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mr0goodtime
Reviews
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
Instense dialogue, performances
This is a story how the stresses of work really can rip at a mans soul. This is the world of cold-calling real estate sales. 5 middle-aged men, in close confines, trapped in a sleazy terrain, day after day, they are hooked on abuse, perpetually bitching and tearing each other apart.
It is sad, but the movie is gripping because the acting performances are truly extra-ordinary. You can select any one these actors -Spacey, Lemon, Baldwin, Pacino- and adulate over their intense performnaces. Any movie would be elevated by just one great performance, this one has four, plus, there's more. Alan Arkin, Johnathon Pryce, Ed Harris, they also bring in great performances
Jack Lemmon's performance was nuanced, his voice and face portrayed the fear and sadness underneath a phony exterior, one of the greatest performances I've seen. A lot of actors have great performances based on intensity, but Lemmon here did it on a great range of emotions.
The abuse and despair will turn off some people, but I think the story is relevant to everyone who feels the accumulated stresses of a tight work environment, and the sadness of having some career that somehow, before you could see it coming, becomes an abuse trap with no way out.
Constantine (2005)
Another fun movie that sucks
John Constatine is so jaded -after all hes been to hell and back- that he wears a perpetual snarl. This in itself is probably the best I've seen from the lack-of-character actor, Keanu Reeves. Dare I say he played well the role of the stoic, gritty angel?
Constatine is challenged by Detective Angela Dodsen (Rachel Weisz) who, like her twin sister who committed suicide and is thus banished to hell), is also one of the few talents who can see the demons. Angela wants somehow to prove that her sister was actually murdered, and I guess somehow get her sister out of hell.
The movie opens with an exorcism and some wild special effects, and throughout there's always the promise of some exciting effects to be had. Well, we've seen good fx before, but how many movies let you hang around hell for a while. That was cool too.
In between the cool scenes, though, Constatine is miserable, which sort of permeates the film. Demons are escaping into "our plane" but the acting is weak so you never get a sense that the danger is real. Even Satan appears but he doesn't look dangerous, he just looks like the journey-man actor that he is, Peter Stormare.
I cant compare it to the comic book, since I've never read it, but I shudder to think how long its been since weve seen the really great demon movies such as the Exorcist and the Omen.
2046 (2004)
Slow
Chow is a novelist writing a sci-fi story that is a metaphor for his romantic life. He associates with many beautiful women (Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li should be enough to make any man grateful), yet he is always lonely or yearning for some other love from his past.
Although there is a unique style and story, particularly for American movie goers, and I enjoyed some of the devices, its also slow and I guess it becomes the so-called "art movie" which in my mind is a euphomism for good cinematography but no dramatic effect. Why do I care about a guy who is always unhappy, going from one woman to the next. There were many chapters to this story, some including the stories of his novel, but mostly they just came and went with little elaboration or effect.
Some of the good things were nice visuals, a good cast, and the fictional android that represented unattainable love.
The Forgotten (2004)
Surprising Movie
Great twists and turns in this movie, so much so that I don't want to mention very much, except the initial premise that Julian Moore has been grieving for years about her lost son, and suddenly her husband, her doctor - everyone - has no memory of her son, they act is if Julianne has lost her mind.
There are 2 interpretations to this film, one being the unthinkable events as presented, the other being that our heroin played by Julianne Moore is actually lost in a world of delusions. Similar to Total Recall, I would buy into the "its all in your head" theory, which of course allows for any plot device that works well, and explains away all inconsistencies. I think the clinical symtpoms of schizophrenia are there. But I wouldn't doubt that these type movies are constructed purposefully to allow dual interpretations.
The Forgotten has some good action, some good mystery; it is excellent Twiglight Zone material. But it really works best if you don't know already how the story unfolds.
The Clearing (2004)
The suspense sticks
Willem Dafoe plays Arnold Mack, an insecure loser who is so desperate he joins a plot to kidnap the very successful entrepenuer Wayne Hayes, played by Robert Redford.
There are 2 separate suspense threads, deliberately unravelling at different time frames. One is of the family, not knowing what happened or whats happening still. The FBI gives them the impression of being more interested in capturing the kidnappers than insuring the safety of the husband. The 2nd thread is the tense interaction of Defoe and Redford.
The plot inconsistencies are actually clues into the surprise ending, which, although not obvious or certain, you might be able to guess.
There were a few themes involved, the obvious one, the "clearing" of unresolved issues, but also interesting is that Arnold Mack proves himself to be highly intelligent but tragically ungrounded, I think Wayne Hayes is something of the opposite, but in life, we see, the later profile is the more adept one.
Anyway a solid effort.
