| Movie | Rating | Review | Date | Your Rating | Match | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Lookout - R |
This isn't an action-packed crime drama and it isn't a mind-bending "Memento" rip-off, as the trailers are so desperately trying to convince you. It's better than all that. It has a refreshingly straightforward plot and a depth of character missing from the majority of modern heist flicks. At its heart, it's just a story about a very complicated man faced with a very simple choice. Gordon-Levitt carries that great weight and does so with a drive and an intensity that won't let you look away. He is talked down to, underestimated, and treated like he's helpless by everyone in his life but Jeff Daniels, his scene-stealing blind roommate. His failures and frustrations are painful to endure, but redemption always feels as if it's just around the next corner. And that is what keeps you engaged until the credits roll, not the promise of choreographed gunplay or a big twist ending. |
October 18, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Year of the Dog - PG-13 |
Molly Shannon, adding the word "understated" to her vocabulary, carries this quirky dark comedy with a skill she has never shown before. The supporting cast is outstanding, (especially John C. Reilly, whose "and those are my knives" might be the most perfect line-read of his career) but it is Shannon who shines. The set-up is right out of the romantic comedy playbook, where a lonely woman meets a charming man and they grow closer through a shared interest. An audience would then expect it to play out by the usual rules and it might rub some the wrong way when it doesn't. In any other movie, she would realize how "pathetic" her life was, stop obsessing over her animals, find a man and live happily ever after, becoming a better, more fulfilled person by completely transforming herself. This is not that movie. Mike White makes sure of that. (Is this really his directorial debut?) We all have passions that are to some degree inescapable. This film pokes a little fun and celebrates their exploration and acknowledgment. |
August 31, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Doctor Strange - PG-13 |
All of these new Marvel movies have surprisingly lush animation and take the characters seriously. "Doctor Strange" is no different. His character was complex and not immediately likable, presenting a sophisticated portrait of a flawed human. His origin was handled well and given enough screen time to feel thorough. The rest of the plot was less interesting, however, relying too much on kung-fu and not enough on hocus-pocus. Most of the characters - hero and demon alike - felt a bit bland and interchangeable. I was also slightly disappointed not hearing any classic Strange-isms like "the hoary hosts of Hoggoth" that help give the doctor his flair. But there is plenty here to enjoy, regardless of your prior comic book knowledge. |
August 30, 2007 | N/A | |||
| RoboCop - R |
Society at large lumps this in with the dozens of mindless action flicks of the 80s that were blockbusters in their day but have ended up as pop culture punchlines about a less enlightened era. "Robocop" deserves better than that. It has aged remarkably well, and remains a potent commentary on a number of hot-button social issues. Corporate control. Privatization. Violence. Entertainment and the media. Technology. Class struggles. In fact, most of these problems are much worse today than they were in 1987, proving the film eerily prescient. The special effects look a little shaky by today's standards, but the violence is still pretty shocking. It also suffers from that inescapable sin of the 80s: really bad, over-the-top villain acting. (Not Kurtwood Smith, though. Clarence is 100% bad ass.) But Peter Weller gives a really strong performance and probably deserves more credit for acting through the suit. Is it perfect? No. Is it awesome? Of course. |
August 27, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Serenity - PG-13 |
"Firefly" was top-notch television. (Or it could have been, were it given the time to grow and mature.) But I'm not a big enough fan of the series to let this film slide and pretend it was great. In the first place, it never should have been made. Is it fair to hold its circumstances against it? Probably not. But the plot threads that were introduced weren't meant to be cleared up in two hours. And in trying to do so, it jettisons everything that made the show so entertaining. We don't get immersed in the world, only caught up in the details and rushed to the conclusion. The characters weren't given much development or humanity beyond the occasional one-liner, and fade into the background in service to the plot. Mal especially has nearly all traces of his charming scoundrel persona erased. I also shouldn't fault it for focusing so heavily on the two elements of the series I found least interesting: River and the Reavers. Neither of these ever really caught my interest, but they were the most in need of closure, so we get an entire film about them. (How do crazed mutant space-cannibals have the wherewithal to fly complicated ships around the 'verse, anyway?) I know these are just gripes about "what could have been." All complaining aside, it's a wholly original movie with some great moments and is more entertaining then a lot of other stuff out there. What I'm most disappointed in is the wasted potential of such an amazing property whose legacy will be a half-finished TV run and an uneven box-office bomb instead of the timeless classic it probably should have been. |
