As the draws to a close there are a couple of movies out there I would still like to catch before I bid 2007 a dieu. However one of the movies I knew there was no way I was going to miss was Will Smith latest, potential blockbuster, if such a thing is possible in December, I Am Legend. This movie along with American Ganster were a must for me before the close of the year. Both feature two of my favorite actors, Mr. Washington and Mr. Smith, and both had all the makings of greatness in the design. American Gangster did not disappoint and delivered everywhere it was supposed to, I Am Legend was in no way a disappointment, but did fall a little short. Please don't mistake what I am saying, and I will get to this later, the movie is definitely worth seeing, I highly recommend it, but when you are Will Smith I expect greatness every single time, and this fell just short of greatness.
The premise of the movie was an interesting idea; supposed cure for cancer turns out to be infectious disease that turns all those that come into contact with it into "mindless" super zombies that are faster, stronger, and more agile than humans. However they feed on flesh and blood and are extremely sensitive to ultra violet light. Dr. Neville, Will Smith, is immune to the disease and spends several years alone in New York as the only apparent human survivor trying to develop a cure. Along with his dog Will spends his days, trying to contact any other potential survivors, working on a cure and trying to stay alive.
I Am Legend features a couple of very cool action sequences and a handful of very poignant moments, in particular one between Will and a mannequin. I cannot say anything negative about Will's acting, once again he is exceptional. While Will did not bulk-up to Muhammad Ali size, he definitely toned up and got really fit for this flick, in addition to the look Will had absolutely no problem pulling off the role of genius, super soldier, trying to save the world. Both acting and visually the movie was tops, the movie fell a little short on the story side of things. I can't say the ending sucked, but I don't know it fell a little short. If you haven't seen it I won't ruin, but there was this big build up and in the end the story cheated itself. I will however disagree with many of the critics that felt the infected humans were not scary enough. I don't think the point was for them to be scary, the movie was unaffected by the design of the infected humans.
I really enjoyed this movie, a lot of fun, exciting, suspenseful, emotional, I want to say it was great, but it fell just short of great, but no excuse to not see this movie or even own it.
GRADE - B+
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
American Gangster
I am not sure how this movie was not going to be great, I mean I guess it was possible for this movie to not deliver in every aspect, it has happened before, but in no way was this movie not freakin awesome. I mean I really don't want to say much more because it will all sound so cliche, but man this was a really good movie. I can sum this movie up in one scene. Russ and Denzel face off near the end, it is just the two of them sitting down at table across form one another from one another, each trying to get the other to give up more than they are willing to give up. Normally Denzel crushes the other actor, not in any ill inteded way, but he is just that good and his personality is just that strong and it is hard to hold your own with Denzel and not look like you are literally trying to out do him, but Russ man, Russ stood toe to toe, nose to nose, to one of Hollywood's biggest giants and he did not blink. That is American Gangster, Ridely Scott telling the story of two giants from opposite sides of the law finding enough common ground to work together.
Nuff said
GRADE - A
Nuff said
GRADE - A
Michael Clayton
George, George, George, when did you get so good at this whole acting thing. George Clooney is one of those guys that your like, man how long as he been acting, then you look at his filmography and your like wow, this dude has been acting for a while. And not only that, but the man makes pretty good movies. This was not exception, in fact this was definately near the top of his list, if not his best work, which it very well maybe.
Michael Clayton is a janitor at one of largest most powerful law firms in the world. And by janitor I mean attorney that legally cleans up all the messses other attorneys and their really, really, really wealthly clients make. Michael has made a living out of being able to undo what other dumber more carless attorneys do. This is a niche that Michael has carved out for himself and in the world of corporate law, this niche is as close to tenure as you can get in a law firm.
This film features Michael setting out to clean up the mess of one of his long time friends and a giant at the law firm, Arthur Edens, played by the uber talented Tom Wilkinson. Michael sets out to clean up Arthur's mess, but when Arthur seemingly kills himself Michael sets out to finish the work that his friend Arthur started. Which is taking down one of their major clients for really grimy business practices.
The story is strong, lots of twists and turns and u-turns and suspense and just really good things happening on screen, but I can't say enough about how well acted this peice was. Everyone, I mean just everyone was gold, Tilda Swinton, playing lead council for the grimmy argicultural company that has poisoned people, Sydney Pollack, playing one of the partners at the firm, Tom Wilkinson I already mentioned and of course Mr. Clooney. I don't know if he is getting Oscar buzz and really that doesn't matter all that much to me, but he should, the dude was just money, for two hours he was on, he never missed not once.
