Thomas McCarthy is a busy man. Having worked his way up the acting ranks, from a bit part in Conspiracy Theory to a regular role on Boston Public all the way to supporting turns in such high-class fare as Syriana and Flags of our Fathers, he took his time in becoming a writer/director, but showed considerable promise with the 2003 indie hit The Station Agent.He returns this years with what's setting up to be another indie hit in The Visitor. Clearly showing his past as an actor, The Visitor is an excellent character piece (but misses excellence overall) starring veteran character actor Richard Jenkins (spotlighted recently in this space).Jenkins plays Walter Vale, a lonely widower (is there any other kind onscreen?) teaching at a cushy Connecticut university. The thing is, Walter's not doi
If there's one thing I've learned about myself as it pertains to writing film reviews in the year and a half history of this site, it's that I don't like writing reviews for big blockbusters like Iron Man nearly as much as I enjoy writing about mid-range to small movies. It really has nothing to do with the films themselves or their potential to be critiqued, but rather due to a feeling I get as I mosey around to any number of other reviews for the film on blogs or newspapers or magazines.When something like the first big summer movie is released, there's a very good chance that a number of other bloggers are going to see the movie on its first day out. They are also going to review it, most likely within hours of seeing it (which I rarely can or do). I am also going to read it, though I d
“Shadows in the Palace” is a terrific fast paced conspiratorial page turner that refuses to take a breath. Occurring in the period of the Joseon Dynasty, this palace potboiler is full of enough twists, turns and red herrings to keep most viewers off balance and perplexed. What makes it especially fascinating is the feminist milieu in which the plot unfolds – a secret world behind the gates of the royal palace in which ambitious women grasp desperately for power and for survival and murder is only one of many options available to them. In fact, nearly the entire cast is female with only a few small roles for the opposite sex. The director is female as well, but her debut entry is not a delicate tale of polite manners and subtle intrigue – it is historical pulp with mangled bodies pi
When you're watching a movie and can't place where you've seen an actor from, is there anything more satisfying than hopping on the computer when you get home and getting the answer? I had another such moment this weekend while/after watching the Audrey Tautou-starring Priceless. Tautou stars as Anna Nicole Smith. Well, not really, but she might as well have been, playing the biggest gold digger this side of the deceased Texas belle (minus the psychological and pharmaceutical issues). Amongst the many men she seduces is an older, balding gentleman with a very prominent nose. I knew I had seen this guy before, but where?So I'm searching his filmography...sure, he's been in a lot of American films, some that I might have even seen, but nothing was clicking. Through the 00s...heading back thr
Smart People is a piece of cinema seemingly crafted by obtuse individuals. Despite featuring a strong screenplay by greenhorn writer Mark Poirier, the leadership by fellow neophyte director Noam Murro lacks imagination.Dennis Quaid stars as boorish Victorian English professor at Carnegie-Mellon University. We know he is an insolent soul because he parks his Euro sedan (a Snaab, if I recall) in two spaces. Apparently, his spouse expired some inordinate length of time ago, and he sees this as an opportunity to be cantankerous for his remaining days. Around the time of our introduction, his lazybones con man of an hermano (adopted, by the way) enters the picture, in need of some duckets and perhaps a domicile. Already cohabiting with Quaid's Lawrence Wetherhold is his conformist conservative
You know that post I made a months weeks back where I preemptively declared that "Ellen Page sucks," just so that I'd be ahead of the curve? Let's put it this way - if I put up another that said "Judd Apatow sucks," I'd be about six months behind the pack.It's funny how overexposure can turn the brightest success stories into major annoyances for some. I'll admit - the usage of the phrase "brought to you by the guys from..." isn't the best way to market a movie, but it's used probably because it works pretty well. Unfortunately, it sets up this scenario where every work is compared to the work that was previously "brought to us" by the same makers.So, blogs and message boards and SOCIETY IN GENERAL are currently crammed with opinions ranging from "Forgetting Sarah Marshall is worse than
At one point during Street Kings, the character played by Keanu Reeves tells his girlfriend to get away from him, as "everything [he] touches dies." If only Reeves has read that line in the script and heeded the warning.Reeves plays Tom Ludlow, a Vice detective in L.A., the setting and occupation of almost all of director David Ayer's works. Ludlow is a miserable man, trudging through the grind of nabbing villains while his personal angst (and alcoholism) grows, as he's a widower who kind of hates his job. If only he weren't so good at it! Ludlow's boss, Captain Jack Wander (Forrest Whitaker), dotes on his star detective, especially after the strong opening sequence that features Ludlow deep undercover battling some baddies. But when it's revealed that Ludlow might not be completely t
I am always interested in seeing John Cusack films, and add the fact it’s a Stephen King story and I was definetly interested, even if quite a few of his book to movies haven’t been upto much, the premise was still interesting to me. Before I watched it I had seen many peoples opinions on [...]
