Change Your Image
KarisLOVER
1. Lost In Translation (Coppola, 2003)
2. Chicago (Marshall, 2002)
3. Who�s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Nichols, 1966)
4. American Beauty (Mendes, 1999)
5. All About Eve (Mankiewicz, 1950)
6. Juno (Reitman, 2007)
7. The Hours (Daldry, 2002)
8. Mulholland Drive (Lynch, 2001)
9. Pulp Fiction (Tarantino, 1994)
10. Double Indemnity (Wilder, 1944) 11. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Jackson, 2001-2003)
12. Brokeback Mountain (Lee, 2005)
13. Bonnie and Clyde (Penn, 1967)
14. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick, 1968)
15. Sunset Boulevard (Wilder, 1950)
16. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (Gondry, 2004)
17. Sideways (Payne, 2004)
18. Casablanca (Curtiz, 1942)
19. There Will Be Blood (Anderson, 2007)
20. Erin Brockovich (Soderbergh, 2000) 21. The Apartment (Wilder, 1960)
22. Donnie Darko (Kelly, 2001)
23. Amelie (Jeunet, 2001)
24. Punch-Drunk Love (Anderson, 2002)
25. Atonement (Wright, 2007)
26. Garden State (Braff, 2004)
27. Magnolia (Anderson, 1999)
28. The Truman Show (Weir, 1998)
29. Cabaret (Fosse, 1972)
30. A Clockwork Orange (Kubrick, 1971) 31. Moulin Rouge! (Luhrmann, 2001)
32. Some Like It Hot (Wilder, 1959)
33. Before Sunset (Linklater, 2004)
34. The Graduate (Nichols, 1967)
35. Schindler�s List (Spielberg, 1993)
36. Blue Velvet (Lynch, 1986)
37. Network (Lumet, 1976)
38. Chinatown (Polanski, 1974)
39. No Country for Old Men (Coen, 2007)
40. Seven Samurai (Kurosawa, 1954) 41. Chocolat (Hallstrom, 2000)
42. Elephant (Van Sant, 2003)
43. Adaptation. (Jonze, 2002)
44. Spirited Away (Miyazaki, 2002)
45. Vertigo (Hitchcock, 1958)
46. The Shawshank Redemption (Darabont, 1994)
47. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (Tarantino, 2004)
48. Almost Famous (Crowe, 2000)
49. Wild Strawberries (Bergman, 1957)
50. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (Kershner, 1980)
Reviews
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
Not up to the high standards of the first two, but still slightly fun
Watching X3 was the weirdest experience for me. Everyone who knows me, knows that I'm opinionated. Not only opinionated, but passionately so; I pick a side and fight. That's why I cannot explain this completely neutral feeling about X3.
I realize that the hammy story, god-awful dialog, and terrible acting should have me literally cursing the director's name, but it didn't. It was almost entertaining. All I have is a feeling, but it's there. I didn't hate it
heck I didn't even dislike it.
Enough with that; let's get to some of the bad parts about this movie. First off, the story in this movie is bad even for a comic book film. It's clichéd, poorly written, and boring. The storyline in the previous X-Men films have been thin, but passable. This one wasn't even close. Plus, the ending is completely contrary to the message that the writers are trying to convey.
The actors are shameful. X3 has one of the most star-studded casts of the year and none of them deliver. Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, both of which are always fantastic, were very forgettable in this movie. And they're the best of the bunch. Halle Berry is cringe-worthy as Storm. How did you get from Monster's Ball to this, Halle? Hugh Jackman, it seems, leaves all his coolness in his other jacket. He's gone from glorified bad to sappy and unbelievable.
I'm making this film sound terrible, but I'll say it again, I actually kinda liked it. After the initial few minutes of dialog-setup, it settles into an mildly entertaining zone. The action is pretty decent. While this is no Crouching Tiger, the choreographer did the best he could.
Another thing to be criticized about this movie, is the editing style. They never spend more than 3 minutes on a single scene. This bothered me. At one point, Logan is involved in, what should have been a very emotional scene. The filmmakers could have lingered a bit there, and give Hugh Jackman a chance to sell us. But instead, they cut away from it like everything else in the movie. It cheapens the moment and the style never works. Although, I just watched The Deer Hunter and it could have used a little quicker hand on the edit button
I could continue to harp on the film's mistakes, but why bother? The bottom line is: This movie is the best blockbuster out there now. If you find yourself needing to see something blow up, or a fight scene, this movie could do it. Before wasting money on Mission Impossible 3 or The Da Vinci Code, give X3 a try. Keep your expectations low, and X3 might just show you a good time.
Wonderfalls (2004)
Shame on you, FOX
It pains me to watch another show that was cut down in it's prime by the greedy FOX executives. As far as canceled shows go, Wonderfalls might be the best ever. This was one excellent show. Ah, I keep wanting to watch more, but sadly, there is no more. I always get sad when I know there's a very limited amount of a good show.
But enough with the pity party. Wonderfalls is about a girl named Jaye, who works in a gift shop in Niagara Falls. Jaye is many things, but hero is not one of them. She's lazy, rude, and occasionally mean. But that changes when a wax lion turns his head and talks to her. Her family (one of the most entertaining families on TV) calls it an episode and drops it, but Jaye knows better. The show is a cross between Joan Of Arcadia, Gilmore Girls, and
something else. It's a truly unique experience.
