Girls) and Sheila, played by the lovely Jill Scott. The couples suffer from varying degrees of dysfunction, from the obvious to the hidden. Mike is a grade-A asshole, berating Sheila at every turn. It’s unbelievable that the two were ever married in the first place. And that’s the problem. Terry’s characters are unnecessarily overdrawn and completely over-the-top. It’s like he dumbed it down. I wanted to say, we get it, Mike’s a jerk! His character was almost a caricature, and it detracted from the movie by adding a degree of absurdity. Speaking of detractions, there were SEVERAL times during the movie where a microphone could be seen in the shot. Apparently this only happened in my particular showing (go figure), but it was a major drawback. It was hard to take the movie seriously when in the middle of a dramatic scene the damn mic is hanging down. Back to the performances. Everyone did a good job, with what they were given. There were several funny moments, but some of the scenes were a lesson in overkill. It’s like Perry used a sledgehammer to nail in a thumbtack. But hey, like I said; if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. If you want to see an attractive cast in a funny and occasionally entertaining movie, check it out. If you’re looking for a provocative movie that will play out better than an episode of The Young and The Restless, maybe you should take a pass. Why Did I Get Married? might have you asking Why Did I See This Movie?
Monday, October 01, 2007
The Kingdom
After seeing the trailer for months, finally I get a chance to enter The Kingdom. Directed by actor Peter Berg (Cop Land), the film paints itself as a whodunit within the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
When terrorists attack a U.S. compound that houses oil company employees, the FBI covertly sends in agents to investigate. Enter Jamie Foxx (Collateral, Miami Vice) as Agent Ronald Fleury, a man determined to piece together clues on borrowed time. He and his agents must investigate while being kept at bay by the Saudi government, who has its own desired protocol for such matters. Rounding out the unit and the rest of the cast are Jason Bateman (Smokin’ Aces), Jennifer Garner (Elektra), and Chris Cooper (Breach). One thing about these political drama/action movies is that they tend to be nebulous in their storytelling. Not so with The Kingdom, and I appreciated it. The storyline was pretty easy to follow, which was a good thing, most of the time. The only problem with the simplicity of the plot was that it made the investigation almost a little too easy at times. Certain parts of the movie played out like CSI: Saudi Arabia. The unit has mere days to wrap up its investigation and find the culprits responsible for the attack, and it’s a joke that Fleury and company make such significant progress in such a short amount of time, especially after being initially stonewalled by the government. Clues and evidence are miraculously easily to find, and I know this is a movie, but I’m just sayin…in real life we can’t find Bin Laden, and we’re supposed to believe that the nefarious mastermind behind a major terrorist plot can be located in less than a week? LMAO!
Don’t get me wrong, the film was very very good, it just wasn’t perfect – and that’s okay. The Kingdom was fast-paced, interesting, and ends on a very though-provoking note that hopefully will have viewers wondering just how different we Americans are from the so-called terrorists. I urge you to enter The Kingdom.
When terrorists attack a U.S. compound that houses oil company employees, the FBI covertly sends in agents to investigate. Enter Jamie Foxx (Collateral, Miami Vice) as Agent Ronald Fleury, a man determined to piece together clues on borrowed time. He and his agents must investigate while being kept at bay by the Saudi government, who has its own desired protocol for such matters. Rounding out the unit and the rest of the cast are Jason Bateman (Smokin’ Aces), Jennifer Garner (Elektra), and Chris Cooper (Breach). One thing about these political drama/action movies is that they tend to be nebulous in their storytelling. Not so with The Kingdom, and I appreciated it. The storyline was pretty easy to follow, which was a good thing, most of the time. The only problem with the simplicity of the plot was that it made the investigation almost a little too easy at times. Certain parts of the movie played out like CSI: Saudi Arabia. The unit has mere days to wrap up its investigation and find the culprits responsible for the attack, and it’s a joke that Fleury and company make such significant progress in such a short amount of time, especially after being initially stonewalled by the government. Clues and evidence are miraculously easily to find, and I know this is a movie, but I’m just sayin…in real life we can’t find Bin Laden, and we’re supposed to believe that the nefarious mastermind behind a major terrorist plot can be located in less than a week? LMAO!
Don’t get me wrong, the film was very very good, it just wasn’t perfect – and that’s okay. The Kingdom was fast-paced, interesting, and ends on a very though-provoking note that hopefully will have viewers wondering just how different we Americans are from the so-called terrorists. I urge you to enter The Kingdom.
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Death Sentence
Wow. I’d had a nice little run of seeing some pretty enjoyable movies up until now. Morbid, violently depressing, and oddly unbelievable, Death Sentence left me feeling like I’d been suckered. First let me say that I’m a fan of revenge flicks, but what Death Sentence lacked was a degree of plausibility. Everything about this Kevin Bacon (The Woodsman) flick stretched the bounds of patience.
Bacon plays Nicholas Hume, an executive with the picture-perfect family. He has a loving wife and two good kids. His oldest son Brendan is a star hockey player with a bright future. Things couldn’t be more wonderful, until one fateful night Brendan becomes the victim of a most gruesome crime, a gang initiation murder. When the district attorney tells Nick that his best bet is to hope for 3-5 years for his son’s killer, he decides to dish out his own brand of justice. What follows is a deadly back-and-forth game of "one upsmanship" between Nick and the gang. We want to cheer for Nick, as the loss of his oldest child is both devastating and tragic. However, the movie ventures into ridiculous territory fairly quickly. For example, as Nick literally runs for his life, bad guys fire bullets from close range that magically miss their mark, despite being shot from a distance of about 10 feet. In the beginning of the movie Nick is hapless, defeating his adversaries by sheer luck and resourcefulness. By the end of the movie, he’s some kind of gun-wielding badass, beating people up left and right. I wasn’t buying it. Additionally, the police detective working the case (Aisha Tyler) doesn’t seem too concerned that Nick has taken the law into his own hands. Yeah right! I know it’s a movie, but I don’t deal in foolishness. The one positive thing about the movie was that the beginning portion depicting the aftermath of Brendan’s murder was touching, characterized by the essence of grief and despair. It seemed almost voyeuristic, a glimpse into a family’s very real attempt to cope with the unthinkable. However, one good sequence does not make a movie. An overall downer, Death Sentence is one to skip; a fitting name for a movie that is sure to flop at the box office.
Bacon plays Nicholas Hume, an executive with the picture-perfect family. He has a loving wife and two good kids. His oldest son Brendan is a star hockey player with a bright future. Things couldn’t be more wonderful, until one fateful night Brendan becomes the victim of a most gruesome crime, a gang initiation murder. When the district attorney tells Nick that his best bet is to hope for 3-5 years for his son’s killer, he decides to dish out his own brand of justice. What follows is a deadly back-and-forth game of "one upsmanship" between Nick and the gang. We want to cheer for Nick, as the loss of his oldest child is both devastating and tragic. However, the movie ventures into ridiculous territory fairly quickly. For example, as Nick literally runs for his life, bad guys fire bullets from close range that magically miss their mark, despite being shot from a distance of about 10 feet. In the beginning of the movie Nick is hapless, defeating his adversaries by sheer luck and resourcefulness. By the end of the movie, he’s some kind of gun-wielding badass, beating people up left and right. I wasn’t buying it. Additionally, the police detective working the case (Aisha Tyler) doesn’t seem too concerned that Nick has taken the law into his own hands. Yeah right! I know it’s a movie, but I don’t deal in foolishness. The one positive thing about the movie was that the beginning portion depicting the aftermath of Brendan’s murder was touching, characterized by the essence of grief and despair. It seemed almost voyeuristic, a glimpse into a family’s very real attempt to cope with the unthinkable. However, one good sequence does not make a movie. An overall downer, Death Sentence is one to skip; a fitting name for a movie that is sure to flop at the box office.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Illegal Tender
Everything has its place. That’s why I love the movies. The offerings run the gamut from cinematic masterpieces like The Godfather to stoner flicks like Half Baked. And it’s all good. Illegal Tender will not go down as one of the greats, and that’s fine. Most movies don’t fall into that category anyway. What I will say about Illegal Tender is that it is a supremely entertaining crime drama, a tale of a young man who must confront the ghosts of his parents’ past.
Rick Gonzalez (Biker Boyz) plays Wilson Deleon Jr., a young man whose life is pretty carefree until situations cause him to question the things and people around him, namely his mother Millie (Wanda De Jesus of Blood Work) and the reasons why they have to move to a new town every few years. Reluctantly, she tells him bits and pieces about the father he never knew, outlining why they must flee their quiet home in suburban Connecticut. What Wilson doesn’t know is that his father pissed off the wrong person, and it cost him his life 21 years prior. Now, this person and his goons won’t rest until Wilson’s mother is dead. And so it begins, a shoot ‘em up ‘hood tale that is sure to entertain, if nothing else. The cast is entirely Latino, and I’ve heard that some in the community are rejecting the portrayal of Latinos as hot-tempered and violent. I’m not one to deny people their right to be offended, but I don’t think the movie casts Latinos in a negative light at all. It’s just a movie. Some characters were good, some were bad – it’s that simple. It’s a “hood” movie, so yes there are going to be some undesirable elements of the story, but in no way do I feel that is an indictment of Latin culture. If anything, the movie is about how a mother will stop at nothing to protect her children, and how sometimes we don’t realize our inner strength until we’re confronted with hard choices.
Illegal Tender was produced by director John Singleton (Four Brothers), and I’m not sure how large of a factor he played in making the movie, but if he's responsible for casting Gonzalez in his first starring role, he made a wise choice. His portrayal of Wilson as reluctant boy-becoming-man was authentic. Likewise, De Jesus’ performance as his tough-as-nails mother was perfect. She was a bad-ass, like a cross between the Bride from Kill Bill and June Cleaver. One minute she’s making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Wilson’s little brother, the next minute she’s got a burner in each hand, ready to peel back some caps. Although this movie won't be winning any awards for its screenplay, there was never a dull moment and it's worth checking out.
Rick Gonzalez (Biker Boyz) plays Wilson Deleon Jr., a young man whose life is pretty carefree until situations cause him to question the things and people around him, namely his mother Millie (Wanda De Jesus of Blood Work) and the reasons why they have to move to a new town every few years. Reluctantly, she tells him bits and pieces about the father he never knew, outlining why they must flee their quiet home in suburban Connecticut. What Wilson doesn’t know is that his father pissed off the wrong person, and it cost him his life 21 years prior. Now, this person and his goons won’t rest until Wilson’s mother is dead. And so it begins, a shoot ‘em up ‘hood tale that is sure to entertain, if nothing else. The cast is entirely Latino, and I’ve heard that some in the community are rejecting the portrayal of Latinos as hot-tempered and violent. I’m not one to deny people their right to be offended, but I don’t think the movie casts Latinos in a negative light at all. It’s just a movie. Some characters were good, some were bad – it’s that simple. It’s a “hood” movie, so yes there are going to be some undesirable elements of the story, but in no way do I feel that is an indictment of Latin culture. If anything, the movie is about how a mother will stop at nothing to protect her children, and how sometimes we don’t realize our inner strength until we’re confronted with hard choices.