I mean no pun intended when I say that Run Fatboy Run starts you off on the wrong foot. You see, when you have a schlub that ditches anyone (much less Thandie Newton) at the altar, it's hard to feel for them later. Granted, the film is about nothing if not redemption and forgiveness, but perhaps a little "get to know ya" before showing the character metaphorically kicking a dog isn't the best way to gain an audience's trust.That, however, is probably the least of Fatboy's problems.Considering the writers behind it, Fatboy should have been a smartly written comedy. Star/writer Simon Pegg and co-writer Michael Ian Black have nothing if not a great track record, including Black's Stella and The State, and Pegg's Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. However, one can't help but think that a sitcom v
Chances are good that you're not looking for any more Iraq War-themed films, but if you were to look for one that pretty adequately sums up my feelings on the conflict, while still not being a great film, this might be the one.Unlike In the Valley of Elah, which had a firm, unmissable message, Stop-Loss is a bit all over the place. It knows one thing for sure - being stop-lossed sucks - but can't seem to make up its mind (or really even come to any conclusions) in regards to the hows, whys, and shoulds of the ongoing conflict.Ryan Phillippe plays Brandon King, a soldier that, soon after being engaged in a deadly conflict that he led, is sent home to Texas, as his duty is complete. But of course we know that that isn't the case, as he will be called back by Uncle Sam in an effort to keep
Unlike most animated tales in which the story leads up to a big fuzzy moral at the end, Horton Hears a Who is all morals, with a story that kind of dances around it. The beauty in this one, though, is that what those life lessons are - what the kids and/or adults are meant to glean from it - is left somewhat open to interpretation.When the titular elephant finds that he is the only one that can hear a community of Whos on "a speck," the reaction from those around him ranges from disbelief to dismay to dissatisfaction to destruction. But what is it, really, that Horton (and Dr. Seuss) is eager to protect, and what is it that the "evil" kangaroo is so eager to be rid of? Is it religion? Unborn babies? Little people? Well, that's up to you.Either way, the film provides a fun ride, and expands
This is the first of two reviews that I'm posting more of less just for posterity's sake. This first one I've been procrastinating for months now, and the second I feel I would procrastinate for months, so I'll just get that out of the way and put something up shortly for it. These will be very small, and it'd probably be best if we all pretend they just didn't happen (kinda like Verne Troyer).Joe Wright's Atonement starts with a frenzy of sound; the tapping of a typewriter, mirroring the actions of one Briony Tallis, who has resorted to play writing in an effort to escape the doldrums of living in a giant manse with nothing to do but play with her bizarre cousins. She has the mind of a dreamer and is just smart enough to get herself and those she knows in trouble, particularly when sh
Now, the usual gig here would entail my coming up with some clever tie-in, followed by a straight review of the film at hand. However, I hardly think that's necessary, given the film. In case you're sleeping under a rock (in which case you're probably not sleeping too well), Drillbit Taylor has been (rightfully) compared, by just about everyone, to producer Judd Apatow's production from roughly six months ago, namely Superbad. The only differences are that, aside from having the titular "bodyguard" Taylor (played by known tough guy Owen Wilson), the three high schoolers this go around are a few years younger, and the movie is not as funny (to how much of a degree depends on who you talk to). At this rate, not only is overexposure a potential upcoming hazard, but apparently, with his casts
A couple of capsulized reviews to get me caught up...PenelopePenelope is the Tim Burton movie that he never made. Not only is the plot vintage Burton (cursed family gives birth to girl with the snout and ears of a pig), but it co-stars Beetlejuice vet Catherine O'Hara and Sleepy Hollow vet Christina Ricci (rounding out the cast are James McAvoy, Richard Grant, Peter Dinklage, and a bit-parted Reese Witherspoon).Despite the do-gooder fairy tale moralizing (love yourself and others for who they are, kids), the film has its charms and laughs, and McAvoy and Ricci even show some solid chemistry together. The sets, costuming and art direction are vibrant and eye-catching, from Penelope's out-there wardrobe to the imagined metropolis they live in, a mashup of New York, old London and an amusem
I'm a fan of heist movies. Some, like my wife, might say that I'm a sucker for them, and they (she) would probably be right. They are to me what Jerry Bruckheimer's films must be to millions of people - (somewhat) mindless flicks that manage to entertain regardless of their quality.As for The Bank Job? It is quite possibly the most average movie ever made. Telling the "true" story of a group of Londoners recruited to snatch some loot by the British Secret Service (it's a long story), this film manages to mildly entertain you, but is one that you will most likely forget within hours of watching. There is little-to-no character development (though that's not typically a strong point for this genre, anyway), the heist itself is indubitably straightforward, as is the story, which takes al
Two London-based hitmen head out to do a job. Something goes awry. Their penance? Spend two weeks in Bruges (Belgium), lay low, and await further instruction. Sounds simple enough, right?Not so fast. As it turns out, Ray (Colin Farrell) is not too fond of quaint, sleepy towns lacking in an adequate nightlife (or day life, one could suppose). So there's one problem. Meanwhile, his partner Ken (Brendan Gleeson) is quite taken with the Belgian hamlet famous for its historic, medieval city center, complete with an impressive bell tower and the Church of the Holy Blood, which is said to have a vial of blood from none other than Jesus himself. And while their tastes for tourist activities may differ, that pales in comparison to the wants and needs of their boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes), who just in