August 27, 2007 | N/A | |||
| The Ex - PG-13 |
Ignore the pratfalls and physical comedy in the trailer and ignore the DVD cover that blares: "unrated!" This is a completely tame romantic comedy. Sure, there is some slapstick, but there is also some substance. It's about a couple trying to decide who they are and the best way to raise their newborn. But that doesn't sell tickets to people who want to see a guy in a wheelchair fall down the stairs. This film tries to play to both and suffers for it. The movie is so unsure of itself that it even presents three wildly alternate endings on the DVD, one of which is labeled the "theatrical ending" and pulls the rug out from under a very important plot point. I guess since the movie tanked they thought they'd better go with another ending for the DVD? Weak. There are some laughs to be had and the cast is all quite good, especially the supporting players. Amy Adams and Donal Logue are scene stealers, as always, but how do you put Amy Poehler in a movie and give her nothing funny to do? Oh 84 minute running time... you are both a blessing and a curse. |
August 23, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Fracture - R | This one never really wowed me at any point, but it never bored me, either. It is a fairly straightforward legal drama with fewer twists and turns than I expected, buoyed mainly by the very good performances at its core. It left me expectant throughout, thinking maybe it held a few more cards than it ever ended up showing. In the end, it adds up to a solid - if underwhelming - drama. | August 20, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Vacancy - R |
Let it be known that I'll watch anything with Luke Wilson in it that doesn't have a combination of the words "Legally," "Blonde," "Charlie" or "Angels" in the title. And both he and Kate Beckinsale did fine jobs without much of a script to work with. There were also some interesting choices in the cinematography, framing shots using reflections, glass and mirrors throughout. I'm not entirely sure what it meant (implying the captured images of the inescapable camera lenses, perhaps?) but it at least shows me that the director was trying to give us more than your average slasher flick. But I just can't get lost in a movie when logic takes a back seat to the plot. I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to complain about how ridiculous it was that no matter the new danger or escape plan, every one ended with them running BACK INTO THE HOTEL ROOM for safety. How can I root for characters not smart enough to run the other way or a movie with nothing more clever to show me? |
August 17, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theatres - R |
What a let-down this turned out to be. And this isn't coming from a snobby critic who doesn't "get it." I'm a fan of the show. (Or at least I was. The whole absurdist comedy thing has hit a wall recently. That or I've just gotten too old for the random non sequitur nonsense Cartoon Network runs out these days.) This movie just didn't do anything to merit its existence. It reached no higher than the average episode. It pushed no envelope. It broke no new ground. I suppose you can argue that that's kind of the point. (Is a lack of spectacle a spectacle in itself these days?) I would almost buy it if it had at least been really funny. It just wasn't. Three or four good laughs in a 10-minute episode makes it a classic. Three or four good laughs here means it failed. This premise is perfect for short bursts of unexpected wackiness, not sustaining a film-length narrative. And heaven help any viewer new to the characters. Not that I wanted them to compromise, sell out and go mainstream, but I've never seen a film so completely inaccessible to an audience not familiar with the source material. Any audience for a basic cable cartoon is going to be a tiny fraction of the number of potential movie-goers. But there was nothing in the way of an introduction and too many of the jokes relied on prior knowledge. It's like they dug in their heels and stubbornly insisted on not making an actual movie. Fine, but I get to dig in my heels and not like it. |
August 16, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Disturbia - PG-13 |
Quite simply, this is a thriller made for teenagers without the attention span for Hitchcock. That's not to say it's bad, only that it trades what Hitchcock uses (like suspense, taut storytelling and wit) for what PG-13 horror films today use (like skinny chicks in low-slung jeans and simplistic plots borrowed from other films.) None of the people in this movie speak, act or think like actual people. The love interest is such a tepid male writer's concoction of the perfect girl-next-door that I felt a little embarrassed for her and the best friend is an unfunny load I wanted to see offed. (I would have stabbed the little SOB myself after his hiding-in-the-closet "prank." Wasn't he just scared and traumatized five minutes before?) On the plus side, David Morse is always good and he gives off just the right creepy vibe here. And while the kid is getting all kinds of kudos lately and doesn't need my endorsement, Shia LaBeouf really does elevate this from unwatchable drek to halfway decent. His charm and talent is undeniable and I'm sure he'll go on to make much better movies. |
August 13, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Hot Fuzz - R |
