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Reviews
A Mighty Heart (2007)
adequate
For the most part, the movie was adequate. I do agree that it was more of a documentary than anything else. Having lived in the mid-east for years, I have to say that there were some problems with consistency. That has implications concerning the credibility, to be honest. I thought Futterman was very good. Reserved, believable seasoned acting. I thought Jolie's dialect was disgraceful. I didn't buy her acting on any level. To be perfectly honest, I do find Jolie's self-righteousness a bit hard to swallow. The story itself, is a heart breaker. I'm still in disbelief with regards to the method of murder. I was intrigued with the efforts of CID on behalf of Mr. Pearl and the actors who so aptly portrayed them. Overall, it wasn't wonderful but was certainly interesting enough.
Mr. Brooks (2007)
lame
Lame is the word. What a great idea for a story but sadly, was strung out ridiculously. Kevin Costner is not my favorite actor but not my least favorite either. I found him to be subtle and not overdone in this role. He did very little to impress me. There was so much potential for this story to have an impact but as usual, it seems like the production was rushed and things were skipped over at the expense of its quality. Demi Moore was laughable. As a detective, the conclusions she arrived at in her capacity as detective were reaching and far fetched, almost silly. In her action scenes, flying through the air and sustaining little to no injuries was a gaping hole in the plot. The shoot-out with her nemesis was completely unrealistic and actually threatened the story's credibility. Her performance and purpose in the story, in my opinion, was to draw an audience based on her looks and cosmetic work done. Dane Cook is not even good enough to be categorized as "B" list. He's overdone, underdone and nothing in between and never at the appropriate time. The daughter was just okay. She was deceptive and innocent looking all the while knowing she was most likely a murderess. I think the story could have benefited from more detail work done to patch the holes in the plot. There doesn't seem to be enough detail repair when editing is concerned and usually , as a result, the story can crumble quite easily. In a saturated movie market, there needs to be more fine tuning/tweaking. Quality is sacrificed in exchange for quick production.
Georgia Rule (2007)
throwing movies together
Where to start? Such a huge disappointment. Gary Marshal is "B" list. There are so many holes in this story. Let's start with the lack of foundation laid for any of the relationships, i.e. Simon and Rachel. Ridiculous. With the serious matter of sexual abuse, I found it disrespectful, if not insulting, to witness how poorly the story was set around this tender issue. Although Lohan's performance was marginal, she had little to work with considering such poor quality writing. The lines left little for any actor to work with. Huffman was bearable. The only reason there was to stay and finish this movie was Fonda. I expected this powerhouse actress/woman to go overboard. She was not only beautiful to look at, she pulled off this role with class, grace, talent and poise. It seems to be commonplace that when a seasoned actress is given a role such as this, the anger element is so overplayed that eyes roll. Examples are Shirley McLaine in "Rumor Has It". Fonda kept it real. She is the sole reason this movie moved along at all.
Crash (2004)
the film
This movie was comparable to negative pressure. It had the power to draw the viewer in entirely, without a trace of doubt. Ingenious writing made it shocking again and again. Clipping pace made it so that you didn't have time to predict anything coming. Profound work. Profound movie. Profoundly effective. Outstanding in every sense of the word. There were no moments of doubt concerning casting, lines, authenticity. Each scenario was unique. Each scenario was related to in terms of frustration, apathy, ignorance. I think, more than anything else, redemption was the gleaming end result. To mention one scene over another would be unjust.
Alpha Dog (2006)
Profoundly poor
I've never seen such garbage before. Poorly organized, poorly edited, poorly done in all regards. Distasteful. Disrespectful. There is nothing in this film worth giving credit to. There were many things that upset viewers but more than just poor quality of film itself, I have to ask what constitutes a restricted rating? To say it had "foul" language would be a joke. The sex scenes were beyond the word of distasteful. The amount of violence was appalling. I would say that I drew the line at one scene, in particular, when one teenager, in an enemy house, decides to behave like an house pet who hasn't been housebroken.
I won't waste anymore of my time writing about this film. It doesn't warrant even the smallest consideration.
Prime (2005)
this movie was a huge disappointment
Meryl Streep was so poor and rigid in her role as the therapist, that I almost left the theater before it was over. I could say that the movie looked more like the the takes rather than the actual movie. Uma was silly and stupid and the role was just not believable. The young man did well for having such a poor cast to work with. I think it was a great idea for a story but poorly cast, poorly paced and could have used much better direction and writing of the plot. The dialog fell short and flat. To name the many problems with this film would take far too much time and frankly doesn't warrant any more of my thought. I wouldn't waste any money to see this, if you haven't already. Very disappointing.
