Tuesday, April 15, 2003

The Pianist Directed by Roman Polanski
If you haven't seen this movie to see what the hoopla is about, you should. Based on the life of real life pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman (and the book Szpilman wrote about his experience), The Pianist traces Szpilman's life in Warsaw as a Jew from the beginning to the end of WWII. What makes this movie stand out from other Holocaust films I have seen is how ordinary the events in the film are. The tragic mass shootings, killings and terror aren't highlighted as they usually are. They're merely a part of the environment, and the effect is far more terrible than if they had been emphasized- the starvation and the atrocities of WWII take on a whole new meaning for the viewer. Beyond this, Adrian Brody does some amazing acting (he won an Oscar for it), pulling his character off beautifully in a myriad of demanding scenes. The best parts of the film are undoubtedly those with Brody at the piano- the one's where he is in hiding are especially amazing for their quiet beauty. This movie isn't for the lighthearted, but neither should it be ignored.
posted by Neal T Redman at 11:58 AM

Saturday, February 15, 2003

About a Boy directed by Paul and Chris Weitz
Based on the novel by Nick Hornby (who also wrote the John Cusack flick High Fidelity), About a Boy is the story of a hip and selfish single guy who doesn’t work and a 12-year-old boy who desperately needs a place to fit in. The hip single guy, Will (Hugh Grant, who doesn’t come off as irritating as he usually does), stoops to inventing a child so he can join a single parents group and score with single mums. In the process he meets Marcus and trips into a world where he’s actually needed. The film strays from the novel out of necessity, but does so successfully. The story is also based in London, so there’s plenty of fun British phrases and a quality soundtrack by Badly Drawn Boy.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 12:00 PM

Friday, January 10, 2003

Drumline directed by Charles Stone III
A Harlem youth gets recruited by a major marching band at a mostly-black Southern college, but his arrogant flair conflicts with the "one band, one sound" philosophy of the director. Orlando Jones, as the band director, shows his talent as a comedian in this completely dramatic role; his performance is understated in a way that only someone with a real talent for comedy could pull off. Most impressive about the film is its sharp editing and Stone's sensible directing, which pushes this conventional script into a superior piece of filmmaking. Scenes never linger too long, issues of black culture and education are touched on but not preached, and most importantly the characters are respected. Definitely worth a look.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 10:58 AM

Wednesday, December 18, 2002

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers directed by Peter Jackson
New Zealand's topography stars in the second of three films adapted from J. R. R. Tolkien's six-part Lord of the Rings. Director Peter Jackson deftly weaves the multiple story lines together through camera sweeps of landscapes, and the three-hour film never slows to boredom. Orlando Bloom as Legolas the Elf gets the cheers, and John Rhys-Davies as Gimli the Dwarf gets the laughs in the Helm's Deep battle scene (filmed over four months) that people will be talking about for a long time (at least until the third installment). One of the few things more stunning than Viggo Mortenson's portrayal of Aragorn is the battle at Isengard, where Jackson combines locations, models, and CGI to somehow capture the awesome destructive and purifying power of water. This film will help you believe in the power and beauty of cinema.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 10:46 AM

Saturday, December 14, 2002

The Awful Truth directed by Leo McCarey
Leo McCarey won an Oscar for directing this celebrated screwball comedy. Cary Grant, Irene Dunne, and Ralph Bellamy light-heartedly carry the situational and linguistic humor throughout the story of marriage, divorce, courtship, and reprisal. If you're in the mood for a black-and-white classic, this is a good bet.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 11:17 AM

The Importance of Being Earnest directed by Oliver Parker
Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Frances O'Connor, and Judi Dench star in a screen adaption of Oscar Wilde's play about deception and love in high society. Trimmed to a quick 90 minutes, this film briskly moves through the tangles of the story with ease, pausing just long enough to enjoy Wilde's wit and the actors' flawless performances. A great rental, but the DVD has some bizarrely half-hearted behind-the-scenes footage.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 11:05 AM

