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October 2006
Would you see a follow-up to Superman Returns?
Warner Bros. announced this week that director Bryan Singer had been signed to direct another Superman movie despite the fact that “Supeman Returns” was perceived as a disappointment this year.
This is good news to me; I really liked the movie. Unlike most people, I considered “Superman Returns” superior to the entertaining but overlong “Pirates of the Caribbean; Dead Man’s Chest.” Yet I can understand why some people found fault with Superman’s last big-screen adventure. It was a bit too introspective and self-serious sometimes, although that’s a quality it shared with Richard Donner’s 1978 film, which also took a long time to get going.
(It’s interesting to note that last year’s “Batman Begins” grossed $205 million — which is about even with “Superman’s” $200 million, yet “Batman” is considered a hit and “Superman” isn’t. Hmmm. If “Pirates” hadn’t stolen “Superman’s” thunder, I wonder if the story would be different.)
What can be done to make sure the next Superman movie is a hit? Much as I hate to emphasize action over character, I think Singer needs to make a more action-oriented movie. Many people said “Returns” wasn’t “fun” enough. The IMAX version of “Superman Returns,” which featured selected scenes in 3D, emphasized the long stretches between the very well done action scenes.
No one except Singer is signed at this point, but I would keep Brandon Routh as Superman and Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor and add another villain to raise the stakes. As for Lois Lane, I liked Kate Bosworth’s performance, but she was miscast in that she looked too young to be the mother of a 5-year-old. Rachel McAdams would be a fine choice, although I doubt the very selective actress would agree to it. Amy Adams is also worth considering.
What do you think? Would would it take to get you to see another Superman movie? What should Singer do differently?
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: Coming Attractions
Home (Re)Viewing: Don’t boycott MI:3, TomKat or no
Mission: Impossible III: The gleam on Tom Cruise’s teeth got a little duller when MI: 3 underperformed at the box-office, and it’s a shame. Those who missed this movie because they decided they didn’t like Tom Cruise anymore missed the best movie of the series.
Look, there’s no question that Tom Cruise became the mayor of Crazytown last year. He said and did some very silly and stupid things. But then, some of the overreaction to his antics didn’t make much more sense than he did.
Here’s the way I see it: What Tom Cruise does offscreen doesn’t affect me, except to give my eyebrows a good workout. Cruise may be unhinged sometimes as a human being, but as a movie star, he’s still top-notch, and MI: 3 proves that.
As it happens, one of the reasons the movie works is that it’s less “The Tom Cruise Show” than the other films were. Cruise is still front and center, to be sure, but like the original TV show did, this movie relies on team dynamics. Writer-director J.J. Abrams knows this territory well, having created “Alias” and “Lost.” As is sometimes the case on those shows, the dynamics in this movie get tied up in pretzel logic, which bogs it down.
However, the well executed actions scenes and strong performances, particularly Philip Seymour Hoffman’s stone-cold villain, make this one well worth a rental. I hope audiences can set their beefs with Tom aside and give this movie the bigger audience it deserves. GRADE: A-
Also out now
It’s a Wonderful Life - 60th Anniversary Edition: Feed me whatever complaints about Capra-corn that you want, but that won’t stop me from thinking this is still one of the best holiday-themed movies ever made. And hey, Jimmy Stewart himself said it was his favorite he made , and who are we to argue with him? Buyers beware: if you own one of the prior DVDs of this, you’re not getting anything new. This is just a repackaging. And don’t let the cover art fool you: This disc does NOT contain the ghastly colorized version. GRADE: A+
Normally I don’t cover TV on this blog, but I was remiss last week in neglecting to mention the new DVD set Sesame Street: Old School: Vol. 1. It contains shows from this seminal series first five years, 1969 to 1974, including the first appearances of “Rubber Duckie,” “I Love Trash” and “C is for Cookie, that’s good enough for me, C is for cookie that’s good enough for me. C is for Cookie, that’s good enough for me, OH, Cookie, Cookie starts with C.”
Oh … sorry. C is also for Carried Away.
Permalink | | Categories: On Video/DVD
With sympathies to Reese n’ Ryan
What a shame to hear that Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon couldn’t work things out and their marriage is at its “Twilight.” I guess things weren’t “Just Like Heaven” for them in the end. And this happens right before the “Election” too. Darn.
I wonder what went wrong. Maybe one of them was riding to “Vanity Fair.” I only hope there weren’t any “Cruel Intentions” on anyone’s part. We’ve gotten enough of that through Paul McCartney’s messy split with his wife. It’s really sad when likable couples with alliterative names like Reese and Ryan can’t “Walk the Line.” But I guess even the “Best Laid Plans” fall apart sometimes.
I have no “Fear” for Reese, though. Maybe she’ll find a new “Man in the Moon” when she heads down to “Sweet Home Alabama.” Although that doesn’t fit, since she’s really from New Orleans, which isn’t “A Far Off Place” from Alabama. Since New Orleans isn’t exactly “Pleasantville” these days, maybe she ought to take the “Freeway” to Alabama after all.
What really bugs me, though, is that Ryan’s movies don’t lend themselves as easily to this subject. I mean, sure, the marriage went “Crash” but you try working in “Flags of Our Fathers” or “Gosford Park” gracefully into this tapestry. And if you can fit “Igby Goes Down” into here, I’ll give you tons of credit.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Celebrities
Digital ‘Halloween’ screenings
“Halloween” fans take note: Tonight and tomorrow’s Beavercreek screenings that I alerted you to last week aren’t quite what I envisioned.
I have since learned that these “Halloween” screenings are from a digital projection, not a film print. Digital projections like these (usually from a DVD) are typically on the lower end of the picture quality scale. If done right, they don’t look horrible, but they’re certainly not as good as a bona fide film print, which is what I was hoping to see.
If that doesn’t bother you, then by all means go and enjoy. But for people like me who are a bit more discerning about the quality of the presentation, this might not be worth $10 a head.
Judge for yourself.
Permalink | | Categories: In Area Theaters
So TERRIFYING it will change your life!
Having already offered a list of scary movies, I’d like to ask a different question: What movies really, really, really, really scared you?
Keep in mind, I don’t mean a movie that only made you go “EEEEEEEE!� or even a movie that creeped you out for a couple of hours. I mean a movie that scared you so badly, it actually changed your behavior.
And while I’d love to hear any and all examples, please don’t limit yourselves to horror films. It can be any kind of movie.
I was trying to think of films that changed my behavior, but most of the ones I came up with were about things I was already scared of. “Jaws� gave me a pretty good start when ol’ Brucie popped his head out of the water when Chief Brody was tossing the chum, but I can’t swim, so I never thought it was safe to go in the water.
I’d like to say “The Blair Witch Project� swore me off ever walking in the woods at night again, but I’m too big of a klutz to walk safely in the woods in broad daylight, so never mind that.
I was attacked by seagulls when I was about 4 years old on Huntington Beach in California when they went after my McDonald’s French Fries that I had been throwing out to them (Mine? Mine? Mine?). So I was already freaked out by the fowl creatures of the earth when I saw “The Birds.�
Ah, but it was McDonald’s that gave me a different kind of scare. After I saw “Super Size Me,� in which Morgan Spurlock ruined his health by eating nothing but Mickey D’s for a month, I swore off Quarter Pounders — for a little while, anyway. No Royale with Cheese for me!
So tell me, what movies, horror or otherwise scarred you so much, the made you change your tune like that? Disney movies? Scary movies? Michael Bay movies? Fire or frighten away!
