alan-1011 Reviews

Over Her Dead Body (2008)

This Movie is So Bad

[1/10 · 1 February 2008]

I gave it a 1 only because I couldn't figure out how to rate it what it deserves - a ZERO!

Contrived, ridiculous, and incredibly stupid, this is the front-runner for worst film of 2008.

It makes Eva Longoria unattractive, Paul Rudd unfunny, and Jason Biggs even more annoying than usual.

The ghost returns to ruin the guy she "loves' chance a future happiness because she loves him so much?

There's no chemistry, no humor, and no reason for this film to exist other than to pay for the summer homes of these stars.

I was waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out of the audience and tell us we'd all been Punk'd!

You can read my full review for the "film" at RazorFine Review.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

Beautiful, but Slow Paced, Film

[8/10 · 28 September 2007]

For those expecting a shoot 'em up Jesse James story like American Outlaws you are bound to be disappointed. The film is a long and slow journey through the world of two men, the choices they make, and how their destinies become intertwined even after they both are dead.

The narration is a strong point of the film and I have no doubt that the book written by Ron Hansen is superior to the film. The movie does drag in places and even though it has been cut down from its original run time it is still too long.

The film's greatest asset is the look which is simply amazing. Terrence Malick fans should enjoy the look and feel to the world and the several different ways director Andrew Dominik and cinematographer Roger Deakins use to present it to the audience.

It's never as good as it should be, but it's still a darn good, if slow-moving, film that will satisfy more of the art house crowd than the general populace. You can read my full review on RazorFine Review.

In the Shadow of the Moon (2007)

A good primer

[8/10 · 28 September 2007]

The documentary which focuses on the experiences and remembrances of the surviving Apollo astronauts is a good introduction and primer for those who don't know much about the situations, the historical context, or just want to know more about the individuals themselves. There's only so much you can fit into a single documentary but the film does a good job of merging everyone's separate stories into a coherent whole that flows well and is both educational and entertaining. And for those who decide to go, stay through the credits as the astronauts discuss "the hoax" of the Apollo moon landings.

This is a good film for all ages, especially children who don't know much about the subject. You can read my full review on RazorFine Review.

Trade (I) (2007)

How this avoided a NC-17 is anybody's guess...

[7/10 · 28 September 2007]

Trade is a brutal film filled with strong performances about a subject matter almost taboo to discuss - the sex trafficking of children and teens across the world. If you haven't read "The Girls Next Door," the article by Petr Landesman which inspired the film, you should give it a quick glance before you go, it is available online.

I called the film brutal and it is. There is a prolonged rape scene, several scenes where the kidnappers force feed the girls drugs and beat them as well as sexually and emotionally abusing them.

Although well made with strong performances across the board I did have mixed reactions to the film. The storytelling wasn't quite up to par and relied on strange twists and a force-fed happy ending that really deflates the experience and left me somewhat ambivalent rather than passionate about the film, one way or another.

I would still recommend the film for those who know what they are getting into before hand and can stomach the subject matter. You can read my full review on RazorFine Review.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)

An outstanding film which earns a perfect score

[10/10 · 31 August 2007]

This is a great film which is well made and full of fun eighties graphics and music. It's engaging, compelling, and takes you into a world of competitive video gaming which isn't always pretty, but is all good. Although the film is rated PG-13 (for a "sexual reference" which I can't recall) I would recommend it to the whole family.

SPOILERS BEGIN HERE

As I have noticed there are one or two negative comments here on IMDb and I thought I'd offer my two cents here. First of it's important to realize the film is presented from a certain point of view, I would argue against anyone who says it lies, but you must acknowledge that events might be seen differently though different pairs of eyes, that's just human nature.

• Billy Mitchell: The film is unapologetically presented from Steve Wiebe's point of view - it is his story after all. And although Mitchell comes off as arrogant and egotistical and a jerk at times he isn't "made out to be a villain." In fact the filmmakers offer him endless opportunities to present himself and his case and the reasons behind his actions constantly giving him more and more rope which he only uses to hang himself. It is also important to realize that one of Billy Mitchell's longtime friends, Steve Sanders, who is in the film, stands by his friend but also stands by the film. I had an opportunity to interview Mr. Sanders, who totally enjoyed the film.

• The "Break-In": I've seen a comment or two talking about the "break in" and saying how if it happened the police should have been called. Steve's wife discusses the event in the film and never alleges the two men broke into her house. What she does say was they arrived when Steve wasn't home as she was leaving and her mother was the only one in the house. Since the machine, and the home for that manner, belong to Steve she asked them to wait as he was expected home shortly - which they agreed to do. Here is where POV comes into play again, the men talked their way into the house after she left and dismantled it before Steve got home. Is that a break-in? Well, I'm sure we can agree their activity was hardly 100% honest and above board.

• One comment states that Billy never wanted his 1 million score to be recorded, yet the film contains a phone conversation where he asks Walter Day for the score to be submitted, despite some oddities to the video tape which were never accounted for.

SPOILERS END HERE

I hope that helps to explain what seems to be some issues people have with the film.