Walk the Line (2005)
Cash and Carter done well.
I enjoyed this story. The acting was very well done. Witherspoon has certainly moved to a new level. No longer is she the "blondie" or child actress in any regard. She has solidified her rising status by portraying June Carter as well as she did. As far as Phoenix was concerned, it was not so simple. I did not buy that he was Cash until a mid-film point. What turned my opinion around was how he looked at Witherspoon on stage. While performing together it was hard to ignore the long stares of admiration in addition to tortured looks of rejection he gave her. I think this was the point where his role started to be authentic and put Phoenix in the right direction. I think mechanically, Phoenix was just a bit off the mark. Not suggesting that he didn't move like Cash. But he was just so slightly shy of completely grasping Cash's moves physically. As I watched the movie "Ray", I was astonished at the gestures and physical moves Foxx had perfected to the degree that I had to remind myself that I wasn't watching Ray Charles, himself. The second half of the movie, my doubts of Phoenix's portrayal of Cash subsided. Executed superbly was the struggle, friction and tension between Cash and his father. It was tangible. I also think the audience felt the chemistry between Witherspoon and Phoenix. There was no mistaking it. Only in Hollywood could an extramarital affair be condoned with the addition of drug and alcohol abuse. But, alas! We are all human I suppose. I enjoyed this story so much. I wish there were more films done with such excellent taste and expertise. An excellent job for Phoenix. An outstanding achievement for Witherspoon. Reese, the pace car is off....You're on your way to the top.
House of Sand and Fog (2003)
Quite a shocking story..
I cannot believe that this film received such a small amount of buzz. And here's proof-I watched it for the first time, today. I see every movie I can in theater. I rarely let any movie slip by me. I am blown away that I heard little to nothing about this brilliant story.
I am a Canadian currently living in the Gulf. The writer and producer should give themselves lots of credit for the exceptional job done concerning the portrayal of an Iranian man and family. Without stereotyping, this was spot on. Next, Connelly did an excellent job herself. I never doubted her plight in this case, or her chemical dependency for a moment. The son, Esmail was effectively low key, under the radar, which was perfect in terms of his role. Mrs. Behrani was superb. She managed to pull off being subservient, as the tradition dictates, yet was still a source of strength in crucial moments. She managed to get her point across to the colonel, when required. A suppressed yet strong force. What can I say about Colonel Behrani? I doubt I will see another performance as convincing. He was steadfast in his role to be the unsympathetic, cold, strong man stringently standing by the rules of his "new" homeland. In so many cases dealing with immigration, the rules seem unfair, unattainable and often impossible. This is a man who lets the audience know without saying, that he has followed each law to the letter. He will not have his achievements taken from him for an error not of his making. What moves me about his performance is when the woman's efforts to get her house back turn ugly, and he shows such compassion to her. It breaks through the embittered scorned militant colonel and reveals a real heart and soul. The "cultural gap" that other reviews talk about is evident, yes, but more importantly it shows that the system, the one that rules our society with paperwork, statements, affidavits, etc. can rob people, whether they're immigrants or nationals. It can fail and kill us. The system forgets that we are human and we all have our breaking point. I doubt I will ever see a better film. This is thanks to remarkable talent on everyone's part. To single out the actors is an injustice. Thankyou to all for a great 2 hours. I am grateful.
Match Point (2005)
Really nothing notable here..
To be honest, I found this movie irritating. It wasn't because the plot was Soooooo.....predictable or that the lighting was poor. It was the leading man J. Rhys Myers. He was simply flat. He was even too polished when the scene required that he only walk down the street. There's nothing natural about his acting. He's trying too hard, to the point of annoyance in some scenes, while in others, he barely seems awake. I think he brought the quality of what "could have been" an OK Woody Allen movie down. Mr Allen has never really impressed me too much. I know to be a producer/actor...etc..that one has to be eclectic and often times eccentric, but in Mr. Allen's case, he's just a sad demented post-middle aged man. He's not the least bit funny. I have to say that my money could have been better spent tipping a pizza boy and renting it at home, but I think 8 dollars Canadian would still a substantial waste. I try to keep my mind open and view movies done by producers/directors who I don't particularly care for. Sorry Woody-you still haven't done anything of quality to date.