Permalink | | Categories: Ask the Audience
Small screen frights for the weekend
Much as I’d like to tell you about the latest horror movie in theaters, guess what? “Saw III,� like nine-tenths of the scary movies out this year, wasn’t screened for critics!
Oh well. Seeing that movie would probably make most critics feel like Charlie Brown on trick or treat night: “I got a rock.�
What I can do, however, is point you to some cool scary flicks playing on TV this weekend. Most of these movies are probably more worth your time than “Saw III� anyway.
Over on my fav-oh-rite channel, Turner Classic Movies, Mr. Rob Zombie’s Underground series looks at – what else? – zombie movies, including the best of that sub-genre “Night of the Living Dead.� On Saturday, check out a trio of scary-fun movies, the original “The Haunting,� “The Day The Earth Stood Still� and the original “King Kong.�
(Yeah, I know, “The Day the Earth Stood Still� is really sci-fi, but let’s face it: Gort is pretty scary.)
On Halloween night, TCM has scary movies all day, my favorite of which is Jacques Tourneur’s low-budget shocker “Cat People,� which stands as stark proof that it’s what you don’t see that is most terrifying. A host of Vincent Price movies plays in prime time, including Roger Corman’s “Masque of the Red Death� and “House of Usher.�
Fox Movie Channel raids its library to show fright flicks starting Sunday, the best of which is not really a scary movie, but a spoof, “Young Frankenstein.� Look for one of Brian De Palma’s lesser-known 70s thrillers “The Fury� on Halloween.
If you don’t mind having your movies edited and shown with commercials, the once much more valuable AMC has its Monsterfest, which includes “Exorcist� and “Halloween� movies. (You know, one great movie, several crummy sequels.)
And circling back to where I began, it wouldn’t really be Halloween without “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,� would it? It’s 40 years old (!) this year and runs tonight on NBC. Just don’t forget, one little slip can cause the Great Pumpkin to pass you by.
Did I miss anything? Offer suggestions of your own if you’ve got em.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Movies on TV
“Catch a Fire” heats up without igniting
“Catch a Fire� reminded me of one of those educational “dramatization� films I used to watch in school, with all the good and bad that entails.
On the upside, “Catch a Fire� is intriguing in that it showed me a side of the fight against apartheid that I hadn’t known much about, and I came away feeling fascinated and moved. On the downside, the movie sometimes feels more like a spoonful of medicine than a shot in the arm.
The film tells the true story of Patrick Chamusso (Derek Luke) who in 1980 is wrongly accused of and imprisoned for carrying out an attack on the nuclear power plant where he works in South Africa. Although he is eventually released, the police’s torture prompts him to join the African National Congress, the very “terrorists� he was accused of conspiring with. He figures he and his family might as well have been wronged for a reason.
The always-reliable Luke throws himself into his role, investing it with great passion. Tim Robbins, playing police inspector Nic Vos, tries to show the character’s duality, sometimes making him look evil, and sometimes showing a man honestly trying to do his job.
I wish the film had looked harder at that duality. Sometimes it works very well, especially when we see Patrick undergoing his ANC training. He wants to be one of the “good guys,� and yet, as a man willing to die for his cause, he becomes scarily reminiscent of modern-day terrorists. These scenes reminded me of “Paradise Now,� last year’s outstanding movie about Muslim suicide bombers.
Phillip Noyce’s direction is at its strongest in these scenes. Having built his reputation on thrillers like “Dead Calm� and “Patriot Games,� Noyce skillfully uses his action techniques not only to thrill, but to make an impact, as he did in “Rabbit-Proof Fence� and “The Quiet American.� The training sequences are exciting, yet unnerving at the same time.
Slovo’s screenplay doesn’t walk that line as successfully. Like too many well-meaning writers, he resorts to telling rather than showing because he thinks his words will make more of an impact than the images, especially when he resorts to villainizng Nic Vos. This is understandable, given that Slovo is the son of ANC leader Joe Slovo, but his tendency to preach makes “Catch a Fire� feel more earnest than enlightening. Ironically, Luke’s breakout movie, “Antwone Fisher,� suffered the same flaws.
Like “Fisher� however, “Catch a Fire� has enough passion to generate heat. I only wish the movie could have been “hot� enough to live up to its name.
GRADE: B
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Horror survey SAYS (Clang):
I recently received a copy of the Zagat Survey 2007 Movie Guide in the mail and have been finding it quite intriguing.
With only 1,600 titles, the guide is hardly comprehensive. Most film guides list 17,000 titles or more. But what makes Zagat interesting is that its guide is compiled via a survey of 15,000 “avid moviegoers,” rather than a team of film critics.
The Zagat guide is also unique in that it indexes the movies into more categories and genres than you can shake a video store card at. So with that in mind, I plan to make Zagat my regular topic on Thursday, when I will list their favorites, my favorites, then ask for yours.
Since it’s almost Halloween, I thought the best place to start would be horror. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s not my favorite genre, but I do like horror movies when they horrify me.
For each genre, Zagat has two lists: Classic (pre-1960) Modern (everything else.) Here are their voters’ faves, in no particular order:
Classic Horror
Frakenstein
The Bride of Frankenstein
Dracula
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Freaks
The Thing
The Invisible Man
House of Wax
The Wolf Man
The Fly (1958)
My comment: “House of Wax”? Really? Hey, I love the 3D paddleball too, but it ain’t that scary!
Modern Horror
The Exorcist
The Shining
Rosemary’s Baby
The Thing
Poltergeist
The Omen
Halloween
Carrie
Evil Dead
Night of the Living Dead
And now, on to my picks:
Classic Horror
Frankenstein
The Bride of Frankenstein — Actually a better movie than the original, but the original is scarier, the sequel more imaginative. Take your pic.
Freaks
The Thing (from Another World)
The Phantom of the Opera — For some reason, silent films are ignored in the lists, even though they are in the guide. But I’m including them.
Nosferatu — Ditto.
Modern Horror
The Exorcist — The original version, NOT “The version you’ve never seen,” with the tacked-on dialogue that ruins the ending.
Rosemary’s Baby
Halloween
Carrie
Night of the Living Dead
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn
The Blair Witch Project — To heck with all those literal-minded people who said it wasn’t scary because you didn’t see the monster. That was the whole point.
28 Days Later
The Ring — It spawned a slew of mediocre imitators, but the American original still works.
Dark Water — This is one of the imitators that worked. I wish it had gotten more attention.
Scream — More for its cleverness than actual scares, but it still deserves a spot here.
Sleepy Hollow
FYI: Zagat classifies “Psycho” and “The Silence of the Lambs” as thrillers.
Come back tomorrow, when I ask about scary movies again, but in an entirely different way. In the meantime, feel free to comment; that’s my favorite part of blogging. What are your favorite horror movies?
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: Ask the Audience
Trailer Hitch: My favorite previews
While watching “Marie Antoinette” last night (intriguing but unmoving piece of work - C+) I saw the trailer for the upcoming musical “Dreamgirls.” Check it out here. Reaction has been mixed, but I really like it. Seems to me this is the front-runner at the Oscars at this point now that “Flags of Our Fathers” has faded somewhat.
That trailer got me thinking about some of my favorite previews. As it happens, two of them are for scary movies, which is only too appropriate right now. I love this delightfully droll trailer for Hitchcock’s “Psycho” in which Hitch takes us on a lovely little tour of the Bates property. Look out below:
As classic as that is, my personal favorite trailer of all time is the one Hitchcock made for his very next film “The Birds,” which you can see here. (You’ll need Real player to see it).
In the modern era, two of my favorites are ones that start out looking like one kind of movie, then turn out to be completely different, such as this one for “Pulp Fiction.”
