Virginia_Farmboy Reviews

Shelter (II) (2007)

A fine and unexpected film

[7/10 · 23 June 2010]

I didn't know quite what I'd be seeing when I watched "Shelter." A lot of gay movies rely on stereotypes for laughs or wallow in their own grief. Thankfully, none of that showed up in "Shelter." While the movie is a love story that follows the formula of many of its predecessors, it does so in a straightforward and refreshing manner. The story gets right to the point and doesn't wallow on too many extraneous details. Just about all the acting is spot-on, from Wright to Rowe to Holmes--this is no amateur job. Much of the acting is understated, in fact, and not in-your-face.

There is an especially interesting undercurrent to the film, that of class difference. Zach is from a poorer, city-dwelling family that contrasts greatly with the suburban lifestyle of Shaun. This establishes all that's at stake in the two's relationship, and is a welcome alternative to many gay films which depict the lifestyles of middle- or upper-class people. Kudos to the filmmakers for showing us another side of LA.

Wall Street (1987)

Relevant, but still somewhat bland

[6/10 · 18 January 2009]

When the stock market was crashing last Fall, I remember coming across this film title and thinking, "Wow, this is probably relevant to today's situation!" My only awareness of the film being through endless replays of Gordon Grekko's "Greed is good" speech, I wanted to see how Oliver Stone crafted his polemic to the booming capitalism of the 1980s.

The film takes an important subject matter (corporate excess and insider trading) and tries to make it accessible to the audience, though at times I felt lost. I suppose they tried to dumb it down for a Hollywood audience, but that didn't work all the time for me--I found a lot of the secret deals fuzzy and the exact details of some situations confusing, even though I could understand that Gekko was trying to cheat the system. Perhaps this is because the whole concept of the stock market is difficult to wrap my head around! I did enjoy some performances, though not exactly the ones the film is known for. Martin Sheen is great as Bud Fox's dad, the blue collar worker who feels stiffed by the rich and who acts as the moral center of the film. Terence Stamp gives a fine performance as a wealthy businessman in a rivalry with Gekko, though is screen time is too little. And John C. McGinley hits the right note as Charlie Sheen's co-worker, foreshadowing a comedic career. Michael Douglas gave a decent performance, though his standout scene is really only the "Greed is good" speech, which probably won him the Oscar. Unfortunately, veteran actor Hal Holbrook is left to dispense aphorisms as the Wise Old Stock Trader, and the female roles are vastly underwritten.

"Wall Street" is a serious movie about a serious topic, and that is the question of who really controls America. As we saw with Enron and with the subprime fiasco, it is the super rich, many of whom seem content with putting profit before people. Oliver Stone picked a subject of extreme importance for America--both past and present--yet his delivery here can't match some of his better films.

On a lighter note, it is always great to see 1980s technology--cell phones the size of bricks, portable TVs, and ancient desktops!

The Sentinel (2006)

Ugh

[3/10 · 28 July 2008]

I wasn't expecting "The Sentinel" to be a great film; I had judged from the previews and reviews that it was going to be an average but entertaining movie. Unfortunately, it was neither. Though "The Sentinel" was watchable, that is about the only good thing I can say about it.

The movie follows a predictable formula. Among other clichés:the president's in danger, there are two agents who have beef with one another; there's a mole in the secret service. Uh-huh. It's been done better on "24" multiple times, and not once did I feel any sort of suspense. Michael Douglas is a good actor, but in this movie he only seems like he's cashing a paycheck; at the same time, Kiefer Sutherland looks as though he's filling time in between the taping of "24" seasons, and still in character, too. Eva Longoria is on for precious little time and contributes zero to the story.

Nothing stands out from this movie. Most movies, even bad ones, will have a scene or character that you really remember, so that when someone mentions the title someday in the future, you'll be able to say "Yeah, that was a bad movie, but I liked the scene where such and such happened," or "That was great when..." There's nothing memorable for me to take from this film, and because of that, it's a failure. I can't even tell you why the evil people wanted the president killed, though I don't think that's because of me not remembering, it's because of the film not bothering to explain it.

