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Reviews
50 First Dates (2004)
"First" time's a charm
Like him or not, Adam Sandler is a talented guy. Like many of his films, "50 First Dates" is a combination of frat-house humor and luke-warm romanticism. The object of his desire is once again Drew Barrymore, and to the filmmakers credit, this is the least annoying she's been in a while. All of the Adam Sandler Players are present, and Sandler does a fine job of allowing his co-stars some of the biggest laughs of the movie. He is unselfish in that way, and it makes his movies more enjoyable. The benefactors in this particular case are Rob Schneider and Sean Astin. Producer Sandler's true talent though is what he can get away with. This may be the dirtiest PG-13 movie I've ever seen. There is no nudity. There is cursing, but it's innocuous. The movie is riddled with explicit sexual innuendo from start to finish. It's amazing what the ratings board let go. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't offended in the least. I actually think movies are better when they're unfiltered and not watered down to get a specific rating. This could have very easily been rated R though. Taking pre-teens may not be a great idea. If you do, you'll have more 'splaining to do than Lucy Ricardo.
The Butterfly Effect (2004)
A Fine Piece of Ash
All of life's mysteries are answered in the movies. That loosely paraphrased Steve Martin line has held true for me for many years. So, how many times have you thought about freezing a moment in your past, and changing it? Anyone who has seen "Back to the Future" knows that you cannot alter the space/time continum, but it still poses a great question. Moviegoers throughout the years would love to implement this tool. Imagine if you could go back to a point in time when you hadn't yet seen "Just Married" or "My Boss's Daughter" and saved yourself the agony. "The Butterfly Effect" is a whole 'nother can of larvae. The puzzle-like screenplay is top-notch. The weaving of the character's stories in various points of their lives is expertly crafted, and sometimes gutwrenching. Ashton Kutcher holds down the fort very nicely. It turns out he can do something besides scream really loud. He VERY toned down. It's the kind of career turn that he had to make,( if he wants to have a long career) and he does it nicely. He's got many more turns to make, but this is a great first one. Let's put it this way, he doesn't do anything to take away from the superb story. The screenplay is the real star of this film (although is is nice to see Eric Stolz is alive and well.) I was about ready to send out a search party for him and Spalding Gray. So, even if you hate Kutcher, this Ash has turned another cheek; and DUDE! is it SWEET!
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004)
A Tad better than the usual.
In the mid 1980's, John Hughes did something wonderful. He was able to take a genre of movies which had always been laden with stupidity, and made them intelligently funny. "Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!" is not really a "teen" movie, but it is being presented as one. Most of the characters are supposed to be at least 21, but it has the same feel as today's teen movies. Let me make it perfectly clear that this movie has no business being compared with any Hughes movie, but it does have one thing in common; uncommon writing. The writing is very clever and a cut above your regular teen droll. It's as plausibly romantic as a "teen" movie can be. There is plenty of tongue and cheek dialogue, much of it about the movie business. Great supporting performances by Nathan Lane, Sean Hayes, and the incomperable Gary Cole accentuate that dialogue. The film is not without it's pitfalls. The low part of any "teen" movie is when the skinny white kid lip-syncs to an R&B classic. Barry White, Al Green, any will do. (See, it's funny because they are skinny and or white and without soul. Get it?) Topher Grace continues his smarmy "That 70's Show" act and it works here. Probably because he is excellent at it. Grace has done well as a supporting actor, and really comes through in this leading role. The movie is doomed to die a quick and painless death at the hands of an army of Orcs (or at least by a fertile Steve Martin.) But I sincerely hope that Grace gets another shot or two. He's supremely more talented than his TV castmate Ashton Kutcher, yet Kutcher seems to have the keys to the city. Go figure. So when the last two seats in "Cheaper By the Dozen" have been snatched up by two kids that look like they're going to talk throught the whole movie anyway, don't be afraid to accept Mr. Hamilton's gracious invitation. Take his hand, and he'll lead you into that empty theater for an hour and forty minutes of solid entertainment. At least it will be quiet.
Gothika (2003)
Not Berry Good
In a time when movie theaters are ruled by elves, bears, and cats
in hats; it's nice to have a movie or two that adults can enjoy.
