Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Movie Critics R Us


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:
RE: Movie Critics R Us


Nomad (The Warrior) (2005, subtitled)


In Kazakhstan during the 18th century the peace is very fragile and the Jungars are about to destroy the harmony between the tribes. Only Mansur (Kuno Becker), at the time still a child, will be capable of annihilating the enemy and keeping the tribes united. The prophecy is heard by the enemy who immediately look for him. The child is taken under the protection of Oraz (Jason Scott Lee), a wise warrior, who will try to lead Mansur to his destiny. Although widely panned by critics, I thought this was a fairly decent epic, with good cinematography, sweeping landscapes, and decent action. That action is staged in a traditional fashion, foregoing a reliance on any CGI effects. Sure, the story will not win any points for originality, but it is straightforward and serves the purpose, and the final battle is somewhat anticlimactic, and still pretty entertaining.





Los Bastardos (2008, subtitled)


Jesus (Jesus Moises Rodriguez) and Fausto (Ruben Sosa) are two young illegal immigrants from Mexico living in L.A. They work day to day, earning money under the table just to survive. And they are willing to stoop to just about anything for the right price, which is bad news for Karen (Nina Zavarin). This one is not for the impatient, for it is very slow paced and contains limited dialogue. But for those willing to stick it out, its conclusion is guaranteed to leave a lasting impact. The actors are mostly inexperienced and the budget is bare bones, but the direction is sure-handed. Chilling stuff.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Nightmare At The End Of The Hall (2008)


Courtney (Sara Rue) is an author who returns to her prep school to teach and meets a girl named Laurel (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) who seems strikingly similar to a friend who died at the school years ago. As far as Lifetime network movies go, this one may have been the best I have seen to date. It is better described as a paranormal mystery than a horror film, and it provides an eventual twist which may be predictable for more astute viewers. I was not keen on the plot at first, but grew to accept it as the film wore on. I would not go as far as suggesting a rental, but it was not a waste of time.





Reeker (2005)


The lives of friends Gretchen (Tina Illman), DJ Nelson (Derek Richardson), Cookie (Arielle Kebbel), Jack (Devon Gummersall) and Trip (Scott Whyte) are in danger as they are stalked by a foul smelling creature during their road trip vacation. I saw the sequel to this one a little while ago and must say I was far more impressed with this one. It has all the prerequisites for a quality horror movie, from good production elements, diverse characters, atmosphere, suspense, good story to plenty of gore. The title stinks, and the smell of the creature is not even an integral part of the story except for where a blind character is concerned. The twist at the end is what really sets the film apart. This is a good movie as far as horror films are concerned.





Code Name: The Cleaner (2007)


Jake (Cedric the Entertainer) wakes up in a hotel room with a dead FBI agent and a briefcase full of money. Suffering from amnesia, he assumes he is a spy, but his girlfriend Gina (Lucy Liu) insists he is nothing more than a janitor, while blonde bombshell Diane (Nicollette Sheridan) adds to his confusion, claiming to be his wife. About as believable as the idea of Lucy and Cedric being an item, and devoid of anything truly funny, so feel free to take a pass on this bomb.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Transsiberian (2008)


Roy (Woody Harrelson) and Jessie (Emily Mortimer) are an American couple traveling from Beijing to Moscow on the legendary Trans-Siberian Express Train. The two strike a bond with another couple, Carlos (Eduardo Noriega) and Abby (Kate Mara), who are not exactly as they appear. Unwittingly, Roy and Jessie are caught in a web of drug trafficking and murderous deceit when all four become targets of an investigation by ex-KGB detective Grinko (Ben Kingsley). The dangers of traveling abroad provides for intriguing dilemmas, and these fish out of water stumble into a whole world of trouble. Well acted and directed, the story is set up well and then things start to pick up and the suspense builds. Viewers may foresee the type of trouble they are getting into coming, but there is great mystery in knowing how things will play out and what twists are in store.





Five Across The Eyes (2006)


On their way home from a high school football game, Isabella (Sandra Paduch), Jamie (Danielle Lilley), Melanie (Mia Yi), Caroline (Angela Brunda) and Stephanie (Jennifer Barnett) become hopelessly lost. When they stop to get directions at a desolate store, the girls are involved in a minor fender bender which leaves an unattended SUV one headlight short. Inexperienced and frightened that they will get into trouble, the girls flee the scene of the accident and speed away down dark and unfamiliar roads. The girls are suddenly shocked to see one lone headlight appear behind them belonging to the driver (Veronica Garcia) of the damaged SUV, who begins one terrifying assault after another. The direction is as amateur as it gets. The handheld camera makes it difficult to see what is going on and is often much too close in proximity to the characters. Most home movies are of better quality. The sound is extremely poor and the acting bad. The dialogue is irritating as are the characters and their behaviour. This film should never have received distribution as is.





Encounters At The End Of The World (2007, documentary)


Visionary director Werner Herzog travels to Antarctica, offering a unique perspective on the incredible experiences of the people of McMurdo Station, the headquarters of the National Science Foundation. Herzog makes for an affable and at times amusing host in this Oscar nominated documentary which contains some intriguing characters are wonderful nature shots.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Irina Palm (2007)


Maggie (Marianne Faithfull) is a respectable fifty year old middle class widow who becomes a hostess at a sex club run by Miki (Miki Manojlovic) to pay for a lifesaving medical treatment for her grandson. This drama is a showcase for rock legend Faithfull, who is perfectly suited for this role. The story here is unique and interesting, and also believable the way it unfolds. It is quite a dilemma the family faces, and Maggie appeared to have few options, yet wanted so desperately to help. The film is not without humour, adding to the appeal of this quiet, but solid sleeper.





Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas (1998)


Based on the Hunter S. Thompson story of the same name, a drug addled pair, gonzo journalist Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp) and his Samoan lawyer, Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro), descend on Las Vegas, ostensibly to cover a motorcycle race, in the process consume unusually large amounts of hallucinogenic drugs. Director Terry Gilliam undoubtedly directed this film, creating a drug enduced landscape as seen through the eyes of Duke, the closest thing one can get to a bad trip with the benefit of drugs. Depp and Del Toro were up to the task, stumbling about in constant states of hallucinatory paranoia. The distinctly bizarre Thompson commentary is humorous, but this movie is not likely to be everyone's cup of tea, but fans of Gilliam, Depp and Thompson likely will not be disappointed.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

10 Items Or Less (2006)


Formerly a rising star in Hollywood, an unnamed actor (Morgan Freeman) crippled by his fear of failure is forced to consider a low-paying role in an independent film, but during the research for the film meets an outspoken Latina cashier named Scarlet (Paz Vega) who changes his perspective. Charming escapism, but rather inconsequential as far as the substance is concerned. It is just two people from different walks of life connecting for a brief period. It makes for pleasurable viewing.





Anthony Kaun Hai? (2006, subtitled, musical)


Champak Chaudhary (Arshad Warsi) is a small time crook who upon his release, helps Raghuvir Sharma (Raghuvir Yadav) break out of a Thai prison in exchange for a share in a diamond heist. Raghuvir is reunited with his daughter Jia (Minissha Lamba), who has information vital to recovering the stash. But underworld boss Master Madan (Sanjay Dutt) proves to be an obstacle when he decides it is in his best interests to eliminate Champak, who has now assumed the name Anthony Gonzales as an alias. This comedy out of India takes place in Thailand and it is a good deal of fun. Assuming the identity of the wrong person gets Champak into a world of trouble with a hitman and he must convince him that he is not his intended victim. So the story is related through flashbacks until we eventually wind up with how things got so out of hand. This is a quality production with veteran actors. The songs are fluff and add little to the proceedings, but at least they do not over-extend the film unbearingly.





