The overall impression I had of this film is that it really wasn't that good. The computer graphics sequences were entertaining, although the whimsical 'Osmosis Jonesesque' animation I didn't appreciate as much. The interviews were stimulating for the most part, as I have quite a bit of tolerance for fringy ideas. I typically don't like the new ageification of quantum physics which abounds in this film, but the good ideas outweigh what criticism I have of this. What I enjoyed the most was seeing all the recognizable settings of the place where I live. The most awesome thing was seeing it in the Bagdad movie theater that was featured so prominently in the film itself.
Reviews
8 Reviews
The Life of David Gale
(2003)
A twisty thriller with philosophy
18 August 2003
I really love a good thriller. I really love a good twist. This movie was a fairly formulaic thriller, but it was still very thrilling. The suspense and the twists really worked. I personally love when they throw philosophy into the mix, and the main character was a philosophy professor - so it got thrown in. Capital punishment as a political issue was germain to the story. This isn't the greatest movie ever made, but it works - and it's worth renting.
Anger Management
(2003)
Standard Sandler
2 June 2003
Adam Sandler has a thing going. People who like him will mostly likely enjoy this film as well. I thought the pacing was terrific, I remember commenting to my friend that it never went too long between laughs. I personally enjoyed the supporting cast and the cameos (Woody Harrelson,, and Rudy Giuliani). I thought the ending was very clever and actually helped make the movie cohesive for me. (you can check the message boards for more about the ending). I especially liked the "I Feel Pretty" singing parts, that, with the Yankees, and the Mayor's cameo gave it a New York feel. I like Adam Sandler, and I like this film as well - I expect you will too.
Bend It Like Beckham
(2002)
compared to Greek Wedding...
2 June 2003
I think it would be hard to see this movie and not compare it with My Big Fat Greek Wedding (assuming you've seen it). I don't think this one is a knock-off, it stands quite well on its own. Furthermore, there are some key elements that give it more appeal to the younger crowd. There are some typical, but fun twists, cute misunderstandings that you'd expect in any comedy, and it has a Brittish setting which automatically makes it feel more arty. It's one of those movies that feels formulaic, but you don't care, you just go with it. I don't really care too much for sports, but it was a fine way to explore some of the themes of the film - which were mostly to do with contrasts in culture, generation, and gender. I enjoyed the movie, but not enough to want to see it again.
Love Liza
(2002)
Showcasing Hoffman
2 June 2003
I call Philip Seymour Hoffman my favorite actor, so of course when I found a movie where he is the center of attention (not usually the case) I felt obligated to see it. His older brother wrote the screenplay, no doubt with Philip in mind for the part.
To tell you the truth, the overall feel of the movie wasn't so great. I'm sure that Hoffman played the character well, but we only get to see this character in this very strange part of his life. There's no context to judge how much of his behavior is situational. He seems to be cracking up, laughing at the office in a way that makes the others leave the area, and generally behaving in a way that shows lack of judgment. We understand that his wife just took her own life, it's revealed early on in the film, so we understand why he is behaving the way he is, we just don't know what he's normally like. I enjoyed Jack Kehler's character. He seems to be the kind of person you'd like to avoid talking to more than just briefly, but it makes sense that he gets on well with Hoffman's character during his time of turmoil. There were some things they chose to put in the movie (like his glass falling over at the beach, the flowers falling over at the cemetery, and the glove compartment not shutting) that felt like they would happen in real life - like real life metaphors, and I appreciated that element. I thought the gas huffing was a little strange until I read that there was a definite connection to the way his wife died. It's a tricky film to judge. It's hard to empathize with character because he's just so outside the norm, but it's easy not to judge him because it's hard to imagine anything much worse happening to a person.
If you really like Philip Seymour Hoffman I would tell you to go ahead and rent the film, I would at the same time tell you to keep your expectations lowered.
