FUNNY GAMES

FUNNY GAMES ISN'T FUNNY... AT ALL

[talking to the viewers, breaking the fourth wall]

Paul: What do you think? Think they stand a chance?

This kind of movie rides like a high-class, upper crust horror movie. It's the cleverness in the set up, the well toned dialogue and the seemingly normal, happy life style that tricks us. Then comes the fury. This film is a remake of the 1997 film (by the same name) directed by Aussie, Michael Haneke. It seems a waste to me to do a remake in the exact same way, but if whatever reason, it was done well. A happy all American family (played by Aussie Naomi Watts and Brit Tim Roth- ha ha) who unsuspectingly walk right into the worst day/night of their lives. Their fatal flaw is to trust the two well dressed and mannered young men (see picture) who appear at the door asking to borrow the proverbial 'cup of sugar'. It's like Six Degrees of Separation with Will Smith. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, isn't it a duck? Right? The lethargic start of the film brings what comes after that much more of a jolt to the system. The violence is bloody and senseless; and that violence, in turn, takes a tale of suspense to a bloodbath on Quentin Tarantino's best day. This film has also been compared to a Clockwork Orange and for good reason. I can't say I enjoyed this movie, albeit compelling to watch. It was realistic, disturbing and thought provoking; something ever film should seek to be. PICK: Shocking and violent, the movie demands your attention; will you give in?

SISTERS

SISTERS... WAS MADE ONCE, FOR A GOOD REASON
(bigger picture doesn't mean better one)

In 1973 Brian De Palma released the original Sisters, staring Margot Kidding. Some movies never could be re-made. Some movies should never be re-made. This is one of them. Slowly we are introduced to our characters. Grace (Chloe Sevigny) is an investigative reporter working on an expose about Doctor Philip Lacan (Steven Rea) as she is sure he is mistreating his patients. Newcomer, Lou Doillon, is the mysterious woman, Angelique Tristiana, who draws Grace in deeper than she ever thought possible. It was hard to stay awake for the first part of this film. The second half quickly provided motive and action and even felt like a totally different picture. However, both parts sucked majorly. The gore and the script seemed terribly forced and the actors involved, followed soon after. This isn't a horror movie, despite the blood, it isn't a suspenseful film because you can guess the ending. Existentially speaking, this film just wasn't.

NOT a pick: Stay home and rock in the fetal position and then rent almost anything else.

CONTROL

CONTROL... SHOULD BE RENAMED: OUT OF CONTROL "Love will tear us apart, again..." and tear us apart it did. Only 23 years old, Ian Curtis, lead singer for Joy Division, a late seventies/early eighties band from the UK that exploded onto the post Ziggy Stardust (aka David Bowie) glam-rock scene, kills himself after losing a battle with depression, epilepsy and a tumultuous relationship with his wife, as well as the unexpected catapult to fame. He likened himself Jim Morrison, which would turn out to be sadly ironic. NOTE TO TALENTED, CREATIVE MUSICIANS: SEEK THERAPY! This film, directed by Anton Coorbijn, who has made a name for himself in the music video/production world did a fine job with this film. The grainy black and white shots give the movie an almost documentary style, akin to playing a record rather than a CD. The talent is beyond expectation. Sam Riley is Ian Curtis. Samantha Morton is Ian's wife, Debbie, who effortlessly plays the strong undercurrent of true love and acceptance. She is a most gifted actress and plays off of Riley to create a real bond. Sometimes hard to watch, but compelling and intriguing. After Curtis died, the group renamed themselves and became New Order, one of the most popular 80's bands ever. A must see.
PICK: A good film on its own, but also a must see for all 80's music lovers! Cheers!

P.S. I LOVE YOU

P.S. I LOVE YOU... P.P.S. No I don't...

Holly Kennedy: What if this is it, Gerry? What if this is all there is to our life? You have to have a plan. Why do I have to be the responsible grown up who worries? Why can't I be the cute, carefree Irish guy who sings all the time?

Gerry Kennedy: Because you can't sing without making dogs bark?

Where did my Million Dollar Baby go?! First was The Reaping and now this? I guess 'girls do cry' because Hillary Swank spent most of the movie either crying or being ready to cry. Swank is a woman whose husband dies from cancer who needs to work through her grief. He, knowing his days were numbered, prepares all sorts of things to be delivered to her in hopes of helping her grieve. As noted in reference A. (as seen above) this script was forced and told the views what they needed to know in case they missed the over-acted scene before. This could have been a very good movie if there was a different lead actress. Swank has given too many Oscar worthy performances to drop down to this level. Additionally, she doesn't hold up as a comedic actress; AND she doesn't know how to fake-kiss correctly. There is the obligatory karaoke scene and then the "final goodbye" scene. This film had some 'star power': Harry Connick Jr, Geena Gershon, Lisa Kudrow, Kathy Bates, but they were so flat and two dimensional. They were totally lost in the background. The one thing I did like about this film is the actor who portrays the husband, Gerard Butler. Although I thought the script made him less appealing, and made him perform all the typical romance crap, he still was charming. He starred in one of my favorites, "Dear Frankie" which is far better than this movie could ever hope to being. He has six films in production as we speak (or as I write).