Maboroshi no hikari (1995)
Snore Snore
I am sure this movie scores artistic points for its camera work and mood, but at the end of a hard days work, few people can stomach the long, plodding and mostly silent scenes in which the story is not advanced any. Sometimes you just sit there wondering how long till the next piece of dialogue. Of course I am not a real movie critic; I just play one and I don't have a luxury of time, nor do I have the obligation to elaborate on the academic aspects of film making. I will grant that some people enjoyed this movie, but for most it needs more plot, the female lead was enchanting, so it certainly would have been nice to expand her role.
War of the Worlds (2005)
Applause Applause
WoW offers plenty of awesome sites and sounds, and utlitmately a film should be judged within its genre.
I can list a number of faults - thin plot, thin characters. Tom Cruise as a regular guy is hard to accept. Some sequences made no sense, how can 3 people tossed off a boat like a kicked-over ashtray, wind up in the water together holding hands?
It could have been more interesting, perhaps show some interaction or even explanation of the aliens. Imagine the excitement of hand to hand combat with the aliens. But its possible they wanted to stay reasonably close to H.G. Wells original version.
In any case, not the best movie, but like a good roller coaster, it was fun, so thumbs up!
Birth (2004)
The perfect twilight zone episode
Any movie whose style is slow and haunting is bound to have its detractors, and Birth is going to lose a lot of people, particularly with the uncomfortable scenes of intimacy between Nicole Kidman and 10 year old Cameron Bright, but the movies strengths are sufficient for me to give it a high rating.
The questions it poses are fascinating, can memories transfer from one life to another. Is it a type of reincarnation, or just a partial passing of consciousness or memories? From the beginning, the movie drops hints about what is happening to Sean, leaving the viewer to think, and it is useful to watch the movie twice.
And a second layer of drama worth mentioning is Anna's (Kidman) love for the little boy. Is it motherly love, or a combination of this with romantic love, or yet the love of love lost and regained, the profound nature of her experience is captured gracefully in the final scene.
Birth has some stylish music and imagery, very reminiscent of Stanely Kubrick. The opening scene of Sean jogging through Central Park will easily remind 2001 fans of its famous jogging scene. Its nice to see the style applied to such a good story.
In Good Company (2004)
Current and resonating
Hollywood never had much of a clue about the experience of working in a large corporation, but this is the only movie I ever saw that expressed the helplessness of having ones career in the hands of corporate power brokers who are as clueless as they are reckless.
Its also the first great Dennis Quaid performance I've seen. His character has charm and dignity throughout events that belittle him. His company is reorganized justified by immature corporate cogs, spouting buzz words like synergy. His friends are fired, and he is demoted, yielding his role to a 26 year old, corporate phony, Carter Duryea, played by Topher Grace.
The acting performances were pretty good across the board, one of the fine points of this film was Carter's development from selfish to selfless. Scarlett Johansson is as sweet as ever. My only complaint was the happy ending was too contrived for an otherwise realistic movie. I would recommend this to almost anyone, but particularly to those who work in large companies.
Stranded (2002)
my god whatever you do don't watch this movie!!
Admittedly, you can put a model airplane against a black background and call it sci-fi, and thats enough to get me interested, so if you are like that, Black Horizon will at least get you interested before you watch it. The best part of the movie is when they rehash some actual footage of a shuttle launch.
The movie plays like the Naked Gun series, spoofing cop dramas with bad clichés and bad acting. Unfortunately, i don't think they meant to be funny, the actors really are made of cardboard, the dialog really does suck, so well just have to laugh at them, and not with them.
On a side note, it is rare to see a movie that takes place half in outer space, half on earth, and doesn't mix in the expected extraterrestrials and supernatural events. I really do ache for more realistic drama based on our space endeavors.
Y tu mamá también (2001)
Raunchiness without humor
Just like Julio and Tenoch in this movie, I was a high school hormone-crazed idiot, as were my friends, I might add, its just I would never want to watch 2 hours of anybody like that, and then call it entertainment. Realism for realism' sake does not make an enjoyable movie, and this niche of unusual human behavior is best left to the hilarity of raunchy comedy. Twice I had to endure watching somebody urinate, enough said!
It is, though, a serious movie, it will just take a very long time to see the serious side of these 2 teenagers. The performances were quite good actually, you really believe most of it. Two parts of the movie I really liked, one was the shots of the Mexican beaches, the other was the fisherman's family, a perfect relief of charm and innocence. Unfortunately the other 90% of it was raunchiness without humor.
Scent of a Woman (1992)
Scent of Al Pacino
Al Pacino is so good at playing the angry/sad dynamic, and while I don't think Scent of a Women ranks as his best work, it is still a great showcase for his talents, and a very enjoyable movie. Chris O'Donnel plays Charlie Simms, the poor, innocent college student, looking to make a few dollars to pay for plane fare home for Christmas by baby sitting Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade (Pacino), a difficult blind man. Well, the minute Simms and Slade are alone, Slade is running the show, taking Simms on a wild and luxurious trip to New York that is all about fun, fun, fun.
