Sunday, January 30, 2005

Twelve Monkeys (DVD review)

Twelve Monkeys (1995) starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt. Directed by Terry Gilliam. This is a hard movie to grade, because so many viewers will have such varying reactions to it. I like this kind of movie in general, but found this one a bit disappointing this time around (this is about the third time I've seen it). For those who aren't familiar with it, it's a rather bizarre future noir in which time travel is used in an effort to save the remnants of Earth's population from a plague. Bruce Willis plays a convict who "volunteers" to travel back in time and try to find out what the origin of the plague was. Needless to say, there are convoluted time travel paradoxes involved, but it's all tied up rather neatly in the end. Grade: B


Friday, January 28, 2005

Garden State (DVD review)

Garden State (2004) starring Zach Braff, Natalie Portman. Braff's character, Andrew Largeman, is called home to New Jersey from California when his mother dies. Andrew, whose acting career is stalled, reconnects with some old friends but fails to reconnect with his father (Ian Holm). Much quirky humor with his old friends ensues. Braff, best known for the TV show "Scrubs," also wrote and directed "Garden State." Natalie Portman is utterly charming as Sam, the slightly cracked girl he accidentally meets and falls in love with. Overall, this is an offbeat movie, flawed but enjoyable to watch. Grade: B

Thursday, January 27, 2005

In Good Company (movie review)

In Good Company (2004), starring Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, Scarlett Johansson. A corporate raider buys the company for which Quaid works, and Grace is brought in as his new, young hotshot boss. The situation is complicated by an affair between Quaid's daughter (Johansson) and his boss (Grace). This movie has the best of intentions, but I was oddly disappointed. The actors all give good performances, but the script is lacking in zing. It does a good job of depicting the devastation of the landscape in the modern, cutthroat corporate world, but not much else happens. I wanted to see a more substantial part for Johansson, who is an excellent actor, and I wanted to see her wearing less makeup than she wears here. Basically, she acts as just a foil for Grace and Quaid. Grade: B-

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Hidalgo (DVD review)

Hidalgo (2004) starring Viggo Mortensen. Set in 1890, "Hidalgo" tells the story of a man and his horse, who enter a great race in the middle east called the Ocean of Fire. Horse lovers and children may enjoy this movie, but discerning adults will likely find little to care about. There were many scenes where I thought to myself, "nonsense." There is much that makes no sense in this movie; yet it has a certain grandiose flavor that a viewer could enjoy if he chose to ignore the flaws. Grade: C+

Monday, January 24, 2005

The Quiet Room (book review)

The Quiet Room (1994) by Lori Schiller. The subtitle of this book is "A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness," and that about sums it up. It tells the true story of Lori Schiller, who started hearing "Voices" at the age of 17 and was eventually diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder. Her illness combined the mood swings of bipolar disease with the auditory hallucinations that sometimes accompany schizophrenia. Also included are chapters written by Lori's parents, siblings, friends and doctors, so that you see the effects of the devastating disease from several points of view. This book lacks the professional sheen of some best-sellers, but makes up for it with gritty reality. A true horror story. Grade: A-

Manny and Lo (DVD review)

Manny and Lo (1996) starring Scarlett Johansson, Mary Kay Place. A charming, low-budget film starring a young Johansson as one of two sisters who have gone on the lam from foster homes after their mother's death. Things get complicated when one of the sisters gets pregnant, and they find help in an unexpected place. Grade: B+

Saturday, January 22, 2005

The Motive (book review)

The Motive (2005) by John Lescroart. A man and his mistress die in a fire in a Victorian mansion in San Francisco. Good cop Abe Glitsky investigates the crime and lawyer Dismas Hardy defends Catherine Hanover, who is falsely accused in the death of her father-in-law. Kind of a "Law & Order" in book form -- a combination of police procedural and courtroom drama, with some thriller elements thrown in. Although this book is credibility-challenged, I still found it entertaining. It took about fifty or a hundred pages before I felt completely engaged, however, and some readers may not want to invest that much time in a relatively low-reward book. Grade: B

Thursday, January 20, 2005

Open Water (DVD review)

Open Water (2003) starring a cast of unknowns. Susan and Daniel are left behind when their scuba expedition boat leaves without them. They are left floating, alone together, on what seems like a vast, endless sea. But they are not really alone, for the sea is filled with little fish, stinging jellyfish and, yes ... sharks. The drama is slow going at first, but once it shifts into high gear some viewers will find this film both harrowing and horrifying. I found the ending genuinely surprising and even a little shocking. Grade: B

Sunday, January 16, 2005

Subwayland (book review)

Subwayland (2004) by Randy Kennedy. Interesting compendium of columns about the New York subway system, written by Kennedy for the New York Times. The only complaint I have is a rare one -- the articles are too short. Some of the subject matter is fascinating -- mostly dealing with the fringe of the fringe related to the subway -- but many of the columns barely brush the surface of the story before they're over. Still, an enjoyable read. Grade: B+

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

The Manchurian Candidate (DVD review)

The Manchurian Candidate (2004) Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, Meryl Streep. This remake of the 1962 "classic" has the virtue of starring Denzel Washington instead of Frank Sinatra. Everything else has been updated, too. No longer based in Cold War paranoia, this film taps into the current war on terror for its bogeyman. The mind control is brought about by high technology instead of simple brainwashing. The acting is fine, but the resolution of the plot is not well-explained. Grade: B-

Monday, January 10, 2005

Stander (DVD review)

Stander (2003) starring Thomas Jane as cop-turned-bank-robber Andre Stander in South Africa. A police captain, enraged at the social injustice of Apartheid, turns to robbing banks. At first, he ends up investigating his own crimes. But he is soon caught and jailed, only to escape and embark on a second crime spree. In the process, he becomes a bit of a folk hero in South Africa. The movie is engaging enough, but it will have a been-there, seen-that feeling to viewers who have seen "Bonnie and Clyde" or "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." Grade: B-

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Hero (DVD review)

Hero (2004) in Chinese with English subtitles. Visually stunning, with different parts of the story having their own color schemes; yet the story itself is curiously unsatisfying. All the intrigue about assassinating or not assassinating an ancient Chinese ruler doesn't resonate much for Western viewers, and there is little human drama to draw you in. Grade: B

Monday, January 03, 2005

The Bourne Supremacy (DVD review)

The Bourne Supremacy (2004) starring Matt Damon, Joan Allen. Those who enjoyed Franka Potente in "The Bourne Identity" should know that she appears only briefly at the beginning of "Supremacy." The film has several other flaws. Although the plot is clear, the characters are well developed and the acting is good, "The Bourne Supremacy" is lacking in drama. There is little movement on the question of Bourne's "real" identity. The director can be blamed for the action scenes, which feature so much jump-cutting and jittery camera work that they amount to little more than a blur of motion. Other than that, the film is basically one long chase scene, and ends, sadly enough, with an extended car chase (gee, where have we seen this before?). On the plus side, Matt Damon is engaging in the lead role as Jason Bourne. Grade: B-