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Reviews
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Disappointing, Contrived
Like "Mystic River," Bostonians (and fans of that epic city) have lauded "Gone Baby Gone" as yet another "masterpiece." The truth is that Ben Affleck brings the same lackluster feel to his directing as he does to most of the films he chooses to star in. Sure, the script is snappy, with dialogue that hits the viewer like a slap to the face, but the plot is overly contrived and the twists are elementary at best.
While Casey reinforces the fact that he is a fine actor destined for great things, he is terribly miscast (probably, let's see, because he's the director's brother). Maybe its his slight frame or boyish looks, but Casey plays a tough guy about as well as a high-school cheerleader. Even Morgan Freeman seems out of place as a Georgian uprooted and serving in the Boston PD. As portrayed in the film, he doesn't seem to fit in either world.
The direction from Ben Affleck, too, seemed very amateur. Ben fancies himself an auteur, but the film instead comes off as amateurish. The quick cuts and blackout voiceovers only reinforce this point. Let's face it Ben: you're not Paul Greengrass.
"Gone Baby Gone" carries a certain amount of emotional gravitas, which is why parents probably relate to and enjoy the film. But let's not pass off mediocre film-making as great cinema.
Harsh Times (2005)
Important Themes in the Clutches of Poor Execution
On the surface, the concept for "Harsh Times" sounds golden. Iraq vet Jim Davis returns home with posttraumatic stress disorder, applies to the LAPD and, in the meantime, gets caught up with local gangs. Davis has no problem sinking into an unsavory lifestyle because, let's face it, he's done worse in the preceding few years: He's mowed down dozens of Arabs, guilty or otherwise, while facing life-threatening situations daily. As an added bonus, the filmmakers hire the proved and indomitable talent, Christian Bale, in what will likely be another off-the-radar, star-turning role.
Instead, "Harsh Times," falls flat, despite Bale's portrayal of the psychotic Davis. "Taxi Driver" this film is not. Bale's Davis falls dangerously close to stereotype while the much-touted Eva Longoria offers little in the way of support (except, perhaps as eye candythis is unfortunate because audiences know her as a capable actress).
The sad part is still to come: Writer/director David Ayer has been through this territory before and with more finesse that he conjures in "Harsh Times." Ayer wrote both "Training Day" and "Dark Blue," the former of which garnered a Best Acting Oscar for star Denzel Washington.
So what happened in the interim? One can only speculate, but "Harsh Times," does suffer from worrisome editing and pacing almost from the first. Had the film been whittled down to a cool 90 minutes, it might better have fit the "intense" bill that Ayer was aiming for.
Yet the issues that the film broaches must be addressed. What's going to happen to a generation of young men (and women) that return damaged from the Middle East? How many are going to fall through the cracks? Whereas "Harsh Times" had the opportunity to address these issues in a public forum, the film instead sinks to the level of barely tolerable pulp.
Going Greek (2001)
Imitation Spawns Brilliance (For Once)
Let's get this straight up front: "Going Greek" does not deviate from the college-sex-party genre first established by "Animal House." Nor does it rise about fare like "Old School" or "American Pie." However, without the benefit of marquee names, "Going Greek" unearths a gem that is seldom found in most of the dredge released these days by National Lampoon: comedy. "Going Greek" is genuinely funny, with a fantastic no-name cast and terrific story to boot. If anything, the film is more akin to "PCU," another cult college film made way before Jeremy Piven joined an "Entourage" and John Favreau launched "Zathura."
And who knows? Maybe wider audiences will someday know the names Dylan Bruno and Dublin James.
Check it out.
Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
I Heart Huckabees Meets Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Reading this, you probably think that the above comparison is strange. After all, "Stranger than Fiction" has no terminally depressed robots, Babel fish or elevators with an immense desire to drive sideways. But listen to the narrative and you'll hear echoes of Douglas Adams' whimsical voice and imaginative style.
