Fri, 16 Feb 2007
Quick DVD Roundup 2/16
I meant to post this at the end of January and forgot. Or maybe I didn't forget, and was just suffering from my cold, or too much work, whatever. Anyway here ya go. Sorry I'm not more descriptive this time out.
Crank - ***Jason Statham's character in this flick is a giant a-hole. None of the characters should get your sympathies. Some of the brighter co-stars have almost offensive roles (Amy Smart and Efren "Vote for Pedro" Ramirez). Despite all this, the way the movie was filmed seems to work. I wanted to hate it, but I couldn't. Dwight Yoakum's good too! What the Eff? It's a quick 80 minute video game, but on some level it worked. I dunno, 3 asterisks. JSA - **
Same director from Oldboy, this is one of his earlier efforts. You can tell it's not original material, and it's cheesy and slow at parts. Interesting story, not as good as Oldboy, but good. Lord of War - *
I liked the way the opening credits were filmed. Then it got worse. I'm surprised I made it through the whole movie. I can't remember why I'm giving it one asterisk. . . oh yeah, the guy who plays Andre Baptiste was really good. You wish he were on screen more. Waiting - 0
Good lord, why did I waste my time? I feel like a sucker. Seemed like a good cast- it has Angie's boyfriend in it, the mac dude, Anna Faris, Dane Cook, and Luiz Guzman. I did "heh" now and then . . . but uhh no. Damn, this must've looked really good on paper. . . . A Scanner Darkly - *
One star for the idea and the film technique. Otherwise I thought this was overrated drivel. Maybe because I'm such a square, but it's hard for me to buy into druggie paranoia corp/gov mood movies. Why do I still have a crush on Winona Ryder? Is she an embodiment of a fetish for me? Borat - *
Another overrated movie. And I was REALLY looking forward to this one. I just felt way let down. It seemed too self-aware, too . . . I dunno, it's hard to describe. There were one or two bits I liked, but it seemed like a weird- I can't describe it. I think either Larry Charles or Sasha Baron Cohen has some Jewish identity problems to deal with. What? You didn't know Larry Charles was involved in the project? You couldn't tell by the visual style of a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode with a bigger budget? OMG. . . The Prestige - ***
There were two cheesy plot points about this movie that I thought would distract me, but the actors were so good I didn't care. I can't tell you about it because it could be a spoileromgnospoilers . . but whatever. I think Christopher Nolan could direct a dog taking a crap in the park and I'd still watch it. Well, maybe if Scarlett Johansson were walking the dog and David Bowie were singing in the background but I digress. . . This was a pretty good flick. You could tell that it must have been based on a book and not a Nolan original, but they do a good job with the material. Good sets, good acting, good story (with some bits of cheese, but it still works) and Michael effing Caine! Gotta love it. Wordplay - ***
Another movie recommended by my friend Derek (recommended Scanner above). I didn't think I'd like it, but it's the kind of documentary that's not too deep. It's edited tightly and the story wraps around a current contest and includes background info. It combines both things, and keeps the story moving. Check it out. Two minor points though- what's the deal with Ken Burns? Listening to him makes me want to punch someone in the face. Another thing- I read recently that this movie is a bit too close in directorial style (and subject matter, well, kinda) to the earlier Word Wars. Derek: not sure if you read this blog- but I wish the director (and editor) of Wordplay had re-done that Aaron Russo documentary you liked- I couldn't make it through 20 minutes of it. Where The Truth Lies - ***
Sometimes people wonder why Kevin Bacon is in so many movies. It's because the mother effer can act. He and Colin Firth (one of my mom's boyfriends) are great in this movie. But Atom Egoyan loses his pace at times. Even if you didn't know he directed it going in, and were a movie-nerd, you'd guess it was one of his movies the second Don McKellar has his cameo (rock music, you know, like B TO), and that woman who's a just a bit too serious all the time-- oh yeah, Egoyan's wife (I expected the whole cast from 1993's Love and Human Remains to show up in that publisher's meeting scene). Then the Alison Lohman plot wanders a bit, and you kind of guess where it's going- similar to other female characters in the few movies of Egoyan's I've seen. I bet Cory rented this to see the Alison Lohman nude bits. I must admit, I liked her white pantsuit. Oh, and Maury Chaykin's in the movie too! Damn, I'm a picky bitch. I wonder what would happen if I wrote and directed something. Would I never finish it because I'd make fun of it all the time?
16 Feb 23:31 | /movies | 3 comment(s)
