Movies I have seen in February 2002!
Gahan Wilson's The Kid
**Back in the 70's I loved Gahan Wilson's cartoon comedy in Playboy magazine. They were full of an uncanny dread and angst, and managed to be very funny. So I approached this movie with high expectations. Alas, it just didn't live up to them. A series of short storys concerning childhood angst, (Learning to undress women with his eyes, disecting a cat in Bilogy class, and trick or treating at a supposed witche's home). Nothing really much here. The animation was ok, but not dazzling, the storylines not very interesting-just another foul mouthed adult cartoon. Miss it.(No reviews on this one yet)
Josie and the Pussycats
**Commercialism has run amuck. Rock and roll music has been filled with subliminal messages which turn the youth of America into mindless consumers. But a girl-band, the Pussycats, won't fall for it. Sleazy music industry types (anyone read Napster?) and a mindless herd of teenagers make this movie slightly entertaining.But throw in a useless little love story and a cliche's plot and you don't really have much of a movie. Decent music. Interstingly, this movie contained an unusual number of visual add placements. Curious, given its subject matter. Miss it.
See review by James Berardinelli
The Boys
*1/2Austrailian movie. A young man gets out of prison and returns home to a dysfunctional situation. He and his two brothers become increasingly mired in a wasted lifestyle which only leads to more crime. Ths movie, I think, tried to be ultra real and disturbing, but really didn't succeed. It was just depressing. Not recommended.(Couldn't find a review on this one)
Los Locos
*This was a dreary movie. It was almost painful to watch. Much of it, I am sure was intended to be funny, but it was just sad. A western outlaw finds himself in the hands of a mean spirited num and a dozen or so psychotic patients. He has been given the job of leading them across a bandit infested desert. The movie ends with him and the psychos ina gunfight with the bandits. And of course, one of the patients is a beautiful and alluring woman. Please, do yourself a favor and miss this one!
See a Los Angeles times review on this loser
Sister Mary Explains it All
(***)(*)I am going to give two reviews to this movie. One each from a different perspective;
***OK, my sense of humor is weird, and I do not get overlly involved in political issues. With this in mind, I find humor in all sorts of dark situations. In other words, I do not take life all that seriously. In this vein, I laughed and laughed at this movie. I saw it as a parody of a personality type that we all know too well-the religious zealot. Viewed as a national lampoonesque comedy, this movie was quite effective. Overkill renders the prejudice displayed in it comical and laughable. See it.
*OK, lets be a little more serious. Religion is an important part of many lives, it allows us to conect to our sense of the sacred. We need it just to get by. Viewed from this point of view this movie was plain vicious. Somehow, since Catholocism was the subject, it is permisable. But make the same movie set from another viewpoint and it would have been banned and attacked mightily. Why do we feel it's ok to attack the beliefs of conservative Christians but not the conservative belifs of other religions? This is a serious issue. I laughed at this movie, but feel guilty that I did so. In the end it was nothing more than sad. Seeing the ending left the laughter feeling brutal. Don't see it.
The story? A group of Catholics rush to a church to re-do a Nativity play they had written as children. An odd (read mentally ill) nun is teaching the congregation when they arrive late and the updated play is far from innocent. The Sister reacts angrily and violently.
I really am mixed about this movie. As I was watching it, it felt so far removed from reality that it was funny. But as the movie progressed it looked less funny and then powerfully sad. Was this a black comedy? Or was this a vicious, anti-Catholic diatribe? I will have to let you make up your mind, because I really could not tell.
See review by Susan Granger
Wild Man Blues
**1/2This finely filmed documentary takes a close and personal look at Woody Allen and his dixieland jazz band on a European tour. Want to be famous? Wow, it must get taxing. But Allen handles it all with a great reserve of energy. And the music is great too! I got into this film. In fact, it is one of the mopre realistic documentaries I have seen., Highly recommended!
