Steven Spielberg’s vision of the H-G Wells science-fiction classic WAR OF THE WORLDS pits man against some ruthless extra-terrestrials. The war to end all wars has alien beings attacking planet earth, with little for us mere humans to stop them. Although the attack is on a grand scale, Spielberg focuses the storyline around Ray, a single father played by Tom Cruise, his two children and their quest to survive the massive assault.
The 1938 radio broadcast of WAR OF THE WORLDS had several Americans panicked about the plight of their future. Spielberg recreates this same sense of tension, trouble and worry in a science-fiction epic that makes INDEPENDENCE DAY look like child play. WAR OF THE WORLDS provides another palette for the legendary director to display his awesome imagination. Here he substitutes his dream-like sense of exploration and discovery, for a nightmarish scenario of disaster, terror and carnage. By viewing the war of the worlds through one family’s eyes, it places us in their predicament, and engulfs us in the terrifying experience. Unlike last year’s THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, we are not invited to be in awe of the majestic visual spectacle, but rather terrified of its affects. The visual sense created by Spielberg and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, has the camera, and our eyes, constantly moving to avoid the horrors that are occurring. In a day and age where each week brings us the “event movie of the summer”, Spielberg proves that he is still the one to deliver the blockbuster of blockbusters. I highly recommend this visual, imaginative and terrifying WAR.
Grade: A-
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
HERBIE: FULLY LOADED
Hollywood’s most famous Volkswagen Beetle returns with Lindsay Lohan at the wheel in HERBIE: FULLY LOADED. After years of success and fame, old number 53’s best years seem behind him. Herbie is set for demolition at the junk yard, but lucky for the bug, Maggie and her NASCAR-racing dad have arrived looking for some new wheels. Maggie selects Herbie just before his destruction, and the two begin their drag-racing match made in heaven.
Herbie is exactly how I remembered him from my childhood years, tame Disney fare that is suitable yet not enjoyable, harmless yet not fun. The players have changed, substituting teen sensation Lohan for former drivers Dean Jones, Cloris Leachman and Helen Hayes, but the same lame concept is intact. Lohan, who was effective in last year’s MEAN GIRLS, and even previously in Disney’s remake THE PARENT TRAP, isn’t terrible, but appears bored with Herbie. The same could be said of Breckin Meyer and Michael Keaton, who seem awkward in racing attire. The one bright spot of the film is Matt Dillon, who goes overboard as egotistical race driver Trip Murphy. Although not nearly as funny as Glen Healy, Dillon shows glimpses of humor reminiscent of his work in THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. Herbie may be fully loaded, but it’s with almost all the wrong parts. Leave this bug in the garage.
Grade: C
Herbie is exactly how I remembered him from my childhood years, tame Disney fare that is suitable yet not enjoyable, harmless yet not fun. The players have changed, substituting teen sensation Lohan for former drivers Dean Jones, Cloris Leachman and Helen Hayes, but the same lame concept is intact. Lohan, who was effective in last year’s MEAN GIRLS, and even previously in Disney’s remake THE PARENT TRAP, isn’t terrible, but appears bored with Herbie. The same could be said of Breckin Meyer and Michael Keaton, who seem awkward in racing attire. The one bright spot of the film is Matt Dillon, who goes overboard as egotistical race driver Trip Murphy. Although not nearly as funny as Glen Healy, Dillon shows glimpses of humor reminiscent of his work in THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. Herbie may be fully loaded, but it’s with almost all the wrong parts. Leave this bug in the garage.
Grade: C
WINTER SOLSTICE
A father and his two sons cope with the loss of their mother in the drama WINTER SOLSTICE. Anthony Lapaglia is the father, Jim Winters, a man struggling to keep his family together. Gabe, the eldest son, is handling the loss the best, but still longs for something more than their small town can provide. Pete, the youngest, is failing to stay focused at school.
Our winter solstice occurs every December 21st, providing us with our shortest day and hence our longest night. The title is appropriate for this family drama, since the characters lives have become dim with sorrow, but with each passing day their grief will become less and their lives will hopefully become brighter. Just like the gradual transformation from shorter days to shorter nights, writer-director Josh Sternfeld tackles his characters with the same gentle touch. Their emotional rehab is not something that is going to occur over night, but will take time, patience and understanding by each family member and those around them. The performances are appropriately low-key, and extremely effective in displaying the day-to-day struggles in overcoming the loss of a loved one. Lapaglia is becoming one of our most under-appreciated actors. He often says so much about Jim, without every muttering a word. WINTER SOLSTICE is a patient and rewarding family drama which enriches with its subtlety.
Grade: B
Our winter solstice occurs every December 21st, providing us with our shortest day and hence our longest night. The title is appropriate for this family drama, since the characters lives have become dim with sorrow, but with each passing day their grief will become less and their lives will hopefully become brighter. Just like the gradual transformation from shorter days to shorter nights, writer-director Josh Sternfeld tackles his characters with the same gentle touch. Their emotional rehab is not something that is going to occur over night, but will take time, patience and understanding by each family member and those around them. The performances are appropriately low-key, and extremely effective in displaying the day-to-day struggles in overcoming the loss of a loved one. Lapaglia is becoming one of our most under-appreciated actors. He often says so much about Jim, without every muttering a word. WINTER SOLSTICE is a patient and rewarding family drama which enriches with its subtlety.