You would be crazy if you don't stop reading this right now and go get this movie... ok if you have just come back from wherever you get movies get ready to enjoy one of the best movies of the year. If you haven't left yet let me make it easy for you.
GRADE - A
Michael Clayton is a janitor at one of largest most powerful law firms in the world. And by janitor I mean attorney that legally cleans up all the messses other attorneys and their really, really, really wealthly clients make. Michael has made a living out of being able to undo what other dumber more carless attorneys do. This is a niche that Michael has carved out for himself and in the world of corporate law, this niche is as close to tenure as you can get in a law firm.
This film features Michael setting out to clean up the mess of one of his long time friends and a giant at the law firm, Arthur Edens, played by the uber talented Tom Wilkinson. Michael sets out to clean up Arthur's mess, but when Arthur seemingly kills himself Michael sets out to finish the work that his friend Arthur started. Which is taking down one of their major clients for really grimy business practices.
The story is strong, lots of twists and turns and u-turns and suspense and just really good things happening on screen, but I can't say enough about how well acted this peice was. Everyone, I mean just everyone was gold, Tilda Swinton, playing lead council for the grimmy argicultural company that has poisoned people, Sydney Pollack, playing one of the partners at the firm, Tom Wilkinson I already mentioned and of course Mr. Clooney. I don't know if he is getting Oscar buzz and really that doesn't matter all that much to me, but he should, the dude was just money, for two hours he was on, he never missed not once.
You would be crazy if you don't stop reading this right now and go get this movie... ok if you have just come back from wherever you get movies get ready to enjoy one of the best movies of the year. If you haven't left yet let me make it easy for you.
GRADE - A
The Kingdom
What do you get when you combine, Jaime Foxx, Jason Bateman, Jen Garner, Chris Cooper, Peter Berg, the middle east, terrorism and the most intense 3o minutes of climatic action you will ever see, give up The Kingdom. This movie is about what goes on in Saudi Arabia that most Americans have no clue about. I cannot vouch for how accurate the film is, I studied Latin America college not the Middle East, but I can tell you that felt like it was accurate.
Peter Berg is like my favoritest director that I never think about. This dude just makes solid, fun to watch movies that are never boring. Now the marketing of this movie would lead you to believe it was going to be more than a simply action movie, so don't believe the hype, but than again what is wrong with being a simple action movie. For an action movie this one was a little slow, the begining was good, the middle dragged in parts, but the ending more than made up for it. In fact I am comfortable saying the movie was built around the last 3o minutes and in that regard it did not fail. It delivered several times over.
The story was believable in the sense that stuff goes down in Saudi Arabia, Americans get killed and the last thing the Saudi government wants is American involvment so everything it took to get the FBI over there is believable. It is also not difficult to imagine that once over there they would not be welcomed with open arms. So the initial investigation was slow going, but stuff happens a common ground is found and the investigation is off and runing.
I should say a word about the acting, GREAT. I don't need to say much about the aforementioned cast, however I want to spend a special shout out to Ashraf Barhom, who played the Saudi Colonel that aided the FBI's investigation. This guys was awesome, I mean really really good he along with Ali Suliman money all the way. It is nice that western film has gotten to the place where we put in the effort to cast people from the region to play these roles as opposed to casting a westerner with a tan and learning an accent. This way the acting is much more authentic and pays huge dividens on screen.
Whats not to like about this movie, it was not perfect, but most movies aren't. The Kingdom is a good time at the flix, definately a must see.
GRADE - A-
Peter Berg is like my favoritest director that I never think about. This dude just makes solid, fun to watch movies that are never boring. Now the marketing of this movie would lead you to believe it was going to be more than a simply action movie, so don't believe the hype, but than again what is wrong with being a simple action movie. For an action movie this one was a little slow, the begining was good, the middle dragged in parts, but the ending more than made up for it. In fact I am comfortable saying the movie was built around the last 3o minutes and in that regard it did not fail. It delivered several times over.
The story was believable in the sense that stuff goes down in Saudi Arabia, Americans get killed and the last thing the Saudi government wants is American involvment so everything it took to get the FBI over there is believable. It is also not difficult to imagine that once over there they would not be welcomed with open arms. So the initial investigation was slow going, but stuff happens a common ground is found and the investigation is off and runing.