Wednesday, December 11, 2002

Sum of all Fears directed by Phil Alden Robinson
Another Tom Clancy book comes to the big screen, this time with Ben Affleck playing a younger Jack Ryan. Affleck is a bit too cocky for a CIA historian/desk-jockey called upon to advise the president. This time around terrorists bent on restoring Facism steal a nuclear bomb and set it off in Baltimore, hoping to launch a nuclear war between Russia and the U.S. that would destroy both nations, allowing Facism to rule again. Interesting idea, but the plot isn’t as interesting as watching what happens when a nuclear weapon is detonated in a major U.S. city and how the president responds.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 3:30 PM

Die Another Day directed by Lee Tamahori
James Bond is back for the 20th time (isn’t he retired yet?), with Pierce Brosnan again playing Bond. He’s no Sean Connery, but he’s not Timothy Dalton either. As usual, the plot is complicated and a little bizarre (evil mastermind invents a weapon that redirects and intensifies the sun’s rays and uses it to allow the North Korean army to stroll across the most heavily-land mined area in the world). Halle Berry joins Brosnan to increase the sex factor and appeal among female moviegoers. As usual, it’s packed with action, sexual innuendo, straight-up sex, cool gadgets and freaky villains. It’s no Oscar winner, but that’s not why Bond is the longest-living franchise in the movie business.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 3:29 PM

Thursday, November 14, 2002

The Lord of the Rings- The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition DVD directed by Peter Jackson
In an interesting move for DVD's, Peter Jackson released a 2nd DVD edition of FOTR. This edition not only has deleted scenes, but has them edited into the original movie, with 30 minutes of music even being added by the composer, Howard Shore. What's more, nearly all (with one or two exceptions) the scenes that were added enhance an already spectacular film. It got rid of 2 of my 3 main problems with the theatrical release. Each one of the new scenes (some add a few seconds here and there to a previous scene, or several minute long scenes not in the theatrical release) relieve the frenetic pace of the original- the most notable relief being towards the end in Lothlorien- the viewer is finally able to take a breath in an almost 1 and a half hour stretch of tension. The 2nd problem the extended DVD solves is some of the theatrical release's lack in character development- with all receiving some benefit, but Samwise, Frodo, Aragorn, and Boromir each see their character fleshed out even more. The extended DVD still has some of Jackson's un-Tolkienesque choices (ie- Aragorn's doubt), but you can't have everything. This 4 disc set is rounded out by TWO discs giving an excellent 15 min. bio of Tolkien's life, and a detailed look at the development from book to script to screen, as well as many other VERY worthwhile extras. There are even two nifty easter eggs (hidden stuff) for you to uncover and enjoy. One is MTV's somewhat racy rewrite of the Council of Elrond, and the other is the 4 minute teaser trailer of The Two Towers released last March at the end of FOTR. All in all, this is the best... DVD... EVER!
posted by Neal T Redman at 12:31 AM

Tuesday, November 12, 2002

Wonder Boys directed by Curtis Hanson
It's been a long time since, an hour into a movie, I have thought, "I don't want this movie to end." The characters are engaging, the story is well conceived, and the film moves never too quickly, never too slowly. Michael Douglas, Frances McDormand, Robert Downey, Jr., Tobey Maguire, and Katie Holmes give excellent performances in a film by the director of L.A. Confidential. You won't be disappointed by this rental.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 4:24 PM

Tuesday, October 22, 2002

Tuck Everlasting directed by Jay Russell
Natalie Babbitt’s children’s novel finally sees the big screen, but if you’re really into the story, you better read the book. The movie’s not bad, it’s just different. If you haven’t read the book, you’ll probably think it’s pretty good. It effectively tackles the issues the book deals with, namely everlasting life, but it just can’t carry the same weight. It also hypes up the love story to make the movie more marketable to the teenage girl crowd.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 4:35 PM

Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie directed by Mike Nawrocki and Phil Vischer
The folks at Big Idea have done it again. They can’t seem to do something poorly. Their first attempt at the big screen is great. The movie is funny and entertaining for kids as well as adults. They use a story-within-a-story format to give comic and suspense relief (important for the kids), and there’s plenty of Monty Python-esque humor to make a crowd of teens enjoy it just as much as pre-schoolers.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 4:32 PM

Friday, August 30, 2002

Bottle Rocket directed by Wes Anderson
This movie introduced the world to the combo of director Wes Anderson and writer Owen Wilson (Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums) as well as actor Luke Wilson. There are moments of their quirky, idiosyncratic brilliance in this first attempt that landed them a hollywood deal. A movie your friends can agree on - both romance and comedy without being a romantic comedy.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 9:08 PM

Thursday, July 18, 2002

Road to Perdition directed by Sam Mendes
This may be the best shot movie I have ever seen. Each scene, angle, and color have been thought through, and the effect is beautiful enough for even the most novice movie-goer to notice that there's something special about this movie. For those of you who remember, Sam Mendes directed American Beauty, and whether you like it or not, you have to admit it was a well-done movie. Road to Perdition is unlike American Beauty in most respects, but it does explore the darker side of humanity. If you go by the plotline (try not to read any if possible), most make this movie come across as some Arnold Schwarzenagger revenge movie, but don't believe them. This movie is deep, with many layers- the plot is just the surface. There are also suggestions that the movie's plotline (based on a graphic novel) is too small to support the movie's enormous themes. Anyone thinking so should see the movie again- it works. Also, any violence in the movie is portrayed in such a way that the viewer is forced to be repulsed- it forcibly deglorifies violence (especially vengeful violence), something Hollywood should try more often. All in all, a movie worth seeing at least once- if not several times.
posted by Neal T Redman at 12:39 AM

Thursday, July 11, 2002

The Majestic directed by Frank Darabont
In the early 1950s a rising Hollywood screen writer, played by Jim Carey, is implicated as a Communist. In the aftermath he suffers a blow that results in amnesia (yes, they still use that as a plot device) and is washed up on the shore of a small town and mistaken for a son the town thought was lost in World War II. Much nostalgia and dramatic weeping ensues. Fast-forward to the end (spoiler coming) and you find the screen writer dragged before a Congressional Committee to face charges as a Communist. In a bit of revisionist history, the screen writer stands up for the basic American right of free speech and is made a public hero. Makes for a great dramatic story, but it's not even close to reality. It ends up feeling like American propaganda.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 9:02 PM

Shallow Hal directed by
Bobby and Peter Farrelly
I expected a movie that actually embraced and espoused the idea that beauty comes from within. What I saw was a movie that tried to do that, but ended up just reinforcing the same old stereotypes: slender young hotties with big boobs are all a guy needs. The premise is a good start -- womanizer Hal is suddenly transformed and can only see the inner beauty in everyone he meets. But when inner beauty is on the outside, it looks just like the slender young hotties Hal was chasing before. I thought it would transcend the typical tripe, but in the end it just made me feel sick. Save your money.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 8:50 PM

Tuesday, June 18, 2002

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The Complete Second Season created by Joss Whedon
As I have only too recently have discovered, Buffy is one of the funniest shows on television. I've never been one for melodramatic, cheesy "dramatic television" - especially those manipulative teenie soaps on the WB. But Buffy, as I have learned through its reruns, is markedly different. Premised on the idea that when you're a teenager everything feels like the end of the world, but when you're slaying vampires it actually is the end of the world, Buffy is truly magnificent in emotional scope. Betrayal, loneliness, fear, forgiveness, trust, and friendship are handled with humor, sensitivity, and sophistication. The first season was funny, but it is in the second season (now available on DVD) that the writing, acting, and brilliantly conceived storyline really hit their stride. An amazing achievement.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 1:07 PM