Grade: B
Successful Summer
I've been pleasantly surprised at the success of the summer movie season. There has been a lot of talk, be it true or not, about a slump at the box office. Who cares? Well, the one reason to care (assuming there is indeed a slump), is that several movie-goers are missing some good films.
WAR OF THE WORLDS is one of the few great blockbusters that have come out in the last ten years, BATMAN BEGINS continues comic books revival at the theatre and even MR. AND MRS. SMITH turns an otherwise plotless spy film into a fun exercise of humor, excitement and most of all...star power. The three things these blockbusters have in common are strong directors. Spielberg needs no introduction, but Christopher Nolan and Doug Liman are also good picks for their films. Nolan is an expert at digging deep into the darker side of his lead characters, and does so brilliantly with Batman. Liman, who's previous films GO and THE BOURNE IDENTITY, have contained high-octane action scenes and a nice comedic touch wonderfully adds his flair to MR. AND MRS. SMITH.
With the studios allowing these talented directors to make their movie, and not just a spectacle of special effects, maybe, just maybe Hollywood has figured it out.
WAR OF THE WORLDS is one of the few great blockbusters that have come out in the last ten years, BATMAN BEGINS continues comic books revival at the theatre and even MR. AND MRS. SMITH turns an otherwise plotless spy film into a fun exercise of humor, excitement and most of all...star power. The three things these blockbusters have in common are strong directors. Spielberg needs no introduction, but Christopher Nolan and Doug Liman are also good picks for their films. Nolan is an expert at digging deep into the darker side of his lead characters, and does so brilliantly with Batman. Liman, who's previous films GO and THE BOURNE IDENTITY, have contained high-octane action scenes and a nice comedic touch wonderfully adds his flair to MR. AND MRS. SMITH.
With the studios allowing these talented directors to make their movie, and not just a spectacle of special effects, maybe, just maybe Hollywood has figured it out.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
BEWITCHED
Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman bring Darren and Samantha to the small and big screen in Nora Ephron’s BEWITCHED. Ferrell is Jack Wyatt, a former movie star who is attempting to revive his career on television as Darren in a remake of the popular 60’s television series “Bewitched”. Jack is the star of the show, and to ensure that he remains the show’s focus, he informs the show’s producer’s that he will cast an unknown in the role of Samantha. Enter Isabel, played by Kidman, who is not only an unknown, but she’s not even an actress. She does have experience as witch though.
Thanks to a clever spin on a remake, and the charm of its two stars, BEWITCHED casts a spell of humor and romance that is hard to deny. The Ephron sisters, Nora and Delia, construct a creative screenplay that allows the film to play off the original, while still maintaining an identity of its own. Jack and Isabel are great examples, as Ferrell and Kidman are allowed to create one-of-a-kind personalities, while still portraying the original characters of Darren and Samantha. Kidman’s performance is a pleasant change of pace from her recent darker roles, while Ferrell proves ELF was no fluke as a leading man. It’s a joy to watch Ferrell when he’s on top of his game, and when he has a competent director to funnel his energy. Despite a slow beginning and a tame finish, BEWITCHED has a lot of fun in between.
Grade: B-
Thanks to a clever spin on a remake, and the charm of its two stars, BEWITCHED casts a spell of humor and romance that is hard to deny. The Ephron sisters, Nora and Delia, construct a creative screenplay that allows the film to play off the original, while still maintaining an identity of its own. Jack and Isabel are great examples, as Ferrell and Kidman are allowed to create one-of-a-kind personalities, while still portraying the original characters of Darren and Samantha. Kidman’s performance is a pleasant change of pace from her recent darker roles, while Ferrell proves ELF was no fluke as a leading man. It’s a joy to watch Ferrell when he’s on top of his game, and when he has a competent director to funnel his energy. Despite a slow beginning and a tame finish, BEWITCHED has a lot of fun in between.
Grade: B-
HIGH TENSION
A Holiday break from school turns wrong for two college students in the horror-import, HIGH TENSION. The French film, made in 2003, provides a similar set-up for American audiences. Marie and Alex elect to spend their Holiday break at Alex’s family’s home in the country. It should be a relaxing time for both, but a maniacal killer has different plans.
Several leaps in logic present themselves in HIGH TENSION, but the final revelation turns the film from unreasonable to unbelievable. Much of the movie plays like a well-oiled teen slasher flick. You accept the implausible events, sacrificing realism for the sake of fear and horror. As HIGH TENSION progresses, or digresses as the case is, it bites off more than it can chew, and climaxes with a conclusion that seems to cheat us out of a legitimate answer. Further adding to my frustration is a poorly dubbed version of the film, with an accent that doesn’t seem to match one of the character’s ethnicity. With a minimal amount of dialogue, this is one foreign-language film which would have sold just as well with subtitles. HIGH TENSION has a few thrills, but not enough to compensate for its other inadequacies.