The Dupes (1972)

Fine, but difficult

[6/10 · 30 August 2007]

I watched this film in college. "The Dupes," as it is known in English, is the story of three Palestinian men searching for a job opportunity in Kuwait. They must be smuggled in, and they must traverse the desert under the searing sun to get into Iraq and then to their destination. "The Dupes" reminded me of a Bergman film, in that characters are philosophical and the focus is on them rather than a plot. Perhaps it was because "The Dupes" is a black-and-white foreign film that it reminded me of the late director, but who knows? This was not an easy film. For one thing, the subtitles are white and in a black and white film, especially one set in the desert, these can be very hard to read. I missed some sentences. There are also a few too many flashbacks, which makes the story hard to follow. However, there are some good moments. The film has some of the best desert scenes I'm ever seen, including two where the smuggled Palestinians must hide in a blazing hot iron truck while they pass through checkpoints.

There is a political message supporting Palestinian statehood. However, the film works better as a study of the characters and there motivations for risking their lives for work.

Cube (1997)

Think outside the box

[6/10 · 1 August 2007]

I remembering hearing about "Cube" when it was released, but for ten years I hadn't gone out of way to see it. Well, I recently did and I can't say I didn't get what I expected. However, I didn't get anymore than that, which is a disappointment. "Cube" has an interesting concept, but it's little more than a gimmick. A half dozen people are trapped in a cube, but why are they there? What is the cube's purpose? These questions aren't exactly answered.

Lest you think it's an existentialist analysis of humanity, a few body-shredding traps make their appearance throughout the movie. This does make for a nice, tense, atmosphere and some good scenes, especially when the characters must get through a room where a trap is sprung by the slightest of sounds.

What I wanted was more out of the characters. I wanted them to be more than stereotypes. There's the bookish math whiz, the autistic savant, the resigned office worker, the outraged liberal, and the fascist cop. We are led to believe, due to the math geniuses have a key role, that all the characters were put in the cube with some purpose, but no other character uses his or her specialty to further the plot, so, I'm wondering, why give everyone polar opposite personalities and jobs if nothing is going to come of them? I thought the best characters were that of the cop, Quentin, and the prison escape, Rennes, though Quentin later becomes a typical movie villain and Rennes is on screen for only a brief time.

I appreciated it's concept and it's execution, as the production design was so simple I could believe it (only one set was used). But its writing left something to be desired, and I wanted more personality from the characters. I realize this wasn't supposed to be a classic of cinema, but I do expect some deviation from tired formulas.

Sunshine (2007)

Beyond the infinite

[8/10 · 1 August 2007]

Looking over various reviews to "Sunshine," I saw many of them referenced "Alien" as a similar movie. I would make it more akin to "2001," where a crew ventures out into the solar system and gets more than they bargained for. "Sunshine" certainly does have a horror element, but that is only a small part of the film, and there is much more focus on human concerns like survival and leadership.

But in addition to those adventure elements, there is also a sense of wonder and mystery: everyone on Icarus II seems attracted to the ball of gas called the sun, and the light it produces is akin to a narcotic. And since the sun is the giver of life for our planet, there is a spiritual side to the ship's mission, a characteristic of Danny Boyle's movies. We do see one negative aspect of religion (the insane fundamentalist), but we are given some hint of something beyond life (the wall of fire scene toward the end).

"Sunshine" is an example of a space movie we should see more of. It's hard to make a good space flick that is not already part of a profitable franchise, but as this movie shows, with a good script and a good director it is very possible. This movie also features the most exotic space locale of our solar system, the Sun, which I cannot recall ever being the focus of a space adventure. This makes for some spectacular visuals, such as the rapid sunrise on Icarus II's shield and the final descent onto the surface of the sun. The visual effects are astounding, especially for a movie that was made for only $50 million.

There are fine performances all around: Cliff Curtis, Cillian Murphy, Michelle Yeoh, etc. One qualm is that there are predictable crew-tension-moments, but this is a small complaint in comparison to the quality of the movie.

2010 (1984)

A good sci-fi film

[7/10 · 26 July 2007]

While "2010" cannot compare to the masterpiece that is "2001," it is still a good example of the type of sci-fi film that should be made. And by that, I mean a sci-fi film should be about adventure and mystery more than anything else. This film provides plenty of that: there is the search for the lost Discovery ship over Jupiter; there is the investigation of the monolith; and finally, there is the final race to blast away from Jupiter.