See review by Roger Ebert
Thirteen Days
***1/2The Cuban missle crisis happened when I was a young boy. I can still remember the fear that seemed to grip all of the adults around me. This movie was a historical reproduction of those thirteen days, and it was exceptionally well done. I appreciated seeing this, as it explained the history behind my vague memories. And, it turns out to be more than history. This movie is also a fine cinematic experience-great tension, great era reproduction and fine acting. I highly recommend it. It kept me engrossed for all of its 2 1/2 hours!
See review by James Berardinelli
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou
***A group of three convicts working on a chain gang escape. The ringleader promises them that he knows of a treasure buried somewhere. They follow him through all sorts of close calls and misadventures. I enjoyed this movie even though it got a little long winded and over ambitious at the end. There were some good comic situations and the story was full of fun turns. The look of the movie was great and I got into the period music (1930's). All in all I had fun watching this one! See it!
See review by James Berardinelli
The Family Man
**A big shot wall street type is ruthless and materialistic. He mysteriously encounters a gunman who somehow causes him to wake up with a wife and family. His wife is the girlfriend he loved many years ago. The biggest problem with this movie is that you know how it is going to end from the moment it starts. And there are no surprises. While it's certainly not a bad story, it just lacks anything that might make it compelling. A decent story, but an old, worn one with no new twists. Miss it.
See review by Roger Ebert
Pi
***Low budget, this movie was made for $60,000 and it shows. Grainy and black & white, it nevertheless presents a mood effectively. A mathematical genius who is a recluse and who suffers from a painful, episodic malady, becomes obsessed with finding the meaning of a 216 digit number his computer has produced. Interesting enough, but big business types are after what he knows as well as a hassidic group who believe the number is the very name of God. Intriguing story. I especially loved the parade of philosophical ideas this movie gives. Pretty fascinating ideas too. It got my brain moving, and I have to say that I like movies that do that. See it!!!!
See review by Roger Ebert
Safe Men
*1/2Two inept singers find themselves mistaken for professional safe crackers and for undescernable reasons don't deny the fact. Then they end up in more trouble than they bargained for, but one of them falls in love with the daughter of a victim. This movie really did nothing for me. I can imagine there might be people out there somewhere who might find it funny but I did not. A waste of time. This time would have been better spent sitting in a snowbank. Miss it!
See review by Roger Ebert
The Honeymoon Killers
*1/2Disturbing move. Filmed in 1960, it is very dated now, grainy black and white with inconsistent lighting. Based on a true story that took place in the late 1940's, it chronicles a man who swindles lonely woman by marrying them. He falls in love with a nurse, who turns out to be more despicable than he is. This movie had truley hatable characters. In fact, I think its been a very long time since I have so intesnly disliked any film character. If you have the patience for the film quality and an often plodding storyline, I recommend this movie. If for no other reason than to demonstrate just how low people can sink.
See film capsule at bbc.com
The Red Sneakers
**1/2A high school basketball manager gets a pair of magic red sneakers which gives him enough talent to not only make the team, but to become an instant star. Jealousy erupts from the previous star of the team, but the young man soon starts to see the error of this means of achieving something. This was a quality kid's movie. It delivered a much needed message, especially in today's climate of "shoes making the player." I enjoyed it and I do recommend it! (No reviews apparently available on this one yet)
Get Over It
*1/2A teen, obsessed with the love of his life who has just dumped him conspires in angst ridden ways to get her back. Even to the point of auditioning for the school play in which she plays an important part. Meanwhile, another, pretty young woman has her eyes on him. Sound creative, fresh and new? Of course not. This movie does have some nice cinematic effects and the comedy is fairly fresh. But its characters are not particularly believable, nor its plot. Miss it unless you are feeling a bit masochistic.
See review by James Berardinelli
Clockwatchers
***A mousey, introverted woman takes on a temporary position in a dreary office. Someone starts stealing items. She makes friends, and faces ethical complications, especially with a spirited co-worker. This movie, in spite of its dreariness was quite interesting. Perhaps one might compare it (in purpose anyway) with Chaplin's Modern Times. I think there was enough reality in this movie to make it effective. We live in dehumanized times. If you are threatened by this, definately miss this one, but if social alienation interests you, most definately see it!
