Movie/DVD Review: Pieces by ME

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There are a few different types of bad horror films and the 80's was the perfect decade to make all of them and have them be successful, for the most part. There were flicks that were so bad they're good, some that are just plain bad and a few other categories in between. Pieces, a slasher flick trying to capitalize on the success of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the Friday the 13th franchise, falls a little closer to the just plain bad end of the spectrum. But, a few decent effects and some horribly bad dialogue as well as a kung fu attack that literally comes out of nowhere and leaves just as quickly raises Pieces to a mark just above plain bad.

A little boy kills his mother with an axe after she finds him putting together a jigsaw puzzle of a nude woman. Cut to 40 years later, someone is killing beautiful college coeds and taking their body parts to create the perfect woman. It's up to two detectives, and few unlikely allies, to stop the maniac that's on the loose.

After that promising opening, the film quickly goes down hill. The plot gets ludicrous when the police recruit one of the college students to help. Then, if that wasn't insane enough, they bring in a famous tennis star to help as well. Again, the effects are what raise the bar a tad with decapitation in broad daylight, and a halving complete with pants wetting, which is a nice realistic touch to me. I mean, if someone's coming at me with a chainsaw, you can bet your ass that I'm gonna piss my pants.

On to the acting. Even with the bad dialogue, most of the actors deliver it with a straight face, which is surprising given some of the situations they are in. Oh wait, nevermind, that's just bad dubbing. By far the best character is the groundskeeper Willard, played by Paul Smith. Many readers may remember him as Bluto from the live action Popeye movie, or possibly as Rabban in Dune. Anyways, he is absolutely hilarious every time he comes on screen. He seems to be the only one who gets how ridiculous this movie truly is.

How ridiculous you ask? The best example is when our undercover tennis star runs into some guy who busts out with all kinds of kung fu, then when she knocks him down, says he doesn't remember what happened, just that he was jogging and the next thing he knows he's on the ground. "Must be bad Chop Suey." And that is a direct quote. Followed closely by a scene in which our villain hides a chainsaw behind his back while in an elevator with his victim, and she doesn't notice!

Pieces tried very hard to capitalize on the success of such genre classics as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13^th, yet would have worked better as a parody instead of a serious film. But if you love 80's horror, it may be worth your while. For all others, grab a few friends and a lot of beer and sit back and take potshots at this horrible yet funny film.

One final note. For those in the Detroit area, be sure to keep a lookout for future screenings by 42nd St Drive-In at the Novi Emagine theater. Kind of sporadic in their scheduling but these guys love there horror and have provided a semi-regular opportunity to showcase some of the best (and worst) horror movies from the 70's and 80's. Many thanks to Jason Buchanan, Bob Felts and Brad Torreano for helping to broaden Detroit's horror fanbase.

4/10

Keep reading,
Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

DVD Review: The Nines by Mitch Emerson

I love movies that mess with your mind; that keep you guessing what is real and what is not. I am also a big fan of movies that have twists in them that change everything you thought you understood up until that one moment, that one situation or piece of information that usually comes out of nowhere and either brings realization to you and the characters, or turns their world and your perspective upside down. When they are done well, such as Donnie Darko, Memento, A Beautiful Mind and even the first Matrix film, we love them. When they are done badly – Nic Cage's Next is the first that comes to mind - they are such a let down. Bad “mindfuck” films, as I call them, leave you feeling cheated in the end. The Nines doesn't. It leaves you with questions for sure, but can also start some interesting conversation as it did with my wife and I.

The Nines is one of those that plays things a little different. You don't know what is happening pretty much from the get-go. Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis and Melissa McCarthy play multiple roles in a film containing three separate, yet connected stories. The first, The Prisoner, is about an actor who is placed under house arrest. The second, Reality Television, follows a creator/showrunner of a television show in the style of it's own reality TV show, and the last, Knowing, is the story of a man trying to get help for him and his family whose car has broken down.

John August brings all of these actors together with a story that goes from cute to creepy, to confusing back to cute again almost effortlessly. There are only a few times that would be considered WTF!? and those moments still keep you interested instead of pulling you out of the movie. There is also an underlying (well not so underlying - it kind of smacks you in the head at one point) spiritual message that can be interpreted many different ways and yet not be preachy. Hell, I'm not even sure if it was meant to be spiritual or sarcastic or just thought provoking.

This is a film that will take multiple viewings to make complete sense of, but is enjoyable enough that I won't mind watching a few times.

9/10

Keep reading,
Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

DVD Review: Jumper by ME

In Jumper, David Rice (Hayden Christensen) is a guy who can teleport. Does he use this skill to help the world? No, he uses it to rob banks and get the girl (Rachel Bilson). But does this make him a bad guy? Not really, although it seems to me that he does have some moral issues which make him a questionable “hero” for the film. Anyways, enter Roland (Samuel L Jackson), leader of a group of fanatics called Paladins, who just want to kill all jumpers since they believe no one should wield such power. Jamie Bell pops in as a mentor who is also a lone wolf type.

Now it's established early on that David has had a rough childhood, which explains why he isn't a nice guy, but there could have been more. Also shown is him watching people trapped in a flood on tv and he does nothing to help. Even though Christensen's acting has improved over his stint in the Star Wars prequels, as a character, I still have more sympathy for Anakin. I mean, David is technically a criminal even though the Paladins that are after him seem to be zealots themselves.

It seems to me that Sam Jackson was just collecting a paycheck on this one if we hadn't already known about his big interest in comic books and sci-fi. I mean Unbreakable and the Star Wars prequels should be hint enough. And as much as Hayden's skills as an actor have improved and Sam Jackson is, well, Sam Jackson, the most believable is Rachel Bilson, who is confused for most of the film. But with the story as confusing as it is, she may not actually be acting. Then she decides she doesn't want any part of David's predicament, which hopefully mirrors her feelings for her involvement in the film or any sequels that may or may not happen.

I know the movie is called Jumper, but does it have to jump from scene to scene? At times, Jumper seems hastily put together and edited. And all the jumping to and from public places, not exactly a smart thing to do when the “badder” guys are after you. I say “badder” as we have already established that David isn't a saint himself, even though he is trying to save the girl. He treats her like crap, but hey, it's the thought that counts right? Some missed opportunities include the dynamic between David and his mother, which would help any sequel that gets made. Hell any kind of character development would help.

