Reviews

Corey Haim is so obnoxious in this film. I mean, he's by and large a terrible actor. No range whatsoever. But his character is so annoying here. And when he keeps saying "Pop" to his dad every few lines... it's like nails on a chalkboard. The whole movie is a waste of time. Some of the action was decent, but barely. No wonder it went straight to video when it was tested for audiences, and everyone hated. The directing is awful. No sense of tone, pacing, acting, humor, tension. It plays so flat and lazy. Save 90 mins of your life, and spend it staring at a wall... that would be a better use of time.

MISS SLOANE is not to be missed. It's an easy target for unmerited scrutiny by people who've never even seen it or have pre-conceived notions about the subject matter - it's clear from some of the user comments and internet chatter that there's just a lot of fanatical, closed-minded, easily-threatened people who hear the movie deals with gun control and they jump to the conclusion that it's liberal propaganda. Well, it does take a position - but a rational and cogent one, and it doesn't even try to push any kind of agenda - aside for perhaps asserting the politic system in Washington is rotten and driven by self-interest (but who's gonna argue with that, right?). And it's really not about the issue of gun control itself, that's merely the device in which its able to pull back the curtain on the lobbying industry in DC and show the machinations in which bills and laws are passed.

The story clearly sets out pit an ambitious female lobbyist up against a formidable adversary - and the gun lobby has proved to be the most powerful representative group in DC, given that most citizens - and most members of the NRA - are in favor of stricter (and reasonable) background checks, but absolutely no progress has been made on this issue. That makes for a compelling background to analyze how the process of pushing a lobbying issue works within the system. It's not a threatening film to lawful gun owners - it may be to people who purchase guns with sketchy backgrounds and nefarious intentions ... but shouldn't every law-abiding citizen welcome that kind of oversight and protection so that they are the ones with guns and the people who may try to hurt them and their families are not?? Anyway, this film is clearly intending to be more of a character study of a troubled female lobbyist at the end of her rope in a career that's consumed her life, portrayed with steely brilliance by Jessica Chastain. It's also a riveting, intelligent, and surprising political thriller - the pace of the story is incredible, and it keeps the viewers on their toes from start to finish, never quite unfolding the way you'd expect, which ends up being even more satisfying and original.

I'd liken the film more to Michael Clayton or A Few Good Men. It's got some of the best writing I've seen all year, on a plot level, dialogue level, character level, and the emotion running through the film sneaks up on you by the end, which is accompanied by one of the best twists I've seen in a movie in years. It's entirely earned and when you watch it a second time (I've seen it twice), the writer and director did a fantastic job planting all the seeds that make the ending really work. There's plenty of little details and breadcrumbs throughout - and since it's a film for smart, attentive viewers, it leaves that room for the viewer to discover many things along the way.

If you're a fan of sophisticated, intelligent dramatic thrillers, MISS SLOANE is one of the best in many years. It won't be for everyone - low IQ folks will intimated by it, hardcore 2nd Amendment advocates will be threatened by it (even though it isn't passing any rhetoric that infringes anyone's rights to keep and bear arms), and I'd imagine sexists won't go for it either, because they won't want to see a smart, over-prepared, hard-edged woman one-upping a bunch of old white men. But, if all biases and prejudices are left aside, I think it's undeniable to enjoy how masterfully conceived, told, and performed this film truly is. Bravo to everyone who had the temerity to take on this subject matter, and do so with such incredible skill and care.

And I think it's worthy of Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Director, Actress (Chastain), Supporting Actress (Mbatha-Raw), Original Screenplay, Music, Editing, and Costume Design. And I'd consider it a front-runner for Chastain and the screenplay in that race, if judged entirely on its merits.

10/10

This film marks an incredible directorial debut for Tony Gilroy. He was an accomplished screenwriter - and his script for MC is immaculate - but his direction was inspired with confidence and craftsmanship. Immaculate performances across the board - especially from Tilda Swinton and Tom Wilkinson. Masterful storytelling and nearly perfect execution. The look and feel of the world was perfectly calibrated. It's one of the those films that gets even stronger with age. There's so much happening in his film, to re-watch is overcome with revelations. I love this film so much. I really wish they made films this smart and well-crafted more often these days. It's just not the kind of film that movie studios care to make anymore. Sadly.

