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: 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

Don't forget to Digg it!

Movie Review: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by JR

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Starring: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner

Directed by: Julian Schnabel

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for nudity, sexual content, and some language

US Release Date: Nov. 30, 2007

In French with English subtitles

I went into this film not knowing what to expect. I remember seeing a preview for it a few months ago and thinking that it looked beautiful, but I don’t remember anything else from the preview. All I knew was that I knew I wanted to see it but I wasn’t exactly sure why. Sometimes that’s the best way to go into a movie: Not knowing a damned thing about it, only that you have a gut feeling that you’ll like it.

“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” is based on a true story. Jean-Dominque Bauby was the editor of Elle magazine in Paris when he had a completely debilitating stroke at the young age of 43. He was paralyzed from head to toe, what doctors call “locked-in syndrome”, unable to walk, talk, or communicate. He could only blink his left eye, which later a nurse uses to help him communicate. What is remarkable about this story is that as dire as the situation, Jean-Do (as his friends call him) eventually sees hope. Before his stroke, he had arranged a book deal with a publisher and he wants to write his book, with the aid of his nurse, written entirely by his communicating with his left eye.

Every time I’ve tried to recommend this film, I’ve heard the same things, “Wow that sounds depressing”. Yes, it does sound depressing. I mean, the story is very tragic. If you look closer, you’ll find that it’s a tremendously emotional and at times uplifting film. It’s a story of great loss and then great triumph over that loss. There’s nothing like this film. You could compare it to films like “My Left Foot” I suppose, but the comparisons are slim. “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” captivates you, paralyzing you for the entire duration of the film as you sit in awe and wonder at the reality of the events unfolding.

A great majority of the film is told from the point of view of Jean-Do through his one blinking eye. The audience is put in his position as much as possible, even allowing us to hear his internal monologue as he learns of his stroke and finds out he cannot speak. We get to hear his reactions to his visitors and his nurses and doctors. A great deal of it is humorous. Even in his state, he hasn’t lost his sense of humor.

It’s not easy to even imagine yourself in a similar situation. You can imagine all day being locked in a room or in a straightjacket or something, and the feelings of panic, paranoia, claustrophobia that come with it. Still it isn’t close to how Mr. Bauby must have felt. Being trapped in your own body...Wow. It’s a living nightmare.

“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” is an amazing film, an experience not to be missed. It’s the ultimate story of overcoming obstacles.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Jenny Rushing

beccajane67@yahoo.com

Update: “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” won two Golden Globe awards. One for Best Director, beating out the Coen Brothers for “No Country for Old Men”, Tim Burton for “Sweeney Todd” and Ridley Scott for “American Gangster. Quite a feat! It also won for Best Foreign Language Film, beating out Ang Lee’s “Lust/Caution”.

DVD Review: Angel-A by JR

Angel-A

Directed by: Luc Besson

Starring: Jamel Dubbouze, Rie Rasmussen

MPAA Rating: R for language and sexual content

DVD Release Date: November 20, 2007

Luc Besson is one of the most exciting filmmakers around. He’s given us Leon the Professional, La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element, District B13, and many others. When I gear up to watch a Luc Besson film, I know that there will be crazy camera shots, fun relatable characters, and great action. He’s becoming one of my favorites. So when I first saw the trailers for “Angel-A”, I was naturally excited. The negative reviews didn’t deter me one bit, I was determined to see this movie.

“Angel-A” is about Andre, a gambling ne’er-do-well who just can’t seem to catch a break from the many many people he owes money to. In a desperate attempt to end his life, and in a scene reminiscent of “It’s a Wonderful Life”, Andre attempts to leap off of a bridge to his impending death, only to be stopped when a beautiful leggy blonde jumps off right before he does. She says her name is Angela, and she’s a chain smoking “sexy bitch” who claims that since Andre has saved her life, she must save his.

The unlikely pair weave in and out of black and white bleak and deserted Parisian streets, knocking out Andre’s debt one by one. Angela appears to be either a smooth talker or a prostitute. Andre’s not quite sure which.