While the effects are nothing super special, their use is. The choreography of the fight scenes incorporating the jumping technique adds a little oomph to an otherwise lackluster film. After watching the special features, I learned that the effects were toned down on purpose, which makes sense. As well as the fact that it was planned from the get go that there was going to be three movies, if the first did well enough. Most interesting though is a section called Previz: Future Concepts, which were animatics that seems to be from future movies since they didn't look familiar at all. The action in those sequences is gonna be pretty interesting and should bring the action to the next level if future movies are made. Also a few trailers and commentaries, but since this was a rental I didn't get the chance to listen to.

Jumper is, at best, a way to waste some free time, if you don't have anything better to do.

5/10

Keep reading,
Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

DVD Review: Charlie Bartlett by ME

Charlie just wants to fit in, that's all. But having been raised in a wealthy family and having gone to private schools his whole life, it's no surprise that he has problems when he has to go to public school. When the family doctor prescribes Ritalin needlessly, Charlie sells them and instantly becomes the man to know. This somehow leads to him becoming the school "shrink". Now in real life I think he would just become a straight up dealer, but Yelchin's Bartlett is a nice enough kid that it might happen. And then the inevitable fall comes and Charlie must redeem himself, but it seems to get harder at every turn.

The main reason I wanted to see Charlie Bartlett was because of Anton Yelchin's performance in Alpha Dog. The boy was phenomenal (except for his singing), and he was only upstaged by a surprisingly good performance by Justin Timberlake, and is instantly likable in this as well. As we all know, Robert Downey Jr. may not be the best person to portray a person of authority, especially a principal, but he is pretty much believable, if unconventional. Kat Dennings is interesting here. I really like her and she does admirably in Charlie Bartlett, but I can't really see her as a leading lady. Great as a love interest, but I don't think she could carry a film all by herself. After those individual observations, I must say that the chemistry between all of the cast works remarkably well.

Special Features include two commentaries, one with the director and writer, and one with the director and Anton Yelchin and Kat Dennings. There isn't much besides those, just a music video and a strange little thing called "Restroom Confessional", which seems to be the cast and crew ad libbing confessions like in the movie. Not much here, but it's not a big budget, effects laden film that deserves a ton of features, but a making of would have been nice.

In the end, Charlie Bartlett is the story of a reluctant hero who must take responsibility for his action and become the real hero that everyone thinks he is. Do I recommend it? Yes I do. Why? Because it's an entertaining movie with a cast that really works together and has just enough of a serious undercurrent to keep it slightly grounded in semi-reality.

If they ever decide to remake Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Please don't!), they could do worse than casting Anton Yelchin as Ferris.

Keep reading,
Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

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DVD Review Link: Otis by ME

Otis is a welcome addition to the horror-comedy genre without tipping over into the land of parody such as films like Black Sheep and Shaun of the Dead. Otis is at first, instilled with just enough humor to take the edge off while letting us inside the head of two types of people: The psychopath Otis (Bostin Christopher) himself, who just wants to have his perfect Prom night (at least 25 years too late) and the Lawsons, his latest victims family played wonderfully by Daniel Stern, Illeana Douglas, and Jared Kusnits. Kevin Pollak turns in a different performance as Otis's older, meaner brother whose life Otis is trying to emulate, something that isn't directly addressed but you pick up along the way. What makes this film different than other psychopath/serial killer flicks is that the Lawsons get their revenge, which is where the fun really begins. Taking a few unexpected turns is always a good thing in these types of movies, and Otis pulls darkness, humor, tension and a great soundtrack into a tight and different type of film.

For the rest, please visit Pop Stars Plus

Mitch Emerson

mitchemerson@hotmail.com

Review Link: The Mental Dead by ME

Fatally-Yours.com has sent me a screener for a no-budget horror flick ($80, no kidding) called The Mental Dead. I must have been Mental for watching it. Here is a portion of the review. A link to the full review follows.

I am usually pretty hard on low budget horror films even though I admire the courage it takes to pick up a camera, get out there, and shoot a movie. Due to a recent discussion with Fatally-Yours.com’s own Dr. Royce Clemens, I learned that production values should not be the focus of a review of a film of this type. Unfortunately The Mental Dead lacks the other attributes as well, namely a plot and acting. So I will “discuss” all three aspects.

The film opens with four college kids in a car, one injured, in front of a high school overrun with zombies. Our heroes, Crash and Tyler, show up, convince the kids to go into the school where a lame game of cat and mouse begins. Will they survive? Who cares…

First – When a German actor has one of the most fake sounding German accents of all time it cannot be a good thing. Konrad Brattke’s death could not come soon enough, and I mean that literally. When we first meet him, he has already had his throat cut or bitten, which is spurting blood and yet it took him ten minutes to die.

http://www.fatally-yours.com/horror-reviews/the-mental-dead/

Keep reading,
Mitch E

DVD Review: The Cooler (2003) by JR

The Cooler (2003)

Starring: William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, Maria Bello, Paul Sorvino, Ron Livingston, Joey Fatone

Directed by: Wayne Kramer

Written by: Frank Hannah, Wayne Kramer

Release date: January 17, 2003

MPAA rating: R for strong sexuality, violence, language, and some drug use.

Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is the unluckiest guy in the world. He’s so unlucky that he’s made being unlucky his job. He works as a cooler for the Golden Shangri-La casino, owned by his old friend Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin). What is a cooler, you may ask? A cooler is someone whom the casino hires to “cool down” a table when a player is winning too often. The casino has to make money, right? Since Bernie is so unlucky, all he has to do is walk over to the winner at a table, sit down next to him, and the winner automatically stops winning. However, once Bernie meets Natalie (Maria Bello), all bets are off.

If you haven’t seen “The Cooler” yet, you may know it from all of the praise that Alec Baldwin garnered for his role as the casino owner. This praise is well-deserved. Alec Baldwin is known for playing a good bad guy. He even played the bad guy in “Spongebob Squarepants: the Movie”. His bad guy in “The Cooler” is one of the best. He’s swaggering, self-obsessed, Scrooge-like, sallow-hearted and so deeply seedy, there’s just nothing redeeming about him. Billed as a minor character, Baldwin leads the already incredible cast. Every performance in this movie is top notch.

Which leads me to William H. Macy and Maria Bello. Bernie and Natalie. This is truly the odd couple. Bernie is a middle aged, not very attractive, definitely not the most positive of thinkers, really doesn’t have much going for him, guy. It’s hard to believe that any woman would fall for him (other than the fact that it’s William H. Macy and “Road Hogs” aside, he’s just a badass). Maria Bello is a beautiful cocktail waitress. You can see some depth to her eyes that suggests a painful past, but this only adds to her beauty. Despite their differences in the looks department, the two of them develop such a deep and caring relationship. One of the sweetest in recent film memory.