Young At Heart (2007, documentary)


To prepare for a show in their hometown that is only weeks away, a fun-loving senior citizens choir called Young@Heart must learn a slate of new songs ranging from James Brown to Coldplay to Sonic Youth. These seniors are lovable, charming characters and simple shine here, overpowering the rather stiff documentarian's narration. They experience highs, but also tragedies along the way, providing heartfelt drama. And they are infectiously enthusiastic performers who could win just about anyone over with their joie de vivre.





Moscow Zero (2006)


Sergei (Rade Sherbedzija) is a Russian anthropologist who goes missing beneath the city of Moscow, Owen (Vincent Gallo) is a priest who hires a team to try to track down his lost friend, and in the process they make a startling discovery deep below the surface of the famed Russian city. This film was marketed as featuring Val Kilmer, but he has only a minor role, and it is yet another dubious choice of projects for him. This is a pretty bad movie with a pretty preposterous and incoherent plot that unfolds mostly uneventfully. Very lame.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

The Incredible Hulk (2008)


Living in the shadows, pursued by the military, torn by his need to be with the only woman he has ever loved, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), and haunted by the rage in him, Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) seeks a cure that will banish the Hulk, but instead he is pitted against an abomination (Tim Roth), whose power may exceed even that of the green monster and Betty's father, General Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt). I felt the story was somewhat lacking and not fully developed, but when Norton transforms into The Hulk, the movie soars. He is truly menacing and provides a lot of great action sequences which more than make up for any flaws.





Bangkok Dangerous (2008)


As a hired assassin, Joe (Nicolas Cage) is the best in the business, but the years of stone-cold murder have taken their toll. His plan to make this current assignment in Bangkok his last takes a wild turn when he violates his four important rules of the game. The dour Cage sucks the life out of this one. The supposed romance that subsequently provokes a softening of his heart lacks conviction. Not that it isn't watchable, for it is slick looking enough and provides some decent action and suspense. I am pretty much sick of Cage as an actor though, and his hair here makes him that much more ridiculous.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Hancock (2008)


John Hancock (Will Smith) is an amnesiac superhero who uses whiskey to cope with his life, alienating and insulting the public that once adored him, until a chance encounter with public relations person Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) changes the course of his life forever, especially when Ray's wife, Mary (Charlize Theron) holds him in little regard. I really enjoyed the first half, with its great action and unique spin on the superhero genre, but after an unforeseen twist, the second half doesn't work nearly as well. Taken as a whole, I still think it is above average and worth a look. Getting Smith, Theron and Bateman together in the same movie is a treat in itself.





Angel (2007)


Angel Deverell (Romola Garai) is a gifted young writer living in England during 1905 looking to fulfill her dreams of success, fame and love. I can only hope the intention of director Francois Ozon here is a tongue in cheek ode to the high melodrama of some of the classic period pieces of yesteryear. If so, he succeeds, with Garai being in fine form, grand costumes, and some lavish sets. Angel is stubborn, egotistical and often irascible and rude, yet she could be caring and generous too, making for a complex character. The scenery on obvious blue screen backdrops were amusing, unintentionally or not, I'm not sure. This film is definitely not for everyone, especially when it is in excess of two hours, but even if it is a failure, I respect Ozon for what at least I think he was trying to achieve.





Today You Die (2005)


Harlan Banks (Steven Seagal) is an ex-con trying to go straight. He is hired to drive a delivery truck in Las Vegas and picks up $20 million in cash, only to be double-crossed by Max Stevens (Kevin Tighe) who blasts away the two security men and orders him to drive. After being busted and sent to jail again, he forms an alliance with Ice Cool (Anthony "Treach" Criss), with whom he tries to work out a plan to exact revenge. Fat boy Seagal is at it again, covering is paunch with long leather coats...indoors, in prison, on the Vegas strip, you name it. Needless to say his martial arts on display here will not impress, and no one watches his movies to see him try to act. He even attempts to be cool here, and the final scene is pure cornball. The funniest thing is the gunfights, with no one even attempting to seek cover, content to stand there to be riddled by bullets. Please lay off the doughnuts if you ever hope to be relevant again, tubby.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Fly Me To The Moon (2008)


It is 1969, and America is buzzing with the prospect of the first manned space exploration, and even the insect world is affected, as three bold flies, Nat (voice of Trevor Gagnon) and his pals IQ (voice of Philip Daniel Bolden) and Scooter (voice of David Gore), decide to stowaway on the NASA flight. I did not see this with the benefit of 3-D glasses, and even if I had it would not detract from the fact that the story is weak and it is severely lacking in the humour department. The animation did not bowl me over either.





Before You Say 'I Do' (2009)


When it comes to love, George (David Sutcliffe) is about to realize it is all about timing. His girlfriend, Jane Gardner (Jennifer Westfeldt), cannot bring herself to marry again after Doug (Jeff Roop), her first husband, broke her heart. Desperate, George wishes he had met Jane before she married Doug, and the next thing he knows, it is ten years earlier and just a few days before Doug and Jane are to tie the knot, giving George three days to convince Jane that they were destined to be together. Here is a Hallmark channel romantic comedy that I think is better than many of the ones that get theatrical release. Of course the concept of going back in time somehow to revise circumstances is far from original, but they make good use of the gimmick here, although all the tinkering he does risked altering future occurrences, and as it turns out it does. I liked both Sutcliffe and Westfeldt in their roles, and their romance never becomes overly sappy, although this is likely to garner favour more from women than men.





Welcome (2007, musical, subtitled)


Rajiv Saini (Akshay Kumar) and Sanjana S. Shetty (Katrina Kaif) are set to be be married, but that does not sit well with members of his family who try to disrupt their plans due to the criminals in hers. This leads to all kinds of hijinks in this Bollywood screwball comedy. And at over two and a half hours it might be a bit too much goofiness for some people to tolerate, but for the most part I enjoyed it. Several Bollywood stars are among the cast members, who were clearly having fun acting out the madcap antics.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead (2008)


When Melissa (Nicki Aycox), Bobby (Nick Zano), Nik (Kyle Schmid) and Kayla (Laura Jordan) embark on a road trip to Vegas, they have no idea they are about to fall prey to a killer. After their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, they must find a way back to civilization. Their plan soon arouses the malice of a murderous vengeful trucker, Rusty Nail (Mark Gibbon), with an insatiable appetite for gruesome mutilation and sadistic pain. This is decent enough as far as direct to DVD fare goes, that is if you liked the first one. There is enough suspense, uncomfortable moments and enough gore to satisfy most horror fans, even if the story is a bit of a stretch.





Another Cinderella Story (2008)


A fairy tale romance is about to come true, this time in San Fernando Valley, when Mary Santiago (Selena Gomez) meets Joey Parker (Andrew Seeley) at a dance, but rushes away before he can get her name, leaving behind only her Zune. Outside of Gomez, who looks about ten, much of the cast is played by people too old for their roles. If you saw the Hilary Duff version, this one is pretty much redundant, although Gomez does display a few impressive dance moves. The costume ball dance is a joke, as in the Duff person, because the masks did not disguise anyone. The mean step-mother and her daughters going way over the top while everyone else plays it straight fails to work, and the only ones I can see this one appealing to is young girls.





