Movie review Enough (2002)

May 8th, 2008

Why cant Jennifer Lopez do effective movies? Next an impressive and devout turn in the bio-pic Selena and a terrifying performance in Out of Sight, the once In Living People of colour fly female child has gone on to turn in mediocre performances in films like Anaconda and The Cell. In her latest offering Enough, she manages to bring true star power and a sense of despair, but the material here is so obvious and stupid, that her talent comes across as a total waste.

In Sufficiency, Jennifer Lopez plays a waitress look for sexual love. She finds it in Billy Campbell (from TVs Once and Again), a seemingly rattling man wHO turns out to be an absolute monster. Subsequently having various affairs and beating up on a helpless Lopez, things attend pretty bare. Thankfully, Lopez is kept sane by her loving daughter. Did I mention that all this stuff I simply described happens in the first twenty minutes of the film? Im all for cutting to the chase, merely Enough has virtually no story or character development at all. What follows, is a typical thriller, in which a frightened Lopez takes her girl away, hoping to find happiness once again. Of course Joseph Campbell wont make it easy.

Truth be told, I actually enjoyed the first half minute of this movie. It was so ridiculous and over the top that I launch it quite amusing. Afterwards all, Sufficiency is very calculated and really only has unrivaled purpose. Its goal is simply to make the Campbell lineament completely pitiless so that the audience will cheer when Lopez finally kicks his ass. The problem is, the movie becomes all overly familiar and relentlessly dull.

Director Michael Apted (whos made terrific films in the past tense) does cypher to raise this picture above its tired real. Think Quiescency With the Enemy and an Eye for an Eye. Patch I wasnt a swelled fan of those pictures either, they were worlds better than this.

As I declared, Lopez does have a natural screen presence, but shes at bay in ready-made thriller perdition. Her sense of desperation and eventual physical toughness do benefit the film, but they hardly keep it. Campbell and Noah Wyle (TVs ER) craft in their good bozo images, hoping to create a couple of credible creeps, unfortunately it never works, because their characters are totally one dimensional. Im certain that the casting manager thought that casting these two appealing actors as bad guys would be a stroke of genius. Unfortunately, they forgot to create interesting, fully completed characters. It never mat more than a gimcrack gimmick. Robert Zemeckis tested the same thing with Harrison Henry Ford in What Lies To a lower place and it didnt work in that film either. Fred Hospital ward has fun as a feisty, tough guy from Lopezs past tense, while Juliette Lewis (as interesting as she is) seems altogether wasted in an all too brief part.

Those looking for an element of surprise in Enough arent sledding to develop it.

From the moment Campbell starts beating Lopez up, we know what the eventual outcome testament be. That in itself is fine, but the build up to the obvious ending is a complete eagre. Enough is enough already.

Could you please severalise me wHO sang the song "Enough" in the movie, Please! Give thanks you!!

Hi Nelson,

Im not sure how long ago you sent this post in. Sorry we didnt catch back faster.

The verity is, Im not sure who sings the song dynasty. I looked on the soundtrack rails listing, simply its not on at that place. You may want to watch the DVD and forward to the end credits. It should be listed thither.

Thanks for checking out our land site.

Movie review Bruce Almighty (2003)

May 7th, 2008

Through the past few years, Jim Carrey has proven that he canful do much more than talk with his ass. Hes shown that he does have some striking depth in movies like the creative The Truman Show and the Capraesque The Proud. My personal favorite Carrey performance was in Milos Foremans Andy Kaufman bio-pic Man on the Lunar month. With the his young movie Sir David Bruce Almighty, Carrey returns to the world of well-fixed laughs.

In the comedy, Carrey is hapless TV reporter Robert I Nolan. Tired of being stepped on, Bruce slips into a funk in which he decides Graven image is to blame for every little thing that goes wrong in his life. Well, it turns out that God (a subtle and sweet natured Morgan Freewoman) is hearing and decides to grant Bruce a taste of what its like to be the almighty. He bestows upon the newsperson his unlimited power, and advises that with the power comes certain responsibilities. Of course, this is a Jim Carrey fomite, so it isnt surprising that his Bruce Nolan abuses this power, victimization it to do things like make his girlfriends breasts bigger.

