Drew's Reviews

DVD/VIDEO: Reservation Road

2009-08-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

RESERVATION ROAD (2007)

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Connelly, Mira Sorvino, Elle Fanning, Eddie Alderson

Director: Terry George

Review: On rare occasions, I encounter a film that has the ability to administer an emotional punch to the gut that is so powerful and deeply felt that it leaves the viewer almost breathless. Such experiences take cinema to a level of authenticity that is as welcome as it is intimidating. While the honesty and vulnerability of such films are refreshing, they also challenge us to look within and examine our own frailty, fallibility, and need for redemption. Reservation Road, adapted from a novel by John Burnham Schwartz and directed by Terry George (Hotel Rwanda), is one of those films.

At a lean 100 minutes, Reservation Road examines with uncommon insight and unsettling intensity the aftermath of a tragic hit-and-run accident from two intriguing and heart-breaking angles: that of the preteen victim's parents and sister, and that of the driver, who is himself a loving father to a pre-teenage son.

The approach taken by George, whose Hotel Rwanda is one of the most intense and least graphic films about genocide ever made, is understated but creates a profound impact. The drama is high but never feels manipulative or contrived. Similarly, the cinematography and underscore never intrude on the storytelling but instead support it in an almost imperceptible manner. John Lindley's camerawork provides a chillingly beautiful and barren landscape in which to hold this dark, sad story, and film score heavyweight Mark Isham (October Sky, Crash) fashions simple, mournful tones that, while not memorable in and of themselves, dovetail perfectly with the movie's themes of grief, anger, guilt, and ultimately, hope.

While strengths indeed, the aforementioned qualities fade in comparison with the performances in Reservation Road. Portraying Ethan Learner (the father whose son has been snatched prematurely from his care), Joaquin Phoenix captures the essence of a man who subverts the pain of his loss with a formidable loathing for the person who destroyed his family. Phoenix's rage is palpable, but thankfully he keeps the character's humanity just visible enough so as to avoid rendering Ethan unsympathetic.

Although Phoenix's work is strong here, the film belongs to Ruffalo and Connelly. Ruffalo, typically an engaging everyman, puts his abilities in this regard to great effect as Dwight Arno, the scruffy, down-and-out dad to a bright and engaging preteen boy (Eddie Alderson, refreshingly unlike most modern movie children). Ruffalo's haunted and haunting portrayal takes us deep into Dwight's fear, guilt, and despair, daring us to look beyond our own anger at his failure to take responsibility and witness the broken and pitiable man within.

However, it is Connelly who is most shattering as Grace Learner, the grieving mother searching for a way to heal her family as her husband spins out of control in his understandable but destructive hatred for their son's killer. Blending the crushed spirit of Marion Silver from Requiem for a Dream with the fortitude of Alicia Nash in A Beautiful Mind, Connelly aces every scene she is in. In an Oscar-caliber performance, the actress breaks our hearts with her raw anguish while inspiring sympathy and respect for her ability to weather the grief process with courage and dignity. It is a shame that Connelly was not recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for her flawless work in this film.

Finally, what makes Reservation Road so successful is the manner in which it handles the discomfort and truth of dichotomy. Much as we are asked to do in life, the film invites us to hold in our hands both compassion and righteous indignation, vengeance and forgiveness, a desire for justice and a need for mercy, the fire of hatred and the cleansing rain of love. While the film's conclusion is a bit abrupt and offers more of a hint than a full resolution, director George sets Reservation Road firmly on the path to redemption and healing, and for this, he deserves praise indeed.

Rating: **** 1/2 (out of *****)

R, for intense thematic material, some language, and a brief accident scene

NEW FOR 2009

2007-10-06T13:49:00.000-07:00

Hello, movie fans!

I have been absent from the site for some time. Life has been exceptionally busy, with family, work, school, and internship taking the bulk of my attention. However, with my graduation less than two months away, I am ready to get back into the swing with movie and DVD reviews! As always, I love hearing your comments. Discussing films (and their implications) is truly one of my favorite pastimes.

So, welcome back, and I wish you all the best in 2009! Here's hoping for a great year of film!

ART HOUSE OFFERINGS: Into The Wild (2007)

2007-10-05T22:19:00.000-07:00

INTO THE WILD (2007)

My Rating: ***** (out of *****)

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Catherine Keener, Marica Gay Harden, Jena Malone, William Hurt, Kristen Stewart, Brian Dierker, Hal Holbrook

Director: Sean Penn

My Review: Sean Penn's brutally beautiful Into the Wild will capture the soul of any true lover of nature, adventure, and mystery. Contrary to what some reviewers have expressed, I did not see Penn's adaptation of Jon Krakauer's 1995 bestseller as idolizing Christopher McCandless, the film's central figure who completely cuts himself off from his dysfunctional family to pursue a life in the wild, forgotten places of America. Rather, McCandless (beautifully and charismatically portrayed by Emile Hirsch) is a real person, following the call of the wild in his heart, while, at the same time, punishing his family for their sins and deftly avoiding the deep emotional connection that he realizes, too late, is the goal behind all of his striving.

Chris's journey is at once exhilarating, heartbreaking, devastating, and redemptive. And Penn's incredibly honest and realistic script does a great service to all of the characters involved. There are no villians here, only human lives, working toward some sense of peace, identity, and meaning.

The acting is flawless. Besides the aforementioned Hirsch, every actor is spot on. William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden, as McCandless' parents, take what could have been caricatures and flesh them out, making them gut-wrenchingly real. We truly experience the ache of longing that Jena Malone as McCandless' sister has for her wandering brother. Catherine Keener and Brian Dierker hit just the right notes as a hippie couple with whom Chris bonds. But Hal Holbrook almost steals the movie from Hirsch as an older man whom McCandless befriends prior to his ultimately fatal trek into the Alaskan wilderness. Holbrook should win this year's best supporting actor Oscar, and Hirsch just might deserve that title for leading actor.

The photography is breathtaking, made even more authentic by the fact that Penn shot on location in every area of the country that Chris ventured to. We are literally right there with Chris on every step of his spiritual odyssey. The music sets the right tone of reflective wistfulness and melancholy. And, perhaps best of all, the sweet love of God touches this movie in a miraculous and profound way that takes what could have been a dispiriting and somewhat pointless conclusion, transforming it and all that has come before into an exquisite portrait of the wayward soul's spiritual journey back to the One who formed it.

The year's very best. Period.

R, for some strong language, several scenes of extensive naturalistic nudity, thematic material, and some gruesome images

DVD/VIDEO: World Trade Center

2006-11-26T10:22:00.000-08:00

WORLD TRADE CENTER (2006)

My Rating: ***** (out of *****)
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Michael Pena, Maria Bello, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Jay Hernandez, Nicky Katt, Stephen Dorff, Frank Whaley
Director: Oliver Stone

My Review:
When I first heard that Oliver Stone was directing a movie about events surrounding the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I was skeptical at best, deeply concerned at worst. With Mr. Stone’s history, I expected a manipulative, politically slanted, less than truthful film that would probably provoke indignation and anger in me. Throw in Nicolas Cage, one of my least favorite actors, and I was pretty much counting this one as a total bust.

World Trade Center just goes to show that positive change is possible, and miracles do happen. Deeply personal and beautifully honest, the second major motion picture of 2006 to address that fateful day in world history is arguably the best film of the year. WTC is also a perfect companion piece to this year’s earlier 9/11 movie, United 93. Both films take very different approaches to the subject. For example, United 93 plays like a documentary, capturing the raw confusion, horror, and bravery present on that day, while WTC focuses specifically on two families and their fight to survive the terrors of the attack, physically as well as spiritually. The films are alike in that they both focus on telling a story about what happened that day, avoiding politicization and emphasizing instead the triumph of courage and faith over hatred and hopelessness. Both films thus honor those who perished and those who survived, reminding a nation that seems to suffer from short-term memory loss to never forget.

Nicolas Cage actually turns in a solid performance as John McLaughlin, a NYFD fire chief who gets caught in the rubble of one of the collapsed towers with Will Jimeno (Pena, who was excellent in Crash and is equally effective here), a young Port Authority police officer. The movie shows us the events of the day as they would have been experienced by these two ordinary men, from the humdrum beginnings of just another September day, to the shock and chaos on the streets of New York as the towers are hit, to the eerie quiet of being buried alive beneath the rubble of a 110-story building.

Stone guides us through these scenarios with seemingly effortless grace. It is to his great credit that we are placed in the middle of the events without ever becoming distracted from the humanity of the characters. He is greatly aided by first-timer Andrea Berloff’s exceptional screenplay, which thankfully dodges the common pitfalls of disaster-themed movies, not the least of which are melodrama and kitsch. In addition to remaining single-minded and pure in her approach, Ms. Berloff does something wonderfully refreshing in today’s politically correct climate: She not only depicts people relying on their faith in God to get through life, but also gives credit to the subject of their faith. What a concept!

Attention is also given to the families of these men, waiting in helpless agony for any news of the men they love, hoping against hope that they are alive but preparing for the worst. Gyllenhaal and Bello portray Allison Jimeno and Donna McLaughlin, respectively. The former is a vision of spunk and tenacity, and Gyllenhaal nails the character on the head. Bello, fresh from her Oscar-worthy turn in A History of Violence, reveals again that she is an actress to watch. The scene where she shares an angry comradery with another woman waiting for news of her loved one that melts into gut-wrenching remorse for her last words having been angry ones is shattering and utterly brilliant.

The remaining cast members depict miscellaneous police, firefighters, and rescue workers, most notably Michael Shannon as ex-Marine Dave Karnes, who feels inspired by God to go and look for survivors among the ashes. Also noteworthy is Craig Armstrong’s simple and elegiac score, which is pitch perfect for the reverent and ultimately hopeful tone of this exquisite memorial to those who died and those who still live.

PG-13, for intense emotional and thematic elements, depiction of the aftermath of terrorist attacks with related images of destruction, death, and gory wounds, and for some language

DVD/VIDEO: The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

2006-10-09T21:53:00.000-07:00

THE PRIZE WINNER OF DEFIANCE, OHIO (2005)

My Rating: **** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, Laura Dern, Trevor Morgan, Ellary Porterfield
Director: Jane Anderson

My Review:
When this unassuming little flick barely made a blip on the movie radar in 2005, I was mildly interested due to the cast, but didn’t make the effort to get out the art house circuit and see it. What a shame, because Prize Winner is one of the year’s very best films.

Julianne Moore does it again, turning in yet another stellar performance as Evelyn Ryan, a real-life 1950’s homemaker who is forced to use everything she has to provide for her ten children, as her husband Kelly (a remarkable and heartfelt Woody Harrelson) is, as the AA Big Book states, an alcoholic of the hopeless variety. At a time when women were still often seen as less than in comparison with men, Evelyn carries the additional weight of being treated as if she is somehow to blame for her husband’s inability to provide.

Evelyn already does everything for her family, but Kelly keeps paying out more for booze than he brings in. So, Evelyn uses her knack for concocting catchy phrases to enter contests for commercial jingles. Ultimately, the Ryans are faced with multiple threats of loss, and each time, it is Evelyn’s courage, hope, wordsmithing, and ruthlessly positive outlook that keep them afloat during the most tumultuous storms of circumstance.

Evelyn is a woman of remarkable character. Whether Kelly is whining piteously, begging for forgiveness, offering empty promises of “I’ll change,” or frightening the kids with one of his drunken rampages, Evelyn never once belittles or undermines her husband. She speaks the truth, to be sure, but does so in a way that will not cause any more damage to his standing with the children than he has already caused himself. She consistently displays incredible innovation, unflappable optimism, razor-sharp intelligence, and Christ-like servant leadership - even to the one who causes her the most harm - over and over and over again.

Writer and director Jane Anderson has taken Terry Ryan’s memoirs of her own experiences with her mother and fashioned them into an uncommonly warm and loving tribute to moms, and indeed to all who selflessly seek to serve others, forgive “a multitude of sins,” and not let life’s difficulties rob them of its joys. Julianne Moore perfectly embodies these characteristics as Evelyn, a woman who manages to triumph even while faced with more than her share of shattered hopes and dreams. Moore captures the almost psychotic cheeriness of the 1950’s media portrayals of housewives (and of women in general), but rather than going to the extremes of skewering or blindly idealizing, she puts flesh and blood behind the twinkling smiles and colorful pinafores, showing us a real woman who fought real battles, but also found genuine happiness and peace in her life. Hers is the privilege of portraying one of the most heroic characters in film history, and Moore pulls it off without a hitch.

Much praise is also due to Anderson’s beautiful screen adaptation, confident and balanced direction, and courageously creative choice to tell this sometimes dark and intense story using the cheery media clichés of the era to do so. Anderson achieves some nice irony by doing the latter, but never becomes biting or sarcastic in the process. No, Anderson is concerned with truth here. Yes, the family suffers great hardships. Yes, Kelly causes much pain due to his addiction. But Anderson doesn’t do what lesser filmmakers would have done by stooping to the level of easy potshots or windy feminist rhetoric. Like Evelyn, she proves herself a woman of character by bestowing compassion upon all of her principals, and in so doing, manages to craft a film that is light, breezy, heartbreaking, gritty, beautiful, fun, humorous, devastating, nostalgic, and richly rewarding, all at once. By uncomfortably but truthfully juxtaposing oceans of suffering with islands of rapturous, life-giving joy, Prize Winner gives us a film that deserves to be seen and honored. It is an absolute must.

PG-13, for mature thematic elements, domestic conflict involving aggressive and sometimes frightening behavior, some strong language, and a disturbing image

CAPTION REVIEWS: Nacho Libre, Superman Returns, Monster House, The Benchwarmers

2006-08-16T23:58:00.000-07:00

Summer Captions

This summer seems to have gotten away from me in terms of keeping up with my movie reviews. That being the case, I’ve decided to offer brief reviews on four films viewed between June and August.