Monday, June 03, 2002

Insomnia directed by Christopher Nolan
Murder by Numbers directed by Barbet Schroeder
In what is possibly the best year for big, action blockbusters ever, these two movies cut across the grain. Both are murder mysteries, but they avoid the whodunits (foregone conclusions) for character studies. Murder by Numbers is hardly worth the effort, trapped into moralizing on the waywardness of slacker youths and following a female cop (Sandra Bullock) who has to face her demons. Insomnia offers stunning performances by Al Pacino as the jaded homicide detective investigating a murder in a sleepy Alaskan town were the sleep is hard to come by, and by Hillary Swank as the eager rookie detective two steps behind. With a strong supporting cast and smart directing, Insomnia is a good antidote to this summer's testosterone flicks.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 7:28 AM

Wednesday, May 29, 2002

Spiderman Directed by Sam Raimi
It's made a ridiculously large amount of money in a very short time. Is it as good as all the hype? I'd answer with a definite yes (but it's not necessarily as good as the money seems to imply). This one's up there with the recent X-Men movie, and it's budget was larger, allowing Sam Raimi to show more action than they could in X-Men. Speaking of action, this movie shows Spiderman's agility and strength wonderfully- it's entertaining to watch, and many of the web swinging shots make you feel like you're on a roller coaster. Fortunately, this movies not all action. Every character puts in a pretty believable performance, and Kirsten Dunst wasn't annoying! (this is a first, from my perspective). The character's are well developed, and we are allowed to identify with Spidey quite a bit, as we see his development in to a true hero. There are a couple scenes where the script is shaky, but it works for the majority of the movie. Definitely worth a little of your hard-earned cash.
posted by Neal T Redman at 2:45 PM

Thursday, May 16, 2002

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones directed by George Lucas
This is the movie everybody thought that Episode I would be. With directoral cues shamelessly stolen from Blade Runner and Gladiator, this is what the Star Wars franchise needed: all the cheesy dialogue and two-dimensional characters that we've grown to love, plus lots of action and a well-paced plot with palpable tension. The fight scenes will have you cheering, but the romance will have you laughing (yes, they truly, deeply frolic in a meadow). Throughout the film, the scale is much grander, the story slightly darker, and the battle scenes more spectacular. Definitely worth $8.50.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 2:28 AM

Tuesday, May 14, 2002

Behind Enemy Lines directed by John Moore
It has everything you could want in an action movie: lots of action, a rebellious hero, dialogue that doesn't get in the way, a nifty warroom, political undertones, and Gene Hackman. This movie is very stylishly shot, well paced, and even (gasp!) believable (until the rather weak ending). It's equal parts Top Gun and Three Kings, but doesn't get bogged down in either bravado or politics. See it now before the visual style goes out of fashion.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 3:24 PM

Friday, May 03, 2002

Go directed by Doug Liman
From the director of Swingers, a movie about living foolishly without consequences. A nice ensemble cast of young stars makes this movie watchable, but the sex, drug-use, and violence will be a turn-off to many. This movie is most interesting when watched as an example of where story-telling in movies may be headed.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 10:00 AM

Zoolander directed by Ben Stiller
A perfectly aweful movie - perfect for 89 minutes of mindless slapstick; aweful if you expect anything more than the normally hilarious Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson strutting their second-rate stuff. SNL fave Will Farrell and scene-stealer Jerry Stiller are fashion moguls who rule the world, plus lots of other cameos (David Duchovny's is a classic). A movie that everyone can agree on (but no one will be satisfied with).
posted by timothy paul yenter at 9:53 AM

Tuesday, April 02, 2002

Riding in Cars with Boys directed by Penny Marshall
It's a drama about growing up with your mistakes, laced with enough humor to make it enjoyable. Drew Barrymore shines, but it's mostly thanks to the subtle acting of Steve Zahn (Reality Bites, Saving Silverman) that balances Barrymore's extremes. If you're looking for answers to a life of family-enduced pain, this movie isn't it. If you're looking for a good Friday night movie, this will do the job.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 8:06 AM