… and this BRILLIANT one for “Lilo & Stitch” which had me on the floor. In the theater no less.
My least favorite trailer? The one for “Cast Away” that (SPOILER!) actually revealed that Tom Hanks made it off the island. Ummm … oops.
Your serve. What are your favorite (or least favorite) trailers?
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Sir Critic muses
Home (Re)Viewing: Scary movie week
A trio of horror movies comes out on DVD today. Problem is, only two mean to be scary, but at least those are great fun.
Monster House: One of the major disappointments of last summer was that the most flat-out entertaining movie of the year didn’t get more attention. “Cars� had better characters, but that movie also suffered from a couple of slow spots. This “Monster,� in which kids try to solve the mystery of an apparently living house, never drags. Unfortunately, home video makes seeing the cool 3D effects impossible, but the current reissue of “Nightmare before Christmas� takes care of that. Otherwise, this makes an ideal Halloween rental. GRADE: A
Slither: Here’s another movie that should have been seen by a bigger audience. This horror spoof, about creepy crawly slug alien thingees, never fully cuts loose the way it should, but for the most part, it’s a fun throwback to the goofy horror/sci-fi movies of yesteryear that earns the rare distinction of being both frightening and funny. One of my favorite not-quite-a-star actresses, Elizabeth Banks, is quite charming in the lead role. GRADE: B
Nacho Libre: This movie by the director of the insanely overrated “Napoleon Dynamite� is really scary too, but for all the wrong reasons. Jack Black, playing a wannabe wrestler, gives a performance that is nothing if not committed, but the movie just lies there like a skit that was rejected by “Saturday Night Live� then expanded into a feature. And if you’ve seen “SNL,� lately, then you know that’s saying something. That this thing was recently nominated for “Best Stoner Movie� by High Times explains a lot about its very limited appeal. GRADE: D+
Also out today
An American Haunting: This allegedly “true� horror story, about an evil spirit haunting people of the 1800s, didn’t attract many ticket buyers, but it did attract a decent cast, including Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek, so it might be worth checking out.
From the Catalog
Astaire and Rogers Collection Vol. 2: Most of Fred and Ginger’s most beloved classics, like “Top Hatâ€? and “Swing Time,â€? were included in Volume 1, but fans and completists like me will want to pick up this new set, which includes “The Gay Divorcee,â€? Roberta,â€? “Carefree,â€? “The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle,” and their first film together, “Flying Down to Rio.â€? What’s funny about “Rioâ€? is that Fred and Ginger were supporting players, with Dolores Del Rio as the lead. But their work together was such a sensation, the public said “More!â€? So here’s some more.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: On Video/DVD
See ‘Halloween’ on the BIG screen
Usually when a movie is playing in “select cities,” the Middletown/Dayton area is not among them. I was thrilled to learn of an exception today.
The 1978 classic “Halloween,” which gets my vote as the best slasher film of all time will play on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31 (natch) at Regal Hollywood 20 in Beavercreek. Ticket and event info are here.
The screening will include a featurette with interviews of the original cast, plus Rob Zombie, who is working on his own remake that will come out next year. Yes, I’m still leery about Mr. Zombie getting his hands on this material, but since he did have the good taste to appear on TCM as part of their “Underground” series this month, I will give him a chance, however reluctantly.
If “Halloween” is a bit much for you, there’s also the new 3D reissue of Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas.” Be prepared for crowds — the movie did phenomenal business this past weekend.
Pardon me while scary piano-based movie themes play in my head (and yours too, I’d wager.)
Permalink | | Categories: In Area Theaters
‘The Prestige’ distinguishes itself
Well, a la peanut butter sandwiches! Looks like a bunch of people were surprised by the fact that “The Prestige” trumped “Flags of Our Fathers” at the box office this weekend.
Never mind the prognosticators. As far as the quality of the films goes, the box office results are correct. “Flags of Our Fathers” is a good movie. Sometimes a very good movie. But “The Prestige” is always a great movie. I’m sailing against the critical tide on this one, but “The Prestige” will make my 10 best list. “Flags” will not.
As you can probably tell already, I’m not writing a formal review of this movie, mainly because the less you know about “The Prestige” going in, the better off you are. As far as the plot goes, here’s what you need to know:
Two turn-of-the-century magicians (Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale) work together until one of their tricks goes tragically wrong, and one blames the other. This results in an increasingly nasty game of one-upmanship as the rivals attempt to outdo each other, with dangerous results.
That’s all I will divulge. To reveal any more about the story would mean giving away secrets. I’m no magician, but I don’t mean to be a spoiler either.
What I will tell you is that Christopher Nolan directed this film, and if you’ve seen his “Memento,” “Insomnia” or “Batman Begins,” you know that attention must be paid. I don’t just mean that qualitatively — I mean it literally. If you’re not paying full attention to this movie, of if you miss a part of the beginning, you might as well forget it.
Nolan loves to juggle timelines, and the way he does so here is truly mind-bending. Some people have come away from this film thinking “I don’t get it,” or “That didn’t make any sense.” And I feel for those who are missing out.
I love movies that don’t spoon-feed you all the answers. This is that rare film that not only made me think, but it made me wonder if what I was seeing was real or not, and that sort of puzzle enthralled me. Some have complained the movie “cheats” or that the plot is full of holes. Those people are not necessarily “wrong,” but I disagree with them all the same.
Others grouse that the story is too “cold” and that there is “no one to root for.” It is true that neither Jackman nor Bale’s characters are especially lovable, but I thought that was the tragedy of the film. Here are two major talents, opposite sides of the same coin who could have been great together. Instead, they choose to spin off their own perilous paths. Jackman and Bale are both outstanding, as is Michael Caine who plays their mentor, and Scarlett Johansson, shall we say, turns a nice trick as the woman who comes between them.
Besides, the sometimes dour tone is leavened by the sense of wonder and peril, and how they intertwine. “The Prestige” is not only a movie about magic tricks, it’s something of a magic trick itself, with a very “Rashomon” vibe to it. I think you could show this movie to a dozen different people and come up with a dozen different explanations for the all the twists and turns. The haunting final shot alone will spur endless debate.
Film lovers often say a great film seems new every time you see it. When I see “The Prestige” again, it will seem new and different. That’s magic.
Let me know if you saw it and feel free to share your theories, but kindly post SPOILER warnings for those who have not yet seen the film.
GRADE: A
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Reviews
Three stars for Eastwood’s ‘Flags’
There are two kinds of powerful movies: important ones and great ones. They are not always the same. Those who have overrated Clint Eastwood’s “Flags of Our Fathers,” have, I’m afraid, confused the two.
There is no doubt that “Flags of Our Fathers” is an important movie - and it’s a good one too. However, it does not quite rise to greatness, despite a sometimes impressive reach.
Rather than simply pondering the importance of World War II as a whole, Eastwood and his collaborators examine the very nature of what it means to be a hero. The film tells us that wearing that badge of honor is just as burdensome as earning it, if not even more so.
That’s just the problem, however: the movie spends too much time telling us rather than showing us what it means to be a hero. In the end, “Flags of Our Fathers” ends up diluting its own power.
Adapted from the book by James Bradley and Ron Powers, “Flags of Our Fathers” seeks to find the truth behind one of the most iconic images of all time: the raising of the flag on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima, one of World War II’s most pivotal battles.
As is the case with so many familiar moments, we don’t know the full story. The famous photograph was actually the raising of a replacement flag. The original, the movie tells us, was taken down because a military official wanted a souvenir, so much to their chagrin, the troops had to raise another flag. Photographer Joe Rosenthal is even disappointed by his picture because he couldn’t capture the soldiers’ faces.