So from that point on, different animal shaped things, instruct her to do tasks. And these tasks, much to Jaye's dismay, change peoples' lives. The messages range from "Get her words out." to "Don't give her money back.", or my personal favorite, "Get off your ass.". This may sound like a cheap knock off of Joan of Arcadia, but trust me, it's no where close. Joan, while an incredible show, always took itself too seriously. Wonderfalls NEVER has that problem.
The writing is some of the freshest and best I have seen since Gilmore Girls. The characters are vibrant, personality filled, but avoid the typical clichés. The episodes themselves are very well written. Karma Chameleon, episode 3, is one of the best hours of television I have ever seen. The twists are amazing and unpredictable. The dialog is reminiscent of the instantly quotable banter of Gilmore Girls, but is not as fast. It's just supreme. This line will go down in history.
Jaye: "You're a lesbian? It's not too surprising." Sharon: "How is it not surprising?" Jaye: "You drive an SUV."
The acting in Wonderfalls, however, is a mixed bag. Caroline Dhavernes is brilliant as eye-rolling, trailer-trash Jaye. When the time comes, she softens her character in a way that is neither obvious, nor unbelievable. Tyron Leitso plays Eric, the bartender who stays in Niagara Falls after his honeymoon was cut short by his wife cheating. Cute as he may be, he is not good. It's simple as that. It wouldn't be a big problem, but he soon turns to Jaye for "comfort" so there is more of him than is necessary. Her family is (mostly) a riot. Jaye's sister Sharon, who realizes in the first episode, that she is gay, is fantastic when paired with Jaye. They play off each other like pros. When Sharon is minus Jaye, however, she can be a bit boring. The parents are both perfectly cast. The mother has almost a Valium-induced breeziness about her that is hysterical. The father is good in his role, as well.
Now, since I have gushed enough, let's get down to the dirt. Most of the dream sequences done here would have sunk a normal show, but they mostly work on Wonderfalls. But there are moments where they go one too far. Such as, when Jaye is afraid she's going to break Eric's heart, she imagines his heart shooting out of him and then her stomping repeatedly on it. It's just too cheesy. Then, when Eric's wife is introduced, she fails miserably at being evil. Maybe it's because I remember her fondly from Firefly, but she still chokes.
In addition to that, the episodes are incredible at the beginning, but stray from their original premise later on and become too soapy. I understand the need for it to bring Eric and Jaye's storyline to a close, but I wasn't entertained by it. The episodes are much better when they are structured around the animals' instructions. The last two episodes are a return to form and provide a satisfying ending to the series.
As a whole, I loved this series. It's obvious right off the bat that FOX made a glaring error canceling this quirky and wonderful show. If you take a look at all the great shows FOX canceled: Wonderfalls, Family Guy, Firefly, Dark Angel, Harsh Realm, Arrested Development. If the network had given these shows time to find a viewer base, they would have the best lineup of any network. Shame on you, FOX.
The Lake House (2006)
I wanted to like this...
If I have another hot and cold experience with a movie, I might snap. It's very annoying to love one part of a film, and truly despise the other. The Lake House, like so many of the movies I've seen lately, falls right in the middle of that category.
Story wise, The Lake House is so confusing and convoluted, that it's funny. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock play a couple who live two years apart. No, Keanu isn't two years older than her, they live two years apart on the time-space continuum. He lives in 2004, her in 2006. They communicate through a (magic?) mailbox outside of Keanu Reeves' house. They fall in love even though they never make face to face contact. It's not the fact that it could "never happen" that makes it so bad, but the fact that it is so distracting. Many times, you're left wondering what year it is, rather than being engrossed in the love story.
During the first half hour of this movie, I could have sworn I'd be giving out my second F of the year. Everything is extremely bad; the dialog, especially. Just as I was convinced that it couldn't be saved, Sandra turns it on and gives a great performance. The incredible chemistry between the two actors, driven mostly by Sandra Bullock, single handedly turns this movie around. By the time it was over, I still hadn't liked it, but I was feeling much more neutral towards it.
Aesthetically, The Lake House is an Oscar worthy film. The cinematography is absolutely amazing. It had me dropping my jaw several times. The colors are rich and vibrant, but also muted in the right places. If this had been a silent film, I probably would have liked it better. I'm not sure what the composer, Rachel Portman, was thinking, but it sure worked. Every bit of the music for this film conveys exactly what it's supposed to. It's simply a flawless soundtrack.
While I do commend the filmmakers here for attempting to freshen up the romance genre, I have huge problems with it. The best thing about the movie is Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves' chemistry. They are mesmerizing as a couple, but because of the convoluted premise, are physically together for about fifteen minutes of screen time. They are great in the letter voiceovers, but it's not the same as having them physically interact with each other.
Walking out of the theater, I couldn't help but feel like this was a failure. No matter how much better the film got towards the end, it still had the first 30 minutes hanging over it's head. And even then, it was still predictable, corny, and too sweet. The ending would have been much more romantic if they had just let it happen. But, instead of possibly depressing someone (God, wouldn't that be horrible?) they opted for the picturesque happy ending. It's even complete with a shot of the couple walking off into the sunset, no joke.
