Escape from Alcatraz

Escape from Alcatraz (1979)
Paramount Pictures
Directed by Don Siegel
Starring Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGoohan, Fred Ward, Larry Hankin

Escape from Alcatraz reteams director Don Siegel with Dirty Harry star Clint Eastwood. The film dramatizes the one possible escape from Alcatraz prison. Eastwood stars as Frank Morris, a convict who just arrives at Alcatraz and is determined to escape. He makes friends with other inmates Charley Butts, Clarence Anglin, and John Anglin, and the four decide to break out. Over time, they create an elaborate plan to escape the unbreakable prison. They use spoons to dig through their cell walls and over the course of a few months, three of the four men have broken through the walls. When it comes down to the night of the escape, Butts has not broken through, and Morris must leave his friend behind. They make it past the guards and into the freezing water using raincoats as a raft. In the morning, the guards or warden (McGoohan) search for the escapees, but cannot find any trace of them. Whether they escaped or perished is a mystery.

Clint Eastwood shines as Morris. As in every film he stars in, he is the man. Clint always plays the tough guy. Whether its Harry Callahan or The Man with No Name, Clint always embodies his characters and makes them legends. Morris is a rugged being, who is not afraid. He just wants to escape Alcatraz to prove he can. Besides Eastwood, the other supporting cast does a fantastic job. Everyone has believable characters that the audience wants to see escape.

Escape from Alcatraz is not an action film of any sort. Yes, there is some action towards the end, but overall, the film is a tight thriller. It’s nice to see that a well-done thriller can be made without an excessive amount of action. The final escape sequence is very thrilling and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The mood that the film portrays is very gloomy. The prison is grey, a color that represents dull and gloomy moods. This color also makes a point to show that the inmates have no chance or leaving the prison.

The film has strong senses of determination. Morris and his crew do not want to be stuck in the prison and are determined to escape. He is also determined not to be pushed around by the old inmates. Escape from Alcatraz is a realistic look at prison life in the 1960s. By having this sense of realism throughout the film, the story becomes more believable and emotionally connected to the audience. Especially in thrillers, it is important to have characters and a story that the audience can get behind. Escape from Alcatraz is an analogy for escapism. The prison represents the real world. Many people feel that they are trapped behind walls sometimes with work, family, paying bills, etc. What makes this story unique and emotional, is that the characters represent normal humans trying to escape the hardships of life. They manage to escape the prison, or the real world, and do what they want. This is a very popular social message because people can relate to it and usually wish for this opportunity.

In the end, the three inmates escape Alcatraz prison, but it is unknown if they escape the freezing waters. The film hints that they escaped, but the warden declares them dead to save his career. Its an open ending, leaving the outcome to your imagination. Personally, I was rooting for Morris to survive, so I believe that he did. Escape from Alcatraz is an escapism film that is very thrilling and features some believable and relatable characters. Because of the realism of the film, Escape from Alcatraz is a wonderful thriller that proves that action is not always needed to make a great thriller.

Rating: B+


July 4, 2010

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Directed by Jeremiah Chechik
Starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Randy Quaid

Christmas Vacation is the third film in National Lampoon’s Vacation series following Vacation and European Vacation. Chevy Chase reprises his role as Clark Griswold, the family man who always seems to make a mess out of life. This time around, Clark has decided to hold Christmas at his home and invite the entire family to stay for the holidays. What follows it absolutely hysterical, unbelievable, and classic Griswold fun. Clark’s perfect Christmas includes killing the cat, burning the tree, kidnapping, and a surprise visit from Cousin Eddie (Quaid). This is a modern classic Christmas film.

The film plays on the idea that everyone hates the holidays because of family and the strange things that they do. Most people are embarrassed by them. But most families do not have a bizarre family such as the Griswold’s. In the end though, everything works out. Clark finally comes to have his perfect Christmas because he is with his loved ones, and that’s what matters at that time of the year.

Christmas Vacation has such a crazy plot that it works. The story is so basic, but the antics and obstacles that occur during the week are so outrageous, it makes up for the overdone story of family ruining the holidays. Chevy Chase naturally embodies Clark, the lovable goofball he is. Cousin Eddie though, steals the show with his strange attire and random dialogue. He has some of the most bizarre random lines ever.

This film is not a Christmas classic such as A Christmas Carol or It’s a Wonderful Life, but it is a modern classic that is similar to A Christmas Story, one of the best holiday comedies. National Lampoon has made a wonderfully executed comedy that will please the entire family. Christmas Vacation is a must watch during the holidays for a good old Griswold family Christmas.

Rating: B


June 24, 2010

Rio Bravo

Rio Bravo (1959)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Directed by Howard Hawks
Starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson

In 1952, the controversial Fred Zinneman film, High Noon, was released. The film was an allegory for the blacklisting occurring in Hollywood at the time. The film was praised and hated for its blatant stab at the communist rumors running throughout Hollywood. In 1959, two supporters of the blacklisting, John Wayne and Howard Hawks, decided to create a more conservative response to High Noon. Their collaborate film, Rio Bravo, tells the story of a local sheriff who stands up to the local outlaws with his trusty deputies. Sheriff John Chance (Wayne) and Deputy Dude (Martin) arrest Joe Burdette for the murder of a bystander in a local saloon. When news of his arrest makes its way to his brother, Nathan Burdette, he leads his posse into town demanding that Chance releases him. Chance refuses and decides to hold Joe in the jail until the Marshall can come and take him into custody. Nathan stages an attempt to rescue his brother and kill Chance and his deputies if he must.

This is a near perfect western film. The acting is wonderful. John Wayne gives one of his best performances to date. Sheriff Chance is an American hero. He is a man of the law; he has strong morals. He is also a very different character from Gary Cooper’s character in High Noon. Dean Martin plays the now-sober Dude. He is a very sympathetic character and is more likeable than Chance. This is because Martin is more laid back than the uptight Wayne in his roles. Martin completely looses himself in the role, which makes him more of a relatable character. Dude has doubts about honor and duty, which most people share.

Because Rio Bravo was created as a response to High Noon, there are many comparisons and differences. Both feature a strong sheriff who must deal with a dire situation that will test their morals and honor. Chance must protect his deputies and the town from a local thug who is trying to break his brother out of the jailhouse. In High Noon, Sheriff Will Kane must protect the town from a retuning thug who has sworn to kill Kane. Both plots are similar, but in High Noon, all of the deputies and townsfolk turn their back on Kane and refuse to help him. Both John Wayne and Howard Hawks hated the plotline that references blacklisting. Just like in Hollywood at the time, everyone turned their back on people being called out. In the final gunfight in High Noon, Kane’s wife is the only one who helps him. This was called out by Wayne and spoofed in Rio Bravo when Chance asks, “What’s next?” His deputy replies, “Maybe the girl with another flower pot.” Wayne believed that High Noon was extremely un-American and that anyone who believes in honor and duty would have stood with Kane against the villains.

Rio Bravo is a classic Western film that created the template for later Westerns: cowboy sheriff is threatened by outlaw, must get help, and has a final gunfight for their lives. Almost every Western since has followed this template. Because of the template and the strong characters, Rio Bravo is a genre classic that defines Westerns such as High Noon and The Searchers. John Wayne gives one of his finest performances with the cool Dean Martin. The cinematography is classic, the scenery and sets are realistic, and the music is wonderful. Howard Hawks has created another masterpiece in his filmography that already includes Scarface and Only Angels Have Wing. Rio Bravo was created as a backlash towards High Noon, and not only did it prove its point, it became a classic of its own and a very influential film.