As a warning for film audiences, if you’re put off by nudity and violence, you may want to skip this one. I was surprised at the amount of nudity in this film. Not necessarily that it’s a bad thing, I just wasn’t expecting to see this much of William H. Macy. It was a shock at first, but then it became just really cool. Cool that he’s so comfortable in his own skin. It was very refreshing to see someone who doesn’t look like a model get naked. Especially a man.

The story line in the movie got lost for me. When the credits began to roll, I was more concerned about the characters than what the plot of the story was. I wanted to know more about them. I wanted to see where they would end up, what would happen to them. Now that’s the mark of a really good movie. You want more.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Jenny Rushing

beccajane67@yahoo.com

DVD Review: Superman Doomsday by CD

Title: Superman: Doomsday
Starring: Adam Baldwin, Anne Heche, James Marsters
Directed By: Lauren Montgomery. Bruce W. Timm
Produced By: Bruce W. Timm
Genre: Animation/Action/Adventure and Drama
Release Date: September 18th, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for action violence.
Distributors: Warner Home Video


When LexCorps accidentally unleash a murderous creature, Doomsday, Superman finally meets his greatest challenge as a champion. Based from the award-winning "The Death of Superman" trilogy. -IMDB.com

Unfortunately that synopsis by IMDB is pretty much it. 70 mins wasn't long enough, this film just felt rushed. Throw in how Superman looks, the fact that Anne Heche is one of the worst Lois Lanes ever and the almost homosexual attraction that Lex Luthor seems to have towards Kal-el and this movie quickly becomes a steaming pile.

The main stuff happens in the films first 20 mins, Doomsday attacks after being released. Superman flies in and tries to save the day, alas he ends up being killed bin the fight. Metropolis mourns and then we begin to see the inner workings of this story. Which, I am sad to say, is less complex than the inner workings of a finger puppet.

Superman has these severely pronounced cheek bones. It almost makes him look older than Mrs. Kent. He appears to have been on the losing end of a face caving contest. It just doesn't look right. Anne Heche falls flat as the fast talking ace reporter Lois Lane. She just isn't up to par with the Lois I have come to expect in Bruce Timms stories. Usually I watch the Justice League on DVD and I have grown to like Dana Delany's interpretation of Lois. So that may be why I can not enjoy this performance. Finally we come to Lex....who as I mentioned above...seems to be in love with the man of steel. in a catty drag queen type of way. James Marsters plays Lex well...I think it was just the script that was the problem.

My say on this film....If you have the trilogy to read, don't bother with this one.

The only cool extra on this DVD is a Sneak Peek at Justice League: The New Frontier. Pulling from the DC Comics miniseries DC: THE NEW FRONTIER by Darwyn Cooke, Justice League: The New Frontier takes us back to the 1950s, Centering around test pilot Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) and the Martian Manhunter. The movie will also including Barry Allen (the Flash), Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. I think it great that they will be showing some lesser known heroes from that age of the DC Universe. “Who?” You may ask....I'll never tell.


-C. Robert Dunham
C.Robert Dunham

DVD Review: The Maltese Falcon by JR

Director: John Huston
Starring: Humphrey Boart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Syndney Greenstreet
Release Date: October 18, 1941

Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade: that hat, that jacket, that face. Possibly one of the most recognizable characters in cinematic history. Hell, even I could have recognized him, probably even as young as high school. The Maltese Falcon is just one of those classic movies that everyone’s heard of, everyone’s seen stills from, and everyone knows the classic lines.

The Maltese Falcon is a classic detective story, and is based on a book by the same name. It's the film that has been recognized as the first film in the "film noir" genre. Sam Spade (Bogart) is a detective who runs a private investigative firm with his partner Miles Archer. A beautiful woman, Ruth Wonderly (played by Mary Astor) enlists the agency to help her find her missing sister and tail the man that she's run off with, and Archer gladly volunteers. While Archer is out following this man, he's shot and killed. After the murder, Sam Spade finds himself in a tailspin of greed, murder, and betrayal. I couldn't possibly outline the entire plot here, but the complexity is astounding. It's confusing, and it pushes the limits at all times. There is a murder that takes place in the first 10 minutes of the movie. There is so much sexual innuendo going on between the characters, I couldn't believe my eyes. Also, one of the characters, Mr. Cairo, was written to be very homosexual and the character was incredibly controversial in its day. This is one of the movies that they're talking about when they say, "They just don't make 'em like they used to".

The performances are phenomenal. It's what you'd expect with Humphrey Bogart as the main character, right? And we're not disappointed. This is the role that made him famous, and rightly so. He takes on the role with ease. He IS Sam Spade. The rest of the cast is perfect as well. Peter Lorre as Joe Cairo, who you may know from Casablanca and Arsenic and Old Lace, and Sydney Greenstreet as Kaspar Gutman must be mentioned for their performances. They were both just plain fun to watch. Their characters had the most entertaining idiosyncrasies: Peter Lorre with his effeminacy, and Syndy Greenstreet with his sheer size. If you've never seen The Maltese Falcon, this might help with a visual: the Marvel comics' villain Kingpin was modeled after him.

God, writing about this movie makes me want to watch it again. I'm sure there are tons of things that I missed during my viewing, that's just how this film is. It eats away at you after you've finished watching it, invading your thoughts. You sure said it Bogie: "This is the stuff dreams are made of."

5 out of 5 stars

Jenny Rushing

beccajane67@yahoo.com

DVD Review: An American Werewolf in London by JR

An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Writer/Director: John Landis
Starring: David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne, John Woodvine
Produced by: George Folsey, Peter Guber, Jon Peters
Genre: Horror/Comedy/Thriller/Werewolf

Two American tourists, Jack and David, are backpacking through England when they stop for rest at a pub in the country, the Slaughtered Lamb. The strange people at the pub are less than welcoming, and let the two young men venture back out on their own with the warning to “Stay on the road. Keep clear of the moors.” Jack and David take this as normal weird behavior and take a shortcut through the moors, only to be attacked. Jack is killed and David awakens in a hospital with a few scratches. Judging by the title, I’m sure you know by now: they were attacked by a werewolf. David, since he has survived the attack, is now a werewolf himself, and will transform into the beast during the next full moon.

It’s a story we’ve all heard a thousand times, right? Especially lately with terrible renditions of the story such as “Blood and Chocolate” and “the Skinwalkers”. “An American Werewolf in London” is, in my opinion, the definitive werewolf film. I had dismissed it previously due to the poor reception of “An American Werewolf in Paris”. I’ve always associated the two and thought that if “Paris” wasn’t any good, then “London” couldn’t be good either. Ever since I had heard that “London” was the reason that the Academy Award for Best Makeup was created, I’ve wanted to see it. How could a werewolf movie possibly be this good?

