BrianMemphis Reviews

Never Let Me Go (2010)

The (Alternate) Island

[1 November 2011]

A friend told me the film was not believable because "a society that would do this to its own people" would look nothing like the reality we know. When we had this discussion, he was speaking of Michael Bay's 'The Island' - a film with a similar premise. However, I think my friend's comment was a better criticism of 'Never Let Me Go' since in this film there was no attempt to keep the organ donors a secret from society.

The 1970s horror film 'Clonus' did a good job of shocking us with a group of human clones being raised for their organs. This plot was later morphed into a more audience-friendly version (complete with happy ending) in 'The Island' and finally the more mature approach of 'Never Let Me Go.'

This latest version leaves more room for contemplation, and the cinematography and 'alternate history' make this an engaging (although slow and depressing) movie.

Morning Glory (2010)

Disjointed Editing...

[6/10 · 23 April 2011]

This film had a lot of big name actors who did a great job, but the editing and pace of the story left me feeling underwhelmed. The resolution of conflict between Ford's character and McAdams' character seems to repeat numerous times towards the end of the movie in various locations. Something about it doesn't feel quite right, almost as if the filmmakers weren't sure which scenes to include, so they used every available option.

Despite this problem, the film is still enjoyable. Diane Keaton's performance is probably the best, although she and Jeff Goldblum seem under used.

Source Code (2011)

People are more than data elements

[7/10 · 16 April 2011]

Despite a failure to adequately adhere to or even define its own internal logic, Source Code is a very entertaining action thriller.

If there is a message, it's about the consequences of losing touch with our humanity in the information age.

This is evident when Goodwin's computer screens are finally revealed to the audience: while it's clear from the camera and microphone that Sgt. Coulter can actually hear and see Goodwin, Coulter's communications are shown only in scrolling text.

Similary, our society remains plugged in to various databases, Web sites and other forms of computer 'source code' that form a cold impersonal representation of who we are.

When Goodwin goes in to the room where Coulter's body is hooked up to the machines and sees him with her eyes, she is finally able to appreciate the situation from a perspective more human that not and therefore makes the 'Good Win' decision.

The Expendables (2010)

The Key to this film is the AutoPilot Scene!

[4/10 · 17 March 2011]

It would be way too easy to write a snarky review tearing down this movie; other reviewers have that covered. In my opinion, the movie is at its best during Statham and Stallone's first trip to the island. It feels like we're in an 80s-action movie and the plot is still setting up. But then things go downhill rapidly.

Digging deeper, for me the key to this whole movie is a scene on the way back to the island the second time. For no particular reason, a shot holds on Stallone switching on the plane's autopilot switch. This shot seems out of place, but upon further recollection it's is a metaphor for the whole movie. The Expendables is what happens when you throw all these action guys together and press autopilot.

Pure speculation on my part here, but I imagine Stallone wanted to create an Oceans Eleven type experience and work with his friends. Not sure if he achieved what he wanted to, but the Expendables is no Oceans Eleven.

Salt (2010)

Entertaining Action with Throwback Plot

[17 March 2011]

The movie's action sequences are very entertaining, and it's unique to see a woman in a Bourne-style action role. However, many elements of the plot are not unique, since the idea of the forgotten Soviet sleeper agent has been used many times before (Telefon, Little Nikita, etc). 80s flashback nostalgia is very appealing right now on US television (see Chuck, Fringe) and makes an audience-friendly way to tie the action together. Complaints about the plot aside, the suspense works and the actors do a fine job.

Watching the endings of the two alternate versions provided on the DVD (extended version and director's version) really show how much a film can change with a few simple tweaks. The director's ending, with its voice over and the additional gunshot scene in the control room, raises the stakes higher for the characters. Makes me wonder what the process was - audience testing, etc they used to arrive at the theatrical ending.

Client 9 (2010)

Big Egos + Public Power Struggle x Old Rich Dudes = Interesting Movie!

[6/10 · 4 March 2011]

Thanks to Netflix, I happened to see three of Gibney's documentaries in quick succession (Enron, Casino Jack, and Client 9) and of these I believe Client 9 is the most polished and best executed.

Although it doesn't deal with anything nearly as weighty or historical, watching this reminded me of the excellent 2003 documentary on Robert McNamara by Errol Morris (The Fog of War). The director here uses a similar style, returning continually to interview the title character by interjecting quiet off-camera remarks.

While the agenda was not as "in your face" as say, a Michael Moore documentary with its prodding use of juxtaposition, the film clearly has a left-leaning and pro-Spitzer point of view. But even so, it's an entertaining and engaging story.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)

Analyst Recommendation: Hold

[6/10 · 2 March 2011]

The original Wall Street improved with age (my age) becoming more relate-able as I became an adult and had endured a few corporate layoffs and buyouts. Therefore, my expectations for the sequel had built to a perhaps unrealistic level...

