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Reviews
Burn After Reading (2008)
Coen Brothers Where Art Thou?
I've loved the witty dialog and unexpected plot twists that characterize the Coen brothers movies ever since Raising Arizona; however, "Burn After Reading" would be more aptly titled, "Burn Before Viewing."
Pitt, as the vapid, gum-chewing physical trainer, seems to be going through the motions. There's nothing memorable about his performance. Clooney gives a performance we've already seen in "Intolerable Cruelty" as the womanizing buffoon.
And, once again, Swinton plays the same "white witch" we saw in Prince Caspian. She does a delightful job as the frosty wife but brings nothing new or interesting to the performance.
McDormand, as the aging physical trainer, and Malkovich, as the former CIA agent do the best they can with the mediocre material provided.
I'm a great fan of the Coen brothers, but this movie falls far short of their potential; however, the last truly great movie they made was O Brother Where Art Thou. Maybe they've run out of ideas.
Rush Hour 3 (2007)
No action, no fun, no story--don't even bother with the DVD
I loved Rush Hour and Rush Hour 2. What a disappointment Rush Hour 3 is.
There is less plot than a porno movie and what plot there is doesn't hang together well. I mean, who's the chick with the fan and what is her motivation for chasing them? Is she one of the dragon heads? Where is the clever dialog, where are the interesting twists?
The action is WEAK, has lousy choreography, and is filmed poorly! One of the main difficulties is that, throughout the film, Chris Tucker has better moves than Jackie Chan. I love Jackie Chan, but he almost seems bored as the waddles across the freeway and slides down a pole--it figures he would be bored because he's done this stunt and done it better in films such as "Who Am I."
I hope the action in Jet Li's "War" is more interesting.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
Felt like I was spending an eternity in Davy Jones' Locker
This is one of the most boring movies I've seen. It's on par with "Howard the Duck." If you go with friends or with a date, you'll pray for the film to be over. You'll want to gnaw off your limbs to escape the theater.
Johnny Depp is his sexy, mischievous self, but there's just so much mincing and pouting a man can do and still be appealing.
The CGI is really remarkable but, again, there's just so many times that one can look at Mr. Tentacle Face and his school of undead pirates and be awed by computer animation.
Save your money and save your time; otherwise, you'll feel like you've been cursed to spend eternity watching "Pirates II."
Something's Gotta Give (2003)
You've GOT to be kidding
It's very disappointing to see an actress with the style, intelligence and comedic timing of Diane Keaton in a role where she plays a lovesick teenager.
And, while it was wonderful to see Paul Michael Glaser, this movie sadly squanders the talent of Frances McDormand.
*SPOILER ALERT* *SPOILER ALERT* This isn't romance, it's pathetic. I don't think Keanu is particularly sexy but romance would have had Erica in Paris on her honeymoon, having hot sex with Julian after having built a quality relationship with him.
And, I could have gone all my life without ever having seen Jack Nicholson's 60-year-old butt.
Deux frères (2004)
Disturbing and Wonderful
I thought I was going to see a happy, "Disneyfied" movie about two tigers who grew up, romping through the jungle, and who lived happily ever after.
Instead I saw a movie that shows how a population of 700,000 tigers can dwindle to 5,000. This movie was shocking and disturbing--and, at points, I cried. I wondered if, in my lifetime, tigers and rhinos and whales and koalas will become extinct.
The director caught the beauty of the tigers and cuteness of the cubs very well. The sense of family the tigers share is something I've seen in my own housecats.
All in all, a visually beautiful movie, a disturbing movie, a thought-provoking movie.
Because of the implied violence to animals, I would not take a very young child to see this movie, but perhaps a child of 10 or older.
He ni zai yi qi (2002)
Two thumbs up for Together (2003)
I walked away from this gentle, uplifting movie smiling and with a song in my heart.
The characters were likeable--it would be fun to have tea with Professor Jiang or go shopping with Mimi--even if they were not complex.
The music was amazing. At times I held my breath in watching Chun's performance of the more complicated pieces. It's incredible to be able to get sounds that move one's soul from nothing more than a couple of pieces of wood and some cat gut.
And, although I knew how the story would end, I was surprised at the twist that was used to get to that ending.
Shanghai Knights (2003)
Yuck
This movie tries way too hard to be funny. The beauty of Shanghai Noon and Rush Hour is that they're simple, formulaic buddy flicks. The appeal is the unfolding relationship between the two lead actors with all the goofy problems that come with getting to know someone.
Shanghai Knights is not so good. It reminds me of a person who tells you a joke and then jabs you repeatedly in the ribs to see if you got it. The comedy is so forced...it tries SO hard.
The Quiet Earth (1985)
Still walks through my my memory after all these years
I'm another person who saw this movie in a small art theater on Balboa Island, CA, in 1985. "Quiet Earth" was so haunting that, while channel surfing 15 years later, I saw just a flash of the image of Zac awakening and recognized the film instantly. I settled in to watch the film again--even knowing the ending--and its impact was still incredible.
Maybe it's not for serious sci-fi fans but definitely for people who like movies with apocalyptic themes, such as "A Boy and His Dog".
The Tuxedo (2002)
Too vanilla for Jackie Chan
"The Tuxedo" makes me miss Chan's Hong Kong films. With the exception of "Shanghai Noon," Chan's U.S. buddy movies have been pretty weak. His co-stars have poor martial arts skills, the stunts are watered down, and I miss the qualities that made me a Chan fan: his amazing stunt choreography and his ability to kick butt with a wink and a smile.
The most dismaying thing in "The Tuxedo" was the obvious use of wires to perform martial arts stunts (popularized by "The Matrix"). Although I know that Chan has always used safety wires and choreography to perform stunts, I've always admired that, when it came to fight scenes, the martial arts and acrobatics were humanly possible-not goofy flying stuff.
I give "The Tuxedo" two thumbs down. I'm going to the video store to rent "Who Am I," "Operation Condor," and "The Legend of Drunken Master."