To tell you the truth, the overall feel of the movie wasn't so great. I'm sure that Hoffman played the character well, but we only get to see this character in this very strange part of his life. There's no context to judge how much of his behavior is situational. He seems to be cracking up, laughing at the office in a way that makes the others leave the area, and generally behaving in a way that shows lack of judgment. We understand that his wife just took her own life, it's revealed early on in the film, so we understand why he is behaving the way he is, we just don't know what he's normally like. I enjoyed Jack Kehler's character. He seems to be the kind of person you'd like to avoid talking to more than just briefly, but it makes sense that he gets on well with Hoffman's character during his time of turmoil. There were some things they chose to put in the movie (like his glass falling over at the beach, the flowers falling over at the cemetery, and the glove compartment not shutting) that felt like they would happen in real life - like real life metaphors, and I appreciated that element. I thought the gas huffing was a little strange until I read that there was a definite connection to the way his wife died. It's a tricky film to judge. It's hard to empathize with character because he's just so outside the norm, but it's easy not to judge him because it's hard to imagine anything much worse happening to a person.
If you really like Philip Seymour Hoffman I would tell you to go ahead and rent the film, I would at the same time tell you to keep your expectations lowered.
The Matrix Reloaded
(2003)
The Reviews are Worse than this Film Actually Is
17 May 2003
I've read a lot of bad reviews on this film which lowered my expectation considerably, and that always raises the chances that the movie will be enjoyable. For the first while of the movie I thought it looked like most of the reviews were going to be right, just taking elements of the first movie and pushing them over the top (in the first movie Neo and Trinity kiss one time, in this one they have sex). Well, in a way this is the case, but at the same time what was great about the first movie is still great in the second. The premise of the films raises some important questions from modern philosophy concerning sense-data (Is our perception of the world an authentic representation of reality?). The first film as a whole turns out to be analogous to Plato's Cave from book VII of the Republic. You could also read politics into it, and it's this openess that makes the story great. Beyond having intellectual appeal, it was a special-effects and action film as well (one of the best), so it has a wide audience appeal. All of this still holds true in the second film! We already understand what the Matrix is, so they don't need to take any time explaining it again. This one deals a lot more with the problem of free-will and determinism. The implications of levels of reality were even more pronounced in this film, and the idea that principles from one level of reality hold true on other levels was put out (as above, so below). The aspect that I thought was the best in this second film was how the different characters namely the Oracle, Agent Smith, Merovingian, Persephone, and the Architect, and how they related to the Matrix. There was a bonus cameo by Cornell West which I laughed out loud for. Well I'm in it for the cosmology and metaphysics, I know there are a lot of others like me out there, and this film does not fall short despite the expectations.
The Recruit
(2003)
Nothing is what it seems, but this seemed like an OK thriller.
23 April 2003
I wanted to see this movie because secretive organizations like the CIA are fascinating, and the trailer promised a twisty plot with all the fun of trying to figure out where the characters allegiances really lie. I waited until it came to the $1 theater, and it was worth the money for sure (although I wouldn't pay to watch it again). The movie seemed a bit formulaic, but I didn't try to think about it, I just went with it. Coming out of the theater I wondered how much consistency there was in the movie. If I saw it again, already knowing the ending, would it seem at all plausible? I kind of doubt it. I did enjoy the nod toward Kurt Vonnegut (there were at least three references including the display of "Slaughter house five," the mention of the book "Cat's Cradle," and a line that included the phrase "Breakfast of Champions".) I assume one of the writers must be a fan.
I think if you watch it with low expectations and don't have to pay much for it you'll enjoy the movie.
I think if you watch it with low expectations and don't have to pay much for it you'll enjoy the movie.
Daredevil
(2003)
Good for what it is... a superhero movie.
18 February 2003
I was not familiar with the Daredevil character before seeing the film, but I went at the prompting of my six year-old son. On the way out of the theater, my son, whose language isn't very developed, said that it was 'like Spiderman,' then a moment later said it was 'like Batman'. I knew exactly what he meant. Daredevil moves like these characters, and has a few other things in common with Batman, including an arch-enemy who was responsible for the death of the hero's parent(s)(which subsequently pushed them into their superhero roles). The idea of a blind superhero whose remaining four senses developed to superhuman levels seems to me to be a very novel and good idea. The moral questioning of the main character and the dark tone added to the film, also I thought it was visually very stunning.
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