Finding Home (2003)


Amanda (Lisa Brenner) is a business executive who inherits an inn on a remote island in Maine after her grandmother dies. She arrives with every intent of selling it all off and going back to her career, but she discovers much about her family's past which gives her pause to re-evaluate her priorities in life. The story is sappy and sentimental, and its revelations far from earth-shattering, making one wonder what all the fuss was about. And it is fairly obvious how everything will play out, only it takes to hours, which would likely be served better doing something else, to get there.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Get Smart (2008)


Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) is a research analyst who is promoted to field agent by the Chief (Alan Arkin) of CONTROL when the secret organization suffers a security breach, and teams with a veteran super-spy, Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), rather than his dream partner and idol, Agent 23 (Dwayne Johnson). Together they must work to thwart the doomsday plans of KAOS head Siegfried (Terence Stamp). I was a big fan of the television series and Carell is not half as funny as Don Adams in the Smart role, and this movie is not as fun as the series. But it does provide some laughs. Add to that some pretty good action and good support from Hathaway and Johnson, and it makes for decent viewing.





The Contract (2006)


Ray Keene (John Cusack) and his son Chris (Jamie Anderson) try to bring an escaped assassin named Frank Carden (Morgan Freeman) to justice while trying to evade his associates. Notable for Freeman swapping his white hat from the black one of a villain, he is a killer, but one with at least a modicum of scruples. Paired against Cusack, they elevate the material to some extent, but there are a few contrivances in the plot that viewers are asked to buy into. Far from great, but not too bad either, just not entirely believable.





Henry Poole Is Here (2008)


Given grim news at a routine physical, Henry Poole (Luke Wilson), a man who seemingly has it all, resigns himself to drinking away his final days in suburbia, but curious neighbours Esperanza Martinez (Adriana Barraza), Dawn Stupek (Radha Mitchell), and her daughter Millie (Morgan Lily) are not about to let the newcomer remain alone. Luke Wilson is well suited for this part and pairs well with Mitchell. The leisurely pacing might be off-putting to some, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with these characters, watching things unfold through the capable direction of Mark Pellington. The film has a distinct charm, and is a life affirming experience, even if you share Poole's cynicism towards the religious aspects integral to the story.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Growing Op (2008)


Raised and home-schooled along with his sister Hope (Katie Boland) in the marijuana growing operation of his parents, Bryce (Wallace Langham) and Diana (Rosanna Arquette), Quinn Dawson (Steven Yaffee) falls for the girl next door, Crystal Connors (Rachel Blanchard), and decides to try high school, but makes some startling discoveries about society outside the grow room. I was pretty surprised by the quality of this Canadian teen coming of age story. It is pretty funny and diverts far from the expected teen comedy formula. The production values and direction is on par with films expected to get a much wider release, and Yafee reminded me of a young Toby Maguire and Langham of John McEnroe. The only cast members I was familiar with were Arquette, Boland and Alberta Watson, and all were fine. This may be worth a try depending on your tolerance of the drug culture. The writing is sharper than your typical Cheech and Chong movie as well, although that is a backhanded compliment, I know.





The Secret Of The Grain (2007, subtitled)


Tunisian immigrant Slimane Beiji (Habib Boufares) is dismissed after thirty-five years as a shipyard worker. Ashamed that he can no longer provide for his family, he buys an old boat and opens up a restaurant that features the couscous recipe of his ex-wife as the signature dish. Along the way he faces contemptuous bankers, disapproving government workers and relentless urgings from his sons to return to his home country. His sole supporter is Rym (Hafsia Herzi), a daughter with a relentless drive. This is a very knowing drama, with characters that come across as genuine, facing obstacles that appear very real. The length of the film, its title, and the subtitles may turn many away, but those attuned to rich, slice of life dramas may feel rewarded for sticking with it to the end, where the tension in its final scenes becomes palpable.





Zombie Honeymoon (2004)


The wedding vows of Danny (Graham Sibley) and Denise (Tracy Coogan) are put to the test when the former turns into a zombie on their honeymoon. This is a fairly fun romp satirizng the zombie genre and pushing the limits of wedding vows to the extreme. Coogan in particular is impressive, and a sequel is in the works. There is plenty of blood, but this is not scary in the least, nor as madcap as you might expect.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Dragon Heat (2005, subtitled)


A police convoy carrying an infamous Hong Kong crime lord to his trial is attacked by international terrorists led by Petros Angelo (Michael Biehn) with the help of Ko Tung-Yuen (Jun-ho Heo) and Yuet (Maggie Q). Veteran police officer Kong Long (Sammo Hung) is called upon to lead a team of Interpol agents including Andy Hui (Andy On) and Wang Sun-Ho (Vanness Wu) to track them down. It is a bit of a chore keeping stock of all the key players, and it is a pretty involved plot, but this action packed thriller is better than many of the Hollywood crime shoot-em-ups. But the action is at times to follow through the whirls of gunfire and multiple characters, and the story unfolds conveniently pairing off key rivals for their final encounters. That does not stop this from being a pretty cool thrill ride though.





Surfer Dude (2008)


Steve Addington (Matthew McConaughey) is a mellow long board surfer who returns to his childhood home of Malibu to discover that times are changing, and that the sponsorship wave he has been riding is about to crash against the shore of his new reality. Stoners Scott Glenn, Woody Harrelson and Willie Nelson are on board (pun intended), and yes, ladies, McConaughey is shirtless throughout as he tries to stick to surfer culture principles, staving off big business as the addle-minded Addington. I have to say it was somewhat better than the criticisms I recall hearing against it upon its release, and there is a sufficient amount of bikini clad eye candy, but although it may not be a complete wipeout, it is not good enough to endorse either, especially since it is intended as a comedy. In that regard it is bereft of guffaws.





Roman Polanski: Wanted And Desired (2008, documentary)


Documentary filmmaker Marina Zenovich examines the events of 1977 and 1978 that permanently altered the life of director Roman Polanski, who fled America after being accused of having sex with a minor. This is a thorough, even-handed account with access to most of the key players, and is both interesting and an informative chronicle of the notorious director, and a further indictment of a flawed justice system when it comes to media circus events.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Amal (2007)


Autorickshaw driver Amal Kumar (Rupinder Nagra) is content with the vital role he plays in driving customers around New Delhi as quickly as possible, but when an eccentric billionaire G.K. Jayaram (Naseeruddin Shah) bequeaths him his estate, his life is turned upside down, and the billionaire's family is determined to ensure that Amal never receives any of the inheritance. Once in awhile little gems to come out of Canadian cinema and this is one of them. Shot on location in India, the rich, rewarding story affirms what is truly important in life and everything about the film does a good job of selling it. Amal appears genuine, has high principles and is likable thanks to his portrayal by Nagra. Far from formulaic, there are unexpected turns along the way. Heartfelt and surprisingly entertaining.





Hidden Crimes (2009)


When Max Carver (James Gallanders) goes to jail for a robbery, his accomplices Finn (Conrad Pla) and David Lester (Kristen Holden-Ried) apply pressure to his sister Julia (Tricia Heifer) and his son Steven (Jake McLeod) to retrieve the missing money, forcing her and her ex-boyfriend Kurt Warnecke (Jonathan Scarfe) to go on a desperate treasure hunt while time runs out on the life of the boy. Everything about this one screams TV movie and the cockamamie story smacks of gimmickry with its treasure hunt being unnecessarily difficult. There are other elements in the story that are stupid, but it be a waste of time to get into them.