Rating: A-


July 5, 2010

High Noon

High Noon (1952)
United Artists
Directed by Fred Zinnermann
Starring Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Katy Jurado, Ian MacDonald

In the 1950s, the second Red Scare was still in full force. The House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was blacklisting several Hollywood actors, directors, and writers who were believed to be Communists. This was severely interfering with Hollywood in terms of loans, and who could be trusted for film roles, without hurting your own career. Many people were against the blacklisting, which others such as John Wayne, were huge supporters of anything “un-American.” Director Fred Zinnermann decided to create a controversial film that served as an allegory to this ridiculous blacklisting. The film was set in the Old West in a time of masculinity, duty, and honor. The film was called High Noon and caused some major controversy in Hollywood. Gary Cooper stars as Marshal Will Kane in the small New Mexico town of Hadleyville. He has just married his wife, Amy (Kelly), and is about to retire and go on his honeymoon. He receives a telegram that Frank Miller has just been pardoned and is heading back to Hadleyville to kill Kane. Everyone tells Kane and Amy to leave before he arrives on the noon train, but Kane cannot run from this threat. He decides to stay and fight back against Miller and his posse. But unfortunately, no one will help stand up to the outlaws. His deputy quits, his friends hide, and the other townsfolk do not care. When the train arrives at high noon, Kane must face Miller by himself.

Will Kane is one of the greatest film heroes of all time. He embodies masculinity, duty, morals, and law. He has stronger morals than most John Wayne heroes; he is more courageous than Robin Hood. Kane stood up to Miller by himself when everyone turned on him. Gary Cooper gives the performance of a lifetime as the Marshal. His performance is sincere, masculine, and authentic. Cooper’s performance is better than any other Western until that time. John Wayne cannot touch Kane. The rest of the cast is tremendous. Newcomer Grace Kelly is wonderful as Amy. She is innocent and wants to be happy with Kane. She would stay with him, no matter the costs. In fact, Amy is the only one who helps Kane against Miller.

As previously mentioned, High Noon is an allegory towards blacklisting in Hollywood. Will Kane represents the last remaining piece of Hollywood that will stand against the blacklisting, while Miller represents the remainder, who has embraced the practice. Zinnermann was an advocate of blacklisting and this is his response towards it. He chose the Western genre because it showed a time of masculinity and morals, when friends band together to fight off a common enemy. However, this Western does not feature vast landscapes, multiple gunfights, or a classic story. The only action occurs during the last scene between Miller and Kane. The reason that this is not a classic Western is because times have changed. It is no longer about morals and honor, but instead of treachery and backstabbing.

One of the only problems with this film is the fact that not a single person would help Kane. This is a film about blacklisting, which is accomplishes, but in reality, someone would have helped Kane. This is a very controversial film. The film portrays that no one will stand against the Red Scare, but it takes one man to become a martyr to start the movement. Kane and High Noon serve as a martyr against the Red Scare. Zinnerman hoped to show how ridiculous it was with his excellent film.

High Noon is an amazing film that serves its purpose. It wants to showcase the limelight of blacklisting, and how Hollywood needs to stand up against the HUAC. Zinnerman and Cooper do not want others such as John Wayne to run Hollywood and only select certain people for films. Featuring a tremendous performance by Cooper and a very personal and political story, High Noon is a classic Western that changes the genre.

Rating: A-


July 8, 2010

The Sixth Sense

The Sixth Sense (1999)
Hollywood Pictures / Buena Vista Pictures
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Starring Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams

The Sixth Sense is a supernatural thriller that deals with the innocence of children, remembrance, and perception. The film was directed by M. Night Shyamalan, who directed the 1998 film, Wide Awake. The Sixth Sense is a dark take with some fine acting and superior directing. Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Willis) is a child psychologist who is sent to help with a troubled child, Cole Sear (Osment). One year ago, Crowe was shot by a former patient, and now that he has recovered, he I staking Cole’s case. Cole shows the same mysterious symptoms as his former patient, and Crowe wishes to correct his mistake. Crowe knows that something is seriously wrong with Cole, but he won’t tell him. Eventually after a few unexplainable incidents, Cole tells Crowe that he has a sixth sense, in which he can see and talk to dead people. Crowe does not believe him at first, but after he proves his ability, Crowe decides to help Cole with his supernatural power and cope with his hardships.

M. Night Shyamalan proves with The Sixth Sense that he has a huge potential as a director. There is a slick sense of style in every frame. Every background, every detail is important to the shot and the story. This is a film that requires multiple viewing to pick up all the details and decipher the hidden codes. Hidden messages and surprise twists are staples of Shyamalan’s style. In this film he uses a lot of the color red, which symbolizes love or fear. In this film, it represents clues to the mystery. It acts almost like a danger symbol.

While Bruce Willis has top billing for this film, the real star is Haley Joel Osment. He is young and innocent, and gives his character a sense of sympathy and pity. At one point or another, most of us have walked in Cole’s shoes. No, not being able to see ghosts, but feeling like an outcast. Throughout the film, Cole has no friends, only his mom and the ghosts who frighten him. He is trying to fit in and find his calling; another feeling we all have. Though none of us can say that our calling is to help the spirits of dead humans, we all have a calling and it can very difficult to find it and cope with it.

In what has become the Shyamalan template, all of his films have a surprise twist at the end. Most times in films with twists, the twist is completely unnecessary and does not bond with the film. However, in The Sixth Sense, the twist is subtly built up to, and you wouldn’t even notice. Many little details that reveal the ending are minor and would be overlooked in most films. The Sixth Sense has a strong message of perception that influences the twist ending and the whole film. Both Cole and Crowe perceive the world differently. Cole is innocent, yet is fearful because of the ghosts. Crowe is bitter towards the world because of his profession and his shooting a year ago. The twist ending also signifies perception on Crowe’s part because of how his world is perceived. Shyamalan wants us to really look around us and know our surrounding because they can be deceiving. Also within The Sixth Sense is the idea of child innocence and remembrance. Many paranormal films start with an innocent child that can see the ghosts before the adults can. They are more susceptible to otherworldly objects. Remembrance also plays a large within The Sixth Sense. Most people want to be remembered after they pass away. Cole serves as a median between the natural and supernatural world. Cole is able to help these spirits and help tie up their lose ends.

The Sixth Sense is a suspenseful thriller that plays more with the mind than relies on cheap thrills. There are a few jumps here and there, but the overall horror is ability for Cole and his sixth sense to play with your mind. You feel for Cole and want him to get better or learn to deal with his ability. He carries a huge burden for such a young child. The cinematography and directing is top-notch and proves that Shyamalan could be a great director and writer. The twist ending is very surprising and works within the story, though it may take multiple viewings to pick up on all the minor details that spoil it. Besides some cheap thrills and corny dialogue moments, The Sixth Sense is a great paranormal film that plays with the mind and emotions instead of relying on shocks and jumps.