STRAW DOGS is an outstanding movie! It's a character-driven thriller that builds to an explosive climax. The performances are well-directed across the board, and Alexander Skarsgard and James Woods are especially effective in their roles.

The setup is simple: a California couple relocates to the wife's hometown in the deep South and they become steadily antagonized by a local group of men. Where this film really excels is in its execution. The opening scene really sets the tone for the film. You can tell immediately that this movie is going to be about survival. Rod Lurie does a great job introducing the major characters in a sharply delineated fashion and then layering the characterization so the conflict, both internal and external, unfolds at a deliberate pace. It grounds the story in character and makes the third act very satisfying, exciting and earned.

The entire film is very well made. Strong script, precise direction, a lot of symbolism and thematic resonance. It's well worth a trip to the theater to see it. It's engaging, sometimes funny, often intense, and excellent performance-driven filmmaking.

Jim Cameron's AVATAR truly impressed and inspired me. It certainly is a visual spectacle, and he and his team create a deeply textured and detailed world. I was equally enthralled by the storytelling. It's a profound and meaningful story exploring the themes and ideas of imperialism, racism, environmentalism, capitalism, and religion. He masterfully balances the disparate and delicate subject matter with an adroit eye and confident hand, once again creating a seamless and harmonious relationship between state-of-the-art technological film-making and finger-on-the-pulse fundamental storytelling. Cameron first and foremost (and smartly) treats the film as a piece of entertainment, but he operates from a much deeper context in the way he peels back the layers of meaning and symbolism within the story. At times, the execution and performances are a bit heavy-handed, but that's totally forgivable because of how richly and poignantly the story is told and how the deeper relationships are exposed with such nuance and tenderness. AVATAR is tracking to be the second biggest box office hit in history, behind his very own other cinematic triumph TITANIC. This outstanding accomplishment and distinction is very well-earned and deserved. I'm very appreciative of Jim Cameron and his passion for making fantastic movies that explore important themes in a fun and significant way. Can't wait to see what he does next. He might as well go for the hat-trick.

I saw this film at a press screening last weekend. Wow! What an achievement. This story is masterfully executed, creating a lyrical and deeply affecting empathy with the film's lead character, played with Oscar-worthy precision and nuance by Kate Beckinsale. This film is truly about something, which isn't as common as I think we'd hope with movies. It has truly meaningful themes that are dramatized in an entertaining, emotional and often eloquent way. The acting is top-notch. The direction is confident.

I don't want to say much about the plot because it has some nice twists and touching moments that come from the organic development of the characters' relationships, their conflicts and their fight for what they believe in. This film is about principle. This film unapologetically stands for the power of our word and the example we set for our children. It's a must-see this Holiday season. It may only have a limited release due to complications experienced by its distributor, so get out now and see it! Don't just wait for DVD. This one is an outstanding experience in the presence of others because in many ways it's about what unites us when we believe in ourselves and the integrity of other.

"Blindness" is an excellent film in my opinion. The filmmakers clearly had a vision (excuse the pun) and were courageous enough to stick with it throughout the film. There were many instances where I expected the film to resort to more conventions in plot and execution, but the story remained rooted in its characterizations. The performances are tremendous, and look and feel so real. The film clearly functions as an allegory of the condition of the world, but the film stays focused on the localized story of these characters and wisely just leaves room for the macrocosm to be experienced and examined. And it does provide a hopefulness to it in the end that nicely counters its darker themes.

It's unfortunate that this film has been stigmatized since its weak debut at Cannes. The wide opening with very little business last weekend isn't going to help its financial future. Right now I think the people that have seen the film and appreciate it need speak up about it. Share your opinion with others so that this deserving film can get its viewers and not fall prey to the bad press. I know it will find an audience, if not on DVD, where often many great films get their dues (like "The Shawshank Redemption"). But really "Blindness" should get the respect and business that's relative to the vision and energy put into making it. It looks great, asks important questions and hits the right emotional notes.