I have blinders on, but I'm okay with that.See, despite its faults, I can't help but love Be Kind Rewind, the fifth film from Michel Gondry. Though it lacks the impact of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or the dreaminess and worldliness of The Science of Sleep, Rewind more than makes up for it with innovation, creativity and heart bursting from its dilapidated sleeves. I know, I sound kind of like a Hallmark card. I admit it - there's something about the 45-year old Frenchmen that is infallible to me.The movie starts off slow - Mike (Mos Def) and Jerry (Jack Black) are New Jersey ne'er do wells living in a dying city just outside of Manhattan. Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover) runs the local video store, and by video, I mean VHS. It's a run-down store on a run-down block in a run-down
Rashomon. There - it's been said, and I can move on.Anyway, Vantage Point takes a not-so-novel concept - telling a story from several points of view - and really doesn't do much with it. The plot centers on an anti-terrorism summit taking place in Spain, where the U.S. President ("Ashton") is set to speak. On the scene are hundreds of Spaniards, scads of media, the Secret Service, tourists, and of course...terrorists. It's no spoiler to tell you that the President (William Hurt) gets shot, and almost even less of a spoiler to tell you that it's really not the President (POTUS) that gets shot, but his body double.Letting that detail out in the trailer for the film was just the first of many mistakes made by the studio/producers, seeing as how it's one of two big twists in store for the
Rescue Dawn. Superbad. Supertroopers. God forbid - even Fletch?What do these films have in common, you ask? Well, by virtue of having their stars or co-stars (Steve Zahn, Jonah Hill, Kevin Heffernan and Joe Don Baker, respectively) appearing in Strange Wildnerness, they all feel somewhat tainted to me now (lucky for Ernie Borgnine, The Single Guy was never good to begin with). I can confidently say that Strange Wilderness will be the worst movie I will see this year. I can only hope that you don't make the same mistake, or have already (Wayward Jam from Reel Whore already has, but his take is gentler than mine).The truth is, the films of those that appear in Wilderness (this being a Happy Madison production, Adam Sandler vets Allen Covert and Peter Dante join the ride, as does Justin
There's a book-to-film adaptation out in theaters right now that has some people up in arms. It takes place in a world like ours, but not quite. It has an ending that's is alternately seen as confusing and frustrating. It features an animal in one of the main roles.But I reviewed The Golden Compass a few days ago. (Like you didn't see that one coming.)The truth is, there doesn't seem to be nearly as many people upset about the adaptation of I Am Legend as there are about Compass. This could be because either not many people have read the book or because those that have barely remember it (it was first published in 1954). However, I think this is more due to the fact that the movie has almost nothing in common with the book. As I read and have seen, this movie shares its lineage more with Cast Away and 28 Days Later... than it does with the story of a man who hunted vampire-like beings in mid-70s Los Angeles.Not that that should matter much, except maybe to the book's author
Stealing a page from the brilliantly simplistic Review in Haiku, I present to you my Golden Compass review in 17 syllables. RIH is so detailed with it's commitment to simplicity that I am awed. There are but five grades (Awesome, Good, Okay, Bad and Awful) given. The post tags don't exceed two - the year (or decade for pre-2000 films) and the grade. The "reviews" are the obvious 17 syllables, a picture and a grade. That's it, every time. Gimmicky? Sure. But it's awesome, and I only wish I had thought of it first. Anyway, here's The Golden Compass:"Where is double O?No religion ruckus herePolar bear fight rocks."Fletch's Film Rating:"You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you."
(Ed. note: Procrastination tends to build on itself, and that is surely the case here, as I've been sitting on this review for some time now. Fact of the matter is, I don't have a lot of thoughts regarding American Gangster, so take from that what you will.)American Gangster is a good movie. No more, no less, really. Though it has little to do with the film itself, I was bothered by the fact that Russell Crowe and Denzel Wasginhton spend less time onscreen together than DeNiro and Pacino did in Heat - a faux pas that can be blamed on either the media or the marketers. The lack of shared screen time doesn't hurt the film terribly, but it certainly hurts its appeal, as what we instead get is a game of cat-and-mouse, with the bulk of the storytelling focusing on the mouse (Washington), Frank Lucas.Lucas is an interesting choice for a movie character. Though the title and some of the press would have you believe this to be a Scarface-like characterization for the ages, it's really the
You might not know this, but I was named after Bob Dylan (see my Blogger profile). As such, it should come as little surprise that I'm a fan of the man's work, though I wouldn't classify myself as a fanatic. That said, imagine my surprise when my parents (whom Mrs. Fletch and I attended the film with on Thanksgiving) understood less of this highly artsy, ambitious, ambiguous film than I did. In case you haven't heard, this is probably one of the strangest "bio-pics" ever made, in that it's entirely about its subject while simultaneously not even mentioning his name or featuring a character by the name of Bob Dylan. Instead, 6 actors portray a "role" that Dylan "played" at one point or another in his life (just like I'm currently playing "quotes" guy).All well and good, and possibly even comprehensible, if that were taken on its own. Unfortunately, that's not the case, as director Todd Haynes complicates matters by jumbling the six (or more?) narratives around each other, leaving