Honeymoon Travels PVT. LTD. (2007, musical, subtitled)


Honeymoon travels Pvt. Ltd. is about Nahid (Shabana Azmi) and Oscar Fernandes (Boman Irani), Hitesh (Ranvir Shorey) and Shilpa Patel (Diya Mirza), Aspi (Abhay Deol) and Zara (Minissha Lamba), Bunty (Vikram Chatwal) and Madhu (Sandhya Mridul), Partho (Kay Kay Menon) and Milly Sen (Raima Sen), and Pinky (Amisha Patel) and Vicky Kapoor (Karan Khanna), six newly married Indian couples on a bus package honeymoon tour to Goa. Goofy Bollywood fun with a couple better than usual musical interludes. There are a plethora of issues the distinctly different couples must sort out along the way, and to be honest, I do not think they were sufficiently addressed. It is cheery enough fare, but not exactly gratifying in the end.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Sex Drive (2008)


Taunted by his older brother Rex (James Marsden) regarding his virginal status, Ian Lafferty (Josh Zuckerman) and his best friends Lance (Clark Duke) and Felicia (Amanda Crew) hit the road to meet with an internet beauty who says she'll go all the way. This is simply one of the best teen coming of age comedies I have seen in a long time. Yes, it has some typical juvenile gags, but it remains consistently funny throughout, and includes a very funny turn by Seth Green as an Amish man with a predilection for sarcasm and an appearance by the band Fall Out Boy. Marsden and Duke are a hoot in their roles and Zuckerman perfectly cast as the lead. This is a nice companion to the recent Judd Apatow vein of comedies and in the spirit of the best of John Hughes, only more raucous.





The Dark Knight (2008)


Batman (Christian Bale) joins forces with Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and up-and-coming D.A. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) in the war against organized crime, but the three soon discover they are facing a fiendish new foe, the Joker (Heath Ledger), who insists they play his diabolical game. This definitely was the best Batman movie to date, driven by the tour de force performance delivered by Ledger, Oscar worthy, his dead or alive status notwithstanding. Eckhart also merits praise and the superb cast is complimented by Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine reprising their roles as Lucius Fox and Alfred Pennyworth respectively and Eric Roberts as Salvatore Maroni. Gyllenhaal is an upgrade from Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes. The atmosphere is dark throughout and the story is a winner, with intense action scenes that may take repeated viewings to fully appreciate. Blockbuster? You bet!





99 Francs (2007, subtitled)


Octave Parango (Jean Dujardin) works for the largest publicity agency in the world and bathes in money, women and cocaine. His love affair with Sophie (Vahina Giocante), the prettiest model employed by the Agency, and his dealings with Madone, a giant dairy production company, to pitch a television commercial will forever change the course of his life. Parango is very good as the unscrupulous Parango, and various gimmicks employed by director Jan Kounen add vibrancy to this searing critical indictment of the advertizing industry. Viewers are given an inside look into this cutthroat environment, and the writers certainly appear to have done the research to get the details right even if it is exposed here in a satirical manner. Two alternative endings are offered to leave room for interpretation and provoke discussion.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Righteous Kill (2008)


David Fisk (Al Pacino) and Thomas Cowan (Robert De Niro) are two aging New York detectives investigating a string of murders linked to the same killer by the poetic notes left behind by the bodies, but the closer they get to the truth, the more it seems the killer is right under their noses. Also in on the hunt are Lt. Karen Corelli (Carla Gugino), Det. Simon Perez (John Leguizamo) and Det. Ted Riley (Donnie Wahlberg). These two greats have infrequently shared the screen together, so it is rather unfortunate that this is the screenplay they selected. Although it is not terrible, we expect better of them, and neither gives a particularly memorable performance, and they are stifled by the mediocrity of the material. The build-up to its inevitable (not to mention predictable) twist is somewhat lacking. Two over-sized egos were not enough to elevate such mediocrity.





Impact (2008, mini-series)


The moon is sent on a collision course with the Earth after being smashed by a meteor. It is up to three of the world's leading scientists, Alex Kittner (David James Elliott), Maddie Rhodes (Natasha Henstridge) and Roland Emerson (Benjamin Sadler), to reverse the magnetic effects and restore the moon to its original orbit, or the entire earth will perish. I actually thought the initial instalment of this two-parter was decent enough and looked forward to the finale, only to get a cheap knock-off of the Bruce Willis movie Armageddon, from which the writers borrowed liberally. And the quality of the CGI effects gradually deteriorated into B-movie quality. Meanwhile, no punches were pulled as the director used every trick in the book to try to pluck the heartstrings. As if sappy melodrama was not enough, the makers lay on the cornball, with a theory that everyone would forego panicking in the streets when facing the end of the world, instead going out in perfect peaceful harmony. Oh, puh-lease!




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Break A Leg (2005)


Max Matteo (John Cassini) is a struggling actor who in an effort to combat nepotism within the film industry resorts to criminal acts to secure a part, achieving fame in the process, but also gaining the attention of a cop, Detective Sanchez (Rene Rivera). Cassini displays good acting range and the complimentary cast includes the always dependable Molly Parker, Jennifer Beals, Sandra Oh and a funny turn by Eric Roberts. I am sure every frustrated actor would odd knowingly as Matteo struggles through the auditioning process. The ironies and dark humour are subtle, and there is nothing exceptional about the film, but it is gratifying and might be worth a look if you are looking for something flying under the radar.





Mama's Boy (2007)


Jeffrey Mannus (Jon Heder) is an eccentric 29-year-old man living at home with his mother Jan (Diane Keaton), but finds his cozy life disrupted when his mother falls for self-help guru Mert Rosenbloom (Jeff Daniels). Determined to stop the suitor from moving in on his territory he enlists the aid of anti-establishment singer-songwriter Nora Flannigan (Anna Farris). The one note schtick of Heder is wearing thin, and here his character is simply pathetic and unlikable, even after his inevitable moment of truth. Keaton, Daniel and Faris are above such subpar material, which might have worked in a short skit, but not an entire movie.





Grey Gardens (1975, documentary)


Living in a giant run-down estate, Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edie, aunt and cousin to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, are faced with eviction until their famous relation steps in. Unless you are a Kennedy/Bouvier-phile or wish to check this out as a complimentary piece to the recent HBO biopic of the same name, this may only interest you if you are a fan of the theatre of the bizarre. For me, the incessant chatter and warbling of the two highly eccentric women resembling a non-stop cackling of hens. As human drama, it is just sad, and the documentary comes across as some cruel joke that neither is in on. I now however appreciate the performances of Jessica Lange and especially Drew Barrymore in the HBO film. It will be criminal if Barrymore does not win an Emmy.





Bigger, Faster, Stronger (2008, documentary)


This is the story of Director Christopher Bell and his two brothers, who grew up idolizing muscular giants like Hulk Hogan, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and who went on to become members of the steroid-subculture in an effort to realize their American dream. When you discover that your heroes have all broken the rules, do you follow the rules, or do you follow your heroes? Bell examines the issue in this documentary. Bell approached everything from an objective standpoint, clearly trying to understand a subject that affects him and his loved ones. His investigation is thorough, informative, engaging and at times funny. His personable approach and exceptionally well edited and directed reportage is definitely worth seeing if you are at all curious about the subject.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Lost Colony (2007)


English colonists arriving on Roanoke Island in 1587 find the fort built years before deserted. When new members of the colony begin to die in horrible ways, John White (Alex McArthur) puts his son-in-law Ananias Dare (Adrian Paul) in charge before his return to England. Dare recruits Native American, Manteo (Michael Teh), Dare attempts to free the spirits from their earthly captivity to save the colony. This Sci-fi channel exclusive looks like something rushed into production to fill up air time. The acting is stiff and in the case of cast member Frida Show, over-the-top. The attempts at recreating authentic language for the period fails to be convincing. The courses of action of certain characters, mainly Ananias seemed silly at times thanks to a pretty lame script. So little effort was put in that the same picture of a full moon was shown to signify the beginning of each night when the cheap looking CGI effects could not hide even in the cover of darkness. Then there was the make-up job on Manteo, so pathetic that surely was an attempt to distract from the fact that his English was superior to that of the majority of present day Carolina area residents. And how convenient was the plot device that allowed Ananias to effortlessly translate ancient Norse ruins into fluent English? There are limits to how far I am willing to suspend my disbelief.





