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robwill
Reviews
Scary Movie 2 (2001)
Well, don't expect too much of sequels.
The most glaring problem with Scary Movie 2 is that it attempts to satire material so awful as not to warrant discussion, let alone mockery. However, the cinematography in the Exorcist scenes is quite good, and there are several hilarious moments. Close attention to the story line isn't the most important thing for this type of film, but this time it's completely ignored so often as to make the film incoherent. Another major problem is that they try to reference every commercial and recent mediocre film they can think of. Be more selective, guys, as in the first one.
The first movie was much funnier than this one, but there are a few moments here. However, many of the jokes are disgusting without the context to make them humorous, and others are just plain bizarre. Perhaps the most appropriate thing to do is to appropriate Roger Ebert's response to Freddy Got Fingered. The film may someday be seen as a masterpiece of surrealism. Nonetheless, it is not a very funny movie.
Divorce Iranian Style (1998)
A must-see, if you can find it.
This is a very pure documentary about the divorce process in Iran made by a British film crew. It follows one couple fairly closely through formal proceedings and family arbitration, and records the court appearances of several others, as well as talking with court employees. The filmmakers interfere very little with the events they record, and include long unedited segments that create a very realistic feel.
I can understand mack-33's reservations. People who has no background knowledge of Islam or the Middle East will find much of the film rather shocking, and may make rather harsh judgments. However, the filmmakers obviously intend to disturb their western audience, and successfully demonstrate the anachronistic inequalities that persist in modern Iran.
One of the major problems surrounding "Divorce Iranian Style" is getting the film at all. I was only able to see it because of an excellent class, and my professor went to great lengths to borrow a copy. If you have the opportunity to see this film, take it, because you likely will not have another.
Magnolia (1999)
The Year's Worst "Art" Film
"Magnolia" does not make any real statements. It only plays cheaply on the viewer's emotions. The large cast and intricate plot are not signs of genius. The film simply has too many elements, few of which deserve to be recorded. Because there is so much material, almost none is well developed. The dialogue is laughable, not poignant. The characters wallow outrageously in their own problems in a way that is obnoxious, not endearing. The "coincidence" bit is trite. There is no idea here that has not been much more eloquently expressed elsewhere. If you like coincidence, try "Twenty Bucks." For the way our lives are intertwined with those of strangers, see the much more subtle masterpiece "The White Balloon," directed by Abbas Kiarostami. Many other good films have already done what this terrible one attempts.
There are a few decent performances; Tom Cruise is an exquisite villain, but his redemption scene is pathetic. William H. Macy, magnificent in "Pleasantville" and a David Mamet regular, here seems able to do nothing but whine. Macy can't be blamed, because one could say exactly the same thing about the film as a whole. I would not recommend "Magnolia" to anyone. Rarely have I felt that my time was so utterly wasted.