In closing, the reason why the film failed is this: No matter how interesting the premise is, it detracts from the experience. All I wanted was for the lead actors to be together on screen. I found myself wishing for a normal romantic movie, so I could be captivated by their brilliant chemistry. But instead, I was treated to a sublimely filmed, confusingly written, and completely forgettable movie
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
Please, make it stop...
I guess I asked for it, when I said I didn't want another hot and cold movie. Tokyo Drift certainly is a one way street. In fact, Tokyo Drift is quite possibly the worst racing movie ever committed to film.
Everything starts out with a high school cat fight. Our "hero", Sean Boswell, sporting one of the worst southern accents ever, races the local jock for his girlfriend. Soon after, he gets arrested. Rather than send him off to prison, he is shipped off to Tokyo to live with his military father. Despite what he's been told (cause what cool Hollywood teen does what they're told?) he becomes re-involved in illegal street racing
but in Tokyo. It's nearly impossible to summarize this plot, mainly because I'm laughing so hard. The story is so ridiculous and clichéd, that I feel sorry for anyone, like me, who was drug to this movie.
Pick anything about this movie, and it's borderline suicide inducing. The music is awful. Really, if I want to listen to generic rap playing over car racing, I'll switch on MTV. If this is what cinema has become, then I might as well jump off a cliff.
The acting is horrendous. I have never seen someone butcher the bad boy role like Lucas Black has. His portrayal of Sean is not only unrealistic, it's disturbingly puny. If that is his "bad boy" setting, he must be a puppy in real life. Everyone else here is simply terrible. At one point, I could have sworn I was watching The Young And The Restless
and I liked it better than the normal gear of this movie.
As with (most) racing movie fans, none of that matters to them. The question is, does Tokyo Drift deliver some adrenaline pumping races? Absolutely not. First off, the shaky cam is worse here, than it was in The Bourne Supremacy. I needed a barf bag during one. The inclusion of "drifting" is the biggest mistake. It chokes almost all the races and causes the excitement to be sucked out (not that I cared one way or the other). Finally, there are far too many slo-mo shots. This is not the Matrix, people; it's The Fast and The Furious. What is this doing in this movie? In closing, you would have to be drunk, high, or both to enjoy Tokyo Drift. It's a clichéd mess that not only delivers some fantastically bad acting, but doesn't even give us one decent race. If you are just dying for some racing action, I'd suggest drifting on over to Cars, because this film is just embarrassing.
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
So disappointing...
"So dark the con of man." The words of a dying man written on the Mona Lisa ring true for Da Vinci Code; I came out of the theater feeling like I had been conned into sitting through this mess of a film.
This movie follows a symbologist, a French cryptology expert, and a holy grail fanatic across Europe in a wild chase for truth. In good thriller fashion, they are pursued by a variety of colorful villains, such as an albino monk, a catholic sect famous for self mutilation, and half the French police force. Everything starts off with a gristly murder scene at the Louvre. World renowned symbology professor, Robert Langdon (possibly the most boring main character ever) is called in to evaluate this bizarre crime scene. What starts out as a long, albeit interesting episode of CSI, quickly turns into a tasteless thriller. I won't spoil any more of the plot, for those who have not yet seen this movie.
Unless you've been living in a remote cave for the past 2 years, you know that there is a huge amount of controversy surrounding The Da Vinci Code. One of the (many) failures of this film, is that everything seems like no big deal. They claim to reveal something that will shake the foundations of Christianity itself, but
It never arrives. The director treats the subject matter as though he may offend someone. Well, guess what Ron? You have to ruffle some feathers to make amazing movies. It's just part of film-making.
The Da Vinci Code features one of the most star studded casts in recent memory. Sadly, almost no one delivers. What could have been an interesting and thought-provoking performance from Tom Hanks, comes out wooden and just plain bad. The delivery of half his lines is pitiful. Alfred Molina, who is always a safe bet, is awful as Opus Dei founder Bishop Aringosa. He portrays him with a ferocity that is not present in the book, and there's a reason for that. Paul Bettany and Audrey Tautou both show hints of promise, but overall are mediocre. Ian McKellen is the one bright spot here. He shines, despite the terrible dialog written for his character.
What really bothered me about The Da Vinci Code is this: The entire film is a tease. Everything in the movie hints of greatness, but everything also falls far short of it. Ian McKellen's performance shows us what all the actors should have done. Several sequences in the movie, (namely the flogging sequence with Silus) display Ron Howard's prowess as a director. The book hints at how amazing and controversial the script would have been, if the director had grown some balls. But all of these moments, last for about 30 seconds each. Instead, we are treated to a cookie-cutter thriller that isn't good. Ultimately, this movie fails on three fronts.
1: It fails as the intelligent mind trip which it so desperately wants to be.
2: It fails as the lightning fast page turner which the book is.
And 3: It fails as the summer blockbuster thriller, which it disappointingly becomes
The Break-Up (2006)
Would have been amazing if it weren't for that stupid ending...