The reviews are inescapable, and they are overwhelmingly positive. You get it...you've been beaten over the head with it: No Country for Old Men is superfantabulexcellenterrific. Well, yes and no. No Country certainly stands as one of the high points of the Coen brothers career, which certainly says something considering their resume (I'd rank it third probably, after Lebowski and Fargo). That said, it has a giant elephant-in-the-room sized issue that it seems not enough people have a problem with. The way I see it, there are three types of people with three different interpretations of the last act of No Country. The first group is "people who have read the book." I assume this group is small. They most likely "get" what happens. The second group is people like me (and the three people I saw the film with). We openly criticized the finale, questioning a number of the choices made, not to mention trying to interpret certain things. We could be classified as "morons who want ev
Aaja Nachle came, saw and tanked! The movie has been panned by the critics and given thumbs down by the audience. Considering this was Madhuri Dixit’s comeback film, the film failed to meet the audience expectations and the only saving grace was MD. Here is a review from TOI who shred the film apart. As for Madhuri, she still got, not that we doubted that for a second.Review:THE dhak-dhak diva returns, alas, minus the dhak-dhak . Surely, this was hardly a comeback vehicle for Bollywood's biggest female star, who once posed a challenge at the hustings to all the male superstars. Maybe, Madhuri thought this was `decent' enough, befitting her new status as suburban wife and mother. But for the viewers, it's an ekdum thanda reprisal of her screen career, minus all passion, romance and the adrenalin-thump that was almost always associated with her. Think Dil , Beta&n
I managed to escape having to read Beowulf in high school, but that won't stop me from learning my literature the American way - on the big screen!It's hard to really praise or denounce the film too much. On one hand, it's a smorgasbord of cinematic magic that gets taken for granted these days - I start to feel old when I think that the sights featured in the film are pretty much commonplace for the kiddies out there in the audience. Despite its flaws (more on those later), the movie is pretty breathtaking to see when you disengage yourself from the story or the fact that a naked facsimile of Angelina Jolie is staring you in the face - the level of detail given, especially for closeups and/or frames without much movement, are photo-realistic. Meaning if you were looking at a still, you'd barely be able to tell that this was created by computers. As fancy as many of the special effects you see in films these days are, to this day, there aren't many that would pass that test.On the
I normally post my reviews in the order that I see them, partly due to topicality (a review of a two-month old movie has less impact than that of a new release), but mostly because it's freshest in my head right after I see it (obviously). I have to break that trend today.Saw Southland Tales Friday. In case you haven't heard of it/much about it, it's the latest from Donnie Darko writer/director Richard Kelly. It's about...well...It's about a lot of things. It has a lot of characters. It is either one of the best or one of the worst movies that I've ever seen. At the very least, in accordance with the previous sentence, it is amongst the more interesting movies you could see for awhile, and definitely should be seen, for the spectacle of it all if for no other reason.At this point, I'm not even adequately prepared to give it a proper review. I need to see it again and will soon. Until then, if you saw and/or liked Donnie Darko at all (or Brazil or Twelve Monkeys, for starters), I
I caught a 2006 documentary titled Independent America: The Two-Lane Search for Mom & Pop recently on Sundance and thought I'd share a brief synopsis and review here on the chance that others might find it as interesting as I did. Briefly, the film explores the impact of big-box retailers, focusing on Wal-Mart, Borders, and Starbucks, on the character of American communities, documenting a growing discontent Americans are experiencing with the impact of such corporations. Two journalists, Hanson Hosein and Heather Hughes, load up their Nissan Xterra with film equipment and their dog to travel across America. Beginning in Port Townsend, WA, they traverse America with two rules in mind. First, they will attempt to support only independent motels, restaurants, and stores. Second, they will try to stay on back roads, avoiding the newer freeways.Many of the communities they visit will be familiar, even if you have never visited those portions of America. They show how many towns invite
Or, When Good Actors Make Questionable Choices.I don’t want to give the impression that Lars is a bad film, but I have to wonder if, 15 years from now, will Ryan Gosling see a still from this film, and wonder to himself “WTF was I doing starring opposite a blow-up doll?!?”Oh, that’s right – “Bianca” isn’t a blow-up doll; she’s the 21st century version, a 100-lb. hunk of plastic made to look as real as possible - and she does. That said, this tale of a damaged-almost-beyond-repair young man plays out like one of the best Hallmark made-for-TV movies ever (which I think is both a compliment and an insult).The Swedishly (?) named Lars is a simple guy living in an unspecified northern Midwestern town. He lives in the converted garage next to the house occupied by his brother Gus (Paul Schneider) and Gus’s wife Karin (Emily Mortimer). Karin, as we learn, is always trying (and failing) to pull Lars out of his shell, and his house, and get him to join them for breakfast or
I’m sure it’s an unfair comparison, and it may seem blasphemous to some, but I liked Gone Baby Gone more than Mystic River. Maybe it’s a factor of being able to relate more to Casey Affleck than to Sean Penn; or maybe it’s because the Shakespearean melodrama at the end of River was not only a huge turnoff, but the lasting image the film has for me; or maybe it’s just because I think Tim Robbins’ performance was more laughable than laudable (and I’m normally a big fan). What can I say – I’m the same guy that’ll take Casino over GoodFellas any day of the week.I say it’s an unfair comparison because they really are two separate entities, and are directed by two different people at that, but it’s a pretty inescapable one as well. As a reader commented, Dennis Lehan’s novels are not all templates of one another, but these two (at least) do share some commonalities, not only in terms of story (female goes missing form the rough streets of south Boston) but in terms