NACHO LIBRE (2006)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: Jack Black, Ana de la Reguera, Hector Jimenez, Cesar Gonzalez, Peter Stormare
Director: Jared Hess

My Review:
Nacho Libre is a supremely silly comedy about a Mexican friar (Jack Black, utterly hysterical) who falls for a lovely nun (Ana de la Reguera, the latest Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz, Jennifer Lopez, et al) and dreams of becoming a wrestler, or luchador, so that he can “get some respect.” Nacho hooks up with a scrawny street urchin named Esqueleto (Jimenez, whose expressions alone bring more laughs than most movies do in their entirety), and together, they enter the colorful world of Lucha Libre prize fighting. Nacho’s double life (he cooks for the orphans in his village by day while wrestling at night) can’t last forever, but all ends well when he decides to use the money he gains from fighting to serve the orphans.

As one would expect from the director of Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre maintains a bizarre, wacky sensibility throughout (the twin midget fighters, the lady who burrows through tunnels, the corncob in the eye, etc.). Nacho is more mainstream in that its lead character, unlike Napoleon’s grating, obnoxious central figure, is a lovable loser. Jack Black owns this movie, and his Nacho is a riot from first frame to last, whether he’s ungraciously jiggling his stomach flab, tauting his large posterior while wearing white “stretchy pants,” improvising a song about his beloved, or passing gas as he attacks his opponents.

Take these assets and toss in the delightfully absurd soundtrack (bravo Danny Elfman!), a goofy sense of sweetness, and some hilariously staged fight sequences, and you end up with the funniest and most enjoyable comedy in years.

PG, for crude humor and innuendo, and for comical action violence

SUPERMAN RETURNS (2006)

My Rating: **** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Kevin Spacey, Parker Posey, Frank Langella, Sam Huntington
Director: Bryan Singer

My Review:
Superman was my hero growing up. Ever since I first heard John Williams’ immortal theme and saw Christopher Reeve saving Metropolis and fighting for Truth, Justice, and The American Way, I was hooked. In fact, I was such an avid fan that I viewed Superman: The Movie and Superman II more than 100 times each before the age of 15. All this to say, when I learned that a new Superman was hitting the screens, I faced a multitude of emotions ranging from excitement to fear. Thankfully, a few missteps notwithstanding, the filmmakers have fashioned a worthy follow-up to the originals, creating one of the best superhero movies ever made in the process.

Returns picks up five years after Superman II concluded (III and IV are ignored – yea!). Shortly after defeating the three villains from Superman II, Superman (newcomer Brandon Routh – who literally seems to channel Chris Reeve at times) disappeared on a journey of self discovery. Upon returning five years later (which is where this movie starts), the Man of Steel finds that the world has learned to live without him. In particular, Superman's former flame Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth, not bad, but woefully miscast) has a young son, is engaged to be married to Perry White’s nephew (James Marsden, thankfully not caricatured as the inadequate boyfriend), and has won the Pulitzer for an article entitled “Why the World Doesn’t Need Superman.” Also, that old baddie Lex Luthor (Spacey, effective but not quite as fun as Gene Hackman) has escaped from prison and is up to his old tricks of total world domination. Of these issues – corruption and lack of faith – the former seems like a breeze compared with the latter, and how our hero addresses these concerns is what makes Superman Returns not only a great comic book action movie, but a rich, layered dramatic success as well.

Besides being a little low on humor (which the earlier films had in abundance), the greatest flaw in Bryan Singer’s new version is that he has missed the boat on the character of Lois Lane. Kate Bosworth does not do a bad job at all. It’s just that she is not Lois Lane. The endearing goofiness, the zest, the lack of self-consciousness, the originality – all of these have been replaced with a thoroughly grounded, highly accomplished, wholly modern female lead who is much more elegant but much less interesting than Margot Kidder’s rendition in the earlier films.

The experience of seeing this film in the theater - hearing those familiar, majestic tones of John Williams' classic themes, seeing the opening credits fly at the screen as they did in the earlier films, and catching Superman’s smile as he flies past the earth before the closing titles – was pure magic for me. Besides the nostalgia factor, which is quite high, Superman Returns is a great film in its own right. The story is interesting, the acting solid, the emotions complex, the action exciting and exquisitely staged, and the Christological elements fascinating. In fact, the scenes in which the latter are portrayed visually are the most haunting and beautiful in the entire film.

PG-13, for some intense action violence, thematic elements, mild language including a few suggestive references, and brief partial nudity

MONSTER HOUSE (2006)

My Rating: *** ½ (out of *****)
Starring (vocal talents): Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, Spencer Locke, Steve Buscemi, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kevin James, Nick Cannon, Jason Lee, Jon Heder, Kathleen Turner, Fred Willard, Catherine O’Hara
Director: Gil Kenan

My Review:
A children’s horror movie? A bit of an oxymoron, wouldn’t you say? But director Gil Kenan and writers Dan Harmon, Rob Schrab, and Pamela Pettler have constructed exactly that with Monster House, a twisted, inventive, exquisitely animated feature that seems to take its cues from the Tim Burton school of filmmaking.

This delightfully demented and extremely watchable movie explores one of the hallmarks of childhood: the dilapidated old house that everyone says is haunted but no one dares to enter. DJ and Chowder (perfectly voiced by Musso and Lerner) are two young friends on the verge of pre-adolescence. Left alone with a mean-spirited babysitter for the weekend preceding Halloween, the boys – with help from a neighbor girl who has captured both of their fancies – set out to investigate the mystery of the house that literally seems to have a life of its own. What they find is, to say the least, disturbing, but the tone stays relatively light throughout, and of course, things work out okay in the end. An abundance of humor along the way also keeps things from getting too freaky. Think of it as Poltergeist Lite.

First, the pro’s: The animation is utterly spectacular. The characters move with remarkable fluidity, and the look is astonishingly realistic even while maintaining an appropriately cartoonish feel. Also, the script is frequently insightful and hilarious, the scares are spooky and fun, the vocal talents considerable (especially Lerner, with additional kudos to Nick Cannon and Kevin James as a pair of bumbling cops), and the vision exciting. This is one of the more invigorating films of the summer.

The con’s: This movie is entirely too dark and creepy for younger kids, who unfortunately make up the bulk of the targeted audience. Some of the story’s twists and turns are bizarre and troubling, and the excess of adult references (including, but not limited to, manslaughter, possession, extramarital affairs, a drunken, groping boyfriend, unrebuked lying and manipulation, misuse of pharmaceuticals by young children, voyeurism, etc.) easily push Monster House into PG-13 territory. Finally, the caricature of adults and law enforcement as consistently clueless, shallow, and helpless is tiresome and inappropriate for the impressionable young children that will consume this product.

All in all, Monster House is a unique, fun, and frothy summer concoction of thrills and chuckles, with cautions for younger audiences as noted.

PG (unwisely), for mature thematic elements, bizarre and frightening moments with some related violence and mayhem, crude humor and innuendo, and some language

THE BENCHWARMERS (2006)

My Rating: ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Rob Schneider, David Spade, Jon Heder, Jon Lovitz, Molly Sims, Tim Meadows, Craig Kilborn, Nick Swardson
Director: Dennis Dugan

My Review:
There’s not a lot to say about this movie. First and foremost, it sucks. Really, really bad. Even in the company of such lowbrow comedies as Dumb and Dumber or Tommy Boy, this movie falls embarrassingly and hopelessly short.

To attempt to describe the plot of The Benchwarmers is essentially pointless. The simple fact is that there really isn’t one. Basically, a former bully (Schneider) pairs up with a couple of big time nerds (Spade, in the grossest wig ever, and Heder, who fares the best out of anyone in this god-awful movie, but that’s NOT saying much) to empower an up-and-coming generation of geeks by joining their baseball team and playing against the big, bad bully kids, who have clearly learned their abusive behavior from their own reprehensible fathers. Throw in bald-faced mockery and stereotyping of homosexuals, women, short people, and the mentally challenged, to name a few, and you have 85 excruciating minutes of “comedy.”

I guess that somewhere, somehow, this high concept could have generated some humorous episodes. Alas, there is barely a chuckle to be had. In fact, the filmmakers try so hard to elicit laughs that one feels repeatedly punched in the gut by the director’s disingenuous attempts. They are 99% unsuccessful, and the result is bruising and painful. Finally, the acting is atrocious, the pacing choppy, the jokes unfunny and/or offensive, the emotion hackneyed, and the technical qualities lacking. Steer clear, if you know what’s good for you.

PG-13, for language, crude and sex-related humor, and some comic violence

DVD/VIDEO: The Omen (2006)

2006-08-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

THE OMEN (2006)

My Rating: *** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles, Mia Farrow, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, Pete Postlethwaite, David Thewlis, Michael Gambon
Director: John Moore

My Review:
For the record, I’m getting just as tired of Hollywood’s fascination with remakes as you are. Usually, they’re not even remakes of good movies (consider director John Moore’s previous offering – The Flight of the Phoenix – a tepid remake of an equally tepid film). So, when I discovered that a new version of the 1976 horror classic The Omen was hitting theaters on June 6, 2006 (6-6-06, easily one of the most ingenious marketing gimmicks in motion picture history), I was little more than amused. Alas, being a horror buff and a fan of the original, I couldn’t resist.

Using David Seltzer’s original screenplay almost word for word and shot for shot, director Moore has reimagined rather than remade Richard Donner’s earlier film, assembling an impressive, big-name cast and weaving a stylish, mesmerizing atmosphere to give the somewhat tired proceedings a bit of an edge.

Schreiber, relatively solid here, fills in for Gregory Peck as Robert Thorn, the American Ambassador in London who slowly begins to suspect that his young child Damien (Davey-Fitzpatrick) may be the Antichrist foretold in Scripture. Thorn’s wife Kathy (a passable Julia Stiles) knows that something is wrong with Damien before her husband does. The old “everyone including my own husband ignores the obvious signs that we have hell-child on our hands and thinks I’m totally losing it” ploy is milked for all its worth, and is actually relatively effective here. I usually can’t stand Julia Stiles. I think she’s one of the most wooden actresses around. But, to her and director John Moore’s credit, we actually feel pity for her hopeless plight.

As mentioned, due to the fact that we who have seen the original already know everything that’s going to happen (and even those who haven’t will probably figure it out pretty quickly), this 2006 version is all about the mood and the actors. The aforementioned principals are decent, but the supporting players really get to shine. Pete Postlethwaite is perfect as the tortured Father Brennan, and David Thewlis (in an unusual “good guy” role) almost seems like the reincarnation of David Warner from the original movie.

Not surprisingly, Mia Farrow steals the film as Mrs. Baylock, the deceptively sweet new nanny who turns out to be a demonic agent sent to insure that no one harms little Damien. Billie Whitelaw, who originated the role in the 1976 version, was truly terrifying, but also totally obvious. Farrow’s Baylock is actually believable as a seemingly loving guardian who could dupe parents as attentive as the Thorns are. That doesn’t, however, mean there isn’t plenty of room for scenery-chewing, which Farrow does with delightfully demented relish. Every scene with her is a wickedly guilty pleasure.

Atmospherics are top notch, including a tantalizing obsession with the color red (it pervades this movie like a plague), a handful of brilliant set pieces (the famous balcony sequence, a couple of eerily perverted dreamscapes, a mournfully lonely old church and graveyard, and the ear-splitting thunderstorm in which Father Brennan meets his unhappy demise), and effective use of lighting and camera techniques.

All in all, the film’s greatest misstep comes with Moore’s philosophies on how to coach the young actor portraying Damien. In my humble opinion, the spawn of Satan in human form should be attractive and normal-looking. After all, the Devil was an angel before he fell, and evil often appears to be beautiful. As directed by Moore and acted by Davey-Fitzpatrick, Damien is perpetually scowling, with sunken bug eyes and a plastered-on frown. He comes across as annoying rather than frightening, which is most unfortunate as it mutes some of the potential thrills offered by this movie. Still, The Omen 2006 is a happy diversion for genre lovers and those who enjoyed the original.

R, for moments of gruesome horror-style violence and gore, some disturbing imagery, brief strong language, and mature thematic elements

DVD/VIDEO: Freedomland

2006-08-06T20:08:00.000-07:00

FREEDOMLAND (2006)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Julianne Moore, Edie Falco, Ron Eldard, William Forsythe
Director: Joe Roth

My Review:
For all those film fans who haven’t yet heard of it, there’s a great website called Rotten Tomatoes (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/). Film critics across the country say “yea” or “nay” to a movie, and Rotten Tomatoes makes an average of these numbers, assigning an overall percentage rating to the film. A 60% or higher positive average deems the picture “fresh,” while those let fortunate are labeled “rotten.” Cute. Generally, those films that are designated “rotten,” especially if their percentile rating is extremely low, tend to be just that. With a whopping 25%, one would expect Freedomland - a gritty, racially themed drama – to be a surefire dud. It is anything but.

Directed by Joe Roth and based upon a novel by Richard Price, Freedomland features a solid Sam Jackson as Lorenzo, a New Jersey police detective who is called upon to investigate a child abduction case that threatens to rip the already strained community apart with its explosive racial issues. Brenda (Julianne Moore), the mother of the abducted child, claims that a black man took her son. The predominately African-American community threatens to riot. Brenda seems anything but trustworthy – she is shifty, hysterical, and her story doesn’t make a lot of sense. But something about this poor woman’s plight captures Lorenzo, who gives Brenda the benefit of the doubt even when it is against his better judgment to do so. The mystery unravels in a way that may not be totally unexpected, but is startling, tragic, and magnificently redemptive nonetheless.

The story of Freedomland is certainly strong, and the themes, while familiar, are important and timely (though the filmmakers do produce some trite moments in this regard). But this movie’s real strength lies in its female performances. Jackson, a decent if overrated actor, does fine with his part. Ron Eldard and William Forsythe, both good actors, are woefully underused. But Julianne Moore again reminds us that she is one of today’s finest actresses with a performance that virtually flays the viewer with its raw intensity and power. Moore is brave here, willing to be downright ugly (emotionally more than physically) at times in her depiction of a mother on the edge. Her pivotal scene comes two-thirds of the way through the movie, and it is more than worth the wait. In this exquisite and unforgettable sequence, Moore takes us into the depths of an emotional hell, churning up conflicting feelings of disgust and pity that vacillate at the turn of a sentence.

Edie Falco, also a tremendous performer, snatches ever scene she appears in as the steely head of a mysterious coalition of parents who have each had a child go missing. The scene in which Falco smoothly and icily attempts to get some difficult information from Moore’s character is simply and utterly breathtaking.