Illegal Tender was produced by director John Singleton (Four Brothers), and I’m not sure how large of a factor he played in making the movie, but if he's responsible for casting Gonzalez in his first starring role, he made a wise choice. His portrayal of Wilson as reluctant boy-becoming-man was authentic. Likewise, De Jesus’ performance as his tough-as-nails mother was perfect. She was a bad-ass, like a cross between the Bride from Kill Bill and June Cleaver. One minute she’s making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Wilson’s little brother, the next minute she’s got a burner in each hand, ready to peel back some caps. Although this movie won't be winning any awards for its screenplay, there was never a dull moment and it's worth checking out.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Superbad
Superbad is the mildly anticipated teen romp from writer/actor Seth Rogen of The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. It follows a day in the life of two socially awkward best friends as they near the end of high school. A hallmark of any good, male-driven teen movie is the quest of its protagonist(s) to get laid, and Superbad is no exception. To say that Seth and Evan, along with their pal “McLovin” wouldn’t mind a little female attention would be the understatement of the century. Luck may be on the boys’ side, as they have been charged with the task of procuring alcohol for some girls they’ve been lusting after. The boys assume that if they can manage to get the alcohol in time for the big party, they’ll be a sure thing to score. The movie basically depicts the mishaps they experience in their quest to deliver the booze.
There was really no point in the aforementioned plot recitation, as movies like this don’t rely heavily on such devices. What the movie does rely on is dialogue, and lots of it. This movie is NOT for kids. The language is sexually explicit and the boys drop the F-bomb every other minute. Fine by me, but it is very noticeable. Superbad is not the cult classic that everyone wants it to be. It’s not smart like the oldie-but-goodie Risky Business, nor is it as funny as the original American Pie. It is a pretty funny movie, although teen boys wanting to lose their virginity is certainly not a new cinematic concept. My only complaints are that the last ten minutes were VERY homoerotic, and there was also one scene that was rather disgusting and gratuitous. There are some things that just don’t need to be shown on screen. Remember that scene in Borat when Borat and the fat hairy guy were in the 69 position? Sure it was funny, but it was more disgusting than anything else. Yep, the scene I’m thinking about is along those same lines, though not as bad. All in all Superbad was pretty darn funny, though I think it will end up being overrated.
There was really no point in the aforementioned plot recitation, as movies like this don’t rely heavily on such devices. What the movie does rely on is dialogue, and lots of it. This movie is NOT for kids. The language is sexually explicit and the boys drop the F-bomb every other minute. Fine by me, but it is very noticeable. Superbad is not the cult classic that everyone wants it to be. It’s not smart like the oldie-but-goodie Risky Business, nor is it as funny as the original American Pie. It is a pretty funny movie, although teen boys wanting to lose their virginity is certainly not a new cinematic concept. My only complaints are that the last ten minutes were VERY homoerotic, and there was also one scene that was rather disgusting and gratuitous. There are some things that just don’t need to be shown on screen. Remember that scene in Borat when Borat and the fat hairy guy were in the 69 position? Sure it was funny, but it was more disgusting than anything else. Yep, the scene I’m thinking about is along those same lines, though not as bad. All in all Superbad was pretty darn funny, though I think it will end up being overrated.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
The Bourne Ultimatum
Every chance I get to sing the praises of Matt Damon (most recently of Ocean's 13), I exercise the opportunity. Initially overshadowed by best buddy Ben Affleck upon his introduction to mainstream Hollywood, Damon has quietly gone about the business of churning out one stellar performance after another, from The Talented Mr. Ripley, to Rounders, to The Departed. Frequently overlooked in favor of flashier but equally talented co-stars (think about the Ocean's movies and DiCaprio in The Departed ), Damon is still a smidge underrated. Until his name is bandied about in Oscar contention (for his acting, I know he won an Oscar for his screenwriting), I will champion him as an underdog, strange as that might sound.
All of this background opinion brings me to his latest effort, The Bourne Ultimatum. Damon reprises the role of Jason Bourne, rogue covert spy with a spotty memory. Still trying to fill in the gaps of his past identity, Jason must track his former agency's higher-ups in a quest to glean info about his past. What I enjoyed about the movie from a plot perspective was that its writer(s) managed to put a new twist on the old idea. We already know from the first two movies (The Bourne Identity and Supremacy, respectively) that Jason discovers he is a trained operative, but this third piece of the trilogy examines how the answer to a riddle is another riddle in and of itself.
Frenetically paced and suspenseful, The Bourne Ultimatum was everything I knew it would be. Bourne is always one step ahead of his adversaries - impossible to kill because he's as adept at using his brain as he is his fists. The hand-to-hand combat scenes were brilliantly choreographed and realistically enacted, and Damon once again demonstrates his range in great fashion. A true action flick that doesn't rely on explosions or cheap thrills, The Bourne Ultimatum is easily the best film of its kind to be released this summer. Sorry Bruce Willis.
All of this background opinion brings me to his latest effort, The Bourne Ultimatum. Damon reprises the role of Jason Bourne, rogue covert spy with a spotty memory. Still trying to fill in the gaps of his past identity, Jason must track his former agency's higher-ups in a quest to glean info about his past. What I enjoyed about the movie from a plot perspective was that its writer(s) managed to put a new twist on the old idea. We already know from the first two movies (The Bourne Identity and Supremacy, respectively) that Jason discovers he is a trained operative, but this third piece of the trilogy examines how the answer to a riddle is another riddle in and of itself.
Frenetically paced and suspenseful, The Bourne Ultimatum was everything I knew it would be. Bourne is always one step ahead of his adversaries - impossible to kill because he's as adept at using his brain as he is his fists. The hand-to-hand combat scenes were brilliantly choreographed and realistically enacted, and Damon once again demonstrates his range in great fashion. A true action flick that doesn't rely on explosions or cheap thrills, The Bourne Ultimatum is easily the best film of its kind to be released this summer. Sorry Bruce Willis.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Transformers
Nostalgia: a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition.
When people look back on their childhood, they tend to forget the bad and elevate the mediocre to greatness. We do this in part because a child knows no better…their father is the strongest, their mother the prettiest. If we were to look back objectively, through the jaded eyes of adulthood, perhaps certain people and things would lose a bit of their luster. At the age of 28, I look back on the things I enjoyed in my childhood of the 1980’s. Michael Jackson was the MAN. Everyone had to have a Cabbage Patch. And the cartoons seemed to have been the best that they ever could have been. We didn’t have Pixar and Dreamworks movies like Shrek and Cars. We had REAL cartoons. I’m talking about Thundercats, Jem and the Holograms, G.I. Joe, and of course Transformers. Now most little girls didn’t get into Transformers, and I’m not gonna say that it was my favorite, but I remember it and I remember liking it. Who didn’t love Optimus Prime, the red and blue truck, the good guy?! Autobots vs. Decepticons, Good vs. Evil. It’s these memories that 80’s babies will recall with warm fondness when they flood theaters to behold the TREAT that is Transformers. I’m not saying that the under 20 crowd can’t appreciate it too, but there’s nothing like seeing the live action version of an old animated favorite. The audience around me was positively giddy when Optimus Prime made his first appearance.
I have to applaud director Michael Bay (The Island) for his vision and for remaining true to the cartoon. This movie was nothing short of amazing, I’m almost at a loss for words. The only flaw (which I didn’t even care about) was that little parts of the story and dialogue were a bit campy and silly. Who cares????? The overall plot was in keeping with the cartoon, and the acting and pacing were just fine. There weren’t too many explosions or needless bits of action. The whole movie was an adrenaline rush. The story centers around the transformers' search for a magical cube which will transform the Earth’s machines into, well…transformers. The Autobots are trying to get to the cube before the Decepticons and need the help of a teen named Sam (Shia Lebouf of Disturbia) to discover its location. I won’t tell you how or why his character is important, JUST GO SEE THE MOVIE!! No self-respecting adult between the ages of 26 and 32 can miss it.
When people look back on their childhood, they tend to forget the bad and elevate the mediocre to greatness. We do this in part because a child knows no better…their father is the strongest, their mother the prettiest. If we were to look back objectively, through the jaded eyes of adulthood, perhaps certain people and things would lose a bit of their luster. At the age of 28, I look back on the things I enjoyed in my childhood of the 1980’s. Michael Jackson was the MAN. Everyone had to have a Cabbage Patch. And the cartoons seemed to have been the best that they ever could have been. We didn’t have Pixar and Dreamworks movies like Shrek and Cars. We had REAL cartoons. I’m talking about Thundercats, Jem and the Holograms, G.I. Joe, and of course Transformers. Now most little girls didn’t get into Transformers, and I’m not gonna say that it was my favorite, but I remember it and I remember liking it. Who didn’t love Optimus Prime, the red and blue truck, the good guy?! Autobots vs. Decepticons, Good vs. Evil. It’s these memories that 80’s babies will recall with warm fondness when they flood theaters to behold the TREAT that is Transformers. I’m not saying that the under 20 crowd can’t appreciate it too, but there’s nothing like seeing the live action version of an old animated favorite. The audience around me was positively giddy when Optimus Prime made his first appearance.
I have to applaud director Michael Bay (The Island) for his vision and for remaining true to the cartoon. This movie was nothing short of amazing, I’m almost at a loss for words. The only flaw (which I didn’t even care about) was that little parts of the story and dialogue were a bit campy and silly. Who cares????? The overall plot was in keeping with the cartoon, and the acting and pacing were just fine. There weren’t too many explosions or needless bits of action. The whole movie was an adrenaline rush. The story centers around the transformers' search for a magical cube which will transform the Earth’s machines into, well…transformers. The Autobots are trying to get to the cube before the Decepticons and need the help of a teen named Sam (Shia Lebouf of Disturbia) to discover its location. I won’t tell you how or why his character is important, JUST GO SEE THE MOVIE!! No self-respecting adult between the ages of 26 and 32 can miss it.
Monday, July 02, 2007
1408
Based on a short story by Stephen King, 1408 provides chills in the summertime heat. John Cusack (Identity) stars as Mike Enslin, a writer popularly known for his exploration of "haunted" hotels. Mike's job is to patronize these hotels and compile a list of the most spooky. When he learns of fabled room 1408 in The Dolphin Hotel, he decides that a write-up of the room would be perfect for the next edition of his series.
