tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376512011-12-14T18:42:59.389-08:00Giving No-Nonsense Reviews To Films"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.comBlogger2201100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1168199958007657662007-01-07T11:58:00.000-08:002007-01-07T11:59:18.006-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.filmreviewstew-a-to-z.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff6600;"><strong>FILM REVIEWS FROM A to Z</strong></span></a> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ff9900;">(Click Above for Alphabetical Listings)</span></em></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116819995800765766?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1168199899251376602007-01-07T11:55:00.000-08:002007-01-07T11:58:19.253-08:00<span style="color:#ffffff;">Hi film fans! The Film Review Stew is moving to a new location on the web, with an impressive presence, high-quality images, and some amazing pages. You can check them out at</span> <a href="http://www.filmreviewstew.com"><span style="color:#cc6600;">www.filmreviewstew.com</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and see what all the fuss is about.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Eventually we'll be tearing down this blog site, but not for a few more months. So you can enjoy the web presence here for a tad longer. Thanks and we hope you enjoy the new site!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116819989925137660?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1167832099403614642007-01-03T05:47:00.000-08:002007-01-07T11:55:16.230-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://beerfestmovie.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Beerfest" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/630830/Beerfest.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.cinecon.com/interviews/paulsoter.shtml" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Paul Soter" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/403521/Paul_Soter.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/jay_chandrasekhar/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jay Chandrasekhar</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.cinecon.com/interviews/paulsoter.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Paul Soter</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /><br /></div><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/625557/thumbs-down.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Ever heard of that movie</span> <em><a href="http://www.popmatters.com/film/reviews/b/beaches-special-edition-dvd.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Beaches</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">starring </span><a href="http://www.bettemidler.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Bette Midler</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and</span> <a href="http://www.starpulse.com/Actresses/Hershey,_Barbara/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Barbara Hershey</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">? Yeah? Well</span> <a href="http://beerfestmovie.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>BEERFEST</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">is the anti-Christ by comparison. We’re talking Mars and Venus here.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">I have little doubt that every fraternity across the nation now has a DVD copy of <em>Beerfest</em> sitting in a place of reverence. The title alone would dictate that as a necessity. Not to mention the story is about beer, drinking beer, puking beer, death by beer, beer games, and secret beer recipes. Normally the destruction of brain cells is reserved for those who actually drink beer (I’ll admit that I imbibe on a very modest level), but watching this film will probably kill off a few extra IQ points all on its own.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Director/actor</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/jay_chandrasekhar/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jay Chandrasekhar</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> isn’t known for his thought-provoking material anyway, and this should give you pause before sliding this silicon disc into your DVD player. Ever heard of the remake of </span><a href="http://www2.warnerbros.com/dukesofhazzard/index_splash.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>The Dukes of Hazzard</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">? Jay was the director.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The biggest problem with <em>Beerfest</em> is that it tries to pull up a plot via a film that doesn’t really have one. It’s supposed to be about two brothers, Jan Wolfhouse (</span><a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/1121760" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Paul Soter</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and Todd Wolfhouse (</span><a href="http://www.allmoviephoto.com/c/ErikStolhanske.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Erik Stolhanske</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), who take their grandfather’s ashes to Germany in order to intern them only to stumble upon a</span> <em><a href="http://www.foxmovies.com/fightclub/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Fight Club</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">-style organization devoted to drinking beer. The two brothers are humiliated to learn that their grandfather may have stolen an ancient beer recipe and fled Germany with a prostitute (their grandmother played by</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/cloris_leachman/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Cloris Leachman</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). The man who gives them this bitter news is none other than Wolfgang Von Wolfhaus (</span><a href="http://www.jpwsfc.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jurgen Prochnow</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), the ring leader of <em>Beerfest</em> and embittered descendant of the man who lost the sacred recipe stolen by Jan and Todd’s grandfather.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">After being disgraced by Wolfgang and the German drinking team, Jan and Todd return to America and form up their own Team USA <em>Beerfest</em> drinkers. They include the two brothers plus Landfill (</span><a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/kevin-heffernan-comedian" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kevin Heffernan</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a man who can drink beer by the truckload; Barry (Jay Chandrasekhar himself), a former beer ping-pong champion fallen on hard times who now lives under a bridge and sells himself as a male prostitute; and finally Fink (</span><a href="http://movies.ign.com/articles/496/496824p1.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Steve Lemme</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a Jewish professor with a penchant for masturbating frogs.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">As Team USA’s beer bellies fill out, Team Germany sneaks onto U.S soil after they discover that Todd and Jan have found the secret beer recipe stolen so long ago. They do this via the funniest portion of the film. In a lake near the Wolfhouse brothers’ restaurant, Team Germany lurks beneath its surface in a submarine. With them is Jurgen Prochnow who comments, "I don’t want to stay here too long. I don’t like submarines. Had a bad experience in one once." This is obviously in reference to the excellent film</span> <em><a href="http://www.dasboot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Das Boot</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">. But here is where any semblance of high-comedy ends and the sophomoric plunges onward. The obligatory multiple exposed breasts scene, the party house shot, the farting and belching humor, and the penis jokes all rule the rest of the movie.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/beerfest/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Beerfest movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116783209940361464?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1167573780917173412006-12-31T06:01:00.000-08:002007-01-07T11:55:00.490-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://ladyinthewater.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Lady in the Water" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/800859/Lady_in_Water.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/paulgiamatti.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 135px" height="139" alt="Paul Giamatti" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/873083/Paul_Giamatti.jpg" width="100" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.mnight.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">M. Night Shyamalan</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.starpulse.com/Actors/Giamatti,_Paul/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Paul Giamatti</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/582474/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">What makes a movie watchable? Mostly it’s good acting, a good screenplay, and a story that has emotional weight. So it is most strange to see the many harsh reviews of this film which I’m sure kept ticket-buyers away from the theater when professionals started pummeling </span><a href="http://ladyinthewater.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">LADY IN THE WATER</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Entertainment Weekly said, "[It is] Shyamalan’s most alienating and self-absorbed project to date" (as if that has anything to do with the story being told). The Philadelphia Enquirer called it, "...extremely silly." And the New York Observer said, "Hollywood cannot pollute the ozone with anything more idiotic, contrived, amateurish or sub-mental than Lady in the Water."<br /><br />Ouch.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">No wonder so few went to see it after reading things like that. I know I shied away specifically because of them. But I’d also seen a few positive reviews. Nothing big, really. I attributed most of these to Shyamalan die-hards who’d love anything put out by him regardless of subject matter. That wasn’t the only thing that kept me away from the theater, though. Having fell in love with <em>The Sixth Sense</em> (like 99% of the rest of you), I sludged through <em>Unbreakable</em>,<em> Signs</em>, and then <em>The Village</em>. None of them were stellar and they lacked that umpf! we’d come to expect from M. Night. So having invested money and time in many of his previous works, I was extremely hesitant to spend more of either on something that many "respected" reviewers found, to say the least, tepid.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">So when I plopped in the DVD this week and started watching <em>Lady in the Water</em>, I was prepared for the worst. Surprisingly, that’s not what I found.<br /><br />If films are supposed to be about entertainment, then <em>Lady in the Water</em> most certainly meets that challenge. Not only that, but I found</span> <a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/paulgiamatti.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Paul Giamatti’s</span><span style="color:#ffffff;"> </span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">performance to be outstanding. Not since <em>Sideways</em> had I enjoyed a Giamatti film so much. He, in fact, carried most of the movie with his excellent portrayal of Cleveland Heep, an apartment manager who one night finds a narf (a water creature) swimming in the compound’s pool. The narf is named Story and is played by</span> <a href="http://bryce-howard.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Bryce Dallas Howard</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(the blind girl from M. Night’s <em>The Village</em>). The movie delves deep into Fairytale-Land and plants the audience firmly in its belief structure. The fact that Story has shown herself to Cleveland is very important in the film, and it shows us that this is something special. Cleveland is given the opportunity to heal himself through Story’s visit, and in the process bring together everyone in the apartment complex. All of the people within the apartment building have been drawn here for this one event: to see a narf safely on her way to becoming a segue between the blue world (i.e., the narfs) and the human one.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The quirky, quaint, and scarey intermingle here as we see a movie reviewer monologuing during a funny yet frightening scene, watch Cleveland come to terms with the death of his family from years before, and witness the battle between humps of grass that come to life with razor sharp teeth and threaten to destroy Story.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The heart-wrenching scene between Cleveland, the apartment building’s occupants, and the mortally wounded Story has such impact as to cause most watchers to reach for the tissue box.<br /><br />The ending is extremely satisfying and filmed perfectly. When Story has to leave, she does so in fairytale fashion.<br /><br />This is a great story. My only regret now is that I didn’t see it in the theater. I’m sure the sound and scenery were even better on the big screen.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">I also have to wonder about</span> <a href="http://www2.warnerbros.com/main/homepage/homepage.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Warner Brothers</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and the "falling out" that they had with M. Night over the film during production. Budget, screenplay and time constraints weighed heavy on all of the parties involved and I think this may have had an impact on reviewers and how the film was marketed. Are some reviewers leery of praising a film from a large studio when that studio has problems with a director/writer? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But the negative reviews of the film seem far out of proportion with what I watched.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;"><em>Lady in the Water</em> was well acted, had a decent screenplay, and told a great story. I’m glad I saw it.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/ladyinthewater/trailer1/medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Lady in the Water movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116757378091717341?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1167245494870290192006-12-27T10:50:00.001-08:002006-12-27T18:43:21.566-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/theholiday/index.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Holiday" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/730128/The_Holiday.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.askmen.com/women/actress/11_cameron_diaz.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 87px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 128px" height="148" alt="Cameron Diaz" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/81233/Cameron_Diaz.jpg" width="87" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/188460" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Nancy Meyers</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.askmen.com/women/actress/11_cameron_diaz.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Cameron Diaz</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="HESITANT THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/414529/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>A HESITANT THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Romantic comedies abound in cinema.</span> <a href="http://www.bestprices.com/cgi-bin/vlink/043396016323.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Sleepless in Seattle</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.mgm.com/whenharrymetsally/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>When Harry Met Sally</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1266026" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>French Kiss</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/detail/movie.aspx?tvobjectid=134768" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Bridget Jones’ Diary</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and</span> <a href="http://nineyards.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Whole Nine Yards</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">are just a few of the more recent ones in this genre.</span> <a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/theholiday/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE HOLIDAY</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">certainly falls headlong into this category, but does so with the addition of it taking place around the Christmas season. Writer/director/producer</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/188460" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Nancy Meyers</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">is very familiar in the RomCom arena. Her repertoire contains such gems as</span> <a href="http://www.project80s.com/movies/movies-80s.php?movie=Private-Benjamin" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Private Benjamin</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and</span> <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/detail/movie.aspx?tvobjectid=128443" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Father of the Bride</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> (we’ll forgivingly overlook the</span> <a href="http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1227624" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Father of the Bride II</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">debacle for the moment).<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">What <em>The Holiday</em> has going for it is some good dialogue and even better acting.</span> <a href="http://www.askmen.com/women/actress/11_cameron_diaz.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Cameron Diaz</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://katewinslet.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kate Winslet</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.brilliance.nu/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jude Law</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and</span> <a href="http://www.jackblack.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jack Black</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">round out the prime roles. The story starts with Amanda (Cameron Diaz,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/04/in-her-shoes.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>In Her Shoes</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) as she ejects her live-in boyfriend from her home. She’s an intense young woman who’s the CEO of her own upstart company that makes movie trailers. Her lifestyle is getting the better of her and she decides she needs a holiday.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Iris (Kate Winslet,</span> <a href="http://www.miramax.com/findingneverland/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Finding Neverland</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">)</span><span style="color:#ffffff;"> is in love with one of her close working colleagues and decides she needs a mental health getaway from the constrained English countryside. But what to do. Ah! House swap!<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Iris and Amanda fly across the Atlantic and take over each other’s residences. Iris lands in L.A. to find a beautifully manicured house with every possible accouterment, while Amanda drags herself up the snow-laden driveway to a cramped but quaint English cottage. Initially Amanda hates what she finds. The quiet life doesn’t suit her. But then she runs into Iris’ brother Graham (Jude Law,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/01/closer.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Closer</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and a one-night stand turns into something Amanda never thought possible. Iris, in L.A., struggles with falling out of love with her ex-beau who is soon to be married but won’t stop bothering her (he calls, sends emails, etc.). But Iris develops a unique friendship with Miles (Jack Black), a sound mixer for films, and she sees in him the same failings her own relationships have.<br /><br />Although very predictable, the powerhouse actors and actresses with the superb dialogue made this flick enjoyable. The handsome Jude Law will make young viewers swoon and the sexy Cameron Diaz will appeal to men who still have an inkling of testosterone flowing through their veins.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Jack Black has toned down his hyperactivity and settled into a fine role (although some may miss his outlandish behaviors of ol’). His "breast graze" lines are funny and poignant, making us love him for his calmly delivered antics this time.<br /><br />Kate Winslet sheds her</span> <a href="http://www.foxinternational.com/ww/titanic_dvd_global_page/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Titanic</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">persona and goes back to what she knows: being a regular English actress. Her simple demeanor was quite well pulled off for someone who tends to have a more haughty acting history, showing that she can ugly down a bit and act in ways we may have forgotten.<br /><br />All-in-all this is a pretty predictable romantic comedy but the script is so strong and the acting so well done that it deserves plenty of accolades.</span> </p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/theholiday/medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here for</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> The Holiday movie trailer!</span></a></em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116724549487029019?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1167245456510764092006-12-27T10:50:00.000-08:002006-12-27T18:43:11.316-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.warnervideo.com/benstillershow/benstillerother.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 115px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" height="149" alt="Ben Stiller" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/544238/Ben_Stiller.jpg" width="115" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.nightatthemuseum.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Night at the Museum" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/926077/Night_at_museum.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/1120567" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Shawn Levy</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring </span><a href="http://www.warnervideo.com/benstillershow/benstillerother.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ben Stiller</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /></div><p align="center"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="VERY HESITANT THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/430586/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>A VERY HESITANT THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span><br /></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Looking for a fantasy-filled escapist flick? You’d be hard-pressed to find a funnier one this holiday season than</span> <a href="http://www.nightatthemuseum.com/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Initial concerns of a Jumanji rip-off are quickly put to rest as we learn that the results of inanimate things coming to life at a history museum are the result of an Egyptian tablet with supernatural powers.<br /><br />The fun comes when Larry Daley (</span><a href="http://www.warnervideo.com/benstillershow/benstillerother.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ben Stiller</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://starskyandhutchmovie.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Starsky and Hutch</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a down-on-his-luck father who has difficulty holding down a full-time job while worrying about losing his pre-teen son to his ex-wife’s new beau, picks up the improbable job of night-guard at the natural history museum. He meets up with the old guards played by</span> <a href="http://www.dick-van-dyke.fantribute.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Dick Van Dyke</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.mickeyrooney.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Mickey Rooney</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167850/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Bill Cobbs</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, as they are supposedly being pushed out of their jobs in favor of a leaner staff.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Larry is obviously uninformed and unprepared for what happens to the museum when night falls, but quickly learns the ropes. Skeletal T-Rex is simply a puppy who loves to chase his own bones. But the African monkey is a kleptomaniac that absconds with Larry’s keys, instructions, and other items, making his job a living nightmare. Then there’s the big lions and the miniature cowboys and gladiators that battle all the time in favor of expanding their empires. And let’s not forget Attila the Hun who’s a misunderstood heathen that benefits from Larry’s psychoanalysis.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">While Larry battles to save his job (not to mention his very life), he also struggles to maintain a working relationship with his son Nick (</span><a href="http://www.risingstar.to/new3/jcherry.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jake Cherry</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.sonyclassics.com/friendswithmoney/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">Friends With Money</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) who’s losing faith in his father’s ability to be an upstanding guy with permanent employment and a permanent address.<br /><br />Thanks to Teddy Roosevelt (</span><a href="http://www.robinwilliams.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Robin Williams</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">in a much more tempered role than previously seen), Larry learns to risk everything in order to save not only his job, but the fate of everyone in the museum and the financial status of the museum itself.<br /><br />The fun parts are always whenever Stiller interacts with the inanimate creatures as they pop to life. His psychoanalysis of Attila the Hun is one of the outstanding moments, as is his quest to find out who the strange looking guy is who wanders the halls (we later learn that it’s Christopher Columbus). Mickey Rooney has little screen time but makes the most of it in hilarious fashion as he cold-cocks Stiller. And watching Dick Van Dyke do roundhouse kicks to Stiller’s face is something to marvel and laugh at, making one wonder how Van Dyke’s hips don’t dislocate.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Although not a very thought-provoking film, <em>Night at the Museum</em> will certainly entertain. You won’t learn anything, and the plot is straight out of a pat Hollywood script (with happy endings for everyone). But with the holiday season nearly passed, it’s a nice remembrance that sometimes fantasies do come true.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/nightatthemuseum/trailer_medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> for the Night at the Museum movie trailer!</span></a></em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116724545651076409?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1167245408845574992006-12-27T10:49:00.000-08:002006-12-27T18:42:59.676-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.wtcmovie.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="World Trade Center" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/642773/World_Trade_Center.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.askmen.com/men/entertainment/27_nicolas_cage.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 105px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 117px" height="99" alt="Nicholas Cage" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/103974/Nicholas_Cage.jpg" width="105" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://oscarworld.net/ostone/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Oliver Stone</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.askmen.com/men/entertainment/27_nicolas_cage.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Nicholas Cage</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /></div><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS DOWN" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/37885/thumbs-down.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p></p><p></p><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">When most movie-goers think of</span> <a href="http://oscarworld.net/ostone/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Oliver Stone</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, they usually think of cutting edge (</span><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/movies/OliverStone/index7.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Born on the Fourth of July</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), or visceral film-making (</span><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/natural_born_killers/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Natural Born Killers</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), or even historically disturbing cinema (</span><a href="http://www.vh1.com/movies/movie/9660/moviemain.jhtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>The Doors</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). But few — if any — would consider Stone schmaltzy or an opportunist. Watching</span> <a href="http://www.wtcmovie.com/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">WORLD TRADE CENTER</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span><span style="color:#ffffff;"> though, one can’t help but feel a touch of the latter and a significant amount of the former.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/09/united-93.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>UNITED 93</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">was similar in that it took the recent horrific events of 9/11 and reintroduced Americans’ fears to that awful day. It utilized (for better or worse) those feelings we all have and made money off of it. This isn’t as terrible as it sounds, though. Cinema has been doing this for as long as celluloid has been running through projectors, but never has the filming been so close to the actual date of the events (or at least rarely).</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">One can’t help but think that Stone must’ve been desperate for film material or somehow felt closely connected to the events that day. Either way, the script (although based on actual events) was lackluster at best. There are just a few exceptions that we’ll cover in a moment.<br /><br />This is the (true) story of the port authority police officers that responded to the <em>World Trade Center</em> attacks on 9/11, and is specific to the two men from the port authority who were trapped and later rescued from under the rubble.</span> <a href="http://www.askmen.com/men/entertainment/27_nicolas_cage.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Nicholas Cage</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><em><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/03/weather-man.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Weather Man</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">) stars as John McLoughlin, a gruff Sergeant who was around during the first bombings on the trade centers several years earlier. His entrapped fellow officer is rookie Will Jimeno played by</span> <a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/michaelpena.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michael Pena</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2005/11/crash.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Crash</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a family man with a new baby on the way. Both men have to deal with their isolation and near certain demise as they lay pinned and stranded only a few feet from one another. The story jumps between the rubble strewn men, their wives and families, and a retired marine who feels the call of duty after the attacks and risks his life to find survivors in the buildings’ wreckage (the schmaltzy portions are firmly entrenched here as we’re spoonfed everyone’s tearful response to that terrible day).</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">It is this "marine" that most might have the biggest trouble with script-wise. He seemed almost inserted into the story to give some grist to an otherwise empty milieu. His need for "revenge" felt hollow amidst so much emotion. And although this may be "the way it was," it didn’t translate well to film.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Interestingly, Nicholas Cage gives an admirable performance even though he’s not jumping into and out of danger, or battling evil-doers with deadly weapons. He’s confined as is co-star Pena and their concern for one another is touching, as is their concern for what will happen to their families as they lay thinking/dreaming about them (these were some of the best parts of the screenplay but only a small portion of the whole).</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The most powerful part of the film was its sound editing. When the buildings collapsed and then later continued to creak and groan, they took on an ominous characteristic that brooded poorly for our two main characters and gave movie-watchers a great sense of dread.<br /><br />But when the sound becomes the most impressive part of a film, there’s more problems than applause.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/wtc/medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the World Trade Center movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116724540884557499?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1166580546761652662006-12-19T18:08:00.000-08:002006-12-27T18:42:47.613-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.thequeen-movie.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Queen" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/942266/The_Queen.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.tmaw.co.uk/helenm.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 90px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 137px" height="153" alt="Helen Mirren" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/643595/Hellen_Mirren.jpg" width="98" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.britmovie.co.uk/biog/f/008.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Stephen Frears</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.tmaw.co.uk/helenm.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Helen Mirren</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /><br /></div><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="UNFORTUNATE THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/204902/thumbs-down.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>AN UNFORTUNATE THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Sometimes it's a hit or miss with directors, and with</span> <a href="http://www.britmovie.co.uk/biog/f/008.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Stephen Frears</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">at the helm the odds of a film being a success versus failure are about fifty/fifty. He has given us some excellent cinema such as</span> <em><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1095420-high_fidelity/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">High Fidelity</span></a></em>, <em><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1005199-dangerous_liaisons/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Dangerous Liaisons</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and</span> <em><a href="http://www.bestprices.com/cgi-bin/vlink/786936190953.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Grifters</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">. But sometimes his movie eye misses the mark or lacks an intriguing or well-rounded story.</span> <em><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/05/mrs-henderson-presents.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Mrs. Henderson Presents</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <em><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mary_reilly/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Mary Reilly</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1040893-hero/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">Hero</span></em><span style="color:#ffffff;"> </span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">are just a sprinkling of Frear films that had a good shot at being great, but ultimately failed in coherency, pacing, or some other aspect.</span><br /><br /><em><a href="http://www.thequeen-movie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE QUEEN</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">is certainly a film with some great acting.</span> <a href="http://www.tmaw.co.uk/helenm.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Helen Mirren</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> is spot-on as Queen Elizabeth II, as was </span><a href="http://www.michaelsheen.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michael Sheen</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">in his portrayal of Tony Blair. But from here the cast sags quite a bit.</span> <a href="http://www.thespiannet.com/actors/C/cromwell_james/index.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">James Cromwell</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">picked up the part of Prince Philip, but seemed very out of place since he has been typecast in such things as</span> <em><a href="http://www.nbc.com/The_West_Wing/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The West Wing TV series</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;"> and</span> <a href="http://movies.ign.com/objects/034/034059.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Sum of All Fears</span></em> </a><span style="color:#ffffff;">flick. And</span> <a href="http://www.sylviasyms.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sylvia Syms</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(as The Queen Mother) and</span> <a href="http://www.alexjennings.com/index3.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Alex Jennings</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(as Prince Charles) were difficult to see in their respective roles since they are still in the public eye. Although Queen Elizabeth is still in the spotlight, Helen Mirren's strong portrayal made that role much easier to swallow.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Fresh subjects are tough to hit upon anyway, and you have to give credit where it is due; Stephen Frears certainly deserves some acclaim for simply attempting to make a film about the Royal Family and their reaction (or non-reaction) to Princess Diana's accidental death. But herein lies another problem: plot. There isn't one. <em>The Queen</em> is a reactionary tale, focusing mainly on Queen Elizabeth and the newly installed Prime Minister Tony Blair, and how each of them views the country's response to Di's death. Of course, the Queen deals with it by not dealing with it. While Mr. Blair continually tries to save the monarchy from self-destructing due to their own ignorance of the peoples' grief. But there isn't a definitive beginning, middle and ending to the story. It's character study of the monarchy will probably be boring to many, especially in the beginning. Most viewers may feel like dozing off after the first twenty minutes of disinteresting royal uppityness.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Although the beginning and middle of the film lag, the ending picks up just enough to make it watchable. The excellent shots of</span> <a href="http://www.royal.gov.uk/OutPut/Page560.asp" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Balmoral Castle</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and its Scottish surroundings were fairly awesome, as were some analogies regarding the royal deer that roam the outback wildlands.<br /><br />If you enjoy a good modern day character study, and are interested in the current monarchy, you'll probably eat this film up. But if you're eager for something plot-driven and deeply intriguing, you best look elsewhere.</span> </p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/miramax/thequeen/medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here for</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> The Queen movie trailer!</span></a></em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116658054676165266?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1166222727444559092006-12-15T14:44:00.000-08:002006-12-19T08:45:13.883-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.mrspalfreythemovie.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 93px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 139px" height="146" alt="Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/181697/mrspalfrey_poster.jpg" width="93" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/joan_plowright/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 94px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px" height="156" alt="Joan Plowright" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/852805/Joan_Plowright.jpg" width="98" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.mrspalfreythemovie.com/crewbios.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Dan Ireland</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/joan_plowright/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Joan Plowright</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /></div><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/531753/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">You know when a director with the last name of Ireland does a film about a Scottish lady coming to London that there’s got to be some major appeal.<br /><br />Independent film lovers will cheer for</span> <a href="http://www.mrspalfreythemovie.com/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">MRS. PALFREY AT THE CLAREMONT</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, a story with a strong script, excellent acting, and some sumptuous English scenery.<br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/joan_plowright/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Joan Plowright</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.bestprices.com/cgi-bin/vlink/786936204407.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>JANE EYRE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, 1996) stars as Mrs. Palfrey, an aging widow who’s traveled from Scotland to London to start her life anew in her sunset years. She decides to spend her waning years at a retirement hotel called The Claremont, a somewhat drab locale from what was advertised to Mrs. Claremont in a picture magazine. No matter. She makes herself comfortable, running into The Claremont’s quirky staff and residents. The bellhop is a portly and sonorous balding man who mumbles more than he speaks. And the residents range from overly-nosy to irritatingly grumpy. But most want to know why Mrs. Palfrey’s grandson, Desmond, (whom she calls all the time) doesn’t come to see her.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">One potentially rainy day, Mrs. Palfrey is returning from an outdoor excursion, hurrying home, when she stumbles and falls outside a young man’s flat. The 26-year-old man’s odd name is Ludovic Meyer (</span><a href="http://www.rupertfriend.