HANCOCK (2008) - Nov. 29, 2008
Though Peter Berg isn't going to make my list of favourite directors any time soon, his work here is competent -- which is far more than I can say for his last film, the Kingdom. He still uses the shaky-cam far more than I'd like, but his direction here is practically Kubrickian compared to what he did in that film. At least I could always tell what was going on during the action scenes. Aside from Berg's surprisingly competent direction, the film itself was quite good; it started out as an intriguing character study about a very flawed superhero, and unfortunately became a lot more conventional after a certain point. Will Smith gave one of his better performances as the titular Hancock, and the film, despite its disappointing third act, was definitely a better-than-average summer blockbuster. ***
Short reviews of all the movies I see, rated out of four. Reviews containing spoilers are marked with an (S).
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Born to Fight
BORN TO FIGHT (2004) - Nov. 22, 2008
About a group of athletes who travel to a small village, which winds up being occupied by brutal terrorists who plan to blow up Bangkok with a nuclear missile. The film opens with a really exciting, '80s-style action scene involving a fight atop two moving trucks. It's pretty sweet. It slows down quite a bit after that, with not much action to speak of until about the one hour mark, when the athletes start to fight back (who all conveniently get to use their sports skills to fight the terrorists). At this point it was almost literally non-stop action until the credits rolled. The amount of action towards the end was almost overwhelming, however it was mostly pretty sweet, and it was quite well directed (it was refreshingly devoid of both quick-cuts and close-ups during the action). There were also a lot of elaborate stunts that were impressive, to say the least -- I don't care how advanced special effects get, there's nothing that can compare to good old fashioned stuntmen getting into shenanigans. ***
About a group of athletes who travel to a small village, which winds up being occupied by brutal terrorists who plan to blow up Bangkok with a nuclear missile. The film opens with a really exciting, '80s-style action scene involving a fight atop two moving trucks. It's pretty sweet. It slows down quite a bit after that, with not much action to speak of until about the one hour mark, when the athletes start to fight back (who all conveniently get to use their sports skills to fight the terrorists). At this point it was almost literally non-stop action until the credits rolled. The amount of action towards the end was almost overwhelming, however it was mostly pretty sweet, and it was quite well directed (it was refreshingly devoid of both quick-cuts and close-ups during the action). There were also a lot of elaborate stunts that were impressive, to say the least -- I don't care how advanced special effects get, there's nothing that can compare to good old fashioned stuntmen getting into shenanigans. ***
Friday, November 21, 2008
Home Movie
HOME MOVIE (2008) - Nov. 21, 2008
Another entry in the "found footage" horror subgenre, this was about a couple, living in the middle of nowhere, who begin to realize that their kids may just be evil. The film refreshingly features a lot less shaky-cam than other movies of its ilk, with the camera on a tripod for much of the time. The performances were a bit spotty -- Adrian "Nathan Patrelli" Pasdar (sporting a huge, ridiculous goatee) was quite good as the husband, however the woman playing his wife didn't fare quite as well. The movie was pretty much entertaining all the way through, though it suffered from a bit of repetitiveness, especially in the first half (ie. the kids do something terrible and borderline evil -- usually involving one of the family's many, many pets -- and the parents are horrified. This repeats itself several times). There comes a point at which it starts to really stretch credibility that the parents would still be willing to live in the middle of nowhere with these kids, as they're clearly psychopaths. **1/2
Another entry in the "found footage" horror subgenre, this was about a couple, living in the middle of nowhere, who begin to realize that their kids may just be evil. The film refreshingly features a lot less shaky-cam than other movies of its ilk, with the camera on a tripod for much of the time. The performances were a bit spotty -- Adrian "Nathan Patrelli" Pasdar (sporting a huge, ridiculous goatee) was quite good as the husband, however the woman playing his wife didn't fare quite as well. The movie was pretty much entertaining all the way through, though it suffered from a bit of repetitiveness, especially in the first half (ie. the kids do something terrible and borderline evil -- usually involving one of the family's many, many pets -- and the parents are horrified. This repeats itself several times). There comes a point at which it starts to really stretch credibility that the parents would still be willing to live in the middle of nowhere with these kids, as they're clearly psychopaths. **1/2
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Let the Right One In
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (2008) - Nov. 15, 2008
A really well made but slow-paced drama about a socially awkward young boy who befriends a girl who turns out to be a vampire. It's really well acted and directed, though the typically foreign art-house pacing does hurt it a bit. It's a testament to how well made and acted it is that it's never boring, despite how slow-moving it is. ***
A really well made but slow-paced drama about a socially awkward young boy who befriends a girl who turns out to be a vampire. It's really well acted and directed, though the typically foreign art-house pacing does hurt it a bit. It's a testament to how well made and acted it is that it's never boring, despite how slow-moving it is. ***
Monday, November 10, 2008
The Quantum of Solace
THE QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008) - Nov. 10, 2008