I highly recommend it!

"Basement Jack" does a commendable job in creating a stylistic and edgy look. This film was made on a very low-budget (less than the $500,000 stated) and it was shot on a very short shooting schedule. And it looks like it cost seven figures by exemplary work by the DP, director, editor and composer. They understand the genre and delivered strong elements to create suspense and gore. The script has its weaknesses and characters make classic cliché mistakes and deliver some weak dialogue but flaws aside, there's more to like than hate, I feel. There's competent and proficient work done in this picture, technically and cinematically. It will be a straight to DVD horror flick and that's what it intended to be. It's one of those movie where you get a sense it's made by a group of young, committed filmmakers who want to share their passion, have fun and make a decent piece of entertainment. I'd recommend you pick up the DVD if you like the horror genre. And this picture actually attempts to give their killer an empathetic backstory (which I think is a little heavy-handed and one-dimensional at times and it starts to slow the pace of the film) but it was a valiant effort to add dimension and theme to typically straight-forward storytelling on this level and in this genre.

"I Am Legend" delivered on many more levels than I expected. It was surprisingly poignant and emotional, with topical and thematic value I didn't expect. The film's overall success for me was due to the strong performance of Will Smith. There's been a lot of talk about this being a make or break film solely on the star power of Will Smith. For me, his star power isn't in question. His track record at domestic and global box office has proved that he can open a movie. Yes, he is often supported by other elements like a big director, producer, co-star and/or more commercial fare drawing a broader demographic. But this really shows how much he commits himself to his performance as an actor. His ability to internalize his experience and share it authentically is astounding. He shared the screen primarily with his canine friend, Sam, various mannequins, and blood-thirsty zombies but he manages to convey his emotions with such a layered performance, I couldn't help but be drawn into the story and his presence.

I'm sure most people are familiar with the story by now. I won't reveal any of the film's surprises or twists but essentially, an experimental cure for cancer ends up mutating, goes airborne and kills over 90% of the world's population. Of the remaining 10%, over 9% turn into light-sensitive, blood-hunger zombies which kill most of the remaining 1%, the people who are immune to the disease. Will Smith's character, Robert Nevelle, believes he is the sole survivor of the human race. He's also a scientist with a close relationship to the virus and is doing clinical trials on animals and "dark seekers" (the zombies) that he cleverly captures. There are some nice twists to the story, some great scares and pulse-pounding action, special effects and stunt work. Director Francis Lawrence did an exemplary job creating an isolated and eerie feel to a barren New York City while evoking a powerful and layered performance out of his star.

"I Am Legend" really proves the power of a performance, the imagination of creative storytelling, and the innovative use of many popular storytelling devices. Andrew Lesnie's camera work and cinematography is stunning and creepy. There's great art design and the special efforts use in the city and with the zombies is very effective and helps tell a great story with great moments of awe, suspense and wonder.

Personally, I'd love to see Warner Bros. really push for an Oscar campaign for Will Smith for best actor. He's in every scene of the film, the film works largely because of him and he brings a vulnerability to his character that really shows his risking nature as an actor. It's the type of performance and film that doesn't usually get the recognition of the Academy in acting consideration but for me it's reminiscence of Johnny Depp in "Pirates" 1. The film had an unexpectedly strong and original performance from Depp that supported and contributed to a lot of the film's success. And both films have many other visual elements that make them great entertainment. It's an unlikely film to win Will his Oscar but I'd like to see an attempt at it. And it really is inevitable for Will to win. He's too talented, powerful, beloved and committed to his craft not to. Go see this film if you want to have a great time at the movies and really experience the power of an actor's performance.