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Rupert Friend</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/04/pride-and-prejudice.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">PRIDE AND PREJUDICE</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, 2005). Ludy (as he likes to be called) helps Mrs. Palfrey and in return asks that she help him write a really great novel. He wants to use her years and experience to aid in his telling of the story. Ludy seems like such a nice young man that Mrs. Palfrey agrees. Ludy walks Mrs. Palfrey home and everyone at The Claremont immediately believes this to be the elusive Desmond. Mrs. Palfrey lets this deception continue and even invites Ludy over for dinner at The Claremont posing as her grandson. Everyone is smitten with Mrs. Palfrey’s faux-grandson and a relationship between Mrs. Palfrey and Ludy starts blossoming.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">This isn’t a </span><em><a href="http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1138212" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Harry and Maude</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">relationship. This is a relationship not built on a scrap of sexual innuendo. It is a love of friendship and understanding that reaches deep into each of the characters and pulls out of it a fantastic end of life/beginning of life set of circumstances. The beauty of <em>Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont</em> is that the story builds on each subsequent scene, moving us deeper and deeper into their lives. We see Mrs. Palfrey’s love of her dead husband, Arthur, and the beginnings of Ludy’s relationship with a beautiful young lady thanks to a movie recommendation by Mrs. Palfrey.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Although the beginning of the film takes a while to catch on (i.e., it may seem painstakingly slow to some), the ending is well worth your time. It is a story that’s been told before, but not with such impact, and this is undoubtedly thanks to the strong script by Ruth Sacks based on Elizabeth Taylor’s bestselling novel (no, not <strong><em>that</em></strong> Elizabeth Taylor).<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Also, the filming at the New Forest Palace grounds near the </span><a href="http://www.beaulieu.co.uk/beaulieuabbey/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Abbey at Beaulieu</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">was some wonderful visual candy for fans of this film. It was unbelievably beautiful.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">One big warning: make sure you keep a box of Kleenex next to you as the story comes to a close. You’ll need ‘em.</span> </p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.mrspalfreythemovie.com/viewtrailer.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here for</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> the Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont movie trailer!</span></a></em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116622272744455909?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1166222039626485342006-12-15T14:32:00.000-08:002006-12-19T08:43:11.816-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/talladeganights/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Talladega Nights" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/705056/Talladega_Nights.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://planetwill.jt.org/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 138px" height="151" alt="Will Ferrell" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/645362/Will_Ferrell.jpg" width="106" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/contributors/bio.php?nick=adam-mckay&name=Adam%20McKay" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Adam McKay</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.askmen.com/men/entertainment_100/146_will_ferrell.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Will Ferrell</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="VERY HESITANT THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/606694/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>A VERY HESITANT THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Trying to review and rate a movie like this is tougher than most might think. There are those Will Ferrell fans out there that’ll eat up</span> <a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/talladeganights/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. Then there are those that’ll snub it as another foolish not-ready-for-prime-time-style spoof designed to engage our dumbed-down society. But there is a third reason someone might enjoy this rather ridiculous film.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Hopefully there are those movie goers out there that enjoy watching parodies of various lifestyles, and this is where Talladega Nights gets most of — if not all of — its comedic punch. That we witness a southern Nascar driver with all of his conservative leanings hanging out for everyone to see was absolutely hysterical. Ricky Bobby’s (</span><a href="http://planetwill.jt.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Will Ferrell</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) big house, multiple gas guzzling cars (Hummers, etc.), a wife who’s gauged on breast quality, and two kids named after a horrible action series ("These are my kids, Walker and Texas Ranger") are all over-exaggerations on conservative values; you wouldn’t dare see one of them driving a hybrid car, for instance.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The entrance of a homosexual Frenchman named Jean Girard (</span><a href="http://www.bullz-eye.com/entertainers/ali_g.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sacha Baron Cohen</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/11/borat.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Borat</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) adds an additional element in the American prejudice category, Ricky Bobby bashing Girard’s foreign heritage while making a fool of Americans’ naivete ("America gave the world Chinese food!")<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The challenge of Ricky Bobby to overcome his fear of driving after a horrendous crash is only minimalist humor added to the film. It is, at its core, a spoof on modern southern lifestyle and conservatism, and that is what makes the movie work.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/talladeganights/trailer/med.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Talladega Nights movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116622203962648534?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1165846108550993202006-12-11T06:08:00.000-08:002006-12-19T08:41:25.430-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0238803/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 101px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 131px" height="140" alt="Andre Benjamin" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/700122/Andr%3F%3F_Benjamin.jpg" width="101" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://idlewildmovie.net/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Idlewild" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/908257/Idlewild.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/filmography.html?p_id=421786" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Bryan Barber</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0238803/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">André Benjamin</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><p><br /></p><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/520990/thumbs-down.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS DOWN MUSICAL FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Not being a rapper fan, I can’t identify with those who have a love for</span> <a href="http://www.outkast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Outkast</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, the musicians responsible for the soundtrack (and much of the acting) in</span> <em><a href="http://idlewildmovie.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">IDLEWILD</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">. I do, however, occasionally enjoy rap-related films;</span> <em><a href="http://www.8-mile.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">8-Mile</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">was interesting, and</span> <em><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/04/hustle-flow.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Hustle & Flow</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">I rate as one of my favorite films of 2005. But the cohesiveness of music and story held those two together, while the mish-mash of modern sounds, modern dance moves, and modern lyrics, clashed with the prohibition era time-frame of <em>Idlewild</em>.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Although some of the music was toe-tappingly enjoyable, the blurring choreographed dances made the film very stilted. Rushing from movement to movement with no rhyme and very little reason, the dances held no appeal. The only plus was the very well designed sets and the excellent period costumes.<br /><br />The acting was also extremely sub-par when comparing <em>Idlewild</em> to other films of this genre (most notably</span> <em><a href="http://www.clubmoulinrouge.com/mr.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Moulin Rouge</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and</span> <em><a href="http://www.miramax.com/chicago/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Chicago</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">). Although these two films were more white-washed (i.e., had more Caucasians than black folks), their even-handedness when it came to telling the story through characters and their songs held truer. Part of Idlewild’s problem obviously had to do with the main character, Percival.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Percival is played by Outkast member</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0238803/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">André Benjamin</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><em><a href="http://www.fourbrothersmovie.com/home.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Four Brothers</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">). Although Benjamin is building his cinema repertoire, his acting skills often fall flat in Idlewild. His relationship with his father (legendary dance master</span> <a href="http://www.who2.com/benvereen.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ben Vereen</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is uninteresting and forced. Even his relationship with his best friend Rooster (</span><a href="http://www.purpleribbonallstars.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Big Boi</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, another Outkast singer) feels unnatural from beginning to end. And Percival’s love interest Angel (</span><a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/1468073" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Paula Patton</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <em><a href="http://dejavu.movies.go.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Deja Vu</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is believably drawn into their blossoming relationship, while Percival himself again seems detached and disinterested. I think this is proof positive that good rappers do not necessarily make good actors. The exception to the acting was – no surprise – </span><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/terrence_howard/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Terrence Howard</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> (<em>Hustle &amp; Flow</em>). Playing bad guy Trumpy, Howard oozed depravity in nearly every scene; a shining light surrounded by dreary performances. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">No musical film review would be complete without mention of the music itself, too. As stated at the beginning, I have no previous knowledge of Outkast or their musical style. In fact, I’d never even heard of them prior to watching this, so I come into it fresh and without a sense of connection to the artists. That said, I don’t think I could listen to Outkast too long without going a bit bonkers. Their style is too disjointed and swings about in a very A-D-D fashion. Maybe it’s a sign of the times. Or maybe I’m just getting too old for this style. But I hesitate to label myself as an old sour-puss. I enjoyed <em>Hustle &amp; Flow</em> so much that I bought the DVD and the soundtrack. Perhaps there is a bridge to be found between modern musicians and the aging baby-boomer like myself. Unfortunately, Idlewild ain’t it.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/idlewild/medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Idlewild movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116584610855099320?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1165846095445581982006-12-11T06:07:00.000-08:002006-12-19T08:46:55.260-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0911492/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Brother's Keeper" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/566985/Brother%27s_Keeper.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0911492/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 137px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 96px" height="104" alt="Delbert Ward (Bearded Man)" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/405572/Delbert_Ward.jpg" width="159" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://movies.ign.com/articles/529/529863p1.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0911492/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Delbert Ward</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="BIG THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/349124/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>BIG THUMBS UP DOCUMENTARY REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Making a myopic documentary can often be a death sentence. But delving into one community and one family can be done well if you don’t lose focus. And thankfully directors</span> <a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0427,sinagra,54833,20.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> (</span><em><a href="http://www.newvideo.com/productdetail.html?productid=NV-NVG-9744" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Paradise Lost</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;"> and</span> <em><a href="http://www.civilwarinteractive.com/10DaysAmericaRocks1.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">) inherently realized this and kept their cameras firmly in the faces of the Ward family and their surrounding New York community.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reeling from the alleged murder of 64-year-old Bill Ward by his brother Delbert, the Ward family and their neighbors circle their wagons in support of Delbert. From the get-go we’re aware of the Ward brothers’ minimal education and unhealthy lifestyle (their home is a stinking shack surrounded by a dairy farm). We’re also privy to the fact that Bill was not a well man. His illness is never fully explained, but one could easily surmise cancer as a cause. Initially the story seems bent toward a mercy killing; Delbert smothering brother Bill one night to "put him out of his misery." But then homosexual incest rears up (none of the Ward brothers were married), as does animosity between the brothers.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Delbert initially confesses to the murder, but without legal representation present and without apparent knowledge of his rights (a pretty big mistake from a legal standpoint). Delbert is arrested but quickly posts bail thanks to the rural community rallying to his side. No one can believe that Delbert killed Bill. Indeed, Delbert confesses his innocence and states that the only reason he admitted to killing Bill was because he wanted to "get back home."<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Receiving multiple nominations at film festivals across the globe in 1992,</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0911492/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">BROTHER’S KEEPER</span></em></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">holds quite the moral quagmire for viewers. Some will view Delbert’s confession as solid proof that he did it. Others may feel he was the victim of a legal system that is only interested in prosecuting the least of its citizens. Still others may believe Delbert to be guilty of a mercy killing and be happy at the outcome of the trial.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Regardless of ones legal or moral leanings, this story certainly is gripping in its honesty, showing both sides of the dilemma without flinching.</span> </p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><a href="http://videodetective.com/default.asp?frame=http://videodetective.com/home.asp?PublishedID=510285" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here for</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> the Brother's Keeper movie trailer!</span></a></em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116584609544558198?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1165599123234304202006-12-08T09:30:00.000-08:002006-12-11T05:47:39.520-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.jackmanslanding.com/news/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 144px" height="163" alt="Hugh Jackman" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/709973/hugh_jackman.jpg" width="104" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://thefountainmovie.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Fountain" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/340300/Fountain.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://aronofksy.tripod.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Darren Aronofsky</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.jackmanslanding.com/news/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Hugh Jackman</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="HUGE THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/856068/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>HUGE THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Okay all of you sci-fi geeks out there. It’s time to drag your spouse, girlfriend, or significant other out again. They’ll hem and haw about going to see "yet another" science fiction film with you, but this time redemption is at your feet.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://thefountainmovie.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE FOUNTAIN</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">is, for all intents and purposes, a love story built around an SF theme: immortality and the future. But there aren’t any magical conjurers or any time machines. The story is all too human, spanning eons as we witness the immortality of ...love. It may sound a bit offish to some SF fans, but don’t let it be. There are still amazing scenes shot using bizarre methods (micro-photography of petri dishes?) instead of the usual CGI, a remarkable coherency between the vast time scales, and some damn fine acting.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.jackmanslanding.com/news/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Hugh Jackman</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/05/x-men-last-stand.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>X-Men</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) stars as Tomas, a man in love with his queen (during the Spanish Inquisition), his terminally ill wife (present day), and the symbol of his wife’s immortality (in the distant future). Tomas’ queen/wife/symbol is none other than the amazing</span> <a href="http://www.rachel-weisz.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Rachel Weisz</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/01/constant-gardner.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE CONSTANT GARDNER</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) known throughout the film as Izzi. Tomas, in the earliest time of the Spanish Inquisition, is trying to save his beloved queen by finding the tree of life (something hinted at in many religions, including Christianity where Adam and Eve eat from the tree of knowledge causing God to yank away the tree of life and hide it).<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">We then jump to present day and find Doctor Tomas desperately searching for a cancer cure in order to save his wife, Izzi. Again, the tree of life plays a part as he and his research team uncover a strange piece of bark from a long forgotten tree. It’s healing properties are astounding, but will the cure come in time to save Izzi?</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The most distant time is that of Tomas on an existential journey through space with a tree as his only companion. Again, the tree of life, but this time the tree is appropriately a symbol of his wife.<br /><br />Weaving the conquistador past, with present day medicine, and an uncertain future, director</span> <a href="http://aronofksy.tripod.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Darren Aronofsky</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">has really given us a piece of poetry as art. This isn’t too surprising coming from Aronofsky, the same director of such mind-benders as</span> <a href="http://www.pithemovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>PI</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/requiem_for_a_dream/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>REQUIEM FOR A DREAM</em></span></a>. <span style="color:#ffffff;">Don’t expect a formulaic plot or for things to be spelled out. You know better than that if you’ve seen any of this director’s work. But that’s part of the big draw. You move along with the story rather than being forcibly dragged through it. It flows on its own ethereal plain, never stopping, never letting the viewers’ eyes rest. Each scene is shot to near perfection, using dark sets, lighted doorways, and golden globes to exquisite advantage.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">But it’s the love story between Izzi and Tomas that holds the entire movie together. Their dedication to one another is palpable, and when Izzi sits near death’s doorstep, you can feel Tomas’ overwhelming need to save her, his beloved for all time.<br /><br />So it’s time to haul your spouse/girlfriend/significant other kicking and screaming into the theater again. And they’ll love you for it later. Perhaps you might even "get lucky" after the film...</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/thefountain/trailer1/medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for The Fountain movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116559912323430420?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1165598370606222062006-12-08T09:18:00.000-08:002006-12-11T05:47:27.336-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.lookbothways.com.au/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Look Both Ways" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/469538/Look_both_ways.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://celebrities.skywalk.co.uk/Justine_Clarke.php" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 126px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 96px" height="123" alt="Justine Clarke" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/127510/Justine_Clarke.jpg" width="168" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/05/37/look_both_ways.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sarah Watt</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/justine_clarke/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Justine Clarke</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/283416/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP INDEPENDENT FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Death is a touchy subject to broach regardless of the medium in which you choose to expose it. It’s uncomfortable to even think about yet touches us all on many levels, and that is why</span> <a href="http://www.lookbothways.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>LOOK BOTH WAYS</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">succeeds.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Building on death in thought-provoking, sad, and often hilarious terms, <em>Look Both Ways</em> binds a small Australian community together after the death of a man upon the local railroad tracks. Meryl (</span><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/justine_clarke/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Justine Clarke</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://www.dannydeckchairmovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>DANNY DECKCHAIR</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) witnesses the horrible event and summons the authorities. The local media shows up, including photojournalist Nick (</span><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2005/s1394589.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">William McInnes</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448564/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>IRRESISTIBLE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) who’s just been diagnosed with a rapidly spreading cancer. Also on the scene is Nick’s newspaper partner Andy (</span><a href="http://www.tv.com/anthony-hayes/person/13488/summary.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Anthony Hayes</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.ned-kelly.com/index.php" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>NED KELLY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">)</span><span style="color:#ffffff;"> and eventually the deceased’s wife Julia (</span><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/daniela_farinacci/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Daniella Farinacci</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0456048/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>BROTHERS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">).</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Meryl sees the event as just another death, something that fill her thoughts and her paintings on a daily basis. Her vivid imagination surrounding death is illustrated (literally) via laughingly silly animated sequences that are sure to tickle your dark funny bone. Photojournalist Nick sees himself on the railroad tracks, having just received a medical death sentence of metastatic testicular cancer. Newspaper writer Andy battles to understand life and death while struggling to be a good father to his divorced children, and the discovery that his new girlfriend is pregnant with an unwanted child. Widow Julia tries to understand the seemingly meaninglessness of her husband’s death as flowers flow into her home and she’s forced to come to grips with such a</span> <span style="color:#ffffff;">sudden loss.<br /><br />Where <em>Look Both Ways</em> excels is in its delivery. Each person views death under their own unique umbrella, but are bound together by this one tragic event. Meryl and Nick become oddball lovers during a one night stand, while newsman Andy tries to sort through his chaotic and merciless lifestyle. Widow Julia and the engineer who was driving the train are two of the more interesting cases within the story, as they have no speaking parts until the very end, but are given ample screen time which speaks volumes on its own.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The message of the flick is simple but not forced: look at death both ways. See it as a necessity but don’t dwell on it. There is hope and fear within it, operating not at opposite ends of the spectrum, but as a gauge on how to live life without death looming ever present on one’s mind.<br /><br />Meryl, the one who the film is mostly about, learns this lesson the hard way, coming to terms with her own fate, and that of Nick who’s cancerous life is destined to plow into hers with the force of a padded sledgehammer.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/lookbothways/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Look Both Ways movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116559837060622206?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1165511325331594082006-12-07T09:08:00.000-08:002006-12-11T05:47:14.056-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.warnervideo.com/greenstreethooligans/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Green Street Hooligans" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/334842/GreenStreetHooligans.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.elijah-wood.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 99px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 118px" height="132" alt="Elijah Wood" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/459419/Elijah_Wood.jpg" width="99" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.efilmcritic.com/feature.php?feature=1349" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Lexi Alexander</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring </span><a href="http://www.elijah-wood.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Elijah Wood</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="VERY HESITANT THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/24868/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>A VERY HESITANT THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Violence for the sake of violence is probably one of the most unappealing things most people can think of. But other forms of violence are often just as suspect. To war over ones religious beliefs, cultural differences, or natural resources is just as insidious. So try to imagine fighting over ...nothing. Well, maybe not nothing. Perhaps your pride was at stake. Is that worth beating your fellow man over the head with a blunt object? This will be the toughest thing to understand when watching</span> <em><a href="http://www.warnervideo.com/greenstreethooligans/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">GREEN STREET HOOLIGANS</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Matt Buckner (</span><a href="http://www.elijah-wood.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Elijah Wood</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/08/lord-of-rings-fellowship-of-ring-2001.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>LORD OF THE RINGS</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">series) just got kicked out of Harvard. He was only two months shy of graduating with a degree in journalism when drugs were found in his university apartment. But Matt shared the place with another roommate who’d been hiding his drugs within Matt’s closet. And this roommate belongs to a powerful family (the Van Holden’s). His roommate promises to give Matt a job if he just holds out for a little while. So Matt, being a bit of a scrawny weakling, accepts his disgrace and leaves Harvard (it should also be noted that Matt had little chance of beating the wrap even if he notified the appropriate authorities because of how powerful the Van Holden’s were).</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Matt flees to his sister’s house in England where he tries to hide his shame from his journalist father, too. And an accidental run-in with a football (don’t call it soccer!) fanatic will alter Matt’s life forever. Pete Dunham (</span><a href="http://www.celebopedia.com/hunnam/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Charlie Hunnam</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.nicholasnickleby.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>NICHOLAS NICKLEBY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is this football fan who heads a group of hooligans on Green Street. They have what they call "A Firm" which, in reality, is nothing more than a gang of thugs parading around as local football devotees. When games are played at home or on another team’s turf, the Green Street Hooligans are there, mocking the opposing team’s "Firm", thus igniting bloody-fisted brawls. The winner of said brawls receives pride points as word of their successes spread from Firm to Firm. Matt becomes one of the Green Street gang and learns to strengthen his knuckles as well as his pride. As the blood spews (and there’s crimson-o-plenty), Matt falls deeper and deeper under violence’s spell.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">It takes a bitter fight to free Matt from the Hooligans’ clutches, and he heads back to America where he finally confronts his old Harvard roommate with the drug problem. But now Matt isn’t afraid. His mind is sharp and his fists scarred. His hallelujah moment arrives just as expected.<br /><br />Although predictable too, the ending is a righteous event. Elijah Wood pulls in an excellent performance as a completely believable wuss who eventually turns his life around via questionable tactics. This is what gives the film its positive rating, too.<br /><br />The tough pill to swallow is the extreme violence that gushes across the screen and the all important "why". Why do they fight like this over seemingly nothing? Part of it is a sense of belonging. To anything. Even if that "anything" is beating on someone’s face whom you know nothing about.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The reality is that there <strong><em>are</em></strong> things like this out there (just read the newspapers about football fans brawling in parking lots, or little league parents beating up umpires for bad calls), which is why you’ll see positive reviews of <em>Green Street Hooligans</em>. But that doesn’t make this any less a sad statement. But a statement isn’t why we’re here. We’re here to see if the film was entertaining, and it most certainly was. But separating the message from the entertainment may be too difficult for some viewers.</span> </p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/green_street_hooligans.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> for the Green Street Hooligans movie trailer!</span></a></em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116551132533159408?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1165274206950495222006-12-04T15:16:00.000-08:002006-12-11T05:46:58.230-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://vin.strange-emotions.org/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 119px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 138px" height="144" alt="Vin Diesel" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/777879/vin_diesel.jpg" width="126" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.findmeguilty.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Find Me Guilty" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/6222/Find_Me_Guilty.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.filmbug.com/db/974" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sidney Lumet</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://vin.strange-emotions.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Vin Diesel</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/801591/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><em><a href="http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Sopranos</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span> <a href="http://www.chasingthefrog.com/reelfaces/goodfellas.php" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">Goodfellas</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span> <a href="http://www.godfatherfilms.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>The Godfather</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112641/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">Casino</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. American cinema and television is rife with stories about the mafia. But most times these productions focus on what happens as the families war with one another or deal with the imprisonment of their closest members. Rarely do we get to see what happens in between these two; that is to say, the courtroom drama. This is probably due to the fact that courtroom films can be rather boring and confined. There are exceptions (</span><em><a href="http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1266134" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">My Cousin Vinnie</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">being the penultimate one), but rarely can these stories be wildly entertaining. Their basis for success is in finding an actor who can carry the story. An actor with a serious set of chops who’s not afraid to bury themselves in a part. Someone like</span> <a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/alpacino.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Al Pacino</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">perhaps.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">One thing that should draw your attention to</span> <a href="http://www.findmeguilty.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>FIND ME GUILTY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> is that it’s directed by none other than</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001486/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sidney Lumet</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, someone who’s given us such gems as</span> <a href="http://velvet_peach.tripod.com/fpacdogdayafternoon.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Dog Day Afternoon</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/serpico/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Serpico</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(both of them being outstanding Pacino flicks). Although Lumet was unable to retain Pacino for <em>Find Me Guilty</em>, he did find someone most might find rather unconventional:</span> <a href="http://vin.strange-emotions.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Vin Diesel</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. Vin has, in the recent past, been Mr. Action. His career is full of roles such as </span><em><a href="http://movies.about.com/od/xxx/XXX_2002.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">xXx</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and</span> <a href="http://www.thefastandthefurious.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>The Fast and The Furious</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and the cultishly popular sci-fi movie,</span> <a href="http://www.pitchblack.com/blackbox/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Pitch Black</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. Before these action-o-rama movies, though, Mr. Diesel was trying to build himself into a serious actor. Some viewers might remember his role as Private Caparzo in</span> <em><a href="http://www.rzm.com/pvt.ryan/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Saving Private Ryan</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">. His gruff but caring character in that movie was cut short thanks to his sympathy for a French family and their daughter. Remember that? If you do, you might think that Vin Diesel probably has more beneath that bulky exterior than just a tough guy wielding fast cars or Riddick-style speed. And director Sidney Lumet saw that potential.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Vin Diesel has cemented his role as a quality actor with <em>Find Me Guilty</em>. His portrayal of Jackie DiNorscio, a "family" fall-guy, is vivid, funny, and heartbreaking. Based on the true story of the longest and most costliest mob trial ever (lasting nearly two years and with more than 20 attorneys), the courtroom scripts were incorporated into the film with razor sharp precision. The big plug for the film is that it shows Jackie’s refusal to have an attorney defend him, so he defends himself (note: Jackie has a sixth grade education). Disrupting normal courtroom procedures, Jackie often has the chambers and the jury laughing hysterically at his anti-attorney antics. Judge Finestein (</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0798779/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ron Silver</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.nbc.com/The_West_Wing/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE WEST WING TV series</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) has to constantly reign in Jackie for fear of having the proceedings fall into disarray. Attorneys for both the prosecution <em>and</em> the defense continually wonder if he’s helping one side versus hurting it; they just can’t tell.<br /><br />That we care about someone we probably shouldn’t be (these families deal in hardcore drugs, the sex trade, and extortion) is a credit to screenwriters Lumet and</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/1120219" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">T.J. Mancini</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. Similar in scope to </span><em><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/09/thank-you-for-smoking.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Thank You For Smoking</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(i.e., cheering on the "bad guy"), this movie’s message is also intriguing in a very human way. We shouldn’t be hoping for a not guilty verdict, but there we are, doing exactly that. This is, as previously mentioned, in no small part thanks to Vin Diesel’s awesome performance.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">A noteworthy leap forward for Mr. Diesel’s career, his morally perplexing character portrayal will have audiences laughing, thinking and, in the end, grudgingly cheering.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/findmeguilty/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Find Me Guilty movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116527420695049522?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1164928709550583752006-11-30T15:18:00.000-08:002006-12-04T16:20:19.336-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.thepuffychairmovie.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Puffy Chair" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/617583/Puffy_Chair.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.indiewire.com/people/2005/11/ten_months_afte.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 99px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 147px" height="154" alt="Mark Duplass" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/301150/Mark_Duplass.jpg" width="99" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.combustiblecelluloid.com/interviews/duplass.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jay Duplass</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.indiewire.com/people/2005/11/ten_months_afte.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Mark Duplass</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><p><br /><br /></p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/956307/thumbs-down.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS DOWN INDEPENDENT FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">When </span><a href="http://www.thepuffychairmovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE PUFFY CHAIR</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">beckons, beware of its soft, colorful upholstery.<br /><br />The movie starts out quite well. Josh (</span><a href="http://www.indiewire.com/people/2005/11/ten_months_afte.