NOT a pick: Tired ideas, miscast actors, flat film. Save your tears and watch Million Dollar Baby again.

CLEANER

CLEANER IS MILDLY NEAT

You've seen this film before, you just don't know it. It's a story about an ex-cop turned working stiff who gets pulled into a situation where what seems to be a normal occurrence turns into a volcano of mystery and mayhem. Once the players are in place, he doesn't know who to trust. The lined between good and bad show more gray than he has on his head. Samuel Jackson is Tom, the "retired" police officer. As always, Jackson delivers his performance effortlessly. Jackson has a fantastic bond with is on screen daughter. Rose (Keke Palmer, perfectly cast), strong willed and patient, teetering on the line between child to a very mature teenager, that adds to Tom's predicament. Ed Harris is an old friend of Tom's, sleep walking through a smaller role than he usually conquers. Eva Mendes is also in the film. Renny Harlin does an amazing job as director. The film is tight and beautiful. The transitions between scenes is clever and noticeable. It is a very pretty film. The biggest problem is that it is too formulaic. You can guess what's coming next and once the players are identified you sit patiently trying to figure out which one is not telling the truth. So, the last ten minutes are built around that pivot ending in an unsatisfying but also unpredictable ending. Worth watching if you can forgive the obvious.

PICK: Although plot is recycled, a well done and smart suspenseful movie.

FLAWLESS

FLAWLESS IS ANYTHING BUT
Terrible, terrible, terrible... Demi Moore is so pretty to look at, but so lifeless on-screen in this movie, full of flaws. Demi is Laura Quinn, a woman in the 1960's working in a man's world. After being passed over for promotion and seeing the end of her job in sight, she is just right for joining in a scheme to steal from her employer, a diamond exchange. Michael Caine is Mr. Hobbs, a long-time janitor for the company. It takes at least half the movie just to explain each of their past dealings with the company. Problem is, who cares? Caine is phoning in his part, as it is a role very much beneath his abilities. Moore plain can not act. There is no difference in her voice, her eyes, her body... there is only one gear she uses to act. There are many still shots of her "contemplating" while sucking down yet another cigarette. The film is too long and the plot moves so very slowing, inching along trying to create anticipation. Thing is, who cares??? There is no attachment to either character, to the plot to anything. The ending is mildly interesting, but not worth sitting through the other part of the movie. They say there are four "C"s in the diamond business: Carat Weight, Cut, Color, and Clarity. This movie's four "C"s are: Careless, Crap, Clumsy and Childish.
NOT a pick: Waste of good film... if you need to fall asleep, watch it.

I'M NOT THERE

I'M NOT THERE... and it shows
Huh??? Abstract film can be carried off well (Fellini) or not so well, like Todd Haynes, I'm Not There. This film, like Sex In The City, does not work unless you either know Dylan's music or are very familiar with his life. I'm glad a movie like this did not turn out like Ray, The Doors, Walk The Line and others because if this one was "it" I would learn nothing about who Dylan is/was. Now I'm convinced that Cate Blanchett should have won that Oscar. She, among many males, was the Dylan that I know. There were other "embodiments" to parallel Dylan's life and in course, his work. Cate and Heath Ledger's were the only performances I enjoyed. Gere's points fell down for his work in INT. It made NO sense to me and I even fast forwarded through some of it. I understood the meaning and the aim this film took. However, it was not carried out in any sort of way that made it an enjoyable film, no matter how abstract.
NOT a pick: Too wide a berth for this potentially fantastic film. Die hard fans only.

CASSANDRA'S DREAM

CASSANDRA'S DREAM FILM NOIR NIGHTMARE

"How far will you go to make your dreams come true?"

For the record, I've not been a big Woody Allen fan. That being said, I really enjoyed this movie. Two brothers ( Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell) get in debt over their heads and look to their uncle (Tom Wilkinson) to help bail them out. One is a man in love and the other is a man in debt. They are asked to help their uncle in a unique situation "family is family, blood is blood". Much like Match Point, Allen presents us with a clever story with several twists and turns. It is almost predictable that there will be twists, turns and whatever else comes along the way. Much like a typical film noir, our main characters are placed on a path they would normally not take and are asked to run, fast. Inject the twists and turns before they are in over their heads. HUGE fan of McGregor who does a fabulous job. Not so huge fan of Farrell. I couldn't decide if I really loved him or really hated him. There was something in him that has not been seen and he either was brilliant or horrid. Decide for yourself. Both actors asked to portray a character opposite of how they are usually cast. Wilkinson just another walk in the park. Solid film and fun ride.
PICK: Nothing that hasn't been seen before, but super acting and plot line.