Except for pacing problems in the middle, "Fiction" is a grandly satisfying film with great performances and thought-provoking themes. Many viewers have compared Will Ferrell's performance to that of Jim Carey in "The Truman Show." It's great to see so many SNL alumni are breaking the mold and transcending their genres; I have no doubt that Ferrell and Adam Sandler, among others, will one day give a thank-you speech at the Oscars.
Ferrell's supporting cast, too, delivers excellent performances. Emma Thompson is brilliant as an eccentric writer trying to complete her novel, while Maggie Gyllenhaal shines as a leading romantic lady. (Though Gyllenhaal excels at indie roles, it's nice to see her in something traditional, albeit with a twist.)
As mentioned, "Stranger than Fiction" loses momentum toward the middle, but patient viewers are sure to reap the benefits as Karen Eiffel delivers the film's final lines.
Impostor (2001)
A Competent Sci-Fi Thriller
It's truly a shame that "Imposter" was so poorly received at the box office during its limited release. One is almost reminded of "Idiocracy" and "Zyzzyx Road," and how studios mishandled each. Unfortunately, the same is true of "Imposter," and fate has decided that another remarkable sci-fi thriller should fall through the cracks.
Everything about "Imposter" is decidedly not B-list. The special effects and cinematography are believable, the acting is top rate and the cast is even filled with one or two inspired choices (i.e. then-up-and-comer Mekhi Phifer as "zoner" Cale).
Yes, it's true that "Imposter" loses something on a second viewing (what "twist" movie doesn't?), but as a first watch, the film is an excellent sci-fi diversion.
Mimi wo sumaseba (1995)
The Golden Touch
It consistently amazes me how everything Miyazaki touches turns to gold, how this talented filmmaker can tap into the most basic of human elements and transform them in beautiful images of light and youth. "Whisper of the Heart" is no different from his other work, save in that fact that protégé Yoshifumi Kondo assumes the director's chair.
As usual, the English voice over work and dubbing are excellent, with the future stars of "High School Musical" filling out some of the cast (Look, Ma! It's Ashley Tisdale before she was famous.). And of course, Cary Elwes is perfect as the Baron (see also: "The Cat Returns.")
Let's be thankful that John Lasseter is as big a fan as the rest of us, or else much of the Miyazaki canon might never have seen the light of day in America.
Ima, soko ni iru boku (1999)
More Insightful Now in Light of Global Warming
Yes it's true that "Ima, soko ni iru boku" ("Now and Then, Here and There") has a lot of allegorical content. A Japanese or American audience can easily watch the show and come away with themes about the dangers of imperialism and war. But there are subtler undertones as well. Like many Japanese filmmakers, Akitarô Daichi and Hideyuki Kurata seem intimately concerned with environmental issuesa problem that America would do well to acknowledge. Notice how Lala-Ru hates her station in life because people aren't fighting over land or oil, but over water, one of life's most essential elements.
Short of Miyazaki's work, Kurata's Shu is perhaps one of anime's most intricate characters. It would be easy to dismiss Shu as a typical animated cutout, but the character is in fact multi-layered and dynamic; he changes and evolves from the very first episode. Shu's capacity for reason and untarnished optimism make him one of the most interesting characters to emerge from anime in recent memory.
"Now and Then, Here and There" is an important piece of media with an important message. On our current path, humanity is doomed to disaster. Only by looking at the world through Shu's eyes can we avert the physical, emotional and moral desert that awaits us in the future.
Marie Antoinette (2006)
Off With Her Head
Before I begin, let me say that I am an ardent fan of Sofia Coppola's work. I also enjoy period pieces, and don't mind when filmmakers take historical liberties (i.e. an anachronistic music score á la "A Knight's Tale."
That having been said, "Marie Antoinette" is a complete disaster. It's obvious that Coppola spent most of her $40 million budget on dresses and shoes. And like a beautiful corset, the frills and lace conceal everything else within. The acting, characters and even the delivery is not worth an audience's emotional investment.
Indeed, it's hard to follow up such a glorious film as "Lost in Translation," and there's little doubt that Coppola will one day be back at the top of her game. But in the meantime, Marine Antoinette deserves nothing less than the guillotine.
