Whistling in the Dark

WHISTLING IN THE DARK (1941) - July 30, 2008
An entertaining film about a host of a murder-mystery radio show who gets kidnapped and blackmailed into coming up with the perfect murder. It's never really laugh-out-loud funny, but it's enjoyable throughout and features an affable lead performance from Red Skelton. ***

Resident Evil: Extinction

RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION (2007) - July 29, 2008
Though this is a huge step up from the abysmal Apocalypse, it's still pretty mediocre. There's nothing overtly bad about it (the direction is fine, as are the special effects and the performances), there's nothing very good about it either. The film establishes a lot of characters, but never really goes anywhere with any of them. The whole thing feels kind of truncated, like they took out everything but what they needed for the action, leaving the film somewhat hollow. **

Pretty Woman

PRETTY WOMAN (1990) - July 28, 2008
Another film about prostitutes, though that's about where the similarities end -- this was pretty much the complete opposite of My Own Private Idaho. It was sort of a relief to watch a movie with no pretensions other than to entertain; though at over two hours this film was clearly too long, it was well acted and entertaining all the way through. It's cheesy, and pretty much exactly what you'd think it would be, but it's quite enjoyable. ***

My Own Private Idaho

MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO (1991) - July 27, 2008
About the exploits of a couple of male prostitutes, this was a really well directed film, but ultimately it was too strange and obtuse to ever really get into. Featuring dialogue that shifts jarringly from Shakespearean to naturalistic, and a freewheeling plot that never really goes anywhere, this feels more like a failed experiment than anything else (and makes Gus Van Sant's last few films seem almost conventional in comparison). I was never bored per se, but the film kept me at an arm's length with its constant oddness. **

Step Brothers

STEP BROTHERS (2008) - July 26, 2008
About a couple of dim-witted 40-year-olds who find themselves living together after both of their single parents get married, this was a sort of mediocre but enjoyable comedy. It's the third Will Ferrell / Adam McKay collaboration, and like the other two it is clearly too long -- someone needs to explain to Ferrell and McKay that 90 minutes is the sweet spot for a silly comedy like this, and that anything much longer than that tends to overstay its welcome. The other major problem with the film (and this isn't necessarily the film's fault) is that the trailer gives away pretty much every major joke/scene from the first hour or so of the movie, making it feel somewhat superfluous to sit through. The film is redeemed by a few surprisingly funny moments, mostly thanks to John C. Reilly. **1/2

The Pineapple Express

THE PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (2008) - July 24, 2008
Though not quite the film of the summer I had once expected it to be, that was probably an unfair prediction; this was a really enjoyable film (if a tad overlong) and more proof that you can't go wrong with a film about lots of stuff happening in a short amount of time. About a couple of pot-heads who go on the run after one of them witnesses a murder, this was a fun movie which was also surprisingly violent (it's clearly meant as a homage to some of the buddy films of the '80s). Much of the reason it works so well is thanks to Seth Rogen and James Franco, who are both very good and have great chemistry together. ***

An American Crime

AN AMERICAN CRIME (2007) - July 22, 2008
A boring, pointless and unpleasant film about a couple of young girls who are left with a complete stranger by their parents; this turns out not to have been the wisest choice on their part. The movie features some above average performances -- both Katherine Keener and Ellen Page are quite good -- but little else to speak of. The direction by Tommy O'Haver is bland, and combined with the murky cinematography, creates a film that is as boring to look at as it is to have to actually watch. The movie is mostly plotless, and features long stretches in which nothing much happens, which you would think would lead to some really well developed characters. Not so. This makes it tough to care too much when the bad stuff starts to go down in the latter half; it also makes it tough to see these scenes as anything other than pointless unpleasantness. Boo-urns. *1/2