"2010" surprised me with its performances. Roy Scheider is well-cast as Dr. Floyd, who's trying to figure everything else; Helen Mirren is solid as the Russian commander; and the supporting performances from Lithgow, Balaban, and the "Russian guy who's in everything" Elya Baskin are fine. And the series couldn't be complete without Keir Dullea or Douglas Rain reprising their roles as Bowman and HAL respectively.

Even though they date from 1984, the visual effects hold off astonishingly well. I was especially impressed with the rippling Jupiter (early CGI) as well as the attempt-to-hook-onto-Discovery scene. My main problems with the movie come from the fact that it is very dated now (in terms of world politics and technology), but that could not have been help. It also is kind of a let down to be told the reasons for some of the events of "2001," but again that is only the novel's fault. This movie is a worthy sequel to Kubrick's film, and is the kind of sci-fi film Hollywood should focus on making.

The War Within (2005)

The ongoing war within

[7/10 · 22 May 2007]

After seeing "Paradise Now", I was interested to see another depiction of the life and motivation of a suicide bomber. "The War Within" was certainly a great dramatization of such a person. Hassan is "renditioned" and tortured, providing him with a target for his hate. He is fueled by religious fanaticism that surprises his friends and fellow Muslims. Firdous Bamji plays, in my opinion, the best role in the film, that of Sayeed. He is surprised at how his best friend could become such a "pious" and fanatic character, and tries and fails to convince Hassan that America has done some good for him and that he has integrated well into the West.

The love story could have been expanded, but only for the purpose of showing how Hassan has repressed every emotion except hate. I also thought Sayeed's fate did not ring true, as it seems to me the screenwriters decided to have what happens to him happen only to further their point that the cycle of detention and terror will continue. I do not believe that, in reality, what happened to Sayeed would happen.

Overall, an interesting dramatization of what motivates a suicide bomber, and also of Muslim-American life.

The Thin Red Line (1998)

A dreamlike journey through war

[7/10 · 22 May 2007]

"The Thin Red Line" is a unique addition to the crowded field of WW II films. Terrence Malick's work is filled with visions of nature and this film is no exception; it even seems to be part of the story. How does war fit into human nature as well as the natural world? War brings out courage and heroics, but also cruelty and inhumanity. This is similar to nature, as explained in an analogy using twisting vines to show that nature is also cruel.

This movie gives us a wide range of characters, from Caviezel's thoughtful soldier to Nolte's tough commander. The character's are the film's strong point, and while their narrated thoughts tend to wander, they add an unique element of poetry to the movie. The battle scenes rival those of Saving Private Ryan (in terms of suspense, not graphic depiction) and the depiction of the Pacific War strikes me as a better representation than "Flags of Our Fathers."

This is not your average war movie. It plays more like a dream than like an adventure story, and more like a philosophical critique of human nature than a sermon about war.

Dead Calm (1989)

Decent film

[6/10 · 6 February 2007]

Dead Calm is one of those movies that you look back at and say "They should have done this" or "they should have left that out." I found myself saying those things after viewing the movie. It was not a bad movie--the three main performances are very good, especially Billy Zane as the obviously deranged killer. The claustrophobic setting also adds a terrifying element to the film, the feeling that you cannot escape the situation you are in. But there were obviously several unnecessary components of Dead Calm. The plot would've worked just fine without the gratuitous car crash opening (though I thought the train station scene was good). And the ending was terrible. Looking at the trivia page for Dead Calm, I see the current ending was a studio-added one: a typical mistake on the part of executives. Perhaps if handled a little less over-the-top (re: the flare gun) even that ending may have worked.

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

A superior remake

[10/10 · 5 February 2007]

The original Ocean's Eleven was a misfire: it was slow, unfunny, and devoid of any sort of entertainment. Surprisingly, Hollywood was able to produce a remake far superior to the original--an extreme rarity. This film owes little to the 1960 film, and that is not a bad thing.

Ocean's Eleven is an example of a stylish, flashy, and cool movie done right. Too often big stars come together to collaborate on an ambitious project only to produce a pile of trash. While that may describe this film's sequel, Ocean's Eleven is anything but of a pile of trash. It's full of wit and humor and style, and for me it is never boring ,even when I know what's going to happen. Think of the possibilities if Hollywood could churn out original ideas with scripts as good as Ocean's Eleven.