Rating: B+


July 8, 2010

2012

2012 (2009)
Columbia Pictures
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Starring John Cusack, Chiwetel Eijofor, Amanda Peet, Danny Glover, Woody Harrelson

Disaster master Roland Emmerich is back again with his latest big-budget popcorn flick, 2012, based on the Mayan prophecy that the world will end in 2012. Emmerich, known for other films such as Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, beefs up the action and is able to balance out a strong script with it. This film is no masterpiece, nor will it win any Academy Awards, but for what it is, it delivers on every promise. This is probably, besides Independence Day, Emmerich’s finest disaster film. The year is 2012, and the US government has discovered that the earth’s poles are about to shift, causing global chaos including tsunamis, volcanoes, and flooding. Fearing for the extinction of the human race, the governments of all countries build giant “arks” to keep selected individuals alive during the flooding. Meanwhile, author Jackson Curtis (Cusack) is camping in Yellowstone National Park with his children when he discovers a hotspot for devastation. Soon, he is on the run from nature’s fury and gets caught up with Dr. Adrian Helmsley (Ejiofar), who is the lead US scientist behind the operation.

The plot is simple and extremely unrealistic. But in these types of films, it’s all about the special effects and action, and not the plot or acting. The special effects of 2012 are simply amazing. Everything looks fantastic and realistic. The volcano explosions, the tidal waves, the earthquakes: all look as if they were taken from a Discovery Channel special. The action of 2012 is on par with other disaster films. It is pretty much the heroes running from a huge natural disaster and barely escaping in order to outrun the next one.

As with most of these types of action films, the acting and dialogue is somewhat laughable. John Cusack stars as the hero who saves his children and ex-wife from the apocalypse. His acting is very over-the-top and not needed. He doesn’t seem to fit into these types of films. I know that Emmerich wanted a different approach with an author as the hero, but other disaster films star big name action heroes such as Will Smith or Bruce Willis. Danny Glover plays the United States President believably. Unfortunately, he has little screentime and is not used to his full potential. Woody Harrelson plays a hippie scientist with a radio show who predicted the disaster, and is telling the world. He is barely in the film and is wasted. With such a fine actor as Woody, I would have thought he would have been given a bigger role.

2012 is a joyride that showcases Emmerich’s maturity with the subject. In recent years, he has toned down his films and included some reality and emotion instead of pure testosterone. This film shows that humanity will always find a way. Nature will not destroy the human race. By having some sort of message, even if it be simplistic, this shows that Emmerich has grown as a director. If Emmerich can do it, then maybe Michael Bay can be the next to show maturity, but I doubt it. 2012 has some very nice special effects and action sequences, but the plot is so jumbled and outrageous, it cannot be ignored. 2012 promises popcorn flick fun, and it delivers on every level.

Rating: C+


June 22, 2010

Predator

Predator (1987)
20th Century Fox
Directed by John McTiernan
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Elpidia Carrillo

Powerhouse action star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, returns to familiar territory with John McTiernan’s Predator. Hot off the successes of Commando and The Terminator, Arnold is once again banking on mindless action, bulging biceps, and corny one-liners. Well, Predator delivers on all three aspects. Arnold stars as Dutch, the leader of a Delta Force task team sent into South America to rescue a presidential cabinet minister who has been kidnapped by guerrilla forces. Coming along for the trip is Dillon (Weathers), Dutch’s old friend who is now working for the CIA. They find the guerrilla camp and destroy it, but find no hostages. Dutch leans from Dillon that the extraction was a set-up in order to destroy the camp. Dutch and his team become infuriated with Dillon. The team sets out back towards the rendezvous location, and learns that they are not alone. The find skinned American soldiers and begin to panic. Some mysterious alien creature is hunting the team, and slaughtering them, one by one. Soon it’s just Dutch and the Predator, fighting for survival and dominance.

Predator features an all-star cast that helps to deliver the thrills and action of an 80’s action flick. Besides Arnold starring, the film also stars Carl Weathers and Jesse Ventura. Every member of the strike team has their own personality. And most of them are bodybuilders, which jacks up the machoism. The action is thrilling and nonstop. As soon as the team hits South America, the thrills just keep on coming. Predator is a very dark themed film. Unlike other Arnold action films, the entire film is a thriller based on fear of the unknown. Because of that nonstop fear, Predator succeeds as a better-than-average action thriller.

The Predator is a wonderful villain. He is a skilled killer, unhuman, and represents man’s fear of the unknown. The Predator has the ability to become invisible; he is unseen, mysterious, and feared. Predator uses this strong representation of the unknown and applies it towards the idea of racism. I say “idea of racism” because perhaps this is looking too far into the film, but there are some strong details that support it. First, the Predator is unknown to the team and cannot be seen, just like racism. Secondly, the Predator has dreadlocks. And lastly, the film makes the Predator into the ultimate villain and tries to make the audience hate him. Of course, this is just one theory behind the Predator, but it’s a sneaky way to broadcast racism.

Besides the awesome villain and action sequences, there are some flaws within Predator. The dialogue is absolutely horrible. Just as every other 80’s flick starring Arnold, Stallone, etc., the films are riddled with cheesy one-liners. Arnold movies are the worse. And there are some very cheesy lines here. Though not as bad as Commando was, Predator amps up the one-liners with such classics as, “Get to the choppa’!” and “I don’t have time to bleed.” The one-liners are sometimes humorous, but most of the time unnecessary and very corny. Besides the amazing dialogue is the wonderful acting by the team. Arnold is not known for his acting at all. But he can actually act. He is better than Steven Segal and Jean-Claude, so that is a plus. However, Predator does have some decent acting by Arnold, but the rest of the cast is just horrible. And this includes Carl Weathers, who I would have thought to be a better actor since starring in Rocky.

Overall, Predator is what we have come to expect from Arnold. But what makes this film better than his others is the science fiction twist with the immensely cool Predator. Even though he is an allegory for racism, he is still a huge threat to the team, and one of the better sci-fi villains, ranking up there with the Alien from Ridley Scott’s classic. Besides the cheesy dialogue and stiff acting, Predator is filled with adrenaline, testosterone, monsters, huge oily men, and Jesse Ventura with a giant machine gun. What else do you need or expect?

Rating: B+


July 11, 2010

The Book of Eli

The Book of Eli (2010)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Directed by The Hughes Brothers
Starring Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Gary Oldman

The apocalypse film wheel is rolling again in Hollywood; this time because of the 2012 prophecy. Over the last year, there have been three apocalypse films, and plenty more to come. Within the past few months, The Road, 2012, and now The Book of Eli have been released, all connected by a disaster that destroys most of the world. While the superior of the three is The Road, The Book of Eli is an entertaining action film that puts a religious twist on the post apocalypse genre. The film stars Denzel Washington as Eli who is wandering around the country looking for the “right place.” With him is the last remaining copy of the Bible that was not burned in the thirty years since the apocalypse. He stumbles into a local town and meets Carnegie (Oldman), a book obsessed dictator who wants the Bible in order to control his people, and everyone in the surrounding areas. His thugs attack Eli, who manages to escape with a slave girl, Solara (Kunis), and head towards the coast.

The Book of Eli has the same post apocalypse feel of other classics films such as The Road Warrior, but adds a refreshing religious spin on the genre. In the film, every Bible was burned due to its involvement in the war that started the apocalypse. Eli was told by the voice of God where to find the last one. His mission from God is to carry the Bible to someplace where it is needed. The message of The Book of Eli is that no matter what happens, religion will always be around, and that some people will use it for evil intentions. The war was caused by religion and Carnegie wants the Bible to basically control the world.