Unfortunately, one of those films is "Gothika", a failed attempt at
counter-programming. Halle Berry, whose chronic overacting is
most apparent in her Oscar acceptance speech, does a believable
job as a woman thrust into an overwhelming situation. She (with a
lot of help from the editing team) gives a very, VERY tiny glimpse
into what a person who is believed to be mentally ill must go
through. Robert Downey, Jr. does what he does in almost every
movie, he be-bops around dripping with sarcasm and a bad case
of bed head. This is a guy that when he asks for his "line" during a
scene, he doesn't necessarily mean his dialogue. In fact between
him, Charles S. Dutton (who did time for MANSLAUGHTER), and
Berry (involved in a hit and run accident recently) this looked more
like an episode of "America's Most Wanted." One of the best
things in the movie was the set design ( the movie takes place in
an institution/prison), with help I'm sure from the technical
advisors (ie: the cast). A real feeling of incarceration and
claustraphobia permeates the movie, and a lot of mileage is had
from flickering lights. That being said, it's a shame when you have
to look to the set to find the bright spot of a film. Some of the
elements of "Gothika" were lifted straight out of "The Ring." But
"The Ring" had a great story to work with, this does not. Speaking
of which, does every horror movie have to have a creepy kid
(usually a girl with her hair in her face) in them now? "Gothika" is
uber-predictable, and the climax actually made me giggle a little.
Maybe those elves, bears, and cats aren't so bad after all.
Elf (2003)
Will Power
It takes a pretty big pair of snowballs to release a Christmas movie this early in November. The studio has to have enough confidence in their film that it will last at least to Christmas, which is more than a month and a half away. After seeing "Elf", I understand why New Line was so confident. "Elf" is destined to become a Christmas classic. In the footsteps of Chevy Chase's Clark W.. Griswold III; and Bill Murray's Francis Xavier Cross, Will Ferrell's Buddy the Elf will be rerun for years to come on the Superstation for generations to enjoy. I was skeptical at first that he could pull it off. Where Eddie Murphy and Robin Williams have succeeded in making the leap to family films, others have failed. Ferrell seems at his best when he can be a little raunchy and unpredictable. His Frank the Tank in "Old School" was fantastic, but could he do the family thing? Absolutely. He has added another dimension to his acting, and this could prove to be a major turn in his career. Also adding new dimension is John Favreau. Favreau has made a career writng and directing films that are dialogue driven. "Made" is one of the funniest films of the last decade, so for him to take on "Elf" must have been a harrowing decision. He has eloquently captured the tone of what a good Christmas movie should be, and should be commended. "Elf" also features great camp performances (which I will not spoil) and James Caan delivers his best performance since "Bottle Rocket." A new Christmas classic is here, one that made this Grinch's heart grow large.
Radio (2003)
Nothing But Static
Playing a character with mental retardation must be difficult. Many
have tried, few have succeeded. It's a tightrope walk with
convincing portrayal on one side and ridicule on the other. That
being said, this year's Juliet Lewis Award goes to Cuba Gooding,
Jr. Take a dash of Gary Busey's teeth, and a pinch of Beetlejuice
from "The Howard Stern Show" and you have Gooding's Radio.
The movie has no clear direction, and no clear conflict. I guess the
major conflict is that some of the characters believe that Radio's
presence at a local high school's events are inappropriate, and a
"distraction." And guess what...they're right. He is a distraction, he
does get in the way, and we are just supposed to accept it as
"That's Radio!" The movie's only positive note is Ed Harris as the
coach who tries to help Radio. Harris is likable and performs an
elegant southern brogue. The true story behind this movie is a
cute little story. But it probably would have been more appropriate
as a story on Oprah or even a segment on "60 Minutes." Two
hours of this sweetness was enough to send me running to the
concession stand for some insulin.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
More teeth than the original.
To prepare myself for this film, I watched the original again just the other day. I came to a realization. It was really boring. The 2003 version is head and shoulders better than it's predecessor. The one thing the original has going for it is it's campiness. It's style is such that you feel like you shouldn't be watching it, like you're doing something wrong. It almost has a snuff film quality to it that the 2003 version tries to capture, but can't. It's polished, but in this case that's not a bad thing. The direction and editing are top-notch. They are the things that make a great horror film. Girls who can scream are a dime a dozen. Whether it's Jessica Biel, Vivien Leigh, or more appropriately in this case Anne Heche. Don't get me wrong, I'm not comparing this film to "Psycho" AT ALL! But the thing that makes that shower sequence one of the all time greats is the editing. This film has great editing. There are plenty of good scares and the use of Larroquette is a nice touch. I think that Chainsaw and Dave from "Summer School" would give this remake their blessing, and so do I.