When he arrives at The Dolphin, its manager (Samuel L. Jackson of Black Snake Moan) ardently attempts to dissuade him from checking in. There have been approximately 50 deaths in room 1408, both natural and unnatural. The room is only cleaned once a month by a team of maids, and the door remains open the entire time. Say word! That would've made me do an about-face, but this is the movies and John Cusack is a white boy (we know how they are oblivous to danger) so of course this only makes the room sound more appealing. Enslin checks into the room, which turns out to be a living hell. The series of misfortunes that befall him are alternatingly nightmarish and comically pitiful. 1408 won't keep you up at night, but it was pleasantly disturbing. Check it out.
When he arrives at The Dolphin, its manager (Samuel L. Jackson of Black Snake Moan) ardently attempts to dissuade him from checking in. There have been approximately 50 deaths in room 1408, both natural and unnatural. The room is only cleaned once a month by a team of maids, and the door remains open the entire time. Say word! That would've made me do an about-face, but this is the movies and John Cusack is a white boy (we know how they are oblivous to danger) so of course this only makes the room sound more appealing. Enslin checks into the room, which turns out to be a living hell. The series of misfortunes that befall him are alternatingly nightmarish and comically pitiful. 1408 won't keep you up at night, but it was pleasantly disturbing. Check it out.
Live Free or Die Hard
I was looking forward to Bruce Willis' (The Perfect Stranger) return as John McClane, our familiar reluctant hero. Bruce looks good for his age and seemed up to the task of reprising the role, but alas I was disappointed. I don't care how many critics enjoyed this movie...I did not. And let me tell you why.
The stunts, action, and at times the storyline were all ridiculous. Let me start at the beginning. John is given the task of transporting a suspected computer hacker named Matt Farrell from Jersey to D.C. Sounds simple enough, but we know that it won't be. Turns out that some terrorist/anarchists want Matt dead. Oh by the way, the character of Matt is portrayed by that dude who plays the "Mac" computer in those Mac vs. PC commercials. Weird. I couldn't divorce him from the commerical. Back to the plot: the same guys who are trying to off Matt are also unleashing a terror plot against the country whereby the nation's computers have been sabotaged. I'll spare you the intricate details, you can thank me later. Suffice it to say that there are plenty of action-packed moments, but everything seemed contrived and I couldn't help but compare the movie to its three predecessors. Live Free or Die Hard is easily the weakest of the four. Picture the following sequence of events: Bruce Willis leaps from a speeding police car, but manages to aim the abandoned cruiser perfectly so that it will crash directly into an airborne helicopter while the chopper's pilot jumps from the aircraft before impact and emerges unscathed. Yeah, exactly. I mentally checked-out at that point. Live Free lacked the pins-and-needles suspense of the original and the taut, harried vibe of the third installment, Die Hard With a Vengeance. Hell, even Die Hard 2 was better than this one. At least in that one you felt that McClane was compelled to action by his sense of duty and the circumstances in which he found himself. That motivation seems absent in Live Free.
There are other movies that have similar themes and elements to Live Free or Die Hard that were much better. For example, the idea of someone using technology to spy on your every move and manipulate you with computers and surveillance was tackled much better by a movie called Enemy of the State. I wanted to like this movie, I really did. I mean, I didn't hate it but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement. I'm sure it will do well because many people get all warm and nostalgic when thinking about the original Die Hard, but sometimes you can go to the well one time too many. Wait for it on HBO.
The stunts, action, and at times the storyline were all ridiculous. Let me start at the beginning. John is given the task of transporting a suspected computer hacker named Matt Farrell from Jersey to D.C. Sounds simple enough, but we know that it won't be. Turns out that some terrorist/anarchists want Matt dead. Oh by the way, the character of Matt is portrayed by that dude who plays the "Mac" computer in those Mac vs. PC commercials. Weird. I couldn't divorce him from the commerical. Back to the plot: the same guys who are trying to off Matt are also unleashing a terror plot against the country whereby the nation's computers have been sabotaged. I'll spare you the intricate details, you can thank me later. Suffice it to say that there are plenty of action-packed moments, but everything seemed contrived and I couldn't help but compare the movie to its three predecessors. Live Free or Die Hard is easily the weakest of the four. Picture the following sequence of events: Bruce Willis leaps from a speeding police car, but manages to aim the abandoned cruiser perfectly so that it will crash directly into an airborne helicopter while the chopper's pilot jumps from the aircraft before impact and emerges unscathed. Yeah, exactly. I mentally checked-out at that point. Live Free lacked the pins-and-needles suspense of the original and the taut, harried vibe of the third installment, Die Hard With a Vengeance. Hell, even Die Hard 2 was better than this one. At least in that one you felt that McClane was compelled to action by his sense of duty and the circumstances in which he found himself. That motivation seems absent in Live Free.
There are other movies that have similar themes and elements to Live Free or Die Hard that were much better. For example, the idea of someone using technology to spy on your every move and manipulate you with computers and surveillance was tackled much better by a movie called Enemy of the State. I wanted to like this movie, I really did. I mean, I didn't hate it but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement. I'm sure it will do well because many people get all warm and nostalgic when thinking about the original Die Hard, but sometimes you can go to the well one time too many. Wait for it on HBO.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
BET Awards
J-Hud and Jennifer Holliday: They killed it, of course. It's not a competition, but Jennifer Holliday shows that she's the originator. Did you see the faces she was making though? Yikes!!
Mo'Nique: I love Mo. She is hilarious! Those big girls were gettin' it too. I give it a 9.9...on the Richter scale.
Beyonce: She just won an award for Video of the Year. Look at her shape, that's a for real coke bottle! Do it girl, I'm not gonna hate. Yet.
TI: Big Thangs Poppin.' I don't like that song. But I like you Tip, even though you came out looking like the captain of the Love Boat.
Nick Cannon and the little homie from High School Musical: *Yawn* Nick Cannon ought to start endorsing popcorn.
Ne-Yo: Michael Jackson called, he wants his DNA back. Now he's doing "Make Me Better," and my boy Fab is stuntin' HARD, he has on gold kicks!
Best Actor award: Stiff competition but Forrest Whitaker wins for The Last King of Scotland. Can't be mad at that, the role netted him an Oscar for cryin' out loud.
Diddy and Keyshia Cole: I like that blue leather Diddy has on. KC aka Mary J. Blige Jr. looks good too. Everybody loves this song, don't front! Uh look at Lil Kim! Diddy is a clown, I love him though. Is Lil Kim singing??? Good performance, it built to a nice little crescendo at the end.
Chris Brown and Rihanna: They look cute. Chris plugs his album, which doesn't come out till AUGUST. No boo, that is too far away, let it ride. They're presenting the award for Best Actress, which goes to J-Hud. She's wearing a bedspread. Girl get a stylist!
Beyonce performs: Wow...she emerges from a metallic cocoon on some Mad Max shit. She knows she has to raise the bar everytime she does the BET Awards. So far it doesn't look like she'll surpass last year, but good job so far. Let's hope there aren't any wardrobe malfunctions. She sounds great, cuz she's dancing her ass off and isn't out of breath.
Kelly Rowland: okay, Beyonce segues to Kelly, who sounds lousy and looks like the result of an unholy union between Rainbow Brite and Wonder Woman. Now here comes Eve with another underwhelming rap performance. You know what though, BET always brings the dopest performances, and this was entertaining if nothing else.
TI wins some award: TI is that dude, sexy lil' anorexic thing. I give him credit for making a veiled apology for going upside the head of Ludacris' manager earlier in the week. Now that's gangsta: a man who can admit his faults while not humbling himself. Big thangs poppin' indeed.
Robin Thicke: Looking good and sounding good. This man makes love to my eardrums. He's performing "Lost Without You," but it has a sped-up Latin twist. Hmm...I guess that's okay. Why are you dancing Robin??? That was corny, don't do that again.
Now comes the dirty south portion of the program: T-Pain and Young Joc. T-Pain disgusts me. The camera just panned to Diana Ross doing a weird shimmy. Now Floyd Mayweather. I love you Floyd, you sexy thang you!
Tribute to Gerald Levert: Patti speaks, then performances by his daddy Eddie, Gladys Night, Yolanda Adams and Patti. Stirring performances with a visibly moved audience. R.I.P. Gerald!
50 Cent: Come on Fif, why you gotta cuss and test the censors? Not necessary. You're washed up playboy, just stick to movies and Vitamin Water. He disgusts me too. Go sit in the corner with T-Pain.
D-d-d-damn: Reggie Bush AND Floyd Mayweather? You. Just. Don't. Know.
Tribute to Diana Ross (the ORIGINAL diva!): I'm not gonna front, Diana is a legend, she deserves such a tribute. Alicia Keys gave a glorious homage. Badu performs "Love Hangover" with a crazy ass fro. Do it girl wit yo crazy ass. Your outfit is showing me parts of you I never wanted to see though. Thanks. Up next : Chaka Khan, a legend herself. Stevie Wonder too, hell yeah! She's lovin it, as she should, what an honor. Her kids present her with the award, how sweet! She closes with a word to the younger crowd that you can be classy ladies and gents and still have a long career. Nice Diana, but the world's a different place now and I think your words fell on deaf ears. Nice sentiment though.
Don Cheadle wins Humanitarian of the Year Award: What a humble, intelligent, endearing brother. He is a gem. I can't remember the last time I've heard such a sincere and thoughtful acceptance speech.
Jennifer Hudson wins Best New Artist: Sit down bitch I'm tired. You're great, but you are not the best new artist...isn't this award for musical artists??? Why is she winning an award, what music has she put out????
Awww Ciara, you disappointed me girl, I was lookin' for you to kill it! You did too much booty-poppin' and not enough dancing :-( The matrix shit is dope though, do you have a spine??? This girl is like Gumby.
Tribute to The Godfather of Soul: PE does a good job with a fitting introduction from Al Sharpton. R.I.P. JB. We needed a dancing tribute to him though, with Usher and Chris Brown. That woulda been hot. I swear whenever I hear Fight the Power I wanna burn some shit down. Revolution!
All in all a good show and a nice affair, but nothing to really make me say "did you see that?"
Mo'Nique: I love Mo. She is hilarious! Those big girls were gettin' it too. I give it a 9.9...on the Richter scale.
Beyonce: She just won an award for Video of the Year. Look at her shape, that's a for real coke bottle! Do it girl, I'm not gonna hate. Yet.
TI: Big Thangs Poppin.' I don't like that song. But I like you Tip, even though you came out looking like the captain of the Love Boat.
Nick Cannon and the little homie from High School Musical: *Yawn* Nick Cannon ought to start endorsing popcorn.
Ne-Yo: Michael Jackson called, he wants his DNA back. Now he's doing "Make Me Better," and my boy Fab is stuntin' HARD, he has on gold kicks!