The make up award is absolutely ascertained in this case. The werewolf is amazing! If they were to make this movie now, I’m sure most of the werewolf would be CGI. If not the werewolf, then for sure most of the transformation. But back in the early 80’s, this wasn’t possible. I mean, just look at the TV in Nurse Price’s apartment! And the metal box above David’s bed in the hospital with all of the little switches and lights! The entire transformation in this film is real, and it makes it that much more scary and amazing. David’s hands grow before our eyes, his sharp nails poking out from under his regular nails, the hair appearing on his back, chest and feet. And then, just when you thought that it couldn’t get any better, his face grows too. He grows a snout, just like a wolf. It’s really an awesome sight. The first transformation occurs about an hour into the movie and by this time the audience is ready for it. When it happens, it happens right before our eyes. Nothing is hidden. The werewolf is one makeup achievement in the film, the other is Jack’s makeup. Jack has been killed by the werewolf in the beginning, but he returns to David throughout the film to give him advice. He’s also dead and in “limbo” so he progressively decays. David even refers to him as a “walking meat loaf”.

Oh and the soundtrack makes the transformation scene. During this hideous transformation, the song “Blue Moon” is playing. The soundtrack is perfect for this film. Director/Writer John Landis picked the songs for the film: every one of them has the word “Moon” in the title.

“An American Werewolf In London” would be a great film without the astonishing make up effects. The dialogue is brilliant and hilarious. The banter in the opening scene with Jack and David is real and establishes a great chemistry between the two. Some of their quotes:

Jack: Do you think she'll meet me in Rome?
David: I think Debbie Klein is a mediocre person with a good body.
Jack: Debbie is not mediocre and she has one of the great bodies of all time.
David: She's a jerk.
Jack: You're talking about the woman I love.
David: I'm talking about a girl you want to fuck, so give me a break.
Jack: Well, anyway, do you think she'll be there?
David: I don't know.
Jack: [like an announcer] Rendezvous in Rome starring Jack Goodman and Debbie Klein. The love affair that shocked Europe! See torrid lovemaking at its most explicit! See Jack and Debbie expose their lust in the sacred halls of the Vatican! Never has the screen dared....
David: If you don't stop, I'm going to kill you.
Jack: I have to make love to her. It's very simple. She has no choice really.
David: It just fascinates me that you can spend so much energy on someone so dull.
Jack: There is nothing dull about that body.
David: We've known Debbie what, since the eighth grade? How many years of foreplay is that?
Jack: She says she "likes me too much".

This is just in the very beginning of the movie, there are tons more! This is truly a comedy/horror, and one of the best. If you haven’t seen it yet, you’re missing out on a classic that is still holding its own over 20 years later.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Jenny Rushing
beccajane67@yahoo.com

DVD Review: The Chumscrubber by JR

Director: Arie Posin
Starring: Glenn Close, Ralph Fiennes, Allison Janney, Camilla Belle, Rita Wilson, Carrie-Anne Moss, Lauren Holly, Rory Culkin, Jamie Bell, Justin Chatwin

Release Date: January 25, 2005
MPAA rating: R for language, violent content, drug material and some sexuality

"I live in a city, but in an apartment high above the cloud left by the blast. I'm one of the lucky ones. One morning, I awoke to find my head was no longer attached to my body. I'm not dead, but who could call this a life? So I do what I can, in this city of freaks and subhuman creatures. I became…the Chumscrubber."

This is one of those movies that I wanted to see when it came out, but it just kept getting passed by. It came out around the same time as "Thumbsucker" and I will always associate the two, even though I still have not seen "Thumbsucker". I had no idea what I was getting into with "The Chumscrubber". No idea. I had heard that the word means something along the lines of a person who cleans up fish parts after fishermen clean them, but this has nothing to do with that. According to urbandictionary.com, the word means:
1. For parents: The Chumscrubber is everything we ignore - all those subjects and conversations that parents and teens should be having but aren't-- the physical embodiment of everything we'd rather not deal with, everything that causes pain, or discomfort.
2. To teenagers: The Chumscrubber is a hero, a survivor, a fellow teenager who arrives into the real world to protect and keep his or her friends clean.

Apparantly the definition was created following the release and popularity of the movie.

"The Chumscrubber" is a very dark comedy about life in suburbia. It's so dark, I wouldn't likely call it a comedy, but that's what the movie claims to be. A bunch of high school kids who are bored out of their minds despite having just about every material possession they could possibly want, are doped up on every drug possible to make themselves happy. Their parents don't pay any attention to anything these kids do, unless it's in front of the other parents; for show. The parents are busy drinking away their problems and attending various social gatherings to keep up with what their kids are doing. And their kids are doing some really terrible things.

Sound familiar? The tone and look of this movie shares many similarities with "American Beauty", although where I felt "American Beauty"'s characters learned something from the situations they were in, I didn't feel like anyone in "The Chumscrubber" learned anything. I suppose in that way it would be more like reality: kids and parents don't always learn a lesson after something bad happens. But in this case, I really would have liked to see some sort of revolution. It's so sad when you see the destruction of youth. It's a very real movie. The plot also reminds me a lot of "Alpha Dog". I know "Alpha Dog" came out after this movie and was based on a true story, but there are definitely similarities.

The subject matter in "The Chumbscrubber" is rough. We've got teen suicide, kidnapping, violence, drug use that Bret Easton Ellis would be ashamed of, and then there are things like loneliness and depression. This is a very rough movie to watch. That being said, the movie is very funny too. I caught myself several times laughing out loud at some of the lines in this movie. Several parts in this movie rang true to me from my high school years. And made me, once again, never ever ever want to go back.

The cast cannot go unmentioned. I listed just about everyone in the cast above because while I was watching this, I kept getting excited seeing all these people on screen together. The last movie I saw Ralph Fiennes in was "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" as Voldemort. This is quite a different role. He plays the romantic mayor of the city engaged to be married to Rita Wilson's character. She's fantastic as well, playing an egotistical interior designer. Glenn Close knocks my socks off every time and doesn't disappoint here either. She plays the mother of the teen suicide victim and her repeated line, "I just thought you should know that, in no way whatsoever, do I blame you for Tony's death," delivered with such phony happiness, made me smile and feel sad for her all at the same time. She's none short of amazing. Allison Janney. Allison Janney is once again perfect doing what she usually does: playing a housewife. But she's got such passion. If only she could be in every movie. Everyone in the cast is spectacular. Everyone.