Though it's still missing a lot of the elements that made James Bond such a compelling character in the first place, this is a definite step in the right direction after the sub-par Casino Royale. It's short, which helps, and though it does drag in parts, it's pretty much entertaining all the way through. Bond feels more like Bond here; he's more charismatic than he was in the last one, and there's none of the lengthy introspection that made him seem so egregiously un-Bond-like in Casino Royale. Daniel Craig still feels like an iffy choice for Bond, but I'm definitely more sold on him now than I was after CR. Marc Forster's direction was also pretty good, though he does rely a bit too much on the old shaky-cam/quick-cut style of action, but that is, lamentably, pretty much a given these days. My one major complaint is that Mathieu Amalric makes for a completely lame villain. He's more smarmy than sinister; more shady businessman than Bond-level supervillain. He's pretty much the opposite of memorable. ***
Though it's still missing a lot of the elements that made James Bond such a compelling character in the first place, this is a definite step in the right direction after the sub-par Casino Royale. It's short, which helps, and though it does drag in parts, it's pretty much entertaining all the way through. Bond feels more like Bond here; he's more charismatic than he was in the last one, and there's none of the lengthy introspection that made him seem so egregiously un-Bond-like in Casino Royale. Daniel Craig still feels like an iffy choice for Bond, but I'm definitely more sold on him now than I was after CR. Marc Forster's direction was also pretty good, though he does rely a bit too much on the old shaky-cam/quick-cut style of action, but that is, lamentably, pretty much a given these days. My one major complaint is that Mathieu Amalric makes for a completely lame villain. He's more smarmy than sinister; more shady businessman than Bond-level supervillain. He's pretty much the opposite of memorable. ***
Changeling
CHANGELING (2008) - Nov. 10, 2008
Clint Eastwood's hot streak continues. About a woman whose missing son supposedly returns -- only he's not actually her son. A battle with a corrupt police force ensues. Featuring expectedly stellar direction from Eastwood, and some really nice looking cinematography from Tom Stern, this was definitely a good-looking film. It was fairly slow-paced, but I was completely entertained throughout (my attention waned a bit towards the end, but that may have been because I had to go to the bathroom pretty badly). The performances are all really good, centred by an astounding performance from Angelina Jolie -- I've never been completely sold on Jolie as a great actress, but I guess I am now. It was a really impressive performance, and not just for the sheer endurance of all that crying she had to do, but for the quieter moments as well. ***1/2
Clint Eastwood's hot streak continues. About a woman whose missing son supposedly returns -- only he's not actually her son. A battle with a corrupt police force ensues. Featuring expectedly stellar direction from Eastwood, and some really nice looking cinematography from Tom Stern, this was definitely a good-looking film. It was fairly slow-paced, but I was completely entertained throughout (my attention waned a bit towards the end, but that may have been because I had to go to the bathroom pretty badly). The performances are all really good, centred by an astounding performance from Angelina Jolie -- I've never been completely sold on Jolie as a great actress, but I guess I am now. It was a really impressive performance, and not just for the sheer endurance of all that crying she had to do, but for the quieter moments as well. ***1/2
Friday, November 07, 2008
Role Models
ROLE MODELS (2008) - Nov. 7, 2008
Though not the most laugh-out-loud funny film I've seen in a while, this was still a cute and entertaining comedy about a couple of guys who are forced to be big brothers to a couple of kids after getting arrested. Both Paul Rudd and Stiffler were good, and it was enjoyable throughout, even in the expectedly emotional third act (which featured not one, not two, but three fake break-ups. Four if you count the one between Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks, though that happens pretty early in the film -- but it was still a million times better than the treacly last act of Zack and Miri). ***
Though not the most laugh-out-loud funny film I've seen in a while, this was still a cute and entertaining comedy about a couple of guys who are forced to be big brothers to a couple of kids after getting arrested. Both Paul Rudd and Stiffler were good, and it was enjoyable throughout, even in the expectedly emotional third act (which featured not one, not two, but three fake break-ups. Four if you count the one between Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks, though that happens pretty early in the film -- but it was still a million times better than the treacly last act of Zack and Miri). ***
Monday, November 03, 2008
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO (2008) - Nov. 3, 2008
About a guy and a girl -- best friends since childhood -- who decide to make a porno in order to solve their financial woes. Though Kevin Smith's direction seems to be getting more and more bland with each subsequent film, the movie features the type of snappy dialogue we've come to expect from Smith, and contains a number of laugh-out-loud funny moments. However, Smith seems to have learned everything he knows about drama from episodes of Full House and movies of the week; the film's third act features some over-the-top sentimentality that is so heavy-handed it literally makes you cringe. I think all good comedies need to have -- to a certain extent -- heart. However, Kevin Smith seems to be operating from "the Big Book of Hoary Movie Cliches", and he cranks it all the way up to eleven. **1/2
About a guy and a girl -- best friends since childhood -- who decide to make a porno in order to solve their financial woes. Though Kevin Smith's direction seems to be getting more and more bland with each subsequent film, the movie features the type of snappy dialogue we've come to expect from Smith, and contains a number of laugh-out-loud funny moments. However, Smith seems to have learned everything he knows about drama from episodes of Full House and movies of the week; the film's third act features some over-the-top sentimentality that is so heavy-handed it literally makes you cringe. I think all good comedies need to have -- to a certain extent -- heart. However, Kevin Smith seems to be operating from "the Big Book of Hoary Movie Cliches", and he cranks it all the way up to eleven. **1/2
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