In the original Wall Street, Oliver Stone did a masterful job painting a clear picture from the sleazy Gekko down to the hard working victims at the bottom. Even if you couldn't relate to the details of "the street" you could relate to the people and the consequences of their decisions.

Not so in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. The LeBouf character's journey was far less interesting for me than that of Bud Fox. I think the main reason is his hero (and even the so-called victims in the movie) already seem so enriched by and entrenched in the Wall Street system, it's hard to have sympathy for them.

The strongest part of the movie was Michael Douglas' performance. Seeing the tantalizing preview in the theater is what made me eagerly await this movie. Gekko is not the central focus of this movie, but fans of the original will enjoy seeing him again.

Pursuit (1972 TV Movie)

Wanted to Give the Cinematographer a Dose of Nerve Gas!

[5/10 · 6 January 2011]

The good: From a historical perspective, very interesting to see all the classic elements of a Crichton story taking shape: medical mystery, technological danger, and a literal on-screen ticking clock. Big fans of Crichton's work (like me) who seek out this movie will definitely be able to appreciate it. And you can also see how Michael got better over time.

The bad: Yes, I realize this was done for TV. And yes, I realize that watching in 2010 I have the benefit of seeing many slicker productions. But the camera work here could only be described as "70s cliché." Zooming in to a character while they deliver an important line is overused (there couldn't have been that many commercials right?). At the end, there is a wrap up discussion done in a long shot that drains all emotional impact from the lines. The Netflix DVD I watched was not remastered in any way, so there were jumps in the film and audio quality was abysmal.

Gazarra and Marshall are fine actors, although I feel that Marshall was a bit miscast here. He seemed like he could play a good leader/planner but not so much a doer. Martin Sheen played his part very well, but was under-used.

Maybe it's mainly a budget issue, but consider that WestWorld was just made a year later - what a better made movie that is! A few simple tweaks (and more money?) would have made this OK movie great.

The Social Network (2010)

The First Rule of Nerd Club Is....

[7/10 · 8 October 2010]

Right out of the gate, we are hit full force with nerdy West-Wing-style dialogue, and some of the most realistic descriptions of computer programming I have ever seen in a movie. Technically the movie is very well done. Every actor is really talented. Justin Timberlake plays up the sleaze really well.

The only part that struck me as a little off was the 'crazy girlfriend' breakup scene. My initial reaction was there must be some deleted scenes that further developed the craziness, or maybe it was just a fact too juicy to leave out. But it's also an echo of a theme- she tried to get Ed's attention with the fire, he tried to get Mark's by closing the bank account. In the final scene, billionaire Mark is desperately trying to get a girl's attention, and even the exclusive club he's created can't help him.

Lost: Epilogue - The New Man in Charge (2010 Video)

This Would Have Been a Better Ending!

[6/10 · 3 October 2010]

Lost was one of my favorite TV shows ever, until the disappointing last 5 minutes. So I had high expectations for this short. I wanted to see the island again and how life had changed there with Hurley in charge. Would he build new bunkers? Would Kate drop by to visit on vacation? Would we learn more about the strange Matrix-like environment in the series ending? This short didn't meet any of those those expectations and didn't spend much time with Hurley, so I feel the title was misleading. The scene with Michael Emerson and the Dharma workers was enjoyable, and played with the appropriate amount of humor. There were a few nuggets of information in here to answer some of the nagging technical questions left open in the series (Where's Walt? Who sends the food?).

If they had cut from Jack lying in the jungle to this segment as the ending to the series, it might have made leaving so many significant questions unanswered a little more palatable. However, after watching this it felt as if I'd just been handed a few scraps of old fish biscuit from the bottom of a polar bear cage.

The Back-up Plan (2010)

Generated by the iPlot application?

[3/10 · 12 September 2010]

Although I watched this movie on Blu-Ray disc last night, I wonder if it is also distributed in PowerPoint format, which would have been just about as engaging. The plot of the movie is so canned, so expected, I was scanning the credits expecting to learn it had been created by an iPhone application or some other automated apparatus.

It was nice to see that Robert Klein (mainstay of 80s HBO) and Linda Lavin (Alice) are still alive and have their mental faculties about them. Even Lopez and the male lead were very competent actors and played their parts well. But short of resurrecting Vic Tayback for the diner scene, I am not sure what they could have done to make this more compelling. I agree with the other reviewers who said there are annoying distractions. It's like they took a bunch of standard plot elements, put them in a pot with some good looking actors, and cooked up a mediocre stew. Not the worst thing I've tasted but certainly not very memorable either.