The Perfect Holiday (2007)


Emily (Khail Bryant), the daughter of a divorced mother of three, asks a department store Santa, Benjamin Armstrong (Morris Chestnut), to provide a husband for her mom, Nancy (Gabrielle Union), for Christmas, not realizing that the man beneath the beard, an aspiring musician, would love to do just that. The only perfect thing about this holida y was the sight of Union in a spectacular form fitting dress in which she looked nothing short of stunning. J-Jizzy (Charlie Murphy) was too arrogant, self-centered and clueless to make anyone think someone would stay married to him long enough to have three children, and the side-plot of Benjamin hooking up with J-Jizzy at this point in time, with him unaware of his connection to Nancy at this point in time was too much of a contrivance. And using Queen Latifah to narrate and act as some kind of fairy-godmother in this far from sentimental hogwash just did not work. The funniest thing in this picture was little Khail Bryant's hair, which is totally unintentional.





American Teen (2008, documentary)


A group of four Indiana teens make their way through the labyrinth of society, prepare for graduation and deal with the strange and surprising situations that arise from simply being seventeen. The people here fit so perfectly into stereotypes that it is difficult to convince anyone that this is not a mockumentary. The drama that unfolds, almost appears scripted. Apparently it is not,although I remain very skeptical due to the ever-present cameras in the right places at the right times. As layers are peeled off and we see they are more than what first meets the eye, and the drama unfolds probably better than in most reality series. Still, in the back of my mind I can hear the filmmakers posing in their best Johnny Rotten voices, "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?", as interesting as this is.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Tropic Thunder (2008)


Already a month behind schedule after five days of shooting, desperate director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) takes his actors, who include Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), Jeff Portnay (Jack Black) and Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey, Jr.), deep into a booby-trapped jungle where they attempt to complete the film unaware of the danger they are in. The irony of this poignant satire of Hollywood excess during tough economic times is that everything about the movie is bloated...length, star power, effects, budget, etc. Despite needing a required effort at times to remain focused, doing so is beneficial for when the yuks do hit their mark. Appearances by Tobey Maguire, Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughey, Bill Hader, Nick Nolte, Jon Voight...the list goes on are all welcome additions. Downey is brilliant, as usual. It does go on for too long, but it is worthy of a viewing for the bits that do work.





Mommy Is At The Hairdresser's (2008, subtitled)


In the summer of 1966, Elise Gauvin (Marianne Fortier) is left to take care of her father (Laurent Lucas) and two brothers, Coco (Elie Dupuis) and Benoit (Hugo St-Onge Paquin) when her mother (Celine Bonnier) walks out on them. This is a keen little coming of age story out of Quebec, but really, people from just about any society can relate to the material. It works best when it displays the children just trying to be children during uncertain times. Fortier is a promising young actress, and the film is entirely watchable, in no small part due to her performance. All the young actors are good in this tiny sleeper that most will miss out on.





Boy A (2007)


Jack Burridge (Andrew Garfield) is a recently released prisoner trying to live a normal life under an assumed identity fourteen years after committing a horrendous crime as a youth. This one is a solid film involving controversial material. The debate over punishment versus rehabilitation can be a heated one, and in many minds some crimes can never be forgiven. Which is what makes the dilemma Jack faces intriguing. Not everything is black and white, and here, the details unfold gradually as he tries to quickly come of age after a misspent youth, and Burridge is terrific at displaying conflicted emotions, in a truly heartfelt movie.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Gonzo: The Life And Work Of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008)


Oscar winning director Alex Gibney offers a probing look into the uncanny life of the controversial gonzo journalism inventor Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. I always used to get a kick out of his articles for Rolling Stone even as I tried to make sense of them. I think Gibney does a good job of conveying the essence of the man in this documentary, and it works as a fitting tribute to Thompson, who was an enigma-a rebel, a patriot and an icon. The music chosen as accompaniment is terrific, and the vast amount of archived material accessible to Gibney, and his attention to presenting it in an entertaining manner, cannot take viewers over the edge, as Thompson so often did for our benefit, but it can inspire us to never become complacent, and appreciate those unafraid to question authority and stir the pot.





Bring It On: In It To Win It (2007)


Brooke (Cassie Scerbo) and her team, the East High Jets from New York, and Carson (Ashley Benson) and her Southern California West High Sharks, are two rival cheerleading teams who must come together and form a cheerleading super squad in order to win a competition after members of both teams are injured in a cheer off. I blame director Steve Rash for the lame performances he coaxed out of his actors here. Somehow Jennifer Tisdale survived this to secure other parts. Trying to hide her inability to dance did not work. Jets versus Sharks? Natalie Wood must have rolled over in her grave (ok, I know there is no body in it) when this stinker alluded to the play she starred in for the big screen. I cannot believe it took more than one person to write such crap. Now that I have seen all four in this series, I can only vow for the first one in its ability to entertain.





Taking 5 (2007)


Just when friends Gabby Kramer (Daniella Monet) and Devon (Alona Tal) have a chance to get the band 5 Leo Rise (played by real band The Click Five) to perform a free concert at Highland High, their plan goes up in smoke. Desperate not to be labelled losers for life, they resort to kidnapping the band. This is just about as ill-conceived as it sounds. Kidnapping and drugging people have no place in a supposedly breezy teen comedy aimed at a young demographic. Regardless, the writing here is awful, with simplistic, unconvincing resolutions that would not fly for the worst of sitcoms. And look no further than here for exhibit A in why bands should stick to playing music.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

3 Seasons (2009, subtitled)


Carmen (Romano Orzari) and Sasha (Caroline Neron) are a married couple expecting a baby, bet her career and both of their inabilities to remain faithful complicate matters. Justine Nadeau (Carrine Leduc) and Sebastian Tremblay (Shawn Baichoo) are a homeless couple who are also expecting, but she wants to keep the baby while he wants an abortion. Stephen Decker (Frank Schorpion) has traveled from Calgary to Montreal seeking revenge after losing his families. These five people are about to find their lives entwined in unforeseen ways. The separate stories are somewhat interesting on their own, the acting credible and the production values good, but the coincidences are too far-fetched in an attempt to ride the wave of films with converging storylines released in recent years. The gimmick is too much in this case.





Control (2004)


Lee Ray (Ray Liotta) is a killer on death row who is given a second chance when Dr. Miles Copeland (Willem Dafoe) offers to use him as a test subject for a new drug designed to squelch violent tendencies. The first half of this movie shows promise, with an intense Liotta at the top of his game. So it was pretty much a disappointment when it fizzled out with a weak second half and an unsatisfactory conclusion that wasted the potential to be a great film.





Mr. And Mrs. Iyer (2002, dubbed)


Meenakshi Iyer (Konkona Sensharma) is on the bus on her way to Calcutta with her new born son to visit her mother-in-law. She is accompanied by a young photographer named Raja Chowdhury (Rahul Bose). The bus is stopped by Hindu extremists who are looking for suspects in a terrorist attack which just killed 200 people in the region which they believe was triggered by Muslims. Meenakshi, when asked to identify herself, presents Raja as her husband. But Raja, as she finds out later, is in fact a Muslim, whose name is Jehangir. Meenakshi is now torn between the principles imposed by her Hindu Brahmin background and the importance of saving a life. Here is a quality drama out of India which carries a poignant underlying message that serves to be unifying, not divisive. Some of the dialogue was spoken in Hindi without being subtitled, but it is easy to get the gist of it. I liked the two leads in their roles. I found the film to be too dark at one stage and the score was lacking, but overall this was a smaller budget tiny gem.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)


For the Pevensie children , Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and Lucy (Georgie Henley), a year has passed since they left Narnia, but when summoned back to the mystic land they discover that a thousand years have elapsed, and that an evil despot, Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), the uncle of the heir to the Telmarine throne, Caspian (Ben Barnes), threatens the beautiful kingdom. I found this to be far to violent for a story meant to be accessible for kids. In comparison to the first Narnia movie, this is the weaker of the two also. And this one goes on for at least a half hour too long. I find it difficult to regard these children as pretty much invincible warriors more than holding their own against trained troops, and the whole series just seems to be in the shadow of giants such as Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter.