Best Actor award: Stiff competition but Forrest Whitaker wins for The Last King of Scotland. Can't be mad at that, the role netted him an Oscar for cryin' out loud.
Diddy and Keyshia Cole: I like that blue leather Diddy has on. KC aka Mary J. Blige Jr. looks good too. Everybody loves this song, don't front! Uh look at Lil Kim! Diddy is a clown, I love him though. Is Lil Kim singing??? Good performance, it built to a nice little crescendo at the end.
Chris Brown and Rihanna: They look cute. Chris plugs his album, which doesn't come out till AUGUST. No boo, that is too far away, let it ride. They're presenting the award for Best Actress, which goes to J-Hud. She's wearing a bedspread. Girl get a stylist!
Beyonce performs: Wow...she emerges from a metallic cocoon on some Mad Max shit. She knows she has to raise the bar everytime she does the BET Awards. So far it doesn't look like she'll surpass last year, but good job so far. Let's hope there aren't any wardrobe malfunctions. She sounds great, cuz she's dancing her ass off and isn't out of breath.
Kelly Rowland: okay, Beyonce segues to Kelly, who sounds lousy and looks like the result of an unholy union between Rainbow Brite and Wonder Woman. Now here comes Eve with another underwhelming rap performance. You know what though, BET always brings the dopest performances, and this was entertaining if nothing else.
TI wins some award: TI is that dude, sexy lil' anorexic thing. I give him credit for making a veiled apology for going upside the head of Ludacris' manager earlier in the week. Now that's gangsta: a man who can admit his faults while not humbling himself. Big thangs poppin' indeed.
Robin Thicke: Looking good and sounding good. This man makes love to my eardrums. He's performing "Lost Without You," but it has a sped-up Latin twist. Hmm...I guess that's okay. Why are you dancing Robin??? That was corny, don't do that again.
Now comes the dirty south portion of the program: T-Pain and Young Joc. T-Pain disgusts me. The camera just panned to Diana Ross doing a weird shimmy. Now Floyd Mayweather. I love you Floyd, you sexy thang you!
Tribute to Gerald Levert: Patti speaks, then performances by his daddy Eddie, Gladys Night, Yolanda Adams and Patti. Stirring performances with a visibly moved audience. R.I.P. Gerald!
50 Cent: Come on Fif, why you gotta cuss and test the censors? Not necessary. You're washed up playboy, just stick to movies and Vitamin Water. He disgusts me too. Go sit in the corner with T-Pain.
D-d-d-damn: Reggie Bush AND Floyd Mayweather? You. Just. Don't. Know.
Tribute to Diana Ross (the ORIGINAL diva!): I'm not gonna front, Diana is a legend, she deserves such a tribute. Alicia Keys gave a glorious homage. Badu performs "Love Hangover" with a crazy ass fro. Do it girl wit yo crazy ass. Your outfit is showing me parts of you I never wanted to see though. Thanks. Up next : Chaka Khan, a legend herself. Stevie Wonder too, hell yeah! She's lovin it, as she should, what an honor. Her kids present her with the award, how sweet! She closes with a word to the younger crowd that you can be classy ladies and gents and still have a long career. Nice Diana, but the world's a different place now and I think your words fell on deaf ears. Nice sentiment though.
Don Cheadle wins Humanitarian of the Year Award: What a humble, intelligent, endearing brother. He is a gem. I can't remember the last time I've heard such a sincere and thoughtful acceptance speech.
Jennifer Hudson wins Best New Artist: Sit down bitch I'm tired. You're great, but you are not the best new artist...isn't this award for musical artists??? Why is she winning an award, what music has she put out????
Awww Ciara, you disappointed me girl, I was lookin' for you to kill it! You did too much booty-poppin' and not enough dancing :-( The matrix shit is dope though, do you have a spine??? This girl is like Gumby.
Tribute to The Godfather of Soul: PE does a good job with a fitting introduction from Al Sharpton. R.I.P. JB. We needed a dancing tribute to him though, with Usher and Chris Brown. That woulda been hot. I swear whenever I hear Fight the Power I wanna burn some shit down. Revolution!
All in all a good show and a nice affair, but nothing to really make me say "did you see that?"
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Ocean's Thirteen
Some things in this life are reliable summertime favorites: a cool glass of lemonade, a Jay-Z album (Jigga held you down for 6 summers, don't forget) and an Ocean's movie. With that being said, of course Ocean's Thirteen was enjoyable. The first one was clever, the sequel was a little too cute for its own good, and the third one brings it back to something nice and simple: revenge.
The gang's all here, with the addition of Ellen Barkin (She Hate Me) and the living legend that is Al Pacino (most recently of Two For the Money). Pacino is Willie Bank, a ruthless hotel and casino owner. Bank is opening a new hotel with the help of Reuben, one of the old cats in Danny Ocean's crew. The problem arises when Bank double-crosses Reuben in a particularly nasty, cold-hearted way. Angered at the betrayal of their friend and mentor, the gang plots revenge against Bank. They have concocted a plan to bankrupt his casino. The overall scheme is spectacular, but each facet of the caper seems plausible in it's own way - plus a little luck never hurt either.
The best thing about the movie is its ensemble cast, a hodgepodge of A-listers like Damon (The Good Shepherd), Clooney (Syriana) and Pitt (Babel), and some good old fashion thespians like Don Cheadle (Crash) and Andy Garcia. Moreover, any chance to see Pacino is usually a treat in and of itself. He relishes the role of Bank, and you can tell that everyone genuinely had fun making the movie. Director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Erin Brockovich) shoots the actors in the most glamorous, flattering fashion, especially the male leads. I don't think George Clooney has looked more handsome. Who am I kidding, he's almost always handsome. Pitt too, I think age is agreeing with him. The man has a nice lil' swagger on him, no doubt. Like it's predecessors, Ocean's Thirteen is slick and stylish and whole lot of fun. If you liked the first one you certainly won't be disappointed.
The gang's all here, with the addition of Ellen Barkin (She Hate Me) and the living legend that is Al Pacino (most recently of Two For the Money). Pacino is Willie Bank, a ruthless hotel and casino owner. Bank is opening a new hotel with the help of Reuben, one of the old cats in Danny Ocean's crew. The problem arises when Bank double-crosses Reuben in a particularly nasty, cold-hearted way. Angered at the betrayal of their friend and mentor, the gang plots revenge against Bank. They have concocted a plan to bankrupt his casino. The overall scheme is spectacular, but each facet of the caper seems plausible in it's own way - plus a little luck never hurt either.
The best thing about the movie is its ensemble cast, a hodgepodge of A-listers like Damon (The Good Shepherd), Clooney (Syriana) and Pitt (Babel), and some good old fashion thespians like Don Cheadle (Crash) and Andy Garcia. Moreover, any chance to see Pacino is usually a treat in and of itself. He relishes the role of Bank, and you can tell that everyone genuinely had fun making the movie. Director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Erin Brockovich) shoots the actors in the most glamorous, flattering fashion, especially the male leads. I don't think George Clooney has looked more handsome. Who am I kidding, he's almost always handsome. Pitt too, I think age is agreeing with him. The man has a nice lil' swagger on him, no doubt. Like it's predecessors, Ocean's Thirteen is slick and stylish and whole lot of fun. If you liked the first one you certainly won't be disappointed.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Mr. Brooks
Wow. Now this is what I’m talking about, this is how you do a psychological thriller. Mr. Brooks embodied all the best of the genre: suspense, a demented and brilliant villain, sexual undertones and more than a few twists and turns.
Kevin Costner (The Upside of Anger) is Earl Brooks, a wealthy entrepreneur and socialite. He has a lovely wife, Emma (Marg Helgenberger of CSI) and a daughter in college. He seems normal enough, but it’s established very early that the man is one fry short of a Happy Meal. He has an alter-ego/split personality/imaginary friend named Marshall, played by the wonderful William Hurt (A History of Violence). As Mr. Brooks and his wife drive home after a gala, he and Marshall exchange testy banter about whether or not Brooks should resume his serial killer ways. He’s taken a two year hiatus from murdering innocents, and Marshall is ready to get back in the fray. It doesn’t take much convincing, and soon Brooks is at it again, murdering in chilling, calculating fashion. I don’t want to give too much away, but you can tell from the commercials and Costner’s recent TV appearances that his character is the psychopath- I haven’t spoiled anything by revealing that little nugget. Rounding out the major players are comedian Dane Cook (Employee of the Month) and Demi Moore (Bobby) as a detective tracking Brooks. Both are fantastic in their respective roles, especially Cook. He brought an unnerving intensity to his character, and Moore was convincing as a smart, tough-as-nails cop.
Mr. Brooks is nearly flawless, faltering only briefly with a side story pertaining to Demi Moore’s character. Kevin Costner portrayed Brooks effortlessly as a man who kills in cold blood then goes home to make love to his wife. The movie is captivating from start to finish, and blends in subplots almost to perfection. The subplots are never given too much attention, and everything always comes back to the title character. It’s like someone dusted off two of the biggest stars of the 90’s (Costner and Moore) for a renaissance or something. Mr. Brooks is the best of the summer movie season so far, and a definite must-see.
Kevin Costner (The Upside of Anger) is Earl Brooks, a wealthy entrepreneur and socialite. He has a lovely wife, Emma (Marg Helgenberger of CSI) and a daughter in college. He seems normal enough, but it’s established very early that the man is one fry short of a Happy Meal. He has an alter-ego/split personality/imaginary friend named Marshall, played by the wonderful William Hurt (A History of Violence). As Mr. Brooks and his wife drive home after a gala, he and Marshall exchange testy banter about whether or not Brooks should resume his serial killer ways. He’s taken a two year hiatus from murdering innocents, and Marshall is ready to get back in the fray. It doesn’t take much convincing, and soon Brooks is at it again, murdering in chilling, calculating fashion. I don’t want to give too much away, but you can tell from the commercials and Costner’s recent TV appearances that his character is the psychopath- I haven’t spoiled anything by revealing that little nugget. Rounding out the major players are comedian Dane Cook (Employee of the Month) and Demi Moore (Bobby) as a detective tracking Brooks. Both are fantastic in their respective roles, especially Cook. He brought an unnerving intensity to his character, and Moore was convincing as a smart, tough-as-nails cop.