While this wasn't the excellent film I thought it would be, The Break Up is definitely worth a watch. It's worth seeing, if only to die laughing at Vince Vaughn. And amidst the sea of crap Hollywood has been sending out lately, The Break Up is a fun, and relaxing movie.
The Break Up is about a treacherous villain who decides he's going to take over Kansas, using only 1986 Ford Mustangs. Wait. No, it's actually about, you guessed it, a break up (were the writers just too tired to think of a decent name?). Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn get upset with each other, and ruin what seemed to be a pretty hellish relationship. Needless to say, the garden variety story is not the reason to see this film.
One of the reasons, would be the comedy in it. This movie was one of the funniest I've seen in a while. And I rank everything by the impossibly high standard of Arrested Development. Granted, it's not nearly that funny, but it did have me laughing very hard for most of the movie. Vince Vaughn is simply a riot. His delivery is pitch-perfect.
Now, the premise of the story is not good by any stretch, but they throw us a twist that causes the entire movie to shift. I'm not spoiling it for everyone else, but know it's there. This twist, causes the movie to become about 14 shades darker, and much more interesting.
The acting in The Break Up, is a very mixed bag. Let's start with the good: Vince Vaughn is great. His riotous energy is exactly what this film needed. He's loud, rude, but then takes a turn for the softer side. This could have felt forced, and insincere like most romantic comedies, but Vince pulls it off with ease. Jennifer Aniston, who I never thought could act, surprised me in this movie. At first, she is what I expected from her. Nagging, weak, victimized, you know
she's Rachel. But then, coinciding with the dark twist, her character becomes surprisingly powerful. She paints a good picture of a woman who is changing. The supporting cast is, for the most part, terrible. And that's no ones fault, but the director's. Jason Bateman and Vincent D'nofreo are two of the most versatile actors I know, and yet the director insists on slapping stereotypes onto them.
One last thing that needs to be mentioned, is the ending. There's about a five minute ending scene (not unlike an epilogue) that ruins a lot of the good energy the film had going for it. It's the epitome of everything I hate about Hollywood. They turn, what would have been an incredibly atmospheric and bleak ending, into a bs happy one. It knocked the film down three whole points for me. It's pitiful, and inexcusable.
But overall, it's not enough to completely ruin the experience. Even after being livid about the ending, I realized, the jokes are still funny, the acting is still decent, and the movie is still better than 90 percent of what's out now. The Break Up could have been an A caliber film, but with the inclusion of the ending, turns out to be nothing more than a distraction.
Thank You for Smoking (2005)
Incredibly entertaining
With a name like "Thank You For Smoking", you really don't know what to expect going into this film; thankfully, that's what is so good about it. This dark satire is a breath of badly needed fresh air. And by a first time director, no less.
The movie is about a tobacco lobbyist named Nick Naylor who, as he describes it, "talks" for a living. His character, which is one of the best I've ever seen, is described wholly in one line. "You know that guy who can pick up any girl? I'm that guy
On crack.". The story line in this film, takes a backseat to the wonderful character exploration which Director Jason Reitman navigates with ease.
Nick Naylor is played to perfection by Aaron Eckhart. It would have been too easy to overly sensitize this character, or to make him a soulless monster, but Eckhart strikes the perfect balance. He makes the character charming and likable, but never retracts Naylor's wicked edge. It's seems impossible to like, much less, root for a character who peddles cigarettes, but Eckhart will have you standing and applauding. He gives the performance of a seasoned veteran. Bravo.
The bulk of the supporting cast give very good performances, as well. Rob Lowe gives what could be the finest performance of his career, Cameron Bright is great as Naylor's son who idolizes him, and J.K. Simmons has never been funnier as Naylor's boss. These entertaining performances are, for the most part, a product of the brilliant screenplay.
Like I said, this is the screenplay to beat this year. I don't have any idea how the Oscars could ignore this labor of love. The script has a very stylish feel to it that transferred very well to the silver screen. Every joke in this movie is funny. That is an incredible feat. I have never seen a movie where I did not roll my eyes during at least one of the jokes, but every one in this film was good. Some were only good, while others had me in the floor like only Arrested Development can. Especially Naylor's jokes. His flat and dry delivery is absolutely brilliant.
With all that being said, this movie is far from perfect. William H. Macy, who is normally a safe bet, came off feeling a bit detached from the picture. He worked, but it just wasn't his usual greatness. Maria Bello is excellent in her role, but feels extremely underutilized. They could have cast anyone in this role. Katie Holmes proves once again, that she is nothing more than a washed up teen soap star. And a horribly miscast soap star, at that. At least in Batman Begins I could see her in that role. But here, she plays a seductive reporter (is there any other kind?) who tricks Naylor into revealing his life secrets. She is stiff, and plain boring to watch.
I'm someone who watched The Island (and didn't hate it), so I'm no stranger to "huh" plot twists, but this one was a whopper. I won't spoil it for those who have not seen the film, but trust me, you'll know when it comes. At first, it seems like a darkly clever move by the screenwriters, but turns out to be purely story serving, and frankly, a bit ridiculous.
As a whole, this movie kept me more than thoroughly entertained for the entire screen time. Between Eckhart's pitch perfect rendering of a man, who should have no morals, but is a real person, and Reitman's rapid-fire script, this is not a movie to miss.