While it is a bit too slow getting started and struggles with its pacing and tone throughout, stay sharp. Things eventually pick up a full head of steam and all the quirky bits from the beginning end up paying off with later gags. The last act is near-perfect movie making, barreling through an amazing array of action set pieces with an unexpected intensity and constant laughs. Some of the dry British humour (spelled with an "ou," of course, to show its sophistication) might not instantly translate to yanks who aren't regular viewers of BBC America and expect jokes with more obvious punchlines. If you pick up all the subtleties, then the film works that much better. But even if you just laugh at an old lady getting kicked in the face, there is plenty of funny here that crosses all cultures. Simultaneously ripping off every action movie you've ever seen and presenting something wholly original, "Hot Fuzz" is one of the most entertaining films I've seen this year and is every bit as good as "Shaun of the Dead." |
August 11, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II - The Secret of the Ooze - PG |
While I have always loved this movie nearly as much as the original, it was painfully clear even to my 11-year-old self that the story had been softened, neutered by nervous studio bosses into a more "family friendly" presentation that lacks the depth of the original and its life and death stakes. Also working against it: 1) No Judith Hoag. I'm sure Ms. Turco is a lovely person, but she's no Judith Hoag. 2) No Casey Jones. 3) No Feldman. 4) The Turtles rarely use their weapons, opting for more comedic fight scenes involving sausages and neckties. Even with all that working against it, it still manages to be a highly entertaining flick. The more comic tone gives it some great one-liners, and it maintains its high energy throughout. While it can't compare to the amazing original, it's still a worthy sequel that my nostalgia won't let me bash. It wins me over every time, making the kid in me cheer go ninja, go ninja, go! |
August 11, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie - PG |
This film is an inexorable part of my childhood. I have seen it - quite literally - hundreds of times. Of course any objective critique is impossible. That said, as a cinematic experience, it remains completely awesome. Totally tubular. Gnarly and in all ways bodacious. Nostalgia aside, it still stands up. The costumes work way better than anyone ever gave them credit for and the fight scenes are as intense as a kid's movie can get. The banter is genuinely funny and the family dynamic is realistic and heartfelt. There is a reason I used to watch this every day as a kid and never got bored with it and there's a reason I still watch it from time to time today. (No, not my lifelong crush on Judith Hoag.) It simply gets everything right, adapting one of the most popular properties of the decade into a timeless family classic. |
August 11, 2007 | N/A | |||
| TMNT: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - PG |
Not so much a reinvention of the franchise as it is a continuation, this reboot does the Turtles proud. I'm not much of a fan of CGI, but this is some of the most fluid and textured animation I've seen. The action is exciting, with amazing fight scenes, but it keeps the patented humor and complex family dynamic that make the characters so appealing. And of course, it manages to do all this in a kid-friendly way. It takes itself a little too seriously at times and the plot seemed a touch beyond their scope. (13 mythic monsters loosed upon the world by an ancient warrior? Really? Better than traveling back in time, I guess.) But the tone was pretty dead-on, they treated the characters with respect and there were nods to the originals that made me smile. While I certainly can't muster the same kind of love I had for the Turtles as a ten-year-old, the film was enjoyable and it gives the franchise a good jumping off point for a new generation. |
August 11, 2007 | N/A | |||
| 300 - R |
I keep trying to find fault with this movie, based on one of my favorite comics ever, but it's not happening. It's a first rate spectacle, beautifully shot and cool as hell. Whereas "Sin City" was completely faithful to the source material and ended up suffering for it, "300" is faithful where it needs to be faithful - the right words and images directly transposed on the screen - and a film where it needs to be a film - taking liberties for the sake of pacing and depth. Though there is some exaggeration that seems out of place, (what did the lobster-man add to the proceedings?) the tone is pretty perfectly captured. There is also a bit of a "freedom isn't free" vibe that doesn't quite jive with Spartan culture. (In the book when Leonidas gives his no retreat, no surrender missive, one of his men pipes up and says "we're with you, sir, to the death." His reply: "I didn't ask. Leave democracy to the Athenians, boy.") Those edges are softened a bit for the screen, as is the roll his wife plays in his thinking, to make the King a more sympathetic character. And it works. All of it just plain works. Modern action movies are all about how fast you can cut shots and using the editing to fake speed or excitement. "300" is a breath of fresh air. It follows the action in glorious long-shots, speeding up and slowing down for effect, but choreographed into an amazing ballet of violence. The dialogue raises goosebumps of manly pride and the whole thing celebrates courage and sacrifice on a scale none of us can even comprehend. It is an outstanding piece of work I doubt I'll ever tire of watching. |
August 2, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Pathfinder - R |