In all honesty, Robert the Bruce Almighty isnt the raunch-fest I was expecting. Sure, it has the occasional

Movie review The Gift (2001)

May 6th, 2008

Sam Raimi has long been one of my favorite picture makers. His past pictures have always had a manic energy that Ive admired. Movies like The Evil Dead series, and Darkman would always pick me up when I was down. Raimi had always been known for cramming more than dazzling motion in a single photographic camera shot then most directors would manipulation in an entire photographic film. The brilliant A Simple Plan marked a divergence for the director, elevating him to the position of character storyteller. The film worked with flying colors. He followed up the much praised film with the baseball drama For Lovemaking of the Game, a film I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, no one else did. The Kevin Costner baseball click was more than or less trashed by critics and didnt really catch flak with audiences either. Enter The Gift, a new thriller that tries to have its cake and eat it too.

The Gift is a southerly fried thriller with Cate Blanchett as a widowed mother wHO makes ends meet by doing tarot card readings for the locals. Her higher power is commit to the ultimate test when she is asked to avail find a missing fair sex (sultry spitfire Katie Arthur Holmes). Keanu Reeves shows up as a dastardly cracker who likes to overreach his wife (Boys Dont Crys Edmund Hillary Swank). Not surprisingly, hes accused of kidnapping Arthur Holmes. With the help of Holmes overwrought fiance (Greg Kinnear) and the aid of her special endowment, Blanchett tries to piece together what actually happened.

The Giving is wide-cut of terrific performances. Blanchett is lonesome and sympathetic as our hero, patch Reeves is actually rather good as a mean, racist s.o.b. Holmes seems to be having a great time leaving her Dawsons Creek character slow. She goes for the gusto here as a fiery hellcat. My favourite performance in the video is courtesy of Giovanni Ribisis. Last year, he was terrific in Kettle Room, and here, hes even better as a manic depressive with a closet-full of tragic secrets.

On one hand, it seems that The Gift would be Raimis forte. After all, it is, at heart, a occult thriller. On the other hand, it is also a role study, and there lies the problem. Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Eppersons screenplay is chalk full of Southern stereotypes and obvious situations. From early on, I knew what had happened to Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.. It seemed painfully obvious to me. I expected more from the man who penned Sling Blade. This is just a play-it-safe thriller. Still, Raimi does do to acquire strong performances from his cast and also offers up some eerie air. I couldnt help, however, but yearn for some of that great camera work that Raimi infused in his earlier pictures. It mightiness have grand The Gift to another level.

The Gift form of reminded me of that awful Zemeckis picture What Lies Beneath. Thankfully, I liked this much more. I think its because The Gift tries to appease grounded in realism despite its cunning little Sixth Sense type ending. At any rate, The Gift is only a warm up for Sam Raimis next pic, the highly anticipated Spiderman.

Movie review Sundance at a Glance (2007)

May 5th, 2008

This was my thirteenth year coating The Sundance Film Fete. Would xIII be an unlucky number? Well, yes and no. This year, due to some iniquity technical snafu I was unable to acquire iron credentials. Although in reality, Press Creds arent really such a big deal, but theres something comforting about wearing a video of yourself around your neck. Plus its fun to watch people promptly sneak a peak at your badge to see if youre somebody illustrious and then just as quickly brush off you as some insignificant peasant. Having been wronged by the press citizenry must get put some sort of positive spin out on my Karma, because all things considered it was a charmed trip, lady fortune was grinning.

I wanted to date in the neighborhood of thirty films, but I knew without credentials, (roughing it like back in the day) that was unrealistic. I narrowed my list down to dozen films. Of the xII, I managed to pre-buy tickets to six of those. Amazingly, I got into everything else through wait-listing or by begging attendees for extra tickets. The only film I got turned away from was a movie called A Identical British Mobster. With that one, I actually did get a ticket from a lovely Dominon 3 rep named Emily Froelich,(the ship’s company representing the film) (and yes – I wouldve licked her Fro) but as I was fashioning my way to the screening room, I was told the theater had just filled up. I was the first meeter to be turned aside from that particular screening. Amazingly, even so, the repose of the festival went smoothly.

This years fest was highly edgy and Id bear to dissent with the plethora of vocal sourpusses calling this the worst Sundance in years. As far as Im implicated, it was one of the best. It pays to do your prep and scout out the safe bet-films, I saw at least a half dozen strong films and of all the screenings I tended to, there were only a couple I wasnt particularly fond of, but I didnt hate anything.

