The Fly (1958) - 5 stars out of 10

The Fly (1958) - 5 stars out of 10

There is currently a fly buzzing around my apartment and it is really freaking me out.  Remind me never to make enemies with a fly.  Anyways, "The Fly" actually surprised me for a 1950's sci-fi film.  I enjoyed the story and the acting, but it lacked the grotesque punch of the 1986 remake.  It is set-up as a mystery, beginning with the ending and then flashing back to show how we got there.  I like the storytelling technique but feel that it resulted in very little of the film being about the fly.  In fact, the actual (unseen) fly transformation doesn't occur until 2/3 into the movie, and we don't get to see the fly until the last few minutes.  That being said, I was very impressed with the amount of drama created leading up to the moment when we finally get to see this man partially transformed into a fly.  It isn't exactly the most realistic creature, but welcome to the 50's.  The classic removal of the covering from his head and then dozens of images of his wife screaming (as seen through the lenses of his fly eyes) are worth waiting for.  I just wish that less of the film would have focused on fly hunting and more of the filmi would have been about Andre dealing with his fly-like symptoms (as in the remake).  Regardless, Vincent Price and David Hedison create a lot of suspense in their roles while Patricia Owens fills the film with mystery from her opening dialogue to her madness after the murder.  And she is really nice to look at.  If you have a weak stomach, watch this version.  If you want to see amazing character develompent, a disgustingly realistic transformation, and overall better story, stick to the 1986 version.

Forever Strong - 8 stars out of 10

Forever Strong - 8 stars out of 10

The critics may have hated "Forever Strong," but I found it to be a moving sports drama that explores an important theme that has often been left out - the effect of strong moral behavior on a team's success.  Coach Larry Gelwix has accomplished incredible feats as a result of his strong code of ethics and I'm thankful that his story has become accessible through this film.  Who knew that there was more to Gary Cole than "Office Space"?  He was fantastic, giving a very heartfelt performance.  I loved all of the Christian values that his character had, and belief that rugby is not about building a strong team, but about building men that are strong in character.  I was also really buying into Sean Astin's performance.  I like that this film showed underage drinking and drugs in a negative light, as most films glamourize it and add to our country's moral downfall.  Although I found much of Sean Faris' acting to be overdramatic or over the top, his character had a nice transformation (in spite of his acting) and I could truly feel the change of heart by the end of the film.  Neal McDonough was also pretty hit or miss, creating the emotional climax of the film with that one tear, but also feeling WAY overacted in the first half of the movie.  "Forever Strong" is a film that can be enjoyed by families, and teach a lot, too.  With intense rugby action enhanced by great cinematography and a story that you desperately want to resolve the right way, this success story of Larry Gelwix's morally driven coaching style will leave you satisfied.

The Adjustment Bureau - 8 stars out of 10

The Adjustment Bureau - 8 stars out of 10

"The Adjustment Bureau" is just one of those movies that will blow your mind and still have you comprehending its conceptual implications 24 hours later.  I was initially surprised to see Matt Damon's name on the film, expecting it to be another gimmicky Hollywood money-maker.  Little did I know that it is exactly his type of film: a great one.  The awesomeness begins with the concept that is progressively revealed throughout the film.  Who are these adjusters and what is their purpose?  The perfect amount will be revealed in due time, but a limited amount so that our imaginations are allowed to do their job.  Outside of the great chemistry between Damon and Emily Blunt, this movie drew me because of its open-ended interpretation.  It was really interesting to put this story into the context of God and His angels.  It brings the debate between predestination and free will into a real-world context while keeping it from being an obvious religious theme for the first half of the film.  I love that we never get to meet the Chairman, giving the impression that he is omnipotent and can only be seen in this world through others.  The most impressive aspect of the film is that we are drawn into this sci-fi world and never have the chance to question the bizarre content of the film - we just accept it from the start.and never look back.  "The Adjustment Bureau" is a solid film that is sure to bend your imagination and leave you contemplating far after the credits roll.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2011) - 3 stars out of 10

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2011) - 3 stars out of 10

I don't understand how a movie whose trailer looked so incredible could end up being completely lackluster.  "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" misses its mark, replacing psychological chills with CGI fairies.  After seeing the trailer where Sally is crawling under the covers and the creature jumps out at her, this film jumped to the top of my "must see" list... but even when that scene occured in the movie, they overdid it with CGI and it was no good.  This whole film is completely unlike Guillermo del Toro and I pray that he isn't suffering from "M. Night syndrome."  It's tough to pinpoint why, but the whole thing is just poorly done.  Guy Pearce and Katie Holmes are talented actors but they can't do much with what they're given in this instance.  A little girl being terrorized in a horror film is integral to the audience's fear in that we fear for her, but in this case, I couldn't have cared less what happened to her.  Bailee Madison's performance is just very off-putting.  As far as a supernatural horror film's villain, less is generally more as our imaginations fill in the horrific details.  This film takes the opposite approach, leaving little to the imagination.  The opening sequence has so much potential, with these creepy voices from the fireplace driving a character to madness, but they show the source of the voices early on and it's a progressive downward spiral from there.  The concept of the film is good, the story develops well, the ending leave you thinking, but the execution is just bad.  The movie has its moments, like the opening sequence and the bathtub scene, but these filmmakers need to take a lesson from classic horror films.  Keep us in suspense and don't show us the villain too soon - we think that we want to see every detail but we are wrong and so were the filmmakers of "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark."

Driving Miss Daisy - 9 stars out of 10

Driving Miss Daisy - 9 stars out of 10

"Driving Miss Daisy" is truly one of the best (and most unexpected) stories of friendship that I have ever seen.  Alfred Uhry's play has never looked better than it does in this film adaptation that won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.  I regard this film so highly because it is basically a workshop in incredible acting.  There is no need for special effects or elaborate sets when you have two acting performances as fine as these.  Jessica Tandy lights up the screen at the age of 81, earning her Best Actress Oscar and truly embodying that character.  The delivery of the lines is perfect, justifying every action when it appears that she acted with a kind heart.  Morgan Freeman is one of my favorite actors and this performance is exactly why.  His uneducated Southern accent is absolutely perfection from his pronuncation of the letter "r" to each grammatical imperfection.  I am blown away that he performed this role in the same year that he played the principal in "Lean On Me" and it is truly a testament to his acting diversity.  I don't blame the Academy to giving the Best Actor Oscar to Daniel Day-Lewis in "My Left Foot," but if ever there was a performance worthy of an Oscar, it was this one.  The film establishes a duality of comedy and drama and I credit that to the banter between these two main characters.  Although the situations in the film are of a serious nature, their interactions are so cute and funny that you cannot help but smile.  This film proves that a family-friendly PG film is deserving of a Best Picture Oscar and I wish that more producers would invest in this clean entertainment.  It may not be the most complex story but the characters are vivid, the acting is superb, and the tears will flow in its final two scenes.