Friday, March 22, 2002

Ice Age directed by Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge
Just because it's computer animated doesn't mean it's the next best thing. Ice Age is the same old story of three peculiar characters brought together to accomplish a noble purpose. In this case it's three prehistoric animals: a mammoth named Manfred (voiced by Ray Romano), a sloth named Sid (John Leguizamo), and saber-tooth tiger named Diego (Denis Leary), all coming together to return a lost baby to his Neanderthal tribe. Throw in this unrelated squirrel-rat thing chasing an acorn every twenty minutes for comic relief and you've got yourself a movie. It's not as hilarious as you might expect, but it's worth a few laughs. Save your theater-going money and catch this one on video.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 8:02 AM

Monday, March 04, 2002

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back directed by Kevin Smith
Yet another Kevin Smith flick starring two pathetic stoners, Jay and Silent Bob. But rather than having some semblance of a plot that Jay and Silent Bob get wrapped up in (ala Dogma, Clerks, Mall Rats, or Chasing Amy), this one's just about the two stoners. The results are expectedly flat. Jay and Silent Bob are on a mission to stop a movie from being made about them so the losers on the Internet will stop bad mouthing them. It's a backhanded whack at anyone who's ever dissed Kevin Smith and his not-so-lovable stoners. Despite some of the biggest names in the business(George Carlin, Chris Rock, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Biggs, and freakin' Mark Hamill, to name a few), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back sucks. The humor comes from somewhere in the vicinity of a sewage plant and the plot is lame. But then again, what do you expect?
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:58 AM

Friday, March 01, 2002

Memento directed by Christopher Nolan
Leonard Shelby is hunting down the man who murdered and raped his wife. The one catch is that Leonard can't remember anything that happened after his wife was killed. He lacks the ability to create new memories. He ends up relying on tattoos, notes, and Polaroid's. It's an amazing concept, made even better by the fact that the movie is told backwards. It's a thinking movie, and will probably leave you scratching your head for hours. Plus the acting is brilliant.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:59 AM

Monday, February 25, 2002

American Graffiti Directed by George Lucas
For those of you who are unfamiliar with this movie, the fact that Lucas directed a movie set in the late 50s may seem as out of this world as Yoda and Darth Vader. However, this movie is incredibly grounded in reality. The storyline centers on the nameless town's main streets, where people cruise in cars and talk to each other from opposite lanes like it's the most natural thing ever. While the story takes place in a definite time, its ideas and themes are timeless. The threat of being supplanted by the new and young, and the human desire for the unattainable are powerful ideas, and there's many more. The best image of the movie, and the best ever done by Lucas (even better than Luke staring at the twin suns) is Richard Dreyfuss staring out the plane window and seeing the unattainable blond in the T-Bird. That image should keep you thinking for hours. On top of that, you get to see Harrison Ford wear a cowboy hat and act like a jerk, and you can see Ron Howard act in a well-rounded role. His character is actually cruel sometimes! Check this one out right away.
posted by Neal T Redman at 11:02 AM

Friday, February 15, 2002

Keeping the Faith directed by Edward Norton
Although the previews made it look like a slapstick assault on religion with bumbling idiot-priest Norton and fainting rabbi Stiller, Keeping the Faith is actually witty, inteligent and spiritual. The slapstick in the trailer is all that's in the actual movie, and most of the real comedy is in the well-written and delivered dialogue. It's your classic love triangle storyline, but with a priest and a rabbi thrown into the trinity. Thankfully the movie stays honest, with characters that want to love and be loved, but also remain true to their faith.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:44 AM

Thursday, January 31, 2002

A Walk to Remember directed by Adam Shankman
Pop star Mandy Moore stars as a minister’s daughter who catches the bad boy’s eye. It’s a romantic teen drama that portrays a Christian with more depth than the typical Hollywood stereotype. Admirably, teens are depicted accurately (profanity, sexual references), and forgiveness is demonstrated in real ways. Unfortunately, the plot is a predictable tear factory that will probably elicit more groans than actual tears.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 8:49 PM