The acting in this movie had to work in order for the movie to work. Andre and Angela are on screen by themselves for most of the movie. Andre, played by “Amelie”’s Jamel Debbouze, is perfect in this part. Most of it has to do with how he looks. He just looks like a very clueless guy who would be down on his luck. He looks dirty and disheveled and naïve. Angela, played by relatively unknown Rie Rasmussen, is perfect as well. She’s beautiful, but very aloof. You never know exactly what she’s thinking. She’s very flirtatious with just about everyone, but clearly favors Andre. The two of them together make a very strange but sweet pair.

The film is shot entirely in black and white, for what reason I do not know, but it’s gorgeous. Paris never looked so sad and deserted than it does in this film. The shots are bleak but full. Not a detail is unnoticed. The signature Luc Besson filmmaking style is easily spotted as well with the jerky shots around the characters, and the spectacular filming of the climactic ending.

With all of the things this film has going for it, it should be better than it is. The script has it’s moments of charm and wit, but for the most part is pretty dull. It’s very unfortunate, especially with all of the potential that this film has going for it.

If you’re a Luc Besson like me, this one should be a no-brainer. If you missed it in theaters, go rent it now. If not, skip it and go for one of the better Luc Besson films. Even with this semi-flop, he’s a director to keep your eyes peeled for.

3 out of 5 stars
Jenny Rushing

beccajane67@yahoo.com

DVD Review: La Vie En Rose by JR

La Vie en Rose (La Môme)

Directed by: Oliver Dahan

Starring: Marion Cotillard, Gerard Depardieu, Sylvie Testud, Jean-Pierre Martins

MPAA Rating: PG-13, for substance abuse, sexual content, brief nudity, language and thematic elements

DVD Release Date: November 13, 2007

*Spoilers*

Edith Piaf has become an icon of France with her powerful voice that transcends language. Even if the name Edith Piaf doesn't ring a bell, her most famous song "La Vie En Rose" will most definitely be familiar. The song is synonymous with France and is heard in everything from trailers for "Ratatouille" and even "Hairspray". The song is THAT famous. "La Vie En Rose" = France; Edith Piaf = France. What most people don't know is the life behind the icon. The film gives a look into the tumultuous life of this famed French singer.

The film follows Edith Piaf's life from early childhood to her death in 1963. She was abandoned as a young child by her mother, and then again by her father, and had to live in a cabaret, raised by the women who worked there. She grew so attached to the women of the night that when her father comes to get her, years later, she doesn't want to leave them. As an older teen, she is singing on the streets of Paris with a friend, when she is discovered by nightclub owner Luplee (Gerard Depardieu). He dubs her "The Little Sparrow", "La Mome Piaf", and this is where she makes her big break. Later, she is a big star performing at huge theaters across France and the US. She eventually meets the love of her life, a married French boxer named Marcel Cerdan, with whom she has an affair for years. She becomes addicted to drugs and alchohol, which age her beyond her years, and she dies at the early age of 47 of liver cancer.

The story of Edith Piaf's life is told mostly through long flashbacks, sometimes making it difficult to follow the timeline. But this doesn't take away from the movie at all, in my opinion. I was totally engrossed in the film from beginning to end, even with the long two and a half hour run time.

It is hard to talk about this film at all without mentioning Marion Cotillard's performance. Every actor in this film is perfect in their role, but Marion Cotillard is heaven-sent. I've been a huge fan of hers since "Love Me If You Dare", but this film will put her on the map. Oscar buzz has been building since this film debuted at Cannes and for good reason. If Cotillard is overlooked for Best Actress, I'll be shocked. She doesn't sing in the film, the director Oliver Dahan didn't think Piaf's distinctive voice could be replicated, but she lip synchs like nobody's business. If you're like me and you chuckled a bit that lip synching could be noteable, watch the film. You'll see. She looks like she's singing. She looks like she's feeling the emotion that Piaf felt. Lip synching aside, Cotillard is immaculate in the range of emotion that is required to play a real-life character like Piaf. My favorite scene by far is the tragic scene in which her lover dies. I was sobbing along with her, heck, I might start sobbing again right now just thinking about it. It's one of the most powerfully acted scenes ever.