For all its dark, heavy material, Freedomland turns out to be a remarkably positive experience. Lorenzo’s faith in God sees him through a series of severe trials, and though broken and wounded for what he has endured, Lorenzo is able, humbly, to extend a hand of grace to the distressed, disheveled, and hopeless Brenda, and in so doing, extends that hand to himself. The closing sequences of Freedomland are bleakly beautiful and ruthlessly hopeful.

R, for an abundance of strong language, mature subject matter, and violence, including disturbing descriptions of violent acts

DVD/VIDEO: Flight 93

2006-06-18T18:41:00.000-07:00

FLIGHT 93 (2006)

My Rating: *** (out of *****)
Starring: Brennan Elliott, Kendall Cross, Ty Olsson, Monnae Michaell, April Telek, Colin Glazer, Meghan Heffern, Laura Mennell
Director: Peter Markle

My Review:
Flight 93, the first non-documentary film to focus on some of the events surrounding 9/11, originally aired on A&E in January 2006 to the tune of some 5.9 million viewers (a record for the cable network). Three months later, Paul Greengrass’ superlative United 93 hit movie houses to become the first theatrical release to tell the story of the only hijacked aircraft on September 11, 2001, that did not reach its predetermined target.

Perhaps unfortunately, I happened to view Greengrass’ film first, and, sadly, Flight 93 pales in comparison. I’m not exactly sure why I had the reaction to this film that I did. I expected to be blown away, as I had been with United 93 and with Jules and Gedeon Naudet’s astonishing documentary 9/11. My reaction was, instead, strangely muted. Perhaps it was my expectations after seeing those other films. Or maybe it was the subpar production values and sometimes unconvincing acting in this made-for-TV version. My reverence for and belief in the importance of the subject matter might also have had an effect. Perhaps it was a combination of all of these factors. No matter what way you slice it, Flight 93 doesn’t come close to creating the emotional impact that is offered by its theatrical and documentary counterparts.

The stories in this film and in Greengrass’ version are identical, though – where United 93 spends a great deal of time addressing the chaos experienced by air traffic controllers, military personnel, and ground crews - Flight 93 chooses to emphasize the passengers and their families (the latter are neither seen nor heard in Greengrass’ film). Portions of each film play like carbon copies of one another (the terrorists’ somber preparations, the initial upset on the doomed aircraft, and the desperate final attempt of the passengers to thwart their captors), though the aforementioned differences in focus make each one a totally separate and unique viewing experience.

Director Peter Markle’s decision to give special attention to the families of Flight 93’s doomed passengers is certainly a noble one. The film forces us to imagine the horror, powerlessness, and anguish that must have ensued for these people, going through the motions on an ordinary autumn morning only to be called by loved ones who had just been sentenced to die within the hour. And certainly, the sheer power of this subject matter creates some intense emotional moments and reactions. Markle gets a lot of mileage out of Meghan Heffern’s quietly authentic and moving performance as Nicole Miller, and the scene where Todd Beamer (Brennan Elliott) prays with Lisa Jefferson (an effective Monnae Michaell) is simply breathtaking. On the other hand, some of the dialogue and performances feel cramped, forced, stagy, and downright weak, thus giving Flight 93 a tepid movie-of-the-week feel that seriously dilutes its effectiveness at certain points. Also, the sloppiness of some of the scenes (while Nicole Miller’s mom talks to her on the phone, children ride their bikes and play the street, when it is more than likely that they were in school on that Tuesday morning in September 2001) is downright distracting.

Alas, in terms of the movie as a whole, what could have struck with the force of a hurricane merely unsettles us with the impact of a bad thunderstorm. Though this is almost tragic when one considers the magnitude of the events depicted in Flight 93, the fact that the story is being told – with at least some level of skillfulness and power – is reason enough to see the film.

PG-13, for depiction of a terrorist attack with moments of related violence, as well as mature thematic elements, emotional intensity, and some mild language

NEW IN THEATERS: The Da Vinci Code

2006-06-11T22:45:00.000-07:00

THE DA VINCI CODE (2006)

My Rating: * ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellan, Jean Reno, Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina
Director: Ron Howard

My Review:
So dark the con of man, indeed. This intriguing line from Dan Brown’s bestselling novel is transposed into Ron Howard’s incessantly hyped, critically lambasted, financially successful film adaptation with a piercing irony. The con, it turns out, is not the story’s proclaimed dupe of undiscerning Christian believers by murderous, power-hungry church officials, but rather, the insidious ruse of a clever, forked-tongued author and the filmmakers who have prepared his pseudo-historical fiction for millions of gullible viewers.

The Da Vinci Code’s plot is at once exceedingly complex and shockingly simplistic. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks, pasty and laconic, but employing enough of his everyman charm to semi-successfully pull off the role) reveals – through a series of car chases, near escapes, and long-winded exposition – “the greatest cover-up in human history” when he and French cryptographer Sophie Neveu (Tautou, losing almost all of her Amelie winsomeness, but solid nonetheless) investigate the bizarre and grotesque murder of Sophie’s grandfather in the bowels of the Louvre museum.

Tracked by a relentless French policeman (Reno, bland) and a psychotic, homicidal, sadomasochistic albino monk of the secretive Catholic order Opus Dei (Bettany, sometimes overacting, mostly frightening), Robert and Sophie join with the eccentric recluse Sir Leigh Teabing (McKellan, always a feisty delight) to learn of the early Christian church’s suppression of the “sacred feminine” and of the “human invention” of Jesus Christ’s divinity, among other things. It all pans out to be a case of the old Gnostic heresies (raised and disproved centuries ago, being almost as ancient as Christianity itself), dressed up in simpering postmodernism that doesn’t say anything definitive about anything, and if it does, clearly highlights the allegedly divine nature of Mary Magdalene over that of Jesus.

So, let’s begin with the notoriously bad reviews received by The Da Vinci Code. Purely as motion picture entertainment, this movie is not nearly as awful as it has been made out to be. The pacing and direction are clunky, with way too much telling and not enough showing, but what is told is interesting. As a result, the film is not boring by any means. The talented cast is underused, but certainly not laughable or lifeless as described by many a critic. Other qualities such as cinematography and music are serviceable if not spectacular.

The real problem with The Da Vinci Code (and thus why it merits a one-and-a-half star rating from this reviewer) is the same as that of its source material: pure fantasy and bald-faced lies using real titles, events, and persons to give the impression – at least on the surface – of suppressed historical fact. Many will surely dismiss the controversy over film and novel with cries of “It’s only fiction.” True. Alas, Dan Brown, while calling his work a “novel,” also states that all of the architecture, rituals, organizations, artwork, and documents described within are “accurate.” Hmm. Sounds like a have-my-cake-and-eat-it-too politician to me. And to be sure, the discerning reader and moviegoer will not be influenced in any way by this preposterous baloney. However, and most unfortunately, the average entertainment consumer does not often question media presentations that appear to be true, especially when they convey such ear-tickling, middle-of-the-road nonsense statements as “Why couldn’t Jesus have been divine and married? Maybe human is divine.” (the aforementioned “simpering postmodernism”).

Hopefully, some moviegoers will be challenged and encouraged to look into the real Jesus as a result of seeing this film. Some will want to know more. But sadly, this movie will probably confirm more doubts and encourage more erroneous beliefs about Christ than it will direct people towards truth. For that reason, and for its wildly imbalanced portrayal of those who do believe in Christ’s divinity as perversely disturbed liars and killers, The Da Vinci Code – which (all other things remaining constant) would have garnered a much higher rating given a more honest approach to the subject matter – gets the dubious distinction of being the worst film I’ve seen so far this year.

PG-13 (a joke – the MPAA should be called to task for making this movie accessible to all ages), for scenes of graphic violence, including a lingering, explicit scene of nude self-flagellation with homoerotic, sadomasochistic overtones, as well as mature subject matter, brief sexuality including verbal references, some language, and a momentary drug reference

DVD/VIDEO - ART HOUSE: Born Into Brothels

2006-06-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

BORN INTO BROTHELS (2004)

My Rating: **** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Shanti Das, Avijit, Suchitra, Manik, Gour, Puja Mukerjee, Tapasi, Mamuni, Kochi, Zana Briski, Sunil Halder, Geeta Masi
Directors: Zana Briski, Ross Kauffman
Editors: Nancy Baker, Ross Kauffman

My Review:
Movies have the ability to impact us in ways that no other artistic medium can. Truly great films go beyond political agendas, motives for profit, attempts to wow with flashy effects, and efforts to manipulate emotion with carefully crafted dialogue and perfectly timed music. They allow us to make our own judgments about what the events unfolding on screen actually mean, challenge us with opportunities to grow and learn, and impart such valuable gifts as encouragement, inspiration, and hope. Good documentaries do all of this and more, offering the unique blessing of taking viewers into the worlds they depict as those worlds actually exist.

Born Into Brothels is an exceptional example of this type of documentary filmmaking. Winning the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature of 2004, this 83-minute masterpiece – destined to become a classic of the genre – follows New York photojournalist Zana Briski as she makes her home in the brothels of one of Calcutta’s red light districts. In becoming familiar with the prostitutes of this destitute and oppressive region, Ms. Briski comes to know the children of these women – children born into poverty, sometimes abuse, often a destiny of becoming prostitutes themselves, and usually bleak futures as “outcasts” of their society. Ms. Briski’s connection with and advocacy on behalf of these children comprises the bulk of the film.

Born Into Brothels could have settled for being a completely devastating look at social bondage and hopelessness among the marginalized poor. As such, it would certainly have been impacting, if rather pointless and frustrating. Most thankfully, directors Briski and Kauffman choose to give us more. We certainly feel the darkness and pain in the lives of these impoverished and afflicted families, especially of the children. In the film, however, Ms. Briski not only gives the gift of her presence to these children (a monumental thing for any human being to offer another), but also encourages, develops, and inspires them by sharing her trade and passion: photography.

By developing the eye of a photographer in these young people, Briski not only opens doors of creativity and artistic freedom for them, but also – and more importantly – helps to provide a sense possibility and hope for a brighter future. In fact, the children end up having some of their work auctioned at Sotheby’s, and Briski’s non-profit organization Kids With Cameras (http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/) plans to open schools for marginalized children (such as those depicted in the movie) who would otherwise have little opportunity for education and advancement. Of course, we are vicariously filled with a deep and profound joy as the children discover dreams they didn’t even know existed becoming tangible realities.

Briski and Kauffman rightfully keep the children and their artwork front and center throughout the film. Each one of the selected children is given a segment consisting of interviews and examples of their work, and each one is a treasure – unique, feisty, beautiful, funny, candid, heartbreaking, and best of all, real. Likewise, the children’s pictures are extensions of their marvelously individual personalities, capturing their world – ugly, brutal, and cheerless to some – in ways that only they can. The resulting images are poignant in their simplicity, harrowing in their honesty, and absolutely gorgeous in their respect for life in all its myriad forms.

Putting it simply, Born Into Brothels is a cool, replenishing oasis in a Sahara of cinematic dreck. It is a must for documentary aficionados, and will enrich all others who risk its sometimes disquieting but ultimately uplifting portrait of love – in the form of time, resources, advocacy, and talents shared – bringing life to dead places.

R, for brief moments of strong, abusive, and sexually graphic language, as well as mature thematic material relating to prostitution, poverty, and drug use

DVD/VIDEO: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

2006-05-22T22:26:00.000-07:00

FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN (2006)

My Rating: *** (out of *****)
Starring (vocal talents): Takahiro Sakurai, Ayumi Ito, Shotaro Morikubo, Keiji Fujiwara, Taiten Kusunoki
Directors: Tetsuya Nomura, Takeshi Nozue

My Review:
Eye candy. Plain and simple. That’s what Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, a computer animated Japanese film based upon the popular game series of the same name, has to offer viewers. Certainly no more, but no less, either.

To even begin to attempt a plot summary would be ridiculous, for I do not have the advantage of being an avid game player, and as such, any effort on my part to reconstruct the plotline of this seventh (!) chapter in the Final Fantasy series would probably result in greater confusion for all. Suffice it to say, the so-called story has something to do with a young hero named Cloud, who reluctantly emerges from hiding to address the threat of a crippling disease call Geostigma that is infecting and devastating his home planet. Cloud is joined by a renegade gang of warriors, outlaws, and fighters, who, with Matrix-style outfits and action sequences, battle a mysterious trio of villains. All leads to a stunning grand finale in which Cloud must defeat an ancient and malevolent force that has, with the help of the aforementioned villains, materialized into a stringy-haired, sword-wielding soldier named Sephiroth.

If all of this sounds inane and utterly nonsensical, that’s because it is. Unless you are well-versed in Final Fantasy lore, don’t even bother to try and figure out what’s really going on with this story. Part of me doubts that there really is anything other than paper-thin constructs to convey us from one action sequence to the next. Also, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is presented in the style of classic Japanese anime, which means: poor dubbing, lots of miscellaneous grunts and groans, big-breasted female warriors, pervasive and murky spiritism, and a sometimes jolting amalgam of spectacular, balletic action and laughably hokey sentimentalism (In fact, the corniness of certain scenes results in some of the best laugh-out-loud moments I’ve experienced in a non-comedy movie). This film has all of this, and then some.

So, why the three-star rating? For what is basically a 101-minute video game “cinema,” Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children provides some of the most eye-popping CGI in recent memory. With this powerful tool firmly in hand, directors Nomura and Nozue construct several fantastic action sequences (clearly their strong suit) which unfold amidst a number of remarkable futuristic set pieces. As stated, the film sometimes begins to get bogged down in shoddy, mindless explanation or syrupy emotion, but never for too long. Just as we’re saying “Oh, come on,” the filmmakers remember why this movie exists and whisk us right back into the breathtaking action. A few fun action-movie one-liners also lend balance to the overly serious expository and revelatory moments. The final result is an extremely guilty pleasure, as forgettable and unsatisfying as cotton candy, but - because of its magnificent, jaw-dropping action and spectacle - just as enticing.