Grade: C-
Several leaps in logic present themselves in HIGH TENSION, but the final revelation turns the film from unreasonable to unbelievable. Much of the movie plays like a well-oiled teen slasher flick. You accept the implausible events, sacrificing realism for the sake of fear and horror. As HIGH TENSION progresses, or digresses as the case is, it bites off more than it can chew, and climaxes with a conclusion that seems to cheat us out of a legitimate answer. Further adding to my frustration is a poorly dubbed version of the film, with an accent that doesn’t seem to match one of the character’s ethnicity. With a minimal amount of dialogue, this is one foreign-language film which would have sold just as well with subtitles. HIGH TENSION has a few thrills, but not enough to compensate for its other inadequacies.
Grade: C-
THE PERFECT MAN
Hillary Duff concocts the ideal mate for her mom in the romantic comedy, THE PERFECT MAN. Heather Locklear is Jean Hamilton, a single mother of two who skips from boyfriend to boyfriend, but not by choice. After each relationship fails, Jean moves her and her kids to the next town in hopes of a new beginning. The Hamilton’s latest home is New York City, and Jean has already landed a date with her bakery co-worker. Realizing that this can only lead to heartache, her eldest daughter Holly, played by Duff, decides to create a secret admirer to boost her mom’s spirits, but not provide any emotional baggage.
In many ways, THE PERFECT MAN is a near-perfect example of a poor romantic comedy. Its characters are exasperating, situations preposterous and there’s little that’s either romantic or comedic. Jean is established early on as a woman who only finds happiness through men. This makes her pathetic, but the fact that she drags her kids down with her, makes her a selfish and careless mother. THE PERFECT MAN is centered on Jean’s happiness, and the efforts of her child to find it for her. By creating such a maddening mother like Jean, little interest is invested in her happiness. If anything, I was pulling for her children to find their own joy since their mother wasn’t very concerned about it. THE PERFECT MAN also tinkers with ideas of female empowerment, before caving to a candy-sweet finish. Avoid this mess at all costs.
Grade: F
In many ways, THE PERFECT MAN is a near-perfect example of a poor romantic comedy. Its characters are exasperating, situations preposterous and there’s little that’s either romantic or comedic. Jean is established early on as a woman who only finds happiness through men. This makes her pathetic, but the fact that she drags her kids down with her, makes her a selfish and careless mother. THE PERFECT MAN is centered on Jean’s happiness, and the efforts of her child to find it for her. By creating such a maddening mother like Jean, little interest is invested in her happiness. If anything, I was pulling for her children to find their own joy since their mother wasn’t very concerned about it. THE PERFECT MAN also tinkers with ideas of female empowerment, before caving to a candy-sweet finish. Avoid this mess at all costs.
Grade: F
BATMAN BEGINS
MEMENTO’S Christopher Nolan digs deep into the origins of the caped crusader with BATMAN BEGINS. Christian Bale is the latest Batman/Bruce Wayne, the wealthy owner of Wayne Industries who moonlights as a superhero. As the title suggests, this Batman looks back at how a young Bruce Wayne was motivated to take the law into his own hands, and inflict justice upon Gotham City.
Recent comic book movies have been leaning towards more character development and dramatic circumstances. BATMAN BEGINS goes full tilt. Bruce Wayne’s background, motivations and demons are thoroughly examined, providing an immense amount of intriguing information and the required empathy for Wayne, his love interest Rachel and their foes. Nolan is a great choice to revamp the BATMAN series. The same dark edge he brought to the lead characters in FOLLOWING, MEMENTO and INSOMNIA, he does again with Batman. Each of his heroes, or anti-heroes, must fight their own internal enemies before taking on the ones in the real world. Bale does a nice 180-degree turn from his performance in THE MACHINIST. Not only is he physically intimidating, but his performance reveals a Bruce Wayne beset by more problems than successes. The rest of the cast is uniformly good, with Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Katie Holmes providing solid counterparts. BATMAN BEGINS is not your average BATMAN movie, and that’s a good thing.
Grade: B
Recent comic book movies have been leaning towards more character development and dramatic circumstances. BATMAN BEGINS goes full tilt. Bruce Wayne’s background, motivations and demons are thoroughly examined, providing an immense amount of intriguing information and the required empathy for Wayne, his love interest Rachel and their foes. Nolan is a great choice to revamp the BATMAN series. The same dark edge he brought to the lead characters in FOLLOWING, MEMENTO and INSOMNIA, he does again with Batman. Each of his heroes, or anti-heroes, must fight their own internal enemies before taking on the ones in the real world. Bale does a nice 180-degree turn from his performance in THE MACHINIST. Not only is he physically intimidating, but his performance reveals a Bruce Wayne beset by more problems than successes. The rest of the cast is uniformly good, with Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Katie Holmes providing solid counterparts. BATMAN BEGINS is not your average BATMAN movie, and that’s a good thing.
Grade: B
On the last "Now Playing"
Sorry for the delay, but here's a look at my reviews for the last airing of "Now Playing" (see following posts). It includes a rare positive review for BEWITCHED starring Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman, and directed by Nora Ephron (SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE AND YOU'VE GOT MAIL). This film is a great example of critics distain for lighter film fare.
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