dibot Blog

Man Who Fell to Secret Shutter Redbelt Terrace

dibot — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 04:38:41 GMT

Shutter, which I knew nothing about going in, turned out to be pretty creepy. Joshua Jackson ("Bobby") stars as a photographer who keeps seeing a ghost in his pictures. Then she turns up haunting him and his girlfriend, so they try to sort out why she's so pissed. The mood is pretty chilly throughout, and even the end held up. I wouldn't say seek it out, but if you come across it, it's worth watching.

The newest film from writer/director David Mamet ("Spartan"), Redbelt is sort of about a martial arts instructor who doesn't want to fight in a tournament, but then circumstances, and acquaintances, conspire to get him into it. Because it's Mamet, the dialogue is super cool. My two new favorite phrases, "Let the wheel come around," and "Leave the outside, outside." However, there are a few side stories that are either confusing or don't go anywhere. Chiwetel Ejiofor ("American Gangster") is amazing in the lead. His eyes express everything. I quite enjoyed this.

Drawn to The Secret through my movie crush on David Duchovny ("The X-Files: I Want to Believe"), I had no idea what I was getting into. I'm still not sure what happened. Okay, I am, but I kind of wish I didn't know. Duchovny's wife and teenage daughter are in a car crash, and the wife's soul ends up in the daughter's body. then she tries to convince Duchovny she's his wife, not his daughter, and uncomfortableness ensues. Very interesting, yet disturbing film. I enjoyed it.

I wasn't really interested in Lakeview Terrace until I heard Neil LaBute ("The Wicker Man") was directing. LaBute has a way of creating a really disturbing story with totally messed up and, yet, sometimes sympathetic characters. If I pretend the remake of The Wicker Man never happened, he's one of my favorite directors. And this film is not a disappointment. Patrick Wilson ("Evening") and Kerry Washington ("Miracle at St. Anna") a mixed-race couple, move into a nice suburb where their neighbor, a black cop in the form of Samuel L. Jackson ("Jumper"), is forced to confront his own prejudices. The main plot is a pretty by-the-book thriller, but the characters are well developed and believable. And when LaBute wants to make us uncomfortable and scared, we are. Also, the racism issues aren't wrapped up in a neat ball, but laid out for us to think about and digest. Not a great film, but a good one.

The Man Who Fell to Earth is a classic science fiction movie starring David Bowie ("Arthur and the Invisibles") as an alien who is trying to figure out a way to transport water back to his home planet. And it's weird and long. There a flashbacks and forwards and general disregard of traditional timelines. Some of the shots are cool. There's a lot, and I mean, a lot of nudity, both male and female. I don't know about this film. I couldn't really get into the story and now I'm just scared for life.

Righteous Baby Mama Returns to Getaway Jules and Jim

dibot — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:30:21 GMT

Righteous Kill reunites two acting greats, Al Pacino ("Ocean's Thirteen") and Robert De Niro ("Stardust"). I was intrigued enough to get to the theater, but really the film is just a glorified made-for-TV cop drama. It's very predictable. Neither De Niro or Pacino really bring anything new to their roles of cops tracking a serial killer who is probably one of their own. I did enjoy seeing De Niro play the more angry role. Just wait for this to come on cable.

With funnywomen Tina Fey ("30 Rock") and Amy Poehler ("Saturday Night Live") in the leads, Baby Mama should have been a big basket of funny. But, alas, it was not. Fey wants a baby, but is unable to conceive, so she hires Poehler to be her surrogate. Poehler is white-trash. Fey is upscale business. I guess writer/director Michael McCullers ("Thunderbirds," Baby Mama is his directorial debut) thought hijinks would ensue. However, the only funny bits were Poehler peeing in the sink and everything involving the doorman, Romany Malco ("The Love Guru"), who I couldn't get enough of. Also, Fey and love interest Greg Kinnear ("Ghost Town") have zero chemistry. Just skip it.