PG-13, for sequences of intense sci-fi action violence and some language

NEW IN THEATERS: United 93

2006-05-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

UNITED 93 (2006)

My Rating: ***** (out of *****)
Starring: Peter Hermann, David Alan Basche, Christian Clemenson, Ben Sliney, James Fox, Jamie Harding, Omar Berdouni, Tobin Miller, Shawna Fox, Leigh Zimmerman
Director: Paul Greengrass

My Review:
Depending upon your age, you may remember various formative events in the history of the world. Whether it’s World War II, Apollo 11, the invention of television, the Vietnam War, the toppling of the Berlin Wall, or even the Gulf War, each of us can recall different defining moments in world affairs that dramatically impacted our lives and perspectives forever. 9/11 stands apart from these events in a very particular way: we can all remember that fateful September day. Just five short years ago, life in the U.S., and in many other parts of the world, changed forever.

A great deal of apprehension and controversy comes with the release of United 93, the first major motion picture (excepting A&E’s acclaimed television drama Flight 93 – review coming soon to this site) to tackle the dark subject of September 11, 2001 in a non-documentary or non-propagandist fashion. As it turns out, United 93 is not only the first of its kind, but is also, most likely, the best.

Director Paul Greengrass (Bloody Sunday, The Bourne Supremacy) should receive every kind of award out there for his magnificent approach to the incidents surrounding the only hijacked plane on 9/11 that did not reach its intended target. He takes some of the most sensitive and delicate subject matter imaginable and, rather than following a political, melodramatic, action-oriented, or otherwise manipulative tack, simply tells the story. Though the film surely speculates regarding certain incidents aboard the doomed aircraft, its unconfirmed conclusions are consistent with factual findings and are not difficult to believe. By essentially telling this aspect of 9/11 like it was, Greengrass puts us right back in the middle of it all – a place we hate but simply can’t escape, a place we must always remember if we are to find hope and motivation for a better future.

From its opening moments - which chillingly contrast the terrorists’ preparation with the mundane morning routines of flight attendants, passengers, pilots, and air traffic control crews getting ready for another day – United 93 is drenched in an almost suffocating sense of dread. In viewing this film, my stomach was in knots, my whole body stiff with tension, and my hand gripped my wife’s for almost the entire duration of the experience. Brilliantly presented in real time, the events of the film unfold to much the same effect as they did that day, producing shock, bewilderment, disbelief, confusion, chaos, horror, and despair. As film audiences five years later, however, we possess the perspective of knowing every awful thing that’s coming before it arrives. As such, we now bear the weighty and ominous burden of foreknowledge.

The casting of unknown actors and persons who were involved in the day’s events (such as Ben Sliney and James Fox) is effective and ingenious. Using performers who could be any one of us, as well as people who were present for the occurrences they are depicting, Greengrass thankfully saves us from the high melodrama and distracting Hollywood personas that could have easily hindered the telling of this essential chapter in our nation’s history. The screenplay (penned by Greengrass) is similarly natural and realistic. In fact, it almost feels as if there is no prescribed action and dialogue, only real life unfolding before us. This fact is yet another example of the filmmaker’s masterful skill. The beautiful ring of authenticity created by these artistic choices actually serves to increase the emotional impact of the overall experience.

Ultimately, watching United 93 is like being punched in the gut… several times over. It is one of the most difficult and traumatic moviegoing experiences you are likely to have, but also, one of the most rewarding. From its depiction of the ground control teams, to the flight crews, to the passengers themselves, United 93 is about the astonishing will and ability of creation to survive. In the midst of unprecedented chaos and confusion, ground control has some 4000 airplanes out of the sky within a few short hours of the first sign of trouble. Though average folk like you and me, the humble crew and passengers of United 93 highlight humanity’s fierce and marvelous survival mechanism. But much more than this, they display a truly heroic courage, abandon, and selflessness, transforming from petrified and cowering victims to no-holds-barred warriors in the course of an hour. Their terror becomes their triumph as they, in their final moments, think of how they can possibly help, protect, or even save others. These people don’t ever surrender to terror. They fight it with everything they’ve got. United 93 - as the film’s stirring epilogue states - exists to honor these people. A more powerful and fitting memorial would be hard to conceive of.

R, for intense and traumatic depiction of terrorism and its effects throughout, with related violence and moments of strong language

DVD/VIDEO: Nothing

2006-05-08T23:16:00.000-07:00

NOTHING (2003)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: David Hewlett, Andrew Miller
Director: Vincenzo Natali

My Review:
As incredible as movies can be, they tend to bear remarkable similarities to one another after a while. Though this fact certainly doesn’t take away from the experience of a truly good film, it does heighten our awareness of movies that dare to color outside the lines. Nothing does just that, and as such, is spectacularly and singularly bizarre, freakish, and downright absurd. It also happens to be one of the giddiest and most delightful motion picture experiences you are likely to have.

Nothing opens with a feverishly clever – and purportedly “true” - introduction to our primary subjects, David and Andrew (also the actors’ real names). It quickly becomes clear that these two guys – roommates sharing half a townhouse (literally) in a dizzyingly fanciful version of modern-day Toronto – are world-class losers. After a particularly hellish day in which Andrew is accused of kissing a little girl and David of embezzling his employer out of thousands of dollars, the hapless duo is faced with several different authorities pounding at their door, clamoring to demolish the condemned structure and arrest the accused men. At the height of this chaos, the outside world suddenly disappears. Aside from David, Andrew, pet turtle Stan, and the strange half of a house, only a bouncy white emptiness remains.

At first, the men are elated. All of their problems have gone away! Reality sets in quickly, however, and they soon become desperate for food. At the height of their panic, a startling revelation is reached. Andrew and David – hated by the world around them – have somehow obtained the ability to make anything that they despise disappear.

This fiendishly clever construct is the basis for what ultimately turns out to be an extremely satisfying movie. What begins as a wacky, off-the-wall comedy graduates into a thoughtful and almost harrowing look at the dark nature and destructive power of hate, and then, after a jaunty sidestep into gruesome horror, circles back around for one final dose of whimsy in a conclusion that bears an uncanny resemblance to the closing moments of Death Becomes Her, that early 90s classic with Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. The journey is at times bumpy, but also - like a jeep ride over rough terrain - a hell of a lot of fun.

You must see Nothing to believe it. Director Vincenzo Natali, who helmed the similarly intelligent but much less engaging Cube, shows promising signs of maturity with this subsequent project. Where the limited budget at times detracted from Cube, it becomes just one more of Nothing’s marvels: that an effects-laden film with so few dollars behind it can look this good. Natali will be a talent to watch in the coming years.

R, for strong language including a strong crude sexual reference, disturbing images, brief horror-style violence and gore, and dark thematic elements

DVD/VIDEO: Winter Solstice

2006-05-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

WINTER SOLSTICE (2005)

My Rating: **** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Anthony LaPaglia, Aaron Stanford, Mark Webber, Allison Janney, Ron Livingston, Michelle Monaghan, Brandon Sexton III
Director: Josh Sternfeld

My Review:
Winter Solstice is perhaps the most subtle film I have ever seen. As such, I suspect that this small gem will be completely lost on most viewers. For those who can set aside their desire for frenetic action and tidy solutions (which we all have to some degree, due to society’s increasing movement toward instant gratification and immediate resolution), Winter Solstice offers an extremely rewarding look at family life in all its richness, complexity, and beauty.

Jim Winters (the superlative Anthony LaPaglia, one of today’s most sincere actors) – a widower – lives with his two sons, college-aged Gabe (Stanford) and high-schooler Pete (Webber) in suburban New Jersey. Gabe is restless, longing to move out and start a life of his own. Pete is slacking at school, and seems to be in the early stages of a destructive life path. A kind woman (Janney, always on target) - who is looking after the home of one of the Winters’ neighbors for a few months - strikes up a conversation with Jim. The connection is awkward, but sweet and genuine. Ultimately, Jim and his sons are forced to re-engage, as they have all drifted apart and ceased communicating with one another, each in his own way.

As mentioned, this is a very subtle film. There is next to no action, and on the surface, there isn’t much that changes from the opening to the closing of this brief 90-minute journey. The profundity of Winter Solstice comes from the way it conveys emotion and meaning without using words and explicit actions. The outstanding actors – especially LaPaglia, Stanford, and Webber – communicate worlds of pain, anger, loss, love, and tenderness with very little dialogue that would directly suggest such emotions. These performances consist largely of facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, silence, and timing, and they are exquisite, every single one. In fact, there are so many breathtaking scenes of startling relational honesty that it would be impossible to list them all. Two of the most noteworthy come when Gabe and Pete take an impromptu swim in a local lake, and when Jim and Gabe seek each other’s forgiveness after a heated confrontation. The interactions between Gabe and his girlfriend Stacey (Monaghan, a lovely portrayal) are likewise brimming with unspoken heartbreak and longing.

Writer-director Josh Sternfeld, clearly a New Jersey native, perfectly and lovingly captures the look, feel, and essence of life in the Garden State. Having lived in northern New Jersey for six years, I can verify the authenticity of Sternfeld’s locales (Go Dairy Queen!), and the demeanor and dialogue of his characters is spot on. This lends extra weight to an already impacting picture, especially for those who are familiar with the ways and customs of Jersey life.

In addition to the phenomenal strengths already described, John Leventhal works wonders with a simple, non-intrusive soundtrack that accurately underscores the quiet meaning of the events unfolding onscreen.

Winter Solstice, contrary to its icy title, is full of warmth, compassion, and loveliness. In a completely believable yet non-exploitive way, this is about as real as movies get. And about as good.

R, for moments of strong language and emotional thematic elements

DVD/VIDEO: Little Manhattan

2006-05-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

LITTLE MANHATTAN (2005)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Charlie Ray, Bradley Whitford, Cynthia Nixon
Director: Mark Levin

My Review:
Do you remember your first crush? You know, when the opposite sex seemed to suddenly transform from those “weird” others with “cooties” into attractive and intriguing people that you would give anything to be close to? Little Manhattan - a tiny 2005 release that barely made it into theaters - invites you to travel back in time to that place of confusion, uncertainty, joy, pain, and raw wonder. The journey, it turns out, is well worth taking.

Ten-year-old Gabe (a winsome Josh Hutcherson) lives in New York City with his parents (Whitford and Nixon), who appear to be in the early stages of a divorce. Gabe – who narrates the film from a witty and mostly successful screenplay by Jennifer Flackett – reports being happy and contented without romance in his life, until one day, Rosemary Telesco (charming newcomer Charlie Ray) walks into his afternoon karate class and changes things forever.

Gabe falls head-over-heels for Rosemary, who doesn’t seem to mind or to fully comprehend Gabe’s new state of being. They become sparring partners in karate (guess who always loses?), cavort around the city on Gabe’s scooter to a bouncy pop soundtrack, and go out on a “real” date with Rosemary’s parents, where Gabe finally musters up the courage to hold Rosemary’s hand.

This all occurs within a couple of short weeks, and then, casually, Rosemary drops the bomb. She’s leaving shortly for summer camp (for six weeks – an eternity to Gabe), and upon returning, will be going to private school (Gabe, of course, attends public). Crushed, Gabe faces a crucial event that will affect his worldview forever: With his parents’ failing marriage as an unhappy but solid foundation, will he conclude that “love always has to end?” You’ll be surprised by the film’s answer to this crucial and relevant question.

Little Manhattan is marvelously knowing. Director Mark Levin’s ode to first love accurately portrays the wild thoughts and emotions that this singular occurrence brings to a young person’s heart and mind without condescending to him or her (with the exception of one sequence in which Gabe’s tears are played over-the-top for humor). As such, the film is very accessible to the age group it portrays. Little Manhattan’s clever dialogue - and the fact that it plays out in classic romantic comedy format – helps to endear adult viewers as well.

This film is incredibly entertaining and heartwarming. Inventive cinematography and visual effects couple with a fetching collection of love songs to create a tender, magical experience that can be enjoyed again and again.

PG, for some mild thematic elements, fanciful action sequences, and brief language

DVD/VIDEO: Oliver Twist (2005)

2006-05-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

OLIVER TWIST (2005)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Barney Clark, Jamie Foreman, Harry Eden, Leanne Rowe
Director: Roman Polanski

My Review:
With over 25 film adaptations (or variations) of Dickens’ classic available, it’s hard to imagine how this latest one - helmed by Oscar winner Roman Polanski – could really have anything fresh to offer. Apparently, moviegoers didn’t find much, as this film made a dismal $2 million in its entire US theatrical release. This is most unfortunate, as Oliver Twist turns out to be one of the sturdiest and most engrossing versions yet of the timeless tale of opposites - poverty and riches, misfortune and fortuity, hate and love, despair and hope – intertwining around a poor orphan in the mid 1800s London. While truncated to be sure, this new edition is radiantly picturesque in its loveliness, with a solid all-British cast and a “surprise twist” that actually improves upon the conclusion of Dickens’ already masterful work.

Perfectly capable if not fantastic newcomer Barney Clark portrays Oliver, who is grossly mistreated by a host of supposedly generous and ‘Christian’ folk in various workhouses, orphanages, and the like. Things get so bad that he runs away, walking over 70 miles on foot to London, where he falls unwittingly into the seamy criminal underbelly of England’s great city. We all know the drama and its players: there’s the expert pickpocket, Artful Dodger (whose delightful role is unfortunately downplayed here); his slimy yet charismatic boss Fagin (Kingsley, in a performance he was born to give); maniacal, murderous thug Bill Sykes (well drawn by Jamie Foreman); Bill’s kind-hearted girlfriend Nancy (Leanne Rowe, superb); and Mr. Brownlow (Edward Hardwicke), the wealthy gentleman who attempts to rescue Oliver from all the madness in which he is caught. It all plays out in grand Dickensian fashion, with justice finally coming for our beleaguered young hero, though not without great cost (Nancy’s demise is – as always – horrendous, as she is the character we are most drawn to).

Finally, the film concludes with a small but brilliant postlude that Dickens failed to include in his original work. Here, we have young Oliver – somewhat recovered from his ordeal – willfully traveling to the jailhouse in which Fagin, now a mumbling, disoriented old man, sits rotting for his crimes. In an incredibly beautiful and poignant scene, Oliver shows genuine compassion for the man who only betrayed and endangered him while professing kindness and protection. This element lends a wonderful closure to the oft-told story, giving Oliver a greater sense of hope than he was afforded by his original creator.