This is a pretty mindless music video of a historical action flick. I think what was happening was cool, but how was I supposed to tell? It was always dark, smoky or snowy and the thing was edited with so many quick cuts I couldn't tell the spurting blood of a decapitated head from the spurting blood of a chopped-off arm. The ADD directing slowed down every once in a while for the wise Indians to impart some mystic knowledge to our hero, like love is good and hate is bad. But then the Vikings came back to spoil it all, kill everybody they saw and speak with the most teeny tiny little subtitles I've ever seen. Why was it, exactly, that pre-Columbian Native Americans can speak perfect English but the Vikings had to grunt in some sort of Nordic Klingon growl? Oh, right. They're evil. If you want to see swords and blood and all sorts of leaping about in the woods, this movie delivers. If you come looking for anything more than that, don't bother. |
August 2, 2007 | N/A | |||
| The Number 23 - R |
I am seriously freaking out! I just added up the running times of all the Joel Schumacher movies I've sat through and that man has wasted exactly 23 hours of my life! Ugh. I honestly think Jim Carrey is (or could be) a very talented actor beyond his obvious genius for comedy. If he stops picking projects like this. Just... ugh. I'm no big fan of David Lynch, but at least his weirdness has some panache. Some zing. The sex and violence-filled fantasy scenes in this are meant to be Lynchian mind-f---s, but end up ridiculous and laughable. Numerology is a bit janky to begin with, but the toll it takes on these characters is instant and unexplained, leading to consistently terrible dialogue about how "the numbers got a hold'a me!" and one preposterous plot-contrivance to the next. And no one bats an eye that the mysterious book is written by an author named "Topsy Kretts" until the appropriate time for a twist reveal? Are you kidding me? Who are you ripping off here, David Lynch or Encyclopedia Brown? For a flick so obsessed with numbers, this one certainly doesn't add up. |
July 31, 2007 | N/A | |||
| The Host (Gwoemul) - R |
Realism isn't a necessity for a great monster movie. At least, I didn't think it was until I saw this Korean import. And while a huge river-mutant isn't exactly realistic, this movie feels so grounded... the characters so mundane... the action so bound by physics and logic, that it all just clicks. And by the time the fractured family unites for their final stand-off, you can't help but cheer. The computer generated beast isn't the most realistic movie monster ever concocted, but it is one of the most believable. It lumbers and slithers and lurks like an actual wild animal. And it doesn't pop up out of nowhere for fake scares. I love how the film lets you see it coming from a hundred yards off. By the time it's on top of the victim, you've had sufficient time to be scared silly, not just startled by a jolt of loud music. Along with the frights, there are some unexpected moments of humor and real emotional depth. I've heard that the English dub is terrible and ruins the tone of the movie, so you should definitely go with the subtitles. (Although I'm not quite sure why the people actually speaking English sounded so weirdly stilted.) On the whole, "The Host" was a nice surprise and a very well-made film in a genre that rarely impresses. |
July 31, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Factory Girl - R |
This film is an interesting look at a very specific scene. Sienna Miller captured a certain something in her portrayal and Guy Pearce lost himself in the role to an uncanny degree. (Although Christensen seemed a bit out of his league as Bob Dyl- I'm sorry. As "the musician.") The music was great and the costumes were dazzling. There was emotion and love and loss. But what did it amount to? I'm still not sure. The whole thing was shallow and superficial and... pointless? And I won't buy an argument that since it's about Warhol then of course it's all about image. Nice try, but I'd still like a little substance. I didn't understand or appreciate these characters any better from the first frame to the last and just wasn't affected by their story in the least. |
July 21, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Premonition - PG-13 |
What starts off as an interesting premise full of intriguing questions ends up an unsatisfying mess of plot threads that never quite add up. In a film like this, the timeline must be strict and every little detail matters. Everything is a clue. But "Premonition" ignores an awful lot and glosses over the rest. The time frame is kept hazy and set-ups that seem important end up not meaning anything. Though, if you don't mind the murky logic, there is some tension and family-fueled emotion here. And it is actually one of Sandra Bullock's best performances. Though that doesn't carry much weight considering the crap she's been in, she is really complex and nuanced here. And who doesn't enjoy a supporting spot from Peter Stormare and one of his untraceable accents? |
July 19, 2007 | N/A | |||
| The Hills Have Eyes - R |
This isn't a terrible flick, but it falls into the same trap as pretty much all modern horror: shock over substance. There is an attempt at depth, giving us plenty of time to get to know the doomed family and playing on our sympathies by making the mutants tragic figures. But as the ball gets rolling, it all just devolves into hack and slash survival. Although, there are some moments of great suspense and genuine scares, and enough inventive camera work to keep things visually interesting. The setting is also quite novel. Nuclear test ranges are inherently creepy, with their dusty mannequins frozen in time while doing some mundane activity and I'm surprised they aren't used more often. Apart from that, there just isn't enough new here to endure the brutality. |