About a month ago, I was contacted by an independent filmmaker based out of Toronto. His name is Brett Butler (sadly, not the former L.A. Dodger, and gladly, not the annoying-voiced comedienne) and his latest film is the one in the title above. He and his brother Jason have their own production company (http://www.subprod.com/) up there where they've made a few films, all on low budgets.Brett and the gang have been taking Confusions on the festival circuit and have won and/or been nominated for a few awards ("the Audience Choice Award for Best Film at the Indiana University South Bend Video and Film Festival, as well as being nominated for Best Film at the Swansea Bay Film Festival in Wales, and Best Comedy at the Southern Winds Film Festival in Oklahoma). As part of this publicity, I assume they're contacting a number of movie bloggers in an attempt to get some more press. Well, I took him up on the offer and received a screener DVD a few weeks back, finally getting to watch it a co
Spending the weekend out of town and coming back to the grind with a 3 day backup of work can really wreak havoc on the whole blogging schedule. (For the record, I went to Puerto Penasco aka Rocky Point to hang out, drink beer, drink tequila, watch the Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers concert, enjoy yet another sandstorm and sit at the border for close to four and a half hours. At least the sandstorm didn't hit until the day we left.)Anyway, I'm back and am two reviews behind schedule, the first of which, as you can tell from the title of this post, is Michael Clayton. Due to the whole "lots of work, not a lot of time" scenario, I'll attempt to keep them short and sweet, but somehow I know they'll end up being the same length as any other review I've done, thanks in no small part to rambling, incoherent prefaces such as this. On to the review...I read this line in another review of Michael Clayton, but it's good enough that it warrants my blatant stealing and reprinting here (I be
They say that familiarity breeds contempt.I wouldn't go that far when describing Wes Anderson's fifth feature, The Darjeeling Limited, but I will say that familiarity, with not only Anderson's style but with his repertoire of actors, breeds...well, exactly the feeling that Anderson's films usually give me: nostalgic melancholy (or is that melancholic nostalgia?).This is all a long way of saying two things. First, that, Anderson needs to branch out or change some things up lest he be deemed irrelevant in the near future, and second, that the audience's familiarity with Owen Wilson (and his suicide attempt), star or co-star in four of the five Anderson features, lends a certain sadness to the film, not to mention serving as a giant distraction.Primarily, though, it's that Limited feels as though it's been done before, and by Anderson. Personally, I love the group of actors (and the choice of music Anderson uses) that includes Jason Schwartzman, both Wilson brothers, Bill Murray, A
I wouldn't blame you for not recognizing the face to your left, notwithstanding the title of this post. Tommy Lee Jones wasn't particularly famous in his youth, making his way through guest spots on TV shows all through the 70s (Barnaby Jones, Baretta, Charlie's Angels) until a breakout performance in Coal Miner's Daughter put him on the map (I'm guessing; after all, I was only 4 years old at the time). Still, it was TV work through the 80s as well, though his performance in the epic (and star-studded) Lonesome Dove mini-series in 1989 made him a burgeoning star.Since then, Jones has been a fixture on movie screens, alternating between star turns (The Fugitive, Men in Black) and guest roles (Batman Forever, Natural Born Killers) in a wide variety of genres, playing an even wider array of types. Over the last 15 years, he's garnered a reputation as a modern-day version of an old school Western hero - tough as nails, a man of few words and strong actions. His dry, laconic way of sp
Every once in a while, I'll see a great film that leaves me more or less speechless. This isn't some gasp over how great it is or due to shock or anything, but for whatever reason, it just doesn't leave me overflowing with criticism (in the general sense). This may be a lacking on my part to be able to successfully apply critical thinking to all mediums and articles, or perhaps it's a flaw in the film that it just doesn't give you much material in terms of theme or tone. Or maybe it's just because sometimes I'm content admiring the quiet beauty that comes with watching Patrick Swayze perform martial artsy yoga in Roadhouse.Eastern Promises is one of these films that leaves me lacking a response. To be sure, it's very good, if not great. It demonstrates the power of loyalty, brotherhood, family, motherhood and a myriad of other topics that have been covered by many a mob picture before it. The fresh part this time, as simple as it is, is that it centers on a Russian family that
If your 13 year old is struggling in their US History class, Julie Taymor's Across the Universe may just be the film to help him or her out. It's perfect in terms of being a Cliff's Notes educational tool - it's written at a 5th-grade level, it skims the surface of many a major event both political and cultural (Vietnam, MLK, hippies, the British Invasion, Bono), and it's a lot quicker to watch this two-hour flick than it would be to read On the Road or Ken Kesey or something like that.For those unaware, Universe is Taymor's ode/tribute to The Beatles, a wannabe Moulin Rouge-esque musical filled with nothing but songs from the Fab Four. It's also derivative, shallow and somewhat unbearably literal. For the "Hey Jude" number, wouldn't you know it - someone sings directly to a character named Jude. Ditto Prudence. As for Lucy (the female lead's name), I kept waiting and waiting and waiting for "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" to be played, only to have to wait until the end credi
Went to the cinema the other night to finally see the Bourne Ultimatum, an excellent film. Whilst I was waiting for the film to come on there was a trailer for the latest Tom Cruise turd, "Lions for Lambs" - can you see which direction this is going?