When Did You Last See Your Father? (2007)


Arthur Morrison (Jim Broadbent) is diagnosed with terminal cancer is given only a few weeks left to live, and his son Blake (Colin Firth) struggles with his feelings for the man. The source material is the real life memoirs of Blake Morrison. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to this story, and the conflicting emotions Blake must sort through while coming to terms with the death of a parent. Nothing he ever did seemed to be good enough as far as his father was concerned, and the infidelities gnawed at him as his mother remained oblivious to them. Broadbent is one of the best actors of his generation, and he does not disappoint here, and the three actors portraying Blake also impress. The drama is never overplayed, and there is no huge moment when the two men hash out their differences. But there is an underlying truism here that we should not take our relationships with family members for granted, because if we do, we may end up regretting it one day.





What Boys Like (2001)


Jay (Christopher Wiehl), Dewey (Alex Nesic) and Phil (Duane Martin) are groomsmen who make immature bets, with each trying to score a win at the wedding of their friend Scott (Michael Trucco) to his fiancee Reese (Lisa Brenner). Good grief, boy, was this one ever lame! No distance was too far in trying to reach for laughs, most of which were not worth it in the first place.





A Soldier's Story (1984)


In the racially segregated 1940's deep south, a black sergeant Vernon Waters (Adolph Caesar), is murdered on a military base, prompting an investigation by Captain Davenport (Howard E. Rollins, Jr.), who is sent from Washington, and proves to be the first black officer most of the men have ever met. This is a quality offering from the archives of acclaimed director Norman Jewison, with a very Sidney Poitier-esque turn from Caesar, and strong acting from Rollins and a cast featuring a young Denzel Washington. The drama is intense, and the soundtrack soulful.





Down And Derby (2005)


Phil Davis (Greg Germann) is eager to help Brady (Adam Hicks) his son to help with his Pinewood Derby, but to the chagrin of his wife Kim (Lauren Holly), instead uses the opportunity with the help of his friends to try to reclaim a victory lost in childhood to his nemesis Ace Montana (Marc Raymond). Harmless, somewhat amusing fair of the variety Disney often churns out, and that families can enjoy together without anyone threatening to heave a brick through the screen. Everyone can identify with the competitive nature on steroids that consumes some parents intent on living vicariously through the endeavors of their children.





The Exonerated (2005)


Sunny Jacobs (Susan Sarandon), Gary Gauger (Brian Dennehy), David (Danny Glover), Delbert (Delroy Lindo), Kerry (Aidan Quinn), and Robert (David Brown, Jr.) are six people wrongly convicted of murder are exonerated after spending over two decades in prison. Based on true-life accounts, this is a Court TV drama. Great actors, and a unique approach by Bob Balaban from a standpoint of direction, somewhat of the essence employed in the movie Dogville by Lars von Trier, minus the set. But as sad as the stories are, the lack of outrage softens the tragic tales, which would preferably be relayed through reenactment. Suitable for the stage, but lacking on television.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Deep Water (2006, documentary)


A fascinating true story of the fateful voyage of Donald Crowhurst, an amateur yachtsman from England who enters the most daring nautical challenge ever: the very first solo, non-stop, round-the-world boat race. Fortunately there is plenty of archived footage as well as the logs of Crowhurst available to chronicle the voyage. Far from an ordinary boat race, this is a perplexing account of a man trapped between a rock and hard place, as well as evidence of the toll that months of solitude on the sea can take. Interview segments of friends and family are also used to provide insight into this unique human tragedy and an elaborate ruse that surely inspired Rosie Ruiz years later.





College Road Trip (2008)


Melanie (Raven-Symone) is a high-school senior with aspirations of becoming a lawyer, who sets out to visit prospective universities, but her over-protective police officer father, Chief James Porter (Martin Lawrence) insists on serving as an unwelcome chaperone. I now have an inkling of what hell must be like. It will feature an endless loop of Martin Lawrence family comedies with no escape from his constant mugging at the cameras. And here he his the marionette of Disney, which also marches out in this stinker several characters even more cartoonish than in their animated features, excessively over-the-top, and excessively annoying. There is more ham on display when the Porter family pet pig is not on screen, which is about all you need to know.





Why Did I Get Married? (2007)


Patricia (Janet Jackson) and Gavin (Malik Yoba), Sheila (Jill Scott) and Mike (Richard T. Jones), Angela (Tasha Smith) and Marcus (Michael Jai White), and Diane (Sharon Leal) and Terry (Tyler Perry) are eight married college friends who have gathered for their annual reunion, but the cozy mood is shattered when Mike arrives on the scene with sexy, young Trina (Denise Boutte) in accompaniment. The egomaniacal Perry likes to attach his name to the front of the titles of his plays and movies as if they are anticipated events. I am not among his fans. Here, I did not like half of the characters, and the problems facing these couples were bigger and more complex than how they were conveniently polished over to reach resolutions that brain dead audiences expect so they can end their evenings in and upbeat fashion. Verbal abuse, philandering, intentionally passing on STDs, psychological trauma, alcoholism, obesity, etc? No problem at all!




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

The Botanist's Daughters (2006, subtitled)


True love and societal values collide when Chinese botantist Mr. Chen (Ling Dong Fu) and his daughter Cheng An (Xiaol Ran Li) take on new female apprentice Min Li (Mylene Janpanoi). When it comes to homosexual dramas on the subject of forbidden love, I thought this one was more touching and outright better than Brokeback Mountain. The scenery was beautiful, the cinematography fantastic, and some of the sensual scenes were artistically beautiful. It suffers due to the lack of character development unfortunately, because the potential existed to be something special.





The Empire Of The Wolves (2005, subtitled)


Paul Nerteaux (Jocelyn Quivrin) and Jean-Louis Schiffer (Jean Reno) are Parisian cops who finds themselves stymied by the complexities in their investigation of three murders which seem to involve ritual mutilation. Anna Heymes (Arly Jover) is a women suffering from amnesia whose visions could provide insight as to who is behind the dark deeds. This is an imaginative and confusing thriller that earns points for originality, its dark atmosphere and for its intense action. Reno is suited for playing a rogue cop, and Jover impressed me also. From an escapist standpoint, the film works, but from an intellectual standpoint, repeated viewings may or may not clear up matters.





The Kiss (2003)


Cara Thompson (Francoise Sorel) is a spunky young book editor who uncovers a 20-year-old manuscript that could be a bestseller if she can convince its reclusive author, Philip Naudet (Terrence Stamp), to write an ending and agree to its publication. She and her roommate Megan (Elizu Dushku) set out to find the author. Sorel is out of her element in the lead role, with Dushku upstaging her each time they shared the screen. So disconcerting was the anorexic frame of Sorel (massive implants excepted), I was worried her bony arms would snap any second. Vignettes featuring her and Billy Zane playing characters from the novel were cheesy, and the excerpts exposed the material of being unworthy of the hype. This film failed to make the hoped for impression.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Strange Bedfellows (2004)


Vince Hopgood (Paul Hogan) and Ralph Williams (Michael Caton) are two straight men from small town Australia who attempt to take advantage of same-sex tax laws by posing as a gay couple. You can call this Aussie comedy Crocodile Dandy, as Hogan and Caton milk the material for what it is worth, sticking to formula, but pleasantly doing so without being offensive. It is all in good fun and the gimmick works better here than it did for Adam Sandler and Kevin James in I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry. The affable townsfolk add to the overall likability. What might have been a recipe for disaster somehow even surviving the expected stiff acting of Hogan, although I doubt it will play well to the homophobic demographic, and the gay audience may not appreciate the stereotypical fashion in which they are portrayed, however the overall message is one of acceptance, which is a good thing.