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Mark Duplass</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and Emily (</span><a href="http://www.photorazzi.com/store/category.cgi?category=search&query=%5Ephotowizard.sql&amp;q2=Kathryn%20Aselton" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kathryn Aselton</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) are a boyfriend-girlfriend couple having a bit of a tough time with their relationship. An argument occurs one night and in order to make up, Josh asks Emily to come along on a roadtrip to his father’s house where Josh plans to deliver a purplish LazyBoy recliner for his dad’s birthday. Emily accepts and along the way they pick up Josh’s flighty brother Rhett (</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0430150/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Rhett Wilkins</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), an Amish-looking fellow more in touch with other peoples’ lives than his own.<br /><br />The roadtrip quickly devolves into more squabbling between Josh and Emily, as well as a bitter feeling for <em>The Puffy Chair</em> (it is initially very grubby and falling apart until Josh "convinces" the original owner to refurbish it). Rhett quickly ascertains that the cause of all of Emily and Josh’s problems is the LazyBoy and sets it to the torch one night ...<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">And that’s the last we hear of the chair, even though there are many minutes left in the film.<br /><br />The big issue is that the title of the film is <em>The Puffy Chair</em>, when it isn’t the chair at all that takes center-stage. It is Josh and Emily’s doomed relationship and how the roadtrip seals their feelings for one another. Once the chair is destroyed, there’s never another mention of it, even though they arrive at Josh’s parents place on his father’s birthday without a gift. Josh never mentions the chair, nor does his father. There’s no connection between it and the lives of these people. So why call the movie <em>The Puffy Chair</em> and why isn’t there a tie-in with it at the end? Bad script.<br /><br />The other annoying thing is that Mark Duplass’ brother,</span> <a href="http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc&id=1808644417&amp;cf=gen" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jay Duplass</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, is not only the director but also the cameraman (and not a very good one). Nearly every scene has a rapid zoom-in on the characters that goes grainy and out of focus before the camera’s autofocus catches up and rights itself. Initially this took on a quaint and artistic feel, but rapidly became unbearable.<br /><br />The acting in the film is accessible and entertaining. All of the actors/actresses did fine jobs. But the poor production quality, stilted ending, and lack of coherency to the title caused this flick too many problems.</span><br /> <br /><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/thepuffychair/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for The Puffy Chair movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116492870955058375?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1164905447178696282006-11-30T08:49:00.000-08:002006-12-04T16:04:06.290-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.sentinelthemovie.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Sentinel" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/508379/Sentinel.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.askmen.com/men/entertainment_150/158_michael_douglas.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" height="123" alt="Michael Douglas" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/747189/Michael_Douglas.jpg" width="99" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/clark_johnson/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Clark Johnson</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.askmen.com/men/entertainment_150/158_michael_douglas.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michael Douglas</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/14784/thumbs-down.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Trying to conceive of something as insipid as</span> <a href="http://www.sentinelthemovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE SENTINEL</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">would be pretty difficult. The problems are many. The result is terrible and loaded with plot holes.<br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.askmen.com/men/entertainment_150/158_michael_douglas.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michael Douglas</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103772/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>BASIC INSTINCT</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) stars as Pete Garrison, a Secret Service agent who "took one" for Reagan during the attempt on his life. Years later we find Pete assigned to the Whitehouse Family, mainly as a guard for the First Lady (</span><a href="http://www.askmen.com/women/actress/37_kim_basinger.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kim Basinger</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/movie/1997_L.A._Confidential.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>L.A. CONFIDENTIAL</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). Troubles arise as we see Pete’s close involvement with the First Lady, and a sudden threat against the President himself (</span><a href="http://www.speakingofstories.org/Performer%20bios/david_rasche.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">David Rasche</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/09/united-93.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>UNITED 93</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). When Pete fails a polygraph test, he’s singled out as a disgruntled agent by investigator David Breckinridge (</span><a href="http://www.kiefer-rocks.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kiefer Sutherland</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/03/24-season-one-tv-series.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>24 TV series</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">).<br /><br />As the presidential assassination plot unfolds, Pete finds himself on the run from his own people. His only confidant is the First Lady, and she’s reluctant to tell anyone about their affections for one another (which is why Pete failed the polygraph in the first place). But is Pete really innocent? Or is he simply trying to buy time until he can kill the President? If he is innocent, how can he help prevent the assassination attempt while running from the Secret Service?</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The one, big, overwhelming problem with this film is that there’s no justification for the reason behind the presidential threat. Isn’t that what the movie’s supposed to be about? One would think so! But the audience is never let in on why the assassin(s) want to kill the Prez. Hmm. Someone forget to put that in the script somewhere?<br /><br />And what’s with David Breckinridge’s (Kiefer’s) new partner, Jill Marin (</span><a href="http://www.starpulse.com/Actresses/Longoria,_Eva/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Eva Longoria</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.maverickentertainment.cc/filmdetail.php?ProductID=113" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>CARLITA’S SECRET</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">)? Seems that she was put in the film strictly as a piece of ass-candy. What was her purpose again? Did she do anything other than look nice in tight pants and a low-cut blouse?<br /><br />There are so many problems with the basic premise of <em>The Sentinel</em> as to be laughable. The action is too easily stymied by the "What the...?" responses sure to be uttered by those unfortunate enough to watch the movie.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/thesentinel/trailer_medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for The Sentinel movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116490544717869628?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1164820118570501932006-11-29T09:08:00.000-08:002006-12-04T16:03:51.780-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.climatecrisis.net/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="An Inconvenient Truth" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/375139/Inconvenient_Truth.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.algore04.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 136px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 98px" height="101" alt="Al Gore" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/970197/Al_Gore.jpg" width="130" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/davis_guggenheim/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Davis Guggenheim</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.algore04.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Al Gore</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span> </a><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="BIG THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/717690/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>BIG THUMBS UP DOCUMENTARY REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Most Americans have heard of "that Al Gore documentary." Well here it is, AN</span> <a href="http://www.climatecrisis.net/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">INCONVENIENT TRUTH</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">If you’ve followed U.S. politics at all over the past 20 years, you know that</span> <a href="http://www.algore04.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Al Gore</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">is the environmental poster-boy thanks to his take on global warming and other green issues. It wouldn’t be difficult to surmise that his presidential run may have been hamstrung by this very topic. Big Business doesn’t usually sit in the environmentally friendly arena, and Big Business most certainly contributes (via backdoors) to candidates financial checking accounts.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">For better or worse, Al Gore lost his presidential bid. The "better" aspect is that Al was then free to do whatever he liked with his life. He wouldn’t be in the spotlight or battling legislators. So what did he do? He went back to his roots.<br /><br /><em>An Inconvenient Truth</em>, a lecture/slide-show Gore has probably given hundreds of times, would otherwise be pushed aside by politicians as an attack on industry if it were done by anyone else. But Gore’s been on the inside. His science is strong and his data backed by nearly every scientist on the planet (note the word "nearly", as some simply do not agree, but the overwhelming majority – 90% or higher – do). This is an important fact, as scientists follow data, not personal beliefs or the <em>S&amp;P 500</em>.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The entire documentary is about global warming and how amazingly ignorant or apathetic the world has become because of our reliance on outdated technology, our increasing population, and our refusal to change. The outdated technology is mostly about automobiles, since they produce the most greenhouse gas emissions. The fact that the world’s population has gotten out of control can be seen simply by looking at various countries’ census reports and then comparing them to agricultural and water needs. Our refusal to change is focused on throughout the film thanks to our reliance on oil, coal, and other non-replenishables.<br /><br />Al Gore has to be commended for doing such a great job on this documentary. He is the center of it, but he so effortlessly takes the focus off of himself and puts it on these hot-button topics that it’s easy to forget we’re learning material from a former vice-president. That was truly astonishing.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Gore’s passion for the global warming issues are admirable and most will probably be thankful that he’s out there pushing this topic, trying to bend the ear of every person he possibly can. Make no doubt about it, he’s making money off this project, too. But viewers would probably rather see someone as important as Gore making money this way rather than working for <em>Enron</em> or <em>Exxon/Mobil</em>.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount_classics/aninconvenienttruth/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for An Inconvenient Truth movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116482011857050193?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1164820085775172522006-11-29T09:07:00.000-08:002006-12-04T16:03:38.673-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.aquamarinemovie.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Aquamarine" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/767235/aquamarine.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.emmaroberts.net/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 115px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 138px" height="142" alt="Emma Roberts" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/83997/Emma_Roberts.jpg" width="115" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/1713361" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Elizabeth Allen</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.emmaroberts.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Emma Roberts</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span> </a><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="SURPRISING THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/92760/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>A SURPRISING THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><a href="http://www.aquamarinemovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>AQUAMARINE</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">certainly won’t help you sprout any new brain cells, but it will entertain and is very appropriate for tweens.<br /><br />The story of friendship between young girls has been done ad nauseam. But this time a half-fish, half-human gets thrown into the mix. Aquamarine (</span><a href="http://www.sarapaxton.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sara Paxton</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.tv.com/summerland/show/20542/summary.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">SUMMERLAND TV series</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), gets heaved from the ocean after an argument with her father (we can easily assume that her dad is Neptune or some such god). She lands one stormy night in the swimming pool near the beach. The following evening best friends Claire (</span><a href="http://www.emmaroberts.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Emma Roberts</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.keypics.com/spymate/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SPYMATE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and Hailey (</span><a href="http://jojo-online.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Joanna ‘Jo Jo’ Levesque</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/10/rv.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>RV</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) discover Aquamarine and immediately befriend the mermaid. Crazy antics happen as Aqua learns to walk for the first time, tries to get Raymond (</span><a href="http://www.celebopedia.com/jake-mcdorman/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jake McDorman</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.echoesofinnocence.com/default.cfm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>ECHOES OF INNOCENCE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) — the local lifeguard stud — to fall in love with her in hopes that she won’t have to return to the ocean and marry some merman she doesn’t care for, and teaches the best friends what true friendship, and growing up, is all about.<br /><br />The open-faced innocence of the movie is the biggest draw. Clair (Roberts) and Hailey (Levesque) know nothing of sex, drugs, alcohol, or other teenage hazards. They live in a safe bubble that is barely held together by the idyllic community in which we find them. And, strangely enough, that is a pretty big plus for the film. Its minimally challenging plot harkens back to times when kids didn’t have giant obstacles to overcome and just had to be ...kids.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">But the production still has some inventive and modern moments. "Shellphones" are pretty cool, as are the tiny starfish that can be worn as earrings (not to mention the fact that the starfish speak in your ears and compliment the wearer).<br /><br />This is as safe a movie as parents will find out there in the ever increasing minefield of questionable teen films. It won’t push any boundaries for their kids, but aren’t they being pushed enough already?</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/aquamarine/trailer-medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Aquamarine movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116482008577517252?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1164407193795901662006-11-24T14:25:00.000-08:002006-11-28T05:53:27.056-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/casinoroyale/site/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Casino Royale" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/858487/Casino_Royale.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/daniel_craig_biog.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 108px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 146px" height="152" alt="Daniel Craig" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/356182/Daniel_Craig.jpg" width="108" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/martin_campbell/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Martin Campbell</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/daniel_craig_biog.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Daniel Craig</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /></div><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="BIG THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/925802/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>BIG THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">How did James Bond become a "00" agent? What makes him so good at his job and so distant to the beautiful women he often encounters? Wrap your mind around those questions and then go and see</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/martin_campbell/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">director Martin Campbell’s</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">latest Bond flick,</span> <a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/casinoroyale/site/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>CASINO ROYALE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. That someone could pull off such a fantastic film whilst giving us the Bond-background is something of a marvel. Leave aside (for the moment) that</span> <a href="http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/daniel_craig_biog.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Daniel Craig</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">isn’t as debonair as previous Bonds, and you just may enjoy <em>Casino Royale</em> on a level never before seen.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">It’s simply a fact that Craig isn’t the dashing, clean-cut, and uppity Bond audiences have come to expect. He’s rougher, tougher, and a bit naive. He loves instead of lusts. He learns to kill with a conscious (in the beginning), but still delivers pithy lines ("That last hand nearly killed me.")<br /><br />The question of James Bond’s beginnings have always been in question and <em>Casino Royale</em> gives them to us while also delivering the action, a few gadgets, a kick-butt automobile, and the curvaceous women we expect.<br /><br />Director Martin Campbell first cut his teeth on a Bond film with</span> <a href="http://www.goldeneye.com/julian/main.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">GOLDEN EYE</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> in 1995, so he knows the lay of the land. He also went on to direct the stylish</span> <a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/movie/1998_Mask_of_Zorro.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE MASK OF ZORRO</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">in 1998. From there his repertoire stammers with several duds, but came back in fine fashion with this year’s <em>Casino Royale</em>.<br /><br />From the opening credits with its flashy and somewhat retro poker card graphics, to the black-and-white film stock beginning, audiences immediately realize they’re in for something special. We quickly watch Bond make his first two kills, granting him access to his 007 status. Then we get to see him nearly ruin his career by causing an international crisis. From here he’s sent on hiatus by M (</span><a href="http://www.djdchronology.com/djdmainpage.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Judi Dench</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/05/mrs-henderson-presents.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) to get his head together. But of course Bond never lets go of an assignment until it’s finished. Continuing his international crisis across borders, he travels to a tropical island where he meets up with terrorists who are trying to advance their causes by selling bomb-making material. He meets up with one of the racketeers’ wives in true Bond fashion. But the British Secret Service have their eyes on him and quickly find out what he’s up to. They are forced to go along with Bond’s plans to enter into a high-stakes poker game with the evil Le Chiffre (</span><a href="http://www.askmen.com/men/celeb_profiles_entertainment/26_mads_mikkelsen.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Mads Mikkelsen</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/008189.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>EXIT</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a facially scarred and blood weeping villain who recently lost a ton of money because of Bond’s interference in his "business". If Le Chiffre wins the $120 million game, he’ll have enough money to get back into supporting bombers and bomb-makers.<br /><br />Bond also happens to be The Service’s best card player, but he has to convince the penny pinchers of the British government that he’s got a good chance of winning or they’ll refuse to back him (if Bond loses the British will, in effect, be sponsoring terrorism). Enter Vesper Lynd (</span><a href="http://www.evagreenweb.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Eva Green</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/01/kingdom-of-heaven.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>KINGDOM OF HEAVEN</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a government finance agent who agrees to give James Bond the money to enter the tournament. As the cards fall, so does Bond’s chances. As all appears hopeless, Bond wins the tournament, thus crushing Le Chiffre’s chances at re-entering terrorist haven, and threatening his very existence because he’s lost all of his financing given to him by the dark forces of the world (they’ll obviously want their money back at some point and now Le Chiffre is broke). Obviously Le Chiffre is none to happy about Bond winning and kidnaps him and Vesper.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">By now Bond has grown very fond of Vesper and they form a relationship unheard of in terms of Bondom. He confesses his love for her and eventually (after a dizzying and testicularly funny escape from the clutches of death), agrees to leave the Queen’s Service in order to live a life of love and happiness with her. But all Bond fans know this cannot be. A sense of terrible foreboding grips the film as Bond learns the true nature of Vesper.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">It’s wonderful to see how all of this effects James Bond and how it coalesces to help form the</span> <a href="http://www.ianflemingcentre.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ian Fleming</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">character we’ve all grown up with. Vesper, through Bond’s love of her and her betrayal of him, helps turn James into the tough-loving, womanizer we all know. This betrayal also lets us see why James Bond doesn’t trust anyone and prefers to work solo.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">So Daniel Craig being a bit rougher around the edges in appearance actually fit the script nicely. He <strong><em>is </em></strong>rougher. He <strong><em>is</em></strong> tougher. And he <strong><em>is</em></strong> the precursor to the Bond we’ve come to enjoy.<br /><br />(Note: Caution to all those who get this when it comes out on DVD. There is another comedy film entitled</span> <a href="http://www.klast.net/bond/cr67.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>CASINO ROYALE</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">starring </span><a href="http://www.david-niven.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">David Niven</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, so make sure you’re aware of which is which.)</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/casinoroyale/trailer1a/medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Casino Royale movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116440719379590166?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1164406920899999372006-11-24T14:20:00.000-08:002006-11-28T05:55:50.506-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.bubblethefilm.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Bubble" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/462100/Bubble.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/debbie_doebereiner/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 142px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 103px" height="109" alt="Debbie Doebereiner" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/939432/Debbie_Doebereiner.jpg" width="142" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.stevensoderbergh.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Steven Soderbergh</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/debbie_doebereiner/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Debbie Doebereiner</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><p align="center"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/277668/thumbs-down.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Director/Producer</span> <a href="http://www.stevensoderbergh.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Steven Soderbergh</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">has given us some great cinema. From</span> <a href="http://www.erinbrockovich.com/flasher.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">ERIN BROCKOVICH</span></em></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">to</span> <a href="http://wip.warnerbros.com/ascannerdarkly/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>A SCANNER DARKLY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, he’s been involved in some of the best productions to come out of Hollywood for a little over a decade.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Having heard a few upbeat comments about</span> <a href="http://www.bubblethefilm.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>BUBBLE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, one might be tempted to check out Soderbergh’s attempt at low-budget filming using no-name actors, a HD camera (not 35mm), and a very short run-time (73 minutes). </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Many struggling directors/producers first got into film making via the independent market. Now there seems to be a reversal in where successful directors/producers are looking toward independent cinema to get movies out that are otherwise overlooked by MGM, Paramount, and the other big boys in the industry. There must be a lot of films that never get greenlighted for production. Surely some of them would make excellent movies. And some of them are bypassed for <strong><em>very</em></strong> good reasons. <em>Bubble</em> falls into the latter category.<br /><br />Grass growing. Tepid. Slow. Bland. We’ve all heard these cliches applied to films and they apply in full measure to <em>Bubble</em>.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">One of the biggest problem is that the film is poorly acted. In fact,</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/debbie_doebereiner/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Debbie Doebereiner</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/dustin_james_ashley/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Dustin Ashley</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2011422/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Misty Wilkins</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">— the three main actors — have never taken an acting lesson in their lives. Debbie (who plays Martha) was a regional manager for Kentucky Fried Chicken for 24 years, Dustin (Kyle) was a high school dropout with psychological issues, and Misty (Rose) was a hairstylist. One might think that by hiring no-names the film would take on a sense of authenticity, especially since it was shot in a small mid-western community. Not so. Line delivery is unemotional and flat, as are the scripted characters and the incredibly boring town. This isn’t a bashing of the people chosen to "act" in this film, as they were obviously ill-prepared for their movie debut. Blame can be squarely placed on the shoulders of whoever cast the film.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The story is supposed to be aptly pulled from the title, <em>Bubble</em>. A bubble is an enclosure surrounded by a tenuous membrane that can easily be popped. Martha (Doebereiner) and Kyle (Dustin) work in a doll making factory and are "best friends" according to Martha. Kyle doesn’t seem to hold the same attitude but tolerates Martha because she gives him rides to and from work. As a big order for the doll factory comes in, the company hires an attractive new employee named Rose (Misty). A spark of a relationship is seen between Kyle and Rose. Martha is obviously not pleased. This twisted love triangle quickly goes awry as Rose’s strangled body is found in her home (Pop! goes the bubble). But did Martha do it?</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">This is all pretty common ground that’s been covered in films for decades. In order to pull off something this well-used one would think that the script might throw us a curve, or perhaps play the characters off one another in a stranger fashion. Again, not so. You’ve got a scoop of vanilla with no sprinkles on top.<br /><br />Bad script, bad acting, bad location. Just ...bad.</span> <br /><br /><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/magnolia/bubble/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Bubble movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116440692089999937?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1164156499820307012006-11-21T16:46:00.000-08:002006-11-28T05:52:58.123-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://execprivilege.tripod.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 116px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 142px" height="142" alt="Martin Sheen" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/martin-sheen.jpg" width="124" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Who Killed the Electric Car?" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Electric_car.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/radio/2006/07/paine_bio.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Chris Paine</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://execprivilege.tripod.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Martin Sheen</span><span style="color:#cc6600;"> </span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">(narrator)</span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /></div><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="BIG THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>BIG THUMBS UP DOCUMENTARY REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Whether you’re "green" or "industry", a smoker or an asthmatic, rich or poor,</span> <a href="http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> is a great look at corporate greed and consumer apathy in the United States.<br /><br />Similar in its documentary tone to</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/02/enron-smartest-guys-in-room.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, <em>Who Killed The Electric Car</em> delves into General Motors’ production of the infamous EV1, the company’s first mainline electric car. Initially built in 1996, the EV1 was the epitome of what an electric car should be. It had power (0-60 mph in 3-4 seconds), could travel around 80 miles on a charge, and was relatively affordable. But as soon as the EV1 made its appearance, GM decided to snuff the project by hamstringing it wherever possible. Few (if any) TV ads made it to prime-time. An extremely limited number were produced (under 1,000). Consumers were unaware of their existence. GM obviously couldn’t have cared less. All of the EV1s were leased, and once their lease option date came due, GM recollected them and scrapped every last vehicle.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The big question is "why?" The answers vary as much as any industry-wide controversy. Fingers are pointed at GM itself for its greed/need to turn profits quickly and in large proportions. Legal entanglements with the air quality board in California are also hit upon as the Zero Emission Mandate comes under attack by GM, Chrysler, and Ford. Consumer apathy is a big issue, too. Not until gas prices rose above $2.00 per gallon did most consumers ever consider buying hybrids or electrics. Of course, we also have the Federal government which has done absolutely nothing in terms of aiding air quality within the U.S. Being bound tightly to oil tycoons and lobbyists continues to pay a staggering toll on healthcare (respiratory diseases are spiraling out of control as smog alerts plague cities like L.A.).<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The film begins and ends with a mock funeral, an electric car funeral. Movie stars </span><a href="http://www.alexandrapaul.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Alexandra Paul</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.baywatch.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>BAYWATCH</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">),</span> <a href="http://www.jkarenthomas.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">J. Karen Thomas</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301339/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">GENTLE BEN</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), and several other Hollywood types attended the ceremonies, giving a bit of press to an event that otherwise would’ve gone almost completely unnoticed. An unfortunately pathetic statement.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">But there is hope. The end of the film shows us the emergence of new battery technologies that will allow electric’s to travel further on a single charge. That Toyota’s Prius hybrid has over 150,000 cars on the road is an excellent trend. Now we just need to hope that gas prices continue to rise. If they do, oil companies will destroy themselves via their own greed. People <em><strong>will </strong></em>switch to alternative fuel cars if crude prices continue their ascent. Hit Americans in their pocketbooks and you’re guaranteed to get backlash.<br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony/whokilledtheelectriccar/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Who Killed the Electric Car? movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116415649982030701?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1164151291794551702006-11-21T15:20:00.000-08:002006-11-28T05:51:17.546-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.treadawaybrothers.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 99px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px" height="160" alt="Harry & Luke Treadaway" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/990209/Harry_Luke_Treadaway.jpg" width="103" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://brothersofthehead.com/splash" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Brothers of the Head" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/505117/BrothersHead.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.moviehabit.com/essays/fulton_pepe_02.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Keith Fulton & Louis Pepe</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.treadawaybrothers.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Harry &amp; Luke Treadaway</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3010/1763/200/111513/righton_logo_big.jpg" border="0" /></div><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP MOCKUMENTARY FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Deceiving audiences is risky business when it comes to films. You don’t want to anger the watchers by pulling the wool over their eyes in an effort to show how naive they are. But if you do it right, and entertain them without this intent, you can pull magic out of a hat.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://brothersofthehead.com/splash" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>BROTHERS OF THE HEAD</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> (an</span> <a href="http://www.ifccenter.com/index" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">IFC film</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is a slice of fiction shot in documentary format. It is done so convincingly (including interviews with the author of the actual novel, Brian Wilson Aldiss) that if someone wasn’t aware of the film’s machinations, they could easily be fooled. Although the characters and situations are completely fictitious, the era and locations and industry it portrays certainly are not.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The basic premise is that of exploitation for money and fame. Some people have no morals and will do anything to make dollars, including putting conjoined twins up on a music stage in an effort to expose the strange and bizarre; a circus act of music. The young boys’ names are Tom and Harry Howe (real life twin brothers</span> <a href="http://www.treadawaybrothers.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Harry and Luke Treadaway</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). Their mother having died at birth, the boys are swept into isolation by their protective father and their older sister. But reality sinks in as the father realizes the boys must earn a viable living somehow. When an unscrupulous entertainment guru approaches the father with a significant contract offer, the father jumps on it and the boys are sent away and taught to sing and play guitar.<br /><br />The British punk-rock movement of the early 70s is in full swing and the Howe brothers melt into it like heroin on a hot spoon. Their odd Siamese connection is exploited to the max, and audiences (particularly young women) fawn over the unusual pair.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Interviews with lovers, managers, supposed friends, and even the fake documentary maker are driven home with painful results. The boys are seen initially as creatures, but soon they are transformed into stars. Drugs, sex, smoking, alcohol, all become part of their daily existence as they sink further and further into a world they were never prepared for.<br /><br />The mockumentary utilizes flashbacks to great advantage, showing "the head" (the location where the boys grew up) in increasingly muted and shadowed tones. It’s also noteworthy to mention that "the head" has two distinct definitions: the first being their birthplace, and the second being a fetal head growing out of Barry’s shoulder. This second head is only touched on, mentioning that it may very well be the downfall of the boys thanks to its cancerous nature.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">But the boys aren’t brought down by cancer or drugs. They succumb to the world of fame the way many rising stars do.<br /><br />The ending is touching and not just a bit frightening. We know from the beginning that the boys will die (everyone refers to them in past tense from the get-go), but the manner in which they die is lonely and bitter.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">There’s a lot to love about this film. The British punk-rock music of the 70s is authentic (if somewhat hard to understand), and the Treadaway brothers pull in Oscar-caliber performances. The fact that some movie watchers will continue pondering the reality of the film incorporates a significant "Wow" factor.</span><br /></span></p><p align="left"><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/brothersofthehead/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Brothers of the Head movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116415129179455170?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1163858580809263752006-11-18T06:02:00.000-08:002006-11-21T09:38:06.360-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/cars/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Cars" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/cars.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://wilson-brothers.com/owen/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 108px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 132px" height="132" alt="Owen Wilson" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Owen_WILSON.jpg" width="110" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.awn.com/mag/issue3.8/3.8pages/3.8lyonslasseter.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">John Lasseter</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://wilson-brothers.com/owen/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Owen Wilson</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(Voice)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP ANIMATED FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><a href="http://www.pixar.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Pixar</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">has proven its animation metal a few times.</span> <a href="http://www.pixar.com/featurefilms/nemo/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>FINDING NEMO</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> and </span><a href="http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/incredibles/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE INCREDIBLES</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">are their most notable achievements, pulling off excellent scripts mixed with fun animation and great star-power voices.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">But the one thing that animation studios (including Pixar) have trouble with is displaying human beings within their animation. Many times they look plastic or stilted. <em>The Incredibles</em> avoided this by harkening back to animations-of-ol’ but applying new styles. <em>Finding Nemo</em> didn’t have many human faces so it wasn’t such a hurdle. With</span> <a href="http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/cars/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>CARS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, Pixar did something very wise: they didn’t show a single human face. Personalities were under the hood (so to speak) of the automobiles which juxtaposed nicely with their humanity.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The story follows a cocky up-and-coming race car named Lightning McQueen (</span><a href="http://wilson-brothers.com/owen/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Owen Wilson</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/02/wedding-crashers.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>WEDDING CRASHERS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) who’s triple tie win forces a showdown in California where the three would-be winners will face off. Chick Hicks (</span><a href="http://who2.com/michaelkeaton.