Proof (2005)
one of the worst
I cant believe how disappointing this sorry excuse for a movie is. Paltrow and Gyllenhaal had nothing together in terms of "on screen" chemistry. As much as I am trying to put my finger on what the problem was with this pitiful film, I have to admit that it was just about everything. The story did not flow at all. The dialogue did not work. Casting was poor. The sister of Paltrow was just ridiculous. It is disappointing, because through my school years, mathematics was my first love. I understand that to be so in depth in one subject can cause an isolation socially. In turn, the circle that feeds off each other creates an even worse situation. It is for this reason that the student must truly love their subject to trade a social life. I love psychiatry as well. I have to say that the only good thing in this movie is the face of Hopkins who has only once before disappointed me in "Hearts in Atlantis". Otherwise, there is NOTHING good to say. Paltrow overacted her scenes for the most part and I found myself falling asleep. This was nothing but crap.
An Unfinished Life (2005)
Unfinished a little....
I want to make a comment in terms of a review for "unfinished life". First, Redford's appeal is far beyond the physical. He has a charisma that is contagious. But his acting in this movie was far from good. His attempts at arguments with Freeman's character were almost embarrassing. He lets the lines roll off his tongue without much change in tone or expression. Just can't put my finger on the exact problem. It's almost a bit too polished and it lacks feeling or emotion. His character should be a bottled-up fountain of emotion but he just did not convince me that he was a bitter grandfather mourning the loss of his son and subsequent wife. I thought your comments on the up and coming star Becca Gardner were dead-on. She is just stunning. Her voice control, tone and overall demeanor was superb. I was entertained with her natural ability to play this role. I hope to see this young lady in many more movies to come. The movie industry, in their desire to sell,sell, sell has turned to scantly dressed youngsters who all seem to lack the most important necessity. That is, true genuine talent. Jennifer Lopez was laughable when engaging in argument with Redford concerning the events that involved his son's death. I wish this girl would leave the screen to those who can. Jenny should be sent back to the "block" where she can continue to model "bigass" jeans. Frankly, as much as I love Freeman, I am tiring of this type cast. The wise, all-knowing senior who can spring up in a shot from a chair in one scene, but requires assistance to stand in another scene does this role well enough, I suppose and it's most likely because of repetition alone! The scenes in this film are stunning. There is no limit to the beauty this film brings to the viewer. This is the best quality of the film with the exception of the animals. Bart, as always, you deserve an Oscar!
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
a masterpiece
It is my opinion that this story is truly beautiful and still so frustrating at the same time. It gets to the heart of a homophobic society we are all forced to live in. It is truly a heartbreaking tale of how intolerant society can be and most times are. With such a tiny role, Jacks mother had more of an affect on me than any other actor. Her unspoken acceptance of her sons choices in this era(1960's-1970's) of ignorance and hatred was so well done that I have a hard time getting her out of my mind. It is truly an example of a mother's unconditional love in such a redneck era. Overall, I thought this was brilliant. Never overboard, leaving the audience to think for themselves. I am blown away at other's comments stating that they were confused, bewildered. Why is it that when a person goes to a movie, it is assumed that the writer has to spell out each and every little thing for them? Think for yourselves for the love of God. If you are mature enough to be admitted to see this film, then have an open mind and for God's sake....USE IT! Again, I will state- NEVER OVERBOARD, LEAVING THE AUDIENCE TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES......... A masterpiece....
A masterpiece.
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
very we11 done
yes-of course it wasn't the exact version i had 1earned in schoo1 but it was a very interesting take on this story- thinking outside the box and great use of an idea that Christ cou1d be tempted and is human whi1e in human form-it is sure to make a11 of us fee1 forgiven for indiscretions we a11 make on a dai1y basis-It tells how he faced temptation, ridicule , torture and triumph.-I loved Juliette Caton's performance as Girl Angel/Satan in this movie. Wow what a beautiful performance and what a beautiful girl she was. She was so angelic looking and with her soft sweet angelic like British accent, she could take your breath away. If there is such a thing as guardian angels and they appear to you at the moment of death, then I would want mine to look and sound just like her. Yes, I would follow her to the light and I wouldn't be afraid. thankyou for a wonderfu1 movie-