Nanking (2007, half subtitled, documentary)


This is the story of the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China, in the early days of World War II. As part of a campaign to conquer all of China, the Japanese subjected Nanking, which was then China's capital, to months of aerial bombardment, and when the city fell, the Japanese army unleashed murder and rape on a horrifying scale. This documentary utilizes interviews, archived footage and stages reenactments with actors such as Woody Harrelson, Stephen Dorff, Mariel Hemingway, who read from transcripts. This is a well done piece and an important chronicling of one of the lesser publicized war atrocities from modern day warfare. So distressing are these accounts that it is difficult viewing at times, and overwhelming at times. I would accuse Hemingway of overacting, but it is clear she has been deeply affected. As will anyone tuning in.





Plasterhead (2006)


Headed to Miami to celebrate winter break, Steve (Josh Macuga), David (Ernest Dancy), Maggie (Kathryn Merry) and Audra (Raine Brown), a group of four college students from New Jersey take a detour into rural West Virginia. There, they uncover the legend of Ray Williams (Brian Dixon), a black truck driver from Maine, on his way to Texas to make a delivery, brutally beaten by a band of locals after stopping off in town for a drink, his body left for dead in an empty cornfield and never found. Here is an example of a movie with its only redeeming quality being that everything about it is so bad that it the perfect film to ridicule along with a group of friends as it goes on. The story is riddled with holes and contradictions. The acting is awful, including the ridiculously staged kill scenes. Words cannot describe how malodorous this is.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

The Left Handed Gun (1958)


William Bonney (Paul Newman), known as Billy the Kid, is befriended and treated like family by a kind-hearted rancher John Tunstall (Keith Johnston), but when the rancher is murdered, Billy takes justice into his own death-dealing hands along with Tom Folliard (James Best) and Charlie Boudre (James Congdon), with lawman Pat Garrett (John Dehner) on their trail. Newman comes across as Newman doing an impression of James Dean portraying Bonney, and indeed Dean was slated for the role prior to his untimely death. Pretty faithful to the true account, I still imagine Bonney is painted as a more sympathetic character here than he actual was, although his legend is not glorified either. It is an interesting psychological profile, depicting a tortured soul and at times an unbalanced one. Newman is good, but long in tooth for the role. But this is a good western, a couple moments of out of place slapstick aside.





Vipers (2008)


Burton (Corbin Bernsen) and the scientists using viper venom while researching a cure for cancer unwittingly let the snakes loose upon the small town of Eden Cove, unfortunately for residents such as Nicky Swift (Tara Reid) and Cal Taylor (Jonathan Scarfe). Here is a direct to DVD stinker that relies on poor CGI to elicit frights, which is ineffective, particularly when unintentionally funny dialogue more often than not is being blurted out during action sequences. Reid seems to have been the deliverer of most of the aforementioned lines. Lucky for the snakes no one thought of puncturing her breasts to unleash a crushing tidal wave of silicone, which may have been a more convincing ending than the one proffered up here.





War Of The Living Dead (2006)


After years of conflict, rebels learn that the zombies are farming groups of humans and harvesting them as food. Now it is up to them to organize an uprising and reclaim the freedom of their fellow humans. David (Adam Stuart) and Brian (Jim Hazelton) belong to the small band of survivors that fight back against the creatures and their renegade General, (Kristi Pearce), hoping to free Star, (Alissa Koenig), who is being used for breeding purposes, and all of humanity. Good only if you enjoy decidedly B-movie zombie movies with poor acting, questionable plots, low budgets, but high body counts.





A Bug And A Bag Of Weed (2006)


Peter Jordan (Chris Cuthbertson) and his buddies Stan Stanley (Drew Hagen) and Willie Gopher (Nico Lorenzutti) dream of getting their high school band back together and attempt to sell a large quantity of marijuana they found in an inherited Volkswagon Bug. This is a middling, smaller budget Canadian comedy that has the premise for a potentially funny movie, with a game cast, but they cannot do much in the way of execution because they are stifled by the material, which comes up short in the laugh department.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)


After the death of her husband, Alice Hyatt (Ellen Burstyn) hits the road with her son Tommy (Alfred Lutter), hoping to realize her dream of a singing career, but after a horrific encounter with an abusive boyfriend, she takes a job at a diner working for a gruff cook named Mel (Vic Tayback), and staffed by waitresses Flo (Diane Ladd) and Vera (Valerie Curtin), eventually taking up with David (Kris Kristofferson), a local rancher. Martin Scorcese hit the ground running with Mean Streets, then changing pace with this beauty before going on to do Taxi Driver, seeing enough of a young Jodie Foster here to cast her in the latter. Harvey Keitel also has a small, but memorable role. The attention to detail helps get to the essence of the relationships here, and Burstyn is perfectly cast in a dream role for an actress of a strong working class single mother. The chemistry amongst the diner employees and the atmosphere was enough to spawn the Linda Lavin Alice in which Tayback reprised his role, and the Flo character launched her trademark "Kiss my grits!" catchphrase. But Ladd puts her own personal stamp on the character here, and few are better at playing the everyman part than Kristofferson. This may not be one of the most heralded Scorcese films, but it rates a place amidst his most accomplished, and certainly is an example of his diversity.





Return To House On Haunted Hill (2007)


Ariel Wolfe (Amanda Righetti) and her photographer friend Paul (Tom Riley) are kidnapped by treasure hunter Desmond (Erik Palladino), who is in search of the cursed statue of Baphomet. They are taken to the house where the sister of Ariel experienced a nightmare encounter years before. There, they find Professor Richard (Steven Pacey), his assistant Kyle (Andrew Lee Potts) and the student Michelle (Cerina Vincent), but the search may come at the cost of all their souls. I would say this one is ok if you take into its direct to DVD status. Some of the characters had some funny lines, and I detected a bit of tongue in cheek in the delivery. There are plenty of bodies to dispose of, an adequate variety of gruesome deaths, a little T&A to whet the appetites of teenage boys, so horror fans by and large should be satisfied. Keep in mind that the original was not great to begin with, so if you are interested at all, lower your expectations a little and enjoy it for what it is.





Bachelor Party Vegas (2006)


Z-Bob (Kal Penn), Eli (Aaron Himelstein), Ash (Donald Faison), and Johnny C. MacElroy (Charlie Spiller) are four friends who take their best buddy Nathan (Jonathan Bennett), the groom-to-be, to Las Vegas for his bachelor party to commemorate his final days of freedom. Lower your expectations. A little more. A little more. A little more. Ok, a lot more. Now you are ready. Enjoy, or at least try to.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

The House Bunny (2008)


After being unceremoniously booted from the Playboy mansion to make way for younger beauties, Shelley Darlingson (Anna Faris) goes on a quest for employment that leads to becoming den mother to an unpopular L.A. sorority. The talented Faris was left to go down with the ship as this brain dead comedy began to sink from the get go. The loser fraternity/sorority struggling for acceptance and survival premise is hardly a new one, but it is hard to think of one that fell this flat. Adam Sandler should feel ashamed to have his production company releasing such a weak effort. I love Faris and her enthusiasm to tread the less beaten path at times, but she can afford to be more selective when choosing projects.





