bart-233 Reviews

The Golden Compass (2007)

The Golden Compass Doesn't point in the right direction but it's a great trip.

[7/10 · 2 December 2007]

For me the Golden Compass was visually pleasant and well acted but lacked direction. It was like my kids, who have read the books and I saw a different movie. I saw a fantasy adventure which left me longing for more scenes of fighting polar bears. While my kids saw, a somewhat disjointed visual presentation of a well loved book series.

The casting for this series of movies is as close to perfect as I could suspect having never read the authors character exposition. Dakota Blue Richards is an absolute joy to watch. She has a natural screen presence and has adopted the Lyra Belacqua personification as a second skin. Sam Elliot as Lee Scoresby is seasoned wisdom and trial by fire rugged all rolled into ones favorite uncle. Daniel Craig bond like confidence is very limited but still commands respect. I understand this will change as Craig and Christopher Lee will get more screen time if the books interpretation holds in the mind of director Chris Weitz.

For the last 24 hours I've listened to my wife and kids discuss and debate the movie interpretation. I however find I don't care about the interpretation and oddly enough about the story. Not having read the books I would expect the movie to stand on its' own. The movie should at least make me curious as to what's going on. The Golden Compass doesn't do that. I'm not asking my self the same questions about the story as the rest of my family. I just don't car about the gobblers or about the Cossack looking soldiers in the hats they borrowed from the wizard of Oz wardrobe.

Quite frankly I don't care about the story line. I do however like the characters and I like the land they live and they fight in. I'm actually looking forward to the second installment. I want to see more fighting bears, more icy cold mothering from Nicole Kidman. I would love to see more interaction between Eva Green and Sam Elliott. I definitely would like to see more of the talented Dakota Blue Richards. And I don't care if it's in a parallel universe where the books take them or if they continue to hang around in the world created by Chris Weitz.

The telling of the fantasy adventures lately is hit or miss. LOTR, Harry Potter both on the hit side. In both of those series I cared about the story and the success of the character to defeat the ultimate evil. Even though the acting in Harry Potter was stiff I was able to understand the direction of the plot and the intent of the story. The last Mimzy and Narnia both a complete miss, left me shaking my head in disappointment.

The Golden Compass could have been called anything and I would see it for the Armored Bear Battle or the final battle or the interaction between the characters and their souls called daemons. I would see it for the great cast or the fine acting. There are lots of reasons to see this Movie. It will however make you want to read the book. I plan on reading the book so I hopefully will enjoy the movie on yet another level. Perhaps even the level on which it was intended.

Ratatouille (2007)

RATATOUILLE, a banquet of fun for the whole family.

[8/10 · 16 June 2007]

Pixar's latest animated entry should satisfy the most discriminating palate. It's critics will say it's just another fish out of water buddy movie. But I don't care. In a summer, so far devoid of any originality, this movie is refreshing and fun. The story is easy to follow. You know who the good guys are. You know who the bad guys are. You laugh because it's funny. Not because it's added humor to amuse the adults who had to take their kids to a Saturday matinée. I get a little tired of the targeted humor and having to stop and explain to the kids why I thought it was funny and they didn't get it. For the most part Pixar films have been void of ignoble humor. I liked this film as much as my boys, (10 and 13). This Rat has a quick pace, danger and intrigue. It's chock full of positive messages and family values. I didn't cringe and most importantly I didn't fall asleep. I read comics when I was young watch the Flinstones and Jetson's and Rocky and Bulwinkle and I feel this 3D animation is just another upgrade. At the root of every movie animated or not is the story and this story is solid. I give the latest rodent in the Disney family a meaty thumbs up.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

Fantastic Four Fantastic for what it is.

[16 June 2007]

I argue with my nephews constantly about the comic book movies. They grew up in graphic novel era. Deep dark brooding characters. I grew up in comic books. Stan Lee is probably mostly responsible for my wit and charm. I got it from the characters he created. So if I had my choice between the brooding Dark Knight and the light wit and humor of the Fantastic Four… Fun is going to win every time. I first read comics books because I was too lazy to read a book. Then I read them because I identified with the characters and they we're fun. I only had twenty minutes to entertain myself between the demands of family chores, school or my jobs. The comic book gave me that time. This movie is a comic book. It's not a graphic novel. I don't have to think about it or even look deeply into it's meaning. It is quick easy fun filled E S C A P E. Today's price for escape is around $10 an hour at the theater. And I'm worth it.

The Karaoke King (2007)

Finely a royal entry into karaoke movies.

[8/10 · 18 March 2007]

Karaoke has long elicited the ignoblest form of jokes from the west coast movie makers. They have ignored the facts and the numbers and perpetuated the karaoke stereotype of a Cameron Diaz in "my best Friends wedding. Karaoke is the second largest participation sport in this country and quite possibly the world. 34 million people sing karaoke on a regular basis, second only to bowling which boast 52 million. Karaoke nights in bars outnumber live music nights 4-1, 20 – 1 in Southern California. So it befuddles me as to why it took a small group of independent filmmakers in Orlando to finally paint karaoke in flattering light.