This film is powerful, and Edith Piaf's voice is infectious. Even without knowing a lick of French, I purchased the soundtrack for this film and am singing along phonetically in my car. The music is that good. Following in the footsteps of Will Smith in "Ali" and Jamie Foxx in "Ray", Marion Cotillard's performance as Edith Piaf is one that the Academy will surely not overlook. She is hypnotizing. She is mesmerizing. She IS Edith Piaf.

4 out of 5 stars

Jenny Rushing

beccajane67@yahoo.com

Movie Review: Lust, Caution by JR

Lust, Caution (2007)
Starring: Tony Leung, Wei Tang, Joan Chen
Directed by: Ang Lee
Written by: Eileen Chang (story), James Schamus (screenplay)

Distributed by: Focus Features

MPAA Rating: NC-17 for explicit sexuality

In Japanese occupied China during the 1940’s, a resistance to the Chinese oppression is thriving. A group of school friends, upon hearing about the resistance, band together to make a change in the current state of their nation. They decide they will form a plan to assassinate Mr. Yee (Tony Leung), a Chinese born man who has joined the side of the Japanese. Because of her accomplishments in acting at their school, Wang Jiazhi (Wei Tang) is chosen to be the undercover spy, to befriend Mr. Yee, in order for her friends to murder him.

Tony Leung (“Infernal Affairs”, “2046”) is becoming one of my favorite actors. He’s got such a weathered but strong handsomeness about him. The emotion in his eyes and the delivery of his lines remind me of, dare I say it, Bogart himself. The slower pace of this film works in his favor, for he savors every moment that he is onscreen. Even when off-screen, his presence is still there. His character, Mr. Yee, is strong, weathered, and handsome, yes; but Mr. Yee is also tyrannous and unmerciful, having murdered many Chinese on behalf of the Japanese. Only Tony Leung could pull off as complex and as deeply scrutinized a character as Mr. Yee.

This is Wei Tang’s first movie and you’d never know it. She acts with such poise and grace and still is unfaltering in her friends’ mission to murder Mr. Yee, the man that she appears to be falling in love with. It seemed to me many times that she would blow her cover to be with Mr. Yee, I was literally on the edge of my seat. Wei Tang as Mak Tai Tai, the undercover name for Wang Jiazhi, is relentless and unmerciful. The perfect companion for Mr. Yee. The two of them have chemistry to spare.

Speaking of the chemistry between Mr. Yee and Mak Tai Tai, “Lust, Caution” is quickly gaining the reputation for being this obscene and almost soft-core porn. Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you: It is not. Out of the 157 minute run time, the sex scenes couldn’t possibly take more than 10 minutes. This is merely the doing of the MPAA, whom apparently say that it’s OK to make movies like “Saw” rated R, but movies that actually show a normal human activity are to be forbidden. For those of you who must know more about these sex scenes, here you go. For those of you who don’t, skip to the paragraph after.

**Spoilers**

The first sex scene in the movie is very surprising. By this time, we have only seen Mr. Yee and Mak Tai Tai in a very formal setting. Mr. Yee has invited her to a hotel room and she goes, hoping to become his mistress and therefore allow her friends to get closer to him. She begins the foreplay by straddling him, taking the cigarette from his lips. You think that this is how it will be: lustful, teasing, but no. Mr. Yee rips her dress from her body and throws her on the bed on her stomach. He then pulls off his belt and ties her hands together behind her. It’s a very intense scene, but not worth an NC-17 rating.
The sex scenes that follow are less intense, and by “less intense” I mean like less of a rape scene, and are very heavy and intimate, but still not worthy of an NC-17 rating. The two actors are obviously nude, and could very well be actually having sex, but they are not. We see breasts, female genitalia and partial male genitalia.

**End Spoilers**

There are several movies that I can think of offhand that are sexually worse than this film and received R ratings. I’m sure there are several that you can think of as well. I thought that “Brokeback Mountain”, Ang Lee’s last film, was very similar in this aspect. Personally, I didn’t think that “Lust, Caution” was worthy of an NC-17 rating, but that’s my opinion.

