Saturday, June 26, 2004

Just Visiting (movie review)

Just Visiting is a vile remake of a popular French comedy about a medieval knight who is projected into the future by a wizard and encounters his great-great-great-great granddaughter in modern-day Chicago. Jean Reno is the French star, re-creating his role in this English-language version of the film. Christina Applegate, of "Married with Children" fame, plays his descendant. Obviously the film seemed like a good idea to someone, but it is woefully executed, poorly scripted, and worst of all not funny. Grade: D

Touching the Void (movie review)

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Touching the Void, to its credit, is about true events. Two mountain-climbers get into serious trouble while climbing a high peak: on the way down, one of them breaks his leg. The injury is almost a sure death sentence for him, and perhaps his climbing partner, but miraculously both survive. There is little real suspense, because the two climbers narrate the movie. While the events are harrowing, and the cinematography is remarkable, the story lacks narrative drive. Grade: B-

Thursday, June 24, 2004

Spartan (movie review)

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Spartan is a recent film that for some reason didn't get wide distribution. Starring Val Kilmer and written and directed by David Mamet, it's a political thriller about the abduction of the president's daughter and one man's mission to save her from Arab slave traders. It is tightly written and features the double-switchback plotting that is characteristic of Mamet movies. Grade: B+
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Friday, June 18, 2004

Shrek 2 (movie review)

Shrek 2 largely sticks to the formula that made the first installment of Shrek so successful. This is both a weakness and a strength. I must confess that there were several gags that had me laughing out loud; but just as often, I found myself on the verge of yawning, with the seen-that-before feeling that is unavoidable in a sequel. On the plus side, the kids in the audience seemed to love it. Grade: B-

Thursday, June 17, 2004

The Dive from Clausen's Pier (book review)

The Dive from Clausen's Pier, by Ann Packer, is a minor masterpiece. It is also what some might call a "women's book," or even chick-lit. The first-person protagonist, Carrie Bell, is a young woman facing a dilemma. Her fiance, whom she is having doubts about, is critically injured when he dives into a shallow area of a lake and breaks his neck. Her journey to discover where her true feelings lie is the heart of the book. To distract herself when things get too intense, she sews. All in all, it held my interest and the resolution felt real, if not totally satisfying. Grade: B

City of God (movie review)

City of God is the "Godfather" of Brazilian cinema. Set in the slums of Rio de Janeiro during the '60s and '70s, it tells a story of street children who become gangsters because of lack of alternatives. While at times brilliant, it will be too violent for some tastes. Grade: B

Wednesday, June 16, 2004

The Station Agent (movie review)

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The Station Agent is a nearly perfect, small-budget film with on offbeat theme. Peter Dinklage stars as a 40-ish man who happens to be a dwarf named Fin. His plight in life seems to be loneliness, and he seems to adopt it willingly to avoid the company of "normal" people. But Fin, after inheriting an ancient railroad station, finds himself drawn into the lives of his neighbors and learns that friendship is not impossible. The lead actors deliver superb performances. Grade: B+
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Tuesday, June 15, 2004

Mystic River (movie review)

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I read the book by Dennis Lehane, and I was curious to see what the filmmakers would do with it. I'm pleased to report that, in my opinion, the movie is actually better than the book -- a very rare occurrence. The book has been streamlined and clarified, and the movie works very well with some powerful performances (including Academy Award winner Sean Penn). The only flaw in the movie is the ending, where it seems to kind of droop and adds new material that is unresolved. All in all though, a riveting movie experience. Grade: B-
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Friday, June 11, 2004

"The Poet" by Michael Connelly

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This is a rather routine thriller by the author of "Blood Work" and "The Concrete Blonde." The ending is supposed to be a double-twist shocker, but instead it stretches credibility to the breaking point. I can't write more without giving away the plot, but I do advise you not to waste your time on this book. comments? ciao@juno.com
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Friday, June 04, 2004

Big Fish (movie)

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Movie Review ** (out of ****)

I thought this movie had a lot of promise -- good actors, great cinematography, a magical feel. But lacking was a compelling story and a satisfying resolution. Particularly weak was the lead role played by Billy Crudup as the son of the "Big Fish" of the title. Whether the role was weakly written or just poorly acted I can't quite say, but I think it set the tone for the whole movie, and it didn't quite work for me. Parts of the movie are wonderful and fascinating, but as in most Tim Burton-directed movies the whole was less than the sum of the parts.
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