Denzel Washington gives the role of Eli his best effort, but his acting is not the problem with this film. Some of the acting is horrible, including Mila Kunis, who keeps getting action roles when she cannot act. Look at her role in Max Payne. Ray Stevenson plays Carnegie’s henchman with ease. He is a fine actor, but he is wasted here. His scenes are fine, but very limited. The biggest problem with the film is the script. It is very bland and unoriginal. Everything seen here, besides the religious context, has been in other films such as Mad Max, Doomsday, or The Omega Man. One positive aspect of the script is the completely unseen twist at the end where it is revealed that Eli is blind and the Bible is in Brail. After rewatching the film, it is hard to believe that Eli is completely blind. The action scenes could not be done by a blind man. It would be more believable if he was legally blind. I know that the directors were going for a “blind in the light of God” approach but it is very unrealistic for this type of film.

The action in The Book of Eli is very stylish. The first time Eli is attacked is shown completely in silhouette which is very effective. He is a man of mystery and shadows. He comes and goes. The other action scenes are shown in full lighting. The action is fast and strong. It is similar to The Matrix with the pace, but not with slow motion. It is usually one man versus fifteen or so thugs. The action sequences are not spectacular but work. The first fight is very good, but the rest are mediocre.

The Book of Eli is nothing special, nor will it be a genre classic as will The Road. The film is very reminiscent of the Mad Max trilogy, minus the stellar car chases. Eli is a strong character that could also be in I am Legend. The first half of The Book of Eli is strong when the story focuses on Eli being a wanderer, but it fails once he comes into the town. This post apocalyptic future is not as gloomy as The Road, but is cheesier with a sense of civilization still alive. Think of Max Max: Beyond Thunderdome. This is not an untamed world, but instead a less civilized Wild West without cowboys. The script is limited and not very inventive, but with a religious subplot and a strong twist at the end, The Book of Eli is worth a watch.

Rating: C+


June 24, 2010

I Love You, Man

I Love You, Man (2009)
DreamWorks Pictures
Directed by John Hamburg
Starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones

Hot off the success breaking away from the Judd Apatow crew with the surprise hit Role Models, Paul Rudd teams up with Along Came Polly director John Hamburg for the hilarious bromance film I Love You, Man. Rudd stars as Peter Klaven, who after proposing to his girlfriend, realizes that he has no true friends. With the help of his gay brother, girlfriend (Jones), and mother, Peter starts going on “man-dates” to find a bud to be his best man at the wedding. He soon finds the eccentric Sydney Fife (Segel), and the two hit it off.

I Love You, Man is a very original, very heartwarming comedy which puts a strange twist on the romantic comedies. Instead of a traditional “rom-com” it uses a bromance approach. Peter and Sydney become best friends, attending Rush concerts together, and attacking Lou Ferrigno. Rudd and Segel have worked together in many Apatow films, but it is great to see both star in one film outside of the Apatow universe. They have a great chemistry on screen that makes this awkward situation believable. There are many other great supporting actors here that give the film some great moments as well: Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jaime Pressly, Jon Favreau, and Thomas Lennon. All bring tremendous humor to their parts and make this film extremely humorous.

While there is not a strong social message in I Love You, Man, it does show that true friendship is like a relationship with a loved one. Both require patience, chemistry, trust, and loyalty to evolve and stay alive. Both Sydney’s and Peter’s relationship mirrors many relationships including Peter’s and Zooey’s. Another aspect to the friendship theme is that a friend will do anything for you, and that a true friend is hard to find, so don’t lose them. It is only at the climax does Sydney and Peter realize this.

I Love You, Man is a well crafted comedy that mixes enough humor with raunchiness and guy humor to entertain all audiences. Both Rudd and Segel are wonderful comedians and it is about time they are allowed to show it, without being overcast by others such as Will Ferrell, Steve Carrell, or Seth Rogen. Both of these talented comedians’ careers should soar from this highly clever, well written, extremely funny male “rom-com.”

Rating: B+


June 13, 2010

Edge of Darkness

Edge of Darkness (2010)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Directed by Martin Campbell
Starring Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston

With Martin Campbell’s original 1985 BBC television series, Edge of Darkness, being such a well-received title, Hollywood would hope that the big screen version would also be successful. Unfortunately, even though both have the same director, the film version of Edge of Darkness is an average revenge and political thriller. Massachusetts homicide detective Thomas Craven (Gibson) meets with his daughter after being away from her for a long time. One evening as they are heading for the hospital because of her mysterious illness, Emma Craven is shot at his doorstep. Believing that the shot was targeted towards him, Craven begins investigating and obsessing over the case. He soon learns that his daughter was the target of a government cover-up, and it’s up to Craven to reveal it. It is a basic, well overdone plot, with lots of hard-to-follow twists and secondary plotlines.

This is Mel Gibson’s first acting role since 2002’s Signs and We Were Soldiers. Though he has been busy directing, it is nice to see Mel return from his recent incidents and make another action film. His acting his vintage Mel, but his Boston accent is horrible in this film. It is over emphasized and takes away from the seriousness of the story. At some points it is hard to concentrate on the story when all you can hear is his butchered Boston accent.

The plot of Edge of Darkness is very basic, but it has a lot of details and sub-stories within it to make it very complex. The primary plot is with Craven investigating his daughter’s murder. As this is going on, there are many other stories that intertwine into the main story. Each of those are revealed as the conspiracy begins to unravel. Whether this was done on purpose or not is in question, but the message is that the story always goes deeper. Besides Craven, there are stories that involve the company CEO, a senator, and a cover-up man. There is a tremendous amount of material for this two hour movie. If it were longer it would be easier to flesh out the stories and not make it seem so crammed. The biggest story that needs fleshing is the one involving the cover-up man, Darius Jedburgh (Winstone). He is a CIA agent who has been sent in by the government to cover up the radiation poisoning at Northmoor’s plants. Ray Winstone is a powerful actor and it would have been nice to see him get more of a backstory for his actions and decisions.

Like the original, Edge of Darkness has strong messages of paranoia towards the government. The original television show was paranoia towards nuclear warfare in the 1980’s. The new film also touches upon that subject with the idea that the saboteurs are poisoned with radiation. Northmoor is a government funded company that builds nuclear bombs, but can be traced back to other countries. There are many people who believe that the government has or will do this, causing paranoia throughout the country. This is a strong message in a time when the War in Iraq is very poorly-received and the United States citizens do not trust the government and believe that the politicians are lying to them. This is evident from the WMD issue.

Edge of Darkness is a political thriller, not as powerful as The Manchurian Candidate, but works for the action genre. Mel Gibson gives another strong performance as he is trying to investigate the scandals of the Northmoor Company. The plot is basic on the surface, but once the details unravel, the story becomes more complex with too many characters and sub-stories. Edge of Darkness is a good revenge thriller with a popular message, but is nothing more than an average action film with strong performances and a very complex plot that requires multiple viewings.

Rating: C


July 1, 2010

Celtic Pride

Celtic Pride (1996)
Buena Vista Pictures
Directed by Tom DeCerchio
Starring Damon Wayans, Daniel Stern, Dan Aykroyd

On the outside, Celtic Pride looks like a terrible film. Overall, it isn’t that good, but to a sports fan, this film will definitely appeal to them. The Boston Celtics are playing their last season in the Garden against the Utah Jazz for the NBA Championship. Best friends, Mike O’Hara (Stern) and Jimmy Flaherty (Aykroyd) are die-hard Boston fans. After the Celtics lose one game, they find the Jazz’s top player, Lewis Scott (Wayans), in a Boston bar. They get him drunk and after a night of bad decisions, wakeup to find that they have kidnapped Scott. They decide to hold him until after the series is finished, so that he cannot play against their beloved Celtics.