“Lust, Caution” is a beautiful movie; Ang Lee has delivered once again. Despite the long run-time, and the slow pace, this film kept me completely engaged. This will definitely be one to watch come Oscar time.

4 out of 5 stars

Jenny Rushing

beccajane67@yahoo.com

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

Movie Review: Feast Of Love by ME

Title: Feast of Love
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear, Radha Mitchell, Jane Alexander, Alexa Davalos
Directed By: Robert Benton
Produced By: Lori McCreary, Eric Reid (II), Fisher Stevens
Genre: Drama, Romance and Adaptation
Release Date: September 28th, 2007
MPAA Rating: R for strong sexual content, nudity and language.
Distributors: MGM Distribution Company

Feast of Love is one of those movies that is almost great. It just needed a little something extra to push it over that line. Don't ask what it is, because I don't know. I left the theater with that satisfaction you get from Chinese food, you are full for the moment but you know you are going to want more in an hour. Phenomenal acting and a good story keep Feast Of Love on track. Interweaving through different couples and their situations and how they interconnect is explored fairly well here, one thing that would have made it better is a time line. You know the film takes place over an eighteen month period, but otherwise you are in the dark as to how much time was spent in exploring each relationship.

Morgan Freeman has got to be the King of the Narrative as well as the perfect grandfather/confidant figure. He is the only man that can play God (Bruce Almighty) in my book and make me believe it. No offense to George Burns of course. Freeman does a wonderful job of being the self appointed caretaker of all of our main characters. Greg Kinnear, at the beginning, comes off as a guy who doesn't really notice the things going on around him. I'm not saying that he is callous or that he is an airhead, he is actually a really nice guy that doesn't know much about how relationships work and has to learn the hard way. If Freeman is the best actor here, then Selma Blair must be in second place. Especially when she is only in the film for about ten minutes. There is one scene where she falls in love and you literally watch it happen, you can see it in her eyes. Alexa Develos and Toby Hemingway are believable in an almost fairy tale like whirlwind romance, great performances there.

Final thought – A good movie that doesn't disappoint and will make a good evening at home type of movie. The one thing that may bother some audiences is there is a little more sex and full frontal nudity in this than what is usually in this type of film. Just a small warning.

Keep reading,

Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

Movie Review: The Darjeeling Limited by ME

Title: The Darjeeling Limited
Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Camilla Rutherford, Amara Karan
Directed By: Wes Anderson
Produced By: Steven M. Rales, Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin
Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy and Drama
Release Date: September 29th, 2007
MPAA Rating: R for language
Distributors: Fox Searchlight Pictures

A slightly surrealistic look at three brothers taking a spiritual journey to bring them closer together gets derailed in this supposedly funny comedy/drama from director Wes Anderson.

There was a short film screened before this called The Hotel Chevalier that will prove to be more liked than the film itself. It is a prequel of sorts that is supposed to tie in loosely with the movie but in actuality is pretty pointless, but I was more interested in it than in the film. See, Natalie Portman has an almost nude scene in it. Unfortunately, she is barely in the movie itself. The short will not be screened with the film but is available for free at iTunes (I got mine already!), and will be available on the DVD. So if you see the short first, don't get your hopes up.

As far as the film itself, it falls a little short. Anderson really should have made this more comedic. With names like Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman, you expect comedy. Anderson has made a exploration of self picture that just moseys along, stopping here, pausing there, not really leading up to any big ending or anything. Trying to perk your interest, there are some cameos by Bill Murray and Anjelica Huston, who by the way, was the most likeable character in the film. She seemed to be the only one outside of the main cast that knew what the tone of the film was supposed to be. Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody could make for an interesting family dynamic, but unfortunately, their personalities seem a little watered down.

The visuals are beautiful, from the countryside to the train itself. The Darjeeling Limited would make a great painting, but as far as motion pictures go, it moves about as fast as the first steam powered train.