I had the privilege of seeing an advance screening of "Resurrecting the Champ" earlier tonight, followed by a Q & A with director Rod Lurie and screenwriter Michael Bortman. This is an extraordinary motion pictures. In my opinion, this film has the best writing, characterization and dramatic construction of any film released so far this year. The performances are stellar across the board, with a special mention to the film's leads, Josh Hartnett and Sam Jackson. Hartnett's character is torn between his ambition as an up and coming investigative journalist and his integrity as a man, a husband, a father and a son. Jackson plays "Champ", a one-time up and coming boxer who climbs the ranks to #3 in the world, to eventually be reduced to a homeless man scaling the trash cans of Denver.

Hartnett and Jackson create an unexpected friendship in his quest to write a magazine article about the journey of this man's forgotten life. Along the way, the film explores the themes of integrity, honesty, vulnerability, authenticity, truth, consequence, and family is an entertaining, emotional and significant fashion. The entire film breathes energy into the value and importance of responsibility and trust, and how abusing them can lead to consequences that can only be cured by forgiveness and a re-commitment to being true to one's character. The way that Hartnett's characters comes to understand the damages he could do to his relationship with his son, by living through it with champ is powerful and a important lesson for all parents.

I truly hope this film gets the respect and attention it deserves from critics and audiences alike. Comes Oscar time, I would come to expect "Resurrecting the Champ" to be on the minds of many. When it comes to films that you can sense the passion and heart of the storytelling being present in every frame, this one is near the top of that list. 10/10!

This is what more standard horror films should aspire to be like. Yes, it does have its share of gore but it's not gratuitous. A suspenseful horror film wants to have a balance between on and offscreen violence. If you always see the psycho with the chainsaw bearing down on his victims, you'll quickly become desensitized to the terror that inflicts. But, as a horror fan, you do want to see some decapitations and a fair share of blood. Director Marcus Nispel skillfully handles the material. He seems to come from the David Fincher/Michael Bay school of directing which involves elaborate camera manipulation, rapid-fire editing, a lot of steadicam work, seamless CGI and deft cinematography. A reinvention of a horror classic like TCM would demand an elevation in style otherwise it'd be hard to surpass the original. The 1973 version was so unexpected and controversial that audiences were practically appalled by its content. 21st century audiences are hard to faze so the film would need to be technically adept to keep its viewers interested. Nispel does not disappoint. The film is well-paced and builds in suspense to a great, unexpected climax. I liked the deviations from the original: the added Hewitt family members, the Leatherface backstory, the kidnapping subplot and the new ending. All the teenagers were good. Jessica Biel was especially impressive and looked truly terrified throughout the film but she also possessed nuances of determination and integrity which keep her three-dimensionality. Leatherface is an imposing figure and scary as hell. He's not portrayed as openly as in the original and therefore he comes off much more mysterious and ultimately more frightening. The new TCM is a great time at the multiplex and definitely gives you your money's worth. Check it out if you like scary, stylish movies.

"Uptown Girls" is what you might expect to come out in late summer when the studios release the films they think don't quite have the potential or star-power to hold up in the cluttered summer schedule. Oh, yee of little faith. The film is largely marketed as a comedy but it turns out to be more of a drama. It's elements of comedy bring the requisite levity to the story and prevent the film from becoming too heavy handed. Within the typical framework of a finding-your-true-self film lies a star-turning performance that you can't help but love.

What makes this film better than it should have been was definitely the performance of its star, Brittany Murphy. This is Ms. Murphy's first top billing and it was a good project for her to start her leading lady status. The romantic elements of the film remain as the sub-plot giving Ms. Murphy's character much more attention than her love interest, Neal Fox (played by Jesse Spencer). The romance plays as the weakest element of the story. It initiates lustfully and then never really convinces us that they are attracted to each other as their characters continue to interact. The romance seems to fizzle out early on but for reasons which are hard to detect. Molly Gunn (Brittany Murphy) pursues Neal after his incessant rejections of her. I kinda thought that Molly was so lonely because of the untimely death of her father (a rock'n'roll legend) and mother, that she seeks comfort and affection from Jesse, a rock'n'roller himself. Neal becomes selfish very early on and that prevents us from really wanting Molly and him to get together. However, we do sympathize for Molly and want her to find happiness that actually has substance within her material world. The relationship she develops with the child is far more convincing and identifiable than the one she builds with Neal.