GRACE IS GONE

GRACE IS GONE IS AMAZING GRACE
When you chance something that you haven't heard any buzz on, it either really bombed or was so quirky that only a few people saw it in the theaters. This is one that went by unnoticed. Perhaps due to the reference to the war and the soldiers who die and those who are left behind to deal with the loss? John Cusack, as an actual character who played it straight and didn't reveal his usual screen presence, is Stanley, a man married to a woman stationed in Iraq. Early in the movie we get the picture than Stanley is a conservative who plays it tough with his two daughters (excellent work in both young actresses). After getting the news that his wife is dead, instead of telling his daughters, he takes them away for a long drive to an amusement park several states away. He uses that time to work through his grief and gets a perspective before he even thinks about telling his daughters. He tries his best in a sweet, nerdy way to show his daughters the value of having fun. All the rules go out the door as if it was a "make-a-wish" wish. The bond between Stanley and his daughters is so tender and real that your own heart beats in tandem with theirs. While difficult to first see Cusack in this huge departure to "adult" films (you know what I mean!) at the end of the movie he has proved his skill and craftiness as an actor. The moments that are told with subtlety are the ones I held my breath through. Both Cusack and his screen daughters are able to show what they are feeling without saying a word. In fact, I think the most poignant scenes are those where the words fade into the background as the score fills up the space. Those are the "Kleenex moments". I really enjoyed this film.
PICK: A powerful and special movie addressing the war in Iraq and the people whose lives are touched by it.

27 DRESSES

27 DRESSES IS 27 TOO MANY
"Kevin: [in Jane's apartment, with her showing off her dresses as she pulls out a loud-looking Gone With The Wind dress] What is that?

Jane: [holding the dress up to herself] Theme wedding!

Kevin: What was the theme? Humiliation? "

Perhaps humiliation would do best as the word I use to describe this film, although disaster works well too. The story about a woman who is in love with love and extends her gift of wedding knowledge to help others with their weddings. This movie was predictable, stereotypical and has already been done. My Best Friend's Wedding+ The Wedding Planner+The Wedding Singer... I didn't overly love any of those movies but would rather see them again then see 27 Dresses. There was NO chemistry with either of the male actors and their women "counterparts". The dialogue sounded like dialogue, not like people actually talking (yes, big difference). The cliche of the drunken night with a terrible song that everyone in the bar happens to love and know the lyrics to... this movie was unbelievable (in the bad way) and a slap to women everywhere.
NOT a pick: An unoriginal and sloppily made movie. Save your time.

THE GOLDEN COMPASS

THE GOLDEN COMPASS DOESN'T KNOW WHICH WAY IS UP
This is a pretty film. It is very, very, very, very pretty. There are some neato CGI effects. They are really, really, really, really neato. Oh, and Nicole Kidman is in this for, about 17 minutes of film, along with Daniel Craig. This film is a combination of Harry Potter meets Narnia, meets Lord of the Rings, meets Star Wars meets the Matrix. Serafina Pekkala: "There are many universes and many Earths parallel to each other. Worlds like yours, where people's souls live inside their bodies, and worlds like mine, where they walk beside us, as animal spirits we call daemons." Blah, blah, blah, blah... Obviously it is an adventure movie with little bits of all the other films tossed in. There is no motivation for the characters. The girl, Lyra, is a young girl, but acts and thinks like a 35 year old. I think they took a life-sized cardboard cutout of Nicole Kidman and just moved it around here and there.

It is a long movie... no, it just seems like a long movie, so much should have been edited. Then there's the ending. As their sky-boat rides into the sunset, Lyra ends with this... "We'll set things right. We will. You, and me, and Iorek, and Serafina Pekkala, and Mr. Scoresby. And my father. We'll set it right, Pan. Just let them try to stop us." That, of course, leads us in to the other films to come, but unlike the referenced films, there is no feeling of closure. A good film should be able to stand alone no matter how many prequels or sequels there are. This was a very, very, very, very terrible film.
NOT a pick: Save your time, not a good plot or characters. Total waste of time.

YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH

YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH IS COPALLA'S "OPUS"
Francis Ford Coppala has been MIA for the past 10 years and then now presents this film he wrote and directed. The first part of this film has a Bergman/Fellini/Lynch sort of feel and it's what I imagine a regular movie on acid would be like. I refuse to attempt to even try to present the film's plot and/or the hidden messages detected thereof. The dream world meets reality is actually a dream but it's not. Got that? Yeah, me neither. However the second part of this film, feels like Hitchcock and the more romantic moments of his films. Past lives, his one and only love, throwing one's self before a speeding train to save a lover who has got her heel stuck in the train track... bits and pieces that attempt to describe.

Each scene has carefully scored music to accompany it and that music plays like an individual role and/or character. It is a beautiful, lavish film. Tim Roth plays the main character, Dominic, but aside from a brief appearance by Matt Damon, there were no other cast members I recognised. Roth owned this part. It could have been played too over the top, but he gave it just enough energy to bring Dominic to life and hitting a home run for the good of the whole movie. I was mesmerized by him. Even when the film took tangents that I could barely follow, it was Roth than was impossible to ignore. This film was beautiful, heartfelt and well made. That being said, this is not a movie for the masses. It is long and hard to follow at times. If you can handle existential psychology, then this is your film.
PICK: Although not for everyone, beautiful looking well acted and a strong musical score.

BELLA

BELLA IS BEAUTIFUL
"One Person Can Change Your Life Forever..."
This is one of those movies, like Magnolia where even though we can't connect the dots right away, by the end of the movie we see the picture of the whole puzzle and stand back shaking our heads and say, oh yeah, I get it. This is definitely a character driven story. No explosions, so gunfire, but compelling characters in a story where the end isn't what you think. It is a story about pain, redemption, grief, trauma, suffering but for some reason is life affirming and more warm than cold. Similar in The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom, your actions each day, no matter how big or small can possible alter the life course of another person as they can do the same for you. No major actors (major Latino actors) but each actor is strong and compliments the other. It is a beautiful story, even though there is not much plot in the movie, there still is a big picture.
PICK: A simple story told by not so simple characters, poignant and touching

UNTRACEABLE

UNTRACEABLE, UNWATCHABLE

What a waste of time. By my posting on the Internet, the movie's message would be reinforced. The Internet can be used for evil and not good and it unites us to see things we never imagined. Early on we see what the moral of this story is as our main character, tough FBI agent Jennifer Marsh (Diane Lane) literally drives by a gory accident and we see the cars slowing to see. However, it is not merely a message driven film. Actually, it feels like there are two films mismatched and shoved together, the glue still wet and sticky. One film is a copy of the Saw series. It is violent, graphic and uncalled for. I was hoping it would only suggest the atrocities, but it doesn't. Credit that to the societal need for blood and guts.

The second film is a character piece, only there is only one character, Agent Marsh. There are other actors in the film, but Agent Marsh has more of a back-story than anyone. Think of The Silence of the Lambs in reverse. The bad guy barely has a thread of a motive for the killings and we don't really care about her domestic life. It is scary to think about how much information is accessed on the Internet. What happens to our world when the power goes off? How long could we function not being able to use the ATM, credit cards, debit cards... it is a good message, just not carried well in this movie.

NOT a pick: Disjointed stories that don't work well together. Pay cash and see a better flick.

RESSURECTING THE CHAMP

RESURRECTING THE CHAMP A KNOCK OUT
It's both a pleasure and a curse discovering a film that has flown under the radar for whatever reasons, but turns out to be insightful and sincere. This story is based on actual events that turn out to be a lie. Samuel Jackson, one of the finest actors in the business, plays "The Champ" a homeless man with a ruddy complexion and a love of beer. One night Erick Kernan (Josh Hartnett), green sports reporter working on back burner, well-hidden stories comes across a groups of punk kids beating up on the man. The two engage in conversation and the reporter smells a winning story, just what he needs after his editor says he "sees a lot of typing, but not a lot of writing." He gets to know the Champ, but doesn't get to know the person.

Sometimes we need the truth to be clean and, well, true, no matter what reality is. We find out later in the film that this includes the dynamics of father/son bonding. Kernan wrestles with his father's ghost and his son's adoration. Some say the ending is sad, but even with the sadness comes redemption. The idea sinks in on the importance of being who you are, no matter where you are. As mentioned, Samuel Jackson owns this movie. His performance is flawless and steady. Hartnett, on the other hand, was horribly miscast in his role. It wasn't his acting, but rather is teenage/boyish face that stands out. Although he is supposed to be young and a budding writer, he looks like he is writing a book report rather than an article. Additionally, his son was miscast as well. When do six-year-olds talk like that? When does a six-year-old understand the abstract issues bouncing around in his father's head? He is cute, but unbelievable as far as his dialogue. All in all, I enjoyed this film and, did I mention, LOVED Samuel Jackson?!?

PICK: Suspend your expectation for realism and enjoy an entertaining movie.