Adventures in Babysitting – Slight, but enjoyable teen comedy from Chris Columbus. Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue) is babysitting a trio of kids when she finds herself broke in the big city and chased by some fairly evil guys. There’s a handful too much profanity, but it would otherwise be a fun, adequate piece of entertainment for the teenage crowd.
Bad News Bears – My memory of the original may be a little hazy, making Richard Linklater’s version seems more mainstream and less crude. That’s not a good thing, though. The original wasn’t a cute family movie (as I remember, at least), but a vulgar and beautiful deviation from the normal underdog sports movie. The new version is funny enough though, with Billy Bob Thorton playing a boozing coach of a misfit team. Thorton may be starting to stereotype himself by taking these roles, but that’s because he fits them so perfectly.
Casino Royale – Daniel Craig jumps into the James Bond role, and leaves most of the class behind. Instead, he brings muscle, grit and a bit of amorality. It’s actually very refreshing, and the action sequences are usually enjoyable. There’s also the scrumptious Eva Green as one of the most beautiful Bond girls ever. That said, it’s not my favorite Bond film (I still have a deep appreciation for Die Another Day, for one), but I like it more than enough to recommend it to anyone who may have lost faith in the franchise.
Charlotte’s Webb – Despite having some adolescent theatrical ties to the story, I didn’t have much of a desire to see this film, but I walked away very pleased. The classic children’s story of a pig and a spider who form a friendship in a barn, the story is cute, the music is by Danny Elfman and the animation is excellent. It’s a swell family movie that I saw with both parents, all three siblings, one in-law and a future in-law, as well as a future niece and nephew, and their grandmother, who apparently hasn’t been to the theater in years. The fact that all of us ended up satisfied is a testimonial to the film’s entertainment value and quality, and is probably something that EB White would be proud of.
The Dead Pool – The fifth and final Dirty Harry film is likely the least in the series, as it doesn’t have much to add with the exception of appearances by Jim Carrey and Liam Neeson. I suppose there’s a nifty, but physically inane, car chase in the middle of the film, too. The problem is that the film seems to have taken a leap toward big bad no-brainer action films of the day (1987), instead of the frustrated incompetence that the series is based on. This time, Harry is tracking down a serial killer in Hollywood, who is killing people according to a “Dead Pool,” which is a betting game about which celebrities are likely to die soon. It’s not a bad film, it’s just too unrealistic too function as a Dirty Harry film.
Death Wish – Had it not been for a few sequels and pop culture’s desire to graft something onto Charles Bronson, chances are this film would not even be remembered today. A vigilante dream with few ideas of its own, Death Wish follows New Yorker Bronson, who’s wife was murdered and daughter made catatonic after a random attack by three hoodlums. The bereaved father takes his anger out on other wood-be muggers, shooting them dead, while the police are breathing down his neck. It’s a simple revenge fantasy with only a slight attachment to logic or true emotion, aiming instead to jump on a Dirty Harry bandwagon.
The Departed – Martin Scorsese’s newest film looks at a pair of moles, one in the police force working for the mob, and one in the mob working for the police. It’s certainly gritty, and it’s got plenty of gore, profanity and surprises up its sleeve, leading to an enjoyable if overlong crime drama. The casting is great, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and particularly Jack Nicholson landing swell performances in memorable roles, but it’s the director who does most of the work, combining them all together into an effective and very enjoyable caper.
The Descent – I certainly liked this horror flick, but not nearly as much as I had hoped to. A group of girls go spelunking in an uncharted Appalachian cave, and if cutting off their way in isn’t bad enough, they also have to deal with some primitive humanistic monsters and their own dastardly instincts. It’s got to say something that I was much scared by the incredibly claustrophobic sequences involving wriggling through deeply tight spaces than by the attack of the creatures themselves, and the fact that the two never really coexisted does not help. I also was let down by the ending, but overall I enjoyed it to a degree. People with more discriminating tastes are probably more likely to enjoy it though, which is an odd statement to make.
The Enforcer – Clint Eastwood is back as Dirty Harry, taking on a group of terrorist jerks masquerading as freedom fighters. Harry is pretty much the same as before, which doesn’t help as he seems no worse than previously, and he needs to be to keep that edge. The villains are pretty lame, as well. The only boost in the film comes from Tyne Daly as his eager but untested partner. It’s a fine time, as Dirty Harry movies should be, but I don’t know that it qualifies as a good movie.
Final Destination 3 – When a girl foresees a terrible roller coaster crash, and only a few of her classmates survive it, they are stalked one by one by death, who still plans to claim them in grizzly ways. It’s still fun, and with a few very gory moments, but its biggest weakness is in its lack of originality. It’s basically a remake of the first two, only without coming up with its own story, or even doing more than casually mentioning the first film as a way to avoid having to do any kind of plot development. On the other hand, given the chance, I would prefer this one to the previous two if only for it’s neat effects, somehow unexpected deaths, strange sense of humor and, of course, the gore. It’s not going to be a classic, heck, it’s not even good, but like most roller-coasters, it’s fun while you’re riding it.