The big tilt this year revolved around Hounddog, a movie in which Dakota Fanning plays a young girl world Health Organization gets raped. I receive it funny that all the argument seemed to be aimed at this film when Sundance as well offered up Zoo, a documentary approximately men having sex with horses, and Teeth, a movie around a lester Willis Young girl with and extra set of molars - conveniently placed in her vagina. (More to come on the casualties of casual gender.)

My biggest disappointment wouldnt be at the hands of a bad photographic film, but instead the fact that that I failed to place U2s Bono (on hand to panorama a documental about The Clashs Joe Strummer) and director Steven Spielberg (on hand to…well…hes Steven Spielberg–he can do whatever the hell he wants). Both were in attendance, and given my enormous appreciation for these two industry heavyweights, it would have got been a dream get along true to talk to these guys. Oh comfortably, I wasnt really here to stargaze anyway. I was here to seek out snacking snatches.

GHOSTS OF ABU GHRAIB (Not Rated)

The first photographic film I saw at Sundance 2007 all over up beingness one of the selfsame best. Ghosts of Abu Ghraib documents the torturing of the Iraqi prisoners that atomic number 82 to infamous photos which appeared in various newspapers, magazines and websites the world over - back in 2003. Through prisoner interviews, guard interviews, and startling photos, director Rory Kennedy offers a troubling examination of torture and cruelty. And while the movie is a rough and straightforward indictment of the U.S. governing (one has to wonder why the soldiers world Health Organization carried out these inhumane orders were punished, piece those world Health Organization handed downward the orders were not?), its as well a compelling exploration into the human psyche. What makes people do ugly things. What are our limitations when it comes to inflicting pain on our fellow man. These are just a twosome of the questions explored in this haunting celluloid. Ghosts of Abu Ghraib is a tough pic to sit through, particularly given the worlds political climate, simply it couldnt be any more relevant. This is powerful stuff.

Grade: B+

ROCKET SCIENCE (R)

Rocket Science was, without question, my favorite picture show at Sundance 2007. Piece this superbly offbeat high school movie will draw comparisons to Napoleon Dynamite (one of my favorite flicks at the 2005 festival), it isnt nearly as goofy. Featuring terrifying newcomer Reece Daniel Thompson as Hal, a restrained, underachieving bookman with a stutter, and Anna Kendrick as the busybody overachiever who takes Hal under her wing, Rocket Science feels more like the love kid of Alexander Paynes (Election) and Wes Andersons (Mt. Rushmore). The film is sorcerous and honest and deserves extra props for avoiding the cliched ending I was expecting. This snap won Jeffrey Blitz the Directors Prize (deservedly so) and volition be released by HBO Films afterwards this twelvemonth.

Grade: B+

WEAPONS (R)

If Rocket Skill represents the best of Sundance 2007, then I suppose Weapons represents the worst (I dont look Its Fine! Everything is Fine, for reasons youll read about shortly). Non that Weapons is all out tremendous. Its simply never near as engrossing or profound as it thinks it is. As Weapons delves into its tale of teen angst (and teen stupidity), it does so out of chronological order (ala Pulp Fiction) and exposes the audience to spontaneous bursts of disgraceful violence (none more so than the opening frames). In the end, this flick plays like a low snag version of Larry Clarks disturbing Kids.

Grade: C

ZOO (Not Rated)

Hows this for eccentric subject matter. Zoo (derived from the word "zoophilia") is a objective about a man world Health Organization died of internal injuries sustained while being anally penetrated by a horse. In actuality, this pic isnt exploitative in whatever way (although the post-horse for the film would have you believe otherwise–look it up on line), but sort of an exploration into the minds of some really warped individuals. Through recreations and minimal interviews, Zoo attempts to become a haunting portrait of a most unlawful love chronicle. Sadly, though, it comes up short. Theres a lot departure on in this photographic film. Its an expose on zoophilia, its about animal rights, and it delves into ones perception of whats right and whats wrong. Alas, it doesnt tread deep enough into any of these various topics to be to the full effective. What is more, the recreations are distracting. I realise that acquiring interviews with the existent men world Health Organization took part in this strange love affair was virtually impossible, but then maybe thats why this film power have been more interesting had it been shot as a narrative. Great cinematography, awing Phillip Drinking glass inspired scotch, mediocre movie. (Read a full Menagerie review on our "Movie Review" page.)