See review by Roger Ebert
Pitch Black
**1/2Science fiction. Though this plot never came close to accomplishing what it set out to do (the bad guy becoming the good guy, etc) it was entertaining. There were a few really neat cinematic moments (I especially liked the scene where the winged creatures emerged from their daylight lairs). Do not misunderstand men. This was not a good movie, but it had an interesting story which maintained my interest. A spaceship carrying coma-induced humans crash lands on an alien world, one with three suns and endless daylight. But an eclipse is approaching which will unleash a horde of nocturnal terror. I recommend this movie. It has less stupid one-liners than most in this genre.
See review by James Berardinelli
Wes Craven Presents: Dracula 2000
***Hey, this was a decent vampire movie. I have seen many of them over the years, and this one (particularly at the beginning) had a VERY creepy Dracula. The Bram Stoker story is modernized a bit, and Craven's cinematography adds lots of subjective views, making it quite effective. The count is accidentally revived when some very capable theives steal his coffin, thinking it must contain riches. He pursues his blood daughter (her father has injected himself with the Count's blood so that he may hunt him over the century's) and he senses this blood-hunting for it. Effective movie, though perhaps overly reliant on the usual blood and gore. Still, there were enough creepy and interesting moments to insist that I recommend it!
See Review by James Berardinelli
George Washington
***1/2Whoever photographed this movie was an artist. He/she had the wonderful ability to pull pure beauty out of places where one rarely finds it. It was a joy just watching the film. The story, sadly, plodded along, though the slow pace DID add to the realism. Some young children accidentally hurt a friend and he dies. They hide the body. Though this sounds like a tense plot, it really wasn't. Everything was underplayed, and given the scenery, the unusual plot presentation-this was a great cinematic experience. the actors were all unknowns, and not particularly talented-to the point of messing up several lines. But that all added to the uniqueness of this movie. Definately see it, though not for those who require a steady dose of action and pandemonium in their movie watching!
See Review by Roger Ebert
Pandemonium
**Like those awful movies with tons of bad visual jokes and endless bad puns? If so, check this one out. A killer of cheerleaders is on the loose and our heroes are a bunch of dimwits who want to be cheerleaders. The murderer knocks them off one by one with slapstick puns and awful one liners. This was NOT a good movie. But I had some fun watching it. So who cares. See it if you have a warped sense of humor and some time to kill.(Couldn't find a review of this one-not really suprised!)
See review at coastnet.com
Black Sea 213
*Action flick!! Lot's of it too. Unfortunately, this movie becomes mired in it's own inability to sustain a credible lot. The storyline is convoluted and cliche'd. Lots of beautiful, naked women but little else to hold on'e interest. A photographer is hired to shoot naked ladies on a ship, but unbeknown to him, it is carrying a billion dollar secret weapon which has been stolen by terrorists. He has to rescure the good women from the bad ones and save the world which, of course, he does in superhuman fashion. Ho hum. Seen it. Seen it. Seen it. So miss it.
The Item
*1/2I wanted to like this movie. There were short moments which showed cinematic greatness, it approached being visually stunning. But ib the end, it drowned in its own excesses. Excessive blood and gore, (I especially hated the 'squishes' which were given every time blood was shown.) The story? A group of odd persons buy an organism from a scientist. They plan to sell it for millions. It's an odd, genetically altered organism, but it revives. During this time various problems arise, each demanding a bloody and violent end. Really, don't see this movie.
See review at filmcritic.com
Bad Manners
***1/2Married college professors entertain visitors, and old friend of the wife and a brash young woman. What begins as a small act of mistrust escalates into a series of ethical dilemas. This movie was quite interesting. The plot was intricate and well formed. Each of the characters presented a unique persona to the developing balance between trust and our seemingly compulsive need to decieve. Very interesting. The tension constant and engaging. It kept my interest strongly to the end. I recommend it!
See review by Roger Ebert