Anyone who is or has a friend who is a sports fan will appreciate this film, especially any Boston fans. Boston fans are the most extreme sports fans that there are. This film goofs on those people by showing just how ridiculous it is to be this obsessed with a team. However, fans will look past the goofing and connect with the two main characters. Many fans have their own rituals when their team is playing to help them win, but this film brings to reality just how it would be like to actually help your team win. Though it is very far-fetched and unrealistic, Celtic Pride is fun and brings many sports fans’ fantasy to life. I’m not saying that all fans want to kidnap the opponent’s best players, but the film showcases how two friends can help their team achieve victory.

The message of the film is not to be too obsessed with sports. There are many people who memorize sports statistics and never miss a game. They feel like they are actually part of the team. These are true obsessed fans. Celtic Pride makes itself out to be a spoof on these people and show support for the Celtics, but in the end, it fails on both levels. Yes, it does make fun of these people, but it doesn’t put any “umph” into it. There is no clever or smart way to portray it. Instead, it relies on a weak script and stereotypical characters to give its message.

The acting in the film is fine with good performances by Aykroyd and Wayans. Stern, from Home Alone fame, is not funny in this film. He tries too hard to portray his character humorously. Wayans is very sarcastic and is the best piece of this film. Aykroyd plays a pitiful plumber who has some good moments with Wayans. Aykroyd is a comedic genius, and brings life to all of his characters.

Overall, Celtic Pride starts off to be a spoof film on sports fans, but instead relies on stereotypes and poor plot to portray this. Celtic Pride is only for sports fans and major fans of Boston, but for everyone else, it’s not worth the watch. However, over time this film gets stronger as the Boston Celtic’s fanbase rises again. As the Celtics win again, the fans become even crazier, which is what this mediocre film is trying to show. Everyone wishes that they were part of their favorite team and could help them win the championship.

Rating: C-


June 22, 2010

Green Zone

Green Zone (2010)
Universal Pictures
Directed by Paul Greengrass
Starring Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan

Green Zone teams director Paul Greengrass with Matt Damon for their third film together following the success of The Bourne Supremacy and the Academy Award winning The Bourne Ultimatum. Using the same techniques that made those films unique and creative, Greengrass has created a war thriller based on true events. Based on the novel, Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, the film takes actual events, but changes the names of some of the participants. Matt Damon stars as Chief Roy Miller, the head of a Mobile Exploitation Team determined to find weapons of mass destructions (WMD) in Iraq. His team keeps coming up short due to faulty intelligence, but when the intelligence is questioned by Miller, he is told to keep his mouth shut and do his job. CIA Bureau Chief Martin Brown (Gleeson) knows that the intelligence is wrong and tries to help Miller. When a secret meeting of Iraqi leaders takes place, Miller finds a book with the names and locations of all the leaders. Brown and Miller use the information to uncover the truth about the faulty intelligence and the supposed WMDs, while trying to find out the identity of the Iraqi informant known as “Magellan.”

The story is a fictional account of WMD issue in Iraq, though many of the events that occur in Green Zone are based on true events. Chief Miller is based on Richard Gonzales, who was given command of the WMD team. As in the movie, his intelligence was also faulty and inaccurate. All of the characters have real-life representatives: Brown is based on Jay Garner; Pentagon Special Intelligence Clark Poundstone is Paul Brenner; Magellan is based on the informant Curveball.

As with other Paul Greengrass films, his method of filming includes shaky camera shots to intensify the action and realism of the sequences. This newer Hollywood method has come into much debate because some audience members are prone to motion sickness. The Bourne Ultimatum had a tremendous amount of shaky cam shots, and Green Zone is worse. There are far more shaky cam shots, faster cuts; the whole film is a blur. This helps the intensity of the film’s situations, but also hinders the film. It is hard to tell what is going on when the camera is going in every which way and the editing is so fast, that there is a new cut every two seconds. This is the biggest letdown of the film. While The Bourne Ultimatum won an Academy Award for its editing and cinematography, Green Zone uses the technique so much that it distracts audiences from the plot and action.

Green Zone shares many social messages with Greengrass’ Bourne films. All three of his films share a sense of paranoia of the government. Some would call Green Zone anti-war propaganda. It deliberately shows that the American government lied about WMDs in Iraq and used this excuse to invade the country. It is my opinion that this is what Greengrass believes to have happened. He is very anti-government and his films show this.

Besides the blatant anti-war messages, Green Zone works as a political thriller filled with messages of government conspiracies and paranoia. It is not as groundbreaking as other ant-war films such as Full Metal Jacket, but overall, Green Zone sends its message across. It is very realistic and political and sends a firm message to the American citizens that the government should not be trusted. The acting is top notch. Damon is believable in his role, and the other supporting cast gives it their all. Besides the sickness inducing camera work, Green Zone is a good war thriller that really hits home and will cause some major debates.

Rating: C+


July 2, 2010

Blade Runner

Blade Runner (1982)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Directed by Ridley Scott
Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young

Ridley Scott returns behind the camera to bring us his follow-up to his sci-fi thriller, Alien. Once again returning to the science fiction genre, Blade Runner portrayals a futuristic world where human replicants (robots) are created, but are soon banned because of their violent behavior. Blade runners are hired police officers that hunt down and “retire” these replicants. When a handful of newer model replicants escape from the Tyrell Corporation, blade runner Rick Deckard (Ford) is hired to hunt them down before they can kill more humans. The film is based on Philip K. Dick’s novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, but differs significantly.

Blade Runner is a classic example of a neo-noir film. This genre of film has faded out in Hollywood since the 1950’s, but it’s great to see that the genre is still alive. All the classic noir conventions are present: the gloomy setting, the anti-hero, the narration, and the femme fatale. Blade Runner is mostly centered on its action sequences, but as an overall story Blade Runner is a genuine noir.

Harrison Ford is great as Deckard. He is a fan favorite, and is highly successful now after Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The only problem with Ford’s acting is the horrible narration during the film. It’s dry, emotionless, and unnecessary. Yes, narration is a common trait of noir, but this narration is just plain wrong. Ford gives Deckard life. He is a mysterious character, with questionable morals. The character is similar to other Ford characters including the famous Han Solo from Star Wars. Deckard is a blade runner, but is questionable because he has no boundaries.

On the outside, Blade Runner appears to be a basic sci-fi action film, but it’s much deeper than that. The film touches about morality, religion, technology, and humanity. There are many morals throughout Blade Runner in regards to Deckard killing or “retiring” the replicants. They look, act, and feel like humans, but in this world it is alright to kill them. The film brings up the idea of killing look-a-like humans and how it plays with your mind. Another emotion that plays with you is love. Deckard begins to have feelings for a renegade replicants, but he knows that he shouldn’t. There are a lot of messages being thrown around involving love, morality, and mortality. Technology and religion play a big role as well. In this futuristic world, technology has allowed humans to create anything to make life easier. Ridley Scott is showing that the future will be technology reliant, even in creating humans. Technological advances including cyborgs, cloning, and flying cars are all evident in this future. Many of these advances step on the toes of religion including cloning. The film makes you create your own opinions about these two highly debated topics. Humanity is brought up with the replicants. They are essentially humans, but machine inside. They feel, love, live: but they have short lifespans. Batty, the leader of the replicants, is determined to live longer. However, he finds that he cannot, and goes on a rampage killing the leader of Tyrell. In the end though, afraid of death, he saves Deckard’s life so that his memory can live on. It’s a very complex message about what is human and what is not.