The Box (I) (2009)

Interesting Journey, Unsatisfying Ending

[6/10 · 21 July 2010]

The Box is a movie with a lot of familiar elements: When humans send a probe to Mars, aliens notice it and make contact (see discovery of hyperspace in Star Trek 1st Contact). The alien emissary comes to Earth in the form of a re-incarnated Frank Langella. Frank says he is running tests to judge humanity's acceptability for ongoing survival (see The Day the Earth Stood Still). He also brings some cool technology with him such as mind control (see The Puppet Masters) and a water-based teleportation system (see Stargate). The plot follows the fate of the most recent box victim (Marsden) and his family (wife Diaz).

Ordinarily in a sci-fi movie like this the hero might use his knowledge of science to defeat the bad guy. That does not happen here, although the plot veers that way at times, as facts are revealed by the NSA onlookers and the characters try to figure out how the mind control system works. For this reason, many viewers of traditional sci-fi movies may find the movie engaging, but having a most unsatisfying ending. A previous reviewer referred to the plot as being like a 'Twilight Zone' episode, and the ending scene of the next couple receiving their box would be more at home there, but not so much here. I think the ending might be a let down to a certain type of audience that would remain invested enough to see it through. A comparison could be made to the TV show Lost - a bunch of questions are posed and investigated to a good level of detail (also in a 70s context), but the finale leaves many of them unanswered.

Some parts of this movie are downright ridiculous. For example, why would an alien who can control minds and has no issues murdering and blinding people bother to throw in a speech about creating "an interest-bearing checking account" for Diaz's son? Also, the two male victims of "the box" that we meet in the movie are both NASA employees, which is hardly a random sample of humanity. Perhaps the alien thinks he's getting the people most likely to leave the planet first, or perhaps I am just working too hard when the film isn't...

The Anderson Tapes (1971)

Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep....

[6/10 · 9 May 2010]

The soundtrack beeps and bloops and the emphasis on the surveillance technology looks very dated now. Every time you see a camera, expect them to hold the shot then cue the synthesizer! But stick with the film through the first 20 minutes or so and the effect becomes less distracting. Once you become engaged with the film, you'll find it's a surprisingly good movie.

Technology (despite the low-tech portrayal here) plays a central role in Anderson's undoing. He puts together a team that does things 'the old fashioned way' - masks, blowtorches, con men - and he's undone by tape recorders and a child with a ham radio.

Lots of reasons for people who are interested in films to see this one, and it won't disappoint them.

Frost/Nixon (2008)

Engaging and worth watching

[6/10 · 9 November 2009]

The film is framed by shots of TV cameras from Nixon's point of view - at the beginning the camera Nixon is resigning into and at the end the camera into which he apologizes. As one of the characters states, the movie is about the "reductive power of television." Nixon understands this, tries very hard to manipulate TV to his advantage, and fails. He's haunted by TV from his earliest debates to the very end. (Is the scene with the dog intended to further drive home this point by reminding the audience of the 'Checkers' speech?) A complete opposite approach from Nixon, Frost builds a career by embracing the shallowness of TV and is ultimately rewarded for it. Excellent performances all around, nice interplay between the two main characters over a pair of shoes.

The movie is probably about as exciting as it possibly can be, despite the fact that it is about a TV interview. In the end, like an old western the main characters face each other alone, with even their support teams watching from separate rooms through the filter of television.

Sure to attract and entertain US history buffs, the movie will inevitably be compared to 'All the President's Men' but should not be. Neither this movie nor the interviews have the same level of historical significance as the reporters uncovering the actual events. In other words, don't expect 'Frost/Nixon' to replace 'All the President's Men' in your high school history classroom anytime soon. A more apt comparison would be to the movie 'Quiz Show' - this movie feels like the 1970s in the same way 'Quiz Show' felt like the 1950s, and it attempts to add some depth to the dimensions of the characters we watch on TV. Another comparison that comes to mind is to the recent Richard Gere movie 'The Hoax' - Gere's character approaches and pushes his project with the same intensity as Frost in this film.

PoliWood (2009)

Did Barry edit this on his laptop?

[5/10 · 8 November 2009]

The horrible picture quality of the footage from newscasts and movies was a big turn off. Even the clip of 'Wag the Dog' which was Levinson's own movie was presented in sub-hi-def quality image in 4:3 format. It looks like all of the other footage was highly compressed and pulled from YouTube then zoomed in to full size.

The original footage of course looked fine. Not a whole lot of new or shocking themes in the movie. This would be a good primer for someone who didn't know about the Nixon/Kennedy debates or that news was driven by ratings, but not sure who that person would be. The parts of the movie that worked the best were the actors telling their personal stories.