Therefore, the film luckily focuses on the relationship between Molly and Lorraine ("Ray"), a precocious 8-year-old played wonderfully by Dakota Fanning. Both character have disheartening backstories which they come to terms with together as their friendship develops. You truly believe that these two characters come to sense the affinity they share despite their vast contrasts. Molly is a woman who could never grow up since she lost those most dear to her as an 8-year-old and Ray is a child who grew up too fast because she lost those most dear to her as an 8-year-old (her father's in a coma and her mom's a workaholic). They reacted completely contrary to these similar scenarios but their internal struggles remain the same. They both seek affection, compassion, friendship and normality within a life that has always lacked them.

You can't help but bubble inside when Ms. Murphy dawns the screens. Her presence radiates whatever message and emotion the story calls for at that time, whether it's effervescence, ineptitude, despair, confusion, sadness, remorse, empathy, courage, and list could go on and on for there seems to be no limit to Ms. Murphy's range. And Ms. Murphy is one of the better actresses working today who can achieve multiple emotions simultaneously, which is not an easy task for an actor. She has worked so hard throughout her relatively short career with over 40 films and TV guest spots in the past 15 years. She has matured as an actress and a person and worked her heart out to prove her love for her craft. She's gone to great lengths to alter her appearance (which I don't think was necessarily a requirement since her truest talents lie in her acting ability). Unfortunately, Hollywood's A-list actresses are all svelte, beautiful woman (Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts, Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez) and that seems to be what the industry requires. Ms. Murphy worked a lot as a slightly rotund yet still quite striking actress but never really elevated to the status of such other female stars. It wasn't until she slimmed down and dyed her hair blond that she got her more notable roles in such recent hits as "8 mile", "Don't Say a Word", and "Just Married". She gets a lot of attention for her new look but she'll always be that extremely talented actress who delivered one outstanding performance after another. Now that she has the total package by Hollywood standards, expect to see a lot more of her in the future. She will surely be paid the money she deserves now and hopefully it won't be too long before she's getting the same money as Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon and Cameron Diaz. Brittany Murphy has more talent in her little finger than Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz combined. I don't believe that Ms. Murphy was ever really concerned with the enormous paycheck judging by all the roles she has taken in smaller films and how much she committed herself to those characters. She's taken on so many challenging personas and broken type for the Hollywood movie star so many times, you must believe she just loves the acting craft and the opportunity to explore characters to her fullest potential.

"Uptown Girls" might not have worked in less capable hands, but Ms. Murphy exudes such energy and emotion, you can't take your eyes off of her. She pulls you in and never lets go. In the film's final scene, she doesn't have a single line, but her face speaks volumes. Throughout the entire film, she captures your heart with her charm and pathos. I sincerely hope that Ms. Murphy continues to challenge herself and take the Hollywood leading lady down a less conventional and predictable road. Her influence is growing and she'll be presented with myriad projects over the next few years and it would be wonderful to watch her side-step the Hollywood cookie cutter and make a mold all her own.