As a work of art, Oliver Twist is positively exquisite. Cast in rich, golden hues, director of photography Pawel Edelman creates a stunning visual palette of deep, burnished brown and yellow tones. The result feels like a painting come to life, lending a slightly magical feel to the cold, hard, and very unmagical events that pervade this dark story. While several actors have been specifically praised in this review, the entire cast is strong. Not a false note among them. Rachel Portman’s score is fine, but not especially noteworthy.

For those who don’t know the story of Oliver Twist, this is an excellent introduction with a beautiful and welcome closing note of redemption. For those who’ve seen it time and again, Polanski makes the journey worth retaking, and then some.

PG-13, for abusive treatment of women and children, with some violence including an off-screen murder (bloody aftermath is shown), as well as mature thematic elements and brief mild language

DVD/VIDEO: Crossing Delancey

2006-04-30T21:16:00.000-07:00

CROSSING DELANCEY

(1988)

My Rating: ** (out of *****)
Starring: Amy Irving, Peter Riegert, Reizl Bozyk, Jeroen Krabbe, Sylvia Miles, Rosemary Harris
Director: Joan Micklin Silver

My Review:
“Tepid” is the best word I can think of to describe this wannabe charmer about a 33-year-old woman living single in New York City who - despite protestations about being “happy” the way she is - stumbles through her days as a bookseller in a quaint little downtown shop, moving casually from lover to lover in an attempt to find the right guy.

Isabelle “Izzy” Grossman (Amy Irving, who manages despite a scary 80s frizz mop) sees herself as independent, successful, and contented, though even we don’t believe her when she says so. Her traditional Jewish grandmother Bubbie (big screen newcomer Bozyk, adding some spark to a clichéd role) certainly doesn’t think so, and, with the help of a local matchmaker (Miles, absolutely frightening), arranges a date for Izzy with the local pickle salesman (a delightfully understated Peter Riegert, the only person in the film we care anything about).

The pickle guy, it turns out, is really cool – he’s fun, understated, confident, a hard worker, relatively attractive, and single. Does Izzy go for him? Nah. She prefers to flirt with a soft-core romance writer who’s so apparently sleazy (and married) that he might as well have a gold tooth and a bright-colored suit. Oh yeah, and she likes to oblige another married man, Nick (John Bedford Lloyd, looking like a homeless person), with occasional “sleepovers” at his convenience. Does this girl have any self-respect or what? Alas, Izzy’s stupidity when it comes to choosing men is so grating that we end up not really caring what happens to her. When she finally wises up and realizes that Sam the pickle man is a good catch, we’re saying: “No way, bro. She doesn’t deserve you.” And indeed, seconds before “choosing” Sam, Izzy was ready to give it away to the smarmy writer until she realized that he was essentially buying her. Ugh.

Granted, Crossing Delancey is not without its moments. As indicated, anytime Peter Riegert is onscreen, we actually have someone to root for, someone to care about. And, Reizl Bozyk as the grandmother does liven things up here and there. Overall, however, the pacing is weak, the music horrendously outdated, the cinematography unspectacular, and the writing less than inspired. Alas, the fatal flaw lies in the fact that, despite Irving’s best efforts, Izzy remains an unsympathetic character.

Doubtless, there are many who love and will love this hopelessly dated 80s feel-good flick. Call me crazy, but I’ll take Sleepless in Seattle over this silliness any day of the week.

PG, for some language including a scene with vivid sexual dialogue, and for brief partial nudity

CLASSICS CORNER: 'Breaker' Morant

2006-04-30T18:01:00.000-07:00

‘BREAKER’ MORANT (1980)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: Edward Woodward, Jack Thompson, Bryan Brown, John Waters, Charles Tingwell, Terence Donovan, Ray Meagher, Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Rod Mullinar
Director: Bruce Beresford

My Review:
Based on actual events, ‘Breaker’ Morant presents a harrowing account of three soldiers in the British military’s Bushveldt Carbineers who were suspiciously court-martialed near the conclusion of the Boer War in early 1900s South Africa. When one of their comrades is ambushed and killed, Lt. Harry ‘Breaker’ Morant (Edward Woodward – flawless), Lt. Peter Handcock (a feisty Bryan Brown), and Lt. George Witton (newcomer Fitz-Gerald) do what they have been told to do – they seek revenge and kill some Boer soldiers. Instead of business as usual, however, they are charged with murder (and are also implicated in the mysterious disappearance and death of a German missionary) and are promptly arrested.

Essentially a courtroom drama, ‘Breaker’ Morant opens with these three men facing a court-martial proceeding in which their defender is Major J.F. Thomas, a small-town Australian solicitor who was only given one day to prepare for the case. This was also Major Thomas’ first court-martial in which he served as defending attorney. Through a series of well-constructed and progressively revealing flashbacks, it becomes clear that more than these soldiers’ reputations are at stake. Indeed, their very lives are at risk. While all of the facts are unclear, one thing is certain: the British military leaders responsible for calling the court-martial have a secret agenda that aims to use these soldiers at whatever cost to further their cause, which is – ironically – to bring an end to the war.

Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy) masterfully directs this tragic and maddening tale of injustice and hypocrisy that invites us to chew on a most provocative question: Should soldiers be treated and tried as murderers for doing what they are commanded to do by their military leaders, which is of course, in war, to kill? You can feel your blood boil while watching these men - far from “innocent” in the sense that we normally consider the term, but doing only what you or I would probably have done in the same circumstances - being repeatedly mistreated and manipulated so as to serve the British military’s “higher” cause.

In addition to telling a powerful story, Beresford also elicits some marvelous performances from his very talented cast. As mentioned earlier, Woodward couldn’t be better as the wry and magnetic Morant. Brown also creates a palpable fire as Morant’s hot-headed and short-tempered compatriot. But the real standout is Jack Thompson as Major Thomas, whose electrifying portrayal rightfully earned him Best Supporting Actor honors at Cannes. He enters the film quietly, almost clumsily, but quickly unleashes a righteous anger not unlike that displayed by Jesus at the cleansing of the temple in John 2.

In addition to these many strengths, ‘Breaker’ Morant is exquisitely photographed. The final scenes in particular create a shattering contrast between the spacious, barren beauty of the landscape and the terrible darkness of the unfolding events. On that note, the only detriment that can be spoken about this film lies in the oppressive sense of despair which is its parting gift to the viewer. Don’t misunderstand me – I don’t need happy endings. My favorite movie is Dead Man Walking, for goodness sake. But there’s a pervasive and suffocating sense of hopelessness at the conclusion of ‘Breaker’ Morant that almost makes the entire effort seem rather pointless. That caution aside, this cinematic powerhouse is highly recommended.

PG, for some intense scenes of war-related violence and bloodshed, thematic elements, some language, and brief sensuality

ART HOUSE OFFERINGS: On A Clear Day

2006-04-29T18:44:00.000-07:00

ON A CLEAR DAY (2006)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: Peter Mullan, Brenda Blethyn, Sean McGinley, Jamie Sives, Billy Boyd, Ron Cook, Jodhi May, Benedict Wong
Director: Gaby Dellal

My Review:
There’s absolutely nothing in the plot of On A Clear Day – a warm-hearted Scottish comedy-drama – that hasn’t been seen before, and many times over at that. The down-and-out hero, the quirky group of friends, the impossible mission, the hours and hours of training, the strained relationships that need mending… they’re all about as “done” as an overcooked meat loaf. So, it’s no small wonder that first-time director Gaby Dellal manages to take a completely unoriginal story and, with the deft help of screenwriter Alex Rose and a top-notch group of character actors, turn it into one of the most ingratiating motion pictures in years.

Frank (Peter Mullan, pitch-perfect as always) is having a midlife crisis. He’s just lost his job at the shipyard, and his relationship with his adult son Rob (Sives) is strained to the point of breaking. Frank’s loving wife Joan (Brenda Blethyn) doesn’t know what to do with him, but the fact that she’s secretly training to become a bus driver doesn’t seem to be helping things. Things take a sharp turn when, at a random comment from his friend Danny (of the aforementioned group of quirky pals), Frank takes it upon himself to swim the English Channel. His friends agree to help with training, but Frank keeps his intentions hidden from his wife and son. In the process, each member of this ragtag ensemble learns a thing or two about determination, truth, forgiveness, and most of all, courage. Of course, everything must be faced in the end, including a mysterious tragedy that seems to be at the root of Frank and Rob’s estrangement.

At first, the editing in On A Clear Day is a bit clunky, and, combined with the sometimes edgy cinematography, the film feels almost uneasy and jumpy. After about 20 minutes, it settles comfortably into formula, and from there on out, jets smoothly and effectively on its way. The Scottish locales and dry, understated sense of humor go a long away in helping the familiar seem fresh, and as mentioned, director Dellal hits all the right notes of drama, pathos, humor, and inspiration. But it is ultimately the cast that makes this film soar. The friends – Boyd, McGinley, Wong, and Cook – are impeccable, Sives is moving as the frustrated Rob, and Blethyn remains her perky, radiant self as the bewildered Joan. But it is Mullan who holds this picture in place. He flawlessly captures the heartbreak, anger, self-hatred, and hope that seem to swirl around inside Frank in a way that appears effortless. His performance is one to cherish.

This is a “feel good” movie that you can feel good about giving yourself to. After a shaky start, it becomes clear that Dellal knows what she’s doing, making us perfectly willing to place ourselves in her more than capable hands. While not as stellar as last year’s Scottish gem Dear Frankie, On A Clear Day easily ranks as one of the year’s best so far. It deserves to be seen and delighted in.

PG-13, for some language including crude sexual references, thematic elements, and brief partial nudity

NEW IN THEATERS: Silent Hill

2006-04-28T17:54:00.000-07:00

SILENT HILL (2006)

My Rating: *** (out of *****)
Starring: Radha Mitchell, Laurie Holden, Sean Bean, Jodelle Ferland, Deborah Kara Unger, Alice Krige, Kim Coates
Director: Christophe Gans

My Review:
To date, I have not heard people speak of a movie based upon a video game as being anything but sub par. My limited experience with viewing such “adaptations” has more than confirmed this (Super Mario Bros., Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within). Silent Hill, based on the wildly popular game series of the same name, distinguishes itself by being the first successful attempt at video-game-to-film adaptation. By successful, I mean that it actually works as a film, though it is certainly not without serious flaws. In fact, the shortcomings of Silent Hill are especially painful because of the fact that most of the film is so good. Alas, there are three sequences in which the depraved gore (already heavy throughout the film) becomes so sickly, perversely gratuitous as to leave a lasting negative impact that taints the entire experience.

Silent Hill is like someone's worst nightmare, crammed into a two-hour movie. Rose Da Silva (a reliable Radha Mitchell) is desperate to help her daughter Sharon (Ferland, the latest in a growing line of creepy little horror movie girls), who suffers from dangerous sleepwalking and terrifying nightmares in which she mumbles incoherently about a place called Silent Hill. Rose – against the wishes of her husband (Sean Bean, underused) – takes Sharon to the town, a deserted hamlet in West Virginia that is haunted by a dark past involving mysterious underground fires. A heroic cop (Laurie Holden, the most likable character in the movie) follows her into the town. They all soon learn that Silent Hill is not the fog-encircled ghost town that it appears to be. Horrifying, murderous, distorted monsters and creepy religious cultists soon terrorize them in unimaginably deranged ways.

After leaving the screening of Silent Hill, I have been unable to rid myself of the bizarre, grotesque images that pervade this film. Nor have I been able to shake that distinctly sad and haunting feeling that often comes when waking from a bad dream. For horror film fans, Silent Hill is exceptional, providing plenty of thrills, buckets of graphic gore, extremely disturbing images (the burning corpses, the nurses, and a devilish figure known by game fans as Pyramid Head... Yikes!), and an atmosphere to kill for.

For the person looking deeper, Silent Hill offers some very interesting and profound meditations on denial, guilt, the nature of judgment, and the bond between parent and child (especially mother and daughter). The film also provides a vivid depiction of the devastating truth that evil not repented of (especially under the guise of "righteousness") breeds more and even greater evil that can only be faced with denial (which leads to even greater suffering) or the truth (which leads to its own difficult consequences).

For the person who likes both (horror and depth, that is), Silent Hill delivers and then some. As mentioned, however, the filmmakers push what are already some of the most hellish images captured on screen too far in three scenes that I wish I had never witnessed, and will never re-watch should I see Silent Hill again. These sequences seem to take a sadomasochistic pleasure in depicting horrific pain and suffering in exceptionally bloody and grotesque excess. The taste that they leave is so bad that the entire experience is, most unfortunately, permanently sullied. Without these scenes, Silent Hill would have easily garnered a four-star rating from this reviewer.

On a technical note, the creation of atmosphere – using masterful cinematography, visual effects, make-up, costumes, set design, and music - is simply amazing. Very few films cast as gripping and hypnotic a spell as this one. As some film critics have been stating, witnessing Silent Hill is something akin to entering hell itself.

The acting and scripting are serviceable, though there are certainly some clunky lines and less-than-thrilling moments of delivery from the actors. French director Christophe Gans succeeds in building up tension and suspense, with the only weakness coming from an overly explained and somewhat clichéd finale.

As a horror film, Silent Hill excels. Overall, the film is a worthy effort, though it could have achieved greatness had it used some restraint. As a final aside, anyone who would allow a child to see this film is suffering from a serious lapse in judgment. This is one graphic, nasty movie. Discerning adults and older teenagers only!

R, for strong graphic horror violence and moments of explicit gore, extremely disturbing images, intense thematic material, brief partial nudity, and some strong language

VIDEO: 42 Up

2006-04-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

42 UP (1999)

My Rating: ***** (out of *****)
Director: Michael Apted
Editor: Kim Horton

My Review:
Who says you can never go home again? With the Up series (starting with Seven Up in 1964 and continuing with a new chapter every seven years since), British filmmaker Michael Apted (Coal Miner’s Daughter, Blink, Nell) gives us the almost unheard of – and absolutely delightful – experience of returning.