Grade: C+

ITS Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE. (Non Rated)

Crispin Glovers modish film (its the indorsement in a trilogy that started with What is It?) is one fry short of a well-chosen meal. Glover (you may remember him as George VI McFly from the original Back to the Future) could be best described as a fusion of Ed Wood, John Amnionic fluid, and Russ Meyer with a bit of David Lynch thrown in for good measure. His latest cinematic rarity is the brain baby of Steven C. Jimmy Stewart, a 60 two year old humans with cerebral palsy (he died soon after the film was finished). Throughout the movie we ar witness to strange characters and odd sexual situations. The pic itself is poorly made (that would explain the C- rating) but the experience (made all the more entertaining by the giggling kitty heads posing directly slow us) and the Q & A following the film, made this a four star evening.

Grade: C-

TRADE (R)

Trade is a startling and provocative look into the sex trade operation. It shows, in unshrinking fashion, how young girls and boys are plucked from their familiar environment and sold on the internet. In an singular way, Trade sort of plays like a spectacular version of Hostel. Its a hair-raising business that actually exists and by the end of the movie, it had my stomach in knots. Business deal follows a police officeholder (played by Kevin Franz Joseph Kline) who assists Mexican teen Jorge (Cesar Ramos) in finding his missing sister, but the most effective ons of the movie involve the young, kidnaped victims themselves. Paulina Gaitan is sensory as Adriana, Jorges footling sister, only the motion picture really belongs to the lovely Alicja Bachleda-Curus as a twenty-something whom, after also organism kidnaped, serves as a sort of mother figure to these scared children. I had issues with certain elements as pictured in this movie. The fashion in which these kids are sold on the cyberspace seemed a little overly easy, just theres no denying the over all effectiveness of this strongly unsettling photographic film. The ending in special, leaves a long lasting impression. On a english note, theres one scene set to a unexampled Rufus Wagonwright song that simply gave me chills.

Grade: B

HOUNDDOG (R)

Hounddog was the most talked about photographic film at Sundance 2007. In fact, attendees were so caught up in discussing the films controversial violation scene, that lost in all the hoopla was the sad fact that Hounddog isnt a in particular good pic. That declared, I desire to make it net that I found Dakota Fannings performance here naught short of astonishing. She brings depth and complexity to the role of a pres Young girl from a confused home, world Health Organization must abide the unthinkable. This is her finest hour as an actress, and its a shame that the writing and direction arent worthy of her considerable talent. In fact, the same could be aforesaid for most of the cast. St. David Morse is stellar as Fannings geek father, piece Robin Wright Penn lends a healthy dose of vulnerability to the role of a woman wHO always runs away from her problems. The flipside is vet Piper Laurie going way over the top as an insufferably overbearing southerly Matriarch. Fundamentally, shes playing the same part that she played in Carrie back in the 70s. Only here, it doesnt work. The first half of Hounddog starts off strong then quickly loses its way.

Grade: C+

BLACK SNAKE Moan (R)

Craig Brewers entertaining follow up to Hustle and Flow proves that this exciting film shaper is the real deal. Black Snake Moan features Samuel L. Jackson as a God fearing honest-to-god timer world Health Organization takes it upon himself to purge a promiscuous young woman (played by Christina Ricci) of her "wicked ways." He does so by chaining the licentious spitfire to a water warmer and refusing to let her out of his sight. On paper, that probably sounds weird. WHO am I kidding? It is weird. Still, the movie plant like an absolute appeal - fusing elements of drama, drollery and victimisation with a healthy venus’s curse of southern mysticism. Jackson gives his strongest carrying out since Pulp Fiction piece the uninhibited Ricci gives a flaming turn as a sexually charged siren. Further adding to Black Snake Moans effectiveness is a stellar blues soundtrack.

Grade: B+

FIDO (R)

Just when you thought the zombie genre had done for as far as it could go (it doesnt get any better than Shaun of the Dead), in walks Fido, a wonderfully imaginative meshing of zombie horror and comedy. Taking station in the 50s, Fido imagines a world where zombies have become servants in a kind of strange metaphor for racial prejudice. Young Timmy has always wanted a zombi, but his stern forefather (played by Dylan Baker) refuses to bring one into the home due to a horrible bad luck that occurred when he was younger. Against dads wishes, mom (played by The Matrixs Carrie-Anne Moss) brings a zombie home plate to Timmy anyway. Short thereafter, all hell breaks lose. Where this inordinately entertaining movie goes, is beyond verbal description. The biggest stroke of genius this film has up its sleeve is veteran player Billy Maureen Catherine Connolly who playfully livens up the legal proceeding as a zombie called Fido.