LIONS FOR LAMBS OPENS NOVEMBER 9th, LIONS FOR LAMBS MOVIE FILM REVIEW
I think that the last thing the world needs at the moment is anymore American
All this summer, we had been waiting. I was, you might have been, Hollywood and some little (maybe) studio certainly was. Waiting for that one indie to catch fire, to go from making $40,000 one week to $2 million to the next, on the way to grossing $20 or $30 or even $50 million plus. Where has our Napoleon Dynamite been?Well, you can probably see where this is going. Unfortunately, it's no longer summer (except for here in Arizona, where it's still well over 100 degrees every day...but I digress). It's September. Kids back in school, fall TV season shifting into gear and the sports seasons returning/kicking it up a notch. Meanwhile, 2 Days in Paris has barely grossed $2 million total in over a month. For shame.Outside of the much hyped (and deservedly so) Knocked Up and Superbad, this is the funniest movie of the year. Outside of that, it's also the best "romantic comedy" you've seen in the past 20. True, saying a romantic comedy is great is practically an oxymoron these days, bu
There's something to be said for the peaks and valleys of absurdist sketch comedy. Unlike the rote predictability of sketch shows like MadTV and Saturday Night Live, oddball shows like The State, Stella, and Upright Citizen's Brigade seem to either succeed massively or fall flat on their face (oh wait, SNL has fallen flat on their face almost constantly in the last few years).David Wain's The Ten is no different. A humorous take on the Ten Commandments, done anthology-stlye with a 10 minute sketch for each commandment, there's a variance in quality not only between each sketch, but within each sketch, right down to a minute-by-minute basis. On the plus side, though, this is the rare film that significantly picks up steam as it goes, helped by the meandering that the characters do from sketch to sketch. Each story has its own plot and set of main characters, but an ancillary performer in one commandment may turn out to be the star of the next, and vice-versa.Paul Rudd serves as a de
I'm curious as to what the legacy of Frank Oz will be. He sure has had a strange and interesting career, as an actor, puppeteer, voice actor, director and even as a "muppet creative consultant." He's the voice of many cultural icons, from Grover to Bert to Cookie Monster to Miss Piggy and even Fozzie Bear, not to mention a little green guy from the Star Wars movies. He's directed 12 feature films (half of which have been released since 1997) and even they are a varied bunch - he started with (not surprisingly) a Jim Henson production, the Muppets meets Lord of the Rings saga The Dark Crystal. That was followed by another Muppets movie, and that with a still-puppetted Little Shop of Horrors. The next 15 years were filled overwhelmingly with comedies, until 2001's heist flick The Score (though not great, pretty good and definitely worth watching if only to see three of the best actors of the last 50 years in one movie: Brando, DeNiro and Norton). A few years ago, he oversaw the disas
I feel bad for Jason Biggs. And Eddie Kaye Thomas. Well, really, the entire cast and crew of American Pie. Sure, Pie was a big hit and got some good reviews some 10 years ago, but nowhere near the love that Superbad and the King Midas-like Judd Apatow are feeling right now. Don't get me wrong - this isn't to say that I think Superbad is a bad film or a cheap knockoff - not in the least. However, there sure are a lot of similarities between that first pastry-influenced film and the latest hit from the Apatow family. For starters, the Sherminator has offered to kick McLovin's ass.All that said, I enjoyed Superbad quite a bit. As DC Girl @ the Movies pointed out in her review, much like John Hughes, Apatow's films (mind you, Superbad was directed by Greg Mottola and not Apatow, but he produced and has his hands all over the project) have a specific feel or brand all their own. In the near future, the specifics of that brand (raunchy, crass humor mixed with heart) may have to be tweake
Dieter Dangler is one strange dude. Growing up in Germany in the 40s, he and his town were subjected to bombing from the Allied forces. Dieter looked through a hole in his roof one day and caught a glimpse of a bomber pilot flying by. Despite this (or, as Rescue Dawn, because of it), Dieter comes to America in his teens with the lone goal of becoming a pilot. As the title of director Werner Herzog's earlier documentary of Dangler states, Little Dieter Needs to Fly.However, not long after Dieter (Christian Bale) gets to fly, he's shot down. Near Vietnam. All alone, he does his best to gets rescued, but in no time flat, he's captured and transferred to a POW camp in nearby Laos. Yet, despite being in a helpless situation, tortured all along, Dieter keeps his spirits high, almost smiling the whole way. He's taking it all in, for better or worse.At the POW camp, he meets a group of prisoners, some of which have been there upwards of two years or more. While not tortured much at the cam
It's times like these that I wish I hadn't started using the "Fletch's Film Review: ___" headline for these reviews, as every review under the sun that I've come across for The Bourne Ultimatum has some terrible pun like "Bourne Again" or "Bourne To Be Wild," while I'm left out of the pun party. Damn it all.Bourne To RunThough I usually like to keep my reviews to myself (meaning, what I thought of the film), I also couldn't help but notice that quite a few of the reviews I'm reading are from people who are tripping over themselves lauding director Paul Greengrass for his directorial style. His use of handheld cameras is said to add realism and immediacy to the action surrounding the former amnesiac, as he (and the audience) cope with the struggles of being confused and anxious and - huh? Greengrass's style (aka "shaky cam") is overdone, overused and overtly nauseating. The use of handheld cameras in moderation can be wildly effective, for the reasons mentioned above. However, u