Casino Royale (2006)
The Name's Craig, Daniel Craig.
Unlike many of the naysayers, I was happy with the announcement that Daniel Craig had been cast as James Bond. I had seen Craig in "Layer Cake" and loved his performance, thinking that the character of "Mr. XXX" would be a good template for him to base Bond. This having been said, Craig makes an excellent Bond, down to his haircut, overall demeanor and chemistry with Vesper Lynd.
"Casino Royale" is, thankfully, a very literal adaptation of the Ian Fleming novel, the first in the franchise to take so few liberties. Having read the book makes the film slightly monotonousreaders will know exactly how the plot turns outso seeing Craig in an original Bond storyline should be an excellent treat. Perhaps the films greatest, and thus far unspoken, performance belongs to Eva Green as Vesper. Green captures her character better than any male performer has captured Bondand that's saying something since Craig and Timothy Dalton were very close to the "literary Bond." As such, Green is very much Craig's equal, a powerful leading female better than all of Bond's "strong female characters" (read: Jinx) that have appeared in the past.
Overall, "Royale" marks an exciting new direction for the series. It's a long way off, but Bond 22 promises to be something special.
Miami Vice (2006)
It is possible for a movie to fail so completely?
Michael Mann has had a solid track record in the action genre. Both "Heat" and "Collateral" are solid works that evoke the very elements of big city crime and law enforcement. This, coupled with the fact that Mann worked on the original source material for the "Miami Vice" film and that he chose not to placate fans of the original series by paying homage to passé fashion and duologue, meant that the movie at least had some potential.
Instead, "Miami Vice" somehow turned into a disaster on all fronts. The original plot established in the very first frames that a mole has infiltrated a government agency and is wrecking havoc with undercover agents is discarded half way through the movie with no resolution. Characters appear and disappear at will while most of the delivered duologue is incomprehensible. And both editor and director should be ashamed for letting "Miami Vice" pass the two hour mark. There was so much fat that should have been left on the editing room floor (completely unnecessary shots, most with hand-held cameras; five sex scenes, all nearly in a row) that the film could have survived intact would probably have emerged better at 90 minutes.
Though the big screen effectively portrays Mann's stunning cinematography choices, very little else is gained at a "Miami Vice" screening.
Ultraviolet (2006)
The Dredgiest Dredge that Ever Dredged
Put simply, "Ultraviolet" is ultra terrible. There isn't one redeeming factor that this film possesses. The acting: poor. The script: poor. The special effects: poor (were we watching a video game?). The action sequences: exhausted. It's a shame because we know that director Kurt Wimmer ("Equilibrium") and actress Jovovich are much better than this. "Ultraviolet" was easily one of the worst movies that I have seen in a long while and not laughable bad like a campy horror film. The fact that someone greenlit this project and actually saw it into production seems to foreshadow that fact that the Hollywood box office is in for another repeat of 2005.
Jurassic Park III (2001)
Trully the death of a great series...
***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** I went into watching Jurassic Park 3 with an open mind; sure it was a sequel, and Stephen Spielberg had demoted himself to executive producer, but JP3 might have some redeeming qualities. However, by the end of the film, it was apparent that this hope was indeed false. The cinematography was a bit too cartoony, especially during the plane crash/T-rex sequence. Are we watching an action/sci-fi film or the latest episode of Looney Tunes? Also, while the dinosaur effects were indeed impressive, it seemed to me that the CGI artists utilized a little too much artistic license while creating them. It is true that we don't actually know what color dinosaurs were, but having purple T-Rexes running around is a bit of a stretch. Finally, I would like to comment on the ending (If you haven't seen the film yet and would genuinely like to, then I suggest reading no further). To the viewer, it would appear that the writers ran out of ideas come the end of the screenplay. It is for this reason that the MARINES rescue Dr. Grant and his fellow travellers. The ending lacked an overall feeling of suspense, which was instead replaced with abruptness. Perhaps so much of the budget was spent hiring Sam Neill and William H. Macy that the remainder couldn't be spent on decent writers. Take my advice and end the Jurassic Park experience with The Lost World.