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Reviews
Derailed (2005)
The Wimp Factor
Was no one else a bit incredulous at the wimp factor in Clive Owen's character? He makes the wrong choice over and over again. I found it hard to believe he would allow himself to be blackmailed for the money saved for his daughter.The naiveté of this guy was too much to believe. The plot was just...so....ordinary. I will admit the "twist" was good but I also considered it before it was revealed. Considering that Charlie was terrified of telling his wife what happened, he seems to have suffered no ill effects and she does not even appear to be "in the picture." So, what was the big deal? The movie was stylish, the acting okay, the premise predictable.
Net Games (2003)
How did this movie ever get made?
A young married man with a wife who is a recent, traumatized rape victim, turns to a cyber-sex Internet site at the suggestion of a friend. He quickly gets ensnared into a conversation/sex session with Angel. Angel is a nut case. The wife, along with her therapist, goes to visit her rapist in prison to bring closure. The confrontation is brief and really pretty ridiculous. The wife returns home ready to hop into bed, having gotten over her post-traumatic stress by yelling some obscenities at the rapist. Meanwhile, our hero is being stalked by Angel after he tries to break off the relationship. She has called him at home, his office, sent pictures.
There is no explanation for who took the pictures; no explanation as to why this seemingly intelligent man would fall for this. He agrees to meet with Angel and finds a dead body. He and his friend Ray bury the body, assuming it is Angel. No explanation is given as to who might have killed her or why.
As a red herring, perhaps, the police detective in this case is blonde and attractive and looks remarkably like Angel. And so does the wife's therapist. The sex is monotonous and looks like they shot two or three scenes to be used over and over. Acting is okay. Production values okay. The plot is stupid. Ed Begley Jr, in a small part, must have been desperate for the money.
Gosford Park (2001)
Wonderful twist on an old plot
When this comes out on DVD, I will buy it. I did miss quite a bit of the dialogue at the beginning. It was important for the set up of the story. The British accents took a bit of time to get used to. And the conventions of 1930's British society aren't particularly well known to American audiences.
The old English country house in the rain--many guests who seem to have agendas with each other theme is one we've seen before. However, in Altman's hands (with some help from the very talented and watchable Bob Balaban), "Gosford Park" becomes a true original. The interwoven plots of domestic politics both up and downstairs are a terrific comment on the rigid class distinctions in England. And Americans don't fare much better with Bob Balaban's constant monopolization of the one telephone line in his long distance dealings with Hollywood. Altman's movies are never brief. However, there wasn't a glacial moment in this slick story. The actors were well chosen and run the gamut from veterans to newcomers.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Enjoyable but lots of loose ends
Haley Joel Osment may not be a household name yet, but he will certainly be in demand after this performance. For such a young actor to sustain believability without resorting to histrionics is an enviable feat. Bruce Willis does some fine work as the psychiatrist who must try to help this boy beleaguered by ghosts. I wonder, however, about some scenes that must have ended up on the cutting room floor. We never get any explanation about the ghosts in Cole's own home. Their unsettling appearances are never explained. And I am sorry, but I did foresee the ending. All in all, a good thriller, though, and worth the price of admission.
The Mod Squad (1999)
Was the director out to lunch or on drugs?
This has to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen. With very little plot, poor acting (some exceptions), and terrible lighting, we are subjected to an extremely bad imitation of the old television series. No explanation, other than a few headlines, gives us any idea how or why these dolts were elected to be the new mod squad. Claire Danes is okay, as is Omar Epps. Giovanni Ribisi, however, doesn't know (or was not directed to know) if his character is a buffoon or a seriously troubled young man. The long pauses and takes on faces failed to engage me--they were merely irritating. This movie sometimes appeared to be a parody; at other times it took itself too seriously. Some bad lighting caused Claire Danes to have a flickering nose in one scene. The ending was ludicrous. Don't waste your money.