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michael Keaton</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2005/11/first-daughter.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">FIRST DAUGHTER</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and The King (racing icon</span> <a href="http://www.pettyracing.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Richard Petty</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) are the other two contestants and they make it to California without any problems. They are ready to win "The Piston Cup." But Lightning’s driver Mack (</span><a href="http://www.ratzenberger.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">John Ratzenberger</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.tv.com/cheers/show/66/summary.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>CHEERS TV series</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) falls asleep on the road and Lightning slides out the back (also while asleep) while on "the highway." Lightning soon wakes up and tries to find Mack, but stumbles upon a one-cylinder town along abandoned Route 66 called Radiator Springs. Unfortunately, Lightning also tears up the town’s road and must do his civic duty by pulling the paving machine for the length of the city. Stuck without any resources, Lightning grudgingly does the job, but not before learning to slow his rpm’s and smell the proverbial roses. He meets up with Radiator Spring’s city attorney Sally Carrera (</span><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/bonnie_hunt/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Bonnie Hunt</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.pixar.com/featurefilms/inc/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>MONSTERS, INC.</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a sexy little Porsche model whom he finds himself oddly attracted to. There’s also Doc Hudson (</span><a href="http://www.reelclassics.com/Actors/Newman/newman.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Paul Newman</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.mysterynet.com/movies/top50/gangsters/33.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE STING</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) the town’s physician/judge who harbors a big secret; Ramone (</span><a href="http://www.chicano-art-life.com/cheech.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Cheech Marin</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/movie/1996_Tin_Cup.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>TIN CUP</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a low-riding, paint-shop owner; Luigi (</span><a href="http://www.usanetwork.com/series/monk/theshow/characterprofiles/tony/bio.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Tony Shalhoub</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.questarian.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>GALAXY QUEST</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a tire store proprietor with a love of Italian cars; and, of course, Mater (</span><a href="http://www.larrythecableguy.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Larry The Cable Guy</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), the rusted out but trustworthy tow truck who adds the most hilarity to the film.<br /><br /><em>Cars</em> gushes with family friendly messages but no one should hold that against it. Animation features, by their very nature, are directed toward younger audiences and allowing that innocence to come out in <em>Cars</em> is pulled off well without becoming achingly super-sweet. But we’ve also learned that adults enjoy these movies and <em>Cars</em> does an admirable job of entertaining them, too. Most kids probably won’t know what cow-tipping is, so might not understand the slow natured tractors that double as cattle and are tipped over by Mater and Lightning. But adults with experience in this area will probably laugh themselves silly.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">That there are no human faces in <em>Cars</em> also aided it immensely. Suspending disbelief was easy and will allow kids and parents alike a great ride throughout.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317219/trailers-screenplay-E26030-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Cars movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116385858080926375?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1163810953438725792006-11-17T16:48:00.000-08:002006-11-21T09:37:54.846-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.caaien.com/jackblack/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 92px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 128px" height="131" alt="Jack Black" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/jack_black.jpg" width="92" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.nacholibre.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Nacho Libre" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Nacho%20Libre.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.foxsearchlight.com/filmmakers/hess/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jared Hess</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.caaien.com/jackblack/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jack Black</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;"><strong><em>Microphone {tap, tap, tap}</em></strong>: </span><em><span style="color:#ffffff;">Ladies and gentlemen! For your wrestling entertainment, I introduce to you the Lord’s Luchador, the Mauling Monk, the Orphanator! Put your hands together for Naaaacho Liiiibbbbre!</span><br /></em><br /><a href="http://www.caaien.com/jackblack/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jack Black</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2005/12/king-kong.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>KING KONG</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) returns as another obsessive character in</span> <a href="http://www.foxsearchlight.com/filmmakers/hess/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jared Hess’</span><span style="color:#ffffff;"> </span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">latest cinematic offering,</span> <a href="http://www.nacholibre.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>NACHO LIBRE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. Most will remember Hess for his stunning direction of</span> <a href="http://www2.foxsearchlight.com/napoleondynamite/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>NAPOLEON DYNAMITE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. Here he gets a bit more money for production and gives us a hilarious tale of a Mexican monk who’s early dreams of becoming a luchador (wrestler) come to fruition later in life.<br /><br />Jack Black plays Nacho, a cook at an orphanage/monastery where his talents as a chef come into question daily. But the one thing Nacho yearns for is to become a professional wrestler. His contact sports passions are reignited by the arrival of a beautiful nun named Sister Encarnacion (</span><a href="http://www.anadelareguera.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ana de la Reguera</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0378226/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>LADIES NIGHT</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), and by a wily thief named Esqueleto (</span><a href="http://movies.about.com/od/nacholibre/a/nacho042006.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Hector Jimenez</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6736721" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SUPERVIVENCIA</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a streetwise thug with bizarre moves. Esqueleto and Nacho team up and eventual take to the ring, only to be beaten time and again, but still making money. But making money isn’t enough for Nacho ("I want to win!"). Vanity gets the better of Nacho and he tries everything to achieve his goal of becoming a winner, including finding a shaman who gives him sketchy advice regarding eagle eggs.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Finally Nacho learns that winning comes from within and uses his "inner" strength to make his way to the top.<br /><br />Silliness occasionally racks <em>Nacho Libre</em>, but it is saved by Jack Black’s incredible physical comedy. Not since</span> <a href="http://www.schoolofrockmovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SCHOOL OF ROCK</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">has he been so well cast. The training scenes alone are worth the price of the rental (Cow dung to the face? A wasps nest to the head? Shooting Esqueleto with a blunted arrow?) When Nacho tries to court Sister Encarnacion, the comedy is further ratcheted up as Jack Black uses his butt-muscle tone in a nut cracking fashion!<br /><br /><em>Napoleon Dynamite</em> fans will flock to Hess’ latest film, and will probably be amazed at what he accomplished with a little more cash and a few Hollywood well-known actors.<br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457510/trailers-screenplay-E26720-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Nacho Libre movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116381095343872579?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1163696007359231072006-11-16T08:52:00.000-08:002006-11-21T09:37:38.616-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.longwayround.com/intro.htm" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 97px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 136px" height="153" alt="Long Way Round" src="http://www.asai8008.com/diary/img011.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.bestofewan.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 82px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" height="145" alt="Ewan McGregor" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/ewan_mcgregor.jpg" width="82" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1256362/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">David Alexanian</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">& </span><a href="http://endurouk.com/content/view/394/2/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Russ Malkin</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.bestofewan.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ewan McGregor</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP DOCUMENTARY REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Many people dream of round-the-world trips but few are ever able to take them. Be it time or financial constraints, the barriers are often broad and appear unwieldy. So many times we have to experience the rest of the world vicariously via magazine articles or, in this case, a documentary.<br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.longwayround.com/intro.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>LONG WAY ROUND</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">was the brainchild of actor </span><a href="http://www.bestofewan.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ewan McGregor</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> (</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/08/star-wars-episode-ii-attack-of-clones.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>STAR WARS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and his longtime buddy </span><a href="http://www.unicef.org.uk/celebrity/celebrity_biography.asp?celeb_id=25" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Charley Boorman</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0194211/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>ON EDGE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), two men with a passion for motorcycling. One day they decide to give this round-the-world idea some wings by mapping out a course across the globe ...but instead of traveling by plane or rail, they decide to do it using two BMW motorbikes. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Preparation for the trip starts months in advance as transportation is arranged, passports collected, boarder crossing ensured, and training of the two riders takes place (CPR, first aid, exercising, motorcycle training, Russian language classes, etc.)<br /><br />The trip begins in London, England and ends 115 days later in New York. The trip starts out well enough, with adequately paved roads and quaint villages. But the further east McGregor and Boorman travel, the less biker-friendly the way becomes. Smooth asphalt quickly gives way to pitted asphalt, then divot-riddled asphalt, then into dirt roads. Once into Mongolia, anything resembling a sustainable thoroughfare becomes completely blurred by bogs, riverbeds and stretches of absolute nothingness.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Difficulty of traveling aside, the two bikers meet some of the most incredible people. Ewan McGregor being Ewan McGregor, he is initially seen as a hero, a movie-star bringing notice to these otherwise unnoteworthy locales. Police escorts pop-up out of nowhere and guide Ewan and Charley into small townships where parties await them in their honor. But, again, the further east our two journeymen head, the less this happens. In and out of Mongolia, they soon head up into Siberia where they encounter</span> <a href="http://www.ursa.fi/~riikonen/luidentie1l.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Road of Bones</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, a stretch of road built by slave labor during Stalin’s tyranny (many a dead slaves body rests somewhere beneath this road ...or so it is said). No one knows who Ewan McGregor is here.<br /><br />Pushing themselves to the limit, the two slush through wetlands, river crossings and some of the worst roadways in the world. Even a support crew that follows them has great difficulties, one time crashing their vehicle and nearly killing some of the passengers.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Arriving 115 days later in New York, many viewers will breath a sigh of relief for Charley and Ewan. The intensity of the trip is well-spent on the audience, helping the viewer feel the pressure and difficulties of the route. But it also helps us see that what is often said to be impossible is, in fact, possible if you apply yourself hard enough. That and the exposure to the myriad of other cultures makes this documentary a strong film.</span> </p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>No movie trailer available ...soooorrrrry!</em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116369600735923107?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1163695171193963842006-11-16T08:37:00.000-08:002006-11-21T09:37:24.876-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Six Feet Under" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/SixFeetUnder.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/cast/actors/michael_hall.shtml" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 82px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 127px" height="135" alt="Michael C. Hall" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Michael_C_Hall.0.jpg" width="89" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/cast/actors/michael_hall.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michael C. Hall</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/cast/crew/alan_ball.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Alan Ball</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(and more)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP CABLE TV SERIES REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The wonderful thing about cable TV is that it can get away with a lot more than primetime television. Most people know this from watching such things as</span> <a href="http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE SOPRANOS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. Sex, drugs, gore. Nothing is "too much" for them.<br /><br />And</span> <a href="http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SIX FEET UNDER</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> follows this example but by focusing on the Fisher family, a truly messed up group of undertakers who own/operate a funeral home in southern California.<br /><br />Each episode opens with the death of someone, and this sets up the premise for that week’s show.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The very first episode starts with the death of the Fisher patriarch, Nathanial Fisher (</span><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/richard_jenkins/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Richard Jenkins</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/06/rumor-has-it.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>RUMOR HAS IT</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). He’s driving home a new hearse when it is struck by a bus, killing him instantly. He leaves behind his wife Ruth (</span><a href="http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/cast/actors/frances_conroy.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Frances Conroy</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://www.miramax.com/aviator/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE AVIATOR</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), his eldest son David (</span><a href="http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/cast/actors/michael_hall.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michael C. Hall</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.paycheckmovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>PAYCHECK</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), his younger son Nate (</span><a href="http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/cast/actors/peter_krause.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Peter Krause</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.transparencynow.com/truman.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE TRUMAN SHOW</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), and high school daughter Claire (</span><a href="http://www.askmen.com/women/actress_150/161_lauren_ambrose.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Lauren Ambrose</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.tv.com/party-of-five/show/194/summary.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>PARTY OF FIVE TV series</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). This was a very effective way to get "into" the Fisher family from a viewer’s standpoint. Nothing pulls a family together like the death of one of its closest members. Although they were coming together anyway for Christmas, the Fisher’s are now forced to deal with each other on a very tight level. David has been working at the funeral home all his life and feels that his life may have been wasted. He also has to deal with his homosexuality and his inability to "come out of the closet" to his family and friends. His love for officer Keith Charles (</span><a href="http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/cast/actors/mathew_stpatrick.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Mathew St. Patrick</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.starpulse.com/movie/Reunion_[TV_Series]/V334988/0/0/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>REUNION TV series</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is felt throughout the series, and is on and off thanks to David’s psychological hurdles. Matriarch Ruth comes out to the family on her own as she tells them about an affair she’d been having for some time with a hairdresser (male); this comes out during the viewing of her husband as he awaits internment. Younger son Nate gets news of his father’s death while having sex with a stranger (</span><a href="http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/cast/actors/rachel_griffiths.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Rachel Griffiths</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/very_annie_mary/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>VERY ANNIE MARY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) in an airport maintenance closet. We soon learn that her name is Brenda and with her comes an entirely new set of baggage for Nate in the form of love and a relationship he never thought possible. And finally we get young daughter Claire, a highschooler who learns of her father’s death immediately after trying crystal meth for the first time.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">What made the show initially entertaining and oh-so-watchable, is the effects of death on all the characters. They deal with everyone else’s grief better than their own, as they are distant from it; it’s a business. But as the series rolls on, Nate learns that they are here to do more than business. The dead visit the family in ethereal form, teaching them very tough lessons (from how to stand up for yourself, to dealing with a SIDS death). Even the family’s father Nathaniel, who started out dead in the beginning episode, turns up at crossroads and tries to help them deal with difficulties.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The series starts out with a bang and keeps going for the first several episodes. Most viewers will be glued to their TV’s, wondering what’s going to happen next; a tribute to writer/director</span> <a href="http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/cast/crew/alan_ball.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Alan Ball</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. But toward the latter half of the first season the series goes a bit astray. The initial enjoyment of watching how death affects the family is swapped for a more soap opera style plot that delves into how the characters effect other characters. Although this isn’t horrible, it isn’t as gripping as the show’s initial premise. Gone are the dead’s visitations (mostly), as are the quirky commercials for hearse sales and corpse foundation putty.<br /><br />But even with these issues there’s still a certain pull that the series has thanks to some strong writing and the deadly subject matter. The big question: is it worth going on to season two? </span></p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0248654/trailers-screenplay-E20015-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> for the Six Feet Under series trailer!</span></a></em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116369517119396384?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1163295069557939252006-11-11T17:30:00.000-08:002006-11-14T16:40:12.623-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://chocolatefactorymovie.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Charlie_Factory.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.johnnydepp.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 135px" height="137" alt="Johnny Depp" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/johnny-depp.0.jpg" width="100" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/03/burton.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Tim Burton</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.johnnydepp.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Johnny Depp</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Being a <strong><em>huge</em></strong> fan of the 1971 film staring </span><a href="http://www.genewilder.com/bio.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Gene Wilder</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, I had to wait a while and let the hype from this film settle down a bit before seeing it. I'd heard some people hated it because it didn't "feel" like the </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067992/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">they grew up with, while others applauded</span> <a href="http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/03/burton.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Tim Burton</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">for making another unforgettable movie experience.<br /><br />Most of you reading this should (by now) know the story of Wonka: famous chocolatier closes his factory for many years because of competing chocolate makers stealing all his secrets. Then, suddenly, he decides to reopen the factory, but only to five children who find the five golden tickets hidden inside Wonka bars. The great puzzler that the world asks is "Why?" Why open up only to five kids and not the world? This is Willy Wonka's secret agenda and the climax to both the 1971 film and this 2005 "re-imagining".<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Hollywood is remaking <strong><em>everything</em></strong> nowadays. I see this as a two-fold issue: #1 - they seem to have run out of original story ideas (or at the very least have few left) so they're remaking what made money in the past; #2 - they're trying (and successfully I might add) to tap into the X-Generations' childhood love of certain films and bring them back to the big screen, thus pulling us (I'm a Gen-Xer, too) back into the movie theater to spend our hard-earned cash. I'm not knocking either possible philosophy. I mean, filmmaking is a business and they need to make money one way or the other.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">But what about this film? Well, it's engaging and interesting, if somewhat darker than the light-hearted musical we saw over three decades ago (most viewers shouldn't be surprised by this since it's done by the "master of dark themes" himself, Mr. Burton). But I can also see modern marketers inserting various items into the story in order to lighten it up a bit (the TV room is most notable for this with its homage to</span> <a href="http://www.kubrick2001.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>2001: A Space Odyssey</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">).</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Comparing them - as other reviews have pointed out - is like comparing apples to apples. And with respect to the screenplays, they are mostly right. But this film definitely took less liberties with</span> <a href="http://www.roalddahl.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Roald Dahl's</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">classic book than did the '71 version. And this movie is also not a "musical" (only a select few numbers are done which mirror the book, and they're all done by the oompa loompas).<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">I also enjoyed a more balanced approach to both Charlie's and Wonka's lives. We get to see more of Wonka and just about the same amount of Charlie in this new adaption.<br /><br />I also think that the casting was perfect. Charlie Bucket (played by</span> <a href="http://www.freddie-highmore.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Freddie Highmore</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) was an excellent choice for the main role. I loved him in</span> <a href="http://www.miramax.com/findingneverland/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>FINDING NEVERLAND</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and I still love him after watching this. Willy Wonka (</span><a href="http://www.johnnydepp.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Johnny Depp</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/07/pirates-of-caribbean-dead-mans-chest.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is creepy and gruff, but strangely enjoyable to watch. My only complaint here would be that I felt more of the "magic" coming from Gene Wilder's portrayal in '71. With Mr. Depp I didn't feel much magic at all, and only a bit of sympathy and bizarre revulsion toward what Willy Wonka had become. But still, Depp played him very well ...just differently.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">My heart still rests with the original, but this one is certainly entertaining. Although the magic isn't present, there are still many other aspect that'll engage young and old viewers alike, and will surely cause very heated conversations about which adaption is the best.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367594/trailers-screenplay-E24340-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here for</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie trailer!</span></a></em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116329506955793925?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1163292407127739182006-11-11T16:45:00.000-08:002006-11-14T16:39:56.486-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://sci-fi-online.50megs.com/Interview/03-11-21_RayWise.htm" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 77px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 110px" height="115" alt="Ray Wise" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/RayWise.0.jpg" width="95" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/film_gallery_5917.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Dead End" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Dead_End.0.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/filmography.html?p_id=372614" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jean-Baptiste Andrea</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring </span><a href="http://sci-fi-online.50megs.com/Interview/03-11-21_RayWise.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ray Wise</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">It's pretty obvious that someone had a lot of fun making this film. There's a hint of dark comedy, the </span><a href="http://www.twilightzone.org/index2.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Twilight Zone</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">feel that pervades almost all internet reviews, and a cliche-riddled flick that actually works if you set back and enjoy. Apparently given a pretty limited budget, first time co-directors </span><a href="http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/filmography.html?p_id=372614" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jean-Baptiste Andrea</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and Fabrice Canepa have pulled together a horror film that pays homage to a mixture of films in the vein of the Twilight Zone meets</span> <em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063522/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">ROSEMARY'S BABY</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">. You might also blend in a little</span> <a href="http://www.stephenking.com/pages/Works/Christine/movie.php" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>CHRISTINE</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(ala Stephen King) then you'll have the general idea.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The film stars</span> <a href="http://sci-fi-online.50megs.com/Interview/03-11-21_RayWise.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ray Wise</span><span style="color:#ffffff;"> </span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115346/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SAVANNAH</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) as Frank Harrington. He's driving his family (wife, two kids - one a punk teenage boy and the other a young adult psychiatrist - and a boyfriend of their daughter's) to a Christmas gathering at his mother-in-law's house. Along the way, though, Frank decides to take a detour, a shortcut, down an old country road, and he does this while everyone else in the car is asleep. And when they awaken, the road seems to go on forever and ever and ever. Hmm. Strange, too, that all of their watches have stopped at 7:30pm.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Soon they discover a pretty young lady dressed all in white standing alongside this endless road, and she's cradling a well-swathed baby in her arms. And when they stop to see if she needs help, all hell breaks loose. Their daughter's boyfriend vanishes, and soon a hearse comes slowly trundling by and, as it passes, everyone sees the boyfriend pounding his bloody hands on the rear window. The family jumps back into their car and races after the hearse, only to hit a big speed bump a few miles down the road. Or was that a speed bump? Uh-oh. It was the boyfriend, and he's nearly mangled beyond recognition.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The car's occupants/family quickly begin disappearing, almost always after spotting the lady in white. Why doesn't the road ever end? Why are they all being forced into this hearse? Why is this lady in white attached to them somehow? Why does time seemed to have stopped?<br /><br />Like I said earlier, lot's of cliche-style answer await you, but that doesn't detract from the enjoyment of watching this dark, dark, mildly comedic horror tale. Popcorn? Check. Lights off? Check. Loved one sitting nearby ready to scream? Check. You're ready!</span> </p><p><a href="http://film.virgin.net/player/play.asp?url=/film/fid2931/trailers/trid1181/wm/high.asx&filmid=2931&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;partner=virgin&amp;sec=trl" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Dead End movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116329240712773918?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1163205771565746522006-11-10T16:42:00.000-08:002006-11-14T16:39:42.100-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.thebreakupmovie.net/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Break-Up" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/BreakUp.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.vince-vaughn.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 92px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 132px" height="158" alt="Vince Vaughn" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/VinceVaughn.jpg" width="108" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/1114694" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Peyton Reed</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring </span><a href="http://www.vince-vaughn.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Vince Vaughn</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="VERY HESITANT THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>A VERY HESITANT THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><a href="http://www.thebreakupmovie.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE BREAK-UP</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">is not a comedy. You’ll find very few laughs. But it is a somewhat touching romantic drama with a surprisingly strong performance from</span> <a href="http://www.vince-vaughn.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Vince Vaughn</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/02/wedding-crashers.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>WEDDING CRASHERS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and a fine job by</span> <a href="http://www.askmen.com/women/actress/5_jennifer_aniston.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jennifer Aniston</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/06/rumor-has-it.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>RUMOR HAS IT</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Gary Grobowski (Vaughn) and Brooke Meyers (Aniston) meet at a Chicago baseball game and fall head-over-hearts for each other. They buy a condo while their relationship punches ahead at full speed ...until the brakes are applied with deadly force during a dinner with friends and family. Gary forgot to buy enough lemons for the table display and all of the irritants that have bothered both of them come tumbling forth.<br /><br />As their relationship disintegrates, one-upmanship is employed by the two fallen lovebirds; Gary buys a pool table for the dining room and Brooke starts dating other men. Neither can afford to move out of the condo so it is eventually put up for sale.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The relationship falls to such a level that it appears completely unsalvageable. When Brooke extends an olive branch, it is unknowingly knocked aside by Gary. And once Gary realizes that it <em>was</em> an olive branch, it’s too late to grasp.<br /><br />Strong bit parts by the quirky</span> <a href="http://archive.salon.com/people/feature/2000/08/18/donofrio/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Vincent D’Onofrio</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.cellmovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE CELL</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">),</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/191839" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Cole Houser</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.pitch-black.com/blackbox/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>PITCH BLACK</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and</span> <a href="http://www.ranaroyale.com/jasonbateman/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jason Bateman</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.dodgeballmovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>DODGEBALL</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) help pull this rather pedestrian dramatic film up a notch. Even</span> <a href="http://www.ann-margret.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ann Margret</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/viva_las_vegas/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>VIVA LAS VEGAS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) has a fleeting film moment that is noteworthy during the infamous dinner scene.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The downside is that there’s no hallelujah moment, which is somewhat of a letdown. While comparisons to</span> <a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/movie/1989_The_War_of_the_Roses.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE WAR OF THE ROSES</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> (1989) are evident in the <em>The Break-Up’s</em> premise, <em>The War of the Roses</em> was most definitely a physical comedy with</span> <a href="http://www.starpulse.com/Actors/Douglas,_Michael/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michael Douglas</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and </span><a href="http://www.kathleen-turner.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kathleen Turner</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> doing horrible things to each other, trying to do more bodily harm than psychological. In <em>The Break-Up</em>, Aniston’s and Vaughn’s characters are still distantly in love and the harm comes when each refuses to budge in order to get the relationship back on track.<br /><br />The drama of <em>The Break-Up</em> is dripping with subversive anger as the two characters force friends to take sides, bitterly fight over the smallest of tidbits, and generally run slipshod over their once prosperous lives. And although we’ve seen similar films with similar themes, the one thing that helped give this flick a more positive rating was that it didn’t slip into cliche at the end.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">There is no happy ending for them. The question as to if they’ll ever get back together is left in the air, like so many true-life relationships. That there is personal growth on both their parts (most notably on Vaughn’s character) is an added bonus that is touched on towards the end.</span> </p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/thebreakup/medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> for The Break-Up movie trailer!</span></a></em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116320577156574652?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1162945482473211582006-11-07T16:24:00.000-08:002006-11-14T16:39:29.093-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www2.warnerbros.com/poseidon/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Poseidon" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Poseidon.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.joshlucas.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 72px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 107px" height="146" alt="Josh Lucas" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Josh_Lucas.jpg" width="102" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/190819" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Wolfgang Petersen</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.joshlucas.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Josh Lucas</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/thumbs-down.52.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">When word that</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/190819" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Wolfgang Petersen</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">— director of such fantastic films as</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082096/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>DAS BOOT</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.sciflicks.com/enemy_mine/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>ENEMY MINE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and</span> <a href="http://perfectstorm.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE PERFECT STORM</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">— was slated to direct the remake of </span><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069113/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(now shortened to simply</span> <a href="http://www2.warnerbros.com/poseidon/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>POSEIDON</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), the sizzling hype around Hollywood was immediately palpable. Production costs for the heavily CGI-laden film skyrocketed to $160 million, making it one of the most costly films of 2005 (released in 2006).<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Adding to the costs was an ensemble cast starring</span> <a href="http://www.joshlucas.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Josh Lucas</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/09/glory-road.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>GLORY ROAD</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">),</span> <a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/kurtrussell.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kurt Russell</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/01/sky-high.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SKY HIGH</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">),</span> <a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/richarddreyfuss.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Richard Dreyfuss</span><span style="color:#ffffff;"> </span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mr_hollands_opus/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>MR. HOLLAND’S OPUS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">),</span> <a href="http://emmyrossumfan.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Emmy Rossum</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://phantomthemovie.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, 2004</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">),</span> <a href="http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/cast/actors/freddy_rodriguez.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Freddy Rodriguez</span><span style="color:#ffffff;"> </span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://ladyinthewater.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>LADY IN THE WATER</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), and</span> <a href="http://www.hbo.com/entourage/cast/character/drama.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kevin Dillon</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> (</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/03/24-season-one-tv-series.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>24 TV Series</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">).</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Now <em>The Poseidon Adventure (1972)</em> wasn’t that great a film to begin with, but what it did have was a catchy tune created by Maureen McGovern but sang (lip-synched?) by</span> <a href="http://www.pscelebrities.com/cl.