I guess I really don't have any complaints about this movie. It's not one just to throw on at a moment's notice, you have to be in the mood for this one. You almost have to prepare yourself for it. You're going to get emotionally involved in "The Chumscrubber". You're going to feel for these characters. The subject matter is going to mean something to you. If you're OK with all of that, put it in and give it a go.

4 out of 5 stars.
Jenny Rushing
beccajane67@yahoo.com

DVD Review: Dead Silence by JR

Beware the stare of Mary Shaw. She had no children, only dolls. And if you see her in your dreams, make sure you never ever scream.

The legend of Mary Shaw haunted the dreams of many children of the small town of Raven’s Fair. After his wife is mysteriously murdered, Jamie must travel home to face his family and to try to break the curse.

“Dead Silence”, by the same writers and director who brought us “Saw”, is proof that lightning only strikes once in one place. Being a big fan of the “Saw” movies, I was pretty excited to see this one, even though it got awful reviews. I figured that it got awful reviews because it was a horror movie with an early in the year release. Those kinds of movies almost always get bad reviews. This one unfortunately warranted the bad reviews.

The biggest reason why it was so bad was that it followed every horror/detective movie stereotype. For example, Donnie Wahlberg’s character. Let me paint a picture of what he looks like the first time we see him. He’s got a handlebar moustache, a receding hairline, a perpetual five-o-clock shadow, he’s wearing a trench coat and a shirt and tie, loosely tied around his neck to appear disheveled, and he’s eating a doughnut. Gee, I wonder what his character does for a living. Perhaps he’s a cop? No, better! He’s a detective investigating the murder of Jamie’s wife. Every line this guy delivers is straight out of any noir/detective/good cop bad cop type movie or TV show. It starts out as laughable, but by the end of the movie it’s just ridiculous. Can’t this guy get a gig on Dancing With the Stars like the other boy band has beens?

The movie also used the same effects over and over again. This one in particular: A car will be driving down a road. Then the image of the car on the road will morph into the map of the area, the sign for the town of Raven’s Fair, then it will morph from the sign back into the car driving down the road. The movie used this same effect several times. The first time it’s cool. The second, third, and fourth times? Not so much.

The action moved way too slow for my taste. Especially for a horror movie. We see the one killing in the beginning (again, stereotypical), but then the next killing isn’t until we’ve passed the hour mark. And nothing is accomplished in this hour!!

Oh yeah, and since it’s by the same folks who wrote “Saw”, there’s a “twist” ending. Wow. The twist is glossed by so quickly that I really could care less about trying to figure it out. I’m sure it does make sense, if you spent the time online reading message boards or watching some of the special features, but really, I don’t care. It was simply ridiculous.

I’ve been trying to think of positive things about this movie while I’ve been writing about all of the bad things about it…the only thing I could think of was the doll. Billy. He’s really got a creepy voice. I don’t know who did his voice, but it was really creepy.

Visit the official site at http://www.deadsilencemovie.net/

Jenny Rushing
beccajane67@yahoo.com

DVD Review: Coyote Funeral by CD

Title: Coyote Funeral
Starring: Jono Young, Zach Freeman, Nikole Salas, Elizabeth Wilson
Directed By: Phelps Harmon, Jason May
Produced By: Jason May, Sherng-Lee Huang, Taten Sheridan
Genre: Drama
Release Date: June 19, 2007
MPAA Rating: NA
Distributors: Coyote Funeral Productions

When Casey Cannon sees the Texas road sign that proclaims 857 miles to El Paso, he takes it as a challenge to traverse the giant state on foot. His brother Dustin can only follow to protect him. Whether or not they make it will depend less on braving the elements than surviving each other. -IMDB.COM

This film caught my attention from the minute I read the tag line. “In a walk across Texas, the greatest distance is between two brothers” I am not entirely sure why that tag line caught me. I am glad it did though, otherwise, I would have missed a really good story.

Casey Cannon (Jono Young) is a normal loving son and brother, until he sees something “No boy should ever know about his momma”. He takes off to where ever the wind may blow him. Leaving behind his older brother, Dustin (Zach Freeman), to deal with helping out at their family ranch. Time jumps ahead a bit and Casey comes home just in time to take a trip with Dustin. They set off to head back home. Although Casey is strongly protesting going home, he stills uses the trip as an opportunity to bond a little bit and get to know his brother again. Along the way they pick up Nancy Kate (Nikole Salas) who Casey thinks is just what Dustin needs to snap out of his sadness over his woman giving him the boot.

This film started off kind of choppy, The transitioning from scene to seen in the first few minutes of the movie seemed like the editor was still trying to get a feel for this film's flow. By the time they reach the El Paso sign things begin to move more fluidly. Even though it is a drama it had a few entertaining moments in fights between the two brothers. Plus you have to love some of the terminology that Texans use.

Casey can get on your nerves at times with how brash and vocal he is on his views on life and women, but so can Dustin with his whining and pining for his ex. These two are almost the quintessential idea of brothers. Two opposites that when combined work well, that is if they can stop arguing. Through course of the movie both Dustin and Casey end up finding something inside them they didn't know was there. I love these kinds of movies, where the audience gets to grow with the character.

All in all this was a pretty good showing for an Independent film. It kept me involved and wanting to know where the story was going through the entire 87 minutes. Both myself and my wife enjoyed this film, and I will be recommending it to a few friends as well.

Visit the official Coyote Funeral Website.

Keep sending me those Indie films!
C.R. Dunham
Crobertdunham@yahoo.com

DVD Review Link: Barb Wire by ME

Here is something a little different. My second contribution to The Comic Book Bin's Dark Horse month is a review of the 1996 Pamela Anderson vehicle Barb Wire. Since the review is for them, I am just going to post a link to it here. Please, come back and comment.

Keep reading,
Mitch E
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

DVD Review: The Mask by ME

It's Dark Horse month over at The Comic Book Bin - www.comicbookbin.com. I was chosen to review two movies. The Mask and Barb Wire. Here is the review for the Mask. Hopefully I can get the nerve to watch Barb Wire by the end of the month.

Title: The Mask
Starring: Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Peter Riegert, Peter Greene, Amy Yasbeck
Directed By: Chuck Russell
Produced By: Mike Richardson, Chuck Russell, Michael de Luca
Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Romance and Science Fiction/Fantasy
Release Date: July 29, 1994
MPAA Rating: PG-13

The first movie I am reviewing for Dark Horse month is the now classic The Mask, starring Jim Carrey as Stanley Ipkiss, a loser who finds an ancient Norse mask. When Ipkiss puts the mask on, he becomes a bigger than life prankster called, aptly enough, The Mask. First it's all fun and games, until when The Mask robs the bank in which Stanley works at the same time as local crime wanna be boss Dorian Tyrell (Peter Greene). Dorian then wants (and gets) the mask for himself. Ipkiss, with the help of his friend Charlie (Richard Jeni) and his dog Milo, must save the day. Oh, and Cameron Diaz in her first movie role is some smoking eye candy as nightclub singer/love interest Tina Carlyle.