Hellbound: Hellraiser 2: Thankfully, this one has less of the Lifetime-Channel-esque moments that marred the first film, choosing instead to skip right to the gore. However, it also seems to skip most of the movie, choosing instead to go right to a finale that lasts for the last 2/3 of the movie. Maybe I am over-exaggerating, but it’s only upsetting because the film really isn’t very good. The effects are good, but there is nothing else at all to even latch on to. I suppose Pinhead and Co. are cool, too, but even then, they are mostly wasted in director Tony Randell’s attempts to make the film bigger and badder. It’s definitely badder.
The Hitcher – An 80’s classic in my family, this soon-to-be-remade thriller finds Rutger Hauer as an incredibly sadistic hitchhiker who torments the young and naïve C. Thomas Howell. It’s pretty slick although it doesn’t seem like it had a very big budget, and it also includes one of the most memorable deaths ever. Unfortunately, it’s one of those films that is pretty well negated these days by the prominence of cell phones, which brings up interesting questions about the remake.
Hostel – I’m not a fan of the Saw movies, and I was thoroughly disappointed in Eli Roth’s first film Cabin Fever, but I still was interested in seeing a movie that combined both things I don’t like. As such, I actually liked it quite a bit. The story involves a trio of guys who go to Slovakia and find their anatomies threatened by a series of gruesome torture techniques. On the negative side, it’s not exactly quality film-making, and I can’t believe that Europeans would take too kindly to it, as it pretty much nails the ugly American thing on the head. But, there’s an abundance of gore and nudity, and its highly enjoyable if you like that kind of thing. It also shows a step-up for Roth in terms of keeping the horror realistic (which was Cabin Fever’s weakest aspect), and despite being a film from the Saw school of horror films, it does pay at least some attention to its characters. SPOILER ALERT: One of the things that it does do right is that at least one of the characters survives. Maybe I’m from the old school of horror films, wherein the bad guys get punished and a hero survives, but it seems like the majority of current horror films go the other way. Although I can appreciate a certain amount of bucking the system, there’s something completely wrong with putting audiences through two hours of hard-core violence, only to end it by killing them all for no other purpose that to shock. In short, this is like the good version of Wolf Creek.
Mean Girls – Lindsay Lohan is Cady, a home-schooled student whose first taste of American high school life is formed when she joins, and tries to destroy, the group of popular girls who run everyone’s lives (at least they think so). A witty and enjoyable teen comedy, Mean Girls coasts by on swell charisma from the cast combined with Tina Fey’s clever-when-it-wants-to-be script. It’s too predictable in spots (although there is at least one spot that I would never, ever see coming), and it really is just a teenager movie, despite being a vast improvement over the typical fare. Imagine the humor of Clueless meeting the basic plot of Heathers (minus the death thing) and you’ve pretty much got this slice of teen girl life down.
Millions – Danny Boyle’s family movie is a tad bit uneven, but considering it’s a ridiculously charming family film from the director of 28 Days Later and Trainspotting, it’s easily forgiven. Two young Brit children come across a bag of money, and while the eldest prefers to spend it to increase his social standing, the youngest (Damian) wants to give it to the poor. Well, at least until the dangerous men who lost it come looking for it, then they’d probably prefer it didn’t exist at all. It’s got a lot of the same charming effects as in Amelie courtesy of Damian’s imagination, and where it not for a moment or two of terror and very very mild sexuality, it’d be a family film for the ages. As it is, it’s a film that designed to bring out the kid in every adult who’s still got one inside.
Night at the Museum – Ben Stiller takes a job as night security at a museum, only to find that the creatures in there become alive during the evening. It’s a silly family movie, that’s not without its charm, but it’s also pretty unimaginative. Once the concept of the living creatures is set up, the rest of it pretty much falls into place. It’s not a horrible movie, but it is a disappointment given the cast (including Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Ricky Gervais, Carla Gugino, Dick van Dyke and Mickey Rooney, to name most of them) and the writers, who are two of the cast members of Reno 911!).
Office Space – Still funny.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – It took a long time until I finally saw this sequel, but it was probably best that way. Word got around that it wasn’t all that great, so an early disappointment was avoided, and a later lowered expectation was rewarded. The film is fun, and there are a handful of tremendously wonderful scenes, but it lacks a certain coherency, and it feels as if it’s trying way too hard. It’s a long movie too, which just means that there’s too much, too fast and over too much time. But it’s still worth watching for sheer entertainment value (which includes Depp’s fascinating portrayal and Keira Knightley’s good looks), if nothing else.
The Prestige – Christopher Nolan’s newest film is beautiful and semi-mindbending, and thoroughly enchanting and entertaining as well. The story of two magicians who are at a constant war with each other, there’s a distinct sense of sadness permeating the film, and although it’s not nearly as memorable as just about any of Nolan’s previous efforts, it’s still quite good.