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Carol Lynley</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">("</span><a href="http://www.superseventies.com/sl_morningafter.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Morning After</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">"), and a great human story surrounded by a terrible event: the capsizing of a cruise ship. </span><a href="http://www.danville.lib.il.us/Pathfinder/hackman.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Gene Hackman</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/199775" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ernest Borgnine</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.amdest.com/stars/redb.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Red Buttons</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.classicmovies.org/articles/aa101198.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Roddy McDowall</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.theatrgroup.com/Shelley/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Shelley Winters</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/jack_albertson/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jack Albertson</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">rounded out that all-star cast. And although the production was a bit cheesy by today’s standards, it held at its center a tale of human determination and sacrifice. This was the focus. The destruction of the ship was just the catalyst, not the focal point. Which is where Wolfgang’s remake encounters significant problems.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The character set-up in <em>Poseidon</em> is rushed, never giving the audience a sense of empathy or angst for any of the people onboard. More film time is given to the CGI water, fires, explosions, and other non-character items. Many times during the film we are yanked away from the characters in order to watch yet another explosion happen somewhere on the ship, then we’re jerked back to the characters who don’t really respond to it. So what was the purpose of showing the movie-watcher these things? The simple answer is because it was CGI, it was cool, it cost money, so you have to show it in order to justify your budgetary expenses.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Since we’re given so little time to understand or appreciate the characters’ interactions with one another, when one of them dies there’s no impact for the viewer. Most will probably say, "So what" when this person or that gets snuffed out by the expensive CGI water, fire, or explosion.<br /><br />Hollywood needs to learn that it’s the people in the film audiences care about, not the "totally awesome" special effects. Sure, directors/producers can put the CGI in there and make it look nice, but it has to have an impact on the characters.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/poseidon/trailer1/medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Poseidon movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116294548247321158?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1162648570498002532006-11-04T05:50:00.000-08:002006-11-07T08:23:12.066-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.boratmovie.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="165" alt="Borat" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Borat.jpg" width="106" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.bullz-eye.com/entertainers/ali_g.htm" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 87px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" height="160" alt="Sacha Baron Cohen" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Sacha%20Baron%20Cohen.jpg" width="87" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.hbo.com/entourage/cast/crew/larry_charles.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Larry Charles</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.bullz-eye.com/entertainers/ali_g.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sacha Baron Cohen</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="HUGE THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>HUGE THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#ffffff;">It is with great joy that The Film Review Stew was able to reach Dorat, the second cousin of Borat, and get his input on this new film that is sweeping box offices around the globe. His perspectives on the movie are unique to those from Kazakhstan and we hope that you enjoy this guest review.<br /><br />(Note: the commentary by Dorat is in no way supported or condoned by those of us at The Film Review Stew, and do not necessarily represent our world-view opinions.)</span></strong></em><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Hello! Is Dorat here. Can you hear me? Hello? Oh. I guess this one-way conversation, so I talk at you and you listen. Okay? Hello?<br /><br />Okay. I come speak today of movie,</span> <a href="http://www.boratmovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Borat</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. My second cousin from Kazakhstan make documentary and I love it. It touch my heart. I need say, too, that Borat’s sister now #2 prostitute in all of Kazakhstan. Her trophy bigger now. Her lips like Juicy Fruit gum. You know Juicy Fruit? Hello? Okay.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">When </span><a href="http://www.bullz-eye.com/entertainers/ali_g.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Borat</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">leave Kazakhstan, we worry he make us look stupid. But he did great job. <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/1600/Borathome.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" height="80" alt="Cousin Borat near his home in Kazakhstan with neighbors" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Borathome.0.jpg" width="140" border="0" /></a>His house nice place, too. He show how it stand almost straight and have room for beautiful cow in livingroom. I need say, too, there was rumor Borat’s wife die. Is not so. She fall in love with man from Siberia and go north with him. She may be dead now but don’t think so.<br /><br />Borat come to New York City on plane with</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0205772/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Azamat</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, other Kazakhstan man who help Borat along way. It scary Americans on subway not kiss Borat back when he greet them. What wrong with Americans? Hello? You still listening? Okay. I worried, too, that Borat’s Kazakhstan chicken get stomped on subway when she got out of bag. But not happen. Whew!<br /><br />It nice to see so many good places to relieve bowels in America. The flowers in front of place called Trump Towers was pretty and open. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">On early vi<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/1600/Boratjokelearning.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Cousin Borat learns American Jokes" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Boratjokelearning.0.jpg" border="0" /></a>sit, Borat run into man who teach him about jokes in America. It strange, too, that Americans do not joke of retards. They so stupid, you must make jokes. And what is happening with feminism. Is that right word? Hello? Okay. Borat speak true about womans smaller brains. Scientific study in Kazakhstan prove it. Don’t know why those womans so upset with Borat for speaking true.<br /><br />Television in America look very nice. And is place where Borat fall in love with</span> <a href="http://www.pamelaanderson.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Pameela Anderson</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. I would sex her up as good as my own sister, too. But Borat should not have lie to Azamat about why they go to California. He should have said to Azamat, "We go California so I can sex up and marry Pameela."<br /><br />The trip across America was fun and scary. I love bear they get for protection. Too ba<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/1600/Borat%20Bear.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Cousin Borat's bear protector becomes an Azamat snack later" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Borat%20Bear.0.jpg" border="0" /></a>d Azamat get so hungry later. Poor bear. At least they no have to clean bear poop now. I not know, too, that American Jews no have horns. Is most scary! When Borat and Azamat stay at Jew home and not know until too late. Brrrr! I thought documentary turn into horror film. But I cheer when Borat and Azamat get out of Jew home safely in middle of night.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">When Azamat and Borat get into huge fight, was sad. But Azamat should not been masturbate to Pameela’s picture. They wrestle and fight and run through hotel. Naked fighting is tough, because no clothes to hang on to. When Azamat pinned Borat to bed and make mustache smell like testicles, was sad day for Borat.<br /><br />It good that they return to friends soon. I surprised, though, that Azamat dress like Hitler in California. Was he trying to hide?<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">When Borat finally meet Pameela, it sadden me she not understand Kazakhstan way of marriage proposal. Kidnap is natural courting. I sure Borat should explain that to Pameela if given opportunity.<br /><br />I happy to see Borat return home to Kazakhstan. He bring Luenell back with him, too, and she now #1 prostitute in all Kazakhstan. Borat sister now have competition.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">I take away from movie pride all Kazakhstan people feel for country. We have representative in Borat. He a man who know the cultural learnings of America for make benefit glorious nation of Kazakhstan.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/borat/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Borat movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116264857049800253?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1162647507279931302006-11-04T05:37:00.000-08:002006-11-07T08:22:59.366-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.missionimpossible.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 94px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 143px" height="148" alt="Mission Impossible 3" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/MissionImpossible3.jpg" width="94" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.tomcruisefan.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 108px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 136px" height="147" alt="Tom Cruise" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/tom-cruise.jpg" width="116" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.j-j-abrams.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">J. J. Abrams</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.tomcruisefan.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Tom Cruise</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="HESITANT THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>A HESITANT THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">One might picture Ethan Hunt as the American version of</span> <a href="http://www.klast.net/bond/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">James Bond</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and they would probably be on the mark. We Americans always have to one-up anybody who tries to top us, of course. If the USSR has bigger missiles with higher yields of plutonium, then by God we’d better get some bigger ones ourselves! And if</span> <a href="http://www.klast.net/bond/fleming.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ian Fleming’s</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">J</span><span style="color:#ffffff;">ames Bond can out-maneuver the world’s bad-guys every time, then by God we’d better find a hero of our own who can too!<br /><br />So The Impossible Mission Force (IMF) was created to the excitement of action film fans around the West. With it we got Ethan Hunt (</span><a href="http://www.tomcruisefan.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Tom Cruise</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.waroftheworlds.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>WAR OF THE WORLDS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a kick-butt-and-take-no-names kinda guy who’s out to save the world.<br /><br />With the previous two <em>Mission Impossible</em> flicks, the focus was always on the action just for the sake of action. It was entertaining, but lacked the depth that we’d like to see from characters on occasion. So it is notable to mention that we get much more from Ethan Hunt in</span> <a href="http://www.missionimpossible.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>MI: III</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">thanks to a love interest named Julia Meade (</span><a href="http://www.michelle-monaghan.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michelle Monaghan</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/04/north-country.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>NORTH COUNTRY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). That we have</span> <a href="http://www.philipseymourhoffman.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Philip Seymour Hoffman</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(as the bad guy, Owen Davian) also pumps up the character interactions to new and higher levels.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The story surrounds Ethan’s retirement as an active member from the IMF. He’s an instructor now who’s forced back into service when he learns that his star pupil, Lindsey Farris (</span><a href="http://www.keri-russell.info/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Keri Russell</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.weweresoldiers.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>WE WERE SOLDIERS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), has gone missing on a mission. She was tracking down the deadly Mr. Owen Davian (Hoffman). Back with his cadre of IMF members (including</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/196456" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ving Rhames</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.jrmfansite.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jonathan Rhys Meyers</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and</span> <a href="http://www.askmen.com/women/celeb_profiles_actress/22_maggie_q.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Maggie Q</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) they locate Lindsey and pull her from the clutches of the evil doers, only to have her die in Ethan’s arms. Now out for vengeance as much as to find Davian, Ethan and his folk track down the bad guy and stumble upon something called "The Rabbit’s Foot," a deadly item that is never fully explained (gotta give the writers/director credit here, as this wasn’t what the movie was about, so the focus didn’t need to be on another world-destroying virus or whatever it might’ve been). And when Davian kidnaps Ethan’s girl Julia, Ethan must do double-duty as an agent and a man protecting the woman he loves (and recently, secretly, married).<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Full of eye-popping stunts, shot on multiple continents, and loaded with great cars, boats, and beautiful people, <em>MI: III</em> has everything that the previous two <em>Impossible</em> films had. Except, as stated, this time we see more of Ethan’s humanity. He’s a husband now, a man in love who <em><strong>doesn't</strong></em> lose the wife just so, in the next film, he can meet the next <em>Mission Impossible</em> girl (i.e., Bond girl). So we have a departure from the norm, which was pretty refreshing. Not only does the audience get to see the action they’re so accustomed to, they also get this bonus.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">But one has to wonder if Ethan’s wife might meet a deadly end if another <em>Impossible</em> movie is made. We can only hope that they won’t fall into cliche-land. Let us pray!</span></p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/missionimpossibleiii/trailer_medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Mission Impossible 3 movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116264750727993130?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1162572972784331712006-11-03T08:55:00.000-08:002006-11-07T08:22:47.820-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.roadtoguantanamomovie.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Road to Guantanamo" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Guantanamo.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1981893/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 123px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 143px" height="149" alt="Riz Ahmed" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Riz_Ahmed.jpg" width="124" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/05/winterbottom.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michael Winterbottom</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring </span><a href="http://www.filmfocus.co.uk/talentdetail.asp?TalentName=Riz+Ahmed" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Riz Ahmed</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="BIG THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>BIG THUMBS UP DOCUMENTARY REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">How much is too much when considering the price of our freedoms and liberties? Do all people, regardless of race, creed, sex, ethnicity, or political affiliation, deserve legal representation? Watch </span><a href="http://www.roadtoguantanamomovie.com/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE ROAD TO GUANTANAMO</span></em></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and then ask yourself these questions.<br /><br /><em>The Road to Guantanamo</em> is about a group of friends known as</span> <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3509750.stm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Tipton Three</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, Middle Eastern men who live in England and decide to travel to Pakistan where one of them plans to be wed. Although they start out as four, one quickly disappears as they travel across the border into Afghanistan on a roadtrip. Unfortunately for them, this was right at the time the U.S. began its battle with the Taliban. Bombs drop around Shafiq, Ruhel, Monir, and Asif, the young men who start out on this hellish journey. They quickly try to get away but are led into even more dangerous areas by suspicious men with guns who lock them up in cargo trucks or force them to trek into the desert. Soon, U.S. and British forces arrive and take Shafiq, Ruhel, and Asif into custody. The whereabouts of Monir are never discovered. His body is never found.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Filmed using actors and the original Tipton three, the documentary is a disturbing treatise on prisoners of war. That we see the bizarre circumstances leading to their "arrest" and incarceration is even more disturbing considering these men were officially residents of England. But because they have Middle Eastern blood in their veins, they are immediately labeled as terrorists or Taliban fighters or (unbelievably) Al Qaeda.<br /><br />The road that The Three travel is horrifying. Death hits near them on every stretch, nearly killing one or all of them at some point; whether its dysentery, Allied bombs, or torture.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">It is this last that we become painfully aware of as The Three enter Cuba and the "</span><a href="http://www.nsgtmo.navy.mil/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Gitmo</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">" detention center. Never having been charged with a single crime, nor having evidence against them, the U.S. forces continually inflict terrible pains on the men. Isolation. Loud music for hours and hours. Sitting in the scalding heat day in and day out. Being knocked down time and again during interrogations when they don’t give the interrogators the information they "want to hear." </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Held for a little over two years, The Three are finally released without charges and returned to England. No apologies. No legal recourse. Nothing is available to them.<br /><br />All of this sounds completely un-American and cruel. And it is. But there are some interesting points hit upon in the documentary that are simply left dangling, leaving it up to the audience to decide what they mean. Most importantly is that there’s really no explanation as to why The Three decided to go into Afghanistan in the first place. They just do. One might assume that they did it as a kind of fun roadtrip that went terribly awry. But this isn’t stated outright.<br /><br />Still, the cost of freedom is implicitly felt throughout the film as the audience watches these men denied any sort of legal representation and then subjected to torture techniques that skim the legalities of</span> <a href="http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/91.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Geneva Convention</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/roadtoguantanamo/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for The Road to Guantanamo movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116257297278433171?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1162490646430264932006-11-02T10:03:00.000-08:002006-11-07T08:22:36.093-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.slithermovie.net/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Slither" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Slither.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.nathanfillion.co.uk/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 107px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 147px" height="152" alt="Nathan Fillion" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/NathanFillian.jpg" width="107" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.jamesgunn.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">James Gunn</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.nathanfillion.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Nathan Fillion</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Feel something slimy crawling up your back? Don’t scream! It wants to get into your mouth and take over your body. These reddish slug-like creatures crash landed in a small grove near a hick town in the U.S. and, unfortunately, Chief of Police Bill Pardy (</span><a href="http://www.nathanfillion.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Nathan Fillion</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2005/11/serenity.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SERENITY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) didn’t notice right away. The meteorite carrying these interstellar parasites lands right behind his police car one night.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Bill Pardy is too occupied with his infatuation for Starla (</span><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/elizabethbanks.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Elizabeth Banks</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/03/40-year-old-virgin.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a woman now married to a wealthy townsman named Grant (</span><a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/189447" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michael Rooker</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/days_of_thunder/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>DAYS OF THUNDER</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). Pardy pines away for Starla, but he’s soon forced to deal with something far more important: saving the Earth.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starla’s husband, Grant, is "infected" by the first of these creatures and begins changing both mentally and physically. He needs meat. Any kind of meat. Dog. Possum. Cow. Human. He must grow. And he does grow ...into a hideous human-slug hybrid that has to find a mate that’ll give birth to thousands more of the slug invaders. He finally meets up with an unfortunate soul and "impregnates" her then locks her away in a barn, feeding her local varments and making her grow to unheard of pregnant proportions.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Once Grant’s impregnated human "pops", the slugs rapidly travel through the countryside, looking for humans. Once they catch up with them, the slugs enter through their mouths and take over the human host, thus turning them into a sort of zombie starving for meat.<br /><br />Bill Pardy must destroy the main creature, Grant, before he’s able to take over the entire town. All of the little slugs are now a smaller piece of Grant’s consciousness and he sees whatever one of his little sluggers sees, giving him millions of eyes and perspectives.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">That</span> <a href="http://www.jamesgunn.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">James Gunn</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(screenwriter for</span> <a href="http://www.dawnofthedeadmovie.net/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">DAWN OF THE DEAD</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, 2004) did</span> <a href="http://www.slithermovie.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SLITHER</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">is no big surprise. His zombie-esque, interstellar, slug-infested hometown citizens ring familiar with a sort of</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1010678-invasion_of_the_body_snatchers/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">theme.<br /><br />Nathan Fillion does an outstanding job as the calm yet determined police chief. That he delivers some excellent comedic lines in the midst of terrible events only added an extra punch to the story ("We’ll just say that I saved you instead of the other way around, okay?")<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Special gore effects are carried out perfectly by</span> <a href="http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/artists/c/Joe-Colwell/index-368824.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Joe Colwell</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">as we see Michael Rooker go through his disgusting transformation, and watch the slugs forcibly enter a multitude of mouths. Gross!<br /><br />The one major flaw with the film is that it simply isn’t that original. Parallels to the aforementioned <em>Invasion of the Body Snatchers</em> and <em>Dawn of the Dead</em> are easily apparent. But the characters are excellent and the script strong. Fierce dialogue mixed with dark humor keep the story moving at a great pace (the entire film is only 95 minutes).</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;"><em>Slither</em> is frightfully fun. For those who enjoyed</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2005/12/shaun-of-dead.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">SHAUN OF THE DEAD</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, you might want to check out this flick.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/slither/trailer_medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Slither movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116249064643026493?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1162303801676013232006-10-31T06:09:00.000-08:002006-11-01T10:04:16.566-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.10thandwolf.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="10th & Wolf" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/10thAndWolf.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/jamesmarsden.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 89px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 132px" height="142" alt="James Marsden" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/james-marsden.jpg" width="89" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/robert_moresco/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Robert Moresco</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/jamesmarsden.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">James Marsden</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="HESITANT THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">A HESITANT THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">If you've seen</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/donnie_brasco/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>DONNIE BRASCO</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, you've seen parts of</span> <a href="http://www.10thandwolf.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>10TH & WOLF</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Here we have Tommy (</span><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/jamesmarsden.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">James Marsden</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/05/x-men-last-stand.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>X-MEN: THE LAST STAND</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) trying to set his life straight. After finding out that his father was a hit-man for a local boss, Tommy soon sees him gunned down on the street. Twelve-year-old Tommy never forgets this and once eighteen, joins the marines and is whisked off to the Persian Gulf. He fights the war his country tells him to fight, only to learn that they can't go into Baghdad and capture Saddam in the end. Tommy loses control of himself, hits an MP, and steals a colonel's Jeep. Now in hot-water, and facing a court martial, he is shipped back to the brig in the U.S. where he's approached by Agent Horvath (</span><a href="http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/unofficialbriandennehyclub/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Brian Dennehy</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088933/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">COCOON</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) of the FBI. Tommy is told that what remains of his family is in danger. His brother Vincent (</span><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/nt/renfro/RNews.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Brad Renfro</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <em><a href="http://www.mgm.com/ghostworld/ie/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">GHOST WORLD</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">) has fallen in with a friend's "business." This friend is Joey (</span><a href="http://www.aceshowbiz.com/celebrity/giovanni_ribisi/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Giovanni Ribisi</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0219699/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE GIFT</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) who's attempting to become a boss of his own. The hitch is that Joey also saved Tommy's life once, and Tommy loves Joey like a second brother. Agent Horvath explains that another wannabe boss in the area needs to be caught on tape with incriminating evidence so that they can put him away. Joey and Tommy's brother Vincent will be given an easy deal <strong><em>if</em></strong> Tommy cooperates.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Tommy returns to 10th and Wolf, his true home, and rekindles his friendship with Joey. But once in tight with him, Tommy's values toward family and friends comes creeping up. That he cares deeply for Joey is all too evident; he may even care more for Joey than he does his own brother, something that is touched on in the film.<br /><br />In the end, Tommy has to make a tough decision that is supposed to save his brother, but put Joey in harms way. Not willing to let Joey go through the danger alone, Tommy accompanies him into an explosive situation, only to learn that his brother Vincent's mortal coil may have been shed already.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Although fairly predictable, the story has some wonderful acting moments. Giovanni Ribisi was flawless as the cocky start-up Joey. Every scene he was in felt electrified. There's one in particular that stands out. It is where he and Tommy stand near a fence toward the end of the film and Joey speaks of trust and those who wear wires for "the good guys." It is a very touching and dangerous moment, because the audience doesn't know if Joey is going to kill Tommy or if his cold heart actually has a place for Tommy in it.<br /><br />That there aren't any "big bosses" around adds a tension to the flick that is often lacking in other more gratuitously violent mafioso movies. Joey and another small time crook are trying to become godfathers of their own in the small community, and it is their battles with the past, as much as with each other, that makes this film stand out above its predecessors.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/thinkfilm/10thandwolf/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the 10th &amp; Wolf movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116230380167601323?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1162158381501945472006-10-29T13:45:00.000-08:002006-11-01T10:04:03.983-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.marshallcurry.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 91px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" height="148" alt="Street Fight Documentary" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/street_fight.jpg" width="111" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.corybooker.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 113px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 141px" height="155" alt="Cory Booker" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Cory_Booker.jpg" width="113" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.marshallcurry.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Marshall Curry</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring </span><a href="http://www.corybooker.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Cory Booker</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="BIG THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>BIG THUMBS UP DOCUMENTARY REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Most politically charged films focus on corruption at the higher levels of state, but</span> <em><a href="http://www.marshallcurry.com/"><span style="color:#cc6600;">STREET FIGHT</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">gives us a curb-side view of something much smaller ...and much more important.<br /><br />The 2002 Newark, New Jersey Mayoral race is something most voters in the U.S. could care less about. Why should someone in, say, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania pay attention to Newark’s voting issues? Or someone in Fort Worth, Texas? Or San Francisco, California? Realistically, none of them would. But Newark is New Jersey’s most populated city, and those in San Francisco and beyond might want to take a peak at what’s happening to our democracy on a pseudo-microcosmic level.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The documentary’s primary focus is on</span> <a href="http://www.corybooker.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Cory Booker</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, a Newark city councilman with his eye on the mayor’s office. He’s a Stanford and Yale graduate who lives in a slum within Newark. He’s an idealist who’s grown tired of his city’s poor schools, poorer neighborhoods, and rising jobless rate. To get into the mayor’s office, though, he’ll have to unseat four-time incumbent</span> <a href="http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/james.asp" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sharpe James</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, a man who’s firmly entrenched within Newark’s politics.<br /><br />We watch as writer/director/photographer</span> <a href="http://www.marshallcurry.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Marshall Curry</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">seeks to interview both sides of the race, first by checking in on Cory Booker’s campaign, then by trying (in vain) to meet up with Sharpe James and his people. But once James’ campaign personnel learn that Curry interviewed Booker already, he is immediately shunned and pushed aside (often in a very rough manner). Curry’s camera is pushed around time and again, his microphone broken, and he’s denied access to Sharpe James entirely. Even when Curry catches up with James at a public event, he’s manhandled by Sharpe James’ ‘brute squad.’ Most will find this very unsettling, as this is a publicly elected figure in a public place who is, in essence, acting like a thug.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">That we never touch on the political issues surrounding the campaign is interesting and absurd. These are both positive aspects of the film. It shows us how little our democracy means in many instances; it isn’t the poor schools/neighborhoods/jobs that dominate voters’ discussions, but who’s "more republican" or "more black" (both candidates are black) or "campaign has more money" or "has visited a strip joint".<br /><br />In the end, we watch Sharpe James use every slimy tactic at his disposal in order to win votes (including bringing in paid James’ supporters from out-of-state to help bolster support on election day). Booker doesn’t win the election, thus giving the viewer a very negative view of New Jersey politics. But all is not gloom and doom.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">In 2006, Cory Booker returned to the mayoral race and took Newark by storm. Sharpe James uncharacteristically dropped from the race for unknown reasons while a new runner took up position against Booker, only to be squashed in the largest landslide win of any mayoral race in New Jersey history.<br /><br />But the bitter taste of the 2002 race still lingers in audiences minds after watching <em>Street Fight</em>. It’s a tough film to watch, because we all want to believe that our democracy is flawless when, in fact, it has so many problems and shady dealings as to make one ill at the prospect.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/streetfight/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Street Fight movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff9900;"><strong><em><a href="http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ampas_awards/DisplayMain.jsp?curTime=1162166275959" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff9900;">Oscar nominee</span><span style="color:#ff9900;"> (2005) - Best Documentary</span></a></em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116215838150194547?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1161963609791113582006-10-27T08:39:00.000-07:002006-11-01T10:03:42.333-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.beowulf-movie.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Beowulf & Grendel" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/BeowulfAndGrendel.0.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div align="center"><a href="http://www.gbutler.net/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 106px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 144px" height="173" alt="Gerard Butler" src="http://www.canmag.com/images/front/moviereview/beowulf3.jpg" width="140" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.gunnarsson.ca/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sturla Gunnarsson</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.gbutler.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Gerard Butler</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><p><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><span style="color:#ff6600;">THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!</span></em></strong></span></p></div><p></p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Taking from the</span> <a href="http://www.lone-star.net/literature/beowulf/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, Icelandic director Sturla Gunnarsson pulls the broad poem down into a successful two-hour film filled with heroes, warriors, monsters and love (everything you need in an epic, right?).<br /><br />The Norse hero Beowulf (</span><a href="http://www.gbutler.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Gerard Butler</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://phantomthemovie.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, 2004) is called upon to aid King Hrothgar (</span><a href="http://www.stellanonline.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Stellan Skarsgard</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/07/pirates-of-caribbean-dead-mans-chest.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), Lord of the Danes, in his bloody battle against a massive troll named Grendel (</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0797614/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ingvar Eggert Sigurosson</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/movies/detail/id/419019" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>K-19: THE WIDOWMAKER</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). But once within King Hrothgar’s realm, Beowulf discovers much more than just a deadly troll.<br /><br />Grendel kills only the strong men, and is selective even then, for his wrath is one of vengeance. King Hrothgar and his kin killed Grendel’s father years ago, and now the troll is bent on revenge. Beowulf is initially unaware of Grendel’s grudge, but our "hero" warrior soon learns of it via the beautiful but dangerous witch, Selma (</span><a href="http://www.sarahpolley.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sarah Polley</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/08/dont-come-knocking.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>DON’T COME KNOCKING</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">).<br /><br />That Beowulf is battling a hero status he doesn’t feel deserving of is also observed throughout the film. The additional battles of the many gods now in danger of falling to "the one God" (Christianity) is also touched on, for King Hrothgar and his clan feel that the many gods have abandoned them and perhaps this new God will help protect them.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">That Grendel is not just a monster but a flesh and blood being is quickly sensed as we watch his father killed for no particular reason, and experience the anguish of his isolation from the world (he plays a type of bowling game with skulls for entertainment). Even his need to procreate is vividly portrayed as he pays a nighttime visit to Selma’s home.<br /><br />So when the end comes for Grendel, it is surprising, touching, bloody, and brutal. That Beowulf is forced to use his deadly warrior skills only adds to the terribleness of the deed that needed to be done.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Filmed entirely in</span> <a href="http://www.icetourist.is/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Iceland</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">— complete with stubby</span> <a href="http://www.imh.org/imh/bw/iceland.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Icelandic horses</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> — the film’s panoramic views of the stunningly beautiful countryside contributes to the rounding out of the story. Lengthy waterfalls, green hillocks, and bizarre stone formations are all incorporated through the camera lens, giving the entire production an otherworldly feel.