A Knight's Tale directed by Brian Helgeland
Save your money and your time. Even hottie Heath Ledger can’t save this one. A down and out peasant poses as a knight and tries to gain social acceptance by busting up other knights with a lance. Throw in the token romance with the princess and you’ve got yourself a lame, predictable plot. Mix in some anachronistic dance moves and a Queen song and you’ve got a quirkly, wanna-be-cool flick. Jousting just isn’t cool enough to carry an action movie.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 8:38 PM

Wednesday, January 30, 2002

Much Ado About Nothing Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Yes, it's Shakespeare. And while there is a language barrier, Branagh puts together a cast that makes that barrier as invisible as is possible. Keanu Reeves can't read lines in normal English, let alone Elizabethan, but the rest of the cast is superb. Denzel Washington, Kenneth Branagh, and Emma Thompson play their parts wonderfully. The man that makes this comedy sparkle is Michael Keaton as the sherrif character, Dogberry. If nothing else, Keaton's toothy grins make this movie truly enjoyable to watch.
posted by Neal T Redman at 10:31 AM

Thursday, January 10, 2002

The Princess Diaries directed by Garry Marshall
The Disney version of the teen comedy, with all that implies: G rating, fit for the whole family, refreshing lack of sex, and none of the edge that makes most teen comedies work. Which is why this movie is really aimed at the little princesses out there, the elementary and middle school aged girls. It's entertaining, but not spectacular. The most disapointing part of the film is the implication that girls can only be beautiful princesses with the right hair, make up, and clothes -- a message modern fairy tales should rightfully dump (see Shrek).
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:49 AM

Wednesday, January 09, 2002

Ocean's 11 directed by Steven Soderbergh
Steven Soderbergh, the talented director of Traffic and Erin Brokovich, has finally made a really bad movie. I usually like Brad Pitt, and it was nice to see Carl Reiner in a box office hit, but this movie never gets around to telling us why we should care about these characters. The heist is well-told and full of interesting twists, so the movie feels entertaining but is ultimately unsatisfying.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 11:13 AM

Moulin Rouge directed by Baz Luhrmann
The best movie of 2001 is now available on a DVD so packed with extras and behind-the-scenes footage, you may never get through it all. The movie that re-introduced the musical, the love story, the Orphean myth, and Bohemian culture to a cynical post-modern audience is one of the most over-the-top, spectacular-spectacular movies ever made.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 11:04 AM

Thursday, January 03, 2002

Evolution directed by Ivan Reitman
Juvenile. That's the best way to describe this sci-fi comedy about aliens that evolve from a meteor that crashes in the Arizona desert. It had enormous comic potential, but they went for the lowest common denominator, and the result is a sub-par movie worth a few laughs, but nothing very grand. Dan Aykroyd does make an appearance as the governor of Arizona, but it's not enough to make this movie a winner.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:51 AM

Friday, December 21, 2001

Lord of the Rings directed by Peter Jackson
This movie is extremely intense, exciting and riviting--just like the book. The plot stays stays true to course, usually shortening things to keep the movie under three hours. But by the time it's over you don't realize how long it's been, a fact that proves the immense power of Tolkien's story. That's what drives this movie, and everything else takes a backseat to this stunning, epic tale. It also doesn't feel like a movie for the kids. I remember reading the book as a junior in college and being scared stiff of the black riders--the movie captured the feeling perfectly, forcing me to grip my wife's hand, as much for her sake as for mine.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:47 AM

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone directed by Chris Columbus
The much-loved (and hated) children's book comes to the big screen with plenty of special effects and hightened expectations. In the end it comes out a little flat, good enough to give a barebones plot summary and entertain the person who hasn't read the book. But if you're read the book, you'll find that the movie barely does it justice. It's not that the movie stumbles in any major area, it's just the momentous task of bringing a 400 page novel to the big screen. They do it well enough, but the book will always be so much more.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:38 AM