Until The Earl Grey Limited,
keep reading

Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

Movie Review: The Hunting Party by ME

Title: The Hunting Party
Starring: Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ivanir, Goran Kostic
Directed By: Richard Shepard
Produced By: Bill Block, Paul Hanson (III), Adam Merims
Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Thriller and War
Release Date: September 21st, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating: R for strong language and some violent content.
Distributors: MGM Distribution Company

“Only the most ridiculous parts of this story are true”

The Hunting Party is inspired by the true story of a disgraced war journalist (Richard Gere) who enlisted the help of his former cameraman (Terence Howard) and an wager, wet-behind-the-ears journalism major (Jesse Eisenberg) to track down an infamous war criminal still on the loose somewhere in the backwoods of Eastern Europe. - Official site

In The Hunting Party, Richard Shepard addresses the subject of the hunt for Bosnian war criminals in his own way. Almost a satire, but not quite going over the line, The Hunting Party toes that line with wit, drama, and carefully placed images of a war torn country that in some ways was just beginning to heal. Taking small jabs at NATO, The Hague and the CIA, Shepard brings the fact that these war criminals are running free and none of these agencies are trying very hard to catch them to the attention of mainstream moviegoers.

It may sound like this is a documentary, or that Shepard is preaching to us Michael Moore style, but he isn't. Shepard has taken very real people and real events and real situations, fictionalized them and injected the perfect amount of humor into them to create an entertaining as well as informative view of our governments practices. This is not to say that there isn't a serious side, as you can never show the true horror of war on any size screen and the opening sequence shows us that in a way that is brutal and sadly beautiful at the same time.

Shepard has a talent for wringing great performances from his cast and proves it once again with Richard Gere, Terence Howard and Jesse Eisenberg. Using humor to offset the violence and horror of war is a real practice and pulling it off in a movie without sliding into the land of cheese, or looking callous, is a talent that all three main actors did very well. Gere plays Simon Hunt as a man on a mission with an intensity that shines through in a few key scenes as well as showing how humor is used as a defense against the horrors of war. Terence Howard's Duck is the semi-straight man, using the phrase, “Unbelievable” more times than I can count in reaction to Gere's antics. Jesse Eisenberg plays Benjamin, the new kid, still wet behind the ears. It is through his eyes that we see the events unfold. Through the trials of the adventure that these three journalists take we see him change from the nervous rookie, to being a part of the group through his realization that it isn't a game.

I must stress once again, that this film was made as an entertainment piece first and foremost, but if it makes you question our government, then the movie has done more than it's job.

www.thehuntingpartymovie.com

Until we catch Osama,
keep reading

Mitch E
mitchemerson@hotmail.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

Movie Review: The Brave One by ME

Title: The Brave One
Starring: Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Nicky Katt, Naveen Andrews, Mary Steenburgen
Directed By: Neil Jordan
Produced By: Herb Gains, Bruce Berman, Jodie Foster
Genre: Action/Adventure and Thriller
Release Date: September 14th, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, language and some sexuality.
Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution

It seems to me that Jodie Foster has been playing pretty much the same role throughout the last ten years or so. Usually either a woman with something to prove or a woman trying to protect her children. Either way there hasn't been much variation, but it doesn't hurt The Brave One much. As Erica Bain, a NYC radio show host whose fiancée is brutally beaten to death, she takes matters into her own hands to exact revenge.

Two things keep this movie from being a standard take on the revenge flick, Terrence Howard and an ending that completely throws you for a loop. First, Howard plays Detective Mercer, a straight by the books detective who befriends Bain and is working on catching the vigilante, unknowingly helping her to carry out her nightly vigilante outings by providing information. This man is going to be a huge star, after Crash and Hustle and Flow helped to get him in the mainstream, this year's The Hunting Party and The Brave One should help to cement him into the minds of the public. His portrayal of Mercer as a caring cop who still believes in the letter of the law is so believable that the twist really comes out of left field and hits you upside the head like a bag of rocks. The movie ended with applause from the packed theater. What does that tell you?

