Contact (1997) - 6 stars out of 10

Contact (1997) - 6 stars out of 10

“Contact” is a realistic look at how man’s first contact with aliens might actually occur.  It is easy to draw comparisons to the recent hit “Arrival” but they are different enough that they can be treated as their own entities.  One of the main factors that maintains the realism is the lack of spaceships.  We all love “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” but the spaceships put the fiction is science fiction.  Moreover, this film focuses more on the debate of science-vs-religion than it does the actual aliens.  I didn’t appreciate the blatant anti-religious sentiments, nor were they necessary.  I understand that the film is trying to make a statement about the struggle for science and religion to coexist but it clearly favors science and portrays religion as a disillusioned, extremist belief.  The casting is interesting.  I would never picture Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey in the same film but they work well together.  I don't know if there is a reason for Foster's constant throat clearing (perhaps some line that I missed about the dust of New Mexico bothering her allergies?) but it is very distracting.  James Woods plays the snotty Congressional investigator well and John Hurt brings an interesting dynamic to his character, but overall the acting is nothing special.  Something that is special is the work of the special effects team.  One of the best moments of the film is the payoff when we get to see the machine and the editing team did a great job of using news footage to explain how the machine works.  Director Robert Zemeckis harnesses his inner-Kubrick for the wormhole sequence and interprets space travel in a surrealist way that looks so fantastic that we have to believe it.  I wish that there was more resolution at the end but it is appropriate for leaving things open-ended.  “Contact” was decades in the making for Warner Brothers and while it science-vs-religion theme gets in the way of the story, it still delivers during the final 20 minutes of the film.

[Pictured: The setting it pretty cool, I just wish that the anti-religious statements didn’t get in the way]

Call Northside 777 - 3 stars out of 10

Call Northside 777 - 3 stars out of 10

“Call Northside 777” is not as good as you might think from reading the synopsis.  I appreciate that the film is based on a true story but I expected a riveting thriller and got a slow-paced look at the newspaper world.  The ending is fascinating… it’s just too bad that the method of getting to the last 20 minutes is painfully slow.  Those 20 minutes combined with the performances by Stewart, Lee J. Cobb, Helen Walker, and Richard Conte are enjoyable, but that’s about it.   I suppose that each piece of the puzzle is interesting if you look at it individually but in context, it seems like we’re moving in slow motion to get from one point to the next.  I found issues with the film from the very start, particularly the opening narration about prohibition for the first 10 minutes.  If I hadn’t known that Jimmy Stewart was in it, I likely would have assumed it was a documentary and turned it off.  Even the title of the film has very little to do with the story.  Once you start watching “Call Northside 777,” you can’t stop because you have to find out if Stewart can prove the prisoner innocent.  But if you never start, you probably won’t be missing much.

[Pictured: The mystery is interesting but its development is not]

Pay It Forward - 6 stars out of 10

Pay It Forward - 6 stars out of 10

“Pay It Forward” is the story of a boy’s extra credit assignment to make the world a better place and the people who are touched by it.  It sounds cheesy but the dramatic execution of this simple concept is enjoyable (a little farfetched, but enjoyable).  It doesn’t hurt that it employs the dynamic cast of Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment, and Jim Caviezel.  It also doesn’t hurt that it has a whimsical score by Thomas Newman and generates a great deal of emotion with its ending.  It touches on real-world themes like alcoholism, divorce, domestic abuse, and bullying so that all audience members can relate in one way or another.  Spacey is as good as ever with this role that allows him to play both an inspirational teacher and a fragile, abused man.  Caviezel is the other actor that stands out as really delivering his emotions.  Osment again proves his ability to act as well as the adults and Hunt plays her vulnerable role well.   It is a well-written story as the lives of these unrelated characters converge because of a single boy’s dream.  “Pay It Forward” is pretty straightforward but there are a few surprises and emotional monologues that set this one apart from Lifetime original movies.

[Pictured: If nothing else, you will walk away from this film wanting to pay it forward to three people]

The Hunted (2003) - 3 stars out of 10

The Hunted (2003) - 3 stars out of 10

“The Hunted” is nearly an epic showdown between master and student.  The only problem is that it doesn’t really do anything.  The film is essentially a war sequence, two extended chase sequences, and a final showdown.  That's the entire movie.  The plot is a bit confused.  I’m not sure if there were issues behind the scenes or changes in the scriptwriting department, but there is a disconnect within the story.  They stumble onto an interesting theme as the main character targets hunters who use unethical advantages to kill animals.  This combined with the psychological effects of military service could have made for an amazing story.  Then they completely abandon both premises halfway through and never mention them again.  Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio del Toro play their roles well in spite of the script.  Outside of the story, the chase scenes are cool as each meeting of the main characters is filled with unusually realistic hand-to-hand combat and an unnecessarily grotesque amount of blood.  If you want to experience the story but can't handle blood, don't even bother with this one.  There's more blood spatter than a Tarantino film.  The outdoorsy atmosphere is interesting but overdone.  It’s kind of like “Rambo,” only not good.  “The Hunted” is good for its realistic hand-to-hand combat but outside of this, there are many better films in this genre.

[Pictured: The military training flashback is cool but is one of the only portions that is worth watching]

The Greatest Show on Earth - 5 stars out of 10

The Greatest Show on Earth - 5 stars out of 10

“The Greatest Show on Earth” is often considered to be one of the worst films to win the Best Picture Oscar.  I found much of the film to be above that categorization.  I also found many of director Cecil B. Demille’s decisions about the format of the film and length of sequences to be questionable.  It is basically half-feature film and half-documentary.  Its "cast" includes the 1400-member crew of the 1951 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Circus with much of the film's footage shot during the actual set-up, tear down, and performances of this crew.  I love that the film preserves the legacy of performers like Emmett Kelly as the sad hobo clown "Weary Willie" and famed circus band leader Merle Evans, as well as the exciting atmosphere surrounding the circus that has faded with each new generation.  One of the most interesting segments of the film is pure documentary with an in depth look at the set-up of the circus tent.  It has nothing to do with the plot but it's fascinating.  Still, it doesn’t fit with the actual storylines of the film.  Some of the circus sequences go on for way too long.  I understand that the inclusion for the real Barnum and Bailey performers is what makes this an epic, but it is never good when 20 minutes goes by without any story.  All of the non-circus actors do a good job of bringing their characters to life within the circus atmosphere.  Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, and Gloria Grahame all have nice performances but we forget that during the long tangents away from the plot.  The final 20 minutes is cinema at its finest.  The mystery behind Jimmy Stewart's character and his acting in the final moments are the film's saving grace.  Many have criticized this film for not deserving to win the Oscar for Best Picture but this is the portion of the film that they should be praising.  I believe that the film could have cut 30 minutes of material to make the story feel more consistent and still maintained its epic stature.  “The Greatest Show on Earth” will always be remembered in infamy but it is a film that every movie fan should see, even just for the final 20 minutes.

[Pictured: I don’t like clowns but Jimmy Stewart manages to make “Buttons” a likable character]