Back in 1964, Apted began interviewing fourteen English children from various racial, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds, when each child was seven years old. Every seven years, he returns to follow up and see how they are doing (28 Up, 35 Up, and 42 Up are each available on videocassette). What must be thousands upon thousands of hours of footage are poignantly and perfectly edited by Kim Horton and impeccably presented by Apted in what is arguably the best documentary ever made.

Apted comes from the perspective of the Jesuit maxim: “Give the child when he is seven, and I will give you the man.” Indeed, it is remarkable to witness the unfolding of these lives, so different in many ways, and in others uncannily similar. Seeing what changes and what stays the same as each period passes, as well as some of the surprising ways in which the lives of the subjects intertwine, is by turns exciting, depressing, hopeful, hilarious, heartbreaking, and sobering, sometimes all of these at once.

42 Up shows that we are, on many levels, bound by our childhood experiences, for better or worse. The film, however, does not maintain a morbid or hopeless outlook. We are not solely defined by our history. It shapes us, to be sure, but 42 Up (and all of the other Up films) loudly and triumphantly proclaims humanity as vibrant, fluid, and capable of growth.

By showing us these spectacularly diverse and extraordinarily ordinary human beings in the glorious and the mundane of their daily lives, Apted gives us 134 of the most hypnotic and meaningful minutes of film ever captured. 42 Up shows us who we are and who we can be. It is pure joy from start to finish.

Not Rated, but contains some mild thematic elements and brief profanity

ART HOUSE OFFERINGS: The Second Chance

2006-04-24T19:28:00.000-07:00

THE SECOND CHANCE (2006)

My Rating: *** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Jeff Obafemi Carr, Michael W. Smith, J. Don Ferguson
Director: Steve Taylor

My Review:
Christian movies get a bad rap. And in all cases that I’ve seen up to now (with the exception of 1975’s The Hiding Place starring Julie Harris), they deserve that reputation and then some. Just the idea of “films” like The Omega Code, Carman: The Champion, or Left Behind gives me a distinct feeling of nausea. So, when a movie like The Second Chance comes along, complete with Christian music icon Michael W. Smith in tow (who has never acted up to this point), it is only natural to be very, very concerned.

As it turns out, The Second Chance, directed by 90s Christian music wild child Steve Taylor, is a powerful, insightful film that actually would have been muted in its effectiveness had it been made by any other than the Christian culture insiders who put it together.

The story concerns two very different pastors: Ethan Jenkins (Smith, not too bad as it turns out), a hotshot, up-and-coming young pastor at a polished suburban mega-church founded by his father, and Jake Sanders (Carr), a moody, impassioned minister at a small, poor, urban church that also happens to have been established by Ethan’s father (a sturdy J. Don Ferguson). The story gets going when Ethan, who is being punished for taking a risk in the pulpit of his church, is sent to work with Jake in the inner city in hopes that he will “learn his lesson.” Jake, who couldn’t be less enthused about the arrangement, reluctantly agrees.

The resulting changes of heart that each of these men of God experience are, to say the least, predictable. However, director Steve Taylor conquers the overly familiar with a steady dose of refreshing authenticity. These characters and situations could have easily fallen into cliché, but thankfully, they do not. Jake and Ethan are real people with strengths, weaknesses, prejudices, flaws, talents, and most of all, human hearts. Two sequences of particular emotional power come to mind, one involving a janitor’s humility and the other a seemingly defeated Jake’s shift of focus from the “Plymouth Rock” of oppression to the Rock of Ages.

Social, political, and religious issues are all touched upon (and in some cases, danced around) in this film, and while Taylor certainly takes risks on some things, he seems to play it safe on others. For example, Taylor vividly displays the truth that, in order to live out Christ’s call to love and serve others, we have to get involved and be willing to dirty our hands a bit. On the other hand, he waffles when addressing the urgent issues of race and socioeconomic status that pervade this film. Ultimately, the director does himself and the audience a great favor by bringing it all together with the essential reminder that, for the Christian, the final source and solution for all concerns lies in the person of Jesus Christ. All else, even the good things, fall short.

For people who don’t follow Christ, The Second Chance can provide an interesting and often incisive look into some of the most pressing issues of the Christian church culture that doesn’t disrespect its subjects in the process (as so many Hollywood films do). For those who do believe, this movie offers a refreshing and encouraging challenge to “work out your salvation with reverence and awe and trembling” because it is “God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.”

PG-13, for thematic elements, some language, a moment of violence, and drug references

The Worst of 2005

2006-03-01T14:39:00.000-08:00

JUST FOR FUN...

I'd also like to share my picks for the worst films of 2005. Luckily, I didn't see too many, but these four stinkers were enough, trust me! Hope you got to avoid them, or, as a result of reading this post, will avoid them.

Once again, in descending order...

4. THE BROTHERS GRIMM

Terry Gilliam's catastrophically misguided film is one big mess. At first, it seems kind of campy and fun, but things quickly degenerate into silliness beyond imagination. The special effects are among some of the worst I've seen in a major motion picture, and while this is at times funny, the movie's attempts at seriousness are thus rendered even more ludicrous.

3. HIDE AND SEEK

Dakota Fanning is subjected to hideous treatment at the hands of some very deranged adults in this creepy thriller that leaves an extremely foul taste in the viewer's mouth. The plot twist is utterly laughable and totally implausible, and watching this young girl - who is a good enough actress to make her character's trauma painfully convincing - endure such atrocities is incredibly uncomfortable. Dakota's parents should be taken to task by social services for allowing her to be subjected to such horrors as are visited upon her in this film.

2. WHITE NOISE

The editing in this would-be supernatural thriller is incompetent, the script pathetic, the performances almost completely lifeless, the story inane, and the scares are almost nonexistent. It's hard to think of one thing this lame movie has to offer that's of value.

1. THE FAMILY STONE

The cream of the crop, this vile family drama is manipulative fakery from first frame to last. The director has served up a cliched holiday movie that is as appealing as moldy fruitcake, with extremely unlikable characters, plot developments that make soap operas look Oscar-worthy, and an aggressive, nauseating worldview that could be called nothing else but propaganda. When you are relieved at the death of the cancer-stricken character who is supposed to tug at your heartstrings, something is very, very wrong.

BEST FILMS OF 2005

2006-02-25T13:46:00.000-08:00

The BEST of 2005

It's been another interesting year at the movies! While "truly great" films were few and far between, there were some excellent offerings in both the mainstream and art house circuits! Take a look at my choices for the Top Ten films of 2005, and feel free to comment! I love hearing from you.

Here they are, in descending order...

10. Millions

A whimsical, heartfelt fantasy about two brothers who discover a bag of stolen money. One believes it is a gift from God to be used to help those less fortunate. The other wants to spend and invest. Rarely have such serious themes as grief, greed, loss, philanthropy, and faith been presented with such child-like delight and conviction. Superb use of camera and effects with a low budget also help. The closing scene is one of rapturous joy and unadulterated hope.

9. Saint Ralph

This quirky Canadian offering features a stunning breakthrough performance by Adam Butcher as a 15-year-old prep school student who shifts his focus from girls and lust to "creating" a miracle by training to run (and win) the Boston Marathon. His motivation? A comatose mother and the potential of becoming an orphan. Butcher's unflagging charisma and perseverance are heartwarming, the script is peppered with thoughtful concepts and challenging insights, and there's a spectalur, heart-wrenching scene near the conclusion that lays out Ralph's fate to the tune of Leonard Cohen's marvelous "Hallelujah."

8. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe

The much-anticipated film version of C.S. Lewis' classic children's novel is, thankfully, a worthy adaptation. Gorgeously rendered, Narnia follows the four Pevensie children as they journey from their war-torn existence in WWII London to a magical land of witches, neverending winters, and one very cool lion. Liam Neeson is perfect as the regal Aslan, and Georgie Henley is the embodiment of "wonder" as a wide-eyed, adorable, and recklessly faithful Lucy. Some powerful scenes really bring out Lewis' spiritual allegory of sin, forgiveness, atonement, and the ultimate victory of good over evil. An epic for all ages.

7. Capote

Philip Seymour Hoffman, always excellent, outdoes himself as self-absorbed egotist Truman Capote, whose obsessive, unsettling, manipulative relationship with the convicted killer of a midwestern family proves to be his undoing. Never has the spiritual axiom "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and yet forfeit his soul?" been conveyed with a greater sense of urgency and truth. Catherine Keener provides impeccable support as Capote's faithful friend Harper Lee. Raw, spare photography, music, and direction help to create a film that grips from start to finish.

6. Walk the Line

Director James Mangold coaxes two marvelous performances from Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon as self-destructive music legend Johnny Cash and his friend and eventual partner June Carter, respectively. The early years of Cash's troubled family life, tragic first marriage, rise to fame, drug addiction, and ultimate redemption are powerfully and truthfully presented in this far-above-average musical biopic. Phoenix and Witherspoon do all their own singing... amazing.

5. Stay

Almost completely unseen by audiences, and largely panned by critics, Stay might seem an unlikely choice for one of the best films of the year. Alas, director Marc Forster surprises and wows with a trippy, disturbing, visually astounding fever dream that offers some profound meditations on death, guilt, and redemption, while consistently entertaining with ground-breaking cinematography, terrific editing, tight direction, searing performances, and a frustratingly clever and unconventional construction. Requires multiple viewings, time for reflection, and discussion. For those who missed it (which is most people), this gem - which is likely to become a cult classic - is due on DVD March 28, 2006.

4. Batman Begins

All hope was lost for the Batman series until Christopher Nolan, the genius behind Memento, brought us this, arguably the best superhero movie ever made. Christian Bale is spot-on as the Dark Knight, and he leads a stellar cast through this moody, engaging, and invigorating journey, replete with high drama, spectacular action, great one-liners, remarkable spirituality, and gallons of plain old fun. One of those rare action films that doesn't require the death of your brain cells to enjoy, but instead encourages thought, reflection, and feeling. Like a kid again, I'm dying for the sequel...

3. A History of Violence

Tom Stall has a past that no one suspects until some creepy criminals head to his small midwestern town and begin calling him by a different name. Tom's family slowly starts to unravel as the effects of violence - without confession and repentance - exact their relentless and horrifying toll. Some of the best performances of year, especially from Maria Bello and Ashton Holmes as Tom's wife and son, highlight this explicitly disturbing yet weirdly redemptive tale. The closing scene is among the year's very best. Not for all tastes, this film is highly recommended with the caution that it contains some graphic sexual content, including a scene bordering on spousal rape.

2. Dear Frankie

Words can't adequately describe how heartfelt, charming, and emotionally impactful this treasure from Scotland truly is. Emily Mortimer gives a performance of remarkable depth and perfect precision as Lizzie, a single mother who writes to her deaf son as his father in hopes of protecting him from the harsh, ugly truth. Problems arise when the ship that Frankie's father is supposedly a crewman on is due in port. Desperate, Lizzie hires a stranger to pose as Frankie's father for a day. The results could have been manipulative and contrived. Under the assured hand of first-time director Shona Auerbach (from a pitch-perfect screenplay by Andrea Gibb), Dear Frankie is instead a film of refreshing honesty, magnificent beauty, and authentic love. The only reason this is Number 2 is because there has to be a Number 2.

1. Crash

After an overrated entrance into the public eye with 2004's Million Dollar Baby, writer-director Paul Haggis shows that he has what it takes with Crash, a rich, rewarding, and incendiary look at race relations in Los Angeles that knocks the breath out of you with the force of a hurricane. One of the best ensemble films in years, Crash takes us to a new level by making each of its characters by turns offensively racist, poignantly human, and gracefully capable of great good. No easy targets or tidy solutions, only gripping performances, an exquisite score, literate dialogue, and liberal doses of raw emotional power. The car crash sequence with Matt Dillon and Thandie Newton is one of the most powerful and beautiful in all of film history.

Honorable Mentions - They almost made the cut!

The Exorcism of Emily Rose - The scariest film of the year is also one of the most spiritually profound. Who would have thought?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Willy Wonka finally gets a makeover worthy of Roald Dahl's original artistic vision. Johnny Depp at his zaniest (and creepiest).

Proof - Gwyneth Paltrow gives her best performance ever as a caregiver to her mentally ill father. Hope Davis and Anthony Hopkins are also superb in this film that favors trust over gaining impirical evidence.

The Chumscrubber - A larger all-star cast would be hard to find. They do their best to bring this black-as-coal satire of suburban angst and emptiness to wicked, sometimes devastating life. Jamie Bell and Glenn Close are amazing.

Junebug - Quirky and at times frustrating, this simple slice of American life is real, raw, and tender, with a nice dash of hope. Amy Adams should win a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her magnetic and centering performance.

DVD / VIDEO: Mad Hot Ballroom

2005-11-04T22:15:00.000-08:00

MAD HOT BALLROOM (2005)

My Rating: *** ½ (out of *****)
Director: Marilyn Agrelo
Editor: Sabine Krayenbuhl

My Review:

Hot on the heels of 2003's superb Spellbound (a compelling look at several children competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee), Mad Hot Ballroom emerges as yet another kids-in-competition documentary, but trades the endless word drills, poignant overachieving, and invested parents of that film for fancy footwork, dreams of stardom, and (sometimes overly) invested teachers. While not as engaging or expertly edited as Spellbound, this film offers a charming look at the simple yet exhilarating joy of dance, as seen through the eyes of some very delightful and precocious grade-school children.

The filmmakers follow dance programs in three New York City public schools from their hopeful aspirations to compete in national competition to the fulfillment of these dreams. Interspersed between sequences depicting classroom instruction, after-school practices, and various competitions, we are treated to scenes of the kids in relaxation mode, simply discussing their views and feelings on a variety of diverse topics, from dating and same-sex marriage to the dangers of drugs and their effect upon future dreams and goals. These scenes work incredibly well because they allow the kids to be themselves - wonderfully, appropriately smart, hopeful, and young, just as they should be. The movie truly comes alive in these moments, as the children are allowed to shine. With such charming subjects, these moments not as frequent or developed as one would hope for.