The Shawshank Redemption

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994) - July 20, 2008
Well, I guess now I know what all the fuss is about. I can't believe I waited so long. This is a great film, perfectly directed by Frank Darabont and filled with memorable characters and excellent performances. Morgan Freeman gives one of his best performances ever, and Tim Robbins is equally good. In fact, all the performances are well above average, making many of the side-characters more interesting than the protagonists from lesser films. This is also one of those rare movies that has an unusually long running time (about two hours and twenty minutes) but doesn't feel long in the slightest. It's pure gold all the way through, from the opening frames right to the ridiculously moving finale. ****

Harsh Times

HARSH TIMES (2005) - July 19, 2008
Mostly plotless, about the exploits of a couple of friends in a tough part of LA, this film was essentially a showcase for a stunning performance by Christian Bale (playing a character who couldn't be more different from Bruce Wayne). Its rambling, unfocused vibe hurts it a bit, and it goes of the deep end towards the end, but it is redeemed by the above-average performances. **1/2

The Dark Knight

THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) - July 18, 2008
Though this film has been hyped up to an almost ludicrous degree, I think it actually manages to live up to the hype; this is a really good film, maybe even a great one, and one I think I'll have to see at least once more to fully appreciate. The film does a phenomenal job of capturing what makes the character of Batman -- and the world he lives in -- great. It helps that everyone involved is pretty much at the top of their game: Christopher Nolan's direction is just as good as it has ever been (including the action, a notable weak spot in the original) and his screenplay is complex and real without ever losing sight of the fact that this is a summer action movie, and a Batman movie. The performances are all superb, including, of course, the much-ballyhooed Heath Ledger, who gives a pitch-perfect rendering of the Joker. The film is exciting, featuring a perfect balance between action and plot; it's long but it doesn't feel it at all. It essentially takes everything that was good about Batman Begins and makes it better, removing all the less-effective stuff in the process. ****

Batman Begins

BATMAN BEGINS (2005) - July 17, 2008 (Third Viewing)
This held up a lot better the third time than the second (the close proximity between the first and second viewings probably didn't help) -- this is definitely a well above average summer blockbuster. My only major complaint this time around is the action; it's not the worst action ever, but it's definitely mediocre. Thankfully, there's not all that much of it. Above all, this is just a really good drama. Christian Bale is perfect as Batman / Bruce Wayne, and he's surrounded by equally talented actors. And Christopher Nolan's direction, excluding the action, is expectedly stellar. ***1/2

Wanted

WANTED (2008) - July 16, 2008
That wasn't so good. Loosely based on Mark Millar's ultra-violent comic about a world taken over by supervillians, this was about a young man who finds out that his father was a member of a fraternity of assassins, and that he's inherited skills from his father that make him a killing machine. It's entertaining for a while, in a really over-the-top sort of way, but after a while it starts getting tiresome and seriously wears out its welcome. There are a couple of decent action sequences here, but for the most part they're bogged down by the director's relentless flashiness. **

Hellboy

HELLBOY (2004) - July 14, 2008 (Second Viewing)
A really enjoyable film about a demon, escaped from hell, who helps the U.S. government fight various monsters. Featuring the type of inventive visuals Guillermo del Toro has become known for, this is just a really fun movie. ***1/2

WALL-E

WALL-E (2008) - June 30, 2008 (Second Viewing)
It's official -- I love this movie. Many times when I watch a film for the second time, particularly in such close succession with the first viewing, I hone in on the flaws much more, and generally enjoy the film much less. Then there are the truly great films, the ones which seem to get better and better on each subsequent viewing. This appears to be one of those films. Despite having just watched this a couple of days ago, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and found myself getting just as sucked into the story. WALL-E is just such a great character, and the film is so well-crafted; it really is a joy to watch. I can't wait to see it again. ****