The Getaway stars the ever cool Steve McQueen ("The Hunter") as a thief just released from jail. His wife, Ali MacGraw ("Glam"), has to do some shady stuff to get him an early release, and McQueen must pull off a heist for the corrupt warden once he's on the outside. The film is directed by Sam Peckinpah ("The Osterman Weekend") so there's loads of violence, slow motion and female issues. It also takes it's time getting where it's going. But McQueen is awesome, the shots are amazing. It's worth the time.

Jules and Jim is a famous French movie from director Francios Truffaut ("Confidentially Yours"). Jules and Jim are great friends who fall for the same woman. Then there's lots of voiceover and ridiculous philosophizing. The girl will do anything to get attention and the men will put up with her shenanigans. I didn't really care for it. I couldn't get behind any of the characters. In fact, most of the time they made me really mad. And this distracted me from any other goodness the film may hold. Maybe I was in the wrong mood, but I didn't get why this is so great.

Usually, with my love of bad horror movies, I can find something good to say about them, but I'm at a loss with Return to House on Haunted Hill. Even the ghosts weren't very creepy. Someone was drawn and quartered, so that was kind of neat. But bad acting, dialogue and plot just wiped that all out.

Blow-Up Rio Bravo In the Heat of Strange Cannibal

dibot — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 03:37:04 GMT

I now know why people love John Wayne ("The Shootist"). Directed by Howard Hawks ("Rio Lobo"), Rio Bravo stars Wayne as a sheriff in an old-west town trying to hold a powerful man in jail until the Marshall comes. For help he has a recovering alcoholic deputy, played beautifully by Dean Martin ("Cannonball Run II"), and an old hilarious, crotchety jail keeper, played by Walter Brennan ("Smoke in the Wind"). They pick up Ricky Nelson ("Sonic Boom") for a little more backup and some singing. The four take a stand against many hired and better armed men. And there's a sassy gambler, Angie Dickinson ("Elvis Has Left the Building"), for Wayne to fall for. And it's three hours of movie magic. Loved it.

Though Blow-Up features more beautiful shots than gripping plot, I found myself glued to the screen. This is the first film I've seen from director Michelangelo Antonioni ("Eros"), and if his other films live up to this, I can't wait to watch more. The story focuses on a snotty photographer, played by David Hemmings ("Gangs of New York"), who catches a murder on film. Then he tries to figure out what to do about it. The film is gorgeous shot after gorgeous shot, then some attitude from Hemmings, then some more gorgeous shots. Then it ends with mimes playing tennis. Awesome.

I finally saw In the Heat of the Night and my love for Sidney Poitier ("The Jackal") has grown with the viewing. Basically, the film is a murder mystery, but so much more is going on. Poitier is a Philadelphia detective passing through rural Mississippi when the murder occurs. He's accused by the local racist sheriff, Rod Steiger ("Poolhall Junkies"), who is then forced to work with him to solve the case. Steiger won the Best Actor Oscar for his work, and the film won another four Oscars, including Best Picture.

My love for Steve Zahn ("Rescue Dawn") has finally found a bridge it cannot cross, Strange Wilderness. Zahn stars as the host of a televisions wildlife show that he inherited from his father. Sadly, Zahn and his crew are terrible documentarians who don't check facts and record ridiculous narration for the program. So the show fails, but they go on a quest of find Big Foot to try and save it. And the movie is as ludicrous as the plot sounds. A few funny bits, mostly delivered by Justin Long ("Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story"). A very big disappointment.

Cannibal Holocaust is the worst movie ever. It's not art. It's not entertainment. It isn't even very shocking, except the parts where they were killing real animals. I urge you not to rent this tasteless and brainless film so the director will get no residuals.