What hurts The Brave One is the aforementioned standard Jodie Foster character, a score that becomes extremely melodramatic at times and some camera tricks that make you feel like you are on the Pirate ride at your local fair. Still, The Brave One gets my approval as a decent thriller that I could see actually happening. Not many could go through what Erica Bain does without becoming bitter. What got me was I realized that it was almost dumb luck that leads her down the road to vigilantism, I can see in my mind's eye the other path. The woman who lives in fear for the rest of her life. Kudos to Erica Bain for not curling up in a corner somewhere.

Sometimes the end of a movie makes it worth seeing, The Brave One is one of those films.

Till Death Wish 6: Kersey VS. Bain,
keep reading

Mitch E
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

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: 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

Movie Revbiew: The Bourne Ultimatum by JW

Ed. note – We have a guest reviewer this time around, Jeremy Welsch of www.moviebuffs.com/ Hopefully he will stick around for a while. You guys can email him and beg him to stay at jndubbs@gmail.com.

Title: The Bourne Ultimatum
Starring: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, Albert Finney, Joan Allen
Director : Paul Greengrass
Producer: Patrick Crowley, Frank Marshall, Paul L. Sandberg, Doug Liman
Genre: Action
Release Date: August 3, 2007
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributors: Universal Pictures

Paul Greengrass directs the final chapter in the Bourne trilogy. Jason Bourne is still trying to find out the secrets of his identity while being hunted by the very people who trained him.

Every now and then I have this dream. In it, I am my current age and I wake up and find myself in the halls of my high school (of which I am 13 years removed). I continue to make my way through the hallways making my way towards my locker. Everyone around me is how I remember them in high school and they don't even notice that I am in my early thirties. The only thing running through my mind is an increasing feeling of anxiety as I get closer to my locker because I can't remember my combination. For some reason I think that if I can't figure it out or have to go to the principals office to get it, they'll figure out how old I am and that I am not supposed to be there. But every time I get to the locker, I get the combination right. It doesn't seem familiar to me as I am trying the lock, but I get it open first try - every time. Weird, but true. I have no clue what it means, if anything, but as I sat down to write this review that dream popped into my head and ended up being the best way to summarize how I felt watching the movie.

The movie picks up right where the last one left off. Literally. After the car crash in Moscow at the end of The Bourne Supremacy, we rejoin Bourne as he evades police then goes to Paris to tell Marie's brother that she is dead. During this time, he reads an article about himself in the Guardian Newspaper and heads to London to track down the writer, Rimon Ross, and find out who his source is. He meets up with Ross at Waterloo station and learns of 'Blackbriar', formerly Treadstone (the top-secret CIA program that basically 'created' Jason Bourne). During this meeting, Bourne gives a clinic on surveillance evasion by guiding Ross via cell phone through/around numerous cameras and CIA converging on the station. He finds out the source, gets away from an asset (Blackbriar assassin) sent to kill him and Ross, and he's off to Madrid to track down his source. And so on and so forth.

This movie is essentially two hours of Bourne running away from the CIA, which is trying to kill him, and towards what he hopes are answers about his identity. In the end, that is pretty much what the whole trilogy is about - Bourne trying to find out who he is and kicking everyone's ass that gets in his way. The action in this movie doesn't disappoint. There are two scenes in particular that stick out in my mind. There is a car chase scene is pretty intense. I haven't seen many that look this seamless or exciting, even if it was a bit long and overdone. I had the same complaint about the chase scenes in The Bourne Supremacy. How many shots do we need from inside the car where we see an incoming car smash into Bourne's vehicle and watch his head shake back and forth? Impressive the first few times I saw it, but overused. Like that friend of yours that still quotes Old School - it was funny the first hundred times we heard it, but, we get it, let's move on. The real tour de force of the movie was the sequence in Tangier where Bourne is tracking Desh, an asset sent to kill his source, then him and Nicky (a CIA agent and former Treadstone contact who offers to help Bourne). There is about a 10-15 minute stretch where there is virtually no dialogue; just straight action and a chase on foot. We see Bourne hopping from building to building tracking Desh before he has a chance to kill Nicky with intermittent cuts back and forth between Bourne, Nicky, and Desh. The climax of the sequence is the confrontation between Desh and Bourne that is hands down, the best fight sequence of the trilogy. The most impressive part is, like I said, there is no dialogue at all and the suspense is basically created out of thin air through the editing and camera work. It works on all levels and I wished there had been more direction like this in the movie. I would recommend the movie solely on the integrity of this sequence alone. Absolutely amazing filmmaking.