The "interview" sequences of the film are its greatest strength, because the competition and training, while engaging, are not nearly as captivating as those in Spellbound. The whole production actually suffers from being released after that film, partly because the kids-in- competition scenario is no longer fresh, but primarily due to the fact that the structure of Mad Hot Ballroom feels less spontaneous and more staged that did its word-minded counterpart.

These critiques matter little when watching these children delight themselves in dance. Their individual personalities help to negate any cliches that the filmmakers indulge, and the final result is a thoroughly enjoyable journey into dreams, determination, and the pure joy of moving to music. Don't miss the end credits. They contain some of the best footage in the entire film.

PG, for some mild thematic elements

NEW IN THEATERS: Stay

2005-10-31T21:11:00.000-08:00

STAY (2005)

My Rating: **** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts, Ryan Gosling, Janeane Garofalo, Bob Hoskins
Director: Marc Forster

My Review:

On the shelves for over a year, in theaters for about two weeks upon its eventual release, and generally panned by critics, one would expect Stay - a psychological thriller from the director of Monster's Ball and Finding Neverland - to be a first-class dud. Quite the contrary. Marc Forster's murky, dreamy, mind-bending enigma is absolutely magnetic from start to finish. Stay has that very rare ability to truly transport the viewer into another reality. After watching this film in a darkened theater, the bright, sunny day outside has rarely been so jarring. I felt as if I had been gone much longer than the film's brief 99-minute duration. And now, weeks later, I still haven't been able to get this mesmerizing fever dream out of my head.

The story is relatively simple, but the presentation is mysterious, tricky, and complex. Sam Foster (the ever reliable Ewan McGregor) is a "substitute shrink" for the morose Henry Letham (a brooding Ryan Gosling), a tortured young art student who survived a car crash on the Brooklyn Bridge. Sam is substituting for Henry's regular therapist, Beth (Janeane Garofalo, looking particularly disheveled and disturbing), who is "taking a break" for two weeks. Henry makes definitive statements about his intention to commit suicide in three days, and then proceeds to disappear. Sam frantically searches for Henry, and things go from weird to weirder, with people bleeding spontaneously from the head, multiple episodes of deja vu, the inexplicable appearance of several doubles and triples of people, and a miraculous healing. It's as if Sam and Henry's individual worlds are colliding, and the distinction between patient and therapist, stable and imbalanced, suicidal and hopeful, becomes increasingly blurred. Sam's girlfriend Lila (Naomi Watts, sterling as usual) - who survived her own suicide attempts in the past - plays a pivotal role that is not always clear until the film's final moments. Bob Hoskins also turns in a spectacular performance in his brief but crucial role as Sam's blind, chess-playing mentor.

The vague, ethereal approach of this film will undoubtedly turn a lot of people off. While clearly not for all tastes, Stay has a wealth of pleasures for moviegoers who are willing to take its abstract, nonlinear journey. On a philosophical and spiritual level, the movie offers a relevant, impacting look into the nature of guilt, at what it means to truly "let go" of the things that keep us in chains, and at the importance of choosing life instead of death.

Artistically, Stay is a masterpiece. The editing and cinematography are truly some of the best in recent memory, not simply due to their quality, but because the filmmakers take risks. In so doing, they give us a gift we have almost completely given up hope of receiving: the sense of something new - "I've never seen anything quite like this before!" The crafters of Stay help restore our faith in the ability of films to surprise and challenge us.

In terms of emotional content, Stay slowly, stealthily infiltrates. After the first viewing, we just need to step back and gather our bearings. The effect is more intellectual and less emotional as we seek to sort out what exactly happened. Then, as the latter becomes clearer, the ramifications of the story begin to impact our hearts. Sadness and humility in light of our fragile human condition appear at one end of the spectrum. At the other, a deep sense of love and beauty - even out of the most painful and unwelcome of circumstances - shines through.

You probably wont get to see Stay in theaters. This same sad fate meets many an improperly marketed art house flick. That said, I strongly encourage those who are willing to take a trippy, unforgettable head trip that will touch their hearts as well as their minds to grab this film as soon as it hits the DVD and video stores. It may very well be that, in the safety and limitless opportunities afforded by the home entertainment realm, Stay becomes a cult classic.

R, for some disturbing images involving violence and bloody injuries, moments of strong language, thematic material, and a scene of sensuality with semi-nude exotic dancers

DVD/VIDEO: The Amityville Horror (2005)

2005-10-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (2005)

My Rating: ** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Philip Baker Hall, Jesse James, Jimmy Bennett, Chloe Moretz, Rachel Nichols, Isabel Connor
Director: Andrew Douglas

My Review:

The Amityville Horror, an MTV-generation remake of the 1979 horror film starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder, opens with the ominous claim: "Based on the true story." Notice that it says the true story, not a true story. The reality is, Amityville is based upon a series of ill-supported (and in many respects thoroughly refuted) rumors that seem to point to publicity-hungry shysters playing on people's love of all things scary in order to make a name for themselves (and a few dollars). If you can get past this dubious motivation, The Amityville Horror is actually a nifty little shot in the arm for horror fans.

The story is familiar. In the early 1970's, George DeFeo murders his entire family while they lie asleep in their beds. He tells the police that they were demons and needed to be eliminated. One year later, the unwitting Lutz family, headed by recently widowed Kathy (Melissa George, in what is easily the film's best performance) and her new husband George (Ryan Reynolds, quite convincing), move into the DeFeo estate. As with all good horror films, creepy stuff starts to happen almost as soon as the Lutzes step foot in the forbidding old Dutch Colonial.

Considering its truncated 89 minute running time, Amityville doesn't waste any time in getting to the scary stuff. This is good in some ways, because it keeps the film going on what is essentially a very thin plot. In other ways, the characters - particularly George - could have used more development before things go all Shining on us. And indeed they do. Anyone who has read Stephen King's novel or seen the movies about a man who becomes possessed by an evil place will recognize George's descent into murderous madness, Kathy's desperate attempt to keep her family together, and little Chelsea's "I see dead people" schtick. All of these elements were done better in The Shining and in various other horror classics from which this movie borrows (or steals, depending upon how you look at it). And, as might be expected from the producers of 2003's insidious Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, the gore factor is high, and certain scenes seem to thrive on being revolting just for the sake of being so. The segment with a trashy teenage babysitter who makes suggestive comments to her employers' 12-year-old son is also unnecessary and offensive.

The question at this point might be: What's to like about Amityville 2005? As mentioned, for horror fans, this is an easy sell. Brisk direction, several truly terrifying sequences, a deliciously creepy and disturbing tone, and decent performances (veteran Philip Baker Hall makes a brief but welcome appearance as an investigative minister) help to compensate for the character development problems, excessive gore, and unfair, overused, mean-spirited "evil religious leader" scenario. Moments of convincing family drama and some memorably haunting images also make the ride more enjoyable.

Taking a broad look at the film, we find some nice ruminations on the nature of evil: 1) it produces blindness in those who succumb to it, and 2) sometimes the only thing you can do with evil is run from it. On the other hand, no indication is given that there might be a power greater than evil. The family's love for one another is strong, and helps them escape with their lives, but it all feels rather hollow with yet another "evil just keeps on going" conclusion (a la The Ring, The Grudge, Darkness, Final Destination, etc.) that makes one almost long for a tidy and uplifting resolution. Alas, our franchise-hopeful makers can't allow for that, and what we are left with is a troubling, get-under-your-skin-and-stay-there horror flick that, while likely to satisfy those looking for a good scare, gets diluted by the tiresome trappings of uncreative filmmaking.

R, for moments of strong bloody horror violence, torture, and gore, disturbing images, strong language, some sexual content (including references and an interrupted marital sex scene with partial nudity), and brief drug use

CLASSICS CORNER: The Searchers

2005-10-14T08:51:00.000-07:00

THE SEARCHERS (1956)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Ward Bond, Vera Miles, Natalie Wood
Director: John Ford

My Review:

It is sometimes difficult to see a film out of the context in which it was first released. Being born in 1978, I am particularly disadvantaged in that I did not get to experience legendary director John Ford's The Searchers when it first appeared in 1956. So, for those who saw this great film in its original context, consider my handicap, be gracious and open-minded, and continue.

The Searchers opens magnificently with a breathtaking shot of sweeping red desert (Monument Valley, Utah). The image is seen from inside a darkened cabin, and this framing adds to the absolute awe and grandeur of the experience. The spectacle of this particular shot sets the standard for the rest of the film, which sports what could arguably be called the finest Wild West cinematography in movie history. Yes, it's that good. Earth or snow, field or forest, day or night, the wilderness becomes a character in its own right, living, breathing, and expressing at least as much as any of the humans with whom it shares the screen.

Those humans, led by Ford standby John Wayne (in an unusually complex and compelling performance), act out the simple story of a grizzled cowboy and his nephew who, after some of their close kin are brutally slaughtered by Comanche Indians, embark on an increasingly obsessive search for one family member whom they believe to be alive.

While the plot is relatively straightforward, the motivations and development of the characters are wonderfully textured. As mentioned, Wayne gives the performance of his career as Ethan Edwards, a mysterious and solitary man who clearly cared for his murdered family, and seems neither to stop at nothing or be deterred by no one in his quest to find his neice Debbie. As the story progresses, however, Ethan's intentions become increasingly sinister, and we begin to see that he is driven more by revenge than by love. Ethan's hatred for the Comanches runs so deep that he will slaughter grazing buffalo just to rob them of necessary food. At one point, Ethan admits that he will murder Debbie if the Comanches have turned her into "one of them." As it turns out, there is very little to like about Wayne's character in this film, and yet, we are drawn to Ethan as he descends deeper and deeper into madness. Wayne makes him repulsive and magnetic at the same time, and as such, does not allow the viewer to perform an easy dismissal.

The remaining cast members are more or less compelling, sometimes more, sometimes less as the case would have it. The ever-reliable Ward Bond easily walks away with every scene he is in as the region's crusty minister who doubles as an army captain, depending upon the situation. A handful of character actors and Ford staples (including Hank Worden and Harry Carey Jr.) also pepper the landscape with colorful village idiots and seedy outpost operators. Jeffrey Hunter - as Ford's nephew, fellow traveler, and last shred on conscience - is by turns solid and annoyingly goofy. Vera Miles, as Hunter's constantly thwarted love interest, is a feisty, refreshingly bold heroine (for the times), but she too suffers under the weight of the broad (almost silly) humor that Ford sometimes chooses to use in this film. More on that in a moment.

The Searchers is undoubtedly a great movie. It is also a singularly bizarre one. Ford took incalculable risks with this film in terms of tone, style, and subject matter. The film is surely groundbreaking, but alas, all of Ford's generally masterful strokes do not work. Following the aforementioned cinematography and acting, Ford's subject matter (racism, revenge, hatred, murder, rape, obsession) and shades of gray are his strongest suits. While not as sympathetic as most of the film's white characters, Ford's Comanches aren't simply one-note villains. The movie actually encourages us to feel for a group of massacred Indian women and children, and we admire the Indian chief's wit, even as he is clearly presented as a "bad guy." Also, Wayne's largely unsympathetic turn as Ethan brings welcome nuance to the proceedings. What was commonly black and white in earlier cowboy movies is presented, at long last, in the beginnings of Technicolor.

Tone and style are where Ford makes most of his missteps. The movie jumps rapidly between moments of dark, brooding intensity, high melodrama, sharp wit, and broad humor that borders on caricature. The intensity and wit are always successful. The melodrama, while a popular and often successful moviemaking style during the 1950s, is rendered more hackneyed than usual when viewed next to the realism it sometimes accompanies in this film. The movie's broad humor rarely flies, and actually takes away from the strength of the other elements due to its often abrupt and seemingly indiscriminate placement. Finally, the largest flaw comes in the film's final moments, when Ethan's character has a sudden change of heart that is a complete turnaround from all that has come before. The movie gives us no indication whatsoever as to what might have effected this change in Ethan, and thus his reunion with Debbie, which could have been powerfully moving, rings totally false.

The jolting, overly tidy conclusion of Ethan's journey notwithstanding, The Searchers still manages to pack a punch in its closing moments. The film's opening shot is revisited, and this time, instead of coming out of the house to greet Ethan as he arrives, the characters enter into the house, each with his or her individual level of hope and resolve. Through the door frame, we see Ethan hesitate. As the music swells and the screen fades out, we are left with the haunting question of Ethan's fate. Will he enter in? Will he continue on as an embittered loner? This grand cinematic moment is, in a word, sublime.

The Searchers is a marvelous film, and a history maker. Regardless of how the film strikes you, it will undoubtedly arouse stimulating reflection. While not perfect, it's rewards are rich and plentiful.

Not Rated; contains violence (including suggested rape) and mature thematic elements

ART HOUSE OFFERINGS: Proof

2005-10-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

PROOF (2005)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, Jake Gyllenhaal, Hope Davis
Director: John Madden

My Review:

Films based upon plays can be a very risky venture. They can take the power and emotion of a stage drama and bring it to cinematic life, or they can squelch it with awkward staging, using the medium to mute the original rather than to enhance it. Proof, as it turns out, takes the raw material of David Auburn's award-winning play (who adapted the screenplay along with Rebecca Miller, Arthur's daugther) and creates something fresh, edgy, and moving, making its transition from stage to screen one to celebrate.

Catherine Llewelyn (Paltrow) is the youngest daughter and primary caregiver to her father (Anthony Hopkins, superb as usual), a brilliant mathematician who is suffering from an unnamed mental illness. At her father's passing, Catherine's older sister Claire (the remarkable Hope Davis, who works wonders with a largely thankless role) comes to town to help her sort through the aftermath. Hal (Gyllenhaal), an academic assistant to Catherine's father, also appears on the scene, connecting with Catherine in an intimate way while also scouring her father's work in search of material he can publish.

The real tension centers around Catherine's fear that she has inherited her father's madness as well as his genius, Claire's assumption of the former, and Hal's uncertainty about the latter. The story unfolds in a clever construction of flashbacks, adding an element of genuine suspense as the true nature of Catherine's condition (and that of the other characters as well) is examined and, at last, revealed. John Madden (who also helmed the overrated Shakespeare In Love and the underseen Ethan Frome) exhibits a masterful hand at getting the most from his actors while avoiding the majority of pitfalls that come with translating intense, talky melodrama into kinetic yet literate cinema.