Mr. Brooks is nearly flawless, faltering only briefly with a side story pertaining to Demi Moore’s character. Kevin Costner portrayed Brooks effortlessly as a man who kills in cold blood then goes home to make love to his wife. The movie is captivating from start to finish, and blends in subplots almost to perfection. The subplots are never given too much attention, and everything always comes back to the title character. It’s like someone dusted off two of the biggest stars of the 90’s (Costner and Moore) for a renaissance or something. Mr. Brooks is the best of the summer movie season so far, and a definite must-see.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Georgia Rule
This is not my cup of tea, but I went to see it anyway. Call it the best of what’s left. Actually, Georgia Rule wasn’t too bad. It features Felicity Huffman (Transamerica), Lindsay Lohan (Bobby), and Jane Fonda (Monster-in-Law) as three generations of dysfunctional women. Lohan’s dysfunction is the most pressing, as her mother decides that she needs to spend the summer before college with her grandmother Georgia in Idaho.
Lohan is Rachel, a wild child from San Francisco with a smart mouth and promiscuous front. We watch as she flirts with anything that moves and mouths off to her mother and grandmother. As the story progresses, we realize that her misbehavior is the result of very unfortunate circumstances that were beyond her control, and that all Rachel needs is some love and attention. How cute. In all seriousness, this movie probably falls under the label of “heartwarming,” and may not be the way most people would like to spend a day at the movies, but it was well-acted, even by Ms. Lohan. I know that she’s almost as overexposed as Paris Hilton, but I’ve seen her in a few movies and I don’t have any criticism. She’s not bad. Too bad that life seems to imitate art when it comes to her personal life. In the end, Rachel mends the family ties that bind and gets on the right track. I won’t suggest you spend $$ on this one, but catch it on a Sunday afternoon on HBO.
Lohan is Rachel, a wild child from San Francisco with a smart mouth and promiscuous front. We watch as she flirts with anything that moves and mouths off to her mother and grandmother. As the story progresses, we realize that her misbehavior is the result of very unfortunate circumstances that were beyond her control, and that all Rachel needs is some love and attention. How cute. In all seriousness, this movie probably falls under the label of “heartwarming,” and may not be the way most people would like to spend a day at the movies, but it was well-acted, even by Ms. Lohan. I know that she’s almost as overexposed as Paris Hilton, but I’ve seen her in a few movies and I don’t have any criticism. She’s not bad. Too bad that life seems to imitate art when it comes to her personal life. In the end, Rachel mends the family ties that bind and gets on the right track. I won’t suggest you spend $$ on this one, but catch it on a Sunday afternoon on HBO.
Fracture
Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs) and Ryan Gosling (The Notebook) star in the first marginally noteworthy psychological thriller of the year, Fracture. I’m ignoring Halle Berry’s The Perfect Stranger which was released a few months ago, because it looked too contrived for me to even bother with it. Hopkins plays Ted Crawford, a wealthy businessman with a philandering young wife, while Gosling is Willie Beachum, a young, cocky district attorney faced with the task of prosecuting Crawford after he’s accused of his wife’s attempted murder.
Hopkins brings his trademark deliberate, methodical psychosis to the role, although his performance is tempered with cool and a certain suaveness that Hannibal Lecter lacked. His Ted Crawford isn’t a raving lunatic; after all, how many cheating spouses have met a similar fate, both real and imagined? Nevertheless, Beachum and Mrs. Crawford’s lover, a police detective, embark on a crusade to see that justice finds Crawford, who seems to be one step ahead of them. Gosling shines in his role as a prosecutor with one foot out the door. His Beachum has already accepted a loftier position with a big law firm when Crawford’s case is dropped on his desk. It is his lackadaisical attitude combined with Crawford’s smug assuredness that set the stage for this battle of wits, a chess match between two towering egos. Will the senior outfox the young upstart? I won’t give it away.
Fracture made for a passable day at the movies, but what I’m really looking forward to is Mr. Brooks, which opens this week. Please someone revive the psychological thriller, I’m begging you!
Hopkins brings his trademark deliberate, methodical psychosis to the role, although his performance is tempered with cool and a certain suaveness that Hannibal Lecter lacked. His Ted Crawford isn’t a raving lunatic; after all, how many cheating spouses have met a similar fate, both real and imagined? Nevertheless, Beachum and Mrs. Crawford’s lover, a police detective, embark on a crusade to see that justice finds Crawford, who seems to be one step ahead of them. Gosling shines in his role as a prosecutor with one foot out the door. His Beachum has already accepted a loftier position with a big law firm when Crawford’s case is dropped on his desk. It is his lackadaisical attitude combined with Crawford’s smug assuredness that set the stage for this battle of wits, a chess match between two towering egos. Will the senior outfox the young upstart? I won’t give it away.
Fracture made for a passable day at the movies, but what I’m really looking forward to is Mr. Brooks, which opens this week. Please someone revive the psychological thriller, I’m begging you!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Spiderman 3
One word: lame. Spiderman 3 was a huge disappointment. As a matter of fact, when was the last time “part 3” of any movie franchise was good? Seriously…maybe Die Hard 3, that’s the only thing that comes to mind.
Tobey Maguire returns as Peter Parker, as do James Franco (Tristan and Isolde) and Kristen Dunst (Elizabethtown) as Harry and Mary Jane. I know the franchise has a built-in fanbase, and that’s probably why it managed to rake in ridiculous opening numbers. I suspect that there has to have been a significant drop-off when you look at the second week numbers as word of mouth got around. The movie is contrived, sappy, corny, and poorly written. The action is also less entertaining this time around. Spiderman 3 was marketed as an exploration into Spidey’s darker side. We get a hint of darkness, but it’s never really anything too sinister. Peter’s idea of being a bad-ass is demanding that his neighbor bake him some chocolate chip cookies. Gimme a break! I’ll admit there’s one scene where Peter’s evil side shines through in great fashion (no spoiler), but that’s about it. Mary Jane is more annoying than ever, and the villains are not believable, especially Topher Grace (In Good Company) as some weird bizarro Spiderman-looking creature. Not since Christopher Reeve has a superhero been this corny. The only interesting performance was given by James Franco; I think he’s hot and a damn good actor. Please Sam Raimi, do not make Spiderman 4!!
Tobey Maguire returns as Peter Parker, as do James Franco (Tristan and Isolde) and Kristen Dunst (Elizabethtown) as Harry and Mary Jane. I know the franchise has a built-in fanbase, and that’s probably why it managed to rake in ridiculous opening numbers. I suspect that there has to have been a significant drop-off when you look at the second week numbers as word of mouth got around. The movie is contrived, sappy, corny, and poorly written. The action is also less entertaining this time around. Spiderman 3 was marketed as an exploration into Spidey’s darker side. We get a hint of darkness, but it’s never really anything too sinister. Peter’s idea of being a bad-ass is demanding that his neighbor bake him some chocolate chip cookies. Gimme a break! I’ll admit there’s one scene where Peter’s evil side shines through in great fashion (no spoiler), but that’s about it. Mary Jane is more annoying than ever, and the villains are not believable, especially Topher Grace (In Good Company) as some weird bizarro Spiderman-looking creature. Not since Christopher Reeve has a superhero been this corny. The only interesting performance was given by James Franco; I think he’s hot and a damn good actor. Please Sam Raimi, do not make Spiderman 4!!
The Invisible
*Sigh* The Invisible seemed like it would be an interesting and spooky supernatural whodunit, but it played out like a morbid soap opera instead. It tells the story of Nick Powell, a smart, well-liked high school student with a bright future. Nick has a rocky relationship with his mother, but he’s on top of the world: high school is over and he’s about to head to Europe to perfect his prose. There’s a hint that things might go awry when Nick clashes with the school outcast in the cafeteria, a social misfit named Annie. Let’s just say that little Nicky ends up at the bottom of a sewage drain in the woods, somewhere between life and death. The movie follows Nick’s “pseudo-ghost” as he tries to convince Annie to save his life. Sound weird? Yeah, it’s a little bizarre and kind of a downer. The Invisible is definitely NOT a feel-good movie. I was disappointed because there was no suspense or mystery. The conflict is established fairly early, and the remainder of the movie tediously meanders toward its conclusion. The performances are good enough, with the exception of Marcia Gay Harden (Mystic River) as Nick’s mom. His mom is supposed to be detached and out-of-it, but it just comes across as if Harden can’t act. We know that’s not true, so maybe the director should have tried to get something different out of her, I don’t know. What I do know is that The Invisible was kind of a drag, skip it.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Grindhouse
I don’t even know where to start. When describing movies I often say, “It’s not for everybody.” Well when it comes to Grindhouse truer words cannot be spoken. To their credit, directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino don’t hide the ball. They let you know upfront what you’re in for: sex, violence and gore. Thank you sir, may I have another? The title refers to the popular cinema houses of the 70s that specialized in double features of the “B-movie” variety. The theaters also doubled as “go-go” bars, putting the “grind” in “grindhouse.”
Tarantino has a way of paying homage to the vestiges of his youth, whether it be pin-up girls (i.e. Pam Grier, that’s why he cast her in Jackie Brown), spaghetti westerns (think Kill Bill), or these dirty little grindhouses I just described. I applaud Rodriguez and Tarantino for their creativity. They previously teamed up for Sin City, and I think they work pretty well together – although each director is responsible for his own work in Grindhouse. The movie is a double feature, and Rodriguez is first up with “Planet Terror,” followed by Tarantino’s “Death Proof.” Since both movies are inspired by the B-movie genre, each director gets to eschew any plot constraints and focus on the salacious and tawdry. Bullets and blood abound, particularly in “Planet Terror.” The gore is gratuitous, the campy dialogue at an all-time high. What makes it great is that it’s supposed to be that way. Either you get it or you don’t. Complete with phony previews and “missing reels” that leave HUGE plot holes, Grindhouse aims to make your movie-going experience an authentic one. “Planet Terror” features Rose McGowan (Jawbreakers) as a one-legged go-go dancer. She and her boyfriend, played by Freddy Rodriguez (Dead Presidents) must dispatch their town of brain-eating zombies. That’s pretty much all I can say about the “plot.” Everything else that transpires can best be described as sensory assault.
Now it’s Tarantino’s turn. “Death Proof” is less gory than “Planet Terror,” and actually has a little character development, if you could call it that. It features Rosario Dawson (Sin City), Sydney Poitier (it’s his daughter, not him!), and Kurt Russell (Dark Blue), most notably. Russell is “Stuntman Mike,” a psychopath who preys on women with his car. We follow two groups of girlfriends as they are stalked and terrorized. What I liked most about “Death Proof” was its voyeuristic quality. You really feel like you’re watching a group of friends with a hidden camera. It’s very dialogue-driven and realistic, which is both good and bad. It’s good that it feels genuine, but it’s bad when the dialogue turns tedious and uninteresting. You have to care about these girls’ conversations and interaction, and I could see some people shifting in their theater seats, waiting for the “action.”
I could go on and on about Grindhouse, but I’ll stop there. This is not the kind of movie that comes along every day. It is remarkably unique – never taking itself seriously in its storytelling, but maintaining the artistic integrity of its premise. Sometimes when a movie is a parody or spoof, you’ll find that the writer/director takes the lazy road because the movie is “supposed” to be bad or silly. That wasn’t the case with Rodriguez and Tarantino. They’ve managed to create a hilarious, edgy, over-the-top spectacle that will stun anyone with the guts to see it. I thought it was great.
Tarantino has a way of paying homage to the vestiges of his youth, whether it be pin-up girls (i.e. Pam Grier, that’s why he cast her in Jackie Brown), spaghetti westerns (think Kill Bill), or these dirty little grindhouses I just described. I applaud Rodriguez and Tarantino for their creativity. They previously teamed up for Sin City, and I think they work pretty well together – although each director is responsible for his own work in Grindhouse. The movie is a double feature, and Rodriguez is first up with “Planet Terror,” followed by Tarantino’s “Death Proof.” Since both movies are inspired by the B-movie genre, each director gets to eschew any plot constraints and focus on the salacious and tawdry. Bullets and blood abound, particularly in “Planet Terror.” The gore is gratuitous, the campy dialogue at an all-time high. What makes it great is that it’s supposed to be that way. Either you get it or you don’t. Complete with phony previews and “missing reels” that leave HUGE plot holes, Grindhouse aims to make your movie-going experience an authentic one. “Planet Terror” features Rose McGowan (Jawbreakers) as a one-legged go-go dancer. She and her boyfriend, played by Freddy Rodriguez (Dead Presidents) must dispatch their town of brain-eating zombies. That’s pretty much all I can say about the “plot.” Everything else that transpires can best be described as sensory assault.
Now it’s Tarantino’s turn. “Death Proof” is less gory than “Planet Terror,” and actually has a little character development, if you could call it that. It features Rosario Dawson (Sin City), Sydney Poitier (it’s his daughter, not him!), and Kurt Russell (Dark Blue), most notably. Russell is “Stuntman Mike,” a psychopath who preys on women with his car. We follow two groups of girlfriends as they are stalked and terrorized. What I liked most about “Death Proof” was its voyeuristic quality. You really feel like you’re watching a group of friends with a hidden camera. It’s very dialogue-driven and realistic, which is both good and bad. It’s good that it feels genuine, but it’s bad when the dialogue turns tedious and uninteresting. You have to care about these girls’ conversations and interaction, and I could see some people shifting in their theater seats, waiting for the “action.”
I could go on and on about Grindhouse, but I’ll stop there. This is not the kind of movie that comes along every day. It is remarkably unique – never taking itself seriously in its storytelling, but maintaining the artistic integrity of its premise. Sometimes when a movie is a parody or spoof, you’ll find that the writer/director takes the lazy road because the movie is “supposed” to be bad or silly. That wasn’t the case with Rodriguez and Tarantino. They’ve managed to create a hilarious, edgy, over-the-top spectacle that will stun anyone with the guts to see it. I thought it was great.
Blades of Glory
Save your money. Talk about false advertising. Blades of Glory looks hilarious. It’s not. It’s mildly amusing at best. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed less at a comedy. Once you get past the initial chuckle-inducing concept of a male figure-skating pair, the movie is left with nothing. It was ridiculous, but in an eye-rolling way, not in a funny way. Yes Will Ferrell (Anchorman) is funny. He’s always funny. The problem is that he wasn’t enough to carry the movie, and the script was mediocre. It was just corny and stupid. Comedy is not my favorite genre, and I choose them wisely when I go to the theater. I expected laughs on the level of The Wedding Crashers or The 40-year Old Virgin. Blades of Glory can’t even be mentioned in the same sentence as those two. You know when they suck I like to keept it short. I have nothing else to say.
Shooter
Everyone’s second favorite bad-ass is back at it again. Mark Wahlberg (The Departed) stars as Bob Lee Swagger (ridiculous name), a disenchanted, reclusive marine. Devastated by the death of his fellow soldier in a botched mission and the military’s subsequent abandonment of him, Swagger begins to question his ingrained sense of patriotism. An expert sniper, he is approached by a Colonel Johnson (Danny Glover, most recently of Dreamgirls) and asked to help prevent an assassination on the president. Johnson and his men know that Swagger is an expert marksman, and they need his help in getting into the mind of the potential assassin. He reluctantly agrees, and begins gathering information on the manner in which an assassin would strike. Armed with this advice, Johnson and his cronies attempt to take out the president and frame Swagger for the hit.
Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) maintains a high level of action throughout, and Mark Wahlberg is completely convincing in his role. He’s good at shit like this. Of course the whole I’ve-been-framed-and-now-I-have-to-clear-my-name-before-I-get-killed-or-arrested thing has been done plenty of times before, but Shooter is good enough. Wahlberg’s screen presence alone makes it worth seeing – he’s rarely disappointing. Check it out.
Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) maintains a high level of action throughout, and Mark Wahlberg is completely convincing in his role. He’s good at shit like this. Of course the whole I’ve-been-framed-and-now-I-have-to-clear-my-name-before-I-get-killed-or-arrested thing has been done plenty of times before, but Shooter is good enough. Wahlberg’s screen presence alone makes it worth seeing – he’s rarely disappointing. Check it out.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Premonition
I wish I would've had a premonition that this movie would suck donkey balls. Then maybe I would not have wasted my time with it.
Premonition stars Sandra Bullock (Crash) and Julian McMahon (Fantastic Four, Nip/Tuck) as Jim and Linda Hanson, a married couple with two daughters. Soon after we meet the family, Linda is informed that Jim has been killed in an auto accident. The rest of the movie plays like a morbid version of Groundhog Day. One day Linda wakes up and Jim's dead, the next day he's alive. She tries to glean clues about what happend, and each day that passes reveals a new little wrinkle. Sound provocative? It's not; it's bullshit. Linda pays a visit to a priest, and he gives her some cryptic spiel about premonitions, reciting a history lesson of other quackpots who've seen the future. The problem is that it's never revealed why Linda had the premonition. It's not to change the future or to right some wrong...the whole thing is just pointless. I do think that the basic premise of the movie is interesting, and I like movies that deal with fate, spirituality, and destiny - but this was just LOUSY. I would suggest Frequency in lieu of Premonition. Even last year's Deja Vu was better than this.
Premonition stars Sandra Bullock (Crash) and Julian McMahon (Fantastic Four, Nip/Tuck) as Jim and Linda Hanson, a married couple with two daughters. Soon after we meet the family, Linda is informed that Jim has been killed in an auto accident. The rest of the movie plays like a morbid version of Groundhog Day. One day Linda wakes up and Jim's dead, the next day he's alive. She tries to glean clues about what happend, and each day that passes reveals a new little wrinkle. Sound provocative? It's not; it's bullshit. Linda pays a visit to a priest, and he gives her some cryptic spiel about premonitions, reciting a history lesson of other quackpots who've seen the future. The problem is that it's never revealed why Linda had the premonition. It's not to change the future or to right some wrong...the whole thing is just pointless. I do think that the basic premise of the movie is interesting, and I like movies that deal with fate, spirituality, and destiny - but this was just LOUSY. I would suggest Frequency in lieu of Premonition. Even last year's Deja Vu was better than this.
I Think I Love My Wife
This is Chris Rock's latest directorial effort, a take-off of his popular stand-up routine where he laments married life. To quote Rock, you can either be "single and lonely or married and bored."
The movie follows Rock's character Richard Cooper, a successful investment banker with a lovely wife and two adorable kids. Richard's wife is a good one, but he finds himself bored with the mundane aspects of married life. His wife wears "granny panties," and the sex is virtually nonexistent. Enter Nikki Tru, played by Kerry Washinton (Ray, She Hate Me), the ex-girlfriend of one of Richard's old friends. It seems Nikki needs an employment reference and decides to pay Richard an unannounced visit for a letter of recommendation. It's obvious from the start that Nikki is nothing but trouble. She's everything that Richard's wife Brenda (Gina Torres of Alias) is not: sexy and adventurous. She has him p-whipped without even giving him the "p." The movie follows Richard's efforts to remain on the straight and narrow in the face of temptation. In his heart Richard is a good man; he just needs to spice up his marriage. He ultimately realizes what's most important in life and manages to get his priorities in order. This is only after Nikki gets him completely discombobulated. Is that a word? I've always wondered if that was really a word. What's the opposite. Is it combobulated? What does that mean?
I Think I love My Wife is humourous at best and mildly entertaining at worst. It has an indie feel, which is kind of a good thing. It falters at points, and certain parts of the story don't make sense. One scene in particular seems like it should have been part of a dream sequence, but Richard reacts as if it takes place in reality. And another thing, are we supposed to believe that Kerry Washington is hot for Chris Rock??? I mean, come on. I love Chris Rock as much as the next person -- the man is a comedic genius; but he's one step from Pookie in New Jack City. His lips looked so cracked at one point I was like "damn!" But hey, that's why they call it the movies, right? Because you get to see some shit that would never happen in real life.
The movie follows Rock's character Richard Cooper, a successful investment banker with a lovely wife and two adorable kids. Richard's wife is a good one, but he finds himself bored with the mundane aspects of married life. His wife wears "granny panties," and the sex is virtually nonexistent. Enter Nikki Tru, played by Kerry Washinton (Ray, She Hate Me), the ex-girlfriend of one of Richard's old friends. It seems Nikki needs an employment reference and decides to pay Richard an unannounced visit for a letter of recommendation. It's obvious from the start that Nikki is nothing but trouble. She's everything that Richard's wife Brenda (Gina Torres of Alias) is not: sexy and adventurous. She has him p-whipped without even giving him the "p." The movie follows Richard's efforts to remain on the straight and narrow in the face of temptation. In his heart Richard is a good man; he just needs to spice up his marriage. He ultimately realizes what's most important in life and manages to get his priorities in order. This is only after Nikki gets him completely discombobulated. Is that a word? I've always wondered if that was really a word. What's the opposite. Is it combobulated? What does that mean?
I Think I love My Wife is humourous at best and mildly entertaining at worst. It has an indie feel, which is kind of a good thing. It falters at points, and certain parts of the story don't make sense. One scene in particular seems like it should have been part of a dream sequence, but Richard reacts as if it takes place in reality. And another thing, are we supposed to believe that Kerry Washington is hot for Chris Rock??? I mean, come on. I love Chris Rock as much as the next person -- the man is a comedic genius; but he's one step from Pookie in New Jack City. His lips looked so cracked at one point I was like "damn!" But hey, that's why they call it the movies, right? Because you get to see some shit that would never happen in real life.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
300
Wow...300 was a feast for the eyes and the most visually decadent movie I've seen in a long time. Based on the graphic novels of Frank Miller (Sin City), the movie tells the story of 300 undermanned, outmatched Spartans who valiantly sacrificed their lives in The Battle of Thermopylae.
In the ancient times of Greek battle, the soldiers of Sparta were the bravest, most fearless warriors in the world. They were bred for combat, preparing for war soon after taking their first steps. It is this innate heroism that fuels 300 Spartans and their King Leonidas in war against mighty Persia. When Xerxes, the king of Persia, demands that Sparta submit to him, Sparta refuses. The gauntlet has been laid, and the only alternative is war. Despite the odds, the Spartans manage to slay many Persian soldiers. Unfortunately their victory is merely a moral one, as valor ultimately succumbs to manpower.
300 is straightforward in its storytelling, and a welcomed departure from other period movies that have had more convoluted historical underpinnings. The movie focuses on one battle. We know who's fighting and we know their motivation. We can also surmise the result, but the treat lies in getting there. The battle scenes are choreographed wonderfully, and the cinematography is something to behold. 300 will appeal mostly to men due to its violence, but women are in for a pleasant surprise with the myriad of scantily clad Spartans, particularly King Leonidas, played by actor Gerard Butler. I watched a television program about the making of 300, and each one of the male actors was whipped into impeccable physical condition. They looked like warriors in every sense of the word, literally dropping to the floor to perform push-ups between takes. It pays off, as they all look like they could tear a person to shreds with their bare hands. So on that note, 300 is a movie that will oddly appeal to men and women equally, if the girls can get past the violence (it's not too bad). It's been said that 300 is as revoulutionary and groundbreaking as The Matrix. I wouldn't dare go that far, but its unique sensuality makes it a movie worth seeing.
In the ancient times of Greek battle, the soldiers of Sparta were the bravest, most fearless warriors in the world. They were bred for combat, preparing for war soon after taking their first steps. It is this innate heroism that fuels 300 Spartans and their King Leonidas in war against mighty Persia. When Xerxes, the king of Persia, demands that Sparta submit to him, Sparta refuses. The gauntlet has been laid, and the only alternative is war. Despite the odds, the Spartans manage to slay many Persian soldiers. Unfortunately their victory is merely a moral one, as valor ultimately succumbs to manpower.
300 is straightforward in its storytelling, and a welcomed departure from other period movies that have had more convoluted historical underpinnings. The movie focuses on one battle. We know who's fighting and we know their motivation. We can also surmise the result, but the treat lies in getting there. The battle scenes are choreographed wonderfully, and the cinematography is something to behold. 300 will appeal mostly to men due to its violence, but women are in for a pleasant surprise with the myriad of scantily clad Spartans, particularly King Leonidas, played by actor Gerard Butler. I watched a television program about the making of 300, and each one of the male actors was whipped into impeccable physical condition. They looked like warriors in every sense of the word, literally dropping to the floor to perform push-ups between takes. It pays off, as they all look like they could tear a person to shreds with their bare hands. So on that note, 300 is a movie that will oddly appeal to men and women equally, if the girls can get past the violence (it's not too bad). It's been said that 300 is as revoulutionary and groundbreaking as The Matrix. I wouldn't dare go that far, but its unique sensuality makes it a movie worth seeing.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Zodiac
Zodiac is the dramatization of the true events surrounding one of America's most infamous serial murderers, The Zodiac Killer. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal (Jarhead, Donnie Darko) as Robert Graysmith, the San Francisco Chronicle cartoonist who remains obsessed with the case long after the police have resigned themselves to defeat. Graysmith becomes involved in the case when the killer begins to send taunting letters to police through the local newspapers.
The movie begins on July 4, 1969(?), on lover's lane in the city of Vallejo, California. A young couple has parked in a secluded area, talking quietly. A set of headlights temporarily blinds their vehicle from the rear. Pausing nervously, they wonder aloud about their visitor. The boy is apprehensive. Just as their tension begins to mount, the car leaves as quickly as it arrived. Their conversation resumes. Now the car returns and blocks their escape. The driver exits and approaches their vehicle, aiming a bright flashlight. The boy thinks it's a police offer, and begins to explain. Before he can complete his sentence, POP! The stranger is firing shots into the vehicle, the girl is screaming. When the stranger leaves, the girl is dead and the boy will be the one of the few witnesses to see the Zodiac and live to tell about it. It is this chilling opening sequence that introduces us to the Zodiac Killer, a man who wantonly terrorized the Bay area from approximately 1969-1975.
Directed by David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club), Zodiac is one part police procedural and one part murder mystery. At a lenghthy 2 1/2 hours, the movie is not without its slow moments, but for the most part it manages to hold your attention. This is due in large part to the aforementioned opening scene, as well as different murder scenes interspersed throughout the first half. The movie stalls when it lingers too much on the minutiae of the policework. Which brings me to Mark Ruffalo (Collateral), a highly regarded actor who has yet to impress me. He is adequate as Detective David Toschi, and certainly attractive, but his delivery was a bit too understated, in my opinion. He and Gyllenhaal were both so soft-spoken in Zodiac that it started to annoy me. Anyway, Zodiac is not without its listless moments, but it picks up once Gyllenhaal's character gets more involved in uncovering the killer's identity. I also enjoyed the introduction of different suspects, each of them plausible in their own way. Robert Downey Jr. is also featured as Paul Avery, a Chronicle reporter who becomes consumed with the case, only to succumb to that obsession, ending up a washed-up alcoholic.
Fincher captures the time period in dark fashion, using the same muted, orange-tinged hue found in Se7en. Zodiac doesn't compare to his previous gems, but it is a solid addition to his body of work. Gyllenhaal isn't exactly a revelation, but he's an amazing actor and I bet if I saw the real Robert Graysmith I would see that he nailed the performance. I think fans of Fincher and/or Gyllenhaal should check out Zodiac off GP. It was interesting, if nothing else -- even though my eyelids got heavy once or twice.
The movie begins on July 4, 1969(?), on lover's lane in the city of Vallejo, California. A young couple has parked in a secluded area, talking quietly. A set of headlights temporarily blinds their vehicle from the rear. Pausing nervously, they wonder aloud about their visitor. The boy is apprehensive. Just as their tension begins to mount, the car leaves as quickly as it arrived. Their conversation resumes. Now the car returns and blocks their escape. The driver exits and approaches their vehicle, aiming a bright flashlight. The boy thinks it's a police offer, and begins to explain. Before he can complete his sentence, POP! The stranger is firing shots into the vehicle, the girl is screaming. When the stranger leaves, the girl is dead and the boy will be the one of the few witnesses to see the Zodiac and live to tell about it. It is this chilling opening sequence that introduces us to the Zodiac Killer, a man who wantonly terrorized the Bay area from approximately 1969-1975.
Directed by David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club), Zodiac is one part police procedural and one part murder mystery. At a lenghthy 2 1/2 hours, the movie is not without its slow moments, but for the most part it manages to hold your attention. This is due in large part to the aforementioned opening scene, as well as different murder scenes interspersed throughout the first half. The movie stalls when it lingers too much on the minutiae of the policework. Which brings me to Mark Ruffalo (Collateral), a highly regarded actor who has yet to impress me. He is adequate as Detective David Toschi, and certainly attractive, but his delivery was a bit too understated, in my opinion. He and Gyllenhaal were both so soft-spoken in Zodiac that it started to annoy me. Anyway, Zodiac is not without its listless moments, but it picks up once Gyllenhaal's character gets more involved in uncovering the killer's identity. I also enjoyed the introduction of different suspects, each of them plausible in their own way. Robert Downey Jr. is also featured as Paul Avery, a Chronicle reporter who becomes consumed with the case, only to succumb to that obsession, ending up a washed-up alcoholic.
Fincher captures the time period in dark fashion, using the same muted, orange-tinged hue found in Se7en. Zodiac doesn't compare to his previous gems, but it is a solid addition to his body of work. Gyllenhaal isn't exactly a revelation, but he's an amazing actor and I bet if I saw the real Robert Graysmith I would see that he nailed the performance. I think fans of Fincher and/or Gyllenhaal should check out Zodiac off GP. It was interesting, if nothing else -- even though my eyelids got heavy once or twice.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Ghost Rider
Nicholas Cage (The Weather Man, Lord of War) is one of those actors that annoys the hell outta me. I think it's his voice and his mannerisms. I just don't care for him ususally, because when you watch one of his movies you never forget that it's him, and isn't that the point of acting? Anyway, I saw Ghost Rider in spite of Nic Cage and it wasn't half bad.
Based on the Marvel comic character of the same name, Ghost Rider (alter ego of Johnny Blaze) tells the story of a man who made a deal with the devil as a teen to spare his father's life, and now must repay his debt. He must become "the rider," collecting souls for his nefarious one-time benefactor. After dark and in the presence of evil, Johnny Blaze transforms into the rider: a leather-clad skeleton who rides a bad-ass mortorcycle, leaving a trail of flames in his wake. Okay, so the premise is interesting enough, as far as comic heroes go. Both the story and execution were pretty good. The special effects were decent, although let's be real - this isn't Spiderman or Superman. Ghost Rider has more of a lonely, everyman quality to him and the vigilante angle is a good one. Plus, he straight up kills people. No sticky webs to temporarily immobilize the bad guys like Spidey; Ghost Rider sends the dudes to hell. That's pretty cool.
I feel like it's unfair to critique the acting in a movie like this, but I have to give a quick word. It was marginal at best. Cage did a good job of looking alternately forlorn and corny. Eva Mendes plays his girl, and her role has about zero substance. It's nothing. A resume-filler, that's it. Sooo....in conclusion, Ghost Rider is the kind of movie you go see just to kill time or if you're looking for something to do on a random afternoon. I know this isn't exactly a ringing endorsement, but like I said, it wasn't half bad. Unfortunately that also means it was only half good.
Based on the Marvel comic character of the same name, Ghost Rider (alter ego of Johnny Blaze) tells the story of a man who made a deal with the devil as a teen to spare his father's life, and now must repay his debt. He must become "the rider," collecting souls for his nefarious one-time benefactor. After dark and in the presence of evil, Johnny Blaze transforms into the rider: a leather-clad skeleton who rides a bad-ass mortorcycle, leaving a trail of flames in his wake. Okay, so the premise is interesting enough, as far as comic heroes go. Both the story and execution were pretty good. The special effects were decent, although let's be real - this isn't Spiderman or Superman. Ghost Rider has more of a lonely, everyman quality to him and the vigilante angle is a good one. Plus, he straight up kills people. No sticky webs to temporarily immobilize the bad guys like Spidey; Ghost Rider sends the dudes to hell. That's pretty cool.