Grade: B

DEDICATION (R)

Dedication is an rum but charming little stone about a neurotic childrens book writer (Billy Crudup) whose penchant for expression the wrong thing drives away those he cares about most. His strange life becomes uber- helter-skelter when hes ordered to work with a new illustrator (Mandy Moore). Crudup is infinitely fascinating in this motion-picture show and Mandy Moore comes into her own in what is easily her strongest do work to date. As a duet, these two actors prove to have real chemistry and while at the surface Dedications dearest story seems to be something of a sitcom type scenario, Crudup and Moore make it anything but that. Quirky commode be great when done properly, and Dedication does it veracious. On a final eminence, a special shout out to the wonderful Uncle Tom Wilkinson world Health Organization soars as Crudups aging (and pretty grizzled) wise man. By the way, Deerhoofs oddly infective soundtrack is perfectly accommodation.

Grade: B

THE SIGNAL (R)

There was much buzz surrounding The Signal at this years festival. It was organism hailed a new milestone in the world of low budget horror. Gratuitous to aver, I was very activated as Im a huge fan of the musical genre. Did the movie unrecorded up to the hype? Not quite, but I still base it passing entertaining, in particular the starting time half. The film showcases a populace gone mad after strange signals lead off affecting those watching tv and talk on jail cell phones. Later being septic by the signal, folks simply start killing one another. The first xV minutes or so of this picture reminded me of the opening minutes of Zack Snyders Dawn of the Dead remaking. Right taboo of the gate, its sheer disorderly madness on a horrific scale. As the photographic film progresses, a lighter tone surfaces and eventually, the movie becomes a horror/comedy. The Sign is told in ternion acts, each shot by a different director, and while I enjoyed a lot of it, the shifting of tone becomes a snatch jarring. I really had a fun time during this movie, but the second and third acts dont live up to the number one. Conceptually, The Signal is quite inventive, and I for one, would care to see this conception explored further.

Grade:

Movie review The Ladies Man (2000)

May 3rd, 2008

Ahhh yes, welcome once again to the earthly concern of sluggish films divine by Sat Night Live sketch comedy. This time its Tim Meadows Ladies Man act, and although this film is scarce a winner, it is a small step up from Star and Night at the Roxbury.

Meadows is Leon Phelps (aka the Ladies Man), a dopey yet likable radio show personality that seems to start out every fair sex he wants. Things come to a crashing halt when Phelps is laid-off for, how shall we put this, unethical wireless conversation. If that isnt bad sufficiency, it seems that Phelps also has many people that want him dead. Namely the men involved with the woman hes cheated with.

What can you really say around The Ladies Man? Its obvious, its stupid, and its selfsame much in keeping with the perch of Lorne Michaels big screen presentations. And if I recall correctly, I do believe this is the first film based on an SNL skit since The Blues Brothers (clearly the best of the fold) that has earned a dubious R rating. A rating its quite worthy of. Meadows does exhibit a kind of charm sorely missing in yesteryear SNL productions. Hes also attracted some fun bit players including Billy Dee Williams, Will Ferrell, Julianne Moore, and Tiffani Thiessen.

Director Reginald Hudlin doesnt try to do anything fancy. He knows what hes up against. He manages to make Ladies Man brief and more humorous than the net couple of SNL flicks. Still, this is a far cry from the likes of Waynes World and The Blues Brothers, films that are non only far more hilarious, but get intelligent screenplays as well. Do yourself a party favor. Buy yourself a nice large bottle of Chavasier and stay home with someone you love. The Ladies Man is best left for video.

Movie review The Blair Witch Project (1999)

May 2nd, 2008

Horror is almost a dead film genre. The 90s has only seen a few notable films that prove an groundbreaking dose of terror–In The Mouth Of Madness, Master Of Illusions, Hellraiser Tercet, and New Nightmare come to judgment.

A few years back, Kevin Williamson was credited with rejuvenating the horror genre with the Howler series (Role 3 is due kayoed this Christmas). I enjoyed both of those pictures, but wishful filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Ilich Sanchez have interpreted the musical genre to modern heights with their new mockumentary, The Blair Wiccan Project.

Back in 1994, three documental filmmakers went into the woods of Burkittsville, Maryland to get the exclusive on a local legend. Five days later, they disappeared without a draw, but the footage they shot was recovered.

This is as innovative as horror films get. Shot on a shoestring budget, the filmmakers arent interested in exhibit you profligate, guts, and digitally made monsters. Rather, they ar interested in putting you right in the middle of the terrifying action and setting a dark tone that you wont soon draw a blank.

