Monday, January 12, 2009

Movie Fest

So this is actually a complilation of some of the movies I've seen since going on vacation near the end of December (in no particular order.)

Vantage Point: This movie had all the makings of a potential disaster and avoided most of them. I wasn't sold on the "same incident from multiple viewpoints" concept, especially after the first time "reboot." However, the movie avoided rehashing "what has gone on before," to the point where they lost the viewer each time they reset the clock to show a new perspective, and rather did a very good job of advancing the plot. The action was handled well in the film, and while the twists were very predictable, the movie held together very well. From a plausability standpoint, I has concerns that this would turn into an extended episode of "24" which has more plot holes and plausability issues than a Laurell K. Hamilton novel, but, once again, the writing was handled very well and giving the personal perspective of everyone was a welcome touch.

However, there is no way this movie would have worked anywhere near as well as it did without Forrest Whitaker. I've been a fan of his since Fast Times and Ridgemont High and every movie he's in he brings a humanizing touch too (yes, even Last King of Scotland.) His character was not only central to bringing the whole plot together, but, without his ability to get you to believe in his character, this movie wouldn't have worked. I was entertained!

Southland Tales: Make no bones about it, this movie is a mess. The plot, unlike Richard Kelly's last film, Donnie Darko, never really came together into a satisfying conclusion. The writing is uneven and it was pretty obvious to me that Kevin Smith had at least a substantial contribution into the majority of Sarah Michelle Geller's character's lines, because Richard Kelley cannot write characters like her, and certainly a majority of what came out of her mouth sounded more in tune with a Kevin Smith film than a Richard Kelly.

The sad thing is, this movie has a ton of potential, not as a movie, but a 4-6 hour mini-series. The back story is interesting, the anthropology behind the world as it is in the movie was engaging. Even the "plot" of the film had potential, but it just never came together in any satisfying way.

From a visual perspective, most of the time the movie is really well put together, however, especially in the drug sequences, Richard Kelly went too overboard in trying to get us to see the scene as a dream and would have been better off taking them with a more realistic approach.

Three actors really stood out in the film for me: 1. Cheri Oteri. I would have liked to have seen her character foam at the mouth a little more, but she did very well in a mostly non-comedic role. 2. Jon Lovitz: All I can say is, holy crap. This small role gave me a perspective that he would make one heck of a "disturbed psychotic," in a psychological thriller. I didn't think he had it in him, but he does. 3. Dwayne Johnson. We know he can play "the Rock," and saw glimpses of that character here, but he impressed me as someone who was, at times, completly neurotic.

While the movie as a whole was a mess, I enjoyed parts of it.

The Bucket List: Take two great actors, put them in a melanchology buddy film and let them go. This movie had potential to head straight down the tubes and managed to avoid the drain. Once again, the markerting department screwed this one up, trying to play it as a comedy. Yes, there where funny moments in it, however, this was more of a character study focused on the character growth as they approach death. Sure, it's hard as heck to market a movie about two guys who are dying, but they could have done better.

One thing I noticed with this film is the trend Jack Nicholson is taking in his recent roles: He's still playing "Jack Nicholson" but with more introspection. It's almost as if he's taking roles that reflect where he's at in life after playing "Jack Nicholson" for the last 30 years. And, if he is, in fact making said decisions consciously, I suspect George Clooney may want to watch those films and figure out that the life of the Hollywood playboy will leave you quite alone in the end.

Regardless, I enjoyed this film.

Jane Austen Book Club: I like romatic dramas. Especially those which focus on characters with believable situations. This movie easily met this criteria. Both intelligent in the nature of the interpersonal relationships as well as the light humor which was used throughout the movie to keep it moving along, the movie flowed exceptionally well and, while I had a few quibbles with one of the characters, I enjoyed engaging with all the characters for the two hours of this movie. While I don't have as much to say about the film, it was probably the one I enjoyed the most.

Over Her Dead Body: This movie had a lot of potential and never reached it. A lot of the comedy fell flat (much of the "humor" was Eve Longoria Parker's character being mean to another and that type of humor never sits well with me,) the romance was stilted at best and I really felt bad for Jason Biggs who seems to be increasingly stereotyped into the comedic sidekick, but never seems to get the quality of material he deserves. I did laugh at a few of the jokes and while the movie was predictable, I didn't get up from the couch thinking "what a waste." On the other hand, I didn't leave the couch thinking "Wow, that was a lot of fun."

Bourne Ultimatum: The Jason Bourne films all seem to flow together to me in one giant mush. They remind me of the TV series 24, but with more intelligence. The third installment was no different. Yes, there are a few action scenes, however, the movie, like the first two is esentially one oddly paced chase film all the while trying to solve a mystery. That isn't to say they don't have their place and are certainly a welcome exception to the standard action films these days, however, there's just nothing unique enough between the three films to make them absolutley stand out for me. I am entertained by the series, but wish there was more to distinguish the three apart.

Doomed: Straight to cable film about a TV game show where people who are under the death penalty have the chance to win money and their freedom. Did I mention there were "zombies" on the island? The movie actually had potential to be a commentary on our society in a number of ways and fell flat. Really flat. While I didn't ask for my 85 minutes back, I didn't think the movie had much to offer after the fact and wouldn't reccomend it.

Gangs of the Dead: Another straight to cable film as far as I can tell. This time the Zombies are in the 'hood and two rival gangs and policemen have to cooperate to survive. This one was so bad I didn't even finish it. Medicore plot, awful effects, and acting that made me wince. I was not entertained.

Definitely, Maybe: So this was another film marketed as a "Romantic Comedy," but really, there wasn't a lot of comedy in the film. The premise of a soon to be divorced father telling his daughter the story of his love life without mentioning which woman in the sotry is his soon to be ex-wife has potential. And the movie was engaging in each of the pastiche's which forwarded the story. However, the pacing was off on this one. Ryan Reynolds did a good job as the main character, however, I felt his character should have been taken in a different direction by the director or writer in the "sad sack" part of the story. They played it for humor which was inappropriate and made his character less sympathetic, when the moments had the potential for you to really identify with him. Still, the movie was enjoyable.