The Number 23 - 8 stars out of 10
As I was rewatching "The Number 23," I was really starting to wonder why I had given it such a high rating the first time around. Carrey's serious performance is not as impressive as "The Majestic" or "The Truman Show," there was too much sex (p.s. don't watch the unrated version), and I wasn't really enjoying the Fingerling sequences. But then the twist occured and everything came back into focus. The reveal is so intricate and extensive that the word "impressive" cannot do it justice. It is also so complex that it requires 10-15 minutes to bring everything to light. I'm trying not to give anything away, but when they go back and forth between "realities" to show the parallels, everything perfectly adds up to 23. And you'll 23 everywhere that you go after this movie is over. Birthdates, badminton scores, license plates - you name it and it'll add up to 23. Despite what I said about Carrey earlier, he manages to drive the film through his intensity and contrasting personalities. Sometimes he feels a bit over the top, but it isn't worthy of his Razzie nomination. Virginia Madsen is inspiring in this role as her dedication to her husband leads her to do anything to cure his illogical behavior, especially when he begins to threaten her. Danny Huston is good as the sometimes antagonist and I love Lynn Collins as The Suicide Blonde, just because it's such a cool role. "The Number 23" has been heavily panned by critics. And by heavily panned, we're talking pure hatred. But its twist is too good to resist and I don't think that you will regret watching it.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
The Fly (1986) - 7 stars out of 10
The Fly (1986) - 7 stars out of 10
"Be afraid. Be very afraid." "The Fly" is one of the most shocking things that I have ever seen. It puts some of today's CGI effects to shame through it's elaborate and vomit-worthy make-up. David Cronenberg has created unforgettable imagery that makes the original 1958 "The Fly" look laughable. This film is so gross that it is impressive. It's very title gives the impression that it is going to be a campy monster movie with a fake-looking mask, but this film reaches so much sophistication through its make-up effects and character development. I am going to do something that I make a point never to do, but I am going to compliment Jeff Goldblum. This is the only thing that he needs to list on his resume. He is absolutely fabulous in this role. Although the physical transformation is obvious, he acheives the internal conflict that David Hedison tried to in the original (but couldn't since his character didn't speak) as the fly slowly takes over his personality and logic. He becomes physically unrecognizable but sustains his character's mannerisms to create empathy for his plight. At first, I did not see the potential for memorable acting (or even good acting) in this film, but about 20 minutes in you realize that there is more to the film than creature effects. Geena Davis is incredible, not only because she is always adorable but also because she gives this character a lot of unexpected depth. When she is faced with her two moral dilemmas (baby and mercy kill), there is so much emotion. The film is filled with images that you will not forget. I can honestly say that I will never arm-wrestle again after this movie!!! That was one of the most unexpected things that I have ever seen in a movie! Even without the infamous Monkey-Cat Fusion scene that was cut before "The Fly"s initial release, this film will shock you over and over again (like the first baboon teleportation and the birth scene). Add in his ear falling off and the acid-vomit-scene that left my jaw on the floor for a solid 3 minutes, and you will have to admit that the special effects are incredible (even if they are miserable). The 1986 label of this film is misleading - "The Fly" is much more than another "Friday the 13th" scary movie and it can easily keep up with our modern chillers.
"Be afraid. Be very afraid." "The Fly" is one of the most shocking things that I have ever seen. It puts some of today's CGI effects to shame through it's elaborate and vomit-worthy make-up. David Cronenberg has created unforgettable imagery that makes the original 1958 "The Fly" look laughable. This film is so gross that it is impressive. It's very title gives the impression that it is going to be a campy monster movie with a fake-looking mask, but this film reaches so much sophistication through its make-up effects and character development. I am going to do something that I make a point never to do, but I am going to compliment Jeff Goldblum. This is the only thing that he needs to list on his resume. He is absolutely fabulous in this role. Although the physical transformation is obvious, he acheives the internal conflict that David Hedison tried to in the original (but couldn't since his character didn't speak) as the fly slowly takes over his personality and logic. He becomes physically unrecognizable but sustains his character's mannerisms to create empathy for his plight. At first, I did not see the potential for memorable acting (or even good acting) in this film, but about 20 minutes in you realize that there is more to the film than creature effects. Geena Davis is incredible, not only because she is always adorable but also because she gives this character a lot of unexpected depth. When she is faced with her two moral dilemmas (baby and mercy kill), there is so much emotion. The film is filled with images that you will not forget. I can honestly say that I will never arm-wrestle again after this movie!!! That was one of the most unexpected things that I have ever seen in a movie! Even without the infamous Monkey-Cat Fusion scene that was cut before "The Fly"s initial release, this film will shock you over and over again (like the first baboon teleportation and the birth scene). Add in his ear falling off and the acid-vomit-scene that left my jaw on the floor for a solid 3 minutes, and you will have to admit that the special effects are incredible (even if they are miserable). The 1986 label of this film is misleading - "The Fly" is much more than another "Friday the 13th" scary movie and it can easily keep up with our modern chillers.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
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.
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.
Friday, May 25, 2012
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 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.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
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.
"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.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
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."
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."
Sunday, May 20, 2012
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.
"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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)