Myrick and Sanchez have rounded up an impressive cast of newcomers as well. As these three energetic twentysomethings find themselves reduced to panic-stricken, hilarious victims, youll be correct there with them. The low budget quality of the film and the shakey, handheld camera movements only add to the effectiveness of this chilling thrill ride–bringing to mind the Demon POV shots in SAM Raimis Evil Dead. These two lester Willis Young directors should be commended for putting horror back into the horror genre. They are obviously directors who have a passion for it. They know that what you dont see is far more terrifying than anything a special effects company can buoy put onto the screen.

The Tony Blair Witch Externalise caused rather a stir at this years Sundance Film Fete. In fact, it was the speak of the town and after observation it, I can see why. The film offers no explanations–just a journey into saturated terror. Its a highly innovative and atmospheric horror film that succeeds on every level.

I thought the tony Blair witch see was terrifying. It felt as if i were there, and as more than weird things began to unravel, the more terrified i became. the actors from the movie were phenomonal–they show extreme enthusiasm and their feelings of terror and anxiety arent phony-played.

Everything about this film was spooky. The stories of the witch, the rocks that Chaff kicked over (noticed he was the unfortunate dupe to go missing..hm?), the stick-people hanging all over the trees (they are a warning augury), the drear goo on Joshs things presumely made by the witch herself after Kid kicked one of the piles of the rocks. The emotions of black terror, the crying, the poor students on the brink of insanity to find their way out, and the house at the end. Oh, how that ending left you in a stitch. What really happened to Chaff? How were Heather and Mike killed? Who killed them? Why was Heather screaming? Those are unsolved mysteries of the Anthony Charles Lynton Blair Witch Project.

This motion picture was as annoying to watch as the people in it!! If I hadnt cause paid 8 bucks to see I would consume left…only I figured it would be better to know what I was talk about when I bashed it later!!!

What is so scary about a bunch of drama kids (so obviously!) freakin out cause they got lost in the woods!! This movie might have been scary if the kids in it werent such idiots and had any savy or common sense! As it was - the scariest part of this flick is that you begin to admiration if itll EVER Goal!!!

Agree about the ring - non as chilling as everybody said - creepy for sure, and some distressful imagery… i think it looked really neat and I liked it - bu tit wasnt really that scarey.

The low time I watched this movie, I remember my heart lacing very fast. Since then every prison term I watch it I long to be frightened but I have no such destiny. The film is good and singular but fails to panic me anymore, I discover myself inquisitive what got me compelled the start time.

Adventure movies

Movie review Radio (2003)

April 30th, 2008

Radio is another one of those well-intentioned movies about how a mentally challenged item-by-item can profoundly inspire those around him. And minded that this picture hasnt a cynical bone in its soundbox, I find it very difficult to tear it down for its numerous shortcomings.

Radio is the true account of Jesse James Robert Kennedy (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.), a mentally challenged young human beings who would go on to hold various slow the scenes positions for a South Carolina high gear school football team afterward being befriended by the teams curmudgeonly but bounteous coach (Ed Harris).

Yes, Radio uses two picture show formulas that quite oft work; The mentally challenged person world Health Organization overcomes all odds (guess Rainman and Forrest Gump), and the underdog sports movie (think Rudy and Hoosiers).

The best performance in Radio is tending by the always safe Ed Sir Arthur Travers Harris who exudes a warmth and manages to deliver a fair share of sappy dialogue in a way that rises to a higher place the films overtly hokey style. Hes a unfeigned pro and Ive incessantly been a big fan. Cuba Gooding Jr. is trying to bounce back from a string of really direful films (did anyone view Boat Trip), and piece this is a pretty good turn, I always felt as if I was observation Cuba Gooding Jr. and not Jesse James Robert Kennedy International Airport. Even in the painful, overrated I Am Surface-to-air missile, Sean Pennsylvania really seemed to lose himself in the contribution. Gooding Jr. never quite pulls it off. Unruffled, its a worthy try from an actor thats far better than his last few films would suggest.

Radio also simon Marks the come back of Debra Winger whos been absentminded from the big screen for quite sometime. She doesnt do anything out of the ordinary hither, but its nice to see her in a movie over again, especially after seeing her intimate interview in the intriguing documentary Searching For Debra Winger.