I had actually forgotten how great this movie is! We see Jim Carrey at the very beginning of his movie career with only Ace Ventura and the little known vampire comedy Once Bitten and the TV show In Living Color under his belt. This is the Carrey that I know and love: cartoony, outrageous and over the top. And yet he can also play the dorky, loser Ipkiss with a sincerity that doesn't make him seem like the stereotypical loser. What can I say about Cameron Diaz except that she is at her most beautiful here. She isn't my cup of tea (I think she is way too goofy these days), but here The Mask said it best -smokin'! Other mentions are Peter Greene as Dorian, who looks the part and has the voice, but comes off a tad bit whiny, Peter Riegert as Lt. Mitch Kellaway, who looks and acts even less like a cop than I do, and Max as Milo the dog. Max gives an awesome performance. Yes, it's so good I am mentioning him as part of the cast!

I know that the movie is extremely different from the comics from Dark Horse, which from what I have gleaned from the extra features, were a darker, horror comic with a sense of humor, but I think it was a great decision to lighten it up a bit and cast Carrey as the lead. I have never read a The Mask comic, so purists may disagree. Anyways, the effects are phenomenal, holding up after 13 years! (Man, I feel old) of technological advancement that has brought us the Star Wars prequels and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Hell, there are effects in here that look better than some in this summers Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer!

If you haven't seen The Mask yet, go buy it. It is a great addition to any collection. And, if you have seen it, I urge you to revisit it once again and see how a comic movie can be extremely successful without having to stay true to the source material rote by rote.

Wow, this one turned out longer than expected.

Until they make a Mask movie without Jim Carrey, wait, they did that already, oh well,
keep reading

Mitch E
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

DVD Review: Good Night, and Good Luck by CD

Title: Good night, and Good luck
Starring: David Strathairn, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Ray Wise, Frank Langella
Directed By: George Clooney
Produced By: Steven Soderbergh, Jennifer Fox, Ben Cosgrove
Genre: Drama and Biopic
Release Date: October 7th, 2005
MPAA Rating: PG for mild thematic elements and brief language.
Distributors: Warner Independent Pictures


Taking place during the early days of broadcast journalism in 1950's America, a chronicle of the real-life conflict between television news man Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee. -Yahoo movies.com

So the other night I was sitting up watching the news and I got sickened. Not by the news segments themselves, but more by the fact that the news is no longer the news. So I put it in my head that I wanted to witness a telling of when the news was still “news”.

Good night, and good luck is just that. A peek into an era that 90% of America today couldn't live in. Edward R. Murrow was a man who believed in shooting straight and telling the people what needed to be said. Senator McCarthy was a man bent on criminalizing anyone who thought that the country was being run the wrong way. Granted the communist element was present and needed to be addressed, but McCarthy resorted to “Witch Hunts”.

This movie reminded me of what I learned in History class. If we don't pay close attention to history we are doomed to repeat it. If you look at todays media and pay close attention to the events taking place in our country and the war on terror it's not too dissimilar.

Murrow was a man conflicted. He wanted to uphold his own personal standards in telling the viewing public the truth. Unfortunately, speaking your mind or the truth in those days made you, your family, and you bosses a target. He was however backed by the president of the network, a very rare thing. Granted he was told that if anyone in his staff even possibly had ties to the red party in any way that they would be fired. Murrow had a great team and he didn't want to see anyone go, but he understood the position it would put him and the network in.

All parties involved acted wonderfully in this film. Say what you may about Clooney, but I think his view of what took place was pin point perfect. You can tell that there was a relationship between the actors and that they all understood the time period and the turmoil that was in the air.

Biopics are not everyones cup of tea, but if you would like a better understanding of what was going on in our country at that time this movie is defiantly worth seeing. Especially since they used a lot of stock footage for the courtroom scenes and the scenes where McCarthy was trying to attack Murrow and crew.

Only a few scattered special features. Commentary tracks by Clooney and his producer Grant Heslov. Also there is a companion piece that shows more of what was happening during the trials and news casts.

I am only gonna put up one quote from this film, but I believe it speaks volumes.

Edward R. Murrow: “We will not walk in fear of one another. “


It's been Odd

Chris Dunahm
Crobertdunham@yahoo.com

DVD Review: Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story by ME

This one's for you Mom!

Title: Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story
Starring: Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning, Kris Kristofferson, Elisabeth Shue, David Morse
Directed By: John Gatins
Produced By: Stacy Cohen, Bill Johnson, Ashok Amritraj
Genre: Drama and Kids/Family
Release Date: March 21st, 2006
MPAA Rating: PG for brief mild language.
Distributors: Dreamworks Home Entertainment

Ben Crane (Kurt Russell) was once a great horseman, whose gifts as a trainer, were wasted on making other men's fortunes. Sonya was once a great horse, whose promising career on the racetrack was cut short, suddenly, by a broken leg. Considered as good as dead to her owner--who also happens to be Ben's boss--Sonya is given to Ben as his severance pay, along with his walking papers. Now, it will take the unwavering faith and determination of Ben's young daughter, Cale (Dakota Fanning), to bring these two damaged souls together in a quest for a seemingly impossible goal: to win the Breeders' Cup Classic. However, the true miracle might be that, in helping this injured horse, what they are actually healing is their own family. -Yahoo! Movies

Why Dreamer you ask? Because I love my mom, that's why. She asked me to review this and I said I would. Now I wasn't quite dreading this, but the DVD sat on my player for a month before I finally sat down to watch it. I expected a cheesy feel good movie and that was pretty much what I got, except for the cheesy part. While being predictable and syrupy sweet it was still enjoyable just for the cast's performance alone.

I don't like Dakota Fanning. I think that there is something creepy about how grown up she seems. Yes, she is a phenomenal actress but she doesn't act like a kid. There was only one scene in the entire film where she acted like a kid. It was when they have just started training Sonya and Russell says that she is looking fat, and Fanning replies that that was a mean thing to say. I found out in the special features that that was an improvised line, go figure. Kurt Russell and Kris Kristofferson make the perfect father and son, they could be related in real life. Not only looks wise but in personality as well. There are a great number of familiar faces in the supporting cast including David Morse. Morse plays Palmer, Ben's old boss who is the “villain” of the movie. I use villain loosely because the guy may be a prick, but for the most part he is just doing his job. Elizabeth Shue, who I remember from Adventures In Babysitting from way back, is Ben's wife Lily. Her part is actually Ben's conscious, pointing out that Sonya was the best thing that ever happened to their family. Freddy Rodriguez plays Manolin, the jockey who had a horrible accident and need to get back up on the horse again (groan).Rounding out the cast is Luis Guzman, who is just in almost every movie made it seems, and Holmes Osbourne, who you may recognize as Donnie Darko's father Eddie in Donnie Darko. He pops up as the veterinarian.