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Any faults are directed at the initial rushing of the story during the first 30 minutes, and the deep brogues by some actors/actresses that make it tough, at times, to understand what is being said.<br /><br />But all-in-all the story is pulled off exceptionally well.<br /></span><br /><p><span style="TEXT-ALIGN: left;font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;" ><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402057/trailers-screenplay-E28751-10-2" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> for the Beowulf &amp; Grendel movie trailer!</span></em></strong></a></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116196360979111358?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1161902772895494482006-10-26T15:45:00.000-07:002006-11-01T10:03:29.276-08:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.manoftheyearmovie.net/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Man of the Year" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/ManOfTheYear.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.robinwilliams.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 92px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 142px" height="142" alt="Robin Williams" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/RobinWilliams.jpg" width="96" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.levinson.com/index_bl.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Barry Levinson</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.robinwilliams.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Robin Williams</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/thumbs-down.51.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Combining serious drama with adequate comedy is touchy at the best of times.</span> <em><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/08/looking-for-comedy-in-muslim-world.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">LOOKING FOR COMEDY IN THE MUSLIM WORLD</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">pulled it off thanks to a topical subject and a fantastic script; not to mention</span> <a href="http://www.albertbrooks.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Albert Brooks’</span><span style="color:#ffffff;"> </span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">excellent broodish character portrayal. But</span> <em><a href="http://www.manoftheyearmovie.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">MAN OF THE YEAR</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">can’t come close by comparison. It has a messy message folded in with forced jokes and a twisted love story that is completely unbelievable.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The premise initially seemed very promising. Put a</span> <a href="http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/index.jhtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jon Stewart</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">-like comedy news guy up for President of the United States and see what happens. This independent runner is Tom Dobbs</span> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.robinwilliams.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Robin Williams</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/10/rv.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>RV</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a successful TV personality who is pressured into running by his audience. Along with him comes his manager Jack (</span><a href="http://www.walken2008.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Christopher Walken</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/10/click.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>CLICK</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), and his writer Eddie (</span><a href="http://www.lewisblack.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Lewis Black</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). Seeming to have very little chance at a successful run, Tom Dobbs amazingly wins the election.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">But did he?</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Eleanor Green (</span><a href="http://laura-linney.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Laura Linney</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/04/exorcism-of-emily-rose.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is a computer whiz at the company who designed the new software for electronic voting at polling stations. She finds a glitch in the system that is quickly swept under the rug by the company’s owner and his dark attorney Alan (</span><a href="http://www.goldblum.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jeff Goldblum</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.sciflicks.com/independence_day/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>INDEPENDENCE DAY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). Poised to lose billions of dollars if word of this gets out, the company’s evil men decided to discredit and/or kill Eleanor to make sure she never tells anyone. But Eleanor is able to get to President-elect Dobbs and finally spill the beans (this is where the unbelievable love story starts blossoming, too). Dobbs goes onto</span> <a href="http://www.saturday-night-live.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Saturday Night Live</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and explains everything to the world, thus removing himself as the newly elected President and ending the careers of those at the computer company ...oh, and saving Ms. Green’s life.<br /><br />Does any of this sound funny?</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The comedy is forcefully wedged into the story and is often awkward. Robin Williams blazes for a few moments during a debate but is quickly doused as the gravity of how he became President bears down on him.<br /><br />The message of the film is interesting and debatable, too: that special interest owns presidential candidates. I’m sure there’s substantial truth in this, and if you wanted to make a movie about it you could. If you wanted to make a comedy about you could. But <em>Man of the Year</em> isn’t it.</span> </p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/manoftheyear/moty_apple_medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> for the Man of the Year movie trailer!</span></a></em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116190277289549448?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1161751797692394592006-10-24T21:49:00.000-07:002006-10-25T20:22:30.556-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.iconmovies.co.uk/downinthevalley/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Down in the Valley" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/DownInTheValley.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.edward-norton.org/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 145px" height="140" alt="Edward Norton" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/EdNorton.0.jpg" width="100" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0414817/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">David Jacobson</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.edward-norton.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Edward Norton</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><p align="center"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span><br /></p><p></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Try and imagine a modern day western film taking place in bustling Los Angeles County, complete with an "Aw-shucks", white hat toting, young man in love with a girl who’s not quite of legal age yet, and you’ll come close to grasping</span> <a href="http://www.iconmovies.co.uk/downinthevalley/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>DOWN IN THE VALLEY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The story is set purely in L.A. as we watch a cowpoke named Harlan (</span><a href="http://www.edward-norton.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Edward Norton</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/09/illusionist.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE ILLUSIONIST</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) walk into town wearing Levi’s and a frayed rope draped over one shoulder. The dichotomy is immediately striking as planes fly over his head and power lines droop across roadways.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Then we jump to a small family that lives in L.A. and are having troubles. Tobe (</span><a href="http://www.evan-rachel-wood.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Evan Rachel Wood</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/missing,the/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE MISSING</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is a very pretty young high schooler who lives with her burly father Wade (</span><a href="http://www.davidmorse.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">David Morse</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/06/16-blocks.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>16 BLOCKS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and her clingy brother Lonnie (</span><a href="http://www.teenstarsonline.com/rory_culkin.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Rory Culkin</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.signsmovie.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SIGNS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). Tobe is growing too fast into womanhood and independence, and she and her father constantly joust with each other regarding curfews, clothing, and being a responsible teen. Lonnie latches onto Tobe all the time, a lost little brother whom Tobe is growing tired of raising since her father works all the time to help support them. And Lonnie isn’t Wade’s son, being an adopted family member but still a significant part of their lives. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">One sunny day Tobe and her friends pull into a gas station to fuel up and encounter the "for real" cowboy, Harlan. Tobe is immediately attracted to him and invites him to go to the beach with her and her friends. Harlan accepts at the cost of his job, simply walking away from it. The two form an instant relationship and all appears sweet.<br /><br />But when Tobe’s father ,Wade, finds out about it, he’s less than happy. Harlan tries to steal into his good graces but Wade will have none of it. His parental guard goes up and puts the brakes on their relationship.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Initially we’re pulling for Harlan and Tobe to become the ideal star-crossed lovers, battling family and circumstances in order to ride off into the sunset. But all is an illusion as we see Harlan’s cowboy facade crumbling under the weight of a doomed relationship. Not willing to give up, Harlan tries anything he can fathom to get back into the family’s good graces. This includes taking young Lonnie out shooting, stealing horses for daylong trips, and finally doing the unthinkable of unthinkables.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The fascinating portrayal of a wannabe cowpoke in today’s society is excellently done by Edward Norton. He is so adorable in the beginning that most female viewers will probably fawn over him. But when his steady psychological break starts showing, a terrible realization hits the audience; Harlan isn’t Harlan at all.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The film comes complete with panoramic views of the San Fernando Valley atop lush hills, giving us a truly western feel to the movie, and there’s even a quick draw shoot out that’ll both entertain and repulse most movie watchers.<br /><br />The only downside is the ending. With all that happened to Tobe, Lonnie, and Wade at the hands of Harlan, it didn’t make sense that they would "honor" him in this way (no spoilers).</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">But this is still a fantastic psychological, modern day western. Norton is lovable and creepy both at the same time.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/thinkfilm/downinthevalley/trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Down in the Valley movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116175179769239459?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1161706186427320582006-10-24T09:09:00.000-07:002006-10-25T20:22:16.386-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/movie/2002_Storytelling.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Storytelling" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/storytelling.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.paul-giamatti.net/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 78px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" height="142" alt="Paul Giamatti" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/paul_giamatti.jpg" width="86" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2005/04/13/todd_solondz_filmmaker.php" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Todd Solondz</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.paul-giamatti.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Paul Giamatti</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/thumbs-down.50.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">It’s probably fun to make a movie about yourself — or one that focuses closely on you — and that is what director Solondz has done with</span> <em><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/movie/2002_Storytelling.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">STORYTELLING</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">. Not only is the film divided into two nearly unintelligible segments, it is further broken down during the final section by portraying a down-on-his luck director (</span><a href="http://www.paul-giamatti.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Paul Giamatti</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <em><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/09/illusionist.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE ILLUSIONIST</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">) who is obviously a doppelganger of Solondz himself.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Overflowing with apathy, <em>Storytelling </em>has two distinct parts: "fiction" and "nonfiction." In fiction, which launches the film, we’re introduced to Vi (</span><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/selmablair.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Selma Blair</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <em><a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/hellboy/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">HELLBOY</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a young New Jersey college student involved in a writing/literature class that concentrates on critique. Her boyfriend Marcus (</span><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/leo_fitzpatrick/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Leo Fitzpatrick</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <em><a href="http://www.hbo.com/thewire/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE WIRE TV series</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">) has cerebral palsy and it appears the only reason she’s with him is because of her apathy toward college life and those that haunt its halls. The teacher of the class is a forbidding black man named Mr. Scott (</span><a href="http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/robert_wisdom.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Robert Wisdom</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, also from <em>THE WIRE</em>), a Pulitzer Prize winner who’s flat affect and bored demeanor heaves a heavy shadow over the class. But apathy attracts apathy in Solondz story, so Vi and Mr. Scott have a sexual encounter, if for no other reason than to slip out of their routines and into one another. There’s actually some interesting dark sexual comedy here, but it quickly dissolves.<br /><br />Perhaps "fiction" was part nonfiction, too, as one could easily see Solondz sitting in a class, reading stories that get sledgehammer critiques.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The second and final portion of Storytelling is "nonfiction." Here we find Toby Oxman (Giamatti), a man who can’t seem to finish anything. But when he discovers a young kid named Scooby (</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916407/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Mark Webber</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><em><a href="http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0437250/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE MEMORY THIEF</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">) who mirrors Toby’s own complacency toward life, the wannabe film maker believes he’s found a new calling: to make a documentary about society. </span><a href="http://www.fansofjohngoodman.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">John Goodman</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><em><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/o_brother_where_art_thou/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">) stars as Scooby’s father, a big man that pushes his kids and family too hard to become his ideal nuclear family. His wife Fern (</span><a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/191615" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Julie Hagerty</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <em><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/movie/1980_Airplane.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">AIRPLANE</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is just as disinterested in life as the rest of the cast, but hides it behind a facade of smiles. The only empathetic character in the Webber household is the maid Consuelo (</span><a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/186475" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Lupe Ontiveros</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <em><a href="http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0227671/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">TORTILLA HEAVEN</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">) who gets fired because she shows some interest in life. Toby Oxman films all of the Webber household people but keeps his focus on Scooby, whom he sees strictly as a character subject.<br /><br />That the film ends abruptly with the death of Scooby’s family, and we still see no emotional response from him, only adds to the viewer’s anger that there’s no one in the film to care about. No protagonist that we can get behind. No angst from any of the characters. They are blobs of human flesh pooling around each other in uninteresting ways.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Directing a movie about society's complacency has been done before;</span> <em><a href="http://www.dreamworks.com/ab/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">AMERICAN BEAUTY</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">is probably the most notable of these. But the characters were multifaceted and you cared about them. Here in <em>Storytelling</em>, the premise seems to be filming a flick about apathy just for the sake of showing apathy.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250081/trailers-screenplay-E15768-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Storytelling movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116170618642732058?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1161540011209917262006-10-22T10:59:00.000-07:002006-10-25T20:21:59.990-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/rv/index.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="RV" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/RV.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.starpulse.com/Actors/Williams,_Robin/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 106px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 129px" height="136" alt="Robin Williams" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Robin_Williams.jpg" width="106" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by </span><a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/190693" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Barry Sonnenfeld</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.starpulse.com/Actors/Williams,_Robin/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Robin Williams</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span> </a><br /><br /></div><p></p><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/thumbs-down.49.jpg" border="0" /></p><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Mindless comedies abound in our A-D-D afflicted society, and it appears there is no end in sight for this overly worn-out genre when it comes to cinema.<br /><br />Some may remember</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/long_long_trailer/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE LONG, LONG TRAILER</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(a Desi and</span> <a href="http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/B/htmlB/balllucille/balllucille.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Lucille Ball</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">1954 film based loosely on</span> <a href="http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0055686/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>The Lucy Show</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), but it’s more likely that the current generation will be familiar with</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/national_lampoons_vacation/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">or (ugh!)</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/national_lampoons_european_vacation/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">EUROPEAN VACATION</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, both starring</span> <a href="http://ultrawarp.com/chevy/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Chevy Chase</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. The focus of these was on family and how vacations affect individual members in often funny ways. Sometimes they hit their mark, and sometimes not. But</span> <a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/rv/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>RV</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">fails to even form a target.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Where <em>RV</em> lets us down is in ...well ...every department save one (and only minimally there). Its soggy plot, tepid characters, and discouraging script will most likely ruin it for most. But the biggest let down is that the comedy just isn’t that funny. What’s more, most laughs come thanks to the recreational vehicle itself rather than from any character to character interaction (which is where <em>National Lampoon’s Vacation</em> succeeded).<br /><br />The story is about the Munro family and how distant their lives are from each other as the kids grow into their teens, and the husband and wife lead separate lives thanks to jobs and the demands of home-life. Bob Munro (</span><a href="http://www.starpulse.com/Actors/Williams,_Robin/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Robin Williams</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.un-official.com/GWH/GWMain.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>GOOD WILL HUNTING</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is the patriarch with a demanding boss. He’s forced to cancel his family’s Hawaiian vacation to finish a job and instead of telling his family the truth, lies to them (for fear of being alienated even more) and exclaims that they’re going to take a California to Colorado trek in an RV (where Bob’s supposed to give a presentation). His wife Jamie (</span><a href="http://www.hbo.com/larrydavid/cast/hines.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Cheryl Hines</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.hbo.com/larrydavid/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM HBO series</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) grudgingly goes along for the ride. His kids Cassie (singer</span> <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/jojo" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Joanna ‘JoJo’ Levesque</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.aquamarinemovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>AQUAMARINE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and Carl (</span><a href="http://www.joshhutcherson.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Josh Hutcherson</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/02/zathura.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>ZATHURA</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) are forced to come along, too, and vent all of their frustrations on Dad. To add further fuel to this volatile mix, they immediately run into the Gornicke family lead by Travis (</span><a href="http://www.jeffdaniels.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jeff Daniels</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/04/squid-and-whale.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE SQUID AND THE WHALE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a gypsyish RV clan desperate for friendship. They latch onto Bob and his kin, and never let go.<br /><br />As the story progresses, we learn that the RV is a character in itself. With a faulty parking brake, it continually breaks loose from its moorings and rolls into trouble (from shopping carts to crumpling over police cars ...probably the funniest moment of the entire movie and it comes at the extreme end of the film). As Bob closes in on his presentation date, he digs a pit of lies under his family in order to keep them in the dark as to his real reasons for going RVing. And once the truth comes out, the family falls into chaos only to be saved by cliche and a putrid made-for-TV ending ("We understand now, Dad!").<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">So there you go. Just too few laugh-out-loud moments and a transparent family drama that’ll make you nauseous. Too bad considering this was supposed to be a feel-good comedy. It’s not that comedic, and you certainly won’t feel good after watching it.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/rv/medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the RV movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116154001120991726?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1161348121818495892006-10-20T05:41:00.000-07:002006-10-25T20:21:41.756-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/gretchenmol.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 81px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 138px" height="153" alt="Gretchen Mol" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/gretchen_mol.jpg" width="89" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.thenotoriousbettiepage.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Notorious Bettie Page" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/BettyPaige.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/mary_harron/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Mary Harron</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/gretchenmol.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Gretchen Mol</span> </a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><p align="center"><br /></p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="UNFORTUNATE THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/thumbs-down.48.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>AN UNFORTUNATE THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><a href="http://www.thenotoriousbettiepage.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> is intelligently filmed, using grainy black and white film stock that gives it a period piece feel. And, unfortunately, this is the most notable part of the entire production. Although actress </span><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/gretchenmol.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Gretchen Mol</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">does an excellent acting job (even when completely naked), the story fails simply because there's little to no understanding as to Bettie's motivations.<br /><br />That Bettie Page was one of the first celebrated pin-ups in the world is well known. Her leather and bondage photos launched her into an underground fetish realm that soon sparked congressional hearings on the matter, too. But it was her infectious innocence that most people comment on and Mol certainly got that aspect down pat. Where the movie blurs is the understanding of Betty's life experiences, and this portion fails miserably thanks to a script lacking such content.<br /><br />For instance ...<br /><br />In the beginning of the flick we're with Bettie while she sits in church with her mother. From this we are supposed to surmise (I guess) that Betty is fairly pious. But sitting in church does not equate to piety. In fact, Bettie is seen flirting with a young boy, so this didn't jive with any sort of religious binding she may have felt towards the end of the movie; she does "turn to Christianity" in the end, as history tells us. So everything from her naïve attitudes towards her pictures to her comfort level with nudity didn't make sense in terms of her religious attitudes at the beginning and end.<br /><br />The other portion that is bothersome is the lack of any angst. Bettie is so comfortable with her fetish photo sessions that we don't feel there's any problem with it. We never get outside of Bettie (except for the congressional hearings which, again, are lacking any intensity), so never really see what others think of what she's doing, thus giving us no sense of any wrong-doing. The congressional hearings are just barely touched on and give little to no understanding as to how they got started, too.<br /><br />That Bettie is possibly molested by her father is also alluded to but never fully explored. The assumption (again, I'm guessing) is that the audience is supposed to make the connection between her childhood abuse and her choice as a sexual icon later in life. But we only see one little snippet (about eight seconds of actual film time) on this topic and then it is summarily dropped.<br /><br />Although the great black and white photography and the fascinating history surrounding this sexual dynamo may be appealing on one level, the fouled-up script makes it too easily forgettable. </span></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0404802/trailers-screenplay-E26641-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for The Notorious Bettie Page movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116134812181849589?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1161187637850053362006-10-18T09:03:00.000-07:002006-10-18T10:18:56.953-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.brucewillispl.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" height="148" alt="Bruce Willis" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/brucewillisRJ.jpg" width="115" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.overthehedgemovie.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Over The Hedge" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/OvertheHedge.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/tim-johnson/263614/photos/over-the-hedge-directors-tim-johnson-and-karey-kirkpatrick-have-some-fun-with/1648055" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.brucewillispl.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Bruce Willis</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(Voice)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="UNFORTUNATE THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/thumbs-down.47.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>AN UNFORTUNATE THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Animated films have some stiff competition. Not only do they have to compete against some truly marvelous predecessors (see</span> <a href="http://www.shrek.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SHREK</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.hoodwinkedthemovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>HOODWINKED</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and</span> <a href="http://www.pixar.com/featurefilms/nemo/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>FINDING NEMO</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), they also have to entertain not just kids, but adults who enjoy taking their kids to watch such films.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.overthehedgemovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>OVER THE HEDGE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> has some great animation and some good voices, but we’ve seen these things time and again. It also has a morally upstanding storyline (i.e., not betraying your friends and becoming a part of something bigger than just yourself), but we’ve seen that ad nauseam, too (</span><a href="http://www.iceagemovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>ICE AGE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). What most movie watchers want — regardless if it’s animated or live-action — is something fresh, new, and engaging. And that is where <em>Over The Hedge</em> fails. We get the same old story, the same great animation, and the same impressive voice cast.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">It is the cast that’ll keep you watching it, too.</span> <a href="http://www.brucewillispl.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Bruce Willis</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.foxhome.com/diehard/trinity/dh1/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>DIE HARD</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is the main character, starring as RJ, a raccoon with a big problem. He attempts to steal all of the food from a hibernating grizzly’s cave (Vincent voiced by the gravelly sounding</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/199559" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Nick Nolte</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www2.foxsearchlight.com/thegoodthief/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE GOOD THIEF</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). When the bear awakens before RJ can make good his getaway, RJ accidentally lets go of all the food and it slides down the mountain and is destroyed. He’s then given an ultimatum: get the bears food back within a week or be eaten alive. So RJ heads out and stumbles upon an interspecies family that have awakened one morning to find their wilderness world encroached upon by a huge hedge. Urban sprawl has come to their neck of the woods, and this ragtag group’s leader Verne (</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0788009/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Gary Shandling</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://www.tv.com/its-garry-shandlings-show/show/130/summary.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE GARY SHANDLING SHOW</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) must find out what this hedge is for and why it’s there. But Verne is just one turtle and needs the help of his extended family. They include Hammy (</span><a href="http://www.stevecarell.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Steve Carell</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/08/little-miss-sunshine.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a nonplused squirrel with hyperactive sensibilities; Stella (</span><a href="http://www.wandasykes.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Wanda Sykes</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pootie_tang/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>POOTIE TANG</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a skunk with an image problem; Ozzie (</span><a href="http://www.williamshatner.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">William Shatner</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://miss-congeniality.warnerbros.co.uk/main.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>MISS CONGENIALITY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), an overly-dramatic possum caring for his family; and a few others.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">RJ runs into this clan and spots an opportunity to gather the food he needs for the bear. Manipulating his way into the family, he teaches them about junk food, dumpster diving, and the human world "over the hedge." But with the human world comes danger. Most notable among them is Dwayne (</span><a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/thomas-church" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Thomas Hayden Church</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www2.foxsearchlight.com/sideways/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SIDEWAYS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), a varment exterminator. Will RJ risk this innocent animal family in order to save his own neck? The answer isn’t surprising.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Certainly the voices are entertaining, even more so than the script the actors read. Special notice has to go to Steve Carrell for his hyper-Hammy squirrel who avoids caffeinated beverages until the end when his super-speed is increased to</span> <a href="http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/movie/matrix_reloaded/reloaded5.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>Matrix-like</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">proportions. Also, William Shatner’s Shakespearean possum is flat-out fun. But that’s it. And for an hour-and-a-half flick, it’s not enough.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327084/trailers-screenplay-E26320-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Over The Hedge movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116118763785005336?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1160956059925134552006-10-15T16:47:00.000-07:002006-10-18T10:18:42.576-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.thewoodsmanfilm.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Woodsman" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Woodsman.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://fans.papervixen.net/bacon/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 138px" height="119" alt="Kevin Bacon" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Kevin_Bacon.jpg" width="93" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.nicolekassell.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Nicole Kassell</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://fans.papervixen.net/bacon/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kevin Bacon</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><p align="center"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="BIG THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>BIG THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">If ever there was a film to make you squirm, both internally and externally, this is it.<br /><br />While watching this amazing little flick (90 minutes), my moral compass was spinning around as if I were standing at the North Pole - that's an acutely direct compliment to the acting and production of this movie but not necessarily its subject matter: the redemption of a pedophile.<br /><br />As many of us would want, if we ever caught up with a child molester, we'd love to beat the crap out of him. Beat him to a pulp for stealing away the innocence of a child. Try to pound some moral sense into him (even in prison child molesters are held as subhuman and often beaten or killed.) But can we be judge, jury, and executioner - in any personal moral sense - because of what we "think we know" about a person and their serious societal flaws? These are tough questions which are all thrown at the viewer of</span> <a href="http://www.thewoodsmanfilm.com/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE WOODSMAN</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. Notice I said "thrown at" and not "forced upon". That's an important distinction. For not once did I feel that the script was trying to be sympathetic to criminals, police, or our society. The film shows you both the good <strong><em>and </em></strong>the bad.<br /><br />The story flows around a recently paroled child molester, Walter (</span><a href="http://fans.papervixen.net/bacon/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kevin Bacon</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://mysticrivermovie.warnerbros.com/index.php" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>MYSTIC RIVER</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), who now lives in a dumpy apartment in "Anywhere" USA. But problems immediately arise for Walter: his apartment, the only one that would allow him in, is directly across from a grade school playground; a cop comes by to harass him and tell him what a scumbag he still is; someone at his job finds out about his past and begins distributing flyers about him; and a child stalker (nicknamed "Candy") is prowling near the playground while Walter watches him with both disgust and anguish.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Throughout the film we also see Walter visiting his court appointed therapist, who asks tough questions, and Walter replies with equal brusqueness. He continually asks his therapist "When will I be normal?", feeling the weight of his "illness" every minute of every day. And this is an important set of narratives, because we see Walter wanting to be normal, we can feel the internal battle within him as he struggles with his past and his more uncertain future.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Added to the film is an attractive co-worker,</span> <a href="http://www.starpulse.com/Actresses/Sedgwick,_Kyra/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kyra Sedgwick</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(Kevin Bacon's real-life wife), who becomes a strange kind of girlfriend that Walter <strong><em>must</em></strong> confide in at some point. And when he finally does tell her why he was in prison, you could cut the tension surrounding both of them with a knife. I found myself holding my breath, waiting for her to respond to his history.<br /><br />But if I held my breath for a moment there, I literally stopped breathing when Walter follows a young girl into a park and begins speaking with her. By this time in the film, most viewers probably are cheering for Walter to succeed in becoming a normal member of his community. We've felt the terrible pedophile lust trying to move away from this flawed man, and we're happy for him. But society won't leave him alone, and now he seems to be slipping back into some horrible old habits. Or is he? Can this child he follows into the park help <em>The Woodsman</em> be redeemed? It's amazing to me, too, that the title of the film is <em>The Woodsman</em>. This is the tale of Little Red Riding Hood who is cut from the Wolf's belly and removed unscathed. And the little girl Walter follows into the park, if you watch closely, is wearing a little red cape</span><span style="color:#ffffff;">.<br /><br />I'm going to leave my review here, as I don't want to give away too much more about what happens in the park (the pivotal moment of the film). But I will say that this is a terribly uncomfortable flick to watch, which is why you should. If you want to feel challenged in any real moral sense, this movie is your best bet. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361127/trailers-screenplay-E23472-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here for</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> The Woodsman movie trailer!</span></a></em></strong></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116095605992513455?