Change Your Image
WRCoughlan
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Mr. Deity (2006)
Phenomenal web series
While the digital age has engendered a rash of substandard content, only a few creators have really managed to capitalize on the strength of the internet as a distribution medium. The unfortunate truth is that when anyone can produce and distribute a movie (series, talk show, etc.), then 99.9% of what's out there is going to be garbage -- or, to be charitable, good for a quick chuckle before moving on. What Dalton et al. have done is to bring true talent to the table, putting them in extraordinarily limited company. Top-notch satiric writing, A-level performances, professional production values (don't let the minimalist sets fool you), and flawless comedic direction make this an absolute must-watch (along with Barry Gribble's "Buddy Jackson," probably the only web sitcoms I'd pursue so avidly).
Checkout (2006)
More than the premise might suggest
I caught this at the DC Shorts festival last fall, and was pleasantly surprised to find that what I feared would be just a one-gag film (I could just picture the pitch: "Okay, so we've got a ninja, only he works at a convenience store. And he meets a bunch of other wacky characters. Hijinks ensue!") turned out to be surprisingly well plotted, with very well developed (if more than a bit over-the-top) characters (not necessarily deep, but definitely motivated), great comedic pacing, and some really fun performances. And yeah, there were enough gags to live up to the premise. Definitely worth seeking out at a festival screening -- and if it becomes available on DVD, I'll definitely try to pick it up.
Must Love Dogs (2005)
The movie Cusack will regret
I just returned from a sneak preview of Must Love Dogs, and I couldn't help but check my watch repeatedly throughout. I love John Cusack, but come next weekend's critics' reviews, he will no doubt be calling his agent, hoping against hope to be cast in something that will revive his career after this horrible misstep.
It's not his fault -- the screenplay is absolutely atrocious. It comes across as if written by a first-year writing student. Every scene is played precisely on-the-nose, with nothing remotely approaching subtlety, character motivation, or any consideration save the single, straightforward plot. There are no subplots to speak of -- every conversation in the picture is ham-handedly directed toward its prescribed outcome.
There is -- quite literally -- not a surprise in the entire film. (And PerfectMatch.com clearly paid a lot for product placement; they beat you over the head with its name.)
Yes, it's supposed to be a romantic comedy, and there are allowances to be made for the genre. But the laughs are forced, the comic timing is nonexistent, and the entire piece feels like a low-budget student film.
Or -- as seems more appropriate given Goldberg's pedigree -- like a television producer overextending himself in making the leap to the big screen.