I liked Identity, and loved The Bourne Supremacy but The Bourne Ultimatum, sadly, sort of let me down. I wouldn't go so far as to say this is a bad movie, by any stretch of the imagination.

The Bourne Supremacy was so far and above Identity that I guess I was spoiled into thinking this would be an improvement to the same degree. Instead it felt more like The Bourne Supremacy, Part II. There is a scene in the movie that is directly taken from the end of The Bourne Supremacy (where Bourne is calling Landy and tells her to "Get some sleep. You look tired"). Wait, what? Didn't we already see that once? If it was an attempt to be clever by tying the two films together, it didn't work. Clever for the sake of clever is weak, tired writing. And if that last scene in The Bourne Supremacy was supposed to prelude to The Bourne Ultimatum, the jump into the middle of its sequel didn't make any sense to me. Again, clever for the sake of clever kind of feels like cheating. The ultimate answer to the question of the series, 'Who is Jason Bourne?' was, well, sufficient, if not a little awkward and a bit forced. I don't know what ending I would have accepted more, but the solution presented didn't work all that much for me, but it'll do.

I really wanted to like this movie more - I really did. By no means is it a bad movie; it just feels too much like we've been down this road before. A tidy 'end' to a very good trilogy that I didn't expect much from when it first started.

And there's the rub.

Jeremy Welsch
jndubbs@gmail.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

Movie Review: Talk To Me by ME

Title: Talk To Me
Starring: Don Cheadle, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Taraji Henson, Cedric The Entertainer, Mike Epps
Directed By: Kasi Lemmons
Produced By: Miles Dale, William Horberg, Bruce Toll
Genre: Drama and Biopic
Release Date: July 13th, 2007
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive language and some sexual content.
Distributors: Focus Features

Don Cheadle is a phenomenal actor and proves it once again with Talk To Me, the story of Washington D.C. D.J. Petey Greene (Don Cheadle). From his beginnings as a DJ in prison in 1966 to his appearance on The Tonight Show, Talk To Me follows the ups and downs of Petey, Dewey Hughes (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Vernell Watson (Taraji P. Henson).

As an unknown director, well, unknown to me, Kasi Lemmons directs this gem of a film perfectly with a great blend of humor and gravity. One moment you have our characters reacting to the death of Martin Luther King Jr., which on a side note, really got to me how it was done, and then you get Don Cheadle pulling a Tom Cruise, dancing in his underwear. In a period piece like this it is hard to work celebrity personalities that are well known into a film when they are supposed to be roughly 40 years younger at the time. Talk To Me handles this issue in a number of ways, and does it well. Actual footage, lookalikes and most interestingly a combination of the two. One scene has Johnny Carson out of focus in the background, then the camera pans down to a monitor where they used actual footage from The Tonight Show. I thought it was pretty nifty so I decided to mention it here.

I am really beginning to like Don Cheadle as an actor. Although I prefer him in semi funny roles, he is a great dramatic actor that has a presence that can exude sadness or happiness, sometimes at the same time. He is definitely one of the better actors out there and with a slick radio voice and a colorful wardrobe, he is perfect as Petey Greene. Chiwetel Ejiofor is definitely making his way up the ladder. My first introduction to was as the extremely polite, yet deadly assassin in Serenity where he was just a bad ass. Then came Children Of Men where everyone was on the ball. He does a great job here first as a self righteous ass, then as a friend to Petey, then a rival and back to friend again.