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1160935104597318712006-10-15T10:57:00.000-07:002006-10-22T15:10:47.903-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://wip.warnerbros.com/scienceofsleep/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Science of Sleep" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Science%20of%20sleep.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.senorbernal.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 99px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 137px" height="144" alt="Gael García Bernal" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Gael_Garc%3F%3Fa_Bernal.jpg" width="99" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.directorslabel.com/michel_gondry.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michel Gondry</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://fan.gloryfades.org/gael/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Gael García Bernal</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /></div><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="HUGE THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>HUGE THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">If you thought director Michel Gondry’s</span> <a href="http://www.eternalsunshine.com/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND</span></em></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">was dream-like, you ain’t seen nothing yet. </span><em><a href="http://wip.warnerbros.com/scienceofsleep/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">plunges headlong into the line that separates dreams from reality and blurs it so perfectly as to make the audience feel as if they’ve stepped into a piece of an artist’s REM sleep. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">What the film does so well is create a moving canvas on the screen (note: see this on the big screen) while at the same time challenging the audience to follow the story of a struggling artist named Stephane (</span><a href="http://www.senorbernal.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Gael Garcia Bernal</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2005/11/motorcycle-diaries.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) as he moves into his mother’s home after the death of his father. Next door to their flat, he finds a woman with a like-minded soul named — oddly enough — Stephanie (</span><a href="http://www.charlottegainsbourg.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Charlotte Gainsbourg</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116684/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>JANE EYRE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). Initially Stephane is attracted to Stephanie’s friend but soon learns that Stephanie and he have artistic aspirations that go beyond the norm.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">But Stephane is not just artistically inclined while he’s awake, but while he sleeps, too. His dream world starts encroaching on the "real" and vice-versa, making it seem as if he were having waking dreams. Stephane has a news casting set (in his dreams) that acts as his platform from which his ideas/dreams launch. He is the camera operator, sound technician, and host for his dreams, having two pulled shades against backdrop windows that represent his eyelids and a third, larger window that acts as the gateway for his dreams.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">As Stephanie becomes more and more a part of his life, she becomes more and more intertwined in his dreams (both sleeping and waking). Their strange relationship builds within Stephane’s dream world only to be fuddled up by the real one. But can a person’s dreams turn their life around? Can it become more lifelike than the waking world? Such are questions left up to the audience’s interpretation.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The living tapestry-style artwork of the dream world will be the biggest pull for movie watchers. The colors, scene jumps, and nonsensical dreams are pure eye-candy — one might wonder if being on hallucinogens could make the film experience even more enjoyable. The other big plus is that the movie actually engages the audience and challenges them to understand what is happening rather than just dragging us through another vapid and transparent Hollywood plot. And most viewers will feel that if their eyes leave the screen they’ll miss something vital or be pulled out of this fantastically visual world and dumped back into their own drab existence. Such is the magic of <em>The Science of Sleep</em>.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">And it is magical. Childlike wonder and adult fantasy live comfortably side by side in Gondy’s latest cinematic offering and it is an excellent, if unusual (and fresh), work of art.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0354899/trailers-screenplay-E28007-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for The Science of Sleep movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116093510459731871?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1160842184684441752006-10-14T09:07:00.000-07:002006-10-22T15:13:41.613-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.adaywithoutamexican.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="A Day Without A Mexican" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Nomexican.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.yareli.com/menu.htm" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Yareli Arizmendi" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/YareliArizmendi.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.sergioarau.com/menu.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sergio Arau</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring </span><a href="http://www.yareli.com/menu.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Yareli Arizmendi</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="color:#ff6600;">THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!</span></em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Trying to conceive of a "Left Behind" style film happening to a specific race in a specific State is pretty out there. But director</span> <a href="http://www.sergioarau.com/menu.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sergio Arau</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">does so admirably in</span> <em><a href="http://www.adaywithoutamexican.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">A DAY WITHOUT A MEXICAN</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Part comedy, part mockumentary, the film’s liberal leanings are sure to turn some viewers off. Taking consistent jabs at prejudices (and hitting their target more often than not), the film takes on the premise that a strange, magical fog has surrounded California one fateful day, blocking all incoming and outgoing traffic, internet access, and all forms of communication. And this weird atmospheric disturbance has also taken away all of the Mexicans. The disruption to the Sunshine State is evident as fruit rots on trees, vegetable aisles in grocery stores go empty, and car wash patrons have to dry their own cars!<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Lilia Rod(riguez) played by</span> <a href="http://www.yareli.com/menu.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Yareli Arizmendi</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/like_water_for_chocolate/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is a televison news reporter who <em>doesn't</em> disappear. The supernatural phenomenon seems to have passed her by even though she’s Mexican. Or is she? More unseen prejudices arise as we learn that most Anglos label anyone with a coppery-toned complexion as "Mexican." Lilia learns her true genetic heritage along the way but feels, in her heart, that she’s Mexican and promptly vanishes in front of a televison audience. </span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.tv.com/john-getz/person/12572/summary.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">John Getz</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.coenbrothers.net/blood.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">BLOOD SIMPLE</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) plays Senator Abercrombie who has to take on the position of California Governor Pro-Tem, as the current Governor and Lieutenant Governor were Mexican. Thrown into the spotlight, the new Gov has to deal with all of the chaos caused by the disappearances as well as the disruptions to his own household when their maid/nanny/cook vanishes.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Other characters include two border patrol officers who are forced to deal with their prejudices when they learn that they no longer have a viable job. This is one particularly hilarious portion of the film that will really tickle audience’s funny bones.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">As California tries to deal with the loss of an entire race, the remaining folks come up with some great reasons for the Mexicans’ disappearance. Some say that the sombrero is shaped like a UFO for a reason <em>{wink!}.</em> Others believe it’s a form of the rapture, and the apocalypse is upon us. Still others believe that it is because the other races didn’t appreciate the Mexicans and so they just up and left. Regardless of the reason (true or not) the effect is felt throughout the State. Anglos and other nationalities turn to looting and diving into black-market fruits and vegies in order to save their restaurants. Talk shows swing from one extreme to the other, some saying their glad that the Mexicans are gone while others struggle to stay on the air with a skeleton crew (many camera operators were Mexicans).<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The film’s faults are that this probably won’t be for those who live outside California. <em>A Day Without a Mexican</em> has a fairly specific target audience. But the great message, often funny and poignant at the same time, cannot be denied: we all need each other, regardless of race.<br /><br />Special mention of the</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Day-Without-Mexican-Original-Soundtrack/dp/B0002B16CS/sr=1-1/qid=1160849182/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3795173-2788121?ie=UTF8&amp;s=music" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">film’s musical soundtrack</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;"><strong><em>must</em></strong> be made, too. The mariachi version of California Dreamin’ is outstanding, as is the theme song A Day Without A Mexican.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.videodetective.com/trailer-preview.asp?publishedid=878014" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the A Day Without A Mexican movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116084218468444175?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1160753137200655742006-10-13T08:25:00.000-07:002006-10-22T15:24:30.156-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/united_states_of_leland/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="United States of Leland" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/USofLeland.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><a href="http://ryan-gosling.fan-sites.org/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 110px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 140px" height="145" alt="Ryan Gosling" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/ryangosling.jpg" width="110" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://movies.ign.com/articles/504/504008p1.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Matthew Ryan Hoge</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://ryan-gosling.fan-sites.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ryan Gosling</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="HESITANT THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>A HESITANT THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Why do people do good and bad things? What purpose do they serve? The "why" question is pondered to a fatalistic ending in</span> <em><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/united_states_of_leland/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE UNITED STATES OF LELAND</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">, starring</span> <a href="http://ryan-gosling.fan-sites.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ryan Gosling</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><em><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/half_nelson/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">HALF NELSON</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">) as the emotionally detached Leland P. Fitzgerald.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Leland is introduced to us during a terrible scene in which a young retarded boy lay stabbed to death on a grassy playground. It appears that Leland has had some sort of mental breakdown, as he stabbed the boy and then himself, "just to see what it felt like." But as the movie progresses we see plenty of emotional distance from the other characters, too. Leland’s own father Albert (</span><a href="http://users.aol.com/macparrot/kspacey.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kevin Spacey</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <em><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/08/superman-returns.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">SUPERMAN RETURNS</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">) hasn’t had much contact with Leland since he was eight years old. Leland’s previous girlfriend Becky (</span><a href="http://www.jenamalone.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jena Malone</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://www.donniedarko.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>DONNIE DARKO</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) zones out by shooting heroin and isolating herself away from her family. Even Leland’s mother Marybeth (</span><a href="http://www.lena-olin.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Lena Olin</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/05/casanova.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">CASANOVA</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) simply slips in and checks on Leland occasionally, only asking if he’s "okay" even when it’s evident he’s not.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The only one interested in Leland turns out to be a teacher at the prison where he’s held after the murder. But even the teacher, Mr. Pearl Madison (</span><a href="http://www.doncheadle.com/index0.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Don Cheadle</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.hotelrwanda.com/intro.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>HOTEL RWANDA</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), is only occupied with Leland as a way to break out of his writing slump (he’s a would-be author with serious blockage problems).<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Leland questions the "why" of everything around him, and it’s an interesting message that gets pulled from the film. Why is it you’re considered "only human" when you do something wrong and not something right? Like pulling a little kid from a burning building. Why don’t we show emotions in equal measure when someone dies? These are tough questions that trickle out of the film.<br /><br />The downside is that the movie doesn’t give us a good reason for Cheadle’s character to be enraptured with Leland so early and so quickly (considering that’s a large portion of the film, it’s pretty significant). And most viewers won’t like the incredibly slow pace, as well as the occasionally stilted line delivery. But that’s it.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The cast is excellent, from Spacey’s spacey father to the embittered and lost Malone, the characters were fairly riveting to watch, even though all that happens is some intense dialogue throughout.<br /><br />In the end, it’ll all depend on your expectations and mindset. If you’re expecting something that moves along at a good clip, forget it. If you’re in the mood for action, blood, and fights, don’t even think about it. But if you’re ready for some deep contemplation, <em>The United States of Leland</em> is right up your alley.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301976/trailers-screenplay-E19339-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the United States of Leland movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116075313720065574?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1160584508595958682006-10-11T09:34:00.000-07:002006-10-11T15:32:13.850-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/click/index.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Click" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Click.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.adamsandler.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 81px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 130px" height="154" alt="Adam Sandler" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/AdamSandler.jpg" width="96" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/frank_coraci/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Frank Coraci</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring </span><a href="http://www.adamsandler.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Adam Sandler</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="UNFORTUNATE THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/thumbs-down.46.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>AN UNFORTUNATE THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Watching</span> <em><a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/click/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">CLICK</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">is like watching two separate movies. The blatant parallels to</span> <a href="http://www.reelclassics.com/Movies/Wonlife/wonlife.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">are transparent, but that's not what makes <em>Click</em> a clunker. Not that it is a clunker in its entirety, either.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The story surrounds Michael Newman (</span><a href="http://www.adamsandler.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Adam Sandler</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/spanglish/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SPANGLISH</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), an architect who yearns for peace and harmony in his life. Part of the problem is the competition (keeping up with the Jones') that he has going on with his neighbors. They have a new RV, new toys and new cars, while Michael and his family just get by. One evening he hears the irritating boy next door talking about his father's new universal remote control that's patched into everything (garage door, TV, stereo, etc.) and it's all that Michael can take. So he heads out to the mall and stops at (of all places) Bed, Bath and Beyond. It is the "Beyond" that apparently pulls him in, but once inside all he finds are towels and bedding. He lays down on one of these and then quickly spots a doorway that says "Beyond". It looks rather ethereal yet inviting, so Michael goes on in. What he finds is a whacked-out looking guy named Morty (</span><a href="http://www.walken2008.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Christopher Walken</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/02/wedding-crashers.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>WEDDING CRASHERS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) who offers him a truly "Universal Remote." This remote control does it all. It can rewind you to your birth so that you can witness it (or your conception, something we should NEVER have to see), or it can fast-forward you through troubling times, like arguments with your spouse, or personal illnesses. The dangers of this Universal Remote aren't evident right away. Apparently, as this magical tool gets used to your requests, it does them automatically, without you having to push a button. So when Michael fast forwards through arguments with his wife Donna (</span><a href="http://www.kbeckinsale.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kate Beckinsale</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/underworld/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>UNDERWOLD</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), the remote does it automatically for him in the future. Thus, large chunks of what might seem like inane discussions suddenly are wiped away.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Michael soon discovers that his life is in constant fast forward. His job, his kids, his wife, even his own body, change in rapid succession as the Universal Remote takes over. Trying to give back this dangerous piece of machinery, we soon learn that Morty is much more than he seems.<br /><br />The great thing about the film is the last 2/3 of it (with the exception of the ending, which we'll cover in a moment). When people learn how important life is, it's truly an eye-opener. And this is where <em>Click</em> succeeds. When Sandler's character learns about death and how important it is to live every second of every day, it is heart renderingly pulled off. We get to witness Sandler rewinding time and again the important portions of his life that he missed. And, near the end of his own life, we witness his evolution into a man of distinction, trying to save his son from his own deadly mistakes related to family.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Where the film fails is the beginning and it's horribly cliched ending. The beginning of the film is filled with bathroom humor (farting in people's faces) and gag jokes that sag under their own terrible weight. This is where one feels like they are watching an entirely different film when compared to the latter 2/3 of the movie. The characters are one-dimensional and utterly unbelievable (quite the dichotomy from what we see later). This isn't a character evolution issue as much as a script failure.<br /><br />The ending of the film is what finally gives it a poor rating. When we see Sandler lay down at Bed, Bath and Beyond, a creeping disgust enters the mind. The film-makers surely wouldn't use one of the oldest cliches in the book, would they? But, oh yes, they did. Grrr!</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The unfortunate thing about <em>Click</em> is that it really has a wonderful message and some fine acting moments. Special effect make-up artist</span> <a href="http://www.scifi2k.com/misc_html/legends/legend_baker_rick.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Rick Baker</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/08/planet-of-apes-2001.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>PLANET OF THE APES</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) also deserves much credit for the aging looks he puts the characters through, from</span> <a href="http://www.sitcomsonline.com/winklerbiog.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Henry Winkler's</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">role as Sandler's father, to</span> <a href="http://www.sean-astin.net/latest_projects.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sean Astin's</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/08/lord-of-rings-fellowship-of-ring-2001.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>LORD OF THE RINGS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) speedo and chubby swim instructor, it was one of the strongest aspects of the entire production.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">As a whole, the film fails because of its childish beginnings and over-used style ending. But make no mistake, there are some great moments in here. Just not enough to give it a high ranking.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0389860/trailers-screenplay-E26313-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Click movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116058450859595868?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1160312140759265572006-10-08T05:55:00.000-07:002006-10-11T15:36:42.943-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.the-departed.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Departed" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/The%20Departed.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.leonardodicaprio.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 98px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 136px" height="137" alt="Leonardo DiCaprio" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/LeonardoDiCaprio.jpg" width="93" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.scorsesefilms.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Martin Scorsese</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.leonardodicaprio.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Leonardo DiCaprio</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstewaboutreviewers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Chad Wilson</span></a><br /><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING (4.5 Out Of 5 Rating)!<br /></em></strong></span><br /></p><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">A great filmmaker like</span> <a href="http://www.scorsesefilms.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Martin Scorsese</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> has inspired countless others to create film and build upon his own substantial innovations. So it's somewhat fitting that things come full circle in which Scorsese's new film,</span> <em><a href="http://www.the-departed.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Departed</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">, finds the director inspired by the successive films of those directors and filmmakers who found influence in Scorsese's work. A remake of the fantastic Hong Kong thriller</span> <em><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/10/infernal-affairs.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Infernal Affairs</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">, <em>The Departed</em> is a return to great moviemaking for Scorsese and his strongest film since</span> <em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112641/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Casino</span></a></em>.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;"><em>The Departed</em> has two men, undercover on opposite sides of the law, racing to discover the identity of the other in a battle between the Irish Mafia and the Boston State Police. Inside the police, Colin Sullivan (</span><a href="http://www.mattdamon.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Matt Damon</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2005/12/legend-of-bagger-vance.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Legend of Bagger Vance</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is mobster trained as a police officer and has been feeding information to his organized crime boss Frank Costello (</span><a href="http://www.jacknicholson.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jack Nicholson</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). Undercover in the mafia, Billy Costigan (</span><a href="http://www.leonardodicaprio.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Leonardo DiCaprio</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is a mole who did real jail time and erased his identity as cover, a scheme planned by Boston police boss Oliver Queenan (</span><a href="http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/192020" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Martin Sheen</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and his right hand man Dignam (</span><a href="http://www.markrobertwahlberg.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Mark Wahlberg</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/08/planet-of-apes-2001.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Planet of the Apes, 2001</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). Each mole has been working inside the other's organization, but a gun deal between the Irish mob and Chinese mafia reveals to both sides that there is a rat in their respective houses. Now each mole faced with being exposed, Colin and Billy have to uncover the identity of the other before they end up dead.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Moving the setting from Hong Kong to Boston, Scorsese takes the story of <em>Infernal Affairs</em> (from an adaptation rewritten by</span> <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/william-monahan" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">William Monahan</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and gives it his own personal touch. Preferring to embellish the story rather than pile on the pressure, <em>The Departed</em> is a slower paced film that builds deliberately and works towards a strong climax. Once again, Scorsese is in his element, including dialogue that solidly defines the nature of each character and infusing the film with the darker side of life. These manly characters have personalities born of the arena in which they play their game and Scorsese pulls no punches in depicting the racism and homophobia that run their lives. Alongside the artistic cinematography, none of the in-your-face violence we've come to expect from Scorsese is missing, making <em>The Departed</em> a film just as vibrant and visually disturbing as his other treatises on the bloody and brutal underworld.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">This type high-concept film could have floundered in the hands of a lesser director, but Martin Scorsese backs up the script with a cast that performs adeptly time and again. Damon's Colin is charming and frigidly devious, ever the threat to DiCaprio's well played Billy, an angst ridden cop constantly in fear for his life. Jack Nicholson does his trademark best as the vulgar psychotic wiseguy Frank, always chummy with his strong-arm enforcer Mr. French, played with deep-voiced menace by the skillful</span> <a href="http://www.copperlily.com/AboutRayWinstone/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ray Winstone</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><em><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/09/proposition.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Proposition</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">). Martin Sheen's role as Queenan is the level-headed intellect of the police, masterfully portrayed by Sheen as he moves his pawns around in an unrelenting quest to bring Frank to justice. Even minor roles shine, with a performance from Wahlberg as Dignam that is hilarious in Scorsese's trademark style of comedy-meets-vulgarity. Also of note is</span> <a href="http://www.alecbaldwin.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Alec Baldwin</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">as Ellerby, who injects nearly all his scenes with sharp wit making the most of his screen time.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">It would be easy to categorize <em>The Departed</em> as a flawless masterpiece, but the film falls just short of expectations. It generally keeps us glued to our seats, but at just under two and a half hours in length <em>The Departed</em> could use some trimming. The slower pace sacrifices much of the high-speed intensity of the original <em>Infernal Affairs</em> and while the dialogue and character development are ample entertainment, <em>The Departed</em> simply isn't as intense nor taut as it could be. The film also suffers from the overexposure of legendary actor Jack Nicholson and the silly antics of his portrayal as Frank Costello. Every over-the-top mob boss scene threatens to reduce the film to a star vehicle for Nicholson and when his character does dastardly deeds, that foolish grin often comes across as far less threatening than it should be. Lastly the film lacks a certain freshness that always occurs when a remake comes so soon after the original, since <em>Infernal Affairs</em> was released in 2002. Still, it's hard to go wrong with <em>The Departed</em>. From it's own landscape in North America, this film is easily one of the best of 2006 and Scorsese fans will delight at this fine feature that ranks among the director's best.<br /></span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Despite being a remake, <em>The Departed</em> is a success all on it's own; beautifully shot, intriguing to watch, and with acting not to be missed, the film is skillfully directed by master filmmaker Martin Scorsese back in top form.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407887/trailers-screenplay-E29294-10-2" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> for The Departed movie trailer!</span></em></strong></a></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116031214075926557?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1160312121389392452006-10-08T05:54:00.000-07:002006-10-11T15:35:30.430-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/infernal_affairs/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Infernal Affairs" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/InfernalAffairs.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.tonyleung.org/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 101px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 146px" height="158" alt="Tony Leung" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/TonyLeung.jpg" width="103" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.lovehkfilm.com/people/lau_andrew.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Wai Keung Lau</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.tonyleung.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Tony Leung</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstewaboutreviewers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Chad Wilson</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="BIG THUMBS UP (5 out of 5 Rating)!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>BIG THUMBS UP FOREIGN FILM REVIEW RATING (5 Out Of 5 Rating)!</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">There has been a great deal of films produced in the Hong Kong crime drama genre, but also equally prolific criticism in recent years for a decided lack of creativity.</span> <em><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/infernal_affairs/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Infernal Affairs</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;"><em>(Mou gaan dou)</em> rises to the challenge, departing from the accepted crime film formula and instead creating a dramatic thriller with a powerful script, amazing performances, and tension that never lets up. <em>Infernal Affairs</em> is without a doubt one of the best Hong Kong crime thrillers to date and has even inspired master filmmaker</span> <a href="http://www.martin-scorsese.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Martin Scorsese</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">to remake the film for American audiences (see <em><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/10/departed.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">The Departed</span></a></em>).<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;"><em>Infernal Affairs</em> follows the story of two talented men on opposite ends of the law, one a mole for the mob and the other, an undercover cop. Lau (</span><a href="http://www.andylau.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Andy Lau</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is an ambitious young member of the Triads who infiltrates the police by training to become a cop and eventually rising to the level of detective. Chan (</span><a href="http://www.tonyleung.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Tony Leung</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) </span><span style="color:#ffffff;">is a cop deep undercover in the Triads for years, his identity so thoroughly erased only his boss, Police Superindendent Wong (</span><a href="http://www.lovehkfilm.com/people/wong_anthony.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Anthony Wong</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), knows his true identity. When a drug deal between Triad boss Sam (</span><a href="http://www.lovehkfilm.com/people/tsang_eric.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Eric Tsang</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and Thai gangsters goes bad for both the Triad and the Police, Lau and Chan realize there is a mole in their respective organizations. It becomes a race against the clock, both men trying to uncover who the mole is before each is discovered.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Shot with cinematic panache and written with intelligence, <em>Infernal Affairs</em> is an absolutely riveting film from beginning to end. Virtually every scene is filled with suspense and the script never lets the chase for the mole stop. The cinematography is fluid and sharp, with effective uses of camera movement that give the film incredible style and contributes greatly to the editing. With each passing moment, the need to find the mole leads to desperation and both men take greater chances as time shortens, stopping at nothing to find the other. Foreshadowing is brilliantly used to exacting effect, each scene building upon the other until we see the investigation itself become a character, shaping the lives and fates of each character in the story. This also serves the subtle eastern religious undertone of the film, a remarkably tight web of ideology that has the character's trapped in a continuous hell, played out again and again each time the identities of the two moles slip away from the other side. Even the finale itself, culminating in a fantastic showdown, leaves the audience with both a sense of closure and an unending limbo.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The performances in <em>Infernal Affairs</em> are magnetic, keeping the audience firmly rooted in the story. In particular, Tony Leung's Chan is brilliantly brooding and the most sympathetic character in the film. Leung displays the perfect matching of angst and duty, making his journey throughout the film very relatable and empathetic. Andy Lau's Triad mole is intensity incarnate, played with a mix of fiery ambition and near machine-like efficiency that makes his story nearly unfathomable to behold, each scene keeps the audience in awe wondering how far he'll go and to what end. Triad boss Sam is played with savage ruthlessness by Eric Tsang, often described as Hong Kong's</span> <a href="http://www.the-movie-times.com/thrsdir/actors/actorProfiles.mv?pesci" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Joe Pesci</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">for both his stature and menacing performances. Tsang plays the character with charisma and humor, yet it is this same attachment to the character that makes the performance so powerful once Tsang turns on the malice and brutality. Lastly Anthony Wong is brilliantly cast as Chan's police boss, played with a dogged determination and wisdom, Wong is the driving force behind the police. Wong's portrayal of the dedicated officer is embelished further by his feeling of responsibility for Chan, driving his need to take down Sam.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">While largely avoiding cliches with a smart script and enjoying grounded performances from the cast, <em>Infernal Affairs</em> does suffer some small flaws for what is otherwise a solid film. There is some melodramatic excess, limited mostly to one scene that heavy-handedly uses flashbacks interspersed between a performance that should have been unedited. There are also one or two scenes that fall flat, sapping the tautness built in the rest of the story with a scene that is overly -long or a piece of dialogue that should have been cut. But such nitpicking cannot reduce the worth of everything the film gets right. At an engrossing 97 minutes, <em>Infernal Affairs</em> is filled with so much tension and explosive acting that it achieves more than films far longer and with less exposition. The film flows steadily and unerringly toward it's climax, rarely wasting a scene or a piece of dialogue.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">An instant classic of the cops-and-mobsters crime genre, <em>Infernal Affairs</em> has acting, style, intelligence, and tension that delivers a film thrilling to watch and a story audiences won't want to miss.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/miramax/infernal_affairs.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Infernal Affairs movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116031212138939245?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1160261865920136122006-10-07T15:57:00.000-07:002006-10-11T16:41:25.576-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/movie/2006_Edmond.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Edmond" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Edmond.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/william_h_macy/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 91px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 132px" height="142" alt="William H. Macy" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/williamhmacy.0.jpg" width="91" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.esplatter.com/profiles/gordon.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Stuart Gordon</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/william_h_macy/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">William H. Macy</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><p align="center"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="UNFORTUNATE THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/thumbs-down.45.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>AN UNFORTUNATE THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Most fans of</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/william_h_macy/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">William H. Macy</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">will love him in the role of Edmond Burke, and his character portrayal certainly has its merits. With those puppy-dog eyes, many will feel a touch of empathy for a mostly unempathetic character in</span> <em><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/movie/2006_Edmond.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">EDMOND</span></a></em><span style="color:#ffffff;">, a film from horror master</span> <a href="http://www.esplatter.com/profiles/gordon.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Stuart Gordon</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(director of H.P. Lovecraft's</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089885/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>RE-ANIMATOR</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and the newer</span> <a href="http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/film.php?id=525" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>KING OF THE ANTS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Macy isn’t unfamiliar with the dark side of cinema. His role as the sexually inadequate Little Bill in</span> <em><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/boogie_nights/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">BOOGIE NIGHTS</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">cemented his acting career. But he’s moved on to "brighter" pastures with the warm-and-fuzzy </span><a href="http://www.casenet.com/movie/pleasantville.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>PLEASANTVILLE</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and his stunningly excellent Sheriff Chappy in</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2005/12/happy-texas.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>HAPPY TEXAS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. That Macy reinvests himself on the shadowy side won’t bother anyone, but <em>Edmond</em>’s script surely will.