I should say a word about the acting, GREAT. I don't need to say much about the aforementioned cast, however I want to spend a special shout out to Ashraf Barhom, who played the Saudi Colonel that aided the FBI's investigation. This guys was awesome, I mean really really good he along with Ali Suliman money all the way. It is nice that western film has gotten to the place where we put in the effort to cast people from the region to play these roles as opposed to casting a westerner with a tan and learning an accent. This way the acting is much more authentic and pays huge dividens on screen.
Whats not to like about this movie, it was not perfect, but most movies aren't. The Kingdom is a good time at the flix, definately a must see.
GRADE - A-
The Brave One
Is it possible to be tough and vulnerable at the same time, if you are Jodie Foster it is. This is just another one of those films that Jodie has added to growing list of Jodie Foster movies. There are a handful of actors/actresses that have become so good at developing a character composite that it becomes their role, their movie; Jodie Foster, Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino. These folks have become so good that movies are written for them to do their schtick. This is not a knock in anyway, there personalities are so strong that they define the roles they take and it becomes them. It is hard for me to think of anyone else playing this role, Jodie is the best at it.
From a film making perspective this movie did not do much to move me or impress me in anyway. The story was sort of perdictable and in the end the lesson learned is being a vigilante is acceptiable as long as you have a really good reason. Having said that the cast is strong enough to make the movie watchable. I really don't need to say anything about Jodie. Terrance Howard is very quietly turning himself into a big time actor that demands respect. He was strong, on time and did not shrink into the background in his scenes with Jodie, but also did not try to steal them either. Naveen Andrews wins the award for luckiest guy ever because he as like two lines in the whole movie. All he had to do was show up and make out with smokin hot Jodie. Granted his character also got beat to death in maybe the most brutal fashion possible, but hey making out with Jodie might be worth it.
Good acting, weak story, weaker ending, not a must see, but worth a Netflix selection.
GRADE - C+
From a film making perspective this movie did not do much to move me or impress me in anyway. The story was sort of perdictable and in the end the lesson learned is being a vigilante is acceptiable as long as you have a really good reason. Having said that the cast is strong enough to make the movie watchable. I really don't need to say anything about Jodie. Terrance Howard is very quietly turning himself into a big time actor that demands respect. He was strong, on time and did not shrink into the background in his scenes with Jodie, but also did not try to steal them either. Naveen Andrews wins the award for luckiest guy ever because he as like two lines in the whole movie. All he had to do was show up and make out with smokin hot Jodie. Granted his character also got beat to death in maybe the most brutal fashion possible, but hey making out with Jodie might be worth it.
Good acting, weak story, weaker ending, not a must see, but worth a Netflix selection.
GRADE - C+
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Eastern Promises
Cronenberg is a twisted individual, but I will give him credit for one thing, he definately takes the movie out of movie violence. I have never been in a brutal knife while steaming in suana, but I imagine it would go a little something like what happened during this movie. There is not sensationalism with Cronenberg he depicts violence as it might actually go down. The violence is brutal and uncontrolled and bloody. His fight scenes are not ten minute choreographed dance numbers, they are knock down drag out, bloody messes that makes the audience cringe and squirm at what they are watching. He does what he does and he does it really well. Cronenberg's graphically violent tendencies aside, which is in now way a knock, Eastern Promises shows western audiences a side to the Russian mafia they have never seen before.
Eastern Promises is the story of a baby, a baby whose mother, a teen-aged prostitute who is raped by the head of the Russian mafia, and than beaten, she later dies at the hospital during child birth. The mother leaves behind a diary that reveals all the terrors she suffered at the hands of the Russian Mafia. The nurse that delivered the baby, Naomi Watts finds the diary and tries to get it translated by taking it back to the very same people that killed the girl. At this restaurant she meets and falls for an undercover agent for Scotland Yard, Viggo Mortensen, posing as a driver trying to make his way up the crime ladder. What follows is a story of how this nurse intent on finding locating this dead girl's family comes to adopt this little child, but getting her father, one of the mafia heads, killed.
It is hard to describe this movie in a few words. There are romantic elements amid splashes of suspense and violence. This movie is a slice out of the lives of the characters we meet on screen. This does not tell a whole story, but rather the turbulent begining of child's life through the lense of her mother's death. We are not entirely sur of what happened before this moment or after all we are given is this breif view into their lives.
In the end it is a good movie, not great because frankly not enough happens for me and I can really do without the naked guy on guy on guy bloody suana brawl. To his credit Viggo does whatever is asked of him and David C. makes movie violence look as close to real thing as possible. Not a must see, but worth a watch for sure.