Smart Sleuth's Last Andromeda Doomsday Kiss

dibot — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:27:22 GMT

Smart People (2008) is a light dramedy starring Dennis Quaid ("Vantage Point") as a self-absorbed, egotistical professor who begins to change his life after an accident leaves him unable to drive. He's surrounded by quirky family, most notably Thomas Haden Church ("Spider-man 3"), the best part of the film. I thought some of it was trying to hard, but mostly it's entertaining. Something to relax with on a gloomy day.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh ("The Magic Flute"), Sleuth brings together both Alfies, Michael Caine ("The Dark Knight") and Jude Law ("My Blueberry Nights"), and allows them to act their pants off. Sometimes literally. Adapted from Anthony Shaffer ("The Wicker Man")'s play, and a remake of 1972 film, in which Caine also starred, the action is all set in Caine's home. But it is an elaborate and beautiful contraption, almost a character itself. Branagh keeps it from being too static with interesting shots. Caine's character has discovered that Law is sleeping with his wife, and this confrontation puts both actors in top form. I was reminded why I once thought Law was a great actor. Definitely check this out.

Doomsday is a glorious mess from writer/director Neil Marshall ("The Descent"). Part Escape from New York and part Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Marshall brings in everything from removable spying eyes to medieval knights. The acting and dialogue are over the top, and there are many holes in the plot. But it doesn't really matter. Everyone involved seems to be having a great time, and I went ride along for the ride.

I found the original Andromeda Strain to be a bit boring. Made in 1971 by director Robert Wise ("Rooftops"), the plot follows a team of scientists as they investigate a meteor which fell to earth and infected a small town with a deadly virus. The movie is a little heavy on the science, which, though I guess it made it seem more real, slowed the film way down. Still, one of the classic sci-fi stores and worth the watch.

I didn't hate The Last Kiss, but I became pretty disgusted with most of the characters by the end of the film. Trying to capitalize on star Zach Braff ("Fast Track")'s success with Garden State, The Last Kiss was marketed as a similar film, but it just isn't. Four male friends try to be adults and either work out their relationship problems, or run from them. Even Casey Affleck ("Gone Baby Gone"), who I love, was worthless. I just wanted to shake all these guys and tell them to stop being so whiny. I can't recommend it.

Le Cercle de Rififi Skinwalkers Kiss Italian Spider Women

dibot — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:33:50 GMT

The first time I started watching Skinwalkers, I couldn't finish it. I got freaked out because it was late at night and everyone had fallen asleep, leaving me alone with my werewolf fear. However, the next time around, still alone, but this time during the day, it wasn't nearly as effective. The plot revolves around a group of werewolves who see the condition as a curse and a young boy who has been prophesied to save them. The there's the other group of werewolves who kind of like hunting and killing people and they're trying to stop this little boy. The story is good, the werewolves are effective and it has good production. But I think that's part of the problem. The movie is hit by a cool curse. It think's it a lot cooler than it is. Still, alone at night, this could creep you out.

Rififi is a truly awesome heist film. Jean Servais ("Porzi"), just out of jail, burns the screen with his eyes. The perpetrators execute the heist in complete silence. It's gritty, sometimes funny and then heartbreaking. I loved it. I don't even have the words for how good this is.

Le Cercle Rouge is another tight heist film, and a definite influence on at least two Coen Brothers films. Again, the heist is pulled off in silence. This film is on a grander scale than Rififi and show the cop as he tracks the criminals. It features a guy busting out of a moving train window, but that awesomeness is shatter by the ludicrous dance number put on by the women at the night club. Still, definitely worth watching.

In contrast to Rififi and Le Cercle Rouge, The Italian Job is a joke. Michael Caine ("The Dark Knight") plays a fast-talking thief just out of jail who orchestrates an elaborate heist, with lots of talking, and complete with mini cars. I lost interest in this, and there was a terrible song that got stuck in my head for the rest of the day. Plus, a groan-inducing ending. I preferred the remake. And that's sad.

Kiss of the Spider Woman won William Hurt ("The Incredible Hulk") an Oscar for his portrayal of a gay prisoner sharing a cell with Raul Julia ("Street Fighter"). To pass the time, Hurt tells Julia the plot of his favorite movie. And they bond. And it really is as boring as it sounds. I guess in 1985, playing a gay character was a bigger deal than it is now, because I thought Hurt did a good job, but not necessarily an Oscar-worthy one. I just kept wondering why they were allowed open flames in their cell and thinking how Hurt looked a lot like Glenn Close when he was wearing makeup.

