Category: 2005
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In the few reviews of The Ice Harvest I looked at before renting the DVD, the reviewers all called John Cusack’s lawyer character dumb. Watching the film, however, I noticed John Cusack was doing what he always does… playing John Cusack. So, I didn’t really see his character as stupid (I was trying to read…
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It’s probably impossible to describe Tokyo Zombie’s wackiness. It is a comedic zombie movie, but the zombies themselves aren’t comedic. They’re really not a part of the film except as… I don’t know. They’re not villains or monsters. They’re just silly. The center of Tokyo Zombie is love. Specifically, the love of jujitsu. The story…
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Typhoon is the biggest budgeted South Korean film to date. The money’s well spent, as the film looks like any big budget film. If there are any massive amounts of CG, they’d be at the end, during the storm, which happens at night, making things a lot easier. However, the budget can’t fix any of…
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Welcome to Dongmakgol is about an idyllic village in the midst of the Korean War. Two soldiers from the South, three from the North, and an American flyer end up there. Obviously, they learn people are just people and wars are a bad idea, but Dongmakgol revels in itself so much, it’s impossible to dismiss…
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I’m not sure who’s odder, Soderbergh for making it or Coleman Hough for “writing” it. Since much of the actual scene content is improvised, I think I’m going to have to go with Soderbergh. Bubble leaves one with quite a few thoughts–especially if the viewer knows the cast is nonprofessional and turn in better performances…
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In many ways, Game 6 is the Michael Keaton movie I’ve been waiting ten years to see. He’s the lead, it isn’t a comedy, he’s got a grown kid, it ought to be a return to form. It’s a mildly high profile film, or at least it should have been, as Don DeLillo wrote it.…
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Fairly terrible tale of arms dealer Nicolas Cage–set over twenty years–as he works with unreliable little brother Jared Leto, romances and marries Bridget Monyahan, and avoids hotshot Interpol agent Ethan Hawke. When the script’s not telling bad jokes, it’s just being bad; less a film than a collection of loosely related scenes connected with poorly…
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Funny but bad combination of stand-up special and variety show, with Silverman awkwardly going between her mediocre set and bad musical numbers. Better direction might help (about the only good thing about the film, technically, is the editing) but barely over half the 70 minute run time is the stand-up. The rest is the bland,…
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Okay Meat pie Western (Australian Western) about lawman Ray Winstone getting outlaw Guy Pearce to go and kill worse outlaw (and Pearce’s older brother) Danny Huston. While Pearce is off hunting Huston–and experiencing all the turmoil of that situation–Winstone contends with his complicated, but loving, marriage to Emily Watson. Phenomenal performance Winstone, good but could…
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Not exactly romantic comedy or drama about school teacher Park Hae-il perving on and manipulating colleague Kang Hye-jeong into dating him–the film goes from being a cringe-y “sexual harassment comedy” to a cringe-y “sexual harassment drama.” Really strong performance from Kang and some potentially good dramatic developments in the plot get flushed for the pat…
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Atrociously written action sequel about “transporter” Jason Statham and the trouble he gets into because of one of his jobs. His jobs transporting things. Good thing he also knows kung fu. Terrible acting besides Statham and reluctant cop sidekick François Berléand. Kate Nauta’s performance is probably one of the worst ever in a theatrically released,…
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Spectacular adaption of 1928 H.P. Lovecraft horror story done as a silent film, without any CGI, made in the CGI era. Lots of great, inventive filmmaking and an outstanding adaptation (by Sean Brannery) into the silent film medium. It’s well-worth a look. DVD, Streaming.Continue reading →
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Shallow look at the complexities of American Imperialism in the Middle East–think Noam Chomsky for progressive sitcom viewers–would probably be a lot more successful if writer-director Gaghan didn’t pretend he was making documentary; so lots of shaky-cam of a straight dramatic narrative. Great performances from Matt Damon, Amanda Peet, and Alexander Siddig; not so much…
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Exasperatingly over-stylized adaptation of the Frank Miller comic has a bunch of good performances and a bunch of bad ones. The three stories–which are cut together in the regular version, separate in this extended version–range in quality big-time. As “Hard R” film noir… it comes off more like PULP FICTION with CW Network actors. Clive…
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Middling drama about two young and pretty autistic people, Josh Hartnett and Radha Mitchell, meeting, falling in love, dating, having problems. The film’s got very little to say about autism–Hartnett’s the lead, but the character and performance are geared for a supporting role–it’s just a romantic drama. A light one. Næss’s direction is good. Mitchell’s…
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Woody Allen goes London with this excellent (but just a thriller) thriller about tennis instructor Jonathan Rhys-Meyers who marries up (to Emily Mortimer) but starts cheating with his new brother-in-law’s girlfriend (Scarlett Johansson). Rhys-Meyers and Johansson are both excellent. Impeccably executed, with a great British supporting cast and healthy nods to the old Ealing comedies.…
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Middling but inoffensive Korean supernatural thriller about an Antarctic expedition; pretty soon expedition members start dying off one by one. Beautiful New Zealand locations, fine direction, and okay plotting can’t overcome weak characterizations or the script’s emotional cheapness. The acting is better than the writing needs or deserves. DVD (R3).Continue reading →
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Black comedy about thief Robert Downey Jr. masquerading as an actor and getting wrapped up in a noir-ish L.A. conspiracy. Val Kilmer’s sort of the hard-boiled P.I., Michelle Monaghan’s sort of the femme fatale. Great performance from Downey and phenomenally constructed script from director Black enable the whole thing. Kilmer and Monaghan are both excellent…
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Direct continuation sequel is probably incomprehensible if you haven’t seen #1. Ueto Aya is a master assassin in Tokugawa Japan; everyone underestimates her because she’s a girl. Low budget, bad villains, and Kaneko’s mostly unimaginative direction don’t help, neither do the sillier aspects of the script. Ueto’s good and Kaneko does an amazing job with…
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First and only full-length theatrical outing for director Park and his clay animated creations Wallace and Gromit. It’s a great expansion of the duo’s adventures, but one is kind of okay. The clay animation and writing are exceptional work, as always, from Park and company. DVD, Blu-ray, Streaming.Continue reading →
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Not good drama has Daniel Day-Lewis a hippie widower living on an island with teenage daughter Camilla Belle; they’re the only people on the island, an abandoned commune. He decides they need a female figure so he moves in girlfriend Catherine Keener and her two sons. Belle doesn’t react well to the new status quo.…
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Well, now, I’m surprised. Batman Begins is not terrible. It’s not good either. Not good at all. It has damning faults in three areas, and since this film is the first critically praised one I’ve thrashed–at least the first critically praised one currently still in the theaters–this post is going to be a little more…
The Stop Button 