Though the direction and writing are skillfully done, the performances by the four actors are truly what make Proof work. As mentioned, Hopkins is in fine form as the demented father. Though the script doesn't create any sympathy for Claire, the transcendant Hope Davis brings her as close to being human as she can. Gyllenhaal makes Hal extremely likable, sometimes a little more than he should be, but his presence gives a little lift to the sometimes heavy and somber proceedings. However, Gwyneth Paltrow is the real revelation here. She infuses Catherine with a palpable fear, anger, grief, and brokeness that spill out in every scene and draw us to this terrified young woman, even as we see all of her flaws. This is clearly Paltrow's best work to date. She gets every note right. Her work is a pure joy to watch, and this time, the actress deserves that Oscar nomination that she'll probably get.

The subject matter is yet another of Proof's great assets. As a social worker who deals closely with family caregivers on a regular basis, I am very pleased to announce that Proof brings some bracingly truthful insights into the lives, pains, and joys of these underappreciated and largely unrecognized persons. As with 1996's Marvin's Room, the film takes us into the isolation, the guilt, the anger, and the selfless love and compassion of these remarkable human beings. Also, the message that childlike trust is much more important and meaningful than gaining impirical evidence is a simple but incredibly profound one, and Proof (the title's irony completely withstanding) conveys this truth with firm conviction and remarkable grace.

PG-13, for language, mature thematic elements, and a scene of sexuality

NEW IN THEATERS: A History Of Violence

2005-10-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (2005)

My Rating: **** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, Ashton Holmes, William Hurt
Director: David Cronenberg

My Review:

So much can be said of director David Cronenberg's latest film, A History of Violence, that it is tough to know where to begin. For those who have witnessed any of the Canadian filmmaker's other works (eXistenZ, Naked Lunch, and The Dead Zone being among them), you have some idea of what to expect: dark, frightening, bizarre images; gruesome, over-the-top violence; spare cinematography; bleak and troubling visions of humanity and the future; aggressive sexual content. All of these Cronenberg staples are present to one extent or another in History. However, this mesmerizing look at the effects of violence on a small-town American family contains one element previously unseen (at least by this reviewer) in a Cronenberg film: redemption and hope. Intrigued? Read on...

Tom Stall is clearly a family man. He and his wife Edie are deeply in love. They run a cozy diner in small-town Indiana, and care for their two children, teenage Jack and little Sarah. Cronenberg goes to great lengths - almost bordering caricature at times - to show us how much these family members love one another, and how upright, God-fearing, and "normal" they are.

Things get creepy when two menacing strangers (who we see committing brutal, cold-blooded murder at the outset of the film) come into the diner and threaten one of Tom's staff members with an attempted rape. Tom acts instinctively, easily and brutally killing the heartless criminals. The town cheers. Tom is a hero.

From here on out, it's clear that something has gone very, very wrong. Jack (a searing and perceptive performance by Ashton Holmes) has been bullied at school, and up to now, has avoided confrontation with clever words and self-deprecation. Now, perhaps inspired by his father's reaction to being threatened, Jack retaliates with uninhibited rage. Even worse, more strangers come looking for Tom, and two unsettling realities begin to surface: 1) Tom has a dark, violent past, and 2) it isn't about to let him go.

The film's roots in graphic novel/comic book territory become clear as the story unfolds. Sam Mendes' magnificently heart-wrenching Road to Perdition comes to mind. However, History is much more devastating and realistic in its depiction of the widespread, long-lasting, truly ravaging effects that violence and deception can have upon people. The darkness that Tom has tried to suppress and deny for so long begin to leak out in all sorts of cunning and damaging ways. Peace and trust decay, and lives are obliterated left and right, sometimes physically, sometimes spiritually, sometimes in a horrifying combination of the two (consider a graphic sex scene that borders on spousal rape, which this reviewer chose not to witness).

"Where's the hope and redemption?" you might ask. Following the Stalls' journey through to the end is a must. In fact, the final sequence of the film is so rich in symbolic imagery and restrained yet heartbreaking emotion that it easily qualifies as one of the year's most unforgettable cinematic moments. Is forgiveness possible in the face of the most atrocious of acts? Yes, the film subtly but profoundly exclaims. It is interesting and ironic that Cronenberg, a professing athiest, has provided us with an incredibly powerful portrayal of forgiveness and grace in the face of horrendous, willful sins - the very essence of Christianity.

On a technical and artistic level, the film is one of 2005's most rewarding. The cinematography and music (a reliable Howard Shore) are spare, bleak, and evocative, even when depicting the early, idyllic life of the Stall family. The cast also provides some of the year's best work, especially a smoldering, multilayered Viggo Mortensen as Tom, William Hurt as a perversely witty mobster, and the aforementioned Ashton Holmes as Tom's son. But it is Maria Bello who almost steals the film as Tom's bewildered wife. Her journey from confusion, to terror, to disbelief, to rage, and finally to disillusionment, is shattering, palpable, and utterly magnetic.

I would not recommend this film to many people. But, for those who can handle its gruesome displays, A History of Violence is one of the most spiritually affecting offerings of the year. It will haunt you, disturb you, and hold you in its brutally hopeful grip for days and weeks to come.

R, for strong bloody violence and gore, two scenes of graphic sexuality with nudity (one involving aggressive, violent behavior), strong language, and mature thematic elements

NEW IN THEATERS: Flightplan

2005-09-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

FLIGHTPLAN (2005)

My Rating: *** (out of *****)

Starring: Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard, Sean Bean, Greta Scacchi, Erika Christensen
Director: Robert Schwentke

My Review:

Not a tremendous film, and not a dud, Flightplan surfaces as a nifty little thriller that will divert those looking for some relatively undemanding escapist fare.

Jodie Foster is, of course, solidly convincing as Kyle Pratt, a grieving propulsion engineer who has just lost her husband in a tragic accident. She is returning from Berlin to the U.S. to bury him (on a huge double-decker plane that she helped design, no less) with her 6-year-old daughter Julia (an effective Marlene Hawston), when suddenly, the child disappears. Worse yet, no one seems to have seen the little girl get on the aircraft. The plane's passenger manifest doesn't even list her as being on board. Kyle's distress turns to panic, then to terror, and finally to fierce, dogged determination to find her daughter, whatever the costs.

First off, there is very little that's new here. Initially, I feared something too much like Julianne Moore's recent Mom-with-a-lost-kid-and-everyone-thinks-she's-crazy thriller The Forgotten. As with Moore's film, Flightplan tries at first to make you think that the lead character is crazy, but does a much more convincing job of it. Consider also, the truncated running time and ominous James Horner score. While these and other similarities are present, Flightplan follows a different path in that it remains firmly terrestrial in its explanation of the mysterious goings on. Sorry, X-Files fans, but there are no alien experients to be found here. Alas, once revealed, the plot twists are fairly unspectacular (as is the final third, which plays out as a run-of-the-mill action flick with a villain who talks too much).

Though the climactic moments are somewhat ho-hum, the journey to them is quite enjoyable. Schwentke's direction is crisp, the pacing brisk, and there are some nice suspenseful moments when we feel a genuine sense of "How's she gonna get out of this one?" While the screenplay's answers to that question aren't always convincing, the story as a whole maintains interest and works due to shrewd casting. The performances, though not particularly outstanding, are spot-on. And, as mentioned, Foster is the exception, diverting our attention from the sometimes hokey, tired plot machinations and inconsistencies that exist with her utterly convincing passion and commitment to emotional honesty.

More classy than Red Eye, though maybe not quite as much fun, Flightplan offers just the ticket (sorry, I couldn't resist the cheesy movie-reviewer pun here) for moviegoers in search of a well-acted, fairly exciting, basically standard action thriller.

PG-13, for action violence, emotional intensity, thematic elements, and some language

NEW IN THEATERS: The Exorcism of Emily Rose

2005-09-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE (2005)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Jennifer Carpenter, Campbell Scott, Mary Beth Hurt, Colm Feore
Director: Scott Derrickson

My Review:

In what has to be one of the most terrifying, gut-wrenching depictions of demonic possession ever put on film, The Exorcism of Emily Rose comes onto the scene with several distinctions that set it apart from (and far above) most of its peers in the oversaturated horror market. As helmed by Scott Derrickson (a director who is upfront about his Christian faith), and co-written by him from a story that is based upon actual events, Emily presents itself as a relentlessly gripping hybrid of character-driven courtroom drama and shockingly realistic demonic-possession horror.

Eerie long shots of bleak environments and commonplace items are used to convey the story of Father Moore, a Catholic priest on trial for the "negligent homicide" of a young college student, Emily Rose. Apparently, Emily believed herself to be demonically possessed. She sought Father Moore for assistance. His efforts to rid Emily of her tormentors led ultimately to a botched exorcism in which the girl died. The Archdiocese elicits the services of defense attorney Erin Bruner (interestingly, a self-proclaimed agnostic) to handle the case.

The mysterious and distressing case of Emily Rose unfolds mostly in flashbacks as Erin gathers details and prepares testimony with Father Moore. Linney and Wilkinson are two extremely talented actors, and they make what could have been a collection of tedious law-and-order cliches into genuinely compelling drama.

Horror films aren't usually known for their literate dialogue or thought-provoking insights, but Emily Rose takes us deeper with an uncommon (and welcome) array of colors, shades, and nuance. For example, the prosecuting attorney (an effective Campbell Scott) happens to be a devout believer, but he is fiercely committed to keeping Emily Rose's trial on firm terrestrial ground. Also, many points of view concerning the natural and supernatural are explored fairly and openly, and a collection of sophisticated subtleties (the barbed wire drippping blood is unforgettable) gives viewers plenty of room to draw their own conclusions.

A word of warning: The Exorcism of Emily Rose, while avoiding sensationalism and excessive displays, is an extremely disturbing film. The depictions of demonic possession are horrifying, devastating, and real enough to make your blood run cold, even though there are few special effects and almost no scenes with gore. Emily Rose's descent into spiritual bondage is also grueling to watch because young Jennifer Carpenter (in an astonishing physical performance) is so sweet and engaging in her few "normal" scenes that the sheer terror and bewildering agony of her situation literally rends tears from the viewer. The PG-13 rating notwithstanding, this is NOT a film for children of any age.

Derrickson's suggestions as to why Emily Rose (a passionate woman of faith) would be subjected to such darkness are problematic if taken in a literal and immediate sense. However, from a "big picture" perspective, his message presents a bold spiritual truth that we would do well to remember. That is, simply, that God often allows what we as humans consider to be suffering and great evil for a purpose of even greater good. Echoes of Job's dilemma, Paul's thorn in the flesh, and Christ's suffering on the cross can be found in the searing conclusions of Emily Rose, and the beautifully perplexing paradox of Philippians 2:12-14 is highlighted in a graceful and elegant way.

PG-13, for extremely intense and disturbing depictions of demonic possession with related violence and frightening moments, as well as mature thematic elements and some language

ART HOUSE OFFERINGS: Everything Is Illuminated

2005-09-28T21:34:00.000-07:00

EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED (2005)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)

Starring: Elijah Wood, Eugene Hutz, Boris Leskin, Laryssa Lauret
Director: Liev Schreiber

My Review:

Some movies seem great the first time you see them. With time, however, that post-theater glow fades, and subsequent viewings reveal a flawed piece of work that leads you to ponder, "What was I thinking???"

Other films provide an initial impact of "Yeah, that was a nice movie," and then, as we reflect, begin to enter into our hearts and minds, deepening the shades and colors of what we have seen to reveal something truly profound.

Everything is Illuminated, an unassuming little gem from first-time director (long-time supporting actor) Liev Schreiber, humbly takes its place among the latter type of film. Several tried and true (and sometimes tired) genres are mashed together into one singularly strange yet weirdly cohesive whole. Devastating Holocaust history, chic culture clash comedy, road-trip/buddy movie, and reflective coming-of-age drama are all interwoven to bring author Jonathan Safran Foer's semiautobiographical account to the screen.

Wood, one of today's most expressive actors, plays Jonathan as a painfully shy, obsessive-compulsive neurotic with a penchant for collecting small and sometimes unusual items by which to remember experiences and loved ones now gone (everything from dentures, to dirt, to used condoms). Even though the character is drawn as a man with extremely flat affect, Wood manages to convey volumes of emotion through his eyes and expressions. His performance is largely silent, and though subtle (except for the Clark Kent glasses and pallbearer's suit), creates a quietly soulful impact.

The plot is simple, straightforward, and requires little exposition (which is good, because very little is offered). An old photograph of Jonathan's grandfather and a mysterious woman named Augustine who helped him escape the Nazi regime prompts Jonathan to travel to the Ukraine in search of this savior. Upon arriving in Eastern Europe, Jonathan joins his tour guides, a young man obsessed with American pop culture who consistently and amusingly butchers the English language, the young man's cranky old grandfather (who drives the car but claims to be blind), and the grandfather's "seeing-eye bitch," as she is lovingly referred to, who seems to have some form of dementia.

This bizarre troupe meanders through the bleak but beautiful countryside in search of a town that no one seems to know of. Eventually, they come to a field of sunflowers with one house at the center (a sweetly haunting image), and the tone of their journey shifts dramatically from broad, bemused, slightly aloof comedy to one of somber reflection and seriousness. What the travelers find there touches each of their histories in a different way, and, as one of the film's best lines suggests: "Everything is illuminated in the light of the past."

The exposition of the film is spare (sometimes spotty), and, though there is one needlessly bewildering moment that could have benefited from a little clarification, is mostly successful. The pacing is deliberate, and as previously mentioned, the tone shifts dramatically as the film enters its final third. Several viewers will no doubt find the film off-putting.

However, there is much to savor here. One character comes to grips with who he his, with ambiguously tragic results. Another finds absolution. Themes of history, family, forgiveness, cultural identity, hope, and freedom are gently but powerfully intertwined, creating a thoughtful movie-going experience whose impact at first seems muted, but eventually takes root in the heart, producing the fruit of thoughtful reverence and gratitude.

PG-13, for language, mature thematic elements, brief violence (including a disturbing image), and some sex-related material