Blade Runner is a good noir film that also features a good amount of action and violence. The plot is basic, but at the same time, very complex. There are many characters and subplots that make a second viewing necessary. But every time you watch it, you will appreciate even more. Blade Runner is a great follow up for Ridley Scott. It is filled with deep messages and debates, and will go down as a genre classic.

Rating: B+


June 27, 2010


Blade Runner: International Cut (1982)

Blade Runner was released internationally with the same running time as the United States theatrical version. The only difference is that there are two additional scenes of more blood. These occur when Batty crushes Tyrell’s skull and when Deckard stabs Batty’s hand with a nail. Other than those two violent scenes that are also included in the workprint, the international cut is no different for the US version.

Rating: B+


June 27, 2010


Blade Runner: Director’s Cut (1992)

Ten years after Blade Runner was released theatrically, the original workprint was screened for audiences. The print was met with approval, so director Ridley Scott decided to go back and create a director’s cut for his beloved film. Blade Runner: The Director’s Cut takes out and adds several elements of the original. The horrible narration is removed, which makes the film flow better. Also the happy ending is removed. The original ending has Deckard and his replicant lover escaping and “living happily ever after.” In the new ending, there is a sense of uncertainty to their future. There is also a unicorn dream sequence added to the film.

The director’s cut adds a new element to the film, which was somewhat hinted in the original but never explored. Blade Runner: The Director’s Cut hints that Deckard, himself, may be a replicants. His unicorn dream provides the possibility that maybe his dreams are tampered with. One of the other blade runners makes origami unicorns and leaves them wherever he has been. This is a hint to Deckard that he might be a replicants, and that that blade runner changed his memories. It is a very strange twist to this tale, but the answer is never explained.

Rating: B+


June 27, 2010



Blade Runner: The Final Cut (2007)

Blade Runner: The Final Cut is Ridley Scott’s final tampering with his 1982 film. When the director’s cut was released, Scott did not have full artistic control over due to Warner Bros. and his filming on Thelma and Louise. After Warner Bros. secured the full rights to the film, he was given the opportunity to make his definitive version. He updated the beginning shots and a few small technical shots. There is not a huge improvement over the director’s cut, but this is a fantastic improvement over the original in 1982. There is still the notion that Deckard is a replicant, and in my opinion, he is. Overall, this is the best version of Blade Runner, and the only version that should be viewed.

Rating: A-


June 27, 2010

Earth

Earth (2007)
Disneynature
Directed by Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield
Narrated by James Earl Jones

Earth is the first documentary film released by Walt Disney Pictures under the Disneynature label. Originally released in 2007 in various countries throughout Europe, it opened in the United States in 2009 to celebrate Earth Day. Earth is directed by Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, who also produced and directed BBC’s Planet Earth documentary from 2006. This film features various shots from that popular series, and some new unaired footage.

The film is much shorter than its television counterpart, forcing the directors to edit out a tremendous amount of wonderful footage. However, just like Planet Earth, Earth sets out to show audiences the beauty of the world. The film follows various animals throughout their lives including a polar bear den, an African bush elephant herd, and a family of humpback whales, while showing other footage of other animals and habitats from across the planet. If you have already seen Planet Earth, this documentary will seem familiar in style and content. The only difference is the narration of James Earl Jones, as opposed to Richard Attenborough for Planet Earth. With that being the only major difference, Earth is still a wonderful documentary that shows us the power of Mother Nature.

Planet Earth is far more superior to Earth, but it also has a much longer run time. Earth is the same content as the documentary, just shrunk onto the silver screen to introduce audiences to the phenomenon of nature. Besides a few new shots, Earth is just a rehash that is not worth watching if you have already seen Planet Earth.

Rating: B


June 18, 2010

Planet Earth

Planet Earth (2006)
BBC Natural History Unit
Directed by Alastair Fothergill
Narrated by Richard Attenborough

Planet Earth is a masterful eleven-part documentary that showcases the beauty of our earth. Filmed over five years, it is the most expensive documentary created. It was also the first to be shown entirely in high definition, making the quality superb. Many of the shows within the series have never before been captured on camera, making this documentary a must see for nature lovers, or anyone who is in awe of the wonders of the world.

Originally broadcasted on BBC, Planet Earth is narrated by Richard Attenborough, director of Gandhi, and star of Jurassic Park. The documentary covers all terrains and regions of the world from shallow seas to deserts, and jungles to temperate forests. Each fifty-minute segments features amazing shots of terrain, ecosystems, and wildlife that occupy the areas. It is hard to watch this series and not have an open mouth in wonder of the beauty of earth.

Planet Earth is a documentary without any specific social messages. Instead it decides to showcase the beauty of life, from terrain to wildlife. From there, it is up to the viewer to create their own opinions about earth. Many of these opinions and messages are about conservation and preservation. Planet Earth is one of the best nature documentaries ever made. It will open your eyes to the beauty of our planet, and hopefully change the minds of some humans in order to help save this planet.

Rating: A+


June 10, 2010

Up

Up (2009)
Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation
Directed by Pete Doctor
Starring Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai

Pixar Animation has created another masterpiece with its newest film, Up. Starring Edward Asner as widower Carl Fredricksen, the film follows Carl and Russell (Nagai), a young Wilderness Explorer, on their wild adventure to South America in Carl’s house suspended by balloons. The plot doesn’t seem like much, but Pixar uses their creative imaginations and magic to make Up a wild story full of emotion, humor, and action. The animation from Pixar is top notch and ranks with WALL-E and The Incredibles. As with all of their films, it is incredible how much emotion can be shown using three-dimensional characters. In every Pixar film, you immediately fall in love with the characters and feel for them. Up is no different. When Carl’s life is shown with his wife, it is heartwarming and very sad. It is hard not to shed a tear when the montage ends with her passing away. You pity Carl for losing his wife, and now his home is trying to be taken away. Carl has no option but to move away to Paradise Falls; the fantasy location where the couple has always wanted to move to. Russell, who is trying to get a merit badge, get stuck on the house as it flies away, and joins Carl on the ride of a lifetime.

Up is a heartwarming tale about loss and grief. It is also about realizing that even though your dreams don’t always come true, it is important to look back on your life and realize what you have accomplished. Carl always thought that he failed his wife by never going to Paradise Falls, but in reality, he made her proud. The couple keeps an “Adventure Book” with all of their plans. Carl opens it after her death and finds that she continued the adventure by placing pictures of their life together. Carl realizes that he has had a rewarding life with her.

The film works on every level; from the animation to the voice acting. Carl is the grumpy, yet lovable old man, and Asner brings the character to life. Newcomer Jordan Nagai voices Russell, who is both pitiful and charming. He is a great Pixar character like the chef from Ratatouille. Pixar has always created funny and pitiful characters in all of their films.

Up is an amazing film from Pixar that shows that they are the powerhouse of animated films. They have only had one bad film (Cars), and the rest have been masterpieces that appeal to children as well as adults. Up is a sad film with tons of raw emotion and lovable characters. There is nothing wrong with this film. It is near perfect. It has the right amount of humor mixed with adventure and action, and a strong message and motion looming above this basic concept that created a masterpiece.