The Karaoke King is a love story/coming of age (albeit a little on the late side) movie set in America's first karaoke bar. Lil's in Orlampa Fl. is not only a karaoke bar, but a strip club and pool hall. The characters in Lil's are as abundant as ad libs in a Robin Williams movie and most they are equally as funny. The writers did their homework. I frequent karaoke clubs all over the country and these people exist. They exist in mass they frequent the night.

The directors made good use of the talent and the characters showing us both the good and bad singers much like you would see in a real club. They held true to karaoke's number one moniker. Karaoke does not discriminate; by race, creed, color, sex, gender, age, or species. It has its stars and it has its celebrities. It has its jokes and it has its moments of passion and its moments of grace.

The story revolves around two singers from the same town, Eddie Bowman (Ken Wilder) and Rupert Goldfine (Anil Kumar). Rupert leaves town and competes in American Icon and Eddie stays to rule as the perennial "Karaoke King." There is weekly competition at Lil's to crown the karaoke king and the winner gets the coin, allowing them to sing the last song of the night. When Rupert returns to give Eddie some real competition an to attain the won prize he never had, he forces Eddie to reexamine his position in the bar and his life.

The central story is nicely inter-cut with a series of vignettes around the other singers. A flamboyant show tune singer played by Brian T. Vernon. Billy a college dropout/country hick played by Aaron Kirkpatrick and the Kingmaker Devon played David Knoell. They only thing you're missing in the theater is the alcohol and the smoke.

I like this film. Not only because it's true to karaoke, but because it is an original film which is hard to fit into the typical formulaic Hollywood film classification. It would be a shame if this film didn't get picked-up for general distribution. The "Karaoke King' is more than good enough for the karaoke singing public to rally behind and call their own. This film could elevate the perception of karaoke much like what Urban Cowboy did for country dancing.

I give the film thumbs up on it's own merit and a huge thumbs up on the way it paints karaoke.

Bart Loiacono….. www.nitelife.org

The Last Mimzy (2007)

I'd like to slap the focus group silly.

[4/10 · 18 March 2007]

Here is a perfect example of taking a potentially great 100 minute movie, editing it down to 94 minutes and its still 35 minutes too long. I was anxious to be wowed, by a heart warming story of two kids who get amazing powers. I packed up the kids (13 and 11) and a reluctant wife. We got to the theater 30 minutes early and still had to ask people to move in order to put the four of us together. It appeared everyone there fell for the same hype I did.

The movie centers around two kids from a normally dysfunctional family who discover a strange and wonderful item on the beach of their vacation home during Easter break. The magical items contained with-in, transform the children into something truly wonderful, setting them on a mission to save humanity. The magic however doesn't happen nearly as often as it should or could. And when it does, it is interrupted with long, redundant and monotonous adult dialog.

Films, like all art forms are suppose to elicit emotion. The most empathy I had for any characters was the mother, finely crafted by Joely Richardson. Her character was as real as it gets. In one scene where she just can't deal with the events, she ceremoniously collects the items. Items we didn't know she knew existed and in typical mother fashion throws them in the trash. Every mother has this 'Out of sight out of mind' blinder. If they throw it away, all the problems will go away with it.

Timothy Hutton, who is capable of so much depth seamed to phone his performance in. The two kids were charming enough but they lacked direction needed to make them endearing. Michael Clarke Duncan has too much compassion in his voice to be the hard ass G-man making his role a little, no , a lot on the ambiguous side.

The film touted as the E.T. for the new millennium falls way short of what I believe its target market to be. Most of those under 14 we're bored and restless. Those over 14 spent more time texting on their cell phones than watching the film. And those over thirty like my wife were thrilled to get some nap time; Forty minutes worth.

When you look at the last five years of the writers and director, it's not too hard to find the thought process or lack there of, behind this disappointing film. I would speculate director Robert Shaye has spent too much of his recent career in dark, and scary subjects. And both of the writers have been producing the same type of dark subject matter. It's almost like they were sitting around talking about this idea and they said this material is way to good share. Let's just do it ourselves.

The film does spark dialog about the 'what ifs' and the theme is, at least for me, believable, But the film is only worth a $4 on demand status. Not the $30 plus price tag for a family of four.

Four stars……… Bart Loiacono the NiteLife Group of Publications

The Guardian (I) (2006)

Retold story holds water

[7/10 · 18 September 2006]

I've seen this story before but my kids haven't. Boy with troubled past joins military, faces his past, falls in love and becomes a man. The mentor this time is played perfectly by Kevin Costner; An ordinary man with common everyday problems who lives an extraordinary conviction, to save lives. After losing his team he takes a teaching position training the next generation of heroes. The young troubled recruit is played by Kutcher. While his scenes with the local love interest are a tad stiff and don't generate enough heat to melt butter, he compliments Costner well. I never really understood Sela Ward as the neglected wife and felt she should of wanted Costner to quit out of concern for his safety as opposed to her selfish needs. But her presence on screen is a pleasure. The two unaccredited stars of this movie are the Coast Guard and the Sea. Both powerful forces which should not be taken for granted in real life or this movie. The movie has some slow spots and could have used the wasted 15 minutes to strengthen the character relationships. But it still works. The rescue scenes are intense and well filmed and edited to provide maximum impact. This movie earns the audience applause. And the applause of my two sons.