In all honesty, Radio could have been a total catastrophe. It never hit the manipulative bottom I cerebration it mightiness, and I attribute that to fine acting. Its also non a film that hinges on the big game climax to win our hearts.

And while it isnt perfect, Radio is simple and good-hearted and never tries to award its issues in a heavy handed fashion, something that killed I Am Sam. In the end, however, this movie was a tad too melodramatic for my taste, and I could have through with without the inevitable bit in which one fiber proclaims; "We didnt fix Radio, Radio fixed us". This worked in Seabiscuit because that scene was painted on a much larger canvas. It featured fully textured characters and larger ideas. Wireless by contrast is much smaller, and even though it attempts to show us its big heart, the gimmicky sentimentality at long last overshadows everything else.

Hey meggie just setting here in schooltime and couldnt find whatever other way to e-mail ya well you should watch this movie its good

This movie showed that anyone tin be champions in their own right the picture show is academy Award

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Movie review A Bugs Life (1998)

April 29th, 2008

1998 has seen the release or two, count them 2, computer alive insect films. One is intended for more of an adult audience, the other is more family oriented. Picking the better of the two is kind of like picking your favourite Beatles vocal. Antz had a more interesting news report, but has nothing on A Bugs Life, visually speaking.

A Bugs Life tells the story of an pismire named Jerk, an amateur inventor world Health Organization is compulsory to spend most of his time with his fellow ants gathering food for the grasshoppers, wHO come to collect formerly a year. In an attempt to change the ants way of liveliness, Flick leaves the colony hoping to find larger bugs that will serve overthrow the grasshoppers.

Director John Lasseter (Toy Story) once again delivers the goods visually, but fails to equal the wit and trick of Toy Story. Still, A Bugs Life is breathtaking and definitely worth your time. Among the many famous person voices in the dirt ball world ar James Foley (News Radiocommunication), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld), Denis Leary (The Ref), Kevin Spacey (Common Suspects), Jacques Louis David Hyde-Pierce (Frasier), John Ratzenberger (Cheers) and Phyllis Diller, just to name a few. By the way, stick about for the end credits, theyre a lot of fun.

Movie review I Know Who Killed Me (2007)

April 28th, 2008

I Know Who Killed Me is obviously non a teenager comedy but I was surprised when it began with a low-rent peeler, Dakota Moss (Lindsay Arhant), wriggling about on a tiny stage (though draped) in front man of old men.

Immediately we go to a perfectly normal upper-middle-class home where Aubrey Fleming (Arhat) is fending off the sexual advances of her football histrion boyfriend Jerrod (Brian Geraghty). Shes leaving off to college and too sensible to have pre-marital sex. Theres a serial cause of death in this picture-perfect townsfolk and one of Aubreys classmates has been brutally mutilated and dumped.

Then Aubrey is kidnapped by the towns serial killer whale.

Back to tough Dakota. Strangely, her middle finger starts bleeding at the strip nightspot and then is pulled off. Dakota doesnt go the emergency room merely takes a bus back to her room. Meanwhile, Dakotas doubled Aubrey is horrifically mutilated while wide-awake.

The sometime couple future to me got up and left hand, and I hid my eyes. It was grotesque.

Weeks later, Aubrey is found alongside a road and when she wakes up in the infirmary she denies being Aubrey. She insists her name is Dakota. She is also a feisty, capable young womanhood who accepts her mutilation with a degree of, "Well, shit happens." Shes missing a leg and a hand. Dakotas attitude is brisk.

After being fitted with a juke hand and leg, shes too otiose to bother plugging in the mechanical leg. Everyone thinks Aubrey has memory loss and when she is taken home plate by her parents, Daniel and Susan (Neal McDonough and Julia Ormond), she smokes and has hot sex with goofy Jerrod upon meeting him. Those lost limbs do non bother her one mo. I liked that about Dakota.

Dakota is a good role model. She readily admits being a stripper and that her dead female parent was a crack whore. She further tells her faux-mother Susan that, wherefore should she deny existence Aubrey? Aubrey has everything, even stuffed animals!

So how are they going to resolve this riddle that has been stilted? Does it pay off? Well, it is based on some pretty well-established studies on twins. It was more satisfying than the "Oceans Thirteen" plot wrap and if you forced me to choose, Id see "I Know Who Killed Me" over "Blades of Glory." In fact, I passed up watching "Blades of Glory" for re-reading "Sky Mail" on a recent flight.