He’s pretty much the only one, however. The photo becomes a sensation, prompting the powers that be to place three of the soldiers on a war bond tour. But the men are not entirely comfortable with their roles as morale boosters on cue.
Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford) seems the most willing to accept his role. Navy Corpsman John “Doc” Bradley (Ryan Phillippe) is more reluctant, knowing that he is promoting something of a half-truth. Most reticent of all is Native American Ira Hayes (Adam Beach), who was traumatized by what happened on Iwo Jima.
“I can’t take them calling me a hero,” he laments. “All I did was try not to get shot.”
“Flags” intercuts between three parallel tracks: the battle of Iwo Jima, the war bonds tour, and scenes set in the present day as the Greatest Generation attempts to explain what happened to the younger generation.
Eastwood does the best he can with such ambitious, difficult material, and that “Flags” succeeds as well as it does is due mostly to him.
This is the most logistically complex movie he has made, and his visual command is remarkable. Although his war scenes smack a bit too much of “Saving Private Ryan” (the unwise casting of “Ryan’s” crack shot Barry Pepper begs the comparison), they are still powerful. Eastwood once again composes a stirring score, and cinematographer Tom Stern deserves an Oscar nomination for his work, which makes the film look like a faded color photograph.
As usual, Eastwood’s direction of the actors is accomplished, with Phillippe turning in his most impressive work, but it’s Beach that I remember the most. His searing portrayal of a man who cannot come to grips with being lauded for living through hell gives “Flags of Our Fathers” its most affecting moments. Perhaps if his character had been even more prominent, the film might be even better.
Unfortunately, as the picture begins to wrap up, it becomes less compelling when it should be becoming unforgettable. The script’s worst mistake is the present-day scenes, which Eastwood should have dropped. They not only invite even more comparisons to “Saving Private Ryan,” but drag the movie down by being preachy, an unfortunate trait of screenwriter Paul Haggis, who penned the final draft of “Flags.” The same problem also diminished his movie “Crash.”
That flaw culminates in a disappointing final scene on Iwo Jima in which a voice-over narration solemnly tells us What It All Means. This unnecessary speech overstates its case, as the filmmakers try to make sure even the dimmest person in the audience knows the moral of the story.
That ending left a bad taste in my mouth to the point where I admit I may be a bit too hard on the movie. Still, since “Flags” was primed all year as the film to beat at the Oscars, I can’t help but be disappointed when it doesn’t rise to the level of “Unforgiven,” “Mystic River” or “Million Dollar Baby.” It’s not even up to Eastwood’s sorely underappreciated “A Perfect World.”
Don’t get me wrong: this is a movie well worth seeing. I heartily salute “Flags of Our Fathers,” but I cannot hoist it skyward with the highest praise.
GRADE: B (or a three-star flag)
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Reviews
The great war and love movies
With Clint Eastwood about to wave his “Flags of our Fathers” Thursday, people are getting their lists together of the greatest World War II movies. David Germain of the Associated Press put together a list here.
I wholeheartedly recommend Germain’s choices, most especially “The Best Years of Our Lives.” Sixty-plus years on, this drama about coming home from the war still resonates, so I can only imagine how powerful it must have felt back in the day. That it came out only one year after the war ended is amazing. Seems to me people did less griping then about it being “too soon” to make such movies.
However, there are other great World War II movies that aren’t on Germain’s list, probably because they aren’t movies about combat or veterans. Even so, World War II is very much a part of the fabric of the movies I list below. I find wartime romances particularly compelling.
Casablanca (1942): “One shouldn’t underestimate American blundering. I was with them when they blundered into Berlin in 1918.”
The Clock (1945): This is one of Judy Garland’s lesser-known vehicles, maybe because it’s her one MGM movie in which she does not sing. However, the absence of her vocals only heightens the impression that she was an actress of the first rank, playing a woman who engages in a whirlwind romance with a soldier.
Notorious (1946): Wartime romance never got hotter than in this Hitchcock romance with Cary Grant and the first lady of World War II love stories, Ingrid Bergman. And is there a more devastating final line than when a Nazi intones: “Come here … We wish to talk to you.”
Stairway to Heaven (AKA A Matter of Life and Death) (1946): And wartime romance never got more unique than in this one-of-a-kind Powell/Pressburger masterpiece, in which aviator David Niven cheats death thanks to an affair with Kim Hunter and has to argue his case in a heavenly court. Not many World War II movies can say they are magical, but this is one of them.
Sadly, “The Clock” and “Stairway to Heaven” are not available on DVD, but keep your eye out for them on Turner Classic Movies, where they play occasionally.
Next, some WW2 movie greats that aren’t romances.
Foreign Correspondent (1940): Many point to Hitchock’s also excellent “Lifeboat” as his great wartime movie, but I prefer this highly entertaining thriller with Joel McCrea as a reporter who uncovers a spy ring in London.
The Great Dictator (1940): Every list of World War II movies needs a comedy, and there is none greater than Chaplin’s daring parody of fascism.
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961): Stanley Kramer’s film about the Nazi war criminal trials is a touch preachy (as was Kramer’s wont) but it’s still plenty affecting thanks to a great cast, particularly Spencer Tracy as the lead judge.
Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970): It’s certainly not a great movie, but it’s very admirable in how it looks at both the American and japanese stories of Pearl Harbor. (Clint Eastwood will try something similar when he releases “Letters from Iwo Jima,” a Japanese companion piece to “Flags of Our Fathers” next year.) And it should go without saying that it’s infinitely superior to Michael Bay’s “Pearl Harbor.”
As ever, feel free to share and tell me some of your favorite World War II films.
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Hey! I LIKE that movie!
The ever industrious folks at Entertainment Weekly have come up with a fun little poll: Name a movie that is commonly considered bad that you actually like.
Even though I’m the Sir Critical type, I find that I’m much more generous than many of my colleagues, probably because I go to movies wanting to like them. Even if I hear a film is horrid, I say, “OK, ‘Cat in the Hat.’ I’ve heard you suck, but surprise me.”
“Cat in the Hat” didn’t surprise me, so you won’t find it on my list of movies that I like and many don’t. However, there are three on EW’s list that I like.
I agree that “The Net” with Sandra Bullock is implausible fun, and “Far and Away” was as dopey as the Haight-Ashbury district in 1967, but I found it charming for that reason. And the anachronisms of “A Knight’s Tale” were patently weird, but kooky in an endearing sort of way.
To this roster I would add:
Tommy Boy: Most critics take a tommy gun to this movie, but I found Chris Farley’s oafishness funny and touching, and he and David Spade were a good match.
National Treasure: Many reviewers blasted this gleefully ridiculous trifle as being a lite version of “The Da Vinci Code,” but I can’t help but wonder which movie the critics would rather watch now: “Treasure” or the turgid “real” “Da Vinci Code.”
Patch Adams: Speaking of sacrelige, to hear most critics talk about this movie, you’d think the antichrist directed it. Yes, the movie lays it on thick. Yes, it’s shamelessly manipulative. And yes, I laughed, darn it all. I’d much rather watch this than most of Williams’ recent output.
And speaking of Robin Williams…
RV: It’s not a great movie by any stench of the of the toilet tank — uh, I mean, stretch of the imagination. Still, I enjoyed it because I could relate all too well to a disastrous RV trip, and yes, that includes a mishap with the toilet. Plus, it’s the only movie that has put one of my favorite Broadway actresses, Kristin Chenoweth, to good use.
However, I take issue with EW’s inclusion of “Failure to Launch.” I don’t care HOW big a fool you are for romantic comedies; the gruesome sight of Terry Bradshaw’s naked derriere should automatically disqualify it even from the most half-hearted recommendation.
There, I had to get at least a little critical again. But tell me: What movies do you like that many other people (especially critics like me) don’t? Did you like something I trashed? Let me know.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: Ask the Audience
Home (Re)Viewing: Breaking up with Vaughniston
Today’s DVD issues bring us an interesting mix of heartbreak, smart animal satire and weird but interesting media satire.
The Break-Up: Rumor has it that Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston are no longer an item. Maybe that’s because this movie cut too close to the bone. While I admired its attempt to portray a break-up honestly, I never understood why these two loved each other in the first place, so I didn’t care why they split up. The drastically underrated “The Last Kiss� handles similar material much better, even though it’s made only about a tenth of what this movie made. GRADE: C
Over the Hedge: Yes, it’s yet another talking CG animal movie, but this one is a lot of fun. Whereas too many of these stories rely on humor that either celebrates stupidity or strings together a bunch of pop culture references, “Hedge� scores with winning characters and humor that appeals to kids and parents. Kids will love the animals, especially Steve Carell’s hyper squirrel, and adults will laugh at exchanges like this one:
“That is an SUV. Humans ride in then because they are slowly losing their ability to walk.�
“Wow it’s huge! How many people fit in there?
“Usually, one.”
GRADE: A-
American Dreamz: Taking on everything from “American Idol” to Dubya to terrorism, this satire from Paul Weitz, who made “American Pieâ€? and “About a Boy,â€? loses focus with its scattershot approach, but is worth seeing for excellent turns by Hugh Grant as a Simon Cowell facsimile and Mandy Moore as a Kelly Clarkson type. Click on the link to my original review where I also play a Simon Cowell facsimile.
GRADE: B-
Also Out Today
The Omen: This virtual scene-for-scene remake of the 1976 original divided audiences with some declaring it awful and some calling it surprisingly good. Judge for yourself.
Permalink | | Categories: On Video/DVD
The horror (movie). The horror (movie).
So “The Grudge 2” was the number one movie at the box office this weekend, but I’m not sure it’s much of a victory. It opened with $22 million, quite a comedown from the $39 million of the original. And with a Yahoo movies users grade of only C+, I think we can forget about a “Grudge 3.”
Or can we?
No matter how many cheap (in every sense of the word) horror movies come out, their core audience never seems deterred by all these lame (or at least lame-looking) flicks.
Consider some of this year’s offerings:
“Bloodrayne.” “When a Stranger Calls.” “Final Destination 3.” “The Hills Have Eyes.” “Stay Alive.” “Silent Hill.” “See No Evil.” “The Omen.” “The Covenant.” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning.”
As best I can tell, none of these movies have a particularly good reputation. Yet most of them opened at or near the top of the box office. Why?
As you can probably tell, I’m not much of a fan of the genre. I like scary movies, but only if they’re well made and if they’re actually, you know - scary. Variations on decapitations, dismemberments and disembowlings don’t get the job done for me.
Now, I know why the studios keep cranking them out: the budgets are so low that even a middling grosser can turn a profit.
My question is, if you’re a horror fan, why do you keep going back to these movies even when they’re not good? And if you’re not a horror fan, what’s your best guess?
I’d really like to know before we get a “Grudge 3” starring Tara Reid.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Ask the Audience
Rollermovie!
For today’s GO section I penned a story about an event coming up at the Middletown Skateway - a skating event specifically for adults called “Throwback Thursday.”
That got me to thinking - and whenever I think, movie references invariably follow. There is actually a good number of movies out there with roller skating scenes. To wit:
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers do an absolutely astonishing routine on skates in their underrated film “Shall We Dance.” (Shall we ever!) which reportedly took all of 150 takes. You wouldn’t know it by watching these two, who make it look easy.
Not to be outdone, Gene Kelly strapped on skates to film the delightfully stunning “I Like Myself” from his underrated gem “It’s Always Fair Weather.” Particularly for klutzes like me, who can’t skate for more than two seconds without collapsing, this scene is proof positive that Gene could defy gravity. In fact, I consider it very nearly the equal of his signature “Singin’ in the Rain” number. Check it out. It’s a bit long, but be patient; it’s worth it.
I’m not sure what’s up with the French subtitles, but at least now we all know that “patinage a rouletttes” is French for “roller rink.”
And who can forget Heather Graham as Rollergirl in “Boogie Nights,” which has that long opening shot that Heather very deftly skates in and out of. It reminds me of the most hilarious movie complaint I’ve ever heard, when a group of people angrily demanded their money back because they thought “Boogie Nights” was about disco dancing.
Um, well, yeah, about two minutes of it is ….
I know there are a lot of other examples of roller skating movies, but I’m loath to bring them up for fear of killing brain cells. So I’ll let you guys share your favorite roller skating movie scenes, if you dare…
Permalink | | Categories: Sir Critic muses
Voting against ‘Man of the Year’
“Man of the Year� almost won my vote for being a very funny political comedy.
Unfortunately, the movie also wants to be a political thriller, but the two styles clash like Rush Limbaugh and Al Franken fans who have somehow ended up in the same hotel room together. Writer-director Barry Levinson (who made the much sharper political comedy “Wag the Dog”) handles the thriller elements so clumsily, he drags the entire film down.
It’s a shame, too, because the movie starts very promisingly, telling the story of a Jon Stewart-like comedian named Tom Dobbs (Robin Williams). One of his fans suggests he should run for president. The next thing everyone knows, he actually wins the election. Or so everyone thinks.
This part of the movie has a lot of laughs, with Levinson and Williams revisiting “Good Morning Vietnam� territory as the director essentially lets Williams rip with lines that I’m sure were largely unscripted.
By now, Williams’ style is so familiar that it’s no longer as fresh as it once was, but he still gets off a few good zingers. When asked was his cabinet will be like, Dobbs says, “Well I’ve looked at the IKEA catalog and didn’t see anything I liked, but I’m hoping for maybe a dark walnut.� On the question of flag burning, he cracks, “Make it out of asbestos, nobody will touch it!�
However, an employee (Laura Linney) at the company that makes electronic voting machines realizes that a programming error has made Dobbs the winner. When she tries to tell Dobbs the truth, her company goes to deadly lengths to silence her.
The sudden change in tone feels jarring, and Levinson can’t make this subplot believable. I never bought anyone’s behavior and was always asking, “Why doesn’t she just …� or “Wouldn’t so and so find out?�
The movie’s biggest mistake, however, is that it asks the wrong question. Instead of wondering “What if a comedian ran for president and won?� it should have asked, “What if a comedian actually became president?� The answer could tell a potentially interesting story about a star who gets into office without any idea of how to govern. Then the movie might have had something more substantial to say to people who actually believe Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert would make a viable ticket.
“Man of the Year� reminded me how much better this sort of material was handed in “Dave,� the very funny and engaging movie about how a presidential look-alike (Kevin Kline) gets into the Oval Office and becomes a better president than the real president.
In the real world, such a thing would never happen, but “Dave� made me believe that its silly plot was just this side of plausible. “Man of the Year� made me believe its silly plot was just this side of implausible – and unworkable.
GRADE: C+
Permalink | | Categories: Reviews
Ebert is (on his way) back
Roger Ebert has chimed in from rehab, having been laid low since July when a bout with salivary cancer proved to be tougher than he thought. He’s posted his first review since his cancer flared up, and he hopes to be back on the movie beat sometime early next year.
It’s great to have him back, even on a limited basis. It’s been sad, and more than a little strange, to have him be gone for so long. He has always been the critic I’ve trusted the most, and I love how he makes his reviews so personable, something I try to reflect in my own writing.
Since he’s been away, I’ve discovered something rather startling. There’s no clear number two critic for me. There are others that I check regularly. James Berardinelli is certainly the leading web-based critic, and I like Owen Gleiberman at Entertainment Weekly, among others, but I don’t feel as attached to them as I do to Ebert.
Maybe that’s because my first major exposure to film critics was watching Siskel and Ebert on PBS. You could say he’s the reason you’re reading this right now, in more ways than one.
Here’s one of my favorite pieces of Ebert’s writing, from his review of “Exit to Eden”:
“On the first page of my notes, I wrote ‘Starts slow.’ On the second page, I wrote ‘Boring.’ On the third page, I wrote ‘Endless!’ On the fourth page, I wrote: ‘Bite-size Shredded Wheat, skim milk, cantaloupe, frozen peas, toilet paper, salad stuff, pick up laundry.’”
Here’s to thanking Roger for updating us, and to wishing him a speedier recovery. Share some of your thoughts on Roger, and tell me what other critics you like to read.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Other critics
Now that’s what I call Method acting!
Let’s say you’re an executive at New Line Cinema. You have a movie scheduled for wide release on December 1 called “The Nativity Story,” about the life of the Virgin Mary.
You have a young actress in the lead, Keisha Castle-Hughes, who gave a remarkable performance in the indie hit “Whale Rider” and became the youngest Best Actress Oscar nominee at the age of 13. You also have a promising director, Catherine Hardwicke, who has shown considerable skill in directing teen actors, most notably Evan Rachel Wood in “thirteen.” Hey, maybe you’ll get a few more noms out of this.
Then your star confirms that she’s pregnant. At the age of 16. Not long before she has to start selling her movie about the Virgin Mary.
Do you think to yourself:
A) “Cool! Now our movie gets all kinds of free publicity!”
B) “Aaaahhh! I didn’t mean to make ‘The Last Temptation of Mary!’ Thanks a LOT for sending the fundamentalists after us, Keisha!”
C) “I need to join the ‘Apocalypto’ crowd for that support group on how to deal with stars’ blood pressure-raising offscreen behavior.”
D) All of the above?
Put another way, does this help the movie/hurt the movie/make no difference?
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Celebrities
Home (Re)Viewing: Sandler and Altman, together at last
I never thought I’d see the day when I would recommend a Robert Altman film and an Adam Sandler movie in one fell swoop, but that day is today, as their latest films reach DVD shelves.
Click: Adam Sandler continues to offer evidence he’s bored with the sophomoric humor that drags down most of his movies … sort of. The clever story of a remote that can control your life sets up some inventive gags, and I actually cared about Sandler’s character. He can’t quite shake the crude humor and the movie gets awfully maudlin in the final stretch, but I found myself wishing for the fast-forward button less than usual for Sandler. GRADE: B
A Prairie Home Companion: Like the radio show it’s based on, Robert Altman’s movie sometimes gets a little too precious and folksy, but it’s still very winning. The show’s multi-character plotting fits Alrtman’s roaming camera like a glove, and as usual, his “I can get anyone to work for me” cast is stellar, especially when Lily Tomlin and Meryl Streep are onscreen together. And yes, Lindsay Lohan holds her own with them too. GRADE: B+
Also Out Today
Art School Confidential/Bad Santa director’s cut: It’s apparently Terry Zwigoff day, as the director puts out both his latest film (which did not receive the acclaim of his others) and yet another edition of “Bad Santa,” just in case the two that are already out just aren’t enough.
Garfield: A Tale of two Kitties: The second movie starring the fat feline didn’t do much business here since not many people actually liked the first one. In China, however, it set a record for the biggest opening of an animated movie. (Insert puzzled expression here.) Darn, I forgot to ask Chinese visitors to Middfest about that.
Permalink | | Categories: Movies on TV
Has Eddie Murphy just … lost it?
You know, for a second there, I really had high hopes for Eddie Murphy. After years of squandering his talent on junk like “Daddy Day Care” and “Haunted Mansion,” he seemed to be headed for a comeback. He’s getting terrific buzz for his performance as singer James “Thunder” Early in “Dreamgirls.” So much so in fact, that he’s a strong contender for the Best Supporting Actor Ocsar.
“Maybe he’s on his way back,” I said with a smile.
Then I saw this.
Eddie - haven’t you already done this shtick in the “Nutty Professor” movies? And in “Coming to America” before that? The gag’s getting really, really, really old.
Look, I know you’re being loyal to your family because your brother Charlie wrote the story, but come ON! It’s no small wonder the trailer hides the fact that the director is Brian Robbins, who was last seen hacking away on “The Shaggy Dog” with Tim Allen, so I guess Robbins is making a new career out of frittering away the talents of once valuable comedians.
Even if you win the Oscar, Eddie, this film is going to kill your momentum.
Let me ask the audience here: What was the last good live action movie Eddie made? I guess for me, it was “I Spy,” but that’s an anomaly because I’m one of 11 people who liked it. The last good Eddie Murphy movie that also has a good reputation is “Bowfinger,” and that was seven (!) years ago.
I say Murphy needs to find a really good script and director to get back on his feet after “Norbit” knocks him back down. What do you say? Do you even miss the old Eddie Murphy?
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Celebrities
‘The Departed’ left me breathless
Being electrocuted is a blast, especially when Martin Scorsese is wielding the wires.
His latest picture, “The Departed,� wastes no time in springing to life. The very first lines come from the unmistakable voice of Jack Nicholson, whose ruthless mob boss slyly intones, “I don’t want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me.�
So it goes for Scorsese, who for the second time in his career after “Cape Fear� has remade a movie. This time, he takes the highly regarded Hong Kong thriller “Infernal Affairs� and makes it into his own brand of a crime story that pulsates with energy. “The Departed� is brutal, powerful, intense, and above all, tremendous fun to watch.
Nicholson plays Frank Costello, the king of the Boston underworld and public enemy number one of the Massachusetts state police, who send two very different cops after him. As it turns out, the cops are working on opposite sides of the fence.
Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) tries to live down a shady past, becoming a cop who reluctantly poses as a mobster. Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is a smooth operator whom Costello has groomed since boyhood to infiltrate the police. The cops and crooks become aware their opponents have placed spies in their midst, forcing Costigan and Sullivan to ferret each other out in an increasingly dangerous game of cat and rat.
Other critics have hailed “The Departed� as a return to form for Scorsese, though quite honestly, I wasn’t aware he was gone. Yes, his last two films, “Gangs of New York� and “The Aviator,� were propped up as Oscar pictures, but both were legitimately among the best movies of their years. So is “The Departed.�
It’s more accurate to say that “The Departed� marks Scorsese’s return to his roots, to the rough and ready crime dramas that made his name. He clearly relishes these shady worlds, constantly finding new and different ways to explore them. And when Scorsese is having a great time, a great movie is sure to follow.
Some have said this movie is simply a ride of pure top-grade entertainment. However, such movies, even the good ones, usually fade from memory quickly. “The Departed “ remains burned in my mind’s eye days after I saw it. More than just a police procedural, “The Departed� shows how the difference between good and evil can be a thin blue line.
The excellent screenplay by William Monahan (“Kingdom of Heaven�) crackles with sharp dialogue and smartly contrasts the characters, with Scorsese using striking dual imagery to pit Damon and DiCaprio against each other even when they don’t share the screen. When they start tracking each other, the director stages a chase that’s breathless even though the players aren’t running.
The two leads are riveting, with Damon giving the performance of his career, but the entire cast is flawless. Yes, Nicholson chews scenery, but he savors each bite, showing how Costello can be compelling yet frightening at the same time. Mark Wahlberg surprised me with his strong turn as a cop with a mouth that would make Joe Pesci grin, and Vera Farmiga strikes rich emotional chords as a police shrink who comes between Damon and DiCaprio.
With a filmmaker as revered as Scorsese, inevitably some will wonder if this movie measures up to his past masterpieces, especially considering “The Departed� was created by mostly the same crew that made the classic “Goodfellas.� This includes cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, production designer Kristi Zea and, as always, editor Thelma Schoonmaker, all of whom do great work.
“The Departed” does not have the historical sweep of “Goodfellasâ€? or the emotional wallop of “Raging Bull,â€? but it carries a unique charge that demands repeat viewings. Scorsese himself told Time magazine that even though he usually finds fault with his own movies, he likes watching “The Departed.â€?
That goes double for me. I can’t wait to hook myself up to this movie again to see — and feel — the sparks flying.
GRADE: A+
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Martin Scorsese’s Pictures, Part 4
Concluding the week-long recap of Martin Scorsese’s films, we find the director trading on his own past, the long-ago past of China and America, and Hollywood’s past glories.
Casino (1995): The great movie many claim this to be is lurking in here somewhere, and to be sure, there are some fantastic sequences and performances, including Sharon Stone’s best. However, Scorsese drowns this overextended movie in throwaway details and excessive voice-overs that show just how much better he handled similar material in “Goodfellas.� It’s worth a look, but a fast-forward or chapter skip button really helps. GRADE: B-
Kundun (1997): Scorsese makes probably his least commercial film as he explores the life of the Dalai Lama. The fact that it’s so far removed from Scorsese’s milieu helps and hurts the movie. On the one hand, it’s fascinating; on the other hand, it’s emotionally distant. The former holds sway, with Scorsese and cinematographer Roger Deakins creating some dazzling imagery. GRADE: A-
Bringing Out the Dead (1999): Scorsese reunited with his “Taxi Driver,â€? “Raging Bullâ€? and “Last Temptation of Christ” scribe Paul Schrader to make this severely underrated drama about a paramedic (Nicolas Cage) haunted by the ghosts of the patients he failed to save. It gets a little theologically preachy at times, but Scorsese fills the movie with hallucinatory scenes, making it feel like a fever dream — or nightmare. GRADE: A
Gangs of New York (2002): Like “Casino,� “Gangs� tries to cover too much ground in too little time, but the narrative holds together better than in the Vegas film, and Daniel Day-Lewis’ downright terrifying performance as Bill the Butcher gives the movie a major boost. The look of the film, particularly the massive outdoor sets by Dante Ferretti, is astounding. That this lost the art direction Oscar to “Chicago� is a crock. GRADE: A
The Aviator (2004): Classic Hollywood movies have long fueled Scorsese’s talent, so it’s a kick to see him recreating golden age Hollywood with such fervor in this Howard Hughes biopic. Hugely entertaining and engrossing, the film sports great turns by Leonardo DiCaprio as Hughes, and the great Cate Blanchett as the great Kate Hepburn. GRADE: A
Documentaries: Scorsese has also directed three long documentaries for the small screen that are all outstanding. All are on DVD. “A Personal Journey Through American Movies� chronicles Scorsese’s love for all different kinds of films, shining a light on several obscure gems. Doing the same for Italian film is “My Voyage to Italy.� “No Direction Home� makes Bob Dylan’s life story positively epic.
I’ll add my review of “The Departed” to the collection Friday, but in the meantime, tell me: Which Scorsese films are your favorites? Or least favorites?
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Martin Scorsese’s Pictures, Part 3
Soldiering on with the Martin Scorsese capsules, today’s dosage includes the director’s low point, followed by a strong recovery.
The Color of Money (1986): This is the one Scorsese film I can’t recommend. It’s got a great cast, with an Oscar-winning performance by Paul Newman (acting alongside some kid named Cruise) and as usual, the director’s visuals are exciting. Unfortunately, the muddled story never takes hold. Maybe I should have watched “The Hustler� first. GRADE: C+
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988): This labor of love caught all kinds of flak, mostly from people who hadn’t actually, you know … SEEN the movie. It happens to celebrate rather than denigrate Jesus, and the passion Scorsese gives the project helps negate overlength and some miscasting. GRADE: A-
Life Lessons (1989) Scorsese’s typically moody and fascinating portion of the omnibus film “New York Stories� has Nick Nolte giving an intense performance as an artist who finds it hard to love others. (Woody Allen’s comedy segment is very funny, but the less said about Francis Ford Coppola’s puffball contribution, the better) GRADE: A-
Goodfellas (1990): Simply put, the best mob movie ever made. Yes, I like it even better than “The Godfather.� What’s funny about that? GRADE: A+
Cape Fear (1991): Some took Scorsese to task for going commercial with this remake of a 1962 thriller, but the way he enriched the story by making no one entirely innocent, then applied a slick Hollywood sheen, was actually rather subversive. I prefer this version to the original, which is more black and white, literally and figuratively. GRADE: A
The Age of Innocence (1993): Scorsese stays in New York but leaves the mean streets, straying into Merchant Ivory period piece territory. Daniel Day-Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer pine for what they cannot have: each other, while Winona Ryder provides the seemingly innocent counterpoint. It’s a little too emotionally chilly to be fully effective, but it’s never less than fascinating, and the performances are superb. GRADE: A-
Thursday: From Las Vegas to Hollywood: “Casino� to “The Aviator.�
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Another remake? AAAAHHHH!
Buried at the bottom of this Variety story is a terrifying little nugget.
“(The Weinstein Company) also has hired Rob Zombie to direct a remake of John Carpenter’s ‘Halloween.’”
Uhhh … no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
No!
NO!
Memo to The Weinstein Company. Carpenter’s “Halloween,” one of the best slasher films ever made, is just fine the way it is. It does NOT need updating with editing where it looks like the film was placed underneath a lawnmower. It does NOT need over-the-top gore with extreme closeups of machetes being slammed into foreheads. It does NOT need a death metal score with lyrics of “RAAAHHRRRR” or something to that effect.
More to the point, the “Halloween” series (which should never have been made into a series at all) has already been cannibalized enough. It does NOT need another entry!
Or am I talking out of turn? I haven’t caught any of Mr. Zombie’s (as the New York Times would call him) films, because I consider most horror movies to be creatively bankrupt, and I read nothing about his films to make me want to see them. Is there actually something good afoot here?
Would you see a “Halloween” remake, whether Zombie or someone else made it?
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Coming Attractions
Martin Scorsese’s Pictures, Part 2
Continuing on with my reviews of Martin Scorsese’s pictures, we hit his somewhat erratic period, highlighted by what I believe is his best film.
Catch my reviews of his earliest films here.
New York, New York (1977): This is a type of movie that, for better or worse, Scorsese specializes in: the great flawed film. This uneasy medley of old Hollywood-style musical numbers and more modern-style angst never comfortably settles into a groove, mainly because De Niro’s rough-and ready Method seems so out of place. Thankfully, moments of brilliance shine through, with Liza Minnelli giving her last great (and her greatest) performance, uncannily channeling her mom, Judy Garland. GRADE: B+
The Last Waltz (1978): I was never a particular fan of The Band, but Scorsese’s savvy filming of their farewell concert makes me a convert for at least a couple of hours. And remember, this film should be played loud. GRADE: A
Raging Bull (1980): After barely surviving some rough personal trauma, Scorsese threw everything he had into the making of this movie, and wow, does it show. His incredibly visceral and kinetic style is thrilling in depicting the internal and external battles of middleweight champion boxer Jake La Motta. He may have been a despicable lout, but as portrayed by De Niro, in the single greatest screen performance of the past 30 years, you can’t take your eyes off him. One of the 10 best films of all time. GRADE: A+
The King of Comedy (1983): After the workout of “Raging Bull,” Scorsese and De Niro threw this change-up, which is startlingly insular by comparison. The director’s usually active cameras are unnervingly still, as they focus on a man so desperate for fame, he kidnaps the object of his adulation, Jerry Lewis. Fine performances make for a fascinating if not altogether successful experiment. GRADE: B+
After Hours (1985): This coal-black comedy is not one of Scorsese’s better-known films, but it’s his funniest. And it’s also the movie that turned me on to the director. He follows Griffin Dunne on an NYC journey through hell that would made the creator of Murphy’s law shake his head in amazement. GRADE: A
Wednesday: Reviews of “The Color of Money,� “The Last Temptation of Christ,� “Life Lessons,� “Goodfellas,� “Cape Fear� and “The Age of Innocence.�
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Home (Re)Viewing: A list that dreams are made of
For two repackaged classics alone, this week’s video releases provide an embarrassment of riches. And the new releases aren’t too shabby either.
X-Men the Last Stand: No, it’s not as good as the earlier X-Men films, but director Brett Ratner did not deserve the unholy beating he took from the geek crowd. Most of what works comes from Ratner building on the earlier movies, but Ratner keeps the ship steady with several solid action scenes and a few moments of genuine surprise. The storyline between Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Jean Gray (Famke Janssen) resonates the most. GRADE: B+
Thank You for Smoking: At first glance, this satire seems almost too simple as it takes cheap (but admittedly funny) shots at an easy target: the tobacco industry. Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) a lobbyist for big tobacco, is such a sharp wheeler and dealer he could convince Rush Limbaugh that John Kerry should have won the election. As enjoyable as his spin is, the story feels rather directionless initially. But once a plot does kick in and Nick’s life is in danger, the movie comes alive and makes its points in very smart, funny and even sneaky ways, pulling more than a few surprises. In a just world, Eckhart would be this year’s first contender for the Best Actor Oscar race. GRADE: A-
From the Catalog
The Little Mermaid: The beloved movie that sparked the animation renaissance gets the Deluxe Disney DVD treatment, with two especially neat extras: A virtual version of a “Little Mermaid” ride that was never built, and footage of Sherri Stoner, the animation model for Ariel (and later Belle) who is well known to animation fans as one of the more talented “Tiny Toons”/”Animaniacs” writers. As for the movie, it’s a lovely reminder of the halcyon days when the Disney magic was at its most potent. GRADE: A+
The Maltese Falcon: One of the greatest of all detective thrillers — indeed, one that set the mold for detective thrillers — is reissued in the kind of ultra deluxe three-disc set that WB does better than anyone. Included are two earlier movies of the same story: a 1931 version and 1936’s “Satan Met a Lady,” with Bette Davis. It’s proof positive that once in a blue moon, remakes are a good idea. One of Bogart’s and John Huston’s very best. GRADE: A+
Body Double/Scarface: “Scarface” is the more revered of these two Brian De Palma flicks, which get DVD upgrades, but “Scarface” always struck me as a bloated drug thriller that’s as lethargic as a stoner. (I must admit, I love the DVD extra that compares the theatrical version with the severely edited TV cut.) Still, I prefer “Body Double” which is De Palma’s extremely seedy and low-rent take on “Rear Window,” but it’s weirdly compelling in a “watch me be this lurid” sort of way. Body Double: B/Scarface: C+
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Martin Scorsese’s Pictures: Part 1
This is the week of the year that I have been eagerly awaiting for months. A new Martin Scorsese movie comes out Friday: “The Departed.�
If advance buzz holds out, it looks like “The Departedâ€? will provide the movies with a badly needed shot of adrenaline. There hasn’t been anything truly great in the theaters since Oliver Stone’s ‘World Trade Center” came out last August.
Scorsese has long been my favorite director. There are others I love, including Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis and the Coens, among many others. But Scorsese’s movies deliver the greatest rush of them all.
An encyclopedic knowledge of and a deep love for movies of all eras and styles imbue the director with a visual command that, at its best, makes for a breathtaking experience. Even his lesser pictures have moments of brilliance that make them worth watching just for those moments. It’s no wonder that Scorsese always refers to his movies as “pictures,� like the old Hollywood pros did.
I’ll be recapping Scorsese’s feature films all week, and I’ll review “The Departed� on Friday.
Who’s That Knocking At My Door (1967): Scorsese’s feature debut already features many of his hallmarks: tortured souls, gritty locations and references to old movies. It’s more than a little rough around the edges and is marred by an intrusive nude scene that was included at the producer’s insistence, but it’s fascinating viewing. GRADE: B+
Boxcar Bertha (1972): This “Bonnie and Clyde� knockoff, one of Roger Corman’s cheap and dirty productions, works best as a curio; offering a glimpse of Scorsese trying to find his style in a genre setting. Bertha herself (Barbara Hershey) actually gets somewhat lost in the proceedings. GRADE: B-
Mean Streets (1973): With a terse opening narration followed by the percussive thump of the Ronettes’ “Be My Babyâ€? Scorsese finds his feet and makes his first masterpiece, with Harvey Keitel and a young live wire of an actor named Robert De Niro in a story of gangs in Little Italy. GRADE: A+
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974): Scorsese proves he knows more than street life by directing Ellen Burstyn to an Oscar-winning performance as a waitress trying to forge a new life. This was the spawn of the TV series �Alice.� Look for a very young Jodie Foster, playing the tomboy even then. GRADE: A
Taxi Driver (1976): Look for a slightly older Jodie Foster as she provides the counterpoint to this harrowing descent into madness. Everyone remembers “You talkin’ to me,� but the image I can’t get out of my head is of De Niro “shooting� himself with his blood-soaked hand. That’s Scorsese playing the almost as insane passenger who’s spying on his wife. GRADE: A+
Tuesday: Reviews of “New York New York,� “The Last Waltz,� “Raging Bull,� “The King of Comedy� and “After Hours.�
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Trio o’ trailers: The Good, the Bad and the Controversial
I came across three trailers over the weekend: One surprisingly good, another looking rather bad, and the third looking like much ado about not much.
In order:
I wasn’t a fan of the original “Grudge” (or at least the American original “Grudge”) which was basically the same “boo” gimmick repeated ad nauseum. But this cleverly constructed preview makes it look like they might have something this time. Let’s just hope this isn’t one of those cases where the trailer editor is more creative than the director.
Is it just me, or did Billy Bob Thornton just release this movie last Friday, when it was called “School for Scoundrels?” And didn’t he make it shortly before that calling it “The Bad News Bears?” And then again before that when he called it “Bad Santa,” or “Badder Santa,” depending on which edition you rent? Nobody delivers a put-down quite like Billy Bob but he seems to be falling into a rut here. Hey Billy - direct something, why don’tcha?
This is the controversial faux documentary that tries to imagine what would happen if President Bush were assassinated. On the basis of this sort of interesting trailer, it seems like a clever concept that’s not that well executed. There just isn’t much “there” there - certainly not enough for people to be making such a fuss over it somehow endangering national security. Feh.
What say you?
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