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Reviews
WMD: Weapon of Mass Destruction (2004)
The real questions left unanswered
First off, this film tries to bill itself as a "fair and balanced" look at Saddam Hussein in the same way Fox News claims to be "fair and balanced". While the film tries to sell as its main focus, the brutal way Hussein's government dealt with the Kurdish uprising in the late 80s, its real agenda is to argue (and I'm not kidding here) that Saddam himself, is a Weapon of Mass Destruction. Furthermore, the film still attempts to somehow link Hussein to 9/11; which by now has been completely dismissed and discredited by all reliable sources. I assume the director was afraid that we, as Americans, would be more sympathetic to his op/ed piece if some of the blood on Hussein's hands was that of our fellow country men and women.
While no one could seriously argue that the brutality of Hussein towards political opponents, particularly the Kurds, was justified, what the film avoids is the U.S. response while these atrocities were actually being committed. Specifically, the film never asks, "Why did the Reagan & Bush, Sr. administrations adamantly oppose a Senate bill to impose sanctions on Iraq when the killings were discovered?" This bill died in committee with the administration's blessings. Their official concern was the sanctions "would hurt U.S. exporters and worsen our trade deficit" according to then-Assistant Secretary of State, John Kelly.
Fast-forward 16 years later, and after no actual WMD was discovered in Iraq; the original justification for war, the current administration (made of of many of the same people who fought to kill a bill that would have simply imposed sanctions for the atrocities in 1988) decide that, "you know what, that was a pretty bad thing Hussein did 16 years ago." And now you have an instant re-justification for war. Fortunately as polls show, the vast majority of Americans have finally seen through the ruse, leaving only the right-fringe who would argue "day is night; up is down" if they were given the marching orders by this administration.
The Cave (2005)
Not bad...but not good, either
I caught this at a free screening last night and while it was not bad; it was not that good either. The premise is pretty basic: a group of attractive, young divers/scientists discover a cave in Romania sealed off by a church. Local legend claims the cave is home to unspeakable horrors that, once one enters, they never leave. Of course, they enter.
What follows is your typical cat and mouse sequences where our "heroes" try to escape the clutches of evil. Creatures reminiscent of Geiger's Aliens pursue the group as they search for a way out of the cave. There are a few cheap "jumps" but overall, very little tension or scares and virtually no blood/gore (welcome to the wonderful world of PG-13 horror).
I may have been harder on the movie if I actually paid to see it. This is one of those movies that six months after you see it, you won't remember doing so. If you must see this movie, wait for DVD.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Vote For Pedro!!
No wonder Fox Pictures snapped this Sundance crowd-pleaser up!
'Napoleon Dynamite' is a hysterical comedy about and awkward teen growing up in Idaho. With a chatroom-addicted older brother, a dune buggying grandmother, an uncle trying to recapture his past, a Mexico-born new (and only) best friend Pedro, and a llama, first-time director/writer Jared Hess has created a gem!
Did I forget to mention a great 80s soundtrack featuring Alphaville and When In Rome? Don't miss this film if you enjoy offbeat, quirky comedies... And don't forget to Vote For Pedro.
Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003)
It was like watching a train wreck...
I was shocked at how bad it was and unable to turn away from the disaster. This made 'Major League II' and 'Blues Brothers 2000' Oscar-worthy in comparison.
I have tried to remember watching anything as bad as this in my life and was unable to come up with anything even close.
Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
A Matter of Perspective
I had the opportunity to catch an advanced screening of 'Intolerable Cruelty' last night and have some mixed feelings about the film. While there are some truly "Coen-isque" moments, overall this is a much more light-hearted affair compared to the brothers' more memorable creations.
On its own merits, the movie is quiet enjoyable and the performances (especially Billy Bob Thorton) are very good. However, when I compare it to other Coen Bros. films, 'Intolerable Cruelty' does not measure up. With that in mind, if you decide to see the film it may restore your faith in Hollywood. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of two of the most innovative mavericks in the business.
7/10 overall.....5/10 by Coen standards.
Wrong Numbers (2001)
For anyone who has been 19 yr. old and desperate for beer...
'Wrong Numbers' captures the plight of anyone who has reached the magical time in their life where you are old enough to be drafted, tried in court as an adult, get married, or live on your own but, not old enough to buy beer. In a buddy plot reminescent of 'Swingers' or 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off', James (Matt Bearden) wants to go out and have a good time and help his friend Russell (Scoot McNairy) forget about the fact his girlfreind since Freshman Move-In Day is out with a "guy friend". The characters they meet along the way come straight out of a Kevin Smith film, offering the two friends everything from drugs to a life of crime. The only thing that seems impossible to get in Austin, Texas for the two 19 year olds is beer!
The movie was shot on a $10,000 budget in Austin, Texas. The director, Alex Holdridge and many of the cast memebers were at the special screening and nervously awaited the audiences' response. Throughout the movie, the audience, myself included, missed some dialog due to the laughter. Holdridge's apparent influences included many of my personal favorites - Kevin Smith ('Clerks', 'Dogma'), Wes Anderson ('Bottle Rocket', 'Rushmore'), and Doug Liman ('Swingers', 'Go'). The influence was blatantly obvious during a discussion about 'Scooby Doo' and possible drug ties.
The movie opened with a couple of shorts that were also very entertaining. Holdridge mentioned that he would be starting production of his second film, 'Our Merry Life" "a bleak romantic comedy about what our generation thinks about marriage," in July. I hope that I am fortunate to be able to catch this one as well....8 out of 10
Insomnia (1997)
One question...why a remake?
This is a truly remarkable and enjoyable film in my opinion. Well directed, written, and acted. When I first heard that it was going to be remade I could not understand why. This was also my first reaction when hearing that 'Abre Los Ojos' was being remade (i.e., 'Vanilla Sky'). The irony turned out to be that while viewing 'Insomnia' for the first time, I commented that it reminded me of a Chris Nolan film. Being a huge fan of Nolan's other work ('Following'; 'Memento'), I am now actually looking forward to his artistic take on what is already a fantastic film...Hope it is better than Crowe's remake of 'Abre Los Ojos'....10/10.