House of the Dead (2003)
Low-rent Housing
When "Resident Evil" came out a few years ago, many people
thought that the idea of a movie based on a video game would not
work (ie. "Super Mario Bros.") It was released, it did moderately
well at the box office, and it wasn't horrible. After seeing "House of
the Dead", I wish "Resident Evil" had failed miserably so they
never would have made this garbage. This is a movie containing
"the rave of the year" consisting of 25 kids and a VOLLEYBALL
NET! This is a movie containing long, drawn-out backstories for
characters who will die in the next scene. This is a movie
containing a ship captain who actually licks his finger and holds it
up to the air to see if a storm is coming. Some of the zombies look
good, some look like people who wandered on to the set and had
really bad acne. This is one of those movies where they try to
combine too many styles. I can just imagine the pitch meeting...
"It's 'The Matrix' meets 'Night of the Living Dead' meets 'The Island
of Dr. Moreau' meets 'Melrose Place!'" The movie itself references
at least a dozen other movies, and you wish that you were
watching any one of them. Ironically, most theatres are
programming the "Resident Evil 2" trailer with "House of the
Dead." The trailer is clever and funny. It's about sixty seconds
long. That minute is better than any one in the movie you are
about to see.
Out of Time (2003)
"Waste of Time"
After I saw "Training Day" I proclaimed to my friends that Denzel Washington is one of those guys that just doesn't make bad movies anymore. He's incapable of it. Whether it's his eye for a good script or his devastating ability to create an "all-time" great character (see Private Trip, Det. Alonzo Harris, etc.), you can count on his to deliver, big time. Since then he has proven me wrong. This is not a horrible movie, but it's not of his caliber. The first problem is that if you saw the trailer, the first 40 min. of the movie are pointless. It's all review. The last 40 min. of the movie is proposterously predictable. The middle 40 min. of the movie is great. Carl Franklin's quick edit direction really gives the film a sense of urgency. As Denzel becomes more and more manic, so do you. It's worth seeing, but don't get all Denzelled up thinking you're going to see something special. Denzel Washington has secured a place in movie history as one of the greatest actors to walk the planet. It's time he started acting like it.
The Order (2003)
No, not that "The Order."
You know your film is in trouble when it is getting confused with a straight to video Jean Claude Van Damme Hassidic Rabbi movie. But suprisingly, it's not that bad. At the beginning, it seems you'll be doomed to die a long, cliched-filled death. Helgeland follows in the steps of Father Damien Karras by creating his priests as "normal" guys. They smoke, they drink, they talk about chicks. How much merit are you going to give to a guy whose pants don't have a zipper? But things in this "A Knight's Tale" reunion get better. The appearance of a man called "The Sin Eater" takes the movie in a new, intriguing direction. The religious overtones and apparent research make the story come to life. Heath Ledger throughout his career has done nothing but underwhelm me. But his tone in this movie is great. It is the best performance I've seen out of him, which at this point isn't saying a whole lot. It always seems like he is being touted as "the next Mel Gibson" or "the next Russell Crowe." If this movie is any indication, he should stick to being "the next Heath Ledger."
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)
It's no "Marci X."
Given the deluge of crap in theaters right now, you could do a lot worse. There are some great elements to this movie, which starts in the style of an "E! True Hollywood Story" and ends with another inspired bit of comedy. But the movie's bookends dwarf the amount of laughs through the middle of the picture. It's almost like David Spade and Fred Wolf had these great ideas on how to send up child actors, but it wasn't enough to make a whole movie. Dickie Roberts would have been a great character (even recurring character) on "SNL", but like many of the show's alumnus' attempts at feature films, there's just not enough there. But what else are you going to do this weekend? See "Marci X" again? How about "My Boss's Daughter?" Hell no! It's not quite worth eight or nine dollars, but you'll get a few chuckles. My advice, sneak in.