Thursday, December 20, 2001

Bridget Jones's Diary directed by Sharon Maguire
Renee Zellweger stars as a single woman in her 30s (despite looking 23 on the box) who keeps a diary of her dating misadventures in an attempt to avoid becoming the typical British spinster. She goes back and forth between her handsome pimp of a boss and the standoffish lawyer who's really a nice guy. The movie has its funny moments, but it also has those awkwards situations where Zellweger is making such a fool of herself it's hard to watch. Rated R for language and sexual content (although no nudity or scenes of actual sex, amazingly).
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:58 AM

Wednesday, December 05, 2001

Ghost World directed by Terry Zwigoff
This movie is 3/4 of the way to being a great movie. I don't think that makes it a good movie, just a not-quite-great movie. Following two sarcastic, hyper-aware friends after graduation, it doesn't fall into the traps of glorifying high schoolers as at the peak of life or blandly writing them off as a package of hormones. Nothing particularly noteworthy in this movie, but it's good for some laughs - and if you identify a little too much with the 'cruel but trying' characters, maybe some tears too.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 9:07 AM

The Virgin Suicides directed by Sofia Coppola
It's rare to find a movie that deals with a subject as difficult as teenage suicide, and even more rare to find one that does it well. Although Coppola (who also wrote the script) uses the narrative viewpoint of the teenage boys 25 years after the death of five sisters in a sleepy Detroit suburb, she skillfully shifts the focus onto the relationship of the young girls with each other and with their parents. The story is just bizarre enough to be reasonable, and artfully connects these girls' broken dreams with the destruction of life around them.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 8:58 AM

Saturday, December 01, 2001

The Third Man directed by Carol Reed
Graham Greene's layered writing (easily recognizable to his fans), Carol Reed's flawless directing (wonderfully skewed angles and amazing noir-like use of shadows), and a strong cast's superb acting (the moment Orson Welles appears is one of the greatest single expressions I've seen caught on film) make this one of the great films of all time. One commentator on the DVD called it the best non-auteur film ever made. Greene (one of the twentieth century's most compelling authors) has said the movie was better than the book, because the story was designed to be seen, not read. The last scene (included at Reed's suggestion, not Greene's) is marvelous, and captures in a short minute so much of Greene's work and noir film. This is the kind of movie that film buffs love to analyze for hours on end.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 4:11 PM

Thursday, November 29, 2001

Silence of the Lambs Directed by Johnathan Demme
Whew! I don't know if I even have to say anything about this movie, but it's great! Yes, it's definitely creepy, and you may not want to watch it in an old creaky house late at night, but it's worth the trip. Demme's directing makes the gore more implied than obvious, actually making the movie even more eerie. Anthony Hopkins is, of course, indescribably perfect in his role as Hannibal Lecter. Jodie Foster acts to perfection as well, making a very remarkable and interesting heroine. The rest of the cast do equally well in their roles, and these elements, combined with the well-written story, make this movie a worthy use of your time.
posted by Neal T Redman at 12:41 PM

Monday, November 26, 2001

U2: Elevation Tour Live from Boston Directed by Hamish Hamilton
The only thing that could compete with a DVD U2 concert is actually seeing a concert in person. Since I had the good fortune to see the Elevation Tour in person, this DVD just couldn't match the real thing (notice I avoided an U2ism). That being said, however, this is still an awesome spectacle to behold. While the full atmosphere and lighting can't quite match the spectacle of seeing the concert in person, Hamilton directed his cameras so effectively you might think you're actually up on stage with Bono (especially when you see things through his eyes, care of the "Bono Cam") and the rest of the band. A must buy or rent for any fan of music.
posted by Neal T Redman at 3:29 PM

Friday, November 16, 2001

Monsters, Inc Directed by Peter Docter, David Silverman
Pixar's back at it again. If you haven't seen this film yet, I'd recommend you do so and save Harry Potter 'til the rush is over. While it isn't as good as the two Toy Story's, Pixar's combination of wit and creative story-telling make it worthwhile. Billy Crystal and John Goodman give life and fun to their characters, and they're backed up by a very talented cast. An added bonus is that you get to see the new Star Wars trailer (while it's still in theaters).
posted by Neal T Redman at 12:25 PM