I lie with Im supposed to hate I Know Who Killed Me, merely if I judged it alongside other low-budget horror films in this nervure, like When A Alien Calls (or even fell fluff like The Princess Diaries), I would say that Arhat does a very good job, peculiarly when playacting Dakota. And the moving picture is rated "R."

Directed with a heavy hand by Chris Sivertson (as well obvious, it could bear been more than psychologically elusive) and scripted by Jeff Hammond, spell "I Know" is not Class A gauge material by any substance, it is not severe. In fact, I liked Lohans work here better than in the all-star Bobby.

Movie review Blood and Chocolate (2007)

April 25th, 2008

Nineteen yr old Vivian Gandillon (Agnes Bruckner) was rescued in the U.S. by her Rumanian relatives when her parents were murdered. Now on the job as a chocolatier in Bucharest, Vivian is really a she-wolf. In fact, Bucharest is a werewolf-infested city! Living with her aunt (Katja Riemann), Vivian is a member of werewolf gentry. Her aunty is one of the leaders wives; her cousin, Rafe (Brian Dick), is the heir apparent. Rafes don, Gabriel (Sir Laurence Kerr Olivier Martinez), is ready to take another wife, after all, its been seven years without a new one, and according to prophecy, it looks like Vivian is his intended. Sulking Vivian (a) hates being a she-wolf, (b) thinks aphrodisiac, powerful Gabriel is a creep, and (c) likes a cunning graphic novelist-artist named Aiden Galvin (Hugh Dancy).

Aiden is researching the myth of Bucharests "loup garoux." These shapeshifting humans can become wolves when they smell blood. But they dont screaming in torment as their bodies transubstantiate into flagitious "An American Wolfman In London" werewolves. Bucharesti is the last fastness for these human wolves. Every full moon they gather as a pack to richard Morris Hunt a human – only only a human world Health Organization has through with something incorrect – like selling drugs to kids. Gabriel does have standards. Gabriel keeps his pack of wolves together with a tough set of laws. If they keep hunting in a secret forest as a pack, human government cannot find and eliminate them. Its a good plan, but Rafe and his bunch, "The Five," hate the No. 1 Law.

It is either incest-envy or just unmixed jealousy, simply Rafe is obsessed with Vivian and he and "The Five" ar always stalking her. He does non like her relationship with Aiden. (Homoerotic subtext? It would own worked for me.) What if Vivian tells Aiden their hugger-mugger? Would Rafe prefer Vivian "marry" his don and mayhap breed a male equal to his ascension to the leadership role?

These East European werewolf myths would so make a good pictorial novel, and Aiden is unknowingly tripping over them in Bucuresti. Every short grandma is spitting out fur balls. Vivian cannot tell Aiden about her true identity, but once Rafe comes between them, she has no alternative but to choose love or family.

I havent read the book "Blood and Chocolate" is based on, so I do not know how true the movie is to the source material. Im a huge fan of Martinez, so he gets a pass. I like Dancy and he is interesting here, as well as spoiled Pecker. But Bruckner does non have the emotional complexity to give Vivian a viable anguished soul. Anton Bruckner has only one riled look. Vivian should hold at least conveyed to us that being Gabriels "consort" was a vile, infernal option. Or else, she likes chaste love with Aiden.

Werewolf and vampire movies are always over-acted "Just Snarl & Pose In Leather" performances. Manager Katja von Garnier makes great enjoyment of medieval Romania and keeps the mythological symbolism minimalist-interesting. I liked the storyline of the werewolves integrating successfully in modern day society and forced to obey rules. If you like the camp dramatics of "Underworld," this will be a disappointment. As a fan of all things monstrous – especially lycanthropic and vampiric – I would commend "Blood and Chocolate." If Bruckner takes some acting lessons, and a screenwriter delves into Vivians thirsty wolf sexuality, perhaps there is a franchise here.

(We at zboneman.com ar excited to welcome the prolific and multi-talented writer Victoria Alexander the Great to our staff. Critic for <a href=\"http://www.filmsinreview.com/\">hTTP://www.filmsinreview.com/</a> and pundit and humourist responsible for the open and intrepidly funny &quot;The Devils Hammer,&quot; her pillar appears every Monday on <a href=\"http://fromthebalcony.com\">hypertext transfer protocol://fromthebalcony.com</a>. Start off your week with a ripe hard jest. Its a thrill to have her on control panel. Victoria Alexander answers every email and can be contacted straight at masauu@aol.com.)