While watching Dreamer I had forgotten that it was inspired, and not based on a true story. That threw me as the movie was pretty predictable and a little too sweet for my taste. Everything seemed to fall into place a little to perfectly until I remembered that it was “inspired by”. If you want to know more about the true story, do an Internet search on a horse named Mariah's Storm. Another great family film that appeals to adults as well as children without alienating either. Good dramatic performances from Russell, Kristofferson, and Morse and comedic relief from Rodriguez and Guizman with a little of both from Fanning.

Would I recommend it? Yes, would I see it again? Probably not.

Until we see the Rubber Duck and Snake Plissken in Convoy 2: Escape From Detroit,
keep reading.

Mitch E.
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

Best Lines:

Palmer: Okay... I've found my other pocket. Now you listen to me, this is your last chance. I have a certified check for $100,000... and if you take this offer I'll give your dad his job back.
Cale Crane: [Cale takes the check and looks back at her dad] Dad?
Ben Crane: If it was me I'd tell him to take his money and his empty trailer and get the hell off our farm. But... that's just me...
Cale Crane: So you're running the big colt Goliath's Boy in the classic?
Palmer: That's right. Goliath's Boy is the favorite. And when he wins the cup it'll be my fifth horse of the year.
Cale Crane: You think Goliath's Boy remembers what Sonya's butt looks like?
Palmer: Why?
Cale Crane: That's all he's gonna be seeing of her on race day.

Cale Crane: You are a great champion. When you ran the ground shook. The sky opened and mere mortals parted. Parted the way to victory. Where you will meet me in the winner's circle. Where I will lay a blanket of flowers on your back.

Manolin: Is this an orange? It looks like a painted golf ball.

DVD Review: Stranger Than Fiction by CD

Title: Stranger Than Fiction
Starring: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Queen Latifah, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman
Directed By: Marc Forster
Produced By: Nathan Kahane, Joe Drake, Eric Kopeloff
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance and Science Fiction/Fantasy
Release Date: November 10th, 2006
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some disturbing images, sexuality, brief language and nudity.
Distributors: Sony Pictures Releasing, Mandate Pictures, Sony Pictures International



One morning, a seemingly average and generally solitary I.R.S. agent named Harold Crick begins to hear a female voice narrating his every action, thought and feeling in alarmingly precise detail. Harold's carefully controlled life is turned upside down by this narration only he can hear, and when the voice declares that Harold Crick is facing imminent death, he realizes he must find out who is writing his story and persuade her to change the ending.-Yahoo Movies


Let me first start off by saying I am not a Will Ferrell fan. I think 90% of his work is pure and total crap. He just isn't funny, I think he tries way to hard and forces the comedy. That being said, I really enjoyed this film. It was nice to see him not going over the top. He plays Harold Crick brilliantly, the seemingly solemn but rather complacent cubicle captive.

Harold lives his hum drum life by the numbers, and I mean that quite literally. Right down to how many brush strokes while cleaning his teeth. He very well could be the poster child for O.C.D., but that all changes once he starts hearing a voice narrating his life. Due to the stress from hearing this voice, Harold begins acting out of the norm and is given a puff case to investigate. Personally I would welcome some narration, especially if it led me to meeting Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Emma Thompson plays neurotic writer Kay Eiffel beautifully, the strung out yet still witty creative genius is a hard act to pull off convincingly. Her and Queen Latifah play offer each other very well. Some of the funnier moments are dead panned by these two very talented ladies. Also a quick little fun fact about Emma Thompson, she started as a stand up comic.

Dustin Hoffman plays Dr. Jules Hilbert who Harold goes to in order to try and get a grasp on what is happening to him. Dr. Hilbert is an English professor and has a great understanding of writing and writers, he tells Harold to pay close attention to the details of his life and to those described by his narrator. If he does he just may figure out why he has to die.

This story was a great concept. As a writer myself I felt drawn to this film, my only apprehension was Ferrell. I am glad I was wrong. I have been trying to think since last night, who could have played Crick better and have yet to come up with anyone. I also really enjoyed the open sequence where the Narrator is explain Harold's existence to the viewers. It kind of reminded me of the scenes in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy when the book was talking. I love movies where you can clearly see the character growth. At the beginning of the film we see Harold as meek and kinda trapped in his own existence, then as the film progresses we see him breaking out of his routines and become more spontaneous and enjoying the new him.

The look of this movie is very different from any other film out there. This is mainly due to the use of G.U.I. (pronounced goo-E), it stands for Graphic User Interface. It is how Harold sees his world, and it really shows the extent of his obsessiveness. From counting the steps it takes to get to the bus stop to plotting out the trajectory of him sliding a coffee cup. The use of this element brings a better understanding of Harold to the viewers.

Special features on this disc, making of featurettes. Two deleted/extended scenes. Nothing all that spectacular, with exception of the “making of” on the G.U.I. Which I found pretty interesting. No commentaries on this film which is a bit odd, but hell I hardly ever listen to it anyways.

Best Lines
Kay Eiffel [narrating] This is a story about a man named Harold Crick and his wristwatch.

Penny Escher: And I suppose you smoked all these cigarettes?
Kay Eiffel: No, they came pre-smoked.

Kay Eiffel: I went out... to buy cigarettes and I figured out how to kill Harold Crick.
Penny Escher: Buying cigarettes?
Kay Eiffel: As I was... when I came out of the store I... it came to me.
Penny Escher: How?
Kay Eiffel: Well, Penny, like anything worth writing, it came inexplicably and without method.

Dr. Jules Hilbert: Aren't you relieved to know that you're not a golem?
Harold Crick: Yes. I am relieved to know that I am not a golem.

Penny Escher: [Seeing Eiffel smoking a lot of cigarettes] You know there's something called a patch.
Kay Eiffel: I don't need a patch. I smoke cigarettes.