Rating: A


June 25, 2010

Reign Over Me

Reign Over Me (2007)
Columbia Pictures
Directed by Mike Binder
Starring Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett Smith, Liv Tyler

Reign Over Me is a very personal and emotion tale of one man’s breakdown following the loss of his entire family following the tragic events of 9/11. Don Cheadle plays Dr. Alan Johnson, a dentist who is having some marriage problems due to having no personal space. One day as he is heading home, he sees his old college roommate, Charlie Fineman (Sandler), who has all but disappeared from society. Charlie does not remember him nor his past life as he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Johnson becomes closer to Charlie and tries to help him with his personal problems.

Adam Sandler gives a tremendous performance in Reign Over Me that shows that he does have the ability to act. His character has tons of emotion, depth, and pity that makes Charlie a lovable and pitiful character. It is nice to see Sandler break away from his comedies and return to drama comedies such as he did with Drunk Punch Love. Don Cheadle shows that he is an amazing actor with his role as Johnson. There is a strong chemistry between the two leads that makes the friendship seem more realistic.

The message of Reign Over Me is that everyone needs to grieve in their own time. This is a very feasible message, but at points it seems that director Mike Binder has too much screentime to portray this. It is an overly overdrawn message that keeps coming back throughout the film. The message appears whenever Charlie becomes suspicious, flips out, or finally opens up and tells his story. Binder perfectly lets his message flow onto the screen, but there is not enough content in this film to fully justify his intent.

The idea of incorporating 9/11 is a smart move for this film. Though not as intense as World Trade Center, this film shows how one man’s life has changed because of the tragedy. Charlie’s story is heartbreaking. This is parallel to everyone who lost someone that day. Charlie could not deal with the pain and blocked everything out. It is hard to watch Charlie’s character and not be touched by Sandler’s performance. When Charlie does open up, it is tear jerking and definitely plays with the emotions.

Reign Over Me comes from the classic The Who song “Love, Reign O’er Me.” This title is fitting because Charlie had so much love for his family, and now others love him and love is “raining” on him now. This is very powerful film, despite a few holes and flaws, which showcases emotion. Sandler is at his best here; no silly, childish jokes: just plain raw emotion with some grown-up humor. Reign Over Me is a wonderful tearjerker that features some impressive performances and wonderful messages of grief and time.

Rating: B

June 21, 2010

Gone with the Wind

Gone with the Wind (1939)
MGM
Directed by Victor Fleming
Starring Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland

There is only one word that describes Victor Fleming’s Gone with the Wind: masterpiece. Based on the 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell, Fleming brings us one of the greatest films ever created. Set in the Civil War era of the South, Scarlet O’Hara (Leigh) is a narcissistic young lady obsessed with Ashley Wilkes (Howard), the man she secretly loves. When the war breaks out, Ashley proposes to her best friend, Melanie (de Havilland), before heading off to war. Enraged and jealous, Scarlett decides to get back at Ashley by showing that she is wealthy and beautiful. She marries a young man, out of spite for Ashley’s “betrayal,” and ends up a widow by the war. She soon meets the mysterious and dashing Rhett Butler (Gable), who falls in love with her, though she does not feel the same way. Throughout the war, and after, Rhett keeps running into Scarlett, and her feelings change. Obsessed with wealth and stealing Ashley away from Melanie, she marries Rhett for the money and until Ashley is free from his marriage. The two have a happy marriage at first, but soon their mutual feeling begin to change.

The performances of this film are simply amazing. Vivien Leigh brings Scarlett to life. She is beautiful and crazy; wealthy and poor. She has all the money she could have, but no one to love her. The only one she loves is taken. She only realizes at the last moment that’s he loves Rhett, but it’s too late. He leaves her and gives the infamous line, “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.” Her character is extremely layered. Once you think you figure her out, another layer is shown. Clark Gable gives the best performance of his life, and one of the greatest ever as Rhett. He is wealthy, masculine, and powerful. He can have any woman he wants and he picks a young woman who does not love him, nor want anything to do with him. He cares only about his social appearance. He tolerates Scarlett’s antics, even though he knows she loves Ashley. Gable is the true star of this film.

The story is fantastic as well. Gone with the Wind is nearly four hours long and every detail, from dialogue to set pieces are important. This film so near perfect that everything blends together to make a masterpiece. The sets are realistic and vast; the dialogue is wonderful; the acting is legendary; and the messages are clear. Gone with the Wind is about greed, love, and power; and how all three blend into another. In the film, Scarlett has a greed for wealth that eventually turns into a love. She wants power, which Rhett represents, and eventually finds love from him, but it’s too late. The film shows that you cannot have love with greed, or power without greed. Gone with the Wind is also about the South. In fact, I would consider the South as a major character in the film. Everything about the film revolves around the living South: from the wars, to the love of the South; the people, and the way of life. The South forms these characters of Scarlett and Rhett and make the story much more fitting and proper.

However, being a masterpiece, the film does have some racist overtones throughout. For being set in the Civil War, slavery is heavily ignored throughout. Many of the African American slaves seem happy to work with their white masters. They even make it seem as if they need them to survive. Scenes with Scarlett's nanny heavily emphasize the slavery and racism themes within the film.

What is there to say about Gone with the Wind that hasn’t been said before? It is one the greatest American cinematic achievements since the birth of film. It has stellar performances from Vivien Leigh and screen legend Clark Gable. Both Rhett and Scarlett are two of the most well known movie characters ever. And the film features some of the most popular musical scores and dialogue quotes. Gone with the Wind is a classic that will always be immortalized as one the greatest.

Rating: A+


June 24, 2010

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Walt Disney Pictures
Directed by Tim Burton
Starring Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway

There have been several film versions of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland since the birth of film. The earliest version was from 1903, directed by Cecil Hepworth. In 1951, Walt Disney released their original animated classic, Alice in Wonderland¸ to mixed reviews. The film was strange and even Disney himself, apologized for the mishap, which is not considered a masterpiece. Now over one-hundred years later, Walt Disney Pictures and gothic director Tim Burton is applying his twisted vision to the classic tales. Using segments from both the original book and its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass, the new version is neither a sequel or reimagining. Instead it is something completely different. It is a dark tale filled with strange creatures and psychedelic imagery. Alice in Wonderland is the story of Alice Kingsleigh (Wasikowska) who believes that she does not belong. She has a higher calling in this world than just living the norm. Since she was a young girl, she has had strange nightmares of a world with white rabbits, dodo birds, and other unearthly creatures. When she is proposed to by Lord Ascot, she runs off with the White Rabbit and finds herself in the magical world she calls Wonderland. She discovers that it is her destiny to save Wonderland from the evil Red Queen and slay her beast, the Jabberwocky.

Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is very surreal and poetic. The background is completely computer generated and truly a feast for the eyes. But looks alone will not create a great film. This film has many flaws with the script and characters. When the film opened, it was not known that it was a semi-sequel, semi-reimagining of the classic tale. This confused audiences and made them question the events taking place on screen. Burton changes many details in his version including changing Wonderland to Underland, and giving bigger roles to smaller characters. The Mad Hatter is the true character of the Underland heroes. Played by the talented Johnny Depp, this Mad Hatter is a twist between Edward Scissorhands and Jack Sparrow with a Scottish accent that disappears from time to time. He is very twisted and bizarre, but adds some humor and depth to the character. Burton and Depp have teamed up together for several films, and this time around, Depp’s character does not have the fan approval as other characters he has portrayed. We’ve seen this routine before, but never to this extent. Depp was wonderful as Willy Wonka, but just alright as Hatter.

