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Reviews
Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo (2004)
One of the Best Movie About War
It started out like so many other movies, a short clip of the present and then a long flashback. And then it blew me away with its depiction of war and all of its complexities. The changes in the attitudes of the two brothers as the Korean War progresses helps us understand that war is not merely about good and evil. The most well intentioned soldier or commander can go astray. The Korean War turned brother against brother based on little more than time and place, conviction, or happenstance.
Take Guk Gi is the best antiwar movie that I have seen since Johnny Got His Gun.
It reminded me of the beginning of Saving Private Ryan, which I thought captured some of the reality of war while avoiding the pitfalls that Saving Private Ryan fell.
If the DC crowd watched the Battle of Algiers but missed the message, All Americans should see Tae Guk Gi to better understand the horror and tragedy of war.
The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
It Had a Chance
I forgot how bad Vin was in the XXX action scenes. It appears that the director's solution was to blur all of the big action scenes making them impossible to watch. Vin should stick to showing his muscles and brooding, as not much else worked in this movie. This is the first film with Linus Roach that I did not like. Some of the initial invasion CG sequences were intriguing and well thought out. The storyline, script, dialogue, and character development needed the same attention to detail and internal consistency. The 'underverse' was underwhelming (neither are words, nor do they make sense). The ending was like OMG we have to set the stage for a sequel with as little effort as possible.
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)
George cannot act - Can he direct?
George Clooney has repeatedly demonstrated that he should have stayed on the small screen (Three Kings, Ocean's Eleven). In just under 2 hours, he placed his dismal stamp on The Gong Show of Big Screen entertainment. Other than George's obsession with displaying Sam Rockwell's buttocks, little can be said for his foray into directing.
How can whacko material like Chuck Barris and the Dating Game be transformed into two hours void of laughter? While growing up in the 1950's and 60's, the Clooney name was synonymous with outrageous humor and a great sense of timing. Not so in the new millennium.
Narc (2002)
A little research is in order.
Detroit - hardly. Have any of the multitudes of producers, script writers,or casting agents ever stepped within the city limits? No. If they had, at least one of the references to the Motor City would have been correct.
Use of the city's name in such a manner has strong racist undertones.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
A Small Step Forward for Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus added the first hint of magic to his filmography with the release of the second film in the Harry Potter series. If he directs ten more (I know there aren't that many books yet) and continues to improve with each entry, he may provide us with a credible fantasy movie. Sadly, he can deliver C- Harry Potter movies and have them rated in the top 250 on Imdb.
Why is it that science fiction and fantasy fans are so forgiving when directors and studios continue to rely on a book (Harry Potter), a television series (Star Trek), or the first film in a series (Star Wars)? Further, spend all of their time and money on digital imagery and special effects and forget to demand quality efforts from the directors (George Lucas included), screenwriters, and actors?
8 Mile (2002)
Go With the Flow
A surprising success given that most music scene films are abysmal. I know little or nothing about rap music and seldom listen to it. Even so, the music fit perfectly with the tone and pacing of 8 Mile. If you flow with 8 Mile's tone and pacing, you can overlook some of the script's awkwardness.
Eminem may prove himself a credible actor. Few singers have gone on to have successful careers as actors. He may join the short list with another pretty face (Mark Wahlberg). He showed a screen presence uncommon in a first film.
Few films and set in the Detroit area and most of those were filmed elsewhere (i.e.; Grosse Pointe Blank). I enjoyed seeing familiar locations having lived downtown Detroit and frequently walked by the Shelter and Michigan Theater. The parking structure built inside the once grand Michigan Theater probably cannot be duplicated elsewhere.
Hit and Runway (1999)
Just Run Away
The gay Jewish nerd was a clichéd gay Woody Allen at his worst. The dumb Italian jock has the screen presence of wilted lettuce. Kerr Smith, as cute as ever, is obsessed with Jewish men because of how they pronounce the `ch' sound.
The Out Magazine quote on the back of the DVD box cover was `Kiss Me Guido meets Annie Hall'. I would suggest `Kiss Me Guido without Guido'.
Abandon (2002)
Pacing and Predictability
Slow paced films allow the audience to immerse themselves the landscape, the time period, the storyline, suspense, or characters. Sadly, Abandon did not shine in any of these areas. If the title and trailer didn't give it away, the delusional student became obvious within minutes leaving little to the imagination. The storyline was ordinary and the lead characters could not carry the weight. Katie Holmes provided a nice smile but little else. It may be back to the small screen or a search for a more demanding director.
Her collegiate friends were well crafted and acted but hardly enough to make up for the lackluster leading character.
Tadpole (2002)
Tadpole or frog?
The film started with an interesting premise and a script sprinkled with light humor. When combined with a good ensemble cast, the film should have been a true delight. However, casting a 25 year-old actor to play the 15 year-old lead character was a fatal flaw. The age difference between 25 year-old Aaron Stanford (Oscar) and 17 year-old Robert Iler (Charlie) became increasingly problematic as the film progressed.