Go to RazorFine Review to read my full review of the film and the interview with Steve Sanders.

Balls of Fury (2007)

Okay, for cable

[4/10 · 29 August 2007]

Balls of Fury wasn't the total disaster, but when that's the highest praise I can offer, well, that's a problem. Think of it as a lesser version of Dodgeball.

Ping-pong just isn't that funny, or exciting, or anything really - just like the film. The idea of underground ping-pong never really goes anywhere. The jokes are okay at times, but there are no big laughs and certainly no surprises.

Unless you are a 10-14 year-old boy, who given the film's humor and scantily clad actresses is obviously the target market, you will probably be disappointed by paying money for it. Wait a couple of years and watch it free some night on Comedy Central and spend your ten bucks somewhere else.

The 11th Hour (I) (2007)

It's not An Inconvenient Truth, but...

[8/10 · 25 August 2007]

Although it deals with many of the same issues as Al Gore's Oscar winning documentary from last year it lacks some of the style, presentation, and gravitas the former VP exudes so easily.

Still, for what you get it's a pretty good film, though the second half is far superior to the first.

The documentary, as narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, goes into detail of what's wrong with our world, what changes and challenges our generation must accept, and how close we are getting to the point of no return. The first half of the film deals with the destruction and disasters happening all over the globe and comes close, though it never steps over the line, of using the kind of scare tactics many, wrongly, accused Gore of. The second half of the movie deals with what we can do, technology that currently exists and new technology that's on the way. As the film gets more hopeful, peers into the future, and presents amazing opportunities and challenges, it becomes moving and quite powerful.

I'd give the first half of the film a 6, the last half a 10, and so I split the difference and gave it an 8 overall.

If you enjoyed this film and want more you should check out other recent documentaries like An Inconvenient Truth and Who Killed the Electric Car?, both from last year.

Go to RazorFine Review to read my full review for this film, and the others listed above.

The Ten (2007)

A bizarre, insane, odd, and sometimes brilliant film

[8/10 · 25 August 2007]

The Ten is one of those film many will just dislike for being made. It' 90 minutes of absurdity, but also features quite a bit of heart along the way.

For me this was one of the hardest films to review for this year, simply because it is so different. Ten interweaving vignettes, each telling a tale of one of the Ten Commandments may not sound like a fun time, but it is here.

Although not all of the ten stories work, many provide either, or both, humorous moments and thoughtful points. Although the film takes delight in poking fun at the Commandments it also shows why some of them need to be followed. If you live in the suburbs and don't recognize the characters from the coveting you neighbor's goods vignette, taken to the absurd extreme, than it's you.

I give the makers of this film credit for taking on such a controversial subject and for creating something completely different than everything else currently in theaters. Is it for everybody? No. Is it for you? Well, that depends on how open you are to experimental cinema and how good natured you are at a little poking at your religious beliefs.

You can read my full review at RazorFine Review.

Resurrecting the Champ (2007)

Better than expected

[7/10 · 25 August 2007]

Okay, the film is actually pretty good and a far cry from what I expected, though nowhere near as good as a 10 Star film that I've seen listed on many of these comments. The film is passable, and even enjoyable at times, with a good message and a meaningful story about fathers and sons at its core.

Hartnett, like the rest of the cast, do a serviceable job and the acting is pretty good throughout the film, though people thinking Jackson will win or even be nominated for a flick like this need to put down the Kool Aid. It's a nice little film, a modest surprise even, but hardly anything award worthy.

You can read my full review online at RazorFine Review.

Nancy Drew (2007)

Surprisingly Good

[6/10 · 14 June 2007]

It's not a great film, but much better than expected and fans of cheesy teen films should find something here to enjoy, though it does struggle at times when if falls into the typical small town girl being taken advantage of the cooler kids from the big city. I've noticed some people objecting to Emma Roberts being cast in the title role, but she comes off quite capable and smart, and she's likable and young enough if the studio would decide to make this into a franchise she could do quite well. And Josh Flitter is a good comic foil for this type of film. Not great, but better than your average Hollywood fare. You can come read the full review Friday morning at RazorFine.

Once (I) (2007)

Good, but...

[8/10 · 14 June 2007]

Like many of those who have posted before me I thought the story and plot of the film were magical. It's got strong performances from both lead actors and some darn good music, too. I'd agree to the Lost in Translation comparison. The film is a love story, but not a romantic love story. It's a tale of two souls, both incomplete and lost, and how their time together changes each of them.

As much as I loved everything else about the film, the cinematography was horrible. I don't know why they got the guy who shot The Blair Witch Project to do this... Seriously though, this small independent film is shot with a hand-held camera, and it shows. There's the constant shaking of the camera, the awkward zooms in and out at random intervals, the odd framing of many scenes, and some problems with perspective and keeping characters in focus. It looks like it was filmed by somebody's dad who just got his first camcorder. Even with this issue I'm still giving it an 8 for its beautiful characters, relationships, and memorable moments, so you can imagine how good the film could have been if it had been shot by someone who was competent.