I'm a huge fan of "The Terminator" franchise. I saw the first one when I was 10 years old and it blew me away to say the least. I was stoked to see T2 and it exceeded my greatest expectations. When I heard that they were finally making a third film, I was thrilled. However, I became concerned when all the problems with the film began even before the production started. Jim Cameron not being involved made me very apprehensive about the integrity of the story and its themes about humanity and technology. I didn't want T3 to be just a shoot-em-up action pic which the summer usually carries. I had read Arnold saying that he wouldn't be involved in the film unless Jim Cameron was involved but when he signed without him I figured that it was either a really good script which did the first two films justice or the $30 million paycheck (I hoped it was not just the second but Arnold doesn't really need the money so the script must be descent). The female Terminator seems a little contrived to me (through the process of elimination, it's the next antagonist that brings a new twist to the series, since the first two villians were males and Schwarzenegger had to be the hero again). Kristanna Loken sure looked the part: tall, seductive with killer eyes and a menacing presence. But, can the audience buy a woman "out-manning" Arnold. I was pleased that they decided not to cast Eddie Furlong as John Connor. Nick Shahl is a good actor with a couple good credits on his resume (In The Bedroom, Disturbing Behavior). Jonathan Mostow was a strange choice I thought as director, given he only has a couple credits to his name, both with only moderate success (Breakdown, U-571). Although, without Jim Cameron, the director is no longer a sell point anyway because no one can match his venerable appeal to sci-fi fans. Warner Bros. just needed someone who was passionate about the project and didn't want to run it into the ground. If Mostow took the job, he must truly believe he can pull it off. With all these pros and cons on my mind, I was very curious, nervous and excited going into this movie. I saw the film at a private screen for the Tonight Show staff on the WB lot last Monday (June 26). IT BLEW ME AWAY. It delivers on most fronts. The action is intense. It has a lot of physical stunt work which I believe to be more amazing then CGI stunts (like The Matrix films) because it comes with greater realism and bigger stakes. The special effects do not disappoint. The T-X is very cool. She can manipulate any machine and use them to work under her control. She can shape-shift like the T-1000 in "T2" (but she is still a metallic unit under her organic guise). She can manufacture weapons with her arms (flame-thrower, rocket-launcher). And she isn't too hard to look at either. She was sent back through time to take out John Connor's mission partners from the future since John Connor cannot be located (he's living off the grid leaving no physical evidence of his existence whenever he goes). He's totally paranoid about this future and dreads what he knows about it. The T-X happens upon John while attempting to terminate his future wife and parnter-in-arms (well played by Claire Daines). But the T-800 was sent back to protect John again and he gets to John first (but barely). The first meeting of the two Terminators culminates in a spectular car chase with a gigantic crane truck through the streets of downtown LA. It's one of the many fantastic action pieces in the film. The movie is basically a cat-and-mouse game between the T-800 and company and the T-X (similar story to the first two films). This film still has the plot line about Skynet and its imminent self-awareness which actually is set to happen on the same day the film take places. This adds great tension and suspense to the story since time becomes such a critical factor for John. Can he once again prevent the rise of the machines and circumvent his destiny? According to the T-800, Judgment Day has just postponed by the events which took place in "T2", not prevented. John doesn't want to be the leader of the human resistance again the machines and chooses once again to stop Skynet while still trying to evade the T-X who is hot on his trail (again, another great tension-builder). Before I continue, I need to mention one point which still bothers me a bit about the entire story behind "T3". If at the end of "T2", all evidence of the existence of the Terminator was destroyed in the boiling steel and Cyberdine Labs was completely eradicated, how did the T-800 and other models of Terminator get invented this time around. At the end of "T1" there was the wreakage of the T-800 in the hyraudlic press which inspired the creation of the hardware. But, all that is destroyed in "T2". I'm willing to forget about that hole in the story since the film was so good and worth making, but it's worth mentioning anyway. "T3" does lack the strong bond formed between the Terminator and John which is something that made "T2" surprising dramatic at times and made its ending more tragic and memorable. But even though "T3" doesn't work on all the same levels of "T2", the film focuses much harder on the levels it takes on and makes you forget about its lack of drama. The film has an ending I did not expect and I believe that it was the best way to end the film. I won't spoil it for you but you won't see it coming. I really hope that people will go see this film because it deserve to do well at the box-office. I don't think the advertising does the film justice and may deter a lot of people from seeing it (it looks a lot like a typical summer blockbuster instead of a good film). I wish they ran a few trailer which toned down the stunt work and special effects and dealt more with the story and the themes so people can see that it actually has them. Good word of mouth is what is going to fill the seats in the theater. It will open well, I think ($75 million over the 5 day week) but it's staying power will rely on both good reviews and repeat business. I am going to see it again this weekend and urge everyone who liked the first two not to miss the third installment. It will not disappoint, I promise.