GRADE - C+
Eastern Promises is the story of a baby, a baby whose mother, a teen-aged prostitute who is raped by the head of the Russian mafia, and than beaten, she later dies at the hospital during child birth. The mother leaves behind a diary that reveals all the terrors she suffered at the hands of the Russian Mafia. The nurse that delivered the baby, Naomi Watts finds the diary and tries to get it translated by taking it back to the very same people that killed the girl. At this restaurant she meets and falls for an undercover agent for Scotland Yard, Viggo Mortensen, posing as a driver trying to make his way up the crime ladder. What follows is a story of how this nurse intent on finding locating this dead girl's family comes to adopt this little child, but getting her father, one of the mafia heads, killed.
It is hard to describe this movie in a few words. There are romantic elements amid splashes of suspense and violence. This movie is a slice out of the lives of the characters we meet on screen. This does not tell a whole story, but rather the turbulent begining of child's life through the lense of her mother's death. We are not entirely sur of what happened before this moment or after all we are given is this breif view into their lives.
In the end it is a good movie, not great because frankly not enough happens for me and I can really do without the naked guy on guy on guy bloody suana brawl. To his credit Viggo does whatever is asked of him and David C. makes movie violence look as close to real thing as possible. Not a must see, but worth a watch for sure.
GRADE - C+
Shoot'Em up
I am skipping the pleasantries and getting right down to business. I am not exactly how I feel about this movie, I am not even sure I can give an effective recap. Clive Owen is Smith, an off the grid former British super soldier that is just trying to stay out of trouble, Paul Giamatti is Hertz, the kind of trouble Smith is trying to avoid and Monic Bellucci is Donna Quintano a lactating prostitute that specializes in... special kind of fetish. The characters are strange enough and the cast is talented enough to make it work, sort of.
The movie is about a baby, a special baby bred for a special purpose, Owen doesn't know the baby is special when he saves the baby's life, but he does and that puts him in Giamatti's cross hairs. Owen goes to Bellucci for help with tacking care of the baby, Giamatti tracks them both down and with a name like Shoot'Em Up, you can imagine what happens.
It is clear that director, Michael Davis was making a tongue and cheek action movie with ridiculous action sequences and spectacular special effects. That is was cool and the cast was cool, but the movie the story, well I guess I should not have expected much. I am guessing that it was written to be ironic and more of a satire, thus the really ridiculous actions scenes, for example a gun fight while sky diving. Either that or Owen and Giamatti read the script and figured this would be a good chance for them to make a movie without having to break a sweat. Owen's character was really a montange of a bunch of other characters he has already played and Giamatti, well I think he so this as his chance to just be rediculous and no one would notice. As for Bellucci, she talented no doubt, this movie doesn't do her much justice, but it definately played up her hotness and yeah she is blazin. That is the sound of Diane Lane getting bumped of the list and replace by Bellucci.
Unless you have a good sense of humor or are able to enjoy a really superficial action movie I would not recommend this. I enjoyed myself, but I was not jumping out of my seat. Some cool visuals, but nothing to go nuts over, well maybe the scene from the hotel, yea good stuff.
GRADE - B-
The movie is about a baby, a special baby bred for a special purpose, Owen doesn't know the baby is special when he saves the baby's life, but he does and that puts him in Giamatti's cross hairs. Owen goes to Bellucci for help with tacking care of the baby, Giamatti tracks them both down and with a name like Shoot'Em Up, you can imagine what happens.
It is clear that director, Michael Davis was making a tongue and cheek action movie with ridiculous action sequences and spectacular special effects. That is was cool and the cast was cool, but the movie the story, well I guess I should not have expected much. I am guessing that it was written to be ironic and more of a satire, thus the really ridiculous actions scenes, for example a gun fight while sky diving. Either that or Owen and Giamatti read the script and figured this would be a good chance for them to make a movie without having to break a sweat. Owen's character was really a montange of a bunch of other characters he has already played and Giamatti, well I think he so this as his chance to just be rediculous and no one would notice. As for Bellucci, she talented no doubt, this movie doesn't do her much justice, but it definately played up her hotness and yeah she is blazin. That is the sound of Diane Lane getting bumped of the list and replace by Bellucci.
Unless you have a good sense of humor or are able to enjoy a really superficial action movie I would not recommend this. I enjoyed myself, but I was not jumping out of my seat. Some cool visuals, but nothing to go nuts over, well maybe the scene from the hotel, yea good stuff.
GRADE - B-
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