Total Recall (1990)

Red Planet runs red with blood

[4/10 · 5 February 2007]

As Total Recall began, I thought to myself, "This shouldn't be too bad." The film had elements of mystery and science fiction, always a good combination. The special effects were extraordinary for their time, and I always enjoyed viewing pre-90's attempts at elaborate visual effects. However, the film quickly turned into an ugly and violent action movie. The violence in this movie is beyond gratuitous, and if you are looking for a decent sci-fi movie, Total Recall is not it. If more focus were put on the mysterious aspects of the story and more thought was put into making a world of the future, then Total Recall might be worthwhile. But for me, this was just Ah-nuld finding various ways to impale people.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

Brilliant

[10/10 · 5 February 2007]

I discovered this movie after reading a blurb about it in the book "Cinema Year by Year: 1894-2000." I quickly went out and rented it and was grateful that I did. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a masterpiece of a thriller and certainly one that is too-often overlooked. It contains a large dose of humor, much of it by Walter Matthau, that helps the film tremendously. And while its plot may seem formulaic at first, further viewing will show that it is anything but. The last scene is especially clever (and humorous!). Kudos to director Joseph Sargent and writer Peter Stone for creating such a brilliant piece of entertainment.

GoldenEye (1995)

Best of the Bonds

[10/10 · 31 January 2007]

Whenever I tell people that my favorite Bond film is Goldeneye, I'm usually told it's because of the video game. That may be part of it, but I'm sure without the game, I would still consider it one of the best. Not only does it have a multitude of great action sequences and set pieces, but it also delivers some humanity into the Bond films. The true nature of 007 is revealed with lines like Natalya's "How can you be so cold?" ("It's what keeps me alive."), M's "sexist, misogynist dinosaur," and Alec's "I might as well ask if all those vodka martinis silence the screams of all the men you've killed." Goldeneye is not as explosive as the other three Bond films, perhaps because it was released in an era less populated with such films. This helps the movie. It is not as slow as Dr. No, but less overblown than Die Another Day. Complaints that it uses the Bond theme sparingly are unfounded, because I believe the soundtrack is just fine and when the Bond theme is used, it is used well (the tank chase). It all makes an excellent film. So see Casino Royale, see Goldfinger, but after those, see Goldeneye.

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

The Best of the Die Hards

[7/10 · 25 January 2007]

The third installment in the Die Hard series is the best for several reasons. It plays more like a traditional cat-and-mouse thriller than a standard action movie, putting it a cut above the first two films. While they focused on explosions and gunplay, this adds elements of humanity and character development (in addition to the explosions and gunplay, of course!). It also features a suspenseful script that would keep first-time viewers guessing as to where the plot is headed. The stunts contained in Die Hard: With A Vengeance are also the best of the series, and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Finally, any film that opens with the classic "Summer in the City" is surely a good film.

Definitely watch this film. It's an underrated two hours of entertainment.

The Siege (1998)

Prophetic but not great

[6/10 · 1 September 2004]

"The Siege" is a movie that, in some ways, is prophetic. Arab terrorists attack the US. The President orders a crackdown. Arabs are rounded up, much like what happened after 9/11. All the same cliches are used--"terrorist killers," "our way of life is threatened," "make no mistake--we will hunt them down." Even people's patriotism is questioned.

However, being prophetic does not make it a good movie. It would have been more interesting to have had the main character be Tony Shalhoub's character, an Arab, who has to deal with his son's incarceration. It would have been better to eliminate Samir's character as well (SPOILERS AHEAD) and not have him talk about why he's a terrorist before the tradition Hollywood shootout ending. In real life, there is no one terrorist leader who survives and then fights the hero as he is about to carry out an attack. Lastly, (SPOILERS AGAIN) it would have been a nice touch had Bruce Willis' general not been arrested, which would probably not happen in real life, but instead promoted for his patriotism, and the ending taken place at the President's ball with a (verbal) confrontation between the hero and Willis in tuxedos.

There are many more things I could say to improve the siege. For one, maybe more believable writing. However, I believe that the movie was worth seeing, if only for the parallels between 1998's view on terrorism and what comes after real attacks in 2001.

**1/2 stars our of ****