Private Benjamin – Judy Benjamin (Goldie Hawn) is a pampered princess who joins the military when her recruiter convinces her that it’s closer to Club Med than the actual army. Although she will eventually learn to be smart and reliable, she has a lot of initial difficulty dealing with a vicious superior and peers who don’t think very highly of her. The movie, hate to say it, just doesn’t work. For one, it’s usually not funny. Oh, it seems like it should be funny. It’s just, well, not. Secondly, it eventually trails off in the second half, when Benjamin falls for an iffy suitor, where it becomes more about female empowerment than the army, or humor, or anything else. It’s really just a waste of time.
Sideways – Too comedic to be a drama, but with too few jokes to be a comedy, Sideways is still pretty humorous, but is mostly a slice-of-life charmer. Miles (Paul Giamatti) and Jack (Thomas Hayden Church) are two friends on a winetasting vacation to celebrate the upcoming marriage of Jack. Miles is still depressed following his divorce from two years ago, but he finds a possible companion in Maya (Virgnia Madsen), who he just doesn’t have the guts to fall for. Meanwhile, Jack carries on with Stephanie (Sandra Oh) who is unaware of his present engagement. It’s cute and easily enjoyable, mostly because of great acting from the stars, in vastly fascinating roles.
Sudden Impact – The fourth Dirty Harry film is probably the best since the original, with Harry stuck in a Podunk town near San Francisco. Callahan clashes with the local police chief, keeps getting attacked by mafia henchmen, faces off against some scum he inappropriately arrested earlier, finally says “Go ahead, make my day” and falls in love, all while trying to solve series of murders revolving around a ten-year old rape case. If that’s seems like a lot to be doing, it is. But it also feels just like it should, either creating or using the template that police comedies have been mocking for years. It’s also got a few great moments that tie in with a good soundtrack, making the whole thing wonderful, but unbelievable, fun.
Swamp Thing – A favorite from my childhood that I haven’t seen in well over a decade, Swamp Thing is an early 80’s Wes Craven film about a scientist who gets transformed in the swamps and then fights back against the baddies who caused it. The make-up is pretty good, though the costumes are kind of obvious. The story is inherently silly. And the acting is a bit below par. But the movie wasn’t made for people who are picky about their entertainment. It was made for teenage boys who get a kick out of monster movies, and I can tell you that when I was a teenage boy, I loved it. There are a lot of scenes I could recall vividly even before I re-watched it, and enough adventure, excitement and mild scares to make most young men giddy.
Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby – More Will Ferrell. It’s a sporadically funny film about a Nascar driver who dreams only of going fast, but given that I think Nascar is pretty funny by itself, I expected the movie to be funnier. It does have a slightly better “story” than the typical Ferrell fare, but in the end it doesn’t add up to much. As an actor, Ferrell has some range (at least I guess so based off of the Stranger Than Fiction reviews), and that’s good news, as the more “honest” roles he gets, the less often he will sink to these kind of half-assed movies, and the funnier they hopefully will be.
Under Siege – For a period of time in the early nineties, it seemed as if Die Hard knock-offs were a dime a dozen. Under Siege may have been one of them, but it’s probably the best there was. Steven Segal is a cook on a battleship, and the ship is taken over by a group of terrorists led by Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey. Their portrayals of the criminals are fun and exciting, while Segal is at his most attainable as a skillful killer dealing with problems with authority. It’s exciting and violent, and from a director who would go on to bigger and better things (Andrew Davis, The Fugitive) before he started to suck almost universally.
Wildcats – This 1986 football movie finds Goldie Hawn coaching an inner city high school team, and fighting for respect. It’s a basic underdog type story, with heaps and heaps of underdog moments thrown in even when unnecessary. But it does have some funny moments, and some nice memorable ones. In fact, I remember more of the movie than I could possibly have expected too, as I don’t even really remember seeing it at all. I do remember, however, that this is where I started occasionally using Nipsey Russell’s recurring phrase (including tone), even if I had forgotten where I got it from.
Waiting – Crass humor about a day in the life of restaurant workers, the film gets a lot of mileage from me based on my vast expertise in the restaurant business. But it seldom rises above the basest expectations, with only a few clever script choices or great lines. Frankly, it should have been much better.
The Wrong Guy – After being passed over for a promotion, a young executive plans to tell off his boss, only to find him murdered. In order to avoid being wrongfully accused, the executive takes off across the country. Except the police aren’t looking for him, because they have a video tape showing who the real killer is. A straight-to-video comedy for undiscerning tastes, The Wrong Guy still packs a lot of humor into it’s brief run time, mainly thanks to cast that includes Dave Foley and Jennifer Tilly, and features a wonderfully stupid performance by David Higgins as the world’s worst police detective. It’s a guilty pleasure in the extreme, and one that I am proud to have seen. ( I saw it twice, too).
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