Superman Returns (2006)
Hardly any redeeming factors here...
Within ten minutes of opening, it's evident that Superman, rather than returning to cinema, should have stayed put. This movie, helmed by comic movie whiz Bryan Singer, has nothing in common with his earlier and better films. Everyone hoping that Superman Returns is on the level with the excellent comic films X-Men, or Spiderman 2... Sorry. It's closer in relation to horrific CG dominated fare like Attack of the Clones and The Hulk.
Superhero movies are never about the plot, but Superman's is just awful. After returning from his galactic journey to find his homeworld, The Man of Steel finds himself in the middle of this evil plot masterminded by none other, than Lex Luthor. After finding Superman's arctic hideout, Lex confiscates the alien technology hidden there, which allows him to "grow" his own continent, destroy the world, and charge people to live on his islands since there's nowhere else to live. The scheme, at best, is retarded. At worst, sounds like something RE/MAX might think up.
I'm astounded at how bad the acting was for this movie. Even a versatile actor like Kevin Spacey, who is normally fantastic, was simply bad. I understand what he was trying to do, and how he was attempting to bring a sort of "insanity" to the character, but it fails. And because of that failure, we're left with a very muddled and confused interpretation of Lex Luthor. Kate Bosworth fairs better than most of the cast. She plays Lois Lane fine, but never taps into the deeper character. But, no one cares about them. Superman, is where it's all at. Sadly, it's arguably the movie's greatest failure. Brandon Routh never comes close to tapping into the emotions and flaws that make the character of Superman. He's all surface and good looks, and not once does he show a hint of emotion. Seriously, I think the casting director just looked for whoever looked best in the tights.
Even considering the horrible story, and bad acting, that's not why Superman Returns is such a bore. The main reason is, that Bryan Singer was content to make a surface movie. One could say that it's because it's so predictable, but that's not it. All comic movies are predictable (save for Daredevil, which is very good) but what makes them worthwhile are two things: The action, which Superman fails miserably, and the deeper emotions of the heroes. Sam Raimi did it extraordinarily well with the Spiderman films, Mr. Singer did it himself with the first 2 X-Men movies, but not in Superman. Everything here is "flash over substance".
One bright spot in this terrible movie, is Kitty. Or more specifically, Lex Luthor's "henchwoman", (hey, I don't make the words up, I just write with 'em) played to perfection by Parker Posey. Her wacky, energetic role, while hilarious and incredibly entertaining, is out of place. She belongs in a better, much more fun Superman film. If the filmmakers had built the movie around her energy, they would have had a smash hit on their hands.
But sadly, they didn't and it isn't. What we have instead, is a CG driven mess that eerily resembles the Star Wars prequel films. Nothing works in this movie. Not a single thing. I'll be the first to admit, I've never liked Superman. I've always thought he paled in comparison to the more intriguing characters of Batman and Spiderman. This movie does nothing but prove me right. But, I know some of you die-hard fans will go see this, despite anything I say. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Fainaru fantajî sebun adobento chirudoren (2005)
Blew me away...
God, I miss this feeling; this sensation of being blown away by a work of amazing film-making. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, while at times flawed, is a deep and rewarding experience that no one should miss.
Advent Children is set 2 years after the original FFVII. The city of Midgard is in ruins and a horrific disease known as "Geostigma" is claiming lives all over the world. Meanwhile, the remnant of the SOLDIER project are attempting to reunite with their "Mother" using some unorthodox methods. If I'm not doing a good job of summarizing Advent Children's plot, cut me some slack. It's a hard plot to explain and that is partially what makes it so good.
Let me make one thing clear, this plot is not incomprehensible. Not by a long stretch. Advent Children has been widely criticized for it's above-average intelligent plot. I would like to ask these people one thing: Were you not paying attention? Some have said that you have to know FFVII inside and out to understand this plot. I myself, have never played FFVII and I understood every word of this movie.
The plot of Advent Children is refreshing in many ways. The main reason being, not at any time does the film spoon-feed viewers exposition (which is a big reason why many did not understand it). This isn't a movie that you should put on in the background. Yes, the simplest iteration of the plot is "remnants are attempting to summon major bad guy and end the world". But, if you dig deeper, there's a lot of philosophical stuff here about life, death, and everything returning to the earth. Sit up, pay attention, and you will be rewarded with one of the deepest sci-fi fantasy plots.
I continue to be amazed at the rate in which Square's grasp of CG is progressing. It seems like just yesterday I was being shocked by the FMVs in Final Fantasy X, now I'm being floored by Advent Children. There is not one second in this movie where my jaw was not laying on the floor. The CG is so mind blowing, that I had to check several times to make sure it wasn't real. Think King Kong, but 100x better. In terms of CG, Square has got it down.
Being someone who watches the dubs of Evangelion, I'm no stranger to terrible voice dubbing. That is why I was floored by the quality of Advent Children's English track. Recorded by the Kingdom Hearts team, this movie has some truly incredible acting on display. Steve Burton as Cloud, in particular, gives the best voice over performance I've seen in a very long while. He gives Cloud a depth that is incredible. Other standouts include George Newbern and Rachael Leigh Cook as Cloud's nemesis, Sephiroth and Tifa, respectively. Everyone else, is effective, but nothing special.