Lieutenant Slade is tremendously proud yet so alone, he shows up uninvited at his brothers house for Thanksgiving, and the family members can only offer a few weak and fake smiles, as Slade begins to dominate through tirade. But these family members do not find him amusing, in fact, one relative tells Simms that the Lieutenant was always an a__hole, long before he went blind.
Simms and Slade each have their own compelling dramas unfolding as they battle and bond with each other, and they discover how much they need each other.
I really feel Pacino took average dialogue and made it sizzle. Chris O'Donnel sounds a lot like Toby McGuire, and it was fun to see Phillip Seymour Hoffman playing a young college kid.
Vozvrashchenie (2003)
Haunting
The Return is unique, tightly crafted, and well acted. The shots of the the deeply isolated parts of Russia enhance on the mood of the story.
2 fatherless boys are suddenly reunited with a "Dad" who explains nothing to them as they wander through vast and lonely Russia. The absolute void of communication is torture to little Ivan, brilliantly played by Ivan Dobronravov. The father says nothing except to give orders, The children are desperate for his affection, yet the tension and mystery rise and rise, they don't know what hes doing, it is all beyond their control, and finally there is an effective payoff at the end.
This is one of those low budget gems that is effective because the basic premise is compelling, parents and children trying in vain to relate to each other.
This Property Is Condemned (1966)
Alva Starr, the person, the train, the property
A wonderful showcase of young talent who continued on to long careers.
Natalie Woods character is somewhat the hooker with the heart of gold, aching to escape her lonely town caught in the great depression, but her domineering mother will never allow it. Very sad, and the beautiful but discarded train called Alva Starr represents her well.
Alva (Wood) is conditioned to always present things as pretty. She describes to Owen (Redford) all the beauty of the train, the seats are covered with lilac talcum, at last Owen rebuts the train is not beautiful, its junked, what she sees as talcum is just dust.
There are beautiful shots of the locomotives, good character dialogue and literary elements.
The Final Cut (2004)
Felt more like watching Outer Limits
In this vision of the future, things look pretty much the same, except for the Zoe implant which mysteriously is a very popular way for parents to amuse themselves by implanting computer chips in their children. The idea is when the children die, a cutter (Robin Williams) can movie edit out the most sentimental parts to display during the funeral, which presumably the parents wont live to see anyway.
There were a lot of silly things about this movie, although I must admit I took away the interesting proposition that sometimes even our strongest recollections may not actually be the way things happened. Otherwise its short running time, lack of detail and low production value make it seem like just another episode of Outer Limits.
Maria Full of Grace (2004)
Maria full of heroin
Maria, played by Catalina Sandino Moreno, is very beautiful, young and innocent, all of which lends to sympathy that otherwise one would not feel towards someone making such a hazardous decision to smuggle narcotics in their belly. This movie is also compelling because it manages to stay suspenseful from one scene to the next, particularly the long airplane scene, where you can really sense the sweat of the girls faces. One other virtue of the film is the atmosphere, that is the nice shots of South America, the music, and the elegant language.
Some of her other decisions which I wont mention could be considered courageous and bright. Is this an inconsistent plot or simply facets of her complex and developing character.
I had some questions about her logic that perhaps a longer movie could have addressed, but all in all its a film well worth viewing.
Code 46 (2003)
good science fiction
In the near future, Tim Robbins is sent to investigate a case of forged passports. This Orwellian government has strict control over everything. Unfortunately for Tim, he falls in love with a girl with whom he is not DNA-compatible, a violation of code 46.
Code 46 is derivative of course but ultimately it is fresh cinema, and there are several sub themes about science and morality to think about.
Most unique, i thought, was its vision of Shanghai where it seems only half the people are Asian, and everyone speaks English with just a few fundamental phrases from mandarin and Spanish. I am guessing that demographics and language are both controlled by the government. Incidentally, the classic book/movie Clockwork Orange showed a anarchistic world where English developed chaotically into a Russian mix as that was its geopolitical vision.
There are few great science fiction movies, i think this one is close to being great but in the end I think it lacked drama. But if you like science fiction, you will love this.
Shall We Dance? (2004)
likable
Same time every night a bored and tired lawyer takes the train home from work, looks out the window, and sees a beautiful yet sad dance instructor. He signs up for dance lessons, and although it seems he is motivated by innocent curiosity, he hides it from his wife, and the triangle begins.
Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez both seem a bit too old now, but thats what the story is trying to portray, it manages to show they have emotional pasts, but the details aren't really explored. Every character has a weakness, but they seem real, and I enjoyed their progress.
You wont see any great dancing here, but the music is good, the cast is likable, and it had a few laughs. I don't usually go for romantic comedies but I would recommend this one.