As evidenced by the box office tally thus far, Danny Boyle's latest film, Sunshine, isn't being seen by hardly anyone. That's a shame, for despite its shortcomings, it's really a film that should be seen on a big screen (the bigger the better).Mind you, the shortcomings are big...but I'll get to those later.The concept is pretty simple and straightforward. A few hundred years into the future (a date is never given, but it's safe to say that it's a long ways off), our sun is dying, and the people of earth come up with a plan - send a team (or two) of astronauts on a suicide mission to "reignite" the big star with a big bomb.It's a great concept, and the execution of the first act is impeccable. The action starts off slow, with the audience learning pieces of the story, of the characters and of their ship, the Icarus II, for the first hour or so. Not enough can really be said about the visuals and concepts that the filmmakers dreamed up, CGI or otherwise - the only real compa
It's time to play catch-up. So, as I've seen three small movies recently, here are three small reviews.JoshuaSam Rockwell, Vera Farmiga (The Departed) and Jacob Kogan star in what might alternately be titled The Omen: Without the Religious Overtones. Kogan plays the 9-year old son of Rockwell and Farmiga, and aside from being generally disturbed already, he's not too thrilled about the new baby in the house. See, his whole life, Josh has been around a near-psychotic mother and a too-consumed-in-other-stuff dad that he thinks doesn't love him (which may be true). The new child provides an outlet for Joshua to vent his frustrations and try to get himself noticed (and it works).The film's biggest asset is its shock value. It plays out like a horror film, albeit minus most of the horror. What's left is a fair amount of suspense and a fair amount of proselytizing (Is Joshua gay? Should the family introduce religion into the house, as per grandma's wishes? Are these parents fi
Well, I've put this off long enough to the point of irrelevance, but I figured I ought to at least post a short take with my thoughts on Transformers.It's funny, really. For all the crap Michael Bay takes, he is generally regarded as a good "action director," experienced with big set pieces and complex action with a lot going on, be it gunfire or explosions or - most often - both. However, the big action sequences in Tranformers, expensive-looking as they may be, are probably the worst thing about the movie.Most of the problem lies with the 'bots themselves. With this modern take on the 80s cartoon focused on a bit of realism when it comes to the origins and capabilities of the alien robots, the end result is a semi truck that, when transforming from upright form to truck form, seems to be made of a billion parts. The same could be said for any of the other robots. Now take that complexity and throw it into fight scenes between two or more hunks of metal that change shapes seemingly
It's really a privilege to be able to watch Ben Kingsley in action. Now, I know that sounds like some rabid gushing, but it's not quite. Instead, Kingsley could be likened to a Christopher Walken, who (aside from also being a pretty talented guy, despite his inability to say no to anything) is a good actor, but is even more of an onscreen presence. Good luck explaining the appeal of Walken (should the topic come up) to your grandkids. He's hilarious and captivating and a train wreck all at the same time - and is otherwise incapable of being labeled.Kingsley, meanwhile, has more serious acting chops, but is just as hard to pin down. He literally commands your attention when he's on the screen, even in a quiet role like the one he plays in You Kill Me, the latest from director John Dahl (Rounders, The Last Seduction). Despite being a somewhat slight man (5'8" and trim as can be for a 63-year old), he's larger than life, as evidenced by his commanding, twisted role in Sexy Beast.In
I'm feeling conflicted, really. See, I have this certain opinion, yet I disagree with myself. Unfair as it may be, I'm sticking with my opinion, in spite of the fact that I think it's wrong in this case. Let me explain.About every other year, a good-great comedy or action movie comes along and around Oscar time, we wonder first of all, if said film will be nominated for Best Picture, and if so, does it have a chance in hell of winning. Outside of the win by Lord of the Rings: Return of the King a few years back, said film typically doesn't have a chance in hell of winning (and even the Return of the King win felt more like a comprehensive win for the series rather for being recognized itself as a tremendous movie.Why does this happen? Why are comedies and action/adventurers not taken as seriously or appreciated by cineasts as much as your run-of-the-mill drama?I don't know - and generally speaking, I'm guilty of it, too. Ask me (or many others) what some of my "favorite" movies a
I'm happy to report that I was wrong. With both his curveball and fastball still intact, Michael Moore's Sicko is no different in tone than any of his previous efforts. Alternately informative and infuriating, Moore still finds plenty of time for his sardonic wit to shine through.Through possibly an easy task, those that spend their time picking holes in Moore's arguments and/or railing him for his stunts (he attempts to take a group of folks to Guantanamo Bay for treatment, for example) are wasting their time and missing the point. Slanted as Moore may be, and however uninformed he may be in regards to the health care systems in place in Canada, France, et al, Moore's heart and head are squarely in the right place at all times. He sees a (big) problem with the US health care system and is looking at countries that maybe, just possibly, have a better system.Amongst my few complaints with Sicko is Moore's inability to let the past go. Despite my feelings for Bush and his administra
Apparently, the critics and movie audiences of the world have lowered their standards. Considerably. To think that Live Free or Die Hard is currently rated at an 8.1/10 on IMDb, or that the film regularly scores four out of five stars is all a bit disconcerting. Because, really, there isn't all that much to crow about.I guess, in some respects, I can understand it. After all, this is the fourth in the series, and number fours aren't typically very representative of the overall quality of a franchise. The laundry list of fatal fours is long and undistinguished: Batman & Robin, Lethal Weapon 4, The Phantom Menace. Not a decent film amongst them. So, in comparison, Live Free looks like a masterpiece.For a mindless summer popcorn flick, it's pretty effective - just be sure to remember the "no mind" portion. With almost nonstop action (it starts within 12 minutes or so of the opening credits and continues throughout), the movie certainly fulfills its requirement as an adrenaline-