The best performance in Alice in Wonderland is Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen. She is ruthless, powerful, evil, and pathetic as a person. Her portrayal is must different from the classic Disney cartoon in that the Red Queen has a humongous head. The Red Queen is the true villain of this film, and she adds a sense of evil and humor to Underland. Newcomer Mia Wasikowska portrays the iconic Alice wonderfully for a first time performance. Though this Alice is not the best portrayal, the character works for the film and fits into Burton’s Underland mythology.

Besides the strange plot setup and rushed storylines with too many characters, the biggest flaw of Alice in Wonderland is the amount of CGI used. The film looks amazing, but there is too much just like in Avatar. The Jabberwocky looks like a left over creature from some cheesy sci-fi film. It fires out purple lightning and prances about with the menacing voice of Christopher Lee. Absolem, the caterpillar, does not have the muse power as in the cartoon. Instead he is the actual size of a caterpillar and does not have the wow factor of the classic imagery, though he is voiced by Alan Rickman, so that does help with the lackluster incarnation. The best CGI character is the Cheshire Cat. He is wonderfully animated and the voice of Stephen Fry suits him. Besides Chesh, the others look sloppy and rushed.

As with the other countless versions of Alice in Wonderland, the film is about finding yourself. Everything happens for a reason, and because of those events, we are who we are. Alice is at a crossroads in her life, and she needs to decide what to do with her life. This is a major event in almost everyone’s life. Alice teaches us that no matter what strange or bizarre events occur in our life; that we need to stay true to ourselves and choose the right path. In Alice’s case, it was her destiny and path to slay the Jaberwocky. She chose the right path and helped protect her friends.

Alice in Wonderland is a very bizarre film that cannot decide whether to be a sequel or a reimagining of the classic tale. Because e of this, the film suffers for identity crisis as does the characters. Alice, Chesh, and the Red Queen are wonderful in this film, but the major star, Depp as the Mad Hatter, is mediocre and a Jack Sparrow want-to-be. It is a Salvadore Dali world with much more childish creatures and characters that feel rushed. Besides all its flaws, Alice in Wonderland, is a good fantasy film that tells us to stay true to ourselves, not matter what happens to us.

Rating: C+


June 15, 2010

The Boondock Saints II: All Saint's Day

The Boondock Saints II: All Saint’s Day (2009)
Apparition
Directed by Troy Duffy
Starring Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Julie Benz, Billy Connolly, Peter Fonda

Ten years after The Boondock Saints was released, and after years of lawsuits and delays, The Boondock Saints II: All Saint’s Day is here. Having a huge cult following for the first film, this sequel has some high expectations to live up to. Eight years after the vigilantes known as the “Saints” (Flanery and Reedus) disappeared from Boston, a mysterious assassin has framed the murder of a priest on them. Heading back to the United States, it is up to the “Saints” to find this assassin and rid Boston of evil once again.

The original Boondock Saints was not a masterpiece. It was a popcorn flick that featured some great action sequences and some witty, yet corny dialogue. It was very reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino’s work. All Saint’s Day is the very same rehash of the original. It is the same type of action, dialogue, and they both use the flashback method to show the “Saint’s” murders. Just like the original, the flashbacks can be effective, but are usually annoying and detract from the flow of the film.

All the same actors are back for this film, including a very surprise cameo from Willem Dafoe. There are some new faces this time around as well. Peter Fonda joins the cast as the head of the organization targeting the Irish brothers. He has little screentime, and his acting skills are wasted on such a small character. He poses no real threat to the “Saints” and leaves his gangsters to do the fighting. Another new face is Julie Benz who replaces Willem Dafoe’s character as Special Agent Eunice Bloom. She is working with the FBI to track down the vigilantes, but is secretly working with Boston police to help them escape. Benz is no Dafoe, which leaves her character lacking. She does add some witty dialogue to the film, which helps take away from the corniness of some of the other characters. In fact, most of the film contains some unnecessary, corny dialogue. This is a new trend in Hollywood, especially with the Transformers series, where the humor is not funny and completely unnecessary. It is important to have some humor to make it fun and not too serious, but there is a wrong time and place for such humor.

All Saint’s Day has mixed messages just like the original. There is a huge theme of responsibility in here, more so than the original. Both films show how flawed the justice system has become, but they never explore this theme in depth. It is only scratched at the surface, when if these themes had been explored more, then the overall film series would have been more well received. All Saint’s Day is a poor action film with some witty dialogue floating to the top in a bucket of corny situations and dialogue. Aside from a few strong performances, The Boondock Saints should have waited longer for a better follow-up, or just never had a lackluster sequel. But the ending does leave it open for a third part, so hopefully Troy Duffy can pull it together, but it probably will not happen.

Rating: D+


June 13, 2010

The Boondock Saints

The Boondock Saints (1999)
Indican Pictures / 20th Century Fox
Directed by Troy Duffy
Starring Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Willem Dafoe, Billy Connolly

Revenge films are not new in Hollywood. Neither are films about punishing the evil. These vigilante films have been around well before The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1939. Troy Duffy’s The Boondock Saints features two brothers who decide to hunt down and kill the wicked and evil gangsters of Boston after receiving a message from God, a much different tone from Robin Hood. The two Irish brothers, Connor and Murphy MacManus (Flanery and Reedus), set out on their own crusade to take down the Italian mafia. Hot on their trail is FBI Special Agent Smecker (Dafoe) who wants to bring down the “Saints.”

The Boondock Saints feels like a knock-off Tarantino film with its flashbacks, humor, and action sequences, but in all three aspects its fails to be like the cinematic icon. The flashbacks within the film can be annoying. When an action sequence is about to begin, it cuts and shows the police with Smecker reenacting what happened before the audience is allowed to witness. This method stops the flow of the film. The humor is corny and usually not necessary. But in a film such as this, it is necessary to have some humor. However, this much humor can kill the tone, especially if it is bad humor that no one finds funny. The action sequences are entertaining, but are not very original or exciting. Many of the sequences are in slow motion to add effect to Smecker’s stories. There are a few good scenes such as the rope scene and the shootout with The Duke. Other than those few scenes the action is subpar and mediocre to many action revenge films.

There are many mixed messages at play in The Boondock Saints as well. There is a theme of responsibility for your actions and doing what is right throughout the film, but they are overcast by a major theme of punishing the evil. The Saints were told by God to kill evil people, and that makes it right? It is a very confusing message that the film plays upon, but never fully delves into. The Saints take the law into their own hands and are idolized by the people of Boston for doing what the law cannot. Another strange aspect to this message is that the police eventually begin to side with the Saints and do whatever they can to help them in their crusade. Not exactly the best message for an action film aimed at young adults. The social context of The Boondock Saints shows how the justice system is flawed in America, and that someone needs to take a stand and change it.

In the end, The Boondock Saints is a low budget action revenge film that features above average acting and some impressive action sequences. It does feature some bad dialogue and sequences, but for a Tarantino “want-to-be,” it does work. Though having some misleading messages about anyone taking the law into their own hands, it is a definite cult film that young male adults will highly enjoy. It’s a popcorn flick that tries to break out of that stereotype, but cannot fully make the jump.

Rating: C-


June 13, 2010


The Boondock Saints: Unrated Special Edition (2006)

The only addition to The Boondock Saints in this unrated edition is the extra scenes of violence in the action shots. They are barely noticeable and add no dimension to the film. The film still has the same running time.

Rating: C-


June 13, 2010