While it's no surprise, it's definitely worth mentioning; the soundtrack for Advent Children is flawless. Nobuo Uematsu, my friend, you have out done yourself. This is better than Final Fantasy X's soundtrack, which is the highest praise from me. It's a perfect blend of grand choirs, blaring rock music, and intimate piano solos and always mirrors a scene perfectly. If you only buy one soundtrack this year, this will be it. Just because I loved this movie, doesn't mean it is perfect. There are a few lines delivered by secondary characters that fall flat. The dialog could have been better. And about halfway through the film, the entire FFVII cast shows up. While I'm sure there would have been much rage by the fanboys if they had omitted them, it seems quite gratuitous to have over 8 "main" characters. I particularly disliked Reno. He just seemed very clichéd to me.
So far, I think this has been my favorite movie of the year. One more thing worth mentioning is the ending. They throw you for a loop at the end that had me thinking "They screwed this up." I was sure that they had ruined all they'd worked for. But then, they throw you for another loop which allows us to arrive at an even better ending then before. It's a wonderful twist that definitely had me fooled. Why this movie hasn't been accepted by critics, I have no idea. Although, I shouldn't be surprised. These are the same people who said The Matrix Reloaded was "garbage". Don't watch this film if you're just wanting cheap entertainment. But, if you truly want to experience something special, head on over to Amazon.com now and purchase this incredible film. Now.
Failure to Launch (2006)
A horribly flawed film, but not without it's merits...
Never in the history of cinema, has there been a more fitting title for a movie. This film is exactly what it's called: a Failure To Launch. It's as though, the director had a great premise to start with, but then, the film consistently fails to take off; probably because it's buried beneath a sea of stupid jokes, crude references, and ridiculous animal humor.
The premise of Failure To Launch is a nice change of pace from the usual romantic comedy plot line. Trip, who is 35 years old, lives with his parents. After tolerating him for as long as humanly possible, the parents decide to call in a professional. Paula makes her living off getting "loser men" to leave home (can someone really make a decent living doing that?), so it's only natural that she would be called in. She simulates a romantic relationship and causes her client to want to move out.
One thing that really causes Failure To Launch to suffer, is the absolutely pointless humor. There are three animal attack scenes which include, a chipmunk, dolphin, and iguana bite. All of which have no place within the story, and were obviously in an attempt to score a few cheap laughs. What it ends up doing, however, is distracting from the rest of the movie. They feel tacked on, and are a horror to sit through.
The acting in this movie is very hit and miss. Matthew McConaughey is dreadful as Trip. Whoever told this man he could act, needs to be found and shot repeatedly. He's definitely a model first, and actor second; the only reason he's in Failure To Launch, is for the women to have some eye candy. Sarah Jessica Parker, however, is excellent here. She gives a top notch performance that hearkens back to her brilliant days. She gives the character of Paula such depth, that I was truly impressed. The supporting cast is unremarkable, save for one. Zooey Deschanel is vibrant, funny, and certainly the best thing in this movie, as Paula's roommate, Kit. She had me on the floor numerous times with her flat delivery, and brilliant comebacks.
What really kills this film, is how uneven it is. At one point, you're actually watching a great movie. While other times, you'll find yourself mashing the mute button. Believe it or not, there actually is a movie buried underneath all the idiocy. The character of Trip also suffers this problem. One minute, he's jerky and arrogant. Then, within the span of one scene, he becomes this wounded lover character that is almost laughable. But, as much as it should have, all this negativity never makes the film unsalvageable. Dig hard enough, and you might get a decent experience out of it.
I am a tad biased for this review, seeing as I'm an enormous Sarah Jessica Parker fan, but I didn't hate this movie. Yes, it has more than it's share of missteps, but there's also quite a bit of good here, as well. If nothing else, it's worth the 7 dollars to here Kit call a mockingbird a whore. This experience of loving half a movie, and wanting to turn the other half off is a new one for me. Everything about this movie depends on you. Some may love it and others might find themselves taking a razor blade to their wrists. If only the director hadn't seen the need to bury the idea of this movie. Maybe then, the film would have risen above failure, and launched.
Cars (2006)
Surprisingly deep, and wonderfully entertaining...
I'll admit it: I was frightened to see this movie. The trailer was ridiculous and cringe worthy. Thankfully, this movie has almost no relation to it's trailer. It's dazzling, fun, and quite frankly, the best movie I've seen this year.
We open with our hero, Lightning McQueen (what was his mother thinking?), racing for the Piston Cup. Conveniently, the race is a three way tie so, a tie-breaker is held in California. On his way there, however, McQueen gets arrested in the small town of Radiator Springs. What happens from here is typical Pixar fare: Hero learns to be a better person and make friends. What is more interesting here, is the story, within the story. It's what's implied throughout the movie; the surprisingly deep story about how society has become too fast paced. It's about taking things slow and stopping to smell the roses. That is the great triumph of Cars' screenplay; the surface story serves only as a Trojan horse.