How do you make an entertaining film about someone's death? Even more so, how do you do said task when all members of the audience know that the death is coming? Separate from those two questions, why is said film released in summer, at the height of blockbuster movie season?While director Michael Winterbottom (Code 46) is left to deal with the first two questions, the last one must be saved for the studio that released A Mighty Heart (Paramount Vintage).Try as he might, Winterbottom succeeds in making a film that, while painful to watch (due to subject matter) at many times, is still capable of some light humor and tense drama. The story of the death of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, told through the eyes of his loved ones and pursuers at and after the time of his abduction in Pakistan is not an easy story to tell, to be sure. However, if any director was up to the task, it is Winterbottom, whose multi-culti style of filmmaking and feel for moods is a perfect way to take
I can hear the naysayers already."Paris?? You better be talkin' 'bout Paris, Texas, cause I hate the French.""Love stories? I'm not into "love story" movies. Thanks, anyway.""A movie set in Paris about love stories? Hell no! And I hate subtitles."Well, your loss, if that's your thinking. Paris, je t'aime is easily one of the best movies of the year. With good reason, too - after all, this anthology of 18 short films, each set in one of Paris' arrondissements, counts some of the best actors and directors in the business amongst its participants. This is a demonstration in what movies are (or should be) all about - a range of emotions, terrific acting, a wide array of styles, good stories - it's got it all.To avoid this turning into a book (which it might end up being anyway, but stay with me here), I won't give a complete rundown of all 18, but here are some notes for each, given in the order they appear onscreen, with the title and director noted (with help from Wikipedia):* Mo
If you read TGITDNMAR a couple weeks back, you saw that my chance of seeing Surf's Up in the theater was listed at 50%. However, Mrs. Fletch commented that hers was 80%. Well, average that out, and throw in a crappy week of new releases last Friday and that translates to us in the theater watching a surfing penguin movie.Let me tell you - if you see only one surfing penguin movie this year, make it this one. Surf's Up is an entertaining movie, with (as predicted) a bit of sentimentality, but more so, it's packed with great performances by its voice over actors, a soundtrack that doesn't rely on 60s surf tunes or established, overused pop hits (a few songs heard prominently are Green Day's "Holiday" and "Welcome to Paradise," and "Get What You Give," by the New Radicals), and a great mockumentary style that sets it apart from the rest of the animated "kids" movies out there.Much-seen-lately Shia LaBeouf stars as Cody Maverick, a runt of a flightless bird who lost his father young (
In general, I don't like movies adapted from plays or that feel like plays - they smack of low-budget desperation and a lack of creativity. If I want to see a play, I'll do just that. Its the same reason I don't want there to be explosions, credits or trailers at the local playhouse - genres should know what they are. Just look at the vast majority of music videos - the people involved should just stick to making music and leave the film out of it. Unless there names are Michel Gondry or David Fincher.But I digress (wildly).Anyway - play movies. A search for "based on play" on IMDb (here) returns over 10,000 matches, and it seems like about 9,000 of them are based on works of Shakespeare. Unfortunately, most movies based on Shakespearean works suck, with Much Ado About Nothing being one of the few exceptions. Watching Kenneth Branaugh act out Hamlet for four hours just doesn't sound like that good of a time to me. But maybe I'm just not cultured enough. As a "Gen X-er," I was supp
Hot Fuzz Review by Winnie McCarthy
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Plot Summary
Hot Fuzz stars Simon Pegg as Nicholas Angel, a highly effective police officer in London who is sent away to the small rural village of Sandford because his excellent arrest rate is making the rest of the police officers look bad. Angel is partnered with PC Danny Butterman, played by Nick Frost, the son of the village Inspector. Obsessed with American police movies, like Bad Boys 2, PC Butterman is excited to work with Angel who has been involved in exciting police work.
After being sent on a series of silly assignments, like the one shown in this YouTube video clip below, things start to get exciting in the village. What appears to be an angelic village without any major crime turns out to be something more sinister as a series of deaths appear to be more than just accidents.
Review
In preparation for heading to the movies to see Hot Fuzz, I watched the DVD of Shaun of the Dead
Review of ‘The Hurricane’“Here comes the story of The Hurricane,The man the authorities came to blameFor somethin’ that he never done.Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been The champion of the world.” (4) Bob DylanThe Hurricane is a film that dramatically unravels sport’s role in the wider contexts of politics and the human spirit. Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, a promising boxer with a troubled past, falls victim to political and racial prejudice. After a night out, he finds himself framed for a triple homicide and facing life in jail. As the film progresses, the portrayal of Carter’s fights is surpassed by the greater fight for freedom. However, the primal fighting instincts of a boxer are central to his resistance and eventual conquering of all restraints. “Knocked down….never knocked out.” (1) The role of boxing in the film is vital, despite only three b