Live Pineapple Mirrors Breed Lost Boys 2

dibot — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 05:19:09 GMT

I really enjoyed Pineapple Express. I laughed so much that I thought I would choke on my food. Sure, Seth Rogan ("Stepbrothers") yells a little too much, and, in a couple of places, the film drags a little. But over all, very, very funny. James Franco ("In the Valley of Elah") stars as Rogan's pot dealer to whom Rogan confesses he has witnessed a crime. The two then go on the run. I can't wait to watch this again.

Live Flesh is a gorgeous film by writer/director Pedro Almodovar ("Volver"). Like many of Almodovar's films, sometimes the plot takes back seat to the colors and visuals on screen, but it doesn't take away from the film. Javier Bardem ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona") stars as a cop who gets paralyzed by a stray bullet. After the shooter is released from jail, he begins stalking Bardem's wife. And then it's weird and beautiful. See it.

Mirrors isn't really awful. It's just not very good, either. Kiefer Sutherland ("The Sentinel") tries really hard to act like the end of this film isn't a giant mess, but even he can't save it. The beginning of the film is tense, creepy and mirrors are scary all on their own. Then, I guess, director Alexandre Aja ("The Hills Have Eyes") just lost control of it. I don't even know what happened. I just got bored. What a sad waste of a potentially awesome idea.

The Breed is basically about a group of college kids who have to fight off some really smart dogs. Some of this was pretty bad, but the actors are all having a good go of it. And those dogs were scary. I would have had trouble fighting them, too. Luckily, this group has Michelle Rodriguez ("Battle in Seattle") to save them. Fun.

Wow, I don't even know where to begin with Lost Boys: The Tribe. It's awful, and yet entertaining. The dialogue is terrible, and yet, I found myself chuckling. The music is not nearly as good as the first film, but the remake of the "Thou Shall Not Cry" song (I don't know it's real title) was interesting. Angus Sutherland ("Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay") is not nearly the actor big brother Kiefer was in the first film. But the plot is pretty much the same. If you like seeing Corey Feldman ("Terror Inside") killing vampires and spouting ridiculous one-liners then this is for you. There's also lots of gratuitous nudity and gore. I admit, I had fun.

The Lavender Hill Puppet Masters Scoop The Killing's Cache

dibot — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:28:36 GMT

The Lavender Hill Mob is a British heist movie from 1951 starring Alec Guinness ("A Foreign Field"). The story is told by a man at a fancy club, and, as his tale unfolds, we see exactly how he fits into the story. The heist itself is pretty good. The characters are relatable and there are both genuinely tense and funny moments. But, perhaps I need more flash. Or more grit. Or more something. Good film, but not great. Though this has obviously influenced modern heist films, especially with the group dynamic.

I have heard so much praise for Cache that it was almost inevitable that it not live up to my expectations. A couple begin receiving videotapes of their everyday activities. They don't know who's sending them, but as the videos are non-threatening, the police cannot help. The film then focuses on a possible suspect and how the tapes and his information affect the family dynamic. It's interesting, with a slow, methodical, unsettling pace. Juliette Binoche ("Paris") is gorgeous. I didn't love it, but I might appreciate it more with repeat viewings.

Scoop is just a light Woody Allen ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona") comedy starring Scarlett Johansson ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona"), Hugh Jackman ("Happy Feet") and, of course, Allen himself. The premise is sort of interesting. A reporter, Ian McShane ("Deathrace"), gets some information after his death, as he's crossing the River Styx. So he jumps off the boat and appears to a student journalist, Johansson, and tells her that Jackman, a wealthy nobleman, is a serial killer. Then hilarity is supposed to ensue. And some of it is funny. Jackman is very good, and I didn't find Johansson as annoying as some of my friends did. But it's Allen that really ruins every scene he's in. Maybe he's just too old to act now, or past being able to pull of a certain kind of line (funny ones). Or maybe he's just become a caricature of himself so it is difficult to take him seriously. Or maybe he just wrote himself terrible lines. I don't really know. But I do know that I rolled my eyes whenever he came on screen. I feel bad saying that.