I feel like it's unfair to critique the acting in a movie like this, but I have to give a quick word. It was marginal at best. Cage did a good job of looking alternately forlorn and corny. Eva Mendes plays his girl, and her role has about zero substance. It's nothing. A resume-filler, that's it. Sooo....in conclusion, Ghost Rider is the kind of movie you go see just to kill time or if you're looking for something to do on a random afternoon. I know this isn't exactly a ringing endorsement, but like I said, it wasn't half bad. Unfortunately that also means it was only half good.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Notes on A Scandal
This film was outstanding and is well-deserving of any future accolades, Oscar or otherwise. The acting and writing were superb, and there was never a minute in the film that didn't count for something. Starring Judi Dench (Casino Royale) and Cate Blanchett (Babel), the movie tells the story of a young fresh-faced teacher named Sheba (Blanchett) who begins an illicit tryst with a student - Mary Kay Letourneau style. The film is masterfully narrated by Dench's character Barbara, an older teacher who has taken a shall we say, healthy interest in Sheba. Barbara fluctuates between maternal friendship with Sheba and sexual longing for her. I've never seen Judi Dench in such a role, not that I'm terribly familiar with her work anyway, but still. It was creepy-good. Blanchett, conversely is both sympathetic and repugnant. She is, after all, sleeping with a 15-year old. There's no excusing that, even though the boy is a willing participant. However, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her character when she became the object of Barbara's predatory obsession. Think Single White Female for the AARP crowd.
Notes on A Scandal is the best movie I've seen this year, so far. The performances of the two leads were outstanding. Dench portrayed Barbara as the well-intentioned schoolmarm with a hint of menace lurking beneath the surface. Blanchett is naively selfish, acting without consequence until it's too late. It's been a while since I've seen a movie that wasn't at least mildly disappointing in some fashion. Notes on A Scandal was a refreshing change from the norm, and definitely worth seeing.
Notes on A Scandal is the best movie I've seen this year, so far. The performances of the two leads were outstanding. Dench portrayed Barbara as the well-intentioned schoolmarm with a hint of menace lurking beneath the surface. Blanchett is naively selfish, acting without consequence until it's too late. It's been a while since I've seen a movie that wasn't at least mildly disappointing in some fashion. Notes on A Scandal was a refreshing change from the norm, and definitely worth seeing.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Smokin' Aces
I was excited about Smokin’ Aces because this is really my type of movie: fast-paced, frenetic, violent, featuring characters with a singular focus who are hell-bent on carrying out the task at hand. However, I was a tad disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, Smokin’ Aces was a highly entertaining movie overall, it just came across as the product of a poor-man’s Quentin Tarantino. The dialogue was fast and funny, the acting pretty good…but something about the movie felt thrown together. Smokin’ Aces was akin to deciding to make a painting by taking a bunch of paint and throwing it on a blank canvas: some parts will look kinda cool, but others will look like a complete mess.
The cast is an eclectic mix of seasoned and inexperienced actors, from Ray Liotta (Goodfellas) to Alicia Keys. Jeremy Piven of Entourage is featured as the main character, Buddy “Aces” Israel, a washed-up Vegas high-roller turned government snitch. The movie begins with a quick (and I do mean quick) recitation of the plot, making it crystal clear what we’re in for: About a dozen hitmen will attempt to take out Israel before he can sing to the Feds, and a handsome sum will be paid to the victor. Israel doesn’t know about the bounty, but he has holed up in the penthouse suite of a Lake Tahoe hotel, awaiting the specifics of the deal he struck with the government. He’s guarded by Sir Ivy (played by the always-sexy Common), and two other henchmen.
The best thing about Smokin’ Aces was the dialogue; it was hilarious, risqué, off-color, crude, and very authentic. Piven was effective as the pathetic, sleazy Israel, and he actually manages to make him seem sympathetic a time or two. Alicia Keys and Taraji Henson (Baby Boy, Hustle & Flow) nearly steal the show as a pair of sassy assassins. You like that? Sassy assassins? Say that ten times fast. Alright, if you liked Lucky Number Slevin, Domino, or Running Scared (I loved all three), then you will probably enjoy Smokin’ Aces. Just don’t expect it to be as good.
The cast is an eclectic mix of seasoned and inexperienced actors, from Ray Liotta (Goodfellas) to Alicia Keys. Jeremy Piven of Entourage is featured as the main character, Buddy “Aces” Israel, a washed-up Vegas high-roller turned government snitch. The movie begins with a quick (and I do mean quick) recitation of the plot, making it crystal clear what we’re in for: About a dozen hitmen will attempt to take out Israel before he can sing to the Feds, and a handsome sum will be paid to the victor. Israel doesn’t know about the bounty, but he has holed up in the penthouse suite of a Lake Tahoe hotel, awaiting the specifics of the deal he struck with the government. He’s guarded by Sir Ivy (played by the always-sexy Common), and two other henchmen.
The best thing about Smokin’ Aces was the dialogue; it was hilarious, risqué, off-color, crude, and very authentic. Piven was effective as the pathetic, sleazy Israel, and he actually manages to make him seem sympathetic a time or two. Alicia Keys and Taraji Henson (Baby Boy, Hustle & Flow) nearly steal the show as a pair of sassy assassins. You like that? Sassy assassins? Say that ten times fast. Alright, if you liked Lucky Number Slevin, Domino, or Running Scared (I loved all three), then you will probably enjoy Smokin’ Aces. Just don’t expect it to be as good.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Alpha Dog
Alpha Dog marks the film debut of Justin Timberlake in the story of suburban drug-dealers who bite off more than they can chew in a quest to add excitement to their vapid existence.
Based on true events, the movie chronicles the exploits of Johnny Truelove (Emile Hirsch, who I’d never heard of prior to this flick), a fake-ass thug who is a major weed supplier in California. Truelove and his band of idiots (including Timberlake) spend their days getting high in the California sun, having sex, pissing away their parents’ money, and generally behaving like disgusting pricks. When one of Truelove’s customers fails to make good on a debt, he decides to kidnap the guy’s younger brother Zack and hold him for ransom. The plot goes awry when Truelove, genius that he is, realizes that he’ll actually go to jail if he releases the hostage. What happens next is tragic and heartbreaking, as Zack is a naïve, sympathetic character. He’s out of his league with Truelove’s crew, failing to see that his demise is imminent.
Alpha Dog was wack as hell to me, partly because I think the individuals on whom the movie is based are lame. Every character is a shallow poser. I’ve heard that the film received critical praise at Sundance, and I’m astounded by that. Writer/director Nick Cassavetes has tried to present a psychological study of disaffected youth, but he’s failed miserably. Alpha Dog tries to be edgy, but just seems corny and ridiculous. The characters don’t have to be likeable (they’re actually deplorable), but it would be okay if they were at least interesting. They all seem like spoiled little shits, and as a viewer I could care less what happened to them. They weren’t even cool, despite Cassavetes’ lackluster attempt to make them bad-ass. Veterans Bruce Willis (Lucky Number Slevin) and Sharon Stone (Bobby) cannot save the movie with their supporting roles. Timberlake had his moments, but overall his acting was corny as well. He needs to work on his delivery…he might end up being a decent actor with a little more practice. If you want to watch a movie about white kids getting loaded and not giving a damn, rent Kids or Black & White.
Based on true events, the movie chronicles the exploits of Johnny Truelove (Emile Hirsch, who I’d never heard of prior to this flick), a fake-ass thug who is a major weed supplier in California. Truelove and his band of idiots (including Timberlake) spend their days getting high in the California sun, having sex, pissing away their parents’ money, and generally behaving like disgusting pricks. When one of Truelove’s customers fails to make good on a debt, he decides to kidnap the guy’s younger brother Zack and hold him for ransom. The plot goes awry when Truelove, genius that he is, realizes that he’ll actually go to jail if he releases the hostage. What happens next is tragic and heartbreaking, as Zack is a naïve, sympathetic character. He’s out of his league with Truelove’s crew, failing to see that his demise is imminent.
Alpha Dog was wack as hell to me, partly because I think the individuals on whom the movie is based are lame. Every character is a shallow poser. I’ve heard that the film received critical praise at Sundance, and I’m astounded by that. Writer/director Nick Cassavetes has tried to present a psychological study of disaffected youth, but he’s failed miserably. Alpha Dog tries to be edgy, but just seems corny and ridiculous. The characters don’t have to be likeable (they’re actually deplorable), but it would be okay if they were at least interesting. They all seem like spoiled little shits, and as a viewer I could care less what happened to them. They weren’t even cool, despite Cassavetes’ lackluster attempt to make them bad-ass. Veterans Bruce Willis (Lucky Number Slevin) and Sharon Stone (Bobby) cannot save the movie with their supporting roles. Timberlake had his moments, but overall his acting was corny as well. He needs to work on his delivery…he might end up being a decent actor with a little more practice. If you want to watch a movie about white kids getting loaded and not giving a damn, rent Kids or Black & White.
Children of Men
Children of Men presents one of the more fascinating movie plots in recent memory. The year is 2027, and planet Earth has become a barren wasteland, literally and figuratively. The only functioning society is found in London, as the rest of the civilized world has ceased to exist. All “immigrants” are arrested and anarchy fills the streets of London’s surrounding areas. As if it couldn’t be any worse, the surviving human beings face certain extinction, as women and men are infertile and the population dwindles. Enter Clive Owen (Sin City, Closer). It seems that his ex-wife (Julianne Moore, The Forgotten, Freedomland) needs him to transport an illegal immigrant (a character named Kee) to safety. This is no ordinary immigrant; rather this is a young lady who has managed to do what no one else in the world has been able to do for 20 years: become pregnant. Protected by a fringe political group, Owen’s character must shield his young charge from the government and escort her to a neighboring city for amnesty. They dodge bullets as it becomes clear that Kee’s protectors have their own agenda and plan for her and the unborn child.
Children of Men paints a provocative, bleak picture of the future that is both fascinating and depressing. Clive Owen is excellent as the reluctant hero, and you can’t help cheering for him and Kee. The movie falls short in its ending, which is rather abrupt. I saw it with a friend who also thought it started slowly. I think Children of Men is a good movie to check out if you like food for thought. The acting is great, with good supporting performances by Michael Caine (Batman Begins) and Chiwtel Ejiofor (Dirty Pretty Things, Four Brothers). If you’re looking for something a little outside the box, check it out.
Children of Men paints a provocative, bleak picture of the future that is both fascinating and depressing. Clive Owen is excellent as the reluctant hero, and you can’t help cheering for him and Kee. The movie falls short in its ending, which is rather abrupt. I saw it with a friend who also thought it started slowly. I think Children of Men is a good movie to check out if you like food for thought. The acting is great, with good supporting performances by Michael Caine (Batman Begins) and Chiwtel Ejiofor (Dirty Pretty Things, Four Brothers). If you’re looking for something a little outside the box, check it out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)