WALL-E

WALL-E (2008) - June 27, 2008
I didn't think it was possible, but Pixar have topped themselves -- this is an amazing film, and almost certainly Pixar's best. A rousing triumph from start to finish, this was an awe-inspiringly good film. About a lovable but lonely robot, tasked with cleaning up a barren, abandoned Earth, whose life is turned upsidedown when a female robot named Eve comes to scan the Earth for any signs of life. The film does an impressive job of developing WALL-E and Eve; even without any dialogue, both characters are more likable and fully realized than most humans in the average Hollywood film. There is so much to love in this movie -- from the direction (this is a visually stunning film) to the characters to... well, everthing, I really can't think of much to complain about in this film. It takes a premise which sounds iffy on paper (a whole film revolving around an essentially mute, R2D2-esque robot) and turns it into something magical, something which so perfectly utilizes all of the strengths of the animated medium (telling a story through visuals and imagery) and none of the weaknesses (excessively chatty, wisecracking characters and a tendency to cater to the lowest-common-denominator). It is the rare film that you watch and you realize -- right away -- that you are watching a classic, a film that will be talked about and remembered for years to come. This is one of them. I loved it. ****

The Love Guru

THE LOVE GURU (2008) - June 18, 2008
Oh, the humanity. This was an awful film -- about a guru who is recruited by the Maple Leafs to help their star player get back together with his wife, this was a bad, terminally unfunny film. The humour isn't even hit and miss -- it's all miss, no hit. I don't think I've sat this stone-faced in front of a movie since Schindler's List. Some comedies aren't necessarily laugh-out-loud funny, but manage to get by on charm and the likability of the characters. This film is essentially just series of gags (most revolving around balls or similarly scatological humour), so the complete absence of laughs means it's essentially worthless as a piece of entertainment. *

The Happening

THE HAPPENING (2008) - June 18, 2008
A seriously flawed, but still entertaining and mostly well-made film. About a strange disease that makes people immediately commit suicide, the main problem is the off-kilter, sometimes unintentionally campy tone. It seems like Shyamalan is going for a sort of '50s vibe, like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but it doesn't entirely work. It doesn't help that Mark Wahlberg -- who is a good actor -- is clearly miscast, and seems to strike many of the wrong notes in his performance. Shyamalan's direction is mostly quite good (it's definitely a nice looking film), and there are a few sequences here that are just as good as anything he's done; this is definitely not the disaster that many are making it out to be, but it's not exactly in the same league as something like Unbreakable or Signs. ***

Be Kind Rewind

BE KIND REWIND (2008) - June 17, 2008
A silly but basically entertaining film about a couple of guys who accidentally erase all the tapes in their store, and decide to remake the films themselves and rent them out -- a scheme which proves to be surprisingly popular. The film meanders a bit more than it needs to, and it's never quite as delightful as it's clearly trying to be, but it's affable enough for the most part. I should mention, though, that the cinematography is surprisingly bad, giving the whole film an unpleasantly muddy look. **1/2

Jumper

JUMPER (2008) - June 16, 2008
A generally entertaining if somewhat mediocre action film about a guy who has the power to teleport (or "jump") anywhere he wants, and the shenanigans he gets into once a group called the Paladins starts chasing him down. The film feels more like a string of loosely connected set-pieces than a cohesive whole, and the characters are woefully underdeveloped -- we never learn a thing about Samuel L. Jackson's villain beyond "Jumpers, I hate these guys!" and his motivation remains baffling throughout. The film was competently directed by Doug Liman (and I did like the scene where Hayden Christensen and the other jumper fought throughout the world), and it wasn't boring, it was just... meh. **1/2

Cause for Alarm!

CAUSE FOR ALARM! (1951) - June 15, 2008
About a housewife whose paranoid husband accuses her of trying to murder him and then promptly dies, leaving her to frantically try to recover the letter to the DA that he just mailed. It's a simple premise, but it's well executed and briskly paced, running at a snappy 74 minutes. The film was well directed, and Loretta Young was quite good in the main role. This film is a great example of how to take something fairly simple and make it far better than you'd expect. ***