For supporting roles, we have few worth mentioning. Taraji Henson is spunky as hell as Greene's girlfriend/wife and provides a lot of, shall we say color to the film. I don't know if they ever got married but she puts up with more crap than most wives that I know. Other cast members worth mention in supporting roles are Cedric The Entertainer (Who needs to stick to smaller roles like this instead of starring in crap like Codename: The Cleaner) as fellow D.J. Nighthawk, Martin Sheen who is funny as the straight laced radio station owner, and Mike Epps, who is way underused as Dewey's brother Milo.

The only thing that makes Talk To Me a little difficult to deal with is the language. This movie is rated R for a reason and there is a ton of bad language. Now this didn't hurt the film in my eyes as they are just "keeping it real", but some viewers may be turned off by it.

Until Petey Greene does a morning show with Adrian Cronauer,
keep reading (yes I know Petey is dead, but I needed a joke).

Mitch E.
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

5 out of 5

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

Movie Review: Reign Over Me by ME

Title: Reign Over Me
Starring: Don Cheadle, Adam Sandler, Saffron Burrows, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Liv Tyler
Directed By: Mike Binder
Produced By: Michael Rotenberg, Jack Binder
Genre: Drama
Release Date: March 23rd, 2007
MPAA Rating: R for language and some sexual references.
Distributors: Sony Pictures Releasing

In Columbia Pictures' new drama Reign Over Me, former college roommates Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler) and Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle) meet up again by chance on a Manhattan street corner. Five years after losing his family on 9/11, Charlie – once a successful dentist – has retreated from his life, and Alan is stunned to see the changes in his formerly gregarious friend. At the same time, Alan – who should be enjoying his beautiful wife, children and career – is overwhelmed by his responsibilities. Their rekindled relationship becomes a lifeline for the two men, who are both in need of a trusted friend at this pivotal moment in their lives. Reign Over Me was written and directed by Mike Binder (The Upside of Anger).

I think you should see this movie. Yes, you. Even if you aren't an Adam Sandler fan you should see this movie. Mike Binder has given Adam Sandler the perfect chance to prove that he can do something besides comedy and quirky dramas like Punch Drunk Love. And Sandler delivers what just might be an Oscar worthy performance in Reign Over Me. Which is the the only problem. See, Sandler fans are not the target audience and yet the target audience probably won't want to see this because Adam Sandler is in it. That's why you should take my word for it and go see this great film that is a wonderful departure from Sandler's standard fare.

I won't sing too many praises about Sandler because I know that A – Every other reviewer will and B – I happen to like Don Cheadles performance a just little bit more than Sandler's. I know that some will disagree, but Cheadle is the one who has to deal with Charlie and bear the brunt of the two-sidedness of their friendship while also trying to deal with a woman who wants to be more than a patient, a strained relationship with his own wife and the death of his father. If it was me, I would snap like a twig under the foot of an elephant. Not to push Sandler aside because there a couple of strong emotional scenes including a court scene where an asshole lawyer (BJ Novak of The Office) puts a picture of Charlie's family right in front of him and causes a psychotic episode that is heartbreaking, but there are just too many cast members to go into detail about. Here are a few examples. Liv Tyler, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Donald Sutherland, Robert Klein, Saffron Burrows, BJ Novak, Melinda Dillon (A Christmas Story and Close Encounters), John de Lancie and Ted Raimi. See what I mean?

The wonderful thing about this movie is that it isn't a film about 9/11. It's a film about a man who has lost his wife, three daughters and even the family dog in a plane crash that just happened to be one of the planes that crashed into the Twin Towers. It shows the emotion of coming to terms with an extremely harsh reality that would make anyone give up. OK, Now that I have tugged on your heartstrings I can tell you not to worry, there is plenty of comedy in the film. Any scene with Cheadle's secretary is absolutely hilarious. Sandler still provides much of the comedy here, it's just more along the lines of the heartfelt variety. I just don't want you going to the movie for the comedy alone.



As I stated at the beginning, you should see this so you too can help spread the word about a different side of Adam Sandler. One that may have a little golden statue in his future. Not to mention the fact that it is just a damn good movie in it's own right.

Keep reading,
Mitch E,
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

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
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