An early Stanley Kubrick ("Eyes Wide Shut") movie, The Killing is a film noir heist film. The heist is pretty elaborate, with many, many players. I guess that's why the filmmakers deemed the narrator necessary, but I think I could have muddled through without it. Also, the "femme fatale" was a really annoying character. I thought the film got a lot better once it got into the actual heist. Up until then, I wasn't really sold on it. Still, a good watch.

Based on the 1951 novel by Robert A. Heinlein ("Starship Troopers"), the story of The Puppet Masters is pretty much a template for quiet alien invasion movies throughout the years. In this film version, Donald Sutherland ("Fool's Gold") stars as a government agent investigating a reported UFO. When he and his team reach the crash site, it appears to be a hoax, though all of the townspeople are acting strange. The lady on the team, Julie Warner ("Stick It"), confirms this by trying to draw attention to her breasts. The government people try to study the alien, looking for a weakness, all the while trying to figure out which of their members are under alien control. Tense and interesting.

Who Can Kill a Dark Knight Vantage Point Nightmare To Be?

dibot — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 05:04:08 GMT

Vantage Point was not as awful as everyone said. However, I've already forgotten most of it. The different perspectives were kind of neat, but, especially at the end, there were some Crash-esque moments. Wait for this to make the rounds on cable.

Again, maybe I'm just not good with older and/or screwball comedies. To Be or Not To Be is set in WWII Poland about a group of actors who try to fool the Nazi's and save the underground resistance. It has some really funny parts, but, mostly, I was just mildly amused. I did really enjoy Carole Lombard ("Mr. and Mrs. Smith"), though.

Probably everything that can be said about The Dark Knight has been said. That aside, it was really, really good. All of the acting is top-notch. Christian Bale ("I'm Not There")'s Batman voice does get on my nerves a bit, though. Heath Ledger ("I'm Not There") is actually as good as everyone says. The film was a bit too long. That's my biggest criticism. All the Harvey Dent stuff could really have been a whole other film. But go see it. The action sequences are especially cool on the big screen.

I read an article once where Eli Roth ("Hostel Part II") was listing his favorite horror films, and Who Can Kill a Child? was one of them. The film starts out slowly, an expecting couple going to vacation on a small island. But when they reach the destination, they only see a few children in the mostly deserted village. And why they don't leave right away, I'll never know. The cinematography is very bright and dry. I felt hot and sweaty along with he characters. I did get a little frustrated with the pacing early on, however, the end was totally worth the wait. I can definitely see how this influenced Roth on Hostel.

American Nightmare is one of those films that has almost no redeeming qualities. Made in 2002, yet inexplicably set in the late 1990s, with all the main characters sitting around a coffee shop a la Friends, listening to a really bad radio show about people's worst fears, on Halloween. Then they start getting killed off. Bad dialogue. Really bad costumes. Poor acting. And all of this while continually referencing John Carpenter films, which just makes it all the more noticeable. Also, the killer has no clear or even thought-provoking motive. Best thing about film is this quote by the radio host: "How many people are doing the whole razor blade in the apple trick? Raise your hands. Good. Good. Good...Kid's going to the hospital. I love it. That's the spirit of Halloween - kids in the hospital. I hope there's enough room."

Definitely, Maybe Ruins Mysterious Gandhi Too Much

dibot — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 02:44:46 GMT

Alfred Hitchcock ("Family Plot") remakes his own film, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and it is quality. I haven't seen the earlier version, so I cannot compare. In this one, Jimmy Stewart ("The Big Sleep") gets mixed up in an assassination plot and his son gets kidnapped. So he and his wife, the blonde Doris Day ("With Six You Get Egg Roll"), end up taking things into their own hands. Very well shot, very suspenseful. Day sings "Que Sera Sera " alot. Not the greatest Hitchcock, but still very good.