This entire movie meshes perfectly. Everything, the music, story, acting, direction is all wonderful. More amazing than anything, however, is the animation. It's jaw dropping on more than one occasion. Everything from the dirt flying off McQueen's tires, to the car models themselves (besides Pixar, who else could make a car replica of Jay Leno look so much like him?) is fantastic. It's simply dazzling.
There are so many scenestealers in this film, it's hard to tell who's the best. The most noticeable is Mater. Larry the Cable Guy, who I despise with my every breath, gives an honest and hilarious performance. It's an amazing feat that he won me over. While Mater is the most noticeable character, he's certainly not the best. Owen Wilson (another one I hate) was excellent as McQueen as well. He's just enough of a jerk starting out, so at the end of the film, you're really glad to see his character progression. My favorite character was Luigi, Radiator Springs' body shop owner. Tony Shalhoub gives a wacky, over-the-top performance that I fell in love with. Bonnie Hunt is nice, but her brilliant comedic talent is woefully underused. I'm a little upset that she had to play the straight person. Another one to mention is Paul Newman. He's very nice, and very subtle here. Excellent job, Mr. Newman.
Movie like this don't come around often. When something this good comes around that appeals to both kids, and adults, jump on it. While I love Finding Nemo to death, the rest of Pixar's films are kids movies. Cars, however, is not. In fact, it leans more to side of being a G rated movie for adults, that kids happen to like. Even if you don't have children, Cars is a dazzling ride that's not to be missed
by anyone.
A Prairie Home Companion (2006)
Great feel good movie, but not without faults...
So, there is still someone out there who knows how to make a movie. I was beginning to wonder. A Prairie Home Companion might be an acquired taste, but one thing's for sure, it's a lot better than 99% of what's out now.
This cute, little film chronicles the farewell show of the classic radio show, A Prairie Home Companion. The show is being shut down by a large company who wants to tear down their theater. It's not a whole lot in terms of plot, but it's more than enough to keep it afloat. The plot is not what is on show here, it's the riotous humor.
Like I said, if nothing else, go see this for the humor. If you have had any experience with small towns at all, you're bound to appreciate it. Garrison Keillor's script is simply wonderful. I found myself laughing extremely loud several times. The delivery of everything is spot on (you can attribute this to Robert Altman's amazing direction). This movie feels like a good, long laugh on the porch with your best friends.
All the actors in A Prairie Home Companion fit perfectly in their roles. Garrison Keillor (who runs the real life APHC radio show) plays himself here. He's wonderful to watch on screen. Lily Tomlin and Meryl Streep play sisters Rhonda and Yolanda. They are both excellent. Lily Tomlin showcasing her great energy, and Meryl Streep her glorious voice. Did anyone else know she could sing? Kevin Kline plays Guy Noir, the theater's head of security. He's the one who got me laughing the most. He does quite a few physical comedy stunts that shouldn't work, but they never get old. And Lindsey Lohan
while she was not bad in this film, she's the only person who doesn't fit. She gives a decent performance, but sadly it's not enough.
However, there is one glaring problem with this movie: That's the character of the death angel. You heard me right, there is a death angel in this movie. Played by Virginia Madsen, the character just doesn't have a place here. Her part was totally unnecessary. It's cheesy, and it detracts from the film greatly. She not only doesn't fit, but is predictable, and boring. She literally sucks the life force from this movie.
But at the end of the day, this is still a great film. With great music (this is coming from someone who hates country music, too), wonderful acting, and a hilarious script. If you've spent even a day in a small town, you should definitely check this out. The death angel is only in about 10 minutes of the movie, so she's not terribly annoying. This is sure to be one of the better movies of the year.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
Without Johnny, I might have died...
Remember two years ago when Disney announced that their hit film, Pirates of the Caribbean, would be turned into a trilogy? I said to myself "This cannot be good.". Guess what? I was right.
Dead Man's Chest picks up directly where the first Pirates left off. Will and Elizabeth's wedding is cut tragically short, by a pair of arrest warrants baring their names. Will, is then charged with finding our beloved Captain Jack Sparrow, retrieving his compass, and handing it over to a shifty Lord ( a clone of the first Pirate's Commodore Norrington character). Once found, Jack tells Will he will give him the compass, but only if he finds a key for him. Jack, on the other hand, owes Davy Jones a soul. So, being a pirate, he's effectively screwing everybody else, to wiggle his way out of being in Davy Jones' debt. Then Elizabeth breaks free of prison (of course) and proceeds to help Will and Jack. If you ask me, and I'm assuming you are since you're reading my review, the plot sounds like a treasure hunt concocted for a six year old. You know, the ones where this map points you to this key, which unlocks this chest, which has another chest inside it
Even worse, however, are the stupid subplots we are asked to endure.
While there's dozens of reasons Dead Man's Chest doesn't work, here's the main one: It should never have been made. Listen up, Disney; when you hit the jackpot, and make an amazing movie based on a theme park ride, play it safe and leave it there. Don't insist on whoring it out and creating a trilogy. Any scene without Johnny Depp (who remains Oscar worthy), is pure drivel. The entire film suffers from bad supporting actors, awful design choices, and a plot unworthy of Saturday morning cartoons. Curse of the Black Pearl was near perfect. It struck the right balance between humor, action, and plot. But in Dead Man's Chest, they are all out of whack. Badly.