Dr. Jules Hilbert: Hell Harold, you could just eat nothing but pancakes if you wanted.
Harold Crick: What is wrong with you? Hey, I don't want to eat nothing but pancakes, I want to live! I mean, who in their right mind, in a choice between pancakes and living.... chooses pancakes?
Dr. Jules Hilbert: Harold, if you pause to think, you'd realize that that answer is inextricably contingent upon the type of life being led... and, of course, the quality of the pancakes.


It's been Odd
Crobertdunham@yahoo.com

DVD Review: American Splendor by CD

Title: American Splendor
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis, Judah Friedlander, Harvey Pekar, James Urbaniak
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini, Bob Pulcini
Produced by, Ted Hope, Julia King
Genres: Drama, Animation, Adaptation and Biopic
Release Date: August 15th, 2003 (LA/NY, Cleveland)
MPAA Rating: R for language.
Distributors: HBO Home Video

American Splendor is the story of a little-known working-class everyman, and first-class curmudgeon Harvey Pekar. Pekar finds love, family and a creative voice through the underground comic books he creates, but still can't manage to find the quicker supermarket checkout line. Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff. - DVD Case

The film opens with a scene from 1950 of a bunch of kids on a porch at Halloween. You see Superman, Batman, Robin, The Green Lantern, and a child with out a costume. When asked who he is supposed to be he replies, “I'm Harvey Pekar, I ain't no superhero lady. I'm just a kid from the neighborhood.” This sets the tone for Harvey's life and for the film.

Paul Giamatti plays Pekar to perfection. At times it is very hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Pekar is an interesting man if only for the fact that he doesn't seem happy, even when he is.

Harvey works as a file clerk in a VA hospital, drowning himself in his work and his compulsions. He collects Jazz records and comic books, scours garage sales for new treasures, and just lives his life.

During one of his excursions through the tables at a sale, he bumps into a buddy who offers to introduce him to a guy named Bob, saying that they have a mutual love for comics and jazz. This is when Harveys life is forever changed. “Bob” happens to be Robert Crumb, the soon to be “King” of underground comics.

Harvey has no notions of being famous, his comics reflect the real life. A poor schlub just trying to get by in a mundane world filled with normal people and their interestingly uninteresting lives.

This movie is more of documentary than it is a biopic, mainly due to the cut scenes with the actual Harvey Pekar narrating. You see a lot of the real Pekar and his wife Joyce through out the film, they become the foundation for which Giamatti is able to build his performance from. An interesting take on the whole biopic genre.

Special features include a making of entitled Road to Splendor, which is a look at the films debut at the Sundance Film Festival to its premier. There is also some downloads and commentary tracks, also there is a song by Eytan Mirsky called American Splendor.

It's been Odd
C. Dunham
Crobertdunham@yahoo.com

Repost: Casino Royale by ME

Since it has been a slow week in Hollywood, I decided to repost my review of Casino Royale. If you missed it in theaters your chance to see it is coming Casino Rayale will be released on DVD on March 13th. Is there any more praise that I could say for this film besides the fact that this will be the first James Bond film that I will ever purchase?

Title: Casino Royale
Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Mads Mikkelsen, Eva Green, Jeffrey Wright
Directed By: Martin Campbell
Produced By: David G. Wilson, Anthony Waye, Callum McDougall
Genre: Action/Adventure, Thriller, Adaptation and Sequel
Release Date: November 17th, 2006
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action, a scene of torture, sexual content and nudity.
Distributors: Sony Pictures Releasing, Sony Pictures Releasing International

Daniel Craig takes over, or should I say “kicks off” the Bond series in Casino Royale. James Bond has just received his 00 status when he must stop La Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a banker for terrorists as well as a high stakes poker player. La Chiffre takes his clients money and uses it to gamble on high risk stocks. When Bond foils his attempt to blow up a prototype airliner, La Chiffre must win a poker game in order to save his own skin. Of course Bond is there to stop him. With a kick ass car and a beautiful Treasury Agent (Eva Green) by his side, Bond does what he always does, he saves the day with style, suaveness, and more than a little violence.

Director Martin Campbell takes Bond in a new darker, grittier direction that is obvious from the beginning. Opening with a black and white noir-esque scene of him beating the crap out of some dude in a bathroom, you can tell this ain't your Daddy's Bond. From there we go right to a full on action sequence between Craig and Sebastien Foucan that would give Jackie Chan a run for his money. Is that enough examples? It may not be as cheeky or slick as previous Bond films but as a straight up spy/action flick Casino Royale delivers the goods and puts the “thriller” back in spy thriller. I know, that was kinda lame.

Hardcore fans will probably be disappointed with Danial Craig as Bond because he isn't as distinguished or gentlemanly as previous Bonds, but then again, this is a Bond before the cars, women and “shaken, not stirred” martinis. Personally, I think the only thing Craig doesn't have is the look of Bond. He looks more like a brawler from somewhere in Texas and fights like one. I feel that he could take the Bond franchise in a wonderful direction, if the fans can accept him. Mads Mikkelsen is a great villain, played as a man who is just trying to recover from his own mistakes. Don't get me wrong, he is a villain yet you may be able to sympathize with him. Well, at least until he goes for the rope. Surprisingly it's Judy Dench who keeps Bond (and the movie) grounded in reality by actually caring for him and trying to keep on the correct pat while at the same time becoming increasingly exasperated by the methods that Bond chooses to employ. Eva Green as the newest (r is ti the first?) Bond girl has the right amount of sex appeal while not being vapid. She is a smart and witty Treasury Agent who puts England's welfare first and foremost. Giancarlo Giannini has the the closest thing to a supporting role as Mathis, the local cop who is helping Bond. I have always liked him in everything I have seen him in, most notably Hannibal and Darkness.

Now all films have some problems and Casino Royale is no exception. Some of the familiar faces and trademarks we have come to know are missing. No Q, Miss Monneypenny or any of the fancy gadgets are here. Which leads me to the biggest problem of all. Is this a prequel, relaunch or a remake? I ask because it takes place in 2006 and is supposed to be Bonds first appearance. A friend who accompanied me swears that it's a prequel. I argued that how can it be a prequel if it was the first Bond book ever written?

Bottom line, a pretty good spy thriller with just the right amount of tension, action and humor. While not being a Bond fan myself I can say that this is a relaunch of a cultural staple that succeeds in doing what it set out to do. To bring Bond back in more down to earth feel while keeping the basic spirit of Bond. Minus the cheesy, supposedly “witty” banter and megalomaniacal schemes of caricature like super villains that have run rampant in Bond films the last few years. Give Mr. Craig a chance, he just may impress you.

Until ejector seats come as standard equipment,
keep reading

Emerson, Mitch Emerson.
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

Best Lines:

Bartender: Shaken or stirred?
James Bond: Does it look like I give a damn?