The Ruins is one of the better horror movies I've seen lately, and I'm not even that scared of plants. While on a trip to South America, a group of teens gets invited to visit an archeological dig. But once they reach the site, some natives trap them on a Mayan pyramid, and shoot anyone trying to leave. So there's that threat. Then the kids have to figure out why. Then there's tension and very gross painful things. Very enjoyable.

Definitely, Maybe is probably (ha ha ) the worst romantic comedy I've seen in a long time. Granted, I don't venture into this genre often, but I thought Ryan Reynolds ("Chaos Theory") would keep me safe. Wrong. Reynolds is a funny guy, but writer/director Adam Brooks ("Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason") works really hard to keep him dull. There are a few laugh-out-loud moments, mostly when Reynolds is with Abigail Breslin ("Kit Kittridge: An American Girl"). And then there's the story. It should be interesting, how Reynolds ended up with Breslin's mother, but it's just not. I groaned over much of the dialogue. Avoid.

Mysterious Skin is glorious and disturbing. Director Gregg Araki ("Smiley Face") explores the lives of two boys who both experienced traumatic events as children and how that effected their lives. This film covers topics from child abuse to alien abduction. It's never easy, but it is gloriously shot and Joseph Gordon-Levitt ("Stop-Loss") is acting his pants off, sometimes literally. Awesome.

What to say about Gandhi? Ben Kingsley ("The Love Guru") disappears into his role of Mahatma Gandhi, who led non-violent protests against the British in India. The film covers much of Gandhi's life. The sheer scope of it is overwhelming. I felt the film was long and sometimes moved slow, however, I couldn't stop watching it. Deserving of all the love it receives.

Third Breaker's Sweet Smell of Hellboy Science

dibot — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:54:24 GMT

The internet keeps crashing on me. Making me crazy. Please be advised.

Breaker Morant is based on the actual events during the Boer War, and subsequent court marshalling of three Australian officers. The government has set them up for a fall, providing them with an inexperienced defense attorney and allowing him little time to prepare his case. The trial scenes are tense and the flashbacks to what the men actually did in the field are also engaging. But I was really fascinated with how the men held up in their cells, preparing to face their verdict, and the politics of it all. Very good.

Ah, the Sweet Smell of Success, good in so many ways. Burt Lancaster ("Field of Dreams") is a gossip columnist and Tony Curtis ("Reflections of Evil") is a PR agent trying to get his clients some publicity. Only Lancaster's shutting him out because he wants Curtis to break up his sister's relationship with a musician. Then the plot gets twisty. Curtis is fast talking and sleazy and grasping for fame. The dialogue is so quick you have to sit up and take notice. Two of my favorite lines: "The cat's in the bag and the bag's in the river." and "That fish is four days old. I'm not buying it." I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Rocket Science reminded me of Thumbsucker. Mostly because the main kid is shy and then suddenly inspired to join the school debate team. The style of this is different though, less dreamy than Thumb. It was funny, but not too funny. The best bits being with the younger kid who lives across the street from the love interest. The soundtrack has some really cool instrumental covers of classic Violent Femmes songs. I'm lukewarm on this.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army is just a whole lotta fun. Ron Perlman ("In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale") just eats up this character and loves every minute of his screen time. Director Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth" lets his imagination run wild with all the creatures and sets in this story. And the story starts strong and just keeps on going, quickly re-establishing the Team and introducing a very worthy villain in Luke Goss ("The Dead Undead"), an elf who wants to destroy the human race. Go see it.

A classic noirish thriller, The Third Man, stars Joseph Cotten ("The Survivor") as a writer who goes to visit a friend in post WWII Berlin, only to discover the friend has been killed just before he arrived. Cotten then sets out to solve the mystery of his friend's death. It's fast paced and intriguing, asking which loyalty a man should follow. There's a femme fatale love interest. And Orson Welles ("Moby Dick") is awesome. Very good.