July 18, 2007 | N/A | |||
| The Hills Have Eyes II (The Hills Have Eyes 2) - R |
This being a sequel to a remake, I wasn't expecting much. And boy did my low expectations remain unmet! The killing started so fast and furiously that none of the victims ever mattered. The carnage was similar and repetitive to the point of being boring. The plot played out so by the numbers that I called exactly which characters were going to survive the moment they were introduced. And the dialogue was incredibly bad. Bad even for a horror movie. Like "DIE!" and "OHH F---!" (Taken directly from imdb's memorable quotes page, by the way.) And while I have the utmost respect for our boys in uniform, these were the most pathetic excuse for soldiers ever assembled. We might as well surrender to the mutant hill people if this is the best our armed forces can throw at them. |
July 18, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan - R |
I really enjoyed this movie. Sacha Baron Cohen has amazing comic timing and tenacity. He plays Borat as clueless but never mean spirited. The pranks pulled aren't meant to hurt people. The victims end up hurting themselves, either because they are an intolerant moron who wants to change him into more of an American or because they are an elitist moron who finds his backwards ways quaint and wants to snicker at him. Cohen always has the last laugh, however, and I found myself laughing along with him most of the way. The portrait of America we are left with isn't pretty (and probably not even all that representative). But it is funny. Because if you can't laugh at it, you'll probably end up crying. My major gripe is that the film became so mainstream before its release. Do you remember how many commercials you saw for it? How many talk shows he appeared on? Not that I begrudge them wanting to make it a success, but I felt like I'd already seen the flick before I ever sat down to watch it. They had shown so many clips and he had already said so many "outrageous" things on all the talk shows that when he said them in the film, it was nothing new. Even what should have been the most shocking (naked wrestling) had become such a talking point for the marketing that instead of being shocked when I saw it, I just shrugged and thought "oh, here's where they wrestle naked." But that lack of freshness isn't the film's fault and there is still plenty to like about it, no matter how many bad "very niiice" impressions you heard before you saw it. |
July 17, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Boogie Nights - R |
I can't believe I'm going to call "Boogie Nights" underrated, but there it is. This film caused quite a stir when it first came out, beloved by critics and hailed for introducing new stars and resurrecting others past their prime. Yet, as time goes by, it doesn't seem to hold the same water in our pop culture as many of the other 90s hits. And that's a shame, because it is certainly better than almost all of them. The story is compelling whether you find the subject matter distasteful or not. The acting is top notch and despite the huge cast, each gets their chance to shine. Even the smallest details in the dialogue, costuming and music pay huge dividends. And what P.T. Anderson does with his camera is nothing short of magic. I still shake my head in disbelief at some of the complex long shots he accomplishes, not only the technical mastery of them but that the scenes actually accomplish moving the plot forward, pack an emotional punch and look really, really cool. I don't think - at 155 minutes - it is as tight as it could be. Things tend to drag a bit once the story moves into the 80s, losing some of the momentum the enormous energy of the first act generates. But whatever minor flaws it has can be forgiven, especially from a story with a scope this enormous that manages to remain as entertaining as it does for as long as it does. So I've got to give it 4 1/2 stars. Great big bright, shining stars. |
July 16, 2007 | N/A | |||
| Barton Fink - R |
While certainly not for all tastes, "Barton Fink" stands as the single most important film viewing experience of my life. It left me dumbstruck the first time I saw it and I just let the credits roll when it was over. When the tape ended and switched off, I sat there in silence, just absorbing what I had seen and pondering its meaning and "the life of the mind." Nothing has ever done that to me before or since. As funny and bizarre as the film was, it was also a remarkable piece of art with plenty to say. And in those silent moments of introspection I understood art on a level I never had before and was instantly... compelled. Compelled to create. And compelled to seek out other art that made me feel the way "Barton Fink" did, rather than to keep ingesting the same prepackaged entertainment the world shoves down your throat. So for good or ill, seeing this film at the right moment had the power to help shape me into who I am today. (Struggling writer and film snob, when I'm feeling cynical. Seeker of truth and beauty on my more romantic days.) "Funny, huh? When everything that's important to a guy, everything he wants to keep from a lifetime, and he can fit it all into a little box like that." |
July 16, 2007 | N/A |
82 ratings
82 reviews