On to the acting
shoot me now. Everyone, excluding Johnny, is terrible. Orlando Bloom continues to prove that he is nothing more than Legolas without the wig. And sadly, at least half the movie is placed upon his shoulders for him to carry; at which he fails. Keira, what happened? You had been doing so great. And even got an Oscar nomination for God's sake. But now, you're wooden and unfeeling. You make us come away cold. I'll ask again, what happened? I understand that playing an entirely CG character isn't an easy task, but Bill Nighy as Davy Jones gave me convulsions. Think of everything an actor shouldn't do in a role, and he probably did it. And the French-ish accent? God
I'm literally stunned at how bad this performance was. But amidst all the terror, we have a shining star. Johnny Depp, who reprises his role as the Keith Richards-inspired Jack Sparrow, is brilliant beyond words. Complete with a drunken swagger, and more eyeliner than all of Green Day put together, he's simply a wonder to watch. Every expression is pure gold. There's just something I cannot put my finger on that makes Johnny Depp so incredible. Now, that's not to say every scene with him is perfect. The screenwriters make his character take a turn that is contrary to everything Depp had placed into the role. It effectively neuters his character, but it's hardly Depp's fault. He still remains Oscar worthy as ever.
But the real problem arises when Davy Jones appears. His character is so bad, he cancels out everything Jack Sparrow adds to Pirates of the Caribbean. And to anyone who has watched the first, they know that is everything. So what are we left with once Sparrow and Jones are gone? A horrible movie.
Overall, this movie had me wishing it was over during the opening scene. I won't fail it, simply because Johnny Depp is so incredible, but know that without him, it wouldn't have lasted five seconds. It's scary that Gore Verbinski can go from such extremes of good (Curse of the Black Pearl, The Ring) and bad (Dead Man's Chest). But frankly, I would have drowned myself in popcorn butter if Johnny Depp had not been in this movie.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Pure Brilliance
I have no idea what happened to this movie. Amazingly, director David Frankel turns what could have been simply a fun summer movie, into a brilliantly realized critique on today's fashion society. Not only has he propelled it to the top of the heap of summer films, he transcends them and gives us one of the best movies I have seen in years.
The Devil Wears Prada follows a struggling journalist, Andy Sachs, through her experience working at the fashion magazine Runway. The only problem is, Andy has zero fashion sense, and the Editor-In-Chief, Miranda Priestly is from hell (not literally). So, in typical comedy fashion, Andy must rise to the occasion, learn her lesson about life, and be a better person. The reason this tired plot works so well, is the tongue-in-cheek way the film approaches it. It's as if the creators are winking at you, making fun of that cliché. And the dialog for this movie is absolutely wonderful. It's very reminiscent of the brilliant energy of Gilmore Girls.
Where The Devil Wears Prada shines the brightest, however, is the acting. No movie this year has even been in the same league. Anne Hathaway, who has shown herself to be one darn good actress, is excellent as Andy Sachs. Like everything about this movie, she takes what could have been ordinary and boring, and does something incredible with it. She takes the clichéd role of "hero" and gives a believable, and at times, chilling performance. Plus, when you're able to stand next to Meryl Streep as an actress, you've accomplished something extraordinary. And ah, Meryl
it's not unusual for Meryl Streep to be excellent in a movie, but WOW! At one point during the movie, my mouth fell open and I gasped at how incredible she was. It would have been so easy to propel Miranda Priestly into characture land, but she doesn't. In fact, she does quite the opposite. She takes the boss from hell role, and gives it fathoms of depth. At two points in the movie, she lets her character's guard down, and those moments, like I said, are jaw dropping. I can't put into words how amazing she is, you just have to see it.
I don't normally gush over a movie like this, but I can't help myself. Everything about this movie works so well. The cinematography is very clever. It's nothing astounding, but it fits the personality of this movie exactly. The music is wonderful too. Kudos, guys. You had me dancing in the theater; that's how good it was. And you cannot talk about The Devil Wears Prada without mentioning the clothes. They're excellent and paint a very accurate picture of modern fashion. Meryl Streep's wardrobe, in particular, is magnificent. Full of regal coats and furs, she looks simply stunning. And the transformation they work on Anne Hathaway is very good. To see her go from ordinary and bland, to chic and sexy is incredibly entertaining.
Why The Devil Wears Prada works so well, is it's class. It has more class than all of the 2006 movies combined. This film is just brimming with personality. It's little touches like Andy's job hanging on her getting the unpublished manuscript of Harry Potter for Miranda's kids. Or everyone at the office calling her by her dress size "6".
While I have sufficiently praised this movie, as with everything else, nothing is perfect. Even though the movie does make fun of clichéd stories throughout, the ending still ties things up a little too neatly. But at the end, you really won't care. The ride has been so fun, to nitpick and say the ending could have been a touch better, is to ruin something great.
All in all, The Devil Wears Prada is not to be missed by anyone. It's a brilliant, fun film, that transcends genre and becomes something very special. Most will probably say "This isn't for me at all." Give it a try. You shouldn't miss this incredible movie, whether you can tell Gucci from Gabbana at a glance, or can't tell Prada from Payless.