Page 3 (2005, subtitled)


Madhvi Sharma (Konkona Sen Sharma) is an entertainment journalist working for a Bombay newspaper who rooms with stewardess Pearl Sequiera (Sandhya Mridul), who longs to marry a rich man. She meets an attractive homeless woman named Gayetri Sachdeva (Tara Sharma). The experiences of Gayetri at the hands of men like Bollywood actor Rohit Kumar (Bikram Saluja) and film maker Charu Mohanty (Pradeep Velankar) forces Madhvi to reassess her career path, leading her to working with Vinayak Mane (Atul Konkarni)on the crime beat, from where she comes to view things from a new perspective, but also more uncertainty about her future. No punches are pulled while exposing the behind the scenes events in Bollywood, journalism and the police department. The film makes its impact, even though there are stretches that focus a bit too much on the celebrity culture in relation to the other targets, perhaps being guilty of trying to be too tackle too much at once. But there are a few jarring scenes that carve out their mark, enough so to overshadow a few weaker acting efforts.





The Hunted (1995)


Paul Racine (Christopher Lambert) is a computer salesman in Japan who finds himself the focus of the deadly attentions of bloodthirsty ninjas when he witnesses the execution of a new found friend named Kirina (Joan Chen) at the hands of Kinjo (John Lone). This is an uneven effort that seems unsure of exactly what it wants to be. Is it supposed to be taken at face value? As a tongue in cheek spoof? It certainly pales in comparison to most Asian made martial arts films, and certainly loses credulity when it attempts to transform Lambert into a warrior. Not worth hunting out.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Dynamite Warrior (2006, dubbed)


Jone Bang Fai (Dan Chupong) is a young man fuelled by grief and bent on revenge after witnessing the murder of his parents. If you enjoy films like Ong-Bak this one is right up your alley, and incidentally, it is brought to life by the same producers. Chupong is not Tony Jaa, but the Muay Thai fighting on display impresses nonetheless. The story is downright loopy, and the acting far from good, and the dub job comical, but face it, no one is tuning in for the story or acting. Even the effects are somewhat lacking at time, but how can you not love a hero who surfs through the air on a rocket?! This is fun stuff, people!





The Tiger Blade (2005, subtitled)


Yosthana (Atsadawut Luengsuntom) is a cop who must do battle with Mahesak (Amornrit Sriphung), and his gang, the Five Bullet Bandits. The story is confusing and poorly threaded together as if entire chunks are missing, but there are a few pretty cool action sequences, but the hand to hand combat was not very impressive, with no epic battles to speak of. There are better genre examples more impressive coming out of Thailand lately.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

The Mechanik (2005)


Nick Cherenko (Dolph Lundgren), who formerly worked for the Russian Special Forces, lives now in the countryside with his wife Alina (Hilda van der Meulen) and daughter Vanya (Naum Shopov). One day, his family is killed by a group of Russian criminals. He leaves the country and starts to work as a mechanic in the United States. However, when a Russian woman asks for his help to search her kidnapped daughter, Julia Abramoff (Olivia Lee), he first refuses but then discovers that the kidnappers are related to the gang who killed his family. The time for seeking revenge has arrived. This is exactly the gritty type of action thriller you would expect out of Lundgren, who is wearing the hat of director for the second time as well as starring. It is gritty and utilizes old school production techniques, free of bells and whistles. But the dour demeanour of Cherenko throughout makes it difficult to warm up to the film. A little comaraderie with his crack team of mercenaries may have helped. The reliance on an insider seemed a weak plot device when she was conveniently left to fend for herself, essentially serving as a pawn. And Lundgren provides such a large target, would he really put himself in the line of fire at times, relying on the inability of the bad guys to hit a massive stationary target? Still, this is an improvement on some of his more recent vehicles, and one his fans will likely enjoy.





Fast Girl (2008)


Alex Johnstone (Mircea Monroe) is determined to proof to everyone that she is capable of being the best in the male-dominated sport of professional race car driving. This is nothing but a cookie cutter sports movie that has the expected obstacles to be overcome, and will play out exactly as you would expect. It is appropriate for wholesome family viewing, especially for the teenage girl demographic. The camera likes Monroe, so she makes the film watchable.





Mammoth (2006)


When a meteor smashes into a museum, Special Agents Powers (Leila Arcieri) and Whitaker (Marcus Lyle Brown) are given the task to kill the mammoth unleashed on a small country town before it is decimated, but they find they cannot do so without the help of scientist Dr. Frank Abernathy (Vincent Ventresca), his daughter Jack (Summer Glau) and his father Simon (Tom Skerritt). This Sci-Fi channel original movie is pure cheese, and its cheap CGI effects are extremely laughable. Even more so is the story, which is entirely outlandish. The trouble is, the events and dialogue are not campy enough to be fun, and the terror unleased not prevalent enough to be scary, so things just toddle along until eventually fizzling out with a far from climactic conclusion.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward


The Omnipotent One

Status: Offline
Posts: 2696
Date:

Interview (2003, subtitled)


Pierre (Pierre Bokma) is a popular political journalist who is begrudgingly forced to interview Katja (Katja Schuurman), one of the Netherlands most famous actresses. What starts out as a fluff piece soon turns into an intriguing look at their deepest, darkest secrets. Schuurman is nothing short of stunning, and Bokma highly effective, with this movie being superior to the American remake. The antagonistic confrontation is often as nasty as it is honestly, and it makes for riveting viewing. Of the two, I recommend this one, but you may prefer checking out the Hollywood remake if you have an aversion to subtitles.





Interview (2007)


After falling out with his editor, fading political journalist Pierre Peders (Steve Buscemi) is forced to interview the most popular soap actress in America, Katya (Sienna Miller). This plays out like an intricate chess mass, with neither side willing to cede the upper hand. The two leads give strong performances in this remake of a 2003 Dutch film, sharing the screen for almost all of the duration of the film. The dialogue is sharp and reworked a little, with the characters having unexpected layers that gradually become unpeeled, yet Buscemi does not play all the cards as director until the end, and once again proves he has a future behind the lens.





Caramel (2007, subtitled)


Layale (Nadine Labaki), Nisrine (Yasmine Al Masri), Rima (Joanna Moukarzel), Jamal (Gisele Aouad) and Rose (Siham Haddad) are five women from different generations who share their life experiences and emotions in a Beirut beauty parlour. It plays like a soap opera, but it is refreshing and provides insight that might shatter stereotypes attached to Muslim women, exposing them as having feelings and circumstances that women can relate to universally. And it is presented sweetly in a perceptive fashion.





My Father My Lord (2007, subtitled)


The demands of faith and family start taking the their toll on respected Rabbi Abraham Eidelmann (Assi Dayan), while his wife Esther (Sharon Hacohen-Bar), and son Menahem (Ilan Griff) feel neglected. And such devotion is called into question in a film whose slow pacing and focus on religious rituals may be off-putting for some, but those can take solace in the short duration of a film which is nothing short of heartwrenching in the end. The questions raised are poignant, and the events and characters feel genuine. Young Griff might just steal your heart. Rewarding for the niche audience open to slice of life foreign films flying under the radar.





Takva: A Man's Fear Of God (2007, subtitled)


After a promotion at work, Muharrem (Erkan Can), a Muslim man begins to question his relationship with God due to temptations induced by modern society. This is yet another observant and worthy slice of life drama for those curious of foreign cultures. It is also an interesting character study and morality tale thanks in no small part to Can, who makes the Muharrem character likable and sympathetic.




__________________
Rick's Psycho Ward
« First  <  Page 39  >   Last »  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard