[REC] (2007) - Mar. 31, 2008
About a reporter who, along with her cameraman, ends up getting stuck in an apartment building with a rapidly growing population of zombies (the running kind, not the slow lumbering kind). The Blair Witch-style handheld direction is a bit annoying at first, but it actually does work quite well -- the film is gripping and suspenseful, particularly towards the end. I wish I could have seen this on the big screen; it would have been a perfect Midnight Madness film. Oh well. ***1/2
Short reviews of all the movies I see, rated out of four. Reviews containing spoilers are marked with an (S).
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Intermission
INTERMISSION (2003) - Mar. 30, 2008
Though this wasn't quite as good as John Crowley and Mark O'Rowe's most recent effort, the stunning Boy A, it was still a very enjoyable film about a bunch of characters in the Dublin area. And despite the surfeit of characters, the film does a very good job developing all of them and making them people we care about (unlike something like Stop-Loss, which had less characters and more time to work with and still failed to make us care about any of them). ***1/2
Though this wasn't quite as good as John Crowley and Mark O'Rowe's most recent effort, the stunning Boy A, it was still a very enjoyable film about a bunch of characters in the Dublin area. And despite the surfeit of characters, the film does a very good job developing all of them and making them people we care about (unlike something like Stop-Loss, which had less characters and more time to work with and still failed to make us care about any of them). ***1/2
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Stop-Loss
STOP-LOSS (2008) - Mar. 29, 2008
A well acted but otherwise mediocre film about a soldier who comes home from his tour of duty in Iraq, only to find that he has been stop-lossed and must return for another tour. Meandering and overlong, the film was heavy-handed and featured some surprisingly bland/inept direction from Kimberly Peirce. The performances were quite good, though, particularly Ryan Phillippe in the main role. **
A well acted but otherwise mediocre film about a soldier who comes home from his tour of duty in Iraq, only to find that he has been stop-lossed and must return for another tour. Meandering and overlong, the film was heavy-handed and featured some surprisingly bland/inept direction from Kimberly Peirce. The performances were quite good, though, particularly Ryan Phillippe in the main role. **
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Nez Rouge
NEZ ROUGE (2003) - Mar. 27, 2008
A poorly-directed but essentially entertaining romantic comedy that seriously overstays its welcome (why is it so hard for a lot of directors to wrap their minds around the simple fact that romantic comedies over 90 minutes rarely work?). About a woman who befriends a notoriously tough critic in order to get revenge over a bad review, the film is more enjoyable in its first half, before it becomes a fairly standard romantic comedy. The performances were fine for the most part, though the chemestry between the two leads was questionable. And the bizarre twist at the end, in which it's revealed that one of the main characters is actually Santa Claus, seems like it belongs in another movie. **
A poorly-directed but essentially entertaining romantic comedy that seriously overstays its welcome (why is it so hard for a lot of directors to wrap their minds around the simple fact that romantic comedies over 90 minutes rarely work?). About a woman who befriends a notoriously tough critic in order to get revenge over a bad review, the film is more enjoyable in its first half, before it becomes a fairly standard romantic comedy. The performances were fine for the most part, though the chemestry between the two leads was questionable. And the bizarre twist at the end, in which it's revealed that one of the main characters is actually Santa Claus, seems like it belongs in another movie. **
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY (2008) - Mar. 26, 2008
Featuring very good performances all around, this was an enjoyable romantic comedy set in 1930s London. Frances McDormand is quite good in the main role, as are the supporting cast (Ciarán Hinds in particular is really good as her would-be suitor). ***
Featuring very good performances all around, this was an enjoyable romantic comedy set in 1930s London. Frances McDormand is quite good in the main role, as are the supporting cast (Ciarán Hinds in particular is really good as her would-be suitor). ***
Monday, March 24, 2008
21
21 (2008) - Mar. 24, 2008
What happened? Adapted from a fairly decent book, this was a bad, bad film. Filled to the brim with paper-thin characters -- none of whom seem authentic in the least -- the movie wasn't interesting, and worse, it was boring. The screenplay was a mixed bag of all the cheesiest cliches you can imagine, and Robert Luketic's aggressively bland direction ensured that the film was never interesting to look at (pretty much the polar opposite of the last film I watched, Police Beat). None of the actors make any kind of impression, even the usually reliable Laurence Fishburne and Kevin Spacey (who are both completely wasted here). Boo-urns. *1/2
What happened? Adapted from a fairly decent book, this was a bad, bad film. Filled to the brim with paper-thin characters -- none of whom seem authentic in the least -- the movie wasn't interesting, and worse, it was boring. The screenplay was a mixed bag of all the cheesiest cliches you can imagine, and Robert Luketic's aggressively bland direction ensured that the film was never interesting to look at (pretty much the polar opposite of the last film I watched, Police Beat). None of the actors make any kind of impression, even the usually reliable Laurence Fishburne and Kevin Spacey (who are both completely wasted here). Boo-urns. *1/2
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Police Beat
POLICE BEAT (2005) - Mar. 23, 2008
An oddly hypnotic film about a Rookie cop in Seattle. The film contains absolutely no plot -- it follows the cop over the course of a few days, with occasional narration in an African language about his girlfriend, who is away on a camping trip with another guy. It sounds bizarre, and it is, but it really works. Despite its complete plotlessness the film is absolutely never boring; the 81 minute running time probably helps, as does the beautiful direction and cinematography, which assure that the film is always interesting just to look at. ***1/2
An oddly hypnotic film about a Rookie cop in Seattle. The film contains absolutely no plot -- it follows the cop over the course of a few days, with occasional narration in an African language about his girlfriend, who is away on a camping trip with another guy. It sounds bizarre, and it is, but it really works. Despite its complete plotlessness the film is absolutely never boring; the 81 minute running time probably helps, as does the beautiful direction and cinematography, which assure that the film is always interesting just to look at. ***1/2
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The Bank Job
THE BANK JOB (2008) - Mar. 18, 2008
A stylish and enjoyable film about a group of small-time criminals who are recruited to rob the vault of a bank in London in the 1970s. Jason Statham is quite good in the main role, and the film is entertaining throughout, though there's probably a bit more going on here than I'd like (the overly busy plot deals with the London underground, secret photographs, blackmail, and double, triple and quadruple-crosses -- among other things). I would have probably preferred less of that other stuff and more heisting. Oh well, it was still a good film. ***
A stylish and enjoyable film about a group of small-time criminals who are recruited to rob the vault of a bank in London in the 1970s. Jason Statham is quite good in the main role, and the film is entertaining throughout, though there's probably a bit more going on here than I'd like (the overly busy plot deals with the London underground, secret photographs, blackmail, and double, triple and quadruple-crosses -- among other things). I would have probably preferred less of that other stuff and more heisting. Oh well, it was still a good film. ***
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Doomsday
DOOMSDAY (2008) - Mar. 15, 2008
Though it definitely isn't as good as Neil Marshall's previous effort, The Descent, that's hardly even a slight against it, as that film would have been next to impossible to top. The film owes a large debt to stuff like Escape from New York and (I assume) Mad Max, but it never feels like a mere ripoff of any of those films. Marshall wears his influences on his sleeve, but he definitely goes his own way with them. This is a really enjoyable, fun film, and though it has its flaws, it's still one of the better and more memorable action films I've seen in a while. ***1/2
Though it definitely isn't as good as Neil Marshall's previous effort, The Descent, that's hardly even a slight against it, as that film would have been next to impossible to top. The film owes a large debt to stuff like Escape from New York and (I assume) Mad Max, but it never feels like a mere ripoff of any of those films. Marshall wears his influences on his sleeve, but he definitely goes his own way with them. This is a really enjoyable, fun film, and though it has its flaws, it's still one of the better and more memorable action films I've seen in a while. ***1/2
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Semi-Pro
SEMI-PRO (2008) - Mar. 13, 2008
How will Ferrell can be so funny on SNL, and so flagrantly un-funny on the big screen is one of life's great mysteries. Though there are a few chuckles here and there, the film is mostly laugh-free and worse, it's boring and doesn't really feature any characters worth rooting for. It's also badly directed and murkily shot (in fact this has to be one of the ugliest looking films I've seen in a long time). *1/2
How will Ferrell can be so funny on SNL, and so flagrantly un-funny on the big screen is one of life's great mysteries. Though there are a few chuckles here and there, the film is mostly laugh-free and worse, it's boring and doesn't really feature any characters worth rooting for. It's also badly directed and murkily shot (in fact this has to be one of the ugliest looking films I've seen in a long time). *1/2
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Devil in a Blue Dress
DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS (1995) - Mar. 9, 2008
A noirish thriller about a man who's hired to find a missing woman, and who winds up getting mixed up in all kinds of shenanigans. It definitely reminded me of films like the Big Sleep (complete with a somewhat hard-to-follow plot). Denzel Washington was, of course, very good, and the film also featured a memorable supporting role from Don Cheadle. ***
A noirish thriller about a man who's hired to find a missing woman, and who winds up getting mixed up in all kinds of shenanigans. It definitely reminded me of films like the Big Sleep (complete with a somewhat hard-to-follow plot). Denzel Washington was, of course, very good, and the film also featured a memorable supporting role from Don Cheadle. ***
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Larceny, Inc.
LARCENY, INC. (1942) - Mar. 8, 2008
An enjoyable film about a criminal who gets released from prison and, having a hard time going straight, starts planning his next heist. Edward G. Robinson gives a charismatic lead performance, and the film is quite enjoyable throughout. ***
An enjoyable film about a criminal who gets released from prison and, having a hard time going straight, starts planning his next heist. Edward G. Robinson gives a charismatic lead performance, and the film is quite enjoyable throughout. ***
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