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Where the film fails is in its beginnings. Edmond Burke seems like a regular Joe leaving work when he’s handed a Post-It note with a change in time for an appointment tomorrow. On it is scrolled the time of 1:15. He heads home and has a confusing argument with his wife (</span><a href="http://www.rebeccapidgeon.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Rebecca Pidgeon</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://video.movies.go.com/shopgirl/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SHOPGIRL</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). He explains that he’s emotionally and sexually unattracted to her and then promptly leaves. This is where the film has its biggest problem. We’re never privy to Edmond’s previous life experiences and so don’t know why he feels this way. There appears to be no motivation for his leaving. He just ...does, and we’re supposed to, somehow, understand it. And this lost understanding will plague the rest of the film for viewers.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Edmond heads out into the night and comes upon a fortune teller who tells him "You’re not where you should be." The rest of the film is relegated to finding out "where" he’s supposed to be and constantly running into the 1:15 reference, a personal omen. What he finds is an unleashing of pent up sexual desire, anger, bigotry and murder. Edmond has had some sort of psychotic break but, again, the audience wasn’t privy to his life before this night so have no way to tell why this has happened. He’s just "going crazy" and the audience is supposed to go along with it. The 1:15 omen pops up at dangerous intersections, as do visions of the fortune teller’s tarot cards, sinking Edmond deeper and deeper into a pit of no return.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Scripting problems aside, there’s no damning comments to made about Macy’s performance. He’s in topnotch psycho-mode and it is this that will keep people watching.</span><br /><br /><p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443496/trailers-screenplay-E28699-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here to view the Edmond movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-116026186592013612?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1159734993540936132006-10-01T13:35:00.000-07:002006-10-14T11:28:45.820-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/alpacino.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 97px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 138px" height="170" alt="Al Pacino" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/AlPacino.jpg" width="108" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/classics/merchantofvenice/flash.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Merchant of Venice" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/MerchantVenice.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.michaelradford.com/index4.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michael Radford</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring </span><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/alpacino.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Al Pacino</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">There are so few truly timeless stories, but Shakespeare’s</span> <a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/classics/merchantofvenice/flash.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE MERCHANT OF VENICE</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">is certainly one of them. So much of what came out of this play still resonates in our society today as to boggle the mind. Words like "</span><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Shylock" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Shylock</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">" are still representative of money lenders (see </span><a href="http://www.getshortydvd.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>GET SHORTY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), and the themes of vengeance, religion, and forgiveness still live on. "If you prick me do I not bleed" is probably the most memorable line in literature, and here we get to see, feel and experience it firsthand in screenwriter and director</span> <a href="http://www.michaelradford.com/index4.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Michael Radford’s</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">excellent adaptation.<br /><br />For those who’ve lived under a stone for the past 400 years, <em>The Merchant of Venice</em> is the story of Shylock (</span><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/alpacino.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Al Pacino</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/04/two-for-money.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>TWO FOR THE MONEY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), Antonio (</span><a href="http://www.jeremy-irons.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jeremy Irons</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/05/casanova.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>CASANOVA</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and Bassanio (</span><a href="http://www.josephfiennesconnection.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Joseph Fiennes</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, </span><a href="http://www.cinetropic.com/shakespeare/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), three men who will be tied together by a bond (i.e., financial agreement). Antonio and Bassanio are great friends who live in Venice during religiously tumultuous times. Both are Christians, but Antonio is man of means, while Bassanio is one who’s flittered away his family’s wealth. Bassanio, now in love with the beautiful heiress Portia (</span><a href="http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/interviews/lynn_collins.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Lynn Collins</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/09/lake-house.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE LAKE HOUSE</span></a>), must find a way to travel the distant oceans and wed her. Lacking funds, he approaches Antonio, who happens to have all of his moneys tied to ships that remain out to sea but due back with plenty of loot/merchandise, but agrees to extend his own credit so that Bassanio might travel to his true-love’s home. They approach Shylock. He agrees to loan Antonio/Bassanio the funds, but only if Antonio signs a bond that, should he fail to pay it pack in three months, will result in Shylock cleaving "a pound of flesh from nearest Antonio’s heart."<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Needless to say, Antonio’s ships never return, thus placing him in dire financial straits and owing his flesh to Shylock. At the forefront of all this are the religious aspects. Jews live in the low-rent areas of Venice and are forced to wear red hats (identifying them as Jews to everyone) whenever out in the general population during the day. At night, they are shut in and not allowed to leave the ghetto. They are often spit upon by Christians, and even Antonio does this, something Shylock does not easily forget. And, to add anger to angst, Shylock’s daughter has run-off with a Christian boy and turned her back on Judaism. So when Antonio fails to pay good on his debt in three months, Shylock demands his just dessert: the flesh.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">That this play was written so long ago yet remains at the center of what we continue to fight about really shows Shakespeare’s grasp on humanity.<br /><br />Radford’s adaptation is beautifully filmed (mostly in Venice itself) using the many cobbled streets and porticos to great advantage. The language is also straight from Shakespeare and not modernized in any way (some may find this difficult to follow but it really gives a sense of the times). For English Lit students, this might make a great cliff notes film to watch.<br /><br />Al Pacino’s performance shines as Shylock, the vengeful and ultimately pitiable Jewish money lender who’s own unforgiving attitude spells his demise. His commanding presence forces viewers to pay very close attention to every word he speaks. And he speaks them in awesome tones.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">It’d be hard to find another Shakespeare adaptation that could stand up to this one. The only one that comes to mind is <em>Shakespeare in Love</em>, but it’s not of the same ilk as this flick. <em>Shakespeare in Love</em> is one of my favorite films. <em>The Merchant of Venice</em> is, too, but for entirely different reasons.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379889/trailers-screenplay-X28821-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for The Merchant of Venice movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><p><a href="http://www.bafta.org/site/webdav/site/myjahiasite/shared/import/Film_Winners_2000-2004.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff9900;"><strong><em>BAFTA Award Nominee: Best Costume Design</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-115973499354093613?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1159633276736764842006-09-30T09:20:00.000-07:002006-10-04T21:21:37.730-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.simplysandra.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 99px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 130px" height="111" alt="Sandra Bullock" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/SandraBullock.0.jpg" width="97" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://thelakehousemovie.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Lake House" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Lake%20House.0.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/alejandro_agresti/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Alejandro Agresti</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.simplysandra.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sandra Bullock</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/thumbs-down.44.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS DOWN FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><a href="http://thelakehousemovie.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE LAKE HOUSE</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">fails on so many levels that it’s tough to pin down one thing viewers will dislike the most. Be it the multiple unexplained fantasy elements, or the lame acting, or the dumb-downed plot, this film will most likely make you shoot popcorn out of your nose, not in laughter, but because of incredulity.<br /><br />A time-traveling mailbox (and, apparently, canine) bind two lonely souls together at a lake house. The place was built by Simon Wyler (</span><a href="http://www.christopher-plummer.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Christopher Plummer</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/08/inside-man.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>INSIDE MAN</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) for his now deceased wife. Being a successful architect, his sons fall into the family business too. One of these is Alex (</span><a href="http://keanuweb.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Keanu Reeves</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2005/11/my-own-private-idaho.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), who purchases the house in 2004. Trouble is, though, the house is already owned ...in 2006. Not usually a problem, but apparently these two years in time are connected somehow. Kate Forster (</span><a href="http://www.simplysandra.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Sandra Bullock</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2005/11/crash.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>CRASH</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) is the 2006 year owner and has just sold the place. She leaves a note for the new owner to send all mail to her forwarded address. But the mail gets picked up in 2004 by Alex, who’s confused about the date she put on her message. When he sticks his reply in the mailbox, Kate picks it up ...in 2006, two years later. The two form an "across-time" romance, trying to meet up in Kate’s year but failing. They do bump into one another in 2004 but neither realizes the importance of it.<br /><br />Okay, let’s start with the basic problems: Why these two and why a mailbox? The two individuals chosen for this event may be overlooked as mere coincidence. But the mailbox? Please!<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Kate and Alex are separated by two years in time but brought together by the mailbox. The big issue here is that neither of them find this even remotely disturbing or incredible. They just accept it. The assumption must be that the script and director wanted to move on to the "more interesting" love story surrounding the two protagonists. The problem here, though, is that the romance is anything but interesting. It’s distant (like the years that separate them), and rushed, and poorly acted. Bullock and Reeves had more chemistry in</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111257/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SPEED</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(that ought to tell you a lot!).<br /><br />Time travel movies are tough to pull off to begin with, and the challenge for most of them is avoiding the paradox they create. The Lake House doesn’t even <strong><em>try</em></strong> to address this problem and simply plows ahead without considering the intelligence of its audience. For instance, at one point Kate (in 2006) goes to an architects office and discovers some disturbing news. She rushes out to try and prevent it from happening by sending Alex a letter. And they do avoid the disastrous event. The trouble is, though, is that if it’s avoided, then there never was an event to begin with because Alex avoided it in 2004, thus, in 2006, there wouldn’t have been this problem for Kate to worry about. Some may not be bothered by this, but many scientists must be pretty ticked-off that the film doesn’t address it.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">And the final tragedy is the acting. Both Reeves and Bullock <strong><em>can</em></strong> act. We’ve seen them do it. But here they are bland, boring, and completely unsympathetic. Even Christopher Plummer’s character seemed forced and poorly thought out.<br /><br />Need a sleep aid? Put this flick in your DVD player and snooooooze away!</span></p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0410297/trailers-screenplay-E27739-10-2" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> for The Lake House movie trailer!</span></em></strong></a></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-115963327673676484?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1159545863011730592006-09-29T09:03:00.000-07:002006-10-14T11:36:37.973-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.franka-potente.org/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 138px" height="149" alt="Franka Potente" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/frankaPotente.0.jpg" width="100" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/classics/runlolarun/runlolarun.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Run Lola Run" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/RunLola.0.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.tomtykwer.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Tom Tykwer</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring </span><a href="http://www.franka-potente.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Franka Potente</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FOREIGN FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/classics/runlolarun/runlolarun.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>RUN LOLA RUN</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> is one of those films that actually delivers what it promises. In this case, a heart-pumping, action-filled flick with an excellent soundtrack, and plenty of artistic weirdness to boot.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Clocking in at a mere 80 minutes, this German-made film is infused with a quality normally seen in the cars this country produces. </span><a href="http://www.tomtykwer.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Tom Tykwer</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">wrote the script and directs (as well as contributing his voice and music to several songs/remixes), and gives us a movie that contains more than just artsy material. He takes the viewer on a journey of existentialism thanks to the unusual abilities of its main character, Lola. She’s a dye-dipped redhead with a high-pitched, soprano voice that can shatter glass. And she has the ability to change her future. Problem is, though, every time she changes something, everything changes, not just the one thing she wants. So when her boyfriend, Manni, loses 100,000 Deutsche marks that are owed to a local mob boss, Lola has to save him. But she’s only got 20 minutes, and everything doesn’t go as planned ...the first time. Or the second. Or maybe even the third.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Not being very familiar with German cinema, I’d rarely watched anything from this country. But I’d often heard people comment on <em>Run Lola Run</em> and how great it was, so I decided to check it out. And I’m glad I did! The film opens up with a bang and doesn’t stop until the final scene.</span> <a href="http://www.franka-potente.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Franka Potente</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://www.thebourneidentity.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE BOURNE IDENTITY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) stars as the hair-color-enhanced Lola, and her portrayal is believable, beautiful, and bizarre. In short, a great combination. Her boyfriend, Manni, is played by</span> <a href="http://www.moritzbleibtreu.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Moritz Bleibtreu</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">(</span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/06/munich.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>MUNICH</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), and his ridiculous behavior is pulled off well, especially when he loses the money and calls Lola in a blubbering panic.<br /><br />I loved, too, the incorporation of overlapping animation, something I enjoyed in the movie</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dangerous_lives_of_altar_boys/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Connections within connections is the main theme here, but one that is brought to life by a vivid script and excellent camera work (the dizzying slow-downs and speed-ups may drive some to distraction but are vital to the story).</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">I mentioned earlier the great soundtrack and that the director contributed his own voice and songs to it. And so did Franka Potente. The European beats mixed with old American titles were laid down in topnotch fashion.<br /><br />This is another foreign film gem, and one that won’t take up much of your time. But it’s one you’ll be glad you visited.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130827/trailers-screenplay-E11773-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Click here</span><span style="color:#ff6600;"> for the Run Lola Run movie trailer!</span></a></em></strong></span></p><p><strong><em><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff9900;"><a href="http://www.bafta.org/site/webdav/site/myjahiasite/shared/import/Film_Winners_1990-1999.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ff9900;">BAFTA Award</span><span style="color:#ff9900;"> Nominee: Best Film Not in the English Language</span></a></span></em></strong></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-115954586301173059?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1159457696422376582006-09-28T08:34:00.000-07:002006-10-04T21:21:16.550-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://ellenpage.org/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 118px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 128px" height="128" alt="Ellen Page" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/EllenPage.jpg" width="119" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.hardcandymovie.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Hard Candy" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/HardCandy.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmpeople/243453" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">David Slade</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://ellenpage.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ellen Page</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="HUGE THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>HUGE THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Occasionally a piece of cinema pushes boundaries and hits its audience with issues pertaining to choice, judgement, and morality. These are the type of films that divide audiences and add heated comments to after dinner discussions. One such film in recent memory was</span> <a href="http://www.thewoodsmanfilm.com/" target="_blank"><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE WOODSMAN</span></em></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, starring</span> <a href="http://allstarz.hollywood.com/kevinbacon/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kevin Bacon</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, a story about a pedophile trying to integrate himself back into normal society after being released from prison. It pushed us beyond our normal comfort level and forced us to view the world in a somewhat more empathetic manner regarding these people (a pretty uncomfortable thing to even think about). And</span> <em><a href="http://www.hardcandymovie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">HARD CANDY</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">asks the viewer similar disturbing questions but ping-pongs us back and forth between doubt and certainty about what’s happening between the two main characters.<br /><br />The story opens with two people in a chat room on the internet, typing suggestive comments to each other. A face-to-face meeting is arranged, and when the two come together it is obvious there are issues here: one is a fourteen-year-old girl named Haley (</span><a href="http://ellenpage.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ellen Page</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/05/x-men-last-stand.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>X-MEN: THE LAST STAND</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and the other is a 32-year-old photographer named Jeff (</span><a href="http://www.patrickwilson.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Patrick Wilson</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://phantomthemovie.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, 2004). From the get-go we’re uncomfortable with this meeting, as we know that men in Jeff’s age-range shouldn’t be meddling with a kid. The ante is upped even higher as Haley agrees to go home with Jeff (indeed, she pushes to go home with him). But once at his place, the tables rapidly turn. Haley is a smart and possibly psychotic young girl. As we delve deeper and deeper into the film, we begin to feel that maybe Jeff was setup somehow. And as Haley begins to "knock him down," the audiences allegiances towards her stance are questioned. Should we be cheering for her? Or worried that Jeff may not be a pedophile after all, and may simply be a nice guy?<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Time and again the tables get turned, and the viewer is constantly wondering which of these two they should be hoping comes out on top.<br /><br />This is one of the most intense films I’ve seen in a long time. Not since</span> <a href="http://www.mysterynet.com/movies/top50/killers/39.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>PSYCHO</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">has this amount of a mental impact been felt. The beginning is somewhat slow to get going and many may feel like this is going to be a cliche-riddled movie. It isn’t. As I sat on the couch, watching in horror as the stakes went higher and higher, my fiancé said, "Honey? You’re squeezing my hand too hard." I hadn’t realized how affected by the movie I’d become until she mentioned this. In fact, several times I held my breath, something that is a cliche in itself, but something I couldn’t help.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The acting and script for <em>Hard Candy</em> are absolutely superlative. Young Ellen Page (who was eighteen at the time but fits well into the role of a fourteen-year-old) delivers the performance of a lifetime. Her intensity, especially during a set of scenes I like to call "The Home Surgery Mutilation," is so creepy, frightening, and sick, that I actually felt nauseous. Patrick Wilson as Jeff is just as impressive, and I felt equally repulsed and worried for him as the minutes ticked by.<br /><br />The movie isn’t forcefully bloody or grotesque, either. Its success is owed solely to the interactions of the characters and not, necessarily, what they do to each other. Men, be forewarned, you may have nightmares once it's over.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">When the flick ended, I felt spent, as if I’d just run a set of mental hurdles. That’s how good this film is.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/lions_gate/hardcandy/medium.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Hard Candy movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-115945769642237658?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1159293191650333252006-09-26T10:52:00.000-07:002006-09-27T14:46:41.333-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.if.com.au/interviews/starwars-joel-edgerton.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 98px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 115px" height="140" alt="Joel Edgerton" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/JoelEdgerton.jpg" width="119" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.bvimovies.com/kinkyboots/index_flash.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Kinky Boots" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/KinkyBoots.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/p/julian_jarrold/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Julian Jarrold</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.if.com.au/interviews/starwars-joel-edgerton.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Joel Edgerton</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">When Charlie Price inherited his family’s shoe factory after the death of his father, he also inherited a financial mess. Their shoe styles aren’t selling with a market flooded by cheap Taiwan imports.<br /><br />But one fateful night, Charlie runs into Lola, a drag queen, who jabs an idea into his head: make women’s shoes for men. Specifically, make footwear for cross-dressers who can’t find the appropriate sizes and sex appeal they require.<br /><br />The Price Shoe Company quickly gets to work on the idea, encountering problems with men’s weight on women’s heels, financial woes, and the internal conflicts of workers at the factory who aren’t very keen on the idea of creating "sex in a tube," the unofficial term for these new boots and shoes.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Setting out a plan to display his new shoe styles at the Milan show, Charlie is forced to mortgage his own home, causing a rift to develop between him and his fiancé (a rift that grows because of her manipulative behavior and improprieties).<br /><br />The fact that this story is based on an actual shoe company is probably the biggest kick (no pun intended). Picturing a stodgy old English factory pumping out transgender pumps is quite the image, and</span> <a href="http://www.bvimovies.com/kinkyboots/index_flash.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>KINKY BOOTS</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">uses it to full advantage; the building they’re in is an old brick-and-mortar behemoth with half-rimmed glasses wearing employees running sexy red velvet boots through ancient looking machines.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">But the biggest success in the film is the acting.</span> <a href="http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,824797,00.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Chiwetel Ejiofor</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> presents an Oscar-caliber performance as Lola, the drag queen with a footwear fetish. It’s hard to imagine that this is the same bad-ass who played The Operative in the sci-fi smash</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2005/11/serenity.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SERENITY</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">. </span><a href="http://www.if.com.au/interviews/starwars-joel-edgerton.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Joel Edgerton</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">plays the lead role of Charlie Price and the painful decisions he makes are delivered admirably and with angst. The remaining actors do justice to their respective parts, but one that I have to give extra praise to is</span> <a href="http://www.frostitution.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Nick Frost’s</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">portrayal of Don, the factory worker who has to deal with his own prejudices towards Lola’s sexual identity. I loved Frost in </span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2005/12/shaun-of-dead.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>SHAUN OF THE DEAD</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">, and his great acting here (especially during an arm wrestling scene between him and Ejiofor) is highly notable.<br /><br />Although the script is rather blase, the acting made this flick very watchable. If you decide to check out Kinky Boots, make sure you pay attention to Ejiofor’s performance. It’ll make you stand up and cheer.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0434124/trailers-screenplay-E28369-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the Kinky Boots movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-115929319165033325?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1159293158454074142006-09-26T10:51:00.000-07:002006-09-27T14:44:55.566-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.tv.com/christian-clemenson/person/1922/summary.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Christian Clemenson" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/ChristianClemenson.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.united93movie.com/index.php" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="United 93" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/United93.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.britfilms.com/britishfilms/directors/?id=D5FD9B440ed1f280C9WiS18DEEDE" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Paul Greengrass</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring </span><a href="http://www.tv.com/christian-clemenson/person/1922/summary.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Christian Clemenson</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="HESITANT THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>HESITANT THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!<br /></em></strong></span></p><p><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">This could be the toughest review I’ve ever written. Being a born-and-bred American, I have a few protective sensibilities regarding my home country. When 9/11 happened, I was just as stunned, fearful, and outraged as most of my fellow countrymen, I’m sure. And watching a film related to those events only a few short years after that dreadful day, I could feel those same emotions smoldering within me. Trying to objectively rate this film based solely on its merits becomes a bit sticky, simply because that emotional scar is still so fresh. But I’ll do my best.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The greatest thing about</span> <a href="http://www.united93movie.com/index.php" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">UNITED 93</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> is that it’s filmed using hand-held cameras, giving the viewer an intimate sense that they are an active party within the movie. This is most effective when we’re on the plane (for reasons stated earlier) and get to witness all of the passengers’ interactions with each other and the hijackers. The other excellent part is that there isn’t one star that we follow, nor are there any big name actors/actresses in the film. Every person is just as important as the next. I applaud </span><a href="http://www.britfilms.com/britishfilms/directors/?id=D5FD9B440ed1f280C9WiS18DEEDE" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">director Greengrass’</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> script interpretation and this seldom used method of filming.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Another admirable item is that the film shows us how off-guard the FAA and the military was immediately following the hijackings. As the movie moves between the FAA headquarters and the military’s interactions with these public offices, we get to witness the incredible chaos that ensued and feel the frustrations as they try to figure out which planes are risks, what to do about them, who has the authority to shoot them down (if need be), and the unavailability of President Bush.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The big issues with the movie will obviously be very personal. Each individual will probably feel differently about it. Mine were of manipulation. Since this is still a fresh memory in the minds of most Americans (including my own), I felt as though the film makers were trying to feed off of those memories. This isn’t as horrible as it sounds, though. Some of the best films play with our feelings. The risk here, however, is what we do with them. Do we continue to fear? Or hate? Or do we learn from these experiences and move ahead? This film won’t give you the answers to those questions, which is both a strength and one hell of a flaw. But it is a well put together piece of cinema.</span> </p><p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0475276/trailers-screenplay-E27275-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for the United 93 movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-115929315845407414?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1159202921836983542006-09-25T09:47:00.000-07:002006-09-27T14:44:41.076-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/guypearce.html" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" height="132" alt="Guy Pearce" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Guypearce.jpg" width="101" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.empiremovies.com/movies.php?id=5766&theproposition.htm" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="The Proposition" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Proposition.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/atthemovies/txt/s1474287.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">John Hillcoat</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/guypearce.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Guy Pearce</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS UP!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/righton_logo_big.99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS UP FILM REVIEW RATING!</em></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Historically, and from a character perspective, there’s still mining to be done in western films, and </span><em><a href="http://www.empiremovies.com/movies.php?id=5766&amp;theproposition.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">THE PROPOSITION</span></a></em> <span style="color:#ffffff;">gives us a great sense of both. Aussie director</span> <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/atthemovies/txt/s1474287.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">John Hillcoat</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">delves into Australia in the 1880s, telling about the bloody lawlessness and aboriginal prejudices.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The story centers around the outlaw Burns brothers, Charlie (</span><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/guypearce.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Guy Pearce</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119488/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>L.A. CONFIDENTIAL</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), Mike (</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934019/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Richard Wilson</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/review/film/s1275301.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>DECK DOGZ</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) and Arthur (</span><a href="http://danny-huston.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Danny Huston</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/01/constant-gardner.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE CONSTANT GARDNER</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">). When Charlie and Mike are caught by local lawman Captain Stanley (</span><a href="http://www.copperlily.com/AboutRayWinstone/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ray Winstone</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cold_mountain/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>COLD MOUNTAIN</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">), Charlie is pulled aside and given a distasteful proposition: kill your brother Arthur and Mike will live. Charlie loves Mike dearly and hardly knows his other brother, Arthur. He grudgingly accepts the terms but it quickly becomes clear that he’s unsure what to do. Is the killing of one family member in order to save another morally apprehensible? What if your moral boundaries are skewed?<br /><br />Charlie rides off to find his brother in the searing Australian Outback.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Meanwhile, back in town, Captain Stanley is having great difficulty controlling its citizens once they learn one of the dreaded Burns brothers is in the local jail. A powerful bureaucrat named Eden Fletcher (</span><a href="http://minas.mythicdesigns.net/david.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">David Wenham</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lord_of_the_rings_the_two_towers/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE LORD OF THE RINGS</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) demands swift justice. He orders that Mike Burns be lashed 100 times. Knowing that Mike probably won’t survive this, but also battling feelings his lovely wife Martha (</span><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/emilywatson.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Emily Watson</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">,</span> <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/movies/detail/id/420344" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>GOSFORD PARK</em></span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;">) has about the crimes Mike has committed, Captain Stanley is forced to give in to the township’s demands.<br /><br />Back in the Outback, Charlie finally runs into his twisted brother and comes face-to-face with his worst fears: killing someone of his own flesh and blood. Can he do it? Should he do it?</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">The word "epic" has been on the lips of many reviewers, but epic may be too big a term for this flick. It is enjoyable, and has sweeping views and great acting (even</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000457/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">John Hurt</span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">makes a soulful appearance as a perverse bounty hunter), but it doesn’t approach films such as </span><a href="http://www.filmsite.org/lawr.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>LAWRENCE OF ARABIA</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">or </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Zhivago-Aniv-David-Lean/dp/B0000040EJ" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>DOCTOR ZHIVAGO</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">in scope. And that’s okay. There are many films out there that are still very enjoyable but don’t meet the epic criteria.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">That the western film has been done for nearly a century might make one think that it’s dying out as a genre. But no. </span><a href="http://filmreviewstew.blogspot.com/2006/06/three-burials-of-melquiades-estrada.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUAIDES ESTRADA</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">and </span><a href="http://www.celebritywonder.com/movie/1992_Unforgiven.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><em>UNFORGIVEN</em></span></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">are two of the more recent favorites that prove there’s still life out there for the western. And <em>The Proposition</em> is another excellent example that it’s still got cinematic value.</span></p><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421238/trailers-screenplay-E28476-10-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>Click here for The Proposition movie trailer!</em></strong></span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18937651-115920292183698354?l=filmreviewstew.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>"The Fanatic"http://www.blogger.com/profile/02664371450542958561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18937651.post-1159014804903870982006-09-23T05:32:00.000-07:002006-09-27T14:57:36.090-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://www.stanleeweb.com/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 89px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" height="147" alt="Stan Lee" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/StanLee.jpg" width="89" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.whowantstobeasuperhero.tv/" target="_blank"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Who Wants To Be A Superhero?" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/Superhero.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#ffffff;">Directed by</span> <a href="http://www.tv.com/rick-telles/person/45299/appearances.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Rick Telles</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Starring</span> <a href="http://www.stanleeweb.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Stan Lee</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Reviewed by</span> <a href="http://www.fwomp.com/int-byron.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Byron Merritt</span></a></div><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="THUMBS DOWN!" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3010/1763/200/thumbs-down.43.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff6600;"><strong><em>THUMBS DOWN TV SERIES REVIEW!</em></strong></span></p><span style="color:#ffffff;">I’m sure there are worse things in the TV biz than trying to make a reality show filled with actors play as if it were "real", but I can’t think of any at the moment.<br /><br />There was a certain amount of curiosity (that soon turned morbid) tha