The Decalogue Directed by Krzystof Kieslowski
The Decalogue is split into ten (duh!) stories, each using one of the Ten Commandments as a reference. An example is the First, which takes on "You shall have no gods before me." The story revolves around a father, son, and their computer. The father instructs his son in its uses, telling him to trust what it says. When they use the computer to determine if the ice on a nearby lake is thick enough to skate on, disaster ensues. Kieslowski is a master of the camera throughout this (and the other stories), a notable moment being as the son watches his father lecture to his college students. The filmmaking is distinctly un-Hollywood, which may be jarring for some viewers, but the only difficulty one should have with The Decalogue is finding a video store which carries this film (as well as finding ten hours-each story is an hour long- to watch). These movies are well worth the effort, however, so don't be scared off.
posted by Neal T Redman at 11:56 AM

Thursday, November 15, 2001

Grosse Pointe Blank directed by George Armitage
No one else is quite like John Cusack. He really deserves his own section in the video store, his movies are so full of his idiosynchratic persona. And this may just be the best John Cusack movie of them all, one that grows on you with each viewing. Surrounded by a great supporting cast, Cusack plays hitman Martin Blank who is returning to his 10-year high school reunion while trying to do a hit, avoid being hit, reestablish contact with girl he stood up on prom night, and work through his therapist's instructions. Chaos ensues.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 6:44 PM

Ran directed by Akira Kurosawa (subtitled in English)
Kurosawa's retelling of Shakespeare's King Lear is as epic as it is beautiful. This is some of the best cinematography you will find anywhere. His ability to transmit emotion simultaneously through words, body language, and frame composition is remarkable - very unlike the extreme close-up that Hollywood uses to create tension. At times, as with many of his later works, the film gets heavy-handed and overly long. Still, it's well worth the time and concentration.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 6:32 PM

Tomb Raider directed by Simon West
Save your time, save your money. Half Indiana Jones, half James Bond, plus boobs. The plot is nothing more than an excuse for Angelina Jolie to stretch, saunter, and jiggle her way across the screen. And U2's 'Elevation' from the movie's soundtrack didn't even make it on-screen to make a few minutes of the movie bearable.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:57 AM

Legally Blonde directed by Robert Luketic
Reese Witherspoon plays a sororiety president out to prove that blondes can do more than fashion shows and wet t-shirt contests. She ends up at Harvard Law School in a decent story about grrl power. It's funny, but focuses more on the story than on rolling-on-the-floor laughs.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:56 AM

Shrek directed by Andrew Adamson and Scott Marshall
It's the most realistic computer animated movie yet--but who cares? It's a great story! And with voices like Mike Meyers and Eddie Murphy, what more could you want? A powerful message about inner beauty? It's got that, too. It's the kids' movie that adults just may enjoy more.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:55 AM

Saturday, November 10, 2001

The Seventh Seal directed by Ingmar Bergman (subtitled in English)
Simply one of the world's great movies. It could make a skeptic out of a believer and a believer out of a skeptic. This subtitled Swedish film from 1957 abounds with religious imagery, as the characters journey through the movie reflecting on laughter, love, Death, and God.
posted by timothy paul yenter at 9:47 AM

Thursday, October 25, 2001

Cats & Dogs directed by Lawrence Guterman
As funny as the previews look, don't kid yourself--this movie was made for the eight-year-old boy. It has its entertaining moments, enough to make it a watchable and almost enjoyable family movie. But if you're hoping for a children's movie that entertains the kids and has the deeper, slicker humor that keeps adults coming back, you better keep looking.
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:57 AM

Tuesday, October 23, 2001

Fight Club directed by David Flancher
A testosterone flick with sweaty guys beating on each other? Not even close--this movie goes way beyond brutal violence and mines deeper issues of our modern existence in America. It's so relevant it wouldn't have been released after September 11. It's well-acted, well-made, and well-written, as well as vulgar and violent--certainly no family movie (also contains one sex scene with brief nudity).
posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:50 PM